The absence of the Uchiha brat added a bit of tension to the air, as much as Zabuza didn’t like to admit it there was more interest invested in the ones with Doujutsu in this tournament.  That Sasuke kid and the Hyuuga were both favorites to win, thankfully Kumogakure did not attend these exams; bad blood takes longer than a few years to settle, especially considering fresh blood always seemed to spill before the last mess was forgotten.     What was odd was Gaara’s reaction to Sasuke’s absence.  He clenched his fists but his expression remained neutral.  He had blood on his mind; the kid was old school, which Zabuza

            Tightening the gauze wrap, Zabuza finished the cover for his sword and stood up.  He had debated writing seals on the linen strips, but decided it was too much work for a pointless deception to bother.  Strapping the blade to his back he waited by the door for Chojuro to finish getting ready so they could finally get this day started.  The boy came out of his room, nervously adjusted his goggles, and cracked his knuckles as he strode to the front door.            “He didn’t come in last night either?”  Chojuro’s voice seemed slightly worried.            “He’ll show up.  Doubtless he’s

The well trod dirt of the village kicked up hardly any dust as a strong wind rushed in from the east; but the sounds it produced were incredible.  The high pitched rustle of grass, hissing like a snake; the fluttering of leaves in the trees, like a moth flying too close by an ear; wind chimes knocked together, seeming to call everyone to attention to the fight about to commence. “You have any reason for calling me out for a fight?  Or is this simply a matter of you not liking the way I smell?”  Kiba faced off against the much taller man.  This O’De was a man in his prime, but still youthful from the look of his scars.  Akam

The screams were the hardest part.  For someone as quiet and reserved as Kimimaro was, deathly silent even, his screams were unsettling, almost unnatural sounding.  Holding her hands together, Anko waited patiently in the hallway while Tsunade worked on her brother.  Twice did her assistant, that Shizune woman, run out to grab something.  Even an underground hospital didn’t have everything they needed it seemed. It was all too sterile in here, too much like the rooms in any of Orochimaru’s hideouts.  It was different when she was younger, or perhaps it had only seemed that way.  Pulling out a folder she had received from Danzo, s

He felt hot.  It was a strange sensation.  The bed was too soft to be real, but the pain made him all too aware of the reality of his situation.  Too tired to pretend he was still asleep, he stirred and opened his eyes to see his surroundings.  A man in a thick desert cape sat in a chair beside him, changing bandages with a simple wash basin on a table beside him.  It was a small bedroom, most likely in a highway inn somewhere in the Land of Rivers. “So you’re finally awake.”  The man’s face seemed familiar, but Haku was too tired to think though his memory of Bingo books.  Too sore to even move he stayed still, thoug

“Eikyuutoudo.”  The ease of which Orochimaru had slid into the earth made the permafrost jutsu a necessity.  Still it was an odd coincidence to find himself fighting one of the Sannin while on a mission given by a Sannin.  Sliding his sandals from off his feet, Haku felt the ground frost crunch with a thin sheet of ice, there was a calming quality to the cold. Across the cavern, Orochimaru did his best to hide his discomfort.  Even for a legendary shinobi like him, the temperatures were starting to take effect.  In addition to the permafrost jutsu and the natural ice, the room’s sub-zero temperature added to his advantages.

Karui had found that learning to control her own impulsive behavior was a hard lesson, but a necessary one.  Were she a few years younger she would have taken out her sword and threatened the lion riders for belittling her, but the situation was hard enough without any additional hostilities.  Being told that she was responsible for the villagers was just the thing to impress the weight of the situation to her.  Different cultures, different customs, it was never easy to play by someone else's rules, especially when you don't know them. The "eyes of the people" they had called her.  Though meant to keep an eye on the villagers to ensure they

Stay in one place long enough, with an open mind and open eyes, and you will learn its secrets. The Yuki Clan's ice bloodline was one which combined Wind and Water; two elements he had found most useful in the desert.  Today was the morning of the day he had decided to venture back to Konoha, but that night had been one of strange dreams.  Dreams of hidden ice, buried deep within his subconscious like something forgotten. Since coming to the desert, Haku had developed four different techniques, but that worried him.  In the years he had spent in Kirigakure, in the company of Zabuza and Ao he had been called a g