"The winner is Uchiha Sasuke!"
I~~~~I
The Genin hoping to become Chunin all looked toward the screen as it cycled through names and they patiently waited for the next two fighters to be announced. The green highlighted names on the screen began to slow before they drew to a halt on two names that rather shocked Akihane and her friends.
"Will Nara Shikamaru and Abumi Zaku please come down to the Arena?" Hayate's voice rattled over the silence. The Jonin's voice was quite stern and it had the normally lazy Nara stiffening beside his teammates. Shikamaru looked at his opponent as he walked toward the stairs while he tried and failed at keeping his personal issues out of the way of his fight.
His opponent wore his right arm in a sling, though he also seemed to be having trouble breathing if the heavy rise and fall of his chest said anything.
The Leaf Nin stepped across from his opponent once he reached the bottom of the steps and had moved to the middle of the arena. Shikamaru's face contrasted greatly to his inner thoughts. All Shikamaru truly wanted to do was make the Otogakure Nin before him pay for harming any Leaf Ninja. There was little doubt in his mind that should Zaku have messed with a team besides Team Seven, then he wouldn't have felt such a boiling rage.
An unforgiving memory, a tiny flash of Zaku vanishing into the trunk of the tree Akihane had been helplessly lying in came to the front of his mind, just as Hayate's hand was drawn down and he launched back with a cry of, "Hajime!"
Shikamaru didn't need any more reason to act and instead, he allowed his hands to drop near his kunai while his chakra stirred beneath the surface. He narrowed his eyes on Zaku's hands before he took in the rest of the arena. There was an even amount of space between them and all four walls, but a few weapons could put an end to that quickly. There was also the unsure footing Zaku held himself with, and the way he favored his right side and had positioned that arm closer to Shikamaru than the damaged one. The boy's eyes flickered across Shikamaru's face, but the Nara betrayed nothing.
"Hmph, fine, if you won't attack I will!" Zaku shouted boldly and the Oto Nin rather foolishly in Shikamaru's opinion, launched toward his target.
Shikamaru did not pull any fancy moves or use incredible speed like the Uchiha before him had. The Nara instead sidestepped his enemy and slammed a kick into the boy's back. Zaku predictably stumbled forward and angled his body so that if he did fall his injured side fell first, which was a rather smart move. Most people would save the damaged limb, but in the end, if you hurt your only weapon you were pretty screwed.
Either way, Zaku wouldn't be walking out of the arena until Shikamaru had made a good enough plan to end him that factored in his attempted murder of Sasuke and Akihane. One might counter that the Nara was mostly doing this for Akihane, but he held a sliver of compassion for the last loyal Uchiha, along with the remaining Kunoichi of Team Seven. Sakura standing up to three Genin far stronger than her knowing she was rather low on chakra was gutsy and troublesome enough to mark her as a friend in Shikamaru's book as well.
The fight was mostly one sided as Shikamaru's feet dragged over the ground or even left it as he repeatedly dodged anything his opponent aimed his way. The Nara even managed to pack chakra into his ears to ignore the subtle ringing that had begun mid-way through the battle. Zaku still seemed to think he had the upper hand in their little farce, however. Shikamaru quickly made him see the flaw in his thoughts. The first attack came in the form of an elbow that slammed into Zaku's back, which was followed quickly by a swipe at the healed arm hanging from Zaku's side. The blows triggered the Konoha Nin's instincts and sent Zaku's stomach right into his opponent's awaiting knee.
Zaku coughed, sending a spray of blood and spit across the floor. A moment later Zaku was dropped from Shikamaru's left, several cold binds working their way around his arms. The binds tightened a fraction when he tried to use chakra and his eyes widened in fright when he realized his position. Shikamaru calmly reached into his pouch and drew several kunai out in quick succession, his brown eyes darkened to a dull black.
The Nin said nothing as he tossed the weapons at Zaku's limbs and his neck. He effectively pinned the boy's body to the ground by his clothes. Shikamaru also cut into Zaku's arms and legs near enough to touch bone. A scream tried to work its way out of Zaku's lips, but it was silenced quickly by a sharp tug of Shikamaru's shadows which sharply sent the male into unconscious bliss.
Shikamaru turned around and walked away from his fight with a slouched posture. He never said a word, not even when he heard Hayate declare him the winner. His heart weighed in his chest, but a pressure had released itself from his shoulders. Zaku had been mostly talk, and if Team Seven hadn't been as thoroughly trashed as they had been, then none of the Otogakure Team would have made it out of that forest intact or maybe even alive. Shikamaru's head rose as he made his way up the guardrail steps. Down below him, the medics that had previously come for Kin had returned to retrieve the Kunoichi's teammate from the Arena as well.
Standing nearest to the stairs was Akihane, her eyes a deep maroon that settled in Nara's memory while shivers threatened to spread over his limbs. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up, which caused him to stop momentarily. Aki stared into his eyes and seemed to search for something there. Her lips twitched gently and she walked forward enough to lean and whisper into his ear.
