6. Deals with the old men

"Huff.. Huff N..No more nee san"

"Can i rest , i.. i mastered the katas please and can make the little difference with spirits pleeease Mika stop her"

"Let him rest, don't you see his short and shirt are wet, it doesn't matter if he wins tomorrow" said Mika with a little helplessness in her tone.

Astarte analyzes Ichigo's condition and concludes with a cold shower and a good meal and rest and tomorrow he will be fit for the competition.

" Fight is not only about whether you lose or win and the tenets of Karate don't talk about power but "Kata"". She said this to Mika and refocus on Ichigo.

"There may be several factors for which tomorrow you lose or win as the techniques , patience, speed, dexterity, experience, talant , ingenuity and instinct. You learn quickly and I know that you are more on the instinctive side.But the most important is that you take fun in this"

"May tomorrow you get on the top 10 of your category . "

The young boy sitting on the grass reply with a smile "Tomorrow, i'll beat as much, i can and win against Tatsuki, if i meet her"

"Come on, get up mom awaits us"

"You really want to bleed him to the bone, i do understand it's for self defense and for the competition "

"Listen, the day you first meet him he didn't know you were a ghost, then he doesn't know how to distinct between livings and dead, if he can't this can bring him problems or worse"

"They're a low probability but eventually it's you the big sis. Thinking about it you're really a little sadist for a kid of 5"

"In fact, i'm not and i thought you already knew this"

"Wait..wait on which one you agree with me?"

Astarte look at her with a little meaning in her eyes and tell her " Guess " before catch up with Ichigo.

.....

Everyone were arty and ready to go at the dōjō of the next city, Naruki city. In the neighborhood, they took Tatsuki and her mother on the way. She was a little younger than Masaki and as well pretty,but different of her daugther. The woman greeted everyone, give a smile at Ichigo and turns her sights on Astarte and said with intriguing voice " So it's you ! "

Astarte reply with a calm voice " It's me"

The woman smiled " I said it's you, who beat my girl"

Astarte didn't bat an eyelash and acted naturally "It was totally per chance, aunty"

The woman was like" i don't eat your bullshit kid" but was fine with the answer Astarte gave her.

"It's that so,then i hope you'll more do it, i don't want her to become arrogant"

"I don't think she'll become like this, if she eventually become. I'll give her lessons"

Tatsuki cut out their discussion and said with checks tinted of pink

"Can you stop talk about me both of you, she beat me so what and Astarte look at me, one day,i'll defeat you"

Astarte looked up at her and said with little seriousness."Im awaiting for this day, Tatsuki chan"

....

Arrived at the dōjō of neighborhood city, everyone settled on , there's were parents ,kids and masters scattered Masaki, Ichigo ,Tatsuki and her mom entered alone with the stroller, for the registration. As for Astarte and Isshin they were outside.

The masters and jury were arrived in advance, they are all under preparation, in fact this year is quite special, there are young talents in the other dōjōs but in recent years it's those of Naruki city who win. And since they also win every time, the master of this city is quite arrogant.

"So isn't it my son the loser, who came here for his umpteenth defeats ?"

"Old geezer this year it's me who will win"

"With who?" his voice bathed in sarcasm "Precedents years you told me the same. What will change this time. Ah don't tell me you think your little kid will beat everyone here! Hahahaha , no, there no way. I admit that she's fantastic, but let's be realistic "

"Do you understand now, come back herited our style, why do you even go to this old man to herite his school style"

"I bet, you won't even be in the top 5, this year they'll bets either i win or someone else and you'll literally lost"

The man mumbled"I put 3 months of salary on my students "He's so upset, his dad wasn't listening anymore and focusing only to diss his son. He was so fed up, he impulsively ejects

"I SAID, I PUT 3 MONTHS OF SALARY ON MY TEAM !!TOLD THE OTHERS TO ADD IT TO THE BETS!"

"Are u senile, i through that's was me the old man here. If you really lost, don't come to me when you're hungry "

The man leave the scene and rejoin his team, the competiton will soon start. the competitors and their mentors set themselves up with their teams.

'He's right Tatsuki can't beat them all, she's strong but she's only 4, she doesnt have infinite endurance,nor skills and i need strong back up like.. like..like Astarte.'

'Yes, Astarte, she incredivable for her age, patient,skilled she has this flexibility in martial arts, despite being casual and nonchalant. I could see her win, if she participe'

He put himself the way at Ichigo and Masaki and greet them with a big smile. Masaki and Ichigo repair him directly and through that the smile put on his face today was full of hope and eagerness. He doesn't even peek at Masaki like usual, he just want to find his messi

"Can you tell me, where's you sister ? "

"Actually, I think she outside with dad,they'll come in an instant"

He directly fleeing away , looking for his savior towards the entrance of the gymnasium. During

A familiar figure appears at the gymnasium door, he locked up the position of Astarte and come at where she was . Accompanied by her side, there is a handsome man by her side, he directly guess who's was. He long ecstatically wanted to know and above all put a face of who received the "divine teaching" of a disciple who was the disciple of a legend. And "learned" to this genius girl Martial arts. But rethink that's this man is a doctor abandoned this life. Isshin make eyes contact with a man dressed of a black Keikogi.

