Ayame's P.o.V.
I left Sasuke's hospital room in the afternoon so he could rest. I needed to begin my training immediately if I had any chance at beating Yuki. She was probably already beefing up her justus right now, right as I was walking through the always-busy shopping and food district. I rubbed the back of my neck when a thought occurred to me. What the hell hapened to my dog?
Kage, who I haven't seen in a few days, usually seemed to take care of himself. He could let himself in and out of my house, find food and water, and even clean up after himself. But just as I began to wonder about his whereabouts, I felt softness by my calf.
"Kage?" I spotted my tiny grey friend at my heel. His pink tongue was hanging out of the side of his head and his stubby tail wiggled ceaselessly. "Where've you been?" He yapped once. "With some poodle, huh? Tell me, was she a lady or a tramp?" Again, he yipped. "That's my boy."
"Hey," a familar voice said. I looked up from my dog an flipped my bangs carelessly out of my face only to have them fall where they once were. His eyes were kind, the triangles on his cheeks crinkled with a smile, and a panting dog poking out of the nape of his jacket.
"Kiba," I greeted, taking an unconcious step back. He looked down, eyes suddenly filled with guilt. Akamaru hopped out of Kiba's grey jacket and started to play with Kage.
"Do you want to grab a bite?" He asked. I gave him a look.
"I don't think that's such a good idea," I said, taking another step. Kiba gestured to the small dogs tussling on the dirt road.
"I'd hate to separate the kids," he said, a hint of a smile on his face again. "I'll buy. Just hear me out. Please?"
When I realised there was no saying no, I decided to go to IchiRaku with him. The dogs were laying down in the stand's wooden floor, a bowl of crystal clear water for them to drink. I didn't know what he wanted, but he waited until after the other Ayame took our order - miso ramen for me, beef for him - to start talking.
"I'm really sorry," he finally apologised. He grabbed a pair of chopsticks and snapped them in half, even though the food hadn't arrived yet. "For back then, I mean. I had no right to . . . do that. Any of it." Ayame brought our food out and ice cold drinks with a smile. We thanked her for the food and she receded back into the kitchen. I could hear clanking of pots and pans and splashing of water as she cleaned up.
"Thank you for apologising," I replied after a while. The steam lifted to my cheeks, making me sweat from the heat. I nudged my noodles with my wood eating utensil, but had no appetite. I saw Kiba scratch the back of his head from the corner of my eye.
"It's kind of embarrassing," he said. His face had been red, but I'd only assumed it was from the steam of his meal. "I was . . . in heat, if that makes sense." We sat there in an awkward silence. I picked up some noodles and let them fall back into the broth. The hot liquid splattered a bit on my hand.
"That happens?" I asked, embarrassed. Kiba swallowed loudly and coughed.
"Uh, yeah," he said. "My mom explained it to me like this: when boys reach my age in our family, they sometimes go through a period of . . . excitement until they're adults. Oh, jeez, this is really embarrassing. But it's no excuse." He turned and looked at me. It was the first time I had seen him so serious. "Ayame, I am so, so sorry. If you don't want to talk anymore, if you don't want to be friends . . . "
"Kiba," I said with a sigh, "you're right. It wasn't fair what you did. You saved me, and then you . . . used me." Kiba looked away from me. I put a heavy hand on his shoulder. "I know what it's like to not be in control of your actions. It's okay." He turned to me with a half-smile.
"Anyway," he said, moving on from the heavy topic. I took my hand off of him and my appetite returned. "Congrats on making it to the final round. Who are you training with?"
I shook my head, slurping up some noodles hanging from my lips. "I don't know yet. I was thinking about that before I got here."
"Kakashi?" He suggested.
"I think he'll be with Naruto or Sasuke," I said with a shrug.
"So then who?" I smiled at my reflection in the bowl.
"Don't worry," I turned to him. "I have another friend." Kiba turned quizzically at me and raised an eyebrow. Before he could ask, I raised a finger. "A girl needs her secrets. For now, at least."
. . .
Although Kiba kept hammering me with questions, I sent him home after our lunch. I was glad he apologised. I liked him and it would hard to hold a grudge against him when we live in the same village.
I went home myself. When I stepped into my house, I realise how disordered it was and decided to briefly tidy up. Making my bed, reorganising my books, and washing my dishes took but a few minutes in my small apartment. Kage was snoring peacefully on the couch beneath the window.
Sitting on my area rug, leaving a big space in front of me, I took a deep breath in. I bit my thumb to draw some blood before manufacturing hand signs. Hesitating for a just a moment, I slammed my hand down on the ground as a cloud of smoke filled the room. The wolf I met once before stood in front of me, looking around in curiosity. I came to my feet.
Hello, child, Akarai greeted kindly. Your den is . . . very human.
"I am a human after all," I answered. I fumbled with my hands. "Can I get you anything?" Akarai seemed to smile at me.
Thank you, but no. Why did you bring me here?
"Please, sit," I offered, crossing my legs under myself again. Even when she was seated, Akarai was still taller than me by at least a foot. "I need your help. I need to learn how to control this wolf inside me." Akarai shook her large head.
You cannot control him without oppressing him, she said. I will not teach you to suppress my brother.
"Okay," I said, blowing out a slow, steady breath. "Can you help me . . . communicate with him? I need to be able to work with him. Or else the village will get rid of him. They only trust me as a ninja if I straighten out my situation." Akarai blinked her big green eyes at me.
