Battle to rock the Heavens: Ryuka Uchiha vs Ahatake Kurosaki!

Another Kurosaki Morning (sorry folks)
Aoi was sleeping peacefully next to Kyuui when the sun crept in. Yes the sun and she stirred slightly sitting up.

Instantly, Kyuui's arms wrapped around her waist in a tight embrace. "Mmm...." The silver-haired girl muttered, half-asleep and half-awake. "....Don't have to get up now..."

Aoi put her arms around her sister and kissed her lightly. "I would love to stay in bed but we have a problem. The sun is out. there is no sun in this dimension."

"Hmmm...?" Kyuui raised a tired eyebrow towards the bright light streaming from their windows, and winced in pain. "Oh... that's right.... I forgot..." She mumbled in irritance, releasing Aoi immediately.

"You're not used to seeing the sun are you Kyuui?" Aoi asked, looking disappointed at being released.

A shaken head was her response. The silver-haired girl simply climbed out of bed, stretching in order awaken herself more fully. "Let's hurry up and get ready..." She muttered, yawning loudly. "Before we miss breakfast..."

"Yeah, and maybe we can get some answer's." She put her clothes on and waited for Kyuui to do the same.

In an instant, they were dressed, prepared, and were now heading down stairs.

Aoi looked longingly at Kyuui as they walked downstairs. Everyone was at teh table and Akane was talking to Ahatake with Kibou paying close attention.

"Hey Dad I got you some butter." She looked at the label. "The label says "Famously Spreadable"." She handed him the butter container.

"Funny Akane," Lukino started. "Doesn't you label say the same thing?"

"Adn what does yours say Lukino? May Cause drowsiness?" Akane replied sharply.

In turn, Kibou laughed. "Sorry, Lukino. But that round goes to Akane."

Everyone else laughed as well.

Aoi sat next to Kyuui and it was all she could do to stop herself from merging their chairs into one.

Her restlessness, her longing... it made Kyuui smile a bit, even as she glanced over at her older sibling. As much as they had grown, her rivalry still remained in tact, at least for the moment. Watching someone who was normally cool-headed act like this... was amusing to her, at the very least.

It would be very soon, now...

She took a sip of her drink.

"You know," Akane started to no one in particular. "I normally wouldn't approve of those two's relationship. But it keeps them happy, and us alive no?"

A dismissive grunt came from her husband in reply.

Ryuka and Taiyou merely shrugged casually, and Kyashi shook her head slightly in exasperation.

"Do you have a problem with it Kibou-chan?" Akane asked turning to her husband.

"Not really..." Kibou murmured.

"Good." Akane's tail wrapped around her lover's neck. "Because if you had it would have costed you."

"Now, now, Akane..." Kibou muttered lazily, putting a hand around her tail. "No need for violence..."

"No I mean there'd be nos ex for you tonight." She said cheerfully, eating some noodles.

Kibou cocked an eyebrow. "That's coming from you, Miss Easily-Angered-When-Not-Having-Me-In-Bed?"

Everyone around the table laughed, including Akane.

"Hey Grandpa!" Aoi poked his arm. "What's up with the sun?"

"Oh that's right I never told you two."

"Why?" Aoi asked.

"Weren't you two busy last night?" Ahatake asked and Aoi turned red. "Anyway I reversed summoned the house into the real world."

Kyuui's eyes drifted towards her grandfather, and she sighed heavily. "Darn it, grandpa... I liked the moon..." She complained.

"It was refreshing." Aoi agreed. "Sure gang up on me." Ahatake muttered.

Ryuka smirked innocently. "I think your cherished grandaughter has gone over to the dark side..." He said in fake shock.

"I still hate you." Aoi told Ryuka and that made Ahatake smile.

"Why, thank you, Aoi." Ryuka replied.

Aoi ignored this and just turned to look at Kyuui, barely eating at all.

"Kyuui, you're going to starve your sister to death." Daisuke pointed out.

"Jeez..."

Kyuui stared over at her sister in expaseration, then smiled a bit. "I guess it can't be helped, then..."

She reached over, grabbed the dual chopsticks, grabbed a bit of noodles from her sister's plate, and held them up. "Say 'Ahhh...'"

Aoi turned red as she opened her mouth.

Ahatake muttered, "I love being right."

"About what?" Ryuka muttered, as Kyuui stuffed the food promptly into Aoi's mouth. "The fact that you like to kill a lot?"

