The Fight! Shiro VS Sharingan!

"Heh.. You, Uchia! Ahh.. Iku! Iku, Iku, Iku!" Zinfwan repeated, the sake that he drunk down obviously not helping his drunk state. Pushing himself from the table, the male stood up and beamed down at both the children, "Zinkurai~ Kurai, my little Silver Blur!" He chuckled, his grin slowly loosening up. "Iku, you seem like a smart girl. Not only in mind, but body as well. It's very impressive, even from the looks. You see, my Little Boy here is a bit.. he's higher than average, but I do not believe he's on your level."

The more his father spoke, the more Zinkurai felt his anger rise. By the time it was over, he felt like beams of lava were going to be focused out and shoot at him. His face was flushed, and it was obvious that his father made him extremely angry.

"Ahh~! yes, yes, it'd be wonderful, now wouldn't it? Heh, come now, Ms. Uchia.. Will you spar with my Little Boy?" He asked. By now, his speech was beginning to slur - whether he was purely drunk, or just a bit, no one could really tell. For all anyone knew, he was actually faking it. However, despite this, he kept pushing, "I'm sure it'll be fun. Even if I was wrong about you and he wins, it'll be a good experience.."

"And for you, my son!" He began chuckling lightly, "You might as well try fighting an Uchia now. They're easily known to be some of the best fighters - I don't want to say mostly due to their Sharingan, however.. It is a very large tool that they may use. So, why don't you try it?"

Zinkurai began thinking.. Yes, he supposed it would be a neat little thing, now wouldn't it? Fighting agaisnt someone with the Sharingan.. And he'll be able to use his own Shiro! Well, maybe.. He.. He wasn't completely sure. He cringed lightly, shaking his head as he slowly blinked. "Would it be a good experience..?" He left the question in the air for anyone to answer.

"Of course." His dad easily purred in his level of drunkenness.

----

Zinkurai ate the ramen that he was given, his hands shaking and quivering as he ate. He was, to be honest, extremely frightened by the idea of attacking and fighting Iku. He was a bit conflicted, because he wasn't sure. Was it because if she defeated him, it would be embarrassing? Or, was it because his father would be watching too? He couldn't do it - he just couldn't. He did not want to risk losing to Iku, especially in front of his whole Clan, but..

Everyone insisted. Well, everyone besides the young kunoichi he would be fighting. He was unsure whether to feel relieved, or to be even more frightened. Maybe she didn't think he was a worthy opponent? He growled at this though, beginning to slurp up the noodles as if he was on auto pilot.

"Ah, Zinkurai's other.. She was a beautiful Magnolia, I'll tell you... Her family was from the Village Hidden in the Bloody Mist, so you could guess what she loved doing!" Zinfwan's smile slowly faded. The energy that was bestowed upon his body and words seemed to diminish. "Kenjutsu, actually. Hell, even with Shiro, she could still whoop me in Kenjutsu. Of course, that's saying with weapons, as far as hand-to-hand combat, I was supreme." He winked, and nodded to Zinkurai, "We're going to be hiring a tutor for him to learn more about Kenjutsu. We understand that Zinkurai isn't the most popular of people, so we'd gladly pay for you too if you'd like to join."

Zinkurai twitched; grabbing one of his chopsticks, he tossed it at his father.

Whom simply flipped back, catching the sticks in his teeth. Jumping up, he bowed and smirked, twisting quickly before tossing it back.

His son shivered as the slightly sharp piece of wood raced through his hair, and pierced the wall behind him, the chopstick gently wiggling from the force.

"So, shall we get the little sparring match going?"


----

And then, they were out.

With Zinkurai standing about fifteen feet away from Iku, he blinked - maybe he was thinking about his stance, or what he would do first.. Or maybe he was just thinking of something else? Maybe spacing out?

He didn't even know himself. Then, his father began talking.

"Now! The rules are simple, my children.. It'll go to First Blood, and that's it. If you see even a bit of red, you back off. If you try to go any further.. Well, that's what me and the rest of the Clan is here for. I'm sure neither of you two know any kind of strong jutsus, so.. I'ma say it either way. No killing jutsus - no weapons, either. All pretty obvious. Alright, you guys ready?"

"Well, go."

----

Zinkurai blinked, realizing his father was stating the rules. He sighed gently as he listened - it was all pretty obvious to him, but he knew his father would insist. As he said the final words, his eyes narrowed.. Go!

Zinkurai dashed forward, narrowing his eyes.. Maybe he would impress her if he defeated her? Maybe! He smiled widely as he ran at her - and then thought.. The Sharingan would see his movements, oh hell..

So, he decided to try something!

Flailing his arms about six feet away from her, he tripped forward.

And grinned.

Pushing his hands down onto the ground as he fell, he tucked, and waited. once he was in position, he launched himself from his bent elbow position, pushing his legs out to kind of drop-kick her. His drop kick was pretty inaccurate, and though he aimed for her stomach, it could have easily landed against her chest. If it did, while it wasn't to strong, it would have easily knocked the wind out of the smaller ninja if it connected.

Then again, the Sharingan might have predicted the movements. He hoped not. one. Zinkurai was enjoying this.





