Chapter 27- Punching

The following morning, Yama showed up to the academy as usual, a few minutes prior to class starting.

He waited at his desk as the students trickled in.

Aburame Shimiko was first, followed by Aburame Domaru and Hyuga Hikaru. Tsubaki and Mizuki were next, and just as the bell was about to ring, Iruka limped in.

The other students didn't say anything.

Iruka had shown up at the central dueling ring yesterday afternoon following his "spar" with Yama.

He had said nothing about the event, but it was obvious to his classmates that he was somewhat injured.

Though Iruka did join in on the round robin sparring, he had not won a single bout, whether it be due to his injuries or lackluster skill.

However, his classmates did notice that his normal sullen and depressed mood had been replaced by a visage of anger and hate.

Though they did not know what Yama had said or done to the boy, they had an inkling based on Iruka's injuries and the look in his eyes.

This morning was know different. Iruka shuffled into the room, and said nothing to his classmates, but glared hatefully at Yama before sitting down at his usual desk.

Yama looked up and met the young boy's gaze before quietly addressing him.

Yama gave Iruka an amused look and cocked a single eyebrow up, as if he were surprised by the boy's presence.

He then spoke.

"Not quitting, huh? Still want to be strong?"

Iruka said nothing but continued to glare at his sensei.

Yama leisurely continued.

"You can answer my questions, or you can spar with me this afternoon.

You can hate me, but you will respect me as your sensei, and I will make you strong, even if I have to drag you to it kicking and screaming."

Iruka opened his mouth, but quickly snapped it shut with an audible click of his teeth.

The boy closed his eyes for a moment, breathed in and out, before opening his eyes once again.

Yama's face betrayed nothing,. but inwardly he was delighted with Iruka's ability to control his emotions. It would be a valuable skill in for his future no matter what the path he ended up taking.

Iruka replied.

"I am not quitting, Sensei."

He spat out the last word as if it was a filthy curse.

The other students weren't even trying to hide their discomfort at the situation, and try as they might, they could not ignore the situation at hand.

Yama thought for a moment before asking another question.

"Why not quit, it would be easier?"

Iruka once again steeled himself before giving a level response.

"To avenge my parents and ensure that I will never once again lose someone precious."

Yama nodded.

"I cannot fault such an answer. Its perfect, and only that mindset will enable to become strong.

The words landed on Iruka like poison. They burned at his ears, and the blood rushed to his face. An overwhelming desire to do something, anything lashed out, but Iruka controlled himself.

Somehow the man's praise was worse than his criticism and abuse.

The last thing in the world that Iruka wanted was the respect or approval of Yama, and one of the first things he wanted was to kill, or at least injure and maim the man.

Yama paused for a second before continuing.

"That being said..."

Iruka cast his gaze back up and made direct eye contact with Yama, as if daring the man to say something.

Yama, unperturbed, continued,

"You are nowhere near your goal.

You couldn't even touch a hair on Ginou here, much less the mightiest of the Bijuu, the Kyuubi no Yoko."

As he spoke, Yama gestured to the other corner of the room, where the lectern stood, rather than his desk.

Sleeping on top of the lectern was a silver fox, tail curled around its snout, and eyes completely shut.

Iruka could no longer handle dealing with Yama, and all the things he wanted to say started to spill out.

"What the hell is your problem, Cripple-sensei?

You bring a mangy, flea ridden fox into the Academy?

What, is it your only friend? Is it the only animal that can stand you?"

The silver fox woke up from its nap, and started to stretch itself on top of the lectern.

It leveled a bored gaze at Iruka, and Iruka felt the palpable disdain.

The fox, a mere, animal looked at Iruka like he was inconsequential. like Iruka was an ant.

Yama frowned.

"I suggest you apologize. What did I tell you yesterday about antagonizing people that can kill you?"

Iruka snorted.

"I'm not apologizing to you for jack fucking shit, cripple-sensei.

Go ahead and beat me more you fucking pathetic waste.

You're stronger than me right now, but one day I'll be the stronger one and you'll never even wake up, you'll fade off into nothing with a kunai in your sleeping throat."

Yama was not affected by the words.

"I suggest apologizing to Ginou, he is not as amicable as I am."

Iruka started laughing.

