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Chapter Text

In the Konoha spring, the trees that lined the avenue were draped with pink and white blossoms, and the fragrance of the jasmine flowers that lined the ground wafted through the air. To see the boughs that were so destitute in the winter become so beautifully adorned lifted Akira's spirits. The floral scents diffused in the warming breeze, and the young ninja held her head high to savour it. When their petals would rain down in a steady trickle a few weeks later, she would feel like a bride just to walk under them. As Akira slowly travelled from home to the Academy, she stopped to pick a few bundles of sweet and purple lavender. Their green stalks swayed in the wind as she walked, and Akira smiled peacefully, hair blowing around behind her back like the lavender in her hands. 

Akira smiled peacefully. Nothing could disrupt the tranquillity that she felt at that moment; nothing except for the usual appearance of Naruto Uzumaki running down the street, two shinobi hot on his heels. Akira stood and laughed as he ran past and greeted her, a goofy smile on his face, and watched as he ran up to the rooftops to avoid his tailing company. Akira resumed her journey to the Academy with a shake of her head, admiring the freshly painted graffiti comically adorning Hokage Rock. Soon, the girl found herself on one of Konoha's main streets. The old traditional buildings stood firmly and remained colourful even under years of harsh exposure to the sun. While the main road was less peaceful, Akira loved to drown herself in the voices of happy villagers going about their day. She loved Konoha, loved its people, and while they didn't always feel the same about her, Akira vowed to protect them with her life. Some children joined the Academy for the thrill of it, like their parents, but Akira had enrolled for the sole purpose of keeping the village safe—she'd vowed it years ago.

A light tap on her shoulder pulled Akira from her thoughts, and her deep blue eyes were met with a familiar pair of honey-coloured eyes. Kai Manzo had been Akira's best friend nearly since birth. Before the Academy, they spent almost every waking hour together. And while their training and studies took up some of that time now, Kai and Akira still met up halfway to the Academy and walked together. Nothing was ever going to keep her from that boy.

   "Good morning, Kai," Akira said brightly. She stuck a branch of lavender in Kai's white hair and giggled as it waved around in the wind. "Is that graffiti entirely Naruto's doing or did you have a part in that too?"
   "Oh, no, that's all him," Kai laughed. "I suddenly decided to become a sensible ninja."
   "Did you now?"

Banter ensued, and it didn't stop until the two friends reached the Academy. It was one of the largest buildings in Konoha, comprised of several buildings erected over time. The large oak tree that stood in front of the main door was beautiful as ever, golden beams of sunlight casting a warm glow on the swing that swayed beneath the leaves. The Academy classrooms were large and had high ceilings, based on the theory that larger classrooms lead to extensive education, expanding even to the blackboard itself, which touched both opposite walls. In front of the blackboard was a podium, situated far from the students' desks and put in a position where the teacher could view everyone at once. 

As with any school, students were taught a core curriculum of reading, writing, mathematics, science, and geography. These lessons were typically framed in a shinobi-context, and in fact, are learned to facilitate later instruction in tactics and strategy. Students learn the Shinobi Rules, how to strengthen their minds and bodies and receive special lectures from veteran shinobi. So far, Akira's favourite had been the visit from the Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi.

In more practical classes, the students were taken through the handling of ninja weapons and tools, like shuriken and kunai, learning how to throw and wield them through target practice. They were also instructed on the basics of trap-setting, but Akira never paid attention during those parts. Academy students were likewise taught about chakra and how to use it, as well as how to make hand seals. In taijutsu class, students were engaged in physical activities to help train their bodies and develop their stamina. This was Akira's favourite part of the Academy. She loved sparring, manipulating chakra and beating someone in a match.

Kai and Akira entered the classroom together, and before Akira sat down, she put the small bundle of lavender in the vase on the window sill and then found her spot next to Kai. Desks were shared by three students and, as usual, her other friend Kiba Inuzuka sat on her other side.

   "You're here early," Akira noted.
   "Hana had to drop me off earlier than usual," he said simply.
   "She's working this early?" Kai asked.
   "Yeah, something about Naruto again."
   "He painted graffiti on the Hokage," Akira chuckled. "Great impressionist work, if I do say so myself."
   "I'm not surprised," a voice from behind said. "Iruka sensei is gonna be late because of him. What a drag."

   Though lazy by nature and finding nearly everything 'a drag', Shikamaru Nara had a rare intellect that consistently allowed him to prevail at anything, whether it be a sparring match of a game of chess. Remarkably, he was able to get away with his laziness, spending his days in class, either sleeping or watching the clouds. He was easy to get along with, which is why he was another one of Akira's good friends.

   "You think everything's a drag, Nara," Kai said.
   "That's because everything is a drag, Manzo," Shikamaru said lazily, looking back outside.
   "I just hope he doesn't get into too much trouble," Akira said, a little worried.
   "There aren't many chances of that happening, Akira," the person beside Shikamaru said.

   Sasuke Uchiha was, according to most girls, quite handsome, but every time someone made a note of it, Akira couldn't help but gag. 

   "Always the pessimist, aren't you, brother?" Akira said.

   Sasuke glanced at her, then looked away silently. Akira sighed and rolled her eyes. Turning back towards the front, Akira noticed Iruka-sensei walking into the classroom, huffing and puffing, with Naruto trailing behind him.

   "Daily routine, step four..." Akira began.
   "Naruto's lecture," Kai and Kiba chorused.
   "I'm at the end of my rope, Naruto!" Iruka shouted. It seemed as if he was continuing a conversation. "You failed the graduation test last time and the one before that. Tomorrow you've got another chance, and you're messing up again!"

As usual, Naruto wasn't having it. He turned his head in a huff, which earned everyone the joy of redoing yet another revision of the transformation jutsu. A collective groan was issued from the classroom, but everyone shuffled to the front and lined up. First was Sakura Haruno, one of the many girls who often made Akira gag if she was around Sasuke.

   "All right, Sakura here! Let's do it—transform!"

She held her hands up in the appropriate seal and in a puff of grey smoke, Sakura was replaced by Iruka-sensei.

   "You transformed into me?" Iruka said, baffled for a moment. "All right, good—next!"
   "Yes, I did it!" Sakura said happily. "Did you see that Sasuke?"
   "Ugh," Akira moaned, faking a gag.

Sakura glared at her before shoving past her. Akira rolled her eyes and stepped forward. She wasted no time in speaking and transformed into the Second Hokage.

   "Oh, Lord Second—good choice! Well done, Akira. Next!"
   "This is a waste of time," Shikamaru complained as he and Akira switched places.
   "Shut up, Shikamaru," Akira laughed, returning to normal. "Everything is a waste of time with you."
   "Yeah, we always pay for your screw-ups," Ino Yamanaka whined, pointing to Naruto.
   "Like I care," he grumbled.

And it went on and on until Naruto went up last, as usual. And, again, as usual, Naruto couldn't pass up the opportunity to goof off. He stepped up to the front and placed his hands together, but instead of transforming into Iruka-sensei like most of the others, he transformed into a tall and entirely naked blonde girl who much resembled Naruto. Taken off-guard, Iruka shrieked as Naruto transformed back into his usual self and burst out laughing.

   "Got ya! That was my 'Sexy Jutsu'!"
   "Cut the stupid tricks!" Iruka-sensei yelled. "This is your last warning!"

The class was dismissed soon after that. Akira, Kai, Kiba and Shikamaru had to get past the barrage of Sasuke fans before they could exit the classroom, and Kiba wasn't shy to bust right through them. Naruto stayed behind with Iruka-sensei, and Akira saw them going off towards Hokage rock with cleaning supplies in hand as she and her friends made it to the outdoor training yard. While Shikamaru took a nap underneath a tree, Kai and Kiba practised their aim by throwing kunai at target posts, and Akira spent the rest of the afternoon hacking away at tree stumps with an old sword. A few students joined Kiba and Kai, and it soon turned into a not-so-friendly competition that Kai won.

   "Hey, you only won because Shikamaru startled me!" Kiba complained.
   "It's not my fault; I had a nightmare," Shikamaru sighed.
   "What were you even dreaming about that made you scream like a little girl?"
   "Your mother."
   "HEY!"

The four bickering friends parted ways just before sunset and returned home, but Akira took a detour through town. Her and Naruto had a strange relationship. They weren't exactly friends, nor rivals like he and Sasuke, but she shared a strange kinship that she had with no one else. Passing by Ichiraku Ramen, Akira hoped to find him and see how he was doing. There, she found him slurping on a bowl of ramen beside Iruka-sensei. Akira smiled and approached, silently poking her head between both of them. Naruto screeched and nearly fell out of his seat.

   "You've killed me, Akira!"
   "Sorry, couldn't help myself," the girl laughed. "Can I join you?"
   "Yeah, all right," Naruto said begrudgingly. "Just don't scare me again."

Akira took a seat beside Naruto and ordered her usual pork bone broth ramen. As she slowly began eating, Iruka resumed the conversation he was having with Naruto.

   "Naruto, why would you do that to the Hokage faces? I mean, you know who they are, don't you?"
   "'Course I do!" the boy said, then slurped the last of his ramen. "Everyone knows. They were the greatest shinobi of their time, right? The best of the best? Undefeated ninja champs? And the Fourth Hokage is the one who saved the village from the Nine-Tailed Fox—he was the most amazing."
   "Then why did you—"
   "'Cause I'm gonna be greater than any of them! Me, Naruto, the next Hokage—a ninja legend! Oh, Akira, you can be my advisor!"

Akira couldn't help but giggle. The boy's optimism was infectious, and it was always fun to see Iruka stare at him in complete confusion.

   "So that way, everyone will have to stop disrespecting me and look up to me! Believe it!" Naruto paused, then continued a little awkwardly, "Uh, by the way, I have a favour to ask, sensei."
   "You want another bowl?"
   "I wouldn't put it past him," Akira chuckled.
   "Hm, no," Naruto said after a moment's contemplation. "I wanna try on your headband! Come on, pretty please!"

Iruka reached for his forehead protector. It gleamed in the low light of the ramen shop, the engraving of the Konoha leaf contrasting with the shine of the metal it was etched on. Iruka laughed. 

   "What this? No way! You can only wear the Leaf headband when you finally graduate from the Academy and become a ninja. You've got to pass the test tomorrow!"
   "I'm going to pass," Akira said, suddenly determined. Everything from the way she was sitting up straight to the tone in her voice showed it. "I'm going to pass, and I'm going to become the greatest I can become—no matter what!"

Chapter Text

Akira stared at the dusty box that took up most of the space on top of her dresser. It was her mother's old jewellery box, sturdily made of mahogany with a delicate lace pattern carved on its lid. She stared at it for a while, thinking, debating whether she should pull out its contents or not. It contained no jewellery, as Akira wasn't one to wear shiny things unless gifted, but it held something of far greater importance to her, something that once belonged to her father. Akira opened the box with a deep breath and retrieved its contents, gently putting it in her pocket for later.

As she did every morning, Akira met up with Kai at the main avenue, underneath the blossoming trees. It was the morning of the exam, and Akira wasn't nervous at all. She knew the jutsu like the back of her hand, she'd practised them time and time again, and the short written exam, she thought, wouldn't be much of a problem. Akira was far more concerned with Naruto, who had skipped most of his classes this year and couldn't even perform a simple transformation jutsu. However, there wasn't much she could do, and with a sigh, she and Kai continued on their way to the Academy, cherry blossom petals falling into their hair.

   "You look like something out of a manga, sometimes," Kai said suddenly.
   "Hm?"
   "Wind in your hair? Cherry blossom petals? It looks like you're the protagonist of a cheesy shoujo manga."
   "I even have my slightly homosexual sidekick," Akira laughed.
   "I am not your homosexual sidekick!"

Everyone was already waiting by the examination room when Akira and Kai arrived. In a few minutes, the doors would open, and they would all be taking the exact same exam, the one that would determine who was good enough to become a Genin. If they succeeded, they would earn a brand new Leaf headband, the proud symbol of the village's shinobi. 

   "You nervous," Akira asked as she and Kai came up to Kiba and Shikamaru.
   "Nervous? Me? Who do you think I am, Kira?" Kiba scoffed. He then paused suddenly and stared.
   "What?"

Kiba reached over and plucked a blush pink petal from Akira's black hair. She heard Kai mutter something about manga again.

   "Petal in your hair," Kiba said simply.
   "Oh, I thought I got them all."
   "Doesn't matter, it looked cute in your hair," Kai said.
   "Ugh, good thing it's go—Kiba, don't you dare put it back!"

Just then, the door to the classroom opened, and Iruka-sensei's face popped out of the doorframe. He smiled brightly at everyone then ushered them inside. The students were seated two per desk, leaving space in-between to discourage peeking. Iruka explained the rules, gave a brief overview of the exam, and then a collective sound of scribbling resonated through the classroom as he gave the all-clear to start. Akira sat cross-legged on her chair (which proved to be a point of much amusement in her regular classes) and leaned over her paper, scanning the pages to scope out the most challenging questions to answer first. She answered them first, taking her time, and finished with the easy ones. Akira stood at the same time as her brother, and he looked at her, irked, but she pulled a face at him and dropped her exam on Iruka-sensei's desk with him regardless.

Iruka gave a quick once over of their papers and let them exit the classroom, pending the rest of the examinations. Akira sat down on one of the benches in the hallway, intending to wait for all her friends to finish, but Sasuke kept on walking.

   "Sasuke!" The boy stopped and turned. "You're not leaving, are you? Can't you wait for the others to finish?"
   "They're your friends, not mine," he said.
   "Come on! Kai's been there since the beginning—he might as well be."
   "The second Kai—"
   "You can run off," Akira chuckled as her brother came back to sit with her. "Thanks."
   "Yeah, whatever."

Akira stared at the door to the classroom.

   "Think you're gonna ace it?"
   "Obviously," Sasuke said smugly. "I wouldn't take it if I wasn't going to ace it. You?"
   "I don't doubt that I aced it. I just hope that everyone else passes. I don't want to be separated."
   "Why do you worry about others so much?"
   "I don't expect you to get it," Akira admitted. "Considering all you care about is what directly concerns you. But after Itachi... I just need to hold onto everything I love... you know?"

Sasuke frowned and looked towards the door. There was a moment of silence between them, where all they could hear was the distant scratching of pencils and kids running amok in the distance.

   "Did you bring it?" Sasuke said after a while.
   "Yeah, I did," Akira replied, smiling.
   "Heh, you really do intend to graduate today."
   "So do I!"

Kai came barrelling out of the classroom, a cheerful expression on his face. Akira heard Iruka shush him from inside the classroom, but Kai laughed it off.

   "How well do you think you did?"
   "One hundred and twenty per cent. They're gonna give me bonus points they didn't even know they had," Kai said happily, swaying on the heels of his feet. "My guess is that you're gonna get yet another perfect score. On this and on the practical."

When the conversation began to pick up, Sasuke stood. He briefly acknowledged Kai, which was an honest to god miracle, and walked off.

   "At least he stayed to keep you company."
   "Only because I asked. Apparently, you're not his friend."
   "I would be offended if I didn't know him better," Kai admitted, then took a seat beside Akira.
   "Yeah, so would I," she responded. "I just wished he'd stop being so distant. Did you know he actually asked me why I cared about you guys at all?"
   "I'm not even surprised.

It was another short while before anyone came out of the classroom. Soon, Kiba and Shikamaru joined them in the hall and followed the next professor to the training yard where they spent the next half hour throwing kunai at targets and sparring with dummies. Then came the final part of the exam. One by one, and in alphabetical order, everyone went into the classroom to perform one final jutsu. Some emerged with sad faces, while most, like Kai, Shikamaru and Kiba, emerged with brand new Leaf shinobi headbands.

   "Ugh, this is painful," Shikamaru complained.
   "I already told you, go wait at Ichiraku's," Akira said with a chuckle. "I'll join you guys later."
   "Don't have to tell me twice," Kiba said quickly, getting to his feet. "I deserve food after all this effort."

Shikamaru, Kai and Kiba stood and ran off down the hallway. She heard one of them run into someone and laughed, then turned her attention to Iruka, who'd just called her name.

Akira stood in front of a table full of Leaf shinobi headbands gleaming in the sunlight pouring in from the large windows. Sitting behind that table were Iruka and Mizuki-sensei, both Chūnin, and, for today, the examiners who would tell her whether she was going to be a Genin or not.

   "The final test is on the Clone Jutsu," Iruka said.
   "When you're ready, please produce at least three copies of yourself," Mizuki added.

Akira nodded and took a deep breath. She glanced at the lavender she'd put in the vase the day before, smiling faintly, then turned back to her professors with her hands in the correct seal. In a puff of smoke, three clones identical to Akira appeared at her side, all of them looking healthy and completely functional.

   "Wonderful," Iruka said proudly. "Best clones we've seen all day, aren't they Mizuki?"
   "Yes, well, I'd expect nothing less from an Uchiha. I'm sure her brother's clones will be just as good."

Akira looked on nervously as Iruka and Mizuki spent the next few minutes talking in hushed voices. They rifled through some paperwork, no doubt her school grades and the results of her written exam, and after a while, they looked up at the girl with bright smiles.

   "Mizuki and I have decided that, without a doubt, you are to graduate. Congratulations, Akira, you're a Genin!"

Grinning from ear to ear, Akira bowed deeply in thanks. It wasn't a surprise, but she was still proud of herself for not screwing up.

   "You can come up and grab a headband now."
   "Actually, sensei, I was wondering if it would be okay to wear this one."

     "You can come up and grab a headband."
     "Actually, sensei, I was wondering if it would be okay to wear this one, instead."

Akira pulled out a Leaf shinobi headband from the pocket of her grey cargo pants that had clearly seen better days. It was worn, scratched in a few places, but it still shone brightly in the sunlight. Iruka and Mizuki looked at her curiously.

   "This belonged to Fugaku Uchiha, my father," Akira explained. "As I intend to continue his legacy to protect Konoha with everything I have, I wish to honour him by wearing the headband that was given to him, as my own." 

Mizuki and Iruka smiled softly.

     "That is quite admirable of you, Akira," Mizuki said. "I don't see a problem with it; it does represent the Leaf shinobi, after all."
     "Akira," Iruka said.
     "Yes, sensei?"
     "Wear it proudly."
     "Thank you, Iruka-sensei," Akira said, bowing briefly, "I will."

Akira unravelled the headband's fabric and wrapped it around her waist, along with all the other colourful pieces of cloth she used as a belt. Akira couldn't help but smile. This was the first step towards achieving her goal, and with one last bow towards Iruka and Mizuki, she bolted out of the exam room.

   "Starting today, I'm a ninja!"
   "Figures," Sasuke scoffed. "You never let anything get past you."
   "Can't you just be proud of me for one second?"
   "No."
   "Get your ass in there, Sasuke, you're next," Akira groaned.
   "Oh, I hope he passes," Sakura sighed as Sasuke entered the classroom.
   "Of course, he'll pass, forehead!" Ino retorted. "How dare you doubt Sasuke like this!?"
   "What're you guys even still doing here?" Akira asked sharply. "It's not like Sasuke gives either of you any attention whatsoever."

Sakura and Ino went off on her. With a sigh and a roll of her eyes, Akira weaved her way through the remaining students (most of which were girls who were waiting for Sasuke) and found Naruto sitting quietly alone on a bench.

   "Hey, Akira. Nice belt," he said, glimpsing at her father's headband.
   "Thanks, Naruto," Akira said with a smile. "How're you feeling?"
   "Nervous. Is the final test really a Clone Jutsu?"
   "Yeah, it is."
   "Just my luck; it's my worse jutsu!"
   "Hey, wanna know a secret?"

Naruto looked up at her and nodded.

   "I can't do the Uchiha's Great Fireball Jutsu, yet."
   "Woah, really!? But you're so good at everything!"
   "Well, the Fire nature has never been my strongest," Akira admitted. "So, maybe it's the same for you."
   "What'd you mean?"
   "Maybe the Transformation Jutsu, the Clone Jutsu... maybe they're like my Great Fireball Jutsu. Not your strong suit. So, if you don't pass today, it isn't so bad. Maybe you just haven't found the jutsu that works for you. It doesn't matter if you don't pass today, or even next year because you'll find the jutsu that works for you, and when you do, then you'll ace this exam no problem!
   "Besides, becoming Hokage isn't all about being a strong ninja, you know. A Hokage needs to be wise, confident, passionate, loyal, open-minded, accepting, generous... So, don't sweat it, okay? If you don't pass today, that'll just give you more time to develop the other qualities of a Hokage you already possess."

Akira smiled brightly at Naruto, but he just stared blankly at her, blinking rapidly in some sort of wonder. She never really noticed, but Akira had a habit of doing that.

   "Naruto Uzumaki."

Naruto snapped out of his daze and stood, heading towards the classroom. As he reached the doorframe, he turned back to Akira, smiling just as bright as she was moments ago.

   "Talking like that, you sound like a Hokage," he said. "I won't let you show me up. I'll do my best, believe it!"

Akira never joined Kai, Kiba and Shikamaru at Ichiraku ramen. Instead, she followed Naruto to a rooftop overlooking the village. He hadn't graduated, and while he said nothing about it, Akira could tell he was devastated. Mizuki had wanted to pass Naruto because of sheer determination, but Iruka disagreed. As the two sat in silence, Mizuki joined them, looking sadly at the boy.

   "Iruka-sensei is tough," he said. "He's not against you, Naruto."
   "Then, why? Why only me?" Naruto yelled.
   "He wants you to be strong with all his heart, but that'll never happen if he goes easy on you. He's like you, you know, both of you. No parents."

Akira's eyebrows twitched into a frown. She didn't know this about her sensei.

   "But this time... I really wanted to graduate," Naruto said glumly.
   "Well, then I guess I'll just have to tell you," Mizuki said with a small chuckle. "It's a secret, but I'm gonna have to let you in on it."

Chapter Text

Like pillows of the land, the hills that lay friendly in the day were darkly ominous by night. The illuminated paths just hours before became lost in a blackness that even moonlight couldn't help. The magnificent sunshine trees towered over Akira and Naruto as they sat in the middle of a glade. The air was several degrees colder, and Akira shivered unconsciously. She often listened for signs of life around them, but the only thing she was hearing was the mumbling of Naruto and the rustling of the Sacred Scroll he had stolen.

   "Naruto, we need to bring that back! I can't even believe Mizuki-sensei even mentioned it in the first place."
   "He said I could graduate if I got my hands on it and learned a jutsu."
   "Could and if, Naruto. And I don't even think that that's true," Akira said, incensed. "That's the Sacred Scroll! It has all the forbidden jutsu that the Second Hokage outlawed! Everyone is going to call the Chūnin and the Jōnin to come looking for us!"

   Naruto unrolled the first section of the scroll and began reading. 

   "Naruto! You can't just read the sacred scroll!"
   "Oh, lookie, I'm reading it!"
   "Naruto!"

Akira groaned as Naruto kept on reading. She sat cross-legged in front of him and listened for any movement around them. It was quiet for hours, and Naruto had moved on to trying to learn one of the jutsu on the scroll. Akira watched him with a keen eye as he created clones that slowly and slowly got better with each try. He was exhausted, panting and sweaty, and Akira could tell that his chakra reserves had gone down, but it wasn't time for relaxing. Akira picked up a noise in the forest nearby and took a defensive stance.

   "It's over!" Iruka said with a small, strained laugh.

Naruto chuckled and awkwardly scratched the back of his head. As Iruka turned to Akira, she averted her gaze for a moment, then looked back at him and shrugged.

   "Couldn't stop him," she said casually.
   "Yeah, but you're quick, sensei! I only managed to learn one jutsu out of this scroll!" Naruto chirped. "It really wasn't easy, but let me show you! I'm gonna show you this amazing jutsu, and then you're going to let me graduate, okay?" Iruka looked on, confused. "That's the way it works, right? Anyone who learns jutsu from this scroll automatically graduates."
   "Huh? Where'd you get that idea?" Iruka asked.
   "Mizuki-sensei—he said that if Naruto got the scroll and learned from it, he had to graduate. Like a rite of passage or something," Akira scoffed. "I for one, don't believe him but Naruto—"
   "Why would he have told us where to find the scroll then, huh?" Naruto argued. "Mizuki-sensei wants me to graduate, all right? Believe it!"

The look of utter confusion on Iruka's face wasn't reassuring Akira at all. Not only did they have in their possession the sacred scroll that could get them into more trouble than Akira could possibly imagine, but Mizuki's story didn't seem to be adding up to Iruka at all.

   "Mizuki-sensei should be here soon, Iruka-sensei," Akira said. "I'm sure he'll clear this up."

There was a rustle of leaves nearby, and kunai came straight from the bushes. They lodged themselves in Iruka's clothes, pinning him to the tree he was standing next to, and a shuriken came flying in after, lodging itself in Iruka's leg.

   "I see you've found our little hideaway," Mizuki said maliciously.
   "So, that's the way it is, huh?" Iruka said, face contorted in pain.
   "I should have known," Akira muttered to herself. "What kind of idiot am I?"
   "Naruto!" Mizuki said sharply. "Give me the scroll, now."
   "Wait a minute..." the boy whispered, looking between the three other shinobi. "What's going on here?"
   "Naruto! Don't let Mizuki get the scroll!" Iruka shouted.
   "It's like I told you, Naruto," Akira continued. "That scroll contains forbidden jutsu, jutsu that could destroy the village! Mizuki... he used us to get at it!"

Naruto rolled up the scroll and gazed angrily at Mizuki.

   "Naruto," Mizuki said a little more gentle. "Don't let them trick you, Naruto. Iruka's just trying to scare you because he doesn't want you to have the scroll."
   "No one should have the scroll!" Akira yelled. "It's the Sacred Scroll—it's protected by the Hokage, for the Hokage only! Stop lying to us!"
   "Oh, I'll tell you who's really lying!" Mizuki laughed.
   "No, Mizuki!" Iruka yelled.

Akira frowned. It didn't seem likely that Iruka kept something from Naruto, but then again, Mizuki hadn't seemed like the kind of person to steal the Sacred Scroll.

   "They've been lying to you your whole lives! Since the decree all those years ago."
   "What decree?" Naruto asked.
   "Everyone who was alive then knows. Iruka's trying to hide it from you right now. He'd do anything to shut me up," Mizuki taunted. 

Naruto looked up at him, wide-eyed.

   "What is this decree? Why does everyone know about it?"
   "Don't tell him, Mizuki, it's forbidden!" Iruka-sensei yelled.
   "The decree is that no one can tell you that the Nine-Tailed Fox that almost destroyed the village is inside you." 

Akira's brain stuttered for a moment, and her eyes widened in shock.

   "The Fox spirit that killed Iruka's parents and destroyed our village has taken over your body. You are the Nine-Tailed Fox!"
   "Stop it!" Iruka yelled.
   "They've all been sneaking around, hiding things from you your whole life!" Mizuki said. "Didn't you think it was strange how they all treated you? Like dirt. Like they hated you for just being alive. And Akira might not have hated you, but now that she knows? Look at her. Look at the fear in her eyes. She's just like everyone else. She'll hate you just for being you."
   "No!" Naruto shouted, tears in his eyes. 

His hands balled into fists, and suddenly, the wind picked up, swirling around him like a vortex.

   "That's why you'll never be accepted in this village. Even your beloved sensei hates your guts!"

Mizuki removed a giant shuriken from his back, and as he began to spin it, Akira solidified her stance. She reached into one of the pouches on her hip and felt the cold metal of her kunai against her fingers. Then, Mizuki let out a loud yell and threw the shuriken at Naruto. Akira dashed forward and threw three of her kunai at Mizuki, which he dodged narrowly. At that same moment, Iruka had freed himself from the kunai holding him to the tree and put himself between Naruto and the giant shuriken. It hit him square in the back, piercing him easily.

   "Iruka-sensei!" Akira shouted voice strained.
   "W-Why?" Naruto whimpered.
   "Because we're the same," Iruka said, choking a little. "When I was a kid, no one seemed to care. They didn't have time for me. They just forgot I was there. I just wanted them to see me... And know my name. My school grades weren't good enough to get attention, so I did crazy things. And then I had to pay for it. It was hard." Tears began falling from Iruka's eyes. "I know that's how you feel, Naruto. You feel lonely, and it hurts inside. And I could've been there for you more. I let you down. I'm sorry. No one should have to suffer that much. No one should be alone like that."
   "Don't make me laugh!" Mizuki chuckled darkly. "Iruka always hated you. He was orphaned because the Nine-Tailed Fox killed his parents. And that beast is now inside you. He'd say anything to get the scroll from you."

Naruto suddenly got up and ran as fast as he could, and Akira followed him as quickly as she could. 

Akira hoped that Naruto didn't believe the vile words that were coming out of Mizuki's mouth. She hoped he didn't think that she hated him. After all, she and Iruka had always been nice to him. And while Akira was terrified of the Nine-Tailed Fox, that didn't make Naruto a monster. 

Akira found Naruto hiding behind a tree, clutching the scroll. She landed skillfully in front of him and crouched down. Naruto didn't move.

   "Naruto?"
   "Go away..."
   "You know that Iruka-sensei and I don't hate you, right?"
   "But Mizuki—"
   "Mizuki is an idiot. I don't know why I didn't see it... Maybe I was just too busy making sure you didn't get yourself caught, or maybe I just wanted to know what it felt like to goof off."

   Naruto looked up at her, bright blue eyes glazed over. 

   "You and Kai do crazy things together all the time, and yeah, most of the time I think you're idiots. But sometimes I want to know what it's like to fool around. So when Mizuki mentioned the scroll... I don't know. Maybe I was curious. Maybe I wanted to have fun. I haven't had real fun in such a long time. Sasuke... he's so far gone. My family... I don't have one anymore either."
   "But you look so happy all the time," Naruto said.
   "So do you, Naruto..."

   Naruto looked at her surprised, and that surprise slowly melted into determination.

   "You're a fool!" Naruto and Akira heard Mizuki say. "Why are you protecting that freak? He's the one who wiped out your family."
   "I don't care what you say, 'cause you're not getting your hands on that scroll," Iruka said.
   "As if you could stop me. Don't you get it? Naruto is just like me."
   "How's that?"
   "He wants the scroll for his own power, and his own vengeance," Mizuki said. "That's how beasts are. He'll pour all his rage into the scroll and destroy everything."
   "You're right," Iruka said. "That is how beasts are. But that's not how Naruto is. He's nothing like that. Naruto's one of a kind. He works hard, puts his whole heart into it. Sure he messes up sometimes, and everyone jumps on him... But his suffering only makes him stronger. That's was separates him from being a beast. So you're wrong. He's nothing like the Nine-Tailed Fox. He's Naruto Uzumaki, of the Village Hidden in the Leaves."

   Akira heard the clink of the other shuriken on Mizuki's back.

   "You really believe that dribble? Iruka, I was going to save you for later, but I changed my mind... You're finished!"

   Naruto and Akira shared a look and jumped up from their hiding place. Akira threw half a dozen shuriken at the giant one and veered it off course, Naruto headbutted Mizuki in the stomach, sending him flying backwards.

   "Naruto! Akira!"
   "Not bad, for little punks," Mizuki said in standing.
   "If you ever lay a hand on my sensei—I'll kill you!" Naruto growled.
   "Such big words... I can completely destroy you with one move!"

Simultaneously, to Iruka's confusion, Naruto and Akira put their hands into a seal formation he didn't recognise. But Naruto was confused too. How had she learned the jutsu he himself had learned only moments ago?

   "Take your best shot, Mizuki. We'll give it back to you a thousandfold!" Akira shouted.
   "Let's see you try! Show me what you can do, pests!" Mizuki spat.
   "Shadow Clone Jutsu!" both children chorused.

From an immense cloud of smoke appeared hundreds of copies of Naruto and Akira. They surrounded Mizuki, staring him down, as he slowly realised just what kind of clones these were. They weren't illusions, they were solid, real duplicates of the people who'd performed the jutsu. The clones called out to Mizuki, yelling and taunting him until, scared and overwhelmed, he stumbled and moved back. But there were clones behind him too, and he screamed as the clones jumped over him, beating him to a pulp. They only disappeared when Mizuki lay unconscious on the ground, blood pouring from his nose.

   "Sorry, Iruka-sensei," Akira said sheepishly, glancing down at Mizuki.
   "Yeah, I think we got a little carried away," Naruto chuckled. 

Iruka glanced at Mizuki and grimaced.

   "I think you might have," he said. "Hey, Naruto, come here a minute. There's something I want to give you."
   "What is it?" the boy said excitedly.
   "I'm not telling! Close your eyes."
   "Hey, wait—Akira! How'd you learn the Shadow Clone Jutsu? You didn't even look at the scroll."
   "Well, that's a little secret I'll be keeping for myself," she said with a mischievous smile.

The forest was quiet. All that could be heard was the rustling of the leaves in the gentle breeze. Looking up, Akira was transfixed by the myriad of fluttering leaves that danced in the high boughs, making a living roof above them. She was calmed, almost hypnotised, by the early morning rays seeping through the leaves. They'd been there all night, but Akira didn't feel tired in the slightest.

Iruka had removed Naruto's goggles and replaced them with his own headband. A wistful smile rose to Akira's lips, and her hand went to the bandana around her waist. She was a little jealous but happy for Naruto. The ball of tangled warn in Akira's mind was messy, and she desired, for a split second, that she too had someone like Iruka to watch over her, the memory of her family far away in her mind. But Naruto's gleeful smile washed all the jealousy away, at least for the moment, she revelled in his laughter and delight.

Chapter Text

Akira woke up following the shrill sound of a whistle. The warm, vibrant morning rays had already risen, much like Sasuke, who was already in the kitchen preparing breakfast by the time his sister lazed out of bed. The smell of miso reached her room as she pulled on her cargo pants and clasped them over the hem of her black sleeveless shirt. She threw on her teal happi and left her room, breathing in the smell of miso and scorched rice cakes.

Sasuke acknowledged Akira with a glance as she entered the kitchen, and she gave him a quiet 'good morning' before grabbing their small clay teapot to steep jasmine flowers and green tea leaves. Small bowls and cups were set on their bamboo table and Sasuke served the soup while Akira poured the tea. They both ate in comfortable silence, then washed their own dishes and set them to dry before Sasuke left home without Akira.

Akira returned to her room to wrap a crimson and navy scarf around her waist, hoping to mitigate the fact her pants were too large, and tied her father's bandana over that. She clasped a few kunai and shuriken pouches to her belt and thighs, then struggled to slip her feet into her sandals as she put on her stud earrings. Eventually, Akira gave up with the sandals until her hands were free, and then ran out of the house to meet up with Kai.

She sat on the bench underneath the blossoms again, staring at the people walking by and going about their business. A few of them said hello, another pulled her child away, some congratulated her on the bandana that was gleaming around her waist. Akira stared as they walked away, watched as their clothes rippled in the breeze, as they kicked a wayward stone without even thinking about it. 

Kai appeared moments later, clad in a nicer kimono than usual, and Akira noticed he'd actually taken the time to comb his hair. 

   "Wow, even you're putting effort into picture day," she joked.
   "Hey, this is going to be my picture on file for at least the next two years, it needs to look good," Kai said.

In the Academy, waiting in line, most of the girls were passing around portable mirrors, the guys were messing up each other's hair or, in Naruto's case, were busy painting their faces because, of course, as per Naruto's usualy behaviour, a serious picture did not warrant seriousness.

     "Naruto, this is your identification picture, not a class picture," Akira groaned, watching Naruto paint himself red and white. "It really isn't the time to goof off—Kai don't even think of dropping your finger in that paint!"

Kai slowly backed away the finger that was inching towards the paint and smiled sheepishly. Akira pushed him ahead, all the way to Kiba and Shikamaru, who were next in line for their pictures. Shikamaru made a face while Kiba was being photographed, resulting in a hilarious picture of Kiba doubled over in laughter so that you could only see his face in a semi-decipherable blur, and Shikamaru didn't smile at all, instead, looking rather annoyed as Kiba tried to make him laugh as well. Kai's picture turned out rather good, as he'd threatened to hit anyone who tried to ruin it, and Akira got to take a picture without distraction as well. She didn't smile completely, and she thought she looked a little cocky until she saw the flower petals in her hair and laughed.

After Akira convinced the picture lady to give her a 'blackmail' copy of Kiba's photo, as she put it, the four friends went over to the nearest classroom for orientation. Akira and Kai sat down together with Kiba, while Shikamaru sat a little further back so he could inconspicuously nap. Naruto, no longer covered in face paint, sat in front of them, a table ahead of Sasuke, which took everyone by surprise. Technically, Naruto hadn't graduated.

   "What're you doing here, Naruto?" Shikamaru asked, trying to get in a comfortable sleeping position. "This isn't for drop-outs. You can't be here unless you graduated."
   "Oh, yeah? Do you see this, do you see this?" Naruto said, pointing at his headband with his thumb. "Open your eyes, Shikamaru, it's a regulation headband."
   "Yeah, Shikamaru, open your eyes," Akira chuckled. Shikamaru threw her an old chunk of eraser.
   "Let me put it this way: I look great in this head gear, it's like it was made for me! Believe it!"

Akira chuckled as Naruto and Shikamaru kept bickering, then looked around at everyone else. She knew most of them from her own class, but others she didn't, including Hinata Hyuga, which she only knew of. Akira didn't think that she'd get to know Hinata much; she was the definition of shy. Her pale lavender eyes were nearly always cast down and if her hair had been longer she'd probably use it to hide her face. But she couldn't, and Akira could see her blushing as she stared at Naruto.

     "Hyuga has a thing for Naruto..." Akira whispered to herself.
     "Yeah, it's pretty obvious," Kiba said. "Though, admittedly not as bad at Sakura and the rest of the Sasuke fan-club."
     "Speaking of which..."

   At that exact moment, Ino and Sakura came barging into the classroom, panting and arguing.

     "I'm first!" they said together.
     "I won again, Sakura," Ino announced.
     "Give it up! I had to look back to see you, my foot was at least a tenth of an inch ahead!" Sakura argued.
     "Have you always been this delusional?"

   The second Sakura walked into the room, Naruto's face went just as red has Hinata's and he couldn't help but stare. It got worse when she looked over and assumed she was looking at him when, in fact, she was looking at Sasuke right behind him. When she jogged over and he got up to say hi, she pushed him to the ground so that she could talk to Sasuke.

   "Uh, good morning, Sasuke," she said shyly.

     Sasuke glanced at her but said nothing.

     "Mind if I sit next to you?"
     "Back off, Forehead! I'm sitting next to Sasuke!" Ino barged in.
     "I was here first!" Sakura said under her breath.
     "I walked into the classroom before you did, everyone knows that!"
     "Dream on!"
     "Hey!" Akira called sharply. "Pick a seat before I take the one next to Sasuke, you hear me?"

Unfortunately, the plan backfired, and it only animated more girls in the class, especially those who didn't know Akira and Sasuke were related. Irritated, Naruto stood then launched himself towards Sasuke to glare at him. He jumped onto one of the desks and crouched down so he was level with Sasuke, which made all the girls worry about him getting into a fight.

   "Ugh, this is going to make me vomit," Akira groaned. "Why does it have to be my brother?"
   "It's not just your brother," Kai said, a small smirk on his lips. "It's Uchiha's in general, apparently."
   "What're you talking about?"
   "Look around, Kira," Kiba said, leaning back against his chair. "Unless all these guys we don't know are staring at my striking black eyes, they're looking at you."

Akira looked around, slightly disgusted.

   "Do I still have petals in my hair?" she asked. "You guys said it looked cute the other day—I do not want to look cute!"
   "Naruto!" Sakura shouted, bringing everyone back to the seating situation. "Stop glaring at Sasuke!"

   Naruto glanced from Sakura and the horde of girls, to Sasuke, to Akira, and then back at the horde of girls.

   "See, her I can understand!" Naruto said, pointing at Akira. She groaned and sunk into her chair, pulling her hair over her face. "But what the hell do you see in this guy?"

A cacophony of shouts rung throughout the room. Akira heard a girl saying that Sasuke should beat up Naruto for even looking at him, and then, a second later, there was complete and utter silence at the scene before them. Someone had bumped Naruto and sent him forward, resulting in him involuntarily kissing Sasuke.

   "What the—"
   "I don't know."
   "Uh..."

Sasuke and Naruto pulled apart and began gagging and spitting and coughing, trying their best to remove whatever contact they'd shared. Akira's eyes were wide as saucers, shocked and blankly staring at the two boys. Not even Kiba's waving hand in front of her face could snap her out of it.

     "Curse you, Naruto!" Sasuke growled.
     "My mouth is rotting!" Naruto yelled.

Sakura started screaming about stealing Sasuke's first kiss, which effectively snapped Akira out of her stupor, and it took a few shouts from Iruka-sensei, who'd just entered the class, to settle everyone down into their seats. In the end, Sakura ended up taking the seat beside Sasuke, and Naruto moved up a row to sit next to her. 

   "All right, everyone. As of today, you're all ninjas. You've all faced difficult trials and hardships, but that's nothing. What comes next will be far more difficult," Iruka said.
   "Reassuring," Kiba said sarcastically.
   "Now, you're only Genin, first-level ninjas, so don't let it go to your head. All Genin will be grouped into three-person squads, and since we're an uneven number, there'll be two squads of four Genin. Each squad will be lead by a Jōnin, an elite ninja."

Akira's mind wandered off as Iruka continued speaking. She wondered what the Jōnin were like, if they were serious, scary, if they were even capable of tolerating annoying Genin, at all. Akira hoped her new sensei would be at least a little nice, like Iruka-sensei, but Jōnin had gone through much more than him, so she doubted that the Jōnin would be as cute and cuddly as Iruka.

Did they make teams at random? Did the Jōnin chose who they wanted to teach? Did they try to make balanced teams? If that was the case, her dream of being put in the same team with Kai, Kiba and Shikamaru were gone. Sasuke and Naruto would definitely end up in the same team seeing as they were the best and worst of the graduates, but she wondered where people like herself, Sakura or even Hinata would fit in.

   "We want each squad to have a balance of strengths and abilities, so that's how we set them up," Akira heard Iruka say as she came out of her thoughts. "I will now announce the squads."

Akira tuned most of it out. She heard Kai get sorted into a squad with Kiba, the Hyuga girl and some boy she didn't know. A few moments after, Shikamaru got put into a team with the annoying Ino, which made him groan loud enough for Iruka to hear, and Choji Akimichi. Akira's attention only perked up when she heard her name called just before Naruto's. They shared a grin, but Akira's faded when Sakura's name came after. Confusion followed as Iruka called Sasuke's name to complete the team.

   "Both Uchiha's in the same team," Akira scoffed. "How's that balanced?"
   "Beats the hell outta me," Kiba said. "You would have been better off with me and Kai."
   "Seriously."
   "Iruka-sensei!" Naruto protested. "Why does a great ninja like me have to be with a slug like Sasuke!?"
   "Sasuke and Akira had the best scores of all the graduating students. Naruto, you had the worst scores in the history of Genin. To create a balanced group, we put the two best, which compensates for your worst."
   "Just make sure you don't get in my way, loser," Sasuke said in a low voice.
   "Hey, what did you say!?" Naruto shouted.
   "Hard of hearing?"
   "Knock it off, both of you!" Akira said sternly. "Sit down, Naruto."
   "After lunch, you'll meet your new Jōnin teachers," Iruka said as Naruto sat down. "Until then, class dismissed."

Everyone exited the class slowly, chatting up their new teammates. Akira walked out with Kiba, Kai, Hinata and Shino, the boy they didn't know, and stuck together until they were standing in front of the Academy.

   "You guys go figure each other out, all right?" Akira called as she walked backwards towards the street. "Don't forget to tell me about your new sensei! Oh, and tell Shikamaru that I'll go to his funeral when Ino strangles him!"
   "Yeah, yeah," Kiba chuckled.

     As they left, Sakura came out of the school, calling for none other than Sasuke Uchiha.

   "Wrong Uchiha.".
   "Ugh, you. Why did Sasuke go running off so fast?" Sakura said.
   "That's what he does. It is Sasuke, after all," Akira sighed. She glanced at Sakura. "Hey, Sakura?"
   "Hm?"
   "I know you don't like me, and well, you know I'm not fond of you either, but uh... I mean, we're on the same team, we might as well try and get along. You wanna have lunch together?"
   "You, me, lunch?" Sakura muttered, a little surprised. "Um, sure. Why not?"

Akira sent Sakura an awkward smile and stuffed her hands in her pockets, walking off. 

     "Hey, wait up!"
     "Well, hurry up! We don't have all day!"
     "Ugh, you are so full of yourself!"
     "Look who's talking!"

Chapter Text

   "He's late!" 

Naruto's voice brought Akira out of whatever daydream she was having. Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura and herself were waiting in an empty classroom for their new sensei. He was late, as Naruto kept remarking, but Akira didn't let it bother her. People were late all the time. Though she did hope that he wasn't late to actual missions—that would be an issue. Meanwhile, Akira sat cross-legged on a desk, humming an old tune and swaying to the beat. This alone could have probably entertained her for hours.

   "Naruto, just sit down!" Sakura demanded, looking over to the yellow-haired boy.
   "I don't want to!" Naruto complained. "How come our teacher is the only one that's late!? The other groups have already met their new teachers and are gone on some kind of adventure! I mean—even Iruka-sensei left! I'm ready to roll!"
   "That reminds me, I need to ask the others about their sensei—hope he's a good one," Akira muttered. "Of course, not better than ours."
   "Definitely," Sakura agreed. "I'm sure ours will be the be—Naruto!"

Akira stopped her humming and looked up towards Naruto. She couldn't help but roll her eyes as he put a chalk-filled blackboard eraser on the partially open door, hoping that it'd fall on their sensei's head.

   "What're you doing, Naruto!?"
   "That's what he gets for being late," Naruto said with a laugh.
   "You're asking for trouble. You know you shouldn't do that."
   "Our teacher is a Jōnin," Sasuke commented. "An Elite ninja."
   "Yeah, there's no way he'd fall for that!" Sakura added. "You're so clueless Naruto."
   "He's also a human being, who naturally lets his guard down around useless children like us," Akira said. "So, maybe it'll work."
   "I'll bet you five ryō," Sasuke said.
   "You're on."
   "Akira you can't bet against, Sasu—"

The squeaking of the classroom's door made everyone fall silent. Two seconds later, the door opened, and the eraser fell on the man's head. He paused, blinking the eye that wasn't covered by his bandana. Akira couldn't tell what his expression was because of the mask covering the other half of his face, but she knew that disappointment wasn't far away when he saw Sasuke pass her five ryō. What was most odd about this man, considering that only a quarter of his face was visible, was that Akira had never seen him before. How had she not notice a tall silver-haired man with barely any face showing?

   "Ha! Got you!"
   "I'm so sorry, Sensei," Sakura apologised. "I told him not to do it, but he just wouldn't listen! And Akira—she's gambling! She bet that it would fall on your head! I'd never do anything like that!"
   "Shut up, Sakura," Akira said with a great sigh. 

The man picked up the eraser, looked at it, then looked up at the students sitting in the classroom. 

   "How can I put this?" he said in a calm voice. "My first impression of this group..."
   "Idiots, I'd say," Akira mumbled.
   "Hey!" Sakura cried.
   "I didn't say you, Sakura. I'm sorry you felt that it concerned you."
   "Yup, you're a bunch of idiots," the man said.
   "The eraser thing was still funny though," Naruto said softly.
   "Follow me."

Akira uncrossed her legs and hopped off the desk. She followed the teacher out the door, closely followed by Sasuke and Sakura, and Naruto who was walking without touching the cracks in the floor. The five ninjas went up to the roof of the Academy which overlooked most of the city, and Akira took a moment to observe it.

The cityscape was a jumble of shapes like a child had cast blocks down randomly and then swept them so close together they touched. There were rectangles, domes and mini-castles. There were spires, weather vanes and satellite dishes. The roads were so narrow that they frequently became blocked by carts bringing in wares between the dwellings and businesses.

The silver-haired man went up to the edge and leaned back against the railing, facing the students. They sat down on a small step and looked up at him.

   "All right, why don't you introduce yourselves... one at a time."
   "Introduce ourselves? Well, what're we supposed to say?" Sakura asked. 
   "Things you like, things you don't, dreams for the future, hobbies," the man said almost apathetically. "Things like that."
   "Why don't you tell us stuff first? I mean, first, tell us about you so that we can see how it's supposed to work," Naruto said.
   "Me? I'm Kakashi Hatake. Things I like and things I hate... I don't feel like telling you that." Akira narrowed his eyes at him. "Dreams for the future... Never really thought about it. As for hobbies, I have many."
   "You realise that you literally just told us your name, right?" Akira said, sounding a little sceptic.
   "Yes. Yes, I do."

Akira frowned. That was useless. They'd learned nothing about him. How were they supposed to work together if they knew nothing about each other?

   "Okay, your turn. You on the right," he said.
   "Believe it—I'm Naruto Uzumaki! I like instant ramen, but I like the ramen from Ichiraku's best. I hate the three minutes you have to wait after pouring water in the ramen cup. My hobby is eating different kinds of ramen and comparing them... And my future dream is to be the greatest Hokage! Then the whole village will stop disrespecting me and start treating me like I'm somebody important."

Akira quirked an eyebrow at Naruto. She knew he was a little... weird, but who loved ramen that much? Even Kakashi-sensei looked perplexed.

   "All right, then," he said. "Next."
   "I'm Sakura Haruno! What I like, uh... I mean, the person I like is..." Sakura glanced over at Sasuke, a blush covering her cheeks. Akira sighed and rolled her eyes. "Um, my hobby is, uh..." she giggled. "My future dreams are..." she squealed.
   "And? What do you hate?" 
   "Naruto!"

   Akira fought the urge to slam her palm onto her forehead. 

   "Next."
   "My name is Sasuke Uchiha. I have a lot of dislikes and don't particularly like anything. What I have is not a dream because I will make it a reality. I'm going to restore my clan and destroy... a certain someone."
   "Drama queen," Akira huffed.
   "Uh, right, yes, last one."
   "My name is Akira Uchiha. Sounds stupid, but I like learning about things. Anything, really. One of my favourite things, though are my friends. Um..." Akira frowned and scratched her head. "I don't particularly dislike anything except for seafood, I don't think. As a hobby I sing a little—hum mostly 'cause I hate the sound of my voice. And dream for the future? That's an easy one," Akira said with a smile. "I want to become the best ninja I can be and follow in my father's footsteps. One day, I want to be the head of Konoha Military Police and protect my city with all I've got!"

Kakashi-sensei seemed almost relieved to hear something normal.

   "Good," he said. "You're all unique and have your own ideas. We'll have our first mission tomorrow."
   "Oh! What kind of mission are we going to have?" Naruto asked.
   "It's a task that the five of us will do together."
   "What—what—what—what?"
   "A survival exercise," Kakashi-sensei said.

Akira perked up at the mention of a survival exercise. They had done many during the Academy, but it was always fun seeing Kai trying to eat beetles because he didn't manage his food correctly. She could only imagine what it would be like to see Sakura try to eat squirrel.

   "I thought we were supposed to have a real mission, not more practice!" Sakura complained. "We already did this stuff at the Academy, that's how we got here."
   "This is not like your previous training," Kakashi-sensei said.
   "So uh—so uh, what kind of training is it then?" Naruto asked.

To everyone's surprise, Kakashi laughed, almost maliciously.

   "What's so funny, sensei?" Akira asked, worried.
   "Well, if I tell you the answer, you're not going to like it," he said.
   "Huh? What's he talking about?" Naruto asked.

Kakashi looked directly at his new students.
   "Out of the twenty-nine graduates who came here, only eleven will be accepted as Genin. The other eighteen will be weeded out and sent back to the Academy." Akira's eyes widened. "In other words, it's a make-it-or-break-it pass or fail test, and the chance that you'll fail is at least sixty-six per cent."
   "That's crazy!" Naruto yelled.
   "See? I told you, you wouldn't like it."
   "Then what was that graduation test for anyway?" Sakura complained.
   "Oh, that. Well, that was just to select those who might become Genin," Kakashi-sensei replied. "Or not."
   "Whaaaat!?" Naruto shouted. "The test was useless, then!"
   "Well, I wouldn't say that, Naruto," Akira said contemplatively. "I mean, sure the test in itself was stupid and a complete waste of our time, but at least it made us review what we knew—gave us a little more practice and a better chance at becoming Genin. That's if Kakashi-sensei thinks we're worthy or something."
   "That's the way it is—I decide whether you pass or fail," Kakashi said. "Be at the designated training ground tomorrow morning at 5am, and bring your ninja gear. Oh, and tomorrow you better skip breakfast, or else... you'll puke."

Chapter Text

The nightmare was always the same. A happy Akira and Sasuke were running around the Uchiha compound together, laughing, throwing water balloons at each other, then everything turned red. There were bodies everywhere, sprawled across the ground, blood pooling around them. Their parents, laid out in the family room, cold and dead, Itachi looming over. That's when Akira woke up in a cold sweat, chest heaving and eyes wide as if she'd truly been seeing what was in her dream. After a few calming breaths, Akira turned to check the time.

Akira dragged herself out of bed and got dressed slowly, pushing her nightmare to the back of her mind. She made herself a cup of tea and debated whether to eat something before leaving, despite her sensei saying not to. She stared at the leftover rice and grilled vegetables in the fridge but decided against eating for the simple fact that Kakashi-sensei had asked them.

Akira went back to her room and packed all of her ninja gear: she placed at least a dozen of kunai in her thigh pocket, a dozen shuriken in the pouch attached to one of her fabric belts and strapped knife sheaths on her arms, one on her inner forearm and the other on the outside. Akira even attached a strap to her ankle to hold a small knife. 

Akira and Sasuke set out in silence and headed in the general direction of the designated training ground. The sky was littered with lavender and dark blue tones rather than the pitch black it was earlier. The birds were still asleep, the silence was peaceful, and the scent of flowers covered in dew reached Akira's nose when passing the main avenue. Akira looked over and sighed, suddenly missing her usual morning rituals with Kai, Kiba and Shikamaru.

Sakura and Naruto were arriving simultaneously as Sasuke and Akira, but they seemed to be nearly sleepwalking. Everyone was just as tired, but of course, Sasuke Uchiha couldn't show any kind of weakness.

   "Morning," Sakura said sleepily.
   "It's not morning until the sun is up," Akira said lazily. "I'm usually asleep at this hour."

Naruto plopped down where he stood.

     "So what do we do?" he asked.
     "We wait, I guess," Akira said. 

      The first orange hued rays of sunrise arrived much later, and they shone down on the late morning as the four students sat, waiting for their sensei. Akira looked around at her teammates then up at the sun, squinting, and stretched up her hand into the sky. She let the soft amber glow of the sunrise pour through her fingers and onto her upturned face.

     "Morning everyone, ready for your first day?"

Everyone turned towards the calm voice, and in a split second, Sakura was on her feet, pointing accusingly at Kakashi-sensei. Naruto did the same. Even Sasuke was glaring.

   "You're late!" Sakura and Naruto chorused.
   "Well, a black cat crossed my path, so I had to take the long way," Kakashi provided as an answer. 
   "I'm too tired to argue with that," Akira yawned.

As Naruto growled at him, Akira stood up and brushed the dust off her pants.

   "Well," Kakashi cleared his throat. "Let's get started." He went over to a nearby tree stump and placed an alarm clock on it. Akira furrowed her eyebrows. "Here we go. It's set for noon."

Akira looked at the clock. Whatever Kakashi-sensei was planning, they'd have four hours to do it. Then, sensei took out three bells, each on a red ribbon.

   "Your assignment is very simple. You just have to take these bells from me. That's all there is to it," Kakashi-sensei said. "If you can't get them by noon, you go without lunch. You'll be tied to those posts, and you'll watch as I eat my lunch in front of you."

Akira gave her teacher a scathing look. So that's why he told them not to eat breakfast—to make it harder on them. She suddenly regretted passing up on the leftover rice and vegetables.

   "Wait, Sensei," Akira said. "There are only three bells."
   "Well that way, there will be at least one of you tied to the posts and ultimately disqualified for failing to complete the mission," he said. Akira swore he was grinning underneath that mask. "That one... goes back to the Academy. Then again, all four of you could flunk out too. You can use any weapon. If you're not prepared to kill me, you won't be able to take the bells."
   "Those weapons are too dangerous, Sensei!" Sakura said, concerned.
   "Especially since you couldn't dodge that eraser," Naruto laughed.

Akira frowned at her teammates. He was a Jōnin, an elite ninja. He'd deceived them already by failing to introduce himself properly and somehow convincing them not to eat breakfast. Surely he'd let the eraser fall on him on purpose to give them the impression he wasn't all that good (and earn Akira an easy five ryō). But Akira had a feeling that taking a bell from him wasn't going to be an easy task at all. So what was the best way to take them away? 

   "Class clowns are usually the weakest links, you can safely ignore them," Kakashi said.

A light went off in her mind. If they'd all work as a team, they could easily overpower one ninja even if he was a Jōnin. She looked at her brother. He seemed to be thinking a lot too. Hopefully, they were thinking of the same thing.

  "When I say start, you can begin."

Suddenly, Naruto launched himself at Kakashi-sensei, unsheathing a kunai from its holster. As he swung at him, Kakashi grabbed his hand and turned Naruto around, pointing his own kunai at the back of his head. Akira barely noticed any movement from Kakashi-sensei as he'd done that. He was fast, and she was right; they'd get nowhere working alone.

   "Don't be in such a hurry," Kakashi said. "I didn't say start yet. But, you came at me with the intent to destroy me, so... how can I say this? I'm actually starting to like you guys."

    Akira chuckled. 

    "Get ready," sensei said, and Akira looked over to her brother. "And... start!"

Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke immediately jumped and fled the glade, off to hide somewhere, leaving Akira alone with Kakashi-sensei, and looking more annoyed than anything else.

   "Great. I turn to my brother to tell him we should all work together, but no! They all hide!" Akira growled and began walking away calmly. "Does anyone use their brains anymore?"
   "Akira?"
   "Hm?" she hummed and faced Kakashi-sensei.
   "Usually, a ninja doesn't reveal their plan in front of the target."
   "Yeah, well, you don't know how we'd work together, do you?" The girl sighed. "Well, I'm going to go find Sasuke. Have fun being attacked by Naruto, sensei."

Akira stopped and turned again, an idea forming in her mind.

   "Sensei?"
   "Yes?"
   "Can one bell count for two people if obtained together?"
   "Yes."
   "Interesting."

Akira then leapt into the nearest tree and moved around until she found a good spot to conceal herself. She then put her hands together to form a hand seal, and a Shadow Clone of herself went off to find Sasuke while she observed the glade. As predicted, Naruto was already challenging Kakashi-sensei on his own. 

   "You and me! Right now! Fair and square!" he shouted.
   "Idiot," Akira muttered under her breath.

She then produced another Shadow Clone and sent it off to help Naruto. Akira knew that none of them would want to work together: Naruto had to prove himself after Kakashi-sensei called him a loser; Sasuke was so used to doing things on his own the thought probably never crossed his mind; and Sakura was, well... Sakura. Akira sent another clone to her just in case she did decide to come out of her hiding spot. 

The plan was in motion. Technically, a two-person team was still a team. If a bell was obtained with one of Akira's clones, she and whoever she'd gotten it with would get a bell and become a Genin. After that, she was free to help everyone else, her placement ensured.

   "You know, compared to the others, you're a bit... weird," Kakashi told Naruto.

Akira watched as Naruto ran to attack Kakashi-sensei. To either antagonize him or show that Naruto posed no threat at all, Kakashi began reading mid-combat, stopping all of Naruto's attacks with one hand. This kept up until Kakashi seemingly got bored and suddenly appeared behind Naruto. He said something about one thousand years of death, and then Kancho'd Naruto so hard he went flying into the lake. Kakashi watched Naruto land and then went back to his reading, which made Akira chuckle under her breath. While he hadn't yet proved to be as nice as Iruka-sensei, he sure was a lot more fun.

Just then, two shurikens came flying out of the water towards Kakashi, who stopped them by deftly catching them by the hole in the middle of each shuriken. Akira frowned. He hadn't even looked. She crossed-out the idea of a long-range attack out of her mind; there would be far too many things that could go wrong and far too many ways Kakashi could evade her.

Naruto then angrily crawled out of the water and began shouting at Kakashi-sensei about not eating breakfast, which made Akira's stomach growl against her will. She was beyond hungry, and it was starting to affect her thinking. However, her mind was pulled away from the rumbling of her stomach, and towards the shifting of chakra in one of her clones, which emerged out of the water with seven other Naruto's. They all attacked at once, Naruto clearly doing more work than the Akira clone. Meanwhile, Akira watched closely as Kakashi used the Substitution Jutsu to switch places with one of Naruto's clones. Naruto assumed that Kakashi had fled and, noticing something shining on the ground, he went to pick it up. Akira's clone shouted something, but it proved to be of no use as Naruto's ankle was snagged by a hidden rope. Akira sighed and dispelled her clone as Naruto swung from the tree.

Kakashi appeared above him, sitting comfortably in the tree, but jumped down and looked up at Naruto to lecture him. Then, Akira felt another shift in one of her clones' chakra, and it felt closer than last time. She stared at Kakashi for a moment, and it came to her; his back was turned—it was the perfect time to strike.

Six shurikens flew out of the trees nearby, and Akira knew it was her brother. She positioned herself to exit the trees unnoticed just as Kakashi was distracted by the shuriken hitting him dead in the back. An annoyed huff left her mouth as Kakashi vanished into a puff of smoke and turned into a log. 

Akira heard leaves rustling to her right, and she hoped it was was Sasuke changing locations as he'd just given away his position. She rose a hand into a seal and dismissed the clone with Sakura; if Naruto had gotten caught and Sasuke was changing position, the next target was surely her. Kakashi had already seen one clone, and if he saw another, he'd most likely get suspicious. 

A scream resonated throughout the nearby forest. Akira could tell it was Sakura but hadn't the faintest idea what in the woods could make her scream in such a way. But as Sakura screamed a few more times, the reason came to her mind, and it made Akira sigh in irritation. 

   "Genjutsu," she muttered to herself.

Naruto was trapped by the ankle, swinging aimlessly like an idiot; Sakura was apparently stuck in some kind of Genjutsu, and Sasuke was off someplace giving away his position like a first-year Academy student. At least her plan, she hoped, hadn't been compromised. Her final hope was Sasuke. She'd need to secure a bell with him to go help the others get their own.

Sakura screamed again.

   "Oh, come on, Kakashi-sensei," Akira whispered.

The man definitely wasn't going easy on them. One the one hand, Akira didn't think it was fair. They weren't even official Genin yet, and he was already training them as they were Chūnin or Jōnin already. One the other hand, however, Akira could only imagine the satisfaction after winning a bell off of Kakashi-sensei. 

Just then, she spotted Sasuke and her last clone out in the glade with Kakashi, and Akira slowed her breathing to better eavesdrop on the conversation.

     "—not like Sakura and Naruto."
     "Say that after you guys get a bell," Kakashi said.

Both Uchiha turned towards their sensei and then shared a roguish look. Sasuke and the Akira clone sent kunai and shuriken at Kakashi, which he easily dodged to the left. But the siblings had something planned. The clone threw a seemingly innocent kunai in no particular direction. Still, it hit a hidden rope that unleased more shuriken and kunai towards Kakashi, who was forced to dodge more. Akira looked at Sasuke and her clone, impressed—they'd been busy.

The real Akira slowly inched towards the battle, making sure to remain silent and hidden in the bushes. Sasuke and the clone kept Kakashi distracted by attacking him head-on. With two reasonably capable Genin attacking him left and right, it left Akira the opportunity to sneak in. In one swift movement, her right hand reached for the holster on her left, and from it, she pulled a small knife. She agilely jumped out of the bushes, and as she landed, she swung her blade outwards, extending it into a long tachi. Akira sliced the ribbon attached to one of the bells on Kakashi's belt and tapped the bell towards her with just the tip of her tachi. The ringing sound brought Kakashi away from the battle, and as the clone vanished into thin air, he looked behind him. Akira was holding a bell with a proud smile.

   "Teamwork."

Chapter Text

   "Teamwork."

Akira gave Sasuke a high five. It felt good to have been on the same page with her brother for the first in a while, and it felt even better after having nabbed one of the bells in this seemingly impossible test. She stared at the bell for a moment. It was like a trophy more than a bell.

   "Impressive," Kakashi conceded.
   "Now, don't you go back on your word, Sensei," Akira insisted, pointing a finger at Kakashi. "This bell counts for both me and Sasuke."
   "Yes, yes, don't need to threaten me." He turned to look over his shoulder. "Enjoy your lunch."

In a moment he'd disappeared, and reappeared beside the bento box lunches he'd somehow managed to purchase while the test was going on. Naruto had managed to escape his dangling prison and had spotted the boxes. Just as he was about to open one of the boxes, Kakashi dragged him off and tied him to one of the three posts near the lake, upon which sat the bento boxes.

Sakura appeared moments later, seemingly unharmed, but when she spotted Sasuke, she screamed and fainted. He and Akira shared a glance and shrugged. Sasuke went over to wake her up and, unfortunately for him, was tackled in a hug the second Sakura had woken up. Akira laughed and took a moment to appreciate her brother's suffering before the alarm clock that announced lunchtime rang.

   "You really thought that eating lunch before noon was a good idea?" Akira asked, walking over to Naruto.

Naruto stuck his tongue out at her, and she laughed, then took a seat beside him. Sasuke sat beside her a few moments later, dragging Sakura along as she was still latching onto him. As if on cue, all of their stomachs growled.

  "Uh oh, stomachs growling. That's too bad—I've got something to say, first," Kakashi said, crouching down to the Genin's level. "I've decided that I won't be sending any of you back to the Academy."
   "What? I passed?" Sakura asked, thoroughly confused. "All I did was scream and faint. Did I get points for that?"
   "Then—then all four of us," Naruto began, "We're—"
     "No," Kakashi said sternly. 

The smiles on everyone's faces immediately vanished.

   "Akira will become a Genin. The rest of you... are being dropped from the program. Permanently."
   "What? Drop us from the program? But that means we'll never become ninjas!" Naruto protested. "You said that if we didn't get the bells, we'd get sent back to the Academy!"
   "And what about Sasuke! You said that if a team got a bell, it counted for everyone involved!" Akira exclaimed. "You can't just change your mind like that! How could you do that?"
     "Because they don't think like ninjas, they think like little kids, like brats," Kakashi-sensei said. 

Sasuke launched himself at Kakashi, eyes filled with anger. But like with Naruto, Kakashi had his student pinned to the ground.

   "Apparently, everyone except Akira thinks it's all about you."
   "Let go of Sasuke! You can't just step on him like he's some bug!" Sakura shouted, tears welling in her eyes.
   "She's crazy, but I have to agree," Akira said, irritated.
   "I'm sorry, Akira, but they don't know what it means to be ninja," Kakashi said condescendingly. He looked at Naruto and Sakura. "You think it's a game, huh? Why did we put you on squads? Did you ponder that question for a moment?"
   "I don't know what you mean," Sakura said.
   "I mean, no one except Akira understood what this exercise was all about!" Kakashi stated. "Not even close."
   "What it's about?" Naruto said, confused.
   "Yes. That determines whether you pass or fail."
   "But that's—I wanted to ask you that from the beginning," Sakura said.
   "Use your head! Four people on a squad—why do you think we would do that?"
   "Why don't you ask Akira, she knows the answer!" Naruto said, bratty.
   "Because she already knows! Because it's basic! She even said it moments ago!" 
   "It's teamwork," Akira said with a sigh.

Everyone's expression stiffened, and they all gazed at Kakashi-sensei.

   "Just working together? Is that what you mean?" Sakura asked.
   "That's what I mean," Kakashi said. 
   "But Akira only teamed up with me, not all of us!" Naruto complained.
   "That's not exactly right," Akira said, awkwardly scratching the back of her head. "Clearly, to get one of the bells, we'd have to work together. Kakashi-sensei is a Jōnin—there's no way we could even dream of taking him on alone. But you all ran off the second the test started so... I had to improvise."
   "What?" 
   "I asked Sensei if two people caught a single bell, whether that bell counted for both people or just one? When he confirmed that if two people got a bell using teamwork, I sent a clone to each of you.
   "If I got a bell by helping one of you, and if Kakashi permitted it, then I would have gone helping the rest of you get your own bell. That way, we all would have gotten one."
   "It was a good strategy," Kakashi said. "But it's too late now. If you hadn't fallen for my traps so easily, you might each have a bell by now."
   "Wait a minute," Sakura said. "You set it up with three bells and four people. You purposefully pitted us against each other!"
   "I did. I wanted to see if you could overcome that and put the squad ahead of yourselves! A Genin should naturally lean towards teamwork, but—the thought never even crossed your minds!" Kakashi said, sounding increasingly dismayed. "Sakura—you obsessed about Sasuke who was gone, while Naruto was right there and you didn't lift a finger to help him. Naruto—you do everything on your own. Everything! And you," Kakashi said, pressing Sasuke's face harder into the ground, "you, Sasuke, thought that the others were so far beneath you they were worthless. Arrogance!
   "Ninja missions are carried out in squads. Of course, you need individual skills, but teamwork is the most essential element. Every shinobi knows this. When individuals put themselves above the squad, this can lead to failure and death. For example—" Kakashi removed a kunai from one of his pouches and placed it against Sasuke's neck. "Sakura, kill Naruto now, or Sasuke dies!"

Akira, Sakura and Naruto looked scandalized.

   "That's what happens on a mission." Kakashi put the kunai away. "The enemy takes a hostage and you've got an impossible choice. And someone ends up dead. On every mission, your life is on the line..."

Kakashi got off Sasuke and slowly walked over to a large stone.

   "Did you look at this stone? The names engraved on it?" he said, stopping in front of it. "They are all ninja that are honoured as heroes in our village."
     "That's it, that's it, that's it!" Naruto exclaimed. "I decided I'm gonna have my name engraved on that stone!"

Akira's head swiftly turned towards Naruto, and she glared at him so hard that he visibly recoiled. Even Sakura, who wasn't directly looking at her, could see the viciousness in her glance. It was dark and murderous—nothing she'd ever seen on Akira before or something she wanted to see ever again.

   "They are... a special kind of hero," Kakashi said, looking back at the students. "They're all, K.I.A."
     "Oh, that sounds real cool!" Naruto said, but Akira's glare made him shrink again.
     "K.I.A. means killed in action Naruto, they all died!" Akira growled. "The Uchiha name is the most prominent one on that stone."

Naruto's happy-go-lucky expression died in an instant, and sadness filled his eyes. Even Sasuke, who usually had the emotional range of a teaspoon, narrowed his eyes at the stone. Sakura's shoulders slumped, and she glanced at Akira's profile; her jaw was rigid with anger.

   "This is a memorial," Kakashi said calmly. "The names of my closest friends are engraved here."

Akira let out a slow breath as her anger melted away. She watched Kakashi's eyes as they stared at a few places in particular. He did that for a while and said nothing, leaving his students to wonder just how many people Kakashi had lost. Against her better judgement, Akira went to stand beside him. She looked down at the names of her parents, her uncles, her cousins.

   "This might be too... soft, of me. But you could give them another chance," Akira muttered, just loud enough so that Kakashi could hear. He glanced sideways at her. "My father never cared much for second chances, but my mother always said if you believe in someone, they were always worthy of a second chance." Akira shrugged. "I believe in them."

Akira looked up at Kakashi. He seemed to be deep in thought, from what she could see of his face as if he was remembering or debating something in his mind. After a few moments, he looked away and addressed the three other students.

   "All right, I'm going to give you one more chance."

Akira closed her eyes and breathed a sigh of relief. As if by chance, when her deep blue eyes reopened, they fell on her father's name. For a moment, she felt defiant, but pride swelled over when Naruto and Sakura cheered. Akira turned to look at them and laughed.

   "But I'm going to make it much harder on you," Kakashi stated. "You'll only have one hour to accomplish the task.
   "Eat lunch now to build up strength, but—Naruto doesn't get any. It's your punishment for trying to eat by yourself. And, if anyone tries to feed him, that person will immediately fail.
   "Akira—you already passed, which means you can't help them in any way. Got it?"

Naruto was about to protest, but Kakashi-sensei cut him off before he could say anything.

   "I make the rules. You follow them. Got it?"
   "Yes, sensei," Sakura sighed.

With that, Kakashi disappeared from sight, but Akira doubted he was very far away. She took three of four lunch boxes and handed one to Sasuke and the other to Sakura.

   "Oh no, mine has spicy karaage," Sakura said sadly.
   "Do you prefer shrimp?" Akira said, showing her box to Sakura. "There are sweet potatoes, too."
   "You want to trade?"
   "Yeah, sure."

Akira and Sakura traded bento boxes and began eating. Sasuke plucked the umeboshi out of his rice and dropped onto Akira's, who passed it onto Sakura when she spotted it. However, their friendly lunch was consistently interrupted by the growling of Naruto's stomach. He kept insisting that he'd be fine without food for a whole day, but none of them believed him. If Akira had still been participating in the exercise, she'd have fed against Kakashi's instructions, but she had to count on selfish Sasuke and air-head Sakura to do it for her, instead. And just like that, to everyone's surprise, Sasuke cracked the fourth bento box open and offered it to Naruto.

   "Here," he said, sounding annoyed.
   "No, Sasuke! You can't do that!" Sakura said, voice hushed. "You heard what Sensei said!"
   "Kakashi's gone. We need to get those bells as a team. If Naruto's hungry, he'll be weak and ineffective. That hurts the team and jeopardizes the mission," Sasuke said. He looked over at his sister. "At least that's what Akira would say, or... something like that."

Akira laughed at her brother, who was trying very hard not to look like he wanted to murder Naruto. With a sigh, Sakura cracked the chopsticks for the fourth bento box and offered to feed him since his hands were tied, which nearly brought Naruto to tears. Unfortunately, after Naruto took his first bite, Kakashi appeared in front of them in a big cloud of smoke.

   "So dramatic," Akira muttered, stuffing a piece of tamagoyaki in her mouth.
   "You!" he shouted at Naruto. "You broke the rules. I hope you're ready for the punishment!"

   Akira shook her head and kept eating, watching the scene unfold like some television series Kai liked until her lunch blew away as a result of the storm Kakashi was brewing for effect.

   "Any last words?"
   "Yeah, you made my lunch fly away, Sensei," Akira said, annoyed. "You're buying me another."
   "But—but you said—"
   "Yes?" Kakashi said, taunting.
   "You said there were four of us! That's what you said, and that's why, uh..."
   "We're all on this squad, and we're all in it together!" Sasuke said, standing up.
   "Yeah, that's right!" Sakura added. "We gave Naruto some food because the four of us are one!"
   "The four of you are one? That's your excuse?" Kakashi-sensei said, looming over the four students. "You pass."

Akira snorted and laughed as Kakashi stared at them with smiling eyes. The storm began to dissipate, and the blue sky returned.

   "We passed?" Sakura said. "How'd we pass?"
   "You're the first squad that ever succeeded," Kakashi-sensei said. "The others did exactly as I said and fell into every trap. They couldn't think for themselves. A ninja must see through deception. In the ninja world, those who break the rules are scum, that's true. But... ninjas who leave their friends behind are worse than scum."
   "Heh," Naruto chuckled. "You're kinda cool, Sensei."
   "The exercise is over. Everyone passes! Squad Seven gets their first mission tomorrow!" Kakashi said, with a thumbs-up. "Let's go home."
   "Oh, no! You owe us lunch!"

While Sasuke, Sakura and Naruto stood up calmly, smiling (at least a little in Sasuke's case), Akira ran up to Kakashi with an annoyed look on her face. 

   "Lunch?" he said, blinking stupidly.
   "Yeah, your dramatic-effect storm blew it away!" Akira insisted.
   "Oh, uh, sorry about that."
   "By the way, what was that?" Akira's annoyance had suddenly vanished, replaced by a gleam of curiosity in her eyes. "I know I read about it in a scroll somewhere..."
   "All right, come on," Kakashi said with a laugh, "I'll tell you about it over lunch."

Kakashi dropped a hand on Akira's head and ruffled her hair, which she protested immediately. But instead of swearing, like she usually did when Kai did the same thing, Akira laughed and swatted his hand away. She was grinning like a child, nearly bouncing as she walked, more excited than ever to know she was going to be trained by a ninja like Kakashi. Akira looked back to Naruto, who was annoying Sakura as usual, and she smiled. Looking up at Kakashi lazy expression, last week's jealousy in the face of Iruka and Naruto acting like brothers had vanished, replaced by the warm sensation of contentment.

Chapter Text

The village was a vast, intricate labyrinth of noisy streets and alleys. Akira could hear the incessant ringing of cart bells even before the sun rose; impatient businessmen who had to get to the Hokage's office; mothers who had to leave their children at the Academy, facing the challenge of having to weave through a crowd of parents in the schoolyard; even some of the teachers who had stopped at the local bakery to get breakfast before class. Walking down the main street, Akira could smell the fresh batch of sweet dumplings and spicy steamed buns being baked for the lunch hour rush. To Akira, these were the tell-tale signs that the village was slowly waking up, and she couldn't resist buying a few dumplings on her way to meet Kai. 

She barely recognised him as he arrived; the usual sky blue kimono was gone, replaced by a black shirt and pants, with a steel blue apron skirt, which swayed as Akira tackled him a hug and twirled him around with one arm. Though, Akira nearly lost hold of the dumplings she was holding in the other. Kai gratefully took two out of the four.

   "I barely recognised you without the kimono," Akira said, biting down into a dumpling. "Is this permanent?"
   "Yeah, I think it might be. At least for missions," Kai said, looking down at himself. "I'll probably wear my haori overtop instead of an entire kimono."
   "Easier to manoeuvre, I guess?"
   "That, and I have better access to my pockets and the fans on my arms. Speaking of which!" Kai suddenly got excited and swallowed half of his dumpling whole. "I used them to literally blow Kurenai-sensei away during our test!"
   "Oh, that's right, I forgot to ask again! How is this sensei of yours?"

Kai laughed and ate another bite of dumpling.

   "She's kind of like a big sister," he said with his mouth full. "She's honest, kinda stubborn, but she cares a lot about her students, and it shows. 
   "She's taken a particular interest in Hinata, actually. I think it's because she's the only girl in the group. Or maybe it's because her cousin Neji and her father are a bunch of morons—I don't know. 
   "But Kurenai is probably the greatest sensei we could have. I bet she's better than yours!"
   "Oh, I doubt that."
   "Really? What's your sensei like? Messed up like the rest of your team?"
   "Hey, we're different, but we're not messed up—except for Sakura, maybe," Akira chuckled. "To be honest... Kakashi-sensei is an overgrown child—he Kancho'd Naruto."
   "He what!?"
   "Yeah, Naruto was doing these really pathetic attacks, and sensei got annoyed, so he Kancho'd him!" Akira laughed. "I was hiding and couldn't exactly laugh, but it was hilarious."
   "I heard rumours that he's super tough," Kai said. "That true?"
   "Not exactly," Akira said, pensive. "He seems harsh, demanding and ruthless, but I don't think he is. See, we had to take a bell away from him to pass his test, which was hard because I mean—"
  "Jōnin, duh."
  "Right! And he also only had three bells instead of four, so he pitted us against each other—"
   "Yikes."
   "Yeah, it seemed impossible. But it turned out all he wanted was for us to work together as a team."
   "With Naruto and Sasuke on the same team?" Kai scoffed. "Good luck, Kakashi-sensei."
   "Hey, it worked out in the end though," Akira said, smiling. "His methods are a little... elaborate and complicated for nothing, and he's a bit dramatic, but they get the job done.
   "Plus he's got this really cool hair, and you can't even see most of his face, so we have no idea what he looks like—"
   "Oh, mysterious!"
   "Plus, he took us all out for lunch yesterday, and he showed me this really cool storm creating jutsu! I was practising all night."
     "That's why there were thunder and lightning all night!" Kai exclaimed, smacking Akira on the shoulder. "My mom was so mad—she couldn't go out and do yoga on the roof."
   "You hate it when your mom does yoga on the roof," Akira laughed. "She always knocks over the satellite."

Kai and Akira arrived at the Academy with full stomachs and sticky fingers which they wiped on the old festival flags that had been hanging in the school's tree for as long as they could remember. Kiba and Hinata were already in the yard, engrossed in conversation, and much to Akira's surprise (and joy), it was Hinata that noticed them first. She put up a finger and quietly shushed her, then snuck up on Kiba and jumped onto his back. He yelped in surprise and tried to shake Akira off, to no avail. She eventually relented and swung off him and landed on her feet with an arm over his shoulders.

   "Hey, Kira!" Kiba shouted, tackling Akira in return.
   "How did you not know it was me?" Akira laughed. "I thought you had super senses."
   "Yeah, well, Ino has gotten into the habit of doing that to every guy she sees, so I don't even bother trying to tell the difference or not. Apparently, she thinks it'll make Sasuke jealous."
   "Of course." Akira looked over to Hinata and smiled. "Hi, I'm Akira—you're Hinata, right?"
   "Yes," the girl said in a small voice. "It's nice to meet you. Kiba talks about you a lot."
   "Does he now?"
   "All good things, all good things," Kiba reassured.
   "So, Kai gave me his impression of Kurenai-sensei—what do you think?" Akira asked.
   "Major respect for the woman. She kicks butt."
   "Yes, she's really nice and caring," Hinata added. "She's a great sensei."
   "How's yours?" Kiba asked.
   "She's practically in love with him," Kai laughed. "'He's got this really cool hair and—'"
   "Shut up," Akira growled, smacking Kai upside the head. "He's a great sensei, and I have the utmost respect for him. He's even taught me a jutsu already."
   "Damn, she is in love," Kiba joked, earning him an elbow to the ribs.
   "She was the storm last night," Kai said, nodding to Akira. "Oh, and apparently he kancho'd Naruto!"
   "No way! Did he really?"
   "Yup—Naruto flew straight into the lake!"
   "Yo. What'd I miss?"

Akira recognised Shikamaru's lazy voice immediately. She unhooked herself from Kiba and went to hug him, but Shikamaru put his finger on her forehead to stop her.

   "I'm allergic to physical affection."
   "I'll break your finger if you don't let me hug you."

After a moment of silence, Shikamaru and Akira smirked, trapping each other in their ritual side-hug. Kiba reassured Hinata that this sort of behaviour was typical, and she accepted it rather quickly. The six of them hung out around the swing in front of the Academy and talked about everything from Kai's unruly hair to the amount of dango Kiba had once shoved into his mouth on a dare and the events of their tests given by their new sensei. Shikamaru talked a great deal about Asuma-sensei, who turned out to be much like him. As if on cue, Asuma and Kurenai arrived to pull Hinata, Kiba, Kai and Shikamaru away from Akira.

Akira waved and wished them luck, then sat down on the swing and aimlessly rocked back and forth for a few minutes until Kakashi-sensei showed up ahead of everyone else.

   "You're early?" Akira said, tilting her head. "Did you hit your head or something, sensei?"
   "No, it's mission day," he said simply.
   "That's it? You're on time because there's a mission?
   "Yup."
   "You're weird."

Sasuke, Naruto and Sakura spent hours trying to secure Tora, the cat, by setting traps while Kakashi read comfortably perched in a tree, only for Akira to lure it with the simple promise of head scratches. The cat was immediately returned to the Feudal Lord's wife, who showered it so much affection the cat seemed to want to run away again. As she left the Hokage's office, Akira couldn't help but sigh. The tasks that the Hokage gave Genin were tedious, and while they were learning proper procedure for missions and many other things, Akira couldn't help but want more. By looking at everyone else's faces, she could tell she wasn't the only one, but it was Naruto who got up in the Hokage's face and voiced his opinion, as usual.

   "Now then... For Squad Seven, we have many available tasks," the Hokage said. "Among them, babysitting the chief counsellor's three year old—"
   "No, no, no! I wanna go on a real mission!" Naruto complained. "Something challenging and exciting, not this kid stuff!"
   "How dare you! You're just a brand new Genin with no experience," Iruka-sensei shouted at him. "Like everyone else, you start with simple missions to develop your skills and prove yourself!"
   "Are you serious!?" Naruto yelled back. "Babysitting isn't a mission! It's just a stupi—ah!"

Kakashi interrupted Naruto by smacking him on the head.

   "Will you put a lid on it?" Kakashi-sensei said, apathetically.
   "Naruto," the Hokage said commandingly. "It seems you do not understand the tasks that you have been given. Listen. Many different requests come here every day from babysitting... to assassinations.
   "These requests are carefully recorded, analysed and separated into A, B, C and D ranks, depending on their difficulty. We ninja are also separated by ability: Hokage at the top, followed by Jōnin, then Chūnin and lastly, Genin. The ninja at the highest level then selects the appropriate ninja with the correct set of skills for the proper mission. And if the task is successful, we receive a fee that supports our village and our work. 
   "Since you are untried Genin, just starting down the shinobi path, you are given D-level assignments of course."
   "You're always lecturing me, old man!" Naruto shouted. "But I'm not the little brat that used to pull pranks all the time! I'm a ninja now, and I want a ninja mission!"
   "So be it."

Akira looked hopefully between Iruka-sensei and the Hokage.

   "Since you're so determined, I'm going to give you a C-rank mission. You'll be bodyguards on a journey."
   "Really?" Naruto asked, getting excited. "Yes! Who - who? Are we guarding a princess or a big shot counsellor?"
   "Don't be so impatient—I will bring him in now," the Hokage said. "Send in our visitor."

The door to the Hokage's office opened a few moments later, and a very drunk man walked in. Akira rose an eyebrow at him as he took a sip of mystery liquid from a flask. She and Sasuke shared a concerned look.

   "What the—Just a bunch of snot-nosed kids?" the man slurred. 

Akira frowned and looked up at Kakashi with a disgusted look on her face. The man only shrugged—he was powerless against the Hokage. Besides, it wasn't as if they'd chosen the client, either. 

   "And you? The little one with the idiotic look on your face—do you really expect me to believe you're a ninja?"
     "Ha! Who's the little one with the—" 

Naruto cut himself off upon noticing that he was the shortest of the group. He launched himself at the man, shouting, but Kakashi held him back by the collar.

   "I'll demolish him!"
   "You can't demolish the client, Naruto," Kakashi said, deadpan. "It doesn't work that way."
   "I am Tazuna, a master bridge maker, and I must return to my country," the man said. "I'm building a bridge that will change our world, and I expect you to get me there safely, even at the cost of your own life."

After all the details were sorted out, Team Seven was disbanded until the following morning. Akira didn't even bother going to meet her friends. Instead, she went straight home and took the long way, going past the lake near her old house. She stood still and stared at the water for a long time once she'd reached. There was always something about the rippling surface that called to her. Most days, it took all her self-control not to jump in and get soaked.

When she got home, Sasuke was doing his usual brooding by the window. There was a fresh pot of tea on the stove, and Akira helped herself to a cup before going out onto their balcony. There was a reasonably clear view of the village, and Akira sipped her tea as she watched the sun set over the rooftops. By the time she'd gone back inside, Sasuke was already locked in his room. With a sigh, Akira decided to turn in early as well. She had no idea how this mission was going to go, but she was going to get enough rest for once in her life.

The next morning, Akira woke up strangely refreshed. She hadn't slept much, and the little that she slept hadn't been good, but for some reason, Akira's spirits were soaring. As she and Sasuke left their apartment, a smile was plastered to the girl's face, and it wouldn't leave no matter how many rude things Sasuke said to make her stop.

It was only at the gates to Konoha that Akira understood why she was so excited. It was the first time she was leaving the village, the first time she was going outside of town to complete a mission, and neither she nor Naruto were taking it lightly. Akira walked backwards and stared back into the city, watching as the people within the walls got smaller and smaller.

Even Sakura was in a good mood. She smiled and laughed at Naruto and Akira who were practically running away from Konoha, chanting some stupid song that Kai had taught them many years ago. Sasuke couldn't do anything but scoff seeing them goofing off like that, but deep down he too was eager to go on his first real mission, even if it was with three airheads, a mysterious sensei and a drunk old man.

   "What're you so excited about?" Sasuke sighed.
   "It's our first time outside Konoha, Sasuke!" Akira said, smiling.
   "We're travellers now—believe it!" Naruto added.
   "Hey! Am I supposed to trust my life to these runts? They're a joke!" Tazuna said.

Both Naruto and Akira were angered by that statement but contented themselves to glaring at the man.

   "They're with me, and I'm a Jōnin, so you don't need to worry," Kakashi reassured Tazuna. "Besides, Akira is one of the best students from the Academy. She's just... happy today. Naruto, well—"
   "Hey! Never insult a ninja, it's a big mistake!" Naruto shouted. "And I'm one of the greatest ninjas, ever! Someday, I'm gonna be a Hokage, and you're gonna look up to me! My name is Naruto Uzumaki—remember it!"
   "Hokage are powerful and wise, you are puny and brainless," Tazuna said. "The day you become Hokage, I'll sprout wings and fly."
   "Ahh! Shut up!" Naruto yelled. "I'm willing to do anything to become Hokage, no matter what it takes! And when I do, everyone's gonna have to admit that I'm the top ninja and so will you!"
   "Ha! You could become Hokage ten times over, and to me, you'd still be a nobody, a loser."

Naruto launched himself at Tazuna again, but this time it was Akira who held him back by the collar.

   "Sensei told you, Naruto—you're not supposed to attack the client." 
   "Come on, let me at him—he'll pay for what he said!"
   "Yes, it makes you mad. Yes, it's wrong what he's saying. But Naruto, you have to pick your battles! Fighting a client isn't the way you do missions. Sometimes you have to sacrifice a little dignity to get the job done," Akira said. "Now, go on. I know you wanted to lead the group."

As Naruto went ahead, Akira sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. If Naruto was going to keep acting up like this every time the old man said something rude, this mission would turn into a babysitting mission rather than an escort.

This... was going to be long.

Chapter Text

The warm sun pierced through the clouds and seemingly push them away. The rays kissed Akira's face as she looked up at the clearing blue sky, barely any trace of the storm she'd created the previous night. The trees were a vibrant green and the birds chirping among their boughs were music to Akira's ears. The sweet fragrance of wildflowers lured Akira to them, and she plucked a few branches of wisteria to put behind hers and Sakura's ears. The sound of peaceful running water came from below as the group crossed a small bridge, and Akira jumped in the single puddle that remained on its path. 

After a few moments, she looked back at it, then up at the sky. It must have been a big puddle for it to still be there after an entire morning of hot sun. Kakashi seemed to be looking at it, but his expression remained impassive, so Akira turned back towards her team. Sakura had decided to bring her camera on this easy escort mission and was attempting to get pictures of everyone that didn't look horrible. Still, it was hard when Sasuke kept insisting she shove her camera down her throat.

