Warnings: not much, just some violence, some mildly disconcerting thoughts a normal child Kurai's age shouldn't have and a little bit of language. And I remain without a beta, so beware grammar mistakes.
.
.
.
Dark Waters
Chapter 25 – The Chunnin Exams
Part III
.
.
.
It takes Ao and another strangely familiar blond jounin Obito identified as 'Minato-sensei!' to separate Kisame and Gai, and her shark teammate had to be threatened with being disqualified in order to stop him from lunging at the other boy over and over again.
Ao was furious.
"I can't believe this," their sensei growled under his breath as he dragged Kisame away from the commotion, a dangerous glint in his eyes that never bode well for the younger members of Team 13. "The second stage was all about learning to cooperate with the Leaf ninjas and what do you do? Attack a gennin from our ally village for Kami knows what reason! Do you have any idea the trouble you could have caused?! I thought you had more sense than that Kisame! We're lucky that the boy thought that was just your way to ask for a friendly, if sudden, spar and by all the gods boy, that's what you're going to say if anyone comes asking, am I clear?!"
"Crystal," Kisame grumbled, arms crossed over his chest and mouth set in thin stubborn line.
Honestly, Kurai is not certain why Kisame attacked Gai the way he had, and neither was she very interested in trying to understand the reason. No, there were other things to worry about. One of them is currently resting against the wall, Obito in front of him with his arms dramatically flaying about as he recounted their team's misadventures in the Forest of Death.
She had never seen a person move so fast. Not even her Father…
And there was this nagging feeling in the back of her mind, telling her that she had seen the man before, but where?
It hit her as she watched the man smile at the Uchiha's antics. She had seen him, very briefly mind you, at the park the day she met Obito (the day she met Shisui, and why does she shy away from that thought?). He had been the blond man to pick up the laughing little girl, put her on his shoulders and grin widely while she covered his (very blue, she could tell even from this distance) eyes.
"Impressed?" a voice calls out from behind her shoulder.
Hatake Kakashi looks the same as he did days ago when they first met in a training ground behind the Hokage Mountain, if a little worse for wear and dirtier. But his grey eyes were still the same. Cool, calculating and always aware of everything and everyone around him, Kakashi's eyes reminded Kurai of mirrors. Look into them for too long and you will see your own reflection, all the beauty and ugliness and secret places that made a person, returned back to you. It's unnerving, eerie, to have such eyes watching her, but Kurai steels herself. It's not the gaze of a boy almost two years younger than her that's going to make her fold like a pile of cards.
(Because in the end, her and Kakashi's eyes were the same, Sharingan notwithstanding.)
"I am. Obito mentioned that his name's Minato? It wouldn't be Namikaze Minato, would it?" she asks, torn between looking at the silver haired boy standing next to her or watching every movement the blond jounin makes from across the chamber they were all in.
At her side, Kakashi bristles, irritation flashing through his face for not having Kurai's full attention on him (not that the girl herself noticed, her people skills too underdeveloped for her own good), before he regains control of his expression.
"If you're asking if he is the Yellow Flash, then yes, that's correct. Minato-sensei has been my master since I graduated from the Academy when I was five," he says, and if his voice sound a little too smug at the last part, then who could blame him?
Despite herself, Kurai is truly impressed. Son of the White Fang and the Yellow Flash's apprentice?
What more are you hiding beneath that mask of yours, Hatake Kakashi?
Kurai's wish for a fight increases tenfold.
.
.
.
So, the third stage of the Chunnin Exams will be a tournament, huh?
Mei's green eyes studied the chart fixed to the wall, long after her friends had left the Tower. Technically, she shouldn't be here but she didn't have the chance to really see who it was she would be up against in a month's time, too busy trying to get her mind around the sheer speed Kurai and that Maito boy used in their spar. She had never thought mere gennins could achieve such high levels of swiftness, even if one of them was widely recognized as a genius back in her own village.
It only proved that she still had a long way to go in her path to become Mizukage.
Giving one last look at the chart and the names carefully written in there, Terumi Mei turned and walked away, a senbon still sticking out of her mouth, and she thought she could get used to it staying there. It certainly was worth the look on Shiranui's face every time his hand went to his mouth only to remember seconds later that she still had his favorite senbon in her possession.
(She thinks about the stupefied and awestruck look in his face as he watched her, and yes, Mei thinks with a small blush. She can get used to it.)
