*Chapter 5*
Akari found herself lined up among the remaining contestants, organized by team. Mizuko stood at the head of theirs, followed by Akari and then Riko. She was trying her best not to fidget as she kept her hands folded respectfully in front of her. Her gaze locked on the man at the front of the room. It was the Hokage himself, the leader of their village watching them all carefully. Looking very official in his red and white robes and Kage hat. Behind him were their teams senseis, Akari briefly stealing a glance at her own. Hayama sensei keeps his expression stoic, giving nothing away.
"First of all, congratulations on finishing the second exam." Anko spoke up.
Among the large group were a couple of other ninja. Including Ibiki, their first proctor. The whole thing was quite a bit nerve racking to be honest. Being in a room with so many higher ups.
"There's still this many teams remaining? What a pain."
Akari looked to her right, at Shikamura whose team stood next to theirs. He was second in line, same as her. Ino having taken the front and Choji the back.
"Sasuke and the others passed too!" Ino exclaimed, her expression elated.
Chewing nervously on her lower lip, Akari shifted a little in an attempt to catch sight of Team seven. They stood two rows over, on the other side of Hinata's team. They were a little beaten up, but they seemed all right for the most part. Her eyes raking over the trio, relieved to see them unharmed.
"Of course. We went through all that trouble to save them, It would have been for nothing if they hadn't passed." Shikamura grumbled.
Akari frowned at his words, looking at the boy in confusion. He caught her staring, raising a questioning brow at her.
"What happened?" She asked him.
"Sasuke and Naruto were out of it, that's what happened. Leaving Sakura to defend them herself. Those Hidden Sound ninja didn't hold anything back, beating her to a pulp. A few of us had to intervene." The boy explained.
That's all he was willing to say about it, going back to facing the front. Akari was only more confused, wondering just what had happened to her team for Sakura to be left on her own like that. She looked over at the girl, her eyes instantly falling on her pretty pink hair. Hair that was now strikingly short, the ends sheared inches above Sakura's shoulders.
"She did that to herself. Trying to protect her team."
Ino had spoken so quietly that Akari had barely heard her. The blonde not having turned around, still facing forward. Still, it was obvious that the words were meant for Akari. As if Ino were trying to prove a point. To tell her something about Sakura, something that might change Akari's perception of her. It worked.
"She's always taken such good care of it." Akari muttered.
Ino didn't respond. She didn't have to, Akari already beginning to see Sakura in a new light. To think she had actually gotten rid of her long hair. Hair she had taken extra care to grow out to impress the boy she liked. To look pretty for him. Was she really capable of getting rid of her vanity, just like that? The thought was foreign, Akari was a bit hesitant to believe the girl had it in her. But maybe she had changed. It had been years since she had seen the girl so it was possible. So much so, that Akari might not be able to call her weak any more. Not after giving everything she had to protect her friends.
A slight movement caught Akari's attention, distracting her from her thoughts. She followed it to find Sasuke Uchiha rubbing his neck carefully. His face scrunched up in a wince, looking to be in pain. She frowned in concern, making a note to ask him about it later. Suddenly his eyes met hers, holding her gaze. He didn't look away and neither did she, taking in each others worn out appearances. Akari wondering what Sasuke had been through in that forest. The Uchiha probably wondered the same about her.
"Akari. Sensei is watching you." Mizuko whispered back at her.
Akari immediately faced forward again, Team seven forgotten for the moment. Trying to play it off as if she had been paying attention the whole time. Slowly, she glanced behind the Hokage, at the line of squad leaders. Locking eyes with Hayama Sensei, the man watching her carefully. An eyebrow raised, his expression reproachful. Clearly he did not believe her ruese. She gave him a sheepish smile at having been caught, forcing herself to listen intently. It looked as if the Hokage had started speaking at some point. Akari has missed most of his speech.
"There is no question that these exams are to select Shinobi worthy of becoming Chunin."
She blinked up at the Hokage, a little confused as to why he was saying this. Of course that's what the exams are for. Why else would they, Genin barely out of the academy, be taking them?
"But at the same time, these exams also provide a venue for Shinobi who carry their nation's pride on their backs to fight for their lives."
Akari's eyes widened, alarmed by the man's words. Behind her, Riko let out a small noise of Surprise. Mizuko looked a bit tense, her hands clenched at her sides.