"No, you idiot!" Ahatake replied. "I was right that Kyuui loves Aoi."

Aoi meanwhile was chewing.

"Oh." Ryuka said lazily, putting his cheek to rest on his hand in a tired fashion. "That was my second guess."

"Sure." Ahatake replied laughing as he threw an apple at Ryuka's head.

Aoi was just chewing away but decided to take her chopsticks from her sister. "Thanks, but I hink I can eat on my own now. Besides if you feed me you'll never get a chance to eat anything."

In return to the action against him, Ryuka raised his hand and caught it.

"All right..." Kyuui turned back around to her own food, looking over at Aoi. "Just, try not to stare too much again, OK?"

"You make it sound easy." Aoi replied slurping up her noodles.

A slow smile came across Kyuui's face in response. "Am I that breathtaking to you?" She asked coyly, although starting to eat some of her own food as well.

"Yeah." Aoi replied and Akane giggled slightly.

"Their kinda like we were when we were younger, right Kibou?" She asked.

"Tch. I wasn't a girl..." He retorted.

Akane simply responded by hitting her husband on the skull.

"I think the sunlights driving you crazy Kibou." Akane said twitching the sharpest part of her tail near his face.

"O-OW!" The poor man yelled, holding the top of his head with both hands. "W-what was that for, woman?!"

"You asked for it." Akane replied and resumed eating.

Aoi had finished her food and just resumed staring at Kyuui. Ahatake was on the verge of laughing but in interest of his own life, kept his mouth shut.

It didn't go unnoticed by Kyuui, who passed a skeptical glance towards her older sister. "....you're staring again, Aoi."

"Sorry." Aoi muttered and looked away.

Kyuui simply turned back to her food again.

A bird came flying in through the window, dropping a letter on Aoi's lap. She opened it and read it carefully.

"I see." She muttered her face growing cold. "A new target." She got up and picked up her sword from by the door.

"What...?"

The Uchiha family was immediately surprised by the news. A new target? Who could it be this time?

"Nee-san..." Kyuui started, getting up from her chair. "Who is it?"

"A rogue ninja from Konohagkaure." Aoi replied. "They want me to kill him and bring back the head as proof."

"I see." Kyuui simply shrugged, her shoulders raising and falling slightly. "Well, have fun with that."

Aoi gave her sister as kiss, and turned to walk out. "I always do." And she was out the door running west.

"Wasn't she dropped on her head as a baby?" Lukino asked.

"Personally I think she was thrown." Daisuke replied.

WHOMP!

Kyuui gave them a smack each on the head. "Stop talking about nee-san like that!" She scolded.

"Ow." Lukino muttered while Ryu giggled. "You got that from Akane's side of the family that's for sure..."

"Hmph!"

Lynterria told Kyuui to sit back down, and she began to clean up the plates that were emptied.

Ahatake got up. "I have to go check on the Village. I left a Darkness Clone in charge but I worry about the state of my office when I leave one there."

Ryuka took the time to look upwards at him, hiz gaze a bit more open-eyed. "Don't get yourself into trouble, all right?" He asked coolly.

"Right." Ahatake replied and walked over to Kyashi. "By the way, Ryuka has a hidden stash of liquor in boiler room that he drinks every night before going to bed." And he opened a portal and walked through it. "See ya." And the portal closed.

Now it was silent. But not for long...

Ryuka's eyes widened, as Kyashi's appalled look turned towards him at Ahatake's revelation. "...God. Damn it."

Everyone around the table from Ahatake's family looked nervous.

"Has he signed his will yet?" Lukino wondered.

The next thing the Uchiha knew, he was being yanked by his collar into the air, Kyashi's boring gaze into his own. "You'd better pray that Ahatake just told me that for his own amusement..." She said slowly. "Because if it's true, you won't be drinking, or eating anything for a while."

Ryuka simply gulped. "Y-yes, ma'am...."

Luckily a distraction came though that door in the form of Aoi, splattered with blood and carrying money.

"Huh?" Kyashi turned around to look over at the woman. "Aoi! That was fast..."

"Wasn't much of a fight." She replied. "Still keeps me with money, and keeps me from going blind so I'm satisfied. Where's grandpa?"

"He went over to Kurogakure in order for Kage business..." Ryuka replied, as Kyashi set him back down gently.

"Ah. Well I've got to hit shower's!" It seemed her cheerful nature had returned. "Care to join me Kyuui?"