Words / Total: 1,000

EXP: 1,000

Total EXP: 1,766

Iku stood there, beside Zinkurai, staring up at the much taller person, as the kid's father babbled on and on. He was trying to convince his young son to spar with her, of which she had no qualms against. For most people the drunken man would probably be a bit of an amusement, but to Iku he was merely a drunk man rambling. She opted to stand there on the hard pavement, unmoving, eyelashes just flicking with each simple blink of her eyes.

The Uchiha was not perturbed by this situation; not much could bother the young girl. The same, however, could hardly be said for the young boy it seemed. Her deep pools of midnight blue turned ever so slightly to look Zinkurai's way. He appeared to be having trouble keeping himself in line. His father bugging him about this sparring match seemed to weigh a lot on him. Iku wondered if this was too much for the kid. She wondered if he'd back down from the challenge placed before him. Iku wasn't well versed in human and familial emotions and relationships, but even she could see Zinkurai was the least bit worried.

Iku stepped once forward, to stand just a foot in front of Zinkurai. "As I said. I will fight your kid, if it is your wish," she said aloud, her simple voice flowing out, commanding a bit of attention from those around her. The way she spoke and held herself, did reveal some of the girl's over-confidence. "If you wish me to teach him a lesson of sorts, it can be done."

With her words of... challenge or confirmation, or whatever they were words of, the young teen girl stepped back, standing once again beside Zinkurai; her eyes held up his father, merely blinking, and staring at him. A wind blew through the compound, and caught Iku's rather big white Uchiha cloak, as well as her long, silky midnight hair, but she made no notice, and stood staring up at Zinfwan.

----

As they sat, partaking in the Yuex clan's food, Iku slurped up some of the ramen. It was spicy and tasty, just how she had ordered. Her eyes, uncharacteristically, sparkled, and she could not resist in letting a small smile don her otherwise set face.

She didn't know the internal strife going through Zinkurai, who sat beside her, as he robotically worked at his ramen noodles, but she did not care either. Instead she focused on her delicious bowl and paid her attention to his dad, whom was spouting stuff about something-er-other. Was it about his mother? It seemed to be. As usual, Iku was far more interested in the familial ties of other people, then her own family. She listened as she calmly and quietly ate her fill, making sure to learn something if she could. Her gaze upon the man was calm and calculating, studying him right off the bat, like she studied all things around her.

With head cocked to the side, she blinked once, and repeated in a soft tone, "Kenjutsu?"

Kenjutsu, admittedly, was something Iku had not considered studying up on. Perhaps she should. The little girl would definitely think on it. She looked down at her hand in her lap, and flexed it. She quickly reached for a kunai, and observed it in her clenched hand. Kenjutsu, she repeated to herself, eyes once again coldly blinking.

Iku's eyes then turned their way to Zinkurai who appeared to be having a staring contest with his father. The anger welling up on his face was as plain as words written on a page in any book. Or at least she assumed he was feeling anger, she had no real way of knowing the emotions reeling around within the kid. Then she watched something interesting. Chopsticks flying through the air, and she set her own chopsticks down, which had been filled with picking up creamy white noodles, dripping in spicy sauce, aroma floating off of them, trying to fill her nose; begging to be consumed.

Her eyes watched the chopsticks, and she felt somewhat enthralled with them, as they sunk into the wall behind Zinkurai, bobbing up and down from the force with which they had impacted.

Iku wasn't sure what she felt about that, but had been quite enamored with it, regardless.

Suddenly, everyone was getting up, at the mention of beginning the sparring match, and Iku climbed up out of her seat along with the Yuex clan members, leaving the rest of her bowl of ramen behind. With that silky, rustic scent that would normally captivate her floating uselessly on the wind.

----

The rules. How feeble, Iku thought. This was a sparring match sure, but all the rules almost defeated the purpose. She then noticed no weapons were to be used. No Kenjutsu. Or attempts at it anyway. Her hand slid out of one of the pouches on the purple belt at her waist. She had been readying herself to throw a few kunai. Well that was out of the picture now. She knew Zinkurai was stronger and tougher than her physically. That much was obvious. To win she'd have to use her wits and speed. Wasn't that what she always intended to win using? Her wits and her speed were her highest gambling cards to play with. This match would go til one drew blood. Okay. Got it.

She prepared herself for when the match would start, hands held up, eyes focused forward on the kid in front of her. To her surprise, she did not get to make the first move when the match was called to begin; like she had been planning on. Zinkurai started running at her the moment it began, throwing her off ever so slightly. He had seemed so reserved about this sparring match before, that she figured he'd be a bit more passive. But, nope. There he was sprinting at her, and doing some hail mary. The Uchiha girl would definitely have to rethink her strategy a bit.

Sharingan.

Iku thought inwardly, her midnight eyes shifting to the blood red, a black tomoe sliding to the left of her iris. She had just barely been able to get the Kekkei Genkai off, before her next response to Zinkurai. The moment she got it off, time slowed down, and she could instantly read his movements. The way his body shifted. The way his muscles tightened and snapped. It was marvelous. Like something out of a fairy tail.

