Chapter 11 - Age 11/Year 11 [Part 4]

I gazed at the young girl before me. A sullen, hesitant aura surrounds her. I don't need to ask to see what she thinks the answer to her question it. Sakura's made up her mind, and now, all she wants is confirmation. I have no idea what happened, but I'm not about to break a young girl's heart. I won't be lying to her either, however.

"I think you have a lot to improve on," I start. Sakura flinches, eyes sinking even further into the floor. "You're not a good ninja trainee, but you are good enough to be one."

My words sour her mood, but nevertheless, she raises her head. Sakura looks at me with a hint of hope and a whole lot of doubts.

"I thi- I believe you can be a good ninja," I say after carefully considering my words. She blinks, confusion dancing on her face.

"But you said-"

I hold up a hand. She bites her lip and nods. A smile slithers onto my face and I gently pat her shoulder.

"You're patient, a good listener, and very observant," I start with something soft to lessen the blow that's coming. "However, you're perhaps one of the weakest people in our class, physically speaking."

Being a girl has nothing to do with it. Chakra is a perfect equalizer and the only thing that makes a difference is dedication and control.

"Sometimes you're too smart and ignore the obvious answer," her brow quirks. "But, through it all, you have excellent chakra control."

She practically passed all those exercises in just a few tries.

"But... isn't that because I have such small reserves?"

I give a half nod, but quickly follow up with a counter-argument.

"Your reserves will grow, but unless you keep at it, your control will not."

Sakura mulls over my words, tossing them around in her head.

"You have a lot of potential." I pause, giving her a second to digest my words. "Genjutsu and medical ninjutsu would be something you'd likely excel at."

She blinks, almost as if the idea never crossed her mind. Though, it's not that hard to imagine. Our classes only briefly touched the subject and we wouldn't be learning actual Genjutsu untill next year.

Sakura stays silent, eyes locked to the floor.

"Without the drive and desire to grow, you won't realize that potential." She nods, taking a tiny breath. "Chakra's what makes us strong, fast, and shoot fire from our mouths."

She looks up at me, brow furrowing.

"With your control, I wouldn't be surprised to see you punching as hard as Tsunade or something." Sakura lets out a gasp, absolute shock on her face. The surprise slowly begins to fade, however.

"I... Thank you for being so nice, Sasuke," she whispers. "But you don't need to lie like that."

Damn it...

"I doubt I'd ever do anything as amazing as what Lady Tsunade has."

"Why did you become a ninja?" I blurt out.

Her mouth opens, then closes quickly.

"I wanted to be special," she whispers. There's no mask, no reason to lie. "What about you, Sasuke?"

I take a breath and put on a confident expression.

"I wanted to make the world a better place," maybe that wasn't my original goal, but that's how it is. "I want to make sure my friends and I are strong enough to stand on our own two feet."

A small, frail smile wiggles its way onto her face.

"I... I think that's really nice," she whispers. "It's a lot better than my reason."

I shake my head and step forward.

"No, your reason's just as good as mine," she blinks. "Everyone wants to be special, Sakura."

"That-" I don't let her finish.

"Who doesn't want to walk on walls, shoot fireballs, and make clones of themselves?" Even if the world was peaceful, I'd  still want superpower. Seriously, what sort of person wouldn't?

"If you think your reason's aren't good enough, then surely half the students in this school and actual ninja in the field deserve to be kicked out."

Once more, she stares at me in shock. This time, however, I spot a spark of joy in her eyes. A small smile graces her lip. Time to finish up.

"You'll be a great ninja, Sakura," I say and gently pat her shoulder. "Don't let anyone tell you otherwise- show them how wrong they are."

A grin splits her face.

"Yeah... I think you're right," She answer, this time with confidence. "Let's go, Sasuke."

It wasn't over, not by a long shot. She walked confidently, but the scars of lingering doubt were still on her form. Whatever happened, it hurt her deeply. Who knows how long it'll take untill she gets better. Nevertheless, I've managed to help her out a little bit.

I only hoped that it was enough.

----------------

I returned to Iruka with Sakura. Surprisingly, our group was the first. Considering the intense talk, I had expected us to be second or last. Either way, with Sakura's suggestion, I helped out Kiba and Iruka with the rest of their paperwork. Eventually, Naruko and Hinata returned.

Training would finally begin. First up was a spar.