   "Mr Tazuna's country is the Land of Waves, right?" Sakura asked, putting the camera away. "Are there ninja there too?" 
     "No, there are no ninjas in the Land of Waves," he replied, deadpan as usual. "But in other countries, there are hidden villages each with their own customs and cultures where ninja reside. To the people of this continent, the existence of shinobi villages means strength—military strength. In other words, that's how they protect themselves and maintain the balance of power with neighbouring countries. The ninja villages are not controlled by any government, they're independent and have equal status. 
   "Now, a small island like the Land of Waves has natural protection from the sea—the fog—so, there's no need for a ninja village. The five ancient lands that possess shinobi villages are the lands of Fire, Water, Lightning, Wind and Earth."
   "Like the five nature types of jutsu," Akira commented.
   "Correct," Kakashi said. "They each occupy vast territories and together, they form the Five Great Shinobi Nations. The Land of Fire has the Village Hidden in the Leaves, the Land of Waves has the Village Hidden in the Mist, the Land of Lightning—the Village Hidden in the clouds, the Land of Wind—the Village Hidden in the Sand, and the Land of Earth has the Village Hidden in the Stones. 
   "Only the leaders of these villages are permitted the name Kage, which means Shadow: Hokage, Mizukage, Raikage, Kazekage, Tsuchikage. These are the leaders, the five shadows that reign over thousands of ninja."

Strongest in the Land of Fire? Akira frowned. All he did was sit around and do paperwork all day.

   "Hey!"

Akira snapped out of her thoughts, suddenly nervous.

   "You all just doubted Lord Hokage, didn't you?" Kakashi asked, an eyebrow raised.

   The four Genin began shaking their heads, and Naruto laughed awkwardly, further incriminating himself. Kakashi sighed and shook his head.

   "Well, anyway—" Kakashi dropped a hand on Akira's head—"there are no battles in a C-Rank mission, so you can relax."
   "Then we're not going to run into any foreign enemy ninja?" Akira asked, looking at Kakashi.
   "Not likely."

Akira nodded slowly and looked back to the front to find Sasuke glaring at her.

   "What's your problem?" she called.
   "Teacher's pet," he muttered.
   "Teacher's pet," Akira repeated in a mocking tone of voice. "Can you even hear yourself, Sasuke?"

Sasuke rolled his eyes and looked back to the front. Akira scoffed and shook her head.

Just then, everyone heard movement behind them. Kakashi shoved Akira forward just as sharp chains came from nowhere and wrapped themselves around him. Two men emerged from the forest, holding either end of the chains, and without warning, they pulled on them until they crushed Kakashi and he fell into a heap of bloody chunks.

Akira's breath hitched in her throat, and a wave of nausea hit her like a tonne of bricks. Sakura screamed, reinforcing the unwanted memories of murdered clan members coming to Akira's mind. Her breathing became shallow and rapid, her hands started shaking. Akira hadn't felt this way anywhere outside her bedroom, without having nightmares beforehand. 

Eyes wide with fear, Akira turned to her brother. His steely expression didn't comfort her, but it allowed her to box down her fear and lock it away, and she lowered herself into an offensive position as the two men made a run for Naruto. He was frozen in place, staring at the heap that was once Kakashi.

They managed to land a scratch on Naruto before Sasuke pulled out a shuriken and threw it at the chains, pinning them against a tree. He then threw a kunai at the centre of the shuriken to secure it. Meanwhile, Akira dashed towards the two men and jumped, landing deftly on the arms that were still clinging onto the chains. She then pivoted onto her hands, wrapping them around the chains, then kicked the two men as hard as she could, effectively disconnecting their arm pieces from the pinned chains. 

The two men circled back. One went towards Naruto and the other towards Tazuna, which took Akira by surprise. Equally surprising was Sakura, who took out a kunai and planted herself in front of Tazuna to shield him. Sasuke stood in front of Sakura to protect her, and Akira unsheathed a knife from her armbands, flicking it outwards to form her sword. She ran towards the man going for Naruto, and just as she was about to slash down on him, Kakashi appeared out of nowhere and grabbed them both by the neck with ease.

   "Hi," he said simply.
   "Kakashi-sensei!" Akira said happily, grinning from ear to ear. 
   "Huh? But he was—" Naruto turned back to was used to be a pile of Kakashi bits, but were now small logs. "You used a Substitution Jutsu!?"
   "Naruto, sorry I didn't help you right away. I didn't mean for you to get hurt. I just didn't think you'd... freeze up like that," Kakashi said, walking towards Akira, Sasuke and Sakura. "Good job, Akira, Sasuke—very smooth. You too, Sakura."

A little dumbfounded, Sakura thanked Kakashi quietly. Akira chuckled, seeing her face, and clipped her swords back to her armbands. But at the mention of the word poison, Akira's panic rose again. The chains that Naruto had been nicked with were poisonous, and it would slowly make its way through his bloodstream.

   "Naruto, calm down," Akira said to the panicking boy. "The less you move, the slower the poison will spread."
   "Okay, okay," Naruto muttered. "No moving."
   "Mr Tazuna," Kakashi said after he'd tied the two men to a nearby tree. "We need to talk."
   "D-Do we?"
   "They're Chūnin from the Village Hidden in the Mist. Their speciality is to attack relentlessly, no matter the sacrifice."

The two men stirred awake, and Akira glared at them sideways as she tended to Naruto's wound.

   "How did you know about our ambush?" one of them asked.
   "A puddle? On a clear day, when everything's dried up?" Kakashi said.
   "Didn't I jump in that puddle?" Akira said, blinking stupidly.
   "Yeah, and that hurt, by the way!" the other Hidden Mist ninja said. "Little brat!"
   "Then don't hide in puddles that are made to jump in, idiots!"
   "If you knew," Tazuna said, "then why'd you leave the fighting up to the Genins?"
   "I could have taken them out quickly, but then I'd have learned nothing. I had to know who their target was," Kakashi said condescendingly, glaring at Tazuna. 
   "Hm? What are you getting at?" he asked.
   "This: I wanted to know if they were after us, ninja attacking ninja, or if they were after you, the master bridge maker. 
   "When you put in your request, you asked for standard protection from robbers and highwaymen. You didn't say ninjas were looking for you, hunting you down. If we knew this, it would be a B-Rank mission or higher. Our job was simply to get you home and protect you while you finished building your bridge."

Kakashi's voice was getting dangerously low, starting to make Akira realize just how scary he could be. Even Naruto and Sakura seemed to look uneasy.

   "If we knew there were ninjas after you, we would have staffed differently and charged for the cost of a B-Rank mission. Apparently, you have your reasons, but lying to us is not acceptable. We are now beyond the scope of this mission."
   "We're Genin," Sakura said. "This is too advanced for our level of training. We should go back."
   "But we've gotten this far!" Akira said, disappointed. 
   "We should go back, get Naruto's wound to a doctor."
   "Naruto's hand could become a problem," Kakashi said, almost bored. "I guess we should go back to the village."
   "My wound is fine!"

Irritated, Naruto took out one of his kunai and plunged it straight into his hand, effectively draining out the poison.

   "Why am I so different?" he growled, turning around. 
   "Naruto!" Sakura called. "What are you doing!?"
   "I worked so hard to get here—pushing myself until it hurt, training alone for hours," Naruto shouted, "anything to get stronger, to reach my dreams. 
   "I will never back down again and let someone else rescue me! I will never run away. I will not lose to anyone. Upon this wound, I make this pledge: bridge builder, I'll complete this mission and protect you with this kunai!"
   "Um, Naruto?" Akira said, walking over to him with bandages. "That was cool and all, how you removed the poison, but you're gonna bleed to death if you lose any more blood."

Naruto's face drained of colour.

   "Good idea to stop the bleeding now," Akira said in a sing-song voice.
   "Ah! No, no, no! I'm too young for it to all end like this! No, no, no!"
   "Show me your hand, Naruto," Kakashi said, extending his hand to Naruto. "Akira, get ready to bandage."
   "Right, sensei!" Akira said, unrolling the medical fabric.
   "Naruto, you've got a self-abusive personality!" Sakura said sternly. "It's called masochism!"

Kakashi held Naruto's hand in place, but as Akira was about to put a bandage on his wound, the cut slowly began to fuse back together in a dim orange glow. She glanced at Kakashi, who looked just as puzzled as she did.

   "Uh, guys? You have really serious looks on your faces, you're scaring me... Am I going to be okay?" Naruto asked.
   "Yeah, you should be fine. Akira?"
   "Right."

Akira needlessly wrapped Naruto's hand in bandages and stared as the wound continued to heal as she did so. It looked like fire was sealing up the injury, and as they all resumed their march towards the Land of Waves, Akira couldn't help but think: was this the Nine-Tailed Fox's power?

Chapter Text

The cold fog wrapped around Tazuna and the five ninjas like a blanket. The water of the ocean and the mountains that laid beyond, hiding, looming out at them in their whitened haze at the last minute of images from some half-forgotten dream. Sakura and Naruto were shivering, but Akira was comfortable with the vaporised water surrounding her. She held her hand out in front of her and watched it become partially obscured, smiling when it came back covered with droplets of clear water.

The man guiding the boat across the ocean brought them beside the bridge Tazuna was building. Through the thick fog, Akira could see the immense and partially completed structure. However, her admiration of the bridge was haltered by Naruto, who, somehow, decided it was a fantastic idea to shout whilst travelling under cover of the mist. Kakashi had the good sense to shut him up.

   "Mr Tazuna," Kakashi said quietly. "Before we reach the pier, I want to ask you something; the men who are after you—I need to know why. If you don't tell us, I'm afraid I'll have to end this mission when we drop you ashore."
   "Well," Tazuna sighed. "I suppose I have no choice but to tell you. Like you said, this is beyond the scope of your original mission.
   "The one who's after me is a very short man that casts a very long and deadly shadow: Gato."
   "Huh, Gato? Of Gato Transport?"
   "He's a businessman," Akira stated, a little confused. "Everyone knows him. Why does he want you?"
   "He's a successful tycoon from a powerful business, that's true," Tazuna conceded. "But under the surface, he uses the same ruthless methods to take over businesses and nations. He sells drugs and contraband using gangs and ninjas.
   "It was one year ago when Gato first set his sights on the Land of Waves. He came to our island and used his wealth to take total control over our transport and shipping. Anyone who tried to stand in his way just... disappeared.
   "In an island nation, a man that controls the sea controls everything: finance, government, our very lives. But there's one thing he fears... that bridge. When it's complete, it will join us to the land and break his control. And I... am the bridge builder."
   "So that's it," Sakura said. "Since you're in charge of building the bridge, you're in this gangster's way."
   "So, that means the ninjas we fought on the way," Akira noted, "they were hired by Gato?"

Tazuna nodded.

   "I don't understand," Kakashi-sensei said. "If you knew he was dangerous, knew he would send ninja to eliminate you, why did you hide that from us?"
   "Because the Land of Waves is a small, impoverished nation. Even our nobles have little money. The people who are building the bridge can't afford to pay for an A or B-Rank mission," Tazuna said. "If you end the mission when you drop me ashore, there will be no bridge: they'll assassinate me before I reach home.
   "But don't feel bad about that! Of course, my sweet little grandson will be upset and cry—cry his little heart out. And my daughter will condemn the ninjas of the Hidden Leaf village, blaming you for abandoning their father, and living the rest of her life in sorrow."

The five ninjas gave the man an aggravated look. They were annoyed and tired, but they all knew that they couldn't just leave a man to his certain death. So, begrudgingly, and against his better judgement, Kakashi agreed to stay on the mission for Tazuna. Sakura and Akira groaned, tossing their heads back in annoyance. 

   "This is gonna be a pain," Akira muttered.
   "You've been spending too much time with Shikamaru," Naruto commented. "Next thing you know, fifty years will pass, and you'll be a lonely old man playing shōgi."
   "Ugh, why does that sound like a possible outcome of my future?"

The Land of Waves was a quaint village on the water. Rustic cabins were laid out together, a few feet above the water rushing underneath. Boats were calmly sailing around houses and children running around, jumping from their decks and into the cool water. Akira smiled, and Sasuke frowned at her. 

   "Why're you so happy all of a sudden?" he asked.
   "I don't know," she said honestly. "I just like the water."
   "You like water that much?" Sakura asked. "Isn't that weird for, you know, a fire-affinity clan?"

Akira shrugged. If there was one thing missing about Konoha, it would be larger bodies of water. There were lakes, sure, but Akira felt weightless surrounded by the ocean and the mist. She hoped, for a few moments, as she stared up at the clear blue sky, that a storm would hit. Akira could lose herself in a storm by the ocean.

Everyone thanked the boat guide as they stepped onto the pier, and he wished them luck on their mission. They walked on along the wooden dock for a long while, gulls cawing up above and swooping down to cool off in the water. Akira couldn't help but stare at them, her mind blank and peaceful, and it stayed that way until they left the pier and entered a small forest. Only moments after they'd reached the forest, everyone was on edge. There was a strange feeling looming around, and even Naruto could sense it, so he threw a kunai into the bushes.

   "Hm, it was just a mouse," he said, looking into the foliage.
   "Naruto!" Sakura shouted. "Those kunai are dangerous! What if there was a kid in there, huh?"
   "Stop trying to scare me, you little twerp!!!" Tazuna yelled.
   "Hey, is someone hiding over there?" Naruto said, ignoring everyone. 

Akira's eyes shifted from Naruto a spot in the bushes nearby. She couldn't see anything, but there was a strange feeling in her gut that something was amiss.

   "No, they're over there!"

Suddenly, Naruto threw a kunai in the direction Akira was looking. Even Kakashi didn't tell him off, which was odd.

   "That's it, Naruto!" Sakura shouted, smacking him over the head.
   "What was that for!? Someone really is following us, I mean it!"

When Kakashi walked over to look through the bushes, all he found was a terrified white rabbit.

   "Naruto, look what you did!" Sakura shouted, walking up behind Akira and Kakashi. "You scared a rabbit half to death!"
   "A bunny?"

Akira rolled her eyes and returned to the road, casting one last glance at the rabbit as it scurried off. She frowned, glancing around, the uneasy feeling still bubbling inside her stomach. Naruto was making a fuss again, and while Sakura was dealing with him, Akira went over to Kakashi. The look of concern on her face didn't reassure him.

   "You all right?" he asked.
   "Yeah, I just... I have a weird feeling about this place," Akira said, glancing around. "It's not anything particular, it's just—it feels wrong, somehow."

Kakashi narrowed his eyes.

   "Try something for me," he said in a whisper. "Pretend to fix your sandal, and touch the ground with your hand—concentrate on your chakra, and all the other chakra you can feel."
     
While Tazuna and Naruto were still arguing about the rabbit, Akira crouched down and tugged at her sandal for a moment before carefully sliding her fingers onto the warm soil. With the uneasy feeling in her stomach, Akira took a deep breath and closed her eyes. Her eyebrows furrowed as she tried to focus on her own chakra, and before she knew it, all she could hear was the sound of her own chakra flickering like flames. A nearby flickering, similar to her own, reached her ears after a few more moments, and the longer she spent concentrating on all the chakra around her, the easier it became to distinguish her teammates. But, to her left, there was something she didn't recognise at all, and the unsettling feeling in her stomach grew the longer she focused on it.

When Akira's eyes opened again, she was still crouching on the ground. Naruto, Tazuna, Sakura and Sasuke hadn't gone that much further, almost as if time had slowed itself. Akira was momentarily disoriented, and she focused on bringing down the nausea before standing up.

   "There's something on our left," she whispered.

Just as Akira had spoken, Kakashi yelled for everyone to get down. A giant broadsword came flying at them, narrowly missing Naruto's head, and embedded itself in a nearby tree. Moments later, a very tall and noticeably muscular man dropped down from the tree. His glare made Naruto and Sakura shrink back, and the crossed-out Hidden Mist symbol on his bandana unsettled Akira.

   "Well, well," Kakashi said airily. "If it isn't Zabuza Momochi."

Akira took a deep breath to calm herself. Zabuza Momochi was famous, hailed as the Demon of the Hidden Mist, and it was said that he could literally smell fear. Akira wasn't sure how accurate those claims were, but she made damn sure not to give away any fear in his presence regardless.

   "Get back," Kakashi said, pushing his team and Tazuna back.
   "But why?" Naruto whined. "We can take him!"
   "He's not like those other ninjas, Naruto. This guy's in a whole other league of his own. And if he's going to be our opponent, I might need this." Kakashi's hand went up to his bandana, preparing himself to uncover the eye he always kept hidden. "This could be treacherous."
   "Kakashi of the Sharingan eye," Zabuza said lowly, his voice almost like a growl.

Akira and Sasuke turned to Kakashi immediately, wide-eyed. Zabuza couldn't be lying. So, how was it that someone outside the clan had a Sharingan?

Kakashi and Zabuza stared at each other for a long while, and Akira tried to keep her mind focused on the enemy ahead. Each moment seemed to grow tenser and tenser, but no one dared to move—if any of them did, Akira was sure Zabuza would attack without mercy. And if Zabuza moved, it was inevitable that Kakashi would attack as well.

   "Now—Manji formation!" Kakashi shouted. "Protect the bridge builder, and stay out of this fight!"

Sasuke, Akira, Sakura and Naruto all got into position around the bridge builder and looked to their sensei with concern. Not only was this mission beyond their scope, but it was growing increasingly in danger the more time they spent trying to accomplish it. But a small glimmer of hope rose inside Akira as Kakashi rose his banana to reveal his left eye. A large scar ran across it, but right where one would expect to find a matching grey eye, a fully-developed Sharingan gleamed in its place.

   "Well, well—guess I get to see the Sharingan in action," Zabuza said. "This is an honour."
   "Sharingan, Sharingan," Naruto whined. "Everyone keeps saying it, but what the hell is a Sharingan!?"
   "It's a rare power," Sasuke said, his voice strained. Akira looked worriedly at him. "It resides in the eyes. The user of this jutsu can instantly see and comprehend any genjutsu, taijutsu or ninjutsu, and reflect the attack back on the attacker. 
   "The Sharingan is a rare, special form of jutsu—a dōjutsu. However, there's more to the Sharingan than that... a lot more."

Sasuke glanced at his sister, who looked away from her brother and back at Zabuza out of nervousness.

   "You got it right, boy," Zabuza said. "But you only scratched the surface. The Sharingan can analyse the opponent's technique and then... copy it to the smallest detail."

Slowly, a mist began forming around Zabuza and Squad Seven. Akira unsheathed her knives and flicked them open, then backed up closer to Tazuna and her teammates. This mist wasn't typical. It was thick, almost physically heavy, and laden with chakra that Akira had no hope to see through.

   "As for you, Jōnin, in the assassination unit of the Hidden Mist, we had a standing order to destroy you on sight," Zabuza said, slowly disappearing into the mist. "Your profile was in our bingo book. It called you the man who had copied a thousand jutsu: Kakashi the Copy Ninja. 
   "Now, enough talking. I need to exterminate the old man."
   "You're the one who was talking the most," Akira muttered under her breath. "Drama queen."

Akira pointed her left sword to the side, ready to swipe, and the other towards the sky, ready to slash down on an incoming Zabuza. Kakashi took a few steps back, stopping a few feet from the Genin as the last barrier between Zabuza and the bridge builder.

Out from the mist, Akira saw Zabuza snatch his broadsword and vanish once again. She tightened her grip on her swords, eyes darting around for any sign of movement. A swirl of mist began to form over a small lake to her left, and Zabuza emerged from it, brandishing his sword. If she wasn't under the threat of immediate execution, Akira would have admired the man's jutsu. Despite his brutishness, the water flowed smoothly, and his hand seals were impeccably timed.

   "Ninja Art: Hidden Mist Jutsu!"

 Suddenly, Zabuza disappeared into the thick mist once again. Akira focused on the mist again, watching Kakashi edge closer to the water out of the corner of her eye. Sakura protested, urging Kakashi to be more careful, but he didn't listen. He cautiously moved forward until the mist grew thicker, and just like that, Kakashi had vanished as well.

Chapter Text

The trees were veiled in the densest of mists, their trunks only shadows beyond the airborne water. The lake had vanished, much like Zabuza and Kakashi, and though Akira's eyes couldn't be any wider, she could barely see her brother standing right beside her. It was silent, but the beating of her own heart was loud in her ears, and Akira focused hard on the sensation of leather handles in her hands, trying very hard to grasp at any aspect of tangibility remaining in the mist. But it was slipping, as was her mind, conjuring up old memories that needn't be remembered. If this continued for much longer, Akira would lose her mind.

But an explosion ahead brought her away from the mind-numbing silence. As a shadow approached through the mist, Akira readied her swords, but it was only Kakashi, slowly clearing the mist. This would have assuaged everyone's fears under any normal circumstances, but the fear was still very tangible. No one's nerves had been settled at all, and it didn't help that Kakashi looked as if he were ready to murder. That look scared Akira far more than she'd ever admit. With the Sharingan nearly glowing in Kakashi's eye, she couldn't help but be reminded of Itachi. 

   "Akira!" Kakashi suddenly yelled.

Her eyes had somehow gone out of focus, mind wandering towards memories of murder. When she heard a voice through the recollections, her blue eyes focused back on Kakashi, whose hands were raised in surrender. Akira was a few feet ahead of the others, the tips of her blades at Kakashi's neck.

   "Calm down," he continued in a softer voice. "I'll protect you with my life. All of you."

Akira looked up at Kakashi's face, gaze flickering towards the Sharingan for a moment, then let out a shaky breath. Slowly, her swords lowered themselves from Kakashi's neck and gently touched the ground.

   "Trust me," Kakashi said, looking between the Genin. "I will not allow my comrades to die."

Every one of them nodded stiffly, and though their fears were not assuaged, they all managed to focus a lot better. But the small reassuring feeling of Kakashi's words left almost as soon as they were uttered.

A light gust of wind blew towards them, and they knew Zabuza was still there. Akira went to rejoin the formation, but upon turning around, her eyes were met with the sight of gleaming metal. She raised her tachi on instinct, blocking Zabuza's broadsword at the very last second. Akira stared into Zabuza's dark eyes, terrified, but determined. As the others began wrapping their heads around what was happening, Akira took a risk and dropped one of her swords. She fell to her knees under the weight of Zabuza's attack but managed to perform a simple one-handed seal that she connected with her other hand.

   "Lightning Blade Jutsu!" Akira yelled.

Akira's sword suddenly became lit with intense electricity. It travelled from the hilt of her sword, all the way up into Zabuza's blade. But instead of shocking Zabuza, he melted into water—it was just a clone.

   "You've got a feisty student, Copy Ninja," Zabuza growled, suddenly behind Kakashi. "Terrified out of her wits, but feisty. Maybe I should take her out first instead of you? Play with my food a little."

Zabuza swung his broadsword and seemingly cut Kakashi in half. However, as Kakashi fell, he turned into water. Moments later, it was Kakashi who snuck up on Zabuza, pulling a kunai to his throat.

   "Don't move," Kakashi ordered. "It's over. You're finished."

Naruto and Sakura cheered, but they were cut short when Zabuza let out a low and dangerous laugh. 

   "Finished?" Zabuza said, sounding amused. "You really don't get it, do you? Your technique is nothing but a crass imitation. I'll never be defeated by a copycat ninja like you! You are full of surprises, though. You'd already made your Water Clone Jutsu when you made your little speech. You had your clone say those things to draw my attention, while you hid in the mist, waiting for me to make my move. Nice try..."

Yet another Zabuza appeared behind Kakashi, who swerved in time to pierce the clone through the heart. As it melted into a puddle of water, Kakashi turned again to dodge a swing from Zabuza's broadsword. He swung so hard that it lodged itself deep in the earth when the sword hit the ground. Zabuza pushed against it and kicked Kakashi so hard that he went flying into the lake. The blade dislodged itself as Zabuza stood, and he dashed towards the lake after Kakashi.

Naruto uselessly cried out as Kakashi's head emerged from the water. Zabuza had already been weaving hand signs, and the second he reached Kakashi, he trapped him in a sphere of water as strong as steel. All the colour drained from the Genins' faces—they'd have to get Kakashi out of there, and that meant fighting Zabuza.

   "I'll deal with you later," Zabuza told Kakashi. "But first, I have to eliminate your little friends."

Zabuza made a one-handed sign and produced a water clone of himself that rose slowly and ominously out of the water.

     "You think wearing a headband makes you a ninja?" he said, gazing threateningly at the Genin. "When you've hovered between life and death so many times it doesn't phase you, then you may be called a ninja. When you've become so deadly that your profile is in my bingo book, then you may earn the title of ninja. But to call upstarts like you, ninjas... is a joke!"

The mist slowly began to creep back in, and after a few moments, Zabuza had disappeared within it. Akira took a deep but shaky breath, trying to focus on the sounds around her and not the panic rising in her chest. She needed to stifle it and fast. This wasn't the same panic she got when sparring with Kai or Kiba. It was dangerous, life-threatening to her comrades if she and the others didn't snap out of it.

   "Come on, Akira," Akira whispered to herself. "Get a grip... get a grip..."
   "You're just brats!" Zabuza shouted, and just then, Naruto went flying backwards into the mist.
   "Naruto!" Sakura shouted desperately.
   "Listen! Get the bridge builder and run!" Kakashi said, his voice distorted by the water prison. "You can't win this fight. He's using all his power to keep me in this prison, so he can only fight you with his water clone. But the clone can't go far from his real body. If you get away from him, he can't follow. Now, run!"
   "ARGH, GET A GRIP!"

The shout that came from Akira took everyone by surprise. It was angry but determined at the same time, and the way Akira's stance solidified as she shouted reassured at least Sasuke. The Uchiha twins were as pale as paper, but their gazes were hot with rage. With a shaky, but burning confidence, Akira and Sasuke erected a plan in their minds. The latter ran forwards, throwing shuriken after shuriken at Zabuza before attacking him from above. Zabuza pushed him back with ease, and as Sasuke landed back on his feet, Naruto came rushing forwards out of the mist.

   "What are you doing!? Run!" Kakashi shouted. "The fight was over the moment I got caught!"
   "Shut up, Kakashi-sensei," Akira called back. "If you're willing to protect us with your life, we're doing the same!"

Kakashi's eyes widened in a mixture of fear and admiration as Akira spoke, but the admiration vanished as soon as Zabuza hit Sasuke again. He stomped on his stomach, pinning him to the ground, and the boy coughed up a sizeable amount of blood. Naruto shouted some profanities and produced several Shadow Clones, but Akira could barely hear him. Every fibre of her being was focused on the blood coming out of her brother's mouth.

Just then, the mist and the forest seemed to be habitated by a swarm of insects. A loud buzzing filled the air, and the mist began to glow a soft silver colour. Akira's arms were bursting with what looked like thousands of white fireflies, electricity crackling over her skin. As Naruto and his clones ran forwards, the electricity travelled down to her tachi and lit them up like lightning rods.

Naruto and his clones attacked Zabuza head-on, and, as expected, the Water Clone pushed them all back with a single swipe of his broadsword. However, Naruto had managed to dislodge the giant shuriken attached to Zabuza's back, and he threw it back towards Sasuke, who caught it easily.

   "I think I know where you're going with this," Sasuke called to Naruto and Akira. "Demon Wind Shuriken: Windmill of Shadows!"
   "You'll never get me with that," the Zabuza cloned cackled.

Sasuke jumped high into the air and threw the shuriken back at the clone, but it deviated at the last second, heading for the real Zabuza at the back of the clearing. As it arrived, he caught it and laughed, but the look of surprise on his face when he saw the second shuriken coming was priceless. There had been two shurikens all along, one hidden in the shadow of the other, and as it flew across the glade, Akira swung her tachi at it, charging the shuriken with white electricity.

As it was about to hit him, Zabuza jumped over it. To his shock, the shuriken vanished the second it got over the water, shifting itself into Akira, blades charged. A stream of electricity flew towards Zabuza, and he hesitated a moment before removing his hand from the water prison in order to dodge it. The bolt of lightning shot right past his face, searing his skin as it went, then continued towards the water clone, destroying it instantly.

Zabuza turned around, anger terrifyingly present in his eyes. He began to spin the giant shuriken in his hands, staring directly at the girl slowly falling towards the water he was so adept at using. But, with Kakashi finally free, the shuriken never made it far. As Zabuza tossed it towards Akira, Kakashi stopped it with the back of his hand, blade embedding itself into his skin.

Akira landed in the water and didn't stop herself from going beneath the surface. The cool water soothed the burns on her arms, where the electricity had burned too long, and it cleansed her from the fear she was experiencing. Upon returning to the surface, hair now untied and messy, Akira gazed at the edge of the lake. Kakashi was staring murderously at Zabuza, his Sharingan analyzing every micro-movement he made.

   "All of you, that was an excellent plan," Kakashi said. "You've really grown, haven't you?"
   "Honestly, I didn't know what was going on until Akira, told me," Naruto laughed. "But we've grown—believe it!"
   "Don't gloat," Sasuke said with a smirk. "You just lucked out."
   "So, your whole thing was a fluke!?" Tazuna shouted.
   "You can call it a fluke if you want, but their teamwork was flawless," Sakura said with a smile.
   "I got distracted and lost my grip on the water prison," Zabuza scoffed.
   "Are you pouting?" Akira laughed. "You were forced to let go, Zabuza, don't flatter yourself."

Zabuza glared at Akira, but Kakashi pushed the shuriken closer to Zabuza to distract him.

   "Your technique worked on me once, it won't work again," Kakashi said. "So, what's it gonna be?"
     "Sakura, Naruto, you know what to do," Sasuke said. 

While Akira was in the water and Kakashi was having a silent stand-off with Zabuza, Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke went back into formation around Tazuna. It was another few moments of silence before Zabuza made another move. He pushed the shuriken further into Kakashi's hand, and they made off to the open waters behind Akira. While Zabuza was adept in water-style, Kakashi's Sharingan would prove to be a least a nuisance.

As Zabuza began making several intricate hand seals, Kakashi copied them at the same level of precision and speed as Zabuza. Then, from the water slithered two immense water dragons, intertwining and attacking each other. Akira swore loudly as a large wave swept her off into the water, and she struggled to swim through the thick chakra-laden waters. When she was just about to break the surface, another wave crashed down on her and sent her deeper into the water, but as if powered by unknown energies within, Akira pushed herself through the lake and broke the surface. Sputtering and coughing, she pulled herself out of the water and onto the sand.

Another wave threatened to drag Akira back into the water as Kakashi's dragon crashed on top of Zabuza, but Sasuke ran over and pulled his sister away from the shore just as the wave reached the sand. With it, Zabuza appeared, washed up and semi-conscious.

   "Now it's over," Kakashi said. He looked over to his students. "Are you all okay?"
   "Cold, b-but alive," Akira confirmed, raising a shaky thumbs-up.
   "Come here," Sasuke said lazily, and he threw his arm around her shoulders.
   "This is the only time I'll ever regret not being a fire nature-type," Akira mumbled, hugging her brother to steal an optimal amount of heat.
   "Don't get too comfy," he said, sounding annoyed. "This is a one-time deal."

Akira stuck out her tongue at Sasuke and didn't let go until she was all warmed up, at which point Sasuke nearly kicked her off of him.

   "How?" Zabuza said, his voice strained.
   "This is your last battle... ever."

Just as Kakashi went to finish Zabuza off, two sharp needles flew out of nowhere and stabbed Zabuza in the neck. After a few moments, Zabuza went still, and a small figure emerged from the forest. They were wearing a mask similar to what the ANBU wore, but the colours were different, and the symbol of the Hidden Mist village was etched in the centre of its forehead.

   "You were right," the figure said. "It was his last fight."

Kakashi went over to Zabuza and pressed two fingers to his neck, checking his pulse. 

   "No vital signs," he sighed, then looked over at the masked figure.
   "Thank you," they said with a bow. "I've been tracking Zabuza for a long time, waiting for the chance to finally take him down."
   "From your mask, I assume you're a tracker ninja from the Village Hidden in the Mist."
   "You are well informed."
   "A tracker ninja!" Naruto said, taking a fighting stance.
   "Naruto, you don't even know what that is!" Sakura complained. "You missed the lesson on it, as usual. Tracker ninjas have a special role. Try coming to class sometimes."

Akira couldn't help but snort.

   "When a rogue ninja breaks away from his village, he carries all sorts of secrets with him," Akira continued. "Trackers are specially trained to hunt down these ninjas and eliminate them. That way, the secrets of their people remain secret."
   "That's correct," the masked ninja said. "I'm a member of the elite tracking unit from the Village Hidden in the Mist. It was my duty to track Zabuza."
   "What is this? Who do you think you are?" Naruto yelled. The figure said nothing. "Did you hear me?"
   "Easy Naruto," Kakashi warned. "He's not our enemy."
   "That's not the point! Did you see what he did, just like that? Zabuza was huge and powerful, like some kind of monster! And this kid, who's no bigger than me, he brought down Zabuza with one move! Like it was nothing! I mean... what does that make us? We're just fumbling around. We don't know anything! How can I accept that!?"
   "Well, even if you don't accept it... Still, it did happen, Naruto," Kakashi said, and he dropped his hand on Naruto's head. "In this world, there are kids that are younger than you, and yet... stronger than me."

Akira frowned at the tracker ninja approached Zabuza, but paid him no more attention once her tachi washed up on the shore. She left Sasuke's side and retrieved them, flicking the water off before attaching them to her armbands. 

   "Your struggle is over for now," the ninja said, lifting Zabuza up with ease. "I must deal with the remains. There are many secrets in this body, and they must not be allowed to fall into the wrong hands. Please excuse me."

The Hidden Mist tracker then suddenly disappeared in a gust of wind, leaving Akira confused. Unlike Naruto, Akira hadn't missed the classes about special units, and she found it strange that the tracker didn't dispose of Zabuza's remains then and there. However, her concerns were put aside as Naruto began throwing a fit, hitting the ground in frustration. With a sigh, Akira went over and gently grabbed his hands.

   "Let it go, Naruto," she said softly. Naruto looked up at her. "Save your anger for the next fight, okay? Let's get Tazuna home."

Naruto groaned but nodded in agreement despite his wishes. He stood and held his hand out to Akira as to get help standing up, but instead, she ran straight for Kakashi who was falling to the ground.

Chapter Text

Tazuna and Team Seven didn't spend much time away from Kakashi after he'd collapsed. Sasuke and Akira had managed to carry him all the way to Tazuna's house without straining themselves too much, and Kakashi had been out cold ever since. The more she thought about it, the more Akira wanted to blame the Sharingan. It already put a substantial amount of stress on an Uchiha, so Akira couldn't even begin to imagine what sort of damage it could do to someone like Kakashi.

Team Seven kept an eye on Kakashi in two-hour shifts, each one of them choosing to spend their time in silence differently. Sasuke did nothing except 'look cranky', as Naruto put it, and he, in turn, spent it talking to the unconscious Kakashi about different kinds of ramen. Sakura and Akira hoped that Kakashi couldn't hear him for his own sake, and the former usually spent her time practising small-scale jutsu. Meanwhile, Akira used the time to lie down and stare at the ceiling, enjoying the sound of the waves. She fell asleep a few times, too, but she'd never tell.

When she wasn't watching over Kakashi, Akira was usually just outside Tazuna's house, bare feet hanging over the edge of the dock, toes dipped in the cool water, or lying down on her stomach and staring down at it, watching it ripple as she dragged her fingers across the surface. Sometimes, Akira felt as if the water moved with her, to the sound of the songs she hummed around it. Occasionally, there was a tickle on her fingertips, and the water swirled extra perfectly, following her fingers as if it were copying the girl's movements. But today, there was a spark, and it took Akira by surprise. Before Akira could touch the water again, however, Naruto came barrelling out of Tazuna's house.

   "Akira, Akira—Kakashi-sensei is awake!" he cheered.

Akira scrambled to her feet and followed Naruto inside. Kakashi was lying in bed, as he had been for a while now, but his uncovered eye was opened this time, looking at the small crowd gathering around him.

   "I'm fine, you guys," Kakashi said with a chuckle. "Just overexerted myself a little."
   "Listen, Sensei," Akira said sternly. "The Sharingan thing is amazing and all, but if it's going to take this much out of you, I don't think it's worth it."
   "Sorry." 
   "Hey, what's he apologising for?" Tazuna asked. "He took down one of the most powerful ninjas. We'll be safe for a while."
   "We don't know that Tazuna," Akira insisted. "Maybe there's more of them, and now our only Jōnin is out of commission for this excessively out-of-scope mission of ours."

Tazuna cleared his throat and looked away, unwilling to argue with her.

   "Right, that reminds me," Sakura said. "You know that kid with the mask? He was weird, no?"
   "Huh, what do you mean?" Naruto asked. "The only thing weird about that kid was how easy he took out Zabuza."
   "Sakura's right," Akira stated. "The ANBU does the same thing as this tracker was supposed to do: destroy all evidence of a rogue ninja's corpse. A shinobi's body contains so much valuable information; it contains ninjutsu, chakra, special medicines used on his body—these are all secrets of the village. So, let's say Kakashi-sensei had died at the hands of an enemy; they'd immediately try to get information about his Sharingan. In the worst-case scenario, the entire thing could be stolen and used against the village. It's literally the only job a tracker has—but what did this guy do?"

Akira was met with silence.

   "Oh, come on, guys, use your heads!"
   "He was supposed to deal with Zabuza right then and there," Sasuke said after a moment. "But he didn't. He took him off somewhere."
   "Exactly. But why? He should have worked with Zabuza right there, as quickly as possible." Kakashi said tiredly. He sat up and faced his students. "Think of the weapons he used for the takedown... Do you remember what they were?"
   "These needle things," Naruto said. "What about them?"
   "None of it adds up, that's what. Zabuza is most likely still alive."

Tazuna, Sakura and Naruto screeched. 

   "But we saw his body! Believe it!" Naruto yelled.
   "You checked him yourself!" Tazuna shouted. "You said that his heart stopped!"
   "His heart did stop, but that was just a temporary state."
   "Pressure points!" Sakura exclaimed. "I remember it from class! The neck doesn't have any muscle mass, it's easier to get to the pressure points!"
   "Precisely. Those two factors—taking Zabuza away and using needles as a killing tool—tell me that the tracker wasn't trying to kill Zabuza, he was trying to save him."
   "Come on, you're overthinking this!" Tazuna said.
   "Even if he is, when encountering suspicion of any kind, a ninja must prepare quickly," Akira said. "Hesitation leads to disaster. Every shinobi knows this saying."

Sasuke scoffed.

   "Akira, you say prepare quickly—but how can we do that when Kakashi-sensei can barely move?" he said.
   "Hey, I don't have all the answers, Sasuke."
   "I don't know, after that speech, you sure seemed to give off the impression you did."

Akira rolled her eyes and pulled a face at Sasuke, which only made Kakashi laugh.

   "I can still train you," he said.
   "Hold on! A little last-minute training won't help us get strong enough to go against Zabuza," Sakura protested. "You could barely defeat him even with your Sharingan! We need to be reasonable about this!"
   "Plus, you're swaying, Sensei," Akira said, poking Kakashi on the shoulder. He wobbled a little and fell backwards. "See?"
   "Look, another few hours of rest and I'll be able to train you, all right," Kakashi insisted. "I was able to stop Zabuza earlier because you all came together—you've grown!"
   "Yeah, right!"

Everyone turned towards the declaration of doubt with raised eyebrows. A young boy was staring at the ninjas, and between the high collared shirt and low bucket hat, you could barely see the dispassionate look on his face.

   "Who are you?" Naruto asked.
   "Ah, Inari! Where've you been?" Tazuna exclaimed, welcoming the young boy in his arms.
   "Welcome back, Grandpa!" Inari said as a woman walked in.
   "Inari that was very rude," Tazuna's daughter said, walking into the room. "These ninjas helped your grandfather and brought him here safely!"
   "It's okay, it's okay—I'm rude to them too!" Tazuna chuckled. 

Akira stared at him, deadpan. This man was serious.

   "Mom, don't you see? These people are gonna die! Gato and his men will find them and wipe them out!"
   "What did you say, brat!?" Naruto shouted. "Listen up! You know what a super ninja is? Well, that's me only a lot better! But I'm gonna be Hokage! This Gato or Blato—whatever he's called; he's no match for a real hero like me!"
   "Ha! There's no such thing as a hero," Inari scoffed. "You're just full of stupid ideas!"
   "What did you say!?"

Naruto launched himself at the kid, but thankfully Sakura caught him before he could take more than a step towards him.

   "Naruto calm down!" Sakura shouted.
   "If you want to stay alive, you should go back where you came from," Inari said, then left the room, slamming the sliding doors shut behind him. 

While Sakura and Naruto were busy fighting, Kakashi had the bright idea to get up from bed. Akira sighed, irritated, as he swayed some more, but she gladly lent him her shoulder as they went outside. Sasuke helped too, and when they realised Kakashi, Akira and Sasuke were gone, Naruto and Sakura followed them out towards the woods nearby. It was peaceful and sunny, and the warm air instantly brought Kakashi's colour back.

   "All right, training starts now," he said as Sasuke and Akira helped him sit. "First, we'll start with a review of chakra: the primary source of a ninja's power. Understanding chakra is essential."
   "We know that," Sasuke sighed.
   "Yeah! A long, long time ago we learned about, uh—catra?" Naruto said.
   "Chakra, Naruto," Sakura sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Look, let me just explain it to you, real simple. Chakra is the elemental life energy a ninja uses in jutsu—it's the source of all his power. Now, this energy has two forms: physical energy, which exists in all the cells of the entire body, all working together; and spiritual energy, the prime source of power which is intensified through training and experience. These two types of chakra must be brought out and put together in order to perform jutsu. Finally, hand signs focus and unleash the chakra."
   "You sound like a textbook," Akira said, deadpan.
   "Well, I can't comment on that," Kakashi said. "But you're right on all points, Sakura."
   "Huh? What's the big deal with all these complicated explanations?" Naruto complained. "The whole point is to learn the jutsu, isn't it?"
   "Naruto's right for once," Sasuke said.

Akira and Sakura looked at him, blinking stupidly.

   "No! You've not mastered this power, you've barely scratched the surface!" Kakashi told the students.
   "What do you mean!?" Naruto said, getting impatient.
   "Pipe down and listen, Naruto," Akira hissed.
   "It's just like Sakura said—you have to draw on physical and spiritual energies, and then combine them within yourself. But how do you do that?" Kakashi said. "Each jutsu requires different kinds of chakra, in different proportions. You must select and combine them in precisely the right way. Up to now, you've just guessed at the proportions, hoping they'd come out right. Even if you produce a lot of chakra, unless you can balance and control it, it's all worthless—the jutsu won't work at all, or it'll just be a joke. You waste so much energy that way, then you run out of chakra, and you can't fight at all—you're just a target."
   "Uh, so how do we change that?" Naruto asked, scratching his head.
   "Train so hard your chakra control becomes second nature," Kakashi said. "To achieve this goal, you must be ready to put your life on the line!"
   "You're joking, right?" Akira asked, concerned. "He is joking, right?"
   "What do we have to do?" Sakura asked, unsure.

Kakashi laughed.

   "Climb a tree."
   "Climb a tree!?" the four students chorused, confused.
   "That's right. There's just one rule: no hands."
   "What? You're kidding," Sakura said, giving her sensei a deadpan look.
   "Am I?"

This time, Kakashi stood without swaying, put his hands together in a simple seal, and then calmly walked towards the tree. He put one foot on the trunk and walked all the way up as if it were nothing.

   "He's actually climbing..." Naruto said, astounded.
   "Straight up," Sakura added. "With only his feet!"
   "Okay, now you're just showing off, Sensei!" Akira shouted as Kakashi walked up-side-down on a thick branch. 
   "Yeah, well, you get the idea," he said coolly. "Focus your chakra to the soles of your feet and use it to connect to the tree. This is one way to apply the power of chakra."
   "Wait a minute! This is a nice trick, but how does it help us fight Zabuza?" Sakura asked, annoyed. 
   "It's the only way to fight him, Sakura. That's the entire goal of this training. First, you'll learn to draw a precise amount of chakra to an accurate location of your body; this is difficult even for advanced ninja. This type of climbing requires a subtle mix of physical and spiritual energy, and the bottom of your feet is the most challenging place to focus chakra. Are you getting the picture? If you can master this, you'll be able to master any jutsu! Well, theoretically... The second point of this exercise is to learn how to maintain your chakra levels. When a ninja is focused in battle, it's even harder to maintain and control his chakra levels—a deadly mistake. To avoid this, maintaining chakra must become second nature, effortless."

Out of one of his pouches, Kakashi-sensei removed four kunai and threw them right in front of each student's feet.

   "Use the kunai to mark the tree at the highest point you can climb without using your hands. Then, try to get past that mark the next time. At first, you'll need to run at the tree so your momentum can take you as high as possible... Until you get used to it. Ready?"

Akira grabbed the kunai and walked over towards a tree. She stared up at it for a moment, trying to visualise herself hanging upside down like Kakashi, then walked back to her starting position. Akira put her hands together and began trying to focus her chakra, much like she'd done when trying to find chakra in the area the other day. But, as Kakashi said, the task was far more complicated than she'd anticipated, and it took her several minutes to feel any chakra moving downwards.

When she was satisfied with the amount to test with first, Akira broke into a sprint. She remained focused, attempting to keep her chakra's balance as she thought about running, and then ran up the tree for as long as she could. When she felt her feet slipping, Akira pushed off the tree and landed.

   "Hm, halfway," she muttered to herself.

Dissatisfied with her first attempt, Akira closed her eyes and focused on her chakra for a little bit longer. When she opened her eyes again, Akira dashed towards the tree again, in sync with Sakura.

   "Race you to the top," she said.
   "Oh, you're on, Sakura!"

Both girls raced up with incredible speed, leaving Sasuke and Naruto speechless. Neither of them faltered, steadily maintaining their chakra until they both reached the very top.

Chapter Text

The view from this high up was excellent. As her eyes scanned the treetops, the wind blowing in her dark hair, Akira could see the sunlight peeking through the leaves to reach the ground below, and the birds wondering what these strange creatures were doing up in their aerial domain. Naruto and Sasuke seemed so small compared to everything else, and it brought a smile to Akira's face. She and Sakura shared a cheer, which put Sasuke in a bad mood.

   "Sakura! Akira!" Naruto called in surprise.
   "Well, it looks like the female members of this team have the best chakra control!" Kakashi-sensei said in a teasing tone. "Well, done Akira, Sakura! Not only do you two understand chakra, but you can also control and maintain it as well."

Both girls smiled proudly at their sensei. 

   "Yeah! Way to go you two!" Naruto said happily from below. "I always knew you were awesome!"
   "Whatever," Sasuke scoffed.
   "Sasuke, be nice!" Akira said, throwing her shoe at her brother. 
   "Don't throw your shoes at me, woman!"
   "Don't be an ass and I won't have to!" There was a moment of silence, then Akira continued in a quieter voice, "Uh, do you think you could toss it back?"
   "No."
   "Sasuke!"

Akira slid off the branch she was sitting on and let herself fall to the ground, landing more or less gracefully on one foot. She smacked her brother upside the head on her way to grab her shoe.

   "We spoke about someone becoming Hokage one day, didn't we?" Kakashi said. "Seems like Sakura has got the best chance of that, wouldn't you say? As for the great Uchiha clan, well maybe Sasuke the great avenger isn't as great as his little sister, after all."
   "Shut up, Sensei, you talk too much!" Sakura shouted, pointing accusingly at him.
   "Hey, respect your sensei, Sakura!" Akira shouted back, hopping on one foot to put her shoe back on.

Sakura stuck her tongue out at her and Akira glared, nostrils flaring. It wasn't like they didn't get along, because when it came to it, they did, but everything seemed to be a competition with Sakura, even if it was just praise from Kakashi.

   "All right! First I'll match Sasuke!" Naruto suddenly called. "Then I'm going all the way to the top! Believe it!"

Sasuke and Naruto glared at each other before running at their respective trees. Akira sighed and, when she finally got her shoe on, got into position once again.

   "You're practising more?" Sakura asked, still up in her tree.
   "Well, yeah. What if it was just a fluke?" Akira said. "Besides, just because I did it once, doesn't mean I can't improve more. Maybe I'll aim to jog up, or walk up—training doesn't stop after the first successful attempt, Sakura."

Akira launched herself at the tree again and, like last time, made it up in one go. She marked the tree with Kakashi's kunai and let herself fall back down onto the ground. After another few moments, Akira positioned herself to go back up and ran up the tree once again. Sakura followed Akira with a sigh as she dropped to the ground, more or less ready to practice some more. But if Akira was doing it, then so would she.

On Akira's fourth run up, she jumped and hung onto a tree branch rather than letting herself fall. She twisted around and stared at Kakashi, who still hadn't gone back to sit down.

   "Shouldn't you, I don't know, sit or something, Sensei? I mean, you are supposed to be resting, not hanging upside down."
   "I'm fine, don't worry," Kakashi said.
   "Sit down."

With a chuckle, Kakashi swung around and sat down on the branch he'd been hanging by. Satisfied, Akira dropped to the ground again and resumed her training. Every time she went up, she tried to go a little slower, aiming to walk up the tree like Kakashi did earlier. But after hours of training, all Akira managed was a light jog. As she came down for what seemed like the hundredth time, Akira groaned and let herself fall onto her back for a few minutes, enjoying the feeling of soft grass on her skin.

   "I don't understand how you have so much energy," Sakura said, coming to sit beside her. "I got it on the first try, but I've been taking way more breaks than any of you guys."
   "Don't worry about it, Sakura," Akira said. "I think the reason why Naruto and Sasuke are having so much trouble is the same reason why I'm still going strong."
   "Really? What do you think it is?"
   "Too much chakra."
   "How can having too much chakra be a problem?"
   "Well, it's not, really," Akira sighed. "Naruto's a loose cannon, can't concentrate to save his life, and combine that with the fact he's got too much chakra, well, that makes it a pain to control it. Sasuke, on the other hand, just always overdoes it. He can't comprehend that self-control is better than adding more power, so he gets angry when he fails, and adds more power. It's a vicious circle, really."
   "What about you, then?"
   "I know what self-control is," Akira said with a chuckle.
   "Hey, hey, hey—Akira, Sakura!"

Startled, Akira and Sakura turned towards Naruto. There was a big lump on his head, where he'd fallen several times, and he kept looking back towards Sasuke to make sure he wasn't paying attention.

   "You guys are good at this—how about some advice?" he said. "But please don't tell Sasuke I asked! Please, please!"
   "Calm down, Naruto," Akira laughed.

Naruto's enthusiasm brought a smile to Akira's face, and both girls gladly shared their tips with him. Kakashi watched from up high, a little proud of himself, a bit proud of Naruto, a bit proud of the girls; they were beginning to catch on to the idea of working together, and Kakashi knew that they could only get stronger from there.

Guarding Tazuna wasn't nearly as fun or as challenging as the tree-climbing training, but if Kakashi-sensei said that Akira and Sakura had to spend the rest of the morning keeping an eye on him, then that's what they'd do. And while it was nice to watch the men banter and work, there were no trees to provide shade, and the breeze was far from strong enough to keep the girls cool. All they could do was sit and watch Tazuna and the workers, sweat building up on their foreheads without having to work for it. Sakura was even so bored that her eyelids kept closing and yawned more than once. Akira couldn't help but laugh.     

   "You always this lazy?" Tazuna asked the girls. "Where's that weird blond kid, and the one with the attitude?"
   "They're training—climbing trees without their hands," Akira said.
   "To tough for you?"
   "No, in fact, we're the best!" Sakura boasted. "That's why Kakashi-sensei asked us to guard you."
   "You're joking?"

Tazuna laughed at his own joke and left both girls fuming. If they had to sit here another hour and listen to this nonsense, Akira was going to let Sakura rip the man's head off.

   "Hey, Tazuna? I need to talk to you," a worker said.
   "Hm, what about?"
   "Well, the thing is, I've been thinking a lot about the bridge. And I decided that I'd pushed my luck far enough—I want out."
   "You're going to quit on me just like that!? You're kidding!"

Akira and Sakura shared a look. They weren't surprised by the worker's statement, but for a moment, they felt terrible for the man who'd just laughed at them.

   "You know, I stayed on because of our friendship," the man said. "But I'm putting my life on the line every day I stay here—Gato and his thugs will show up eventually. When they do, they'll kill you, and the bridge won't get finished anyway! It's a lost cause, Tazuna; why don't we stop while we can get out of this alive."
     "No chance."

Akira and Sakura were surprised, to say the least. Since the beginning, Tazuna had appeared to be a lazy drunk, not someone determined like this.

   "This is our bridge. Our island is poor, and it will stay that way until this bridge connects us to the mainland! Commerce, trade and hope—that's what we're building here!"
   "There's not going to be much hope if we're all dead."
   "It's already noon. Let's break for lunch," Tazuna said, ignoring the man's comment. "Oh, and Giichi—don't bother coming back."

The rest of the afternoon was spent in tense silence. None of the workers or Sakura and Akira dared to bring up the subject with Tazuna or asked whether this Giichi fellow was ever going to come back to work. Instead, the workers kept their heads down, and Sakura and Akira took turns walking around the bridge to make sure nothing suspicious was going on. A few times, Akira caught herself getting distracted by the ocean, eyes closed and being lulled by the sounds of crashing waves. Some of her rounds were longer than Sakura's, on purpose, to be able to gaze out at the open waters for a short while, hoping, futilely, that the salty sea air would wash away all the concerns Akira had about this mission.

In the evening, when the sun was going down and the beautiful hues of lavender, rose and orange crept over the day's bright blue sky, Tazuna led the girls down the main street on his way to buy ingredients for dinner. Akira's eyes weren't focused on the kaleidoscope of colours above, however. Instead, Akira's dark eyes gazed over the most impoverished streets she'd ever seen in her life. With her clean clothes and simple jewellery, Akira felt rich and out of place. Many beggars roamed around, thin and sickly, thieves attempting to pickpocket, and young children huddling together for safety.

To see all this at once broke Akira's heart into pieces, and to think that a single man was responsible for this angered her beyond belief. Even for those who had some money, like Tazuna, life was getting increasingly hard. The market he led Akira and Sakura to was barer than bare. There were only a few vegetables here and there, and there was no meat or dairy in sight. Suddenly, the hunger rumbling in the girl's stomach seemed far and unimportant. It was only the bridge that mattered—and it was going to get built no matter what.

Chapter Text

As the sun fell down on Tazuna's home, his daughter began preparing a meal with the little ingredients they had. Somehow, and with the greatest possible cooking skill Akira had ever seen, she made it stretch enough to feed the family and the ninjas that were staying with them. Sakura and Akira helped out, while Tazuna set the table, but Inari was nowhere to be found until dinner started. Even though they'd been training all day, Sasuke and Naruto's competitive spirit didn't leave once they'd sat down. After everyone had eaten their fill, Naruto and Sasuke continued wolfing down everything they could muster since, apparently, eating the most meant getting to the top of the tree first. Akira and Sakura didn't shy away from telling them it was ridiculous, and when Kakashi said that eating too much wasn't good, they protested. 

However, the strange competition-fueled frenzy died down when, curious, Sakura asked about the torn photograph pinned to the kitchen wall. Inari, who'd been silent for the entire meal, suddenly stood up and left the room, his mother following right after him. Tazuna sighed and apologised for Inari's behaviour. When Sakura asked about the picture again, he explained that the person missing in the photograph was Inari's step-father, Kaiza, who'd died at the hands of thugs. He had been the father Inari never had, a simple fisherman with grand ideas. He helped the village, brought happiness and courage to the citizens, but while defending them, Gato came. He beat him down and, in front of the entire town, his goons executed Kaiza. According to Tazuna, that was the last time he'd seen Inari smile.

   "He always said, that if you cared about something, you had to protect it," Tazuna said, shedding a few tears. "And he did. He saved the village on more than one occasion. But since that day, everyone has been too scared to do anything."

Akira looked to the torn picture, her heart heavy. She'd known tragedy in her life, but unlike Inari, her dreams and her happiness weren't consistently shot down by a man like Gato. She had friends and acquaintances that believed in her, and while there were a select few that feared the massacre, feared Akira and Sasuke, they weren't beating down on her like Gato was beating down on everything surrounding Inari and this town. 

Akira's attention was brought away from the photograph and to Naruto, who'd suddenly stood up, legs shaky from training, and fallen back down again within a second.

   "What the hell are you doing down there, Naruto?" Sakura asked, tilting her head.
   "Nothing, nothing!" Naruto said, struggling to get back up.
   "You should take tomorrow off," Kakashi said. "You too Sasuke. No more training. You've both used too much chakra, and if you push any harder, it'll kill you."
   "I'm gonna prove it," Naruto said, looking up at everyone as he struggled to his hands and knees. "I'm gonna prove that it's true—that there are heroes in this world!" The boy stood, legs shaking. "I'm going out!"
   "Where do you think you're going?" Akira protested. "Kakashi-sensei is right, you're going to kill yourself."

But it was too late. By the time Akira had finished her sentence, Naruto was out the door. 

   "If we find him dead someplace, you can't say that I didn't try," Akira said with a sigh. Then, Sasuke stood as well. "Oh, you can't be serious?"
   "If you find us both dead somewhere, you can tell me 'I told you so'," he said, deadpan.

Akira rolled her eyes and slumped as Sasuke went after Naruto. Sakura complained a little while, worried that Sasuke and Naruto (mostly Sasuke) were going to end up killing themselves. Kakashi, Akira and Tazuna half-listened, until Tazuna got up and nearly ran off, which prompted Kakashi to interrupt Sakura and shoo her and Akira off to bed. Both girls spent a short while debating Sasuke's and Naruto's survival rates before going to sleep, and Akira stared at the ceiling for a while longer after that, listening to Sakura's soft breathing. It wasn't until she focused on the waves push and pull in the distance that Akira was lulled to sleep.

Akira woke up early to check on Sasuke and Naruto. None of their beds, including Kakashi's, looked as if they'd been slept in. Akira sighed and closed the door—it was likely neither of them returned from training last night at all more than it was that they'd gone out early. Although she wondered where Kakashi would be at this hour, and debated going out to the forest to see if they were all there but decided against it once she laid eyes on the crystal clear waters outside Tazuna's house. So, quietly and without disturbing the others who were asleep, Akira slipped out the front door and went to the docks. 

   "Oh, good morning, Sensei."

Kakashi jumped a little when he heard Akira. He was sitting at the edge of the docks, staring out at the water. 

   "Morning," he said lazily. "You're up early."
   "I wanted to check on Naruto and Sasuke," Akira said, taking a seat beside Kakashi. "Have they been out all night?"
   "Yup."
   "Have you been up all night? Because even jōnin need to sleep, believe it or not."

Kakashi let out a breathy laugh as he turned to look at Akira. There was an unimpressed look on her face, but there was concern in her eyes despite this. He dropped a hand on Akira's head and slightly ruffled her hair. Instead of protesting this time, Akira smiled.

   "What?"
   "Nothing," Akira said with a shrug. "Your hands are warm, like Sasuke's."
   "Are they now?" Kakashi said, removing his hand from Akira's head.
   "You'd figure they'd be as cold as him. He keeps saying that it's because of his fire nature-type, but I don't buy it."
   "Why's that?"
   "My father's hands were always cold. Besides, sometimes I don't even think he's a fire nature-type, either."
   "Hm, what about you?"
   "Me? My hands are always cold."
   "I meant your nature-type," Kakashi said with a laugh.
   "Oh," Akira chuckled, a little embarrassed. 

Akira stared out at the water and sighed, recalling several events where her father shouted at her for not having the Uchiha's traditional fire nature-type.

   "Well, it's definitely not fire."
   "No?"
   "Nope," Akira chuckled humourlessly. "If it was, my father would have at least tolerated me."
   "Not the nurturing type, I see," Kakashi said.
   "God, no. The complete opposite, actually. Sometimes I think he hated me." Akira was quiet for a moment and Kakashi looked at her a little concerned. "Never even heard him say, 'good work' after hours of training on something he wanted me to learn."
   "And yet you want to run the Police Force like he did?"
   "He was honoured, respected. Everyone in our clan looked up to him. I want people to look at me the same way they looked at him. Now they just..."

Akira sighed and, suddenly feeling the need to distract herself from bad thoughts, she bent forward and played at the water with her fingertips. Kakashi watched as the water rippled and Akira's gaze grew distant.

   "What was your childhood like?" she said after a few moments.
   "Boring, the usual," Kakashi said simply.
   "Somehow, I doubt that."

A small gust of wind blew towards them, and as Kakashi continued to gaze down at Akira's fingertips run across the water, he noticed that the water wasn't rippling the same way as it was in front of him. He reached out and stopped Akira's hand, and the water suddenly rippled normally.

   "What?" the girl said, turning to look at Kakashi.
   "Are you using chakra?"
   "Not really, why?"
   "Not really?"
   "Well, a little."

Kakashi pulled Akira's hand towards the water again, and she watched as the rippling water stilled wherever her fingers touched it.

   "Interesting," Akira stated, an eyebrow raised. She traced the water and watched the water ripple and become still as she went. "I'm going to take a wild guess and say this isn't normal."
   "What isn't normal?"

Akira and Kakashi quickly turned towards the voice and pulled their hands away from the water. Sasuke was standing a few feet behind them, arms crossed and frowning.

   "Your face," Akira said, a little nervous.

But his sister's nervousness went right past Sasuke, and he rolled his eyes before going inside where Tsunami, Tazuna's daughter, had started making breakfast. Akira breathed a small sigh of relief and sat turned back to Kakashi, who was staring at her hands, deep in thought.

   "Sensei?"
   "You've never noticed this before?"
   "Well..."
   "You have?"
   "Not per se," Akira said, awkwardly scratching the back of her neck. "I've felt... something before while playing with water, but I never put much thought into it. Besides, the water's never moved before."
   "That may be my fault."
   "Your fault?"

Kakashi said nothing and stood. Tsunami called for him and Akira just as breakfast was being served.

   "We'll explore this later," Kakashi said. "For now, not a word."

Akira nodded and stood, then followed Kakashi inside. Sasuke glanced suspiciously at her, now seeing the nervousness clearly plastered on her face. She tried to mimic Kakashi's laid-back attitude, but she found it hard under her brother's harsh gaze. As they sat down to eat, Akira noticed Kakashi playing with the tips of his fingers, eyes focused on the ocean outside the window. Her eyebrows furrowed for a split second, just until Sakura came into the room, rubbing her eyes and yawning, providing Sasuke with a temporary distraction.

   "Good morning, everyone," she said yawning. 
   "Naruto's not here?" Tazuna asked. "Looks like he was out all night."
   "He's gone completely crazy," Sakura said, after taking a sip of tea. "He's out climbing trees in the dark. He could be dead by now, you know, from using up too much of his chakra."
   "Well, I certainly hope he's okay," Tsunami said. "A child spending the night in the woods alone..."
   "There's nothing to worry about," Kakashi said. Akira suddenly felt nervous again. "Naruto's a goofy kid, but he's also a full-fledged ninja. He can handle himself."
   "Sakura's right," Sasuke said. Akira choked on her tea. "Naruto's such a loser, he's probably lying out there dead somewhere."
   "That makes more sense than you agreeing with Sakura," Akira commented. "Weren't you out all night, too? Shouldn't you know how he's doing?"

Without a word, Sasuke got up and headed towards the door.

   "Sasuke? Where are you going?" Sakura asked.
   "I'm going for a walk."
   "But we just started eat—huh?" 

Sasuke's plate was already empty. Akira looked at it, confused.

   "That was fast," Sakura said, looking at his plate too. Akira took one last bite of food then stood, swaying a little. "Are you okay?"
   "Yeah, I'm fine," she said, a little confused. Akira looked at her hands for a moment and shook her head. "I'm going out."
   "Hey, where're you going!?"

However, Akira was gone just as fast as her brother had left. When she stepped out, Akira looked over at the water, a little nervous, but moved past the feeling and jogged off after Sasuke. She met up with him at the edge of the forest, huffing and puffing.

   "Why do you walk so fast?"
   "Since when do you get tired from running this little?"
   "I don't know actually," Akira said honestly. "This morning has been a little strange, to say the least. But it's probably because we all trained like crazy yesterday, and I didn't sleep very well, so that doesn't help either."
   "What about Kakashi?"
   "Kakashi-sensei, Sasuke, jeez."
   "Don't avoid the question," Sasuke insisted.
   "Yeah, that too... I'll let you know if it's something you should be worried about, all right?" Sasuke nodded and looked ahead. "You worried about Naruto?"
   "No."
   "Then why're you heading back towards the forest," Akira asked. "It's because you love him, isn't it? That first kiss of yours—"
   "You're lowering the IQ of this whole village by talking, right now," Sasuke shouted, smacking his sister on the harm. He sighed. "Look, if Naruto's weak, he makes the team weak."
   "Uh, huh."
   "Shut up."

Sasuke and Akira continued until they spotted Naruto at the centre of the glade they had been training in the day prior, sitting down cross-legged on the ground. The siblings shared a look as someone was leaving Naruto. Akira could tell it was a boy despite the long hair and the pink kimono, and she and Sasuke stopped to stare at him until he was out of sight. There was a strange feeling in Akira's stomach again, and she didn't like it at all. What was it about this boy that made her uneasy?

   "I've seen a lot of weird things in my life before, but this definitely takes the cake," Naruto said, looking over at Sasuke. He punched him over the head, much to Akira's dismay. "Hey, what'd you do that for!?"
   "You twerp!" Sasuke shouted. "Didn't you forget about breakfast? Jeez, you're such a loser."

A small smile reached the corners of Akira's lips, recognising the ill-mannered way Sasuke displayed his concern for others. Even Naruto laughed a little, which only made Sasuke's glare worse, but it was a welcome distraction from the strange sensation looming in the air.

   "Come on, kids," Akira said, pulling two kunai from one of her pouches. She held one out to each boy. "Let's get up those trees, shall we?"
   "All right!" Naruto cheered, snagging the kunai. "You gonna give us more tips, Akira?"
   "I'll even do it step-by-step with you if you want."

Which is what Akira did in the end, after all. With Sasuke and Naruto on either side, she slowly went through how she managed to get up the tree and, after a few hours, Kakashi and Sakura came to spectate their progress. However, they were met with a nearly empty glade, with only three kunai at its centre. Looking up, Sakura and Kakashi found Naruto lounging in a tree.

   "Woah, you climbed that high using your chakra, Naruto?" Sakura said, a little dumbfounded. "That's great!"
    "Whaddaya think? High enough for you guys?" Naruto called. "I mean, it's a long way down, huh?" 

He then stood up and wobbled, suddenly falling over. Sakura screamed and closed her eyes, but when she didn't hear anything fall, she opened them up and saw Naruto hanging upside-down just like Kakashi had done. 

   "Just kidding!" he laughed. "You guys really fell for it!"
   "We were worried about you, Naruto!" Sakura yelled, annoyed beyond belief. 
   "Why do I think this is going to end badly," Kakashi said.

Just then, Naruto's feet actually detached and looks of pure horror appeared on Sakura and Kakashi's faces. However, in an instant, Akira and Sasuke appeared each grabbed one of Naruto's legs. This time it was them hanging upside-down, and Sakura cheered them on.

   "You really are a total loser," Sasuke sighed.
   "You're welcome," Akira said, mildly annoyed.
   "Heh, yeah, thanks," Naruto chuckled nervously.
   "This is what you get for showing off, Naruto!" Sakura shouted from below.

And as the bickering resumed, Kakashi sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

   "If I'm still sane by the time I'm done your training, it'll be a miracle..."

Chapter Text

Akira, Sasuke, Naruto and Sakura spent another day out in the sunny glade, training amongst the trees again. Kakashi and Sakura had left after their little display of talent and returned to guard Tazuna and the bridge. It wasn't until nightfall that Sasuke and Naruto had managed to reach the same height as Sakura and Akira, and Akira had managed to walk up the tree as Kakashi had done a few days ago. It was a miracle that none of them collapsed on the way home, but the way Akira, Naruto and Sasuke were all holding each other at the shoulders gave them enough support to keep moving forwards.

   "What've you been up to?" Tazuna said as the three wandered in through the front door. "You look like something the cat dragged in."
   "Sasuke and I made it. We made it all the way to the top!" Naruto chuckled.
   "Akira?" Sakura asked, raising an eyebrow.
   "Managed to walk up," she said breathlessly. "No momentum."
   "Good. Now we move on," Kakashi said. "Starting tomorrow, we can all be bodyguards for Tazuna."

Suddenly, Naruto groaned and fell on his backside, dragging Sasuke and Akira down with him. The girl burst out laughing, and while Sasuke was busy telling Naruto he was a loser again, Naruto joined Akira in laughter. Sakura rolled her eyes at them, thinking they'd gone crazy and helped Tsunami set the table for the dinner that was about to be served.

Akira, Sasuke and Naruto wolfed down their food as if they were starved animals getting their first meals in weeks. And while she didn't concern herself with the rippling water problem of hers, she wondered what could possibly happen tomorrow now that all of them were able to control their chakra. There wasn't much to do on the bridge other than watch the workers do their thing—it'd be fun to see what Kakashi had in store for them.

Akira was so lost in thought that she only realised Naruto and Inari were having an argument when Naruto began shouting. Or maybe it was the other way around. In any case, they were shouting at each other, and Akira had to pull her glass off the table, so it didn't spill over as they accidentally hit the table.

   "These cool things you all say—they don't mean anything!" Inari was shouting. "No matter what you do, the strong always win, and the weak always lose."
   "It won't be like that for me—for us. You got that?"
   "Why don't you be quiet? Just looking at you makes me sick!" Inari yelled, tears falling from his eyes. "You don't know anything about this country! You're just butting in! Always laughing and playing around—you don't know what it's like to suffer!"
   "Who do you think you are?"

Everyone turned to Akira in surprise. She calmly put her glass back down on the table and continued to eat. She wasn't shouting or shaking in anger like Naruto was, but the way she spoke, commanding and stern, sent a chill down everyone's spine.

   "Who do you think you are?" Akira said coldly. "Assuming no one else knows what it is to suffer. Not everyone puts it on display, you know. Some of us smile and goof off, some of us brood, some of us lash out."

Akira stood.

   "Thank you for dinner," she told Tsunami. Akira looked over to Inari. "And some of us say thank you for dinner."

Akira's cold gaze detached itself from Inari, and she walked out of the house without another word. The cool evening breeze washed over her, trying to calm down the anger that was bubbling in the pit of her stomach. After staring at the moon's reflection on the water, Akira stalked off towards the forest, back to where she'd been training only a few hours ago. It was dark and foreboding, but there was a sense of peace in the forest's sullen ambience. It calmed her for a moment, but Inari's words came back and, all of a sudden, the anger burst through the dam of self-control.

Akira pressed her palm against one of the trees' rough bark and began pounding on it relentlessly. Just as Inari was earlier, Akira let out all the pent up anger she'd built up during this mission, during the course of her life. Who was that kid to say no one else knew suffering? Akira had suffered too, far more significantly than Inari could ever imagine. And while the repercussions of it weren't blatantly obvious, they were substantial.

Mothers steered their children away from Akira and Sasuke, afraid of the massacre even after all these years. Others swore their entire family line was cursed. And while some respected her, Akira suspected they only did out of fear, worried that one day she or Sasuke would commit the same crimes that Itachi had. It was a lifetime of loneliness, of segregation and of hatred—a fate she'd been suffering for far too long.

It didn't take long for a dent to appear where Akira was letting out her frustrations. The longer she kept punching, the harder each punch became and, soon, pain followed each strike. Akira ignored it, insisting on releasing every single ounce of anger in her body, and she kept punching the tree even as her knuckles split open and blood stained the tree until someone grabbed her hand to stop it.

   "Your hands are bleeding," Akira heard Kakashi say softly. 
   "Your point?" Akira said, her voice strained.
   "Usually, when you start to bleed, it means you should stop."

Akira wrung her hand out of Kakashi's and went to punch again, but he put himself between her and her fist and the tree. She hit him square in the chest and paused there for a few seconds, breathing heavily, before her arms fell to her sides.

   "I'm tired."
   "You've been training too much. It's to be expected."
   "No, Sensei, I'm tired."

The girl hung her head back for a moment and sighed.

   "Life sucks and that little punk's just reminded me," Akira said, chuckling humourlessly.
   "You want to talk about it?" Kakashi asked quietly.

Kakashi could hear stifled sobs as she turned her face away. After a few moments, she sniffled and shook her head, looking back to Kakashi with red eyes.

   "I'm fine."
   "Clearly you're not, but if you don't want to talk about it, we can drop it here."
   "Let's drop it, then."

Akira smiled sadly at Kakashi and his eyebrows knit in worry. He could see the wall she'd built up over the years; it was the look of someone who'd suffered far too much in their lives in order to deal with the pain, the loss, the devastation. Kakashi could see the built-up protective layers of forced maturity, and he knew them all too well.

The seagulls were squawking early the next morning and they slowly woke Akira up from her deep slumber. She stared out the window through squinted eyes to silently curse the birds, and then to her left to find Sakura's roll-out bed empty. A small shuffling sound behind her made Akira turn her head, and she spotted Sakura in front of a small mirror, all dressed and ready as she fixed the Leaf bandanna in her hair.

   "You're finally awake," she said, looking over at Akira. "I was going to wake you before I left the room."
   "The seagulls woke me up," Akira said. She sat up and stretched her arms above her head, turning to look outside. "I wonder why they're so active this morning."

When Sakura provided no answer, Akira turned back to look at her. She was staring at Akira's battered and bruised hands with great concern. Akira put her hands under the blankets and out of sight.

   "It's nothing, really," she said with a smile.
   "All right," Sakura said, sounding unsure. "I'll be downstairs."
   "Yell for me when breakfast is up if I'm not there.

As Sakura exited the room, Akira stood with a sigh. She shrugged off her nightclothes and got dressed for the day, then washed off all the dried blood and tree bark she couldn't get off without waking Sakura last night. Akira wrapped her hands in bandages after drying them, then went downstairs. She greeted everyone except Naruto who was still sleeping and recovering from yesterday's training. Sakura gave her one last worried glance before pretending everything was normal, and they all ate breakfast before setting out with Tazuna.

They made their way along the road and then down to the pier where they took a boat out to the bridge. They climbed up a fairly steep hill and, upon reaching the bridge, everyone's peaceful demeanour vanished. Worry and fear set in as the ninjas laid their eyes on Tazuna's crew; they had been beaten up until they fell into unconsciousness. The nauseating feeling Akira had been feeling the last few days suddenly came back and, just as it settled in the pit of her stomach, a strangely thick mist began creeping along the edges of the bridge.

   "Akira, Sasuke, Sakura—get ready!" Kakashi said quickly.

The four ninjas surrounded Tazuna. Akira pulled out her tachi and flicked them open. Sasuke and Sakura pulled out a few kunai to defend themselves with.

   "Sorry I kept you waiting, Kakashi," said a rough voice somewhere in the mist.

Akira's eyes narrowed towards the sound. Her fists clenched harder around the hilts of her swords. The team was right; Zabuza wasn't dead, and that meant that he and the young tracker ninja were working together. Akira solidified her stance. As the mist crept in and her field of vision decreased, her eyes darted around. However, there wasn't any fear. 

   "I see you still have those brats with you... and that punk with the swords."

 Akira almost smirked.

   "That one is trembling," Zabuza continued. "Pity."

All of a sudden there were over a dozen Zabuza clones surrounding them. Akira wasn't any less worried; judging from past experience, the clones were no less deadly than the real deal. However, their appearance made Sasuke chuckle and, looking at his face, Akira couldn't help but give into the smirk she'd withheld earlier. The clone in front of them took a wary step back.

   "I'm trembling... with excitement," Sasuke said.
   "Go on, you two," Kakashi said, nodding towards the clones.

Akira and Sasuke took the clones by surprise. As fast as they'd appeared, the clones vanished, sliced by the siblings' blades. They returned to their spots simultaneously, and the water clones fell into an unceremonious puddle.

   "Oh, so you could see they were water clones, huh?" Zabuza said in a mocking tone. "The brats are improving. Looks like you've got rivals, Haku."
   "So it seems."

Akira recognised the voice immediately. It was the same emotionless tone that had spoken from behind the tracker mask a few days ago.

   "Well, well," Kakashi said, as Zabuza and Haku appeared from within the mist. "It seems we had it right. It was all just an act with a cute little mask."
   "So, I guess all that about being a tracker ninja was just a load of bull, huh?" Tazuna scoffed.
   "They look pretty friendly to me. They've probably been pulling scams like this for a long time."
   "He's got some nerve facing us after he pulled that trick," Sakura said snidely.
   "And hiding behind a fake ANBU mask," Akira scoffed. "Who does he think he's fooling?"
   "That's it, I'm taking him out," Sasuke said. "Who does he think he's fooling hiding behind that mask like some sort of clown?"
   "Sasuke, you're so cool!" Sakura giggled.
   "Sakura..." Akira turned to look at the girl, a deadpan expression on her face. "That's literally what I just said."

Kakashi patted Akira's shoulder, sighing, as neither Sakura nor Sasuke paid her any attention. Just as she turned back towards the enemies, Haku came at them fast, heading straight for Sasuke. He braced himself and positioned his body for a counter-attack as Haku lunged with a sharp senbon in hand. Sasuke blocked it quite easily.

   "Akira, Sakura—cover Tazuna and stay close to me," Kakashi ordered. "Let Sasuke handle this for now."

Akira didn't argue, but Kakashi could see the rage in her eyes. She wanted to jump in, to prove herself worthy. Instead, she nodded stiffly, obediently following orders, and stepped beside Tazuna and Sakura. Akira pointed one sword ahead and the other one downwards to the side, ready to attack and swing at an enemy coming from any direction.

There was no telling what Zabuza and Haku were planning this time.

Chapter Text

Sasuke and Haku repeatedly attacked each other, and Akira was relieved to see that her brother was holding his own so far. Still, if Kakashi had suspected for even a second that that boy was ANBU, then she was sure that this wasn't the extent of his abilities. Akira looked past them and at Zabuza, who didn't look concerned at all that his partner was in the middle of a fight. Instead, he was casually leaning against his broadsword, looking at them with a sort of ambivalence that irritated Akira.

   "We want the bridge builder, not you," Haku said. Akira looked back at him. "If you back down, I won't have to kill you."
   "Save it," Sasuke scoffed as he stopped another attack.
   "You're making a mistake. You won't be able to keep up with my speed. I've already gained two key advantages."
   "Oh, yeah? What are they?"
   "First, we're surrounded by water," Haku said, looking at the puddles of water that came from the clones they destroyed earlier. "And second, you only have one free hand to defend yourself now that I've blocked one."

Just then, Haku began making hand seal with one hand, without having to connect them to the other. Akira, Sakura and Kakashi looked on with surprise, as it took an extraordinarily skilled ninja to perform complete hand seals with one hand.

   "Secret Jutsu: One Thousand Needles of Death!"

Haku stomped his foot into the water underneath them and the puddle rose into the air, turning itself into a thousand needles made of ice. As the needles came down, Sasuke concentrated chakra to his feet and jumped clear from the ice, but further away from Akira, Haku and the others. As he came back down, Sasuke threw multiple shurikens at Haku, but the boy dodged them all. A split second later, Sasuke was behind Haku, and he kicked him right in the back, sending the boy flying towards Zabuza. When Haku landed, Sasuke returned by Kakashi's side.

   "Thought you were quicker, huh?" Sasuke taunted. He scoffed. "My sister is faster than me—imagine that. Now, what else are you wrong about?"
   "You made a big mistake insulting these ninjas by calling them brats," Kakashi said proudly. "That's just guaranteed to bring out Sasuke's attitude. Akira will probably just want to beat you to see if she can."
   "And I will," Akira murmured dangerously.
   "Sakura here is one of our sharpest minds, and last but not least, our number one hyperactive knucklehead ninja, Naruto Uzumaki."

For a moment, Zabuza looked irked. As Haku stood, Zabuza ushered him back towards Team Seven. Suddenly, azure chakra became visible, like burning flames, surrounding Haku like a barrier. They reached almost a foot around Haku, and it seemed that it was expanding the more it was active.

   "I'm sorry it's come to this," Haku said.

There was a sudden drop in temperature, and Akira's long calm breaths became visible. Haku rose his hands into a peculiar seal, his forefingers crossed together, and the water beneath Sasuke's feet rose into columns of ice twice his height, forming some kind of arena of mirror-like panels.

   "Secret Jutsu: Crystal Ice Mirrors!"
   "Sasuke!" Akira shouted pointlessly, taking a step forward.
   "Akira, stay where you are," Kakashi-sensei said sternly.

Akira stopped herself in her tracks and cursed under her breath. Kakashi glanced over at her and, again, the same looks of anger and disappointment gleamed in her eyes. Being asked to sit back and watch was beginning to irk her. It was like confining a child to a playpen—they ached to go out and play. As such, Akira would have to participate from a distance and keep an eye on her brother from where she stood. Dark blue irises suddenly shifted to scarlet red, with two tomoe coming to halt around each pupil.

   "The runt has the Sharingan in both eyes!?" Zabuza exclaimed.

Akira's angry gaze shot from Haku to Zabuza in an instant. She could see the chakra flowing through him and Zabuza's muscles twitch as he thought about grabbing his broadsword. And, while the naked eye couldn't tell, Akira could see the veins in his neck swell and fall faster and faster as the blood pumped harshly from his heart.

   "You nervous Zabuza Momochi?" she taunted.

Zabuza growled at her, but he made no move to attack. Akira's eyes shifted from him towards Haku again as he entered one of the ice mirrors. Just then, Kakashi stepped forward and dashed towards Sasuke, but Zabuza intercepted him.

   "If you enter this fight, you fight me," he said. His eyes flickered over to Akira. "You enter this fight, and the Sharingan kid gets it."

Akira focused on the strange jutsu that Haku was using. It was nothing like she'd ever seen. There was chakra all over the place, chakra she could barely identify, and Haku was moving so fast that Akira's Sharingan had trouble keeping up with him. Needles were flying out of the mirrors at incredible speed, and they were continually grazing Sasuke as if Haku was toying with him. But Sasuke couldn't dodge them. If he did, he risked getting seriously hurt.

Sasuke haphazardly attempted to fight back, but the needles were coming at him in impossible quantities, and they knocked the kunai out of his hand. It flew off and landed at Sakura's feet. Akira watched as Haku moved around, throwing needles endlessly until Sasuke couldn't even defend himself. He was shielding himself with his arms, hoping that they would prevent any internal organs from getting hit.

Akira saw Kakashi shift his position. As he tried to move, Zabuza blocked his path again, smiling maliciously.

   "Just try to stop him, and I'll kill the other three in a heartbeat," Zabuza said, looking behind Kakashi at Sakura and Tazuna. 

Akira's gaze was suddenly grabbed by Sakura. She ran forward and, as she did, Akira reached out and grabbed her. In one swift movement, she turned Sakura around so that her green eyes stared, frightened, into Akira's red ones. She didn't need to look down at her hands to know that Sakura was holding Sasuke's kunai, dead set on defending him. Akira gently grasped Sakura by the shoulders and, after what looked like a silent conversation, Akira took Sasuke's kunai.

In a split second, Akira made the decision to go against Kakashi's orders. She ran past Kakashi and Zabuza, then threw Sasuke's kunai back at him. Half of Haku's body came out of a mirror, and he caught the weapon easily, but he hadn't noticed the shuriken Akira threw with it. The shuriken hit Haku straight in the face, sending him toppling out of his mirror. The needles stopped coming and, just as Haku fell to the ground, a smoke bomb exploded in the centre of the mirror arena. Akira backed up and returned by Sakura's side. Even through the mist, Akira knew it was Naruto—she didn't expect him to stay out of the fight for very long. 

   "Naruto Uzumaki is here! Yeah, believe it!" Naruto cheered, a determined look on his face. "Ha! Now that I'm here, everything will be all right!" 
   "Naruto!" Sakura said happily.
   "You know, in the stories, the hero usually arrives late and then kicks butt? Well, that's what I'm gonna do right now, believe it!"

Akira was slightly disappointed that Naruto didn't stay hidden to help from afar, but it was Naruto after all. At this point, she was just happy that there was another one of her teammates around to help them fight Zabuza and Haku.

   "All right! You're history!" he said, crossing his index fingers in front of him. "Shadow Clone Jutsu!"

Akira sighed, this time disappointed that he was so overt with his jutsu, but it seemed that the clones scared Zabuza enough for him to shoot a handful of shuriken in his direction. Akira followed them with her Sharingan and, much to everyone's surprise, Haku shot needles at the shuriken, effectively knocking them to the ground.

   "Their weapons cancelled each other out," Sakura said, amazed.
   "What're you doing Naruto, are you crazy!?" Akira yelled, her red eyes focused on the yellow-haired boy. "This is a battle, not a talent show! Don't let your opponent see your jutsu!"
   "Ah! Akira what's up with—"
   "Shut up!" Sasuke said, hitting Naruto over the head.
   "A shinobi's art is deception!" Kakashi shouted. "Always keep the enemy guessing. Even when executing a single jutsu, one must distract their opponent's attention, catch them off-balance and out-manoeuvre them. You just turn yourself into a human target when you enter a battle like that!"
   "Ah! I'm sorry!" Naruto yelled. "I was just trying to rescue everybody!"

Akira's gaze turned from Naruto to Haku, who was staring at him through the mask. 

   "Haku, what're you doing?" Zabuza asked.
   "Zabuza, this boy, let me fight him my own way," Haku asked. "Please."
   "Bring it on!" Naruto called, seemingly not intimidated. 
   "So you want me to leave this to you? Is that it, Haku?" Zabuza scoffed. "As usual, you're too soft."
   "Forgive me."

Zabuza wasn't wrong. Haku's jutsu had the potential to be fatal and far more dangerous than it actually was. Through all that moving and all those needles, Sasuke had come out relatively unharmed. His entire body was scratched up, but Sasuke was in good condition to fight aside from the pain. Surely, Haku wasn't soft, but he had proven to be at least far less cruel than Zabuza, that was certain.

   "I'm warning you! One way or another, I'm going to rip that mask off and take you apart!" Naruto yelled, pointing accusingly at Haku.

As the shouting went on, Akira looked around at the ice mirrors and the chakra flowing through Haku and then, just like that, it clicked. Every little bit of information fit together like a perfect puzzle.

   "Sensei—It's a kekkei genkai!"
   "Kekkei genkai?" Sakura said, confused. "What's that?"
   "It's like mine and Akira's Sharingan," Kakashi said. "You can't learn it. It has to be in your blood, in your genetic code, passed down from generation to generation in a single clan."
   "But that means..."
   "Yeah. Neither of us can copy that jutsu," Akira said. "Unless Haku is stopped, there's no way to put an end to that jutsu."

Akira was definitely worried now. She wished that she was within the confines of the ice mirror jutsu to lend Sasuke and Naruto an extra pair of eyes, especially now that the needles had resumed flying around at top speed. Seeing everything happening around her and not being able to do anything was getting to her more than she'd like, and Akira's knuckles grew white as she clung onto her tachi even harder. She was getting angrier by the second, silently cursing the two rogue ninjas for hurting her only family, for hurting her comrades. However, unlike the rage that consumed Akira the night prior, this was a wave of controllable anger, calm and steady. It was the anger that Akira poured into her training. But Sakura was worried, as was Kakashi, for the anger that shone in her eyes was the anger that rose out of someone who'd been taken to the edge and wanted only destruction.

   "Naruto! Sasuke!" Sakura shouted. "Take this guy out, you can do it!"
   "Don't Sakura," Kakashi said sternly. "Don't push them. Even if they somehow found a way to overcome the mirror jutsu, they still couldn't defeat this ninja."
   "How can you be so sure!?"
   "They have the desire to win. But they don't have the instinct to kill."

Kakashi sighed, weighing his options as he gazed between Sasuke and Naruto, and Sakura and Akira. After a moment, Kakashi's hand went to the bandanna covering his left eye. Zabuza laughed and, anticipating his movement, dashed forward clutching a kunai before Kakashi could reveal his Sharingan. But his actions were interrupted as two swords suddenly came slashing down on his arm, successfully disarming him. Akira was standing before him, eyes red as blood and cold as ice, jaw set in anger.

   "If you ever lay a hand on my sensei—" Akira brought her swords back up—"I'll kill you!"

Zabuza moved back as Akira slashed at face. When he was at a safer distance, a cut suddenly appeared on his face.

   "And I thought the other one had an attitude," Zabuza chuckled. Then, as if somehow just feeling the pain, he noticed the cut on his face. "You little runt, I'll—"
   "You know, Zabuza, if my Sharingan is just an old trick, why did you stop me?" Kakashi interrupted.
   "Let your opponent see your jutsu too many times, and he'll find a way to use it against you."
   "Then count yourself lucky. You're the only man alive who's seen my Sharingan twice. So, show's over—there won't be a third time."
   "Even if you did defeat me, you have no chance against Haku," Zabuza said. "When I found him, he was just a street kid. But I trained him in the most advanced ninja techniques; eventually, his power even surpassed my own. His bloodline trait, the kekkei genkai, cannot be defeated by anyone. I've created a tool that can destroy anything that stands in my way, unlike the useless punks that follow you around. You think your genin punks together can beat Haku? He's the ultimate! A battle tool of destruction!"
   "Are you finished bragging yet? You're starting to put me to sleep," Kakashi said, annoyed, as he revealed his Sharingan. "Let's finish this now!"
   "Fine. But there's one more thing you should know. A little more bragging, as you say. Did you really think our last battle was just win or lose? That I took your attacks like some rank genin?" Zabuza asked. "Haku was there, hiding, watching every move you made. Studying your Sharingan. Haku can see a jutsu once and immediately devise a lethal counterattack. It's one of his... gifts. I've been waiting to see the look on your face when you realise that your Sharingan has become useless."
   "Every Sharingan is unique, Zabuza," Akira said sternly. "Just because you've analysed Kakashi-sensei's, doesn't mean you know mine."
   "We'll see about that. Ninja Art: Hidden Mist Jutsu!"

Akira stared at Zabuza as he performed his jutsu until he suddenly vanished into the heavy mist. Akira glanced over her shoulder at Tazuna and Sakura then over to Naruto and Sasuke. Soon, even Akira's Sharingan couldn't see through the fog, and all her comrades had vanished within it. With a frown, Akira turned around completely so that she was back-to-back with Kakashi. Her eyes scanned the mist for any sort of movement that appeared in thinner parts of the mist, but for a while, there was nothing, until Akira spotted glimmering shuriken coming straight for her and Kakashi. He had spotted them too, and they both stopped the shuriken in their tracks.    

   "Very skilful, as I'd expect from Kakashi... but not this brat."

Just then, both Kakashi and Akira's Sharingan picked up movement within the mist, and Zabuza appeared before them, eyes closed. Akira positioned her swords to defend herself, but Zabuza disappeared just as fast as he'd appeared. Akira sighed, annoyed. He was fighting in a mist that was already too thick for him to see in, and he was aiming perfectly with his eyes closed; Zabuza was a far greater opponent than Akira had expected. For a moment, Akira wondered where he'd appear next. Would he try to take her and Kakashi out again, or would he not test his luck against two Sharingan wielders? No. Zabuza's target was the bridge builder.

It seemed like Akira and Kakashi had the same idea. Just as Akira nudged Kakashi, he turned around, and they shared a knowing look before dashing forward and into the mist. By the time they'd reached Sakura and Tzuna, Zabuza was already launching himself at them. Kakashi sped forward and got in between them and Zabuza, but he was too slow to avoid the Demon's broadsword. It slashed at Kakashi's chest, going straight through his thin armour. As Sakura screamed and Zabuza cackled about having laid a hand on Akira's sensei, Akira slid in front of Kakashi and swiped one of her tachi at Zabuza with ferocity. Much like Kakashi, Zabuza wasn't fast enough to evade the girl's attack, and the tachi connected in the same spot his broadsword hit Kakashi.