.
.
.
Hoshigaki Kisame vs Hozuki Mangetsu
The words seemed to have been burned into his mind, because two days later Kisame could still clearly remember them, even during training, as he practiced his kenjutsu stances one after the other, steady and diligently.
If there was one thing Kisame hated (apart from liars) was to be underestimated. He simply couldn't stand it, the thought of people judging him for his appearances, less than prestigious upbringing and find him lacking before they even bothered to know his name. He hated it.
That's why he disliked Hozuki Mangetsu a little too.
The little brat, thinking himself so special just because he was one of the youngest children to be carefully selected as an apprentice and possible successor to one of the Seven Swordsmen, never mind that Kisame was there first and had already proven to the boy who was the better swordsman between them. The four days spent in the forest with him as his teammate had almost driven Kisame insane.
(Never mind that unlike Mangetsu, Kisame worked hard for it, with spilt blood and sweat and many broken bones, and still, he was immediately brushed aside because Mangetsu was a genius and carried the name of a powerful clan and Kisame… was just Kisame, an orphan with no famous or respected family name, and it hurt to be brushed aside so easily when he knew he was better than all of the other apprentices put together…)
He knew it, he hated it, and he would prove all of them wrong for doubting him.
A shadow fell over the boy but Kisame doesn't stop his movements, can't, because he has come this far and he won't stop until he's done. Never let it be said that Kisame Hoshigaki does anything halfway.
When he reaches the end of his katas, he straightens, sword still clutched in his hand, looking up at his shishou, Fuguki Suikazan, who is really no better than the rest, he's probably even worse, but he's always been there nonetheless, and for now, that's enough to Kisame.
"You will train me," he says, and it is not a question. And maybe that's disrespectful, maybe it's arrogant and impertinent, but right now Kisame doesn't give a shit. He was going to win that match even if it was the last thing he did.
And Fuguki looks down at him, the always-present smirk plastered firmly over his face and nods.
Mangetsu is going down.
.
.
.
By the time Asuma and Ebisu finishes telling him everything they know about Terumi Mei, Obito is more than a little spooked.
She sounds terrifying, no, she sounds demonic and Obito is not sure he wants to go near her with a fifty-foot long pole, let alone enter in an arena where they will have to fight until one of them yields, is knocked out or dies.
(Obito seriously hopes it won't come down to the latter option, really, really hopes.)
He is freaking out inside, but he is Obito Uchiha, future Hokage of Konoha, and there's no way that he will be defeated before even entering the ring. If nothing else, Obito is too persistent to give up just yet.
But he is not stubborn enough that he doesn't recognize when he needs help, needs training and so he goes find his teacher and is not disappointed when Minato-sensei welcomes both him and Rin, who also managed to get to the finals, to join in his and Kakashi's additional training in the mornings and evenings.
(And if the bastard looks more than a little disgruntled or outright pissed at that invasion in what he sees as his and Minato-sensei's private time, then that's just a bonus)
Obito trains and fails and trains again, until he has pushed his body too hard, too fast, and it hurts to move one more step. And then Rin is there by his side, caring for him in a way no one else ever did, calling him an idiot because she is Rin Nohara, who has no patience for stupidity and then telling him that she will always be there for him, always watching him, because she is Rin, his teammate, his crush, but above all his dearest friend, and he loves her all the more for it.
"It's not good to hide your wounds, you know. I'm looking after you."
(And suddenly, Obito isn't so afraid anymore)
.
.
.
It is late, very late, with the stars as the only source of light in the sky, but for a well-trained shinobi it is enough. The sounds of flesh hitting wood are loud in the silence of the night, but the late hour and the cover of darkness ensures that no one finds her. Not immediately, at least.
Hatake Kakashi vs Izumi Kurai
It is too late, or maybe too early, and she should be sleeping, resting and regaining her strength for tomorrow's training, and she doesn't know if it is excitement or nervousness, maybe it's a mixture of both, but Kurai doesn't care because she's going to get what she wished for.
She was going to fight the White Fang's son. The Yellow Flash's apprentice.
And she can't lose, won't allow herself to lose, because this is her chance. Her chance to prove herself, to prove to her Mizukage, to her Father that she was worth it. She was worth all the days, months, years he used to train her, teach her how to be a true shinobi, the most useful tool Yagura could ever hope for.