"Remember, even a dull blade can cut through bone if sharpened," Iruka starts, finally finishing up his final piece of paperwork. The rest of my friends had finally arrived, and as a way to keep us all entertained, he began talking about random things. Mostly history if I'm honest.

Admittedly, some of it was interesting, but other parts not so much. After all, while learning about the warring clans involved a lot of myths and legends, more recent events were dark and without a bright side. To his credit, Iruka figured this out very quickly and shifted gears to more motivational lessons. Things like some of the missions he went on in his younger days and how his team handled it.

Those parts drew most of our attention because it was actual experience from someone who's shoes we'll be in just a year or two. Not much was expected of genin as they'd mostly just be doing simple missions and whatnot. The worst would be fighting normal people, in other words, bandits and the like. With chakra and training, even a child could kill a grown man.

That's what he was trying to say.

"Put a bit more confidence in yourselves, because not many made it this far." we've already learned quite a lot. "As proud ninja of Konoha, I know all of you will make me proud."

His words were less refined than Mizuki's, but there was real heart in them. In any case, as the last page fell and he hid away the stack of papers, it was finally time to move.

"We'll draw lots to make it fair," Iruka said, reaching into his desk and pulling out five lollipops. "Everyone take your pick."

I rolled my eyes and glanced at Naruko. There was one thing on her mind and it wasn't who she'd be fighting. As she licked her lip, I looked at the suckers. He'd often give them out to kids who did really well of followed instructions perfectly. Of course, they became less effective on older kids, but still. A good deed gives a good reward. Positive reinforcement is a scary thing indeed.

The first to draw was Naruko. She reached out and nabbed a green sucker. Kiba, not wanting to be last, plucked a blue sucker. Then there was Sakura, who pulled out a pink one. With just you and Hinata left, Iruka revealed the two crimson suckers in his hands.

"It looks like you two are up first." He said with a smile. "Now, everyone please give the suckers ba-"

He stopped, mouth still open. A sigh rolled off his lip as he shook his head.

"Naruko, why did you eat it?"

My friend gave a sheepish smile and tried to whistle with the lollipop hanging from her mouth.

"You dwint sway not too!" she wasn't fooling anyone. "Gwes its two wait nwow!"

A small, taunting grin slithered across Iruka's lip. He raised a brow.

"No, it's fine," he replied, hand outstretched. "You can still give it back."

Naruko's eyes went wide. She shrunk and took a step back.

"Bwut it hwas mwy spwit!"

Iruka chuckled.

"That's fine," he stepped closer, fingers curling toward him. "I know just the Jutsu to-"

Before he could finish, you heard a cracking sound. The plastic stick fell from Naruko's mouth as she smiled back.

"Woops!" she laughed. "Looks like I accidentally ate it!"

Accidentally? Sure.

Iruka shook his head as a sigh rolled off his tongue.

"I was trying to warn you that those were my special laxative lollipop," he definitely looked torn up about that.

"W-What?" Naruko whispered, face going pale.

"Ah well, let this be a lesson to you, I suppose." And with that, Iruka started walking toward the yard. "Come with me, everyone."

Kiba didn't hold anything back. He laughed straight into Naruko's face and called her greedy. Hinata, unsurprisingly, remained silent. Though, she did give Naruko a consoling rub on the shoulder. Sakura just looked at my friend in mild disappointment.

"W-Wait! Tell me you're joking!" Finally, my friend frantically chased after Iruka. "There's no way you'd have that, right?!"

Probably not. Still, this would be a lesson and one I hoped she learned.

It won't always be a game. Sometimes, even something like that could prove deadly.

---------------------

As the first two up, me and Hinata took opposite sides of the ring- simple lines drawn in the school's backyard.

"Let's have a friendly match, alright?" Iruka said as he looked at both of us. "Though, I don't think I have to tell that to either of you," he chuckled and gently patted my shoulder then did the same to Hinata.

I gave a nod and quickly performed the little finger tugging ritual with my sparring partner. I could never remember what the hell it was called, but its purpose was evident; to show good sportsmanship and to never forget that the two of us were allies.

As me and Hinata finished tugging each other's index and middle fingers, Iruka started the match. I leapt back while Hinata persued.

I manage to dodge her palm strike by the skin of my teeth. When she follows the standard thrust by spinning on her heal and lashing out with her elbow, my eyes go wide. Thankfully, I had just enough time to dodge and jump away.

I rubbed my nose, wiggling it as I stare at Hinata. Her elbow had brushed its tip. That was very close.

