Lost (Updated)

51

The next battle was Kakuro vs Shino but Kankuro had fortified it now moving on to the next battle, Temari vs Shikamaru having postponed Ssuke's fight because he still wasn't here. Shikamaru just stood there looking down at the arena Temari was already standing in. Sora could tell from the look on his face he was considering forfeiting as well. But before he could say anything naruto had hit him on the back sending him over the railing and falling into the arena. People began throwing stuff at Shikamaru making it clear all they wanted to see was Sasuke's fight making Sora sigh.

"Good luck Shikamaru," Sora mumbled quietly to herself.

Temari ran at Shikamaru annoyed he wasn't moving despite the battle not being started yet. She seemed like an interesting person that was for sure. She hit him with her fan but as the dust cleared he was standing up her having completely missed. She opened her fan a gust of wind heading towards him but again he wasn't there. He was by the trees hiding, but Temari didn't go over there towards him. She was a smart one.

They didn't move for a bit Temari finally made her move swinging her fan a strong gust of wind formed around the whole arena. But through the dush a shadow shout out towards her. She jumped back avoiding it until it stopped returning to Shikamaru. She marked where it had stopped. Sora sighed, she was clearly a long-range fighter with her wind jutsu, so she had the upper hand.

Shikamaru brought his hands together closing his eyes and making a small smile come to Sora's face knowing what that meant, he hung out with her quite a bit in the academy despite her rejections and she had come to recognise some of his habits. He was working out a strategy for this fight. Sora watched as his hands moved and his eyes opened focusing ahead of him. He had it, a plan of attack. this was about to get interesting.

He reached for his ninja pouch as Temari shot more wind at him. He ducked behind the trees kunai now in hand. As he hid by the tree he took off his jacket. The wind settled only for Temari to fire another not being able to find him. But Kunai came flying out of the dust. As she blocked the second one with her fan a shadow came flying at her. She smiled confidently before her eyes widened the shadow going past the line as she almost got caught by it.

He wasn't just hiding he was waiting for the sun to move to cast a larger shadow for him to use. He was definitely smart that was for sure. Kaknkuro called out to Temari as a kunai tied to Shikamaru's jacket went overhead. She jumped back in a panic his shadow connecting with it and shooting towards her again. But she was able to dodge it until it fell to the ground she planted her fan in the ground hiding behind it.

When the shadow returned to Shikakamu she began performing hand signs but froze suddenly as he finally got his shadow to connect with hers. Sora smiled impressed by his intelligence. She had never seen him using it in battle before. He had used the whole Naruto had made earlier to capture her, that is what he was doing the whole time leading her to that hole. He soon began walking forward her doing the same as they now stood face to face. He raised his hand hers following along.

"Okay that's it, I give up," Shikamaru said causing the crowd to boo again.

Everyone looked shocked while Sora rolled her eyes not surprised by this in the slightest. He was apparently out of chakra but he had planned out the next 200 moves. He walked back up to the viewing area next to Sora.

"good job," Sora said.

"What do you mean I lost," He said.

Sora didn't say anymore as she began walking down to the arena her battle being next, Sasuke's postpones once again.

"What a drag," Shikamaru sighed.

Sora stood face to face with Amira the two girls looking serious.

"Good luck," Amira said.

"You too," Sora replied.

Amira looked up to see her father watching her intently she gulped facing Sora again, she wasn't looking forward to this. She had only seen a sliver of her strength in the preliminary round and she was worried about what Sora was truly capable of. She beat Hikari her teammate so easily, but Amira knew she couldn't lose here. Or she would face her father's wrath for daring to dishonour their clan.

Her father looked down at her his face serious, she had to win, and then his clan would be known for beating the Hokage's student which would raise their status even more.

The two girls stood off with each other, each worrying about this match. Amira feared she would disappoint her father and make a fool of her clan. Sora worried Orochimaru was watching her and waiting for the perfect moment to take her away, as well as seeing what she was capable of so he could use her as a tool and coming up with new tests and experiments to do on her.

The battle soon began and they both jumped back getting away from the other their eyes never leaving the other. Both knew one mistake could be the end of this fight. The arena was silent watching the two in anticipation.

They both took a deep breath a million thoughts going through their heads. Amira could practically feel her father's eyes digging into the back of her skull.

"Who do you think will win?" Norio asked Hikari who sat next to her.

"Honestly I don't know," Hikari said watching the two girls who still stood there unmoving.

"I thought you would say Amira without a doubt, not liking Sora very much," Norio said.

"It's more complicated than that. But what about you? Who do you think will win?" Hikari said.

"Amira," Norio said.

Amira performed hand sighs, earth pillars shooting up from the ground, Sora dodged and looked around seeing they hadn't gone back into the ground. So she was setting up the battlefield. If that was the case Sora would do the same. Water came from Sora's mouth leaving a shallow layer of water across the ground. They both looked at one another again in anticipation. What would their next move be?