When Paths Cross: Ito Kouen and Haito Uchiha

Ito Kouen was walking on a dusty pathway that looked as if it was made over time by people walking than by any other conventional means. It made him smile that in a world with shinobi that can move mountains that there were still beaten down paths made just by the feet of people. He stopped in a small area of sunlight that shun through the trees. Enjoying and soaking up the warmth.

Haito Uchiha was making his way back to his village Kyorigakure after spending a week in Koniha to further grow and help relations between the two villages. He was perched in a tree catching his breath and he heard footsteps approaching a long a small dirt pathway. He thought it was strange for anyone to be using the old pathway so he sat there and saw a man, clearly a shinobi by the headband he was wearing to come into view. It took Haito a moment but as the shinobi stopped and the sun shined off the mans headband and that's when he realised.

"The rogue Jinchūriki from Kumogakure." He thought as he finally recognised the man standing before him. He quickly took a scroll from his backpack and wrote some information about his location down and then bit down on his thumb summoning a small bear. He placed the scroll in the bears mouth and it took of running towards the village.

Ito immediately sensed the summon and was staring up at a tree. "Behind that branch." He thought to himself for a moment before Matatabi (RandomSil) spoke to him. "To not be sensed by either of us. They must be a truly skilled shinobi." Ito didn't reply he knew Matatabi was correct but was this "Skilled" shinobi going to attempt to fight him.

Haito knew the moment he had summoned the small bear to take the report back to the village that he would be noticed. He also knew that Ito as he was called was also regarded as an S-Rank Criminal even by his own village so allowing him to be this close, even just on the borders of his own village would not be safe. Haito jumped down from the tree and onto the small pathway to confront this danger to the village.

Finally Ito was able to see the man who hid up in the trees, the man who even a Bijuu couldn't detect. His uniform, he was clearly from Kyorigakure he knew that much. He also knew he had already sent for back up from his village so he couldn't just waste time. "So you know who I am?" Ito asked but judging by the mans stance he knew the answer.

"What makes you feel you have any right to be this close to my village." Replied Haito who sounded calm and confident even though he knew if this came down to a fight he probably wouldn't be on the winning side of things. "You plan to stop me all on your lone?" Asked Ito who now had a small smile on his face knowing what was going to happen. "You simply are a speed bump, delaying my travel by a few seconds." Ito said somewhat viciously as chakra was forced from his feet and he launched forward at Haito.

Haito didn't have much time to prepare and managed to deflect some of the blow, but not all of it and the punch caught Haito in the side of the face and sent him stepping back. There was some space created but he could tell a follow up attack was coming and Haito activated his Sharingan to predict the attack.

Ito was surprised at the reactions to somewhat block his punch but be wasn't prepared to let up just yet as he stepped up towards Haito this time attempting to deliver a kick to his enemy. As he went to deliver the kick Haito had caught Ito's leg and spun it around just past his face leaving an opening Haito quickly delivered a punch into the side of Ito that sent him reeling.

Ito was winded he stood up catching his breath as he looked over at his opponent. He could tell his eyes had changed. The red glow in them was bright and then he noticed the three tomoe. "The Sharingan." Matatabi said to Ito. "He is no ordinary shinobi." Ito grimaced at those words as he spoke back to Matatabi inside his head. "I realise that he was able to punch me. It doesn't matter though. He won't defeat me by just landing one punch."

Haito stood their looking at Ito with a serious expression. Good he thought, the more time he spends thinking to himself the sooner reinforcements arrive.. His mind trailed for a moment. "Would the reinforcements be able to handle him?" He asked himself just as Ito began to speak.

"One lucky shot. That's all it was, you and I both know that. As for your surprise there, the Sharingan. It's nothing more than a cheap trick. One that I have a counter for." Ito spoke out loud for a moment. "But let's see just how good you are before I counter you." Ito thought to himself as he charged towards Haito once more.

Haito drew a kunai as Ito approached, he was prepared this time. This time if there was an opening he was going to end the fight. He thought to himself just as Ito was getting close. Ito planted his foot down and jumped above Haito and activated the seals on his hands that were underneath his gloves. A net spread out in the air over Haito and began to fall down over Haito as Ito landed behind him.

Haito swung his kunai at the net in an attempt to cut it but was unsuccessful as it wrapped around his body restraining him. "Chakra.. It is Chakra Wire. Not even the most refined samurai katana could get close to cutting through it." Ito spoke as he looked at his opponent now turned prey trapped within the net. "Your cheap trick, the Sharingan made it so simple Taijutsu was no chance, however a trick of my own has given you no chance to defeat me."

Matatabi was disappointed, instead of just finishing his foe like he normally would Ito was gloating. Ito was actually proud of his abilities and proud to show them. Something he hadn't done in quite awhile. "Has getting the wind knocked out of you changed you Ito?" Matatabi spoke to Ito as if making a joke. "He landed a lucky blow, it doesn't mean his fate will be any different." Ito replied in a cold manner inside his mind.