Kyuui smiled. "Sure, why not?"

Kibou's eyes widened immediately, before a vicious blush began to crawl up into his cheeks. He put his face to his palm in embarrassment at his two daughter's blunt nature. "What...."

And the two girls ran upstairs.

"You don't think their going to-" Lukino began.

"Oh I have no idea." Daisuke replied.

"Seems they take more after me than you Kibou." Akane giggled.

"...." Kibou just shook his head in disbelief in embarrassment.

Akane grabbed Kibou's hand and started to drag him upstairs. "C'mon I've got a treat for you." He was too stunned to even resist.

Ryuka simply shook his head, folding his arms across his chest. "It's times like this that I wish I had a camera..." He mused, smirking.

"Why?" Lynterria asked having finally sat down at the table. Akiko was nowhere in sight.

"...." Ryuka passed a skeptical glare towards the oblivious woman. "....oh, nothing..."

"If you say so." Lynterria replied and then moans and giggles could be heard from upstairs.

"....I'm outta here." Kyashi grumbled, walking off calmly to the outside area.

"Hey Kyashi." A voice called down from one of the tree's outside. It was Akiko. "Needed some sun?"

The blonde-haired woman sighed. "Yeah, and not to mention the family's having "fun"...." She called back up, using her fingers in order to emphasize the word.

"Akane and Kibou are at it again?"

"Mhm."

"What about the twin terrors?"

"...The same thing, Akiko. And they're making quite a noise up there..."

Akiko's appearance had changed over time. She now resembled a red and black haired teen girl. "I think it's cute." She smiled and jumped down landing in a position similar to how a dog sits.

"I think it's annoying..." Kyashi replied, folding her arms across her chest. "It ain't healthy for them to do it so often. But...then again, you'd probably agree with your brother, right?"

"Always have." She replied. "Onii-san knows what he's doing even if he doesn't act like it."

"I thought so..." Kyashi raised her hands to the back of her head. "So, why are you out here?"

"Soaking up some son before Onii-san drags back into the Getsuei."

"So, in other words, you're giving yourself a tan. Mind if I join you?"

"Knock yourself out." Akiko replied, sounding slightly tired.

With that, Kyashi and Akiko both headed to the place where AKiko had been before, like a day at the beach...

And before they knew it they had fallen asleep.

A Challenge
Ryuka, meanwhile, was lying on the couch in the living room, still waiting for Ahatake to come back. Idly, he wondered what the Kurokage could be doing at this point. Maybe tons of paperwork? Or on a highly dangerous mission? He sighed, as the thoughts swam in his mind.

Daisuke was shining his sword and Lukino and Ryu were nowhere in sight.

"It's kind of boring around here." Daisuke yawned.

"I agree." Ryuka murumured in reply. "I would've been sparring with Ahatake by now, but he's still gone..."

"He'll be back. Wait 'till Mom starts cooking Lunch."

A smile came across Ryuka's face. "Heh..." The thought of Ahatake knocking over his papers and running to the smell of food had never been so hilarious.

"By the way." Daisuke looked out the window. "It seems your wife is asleep. If your going to get a drink I'd do it now."

Ryuka rolled his eyes. "I'm not that much of an addict. I only do it when there's a celebration, or something." He replied.

"Just trying to help." Daisuke replied and then they heard steps as Kyuui and Aoi were walking downstairs.

Kyuui gave a casual wave. "Hey!" She greeted cheerfully.

"Hey." Daisuke waved back as he finished polishing his sword.

Aoi just looked dazed.

"I see Grandpah hasn't come back..." Kyuui mused, slightly disappointed.

Aoi looked around. "Bummer."

"But..." Kyuui smirked, nuzzling up against Aoi's neck in a bold fashion. "At least we had our fun. Right, Aoi?"

Aoi's face turned red and she kissed her sister. "Yup." She replied happily.

Ryuka sighed heavily, closing his eyes. "I might as well go to sleep for who knows how long..." He grumbled.

But then Ahatake arrived through the door. "Why?"

Aoi meanwhile had put her arm around Kyuui and rested her head on her shoulder's.

"I love you Kyuui." She murmured quietly in her ear.

Ryuka's head finally quirked up in surprise, his onyx eyes gazing over towards the man who had just arrived. "About time." He said coolly, raising up from the couch and pushing himself to his feet. "I was just about to get bored..."