Despite her speed, however, she couldn't avoid the hit quite yet. The Sharingan showed her she could not avoid this attack currently, so she brought up her arms to block it. Forming them in an x across her chest. His feet connected. The impact sent Iku skidding three feet back in the dirt.

{words: 1136
chakra: 220-50 = 170}

It hit!

His eyes lit up with fire, a small grin forming on his face as he felt his foot hit against her. Sure, she might have blocked it, but.. He didn't care!

All of a sudden, it began getting.. A lot more fun! His brain quickly started thinking of stradegies - could the Sharingan recognize things, even if they were used to look like flukes? Probably..

However, he didn't care. As soon as his foot connected, he rolled backwards just one foot away. Digging his fingers into the ground, Zinkurai dashed at her.

That was a very risky move, very risky move indeed. A head-butt - while it would leave her open for attacks afterwards, it was very easy to avoid. However, he had a trick up his sleeve.. As soon as she'd go to hit him.. Body replacement jutsu! And hit her from behind!

He grinned at the thought of defeating the Uchia.. Could he really do it? He hoped so.

So, there he was. Zinkurai rushed at the smaller girl, his hands behind his body, slowly closing in as if he were to tackle. And then, he leaned his whole body down.

But then, he thought, she might be faster.. She could easily dodge or counter with the Sharingan, and he wouldn't have enough time to actually do anything. His eyes narrowed, and he growled a small curse.

He prayed that she wouldn't hit his nose, because he knew that the fight would be completely over then. Closing his eyes, his hands almost imediatly went up to block his face, just in case.



264 words.

wasn't really sure what all I'd do there. x''D

Yes, his attack had connected, his foot against the outer side of her cloak covered arm. She had been unprepared for his first attack, a mistake she would not allow herself again. He had been smart to make the first move. As Iku would have fearlessly done so if not for that. He had had the upper hand for a moment. That moment had passed. Iku had regained herself, after the initial shock of the first hit, but now she was ready; much more prepared. He was not quite so wise to continue his assault. Not with her Sharingan so closely focused upon him.

Precarious was his position now. Even if the kid did not know it. Iku was no battle-master. Even with the Sharingan. That much she would admit. After all, she still attended the Ninja Training Academy, as a ninja-in-training. That being said, she was no pushover when it came to sparring. Even if she had been sparring with Zinkurai's father, Zinfwan; who would be able to fell her in a single blow, she would go do as defiant as ever. His attack now though, was reckless, instead of impressive. Even without the Sharingan Iku figured she could handle this charge of his.

As he neared her, her eyes quickly saw the subtle shift in his movements. The angle of trajectory; he aimed to headbutt her to knock the wind from her. It wasn't going to work. As he closed in, she leaped up, and flipped in midair, both her hands went down to his back, to harshly slam him down into the ground he was so near. A full body slam into the hard earth... that would be enough to cause some bleeding? Right?

The Sharingan was such a wondrous thing. She watched nearly this entire scene play out before it happened. She could see what others could not. She would definitely need to practice her agility, and speed, in order to keep up with its readings, but at least she could see right now. It was almost like seeing the future.

So there she was, lithe feminine form floating through the air like a cloud, above the boy beneath her, who was charging forward like a boar. Her shove would be quick, and not the least bit painless, Iku was one-hundred percent sure of that.

{words: 389
chakra: 170-20 = 150}

He ran forward, his thoughts jumbled as he ran. He was a little scared - he couldn't lose so quickly! He simply couldn't.. And then he felt it. Or, rather, he did not feel it.

He had ran into a wall of air. He was so confused! And still, a little bit frightened. On the inside, he began quivering at the thought of her being faster than him - or even worst.. Faster than his father? He felt sick to his stomach - something that seemed to be happening a lot lately.

Well, he wasn't completely sure how to handle this when he felt her hands press against his back; he knew that this was his moment of oppurtuninty, and decided he would take it! He would show everyone - his father, his Clanmates, and even Iku, that he was a lot better than people thought he was! He wasn't the shy, pathetic, stupid kid that most thought he was.

He wasn't all bronze and no brain - he was smart, damn it! He thought of these plans, and he would think of them again! He tricked the Sharingan once, and he swore he would do it again. He hoped that his next attack would not disapoint him.

With a small grin, he began.

Pushing his hands together to form "Tiger," he dissapeared in a cloud of puff; within the moment he was gone and missing, a hard log took his place - it was average, about three feet by two feet.

And then he came down, spinning a few quick times before throwing down a hard ax kick, which was targeted at her back, about the shoulder as to not do anything more than breaking the shoulder bone - maximum damage. However, he was a bit slow, and she could easily move out of the way.

Chakra: 300 - 15 = 285

Stamina: 100 - 25 - 15 - 10 (Dash trip kick, dash head butt, and then spin kick.) = 50



Words: 300 / 1,564

EXP: 300 / 2,016

Iku was above him, and the world was at a near stand still. No breeze felt on her uncovered legs. No pretty chirps from birds in trees nearby. No murmurs from the clan members of the Yuex commenting on their sparring match. Not a single bit of external stimuli was entering Iku's field or her mind. She was completely focused on the fight at hand. Whether or not that was due to her Sharingan, or just because she was concentrating hard on this battle, and learning from it. Though, the Uchiha girl did intend to win. Admittedly, she might have been relying on the Sharingan a little more than she would have liked to, otherwise admit, but this was one of her first spars as an upcoming kunoichi. Her ego already was quite high, and a win would only serve to bolster that ego.

