Wolf Child

“Strategy without tactics is the slowest route to victory.
Tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat.”
Sun Tzu

It was three days before the finale test. I was anxious as well as excited. My iPod was in my ears and I was singing quietly to the music playing in my ear. The park that I was sitting in was filled with little ones playing ball and other things. A little red ball rolled over towards me. Slowly I stood up and scooped up the ball. One of the little girls who had been playing with the ball walked forward and looked at me shyly.

“May I have the ball back please?” She asked

With a smile I held it out to her. She took it back quickly then ran back to her friends to start playing again. The swings were open so I walked lazily over to them. Silently I sat on one and began to swing still listening to my music. Just then one of my favorite songs came on and I couldn't help but sing to it.

If I die young, bury me in satin
Lay me down on a, bed of roses
Sink me in the river, at dawn
Send me away with the words of a love song

Uh oh, uh oh

Lord make me a rainbow, I'll shine down on my mother
She'll know I'm safe with you when she stands under my colors, oh and
Life ain't always what you think it ought to be, no
Ain't even grey, but she buries her baby

The sharp knife of a short life, well
I've had, just enough time

If I die young, bury me in satin
Lay me down on a, bed of roses
Sink me in the river, at dawn
Send me away with the words of a love song

The sharp knife of a short life, well
I've had, just enough time

And I'll be wearing white, when I come into your kingdom
I'm as green as the ring on my little, cold finger, I've
Never known the lovin' of a man
But it sure felt nice when he was holding my hand, there's a
Boy here in town says he'll, love my forever
Who would have thought forever could be severed by
The sharp knife of a short life, well
I've had, just enough time

So put on your best boys and I'll wear my pearls
What I never did is done

A penny for my thoughts, oh no, I'll sell them for a dollar
They're worth so much more after I'm a goner
And maybe then you'll hear the words I been singin'
Funny when your dead how people start listenin'

If I die young, bury me in satin
Lay me down on a, bed of roses
Sink me in the river, at dawn
Send me away with the words of a love song

Uh oh (uh, oh)
The ballad of a dove (uh, oh)
Go with peace and love
Gather up your tears, keep 'em in your pocket
Save them for a time when your really gonna need them, oh

The sharp knife of a short life, well
I've had, just enough time

So put on your best boys and I'll wear my pearls"

Slowly I slowed down my swinging as I got to half way down I flipped off the swing and landed in a crouch. From there I took off at a mild run. Keeping at a human pace I began to run out of the city and preceded to run around it. At some point I passed by another team. I recognized the sensei of the team and ran to keep up with him. As I neared him I slowed down he was running with two others who I could tell were the other two of his team.

“Hello.” I said as I ran in front of them then proceeded to twist in the air then start running backwards.

“Hello Airi. How are you?” the man asked

“Fine and you?”

“Fine. How are your brothers?”

“Sleeping. Sensei didn't let them stop training for two weeks strait. At some point they started to train while they slept. It was quiet funny.” I said with a smile

“How is it funny?” A girl asked

“Hmmm…. Oh Asami-sensei never puts us through that much training but she was livid with my brothers about them purposely losing their fight.” I said

“Wait they purposely lost badly?” A boy with light purple eyes asked

“Yep. They are total idiots. A while ago they asked if I would forfeit my fight just so they could get home and continue to stalk a girl they liked. Lets just say they may not be able to walk for another couple of days.” I said with a fake smile

Behind us a cloud of smoke began to appear behind the four of us. My smile disappeared as I continued to watch the cloud.

"Don't look now but we have company." I said and twisted again so that I was facing forward. I cast over my shoulder and I formed hand signs "I would get some where high."

Looking forward again I bolted. My quick step made it nearly impossible to see me. With ease I landed on the wall and waited for the team to pass by then jumped and grabbed the girl and jumped onto the wall again. Running along the wall I jumped and grabbed the boy before jumping again to the wall. Setting the boy down I began to run after Gai-sensei. With surprising ease I jumped down again, grabbed his hand to get his attention, and pointed at the wall. He nodded and we both jumped up on it.

