Hey everyone! xXAkatsuki Black RoseXx here with the next chapter of Dance Of An Eternal Lotus. I'm getting pretty good up updating, ne? Anyway this chapter is the beginning of Eimi and Azami's fight and things end up being revealed so be prepared! Now time for the lovely tradition of thank-yous!:

Reviewers: Mekon-chan, Fk306 animelover, electrogirl88, DarkPoet89, Erin, Peace-Dog

Alerters: GrimmyGrimm666,Sinewyk

Favoriters: DarkPoet89, Peace-Dog, GrimmyGrimm666

Dang, that's a lot! Thank-you everybody! Now, I am proud to present the twenty-fifth chapter of Dance Of An Eternal Lotus!

Chapter 25

Gray eyes looked at the monitor with a serious look, it seemed like it wanted all the Kumogakure shinobi to eliminate the other but he knew it was just the luck of the draw. Besides, Konoha had several of their shinobi go against someone from their own village. Letting out a sigh, Akio looked to the ring and to Azami, the female hadn't moved from her spot on the steps but she had turned her head slightly away from his direction. She was looking up at the other balcony.

"A match made in Heaven, huh Akio-sensei."

"I guess so," the jounin murmured as he looked to Kado, ha had his eyes trained on his teammate as well. The male had always been good at masking his feelings behind those blue eyes but now to Akio, the genin seemed like an open book. Just the intensity of his stare told the older male what thoughts were wandering through his mind.

How would Azami do?

As a loud cough erupted through the arena, Akio was brought out of his thoughts and looked to Hayate. The proctor looked to Azami for a moment and then to Eimi. "Both fighters could come to the center," he said. The male raised an eyebrow, "unless one of you wishes to forfeit right now."

Green eyes glanced up for a moment and as Eimi smirked at Azami, the teen looked forward. She knew what the other was saying, "in your dreams," she thought as she stepped off the stairs and made her way to the middle of the ring. Her heart was pounding heavily against her chest and her nails were digging into her palms but the kunoichi's mind had felt as calm as ever. Yet as she walked, Azami couldn't help but think about the last battle between the Hyuugas.

"That is fine because I will no longer run!"

"I-I can't go back on my word…That is also…my nindo."

Hinata's words just kept repeating again and again her head, there was something about them that just stuck to Azami and she was sure they wouldn't leave anytime soon. "Her strength, even though she was facing a hard opponent she still managed to find it," the genin thought before lifting a hand and running it through her hair, this was so frustrating. Yet Azami knew she'd have to think about it later as the sound of ninja sandals hitting the ground made her turn her head to her opponent. Eimi was standing a few yards away from her with a serious look on her face.

"I told you Yamahara, if we faced each other I would pound you into the ground," Eimi said, her tone cold. Soon the female's eyes narrowed, "I won't go back on that, I promise you."

Azami stared at her opponent almost seeming to allow her words to sink into her mind. Yet soon the female moved her body and set herself up in her normal fighting position. "Actions speak louder than words Eimi," she said, her voice taking on the stiff even tone that the other kunoichi had. "We'll see what will happen."

"Aza-chan," Lee thought as he watched from the balcony, the tension in the air starting to rise. The animousity seemed to come off Eimi in waves, all being directed to Azami though what was the reason? The silver-haired girl didn't seem like someone to do wrong to another, even if they had put her own well-being in danger. Though these ponderings weighed on the taijutsu user's mind he was quickly brought out of them as a voice echoed through the arena.

"This match will be between Yamahara Azami and Kuromaki Eimi. Be-"

Hayate didn't get to finish his last words as Eimi rushed forward and Azami did the same. Meeting in the middle both girls collided with a barrage of punches being thrown and kicks. For a little bit it seemed like the two were just testing each other out but as Eimi struck Azami in the cheek things changed. As Eimi went to strike at her again, Azami grabbed her by the wrist and with a yell she swung the girl over her and slammed her into the ground though just then the kunoichi had to brace herself as Eimi swung a leg under her. Tripping forward, Azami caught herself with her hands so her face wouldn't go slamming into the ground before she had to jump away to avoid getting three kunai in the back.

"Eimi is aiming for blood," Tanjiro muttered as he watched Azami pull out several shuriken and fling them at Eimi. The other managed to deflect most with a kunai she pulled out but one managed to graze her cheek. A trickle of blood slowly ran down her skin.

"Azami seems to be taking the same route," Akio said after. "An eye for an eye after all."

A battle cry came from Eimi as she rushed forward pushing a good amount of chakra into the sole of her feet. Jumping into the air she aimed to do a drop kick but Azami crossed her arms above her just in time. Though it didn't stop Eimi from using her arms like bars and swinging behind Azami she kicked the girl hard in the side sending her flying across the arena. "Hn, is that all you can do?" she said mockingly as she cracked her fingers. "I'm not even breaking a sweat Azami."

