Chapter 3

Bean Sprouts are Important to Me

A/N: So sorry for the super late update! Had no inspiration for this collection for a while, but now I do! So, enjoy~!

Yomi hums happily to herself as she plants seeds for her bean sprout garden. She has expanded the width of it just a few inches to get more and more bean sprouts. Spring time is here anyways, so it's the perfect time to plant them. She stands up and wipes the sweat from her forehead with her arm as she looks up at the clear blue sky. It's a bright sunny day and it makes Yomi happy.

She looks over at the beansprouts she previously grew last week, which were in a neat pile, ready to be packed and add to her collection. She kneels down, puts the last of her seeds in the soil, pours water and picks up her small shovel. She is done gardening for the day and wait for her new bean sprouts to grow. She picks up her packs of bean sprouts and heads inside the base.

Hikage just happens to be walking by and takes notice the large backs of bean sprouts. She stops and puts a hand on her hip.

"Good day, Yomi," she says softly, her tone as emotionless as always. "I see you've planted another set of bean sprouts."

The blonde nods happily. "Isn't it awesome~? Spring is the PERFECT time for planting these babies! Ohhhh, I can't wait to cook them for dinner tonight!"

"You're always adding bean sprouts with your meals, huh?" Hikage questions.

"Yes! Why not? You should give it a try some time!" Then, an idea pops in her head a she snaps her fingers. "Or better yet, how about tonight~?"

Hikage sighs and turns away. "No thanks. I'll pass."

"Eh!? You never tried it once!"

"Sorry, but that's not happening. Besides, some meals don't necessarily HAVE to come with bean sprouts."

This angers the blonde as she drops the packs and stomps her foot. "To me, it IS important to eat bean sprouts with every meal! Are you questioning my love for them?"

"Not at all. All I am saying is that some of us won't like your way of cooking."

Yomi grits her teeth while clenching her fists. Her teammates know about her love or as they want to call it, "obsession" with bean sprouts, but some times, they are just tired of how she acts and talks about them constantly. And every time they ignore her and her bean sprout obsession, she just loses it and insists to talk about the greatness of bean sprouts. And right now, Yomi has had enough.

"Fine," she growls. "If I can't get through it to you in words, then how about by combat?"

This surprises Hikage, but obviously, she doesn't show it? "You want to dual with me just because of what I said?"

"You just insulted my love for bean sprouts, so now I'm mad!" Yomi shouts. "Outside. Right...now!"

Hikage shrugs. "Suit yourself..." Honestly, she just wanted to walk away from all this, but she also admits that she did go a bit too far. But there is no turning back now.

The two girls exit the base and outside in the middle of a large forest, now in their Shinobi forms. Hikage walks casually towards Yomi while pulling out her knife.

"You do not command me," she says.

Yomi pulls out a handful of bean sprouts and eats them all at once. "I am the Goddess of Bean Sprouts." She scatters the small pieces on the ground.

Hikage licks the knife slowly and faces her. "Not in my eyes. Let's battle."

Yomi starts off with a a few punches, only to get blocked by Hikage, so she draws out her great sword from her back and takes a couple of big swings. Hikage blocks on, but the second swing hits her on the side, knocking her down. After putting the sword back on her back, Yomi punches Hikage a couple times, followed by a roundhouse kick. She speeds towards the greenette to give her a few more good punches, a couple kicks, followed by another roundhouse. Hikage jumps to her feet to block some more punches, but gets off balanced by Yomi kicking her leg, giving her a chance to give her another set of punches and a big swing of her great sword. Hikage jumps to her feet and speeds towards Yomi, giving her a flying kick to the gut and side. However, Yomi delivers two powerful punches, to the face and chest, followed by and elbow to the face, knocking her down.

Yomi takes another handful of bean sprouts from her bag and happily eats them. "The greatness of bean sprouts energizes me~!"

Hikage just stands up and shakes off the pain, ready for battle.

Both of them start punching each other, but only once before Yomi uppercuts her, jumps and performs a roundhouse kick at Hikage. The green haired girl lands on the ground with a thud the same time Yomi lands perfectly on her feet. But before Yomi could attack again, Hikage uses her ninja speed to go back and forth, hitting her with her knife from the side and shoulder. Then Hikage delivers several kicks to the chest, leg and gut, sending her tumbling backward. The green haired girl double kicks her to the chest and flip kicks her hard to the ground. Yomi jumps to her feet, but Hikage knocks her off her feet once again by a flip kick to the head. This angers her, so getting back up on her feet, she draws out her sword and strikes at Hikage hard, sending her flying in the air and shredding most of her clothing.

"Taste the might of my blade!" Yomi shouts.

She sheathes her sword and starts punching her left, right, up and down, plus a few kicks to the sides, chest and gut. Hikage rolls to her feet and manages to block Yomi's punches back and forth, plus a kick. Yomi draws out her sword and strikes the greenette at the side, making her lose her balance, giving her the chance to punch her back and forth again, plus another kick to the gut and then one last roundhouse kick, knocking Hikage out.

Yomi chuckles as she pulls out bean sprouts and eats them. "What did I tell you~?"

Once Hikage recovers, the blonde walks over to her, puts her hands on her hips and leans close to her.

"Now then, what do you have to say for yourself?" She asks.

"I apologize," Hikage says, sitting up. "I guess...I went a little too far earlier."

Yomi chuckles as she puts out her hand. "I'm glad you apologized, Hikage-san." She helps the greenette up. "Now then, since I'm the victor, YOU'RE going to help me with dinner tonight~!"

Hikage shrugs. "I guess that's only fair. Let's go."