So even below her, she could see the movements the kid made. The sign that stood for substitution: 'Tiger'. As expected her hands landed on hard wood, and she shoved the thick log with a piece of paper on it roughly downwards. That log splintered and cracked when it hit the ground, and dust stirred up at the strong slam she had just done. Then, Iku felt his presence just a bit to her up and right. Her bloodshot eyes of red darted towards him. The Sharingan did quick work, and quickly scanned his posture and muscle contortions. A hard ax kick, aimed at the center of her back, over her right shoulder blade. That attack actually seemed to have more than the striking power to break a couple bones. While not expressly condemned by the rules, Iku noted, it did seem to be a bit outstanding of those rules, as it was more than drawing a little blood.

No big deal. She would punish such an aggressive movement. Using her own signature speed, and a bit of Uchiha ingenuity, she counter-attacked, making a quick turn of her back, rotating quickly. Pushing off of the log with her hands, using it as momentum, she spun quickly. It was a movement that was also a tad risky, but one she bet on that she could make. Luckily he was aimed just over her right shoulder, and she was left-handed. Spinning in place, in the millisecond, that it took for the Uchiha to respond, her elbow swung, aimed like her own ax right at the inner shin of his foot coming down. It was a risky move, because instead of avoiding his blow, she merely would duck just out of the way, and hope to connect her attack to his leg instead. But if she was mistaken even for a second, his foot could come down onto her left arm. If he injured her left arm in some way this fight, then that would cripple her chances to win. As repeated, she was a lefty.

But if it hit... Oh it would hurt. It would be quite the benefit to her as well. He needed that leg to move like he did.

Any small miscalculations would be fixed by the Sharingan right?

{words: 524
chakra: 150-20 = 130}

He cringed lightly, his eyes seeming to go blind just for a half of a milisecond - if even that. His foot twitched, missing her completely. And then, his eyes began to sting.

She had pushed off the log, counter-attacking him with his own idea.. Dammit, it would be hard to recover from that! Not only because she saw it coming a mile away.. But also because she hit.

From the momentum of her spin, and the fact he was already coming down, it only made her hit harder. Once her elbow hit the back of his shin, he felt like it was more of a pickax than anything. This forced him to flip back, falling onto his back. He let out a gasp of air, trying his hardest not to get winded. He failed in his effort, however, but was able to save a small gasp.

This hurt.. He hadn't sparred with anyone like this - was that a small comeback from his earlier agression? He didn't know.

What he did know, however, was that he was limping a bit.

However, he stood straight, and looked the bull in her crimson, or was it blood red, eyes.

"Is that all you've got?" He narrowed his eyes, and did something most wouldn't do.

He grinned, slowly pushing his right foot out. He leaned his weight to his left leg, keeping his arms out for a counter attack grappling motion, "C'mon. If that's all you've got, then I'm a bit disapointed..!" He growled, though in the back of his mind, he was howling with pain. He wouldn't allow her to get in another attack.. But he wasn't sure if, when he had to move, if he would be able to.. He felt like a broken stone, going to fall down at any moment.

Zinkurai felt it - he was slowly starting to get dizzy. His stamina was falling pretty fast, and due to that attack, he had to take a breather. However, despite his condition already, it would confuse most people that he was being so cocky.

---

Zinfwan raised an amused eyebrow, chuckling as he felt a bit of chakra leaving him, "Very impressive - the both of you. I think he actually would have connected if not for the Sharingan - though you did connect with him. Heh, but no blood yet? I'm actually a bit surprised. I would have thought one of you would spill by now! Impressive, impressive."


Words: 405

EXP: 400

Iku actually did not know what she was really expecting with her counter attack, but when she felt her left elbow connect with his shin, she felt quite the rush; her pointy bone pushing its way into the back of his leg, with pinpoint pressure. Her eyes were wide, still scanning, always scanning, every little detail of everything in this battle. She watched the kid's face quickly contort with pain, as he took a surprise hit. Her momentum carried her in another two spins, and her left leg twirled in the dust as she landed close to the ground, as Zinkurai fell from the blow. Her back left leg out, her left hand palm-flat against the ground, and her right arm out to her side.

Her blood red eyes focused on the kid, crackling with chakra that was being unleashed in her body. Iku still had not quite mastered chakra control, but she could feel it welling inside her at that intense moment. How thrilling fights could be! Even sparring battles. Her mind wandered loosely, wondering what a real fight would be like. This one was already so intense. Iku could not wait to get a real fight under her purple belt.

Zinkurai took no time getting back to his feet. Iku stayed low to the ground, watching him intently, eyes barely blinking; the girl closely monitoring him. Her red eyes were even more eerie than her normal vacant midnight orbs. She could see the weakness from his injury, the blow to his leg, a bruise already welling up there. He was hiding it well. But not well enough. She didn't even need the Sharingan to see, that he was quite shaken after that. Though, his ego might have actually been more bruised than his appendage. This was only reinforced when he started throwing out insults, words to get her antsy. Words to get under her skin. Didn't he know by now? That wasn't how Iku worked. The young Uchiha was too strange for such jeers to get to her.