"You didn't have to do that, but I suppose I'll thank you as well." Akihane's soft voice broke through the drifting haze that threatened the logical Ninja's mind. Akihane's breath brushed his neck before it vanished along with the Uzumaki. Sasuke glared at him from his spot beside Sakura and Kakashi further down the walkway. The Uchiha's look was one that spoke of anger, and if Shikamaru read him correctly, jealousy.
It seemed that even after their talk in the Forest of Death Sasuke was still going to be a troublesome asshole. At the very least Shikamaru could reciprocate the feeling. The Nara's lips twitched upward and he nodded to Akihane before he directed his stride toward his teammates while he ignored almost everything else. The flickering names on the screen took part of his attention; while the rest was dedicated to the kunoichi that he stood beside after he finally had caught up to her.
Akihane leaned back against the railing. Her elbows pressed into the cool rounded metal and her hands fell to her sides limply as she glanced toward the black board. Shikamaru leaned forward on his hands. He crossed them so his fingers brushed the opposing elbows. His chin pushed into his right wrist, leaving an uncomfortable pang to spread over the back of his hand while his gaze followed his friend's.
The screen halted once more once two more names stopped beside one another.
'Subaku no Kankuro Vs Kopi Hesei Shisui'
The names were only somewhat familiar to the strategist, as he had heard them spoken about by Akihane during her recovery period. The first was the oldest son of the Yondaime Kazekage. He was the male dressed in all black from the day Shikamaru had found Akihane with the Sand Team consisting of the blonde girl with pigtails and the strange bloodthirsty redhead. The second was an even odder one since there wasn't much mention of his last name in the clan archives and he didn't seem too keen on presenting his achievements. So far, Akihane had only gathered that Kopi was a strong Kenjutsu user who dabbled greatly with Taijutsu and Ninjutsu. Shikamaru wasn't sure how Akihane had gotten her information on the boy so quickly, but he didn't dare ask so long as she filled him in and didn't get into trouble for her actions. Still, from what he had already seen, Akihane was quite accurate.
The Genin jumped over the railing rather simply and effectively to cut down on time, his sword hanging from his side while his black headband bounced around his neck.
Kankuro did not seem happy at being shown up by the Iwa Shinobi, resulting in the Nin launching over the railing with more flare than necessary. Kopi didn't seem to be paying attention to the male, and he instead angled his head toward Hayate as he patiently awaited the signal to start.
Hayate glanced to both contestants which his eyes searched carefully. Hayate's hand snapped upward, quickly drawing back down while his feet pushed him away from the battle zone.
Kopi wasted no time unlike the previous matches since he started his off with a simple jutsu.
"Earth Style, Mud Dragon!"
Kopi shouted as his palms clapped together before they slammed into the ground. Chakra softened the tiles before a large slithering form rose from the liquefied tiles and shot at Kankuro.
Kankuro smirked while his body was engulfed in mud.
I~~~~I
Yin was not happy with the way things had turned out. Even though he had managed to get Orochimaru away from the Uzumaki and her friends, he still hadn't managed to avoid that damned Mitarashi woman that had somehow nearly recognized him. Of course, Orochimaru cutting in had helped, but Yin doubted the purple haired proctor wouldn't pry in the places she didn't belong.
All of this leads to Yin's current predicament. The long forgotten shinobi stood amongst stacks of papers and dusty cabinets. His nose wrinkled while he tried to ignore the pungent smell of old filings and instead he focused on locating his target. The file was rather hidden, tucked into the back of a smaller filing cabinet left alone amidst the towering others.
Yin shook his head and clucked his tongue at the easily accessed knowledge. His body crouched in order to sift through the file numbers. He finally found two familiar ones. The second file had nearly caused him to shake, but he held back the tremors in favor of pulling the file out to open it up. The piece was rather worn, but inside the knowledge was kept in pristine condition by seals settled onto the surface of the paper.
His fingers drifted down over the familiar name that still haunted his nightmares, his eyes clouding over as he choked on tears clogging his throat. His head felt light while his eyes felt heavy. Water streamed down one-half of his face, the other unable to copy it.
Yin opened his eyes once more and firmly grasped his chest with his free arm. He hissed out before his fingers slowly let go which allowed him to relax against the filing cabinet that had held his information.
One blue eye and another violet one both gazed at the picture of a rather lazy Jonin standing beside a stoic man and an exasperated looking woman. The stoic male looked like a carbon copy of Yin himself, were it not for the pristine face and the single colored eyes. The lax man sported bright blonde hair tinged with ivory and his blue eyes shined with mischief despite his uncaring features that Yin knew were a front. The woman was a simple brown haired woman with green eyes, and yet Yin knew that her character was anything but simple. Both had been his friends, his charges at a point in time.
Such things didn't always last, especially in the face of war.
