Chapter 1 – First Sight, First Fight
AN: Unfortunately, I don't own Naruto, but I do own Izumi! …and Gaara in my wonderfully delicious dreams. Please don't use my character without asking, if you do at all. Please enjoy my OOC.
Izumi stepped through the doors of the Konoha Village Academy. She stood in a navy blue hooded jacked, white blouse with a tie, and what seemed like a mini-skirt with knee-length socks. The school was huge in comparison to her small-town public school. This was something entirely different. It looked like a giant mansion that housed the friggin' armies! But a member of the Neko Clan was never scared, nor backed down from a challenge. If going to this God-forbidden private school was what would save her family, then so be it. Though…..The doors were pretty big… It took the clumsy girl a minute or two to get the huge things open. When she did though, she was in for a great surprise.
Izumi found herself staring into the grand hall with her mouth wide open. She practically had to pick her tongue up off the floor and roll it back into her mouth. "Wow….I never once imagined that I would end up in such a place….What about you, little Yuri?" A small mewling was her answer. "Yeah….Pretty wicked. Welp, let's go find that Tactics Honors class, shall we?"
Pulling her schedule out of the pocket of her school skirt (which was God awful!), she paced through the hallways trying desperately to find the class. It was hard for her to believe that there could possibly be so many classes in one school. Or maybe it was just hard to believe that there was even a school half as big as this one. Eventually, after what seemed like a thousand different hallways and turns, Izumi found the classroom. She stared at the gold plate on the door. Room 238. Professor Hayate Gekou."Wow…This is definitely going to be awkward." Grabbing the doorknob, Izumi summoned all of her courage to open the large wooden door.
Oh…my…damn… Izumi stared into a room full of boys. What the hell was up with that! Were they friggin' serious!? She stared in for a moment, all heads turned to her. Smiling wryly, she stepped in and closed the door, utter silence deafening her. "Um…I'm the exchange student, Izumi Motosua…." She felt like falling to the floor at the silence that continually followed. Looking around the room, she saw that it was like a huge arena. There was an open fighting field that covered almost the entire room. Hell….I wish my house was as big as half this room…! Yep, this was going to be very awkward.
Hayate could do nothing but stare for a moment.
Are they serious….Why would they put a woman in this class…..Even my greatest kunoichi have never made it into these ranks….
Coughing not -so-inconspicuously, Hayate waved the girl in. "Yes, this is Tactics Honors. Welcome to our academy." He motioned for her to come to stand beside him. "Would you like to tell us something about yourself?" He watched her closely as she fidgeted with her small blue tie.
Nervous as hell, Izumi moistened her lips with her tongue. She opened her mouth to answer. "Well, my name is Motosua Izumi. I come from a village within the land of Water. I hate those who think themselves better than all else, detest arrogant men, and love a good fight. Other than that…I guess I really like food….." She put her finger to her pouted lips. "Yep…Oh! And this is my Guar-"she paused, rethinking her choice of words, "great little friend, Yuri. He's my little leopard." She reached back into her hood to pull out her small, miniature leopard companion. Yuri mewled in protest. His bright yellow eyes searched the room warily. Izumi brushed his head, looking about the room along with him.
Though the school was full of wannabe fighters who thought they were tough shit, there were five boys who were the real deal. They all just happened to be in the same classroom that Izumi was in at the moment. Uzumaki Naruto, Uchiha Sasuke, Nara Shikamaru, Kankuro the puppet master, and Sabaku no Gaara. The group sat together near the back of the classroom. Each boy stared at the little woman with intense interest.
Naruto stared at the feisty little girl, awed by the shape of her body. She stood at about five feet in height with luscious curves and thick, shapely legs. She had fire-red hair with one strip hanging between her eyes, short bangs around it, and shoulder-length sides with a spiked, short back, much like Sasuke's, setting off her cat-like eyes. Kankuro licked his lips and whistled low in his throat. Sitting beside Naruto, Sasuke looked the girl over, watching the way her feminine muscles moved beneath her soft skin. There was definitely some power behind that small body. Shikamaru simply nodded in acceptance of the arrogant woman. Gaara, however, was fixated on those strange, emerald-entwined sapphire eyes. They had a mysterious swirl to them that made them almost impossible to look away from. There was something deep within those jewel eyes of hers that struck a nerve in his mind.
"Ahem…Well, then. You will be seated beside Gaara-kun. Gaara, stand up so that she may know where to sit." Hayate was really going to regret this, he was sure.
When the boy named Gaara stood up, Izumi felt a lump in her throat.
Oooh, baby! Now that's some nice merchandise!
