Haruhi prepared her own attack as Shingetsu distracted the big man. She was thinking ahead about how to best go about taking this guy down. The effects of Gobi's chakra were not indefinite, so she had to think fast before she ran out of energy. It didn't matter how much chakra she put into her attacks; if she couldn't hit him, it would be pointless. [COLOR=PALEGREEN]"Think Haru... how do you beat someone who's faster and stronger than you...?"[/color] Then she remembered she had been in this situation before a few years ago. 

[Hider=LONG FLASHBACK]
[Center][I]Three years earlier...[/I][/center]

It was on this day that Haruhi swore she wouldn't wake up her sensei. Getting ready and preparing breakfast was no easy feat--more so when one tried to be quiet. She had tried, but to her dismay, as soon as she attempted to slip out the door, her name was called. Turning to say good morning to Mika, Haruhi found herself gripped into a hug by her sensei's strong arms. A short [b]"Have a good day."[/b] and [b]"Work hard."[/b] was said before she walked away to the kitchen. Sighing, Haruhi said in her happiest voice. [color=PaleGreen]"I'm going to go train with Takeshi sensei. ...you should come by if your not busy."[/color] she waited but only silence followed. She opened her mouth to speak but nothing came out. Giving up on this battle, she slowly slipped out the door and made her way to the training grounds. Passing through the Hidden Mist early this morning seemed different. Small details she never noticed before began to stand out, making this once familiar route seem not so familiar at all. She couldn't put her finger on it...so as in her nature she chose not to dwell on it. 

Upon reaching the grounds, she noticed a figure leaning against a tree. Upon closer approach, she saw it was Takeshi sensei...and he was sleeping. Smiling to herself, Haruhi removed her pouch and other tools from her body, deciding to start running laps while he slept. He would need his sleep afterall, because she had planned to spend all day out here training with him. 

Stretching and silently looking around she wondered how many laps would be five miles. [color=PaleGreen][i]Hm...how many feet in a mile...then multiply by five, okay then...[/i][/color] she started off at a slow jog counting her steps. She would wait until she reached that many steps. And should she not be able to do five miles today, tomorrow would be ten.

Cracking one eyebrow as he heard the sound of footsteps, Takeshi saw that Haruhi had arrived and was already starting to do some laps. Smiling to himself, he closed his eye once again and attempted to fall back asleep. After a few moments he realized that it was a fruitless attempt. Sighing to himself, Takeshi stepped away from the tree an watched as Haruhi completed her laps. He saw no need to motivate her, the girl looked like she was pushing herself well enough. Standing with his arms crossed slightly, Takeshi simply waited for her to finish her laps.

After an hour, Haruhi's lungs were past the point of burning...she wasent entirely sure they were working anymore. Twelve thousand three hundred and sixty steps...that was in five miles. Nine hundred and four to go, but really Haruhi was sure her heart was going to give out on her. Though as she thought about how many medical nin's had told her she wouldn't live past the age of eleven, here she was four years past that with her 'weak heart' as it kept beating no matter now hard she pushed. 

A few minutes later she finished her steps and fought back the urge to lay down. Instead she jogged over to her now alert sensei and waved to him. [color=PaleGreen]"Take...ha... okay wait I cant breathe."[/color] she panted and put her hands on her knees.

Approaching the exhausted girl, Takeshi smiled. She had just performed an impressive feat for a genin. [B]"Good morning Haruhi. You should take some time to catch your breath."[/b] He let out a small chuckle. Waiting a moment more with his arms still folded across his chest, Takeshi wanted to see how quickly the girl recovered. [B]"So are you ready to learn something awesome?"[/b] He asked with a playful tone.

A few moments of heavy breathing was oddly enough time for Haruhi to collect herself. The burn in her legs was fading faster than usual and for a moment she wondered why...

Shrugging, Haruhi stood straight and waved to Takeshi. [color=PaleGreen]"Yo, sensei. Feels like we just saw eachother like five minutes ago."[/color] she said with a smile. [color=PaleGreen]"And you better believe i'm ready!"[/color] she said with an excited hop. She walked over to the tree he was previously snoozing against and grabbed her pouches, putting them back on.

Seeing Haruhi recover quickly, Takeshi smiled. [B]"Well it is good that you are ready, because today I am going to teach you a new technique. It's called the Chidori."[/b] He cocked his head to the side slightly, waiting to see how the girl would respond. He had a feeling that she would like the technique, though whether or not she would be able to master it would be another matter entirely.

Haruhi's eyes widened and she did a little hop. [color=PaleGreen]"All right! A new technique![/color] she said excitedly. Absently she wondered how hard it would be to get it mastered. If it was anything as awesome as she thought it was, it was going to take [i]a lot[/i] of practice. Though thats something Haruhi never minded.

Grinning, Takeshi raised one hand to fend her off. [B]"Now now, let's not get ahead of ourselves. First things first I need to know if you're ready yet. We're going to spar. Whenever you are ready Haruhi, give it your best shot."[/b]

======================================

Takeshi stared at Haruhi for a moment after the fight, saying nothing... And then he broke out into a large smile. [B]"I must say I'm impressed Haruhi-chan. That was a very unique tactic you used. And very effective too, might I add."[/b] He said, rubbing his arms for good measure.

