Akira gazed at herself in the mirror, illuminated by the light of the moon. She stared at the sunken and tired blue eyes that barely got a wink of sleep, the new cuts and scrapes on her body, and the old, pale, lightning-like scars that trailed up her arms. Akira's eyes settled on her hands, and while she could still see Haku's blood as if it were fresh and crimson, the time she'd spent with her friends the day prior left Akira unbothered by it. Instead, she jumped in the shower and washed it all away, emerging from the water almost like new.
Akira stared at her clock as she got dressed, silently cursing her body for waking her up before sunrise. Sasuke wasn't near awake, and he wouldn't be for hours as he was still recovering from their month-long mission, so Akira didn't bother making herself breakfast. Instead, she put on a pot of tea and had a single cup before leaving the apartment. She forwent the stairs and jumped straight off the balcony and began her walk with no particular destination in mind.
Upon the petals of jasmine flowers sat hundreds of little beads of water, each one a perfect sphere, brilliant in the soft lavender light of the dawn. Akira smiled as she passed the spot where she and Kai met up most mornings and walked on, humming a soft tune she remembered from her childhood. All the shops were still sleeping and, as Akira made her way through the small forest that separated her from training ground three, she looked around at the sleeping boughs.
The three familiar posts from training ground three soon came into view, and Akira ignored the beat-up posts that she'd trained on before the mission to the Land of Waves. Almost serene, Akira sat near the edge of the water on the other side of the clearing. She stared at the reflection of the morning sky in the still water and, when she'd made sure that no one was around, Akira trailed her fingers across the surface. The girl watched the water ripple and still as her fingers traced patterns in the water and, without really thinking, Akira concentrated a small amount of chakra in her fingertips. To say that she was shocked when the water followed her fingers would be a lie. Somehow, Akira figured it would happen; she could tell by the way her fingertips tingled every time they approached the water. But it didn't make it any less fascinating to watch it follow her finger around.
"You're using chakra this time, aren't you?"
Startled, Akira's concentration was broken, and her hand retracted from the water. She looked over her shoulder and spotted Kakashi, hands stuffed in his pockets, and nonchalantly walking over to his student.
"Sorry."
"It's fine, you just startled me," Akira chuckled. "But yeah, I was using chakra—just a little. I'm a little scared to use more."
"Are you?"
"People aren't supposed to pull water out of a lake, Sensei."
"Not normally, no," Kakashi said, taking a seat beside Akira. "But there are shinobi who have certain abilities."
"Yeah, but Uchiha are known for their fire style." Akira sighed and pulled her knees to her chest. "My lightning-style was borderline acceptable, and now you're telling me that pulling water out of a lake is fine? My father is probably writhing in his grave."
"What was it you said not two days ago? Something about making your own ninja path?"
"Using my own words against me, that's nice."
"Look, it doesn't matter whether you know the Great Fireball jutsu or not, and it doesn't matter if your father would approve or not. What matters is that you become great at what you do know, and what's right for you," Kakashi said. He nodded towards the water. "Go on."
Akira gave Kakashi a sceptical look, but sighed and sat up straight when he insisted. She placed her fingertips over the water, and the tingling sensation returned when she touched it. Akira pooled a small amount of chakra at the tips of her fingers, and she watched the water follow her hand as she pulled it away from the lake. The tingling sensation had not left her fingers, but the feeling of the water on her skin had; Akira's hands were bone dry, and yet, her fingertips were covered in a trail of water being pulled from the lake.
"It's strange," Akira muttered. "I can feel the water, but it's not touching me."
"Does it feel weird?"
"No, it... Well, that can't be."
"What can't?"
"It just feels like me."
"That's probably because you've imbued the water with your chakra," Kakashi said, staring at the trail of water.
"My chakra is in the water?"
"It's the only way the water would move." Kakashi thought for a moment. "How far can you go with that amount of chakra?"
Akira stood, concentrating on not breaking the trail of water coming from the lake. Slowly, she walked backwards, watching as the water continued to follow her hand. After about five feet, the trail of water broke and fell to the ground. Akira looked at it, somewhat disappointed.
"It's not like you were going to go across town on the first try," Kakashi noted, pulling out a book. "But at least we know this is more than just a fluke. Try and do that again, using more and more chakra each time."
"Now?" Akira said, turning to look at him. "I haven't even had breakfast yet, Sensei."
"Then this'll be just like the bell test, and we both know how well you did there."
"And you're just going to sit there and read?"
"Yup."
"Well, I'd feel bad," Akira admitted. "The others aren't training. I don't want to get preferential treatment."
Kakashi looked up from his book and sighed, then turned around. Akira rose an eyebrow at him.
"You think turning around and pretending I don't exist means you're not training me?"
"Yes, I do."
Akira sighed and rolled her eyes. Akira stood near the edge of the water and, with a shake of her head, began pooling chakra in her fingertips. It was like the tree training all over again, kicking a dent in the grass every time she'd pulled the water even just an inch further down the training grounds. But this training was taking a lot more out of her. While climbing a tree kept the chakra within her, this was putting it outside her body, and whenever the trail of water broke, it felt like a chunk of her chakra had evaporated into the air. A few hours in, Kakashi had vanished, leaving a small note that read he'd be back eventually. By the time lunch came around, Akira was lying on her back, panting heavily and staring at the bright blue sky above. Just then, a shadow crossed her face, and Akira looked to her right. Kakashi was standing over her, holding a bag.
"I figured you might be hungry."
"I don't have to steal a bell to eat, do I?"
"No, not this time," Kakashi chuckled.
Akira sat up with great effort and took the bag from Kakashi, who sat down beside her. She pulled out a bento box and began eating immediately.
