Author's Note: Kind of weird how I removed many fights compared to the original FanFiction, but Akina is the focal point and I don't want this being longer than it already is.

Citations: Completely Original.

Chapter's Song: "We've Got a Big Mess on Our Hands" by The Academy is…

Chapter 24
Blood Is Thicker Than Water

The Genin that made it to the tower in the middle of the Forrest of Death stood in front of The Third Hokage and the other supervising Jonin; even Akanah's mother was there amongst those Jonin.

Waiting for The Third to speak and explain. After a few breaths taken in on his pipe, he'd blow out the stream of gray spoke. "You all should be proud even for those who will not be moving on to the final stage, but for those who are, please listen to Ibiki's directions"

"Okay! Open your ears and listen! You all will take a number from this box and then I'll pair you with your opponent for the finals."

After each Genin took a number, Ibiki showed the clipboard— Akanah immediately reacting, to read across the board. "Oh man… She's gonna cream me."

"Mochizuki Akanah vs. Mochizuki Akina

"Chotan vs. Kamizuki Izumo."Ibiki reported.

Izumo softly glared to Chotan who was burned, but he made it no less, and he raised his hand.

"I fight with my partner." Chotan said.

"Yeah," Kori nodded, she was the girl with the ability to create hail, dressed in a chainmail and black yukata; her dark green hair was cut into an angled bob.

"Fine by me." Kotetsu agreed. "As long as I fight as a tag team with Izumo."

"Interesting… Lord Hokage?" Ibiki asked, turning his head.

"That's fine." The Third agreed with a stern nod.

"Uzuki Yugao vs Ryusui."

"None of these Rain Shinobi have surnames… Are they all orphans unaware of who they are?" Akina sadly asked herself.

"Report back in one month at the arena. You may go." Lord Third informed.

"Oof!" Iva shoved Akina to the wall of her bedroom, clutching around her windpipe, pinning her! "I'm gonna tell you something right now. If you even think about winning, you'll be losing your home, and all your precious belongings, maybe even your life… Understood?" Iva took her hand away, Akina gasping for air as she held herself up by supporting herself on the wall.

Iva ground her iron-nails into that plaster wall, digging and grinding into it. Akina stayed calm, not showing fear to eye the woman looking down on her. "You want me to surrender to Akanah?"

"You're smarter than you look… Having your mother's looks, that is, but your father's brain." Iva shoved away from the wall, thankfully leaving. Akanah sadly listened from the bathroom on the opposite side of the wall.

Akina slid down the wall that she leaned against, until her butt met the floor. Akina sighed. Akanah came into the room, drying her dyed red hair. "She didn't hear… Did she?" Akina asked herself.

"I'd say I treat you both to dinner for a job well done!" Benjiro smile, tipping his fedora hat as he leaned in their doorway. Not giving away that he noticed the scratches on the wall.

"The three of us… Together? Really?" Akanah asked surprisingly under her breath.

Benjiro grin, nodding kindly to his sister. Her acting like she wasn't welcome. Akina watched Benjiro.

"Yeah, of course. Why not?"

"You two are always hanging with those two Uchiha."

"That's a secret." Akina glared.

"I haven't told anyone." Akanah got timid.

"Iva already knows anyway." Benjiro sighed. "All you can do now is rise through the ranks, but don't kill my sis, okay?"

"Hey! I'm strong!" Akanah argued. "Let the best kunoichi win."

"Let the best kunoichi win." Akina agreed, a defeated nod.

"No one believes in my abilities… Not even Mother, that she would threaten Akina to let me win." Akanah sadly thought. "I'll show them."

"Let's go shopping while we're at it. New outfits to look cool for your match."

"Yay!" Akanah got excited, hugging Benjiro.

"I want something practical." Akina complained.

"It'll be fun!" Akanah smiled in Akina's face, and Akina gave a smirk.

"Benjiro!" Shisui called out, walking with Itachi and Izumi towards the arena. Benjiro turned, no longer blocking the way for them to see Akina— For Itachi to see Akina. He instantly blushed. "Whoa…" He whispered.

Her new maroon yukata tapered at the bottom, it had cold-shoulder cut outs, and long flowing sleeves, tied together by a black obi that has her Konoha Headband pinned to it. She wore black shorts, thigh high bandages, and black boots. Her long wavy ebony hair half pinned back.

