Open Extracurricular Opportunity

[Uchima Shoma]

Oak District Night Market


Shoma scratched the top of his head as he peered at the flyer that had been slipped under his door sometime during the day. It showed a bustling street lined with paper lanterns and street vendors with signs proclaiming everything from street food to handicrafts, all set beneath a night sky full to bursting with stars.

That sounds like as good a way as any to spend a Friday night.

A glance through the small window beside his bed confirmed that night was indeed fast approaching. He should have just enough time to wash up and make his way to the Oak District before night fully set in.

Not long after, Shoma strode around the final corner on his way to the Oak District, and was greeted by a sight the likes of which he had hardly dreamed of back in the village. The street was indeed illuminated by red paper lanterns for as far as the street was long. Vendors were crammed almost elbow to elbow on either side of the street, each calling at the top of their voice the wares they had on offer.

Shoma strolled down the street, eyes wide with wonder. The meager allowance his father had sent him for the month seemed to be burning a hole in his pocket as he spied fried squid, ramen of every flavor, even a few desserts be didn't recognize. Despite having just recently eaten dinner, he heard his stomach rumble petulantly.

Almost as enticing were the variety of shinobi-themed crafts. He saw necklaces shaped like shuriken, wooden masks painted to look like comical versions of those worn by Anbu agents, kunai holsters and just about any non-lethal accessory he could imagine. One sign caught Shoma's eye and held it just long enough that his feet had changed course before he even knew it.

Viper Gloves

Shuma's thoughts went back to his time in the library that week, reading about poisons and their various uses. Something about that topic just resonated with him.

Excuse me, could I see the Viper Gloves, please?

The shopkeep looked down from the little raised pedestal from which he'd be bargaining for the attention of passersby.

Of course. I think I have a pair just your size.

The shopkeep disappeared for just a moment as he ducked behind his stall, before reappearing with a pair of black, form fitting gloves with reinforced knuckles and tiny, nearly imperceptible barbs atop the reinforcements.

Wow, they look great. Do they work the way I think they do?

And more, kid. These gloves are extra light for the protection they offer. You can strike fast and be out of the way by the time your opponent lugs his heavy katana around. Furthermore, if you use the...ahem...augmented function, he won't be fighting at his best after your first hit...if you know what I mean.

Shoma was pretty sure he did know what the shopkeep meant. He fished around in his pocket, trying to find every last yen.

How much for the pair?

2800 yen. You'll have to purchase separate supplies elsewhere I'm afraid. It's not exactly allowed at the night market.

Shoma produced just over the asked price, quickly stuffing the remainder back into his pocket lest the shopkeep get a good look and revise his pricing model.

I'll take them!

Donning his new gloves, Shoma turned from the shop and began walking back down the street. He'd blown most of his allowance, so wouldn't likely be buying anything else, but he didn't mind. He just wanted to take in the sights, sounds, and people of the Oak District Night Market.

[WC=587]

 

[Toshi]

Toshi followed the lonely dark road of the backstreets of Konoha. He rarely came out into the village, still trying to handle the fact that he now lived in a shinobi village. It was nice being able to leave the Clan House every once in a while. Training to reach his goals was always his priority, but taking a break from time to time is what kept his mind healthy. He'd take an official tour of the village one of these days. Just to get to know a little more of this Konohagakure.

He found himself in the Oak District. It was a place he'd hear about from time to time. He never went as far as venturing the markets, but his curiosity had gotten the best of him this time. He figured it wouldn't hurt to look around for a bit. He doubted anyone would notice him.

He moved through the crowded street, holding tight to the shroud that he had on that was covering his body. His emerald eyes shifted this way and that as he would "Oooh" and "Ahhh" at the vendors and their wares.

A conversation, however, was what stopped him in his tracks. He looked to the kid that looked a little older than him asking about some... viper gloves? "What are viper gloves?" Toshi asked himself as he was fascinated by the conversation.

This kid was obviously a shinobi, or at least a shinobi in training. Toshi himself hadn't thought of owning a weapon. He wasn't sure how'd he'd do in battle with a sword. It was something he could practice later on if he wanted.

The kid then started down the street with his purchased gloves. Toshi stood watching as the kid walked away. He decided to catch up with the kid. Trying not to catch him by surprise, Toshi spoke up. "Nice gloves! You must be a shinobi in training." Toshi couldn't think of another reason why the kid would but gloves, so he assumed this guy was a either a student, or a Genin. Though he could have been wrong.

