A difference of Scenery...

[guoduan]

So many other kids, were the first words out of the boys mouth.

Looking around at the other genin here for the exams from so many places Guoduan was in awe. He had been friendly to many other genin with smiling hello's and shaking hands, but it seemed there was a lot more "serious sorts" then Guoduan was used to interacting with.

He had listened quietly to the words from the proctor with a smile of marvel the whole time, barely able to contain his excitement.

Then the first task began everyone received their pendants and students were off in every direction. Like a wave of excitement and laughter that rolled through the room crashing through the doors and into the grounds nearby. Spending so much time in the Kaze No Kuni out lands away from the other students there was almost to much information to process.

After receiving his pendant Guoduan fell in line walking towards the doors, escaping out of the doors as genin went in all directions. He stood there mouth open at the site of the grounds so much green escaped his mouth in a gasp. Guoduan had arrived with his Sensei during the night and so had not had an opportunity to see the city and exam grounds in all of its marvel and glory bathed in the light of day.

He walked slowly down the path out of the door, not recognizing anyone nearby he eventually found himself sitting nearby to the path watching other students. There was interesting fights all over the place genin from every village using their skills to win the pendants from one another. Guoduan tried to avoid as many fights as he could realizing that his fighting abilities relied mainly on his ninjutsu.

Understanding that his ninjutsu abilities would be very hard for a proctor to miss he had decided to try to avoid fights. Anytime he would be challenged to a fight for his pendant he would speak to his possible opponent and offer them an alternative. Convincing them that if they beat some other nearby genin he would give them his pendant as well. Usually when they turned to attack the other genin he would run off somewhere disappearing away to continue to take in the scenery.

After many situations like this Guoduan found himself nearby to a pond.

Sitting close watching the insects and animals go about their normal lives. He sat with a tree to his back the shade casting gently down upon him, a cool breeze passing nearby sending ripples through the pond. Guoduan sat drawing a picture of what he saw, his art may not have been the best but he had made a promise. He had promised his sensei that he would capture these memories he was experiencing through one method or another.

Knowing full well she would hear all about it after the fact, he still felt it would be good to accomplish something today. So finishing his drawing he gathered his things back into his rather large metallic gourd. Shouldering his burden as he was used to doing each new day he moved the strap across his shoulder making it the most comfortable that he could.

Staring one last time at the pond he let the breeze cross over his face one more time. The sweet smell of trees and grass rich in the air.

Such a beautiful place, he said as he turned back to the path.

[guoduan]

a little later...
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Guoduan slid under a kunai dodging another as a hail of shuriken came flying towards him. Using his force from his slide he pushed off with his knees sailing through the air to take cover behind a tree. Hiding behind the tree he caught his breath once more, where was this other genin striking from? Guoduan scanned the nearby area making sure to not poke his head out to far, there was nothing in sight. A snapping of twigs to his left gave him just enough time to roll into a bush avoiding the new angle projectiles would be sailing from.
This is gonna be close, guoduan thought to himself staying completely still in the bushes. The whistling of shuriken sailing past his new position then several thuds as they stabbed their way into the tree.

The sound of several footsteps, he is over here i know it came the voice of a male genin. Guoduan had not taken note of which village they had belonged to when he stole their stash of pendants. Only that they had three which he didn't have, luckily they had not payed attention during one of their earlier conflicts with some younger genin they had beat up. So guoduan was able to make off with their "stash" of pendants, but his clean get away had been ruined when one of them noticed him slip away. It had been a chase ever since, they had tried everything to slow him or stop him. Trying to call him out thinking his pride would be hurt, which didn't bother him he stayed hidden and kept running. They tried trapping him, which didn't work even with their number superiority guoduan had been to fast. They had just recently tried using kunai and shuriken but all they had hit was air.

With footsteps approaching right next to him guoduan remained still, it had been interesting practice for him learning to use a different environment then he had ever trained in. He had almost burst out laughing so many times, these other shinobi have it so easy there is cover everywhere. So different then the open dunes of the desert but this had been fun to say the least, but now it was time to end this game.

Guoduan grabbed one of his magnetized kunai from a pocket and then threw it into the forest behind himself. The kunai guided by his magnetic ability sailed through the air circling through the surrounding forest. The kunai made it all the way to the other side of the group of genin, then flew back into the small clearing towards them. Missing one of them by a few inches it stuck into a tree, a small scrap of paper hanging from it said you will never catch me.

The genin were fast in pursuit of their quarry running into the woods the direction from which the kunai had emerged, the opposite direction of Guoduan.

He sat in the bushes a moment longer then when he knew they were gone he silently fled in the opposite direction of the genin. He was home free his pockets full of pendants now, there was sadly only copies of four of the six that the students had. Yet guoduan was not about to let anything damper his spirits he was doing well.