"Senshi, I promise to protect your granddaughter…as Minato's Godfather I swear to keep her from harm to the best of my ability. I just wanted you to know that…and to know soon enough I will finally join you and Akira. Soon, my friend, I will no longer be needed here." Yin spoke gently to the picture resting inside the file he had opened previously. His emotions were quietly locked away to access at a later time so that he could continue since the vow managed to settle his spirit a little more.
Yin grasped the other folder, the one marked with his shinobi identification number as well as his real birth name. Uzumaki Yin, son of Uzumaki Ling, and the head of the Uzumaki Guardsmen Branch.
No one needed to know neither that he was alive nor that he had tarnished his father's name with his wrongdoings in the name of helping Tobirama's line live on at the wish of his best friend and first love. No one but Orochimaru could have his story, lest they ruin all he had worked for up until that point.
I~~~~I
Shisui pulled quickly from his position beside Kankuro's supposedly downed body, his eyes narrowing on the puppet-like mouth opening in his direction. He raised his right arm, drawing his blade quickly as he did so. The poisoned senbon targeting his body were easily deflected with the barest nudges with his blade. Those strikes were followed up by more hand signs that called upon more chakra inside of Shisui's body.
"Mud Wall!"
Shisui slammed his left hand down onto the surface below his body, the earth surrounding him quickly to build up a cocoon. The shield blocked several more deadly puppet-parts from hitting his body, large blades sticking out from the detached limbs. Kankuro broke free of the mud, his body shielded by a larger puppet with an expanding body. Shisui's eyes narrowed upon the Suna Nin and his grip tightened on his blade's handle. He could feel his muscles as they tensed in preparation, his legs pushing on the ground to send his body higher in the air.
Shisui closed his eyes as he felt the wind brush his face before his gaze snapped open again. There on the stands stood his two friends. Yarui and Darui were the two people who had always been there for him. Ever since he was a child those two boys had remained at his side. Both Ninja were strong and cunning, both were courageous and brave. They had always fought with him and the other member of their team at the forefront of their minds.
Now, Shisui would fight with their names imprinted in his thoughts, with their hands guiding his blade. He wouldn't fail them, and when all of it was over they'd all walk out with that damn promotion together. There was no way in hell he would allow this entire situation to be for naught. He wouldn't let the blood that Yarui spilled in the forest amount to so little. The boy was such a happy individual, and Shisui wanted it to remain that way.
"Fire Style, Fire Dragon Jutsu!" Shisui called out as his left hand formed the tiger sign alone. He let loose the torrent of flames building up inside his lungs in the direction of his unsuspecting opponent.
The blaze shot through the air at Kankuro, his hands brought up in an attempt of defense despite the deadly Jutsu moving right past him.
At first, Kankuro was shocked, but then a smirk worked itself over his lips. His mouth opened in a taunt as he pulled at his chakra strings, only to seize when he felt his strings suddenly go lax. Shisui paused momentarily as his body flashed out of place once more. He continued to flash in and out of place and he only stopped after his blade was pressed into Kankuro's throat, drawing a thin line of blood along his jugular.
In his distraction over the Blaze's large reptilian mouth trying to swallow the air beside him whole, Kankuro hadn't noticed Shisui's body flashing forward while his arm struck across the chakra strings in a swift glide. Sharp wisps of chakra gathered at the edge of Shisui's sharpened blade. This action allowed it to sever the connection the puppet master had to his weapons and give the blade an even more dangerous tone as it rested against his neck.
"And that...is your life."
Shisui did not blink even as his uncaring eyes cut through Kankuro's war-painted features and he judged him like some twisted deity. A pressure had settled over his shoulders at the boy's cold gaze. The look reminded him of his brother's own killer intent. This pressure was still different, however, as it was more contained. The pressure didn't surround him but instead pressed on only him.
Standing off to the side, Hayate had to withhold a shiver. The Jonin had seen that look on many people, but this was only his second time seeing such a devoid gaze on a child.
"Winner, Kopi Hesei Shisui," Hayate shouted since he had been unwilling to watch any more bloodshed.
Shisui withdrew his blade a few seconds after Hayate spoke. He looked in disinterest at Kankuro as the Suna Genin collapsed to the ground while he panted harshly. An invisible weight seemed to lift from the boy's shoulders when Shisui finally turned away from him.
The Iwagakure Genin added chakra to his feet to give him enough of a boost to jump onto the railing beside his team. The two other members of the team boy congratulated him, along with their sensei.
Down in the Arena, the medics had started to lead Kankuro out of the way, his neck slowly healing over with the aid of one of the white-clad men.
I~~~~I
Akihane couldn't take her eyes off the arena as the battle played out, her blue orbs mostly focused on the Genin who went by that accursed name.
Shisui was good, it showed in his posture, his silence, and most of all, the way he countered his opponent. The fear the boy seemed to instill into the Suna Genin in the cat suit was a rather worrying thing to think on, however. Akihane had only witnessed the boy a few times, and each time the Suna Genin seemed to only ever be wary of the smallest member of his team who reeked of blood.
"Winner, Kopi Hesei Shisui."
