Disclaimer: Aki's story is © to me, all events referring to Naruto and his friends that Dragon Man included in his fic, "Naruto the Kitsune Hanyou" are hereby © to him. All other things are hereby © to their respectful and rightful owners.

Third Shadow: The Noble Art of Tamahashi

My eyes widened with shock.

"Really, Otou-san? You and Nii-chan would teach me?"

My brother and father nodded, their smiles growing wider. My eyes lit up and I nearly started jumping up and down in my seat with excitement.

"Oh please, please, please! I want to learn!" I exclaimed vehemently.

"We can start after dinner if you'd like. Your brother can start teaching you tonight. I can't teach you as I've got lots of work to do."

I nodded fervently, very eager to start my lessons.

"Besides, you're supposed to be better than Sasuke, remember? This way you'll have a head start. I hear it takes a while before Sharingan is unlocked." My brother said with a smirk.

I nodded slower this time, if I nodded any faster; I swear my head would've flown off.

I finished my dinner quickly that night, not wanting to waste any time that could be spent training. After dinner, my brother went down into the shop and told me to follow. Puzzled, I followed after him.

"The first thing I'm going to teach you is Kage Chozou no Jutsu. Mainly, it's only used here in the store, to get things out of sealed objects, plus it helps keep thieves out of the really dangerous stuff we've got laying around here. It's not too hard to do. Now watch and learn, sis." He said to me. "Kage Chozou no Jutsu!"

He made a one-handed seal before reaching into the cash register, his hand darkening slightly and becoming semi-transparent before going through and waving at me from a shadow of a shelf on the opposite side of the room. I watched in utter amazement, unable to believe my eyes. Could I really learn how to do that? As if reading my thoughts, my brother replies, "I'm sure you can have it down in no time. It didn't take me too long to learn it."

My brother smiles at me before showing me the proper hand seal, instructing me step by step. I gather my chakra into my hand and imitate my brother. My fingertips start to go through before my fingers once again solidify.

"Almost, Aki-chan. But that was really good for a first try. Try again, but try to concentrate on only focusing your chakra to your hand and imagining that it will go through."

I nod, taking a breath and reforming the seal.

I can do this. I just have to imagine it. That's easy. But I have to concentrate and put chakra into it. That's the hard part. But I can't give up. I have to keep trying. I will be a fine kunoichi! Just like how brother said! I can do this!

"Kage Chozou no Jutsu!"

I push my hand forward, all the while, believing my hand will go through. My hand touches paper bills and coins. I look to my brother, who looks shocked and proud at the same time. I look at my hand, still in the register. It's through all the way up to my wrist. I smile.

I can't believe I did it. But I'm glad I did. Otou-san will be so proud of me. I try to pull my hand out, but it doesn't work. Uh-oh.

"Uhhh…Nii-chan, I can't get out." I said nervously.

My brother laughs. "Are you stuck?" he asks.

I nod, and he sighs, forming the seal, his shadowed hand finding mine in the register, pulling me free.

"I forgot to mention that in order to get out of objects you decide to stick your hands through, you have to keep the jutsu active so you can be able to slide your hand in and out of things. We can try that now, but you look bored." My brother explains to me. "I've got an idea…grab some shuriken and kunai and meet me in the yard. Let's have a match."

I grin. I've always wanted to perfect my shuriken and kunai throwing skills anyway. I grab a holster and head out the shop back door, into the small yard we have behind the shop, where my brother waits for me, strapping on his shuriken holster and adjusting his Konoha hitai-ate.

"Ready?" He asks me.

I nod. Of course I'm ready. He nods, signaling to begin.

"Try to hit me, don't worry, I'll block. But the point here is to try to penetrate my defense." He instructs.

I nod, reaching for a kunai, preparing to strike. My brother smiles at me and I smile back, releasing the kunai, a shot that would've pinned my brother nicely to the backyard wall if it wasn't blocked by his shuriken. I don't like kunai as much as I do shuriken. It's probably why I had told my brother a few years back to demonstrate how to make one. I remember I sat with him for hours until he finally finished it. It was a very beautiful shuriken. I was more surprised when he had given it to me and said, "Here, for you." The memory made me smile, but I was snapped out of my reverie by my brother.

"Hey, stop daydreaming Aki-chan. If this was a real battle, you'd probably be dead by now."

"Yeah, yeah I know Nii-chan. I'll try to quit spacing out on you…"

He laughed at me again. He's always laughing at me. But I don't really mind it too much. I reach for two shuriken, crossing my arms before letting them fly. My brother blocks one and catches the other in his hand, sending it right back at me. Quickly thinking, I throw a third shuriken and knock it out of the air, at the same time releasing a fourth, which my brother doesn't notice. It catches his sleeve and pins an arm to the wall.

"Ok, that's enough Aki-chan. But that was really great…" He said as he pulled my shuriken out from the wall with his free hand. "It's getting late, and you have another day at the Academy ahead of you. So you'll need to rest up for that. Maybe you can ask Shikamaru to come over, that way you can show him your new jutsu. I bet he'd be real impressed."

I nod, collecting all the weapons lying scattered around the yard, going inside, finding that I was indeed quite tired. I yawn and put the kunai and shuriken away, heading to my room and climbing into bed. My brother comes in a few minutes later to tuck me in, and we say goodnight. I close my eyes, eager for the days ahead.

A/N: And that's the third chappie! Thanks for reading, everyone! I do hope everyone likes it, anyways, I know it's rather slow right now, but I swear it'll pick up within the next chapter or so. So just stick with me for right now. XD Anyways, ja ne minna-san until next time!