"The fucking fox?

Are you serious?

Some stupid, disgusting, diseased--------------"

No one in the class, except maybe Yama saw what happened.

Iruka was in the middle of insulting Ginou, who was staring at him from the top of the lectern.

In the next moment, Ginou was standing on Iruka's desk, in front of the boy with one of his paws raised a little off the table.

As Ginou slowly put his foot down, Iruka started screaming.

Iruka's screams were harsh and loud, and the boy instantly fell onto the ground clutching his face with both hands.

The other children were watching Iruka in a state of near panic, but Shimiko continued to stare at the fox.

She saw Ginou give an almost human like sneer of disdain at the boy clutching his face and screaming in pain, and Ginou then disappeared in a swirl of leaves.

Iruka continued to yell and roll on the ground. He screamed.

"MY EYES, I CAN'T SEE, I CANT SEE, IT GOT MY EYES

MOM HELP ME. DAD, DAD, "

The words didn't last long, and Iruka soon devolved into wordless hysterical screeching as his voice broke.

Iruka was crying, he couldn't see anything, and a line of fire was branded across his face.

Blinding white pain was all that he knew, and nothing would make it stop or ebb.

He felt his blood leak onto his hands, its warm, wet, and suffocating nature doing nothing but bringing a chill to his spine and stoking his fear

Yama got up from his chair and made his way over to Iruka, still rolling on the floor, as the other students were frozen in shock.

Yama knelt down next to the boy, and pinned him down with a single arm as the boy continued to yell himself hoarse and writhe in agony.

As soon as Yama pinned the boy down with one arm, he brought his other arm up to Iruka's face, and laid his hand over Iruka's two.

Iruka didn't really know what was happening, only that he was in pain, and now felt trapped. He lashed out with all his limbs with as much force as he could muster, but he could not break free of Yama's grip.

Soon after Yama placed his hand over Iruka's, Yama started to speak quietly to the boy who was nearly catatonic.

"Calm yourself, Iruka. You're not hurt. You're fine.

Ginou just gave you a love tap and a little fright.

You're alright. Just a little scratch."

Yama continued to speak to the boy in a soft, low, and calm voice, but Iruka didn't really hear any of the words.

All he knew was that his face was in agony, but he suddenly felt a soft pressure, followed by a spreading warmth.

The pain dissipated almost instantly, and the feeling of blood on his hands vanished.

Iruka stopped flailing for a moment, and started to come back to his senses.

He was on the floor, hands covering his face, which was warm like he was facing the sun on a late spring day.

He felt a hand on top of his, holding them to his face.

As he tried to peel his own hands away, the other hand also lifted, and Iruka opened his eyes.

Yama-sensei was looking down at him, his face revealing nothing.

Iruka was still a little out of it from the agonizing pain. He wasn't ready to but heads with Yama just yet, but was instead focused elsewhere.

"What happened?"

Yama frowned.

"You can think of it like this. Ginou took exception to what you were saying about him and cast a genjutsu on you after giving you a bad scratch on your face.

You're fine. Go clean yourself up in the bathroom, and come back to class. When you come back, work with either Hikaru or Domaru until lunch."

Iruka still rattled, nodded his head silently and stumbled off to the bathroom.

Yama walked back to his desk as the five other students stared at him. Some had their mouths agape, but a slight look of fear could be seen in all of their eyes.

They had only seen Yama's good side so far, and he had been nothing but helpful and supportive so far.

While overhearing the discussion between the man and Iruka, they had started to puzzle out what had occurred between the two before Iruka showed up injured to the sparring session yesterday.

And then there was the fox. Whatever it had did, it had caused Iruka to scream in agony and call our for his dead parents.

They had a desire to learn more, but they know had a somewhat healthy fear of their sensei.

Yama was seated at his teacher's desk and waved his hand.

"You all have your self-study programs. Do them until lunch, please."

Without a word, the five started on their respective assignments.

They had a lot to digest.

In the bathroom nearby, Iruka was starting to piece together what had happened.

He had been insulting the fox, then pain, then Yama wakes him up.

That was all he got, but his anger started to boil over even more.

It didn't matter what happened, but Yama had been somehow involved.

The fucker now lets his pet torment me too.

Fucking piece of shit.

