HOME | DD

Description
Twelve-year-old T-Chan stood in the Preliminary Ring ready for the match to begin. The Proctor looked at his watch and impatiently tapped his foot.

“She’ll be here any minute, I promise!” the opponent’s sensei called. “Sarumaru! Go find Hana!”

“Do I have to?”

“Here I am!” a shrill voice rang through the arena. The young shark-toothed girl leapt over the railing into the ring, somersaulted in midair then hit the ground hard, rolling along until she was stopped by the Proctor’s foot.

“You’re late.”

“I know! I know! I’m really sorry!” Hana said, jumping wildly. “But I saw a butterfly! It was pretty so I had to catch it! Then I caught it and then it wasn’t pretty anymore. And I was sad. But then I remembered the Chunin Exam and now I’m here!”

T-Chan groaned. Why did she have to face this loser? Hana hadn’t been here ten seconds and she already had her sensei in tears.

The Proctor took a few steps back and raised her arm in the air. “Opponents ready?”

T-Chan moved into position. Her stance was perfect. She was going to make this a quick battle.

The Proctor dropped his hand the match began. Hana, momentarily distracted by something shiny, was suddenly thrown through the arena. She quickly readjusted herself and instead of splattering on the wall, she bounced off painlessly.

But just as she landed, T-Chan spun around and kicked her square in the jaw. Hana flew a feet then skidded to a stop, but managed to stay on her knees.

“You’re out of your league, Hanasuki-san. You should just give up and accept that you’ll always be a loser.”

“No way. I never give up. Especially not to jerks like you.” She lunged, only to be caught by the throat and flung backwards. She landed on her stomach. Shakingly, she tried to get up, but T-Chan slammed her foot down on her spine, pinning her to ground. “Ah! Come on! Let me go!”

T-Chan smirked. “Forfeit.”

“No. Didn’t you hear me? I never, EVER give up!”

With her hands still free, she started to make unfamiliar signs. “Tsunami!”

Nothing happened.

“Oh, right. Tsunami NO JUTSU!”

T-Chan cringed. “No! Not in here, you moron! You’ll kill us all!”

The arena began to shake violently and a powerful rumbling echoed throughout the chamber.

“Oh, no!” Hana’s sensei wailed. “Not again!”

“Damn!” T-Chan groaned. “You idiot!”

“T-Chan!” she heard Awesome Sensei call. “T-Chan get to higher ground!”

Water gushed into the arena as if a dam had burst. T-Chan flew up the wall of arena, digging her feet into the brick.

I don’t have enough chakra to wait this out, she thought. She barely made it to the arena ceiling when water slowed then began to recede. T-Chan took a deep breath then released her hold on the ceiling, then launched herself toward the quickly draining water. She somersaulted, diving head first into the water.

The water completely drained from the arena, leaving everyone soaking wet.

“Well, at least they’re the last match,” the Proctor sighed, wringing out his bandana.

Hana stood in the center of the ring here hands still in the last sign of her infamous Tsunami no Jutsu. But a quick look around made it quite evident that T-Chan was nowhere to be found.

“Huh? Where’d she go?”

“Check your blind spot!”

T-Chan, who had been crouching just below her vision, which was impaired with and without the large goggles, suddenly sprang up, with a kunai ready in hand.

“Kunai to the Face no Jutsu: Blinding Strike Technique!”

The kunai broke through the goggles with such force that she staggered backward.

T-Chan then executed fifty-four perfectly synchronized taijutsu techniques and sent Hana flying all around the arena.

Hana felt herself floating in midair, barely aware of what was around her. All she could see was a blurry figure coming toward her at an amazing, incomprehensible speed.

Then the world went black.

“Winner: T-Chan Enurface!” the Proctor called, holding up T-Chan’s arm in victory.

“That’s my girl!” Awesome Sensei cheered.

The Mednins lifted Hana’s broken body as carefully as they could and placed her gentle on the stretcher. As they begin to take her out toward the infirmary, the movement woke her up enough to feel her sensei take her by the hand.

“Did I win?”

“… No, Hana. You didn’t win. Maybe next year.”

“T-Chan! T-Chan! T-Chan!”

… Maybe next year…

“Did you hear that?”

“Yeah, isn’t Sensei retiring once the Chunin exam is over?”

“So, how’s she going to try again next year?”

“I don’t know. I just know that it won’t be me on her team. I’m so glad that I got to the finals. Even if I lose a match, there’s still a good chance that the judges will make me a Chunin.”

“Me too! But Hana’s going to be alone, isn’t she?”

“Well, she’s a freak of nature. She’s destined to be alone. But did you see T-Chan’s moves?”

“Yeah, totally! She was all over the place, dude! Man, I hope I get the chance to go up against her!”

“Are you kidding? I hope I just get to stand next to her! She’s so hot!”

“Whoa there, cowboy! I totally called her first, Sarumaru!”

“Did not!”

“Did too!”

“Why you –?!”