Pursing her lips, she didn't allow for one more word to be spoken. Not by the kid. Not by his father who was commenting from the sidelines. The tables had slightly turned in her favor. It was round two, and like she had previously intended. She was making the first move. The second-first move.

Iku Uchiha darted forward, skimming along the ground, using her initial burst of speed to carry her quickly to her target. Sharingan or no, her attack was aimed as it had been aimed before. She had shown Zinkurai this one earlier, though she doubted he'd be thinking about that as he felt the blows she intended for his body. Unlike before though, she would not be using a kunai.

Iku darted in towards his left side. His weaker side presumably. She aimed two punches -quick jabs from her two fists, right at his side, then a third strike would come from her raking her left hand like a kunai across his side. She would follow it up, with spinning behind him, and cutting her hand in an x formation over Zinkurai's back. Then as he felt the pain there, she'd grab his shoulder, flip up onto him, push off of his shoulders, hit him twice quickly in the front center of his chest, and then end with taking both feet, and hitting the pinpoint center of his chest; ending with a very stylish twist and flip, using her last kick as a way to propel her off of him. Let's see how the kid takes this one, Iku thought, going to make her move, her white cloak a very stark blur, as the quick girl began her assault.

Would he feel her attacks? Or would he be a bit tougher than she thought and planned for? Would she even get off her attacks? Would Zinkurai realize the familiar chain of strikes? Would he have a plan? A way of counter-attack? Many questions swirled through her mind, as she narrowed in. Or would he fall and not get up again? Only the next few seconds would tell. For that would be all it would take to complete her concocted strategy.

{words: 703
chakra: 130-20 = 110}

zinkurai could easily tell that the girl was not effected by his insults.. Damn, next time he should try harder - or maybe he shouldn't.. He really liked her, even if she didn't seem that interested in him. He pondered over this for a moment, slowly loosing his stance to go from a practice stand and hold, to a sloppy - slightly hunched - stand and wait. Of course, this was quickly brought back as he realized she ran towards him.

She was so damn fast - and he knew he wouldn't be able to keep up with her, not with this leg of his. However, he could do it! Right? Well, maybe. He wasn't completely sure yet. However, if he could just grab her once, all he had to do was send a little head butt to her nose! Or, just scratch her. All he had to do was draw blood.

He waited, his eyes narrowing and scanning her as she began her assault. He pushed out, twisting to the right, trying to block her. However, he took the right jabs completely - however..

he knew what she was doing!

She was a lefty.. She was going to try using the same thing as the dummy! First the right jabs, spin, pivot, slice-slice. Well, he had a bit of a counter attack of his own!

He twisted completely, feeling a bit of pain from his right side. Quivering and shaking from the pained, he lightly reared up on his right leg, sending a horribly hard kick to her head. If it were to connect, it would give her a horrible migrane for two weeks! An possible even crack her skull.. And then -

His right leg buckled from under him, forcing him onto his side. Becaue of this, it was more of a thing to force his kick to her mid section. While his kick would have lost a little bit of it's strength, it was obvious this was nothing to just brush off - it would, at the least, leave a fairly nice bruise, even on the inside.

God, his leg had began to hurt like a bastard - and he hated the fact that it did.. It made him think, for some odd reason, about everything that had happened recently.

Did Iku even like him? He had acted so foolishly when he first met her, and she seemed so.. Passive agressive. Was she a tsundere? Maybe, but then she probably would actually care about his pain rather than use it against him. Or, maybe not.

He had no damn clue how all this "love" stuff worked, and he hated the fact that he didn't know. However, what he did know, was that he would get better.

Better,stronger, faster, smarter! He would ask his dad to tutor him in some jutsu - both nin, tai, and ken. He would tutor more, and he would even break into the school's library to learn more!

Zinkurai looked up at the girl, whether he hit or missed.

He had a plan, and hopefully, he would be able to catch the next attack she laid out for him. Or, if he had hit, hopefully he'd be able to rear up and give her a nice little head butt with his own. Head to head!

He wouldn't go down without at least giving her something to think about, no way in Hell!



561 ; 550 EXP

Sorry for the shortness. ^.^''

Iku's attack may have been a little headstrong, and she may have underestimated Zinkurai just a tiny bit, but even so, she figured he'd recognize what she was doing. That much was certain. She was so much smaller than the over-sized youngster was; she figured some of her strikes would connect. Iku did not have quite the power as a muscular young man might have, so quick pinpoint strikes in succession were her way to wear down an opponent. They also allowed her to conserve some energy, for more explosive maneuvers. At least, if she knew any explosive maneuvers. She had no doubt that at some point in the future she would know some.

This sparring match was for the future, whether or not Zinkurai knew or understood that. She was using the kid as her own personal wooden dummy. He might as well have been a sandbag to punch on. All of her attacks, and all of his attacks would help her learn for future encounters. Winning was not the point here. Even though Zinkurai might have thought it was. And even though Iku had no doubt of her mind that she would pull out the victory. It still was not the point.