She can't lose, because if she did then it wouldn't be the match she failed.
(And she will never, ever, fail her Father, never-)
Her arms are tired and shaking, barely responding to her commands anymore, and her hands are but bloody lumps of meat held together by red-stained bandages that have stopped hurting some time ago. In fact, she could barely feel them now.
(And she knows this is too much, that she should stop, had to stop, but she can't because every second is crucial, every second can count against her opponent, and she can't lose-)
She stops, eventually, but not from her own volition.
Yagura cuts an impressive figure even when he's barefoot, wearing nothing but his grey pajamas and a white shirt almost too big for him, making him look even younger than he already does. The punch comes as no surprise but still manages to send her sprawling to the grass, too tired and worn out to even attempt to dodge. Not that she would anyway, because if her Father was hitting then she more than likely deserved it.
She knows she deserves this, knows that she should have listened to the voice that had been screaming at her to stop for half an hour now, but she just couldn't because
She is afraid.
(Because what if she loses? What if Kakashi is too strong and defeats her? What then? How would she ever be able to look at her Father in the eyes after giving him such a disappointment…)
They are maybes, what-ifs, things that Kurai has wondered before and never cared much about, but now, sprawled on the ground and tasting dirt, she does. Because now those maybes and what-ifs have the potential to happen and destroy her whole life as they go about it. And Kurai has worked too hard, given up too much, to just lose it all now.
She won't lose. Even if it kills her, she won't lose her match against Kakashi.
Even if she has to kill him.
.
.
.
"Again."
And again, Kakashi jumps at his teacher, giving his all and more, managing to graze the man's cheekbone with his knuckles before he was sent sprawling backyards by a strong kick to the ribs.
Heaving by the force behind the unseen blow, Kakashi blinks at the tanned hand being offered up at him. Huffing, because he most certainly didn't need any help getting up, even if it was from his sensei, the young Hatake stood up on his own, glaring at his teacher all the while.
The blond man chuckled, more than used to his apprentice's mannerisms, and only walked away to check on Kakashi's other teammates.
Rin had passed out some time ago, a mixture of chakra exhaustion and being hit on the head one too many times, making her feel too dizzy to do anything more than lie down under the shade of a tree, her back against the bark, until she had fallen asleep there. Obito, surprisingly, wasn't unconscious yet. He had been practicing some new earth jutsus Minato had taught him earlier this morning and the Uchiha seemed hell bent on mastering at least one of them before the day was over. Minato-sensei was optimistic.
Kakashi couldn't say he shared his teacher's belief.
It didn't matter in the end. There was only one thing important right now, and that was the match he was going to take part in.
The match against Izumi Kurai.
They still had three days before the Chunnin Exams started up again, and Kakashi wondered if the kunoichi was training as hard as he had been the last few weeks, preparing herself to fight against him with the same single-minded purpose Kakashi had demonstrated this last month.
(He wondered if his name haunted her thoughts as much as hers haunted his. He wondered if she felt the same resolve he did, the same determination [almost desperate, really] to beat the other one, to see who was the stronger shinobi between the two. And he wondered if she was looking forward to it like he was.)
Kakashi hoped she was. He really did.
Because then he would show her just why people should fear the White Fang's son.
(And isn't that funny, how before meeting her and hearing her compliment his dead father, he would have thought about why people should fear the Yellow Flash's apprentice?)
(It's so funny that it wasn't laughable at all.)
.
.
.
A month flies by and it's already past noon when Uchiha Obito and his opponent are finally called down to the arena.
Seating on his chair among the huge gathering, little Shisui almost lets out an overjoyed shout for that alone. At his right side, his father, Kagami Uchiha, snorts at his son's enthusiasm, but the boy doesn't care because it feels like he has been waiting for his cousin's match for ages now and he was never a patient person to begin with, not like Kira-chan, who is calmly sitting at his other side and watching attentively as two figures walk inside the pitch.
"Ne, Kira-chan," Shisui calls out to his friend. "Do you know one of them?"
Kira Hyuuga glances at him for a second, bright electric-blue eyes (so different from her clan's traditionally pale and pupiless orbs) appraising him before nodding.
"Obito-san is Minato-sama's student."
By the girl's other side, Minato Namikaze, Konoha's Yellow Flash and Iwa's bane, gives a gloomy sigh.