The other girl, in return, closed her eyes and sighed at her sister's gentle touch and even more haunting words. Her mouth quivered a bit, as if tempted to return her words. Oh, how she wanted to!

But was this the correct time to give in?

Aoi lightly kissed her sister's cheek while Ahatake jumped and sat down next to Ryuka. "Paperwork man. You don't know the horror."

"Well, I just might have the thing to bring you out of that slump, Ahatake." The Uchiha said confidently, putting his hands behind his head in a relaxed manner and smiling.

"Like what?" Ahatake asked his eyes a little wider.

"The medicine of all Kurosaki!" At that point, Ryuka raised a finger to emphasize. "A sparring match! After all, we never did finish our fight before, and I know how eager you must be..."

"Fine, but allow me to lay down some ground rules. NO Susanoo."

Ryuka's smile changed into a smirk. "Fair enough. But if you're going to lay down ground rules, I should as well. Just to make it fair, right?"

"O.K." Ahatake replied. The two were so absorbed in teh conversation they didn't notice Aoi nibbling Kyuui's ear.

"N...Nani--?!"

Kyuui was a bit startled at the sudden motion, raising one hand to grab the side of Aoi's head, albeit not rough. "Not here..." She hissed softly.

"Sorry, Kyuui." Aoi replied looking sad.

"But, later..." A smug smile came across the silver-haired girl's face, as she gently released Aoi.

Aoi smiled back.

"O.K. Ryuka ground rules what are they? And if you ban my demon chakra I'll kill you right here an now."

"You can be assured that your demon chakra is allowed in this fight. The only restriction I favor is of not using the Mangekyo Shyakugan. That's a fair deal, right?"

"Then no Amaterasu."

The Uchiha nodded in satisfaction. "Nor Tsukuyomi."

"What is this gonna be then, a sword fight?"

"An all-out fight, with just those ground rules." Ryuka replied, folding his arms across his chest.

"I can live with that." Ahatake replied. "But let's take it back to the Kuroi Getsuei."

A glint came across Ryuka's eyes, and his smile turned a bit devilish in return to the statement. "Maybe... there should be no Bankai, as well...?"

"You just wanna take all the fun out of this don't you?"

"What? It's already bad enough that you have your demonic chakra!"

"Don't you have Shukai?"

"Nope."

"What happened to it?" Ahatake asked. "You had it when we fought Juusensha."

"Death can make you lose a lot..." Ryuka murmured.

"Wow...." Ahatake muttered. "Fine no Bankai." And he walked out the door to find Akiko and Kyashi sleeping on the ground. "I forgot these two were out here."

Ryuka eyed his wife, sleeping beside Ahatake's sister. Cocking an eyebrow, he walked over and nudged them both with his foot in a gentle, but forecful manner. "Time to wake uuup..." He teased in a dry voice.

Akiko's hand came out nowhere slapping Ryuka as she turned over in her sleep. "I don't wanna go to school..." She muttered.

The leg that her hand made contact with almost knocked him off balance. But, he simply placed his foot down, sighing at the unneffectiveness of his action.

However, the blonde-haired woman had not been so hard to wake. "Uhnn..." She groaned, opening her eyes slowly and wincing at the sudden light that came to them. "Didn't know it was that boring..."

Ahatake merely walked over and tapped Akiko. "Akiko the Kirigakure ninja are here."

She woke up in a fury punching her brother in the face. "Where are they?!?!?!"

"Owwww..." Ahatake rubbed his chin and Akiko looked over.

"Sorry Onii-san." She giggled.

"Remind me not to mention the word Grass around her again..." Ryuka thought cautiously. "Now that you're awake, ladies, we're just here to tell you that Ahatake and I are going to spar. Care to watch?"

"Yea." Akiko replied enthusiastically.

Kyashi turned a curious gaze towards the two men. "Why not? It was pretty boring when you left, Ahatake." She commented, putting her hands behind her head.

"Thanks I guess." Ahatake jumped over the building waving his hands and he created a huge portal that sucked the building right in.

"Now for us."

Ryuka turned around, gesturing with courteous hands towards the portal. "Ladies first?" He asked, grinning.

The blonde-haired woman smirked, walking in a lady-like, but cocky fashion into the portal. "Why, thank you, Ryuka."

Akiko followed her best friend into the portal.

"Now us." Ahatake said as he followed his sister.

