The girl was smiling as the boy carried her on his back, the moonlight lighting their path. A breeze whispered through the tall grass of the plains, the only other sounds, the soft patter of the boy's footsteps and his slightly labored breathing. He stopped when the girl tugged on his shoulder. They both looked up to gaze at the moon.

"Say, -." She said the boy's name, but it was lost in the wind. "Things can be like this forever, right? It's so peaceful." She laid her head on the boy's shoulder.

"I had hoped they would." The boy's voice changed into that of a man's as he dissipated in a black smoke. She fell from his back and kept falling, the world around her turning into a dark abyss. She tried to scream his name, but the words wouldn't come. She shut her eyes. The last image burned into her mind was of a pair of red eyes watching her as she fell.

Akali's eyes jerked open. She blinked once, and then again. Her skin dripped with a cold sweat andher body was rigid with the terror of her dream. Finally, she forced herself to rise from her futon. She walked to the bathroom and filled the bath. As she slipped into the steaming water,she forced herself to concentrate so she could remember her dream, all the tiny details that had seemed so real. The boy's black spiky hair, the feeling of his clothes, his smell. But his face was a blur. And then there was that burning image of two red eyes. She submerged so that just her knees and nose peeked above the water and stared into the wooden wall across from her, deep in thought.

The sun didn't rise that morning, hidden as it was by a sheet of grey clouds. Not that Akali had any real wish for a bright, sunny day, but she didn't enjoy the chill that came from the lack of sun either. She walked the streets of Ionia without any awareness of those she passed. The cherry blossoms seemed painfully cheerful under the pale sky. She entered a small shop and took off her shoes.

"The usual please." She cringed at the hoarseness of her voice and seated herself at the first empty table.

"Here you go. Akali." The shop owner, an older gentleman, set down a plate of rice and curry. She nodded her thanks. The old man hovered until she took notice and lifted her head.

"You know … these past months … you really haven't been yourself. Lia and I are really worried about you."

Akali's head sank and she let her spoon rest on the plate. She took a moment before responding. "Sorry Saizo. You and your wife have always been kind to me, but right now …."

The shop owner patted her on the back. "No worries dear, I know the job is tough. Eat up now."

She took a bite. The food was freshly made and had a nice burn to it. The plate was soon empty.

Akali waved goodbye to Saizo as she left the shop and headed towards the Kinkou monastery. As she walked, she retreated into her memories ….

"Akali! Hey Akali, we're over here!" Kimura shouted and waved at her friend. "Shen is dueling again!"

Akali joined her group of friends. "You guys and your adoration of Shen is a bit creepy, you know."

"But he's so dreamy!" Isanami drooled.

"Not that he'll ever notice one of the lowest ranked members," Kimura giggled.

"Shh, its starting," Miyukii hushed her friends.

"Ugh, he's dueling Zed again." Kimura said.

Another friend, Kennen, walked up from behind to watch. "Wonder who will win this time."

"Shen, of course," Miyukii said. "He's the stronger one. No way he would ever lose to someone like Zed."

The group of friends watched Zed, a tall, black haired boy, walk into the center of the ring to confront Shen. His short, unkempt hair tousled by the breeze. They bowed and the two prodigies began to spar. They flew back and forth, evenly matched. Kennen looked on in amusement as the girls stood entranced by as the fight went on, their eyes locked on Shen's every move. All but Akali, Kennen noticed. She, too, stood entranced, but her eyes were not on Shen.

"Aww, they've fought to another draw?" Isanami whined.

"Oh well, let's go talk to Shen," Kimura said. "You coming Akali?"

"No sorry, I'll be back later, guys," Akali said as she walked the other had noticed Zed walking towards the forest, an angry grimace on his face, and she wanted to catch up to him. His expression softened as she joined him.

"Good fight, Zed. You looked strong compared to Shen."

"Tch, shouldn't a girl like you be flocking with all the others around Shen?"

"Good point, I must've taken a wrong turn." Akali tossed her head. "If I wanted to talk to Shen I'd be there right now."

"What's your point, girl."

"Girl? I have a name, you 're being pretty rude to someone who's trying to cheer you up."