Smacking herself internally for her absurd thought, she walked her way over to where her seat was waiting. Before she sat down, she gave an odd half-smile to Gaara. "Hi." A nod was all that he answered with. Wonderful….I'm stuck with some bone-headed prick…. She took her seat quietly, listening intently as Professor Hayate began his teachings of different techniques on taking your opponent down with your legs. It was hard to pay attention with the sexy red-head sitting to her left, though.
Dammit, Izumi! This is your first friggin' day at school! Put your tongue back into your slobbery mouth and quit ogling!
"How about you, Ms. Motosua?" Izumi was snapped back into reality as Hayate called on her.
"Wha-?" She stared up at him a bit wide-eyed. "I mean, what would you like?"
Hayate coughed. "I need two volunteers for this technique. Since we've never seen your fighting style, I would like you to come up here and demonstrate to the class what I'm talking about."
Izumi hesitated. "Um…Sure." She got up from her desk and headed toward the front of the room.
"Who would like to be the other volunteer? How about you, Gaara?"
With a subtle nod, Gaara stood from his seat and walked to the center of the large padded floor where the young woman stood. At least he would be able to judge her accordingly to her true fighting style without having to challenge her outside of school.
A bit nerved, Hayate nodded at the pair. "Alright, Gaara, I want you to attack Izumi-chan directly. Strictly hand to hand combat. Izumi, I want you to defend yourself with whatever style you are used to." He paused for a moment. "Alright, let's see it."
Izumi stood, her legs slightly parted, waiting for Gaara's attack. She stood on the front pads of her feet, ready to move whenever he did.
The attack was unexpected when Gaara rushed toward Izumi, his palms out in an attempt to hit her in the chest. Just before he made contact, Izumi leapt, grabbing Gaara's shoulders as she flipped in midair. She used the leverage to twist her body, driving her knee into the red-head's spine. Landing with perfect grace, she watched Gaara fly forward, stumbling
to keep himself from hitting the ground. Though it was short-lived, Izumi caught the slight shock in his deep blue eyes, grinning inwardly at her managed counter. She could tell that very few, if anyone, ever pulled a move like that on him.
Naruto and the other three boys' mouths dropped. No one had ever countered Gaara. It just wasn't done! In the end, it was Naruto who broke the silence.
"Holy shit! Did you see that chick! She totally just blocked Gaara! And kicked him! " His blue eyes were huge with amazement and awe. The excitement died at the evil glare Gaara cast in his direction.
Hmm…His sand never burst from the gourd to protect him….Hayate stared on as Gaara regained his composure. Something isn't right, here….
Gaara was taken back a bit, catching his balance. He turned slowly to look upon the girl. That was no ordinary counter….She's combated before…. Taking his stance, he looked the girl over. She had the audacity to smile at him as if she were no more than an innocent kitten. He actually had to restrain from reaching out and shaking the smile from her round little face.
Hayate stared over at the girl called Izumi. There was something about her that pulled at his chakra. But what? "Alright. Well done, Ms. Motosua." He coughed. "You may sit now."
"No."
Izumi's eyes widened a bit as Gaara reached back, taking the cork off what looked like a huge gourd. She bit her lower lip in question. Locking eyes with Gaara, she knew exactly what he wanted. Oh shit! Nice going cat-girl, you pissed him off on your first friggin day at school! What a first impression….
Hayate stared over at his red-headed pupil. "What do you mean Gaara…?" His brown eyes warily watched the boy.
The only warning Izumi had of an attack was the mewl of Yuri. Before the large stream of sand pierced through her stomach, Izumi took a hell of a leap into the air. Twisting her body to land on the ground in a crouch, she stared up at Gaara, fury lighting her bright eyes. "What the hell was that for you jerk!?"
Without so much as a glance toward her, Gaara shot his hand out, sending another spike of sand in her direction. Knowing she wouldn't be able to dodge this one, she stood on the balls of her feet, quickly gathering her chakra to her legs. With one swift kick, Izumi lifted her leg, coming down on the sand just before it would have penetrated her flesh. A crater
formed loudly, shaking the room, as her foot smacked into the ground. A fear-filled silence spread throughout the entire room. No one dared to open their mouth.
Hayate stood long enough to assess what was happening. He began walking between the two. "Gaara, I said strictly hand to hand com-"
"Back off, Professor." Locking her furious gaze with Gaara's calm one, Izumi hissed loudly. "There was absolutely no need for that display of bullshit….!" Her pupils began to form elliptical slits in her now darkening eyes. Yuri leapt from her hood, landing on the ground before her, a strong growl leaving his small body. "I suggest you leave me the hell alone. I don't want to do something I know I'll regret later…." A dark blue aura began to wrap itself around Izumi and Yuri.