"The name's Toshi." The boy said, giving a grin as he continued walking the district with the boy.

[ Topic Entered ]

 

[Uchima Shoma]

The name's Toshi

Shoma turned to find a boy who seemed quite a bit younger than himself walking with him in-step. He didn't remember seeing him at the Academy, though that wasn't necessarily surprising given the class sizes. He also seemed like he might be accustomed to keeping a low profile, it the shroud wrapped around the boy's body was any indication.

Shoma smiled,

I'm Uchima Shoma, nice to meet you! Yeah, I actually just started at the academy recently. I'm not very good yet, but I'm working on it. I'm hoping these gloves might help.

At that, Shoma raised a hand, curling it into a fist. Realizing how the gesture might look to a stranger, he blushed a bit and quickly removed the gloves, stowing them carefully in one of the many pockets of his cargo pants.

Have you been to the night market before? It's my first time, I've never seen so many shops with so much stuff to buy!

Shoma's thoughts went back to the modest market in his home village. He hadn't gone more than once or twice a week, usually just to buy groceries or tea leaves for his father's shop. Rarely had anyone sold anything beyond the basic necessities, and when they had it was usually just wooden trinkets of one sort or another.

[WC=214]

 

[Toshi]

The Academy. A place Toshi wasn't ready to visit. Meeting the other kids sounded like fun, and who knew what type of adventures he'd get into. He chose to stay away from Academy because he didn't feel comfortable around big crowds. Learning of the shadows only made him want to stay to himself. Making friends and potentially having to hunt them down wasn't exactly how he thought friendships were supposed to play out. He knew he'd only keep a few close to him. Toshi tried to keep thoughts like this out of his mind, because he knew things didn't have to get to that level. But every time he met someone, he hoped he wouldn't regret the encounter.

As Shoma introduced himself the thoughts vanished. The mood that he felt drifted away as he felt something a little brighter overcome him. It felt as though Sai was with him at times. Toshi inferred that Shoma could handle himself due to the fact that he'd come out alone at night. "I'm sure you'll do well at the Academy Shoma. A true shinobi will have what it takes to succeed."

After being asked if he'd been to the lit up district before, Toshi pondered on it for a moment. "Well, I've passed through the district before. Usually just to run errands, but this is the first time I've had time to see what goes on around here." It was a great sight, and the emerald eyed boy knew he'd be back again. There seemed to be many tools and such to pick up. He was interested in setting up traps himself, so he'd stop if he saw something interesting.

"Are you from here?" Toshi asked, thinking of his own past. The lights of the district kept the boy's attention. The more he went out, the more he was attracted to the village's sights.

 

[Uchima Shoma]

Not really. I grew up in Yomogita, it's a small village a little ways out. Mostly I spent time at home where my father has a tea shop. How about you?

It was the first real conversation Shoma had had since arriving in Konoha. The other students hadn't shown much interest in him aside from the occasional jeer or snicker when the obviously older kid had trouble doing things that came naturally to the young ones. He lived alone in the boarding house, so there wasn't much conversation to be had there, and he hadn't met any adults aside from his teachers, who likewise hadn't taken any particular interest. Despite Shoma's general tendency toward introversion, it was nice to meet someone new.

Toshi was short, and that shroud of his made him look even smaller. What bit of his hair stuck out from under the hood looked unkempt, and those green eyes of his seemed alert, even if his general expression was a bit oblivious.

He thought about what he'd been like at Toshi's age, and realized that this kid seemed much more mature than Shoma had been. In fact, the way he phrased things sounded almost adult, a slightly unnerving realization.

There's something a little different about this kid.

Hey, was there anything in particular that you wanted to buy today? Whatever it is I bet we can find it here. I found these sweet gloves and I wasn't even looking for them!

[WC=240]

 

[Toshi]

"Hmm, a tea shop." Such a place sounded as though it gave great vibes. A nice calm place to relax when one had a free day. "I'm from a small place that isn't too far from the village. If you leave the village's gates, it's just outside of the forest that most people travel through to get here"

"I didn't grow up in a village, it was just a secluded home. Not much went on out there, though I did like visiting the lake that was nearby. It's where I learned how to swim." Toshi decided to talk about the better memories of his home. The cold memories were begining to fade away. Maybe making friends was helping him get over those tragic times.