Out of everyone in your class, she's likely the best when it comes to a straight fight. I best plan my counterattacks carefully.

----------

Sweat rolls down my face as I stare down at my sparring partner. The sun is shining and for the first time today, I realize exactly how hot it is. Hinata must feel the same, as she looks at you with incredible intensity. A single mistake here could cost you the match, and though this is not a life-threatening bout, I can't help but feel nervous.

Fighting my peers isn't anything new. It's something everyone does in class, but this feels different somehow. I can feel the weight bearing down on my shoulders.

I don't want to lose.

What's so different, I wonder? Is it because there's no class to judge my every move? Is it because of the blazing determination on Hinata's face? I can tell she's giving it her all, at least without calling on her clan's signature ability.

Untill she brings those out, neither will I.

As time slowly trickles away, a thought strikes me. The reason I'm trying so hard is very simple to grasp. A smile tugs at my lip. She takes this as a sign and charges.

Hinata crosses the distance in the blink of an eye. Her chakra enhanced leap would put Olympic long jumpers to shame, yet she obviously doesn't care. Rather than an open palm, a fist sails toward my face. I step back, just barely dodging the blow.

The attack is something you wouldn't think a Hyuuga would use. For a split second, I hesitate from the shocking move. Hinata takes full advantage and lashes out with a kick that flashes like lightning. Her toes graze my nose and the counter strike I send her way is dodged gracefully. She slips through my fist like water and returns the favour with a flurry of palm strikes.

I had thought the odd attacks to be strange movements meant to throw me off. When a familiar jab nearly smashes into my cheek, I realize what's going on. The next time she throws a punch, I counter with the exact same one.

Two can play at that game. Both of us learned from the same source.

There's no shock or surprise on her face, if anything, it seems she was expecting this- knew that you'd take the opportunity to make a cheeky point. That's when her forehead strikes my own. The blow is soft and meant more to distract than anything; distracts it does.

I leap back, expecting a kick or punch, but instead, I find her palm burying itself in your gut. The air bursts out from my lungs.

It hurts, but not all that much. I take it in stride and quickly rush back at my friend. She's fast, but her most glaring weakness is showing itself. I smile. Using my superior strength and the momentum from my charge, I smash through her defences and land a punishing blow to her sternum.

A spark of guilt rushes through me, but years of being desensitized and living in this new reality have taught me better. If I hold back too much, she'll return the favour by beating me. Admittedly, I don't like hitting girls, but Hinata does everything in her power to prove to me that the choice I made was correct.

She curls into my blow, wrapping her small legs around my arm and letting gravity do the rest. I wince as she twists and bends my arm into an extremely awkward angle. A second later, she tries to smash her heel into my face.

I tilt my head back at the last second, allowing her foot to only tickle my chin. With her counterattack having failed, I send my own kick her way. Slithering like an eel, Hinata worms herself off my arm and slides to my left.

Small, rapid breaths leave her lip, and I realize that the same is happening to me. Clearly, Hinata's been hiding some of her strength, as she's way faster and more slippery than I could have imagined!

I take a deep breath and lunge forward as she takes one of her own. A flurry of kicks and punches glide a hair's with from her face and side, but that's all they ultimately accomplish. Using her lithe and light body to its utmost, Hinata dances around each of my attacks. With every blow, I find myself growing more and more exhausted.

However, she's not exactly peachy either. My clan's style focuses on counterattacks, so the real "meat" and the weight of its attacks only show themselves after she makes a move. My probing attacks have been just that, probing. They take little energy to use, and I suspect her dodging is a whole lot less efficient.

Still... endurance has never been my strong suit. I've gotten better, but that's still one of my major weaknesses.

The two of us stand there, almost in a sort of "truce" to catch our breaths. She's faster, but I'm far more skilled. She can hit me more reliably, but her hits aren't as heavy, while mines hurt quite a bit more.

If she were using her clan's traditional techniques, that first hit would have ended me.

Truly, Hyuuga are bullshit. They can essentially beat almost everyone in a single hit.

I take another breath and consider my options.

hmm...

End the fight here and now? No, I can't do that. The blazing hint of excitement and determination within my friend's gaze is far too powerful to turn back now.

She doesn't want to stop and neither do I. Nevertheless, this fight isn't as onesided as others might think. She's as slippery as an eel, and while I might outlast her, she can easilly dodge all my blows and end the fight prematurely.

A thought comes to mind. As all ninja should, I need to use every advantage available to win. It's fun and games now, but in the future, the difference between life and death is as thin as a needle's tip.

