A New Home...?

Salzem resumed his duties he would normally had done in Konoha which usually consisted of just walking through the streets, watching the people, his people, and/or walking along the roof-tops. Back in Konoha, Salzem fancied himself as a patrolman, watching and waiting for something, anything to happen. Though he never goes and starts fights, he hardly would object to one should collateral be at a minimum. Sadly, there was little crime to be had, at least as far as the Salzem could see. It was getting dark about now and people started to clear off the street. He was able to pick out individuals more easily now from the roof of a house. An elderly lady in a white robe with a basket, a young adult male garbed in black, and a whole bunch of young ones trying to make the best of the fading day light before they were called home. Although Salzem wasn't technically a sand ninja, he was already treating this place as his new home. At least, until he was ready to move again. That thought brought him to the man he was hunting... His hatred for him had faded slightly to more of a dutiful compulsion. He didn't hate the man he was hunting anymore. He'd grown out of that, but now he felt as if he owed it to his slain friend. He didn't even know if he was going to kill him anymore. Perhaps that was the scary part. That he was loosing his thirst for the man's blood meant that the only thing that kept him going this long was fading. Well... perhaps one of two things. Still a scary thought. He was going to have to find a new drive. Something else to keep him going.

A wise man would say "protecting kingdom and country is enough." A wiser man would say "Family and friends would be enough." Then again, Salzem was never a wise man. He was proactive, a tool, a weapon! He wanted something to do. He wanted to be in the thick of it all the time, now. His time in prison had shone him how unbelievably boring sitting and doing nothing was. It had sucked the joy from his meditation because every time he'd open his eyes, all he'd see were the walls of his cell. Representations of his lack of freedom. Perhaps he felt that way now. Perhaps that stuck with him. Salzem's sanguine eyes tracked the people down below as they cleared out. He wanted to be out doing something. He felt like.... No.... he needed a new purpose... A purpose he couldn't give himself.

A few days had passed since the incident with Sal had occurred.For the most part, Kira was able to continue on without the constant thoughts of her once trust worthy friend echoing through her mind. Whether he was a traitor, or whether he was dead, now the only thing that filled that void was mixed feelings of anger and gratitude. The first feelings she had felt when Koroshi had spared him were happiness. She was happy that he wasn’t dead, because she had come to believe that he wasn’t the spy that she thought he was. The girl had also been on high alert these few days and was able to feel Sal was still in the village through the mark seal she had placed on the boy which only confirmed that. Though, Kira was angry, angry of the fact of what Sal had done to her. It wasn’t just him, but how she would now see people. The one person she came to trust had seemingly betrayed her, and that would cause her to be even more cautious of people than she already was.

Flicking her kunai holster open, the girl plucked one out of it and twirled it around her finger before launching it at the target, hitting it close to the middle. She did this twice more before approaching the wooden log and pulling out the kunai she had thrown. Subconsciously, Kira looked towards where the mark seal that pulled her and spotted the boy over on a rooftop about a block from where she stood. She aggressively pulled out the kunai knife from the wood before launching at at the boy that was about 50 meters away. The knife was thrown at such a speed that would be noticeable to Sal, and could even catch it if he wanted to. If somehow he failed to notice the kunai, it would just pass right by him as the girl didn’t directly aim at his body… unless her aim was bad and she did in fact accidentally hit him. Once Sal had noticed her, she would just smile and wave towards him. She didn’t want to express her emotions… Showing them would only make her appear weak.

Salzem noticed movement out of the corner of his left eye. It was fast, though not especially. He turned quickly to face it, then ducked quickly to the right to avoid the on-coming kunai knife. He stared at it as it passed in front of him. His rage didn't build. He remained icy. He turned his gaze in the direction of where the knife had come from, steeling himself for battle. To his surprise, the one who had thrown the Kunai was Snow... why was she throwing potentially dangerous objects at him? Surely their friendship hadn't degraded that much... Salzem hopped down off the house roof and began making his way over to Kira, expression blank. He didn't necessarily appreciate dangerous objects being thrown at him...

"Hello Kira." Salzem said, nodding in greeting. He was unsure how their relationship stood at this point. He didn't want to be joyous in his greeting, nor did he want to be a jerk. He was going to be neutral about this. "How've you been?" He tried to hide his genuine concern as best he could. Not because he would see himself as weak or that he didn't think he should care, but because he didn't think he had the right. Kira was obviously hurt bad by his disappearance. He didn't know what to do...