"Well..." Being asked if he wanted to buy something made the boy's mind begin to wander. Toshi looked to the sky with his eyes wide. He began thinking of his own fighting style. "...I'm looking for some ninja wire. A set of ninja wire will definitely help with my training." It took him a second to answer, but he was positive of his decision. Toshi nodded, as if confirming the thought. "If you could help me find some wire around here, it'd be much appreciated."

Toshi moved the conversation back to the tea shop. "Did your father move his tea shop to the village? It would be great to have some tea and relax for a while. We can talk about the things you've learned from the Academy there."

---
[ MFT | WC: +250 ]

 

[Uchima Shoma]

No, he didn't. My dad... well, he likes to be alone, I guess. Part of the reason I came to the Academy was to give him some space. I don't think he'd want to move to Konoha.

I don't think he'd want to be any closer to me, he thought.

Shoma's expression darkened noticeably. He wasn't angry, he never had been when it came to his father. He was just frustrated and a bit sad. He wondered, far from the first time, if his father was happier without him. He doubted his father would ever be truly happy, that side of him must have died with his mother if it had ever existed. Shoma wouldn't know, she'd died just as he'd come into the world, leaving him with a broken man whose love had always had a melancholy tint.

But hey, if you want to buy some ninja wire, I bet we can find some here. I think they're a little weird about selling weapons outright, but ninja wire is more of a trap. If I could get my gloves then we should be able to find some wire.

Shoma peered around them, taking in the different signs. There was food, more food....more food, a few clothing vendors, a man selling kunai holsters that could be strapped to different parts of the body, and finally, he spied a stall situated just at the entrance to a small alleyway. Its sign read,

Shinobi Sundries
Apparel -- Accessories -- Tools

I bet we can get the wire over there! Say, how long have you been training? You look a bit younger than me, but... I don't know, you kind of walk and move like some of the teachers at the Academy.

Shoma began moving toward the stall, assuming Toshi would follow. The boy really had piqued his interest, he seemed different in ways Shoma couldn't quite put his finger on.

[WC=310]

 

[Toshi]

Toshi could tell that Shoma missed his father, but he didn't want to show it. The expression Shoma wore showed that he went into deep thought. "Hmm... Hey, if you open up a tea shop here, I bet your dad would come and visit you." The idea sounded great.

"And even when he's not visiting, your shop could help you remember him. Sort of like one of those souvenirs people buy when they visit a place they like. They keep it in remembrance of the place they visited, reminding them of the good times. That's what your shop would be like in remembrance of your dad."

Toshi looked around, noticing the numerous food vendors. "Or you could just like having a tea shop." Toshi knew that this was a possibility as well. The boy was assured there was ninja wire somewhere in the district, they would just have to continue their search to find some.

The boy moved into the alley with Shoma, listening as he asked him about his trainings. "Hmm, I don't know, it's been a while now. Usually I train everyday nonstop, whether it's just meditating, or going to the training area and practicing on a few training dummies." Toshi thought back to when he moved in with Nao.

"Maybe a few months now. I've probably been training a bit longer than the rest of the students. I wouldn't be surprised if some of them already graduated. But, I'm actually looking forward to a promotion soon. I've learned a lot while training in the village." He came far from not being able to control his bloodline abilities. He was still spotty here and there, but he knew a few moves that he couldn't use on Academy grounds.

"Don't be surprised if you see me with a forehead protector the next time we meet." Toshi grinned, awaiting to tie a forehead protector around his arm. He would prove that he had what it takes to become a real shinobi.

Moving to the stall Toshi would look for the vendor. "Do you have any ninja wire?" The boy would ask, hoping he would go home with a new battle strategy.

 

[Uchima Shoma]

That last bit stung a little. Shoma knew he was behind. He'd known even before coming to Konoha that he would be less experienced than the other students, the woman in the tea shop had even said as much, but still the reality always hurt a little bit. This kid was clearly young, and yet he'd been training for longer than other students, and was already up for promotion to genin.

Oh well, I guess that's just how it is.

I hadn't thought about opening my own shop. I don't think I really want to though, I came here to get away from that business. It's hard to imagine much of a future when you spend all your days serving tea to other people. I want to be a shinobi so that I can do interesting things, learn skills that other people can only dream of. I want to be like the shinobi in the books I read in the village.