"Obito-kun is right about you, Kira-chan. You're too formal. Why won't you call me Minato-nii?" the blond jounin despairs, dramatically clutching at his heart. "Or even Uncle Minato. At this point I'm not picky anymore. Just drop the '-sama', please!"
There's a moment of silence, in which Shisui's friend seems to be considering Minato's pained request. The man allows himself to look hopeful.
"No."
If nothing else, Shisui can laugh, because Minato's comic face at Kira's answer was simply too funny. The only way this could get better was if his mommy and little Itachi-chan were here.
(And a girl with Uchiha raven hair and too-bright-to-be-Uchiha eyes, but Shisui won't think about that now, not when the wound in his heart still aches and he has no idea why)
"Second match, Terumi Mei of Kiri, against Uchiha Obito of Konoha. Begin!"
And the it begins.
.
.
.
Obito gulps as he rolls out of the way of another one of Terumi Mei's water jutsus. Not even five minutes in their fight and the girl already had him in the defensive, scrambling around to try and dodge her barrage of attacks.
"Water Release: Gunshot!"
Normally, such an attack in high speed would be enough to kill someone, but Mei's still young, still learning, and besides, her opponent was also her ally in this war. What kind of ally would she be if she aimed to kill him?
Obito curses as he tries to evade the sudden water ball coming at him in high speeds only to be caught and thrown against the wall. Spluttering, wet down to his bones and with his body aching, the boy leans on the wall while trying to steady himself. He's out of breath and has no idea how the hell he is supposed to win this match.
While he tries to come up with a plan, his opponent speaks up.
"I thought this would have been more of a challenge," her voice reaches him, her tone musing. "Being that you're an Uchiha and all… But it appears that I was wrong, huh? You really don't stand a chance."
Her voice isn't mocking, and maybe that makes it worse. Because now it sounds like she's just making a statement, pointing out an irrefutable and undeniable fact of life.
Obito Uchiha doesn't stand a chance of winning this fight. Or any other, for that matter.
(And maybe that's true, but hell if he won't try anyway)
"Shut up," he snarls, like a wet and angry cat, and can't be bothered to care.
Mei only lifts an eyebrow. "What?"
"I said," he abandons the wall, standing up tall, with his head held high and on his own two feet. "Shut up. I know that I'm not a prodigy like my cousin. I know I'm not a genius like Kakashi. But I'm still Obito Uchiha from Konoha! You don't know anything about me, so don't talk like you do! I will win this match and become a chunnin! Just watch me!"
The look she gives him is mildly contemptuous. "Sorry buddy. But I'm afraid I know a failure when I see one."
Failure. Looser. Idiot. Dead last. Waste of space.
Not worthy of the surname Uchiha.
These words always shadowed Obito's footsteps, since he was a child and couldn't perform the clan's fire techniques even after every other kid his age and younger had managed to do it already. They followed him among his clan, in the Academy, on the streets, even from his own male teammate, who never failed to insult him at least once a week.
Obito is tired of listening to these words. So goddamned tired. And he will be damned if he has to listen them from a girl that lives on the other side of the world.
(Because even after everything he has accomplished, it won't ever be enough, will it? It will never be enough and that aches, because there's no one in this village that has trained harder than Obito, no one who has wished for acknowledgement more than Obito. Is it too much to ask for, a pat on the head and a 'well done'?
Is it really?)
"I don't care about what you think. I will become Hokage someday! Don't you dare underestimate me!"
As if a switch had been flipped, Mei looks at him with a face devoid of emotion.
"Hokage? You?" she says, voice so low that Obito almost misses the words. "Do you even understand what it means to be a Kage? To be a leader?" she takes one step forward, menacing enough to almost convince Obito to take one back. "Do you really think that you're ready for that? To shoulder all the sorrows and burdens of an entire village? To sacrifice not only yourself, but your precious people in order to make sure that the rest is kept safe?"
Her words cut deep, especially since they hit so close to home. Because truth is, Obito doesn't know if he will be able to sacrifice his loved ones. The mere thought of his aunts and uncle, of Shisui and Kira-chan, Minato and Kushina, Rin, even that bastard Kakashi, dying… It's enough to make the blood run cold in his veins. He loves them, loves each and every one of them so much, that losing even one will probably feel like his heart being crushed to nothingness.
