Butterflies and Puppets

Chapter 37

"What's with Sauske? Not even showing?" Shikamaru questions.

""A wise man never courts danger." Shino says. "A wise judgement...isn't it?"

"What are you saying? He'll definitely come! Believe it!" Naruto says.

"Listen up everyone." Genma shouts. "One of the competitors for the next battle has not arrived yet! Well briefly postpone this battle and start the following battle ahead of it. Then onto the next pair! Kankuro and Shino Aburame! Come down!"

"Proctor! I forefeit!" Kankuro shouts out.

"What?!" I shout wide eyed gripping the railing harder.

"I forefeit! Please advance the the matches!"

"Due to Kankuro's forfeit Shino Aburame wins by default!" Genma shouts.

"No no no, that means I'm next!" I shout as I start pacing. "I can't do this! There are too many people around! There is no way I can do this!" All eyes are on me. Oh shit I'm not ready there are too many people here!

"Mayumi get yourself together!" Naruto slaps me in the face. I stand there staring at him as everyone stands there shocked by Naruto's outburst. I will get you back for that Naruto. But not right now.

Fear in my eyes as Genma calls me and my opponent down.

"May, you can do this, you want to be the best Kinochi in this village well this is your first step!" Naruto encourages. "Do it for your parents, do it for you grandfather, do it for me! And more importantly do it for yourself! I know you've trained hard, I don't know what happened while you were gone but something inside of you changed. I know you don't like so many peoples attention on you. Just block them out! Focus on your fighting! Believe in yourself as I believe in you!" He says giving me his grin.

I look down and see my opponent already down there. I take a deep breath when someone says from behind me. "Do it Mayumi." I turn to see Sota standing there with his hands in his pockets. "Show them." He gives me a faint smile and I return it back to him.

"I'm not forfeiting that easily." I take a deep breath and turns back around and jump down in front of my opponent.

"I'm not shaking your hand if that's what you think." Her opponent taunts.

"That's fine, I wouldn't touch you with a ten foot pole anyway." I retort back at him getting into stance.

"Begin!" Genma shouts.

I can hear everyone screaming around me and before I know it a ninja star hits me on the leg. Everyone starts booing around me shouting for me to fight back.

"Mayumi come on!" Naruto shouts.

I look down at my leg seeing it hit a vital point where I can't pull it out right now. I look back up and see my opponents fist right in my face and I get punched across the arena and land on my back.

"What the hell is she doing?!" Naruto shouts again.

"She's froze up!" Ryota shouts.

"This is actually disappointing." Temari says letting out a sigh. "I really wanted to see what was so special about her."

"Her opponent is really fast. I don't think there is anyway for Mayumi to counter his speed." Shikamaru states.

I barley dodge my opponents kicks, I'm not that good at Taijutsu and the speed my opponent has, I can't keep up and I get kicked in the stomach flying backward onto my back again.

He's so fast I can't even grab my sword. He's keeping my hands busy so I can't get a hold of it.. that's fine, I don't have to use my hands...

I struggle to get up and see another kick flying at me as I roll out of the way. Trying to catch my breath I think for a second and reach into my weapons pouch with the moment that I do have.