„Isn't that our school idiot with the new girl? What are they cute together? Outsiders and misfits are a perfect match, aren't they?" Seeking attention, Kiba looked around. I could already tell how Naruto was clearly beginning to stiffen. Gently, I put my hand on his shoulder and gave him a warning look. Because that was what the Inuzuka wanted. Naruto was going to come at him, making an even bigger mockery of himself. I sighed. On the other hand, Kiba wouldn't leave us alone either unless we did something about each other. And I made a decision.

„Hey Kiba. Feel like making a deal?" Suspiciously, his brown eyes flashed at me. „Depends." The children, who had stood around us, began to whisper. „You fight me," I said, ignoring the contemptuous look on my face. „However, without the use of any jutsus. The fight will be decided by our speed," I said, looking him firmly in the eye. Kiba seemed to think for a moment. „Alright, who will be the referee?" „Shikamaru," I said firmly, and an annoyed groan followed. „Why him?" asked Kiba slightly dismissively. My eyes narrowed. „Because Shikamaru is fair."

Surprised, the black-haired one looked at me. „How would you know?" I shrugged my shoulders. "Intuition. So, what is it? Are we going to fight or not?"

„If you want to lose so badly ... I'd love to," Kiba grinned. I looked around. By now, it felt like the entire schoolyard had gathered around us. Naruto gave me an encouraging look and gave both thumbs up. Shikamaru yawned emphatically loud and looked at us both bored. Although I was sure he might just be faking it. „And go."

With an almost animalistic sound, Kiba lunged at me. I had to admit, he was fast. But then, so was I. Grinning, I dodged an almost frantic Kiba over and over again. All at once he dropped to all fours and came at me at breakneck speed and jumped. But he didn't seem to have reckoned with one thing, because I had run towards him as fast as lightning and had kicked him in the stomach shortly before he regained his footing. A short but effective kick. Immediately he tensed up and held his stomach. Furious, he glared at me. Now he was definitely pissed. The crowd jeered, but I blanked it out. After all, I wasn't doing this for fun to be honest, I hated what I was doing.

Kiba had regained his composure to some extent and looked to Akamaru, who was standing at the edge of the field watching. „And from now on, with jutsus," he said. „That's against the rules," Shikamaru pointed out to him. „Let him be," I said to the black-haired man, who looked at me in disbelief. I would continue not to use jutsus. Kiba could do whatever he wanted, but I would abide by the rules. While I had agreed to this, it was also only because I knew that the Inuzuka would not have given it a rest otherwise.

„Ready Akamaru?" A yelp answered. I screwed up my face. Kiba was far too confident of victory and that unsettled me a little. But I had to keep a cool head in this situation. Because only that would help me out of this again. I was not allowed to rush around, because then I would make a mistake, and this could have a devastating effect on the outcome of the fight.

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Shikamaru watching me intently. Next to him stood Sensei Iruka, his arms crossed in front of his chest. That he did not like the situation I could quite understand.

„Jutsu of animal-human clones!"

I gritted my teeth as I watched Akamaru transform into a spitting image of Kiba. This was going to be fun.

The two of them were fast, extremely fast, but so was I. Again, and again, I dodged their blows and kicks. On top of that was the power they put into their punches. Finally, they separated and came running at me from two sides. As if frozen, I remained standing on the ground and widened my eyes. Then, when I could already feel the breeze, I threw myself to the ground in a flash and the two of them crashed into each other head-on.

It was entirely my intention to make them think that I was too shocked and frightened to move.

Dazed, they lay there, and I couldn't help but grin when Shikamaru announced that I had won. Naruto came running up to me and hugged me. I smiled and carefully detached myself from him before stepping up to Kiba, who was still lying on the ground, and holding out my hand to him.

Almost bewildered, he looked at me and then shook his head. „Never mind," he muttered, turning to Akamaru, who had fallen unconscious. The collision had hit him harder than his Kiba. I hesitated for a moment, then turned to the Inuzuka again. „Wait a minute Kiba." „What's wrong?" he imperious me. I passed over the imperious tone. „You were a strong opponent. I think in a few years, a fight against you, could be even more difficult for me." Silence reigned. My counterpart did not seem to have expected such words.

„You and Akamaru," I added carefully. Kiba merely nodded, loaded the nin-ken onto his arms, and left. I exhaled and brushed the sweat from my forehead. This was my second fight in two days, and I had actually been a bit more aggressive than yesterday. And that filled me with immense satisfaction. If I told Sensei Genma or Kakashi that ... or probably they would find out before then, the way Sensei Iruka was looking at me right now.

But before he got to me, another person entered my field of vision. It was Shikamaru. Surprised, I looked at him. „You know Tora. For a girl, you fought pretty well...I think." W-what, was that praise just now? From Shikamaru Nara's mouth? Had he eaten something wrong this morning? „Thank you," I said, caught off guard. I wasn't capable of anything more at the moment. He nodded briefly at me and then turned away to return to the academy.

A shadow fell on me and I flinched briefly. Guessing who it was, I looked up. „So, Tora. So, tell me, how did you get the bright idea to have a little fight with Kiba here in the middle of the schoolyard?" Sensei Iruka's voice was dangerously low. Oh dear, I had some explaining to do. I laughed nervously and knotted my hands together. „You know Sensei, it was like this ...

With a big, wide grin, I marched toward the training ground. I had resolutely suppressed the fact that I would learn to walk on water today. I was so positive that I had the feeling I would fly. Because what had happened today at the academy caused such a sense of triumph in me that I probably couldn't be negative at all for the rest of the day. I, Tora, had fought Kiba in a practice fight and won. That was so satisfying. At least for now, because now the Inuzuka would have me completely in his sights and that would in no way make my life at the academy any easier. In the middle of the break yard, he had challenged me. Or rather, I had challenged him. I closed my eyes for a moment and thought back to that moment...