"Many feudal lords and those of prominence from many nations who request Shinobi for work are invited to this third exam as guests. They will all be watching your battles."
She could only gape at the Third, not sure why he was saying all this. Those around her looked shocked, many just as confused as she was. A few even looked a bit angry.
"If there is a gap in national power, the strong nations are inundated with job requests. The request of nations deemed weak, on the other hand, decline. Therefore, the stronger our nation is the better our position when it comes to negotiating with neighboring nations. So it's important to show just how much military strength our village is developing and has."
"Even so, why is it necessary for us to fight for our lives?!" Kiba exclaimed.
Akari had to nod at that, wondering why they were made to believe this was just a friendly match against allies. Only to be proven wrong by being thrown in a deadly battle surrounded by enemies. Did they have to go that far? This was supposed to be just an exam, a way to show their superiors that they were ready to become more. This wasn't meant to be a mission, it shouldn't have to be life or death. Can't they prove their strength well enough without fearing for their lives in the process?
"The Nations strength is the village's strength. The village's strength is the Shinobis strength. And the true strength of Shinobi is created only in a fight for one's life. This exam is a place to see the strength of home country Shinobi and a place to display this as well. It is because it's an exam where you truly fight for your life that this has meaning. It's for this very reason that your forerunners fought in this exam. It's truly a dream worth striving for."
"Then why...use the expression friendship?!" Tenten questioned.
Akari couldn't help but eye the other contestants at the girls words. Noting that all the rookies were grouped together on the left. The right side being taken up by those not from the Hidden Leaf. So many familiar faces, but plenty of strangers as well. Her gaze fell on the squad from the Hidden Sand and she froze. A trickle of fear coursing through her at the sight of Gaara. Suddenly, the word friendship did not sound sincere for their situation. How could she have every believed this was a friendly competition among allies?
"I said it at the start, didn't I? That it won't do for you to have the wrong idea of the meaning! It's a custom where balance is preserved by fighting and removing life. This is the friendship of the Shinobi world. This is a fight for life with the pride of the village and one's own dream on the line."
There was a moment of silence as the Hokages words sunk in. Many of them began to accept what was required of them. This was no regular test, nothing like the ones they had received at the Academy. No, they had graduated from that and had been thrown in among the sharks. With hardly any warning. This, the constant battle for their lives, was their reality now.
"Heh. I'm convinced." Naruto spoke up first, a smirk on his lips.
Akari barely paid him any attention, her eyes still locked on the boy from the Hidden Sand. Unable to tear her eyes away, her instinct telling her to never let him out of her sight.
"Anything is fine."
Akari startled, not having expected the boy to talk. His voice sends her back to the forest, her body remembering the feel of his sand surrounding her.
"Just tell us the content of the fight-for-life test." Garra finished with a growl.
Riko nudged her from behind, breaking her out of her brief moment of fright. Akari had to shake her head to clear it, forcing herself to face forward again. All the while thinking of the murderous ninja among them.
"Very well." The Third said. "This is where I'd like to explain the third exam. But actually…"
Before he could finish, a ninja appeared before him. Kneeling down on one knee, his head bowed respectfully. Akari leaned forward, blinking at the new arrival. Recognizing him immediately.
"Master Hokage, please allow me, Hayate Gekko, who was given the task of judge, to speak first."
"I leave it to you." The Hokage agreed.
Hayate rose, turning around to face all of them. Akari watching him carefully, a bit surprised to see him there. Taking in his blank expression and the bags under his eyes. He didn't really look like the picture of health. Never has actually, in all the time she has known him.
"Nice to meet you everyone." Hayate began.
There was a pause as he went into a brief coughing fit. A few contestants stared at him oddly but Akari didn't even flinch. This was normal for the man.
"Umm, there's something *cough* I'd like you all to do *cough* before the third exam."
Then he went into a full in coughing fit. Everyone waiting for it to subside, many looking even more shocked. Once Hayate had gathered himself, he faced everyone with a stoic expression.
"And that is a Preliminary to the Third Exam with participation in the main battle on the line." The man proclaimed.
There was a brief moment of silence where everyone took in his words. Akari blinking at him in surprise, her head tilting curiously as she let out a quiet "huh?". The twins looking just as baffled beside her, their brows furrowed as if they were still having trouble processing what had just been said.