Iruka could feel his eyes and face flush, and he walked over to the sink.

He washed his hands, and then pooled some water onto them before splashing his face.

As he looked back into the mirror, he froze.

Across his face, stretching from below his eye all the way across his nose to below his other eye was a half inch wide scar.

He rubbed at it, but it didn't smudge at all.

He put a hand to his face, and he could even feel it, the skin was taught and sunken in, like a furrow had been carved from his face and grew back.

He was actually missing part of his face.

Iruka stayed frozen for just another moment before running back into the classroom and yellend at Yama.

"What did you do to my face you fucking asshole?"

As soon as he said that, the five kids whipped their heads in his direction, and they instantly noticed the new scar that Iruka had on his face.

Yama looked at Iruka and cocked his head a bit before answering.

"It seems like Ginou wanted the lesson to be a little more permanent. You would best remember it."

Iruka continued to yell.

"I'll report you, you son of a bitch. You injured a student. you disfigured me!

There's no way you won't be fired you piece of shit."

Yama looked unconcerned.

"You're a shinobi. Learn how to endure.

How could you ever be strong like the way you are now?"

Iruka stormed off to god knows where.

Yama said nothing, but made a quick circular motion with his hand as if to signal to the remaining students to recommence their work.

Iruka was in the hallway, making way fast towards the principal's office, straightening out the details of his story.

Yama's pet had attacked him, and given him a scar.

However, as he thought about it more and more, he became less and less certain of himself.

How do I explain what I was saying to Yama before that fox got to me?

Would I be expelled for insubordination?

Would they believe me that he gave me the scar?

How did I even get the scar?

There's no way I was injured and scarred on the same day.

It doesn't even make sense.

The scar seems old and healed, but how could I explain that it all happened today?

If they think I'm lying, will they expel me?

If I'm expelled I'll never become a ninja.

Iruka found himself pacing the hallway outside the principal's office, lost in his own thoughts.

Meanwhile back in the classroom, the other five students continued their self study.

Lunch came around soon, and they ate while Yama went off to the teacher's lounge to eat his lunch.

Shimiko, Domaru, Tsubaki, Mizuki, and Hikaru sat in a huddle and discussed what happened this morning in hushed whispers, trying to make any sense of it.

They would find no answers.

None to what happened between Iruka and Yama

None to how Iruka got scarred.

None to what was really going on

They continued until lunch was over.

The class reconvened outside at the central dueling platform at the appointed time for the afternoon classes.

Yama was there as well as all six students. Iruka had shown up as well.

No one said anything about Iruka's presence. If Iruka didn't report Yama, he must have a reason, and it wasn't any of their business, so they buried their heads in the sand and looked in the other direction.

Yama looked at the six.

"30 minutes shuriken practice by yourself. Focus on moving targets today. Come back here after."

And so the six split up and went to individual ranges to practice their skills with throwing weapons.

They practiced, and they all came back on time.

Yama made no comment, but walked onto the central dueling platform and started to lecture.

"After watching you all for the past few days, I think I've found the biggest ticket item.

None of you know how to actually throw a punch."

Some grumbles broke out, and Yama stopped talking.

He quirked an eyebrow and addressed the class.

"Do any of you disagree? Raise you hands now if you do."

Everyone looked at each other and then they all raised their hands.

Yama smiled.

"So you all think I'm wrong, huh?"

Aburame Shimiko stepping in to try to moderate.

"We're not saying that you're wrong, but we have been in the academy for years.

Of course we already know how to throw a punch."

Yama continued.

"Is that so?

I have a piece of paper here..."

and he drew a normal piece of notebook paper from within his sleeves. It had a ragged edge and was obviously ripped from a composition notebook.

"... and If any of you can punch a hole in this piece of paper, I will retract my statement."

Akimichi Domaru strode up onto the dueling stage and held his hand out, waiting for Yama to put it into his hand.

Yama didn't move his hand at all, and Domaru then reached over to grab it.

He took the piece of paper, pinching it in left hand at the top.

He cocked his hand back and threw a casual punch.

He hand easily went through the piece of paper, and he gave Yama a questioning look like "Was that it?"

Yama smiled before continuing.

"Let me tell you the rules first.

