Shadowbox Chapter 13, a naruto fanfic

Sorry this took me so long to get up, but this week has been a tough one, it started with Pacquiao losing which was heartbreak, but it happened. I'm the only Filipino in my boxing gym so all week I've been catching hell for it, all in good fun though. This took so long to upload, because I've been really stepping up my time in the gym and sparring, I'm getting a lot better, mostly because I'm about to turn eighteen, which means I could get moved up to adults, so I've been sparring with grown men in their late twenties or early thirties, and I'll tell you, grown man strength is a completely different level than teenager strength, I have the bruises to prove it, I've been taking beatings all week, but it helps when I spar against people my size, I'm not afraid of them at all anymore, because I know I can take the punch of a grown man, and that's a lot scarier than getting hit by someone my age. Anyway sorry this took so long, I'll try to crank out more chapters and chapters of better quality. Keep the reviews coming, they are really helpful. Enjoy.

I do not own Naruto.

Chapter 13: Promise Punches.

Shikamaru found himself in the locker room of the same building where he and Kiba had fought. His hands had just been finished wrapped and his gloves were now secured. His father stood at the doorway with a cigarette sitting loosely between his lips.

"Why aren't you warming up? This Neji kid is pretty good; He has faster hands than you. You'll have to keep your distance." Shikaku spoke as he exhaled a steady stream of smoke from his lips. Shikamaru sighed as he stood and threw some half hearted jabs. He didn't see the point in warming up for a fight he knew he was about to throw, it was upsetting him the more he thought about it. He needed the money so badly, but was it enough to make him lose his dignity in the ring.

The thoughts that were plaguing his mind were still present as he takes his first steps to the ring. "Now entering ring, weighing in at one hundred twenty five pounds, with a professional record of 2 wins, zero loses, and zero draws. Shikamaru Nara!" The crowd cheers as Shikamaru raises his fist at the mention of his name. It's hard for him to enjoy the applause; the people in those stands can't comprehend how sick this whole spectacle is making him. How is he supposed to bask in glory if he knows that once that third round comes he will be hitting the canvas regardless of what happens.

Shikamaru glances at the crowd around him, like before he finds Chouji, Ino, and Temari at ringside; he is less surprised to see the woman than the first time. Near them another familiar face catches his eyes. A sun glasses wearing Orochimaru sits next to Tayuya. The sight of the man there sends a chill down Shikamaru's spine.

"Now entering the ring weighing in at one hundred twenty five and a half pounds, with a professional record of four wins, zero loses, all by knockout, Neji Hyuga!" The crowds go wild, Shikamaru sizes up his opponent, he was lean, his arm reach a lot longer than Shikamaru's. His legs were not as muscular either; Shikamaru could tell he was a natural speed puncher. As he glanced towards his face he noticed something strange. Neji was wearing white contacts of some sorts, Shikamaru wondered how he got them in to the ring and if it was a safety hazard. Neji's coach ties his hair back and applies a helping of Vaseline to his face. The two men take their steps towards the middle of the ring. The ref begins to go over the rules, and beckons them to touch gloves. As they do, Neji smiles at Shikamaru. It upsets him more than before. To think that this man's lack of power can be bought out, and that this is the fifth time he has paid his way to victory.

The bell rings and the two men approach each other, right off the bat Neji tests the distance between the two of them with jabs. Everyone who said so was correct, Neji did have fast hands. Shikamaru was having trouble keeping up with where they were in order to dodge or block. One of Neji's jabs broke Shikamaru's guard. Neji instantly acted on it, hitting Shikamaru with a combination to the head.

Shikamaru's instincts kicked in and he went in to a cautious guard, but then he realized something, he couldn't feel Neji's punches, there were plenty of them, but they felt light when he was hit, the round had just started, but Neji was punching like a boxer who was exhausted. With his newfound knowledge, Shikamaru steps in and lands a left hook to Neji's head.

Neji takes a step back and glares at Shikamaru, in the moment Shikamaru realizes his mistake. He is supposed to be losing. Neji steps in again and Shikamaru continues to take his punches. Shikamaru makes sure to jab every so often to make it at least look like he is trying.

The gong rings soon after signaling the end of the round. In the corner Shikaku pours water over Shikamaru's head. "He is fast, but he has no power, keep moving and then drive in to his body." Shikamaru lets his father's words drift away. There was no point to listening to advice, no matter what he did; he would have to go down in that third round.

A click is heard and the seconds leave the ring, Shikaku puts in Shikamaru's mouth guard and the second round begins. Once again Shikamaru allows Neji to land punches, they do not hurt, but there are so many of them it is dizzying. Shikamaru begins to feel his eye swell as Neji continues to pummel away at him. He can hear his father yelling from the sidelines, but he ignores the shouting. Shikamaru's spirit is defeated, he knows how shameful he is fighting, but he needs to make the money.

Shikamaru finds himself cornered, and Neji fires away confidently, it aggravates Shikamaru to see a boxer be satisfied with winning fights without actually earning them. He keeps his guard up as the ref gets closer, hoping that he does not end the fight. Shikamaru occasionally fires back a jab, but throws it short intentionally to make sure he doesn't hit Neji again. By the end of the second round, his left eye is swollen shut from allowing so many punches to land. Even if they weren't strong enough to knock him down, there were enough to make his eye close up.

In his corner Shikaku speaks with a serious tone, "What's going on, I know you're lazy, but at least when you box you put in some type of effort, you aren't even trying." The words hurt Shikamaru, as much as he complained about boxing he knew it was one of the few things he did actually try to succeed at, hearing his father's words stung him, he decided he would tell the truth to try to appeal to Shikaku.