He walked through the woods back to where he had stashed away his gourd. Taking it by the strap he adorned it upon his back once more, stepping back onto the path he continued his journey to the village.

Now if he could only find someone to trade with he thought looking through his extra pendants.

[guoduan]

Later that afternoon...
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Hello guoduan said to the young cloud genin, she had been staring at him for a few minutes now through the windows of the small clothing shop. Is there something i can help you with?

The girl just stared at him wide eyed, are you from Sunagakure? She said in a soft voice a gentle curiosity in her eyes, well if you are how are you not dead i heard there is a gigantic monster killing people all over the place there. Destroying cities and stuff, do you know anything about that? Do you?

Guoduan was marveled by how quickly the girl spoke, words flying from her mouth like a swift wind. Yes I am from Sunagakure, i was born there, but haven't lived there in many years.

And what about the monster, the girl said.

Well i don't know what monster your talking about, plus all the villages i had been to weren't destroyed so i assume its not all truth. Unless i am the monster, he said with a giant grin.

The girl gasped.

Only kidding, my name is guoduan, whats yours?

My name is Tamiko, she said, i am from Kumogakure.

That's neat, said guoduan, living in the mountains.

Well yeah i guess, but when you grow up there i guess its not as interesting of a place, just home. She said looking away from the store towards the horizon. Anyways, there was actually a point to me following you.

I can assume said guoduan, care to share what it was, he said with a smile.

Well when i first saw you, before i realized your were from Sunagakure i thought i would fight you for your pendants. But then when i saw your Hitai-ate i wasn't sure what to expect. You have been very nice to me, and with most of the other students all out fighting one another it is strange to find you shopping. You know instead of doing what everyone else is, tamiko said with a puzzled look.

I guess that does seem weird doesn't it, that i would travel so far just to go shopping. Well the truth is i was just waiting for the road to clear before i went across the street to get some bubble tea he said with a laugh.

That doesn't answer the question, its the same thing. Answer the question, she said with a glare.

Ok, ok, i was waiting to get bubble tea... but i was mostly just trying to remain out of view of other genin. Its been so annoying all day you can't walk five feet without someone being like give me your pendants, give me your pendants or i will beat you up..blah..blah..blah... I just needed a break.

Oh i feel bad now, said tamiko.

No your fine, at least you said hi first, and with a laugh they walked together to get some bubble tea's.

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a few hours later...
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Well i will trade you my extra gold slab for your extra lunar diamond, guoduan said.

That sounds like a fair deal, tamiko said with a smile on her face. Plus you did buy my bubble tea so i kinda owe ya, she said as they exchanged the pendants they had agreed upon.

Well it has been really nice talking to you Guoduan and thank you for the trade, my sensei is probably worried sick about me. I didn't check in all day and she i said i should at least once, plus its getting later in the day. See ya, she said as she walked towards one of the bigger hotels.

Bye tamiko, hope to see ya later, guoduan said with a smile. He looked at the lunar diamond pendant now sitting in his hand. Just need one more and i will have the first six, but i need to eat something.

With a grumbling belly guoduan headed towards the nearest ramen shop.

[guoduan]

Taking place right after my last post in team ramen shop truce Go thread.
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Beep, beep, beep, the sounds of the equipment guoduan was hooked up to in the medical center in the chunin exam village. There was an argument between guoduans sensei and one of the sentinels of the Procter. I'm sorry but the rules clearly state if he is unable to complete the final task by the deadline he is disqualified. Guoduans sensei made a disgruntled noise then nodded with agreement to the sentinel. He continued to pretend to be asleep not wanting to deal with anyone trying to make him feel better about technically failing out of the exams.

Then after the sentinel left he could feel his sensei's gentle eye's staring at him, not sure if she had noticed he was awake he continued to lay there. With a sound of her empty stomach growling she started talking to guoduan as though he was awake and was sitting up. I will be back soon, just gonna grab some food.

Guoduan opened his eyes to the sound of the door closing and he was alone. Sitting up in his bed he felt a definite soreness to his body but it didn't seem like there was anything seriously broken or aching in unrelenting pain.

He scooted to the edge of his bed then stood on his feet, a little wobbly but he seemed ok. Patting around hid body checking for injuries it seemed like nothing was hurt more then some deep bruises on his chest and arms and knees. Shuffling towards his things he knew he only had seconds to collect his things. Throwing back on his clothes, strapping on his gourd and grabbing his map and the eighth pendant he had acquired from the last fight he was in. Without wasting a moment he sealed the eight pendant into the map then was out the window in a flash.

Sailing through the terrain he looked at the spot on the map, it was rather far away but guoduan was determined to not lose this. Even if he was bruised and battered he would finish this, he would succeed.