   "You little punk!" Zabuza growled.

Akira wasted no time in slashing her other sword at him as the other came back into its original position. Zabuza blocked it with his broadsword, but Akira slashed her second tachi at his legs, creating a large gash across Zabuza's thighs.

   "I told you," Akira stated. "You lay a hand on my sensei, and you're a dead man."
   "You might have guts, kid, but I can't say the same for the ones fighting Haku," Zabuza said, slowly retreating back into the mist. "They've got no chance at all."

Zabuza disappeared into the mist again, and Akira tried her best to keep her calm as the anger in her stomach threatened to bubble up again. Kakashi was wounded, Sakura and Tazuna were scared out of their minds, and Akira couldn't even tell whether Sasuke and Naruto were still alive. But it wasn't the time to get angry—she had to keep a level head. Instead, as she breathed slowly to calm herself, an arrogant confidence rose within her.

   "You know, Zabuza," Akira called out into the mist.

She was panting a little. While Akira was unharmed, she was beginning to grow tired of running around to fight Zabuza. A real fight wasn't training, it was much harder on the body, and Akira momentarily regretted not sparring more heavily with Kiba. But despite that fatigue, the confidence broke through again.

   "I have faith in Naruto and Sasuke! And if anyone tried to take them away, they'll pay!"
   "Exactly," Kakashi agreed. "I believe in their abilities. I have faith in them, in Naruto, our number one knucklehead ninja; and Sasuke, the second of the two heirs to the most powerful clan in the Hidden Leaf Village!"
   "You mean—" Zabuza began from somewhere in the mist. 
   "Yes. His full name is Sasuke Uchiha, and this punk right here is his sister, Akira Uchiha. The unique powers of the Uchiha bloodline run through their veins—the kekkei genkai is their birthright!"
   "I'd heard that two young ninjas had survived the tragedy of the Uchiha clan. No wonder they advance so quickly. But so does Haku—no one can match him!"

A small, humourless laugh rose from the mist.

   "If we're no match for Haku," Akira said lowly. "Then what does that say about you, Zabuza Momochi? I've already got two hits on you, and I wasn't even trying that hard."

As Zabuza began to protest, Kakashi and Akira dashed into the mist once again, but they stopped dead when they'd only moved a few feet away. They were sensing something big, chakra that was almost tangible. Akira could feel the wrath, the bloodlust—this wasn't Haku or Zabuza. It was something bigger, something exponentially more dangerous than Akira was prepared for. To her left, Kakashi was staring off in the same direction she was, deep in thought. As she turned to look at him, Kakashi pulled out a scroll from his jacket and opened it with one hand. He swiped some blood off of his wound and ran it across the scroll.

   "Zabuza, I don't mean to spoil your fun. I know how you like to stretch things out and play with your food," Kakashi said, rolling up the scroll. He placed his hands in a seal, the scroll resting atop them. "But how about we put an end to this now? Come on, what do you say? We're all busy people."
   "Hm, tempting," Zabuza said slowly. "I'm curious to see how you intend to back up such brave words—show me, Kakashi!"

Kakashi performed a few more hand signs, the scroll still in his hands somehow, and then slammed it to the ground. Suddenly, there was a rumble beneath Akira, and she looked onto into the mist, confused when she heard barking. 

   "A pack of dogs?" Akira whispered.
   "I realised that if I couldn't see you, I'd have to smell you out."

Suddenly, the mist cleared a little and, with the Sharingan, Akira and Kakashi were able to see Zabuza up ahead. Half a dozen dogs were latched onto various part of his body, each wearing a scarf with a different symbol. Akira smiled. Kakashi had let Zabuza cut him in order for his ninken to track the enemy.

   "See? I let you cut me. It was the scent of my blood on your blade that lead them to you," Kakashi said. "And with Akira attacking you, it made it look far less deliberate. Good job with that, by the way."
   "Oh, uh, thanks?"
   "Looks like I wasn't the only one who was blind. Falling right into my trap? You disappoint me, Zabuza."
   "Sensei, the mist is starting to clear," Akira said, seeing the mist retreating from her field of vision.
   "Yes, it is. And do you know what I see, Akira?" The girl shook her head. "His death."
   "Talk, talk," Zabuza scoffed. "Do you mean to talk me to death?"
   "No, there's been enough talk. Time to finish it." Kakashi said sternly. Though he somehow still managed to sound like his usual aloof self. "And I think I'll introduce you to my own jutsu this time."

Kakashi rapidly interlocked his fingers into numerous seals, some of which Akira didn't recognise, though her Sharingan was sure to remember them. As he finished the last seal, Kakashi took hold of his wrist, right hand cupped as if he was holding something. Suddenly, bright blue chakra became visible in a circle around Kakashi's feet, and it began to pool in his hand, forming a ball of hyper-concentrated and visible chakra. There was so much chakra, in fact, that as it moved around in his hand, it chirped like a thousand birds. Akira's eyes widened in awe.

   "I won't allow you to kill, Tazuna. He's a brave man with a noble dream. The bridge he's building is the hope of this land and all its people. You're like a disease; by attacking one, you infect all—and you don't care. That's not the way of the Shinobi!"
   "You're right, I don't care," Zabuza said. "These useless little people and their petty little dreams—why should they matter to me? I have a dream of my own. And your little runts are gonna get it Kakashi. When I get out of this, I'm going to watch all of them die real nice and slowly."

Akira's jaw set in anger. She planted her swords into the concrete under her feet and made a series of hand signs as well. When she grasped her tachi again, the familiar sensation of electricity burned at her skin and spread to her blades. Kakashi looked down at her, concern growing in his eyes.

   "Don't look at me like that," Akira said calmly.
   "Akira—"
   "I know what I'm doing. I've stared death in the face before, Sensei."

Kakashi frowned, but he didn't stop Akira from charging at Zabuza alongside him. Their electric attacks lit up the remaining mist, but slowly it left, letting Kakashi and Akira see Zabuza more clearly. As Akira approached Zabuza, her heart began to pound faster and faster. The seriousness of her claims and of her actions started to dawn on her, as her anger slowly lifted from her chest. She was about to kill someone. Barely a teenager and the girl had her sights set on killing an enemy. Akira didn't stop, though. She couldn't even if she wanted to; Akira was running too fast to stop herself in time before her blades went through Zabuza.

As Akira counted the last steps before reaching him, Kakashi's and Akira's Sharingans picked up movement. But it was too late to move, too late to react. Kakashi's palm hit, Akira's blades pierced, and while their attacks were successful, they didn't hit the right person.

Akira's eyes widened, and her breath hitched in her throat. Blood from the inflicted wounds splashed onto her face and clothes, littering the girl's shocked expression with drops of red. The stern look in her eyes shifted and melted into fear as she stared into the eyes of the person she'd hit. And, with barely a whisper, Akira managed to whisper his name.

   "Haku..."

Chapter Text

Akira felt the sweat drenching her clothes and running down her skin, the throbbing of her eyes as the Sharingan strained, the thumping of her heart against her chest. Her fingers curled around the handle of her tachi, nails digging into her palms. She couldn't hear her rapid breathing, or Kakashi's either, but she could feel the rise and fall of her chest, and it was far calmer than Akira was comfortable with. As her eyes rose to stare at the standing corpse at the edge of her blade, horror tortured Akira's insides, churning her stomach in tense cramps. It engulfed her conscience, knocking all other thoughts aside, and overwhelmed her body, making it drastically exhausted. A wave of nausea rose in Akira throat, but she kept it down easily, and that was what horrified her the most—the ease with which she was dealing with this.

Kakashi was just as shocked, perhaps even frightened, and his pack of ninken vanished as soon as his concentration left. Zabuza looked on, just as shocked, then at Haku, and Akira's eyes were forced down as they followed Zabuza's. Her blades had pierced right through Haku, Kakashi's palm left a cavity in his chest. There was blood everywhere, pouring out of every orifice possible, and onto anything it touched. It was on the ground, on Zabuza, on Kakashi, and as the electricity from the attacks died down, Akira could see the blood soaking into her clothes. The chirping and the buzzing stopped, throwing the bridge back into a tense silence, and as Kakashi went to pull away his hand, Haku latched onto his arm. 

Akira's breath hitched in her throat, and she took a step back, her blood-soaked blades leaving a short trail as she pulled them from Haku's body. Footsteps sounded behind her and, mind still confused and filled with panic, she swung her swords behind her. The tips of her tachi stopped mere inches away from Naruto's face, and he stared at them, then at her with wide eyes. It didn't take long for him to understand what had happened.

   "The boy threw himself in front of our attack," Kakashi growled. He glanced up at Zabuza. "He saved your worthless life at the cost of his own."
   "Well done, Haku," Zabuza chuckled. "I knew I found a treasure when I found you, boy."
   "Well done..." Akira whispered. "Well done... WELL DONE!?"

Akira turned back towards Zabuza, eyes burning with anger.

   "Haku gives his life to save your sorry ass, and you say, 'well done!?'" she roared. "This isn't some training exercise, Zabuza—Haku is dead! You'll never get to see him again!"

Suddenly, Zabuza began to slash down at Akira and Kakashi, fully aware that he'd split Haku in half if he did. Kakashi didn't hesitate to pull Haku towards him and jump out of the way, but Akira didn't move. Instead, she rose her swords at Zabuza and stopped his broadsword in mid-swing, concentrating chakra in her arms to help keep it at bay.

   "Not bad for being in shock, kid," Zabuza laughed, pushing down on Akira's blades with his own.
   "I'm not in shock," Akira said through clenched teeth. "I'M ANGRY!"

With a yell, Akira pushed her swords up enough for her to jump away from Zabuza. She landed next to Naruto, Kakashi and the dying Haku.

   "You'll pay for that!" Naruto yelled

Akira's head turned swiftly in his direction. It was only then that it registered that Naruto was safe. Looking on either side of him, however, Akira didn't see Sasuke. As the information registered in her mind, the Sharingan vanished from her eyes, revealing oceans of deep blue. No more than a split second later, Akira burst into a run, heading where the ice mirrors were slowly melting. Her hands were shaking as she ran, and her tachi fell to the ground as soon as they became a burden to hold.

And then she stopped. Akira couldn't breathe. It felt as if someone was choking her, as if someone had a hold on her heart and was crushing it with their bare hands. A cry forced itself up her throat, and tears slowly began pouring out of her eyes. Sasuke wasn't moving, needles sticking out of him by what seemed like the hundreds. A small pool of blood was building up beneath him, soaking his clothes.

Akira took a few steps closer, wanting nothing more than to fall to his side, but she froze when her foot touched the blood. She recoiled, terrified of what was in front of her eyes, a stark reminder of what Itachi had done all those years ago. The world turned into a blur, as did all the sounds, everything from the scents to the taste of the air fading into those of that tragic night. She breathed heavier than she ever had before, gasping for air that simply wasn't there. Her throat burned, letting out a raw scream that curdled blood.

   "Ugh, don't do that... You're going to give me a headache."

Akira gasped, suddenly finding the air that her lungs desperately needed. She took a step forward, walking through the blood, and knelt down beside her brother, whose eyes were open and looking up at his sister. Akira bent over and hugged Sasuke, sobbing into his clothes.

   "Don't ever do that to me again," Akira whispered between sobs. "Don't you dare!"
   "It hurts, Akira, jeez," Sasuke groaned.
   "Shut up, or I give you to Sakura."

Sasuke sighed and stayed quiet, gently hugging Akira back as best he could. Moments later, Sakura arrived, worried sick, and she helped Sasuke sit despite Akira's protesting.

   "He was just half-dead, Sakura," she shouted. "He needs to be lying down!"
   "How's Naruto?" Sasuke asked. "What happened to that guy in the mask?"
   "You know, if you're worrying about Naruto maybe you should be lying down," Sakura said, trying to put Sasuke on his back again.
   "I'll be fine! What happened?"
   "Naruto's good," Akira said with a sigh.
   "And the kid in the mask?"

Akira didn't answer. Instead, she distracted herself by checking Sasuke's wounds.

   "Kakashi-sensei and Akira... it was an accident, really," Sakura said nervously. "He jumped in front of Zabuza and—"
   "He's dead," Akira said sternly. A trail of blood from her sleeve smeared itself onto her face as she wiped her tears, and Sasuke and Sakura stared straight at it. "He's dead, and I killed him."
   "You—"
   "Yeah."

Sasuke nodded, and as Akira began removing the needles from his body, Sakura stood, calling over to Naruto. With the last of the needles plucked, Akira helped Sasuke stand, and they both faced Naruto. Upon seeing them, Naruto smiled, and even Sasuke rose a hand to acknowledge him. 

As Akira's eyes scanned the bridge, she noticed that the mist was nowhere to be found. In the centre of the bridge lay Zabuza, and Kakashi placed Haku beside him as all the villagers gathered up on the bridge, Inari leading them forward to scare of Gato's thugs. 

Akira supported Sasuke as they, Sakura and Tazuna walked back towards Kakashi and Naruto. Her eyes lingered on the blood on Kakashi's clothes, then on the ground where Haku had been killed. Sasuke shook her out of it, reassuring her that everything was going to be all right, and as he did, dainty flakes of snow began to fall. Akira smiled as they lodged themselves in her hair, and laughed, thinking about how Kai would say she looked like something out of a manga again. Sasuke looked at her strangely, but Naruto smiled as well, looking up at the snowflakes that could only be a reflection of Haku himself.

Akira stood, watching the line where heaven touched the earth. Lavender illuminated the sky and glimmers of orange melted in like watercolours on a canvas. Akira glanced over her shoulders with her heart heavy and at her shadow stretched over Zabuza's and Haku's graves that she and her comrades had dug. The girl sighed and, before the last stretches of colour disappeared and the sun had set, looked back at the horizon and at the bridge that Tazuna was safely completing.

   "Is that really it, Kakashi-sensei?" Sakura asked. "Is that really the ninja way? To use and be used by people like tools?"
   "Shinobi are merely tools in the hands of destiny," Kakashi said. "No point in wondering whether it's right or wrong. It just is. It's the same in the Village Hidden in the Leaves."
   "Well, if you ask me if that's what being a ninja is all about, something's outta whack," Naruto said in a huff. "Is that why we go through all this training? Just to end up like them? What's the reason for that?"
   "That's a question with an answer that's different for everyone, I think," Akira said calmly. "I think that we all just need to find our own ninja way, our own path to walk."
   "I think Akira's onto something!" Naruto chuckled, looking out at the sunset with Akira. "From now on, I'm finding my own ninja way! A way that's straight and true, and without any regrets! From now on, I'm following the way of Naruto!"

Akira swung her arm around Naruto's shoulders and laughed. Once again, Naruto's optimism had cheered everyone up, and even Sasuke had the faintest of smiles on his face.

   "Come on, guys," Kakashi said. "Let's go back and rest—we're leaving early tomorrow."
   "I'll race you, Akira!" Naruto exclaimed, smacking Akira on the shoulder. He began running towards the hill. "The last one down's a rotten egg!"
   "Hey, Naruto, you're gonna fall flat on your face if you run downhill like that!" Akira called, worried. She jogged after him and watched as he face-planted. "See, I told you!"
   "I'm fine, I'm fine!"

Naruto jogged the rest of the way back, worried that he'd fall again, and it was at the last moment that Akira dashed forwards and beat him to Tazuna's house. As they all went inside, Akira walked towards the water and stared at her own reflection. She looked tired, and her clothes and skin were covered with dirt and blood. Her worries about the rippling water from a few days ago seemed meaningless now.

Akira followed everyone inside and, with a sigh, she went straight up to her shared room to clean off her face and hands. Akira watched as the clear water turned murky and brown and as the dried dirt on her arms trickled down when she passed a wet cloth on top. But the blood had concentrated in the folds of her knuckles, in the webbing of her fingers, and no matter how hard she scrubbed, no matter how much dirt washed off her skin, Haku's blood didn't seem to leave, a stark reminder of the act she'd committed.

When Tsunami called everyone for dinner, Akira never showed. She spent the next hour with her hands in the washbowl, hoping that the warm water and the soap would loosen the blood. Sakura came to check on her before she sat down for dinner but didn't dare engage Akira upon seeing several bloody towels strewn across the room. Instead, she went back downstairs and told everyone that Akira had gone to sleep. And when Sakura returned to go to bed, there was no evidence that Akira had been scrubbing her hands raw. The soiled towels were gone, the water in the bowl was clear, and the only reminder of Akira's actions remained on the pile of dirty but meticulously folded clothes in the corner of the room.

Akira came back to Konohagakure a changed girl. She was stronger than before, and yet far more wounded than she'd ever been. Still, even though her hands were clean, Akira could see Haku's blood, and she could still hear the sound her blades made when they pierced him.

When Akira stepped across the threshold that led to Konoha, she was met with the same familiar smell of jasmine flowers. The main street was alive and bustling with the people she saw every day. It was like a salve, rushing over her injured hands to heal all their wounds. Akira was quick to break away from Team Seven and dashed off towards the training ground she, Kai, Shikamaru and Kiba were always at. She ran through the crowd of people on Main Street, passing the bright green cherry blossom trees, and waved hello to the father and daughter who ran Ichiraku Ramen when she bolted past.

The girl's heart swelled when she reached the Academy and wandered onto the training grounds. Of course, her friends were the only ones there that weren't training, which brought a smile to Akira's face. Kai was sitting cross-legged in the grass, as usual, fanning himself with his pale blue paper fans; Shikamaru was leaning against a tree, arms crossed and staring at Kiba with his typical lazy expression; and Kiba, lying flat on his back, was staring up at the sky with Akamaru sleeping peacefully on his stomach.

   "Miss me?"

Three pairs of eyes glanced over towards the sound of Akira's voice, and the three boys stared at her in pure shock. There she was, after an entire month, just standing in front of them with a lopsided smirk on her face. Even after a whole month, Akira didn't look different at all, but her eyes were sunken. The boys couldn't tell whether it was fatigue or something far more worrisome, but they set it aside, and Kiba scrambled to his feet.

   "Kira, you're back!" he shouted happily, trapping Akira in a bone-crushing hug.
   "We missed you like crazy!" Kai said, joining Kiba.
   "I missed you too, guys, but you're gonna kill me if you don't stop squeezing!" Akira said with a wheeze. "Shikamaru—help!"
   "Welcome back, Akira," Shikamaru said, smiling slyly. "You're on your own."
   "You asshole!"

Chapter Text

Akira gazed at herself in the mirror, illuminated by the light of the moon. She stared at the sunken and tired blue eyes that barely got a wink of sleep, the new cuts and scrapes on her body, and at the old, pale, lightning-like scars that trailed up her arms. Akira's eyes settled on her hands, and while they were clean, she could still see Haku's blood, fresh and crimson. With an unsteady sigh, Akira flexed her fingers and closed her eyes, trying to will away the image of Haku's blood. It didn't work until she jumped in the shower and metaphorically washed it all away, emerging from the water almost like new. Akira stared at her clock as she got dressed, silently cursing her body for waking her up before sunrise. Sasuke wasn't near awake, and he wouldn't be for hours as he was still recovering from their month-long mission, so Akira didn't bother making herself breakfast. Instead, she put on a pot of tea and had a single cup before leaving the apartment. She forwent the stairs and jumped straight off the balcony and began her walk with no particular destination in mind.  

Upon the petals of jasmine flowers sat hundreds of little beads of water, each one a perfect sphere, brilliant in the soft lavender light of the dawn. Akira smiled as she passed the spot where she and Kai met up most mornings and walked on, humming a soft tune she remembered from her childhood. All the shops were still sleeping and, as Akira made her way through the small forest that separated her from training ground three, she looked around at the sleeping boughs. The three familiar posts from training ground three soon came into view, and Akira ignored them. Almost serene, Akira sat near the edge of the water on the other side of the clearing. She stared at the reflection of the morning sky in the still water and, when she'd made sure that no one was around, Akira trailed her fingers across the surface. The girl watched the water ripple and still as her fingers traced patterns in the water and, without really thinking, Akira concentrated a small amount of chakra in her fingertips. To say that she was shocked when the water followed her fingers would be a lie. Somehow, Akira figured it would happen; she could tell by the way her fingertips tingled every time they approached the water. But it didn't make it any less fascinating to watch it follow her finger around.

   "You're using more chakra this time, aren't you?"

Startled, Akira's concentration was broken, and her hand retracted from the water. She looked over her shoulder and spotted Kakashi, hands stuffed in his pockets, and nonchalantly walking over to his student.

   "Sorry."
   "It's fine, you just startled me," Akira chuckled. "But yeah, a little more than last time. I'm a little scared to use more."
   "Are you?"
   "People aren't supposed to pull water out of a lake, Sensei."
   "Not normally, no," Kakashi said, taking a seat beside Akira. "But there are shinobi who have certain abilities."
   "Yeah, but Uchiha are known for their fire-style." Akira sighed and pulled her knees to her chest. "And I was always reprimanded for not practising it. Now you're telling me that pulling water out of a lake is fine? My father is probably writhing in his grave."
   "What was it you said not two days ago? Something about making your own ninja path?"
   "Using my own words against me, that's nice."
   "Look, it doesn't matter whether you know the Great Fireball jutsu or not, and it doesn't matter if your father would approve or not. What matters is that you become great at what you do know, and what's right for you," Kakashi said. He nodded towards the water. "Go on."

Akira gave Kakashi a sceptical look, but sighed and sat up straight when he insisted. She placed her fingertips over the water, and the tingling sensation returned when she touched it. Akira pooled a small amount of chakra at the tips of her fingers, and she watched the water follow her hand as she pulled it away from the lake. The tingling sensation had not left her fingers, but the feeling of the water on her skin had; Akira's hands were bone dry, and yet, her fingertips were covered in a trail of water being pulled from the lake.

   "It's strange," Akira muttered. "I can feel the water, but it's not touching me."
   "Does it feel weird?"
   "No, it... Well, that can't be."
   "What can't?"
   "It just feels like me."
   "That's probably because you've imbued the water with your chakra," Kakashi said, staring at the trail of water. 
   "My chakra is in the water?"
   "It's the only way the water would move." Kakashi thought for a moment. "How far can you go with that amount of chakra?"

Akira stood, concentrating on not breaking the trail of water coming from the lake. Slowly, she walked backwards, watching as the water continued to follow her hand. After about five feet, the trail of water broke and fell to the ground. Akira looked at it, somewhat disappointed.

   "It's not like you were going to go across town on the first try," Kakashi noted, pulling out a book. "But at least we know this is more than just a fluke. Try and do that again, using more and more chakra each time."
   "Now?" Akira said, turning to look at him. "I haven't even had breakfast yet, Sensei."
   "Then this'll be just like the bell test, and we both know how well you did there."
   "And you're just going to sit there and read?"
   "Yup."
   "Well, I'd feel bad," Akira admitted. "The others aren't training. I don't want to get preferential treatment."

Kakashi looked up from his book and sighed, then turned around. Akira rose an eyebrow at him.

   "You think turning around and pretending I don't exist means you're not training me?"
   "Yes, I do."

Akira sighed and rolled her eyes. Akira stood near the edge of the water and, with a shake of her head, began pooling chakra in her fingertips. It was like the tree training all over again, kicking a dent in the grass every time she'd pulled the water even just an inch further down the training grounds. But this training was taking a lot more out of her. While climbing a tree kept the chakra within her, this was putting it outside her body, and whenever the trail of water broke, it felt like a chunk of her chakra had evaporated into the air. A few hours in, Kakashi had vanished, leaving a small note that read he'd be back eventually. By the time lunch came around, Akira was lying on her back, panting heavily and staring at the bright blue sky above. Just then, a shadow crossed her face, and Akira looked to her right. Kakashi was standing over her, holding a bag.

   "I figured you might be hungry."
   "I don't have to steal a bell to eat, do I?"
   "No, not this time," Kakashi chuckled.

Akira sat up with great effort and took the bag from Kakashi, who sat down beside her. She pulled out a bento box and began eating immediately.

   "You're gonna need some strength to keep up with this kind of training."
   "Tell me about it," Akira said, stuffing some rice into her mouth.
   "Expelling chakra isn't something everyone can do," Kakashi said. "While it's not the same or as hard as making your chakra visible, it still requires a certain amount of skill that certain people don't have."
   "Sensei," Akira stated. She took a bite of her tamagoyaki. "That was rhetorical."
   "Oh."
   "Don't worry, it was very informative."

Akira took a deep breath then stood, smoothing out the clothes that she'd washed four times to get the bloodstains out.

   "Done already?" Kakashi said, looking over at the now-empty box lunch.
   "I usually just eat breakfast and don't eat at all when I'm training," Akira said. "I don't like wasting time."
   "Eating isn't wasting time."
   "No, but talking is."

Kakashi scoffed and returned to his book as Akira resumed her training. She pulled more and more water from the lake as the day went on, cursing when the water broke off until she made it past the training posts at the other end of the training ground. Then, Kakashi was startled as a loud cheer erupted nearby, and a string of water rushed past him as Akira went to dump it back in the lake.

   "Ha! Take that you stupid water, I beat you!"
   "All right, all right, settle down," Kakashi said, laughing a little. "Let me see. Do it again."

With confidence, Akira took a familiar stance and pushed her hand forward. Having pooled enough chakra in her hand, she quickly pulled back her arm in a whip-like motion, and a thin strand of water followed. Akira made it swerve around a tree and, using the same whip-like move, returned it to the water.

   "How's that?" Akira asked, smiling. 
   "Impressive," Kakashi said. "What was that stance you took at the beginning?"
   "Oh, I mixed it with some old martial arts Sasuke and I learned as kids. Made it easier to manoeuvre the water around."
   "I'm sure it'll make it more likely for you to practise, too."
   "Speaking of practice," Akira said. "I have to meet the guys for some sparring."
   "More training?" Kakashi asked, eyebrows raised.
   "Yup! It'll keep me distracted! See you, Sensei!"

Kakashi's eyebrows furrowed as he watched Akira run off. What was it she needed distracting from?

A bright smile on her face, Akira ran down the streets of Konoha, swiftly weaving through strangers as not to bump into them. She waved to Sakura as the girl exited the Yamanaka flower shop, and at the bakery owners near the Academy as she bolted past. Upon arriving in front of her friends, Akira skidded to a halt, panting but smiling.

   "Hey, guys!" she chimed.
   "Did you run here?" Kai asked, raising an eyebrow at her.
   "Yup! From training ground three."
   "That's on the other side of the village," Kiba noted, frowning.
   "Yes, yes, it is." Akira slumped to the ground. "Ready for some training?"
   "Are you?" Shikamaru said, a little worried. "You look like you've been training all day."
   "I have been. Since five this mor—oh, don't look at me like that, I'm fine."
   "How about we get some barbecue instead?" I'm starving," Kiba said. "Besides, you can't even stand."
   "Come on! I came here to kick your asses," Akira laughed. She stood up with relative ease. "If you win at hand-to-hand then barbecue is on me, Kiba."
   "Oh, you're on!"

Kiba and Akira stepped apart and stopped at a relatively good distance from each other. They both took mock martial arts stances, making Kai and Shikamaru laugh, but a rustle in the bushes nearby distracted them. Hinata emerged, face red and looking everywhere but ahead.

   "Hey, Hinata! You come here to see me kick Akira's ass?" Kiba barked.
   "I'm the one who's gonna wipe the floor with you!" Akira protested.
   "Uh, Kiba's my teammate, so I have to cheer him on," Hinata said, a little confused.
   "Yeah, but he's gonna lose so—"

Kiba interrupted Akira by running at her full speed. She shrieked as he approached and ducked as he tried to land a punch. Akira grabbed Kiba's legs and flipped him with ease, then swerved around. Kiba was up on his feet in an instant, lunging at Akira, and she blocked his jab by pushing his hand aside while aiming a punch at his head with her other hand. Kiba dodged it and grabbed Akira's arm with both hands, then attempted to flip her. Akira used the momentum to continue the flip longer than Kiba had intended and landed on her feet. 

The second she landed, Akira swung her foot outwards and kicked Kiba straight in the chest. His animal-like reflexes allowed him to land on all fours, and he dashed at her again without missing a beat, pouncing at her like an enraged dog. They exchanged a flurry of blows and, when Kiba seemed concentrated enough, Akira swung her foot at his legs, knocking him to the ground. With a triumphant laugh, Akira set her foot on Kiba's back.

   "Checkmate."
   "If I could use Akamaru, I swear you'd be crying right now!" Kiba growled.
   "Keep telling yourself that, kid."
   "I'm older than you!"
   "That means nothing to me."

Kiba scoffed and took Akira's hand as she held it out to him. Instead of pulling himself up, Kiba pulled Akira down, and they wrestled like wild animals, cursing at each other until Kai and Shikamaru broke them up.

   "I won that!" Kiba shouted as Shikamaru let go of him.
   "Please! Kai saved your ass by pulling me outta there!" Akira scoffed, wrenching herself out of Kai's grip.
   "Why are they fighting?" Hinata asked, a little scared.
   "They aren't fighting," Shikamaru said through Kiba's and Akira's arguing. "This is how they bond."
   "But it's so violent..."
   "Fine!" Akira shouted all of a sudden. "You win! Happy?"
   "Yes, I am!" Kiba retorted. There was a short paused and then, lightly, he continued, "Barbecue?"
   "Sounds good."

Much to Hinata's confusion, Akira jumped on Kiba's back, and they went off towards the barbecue restaurant, laughing about something that Kiba had said. Kai and Shikamaru sighed in exasperation, and they walked behind them alongside Hinata, on their way to have good food in the company of good, yet slightly insane, friends.

Chapter Text

Akira moved around like she was part of a choreographed dance. Her swings, lunges and kicks flowed with ease and, once in a while, the glint of a blade could be seen in the early morning light. Training and practising her martial art techniques in her family's old dojo was a tradition Akira never got to partake in before her parents died. Now that they'd passed, Akira went in every morning to show her dedication to her deceased clan, even if no one could see her. Not even Sasuke could see her train. Despite having cleared a way through the overgrown bushes behind the dojo, effectively avoiding going through the compound, Sasuke couldn't bring himself to even step foot on the grounds of what used to be the Uchiha's land. Akira couldn't blame him. Even if the dojo was a little ways away from the main house, its general state of disrepair couldn't be ignored, and memories of the massacre waded their way forwards in her mind. Sometimes, as Akira was taking a break from training, she'd feel uncomfortable. There were memories of watching Itachi train in this dojo that she sometimes couldn't shake off. However, they were soon forgotten as she resumed training again.

By the time Akira had done her training, the sun was well up in the sky, and the breakfast that Sasuke had made for them earlier now sat cold on the counter. Akira put the teapot back on the stove as she came back to the apartment, and she used a kitchen towel she wanted to throw in the wash anyway to wipe off the sweat from her face. She threw it over her shoulder and poured herself a cup of over-steeped tea, then took a sip before wincing and pouring it all down the drain. Akira pulled a face at the food Sasuke had made and put the leftovers in the fridge, refusing to eat the shellfish he knew she hated. Akira headed towards the bathroom for a long hot shower, and when she emerged, clean and clothed, Akira made herself another small pot of tea.

She noticed the wilting flowers on the dining table as she slowly sipped on her tea, and wondered if Sasuke had changed the water like he was supposed to. Akira quickly downed the rest of her burning hot tea with a frown and pulled the flowers out of the vase, hissing as she tried to cool down her tongue.

As she left the quiet and solitary confines of the apartment, Akira tossed the flowers in the bin. The morning was gone by the time Akira got into town. Several people were lining up at restaurants and food stalls for a snack or an early lunch. She waved hello to a small boy who had smiled at her, but she frowned when the woman gave her the stink eye. With a sigh, Akira walked off in her intended direction, her mood a little soured.

The Yamanaka flower shop was a quaint little store run by Ino's family, and it was the only place that Akira could, or would, get her flowers. Ino was always a bit of a pest when working at the register, but her mother was the sweetest woman imaginable and always gave her good discounts for being such a loyal customer. Akira perused the displays of flowers, taking her time to look at all the beautiful blooms. 

   "Good afternoon, miss Yamanaka!"

Akira turned her head to see Sakura walking into the shop. She spotted the Uchiha nearly immediately and came over, a big smile on her face.

   "Hey, Akira! What brings you here?"
   "Well, if I'm in a flower shop—"
   "Oh, you know what I mean! What's the occasion?"
   "No occasion," Akira said. "I have a vase on my dining table that needs fresh flowers. I get some every week."
   "Have you decided what to get?"

Akira sighed. It was strange that she was so undecided today. Usually, she would glance over at the blooms, and something would immediately catch her eye. But when Akira's eyes scanned the flowers, all they seemed to find were the austere purple hyacinths.

   "The hyacinths, I think."
   "Oh, those are nice!" Sakura said with a smile. "Did you know that they symbolise regret?"
   "Of course, I do," Akira chuckled. Her eyes were sad. "We took our kunoichi classes together, remember?"

As Akira turned to grab a few stalks of hyacinths, Sakura looked over to Akira and smiled sadly. After Sakura went over to pick out her own flowers, they paid and exited the shop together.

   "Do you want to have lunch?" Sakura blurted out. A few passerby's stared at her strangely. "With me, I mean."
   "Uh, sure," Akira hesitated, a little confused.
   "All right! Go put those flowers in that vase of yours and we'll meet at the sushi shop!"

Sakura marched off, looking rather determined, which made Akira laugh a little under her breath, and they met back up as planned about twenty minutes later. The girls took the booth by the window looking out on the street and ordered drinks while deciding what kinds of sushi they wanted. Sakura made small talk quite awkwardly, asking about Akira's friend "Kita" and his dog "Haru".

   "Kiba and Akamaru."
   "Oh, dammit, that's right," Sakura said dejectedly. "What's wrong with me?"
   "You're trying too hard," Akira chuckled, half-smiling. "Calm down. We're just two friends having lunch."
   "Friends?"
   "Well, sure."
   "Then... Can I ask something? As a friend, I mean."

The waitress came over to bring the girls their drinks and take their orders.

   "Yeah, shoot," Akira said as the waitress left.
   "How are you?" Sakura asked with a sigh.
   "I'm fine. Why?"
   "No, I mean, really."

Akira suddenly found her green tea fascinating to look at.

   "The hyacinths, huh?" Akira said after a beat. "That easy?"
   "Well... it wasn't just that," Sakura said honestly. 

The waitress came over and brought them several plates of food. Both girls immediately tucked in.

   "It was everything from that mission, really," Sakura said. "You—You killed someone, Akira."
   "I'm all right, Sakura, really."
   "No, you're not. Don't pretend that you are. You were soaked with blood, you were bruised and scraped—you spent hours scrubbing your hands raw instead of eating, and you haven't stopped to rest since we all got back. You look tired, Akira. Exhausted."
   "Thanks," Akira chuckled, poking at her sashimi.
   "You know what I mean. I'm just—You're my friend. I'm worried."

Akira looked out the window. For a moment, she stared at the way people walked, roughly in one direction, weaving a little, chatting as they went. She watched them, some with their heads down and lost in thought, wondering what their private worlds were like and if they knew this feeling she was feeling.

   "I'm not fine, that's true," Akira said after a while. "But I'm not not fine, you know?"
   "I don't follow."
   "I don't think that this is something I'll ever get over. It's one of those big firsts, you know? Usually it's—what am I saying?—like a first kiss or your first boyfriend or the first time you ride a bike—"
   "Are you seriously comparing killing a person to riding a bike, right now?"
   "Yes, look, the point is—I'm never going to forget it. It's always going to be there. And sure, I suppose, that might mean that I'll never really be okay—"
   "That's not reassuring me!"
   "Fine, over time, the feeling of wanting to vomit all my insides will leave. And one day I won't see blood on my hands every time I wash them. And one day I'll stop having nightmares. Trust me. I've been there before. I know how to get through this, Sakura, it'll just take time."
   "Are you sure?"
   "Yeah, I'm sure," Akira said. "And since you're my friend, if there's ever something wrong..."
   "I've got your back."

Akira smiled and stuffed an entire salmon nigiri into her mouth. For a moment, Sakura was pleased. There was a little shine in her eyes that was reassuring, but the memory of the blood soaking Akira's clothes and skin was still far too fresh in her mind for it to be entirely at ease. However, the lunch went without any other displays of sadness and regret and grief. Both girls left the restaurant far too full, complaining about the weight they were going to gain. Still feeling a little worried for Akira, Sakura suggested a girl's night in, with board games and a sleepover. While Akira wasn't really the type to do either of those things, she knew what Sakura was up to and agreed without hesitation.

Chapter Text

Today, the sunshine was in everyone's bones. Its heat radiated outwards and into the bright day. Usually, with weather like this, it was as if the people were glowing, their aura so happy on these summer days. Instead, Akira was fighting in her family's dojo, sweating profusely as she kicked and punched the training dummies scattered throughout the room. Her feet pounded on the tatami, droplets of sweat seeping through, and even with the door open to let in the smallest of breezes, Akira's mind was starting to go fuzzy with the heat. As her feet landed powerful hits on the dummies, the impact made Akira sway more and more until, finally, her legs gave way and she fell on her back. The impact was absorbed by the tatami, but the wind was knocked out of her regardless. 

Akira let out a mixture of a sigh and a groan. She reached out a hand without looking and felt her way towards the towel she'd brought with her. After wiping the beads of sweat from her face, Akira brought the towel down to her neck and turned her head to look outside. Her eyes fell on the foliage outside the dojo. In the beds that were once filled with colourful flowers, sat grey and lifeless earth, and even though the trees and bushes seemed alive in the sunlight, Akira couldn't help but feel they'd been neglected as bad as the flower beds. Her eyes turned to the walls of the dojo, clean and pristine, then back to the lifeless dirt.

Akira sighed and stood, swinging the towel over her shoulder. Leaving her shoes in the dojo, Akira walked over to the flower beds and stuck her toes in. The dirt was dry and crumbly and burned in the heat of the relentless sun. Even the grass around the dojo was lifeless, yellowed and dry. Akira frowned at her surroundings, but only ended up grabbing her shoes and walking away from the dojo. She went the long way back to the apartment, through the path she'd made through the overgrown bushes and passing by the lake near the compound. At the edge of the dock sat Naruto, giggling as he stared at his toes in the water. Akira let out a breath of laughter and went off the trail, steadily heading down the hill that led to the dock. 

   "What're you up to, Naruto?"

The boy shrieked and, in his panic, fell into the lake. Akira rose an eyebrow at him and held up her towel in front of her as Naruto splashed water at her.

   "Whatchu scaring me for!?" he shouted.
   "Sorry, I didn't mean to," Akira said with a chuckle.

Naruto pulled himself out of the water and snatched Akira's towel. When he was dry, he tossed the towel back at her.

   "I was thinking about pulling another prank on—"
   "Oh, no, don't you dare!" Akira said sternly. She began to walk off again. "You've not pulled another one of your practical jokes in a while, and that's a good thing. The village is finally calm—"
   "Yeah, and that's boring!" Naruto groaned. "I need to keep people on their toes, you know?"
   "And by people, you mean Iruka-sensei who, once again, will have to run around the village chasing after you like some dog who's broken off its leash."
   "Well... not if you help me."
   "No," Akira said sternly.
   "Oh, come on, Akira! If you help me, I won't get caught—you're the best!"
   "I appreciate the flattery, Naruto, but I'm not using my talents for pranks. Although..."
   "What, what, what?" Naruto repeated excitedly.
   "I think Kai could be persuaded. He's been itching to do something as of late."
   "Awesome!" Naruto cheered. "Thanks, Akira!"

As Naruto was about to leave, he paused and slowly turned back to Akira. He opened his mouth to speak, but Akira interrupted him.

   "I'm fine, Naruto."
   "How did you know I was gonna ask that?"
   "You get all quiet when you're serious," Akira said with a small smile. "Besides, it's all anyone's been asking me. Better yet... how are you?"
   "Me?" Naruto looked a little surprised by the question.
   "Yes. Something happened during that fight, Naruto. I felt it."

Naruto looked away. He looked uncomfortable, worried even. 

   "Hey, I'm not going to push it if you don't want to talk about it," Akira said softly. She gently put a hand on his shoulder. "Go on. Go push Kai into driving Iruka-sensei insane."
   "Well, I don't think it's such a good idea anymore. Maybe I'll convince Kai to do it, tomorrow," Naruto said with a shrug. "Can I hang out with you instead?"
   "With me? I'm not even out of my workout clothes." Akira vaguely gestured down at herself. "I was just going to go home and get out of this heat."
   "Aww, can't we at least go get ramen together?"
   "Ramen? Naruto, it's a million degrees out here!"
   "Come on, come on, come oooon!"
   "Okay! All right! Ramen it is."

Naruto cheered and ran off, leaving Akira to try and catch up behind him. She groaned and called after him, her legs aching as she ran. It seemed to take forever to get back into town, and once she and Naruto had made it back, they were both sweating like crazy. Teuchi shook his head when he saw the two of them sit down.

   "Did this kid drag you into this, Akira?" he said.
   "Yes," Akira said with a groan.
   "I'll take the works, mister!" Naruto said gleefully.
   "You got it, kid."
   "Hot ramen... You're insane, Naruto. Mr. Teuchi, do you serve any cold noodle dishes?"
   "Not usually, but I can whip something special up just for you. No sense in overheating more than you already are."
   "Oh, thank you. I think I'd die if I had anything hot to eat," Akira said with a sigh.
   "Preference of protein?"
   "Pork, please."

Teuchi nodded and he began to prepare the two friends' meals. Ayame, Teuchi's daughter, brought them drinks that she said were on the house due to the heatwave, and Akira drank half of it in one go.

   "Oh, mango," she sighed happily.
   "You like the mango ones?" Naruto asked. He nodded to himself. "I'll remember that."
   "Why?"
   "Well, you always bring drinks and food to us when we're training. Now I know what you like so I can bring something for you next time."

Akira smiled.

   "This doesn't have anything to do with our last mission, does it?"

Naruto laughed nervously and shook his head.

   "Of course, not!" he insisted. "Just being a good friend!"
   "I told you, Naruto, I'm fine," Akira said. "But..."

Teuchi came back with Naruto's steaming bowl of ramen and set it in front of him, and he placed a bowl of sōmen noodles in ice water in front of Akira. He came back with several dipping sauces and gave a quick flavour profile of each of them. Akira grabbed her chopsticks and immediately went for the milky sesame sauce. She marvelled at the taste of all the dipping sauces and thanked Teuchi for going through the trouble of making it for her.

   "But what, but what!?" Naruto whined.
   "But... I do admit that I've been having problems... adjusting."

Naruto was quiet. He took a few bites of his ramen.

   "He didn't deserve to die."

Akira put down her drink and sighed.

   "No, he didn't."
   "Then why did you do it?"
   "Why?" Akira scoffed. "Naruto, I meant to kill Zabuza, not Haku."
   "Then what happened?"

Akira sighed and thought for a moment, trying to formulate a sentence that wouldn't make it sound like she'd lost her mind.

   "I was angry."
   "Yeah, and?"
   "And he got in the way."
   "That's it?"
   "That's it, Naruto," Akira admitted. She sighed and put her chopsticks down. "I was angry. Zabuza was being... irritating. Kakashi-sensei was already going in and I—I was just so angry that I went in too. Kakashi-sensei didn't want me to, but I was so... blinded by rage and so sure of myself that I didn't care. I'd confronted death before and I wasn't afraid to do it again.
   "I never expected Haku to throw himself between us and Zabuza. And then I—it was too late. The next thing I know, Kakashi-sensei's arm and my blade had pierced through Haku. There was... blood everywhere—it was on my face, my hands, soaked into my clothes. Sometimes... when I'm washing my hands or looking in the mirror, I can still see the blood. I scrubbed my hands raw that day—it just wouldn't leave."
   "Sakura said you were tired that day... she lied didn't she?" Naruto said softly.

Akira nodded.

   "When Sakura came to check up on me, there were probably bloody rags everywhere. She must have figured I wouldn't want to see anyone." Akira scoffed. "She was right."
   "I still think about him, too," Naruto said after a little while.

His ramen had gone cold by now and both bowls of noodles had gone soggy. Their drinks were creating rings of condensation on the counter, and the warmth of the sun on Akira's and Naruto's back was seeping to their bones again, the cool sensation of their drinks long gone.

   "Especially when it snows."
   "It's never snowed much in Konoha," Akira said with a smile. "It's a nice thought that he's with us when it does."

Chapter Text

   "You're late."
   "I'm sorry! I got caught up at the dojo."
   "Again? Woman, you're going to burn yourself out."
   "Shut up, Mom."

It was a beautiful day. The sun was high and warm, and a cool breeze made it impossible for anyone to overheat. The summer flowers around the main street were giving off the most wonderful aroma and the rustling of leaves in the wind filled the air with a most soothing sound.

Kai and Akira had met up at their bench that morning, a new ritual they were doing every Wednesday morning to break up their week. A new restaurant had opened a few weeks prior, and the two friends had made it their mission to be the owners' favourite regulars by the end of the month. So far, the majority of the workers there would recognise them as soon as they walked in and one of them was getting close to knowing Akira's order by heart.

   "Jasmine tea, a little honey. Steamed rice and... no—let me figure it out! Miso soup with... with... oh, it's a vegetable of some kind. I give up."
   "Do I even know?" Kai asked with a chuckle.
   "It's kabocha," Akira said with a slight smile.
   "Damn, that's right!" the waiter sighed. "And you're getting the same tea, no honey. With rice and... mackerel?"
   "You got it."
   "Awesome, I'll be back soon with the tea!"

As the waiter left, he smiled at Akira who smiled back a little incredulously. When he was out of range, Kai burst out laughing.

   "What's so funny?" Akira asked, her eyebrows furrowed.
   "He's into you," Kai snorted. "Isn't it obvious?"
   "What—have you lost your mind, Kai? He's is not—"

The waiter had come back with the tea and unlike with the other tables, with it came a miniature vase with a branch of jasmine flowers. He smiled at Akira again before returning to his work. Her eyes went wide as she turned to look at Kai who was trying his hardest not to laugh.

   "Stop it, Kai! It's not funny."
   "You've got an admirer, you've got an admirer."
   "Shut it! Don't make it weird."
   "Oh, come on, you're no fun!"

Kai served himself and Akira some tea while she shook her head at him. The waiter came back with the food a few moments later and he lingered a little too long for Akira's taste.

   "Okay, how are you supposed to react when someone has a thing for you?" Akira asked as soon as he left.
   "Well, it depends on whether you have a thing for him too."
   "Kai! He serves me food! I don't even know his name!"
   "Have you not looked at his name tag?" Kai said with a laugh.
   "What—no! I'm usually too busy staring at the food," Akira said after taking a sip of tea.
   "Typical. Well, you know what that means."
   "No?" Akira dropped her spoon. "What does that mean?"
   "Means if you reject him you'll have to live with the awkwardness every time you walk in here."

Akira blinked a few times, her brain trying to process what Kai had just said.

   "Kai... We're never going to be able to come back here."
   "Oh, don't be so dramatic," Kai said with a laugh. "If he never asks you out, then you'll never have to reject him."
   "But the flower?"
   "Yeah, it's not looking good."

Akira groaned and stuffed a spoonful of rice into her mouth. The rest of the friends' breakfast went without any further interactions from the waiter, and Akira made a point to pay and leave before he could make it out from the kitchens.

   "You're such a scaredy-cat!" Kai said, roaring with laughter.
   "I am not! I just—I like the food! I don't want to be parted with it."

Kai bent himself over with laughter and Akira nearly dragged him over to the old Academy training grounds where they'd planned to train for an hour or two. When they arrived, several students rushed over to watch them train. 

Even though Akira and Kai had grown accustomed to their moves and techniques, they would occasionally withhold some of their expertise to showcase it in a light sparring match for the children at the Academy. Iruka-sensei, and other teachers, found it beneficial for them to see upperclassmen spar together and try to analyse what was going on. Honestly, Akira and Kai just did it for fun, and it was nice to go up against some of Kai's new moves.

They sparred for just about an hour and the Academy students watched in awe as Akira and Kai exchanged blows, kunai and several new jutsu that neither of them had seen before. The two friends were having fun, but Kai seemed worried, which cost him the match in the end. It was Akira's concentration that concerned him. Usually, she'd joke and laugh as they sparred, but Akira was silent today. Her gaze was sharp and focused, far too intense for their usual training.

Kai and Akira made use of the Academy locker rooms to clean themselves up, then headed to the swing just outside the front doors. There was once a time where she and Kai could both sit on it at the same time, but no longer. Kai always gave up the seat to Akira. 

   "Hey, are you all right?"
   "What? Yeah, I am. Why?"
   "You were... unusually intense during training today," Kai noted.
   "Yeah, sorry," Akira sighed. "I've been... distracted lately. Focusing on training is really the only thing that keeps my mind off of it."
   "Does it have anything to do with your mission to the Land of Waves? You never told me what happened. Even Naruto wouldn't tell me anything."
   "You asked Naruto?" Akira chuckled. "Wow, you must've been desperate."
   "I was! You never told me, and last time I asked you didn't seem like you wanted to talk about it at all."

Akira kicked off the ground a little and began to swing.

   "I've got to be honest with you, Kai. I still don't want to talk about it," Akira admitted. "But... I suppose that hiding this for the past few weeks is enough."
   "You don't have to tell me," Kai said.
   "No, it's all right. I've found that talking about it... helps, I suppose." Akira sighed. "Kai, during my last mission, everything—and I mean everything—went to hell. The client wasn't who he said he was, the mission rank was not as it seemed, my team and I nearly died on numerous occasions."
   "Well, damn."
   "Kakashi-sensei and I... made the decision to take our enemy's life. He didn't want me to—Kakashi-sensei, I mean—but I was quite angry and considering my past experience with death, I figured it would be fine. It would have been fine. But something went wrong... Our opponent's partner, he—he came between Kakashi-sensei and me and our opponent. He died instead. I was... not prepared."
   "Oh, Kira," Kai said sadly.

He sighed and stood up, beckoning Akira off the swing. She came to a stop and stood, then let Kai sit down on the swing. He waved her over and Akira frowned, but Kai tugged on her arm until she caved and sat on his lap. It took a few moments of hesitation, but Akira relaxed and slumped into Kai's side. She dropped her head onto his and sighed.

   "I'll be all right. It's just going to take time."
   "You sure?"
   "Yeah, I'm sure."
   "I'm here for you if you need me, okay?"
   "I know. I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner."
   "Hey, hey, hey—don't you be apologising to me," Kai said. "You went in to do something that was already horrible and then to have something unexpected and far more horrible happen? It's a shock, Akira. Mind and body. Honestly, I'm surprised you haven't already snapped."
   "Yeah, well, I've got a few friends that have made things a little bit more bearable."

Chapter Text

A dumpling flew across the room and hit the wall with an unceremonious wet thump. Another one flew opposite and landed squarely on Kiba's forehead. A fit of laughter rose within the dango shop and then another voice rose up in laughter as well. 

   "Children, the both of you!"

It was Shikamaru who'd interrupted Kiba's and Akira's small-scale food fight. He and Kai were walking outside by pure coincidence and a small stream of sticky dumpling syrup had landed in Shikamaru's hair as the second dango was thrown.

   "Oh, god, Shikamaru, I'm sorry! I was aiming for Kiba's stupid fat head."
   "Hey! Don't insult my head like that!"
   "What are you guys even doing?" Shikamaru asked.
   "Having lunch, can't you tell?" Kiba chuckled.
   "You two are hopeless," Kai said, shaking his head. "Well, have fun. Try to get some of those dumplings in your mouths."

Kai reached into the restaurant from the large storefront windows and nabbed a dango stick off of Kiba and Akira's table. He and Shikamaru ran off as Kiba began to protest. 

   "Calm down, Kiba, we'll just order more. We wasted a whole skewer throwing them at each other, anyway," Akira said lightly.
   "We can't spend so much money on dango, Kira, come on. We're supposed to waste our money for new ninja tools, later."
   "It's on me, Kiba, don't worry about it."
   "I hate it when you pay for my food," Kiba grumbled. He wiped off the syrup from the table. "You know I can afford it."
   "I know, but I'm horrible at gift-giving, so I'd rather shower my friends with food throughout the year so I don't have to get them gifts," Akira said with a small laugh. She ordered an extra 2 skewers of cha dango. "So, stop your grumbling and eat the yaki dango before it gets cold."

Kiba shook his head and smiled. The waitress arrived with the cha dango a few moments later and both friends dug into their remaining food. When they were done, Kiba whined as Akira paid for their food once again, leaving a little extra money on the table for the wasted dango they threw around.

As they exited the shop, Akira hopped up onto Kiba's back, as per their normal routine, and he carried her like a backpack all the way to the ninja weapons' depot a few streets away. A few of the children they passed imitated them and toppled over when they couldn't keep hold of the person on their back, but they giggled about it and Akira encouraged them to try again. It was a childish thing to do, let Kiba carry her around, but some people, who would normally give her disparaging looks when she walked down the street, smiled and chuckled when they saw her being carried around. She enjoyed it. She enjoyed that for once, these people didn't see the horrors of the Uchiha Clan.

   "All right, get your lazy ass off me," Kiba laughed as they arrived at the shop.
   "Hey, you're the one who insists on carrying me everywhere," Akira said and as she dropped down.
   "Yeah, well, people don't look at you funny when I do."

Akira's brain stuttered for a moment and she turned to Kiba, eyes filled with shock and a little confusion. Kiba shrugged and ruffled Akira's hair. A small sad smile rose to Akira's lips.

   "You don't have to, you know."
   "Oh, shut it," Kiba scoffed. "We're not having a sappy conversation about this. I've got your back, Kira, that's all there is to it."

Akira chuckled and shook her head as Kiba beamed at her. He grabbed her arm and dragged her into the shop. The owner was an older man, with greying dark hair and keen green eyes. He had a stern face, but Akira knew him to be kind. She'd spent a fair amount of time in this armoury as a child, and she made it a habit to come by at least once every few weeks. There was a display of armour in the corner and a rack with long pole weapons in another. A stack of standard-issue flack jackets, worn by the years, was piled in a metal bin, and a vast display of weapons was scattered on tables and hung on the walls. The comforting smells of burning metal and soot filled Akira's lungs, and a gentle smile rose to her lips. 

   "Good afternoon, you two," the armourer said.
   "Good afternoon, Mr Ogawa," Akira said politely. "Anything new you think I'd be interested in?"
   "Ah... Let me get Mr Inuzuka's things and I will return with something I think you'll find fascinating."
   "Things? I thought we came here to peruse and foolishly spend our money," Akira chuckled as Mr Ogawa left.
   "Oh, it's not for me. My mother had some things fixed," Kiba explained as he picked up a rather concerning looking kunai. "Think I could use this?"
   "Kiba, no."
   "Kiba... yes?"

Akira let out a breath of laughter and shook her head. Mr Ogawa came back with a rather large bundle and placed it on the counter for when Kiba and Akira were ready to leave.

   "Now, Ms Uchiha, follow me."

Akira gave Kiba a look and she smiled, then followed Mr Ogawa to the far left of his shop. On the wall hung a rather simple-looking tantō. It looked old. The metal was dull, rusted in some places, and the leather on the hilt seemed as if it had been chewed away by time.

   "It's old..."
   "It's ancient," Mr Ogawa said.

The girl took a step forward and her eyes scanned the blade. Mr Ogawa could tell that, despite the lacklustre appearance and apparent uselessness of the weapon, Akira was fascinated by it. As she got closer, she could see something engraved on the blade. Akira frowned and squinted her eyes for a moment, then, abruptly, she turned to Mr Ogawa.

   "Mr Ogawa, where did you find this?"
   "There was an archaeological dig some way into the forest," Mr Ogawa explained. "It was found several feet underground near a small stream. The woman who found it brought it to me so that I could restore it. When I saw the inscription... I told her that it wasn't possible to restore it."
   "Why? It's not that damaged. This could be restored and go to a museum! We don't have many artefacts from the Warring States Period that are still intact."
   "Yes, well..." Mr Ogawa gently took the weapon off the display and presented it to Akira. "I thought that it should be returned to its rightful owner."

Akira took a deep breath and shook her head, flailing her hands in front of her.

   "I couldn't!"
   "It's rightfully yours."

A frown made its way onto Akira's features. She looked at the blade again and took a deep breath.

   "I can restore it," Mr Ogawa explained. "It would take some time, however, and it wouldn't come cheap even for you."
   "That's okay," Akira sighed, a small smile on her face. "Restore it the best you can."

Mr Ogawa took a soft red cloth and wrapped it around the blade. He nodded and smiled, then took the blade to the back of his shop. When Kiba and Akira left, they headed down through the village with no particular destination in mind. Kiba was carrying his mother's parcel, as well as the odd-looking kunai he couldn't resist buying.

   "What's so special about it?" Kiba asked. Akira looked up at him, seemingly pulled out of some deep thoughts. "The weapon the old man showed you."
   "Oh, it's uh... it's old," Akira chuckled.

Kiba laughed and shook his head. He dragged Akira in the middle of the main street and they sat down on the benches beside the jasmine flowers. Kiba dropped his mother's bag of weapons on the ground with a loud thump and gave Akira a look.

   "How old?"
   "Warring States."
   "OH SHI—"
   "KIBA!"
   "Sorry, sorry—but damn!" Kiba exclaimed. "Why'd Mr Ogawa say it was rightfully yours, or whatever?"
   "Because of the engraving on it," Akira said, a little excited. Kiba rose an eyebrow. "It's got old characters on it."
   "I don't like that you're so excited..."
   "There are characters that literally translate to 'field, island, fan.'"

Kiba blinked.

   "So?"
   "Use your brain, Kiba," Akira groaned. "What are the old characters for those words?"
   "Uh... ta, shima and... uchiwa?"
   "Exactly, now say it in one go."

For a few seconds, Kiba repeated the characters until a look of realisation reached his face.

   "Isn't that an old way of spelling your name!? The blade used to belong to an Uchiha!?"
   "And not just any Uchiha, Kiba. It belonged to Tajima Uchiha—Madara Uchiha's father."
   "No way!" Kiba exclaimed. "That's so cool! My little swirly kunai seems kind of stupid now."
   "Well, to be honest, it was stupid regardless."

Kiba laughed and playfully punched Akira on the shoulder. 

   "Hey, Kira—can I ask you something?"
   "Yeah, sure."
   "Well... I sort of convinced Naruto to tell me what happened during your last mission." Akira let out a breath of laughter. "That was the first time you killed someone, huh?"
   "Yeah, it was. I don't recommend it, really. It's pretty messy. Screws with your brain a little, too."
   "Well, what's your secret to not eating yourself up inside?" Kiba asked. "If that were me, and someone jumped in front of my attack the first time I was going to kill someone, I'd be losing my mind... Don't tell anyone I said that, I have a reputation to uphold."
   "I won't, I promise," Akira said with a chuckle. "As for my secret... well, having my entire family murdered helped."
   "Kira..."
   "No, I'm being quite serious." Akira turned and sat sideways on the bench, facing Kiba. "When I came home after that mission, I kept seeing Haku's blood on my hands. When I went to sleep, I could smell the blood. I felt dirty and sick to my stomach. Having known that feeling from having my family's blood on my hands... it was a lot easier to bear the blood of a stranger."
   "So, you're okay?" Kiba asked. He looked worried.
   "Honestly, no, and I won't be for a while. However, I think with time I will get used to living with it."

The look of worry didn't leave Kiba's features until Akira smiled at him, and then it melted away like ice on a hot day. He leaned back into the bench and swung his arm around Akira's shoulders.

   "I know you will. And you'll be making that Tajima guy real proud by doing so."

Chapter Text

Akira's movements were a little harsher this morning. The sky was grey and clouds covered up the sun, bathing the Uchiha dojo in dull and dim light, and it was aggravating her. She'd gotten used to the past few weeks of sun, and now, the forecasted weeks of rain were making her cranky. In normal circumstances, Akira would have welcomed the rain, but she'd become apprised of several leaks in the dojo's roof that she constantly had to monitor. When droplets of water began dripping on her head during meditation, Akira wanted to punch a hole through the wall. Instead, Akira put up a few buckets below the places that needed repairs and sighed. They'd have to be fixed when the rain had stopped.

With a sigh, Akira took off her sandals and threw her towel into the corner of the dojo. Accepting that the rain was going to ruin her normal training, Akira ran out of the dojo and towards the dock and the lake nearby. Her clothes were soaked within a matter of seconds, and while her skin was growing colder and colder, Akira's sour mood was slowly being lifted. As she made it to the docks, the rain had become lighter, now only a spray that created rainbows from the cracks of sunlight between the clouds. 

Akira looked around her, tried to sense anyone's presence by feeling out her chakra, and when she found that there was no one around her, Akira continued with a second form of training. With a wave of her arm, all the water in her clothes and hair left her in a single stream, and it swirled around her like a clear and shining ribbon. Suddenly, it extended forwards, following the movement of Akira's arm. When she retracted it, the water followed and shot all the way back up the hill. Then, Akira spun, and the stream of water came jetting ahead of her from the left. She pulled it back towards her and performed a lofty right kick, allowing the water to wrap around her ankle. When the kick followed through, Akira separated the stream of water into to orbs. One of them followed her left ankle and the other her right wrist, and Akira followed through with the smoother moves of her usual dojo training.

By then, the rain had stopped, and Akira was the flow of the water. It swirled around her ankle and wrist, flowing with each of her movements, and her body flowed just the same. She was performing her martial arts, but one could easily be fooled into thinking she was dancing, letting the water dictate the beat at which she danced. Flowing punches and kicks sent the water moving in smooth circles, twirls made the water wrap around her like a silk ribbon, flips made the water sharp and blade-like.

   "You're getting better at this."
   "You think?"

Kakashi was a little taken aback. There had been a time where she would have jumped at his sudden appearance, but Akira was far too concentrated on the movements of her limbs to care. Her control was amazing to behold.

   "Your control is..."
   "Sloppy, I know," Akira said. She sighed and flicked the orbs of water back into the lake. "I blame the rain, ironically. It's messing up my dojo and it's got me in a mood."
   "I was going to say superb," Kakashi said, crossing his arms.
   "Oh, well, thanks." Akira smiled a little awkwardly and, with a small wave of her arm, dried off any remaining water from the rain. "I thought the rain was making my joints weird."
   "You're making it sound like you're an old lady."
   "I feel like it sometimes."

Akira began her trek back up the hill and Kakashi followed her.

   "Tired?" Kakashi asked.
   "Exhausted," Akira sighed. "Sometimes I feel I'm running on fumes. People have been asking how I've been doing non-stop. They're... concerned with my way of dealing with things."
   "You have been training a lot more than usual."
   "Oh, not you too, Kakashi!"
   "Kakashi? Dropping the sensei, are we?" Kakashi chuckled.
   "No, I'm sorry, I just—" Akira cut herself off and groaned. "I appreciate everyone's concern, I really do. But I feel—I feel like I'm being suffocated! And you—"

Akira stopped and turned to Kakashi. She looked almost desperate.

   "I don't know. I... like talking to you. You ask me how I'm doing and I don't feel like... lying to you."
   "Do you lie to your friends about how you're feeling?" Kakashi asked.
   "Not recently, no," Akira said. She sighed and sat down on the hill. "When we came back from our mission to the Land of Waves, yes. I didn't tell anyone what happened until a month after."

Kakashi plopped down next to her and sighed.

   "Who did you tell first?" Akira let out a breathy laugh. "What's so funny?"
   "Of all people that I could have talked to about this first... It talked to Sakura."
   "Sakura?"
   "Yeah, I know. She figured it out because of the flowers I was getting at the shop. She's too smart for her own good."
   "Flowers?"
   "Yeah, stupid kunoichi classes," Akira sighed. "Apparently, hyacinths are an expression of regret."
   "Do you regret what happened?" Kakashi asked.
   "I stand by my decision to attack Zabuza. If I were in the same situation, I'd do it again."
   "Haku would still jump in front of us."
   "Yeah, I know." Akira pulled her knees up to her chest. "I regret not noticing him faster. Maybe I could have stopped myself or—"
   "There's nothing you could have done, Akira," Kakashi said. He placed a hand on Akira's head. "Even I didn't see him coming."

Akira smiled sadly and she lied down, letting Kakashi's hand run through her hair as she went back. He pulled his hand away as she looked at him.

   "How are you?" she asked Kakashi.
   "Me? Oh, I'm always fine," he said coolly. 
   "Somehow I doubt that, Kakashi."
   "Again with the Kakashi. Do you really have no respect for me anymore?"
   "Oh, I'm sorry," Akira groaned. "Sometimes I forget you're my sensei."
   "Forget? I wonder what that says about my authority," Kakashi said with a chuckle.
   "No, I mean—well, nevermind. It's nothing, sensei. I'm sorry."

Kakashi lied down as well, but he said nothing. They stared up at the cloudy sky for a few seconds until Akira felt compelled to speak.

   "It's just that sometimes... I feel like you're more of a friend to me than you are a sensei."
   "Really?"

Akira thought he seemed genuinely surprised. She looked over at him and laughed a little.

   "Why do you sound so surprised that I consider you a friend?"
   "I'm not the easiest person to get along with. I'm not very... open."
   "You may not wear your heart on your sleeve, but you are quite easy to get along with," Akira said with a smile. "It's a little bit of a learning curve, but I think I'm getting there."
   "Well, you're going to have to keep calling me sensei," Kakashi said, turning to look at Akira. He thought she looked vaguely disappointed. "At least... when there are other people around."
   "Sakura may whine about preferential treatment," Akira said, a small smirk on her lips.

Kakashi shrugged and turned back to look at the clouds.

   "Naruto may complain that you're not giving him enough attention. Actually, Sasuke may complain about that too. He's such a diva at times."
   "Is he now? I hadn't really noticed," Kakashi chuckled. "What was it he said again? 'I'm going to restore my clan and destroy a certain someone.'"
   "I can't believe he actually used that as his introduction to everyone," Akira laughed. A split second later, she smacked Kakashi on the arm. "Hey, you never answered my question!"
   "I believe I told you that I was always fine."
   "You know that's not true. I saw your face. You looked terrified." The man was silent. "Just... Do me a favour."
   "Depends what it is."
   "I'm not going to pry, or ask you anything about your past, or why you looked so terrified to see Haku right in front of you," Akira said gently. "But if I ask you if you're okay... can you tell me the truth?"

Kakashi glanced over at Akira. She was frowning and there was a glimmer in her eyes that he'd seen so many times before. She was concerned about him, and Kakashi didn't feel like he was deserving of that feeling.

   "How are you, Kakashi?" she asked gently.
   "Well, I'm not always fine," Kakashi said with a sigh. "But I will be."
   "You sure?"
   "I've always pulled through."
   "Good. Oh, and Kakashi?"
   "Hm?"
   "Thank you."
   "For what?"
   "Being more of a friend, than a sensei."

Chapter Text

   "Okay, can't you turn off your giant brain for one second?"
   "Sorry, kid."
   "No, you're not. This is the fourth game you've won and I know you're enjoying yourself."
   "What if I am?"
   "You're a cruel, cruel friend, Shikamaru."

While it was Akira's idea to play a few games with Shikamaru, she somehow forgot just how smart he was. She'd lost four games of shōgi to him and for some reason, she wanted to try again. Shikamaru told her she was a weird kind of masochist, which just earned him a kick in the shins.

   "I swear, if we were sparring right now, I'd knock you out."
   "Yes, you would, but we're not sparring are we?" Shikamaru said with a wry grin.

Akira groaned and fell back onto the deck. Shikamaru chuckled and stood up. He sat on the steps beside her, but Akira got up and pulled him away. Shikamaru had a habit of climbing a tree in his yard and onto the roof to stare at the clouds, and Akira had gotten sucked up into the habit of doing it whenever she was with him. The sky was incredibly blue, and the clouds looked like the cotton candy you would find at festivals. Shikamaru pointed one out and said that it looked Sasuke.

   "It just looks like an angry blob, Shikamaru."
   "Exactly."
   "So rude," Akira said with a laugh.
   "Hey, I know everyone's probably asked you already, but are you good?" Shikamaru asked. "You came back from the Land of Waves... different."
   "Oh, yeah, I'm fine. Adjusting."
   "What happened? You don't need to go into detail—honestly, I don't want any details—I just want to know what you've been—"
   "I killed someone," Akira said abruptly. "And not the person I intended to."
   "Wow, okay. I thought you were going to tell me you got stabbed or something," Shikamaru said a little awkwardly. "Um, are you sure you're okay?"
   "Yeah, I'll be okay. I've still got problems sleeping, but other than that I've gotten better. Actually, talking to my teammates, you, Kiba, Kai, even Kakashi-sensei has been really helpful."
   "Even Sakura?"
   "Yup. Actually, I talked to her first."

Shikamaru laughed.

   "You've evolved. Going to Sakura for a heart-to-heart."
   "Funnily enough, you're the last person I'm talking to about this."
   "Don't I feel loved," Shikamaru said sarcastically.
   "Honestly, I think it's because I'm most afraid of you," Akira chuckled. "You're just as honest as I am, and if I'd come to you first I think you'd just have smacked me across the face and told me to get over myself."
   "And you didn't need that."
   "No, I needed to process everything more or less naturally. I only talked to Sakura because she insisted I looked like I was dying or something."
   "I didn't notice for a while. Maybe that's a girl thing."
   "When did you notice something was off?"
   "Couple of weeks ago," Shikamaru said. He pointed to a cloud and said it looked like a fish. "You were training so hard you busted up your shoulder, remember?"
   "Yeah, and you, Kiba and Kai had to keep me restrained to the hospital bed so I'd heal." Akira sighed. "I was distracting myself with training. I still am... but not to that extent."
   "Good."

Akira and Shikamaru spent the next hour staring at the clouds. They discovered some cats, a kunai, a few more angry Sasuke blobs, and even one that Shikamaru swore looked like the Hokage, but Akira just thought it looked like a plain amorphous cloud. There were a few playful jabs about some of the clouds being ugly and looking like each other, as usual, and then the two of them picked up small pebbles and gravel from the shingles on the root and took turns tossing them as far as they could.

   "How is that training of yours going, by the way?" 
   "Good—great, actually," Akira said. She tossed a pebble across a few rows of trees. "Been practising my chakra control a lot."
   "Sounds lame," Shikamaru said.
   "You think everything is lame, you loser."
   "True."
   "I've also been experimenting with extending the reach of my chakra."
   "The reach? You mean like make your chakra visible? That's hard to do."
   "No, nothing like that." Akira sighed and frowned a little. "I haven't told anyone yet, I mean, other than Kakashi-sensei, but I'm... weird."
   "I hadn't noticed."
   "Thanks," Akira said sarcastically. "I mean that I can do something that I think is weird. Here, let me just show you."

Akira crawled to the edge of the roof and tried to spy any sort of source of water. When she had, she beckoned Shikamaru to the edge of the roof.

   "Now, don't freak out."
   "Have you ever known me to freak out?"
   "Remember that time we went swimming in the lake and something slimy tou—"
   "Hey, whatever that was it was gross, all right?" Shikamaru complained. "Just show me your magic trick."
   "Okay, okay. See that glass of water on your neighbour's window sill?"

Shikamaru nodded and watched Akira stretch her arm towards the glass of water. Nothing happened at first, but then Shikamaru saw the water in the glass begin to swirl. And after it swirled, the water slowly rose from the glass and gently forced its way through the crack in the window. A stream of water trickled through and soared towards Akira, then balled itself in the palm of her hand. She turned to Shikamaru, whose wide eyes gave away his shock.

   "Okay, I think the weirdest part is that that's water and you're an Uchiha," Shikamaru said.
   "Isn't it? I just don't get it," Akira said with a loud sigh. "It started in the Land of Waves. I mean, I've always liked swimming and I've rarely been bothered by rain, but this is next level nonsense."
   "It's so cool, though! And you're just..."
   "I'm gathering up chakra and imbuing the water with it. By extension, I'm making the water a part of me."
   "Does it work with anything other than water?" Shikamaru asked.
   "Unfortunately, I've tried to test it on several other things, but it only seems to work with water. Right now, I'm working to mould my chakra and the water to form kunai and such."
   "And just Kakashi-sensei knows about this?"
   "Yeah. He's been monitoring my progress on and off for a while, now. Unfortunately, since he has little to no experience with this... ability, he can't exactly train me."
   "Eh, Sakura would accuse you of favouritism, anyway," Shikamaru sighed. He poked the orb of water. "That tickles."
   "Yeah, you probably just poked some of my chakra."

All of a sudden, there was a loud booming noise and the neighbour's window's burst open. Taken by surprise, Akira tossed the orb of water into the air, and she and Shikamaru ducked behind the edge of the roof to hide. They shared a look of terror and then the orb of water that Akira threw landed on Shikamaru's head. Shikamaru gave Akira a deadpan look, and he watched as she forced herself not to laugh at him.

Chapter Text

Akira sighed. It was a cloudy morning. The Uchiha's apartment was bathed a dim grey light that seemed to suck the life out of everything it touched. The flowers on the table, which were normally a vibrant blue, seemed grey in the light, and the bright red Uchiha Clan symbols spread out the apartment were just as dim. Even Sasuke, who, granted, wasn't usually a ray of sunshine, seemed far more morose than usual. Akira knew it all stemmed from their time in the Land of Waves and his near-death experience, and she thought it unjust that she'd been adjusting fine and he was still struggling. Akira would never tell him this, but she always found Sasuke to be far more sensitive than her.

   "Sasuke, one day you will have to do something other than stare out the window," Akira said, walking into the living room.
   "No one asked you," Sasuke grumbled.
   "Hey, forgive me for being concerned for my only family, you little twerp."
   "Yeah, whatever."
   "Come on, get your ass up and help me make breakfast."

Sasuke heaved a sigh, but he stood and went to the fridge. He pulled out a few items and tossed them to Akira, who threw the shellfish back at him. Sasuke nearly dragged his feet over to the other end of the kitchen to start the rice cooker while Akira prepared the vegetables and tofu. Her brother took out some leftover miso soup and reheated it on the stove while everything else was cooking. After a few more minutes, the siblings' breakfast was done and they sat down together to eat. 

   "You're not making tea?"
   "Hm, no. Did you want some? I was planning on going to a tea house with Sakura for lunch."
   "No. It's just weird you're not having any," Sasuke muttered. He looked up, frowning. "Did you say Sakura?"
   "Yeah," Akira said, smiling despite herself. "She's annoying, but somehow she's growing on me."
   "Don't make me laugh. You're probably only hanging out with her because she's our teammate. Or maybe because you feel bad for he—"
   "Okay, that's it."

Akira put down her chopsticks and stood from her seat. She went around the table and next to Sasuke. When he looked towards her, she tugged on his collar.

   "What the hell is wrong with you?"
   "Hey, get your hands off me!" Sasuke shouted.
   "You listen to me, Sasuke! Sakura is a pain in the ass, sure, but she's a valued member of our team. She's incredibly smart, resourceful, and she gives a damn her job. And believe it or not, she's actually been a better friend to me recently than you've been a decent person. So, if you're gonna complain about her, don't do it in front of me, got it?"

Sasuke glared at Akira and pulled her arms away from his collar.

   "Fine."
   "Look," Akira said after taking a deep breath. "I know our mission to the Land of Waves was hard—"
   "It wasn't that bad."
   "Sasuke, you nearly died! We all nearly died! Don't lie to yourself—don't lie to me!"
   "Don't come crying to me about this mission being hard when I wasn't the one who screwed up."
   "Sasuke Uchiha!" Akira cried. "Apologise right now!"

Akira's eyes became watery and Sasuke frowned as her bottom lip began to quiver.

   "Sorry..." he said quietly.
   "You better be," Akira said. Her voice was shaking a little. "You know what I went through after that mission. You know that I kept seeing blood everywhere, that I could smell it, feel the blades pierce skin every time I went to sleep. You know because I kept having nightmares, screaming in my sleep, and the only thing that could get me to stop was for your sorry ass to come comfort me. So don't you dare tell me that mission was easy.
   "I've been relying on others for support lately. If you're going to bottle up everything like this, the least you could do is treat us with a modicum of respect. But really, Sasuke, just use your damn words. Talk to us—to me—we're here for you."

He looked at his sister and sighed. He propped up his head by setting his elbow on the table and he stared uninterestedly at his sister for a few moments before he began speaking.

   "I'm just angry I couldn't do more," Sasuke grumbled. "Sakura's basically useless, but she did do a pretty good job of keeping the bridge builder safe. You and Kakashi—"
   "That's Kakashi-sensei, to you."
   "Yeah, whatever. You and Kakashi did most of the work fighting off Zabuza. Even Naruto was more useful than me."
   "What are you going on about?" Akira said, letting out a breath of laughter. "Sasuke, you kept Haku busy and kept Naruto safe at the same time. What more did you want? Would you have preferred to get stabbed, or maybe you would have preferred to have killed Haku yourself? Trust me, if we could change positions on that front, I'd do it in a heartbeat. Can't you see, Sasuke? You were essential to the success of the mission!"
   "No."
   "Then you're blind and stupid."
   "Hey—"
   "Oh, shut up, I'm serious. Sasuke—you're the one who executed the plan to save Kakashi from the water sphere. You're the one who kept up with Haku's speed. You're the—"
   "Yeah, all right, all right," Sasuke sighed. "I get it. I've been overreacting."
   "Well, yeah, and you've been a jerk about it, too, but that doesn't invalidate your feelings, Sasuke," Akira reassured. "Just because your actions were wrong, it doesn't mean that the feelings behind them were, too. You're allowed to feel hurt and to feel like you could have done more—it's only natural. Especially since you weren't in the heart of the fight where I know you like to be. Sasuke—" Akira gently grasped her brother's hand—"you are not useless. Don't ever think that."

The look on Sasuke's face softened and he gently squeezed his sister's hand.

   "What the hell did I do to deserve a sister so damn nice?"
   "No idea, kid," Akira said as she ruffled Sasuke's hair. "No idea."
   "Hey, stop that," Sasuke complained, pulling himself away from his sister. "Are you okay?"
   "Yeah, I'm okay. I'm used to your belligerent behaviour. It can't bother me for long."
   "No, I mean... You killed that kid."
   "You know the last nightmare was a while ago, Sasuke," Akira said with a sigh. "And I've got friends—and family—to get me through whatever else may come. And so do you, little brother."
   "Yeah, all right," Sasuke sighed. "And don't call me that. I'm older than you."
   "I was referring to your height."

Sasuke rolled his eyes.

   "Hey, I'm going to go get some training done before I meet Sakura. Do you want to join?"
   "No, I've got a mission report to finish. You go."

Akira nodded and began clearing up the table.

   "I've got it, Akira. Go."

Sasuke took the bowls out of Akira's hand and gently elbowed her away. She smiled gratefully at him and went to her room to change into her usual training outfit. When she emerged, she went straight for the balcony doors.

   "Use the front door once in a while, would you?" Sasuke called to her as Akira was shutting the door.
   "Make me."

Akira heard Sasuke sigh as she closed the door. She went to the edge of the balcony and jumped down onto lower rooftops, then onto the ground. She jogged to training ground three and immediately went to stand by the water. Akira kicked off her sandals and waded into the water until she felt its coolness on her stomach. After a few moments, Akira took a deep breath and put her palms to the water. From it, she rose two small orbs of water which she held in her hands. She tried, with great difficulty, to continue her training and shape them into kunai. Akira stretched the chakra within the water, trying to shape it, but every time it got to a certain length, the water dissipated and fell back into the lake. 

   "Come on, you stupid water... cooperate."
   "Water is an inanimate thing, my dear."

Akira swerved around as fast as she could. She did not recognise the voice and she flung an orb of water in its direction. The person in question moved equally as fast, and the orb of water tunnelled into the tree behind him rather than into his chest. There was a dangerous look in Akira's eyes. They were focused on the stranger, and she kept glaring at him as she left the water, ribbons of water swirling around her wrists and ankles. 

He didn't look like he belonged out in the sun. He was far too pale, with no evidence of sun ever having touched his skin, and the colours of his uniform did not match those of Konohagakure. He stood with a confidence that seemed to border on arrogance, and Akira didn't like the look in his eyes. It was curious, but she couldn't help but feel a sense of malevolence behind that curiosity, as well.

   "Identify yourself," Akira stated.
   "You may call me... Maru."

Akira frowned and took a step forward. The curiosity in the man's eyes only seemed to intensify, intrigued by her lack of fear of him.

   "I take it that's not your real name?" The man smirked. It made him look all the more malevolent. "State your purpose. If you're sneaking around like this, I'm certain you don't have the authorization to be here."
   "I'm merely observing. Your abilities are... intriguing."
   "Well, observe something else," Akira snapped. "You don't have the authorisation to be here. Leave."
   "Oh, but things were just getting interesting."
   "Leave, or I'll make you leave."

Akira's jaw clenched. The man glanced at her hands as her fingers twitched towards the holsters on her arms.

   "There's no need to force me to leave, my dear," the man said. He began slowly walking towards Akira and although she was nervous, she made no move to back away. "I will not stay any longer if you do not wish me to."

The man was close now. His pale brown eyes were piercing right through Akira, making her feel as though he was staring into her soul. His hand rose to brush Akira's hair behind her ear and though she wanted to pull away, she couldn't find the will to do it.

   "I want you to leave the village completely."
   "Very well," the man said quietly.
   "I will have to escort you out of the village."
   "You don't trust me?" the stranger said playfully.
   "No."

The man smirked and he went ahead of Akira on their way out of the village. When they reached the outer walls, he turned back to Akira. 

   "This isn't the last you'll be hearing of me, my dear."
   "If your only reason for being here is to observe me like some creep, then I sincerely hope that it is the last I hear of you."
   "Oh, that's not all... You'll see."

Akira's eyebrows furrowed and she watched the stranger jump up through the trees and climb over the walls. After he'd gone, Akira turned back, face set in a frown. She had a feeling that, unfortunately, the strange man was right.

Chapter Text

   "No."
   "Yes."
   "No. Absolutely not!"
   "Oh, come on! Don't be a party pooper!"

The Hokage had announced the week prior that Konohagakure would be hosting a special festival to greet many foreign travellers. He didn't specifically say why Konoha was hosting these people, but Akira had narrowed it down to a few options. First, economy. Konoha got many visitors for festivals and made a lot of money doing it. This time of year, there weren't any celebrations or holidays that required a festival. Maybe the reason the Hokage hadn't given a reason for the festival was that he'd never admit to doing it for profit. Second, fun. There was a possibility that the Hokage was bored and just needed an excuse to get out of all his paperwork. Akira had seen the way he stared at the piles of documents at his desk. And lastly, which was Akira's most reasonable and likely idea, the Chūnin Exams. It was about that time of year.

The Chūnin Exams were an opportunity for Genin to be promoted to Chūnin. Originally, when these exams were first created, each village would hold their own individual exams. Following the Third Shinobi World War, the Chūnin Exams were held twice a year and open to all villages, with villages taking turns for hosting responsibilities. These shared exams improved relations between the villages, presented up-and-coming ninja to clients, and provided an economic boost to the village that was hosting. Normally, festivals weren't held, but Hiruzen Sarutobi was probably at least partly bored as well.

As it was customary of Japanese festivals, everyone was encouraged to wear something other than their shinobi uniforms for the festival. Sakura, however, was taking it one step further by insisting that Akira let her pick her yukata and do her makeup. 

   "Sakura Haruno, I am not letting you slather makeup on my face or choose my yukata," Akira insisted. They were walking down the main street now, passing underneath lanterns and ribbons being set up for tonight's celebrations. "Besides, I may not even go. I've got tr—"
   "If you say training, Akira Uchiha, I will hurt you," Sakura growled.
   "Okay, okay. I'll let you pick my yukata but you're not putting makeup on me."
   "Yes! Deal!"

Akira groaned and Sakura pulled her by the arm all the way to one of the clothing shops that lined the main street. 

   "What—Sakura, I already have plenty of yukata at home! I don't need a new one."
   "Akira, tell me the truth. What colours are your yukata?"
   "Well, I have some grey ones. I think I may have a blue one."
   "Bo-ring," Sakura exclaimed. "You need some red, some green, or maybe some purple?"
   "I'm not wearing purple," Akira said sternly. "It's too feminine."
   "Okay, so that rules out pink too."

Sakura sighed and began going through several racks of clothes. Akira shook her head, amused, and began looking through the racks herself. After a few moments, however, Akira got bored and her gaze wandered to the streets. Her eyes wandered over the people rushing about, carrying things meant for the festival, or even just their regular business. But there was someone in the crowd that Akira didn't want to see. He was casually leaning against a street light, a wry smirk plastered on his face. With her jaw set in anger, Akira marched on the door. The man seemed amused.

   "Hey, where do you think you're going?" Sakura called.

Akira glanced at her for a moment and when her gaze returned outside, the man was nowhere to be found.

   "Damn you."
   "What is it?"
   "Nothing," Akira lied. "I thought I saw someone."
   "Yeah, right. I bet you were trying to get away," Sakura said. She held up a few yukata. "Look, I think these would look good on you. Go try them on."
   "Hey, no one said about trying anything on!"

Sakura stuck her tongue out at Akira and pushed her into the changing rooms. There were a wide variety of complaints as she attempted to take off her uniform in the small space and more as she tried to figure out which way the yukata was meant to be worn.

   "Oh, quit complaining."
   "Hey, the last time I wore a yukata I was five years old!" There was a small struggle and Akira emerged clad in green. "Does this colour really suit me?"
   "Wow, Akira..."
   "What?" Akira groaned. "That bad?"
   "No! It looks so good on you!" Sakura said happily. "Honestly, I thought the red was going to look better on you but that green... Have you always been this pretty?"
   "Pretty?" Akira fake gagged. "Don't say those things."

Both girls laughed and after purchasing new yukatas for themselves, they headed to Sakura's house to get ready. Her parents had to stop them from bickering once Sakura insisted on the makeup again. Akira won that battle, but she was forced to compromise by letting Sakura play around with her hair. It was pulled up in a bun of some sort and Sakura had stuck several flower pins in it. Akira kept tugging at her yukata, which Sakura readjusted at least three times, and they eventually went out into the evening to enjoy the festival.

Paper dragons danced through the air, lanterns were hung from every available space, and the streets were lined with candles that cast Konoha in a warm, comforting glow. Vibrant music made its way to everyone's ears and many people danced along the street, smiling and laughing. Akira and Sakura lined up at the taiyaki cart and watched several dancers go by. Akira jokingly imitated them, which sort of made her look like she was a twitching spider, and Sakura laughed so hard she dropped the taiyaki she'd just bought.

   "Oh, come on," she whined.
   "I'll get you another one," Akira laughed. "Stay here and don't let the dancers take you."

Akira went back to the taiyaki cart and waited in line. She was looking up at some of the lanterns when she felt someone tap on her shoulder.

   "You!"

It was the strange man again, a wry smirk was plastered on his face.

   "What the hell do you think you're doing here!?"
   "Enjoying the festivities," he said calmly. He rose a small doughnut to his mouth and ate it. "What else?"
   "Do you have—"
   "The authorisation? This time... I do."

Akira frowned, displeased. She would have enjoyed kicking him out of the village again.

   "Why are you here?" she asked. "What do you want from me?"
   "I suspect you know why I'm here—why everyone is here."
   "It's Chūnin Exam season."
   "Quite right, my dear," the man said. "As for what I want from you..."

The man took a step closer to her. He was taller than her by at least a head and while Akira should have been intimidated by his presence, his strange demeanour just made her want to punch him. On the other hand, the curious gleam in his eye made her curious in turn.

   "I don't know yet."
   "Well, you better make up your mind," Akira sighed. She turned to purchase a taiyaki for Sakura. "I'd like to know what you want from me so that I can be rid of you."
   "Your words, they hurt," the man said sarcastically.

Akira scoffed. She walked out of the line to the cart and started to walk back towards Sakura. The man followed her a short way and Akira stopped once Sakura was in sight. She turned to tell the man to leave her alone, but he was gone. Akira sighed and shook her head.

   "Hey, who was that?" Sakura asked as Akira got to her.
   "I don't know." Akira handed Sakura the taiyaki. "I met him last week. I think he's here for the Chūnin Exams."
   "Chūnin Exams? Is that why you think the Hokage planned the festival?"
   "Well, that's what the guy said."
   "What guy?"

Akira and Sakura turned towards the voice. It was Kiba who'd spoken, and he was accompanied by Shikamaru, Kai and Hinata.

   "Kira?" Kiba said, surprised. There was a faint redness on his face. "Have your eyes always been so blue?"
   "Uh... yes?" Akira said, confused.
   "Huh, I never noticed. Well, uh, I—"
   "Well, you look really pretty, the both of you," Kai interrupted, pushing Kiba aside. "Now let's go see the music show before Kiba has an aneurysm."
   "Come on, Hinata, let's get ahead of these idiots," Akira chuckled, tugging the girl by the sleeve.
   "O-okay."

Akira, Sakura and Hinata grabbed some yakitori on their way to the front of the stage. The boys came up behind them and shoved off a few others who were trying to claw their way in front of the girls. A few musicians were already on stage, tuning their instruments in a cacophony of sounds. Soon, other musicians joined them, including one of the friends' old teachers from the Academy, and music filled the air without effort, like the waves filling holes in beach sand; the sound rushing in and around every person listening in. Some reacted to the beat, others continued in chatter, but it always spoke to them in some matter. A lively tempo lifted everyone, elevated the spirit or moved them to dance. As the people around her began to twist and sway, Akira looked around at them, smiling.

And, across the way, she spotted Kakashi. She didn't try to get his attention, but just as she was turning away he looked over, and she smiled at him. Kakashi waved back at her, but he ducked moments later, seemingly avoiding a man in a green tracksuit.

Chapter Text

The nightmares had woken her up again. It was the first time since her mission from the Land of Waves that she'd had nightmares, and the first time in a long time that she'd had this specific nightmare. The bodies of her parents sprawled out on the ground like limp ragdolls were haunting Akira once more. She woke up in a cold sweat and sat upright. Her eyes were wide with panic, her chest was heaving, and her hands were shaking so much that she had trouble wiping the sweat from her face. It took Akira a while to calm down. Her body was shaking, not just her hands, and her mind was racing with the horrible images of her murdered clan, but eventually, her breathing returned to normal and she got out of bed despite the early hour.

The air was cool outside, as she soon realised after exiting onto the balcony. The light breeze blew through Akira's fine hair, whisking it off her shoulders and into its grasp. Her eyes scanned the horizon; the buildings were not yet awake under the dark blues and pale lavenders of the sleeping sky. Everything was muted; the sounds, the colours—it was peaceful. From here, she could see training ground three, the rooftop when she and the rest of team seven introduced themselves to their sensei, Kakashi. Akira smiled, recalling how she'd introduced herself.

   "My name is Akira Uchiha. Sounds stupid, but I like learning... reading. One of my favourite things though are my friends. Um... I don't particularly dislike anything except for seafood. As a hobby I sing a little - hum mostly 'cause I hate the sound of my voice. And dream for the future? That's an easy one," Akira had said with a smile. "I want to become the best ninja I can be and follow in my father's footsteps - one day, I'm going to be the head of Konoha Military Police and protect my city with all I've got!"