"Preliminary? Just what do you mean by that?" Shikamaru yelled.
Akari was all ears now, leaning forward in an attempt to better understand what was going on.
"Sensei, I don't understand the point of this. Why aren't we doing the next exam with the remaining contestants?" Sakura asked, a little less aggressively than Shikamaru had.
Hayate let out a tired sigh as he began to reply.
"This time around, perhaps because the first two tests were easy, there are a few too many people left, you see. In accordance with the rules of the Chunin exams, a preliminary will be held in order to reduce the number advancing." He explained.
"N-no way." Sakura exclaimed.
Akari had to agree with that statement. Her body still groaning from all the efforts she had made in the forest. Only for her to find out that she hadn't quite made it to the end. It all just seemed a bit unfair.
"As Lord Hokage said before, many guests will be coming to the third exam. So we can't have long pointless matches. Our time is limited as well. Therefore, those of you are not in top physical condition.."
Hayate broke into a coughing fit again. Akari shaking her head slightly at the man, knowing the others were probably wondering if he himself was well enough to continue. He was of course, but she had a feeling she was one of the few in the room who knew this.
"Excuse me." Hayate muttered.
Then he was addressing everyone again as if nothing had happened.
"Those of you who wish to drop out, please, speak up now. The Preliminary will begin immediately, so…"
Before Akari could even consider the question, Kiba decided to interrupt.
"Immediately, you say?!" He shouted out.
"But we finally made it through the second exam." Ino mumbled sadly.
"This is a pain." Shikamaru grimaced
"Huh? What about our meal?" Choji grumbled, the boy always keeping his priorities straight.
Akari placed a gentle hand over her own ribs, pressing lightly on the bruise that had formed on the right side of her body. Beside her, Riko was staring down at his bandaged arm with a frustrated frown. They were definitely not in the shape to continue, both of them having thought they'd get a chance to recover. Still, neither of them spoke up. Mizuko glancing back at them with concern.
"Oh. I forgot to mention this but it will be individual battles from now on. It is your decision, so feel free to raise your hands and drop out."
Akari glanced around, wondering if anyone would walk away. Her gaze instinctively went to Sasuke, having noticed the way the boy kept gripping his neck. Sakura's worried expression was so severe it was hard to ignore. Naruto looked lost as he stared back and forth between his teammates. The three of them caught up in what looked to be a serious conversation. Akari wishing she was close enough to hear what was going on. Her eyes widening when Sakura began to raise her hand, Sasuke watching her with a betrayed expression.
"Oh."
Akari tore her eyes away from Team Seven, her gaze falling on a different hand. This one had been raised before Sakura could get her chance. Everyone's attention now focused on the silver-haired man with glasses.
"Excuse me...I'll quit." The man said sheepishly.
Everyone was silent as Hayate flipped through his clipboard, coughing slightly into his fist. Akari completely forgot about Sakura as she watched what happened next. Craning her neck a little to get a better look at the man. Wondering if he was severely injured in some way, causing him to quit.
"Lets see. Kabuto Yakushi of the Leaf Village, correct? Then you may step back." Hayate told him.
"Okay." The man, Kabuto, replied calmly.
He turned to walk away only to be stopped by Naruto.
"Kabuto!? Why are you quitting?Tell me! Why!?" Naruto shouted after him.
Everyone stared at the two, a few not looking all that interested.
"I'm sorry, Naruto. But my body is worn out. Actually, before the first exam, when I wrangled with the guys from the sound village, I've had no hearing at all in my left ear. To fight right away and to be told that my life would be on the line, I can't go on."
Naruto had no reply for that, the boy looking away with a forlorn expression. Kabuto giving Team Seven a small wave before departing. His footsteps could be heard throughout the large space even after he'd left the room.
"Now then, there are no others who will quit?"
Remembering Sakura, Akari looked at the girl again. The pink-haired girl already in the process of raising her hand again. Only to be stopped by Sasuke, the boy taking a firm grip on her wrist to keep her from doing so. Akari didn't know what to make of it, eyes narrowed as she tried to better understand what was going on. Growing frustrated, having no clue as to what the trio were saying.
"Another one then."