But he's still young, still has years, decades, his entire life to be ready for it, if he wants to. He has time to grow into it.
(Only, he doesn't, but that is neither here nor there.)
"You're not a Hokage. You're only a child playing at being one."
And maybe that's true. Maybe Obito's dream really is too big for him; maybe he will never become Hokage.
But that doesn't mean that he won't try his hardest because, despite everything, he loves his home enough times over to want to do almost anything to keep it safe. And he had made a promise to Rin, that he would become the coolest Hokage ever and save the world for her.
(And isn't that enough? Isn't it? It has to be)
Eyes burning with something that for once are not tears, Obito's hands flash through seals.
"Fire Release: Grand Fireball!"
The ball of fire that comes out from his mouth is the greatest one he has ever made before, augmented by an entire month of training and the anger burning a hot path through his veins. Even Obito is affected by the sheer heat and power of his jutsu, and almost dispel it in the not-completely irrational fear that he will be burnt as well.
He manages to sustain the technique for a good few seconds more, more than he ever managed before, and that thought alone (that he did it, that this is progress, that he's really growing stronger) is enough to make him want to jump and shout with joy.
But the fight is not over yet, and Mei emerges from behind the smoke left behind by his fireball, disbelief painting her features and the unpleasant smell of burnt hair clinging to her form.
She delicately raises a singed strand of her red hair in front of her face and the disbelief is replaced by fury. It almost makes Obito regret the fireball.
Almost, but not quite.
He runs ahead, taking the girl's distraction as his opportunity, and unleashes a barrage of punches and kicks using all the brutality of the Uchiha taijutsu style he can.
It works, miraculously, and now Mei is the one in the defensive, managing only to raise her arms in order to block his blows. He manages to drive her back several inches before, in an impressive show of flexibility, she slips under his punch and jabs him in the stomach, then quickly puts as much distance between them as she can, her hands already rushing through hand seals.
Wheezing, Obito regains control of his breath just in time to slam his hand on the ground and yell "Earth Release: Earth Dome!"
He will never again complain about Minato-sensei attempting to teach him earth jutsus. Never.
As the earth dome around him crumbled to the ground after he cancelled the technique, Obito and Mei stare at each other across the battlefield.
"Eh. It seems that you do have some skills…" the redhead acknowledged. "But they won't be enough to save you. I will show you now just why I was one of the people to graduate from the Academy with top marks."
And suddenly, the tables are turned again.
(And again and again, until both of them win)
.
.
Obito loses. But he's still grinning later when Rin-chan is checking his body for wounds in the medic bay, because he will never forget the dumfounded looks people (and Kakashi) sent him after he almost manages to bury Mei under the ground and burn her to a crisp, or the proud look in Minato-sensei and Rin's faces when he almost succeeded in doing that.
(And he will never, ever, forget the words Mei mouthed at him while the proctor announced her winner of their match or the small, almost unnoticeable smile playing in her lips as she did so. From one future Kage to another…
Well done, Uchiha)
.
.
.
Kisame knew before he even reached the arena that his match with Mangetsu would be a purely sword fight.
That wasn't actually advisable, because these were the Chunnin Exams and they were supposed to drag the match out as long as possible, showing off every bit of their skills, not only in kenjutsu, but tai, nin and genjutsu too, that way hoping to attract more clients who will request missions from their village.
But Kisame suspects that Mangetsu cares even less about that than he does, so kenjutsu it is.
Both of them lunges at each other, swords already draw, the second the proctor finishes speaking, and the man has to jump out of the way before being pierced by the two blades.
Mangetsu was fast, always had been, but not as fast as Kurai was and Kisame had been sparring with her for the good part of a decade now. So it wasn't a challenge to parry his attack and make a move of his own, though he was a bit surprised when the Hozuki managed to block it.
Huh. Maybe there was some truth about all that genius after all. No matter, it wouldn't be enough.
He was going to wipe that smug smirk from Mangetsu's face.
So Kisame moved, his strength that others have called monstrous adding force behind his strikes, and Mangetsu parried then all, the ones he didn't leaving only cuts on his arms, nothing detrimental in their fight.
Not damaging enough to stop the boy from making a thin red line run across Kisame's cheek.
And then Kisame smiled, tasting the blood from the cut when it slowly slid down to his mouth and watched with satisfaction as Mangetsu's eyes flickered with the slight wisps of fear, though his face remained blank.