"Hi, Izumi-chan." Akina bowed. "Itachi-kun, Shisui-san."

"You look so pretty, Akina-chan." Izumi complimented.

"Thanks." Akina got self-conscious, looking down, but glancing to look up at Itachi, he then felt self-conscious, too.

"Yeah, you look… Great." Itachi forced out.

Izumi sadly smiled at Itachi's compliment.

"Thanks," Akina backed up. "I got to get going."

Benjiro and Shisui smirked at each other, Benjiro adjusting his hat to turn. "Come on, let's get good seats."


"Don't surrender…" Akanah sternly said as Akina approached from behind her.

"Huh?" Akina froze, looking at Akanah in her pale pink yukata. "What are you talking about?"

"I overheard Mom. I want to fight you." Akanah furrowed her brows.

"Fine, but I'll still surrender even if we fight to give everyone a show." Akina came to Akanah's side.

"Fight me until one of us wins." Akanah intensified her stare.

"Are you crazy…?" Akina tilted her head.

"You want a piece of me?" Akanah taunted, leaning down to Akina who was shorter.

"I want the entire thing." Akina smirked. "Show me what you got."

Akanah smiled, and then turned her eyes to Izumo and Kotetsu entering the arena to stand off against Chotan and Kori.

"Kick their butts, Izumo and Kotetsu!" Akanah encourage. Akina eyes going slant with how annoyed she was with how loud Akanah was, but she looked to Yugao coming into the contestant's area, all dirty.

"Did you win?" Akina asked, blankly.

"It was a draw." Yugao informed.

"But you beat him before."

"Exactly, we understood each other's moves this time." Yugao explained.

"So will you still be able to join Anbu?"

"We'll see." Yugao leaned on the rail, looking forward to the next match.

"Fight!" Inoichi as proctor would declare.

The two versus two stood off. The Rain Ninja splitting up to make a roundabout charge for Izumo and Kotetsu.

Izumo did a quick hand sign, focusing his chakra, as Kotetsu grabbed a scroll out from his side holster— A huge mace appearing.

"Water Style: Syrup Snare Field!" Izumi shouted. Spitting out a sticking liquid in a stream before his feet, stopping Kori in her tracks. Kotetsu walked across the liquid without getting stuck— Kotetsu throwing his mace for Kori to dodge, the mace had disappeared into a hole in the ground.

Kotetsu did a hand sign for the mace to come out of the ground, hitting Chotan in the back. "Ah!" It took him out. Kori reacting, but she couldn't get to him with the syrup on the ground. She ground her teeth, and did a series of hand signs. "Water Style: Hailstorm Jutsu!"

"Ow!" Kotetsu would exclaim, to a sharp pain hitting his shoulder, him grasping it and looking to a white ice ball at his feet. It was the size of a softball, picking it up in his palm. "Hail?" He'd scoff, almost in a chuckle.

Kori grow steaming red, clutching her fists. "Yes hail! What part of Water style. Hail fall didn't you understand?" The kunoichi would then swipe her hand across her front, signing to release a tense cold chakra in the air. "Bury him!"

"Bury me?" Kotetsu would chuckle, underestimating Kori again. To then feel hail fall, him dodging every chunk of ice, until one would strike his shoulder again. Him stopping to grasp it, and more hail falling. "Ow, ow! Ow! Ow!"

Kori would watch un-amused to how weak this boy was, he hadn't done anything, but dodge. And when he dodged again, Izumo threw a large kunai towards her, her jumping back to dodge it easily, but now standing in the syrup trap.

Kotetsu directed his mace to go flying at her, but— "Enough! Hagane Kotetsu and Kamizuki Izumo are the winners."

Akina form in a small twister of petals on the wind, appearing in the middle of the arena, her back to Izumo, her fiery green emeralds coming to glance back at Izumo, who smirked, "Show off."

"Then get off my stage." Akina breathed smirking.

"Yeah, yeah… Good luck." Kotetsu shoved away, grabbing Izumo to go back into the bleachers.

"Luck, huh?" Akina scoff to herself, when she'd see Akanah come out from the entranceway. "Well, here's the moment of truth…" Akina thought, taking her position, Akanah doing the same. Listening to the Inoichi announce, "Begin!"