You're right though, I do miss my father... but he's probably better off without me. I think being around me brings up too many bad memories for him.

Upon arriving at the stall, Toshi asked for ninja wire, which the aging owner promptly produced from somewhere below. She gave the pair a toothless grin as she handed the wire over for inspection.

Ya know, I've read about ninja wire, but I haven't seen it used yet. Is it true you can tie your opponent up without them even noticing?

He glanced at the spool of almost imperceptibly thin wire and wondered if it would hurt to be tied up in it. He also wondered, with no small amount of alarm, how to avoid it if he ever ran into someone who favored the tool.

And how do you avoid it? It sounds...nasty.

The old woman kept grinning, making Shoma wonder if she'd maybe lost a few marbles over the years. She bore a small resemblance to Shoma's closest neighbor in the village, a woman who frequently conversed and sometimes argued with her cats. He hoped the transaction would be finished soon so he could get out from under her gaze.

[WC=355]

 

[Toshi]

Toshi learned that Shoma was inspired to be a shinobi as well. It was quite the challenge to overcome, but that fighting spirit remained in the one's that stayed true to their shinobi way. It's what kept Toshi going himself. Shoma also mentioned that the Tea Shop idea just wasn't for him. Toshi nodded. The relationship Shoma had with his father sounded complicated. The emerald eyed boy decided to leave the ordeal alone, hopefully he didn't put his new friend in a bad mood with the convo.

As the woman handed over the ninja wire, Toshi looked at her with a smile. "Thanks!" He looked it over it for a moment, testing out it's durability. It was a fine piece of wire. "So how much would something like this cost?" After the woman's answer Toshi would hand over the amount of yen that was asked for.

As Shoma asked how to avoid such a trap Toshi looked over to him. "Well participating in a shinobi battle, it's best to stay aware of your opponent and your surroundings at all times. If you're opponent is stealthy, and goes into hiding, then you may not notice the attacks that they are preparing to use on you. What's worse, if they attack you without you knowing their position, it's possible that they could gain the upper hand." Listening to himself, he sounded like quite the instructor.

"Laying down a trap while being stealthy would put the opponent at a disadvantage. But if you try not to focus on the distractions, you may notice what type of attacks your opponent is using, and what type of traps, weapons, and etc... that they use. Preparing the proper counter would give you the advantage. I believe there are jutsu that could aid your awareness while in battle, those will help you keep an eye on your opponent, keeping your target in check." Toshi nodded, making the ninja wire disappear under his shroud after paying for it.

"A stealthy ninja is a dangerous ninja." Even though ninja combat was one of his favorite things to talk about, he moved the topic once more. He would always answer any questions Shoma had. "Does anyone help you at home with your shinobi studies?" Toshi was used to training with his Clan Members back at home.
---

[ MFT | WC: +250 ]
Ninja Wire Purchased

 

[Uchima Shoma]

A stealthy ninja is a dangerous ninja.

It made sense, of course. It's difficult to fight what you can't see. Shoma took a moment to mull over how he might respond to an enemy using a trap like that and came to the conclusion that he might have to ask his teachers the next morning. He thought it must be very difficult to see ninja wire coming if one wasn't familiar with common signs that his opponent might use it.

Does anyone help you at home with your shinobi studies?

Toshi really was hitting all the sore spots.

Um, no, not really. I live in a boarding house in the Maple District. I have a room to myself, but there's no one there to help with my studies. I mostly just make sure I do all the assigned reading and try to spend extra time in the library when I get a chance. I'm afraid I'm not great in my practical application classes either. It seems like everyone in the academy is the son or daughter of this or that shinobi family and knows way more than I do. I'm just trying to catch up.

Saying it out loud hurt for a moment, but here he was talking to someone who he had reason to believe might become a friend. An experienced, friend, at that. He'd only been attending classes in Konoha for a little while and already things were looking up. For the first time in a very long time, Shoma felt like things were truly looking up.

Hey, if we can find somewhere with some decent light, would you like to spar a little? Maybe you can show me some tricks.

Shoma didn't expect a yes, it was kind of an odd request in the middle of the night, but it was worth a try. He'd decided before coming to Konoha that he would take advantage of every opportunity to learn, and here was just such an opportunity.

