Shadows of Revenge Ch. 4
By Eliad Sholomovich

** Public Park somewhere in Tokyo, Several hours after chapter 3 **

The sky was cloudy and the sun's golden rays melting through the few spaces between the dark grey clouds.

A light breeze blew across the park and carrased the frames of those who chose to be outside at this afternoon hour.

A large crowd was standing inside the park, It consisted of dozens of youths which cheered and whistled wildly.

In the midst of the chaotic scene stood Two figures, they were facing eachother.

One was wearing a red School uniform while the other was clad in a dark brown Ninja uniform.

Both were locked in an intense gaze and their hands were crossed as they awaited the proper time to begin their fight.

Suddenly both adscolents broke the gaze similtaniously and then entered their respective stances.

The two circled eachother silently, their feet making soft squishing sounds as they walked upon the park's moist grass.

"You ready to fall Nerd girl?" Karin asked Ibuki while curling her upper lip. All she recieved was a cold and impassive glare from her opponent.

Karin gulped "Sheesh...She wasn't like this last time...Maybe I went a iddy bit too far with my remarks..." Karin thought and recalled their fight last year.

It was a fight where despite Ibuki's talent and victory the girl had made many mistakes in her lack of emotional control.

Now Karin looked at Ibuki and saw that the youth before her was calm and calculating and seemed to grow up emotionally during the year.

Her face was cold and reminded Karin of a stone statue which kept a steady gaze at its lookers. The glare made a shiver pass through Karin's spine.

The crowd cheered again and then a teenaged boy shouted "Fight!"

Karin shook her head and then smiled and dashed forward. Ibuki inhaled and narrowed her eyes.

Karin closed the small gap between them quickly and leapt into the air.

She somersaulted forward and then extended her foot,she aimed it at Ibuki's face as descended towards her oppenent with great speed.

But Ibuki sidestepped and sent her foot swingin forward. It slammed into Karin's abdomen and the collision of momentums sent Karin to the grass with an aching abdomen.

Ibuki then flipped backwards twice and landed a few feet's distance away. She resumed her stance and waited for Karin.

Meanwhile Karin rose to her feet and arranged her hair. She glared at Ibuki and snarled under her breath before running towards her opponent once again.

Ibuki prepared for Karin's attack,as Karin approached Ibuki's mind focused on possible defensive straetegies.

As Karin reached a foot's distance she her fist flying forward towards Ibuki's abdomen. Ibuki swatted it with her forearm and then swatted a followup palm strike with her left forearm.

Then Before Ibuki could react Karin's fist slammed into her cheek. Ibuki's head snapped sideways, then Karin stepped backwards and landed a solid kick into Ibuki's ribcage, Ibuki hunched forward.

Karin aimed an axe kick to finish the combo. But Ibuki crossed her forearms and blocked the kick, then she dropped her hands and spun around quickly while extending her foot, Karin was surprised by her agility and her feet were swept by the quick and powerful blow.

Karin landed on the ground forcefully but the grass cushioned her fall and all that was heard was a soft thud. Meanwhile Ibuki rose to her feet and yet again waited for Karin to attack.

Karin rolled forward and then rose to her feet quickly, in one fluid motion she aimed a kick to Ibuki's nose.

Ibuki saw it coming and swatted the kick with a flick of her wrist and then spun around and extended her foot, Her heel crashed into Karin's temple as she nailed Karin with a roundhouse kick.

Karin's head snapped sideways, and now a pounding pain itched in the Kanzuki warrior's head, but she ignored it and lunged forward.

She and Ibuki exchanged some blows, none passing the other's guard until Ibuki's guard faltered for a split second.

Taking the opportunity Karin used her agility as an advantage and rammed her palm into Ibuki's abdomen. Then she uppercutted Ibuki, the powerful blow forced Ibuki backwards.

Karin smiled and leapt forward.She brought her fist in a axe motion towards Ibuki's head.

Ibuki rolled to her left and then rose to a crouching position, She summoned her Chi and concentrated, then she leapt upwards her foot outstretched the minute Karin landed on her feet.