Akari froze at Hayates words, looking to the other Teams to find who he spoke of. Eyes widening when she realized that everyone was staring back at her. All the other Teams no staring in her direction. No. Not towards her. Beside her. Confused, she followed their gaze and turned to look at her brother. Never having expected to see him standing there with his hand in the air. Riko's bad arm hanging uselessly in its sling, Riko's expression giving nothing away. Only Akari and Mizuko were able to see the slight trembling of his lips and unshed tears in his eyes.
"I'll be sitting this one out too. I can't do much with my arm like this. Asking all of you to watch me even try would be a waste of time." Riko explained.
He was looking up at Hayama Sensei as he spoke, not daring to look at anyone else. Akari looked to their sensei as well, her heart heavy in her chest. Her face falling at the sight of Hayama's nod of approval. Having no other choice but to accept her brothers decision, seeing as how even their sensei was agreeing with it.
"Riko Yoshida of the Hidden Leaf. You may go as well." Hayate said.
Riko gave the man a sharp nod before leaving the line up. Walking away with his head held high, ignoring the eyes glued to his back. Akari gave Mizuko a worried look, knowing their brother was probably beating himself up right now. Blaming himself for being unable to continue.
"We'll check on him later. Right now, we need to worry about ourselves." Mizuko shook her head with a sigh.
Akari could only nod, knowing her sister was right. The two of them had chosen to continue, they needed to focus on what came next. For Akari, that meant enduring the pain in her side. Her fractured ribs still in need of healing, her bruise throbbing uncomfortably. Still, she would not raise her hand. Not now.
"Alright then. We will now begin the Preliminary round. It will consist of one on one matches. There are now exactly 22 people so we will conduct eleven battles. The winners will advance to the final exam. There are no rules. You will fight until some either dies, collapses or admits defeat. Please admit defeat if you don't want to die. I will intervene and stop the match if I deem it fit in order to lessen the amount of dead bodies." Hayate said.
The man spoke casually, occasionally letting out a cough or two. As if he wasn't talking about the possibility of them losing their lives. Akari couldn't hide the grimace on her face, unable to keep the doubt from creeping in. Wondering if her decision to fight injured would end up causing her to lose her life.
"Now it's time to reveal what fate has chosen for you." Hayate was signaling to Anko.
The woman spoke into her headset, causing a panel to slide open on the wall in front of them. Revealing a black screen, all of them turning their attention to it. No one saying a word, the Teams waiting for further explanation.
"In a moment the names of the first two opponents will appear." Hayate coughed.
They all watched nervously as yellow letters began to blink on the screen. In mere seconds, the first two names popped up on the screen. Akari Yoshida and Sakura Haruno. Mizuko let out a low hiss, glancing back at her younger sister. Akari could only stare up at her name, her fingers absentmindedly pressing on her ribs. Trying not to flinch as the pain shot up her side. A part of her glad that her sister had managed to heal the worst of it. Knowing that Mizuko's efforts, though not perfect, were the only reason she could even continue.
"Now then, the two displayed on the signboard, come forward." Hayate called out.
Akari did as she was told, her hand dropping to her side as she walked away from the group to meet Hayate at the center of the room. Sakura came to stand opposite of her, the two girls watching each other carefully. Akari keeping her face blank, clearing her mind and refusing to show any sign of being in pain. Her opponent could not be allowed to know of her discomfort. Any show of weakness could easily be used to Sakura's advantage.
"For the first battle, Akari Yoshida and Sakura Haruno have been chosen. Any objections?" Hayate asked.
"None."
"No."
Both girls spoke at the same time, never taking their eyes off each other. The two of them covered in sweat and grime, their clothes torn in various places. The Forest has left its mark on both of them.
"Now then, we will begin. Everyone else, please move to the upper area."
At Hayate's words, the group dispersed. All the contestants and their senseis climbing up to the upper level for a better view. Kakashi passed by to give Sakura an encouraging pat on her shoulder. Naruto and Sasuke follow their sensei to join the others. Mizuko gave Akari a supportive smile as Hayama came over to stand next to her.
"Don't overdo it." Her Sensei looked down at her.
Akari wasn't surprised to hear that he knew of her injury. She almost moved to touch her bruise again, stopping herself at the last second.
"I can handle it." She muttered.