"Right." Ryuka nodded, immediately jumping into the portal before it swiftly closed behind him, shutting them in to what would be their sparring ring.

And they walked through the path of Chakra Ahatake made for them and arrived back in their Kuroi Getsuei.

And sitting in there already were the meditating figures of Aoi and Kyuui.

"I will never understand them." Akiko muttered.

The Battle Begins
"Heh..." Ryuka tilted his neck from side to side, looking over at Ahatake. "So, then. You ready on your end?" He asked.

"Always ready!"

"Good. Because I'm attacking first!"

With that, Ryuka placed one movement, and leaped in a bolestra-like movement straight towards his opponent, Sharingan activating.

Ahatake activated his own Sharingan, and threw a kunai with a special explosive note attacked to it at Ryuka, aiming for his midsection.

Narrowing his eyes, Ryuka stopped, pulling out his own kunai and tossing it straight at the other kunai. When they collided...

BOOM!

...Well, you get the idea.

The explosion resulted in a blaze of smoke that enveloped Ryuka from view. But, he did not stay that way for long, as he suddenly burst back out, one of his fists aimed straight for Ahatake's left jaw.

But Ahatake caught it and retaliated by punching Ryuka in the stomach. "Sorry Ryuka, but I don't get dental for 60 days."

The blow made Ryuka's eyes turn blank, his mouth curled into one of pain, as he felt the offending fist attack his air supply. With his free arm, he swung it upwards in an arc, striking Ahatake in the bottom of his chin. "Well, your dentist isn't going to be very happy after this!" He retorted.

It stung, and Ahatake was dazed.

In turn, Ryuka followed up with a high diagonal kick to the side of the neck, the front of his foot knocking the man to the ground. Then, he executed a set of hand seals, breathed in, and exhaled rapidly, a massive fireball erupting from his lips.

But the "Ahatake" it burned vanished in smoke and the real Ahatake came from behind Ryuka, slashing him in the back.

Ryuka staggered forward, gritting his teeth as pain shot through his spine. Gripping the hilt of his own sword with one hand, he unsheathed it, swinging it in a backhand motion in order to smack the blade of Ahatake's away. Then, he ran foward, swinging and clashing blades over and over again in an aggressive fashion.

Ahatake made a wide sweep with his Shisui and sliced into Ryuka's chest.

In return, Ryuka made a downward swing, cutting into Ahatake's left shoulder like a butcher cutting dead pig flesh.

And Ahatake retaliated with a slash to Ryuka's side.

Sucking in breath, Ryuka half-leaped backwards, although the pain in his side made him kneel a bit. Slowly, however, he stood back up, sword settled into a defensive stance once again.

Ahatake clutched his shoulder. "You've been training I see."

"Of course!" Ryuka replied. "I had to prepare myself for this moment, after all."

"Well you're not the only one." Ahatake replied. "I on't know what kind of you and Keiba have, but me and Shisui have been working on something new that we can use even in Shikai."

"A new technique, huh? I'm curious to know."

"You'll see if you push me hard enough." Ahatake grinned and suddenly, Shisui the spirit was visible. "Curious Ryuka?"

Casually, Ryuka cocked an eyebrow, his mouth turning into a small frown as he lifted the blade of his sword and placed it over his shoulder.

Ahatake set into a stance. "Let's go again!" He replied sending a massive wave of chakra at Ryuka.

In turn, the Uchiha crouched, slapping the ground before front flipping off of the ground, easily avoiding the wave. Then, with a twist of his sword, he stabbed it into the ground, unleashing a volley of electricity from underground. Like a mole, it raced straight and true towards its target.

Ahatake pushed his hand against the ground and a giant mud shock wave charged towards teh electricity, canceling it out.

Or, so he had thought.

Instead of stopping, the lightning kept coming, hitting Ahatake with its vicious bolts. He fell to the ground.

"Lightning beats Earth, Ahatake..." Ryuka murmured, standing back up on his two feet.

Ahatake was literally smoking from the electricity. "Damn it..."

Ryuka twirled his sword around. "But, it was a good try." He complimented, crimson eyes staring over the fallen body.

But Ahatake stood up, his demonic chakra doing it's job. He expelled massive amounts of electricity at Ryuka.

Ryuka reacted by jumping sideways, letting the violent crackling lightning zip past him. Unfortunately, it collided into a tree, setting it ablaze.