Hayate's voice dragged Akihane's thoughts from their darker places. She paused to take a breath, glancing over to the randomizing screen as she ignored Kankuro being escorted from the arena.
The board did not want to stop switching through names, flashing over hers several times. It seemed that Hokage-Jiji had actually put in her full name instead of the one she gave the Iwa Nin, which meant they would be surprised when it finally was her turn.
At last, the monitor stopped, two names being called out by Hayate as soon as the green words became clear.
"Will Tenten and Akado Yoroi please come down?"
I~~~~I
Shikamaru glanced toward Akihane, having watched her during the Iwa-nin's match after she had tensed unexpectedly. Shikamaru wasn't sure why Akihane was so shocked when the boy's name had been said, and in all honesty, it worried him. Even now when the fifth match played out in front of them Akihane wasn't focusing properly. The girl's gaze never shifted, but Shikamaru felt he could recognize her waning attention.
Tenten had just tossed a rally of numerable weapons at her opponent which kept him at a distance. It seemed she had found out he was a chakra drainer.
The match was already over before it began. Tenten was quite the match for the stealer since she didn't really have chakra and she also was a long range attacker. Yoroi would never get close enough to her to touch the weapon's mistress.
"Aki-Hime~" A voice all of the sudden called out and startled Shikamaru enough to have his head turn to the source while his hands drifted to his weapons.
Hatake Kakashi stood beside Akihane, lazily leaning on one leg while he cast an eye smile at his pupil. His mask creased as he spoke to her. "What are you thinking so hard about?"
Akihane turned her head so she now had eye-to-eye contact with her sensei. A soft sigh passed her lips before she spoke up.
"It's nothing that is important enough to mention right now Kakashi-Sensei. I will tell you after the Preliminaries are over." She finished while her body turned to the match.
Tenten had caught her target in a tight encirclement of kunai, several scrolls raining more weapons down on the Ninja as he faltered and fell. Moments later Hayate had once again announced the winner of the match.
"Winner, Tenten!"
Tenten grinned and pumped her fist. To the left of Kakashi, his student, and Shikamaru, Team Nine had started to celebrate in their own manner. Neji wore a sharp smirk that leaked arrogance while Gai and Lee were crying and holding one another tightly.
Kakashi quickly turned his Genin away from the sight, coughing into his hand while he pointed at the board.
"W-Why don't we wait for the next match?"
Akihane offered her Sensei a blank stare since she knew exactly why Kakashi was acting weirdly dismissive. Shikamaru didn't want to think any harder than he already was over Akihane and her troublesome moods, so he followed along with Kakashi's trail of thought.
Most of the Arena turned away from Lee and Gai's episode to view the randomizing board as it began to switch through names once more.
The board halted again, only this time it stopped on two names Akihane felt rather dubious about.
'Uzumaki Akihane Naru Vs Ryuutai Darui' was displayed across the screen. A weight nearly settled inside Akihane's chest, only to vanish with a cold burst of familiar chakra.
Akihane closed her eyes and she breathed in sharply as she thought of her past. She thought about Sasuke and Hinata, about Shikamaru and Shikaku. Her thoughts became muddled with Iruka, Genma, Raidou, her other brothers and the Hokage. The face of Shisui crossed her mind and caused a sting to pulse from her heart. Her eyes opened and she gripped the railing before her. Kakashi opened his mouth beside her to remind her she didn't have to fight, just as she jumped over and landed in the arena below.
Ryuutai was already waiting for her and his eyes scanned her body. Hayate seemed to have grown more serious within the few seconds it took her to reach the arena and now his eyes met hers to guarantee this is what she wanted. Akihane only offered the man a nod. She shifted into her stance in order to loosen the muscles around her legs. Hayate stepped back with his arm now raised over his head. Darui kept his eyes on her while he stepped backward with his right foot and took to a solid earth Taijutsu stance.
"Hajime!"
Hayate's words sent the two of them at one another.
Chakra pulsed out from both of their feet in order to map the area around them. The two pulses collided and caused tremors to wrack both of their bodies when they passed over the opposing sensor. Darui looked surprised for a moment before Akihane wiped the look from his face by drawing a kunai on him.
Akihane's pupil's narrowed into slits and her fingers twisted her blades around so that she could block and deflect the two kunai Darui had drawn to use against her. Thoughts of both Sasuke and Hinata floated through Akihane's mind, each memory of their training helping guide her hand as she twisted around a sharp kick Darui directed to her side.
Maroon overtook lavender as Aki launched her weapon-clad arms toward her enemy, her eyes pupils going flat while a cold aura swept over her body.
For those who hadn't seen her in a real fight before, the Uzumaki looked very much like an avenging angel. There was no playfulness in her strikes as she wove through Darui's attempts at disarming her, unlike when she sparred with Sasuke and Hinata.
Darui struck out with his right hand, his kunai nicking her wrist while his palm aimed for her chest. Akihane's right foot feigned a kick before it dropped and she pivoted suddenly. The palm came even closer to her chest and her action shocked her opponent enough for her to raise a hand discretely again her side.
