NEW biography of Ashley (by your favorite ghostwriter, Jan)

The Next Day

Ayumi quietly shook Ashley awake. Misaki was groaning and muttering about something, an empty cup near her (that Ashley suspected had been filled with alcohol). “I’m going to go out training…” Ayumi strapped on her weaponary and jacket as she walked outside. Misaki struggled up. “I think I drunk a bit too much yesterday.” “You think?” Misaki smiled through the hangover. “Heh…good luck…” Ashley smiled. “Of course.”

Frost, being a rather isolated country, had many places to train, but Ashley preferred the forest—for the large amount of targets to hit. She had never been good with weapons in comparison to Ayumi and Misaki, and so she spent most of the day training with her lance. It was light, but also somewhat unwieldy. All the Jutsu I have are all well and good…but it won’t be enough against someone like Mei Ling or Ayumi. I need to find something better… “Soo…have you considered my offer?” Ashely spun around, throwing her spear at Narcissa Hitomi, who held out her hand. For an instant, tnoghint happened—and then, in a whine of sound, the spear shattered into thousands of tiny pieces. Ashley drew her kunai warily. “What do you want?” “Merely to train you.” “…And what do you want in return?” “Absolutely nothing.” Ashley glared with with evident suspicion. “What do you get out of it?” “I may learn a thing or two from you.” Ashley still glared, but she nodded. “I don’t see why, and I don’t trust you, but…alright”

“Watch your left flank!” Misaki barked out as she stabbed forwards. Kirei snapped back to attention, parrying the spear clumsily. Misaki suddenly stabbed underneath Kirei’s parry and striking his foot. Kirei winced and leapt back. “Not good enough…I couldn’t beat Ayu with this, and you can’t even match up to me!” Misaki twirled her staff expertly, bringing it down into ready position. “Let’s try again then, Kirei.” The two ran at each other, Kirei attempting to slash from the side. Misaki deftly dodged it—and then Kirei abruptly changed the direction of the slash, smacking Misaki on the face with the hilt. However, Misaki lashed out with her free hand. Taking one hand off, Kirei blocked—and then Misaki kicked his sword out of his hand with her foot. “Good surprise move there…you still have hope yet. Again!”

Narcissa truly resembled a vampire—with drawn white skin and jet-black hair. However, she also had a more cheerful side. “I want power—but also to have some fun on the way—to try new things.” She threw a thin, holed object to Ashley, who grabbed it. “It’s a flute—innocent usually, but it can be used to cast genjustu—far better than the Hakura flutes, which focus on Ninjutsu. Because you know what is the second-fastest thing in the world after light? Sound.” Ashley had known that, but Konoha usually despised such tactics. Narcissa appeared to have read her thoughts. “Yes, it’s considered underhand—but aren’t we ninja? It’s our job to be underhand. Sound is not only the fastest, it is also the most powerful force of nature if properly harnessed. Did you know that a simple yodel can bring avalanches in countries such as Frost, Snow or Wind?” Ashley did not know that, but she kept silent. “If you want to win, you gotta use all the cards in your hand, even if some of them may come at a price.”

With a resounding smack, Kirei’s wooden practice sword landed on Misaki’s shoulder, bringing her to her knees. “Are you alright?” ‘Damn…but good, I think you got it…” Kirei wiped the sweat off his forehead. “Thanks, Misaki…” “Always glad to help.” Kirei walked off. Alright, so I got that down…now I need to work on Jutsu. If I fight against Ayumi, she’ll know everything I do and more. Maybe…

Xu Ling looked out the window of his study as he read a passage from the bible. He heard the door knock. “Enter.” The boy came in. “Kirei? Why are you here?” “…Can you teach me exorcist abilities?”

Kirei slowly slipped on his sandals and walked outside in the night. He jumped when he realized that someone was already there—Ayumi. “You can’t sleep either?” Kirei sat down. “Nope.” “…Ashley still hasn’t come back…and tomorrow it starts. “ “That’s true…they might get disqualified…” “Yep…is there really any point in sleeping?” Ayumi shook her head. “Nope…good luck tomorrow.” “You too…but I’ve never been too lucky.” Ayumi smiled quietly and leaned over, kissing him once. “For luck.” Kirei smiled as well.


Kirei and Ayumi Hakura awaited the dawn, and whatever victories and defeats it would bring them.

Hong Mei Ling awaited the dawn, and for the result of everything she had fought for.

Xu Ling awaited the dawn, for the end of the barbaric struggle of the ninja.

Misaki awaited the dawn, for a fight between two friends in which only one could possibly triumph.

Tokiume and Aoi both slumped over the table, asleep from drinking one drink too many, awaiting the dawn and the inevitable hangover.

