- Hans Zimmer: "Jack Sparrow" (Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest)

23. The Cheater and the Loser

"That's cheating."

"Huh?"

"Technically, it is."

"And where do you find the logic in that?"

Minato observed the frowning girl with amusement as she examined the scrolls he once had studied containing the structure and purpose of the Hiraishin. She had at first complained that he was showing better potential of becoming a seal user than she – an Uzumaki – was, and had demanded to see his scrolls of the Hiraishin to see if she couldn't do it was well.

Now that she had figured out she couldn't understand how to use the seal, she had found something else to complain about.

"This technique is designed so that you won't have to use natural speed to get anywhere or flee," Kushina said. "Plus, if you use it cleverly enough, it'll be impossible for enemies to catch you. It's basically a cheap trick. You're cheating."

"And just defying the concept of time and space and using it as a base for other techniques, but I guess that's beside the point, right?" Minato said, leaning against the couch. Kushina turned her head to give him a look that confirmed so clearly that, yes, that's completely beside the point.

"I'd like to see you try fighting without the Hiraishin," Kushina smirked.

And just like that (because Kushina was very insistent and Minato very easily persuaded) Minato found himself forced to accept the challenge.

All it took was for him to stumble. Kushina growled as she realised that it was not due to her cleverness, but because she had for a fraction of a second managed to confuse him by accident, making him turn just as she cracked the ground open behind him, making the ground shake. He cursed as he stepped backwards, able to channel his chakra to his feet but unable to prevent walking out on the water Kushina was so skilled in controlling.

She had taken her chance quickly; she had after all spent ages trying to lure him out there where she had the advantage. Because despite the fact that he was not allowed to use the Hiraishin technique, he was annoyingly fast, and sparring against Minato was synonymous with battling an intelligent brain with legs.

When it came to strength, Kushina was proud to say she had the most explosive techniques. She wasn't dumb either, and she had her quite frightening sealing techniques and a most magnificent control of chakra, but she had to admit that it was only just that she had not lost yet. She had actually not won any of their spars for many, many years, and she had always thought that the Hiraishin technique had much to do with it.

He was proving her wrong, and she didn't like it.

The Kage Bunshin that had cracked the ground open disappeared, and the real Kushina, standing some feet away on the surface of the water, shot chakra chains up from beneath the water, hoping to catch him – he jumped backwards, but her chains were as unpredictable as she was, and more chains appeared behind him, fastening around his arms and finally locking his legs.

She made the necessary hand seals and crouched. The stream increased in strength underneath them and a large wave erupted from beside Minato – who gazed at the wave rising higher and higher above him with an expression that could mean nothing more than oh, shit -

"Kushina … ?" he asked uncertainly, but was suddenly surrounded by cold water and was dragged underneath the surface.

Lucky for him, he knew how to blast the chakra chains away.

He could only picture the look on the girl's face as she saw the loose, flowing chains and realized he had escaped; but she had no time to react before he appeared from beneath, knocking her out of balance.

She backed off, stepping up back on safe land as he attacked her, and he knew of her plan by the determined look on her face; she clenched her fist, channelled her chakra and gave him the punch of the year -

"Dead."

Kushina froze at the ice cold kunai resting against her throat. The badly punched Minato had disappeared in a puff of smoke; she had not realised it was a bunshin.

He could basically hear her teeth clench as she straightened up and turned her head to look at his – what, mild face? - and she wondered how much different he would look if he ever caught a real enemy the same way.

"Point taken," she grumbled, pushing the kunai away. "You owe me ramen."

"Can I at least get changed first?" he asked, stroking wet strands of hair away from his face; his clothes were dripping wet, the air was chilly and he was starting to get cold, yet Kushina didn't seem to grant him much mercy and dragged him in the direction of Ichiraku's without an answer.

Sorry, this is all I get to write! I'm about finished with my exams - handing the last one in by tomorrow - and I'm so exhausted from revising and taking notes that I just want to shut my brains off.

Leaving for a short vacation soon too, so expect the next update to be in the beginning of June :)

Hope your exams went well!