Zed shuffled his feet. "Sorry, Akali."

The two of them walked on to the forest's edge. "So you do know my name then?"

"I, uh … I've seen you spar with your mom several times." Zed's face turned pink.

"I see," Akali smiled. "I like that. It makes me really happy!"

Zed's face now turned bright red.

They circled the grounds together, with Akali doing most of the talking. Zed mumbled a reply here and there trying to act bored.

As the sun began to set, Akali stretched her aching limbs. "Ahh, today was fun. Thanks. Zed."

"Not sure why it was so great," Zed yawned.

"I made a friend today. We're friends, right Zed?"

He kicked some dirt and averted his eyes to stare at an interesting patch of grass. "Yeah, I guess so."

When Akali reached the Kinkou monastery, she was in a daze. She slipped into the auditorium where a group of ninjas, including Shen and Kennen, had gathered for a meeting. She had no desire to speak to anyone and found a solitary corner, where she slumped into a chair.. Shen called the meeting to order and Akali was soon lulled into further reveries as the room warmed and Shen's voice droned on.

Akali and Zed had walked deep into the forest before Zed turned around. His eyes were beaming.

"Akali, I finally think I've got it, after all these months of training!"

She stared incredulously at her friend. "What is it now, Zed? And why did you have to bring us so far out here in the middle of the night to tell me?"

"Watch this…" Zed focused, making a symbol with his hand. The air around him started to stir and something seemed to slip off to stand beside him.

"Zed, I must be really tired, because I'm seeing two of you."

"It's a living shadow of me. Now watch this." He kicked several times in the air and his dark clone mimicked the movements.

Realization finally sank in for Akali. "Zed ... where did you learn how to do that."

"In the lower chambers of the monastery."

"Oh Zed, that is a forbidden art isn't it! Why did you do it?" She didn't want to, but she couldn't help backing up slightly.

"Akali, what's wrong? I thought you would be happy for me. Finally, after this whole year since we met, I can show you how strong I am!"

"You didn't need to learn a forbidden art to prove that!"

"What's so forbidden about it?" The shadow turned towards Zed and slipped into his body. "Weird. I guess I can control it as well as-."

He curled over in pain, fell to the ground, and started to writhe in agony. Akali rushed to his side.

"Zed...Zed! What's wrong? Zed!"

"Akali!"

She came out of her memory with a start, straightened herself in her chair, and took in her surroundings. Oh, right, she was in the Kinkou monastery, at another meeting. She sighed and rubbed her eyes. She sensed someone staring and looked up to see Shen frowning down on her from the speaker's podium.

"This is getting to be problematic, Akali. You've been sleeping and zoning out these past meetings way too much."

"Sorry, Shen, just a lot on my mind."

"There is a lot on all of our minds. Please, try to focus." Shen turned back to his list of agenda items and continued the meeting as a host of unwanted eyes stared at Akali.

The rest of the day followed normally. She participated in the remainder of the meetings without dozing off, and when she was finally released to do as she pleased, she returned to her apartment. There she sat on the large window sill in her living room with her knees tucked up against her chest. For hours she She opened the window to let in the evening breeze, and the wind swept in and caressed her face. It had begun to rain. She sat there for a time, until her memories started to plague her once again.

"It's the voices, these damn voices again." As the whispers started to rise in her mind, she covered her ears even though she knew the voices would drone on undiminished.

"Banished?"

"Zed's been banished?"

"Forbidden Art?"

"Good Riddance."

"He wasn't wanted here anyways."

"Akali was close with him, wasn't she?"

"Have you seen Akali?"

"Akali!"

She couldn't take it anymore. She dashed into the now pouring rain and headed toward the heart of Ionia. By the time she reached the Placidium, she was drenched. She rushed through the halls to the library.

"Akali, what is -" An attendant started to ask.

"Get me all of it."

"All of what?"

"All the information you have on the forbidden arts."

Hey all its Miggzz, as you can see my story is not exactly canon even as much as I tried to make it as close to the actual lore. Even so I hope you all enjoyed the first chapter. Thanks for reading!