A clone appeared behind Darui in an instant, Akihane's form flickering momentarily as she switched places with her double. The Kunoichi turned, her leg arching as she the side of it across Darui's rib cage.
The Iwa Genin grunted, his body jerking to the side as he rolled with the blow further away from her. The clone Akihane had used as a dummy vanished from the arena with a puff of smoke after taking the blow from Darui.
Akihane swiftly brought her hands up, forming two more clones that rushed toward Darui with kunai drawn. Meanwhile, Aki flashed through hand signs, her eyes cataloging Darui's moves as he swiftly took down her clones. No doubt the boy had already guessed they were a distraction, which meant that Akihane would have to be quick.
"Wind Style, Gale Bullet!" Akihane shouted as she blew a concentrated air bullet toward her opponent, her fingers never halting as they sped through more hand signs. The next jutsu came easier than the first, having been practiced over and over with Sasuke and Hinata.
"Water Style, Water Whip!" Another call broke from the kunoichi's lips. The call shocked most of the adults in the area, along with a few Genin who understood just what she had done.
Water collected at Aki's fingertips, appearing with the aid of her chakra and the moisture in the atmosphere. She felt her chakra drop slightly but paid the decrease no mind as she launched her water whip around her gale bullet. The forceful jutsu sharpened into a drill, the water adding to the force. Darui stood in place for a moment, too shocked to do much else before it donned on him that the Jutsu was hurtling right toward him.
"Shit." Darui hissed, flashing through hand signs quickly as the jutsu slammed against his position.
From the sidelines both Kopi and Yarui were leaning over the railing, their eyes trained on the spot their teammate had been. Both knew that Darui had made it through worse Jutsu, but they also knew that a few seconds between responses to such attacks were often devastating.
Their fears were unfounded when a figure launched from the mist generated from Aki's attack in the direction of the Ivory haired girl.
Akihane brought her arms up in time to block the attack. A grunt left her lips and she twisted her left foot so gain better footing before her palm shot toward Darui's side.
The Iwa Nin twisted, dodging the blow as his feet touched the ground. His hair held still in the air for a moment, before he launched his fist at Akihane's unprotected gut.
Quickly Akihane pushed her legs upward, jumping backward with the aid of chakra. Her limbs ached in protest as she debated the pros and cons of her battle. Her eyes glanced across the arena quickly, meeting both Sasuke's and Shikamaru's.
Aki hadn't wanted to show off so quickly, but she supposed that it couldn't be helped if she wanted to end her battle quickly. She didn't think that she could honestly keep up with Darui since the boy was rather fast for being an Iwa Nin, and his stance was far more solid than her Uzumaki style.
So far, this hadn't been the worst choice Akihane had made today. In fact, this was one of her better spur of the moment ideas.
With the idea came a quick strategy that would lead her to end this battle sooner rather than later.
Closing her eyes Akihane twisted and landed on the ground, ignoring the footsteps that signaled Darui was nearing her position. She rose to stand, her breathing evening out while she thought over the next few moves. Satisfied with her plan of action, Akihane allowed herself to see Darui once more. The boy was right in front of her, no doubt confused by her insistence to remain still. It didn't matter much, as Akihane had already grazed the scroll at her side. Quickly, the blonde pressed charka into the seals, summoning forth a single blade.
Darui was confused at his opponent's rather still nature when she had landed, and his confusion only grew when he noticed that she had yet to open her eyes. Darui muttered softly but took his opponent's actions for granted. If the girl wasn't going to fight then he would end the battle quickly.
Imagine the Iwa Nin's surprise when a blade suddenly arched up from the girl's right hand and slashed across his chest, nicking his arm in the process when Darui tried to strike the girl once more.
His gaze drifted to the Kunoichi's eyes, his body going cold when he saw the deep maroon eyes with slit pupils.
Akihane didn't give Darui a break and she instead twisted her blade toward his head. Darui was quick to back away from her to avoid losing, his teeth snapping into one another as she twisted into a familiar stance. Her fingers rose once more, summoning two more clones to her side.
Up in the stands, Kakashi tensed, expecting the same move he had seen from the bridge. His eyes glanced toward Hayate and he was shocked to find the Jonin completely calm. In fact, Hayate looked relieved that Akihane had drawn her blade.
"Dance of the Leaf, strike!" Aki shouted as her and her copies all swiped across the air. Sharp gales shot toward her enemy while she shifted into another stance and shot toward Darui.
"Thrust!"
Akihane's blade jabbed at Darui as he dodged the other strikes, his eyes widening as the two clones followed Akihane's actions. The gale's targeted the area around him, keeping him trapped as Akihane neared.
The Uzumaki's eyes shaded over and a right hand rose to form a hand seal for channeling water chakra.
"Swipe…" Akihane hissed, her blade drawn closer to her chest as she struck Darui with the enhanced blow. The boy was forced to stay in place or he would end up struck by the gales that shot past him. Wind exploded upward from the area, but Akihane didn't let up. Her voice dropped to a mere whisper as she released more wind chakra and sent several more blows in quick succession to her enemy.