 

[Toshi]

Toshi couldn't believe this guy lived alone. He was only an Academy Student. The boy guessed that Shoma was holding in a lot of feelings that he wasn't quite ready to share. Toshi didn't blame him. At least this guy actually went to the Academy. Toshi knew he wouldn't fit in with the rest either. He wasn't as old as the others, and he doubted they would take him seriously. He's just keep quiet if he was there regardless. The only thing that mattered at the Academy to him were learning the lessons. He felt that it was too late to go out seeking classes now. He'd already learned a lot from the tutors that he had, and venturing out on his own.

Shoma asking if he wanted to spar caught him by surprise. He hasn't had a buddy to spar with in a while. He knew he'd have to take it easy. He knew a few jutsu that he hadn't even shown Nao yet. As he thought it over, he figured it would be a great time to try out his ninja wire trap. "A sparring match sounds fun. Maybe I could teach you a few moves to use on those losers at the Academy." Of course the boy was being sarcastic about the losers part, but a good spar could even teach Toshi a few things.

He looked towards the sky observing the moon. He was sure there was a way that he could reflect the light coming from the moon to give their sparring area some type of lighting. "You probably want me to lead the way, but I really don't know this area well." Toshi was a bit embarrassed that he didn't know his way around the village. He gave a comical chuckle, wondering where a good spot would be himself. When he got back home, and if Hikaru want doing anything, he'd ask her for a tour of the village. That way if someone needed directions, he'd be able to help them out.

"I figure we could find a place of we keep exploring."

 

[Uchima Shoma]

Hm, well I don't know it all that well either, but I think I saw a gap in the buildings a few blocks back. Let's go check it out!

Shoma led the way back down the night market street, keeping his eyes peeled for empty lots, parks, anywhere that might offer enough space for a friendly spar. as he walked, he wondered if Toshi could hear his heart pounding, as it felt like it was going to beat out of his chest before they'd even found a proper sparring ground. He'd had a couple of supervised sparring sessions at the academy, but he'd always been paired with other inexperienced students for the most part. Sparring against someone who was about to become a genin would be another experience entirely.

Left foot forward, right foot back. Fists tight but not too tight, wrists straight. Stay light on your feet, balanced evenly. Keep moving, don't be afraid to improvise. Whatever you do, don't stop moving.

He ran through the instructions his taijutsu teacher had drilled into him and his classmates a few days before. It all seemed quite simple when the teacher said it that way, but keeping everything straight when another person was trying to punch him had proven difficult. He'd had a modicum of success by waiting for his opponent to attack and counter-punching, but he wasn't sure he was doing it correctly, and still hadn't come anywhere close to winning a match that way. At best he'd gotten a few lucky shots in.

The pair strolled through the Oak District for a good 30 minutes before finding what they were looking for. At the edge of the district, surrounded by trees on three sides and open on the side facing the road, was a spacious park with a few benches strewn about and a modest pond in the center.

That looks about right. What do you think?

 

[Toshi]

Toshi looked this way and that, thinking back to when the two were walking in the opposite direction. He tried to remember if he saw a free space somewhere, but he was paying more attention to the vendors at the time. He began to create a strategy for the ninja wire he acquired, wondering if he could use the trap effectively the first time he tried it out. Of course practice made perfect.

While his mind wondered the boy took in the sights that they passed by. He tried to commit the area to memory, but he wasn't quite good at mapping areas out in his head yet. It takes extreme focus and a great memory to do such a thing.

When the pair arrived at a park with a nice pond, Toshi's eyes widened. He loved the water, but the park seemed so seriene under the night's sky, the vibe was amazing.

It was missing only one thing. Toshi went through a few hand seals. Water began to rise from the pond and began crystalizing as it began to spread in the air. Three mirrors of pure ice formed in above the park, reflecting the moonlight on the area. It created a sort of spotlight effect. Using the technique once more, Toshi created another three mirrors, now the mirrors rested in the sky, providing the boy's sparring match a bit of light.

"Yeah, now it looks perfect. You couldn't have found a better spot Shoma." Toshi kept his eyes on the mirrors for a second. "They look sort of like chandeliers." The boy commented as he looked to the mirrors. He wouldn't be able to create new mirrors during the fight, as he had reached his limit. Walking to the center of the light with a slow stroll, Toshi relaxed his body, and focused his mind. He took a stance, readying himself for the spar to come. "I'm ready when you are Shoma." The boy said. You could hear the excitement in his voice.

