Kasai landed gracefully, making a hand-sign. Before I could decipher what she was doing I was stuck. I couldn’t move my legs or my arms, not even my head.
“Don’t tell me you forgot. I’m a Yamanaka, Kitto. You’re not going anywhere; not in one piece at least.” Kasai informed me telepathically.
Deep breaths Kitto. Don’t screw this up. So you can’t move and there’s no one to help you.
I closed my eyes tightly.
Don’t you dare cry! This isn’t over yet. Deep breaths. You can get out of this.
A kunai lodged deep into my left thigh.
“So this is how you play now, Kasai? Immobilize people for the easy kill? What kind of half-assed technique is that?” I growled opening my eyes but wincing from the pain. She was just behind me when the mind jutsu dropped and I kicked her to the ground. Despite the searing pain in my leg I pivoted around and jerked her up by her hair. My nails scratched her scalp and blood slipped down my hand.
“Don’t understand why you’re so mad at me. Do you honestly think I wanted to leave here? Why do you think I came back?” After that it didn’t matter if the peace was made.
I pushed her back down and the fight continued. From her I willfully pulled myself out of genjutsu and kept shadow clones handy. From me she dodged flashing claws and spikes formed from stone. This went on so long that we were both exhausted and the crowed were all on the edges of their seats.
I have two more fights today; two hours in between each. I’m losing blood fast and my left leg is pretty much just a weapon at this point. I’m pretty sure my tibia in broken. Three ribs are probably cracked. What can I do to Kasai to win this fight and show I’m a worthy Jonin without using so much chakra I can’t fight anymore?
“You know…what…what makes me angriest now?” Kasai asked from her hunched position in front of me.
“What?” I choked out, having to fight to catch my breath after.
“You can do all this…you’re still conscious right now…and after nineteen years you can’t…you can’t tell Kakashi that you love him.” She said, watching as my exposed eyes lost focus on the present entirely.
I hadn’t forgotten about how I used to feel about Kakashi. At age three I was too shy to talk to him, though our parents set up play dates all the time. Well, they weren’t so much play dates as they were out fathers took us training with them. That was when Kakashi and I started our training. Well, mine at least. He was a difficult teacher and often brutal. He made me cry more times than he made me smile, but I had the sweetest crush on him anyway.