How Troublesome

Chapter 14: Vexatious Violence

Nagisa stood a few yards away from another girl who Shikamaru assumed to be Tori.

Etsu looked down at the two. "Okay, are you two ready?"

Twin nods greeted this statement.

"Good. Now I want you two to just spar using Taijutsu. No ninjutsu. I don't want to have to ask for the training grounds to be refitted. Three times in one week is just too much," Masago said, sighing.

Tori, a pretty girl dressed in questionably tasteful clothes that consisted of very little fabric, asked, "Can we use weapons?"

"Yes. Now, ready?"

Nods again.

Etsu and Masago stepped away from their prospective students, back to Naruto and the rest, and then Masago yelled, "Begin!"

For a moment, neither girl moved. Bodies tense, they eyed each other. Then, Tori sprang into action, sprinting forwards towards Nagisa.
Nagisa barely had time to react as a fist came hurtling towards her chest. Training and skill kicked in as she let the fist get within range and then she slid her arms up, hands catching Tori's wrist and stopping it with a jolt. Three gleaming steel tips quivered, inches away from penetrating her skin.

Tori held three kunai between her fingers like claws.

Shikamaru's eyes widened fractionally. Nagisa could have been seriously injured. Wasn't this merely supposed to be sparing? This was more serious than any genin sparring he remembered in Konoha.

Before Tori could take advantage of the fact both of Nagisa's hands were occupied, Nagisa jerked Tori forward harshly, using her momentum to flip over her. Then, Nagisa kicked the other girl in the back hard, propelling her away from Tori. Still in mid-air, she flung out her hand and a shuriken sped along a deadly arc to Tori.

At the last moment, Tori dropped, hugging the ground, and the sharp projectile passed harmlessly overhead, only to imbed itself in a tree, inches away from a horrified ninja's face who looked as though he would faint any second.

The fight went on.

Nagisa unleashed a flurry of well placed punches, and Tori stumbled back, winded and clutching her chest.

She glared at Nagisa. "Just because you've got no chest doesn't mean you need to flatten mine! Jealous, much?"
This comment got several kunai launched at her. One nicked her cheek, and blood dripped down it. "I'm not flat!" Nagisa yelled. "Anyways, it'll be fine in a few years. Sadly, the same can't be said for your face. A few more years won't help it. It'll just get worse, if that's possible. I don't think anything would help it, except a bag to cover it up."

It wasn't just a sparring match, Shikamaru decided. It was also a cat-fight, and it bore a striking resemblance to the fights Ino and Sakura had had, except less annoying, more dangerous, and they were actually fighting instead of standing around screaming at each other.

To his left, a group of boys and girls were yelling encouragement to their favorites, and also placing bets, of course.

Tori dashed forward with a scream of fury. She lashed out with a kunai. Steel met steel with a flash of sparks and the harsh clang of metal on metal. Red blossomed on Nagisa's clothing from a glancing blow, and then, simultaneously, they knocked the weapons out of each others hands. They turned back to hand to hand combat. Punches, kicks, elbows, and knees flew in a blur.

Shikamaru was pretty sure he saw some biting, too.

Suddenly, Tori dropped down with a sweeping kick, only to stop mid-kick and switch direction to aim for Nagisa's head.