Akira chuckled and shook her head. Kai used to ask her to sing all the time when they were children, but since the Uchiha tragedy, Akira hadn't sung in front of anyone. It was as if Itachi had robbed her of the will to sing for others, just as he'd robbed her of her family and her clan. She never had much of a relationship with her mother, but Mikoto used to sing to her and Sasuke all the time when they were children. Sometimes, in moments like these, Akira hummed the melodies passed down from generations, melodies she remembered so vividly it was as if her mother was right there singing them. Akira hesitated for a moment, but she began humming into the early morning after a few moments, leaning against the railing of her balcony. It was soft and airy, a little child-like, just like the songs Mikoto used to sing. And after a little while, when the dawn had grown accustomed to her humming, Akira began to sing her song to the empty streets of Konoha.

Somewhere, a voice calls, in the depths of my heart
May I always be dreaming, the dreams that move my heart

So many tears of sadness, uncountable through and through
I know on the other side of them I'll find you

Every time we fall down to the ground we look up to the blue sky above
We wake to its blueness, as for the first time

Though the road is long and lonely and the end far away, out of sight
I can with these two arms embrace the light

As I bid farewell my heart stops, in tenderness I feel
My silent empty body begins to listen to what is real

The wonder of living, the wonder of dying
The wind, town, and flowers, we all dance one unity

Somewhere a voice calls in the depths of my heart
keep dreaming your dreams, don't ever let them part

Why speak of all your sadness or of life's painful woes
Instead, let the same lips sing a gentle song for you

The whispering voice, we never want to forget,
in each passing memory always there to guide you

When a mirror has been broken, shattered pieces scattered on the ground
Glimpses of new life reflected all around

Window of beginning, stillness, new light of the dawn
Let my silent, empty body be filled and reborn

No need to search outside, nor sail across the sea
Cause here shining inside me, it's right here inside me

I've found a brightness, it's always with me

Akira sighed. She closed her eyes and walked back inside to make herself a cup of tea, then started to make breakfast. It was a little early to be making it, but Akira didn't expect to go back to sleep. While calmly sipping her tea, she made some rice and grilled some fresh tuna, as well as a few different kinds of veggies. By the time she was done, Sasuke came out of his room fully dressed and, without a word, he set the table. Seeing what she'd made, he prepared a small pot of green tea and placed it on the table. Akira plated the rice, fish and vegetables into bowls and set them in their respective places on the table, and Sasuke poured the tea over it. The siblings enjoyed their ochazuke in silence and cleared the table as usual. However, when Akira came back from her room after getting dressed, Sasuke hadn't left and was waiting by the door for his sister. Akira sighed.

   "You're only being nice to me because I had a nightmare."
   "Just accept it, you idiot."
   "Yeah, yeah."

It had been a few months since team seven had returned from their B-rank mission in the Land of Waves and, as Akira and Sasuke walked to the designated spot to meet Kakashi-sensei, Akira couldn't help but think of how much stronger she'd gotten since then. She'd begun to manipulate water, as crazy as it sounded, and she'd started to hone her lightning jutsu and basic taijutsu. She was nowhere near her goals, but progress was good, and it helped that she no longer had incessant nightmares about unwashable blood. Although, last night's nightmare wasn't a good sign that this good progress was going to continue.

Eventually, Akira and Sasuke made it to the bridge where they were supposed to wait for Kakashi-sensei. Akira sighed and leaned back, knowing full well that he'd be late. Was there even any point in arriving early or on time herself? It wasn't long before Sakura joined them and, as per her usual self, gushed over Sasuke again. Akira rolled her eyes. Sakura may have been growing on her, but no matter how much respect Akira gained for her, Sakura was still annoying.

About a half-hour later was when Naruto arrived, and with him came Akira and Sakura's dread. Ever since they'd come back from their mission to the Land of Waves, Naruto and Sasuke had been worse than usual. Both absolutely proud and stubborn, neither of them wanted to admit to saving each other, nearly dying for each other, or even remotely caring about each other. It didn't matter how much Akira talked to Sasuke, that boy was as thick as a brick wall.

   "Hey, good morning Sakura! What's up?" Naruto said with a smile.

However, he didn't even let Sakura respond before he proceeded to glare fiercely at Sasuke. Sasuke glared back, of course, and Akira jabbed her elbow into his sides to get him to stop. When Sasuke looked away, Naruto huffed and subsequently turned his back to him. Akira put her head in her hands and quietly prayed that Kakashi would arrive to diffuse this ungodly amount of tension. But that wouldn't happen for hours. When Kakashi did appear, he popped up in a flash of smoke on top of one of the bridge's archways. Enraged, his students turned to look at him with daggers in their eyes.

   "Hey, guys. Good morning," he said pleasantly as if there was nothing wrong. "Sorry, I'm late. I'm afraid I got lost on the path of life."
   "AH! YOU'RE NOT FOOLING ANYONE KAKASHI-SENSEI!" Naruto, Akira and Sakura shouted in unison, while Sasuke contented himself with a glare.

Kakashi jumped down and landed silently.

   "I'm ready for the next ninja mission, Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto said, wide-eyed and bushy-tailed. "And hey, now. No more of this dumb beginner stuff, okay? I want a chance to prove myself. I'm talking about a real mission, where I can show off what I'm made of! Ah! I gotta break out and burn it up! See!?"

If this was a shoujo manga, Naruto would literally be on fire. Kakashi held up his hands in surrender a little awkwardly, taken aback by Naruto's intensity.

   "Uh, right. I get it. That's great, Naruto," he said. "Now... take it easy would you?"

Akira chuckled quietly as Naruto glared at their sensei. But Naruto heard her and turned around to her, which made him see Sasuke. He snarled at Sasuke, taking an offensive stance, but didn't move for several minutes, as if he was daydreaming about something. Akira raised an eyebrow and waved a hand in front of his face. It didn't get a response. Sasuke had his classic indifferent expression plastered on his face throughout the entire altercation, but Sakura looked like she wanted to punch Naruto.

   "Believe it!" Naruto shouted all of a sudden, making Akira jump.
   "Let us know when you're done fantasizing, Naruto," Kakashi said, almost sighing, "so we can start the mission, all right?"
   "Right!"
   "Could you not be so annoying, Naruto, just for once?" Sakura asked, irritated.

Once again the mission was uneventful and excessively boring, being that the mission was to simply pull some woman's weeds. However, Naruto, trying to beat Akira and Sasuke at everything for some reason, ended up pulling out an entire batch of weeds and flowers, much to the client's discontent.

A few more weeks went on like this. When they were cleaning up garbage in a river, with Kakashi-sensei reading peacefully under a tree, Naruto managed to slip while chasing after the last piece of garbage. Akira and Sasuke had to team up and save him before he fell down a waterfall. Naruto still hadn't learned his lesson when they went dog walking, taking the largest canine there, who ended up dragging the weaker boy into a minefield. This one meant that Sakura and Sasuke had to carry Naruto back, while Kakashi-sensei and Akira walked behind them.

   "You really are just one big problem, aren't you?" Sasuke said.
   "Sasuke, give it a rest," Akira said, trying to defend Naruto a little.

But Akira didn't get the desired effect. Instead of Naruto at least getting mad at Sasuke alone, he got angry at both of them, surely condemning her for protecting him too much again. The girl sighed, defeated, and slowed down her match her pace with Kakashi. She had no clue why Naruto was acting this way, but it was getting really discouraging.

   "Guess we're not making any progress on this teamwork thing, huh?" Kakashi sighed, looking up from his book. 
   "That's right! Our teamwork is all messed up and it's because of you two!" Naruto yelled at Akira and Sasuke. "You think you're so much better than everyone else?"
   "Hey, don't drag me into this," Akira complained.
   "Not everyone. Just you," Sasuke said. "Face it. I'm better and stronger than you are. It's a fact. Unless you got what it takes to prove me wrong?"
   "Shut it," Akira shouted, stepping between the boys. She smacked them both upside the head and glared at them. "Enough! We're shinobi, guys. We don't have time for petty schoolyard squabbles like this! All of us need to get stronger, and we need to do that through teamwork, not by arguing all the time. Sakura and I are getting over our differences so that we can work in symbiosis with each other. A shinobi's priority is to the mission. Feelings have to be put aside and that includes your guys' hostility!"

It was like neither of them had heard her. Sasuke and Naruto were still glaring at each other, standing off.

   "All right, guys," Kakashi sighed, turning to walk away. "Let's call it a day. You can beat each other to pulp some other time. Anyway, I need to file a report on this mission."

Seconds later he was gone.

   "Whatever. I'm outta here," Sasuke said, turning away. "Akira."
   "Hm?" Akira hummed, looking up towards her brother's retreating figure.
   "Come on."
   "No, I'm going to practise with Sakura and improve our teamwork," Akira said, a little defiantly. She looked between Naruto and Sasuke. "You're both welcome to join. Come on, Sakura."

Akira turned towards her and grabbed her wrist, gently pulling her away. She was fuming. Nothing she could ever say to them was going to work. Sakura felt bad for her. She was always trying to make them get along, but nothing was working.

The girls went along one of the footpaths to training ground three and talked about everything and nothing, not taking notice of their surroundings. That was until they came across a box with a rock-like texture. It had appeared at their feet and both girls shared a look before frowning down at it. Suddenly, Naruto came out from some bushes and sighed. He went to stand in front of Akira.

   "That's the worst disguise of all time! There's no such thing as square rocks!" he shouted. "It's completely obvious!"
   "You saw through my camouflage again!" a small voice said from the box. "You're slick, boss."
   "Boss?" Akira mumbled.
   "Just what I'd expect from my greatest rival!"

Suddenly, the box exploded with three different colours of powder: one blue, one yellow and one pink. When the smoke cleared, Akira spotted three kids on the ground, coughing through the gunpowder. 

   "I think we used a little too much gunpowder, guys," one of the kids said.

They looked up and blinked a few times before standing up and introducing themselves rather dramatically in what seemed like a Naruto-style choreography.

   "I'm Moegi, the sassiest kunoichi in preschool! Check me out!" a little girl with orange hair said.
   "I love algebra! Call me Udon!" the boy with short brown hair and large round glasses said next.
   "And I'm the number one ninja in the village!" said the last boy. He was giving off the same vibes as Naruto. "And when we're all together—we're the Konohamoru ninja squad!"

Akira was about to tug Sakura and herself away from the commotion when Naruto spoke.     

   "Yeah, I knew it was you, Konohamoru," Naruto lazily.
   "Oh, so that's the famous Konohamoru," Akira said with a smile. She stepped out from behind Naruto and crouched down to the boy's level. "Naruto talks about you a lot."

All of a sudden a blush spread on Konohamoru's face.

   "W-Who are you?"
   "Akira. I'm Naruto's teammate."
   "WHAT!?" all three kids yelled. 
   "Boss, you said Akira was ugly!" Konohamoru shouted, pointing accusingly at Naruto. 

Akira blinked a few times and stood up, looking over to Sakura for clarification. She just shrugged and held out her hand to drag Akira and herself away this time. However, the bizarre conversation that was going on between them was compelling the girls to stay.

   "So... did you want something?" Naruto said coolly. 
   "He's just trying to be cool," Konohamoru whispered to Udon.
   "You know what we want!" Moegi said. "Are you busy now?"
   "Hm... I have to train. Believe it!"
   "What? But you promised you'd play ninja with us today!" Konohamoru complained.
   "A ninja playing ninja?" Sakura and Akira muttered, confused.
   "Oh, Sakura, you're still here," Naruto said, stuttering a bit. An evident blush was on his face.
   "You're a smooth operator, boss," Konohamoru said. Akira rose an eyebrow. "Come on, I know that she's your... girlfriend."
   "Huh!?" Sakura growled.
   "Uh oh..." Akira whispered. She released her grip from Sakura's hand and backed away a little.
   "Well, you could tell she's really crazy about me, huh?" Naruto bragged, blushing. 

All of a sudden, Sakura lunged forward and punched Naruto square in the face, sending him flying back. Akira rose her hands up in defeat and went to stand beneath a nearby tree. She'd intervene if things got out of hand, but until then she was just going to enjoy the show.

   "Hey, what kind of a girlfriend are you!?" Konohamoru shouted.

Moegi and Udon rushed to Naruto, saying that Sakura had cracked him. Konohamoru made the mistake of bringing up Sakura's forehead and Akira winced every time Sakura would get close enough to land a punch on them. Akira heard a branch break and she looked up to inspect. It was only Sasuke, looking just as fascinated, disgusted and confused by what the hell was going on. Akira sighed and went to leave, not believing she was going to get any training done with anyone at this point, but the commotion suddenly stopped. Akira looked over and saw that Konohamoru, while running away from Sakura, had bumped into someone. Someone Akira didn't recognise.

He wore a black full-body suit with a hood that covered his entire head. His ninja insignia, which was normally worn on a bandana, was integrated into the hood, and on his face were several purple markings. Akira narrowed her eyes at him, spying the large bandaged-wrapped... something on his back. Standing beside him was a young woman with sandy blonde hair, who looked to be at least a little older than herself. She wore a light purple off-the-shoulders garment with a scarlet red sash across her waist. Unlike the boy beside her, the insignia of her village was on a bandana loosely tied around her neck. She too carried something large on her back, but after seeing Kai train with one, she knew it was a giant fan.

   "Do you need something?" the boy said, his black eyes looking down at Konohamoru. When he didn't answer, the stranger grabbed him by the collar and raised him to his level. "So, does that hurt you little punk?"
   "Kankuro put him down," the girl said. "Or you know you'll pay for it later."

Kankuro glanced at the kid and then at the others. Neither of them looked to their side where Akira was not so subtly hiding. She wondered if they had seen her and were ignoring her, or if they'd made the mistake of not noticing her and Sasuke up in the tree. In either case, this Kankuro boy was nearing the line of acceptable behaviour and he'd find out Akira was there sooner or later.

   "Hey, I'm sorry," Sakura apologized. "The whole thing was my fault."
   "You better take your hands off him, right now!" Naruto yelled. 
   "We got a few minutes before he gets here," Kankuro said. "Let's mess with these punks, huh?"
   "Let go of me, you jerk!" Konohamoru said, kicking Kankuro in the stomach.
   "You're feisty, but not for long."

Naruto dashed at Kankuro, yelling angrily. Akira's eyebrows furrowed. It was subtle, but she'd noticed the boy's fingers move as if he were pulling something. An instant later, Naruto was on the ground before even having reached him. Akira smirked. The boy was arrogant and it was clouding his judgement. If he was here for the Chūnin Exams, it wasn't wise to reveal his tricks so easily. Just by that subtle movement of Kankuro's fingers, Akira guessed that the thing on his back was a puppet and that he was its master.

   "You're a Leaf Genin, too?" Kankuro asked. "Looks like your village is full of wimps."
   "That's it! Drop him now or I take you apart!" Naruto shouted. "You got that, fool?"
   "You're the fool," Sakura said, covering his mouth. "Making threats isn't going to help, Naruto."
   "You're all so annoying," Kankuro said. "I don't like runts or scrawny weaklings. So when a wimp like this starts shooting off his mouth... I just want to break him in half."
   "Ugh, fine," the girl beside Kakuro sighed. "But I'm not involved in this."
   "First, I'll take care of this little squirt," Kankuro said, squeezing Konohamoru's collar tighter. "Then I'll waste the other one."

As Kankuro's fist rose into the air, Akira came out of her hiding spot at rapid speed. She grabbed Kankuro's hand and pinched the nerves in his wrist, forcing him to release Konohamoru. As Akira grabbed Konohamoru and pulled him out of the way, a rock from the tree Sasuke was hiding in came flying at Kankuro's hand, smacking it away so that he couldn't hit Akira. When the girl looked back up after setting Konohamoru down, Kankuro was standing further away, clutching his hand. 

   "You're a long way from home," Akira said.
   "And way out of your league," Sasuke finished.
   "Sasuke, Akira!" Sakura cheered.

Naruto groaned at both of them, despite them saving Konohamoru. Kankuro glared at them as well.

   "Oh great, more wimps to tick me off," Kankuro said, annoyed.
   "Get lost," Sasuke and Akira said together, looking unimpressed. 
   "Ah, so cool!" Udon, Moegi and Sakura cheered, leaving Naruto to sulk.
   "How come you're not cool like them!" Konohamoru complained.
   "Ah! What do you mean, I could have taken that guy in two seconds flat!" Naruto said. 

Konohamoru looked away in a huff and Naruto growled, glaring at Akira and Sasuke.

   "Hey, punk, get down here and tell this little girl to keep her hands off me," Kankuro said. "You guys are the kind of pesky little snot I hate the most. All attitude and nothing to back it up."
   "I'm not the one who's picking fights with kids half my size," Akira said. "Tell me, are you picking a fight with us because you're superior or because you feel threatened by these 'little snots'?"

Kankuro let out an irritated growl and he pulled off the puppet—or what Akira suspected to be a puppet—off his back, slamming it in front of him.

   "Kankuro, back off," a quiet, threatening voice said.

Akira glanced to her left, towards Sasuke and the tree he was sitting in. Her eyes narrowed. There was a boy in the same tree as Sasuke, feet stuck to the branch above him so that he was upside down. By the look on his face, Akira didn't think Sasuke had felt his presence at all. Neither did Akira, which made her all the more curious about this peculiar looking boy. He had bright red hair and pale sea-green eyes that seemed to have not had sleep in a long time. On his forehead was the kanji for love, which was the oddest thing about him. Much like the other two, he as well had something on his back. I was a large gourd, tied on with a thick leather strap.

   "You're an embarrassment to our village," the red-haired boy said to Kankuro.
   "Oh, uh... Hey, Gaara," Kankuro stuttered.

Kankuro seemed very much afraid of this Gaara and, deciding that she may want to be afraid of him at least a little, Akira looked properly at Gaara and took a few respectful steps back. He looked at Akira for a short while, his gaze nearly piercing her down to her soul, then back at Kankuro.

   "Have you forgotten the reason we came all the way here?" Gaara asked.
   "I know. I mean, they challenged us!" Akira looked over at Kankuro and raised an eyebrow. "Hey don't look at me like that, you know it's true! You and that punk up there stared the whole thing! Look, what happened was—"
   "Shut up. Or I'll kill you."

Akira's gaze once again shifted to Gaara. Now that she really looked at him, she found that not only was his gaze intense, but it was also threatening, almost evil. There was something about the boy that just didn't sit right and she wondered what Sasuke sensed being so close to him. Akira shook it off, however. She could have been wrong. Judging someone by their appearance could be a mistake.

   "Ah, right. I was totally out of line," Kankuro stuttered. "I'm—I'm sorry, Gaara."
   "I'm sorry for any trouble he's caused," Gaara said, looking at Akira.
   "Don't worry about it. Nothing I can't handle," she said.

As soon as she'd finished her sentence, Gaara disappeared in a whisp of sand and reappeared in front of Kankuro. Akira frowned. Was there sand in that gourd on his back? Just as the thought came to her, the three ninjas turned to leave and Sakura ran forward.

   "Hold on! Hey!"
   "What?" Gaara said, stopping to listen.
   "I can tell from your insignia that you're from the Village Hidden in the Sand. Of course, the Lands of Fire and Wind are on good terms, but I was wondering what you're here for," Sakura said. "We haven't been told whether there's an event going on, but the festival yesterday couldn't have been for no reason."
   "We don't have to answer," the sandy blonde said.
   "Hey, she's just curious," Akira said sharply. "No need to be an ass about it."
   "Fine. Yeah, we're here for the Chūnin Exams."

Chapter Text

Akira frowned. It wasn't an odd time for the Chūnin Exams, but it was odd that the Hokage hadn't made an announcement and planned this last minute. Kakashi would have told them otherwise and that worried her. It had only been a few months since Team 7 had been Genin and they'd only accomplished one real mission. On average, Genin went through twelve to sixteen missions before they would usually be recommended to take the exams, and Akira's team had only gone through half of that. While Akira felt ready to tackle the challenge of the Chūnin Exams herself, and she suspected Sasuke was too, she didn't think Naruto or Sakura were up to the task. It wasn't that they didn't have the talent, but the Chūnin Exams were reputed to be an arduous task. Akira wasn't sure they had the character for it. Was this why Kakashi hadn't told them? Was he not going to recommend them for the exams?

   "Well, I've never heard of any Chūnin exams, believe it," Naruto said, confused.
   "I believe it, all right, that you're totally clueless," the sandy-blonde said with a scoff. 
   "Hey, boss," Konohamoru said. "The Chūnin exams are the exams that every Genin needs to take in order to become a full-on Chūnin."
   "Oh, well why didn't you say so? I am so there!"

Akira sighed and her gaze shifted back to the three Sand ninjas. The girl seemed nice enough, though a little rude, and Kankuro just seemed like a bully. Gaara was a different story. If Team 7 was going to be recommended for the Chūnin Exams, he was definitely going to be trouble. Akira could feel it. It was the way he talked, the way he looked at people, the way he'd snuck up on Sasuke. And that sand...

   "Hey, you!" Sasuke called. He jumped from the tree and went to stand next to his sister. "Identify yourself."
   "Hm, you mean me?" the sandy blonde said, turning back around. There was a faint blush on her cheeks that made Akira roll her eyes. 
   "No, him. The guy with the gourd on his back."

Kankuro and Gaara turned back. Kankuro looked scared, as if he thought Gaara was going to take his head off, but the boy turned around calmly, a look of detachment on his face.

   "My name is Gaara of the Desert," he said. "I'm curious about you too—you and that girl." Gaara's eyes flicked to Akira. "Who are you?"
   "I'm Sasuke Uchiha."
   "I'm his sister—Akira Uchiha," she said, offering up a small smile. 

Akira wondered if it had been a good idea to smile. She didn't want to seem threatening, a strategy for the exam she may be taking in the near future, but also because she thought it best not to anger him in the slightest. However, Gaara didn't show any kind of reaction. He stared at both siblings as if sizing them up. 

   "Hi, there! I bet you're dying to know who I am too, huh?" Naruto called, breaking the silence. 
   "I couldn't care less," Gaara said, not even glancing at him.

The three Hidden Sand Genin turned around and left, leaving everyone to stare at the place they were just standing. Akira chuckled to herself. He was going to be trouble, that was sure, but it may also be fun.

   "Hey, Konohamoru, do I seem uncool or something?"
   "Well, compared to Sasuke and Akira, yeah, you're pretty lame," Konohamoru said in a matter-of-fact sort of tone.
   "Ahh! You're not gonna show me up, Uchihas!"

Once again, Kakashi was late. Everyone was used to it by now, but after getting news that the Chūnin Exams were being held, Team 7 was a little less than patient. They were waiting on the same bridge they were always meant to wait at before a mission. Akira had taken off her sandals over twenty minutes ago, toes playing at the water, trying to get in as much chakra control practise as she could even as she waited. None of her teammates were paying attention, or else they'd see that the water around her feet was swishing in an oddly consistent pattern.

   "Good morning everyone!" Kakashi greeted, appearing out of nowhere. Akira's concentration broke immediately and she turned to him. "Sorry, I'm late. I'm afraid I got lost on the path of life."
   "Again?" Akira said, deadpan, an eyebrow raised.
   "LIAR!" Naruto and Sakura shouted.
   "I know this is a bit sudden—"
   "You've recommended us for the Chūnin Exams!?" Akira said excitedly.
   "Good guess," Kakashi said with a chuckle. He handed the teammates a few documents. "Well, it's true. I've recommended all of you for the Chūnin Exams. These are the applications."
   "Applications?" Sakura said.
   "You're repeating me, Sakura. While I do have to recommend you, this is all voluntary. It's up to each of you. If you don't feel ready, you can wait until next year."
   "All right!" Naruto cheered as he lunged at Kakashi to trap him in a hug. "Kakashi-sensei, you rock!"
   "Hey—don't slobber on my vest!" Kakashi complained, prying Naruto off of him. Akira and Sakura were desperately trying not to laugh. "Whoever wants to take the exams, sign the application and come to room 301 at the Academy. It's at 3 PM, five days from now. Well, that's it."

With that, Kakashi disappeared again, leaving the four Genin to their thoughts. They all walked down the bridge together, reading the applications in silence until Naruto spoke. 

   "Chūnin Exams, Chūnin Exams!" he chuckled. "I'll be up against a lot of really wicked ninjas!"

Naruto's eyes then glazed over as if he was fantasizing again. Akira suspected he was thinking about beating her and Sasuke to a pulp, maybe even that Kankuro kid. If Akira had to pick who she went up against, she'd chose Kai and Sasuke. While also being her best friend, Kai was a sort of rival to her. They always tried to one-up each other in fights and it would be nice to see who would come out a victor in an actual challenge. Akira wanted to fight Sasuke purely because of the way she was raised. Fugaku Uchiha was not a loving father, and even less towards his only daughter. When Itachi began behaving erratically, he was disinherited, and Fugaku concentrated all his time on Sasuke. Never once did Akira get any recognition for her achievements. If she could beat Sasuke, then she'd prove Fugaku wrong.

Of course, Akira also wanted to go up against Kiba. There was a constant friendly competition between these two, even more so than with Kai, and it'd be interesting to see who would come out on top. The wild card for the Chūnin Exams, however, was Gaara. Akira didn't really know why she wanted to go up against him. He seemed like a decent opponent, which was good enough reason, but if Akira really thought about it, she suspected she wanted to confront him just because of the way he held himself. He seemed dangerous and Akira was curious. She suddenly scoffed at herself, suddenly reminded of this Maru character. Maybe it was in her blood to be intrigued by questionable men.

The four teammates eventually went their separate ways and, despite the arrival of dusk, Akira was in desperate need of some training. She hadn't trained all day and her body was aching for it. Meeting the Sand Genin, trailing her feet over the water earlier, the Chūnin Exams—she wanted to punch and kick, to let the water flow around her body.

   "Hey, Kira! Where're you heading?" a voice said from nearby.
   "Kiba?" Akira muttered, turning her head. Sure enough, Kiba was walking towards her. "What're you doing all the way out here? You're usually training at the Academy."
   "Yeah, well, Kai and Shikamaru are playing chess, and Hinata and Shino are already home."
   "Oh, all right." Akira eyebrows furrowed. "You want to train a little bit? I've been dying to kick something all day."
   "You're on! And you're going to lose again," Kiba barked with laughter.
   "Hey, I've got to practise my jutsu so we can go all out this time."
   "Sweet! Let's go!"
   "Sure! Where's Akamaru, though? Don't you need him for like ninety-nine per cent of your attacks?" Akira asked. She casually put a hand on the hilt of one of her swords.
   "Oh, he's at home," Kiba said. "He hasn't been feeling well all day."

Akira sighed and pulled out the sword that her hand was resting on, spinning it in her hand as to allow the blade to extend. She casually pointed it at Kiba's head who took a step back.

   "I don't have time for this," Akira said, sighing. She pulled out the second sword and manoeuvred it the same way she did with the first. "Who're you? And you better not be that 'Maru' idiot."
   "What? Kira, it's me! It's Kiba!"
   "Look, I don't know who the hell you think you are, but you made a mistake trying to impersonate one of my closest friends. Kiba never goes anywhere with Akamaru. Besides, I'm an Uchiha—you can't fool me." Akira took an offensive stance, but her face was calm. "So, I'll ask again. Who are you and what do you want?"

'Kiba's' face split into a wicked grin and a deep, sinister laugh was heard across the training ground. Akira remained poised, face calm but clearly annoyed, as the form of her friend slowly melted into another person. Judging from the metal plate on his wide, domed hat, Akira could tell he was from the Village Hidden by Rain—a village highly reputed for its hiring of assassins. Most of the enemy's face was covered, but Akira could see hauntingly white eyes staring right at her.

   "I thought the Hidden Leaf Village had powerful ninja, but looking at you I can see there are nothing but weaklings."
   "What is up with people underestimating us today?" Akira muttered under her breath. "Can't I catch a break?"

As she spoke, the man began circling her. Akira took the opportunity to analyse what she could observe; he had two long staffs attached to his back, showing he may have a certain amount of talent in taijutsu. The long robes he was hiding in would facilitate making hand signs unnoticed, and while they looked cumbersome to her, Akira had a nagging feeling that he'd be able to move around with ease.

   "Look, I'm sorry, but I've had enough of people underestimating me and the Leaf Village, today. Weaklings—blah, blah, blah. Powerful ninja—blah, blah, blah." Akira sighed. "If you're going to keep saying these things, I'm going to need to shut you up."
   "And how do you plan on doing that?"

Akira shrugged lazily.

   "Oh, you know."

In a flash, Akira tossed her swords up into the air and began timing her movements. By the time the swords landed back into her hands, Akira had performed two sets of hand signs. As soon as her tachi were back into her grip, the blades became electrified with yellow lighting that buzzed and echoed in the empty training ground. It ominously lit up her face in the darkness, almost hauntingly so. 

She ran towards the Hidden Rain ninja and slashed down at him. She barely missed him, the enemy nearly not having enough time to dodge. Akira huffed. He was smart enough not to block the attack with his staffs—they would have shattered upon impact. However, when the ninja landed back on his feet, the result of Akira's second set of hand signs came to bite him in the ass. A shadow clone appeared and knocked the man off of his feet and then, soon after, half a dozen more shadow clones surrounded him, each one of them pinning the man to the ground in a different place. When he was no longer squirming, Akira approached and pointed one of her electrified swords at his throat.

   "I've been nice, and I still want to be nice," Akira said in an eerily calm voice. "I don't want to have to kill you, either. I've done my fair share of that, recently. So... you have two choices. When I lift my sword, you can either scurry off like a coward and live or you can be brave and stay to die. Choose wisely."

Akira had barely twitched her tachi away from the man's throat when he vanished from sight. She sighed and shook her head, annoyed, then released her jutsu and put away her blades. Then, as if nothing happened, Akira went on to the lake and began her training. 

The day of the Chūnin Exams had arrived and most of Team 7 was waiting at the entrance to the Academy. Akira, Naruto and Sasuke were already there but so far, Sakura was nowhere to be found. For a moment, Akira wondered if she was going to show at all. Like Kakashi said, if she didn't feel ready, she shouldn't enter the exams. However, just as the thought came to mind, Sakura came into view. Naruto greeted her far too enthusiastically, but Sakura, of course, saved her energy for Sasuke who ignored her completely.

The four students walked into the Academy, staring around at all the other students that had gathered inside. There we hundreds, if not more, each of them waiting to be a part of the Chūnin Exams. As Team 7 trekked up the stairs, Akira noticed that the walls were undulating slightly at the top. Her eyebrow twitched downwards, curious. She immediately suspected Genjutsu and began to worry—the exams hadn't even started and they were already testing them.

As Akira, Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke arrived to what looked like room 301, they came upon a dozen or more students waiting to get in. Akira scoffed. An impressive amount of them seemed to be fooled by the simple Genjutsu, including a boy who approached the door. However, he got kicked back by two others.

   "You're taking the Chūnin exams, but you can't even get past us," one of them said. 
   "Why don't you just give up now before you get hurt," the other continued.
   "Yeah, I think I hear your mommy calling you."
   "Please let us through," a girl said. She had caught the boy who'd been kicked. Akira assumed they were teammates. "We're supposed to go in there."

She approached the bullies too, but the girl was slapped away, too, landing next to her fallen partner.

   "You think this is a joke? Chūnin are qualified to lead missions," one of the bullies said. "The lives of your squad members are in your hands, so you better be tough enough to take the heat. Delicate little girls don't belong here."
   "Good thing I'm not so delicate," Akira said, stepping up to the two boys. "Now, this has been a really nice speech and all, but really... who are you fooling?"
   "Seriously, reverse that cheap Genjutsu of yours," Sasuke added. "We can see right through it. We're going to the third floor."
   "What are they talking about? We're on the third floor," someone whispered.
   "Well, well," one of the bullies said. "You two noticed the Genjutsu, huh?"
   "Go ahead, Sakura, tell them," Akira stated. "I'm sure you saw it even before we did."
   "Well, sure. This is only the second floor," Sakura said proudly. "I saw the walls undulating at the ceiling as soon as I walked in."
   "Right!" Naruto agreed. Though Akira wasn't sure he'd noticed anything at all.

All of a sudden, the number 301 over the door vanished and was replaced by the number 201.

   "Thank you. Now, if you don't mind, we'll be on our way to the right floor."

Akira turned to leave and one of the bullies took the opportunity to try and kick her. Sasuke pulled her out of the way and intended to block the kick, but the boy who'd been knocked down earlier sprang up faster than Akira had ever seen anyone move. He stopped both kicked with his hands and sent the bully flying to the ground. Akira raised an eyebrow at him. It took a lot of chakra to stop a kick like that.

   "Hey, what happened to the plan?" another boy said. He came out of the crowd with the girl who'd been slapped earlier. Akira deduced that they were most likely all teammates. "You're the one who said to keep a low profile and not let anyone see our skill level."
   "I know but—"
   "Nevermind, it's done now."

Akira looked at the three suspected teammates more closely. The boy who had stopped the kick was very odd-looking. He had a black bowl-cut and thick eyebrows with horrible lower lashes on his round eyes. He wore a forest green tracksuit and orange leg-warmers, his bandanna around his waist, which reminded her of the man Kakashi had been avoiding at the festival. The bandages around his hands and arms suggested he delved deep into taijutsu. The other boy was a little taller and more well-dressed, wearing a simple beige jacket and brown shorts. His forehead protector had two buckles that framed his face, instead of his long brown hair which was loosely gathered together near its ends. When Akira saw his pale purple eyes, she was instantly reminded of Hinata, and she wondered if they were related. The girl was wearing ankle-length pants and a pink, high-collared shirt. Her brown hair was gathered up in two buns at the top of her head, and her forehead protector was set above her brown eyes. Nothing that she wore gave away her technique, but if the well-dressed boy was related to Hinata, she could guess at his techniques.

Just then, the boy in the green tracksuit stepped forward and stood in front of Sakura.

   "My name is Rock Lee. You are Sakura, right?" he said in an overly dramatic voice.
   "Huh?" Sakura hummed, a little dumbfounded.
   "Please be my girlfriend. I vow to protect you with my life!"

Akira rose an eyebrow at this Rock Lee and then looked at her brother. The look on his face was priceless—a mixture of confusion and disgust. Akira would take a picture if she could. Sakura blinked a few times.

   "Definitely—not."
   "W-Why?"
   "Because you're a weirdo," she said, deadpan.

Lee sighed, defeated, and Naruto laughed. Akira couldn't control herself and she snorted, a smile threatening to show. Sasuke just looked like he wanted to melt into the crowd.

   "Hey, you two," the well-dressed boy said. "Who are you?"

Naruto growled, angry that the Uchiha were getting all the attention again.

   "It's common courtesy to give your own name before asking for someone else's," Sasuke said sharply.
   "You two are rookies, aren't you? How old are you anyway?"
   "Sorry, but that's, unfortunately, none of your business," Akira said calmly.
   "What's that?" the boy said, irritated.
   "Hard of hearing?" Sasuke retorted.
   "Okay, that's all for now," Sakura said nervously. 

She grabbed Naruto and Sasuke by the hand and dragged them off. Sasuke grabbed Akira's wrist and pulled her with him. They all went on their way, but they were interrupted by a familiar voice behind them as they entered a small dojo. 

   "Hey, you. The ones with the attitude. Hold on."

All four of them turned around and looked up. Rock Lee was on a balcony, staring down at them. He jumped down, landing quietly on the wooden floor, and took a few steps forward. Sakura almost looked scared of him. That was quite understandable.  Who goes around asking strangers to be their girlfriends?

   "What do you want?" Sasuke asked, clearly annoyed.
   "I want to fight, right here and right now," Lee said. 
   "You want to fight me, right here and now, huh?"
   "Yes. You and the other girl."
   "Why?" Akira asked, genuinely confused.
   "My name is Rock Lee. You said it was common courtesy for a challenger to give his name first, right—Sasuke and Akira Uchiha."
   "So you know us," Akira said.
   "I challenge you!" Lee said, getting into a fighting stance. "Everyone is always talking about the Uchiha clan and how great they are. I want to see if it is true. I figure you will be a good test for me. And also..."

He looked at Sakura and blushed, making the pink-haired girl want to vomit.

   "You've heard of the Uchiha clan, yet you're challenging us?" Sasuke said, raising an eyebrow. "You must be even more psycho than you look if that's possible."
   "Now, now, Sasuke, be nice," Akira said. "We're rookie Genin, after all."

She looked at Lee and crossed her arms. Sasuke wasn't going to refuse to fight him, that was certain. He was arrogant and determined to show off. However, Akira wasn't so easily swayed. It was like Kankuro all over again. There was no way she was going to reveal her techniques so easily.

   "I don't accept your challenge, Rock Lee. Fighting just to prove a point isn't something I engage in," Akira lied. "But it is nice to see that you value me as a worthy opponent."
   "Very well. I respect your decision," Rock Lee said. He turned to Sasuke who spoke immediately.
   "You want to know more about my clan? Then I'll have to teach you the hard way," Sasuke said.

Akira sighed and rolled her eyes.

   "For fuck's sake."

Chapter Text

Of course, Naruto had to interfere, as there was no way Naruto was going to let Lee challenge only the Uchiha without him trying the challenger out first. As such, when Sasuke began to get into position, Naruto stepped in front of him, blocking his passage. Lee glared at him.

   "I get him first," Naruto said. "This weirdo is mine."
   "Go for it," Sasuke said seriously.
   "Naruto!" Sakura complained.

Akira sighed and walked over to the edge of the dojo. She looked at the clock and saw that there was still a little time before Team 7 had to get to room 301. So, Akira leaned on a beam at the side of the room and watched everything unfold. She hoped that this would be at least a little entertaining or provide some insight into Lee's fighting techniques.

   "What? It'll take me two minutes to get this guy begging for mercy."
   "No, thank you," Lee said simply. "Right now, the only one I will fight is Sasuke Uchiha."
   "Yeah, well I got news for you!" Naruto shouted, getting angrier. "Neither Sasuke nor Akira can compare to me. Believe it!"

Naruto charged at Lee with a war cry, and Lee positioned himself. Naruto leapt forward and went in to punch him, but Lee, without any discernible effort, simply tapped two fingers onto the back of Naruto's hand and gently shoved him away, making Naruto skid across the room and smack his head into the wall. He was knocked out cold. Akira rose an eyebrow. Rock Lee did nothing of significance, and yet Naruto was across the room. This boy's taijutsu was impeccable.

   "Impressive," Akira called, giving Lee a respectful nod.
   "Thank you, but it is not you that I am here to impress." Lee looked at Sakura again who was clearly fighting the urge to gag. "Sasuke Uchiha, you must accept that you have no chance against me. Your skills are inferior. You see, out of all the Leaf Genin, I am the best! Fight me, Uchiha, and I will prove it to you."
   "Hm, this'll be fun. Let's do it," Sasuke said with a cocky smile.
   "There's no time, Sasuke," Sakura said. "We've got to register by 3 PM—that's less than half an hour."
   "Relax, this will all be over in five seconds."
   "Don't overestimate yourself, Sasuke," Akira said in a sing-song voice. She continued seriously, looking straight at Lee. "And never underestimate your opponent."
   "Calm down, Akira. I'll waste this dork."

Akira shrugged.

   "Suit yourself."

Sasuke departed, running at Rock Lee who remained as still as ever. Sasuke launched his fist at his opponent, but the green-clad boy vanished before his eyes, reappearing above Sasuke mere moments later. He struck down at Sasuke with his feet, sending multiple blows in such rapid succession that Sasuke barely managed to block. Akira stared at Lee's movements. He was faster than Sasuke, he was faster than her. If this had been a real fight, Akira would need to use her Sharingan to see his movements and gain the advantage. Akira frowned. She wondered if Sasuke was as wise as she was. It made her chuckle. Of course not. Sasuke was different. She wouldn't be surprised if he'd use his Sharingan right then and there just to prove a point.

In the blink of an eye, Sasuke was sent flying across the room. Lee had pretended to produce a jutsu which got Sasuke distracted and he'd landed a kick straight to Sasuke's chest. Akira sighed. She'd warned him not to underestimate Lee but, of course, this was Sasuke. He was too focused on winning. He wasn't analysing his opponent's moves either. If he had been, he wouldn't have gotten distracted by Lee's attempt at a jutsu. Rock Lee was a creature of its own kind. He was using pure taijutsu and nothing else. Even if the Sharingan was used, if Sasuke's body couldn't keep up with Lee's movements, there was no point in trying to copy them. But, as this was Sasuke Uchiha in all of his pride and arrogance, he noticed none of this and backed up with a familiar look in his eye.

   "Sasuke..." Akira said in a warning tone.

It was too late. Sasuke's eyes were as red as blood. Akira sighed and shook her head, but she was surprised to see that the number of tomoe in his right eye had gone from one to two. He'd improved. But when?

As Akira predicted, the Sharingan was useless. Sasuke ran at Lee again who, easily swaying away from Sasuke's attack, managed to kick him straight in the chin. Sasuke went flying towards the opposite wall and Sakura ran over to catch him before he hit the wall.

   "Ugh, what kind of jutsu is that!?" Sasuke growled, getting away from Sakura and lunging at Lee once more.
   "It's not a jutsu, bonehead. I told you not to underestimate him," Akira said with a sigh. "But when do you ever listen?"
   "Akira is right. You see, my technique is neither ninjutsu nor genjutsu," Lee said, attacking Sasuke and getting in a few blows. He knocked Sasuke back into the wall. "You get it now? I am using taijutsu. That means no tricks, Sasuke." Lee suddenly disappeared and reappeared behind Sasuke. "It is just straight martial arts, nothing more."
   "Why you—" 

Sasuke went to hit Lee, but he jumped out of the way quite easily. 

   "I know your technique. Forget it. Your sister was smart—useless fighting, especially against arrogant people, allows the opponent to see your jutsu. You have pride, I knew you would reveal your tricks. I know about your Sharingan, now," Lee said. "I know your Sharingan can see through your opponent's jutsu. It allows you to see your enemy's chakra and decipher his hand signs and movements. You can guess what he is going to do almost before he knows himself. The problem is, taijutsu is a little bit different."
   "Right. So what's your point?" Sasuke said, annoyed.
   "I do not try to hide or disguise my moves. I do not have to. Even if you can read them, you still cannot stop them. You are too slow. Your eyes might be quick enough to stay one step ahead of me, but if your body cannot keep up it is useless."

Sasuke let out a harsh exasperated sigh.

   "You know what? Here is what I believe. There are two different kinds of ninja, those like you who are born with talent and do not have to work at it, and those like me." Sasuke lunged at Lee again. "The ones who have to train every day of our lives." Lee evaded a punch from Sasuke. "Fact is, your Sharingan is the worst match for my extreme taijutsu! Here is what I mean!"

Lee dashed forward and kicked Sasuke straight in the chest, sending him flying across the room again. This time, however, Lee didn't just let him fly off. He disappeared from view and reappeared right underneath Sasuke, floating in parallel with him. Suddenly, the bandages around his hands began to unravel. Akira's eyes widened.

   "Lee!" a voice suddenly rang through the dojo.

Lee groaned and dropped to the ground, leaving the Uchiha to fly through the air. Akira wasted no time and dashed over to her brother as fast as she could. If Sasuke landed from this position, he'd be in the hospital for days. Akira sent chakra to her feet and jumped up, pushing herself off the floor with so much force that the wooden floor dented and shards were sent flying up. Akira caught Sasuke with surprising softness and landed just as gracefully with Sasuke in her arms. She helped him sit.

   "You good?" Akira asked, looking at Sasuke, concerned. He said nothing and glared at the floor. "Are you good?"
   "Yeah, I'm fine," Sasuke replied, annoyed.
   "Great. Now, I can say I told you so."

Akira smiled and stuck her tongue out at her brother, then stood up and turned to where Lee was. She saw that Naruto was awake, looking dumbfounded, but Lee had changed places and was now being scolded by—

   "A turtle?" Sasuke said, confused.
   "You—You were watching us the whole time?" Lee told the turtle.
   "And now he's talking to the turtle," Akira stated, perplexed.
   "Of course. That last technique is forbidden. You know that," the turtle said.
   "The turtle... talks?" Sakura and Akira said simultaneously.
   "I am sorry," Lee said. 
   "Wait, it makes sense if it's a summon," Akira noted.
   "Ohhh," Sakura whispered in realization.
   "Ah! I was not planning to use a forbidden jutsu," Lee shouted, suddenly scared and uselessly flailing his arms. "It is just—I was in the middle of the fight, and I mean—you understand!?"
   "Hey, guys!" Naruto said, appearing beside Sakura, Sasuke and Akira in a flash. "That weird thing he's talking to is a turtle, right?"
   "Obviously, what do you think it is!?" Sakura shouted. 
   "Okay then, maybe that means turtles can be sensei too!"
   "Naruto, that's a ninja summon," Akira sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Lee's sensei probably summoned it. That means he should be nearb—oh, god..."

In a cloud of smoke, a man appeared, and he was striking a rather ridiculous pose as he stood on top of the turtle. Exactly like Lee, the man had a shiny bowl-cut and remarkably thick eyebrows. He also wore a green jumpsuit, orange leg warmers, and his Leaf bandanna around his waist like a belt. The only difference in attire was that the man wore a standard Konoha flak jacket. It was like seeing an older version of Lee. If this was the man Kakashi was avoiding during the festival, Akira couldn't blame him.

   "Hey! What's shakin'?" the man shouted, still posing. "How you doin' everybody? Life treatin' you good?"

Akira, Sasuke, Naruto and Sakura all shouted in fear.

   "He's got the biggest eyebrows yet!" Naruto yelled. "They're almost alive!"
   "Hello, ladies," he said, winking in Akira and Sakura's direction.
   "Too weird," Sakura whimpered.
   "So that's where Lee gets all... that from," Akira said, eyes wide.
   "Same soup bowl haircut and even bushier brows!" Naruto added.
   "Hey!" Lee shouted, violently turning around and getting angry. "Do not insult Guy-sensei! He is one of the greatest men in the entire world!"
   "Well, excuse me for not noticing his greatness! I was too busy watching him crawl out from underneath a turtle!"
   "He did not crawl out!"
   "Give it a rest, Lee," Guy-sensei said, waving his hand dismissively.
   "Yes, sir," Lee said, calmly turning back to the turtle on which his sensei was standing.
   "Now, for your punishment for intending to use a forbidden jutsu!" Guy-sensei yelled dramatically, then punched Lee in the face, sending him flying. "You little fool!"

Team 7 screamed again. Guy-sensei walked over to Lee who was sprawled out on the ground and knelt down in front of him. Lee sat up to face him.

   "I'm sorry, Lee, but it's for your own good."
   "Sen—Sensei..."

Suddenly both men started to cry, dramatically staring into each other's eyes. Akira looked on, eyes wide with fear and confusion. She blinked a few times. They were still there. She pinched her arm. It wasn't a dream. Those two really were that weird. Akira suddenly had the urge to run away screaming.

   "Oh, Lee..."
   "Oh, Sensei... I am so sorry!"
   "It's all right. It's over. You don't need to say any more," Guy said through tears. 

All of a sudden Lee ran into Guy-sensei's arms and they shared an embrace.

   "I cannot put into words how creeped out I am at the moment," Akira said, frozen in place. Everyone else gagged. 
   "You know, it's actually kinda sweet the way they're all huggy and stuff," Naruto said. 

Akira didn't hesitate and smacked him upside the head without even looking. 

   "What!?" Sakura shouted. "You've got to be kidding me? They're totally crazy!"
  "You're just caught in between," Guy said dramatically, placing a hand on Lee's head. Akira's face softened as she remembered Kakashi-sensei did that too. However, it only lasted for a split second, until she remembered she was staring at two men in identical tracksuits. "You're too old to be called a boy and not quite yet a man."
   "You are too good to me, Guy-sensei," Lee said, still crying.
   "Now, off!" Guy said, pointing to the training field outside. "I want you to give me one hundred laps around the practice field. Show me what you got!"
   "Yes, sir! No problem!"
   "Run into the setting sun. Run and suffer. But don't mess up your hair," Guy said. "Let us go!"
   "But the sun isn't even setting," Akira muttered, confused.
   "You're more concerned about the sun not setting!?" Sakura shouted.
   "Hey, wait a minute!" Naruto yelled. "We're not finished here! You guys can't just take off like that!"
   "And what about the Chūnin exams? There's no time for fooling around!" Sakura reasoned. 

Guy and Lee stopped walking.

   "Uh, oh, right, I forgot about that," Guy said, awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck. He cleared his throat. "Lee, you not only disobeyed the rule against fighting, but you've also disrupted the Chūnin exams. I think that warrants a slightly more severe punishment, don't you think?"
   "Yes, sir!" Lee said, saluting Guy as if he were a drill sergeant. 
   "Let's say 500 laps! How does that sound?"
   "Outstanding, sir!"

Akira, Sakura, Sasuke and Naruto looked at Guy-sensei and Lee incredulously, as if they were some kind of alien species. It was probably the first time that all four of them were on the same page about something. 

   "They're insane," Sakura said, exasperated.
   "Definitely," Akira agreed.
   "Never mind them," Naruto said. "What's the deal with that turtle, anyway?"
   "Guys, he's looking at us..."
   "Ah! Akira's right, he is!" Sakura shouted, recoiling. 
   "Tell me, how is Kakashi-sensei?" Guy asked.
   "Do you know him?" Sasuke asked, uneasy. 
   "Do I know Kakashi?" Guy laughed. "Well, people say... he and I are archrivals for all eternity."

An obnoxious snort forced itself up Akira's nose and throat and she couldn't hide it. The snort then became laughter, so much laughter that Sakura, Naruto and Sasuke had to snap her out of it when she started to stop breathing. 

   "There's just..." Akira snorted again. "There's just no way!"
   "How dare you!?" Lee shouted, waving his fist in front of his face. "If Guy-sensei says it is true, then"—
   "Let it slide, Lee. A ninja's actions always speak louder than words."

Akira made the mistake of blinking. When her eyes reopened, Guy-sensei was nowhere to be found. However, he reappeared right behind them seconds later in a puff of smoke. The entirety of team seven shuddered at his proximity.

   "My record is 50 wins and 49 losses, which is one better than his, by the way," he said.
   "What!?" Akira gasped. "You're joking. How can you be better than Kakashi-sensei!?"
   "The fact is that I'm stronger than Kakashi," Guy said proudly. "And faster."
   "Faster and stronger doesn't necessarily mean, better," Akira said defiantly.
   "No! Guy-sensei is the best there is!" Lee argued. 
   "Keep telling yourself that," Akira mumbled to herself.

There was no doubt this Guy-sensei was fast, faster than Kakashi even. But there was no way she'd ever admit (or believe for that matter) that this idiot in a green jumpsuit was better than her sensei. Kakashi might not be the fastest out there, but Akira knew a great person when she saw one. And Guy-sensei was just... wrong in so many ways.

   "I'm sorry for the trouble Lee caused you," Guy said. "Look into my eyes and accept my sincerest apology. Also, notice my handsome manly features."
   "Don't mind if I don't," Akira said under her breath.
   "Lee, you should accompany these fine young ninjin to the classroom, right now. Remember, give it your best! Lee, farewell!"
   "Yes, sir!"

With another cloud of smoke, Guy-sensei was gone, the turtle following suit. Akira let out a short breath of relief. That man gave her anxiety.

   "Hey, Sasuke, Akira," Lee said. Both Uchiha turned towards him. "Actually, I have not been totally honest with you. I said I wanted to test my skills, and that is true enough. But you two are not really the ones I wanted to test them against."

Akira let out a breath of laughter. It was a good thing she hadn't decided to fight Lee, then.

   "I lied to you when Sasuke and I were fighting before. I told you I am the best Genin here, but there is another top ninja, someone on my own team."

Akira couldn't picture that girl being much of a threat, but the boy with Hinata's eyes looked like trouble and arrogance mixed in one. She could understand why Lee would want to fight him, just like how Akira wanted to challenge her own brother.

   "I came here to defeat him. You were just practice," Lee said. He looked at Akira. "Unfortunately, I did not get all the practice I wanted."
   "Sorry for not being as hot-headed as Sasuke, over here," Akira said sarcastically.
   "But now, that makes you both targets. I will crush you," Lee insisted. "There you have it. Consider yourselves warned."

With that, Lee somersaulted back up to the balcony and out of sight, leaving behind a fuming Sasuke Uchiha. Akira would have been angry, but she was far more concerned with the fact that she knew she wouldn't be able to defeat him if they went up against each other.

   "Oh, Sasuke," Sakura sighed. She looked at Akira, then cast her gaze downwards.
   "Heh, how about that?" Naruto chuckled. "Looks like the Uchihas aren't as great as everybody thinks they are."
   "Naruto!" Sakura shouted, balling her fist and brandishing it in front of his face.

Akira's jaw tightened. Naruto usually said some pretty careless things, and she'd tolerate a lot. She didn't mind casual insults of her abilities, nor did she mind when he got up in Sasuke's face, but Akira wasn't fond of people taking it out on her clan. 

   "Next time, I'll drive him to his knees!" Sasuke growled.
   "Yeah, right. Look who just got his butt kicked. And Akira didn't even want to fight him. A waste of time, huh?" Naruto said arrogantly.
   "Cut it out, Naruto!" Sakura shouted at him. 
   "You saw his hands, didn't you? When the bandages unravelled?"

Akira had noticed. Lee's hands were all beaten up underneath the bandages, littered with cuts, scrapes and bruises. Akira looked down at her own hands, covered by black leather fingerless gloves. They were alike, her and Lee. It was probably for different reasons, however, as Akira doubted Lee had several assassinations to get his mind off of, but both of them gave training their all until their bodies caved in. 

And there was one thing Lee was wrong about. There were three kinds of ninja. One that got everything handed to them, those who had to work hard, but there were also those who were born with everything and could not succeed. That was Akira, born with the blood of the Uchiha coursing through her veins, but not being able to make anything of herself stand out to her father. She looked down at her hands again, then at her feet. She remembered the last time she'd trained that hard—Kiba had to pull her away for fear she'd break her wrists.

   "I bet old bushy-brow has been training until he drops, day in and out," Naruto said. He glanced at the Uchiha. "He trains harder than you."

Akira had had enough. She let out a harsh sigh and, without much thought, she violently pulled off her gloves and threw them at Naruto's face. When they fell at his feet, Akira's battered and scarred hands were out in the open. She was furious. How dare he underestimate her, how dare he judge her based on what he saw? He knew. He knew what she'd gone through with Haku, and yet he said things like this. Akira trained day-in and day-out, relentlessly, until she could barely stand. She wanted to forget what happened to Haku, she wanted to be better than Sasuke, she wanted to prove to her father she wasn't the useless Uchiha he claimed her to be.

   "Do you see these!?" she shouted. "Do you see them or are you blind? How's this for day-in and day-out? You all know what happened with Haku, you know I've been training to get rid of the horror that I did! Do you want to see my ankles, too? I don't just punch until I bleed, oh no—I kick too!"

Frantic, Akira kicked off her sandals and threw them at Naruto as well. Her ankles were full of bruises—red, purple, green, yellow—all in different stages of healing. They were scraped, punctured, cut, pocked with the marks of nail heads she'd kicked without noticing the pain.

   "You know what, Naruto? I want some recognition for all my hard work, no different from you. I don't have any goals to become Hokage or to kill the person who wiped out my clan, but I have a goal to reach my fullest potential. Do you think I do that by sitting on my ass and twiddling my thumbs?" Akira grabbed her shoes and put them back on. Her eyes fell onto the gloves on the ground and she stared at them. "The Chūnin Exams... this is my chance to prove to everyone what I can do—what I can achieve. 
   "So, by all means, insult me, insult Sasuke—I don't care. But don't insult my clan and don't ever insult my dedication unless you've got something to back it up, Naruto Uzumaki. School's out, recess is over. It's time to grow up."

Chapter Text

Akira suddenly became nervous as she and her teammates approached room 301. Her outburst only moments ago had put everyone on edge, but they seemed even more determined to go through with the Chūnin Exams because of it. Despite the slow, bubbling rage deep inside her, it had taken a backseat to the excitement she was feeling. Akira was eager to start proving herself, eager to prove Naruto, Sasuke, and even her father wrong. However, she was also worried. If all the opponents were like Lee and Gaara, then she may have some trouble and fail to become a Chūnin. It wasn't that she didn't have faith in her abilities, it's that she didn't know what sort of tricks the proctors and contestants had up their sleeves. There was a strong possibility that some would resort to cheating, intimidation or outright violation of the rules to achieve their ends, and Akira wasn't sure she had the nerve to do the same. The biggest question was... would Akira have to kill again?

Akira came out of her thoughts when she saw Kakashi standing in front of door 301. A warm sensation rose within her and she smiled. Nothing mattered as long as Kakashi believed in her and the team. Akira, Sasuke, Naruto and Sakura walked up to Kakashi and stopped a few feet from him. He smiled.

   "Glad you came, Sakura, for your sake and the others'."
   "Huh?" the teammates chorused.
   "Now you can all formally register for the Chūnin Exams."
   "What do you mean?" Sakura asked.
   "Well, only full groups are allowed to apply for and take the exam," Kakashi said. "That's the way it's always been."
   "But Sensei, you said that the decision to take the exam was up to the individual."
   "That's right, I did."
   "Was that a lie?"
   "Sort of," Kakashi said, glancing sideways. "It is an individual decision, but it affects the entire team. I didn't tell you before, Sakura, because I didn't want the others pressuring you."

Akira, Sasuke and Naruto nodded in agreement. It was a thoughtful gesture.

   "At the same time, I didn't want you to feel obliged to participate because of any feelings you might have for Sasuke, Naruto or Akira. I wanted you to come to a decision of your own free will."
   "Wait a minute," Akira said, her eyebrows furrowed. "Do you mean, if everyone showed up except Sakura—"
   "It would have been the end of the line. If Sakura hadn't come, I couldn't let you, Sasuke or Naruto in." Kakashi stuffed his hands in his pockets. "But it's a moot point. You're all here, and for the right reasons; Sakura, Naruto, Sasuke, and Akira—I'm proud of you. I couldn't have asked for a better team."

A little bit of pride rose within Akira and the others. Kakashi stepped aside and the four teammates went through the doors to room 301. Kakashi ruffled Akira's hair as she passed and she swatted his hand away, chuckling. 

The doors had barely closed behind Akira when her eyes narrowed and scanned across the room. There were at least a few hundred ninja in the room, sitting at a disproportionately smaller number of seats, forcing some to sit on the ground, on top of tables, or to remain standing. What was sure enough to the team, however, was that every single one of their heads turned towards them as the door slammed shut. Akira subconsciously straightened her back and shoulders and lifted her chin a little. She needed to show that she wasn't intimidated by them. However, the defiant look in her eye was making them stare more. Confidence from a rookie? That was something to crush.

     "Wha—What's this?" Naruto stuttered, scared and confused.
     "Gee, I guess we're not alone," Sakura said, sounding quite worried.

Akira crossed her arms and gazed in contempt at those who dared to stare directly at her. There were some that didn't react. Akira looked calm to them, almost as if she belonged. There were others who looked upon her with smirks, proud to see a rookie with an abundance of confidence. Others, who saw this confidence, wanted to shrink away and crawl into a hole, terrified of what the rookie team could do if she was showing so much confidence. And there were some who, upon seeing this confidence, grew angry, believing that she should be crushed immediately. Tensions were high in the room, and Akira had just added to it.

Sasuke seemed to have the same idea as Akira. He was gazing coolly around the room, sizing up the competition. That was, of course, until their Academy classmates barged in.

   "Sasuke, where've you been!?" Ino squealed, jumping onto Sasuke's back.

Sasuke glared at her and that was Akira's queue to move away from the group. There was no way she was going to be seen with them if they were going to act like schoolchildren. Akira moved to the back of the room and leaned against the wall, watching from a distance.

   "Hey, you porker! Back off! He's mine!" Sakura shouted angrily.
   "Miss Forehead! They let you in?" Ino said. "Still got those big frown lines on your billboard brow, I see."
   "Leave my forehead out of it!"
   "Oh, it's you guys," a voice said to Akira's right. She turned her head and suppressed a smile.
   "Hey, Shikamaru," Akira greeted calmly. He looked at her and smirked.
   "I knew this was gonna be a drag," Shikamaru said, walking over to her. "I guess it'll kind of be better with you around here."
   "I'm not getting involved with..." Akira gestured dismissively at Ino and Sakura. "That."
   "So, all three stooges are here," Naruto commented.
   "Hey, you know what pipsqueak?" Shikamaru said, annoyed. However, he didn't follow through with his insult. "Ah, forget it. You're a waste of time."

Akira couldn't help but breathe out a small laugh. Leave it up to Shikamaru to be too lazy to tell someone off. Akira looked over to Shikamaru's right and spotted his teammate Choji Akimichi, munching away on a bag of chips. She went to greet him with a polite nod of the head, but he was too invested in his snacking to notice anything. But then Kiba, Kai, Hinata and Shino walked over, and Akira couldn't help but smile.

   "Well, well, what do you know?"  Kiba said. He was smirking, looking overconfident, as usual, with Akamaru lying down on his giant hood. "Looks like the whole gang is back together again."
   "Hey, Kira," Kai said, smiling brightly at her. "Almost didn't see you back there."
   "I'm trying to avoid being seen with these people," Akira groaned, nodding towards Ino and Sakura.
   "Kira? Kira! I didn't even see you!" Kiba said loudly as he walked over to her. He swung an arm around her shoulders. "Admit it; you're only here to try and prove yourself to me, aren't you?"
   "Self-centered as usual, aren't you?"
   "Oh. Hi, Naruto," Hinata's soft voice said. 

When Naruto looked at her, she blushed and turned away, making the yellow-haired ninja frown in confusion. Shikamaru sighed, slouching on the wall beside Akira.

   "You guys too, huh?" he said, almost groaning. "Man, everyone's here for this stupid thing."
   "Yup, all eleven rookies are here," Kiba laughed as he squeezed Akira's shoulders tighter. "This is gonna be fun. At least, for those of us good enough to make the cut. Right, Akira, Sasuke?"
   "Kiba, careful you don't get overconfident," Sasuke said, after finally breaking away from Ino and Sakura.
   "Just wait, we're gonna blow you guys away! We've been training like crazy."
   "What do you think we've been doing? Sitting on our asses?" Akira said, looking up at her friend with a raised eyebrow. "You have no idea what training is, Kiba."

A set of approaching footsteps rang in Akira's ear and as they got closer, Akira turned in the direction of the sound. Her eyes gave the man a once-over out of curiosity; he was a few years older than them, at least, and he had a serious look on his face. The bandana he wore told her he was from the Leaf Village, but Akira didn't recall ever seeing him. Behind round glasses was a pair of black eyes, and his ash-grey hair was tied at the base of his head. There were no dead giveaways on this guy's techniques, but by the general air of calm, Akira guessed that he was at least a little experienced.

   "Hey, you guys," he called to the rookies. "You might wanna try keeping it down a little. I mean, no offence, but you're the eleven rookies, right? Fresh outta the Academy? I wouldn't go making a spectacle out of yourselves. Just cool it. This isn't a class field trip."
   "No, really?" Akira muttered sarcastically. Kiba and Shikamaru chuckled.
   "Well, who asked you?" Ino complained. "Who are you?"
   "I'm Kabuto Yakushi. But, really, look around you. You've made quite an impression."

Akira didn't need to look around to know that all eyes were on them. They were acting like a bunch of kids, like Genin fresh out of the Academy. It didn't really bother Akira. If anything, she felt it gave her an advantage. If people were going to underestimate her, they weren't going to be prepared for what she could do.

   "See those guys?" Kabuto continued. "They're from the Rain Village. Very touchy. They all are. This exam makes everyone tense, and you don't want to rub them the wrong way right now."
   "Nuh-uh," Sakura said, looking nervously to her left.
   "You can't help it. I mean, how could you know how things work? You're just rookies."
   "Means you've been here before," Akira said. "What does that say about you, I wonder?"

Kabuto chuckled and smiled a little. Akira thought a smile suited him better.

   "You remind me of myself a while back," he said. 
   "Kabuto, right? I'm assuming this isn't the first time you've taken the exam," Akira said, still staring at the man.
   "Heh, no..." Kabuto said with a disparaging smile. "It's my seventh."
   "Say what now?" Shikamaru said, looking at Kabuto with a dumbfounded expression. 
   "Well, they're held twice a year. So, this'll be my fourth year."
   "Wow, a veteran!" Sakura said, sounding impressed. "You must be an expert by now."
   "Yeah... Sort of."
   "Cool!" Naruto said, smiling. "You can give us all the inside tips!"
   "Yeah, some expert," Shikamaru said sarcastically. "He's never passed."
   "Well, seventh time's the charm," Kabuto said, smiling awkwardly while rubbing the back of his neck. "That's what they say, huh?"

Akira couldn't help but let out a breathy chuckle. This dork...

   "So, I guess all those rumours about the exam being tough are true, then." Shikamaru sighed. "Oh man, I knew this was gonna be a drag."
   "Hang on. Don't give up just yet. Maybe I can help you kids out a little..." Kabuto retrieved a pack of orange cards from his pocket. "With my ninja info cards."
   "What the heck are those?" Sakura asked. 
   "It's a little hard to explain, but these cards have been chakra encoded with everything I've learned over the past four years," Kabuto said. He sat on the ground and placed the deck of cards before him. "I've got over two hundred of them. So, you see, I haven't been completely wasting my time. They may not look like much to the naked eye. In fact, they appear blank," Kabuto said flipping a card over. It was indeed paper-white. "Don't want just anyone seeing this stuff."
   "What are you doing?" Sakura asked as Kabuto began spinning the flipped card with his forefinger.
   "You see, I'm using my chakra to reveal their secrets, like this for example."

Suddenly, upon the blank card appeared a map with green bars of various lengths on it. Akira frowned and leaned forward, curious. This use of chakra was interesting. Kabuto must be skilled at chakra control.

   "A map?" she said, looking down at the card.
   "Of what?" Ino asked.
   "It shows the geographical distribution of all the candidates who have come to take the Chūnin exams," Kabuto said. "What villages they come from, and how many from each village." Kabuto looked up at the rookies. "Why do you think they all come here to take the exam together, at the same time?"
   "Some weird friendship fostering scam, probably," Akira said, sounding bored. "International brotherhood and whatnot."
   "The scam part isn't that far off," Kabuto admitted. "You see, the important thing is that this way, they can carefully regulate the total number of shinobi that end up in each village, thereby maintaining the balance of power."
   "Way to go, conspiracy theorist," Kiba teased.
   "Oh, yeah, the balance of power," Naruto commented, obviously pretending he understood what was going on.
   "Balance of power. Big deal. It's all a drag," Shikamaru complained.
   "No, he's got a point, Shikamaru," Akira said with a sigh. "If the balance of power isn't maintained throughout the villages, one nation could end up with far more shinobi than its neighbours. If that were to happen, they might be tempted to attack. So, we have to maintain the status quo or we'd end up with another war."
   "Right," Kabuto agreed.
   "Do those cards of yours have any info on the other candidates, individually?" Sasuke asked.

Akira's mind immediately went to Gaara. Ever since she'd met that boy, she knew he was going to be trouble. If there was a chance her team could get a leg up on him, then Akira would snatch it right up.

   "They might," Kabuto said. "You have someone special in mind?"
   "I might," Sasuke said, glaring at Kabuto.
   "I can't promise my information is complete or perfect, but I've got something on just about everyone, including you guys of course. So, which one is it?"
   "Gaara of the Desert," Akira said suddenly. "And Rock Lee of the Leaf Village, while you're at it."
   "You know their names? Well, that makes it easier."

Kabuto ran a hand over his deck of cards and plucked two from it. He spun the first card.

   "First is Rock Lee. Looks like he's about a year older than you guys. Mission experience is eleven C-Ranks and 20 D-ranks. His squad leader is Guy. In the last twelve months, his taijutsu skills have radically improved, but his other skills are pretty shaky. His teammates are Tenten and Neji Hyuga."

Akira clenched her jaw. She was right. He was a Hyuga. That meant trouble.

   "Okay, now for Gaara of the Desert." Kabuto spun the second card. "Mission experience is eight C-Ranks and, get this, one B-Rank as a Genin. There's not a lot more information on this guy. He was a rookie from another land, originally, but there is this: he survived every single mission without getting a scratch on him."

Akira's eyebrows furrowed. The mission Team 7 had to the Land of Waves was probably a B-rank or even an A-rank mission. However, it was supposed to be a simple C-rank. What was this kid's excuse for doing a B-rank on purpose? Coming out of it without a scratch on him was also a feat in and of itself. There was something about this kid that Akira wasn't sure she liked.

   "This dude's done a B-rank as a Genin and didn't even get hurt?" Shikamaru said in disbelief.
   "Our mission to the Land of Waves turned out to be the same, even though it was meant to be a routine C-rank," Akira said. "It's amazing to think he came out of something like that unscathed."
   "What's the deal with this guy?" Naruto asked, equally as shocked.
   "Leaf, Sand, Rain, Grass, Waterfall, Sound," Kabuto enumerated. He'd pulled out another card with another map. "From the looks of it, they've all sent exceptionally skilled candidates to the exam this time around. Of course, the Hidden Sound Village is small. It sprang up recently. No one knows anything about it. Those guys are a mystery."

A mystery. Akira put a hand over her mouth, pensive. She looked over to the other competitors in the room and examined their insignia. A few of them had a musical note on their headbands, which Akira assumed to be the Genin from the Sound Village. The colours of their uniforms were all too familiar.

   "Well, you get the point. The competition is gonna be intense this year."
   "So it would seem," Hinata said quietly. "It's almost enough to make you lose your confidence."
   "It's a fine time to start talking like that!" Ino shouted.
   "Shut up, Ino," Akira said dispassionately. She turned to look at Kabuto with a serious look on her face. "Do you honestly think it'll be harder this time?"
   "Oh, yeah," Kabuto said without a beat. "In the four years I've been coming, I've never seen a crop of candidates with as much potential as this bunch. It seems we have our work cut out for us..."

Chapter Text

Leave it up to Naruto to make things worse than they already were. The Chūnin Exams hadn't even begun yet and the eleven rookies were already public enemy number one; they were young, loud and confident. It wasn't something that the veterans liked. They didn't think much of them, of course, but a tiny sliver of confidence could be a sign of some kind of talent that could ruin their chances at becoming Chūnin. Akira and Sasuke had tried to pass unnoticed immediately upon entering the room, but newcomers would always be stared at no matter what. It didn't help that most of her Academy classmates were obnoxiously childish or that Naruto was currently addressing the entire room of candidates as though he had a death wish.

   "My name is Naruto Uzumaki, and I'm gonna beat every one of you!" Naruto yelled. "Believe it!"
   "Hey! What's that idiot trying to do, get us killed?" Ino shouted at Sakura. "Tell your boyfriend to keep his big fat trap shut!"
   "Whose boyfriend!?" Sakura countered, waving her fist at Ino.
   "Oh, I forgot. You can't get one!"
   "What'd you say!?"
   "Give me the strength not to punch them," Akira sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose.
   "Tell me about it," Kai said, walking over to his best friend. "Feels like a circus in here."
   "Uh, can you say that a little louder?" Kiba called to Naruto, trying not to laugh. "Didn't quite catch it."
   "You moron. Are you trying to get everybody in the place to hate our guts, or what?" Shikamaru added.

Naruto only laughed and Akira smiled despite herself. While the boy was a complete idiot, it was reassuring to see that he wasn't intimidated by all the stern faces around the room. That was one thing she loved about Naruto—he never backed down.

   "Naruto, you jackass!" Sakura said, launching herself at him and putting Naruto in a chokehold. "Why'd you have to go and do something like that you obnoxious little—"

Sakura stopped herself when she saw all the people who were glaring at her and Naruto.

   "Oh, hi everyone. Don't mind him. Sometimes he says these spazzy things. He doesn't really mean them. They just kinda come out. He's got this condition you know. Sort of psychological—"
   "Sakura," Akira called, only loud enough for it to reach her. The pink-haired girl turned to Akira. "You're making it worse. Shut up."

Just then, a quiet sound, like the whooshing of wind, reached Akira's ears. She looked ahead at the crowd, ignoring those who were glaring at her, and spotted someone rapidly weaving through people to get to the front. She couldn't tell who it was or from what village they hailed, but Akira wasn't taking any chances. She crossed her arms and gently grasped the hilts on the tachi strapped to her arms, ready to pull them out at a moment's notice. However, Kabuto took a step forward, and though it was subtle, Akira saw that he'd shaken his head. She gave him a slight nod and relaxed her position just as the person from the crowd lunged at him.

Then, a second ninja ran at him, and that's when Akira noticed the insignia of the Hidden Sound. He swung at Kabuto, but he dodged it narrowly. Akira quirked an eyebrow. Kabuto was fast. However, Akira's eyes widened when she noticed Kabuto's glasses crack. She glanced over to the attacker and to his equipment. There was a porous metal gauntlet on his arm that had been covered by his long sleeves.

   "So it was that kind of attack," Kabuto said, seemingly un-phased as he calmly removed his cracked glasses.
   "Hang on, I saw it all," Sasuke said, stepping forward. "He dodged the attack. How did that happen?"
   "It must have come closer than it looked," Shikamaru reasoned.

But it hadn't. Being this close to Kabuto, Akira saw it happen. The Sound ninja had come close to hitting Kabuto, but there was no contact. Akira looked back to the metal gauntlet. There was something else going on with that thing.

   "Look at him acting like it was nothing," Shikamaru complained. "Real tough guy."

Suddenly, Kabuto's eyes widened and he gasped, falling to his knees. Akira frowned and, in an instant, was at Kabuto's side. She looked back at the Sound ninja and glared. There had been an attack, but it was delayed. Clearly, the metal gauntlet was an active part of the trick, but the answer didn't come to Akira until she lay her eyes on the village's insignia again. It was sound. Sound waves travelled faster than the naked eye could see. This guy probably used sound waves to screw with the body's inner ear and brain.

   "Hey, Kabuto. You good?" Akira asked, gently placing a hand on his back. 
   "Yeah, I'm fine," he said, as Akira helped him to stand.
   "Are you sure?" Naruto asked, he and Sakura joining Akira by Kabuto's side.
   "Not such a tough guy, after all, I guess," the sound ninja said through the bandages covering most of his face. The only thing you could see was his left eye. "Maybe that's why he's on his seventh try."
   "Or maybe you're just a jackass for using backhanded techniques," Akira shot back at him.
   "Why you—"

Just as the Sound ninja was about to come back for more, a smoke bomb went off in the classroom. As everyone struggled for air, a tall man with a scarred face emerged from the smoke. He glared at everyone there, standing steady and proud, his hands behind his back. Behind him were a number of ninjas standing calmly and, by the looks of them, they all seemed to be Jōnin.

   "All right, you baby-faced degenerates!" he shouted. "Pipe down and listen up. It's time to begin. I'm Ibiki Morino, your proctor. And from this moment—your worst enemy."

There was a collective gasp from the crowd as they stared on at the scarred proctor. 

   "First, you, candidates from the Village Hidden in the Sound, knock it off! Who told you you could fight? You wanna be failed before we've even begun?"

Akira's eyebrows rose and she unconsciously stood straighter.

   "Sorry, it's our first time," the ninja with the gauntlet said, sounding unconvincingly apologetic. "Guess we're a little jumpy... sir."
   "I'll say this once, so listen up," Ibiki said sternly. "There will be no combat between candidates. No attacking without the permission of your proctor. And even then, the use of fatal force is strictly prohibited. Anyone who even thinks of messing with me will be disqualified immediately. Got it?"
   "Hmpf, no fatal force?" the other sound ninja said. "That's no fun."
   "Now, if we're ready, we'll proceed to the first stage of the Chūnin Exams. Hand over your paperwork. In return, you'll each be given a number. This number will determine where you will sit. We'll start with the written test once you're all seated."
   "The what?" Naruto said, dumbfounded. "Did he say... written?"

Kabuto, Sakura and Akira stared at him as Naruto got to his knees and yelled in despair.

   "No! Not a written test, no way!"
   "You'll do just fine, Naruto," Akira said, patting him gently on the shoulder. "Just trust in your abilities."

Naruto wasn't convinced, but there wasn't any time to dwell on it. All the candidates formed a long line around the room and slowly waited to get to the front to exchange their application for a seat number. When Akira got to the front, she looked at her number and followed the row numbers until she got to the right area. A small sense of dread rose within her when Akira realised who she would have to be sitting next to. She looked at her number again to make sure she wasn't mistaken then took the middle seat beside Gaara of the Desert. She didn't dare look at him, mostly because he wasn't looking at her, but also because there was a little fear bubbling at the pit of her stomach.

When everyone was seated, the ninjas that were standing behind Ibiki Morino were seated all around the room at fixed intervals. Akira assumed they were there to make sure no one cheated.

   "Everyone, eyes front," Ibiki said, tapping the blackboard with a piece of chalk. "There are a few rules you need to be aware of. And I won't answer any questions. So, you better pay attention the first time around.
   "All right, rule number one is this: the written part of the exam is conducted on a point reduction system. You all begin the exam with a perfect score of ten, and for each answer you get wrong, you lose one point. So, if you miss three, your final score will be seven. If you miss ten, your score will be zero. Rule number two: teams will pass or fail based on the total scores of all members."
   "What? Wait a second!" Akira heard Sakura yell. "You're saying we all get scored as a team!?"
   "Silence!" Ibiki yelled. "I have my reasons, so shut up and listen. Rule number three: the sentinels you see positioned around the room are there to watch you carefully for any signs of cheating. And for every incident they spot, they will subtract two points from the culprit's score."

Akira frowned. Subtracting points to discourage cheating was an odd choice. If he was making such a big deal out of it, why not just fail them on the spot?

   "Be warned. Their eyes are extremely sharp. And if they catch you cheating five times, you'll be dismissed before the test is even scored. Anyone fool enough to be caught cheating by the sentinels doesn't deserve to be here. If you want to be considered shinobi, then show us what exceptional shinobi you can be."

A smirk rose to Akira's mouth. She understood now. They weren't being told not to cheat, they were being forced to. The proctor was testing their ability to gather information covertly.

   "One more thing. Should any candidate get zero points and fail the test, then the entire team fails."

Akira's forehead suddenly dropped to her desk in despair. She would kill Naruto if he didn't get at least one question right.

   "The final question won't be given out until fifteen minutes before the end of the testing period. You'll have one hour total."

Akira rose her head and grabbed her pencil. She twirled it in her fingers a few times, waiting for Ibiki to give the signal. Akira then turned to look at Gaara and, without a second thought, wished him luck. He turned to look at her just as Ibiki gave the signal, and though Akira's gaze was already on her exam, she saw him look back at her for a few seconds.

Akira glanced at the questions one by one, just to see what kind of an exam it was. Every single question got harder and harder as it went, filled with integrated problems based on principles of uncertainty and required complex mechanical energy analysis. There couldn't be more than a handful of students in this room that understood these. She wasn't even sure that Sasuke would understand them. At least she understood how she'd pass this exam, and she hoped that the rest of her team did too.

It was clear to Akira that she had to cheat in order to succeed, as it was strange that they'd made a big fuss about cheating but not fail them on the spot if they were caught. Ibiki Morino wasn't actually forbidding the candidates from cheating, he was expecting them to, daring them to cheat and not get caught. Only exceptional shinobi could get away with it under these circumstances. That's what the two-point reduction was for. Each time someone got caught covertly gathering information, they'd be screwed in normal mission parameters. It was harsh, but it was genius.

Akira sighed and listened, closing her eyes. If the real test was to gather information, that meant there was someone in this room from whom she had to steal it—someone in this room had all the information she needed. Slowly, her own breathing began to drown out, the random swishing of nervous legs, the tapping of feet—it was all gone. Then, Akira's eyes opened, looking right behind Naruto. There was a ninja there who was writing consistently, without a beat.

Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted Gaara's hand gathering sand. After a few seconds, it formed an eye that began hovering over the ninja she'd spotted. A small smirk rose to her lips. She had to hand it to Gaara, it was a smart move. Akira, however, didn't need to form eyes out of sand when she could use her own. Moments later, Akira was copying the target's movements with the use of her Sharingan, jotting down the answers without even knowing what she was writing. It took only minutes for Akira's exam pages to be full. Now, all she had to do was wait for the final question. 

After around twenty minutes, Ibiki stood.

   "All right, listen up!" he called. Akira looked up at him, determined. "Here's the tenth and final question! But before I give it to you, there are some more rules that you need to be aware of."
   "Jeez, this guy likes to hear himself talk," Akira muttered under her breath.
   "These rules are unique to question ten. Listen carefully and try not to be frightened by them. Rule number one: each of you is free to choose not to be given the final question. It's your decision."
   "Woah, so what's the catch?" the Sand Village girl that stuck with Kankuro and Gaara said. "Let's say we decided not to take it. What happens then?"
   "If you chose not to take the tenth question, regardless of your answers to the other nine, you'll get a zero. In other words, you fail," Ibiki said, and most of the class gasped. "And that means, of course, your teammates will fail as well."

There was scattered whispering throughout the room. They were all scandalised that anyone would choose to fail. However, Akira wasn't convinced. There had to be something else going on here. Nothing is as it seems during the Chūnin Exams.

Chapter Text

Clouds dominated the morning sky leaving transitory patches of blue. Though they were mostly white there was a hint of greyness, a suggestion that rain may play a part in the day to come. Luckily for Akira, the skies cleared and she could go on with her training today as if there had never been a single grey cloud in the sky. She trained well into the evening, continuing her work with controlling the water from the lake with her chakra. Kakashi had offered to supervise, but she'd declined, once again worried about preferential treatment and Kakashi's lack of experience in the domain. However, Akira was... curious about something, and Kakashi needed not to be there.

Akira had dressed differently than she usually did. Rather, she wore long black hakama pants and a loose-fitted kimono-style shirt of the same colour. By combining the smooth and flowing movements of her family's style of martial arts and her chakra control, Akira trained all day, making a long strand of water flow with her movements. Her clothes moved with her and the wind as she slowly punched and kicked the air, making the ribbon of water ball up at the ends of her limbs. Her arms arched and swerved in classic poses, remaining far more concentrated than she should have been on the water flowing around her. It was almost like a dance, a harmonious dance between nature and woman. Akira was graceful and poised, face completely relaxed and serene. There was no one but Akira and the water at that moment, following the rhythms of nature.

     "Magnificent."

At the sound of the voice, Akira didn't flinch. Instead, she continued her martial arts and, when she turned to face the person who was talking, she shot a thin, sharp disc made of water towards the stranger. He deflected it easily and it exploded into little droplets of water. Akira clenched her fist in front of her face to bring the water back together and she pulled her hand inwards, sending the disc towards the back of the man's head. As if expecting it, he dodged it and it went straight to Akira. She calmly put her palm in front of her face, and the disc slowly returned to an amorphous blob of water which she tossed back into the lake.

It seemed far less strange to see him here. This Maru character almost looked like he belonged there amongst the darkening trees. Somehow, despite the far more ominous setting, he seemed less threatening than he did in the daylight. Akira suspected it was the way the moonlight hit his pale skin, making it glow almost pleasingly.

   "What is it this time?" Akira asked.
   "You don't sound surprised to see me," Maru said.
   "No. I suspected you'd come."
   "Why is that?"
   "You're a borderline creepy stalker?" Akira said, looking unimpressed. "You did say that I was going to be seeing you again. I figured, at night, if no one was around, you'd come crawling out."
   "You make it sound like I'm a snake lurking about," the man said with a smirk.
   "Aren't you?" Akira picked up her sandals and walked up to him. "I'm leaving. I'm not here to put on a show for you."
   "Such a waste. To move the way you do and not be seen by the entire world."

Akira looked at him curiously. He took a step closer.

   "That ability of yours is quite rare, my dear."
   "Yeah, I know," Akira said calmly. "Look, I'd love to stay and chat, get to know each other and form an unlikely friendship with some guy I don't know, but I'm not in the habit of indulging strange men in the forest—or at all, for that matter. So, if you'll excuse me."
   "You'll need to practice that technique of yours a lot more if you want to use it properly during the Chūnin Exams," the man said as Akira began to walk away.

Akira paused. She would have scolded herself for doing so, but she expected him to come, to offer his help. Akira was curious about him. He seemed to know a lot more than he let on and no matter how wrong it felt, Akira wanted to learn.

   "I know."
   "Perhaps I could be of some assistance."
   "Perhaps," Akira said, turning back to him. "But I already have a sensei. I'm sure you know this."
   "Oh, I wouldn't want to come between you two," Maru said. There was a smirk on his face that should have worried Akira. "It would just be some lessons here and there, not too much of a... commitment."
   "And how would this be benefitting you?"
   "Who said anything about benefitting myself?"

Akira's eyebrows furrowed. This was definitely not a good idea.

   "Think about it, dear," Maru said. "But not too much."
   "No, we wouldn't want that, now, would we?"
   "And do remember... nothing is as it seems during the Chūnin Exams."

The man smiled and chuckled almost ominously. And then without a sound, he vanished into thin air right before Akira's eyes, leaving nothing behind but a faint imprint of where he stood.

Akira snapped out of her daze and found that she hadn't moved an inch from her seat in room 301. Ibiki Morino was still in the front talking about the exam, but it was as if Akira couldn't hear him. The thought of herself agreeing to accept any kind of training from this less than reputable man was scaring her, and yet, the more and more she thought about it, the more she didn't seem to care. Kakashi was a fine sensei, but she knew he didn't have the knowledge for training her, and Akira didn't want to get special training from him. It was unfair to the team. However, there was no guarantee that this Maru character was any better and, effectively, having someone else teach her came out to the same as having extra training from Kakashi. But there was something... something intriguing about that man that Akira just couldn't shake off. 

   "Not so fast," Ibiki said, which finally drew Akira out of her thoughts. "You didn't let me finish. If you do accept the tenth question but answer incorrectly, you will not only fail, you will be barred from taking the Chūnin exam ever again!"
   "Hey, that's bull, man!" Akira heard Kiba yell. She turned towards his voice and, sure enough, he was standing up and pointing accusingly at the proctor. "That's ridiculous! What kind of bogus rule is that? There's lots of people here who have taken the test before!"

Kiba had a point. If these were the rules, then how come Kabuto was able to come back seven times? Nothing is as it seems...

   "I guess you're just unlucky. I wasn't making the rules before, but I am now," Ibiki said. "Of course, if you don't want to take it, then you don't have to. If you're not feeling confident, then, by all means, skip it. You can come back and try again next year."

Akira glared at the man. This was some kind of psychological torture. There were so many ways to fail, so many ways to discourage everyone from taking the last question. For people who didn't have enough confidence or those who lacked the ability to answer questions, this could be impossible. It would be all too easy—a relief, almost—to back down. Just like it had been for the cheating... Ibiki was almost taunting them to withdraw.

   "Now, if you're ready. The tenth and final question. Those who don't want to take it, raise your hand. Your number will be recorded and then you're free to go."

Akira gazed around the room, looking to see if there were any people foolish enough to chicken out. A few people raised their hands, much to their teammates' dismay, and their numbers were recorded before they left. A total of two teams had exited room 301 when Naruto stood, nearly foaming at the mouth. Akira had no worry about him backing out—it wasn't in his DNA to give up so easily.

   "Don't underestimate me!" he shouted. Akira couldn't help but chuckle under her breath. "I don't quit and I don't run. You can act tough all you want—you guys aren't going to scare me off. No way! I don't care if I get stuck as a Genin forever! I'll still be Hokage someday!"

Akira looked around as Ibiki gave everyone one last chance to withdraw. However, Naruto's impromptu speech seemed to have given everyone the confidence to defy Ibiki and no one else rose their hands.

   "Well, then, I admire your determination, if nothing else. For those of you remaining there's only one thing left to do," Ibiki said. "And that's for me to tell you that you have all passed the first exam."

Akira raised an eyebrow.

   "Hold on, what just happened?" Sakura asked, confused. "What do you mean we passed? Where's the tenth question?"

Ibiki laughed and smiled broadly. It looked out of place on his scarred features.

   "There never was one. Not a written one, at least. Actually, your decision to stay was the answer to the tenth question."
   "Huh?"
   "Wait a second!" the Sand ninja girl said, coming to a stand. "So, the other nine questions you gave us were just a waste of time—is that what you're saying?"
   "No, no, not at all. Quite the opposite. The first nine questions had an important overriding purpose—to test your ability to surreptitiously gather strategic intelligence under the most adverse circumstances."
   "Oh, well that clears up everything," the girl said sarcastically.

Akira couldn't help but chuckle. Even the big-talk Sand ninja had no idea what was going on.

   "Let me explain," Ibiki said. "You see, my objective was to test you not only as individuals, but as a team, and on how well you function as a part of that team. That's why the test was scored on a team basis, so you'd know that everything you did or failed to do, would directly affect your teammates. I wanted to see how you would handle the pressure."
   "Figured," Akira sighed, propping her head upon her hand.
   "The first nine questions of the test were difficult. In fact, as you may have realized, too difficult for any Genin to be expected to solve. I imagine that most of you quickly came to that conclusion, that you'd have to cheat if you had any chance of passing. The fact is, the test was designed to encourage cheating. It almost demanded it. Of course, it would have done you little good unless you had someone to cheat from, so I disguised two Chūnin who already knew the answers and had them sit in with you."

Two guys raised their arms and smiled. One of them was from who she and Gaara had copied.

   "Those who were caught at it failed. Better not to cheat than to cheat clumsily."

Ibiki removed the bandanna covering his head and all the students gasped. His skull was covered with burn scars, cuts and wholes that had scarred over.

   "Information. It can be the most valuable weapon in battle. How well you gather intelligence can determine whether a mission is a failure or a success. There'll be times you'll have to risk your life to get it." Ibiki put in bandanna back on. "Of course, you must always consider the source of your information. Intelligence gathered from an enemy is not necessarily accurate. Always bear this in mind: disinformation can be worse than no information at all. It can lead to the death of comrades or the loss of a village. That's why I put you in the position where you had to gather accurate intelligence. Cheat in order to survive. And that's why those who weren't good enough at it were weeded out, leaving the rest of you."
   "Okay, but I'm still not getting what the tenth question thing is all about," the sand ninja girl said. 
   "You're not? The tenth question was the main point of the exam. Surely, you see that."
   "Sure," Sakura said. "But explain it anyway."
   "As I said before, the goal was to test you not only as individuals but as a part of a squad. The final question gave you two choices, both difficult. You could choose to play it safe and skip the question, though it meant that you and your teammates would be failed. Or you could try and answer it, knowing that if you got it wrong, you would lose your chance of ever becoming Chūnin. It was a no-win situation. But just the sort of situation Chūnin have to face almost every day."

The look of faint confusion on Akira's face changed. Her eyes grew darker, her face more serious, and she sat up straight. There was determination in her gaze, unparalleled focus. But there was also a glimmer of fear, of regret. She'd faced a no-win scenario before, as a child and as a Genin. That's why she was going to become a Chūnin—to eradicate the no-win scenarios that she'd had to face in her life for others.

   "For example, let me give you a hypothetical mission," Ibiki continued. "To steal a document from an enemy stronghold. You have no idea how many ninjas the enemy has or how heavily armed they are. Furthermore, you have reason to believe that the enemy expects you, that you very well may be walking blindly into a trap. Now, do you have the option of taking a pass on this insane mission or say that you and your comrades would rather live and fight another day? Can you choose to avoid danger?"
   "No," Akira muttered sternly.
   "No," Ibiki answered himself. "There will be many missions that will seem almost suicidal if you think about it. But you do not think about it. You think only of the goal, and of achieving it through courage and discipline. These are the qualities required of a Chūnin squad leader. Those who chose the safer of two paths, those whose determination falters in the face of adversity, those who would put their comrades lives in danger by worrying about their own, those who would save their own necks at the price of sacred honour will never be able to call themselves Chūnin... at least as long as I'm here."