"A man is paying me to lose this fight; I need the money for Kurenai." Shikamaru felt disgusting after saying those words; it was a lot uglier hearing it out loud for the first time. Shikaku stopped applying Vaseline to Shikamaru's left eye. "What did you just say?" Shikamaru couldn't find the words to reply he could see the disgust in his father's eyes. "I have to do it dad… I need this money."

Shikaku pulled away from his son. "How could you even think to do that?! What was it all for Shikamaru?" His father's yell was not something Shikamaru was used to, his dad was never around to punish him when he was young. He was more used to this volume from his mother, but not from his father. "Dad… I…" Shikamaru attempts to explain but is cut off by his father's rage.

"You're putting shame upon our gym, upon me, upon Asuma, and Kurenai. I thought you had what it took, you make me sick. I have always been proud of you, but at the moment, I am ashamed to call you my son. I'm leaving; I don't coach people who give up." Shikamaru could not believe what he was hearing, his father began to pack up his things and took his first step down the stairs and away from the ring, but called over his shoulder before he left, "And you can say goodbye to avenging Asuma, It'll be impossible for you to get a title fight against Hidan without a perfect record."

He watched as his father left the ring. His heart grew heavy, Shikamaru was filled with regret, but this was the choice he had made. He glances towards Chouji, Ino, and Temari. All three stare at him in utter confusion as to why Shikaku has left him alone. It sickens Shikamaru to know that they will witness his fall in the next round, even more so, because Temari will see him go down. He knows he has to do it, but wishes she wouldn't be here to see it. He doesn't want to appear weak in front of her, some small part of him believes that losing in front of her is the equivalent of losing in front of Hidan, and that goes against what he is fighting for. He wonders if it is worth it, to disappoint Asuma in order to keep the promise he made to him.

The bell rings and Shikamaru stands for the third round, prepared for what he is about to do. Neji rushes forward, all is going according to their plan. Shikamaru takes the jabs, and then a right straight that he allows to stun him. Neji goes all out, a flurry of hands so quick that Shikamaru can't comprehend where they are coming from. He takes a deep breath and allows himself to fall. As he hits the canvas he can hear the crowds cheering for Neji, above him he can see the man raise his arms up in celebration before returning to his corner.

The ref begins the count, and Shikamaru begins to think.

This is what he wanted right?

This is the right thing to do.

He made a promise.

He needs to keep it.

No matter what the cost.

But he also made a promise to himself.

To defeat the man who killed Asuma.

And all promises must be kept.

Shikamaru jumps to his feet, the crowd cheers. The ref checks his gloves as he assumes fighting stance. Neji stares in shock, confused to what is going on. Shikamaru smacks his gloves together. He is angry, angry at a man who calls himself a boxer even though he has never won a fair fight in his life, angry at his father for giving up on him, but more so that anyone, Shikamaru is angry at himself for even considering breaking his vow to destroy Hidan, money would come regardless, but he refused to let this be the end of it for him.

"Box!" As soon as the ref's hands clear, Shikamaru dashes forward. Neji throws a flurry of punches at Shikamaru in a panicked state; Shikamaru recalls what Asuma had taught him about speed fighters: Hit them in the body to render their legs useless and slow down their movements. Shikamaru ducks under the flurry of jabs and straights and dashes forward. He pulls backs his hand and lands a heavy left hook to the midsection, the audible smack gives him his confidence back, and he continues to hammer away with hooks and short uppercuts to the body.

Shikamaru punches until he is tired out and quickly steps back. Neji takes notice of Shikamaru's exhaustion, and begins to step forward, but a shocked face tells Shikamaru all he needs to know. He looks down, Neji's legs are wobbling, Shikamaru had successfully tired Neji out, and he was a sitting duck now. Shikamaru takes a deep breath and goes in for the kill. The animalistic side of Shikamaru takes over and fires fast shots towards Neji's head, his opponent keeps a strong guard; Shikamaru changes tactics and goes with slow and heavy over hand hooks. Neji's head is snapped to the side even with the guard. Shikamaru pressures the body and pushes Neji to the ropes, but his guard stays tight. Shikamaru is getting more upset by the second; he is not used to this. He had learned to always be cool and collected in the ring, this was totally different, and he felt like a predator, a hawk swooping down on its prey.

Shikamaru pulls his hooks low and slams them in to Neji's forearms instead, shots continue for what seems like an eternity until a crackle is heard in Neji's left arm, Shikamaru knows he has broken something, close to the wrist. Neji's gasps in pain and his guard drops.

Shikamaru pulls back his right hand and launches it forward. It cracks on Neji's nose and blood spurts out, the nose crackles and twist in an odd way, Neji is thrown back against the ropes. Shikamaru's body acts on its own. Time slows he leans low and gathers power in his legs as Neji body leans far in to the ropes, Shikamaru times it, all of Neji's weight is in the ropes, the ropes stretch back and then launch Neji forward again, as Neji's body moves forward, Shikamaru pushes that power in his legs up in to his arms and raises with it. The ropes toss Neji in to the path of Shikamaru's fist and a brutal uppercut lands on Neji's chin. The crowd goes silent, Neji's knees bend towards each other and he falls forward. The crowd goes wild. The ref waves his arms over Neji's limp body signaling the end of the fight.

Shikamaru raises his fist and winces, He can tell from the damp feeling in his gloves that he had cut his knuckles open while slamming his fists in to Neji's arms, he is gasping for air, his rage is subsiding and he feels lightheaded.

"Your winner, by way of knockout Shikamaru Nara!" The applause falls like rain, Shikamaru smiles, but his smiles is soon wiped off his face as he notices a very angry looking Orochimaru staring at him from ringside. Although he won, Shikamaru has a feeling his victory has come at a dangerous cost.