Akina and Akanah didn't make any moves, when Akanah wondered somewhat scared, "She's not going to surrender? Not yet at least, you're going to put up a fight so your comrades won't question. You're so prideful. Akina's also a counter fighter… She's waiting for my move."

Akanah slipped her metal hand fan out and opened it up, Akina watching and was ready, as she'd slip knives in between her fingers from her sleeve.

"Wind Style: Petal Twisters!" Akanah announced as tornados appeared, Akina surprised by the strength of the whirlwinds, staying away from the multiple twisters that danced around the arena.

Akina threw knives precisely between each tornado, Akanah dodging most of her knives, but senbon hitting her right arm. "Gah!" She exclaimed as she bled from three holes in her arm.

Akina continued to dodge the tornados. "Should I use a poison bomb? I could kill her… I'll just surrender…" Akina raised her hand for Inoichi to notice.

"I surrender!" Akina and Akanah both yelled, Akanah snapping her fan shut, the tornados dissipating.

"WHAT?" Iva chewed nails in the stand. Wondering what had gotten into her own flesh and blood.

Akina's eyes widened. "Y-you?"

"A good Kunoichi knows when to accept defeat… I'm no match for her." Akanah smiled as she nodded, pointing to needles in her right arm.

Iva was still chewing nails, standing and leaving from her seat in a heavy fast pace. "Well then… I'm not a good kunoichi!" The middle-aged woman would hiss, smirking when she got evil thoughts twisting in her head.

Akina started walking towards Akanah and the door, but she stopped and turned back, when she remembered her dodged knives. "Telekinesis jutsu." The knives came to Akina's command on their own, just zipping through the air, as Akina caught them and placed the blades in her sleeve.

"Ooh!" The audience cheered. "Did you see that!"

"Those knives obeyed her hand gesture!"

"When did she learn that…?" The Hokage's lips tightened around his pipe. "She developed that Jutsu herself. She reminds me of her father and Tobirama-sensei."

Inoichi was taken back, as was the rest of the audience. "What jutsu was that?" Inoichi broke from his distracted thoughts to announce, "We have a draw!"

Akina stood on Akanah's side, glancing across her shoulder as the crowd cheered. "You're a good kunoichi… And an even better cousin." Akina then proceeded walking, having Akanah smile, tears of joy rolling down her face.

"You're welcome." She smiled, Akanah then had to show off as well to disappear in petals to reappear up in the contestant's area to stand with her teammates Izumo and Kotetsu.

The green-eyed girl decided to not be continually flashy, and began ascending the stairs and on her first turn, Akina sensed someone and prepared herself for— BAM! Iva grabbed her and slammed Akina against the wall!

Akina smirked to Iva holding her by the front of her shirt, off the ground. "How do you do?" The young Mochizuki would ask nonchalantly in the anything but situation.

"Don't get cute. Why didn't you surrender? I thought you understood?"

"I did…"

"And so did Akanah! Why? You guilt-tripped her!" Iva grabbed Akina's chin lightly scraping her nails under it.

Akina showed no fear, suggesting an offer in her bad position. "Fight me."

"What?"

"When everyone leaves the arena… If you win, you can have the clan."

"And if you manage to win?"

"You forge unity between the Senju and the Uchiha… Please."

Iva furrowed her brows, releasing Akina. "You got yourself a deal."

Akina looked to her right, sensing familiar auras. Iva must have sensed them, too, she crossed her arms to hide her nekote in her sleeve. Itachi, Shisui, and Izumi were just coming into sight as they descended the stairs. "Whattaya dawdling for? Want to get dinner with us?" Shisui would smile at Akina.

Akina stayed quiet just giving a shrug. Itachi then sent his onyx stare on Iva that had her arms crossed, hiding her nekote in her sleeves. Itachi peered his view back to Akina.

"Um… Benjiro and Akanah already asked me to have dinner with them, you know, family celebration."

Iva's eyes shifted onto Shisui. "Yes, I'm so proud of both Akina and Akanah."

"Iva-sama" Shisui bobbed his head to bow with a smile, but his brows were furrowed suspiciously. "See you around, Akina."

Itachi gave a sad smile to Akina who avoided eye contact.

"That's understandable. Let's go, I'm starving." Izumi ordered in her bubbly way as she marched down the stairs.

"You guys get a head start…" Itachi ordered back.

Shisui looked back and caught how Akina and Itachi's gazes were locked. She wasn't telling him something, but neither was Itachi.