There was a reason people called him the Monster of the Bloody Mist. And Hozuki Mangetsu was about to discover that fact.
.
.
Kurai watched from where she was waiting with the other participants of the exam as Kisame and Mangetsu danced with each other. And there really was no other word for it.
Every time she saw Kisame practice with his sword, she likened his fluidness to that of a dancer's. She had never thought her friend could ever perform such delicate movements, such precise footwork, and with such grace.
Since she met him for the first time in the river's bank, Kurai knew that with some help along the way, Kisame could be brilliant. Now the girl knew she had been wrong. Kisame wasn't brilliant.
He was glorious.
And Kurai felt so ridiculously proud of that fact, so smug as she watched Kisame attack his opponent relentlessly, like he was a force of nature, like a great tsunami.
I did that. I helped him become that.
The warm feeling in her chest intensified when a flash of pink caught her eyes. There, carefully and lovingly woven around the handle of Kisame's sword. There, like a mark, a claim of who belonged to him and to whom he belonged to.
There, the sakura wristband she had given to him so much time ago on his birthday.
The necklace hidden under her clothes seemed to burn a way through her skin and her hand snaked under the shirt's collar to grip the tooth resting against her heart. Kurai gripped it so hard that a sharp hiss of pain escaped her mouth as the shark tooth cut her palm open with its still sharp edges. Shouldn't they have dulled by now, after so many years?
No, Kurai concluded, watching her lifeblood pooling in her hand with an almost wondering look. She wanted them to never lose their sharp edge.
He was like a great white that had just smelled blood in the water.
Can you feel this, Kisame? My blood… can you taste it in your mouth? Would you like to?
I think you would. I think you would like it very, very much.
And she looked at that shark, that great, dangerous, savage and untamable creature stalking his prey and thought,
Mine.
.
.
After Kisame went all out, it didn't took look for Mangetsu to suddenly find himself weaponless, his sword now in Kisame's other hand, both blades pointed at his neck, barely a hairsbreadth away from drawing blood.
"I yield,"
"Victory goes to Hoshigaki Kisame of Kiri."
Cheers rose from the crowd around them but neither boy paid it any attention; they were too busy staring at each other.
I won, Kisame's eyes seemed to say, a little disbelieving even though he had known he would win all along.
You did, Mangetsu's purple eyes replied back at him, with no anger, no mockery or scorn.
Slowly, Kisame lowered the swords, offering the handle of Mangetsu's back to him. The young Hozuki took it gingerly and…
And against all odds, Mangetsu smiles at him and gives a bow. Its small, but it's a bow, a sign of acknowledgement, of respect, and it makes Kisame breathless in a way the young Hozuki's strikes weren't able to.
That's… good. That's amazing, actually.
(Because he remembers being an orphan, being a street rat, a no one with nothing to call his own. Because that bow signifies everything he has ever fought for since he met his future in a river outside Kirigakure, shining in the eyes of a little girl, so bright that it almost blinded him. Because it's all that he has ever wished for and now that's its finally being presented to him, gift-wrapped and with a red bow tied on top of it, Kisame doesn't know what to do)
So he does what he has always done best. He grins and laughs and leaves the arena with Mangetsu walking by his side like they are the best of friends, and that's good, that's okay, because for once Kisame can act like those Leaf-nins around him and simply enjoy being in the company of his comrade and rival, without worries that he will be attacked or betrayed.
(Only this time though. Because even now both of them are still products of their village and they will never be able to completely trust each other)
But then he's standing in front of a girl with curly raven hair and pink pupiless eyes and he doesn't think, just acts. His arms wound themselves around her waist and he picks her up, spins her around, and he's laughing despite his wounds while she shrieks and smiles and demands to be put down right this second Kisame!
He puts her down, leaning to whisper in her ear just how much excitement he is feeling at the chance of fighting her for real so she better not lose her match and she only gives him a long, long look before kicking him half-heartedly in the shins and telling him not to worry because she would kick his ass when their match rolled around.
And that's wonderful.
That's perfect, in fact.
(As he watches her leave with the Hatake boy following in tow, his hands touch the wristband he had laced around his sword's handle. It's warm, like his Sukoshi's body pressed up against his as he twirls her around.
And that's more than perfect too)
.
.
.
"Hatake Kakashi and Izumi Kurai, please walk down to the arena to begin your match."
