Sasuke ended up going to the infirmary anyway. Akira suspected it was his overuse of the Chidori and the strain it put on his body, especially with Orochimaru's unmastered Curse Mark. It was Akira that found her brother, limp on the floor, nearly incapable of moving, after she'd returned from the Hokage's office, paperwork in hand. She didn't sleep much that night. Rather, she spent it writing up three pages of report which she'd copy down in her own manner on the pages of her log book after. When she wasn't writing, Akira was watching over Sasuke or reading, studying the Thunder Blade scroll like she was back in the academy. Aoi had been wrong. The sword was just a tool, albeit a powerful one, but it required a specialised hand to use it. Akira would have to work hard to master it. She silently thanked Tsunade as she stared at her hands. The Hokage was right; Inazuma was incredibly powerful, but it caused too much damage to herself when done a little bit wrong. With the Sword of the Thunder God, she could do so many things - so many better things - and without getting injured.
Morning had come faster than anticipated. Akira was just about to nod off when Sakura entered the room with a white rose in hand. Both teammates smiled at each other as Sakura placed the flower in a vase near the window sill. It seemed that the scuffling woke up Sasuke, whose eyes opened and looked around. Upon seeing his sister, he seemed to get angry. Akira couldn't seem to understand why.
"The doctors say you just over-strained yourself. Your injuries could have been much worse considering what we went through yesterday," Sakura said. "Naruto stopped by. He was relieved that it was just strain, too."
At the mention of Naruto's name, Sasuke seemed to get even angrier. His fists balled up and bunched up his blanket. Akira sighed. Now she knew. Naruto had the stamina of twelve people, and the fact he could keep going after all that angered Sasuke. Why could the knucklehead keep going, but not Sasuke Uchiha? And as for Akira? Well, anytime he felt his sister getting superior he became like this. It was dangerous too. The anger he felt right now would only tempt the Curse Mark on his neck. Akira glanced at it. Unlike hers, it still carried the ring seal around the mitsudomoe.
"So uh, you both must be hungry, right?" Sakura said, pulling Akira from her thoughts. "Is there anything you'd like to eat? I'll go get it for you guys."
"I will go with you. I know what he likes," Akira said upon standing.
"Are you sure? It looks like you didn't sleep all night!"
"I did not, but I can still function. This happens to me often."
"Oh, all right, then."
Sakura and Akira exited the hospital side by side. Sakura was talking animatedly about something and Akira simply listened, occasionally stringing a few words together. They stopped by one of the local restaurants and ordered food to go. Sakura paid for her anmitsu and Sasuke's onigri, while Akira ordered the same dango she had with Kakashi sensei a few weeks prior. On their way back, Sakura and Akira passed Yakiniku Q where Asuma-sensei, Shikamaru, Choji and Ino were eating their fill of barbecued pork.
"Is it not a bit late for celebrating Shikamaru's promotion?" Akira chuckled, sticking her head through the window.
"Hey, Akira," Shikamaru greeted.
"Well, well, Shikamaru didn't tell me you were promoted to Chūnin, Akira," Asuma-sensei said.
"He didn't tell us either!" Ino said, offended.
"It is of no importance. You know now," Akira said.
"What do you mean it's of no importance?" Sakura jumped in. "Akira just lead Kakashi-sensei's team in a mission while he was away! She was great!"
"Already your first mission down? Heh, I'm impressed," Asuma said in approval.
"I was just doing my job," Akira chuckled, her face flushed. "Nothing special, honestly. Anyway, we have to get going. See you later, Shikamaru?"
"Yeah, catch you later, kid."
Akira and Sakura made their way back to the hospital, food in hand. They weaved through the crowds of people until they were inside the infirmary. Suddenly, Naruto appeared out of nowhere and announced himself as loudly as he usually did. They were all in front of Sasuke's room.
"Akira thought it best to get you some onigri, Sasuke," Sakura said as they all entered the room. She set the food on the side table and began looking for something. "That's weird. I wonder where I put those chopsticks I had before..."
"They're right in front of you, Sakura," Naruto laughed. "You're so lame. Getting all scatterbrained just 'cause you're around Sasuke!"
"Hey, why do you have to say things like that! Jeez, Naruto, will you knock it off already?"
"Okay, okay, don't hit me!"
"Behave, children," Akira sighed, beginning to eat.
"There you go, Sasuke," Sakura said, holding out his food.
Out of nowhere, Sasuke slapped it out of Sakura's hands, sending it flying. Akira looked up and glared at her brother, while Naruto yelled at the food landing all over him. Sakura simply stared at him, wide-eyed and terrified.
"What is your problem, Sasuke?" Akira said in a dangerously low tone of voice.
Sasuke turned to look at her and Naruto, the most intimidating glare he could muster on his face.
"What's with that look?" Naruto asked. "You have to glare at me, like that!"
"You, Naruto... Akira..."
"Yeah, we're listening."
"I want you to fight me, fight me now!"
"This is outrageous. There will be no fighting!" Akira shouted, rising from her seat.
"Don't tell me what to do!" Sasuke shouted back.
"I will tell you whatever I want, Sasuke, I do not take orders from you. However, I happen to be your superior officer now, and I expect you to show a little respect!"
"Besides, we're in a hospital. You were just patched up by Grandma Tsunade," Naruto added.
"Shut up and fight!" The Sharingan woke up in Sasuke's eyes. "Do you really think you saved me!? I don't care if she's the Fifth Hokage, you shouldn't have involved her in this!"