Salzem nearly flinched at the sudden, unexpected burst of emotion coming from Kira and it wasn't even the kind he'd expected. He thought Kira would lash out at him, paralyze him again so she could beat the crap out of him herself. He knew after how much he'd put her through and how much time had passed... well.... she couldn't have forgiven him yet. He knew because that's not what he'd do. Salzem would have held that grudge over the person who hurt him until the end of time... Perhaps that's what Kira intend on doing and this was just a façade. He didn't know... Kira was a complicated character. Perhaps that's one of the reasons why what she thinks of him matters so much. Salzem winced as Kira brought up the tourney that was due to start soon. It was one of the things that lead to his "disappearance." He thoughts that maybe... maybe if he could get back to Konoha, find the man and deal with him, he'd be back before the tourney was over! Obviously, Salzem made a stupid mistake. These thoughts caused Salzem's guilt to rise up all over again as if he was staring down Kira as she threatened to kill him. That brings up Salzem's other fatal flaw: He couldn't forgive himself. He wouldn't allow it. Not now, anyway.

"Yeah, I'll be there." Salzem promised, offering a vague shadow of a smile. Even the smile was forced. Every time he saw Kira, he felt a *pang* of guilt rush through him. Her face seemed to contort to that murderous expression, but when he'd blink, it would be just the same as before; That smile Salzem didn't deserve. All he wanted to do is start over. To forget and erase what had happened and begin again. When Kira offered training, Salzem looked a little unsure... His eyes seemed to reflect his emotions clearly. Yeah, he wanted something to do and yeah, he wanted to fight someone. He was just afraid that it might get out of hand... Salzem's restraint isn't what he was known for... Kira seemed to look at him expectantly, as if hoping he'd agree.

 His mind flashed back to the first time they met, getting ready to spar just like this... How close they'd seem to grow afterwards... Salzem internally recoiled at the memory as if it were a thorn bush. No! He didn't deserve such a memory. He closed his eyes and shook his head to cleanse the thought from his mind. It didn't work. It was all he could see when he closed his eyes... He supposed it was what he deserved. Pain for pain... Salzem opened his eyes and raised his hands in a fighting stance, saying nothing. His actions would talk for him... Salzem's fists vibrated violently before bursting into flames. It would appear as if their ignition was spontaneous. He'd lunge at Kira at speeds of 150 closing the 5 meters between them almost instantly. He intended to knock her out with a simple and easy punch to the chest (40 strength 150 speed) and what she didn't know is how much he had to tug back on his attack as he unleashed it. The strength this attack allowed was insane... It was almost painful withholding that much power...

AP: 485

-40 1gintion Fist

Kira let out a warm smile when Sal had responded that he would show up to watch her in the tournament, but the smile faded quickly as the boy seemed to be as troubled as she was, maybe even more so. With the more time that passed since the incident, the more she felt inclined to let go of the emotions that attached themselves to it. For the most part, she had forgiven Sal, she really did. It was just the mental anguish that she was now scarred with that she hated him for. The lack of trust that she would develop with those around her, not knowing if she could trust the words that left a person’s lips. It was a continuous process, but she wished for things to get back to normal. They had to. It just wasn’t in Kira’s nature to live in this soap opera drama, she was more about that gossip girl life rather than the walking dead.

The Uzumaki waited patiently for is answer, doubt written all over his face. “Oh come on Sally, how can I expect myself to face off against those who want to harm us if everyone always takes it easy on me?” Key word, us. The Uzumaki made it certain to include Sal into her imaginary circle. She would wink at the boy and smile, but nothing seemed to get though, the boy was heavily troubled from the events that transpired. Even so that her playful nature couldn’t pierce through his cold shell. When the boy’s eyes fell, Kira’s facial expression drooped to almost mirror his. It was only when he opened his that she continue her act. She couldn’t let him see through. She had come to forgive Sal, but she couldn’t come to show her vulnerability. She could never show it to anyone. Not again.

The boy put up his fist, causing every muscle in the girl’s body to tense up in preparation. His fist seemed to combust into flames out of freaking nowhere, causing an imaginary bead of sweat to pop behind the girls head (anime style). Someone must have been hanging out with Gwynevere. Well, all the most training to face off against the flaming hairball. With the ignition of the boy’s hands, Kira formed the hand of confrontation and parted her to feet, ready to move at a moments notice. Shortly after, the boy lunged forward at an incredible speed. If it wasn’t for all the training she had done, it would have been impossible to keep up with the boy. At the first move, the heterochromatic eyed girl had performed to actions: Her chakra began to surge rapidly within her as a sealing formula formed around her instantly with a two meter radius and a power of 80. During that time, a chakra chained protruded through her skin right where Sal seemed to be training to make contact with a speed, health, and sharpness of 110. It would have come out far enough to pierce into the boy’s knuckles by the time his fist reached his chest. around the same time, two extra chains would shoot through her sides at the same stats, one wrapping itself around Sal’s punching arm while the other aimed to wrap his other fist, all in the while, unbeknownst to the boy, a marking being placed within the boy’s physical body.