Tell me how he became a part of you, child, she said.
"My name is Ayame, by the way," I said suddenly. "I realise I haven't told you." She nodded her large, lovely contoured head and lowered her torso to lay down. I began to explain to her everything I knew and she nodded her head every so often. I told her how I meditate and how the wolf is affected by stress and emotions.
You have been taught to suppress him for a long time, she said. Rather than that, you must begin to embrace him.
"How do I do that?" There was that smile again. It was tender and knowing, like she could give you all the world's secrets if you asked the right question.
I will teach you. The day we met, I could see him inside you. The "control" you were taught to gain has been slipping away from you, yes? I nodded. That shows your friend desires more freedom than you are allowing him to have. When you begin to speak with him, learn about him, only then can you work with him.
"Thank you, Akarai," I said, not realising I was holding my breath. A question donned on me. "How many of you are there? In your . . . pack I mean."
We are many, but we live separately. There are many packs throughout this land. You are welcome to any of them.
"Why am I welcome?" I asked, furrowing my brow. "I don't know anything. I'm not one of you."
Ah, but you are, Akarai said. She shuffled closer until her eyes seemed to stare into my soul. You are but a pup. I enjoy a challenge. I can teach you the ways.
I stared at her. Kage had awaken from his slumber and gone to investigate Akarai as I relayed my information to her. The little grey bundle had curled up against the large wolf's striking red fur. She had easily accepted him as she allowed him to cuddle into her. I never really belonged to a family. Sure, I had Akio, but it's not a full family. The same with Kakashi and my team. Friends aren't the same as family, and now this stranger - a freaking wolf, no less - is inviting me.
"Thank you." I smiled at her, glad to know I had someone to help me.
. . .
Akio's P.o.V.
Yuki is extremely talented, I'll say that much. I didn't really think she needed any extra help, although her taijustsu was a bit lacking. I taught her how to use her enemy's weight against them. She told me it was harder to not use her chakra as she fought, but I said that she needs to conserve her chakra as much as possible. We stopped training when the sun began to sag over the horizon.
"Are you hungry?" I asked, nodding in a random direction. "We need to build up your muscles, get some protein on your bones." She only nodded; I knew she wasn't very talkative. We went to a place where you grilled your own meat and I order steak for the both of us. It was warm out, the dull sound of people talking filled the air with a comfortable atmosphere. It smelled amazing.
"May I ask you something?" She asked, rather suddenly. I gave her all of my attention. "Why are you training me and not Ayame?" I leaned back in my seat and took a sip of my cool drink of sake.
"Funny story," I began, "I met Ayame a couple months ago. I know, I know; dysfunctional much? See, I had been planning on killing her." I pursed my lips and took another sip. "But she beat me. I underestimated her because she's just a kid. I won't do that again."
Yuki chuckled a monotone "hm". I waited for her to ask me questions, but she didn't. When our food arrived, I placed as many hunks of cow as I could on the grill. They sizzled loudly before calming down.
"So, what's your family like?" I asked. Yuki paused what she was doing, the cup half way reaching her lips. She cleared her throat and took a drink. She tried not to let it show, but she was uncomfortable. "Not my business. Sorry."
"I've never met my family," she answered quietly, but emotionless. She served herself when the beef was cooked to her liking. "I assume they're dead. You don't really hear much about the citizens of Yukigakure."
"I'm sorry for you loss," I said carefully, giving myself a portion of what was on the grill. She just looked at me, with those big dark eyes.
"You can't lose what you never had."
She didn't have to say anything else. I understood. We continued to eat in silence. I realise now, while not speaking or even looking at each other much, that when I first met this girl I saw myself in her. Look at her, smart, skilled, content, still having a home and friends. I laughed out loud and Yuki gave me a look as she swallowed a mouthful of food.
"I realise that I'm living vicariously through you," I explained. "I know that there's some shit in your life that I don't need to know about, and I'm not saying I want your life. But, you know, my life could have been so different from what it is now."
"Explain," she said briefly. I gestured with my hands a bit, as if expecting to grab the right words out of the air.
"Well, you don't seem to blame anyone."
"For what?"
"Exactly," I piled some more meat on my plate. "See, I always blamed my sister for the way my life turned out. Then, after I met her, I blamed my dad. If I had just not put it on anyone, then my life would have been different. I would be a real ninja and not a member of Konoha trapped here by asylum." I raked a hand through my hair. "Don't get me wrong, I love this place; I love my sister."
"Well," Yuki said meditatively, "if you didn't blame anyone, you would not have met Ayame."
"I've thought about that," I said. "I would have gone looking for her I think. Except I wouldn't have tried to kill her."
"Why?" She asked, eyebrows knitted together in curiosity. "Why did you try to kill her?" I didn't answer right away. Rather than talking, I stared into my cup, the amber liquid swirling around in the glass. Those were dark times, I'll admit. I felt like an idiot about it now. "I'm sorry."
"Tell you what," I said, cracking a half-smile. "After the tournament, win or lose, I'll let you know." Yuki looked at me thoughtfully. Picking up her glass and holding it out, she almost seemed to smile.
"Cheers to that." I smiled bigger.
"Cheers." We clinked glasses, the sound resonated in our booth.