"I never said you couldn't." Hayama said.
Then he was ruffling her hair and moving to join Mizuko up on the balcony. Akari stared after him, feeling a little irked. Not sure what her sensei was trying to tell her. If he knew she could do this, why ask her to hold back? Shaking her head to clear it, Akari turned back to her opponent. Deciding that this was not the time to try and figure it out.
"Now them, please begin." Hayate exclaimed.
Sakura took on a fighting stance, Akari mirroring her. Both girls looked determined to win this. Their expressions are calculative, each of them waiting for the other to make the first move. Akari sidestepped, Sakura doing the same until they were circling each other. The two of them searching carefully for an opening, for the chance to take the upperhand.
Sakura was the first to take her shot, hurling a kunai straight at Akari. Forcing Akari to eap out of the way, landing in a low crouch just a few feet away. The sound of metal hitting stone resonating behind her as the weapon bounced against the far wall. Her ribs screaming in protest at the sudden movement, Akari using sheer force of will to keep from crying out. She didn't even get the chance to catch her breath, Sakura running at her to clash head on.
Akari stood to meet her, arms raised in front of her to block a strong punch. Being forced to defend as Sakura continued her onslaught. Akari being pushed back with every hit. Sakura's blows were far stronger than Akari had anticipated. She knew she couldn't let the other girl keep the advantage. Sakura could easily bring Akari to her knees if this continued, the girl actually proving to be a difficult opponent. Deciding she had learned enough, Akari dug in her heels and tensed up her body. Using the palm of her hand to deflect a well aimed punch at her face. Her hand immediately gripped firmly over Sakura's wrist.
"I hate to admit this, but you're actually pretty good." Akari huffed.
Sakura could only stare at her in surprise, Akari using this to her advantage. Keeping her hold on the other girl, she did a back turn and led into a spin kick. Her heel connecting with Sakuras shoulder and knocking her off her feet. The other girl floating in the air for a second before landing roughly against the ground and skidding to a stop just a few feet away.
Akari meant to go after her, wanting to end this quickly. The pain is getting harder and harder to ignore. Except, Sakura was quicker than that. The girl pushing herself to her feet and leaping even further away. Akari let out a frustrated groan now that Sakura was out of her reach. The pink-haired girl staring at her suspiciously now. As if she just realized that Akari wasn't going to go down that easily.
"Y-you...you let me attack first. Didn't you?" Sakura was breathing heavily.
Akari pulled a kunai from her holster, spinning it a few times between her fingers.
"Know your enemy, I always say. Though, it's clear now that I didn't know you as well as I thought I did. Guess you're really not as useless as you look, huh Sakura?" Akari smirked ruefully.
She had gone into these exams having thought Sakura was some weakling who had made Genin out of pure luck. Never having thought cotton candy head was actually worth a second look. The Forest had been brutal, Akari and her team had barely made it out. The fact that this girl, who Akari had believed to be powerless, had made it out too was unbelievable. Yet Sakura was here, her hair cut short and looking like an entirely different person.
"I think that's the first time you've actually called me by name." Sakura muttered.
The girl looked completely freaked out now, blinking at Akari owlishly. Her lips parted, her expression one of complete confusion. Clearly caught off guard by the hint of respect in Akari's tone. It hadn't been obvious, but it was there.
"It's weird, I know. Trust me when I say that seeing you as more than a walking bimbo is going to take some serious getting used to." Akari grimaced.
Then she was rushing forward, no longer able to delay this any longer. This match had to end before her injury grew worse. Her sisters' healing quickly came undone due to all this strenuous effort. Akari is definitely going to need to see a proper healer after this.
"Damn it! You're just messing with me, aren't you!?" Sakura shouted.
She ran to meet Akari, the two of them growling in frustration. Both girls kicking and punching to try and find an opening. They swerved around each other, dodging blow after blow. Both growing more and more irritated each time they failed to land a hit. Akari struggled to accept that this was the same Sakura she had looked down on all these years. Having thought that she could never make it this far. It was annoying how quickly the girl was gaining her respect.
"I can make it!" Sakura was shouting.
Akari blocked another hit, taking note that the other girls' blows were getting slower and slower. Sakura was losing speed, probably due to fatigue. Akari wondered just how much the girl had been through in the forest. She had come out with fractured ribs but what had Sakura endured to get here?