"Kazekiri!" Ibuki shouted and her foot was engulfed by bright blue Chi.It slammed into Karin's solar plexus and sent her flying backwards.

Karin somersaulted backwards and landed on the grass while Ibuki flipped in midair and landed lightly on her feet.

Karin rubbed her abdomen and then winced before she stepped forward and aimed a punch at Ibuki's gut,Ibuki sidestepped easily and retaliated with an agile fist to Karin's chest.

Ibuki's knuckles slammed into Karin's frame forcefully,Ibuki put all her weight and strength behind her fist and blow forced Karin to spew out the air from her lungs and step backwards.

Karin hunched forward and coughed, the blow was amazingly strong and she found it hard to breath for a while, then when she finally recovered she looked towards Ibuki and grimaced.

Ibuki leapt Upwards and kicked Karin's Chin with her left foot and then spun in midair and hook kicked Karin with her right foot.

The blow sent the other Adoscolent reeling. Karin was picked off her feet and flew backwards while spinning, She clenched her teeth as she connected with the ground, she inhaled deeply and rose to her feet.

Ibuki stood silently and the crowds deafning cheers didn't seem to bother her.

Karin shook her pounding head and rubbed her Chin, she spat on the ground and then glared at Ibuki "Ok...Time to get serious b*tch" Karin thought and resumed her stance.

The wind started blowing wildly and it ruffled Both warriors hair and uniforms.Ibuki swatted strands of her long hair aside and exhaled slowly.

Meanwhile Karin scanned the crowd and heard a roaring cheer of her name, her heart filled with confidence and she slammed her fist together before sprinting forward.

This time however Ibuki dashed forward to meet her, Both closed the gap between them in seconds.

Ibuki was the first to attack with a quick straight punch, Karin smiled and grabbed her arm after blocking the attack with both hands.

Then she pulled Ibuki forward and raised her fist. Ibuki grimaced as Karin's fist crashed into her forehead.

Then Karin let go of Ibuki's hand and sent her fist flying towards Ibuki's abdomen, it connected and sunk into Ibuki's abdomen forcefully,then Karin nailed Ibuki with another five consecutive punches to the chest area.

Karin then smiled her confidence overcoming her and threw a clumbsy inward cresent roundhouse.

Ibuki for the first time in the fight showed emotion and under her mask a grin reached her lips while for a minute her eyes showed warmth.

The kick missed as Ibuki ducked. Ibuki's eyes shone coldly once again but under her mask a satisfied grin adorned her lips.

"So you seem to think you're speed is you advantage...and you defense doesn't seem as solid as your offense...I've been defensive so far...Lets see how you deal with my offense..." Ibuki thought and waited for Karin to approach her.

She didn't have to wait for long as Karin sprinted forward.The Youth leapt with a jump kick.

Ibuki leapt over the decending Kanzuki and as Karin passed under her Ibuki extended both feet, the blow was quick and the momentum of the blow which crashed into Karin's back was so great it sent her crashing to the ground face first.

The crowd gasped at the display of acrobatics and clapped. Karin rose to her feet and spat as the taste of moist grass filled her mouth. But before she could think twice Ibuki charged once more.

Ibuki threw a roundhouse kick, Karin ducked under it. Ibuki continued the spinning motion while gathering her chi, her fist was engulfed in blue flames.

Karin gasped and then groaned as Ibuki's fist slammed into her cheek in a hook motion.

Karin was sent off balance, she stopped herself from falling and threw a wild kick. Ibuki blocked it soundly before stepping forward.

She extended her elbow and it sank into Karin's abdomen. Karin bent forward and held her aching abdomen.

Ibuki then ducked low and uppercutted Karin in one smooth and fluid motion. Karin moaned and flew backwards, she landed on the grass and shook her head.

She winced and rose to her feet slowly, her vision hazy and dizziness consuming her.

She shook her head and her vision cleared. She looked around but failed to locate Ibuki. She then looked upwards and gulped.

Ibuki hit her with a jarring airborne roundhouse.Karin fell to the grass and tried to get up.

But she couldn't because Ibuki's foot was now pinning her neck to the ground. Ibuki looming over her, her face still a cold and impassive mask.