"What?" Naruto growled.
Sasuke jumped out of bed, barefoot, red eyes staring into Naruto's blue ones.
"After all, you did say you wanted to get some fighting in," Sasuke said, recalling Naruto's words at the tea house a few days earlier. "Well, now it looks like you've got your chance. That is unless... you've chickened out?"
Akira went to stand in front of Naruto, blocking Sasuke's path. She looked at him, eyes cold and indifferent, though you could clearly see she was annoyed. She readjusted her flak jacket and crossed her arms over her chest.
"There will be no fighting, Sasuke," Akira stated calmly. "If you insist on fighting, I will have to stop you. Do you want me to stop you, Sasuke? Do you want to give me a chance at overpowering you again?"
"This is crazy!" Sakura said, panicked. "You guys, calm down!"
"Actually, this is perfect. I was just thinking about how much I wanted to kick your butt!" Naruto shouted, smirking.
All of a sudden, both ninja flashed out of the room. Akira took a deep, agonizing breath and growled. She took out a bit of parchment and wrote a few words on it, before summoning a small snake. Akira give the message to the snake and sent it off, before calmly making her way to the roof, where Sasuke and Naruto were mostly likely located. Sakura followed her, breaths rapid and shallow. She was nervous. And she had the right to be. If those two were to actually fight, one of them would die; neither the Rasengan nor the Chidori are forgiving jutsu. Akira blinked and awoke the Sharingan, then pulled out the Sword of the Thunder God from one of her flak jacket pouches.
"The Blade of the Thunder Spirit!" Sakura gasped. "I thought you were going to give it to Lady Tsunade."
"I did. She gave it back to me. Something about a medical recommendation."
Sakura looked at Akira's scarred hands and silently agreed with the Hokage. Her look of fear returned as they climbed the staircase that lead to the roof. Akira knew what she was thinking. Sasuke had the same look he had in the Forest of Death, the time the Curse Mark took over, and hatred ran through Sasuke's veins. Sakura had the right to be afraid. If Akira wasn't a Chūnin, and had the right to be afraid, she would be in the same state as Sakura.
Akira pushed open the door to the roof. Sasuke and Naruto were standing off, yelling at each other. Akira looked over at the city, silently hoping her message got here in time. If she was the one who interrupted this, Akira could be seriously injured.
"It looks like you picked a fight with me and now you're too scared to go through with it!" Naruto taunted. "Is that it?"
"Let's just do this!" Sasuke shouted.
"Put on your headband and we will. I'll wait."
"Not to worry. I don't need that thing."
"Just do it, come on!"
"There's no reason to put it on," Sasuke scoffed. "'Cause you won't be able to make a scratch on my forehead."
"That's not the point!" Naruto growled. "Come on! You know putting you headband on is a testament to fighting on equal terms as a Leaf shinobi."
Akira's eyes narrowed. Naruto was fighting for honour. If Sasuke didn't put on his headband, there was serious trouble.
"There you go, acting all high and mighty again!" Sasuke complained. "You don't honestly think that we're equals?"
Akira took a step forward, hand gripping the Thunder Blade tighter.
"Heck yeah, I do! All this time, and not once did I think I was inferior to you in any way!" Naruto shouted.
"You're a complete embarrassment!" Sasuke countered.
"Only because next to me, you're embarrassed at how weak you are! Isn't that right, Sasuke!?"
Both of them launched themselves at each other, but they caught each other's fists. Sasuke attempted to kick Naruto, but he caught his leg and swung him around. Sasuke put his hands to the ground and flipped, kicking Naruto in the face. Naruto came back at him without hesitation, trying to punch him again, but Sasuke grabbed his arm and tossed him aside. Sasuke sent a volley of punches at Naruto, but he blocked them all, except the last one, which sent him crashing to the ground. Then Naruto disappeared in a puff of smoke. It was only a Shadow Clone. Sasuke looked around for Naruto, but he came down at him from the top of the water tower and punched Sasuke straight in the jaw.
"Don't get cocky and let your guard down!" Sasuke shouted, bouncing back off a fence and returning the punch to Naruto.
Naruto landed on his feet, but couldn't dodge the other punch and kick from Sasuke. He was backed up against the fence, and Sasuke just kept punching him. As Akira was about to intervene, Naruto finally kicked Sasuke back.
"I've had just about enough of this!" he yelled.
Both Naruto and Sasuke faced each other, panting, starting to get tired out. Naruto spawned over fifty clones on the rooftop, and Akira got lost in them. Even the Sharingan couldn't tell the difference between Real Shadow Clones and the ninja. They all launched themselves at Sasuke, and Sasuke kicked or punched them all out of the way using the special martial arts of the Uchiha clan. He was quick on his feet, and it almost looked like a dance. Three clones managed to get through and kick Sasuke upwards, with a fourth one surprising him from above. However, Sasuke was already halfway through handsigns and flipped over, blowing fire all over the clones on the ground. Akira stepped in front of Sakura and used her water to create a shield, protecting them from the heat of Sasuke's jutsu. From the fire came a ball of air that had protected Naruto. Himself and another clone had managed to make the Rasengan, a jutsu that Sasuke hadn't seen yet. It caught him off guard, and so Sasuke prepared a Chidori. Akira's eyes widened and she returned the water to her gourd. Just then, Sakura, panicked, ran forward to try and stop them. Akira reached out, but her arm slipped through her fingers.