“Stop you two!” Hana heard Sensei yell and then quickly reprimand her teammates. How quickly they forgot all about her…

… Destined to be alone…

I’ll show them, Hana thought. I’ll show everyone. One day… One day, I’ll be the greatest ninja in the whole village. Then they won’t forget about me…

T-Chan watched as the Mednins took the stretcher from the arena, closely followed by Hana’s sensei and teammates.

Awesome Sensei smacked her on the back, breaking her away from her thoughts. “Ramen’s on me, just like I promised. Hey, you okay?”

T-Chan took one last look at the entrance to the infirmary and nodded. “I’m fine, Awesome Sensei. Just a little tired.”

“Yeah, you did use a little too much chakra climbing up the walls. But you did great out there!”

“You sure did! You were amazing!” her teammates praised her. “You’re the best! I’m so glad we all made it to the finals! Totally! It would be an honor to lose to you, T-Chan.”

“Oh, I’m not that great,” T-Chan smiled.

“What are you talking about?! You’re the best! No one could ever beat you!”

T-Chan laughed. “Well, I couldn’t have done it without you guys cheering me on! You have always believed in me, and that’s what made me strong.”

Awesome Sensei cocked an eyebrow and scratched his chin. Confident, self-righteous T-Chan, who was always quick to compliment and twice as quick to insult, was now standing before them showing an emotion that he never thought he would see from her.

Remorse.

What he would give to know what that girl was thinking at that moment. But his curiosity would have to wait. “Ramen, here we come!”

“Sweet!” the boys cheered and ran off through the exit.

“You coming?” Awesome Sensei called.

“I’ll catch up with you,” T-Chan called.

All alone in the arena, she picked up the kunai she had used to stab Hana’s goggles. She heaved a sigh and wiped away the tears on her cheeks. “Even your own teammates don’t believe in you. But you still had the courage to face me, even when you knew you couldn’t possibly win.”

She wrapped her fist tightly around the kunai’s hilt. “And me, who everyone, even your Sensei, cheered for… You’ve known nothing but defeat, and yet you’re the strongest person I have ever met. Me? Just once… Just once, I want to lose. Just so I know that I don’t have to be afraid of it anymore.”

She took a deep breath and three the kunai straight up into the air. It stabbed into the ceiling, a message hanging from the handle.

“Never give up, Hana. Never, EVER give up. The next time we meet I will have forgotten this promise that I make to you now, so give me this kunai to remind me that I promised this: I will do everything in my power to train you. I promise that I will make you a Chunin, so that no one will ever call you a loser again.”

Description
Twelve-year-old T-Chan stood in the Preliminary Ring ready for the match to begin. The Proctor looked at his watch and impatiently tapped his foot.

“She’ll be here any minute, I promise!” the opponent’s sensei called. “Sarumaru! Go find Hana!”

“Do I have to?”

“Here I am!” a shrill voice rang through the arena. The young shark-toothed girl leapt over the railing into the ring, somersaulted in midair then hit the ground hard, rolling along until she was stopped by the Proctor’s foot.

“You’re late.”

“I know! I know! I’m really sorry!” Hana said, jumping wildly. “But I saw a butterfly! It was pretty so I had to catch it! Then I caught it and then it wasn’t pretty anymore. And I was sad. But then I remembered the Chunin Exam and now I’m here!”

T-Chan groaned. Why did she have to face this loser? Hana hadn’t been here ten seconds and she already had her sensei in tears.

The Proctor took a few steps back and raised her arm in the air. “Opponents ready?”

T-Chan moved into position. Her stance was perfect. She was going to make this a quick battle.

The Proctor dropped his hand the match began. Hana, momentarily distracted by something shiny, was suddenly thrown through the arena. She quickly readjusted herself and instead of splattering on the wall, she bounced off painlessly.

But just as she landed, T-Chan spun around and kicked her square in the jaw. Hana flew a feet then skidded to a stop, but managed to stay on her knees.

“You’re out of your league, Hanasuki-san. You should just give up and accept that you’ll always be a loser.”

“No way. I never give up. Especially not to jerks like you.” She lunged, only to be caught by the throat and flung backwards. She landed on her stomach. Shakingly, she tried to get up, but T-Chan slammed her foot down on her spine, pinning her to ground. “Ah! Come on! Let me go!”

T-Chan smirked. “Forfeit.”

“No. Didn’t you hear me? I never, EVER give up!”

With her hands still free, she started to make unfamiliar signs. “Tsunami!”

Nothing happened.

“Oh, right. Tsunami NO JUTSU!”

T-Chan cringed. “No! Not in here, you moron! You’ll kill us all!”

The arena began to shake violently and a powerful rumbling echoed throughout the chamber.

“Oh, no!” Hana’s sensei wailed. “Not again!”

“Damn!” T-Chan groaned. “You idiot!”

“T-Chan!” she heard Awesome Sensei call. “T-Chan get to higher ground!”

Water gushed into the arena as if a dam had burst. T-Chan flew up the wall of arena, digging her feet into the brick.

