Sparring with Daddy

"Now just avoid any strenuous movement for the next week or two and your wrist will be fine." Hanabi escorted the woman to the door and held it open for her. She thanked her and went on her way. Hanabi turned back inside to see her mother approaching from the hall connecting the clinic to the house.

"I'm back! Thanks for watching the counter." The older woman scurried up to her, wrapping her in a brief hug. She drew Hanabi's bangs behind her ear and rested a hand on her cheek. "You've grown up so much. I'm proud of you, Hana." Her daughter blushed and didn't say anything, not used to hearing such things. She released her and took her place at the desk. "Well, you're free to go! But see your father first, he was looking for you."

Hanabi bade her mother farewell and exited into the sunlight, heart sinking a bit. Her positive interactions with her father were few and far between. He wasn't a bad man, as she often reminded herself. He just had a very strict view of parenting, one that also lacked much priority for affection. She rounded the corner and found him waiting for her at the front entrance.

"It's about time!" He barked, causing her to flinch. She started to explain that she'd been helping out inside, but he interrupted her. "That's not your job anymore! Kajikinmu can handle herself. It's about time you get serious if you ever expect to become a shinobi." He gripped her chin and gave her a hard look. "And you will become a shinobi." He released her and began striding away. Hanabi followed after him, having to half-jog to keep up with his gait.

He took them to the outer edge of the island, where only grass stood. Kasaiwaku turned to his daughter, and the two Yukas stood silently before each other for several minutes. Suddenly he exploded into motion, dashing through the field with a raised fist. Hanabi panicked and fell backward, her seated position saving her from being hit. "Tch." He looked down at her with disdain, raising a foot and swinging it down in an axe kick. The girl rolled across the ground, narrowly avoiding the attack. She jumped to her feet and tentatively raised her hands in front of her, panting.

"You call that a stance?" He stepped forward, thrusting a palm straight between her arms as he did so. Hanabi squeaked as he hit the center of her chest, sending her sprawling background into the dirt. "Don't bother raising your fists if you're going to do nothing with them." Kasaiwaku leaned over her, ignoring her flinch, and lifted her to her feet. She stared at him. He sighed impatiently and grabbed her wrists, bringing them up to chest level.

"Now when I strike, instead of just taking the blow, or placing your arm in front of it, deflect it away from you. Like this." He pulled one of her hands toward him, releasing the other to free his hand up to demonstrate the counter. Now he paused, maintaining his grip on her wrist. "Now they're open to attack." He mimicked a punch, tapping her chin with his fist. "Or, a grapple." He grabbed her extended arm with his second hand now, releasing her wrist from the first. Hanabi's previous fear turned into happiness. He wasn't hurting her, he teaching her to fight, helping her go stronger. Like a dad.

Then he used the first hand to grip her shoulder, turned, and threw her over head.

Hanabi flew through the air, head over heels. She tried to reach a hand down and slow herself, maybe managing to flip her feet into a solid landing, but the loose dirt just slipped through her fingers. Instead she crashed into the ground, at least managing to pull her arm back in time to receive the force of impact on her shoulder rather than snap something. She tumbled several more feet, ending with slipping down the shore and into the water. On the bright side the mud beneath the surface held much more traction, and it brought her to a stop.

She sat up, sputtering and wiping muck from her face. "Never let your opponent take control of your body." He said as though he'd tied her shoes for her, not thrown her off an island. Hanabi crawled back onto dry land, having to dig her fingers into the earth to free herself from the ichor. She sat heavily, still coughing. After a few moments Kasaiwaku began walking towards her. She quickly scrambled to her feet, and a smile briefly pulled at the corner of his mouth. "Better reaction time. But lets see about this."

He rushed towards her, again raising a fist. Hanabi raised her own. When he went to strike, she used her palm to send the punch off target. "Never look away from your opponent!" He shouted, and Hanabi looked back up to see that he had his other arm cocked back. He swung it out, and she narrowly avoided the backhand by leaning back. She teetered, almost falling from having to avoid his range, but kept her feet. It left her completely open, however, and the man sharply tapped her forehead with two fingers. Hanabi fell back into the water, now for the second time.

Kasaiwaku laughed, and put his hands in his pockets. He turned from the water and started walking back towards town. His daughter splashed back onto land and regained her feet. She glared after him, once again wiping mud from herself. She dashed forward, leapt into the air, and aimed a kick at the back of his head. He simply squatted, allowing her to fly straight over him. She skidded to a stop in time to see him coming at her. She once again deflected his first blow, this time trusting it wouldn't hit and instead watching for his next move. She ducked the backhand, then pushed up with her feet and moved into an upward jab to his chin.

He staggered back a step and grinned. "Not bad," he said, rubbing his chin. Hanabi lowered her hands, thinking for the first time that maybe her father was proud of her. He then stepped forward, delivering a swift hook to the side of her head. She dropped like a rock, losing consciousness. "Shouldn't have dropped your guard." He muttered, and once again started the walk back home.

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