Water funneled across her blade and joined the other attacks, melding into the expanding gale that surrounded Darui.
An explosion broke Akihane from her assault on her opponent, the wind and water creating a larger mist over the arena.
"Darui!" A voice called from the sidelines, the same boy who had called Hayate weak earlier leaning over the railing as he yelled for his teammate. Akihane watched the mist as she held her blade aloft, the metal shining as her chakra pulsed around it, giving it an unsteady blue glow.
The mist began to clear, her clones tensing as they readied themselves.
In the middle of the newly formed crater courtesy of Akihane, Darui kneeled. He was breathing heavily and his body was littered with cuts. Several were bleeding, blending into the dark red of his clothes.
Akihane raised her blade once more, prepared to continue should Darui wish. The Iwa Nin looked up at her, catching her guarded stance and the way she was warily awaiting his next move. He was pleased the girl still found him a threat since he wasn't going to give up just yet. He wanted to save this last attack for the last round, but apparently, he would have to use it if he ever hoped to strike down the Uzumaki.
The girl had to be tired from the amount of wind chakra she had used as well as her creation of water with her chakra, which meant he was at an advantage. The Kunoichi was good at not displaying her weakness, as well as guarding herself in such a way that Darui couldn't sense her chakra. In fact, the entire round Darui had only ever felt her chakra at the start when she had pulsed it outward as a sensing technique.
Sensing wouldn't help the Kunoichi here, however. Darui was never the best with Ninjutsu or Taijutsu, unlike his friends Shisui or Yarui. Instead, Darui was the sensor, the long range fighter. He was the weapon specialist, and it was about time he showed that.
Darui reached down, tugging Kunai from his pouch as he slowly stood. His muscles ached from the beating he had just taken head on, but in all honesty, he had never felt so energized. Uzumaki Akihane was a good Nin, no doubt, and Darui was sad to have to use his technique on her.
Well, he supposed he wasn't that sad since he had to make it to the third round. For Shisui and Yarui, he had to pass this obstacle.
Akihane noticed the change in her opponent, and she adjusted accordingly. Her clones glanced to her, and she raised her hands to form ANBU signs discretely. They nodded, each settling into a different stance than the other. She settled for her Uzumaki Style, loose and refined to the point her limbs automatically adjusted for the situation.
Darui met her gaze as he straightened, glancing toward the clones settled into different stances around him. He breathed outward as his fingers tucked into the loops of his kunai.
In an instant, the boy was twisting around and sending a volley of weapons at her and her clones.
Aki was quick to deflect the kunai, her eyes catching sight of one of her clones dispelling. Information filtered into her brain and was quickly cast into a place for later consideration.
Akihane then moved to shoot toward her enemy and stop his onslaught, when she felt something cut her cheek. Another pop sounded and she hissed as the image of a thin line cutting into her neck appeared.
"Ninja Wire," Akihane whispered, her blade twisting to snap the wire near her face. Her hand reversed the grip of her blade and she reached down to her pouch. Just as she tried to grab a tag to help another range of weapons was sent her way in the form of shuriken, senbon, more kunai, with several layers of ninja wire in between.
Akihane clenched her teeth and silently thanked the joint training when she was stuck fighting with Tenten. That girl had used similar moves, so dodging the weapons wasn't a hard as it normally would have been.
Aki twisted and struck at the different weapons raining down on her, her body shifting while her center of gravity switched between her right and left sides to her middle. She dropped to the floor to avoid wire that nicked her hair and sent several strands tumbling to the floor, along with the shuriken that flew past her back and slammed into the wall with thuds.
Genma flashed before her eyes, his smiling face calming her enough so she could slide past a kunai threatening to hit her jugular, her fingers barely sliding past a Senbon while her blade rose over her head. A quick downward thrust sent the weapons before her tumbling to the ground. Heels barely brushed the ground before Akihane was once again launching at her opponent.
Darui narrowed his gaze before he glanced to the ninja wire he had woven through his kunai and the other wire he had already set up, along with his shuriken.
Akihane brought her hands into a ram sign, pops sounding all over the area as at least five more clones appeared.
The Jonin above all bit back their surprise since Akihane had already shown her proficiency with the clones, as well as her tendency to spawn hundreds of the things.
Darui was unsettled by the appearance of her clones, but he quickly calmed himself when he noticed that Shisui and Yarui were both giving him determined looks.
Shisui met his gaze, nodding only once. That affirmation was all Darui needed as he gripped the wire in his hand tighter and pulled sharply.
Akihane noticed, her eyes widening when all the clones she had just summoned were popped as wire cut through them. The Uzumaki cursed, twisting her body away from several wires, her head ducking to avoid one from cutting through her neck. As she did, her ponytail flipped upward.
