What would you do if someone you loved and completely trusted, killed everyone in your family, and all your friends, and then told you to come kill him? And then you met that person, but were too weak to kill him? And then your friend, who's a total knuckle head, becomes stronger than you?
...I'm surprised Sasuke didn't go mad.
Please review.
The next morning Kokoro woke up early and decided to take a bath. She stepped into the shower, and let the warm water wash the dirt off her body. She got out and wore her clothes, then wandered about, looking for Luna.
She spotted Luna outside and ran to her. "Luna! Look, I got these clothes yesterday. Do you like them?"
Luna opened one eye lazily, looked Kokoro over, and said, "It is alright. Is the test with Ayashi today?"
"Yes. Are you coming to watch?"
"Yep. Oh yeah, I met the Wise One last night. He said that you are to meet him in two days time. Now don't bother me until it's time to leave."
Luna rolled over, exposing her soft, white belly fur. Kokoro itched to touch it, her hand reaching out over her belly, when, without opening her eyes, Luna growled, "Don't even think about it."
Kokoro went to a small clearing nearby, and began doing some exercises. After all, she had been bedridden for more than one week. She had to practice. She picked a nice, sturdy looking tree, and began practising her punches and kicks. After a while, Kokoro stopped. It was time to eat.
Kokoro sighed and went back inside to prepare breakfast. When she was almost done, Ryu wandered into the kitchen, drawn in by the tasty smells. Gramps woke up as well, and they all had breakfast. Ryu got up, picking up his plate and taking it to the sink.
"Ayashi told us to meet him at the training grounds. Let's go." he said.
"Yeah!" shouted Kokoro, leaping out of her chair and knocking it over.
Luna and Ryu both sighed at the same time.
Ayashi stood at the training grounds, waiting for Ryu and Kokoro. He looked at the boy standing next to him, and patted his head.
"Thanks, Shun, for doing this."
"Hn." the boy said.
Ayashi was a strong, sturdy man. He had broad shoulders, and his black hair was lined with gray. His eyes were a dark, chocolate brown, and he looked like someone who was always ready with a smile.
Ayashi noticed two people and a what looked like a giant cat coming their way. He sized up the girl. She looked strong, and walked confidently. Actually, she wasn't walking, she seemed to be bouncing, and talking with Ryu at top speed. Poor Ryu looked a bit tired.
Suddenly, he noticed her canines. They seemed to be unusually sharp and long…
Ayashi turned to Shun and said, "Never judge a book by its cover, I know, but I think you'll be able to beat her easily."
Shun looked up at his father, his startling blueish grey eyes studying the man.
"Maybe, Father."
Shun had white hair that reached his shoulders, and just by looking at him you could see immediately that he was a very good fighter, and also intelligent. Shun watched as the girl and the older boy, and what appeared to be a tiger cub ,stop in front of him.
Ayashi smiled at Ryu and Kokoro, and said, "Good morning! This is my son, Shun, and he will be helping me test you, Kokoro. He is about your age, and if you get into the Academy he will be in your class."
Kokoro immediately stopped bouncing about, and studied Shun with quick calculating eyes. Shun was taken aback- he hadn't expected her to be like that.
Kokoro studied the boy in front of her. He seemed to be a good fighter, and intelligent. She smiled and said, "It will be a pleasure to fight such a honourable ninja as you obviously are. I presume that we are going to fight, aren't we?"
Ayashi smiled ,thinking that she was more intelligent than she seemed, and said, "Yes, you are. I will watch you fight and deem whether you can get into the Academy. If you are ready, let's begin."
Kokoro nodded, and went into the middle of the clearing, sliding into defensive mode. Shun followed and did the same.
"Begin!" Ayashi barked. Ryu and Luna stood next to him, watching, interested.
Kokoro sprang at Shun, aiming a punch for his face. He dodged, doing a back flip, and then rushed forward, removing a Kunai knife. Kokoro removed one as well, and blocked his thrust. They stayed like that for a moment, leaning into each other, gritting their teeth. Then they sprang back, and faced each other, panting.
Shun narrowed his eyes, and rushed forward . Kokoro leaped up into the air, throwing a few shuriken at him. Shun was too slow, and they struck him in the chest. He gasped, sliding back a few feet, and then turned into a log. Kokoro's eyes widened and she turned around, but it was too late. Shun appeared behind her, punching her full in the face. Kokoro landed heavily on the ground, wiping blood from her mouth.
Kokoro studied Shun for a moment. 'Hmm, he is strong, and is able to use the Substitution jutsu. I remember learning that jutsu as well as the Transformation jutsu. Since he is the same age as me, I will have to presume that he knows that jutsu as well. He and I seem to be equally matched, in strength and skill. I have to devise a strategy to beat him.'
Kokoro smiled, the beginnings of a plan formulating in her head. She rushed Shun again. He slid into a defensive position, and blocked her punches and kicks. Then, he saw an opening an punched her in the stomach. She turned into a log, and he looked around , searching for her. Suddenly, the log poofed into Kokoro, and she leaped at him, kicking him in the stomach, and black flipping to land right in front of him. She jumped forward once more, and was able to land a punch on his face before he leapt away.