As Kurai calmly glided down the stairs, she observed the young boy walking next to her, noting his relaxed posture and the way that his grey eyes never once left her form, a hundred and one half-crafted plans being created and tossed aside as he tried to find the best and quickest way to win their fight.
Since the Forest of Death, she knew that the Hatake heir was gifted, but even then he had been holding back, mindful of exposing all of his skill in front of her. Ally or not, they were still from different villages. In addition of being talented, he was smart enough not to trust her, despite being his temporary teammate during the second part of the exams. That was enough to warrant Kurai's respect.
But, of course, she too had been holding back in the forest.
It seems now, though, that both of them would be going all out. A shiver of excitement rushed through her body at the thought.
She flexed her hands, already itching to take hold of her dagger before even entering the ring. One of them had been hastily bandaged before they walked away from the group.
Kakashi caught her movement, taking note of the bandages, before returning to stare at her. "What are you looking at?" she asked, disregarding the fact that she had been doing the same to him less than a minute ago.
Had the mask not been blocking the sight, she was sure she would have seen a smirk grace his face. "It's just that you're already hurt before we even entered the arena. Are you sure you're ready to take me, Izumi-san?"
She narrowed her eyes, pink orbs glaring at him with such intensity that she was somewhat surprised he hadn't spontaneously combusted on the spot.
"What, this little thing?" she asked lightly. "It won't make a difference in our fight, I can assure you, Kakashi-san. In fact, I suspect that this wound will be the only one I will be suffering from when we leave the arena."
She was baiting him, teasing him like she did Obito back in the Forest of Death, and it worked in Kakashi as well as with his teammate.
"You really think so?"
She nodded slightly, her eyes never leaving him as she let out a trickle of killing intent, just like her father had taught her. If they are afraid of you, you have already won half the battle
Kakashi's shoulders stiffened minutely the instant he sensed the killing intent, his body already prepared to spring down the steps at any time. And then he relaxed suddenly, giving her a sideways glance. She stared at him, confused with his sudden change in demeanor.
At her questioning look, Kakashi said "The first time the teams were announced during the beginning of the second test, sensei told me you're the Mizukage's daughter. That you were strong and I needed not to worry with having you as my teammate. Later, before the matches were drawn, he said you were going to win against your opponent."
"I was going to win?" Kurai questioned, noting the past sentence.
The boy's hand went behind his shoulder, briefly caressing the blade strapped to his back just as they stepped foot inside the arena. The short sword gleamed under the bright sun shining over them. Kurai watched him twirl the weapon in his hands expertly, making a show of swordsmanship for the audience's benefice.
They were here to entertain too, after all.
"That was before it was announced I was going to be your opponent. I have never lost a fight in my life, and I'm not about to start now. You're going to lose, Izumi-san."
A thrill of anticipation went through her body when the boy's arrogant words registered in her mind. She finally reached for the dagger attached to her waist, continuing to walk to the other side of the arena, before turning to face him once again.
She was so going to enjoy beating him down and crush that brittle pride of his under her foot.
"No, Hatake-san. You are"
Just then the proctor came between them and spoke loud enough to be heard by all.
"The fourth match, Hatake Kakashi of Konoha against Izumi Kurai of Kiri, begins now!"
There was a moment of absolute stillness shared between the two children, a second of mutual respect and understanding, where they each recognized in the other the strength and sheer force of will that helped them get this far and would help them go even farther in life.
They shared that instant full of promises to themselves and to others, the expectations of their loved ones weighting down on them as pink eyes stared into grey and vice versa.
Then they were charging at each other, their blades clashing under the afternoon's midday sun and the deafening roar of the crowd.
.
.
.
AN: … Am I cruel for ending here? I don't think I am… Oh well, whatever.
Who do you think is going to win?
And alas, no sneak peak this time because a) there isn't a single word written for next chapter yet, b) I don't want to spoil any surprises and c) … I just don't feel like it.
Sorry.
Reviews?
Also, just to make it clear, this story has already entered AU territory. For one, there was never an alliance between Konoha and Kiri during the Third Shinobi War. I justify that by the fact Yagura ascended as Mizukage earlier, when in cannon I think he only became one after the end of the war. Of course, I can be wrong, but this is fiction, so *shrugs*. I'm telling you guys this because things are going to progressively diverge from cannon from now on.