"If you ever pull a stunt like you did in the cafeteria again...I swear what you've seen here won't even come near what I'll do to you...you can degrade me I couldn't care less, but don't you even think about laughing at my folks again..." Ibuki said coldly and then released Karin, then she turned around and walked away, Sarai and Sakura with her.

Karin sighed and lay on the grass. Her uniform was ruined, it was wet and muddy, and stained beyond repair. She rose to a kneeling position and a group of her friends came over and helped her up.

"Mental memo...Don't mention her parents again...Man Never thought she was that deadly..." Karin thought as her friends helped her walk.

** June 21st, Ibuki's house **

Ibuki was getting dressed in her room. She had finally finished High school after a h*llish year with HW like no tomorrow and one Karin Kanzuki to suffer.

Ibuki was releaved and for the first time in a long time actually calm and happy " Thank god thats over, Now to rest and calm down for a few months before I start searching for a good college or university to enroll in." Ibuki thought and smiled.

"But first...Its time to party...I can't wait for this movie, its supposed to be awesome..." Ibuki thought and then took her small backpack with her wallet and went downstairs.

Her mom wasn't home, she had went out with Jason, Ibuki was worried on one hand since her mom was dating the mysterious and suspicious Jason but she was also relieved and happy that her mom had finally confided with her and told her the truth.

Ibuki sighed and opened the front door and exited the house, then she closed it behind her and locked it.

Then she walked through thr streets towards the theatre.

She reached her destination 15 minutes later.

A long line was located before the box office for a supposedly great new movie. Ibuki waited for Sarai and Sakura and out of curiousity decided to scan through the people in the line.

To her surprise she located her Mom and Jason near the line's beginning and sighed.

"I can't escape this aggrevation anywhere ,can I?" Ibuki mused to herself and then out of boredom decided it couldn't hurt to watch out on her mom until her friends arrived.

Jason bought two tickets and then they passed through the metal detector. Her mom passed and nothing happened. The minute Jason did however it beeped loudly and a light above the contraption flashed in bright red.

Jason's eyes rolled and her let the security officer check his coat and pockets. The guard shrugged and motioned him to try again, Jason nodded and passed through the machine again, It beeped again.

Ibuki raised a brow and suspicions ran through her mind a mile a minute. "What the heck, he's unarmed and not wearing anything metalic, why's the machine beeping, can it be?" Ibuki thought and then held her chin.

Then a hand was placed on her shoulder and her line of thought was cut short. Sarai and Sakura smiled at her, "Howdie space girl, what's botherin ya?" Sakura asked sweetly.

Ibuki looked back at the line and saw another guard inspect Jason with a manual scanner and it didn't beep, then they let him pass.

Ibuki shrugged "Nothing important, c'mon lets go my friends" Ibuki said excitedly and the three went up to buy tickets. After buying them they passed the detector without problems.

Ibuki out of curiousity averted her gaze to the other guard and saw something shocking. He held his scanner and turned it on, And she could of sworn it flashed as it was aimed in his hand.

Then realization hit her. She recalled all the subtle hints she had on Jason. "No reactions to pain, super strength, Cold deminior...And now metalic parts must be hidden under his skin...Dear god...He's one of those god awful cyborgs I met last summer..." Ibuki concluded and fear rushed through her.

"Wha...What?! No...No way, not again, its not possible. I thought I was done with these things...What if...oh s***...I gotta find mom..." Ibuki thought but Sarai grabbed her shoulder.

"Where are you going?" She asked Ibuki.

Ibuki sighed If he hasn't made a move till this time, Besides I doubt it'll help since mom's charmed by that thing...She'd only be hurt and wouldn't believe me...Oooooh the minute I lay my hands on that thing...I'll...I'll prove to mom she's been fooled by ripping him apart!!!...It'll break her heart...But better that then endangering her..." Ibuki thought and sighed as sadness consumed her heart.

"Nothing...lets go" She said cheerfully and faked a smile, yet in her heart, her mood had taken a downfall and she knew she had a heavy burden on her shoulders now.