Shisui let out a breath. "Come on, Itachi." Shisui then proceeded down the stairs, turning the corner.

Itachi wouldn't follow, remaining in his spot a few more seconds, still watching Akina's façade as he was waiting for any signs of emotion, the truth.

"Go on… Get outta here. You can't leave Izumi waiting." Akina smiled. "And you know Shisui gets cranky when he's hungry."

Itachi closed his eyes and somewhat left coldly, passing Akina. She watched the crest of his back until he turned the corner, and Iva mewed, "Should we be going too?"

Akina didn't look at her Aunt, but still answering, "Not until everyone is long gone. I'll meet you in the arena then."

Iva then also walked away. Akina didn't wish to watch her, as she went over to the stairs. She'd sit on the step Itachi had stood, as she'd steeple her fingers together, resting them on her knees. She was roaming all around in her young thoughts, but then— "Green-eyed girl?"

Akina knew that voice, only one person called her that. That person being Benjiro as he stood above her, after saying her nickname slightly worried. The way he always was for her.

"Did you tell her to surrender?" Akina asked.

Benjiro scoffed a chuckle, shaking his head sincerely. "No actually… She did that all on her own." Akina stayed quiet, listening to Benjiro just continuing to speak. "I think she's on our side now." The girl persisted to remain quiet, Benjiro sighing in his annoyance. "Are you listening?" He'd shriek, trying to get her attention.

Akina averted her stare even more away, closing her eyes. "I heard you."

Benjiro hung his head. "What am I going to do with you?" He chuckled back to himself, gesturing her to follow him as he headed back down the few steps. "Come on… Iva said she had a mission, that means we can goof off, have dinner with Akanah and the Uchiha."

"Itachi actually asked me on a date." She faked a blush.

"Really? Oh…" He got flustered. "That's why you're so spacey. Well, be home by eight, okay?"

"Okay…" She agreed.

"I'll see you at home later then." Benjiro then left her be.

Akina progressed back into her thoughts. Not knowing what she could do anymore. She felt so fed up with her situation.

It was getting late, the sun was beginning to dim from the sky as Itachi, Izumi, and Shisui made their way to the dumpling shop. The orange ray lighting the Leaf's streets, Shisui starting to question his more quiet than usual comrade. "So are you two like an item now?"

"No, we're just friends." Itachi got flustered. Izumi pouting.

"I just came to watch the exams. Goodnight, Itachi-kun, Shisui-san." Izumi then jumped away to rooftops, disappearing in an angry rush.

"Did I piss her off or did you?" Shisui asked looking up to where she disappeared.

"Who knows? I can't cater to her feelings." Itachi shrugged.

"So do you have feelings for her?"

Shisui knew what it was, watching Itachi slip back into his thoughts. "I've got an uneasy feeling… Akina?" Itachi almost growled her name, scolding said girl.

"You like the girl that doesn't throw herself at you…"Shisui would ponder, letting out a loud sigh to have Itachi glance to his friend.

"This isn't about romance right now, Shisui!" Itachi turned to Shisui, but then seen over Shisui's shoulder, Benjiro and Akanah walking together outside the Uchiha compound towards their own compound. "Just Benjiro and Akanah?"

Benjiro stopped his walking and talking with Akanah, feeling a gaze fall on him. He'd lift his head to peer to Itachi and Shisui. "Just Itachi and Shisui?"

"…Akina?" Benjiro growled, getting Akanah to look slightly worried. "You keep heading home, sis… I forgot something."

The Mochizuki started towards the two Uchiha. "Where's Akina, Itachi? You had a date with her."

Itachi's eyes widened and then furrowed. "A date?"

"Did you ask her out or not?"

"No!" Itachi spat.

"Well, don't say it like you're disgusted."

"I didn't ask her out…"

"Though he wants to." Shisui interjected.

"Besides the point, Shisui!" Benjiro and Itachi scolded together.

Benjiro breathed out a growl, rolling his hair back out of his face in dismay. "That kunoichi…"

"I'll help you find her." Itachi stated calmly to Benjiro's slight surprise.

"Me too…" Shisui nodded. "Where's your Mother?"

"She said she had a mission. Why?"

"She was with Akina the last time we saw her." Itachi informed.

"I'll check my compound. You guys check training grounds." Benjiro ordered.

Itachi and Shisui nodding in agreement.