Akira nodded. Every word that was coming out of this man's mouth made more sense to her than anything anyone had ever said. This was the kind of attitude that Akira wanted to have as a Genin, a Chūnin—any kind of ninja. It was the way Akira strived to be. 

   "As for the rest of you, since you've successfully answered the ten questions I put to you, you have all earned the right to continue on to the next step. You have passed through the first gate. I hereby declare this part of the Chūnin selection exam completed. There's nothing left, but to wish you all good luck."
   "All right! We did it! That's one down!" Naruto cheered loudly. "Yeah! Yeah! Woo hoo!"

Naruto's cheering was interrupted by a giant ball of fabric crashing through the window. Two kunai shot out from it and pinned the edges of the fabric to the wall, covering Ibiki. From the fabric came a woman with purple hair done up in a fanned ponytail. She wore a mesh bodysuit that ended mid-thigh, an orange skirt, and a long beige coat that ended just past her knees. She posed in front of the banner which hid Ibiki, and Akira was suddenly reminded of Guy-sensei. She shuddered at the thought.

   "Heads up boys and girls! This is no time to be celebrating," she said loudly. "I'll be your next proctor: Anko Mitarashi!"

Chapter Text

   "Anko... You're early again."

A faint embarrassed blush spread across Anko Mitarashi's cheeks. Akira rose an eyebrow at her. This woman was a walking mess. One could tell as much from her dramatic entrance and the fact that the banner she'd erected was covering Ibiki. She laughed awkwardly as he came out from behind the banner, but composed herself in an instant. Akira frowned. The look on her face was quite different now, almost dangerously serious, and there was a gleam in her eyes that Akira somehow found familiar.

   "How many are there?" Anko asked, looking over all the candidates. "Ibiki, you let all these guys pass? Your test was too easy. You're getting soft."
   "Or it could be a stronger crop of candidates this year," Ibiki said with a small smile.
   "Hm, they sure don't look like it. Trust me, before I'm done with them, more than half will be eliminated."
   "Huh? More than half?" Sakura gasped. "Really?"
   "Heh, this is gonna be fun," Anko chuckled.

Akira's eyes narrowed at her. That look was very familiar.

   "All right, you maggots have had it easy this far, but things are going to be different starting first thing in the morning. I'll let your squad leaders know where you're to meet me and at what time. Dismissed!"

everyone began leaving as soon as she'd dismissed them, but Akira remained seated. She glanced over at Gaara as he rose from his seat, and he glanced back at her, but Akira's attention was still focused on Anko as she spoke with Ibiki-sensei. Something wasn't sitting right with her. It was obvious to Akira that she was playing off the strange aspects of her personality with childish ridiculousness that could rival Naruto's. The near malicious look in her eye and the wry smirk on her face as she exclaimed that most candidates would be eliminated through her test had evoked memories of a certain stranger met recently. Akira wondered if this had been the first time this Maru character had come to Konohagakure to prey on young shinobi. By the look in Anko's eyes, Akira felt comfortable in guess that the answer to that question was no.

However, before Akira could give it any more thought, her friends came to grab her and pull her out of her seat. She said goodbye to Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke and she rushed along behind Kai, and followed him, Shikamaru and Kiba to Ichiraku Ramen for a small celebratory meal. They took up all the seats at the stall so that no one else came to bother them, and they had a wonderful evening together, laughing and shouting as they would normally do. Kiba and Akira ended up throwing marinated radishes at each other, Kai managed to eat six bowls of ramen to himself—a talent he'd learned from Naruto—and Shikamaru managed to make it through the entire evening without mentioning the word "drag" once. It was as if the Chūnin Exams weren't happening at all; it was just a regular Thursday evening surrounded by Academy friends.

For the first time in months, Akira woke up normally, without having any nightmares or random noises waking her up in the middle of the night. She sighed, content, and stretched herself before sliding out of bed. Akira went to the bathroom and washed her face, then brushed her mess of hair until it looked relatively normal again. She tied it up into a high ponytail and went back to her room to get dressed. She wore her usual charcoal shirt, the teal happi that Kai had gotten to match his kimono, and many-layered fabric belts where she also tied her father's bandanna. However, Akira had given up on the shorts and tights today. Instead, she wore the black hakama pants she'd gotten used to wearing for her chakra control training. They were far more comfortable and, better yet, they allowed for much more range of movement.

Upon exiting her room, Akira went to make breakfast for herself and Sasuke. She hummed around, chopping up vegetables, gagged when she pulled out some shellfish for her brother and bobbed her head to a song that was plaguing her mind. After the meal, Akira left the house in an equally good mood. For the first time in weeks, Akira was also able to meet up with Kai at their usual spot beside the jasmine flowers. They laughed for a few moments together and talked as they went down the main street. Then, they turned down an unfamiliar path that led to training ground 44, the location of the second part of the Chūnin Exams.

There were already several people gathered around the entrance to the training grounds, which were protected by a tall electrified fence, locks, and volatile paper bombs. Akira broke away from Kai and wished him luck, then joined Naruto and Sakura who weren't too far off. She greeted them and then her eyes quickly wandered around. Next to one of the gates to the training ground was a booth at which three ninjas were sitting, looking to Anko who was standing at the front, likely awaiting instructions, and around Akira were several dozen teams waiting to get on with the exams.

   "This is the location for the second phase of the exam," Anko announced just as the last stragglers arrived. "It's the 44th Battle Training Zone. But we call it the Forest of Death."
   "Forest of... Death?" Naruto muttered, nervous.

Akira scoffed quietly, but the sound managed to reach Anko. She glared at the Uchiha and Akira gazed calmly back at her, silently analysing Anko's reactions. The woman's eyebrows twitched downwards for a moment, then her eyes darkened and the malicious gleam Akira had seen the day prior returned. Whether it was because Akira's unwillingness to be intimidated or the dark look mirrored in the Uchiha's eyes, it seemed that Anko was slightly annoyed. As Akira crossed her arms over her chest and raised an eyebrow at her, almost defiantly, Anko clicked her tongue and looked away. A small smirked rose to Akira's lips. If Anko had been graced by Maru's presence, she sure didn't gain in his resistance to defiance.

The small moment of triumph was interrupted by a familiar square rock. As Akira's gaze went from Anko to it, it blew up into various colours and out came Konohamoru, Moegi and Udon.

   "Yeah, I knew it was you guys all along," Naruto said, trying to act cool. "What do you losers want? I'm getting ready to take the second part of the Chūnin Exams and you're interrupting me. I don't have any time to be playing around with you guys now."
   "We didn't come to play around, Boss," Konohamoru said. "We're here on official business!"
   "Yeah, that's right!" Moegi added. "We came here for an exclusive interview."
   "Uh-huh, uh-huh," Udon hummed, nodding. 
   "An interview, huh?"
   "We're here on assignment to write an article for the Academy newspaper. It's a big-time feature story, all about the Chūnin selection exams," Konohamoru said. 
   "So that's why we want to do an exclusive interview with you," Moegi explained. "Please tell us you're going to do it?"
   "It would mean a lot," Udon admitted.
   "Hey, we can't forget to interview Akira, too!" Konohamoru complained.
   "Yeah, but right now? Ugh," Naruto groaned.
   "Hey, you over there!" Anko called. "What're you doing? You're holding up the exams!"
   "Sorry, but Konohamoru was telling Naruto about an interview for the Academy newspaper," Akira said plainly.

Anko stared blankly at Akira for a moment then burst out into a loud laugh.

   "Oh, yeah, I forgot all about it!" Anko said. "Lord Hokage had mentioned something about them interviewing me."
   "Uh, interviewing you?" Naruto said slowly.
   "All right, we're going to take a ten-minute break. For those who are scheduled to be interviewed, please be courteous and respectful to the reporters from the Academy newspaper."
   "I thought I was the only one getting interviewed," Naruto added lowly.
   "No, Boss. But you and Akira are the most important!" Konohamoru said.
   "Well, in that case, I'll give you an interview that'll prove to your readers that I'm the greatest ninja ever—before Akira!"

The interviews seemed to go on for hours even though only ten minutes had been allotted. It wasn't even ten seconds in that Naruto started bashing on Sasuke and Akira again, quickly changing gears to say that Sakura was madly in love with him. He exaggerated some of the plain and boring missions that they had accomplished, but he magnified the seriousness of the mission to the Land of Waves—if that was even possible. By the time he was done, Akira had about two minutes of interview time left. It didn't really matter, however, as Akira didn't really want to be interviewed. Instead, she spent her two minutes correcting everything Naruto had claimed in the hopes that the Academy newspaper published something that had at least a little veracity.

Eventually, Anko brought everyone back to the Chūnin Exams and that was when Akira finally took the time to properly take a look at what lay beyond the electrified fences. It was dark and dense, with no light shining in from the blazing sun above. She couldn't hear anything coming in from the forest, and the more Akira looked at it, the more she could feel its darkness creeping up on her, trying to swallow her whole. It made her chuckle. The thought of going in there didn't scare her. It would be like her usual training at night, with a sort of peace in the sullen ambience, and advantage that Akira was looking forward to.

   "There's something that really creeps me out about this place," Sakura said, staring at the forest.
   "It should. It's called the Forest of Death for a reason," Anko said, almost cheerfully. "And soon enough, you're all gonna find out why."
   "'It's called the Forest of Death for a reason. And soon enough, you're gonna find out why,'" Naruto echoed, mocking Anko. "Do your worst! You're not gonna scare me away! I can handle anything!"
   "So," Anko smiled. "Looks like we've got ourselves a tough guy."

Anko's wry and devious smile was yet another indicator that she'd been acquainted with Maru, as Akira was almost certain she'd seen the same look on his face. And by the time that Akira had come to that conclusion, Anko had drawn a kunai from her sleeve and threw it at Naruto in record speed. It passed right by his face, cutting his cheek, and landed behind him and another Genin. Suddenly, Anko was right behind him. Akira glanced at her over her shoulder and narrowed her eyes.

   "You tough enough to handle this? You're not afraid are you?" Anko said maliciously, yet still smiling. "Tough guys like you are usually the ones who leave their blood all over this forest."
   "If you have enough time to threaten Genin, maybe we should be getting on with the exams, proctor," Akira said coolly. 

The two women held each other's gaze for a moment and, from the corner of her eye, Akira saw Sakura take a wary step back. Their eye contact didn't break until someone returned Anko's kunai in a most surprising fashion. One of the Grass Genin was holding the kunai in her very long tongue and she extended it towards Anko from behind. The proctor glanced backwards, glaring, but her facial expression immediately switched to a non-threatening smile. However, as she spoke, the pleasant look on Anko's face seemed far more threatening than she probably intended.

   "Why thank you, grass ninja," Anko said. "You know, I only recommend you stand this closely behind me if you wish to reach a premature end."
   "My pardon. With the sight of blood and your blade slicing through my hair, I'm afraid I just became a little excited. I meant you no harm."

The Grass ninja turned and walked away, Akira watching as she passed. Their eyes met for a brief second and Akira couldn't help but think she'd have to watch out for someone so volatile.

   "Seems like everyone here today is quick-tempered; there must be something in the air," Anko noted, glancing at Akira. "This is gonna be fun. Now, before we begin this test, I have something to hand out to you all. It's just a standard consent form."

Anko pulled out a small stack of paper from her jacket and held it up.

   "Before the test, all of you are going to have to read over this form and then sign it."
   "What for?" Naruto asked.
   "Some of you may not come back from this test, and I need to get your consent to that risk. Otherwise, it would be my responsibility," Anko said with a laugh. A few candidates looked on, scared. "Now, I'll explain what you're going to be doing on this test. The first thing you need to know is that this exam will test every single one of your survival skills."

Akira was sure she heard Kiba call an, "Oh yeah, this'll be easy!" somewhere in the distance.

   "Here's a description of the terrain to help: the 44th Battle Training Ground has 44 locked entrance gates. There are rivers and a forest inside. In the centre is a locked tower, located ten kilometres from each gate. It's in this confined area that you'll undergo the survival test which consists of... an anything goes battle."     

The smell of blood and the sensation of slicing through Haku returned to her after months of not feeling it. Akira's heart rate shot up, her breathing became uneven, her hands and jaw were clenched. She had been hoping to avoid this sort of thing for a long time.

Akira had no interest in killing anyone anytime soon, but by the looks of some of the other Genin, Akira may not have a choice. She hadn't taken Haku's death well by any means, but she'd recovered from it rather quickly. However, the rate at which she'd come to terms with it wasn't what was bothering her. Akira had spent several weeks seeing the boy's blood staining the creases in her skin, and no amount of scrubbing had proven to be able to get her skin clean. The memory of it plagued her dreams for weeks and she told no one of her struggles for months. Because of this, Akira suspected that she'd have a certain aversion to using deadly force—having blood on one's hand again wasn't something she thought her mind could tolerate. But after her encounter with the Hidden Rain ninja a few days back, as well as her current state of calmness, Akira was worried about her outlook on taking someone's life again. She was too calm, too at ease with the idea. After such a traumatic experience with Haku, Akria didn't expect to find herself so comfortable with the idea. But she was. And it worried her. Akira feared it likened her to her brother Itachi.

   "For what purpose?" Akira asked calmly.

Anko eyed her suspiciously. She could see the nervous gleam in Akira's eye and it made her smirk—finally a crack in the hard exterior.

   "To get your hands on these scrolls," she said, pulling a white scroll in one hand and a black one in the other.
   "Both of them?"
   "Yes. You'll be fighting to get both a Heaven Scroll and an Earth Scroll. Altogether, 26 teams will be taking part in this test. Half of those teams will be going after the Heaven Scroll, and the other half will be trying to get an Earth Scroll. I'll hand over one kind of scroll to each team, and that's what you'll be vying for."
   "Okay, so how do we pass the test?" Sasuke asked plainly.
   "Your entire squad must bring both a Heaven and an Earth Scroll to the centre tower," Anko said. 
   "That means, at the very best, at least half of us will fail," Sakura noted. "More if not all teams can get both their scrolls."
   "No one ever said it would be easy. Oh, and one more thing. The test has a time limit, you must complete it within five days."
   "Five days out there!?" Ino complained.
   "What're we supposed to do for food!?" Choji shouted, scandalized. 
   "Do you not know what the definition of survival is?" Anko said, sounding far too amused. "Just poke around, look for berries or whatever. Make a fire, grill some squirrel."
   "SQUIRREL!?"
   "Yeah, the forest is plenty of stuff to eat," Akira agreed, chuckling. "Maybe there are some giant bugs you can snack on, too."
   "GIANT BUGS!?"

Akira scoffed, a small smirk on her lips. Were it not for Shikamaru, she doubted that Ino and Choji would make it very far.

   "That's not the only thing the forest has plenty of," Kabuto spoke up from behind Akira. She turned towards him. "There are man-eating beasts and poisonous plants out there."

Akira looked at the forest with an irked expression and sighed.

   "Sounds like a party."

Chapter Text

Akira, Sasuke, Sakura and Naruto were finally standing in front of one of the gates that led inside the Forest of Death, looking beyond at the darkness that waited for them. Akira wasn't speaking, simply staring at everything her eyes could land on, examining the space between trees, their height, the terrain. Her fists were clenched at her sides and she cracked each one of her fingers very slowly. Sakura looked over to her, worried. 

   "Are you going to be okay?" she asked.
   "Why wouldn't I be?" Akira replied.
   "You look worried."
   "Do I?" The Uchiha chuckled. "I'm fine, Sakura."
   "Are you sure? After what happened in the Land of—"
   "Don't worry about it. After what happened in the Land of Waves, I think I may have an advantage over everyone else."

Sakura was quiet for a moment. She inspected Akira's face, but found no trace of worry as she'd claimed earlier. Akira was almost eerily calm.

   "What kind of advantage?" Sakura asked tentatively.
   "If push comes to shove... I know I can do it again."

The look in Akira's eyes darkened immediately. She had no intention of killing anyone, but she wasn't lying—if there was no other choice, Akira wouldn't hesitate to end someone's life again.

Sakura frowned but nodded in understanding. Akira looked over to her and, while the dark look in her eyes contradicted her, Sakura couldn't help but feel a little reassured seeing the gentle smile on the Uchiha's face.

Moments later, a ninja walked over and stood in front of the gate, checking his watch. Akira counted 9 seconds before he pulled out a kunai and tore the paper bombs off, effectively unlocking the door that kept the training grounds inaccessible.

   "Come on! Bring it on! Anyone who dares to attack me, I'll give it back twice as hard!" Naruto shouted, punching at the air.
   "That's my kind of thinking," Akira said with a smirk. 

The ninja at the gate pushed the door open and stepped aside. With a war cry, Naruto ran inside with Akira on his heels. Sakura and Sasuke followed closely behind her and within moments, the darkness had started to surround them. The first thing that came to Akira's mind were teams that would come for them first or as soon as possible. Naruto had probably peeved quite a few candidates, so some of them might have wanted to take him out. Shikamaru, Kiba and Kai would probably convince their teams to come after Akira first, mostly to prove a point. Speaking of Kiba, he was at a huge advantage here. A survival test like this was going to be a breeze for someone with his skills. For the sake of her pride, Akira needed to beat him to the tower.

Suddenly, there was a collection of screams. Akira came to an abrupt halt and pulled Naruto back as well. It was coming from the left. As the cries died down, Akira noted that she didn't recognise them, so it wasn't a team that she knew that had gone down. Akira almost suspected that Kiba, Kai, Hinata and Shino had already gotten someone.

   "That sounded like someone screaming," Sakura whispered, coming to a halt beside Akira. "Oh, I don't like this at all."
   "I'm sure it was nothing, Sakura," Naruto said.
   "Don't get into the habit of underestimating anybody, Naruto. If you do that, and you underestimate who you think is the weakest, that may just spell death. It's better to assume that everyone can kill you."
   "Whatever, I'm just gonna—I gotta..."
   "You moron!" Sakura shouted. Akira turned towards them. "Go find a bush or something, this isn't a kennel! You won't be doing that in front of me!"
   "Do we really have time for a bathroom break?" Sasuke said, annoyed.
   "It'll only be a second!"

Naruto disappeared behind the bushes and the rest of the team waited for him in silence, Akira's and Sasuke's senses on high alert. The forest was dark and foreboding, but there was peace in its sullen ambience. Akira's eyes flickered over the thick, dark trunks of the trees that rose steadily into the sky, their branches interlocking with their neighbours like giants' arms linked together protecting their home. The trees were densely packed together, leaving just enough space to allow someone to manoeuvre through. Akira pressed her palm against its rough bark and breathed in the scent of the forest. The musty scent of leaves after rainfall, the warm soil packed against the earth by scurrying animals, the scent of things in different stages of blooming and growth. The smell of life. The forest was teeming with it, contrary to its name.

   "Wow, that was a lot!" Naruto said, returning from his bathroom break. "I wrote my whole name."
   "You're such a pig!" Sakura complained.

Akira turned around to tell them to shut up, but upon looking at Naruto she ended up throwing a kunai at him instead. It embedded itself in his shoulder. Sasuke was thinking along the same lines. With lightning speed, he ran over to Naruto and kicked him in the jaw, sending him flying towards a tree. Akira wasted no time in pulling out her tachi, twirling them in her ritualistic way of unfolding the blades. 

   "Guys, it wasn't that bad!" Sakura gasped. "Don't you think you went a little overboard!?"
   "Yeah! Why the heck do I have a kunai in my shoulder!?" Naruto yelled.

Naruto pulled the kunai from his shoulder. Sasuke lunged at him again, aiming to kick him, but Naruto ducked and dodged. Sasuke landed on the tree and pushed off with his feet, sending his foot towards Naruto's head. Naruto jumped on a branch to evade him, but Sasuke followed and kicked him down with ease.

   "Better watch out, Sakura," Naruto said, standing up. "I think they've gone crazy."
   "Yeah, you wish," Sasuke said. "We just struck before you could!"
   "Sasuke! Akira! What's going on!?" Sakura asked, scared.
   "All right, then, bring it on!" Naruto shouted.

Naruto and Sasuke lunged at each other with kunai and sparred. Meanwhile, Akira placed her hand to the ground and closed her eyes, focusing her chakra into the palm of her hand. When she opened her eyes, everything was black except for all the chakra signatures in the surrounding area. There were indeed four of them, but the person thought to be Naruto didn't have the same feel to his chakra. Akira closed her eyes and reopened them to see Sasuke and Naruto still fighting. She ran at them with incredible speed and, with one swing of her tachi, made both Sasuke's and Naruto's arms fly up, allowing her to ram Naruto in the stomach with the pommel of her sword. He slid back, panting, trying to catch his breath. Akira pointed her blade at his head.

   "Sasuke, Akira! What are you doing?" Sakura asked.
   "Take a good look at him," Sasuke said. 
   "Talk," Akira demanded. "Where is Naruto?"
   "What!?" Naruto gasped. "What do you mean? I am Naruto!"
   "Then where's the cut on your cheek?"

Naruto's eyes widened.

   "I'm guessing you didn't know the real Naruto got a cut on his face before the start of the test," Sasuke said. 
   "You're also wearing your shuriken holster on your left leg. Naruto is right-handed," Akira said calmly, staring directly into the impostor's eyes.
   "Your transformation skills are worse than Naruto's. Tell us who you are!"

Naruto disappeared in a puff of smoke, only to be replaced by an Amegakure ninja. He wore a ghastly yellow jumpsuit and a rebreather on his mouth, and his face was covered by a white bandanna with eye-holes cut out.

   "All right, you got me," he said in a voice that was robotically distorted. "So what? I'm still gonna take your scroll. Now hand it over, or else. So... Which one of you has it?"

No one answered.

   "Fine then. Guess I'll just have to take out all three of you!"

Just as the Amegakure ninja dashed forward, Sasuke jumped into the air and sent a volley of fireballs at him. It allowed Akira to charge her tachi with electricity and run at the enemy. She slashed down at him, but he was faster than he seemed, and he dodged it by jumping up in the air. He threw a few kunai at Sasuke, which he blocked with ease. Feeling outmanoeuvred, the Amegakure ninja went to run, but the Uchiha siblings followed him. 

Sasuke spotted a tied up Naruto as they went, and he threw a kunai at the ropes that bound him to release the boy. However, this provided enough distraction for the Amegakure ninja to throw senbon and kunai at them. They dodged them easily, but they hadn't noticed the paper bomb rolled around one of the senbon. It blew up in their faces, blowing them back several feet. They regained composure quickly, landing easily on their feet. The Amegakure ninja snuck up behind them but didn't get a chance to attack before Naruto arrived and threw numerous kunai at him.

This gave Akira the opportunity to slash her swords at the ninja. He hadn't move fast enough to avoid it, and he received a large slash over the cut where the kunai was once embedded. He jumped back and attempted to run again, but Sasuke had tossed another kunai at him and, distracted with dodging it at all costs, didn't see Akira coming up behind him. Before he even knew what was happening, Akira's tachi had pierced his side. He slid himself off it, bleeding, and managed to run off.

   "He was alone," Akira said, putting her swords back in the holsters. "I didn't sense any other chakra signatures."

She turned to her brother and gave him a look.

   "Right," he said, agreeing to whatever mental communication they'd shared. "That proves we can't just trust appearances. We need to come up with a way to know we are who we say we are, and not some impostor using a transformation jutsu."
   "All right, so what do we do?" Sakura asked.
   "We need a password," Akira said, not looking at her teammates, but at everything else, eyes scanning the area. 
   "What kind of password?" Naruto asked.
   "A secret one. Something known only to the four of us. And don't trust anyone who doesn't know it. No matter what." Akira turned back to her teammates. "Listen closely, I only want to say this once. The question will be: 'when does a ninja strike?' And the response is: 'A ninja waits until the time is right. When the enemy sleeps and drops his guard. When his weapons lie forgotten in the stillness of the night. That is the moment for a ninja to strike.' Got it?"
   "I got it," Sakura said, and Sasuke nodded, agreeing. 
   "You got one a little shorter?" Naruto asked.
   "No, Naruto," Akira said. "That's it."
   "Come on, what's wrong?" Sakura asked, annoyed. "Didn't you get it? I memorized it easy."
   "Yeah, sure, I got it! No problem." Naruto said. "I just thought it was going to be a pass-word, not a pass-speech."
   "All right, then," Sasuke said. "I'll take the scroll."

Akira felt a light breeze before she felt the full brunt of someone's attack. It was an unnaturally strong gust of wind and, putting all the chakra into her feet that she could, she stood against it until it died down. It left behind a crater that ripped up all the vegetation in its path, and Akira wondered if this could be the work of the Sand ninja girl with the fan. However, looking around, Akira saw no one. Coming up behind her, though, were Sasuke and Sakura, and she pulled out her tachi and pointed one at each of them.

   "When does a ninja strike?" she asked without a beat.

Both ninja gave her a correct answer, as she'd expected. But when Naruto came out of the bushes and also gave a correct answer, Akira glared at him. She planted her swords in the ground and performed a few hand signs. When she grabbed her blades again they lit up with buzzing yellow lightning chakra. Sasuke threw a kunai at Naruto and, by the time he'd dodged it, Akira had put herself into an offensive position. Sakura looked between her and Sasuke, surprised and a little scared. The last time she had seen this jutsu was when Akira had killed Haku.

   "Gotta hand it to you," Sasuke said. "You're faster than the last one."
   "Akira, Sasuke, no!" Sakura shouted. "He said it properly! Don't do it!"
   "That's clearly why it isn't him, Sakura. Do you really think that Naruto, of all people, would remember a long password like that without a single flaw?" Akira said, keeping her eyes fixed on the imposter. "You'd have a better chance teaching it to a hamster."
   "Oh, right, you've got a point," Sakura admitted, deadpan.
   "Besides, you saw the way this guy moved when I threw the kunai at him," Sasuke said. "That was definitely not a Naruto move."
   "All right, playtime is over," Akira said sternly. 

She took a few steps forwards and glared harshly at the imposter.

   "Come out, come out whoever you are," she added in a sing-song voice.

Naruto's face broke into a near inhuman grin and he licked his lips. 

   "Aren't we the clever ones," said a voice that didn't sound like Naruto's at all.

Suddenly, Naruto transformed himself into the creepy grass ninja from earlier.

   "Tell me, if your teammate is really that dimwitted, why'd you come up with a password he'd never be able to remember?"
   "It wasn't as much for Naruto as it was for people like you, the ones listening and eavesdropping," Akira said.
   "I'm impressed," the Kusagakure ninja said, removing her straw hat. She looked darkly at the three rookies. "You certainly haven't dropped your guard, have you... This promises to be very entertaining."

The woman slowly removed an Earth Scroll from a pouch she was carrying, and Sakura gave them away by gasping at the sight of it. The Kusagakure ninja smiled maliciously.

   "Ah, you'd love to get your hands on our Earth Scroll, wouldn't you? It would go so nicely with your Heaven Scroll."

Suddenly, the woman's painfully long tongue wrapped itself around the Earth Scroll she was holding near her face, and she easily slid it down her throat. Akira was suddenly reminded of a snake swallowing its prey whole.

   "Well, when this is all over, one of us will have both scrolls. And the other will be dead!"

The Kusagakure ninja slowly looked up at them, her eyes no longer black, but golden with slitted pupils. On instinct, Akira closed her eyes and turned away. She knew what this was, she'd experienced it before. It wasn't a technique, a jutsu, or even a genjutsu. It was killing intent, pure and simple, far more terrifying than any jutsu Akira could think of because it was so real. The nauseating feeling crawling through the air was one hundred per cent true intention to commit murder.

Akira didn't dare open her eyes until she heard someone fall and vomit. Her eyelids slowly opened only then, and she glanced away from the Kusagakure ninja immediately. Sasuke and Sakura were both on their knees and in no condition to fight. Every fibre in her being was telling her to grab her teammates and run, but Akira was far too stubborn for that. Instead, she returned the Kusagakure ninja's malevolent glare with equal force and put herself into an attack position.

There was no backing down.

Chapter Text

The Kusagakure ninja's laugh echoed through the forest and it put Akira on edge. It was a cold and malicious cackle, piercing the quiet air around them, chilling the bones. What made it worse was that she was staring directly at Akira the whole time, serpent eyes never leaving her, dissecting everything about Akira the longer she stood there. Sasuke and Sakura were still frozen behind Akira, and the instinct to run that overwhelmed her body wasn't going to pan out even if she did decide to run. There was no way Akira was going to be able to run and manoeuvre around while carrying the both of them. No, Akira had to stay and defend them, no matter the cost. And, as Anko said, anything goes.

   "They're paralyzed with fear," the woman said, looking behind Akira. Her cold gaze returned to the female Uchiha. "But you... You knew what was coming. Very good."
   "Keep your flattery for someone who cares," Akira growled. The woman smirked.
   "Now what happens?"

The Kusagakure ninja began walking forward, towards Akira and her comrades. Akira's jaw clenched and she solidified her stance, although she had no intention of attacking first. Instead, she momentarily closed her eyes, despite it being a big risk, reopening them with her Sharingan awakened. The woman took out three kunai. 

   "Sasuke, snap out of it, dammit," Akira growled at her brother. 
   "Ah, the Sharingan," the woman said, ignoring Akira's comment. "Already at stage two? So advanced for such a young age. It's a shame you won't be needing it. I'll make it quick. But I don't have to tell you that do I? Your eyes already see it."

The woman stopped in front of Akira, the girl's blade barely an inch away from the Kusagakure ninja's nose. Akira stared intently at the end of her tachi and suddenly relaxed, her knuckles returning to their normal colour. She immediately changed her mind about attacking first and twitched her wrist so that it sliced at the woman's face. However, in record speed, she dodged it, only allowing Akira's blades to cut her hair as it followed the movement of her head. The Kusagakure ninja smirked. 

   "You're very quick, but not quick enough."

Her Sharingan caught it, but her body wasn't fast enough to react. The grass ninja threw two kunai, one at Sakura and the other at Sasuke. Akira rose her tachi at her sides in order to block them, but her arms only just missed them. Recuperating immediately, Akira jumped up and out of the way the instant her tachi failed to hit the kunai. The woman was too close, a bad situation for a sword-fighter. However, as Akira rose into the air, she noticed that Sasuke and Sakura were no longer there, but fleeing the scene. Akira followed, making sure that the crazy Kusagakure ninja was nowhere to be seen.

The three of them stopped in a nearby tree, dozens of feet above the ground. Sasuke had stabbed himself in the leg to shock himself out of his fear. It was a smart, but desperate move. He'd be injured for the rest of this mission, although Akira didn't think that it would affect him much—Sasuke was known for persevering despite his injuries. But Sasuke was shaking, and this time it wasn't out of excitement; it was fear and adrenaline pumping through his veins. He wasted no time in removing the kunai from his leg, a trail of blood following it as it came out. Akira removed her gloves, revealing her battered knuckles once again, and she tied them together and then around Sasuke's wound, stanching the bleeding. 

   "That wound is deep, are you sure you're going to be—"

Sasuke slammed his hand over Sakura's mouth before she could finish her sentence. Silence was best, yes, but Akira never thought that Sasuke would react this way. His pupils were dilated, and his eyes were darting everywhere. He was breathing heavily, scared out of his wits. Akira clenched her jaw. If Sasuke was in no condition to fight and take the lead as he usually did, then it was up to her.

Suddenly, Akira heard something to her right and she swung open her tachi and stood, turning towards what she had sensed. Before her was a giant snake, its head as big as her. Whether it was native to the forest or it was summoned, Akira didn't know, but she knew that the Kusagakure ninja was using them.

   "Move now!" Akira shouted, dragging Sakura away from the branch. Sasuke moved the second Akira did. 

The giant snake bit down on the branch where they sat only moments ago. The snake twisted itself around a branch then launched itself at Sasuke. Akira's Sharingan caught the movement easily and she quickly put herself between Sasuke and the giant snake. She slashed down at the snake's head with one sword and then at the same place with the other, effectively decapitating it. Blood spattered the surrounding area, as well Akira's clothing and face, but the girl didn't feel it—it was the same temperature as the ambient air. For a moment, Akira felt sorry for the animal she'd just slain, but its body began to break open and out from what was once its throat came the Kusagakure ninja, covered in the snake's blood.

   "I sense your fear and desperation," she said, a crazed look in her black eyes. "It's only natural. The brain must never let down its guard, and not even for a moment in the presence of its predator."

The woman's body began stretching at a rapid rate, elongating itself into what almost looked snake-like. She stretched until her body could wind itself around the tree Akira, Sasuke and Sakura were sitting in. Her torso rose to their level and, just as she launched herself at Akira and the others, a volley of kunai stopped her in her tracks. Akira smiled, relieved, and looked up towards the source of the kunai.

   "Looks like I came just in time!" Naruto shouted from above.
   "Naruto!" Sakura shouted happily, relieved. 
   "Naruto! Get out of here!" Sasuke yelled. "What are you thinking? You don't know what you're up against! Hurry! Go now while you still can!"
   "So, Naruto, you managed to escape from my friend," the woman said calmly. "Well done."
   "Okay, look, I don't know what's going on here, but you've been picking on my friends and I don't like that!" Naruto shouted. "So you just better slither on back into your hole, snake lady, before I make a pair of shoes outta you!"

In any other circumstances, Akira would have laughed, but this wasn't the time. Naruto had no idea what he was getting himself into, but she wasn't about to tell him to turn back. She'd need all the help she could get even if Naruto was a bit of a knucklehead.

   "You can have it!"

Akira's head snapped over towards Sasuke. He was holding out their Heaven Scroll. Akira had swallowed her anger before, but this time she'd forgot to tame the fire-seed with a cool drink, and so it grew in her stomach until it came out as hot as any dragon flame. Akira pointed one of her swords at Sasuke and she glared down at him, eyes filled with pure rage.

   "Don't you dare," she said in a dangerously low voice. "I will not be the sister of a gutless coward. Give me the scroll, and get yourself together, Brother."
   "Yeah, Sasuke! Are you crazy!?" Naruto shouted. "We're just going to hand the scroll over to the enemy? No way! What's wrong with you!?"
   "Shut up and stay out of it!"

Naruto growled, far angrier than she'd ever seen him, and jumped down, snatching the scroll from Sasuke. He went to Akira's side and tightly attached the scroll to her, shaking it to make sure it wasn't going to move.

   "Very wise, very sensible," the Kusagakure woman drawled. "Sometimes the helpless hunted if they are able to save their own skins, realise that their only hope is to distract the predator with something even more precious."
   "And sometimes," Akira began, pointing both her swords at the enemy again, "the hunter becomes the hunted."
   "Akira, Naruto—stop playing the heroes!"

Naruto suddenly swerved around a punched Sasuke straight in the jaw.

   "I may not know the stupid password, and I may not have known that Akira was with me the whole time. But I know who I am," Naruto said, angry. "You, Sasuke, you're the one I'm not so sure about. How do we know you are who you say you are?"
   "Naruto he's—"
   "No. You may look just like him, you may sound just like him, but there's no way you're the Sasuke I know! I don't care how tough a fight you've been through, you should be acting more like your sister! Surrendering, giving up the scroll? Do you see Akira doing that? No! When did Sasuke become a coward!? You're choking Sasuke!"
   "Sad, but true," the Kusagakure ninja said. "But it doesn't matter. As far as the scroll goes, I could simply kill you and take it."

There was a large gust of wind that nearly knocked everyone back and, moments later, the woman was standing atop the head of a giant snake. The snake rose its head and whipped down at Naruto who narrowly dodged it. Akira took a deep breath and gripped her swords tighter.

   "Let's do this," she muttered under her breath.

Akira dashed forward, blades at her side, jumping over the snake's tail as it tried to trip her. The snake's tail hit the branch that Naruto was standing on and it couldn't withstand the impact, shattering under its force. Naruto began to plummet down and as Akira went to help him, the snake's tail rammed itself into the tree beside her, blocking her path. Naruto was fine, however, and he pushed off another branch, launching himself towards the snake. He slammed his foot into the snake's head and it visibly recoiled, allowing Naruto to regain his footing and land on a sturdy branch.

A vile feeling suddenly rose in the air. For a moment, Akira thought it was the Kusagakure's killing intent again, but she'd felt this rage before. It was the same uncontrollable anger that she'd sensed in the Land of Waves, the rage that likely came from the beast inside Naruto. Enough of its power had risen inside him and Naruto's blue eyes had turned red. It worried Akira. Was it wise to let the Demon rampage a little? Should she try and calm him down? However, Akira's thoughts were suddenly cut off by a raging yell. Naruto had begun pounding into the snake's head, creating a small crater. The snake flicked Naruto off with its tongue, but the boy came back with equal force, refusing to go down.

   "Well, I may regret it, but that's my answer," Akira muttered to herself.

Akira turned back to the Kusagakure ninja. In an instant, the woman blew a wave of fire at Naruto. Akira ran at him, screaming his name. A flash of black passed in front of Akira's eyes and, before her body could react, she was sent flying in the other direction. The impact from the snake's tail knocked the air out of her lungs and forced her eyes to shut in pain. Her back slammed against a tree and her hands opened, releasing her tachi. Akira watched as they fell somewhere in the darkness beneath her until a searing pain forced her eyes shut. She curled up a little, groaning in pain, and when the pain subsided she relaxed. When Akira's eyes reopened, everything was just a little bit clearer.

The Kusagakure ninja was riding a snake towards Sasuke and Sakura, and Naruto was nowhere in sight. Akira scrambled to her feet and ran as fast as she could towards the snake. Against her better judgement, Akira performed a series of hand signs and moments later, the girl's arms themselves were lit up with crackling yellow electricity. It burnt her skin, searing it as if it were stuck to a white hot grill. Akira wasn't in a position to care. Silently, she leapt forward and shot her fist straight into the snake's head, taking it clean off. Her entire body became covered in blood and her arms were burned up to her elbows when the yellow electricity subsided. For a moment, Akira thought she was in the clear, but the five tomoe of her Sharingan knew otherwise. Another snake was coming at her, and Akira was about to produce another wordless Inazuma, Naruto appeared before her and held the snake's head back with sheer physical strength.

   "Hey, you're not hurt are ya?" Naruto panted, almost growling.

Akira knew it wasn't directed at her. She could tell by the fury in his voice that Naruto was talking to Sasuke.

   "You scaredy-cat! Standing there frozen like a frightened rabbit while your sister goes and burns up her arms... No way. You're not the Sasuke I know!"

Suddenly, the Kusagakure's long tongue wrapped itself around Naruto's shoulders and hoisted him up to her level. Akira groaned in frustration. She couldn't spot her tachi anywhere and there was no way her arms would be able to tolerate another Inazuma without them. With a flash of purple, Naruto was sent flying backwards and hit a tree, then fell limp onto one of its branches. 

   "Think, Akira, think," the girl muttered to herself.

She turned to look at Sasuke who was staring mutely at the scene unfolding. With an angry growl, Akira slapped her brother across the face, sending a jolt of burning pain through her arm.

   "What is wrong with you!?" Akira yelled. She grabbed Sasuke by the collar and continued shouting. "You're better than this! You know you are! Snap out of it, Sasuke!"

Sasuke growled and ripped his sister's arm away from his collar. His gaze down and he groaned, bringing the backs of his hands to his eyes, clearly experiencing the same kind of pain that she had moments ago. When he looked back up, a fifth tomoe had appeared in his Sharingan.

   "That's more like it."

The giant snake vanished in a puff of smoke leaving only the Kusagakure standing on a higher branch ahead of Akira and Sasuke. Sakura was a little off to the side of them, still panicking, but at least a look of determination had replaced the unadulterated fear. A soft orange light began to shine down, signalling that the sun was setting and that it would be darker than it already was soon. It gave a sort of ethereal glow to everything, to Akira, whose dark hair and eyes almost glowed in the fading light. She looked up at the fading sliver of light and breathed deeply, calming herself and forcing the pain away, getting herself ready to affront the enemy before absolute darkness encompassed them all.

Akira and Sasuke shared a glance and sprinted together towards their enemy. They had multiple shuriken and kunai in hand, ready to put double the Uchiha power up against the Kusagakure ninja. Simultaneously, the siblings leapt up high and flipped in midair, throwing kunai and shuriken as they spun and crossed over each other. The Kusagakure ninja evaded all the weapons with surprising ease and grace. Akira and Sasuke each landed on a tree on either side of the woman and they pushed off of them, darting like a bullet straight towards her. They both punched and kicked at the same time, slowly readjusting themselves to become less in sync over time, hoping to lower their level of predictability. However, the Kusagakure ninja was fast and proficient in taijutsu. Looking from afar, one would say they were evenly matched, but had the Uchiha's Sharingan been nonexistent or less developed, the fight would have been lost long ago. Then, the woman began moving faster, stretching her body to weave through branches and reach places she normally wouldn't be able to. She was still being countered by the siblings' Sharingan; they could see her moves and anticipate where she was going to place her attacks, but they knew that this advantage may not last for much longer.

Then, the siblings split up. While Sasuke was running up a branch, Akira ran straight at the woman. She and Akira sparred shortly, matching each other's moves until Akira's Sharingan picked up an opening. She faked another hit and as she turned to flip, performed a few hand signs. When she landed to continue her sparring a current of electricity travelled through the branch they were standing on and hit the Kusagakure ninja directly. She was electrocuted and sent flying upwards to where Sasuke was waiting. He grabbed the enemy when she was upside down and pushed off the tree, sending her head crashing into the large tree branches below. Akira watched as the woman's arms went limp and she stopped moving.

Sasuke jumped back to his sister and they stopped to catch their breath, but by no means did they let their guard down. As the siblings were catching their breaths, the woman's body turned to mud.

   "Substitution!" Akira yelled.

A rain of kunai and shuriken came flying at her and Sasuke. They dodged quickly and Akira latched onto her brother as he dove off the tree, flinging out wire strings from his sleeves. He swung one cluster of wires over a branch and caught it as it returned, allowing him and Akira to swing around the tree. Barely had they landed did the Kusagakure ninja return, kicking both siblings and sending them both down.

   "What a disappointment you turned out to be," the woman said, almost sadly. "Your ancestors weep. The Uchiha clan should thank me for killing you. Silly little worms."

With her back to the Kusagakure ninja, Akira took the opportunity to perform a few hand signs. As the enemy approached, Akira whipped around and violently slammed her palm on the branch just next to her legs. Immediately, the woman's body was illuminated with bright lightning-style chakra. With a yell, the woman was sent flying backwards into a tree and she remained stuck there until Akira released the jutsu or she found a way to break free. With the enemy contained for the foreseeable future, Sasuke wove hand signs. As he performed the Great Fireball Technique, Akira put her index and middle fingers together at her chest, concentrating the chakra that was keeping the enemy at bay. 

   "Lightning Fire Phoenix!" the siblings shouted together.

Electricity and flames engulfed the Kusagakure ninja and it burst through the back of the tree. The crackling fire and electricity weren't enough to drown the woman's screams and Akira was sure that, no matter where anyone was in the Forest of Death, they could all hear her screams. If asked, Akira would deny enjoying the sound.

Eventually, Sasuke ran out of breath and the fire died down. Akira released her jutsu as well and fell backwards into a sitting position. The siblings were breathing heavily, exhausted. Sakura came over, far too excited about the Uchiha's victory, and held Sasuke up just as he was about to keel over.

   "Sasuke, you did it!" she gasped happily. "Are you okay?"
   "Oh, yeah, sure, I'm fine, thanks for asking," Akira said sarcastically. 
   "Sarcasm? Right now?"
   "When else?"

Just then, the Kusagakure ninja ripped herself from the tree, some of her singed skin staying behind. Akira's looked over, eyes wide. She went to stand, but there was barely enough energy in her to move. She watched as the woman's face began to peel off, revealing pale skin and purple markings around the golden snake eyes. 

   "No, impossible," Sasuke muttered, struggling to move.
   "Such mastery of the Sharingan at such a young age," the Kusagakure ninja said.

As the sentence went on, the hoarse feminine voice slowly turned to the soft malevolent whisper of a man. Despite the venom that was laced in each sound, the voice drew you in with every word.

   "You are both true Uchiha, after all. Yes, you'll do nicely... And you are definitely his siblings."
   "Don't you dare bring that prick up," Akira said lowly, finally coming to a stand.
   "If anything, your eyes are even keener than Itachi's."
   "Who are you? What do you want!?" Sasuke shouted.
   "My name... is Orochimaru."

Chapter Text

   "My name... is Orochimaru."

Akira's eyes widened and fear gripped her insides. She had come across that name several times during the Academy, mostly in passing, but she definitely knew who this was. The speed, the dexterity, the jutsu—it was all consistent with the identity he was claiming, but how could she know for sure? Akira wasn't well-placed to judge power of this level. Maybe he wasn't as powerful as the person she thought he was. And why was he fighting against his own village? Nothing in the historical records she'd read could back this up.

Anger surged within Akira as this Orochimaru pulled out the scroll that was once attached to her back. She tapped her back to make sure it was really gone and, upon confirmation, the enemy smirked.

   "But as to what I want... that will have to wait until we meet again," Orochimaru said. The scroll he was holding suddenly began to burn, bursting into bright teal flames. "Which won't happen until you finish this test with the best score of all."
   "The scroll!" Sakura gasped.
   "First, you'll have to defeat the Hidden Sound ninja who serve me."
   "I have no idea what you're talking about, but why don't you just finish and beat it! If we meet again it'll be too soon!"
   "Oh, the Uchiha and I will meet again," Orochimaru said.

Akira's eyebrows furrowed. Something about this stranger was somehow familiar and it was putting her on edge, pulling her concentration away from the immediate danger. Akira didn't have the time nor the energy to withdraw as Orochimaru's neck elongated and his fangs pierced hers and Sasuke's necks. Pain seared through Akira's neck better than a branding iron. Her mind conceded to the torment, unable to bring a thought to completion. As the burning spread to the rest of her body, the pain increased in waves, small lulls giving false hope of an end. Each peak robbed Akira of her ability to speak or scream, sending her crashing to her knees. It was as though her blood had become acid, intent on destroying her from the inside out. Without meaning to, Akira's body curled into something fetal, leaving her weak to attacks, all the while the pain radiated throughout her entire body.

   "Sasuke! Akira!" Sakura shouted. "You! What have you done to them!?"
   "I just gave them a little parting gift," Orochimaru said. "Very soon, Sasuke will seek me out, he'll desire my power. Akira won't hesitate to follow her brother—he's everything to her. In the meantime, I enjoyed the demonstration of the powers you already possess."

Then, Orochimaru began slipping into the tree, disappearing from sight little by little until the only thing left of him was the reverberating sound of his malicious laughter, and even that faded eventually, just like Akira's surroundings.

The birds were chirping, the sun was blazing—a beautiful day in Konoha. The cherry blossoms were in bloom, the jasmine flowers' scent filled the air, and the bright purple lavender pleased the eyes. The streets were bustling with people, short and tall, old and young. The smells coming from food shops wafted through town, melding with jasmine, and the sound of music coming from street performers reached everyone's ears. 

   "Itachi... I can walk, you know," a young Akira whined.

She was being carried on an older boy's back as he walked down a quieter street. He had onyx eyes and hair that was brought back in a low ponytail, though the high collar of his shirt obscured it. He was tall and, like most Uchiha, easy on the eyes.

   "Don't push yourself," Itachi said.
   "Okay..."

Akira sighed and looked up. She gasped a little.

   "What's wrong?" Itachi asked, looking back at his little sister.
   "That's the building where Father works, right?" Akira said, looking at a grand building. The Uchiha family crest was placed above the front entrance and below it, in Japanese characters, was written 'Konoha Military Police Force'.

   "Uh-huh. It's the building for the Leaf Police Force."
   "I was wondering... Why is the Uchiha crest part of the police insignia?"
   "Well, what do you know? You finally noticed."
   "Of course I did, Itachi!" Akira whined, playfully smacking her brother's back.
   "Right," Itachi chuckled. "Let me see if I can explain it for you... It was the Uchiha's earliest ancestors who established the police in the village. So, when they created the symbol for the organisation, they used the family crest."

Itachi paused in front of the building.

   "Since a long time ago, the Uchiha have always ensured the peace here. The crest is a testament to our clan's pride, a way of life centuries old. Over the years, the Uchiha clan has grown smaller. But even now, nearly all of us are a part of the Force and work to uphold the peace in this village." Itachi looked back at Akira and continued walking. "Which is good because only the most exceptional shinobi can weed out the criminals hiding among their brethren."
   "Wow! Dad is the coolest!" Akira giggled. She then thrust her fist forward, face determined. "When I grow up, I'm gonna be just like dad! I'm gonna keep the peace in the village! But I'm gonna be way cooler than Dad! You just watch me, Itachi!"
   "You'll never be cooler than Dad, Akira," Itachi laughed.
   "Will to! I'll even be cooler than you!" Akira giggled. "Tomorrow's my entrance ceremony to the Academy! It's the first step to my dream, Itachi!"
   "That's right, it is."

Akira smiled brightly and clung to her brother as he kept walking to the Uchiha compound. Soon, the pale grey stone pathway appeared beneath Itachi's feet and the elegant Japanese gardens came into view. Ahead was a large wooden fence, broken up by a tall archway, the Uchiha crest above it on a lavender background. Standing at the entrance was Fugaku Uchiha, Akira's father. He had shoulder-length brown hair and onyx eyes that everyone seemed to have inherited except for Akira. He wore the standard black pants and shirt with the police force crest, with a khaki flak jacket over it. As usual, he didn't look quite impressed. A few moments later, Sasuke's head popped out from behind him.

   "You're late, Itachi," Fugaku said sternly. "What have you been doing?"
   "Father!" Akira said happily.
   "I need to talk to you," the man continued, ignoring his daughter. "Let's go."

Akira sighed as Fugaku turned away. Itachi put Akira down, ruffled her hair and followed their father. The girl walked over to Sasuke and grabbed his hand, dragging him along with her to their home's family room. It was spacious and simple, with tatami mats lining the floors and elegant decorations adorning the walls. The three Uchiha children sat in a line in front of Fugaku on the floor, who was sitting cross-legged on a small mat.

   "That's my boy," he chuckled, looking at Itachi. "For you to have come this far only six months after becoming Chūnin... About tomorrow's special mission—I've decided to go along with you."

Akira's face saddened. Tomorrow was her acceptance ceremony into the Academy and, as usual, her father wasn't going to be there to celebrate anything she'd accomplished.

   "If you complete tomorrow's mission, Itachi, your entrance into Anbu Black Ops is all but assured."

When Itachi said nothing, Fukagu glared at him, his Sharingan awakening. Akira stared at it—the Kekkei Genkai of her clan that had earned her father the title of 'Wicked Eye Fugaku'. 

   "Do you understand?" Fugaku insisted. 
   "You don't have to worry about me out there," Itachi said, finally. "And more importantly..."

Itachi glanced at Akira and Sasuke. Both of them blushed, a little embarrassed. Sasuke was the one to speak up.

   "Father, you see, tomorrow afternoon is—"
   "This mission tomorrow. It's not just about you," Fugaku interrupted, ignoring his youngest son. "Your performance will reflect on our entire clan."

Akira and Sasuke both frowned, saddened, and looked down at their knees. Nothing was ever as important as Itachi.

   "Actually, I'm going to pass on tomorrow's mission," Itachi said.
   "What are you talking about!?" Fugaku said, outraged. "That's insanity! You know how important this is! You'll do no such thing!"
   "I have to. Tomorrow is Akira and Sasuke's entrance ceremony."

Akira and Sasuke both looked up at their brother. Akira then looked at her father. He seemed to have forgotten that piece of information. 

   "Our family has to attend," Itachi said, smiling. "It's customary at the Academy. You received a notice... remember?"

Fugaku clenched his jaw and stood up. 

   "All right, I get it. I'll be at the Academy tomorrow."

He then walked past Itachi, Sasuke and Akira, exiting the room. All three Uchiha siblings followed him out onto the porch. Itachi turned around to look at Akira.

   "Be sure to ice your left leg," he said simply.
   "I will," Akira said softly, frowning a little.

Her brother sounded so distant at that moment. Usually, he'd smile and do it for her. Not this time. And nothing was ever the same again. Itachi became more and more distant. He'd stopped training with Akira and Sasuke, retreated to god knows where for hours or even days on end. Eventually, Akira and Sasuke stopped going to him and trained together, developing techniques to use if they ever fought together. But every time Akira would see Itachi, she'd secretly hope he stopped being so distant and came back to her as if nothing happened. He never did. And if things weren't bad enough, Itachi began shunning even his parents, cutting Fugaku off from all his daily tasks and activities. Unfortunately for Akira, who didn't have a fire affinity like Itachi and Sasuke, her father moved on to her other brother, prizing him instead of Itachi and herself. That's when she met Kai, Kiba and Shikamaru, the only people who could cure her of her rejection and solitude. They trained together, laughed together, did everything together. 

   "Father only cares about you, Itachi," Akira had said one day as she and her brother were quietly sitting on the porch.
   "You probably hate me, huh?" Itachi said. Akira didn't say anything. "It's all right. People often think ill of shinobi. It's only logical."
   "That's not how I feel!" Akira said sternly. Itachi chuckled.
   "Being the best isn't what it's all cracked up to be," he said. "When you have power, you become arrogant and isolated from the world, no matter how coveted and sought after you are in the beginning. For us, it's different because you and I are flesh and blood. I'm always going to be there for you, even if it's as an obstacle for you to overcome... even if you do hate me. That's what big brothers are for."

Akira stood up and firmly planted her feet, looking down at Itachi with a glare, hands placed steadily on her hips.

   "I swear on my mother's life, today on this porch, with you as my witness, that I will become the strongest kunoichi I can be," Akira said, determined.

There'd always been a certain eloquence to Akira's speech, and it was always accentuated when she was angry, determined, or proud. She looked straight ahead of her, into the distance, making a pledge to the world.

   "I will not become arrogant; I will remain modest and humble, without showing weakness. I will not become isolated; I will remain open and I will cherish my friends and all the people of Konoha for the rest of my life.
   "I do not care how many people look up to me or look down upon me. I do not care how many wish they were me, or wish that I was gone. I do not care how many wish they had my power, or wish I had none. I will not let anything sway me from my path.
   "My purpose is straight and true: I will become the greatest kunoichi I can be, and I will protect this village with all that I have, even at the cost of my life. There will be balance, and there will be peace. 
   "As the future head of the Konoha Military Police Force, I will be one of many noble and brave shinobi to bring that balance and peace to this village."

Akira looked back at her brother.

   "You just watch me, Itachi."

Akira's eyelids suddenly snapped open, her pupils dilated, taking in the light. Everything was pale, tinted with bright white that was rising from her own body. Every single one of her thoughts was in high definition. Without a doubt, she'd been down and out for far too long. The sounds of battle in full swing reached Akira's ears, as did the pounding of her own heart. With a rush of adrenaline coursing through her veins, Akira's body moved of its own accord, rising alongside Sasuke's. An intense spiral of purple rose with him, and one of bright white with Akira. Flame-like markings began crawling onto her skin, glowing a bright orange. She felt them sear across her skin, a similar pain to the burning of her arms with Inazuma.

Akira could sense the fear in whoever was nearby. She took a step forward, the spiral of white chakra intensifying. Her Sharingan gaze rose from the ground and locked onto everyone around her. Her eyes flickered around for a moment until they spotted a beaten-up Shikamaru, holding up a passed out Ino. He looked terrified, and though Akira could see it, it didn't seem to register that the fear was caused mostly by her. All her mind could think of was him, his fear, his injuries.

   "Shikamaru... Who did this to you?" Akira asked, her voice almost inhumanly low. 

Shikamaru stared on, looking between her and Sasuke.

   "Who was it?"
   "Akira, you—"
   "Don't worry about me," Akira interrupted. "In fact, I don't think I've ever felt better."

Akira stared down at her hands. While her arms were still scarred and singed from her last battle, she felt no pain from them. All she could feel now was the power of the white chakra surging through her.

   "Who did this to you?"

Shikamaru's onyx eyes glanced briefly to his left, and Akira's gaze slowly followed. The three Sound ninjas that had caused a stir before the Chūnin Exams even started were standing there, fearing the white and purple rushes of chakra just as much as anyone else. They nearly shrunk under the intensity of her glare, but one of them dared to step forward.

   "I did this."
   "Very well," Akira said calmly. "Shikamaru, get your team to safety. That includes Ino's soul in that Hidden Sound girl."

Shikamaru didn't need to think twice. He ordered Ino to get her soul back into her own body and then all fled to the bushes nearby. 

   "Dosu, what's wrong? You're not getting cold feet are you?" the overconfident sound ninja said.
   "No, Zaku, you don't know what you're doing!" Dosu yelled at his teammate.
   "Watch this, I'll take care of all these runts in one fell swoop! Super Sonic Slicing Wave!"

Millions of sound waves then rushed over to Akira and Sasuke in an impressively powerful attack. It sliced even his own teammates and nearly deafened Shikamaru, Ino and Choji. Akira and Sasuke however, had moved even before the attack had reached them, placing themselves directly behind Zaku. 

   "Heh, looks like I blew them all away!"
   "Not quite."

Before Zaku could even look behind him, Sasuke had punched him straight in the head, sending him towards his teammates in a limp heap. Sasuke didn't waste time in sending a fire-style move towards Zaku, who attempted to blow away the flames with sound waves. It worked, but Zaku hadn't anticipated the shuriken hidden inside the flames. While Zaku was distracted by the oncoming weapons, Akira took the opportunity to run at him, low to the ground. Dosu warned him from a distance, but it was too late. Akira had already grabbed both his arms and flipped over him, popping Zaku's arms out of their sockets. Akira's feet were on Zaku's back and she was holding herself up by pulling on his arms.

   "You seem to be very proud of these arms of yours," she said maliciously. "You must be really... attached to them."

Without hesitation, Akira pulled hard on Zaku's arms. Apart from the screams, the only thing anyone heard was the sound of breaking bones. She dislocated his shoulders, elbows and wrists, then twisted his arms around to break them in several places. Akira dropped his arms, as if disgusted by them, and kicked Zaku aside like he was a broken ragdoll. Akira cracked her knuckles one finger at a time and turned towards everyone again, a vile smirk on her face. Dosu, being the only Sound ninja left conscious, backed away.

   "Your turn, Brother, dear."
   "My pleasure," Sasuke said darkly. "I hope you make things more interesting than your friend did. That looked too easy." 

Sasuke began walking towards Dosu who was still paralysed with fear. However, much to everyone's surprise, Sakura ran forward and latched onto Sasuke, hugging him from behind. She pleaded for him to stop over and over again until the purple swirl of chakra around Sasuke began to die down and he relented. The orange flame-like markings faded to black then receded, and Sasuke collapsed moments later.

   "Pathetic," Akira scoffed. "Guess I'll be the one to have all the fun."
   "No!" Sakura yelled. "Akira, please stop! This isn't you! You never would have gone this far! Please, stop this!"
   "Shut up! No one hurts someone that I care about and gets away with it!"

Akira turned back to Dosu.

   "You reap what you sow, Dosu."

Akira started towards Dosu, but she sensed someone behind her, no doubt aiming to stop her. She stuck out her arm and spun, preparing to throw a vicious punch at whoever was approaching. But her hand stopped abruptly, only a few inches away from the target, as her eyes spotted Shikamaru.

   "You're such a pain, Akira. Look at you, making me drag myself outta the bushes just to stop you," Shikamaru sighed.
   "Don't stop me, Shikamaru."
   "Just quit it, all right? It's enough—you've done enough. We're safe now."
   "But, Dosu—"
   "Is going to run off like a scaredy-cat," Shikamaru said quietly. He took a step forward and put a hand on Akira's shoulder. "Let's go home, okay? Let's get Kiba and Kai, eat some ramen, and fall asleep under our tree. Sound good?"

The searing pain all over Akira's body suddenly began to subside of its own accord. The spiralling white chakra slowly faded as well, and Akira's eyes returned to blue, leaving the Sharingan behind. A wave of fatigue suddenly washed over her. Akira's knees buckled and she toppled over onto Shikamaru who caught her with ease.

   "Yeah," Akira whispered. "That sounds good."

Chapter Text

As she stood inside a large domed arena, Akira's mind seemed to be stuck inside a haze.

She hadn't the faintest idea how they had made it to the tower at the centre of the Forest of Death. She only recalled bits and pieces of the journey there. The clearest things she should remember were Shikamaru's face, agonising fatigue, and Sakura's new short hair. Everything else was choppy at best. She recalled being by a river and fishing when someone else showed up. Then the next thing she knew, she was was fighting hundreds of clones of a ninja in a yellow jumpsuit. And then, she was standing in front of Iruka-sensei, being congratulated on a job well done.

Even then, Akira remembered the feelings more than the images flashing through her mind. The most prominent was an unanticipated surge of power rising within her, followed by an incessant pain in her arms and fatigue everywhere else in her body. Looking down at her arms and seeing the burns that littered her skin, Akira could tell that she'd had to perform Inazuma without her tachi. Patting herself down, Akira realised that her tachi were nowhere to be found, most likely lost in the Forest of Death somewhere. However, Akira hadn't the faintest idea as to what caused the surge of power, or even if it had indeed come from her. Akira wasn't sure she wanted to know. The fuzziness in her head wasn't normal, and there was a nagging feeling at the back of her mind that told her someone incredibly powerful had been involved. However, Akira couldn't remember anything distinct at all. It was as if someone had wiped the slate clean on purpose, forcing her to forget what had happened for her to get to this point. Glancing at Sakura who was standing to her left, and taking note of the worried look on her face, Akira knew that it was nothing good. Beyond that... she knew nothing but the fog in her mind.

Akira turned to the front for the first time since she'd arrived in the arena. Ahead, in front of a large stage stood eight Jōnin, two of which were Anko and Ibiki, as well as the next proctor who was still unidentified. In the centre of the stage stood the Hokage, clad in his traditional white cloak and hat, staring seriously at all the candidates before him. Behind the Hokage stood all the team leaders. Kakashi was there alongside Kurenai, Asuma and Guy. The only other Leaf ninja up there was the leader of Kabuto's team who was unknown to Akira. Beside them was the Hidden Sand's Jōnin, the leader of Gaara's team. However, her eyes caught a glance of the man beside him and Akira couldn't help but narrow her eyes at him. Despite the haze in her brain, she recognised Maru, the man she kept seeing around every corner. A smirk drew itself on his lips and Akira glared at him, rubbing away a dull pain in her shoulder. There was a Sound Village insignia on his headband and, as far as she could remember, the Sound ninja hadn't been the friendliest of people. So, what was it that made their Jōnin offer help to a young and inexperienced Leaf kunoichi? If anything, Akira was less tempted by his offer of help than before.

   "Congratulations on finishing the second part of the exam," Anko called, drawing Akira's attention away from Maru.
   "Hey, look," Sakura whispered. "All of the Leaf Village rookies are here, too."
   "Woah, everybody's here," Naruto said. "Looks like no one got left behind this time."
   "I don't have a very good feeling about this," Sasuke said. He too was rubbing his shoulder.
   "All right, listen up all! Lord Hokage is going to explain the third exam to you," Anko stated. "You better listen carefully, maggots!"
   "First, before I tell you what the third exam entails, I want to explain something about the test itself," Lord Hokage said. "Listen closely now, it's something all of you need to understand. I'm going to tell you the true purpose of these exams."

Akira frowned. The strange haze was making it hard for her to focus on words. All she could seem to focus on was the growing pain in her shoulder. 

   "Why do you suppose our country holds these exams in conjunction with our allies? To raise the ability levels of our shinobi and increase friendship with allied nations for sure, but it's important you understand its true meaning. The exams are, so to speak, a representation of the battle between allied nations."
   "And what's that supposed to mean?" Akira heard one of the candidates say.

The more people talked, the more the haze seemed to fade. However, it didn't seem like the memories were returning as the mind fog receded.

   "Now, if we look at our history, all the countries that we're currently allied with were neighbouring nations that continuously fought each other for power. In order to avoid destroying each other's military strength meaninglessly, those nations picked champions to do battles representing their countries at a mutually selected location. That was how the Chūnin selection exams originally began," Lord Hokage explained. 
   "Well, that's great, but why do we have to go through these exams then?" Naruto asked. "I mean, it's not like we're doing this to pick Chūnin to go fight."
   "Well, actually, there is no question that part of the point to these exams is to select shinobi worthy of becoming Chūnin, that's just not the whole story. These exams also allow for a place where shinobi can carry the pride of their nation on their backs and fight against other ninjas for their very lives."
   "The pride of their nation?" Sakura whispered, a little confused.
   "Many leaders and people of prominence are invited to attend this exam as guests, and also possibly to seek shinobi to work for them. This exam could determine the course of your ninja work from here on out. And more importantly, those rulers will watch your battles and take notes of each ninja and each technique a nation is developing. If there is a gap in power between the countries, the strongest villages are inundated with job requests for their ninja and conversely, requests to countries deemed weak will diminish. Therefore, the stronger our nation is, the better our position when it comes to negotiating with neighbouring countries is. So, it's important to show how much military strength our village has."
   "Okay, but even so, why is it necessary for us to risk our lives?" Kiba asked, irritated.
   "The country's strength is the village's strength, and the village's strength is the shinobi's strength," the Hokage said. "And the true strength of shinobi is only achieved when pushed to its limits, such as in a life and death battle."

Akira winced again at the pain, but she was finally able to hang onto every word the Hokage was saying. She thought that maybe the surge of power she'd felt had come from deep within her when hers and comrades' lives were in danger.

   "This exam is a chance for each nation to display the strength of its shinobi and hence, the strength of the nation itself. It is because this is an exam that your life is on the line, and it has meaning. And it's for this very reason, as well as the strength of the nation, that your forerunners fought in this exam. It's truly a dream worth striving for."
   "Then why use the expression 'friendship' before if all we're doing is backstabbing each other?" Akira asked, voice louder than she'd anticipated.
   "In the world of the shinobi, preserving balance by fighting and dying is friendship," Lord Hokage said. Akira remained unimpressed. "The third exam is a fight for life with the pride of your village and your own dreams at stake. Now listen closely, I'm going to tell you exactly what you'll be doing for the third exam."

One of the ninjas in line disappeared and reappeared in front of the Hokage, and Akira rose an eyebrow at the katana strapped to his back. Surprisingly, there weren't many sword-wielding shinobi in Konoha. Seeing someone whose primary method of fighting seemed to be kenjutsu was impressive. The two men exchanged a few words and then the swordsman turned to face the remaining candidates. He looked as if he hadn't slept in months, dark circles prominent under his eyes, with dark hair kept under his bandanna. As Akira and the rest of the Genin would soon learn, the Jōnin also had an unexplained cough that plagued him. 

   "It's nice to meet you all," he said in a lazy voice, then coughed. "I am Hayate Gekkō, proctor assigned to the third part of the exam. There is something I would like to do before the third exam."

He coughed again, this time a lot harder. Akira raised an eyebrow at him.

   "We need to have a preliminary exam before we can move on to the real one." 
   "Preliminary!?" Shikamaru complained. "What do you mean by that?"
   "I'm sorry, sensei, excuse me," Sakura spoke up politely, "but I really don't see the point. What's this preliminary for? Why can't we just move on to the third exam?"
   "Well you see, the first and second exams might have been too easy," Hayate said, then coughed. "The fact is, we never expected so many of you to still be here. According to the rules of the Chūnin exam, a preliminary round can be held at any stage in order to reduce the number of candidates remaining."
   "Is that fair!?" Ino gasped.
   "It's just that at this stage we have to speed things up a bit. As Lord Hokage said, a lot of important guests will be watching. We can't afford to waste their time. They've come to see only the best. So if there are any of you who feel that they aren't in top physical condition, now's your chance to—"

Hayate's coughing interrupted his speech. 

   "Speaking of top physical condition," Akira muttered under her breath.
   "Sorry about that. As I was saying, any of you who don't feel up to this now's the time for you to bow out. The preliminaries will be starting immediately."
   "Come on, you mean right now!?" Kiba shouted. 
   "Man, this is such a drag," Shikamaru sighed.
   "Oh, and the ones moving on will be determined by one on one battles, sudden death," Hayate added.

Akira let out a long sigh. She was in no condition to fight. Her arms had never seen worse days, there was a throbbing pain in her shoulder, and half her memory was gone. However, Akira wasn't just going to back away. In a huff, she crossed her burned arms over across her chest, displaying them to everyone, and stood tall. Akira had a goal and she intended to reach it. Much to her surprise, Kabuto backed out, listing several reasons why he didn't want to stay, and then left. Akira didn't understand. He was far better off than she was and he had four years of experience in the bag. However, she wouldn't complain about having one less opponent to fight.

Suddenly, another wave of pain rushed through the Uchiha siblings' shoulders, causing them to audibly wince. Sakura turned to them, worry plastered on her features.

   "Sasuke, Akira, you've got to back out—you can't go on like this."
   "Are you nuts?" Akira whispered harshly. "This is my chance to prove to everyone that I'm not a useless Uchiha. I need to show everyone what I've got, Sakura! I can't back out now."
   "You're in pain—the both of you," Sakura argued. "You've been like this ever since you tangled with Orochimaru and it's obviously getting worse."

Akira frowned. She knew the name but only from textbooks. Had they met Orochimaru in the Forest of Death?

   "It's that mark he put on you, isn't it?"

Akira frown deepened. She had no recollection of a mark. However, looking over at Sasuke's shoulder, Akira spotted a mark, an amalgam of three black tomoe shaped into a spiral. 

   "You can't deny it, guys. Please," Sakura insisted, on the verge of tears. "Please, both of you, quit now before—I don't know. I'm scared. Come on, you know as well I do that you're in no condition to fight. Especially you, Akira. I mean look at your arms. And you haven't remembered anything that happened in the last few days. You need rest."
   "Shut up, Sakura," Akira growled.
   "You think I'm blind or something!?"
   "Will you please be quiet?" Sasuke insisted.
   "You don't think I see the suffering you're going through!?"
   "That's enough, Sakura," Akira said dangerously low.
   "I'm sorry, I can't let you do it to yourselves!" Sakura said, tears falling from her eyes. "I'm going to tell them about those marks. Then, maybe you'll—"

Sakura began to raise her hand but Sasuke snatched it and pulled it down.

   "Don't you even think about telling them about these marks," Sasuke said. 
   "I don't get what you guys are trying to prove," Sakura said harshly. "Am I just supposed to stand by and watch you guys tear yourselves apart?"
   "Sakura, I'm not going to let this thing dictate what I can and can't do," Akira said calmly. "Just let us get through the preliminaries, please. I can't be eliminated for something I had no control over or can't even remember."
   "Akira—"
   "No. This thing isn't going to take me out, Sakura. I know it. I can feel it. Sasuke and I are both stronger than this." Akira sighed. "I know it's wrong. I know this thing isn't good. But I can't risk telling anyone about it until at least the preliminaries are over. Look, sometimes you have to head straight for the danger to achieve your goals, Sakura. It's like Ibiki-sensei said, no shinobi can afford to take the easy way out. So, I'm not going to."
   "This isn't right."
   "I know, Sakura. I know."

Sakura eyebrows knitted and she sighed, relenting to Akira's decision. She nodded stiffly and Sasuke let go of her arm.

Akira sighed. She glanced over at Kakashi and frowned, apologising to him in her mind. There was no way he'd approve of this, no way he'd let her go on with this reasoning as easily as Sakura did. But Akira had no choice. Nothing was going to stand in the way of becoming Chūnin. 

Akira's eyes wandered over to Maru and she found that he was already looking at her. The girl's eyebrows knitted together and she sighed as a smirk rose to his mouth. He was less than trustworthy. There was a dangerous aura to him that Akira couldn't shake off, but a charisma that she couldn't seem to ignore. It was almost certain that he could help her, no matter how sketchy her request would be, given that his team was so disreputable. But it was just those things that made her hesitate. In the back of her mind, she knew that everything about him was wrong—just as wrong as the thing on her shoulder. But maybe that was it. Maybe it was going to take something just as malevolent to counter the evil surging through her veins.

Chapter Text

   "All right, then. We will now begin the preliminary round."

Everyone's focus was on Hayate Gekkō, the proctor, as he began to speak about the preliminary round of the final part of the exam. The pain in Akira's shoulder kept intensifying, but there was nothing she could do about it. Instead, she focused on her breathing, making sure that it was keeping steady despite the burning sensation going through her body. Akira hoped that she'd made the right decision in telling Sakura she could handle this.

   "This round will consist in one-on-one individual combat, at full battle intensity. This is not an exercise. There are twenty-two of you remaining, so there will be exactly eleven battles. The surviving candidates from these eleven matches will advance to the third exam," Hayate said, surprisingly not coughing once. "As for the rules, there are none: you will fight until one dies, concedes, or if I say otherwise. Obviously, those who know that they aren't going to win are advised to concede promptly, to avoid as many deaths as possible."

Once again, the smell of blood filled Akira's nostrils. The feeling of piercing flesh came to her mind. Akira's stomach turned. There was no guarantee she'd avoid killing someone. In the heat of the battle, if she had to she would.

   "Now, it's time to reveal what fate has chosen for you."

In the top left corner of the wall behind all the Jōnin and the Hokage, a panel slid away to reveal a blank, black screen. 

   "The names of each pair are chosen completely at random," Hayate said. "Before each match, these names will appear on the display behind me. As there is nothing more to say, let's begin. In a moment, the names of the first two opponents will appear."

The black screen flashed yellow a few times and then hundreds of letter combinations began flickering on the screen. After a few tense moments, the names of the candidates participating in the first battle appeared: Yoroi Akado vs Sasuke Uchiha. Akira cast a worried glance at her brother, but he was smiling, excited about getting the chance to fight again.

   "Those whose names are displayed, come forward."

Sasuke and one of Kabuto's teammates walked up to Hayate, then stood to face each other.

   "Are there any objections?" Hayate was met with silence. "Good. Everyone other than the first candidates please move up to the viewing area."

Akira turned towards the stairs and a flash of pain burned her shoulder and back. Her face contorted in pain and she rolled her shoulder, hoping that it would diffuse the burning sensation. After a few moments, the pain subsided, and Akira made it up the rest of the stairs without incident. She went to stand with Sakura, Naruto and Kakashi, and leaned over the railing to look down at Sasuke's battle.

   "When it's your turn to fight, Akira, don't use your Sharingan," Kakashi whispered.

Akira took a deep breath.

   "Why not?"
   "Don't play dumb."
   "I have no idea what you're talking about," Akira whispered sharply.
   "Akira, if that mark on your shoulder gets out of control your life could be in danger."
   "Damn," the girl muttered under her breath.
   "Yeah," Kakashi said sternly. "I'd had hope you'd come to me."
   "You know that I wasn't going to. If I did you'd have pulled me out of the exams."
   "Yes, and now if you go in and lose control I will stop the fight."

Akira turned to Kakashi, glaring.

   "Don't you dare disqualify me, Kakashi."
   "That's sensei, to you," he said sharply. "You have no idea what you're getting yourself into."
   "And neither do you!" Akira retorted. "And if you didn't believe I was at least capable of resisting whatever this thing is, you would have pulled me out when Hayate-sensei was asking for withdrawals."

Kakashi sighed. He looked angry, but Akira could tell that he'd reached a wall. He couldn't argue with her. She was right. If he had even the slightest doubt she couldn't handle it, he would have stopped her right there.

   "If you lose control—"
   "Then stop the fight," Akira said softly. "But I'll be fine. Trust me, Kakashi."

The anger in Kakashi's eyes slowly dissipated and his eyebrows furrowed. He nodded once and so did Akira, both of them agreeing to the terms they'd spoken. However, Akira wondered why Kakashi was so adamant she did not use her Sharingan during the fight. Out of curiosity, Akira concentrated a little bit of chakra in her hands and, almost immediately after, another more intense wave of pain surged through her shoulders. The second she'd dispelled the chakra, the pain went away. Akira let out a barely audible sigh. This mark, or whatever it was, was most likely linked to her chakra. Any amount used would cause serious pain, so she and Sasuke would have to fight their battles without chakra. That was easier said than done. Akira relied on chakra for most of her fighting style and her tachi lay somewhere in the Forest of Death still. Akira chuckled. Maybe she could laugh her opponent to death.

Sasuke's battle had already commenced by the time Akira was truly paying attention. Yoroi through half a dozen shuriken at Sasuke which he blocked easily. However, even the smallest concentration of Sasuke's chakra sent a wave of pain through him and he fell to the ground. Within seconds, Yoroi was over him and swinging a punch, which Sasuke narrowly dodged. Yoroi's fist smashed the ground, sending shards of stone flying into the air. Sasuke plunged a kunai into the ground as he jumped away and used it as a pivot to smash Yoroi's leg. In a split second, Sasuke had his opponent in a headlock, but the fight wasn't over yet. All of a sudden, while still in a headlock, Yoroi grabbed Sasuke by the collar, his fist glowing bright blue.

   "His chakra is visible..." Akira muttered. "What the hell is he doing?"

Moments later, Yoroi was free and Sasuke remained on the ground, barely moving. Akira's eyes narrowed. All of Sasuke's strength was gone, sapped up by whatever attack Yoroi had used. Then, Yoroi launched himself at Sasuke and slammed his palm onto Sasuke's forehead, hand still engulfed in blue chakra. In mere seconds, Sasuke went limp.

   "Sasuke, you idiot! Get up!" Akira shouted. "This isn't the time to take a nap!"
   "Get... Off me!" Sasuke yelled, kicking Yoroi in the stomach, which sent him flying.

Sasuke looked up at his sister, who nodded sternly, and he sat up just as Yoroi stood. He lunged at Sasuke again, and the boy rose shakily. He swung his chakra filled fist around at Sasuke, but he kept dodging every hit. It looked excessively tiring, but Akira was mad at Sasuke for not having more in him. Naruto seemed to agree.

   "Come on, Sasuke! What was that!? And you call yourself an Uchiha? You're embarrassing your sister up here!" Naruto shouted. "You're gonna let this goon walk all over ya? Come on, stop messing around and get it in gear!"

Suddenly, Yoroi lunged once again but Sasuke kept dodging his punches. And then Sasuke disappeared, reappearing underneath Yoroi and kicking him upwards. Akira smirked. She recognized this technique—it was Lee's. Sasuke must have copied it with his Sharingan. Seconds later, he was flying underneath Yoroi, parallel to his body. However, Sasuke's body seized up and Akira noticed that the mark on his neck was glowing orange. A flame-like pattern began spreading to his body. Out of the corner of her eye, Akira noticed Kakashi step forward.

   "Don't," Akira said, putting a hand on Kakashi's arm. "He can control this, I know he can."

Kakashi took a step back and Akira removed her hand. She stared intently at her brother, but mostly the flame-like pattern on his skin. A wave of pain seared through Akira's neck and she hissed in pain but managed to push through it. Just as the pain in her shoulder was subsiding, the markings on Sasuke's skin began to melt away and he followed through with his attack. He feigned a kick to Yoroi's left and spun around to his right to kick his opponent in the face. Then, with a flip, Sasuke kicked Yoroi down to the ground, knocking him out cold. Sasuke landed shakily, but he managed to stand up until Hayate declared him the winner.

   "Told you he could do it."
   "He's lucky to have you believe in him."

Kakashi ruffled Akira's hair and jumped down to the battleground. She watched them leave with the medical ninja and listened to Sakura and Naruto cheer. When they'd gone, Akira turned to look around at everyone. No one seemed surprised about the outcome and Lee even seemed pleased. When her eyes gazed across the battlefield, they fell on Gaara who was looking at her with the same intense stare he always seemed to have. For a moment, she stared too, and she smiled, hoping to get something out of him. But he just kept staring, so Akira looked away.

When Yoroi was carried off, the second pair of candidates were announced on the board. An uneasy feeling rose inside Akira. The sight of Zaku's arms made her look down at her own. The skin had started to peel, flaking off her arm every time it brushed against something, revealing a shiny pink layer of skin. All while the battle raged below, Akira wondered if the scars would remain or if they'd disappear. Her skin had a habit of being resistant to healing up scars.

Before Akira knew it, the battle was over and Shino had won with surprising ease. Curious, Akira stood and looked back over the railing. She winced seeing Zaku's arms—they were littered with holes, blood seeping out from each and every one of them. She knew that Shino was an insect tamer, but she had no idea that he was capable of being this merciless.

As the next pair of candidates appeared on screen, Kakashi returned without Sasuke. Another of Kabuto's teammates stepped down from the viewing area, as did Kankuro. Akira's eyes narrowed at him. She hoped that he lost just for being a jerk. However, he won with as much ease as Shino. The large thing he carried on his back was indeed a giant puppet, and Kankuro happened to be quite skilled with it. Despite disliking the boy, Akira had to admit he was a formidable shinobi.

Moments later, the next battle was announced and immediately, the two opponents began arguing. Ino and Sakura had been called to fight against each other.

   "This is going to be interesting," Akira muttered.

Up until then, all the battles had been terminated in five minutes or less, however, when Ino and Sakura stepped into the arena and began fighting, neither of them were down or even injured after over ten minutes. Akira was starting to get annoyed. They might have been fighting, but neither of them was fighting with any intent to cause harm. They were fighting like kids, as if they were training at the Academy. Even though she wanted to see how Sakura was going to win, Akira couldn't take watching a battle so uninteresting. Akira sighed, bored, and went back to sit against the wall.

Through the bars of the railing, she observed Maru. He wasn't paying attention to the battle below, either. Instead, he was staring right back at Akira. She gave him an annoyed look and he smirked, which irked Akira even more. The thought of actually accepting his help was running through her mind a mile a minute and it was bothering her that she was actually considering it. After what seemed like a long staring contest, Akira sighed and swung her head backwards so that it was resting on the wall behind her. Maru seemed amused and Akira glared at him. He knew that she was considering his offer. 

When Hayate announced the end of the battle, Akira immediately broke eye contact and stood to look over the railing. Both Sakura and Ino were out cold, having tired themselves out, and it made Akira smile. At least Sakura hadn't given up until the end.

Akira's gaze was drawn towards the screen once again as it showed the next pair of fighters: Temari vs Tenten. Akira didn't recognize those names, but she knew the faces. It was the Sand Ninja girl and the girl from Lee and Neji's team. Akira leaned against the railing, gaze fixed upon Temari, curious to see what she could do with a large paper fan. She looked over to Kai for a moment, wondering what he would be taking away from this fight.

When the battle started, Tenten leapt backwards to distance herself from Temari. Akira frowned a little. That was a bad move. With a large fan like that, Temari seemed to be a long-distance fighter. If anything, Tenten should be attacking her head-on. However, neither of them moved. Akira looked at them, exasperated. Even the proctor was confused. But then, Temari took a step forward, to which Tenten responded with a step back. It went on like this until they'd each moved a foot from their initial position. Then, Temari taunted her opponent by insisting she attack first.

   "This match is already over," she whispered.
   "You think?" Kai said, suddenly appearing beside Akira. Shikamaru and Kiba were there too. 
   "Akira's right," Shikamaru sighed. "Tenten is probably just keeping a safe distance, good for attacking or defending, but I'm pretty sure Temari has got her in the ideal position for her own attack. She looks the type to do that."
   "The type?" Kiba said, confused.
   "Like Shikamaru. A strategist," Akira commented.

All four heads turned back to the match, expecting Tenten to lose. Misinterpreting your opponent was probably the biggest mistake you could make, and Tenten was doing just that.

Tenten jumped high into the air and shot a handful of shuriken at Temari. But the sand ninja flickered and by the time the shuriken had reached her, Temari was a foot to the left and out of the way. Akira rose an eyebrow, mildly impressed—Temari was fast. Tenten jumped into the air again and pulled out a scroll with she dramatically spun around her in the air. A shower of weapons began to fall from the scroll towards Temari. Akira concentrated on the Sand ninja. Once again, all Akira saw was a flicker, but this time, when Temari was standing still again, her fan was open a little and she was leaning on it. On the open part of the fan, there was a purple circle.

   "First moon," Temari said simply.

Akira's eyebrows furrowed. She examined the fan and deduced that there was at least enough room for three of these so-called moons. If her hunch was right, the battle would be over by the time the third moon was revealed.

Tenten was getting frazzled at this point. Akira understood. Temari was slowly wearing her down psychologically and that could sometimes do more damage than physical attacks. More than that, however, Akira was sure she knew what Temari's fighting style was. Like Kai, Temari was a wind-style user, and that fan was an extension of her own body. It was the same for Akira and her tachi.

Just then, Tenten pulled out two other scrolls. She performed a number of hand signs and then crouched down, placing both scrolls on the ground standing up. The scrolls exploded and a large cloud of smoke filled the battlefield. Two smoke dragons rose from where the scrolls were and began spinning upwards in a helix. Tenten then jumped up inside the helix and began pulling out various weapons from the smoke dragons, throwing them at Temari. The Sand ninja smiled and unfolded her fan to the second moon, waving it in front of her to create a giant gust of wind that blew all of Tenten's weapons away. But then, invisible strings attached to Tenten's arms appeared. Akira followed the strings with her eyes and they appeared to be attached to every single weapon she'd thrown. Tenten pulled them up as she jumped in the air again, and sent the weapons flying towards Temari. However, the Sand ninja wasn't phased at all. She unfolded her fan to its third moon and, once again, blew all the weapons away. Tenten got caught in the gales of wind this time, and she flew backwards. To everyone's surprised, Temari swung her fan in front of her and vanished from view alongside her fan. Seconds later, Temari appeared behind Tenten, and with a strong swing, sent her flying upwards. 

Temari folded up her fan and, when Tenten came back down, her back landed straight on top of the folded fan. Everyone heard the crunch of Tenten's spine as it nearly folded in half. Akira winced.

   "That couldn't have felt good," she commented.
   "Definitely not," Kiba said, looking slightly concerned.
   "Oh, who's next?" Kai asked, looking expectantly up at the screen.
   "Shikamaru, you're up," Akira announced.
   "Against that Sound Village girl?" he sighed. "Great."
   "Knock her out cold, Shika!" Kai cheered.
   "Yeah, yeah."

Shikamaru lazily walked down to the arena and stood in front of the Sound ninja girl, Tsuchi Kin. Ino began cheering like a certified cheerleader, which was the first sign of life from either her or Sakura. As the battle began, Ino kept on going. Akira could see the annoyance in Shikamaru's face.

   "Put a sock in it, would you!?" Akira shouted at Ino. "Let him think, dammit!"
   "You put a sock in it, Uchiha!" Ino shot back.

With an irritated sigh, Akira pulled out a kunai and threw it at Ino's feet.

   "Next one goes in your foot. Let him think."
   "O-Okay..."

When Akira looked back at the fight, both Kin and Shikamaru were pointing kunai at each other. Shikamaru's shadow was extended towards her, trapping her in his family's signature jutsu. Akira attempted to analyse the scene, but she didn't get it. She never knew what the hell was going on in Shikamaru's brain. Then, Shikamaru made to throw the kunai and Kin mirrored his movements. As the kunai flew, both of them rapidly bent backwards to dodge. Akira nearly laughed. Contrary to Shikamaru, Kin had no room to bend backwards. When Shikamaru forced her to fall back, she violently hit her head on the concrete wall and knocked herself out.

   "Now that's what I call using your head," Shikamaru said, standing back up.
   "Did he just—" Akira sighed, smiling. "What an idiot."
   "All right! Way to go Shikamaru!" Kai cheered, smiling brightly.
   "Keep it down will you?" Shikamaru said, walking back to his friends. "You're almost as bad as Ino."
   "Rude."
   "Come over here, you," Akira said, beckoning Shikamaru over. "Let me get these senbon out."
   "You don't hav—OW!"
   "If you move, it'll hurt more."

Akira spent the next few seconds removing the senbon from Shikamaru's body and pulled out some bandages from one of her pouches to cover up any open wounds.

   "Good as new," she said, looking content.
   "Thanks. Can you fix your arms now?" Shikamaru asked, an eyebrow raised.
   "No, that wouldn't be fair. Everyone went in with their fatigue and their injuries, I have to do the same."
   "Quit being so noble—yeah, I'm up next!" Kiba shouted. Akamaru barked happily from atop his head. "Shame I'm up against Naruto and not you Kira. I would've loved to kick your ass."
   "Keep dreaming kid," Akira chuckled.
   "Eh, I'll just beat up the knucklehead."

Akira laughed, but it wasn't the laugh that her friends were so accustomed to. It sounded so innocent that it seemed sly, devious. The small mischievous smirk at the corner of her lips didn't help either.

   "Don't underestimate your opponent, Kiba Inuzuka," she said, turning back to look at the battlefield. "That's the biggest mistake a shinobi can make."
   "What's that supposed to mean!?"

Akira glanced at Kiba out of the corner of her eye.

   "You'll see."

Chapter Text

Naruto and Kiba stood face to face in front of Hayate, glaring at each other, and neither of them was being nice to the other. They were insulting each other relentlessly, telling each other that they were the one that was going to come out on top. Hayate did the usual introductions and then signalled the beginning of the fight. Sakura began shouting profanities about Kiba, to which Akira laughed, making Ino yell at her for getting so mad for cheering for Shikamaru. Hinata was cheering for Kiba, as was Kai, and Akira joined in on the cheering for Naruto, much to Kiba's dismay.

Initially, Kiba set Akamaru aside, thinking that he alone would be capable of taking Naruto down. He crouched down and put his hands together in a sign that was familiar to Akira. Kiba's body began seeping bright blue chakra, rising out of him like flames. Akira rose an eyebrow; she didn't recall him being this strong. He then got on all fours, his nails shifting into claws and his already prominent canines turning into fangs. With lightning-fast speed, Kiba launched himself at Naruto and elbowed him in the stomach. Naruto was sent flying across the arena and though he was down now, Akira knew he wouldn't be for much longer.

As predicted, it only took a few more seconds for Naruto to stand back up. Kiba was visibly irritated and everyone but Akira and Sakura was shocked; no one expected Naruto to recover after that blow. However, Naruto made the mistake of mentioning Akamaru. Kiba and Akamaru then ran at Naruto and, second later, the whole arena was engulfed in purple smoke from a grenade that Kiba had thrown. Akira was suddenly nervous for Naruto. This was Kiba's ideal environment. Surely he was going to do some damage to Naruto like this. After a few moments, though Akira couldn't see anything through the smoke, she could hear Naruto getting hit repeatedly. Then, Naruto emerged from one end of the smoke cloud, thinking he was free and clear.

However, Akamaru was waiting for him and the dog bit down on Naruto's arm, sending them both back into the smoke. Kiba walked out of the smoke and waited patiently for it to dissipate. When it did, all Akira could see was Naruto lying in the fetal position with Akamaru sitting peacefully beside him. But then the unthinkable happened. Akamaru bit Kiba, and quite violently at that. Akira looked back at Naruto and smiled.

   "Yes, that's it, kid!" Akira cheered. 

Suddenly, Akamaru vanished in a puff of smoke and Naruto appeared, biting down on Kiba's arm. The supposedly knocked out Naruto stood, holding Akamaru captive. Akira laughed gleefully. She was right. Kiba was going to have to work for his win. That was if he was going to win. At this rate, Naruto was going to take this match.