'Did i know him ? Why this man look at me with such burning gaze, first filled with ecstasy, excitement eagerness then disappointment ?' Why is this man disappointed by me?

"Astarte who's this right here? "

Of course , the ecstasy, excitement and eagerness were towards Astarte and the disappointment for Isshin. She has already noticed the burning gaze on her earlier but don't worry about it, if he has something to say or ask, he will come, so she answered Isshin without looking up.

"That's the dōjō's karate sensei of Karakura town" she added quickly if it wasn't clear enough "Ichigo's Sensei "

"Oh it's that's so" he advanced towards him, and put a smile on his face.

"He seem i never introduced myself to you, i'm.."

"Hellomisterimichigosenseiineedtoralktoyourdaugtherrightnowenchanted!!!"

"??"

Mika start laughing bewilderment and Astarte was her usual unfazed.

He refocus on the young girl and said with some determination in his voice.

"I need to talk , i would like to make a proposition to you!"

Astarte raise her eyebrows but doesn't seem to be very interested. He see her like this and do not lose the courage and resolve that has overcome so far.

"I just want you to dispute fights in the others category and win y'all "

She replied abruptly "It's boring."

"What ?"

"I said it's boring, i don't fight with weaks let alone kids"

' Huh, aren't you're a kid yourself' he didn't said that but thought it very strongly"

She said with little "I'm just a honorary member, how can i join the an official competition, just like that?"

" If, i put you on the list in the last minutes, it's okay"

'This man gone bad , if he were a normal tournament between kids, he would never had to propose me and would have continued with his actual team. But who say competition, say some bets. So how much can i earn'

She let out a long sight

"If i participate, i only have three conditions."

He thought, a deal with a kid of 5 is not difficulft, you give them sweets or play with them, or special training and the affair is clear. Moreove it is Astarte, the girl who often come at his dojo, observing the trainings, show others diciples even trains sometimes under his style, how to do it , how to position yourself. But Astarte, is neither a kid of 5 nor easy to make a deal with unless she want it herself. So with a big smile with the assurance of a big brother, he tell her."Go ahead, i listen up"

A smirk forms on the usually indifferent face of the young girl and falsely pondering what she wants. 10 secs after have falsely think to his demand ,she come up zith her first condition.

"The first condition is, If someone important is hurt then i'll only participate, when needed in their instance" She added " I'm the Joker not the Ace like Tatsuki."

The first one is understandable, he too think Astarte, this little girl is her final master card, and can be usable only, if the situation is tricky or critical.

He does not comment and agrees directly with the first condition which seems to him the most important and that the twos others are only requests for children and no longer disdains to be as serious as at the beginning.

Astarte, remark that he was no longer as tense as at the beginning and a little smirk rose up on the side of her mouth, but disappears immediately. The next words she'll say will awoken the man.

"The second one is you'll give me 60% of your prime,you'll earn." Simple , clear and understandable.

The man face was full of misunderstanding, he directly think that kid nowadays are all rogue.

"Don't make such face " Sensei" you ask me for a service, a deal, and this one is chargeable, we're quasi equal, i even make a discount of 10 % for you. If you are dissatisfied, search for someone else"

He think of his father raillery, his (delicate and majestic) dojo , his teaching "What can i lost more" so let's do it until the end

"Ok so what is the last condition" 'Do she want my liver, my house my wife... wait i dont have this '

"What are you so tense Sensei, I just want a Keikogi, i can't play if, i'm in uncomfortable clothes". She added " A clean one, of course"

He let out a breath and said with a smile "Certaintly, i'll get you one" He try to leave but, Before he can even try, she stopped him

'IS THERE ANYTHING EEEELSE?!'

"Yes!" a crack forms on his face

'He should work on managing his facial expressions,it's amusing to see him go from hope to amazement then despair and depression set in less than 3 minutes only on his face'

She ask with an interrogative tone but serious expression "I already said yes , but how much did you bet ? "

He found himself in front of her hypnotic gaze and said with some hesitation in his tone and quietly " 3..3 mo..months salary ."

"Can you repeat, i didn't hear ?"

He shouted "I SAID 3 MONTHS OF SALARY! "

'AAAAAAAH WTF WHY AM SO TENSE WHY DO I STUTTER IN FRONT OF A CHILD!!!'

'3 months of salary + the extras of these old geezers, not bad for an debut'

"Oh good luck , if you have trouble feeding yourself, you can come at my house"

The man let out a cries of despair

"I THROUGH U WILL WIN !!"

With little amusement and certainty in her voice"I'm joking sensei i'll, if not who will take the money on your behalf ."

'The man really rests his career on me'

"Let's go sensei!! May be I'm going to have fun spitting out the money of these men"