"You're gonna need some strength to keep up with this kind of training."
"Tell me about it," Akira said, stuffing some rice into her mouth.
"Expelling chakra isn't something everyone can do," Kakashi said. "While it's not the same or as hard as making your chakra visible, it still requires a certain amount of skill that certain people don't have."
"Sensei," Akira stated. She took a bite of her tamagoyaki. "That was rhetorical."
"Oh."
"Don't worry, it was very informative rambling."
Akira took a deep breath and then stood, smoothing out the clothes that she'd washed four times to get the bloodstains out.
"Done already?" Kakashi said, looking over at the now-empty box lunch.
"I usually just eat breakfast and don't eat at all when I'm training," Akira said. "I don't like wasting time."
"Eating isn't wasting time."
"No, but talking is."
Kakashi scoffed and returned to his book as Akira resumed her training. She pulled more and more water from the lake as the day went on, cursing when the water broke off until she made it past the training posts at the other end of the training ground. Then, Kakashi was startled as a loud cheer erupted nearby, and a string of water rushed past him as Akira went to dump it back in the lake.
"Ha! Take that you stupid water, I beat you!"
"All right, all right, settle down," Kakashi said, laughing a little. "Let me see. Do it again."
With confidence, Akira took a familiar stance and pushed her hand forward. Having pooled enough chakra in her hand, she quickly pulled back her arm in a whip-like motion, and a thin strand of water followed. Akira made it swerve around a tree and, using the same whip-like move, returned it to the water.
"How's that?" Akira asked, smiling.
"Impressive," Kakashi said. "What was that stance you took at the beginning?"
"Oh, I mixed it with some old martial arts Sasuke and I learned as kids. Made it easier to manoeuvre the water around."
"I'm sure it'll make it more likely for you to practise, too."
"Speaking of practice," Akira said. "I have to meet the guys for some sparring."
"More training?" Kakashi asked, eyebrows raised.
"Yup! It'll keep me distracted! See you, Sensei!"
Kakashi's eyebrows furrowed as he watched Akira run off. What was it she needed distracting from?
A bright smile on her face, Akira ran down the streets of Konoha, swiftly weaving through strangers as not to bump into them. She waved to Sakura as the girl exited the Yamanaka flower shop, and at the bakery owners near the Academy as she bolted past. Upon arriving in front of her friends, Akira skidded to a halt, panting but smiling.
"Hey, guys!" she chimed.
"Did you run here?" Kai asked, raising an eyebrow at her.
"Yup! From training ground three."
"That's on the other side of the village," Kiba noted, frowning.
"Yes, yes, it is." Akira slumped to the ground. "Ready for some training?"
"Are you?" Shikamaru said, a little worried. "You look like you've been training all day."
"I have been. Since five this mor—oh, don't look at me like that, I'm fine."
"How about we get some barbecue instead?" I'm starving," Kiba said. "Besides, you can't even stand."
"Come on! I came here to kick your asses," Akira laughed. She stood up with relative ease. "If you win at hand-to-hand then barbecue is on me, Kiba."
"Oh, you're on!"
Kiba and Akira stepped apart and stopped at a relatively good distance from each other. They both took mock martial arts stances, making Kai and Shikamaru laugh, but a rustle in the bushes nearby distracted them. Hinata emerged, face red and looking everywhere but ahead.
"Hey, Hinata! You come here to see me kick Akira's ass?" Kiba barked.
"I'm the one who's gonna wipe the floor with you!" Akira protested.
"Uh, Kiba's my teammate, so I have to cheer him on," Hinata said, a little confused.
"Yeah, but he's gonna lose so—"
Kiba interrupted Akira by running at her full speed. She shrieked as she approached and ducked as he tried to land a punch. Akira grabbed Kiba's legs and flipped him with ease, then swerved around. Kiba was up on his feet in an instant, lunging at Akira, and she blocked his jab by pushing his hand aside while aiming a punch at his head with her other hand. Kiba dodged it and grabbed Akira's arm with both hands, then attempted to flip her. Akira used the momentum to continue the flip longer than Kiba had intended and landed on her feet.
The second she landed, Akira swung her foot outwards and kicked Kiba straight in the chest. His animal-like reflexes allowed him to land on all fours, and he dashed at her again without missing a beat, pouncing at her like an enraged dog. They exchanged a flurry of blows and, when Kiba seemed concentrated enough, Akira swung her foot at his legs, knocking him to the ground. With a triumphant laugh, Akira set her foot on Kiba's back.
"Checkmate."
"If I could use Akamaru, I swear you'd be crying right now!" Kiba growled.
"Keep telling yourself that, kid."
"I'm older than you!"
"That means nothing to me."
Kiba scoffed and took Akira's hand as she held it out to him. Instead of pulling himself up, Kiba pulled Akira down, and they wrestled like wild animals, cursing at each other until Kai and Shikamaru broke them up.
"I won that!" Kiba shouted as Shikamaru let go of him.
"Please! Kai saved your ass by pulling me outta there!" Akira scoffed, wrenching herself out of Kai's grip.
"Why are they fighting?" Hinata asked, a little scared.
"They aren't fighting," Shikamaru said through Kiba's and Akira's arguing. "This is how they bond."
"But it's so violent..."
"Fine!" Akira shouted all of a sudden. "You win! Happy?"
"Yes, I am!" Kiba retorted. There was a short pause and then, lightly, he continued, "Barbecue?"
"Sounds good."
Much to Hinata's confusion, Akira jumped on Kiba's back, and they went off towards the barbecue restaurant, laughing about something that Kiba had said. Kai and Shikamaru sighed in exasperation, and they walked behind them alongside Hinata, on their way to have good food in the company of good, yet slightly insane, friends.