Ap cost
Barrier Confining Tech: 30
Chain Supremecy 80
Chain Seals: 25
Fuuin spec skill: 40

ap used: 175

Salzem sensed the barrier's approach as it expanded. He brought fist around and it collided with the barrier. Normally, this wouldn't have any effect on the seals. That is, were this a normal punch. In fact, his fists were vibrating at such a high frequency that the visual change couldn't be detected. Not to mention the fire. But wait! There's more! When his fists came into contact with the barrier, the vibrations translated from object to object, dismantling the chakra bonds built. If one had to imagine an equivalent, one would see a steel wall melting under intense vibration, weakening molecular bonds (Strength 130). In any case, Salzem broke through the barrier with little loss in momentum. However, Kira launched a chain out of her hand at him, not unlike that of Scorpion's 'get-over-here!' move. Well... Salzem wouldn't be getting over there quite the way she intended. Just before Salzem's fist connected with the chain, his fists flames went out. With that out of the way, Salzem's muscles in his back legs tensed, forcing all the strength he had into those limbs. He easily ducked out of the way (speed 180), likely disappearing from Kira's view all together. He would then dash around her so that he was behind when the chain reached it's intended destination. He would then thrown a straight kick into the center of her back, (Speed 100 strength 39), sending her flying across the roads; at least 10 meters. He had a hard time imagining Kira being able to dodge this unexpected blow from behind, especially because he was moving so fast that only after he landed the kick did the foot-prints in the sand appear. The force of the attack should have been enough to stun her. Not kill, not hurt, but stun. Surely, the fight would end there should this attack connect...


AP 455

-20 Iginition Fist Upkeep
-10 Taijutsu Body flicker

The Uzumaki watched in complete shock as the boy broke the barrier before he had even step foot within it. Well that much have been completely knew considering he wasn’t able to do that before when they had first exchanged fists, unless that was just another lie, and he just pretended to be stuck. The Uzumaki braced herself, as her chakra continued to flow rapidly from her body. She could feel her reaction time increase as well as her speed as the boy grew closer and closer. There was no taking chances, and the girl had to find a way to try and catch up with him movements.

Her chains grew close to the boy, hoping that he would be unable to stop his movements and run right into it but that’s not exactly what happened next. The boy just… disappeared. He had ducked and seemed to vanish. But the Uzumaki knew it wasn’t that. She could see, barely, but still see that that Sally had just moved at an extreme rate. If he wasn’t in font of her, or to her sides/above  through view of her peripheral vision, then that meant one thing. The kunoichi turned at a speed at 135 and placed her hands out in front of her just in time to block the incoming kick that was originally intended for her back. While the kick had come in and the boy was mid attack, the chain that had originally missed its target had swung around with her (since it originally came from her chest). The base of the chain would have been close to where Sal’s foot would have struck, causing it to easy access to latch, or at least start to, around the boy’s foot at a speed of  110 as the foot was making contact with the girl’s body. The blow that came caused her to skid backwards a few meters  and sent a jolt of pain throughout her fore arms. Though, if the Uzumaki’s counter had succeeded, her chain would have been wrapped around the boy’s leg. “Well that’s a new trick.” The kunoichi exclaimed through heavy breathes. This was the kind of challenge she had hoped for, but would she be able to keep up?


+40 ap back from two unused chains (time lining since the first attack didn't go through)
- 15 ap for flicker movement.

Salzem's foot had collided with Kira, though not precisely where he intended. Instead, he struck Kira's arms held out in front of her, sending her flying a fraction of the intended distance. However, As she was flying backwards, she shot out a chain at his leg, wrapping it around his ankle. Strange why she would choose to do that. Perhaps in an attempt to immobilize him? Regardless of her intent, this put him in a good position. With his massive strength, Salzem picked up the chain which was tied tightly to his ankle. He then tugged hard (strength 40) effectively pulling Kira off her feet and towards him at great speeds. So fast in fact, she was pulled off the ground. He could only imagine the stress this would cause on Kira's body as the chain was yanked forward. He then reared back and with his free hand, tightened his fingers into a fist. As she flew towards him and entered arm's reach, Salzem threw his punch forward in an uppercut aimed at her upper belly (speed 100 Strength 40). Judging her physical capabilities, he thought using only half of his maximum would be enough to Incapacitate her, thus ending the fight. However, if she somehow managed to dodge, he would be ready to fight long-term at close range.