As she had figured, a few of Zinkurai's attacks would get in, and teach her a thing or two. That was what she was hoping for. Still she was not expecting the wave of pain to swallow her body as it had, when his attack connected.

So yes, she had gotten in a few strikes, but he was no pushover either, and she had been slightly too brazen to use a move she had just shown him earlier. It had been punishing. His foot connected to her side. Though it could have been a lot worse. Her Sharingan had shown her her own folly. If he had not been previously injured, his attack would have connected with her head. Then she most certainly would have been down for the count. Iku's confidence still never wavered. It was merely a harsh lesson to learn. Still, there was the matter of the foot kicking her aggressively in the side.

The Uchiha girl let out a scream of pain, and flipped, hitting the ground with a thud; her body bouncing on the rough earth like a ball. Groaning, Iku climbed to a kneeling position. One arm resting over her knee, her breaths coming quickly. One of her eyes was closed, as she knelt in a position to regain her composure. Her eye turned its way to Zinkurai, and she still knelt there, breathing heavily. It would take her a moment longer to stand back up to her usual height of four feet nine. The second passed, and Iku got to both feet, opening both eyes, hands coming up in a defensive position, Sharingan ready to go, eyes focused forward, onto the kid.

He had been quite lucky to catch her with that attack, she knew it. Would his luck continue? Or run out? Iku was betting on the latter. As much as she wanted to rush in and finish it, she had to hold her ground a moment longer. She had to observe her opponent. Grasping the situation at hand, was one way a shinobi could turn the tide of battle. Another lesson pushing its way into her thick skull, and sinking in.

Iku's eyes, red, two orbs of red hot flame, connected with Zinkurai's. She had no idea what he was thinking about, she was no mind reader, and the Sharingan didn't tell her that. It was not yet advanced enough to fully read her opponents. She wondered if the kid's head was in the game, though. Like hers was. She was currently set on this sparring match. Iku did not intend to mess up again. Any chance Zinkurai gave her, she would take it, and the match would be hers. He had to be ready.

Could he pull through the victory? Honestly? Iku doubted it. He seemed a bit disjointed at the moment, and her spike to his shin had taken quite the toll. She knew it was an annoying hindrance in this fight. Probably the pivotal move in the entire struggle. If she had even made the slightest miscalculation on that move previously... This fight might have gone south for her quick. Instead of Zinkurai vexed by a troublesome injury, she would have been, with the same sort of injury to her left arm.

Iku remained confident. Absolutely nothing could shake it.

{words: 756
chakra: 110-20 = 90}

Zinkurai's eyes narrowed as he looked at her, and smirked a bit when he heard her scream of pain. Wait - he smirked at her scream? That wasn't very right of him! Almost imediatly he felt.. A bit hurt by himself, and even a little scared to say that he liked hearing her scream. Maybe it was actually the fact he thought that he caused her pain in the fight, rather than liking it for other reasons? Well, Zinkurai probably wouldn't be able to know until much, much later into the game. Later, as in maybe even a few years.

However, what he was certain of, was that the boy did not, not ever in a million years, want to have to fight her again. Or, did he? He kept second-guessing himself, and he was getting pretty annoyed very quickly. He dind't know whether to hate this girl and curse at her for not seeming to care about him, or to blush and grin like and idiot. No, no both those would be immensely stupid, especially since Iku had never even complimented him.. So why was he so infatuated with her? He honestly had no damn idea. He just was - simple.

As he jumped up into the air, the male cringed from the pain in his calve muscle in his right leg. However, he decided he would try not to think about it! The best way to ignore pain, was to cause new pain. Of course, that would be a bit stupid in his condition. As he landed on his feet, he took a quick roll to pick up momentum.

Ow..

He felt something stretch and pull in his leg - ooh.. Hell, did he just? He didn't know. He heard a small crack, and no his right leg was forced to be pointed just barely, as if the muscles in the leg was forcibly stretched.

No matter..

Using both legs to force himself off the ground, he went in for the killing blow! He knew that if this was a serious fight, he might have had a better chance of winning - or at the least drawing. However, there wasn't too much either could really do with the rules. So, he decided to use the best and quickest way to make someone bleed.

Head butt right to the face.

Blinking away the pain from his leg, he leaned his own head back. With a grin, he slammed his face against her head - dammit.

Even if it was his soft face against her head, it was still badass. Falling back, he rolled a bit to the side, shivering as he felt - and heard - a rather large "Snap!" on his nose. He wasn't disfigured, but the way the blood pooled out onto his shirt and onto the ground, kinda showed the obvious sign that his nose was broken. Damn.. He had lost the fight - but even so, he had given Iku some painful lessons he knew she would not forget! And even so, he learned a lot from their fight, too.