When Haruhi's feet touched the ground, she stumbled back a bit on the uneven ground. When she looked around and saw what she did, part of her was proud and the other part was wary. [color=PaleGreen]"Thanks sensei... I uh, didn't hurt you did I?"[/color] she asked even though he smiled. Already she felt exausted and she thought maybe she overdid it a little once he rubbed his arm. She too rubbed her hand before a slight smile formed on her face too. [color=PaleGreen]"I have to add a bit of bragging...cuz that was pretty neat. I didn't think it would work. You're way too fast. That was literally my only attack that hit."[/color] she said.

Takeshi nodded and crossed his arms. [B]"Yes, it's hard when your opponent is faster and stronger than you. But... there is always a way to win. In this case, you did exactly what you were supposed to at the last moment, I think without you even realizing it."[/b]

[color=PaleGreen]"Oh... really? What did I do?"[/color] she asked curiously. 

[b]"You used your head. The key to fighting someone faster than you, is to make them move the way you want them to and visualize where they will be in a particular moment where you can make a deadly strike. Essentially, doing the right techniques in a certain order can allow you to predict the movement of your opponent long before he does them. For example, I know that if I aimed a low sweep to your feet, you would jump backwards or straight up to use a counter. If I tried to throw a kunai at your right side, you'd deflect it or move away to the left. By doing a series of moves to create a desired action from your opponent, he's always right where you want him."[/b]

[color=PaleGreen]"That sounds like a load of crap, sensei."[/color] she said placing a hand on her hip. Takeshi laughed and shook his head. [B]"Just try it. Come on. Lets go again. Afterwards we'll get to the fun part."[/b]

[color=PaleGreen]"Aye!"[/color]
[/hider]

A loud and angry roar tore Haruhi out of her thoughts and back into the present moment. The big guy was running straight towards her and Shingetsu who had momentarily stopped his torrent of water bullets. Placing her hand on her comrades shoulder, she nodded to him before running ahead to intercept her opponent. If she did this right like how she was taught, she could finally take him down in under ten moves.

[Color=PaleGreen][I]"One![/I]"[/color] Left fist raised and a kunai in her right hand, Haruhi aimed a punch to the mans abdomen to which he easily sidestepped to his left, spinning and aiming a kick to the right side of her head. She raised the kunai in her right hand and let him hit her, his leg smashing into the kunai, tearing another dry roar from him. 

[Color=PaleGreen][I]"Two!"[/I][/color] Letting the kunai go as she was forcefully pushed back, she bit through the light pain. Quickly running up to him again, she punched him hard in the face as he crouched to yank the weapon out of his calf.

He rolled a few meters away before and Haruhi was upon him before he got a chance to get to his feet again. [Color=PaleGreen][i]"Three!"[/i][/color] Jumping into the air before she reached him, she aimed a chakra enhanced kick to his chest and he rolled as she came down and smashed into the earth once again. Wasting no time, she created a clone who  ran up and smashed her knee into his jaw as he started to get to his feet. Having  him airborne was perfect as her clone jumped up and proceeded to kick him back down to the ground. 

[Color=Coral][I]"I believe it is in-humane to torture your prey before killing it. I grow bored of this fight... and he is not the only threat here. Finish him... we both know you can now."[/I][/color] said the amused voice of Gobi in her head. Saying nothing in response to that, Haruhi stood and watched as the man still got to his feet even as his legs were beyond torn up, and he had various wounds and bruises all over his body. [i]If[/i] this guy didn't totally deserve what was coming to him, Haruhi might have actually felt bad. But alas, the last bits of her beasts chakra was running out due to her last attacks, and Haru did want to wrap this up. She created two clones that stood at her sides, looking just as pissed off as she felt.[Color=PaleGreen][i]"Four!"[/i][/color] Reaching into her pouch, she pulled out a smoke bomb and tossed it on the ground. 

[Color=PaleGreen]"Transform!"[/color]

From within the grey cloud of smoke came a giant shuriken flying out towards him. He easily dodged it and immediately refocused on Haruhi who ran out with her clone transformed as her Kokuyōseki. She had her blade coated in lightning chakra, and you could hear the sound of it as it crackled around the blade. She came up to him with an overhead swing once again and this time instead of grabbing the blade, he caught Haru by the neck with one hand. 

[Color=PaleGreen][i]"Five!"[/i][/color]

[B]"You little bitch..."[/b] he said spitting out some blood and snatching Haruhi's sword out of hand with his free one. [B]"Time for you to join your little friend in Hell-"[/b]

[Color=PaleGreen]"CHIDORI!"[/color]

Suddenly from behind him, Haruhi would run up with her Chidori and pierce his back, her hand and part of her arm going clear through his chest and striking the clone he held in his grip. His blood coated her hand as she pulled her arm free and kicked him forward into the ground.

[B]"H-how...?"[/b] he growled as he coughed up blood. 

[Color=PaleGreen]"Your fast and strong, but stupid as hell. The giant shuriken you dodged was me, not a weapon. My two clones were the one you thought you had, and my sword. When I got behind you, I charged my Chidori. I thought you'd turn once you heard the noise, but I suppose you thought it came from the lightning on my sword, didn't you?"[/color] Crossing her arms, she sighed as the manstill eyes widened in surprise and then he went still, his life ending just like that.

Almost immediately after, Haruhi took a few steps back and her eyes returned to their normal pale green color. Just as the last bits of her beasts chakra faded, a rush of pain came over her and she fell to her knees weakly. A small smile would find its way to her lips. 

[Color=PaleGreen]"I did it..."[/color]