"Strong as always Hinata-chan," I start, a small smile gliding onto my lip. My friend furrows her brow, but takes the compliment gracefully. "It's always fun challenging you."

That's no lie. She's always been the hardest to fight. Now that she's shown her true colours, well, there's no contest.

"T-Thanks," Hinata answers. "I learn a lot when f-fighting you too."

Indeed. There might not be time for idle banter in the future, but this young girl is my friend. A smirk slowly crawls onto my face. Earth grinds under my heel as I subtle step forward. Byakugan or not, she notices.

"How about one more round!?" I charge, fist tucked at my side and voice roaring.

Sometimes, Hinata seems like a small, adorable bunny. Shy and easy to spook, yet under that simple facade is something far more dangerous.

My first strike easilly sails over her shoulder as she ducks. The rising knee that follows meets her palm and she lashes out with the crook of her foot. She hooks the back of my ankle and pulls. I fall to the ground and roll to the left, avoiding the elbow that smashes into the earth.

My palms push me off the ground, back into the fray. A flurry of punches and kicks assault the young Hyuuga. Each blow is parried by her open palms. They gently strike my knuckles and divert them away. Hinata moves like flowing water, and no matter how much I try to strike her down, she simply curves around me.

A single moment of frustration has me pushing just a tiny bit too far. My fist, which was aimed for her face, gently grazes her cheek. In the blink of an eye, she dashes forward. Our noses nearly touch, and as I stare deeply into her ashen orbs, I realize that this would have been yet another killing blow if she were using her clan's trademark.

Two palms slam into my abdomen, forcing the breath from my lungs. My small body is thrown back by the mighty blow. Children we might be, but Chakra is a hell of a force multiplier.

This time, I  knew she's deal some real damage. Nevertheless, Hinata doesn't stop. She rushes at me, palms aiming to strike at invisible targets.

I cough, putting everything into dodging her dexterous blows. However, it's very clear that she has a great deal of momentum in the fight. My fists are deflected with expert precision and all My kicks seem to miss her by a hairsbreadth.

Hinata is no cute bunny.

She's a cunning tiger.

I scurry around the battlefield, trying to figure out a way to beat a faster, more slippery opponent without using my Sharingan. The answer hits me like a sledgehammer.

Hinata's punch swerves past my face and though I dodge it, the following attack rings true. She spins with her missed blow, using the momentum of her swing to stretch out her elbow.

I barely manage to turn the devastating blow into something far more manageable. Instead of it striking my face, I dash forward, taking the hit with my chest. This proves to be the catalyst I need to turn the match around.

Hinata's movements are swift, precise, and very flowery at times. This is all well and good to steal the pace of combat, but it also leaves her incredibly open if something goes wrong. And something just went horribly wrong.

The instant her elbow bounces off my chest, she's momentarily knocked off balance. It's a tiny, almost unnoticeable thing.

But I do notice. And I  do take advantage of it. I step in, crashing into her with all my might. my much bigger and beefier body acts as a perfect barrier, preventing any leverage for a powerful counter-attack. A mighty fist smashes into her stomach and I let gravity do the rest.

The two of us crumple onto the floor, my forearm digging into the back of her neck. She struggles, but even with charka, this specific hold makes it incredibly difficult to do anything. Both of us knows it.

"And match!"

Iruka calls, knowing the specific time to call it.

"Good match!" he says with a huge grin.

I smile and get off my friend, a small grin gracing my ragged face. My lungs burn, and so too does Hinata look exhausted.

"N-Nice fight." she whimpers, one hand on her stomach while the other stretches out.

I faired much the same and blow a chuckle.

"Y-Yeah." Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee. That fits her to a T. "N-Nice fight."

Suffice to say, we stayed out of the remaining fights. Watching Naruko and Kiba go at it was fun, but also pretty predictable. The young boy delivered some mighty hits, but Naruko just took them all and kept going. She was like a tank, and before long, Kiba fell. He couldn't take nearly as much as he could dish out.

As for Sakura, she faced Iruka himself. Out of all the fights, this one was perhaps the most educational. And to his credit, Iruka took her seriously. Everyone left the school with a number of bruises, but no one left unsatisfied.

Sakura had a brilliant, warm smile on her face. The bruises were badges of honour she took pride in.

I only hoped this helped her get better.

[Quest Complete! | Reward: +3 Wish Points | +1 Agility | Bonds Increased with friends!]