Mayuri is awake when the sun begins rising, the blended colors coming in through her window and painting her room. She hadn't been able to sleep the night before, too anxious about her match today. Honestly, not sleeping was probably the worst thing she could have done, she's going to be exhausted later on and Sasuke's been harder on her in both training sessions than usual the last week. So she really needed the rest, however she's been racking her brain on a strategy for defeating her opponent all night - despite not knowing a damn thing about him OR his style.

She leans her head against the cool glass and takes a deep breath, closing her eyes on the exhale. Today will be one of the hardest fought battles in her lifetime, but she will come out victorious. She opens her eyes slightly and looks down at the street as people begin emerging from their houses and heading towards the arena. Her arms tighten around her legs as she hugs them closer, her heartbeat fast and hard in her chest. She will have victory, whatever it takes.

"Mayuri?" Kakashi is surprised when he opens the door of his daughters bedroom to find her already awake. Judging by the dark circles around her eyes and the exhaustion clouding the color of her eyes, she hasn't slept all night. She looks...fragile...frail...and above all else: broken. He takes a step into her room, resting his hand on the doorknob. "Is everything alright?"

No, everything is not alright... Mayuri smiles at her father, not wanting to worry him. "Yeah everything's fine. Just excited for today you know? I should probably get dressed, You can go on ahead if you're meeting up with Sasuke or something. I'm supposed to meet up with Ari and Naruto at the arena anyway."

Kakashi hesitates for a moment, before nodding and leaving her alone. Mayuri stands up and crosses her room to get her outfit, and glances at her reflection as she does. She looks awful: her skin is paler than normal, her eyes lack their usual brightness and they look sunken into her head because of the dark circles from lack of sleep. She takes a step towards her reflection, resting her hands on either side of the mirror. Did she lose weight? When was the last time she ate a decent meal? A shaky hand comes over her mouth as she sinks to the floor in front of the mirror. How can she expect to win like this: a shadow of herself?

Tears spring into her eyes and roll down her cheeks as sobs rack her entire body. She has no chance of winning, none.

Not like this.

"Mayu? Mayu come on or we're gonna be late!" Arianna knocks on the door to her best friends home, Mayu having supposed to meet her and Naruto at the arena to get breakfast first, but when Mayuri didn't show up and Naruto's match was called, Arianna went looking for her missing friend. After another moment, Ari opens the door, Akiro pushing the door open and running in before her. "Mayuri Hatake where are you?"

After a moment of no answer, Arianna begins wandering the house to find her friend, but it stopped my Akiro's barking up the stairs. Ascending the stairs, Ari opens the door of Mayuri's room, where Akiro has been whining and scratching at the door. The sight that greets her has her heart slamming into her throat.

Mayuri is curled up on the floor in front of her mirror, body shaking as each heartbreaking sob rips through her. Arianna's hands fly to her mouth, she'd only just seen Mayuri the other night, was she this broken then? Ari surges forward, pulling her friend into her arms and holding her. "Mayuri what's wrong? What happened?"

"I can't win..." Mayuri cries into Ari's chest, clinging to her before looking up and meeting Ari's blue eyes. "I've pushed myself so hard Ari! I've been training every day with my dad to get better, I've been spending my nights after training getting my ass kicked up and down the training field by Sasuke for even the chance to get better. I can't remember the last time I slept more than a few hours, or the last time I ate! Look at me! I am nothing like my father!" Mayuri lowers her head. "All of that work... all of that sacrifice...for nothing!"

Ari's heart aches for her friend. She'd had no idea Mayuri was putting so much stress on herself, and for what? For her father's approval and acknowledgement? Arianna can't imagine what her friend is going through, not having the support of her entire clan behind her is something she can't even fathom. She takes a deep breath and forces Mayuri to look at her again. "Mayuri Hatake, what are you doing? I can see how much you've grown over the last month, everyone can! Now... Now shape up missy! You have a match to fight and if you don't get dressed we're going to miss it and you won't get to be a chunin."

Mayuri's watery yellow eyes bore into Ari's blue ones, but Ari refuses to back down. "The Mayuri I know would never give up like this, not after all the hard work you've put into it! Now stand up, get yourself cleaned up while I make you a sandwich or something, and get ready for your match. Naruto and I have been waiting to watch you become a chunin and you're missing Naruto's match right now! If you hurry we might still make it to see the end!"

Mayuri blinks at her friend before throwing herself at her in a hug. Mayuri pulls back and stands up, rubbing her eyes and smiling. "Thanks Ari, I needed that."

Ari smiles, immensely relieved to see her friend coming back into herself. "No problem. Now what do you want on your sandwich?"