Shun was impressed. The girl had let herself get punched, and then transformed into a log to make him think that it was a Substitution jutsu. Then, when he was not looking, she transformed back and kicked him, and also managed to land another punch when he was still in shock.
Ayashi and Ryu were also impressed. Luna was grooming herself.
Shun leaped forward, and Kokoro rushed to meet him. They met in the middle with a clang, both blocking each other's punches. Then they jumped backwards at the same time, and threw shuriken at one another. Dodging each other's shuriken, they both touched down gently on the ground. They glared at each other, vowing mentally to never back down.
An hour later, both of them lay on their backs on the ground, breathing heavily. Kokoro slowly struggled to sitting position, and glanced at Shun, one eye closed and her mouth open as she gasped for air.
"Admit defeat?" she wheezed.
"Never." Shun answered.
They both slumped back onto the ground.
Ayashi smiled and called, "It's a tie! Ryu, let's take these two to my home for lunch."
"I..can..walk." Kokoro protested as Ryu slung her over his shoulder.
"Me..too.." said Shun, beating his hands weakly against his father's back, before going limp. Kokoro also went limp, and soon, twin snores rose from the two. Luna heaved herself up and padded next to Ryu. She looked up at the sleeping figure of Kokoro, and smiled (as much as a tiger can smile) at the peaceful expression on Kokoro's face.
Ryu asked Ayashi, "Does she pass?"
"Haha! Yes, she passes. As we both know, Shun is the most powerful ninja of his age. Now, he and Kokoro are both the most powerful ninja of their age, as they are equally matched. Shun finally has a rival." Ayashi said.
Soon, they arrived at a medium sized house. Ayashi knocked, and the door was opened by a flustered looking women who was obviously Shun's mother. The grey blue eyed woman took one look at the two slumbering children, and pulled them in, scolding Ayashi furiously. "Really, Ayashi, what were you doing to make these two children so exhausted that they fall asleep, hmm? Oh, hello Ryu."
"Good morning, Mrs. Umezawa." said Ryu politely. "How are you?"
"Fine, fine. Don't I always tell you to call me Akari? Now, put that child down on the sofa and get me a blanket from the closet."
Shun woke up and stretched, yawning widely. He looked around, only just realizing where he was. 'How did I come home? Why am I in my room? And what is that delicious smell?' He sniffed tentatively, starving. He got up and heard something move next to him, muttering. He turned to look, and was surprised to find Kokoro in the bed with him. Hmph! Mother! Didn't she know that boys and girls do 'not' sleep together? Kokoro let out a loud snore, and Shun studied her carefully. Just because he was the best in his class, didn't mean he couldn't play some pranks.
He leaned over, grinning wickedly, and pinched her cheeks, and pulled, yelling in her ear, "WAKE UP SLEEPYHEAD! DON'T YOU WANT LUNCH!"
"Aaah!" Kokoro yelled, startled awake. Her head flew up and banged into Shun's chin, and she looked around wildly. Hunh? How did she get in this room? Why was she in a bed? And who had made that awful noise? She looked up and found Shun rubbing his chin and muttering about something.
"Wha-" she said tentatively. She couldn't hear herself! She looked at Shun, panicking, and grabbed his head. "I can't hear anything." she said in what seemed like her usual volume. She didn't hear what she said!
She grabbed Shun's ear and yelled, "WHY CAN'T I HEAR MYSELF!"
Then her she could hear properly, and looked around, to find Ryu standing in the doorway, smirking.
She smelled something delicious, and , completely forgetting about Shun, wandered off to find the source of it.
"Bad Karma." Ryu said to the Shun, whose ears were still ringing.
"Hm?" Shun said, not understanding.
"What goes around, comes around. You yelled in Kokoro's ear, and she yelled in yours." Ryu smirked, and left the room, eager to try some of Mrs. Umezawa's cooking.
"Hn." said Shun grumpily, hauling himself out of bed.
He walked into the kitchen to find his parents, Ryu, and Kokoro seated around the kitchen table.
The tiger cub was sitting on the floor, and was gulping down what seemed to be a headless rabbit.
"So, did I pass?" Kokoro was asking Ayashi loudly.
"Yep, with flying colors! You and Shun fell asleep, so we put you in bed." Ayashi said, seemingly not noticing the glares Shun was directing his way.
Kokoro beamed, and shoveled food down her mouth. Shun and his parents just stared at the enormous amounts the girl consumed. Ryu was used to it. He and Gramps had almost gone broke, trying to feed her.
Kokoro suddenly jerked her head up, and said, with her mouth full, "Wemf fy cwaffef farfting?"
"What?" asked Akari.
Kokoro swallowed noisily and said, "When are my classes starting?"
Ayashi smiled, and said, "We hope to see you in class in three days!"
"Yeah!" shouted Kokoro, punching the air, and knocking over her chair the second time that morning.
'Oh, brother.' thought Shun.
I've already got the next chapter written, Just need to proof read it and it's going to be out :D
Arte