"HIME AIRI! WE LOVE YOU!" all of the fan boys screamed trying to scurry up the wall. 

Stepping back I watched as more of the fans *cough stalkers cough* on the other side tried to use each other to climb up the wall. Sighing I raised my hand as I whistled. A white blur passed the female with buns in her hair and landed on my arm. Cooing softly to the white falcon I smiled at it as it opened its beak. 

"Airi it had better be good if you summoned me from my nest. The hatchlings are hungry again." a female voice scolded softly. 

"I will give you two mice if you go get sensei. She seams to be the only one to get them to leave me alone and I can't risk anything else. I don't want to have to fight my way out again. Please Nanu."

"Fine little one but don't make a habit of this." Nanu spread her wings and took off with a screech

"Thank you Nanu!" I cast after her 

A weapon shot past me as I ducked and crouched on the wall. 

~~~Gai-sensei p.o.v.~~~

I watched as the girl bent in seemingly impossible ways. Just then she spoke. 

"I swear to the goddess if you do not stop throwing kunai at me brothers I will strike you both down with lightening." she yelled and landed in a standing position. 

Just then two giant shuriken stars came flying at her from both sides one higher about mid waist and one close to the ankles but if you looked closely there was one in the middle but shadowed by the top one. I watched in almost awe as she threw herself spinning sideways between the middle and the top. Her hands reached out and grabbed each of the stars by the middle and threw them back as soon as her feet touched the ground. 

Just then an older female landed behind her. She rested her hand on Airi's shoulder and the barely sweating girl grinned evilly as she whirled around. 

~~~Airi p.o.v.~~~

"You told them to attack me, didn't you? It was more training." I growled at her

"Yes I did. I must say that was very good. Though seeing as you thought it was your brothers when it was not."

"I know that sensei. I also knew they were your clones. My brothers wouldn't hide in trees and attack me."

"I'll have to remember that for the future. Hello Gai. I see you have your students with."

"Oh I forgot to get your names."

"You know that is rather rude, Airi." my sensei said

"Yes well it must have slipped my mind. Seeing as we had a bigger problem. Did you really have to ask the rabids to chase after me? I know the final test is only in a few days but really?" I asked

"Yes it was. You need to work on your speed and strength. I will expect you at the training field in ten minutes of less. But before you head out. Nine laps around the village. Starting now."

"Fucking Christ." I yelled over my shoulder as I took off.

Just then my sensei attacked me from the side. Blocking her kick to my head I tossed her and continued to run. "Can I at least take off the weights?" I cast in her direction.

Another kick aimed to go around a block came towards my chest. Bending backwards I slid under her leg, stood up on the other side, and flipped out of the way of another attack.

'If she keeps this up it will take longer then ten minutes and then I will be screwed. Damn it. I need to think of something to toss her off.'

Taking off as fast as my legs could carry me, I used some of my demon speed to try and get a good head start before my sensei could catch up because she would inevitability catch up at some point. As I ran I thought of ways to get her off my back and only one sure way came to mind. At some point I nearly slipped but righted myself only to nearly be sent flying by my sensei's attack.

"If you kill me you won't have a student in the running for Chunin exam and then Aito and Yuya will get what they wanted." I said steadying myself.

"Oh and what is that prey tell?"

"To go and chase after that girl they were fighting over before we left."

Asami-sensei paused. "Is that why they failed?"

"Hai, a few days into it they asked me if i would purposefully fail so that we could go home and they could continue to chase skirts."

My sensei stopped and i took a moment to catch my breath, panting from the run. She stared at me critically. "Are you lying to me?"

"It is not in my nature to lie and you know that."

My sensei nodded after a moment then her eyes hardened and her lips thinned. "Finish your laps, I will meet you at the training grounds in a few."

"Hai!" I said then started off running. 'Please forgive me brothers.'