However, Kiba threw something at Akamaru which he caught in his mouth. Seconds later, the dog's fur turned a deep shade of brown and he became much more vicious, kicking the Naruto clone in the head to escape to Kiba's side. Kiba tossed one of those same pills in his mouth and his canine attributes became much more enhanced. Akamaru jumped onto his back and, in a puff of smoke, they both transformed into a more rabid version of Kiba. Akira couldn't help but smile—it was the jutsu Kiba had been struggling with.

   "Man-Beast Clones..." Akira whispered, in awe.

Akamaru and Kiba were now both part man and part beast, but both just as rabid as a starved wolf. There was a crazed look in their eyes, and that's when Akira knew Kiba wasn't fooling around anymore. Because of the food pills, his and Akamaru's chakra must have been doubled in power.

The two beast clones immediately lunged at Naruto who barely had time to move before their razor-sharp claws swiped at him. They wasted no time in lunging again, swiping their claws at Naruto again. The clones climbed walls and jumped off of them to launch themselves at Naruto from different angles at the same time. Kiba was relentless. Already, he fought like a wild beast, his chakra already intense without the food pills, and now this? Naruto was going to have a hard time as well. Neither of them was going to go out easily. To win, Naruto was going to have to outwit Kiba. For Kiba to win, he was going to have to drain Naruto until he reached his limit.

During one of Kiba's onslaughts, one of Naruto's feet left the ground and he was sent off-balance. He dodged a few attacks then jumped up high to land and reposition himself, but it seemed that that was what Kiba wanted. Both clones jumped in the air as well but began spinning themselves so that they'd drill into anything they came into contact with. They intersected with one another and hit Naruto at the same time, sending the boy flying several feet away. Naruto landed flat on his face, spitting blood, while the man-beast clones landed unscathed a few feet away. Naruto stood up again, determined to win, and it made Akira smile.

   "Yeah, that's it, Naruto! On your feet!" she shouted. "If I can't kick Kiba's ass, do it for me!"
   "It'll be... my pleasure... Akira," Naruto said between breaths.

Kiba and Akamaru used the same move again, and although Naruto saw it coming, he only just had the time to move out of the way. He landed clumsily and then Kiba came at him with more smoke bombs. Once again, the arena was engulfed in purple smoke. Kiba and Akamaru used their Fang Over Fang method repeatedly, but because of the smoke, Akira couldn't tell if any of the attacks were landing. 

   "Come on, Naruto. You can't beat him with strength—think! Use that damn brain of yours," Akira muttered.
   "Brain?" Shikamaru scoffed.
   "He isn't you, granted, but thinking up weird tactics on the fly is his speciality."

When the smoke dissipated and Akira could see again, she smiled brightly and cheered to herself. Naruto had transformed himself into Kiba, making him indistinguishable from the other two. Now, Kiba wouldn't know which was Naruto and which was Akamaru. Meanwhile, Naruto was safe attacking either one. 

   "Brilliant."
   "Gotta hand it to him," Kai said. "My partner in crime has gotten good."
   "You haven't done crime in a while, Kai. He's my partner, now," Akira smirked.

Kiba sniffed out Naruto and punched one of the versions of himself, but it skidded across the room and turned into Akamaru. Outraged, he punched the other one, but it also turned into Akamaru. Akira grinned. The resident class clown was in business. Suddenly, the Akamaru that was behind Kiba disappeared in a puff of smoke and revealed Naruto. He ran at Kiba and kicked square in the jaw. After he fell, Kiba sat back up and stared at the knocked out Akamaru. With a growl, he turned to Naruto, angrier than ever.

Kiba lunged at him, throwing shuriken by the dozen. Naruto narrowly dodged every single one of them, but he left himself open to an attack. Kiba saw this and grew out his claws again, aiming straight for Naruto. He landed on the ground and got hit straight in the chest with Kiba's fist. He was sent skidding backwards and when he stopped, Kiba was already at his side, aiming to punch him square in the jaw. He knocked Naruto sideways and, again, before Naruto had time to build up his chakra, Kiba slashed down at him with his claws, creating a gash on Naruto's face.

Akira sighed, nervous. Right now, Kiba was too fast and too strong for Naruto. It would take some kind of miracle for Naruto to win at this point. But then, as if by chance, Kiba slashed at Naruto head-on which allowed him to grab Kiba's arm and toss him into a wall. Naruto's arm was bleeding now, beads of blood dripping on the floor and creating a small puddle. Kiba was unphased and, again, he built up his chakra, allowing it to visibly create an aura around him. He ran at Naruto with incredible speed and slashed at his other arm, landing a hit. Then, he came from behind and landed another hit. But Naruto stood up again, undefeated.

And then, whether by a stroke of luck or the gods of stupidity that were watching over Naruto, just as Kiba was about to launch an attack from behind, Naruto passed gas, shocking Kiba's sensitive nose so bad he recoiled and left himself open to an attack. Naruto took the opportunity to send dozens of shadow clones at Kiba, which beat him into submission and made Naruto the victor of the match. Hayate formalised the win and, as soon as Naruto began cheering for himself, Akira jumped down from the viewing area and ran up to Kiba, tripping over her feet a little. She skidded to a halt and stood beside him as the medical-nin were lifting him onto a stretcher.

   "Kiba? You awake?" He nodded. "You know, that was a battle to be proud of. You would have won if the stupidity gods weren't on Naruto's side today."
   "I know. Guess you win, huh?" Kiba said, turning his head towards Akira.
   "Well, I win this bet, yeah. But who knows, maybe I'll lose my battle as well. You never know when the odds are stacked against you, or if talent is going to be enough to save you," Akira said, shrugging. "Besides, my arms are so burnt I can barely feel them anymore, the rest of my body is in excruciating pain, and I don't have my swords to use. Right now, the odds are against me."

Kiba glanced at Akira's burnt arms, and his eyebrows knitted.

   "Don't worry about me. Worry about yourself and Akamaru, Mr Food Pills." Kiba chuckled. "You realise that you'll be out for days because of them."
   "Just one day, I guarantee it."

Chapter Text

Akira made it back to her original position beside Kai and Shikamaru and looked down at Kiba talking to Hinata just before he was taken away. Akira looked back up at the viewscreen, suddenly very anxious. She hadn't had her turn yet and there weren't many opponents left that she'd like to face.

Going up against Choji and Dosu would be easy. Akira knew that she'd be able to defeat Choji quite easily and because the other Sound ninja were defeated without much effort, she was sure she'd be able to take Dosu on. However, there were still opponents like Gaara, Lee and Neji left to fight. Gaara was a complete mystery. She knew there was something odd about him, something dangerous, and that was enough to make Akira afraid to fight him. Lee was a taijutsu user who needed to be feared. With arms in the condition hers were in, and with the inability to use ninjutsu or genjutsu to compensate for the lack of close-combat ability, Akira would be in deep trouble if she went against him. And then there was Neji Hyuga. She expected the most out of him because of his name and reputation as best rookie last year. Of course, there was also Hinata Hyuga to fight, and she was a user of the same techniques as Neji, but from what Akira could tell, Hinata seemed prone to giving up when there was just a little resistance. If Akira was going to go up against her, she'd have no problem. As for Kai, well, that would be an interesting battle. They knew each other's tricks from A to Z. They trained together, basically grew up together. There were no secrets between them. Fighting Kai wouldn't be easy if for the simple fact that they would be able to predict each other's moves which such ease.

Akira watched nervously as the screen began to scramble names again, and she released a sigh of relief when both Hyuga's names appeared. Hinata was surprised and clearly afraid to go up against one of her clansmen, but Neji seemed annoyed, angry even. It was clear, from the past behaviour Akira had experienced from him, that Neji didn't think Hinata was a suitable opponent. As soon as Hayate gave the all clear, Neji didn't hesitate to insult Hinata. He kept insisting that she should withdraw, that she wasn't a good enough shinobi to even take part in the Chūnin Exams in the first place. He kept hurling insult after insult until Akira had had enough.

   "Shut up, Neji," she spat. "If you're so sure you're going to beat her, then do it! Don't insult her like that just because you have an inferiority complex, you simple-minded walnut!"

Neji looked up and glared at Akira, who was looking down at him defiantly. From a distance, Maru was smirking and Akira heard Kai snort quietly and attempt to hold back laughter. Neji huffed, visibly annoyed. Akira turned to Kai and smacked him on the arm, trying to get him to stop chuckling.

   "Stop laughing, you child."
   "That was good," Kai said, a little giggly. "'simple-minded walnut', amazing."

Neji turned back to Hinata and put his hands together to form a familiar sign. Veins began coming out from underneath the skin around Neji's eyes and his nonexistent pupils took form, concentrating a deeper shade of his eye colour in the centre.

   "The Byakugan..."
   "I think you struck a nerve, Kira," Shikamaru commented.

Under the intensity of Neji's gaze, even Akira would have problems staying composed, and it was evident that Hinata was having the same problem. She couldn't even look at him. She was shaking. It wasn't helping that he kept antagonising her. At this rate, this was going to be more of a psychological battle than an actual fight, and Hinata was going to be the one to surrender.

   "That does it!" Naruto shouted. "Who have you the right to tell her what she can or can't be!? Go on, Hinata! Show this guy he's wrong!"

With Naruto's words came a small amount of courage. 

   "Hinata, you just gonna stand there and take that!? Do something, you're driving me crazy!"

The look in Hinata's eyes had suddenly become sterner. Her stance became more solid, her body was no longer shaking. Her fists were clenched in anger and after a few moments, Hinata had awoken her own Byakugan and was weaving hand signs. Battle ensued. The gentle fist style was a wonder to observe. The way that every hit was infused with a bit of chakra was meant to feel like you were getting stabbed by a knife, chakra currents being cut off with every successful touch. Pale blue chakra shot out of Neji's and Hinata's hands as they fought, almost like a choreographed dance, their movements fairly synchronised. A small smile rose to Akira's lips. The way that the chakra shot out was similar to how she practised her own chakra control with water. Under normal circumstances, Akira would use the Sharingan to examine their technique, but considering that the dull pain on her shoulder was still there, Akira didn't take the chance.

Eventually, the subtly of the gentle fist technique began to yield results. Hinata had managed to land a few blows with her chakra, but Neji had started to attack specific points on her body, landing blows on pressure points to block Hinata's chakra network. But, just like Naruto, when Hinata fell she got right back up and kept going until Neji had disabled both of her arms. However, even without her arms, Hinata rose again, determined to keep fighting. This angered Neji and he concentrated an excessive amount of chakra into his fist and dashed straight for Hinata, intending to finish the fight once and for all. Luckily, Hayate, Kurenai, Kakashi as well as Guy stepped in to stop Neji from killing his cousin. The second he stopped, Hinata collapsed, and Hayate declared Neji the winner. Akira smiled. She may not have known Hinata very well, but that was probably the bravest fight she was going to see today, and Akira was immensely proud of her.

   "Hey, you!" a voice to Akira's left said.

She turned and saw Kankuro approaching her. Akira rolled her eyes and looked back at the arena. All of her friends were down there with Hinata.

   "What're you doing here on your own? Shouldn't you be with your friends?"
   "I'm not in the mood for pleasantries, Kankuro. Just ask your questions and be gone."
   "I just wanted to apologise for my behaviour a few days ago."

Akira snorted.

   "Yeah, right. What do you want?"
   "Hey, I'm trying to be nice here."
   "You just want—"

Just then, a wave of pain shot throughout Akira's body, originating at the neck. She winced and nearly doubled over, but she clenched her jaw and squeezed the railing to distract herself from the pain instead. Kankuro glanced at her.

   "You're not fit to battle, are you?"
   "Shut up, Kankuro," Akira said through clenched teeth. She winced again. "No, definitely not."

Kankuro stared at her for a moment, curious, but looked away the second Akira glared at him. Then, they both turned their eyes to the viewscreen. In big yellow letters, Gaara and Lee's names were shining, and Akira took that moment to curse at herself out loud. This would have been the perfect moment to use her Sharingan, but she couldn't—she wouldn't. So much was riding on her ability to control herself and she wasn't about to ruin those chances just for the sake of curiosity.

In a cloud of sand, Gaara disappeared from the other side of the arena and appeared on the floor below. Lee jumped down, landing softly on his feet.

   "Mind if I stay here to watch the fight?" Kankuro asked.
   "Knock yourself out."
   "I don't know what kind of moves the kid with the dumb haircut has got, but he's never gonna take Gaara down. Not in this lifetime, at least."
   "Lee is stronger than you think, Kankuro," Akira said. "However, that Gaara of yours has got a look in his eye which makes me think you may be right on this one."

As soon as Hayate called the start of the match, Lee ran head-on towards Gaara. The cork on Gaara's gourd flew off with extreme speed and without him doing anything. As soon as he was in range, Lee went to attack. He was faster than Akira could have anticipated, but he couldn't manage to land a single hit. The second that Gaara was threatened, a large amount of sand flew out of his gourd and shielded him without him having to move an inch. Unlike Akira, who had to move the water with her chakra, Gaara's sand moved of its own accord. She watched, wide-eyed, as the sand then formed what looked like a clawed hand and went to attack Lee. Luckily, he moved out of the way just in time.

   "So that's what's in his gourd..."
   "Fun jutsu, huh?" Kankuro said, almost gloating.
   "Stop trying to fool me, Kankuro. I know that's not a jutsu," Akira said, her eyes fixed on Gaara. "What is he?"

And that begged the question: what was she? Akira's ability to move water around with chakra wasn't very different to what Gaara's sand ability was. If this bloodthirsty-looking kid was able to move this sand around without having to direct it, would she be able to do the same thing one day, too?

Lee ran at Gaara again, but all he was hitting was sand. It blocked all of Lee's kicks and punches and, after a while, the sand became faster than Lee, forcing him to pull back during several attacks for fear of getting caught by the sand. Lee couldn't even get any kunai or shuriken through. Gaara on the other hand was just standing there, still and silent, like an immovable object. 

The sand lashed out and got a hold of Lee's foot and swung him around, flinging him into a wall. Lee got back up just in time to avoid another hit from the sand. He ran back towards Gaara, trying to hit him in the face, but the sand didn't allow it. Instead, it defended and counter-attacked, forcing Lee to retreat using a series of backflips. However, on the last flip, Lee's foot landed on Gaara's sand and he fell. This created an opportunity for the sand to form a giant ball and come crashing down on Lee. Thankfully, Lee was faster than the sand this time and he was able to dodge, retreated to the top of the stature that stood at the back of the stage. He exchanged some words with his sensei and removed the training weights attached to his ankles. With a surprisingly powerful crash, the weights fell to the ground. Akira rose an eyebrow. If the weights were that heavy, she could only imagine how much faster he'd be without them.

As soon as they were removed, Lee flickered from his position and reappeared behind Gaara. Akira's eyes widened as Lee punched through the sand this time. He flickered again, this time in front of Gaara, and the sand wasn't able to keep up. He was getting punches through a little faster than the sand, making Gaara's stony expression turn into one of shock. For a second, he almost looked human. And then all of a sudden, Lee kicked Gaara straight in the face, coming from above. Everyone in the arena gasped. Lee came at him again and Gaara actually had to move the sand himself this time in order to block his attack. But Lee antagonized him, appearing and disappearing with such speed Akira wasn't sure even the Sharingan would be able to keep up with him. Then, Lee kicked Gaara again, sending the red-haired boy skidding across the arena on his back. 

Gaara stood up, still bent over, his sand swirling like flames around him as it poured almost lazily out of his gourd. Out of the corner of her eye, Akira saw Kankuro take a step back.

   "Uh oh..." he whispered.
   "Uh oh?" Akira asked, turning to look at him.

When Kankuro didn't answer, Akira looked back to Gaara, worried. Upon closer inspection, she could see shards of hardened sand falling from his face. Gaara was trembling and when he looked up, there was a crazed look in his eye, almost as if there was a demon inside him. A layer of hardened sand was now visible over his entire body, an impressive last line of defence should a lucky ninja, like Lee, be able to break through his original sand guard. The sand pooling at his feet began to crawl back up his body, reforming the shell on top of his skin, making the crazed eyes and smile disappear, replacing it with the stony expression Gaara usually wore.

   "The hits Lee landed... they meant nothing, did they?" Akira asked, a little scared.
   "No, they didn't do anything," Kankuro said, stepping forward again. "It's like he's wearing a suit of armour. Ordinarily, those shifting clouds of sand are enough to shield him, but in the event the shield is penetrated, Gaara can also wear the sand like armour as a last line of defence."
   "Incredible," the girl whispered. "The amount of chakra it must take to maintain that..."

Lee began undoing the bandages around his wrists and Akira knew what was going to happen—she'd seen him do this before. He dashed towards Gaara and then swerved, spinning around him until he was barely visible due to his speed. Then out of nowhere, he kicked Gaara in the chin, sending him upward, and he kept on kicking Gaara upwards repeatedly, faster than the sand could catch up. The bandages that Lee had untied then began to wrap themselves around Gaara, trapping him in some sort of cocoon. Lee grabbed Gaara from behind and shot them down to the ground, getting out of the way just before impact. A large cloud of dust and rock rose into the air upon impact, creating a giant crater in the arena. When the smoke cleared, Akira saw Lee crouching beside Gaara who was lying flat on his back in the middle of the crater. His eyes were wide open and the sand armour was cracked all over. Gaara wasn't moving. 

   "Lee won?" Akira asked, not believing her eyes.
   "I don't believe it," Kankuro muttered.

But just as Hayate was about to announce Lee as the victor, he stopped. Akira looked closer and, to her surprise, she saw that Gaara's face was caving in. Piece by piece, what she thought was armour disappeared and turned to a pile of sand. Gaara appeared behind Lee in a cloud of smoke, laughing darkly. A chill went down Akira's spine and she felt a surge of power in the air—the demonic look was back on Gaara's face.

   "So it's happened, just as I thought, " Kankuro said, looking truly afraid. Akira turned to look at him. "That look in his eyes—it could only mean the demon inside him has been awakened."
   "Kankuro..." Akira said tentatively. "When you say demon, you don't mean an actual demon, do you?"

With a simple glance, Akira knew. The power she felt—she knew it somehow. And she'd felt similar power in the Land of Waves, in the Forest of Death. Gaara was like Naruto. There was a demon inside each of them, but unlike Naruto, Gaara's didn't seem to be sealed at all. If the demon was awakened, it was free to take over Gaara's mind and body and do whatever it pleased. Akira watched in fear as Gaara made a hand sign. All the sand around him shot out in arms going in different directions, then they all went for Lee like a guided missile. They hit him one at a time and since Lee used everything he had on his last attack, all he could do was take the hits. He flew backwards, crashing into rock and concrete, but stood up strong again. However, just as he'd gotten to his feet, a literal wave of sand knocked him back down and pinned him to the concrete walls of the arena. More arms of sand came at Lee one at a time, each of them direct hits on the helpless boy.

   "The poor kid is helpless, he doesn't have anything left," Kankuro whispered.
   "That's why the Primary Lotus is a forbidden technique. It takes too much out of the user," Akira said with a harsh sigh. 
   "Gaara's just toying with him now. He'll be lucky if he survives."
   "Why isn't the demon sealed?" Akira said all of a sudden, turning to Kankuro. "As unstable as Gaara is, he probably could have destroyed your village ten times over by now."
   "That's none of your business," Kankuro said.
   "There's a demon running around in my village, Kankuro! Of course, it's my business!"

Akira's attention was drawn by another wave of sand crashing down on Lee. When she looked over at him, he was lying face down on the ground, trembling. Worried, she looked back at Gaara. When she'd first met him, there was only an emotionless vacant expression on his face but now his eyes held nothing but contempt—pure evil.

Sand began gathering up towards Gaara again. In the blink of an eye, a large hand of sand crashed down on Lee's back, making him cry out in pain. However, Lee stood back up as Gaara prepared for another attack, and when the sand launched itself towards him, Lee dodged every single attack. Akira's eyes widened, impressed that Lee could still move after everything he'd just suffered. Another surge of power rose through the air, but this time it wasn't Gaara. Power radiated upwards from Lee's body and a whirlwind formed around him. Pale blue chakra rose from his body and his skin began peeling off due to its intensity.

   "What the hell is that?" Kankuro asked, visibly confused.
   "Don't quote me on this, but I think this kid is opening the eight inner gates," Akira said, shocked.
   "The what, now?"
   "They're figurative vales that limit one's chakra flow throughout the body. Sort of like... some form of enlightenment. By opening these gates, Lee is gaining unimaginable power. If you open all eight gates, your power could increase tenfold. Problem is, if he opens all eight, or more than he can handle, this kid is going to die."

Lee launched himself at Gaara in the blink of an eye and kicked him straight in the jaw again. The speed at which he'd moved created a dent in the ground where he'd kicked off, sending shards of stone and dust everywhere. Akira shielded her eyes, and when the dust cleared Gaara was in the air again, his armour cracking. Lee appeared over him again and kicked him back down. He reappeared behind Gaara and kicked him back upwards. He did this over and over again, the sand shield unable to keep up with Lee's speed. And then Lee punched Gaara so hard that a sonic wave blew through the arena. Akira looked away, using her arms to shield her face. She felt every chunk of stone land on her burnt arms, pain radiating throughout. Just as Akira looked back, Gaara was plummeting to the ground. The gourd on his back then disintegrated and cushioned his fall, allowing Gaara to stand back up, still conscious, unlike Lee, who could barely move at all.

Gaara's hand reached towards Lee, the sand beginning to slowly rise and bend to his will. It crept up on Lee and when it reached him, it covered both his legs. In the silence of the arena, the crunch of Lee's bones was deafening. Akira watched in horror as Gaara's sand crushed his legs and she looked away as Lee screamed. When she looked back, Guy was standing between Lee and Gaara. Lee was unconscious, which was probably for the best, as the pain would have been unbearable. Gaara seemed to be in pain as well. He was clutching his head, wincing.

   "But why? He failed," Gaara said, wheezing in pain. "Why save him?"
   "Because he's—Because he's my student, and also because he is precious to me," Guy said.

Akira looked on, surprised. Friends were precious, a family was precious—a student? Shinobi weren't supposed to bring their personal feelings into play this way. They were supposed to remain detached, concealing their emotions until the day they died. Saying that Lee was precious to him front of everyone—in front of the Hokage—was bold. Akira thought it was a little stupid, too. Surely, Guy knew that Hayate was going to step in before there was an unnecessary death. He didn't have to intervene.

Gaara stared at Guy for a long while, as if he had no idea what he'd just said. He looked like he was in pain, confused, and tired. As time went on, the gourd reshaped itself and came to Gaara's back again, and just as Guy went to say something again, Gaara cut him off.

   "I quit."
   "What?" Akira whispered, not believing her ears. "He quits? But he's won. He won the second Guy intervened."

Akira's eyes followed Gaara as he went to leave. Almost as if he knew she was watching, Gaara looked up at her, and they held each other's gaze for a moment. There was no malice in his eyes anymore, just emptiness, and Akira maintained eye contact with him until he stopped to look at Lee being put on a stretcher. For a moment, Gaara didn't do anything. He simply stared at Lee being carried off. Then it seemed he had a change of heart. Instead of walking out as well, Gaara vanished in a cloud of sand and reappeared beside Temari at the other side of the arena.

   "Good," she muttered to herself.
   "You're happy he didn't quit?" Kankuro said, then took a sip of water from a bottle he had in his hand.

Akira stared at it for a moment, then looked back towards the arena.

   "If he'd left, then he and Lee would have gone through all that for nothing."
   "Well, I'm gonna head back," Kankuro said.
   "Yo, Kankuro," Akira called. "Keep him in check, will you?"
   "Don't tell me what to do." He paused. "But yeah, I will."
   "Good."
   "You know, you're not so bad, Uchiha."
   "I know."

Kankuro chuckled and shook his head, leaving Akira's side to return to his team. The second the battlefield was cleared, the viewscreen began randomizing names again. 

Contrary to popular belief, or Naruto's belief, in this case, Akira didn't like being the centre of attention. As she stepped down to the battlefield, she could feel everyone's eyes on her and it made her unnecessarily self-conscious. She knew what they were staring at. She could feel the gazes locked on her singed arms, on the way she winced ever so slightly when she walked, on the cuts and bruises, on the blood-stained clothes she was wearing. Everyone could tell she was in no condition to fight, that she was weak. However, the look on her face told everyone the contrary. It was stern, almost cold, and her eyes gleamed with the kind of determination that was almost tangible. When her opponent jumped down in front of her, he didn't recognise her at all.

   "The tenth battle is next," Hayate said, looking between the two opponents. "Akira Uchiha and Kai Manzo!"

Chapter Text

As Hayate announced the beginning of the fight, neither of them moved. Akira and Kai stared each other down until Kai's gaze began to wander. She saw him linger on the black mark peeking from her collar, then on the burnt arms. He lingered on the absence of weapons to fight with, the way she seemed to be in pain by doing nothing at all. Kai, on the other hand, was in near-mint condition. Being a long-distance fighter meant that he didn't have a scratch on him. His hair was still clean and white, his eyes weren't tired, he had all his weapons, and his clothes weren't stained by battle. Akira didn't think he'd used up that much chakra either. Not that it mattered; she couldn't use hers anyway.

   "You sure you can still fight, kid?" Kai teased. Akira could tell there was worry behind his smile.
   "Of course, I can. I wouldn't be here if I couldn't—I wouldn't waste my time," Akira replied, voice even, almost stern.
   "With arms like that it's gonna hurt, you know."
   "A little pain never killed anyone, Kai."
   "You don't even have a sword to fight with."

Akira sighed. He had a point. She clicked her tongue and snapped her fingers, suddenly remembering something. Akira turned to the proctor standing nearby and he seemed surprised that she was looking at him.

   "Can I help you?" he said, confused.
   "May I borrow a sword?"
   "Uh..."
   "Lost my blades during the last part of the exam," Akira said nonchalantly.
   "You use kenjutsu?"

Akira nodded and looked at Hayate expectantly. He stared at her for a few moments before slowly reaching to his back to grab one of his katana. He tossed it at Akira and the moment she caught it, she began spinning and twirling it, trying to get a feel for the foreign blade.

   "This thing conduct chakra?"
   "Uh, yeah?"
   "Lightning?"
   "I think?."
   "Cool. If it shatters I'll buy you a new set."

The second that Akira felt comfortable with the blade in her right hand, she bent her knees and pointed the katana forward, getting into a standard attack position. She brought her left hand into half a ram seal and closed her eyes, which was signal enough for Kai to begin his attack. Akira heard Kai run towards her, which meant he was starting out easy, testing how far she'd go in her condition or if he could take her out without using any jutsu.

When Akira's eyes opened again, Kai was mere feet away from her, shuriken in both hands. He threw them at her two at a time, and she knocked them out of the air with Hayate's katana. For each shuriken that hit the blade, a wave of pain radiated up her burned arms. Akira pushed through it, bobbing and weaving through Kai's onslaught of kunai until she found an opening. She jabbed the katana forward, sending a wave of pain through her arm again. Kai expected the attack and jumped out of the way to dodge it. The second he jumped back, Akira sprang forward and slashed down at Kai with the blade. Kai noticed Akira's face scrunch up in pain as she swung, and he took out his paper fans to knock her back. He waved the small fans in front of him but, like Temari, he produced such a big gust of wind that Akira was sent flying backwards. She landed on her feet and skidded back, but when she came to a halt, she fell to her knees, a sharp pain knocking her down.

Her shoulders and back burned with atrocious pain. Even without the use of her chakra, the mark on her back kept reminding Akira that it was still there, alive and kicking. The pain managed to distract Akira long enough for Kai to send more gales of wind her way. She rolled out of the way, katana in hand, arms painfully scraping against the stone floor. When she stood back up, she used the katana to deflect more shuriken. It was then that Kai noticed her arms were bleeding. Drops of crimson blood were falling to the ground, slowly, one at a time, from the edge of Hayate's blade. Kai made the mistake of stopping to stare at her during which time Akira had the time to calm herself and clear her mind.

Akira pushed the pain to the back of her mind and she planted Hayate's katana in the ground. Kakashi narrowed his eyes at her. Calmly, Akira took a traditional martial arts form. Her bleeding arms were held in front of her, creating a new puddle of blood, and she bent her knees to the correct position. Akira took a deep breath and the tension was released from her body when she exhaled. Her mind was blank and at peace. She couldn't hear anything but the sound of her own ragged breathing and even when she closed her eyes, Akira was completely aware of her surroundings. Another wave of pain surged through her body but Akira didn't let it break her concentration, not even as it grew more and more intense.

She sensed Kai moving rapidly towards her but she remained calm, swiftly and deftly dodging all the punches and kunai swipes that he was attempting to land on her. Akira swayed, moving around Kai in circular motions, her movements fluid like water and as light as air. Everyone watched as Akira nearly danced around Kai, eyes closed and seemingly quite peaceful. However, there were many things trying to break her concentration. With the fluidity of her movements came the memory of Maru, and with every duck came the pain related to the mark on her shoulder.

The fight went on like this for a while, and Kai was getting irritated. He'd never seen Akira fight like this. When he'd had enough of testing her limits, Kai went to pull back and use his typical wind-style attacks. However, Akira felt him move back and she jumped off the ground, flipping over towards the sword. In one swift motion, she pulled it from the ground and landed, swiping it at Kai from behind. She sliced through his thin armour a few times, keeping her movements circular, but unpredictable, like a dancer leading his partner into new moves. Akira managed to keep herself behind Kai and, against hers and Kakashi's better judgement, she sent a small burst of chakra directly into his back with a small jab. With the small burst of chakra came excruciating pain, but Akira was determined to ignore it. As Kai went flying into the opposite wall, Akira sprinted towards him, pushing past the burning sensation in her limbs.

Kai retaliated by sending waves of slicing air towards Akira, but she dodged them all, for the most part—one of the air blades managed to cut Akira's face. All of the gusts of air landed on the opposite wall with loud crashes, sending dust and rock flying everywhere again. Kai moved before Akira could slice down on him with Hayate's katana again, and he sent a rain of shuriken at her in defence. Akira jumped out of the way, easily evading the weapons, and she made the executive decision to use a single jutsu in the hope that this would take Kai out. When she landed, Akira planted Hayate's blade into the ground again and began weaving hand signs as fast as she could. When Kai landed, he sent an onslaught of gales towards her, forcing her to send chakra to her feet just to remain standing. A pained cry forced itself up Akira's throat and filled the otherwise silent arena, and as the gales died down Akira gripped the katana once again.

   "Lightning-style: Reverse Lift!" she cried out.

A stream of lightning cracked up the stone before her and headed directly for Kai. Without time to evade the incredibly fast attack, the lightning hit Kai directly. It broke through the stone and shocked Kai so hard that he flew upwards, screaming. With one final hand sign, a bolt of lightning came out of nowhere, and as it pummeled Kai back into the ground, Akira screamed, her entire body on fire. Dust and stone filled the air once again, and when it had cleared, Kai was lying limp in the centre of a crater.

Akira let out a pained and desperate groan as she fell to her knees. Her vision began to blur and her breathing became hoarse. The pain in her body was slowly shutting down her systems and, when Hayate called the end of the match with her as the victor, Akira collapsed, everything turning to darkness.

The sun began to sink lower in the sky, the light of day slowly draining away, giving way to the velvety dark of night. Akira awoke peacefully, but not without difficulty, her body aching and burning with every inch she sat up further. Her red and puffy eyes glanced around, taking in the details of her unfamiliar surroundings. She was sitting in bed but it wasn't her own. It was uncomfortable and stiff, and Akira knew immediately that she was in the hospital. The bare room was a further indication of this, but there were a few things in the room that made it feel more welcoming. There was a branch of hydrangeas in a small glass vase on the window sill which Akira knew was from Sakura. Beside it, in a slightly larger vase, was a small bouquet of jasmine flowers and stalks of lavender atop a pile of Shojo mangas which made Akira laugh. Clearly, that was a joke from Kai.

With great difficulty, Akira stood up from the bed, the hem on her pristine hospital gown falling down to her battered knees. She trod over to the window sill, each step more painful than the last, and reached out to the photograph between the two vases. It was a picture of herself and Shikamaru that Kai had taken while neither of them was looking. They were both looking at each other and laughing. Akira smiled. She remembered that the picture was usually hidden in Shikamaru's room, far from eyes that could see a picture of him smiling. Akira flipped it over and read the inscription on the back.

   Don't die or anything, that'd be a real drag.

She couldn't help but chuckle. Akira put the photo back and dusted off dozens of ramen coupons from a package, which were no doubt part of Naruto's secret stash. The parcel was poorly wrapped so Akira could tell it was from Kiba—he could never be bothered to wrap anything up properly. She tore off the paper and opened the box, then picked up the note that was inside.

   I figured you can't use the sword that the proctor threw at you during the preliminaries ever again, so I found these for you. You're gonna have to like them—I worked hard to get a good deal on them so you wouldn't yell at me for spending so much money.

At the bottom of the note, scribbled down haphazardly, as if an afterthought or forced upon him by someone it read:

   Oh, and, get well soon, Kira.

Akira chuckled and put the note with the ramen coupons, then proceeded to take out an obscene amount of tissue paper from inside the box. Her eyes went wide as they gaze down at a brand new set of retractable katana. Ignoring the searing pain in her entire body, Akira excitedly moved around the room with her blades, practising her swings and getting a feel for the longer and lighter blades. Her movements were in no way acceptable by any shinobi's standards, but in the cover of a deserted hospital room, Akira was safe from judgement.

Akira smiled and swung the blades around, stopping herself when they nearly went through a gourd sitting on the table at the end of her bed. It was about as long as her forearm and twice as wide, painted charcoal grey, with a sturdy black ribbon beside it which, Akira assumed, was meant to tie the gourd to herself. Curious, Akira placed the katana on the hospital bed and picked up the gourd. There was weight to it and when she moved it around, Akira found that there was something sloshing around inside. Her eyes widened in realisation and she nearly dropped the gourd. Looking around, Akira found no note that went with it.

Against her better judgement, Akira grabbed the change of clothes that was on the side table and slipped into them. She strapped her kunai holster to her right leg, found that her old tachi holsters were too small and tied her katana to her waist with the many-coloured belts she owned, securing it all with her father's bandanna. She grabbed the gourd, wrapped the ribbon around it a few times, and then strapped it to her back before heading out the sliding window and disappearing into the night.

The last lingering light of day had been obliterated by the fallen night. The once salmon and purple sky had transformed into a vast expanse of jet black that engulfed the town as Akira ran towards training ground number three. A canopy of luminous stars materialized amongst the ocean of blackness above. Some were dull, merely flickering into existence every now and then, but there was an adequate amount of shimmering stars to illuminate the dark, moonless night.

The lake that faced the memorial stone glistened, mirroring the dazzling assemblage of glittering stars. The faint breeze brushed away Akira's hair as she stood in front of the memorial stone, mind blank. She then headed to the lake's edge and sat down calmly. The wind rippled the still surface of the water and shattered the girl's reflection as she stared at herself, perhaps echoing the shattered feeling of her mind and body.

The longer Akira waited, the heavier her body felt. She breathed deeply, trying to rid herself of the pain as she'd done during the preliminaries god knows how many days ago, but in this shattered state, Akira couldn't manage it. Her thoughts were everywhere and she was starting to regret even coming here. She knew it wasn't a good idea to seek aid or consult from a complete stranger, especially one that may wish to cause her harm.

If Kakashi knew she was here, he'd lose it. He'd already gotten angry about Akira not telling him about the mark, and he'd surely get mad if he ever found out that she was sitting at the lake, seriously considering asking a potential enemy to help her use it on purpose. Just sitting there thinking about it made Akira nauseous. She felt like she was betraying his trust. But every fibre in her being was telling her that this was the only way. What'd she'd said to Sakura was true. Akira didn't feel like she had a right or wrong path anymore. She was going to achieve her goal by any means necessary... even if it cost her.

Akira waited by the water's edge for what seemed like hours, lost in thought, debating whether she should leave and forget she'd ever had the idea to ask this man for help—forget she'd ever met this man in the first place. But it was too late for that now. She could feel an intimidating presence behind her and soon, light footsteps were approaching. Akira didn't bother looking at him, and he didn't bother sitting down next to her. He stood next to her and stared out at the lake. Neither of them spoke, waiting for the other to speak first, a silent battle for power that Akira had already lost by coming here in the first place.

After a few moments, Akira stood, pain burning through her. She glanced up at the man beside her, once again surprised at how much he looked like he belonged in this darkness. He didn't seem natural.

   "I would admire as well, but you look as if you've died and come back," he said, words rolling softly off his tongue. "You should be resting."

Akira chuckled humourlessly and stared back at the water.

   "I don't trust you," she said simply. "Every part of my body is telling me that you're wrong, that you're dangerous, that you probably want me dead."
   "Then why are you here?"
   "Because I'm selfish."
   "Sometimes being selfish is the best thing you can do for yourself."
   "Don't act all wise," Akira snapped. "You're vile and malevolent, and I'd appreciate it if you didn't try to hide it."
   "Why? Are you afraid you may start to like me?"

Akira pulled out a katana and held it up against Maru's throat. He just smiled.

   "Maybe," Akira said angrily. "I'm afraid that I might start appreciating your advice and your knowledge. I'm already going against everything I believe in just standing here with you. So, don't be nice to me."
   "As you wish."

Slowly, Akira put her katana away and looked back to the lake.

   "Why me?"

Maru glanced at Akira sideways, eyebrows furrowed.

   "Why you?"
   "Yeah. Why me out of literally an entire world filled with selfish young kunoichi?"
   "My dear, you are unique amongst selfish young Kunoichi," Maru said almost softly.
   "And that's it?" Akira said, then laughed humourlessly. "You've singled me out because I'm unique? Unique how? Because I can move water with chakra? Because I'm the last kunoichi of the Uchiha clan? Because my arms are scarred more than the average ninja? Huh—what is it?"
   "My dear—"
   "I said don't be nice to me!"

Akira's shout woke up a few sleeping birds and they flew across the darkness above the lake, relocating in a quieter location.

   "You're able to tolerate that mark on your neck," Maru said simply. "That's one thing."
   "How do you know about that?"
   "Everyone at the preliminaries has at least suspected it, and your teammates don't exactly take care about what they speak of when they think they're alone."
   "And how does that make me unique? Sasuke can do it too," Akira said, annoyed.
   "Yes, he can. However, your brother went on with his battle as if nothing were impeding him and it almost got him killed. You, on the other hand, embraced the challenge. You worked around it and as a result, you fine-tuned your style of martial arts to near perfection. The way you moved during the preliminaries was quite a thing to behold."
   "So, I overcame a challenge, big deal. That can't be it."
   "It is true that I may have a more... personal motive for choosing you."

Akira frowned and looked up at Maru. His face was immobile and his gaze was fixed on the lake. After a few seconds, however, the corners of his mouth became softer and his eyes quit staring. He glanced at her sideways and Akira could have sworn there was a kind of fondness in his eyes.

   "You remind me of myself when I was younger."
   "Gee, thanks, now that's a compliment," Akira said sarcastically. She rolled her eyes and looked back to the lake. A fish came to the surface and gobbled an insect. "'Hi, you remind me of some creepy night stalker I met a few weeks ago.'"

Maru chuckled quietly. It sounded wrong coming from him.

   "You're curious, almost dangerously so," he said. "You seek knowledge at every opportunity. You were born gifted, but no one took you seriously. No parents to tell you how proud they are."

There was a warmth bubbling in Akira's stomach that she wanted to punch down and never feel again. If Maru was telling the truth—which Akira would never be sure that he was—they were fairly similar. It was that feeling of empathy that was creating the warm feeling inside her. Sasuke never knew what she'd gone through growing up, not really. Her friends didn't know because they never asked and she didn't tell. But this stranger... he knew. And, regrettably, that made Akira feel truly understood for the first time since she was a child.

   "I thought I told you not to be nice to me."
   "Am I supposed to be shouting at you? I don't think that would do either of us any good," Maru said. "You're not going to ask for my help if I'm shouting, and I don't want you to ask out of fear."
   "What—you want me to trust you?" Akira scoffed. "Good luck with that."
   "You and I don't need to trust each other, my dear. You just need to trust that I can give you what you seek."

They were silent for a while, both of them listening to the wind pick up the leaves on the trees and watching the water ripple softly. 

   "Can you help me control this thing?"
   "I'll only be as effective as you are."
   "Yes or no, Maru, dammit," Akira snapped. "I'm not here for half-assed nonsense. If you can't do this, I was never here!"

Maru brushed some of Akira's hair away from her shoulder and he stared at the mark.

   "I can."
   "Good," Akira said. She breathed deeply and let out a long sigh. "What is it exactly?"
   "It's juinjutsu."
   "The hell is that?"
   "It's illegal, a type of fūinjutsu that seals the power of the creator in the subject."

A wave of pain rose in Akira's shoulder as Maru spoke.

   "While active, it will feed off your chakra and replace it with the chakra of the person who put the seal there, increasing your chakra levels tenfold and making your jutsu stronger."
   "Other than sharing my chakra with some psycho, any other drawbacks?"
   "If you use all your own chakra and the cursed seal doesn't have anything to feed off of, you'll die."
   "Fun," Akira said, deadpan.
   "Yours has been sealed off," Maru said.

Akira sighed. It was probably Kakashi's doing.

   "Can I use it while sealed?"
   "The seal will naturally disappear if you chose the mark's power. However, it will come with worse pain than you're feeling now. I'd suggest removing it as soon as possible."
   "Of course, you would."
   "May I?"

With a sigh, Akira tilted her head to the side and pushed her hair out of the way. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Maru's fingertips glow with intense purple chakra. He placed them around the seal and a faint burning sensation made it melt away. When Maru's fingers left her skin, a jolt of pain went through her arm, but it was nowhere near as painful as before. Akira sighed, relieved. 

   "Now we can begin. But first—" 

Maru gently placed his hands on Akira's shoulders and turned her away from the lake.

   "—go rest. You're of no use half dead."
   "I told you not to be nice to me."
   "Starting to like me already?"

Akira didn't say anything and turned to look back at Maru, a concerned look in her eyes. 

   "Maybe."

Chapter Text

Akira didn't exactly listen to Maru. She'd only returned to the hospital at dawn, taking the opportunity to walk the streets at night to clear her mind. The morning air was cool, borderline humid, a little bit of dew making the leaves and blades of grass gleam in the pale morning light. Every single inch of her body was numb but felt like it was lit on fire when she moved. It didn't hurt nearly as much as it did during the preliminaries, but the pain was nowhere near subsided. Until she was able to control its power, the pain would throb constantly.

Akira walked through the front door of the hospital without much shame, figuring that the nurses had noticed her absence during the night when the night shift doctors were doing their rounds. As expected, upon entering the building, two or three nurses shuffled towards her, checking Akira on all sides. The young ninja didn't bother to push them away or help them in any way, she just kept walking, half-conscious, towards her hospital room until she collapsed onto the bed, falling asleep the moment her head hit the pillow. 

She awoke sometime during the day, hearing the sound of retreating footsteps. They stopped when Akira began shifting in her bed, and then they got louder, signalling whoever was leaving was coming back. The girl turned onto her back and stretched, wincing a little bit because the pain from the cursed seal had not died down. When Akira opened her eyes, everything was blurry, and she was unable to make out anything at first, but after a few moments, everything came into focus. Sasuke was sitting beside her. She smiled weakly at him.

   "You shouldn't be out of bed," Akira told Sasuke. 
   "You shouldn't have gone out," Sasuke retorted, crossing his arms.
   "I went out for a walk. No harm done."
   "I don't believe you."
   "Hey, you're the one going out training."
   "True."
   "Going to find Kakashi-sensei?"
   "It's not going to be too hard," Sasuke sighed. "I'm sure he wants me to find him. He gave me a whole speech about this stupid thing on my neck and how I need to learn to forget it's there or whatever."

Akira looked down at her hands.

   "The seal relies on you not using the mark, Sasuke. That's why he gave you the speech."
   "Did he give you one too?"
   "No."
   "Figures. He trusts you more than me."

Akira's heart sank.

   "Hey, you good?" Sasuke asked.
   "Yeah, I'm fine, why?"
   "You look depressed as hell."
   "Well, that's because you're getting extra training with Kakashi-sensei and I'm not," Akira said, smacking her brother on the arm. 
   "I still don't get why you worship the guy. He's a lazy idiot."
   "Hey, don't talk about our sensei like that, you twerp. Now go before I call the nurses on you."
   "You coming?"
   "No. I'm of no use in my state. Besides, I'll be reprimanded if I leave again and they'll chain me to the bed."

Sasuke chuckled and shook his head, and Akira watched him leave. The second he was gone, Akira swung her legs over the edge of her bed and got dressed, attaching her new katana to her belts. She was halfway out the window when she heard someone clear their throat behind her. Akira turned and smiled sheepishly.

   "Heading out again, are you?" Kiba asked, unimpressed, as he crossed his arms in front of his chest.
   "You saw nothing," Akira said playfully.
   "The nurses are gonna freak out again if you leave. You've been passed out for two days."
   "You know me, Kiba. I don't exactly care for hospitals much. Besides, I'm only going out to make myself some new holsters for my favourite gift."

Kiba chuckled and smirked.

   "Figured you'd like 'em. You're also lucky that you're you. Mr Ogawa wasn't willing to sell them until I told him they were for you."
   "Proud of yourself, aren't you?"
   "Damn right, I am. Though, I have to give Shikamaru some credit to put that picture of himself on display," Kiba laughed.
   "I'm surprised he even kept it," Akira admitted, sitting on the window sill. She picked up the picture and smiled at it. "He hates pictures of himself, especially ones where he's smiling."
   "He might be a grumpy idiot, but you're his closest friend. It's only normal that he'd want to keep a picture of the both of you. I mean, I have a whole bunch of pictures of us at home."
   "I keep telling you to burn those—I look ridiculous," Akira groaned. "You keep taking pictures of us when I'm not paying attention. Kai doesn't help either, stalks us and jumps out of nowhere."
   "Shut up, those are the best ones. I'm not burning those damn pictures 'cause I like them," Kiba chuckled.
   "Fair enough. So... can I go, now?"
   "Yeah, yeah. It's not like I can keep you here. You're too stubborn for that."
   "Indeed I am."

Akira winked and smiled at Kiba before swinging her legs out the window and jumping down onto a lower balcony. The person inside the room screeched in surprise and Akira jumped down storey after storey until she reached the ground. Akira walked down the streets of Konoha with her hands stuffed in her pockets, heading towards the materials shop. As she walked around, Akira noticed that the pain unrelated to the curse mark had gone. She smiled. She'd return to grab her things later today, but she wouldn't be staying. One thing that bothered her however was the fact the katana were rubbing against her sides. She couldn't wait to make some new holsters and get those things back onto her forearms. Thankfully, the new gourd attached to her back wasn't causing any issues.

People stared at her as she walked past spots she used to go to often, recognizing her as one of the finalists for the Chūnin Exams, and wondering why she wasn't training for next month's final. Akira paid them no mind, save a few children who greeted her happily. When she arrived at the shop, she greeted the store owner and lost herself in the isles of fabrics, metals and other materials used for crafting. Akira bought a large piece of black leather, some tough fabric, metal pins and thick thread, paid the shop owner, then made her way out into the forest to craft in peace. 

Akira sat beside a small stream in the middle of the woods off of training ground three. The bright midday sun shone down onto the glade making all the green hues of the forest more vibrant than they usually were. The water coming down from the waterfall was a brilliant aqua colour, almost unnatural, and gleamed in the sun's rays. Men, women and children alike came to swim in the pool below it, but as the afternoon went on, and Akira was making good progress in the making of her new holsters, only a small group of three women remained in the pool, happily splashing each other with the cool water. Akira looked up and smiled at the women, peacefully. She sighed, thinking how much she'd pay to be as blissful as they were, how much she would pay to remove all her worries and stress.

Suddenly, Akira's ears perked up and, sensing something in the bushes, she threw a handful of kunai. Pain throbbed all over and she winced, nearly bending over, but she managed to ignore it and ran off into the bushes, leaving her crafting equipment where she was sitting. Past the bushes was Naruto, freaking out, and an older man, who was also freaking out. She glared at the both of them, because they'd most likely been peeking at the women. She went to yell at them, but upon closer inspection, Akira recognized the older man. Her demeanour changed instantly. She went from being a menacing aura of anger to her usual self, a respectful young woman with a stern expression. Her dark blue eyes were cold, but they held a certain admiration, and as the older man stood up, noticing her change in mood, her posture straightened out of respect for him.

   "Master Jiraya!? My apologies! I should have verified who it was before I threw my kunai!" Akira said, a little startled.

Naruto was incredibly surprised by her attitude, gaping at her. 

   "Master Jiraya!? This pervy sage isn't a Master!" Naruto yelled. Akira looked at him, a dangerous look in her eyes.
   "Naruto! Don't you ever bother to listen in class? He's one of the three strongest ninjas ever. Don't insult him right in front of me."
   "Testy, testy," Jiraya said, contemplating Akira. "Just like your brother, I see."

Akira's surprise suddenly faded into contempt. Jiraya was surprised just how fast her attitude had changed and he gazed at her quizzically as she stared at him coldly. He was unphased by her unrelenting glare, but the look in her eye was somehow familiar.

   "You look just like him."
   "To which brother are you referring?"
   "Sasuke, of course. Best in your class alongside him, huh?"
   "Right," Akira said, not believing him. "Can I ask why a Legendary Sannin is lurking around Konoha with Naruto?"
   "He's supposed to be training me," Naruto complained, crossing his arms. "But he keeps peeping on girls and blames it on research for a book." Akira raised an eyebrow at Naruto, then looked back at Jiraya. "It's true, it's true!"
   "Okay, okay! I'll show you a technique then if you're gonna be that way," Jiraya said casually, almost annoyed.
   "Do you really mean that!?" 

Jiraya nodded, seemingly despite himself, and asked Akira and Naruto to sit down by the water with him as he spoke. 

   "Naruto, do you remember what I told you yesterday about the two types of chakra?"
   "Huh? Yesterday's talk?"
   "You know, what you said about the blue and red chakra or something," Jiraya added.

Akira frowned, thinking. Blue and red chakra wasn't a concept to be taught.

   "Oh, right! Well, what about it?"
   "You said that when a great power came out, you felt the red chakra," Jiraya said.

He glanced at Akira and she slowly looked up at him. The blue and red chakra wasn't a concept he was teaching, but Naruto describing the feeling of his own chakra versus the Demon Fox's chakra inside of him.

   "Try building that chakra up, now."

Akira looked dangerously at Jiraya and, as if the universe was against her, a wave of pain from the curse mark rushed through her shoulder. She tried not to show she was in pain and was mostly successful. Naruto hadn't seen a thing, but Akira was sure Jiraya had taken notice.

   "Master Jiraya, are you sure that's a good idea?" Akira said, trying to mask the pain.
   "Of course I am!" he said happily, almost aloof. The Uchiha gave him a concerned look, which he ignored.
   "Well, I guess I can give it a try," Naruto said, putting his hands together to begin focusing his chakra. Everyone waited a moment, but Akira didn't feel anything different. "Hm, it's not right. It's the same chakra as always."
   "Jeez, you have no talent."
   "Don't be talking all high and mighty! In the first place, I really don't understand those two types of chakra myself!"
   "Just keep trying," Jiraya said, suddenly serious and nearly glaring at Naruto.

Akira stared at Naruto as he attempted to draw out the chakra belonging to the Nine-Tailed Fox to no avail. After a while, she sighed. If Naruto still referred to the Nine-Tailed Fox's chakra as 'the red chakra', clearly there was no way he was going to be able to draw it out. How could he if he didn't even understand was he was trying to awaken?

She looked over at Jiraya. He was deep in thought, eyes almost glazed over as he 'watched' Naruto. Akira would give her left leg to find out what was going on through that man's brain.

   "It's no use," Naruto said after a while. "Only the usual chakra is coming out. Say, Pervy Sage, what the heck does the red chakra and the technique you're going to teach me have to do with each other?"
   "Listen, boy. For the technique I'm about to teach you, the chakra you've had until now is not nearly enough. Therefore, you'll have to be able to pull out and use the other chakra that has been dormant within you at any time you need."
   "But how do you know I have that much chakra?" Naruto asked.
   "Oh, that's just what I wanted to hear!" Jiraya said, suddenly excited. "Actually, it's because I'm a Sage."

Akira rose an eyebrow at him and Naruto sent him a deadpan look.

   "Jeez... that's no answer," Naruto complained.
   "For once, I agree with Naruto," Akira said simply. "I'm not a Sage and I know what you're referring to."
   "Do you now?" he said. He seemed to be thinking for a moment but continued as if Akira had never spoken. "Anyway, the special kind of chakra only you have will become your greatest weapon."
   "Greatest weapon?" Naruto questioned, tilting his head.
   "Not using that is like wasting treasure. There's no need to forcibly do the same training as everyone else. Everyone has things they're good at and things they're poor at. You have your own style."
   "That's an understatement," Akira muttered under her breath. 
   "Your training until now, maintaining and releasing a set amount of chakra, was, in other words, training to control the suppression of chakra so that you wouldn't get exhausted," the Sannin continued. "Akira, for example, is quick on her feet and can use different tactics and tricks to get away or win a fight as well as raw power. But you, who only has a lot of stamina and no tactical ability, should be about power rather than a trick. You, who has two types of chakra and doesn't exhaust easily, should release the largest amount of chakra you can and train to increase the amount of chakra you are able to use. Then there are tons of techniques and jutsu you can use."
   "Like what?" Naruto said, blinking stupidly.
   "Like Summoning Jutsus... which I will show you now."
   "Summoning?" Naruto asked, confused.

Akira groaned.

   "You don't even know what a Summoning Jutsu is?" Akira said, pinching the bridge of her nose. "I thought we'd covered this."
   "Care to explain it, Akira?" Jiraya asked. 
   "It's a type of spatio-temporal technique where you sign a contract in blood with all kinds of living creatures and summon them whenever you like using ninjutsu."
   "Oh! That sounds awesome. Pervy Sage, teach me real quick!" Naruto said excitedly.
   "Before that, I'll have to ask Akira to leave us," Jiraya said seriously, glancing over to the Uchiha.

And while Naruto complained about kicking out someone who could help him, Akira simply stood with a graceful calm and bowed to the Sannin. Summoning techniques were usually secret, passed on from master to pupil, and it wasn't her place to stay and watch. Akira wondered what sort of thing she'd like to summon—if she ever learned a summoning jutsu. It wasn't really her style, but Akira could appreciate using the summons to get her places she normally wouldn't be able to get to. It'd have to be something big, smart and fast—anything less and Akira didn't want it. 

Akira wandered back towards the waterfall and its pool of crystal water which was now deserted, the commotion that Akira had created shooing away every sign of life. The sun had begun to set by now, and Akira could no longer hear the rumbling and cackling of Naruto's and Jiraya's training in the distance. As the sun cast its warm glow over the glades, Akira finished her holsters and snugly tied them to her forearms. With a sigh of relief, she pulled out the katana from her belts and fit them into their new homes. Soon, the inky darkness of night had arrived and the cool air caressed the girl's skin. She put on her happi again, which she'd discarded earlier due to the heat, and after stuffing all the remaining equipment into their respective pouches Akira headed towards training ground three. Once again she sat by the lake and waited, but unlike last night, Akira didn't have to wait for long. Maru was already there, lurking in the shadows.

   "Had fun with Jiraya, did we?"
   "Ordinarily I'd be concerned that you knew where I was, but this is you, after all," Akira said, sounding bored. "Anyway, I wouldn't consider watching him fail to teach Naruto a jutsu fun. The only interesting part was the part I couldn't assist."
   "Curious, I see."
   "Well, look inside yourself and tell me whether you'd be curious in my shoes, or not," Akira said jokingly. "Doesn't really matter. Summoning techniques aren't really my style."

Akira turned to Maru.

   "What does Jiraya summon? It's never really mentioned in the books for some reason."
   "Toads.Horrid creatures," Maru said, sounding almost disgusted. "But I suppose every summon is horrid in its own way."
   "Do you have any?"

Maru seemed to hesitate for a moment, as if debating whether he should share that kind of information. Akira found that odd. He was already helping her deal with the very illegal curse mark, so what was it that made him hesitate over a summoning jutsu?

   "I do. Care to learn?"
   "As I said, it's not really my style," Akira sighed. She frowned. "Besides, I'm not asking for anything else other than to control this damn mark."
   "Your determination to have as little to do with me as possible hurts me, my dear."
   "Yeah, right."
   "I'd be willing to teach you regardless if it's your style or not. As you said, if I look deep within myself... I know you're curious."

Akira looked up at him and stared, deadpan. She let out a sigh and rolled her eyes.

   "Fine. Can't say no. This isn't illegal at least."
   "That's the spirit," Maru said, a little too eagerly for Akira's taste. "I have one condition, however."
   "Maru—"
   "It's only a matter of... discretion."

The girl rose her eyebrow and crossed her arms, waiting for an explanation.

   "You must not use this technique unless absolutely necessary."
   "Why not?"
   "The creatures that I summon tend to have a... bad reputation if you will."
   "Well, that hasn't stopped me from being here, has it?" Akira sighed in standing. "I agree."
   "Then follow me. We can't do this in the open."

The man turned away and Akira followed him away from training ground three all the way to the 44th battle training ground, better known as the Forest of Death. As they entered, Akira was trying very hard not to let her emotions get the better of her. Everything that had happened here was still somehow erased from her memory and walking back into the forest without having a clue what had happened here set her on edge. Maru led her to a clearing, which was somehow familiar, where Akira could hear all the insects crawling in the trees and the earth. Other than that, it was dead silent, eerie. 

   "Uncomfortable?"
   "Yeah," Akira said, annoyed, glaring out at the darkness. "I still don't remember what happened here. It's giving me the creeps."
   "Good."

Akira stared at Maru, deadpan.

   "I'm serious. It'll be harder for you to focus under these conditions. If you master a skill under pressure, you'll have no trouble performing the summoning in normal conditions."
   "I just think you're a sadist," Akira said, unimpressed.

She saw the corners of Maru's mouth twitch upwards, but Maru had stopped himself before he laughed.

   "I'm not going to ask whether you know how this works. I assume you do."

Akira nodded. Maru rose his sleeve and his thumb on the other hand, drawing blood. He drew a line of blood on his forearm and, after a few hand signs, he disappeared in a puff of smoke. When he reappeared he was standing atop the head of a large grey serpent. Something somewhere inside Akira should have woken up, a bell should have rung, a nagging feeling should have begun to gnaw at her insides. But the memories that were made in the Forest of Death were still far out of reach and nothing, in Akira's eyes, seemed to be amiss. All she could see was a strangely charismatic and clearly untrustworthy man standing on top of his summon. Nothing more, nothing less. There was no Kusagakure ninja, no near-death experience, no recollection that the voice belonging to Maru was the same as Orochimaru's.

Akira watched in quiet amazement as a large, deep violet scroll rose from the snake's throat. Maru came down and grabbed it, unbinding it to reveal a few names and fingerprints that were written and stamped down in blood. 

   "The summoning contract of the Ryūchi Cave is a noble and proud one," Maru said. "They don't like many people and therefore don't sign on many people."
   "You stole this didn't you?" Akira said, an eyebrow raised.
   "Now, now, have a little faith, my dear," Maru replied. "I've taken over with blessings from the Snake Sage of the Ryūchi Cave."
   "Forgive me if I don't believe you."
   "There are several great serpents you can summon, as well as many smaller ones for more covert uses. The greatest of them all is Manda. I would not expect you to ever summon him."
   "Why not?"
   "He's stubborn, capricious, and loves to insult the summoner."
   "What a charmer," Akira said sarcastically.
   "You know what to do."

Akira didn't hesitate. There was a craving in the back of her mind for this knowledge, anything that could give her an edge. She pulled out a katana from its holster and glided her thumb against it to draw blood. Akira drew the characters of her name on an empty slot in the scroll then dabbed the rest of her fingers with blood. She pressed her fingertips underneath her name, leaving their imprint, then bound up the scroll once again. Akira held up the bound scroll to the grey serpent and bowed respectfully, and only stood straight again when the snake had accepted the scroll.

   "Mi, Tora, Inu, U, Tatsu," Maru said simply, as Akira rose.

With a nod, Akira concentrated chakra. A sharp pain rose in her shoulders and back but she ignored it, and she performed the hand signs just as Maru instructed.

   "Mi, Tora, Inu, U, Tatsu," she said quietly. "Ninja Art: Summoning Jutsu."

Chapter Text

Pain shot throughout Akira's body, burning through her insides better than boiling water. Everything was scalded and, whether she was moving or not, Akira was in more pain than she could ever have imagined. But the girl refused to give in. She pushed through the pain and with a terrible yell, went through with the summoning jutsu. There was a terrible rumble from deep within the earth, striking fear in the insects and beasts of the Forest of Death. The ground began to shake and Akira was nearly sent off balance, more so when she began rising into the air at an incredible speed. Akira steadied herself as she rose and she grinned, watching as everything below her was becoming very small. When the summoning jutsu's smoke cleared, she could see the white scales of a great serpent beneath her feet. It hissed, fangs bared.

   "You're lucky," Maru said from below. "You've summoned Shiro."
   "Why am I lucky?"
   "He's one of the more... reasonable serpents."

Another debilitating wave of pain struck Akira's body. She fell to her knees and slipped, toppling over the giant serpent's head. Thankfully, Shiro, as Maru had called him, coiled himself around her. The snake stared at her, verdant eyes examining.

   "You are the one who summoned me," he began, "a pathetic human that cannot even stand on her own?"

Akira looked over to Maru, a deadpan expression on her face. This was supposed to be a reasonable summon? Akira looked back at the serpent and stared, silent. It wasn't a smart idea, as Maru noted, since Shiro could crush her like an insect at any second, but Akira was determined to get this snake's respect. The air around them was fraught with tension; it was a battle of who was the most stubborn, the proudest—Uchiha or Ryūchi Cave serpent.

   "You do not speak either?" Shiro spat.
   "Not unless spoken to with respect," Akira replied. 

The snake squeezed her more tightly, and Akira fought the urge to scrunch up her face in pain. Not only was the curse mark ravaging her body, but Shiro's tight grip was definitely going to leave a bruise.

   "You do not deserve respect," the serpent stated. "You who cannot stand, you whose body is controlled by pain, you whose arms are scarred and burned."
   "I still managed to summon you, didn't I? If I'm so weak, what does that say about you?"

Shiro hissed and squeezed Akira more tightly.

   "If I'm so weak and was only able to summon you, does that mean you are lesser than you claim to be?"
   "I am Shiro!" the serpent hissed angrily. "I am rival to the Great Manda—you will not insult me this way!"
   "I didn't," Akira said simply. "You said I was weak. I only made a logical deduction."

Slowly, the grip on Akira began to loosen and Shiro gently brought Akira to the ground.

   "What is your name?"
   "I am Akira Uchiha."
   "Whenever I am needed, I will be at your disposal, Akira-sama."
   "Woah, woah—drop that title, there," Akira chuckled. "Just Akira is fine."
   "As you wish."

The snake bowed to Akira and she awkwardly returned the bow before Shiro vanished in a puff of smoke. Then Akira rapidly turned to Maru, looking annoyed.

   "That was supposed to be reasonable!?" she said, exasperated. "He could have killed me!"
   "Most others would have killed you," Maru reasoned.
   "And he was rude! I can't help that I'm scarred and burned! Well..."
   "Still, Shiro has bowed to you."
   "Yeah, that was weird. And sama? Do I look like sama material to you?"

Maru shook his head and he couldn't help but laugh this time.

   "Don't laugh, it's creepy," Akira said, pulling a face at Maru.
   "Come."

Akira frowned at Maru but she went over to him anyway, jumping over a few tree roots to reach him. He took her right hand and placed his own over hers. There was a soft burning sensation underneath his hands and a small amount of smoke rose from between his fingers. When Maru removed his hands, the cut she'd made on her thumb earlier was gone, replaced by a fresh pink scar that joined the many others that littered her skin. Akira frowned. Another wound that would never completely heal.

   "Shiro was wrong about one thing," Maru said. If Akira didn't know better, she thought he sounded almost gentle. "Your scars should not be something to be ashamed of. They are a testament to what you have done, to what you have been through, and to what you can still endure."
   "All right, there, Musashi."* Akira said in a sarcastic tone. She pulled her hand away. "It's time for some training."

The gentle sounds of sand falling into the bottom half of an hourglass and the sliding of Go stones across a board were intermingled with the beeping of machines and the barely audible muttering of the nurses in the hallways. Once in a while, a snore rose amongst the other noises. Akira was losing at another game of Go against Shikamaru as they watched over Naruto who, once again, had over-exerted himself while training with Jiraya. It had been a few days now and he still hadn't woken up. Akira had just come back from training with Sakura, Sasuke and Kakashi and she hadn't changed out of her training outfit, leaving all her scars in plain sight for Shikamaru to unsuccessfully ignore.

   "Losing at Go again isn't enough to distract me from the fact you're so incapable of not looking at my arms, Shikamaru," Akira said, moving a black stone on the board in front of her.
   "I know your skin's usually a pain, but I'm sure the Medical-nin would be able to remove at least some of the scars," Shikamaru said as he captured three of Akira's stones.
   "My scars are a testament to what I've been through and what I can endure."
   "Who're you quoting?"
   "Who said I was quoting?" Akira defended. She frowned at the board. "Damn, I've lost again."
   "Your tone of voice," Shikamaru said, clearing the board for a new game. "Besides, you've always hated those scars. Someone must have made you change your mind."
   "I was quoting a friend."
   "Well, tell your friend he's very dramatic."
   "Oh, he knows."

Shikamaru chuckled quietly and Akira turned to look at Naruto. He was still sleeping, his chest rising and falling steadily. The last time he'd been out so long, he and the rest of Team 7 had just come back from their mission in the Land of Waves. She couldn't imagine what Jiraya was putting the boy through. For a moment, she considered that he had used the Nine-Tailed Fox's chakra, but Akira hadn't felt its presence like she did in the Land of Waves, so it couldn't have been that.

Just then, as if the universe was reading her mind, a vile feeling rose in the air. Akira paused and turned to look at the hourglass. A final grain of sand fell to the bottom, but the rest didn't fall. It rested in the top half, defying the laws of physics. 

   "Akira?" Shikamaru asked, concerned.
   "Stay with Naruto," she said, distracted. "I'll be right back. I just want to check something."

Before Shikamaru could protest, Akira was out the door. She followed where the uneasy feeling in her stomach led, no matter where it took her. The hospital seemed nearly deserted, as Akira didn't cross anyone as she roamed the halls in search of the source of the malevolent feeling in the air. After a short while, it became stronger and, upon reaching Rock Lee's room, the feeling nearly overwhelmed her. She was taken with a wave of nausea and stumbled back, forced to stop a moment to get her bearings and do some breathing exercises. Then, Akira stepped into the room. Gaara was there, shaking and growling with anger, like a rabid animal—or better yet, a demon. He was standing over Lee's bed, tendrils of sand extending from him towards the unconscious boy, ready to crush him in a coffin of sand.

   "Gaara... don't"

A tendril of sand shot at Akira but she flicked it to the ground with wave of her hand. A stream of water had shot out from Akira's new gourd and turned the water to mud. Gaara glared at her and she slowly rose her arms up to show she meant no harm. With a flick of her hand, the water came away from the sand, returning it to its naturally dry state. 

   "I know you want to do this. I know you could kill me right now to do it," Akira said softly.

She knew that trying to reason with a demon was a bad idea, but there was something inside Akira that seemed to be compelling her to try.

   "I know you're angry at him." Akira glanced at Lee. "I know you're angry at Guy-sensei. But this isn't the way."

Akira's gaze softened and she took a hesitant step towards Gaara. He growled at her and she stopped for a moment, then Akira took another step forward and didn't stop until she was within arm's reach. She glanced at the kanji on Gaara's forehead.

   "Love... You don't understand it, do you?" Akira said with a sigh. "This isn't the way to understand it, Gaara. You won't learn anything if you hurt Lee."

Gaara was still growling. Looking into his eyes, Akira couldn't see anything but viciousness.

   "Gaara... I know you're in there somewhere. I want to talk to you, not the demon."

Slowly, the growling began to subside. Akira took it as an encouraging sign and kept going.

   "I don't want to talk to the mindless beast that someone put inside you without a seal, without a way to control it. God, that's just torture..." Akira looked at him sadly. "I'm talking to Gaara, the boy from the Sand Village. Please, Gaara, push the rage back and don't let it take over. You're stronger than this, you're stronger than the demon."

Finally, the room fell quiet, the growls long gone. Gaara's eyes remained fixed on Akira, wide and staring, but no longer crazed.

   "It'll kill you," Gaara said calmly. "No matter what I want, it'll kill. It'll kill because that's what it wants."
   "I don't believe that," Akira said quietly. "I know you can overcome it."
   "No, I can't. That's why they did it. That's why they put this demon inside me—to let it rampage whenever it was needed."
   "Who would do this to you, Gaara? This must be torture..."
   "It's like your yellow-haired idiot said... I came from a poor upbringing. I took the life of a woman some people might call my mother," Gaara said. There was no emotion on his face or in his voice. "So that I could become the strongest shinobi, my father brought his most powerful jutsu upon me. And so I became possessed by a sand spirit."
   "Your father... tried to use you as a weapon?"
   "I was born a monster. It's called Shukaku, the living wrath of an old monk from the Village Hidden in the Sand which was sealed inside a tea cauldron."
   "You were not born a monster, Gaara," Akira said sounding almost desperate. "Someone put Shukaku inside of you. None of this is your fault. How could they expect a child to tame an untameable demon? To do this to someone you love... that's despicable."
   "Love? Don't measure me by your standards. Family? Let me tell you what ties I have to my family; they're ties of hatred or murderous intent. My family's just lumps of flesh and my father—he's tried to assassinate me more times than I can count."
   "Those who are strong are apt to become feared," Akira said softly. "Your father grew scared of you."
   "Born through the jutsu, my mind was unstable. I guess the idiots in my village came to realise that I had emotional control problems. As for my father, the Kazekage... while being the ultimate weapon of the village, I was also a dangerous and fearsome presence when not in use."

Akira's eyebrows knitted into concern. The way he spoke of himself, not as a person, but as a tool to be used reminded her of Haku. It stirred old feelings of sadness deep inside her and Akira had to resist the urge to take hold of Gaara's hand.

   "I was treated with respect simply because I was feared. Now, they just want me to disappear," Gaara said somberly. "Which begs the question... what do I have to live for? Why do I keep on living? When I asked myself that, I couldn't find an answer. As long as you are alive, you need an answer. If you don't have one... then that's the same as being dead, isn't it?"

Akira stared at Gaara in horror. Not only were his words utterly heartbreaking, the fact that he believed every word coming out of his mouth made Akira want to cry. What made it worse was that Akira had an idea of how he felt; Naruto spoke the same way and she'd listened to him run his mouth off on a number of occasions, including moments of intense vulnerability that made Akira's heart sink. 

However, what terrified Akira the most was the fact that she knew, if her circumstances had been just a little bit different, she would feel the same way. Her entire clan had been removed from existence, murdered by a brother she once thought loved her. Now, he was rogue, a kill-on-sight ninja. The only things left living for were Sasuke and the dream of becoming the head of the Konoha Military Police Force. If Itachi had killed Sasuke, that was another thing gone, and Akira doubted that she'd be able to wish for a better future for herself if she'd been the sole survivor of Itachi's assault. It wasn't hard for her to imagine. She could see the bleakness of this alternate life all too easily, the desperation and anger that came from utter loneliness. Akira hadn't experienced it, and she didn't wish to, but she could understand Gaara by picturing it. 

The person she looked up to the most had always preferred Itachi, and when he was no longer a suitable target for Fugaku's appreciation, he moved on to Sasuke. And that boy soaked up all the attention he could get his hands on. Not once did Akira get any of it. But she didn't need it, nor did she crave it, and she figured she would enjoy it if she had it. And it had never been an issue until now. Looking at Gaara, she could see what would have happened to her if she craved the attention Fugaku and Mikoto never gave her. The look of fury, of rage, of pure hatred—that could have been her.

And that was the most terrifying thing of all.

Chapter Text

Akira stared at the picture of Team 7 on her nightstand for a half-hour when she woke up that morning.

She didn't move, just opened her eyes and studied the faces on the photograph, deep sapphire eyes still cloudy from sleepiness. She stared at the goofy excited look on Sakura's face, the annoyed expression on Sasuke's, the enraged Naruto, the bright smile on her own face, and the look of amused exasperation on Kakashi's. Akira didn't get up right away even after that. She thought about the events with Gaara the previous day and wondered what had compelled her to talk with him like that—what had compelled her to seek out the vile aura of the demon in the first place?

Akira heaved a sigh. Her gaze finally left the group picture and went to the sky outside. It was still dark, with no trace of the sun rising. A few twinkling stars shone over the village, gleaming peacefully, blissfully unaware of the dread rising in the girl that was staring up at them. Today was the final part of the Chūnin Exams. Akira had been training non-stop for the entire month. She'd trained alone for the most part, but Kakashi had helped a lot, getting her to better control her lightning-style jutsu and come up with some new ones. Her training with Maru was sparse at best, but it was always intense. There wasn't a night spent training with him that Akira went home and didn't feel like her body was on fire. He always pushed her to her limit, and Akira wanted to punch him for it, but she couldn't say that it didn't work. The pain attributed to the curse mark was nearly non-existent now, and the girl's control of water had been refined to its finest. However, the feeling that Maru was all levels of wrong kept increasing with each day. Split-second flashes of her memory were returning little by little and each time they did, Akira grew more and more uneasy in Maru's presence.

It took a while, but Akira finally got out of bed. She swung her legs off the side of her bed and her toes curled back when they touched the cool wooden floor. Akira went to the bathroom to take a very long hot shower and came back to her room to get dressed. She sat on her bed for a short time, staring at her wardrobe, wondering what she should wear—thousands of people were going to be staring at her, so it warranted some thought. Eventually, Akira gave up and shrugged. She threw on a grey high-collared tanktop and her black hakama pants that were lying around the room, and wrapped her father's bandanna around her waist, foregoing the numerous fabrics belts she normally wore. Akira pulled on an old pair of jikatabi and stared at a few of the haori in her wardrobe before grabbing the only purple one she owned and draping it over her shoulders.

When the sun was beginning to rise, Akira began making breakfast, expecting Sasuke to wake up soon. She made a "breakfast of champions" as Naruto would have called it, with steamed rice, pickled vegetables, miso soup, natto for Sasuke, tamagoyaki and yakizakana. When Sasuke walked into the room, Akira poured them some green tea, and they sat down in silence. Neither of them spoke for the entirety of their meal, but Akira could sense Sasuke looking up at her once in a while, seemingly on the edge of saying something. However, the words remained unspoken, and Sasuke stood up to clear everything up once they were done. Akira went back to her room and strapped her holsters, pouches and gourd to her body, then left the apartment without a word.

Akira walked through the streets almost aimlessly, but she was looking around the village, admiring the flowering plants and the trees that shed petals and leaves as she walked underneath them. She gave small greetings to shop owners working before the rest of the village woke up and to the cooks prepping food at their stalls for the morning rush. After a long while wandering, Akira ended up at the stadium where the final part of the Chūnin Exams was going to take place. The place was deserted and Akira wandered through the stands, running her hands along the benches on her way down to the battlefield. It was very sandy, with a few patches of barely green grass that had been trampled on by years' worth of ninjas. The walls around it were tall and made of solid concrete, and with not a tree or bush in sight for cover or tactical purposes, the battlefield was quite barren.

Soon, the rumbling of footsteps reached Akira's ears and she knew that the crowds were beginning to gather and set up for the battles to come. Akira heaved a sigh climbed up the concrete wall, then jumped from one row of seats to the next until she was high enough to jump atop the roof of the stadium. The townspeople had begun to gather on the main street and the gates to the stadium were opened to welcome a few masterfully crafted and ornate carriages being pulled by cows that hadn't worked a day in their lives. Akira jumped down to the entrance gates of the arena and watched everyone walk past, including her potential opponents and former competition, listening in to their conversations to see what they were saying about the matches. Most people seemed to be eager to see Neji fight which didn't surprise Akira, as he was the number one rookie last year. Many others were anxious to see her and Sasuke fight. Others remarked how strange it was that Naruto had made it to the end.

   "You shouldn't be here," Akira said. She'd felt a familiar presence behind her, hidden in the shadows. "I will not be seen talking with you, Maru."
   "Don't worry, my dear. No one will see me in your company and your reputation will remain untarnished."
   "I wouldn't be worried if you weren't so sketchy."
   "Finally concerned that I may be hiding something, are we?" Maru said. He almost sounded amused.
   "Something like that."
   "What am I hiding, Akira?"

Akira glanced over her shoulder. There was a smirk on Maru's face and it seemed more malevolent than usual. Maybe it was just the growing unease from her returning memories making her paranoid, but there was something hiding behind that smile of his and Akira didn't like it at all. 

   "Something," she said quietly. "And I know it's nothing good. Now, go away."
   "That's no way to treat your sensei."
   "You're not my sensei, Maru," Akira hissed. "You're some weirdo I took lessons from. The second these Chūnin Exams are over and you go back to the hole you crawled out of, I'm going to forget you exist."
   "Your words wound me, my dear."
   "Yeah, right."

Maru chuckled. Akira could feel his breath on her skin.

   "Make them regret doubting you."
   "Don't need to tell me twice."

With a cocky grin on her face, Akira stepped forward and joined the crowd filing into the arena. With her head held high, Akira headed straight for the opening that led to the battlefield. Lights nearly blinded her as she stepped out, but her dark eyes adjusted the harsh lighting they'd put in the arena after a few seconds. Hundreds if not thousands of people were lined up in the stands gazing down at the line of competitors forming at the centre of the battlefield: Akira, Gaara, Kankuro, Neji, Shikamaru, Shino, Temari. Sasuke and Naruto were nowhere to be found, however. It didn't surprise Akira that Naruto was late, but she'd seen Sasuke this morning so there was no reason he should be late.

   "You look worried," Shikamaru said as Akira walked up beside him.
   "Yeah, I've got a few things on my mind," she said, sounding concerned.
   "Okay, the fact you just admitted to it without hesitation has definitely made me worried. What is it?"

The smirk on Maru's face was still bothering her and it was making her nauseous. It was clearly because of the memories returning. His voice, his moves, the sinister gleam in his eyes, they'd all become familiar. He'd been in the Forest of Death, or he was at least a part of the interconnected events that she couldn't remember, but she didn't know how. 

   "Something's going to go wrong today."
   "What is?"
   "I have no idea, I just... feel it," Akira sighed. "And I know I'm going to kick myself for not seeing it coming."

Just then, Naruto came barrelling into the arena. He slid in on his stomach, shouting, leaving a huge cloud of dust in his wake. Akira looked down at him, confused, as he explained he was late because of a pack of bulls that were chasing after him. Shikamaru helped him up and looked equally concerned with the reason for Naruto's tardiness as Akira.

   "Okay, we get it—bulls! Now, stand up straight and present yourself to the crowd," Akira said in a hushed voice.
   "Right, right," Naruto said, straightening himself out and beaming to the crowd. He turned to look at Akira. "Why're you wearing that? Isn't it gonna be hard to move in?"
   "Naruto, if I'm wearing a haori despite the fact it's annoying to manoeuvre in, it means I must have a reason."
   "You just pulled it out of your closet, didn't you?" Shikamaru said, deadpan.
   "Shut up."

Akira took a deep breath, trying to calm herself and erase the nagging feeling that something was doomed to go wrong. She looked up at the topmost area of the stadium to spot the Hokage. He was sitting alongside the Kazakage, Gaara's father. Akira wondered if he knew just what kind of man the Kazakage was. Did he know what he'd done to his own son?

   "Welcome all, and our deepest thanks for coming here to the Village Hidden in the Leaves for this year's Chūnin selections," the Hokage said, his voice echoing through the arena. "We have come to the final competition between the nine candidates who made it through the preliminaries."
   "Nine?" Shikamaru whispered. "Ten of us made it through."
   "Well, Sasuke's late," Akira noted. "Who's the other one?"
   "That Sound ninja guy, Dosu."

Akira grew nervous. She looked through the stands and the main viewing area, but couldn't spot Maru anywhere.

   "We ask that no one leave until all the matches have been completed," the Hokage continued. "Now, everyone—enjoy!

Everyone cheered, except for the proctor standing before the eight ninjas hoping to become Chūnin. He turned to them and pulled out a piece of paper from his breast pocket. It was the matchings for the final exams.

   "We've withheld the matchings for the final round because of unexpected changes in the number of people participating," said. "Dosu Kinuta will not be participating in the final rounds, therefore there is an uneven number."

Akira frowned. Something was definitely amiss.

   "After showing the preliminary battles of the present contestants, the crowd was asked to pick their favourite match-ups. The first battle will be between Neji Hyuga and Naruto Uzumaki."

Naruto cheered which just made Neji look angrier than he usually did.

   "To deal with the uneven number of contestants, we'll move to a miniature elimination round. Akira Uchiha will fight Shikamaru Nara."

Akira and Shikamaru looked at each other and smirked, then shared a fist bump.

   "The winner of that battle will go on to fight Temari. Then, Kankuro will fight Shino Aburame. Finally, we will have Gaara and Sasuke Uchiha fight, leaving enough time for the latter to arrive."
   "Uh, question. Question?" Naruto spoke up.
   "What is it?" the proctor said, a little annoyed.
   "What about Sasuke?"
   "If he doesn't show up by the time his name is called, he automatically forfeits the match to his assigned opponent. Now, listen up!" the proctor continued. "The terrain's different, but the rules are the same as before: there are no rules."

The beginnings of a smirk twitched at the edges of Akira's mouth. Shikamaru glanced at her from the corner of his eye and frowned a little. The last time someone said there were no rules, Akira looked scared and worried. So, to see a wry smile and a confident gleam in her eyes was strange and it worried Shikamaru.

   "The match continues until one candidate acknowledges defeat or dies. That being said, if I determine a match is over, then it's over. Anyone who continues the match after that is immediately disqualified. No arguments permitted. Understood?"
   "Understood," the candidates chorused.
   "Good. Now, the first two opponents—Naruto Uzumaki and Neji Hyuga—stay. The rest, go to the waiting area."

Akira pat Naruto on the back and glared at Neji before heading up to the waiting area which overlooked the battlefield. She let out a long sigh and leaned forward against the railing. Naruto and Neji were facing off, already insulting each other, and Akira crossed her fingers. Naruto was going to have to defy all odds to beat Neji Hyuga, but deep inside Akira knew that he'd come out victorious—no doubt about it.

Chapter Text

Anticipation and tension were growing quickly even though all Neji and Naruto were doing was standing in front of each other while muttering profanities and insults. Akira could barely hear them, only occasionally picking up a word here and there, but she thought it was better that way. There was no point in hearing their pre-match bickering. The proctor moved between them to say a few words and as quickly as he moved back, Naruto and Neji got into position.

   "Let the first match begin!"

Despite the cheering of the crowd, neither Neji nor Naruto moved an inch from where they were standing. In fact, it took quite a long time for either of them to attack at all. They continued to insult each other, to bicker, to talk until, finally, Naruto decided to launch a frontal attack. Neji blocked every single one of his attacks with rather annoying ease and though Akira wasn't allowed to shout help at Naruto, she couldn't help but try to analyse Neji's movements to figure out a weak spot. Her dark eyes were dead set on the fight, her fists clenched tightly around the railing before her. As Neji went in for another hit, Naruto pulled back and created four shadow clones.

Naruto sent his clones in to attack and he waited behind to sneak in. However, Neji predicted his tactic. When Naruto went to sneak in, he dodged Naruto's attack with ease. Naruto did the same thing again. This time, Neji jumped up and kicked two of the clones in the head, making them disappear in clouds of smoke. The two remaining clones charged as well, but they were easily pushed forward and destroyed. After exchanging a few more words, Naruto produced at least one hundred shadow clones. They all charged at Neji and, again, he blocked every single one of their attacks with impressive speed and ease. Neji then ran straight for the Naruto that was keeping himself the furthest and jabbed a Chakra-filled finger into his shoulder.

Akira assumed that Neji thought this was the real Naruto. Suddenly, that particular clone left in a cloud of smoke and two other Narutos jumped out from behind Neji. Just as their fists touched Neji's face, they were blown back by a wave of blue chakra. Another swarm of Narutos charged at Neji, but he deflected them by exuding chakra from every point in his body and spinning around, essentially creating a protective chakra dome. Neji then charged at Naruto with a flurry of jabs and he went flying.

The proctor got closer to determine whether the match needed to be called but, before he could reach him, Naruto was on his feet again, more determined than before. Neji charged at him once more and hit Naruto directly in the chest. It was the same attack that he'd used on Hinata to disable her. Neji turned, waving to the proctor to come check Naruto, but once again, the boy was up. This time, a familiar aura of rage filled the air. A swirl of bright red chakra rose around Naruto, healing all his wounds, and spiralled out into nine distinctive tail-like branches. Cloaked in the Nine-Tailed Fox's chakra, Naruto began attacking Neji repeatedly. He was barely able to keep up with Naruto's newfound speed and accuracy. After one last clash that resulted in an enormous explosion that made a crater in the arena, Naruto came out victorious.

There was a short silence, as the crowd sat stunned that Naruto won, but slowly the cheers came pouring in. Neji was carried off by medics, unable to move, and Naruto ran up to the waiting area. Everyone, even Shikamaru, congratulated him on his win.

   "Now I'm probably the worst competitor," Shikamaru sighed. "What a drag."
   "Look alive, Shikamaru," Akira chuckled. "We're next."

As the proctor called Akira's and Shikamaru's names, Akira jumped down from the viewing area and onto the battlefield eager to start the battle. Shikamaru took the long way down and took his time going down the battlefield.

The bright summer sun was beating down on Akira and Shikamaru, making them sweat without having to move, but a shiver ran down Akira's spine. She smiled and let out a breath of laughter, shaking her limbs to relieve the nervousness. Glancing up at the crowd, Akira was nearly blinded by the spotlights, but as her eyes adjusted she could see all the faces beaming down at her. It was a strange feeling. Akira hated the spotlight, but there was a small part of her that was eager to show every single one of them what she was made of.

   "Worried?" Shikamaru asked.
   "No, I'm excited to kick your ass."

Shikamaru scoffed and shook his head. Akira turned to the proctor.

   "We don't need an introduction and we're not gonna insult each other, can we begin?"
   "Ugh, sometimes I forget you're spunky," Shikamaru sighed. "I hate spunky."

With a shout, the proctor declared the match started and Akira charged forward in a flash. Shikamaru was a little taken aback by her speed and barely dodged in time to save himself from getting chopped in half by Akira's katana. They hit the ground and created a large cloud of dust which Akira hid in.

   "I'll go easy on you," she called. "I won't use my Sharingan."
   "Hey, it doesn't make a whole lot of difference whether I make Chūnin or not, but don't go easy on me!" Shikamaru replied, annoyed. "And I'm not about to let myself get beat by a girl."
   "Is that any way to treat your best friend?"
   "Let's do it, kid."

Akira tossed her katana into the air and performed hand signs faster than Shikamaru had ever seen. She caught her swords as they fell and spun one around, planting it in the ground. Bright white lighting cracked through the ground and rushed towards Shikamaru. Chunks of rock and dirt blasted up through the air again, reducing the visibility, and when it cleared Shikamaru was nowhere to be found. Akira pulled out her katana and stared around the arena, minding the shadows around her. Shikamaru was far behind her, crouching beside the arena's wall, thinking and biding his time.

   "Oh, no, you don't."

Akira brought her hands together and, while still holding her katana, performed a few simple seals. White chakra covered the blades and the crackling sound it made resonated throughout the battlefield. Akira repeatedly swiped her katana at Shikamaru, sending several cutting waves of electricity. He groaned, forced to move from his thinking position, but Akira anticipated. She dashed forwards and intercepted Shikamaru and swiped her blades within mere inches of him. They slammed against his chest, electrocuting him and sending him flying into the concrete wall. However, it seemed that Shikamaru had anticipated her moves too. As she landed, a shadow was heading her way. With an irritated sigh, Akira was forced to pull back and out of reach of Shikamaru's jutsu.

   "Dammit, Shikamaru," she growled.
   "You're not getting close," Shikamaru said playfully.
   "Ass."

As Shikamaru resumed his thinking position, Akira began to think as well. A lot of her attacks relied on creating storm clouds which, by definition, would create shadows, so those were out of the question. If Akira got close again, she'd just be pushed back with the threat of a shadow. She could evade them to some extent, but Shikamaru had a habit of finding and creating shadows from the most ridiculous things. Somehow, Akira had to figure out a way to get him at a distance. She could use the water in the gourd attached to her back, but Akira didn't want to reveal that unless she really had no other choice, and there was clearly a way to defeat Shikamaru without it. She had to do it quick, however. The longer the battle took, the longer the shadow cast by the arena wall—eventually, Shikamaru would be able to reach her wherever she was.

Just then, Shikamaru shot a kunai at her. Akira deflected it easily with her katana but was caught off-guard by the shadow coming at her beyond its prior limits. As she jumped back to avoid it, Akira glanced upwards. Shikamaru's jacket was tied to a kunai and it was floating above the arena, creating a second shadow for him to use. Akira tossed a shuriken at the makeshift parachute and it fell to the ground.

   "All right, I see how it is."

Akira tossed one katana to the side, its blade embedding itself in the earth. She put up a single hand in half a ram seal and stared directly into Shikamaru's eyes.

   "Mahi."

Shikamaru's eyes widened and he tried to move but to no avail. It was as if invisible ropes were tying him down. Akira kept her half seal up and, with the other hand, completed it into a tiger seal. As the paralysis justu began to fade, Akira performed a quick series of three other seals. The power behind the jutsu created a crater at her feet and, before Shikamaru could move, an incredibly powerful gale of wind shot directly at him. He flew back with such force that the concrete wall of the arena shattered where his body hit, and Shikamaru fell to his knees.

   "Oh, the hell with this," he complained, getting to his feet. "I give up."
   "What!? You can't just give up!" Akira shouted.
   "I can and I did."

The proctor stepped forward and looked at Shikamaru, confused.

   "Are you forfeiting the match?"
   "Yup."

The crowd was in an uproar and Akira shook her head. Eventually, her displeasure turned into a laugh. She walked over to Shikamaru as the proctor declared her the winner, and they shared a fist bump.

   "You're so lazy."
   "Sue me," Shikamaru chuckled. "Besides, my only strategy was to bide my time."
   "Come on, I'm sure you thought about pulling shadows out of the craters I kept making," Akira said.
   "Yeah, but you'd have figured that out and, well, I don't care."
   "You know, just because you forfeited the match, doesn't mean they won't promote you to Chūnin."
   "Ugh," Shikamaru groaned. "If they recommend me, put in a bad review."

Chapter Text

No one was pleased with Shikamaru's actions. While the entire crowd was complaining about not getting a good show, Akira could hear Naruto yell at him for quitting so easily. Surprisingly, Akira also heard Naruto tell her to be angrier at Shikamaru for giving up. It made her laugh. Shikamaru knew when he was beaten and Akira appreciated that he didn't waste her time. 