[guoduan]

The maze...Theme Music
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Working hard to avoid others or a proctor or sentinel for fear that they had already deemed him to be disqualified guoduan diligently made his way to the maze. Coming to the entrance guoduan took in the magnitude if how large this maze was, the towering walls the possibility of traps and danger. Guoduan thought to himself well I'm a little behind not knowing how long till this task is over i should probably work as fast as i can. Flowing into a few hand seals he called forth his third eye.

Daisan no Me
Third Eye
With chakra, guoduan connects an eye made of Metal Dust to his optic nerve, which enables him to know what happens in the artificial eye's field of vision. This is genuinely a third eye for its user, and the size of the eye can be controlled dependent on guoduans need.


Using its increased field of vision from far above guoduan was able to plan out his movements and coordinate them with where he was currently. This advantage gave him an edge, he could already see other genin far ahead in the maze battling and running around but that wasn't what he was looking for. He was looking for the pendants.

There was the first he thought as he sighted the location with the floating third eye high above him, moving quickly and effectively guoduan took the path of lease resistance. Running past people in the midst of fights jumping over traps, dodging projectiles firing past him. The air ripped past his face and his one and only focus was to get that pendant. Running through an opening that had been created from the katon jutsu in another genin fight guoduan ran through the maze bit by bit till he came to a clear room gathering the pendant he needed. A trap sprang from a nearby genin, the kunai flying right towards him.

A puff of smoke and a log with kunai lodged into them as guoduan appeared behind the genin blinding him with a handful of dirt he had grabbed while sliding past him. Guoduan was aware of the trap having spotted the genin setting it up with his third eye a while ago.

It was time to find the next pendant, guoduan looked around for a place to rest if even for a second so he could seal the pendant he had in his hand.

A small hallway of foliage with no one around it offered both a safe place for guoduan to seal the pendant but also a relatively direct route to the next area guoduan believed a pendant would be.

Taking a moments rest guoduan drank some water and had a small bit to eat, realizing he needed to keep his energy up cause he wasn't home free yet.

[guoduan]

Theme Music
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Sliding around a corner his kunai digs into the ground to slow his speed. Rounding the corner he kicks off the chest of one genin flying through the air above, sailing towards a wall he quickly throws a kunai down the hallway between foliage walls. Landing squarely in the head of a large living plant mouth extended about to consume a genin. Barreling towards the hulking plant he dodges the blows of another genin, then a hail of shuriken whizzes past him.

Hand seals then a wall of metallic dust blocks the projectiles, a breath of flame from his right burning down the corridor. Electricity zapping in front of him, the paper bomb explodes that had been tied to his previous kunai throw. Exploding through the husk of the plant cleaving a hole in the foliage wall, still sailing through the air the metal dust spirals around him blocking projectiles flawlessly from all angles.

Landing with a roll ducking under more attacks guoduan leaps through the now open hole in the wall. Running as fast as his feet can carry him other genin fast in pursuit. A cloud of metal dust sails back into the gourd with precision. He continues running down the long corridor scouting from above with his third eye, running into the next room his dust whips into the room like a bullet knocking down three genin standing around a small raised platform holding the second pendant he needed from this maze.

The three genin raise to their feet in hot pursuit after guoduan launches himself out the exit on the other side of the room. Multiple genin once again on his trail he had to think fast, spotting a room filled with traps down a few different paths he assumed he maybe could lose them before then but if not he could hopefully slow them down with the traps.

The trapped corridor was straight ahead on the other side of the wall running forward he kicked off of the wall launching himself forward. Stepping into the top of the wall for a brief second he planned where his landing should be moments before. Running off the edge of the wall and diving through the air he spun throwing two kunai directed at where the genin should be if they followed him directly. The genin following the relative same path clear the wall just as kunai streak towards them noticing the kunai they jump forward into the room saving their skins. Having not had the opportunity to prepare for the room the genin land square in the center of the traps, guoduan running through the room dodging and weaving slashes two ropes holding the traps from firing off. Just as he dives out of the room his body hitting the ground with a thud a shower of senbon needles flies through the room in all directions. Guoduan slips around the corner but still catches a needle in his left thigh. Reeling from the shock he pulls out the needle and continues on is way.

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an hour later...
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Dragging himself along he walks down the lonely pathway, no one in sight. His eyes slowly becoming blurry, his body weakening, his heart rate slowing. Must be some sort of sleeping toxin guoduan thought thinking back to the needle he had been struck with an hour earlier. I am so close, i can do this, he thought pushing himself onward.

His body ached his mind blurry but he pressed on.

I am not gonna quit, i will not fail. Each step harder then the last, his third eye spotted the room only a few turns ahead.

