BUT I HAVE TO BEAT HIM, FIRST...
A Flame of Recca Fanfiction by Recca_Kun
NOTE: Flame of Recca is copyright Anzai Nobuyuki and Weekly Shonen Jump Comics. I am making no money off of this story, and It is for entertainment purposes
only. Arigato, and enjoy!

NINJAS...

Fuuko was so sick and tired of hearing that word. It was just about the only thing that came out of Recca's mouth anymore. "Yeah, the ninjas!"
Recca would say time after time, again and again, until Fuuko thought she would puke. She missed the days in the summer sun with him, lazing about or playing
hide and seek, and talking together. Now, pretend fights were all that they seemed to have. But Fuuko still tolerated it. She loved him of course. Even at a
young age when girls had cooties and boys were gross, Fuuko knew she loved him.

"Hey Fuuko!" Recca asked. "Let's fight some more! This is fun, isn't it?" Fuuko sighed. No. No it wasn't fun. Maybe if she could beat him once in
a while, it would be nice. But she had a snowballs chance in hell, at best. Because Recca was good. REAL good. She hated to admit it to herself, because
he had changed so much, but it really did seem like he was born to do this, assuming ninjas still had a place in modern day Japan. "Allright, Recca. But
Youre going down, this time!" She said with great gusto.

"Actually, I was thinking we'd make it more interesting this time." Recca grinned. "Y'see Fuuko, every ninja has GOTTA have a Hime. But I can't
be giving my services to anyone. You've gotta be worth my protection! Whaddya say, Fuuko? Will you fight me for the right to be my Hime? If ya lose, you can
always keep trying! C'mon Fuuko, please?!?"

Fuuko was so happy. "Recca... would serve ME?" she said to herself. She absorbed that thought. She played around with it a little. Recca...
Protecting HER. Devoting himself to HER. Living, breathing, dying... for HER. She loved that thought as much as she loved him. "Allright." she said with
controlled enthusiasm. "Let's do it."

It was sunset at the playground. Most of the Children had gone home for dinner already, so there would be no bratty tattletale kids telling the
adults that a fight was going on. Recca grinned. "Are ya ready, Fuuko?" He asked with eagerness. Fuuko returned his eagerness with an affirmative nod.
"Ready." she said.

Screaming, Recca broke into a run and charged at Fuuko. He therw a fist out as he did so, making a dashing punch. Fuuko was scared. "What am I
thinking?" she said to herself. "I can't beat him!" In her dillusions, she had completley forgotten one important fact: She couldn't fight. Recca's punch
connected with her hard. She jerked her head back, and rubbed her cheeck.

But in throwing that punch, Recca may have given Fuuko what she needed. She was angry now. Fuuko screamed, and punched Recca in the jaw. He fell
to the ground. Recca got up instantly though and came back at her. Fuuko was blocking each ounch, scared for her life. Perhaps all she needed to fight was
just a little push, after all. Still, at this rate, she new that Recca would win. She was too busy dodging to make an attack of her own. Recca threw punch
after punch, kick after kick. She still dodged them all until Recca finally connected with a hit to her stomach.

Fuuko slumped to the ground, whimpering and clutching her stomach. Recca hovered over her, ready to attack in case Fuuko got the strength to get
back on her feet. Raising her hands in protest, she got to het feet. "I.." she said inbetween gasps of air. "I... give. You win." she was still clutching her
stomach. It hurt so much...

But not as much as her pride. She felt hopeless. She could never beat him! Even though it turned out she wasn't a bad fighter herself, it wouldn't
be enough. She still was nowhere near as good as he was. She doubted she could ever be. The worst part? She was about to cry. And she would never live it
down if he saw her cry.

"Uh... sorry." Recca said sheepishly. "Are you okay, Fuuko?" he asked very sympathetically. Fuuko managed to fight back her tears. "Yeah!" she said
with force confidence. "No sweat! You were just lucky, thats all!" Recca gave a short laugh. "Yeah, whatever! Anyway, I gotta go. It's about time for dinner,
and I'm Starved." He ran off, but stopped after a few paces. He turned around and looked at Fuuko. "Hey, you weren't actually half bad, Fuuko. And one more
thing..." His eyes became warm and kind. "Fuuko." He started. "If you ever beat me... I'd be proud to be your ninja." And with that, he ran off home.

Fuuko watched him run off into the distance until she couldn't see him anymore. When she was sure he was gone, she burst into tears, and ran home.
She had been defeated badly.

*******

That night, Fuuko couldn't sleep. Lying awake in bed, she thought about all the events that had taken place that day. "Recca..." she said to herself.
"Will you ever be mine?" That was it. She had to snap out of this funk. She began to think of the positive outcomes that had taken place that day. For one,
she found out she could fight! As long as she had some skill, she wuldn't give up hope. She made a descision then and there. "Im gonna keep training!" She
announced to herself. "Im gonna get stronger and stronger! And one day, Recca will bow down to me and me alone! Im gonna show him! Im gonna be his hime, or
die trying!" She imagined it. Recca at her mercy. Being there for her. Tending to her every need. She had to have it. And she would train everyday until
she did.

But soon, she was pulled back into reality. Recca would be training too, of course. He would also become stronger and stronger. She would have to
struggle just to keep herself a his level, let alone surpasss him. But nevertheless, she would attain what she wanted. And very soon, too.

But she had to laugh at herself. "There's just one more thing..." She said.

I have to beat him, first...

THE END
I had a lot of fun writing this fic. I got the idea when I saw that flashback between Recca and Fuuko as kids. I thought it would be cool to elaborate on,
so I did. It took me a while to do, and I hope you enjoyed the way I told this story. R&R, please, I need feedback. I hope you have enjoyed all my fics thus
far!
Arigato to Ja ne! (^_^) ~ Recca ~