   "All right, get yourself up to the viewing area so I can fight the one I'm really looking forward to crushing."
   "Yeah, yeah," Shikamaru said. He leaned in and whispered, "How are you gonna do it?"
   "I"m gonna piss her off."

Shikamaru chuckled and shook his head, then left the battlefield to cede his place to Temari. She floated down on her large fan and landed gracefully in front of Akira. She glared at the Uchiha who was placing her katana back into their holsters.

   "Think I'm going to be easy to beat, do you?" she challenged.
   "Not necessarily," Akira said, smiling innocently. "But I do know you're going to lose."

Temari huffed and rushed at Akira without the proctor announcing the start of the match. Akira smiled and closed her eyes. She breathed in, exhaled, and got into a lose defending stance. Temari threw a dozen kunai at her but Akira gracefully avoided every single one of them. The sound of the blades whooshing past her ears was loud, but it gave Akira a rush of adrenaline, of excitement. Akira exhaled again and loosened her body, retaking her stance. She opened her eyes and stared directly at Temari, her haori swaying in the light breeze.

   "Why aren't you moving?"
   "Because I don't need to."

Temari huffed again and picked up her large fan. A large gust of wind was soon on its way towards her at an alarming rate. Akira calmly undid the haori himo and sent chakra to her feet. She jumped out of the way of the gale without much effort and the haori was taken with the wind, giving Temari the impression that her attack had landed. When the wind and dust cleared, Temari frowned. Akira was nowhere in sight. Suddenly, a flash of white shone from behind her and Temari went flying forwards, skidding face-first on the ground. When she got up and turned around, it was as if Akira had never moved. She was still peaceful-looking and in a loose defence position, her haori worn as if it had never left her body.

   "What the hell is your deal!?" Temari shouted.
   "I don't know what you're talking about," Akira said with a smile. "I haven't moved."
   "Stop smiling!"

With a yell, Temari sent a flurry of wind blasts towards Akira, each one in a different direction, in the hopes that one of them landed. Akira readjusted her position and let herself fall to the ground so that all the gusts of wind passed right above her. As she was falling, Akira made a few hand seals. When she landed on the ground, electricity ran from the palms of her hands and into the ground. The current shot straight for Temari and she was blown upwards and electrocuted. When she was falling back down, Akira was somehow above her, fist alight with crackling white electricity. She pounded her fist into Temari's chest and pummeled her to the ground. When the dust cleared, Temari was out cold.

However, nothing had happened. When Temari made her initial onslaught without waiting for the proctor's signal, Akira's eyes had been closed. When she opened them and looked directly at her opponent, that's when Temari lost. Akira's eyes were blood red, with six tomoe featured in the final stage of her Sharingan. Temari was stuck in a Genjutsu, immobile, eyes wide open and forced to live her defeat in her head. When she'd been defeated in the Genjutsu, Temari passed out and lost without Akira even having to perform a single jutsu.

   "Since Temari is unable to battle, the winner of this match is Akira Uchiha!"

The crowd cheered the loudest she'd heard them cheer so far. A feeling of relief washed over her and she closed her eyes, releasing them back to the dark sapphire blue everyone was used to. The stress and the expectations were gone, and now there was nothing she could do but wait to see if anyone thought she was Chūnin material. Akira watched for a moment as Temari was carried off by medical-nin and then she smiled as people began chanting her name. She turned to the crowd and gave an awkward mock salute before returning to the waiting area to make room for the next match. When she'd barely gotten up the stairs, Naruto tackled her in a hug that nearly sent her to the ground.

   "I have no idea what happened, but that was amazing!" Naruto cheered. "You just stared at her and she passed out!"
   "Yeah, not bad, kid," Shikamaru said, elbowing Akira in the arm. "You've managed to up the ante on that Sharingan of yours."
   "I do try sometimes. Not that'd you'd know."

Shikamaru put his hand in her face and pushed her head away. Akira laughed and did the same, and they went back to the edge of the viewing area to see the next match. However, when Shino and Kankuro's names were called, Kankuro withdrew before even going down to fight. It was at that moment that the feeling of dread Akira had been feeling all day returned to haunt her. Sasuke wasn't here yet, Maru was nowhere to be found, Dosu hadn't entered the final stage, and now Kankuro was withdrawing. Akira didn't like this at all. 

Naruto yelling at the proctor broke Akira away from her thoughts. He jumped down into the arena and the two of them spoke for a moment, then Naruto ran back up.

   "They're waiting another ten minutes for him and then they're calling it," he said. "I swear, if he doesn't show up the crowd will tear him apart, and if they don't, I will."
   "I'm sure the little punk is just trying to make an entrance," Shikamaru said. 

Akira couldn't disagree. Sasuke was known for being dramatic, especially if it wasn't the time, and now wasn't the time. Akira couldn't help feeling that somewhere, somehow, Maru was doing something stupid. She looked around nervously, occasionally glancing back to Naruto's watch to see how much time Sasuke had left before he was disqualified, searching for Kakashi, the only head of silver in the village. The nauseating feeling that something bad was going to happen had seeped into her bones and her entire body was on edge and Akira couldn't take it anymore. Maru had infiltrated her mind like a disease, and she had the intention to get rid of it once and for all. However, Kakashi was nowhere to be seen even with her Sharingan. Shikamaru looked at her, worried—he'd never seen her so scared.

   "Akira?" he said softly. She turned to him, like a deer caught in headlights, as if she'd just seen a ghost. "You're scared."
   "Something's going to wrong, Shikamaru," Akira whispered. Her eyes darted to the battlefield and then back to the crowd. "I can't take this."

A sudden wave of slow-burning pain rose to Akira's shoulder for the first time in days. It wasn't an intolerable pain. On the contrary, it was faint, almost as if it was just there to remind her the curse mark was there. Akira's hand rose to her shoulder and she gently squeezed. It felt like a warning.

Akira's attention was soon taken by her brother's and Kakashi's sudden arrival. She paid no mind to what they said, but to the increased burning sensation in her shoulder. As the crowd began to chant the Uchiha name once again, an overwhelming sensation of fear took hold of Akira.

   "Akira, you're scaring me," Shikamaru said.
   "Kakashi—" Akira muttered. "I need Kakashi."

Chapter Text

As the cheers continued, Akira looked down to the battlefield hoping to find that Kakashi was still there with Sasuke. However, he was nowhere to be found. She swore loudly and glanced around the area, hoping to see a head of silver hair, but there was nothing. Shikamaru was surprised to see Akira's Sharingan activate simply to search for Kakashi, but then again, he'd never seen her more scared in all the time he'd known her. He watched as her eyes darted everywhere in the stands, panicked, desperately searching for Kakashi. Even Naruto had stopped looking down at Sasuke and Gaara taking positions for their battle, and he was looking on, concerned.

Suddenly, Akira dashed off. She ran down the stairs and through the hallways to the stands. She weaved through dozens of people, her Sharingan searching through them for the chakra signature she was looking for. However, it was about to become difficult. Thousands of white feathers began floating down onto the people in the stands and onto the battlefield. Some passed mere inches from Akira's nose, and the glow of chakra within them told her that this was Genjutsu. She put her hands together and dispelled the jutsu, then resumed her search. However, there was a large crash above her. A terrible rumble sounded and it shook the ground beneath the entire stadium.

Akira's eyes went from her search for Kakashi and up towards the Hokage's and Kazagake's seats. There was a large cloud of dust settling from which the Kazkegake emerged, holding the Hokage with a kunai at his throat. Numerous members of the Anbu Black Ops were on the roof where the Hokage was being held, however, four of them suddenly ripped away their costumes. Akira's stomach sank. Emblazoned on their headbands was the insignia for the Hidden Sound Village. Rage suddenly gripped her insides. How could she have been so stupid to put any sort of trust in Maru?

Just as the remaining Anbu Black Ops members jumped up to help the Hokage, the four Sound Village ninjas performed a jutsu at incredible speed. A large purple barrier surrounded them, the Kazekage, as well as the Hokage. Then, the barrier extended and a roof was made above it, preventing anyone from coming in or out of the purple prison. One of the Anbu Black Ops tried to go through the barrier, but when he came into contact with it, he burst into flames. 

Akira's eyes suddenly drifted over to the stands again. One Anbu Black Ops member was stating amongst a few Sound ninjas. Without a second's hesitation, Akira left her position and released her katana after throwing a dozen shuriken at the enemy. She concentrated chakra in her feet and jumped up several rows of seats. As she landed, Akira sliced through two of the Sound ninjas and she skidded forward. Her eyes widened when they landed on Kakashi.

An overwhelming feeling of guilt made her sick to her stomach. Her eyes were wide and her eyebrows gave away the fact she was overtaken with worry.

    "I'm sorry," she whispered. "I didn't know."

When Kakashi's eyebrows didn't furrow in confusion, when the look in his eye didn't change, Akira could tell that he already knew what she'd been up to.

   "Sorry about what?"

Akira's gaze broke from Kakashi's and she looked over, finally spotting Guy-sensei who'd spoken.

   "Nothing," Kakashi said sharply.

He took a few steps forward and grasped Akira by the shoulders. Kakashi looked directly into her eyes. He could see fear. She could see nervousness.

   "Can I trust you?"
   "Kakashi, I—"
   "I don't care. You would never knowingly put anyone in danger. Can I trust you?" Kakashi repeated, stressing every word.

Akira nodded firmly.

   "Yes. Unequivocally," Akira said sternly.
   "I need to ask a lot of you."
   "After what I've done, I don't have the luxury of saying no."
   "I don't trust Sasuke. You need to do anything to keep him safe."
   "Sasuke? But—"
   "Akira, that's an order."

Akira's eyebrows furrowed as the confusion mounted, but she nodded in agreement all the same. Without a second glance at Kakashi, Akira went past the false allies and jumped down to the battlefield where Sasuke was standing. Temari and Kankuro were hovering over Gaara. There was sand bubbling around him and he was holding his head in pain, growling. Though there was a concerned look on her face, Akira's movements were confident and assertive. She gripped her katana tighter and stepped in front of Sasuke. Whether Kakashi knew Gaara was a Jinchūriki and that Sasuke needed protecting from him, Akira didn't know. There was a nagging feeling in the back of her mind, however, that told her there may be something else Akira needed to protect him from.

   "What the hell is going on here, Akira?" Sasuke asked, sounding rather angry.
   "I can only give you guesses, Sasuke," Akira said sternly. "From what I've seen, it looks like, regardless of the new treaty, that the Sand and Sound Villages have allied themselves to take the Hokage hostage. He's being held by what looks like the Kazekge inside a giant purple forcefield. Not only that, but the entire crowd is asleep because of a genjutsu."
   "And why're you standing there protecting me?"
   "Kakashi gave me an order."
   "Kakashi!? I can take care of myself!"
   "Apparently you can't."
   "Stop that, Gaara!"

At the sound of Temari's voice, Akira turned back to face the three Sand ninjas. Gaara was trying to walk to Sasuke, no doubt to finish their battle. There was no malice in his eyes yet, only a great deal of suffering. 

   "I must kill him," Gaara tried to argue.
   "There's no point in continuing this fight!" Kankuro tried to reason.
   "That's right! Don't forget our mission!" Temari added.

Akira's eyebrows furrowed. What could their mission be? Did it just involve the Hokage, or was there more that Maru had been hiding from her?

   "Out of my way!"

With a flicker, the Sand ninjas' team leader jumped in, shielding them from Akira and Sasuke. Moments later, the proctor who was overseeing the matches stepped in as well, this time directly in front of Akira. The two Jōnin glared at each other until Gaara fell to his knees again. The Sand Village team leader looked back at him, seemingly concerned. Akira glanced at the proctor. He was staring at the four Sand Ninja, silent and unmoving, watching and listening to what they were discussing. She thought it best to do the same.

   "What's wrong?" Kankuro asked, sounding a little panicked.
   "His wound is worse than I thought," Temari said, crouching beside Gaara. "And his Chakra is almost all drained away."

Akira's eyebrows furrowed and her jaw set. She knew what happened when Naruto's chakra was low. The same was probably for Gaara. However, unlike Naruto, the demon inside Gaara wasn't sealed and he was already having trouble keeping it under control. She couldn't imagine how much longer he could hold off the demon without any chakra left.

   "You fool," the Sand's leader scolded. He was staring at Gaara almost fearfully now. "It's all because you tried to transform before the signal was given."
   "So what do we do now?" Kankuro questioned. "We need Gaara for this."
   "Gaara is the trump card of the Village Hidden in the Sand. We have to get him to play his part, no matter what." The man sighed. "All right, for now, take Gaara away and tend to his wounds. As soon as his chakra has been restored, the operation will continue."
   "You got it," Kankuro stated. 
   "What about you, Sensei?" Temari asked.
   "I'm going to take care of these guys," he said, looking back towards the proctor and both Uchiha. 

Akira heard the proctor scoff.

   "Do you really think that things will go according to your plan?" he asked. 
   "I'll make sure that they do."

It took only a moment for the Sand Village Jōnin to yell at his students to make a run for it. Akira nearly went after them, but she remembered Kakashi's orders, and she wasn't about to disappoint him any more than she already had. Sasuke needed protection, whether the threat was Gaara or not. Besides, she wasn't sure if she'd be able to get past both the proctor and the Sand Village ninja.

   "And is the host of this party, Orochimaru?"

A sharp stabbing sensation made Akira clutch her head in pain, forcing her to drop one of her blades to the ground. She lurched forward as nausea rose and forced her to vomit. Sasuke looked at her concerned and the proctor glanced behind him. Even the Sand Village ninja, who'd just seen a boy with a demon inside him clutch his head in pain, looked at Akira as if the same thing was happening. The girl's breathing became sharper and faster as the pain continued. And whether it was because the proctor had said his name or because of the stressful situation, Akira's memories painfully came flooding back all at once. She remembered what she'd done to Zaku in the Forest of Death, she remembered exactly how she got the curse mark on her shoulder, but most terrifyingly of all, she finally understood why Maru's voice had become so familiar.

   "Don't know," the Sand Ninja said with a smirk. "And don't care. Now let's heat things up, huh?"
   "Akira... Sasuke..." the proctor muttered after a moment. The siblings both looked at him. "The Chūnin exams are over. You are both of Chūnin skill level and you are both Hidden Leaf Shinobi. Now put your training to good use."
   "Yes, sir," Akira said sternly, wiping her mouth with her sleeve. "What would you have us do?"
   "Pursuit of the Sand Village Genin."
   "Sasuke and I will go."
   "Just be careful. This is the real thing, not a match."
   "Understood."

Akira grabbed the katana that had fallen out of her hand and she put one of them away. In the blink of an eye, Akira pulled her brother by the wrist and dragged him halfway across the battlefield towards where Temari, Kankuro and Gaara were last seen. Sasuke tried to wrangle himself out of Akira's grip, but the adrenaline going through her body wasn't letting him out. She pulled him up and out of the arena and into the forest nearby, only letting go so he'd fall back and avoid a flurry of kunai thrown at them by the three Sand ninjas. But just as fast as she'd let go, Akira had grabbed his wrist again, pulling him forward.

Blurred visions of trees passed before Akira's eyes as she and Sasuke jumped from tree to tree at extreme speeds to catch up to the three Sand ninjas. Akira let go of Sasuke's hand so that they could cover more ground, but she made sure to keep an extra close eye on him. Wind rushed through her loose black hair and whipped it backwards, and while her red eyes were focused on the path she was following and the vague outline of three people ahead, Akira's ears were perked to pick up any kind of sound that could reach them. As they went from the ground and back up into the trees, Akira glanced over her shoulder.

   "What is it?" Sasuke asked.
   "There's a group behind us," Akira said. "Don't worry, I recognise them."
   "Is that good or bad?"
   "It's Naruto, Sakura and Shikamaru. There's a summon too, probably Pakkun."
   "Pakkun? Jeez, why the hell does Kakashi think I need so much protecting!?"

Akira's eyebrows furrowed. Something about this stranger was somehow familiar and it was putting her on edge, pulling her concentration away from the immediate danger. Akira didn't have the time nor the energy to withdraw or even more as Orochimaru's neck elongated and his fangs pierced hers and Sasuke's necks. Pain seared through Akira's neck better than a branding iron. Her mind conceded to the torment, unable to bring a thought to completion. As the burning spread to the rest of her body, the pain increased in waves, small lulls giving false hope of an end. Each peak robbed Akira of her ability to speak or scream, sending her crashing to her knees. It was as though her blood had become acid, intent on destroying her from the inside out. Without meaning to, Akira's body curled into something fetal, leaving her weak to attacks, all the while the pain radiated throughout her entire body.

   "Sasuke! Akira!" Sakura shouted. "You! What have you done to them!?"
   "I just gave them a little parting gift," Orochimaru said. "Very soon, Sasuke will seek me out, he'll desire my power. Akira won't hesitate to follow her brother—he's everything to her."

Akira heaved a sigh and glanced over to her brother with a worried look. 

   "You heard what the proctor said, Sasuke. This is probably, at least in part, the work of Orochimaru. We both know how our last encounter went."
   "I thought you didn't remember," Sasuke said, narrowing his eyes at Akira.
   "I didn't. And I would have preferred it stayed that way," Akira said sharply. "Look, last time we saw Orochimaru, he put a curse mark on both of us, and there's only a slim chance he did that for no reason. Everyone who knows about these marks is probably worried that Orochimaru wants something more of us. I'm worried Mar—Orochimaru wants something more from us. Now, for once, Sasuke, listen to me. I've got my orders and I'd like to carry them out without having any more... complications."

Sasuke frowned and as he was about to protest, Akira's eyes flickered back towards the front. His eyes followed and they landed on Temari, Kankuro and Gaara who had just come within Akira's line of sight. She wordlessly signalled for them to accelerate and so they did, gaining more and more on the Sand Village ninjas. Akira could feel Gaara's chakra weakening by the minute, the same vile aura starting to come back as the demon began to take over. Suddenly, they stopped. Sasuke went to stop as well, but Akira dragged him forward, maintaining their speed.

   "We can't stop or it'll give us away. They need to think we're still running around looking for them, especially if they're stopping to lay a trap. It'll give us time to catch—hey, Sasuke!"

Sasuke didn't listen. He advanced faster, claiming that they needed to gain some ground, and didn't pay attention to Akira's warnings about the trees before them. Sasuke stepped on the wrong branch and a multitude of paper bombs exploded. He began to dodge them as they ignited. Akira narrowed her eyes. In the light of the explosions, she noticed the gleam of razor-sharp wires ready to slice anyone that came into contact with them. Akira took out several shuriken and tossed them at the wires. They snapped just as Sasuke landed on the next branch and he turned to look at her in thanks.

   "Listen to me," she insisted. "You're going to get yourself killed."
   "Shut u—"
   "No! Kakashi ordered me to keep your ass safe and I intend to keep my word! I need—"

Akira cut herself off and sighed. 

   "I can't disappoint—"

A loud cry interrupted Akira. She and Sasuke dashed straight for the sound and after a few more leaps through the trees, they finally came face to face with Temari, Kankuro and Gaara.

Chapter Text

The forest was ominously quiet now. The twisting and flitting of leaves in the wind were almost muted and even the sound of everyone's footsteps seemed to be muffled. As Akira and Sasuke stopped before the three Sand ninjas, Akira was transfixed by the myriad of fluttering leaves dancing in the high branches. It reminded her of the genjutsu from earlier, but it was calming now. She needed it. The mounting anxiety from the threat from the demon inside Gaara, Sasuke's unpredictability and Orochimaru's potential presence were worrying Akira.

She was a little taken aback when Temari jumped right at her and Sasuke. She launched three kunai from each hand, which Akira and Sasuke dodged easily. Akira couldn't help but frown. Temari was good—great even—but her attack was weak and ill-placed. As she kept coming forward, Kankuro picked up Gaara and dashed off. Sasuke and Akira shared a look.

   "I'm not supposed to let you out of my sight," Akira said, worried.
   "Akira," Sasuke sighed. "We need to divide and conquer. You know that's our best option."
   "I know but—"
   "I've got no clue what Kakashi told you, or why the hell you're not supposed to disappoint him, but I'm good."
   "Sasuke—"
   "Go after the painted idiot and the crazy guy," Sasuke said. "I'll draw out the girl and we'll regroup when I'm done with her."

Akira didn't have time to agree or disagree. Sasuke split off from Akira and drew Temari away without issue, which made her frown again. It was still far too easy.

But Sasuke was right, Akira thought despite herself. Gaara was currently the real threat, and as he was headed in the opposite direction that Sasuke was headed in, Akira had to convince herself that he'd be fine for now. With a long sigh and a harsh groan, Akira went after Gaara and Kankuro. She pulled out her katana, cutting small branches out of her way to maintain speed and visual contact.

It didn't take long for Kankuro to start slowing down, no doubt from the exhaustion of running through the trees whilst carrying a teenage boy on his shoulders. Akira pushed herself to increase her speed—there was no way she was going to let them out of her sight, and catching up to them meant she'd be able to get back to Sasuke faster. Eventually, it became clear that Kankuro couldn't maintain his speed at all. Swiftly, Akira managed to get ahead of him, and she pointed a katana at his head just as he came to an abrupt stop.

   "I can't let you go any further, Kankuro," Akira said. "Shame, really, you were starting to grow on me."
   "Yeah, same here," Kakuro said, almost sighing. He glanced at the blade pointed to his head. "But if I have to be your opponent, so be it."
   "Honestly, I don't really want to fight you."

Akira looked to Gaara hanging limply over Kankuro's shoulder. A saddened look crossed her features for a split second before the stern, cold look in her eyes returned.

   "I don't want to fight him, either."
   "You're nice to him," Kakuro said, frowning.
   "I'm not."
   "Gaara said you were. Told us you talked him down. How?"

A frown twitched at Akira's eyebrows for a moment. As much as she wanted to explore what Kankuro had just said, its implications and how exactly she'd managed to do it, Akira's eyes became hard again. She readjusted the grip on her blades and stared down its length and at Kankuro. For a moment, Kankuro was afraid of her.

   "You've threatened the village I've vowed to protect with my life, Kankuro."
   "Come on—"
   "If you want to have a heart to heart, find someone who gives a crap."
   "I think you do give a crap," Kankuro challenged.
   "Yeah, well, I wasn't trained that way."
   "I'll say."

Relief washed over Akira when she heard Sasuke's voice. She glanced over to him. Other than a few scuff marks, he seemed to be all right.

   "You're an ass sometimes," he continued. "Wonder who taught you that? Kakashi certainly didn't."

Akira gave Sasuke a side-eye glare. This wasn't the time to get into that topic.

   "Where's Temari?"
   "Here."

As Temari landed beside Kankuro, Akira saw that she was in far worse shape than Sasuke. However, she was still conscious. It irked her that that was her first thought since it was a very Orochimaru sort of thing, but it wasn't wrong. Gaara may have been out cold now, but he could wake up at any moment, and to take all three of them on at the same time would be a pain in the ass.

   "I see you went easy on her."
   "Hey, you're the one who insisted we couldn't be separated," Sasuke retorted. "I figured I'd get back before you came looking for me and I had to listen to you whine."
   "Yeah, and now I have to listen to you whine."

Sasuke glared at Akira and she could have sworn a wash of confusion went over his face. However, she paid it no mind and Sasuke turned back to the three Sand ninjas. Rage filled his eyes, similar to the fury that Akira had seen in his eyes in the Forest of Death. It was strange. Looking between them, Temari and Kankuro couldn't understand how someone trained by someone so aloof could turn out so wrathful—nothing of Kakashi's could be seen in Sasuke's demeanour. On the other hand, despite being trained by something so hateful, Akira was so very poised. In reality, however, Orochimaru's cold and arrogant determination was swimming through her veins, and Akira suspected that Sasuke could tell.

Akira's eyes shifted to Kankuro as he stepped forward. The bandage-wrapped puppet on his back came off and he placed it in front of him, putting something between him and the blade that Akira had never lowered.

   "Temari, take Gaara and go on ahead," Kankuro said sternly. "You're at your limit and I don't need a hindrance."
   "Sasuke, you've got Kankuro," Akira said, as Temari left with Gaara.
   "No!"

Everyone turned towards the sound of the voice. It was Shino Aburame, the insect tamer that was meant to fight Kankuro during the final rounds of the Chūnin exams. 

   "Your opponent is me!"
   "What do you want?" Kankuro asked Shino, looking very much confused.
   "I've got unfinished business with you because our match never even started." Shino turned to Akira and Sasuke. "Go, leave him to me."
   "Well, all right then, if you're sure you're okay," Sasuke said with a smirk. 
   "Don't worry. In ten minutes I'll be coming after you two to make sure you're okay."

Akira nodded to Shino and she pulled Sasuke away to pursue Temari and Gaara. She was faster than Kankuro, which made the Uchiha siblings pick up their speed almost as soon as they'd left, but Temari soon came to a halt as well. Akira could tell why. The evil aura in the air became suffocating all at once and, from a distance, Akira could see the vile look in Gaara's eyes. In a split second, a giant tendril of sand rushed out at Temari and pummelled her to the ground below.

Akira came to a stop and held out her arm in front of Sasuke. He turned to look at her, and the determined look on her face confused him. Akira, however, was far too focused on her own thoughts to notice. As per Kakashi's instructions, she had to keep Sasuke safe at any cost, but that would be hard to do while also trying to keep Gaara safe as well. Akira knew that the Sand siblings had threatened her village, but she truly didn't want to fight any of them. They were children used by grown men to carry out their dirty deeds, and the threat that Gaara specifically posed to Konoha wasn't his fault at all. His father had shoved the demon inside him at birth and consciously didn't seal it. Expecting a child to control it was madness and it was a miracle that Gaara had managed to survive this long. 

If push came to shove, Akira wouldn't have a choice. Her commitment to Kakashi, Sasuke, and Konoha took precedence over controlling Gaara and keeping him safe. However, Akira wouldn't put the idea aside until she had to. At the back of her mind, Akira knew she could pull Gaara from the demon's clutches. She hadn't the faintest idea how to accomplish that, and she had no idea how she'd managed to do it in the past, but somehow Akira knew she could do it again.

   "I have no idea what kind of scheme you Sand Village clowns are trying to pull, but I'll stop it no matter what it is!" Sasuke called, suddenly getting agitated. "Besides, I'm dying to see what you really are."
   "Sasuke... I need to ask a favour."

Sasuke glanced at his sister, eyebrows furrowed. She was staring at Gaara's face, watching as his sand armour across his skin was starting to crack. She looked almost worried.

   "Don't use lethal force unless you have to."
   "What!? Akira—"
   "Don't argue with me," Akira snapped. "I've brought him back before and I'm going to do it again."
   "He could kill you!"
   "If I'm on the verge of death, then you do whatever you want. Until then..."

Akira jumped a few branches ahead instead of finishing her sentence. Sasuke watched worriedly, as she was definitely within reach of one of Gaara's sand tendrils now, but Akira wasn't scared. Sasuke knew this. Her posture was straight, her stance was strong, and there wasn't a single shake of her limbs that indicated fear or nervousness.

Gaara shouted loudly. He clutched his head in pain again, screaming. Akira could tell that he was beginning to lose control over himself.

   "Gaara!"

The boy's head whipped upwards and his panicked sea-green eyes landed on Akira. Temari had regained consciousness by then, and she was standing in the tree beside them. When Akira went to approach Gaara some more, Temari pulled out a few kunai and tossed them at her, forcing her to stop. 

   "Don't you dare get any closer!" Temari shouted, looking at Akira. "Remember our mission, Gaara!"
   "Look at him, Temari!" Akira shouted, breaking eye contact with Gaara. "He's in no state to do anything, let alone whatever mission you all had planned! Look at him!"

Temari tentatively looked over to Gaara.

   "Look what your father did to him! He's barely holding together! If he isn't calmed down, he's going to die!" 

Gaara began yelling again, the heartbreaking shouts echoing throughout the forest. His head in his hands, he fell to his knees. Akira went to move towards him, but Temari shot another kunai at her. Sand began to creep across his body, seemingly coming out of nowhere, and the sand arm that had formed earlier clung to his skin and solidified over his arms. Deep blue markings appeared on the appendage and they crept up to his face. The sand followed, spreading like a disease, and the eye that had become covered by the sand went from aqua to a murky yellow colour with his sclera turned black.

The dangerous mix of demon and boy was starting to take form and it was clear that Gaara was no longer in control. Sasuke looked at Akira as if expecting her to give him the all-clear for a full assault, but she didn't. Her eyes were focused on Gaara's and the demon's, watching for a sign that he was going to move.

   "Back!"

As Akira shouted, the demon arm attached to Gaara stretched forward and attempted to claw at the Uchiha siblings. They stepped back and out of the way, though at the very last second, and landed behind a tree as the clawed arm destroyed the branch where they once stood. Sasuke looked over at Akira.

   "Is he human or monster!?" he asked, annoyed.
   "He's like Naruto," Akira explained, far more calmly than she should have been. "Unlike Naruto, however, the Kazekage didn't give his son the benefit of a seal."
   "So that thing can just rampage whenever it wants!? How the hell do you know this?"
   "I guessed, Sasuke. Used my big Uchiha brain. I mean—" Akira waved in Gaara's general direction—"look at him."
   "And how'd you manage to calm that down?"
   "I didn't," Akira grumbled. "I just talked him down last time, but he wasn't this far gone last time. I don't think a simple heart-to-heart will suffice this time."
   "Why do you hide Uchiha!?" the demon taunted. "Do I frighten you!?"
   "Case and point."

Akira glanced over her shoulder, trying to get a glimpse of Gaara and Temari from behind the tree. From what she could see, Temari was terrified. Tears were falling from her eyes and her hands were covering her ears as if to block out any temptation or threat that the demon could make against her. It wasn't surprising that she could barely look Gaara in the eye earlier.

   "Are you shocked by my true form!? Come out, come out, Uchiha!"

Impatient as usual, Sasuke let out an annoyed huff and performed a substitution jutsu. He jumped out at Gaara and the clawed arm darted for him immediately. It hit the substitute straight in the stomach and Sasuke vanished in a puff of smoke, leaving behind a log with a huge chunk pitted out.

Sasuke appeared behind Gaara, six kunai in hand. Annoyed, Akira let out a rough sigh and dashed out from her hiding place. She came between Sasuke and Gaara, deflecting the kunai that he'd thrown, and as she landed, she grabbed Sasuke by the arm. With a good swing, Akira threw Sasuke out of the way, intent on keeping him safe and out of the fight, but her brother had other ideas. As Akira threw him, Sasuke grabbed hold of her wrist and tried to toss her aside instead. However, this only angered Akira even more and she used the momentum he was gaining to spin him around and throw him back to their hiding spot.

   "You stay," Akira said sternly, pointing to Sasuke. "Kakashi's orders."

Finally, Akira landed steadily on a branch, only a few feet away from Gaara. She sighed quietly and kept an eye on the appendage that took a chunk out of the fake Sasuke as she put away her katana. Her gaze went from Shukaku's yellow eye to Gaara's sea-green eye.

   "Gaara," Akira began tentatively, "I have no idea how I did this last time, but I'm begging you—you need to calm down. I know that you think you want to do this, but you told me—Shukaku is the one who wants this. Shukaku is the one that wants to kill, not you. Doing what Shukaku wants won't bring you anything!"

Akira was screaming by then. Her voice cracked on the last final words, throat raw from shouting.

   "Killing me or Sasuke won't bring you the answers you want and it won't bring you any peace! It'll bring nothing, Gaara! Nothing! You need to calm Shukaku, and I know you can do it because you've been doing it for years! You're strong, Gaara—prove it to me!"

The eye that still belonged to Gaara seemed to calm for a split second. For a moment, there was a boy behind all that rage. But it was gone as quickly as it came. The fury resurged and it took only a split second for Akira to be tossed aside by the clawed arm attached to Gaara. However, unlike the substituted Sasuke earlier, Shukaku hadn't hit her nearly as hard. The pain radiated across her torso, but the claws hadn't touched her, almost as if the demon was only trying to get her out of the way.

Disoriented and with a loud ringing in her ears, Akira stood up again and turned to Sasuke. He'd gone forward again, throwing kunai at Gaara and the arm that had just hit his sister. They sank into the sand and then shot back Sasuke, flaming like sharp fireballs. Still a little hazy, Akira launched herself towards Sasuke and spun in midair, deflecting the kunai with her katana. One of them still managed to get through, however, and it hit Akira straight in the shoulder. She winced and fell back, but Sasuke caught her and he dragged her behind a tree trunk and out of sight.

   "Stop protecting me, idiot!" Sasuke growled, holding his sister at arm's length.
   "Nope. Kakashi asked me to keep you safe and that's what I'm going to do," Akira said through clenched teeth. She pulled the kunai from her shoulder and tossed it to the ground. "It was an order and I'm not in the habit of disobeying orders."
   "What's wrong Sasuke Uchiha? Why do you run and hide behind your little sister?" the demon taunted. "Why do you let her shield you, stop your attacks, stunt your hatred?"
   "God, he's such a freak!" Sasuke whispered harshly.
   "He's not a freak, Sasuke," Akira said sternly. "This isn't Gaara talking."

A sudden crash caught Sasuke's and Akira's attention again. Trees that were there just moments ago were now gone, cut in half or ripped out of the ground. A loud growl made its way through the forest and Gaara jumped towards Akira and Sasuke. Akira didn't move an inch as he made his way towards her, but Sasuke jumped out of the way immediately. The Sharingan was focused on the yellow eye belonging to Shukaku and Akira stared it down.

   "Akira, what the hell are you doing!?" Sasuke shouted.
   "Trying something," Akira muttered.

She raised her chin and stood her ground. Instead of ploughing straight through her, Gaara came to an abrupt stop only a few feet from Akira, almost as if he were commanded to do so. The yellow eye squinted and stared, and Akira had a feeling that the demon was confused.

   "It's clear that Gaara is no longer in control," Akira began. "So, who are you?"
   "You know my name," the low demon growl said. "You've always known my name, don't play the fool!"

Akira rose an eyebrow, determined not to let her confusion show. She'd learned Shukaku's name from Gaara only a few days ago. There was no way that she could have always known the demon's name.

   "Refresh my memory, then. It's only fair since you know who I am."

The gourd on Gaara's back turned to sand and fell down to the tree branch he was standing on. Blue markings appeared in the sand again and it attached itself to Gaara's lower back, forming one giant spiked tail.

   "I am your first—Shukaku, the One-Tailed beast."

Akira couldn't hide her confusion this time. However, a nearly blinding flash of blue light pulled her from her thoughts. Sasuke tackled Shukaku's clawed arm, completely destroying it with the Chidori he'd clearly learned from Kakashi. Gaara was sent flying from the impact and violently landed on a thick branch of another tree.

A deep maniacal laugh rose from Shukaku. He stood and glared at Sasuke, but Akira got in between them again. She glanced at Sasuke over her shoulder and then back ahead. With an annoyed sigh, Akira gently rose her left arm and a spiral of water followed out of the gourd on her back. Sasuke watched, wide-eyed, as the water darted straight for Gaara, finally bearing witness to Akira's unique ability. The stream of water quickly spread into a cocoon of water that trapped Gaara inside, and moments later the buzzing sound of Akira's Inazuma filled the forest. However, somehow, the normally yellow jutsu sparked across her blade in pure white.

For a moment, Sasuke was taken aback by the change, watching the electricity surround the cocoon of water and shock Gaara to the core, but the familiar flamelike markings of Orochimaru's curse mark caught his eye. They freely spread over Akira's neck and shoulders, glowing bright orange, unimpeded by the seal that restricted his cursed seal. Sasuke watched his sister's face. It was calm and determined, not a single sign that the curse mark overcoming her skin was causing her pain, which made his eyes narrow.

There was only one way this could have happened and it was a clear explanation as to why there was no way Akira was going to disobey Kakashi's orders. After having the mark unsealed, she had learned this, practised this—even with everything Kakashi and Sakura had said.

   "Sasuke—together!"

The look of anger on Sasuke's face disappeared the second Akira gave the all-clear to attack Gaara. He charged his second Chidori and, moments later, the buzzing sound of Akira's Inazuma joined the chirping of thousands of birds. She pointed her katana at Gaara, keeping her left hand raised to maintain the cocoon of water that was trapping him, then Akira and Sasuke dashed forward together.

Akira glanced sideways at her brother, nervous, as the flamelike markings that spread controlled over her skin spread uncontrollably over his. However, Akira didn't have the luxury of being worried for too long. The Chidori and Inazuma cracked the water sphere the second it made contact, which sent Akira, Sasuke and Gaara flying in opposite directions. Akira skidded to halt and the curse mark receded, but Sasuke had fallen limp on a nearby branch. The curse mark wasn't receding and with the very little amount of chakra left in his body, Sasuke was paralysed. 

The girl cursed loudly and she turned to Gaara again. He stood, barely conscious, and the sand that had been obliterated spread across his arm once more. For a moment, Shukaku's yellow eye lingered on Akira, but it quickly turned to look at Sasuke. Akira frowned. Again, it was as if Shukaku was doing everything in his power to avoid getting into a confrontation with her—if Akira didn't know any better, she'd have said the demon was being soft.

As she was distracted by her own thoughts, it took a moment for Akira to realise that Gaara was sprinting for the unconscious Sasuke. She swore loudly. Even with her Sharingan awakened, Akira's body wasn't fast enough to react. Thankfully, the group that had been following them arrived at that moment. Naruto came down on Gaara with a strong kick and Akira sighed, relieved. However, despite the relief she felt upon seeing Naruto, Sakura and Pakkun, Shikamaru was missing. For a moment, Akira allowed herself to worry. She was certain that he'd stayed behind to deal with Kankuro alongside Shino, but she was worried.

   "Akira..."

The Uchiha turned to look at Sakura, who'd spoken. Her eyes were wide with panic, which didn't surprise Akira, but her fear was directed at her and the stable, black flame-like markings that sat on her skin.

   "I've got it under control, don't worry," Akira said flatly, casting her gaze sideways for a moment.
   "Don't worry?" Sakura scoffed. "You having it under control is just as worrisome as it taking over, Akira. It means you had it unsealed."
   "And Ino says you're dumb..."
   "Akira—"
   "You don't want to know who, Sakura," Akira interrupted. She glanced down at Sasuke. "Don't let him fight. Keep him safe. Kakashi's orders."

Sakura frowned, worried and scared, but she went over to Sasuke immediately. Akira turned her focus back to Gaara and Naruto. They weren't moving, simply glaring at each other. It was clear that the demon had recognised Naruto, or at least the demon inside him, but Naruto was having trouble understanding what was going on with Gaara.

   "It's Gaara, Naruto," Akira said, coming to stand beside her teammate. "The One-Tailed beast Shukaku has taken over his mind and parts of his body."

Naruto glanced at her, scared and surprised. The information she'd just given, mixed with the tattoo-like flame markings spread across her skin were too much for Naruto to take all at once, and the struggle going on behind them with the now conscious Sasuke wasn't helping either. 

   "Let me fight!" he shouted, struggling against Sakura.
   "Two is your limit, Sasuke," Akira said, bored. "If you use any more chakra, the curse mark will take over and kill you."
   "WHAT GIVES YOU THE—"
   "Now, if that doesn't kill you, you'll just run out of chakra and die anyway," Akira continued airily. "Either way, you're dead. Do you want to be a dead man, Sasuke?"
   "BUT YOU'RE USING IT!"
   "Yeah, and I sold my soul to do it."

Sasuke glared at Akira but he fell back down, defeated. Akira sighed, pushing her cheek out with her tongue, then turned back to Gaara. She took a deep breath and as she did so, the black markings on her skin receded back into the seal on her neck. Naruto watched in awe as it happened, but the fascination was short-lived.

Gaara launched himself at Sasuke again, but Akira sent a tendril of water flew out at the demon, whose sand appendages fell to the ground, heavy and useless. Annoyed, Akira rushed over to stand between him and Sasuke, and just as the demon got close to Akira, it retreated, clutching its head in its hands.

   "GET OUT OF MY WAY!"
   "No," Akira said sternly. "I'm not going to do that."
   "YOU'RE NOT THE BOSS OF ME ANYMORE!"

Akira was caught off-guard. Shukaku tossed her aside with the tail he'd grown from Gaara's gourd and held her against a tree, arms stuck to her side and unable to move or produce any jutsu. After a short while, the pressure on her chest began to restrict her airflow and the corners of her vision began to darken.

   "What's the matter, Naruto? You aren't running away?" Shukaku mocked.
   "I won't! Because you three are my friends!" Naruto shouted. "Try laying so much as another finger on them and I'll clobber you!"

The tail that held Akira in place constricted, crushing the girl even more. She coughed, gasping for breath. Everything became fuzzy as the Sharingan left her eyes.

   "So... what's the matter?" Shukaku said slowly. "Weren't you going to clobber me? Then hurry up and come get me!"

Naruto initially hesitated, but he ended up charging at the possessed Gaara. As he pulled out a single kunai, the sand tail removed itself from Akira and flung down at Naruto without effort at all. Air rushed back into Akira's lungs and her blurred vision began returning to normal. The tail went back to hit her again and Akira fumbled to get up, but Naruto rushed in and lifted her out of the way.

When they landed, Akira took a second to catch her breath. As soon as her vision had returned to normal, the Sharingan returned, six tomoe focusing on the demon like a high definition camera. 

Akira pulled out her katana again and sliced at the demon's arm of sand, forcing it to retract. Angry, the demon went to lunge at her for the first time, but Akira was ready. With a wave of her own arm, she intercepted the sand tail, trapping it in water, which gave Naruto the time to perform his own jutsu. Unfortunately, it seemed as though Master Jiraya hadn't managed to hammer the summoning jutsu into Naruto's brain. Instead of the large toads Naruto was hoping for, a dog-sized toad appeared. He groaned and started arguing with it.

   "That's a good idea, Naruto," Akira said. "Shukaku is going to be too big for us soon."
   "Yeah, but Pervy Sage's jutsu is hard! I can't even summon the right guy!"

Akira sighed and rolled her head back. Naruto looked at her. There was an irritated look on her face and when Akira rolled her head back into its normal position, she pinched the bridge of her nose.

   "I'll help. Just know that this goes against my better judgement."

Akira aggressively put her katana back into its holster and then bit her thumb to draw some blood. She performed a few hand signs and then slammed her hand onto the thick branch she was standing on.

A large puff of smoke obscured everyone's view. Akira felt something underfoot and, moments later, she was rising through the air, passing the cloud of smoke that had appeared. Unaware of the stares she was getting from Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura, Akira's eyes focused on the sand gathering over the rest of Gaara's body. With each passing second, Shukaku was mutating and taking full control over him. As Shiro reached his full height, so had Shukaku. Two enormous spiked arms had formed, the tail had gotten bigger, and Gaara's face disappeared behind Shukaku's demonic sand-face.

   "What is this?" Shiro hissed, disgusted.
   "A demon, dear friend," Akira sighed.
   "Oh, wonderful..."

Chapter Text

Shiro hissed at the creature before them as it mutated further, covering Gaara's body like some incurable disease. Since the serpent's appearance, Shukaku had doubled in size, and he was nearing the same height at which Akira stood. As he mutated, Akira could have sworn she could hear Gaara's cries from within, but she couldn't dwell on it for too long. Shukaku swung a spiked arm in Naruto's direction, which the boy managed to dodge at the last second.

Shukaku taunted Naruto again, spewing words of hate at the boy, but Akira wasn't having any of it. She told him off immediately, voice commanding, and, to everyone's surprise, Shukaku fell silent. Akira and Shukaku glared at each other for a moment and then the demon headed for Naruto again, completely ignoring the Uchiha girl.

Naruto charged at Shukaku again, multiplying himself with the use of his shadow clone jutsu in an attempt to distract and confuse. Every last one of them attacked the mutating demon, but the multiple teethed mouths sprouted from Shukaku's sand body and blasted the copies out of existence. The strength of the gales of wind made Akira teeter atop Shiro's head and the serpent groaned as he expelled sand from his nostrils.

   "I think I'll toy with you for a while," Shukaku cackled. "Watch you abandon your friends. Watch you surrender and beg for mercy when you die."
   "Surrender?"

A laugh rose out of Akira that worried her comrades. There was humour behind it, sure, as Akira was genuinely amused by the comment, but the sound of it was almost dangerous. Somehow, a vicious undertone made it's way through, turning what would have normally been a light laugh into some kind of a cackle.

   "You say you know me, Shukaku," Akira said, a dark smirk on her lips, "but do you really? If you think that I'd just... surrender to you, then you're far more stupid than you look."
   "Must you really insult the thing that could kill you?" Shiro sighed.
   "It wouldn't be me if I didn't, Shiro." Akira glared at the demon. "This ends now, Shukaku. Naruto."
   "Y-Yeah?" the boy asked, a little worried.
   "We're finishing this now."
   "Right! Let's do this!"

Naruto summoned hundreds and hundreds of shadow clones, each one of them attaching a paper bomb to a single kunai.

   "Shiro, we're going in gently—"
   "Gently?"
   "Yes. I'm hurting the demon, not the boy inside."

Shiro sighed but agreed and the clones all launched themselves towards Shukaku simultaneously. The demon was surrounded and, not knowing how to deal with all the attackers at once, he sent blasts of air and sand towards as many clones as he could. However, none of these blasts hit the originals and they managed to weave their way towards Shukaku. This gave Akira and Shiro the opportunity to weave through the gusts of air and the clones.

As the paper bombs went off, Shiro dashed through the clouds of gunpowder smoke. Large chunks of sand began to fall off Gaara as the bombs detonated close to him. Akira made a few hand signs and blew a gust of wind ahead, clearing a path for her own attack. By then, Shukaku had grown to his full size. With a deafening roar, the demon sent a wave of sandblasts ahead, and Akira had to steady herself with chakra just to remain attacked to Shiro's head. The serpent pushed through and Akira sent out another gale of wind to block the sand from coming into her eyes. 

She charged a kunai with a jolt of white electricity and when she was a few metres away from Shukaku, Akira broke into a run. She dashed across Shiro's head and kicked off, soaring through the air like a mythological hero of old. The white streak of electricity followed her as she went and, when she landed, gripping the hard sand with the tips of her fingers, Akira jabbed the kunai near Shukaku's shoulder. 

It hadn't worked.

Sand began to fly in every direction, particularly towards Akira and Naruto, in an attempt to bury them alive. As the sand began swirling around Akira, Shiro was on the move. He coiled himself around Akira, shielding her from the abrasive sand. The girl closed her eyes and took several deep breaths, trying to stunt the anger that was rising within her. Akira needed to focus. 

She tilted her head back and took a single deep breath, ignoring the crashing sounds that were ringing outside Shiro's protective cocoon. Akira took another deep breath and closed her eyes. From within Shiro's coiled body came a bright white glow. The buzzing of thousands of insects reached everyone's ears and as the serpent uncoiled himself, Akira emerged, covered in orange, flame-like markings.

   "Let's go, Shiro."

Akira jumped onto Shiro's head and the serpent dashed towards the battlefield. Naruto had managed to summon an incredibly large toad and they were fighting off Shukaku as best they could. Akira welcomed the distraction. Her right hand began to glow and crackle with white electricity again, and while the jutsu was far more powerful than her usual Inazuma, it didn't burn or peel away her skin.

Akira watched as the giant toad vanished, only to be replaced with the nightmare that had once plagued the Leaf Village. Kurama the Nine-Tailed Fox was facing off with Suhkaku now and Akira couldn't help but look on, frowning. She had no idea what Naruto was thinking, but she knew that this had to stop—there wasn't room for two rampaging demons in the same battle.

As Shiro came into range, Akira spied Gaara's upper body sticking out of Shukaku's head, completely vulnerable to an attack. Once again, Akira broke into a run, giving herself an extra boost of speed by sending bursts of chakra to her feet. As she jumped off of Shiro's head, the power of the curse mark surged. A spiral of white chakra rose from Akira's pores and trailed behind her like smoke as she soared through the air. Her hair, once tied, wildly flicked behind her, and her eyes were focused, white chakra flickering in her red irises.

Naruto ran up Shukaku's head and punched Gaara so hard in the face that Shukaku stopped moving for a moment. Akira came up from his right side and Gaara's head only snapped in her direction at the last second. The girl's hand pierced Gaara's shoulder, her chakra covered hand cutting cleanly through his flesh. As the boy let out a pained cry, Shukaku crumbled into dust.

A sigh of relief left Akira's mouth. The white chakra vanished, the flame-like pattern on her skin receded, and all the tension in Akira's body was instantly soothed. However, Akira's body was heavy, and she, Naruto and Gaara were plummeting at a rapid speed. As they fell, Akira grabbed hold of Gaara and pulled him close, prepared to absorb the impact of their fall. However, the bone-shattering impact never came. Instead, Akira's, Naruto's and Gaara's fall was cushioned by Shiro's body.

Akira let out a relieved sigh and enjoyed the light breeze that came from being lowered to the ground. She turned her head to look at Naruto, who was semi-conscious, looking a little confused as to what was happening. A small smile rose to Akira's mouth and she closed her eyes, letting herself relax until she passed out.

Chapter Text

Akira awoke between soft sheets and to light trickling in through the curtains in front of the window. They were swaying gently, a light breeze coming through the open windows. Shedding herself of the remaining glimpses of a dream, Akira's eyes remained shut as she soaked in the warmth of her blankets. After a while, Akira's eyelids opened to reveal the sun's rays to her dark eyes, as well as the people surrounding her. Though the sight of her friends should have calmed her, Akira's heart pounded. It was as if a hypodermic needle full of adrenaline had been emptied into her body. She sat up abruptly. The room began to spin and she became lightheaded.

Thoughts began accelerating through Akira's mind. She wanted them to slow so that she could breathe and get her bearings, but everything that had happened during the past few months was rushing to the front of her mind. Had Shukaku gone for good? Where was Shikamaru? Was Sasuke safe? Would Kakashi forgive her? What would happen with Maru?

Akira felt sick and she gagged, threatening to vomit. She wanted to call for medical-nin, but the room was spinning so much she couldn't see anyone or anything anymore.

   "Akira!"

A firm grip latched onto her shoulders and everything began to slow down. Things were beginning to focus and the room stopped spinning. As Akira calmed, her breath slowed, and she looked around the room. Though they were a little blurry, Akira could see Naruto and Sakura smiling down at her. On the bed beside her, she saw what looked like Sasuke's outline. Then there was Kai, looking down at her with worry in his eyes, but they brightened up the second Akira looked at him. There was Hinata beside him, holding a basket of confections Akira suspected she'd made herself. With another glance to the left, Kiba and Shikamaru came into view.

   "You're all okay," Akira said airily, sitting up.
   "Hey, watch it!" Kai, Kiba and Shikamaru said together.
   "I'm so relieved you're okay, Shikamaru!" Akira exclaimed, ignoring everyone's protests to give Shikamaru a hug. "When I didn't see you with Sakura, Naruto and Pakkun—"
   "I'm fine, I'm fine," Shikamaru said with a sigh. "Now let go."
   "And you!" Akira continued, letting go of Shikamaru to tackle Kiba. "Last time I saw you, you were—I can't even remember."
   "Calm down, Kira, we're all okay," Kiba laughed, patting Akira on the head. "Kai, too."
   "Kai!"

The boy took a step back at the sound of her tone. She unstuck herself from Kiba and pointed angrily at her friend.

   "Where were you!? You weren't at the arena!"
   "Uh, well, see—"
   "Kai Manzo."
   "Mom asked me to babysit Katuso again! She smacked me with a spoon—a metal spoon!"
   "That's rough, buddy," Shikamaru sighed.
   "Well, damn, okay," Akira said flatly.

She gave him a hug too, and Kai sent everyone a fearful glance that made them laugh. After a moment, Akira pulled back and glanced around the room.

   "Where's Gaara?"
   "Gaara?" Shikamaru asked. He looked to Sakura and Naruto, annoyed. "Okay, seriously, what the hell happened out there?"
   "You guys didn't tell them what happened?"
   "We weren't sure that we should," Sakura said, a little quiet. "There were a lot of things that happened I wasn't sure you wanted us to share."

Akira took a deep breath and leaned back into bed, running a hand across her face. Sakura looked worried, with reason, and while Akira couldn't tell whether Naruto understood the gravity of her usage of the curse mark and the summoning of snakes, she could tell that he was concerned too. 

Akira looked over to Kiba, Kai and Shikamaru and told them what happened, leaving out the details she felt they didn't need to have.

   "—I didn't intend to take that fall for nothing," she finished. "So, where is he? I want to see him."
   "He's gone, Akira," Naruto said quietly, looking disappointed.
   "His brother and sister came to get him the second you all touched the ground," Sasuke added. "I let them go."

Akira's shoulders slumped and her eyes cast themselves downwards. She should have been angry—she'd gone through all that trouble and all that pain to make sure that Gaara was safe from Shukaku, and Temari and Kankuro had repaid her with nothing. Instead, they took Gaara away. However, she could only be disappointed. Akira wanted to see how he was doing, if he'd made it out all right, to see what he was like without the fear of Shukaku looming over him. Her only wish now was that his siblings took care of him.

   ''Hey, what matters is that he's fine,'' Shikamaru said almost softly, as if he was trying to force himself to be nice for once. ''I'm sure we'll see him again.''
   ''Under better circumstances, I hope,'' Akira sighed. She took a quick deep breath and stood, causing her friends to panic a little. ''Well, it's time that I get outta here.''
   ''But you literally just freaked out!'' Kiba protested.
   ''Oh, I'm fine! I was only worried and disoriented. Not injured,'' Akira said, waving her hands dismissively.

She gathered up her clothes and went into the adjacent bathroom, reemerging fully clothed.

   "You got stabbed in the shoulder," Naruto said, deadpan.
   "You lost oxygen for at least five minutes," Sakura added, unimpressed.
   "You used up so much chakra you passed out," Sasuke noted, annoyed.
   "Oh, those don't count."

Despite her friends' objections, Akira made to leave the room. A medical-nin was blocking her way and she smiled innocently at them.

   "And where do you think you're going? We didn't give you the all clear, yet."
   "Well, see, as you know, I'm a horrible patient," Akira said, slowly inching around the medical-nin. "And, uh, whether you give me the all-clear or not I'm gonna be leaving. Wouldn't want you to get in trouble as I just... sneak by you."

The medical ninja tried to grab Akira as she slipped past them, but she easily evaded the ninja's arms. When the medical-nin turned, they gave Akira an annoyed look, to which she just shrugged and walked away from. The medical-nin sighed and rose her hands in defeat and let Akira walk away with her friends, save Sasuke who stayed behind and ultimately left later that same day.

Soon after, Naruto split off from the group and Akira followed Kai, Kiba and Shikamaru downtown to get some food—the growling of her stomach had been especially loud. As they walked, Shikamaru filled her in on what had happened while she was out cold for two days.

   "The Hokage died!?" Akira exclaimed. "On the roof, right? That big purple thing?"
   "Yeah," Kai sighed sadly. "Everyone's saying that Orochimaru was behind everything."

Akira immediately averted her gaze, suddenly finding her shoes rather fascinating to look at. A small wave of nausea rose up in her throat, but she easily ignored it. Shikamaru continued and, eventually, Akira's gaze lifted.

Slowly, the village was being rebuilt following the attack. Several dozen people were walking around, carrying building supplies and bringing them to shops and homes that needed repairing. The sounds of birds, shopkeepers and the scents of foods from the stalls were now mingled with the sounds of swinging hammers and the smell of freshly cut lumber. The sight of it all brought a slight smile to Akira's face, but it vanished as quickly as it came.

Despite it not being her fault, Akira couldn't help but feel responsible. Orochimaru was like Jiraya—he was from Konohagakure and already knew all the inner workings of the village. But she had been the one to look the other way when she felt that something was wrong, and she purposefully went against everything she believed in to train with Orochimaru. Worst of all, she'd failed to see the cues that told her who Maru truly was. Akira sighed. She'd have to live with that for the rest of her life.

A small barking noise brought Akira from her thoughts. A dog was running towards her, a small scroll in its mouth. She recognised it immediately.

   "You're getting messages from dogs, now?" Kiba asked, sounding a little jealous. He looked at Akamaru on top of his head. "Why don't you bring me my mail, huh?"

Akamaru grumbled disapprovingly.

   "It's one of Kakashi-sensei's ninken, you idiot, not my mail," Akira chuckled.

She bent down to take the note from the dog and thanked it. The ninken barked happily and vanished into a puff of smoke. Akira unfurled the scroll and scanned its contents. A small sigh escaped her lips and she dropped the scroll. It burnt up before it reached the ground and Akira stared at the ashes for a split second before looking up to her friends.

   "I've got to go."
   "What a drag," Shikamaru complained. "Couldn't he have waited until we had lunch?"
   "There ain't no rest for the wicked," Akira muttered under her breath.

She sent a mock salute to the three boys then turned on her heels and jumped up into a nearby tree. From there, she climbed up to the rooftops and used them as a quicker path to the location Kakashi wanted to meet her at. After a few minutes, Akira jumped back to the ground, landing in front of a small tea shop. 

Kakashi was nearby, talking to Asuma and Kurenai-sensei about something. As she approached them, a strange feeling washed over her and she couldn't help but look back into the shop. It had been a while since Akira had felt this way, and while there was nothing in her surroundings to suggest anything was wrong, she knew better than to ignore this feeling. It was similar to the way her body seized up around Orochimaru, but not quite.

   "Akira."

She pulled herself away from the strange sensation crawling over her skin and looked over when Kakashi called her name a second time. The moment her eyes fell on Kakashi, an overwhelming sense of grief washed over her and her gaze immediately found the ground again.

   "Look at me."
   "No," Akira said simply, her voice rather quiet.
   "Akira, look at me."
   "Kakashi-sensei—"
   "Sensei?" Kakashi said, almost chuckling. "Guess I've been demoted."
   "No, I have." Akira finally glanced up at Kakashi and he could see the ocean of emotions swirling in her eyes. She looked away almost as quickly as she'd looked up. "Why am I here? I doubt you asked to meet me in public to discuss this."

Kakashi sighed and nodded. He was about to speak when the strange feeling crept over her skin again, as if it was brushing up against her. Akira turned to look over her shoulder but, once again, saw nothing out of the ordinary. However, she had the distinct feeling that her searching eyes were intruding on someone else's activities.

   "Kakashi, it's not like you to show up early."

Akira turned away from the feeling again and looked back to Kakashi. Sasuke had joined them and it was him who'd spoken.

   "Well, sometimes I do," Kakashi said in his usual aloof tone of voice. "I'm treating you guys to lunch, but let's go someplace else. I don't have much of a sweet tooth."

And that's when the strange sensation suddenly felt familiar. Akira looked up at the restaurant's sign and her eyebrows furrowed in worry. Sasuke looked at her and scoffed, but Kakashi, on the other hand, took the sudden stiffness of her body as an indication he was right. There were goosebumps on her skin and her hands were flexed into a tight fist that seemed to be cutting off circulation to her fingers.

   "I've got... a really bad feeling," Akira whispered. She turned to Kakashi and Sasuke, swallowing gravely. "Really bad."
   "Come on, you're just paranoid," Sasuke said, rolling his eyes.

However, Akira wasn't paranoid. Despite the entire Orochimaru and Maru debacle, Kakashi knew that Akira's intuitions were usually on point. More than that, he couldn't see a hint of paranoia or uncertainty in her eyes. The ocean of emotions that had been there mere minutes ago had been completely drowned by fear.

Akira looked directly at Kakashi and studied his face.

   "I just confirmed it, didn't I?" she asked. "I'm here because you needed to see how I'd react."
   "Yeah," Kakashi breathed.
   "What are you talking about?" Sasuke asked impatiently. "Confirm what?"

Akira's fearful eyes looked to her brother and it didn't take long for him to understand.

Even though she'd gone through severe trauma concerning Orochimaru recently, Sasuke knew better than to think he was what she was afraid of. There'd only ever been one thing that could truly induce fear in her seemingly unshakable sister and that was their brother, Itachi Uchiha.

According to her, Itachi Uchiha was the strongest shinobi she'd ever met. Not only had he been responsible for her entire clan's massacre, but he was also to blame for Sasuke's persistent rage and Akira's desire to become the best kunoichi possible. Everything that Itachi Uchiha had done or had been was the sole reason that the Uchiha twins had become who they were.

However, there was one thing that Itachi hadn't managed to make her into and that was exactly what Sasuke had become—angry. No matter how much he had insisted that they grow up wrathful and hell-bent on taking him down, Akira had never been able to amass enough rage to accomplish it. Itachi had tried to sully every single memory she had of him, but, slowly and painfully, Akira had managed to decontaminate them. They were few, but there were still pleasant memories of Itachi locked away in Akira's heart. Looking over at the rage that was consuming Sasuke's facial features, Akira couldn't help but feel bad for having them.

It forced her to counter the anger by being unnaturally calm—one of the only things that Orochimaru had instilled in her that she respected. If everyone around her was going to be blinded by emotion, then she would have to be the one to bring the level-headedness to the mix. Kakashi could have been the one to do it, but she wouldn't have it, and he watched as the fear in her eyes vanish into an icy coldness that almost scared him.

   "I suspect that he's looking for you, but I don't know why. You know that he'll find you if you wander, so don't—"

Sasuke suddenly vanished.

   "—wander off." Kakashi sighed. "Great."
   "I still have your orders," Akira stated. "I can go get him."

Kakashi looked up at the sky and he sighed.

   "He's much stronger than you."
   "I'm aware, but if he wanted to hurt me I'd be dead already," Akira said honestly. She looked around at the crowd again, eyes focused on nothing in particular. "Besides, I just faced off with a demon—I think I can handle myself well enough."
   "Just make sure he doesn't get to Sasuke—I don't trust him."

Akira scoffed.

   "And yet you trust me."
   "Akira—"
   "Not here, not now," Akira said, cutting Kakashi off. "Just let me know if something happens."

Without any further words, Akira jumped up to the rooftops again and ran off. She stopped at one of the highest points in town and looked around, thinking about all the places that Sasuke would have gone to reminisce about their brother. With a sigh, Akira headed east and went down the same path she used to get to the dojo. However, instead of veering off towards the lake, she kept going until she reached the dilapidated Uchiha compound.

Despite the sun shining high in the sky, the compound was dark, and even though the bodies had been cleared out years ago, the stench of death was everywhere. Her nose crinkled displeasingly as she looked over the old bakery and armoury, trying to ignore the memory of all the bodies that used to lay here. However, she could see them as clear as day and when she made it to the main house, it took a great deal of bravery for Akira to step inside.

The traditional-style home was dark and everything inside was caked with dust. Akira had the sudden urge to clean everything, but a creaking noise to her left pulled her from those thoughts. She forced herself to ignore the pictures that lined the walls, the family crests, and the old dishes lying in the sink, and Akira found Sasuke standing on the threshold of their parents' old bedroom. 

   "I wasn't able to do anything..."
   "Sasuke—"
   "Oh, don't 'Sasuke' me, Akira!" the boy shouted, turning to face his sister. "Naruto just keeps getting stronger and stronger, you just keep getting stronger and stronger because you've been training with Orochimaru—yeah, wasn't that hard to figure out when you're using the curse mark without repercussions, summoning snakes, and worried about disappointing Kakashi. And you know what? I envy you. I envy you because now, compared to you—"
   "Don't you dare compare yourself to me," Akira said sternly. "Don't look to me for an example on how to behave. I went against every fibre of my being and everything I value for this power, Sasuke, and it's not something I would ever do again. I was curious and dangerously selfish. I put my life and the lives of others on the line by training with him, and if I'd known—"
   "Oh, please! I'm sure you knew exactly what you were do—"

Akira's fist collided with Sasuke's jaw in the blink of an eye. He fell back into the room, mere inches from the chalk outlines of their parents. As Sasuke rubbed his jaw, Akira swore loudly, flexing her hand.

   "I would never willingly endanger this village," she said lowly. "You hear me? Never."

Sasuke glared at Akira and stormed off. The second Akira couldn't feel his presence anymore, she slumped down to the ground and stared at the chalk outlines of her parents for a moment, then stood.

   "Itachi's back," she said simply. "I don't know what he's here for, but it's clearly not to hurt me or Sasuke. We'd have been dead by now if that was the case."

Akira hung her head back and chuckled. She shook her head and swung it back down to look at the outlines and stains of blood on the ground. With an angry and harsh sigh, Akira ran her hands over her face.

   "This is pointless. You don't care—you're dead. Even if you were alive, you wouldn't give a shit," Akira whispered to herself. "I don't even know why I keep insisting I'm going to take your place in the Military Police and make you proud," she said mockingly. "One, we're doing fine without it. Two, you're deader than a doornail. Three, you'd just tell me I'm not up to the task."

A delirious laugh left Akira's mouth.

"Well, I've never been in the habit of listening to you, so... Screw all of this. Screw all of you—you two, Itachi, Orochimaru... I'm just going to do what I want and I'm going to do it my way, and I hope that you hate it so much you writhe in your grave."

Akira turned and walked away from the old room.

   "I know what I want. I know what I am."

Chapter Text

By the time Akira left the Uchiha compound, Kakashi still hadn't notified her of anything suspicious, which was odd in and of itself—Kakashi had a habit of sending reports at least every few hours even if there wasn't anything to report. With Itachi in the village, Kakashi's silence couldn't be taken lightly, and there was no guessing what he was here for.

Akira couldn't put her finger on it. If he had come for her and Sasuke, then they would be dead by now, and Akira could understand the logic of being here now since the village was in a weakened state following Orochimaru's attack. However, all Itachi was doing was sneaking around sweet shops he used to frequent when they were younger. Akira was angered by the thought. These actions, while benign themselves, were like a taunt—he was almost daring Akira and Sasuke to go out and look for him, and it didn't take much for Sasuke to take the bait.

Turning down Kakashi's street, Akira wondered what his apartment looked like. She'd never been inside before, but she'd seen Kakashi go in on their walks back from training. Akira didn't expect it to be a large space, considering it was a boarding house, but she wondered how clean he kept it and if he was one of those animals that kept his shoes on indoors. Akira entered the building and went straight for the mailboxes, going through them to find Kakashi's room number. At his door, several pairs of sandals were set aside and Akira chuckled lightly—not an animal. She took her sandals off and knocked on the door. When there was no answer, Akira pushed the door open.

   "What the hell is going on?"

Kakashi was lying in bed, passed out, with Guy, Kurenai and Asuma sensei at his bedside. They all looked at her sharply, eyes mixed with both fear and worry.

   "Do I have to guess?" Akira said impatiently. She looked to each of them expectantly, but they remained silent. "Clearly, he's hurt, and I know that my brother is here—doesn't take a genius to put two and two together."

It seemed as though everyone in the room paled significantly. No one said anything, probably sworn to secrecy.

   "Look, if Itachi was here for me or Sasuke, he'd have us by now and there'd be nothing you could do to stop him. If I'm still here, then it has to be something else. So, tell me."

There was silence again. Akira sighed, annoyed, and pointed desperately at Kakashi. An unimaginable amount of anger was slowly bubbling in her stomach.

   "Just look at him! Itachi is this village taunting us and playing torture-the-shinobi with Kakashi," Akira shouted, angrily. "What the fuck is going on!?"
   "It's nothing really," Guy said nervously.
   "Nothing!? Guy, you're not honestly that stupid."
   "Hey!" Kurenai called, offended.

Akira marched forward and stared angrily into Kurenai's eyes. 

   "Itachi did this to Kakashi and I want to know why!"
   "What the hell is going on?"

Sasuke had shouted from the doorway, looking at each ninja in the room with a distrustful and questioning look. Akira broke eye contact with Kurenai and looked over at him. Just then, another shinobi ran in, panicking. He shouted something about Naruto which made Akira sigh and groan in realisation. Angered, Sasuke cursed out his sister and ran out.

   "It's the Nine-Tailed Fox. That's what Itachi is after."
   "How did you know?" Kurenai asked. Her anger seemed to have dissipated. "Did Kakashi tell you?"
   "No, I found out years ago," Akira said. "Kakashi and I have felt the Demon's power on a few occasions, too. No wonder Itachi wants to get his... murder hands on it."

Akira went past Asuma, Kurenai and Guy, towards the door leading to the balcony. She cast a glance at Kakashi. If it wasn't for the bruise on his temple, Akira would have been convinced he was asleep. She looked back at the three shinobi in the room.

   "Take care of him."

Without another word, Akira slid the door open and closed it behind her as she left. She jumped from the balcony and onto several rooftops until she gracefully landed on the ground. Akira crouched down and concentrated a fair amount of chakra into her fingertips before placing them on the ground. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, searching through the darkness and sitting through all the chakra signatures in the immediate area. Since Akira was in the middle of the city, it put a lot of strain on her, but by using a little bit of the curse mark's power, she was able to determine that Naruto wasn't in the village at all.

Worried, Akira sped to the edge of the village, weaving through the streets, jumping through open windows and doors to reduce the time it took to get there. When she'd reached the edge of Konohagakure, Akira put her hand to the ground again and, after some time, a lot more strain and the curse mark on her neck, she sensed Naruto's chakra signature a fair distance away. 

Under normal circumstances, Akira would have made the mark recede, but this was no time to quarrel with herself on the ethics of using Orochimaru's jutsu. Akira's mind was fixed on getting to Naruto as quickly as possible, so she ran like death was on her heels until she reached a small outpost town a little ways out from Konoha.

Upon entering the town, all of her senses were focused on locating Naruto. She couldn't smell the yakitori from the food carts, the perfumes being sprayed all over customers as they walked by, and didn't notice the beggars trying to get her attention for a bit of coin. Instead, she ignored all of it and put her hand to the ground again. A few heads turned, curious, some assumed she was crazy and took a wide berth, but a few recognised the Konohagakure insignia and let the shinobi do her job.

After a few moments, Akira was on the move again, but she came to a sudden halt when she spotted Master Jiraya sitting in a bar. In seconds, Akira had barged into the establishment and dragged the man away from the female company he was keeping. Jiraya complained but allowed himself to be pulled away. When they came to a halt, he noticed the mark gleaming on her neck.

   "Where's Naruto?" Akira said, out of breath.
   "Hey, you're that Uchiha girl! Naruto's friend!" Jiraya said happily.
   "Yes, and Naruto's friend will seriously injure one of the Legendary Sannin if he doesn't tell me where Naruto is."
   "Well, I left him at our hotel room."
   "Which hotel?" Akira insisted.
   "Jeez, the Travelling Companion. Why?"

Akira broke into a sprint, ignoring the Sannin's protests behind her. Her feet glided over the dirt streets as she ran to the hotel Jiraya had named. At the front desk, she didn't even bother to ask the clerk for the room number and took the ledger herself, scanning the page for Naruto and Jiraya's names. They'd signed in under false names, but she recognised Naruto's scraggly handwriting immediately. In a split second, Akira bolted up the stairs and knocked furiously on the door. A second later, Naruto, unharmed, opened the door.

   "Oh, good—you're safe!" Akira exclaimed, relief washing over her.

Akira stepped toward Naruto and trapped him in a bone-crushing hug. 

   "Uh, yeah, why wouldn't I be?" Naruto asked, wringing himself out of her grip.
   "My brother's back," the girl said quickly. She kicked the door shut and locked it again. "He wants you. He wants the Nine-Tailed Fox."
   "But—But, that's—"
   "A problem, yeah. That's why we have to leave through the window and get Jiraya."
   "Pervy Sage? What does he have to do with this?" Naruto asked in a huff. Akira strode across the room and opened the window. "He won't even teach me any jutsu. Maybe he doesn't know any."
   "Naruto, this is serious," Akira said desperately. She walked back over to him. "Master Jiraya is one of the three Legendary Sannin. If he's here, Itachi won't want any sort of confrontation. He's extremely powerful."
   "Oh, yeah? How do you know?"
   "Because it's in textbooks and because I trained with one."

Naruto looked up at Akira, eyes wide with admiration and confusion.

   "The secret teacher you won't tell anyone about?"
   "Yeah—Yeah the secret teacher I won't tell anyone about," Akira said a little impatiently. "The point is that they're powerful and Itachi won't want to mess with them."
   "Well, who is it?"
   "Naruto now is not the time. Come on!"
   "Well, I'm not going anywhere until you do."

Akira let out a groan and ran her hands over her face.

   "I will throw you out that window!" she exclaimed.

Naruto crossed his arms and sat on the ground.

   "What are you—five years old? Your life is in danger!" The boy was silent and turned away. Akira groaned and made a strangulation motion in Naruto's direction. "It was Orochimaru, okay? Happy? Can we go now, or do I have to throw you out the window?"
   "B—But he's the one who destroyed the village."
   "Yes, I'm aware."
   "Is that why you were so hell-bent on keeping Sasuke and Gaara safe? Because you felt like you betrayed all of us?"

Akira crossed her arms over her chest and sighed. There was no way she was getting out of this.

   "Yeah, pretty much."
   "Does anyone else know?"
   "Sasuke does. He figured it out, of course. I'm sure Sakura's got her own ideas, too," Akira said with a sigh. "Kakashi knows. I haven't told him, but he's known for a while, I think."

Suddenly, there came a knock at the door and Naruto barely had time to glance at the door before Akira was standing in front of him, swords at the ready. The beating of her own heart became loud in her ears and her breathing became irregular. She glanced at the windows then back at the door. Retreat wasn't an option. It would be disastrous, a show of weakness, an opportunity for Itachi to surge through the door and attack them from behind.

Akira couldn't breathe. It was as if someone was choking her. Her heart was racing. Her mind was panicking. All she wanted to do was curl up into a ball and wait for someone to save her. But there was no one there, just Naruto, and he was the one who needed protecting. 

   "Akira—"
   "I'm fine, Naruto."

She wasn't. But she had to be. Akira closed her eyes for a moment and took a deep breath. When they reopened there was an impassive look on her face, and though she was sure that Itachi would be able to see the fear in her eyes, she hoped that he didn't.

Slowly, the door opened and Akira was met with red eyes staring right back at her. A surge of anger rose within her and Akira's eyes turned blood red, six tomoe mirroring those in Itachi's eyes. He narrowed his eyes at her, sensing the anger, but calmly stepped into the room—clearly, he didn't feel that her anger was enough of a threat. He was right. Despite the rage that she felt, Akira couldn't help the racing thoughts coming to the front of her mind. Had Itachi always been this tall? His hair was the same. The purple nail polish was still there. However, the more she looked, the less she saw her brother. His eyes were cold and his smile was gone. There was no part of her old brother remaining.

   "I don't think you're supposed to go into a room if no one answers the door, Itachi," Akira said, trying very hard to sound confident.
   "Heh, hard to believe that a little runt like that carries the Nine-Tailed Fox," another voice said.

A taller man emerged from beside the door. Akira's eyes narrowed at him. She recognised him immediately from the wanted posters all around the Hokage's office. It was Kisame Hoshigaki, one of the Seven Swordsmen of the Hidden Mist.

   "Wait, who's the angry looking one?"
   "It's been a long time, Akira," Itachi said casually.
   "Oh, that's the little sister!" Kisame said with a chuckle. "I almost forgot you had a little sister, Itachi."
   "That's your brother?" Naruto said quietly. Akira gave him a quick nod. "He's scary."
   "Naruto," Itachi said, looking over his sister to the boy behind her. "You're coming with us."
   "You know I can't let that happen, Itachi," Akira said, gripping her swords tighter.
   "Akira."

Itachi took a step closer to Akira, but he stopped when she pointed a sword at his throat.

   "I don't want to fight you."
   "Surprisingly, neither do I, brother, so stand down."

Itachi took a step forward again, extending his arm towards Akira. Naruto told her to be careful, but Akira knew what he was doing. She took her katana and gently swung it sideways, pushing Itachi's hand out of the way.

   "You lost the right to do that the second you murdered my clan—the second you laid a hand on Kakashi," Akira said sharply. He could see the malice behind her eyes now. "I'm done putting my trust in people like you."

The man didn't listen and he took another step forward. However, Akira rose her katana up to his throat. It was almost touching Itachi's skin.

   "I can't let you get any closer," she said coldly. "Until you pay for what you've done, you're my enemy."
   "Why don't we go for a walk?"

Itachi stepped aside and Akira stared at him, narrowing her eyes. Naruto was scared. He was so scared that he didn't even think about disobeying Itachi and went out into the hallway. Akira followed. She didn't have much choice. Like the escape plan, staying in the hotel room where she could cause unnecessary casualties wasn't a good idea. Besides, if Naruto was going, she had to follow.

   "Hey, Itachi, it'll be a pain in the neck if these kids make a run for it," Kisame said. "Maybe I ought to chop off a leg just in case."

Akira's katana was suddenly at Kisame's throat and he chuckled darkly.

   "Testy, testy."
   "You lay even a finger on him and I'll turn you inside out, Kisame Hoshigaki."
   "Kid, I doubt you've ever even killed some—"

With a twitch of her wrist, Akira made a small cut on Kisame's neck. He went to lunge at her, but Akira planted her other katana in his foot. Kisame let out a muffled cry of pain and Akira stared directly into his eyes. There was plain murderous intent in her eyes and the low, dangerous tone in her voice worried him a little.

   "I have killed someone. I've caused irreparable damage to someone's arms. And while I've also experienced the wonders of torture, I wouldn't mind testing it on someone who deserves it. Care to volunteer?" Kisame glared but remained silent. "Shame. It would have been fun."
   "Yeah, this one's definitely your sister," Kisame grumbled. There was no answer. "Itachi?"
   "Sasuke."

Akira didn't dare turn her head away from Kisame. Besides, she could sense his presence just like Itachi could. He was standing close behind and he was incredibly angry.

   "Itachi Uchiha."
   "Well, would you look at that? A third Sharingan. They both look like you—it's like I'm seeing triple," Kisame said, smiling evilly. He'd turned his attention to Itachi and Sasuke. "Though it's a funny thing. See, here there are two other Uchiha. I thought they'd all been killed like slaughtered pigs by you, Itachi."

A pained groan came from Kisame again as Akira twisted the katana in his foot.

   "Do I need to remind you where my sword is?" she warned.
   "Itachi Uchiha, prepare to die," Sasuke growled. It made Itachi look back at him impassively. "It's like you said, brother. I've fostered my hatred for you all this time. I've lived my life for one single purpose."

Sasuke's hand began glowing bright blue and the familiar chirping of the Chidori filled the hallway.

   "I'm going to see you die! It ends here! Today!"

Despite the Sharingan gleaming in her eyes, Akira wasn't equipped with the knowledge of how to stop a rampaging Sasuke and a Chidori. Instead, all she could do was keep Naruto safe. With an annoyed growl, Akira pulled her katana from Kisame's foot and pinned Naruto against the wall. Fear glimmered in Naruto's eyes as Sasuke rushed by, but it wasn't directed at him. Naruto could feel the anger bubbling up inside Akira, a precursor to the overwhelming chakra that he'd encountered in the Forest of Death during the Chūnin Exams.

   "Akira..." 
   "I've got this under control," Naruto."

Akira pushed off the wall and turned to look at her brothers. As she turned, Itachi slammed his hand over Sasuke's wrist, sending him crashing to the ground. Then, he grabbed Sasuke by the collar and pinned him to the wall, sliding him upwards so their faces were at the same height. Akira could see the blood dripping from Sasuke's nose and, as Kisame went to make a move to help his partner, she tossed a kunai into his foot, rooting him to his spot. He hissed in pain and glared at Akira, who had a sword pointed at his throat again.

   "I told you, Shark-Face," she warned, "Insides to outsides."

Akira rushed towards Itachi and her sudden appearance by his side made him worried just enough to let go of Sasuke. Itachi's eyes followed Akira as she grabbed Sasuke and pulled him back. When she skidded to a halt, it looked like steam was rising out of her skin. The anger was bubbling to the surface and flame-like markings spread across her skin as the anger turned into power.

   "Naruto, take Sasuke," Akira said quietly.

Naruto reached out and took the injured Sasuke away from her. Akira glanced at them before taking a few steps forward and standing her ground against Itachi and Kisame. The steam was pouring out of her skin, now, crackling almost like fire. Akira may have told Naruto that she had this under control, but he didn't believe her. The anger her felt seemed to be rising far too rapidly for this to be a controlled usage of the curse mark.

   "I told you, Itachi," Akira called. Her voice sounded confident, but Itachi detected no trace of anger in it. "You want either of them? Over my dead body."

Chapter Text

   "Over my dead body."

Akira meant it with every fibre of her being. No one, especially Itachi Uchiha, was going to hurt Naruto or Sasuke. The black markings all over her body told them that. They crawled over her skin like an infectious disease, cracking the dermis to let pure white chakra seep out of her body like smoke. A little relief washed over them as the white chakra slowly began to lessen, but Kisame's chakra-devouring sword could still detect it, quivering excitedly with Akira's power. He went to make a move, but Akira's body prepared for it before he'd even moved. However, a small toad appeared in a puff of smoke before her and, moments later, Jiraya appeared behind her. She glanced at him over her shoulder and, he saw the unmistakable cold fury in Akira's eyes. He didn't expect to see that look, not in someone whose body was slowly letting the curse mark spread all over their body. He expected wild anger, a certain level of unhinged fury befitting the bearers of Orochimaru's curse mark. As such, Akira's relative calmness was unsettling to Jiraya. He looked back up towards Itachi and Kisame

   "You two don't know me at all, do you? Should have done your homework. Jiraya the Toad Sage falls victim to no woman's charm," he said. "Rare beauty is dropped for me like blossoms in a storm. It isn't in my nature to be duped by the wiles of women. When you reach the stature I have, ladies kneel and worship at your awesomeness."
   "Master Jiraya?" Akira said, flatly. He looked at her. "You're an idiot and you're late."
   "Hey!"
   "One wink from that woman and you were a pile of mush! You fell for it like a tonne of bricks, Pervy Sage!" Naruto yelled at the Sannin. "You're only here because Akira ran in freaking out!"
   "I really wish you wouldn't call me that in front of other people," Jiraya said, chuckling nervously.
   "Whatever name you go by, Master Jiraya, I must say, you're something of a disappointment," Kisame said, laughing. "A lecherous old man with the disposition of a child. It's almost impossible to believe that you're one of the Three Legendary Sannin."
   "Don't be fooled by appearances, or uh, you know, anything this little squirt might say," Jiraya chuckled, patting Naruto's head. "I know Naruto's the one you're really after."
   "That explains how Kakashi knew..." Itachi said almost absent-minded. "He learned it from you."

Kisame's sword quivered as Akira's eyes fell back on Itachi. The white chakra had suddenly begun to seep out of her skin a little more than before.

   "You hurt Kakashi-sensei?" she said in a dangerously low tone of voice.
   "Akira, stand down," Jiraya demanded.

He placed a hand on her shoulder to calm her down, but it had the opposite effect. A small surge of anger went through Akira's body and everyone around her felt it. She jerked her shoulder away from Jiraya's grip, which made him frown, but he was pleased that Akira obeyed and remained where she was.

   "You're right. Naruto is the prize that the Akatsuki are after," Itachi said. "And we will have him."
   "There's no way you're getting Naruto, Itachi," Akira said sternly.
   "We'll see about that."
   "Actually, this is really convenient. Now, I can eliminate both of you at the same time," Jiraya said contemplatively. He looked at Akira. "I'm sure Akira would like to help too."
   "Stay out of this, old man," Sasuke said, pulling away from Naruto. He was barely able to stand. "The only person who's going to eliminate him is me!"
   "Go away," Itachi said, sounding bored. "You don't interest me at the moment."
   "Well, get interested!"

Sasuke broke into a run, but Itachi kicked him back easily. Sasuke rose and ran at him again, attempting to punch Itachi. He deflected the punch easily and hit Sasuke in the jaw in return, drawing blood. Akira went to jump in and help, but Jiraya held her back.

   "You heard your brother. This fight isn't yours or mine. Let's have those two sort it out."

Sasuke had fallen, barely moving, but as Itachi approached him he pulled out a kunai and got up. Itachi saw his attack coming and he punched Sasuke in the chest, knocking the air out of his lungs. Sasuke fell to the ground again and Itachi picked him up by the collar. He looked directly into his eyes and Akira immediately made a move toward her brothers. However, Jiraya held her back again and she struggled against his grip.

   "Isn't that heart-warming?" Kisame said with a smile. "Using Tsukuyomi on your own brother."
   "LET ME GO, OLD MAN!"

The white surge of chakra suddenly intensified. It came out of Akira's skin like flame, mirroring the black markings that were crawling over her skin. Akira wrenched herself from Jiraya's grip and with a cry that was only worthy of war, she dashed forward, performing hand signs as she went. Within seconds, the room filled with a crackling sound and Akira's arm lit up with white chakra.

   "HOW DARE YOU!?"

Itachi turned to stop Akira as he did with Sasuke, but he quickly realised that it wasn't just her hands that were crackling with electricity. He couldn't stop her attack by just dismissing her so he released Sasuke and moved away from Akira. As Itachi pushed away, Sasuke slid down the wall and fell limp.

Itachi expected his sister to go help Sasuke, but she swerved in his direction and jabbed her hand on his shoulder. A great shock went through Itachi's body and he was blown backwards, sending him into the opposite wall. And though her jutsu may have been improved, the girl's arms were still bleeding onto the floor. That last time must have been a fluke.

   "I told you..." Akira warned. She almost sounded like a different person entirely. "Over my dead body."

As Itachi stood up, the walls and the floors began to turn squishy and pink. Akira glared at him and she turned around to pick up Sasuke, who'd passed out following Itachi's use of Tsukuyomi.

   "Ninja Art: Toad Mouth Trap," Jiraya said calmly.

He glanced at Akira when she returned to him, Sasuke over her shoulders. He didn't like the look in her eyes. It was distant, as if she were so far from her feelings and what she was doing. Jiraya didn't like that look. It was worse than the last one. For a while, he'd thought that her power was taking over but controlled, however, this was different. Akira's power might have been surging with her emotions, but the absence in her eyes told him that Akira had willingly detached herself. It was a mechanism used to tolerate and control the fury and power coursing through her veins—Akira had unleashed this curse mark willingly. But, pushed any further, Jiraya worried that Akira's mind would be overrun by Orochimaru's chakra. Her gaze was stable, sure, but Jiraya could see the twinkle of uncontrolled power glinting just behind her eyes.

   "You've both just been swallowed by the Moutain Toad. Welcome, my friends, to the belly of the beast," Jiraya said. "He has a very sensitive digestive tract, so be careful not to upset him."
   "Not the most glorious way to die, is it?" Akira grumbled, disgusted. "Toads."

Jiraya looked at her oddly. He'd heard those words before. Akira then stuck Sasuke into the walls of Jiraya's jutsu so that he wouldn't move again.

   "Woah, I'm not liking this at all," Naruto said, looking around.
   "Naruto, stay still. Just remain calm," Jiraya told him. "Trust in my jutsu."
   "Kisame, come," Itachi muttered.

Kisame pulled the kunai out of his foot and unstuck himself from the toad's mouth. It took a few tries to get the sword on his back unstuck, but he pulled it loose eventually and followed Itachi as he disappeared around the corner. Akira made a move to follow them, but Jiraya held her back again.

   "Let me go," she growled.
   "No."

Jiraya sent tendrils of flesh after Itachi and Kisame and Akira managed to break out of his grip. She rushed after Itachi and Kisame alongside Jiraya's jutsu. As she turned the corner, Itachi dispatched the tendrils easily.

   "Itachi," Akira called calmly. Kisame and her brother turned to face her. "I will never forgive you. Ever. But I'm not going to be living my life according to your rules; my hate is never going to be strong enough. I'm not Sasuke. You're going to pay for your crimes, and you're not going to escape them so easily by dying. You got that?"

Itachi stared at her for a moment, taking in the rage in her eyes, and he nodded.

   "Good. Now, get out of my face."

Itachi and Kisame turned back to the wall and, with the use of Itachi's Mangekyo Sharingan, he destroyed the toad's mouth with the Uchiha's ultimate fire jutsu. Black flames burned a hole straight through the flesh and the wooden wall behind it, and Kisame and Itachi jumped away and out of sight. Jiraya and Naruto then came rushing around the corner.

   "They're gone," Akira said simply.
   "The hell is that!?" Naruto asked, approaching the flames. Akira stopped him.
   "It burned through the insides of the Stone Toad that spits fire itself," Jiraya said, surprised. "What kind of jutsu is this?"
   "Amaterasu. The Uchiha clan's ultimate fire-style jutsu. Those flames will burn for seven days and seven nights unless they're stopped by the user. All we can do is seal them away."

Jiraya looked over at Akira. He had been wrong about her. As he sealed away the flames, Akira calmed down on her own. The white chakra vanished and the flame-like markings retreated back into the curse mark on her shoulder.

It worried him even more.

Even if you disregarded the free use of the curse mark and the ease with which she dismissed it, Jiraya could tell that a part of Orochimaru was still lingering about. He could tell when he touched her shoulder. He could tell by the way she spoke. He could tell by the way her gaze was stony and cool but held the rage of a thousand volcanoes. It was clear to Jiraya that she'd taken training from Orochimaru, willingly, and it worried him. What could possibly come out of someone trained by someone like him?

   "Where did you learn to do that?" Jiraya asked, playing dumb.

Akira glanced at him. Her gaze was still distant and angry, but her expression was eerily calm.

   "You know where."

Jiraya frowned. She was right; he knew, and he wondered what made her seek the knowledge from the source in the first place. Then, all of a sudden, with a ridiculous cry, Might Guy came rushing in through the hole in the wall and he crash-landed on Jiraya. Jiraya punched him and Guy fell back, bleeding from his nose.

   "The hell was that!?" Jiraya shouted.
   "I guess I was a little overenthusiastic," he said, awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck. "You see, I—I was trying to hurry and I couldn't see very clearly."
   "If this is your way of apologizing, well it really sucks!"
   "I'm sorry, it was just a simple misunderstanding."
   "Simple-minded's more like it."
   "Never mind that," Akira said almost softly.

Her tone surprised Jiraya. Only moments ago, she was flirting with the evil inside her and switched off to cool, slow-burning anger. Now, her voice was almost soft, delicate, and again it worried him that she could do it with such ease. How much training did she take from Orochimaru to be able to do this? How naturally had this power come to her?

Akira pulled Sasuke from the sticky wall and carried him over her shoulder.

   "We need to get Sasuke to the medical corps."
   "Akira, you're exhausted," Jiraya said. "Let me carry him."

Akira glared at him and a chill went down Jiraya's spine. At that moment, he could have sworn he'd seen his old comrade's eyes. Akira went towards Guy.

   "His arm's broken and he was trapped within Tsukuyomi."
   "Tsykuyomi?"
   "It's a genjutsu only available to those who've awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan," Akira said calmly. "It traps the target in an illusion completely under the user's control. There are lesser variants used with the Sharingan, but if you're skilled enough, like Itachi, you can alter the passage of time. He can make seconds feel like days. It's pure psychological torture."
   "How do you know all this?" Naruto asked. "Read all this in a family book or something?"
   "Itachi trapped me and Sasuke inside the genjutsu when we found our dead parents. He made us relive the slaughter over and over again."

Naruto gulped.

   "Sasuke's gonna be okay, though... right?"
   "Physically? Yeah," Akira said. "Psychologically, neither of us will ever be completely okay. Sasuke less than I. He's made it his mission to live by Itachi's demand to hate him and kill him at any cost."
   "What did you two ever do to deserve this?" Naruto muttered to himself, shaking with anger.