I don’t have enough chakra to wait this out, she thought. She barely made it to the arena ceiling when water slowed then began to recede. T-Chan took a deep breath then released her hold on the ceiling, then launched herself toward the quickly draining water. She somersaulted, diving head first into the water.

The water completely drained from the arena, leaving everyone soaking wet.

“Well, at least they’re the last match,” the Proctor sighed, wringing out his bandana.

Hana stood in the center of the ring here hands still in the last sign of her infamous Tsunami no Jutsu. But a quick look around made it quite evident that T-Chan was nowhere to be found.

“Huh? Where’d she go?”

“Check your blind spot!”

T-Chan, who had been crouching just below her vision, which was impaired with and without the large goggles, suddenly sprang up, with a kunai ready in hand.

“Kunai to the Face no Jutsu: Blinding Strike Technique!”

The kunai broke through the goggles with such force that she staggered backward.

T-Chan then executed fifty-four perfectly synchronized taijutsu techniques and sent Hana flying all around the arena.

Hana felt herself floating in midair, barely aware of what was around her. All she could see was a blurry figure coming toward her at an amazing, incomprehensible speed.

Then the world went black.

“Winner: T-Chan Enurface!” the Proctor called, holding up T-Chan’s arm in victory.

“That’s my girl!” Awesome Sensei cheered.

The Mednins lifted Hana’s broken body as carefully as they could and placed her gentle on the stretcher. As they begin to take her out toward the infirmary, the movement woke her up enough to feel her sensei take her by the hand.

“Did I win?”

“… No, Hana. You didn’t win. Maybe next year.”

“T-Chan! T-Chan! T-Chan!”

… Maybe next year…

“Did you hear that?”

“Yeah, isn’t Sensei retiring once the Chunin exam is over?”

“So, how’s she going to try again next year?”

“I don’t know. I just know that it won’t be me on her team. I’m so glad that I got to the finals. Even if I lose a match, there’s still a good chance that the judges will make me a Chunin.”

“Me too! But Hana’s going to be alone, isn’t she?”

“Well, she’s a freak of nature. She’s destined to be alone. But did you see T-Chan’s moves?”

“Yeah, totally! She was all over the place, dude! Man, I hope I get the chance to go up against her!”

“Are you kidding? I hope I just get to stand next to her! She’s so hot!”

“Whoa there, cowboy! I totally called her first, Sarumaru!”

“Did not!”

“Did too!”

“Why you –?!”

“Stop you two!” Hana heard Sensei yell and then quickly reprimand her teammates. How quickly they forgot all about her…

… Destined to be alone…

I’ll show them, Hana thought. I’ll show everyone. One day… One day, I’ll be the greatest ninja in the whole village. Then they won’t forget about me…

T-Chan watched as the Mednins took the stretcher from the arena, closely followed by Hana’s sensei and teammates.

Awesome Sensei smacked her on the back, breaking her away from her thoughts. “Ramen’s on me, just like I promised. Hey, you okay?”

T-Chan took one last look at the entrance to the infirmary and nodded. “I’m fine, Awesome Sensei. Just a little tired.”

“Yeah, you did use a little too much chakra climbing up the walls. But you did great out there!”

“You sure did! You were amazing!” her teammates praised her. “You’re the best! I’m so glad we all made it to the finals! Totally! It would be an honor to lose to you, T-Chan.”

“Oh, I’m not that great,” T-Chan smiled.

“What are you talking about?! You’re the best! No one could ever beat you!”

T-Chan laughed. “Well, I couldn’t have done it without you guys cheering me on! You have always believed in me, and that’s what made me strong.”

Awesome Sensei cocked an eyebrow and scratched his chin. Confident, self-righteous T-Chan, who was always quick to compliment and twice as quick to insult, was now standing before them showing an emotion that he never thought he would see from her.

Remorse.

What he would give to know what that girl was thinking at that moment. But his curiosity would have to wait. “Ramen, here we come!”

“Sweet!” the boys cheered and ran off through the exit.

“You coming?” Awesome Sensei called.

“I’ll catch up with you,” T-Chan called.

All alone in the arena, she picked up the kunai she had used to stab Hana’s goggles. She heaved a sigh and wiped away the tears on her cheeks. “Even your own teammates don’t believe in you. But you still had the courage to face me, even when you knew you couldn’t possibly win.”

She wrapped her fist tightly around the kunai’s hilt. “And me, who everyone, even your Sensei, cheered for… You’ve known nothing but defeat, and yet you’re the strongest person I have ever met. Me? Just once… Just once, I want to lose. Just so I know that I don’t have to be afraid of it anymore.”

She took a deep breath and three the kunai straight up into the air. It stabbed into the ceiling, a message hanging from the handle.

“Never give up, Hana. Never, EVER give up. The next time we meet I will have forgotten this promise that I make to you now, so give me this kunai to remind me that I promised this: I will do everything in my power to train you. I promise that I will make you a Chunin, so that no one will ever call you a loser again.”