Silver rained down on the ground below her, causing a sudden tensing in Akihane's chest. Her hands suddenly shook, her blade dropped when a wire cut into her wrist. Several others struck her sides and her limbs. The stinging pain did nothing to wake Akihane from her sudden realization, however. Soft silver locks of hair hit the ground, along with a single cord of leather that no longer held up her long spikes.
The uneven blades shot out, freed as they were from their confines and weight.
Darui sighed as he noticed the girl freeze up. It seems he wasn't too accurate before. Despite being a capable Kunoichi the girl still cared a bit too much for her appearance, if her reaction to him cutting her hair was any indicator. In his defense, Akihane had been the one to duck the wire.
"Hey, Aki…?"
Akihane's ears rang as she tried to think past the white at her feet.
"Could you promise me something?"
She felt something cut through her, anger flooding her along with the cool chakra from her seal, her lips twisted as her shortened locks fell to hide her face in her bent position.
"Keep your hair long, alright? It really suits you."
"I suppose I can do that, Shisui-San."
"Forfeit before I pull the wires tighter…I see the wire below your neck and I'm not about to kill you without giving you a chance to back out of this." Darui spoke up, signaling his location to Akihane.
That was the last straw for her. She normally didn't care about her appearance, normally didn't even think once about whether she was pretty or whether her hair was nice or even if guys liked her. Akihane was a simple person, a practical one. And yet, she kept her hair long when it wasn't practical for a Kunoichi, it was a danger even. Her reason for having her hair long was simple. Shisui, sacrificial, loving, sweet Shisui had asked her to keep it long.
Her lips twitched and a soft chuckle left her lips.
Akihane knew Hayate was close to calling the match, and in response she held her hand out in the direction she knew he was in, cutting it even more.
"Don't, Hayate-San," Akihane called out to the Jonin, her body shaking slightly as she suddenly laughed.
Darui froze, shock flooding him as something was let loose, a warm, yet still threatening presence.
Everyone felt Akihane's chakra as it broke loose, the golden hue becoming noticeable for a moment before it was once more drawn back. A sharp thud broke Darui's confusion, guiding his gaze toward the weights released from Akihane's legs along with the seals pulsing into darkness.
"You really…really should never tell a Konoha Nin to give up."
Akihane was going over kill, she knew this, but one thought about Shisui silenced her protests. Shisui was her idol, the person she always wanted to be, the one she always admired even when she was younger, and Darui had just caused her to break a promise to him. As a Kunoichi, no, even as a young child, Akihane had sworn to never break a promise she made, to never go back on her word.
For Darui to have made her do such a thing brought out her emotions, too many to control, not enough to bring her back in time. She was a mess without her chakra control there to help, a mess with the cold seal trying to entice her back to being calm. She was done playing nice, done listening to the chakra forced into her.
The moment that her chakra had surrounded her, Akihane was given an idea of the locations of each tiny strand of ninja wire. Every line was taken into account, helping her pull herself out of the crosshairs just as Darui tugged at his end.
The line that had cut against Akihane's neck jutted upward as she slipped through a line of sharp and thin weaponry, her body moving fluidly as she gave herself to her chakra. The speed she gained from her weights along with her agility helped greatly as she shot through the wire, ducking and spinning through the nooks and crannies, her chakra pumping through her limbs to make her move even faster.
"W-What?!" Darui hissed out as he watched Akihane make her way toward him, barely receiving a scratch. Her chakra had been suppressed to the area around her, and yet he still felt the heavy and potent aura coating his ninja wire like a deadly poison, the warmth becoming unbearable. The technique gave the Uzumaki an advantage in the situation, as she knew exactly where each strand was. Such precision was astounding, and yet, it was even more surprising to Darui because of the amount of chakra used was no doubt too much for a normal Kunoichi to contain.
"M-Monster…" He whispered under his breath as Akihane shot from the web of wire, her palm slamming into his chest. Pain sparked along his ribs, fire burning across his heart in an arch. Distantly he wondered if the last thing he would see was her red eyes, filled with so much anger, and yet calm at the same time. Something told him that he would be okay, that he would survive and continue to fight. That was why when the warmth of the girl's chakra surrounded him, he allowed himself to slip peacefully into slumber.
All around Akihane, the wire collapsed, leaving her in a field of weapons panting heavily as her opponent hit the ground.
She stayed standing, however, even as her head swam. She was overwhelmed by the emotions of those around her, along with her own. A shiver worked its way down her spine and she had to withhold a whimper as she closed her eyes to let herself adjust. Releasing her chakra so suddenly hadn't been wise, and her tenketsu had no doubt been affected by such a reckless choice.
"Winner, Uzumaki Akihane Naru."
The call from Hayate had her sighing in relief even as she felt herself sway. Her eyes snapped open and she looked at her blade lying on the ground several feet away.
She formed a single sign, wincing as the chakra stung her arms. The sword vanished in a puff of smoke, just as she fell to the side.
Hayate was already there, catching her before she hit the ground. Scuffling notified Akihane that Darui's teammates had dropped down beside him. Aki looked toward Hayate, chuckling gently.
"Sorry, Hayate-San…I was an idiot."