"I won't let it end here!" Sakura cried out.
"It has to." Akari answered, just as winded.
This fight had already lasted far longer than she had intended. She needed to push past the pain and speed this along. Akari couldn deny it any longer. Sakura was talented and this was going to take more than a few punches to beat her.
Akari risked a glance up at the upper floor, eyes meeting with Hayama senseis. The man looked down at her, watching the fight carefully. His expression was enough for her to know that he was already expecting her to act rashly. Akari didn't think she had any other choice. She couldn't let this drag on any longer.
As Sakura brought her leg up, aiming for her head, Akari grabbed the girls ankle moments before impact. Her quick movements once again catching the other girl off guard. Then, using her free hand, she punched her opponent square in the jaw. Sakura falling on her back, the air knocked out of her. Akari watched her move to get up, her fingers already working to weave her first hand sign.
"Transparency Jutsu." She muttered softly under breath.
Sakura had managed to stand up again, wiping at the trickle of blood on her chin. A flicker of uncertainty crossing her face as she turned her head left and right. Unable to see Akari who was standing just a few feet away. Completely invisible to everyone in the room. Only the older Jonin, Hayate staring right at her, able to sense where she stood.
Akari watched as Sakura frantically weaved hand signs of her own.
Tiger. Boar. Ox. Dog. Snake.
Akari knew what would come next. Silently, she began to weave her next jutsu.
Snake. Ram. Monkey. Boar. Horse. Tiger.
Then she was leaping into the air, her ribs aching at the sudden movement. Akari flinching as she felt something crack, knowing she had pushed it too far. But it was too late to do anything about it. The only thing she could do was end this now, if only to preserve the last amount of strength her body had.
"Flame Bullet Jutsu" Akari cried out.
Flames burst from Akaris mouth, the fire raining down and heading for Sakura. The other girl looked up at her, eyes wide with shock. Her arms raised in front of her face in an attempt to shield herself, too late for her to dodge. Akari landed back on her feet, grimacing as her side screamed in protest. Still, she watched as Sakura's clone exploded in a cloud of smoke. Sensing that the real Sakura was attempting to sneak up on her from behind. Akari twirled around to face her, Sakura letting out a small yelp at having been caught. Akari's fist connecting with her jaw and sending her flying backwards. The girl bouncing on the ground once before landing roughly on her back. Sakura losing consciousness and bringing the fight to an end.
"The first round goes to *cough* Akari Yoshida!" Hayate mutters.
*
Sasuke watched as Akari walked slowly towards the fallen Sakura. The dark-haired girl clutching her side gently, her face scrunched up in a painful grimace. She was clearly injured, her lower lip caught between her teeth and her eyes flinching with every step. Sasuke was positive that the wound had not been inflicted during the fight. He had been watching closely, knowing for a fact that Sakura had not been the cause. The only explanation being that Akari had walked out of the forest like this. Having hidden any sign of her injury up until now. Having chosen to continue with the exams even though she was clearly in pain.
"So Sakura lost. That's kinda disappointing." Naruto muttered glumly.
Sasuke said nothing in response his eyes still following Akari down below. Seeing how she lowered herself to her knees next to Sakura. Slowly lifting her fallen opponent into a sitting position, nudging her lightly in an attempt to wake her.
"Kakashi Sensei. The Yoshida siblings, what do you know about them?"
Naruto looked at him, slightly surprised by the question. The blonde then turned to Kakashi, his curiosity peaked. The two boys waiting for their sensei's response. Kakashi is still staring down at the two girls below, taking a moment to answer.
"They graduated with Might Gai's squad, having become Genin about a year ago. Their rankings were fourth, fifth, and sixth. Gai's squad having taken the top three spots. Since they left the academy they've gone on 16 missions. Am I correct in saying so, Hayama-san?"
Sasuke and Naruto looked to the man who had silently approached them, eyeing him curiously. One of the twins, Mizuko, is following close behind. Though she wasn't paying them any attention, her worried gaze locked on her sister down below. Akari looked to have managed to wake Sakura, the two girls talking softly to each other.
"4 D rank, 2 C, 7 B and 3 A." Hayama added with a nod, his lips pulled into a small smile.