 

[Uchima Shoma]

Shoma had to pick his jaw up off the ground. He'd read about jutsu like this, and there'd be a little chatter among his classmates about the Yuki bloodline, but he'd never actually seen mirrors of ice materialize in mid-air. The effect on the lighting in their little arena was significant, bringing the lighting from barely passable to what felt like an eerie kind of silvery daylight. He shook himself slightly, trying to clear his mind of the wonder of it all. He went through his teacher's mantra once more as he stepped into the center of the mirrors. Despite having just met Toshi, and being quite certain that the child was more skilled than he was, he found himself feeling surprisingly comfortable. He was still nervous, that was for sure, but he wasn't scared in the way he thought he'd be in his first fight outside of class. He trusted Toshi not to take things too far, and that inspired a feeling of camaraderie with his opponent that he hadn't expected.

Ok, I have to do my best here. I don't want to embarrass myself in our first spar.

Arriving at a spot just a few feet away from the small boy across from him, Shoma assumed his own stance, sure to keep his left foot forward, right foot back. He tried to feel light, bouncing on his feet slightly. He decided that since the spar was his idea, he should probably be the one to get things started.

Alright, here we go!

Shoma took a quick half-step forward, approaching to what felt like the "danger zone", a concept he'd learned that week that described a certain range where physical blows are the most effective. Too close and you can't generate power, too far and you can't hit your opponent. The danger zone, he'd been told, was that sweet spot where he could attack quickly and effectively.

He threw quick left jab just as he'd been taught, following up with a second jab and a right cross. The plan was to establish a rhythm with the jabs and then break that rhythm with an off-tempo cross, but he only had a vague idea whether or not he'd done it correctly. Regardless, it was time to stop thinking and start acting!

 

[Toshi]

Toshi's eyes stayed on Shoma as he started the bout. He dashed towards Toshi, his first two punches were easy to see coming. He caught the first punch with his right palm. He felt the impact of the jab, it was a nice standard attack. The second punch, Toshi caught with his left palm. He began to trace Shoma's attacks, trying to predict what he would do next.

The hood of his shroud fell off his head as he swayed a bit to dodge the last incoming punch. That last one almost caught him off guard as he could feel the punch graze his cheek. Toshi used this momentum to deliver a sweeping low kick, attempting to trip Shoma up, and causing him to fall. Toshi would do a backflip afterwards and regain his footing. This would create a bit of space between him and Shoma, allowing the two to catch their breath.

"Let's get it!" This time he dashed towards Shoma, delivering his own combo when he was close enough to his sparring buddy. He would give a right jab to Shoma's chest, he would give a left hook to Shoma's left shoulder, and attempt to deliver an uppercut to Shoma's chin. Of course he would go back on the defensive, careful and ready to react to a counter attack if Shoma produced one.

 

[Uchima Shoma]

The jabs were both blocked, but that was mostly expected. The right cross seemed to nearly find purchase, but Toshi dipped out of the way, the hood of his cloak falling back as he did. The downward motion brought him into a low sweep, aiming for Shoma's ankles.

It was a move that Shoma had seen once or twice, so he was able to react, but not quite in time. He managed to get his lead foot up, but that put all of his weight on his rear foot, which was just close enough to still get clipped by the attack. The surprising force of it set Shoma off balance, forcing his lead foot to the ground hard as he stumbled to the right.

Thankfully, Toshi used the sweep as an opportunity to disengage, rather than following it up with a combo. That afforded Shoma just enough time to recover his stance before his opponent rushed back in, throwing a few punches of his own.

The jab to Shoma's chest landed just as Shoma stepped back with his left foot, switching to a southpaw stance. His backward momentum took some of the sting out of the blow, but it was still enough to cause him to exhale hard. The second shot was a hook to Shoma's shoulder, a strike that is generally intended to cause muscle fatigue, make it hard to maintain one's guard. The punch landed, hard, and had the intended effect, causing Shoma's left hand, which was now his rear and power hand, to drop slightly. Unfortunately, that opened him up the next shot, an uppercut straight to his chin.

Shoma felt his teeth clack together as he took the punch squarely on the chin. As his head snapped back, he had a thought... well, it was more like his body had a thought and his mind caught up afterward.