Hayate smiled at her and shook his head in exasperation. "It's fine…Just know you get to deal with Genma when he hears about this."
Hayate whispered to her, only coughing lightly at the end. Akihane nodded, struggling to get her legs working.
A head of silver caught her attention, Kakashi's lone gray eye meeting hers as Hayate helped her to her feet.
"I'll be taking Aki-Hime," Kakashi spoke up, earning himself a nod as the Jonin's hand pressed into his student's back.
Akihane allowed the Jonin to guide her away from the arena. A medic rushed toward her to give her a once over, and Akihane only remained standing because Kakashi was holding her up.
Once the Medic deduced she just needed to rest for a day or so Kakashi enveloped them both in a swirl of leaves, dropping them both at the top with the other rookies.
Akihane collapsed against the wall and slid down the moment Kakashi let her go, her head angled upward as she breathed in heavily.
Sakura, Sasuke, and Hinata rushed toward her. Hinata dropped down beside her first, moving to use Iryo-Ninjutsu on her friend to help heal her. Akihane gently brushed Hinata's hand aside, smiling at the Hyuga. "I'll be fine, Hinata-Hime. Just need a bit of rest. Don't waste your chakra on me when you still have your fight to deal with."
Hinata opened her mouth to protest to the Uzumaki, only to be cut off by the blank voice of Sasuke.
"Sooner, rather than later, Hinata. You're up."
Hinata froze at the words, her eyes directed upward at the board.
Her heart stilled in her chest and something painful rushed through her as she took in the names left on the board.
"Will Hyuuga Hinata and Hyuuga Neji please make their way down to the arena!" Hayate's voice called out, echoing inside of the building. His tone was calm, and yet Hinata knew that the man must be worried for her since he had said her name so softly.
Hinata clenched her hands into fists, deciding that now was a good of a time as any.
"Sasuke-San, please watch Akihane-Chan. Sakura, would you please place this on her injuries?"
Hinata turned as she spoke, handing over a jar of ointment to Sakura before she steeled herself. From behind her, she heard a painful grunt, her gaze twisting to meet the glasses of her teammate Shino and the worried orbs of her friend Kiba.
"H-Hinata…you don't have to go, you know that right?"
Kiba spoke softly, trying to reassure her. Hinata only smiled sadly at the boy, shaking her head as she met Shino's gaze again. Shino offered her a nod, and she finally turned toward Akihane. Akihane was gazing at her calmly, her eyes focused on Hinata's face the orbs flickered to Hinata's hammering pulse, a soft smile working over Akihane's lips.
"Go before he disqualifies you Hinata-Hime. I believe in you."
Hinata's cheeks reddened, her body becoming relaxed as she heard the words.
Her head angled into a nod before she swiftly turned and marched down the steps toward the arena, ignoring the calls of her teammate as he wondered what the hell she was doing.
She was determined not to fail, and so she wouldn't.
I~~~~I
Holy Donuts that took way too long. Well, I am glad that I got this typed up. Summer break has been pretty chill despite a fainting spell I had and the fact I can't get a job until later on..ugh. Well, anyway I hope you enjoyed the chapter, stay tuned for Hinata VS Neji!
Drabble-His Thoughts
At first, it was only the intrigue regarding who she was that drew his attention to the Ivory haired kunoichi.
That intrigue quickly grew with every trial the blonde-haired shinobi passed.
After the large chakra release in the forest that set Darui on edge he had thought it unwise to continue trailing after the Genin, but once more he found himself stuck with her on his mind.
She had destroyed Darui in their battle, weaving through his wire-web so effectively that Shisui hadn't noticed a single extra cut on her.
The girl, Uzumaki Akihane Akihane, was an enigma.
(Oh, and if that name didn't send him for a spin…Uzumaki, to think.)
When Kakashi of the Sharingan had taken his student from the proctor, Shisui noticed something.
Akihane seemed to regret what had happened.
The way she tilted her head to look back once the medic finished checking her was a rather telling indication.
For the girl to regret harming Darui meant she must have lost control of herself or displayed something that could endanger others.
Shisui had watched the girl interact with the Old Man in the cafeteria who later was revealed to be the Hokage, he had witnessed the way she kept her precious people close.
This was a girl who cared too deeply, someone who gave everything to those she cared about.
Then, in the midst of the names cycling once more, Shisui witnessed her interactions with her teammates.
The girl wouldn't let the Hyuuga girl she was friends with heal her because she still had a match.
The girl also was exhausted from her battle, going so far as to lean against the wall for support while she clutched at her red arms.
Darui might not approve, but Shisui couldn't wait to fight the Kunoichi.
Her presence made him want to attack, her demeanor set him on edge.
The chakra held under wraps had filled him with a darker emotion he hadn't felt since his team had been left with the four tailed Jinchuuriki Roshi.
The energy was intoxicating and warm, each measure of it better than the last.
Being the damn power-junkie he happened to be under all his stoic composure, Shisui found he loved the feeling.