Coughing harshly, the silver-haired female shook her head out as she slowly rose to her feet. An immense burning sensation now occupied her side. "You shouldn't talk like that unless you're sure I'm going to stay down, Eimi," Azami said, her emerald eyes trained on her opponent. "Though that would be hard, wouldn't it? You were always the one to open your mouth first."

"You little-" Eimi growled out before rushing forward, throwing a punch she went to hit the female straight in the face but was blocked by Azami's hand curling around her own. Again she tried to use her other fist but that one was caught as well. "Don't talk like you're higher than me Azami!" Eimi snapped as the two stood holding the other back. "I don't care that the Raikage said your bloodline is one for the village, it doesn't make you special, you're nothing I tell you, nothing!"

"So that's what she's after," Kado muttered, a sigh came from his lips. "I knew Eimi wasn't just fighting like this for no reason."

Rock Lee held a confused look in his eyes as he heard the dark-haired male and turning his head he gazed at him. What was she after? What did the Raikage mean? As more questions started to swim through the male's mind, an idea to the answer seemed to come. It was after Lee had brought her home during that bad rain storm, he had never gotten an answer then.

Rock Lee nodded in understanding after hearing Azami's explanation. Leaning his elbows on his knees he kept his eyes on her. "May I ask what the announcement was?" he questioned.

A silence filled the room for a long time as Azami stared at the ground, the girl did not speak. After three long minutes, the kunoichi closed her eyes. "Not now," Azami politely said but a slight edge could be heard. "I'm sorry…I just-"

Lee shook his head, "Kado," he said getting the other male's attention. "What Eimi said about the Raikage, is she talking about the announcement?"

Dark blue eyes widened for a moment though soon returned to there normal calm look, if someone had to catch on Kado wasn't surprised it was Lee. Though the male seemed to be a little hyperactive, he was observant. "A part of it, yeah," he murmured.

"Stupid girl…"

Two pairs of eyes looked to the side and focused on Tanjiro, the male had a hard look in his eyes and was gripping the rail until his knuckles turned white. His body shook slightly with anger. "Tanjiro?" Lee called out uncertainly.

"She doesn't understand, no one does," he continued not bothering to look at the others. "What the Raikage and the council have planned for some, it doesn't make anyone special." Brown eyes narrowed, "it's a shackle that refuses to come off." Taking in a steady breath Tanjiro backed up, his grip on the rail loosened. "Even if it's supposed to be for the good of the village."

Dark eyes widened as Lee took a step towards Tanjiro. Azami had said that what the announcement entailed had changed the male's behavior. It had affected them both and it was easy to see that they were unhappy about it. Though there still many confusing things, slowly but surely the pieces were falling together.

"Earth style: Quaking Imprisonment!"

At that moment the whole building shook as cloak over cloak of rock surrounded Eimi and covered her until it formed into an orb meant to contain the girl. Azami took a gulp of breath as she slowly straightened up. Her body was covered with bruises and small cuts. Eimi was strong and she knew that, it had been that way since the Academy. It was the pure fury the female had that could throw and opponent off. "Though I can't let that get to me," Azami thought as she held her hands up prepared to make another set of handseals but stopped as a chakra signal started to rise. Slowly her eyes widened, it was coming from under the rock.

In that moment a loud yell was heard as a beam of fire went shooting through the rock making it crack and soon the whole structure blew apart. Azami was flung back with such a force she managed to hit the back of arena was a blunt force. Groaning the female looked forward to see a cyclone of fire spinning in the middle of the arena and her eyes narrowed as she saw a shadowy figure step from the flames. It was Eimi and the flames seemed to follow her before slowly diminishing until they hugged close to her body. Azami had never seen anything like it, "how?" she murmured out.

"Family's technique: Raging Flames," Eimi replied coolly with a smirk. "We use our chakra to produce elemental ninjutsu but it's my family's specialty to be able to keep that chakra in the air around us and be able to form our chosen element like that." A laugh came from the female, "you didn't think your little rock shield would hold me in did you?" she questioned with the tilt of the head. "I told you Azami, the Raikage made a mistake by saying your family would help carry on the village's future." Blue eyes narrowed, "and now I will prove that."

Holding a hand up the flames around Eimi seemed to come alive once more as bullets of ember flew at Azami at a rapid pace. Clenching her teeth the female ran forward weaving in and out of the bullets though she couldn't help but get burned here and there. Letting out a battle cry the female through a fist at to only have her wrist be caught though soon a yelp escaped Azami's lips and she quickly pulled away leaving herself wide up. Before she knew it she was kicked hard in the gut and flung back. Hissing, Azami turned her attention to her wrist, it had been burned.

"Azami!" Lee yelled as he leaned his stomach again the rail as the female slowly rose to her feet though as she did he could see red slowly dripping onto the ground. Blood was slowly making its way down the side of Azami's face making the girl closed her left eye slightly. The taijutsu user didn't doubt the kunoichi's skills but he was worried for her. The feeling that was starting to develop in his chest tightened as he watched more flames fly in Azami's direction making the female move her tired body. Again and again, she ran at Eimi but with those flames surrounding her, it didn't help.