Shoma went with the momentum of the strike, allowing himself to lean back hard, bringing his knee up to his chest as he did so. When his foot came between himself and Toshi, he drove hard off of his planted leg and extended the attacking leg hard, in a strong push kick aimed at Toshi's chest.

The strike, while far from the most damaging option, would hopefully catch Toshi off guard. If not, and the more experience shinobi-in-training managed to get out of the way, Shoma would have to regain his footing quickly once again and try to make a little distance. He wanted time to see the next attack coming if he could. It occurred to him in that subconscious way that he hadn't been swaying as his teacher had instructed. His head had been completely still when the uppercut came. If Toshi allowed him the space to reset, he would be sure to keep his head swaying, dipping slightly even between strikes so that he wouldn't give his opponent a stationary target.

 

[Toshi]

Watching Shoma begin to raise his knee to his chest, Toshi only had a moment to react. He crossed both of his arms in front of himself. He would do this as a guard to take most of the force behind the kick aimed at him. Upon impact, the boy slid back a yard or two while his shinobi sandals were still planted firmly on the ground. It made his arms feel numb for a moment, so he decided to take a different approach with his next attack.

This time Toshi wouldn't give Shoma a break. As he recovered from his slide back, he dash forward with great speed, using the momentum to jump into the air. He began to do a roundhouse spin, aiming the first kick to Shoma's chest. Continuing on with his ariel spin, the second kick would also be aimed at Shoma's chest as well. This second kick came while Toshi was facing in the opposite direction of Shoma. His graceful spin would come to a close as he landed softly, now facing Shoma once more and delivering a final kick to Shoma's gut. If successful, this last kick would give Toshi a bit of distance from Shoma.

He kept the fight going at a steady pace, studying Shoma's moves as the spar continued. Learning how his opponent moved would give him some kind of knowledge of Shoma's fighting style.

 

[Uchima Shoma]

The kick landed, though Toshi managed to get his arms up to significantly lessen the effect of the blow. Still, it was progress. Shoma had barely gotten his feet back under himself when he was hit in the chest by the foot of a flying 8-year-old, and again. Then, after the briefest of pauses, just as Shoma's center of gravity was returning to normal, he was hit again, this time in the gut.

ooooffffff

It felt like all the wind had left him and then some. He'd never thought that someone so small would be able to put so much power into his taijutsu. This time, it was Shoma who half slid, half stumbled backwards.

I have to get some kind of control here

Reaching the end of his backward momentum, Shoma assumed a more defensive stance. His shoulders hunched to protect his neck and chin, his hands rested near his cheekbones to protect against knockout shots, and he kept his elbows low to protect his ribs. He started bouncing a little on his feet, moving his head. This next attack, he resolved, would not go unanswered. He would see it coming and he would respond or intercept it. Even if he just got this one shot all fight, he would make it work. He was determined not to get completely skunked.

 

[Toshi]

Watching Shoma bounce around, gave Toshi an idea. Toshi slipped into a style of fighting that his bloodline was known for, utilizing it's chakra style. The chakra within the Yuki began to react accordingly, cooling down his chakra system. With this, Toshi began to freeze the air under Shoma's feet, creating a slippery patch of ice underneath him. Whether Shoma slipped and fell, or managed to stay up wasn't Toshi's focus. This would serve as a distraction to Shoma.

A chilling mist began to roll into the area, creating a thick mist to cover the area suddenly. Toshi would use this time to go into stealth. He would step lightly as he ran over to a park bench, attaching his newly purchased ninja wire to the bench that was behind him. He knew that he didn't have long as he prepped the trap to entangle Shoma. "Let's see if this works." Toshi said to himself as he was sure his plan would go over smoothly. With the fog settling in, Toshi wouldn't use his eyes to see the field, rather, he would use his ears to find Shoma once more.

He looked back to where he last saw Shoma, wondering if he was noticed setting up the trap. Toshi stayed crouched near the bench, trying to stay in Stealth under the mist.

Meanwhile a clone of pure ice began to form from the water at the edge of the pond. Once fully formed, it would begin to draw Shoma out by splashing a bit of water by the edge of the pond to get his attention. How the clone would lead Shoma towards Toshi's trap would be the tough part. This would take some skill, as the clone wasn't as fast, nor as powerful as the original Toshi.