Before Ito could speak again a burst of flames shot through the net and towards him. He heard Haito call out. "Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique he called out." The fireball wet firing off towards Ito. The chakra net had caught on fire and began to engulf Haito who managed to slice through a burnt section of net before it completely engulfed him.

Haito looked over towards Ito and saw that his own fireball had been engulfed by one created by Ito. The blue flames were very distinct as they shot down the path by Haito. "I too can perform the Great Fireball Technique, however my flames are far hotter and far more powerful than regular flames as you can saw." Ito said with a smile as he stood there.

"The net is so flammable because he intends to burn you alive once you have been captured." Haito thought to himself as he continued to watch Ito. "Those flames, I can't use my own techniques against them. It's far to overwhelming." Haito was grasping at straws he though. He couldn't beat Ito in Ninjutsu and against a Jinchuriki his Genjutsu was useless as well. For a moment he though about summoning Mokushi or Jindai but they would only be more targets for those flame tehniques. That left him with Taijutsu, he knew with his Sharingan that he had the chance to beat him with it, however he just had to get close and avoid getting caught in the net.

Ito was just about to launch himself at Haito again but hesitated. He wanted to see what the Uchiha could do, whether there were more tricks up his sleeves. Haito created another Great Fireball and shot it at Ito. He wasn't expecting it to hit but as he did that he used his Shadow Clone Technique and his Fire Release: Shadow Clone Technique he created a total of three clones with the one made of fire hidden behind him and the two shadow clones on either side of Haito and began to charge at Ito.

Ito created a Fireball just enough to stop his opponents and as the flames disappeared he could see Haito finish a handsign and start running towards him with two clones. "Be careful, don't get tricked." Matatabi spoke as she watched the fight from Itos eyes. Ito ignored Matatabi and threw several kunai at the group managing to hit one clone to the left of Haito. "Shadow Clones." He thought to himself as Haito and the clone ran towards him he readied himself.

Just as they reached Ito the remaining shadow clone lunged out at Ito with a kunai in hand. Ito had no time to block the attack and as he attempted to he let his kunai go flying into the clone. The clone burst into smoke as it hit. "So what if they have the Sharingan, their attacks are useless if they just burst into smoke." Ito thought for a moment as his focus turned to Haito. Haito swung wildly and Ito was able to avoid the shot. "The Sharingan isn't all that if I can beat it." Ito thought again before feeling a punch into his face. He looked up and saw another clone was hidden behind Haito.

He had fallen for another trick once more. Ito was visibly angry and as the clone delivered another blow into Itos stomach. He reached up and punched into its face. However this wasn't an ordinary shadow clone. The clone burst into flames, it was a fire clone he created. "Tricked again." Matatabi said to Ito concerned and also amused by this all. Ito couldn't believe it he had fallen for another trick as the flames disappeared he turned to see Haito in the air with a trail of blood coming from his eyes.. His eyes they changed. He thought for a moment.

Haito was pleased he had successfully tricked the Bijuu and now he was going to end it. Hyoukai Taiga!" Called out Haito as the black liquid shot out over Ito. Haito could hear the screams from within the mess but couldn't quite make out much as he landed on the ground.

"Ito.. Ito!.. ITO!!!" Matatabi was screaming inside his head. He could feel the burning pain all over himself. Luckily this liquid was unable to touch his body but even through the cloak it burned. Ito was able to produce a chakra cloak around himself just in time. It stopped him from dying in that moment but it didn't stop the pain he was feeling.

Haito could hear the human screams turn to that of a monster and finally he saw it. Ito was covered in a chakra cloak but Hyoukai Taiga was still burning it. Perhaps Haito could defeat the Jinchuriki he thought. However without any warning what so ever Ito launched forward, perhaps just on instinct. As the two crashed together the black burning liquid caught onto Haitos skin. He couldn't help but let out a scream as he felt the burning as Ito crashed into trees still screaming out.

Haito grit his teeth and held back a scream as he glanced at his arm and then at Ito. "If I end the jutsu now, the Bijuu will live and I probably won't get another chance like this again. However if I don't end it, I will die as well." He thought quickly to himself before reluctantly he focused his left eye on the liquid on his arm and then in an instant it ceased to exist. He knew the liquid on Ito had also disappeared as the screams of the beast had stopped.

Ito stood up as the chakra cloak tried healing itself he could see Haito clearly and see that his arm was burnt as well. "Ito, no more mistakes." Matatabi said firmly. Ito nodded his head aware that his opponent was no longer someone to be toyed with. "That jutsu just now, you could have killed me with it. Yet you stopped it because it caught onto you?" Ito asked but he knew the answer.