Gaara watched the girl for a moment, just looking her over. Could she really be one of them…? I thought their race died out long ago…. Gaara summoned all of his sand to him, using his hands like a master would with his puppet, weaving the sand into a large Shukaku. With a swift motion of his pale hand, the creature began its attack on the woman and her cat, reaching out with merciless claws.
"You bastard!" Izumi screamed toward the uncaring Gaara. The dark blue chakra surrounded her, engulfing her in its dark beauty. She grabbed Yuri before the sand reached him, tossing him back behind her. As the sand reached Izumi's barrier it disintegrated, leaving no evidence that it had ever even been there. "You might as well stop this. If you really want to fight, then put down your cheats and face me fist to fist you coward!" She let her chakra subside, hushing Yuri's loud growling.
Gaara almost couldn't hold his smile below the surface. Was this girl for real? No one dared defy him. He stepped forward, his sand returning to him before he replaced the cork in the gourd. "Do not tempt me, woman, I will kill you."
Izumi gave an inelegant snort. "What, Mr. Big-shot? Are you afraid that for once someone's going to kick your pompous ass?"
The entire class, along with Hayate, stood silently waiting for Gaara to leap out and kill the girl. Who was this fiery little creature? Better yet, what was she? She obviously knew nothing about what she was getting herself into; otherwise she would just stop and admit defeat.
Gaara nodded. "Your funeral, hairball." He pulled the gourd from his back, setting it carefully out of his way. He took his usual stance, arms crossed over his chest, his legs widened to the span of his shoulders. His eyes never left Izumi's.
Gathering all of her courage and strength, Izumi sent Yuri her thoughts of comfort to keep him out of the fight. He quieted in reassurance to her calming images. There you go, boy. Taking her stance, she waited for the arrogant man to attack her.
Gaara came out of nowhere, planting his open palm into Izumi's stomach. She went flying backward, blood spewing from her mouth. Though the pain was bitter, she regained her control, using the wall to her advantage as she flew toward it. Her feet smacking the surface, she used it to jump from, the momentum of the jump allowing her to catch Gaara in the chest with a full-blown kick.
Gaara stumbled backward from the unexpected counter, sucking in his breath as he did so. There was only a split second he had to block himself from the next kick that she sent toward his head. He grabbed her left ankle, dragging her to him in order to send a blow to her chest. Before this could be done, Izumi jumped off her other foot, using Gaara as leverage to kick him hard in the neck with her free leg. He let go of her instantly.
Izumi stood, watching Gaara regain his balance. Wiping the crimson from her lips, she spoke quietly, "I don't give a damn who you think you are. I don't even know who the hell you are! I've been here for what, maybe an hour? Yet you would attack me as if I am some enemy you've had a grudge against all your life." She stared at him, her swirling sapphire-emerald eyes locking with his deep teal ones. "Funny how I'm able to piss someone off on my first day at a private academy, huh? Then again, maybe that's just what my kind does to yours." She spat the words at him with malice. "I'm outta here." Izumi began her walk out of the room without so much as a glance toward anyone in the room. The utter silence deafened her as she walked out of the room and soon out of the entire building, Yuri growling low in his throat at her side.
Gaara watched the girl walk out of the room, all eyes locked on him. He took a moment to go over all that had happened within only the last hour. It had only taken one period of the day to make him rethink all that he had been taught in his life. Not that anyone had ever taken the liberty of teaching him anything in the first place. Gaara reached down then, picking up his gourd and strapping it to his lithe back.
Naruto was once again the first and only to dare break the silence. "So, uh, do we all get to go home early?" He gulped as Gaara turned his darkened gaze on to him.
Without even a thought towards anyone else, Gaara walked out of the room, following the path that Izumi had taken to leave the school. His only thoughts lingered on the girl and the secrets that she held within that agile body of hers. She was a small, proportioned girl with a
curved body that begged a man to touch and squeeze. Her legs were in perfect shape for swift, bone-crushing kicks. Legs that would also be just the right length to wrap around his waist…
Gaara stopped abruptly in his tracks.
Why in God's name had he even thought of such a thing? There was nothing special about this woman. Nothing at all. In fact, she was arrogant, stubborn, and needed the smile wiped strait from her little round face. She was too cocky, much like his sister. But in so many other ways, she was different. Gaara's mind wandered, bringing him a full picture of Izumi's sapphire entwined emerald eyes. Eyes that held deep, dark mysteries that beckoned all that looked into them to be solved. Sorrowful and unsure, much like the ocean before a storm.
Smacking his fist into the nearest tree, Gaara glared in the direction he felt Izumi's raging chakra. He would find her and make her leave this place. It didn't matter to him who, or even what she was. Nothing but the blood of another on his hand had ever tempted him, and he wouldn't let a woman he had never even seen before change his ways.
AN: Welp, hope my first chapter has caught your attention. Hope you'll read the next! Let me know what you think.