"She seems in a bit of a bind, don't you think?" Tenten said as she looked to Lee, she didn't have a doubt in her mind that the same expression that was on the male's face was also on hers. "Why doesn't she use any water techniques?"

"Nothing in her arsenal would be strong enough to douse Eimi's flames," Kado said immediately. "The more chakra she pushes out, the strong the flames become." The male's hand tightened, "she could try and hold out until Eimi's chakra dwindles but with those burns, I don't think it will be easy. Her body has enough strain as it is."

A cruel laughter rang through the air as Eimi watched one of her flames catch onto the ends of Azami's long shirt causing her to twist and rip the piece off, she knew she wouldn't last long. The girl had speed but her stamina was something that needed to be worked on. "Give it up Aza-chan, I don't think your family would like you to come back with so many burn marks," she yelled.

"Oh shut it!" Azami snapped back as she pivoted to avoid getting burned along her side before lunging forward. Whipping out a kunai she surrounded it with her chakra before flinging it forward. She saw as Eimi used a flame to reflect it but as a yelp came from the female she smirked, there was a kunai hidden in the shadow of the first. Quickly the female lifted her hands and started to make handseals. She wanted Eimi to fall. Dashing forward ignoring the heat around her body, Azami ran her hand against the ground and using her chakra magnetized the disrupted earth until it surrounded her fist.

Blue eyes widened but as they did rage filled them, letting out a battle cry Eimi ran forward as well her flames starting to dance around her hand. "I'll show them, I'll show them all," she thought as she screamed. "I will show them that my blood is made to carry on the future of our village!"

Dark eyes widened, "future of the village," Lee thought, at that moment everything seemed to click into place. The hidden villages depended on their shinobi to protect and bring in the economy but they also depended on them for other things though it was never directly said. "Kado, the Raikage's announcement, it has to do with the next generation of shinobi," Rock Lee said. "What bloodlines would be passed on."

Kado whipped his head in the taijutsu user's direction, it wasn't a question, it was a statement. He had finally figured it out, "well I guess there would be no point of hiding it," he thought. "It's not like we can anymore." Taking a deep breath the male looked to the ring as Azami and Eimi connected punches to only jump back and try again. "In our village, no, in any village, their pride is in their shinobi and in the future generations," he began. "This is especially so in Kumogakure, we want to have the best shinobi there are, we thrive on that ideal." Dark blue eyes closed, "so to do this, the council decided to evaluate the families of our village separately to see which held promising aspects. After that…an announcement of those families were made."

"Yet wouldn't that be a good thing, the family would be recognized as one of the best?" Lee asked though as he saw the look in Kado's eyes he frowned. "They went further than that, didn't they?"

"Further is an understatement," a voice said and both males turned their heads, it was Tanjiro who had spoken. "At first those families thought that because they were chosen they would receive benefits from the village and to some extent that was true, but it was exchanged for something else." Brown eyes narrowed, "those families that were chosen were paired up with others based on their skills and what would fit well together, then a member of the family was chosen."

"And Tanjiro and Azami were some of the chosen," Kado add in.

Tanjiro looked away, "yes," he murmured. "The Raikage said 'it was our responsibility to continue a proud line of Kumogakure shinobi'…"

"To continue the proud line of Kumogakure shinobi," Lee repeated, his eyes narrowing as he thought of the words. Though moments later they started to grow wider and wider. He understood, he finally understood! The regret in Azami's face or the anger he saw in Tanjiro's if it was ever mentioned. "The ones who were chosen, they're suppose to marry someone from the family that they were paired up with…" Rock Lee murmured before looking to Tanjiro. "You won't get a choice, it's all arranged."

Knuckles soon became white, "yes," Tanjiro concluded.

At that moment the picture of a gentle smile and emerald eyes flashed through Rock Lee's mind. "So Azami…"

"Yes, her fate is the same as well."

BOOM

Dark eyes were quickly covered with an arm as an explosion occurred in the middle of the ring and debris went flying everywhere. Azami and Eimi collided punches again but this one was the strongest the two had ever done. Coughing slightly, Rock Lee tried to stare through the dust looking around wildly for some sign of movement. When he finally saw it his eyes narrowed trying to see who it was. His heart couldn't help but drop as he saw the person stand, dark hair clung to a sweating face. Again the male looked around to the other side of the arena and with the dust settling, things became clearer. Lee felt like his throat was being constricted as he saw a limp body laying on the ground. Clothes were tattered from the flames and blood slowly ran from wounds. The female's silver hair laid disheveled as she breathed heavily in pain. Rock Lee could only manage to yell one thing.

"AZAMI!"

Le gasp! What will Lee do with this new discovery? Has Azami lost or is there still a chance? Well, you'll have to read the next chapter to find out! Again comments and constructive criticism is greatly appreciated and welcomed so I'll be waiting to here from you. Till next time readers, this is xXAkatsuki Black RoseXx out!

xXAkatsuki Black Rose Xx