"They've been on both A and B rank missions!?" Naruto exclaimed. " But they're only genin!"
Hayama's lips twitched, a grin threatening to break through. His eyes sparkling with pride, his gaze turning to look down at his youngest student.
"They're well trained. All three of them are highly skilled in both Ninjutsu and Taijutsu." Hayama told them, managing not to sound smug about it.
Sasuke turned his attention back to the arena, in time to catch Hayate approaching the two girls. The older man gave them each a hand, both Akari and Sakura struggling a bit to stand on their own.
"Did they complete all 16?" He asked quietly.
Mizuko actually looked over at him this time, but only briefly. Still too preoccupied in watching her sister, not caring to join in their conversation. Hayama was also watching Akari, his smile fading slightly and a furrow in his brow. A flash of concern crossing his face, though it was gone just as quickly.
"Hmm? Oh, we failed three of them if I remember correctly. 1 A and 2 B rank. A back up Team sent out to replace us." The Jonin answered absentmindedly.
"Still, 13 completed missions is pretty impressive." Naruto said.
Sasuke noticed that Hayama and Mizuko weren't really paying them much attention anymore. Both of them were too concerned with what was going on down below. Sasuke followed their line of sight, not surprised to find that they were busy watching Akari. His eyes narrowing when he saw that Akari had fallen to her knees. The girl clutching at her side, jaw clenched and beads of sweat trailing down her temple. Hayate and Sakura hovering over her out of concern.
"What happened? Is she hurt?!" Naruto gasped.
The blonde gripping the railing with both hands, leaning over the side in an attempt to get a closer look. His eyes wide with worry, looking as if he wanted to rush down there and help. The only thing stopping him being the firm grip of Kakashi's hand on his shoulder. Their sensei holding Naruto in place, probably to keep him out of the way.
"It looks as if whatever injury she received out in the forest has worsened during the fight." Kakashi deduced.
"I couldn't heal her properly out there, she knew this! She should've just walked away with Riko!" Mizuko exclaimed.
"You and I both know she's too stubborn for her own good." Hayama sighed.
Then the two were leaping over the railing and hurrying over to assist. Sasuke unable to tear his eyes away as he watched Akari being lifted onto a stretcher by a pair of medical ninja. Sakura standing off to the side as the girl was taken away to be properly cared for. Her Sensei and older sister followed close behind, Sasuke feeling the odd urge to go with them. It faded quickly though, a sharp pain in his neck causing him to momentarily forget the injured girl. Sasuke instinctively pressed a hand over it in a weak attempt to suppress it. Barely able to focus as his name was called out next, his chosen opponent already leaping down into the arena below.
*
Akari stared up the ceiling as a medical ninja hovered over her. The woman's chakra infused hands pressing on her injured ribs. The younger girl tried not to squirm as she felt her ribs mending slowly, the bones shifting back into place. Akari let out a breath of relief when she could no longer the stabbing pain in her inner walls. One of the ribs had snapped nearly in two, tearing into the soft flesh around it and causing internal bleeding. It was no surprise that she had to be carried out after her win.
"I can't believe I'm missing Sasuke's fight right now." She muttered to herself, a pout on her lips.
"You shouldn't have stayed to begin with. Your sister managed to heal you well enough to get you to the tower but it wasn't meant to last. You needed to have received proper medical care as soon as you arrived." The medical ninja chided.
Akari merely grumbled to herself, very put out at the moment. Ignoring the third person in the room. Hayama sensei having stayed to watch over her during her treatment. Mizuko only stayed long enough to make sure she was alright before heading back to the arena. The older girl still had her own fight to worry about.
"There. You're all done. You'll be a little sore in the morning due to the rapid healing your body has gone through but other than that you should be fine."
The woman packed up her supplies, giving Hayama a nod before leaving them alone in the room. Akari continued to stare at the ceiling as her sensei approached the bed.
"I warned you not to overdo it, did I not? Your body was clearly at its limit." He told her.
"Limits are meant to be broken." She responded, still not meeting his eyes.
Hayama was silent for a moment, just staring down at her. Akari stealing a quick glance at him, the man's expression not giving much away.
"You act far too rashly at times, Akari. Just because you're mentally ready to get stronger it doesn't mean you're physically capable of doing so." Hayama said.