Limping to the room took all of his strength, by the time he got there he was almost unable to keep his eyes open.

five feet left till he had the last pendant from the room, four feet, three feet, two feet. He collapsed his hand resting on the third pendant of the maze. Pulling it slowly to his chest he looked at it with what vision he had left. Well you were worth it he said looking at the pendant.

Just gotta seal you, with his last bit of strength he unfolded the map on the ground above his nearby and sealed the pendant.

Only one more, he coughed out as he fell over into slumber.

[guoduan]

A few hours later...
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He awoke in darkness the air stale reaching out he felt something strong and dense surrounding him. Pressing his hands outward the surface crumbled around him revealing light from above. guoduan looked around covered by his metal dust his gourd empty. It appeared as though with the last of his strength he had covered himself by a cocoon of his metal dust mixed with the earth.

Feeling much better after the sleeping for an unknown period of time guoduan looked to his wrist watch. A couple hours have passed i hope i still have time. Focusing his mind he pulled the metal dust back into his gourd and with a breath of relief he checked through his jacket for the scroll. It was there with the eleven symbols for the pendants he had already collected.

Looking at the imprint left in the earth below him guoduan thought to himself how handy that cocoon of metal dust and earth had been for him and maybe with a little work he could actually develop a technique like it.

His body ached his mind blurry, but at least he could stand he thought. Well, no time to lose, gotta get back to it and guoduan started to head to the last point on the map.

He wasn't sure what was coming next or if he could even accomplish the task. He started to doubt himself as he walked along the path, what if the next task was harder, what if it required more strength then he had. He thought back to the close calls he had over the last day, his experiences, his struggles. The friends he made, the fights, all culminating on the path he was walking now. What if is new friends hadn't made it arata and ryuuske, or what if they did. What if he had to fight them could he do it he wondered. These exams were meant to bring you to your limit to test you in more ways then one. Was he really up to this challenge, could he really hope to do better then all these other genin all fighting and struggling to gain the spotlight and prove themselves to be chunin.

Maybe i should just give up guoduan remarked to himself, maybe he should just go home. He could come back when he is older, when he is stronger. Then a moment of clarity surged through him, he wasn't just doing this for himself, this was about more then just a new rank, this was about proving he could be a shinobi of the land of wind. If he didn't rise above these perils how would he ever prove he could. If he didn't continue on now would he ever live this down, he is so close and all he has to do is walk the path and be ready for the next test.

Theme Music

He stopped walking and looked towards the moonlight realizing the reality of where he was all at once, he was at the chunin exams and he was succeeding. This was his time, time to prove no matter your age, no matter your jutsu, with willpower and determination a genin could overcome great obstacles.

I will finish this, i will show my strength, i will make my village proud he said quietly to himself while he stepped back onto the path to the last pendant. It was his time to shine, it was his time to stand in the spotlight, he can't stop.

[guoduan]

Guoduan appeared nearby to the leafy creature, guoduans breathing heavy, his steps dragging, each step harder. Looking towards the beast guoduan was unsure of what to expect from the creature.

The creatures gentle eyes peering upon guoduans stumbling formed briskly walked up to him. Let me help you, kusatogi said in a gentle voice as he brought his leafy tail to brush against guoduans forehead. The wounds healing, his ache receding, his vision clearing, guoduan stood up straighter.

Thank you for your help guoduan said with a bow. Am i in the right place guoduan asked as he looked to the creature.

Why yes you are kusatogi said to guoduan as he motioned to a pendant sitting nearby. This is what you are looking for, all your hard work has brought you here. Kusatogi paused for a moment as he peered towards guoduan, do you know what this symbol signifies?

Guoduan looked into the eyes of kusatogi after he had glanced at the pendant for a moment. I do not know, i would be glad to learn though if you would explain to me. Guoduan pulled out some food from a pocket and then ate while he listened to kusatogi.

It's the insignia that the Shinobi Alliance used during the last World War. It represents the cooperation and alliances between the lands of the shinobi. This test was a test of survival but in a way it symbolizes the interactions of the great countries of the past. Once long ago there was much chaos between the nations, shinobi running rampant, countries conflicting and fighting one another trying to get ahead and prove their superiority. It is only by becoming allies in the end that we were able to gain strength enough to protect this world. Think of your experiences getting to this point, was there not friends you made. Bonds formed that will affect you for the rest of your walk on the shinobi path. You must learn from your own mistakes and successes, we are all stronger together.

After kusatogi's words guoduan pondered deeply upon their meaning. Thank you kusatogi, for your help, and for this lesson you shared with me. I will try my hardest to not forget what i have learned here, all the lessons.

And with a smile towards kusatogi guoduan received the final pendant, he was done with the first test.