Ahatake would have said something but that jutsu made his mouth go numb. He charged in at Ryuka and threw out four shuriken.

Seeing as he still had the katana in his hand, Ryuka couldn't simply pull out four kunai to match the ones coming toward him fast enough. So, pointing the tip of the blade to the side, he made a swideways sweep, knocking them aside. Then, twisting his sword in his hands once more, he aimed a diagonally upward strike straight for the other man's face.

And what did Ahatake do? He blocked it, and retaliated by punching Ryuka in the face.

It hurt like hell.

But now, one hand was on Ahatake's sword, while the other was balled into a fist jammed into Ryuka's face. His defense was weakened.

Forcing himself forward, his sword shoving against Ahatake's with relative ease. With both of his hands on the hilt, he shoved the blade forwards, both his and Ahatake's own cutting into the Kurosaki's shoulder and stomach.

Ahatake forced the blades out and his wounds began to regenerate. "You really wanna see that new move huh?" Ahatake asked, his mouth returning to normal.

"Wouldn't I ever!" The Uchiha replied, placing one foot behind him in order to stay his ground.

"Fine." Ahatake replied. "Drown him, Shisui!" His sword grew until it resembles a daito and was blue from blade to hilt.

"So you've gotten a new blade?" Ryuka scoffed, pushing against Ahatake's blade with a constant fierceness. "That is so not new."

With that, he raised his leg up, kicking Ahatake in the ribs to break the sword lock. He skidded a little distance away, preparing himself once again.

Ahatake began to glow blue. "Fine! I'll show you our new technique!" He charged at Ryuka and then jumped back and made a wide seep of his blade. "KURO HI!" He cried and from the blade expelled a massive black dragon, made completely of ice.

It was time to act quickly.

Stabbing his sword into the ground once more, Ryuka went through another set of hand seals. Then, he inhaled deeply and exhaled, letting loose a massive dragon of fire that charged at its counterpart head on.

The two dragon's collided and the canceled each other out.

"You got lucky Ryuka." Ahatake replied. "In Bankai I can control it's path."

"I see what you mean by new technique, then..." The Uchiha muttered, raising his sword blade up to the defensive once again.

"Yea." Ahatake replied. "If it made contact it would have frozen you in black ice, hence it's name."

"How useful..." The Uchiha mused.

"And when I shatter it, the victim shatters as well."

"So, the technique you used to freeze my wife wasn't enough for you?" Ryuka asked, balancing the blade on his shoulder once again. "You just had to make another one!"

"You have a Zanpakuto." Ahatake replied. "All techniques of a Zanpakuto are not made, they are already there, you merely need to learn how to perform them and learn their names."

The sword blade tip pointed at Ahatake. "I'm afraid I do not have a Zanpakuto like you anymore." He replied. "The blade I wield is a normal sword, a swordsman's katana."

"How much did you lose when you died?"

"A crap load, sir. A crap load."

"Like what?"

Ryuka's eye twitched. "....A crap load?"

"You never were once for detail." Ahatake muttered as he charged at Ryuka again, and formed a Rasengan and slammed it into his stomach.

It only managed to force Ryuka back a little bit, but he held firm, stabbing his sword into Ahatake's stomach in retaliation.

Ahatake pulled the blade out and blood spurted, but he rammed his forehead into Ryuka's.

For a moment, the Uchiha's vision swam, even as he staggered back, shaken hands releasing his sword. His body swayed a bit, as if that very blow had sent him on the verge of collapse. But he remained firm, clenching his fingers into tight fists and raising his head back up to stare over at Ahatake.

"Mother always said to use your head." Ahatake grinned though he was clutching his own head.

Ryuka couldn't help but chuckle in return. "Well, you wouldn't be the first to do so." He remarked, walking back over to his sword and gripping it by the hilt once more.

Ahatake charged at Ryuka and made a wide swing that resulted in a blade lock.

The blades seemed to spark, as both swordmasters pushed against one another once more. The Uchiha himself turn to stare over into Ahatake's eyes with his own as he did so.

Ahatake's sword began to glow blue and Ryuka knew what was going to happen. A giant blue blast enveloped them both at point blank range.

However, when the smoke cleared, only a bleeding Ahatake stood firm, while Ryuka had seemingly vanished. Even as the final remnants of debri fell, there was no sign of him anywhere.

Ahatake's used his blood and chakra to heal his wounds.

"Where is he?"