Akari said nothing, knowing that her sensei would not appreciate being interrupted. This was clearly a teaching moment. She was meant to stay silent and learn from his words. Even if she felt the urge to argue, thinking herself stronger than he seemed to believe.
"As ninja, we learn what each of our limits are. And yes, we tend to ignore them. But we must do so wisely, training our bodies first, allowing it to get used to the strain." He continued.
Akari merely lay there, already beginning to feel ashamed. Hayama never failed to make her feel small, reminding her that he was the more experienced one between them. She supposed it was for the best, knowing she had the bad habit of getting ahead of herself.
"You must be careful. There is a fine line between confidence and arrogance. One will help you flourish, the other will hinder any progress you have made."
Hayama had told her this before, back when he had been put in charge of them. Telling her that even if she showed natural talent, she could not allow herself to become overconfident. Having that sort of mindset would easily cripple her, keeping her from reaching her true potential.
"Your injury was more severe than you had led your siblings to believe. You acted as if you were fine, keeping a very impressive poker face throughout the Hokages speech. In fact, you became purposefully oblivious to your own pain. That's not a strength, Akari. It was mere foolishness." Her sensei spoke sternly.
This time she did look at him, a sheepish expression on her face. She had been caught, but she was all that surprised. Akari has never been able to fool her sensei in all the time she's known him. Not once.
"I really did believe Mizuko had healed me well enough. It wasn't till we made it out of the forest that I realized she had merely eased the pain. I didn't say anything because I had already planned on seeing a healer, thinking the exam was over. But then we found out about the preliminary round and I couldn't bring myself to walk away." Akari admitted with a frown.
Hayama shook his head with a sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration. Akari pushed herself up to sit in the cot, her legs now dangling off the side and feet barely touching the ground.
"Riko was smart enough to realize he couldn't proceed. You should have followed his example. There was no telling for sure how bad your injury was. You're lucky you didn't pierce a lung or something." He scolded her.
"I didn't make it this far just to give up so easily. I had to at least try." Akari grumbled.
Hayama stared at her for only a moment. Then he was taking a deep breath before letting her have it. This is how things normally went between them. Akari would do something foolish, getting herself into trouble and showing little to no remorse. Then, after somehow managing to get herself out of whatever problem she caused, she'd sit through an hour long rant. Hayama berating her until he felt like the girl had gotten the point. Which, normally worked...for a day or two. Akari would do as she was told only long enough to please her sensei for a short while. Then she'd fall right back into old habits, forever true to her real nature.
"...can be so irresponsible sometimes! Always doing as you please without worrying about the consequences! Sometimes I wonder if they made a mistake in letting you graduate so earl…."
Akari was barely listening, already lost in thought as she stared at the open doorway. Hayama quickly became background noise. His speech one she has heard before, her sensei also a creature of habit like herself.
As she waited for him to finish, she caught sight of Kakashi and Sasuke walking by. The two of them looked solemn as they made their way down the hall. She opened her mouth to call out to them, already rising to stand. Only to freeze when Sasuke looked her way, the Uchiha pausing for a moment outside her door. Only to face forward again without a word, letting Kakashi lead him away.
Akari frowned at the cold response, lowering her hand mid-wave. Not sure why Sasuke seemed more distant than usual. Having thought they had been making progress.
"I'm surprised the Hokage even let him participate in the condition he's in."
Akari startled a little, remembering that she was not alone. Realizing that Hayama had stopped scolding her, the man's attention on the now empty hallway. His brow furrowed and an uneasy frown on his lips.
"What do you mean by that? Is something wrong with Sasuke?" She asked, her tone showing concern.
Hayama blinked down at her, as if he too had just remembered she was there. Then he was offering her a small smile, ruffling her hair playfully. Back to his usual calm self now that he had finished telling her off.
"Don't worry about it. I'm sure Kakashi has it handled." He tried to assure her.
Akari's frown deepened. Sensing that there was something he was telling her. Something important.
"Come on. The matches aren't over yet."
Hayama started making his way out of the room, motioning for her to follow. Akari saw no other choice but go after him, letting him lead her back to the Arena. Though she kept looking over her shoulder in the direction Sasuke had gone. Unable to help the uneasy feeling in her gut, telling her something was wrong.