The morning brought a clear (and unusually warm) day. The sun shone through the clouds, and (with much ceremony) dignitaries from every country began to arrive. The white-and-blue armor of the Holy Church’s Knights, the red and black of the Shan Guo army, Sand’s brown cloaks, and many others vied for attention. The stadium had already been prepared—and somebody had obviously been playing around with the snow guns way too much, for, in a stadium where the lowest seats were 20 feet above the ground, the snow had been made to fall so that the people at the lowest seats could gaze levelly. 20 feet of snow? The remaining genin and their sensei all walked forwards, with the notable absence of Ashley and Narcissa. Kirei leaned over to Kenichi. “They’re still not back yet?” “No…” Xu Ling walked outside in the thick, packed snowy ground. “Welcome, one and all…the order in this fight will be thus:

Mikihisa vs. Masato
Kirei Hakura vs. Hiyori Hirako
Hong Mei Ling vs. Ayumi Hakura
Ashley Rosalina-Metsuki vs. Kana Hakase
Tetsu Kamari vs. Kenichi Madoka
Now, without furder ado, let us begin!” He motioned for Mikihisa and Masato to each head to their opposing sides.

Round 1: Mikihisa Ayase vs. Masato Kioshi

Masato shuffled his feet nervously as the starting pistol rang out. Mikihisa suddenly withdrew the puppet on his back, which instantly unfolded into a humanoid shape—but not exactly. It had two arms, two legs and a humanoid head—but odd barrels protruded from every portion of its body. “Kugutsu no Jutsu: Ronin.” Masato shuffled in his pocket—and produced a deck of cards. Kirei watched. What the hell? Misaki and Ayumi sat on his two sides, Misaki tapping her watch. Suddenly, Ronin leapt at Masato, spinning and revealing blades in its legs. Masato suddenly threw a card. It struck—and the Ronin was smashed into the air, landing onto the ground with splayed legs. Masato grinned. “I was wondering if it would work…” And then he drew two cards. “4 of Clubs, three of hearts: Burning earth!” the cards instantly broke, the clubs crumbling into soil and the three of hearts crumbling into ashes—but a blast of fire shot down fromteh ground at Mikihisa, who leapt aside despite his shock. Ronin, though ,was struck. From inside Ronin’s robe sleeves, something began to whirr—and then a hail of needles shot from each sleeve at Masato. Suddenly throwing the whole deck, Masato’s cards arrayed themselves into a barrier—a metal one, by the sound of the needles Pinging off them—but a few stabbed through, and Masato examined the dripping liquid on each needle. “Poison?” Suddenly, the cards aligned themselves into two swords as Masato swung them, taking off one of Ronin’s arms and revealing the gun—but the other arm fired point blank at Masato. For a moment, everybody watched in shocked silence, even mikihisa and Masato, at the eight needles that protruded from Masato’s card. However, Masato instantly pinned the other arm to the side with the other sword and took out a single card. “Knave (Jack) of Spades: Shadow Sewing!” Instantly, the card seemingly faded away—but shadows shot from Masato’s shadows, impaling Ronin.

Kirei stood up from his stand, to the protests of the people behind him. “Shadow Sewing is a nara-only technique, how can—” Ayumi nodded in interest. “Crystal Magic.” “Ehhh?” “Crystal Magic is usually done with crystals, as it amplifies chakra—but basically, it can be done in anything. A Jutsu is used, and then sealed into a card, or an elemental chakra is used and then sealed into a card. When activated, the card will be destroyed, but the chakra can be molded or the premolded jutsu used with no chakra cost at all.” So…Masato is just wearing Mikihisa down?

Ronin fell to the ground—and then its severed arm suddenly pointed at Masato and fired. Masato jerked back as his left arm was hit. Crap… He raised both arms—but only his right responded. Crap, paralysis agent. However, that was not all. Something small and faintly glowing was attached to the other needles as they went past him…Chakra strings? Before he could fully understand, the needles looped around, the chakra strings tightening and pulling him to the ground. Mikihisa stood overhim with Ronin, which had righted itself. “You forget that whenever there’s a puppet, it’s controlled by chakra strings—which can also be used.” Ronin slowly raised its working arm—and suddenly froze-literally. Its joints creaked as ice began to clog the pieces up, while Masato grinned as he struggled up, holding a card—10 of diamonds. “The four elements—Spades for shadows, hearts for fire, Clubs for earth—and Diamonds for Ice. Your puppet’s joints are too frozen up to move at all now…” Suddenly, all of the cards rose into the air, each glowing as they hardened—and then came down with a sinister whistle onto Ronin. The first ones merely embedded themselves in Ronin’s hardened breastplate—and then they pierced through, card after card after card. Masato only had one card remaining. The Colored Joker. He slowly began to speak. “Humpty Dumpty sat on the wall; Humpty Dumpty had a great fall; All the king and all the king’s men, couldn’t put Humpty Dumpty back together again.” And then the joker card burned—and every card embedded into Ronin exploded, sending shards of ceramic, wood, metal and string clattering and leaving a giant dent in the packed-ice-ground. Xu Ling looked down. “Alright…Masato Kioshi is the victor.”