"Having trouble finding me, Ahatake?"

Ryuka's mocking voice echoed from all around him. "Because as far as you know... I could be anywhere..."

Ahatake's eyes changed from red and black to white with veins on the side of his head. "Yeah where could you possibly be Ryuka?" Ahatake replied and began scanning everywhere.

"Let's find out."

WHAM!

All of a sudden, Ryuka's leg came from the side of his opponent, the lower part connecting with his windpipe.

But it connected with what seemed to be water and Ahatake's fist came out at Ryuka's chin.

In return, Ryuka raised his hand up and caught it, pulling Ahatake in. Then, he used his other hand to grip his shoulder, twisting the man around and throwing him in the opposite direction.

Ahatake got himself and just stood there.

The Uchiha smirked. "What's the matter? I haven't scared you stiff, have I?" He asked.

Ahatake didn't respond.

Ryuka cocked an eyebrow at the Kurosaki's unusual stillness. "Something's up..." He thought. In order to put that to the test, he raised his hands, executing a fast set of hand seals.

Ahatake stood still as a stone.

The Uchiha inhaled.... and exhaled.

What came out was not the usual massive fireball, but instead a fierce and infernalistic cyclone that caught Ahatake in its clutches. It rose up into the air, twirling around and taking the Kurosaki with it.

But Ahatake didn't move, and yet Ryuka felt a fist connect with his jaw.

Instantly, Ryuka staggered back, concentration disspating instantly, along with the firey tornado. "Huh?!" He thought, his Sharingan eyes looking everywhere.

What seemed to be "Ahatake" was standing there. "Yo."

"All right...." The Uchiha mused. "What are you doing?"

"What do you mean?"

"I saw you get enveloped in my tornado. How could you have attacked me from the side?"

"Anythings possible."

For a moment, a frown appeared on the Uchiha's face at disapproval for the reponse. Then, a slow smirk came across his face, and he closed his eyes. "Oh, wait a minute. I see what you did now...pretty clever." He commended.

"What do you mean?" Ahatake asked.

"Don't act stupid." Ryuka muttered. "You placed me in a genjutsu. That's why you were able to perform that move on me."

"What move?" Ahatake asked.

This made the Uchiha sigh in agitation. If there was at least one thing Ahatake was famous for, it was playing the fool. His crimson eyes glowed for a moment, before the entire genjutsu shattered like pieces of glass.

And Ahatake was standing there holding a completely normal sword.

Ryuka once again picked up his own sword and balanced it over his shoulders. "I think it's time for the warm up to be over, don't you think?" He asked coolly.

Ahatake took a stance. "It was fun while it lasted."

Ryuka took up his own stance as well, the sharp blade of his katana shimmering in the skylight.

Ahatake swung his blade and sent a massive shockwave of chakra from it.

He jumped over it, letting it whiz past his feet and on beyond.

By beyond it was zooming toward's Kyuui.

Aoi noticed it and at the last second managed to sweep her sister up in her arms and out of the way.

"GRANDPA!!" Aoi yelled out. "WATCH WHAT YOU TWO ARE DOING!!!!"

"Sorry." Ahatake called back.

"Huh?" The gray-haired sister opened up her eyes and stared up at her sisters, blushing slightly at the warmth of the embrace. "Th...thank you!" She commended.

The Uchiha shook his head in disapproval. "Your genetics are screwing you over big time, Ahatake." He commented.

"You're welcome." Aoi replied, giving her sister a quick kiss before setting her down.

"Shut up Ryuka." Ahatake muttered. "You were the one who dodged."

"Oh, come on..." Ryuka complained. "You overruse that kind of attack so much, it isn't even funny anymore."

Ahatake suddenly vanished with only the Tap Tap sound to be heard and reappeared in front of Ryuka. "Just shut it." He muttered and kicked his cousin in the gut sending him flying.

With a backflip, he was sent skidding back on all fours, hands and feet clutching the ground. He slowly stood back up, erupting into a slight coughing fit as soon as he did. "N-not fair..." He muttered.

Ahatake was in his face again and punched him in the face. "What's not fair? Don't you think it's time we got serious?"

"Yeah..." Ryuka twisted his gaze around, striking Ahatake in his own jaw. "But I wasn't finished speaking yet!"

"True but I didn't want our Audience to get bored." Ahatake replied kicking Ryuka again this time in the chin.