One, you can't hold the piece of paper.

Two, you can't project you chakra during the strike.

You must pierce the paper while it is in midair with the speed of you fist and nothing else.

Come one, all of you get up here and try it."

With that, he took a few more pieces of paper out of his sleeve and handed them out to each student.

Each student was confident in their abilities and quickly made their way up.

Domaru was the first to try. He threw his paper into the air and struck it with his fist.

However, he did not pierce it. It made a loud noise when he hit, but it simply crumpled and flew off his fist.

It was wrinkled by the blow, but intact.

Each student tried in succession, and they all received the same result.

The paper would simply crumple and fly away from their fist.

The students continued to try a few more times.

After his fifth attempt, Hyuga Hikaru spoke up.

"Yama-sensei. This is impossible."

Akimichi Domaru chimed in too.

"Absolutely. Fists are blunt, there's now way to penetrate an unheld piece of paper.

Yama replied.

"Will you listen to my lecture about punching without grumbling if I can do it, then?"

The kids nodded their heads.

Yama pulled out another piece of paper and threw it up into the air.

His students paid close attention.

As the paper fell. Yama got into a fighting stance and chambered his fist.

The paper entered his range, and he struck out in a smooth, almost lazy fashion.

The blow made a low snapping noise, but sounded nothing like the loud crumples that the students had been making.

The piece of paper continued to fall in the same trajectory, as if Yama hadn't hit it at all.

When it finally rested on the ground, a two dime sized holes were present in the exact center of the page.

Yama spoke.

"Each hole is from one of my knuckles. One from the knuckle of my index finger and the other my middle finger.

Now listen up.

Punching is simple and complicated at the same time.

If you practice enough, you'll be able to do what I've done without my instruction, as your body will eventually figure all of this out through trial and error.

However, I have a few tips and tricks that will accelerate your pace.

One, stay loose. A tense fist is slow, and a slow fist is weak.

Two, let your punching shoulder lag your other.

Initiate the blow with the opposite shoulder, and create some separation between your lower half and upper half. You want your upper body and lower body facing different directions at the start of the punch.

Three, and finally, punch through the object. I am not ending my punch at the paper, I am punching a half inch behind it.

For example, when you hit someone, aim for something on the back of their body, like their spine.

It will help you visualize and hit properly.

Today will only be punching practice until the day ends. Do the paper exercise on your own free time as you wish beyond that.

Any questions?"

His six students shook their heads "No".

Yama came down from the stage and let his students practice without himself saying anything.

By the end of the day it was obvious that Hikaru was the most technically skilled of the group.

With only a few hours of practice and some simple instruction he had started to not put holes in the paper, but he did create some small rips.

He tried to share his experience and understanding, but was mostly unsuccessful.

Eventually most of the students would make their way over to Yama and try to ask him for help. All except Iruka actually sought his help.

Yama however stopped them and said the same thing each time.

"Your body is different from mine. Trial and error is all you can do at this point.

Most of our skills are personal and there's only so much that someone can do to teach another.

You have to start learning and teaching yourself."

The lesson eventually ended, and as the students were leaving, Yama called out to one of them.

"Domaru-kun, can I speak with you?"

"Yes, sensei"

Domaru stood in front of Yama as the other students left.

Yama continued.

"Were you able to set up the meeting with the elders for tomorrow?"

"Yessir. However, there will only be a junior elder there as representative. He has no authority, but he will relay information to the next elder meeting where they will make a decision. Until then, its status quo."

Yama sighed.

"That's the best I can hope for I guess."

Domaru nodded his head.

"I was surprised they did this much even. Apparently they heard that you were sponsored by the Sandaime himself, so they gave you the benefit of the doubt.

I want to emphasize how abnormal it is for them to allow an outsider to even speak on clan matters."

Yama laughed and reached out and tussled Domaru's hair as the child shied away.

"What clan matters? One of my precious students is careening off a cliff. How could I not interfere?"

Domaru snorted.

"Careening off a cliff? Ease up with the hyperbole."

Yama replied.

"I don't think I'm exaggerating at all.

In fact, I'm going to make a little bet with your elders."

"What's the bet?"

"Patience, young shinobi. You'll find out tomorrow."

Domaru snorted again and left without a goodbye.