---

Zinkurai's eyes widened; they began stinging, though he made no attempt in wiping the horribly painful tears from his eyes. He refused to.. even though he knew hew should. He quivered, and bit his lip as he jerked up. With his tears flittering off onto the ground, he cringed lightly as he stood. Limping lightly, he paused and turned with a smile, "Good work! Heh.. But next time you won't be so lucky when I can use jutsus.. Okay~?" He purred with amusement, despite the obvious pain he was in. It wasn't that the pain was horrible, it was the pure fact he had never witnessed it before. Turning back around, the younger shinobi in training slowly walked to the side lines before falling down, yawning. One medical nin walked over, stroking his hair as she slowly began to heal him

"Mm.. Iku? You'll come visit me tomorrow morning when I'm resting won't you?" He questioned the girl with a smile, his salty, hot, tears dried up by now. "And, you'll stay for kendo tutoring, right?" By now, his vision had blurred, though he didn't really care. He didn't know why he was asking these, espeically since he almost didn't want to know the answer. He figured it would have been a simple, though obvious - cruel, hurtful.. "No."

Zinkurai's pride was hurt. His ego was hurt - confidence was destroyed.. However, they would regrow. Larger and stronger than ever - just like muscles would! That's how they went, right? he wondered that, though he didn't dare do so out loud. By now, his blood had dried up - on the outside of course - and was slowly healing himself on the inside. He liked that - he liked the fact that he would heal, even stronger next time. He would admit it.. She was hard to fight against, though maybe it was because of the Sharingan? If he had learn Part-Calamity.. Of course, Partial-Calamity wouldn't do too much, but it would at least help him. What he could do, next time, is keep running until she ran out of chakra! Yes, that was perfect! Throw projecticles and small jutsus to keep her on her feet, and then once her sharingan is gone.. Bang! Hit her where it hurts. Her stomach, her chest, behind her knees - it would be all too perfect!

He cringed with a bit of pain, fighting back curses and yells as the medical nin began healing his leg first, apparently not worried - too much, as it seemed - about the other wound. With a small pout, Zinkurai tilted his head and muttered something under his breath, though he made sure it was low enough so that the medical nin would either ignore it, or not hear it all together. She didn't see to turn her head at his words, so he just had to assume - assume that she didn't hear him.

"Damn she's cute, even whenever she looks so hungry for a fight.. Actually, I think that makes her look even better! And the fact she can whoop me.. Ooh, it sends shivers down my spine! I found the right one, Mom, I definatly did.. Didn't I? Right? It's good that she's.. Shy towards me - it's.. She's not shy, is she? Hell, she probably doesn't like me! She didn't check up on me, so.. Why.. Why did she come here? Does she hate me? We just met, so how can she? I'm so confused - what is with this Uchia girl?" He thought, shivering with a small frown. He almost didn't want to know the real answer, but.. at the same time he did. He did want to know, and it confused and scared him that he didn't know! He just.. He wanted to be able to tell what she was thinking! All he wanted to do was to know the truth.. Was she shy, or did she just not like him? Or, maybe she had social anxiety? Why did she seem so passive aggressive towards everyone? Or was it just him she was passive aggressive to? Or, maybe it was nothing at all.. Nothing at all.

---

Zinfwan nodded gently, his hand slowly stroking his shaven chin. With the sword gently wobbling and swinging as he walked towards the girl, he cracked his neck. His drunken state had subsided to a level of simple hiccups. He was mostly sober, save for a few little knicks and knats in his personality. With his grin seeming to beam down at the girl, Iku, he had start to speak a small little speech, "So you've defeated Zinkurai. My son - very good, I will admit. Very impressive indeed. Hah, you just come by any time you'd like, Iku. And remember, that offer still stands if you would like to learn a bit of kenjutsu with my son. Mm.. You hurt him pretty badly, I'll tell yeah!" He chuckled, nodding, "He'll just have to try again when he had learned some more stuff, hm, Uchia?" He questioned, his voice sounded smooth as silk, and slick as oil.

"Now, however.." he started his small minature speech once again, "I'm going to have to ask that you go on home to your house. Your little boy friend there will be needing a little bit of rest before he goes up and about in the world again!" He half joked, "But, to be completely real, he should be fine by morning. Still sore, no doubt about that, but he'll be all good. And in another year, you can try to beat him up!" Zinfwan slapped his knees before turning. Raising the rather slim-looking arm that was his right, he glanced back to give a small wave as he walked towards his son.

And then, his sleeve had started to lower a bit. scars - up, left, right, across, deep, shallow, sma-

He covered them back up, his smile turning to a frown, and his face turning to a scowl. He turned away, and walked towards his son, setting down beside him and looking down. .





Words: 1,506 / 4,036

EXP: 1,500 / 4,466

Iku, focused completely on their battle, watched as Zinkurai foolishly began running towards her. He underestimated his own wound. In a real battle that could prove fatal, and she couldn't help but let out a small smirk of her own. She had noticed him grinning. She did not know what for. The young Uchiha girl did not know he had found some pleasure in the scream she had allowed herself to release. Or involuntarily release. Whichever. She did not know that the kid had enjoyed hearing her scream of pain, but even if she did know, she probably would not care. She remembered his scream when one of her attacks had found its mark. When her elbow had struck the back of his shin; both had been good hits, both had proved to be quite resourceful in the small amount of time the sparring match began. And it had been a short amount of time. Mere minutes. Iku could already feel the levels of chakra within her dropping low. The end of this fight had to come soon.