Round 2: Kirei Hakrua vs. Hiyori Hirako

Hiyori, dressed in a heavy coat, walked onto the stage, to racous cheers from the local fans. The only member left from Frost’s team, she was the last hope of Frost of winning the tournament. Red-haired, she looked rather nervous as she shuffled her feet. However, as soon as the starting pistol rang, she looked up with determination. “Icicle Forest!” She stamped her feet onto the ground, at which a wave of frozen earth and icicles shot at Kirei. Kirei closed his eyes and suddenly spun as he drew his sword. “ Shinkuu Buttagiri!” In a circular sweep, a blade of blue light spiraled out, shattering the icicles as they moved to surround Kirei. Ayumi watched carefully. “hmmm…I don’t think I’ve seen that before.” “No you haven’t.” Ayumi jumped a little as Xu Ling sat next to them. “I taught him some tricks this month—so since I taught him, I won’t be refereeing.” Indeed, Aoi was the one who was watching the battle down below. “Shinku Buttagiri is a move used by Japanese samurai—I picked it up while traveling. It’s versatile because it functions well in both offense and defense.” Hiyori, though, suddenly withdrew the umbrella form her back, using it as a sword as it clashed violently with Kirei’s practice sword. Suddenly, Kirei shot right past Hiyori. Turning, he charged forwards—and seemingly teleported to the other side, while Hiyori stumbled from the impact. “That’s a Magus instantaneous movement skill—I picked it up while traveling. Basically, the user ejects a blast of chakra forcibly out of one’s legs to move forwards. It’s far faster than Shinobi body-flicker, but far less accurate and far more difficult to control—see, there you go.” Kirei had suddenly slipped on the snow, falling. Hiyori merely stood while he struggled up. “Aren’t you going to attack me while I’m down?” Hiyori blushed. “Well…it’s not such a good thing to hit someone while he’s down…” Kirei grinned. “I fell down because I didn’t use it right, and ninja are supposed to be underhand—nobody will blame you if you attack me…now let’s get back to fighting.” Hiyori smiled. “Sure.” And then she threw her umbrella into the air as it spun. “Jouro Senban” Instantly, needles—thousands of them, spun out at Kirei. Kirei leapt out of the way—but not fast enough, as several stung him in the leg. Wincing, he shuffled in his pocket to reveal six small T-shapes—and then they suddenly changed into blades, the small T’s actually hilts. “Black Keys,” Xu Ling clarified. “I picke—” “It up while traveling,” Misaki and Ayumi chanted in response. Xu Ling looked a bit put out. “Yes. But it has more abilities than just as swords…” Kirei’s three blades each seemed to have a life of their own, targeting themselves at Hiyori, who blocked with her umbrella. She whispered something. “I’m sorry…” And then her hands folded. “HiJutsu, Makyou HyouShou (Secret Skill, Demonic Ice Mirrors)!” Suddenly, the crowd gasped as Kirei was completely surrounded by what looked like blocks of ice. Suddenly, somebody activated third eye Jutsu, and a screen began to show the insides. Xu Ling nodded approvingly. “I knew those would come in handy…” Kirei looked around. “…The hell?” There were copies of Hiyori in every mirror—and suddenly he felt a piercing pain in his leg. He looked down to see a needle. Where the he— Suddenly, another hit him in the shoulder. Crap…she’s moving too fast for me to see… Something whistled—and he leapt aside, but not enough. The hit was glancing, but it still drew blood. Damn, I need to know the direction… Suddenly, he got an inspiration. Grabbing some of the hooks by his side, he tied a metal wire into each end, suddenly throwing them. They latched onto the mirrors—and suddenly, they twanged as Hiyori tried to move—and was yanked down. Instanlty noting the spot, Kirei threw his black key. Hiyori, though, was not seen—if not for the shadow that was pinned down by the black key. Xu Ling explained. “The Black keys are a conceptual weapon—they harm both body and soul. Its main ability is to pin down shadows—which means the caster, unless he/she is flying, cannot separate and can’t move beyond a certain radius.” Kirei grinned. “I know where you are now…Katon Karyuu Endan (Fire Release: Dragon Fire)!” The blast traveled into the mirror—and burned it through, where Hiyori was standing, which Kirei followed up with a kick, sending her smashing into the ground. Aoi wheeled over. “Hiyori Hirako is unable to battle…Kirei Hakura is the winner.” Kirei walked over to Hiyori and proffered a hand. “Are you alright?” Hiyori blushed and stood up unsteadily. “Y-yes, I’m fine.” Misaki grinned as he leaned over to Ayumi. “I think you got a rival there.”