Part Twenty-Eight: Traits of Self

"Since there was a drop-out," Shikamru said, "There will be an hour break before the next match, between Takura Tara and Yassa of the Sand Village, starts."

The crowd didn't seem to mind this, as it was nearing noon, and people needed to eat. Food stands had been opened, and some people left while others stayed sitting.

Neji stood up.

"Where're you going?" asked Naruto.

"I need to talk to Yassa before her next match," he replied. "I'll be back before they start."

The woman at the end of the bench narrowed her eyes, yet she didn't move.

The ANBU op sighed and followed Neji. Gaara had already left to find Tara. She had no doubt in her mind that the next match was going to be explosive.

Tara and Yassa were standing at complete opposites of the competitor's box, their eyes narrowed at one another.

Neji approached Yassa and asked calmly, "Are you alright?"

She looked at him and nodded. "Yeah. That fight with the Yakara twin didn't take too much out of me."

"How did the Byakugan work?"

"Well," she replied with a smile. "I know your uncle's going to be quite upset now that I have it…"

"He doesn't have to know how you got it."

She nodded, but still looked uncertain.

"You'll be fine," said Neji. "She won't kill you, I don't think."

"I died a long time ago in her eyes," Yassa replied. "I wouldn't be surprised if she did kill me, if not only to rid the world of my body."

Neji placed his hand on her arm. "Don't die."

"I told you, I have no intention of losing my life to her," replied Yassa with a smirk. "And besides, I must avenge Miss Hyuuga."

Neji smiled sadly. "Don't let revenge drive you."

"Then I'll do it for the sake of our friendship."

"Do this for you," he said, "not for me."

"We've been through this," she replied.

"And I'm going to tell you again," he said, "don't let revenge drive you. I've seen terrible things come from it."

She nodded. "Then I will fight and win for other reasons."

"Good."

Gaara crossed his arms and stood beside Tara. "You're going to kill her, aren't you?"

"Unless you kill me first," she replied coldly.

"I don't know how you two are going to fight. You're both defensive, not offensive," he said.

She lifted her arm and said, "You forget what I'm capable of."

"You didn't…"

She just glanced at him.

He sighed. "Just don't kill her."

"Why not?"

"You already have her trait."

"I don't have her jutsu's," she replied. "Not all of them."

"Why would you kill her? She's your sister."

"I told you," she replied. "My sisters died a long time ago."

He nodded. "Of course."

Arcin leaned against the railing, looking out into the arena. She was listening to the others talking with the people who cared about them. She felt sad suddenly, realizing that since she and the others had come, and she had only spoken to Shikamaru a few times and played Shogi with him once.

She wanted to play again once these stupid matches were over.

Maybe she should just forfeit.

She blinked, realizing at Shikamaru was waving up at her from his spot with the other Chuunin and Jounin.

She smiled.

Well, at least she had found a friend. She waved back.

He gave her a thumbs-up, and she returned it.

She couldn't quit now.

Not unless the next match was something that she couldn't compete against.

"I suppose it's for the best," she murmured. It wasn't like her to give up anyways. She always fought to the very end, no matter what. So, she guessed that's what she'd have to do. Fight to the very end. At least, she would if the next match didn't suit her taste.

She looked over at Yassa. Hyuuga Neji was talking to her, obviously trying to calm her down and get her ready to fight Tara.

Tara looked completely calm, and Gaara was standing by her. There was an air around them that told Arcin that they weren't friends. More or less, Gaara was just someone who had once experienced the same blood-lust as she did now.

Maybe he was trying to save her.

After all, that's what Kage's did, right?

Arcin tried not to smile. That would be nice. Tara needed to be saved from the hell she was going through.

From the hell all three of them had gone through since that night.

She shivered.

That was one night she never wanted to relive.

She was glad that their older sister was gone, and she hoped that she was dead. Arcin never wanted to see her again after the hell she had put the three of them through.

If she is still alive, I'll kill her, Arcin decided. But there's no chance of her still being around. It's been ten years since then, and I honestly doubt that she's still alive, and if she is…she'd better pray that she doesn't find me, or that I don't find her.

The ANBU left the bottom of the stairs. There was nothing here for her to hear. At least, nothing that she didn't already know. She was headed back to her seat when her path was obstructed by a figure.

She sighed and adjusted her hands under her cape. "I'm an ANBU op; you might want to get out of my way."

"Really?" asked the figure. She lifted her head. "Somehow I don't think I will."

"You," whispered the ANBU. "Listen, Orochimaru doesn't want you anymore. He doesn't care about you."

"So he's going to go after them?"

"There's a reason they're still alive—what is it, if not to serve under him?"

"They're alive because they have survived this far."

"Why didn't you kill them, too?"

"I didn't kill anyone."

"You instigated the villager's wrath towards your parents," replied the ANBU. "Yet the triplets survived. How?"

"They're strong, like their sister."

"Their sister—"

The girl at the other end of the hallway lifted her arms, kunai cutting her skin and blood dripping from her body.

"Blood Clones," whispered the ANBU, backing away. "Are you going to kill me?"

"I kill anyone who serves that snake."

"Then you will have to kill Tara, because in time, she will come to love Orochimaru more than I or even the Uchiha."

"You are pigs."

"Speak for yourself."

The blood clones had fully formed and they stood on either side of the girl. "My clones will kill you."

"I expected to die," she replied. "Just not by your hand, princess."

The other girl narrowed her eyes.

"I know you haven't heard that name in a long time, have you?"

"I am no princess."

"That's why they died, isn't it? You couldn't stand the fact that you would never gain the throne as long as they lived. You were jealous, weren't you? Or was there something else? ...Maybe it was someone else?"

The clones dropped to the floor, and quite suddenly burst up before the ANBU. She was grabbed by them, her body bound by their arms and legs.

The girl approached the other and carefully lifted the mask from her face. "I should have known it was you. I suppose it was the only way you could live, after what I did to you."

The girl narrowed her Sharingan.

"How you can let that monster take your nephew like that, I will never understand. But, unlike you, I still have strong ties to my family, Uchiha Kosuke."

"You're in denial," replied Kosuke with a grin. "You have no ties. In fact, I'd say you came to kill them off yourself, didn't you? Now here's something you don't know—your little Tara? She's already learned the secret to the Blood Clones. She made one just the other night—on accident, mind you! She's almost a full year younger than you were when you figured out how to make them, isn't she?"

"Talking won't save you," replied the girl calmly.

"Sasuke will avenge our family!" said Kosuke. "You say I don't love him—you say I don't care for him! He will avenge the death of my brother and his family! He will kill that monster Itachi, and I will be able to rest well in my grave! Now what of you?! Who will avenge the pain you have placed on their hearts?!"

The girl lifted her hand, bent it back, and a kunai shot from her wrist and into the woman's forehead.

The Blood Clones dropped her dead body and they dove into the wound, collecting the blood of the dead woman before retuning to the other's body.

She left.