So she was quite shocked, when the end of the battle came even quicker than she had anticipated. With Zinkurai's next fruitless attack. He had savagely charged her down, and leaped to hit her hard with his head. But it didn't go so well for him. Had he forgotten her Sharingan? Or just not cared about it? Maybe it was all he could do. Make one last attempt at felling the girl.

She had read his movements, his trajectory, the strength needed for such an attack. To higher ranking shinobi, they probably would have been able to read it even without a Sharingan, but Iku had needed it at the time. She would need it for now, until she could handle such scenarios on her own merit, until the the Sharingan would hold its place, and provide the support she would require. Anyways, it had done its job, and showed her his last ditch effort. At the last possible second, she moved her forehead down just a bit, and he connected his nose right against that hard part of her skull. The hit was still good though, and she stumbled backward a bit, falling to her hands and knees, scuffling in the dirt.

"Ungh," she grunted, shaking her ringing head. Her vision was slightly blurred, and she was quite a bit more groggy than a moment before. But it had ended well, small red droplets of blood had smeared across her face, and even splattered to paint her white cloak in spots. If she was a girly girl she might have thought it was yuck, or sick, but not Iku, she thought it was rather neat.

Standing up, the girl watched Zinkurai walk away, seeing his loss, holding what she presumed was a broken nose, blood dripping out. Iku's eyes shifted, returning to their normal, calculating, midnight blue orbs. The Uchiha girl felt a tad hollow about this victory. As if she hadn't really won. She did, and if Zinkurai had made a move like that in the field, it might have cost him his life, instead of a mere ego hit, and a broken nose. Still, Iku had wanted to put him down with an attack of her own. Not a mere fluke.

He asked her to come visit him. She stood there, blinking at him, unwavering and unflinching. He was being seen to by a medical ninja. Her answer came out softly, "Unlikely." Her voice sounded a bit more distant than usual. Or maybe that was just the girl's imagination.

His father approached her once more. He congratulated her in his own strange way, then once again started speaking words that Iku glossed over. Frivolous speech that she wasn't really interested in. She didn't even care for his praise at winning the fight. He mentioned teaching her some kendo lessons. She made no response, but could not lie that she was a tiny bit interested. Oh, no it was Zinkurai that mentioned kendo. That just went to show just how little she was really paying attention.

He inconspicuously fiddled with his sleeve. Trying hard to be nonchalant about it. Iku did not need the Sharingan to see the scars that had been revealed. She had a keen eye for things like that, and it would be all the keener when she learned how to control her Sharingan even more. Now though, she did not wish to activate her clan's ocular Kekkei Genkai. Her chakra was low, and Iku was feeling rather weary.

As Zinfwan stopped speaking, Iku gave him a small bow, and turned. The short, young teen girl walked out of the Yuex compound, her back facing them. The Uchiha symbol displayed predominantly there, for them all to see.

Iku left wihout another word, and slowly walked in the direction of her own home. She walked slower than usual, arms wrapped around herself. Her head was still pounding, and the side where she had been kicked was aching, causing her some discomfort. Unlike Zinkurai who had any medical ninja he wanted to help him, Iku would have no one to tend to her. She would go home alone, and tend to her own wounds in the most morose and caveman way possible. Iku did not have much training in injuries. She begun to wonder if she should take up medical ninjutsu. It could be useful to her later on.

So the girl walked home. Alone. Sullen as the word could be. As she passed people, some turned to look at the short Uchiha girl, that clutched herself. They watched the small thing waddle passed, feeling a wind of sourness blow by. The dejected young thing looked like a lost puppy. Iku merely stared her empty pools forward, on her path, ignoring the people and their murmuring. If anyone recognized her she would not know it.

Iku Uchiha entered the Uchiha part of Konoha, walking under a high archway, with the Uchiha clan's symbol on the top and the open doors. Shuffling like a undead walking once again, Iku pushed open her shack's rickety, wooden door, stepping into the place she called home. The dimness of the shadows greeted the girl, as she disappeared inside. She had gone through quite the adventure today. What did Iku think about it? Hard to say. Other than she was glad she had got to learn some more about the shinobi world. Iku would not soon forget what had happened that day.

That night she would take a warm bath, and rub some ointment onto her side and her forehead where she took the worst blows. The warm water would calm her nerves, and allow her form to relax. Then she would go to bed without eating. She had eaten a good meal at the Yuex place, no need to waste any of her food that day.

Iku would lay down on her small cot-like bed. Eyes wide open, staring at the small walls around her. The light from the moon leaking in and over her as she lay there, a single gray blanket strewn over her.

She would not fall asleep, until the wee hours of the morning. And she would not dream. Iku would not feel much of anything after her adventure that day. The girl would be a husk. A being of nothingness the rest of the day, and the night. Her mind would be empty, and awash with thought at the same time.

Iku did not do such things that she had done that day. The girl had not been prepared to be around people like the Yuex clan, and had not been prepared to experience such that she had.

Iku lay there in her bed, calmly staring straight ahead at the wall, body still warm and wet from the bath, and still just as sore from her fight.

{words: 1319}