In turn, Ryuka twisted back around, cocking his fist back and plowing it into Ahatake's chest, forcing him to double over in pain.

Ahatake got his breath and punched Ryuka and then there was a violent exchange of blows, neither one giving each other the edge.

Aoi and Kyuui looked on in awe.

"I've never seen their powers like this." Aoi's eyes were wide.

"Me neither..." Kyuui's eyes were wide as well. "How long do you think they can keep it up?"

"They have to be two of the strongest shinobi ever." Aoi replied. "They could probably fight for days without tiring."

Kyuui sighed. "I hope it ends soon, then...they'll miss dinner if that happens..."

Aoi laughed. "More for us."

"Yeah..." Kyuui leaned her head on Aoi's shoulder. "And I think I might have you as the main course..." She said casually.

Aoi turned deep red and kissed her sister. "That would be nice."

"Heh..."

Meanwhile, it was a tense deadlock now. Speed met speed, fist met fist, and doujutsu met doujutsu, as the two combatants struggled for dominance.

"Seems were about equal, without my demon form." Ahatake muttered laughing, as he arm connected with Ryuka's in a shock wave that caused the ground to crack.

"You've been training as well, I see?" Ryuka responded, catching one punch and ducking, returning with an upper kick to the head.

Ahatake blocked it with his left arm and responded with a punch from his right. "Of course."

Once again, the Uchiha caught it, gripping it tightly in one hand.

And once again, Ahatake rammed his head into Ryuka's.

He staggered back, but reached over and pulled out a kunai from his pocket, hurling it at Ahatake.

Ahatake blocked it with his sword, cutting it cleanly in half.

As soon as he regained his footing, the Uchiha unsheathed his own blade again, ready to clash with Ahatake's as soon as it connected. His feet spread out, in order to strengthen the defense of his stance.

Ahatake charged in and swept his blade wildly and it clashed with Ryuka's causing more shockwaves.

In a rapid reaction, Ryuka stepped back a bit, twisted his blade around so that the point was facing him, and thrust forward, the butt of the hilt slamming into Ahatake's exposed head. He, in turn, staggered back, allowing some distance between the two.

Ahatake's wound merely regenerated with the help of the demon chakra. The wound wasn't that big anyway.

"Is that your best?"

"There's got to be a way to get around those defenses..."

Ryuka decided to take an alternative. Twisting his blade around, he sheathed it with a quick snap and hiss.

"What the hell was that hiss?"

Choosing not to reply, Ryuka backflipped like a cheerleader, jumping into the forest region of the dimension.

"What the hell?" Ahatake thought, standing there looking stupid.

"Grandpa go after him!" Aoi yelled. "Leave this area to us."

Being a little brave, Kyuui nuzzled herself against Aoi, wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her closer. "If you know what we mean...." She whispered.

Ahatake's expression became very Shinji-like again. "I would suggest going to your guy's room then." Ahatake muttered as he raced past them aafter Ryuka.

Aoi picked Kyuui up in her arms again. "You heard the man." She kissed Kyuui again though it wasn't as fast as last time.

Kyuui gratefully returned it, although simply breaking away. "Well, you're carrying me!" She commented.

"Of course." Aoi replied and she carried her sister's with inhuman speed into the house and up to their room.

Tactical
"Ryuka!" Ahatake called. "Come out come out wherever you are."

A voice came from the trees. "Oh, I'll come out.... just as soon as you catch me!"

"I don't play tag Ryuka!"

SHING!

At that moment, the sharp glint of a kunai was seen, followed by the kunai itself. A bullet from a newly fired gun, it whizzed past Ahatake, the friction causing a shallow slash mark on his cheek. It went on to embed inself inside one of the trees.

"Ryuka, watch what you're doing!" Ahatake muttered. "The animals don't like their home being desecrated. And they will attack you and if you so much as harm one, I will slaughter you."

A laugh came from the trees in response. "You do that very well yourself, thank you very much!" He retorted.

"Your kid was in danger you dumbass." Ahatake replied. 'You are a different matter. I permit you to knock them unconscious, but not harm them."

"What the--"

The voice immediately was dumbfounded. "In order to do that, I'd have to punch them. And if I punch them, I'm harming them!" It retorted, almost in a comical fashion.

"To harm I mean to kill you dumbass." Ahatake muttered, sending an explosive Kunai into the tree's and watching as it exploded.

That made Ryuka leap out of the trees, landing elegantly onto his feet.