Guy took a few steps towards Akira and inspected Sasuke. He suddenly looked worried.

   "This looks like the same jutsu Kakashi was hit with."
   "What did you say?"

Guy turned to Akira. Her voice was quiet, but commanding. The cool and distant look in her eyes was gone, replaced by a fury he'd never seen before. It was so powerful that Jiraya could feel Akira's chakra levels rising again. She repeated herself, a little louder this time, her tone of voice growing more and more menacing. When Guy froze, taken aback by the level of violence in her voice, Akira snapped and thrust her fist into the nearest wall. Her knuckles split open and the blood from the new cuts mingled with the blood coming from the burst capillaries in her arms. She swore under her breath and pinched the bridge of her nose, then dragged her hand down to her side so it lay limp beside her. Half of her face was now smeared in blood but Akira didn't care. Exhausted, Akira readjusted Sasuke on her shoulder and walked past Guy. No one stopped her as she jumped down the same way Itachi left.

When Akira approached the gates to Konoha, the two guards attempted to help her, but she tugged herself away from their grip. She walked through the streets of the village, blood on her arms and face, and with the look of a woman who'd kill a man for breathing the wrong way. People avoided Akira as they walked past her until she made it to the hospital where she lay Sasuke on a bed herself. She called for the best medical-nin the hospital could muster and explained the situation. Once again, Akira denied treatment for herself, going so far as to shove a woman who'd tried to make her sit down, and she left the hospital.

Akira returned to where this whole mess started. She walked up to Kakashi's room again, ignoring the looks she was getting from Kurenai and Asuma.

   "What the hell happened?" Asuma asked. "Are you all right?"
   "You should go to the hospital, Akira," Kurenai said, worried.
   "I'm fine," Akira said tiredly. "I really just want to be here when Kakashi-sensei wakes up."
   "Akira—"
   "Please go."

As Asuma was about to protest, Kurenai shook her head and pulled him away, leading him out of the room.

Akira sat at Kakashi's bedside for hours, just staring at him. He was still wearing the mask over his mouth and nose, but his headband was on his side table, reflecting the sun's rays onto the left side of his face. It was odd seeing both of his eyes like this, closed with his eyelashes fluttering over his masked cheekbones. Akira was half tempted to pull the mask down, find out what her sensei really looked like, but she couldn't muster enough energy to move. The blankets over Kakashi's chest rose with his breathing and its rhythmicality began lulling Akira to sleep. Her eyelids slowly began to close and Akira fell forward, her bloody face landing on Kakashi's chest. 

Neither of them woke up for three days.

Chapter Text

Akira tensed as she woke up to the sound of breathing that wasn't her own. It was heaving and rapid, as if the person had just run a marathon. Her head rose as whatever she was lying on rose as well, and it put her head at an awkward angle, slightly raised and tilted to the left. Akira vaguely realised she was severely bent forward when a sharp pain in her back appeared when she tried to move. Then, whatever her head was lying on went back down and the breathing became more rhythmic. Akira relaxed her body, trying to get rid of the pain in her back, but her mind went fuzzy. The tension in her body had been keeping her awake and now that it was gone, Akira fluctuated between consciousness and unconsciousness.

   "Look what he did to you..." she heard a soft voice say.

Akira wanted to say something, but all she could muster was an incomprehensible whisper. She felt something shift underneath her head and then she was sitting, head lolling forwards. Moments later, she felt someone struggling to pick her up, but they'd managed and started walking. The person struggled down some stairs and even on what seemed like flat surfaces, they were moving slowly with jagged movements. Akira tried to open her eyes and figure out where they were, but bright light flooded her eyes and she closed them in pain, immediately. She went to squeeze her hand around the person's arm, but she couldn't, and burning pain seared straight through her arm. Akira let out a pained and panicked whimper.

   "Calm down," the voice hushed. "We're almost there."

They were right. Soon, after what seemed like an eternal walk, Akira was lying down on something soft. As her head touched a pillow, Akira heard something fall to her left and then people rushing towards it. They were all muttering about something, sounding concerned or vexed, or a healthy mixture of both. Just when Akira had settled into the bed and the pain in her back dissipated, someone began touching Akira's hands. She let out another pained cry, the searing, burning pain running through her arms once again. Something cool and damp was wiped across her face, clearing it of all the blood and dust smeared across it, and her dirty clothes were removed and replaced with a clean hospital gown. Akira smiled as a warm sensation enveloped and soothed her arms and, once again, Akira fell asleep, though only for a few hours as the medical-nin did their work.

Akira woke up in the same hospital room she'd been in only a few days prior. Her dirty clothes were folded and placed on an empty chair nearby, her weapons placed on top. The sunlight stung Akira's eyes a little, but she quickly adapted, and she sat up to look down at her arms. They were bandaged from the elbow down, again, and Akira waved her fingers in front of her face. They didn't hurt, but Akira could tell that they had hurt seeing the scar tissue shining in the sunlight. With a sigh, she put her arms back down and looked around. Her eyes landed on Kakashi on the bed across from hers. A small smile rose to her mouth.

   "Thanks, Kakashi," she mumbled.
   "Akira! Akira!"

Naruto had suddenly burst into the room, calling her name, and he trapped her in a bone-crushing hug. Akira laughed and hugged him back.

   "Naruto! She needs to be resting!" a female voice called from the hall.

The woman walked in. She was a little taller than Akira because of the small heels she was wearing and her blonde hair was divided into two ponytails at the base of her skull. Akira didn't recognise her until she saw the lavender diamond on the woman's forehead. Immediately, she got to her feet, swaying a little, and bowed.

   "Lady Tsunade! It's an honour to meet you!"
   "Oh, please," Tsunade chuckled, waving her hand dismissively. "Sit. Don't think I didn't notice you sway."

Akira smiled a little and sat at the edge of her bed. Tsunade put her hand on Akira's forehead and it began to glow a pale green, nearly the same colour as her own sweater. Slowly, fatigue and eye strain left her, and Akira began to feel better than she had in ages. Then, Tsunade took her arms in her hands and unwrapped the bandages. Akira's skin was peeled and torn in many places, revealing the dermis. Large bruises varying from deep purple to green were scattered across her skin, and scabs had formed where the electricity had torn through her skin. Naruto visibly recoiled, but both women kept looking. Tsunade's hands began to glow green again.

   "Lady Tsunade, usually, my skin is... a pain in the ass. It's very resistant to healing scars. But with your expertise, I know you'd be more than capable of making them disappear," Akira said softly. "This is an odd request, but would it be possible to leave the scars?"
   "Why would you want to keep the scars?" Tsunade asked, examining the girl's face. She noticed more scars on her chin and neck. "They won't be beautiful or cool. They'll deform your skin."
   "Would leaving scars reduce my ability to perform tasks?"
   "Well, no, but—"
   "Then just leave them... please." Akira chuckled dryly. She sounded tired. "They're sort of a reminder."
   "Reminder for what?"
   "What curiosity, arrogance and power can cost."

Tsunade removed her hands from Akira's arms. The scars covered her fingers, hands and forearms. There were pockmarks and dimples on her skin, broad and rough scars that traced up her arms in seemingly random patterns, and while Tsunade said they wouldn't look cool or beautiful, Akira thought that they looked like the electricity that had caused them. Tsunade was wrong. Despite the objective ugliness of the scars, Akira found them beautiful in their own way, and they were important. They were there as a reminder of her past doings, yes, but they would also serve as a warning to those who lay their eyes on them, alerting the enemy to the type of suffering she was able to endure to fight for what she believed in.

   "Have you gone to see Sasuke?" Akira asked, detaching her gaze from her arms.
   "You betcha! Sasuke's gonna be all right!" Naruto said happily.
   "Good." Akira turned to look at Kakashi. "Lady Tsunade, would it be possible to help Kakashi, as well?"
   "Kakashi?" Tsunade asked, turning towards the other bed.

Tsunade rolled her eyes at him but she went over anyway, placing her hand over his head. Her hands glowed green for a few minutes and then she removed them, bringing Kakashi back to consciousness. Akira watched as he slowly sat up. His eyes were sunken, barely open, with dark circles so obviously underneath them. His head hung low and he was leaning forward, barely able to keep himself up. Akira's jaw clenched. She knew that look.

   "Disgraceful," Tsunade sighed. "To be completely taken out of the game by two low-life punks like that. I thought you were supposed to be the best."
   "Sorry to disappoint you," Kakashi mumbled.
   "There's nothing for him to be sorry about," Akira said sharply. "Itachi Uchiha is the proud owner of a Mangekyō Sharingan and it's arrogant as well as ignorant to think that he's an easily beaten low-life punk. The fact that Kakashi-sensei went through Tsukuyomi and still has his mind intact is a remarkable thing. Don't dismiss him so easily."

Tsunade's gaze hardened as she looked at Akira. There was a resentment in her gaze that wasn't there before, and Tsunade found it looked far too familiar for comfort. She glanced at Akira's shoulder. The curse mark was very visible and Akira didn't even bother trying to hide it. For a moment, Tsunade wondered if her antagonism was natural or if it came from the mark.

Guy came in and interrupted them, insisting that Lady Tsunade come to see Lee and try to heal him. Naruto began to drag her away as well, and she looked between Kakashi and Akira again.

   "Can you help?"
   "I'll do my best."

Tsunade nodded and walked out, following Naruto and Guy. Akira looked back at Kakashi and sighed. He hadn't moved an inch. He looked dreadful, ghost-like. Akira stood up and gently swung his legs back onto the bed and she fought with him a little when she tried to make him lie down. Ultimately, Akira won, and she managed to cover Kakashi with the blanket at the foot of the bed. 

   "You don't need to stay," he muttered.
   "Shut up," Akira sighed.

She sat at the end of Kakashi's bed and stared out the window at the darkening sky.

   "I'm sorry," Akira said quietly.
   "This isn't your fault," Kakashi replied.
   "I know. I was talking about the whole Orochimaru deal."
   "That was pretty stupid."
   "I know. Which is why I wanted to say I'm sorry. You took the time to warn me and I didn't listen."
   "Actually, you did more than not listen. You actively went against everything I told you," Kakashi corrected lazily. "And probably every standard of living you adhere to."
   "Yeah, thanks for reminding me," Akira grumbled.
   "You're welcome."

Akira hung her head back and sighed, running her hands over her face.

   "Did you know?"

The girl looked back at Kakashi.

   "Did you know who he was?"
   "No, not at first," Akira said quietly.
   "Then it's not—"
   "He came to see me weeks before the start of the Chūnin Exams. Weeks, Sensei. He had me fooled for nearly two months before I even met Orochimaru."

Kakashi's eyebrows furrowed and he turned his head towards Akira.

   "He said that his name was Maru. At first, I thought he was just some random trespasser who'd stumbled upon my chakra control training," she said. "He said he could help but I told him to get lost and escorted him out of the city. He came back during the festival and said I'd be seeing him again soon. He wasn't wrong. The next time I saw him he was standing up at the front with the Hokage under the guise of the team leader for the Sound Village. I should have known it was him. But we'd just come out of the Forest of Death and my memory was shot. I didn't even remember that I had a mark at all until Sakura mentioned it. When I saw Zaku in the arena with his arms all messed up, I didn't know that was my fault. It was only when the proctor said that Orochimaru may be responsible for the attack on the village that everything came back to me."
   "So, you didn't know."
   "I can't use that as an excuse, Sensei. I knew exactly what I was getting into. I knew he was dangerous and all sorts of wrong, but—he just didn't seem threatening. He was almost... kind. He said that I reminded him of himself when he was younger and I just felt—"
   "Understood."

Akira sighed and brought her knees to her chest.

   "He said he had a personal interest invested in me. I couldn't say no," Akira said, casting her eyes towards her feet. "I sought him out whenever I wanted training. I wanted to learn, I wanted to know more about him, I wanted to know what it was that he saw in me that my family never did. I always thought I didn't want or need that attention, that I was fine with Sasuke and Itachi having all of it. I guess I was wrong."
   "It's not exactly your fault," Kakashi said, trying to sit up.
   "Lie down, Sensei," Akira said quietly, gently pushing him back down.
   "He preyed on a weak spot you didn't know you had. It's not your fault."
   "Don't try to put the blame on him. I'm not stupid—I shouldn't have gone to him regardless."
   "No, you shouldn't have. That's true. But you couldn't have really expected yourself to turn down the first person to ever show any real interest in your abilities," Kakashi reasoned. "Your father never did. Your brothers never did. Your friends never did. I never did. It's not wrong to want someone to be proud of you."
   "But him?" Akira scoffed.
   "And that's why it matters that you didn't know who he was. No matter how wrong he may have seemed to be, you could have never guessed he was Orochimaru."
   "I guess."

Akira sighed and she looked out the window again. It was dark now. She could see the lights from the houses and the street carts down on the street in front of the hospital.

   "Are you feeling as crappy as you look?"

Kakashi chuckled and it turned into a fit of coughs. When Akira looked at him, concerned, he waved it off.

   "I'm all right."
   "What happened to not lying to me?"
   "What happened to calling me Kakashi?"

Akira smiled lightly and shook her head.

   "I've demoted myself," she said. "You don't need a friend like me after what I've done."
   "I thought we just established it wasn't your fault?" Akira gave Kakashi a sceptical look. "Oh, don't look at me like that. I'm not gonna hold it against you—you're beating yourself up over it just fine."
   "Fine. How are you really feeling, Kakashi ?"
   "Like death. That jutsu of your brother's..."
   "It's a very specific kind of pain, I know. I know that look in your eyes."
   "You do?"

Akira nodded slowly.

   "I've seen it in Sasuke's eyes. I've seen it in mine, too, just staring right back at me in the mirror," she said. "You never should have gone through that. It's torture, plain and simple. I don't even want to know what Itachi made you relive over and over again, and I'm not going to ask. I've been there."
   "He used it against you ?" Kakashi asked, sounding surprised.
   "Does that really shock you? He massacred my entire clan, remember? And right after Sasuke and I stumbled upon our dead parents, Itachi was there to greet us with a wonderful sojourn inside Tsukuyomi," Akira sarcastically. "It was only seconds, really, but it felt like days. I saw everything—everyone. There was so much blood... Funny thing is, that wasn't the worst part. Itachi tried to dirty every single good memory I had of anyone."
   "Did it—"
   "Work? Yeah. It did. For the longest time, my best memories were my worst nightmare. But you're lucky."
   "I don't feel lucky," Kakashi said with a chuckle.
   "Well, no, not technically. But you've got something that I didn't have."
   "What's that?"
   "Someone to get you through this." Akira brought her knees down and scooted closer to Kakashi. "I'm not letting you go through what I did."
   "You're doing this because you feel guilty."

Akira frowned and looked at Kakashi. He'd turned his head away, unwilling to look at Akira. It was so out of character for him. He looked so hurt, so vulnerable, and it saddened Akira. She really didn't think he expected anyone to care enough about him to help.

   "I'm doing this because I care, Kakashi," she said.
   "I'll be fine."
   "Don't lie to me. Do you really think you're so undeserving of other people's sympathy?"

Kakashi glanced at her sideways.

   "I'm helping you because I want to, Kakashi. Because I don't want you to see your best memories turn into your worst nightmares. Because I don't want you to turn into me."
   "Akira, you're not some monster."
   "Aren't I?" Akira chuckled humourlessly. "Take away the curse mark and what am I?"
   "You're just a girl."
   "Yeah, just a girl... A girl whose brother murdered her entire clan. A girl whose family jutsu is based on anger. A girl who killed someone for the first time and got over it because she was used to death already. A girl who prevented someone from ever using their arms again. A girl who willingly sought out power from a murderer." Akira sighed. "You might not be able to tell, or you're ignoring it for my benefit, but I'm a monster created by circumstance. I'm damaged. I'm nearly broken. But I've had help.
   "I don't know what's happened in your life. Maybe I'm preaching to the choir, and maybe you're just as screwed as I am. But I don't see it. And because I don't see it, I'm going to help you as others have helped me. Without Kai, Kiba and Shikamaru... I honestly wouldn't be here. I'd have killed myself a long time ago."

Akira hesitated for a second, but she reached out and clasped Kakashi's hand.

   "I'm not letting that happen to you," she whispered. "It was their care that kept me in one piece, and it'll be my care that holds you together."
   "Why?" Kakashi muttered.
   "Because you're my friend. That's what friends do."
   "Friends just visit in the hospital, they don't usually take part in the whole healing process."
   "Kakashi this isn't some regular injury. Itachi literally turned everything good in your mind into torturous thoughts. Love, friendship, affection—those are the only things that are going to get you through this. Now, I can't promise that I can provide all of that," Akira added a little awkwardly. "But I can help you find it again. You've already got friends; Guy, Asuma and Kurenai were worried sick about you."
   "Are they going to give me love and affection too?" Kakashi joked. Akira gently smacked his shoulder.
   "You're laughing now but you're already experiencing affection, you idiot," Akira said. She rose hers and Kakashi's hand that she was holding. "And I'm going to make sure you get all the rest you need—"
   "Oh, no, come on!" Kakashi protested.
   "—I'm gonna be waiting on you hand and foot—"
   "Akira, no, please! You're not doing this—"
   "Oh, yes I am, and there's nothing you can do about it, old man!"

Chapter Text

Kakashi was the worst patient. In a way, he reminded Akira of herself and she couldn't help but feel bad for all the nurses she'd walked out on—although that wasn't going to change the way she did things. Akira had been spending most of her time at Kakashi's house, neglecting a lot of her friends and training, trying to get Kakashi to rest. However, that was easier said than done. Kakashi was argumentative and stubborn, and he never let Akira help him unless he couldn't manage something on his own (which was often) and even then he'd argue with her. Asuma, Kurenai and Might Guy came to visit him a lot and, much to Kakashi's chagrin, they often sided with Akira when it came to patient care. Today was one of the days that Akira was off-duty, with Kurenai taking over. She'd woken up far too early, from unusually vivid nightmares of burning cities and red moons, and couldn't bring herself to visit Kakashi since she knew she'd somehow give it away—Kakashi somehow always knew when Akira was having an off day.

Instead, she wandered around the village after days and days of avoiding it. While life was bustling all around her and the village reconstruction was underway, the distinct lack of shinobi around the village was obvious and a stark reminder that they had been lost during Orochimaru's assault on Konohagakure. Seeing the few shinobi that were patrolling the village, Akira felt compelled to look away. Maybe it was the lack of sleep or the strange nightmares getting to her, but Akira was feeling extra guilty. She wondered how many young and unprepared shinobi would have to graduate early in order to fill in for the ones the village had lost. She couldn't imagine the number of Chūnin that would have to be promoted to Jōnin in order to compensate for the losses, and she wondered how many Genin, like herself, would have to be promoted before they were ready. Shikamaru might have been ready, but Akira found it hard to imagine anyone else being mature enough to promote under normal circumstances. Even Sasuke didn't seem like an ideal candidate. 

Akira kicked a rock and watched it skip down the road. When she came to it again, she kicked it once more and it went flying into a patch of flowers, ripping up all the plants it came into contact with. Akira let out an annoyed sigh.

Akira wiped the look of discontent off her face and turned towards the sound of the voice.

   "Nothing. The flowers had it coming," Akira laughed. She bent down to pet Akamaru. "Hey, how you doing, boy?"
   "Did they now?" Kiba chuckled. "Hey, where've you been lately?"
   "Hm? Oh, I've been taking care of Kakashi-sensei."
   "Kakashi-sensei? I thought he was out of the hospital."
   "Mhm, yeah, he is. I've been stopping by his place a few times a week to make sure he isn't dead."
   "At his place?"

Akira nodded and smiled. She looked back at Akamaru and ruffled his ears.

   "And the medical-nin couldn't have helped him?" Kiba said after a moment. He awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck. "You know... at the hospital."
   "No, not really."
   "You sure? I mean, they're taking care of Sasuke—"
   "Who's still out cold," Akira said with a chuckle. "There's not much they can do. Kakashi-sensei, on the other hand, was awake and I'm really the most qualified person to take care of him."
   "Really now?"
   "Hey, don't sound so sceptical. He went through something that I've gone through before," Akira explained. Kiba noticed her jaw clench a little. "So, I'm the only person—other than the passed-out Sasuke—who knows exactly how to help him. Besides, it doesn't take any medical training to suffer through his whining when I won't let him out of bed."

Kiba's brows furrowed and he pulled a face.

   "Right," he muttered.
   "He's doing good. Looks more or less alive, now."
   "Yeah, but you look exhausted."
   "How dare you say that to a woman," Akira chuckled. "I look impeccable."
   "Sure, sure," Kiba said a little awkwardly. He then threw his arm around Akira's shoulders. "Just don't work yourself too hard, again."
   "All right, mom."
   "Come on, let's go whack some dummies."
   "So, I can't work hard but I can whack dummies? You're not making much sense."
   "Oh, the dumies are Kai and Shikamaru. Hinata can watch."

Akira snorted and threw her arm around Kiba. They made their way around town to gather Kai, Shikamaru and Hinata, and the five of them went to their old stomping grounds. Kiba, Kai, Shikamaru and Akira all beat the crap out of each other (and the training dummies) for a good few hours, while Hinata cheered for Akira, much to her teammate's dismay.

For those few hours, everything seemed normal again. They were all kids once again, without Orochimaru, without any curse marks, without any pain, or village destruction—it was just five friends having a good time. Akira couldn't remember the last time she'd seen her friends' eyes gleam so brightly, or even the last time she'd felt so calm and peaceful. Everything had gone so wrong since the start of the Chūnin Exams, and everything had begun to change after her ordeal in the Land of Waves. Sitting there watching Kai and Kiba scarf food down like schoolchildren was refreshing, a throwback to simpler times, and Akira was happy that this peace lasted as long as it did considering the morning she'd had. However, all good things come to an end sooner or later.

As the five friends were leaving the restaurant where they'd had lunch, Shikamaru's father came to fetch Akira and his son. He was wearing his usual flak jacket, but an extra pin on one of the flaps told Akira that he'd been promoted. Luckily, Shikaku was one of those who was ready for a promotion, but the blues that had plagued her that morning returned to Akira the second she saw it. Shikamaru heard the heavy sigh from Akira and he tried to ask what was wrong, but the girl just shook it off and plastered on an unconvincing smile that told Shikamaru to stop asking questions. 

Akira's focus shifted from feeling down to the Academy and Hokage's office which was getting closer and closer. On their way up the stairs to the Hokage's office, the three of them bumped into Lady Tsunade, her assistant Shizune, and Naruto. Tsunade went up to speak with Shikaku and Naruto came down to talk to Akira and Shikamaru.

   "So, that's where you were," Akira sighed. "We were looking for you earlier for training and lunch."
   "Woah, Akira, you're already out of the hospital!?" Naruto exclaimed, completely ignoring what the girl had just said. "How do you feel? How's Kakashi-sensei?"
   "I'm all right. Kakashi-sensei is home resting. He's been looking better lately."
   "All right!"
   "Anyway, why are you here? Shouldn't you be somewhere stuffing your face with ramen?" Shikamaru asked.
   "How about you, you're usually still asleep this time of day," Naruto countered.
   "Very funny."
   "Well, we were out to lunch and then Shikaku asked us to come with him," Akira said with a shrug. She looked over at Tsunade and Shikaku. "Do they know each other?"
   "Yeah, who's the blonde?"
   "That is Lady Tsunade, Shikamaru. She's here to treat injuries, I suppose."
   "You guys didn't hear? She's the Fifth Hokage!" Naruto said. "And she's no girl—she's actually an old lady in her fifties."
   "Well, that I knew," Akira said with a sigh.

She frowned looking up at Tsunade. No doubt having one of the Legendary Sannin as their Hokage was a good thing, and Tsunade's medical ninjutsu was incredible, but after her first impression back at the hospital, Akira wasn't sure she would like the new Hokage. 

As Shikaku and Tsunade finished their conversation, Naruto ran off with her and Shizune, leaving both Nara men and Akira to resume their journey.

   "That's really the Fifth Hokage?" Shikamaru asked, sceptical.
   "Watch it Shikamaru," Shikaku warned. "That woman is one of the strongest ninjas you'll ever meet."
   "True. I suppose that the Hokage being a Sannin is a good thing," Akira admitted.
   "Yeah, but I mean, a woman Hokage?"
   "Shikamaru!"
   "Hey, you can never figure them out and you never know where you stand with them. The smallest things can put you on their bad side and they're always playing little mind games with you."
   "I think you've just been spending too much time with Ino," Akira laughed.
   "Listen, Shikamaru," Shikaku said. "Keep in mind that without women, you and I wouldn't even exist. And take my word for it, they make men better people than we'd ever be without them. Now, come on, you two." 
   "If my mother made him a better man, I don't even want to think about what he was before," Shikamaru said as his father walked away.

Akira let out a breath of laughter. She and Shikamaru followed his father all the way up to an office that resembled the Hokage's, but it was a little smaller, and there was a lot less paperwork lying around. On one side of the room, there was a giant bookcase filled with scrolls. Akira's eyes lingered upon it for a lot longer than she should have, mind racing as to what sort of jutsu were hidden inside. She turned her eyes quickly to the front, realising how long she'd been staring, and found that the two people sitting at the end of the room had been gazing at her. They were Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado, old members of the second Hokage's advisory team, and for a moment, Akira wondered if they knew what she'd done with Orochimaru. If they did, no wonder they'd been gazing at her while she was examining the bookcase full of old scrolls.

Shikaku pushed his son further into the room, making him stand beside Akira. He bowed to Homura and Koharu, and then left the room. The two advisors wasted no time in addressing Akira and Shikamaru.

   "The events of the Chūnin Exams have left us weakened," Koharu said. "Many of our greatest shinobi have been left incapable of performing their duties or have simply died. Our city was partially destroyed, and our allies turned out to be traitors. We have been promoting shinobi who are good enough to support us in this time of need."

Akira glanced down at her feet and let out a quiet sigh. Good enough.

   "That doesn't mean ready."
   "No, it doesn't," Homura said darkly. Akira looked up and they held each other's gaze for a moment.
   "But we feel that you are," Koharu interjected. "Ready that is."
   "The Chūnin Exams may not have been completed in full, however, the Hokage and we the council have deemed that your talents are sufficient to earn you, Akira Uchiha, and you, Shikamaru Nara, a promotion to Chūnin."

Both friends raised an eyebrow, looking more surprised than pleased. Akira had no idea what was going through Shikamaru's brain, but hers was flooded with memories of her dealing with Orochimaru. It tainted the achievement of getting this promotion and made her question if she deserved it at all. Then, suddenly, a look of anger crossed her face. Shikamaru could sense it and, when he looked over at her to see her reaction, he saw that her jaw had clenched again and that her eyebrows were furrowed in anger.

   "Of course, you can decline our offer."
   "No."

Akira had spoken more sternly than she'd anticipated. Koharu, Homura and Shikamaru looked at her a little surprised.

   "No, I won't be declining your offer," Akira stated.
   "Good," Koharu said with a single nod. "You possess the same prowess in the ninja arts as your predecessors, Miss Uchiha. Your power and potential should not go wasted. And through you..."

Koharu cut herself off and allowed a moment of silence for dramatic effect.

   "I think that Konohagakure may find its respect for the Uchiha Clan once again."

That's right, Akira thought. She deserved this respect. It didn't matter that Orochimaru had had a hand in this. In the end, it was Akira that had done all the work. She was the one who'd given blood sweat and tears to be standing there. All that Orochimaru had been was an unfortunate stepping stone to achieve it and Akira couldn't let him taint this—she'd earned it.

   "Well, if Akira's doing it, what the hell," Shikamaru said all of a sudden. "At least I'm not the only one of us rookies to be promoted."
   "Then, to the both of you, congratulations."

Akira and Shikamaru were directed to an adjacent room where they were able to collect their new flak jackets. As she swung the jacket over her shoulders and put her arms through, Akira couldn't help the smirk that plastered itself onto her face. Shikamaru chuckled and shook his head, amused by his friend's enthusiasm. Once outside, Akira couldn't contain her excitement; she screeched happily, which scared Shikamaru, and she tackled him in a hug, even going so far as to lift him and spin him around.

   "I did it, Shikamaru, I did it!" Akira exclaimed, smiling from ear to ear.
   "Yeah, yeah, put me down!"

Shikamaru couldn't help but smile even as Akira spun him for a little while longer against his will. He hadn't seen her this happy in quite some time and it was nice to see her smile so brightly again. Even as she put him down, Akira was still jumping and screeching a little until she suddenly stopped. Her eyes went wide and she held Shikamaru at arm's length.

   "I need to tell Kakashi," she said quickly. "I'll see you later Shikamaru!"

Akira didn't even bother using the stairs. She jumped off the ledge and onto one of the lower roofs and bolted, covering the rooftops with such incredible speed that made her ankles seem like springs rather than the sinew and bone everyone else had. Through this excitement, Akira's strides were at least two of anyone else's and she barely broke a sweat as she sped across roofs and balconies. Once over Kakashi's building, Akira bent forwards, gripped the edge of the rooftop and swung herself down onto Kakashi's balcony. Akira's arrival startled Kakashi, who was standing just inside the door looking out, and he jumped and fell backwards. Akira winced.

   "Sorry," she said sheepishly after opening the window. "Didn't think you'd be standing right there. Actually, I didn't think you'd be standing at all."

Akira manoeuvred herself into the apartment and then held out her hand to help Kakashi to his feet. He sighed and pulled himself up.

   "Are you okay to be standing? 'Cause if you're not ready you might get dizzy and—"
   "I'm fine, I'm fine," Kakashi chuckled, holding up his arms in mock surrender. "You're the one who scared the crap out of me."
   "Right. Oh!"

Kakashi furrowed his eyebrows as Akira spun on the spot. She turned back to him and held out her arms on either side. 

   "What?"
   "Are you blind or just stupid?"

After a few seconds of staring expectantly at him, Kakashi's eyes finally widened a little. 

   "Wow, took you a while."
   "Is that—Did you—"
   "Yup! Starting today, Shikamaru and I are both Chūnin!"
   "And you're feeling good about this?"
   "Oh, yeah."

The confidence had taken Kakashi off-guard. He half expected her to feel undeserving because of the whole Orochimaru situation, but the look in her eye was telling him a different story.

   "I know what people think and I saw the way Homura and Koharu were looking at me—but I don't care," she said, sitting at the edge of Kakashi's bed. "Orochimaru is irrelevant."
   "Well, I wouldn't say—"
   "He is. I'm the one who did all the work. I'm the one who trained for hours and hours. I'm the one who beat herself up over new jutsu and techniques for days. No matter what anyone thinks, Orochimaru is just a stain on my record and I did earn this—with blood, sweat and tears. Well, plus a little bit of torture."
   "Excuse me?"
   "Oh, you don't wanna know. Trust me."

Kakashi let out a breath of laughter and put his hand on Akira's head. She protested and smacked his head away as he ruffled his hair, but Kakashi was happy to see her laughing.

   "You know... I'm proud of you."
   "Oh, shut up."
   "No, seriously, I am," Kakashi insisted. "You've come all this way, mostly on your own—"
   "Thanks for rubbing it in," Akira said sarcastically.
   "—and I know you're not going to stop until you get what you want."
   "That's true. I'm stubborn that way."
   "Yeah, tell me about it."

Akira stood and punched Kakashi on the shoulder.

   "If you don't shut up I'll tell the hospital you had a mental breakdown and you've gotta go back."
   "You wouldn't dare."
   "Just try me, Hatake."

Chapter Text

With Sasuke and Kakashi finally recovered, Team Seven was reunited. Naruto and Sasuke were both jealous of the flak jacket Akira now wore, but Sakura was really proud. Before meeting up, she and Akira had gotten together for a steaming cup of tea and some dumplings to celebrate Akira's promotion. Sakura had matured quite a bit since she and Akira first met, and the more they spent time together like this, the more Akira grew to appreciate Sakura. Of course, she was still obsessed with Sasuke and she was pretty useless in an actual fight, but the girl had brains and Akira found herself enjoying the time they spent together.

However, despite Sasuke and Kakashi getting the all-clear from the medical corps, it seemed that having a near-death experience hadn't taught Kakashi to be on time. Akira wondered if she should have drilled that into his head while she was taking care of him; Team Seven ended up waiting for nearly a half-hour before he'd arrived. As usual, Kakashi explained the mission in his signature lazy voice and then disappeared, deeming them capable enough to accomplish it on their own.

   "If anything goes wrong, our new Chūnin is in charge," Kakashi said.
   "Hey, no fair!" Naruto and Sasuke shouted.
   "Calm down, you two. She needs the practice and, technically, she's your superior anyway, so..."
   "Don't worry, Kakashi-sensei!" Sakura said happily. "I'll knock some nonsense into these—"
   "Let's try and keep the knocking to a minimum, all right?" Akira chuckled. She turned to Kakashi. "Go and waste your day reading. I've got this."

Kakashi did a mock salute with two fingers and vanished in a puff of smoke. Naruto and Sasuke argued for a moment, but the second Akira gave them an order they didn't really have the right to disobey. As such, the mission went smoothly and Akira didn't have to intervene at all. Clearly, the two boys only behaved so they wouldn't get told off.

Team Seven was making its way back home now, but Naruto was gradually slowing down, obviously unable to walk at the same time as thinking as deeply as he was. 

   "Hey, you were taking care of Kakashi-sensei, right?" he asked Akira all of a sudden.
   "Yeah, why?"
   "So, while he was asleep? Did you take a peek?"
   "What are you talking about, Naruto?" Akira asked. 

She knew exactly what Naruto was talking about, but she wasn't about to entertain this line of questioning. Yes, Akira had been curious, and on a few occasions she'd been tempted to take a quick peek at Kakashi's face, but that was definitely an invasion of privacy.

   "You wanna see it, don't ya? Kakashi-sensei's... real face!"
   "Ugh, cut it out will ya!?" Sakura yelled, knocking Naruto on the head.
   "Hey, I said we were going to limit the knocking," Akira noted.
   "Please, this is lame. You can count me out," Sasuke scoffed. "We finished today's mission. I'm outta here."
   "Yeah, you're totally right," Sakura said dreamily.

Though moments later it seemed like she was reconsidering.

   "What if he's got lips... like a blimp!" Naruto said as Sasuke was walking away.

To Akira's surprise, Sasuke stopped in his tracks.

   "Or maybe buck teeth."

Akira snorted, trying to imagine Kakashi with any of those features. It was obvious by how closely his mask clung to his face that Kakashi didn't have the "blimp" lips that Naruto was referring to. But, like Sakura, Akira suddenly became intrigued by Naruto's train of thought. However, was she really willing to go through all the trouble of sneaking around and trying to get a glimpse of Kakashi's face? It seemed that Sasuke, Sakura and Naruto were and, as the Chūnin and defacto leader of the team, they all looked to her for permission.

Akira groaned and scratched the back of her neck. She held up her hands and sighed.

   "This cannot get out of hand."
   "Hell yeah!"

Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke began plotting immediately and Akira couldn't help but sigh. After about a half-hour, they'd managed to plot and find Kakashi to lure him into getting lunch at Ichiraku Ramen with them. Of course, Kakashi wasn't stupid. The second he sat down and ordered he looked over at his students, sceptical.

   "Well, this is out of the ordinary," he said. 
   "Here, thanks for waiting," Teuchi said, placing a bowl of ramen in front of Kakashi.
   "The four of you treating me to lunch? I wouldn't be surprised if it snowed on me or if the ramen blew up. You guys are up to something, right?"

He looked directly at Akira and it took all of her self-control not to pull a face and give it all away. She just shrugged and looked over to Teuchi and ordered one of his daughter's speciality mango drinks. Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke weren't as smart. They were all exaggerating their innocence, and it was impossible to think that they weren't hiding something.

   "Wh-What are you crazy? Naruto wheezed.
   "Kakashi-sensei, please!" Sakura said, a little panicky. "You and Sasuke only just recovered. We wouldn't dare!"
   "Well, all right then," Kakashi said with a shrug. "I suppose I should just dig in."

The four of them tried to discretely peek at Kakashi sideways as he split his chopsticks and began to pull down his mask. However, all of a sudden, Ino, Choji and Shikamaru came charging in, blocking their view. Akira snorted and laughed as her teammates shouted.

   "Get out of the way, Ino Pig!" Sakura yelled.
   "Ah, man! I can't see squat!" Naruto added.

They managed to push Asuma's team out of the way, but by the time they did, Kakashi had somehow already finished his bowl of ramen. Akira rose an eyebrow at him and she glanced at Teuchi and his daughter. Both of them had a strong blush spread across their cheeks which made Akira narrow her eyes at Kakashi. 

   "Okay, now I'm curious," she said under her breath.

After treating Kakashi to lunch, he tried to pull Akira aside to ask her what was going on, but Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke pulled her away before he could even open his mouth. They dragged her back to their original plotting position and Naruto began planning some more. He too had been given an extra dose of curiosity after seeing Teuchi and Ayame's faces—there was no way Kakashi was that handsome.

   "That's it!" Naruto exclaimed. "Nothing's gonna stop me from seeing that face!"
   "Yeah, but how? You got any ideas?" Sakura asked. 
   "Don't you worry... We'll see it one way or another!"
   "I'm asking you how, you stupid little troll!"
   "All right, smarty pants. How do you propose we do it?" Naruto said sarcastically. 
   "Well, uh..."
   "We'll just have to tail him for the rest of the day," Sasuke suggested. "He's gotta take off the mask at some point."
   "Oh, Sasuke, I swear, you are so smart!" Sakura said dreamily.
   "Sakura, that's the simplest deduction anyone could make," Akira said with a laugh. "Come on, let's do it in shifts. Naruto, you first."

Naruto cheered and ran off. He spent the next two hours tailing Kakashi but came back fruitless. Sakura went next, but he'd fooled her with a dummy of himself and she came back fruitless as well. Sasuke went next and he came back in under an hour, shrugging, saying he'd gotten bored. Akira went last. Sakura and Naruto insisted that she stay the longest to make up for Sasuke's laziness and she agreed with a sigh. However, Akira wasn't exactly in the mood for sneaking around by the time her turn came around so, instead of sneaking around, Akira popped up beside Kakashi as he was out at the bookshop. They spent an hour going through the shelves together, snickering at horribly written books and passages they were reading aloud. Akira shamed him for getting another one of his stupid Make-Out Paradise books and Kakashi rolled his eyes at her as she tried to justify spending an entire mission's earnings on a special edition ancient weapons' care book; with Akira's mention of the Warring States Era tantō, the argument turned to her favour.

   "Well, that's just not fair."
  "Hey, it's a perfectly valid reason to buy this book!" Akira insisted. "Once it's restored, I can't just keep going to Mr Ogawa's to sharpen the tantō, can I? With this—" Akira held up the large leather-bound book—"I can figure out how to do it myself."
   "Okay, okay, you win."
   "And how do you justify buying those—"
   "I said you win!" Kakashi laughed.
   "KAKASHI!"

Both Kakashi and Akira jumped as Guy appeared out of nowhere, screaming Kakash's name. He looked like he was out of breath.

   "Um, yes?"
   "Kurenai and Asuma are getting food and drinks, you in?"

Kakashi glanced at Akira. It looked as if he wanted her to save him and Akira tried to hide a smile. She rose her hands and took a step back.

   "Don't let me stop you," she chuckled. "Have fun, you guys."
   "Oh, you can come too! Celebrate your promotion!"
   "No, it's fine, really—"
   "ONWARDS!"

Guy grabbed Kakashi and Akira by the arm and dragged them down the street. Akira groaned quietly and hung her head back, defeated, and glared at Kakashi who laughed at her. Guy pulled them both to Yakiniku Q, a barbecue place that Shikamaru said Asuma took their team to a lot. Asuma and Kurenai were already in the back, ordering drinks. A look of confusion crossed their features as they saw Akira.

   "One of our newest Chūnin here to celebrate!" Guy explained.
   "I was with Kakashi," Akira said deadpan. "I got dragged."
   "I'll get Shikamaru to drag himself here for you," Asuma said with a laugh.

Akira smiled awkwardly, but thankfully at him, and Guy shoved her and then Kakashi into the booth. Guy squeezed in after, much to Kakashi's dismay and everyone else's amusement. As the first round of drinks came, Shikamaru arrived. There was a look of pure fear on his face seeing everyone there, but Akira's glare made sure he took a seat beside Asuma.

Akira and Shikamaru didn't sit in awkwardness for long. As the food began to arrive, and Kakashi suspiciously said he'd already eaten, both newly promoted Chūnin grew more comfortable; the happy chatter, the smell of food and the dimmed lighting made for a very welcoming ambience. As the night went on and the number of laughs grew, Akira completely forgot what her time with Kakashi was actually supposed to be and she didn't even bat an eyelash at Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura who gasped at her from across the street, looking scandalised that she'd abandoned the mission so easily.

Akira went home late that night, way past the setting of the sun, with a full stomach and a bright smile on her face—she couldn't have cared less about Kakashi's face.

However, the next morning, her three teammates were at it again. After receiving a new mission at nearby farmland, Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke were hot on Akira's heels and pushing her buttons. As they arrived at the newly repaired entrance to the village, they were conspiring once again, trying to put Akira in the centre of their plot as revenge for her slacking. Unfortunately for them, Akira wasn't really paying attention. Last night's high was still going through her system and she was far more preoccupied with the blueness of the sky and the warmth of the sun.

   "Off we go!" Naruto said, just as Kakashi arrived. He sounded far too happy for his own good and Kakashi grew suspicious again.
   "What's with you guys today?" Kakashi asked. "You're a little too enthusiastic."
   "Oh, we're enthusiastic all right!" Sasuke, Naruto and Sakura chorused. They glared at Akira who said nothing.
   "All righty, then. Good to hear."

Kakashi went ahead of the group and Naruto pushed Akira so that she was beside him. However, it turned out well. After the whole Orochimaru debacle, Kakashi decided to personally oversee her transition to Chūnin, and they spent the entire journey to the farmland talking about the special training that would be starting that same evening.

On their way, Kakashi and Akira (and most likely Sasuke) had sensed something watching them nearby, but they made nothing of it. After subtly checking for chakra signatures in the area, Akira deemed that they weren't much of a threat even to non-ninja folk.

It only took a few hours to reach the farm. When they did, the old woman who'd commissioned the ninja ushered them inside to describe the work to be done. Out of appreciation, she made them a large lunch so that they could boost their strength before starting their mission. Akira thanked her with a deep bow all the while Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura looked at each other with devilish smiles. Akira sat down beside Kakashi, across from the other three, who were waiting for Kakashi to start eating.

   "What's wrong, guys?" Kakashi said, looking at each of them. "No one's picked up their chopsticks."
   "Well, I'm not waiting," Akira said seriously. She picked up her chopsticks and began eating. "Oh, the mackerel is good."
   "Yeah, come on, Kakashi-sensei, don't wait on us," Sakura said awkwardly. "Just go ahead and eat."
   "Actually, I'm kind of on a diet right now."

Everyone, including Akira, looked at him deadpan.

   "I know for a fact that isn't true," she said, stuffing some rice into her mouth.
   "Well—"

All of a sudden, Naruto pretended that his hand slipped while grabbing the pot of tea and threw it at Kakashi. If that wasn't bad enough, instead of just moving out of the way, Kakashi flipped the table to block it. Akira glared at Kakashi.

   "I was eating."
   "Sorry about that. Guess my hand just slipped."
   "SLIPPED!?" the four teammates shouted.
   "You're cleaning this up," Akira said sternly, looking between Naruto and Kakashi.

They didn't argue with her. After they'd cleaned up, Kakashi left the room which left the four teammates to put their heads together. 

   "Guys, this is getting out of hand," Akira said seriously. "I didn't even get to eat."
   "Shut up, Akira," Sasuke said. "I've got a plan."

Sakura and Akira both sat together in the women's section of the hot spring, looking annoyed. Sasuke's idea conveniently left the girls out of the equation. Then, as if thinking the same thing, the girls looked at each other, faces red. 

   "You do it."
   "Me!? You're the one who said it first!" Akira complained.
   "Rock, paper, scissors!" Sakura insisted.

Akira groaned but relented and, after a best two out of three, she'd lost. Sakura cackled and watched as Akira waded over to the wooden fence that separated the two sections of the hot springs. She tied her towel tightly around her chest and lifted herself up, glancing over the fence. Moments later, Akira flopped back into the water with an irritated look on her face.

   "He's got a towel over his head, too."
   "Dammit!" Sakura said. After a moment, she scooted over. "Did you see the rest of him though?"
   "SAKURA!"

After the whole hot spring debacle, Team Seven actually had to do some work. Akira had begun repairing the fence on one side, and her progress was really good, but the second she saw Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke dressed in odd clothes and trying to execute another bastard attempt to see Kakashi's face, she walked away and pretended they didn't exist. However, as they began shouting at Kakashi, Akira took a look around. They had to have gotten those strange clothes from someplace and Akira wondered if they belonged to the people who'd been following them earlier. After a few moments, Kakashi got fed up with their yelling and Akira spotted exactly what she was looking for. Kakashi tied up Akira's three teammates just as she kicked a half-open barrel towards Kakashi. Three men fell out wearing the same exact outfits as Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura.

   "There we go. I was wondering how long you guys were going to hide around for," Kakashi said, poking Naruto on the forehead. "Thank you, Akira, for moving them along."
   "Anytime, Sensei. Honestly, I just got fed up with these three's antics," Akira said, pointing at her teammates.
   "Sensei!?" the three men gasped. "This is why her skills are unmatched! She has learned from the transgressor!"
   "Wrong transgressor."
   "First thing's first," Kakashi said to Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke, "why are you dressed like this?"
   "Uh, well, the thing is—"
   "You fools! You fell right into our trap! We knew that if you saw us like this you'd come closer and give Akira the chance to find you out!" Sakura suddenly yelled, pointing accusingly at the three men.

Akira chuckled. She had to hand it to Sakura—it was a nice save.

   "The four of us have known all along that you were targeting Kakashi-sensei!"
   "Are you telling me that our machinations were exposed from the very beginning!?" one of the men said, taking a step back.
   "Of course! This was all just a ruse to lure you out! And you fell for it—hook, line and sinker!"
   "So we were caught up in your web of deception!" another man said dramatically. "DRAT! We underestimated them because they're kids!"
   "Well, I'm not sure I really get what's going on around here," Kakashi said, scratching his head, "but whatever."

Kakashi moved towards the three men and they cowardly moved back, begging for forgiveness and mercy. Akira was trying her best not to laugh, but she let out a stifled chuckle as they began crying the second Kakashi tied them up and strung them from the roof of the barn. Team Seven continued their work until the end of the day and all the chores were completed, and they listened to the three strangers' cries as they left. The sky was lit up with hues of amber and lavender, and as Akira stared at it, she had a thought.

   "Hey, Kakashi-sensei?" she said. Kakashi looked at her. "What're you hiding under that mask?"
   "Huh? You wanna know what's behind my mask?"
   "Yeah!" Naruto concurred.
   "Is that why you've been acting all weird lately?" Kakashi asked. The four teammates all nodded. "Well, you should have just said so in the first place."
   "So, does that mean you'll show us?" Sakura asked, hopeful.
   "Sure, I don't mind."

Kakashi's easy answer caught Akira off-guard. She didn't expect him to agree at all, and definitely not this easily. Her gaze went from the sky towards Kakashi as he slowly pulled down his mask to reveal... 

   "Another mask!" Kakashi said excitedly.

Akira couldn't contain her laughter. She threw her head back and let out clear waves of laughter that pierced through Sasuke's, Sakura's and Naruto's complaining. As they shouted at him, Kakashi looked over at Akira and winked. Akira chuckled and shook her head at him.

   "You're an idiot."

Chapter Text

Before the day had started for the masses, Akira was already up and in the kitchen, fully dressed and halfway through cooking breakfast for Sasuke. And though she'd been awake for hours even before this, it was only by the time on the clocks that anyone could tell that she was up far before the appropriate time to rise. The sky was still as black as obsidian sparkling with stars and the dawn would come as Akira left the apartment to meet Kakashi. As part of his supervision of her transition to Chūnin, Kakashi and Akira were to train until she dropped or Team Seven received a mission to accomplish. But first, Kakashi was treating her to breakfast.

Akira neatly packed Sasuke's breakfast into a bento box and put it in the fridge. She wrote a note and left it on the counter then went to her room to get ready. Akira put on a thicker kimono shirt to keep the cold morning air at bay, which she expected to take off sometime during training, and jumped off her balcony. She calmly walked down the streets, looking around at the darkened city. A few lanterns were lit along the street, making the dew twinkle as the stars had done only an hour earlier. The sky was fading from its dark indigos and into pale purples and corals. There were a few shop keepers preparing for the long day ahead and others, like those working at the Dango Shop, who'd already been working for a while to serve breakfast for shinobi going on early morning missions.

To Akira's surprise, Kakashi was already seated at the front of the shop, looking out the window. She rose a hand at him and waved a little and he came out of a daze. Akira chuckled a little as he quickly returned the wave. As Akira entered, the hostess placed two cups and a teapot full of green tea in front of Kakashi. The light outside combined with the low-lighting of the Dango Shop bathed them both in a soft glow and as Akira sat, Kakashi poured the tea.

   "This is an odd time to go out and eat, Kakashi," Akira said, glancing around. Both the restaurant and the streets were deserted. "I could have eaten at home, you know."
   "Good morning to you too, Akira," Kakashi said with a chuckle.
   "Right, yeah." Akira ran a hand over her face. "Good morning."
   "You good?"
   "Yeah, I'm fine. I just feel... exposed. It's way too empty," Akira said, waving it off. "Anyway, why am I here so early?"
   "No reason, really."

Akira looked at Kakashi, deadpan.

   "So, I could have slept in?"
   "Well, yes. But since we're going to be training all day, I figured I'd—"

Kakashi cut himself off and shrugged.

   "You figured you'd what? You can't just stop talking when I literally could have slept in, Kakashi."
   "I figured I could treat you to breakfast before we beat each other senseless all day," he said simply. "You know, to repay you for helping me out."
   "Oh, you didn't have to," Akira chuckled. "But thank you. I'll take free food any day."
   "And I figured we could go over a few things without any interruptions."
   "Like Guy-sensei or any of Naruto's nonsense?"
   "Yeah, like that."

Akira sipped her tea and the hostess came over to take their orders. Kakashi was insistent that Akira order as much as she wanted. She wasn't sure he expected her to order as much as she did, but Akira was used to eating with a group of boys who could eat their entire weight in food.

   "I'm sure you know that people are getting promoted everywhere because of Orochimaru," Kakashi said, and a small pang of guilt squeezed Akira's insides. She glanced away for a moment. "Some that aren't ready to be promoted."
   "You saying I'm not ready?" Akira said with a chuckle, trying to hide the guilty look in her eyes.
   "Of course not. I'm saying that there's a possibility you'll be put in charge of teams that aren't ready."

The hostess returned and placed several kinds of dango in front of Akira and Kakashi. She also refilled the teapot with fresh tea leaves and hot water.

   "The Council has promoted you to Chūnin because you reached a level of maturity and ability that primarily consists of leadership skills and tactical prowess. I can't deny that. After all, you did receive impeccable training."
   "Yeah, thanks for reminding me," Akira sighed. She lazily popped a dumpling into her mouth.
   "Now, as you know, Chūnin are typically sent on C-rank or B-rank missions. Given that we're low on forces, there's a big chance that you'll be sent on B-rank or A-rank missions, instead. Combine that with an inexperienced team—"
   "And I'm bound to have some issues. Right."

Akira took a sip of tea and leaned back in her seat. She sighed and ran a hand on the back of her neck.

   "I've just become a Chūnin, Kakashi. How can they honestly expect me to lead an inexperienced team on a mission that even I shouldn't be doing?"
   "Well, for one, I think you're already more than qualified," Kakashi said honestly. "Besides, you have me to push you in the right direction."
   "That's something, at least."
   "All right, now eat. The sooner we finish here, the sooner we can get to training."
   "Kakashi, I've already started eating," Akira said, deadpan. "You're the one who hasn't."
   "Oh, right, would you look at that."

Akira sighed and ate another dumpling. She leaned forward again.

   "I'm sorry about the other day. Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke looked to me for approval to get a look at your face. Should have told them no."
   "Don't worry about it. It's fine."
   "No, not really. It's personal." Akira looked out at the street. People were finally starting to come out. "Naruto got us into scheming and although I am curious, I'll keep looking outside if you want to speed eat like you did with that ramen."
   "Come on, I said don't worry about it. Just eat."
   "Suit yourself."

Akira's gaze immediately fell on Kakashi the second she looked back inside. Just like Teuchi and Ayame, heat rose to Akira's cheeks. She just stared, blinking stupidly as Kakashi ate at a normal speed. The typical lazy expression wasn't just limited to his eyes, but to his entire face. Though, like this, Akira thought he looked more serene than lazy. With high cheekbones and a strong, narrow jawline, Kakashi Hatake definitely deserved the looks he got from Teuchi and Ayame.

   "What?" he said, holding his tea to his lips.
   "Huh? Oh, nothing," Akira said nonchalantly. "Just making an observation."
   "What sort of observation?"
   "Kakashi, this is the first time I'm seeing your face—let me stare for a second before you make it weird, all right?"

Kakashi chuckled and finally sipped his tea. Akira looked at him for a moment or two longer before she too continued her meal. By the time they'd finished, the sun was finally beginning to show itself more prominently, a paler shade of blue growing on the horizon. Kakashi placed a few coins on the table and stood, placing his mask where it normally sat. Akira stood as well and they both made their way to training ground three at a comfortable pace. As they passed the memorial stone, Akira noted that new names had been added to it. She sighed and turned back to kneel before the stone. Kakashi turned to look at her. Akira's eyes were closed and she began speaking.

   "We little knew that day, Death was going to call your names. In life we loved you dearly, in death, we do the same. It broke our hearts to lose you, but you did not go alone. For part of us went with you, when Death called you home. You left us beautiful memories, your love is still our guide. And although we cannot see you, you are always at our side."

Akira opened her eyes and took a moment to look at the new names on the memorial stone. Among them was Hayate Gekkō, the proctor who'd lent her his sword for the preliminaries. A pained look crossed her features and Akira gently brushed her fingers over his name before going back to stand beside Kakashi. He gently placed a hand on her head and smiled fondly. There were many things Kakashi admired about Akira, but the respect she held for all people was something to behold. No matter who they were, and even if they were murderers like Orochimaru, there was always room in her heart to respect them somehow.

Akira stopped and looked at Kakashi. He glanced over at his fingers as they slipped out of her hair.

   "So, we going to get started, old man?" Akira said with a bright smile.

It caught Kakashi off-guard a little.

   "Old man? I'm not that much older than you, young lady," Kakashi reprimanded in an amused tone.
   "It's the hair," Akira said with a shrug. "Some people think you're in your forties or older, you know."
   "What!?"
   "They can't see your face. The hair is their only clue."
   "Great."
   "All right, what are we starting with young man?" Akira said sarcastically.

Kakashi sighed and rolled his eyes. He thought for a moment.

   "Show me what he taught you first," he said. His face was serious. "Use the training posts as targets."
   "Are you sure?" Akira asked quietly.

Kakashi nodded and stepped aside. He leaned on the trunk of a nearby tree and watched as Akira took a loose and comfortable position. She took a deep breath and pulled water from the gourd strapped to her back with astounding ease. Akira performed what Kakashi would almost qualify as a dance. He'd seen these movements during the preliminaries. She moved her body so smoothly and so gracefully that it no longer looked like taijutsu. Her movements flowed with dazzling grace and a purposeful clarity. With each stride that Akira made, it became painfully obvious how much dedication and patience she'd put into mastering this and how punishing on the body it must have been.

The water flowed like the breeze, swirling around and following her arms as she danced until, all of a sudden, she shot her arms forward. The water rushed towards the training posts at incredible speed. Akira spread her arms apart and the stream of water split into two and they each sliced the top off a training post. She brought her arms back together and balled her fists. The stream of water turned into a spinning orb and when Akira then pulled her hands inward, the orb shot back through the middle post, blowing a giant hole into it. As the ball of water came towards her, Akira held a hand out to stop it. When the water hit her hand, the water spread around her like a defensive bubble. Kakashi watched amazed as her control of the water and chakra allowed her to create the thinnest possible defence, giving a glass-like surface to the bubble. Then, with a simple flick of her wrist, the bubble burst into thousands of water droplets and Akira returned them to the gourd on her back.

   "You practised that a lot," Kakashi said, his eyes wide. Akira turned to him, smiling meekly. "It's amazing."
   "Yeah, but I tend not to use it," Akira said. "I use it as containment or to repel something. It takes up a lot of chakra to use it as a weapon."
   "Did he teach you any jutsu?"
   "A few. The wind-style and paralysis jutsus I used during the final part of the exams I learned from him."
   "And?"

Akira sighed and looked away.

   "I can summon snakes," she said, nervously scratching the back of her neck. "In a variety of ways."
   "Ah, now I understand why you're beating yourself up over your memory loss."
   "Yeah... That would have been a dead giveaway."

Akira turned to face the stumps again. After performing a few hand signs, a dozen snakes burst out of her sleeve and launched themselves towards the training posts. They all bit the wood and, even from this distance, you could see the venom dripping from their mouths. A few seconds later, the snakes returned to Akira's sleeve and disappeared. She then bit her thumb and performed more hand signs to summon a significantly smaller snake than Shiro.

   "I can summon bigger ones, but I don't want to terrify the village," Akira said, glancing at the memorial stone from the corner of her eye. "Hoshi, thank you."

The small snake nodded and then vanished in a puff of smoke.

   "He also helped me achieve the final level of my Sharingan and, of course, he taught me to use the curse mark. There was also some regular training. I can make four different kinds of clones now, too. And I've perfected some of the jutsu I've copied with my Sharingan."
   "Like?"
   "Your Chidori, some jutsu that I copied in the Forest of Death. Oh, and—"

There was a subtle prideful smile on Akira's face. Kakashi looked on as she performed a series of six hand signs and a giant fireball burst from her mouth. His stern gaze softened immediately—it was the jutsu she'd never been able to master. He didn't care that it took training with Orochimaru for her to achieve this, nor did he care that Akira probably respected him because of it. The smile on Akira's face was reason enough for Kakashi to be proud of her, and the way she performed the jutsu was nothing like what he'd seen from Orochimaru. All he could see was the grace and the pride of Akira Uchiha.

   "You did it," Kakashi said, smiling.
   "Yeah," Akira chuckled then shrugged. "I figured I'd try to get the jutsu of my clan down, you know? And there's more, too, but I'd prefer if I didn't have to show you."
   "Why not?"
   "Because I was told never to use them unless as a last resort." Akira sighed. "They're blade techniques—"
   "Well, that's not so bad."
   "—for executions."

Kakashi's eyes widened a little.

   "Yeah. That's why I'm not showing you."

Chapter Text

Akira ran her hands over her face and sighed, then walked over to her wardrobe to get dressed. She pulled on her black turtleneck and readjusted the collar after her arms came through the sleeves. She hopped in place as she shrugged on her hakama pants, securing them at her true waist, then slipped one arm through each slot of her flak jacket. Akira had made a minor alteration to it and, instead of zipping it closed, she loosely tied her jacket with the haori himo she'd sewn into the front panels. Akira spent the next five minutes wrestling with her hair and settled on tying it all up into a high ponytail with two strands framing her face. She hesitated on the placement of her bandanna when she picked it up, but Akira decided on wearing it the standard way—on her forehead. She pulled the two strands of hair over her bandanna and sighed, glancing at a picture on her dresser. Like this, she looked so much like her mother.

Akira calmly made her way through the village streets on her way to the Mission Assignment Office. After their training the past few weeks, Kakashi gave Akira a glowing review and set her up for official Chūnin status as of today. He expected her to get missions immediately and he wasn't wrong. Early the next morning, Akira received a notice to show up at the mission desk alongside the rest of Team Seven. So, as the sun rose, Akira dragged Sasuke out of bed and, despite his many complaints, she pulled him towards Sakura's house. Her mother answered the door and went to fetch her daughter, and Sakura appeared, ready to go, only minutes later. It took Naruto a little longer to get up, as he didn't answer the door or even wake up until Akira busted the door open. Eventually, the four of them were standing before the mission desk and their new Hokage, Lady Tsunade.

   "All right! Whatever the mission is, I'm psyched and ready to go!" Naruto said energetically.

Sasuke scoffed and rolled his eyes at him.

   "But where's Kakashi-sensei?" Sakura asked.
   "He won't be here," Akira stated simply. "He left on a mission last night."
   "Akira's right," Tsunade confirmed. "You know our forces are stretched thin. All of our Jōnin are busy on other missions already, Kakashi included. You three—" Tsunade pointed at Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura—"will be going on this mission with Akira as your commanding officer."
   "What!?" Naruto and Sasuke called, outraged.
   "I, for one, think Akira's going to make a really great team captain," Sakura said with a smile.

Akira smiled and looked over at Sakura. They shared a fist bump and the boys glared at them.

   "The mission is a B-rank escort—someone important. It's also worth noting that this mission could easily turn into an A-rank if complications arise."

There was silence. Akira stepped forward.

   "Who are we escorting?"
   "I don't know."
   "Excuse me?"
   "Every four years, our neighbours in the Land of Tea hold a dedication ceremony at the Great Todoroki Shrine, and each time we're asked to escort a runner who will participate in the race that's part of the ceremony."
   "You mentioned complications?" Akira interjected.
   "Yes. This year, the messengers that were bringing the request were attacked before they could get here."
   "Well, that's not a good sign," Sakura said, worried.
   "The Land of Tea is expecting you this evening. The rest of the instructions will be given to you by Boss Jirōchō Wasabi once you have arrived," Tsunade finished.
   "You can count on us, Lady Tsunade," Akira said with a curt bow. She turned to her team. "Grab some extra gear. Meet me at the gate in ten minutes."

Sasuke, Sakura and Naruto nodded and left immediately. As Akira was leaving, Tsunade called out to her.

   "Make sure I don't regret promoting you."
   "What's that supposed to mean?" Akira said critically.
   "You know exactly what it means," Tsunade said sharply. "Don't think I don't know where that training of yours comes from."

Akira glared at Tsunade and turned to leave again. She pushed the doors open so hard that the handles dented the wall behind them and she walked down the stairs with a dangerous look in her eyes. As Akira walked down the streets on her way to the main gate, she made sure to calm herself down. She hadn't expected to make an enemy out of their new Hokage, at least not this easily, and Akira would be damned if she proved Tsunade right.

At the gate, Akira stopped and took deep breaths. After a few minutes, she'd calmed, and her teammates arrived. They all looked at her expectantly.

   "I've got to tell you guys something before we leave."
   "Are you okay?" Sakura asked.
   "Yeah, I'm fine. But I've got to tell you... I'm not ready for a mission like this, by any means," Akira admitted. "I've only just become Chūnin, and I should be doing this mission with people of the same rank."

Naruto and Sasuke went to protest, but Akira rose a hand to silence them.

   "While you're all very strong, you're all still Genin. Don't worry, I have faith in all of your guys' abilities, but now... I'm the one responsible for your actions as well as your lives. For today, I'm your team leader, and for today, I expect you to give me the same respect that you would give Kakashi-sensei. Listen to what I tell you, do what I tell you—it's my record this is going on, and I won't be responsible for any deaths or injuries. Are we clear?"
   "Yes, ma'am!" Naruto called, saluting.

Sasuke and Sakura looked at her seriously and they nodded in agreement. Akira nodded back and they began their journey to the Land of Tea. Akira's senses were on high alert, far more than usual. She was in charge now, and there was no way she was going to let anything happen to her teammates.

It was nearly midday when Akira decided her teammates needed a break. Naruto spied a nearby tea house and ran towards it. Upon entering, Akira took a look around as the others seated themselves. It was empty save for the old woman working there and a young man sitting at the back. She looked at him for a moment as he sharpened a senbon, and it was the old woman who worked there that brought her out of her observation.

   "Just tea, thank you," Akira said simply.

She didn't sit even as the old woman insisted. She stayed where she was, leaning against the doorway with her arms crossed, ready to pull out her katanas at any sign of danger.

   "I just hope we get some fighting in," Naruto said excitedly.
   "Fighting is the last thing we want, Naruto," Akira said calmly. "We're not here to cause any trouble."

Akira's eyes narrowed at the boy at the back approached the ninjas' table. She took a step forward as the boy stood directly beside them.

   "May I help you?"
   "Just sittin' around in the shade and sucking down sweet bean soup? The ninja life is pretty cushy," the boy said mockingly, looking at Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura.
   "What did you say!?" Naruto called, irritated.

Akira held up a hand to silence him and he listened.

   "Guess you don't get much action in the Leaf Village judging by how out of shape you look."
   "Thank you for your wisdom," Akira said politely. "Now, if you don't mind, I would appreciate it if you let us finish our meal. We have business to attend to."
   "Oh, I didn't even notice you there," the boy said, faking surprise as he turned to Akira. "How could I miss such a cutie?"
   "I recommend you don't go there," Sasuke growled in an attempt to defend his sister.

Akira rolled her eyes and turned to give him a deadpan look. Now wasn't the time for him to worry about boys trying and failing to flirt with her. Just then, the boy vanished at incredible speed. Akira turned and glared at the door just as the old woman arrived with his bill as well as their own. Naruto growled and her team began shouting for revenge. Akira put her hand to the ground and tried to feel out for the boy's chakra. To her surprise, he had far more than the average civilian.

   "We're not going after him and that's final," Akira said in standing.
   "What!? Come on!" Naruto complained.
   "No. We're not wasting time. Sasuke—pay both bills. I'll put it on the Hokage's tab."

Sasuke let out a quiet chuckle and he paid the old lady. The team finished their meal and then left for the Land of Tea once again. It wasn't long before they made it and, as soon as they'd walked into the village, someone was there to escort them to Boss Jirōchō Wasabi. He was a large man with shaggy grey hair and soft grey eyes. Though he was reputed to be a big gambler, Akira thought he seemed rather kind looking. 

   "Welcome, and thank you all for coming," he said as he sat down cross-legged on the tatami mat floor.
   "I'm Akira Uchiha," Akira said, bowing politely to the man. "This is my team: Naruto Uzumaki, Sakura Haruno and my brother, Sasuke. How may we be of service to you?"
   "You know about the dedication ceremony held at the Great Todoroki Shrine every four years, don't you?"
   "Yes, Lady Tsunade informed us of it."
   "At first, the dedication ceremony was simply used to dedicate the jewels found at the shrine. In time, the ceremony became a festival, then a race with the winner being honoured as a great hero," Jirōchō explained. "In recent years, what started as a friendly race has taken on a more troublesome aspect.
   "For generations, Port Degarashi has been divided by two families: the Wasabi and the Wagarashi, two rival gambling families, which inevitably led to disputes. These disputes have become increasingly dangerous over the years and they've begun to harm the townsfolk. 
   "Finally, in an attempt to end the cycle of violence, our district leader called upon both families to come to an agreement. Henceforth, control of the town would not be decided by street brawls but by the race held every four years."
   "I'm guessing the Wagarashi won the race four years ago and that the violence hasn't stopped," Akira said. 

Jirōchō nodded solemnly.

   "They hired a ninja to sabotage us four years ago, and we've learned that they intend to do the same thing this year. That's why we sent messages to you for help."
   "To level the playing field," Sasuke noted.
   "Exactly," Jirōchō said. "But before the messengers could reach your village, they were ambushed and attacked. That's why I must beg you. Please lend our family your strength. If we lose again, it means the Wagarashi family will control this town for four more years."

Akira knelt before the man and bowed deeply.

   "While I'm assigned to your cause, it's my duty to protect those in my care at all costs," she said, then straightened. "My team and I will do everything in our power to make sure that your runner will make it safely across the finish line and—" Akira glanced over to her teammates, a devious smirk on her face—"that he crosses it first."

Sasuke, Sakura and Naruto smiled. If the other team wasn't going to play fairly, they knew that Akira wouldn't either.

   "Excellent," Jirōchō said smiling. "So, that means you'll take the job?"
   "Of course."
   "Who're we escorting, anyway?" Sasuke asked.

Jirōchō clapped twice and someone appeared at the door, kneeling. He slid the door open and Akira had to force herself not to groan at the sight of the young man who'd given them trouble at the tea house earlier. He and Naruto both yelled at the sight of each other. Akira sighed and stared at the ceiling.

   "Kakashi... give me the strength to survive this."

Chapter Text

It went against every fibre in Akira's being when she told Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura to try and get along with Idate. He'd insulted the shinobi the second he opened his mouth and made them pay for two bills. Naruto especially wasn't ready to accept any of that. However, the mission was more important than the opinion of some runner for the Land of Tea.

Akira asked Sasuke and Sakura to stay with Jirōchō and get more details about the techniques and methods the Wagarashi family would be using to get at the Wasabi family, so that she could leave and get a lay of the land and survey the city. That way, she would be able to avoid Naruto and Idate's yelling as she explored over the rooftops. However, that bliss was short-lived. It seemed that they were arguing while walking around town.

With a sigh, Akira made her way to the docks, attracted by the view of the ocean. She sat down and played at the water with her fingertips. The sky was softly coloured up above, and the clouds had begun turning shades of pink and lavender as the sun began to set. A contented smile made its way to Akira's lips. The waves were a drumbeat that echoed her heart and the breeze blew the tension right out of her muscles as she spun a thin stream of water around her fingers.

   "The hell are you doing here? This is my spot."

Akira calmly retracted her fingers from the surface of the water and she watched it fall back to the ocean before she stood. Akira smoothed out her clothes and readjusted her flak jacket then turned to face Idate. He seemed irritated, which wasn't surprising.

   "I'm looking out at the water," Akira said simply. "And no one can own a particular spot on a dock, Idate."
   "I don't care. Who the hell are you to tell me what to do?"
   "I'm Akira Uchiha. The leader of the team tasked with your protection."
   "I didn't ask to be protected by a bunch of incompetent ninjas!" Idate shouted.
   "I know, but Boss Jirōchō asked for us. So, whether you like it or not, it's my job to protect you."

Akira ran a hand across the back of her neck and she sighed.

   "Look, Idate, I know you don't like me, my team, or ninjas in general for that matter. But in order for my team and I to assure your safety from the Wagarashi family and succeed in our mission, we're going to have to at least tolerate each other's presence."
   "What if I don't?"

A dangerous look gleamed in Akira's eyes and it worried Idate. He'd never seen such malevolence in a girl before.

   "Then it's going to make my job much more difficult to accomplish, Idate, and that'll annoy me. Because I'm not going to back down from protecting you even if you tell me to stop. I don't take orders from you and don't think for a second that you intimidate me in the slightest. I have seen worse things in childhood that you'll see in your lifetime," Akira said threateningly. She took a step towards Idate and he gulped. "I am the leader of Team Seven. If tensions between you and my team cause them to get distracted from the mission enough to fail or to get hurt—even if you are to blame—the one who'll be taking the fall is me. And I will not be responsible for the injury or death of anyone—even you.
   "Shinobi rule number 49 states that a shinobi must first and foremost be the protector of those in his care. Sasuke, Naruto and Sakura are in my care. I must protect them. You are in my care. I must protect you. Protest all you want Idate, but I will not be abandoning my mission, and I suggest you lighten up a little bit unless you want me to make it hard for you to do anything while I'm here. Do I make myself clear?"

Akira didn't wait for an answer. Out of nowhere, she began to sense Sasuke's chakra and she ran towards the city. Idate watched her leave and, to his surprise, as she went right through the walls of a building. Sakura nearly shrieked when Akira appeared before her after phasing through a wall. Sasuke's eyes narrowed, however, as he'd seen Orochimaru do this in the Forest of Death.

A shopkeeper had fallen, his cart as well, and a few Wagarashi henchmen were yelling at him, threatening to hurt him if he didn't pay for what he'd broken. As one of the henchmen was about to punch the shopkeeper, Sasuke made a move to intercept, but Akira didn't allow it. She was the team leader and she would take the fall for disturbing the peace, not her team. Akira moved almost like a flash of lightning and she stopped the man mid-swing, squeezing his arm with great force. For a second, the man glanced at her scarred arms and then at the dark eyes glaring at him.

   "What the—How are you—"
   "That's none of your concern," Akira said in a dangerously low voice. "Now, how about you and your friends take a walk?"

The other two henchmen turned around and began approaching. A man and a woman that Sakura was talking to both warned them to leave and run, but Akira didn't listen. As the two Wagarashi men went to attack her, she nimbly moved out of the way and they tackled their own man instead. A few moments later, they got up to try and hit Akira again, but the Uchiha simply grabbed each of their hands as they came at her and pulled, tossing them aside. The last one came at her with a small knife, but he stopped, realising almost too late that there was a katana to his throat. He glanced between the short blade in his hand and the sword pointed towards him and backed off to collect his colleagues.

   "I'd appreciate it if you kept disturbances to a minimum," Akira said almost too kindly as she slid her katana back into its holster. "Wouldn't want to go through with this again, would we?"
   "Just don't mess with us! Next time we won't let you off so easy!"

Akira almost scoffed.

   "Fine by me. Maybe next time you'll be able to get to know my katana better."

With a final whimper, the three Wagarashi men left in a hurry.

   "Young lady," the shopkeeper said. Akira looked over to him. "Thank you, whoever you are."
   "I was only doing my job," Akira said modestly. She looked at his cart. "Do you need a hand with that?"

The man nodded enthusiastically. Akira and the rest of her team helped the man get his cart back together and they watched him leave. Sakura sighed.

   "We can't let them win."
   "No, we can't," Akira agreed. She turned to her team. "We're going to make sure Idate wins."

Fireworks erupted in the sky the morning of the race. It was still dark out, and all the colours shone brightly as if they'd been painted on a canvas. There was cheering and shouting, all the while music played. Both families had gathered on opposite sides of the plaza, with both runners waiting in front of the starting line. Akira was giving her team last-minute instructions before the commencement ceremony. Mostly, it was her telling Naruto not to get worked up over anything Idate said. Finally, Akira went to stand beside the boy.

   "I'm not going to be by your side for much of the race. Not until you hit the water, at least," Akira whispered to him. "That is if you still plan on avoiding this part of the ocean?"
   "That's nice. One less ninja in the way," Idate said indifferently.
   "Idate."
   "Yeah, yeah, I still plan on avoiding the first part of the ocean."
   "Good. I'll be hanging back to watch over you and the surrounding area. I suspect that the Wagarashi will send their most powerful ninjas with their runner and then the others to attack you."
   "Talk about playing dirty..."
   "Don't worry, my team and I have a few tricks up our sleeves."

Idate looked at Akira. The dangerous look he'd seen in her eyes yesterday was gone, replaced by pure mischief. A smirk tugged at her lips.

   "I'll keep them at bay from a distance."
   "Have fun with that."
   "Remember, Idate," Akira said sternly. "My team is there to protect you. That said, if they do actually get in the way of your progress, you're free to tell them—respectfully, Idate. They're under orders not to smother you, but they still have to be close enough to fight off anyone at close range. Got it?"
   "Yeah, yeah, I got it."
   "Good luck, kid."

Akira returned by her team. Naruto was getting antsy, excited to get their mission underway.

   "You set?" Sasuke asked.
   "I'm good," Akira confirmed. "Now, the last thing—you all know the layout of the race?"

Naruto shook his head while Sasuke and Sakura nodded.

   "Sakura, take it away."
   "All right." Sakura took out a map. "The starting point is here, at Port Degarashi. From here, the runners make their way to Modoroki Shrine—that's the midpoint."
   "They run over water?" Naruto said in disbelief.
   "Uh, no, Naruto. The first leg of the race is done by boat. Anyway, the runners pick up the Ryoku jewels from the Modoroki Shrine, and the first one that takes them to the Great Todoroki Shrine wins."
   "Remember," Akira began, "you'll be on your own for most of the race while I hand back and get rid of the ninjas that'll be following us."
   "Right!" her team chorused.
   "I'll also be using a transformation jutsu, so I won't be looking like this for long."
   "What? Why not?" Naruto asked.
   "Everyone has seen us. If I'm to be sneaking around the forest, I'm going to be doing it in a form they won't recognise," Akira explained. "I'll be sending a Shadow Clone with you, however, so it doesn't look suspicious that I'm missing. Good?"
   "Yes, ma'am!"
   "Stay safe, you guys. We can do this."

The giant speakers soon amplified the announcer's voice who began to explain the terms of the race and introduced the runners. Akira watched the crowd for anyone suspicious, but her attention was captured when the announcer said Idate's full name. Just like the proctor for the first part of the Chūnin, Idate's last name was Morino. For a moment, she wondered if they were related somehow, but the race was beginning and there was no time to dwell on the question. As everyone got into position, Akira subtly substituted herself for a Shadow Clone and disappeared into the ground. She reappeared through the trunk of a tree nearby, looking vastly different than she did a few moments prior. Akira was now a dead man by the name of Fugaku Uchiha—her own father. 

The bell rang and both runners departed. The Wagarashi runner went straight for the boats but Idate made a hard left turn and kept running, heading north. Soon, he and Team Seven were out of sight, but Akira's gaze remained fixed on the crowd. Moments later, a man with dark green hair stepped out and ordered a few other men away. She watched them go past her and follow after Idate and her team, and Akira couldn't help but smirk. She quietly followed them like a shadow, tracking them easily—the game was afoot

After a while, the three men stopped moving and they observed Idate and Team Seven running north. Unbeknownst to them, Akira was mere metres away and listening in on their conversation. Her eyes narrowed when they released their transformation jutsu. It was Team Oboro, the Amegakure ninja in odd yellow suits from the Forest of Death. Akira remembered that they were fond of using Genjutsu, so Akira didn't waste any time in awakening the Sharingan to cut through their illusions. Much to the girl's annoyance, the team split up, but one of them stayed behind to perform what looked like the Genjutsu she'd guessed they'd use. Akira sighed and shook her head gently. As Oboro placed one genjutsu over another, Akira dispelled their influence on her. The Sharingan remained focused on him, and as he went to move, Akira threw shuriken with wires attached to them. They rapidly swung around Oboro and the shuriken embedded themselves in the tree he'd been restricted to. As he struggled, Akira—or Fugaku in this case—released the Sharingan and came out of her hiding place.

   "Who the hell are you?!" Oboro spat.
   "None of your concern," said the voice of Fugaku Uchiha. "You're going to answer all my questions, all right?"
   "Oh, yeah, or what? You gonna—"

Akira threw a kunai into Oboro's shoulder without a second's hesitation.

   "SON OF A—"

Akira threw another one into the other shoulder.

   "Language," she said simply. "You're going to answer all my questions because I said so. Now, it's obvious you're working for the Wagarashi family... but I'd like to know who's giving the orders. Care to share?"
   "Like I'd tell you!"
   "Last chance."
   "It's just for the money, all right! I have nothing against the little pricks!"

Akira knelt down in front of Oboro and stared straight into his eyes. He was so focused on the black eyes staring at him that he didn't notice Akira's hand going towards the kunai in his shoulders. After a moment of staring, Akira twisted both kunai. A great yell resonated throughout the forest.

   "Of course you have something against them," Akira said viciously. "The Chūnin Exams were such a loss to you and your team, were they not?"
   "Who the hell are you!?" Oboro shouted, his voice strained with pain.
   "That's beside the point, Oboro. Who's the man with the green hair? I won't ask again."
   "Go to hell!"
   "Hm, been there, done that," Akira said airily. She stood and pointed a katana at his head. "Suppose I can send you there, though. I think you'll have fun."

The tip of Akira's blade slowly inched towards Oboro's head. He stared at it fearfully and began screaming when Akira pressed the katana to his forehead, drawing blood.

   "Last chance."
   "Aoi Rokushō! His name is Aoi Rokushō!"
   "See?" Akira said, far too innocently to not be malicious. "That wasn't so hard."

Without another word, Akira pulled back her katana and returned it to its holster.

   "HA!" Oboro said a little deliriously. "You don't even have the—"

Oboro's words were cut short when Akira threw another kunai at him. However, this time, it went straight through his ear. She stared at the blood dripping from the kunai with a dark look in her eyes.

   "Don't make me kill you."

After a few moments, she was off again, hot on the other two's tails. They'd gained a bit of ground, but Akira caught up to them in no time. She watched as the two Amegakure ninjas let their plan unfold. However, it didn't work. To Akira's surprise, Idate wasn't fooled by either layer of genjutsu and kept running. Although, the genjutsu had distracted him enough so that he'd lost track of the path enough to fall off a cliff. Naruto dashed forward and caught him by the foot, but all of his ninja tools fell down into the canyon.

Akira dashed forward and knocked the Amegakure ninjas' heads together. They fell unconscious immediately and Akira rolled her eyes at them. She took a moment to tie them up and secure the wires to the tree with a few kunai, then followed Idate and her team to the Northern Port where they were to rendezvous. When Akira jumped out from the forest Sakura and Naruto were on high alert, but Sasuke recognised the figure. Idate looked confused, but when the Akira clone vanished and Fugaku turned back into Akira, everyone understood.

   "Oh, it's just you," Idate sighed.
   "Come on, the boat won't go itself," Akira said, making her way towards the water. 
   "Right."

Idate and Team Seven ran up to the boat and departed. The wind was pushing them forward and Akira smiled a little. Idate might have been an arrogant prick, but he was smart. They'd save a lot of time with this plan.

Sasuke, Naruto and Sakura gathered around at the back of the boat where Akira was skillfully steering the boat, using her unique ability to make the currents take them where they wanted to go.

   "Anything?" Sakura asked.
   "Yeah. Remember the three Amegakure ninja we met in the Forest of Death during the Chūnin Exams?"
   "The three yellow weirdos we fought off with Kabuto?" Naruto asked.
   "Those ones, yeah. They were hired by a guy called Aoi Rokushō and he was hired by the Wagarashi."
   "Damn it!"
   "The Genjutsu was their doing," Akira said with a sigh. She ran a hand over her face. "I managed to restrain them for now, but they'll probably be back. One of them is injured."
   "What happened?" Sasuke asked.
   "Eh, a little interrogation."

Chapter Text

The journey started off way too calmly. There was nothing but bright blue water below them and clear skies above. The wind was blowing in the right direction and the current was pulling the boat forward even more, helping Idate and Team Seven gain on the Modoroki Shrine located on Nagi Island. That's why Akira knew that something was bound to go wrong. Nothing could ever be this calm. However, it gave her some time to wonder about Idate's identity. As if reading her mind, Sakura came over.

   "What do you think about Idate? He's not just some ordinary kid," she said.
   "I suspect he's received shinobi training," Akira replied honestly. "He's got the same last name as our proctor from the first part of the Chūnin Exams, Ibiki Morino."
   "Wait—What did you say?" Idate asked, turning around. "Ibiki Morino?"
   "Yeah. Are you two related?"
   "He's my brother! He's—He's alive?"
   "Well, duh," Naruto said. "He threw us such a curveball at the last question of our exam."
   "Seriously, he's really alive then?"

Akira narrowed his eyes at him, and she wondered what events had led Idate to believe his brother was dead. However, the peace had ended and Akira had no time to wonder. A projectile was headed towards Idate and Sasuke threw a shuriken at it, slicing it in half. Akira released her control on the water and tied the tiller to the boat so that it would stay on course for Nagi Island. She stood and went to Idate's side. In the distance, Akira could see that there was a boat approaching them, but there was no sign of anyone on it.

   "Sasuke, Naruto—fend them off," Akira ordered. "Sakura—you and I are gonna keep an eye on Idate."
   "Right!" they all chorused, getting into position.

All of a sudden, a shower of arrows headed towards them, each with a rope secured to it. Akira's eyes narrowed, trying to recall the techniques of the Amegakure ninja. She pulled out a kunai and tossed it at Naruto.

   "Naruto—cut the ropes!"
   "You got it!"

As Naruto began cutting down the ropes, the Amegakure ninjas found another way into the boat. Akira motioned for Idate to stand behind her, but he didn't listen. With an annoyed growl, Akira turned around and pushed him back, the red of the Sharingan suddenly staring back at him. He recognised those eyes—everyone in Konohagakure did—and he backed off immediately. All of a sudden, the Amegakure ninjas began coming up through the floorboards of the boat.

   "Most of them are clones!" Sasuke shouted. "One hit will dispel them—Akira, behind you!"
   "Same for you!"

Akira pushed Idate to the side and flung out both her katana. She clashed with Kagari's kunai and swiftly disarmed him, then kicked him overboard. He rejoined the injured Oboro in a flash.

   "Sword kid is a pain. Let's switch to plan B, Kagari," Oboro said. "We'll kill them all, instead."

As Kagari and Oboro back off for a moment, Akira put her katana away. Her pupils dilated and her eyes followed the hand signs he was making. As Sasuke and Naruto got rid of all the clones, Kagari's body began secreting black flames. Moments later, it began to rain black.

   "The rain is oil! No fire techniques!"
   "Got it!"

Kagari and Oboro growled at Akira, but the third Amegakure ninja was laughing. From a distance, he launched an arrow lit with fire. It hit the oil and set the boat ablaze. Akira cursed and looked around, trying to come up with a solution. The only one that came to mind was drastic, but it would work. She'd trained for this. It had to work.

   "All right, everyone off!" Akira shouted. "Swim as far to the island as you can!"
   "What!?"
   "You've got to listen to me! I'll cover you—now go!"
   "No way, you're not staying here!" Sasuke roared.

Amidst the arguing, another arrow shot towards Idate. Immediately, Sakura jumped in front of him and the arrow cut her shoulder.

   "Leave now! That's an order!"

Sasuke huffed but he, Idate, Sakura and Naruto jumped off the boat and began their swim towards Nagi Island. Akira jumped off as well, but she stayed behind, remaining afloat with chakra at her feet. The three Amegakure ninjas laughed seeing the girl all alone, but the sly smirk on her face made them worry.

Akira crouched down and put her hands to the water. With a powerful yell, Akira forced a colossal wall of water to rise up from the bottom of the ocean. Using this amount of chakra made her dizzy, but Akira didn't falter. With another shout, Akira shot her arms outwards and then clapped her hands together once. The immense water wall suddenly collapsed and turned into a giant wave that swept away both boats and crushed them to bits. The opposite side of the wave that rushed towards her was suddenly parted as Akira pushed her arm forward, and she watched until the waters settled and Oboro's team was nowhere in sight. 

Akira sighed and hung her head back. She waited for a moment, until the dizziness wore off, and then she ran towards Nagi Island, stopping when she was behind her three comrades.

   "Sakura, how's your wound?"
   "Akira!" Sakura and Naruto said happily.
   "It's fine. I've had worse," Sakura continued.
   "All right. Where's Idate?"
   "He must already be ashore," Sasuke said.
   "Will you guys be okay if I go on ahead to make sure he's all right?"

The three ninjas nodded and Akira sped off again, pushing the water below her feet to zoom over the water like a speedboat. She could see the island on the horizon getting closer, and soon, she was close enough to see Idate crawl up the rocky seaside of the island. However, someone else was there with him. It couldn't have been Oboro, Kagari or Mubi, so it had to be Aoi Rokushō.

Akira sped up and, just as Aoi threw four razor-sharp senbon at Idate, she slid in front of him. The senbon embedded themselves in Akira's shoulder, but she didn't flinch. She pulled them out and tossed them to the ground.

   "Aoi Rokushō, I presume?" she said casually.
   "Do you not feel pain, girl?" Aoi asked, frowning.
   "I do. But I've felt worse."
   "Oh, the strong hero! You know, Fukusuke is about to arrive at Modoroki Shrine. Any chance our friend Idate had is gone."

All of a sudden, the corners of Akira's vision began to go black. She glanced at the senbon and rolled her eyes, annoyed.

   "How lovely. Poison."
   "Ah, yes. Works faster than most."

Akira fell to her knees and, as if the world was mocking her for falling for such a simple trick, it started to rain.

   "Specially made in Amegakure."
   "Idate... get the hell... out of here..."

A wave of pain shot throughout Akira's body and she swayed, falling sideways onto the wet sand. Rain soaked her clothes and chilled her to the bone. Her eyes closed and everything faded to black.

   "Akira, come here."

The young girl nearly skipped over to her father. He was sitting at the dining room table, sipping tea and disinterestedly reading the local newspaper. Akira sat across from him and beamed, happy to have caught his attention. The man smiled back at her.

   "How's it going at the Academy?"
   "It's going great, Father! Sasuke and I are top of our class!"
   "As expected," Fugaku said simply. "Have you performed the affinity test yet?"
   "No, we didn't," Akira said. "They don't do that until you're a Genin."

The girl's happy face suddenly dropped. She seemed almost scared now. Fugaku stood and left the room, then returned with a small piece of paper. He held it out to Akira and she reluctantly took it.

   "Show me."
   "Father, I—"
   "Your fire-style jutsu are weak, Akira," Fugaku said sternly. He glanced at the paper. "Show me."

Akira nodded quickly and concentrated a small amount of chakra into her fingers. First, the paper wrinkled. Then, it became wet. Fugaku's eyes narrowed for a moment, but then his stern expression deepened into one of anger.

   "Good thing you're not my heir."
   "But Father—what about Storm-release? It's a mixture of Lightning and Water Chakra natures, right? And our great ancestor Madara Uchiha—"
   "You are not Madara Uchiha!" Fugaku shouted. "You are my daughter and I expect you to hold yourself to my standards!"
   "But, I've seen the scrolls, Father! It's a really powerful kekkei genkai—what if I have it? What if I become as strong as Madara one—"
   "I doubt you'll even be able to awaken the Sharingan at this rate."
   "I don't care about your opinion!"
   "Akira, don't you dare talk to me like that!"
   "I don't care what you say!" Akira insisted. "I'm going to be the strongest kunoichi in this village even without your stupid fire-style jutsu! I'll be stronger than you! And I'm going to protect all my friends and this village until I die!"

Feeling slowly returned to Akira's body, as if she'd just woken up from a deep slumber. Her mind was still foggy, but it was no longer raining, and Akira sat up. She was held back from standing by Sakura. Idate was lying down too, clearly injured.

   "What happened?" Akira asked, rubbing her eyes.
   "The senbon were poisoned, but Sakura gave us all a pill that stopped the poison," Sasuke said. "Aoi attacked us all and Idate got seriously hurt. He might not be able to keep running."
   "Also, he secretly stole the Scroll of Sealing and the sword of the Second Hokage for Aoi because he thought he'd become a Chūnin," Naruto chuckled.
   "Need I remind you that you did the same thing for Mizuki?" Akira said. Naruto grew solemn. "Is that why you thought Ibiki-sensei was dead, Idate? Because of Aoi?"

Idate nodded and looked away. The Scroll of Sealing and the Sword of the Thunder God were legendary artefacts usually kept hidden in the Hokage's office. They'd been missing for years and Akira intended to get them back. Maybe that would give Tsunade a little faith in her.

   "All right, let's get moving," Akira said, standing up with a groan.
   "What? Akira, you and Idate are in no shape to move!" Sakura said.
   "I'll be fine. As for Idate—"
   "I'll carry him!" Naruto said sternly. "I'll carry him until the finish line."

Akira nodded in agreement and Naruto picked up Idate, setting him on his back Then, they all exited the cave they were in and ran through the rain. Although it chilled Akira to the bone, it reassured her following the dream she'd had while passed out. Fugaku had been wrong. Water and lightning were going to take her places he couldn't even imagine.

Soon, they all made it up to Modoroki Shrine with everyone waiting for them. Both families had gathered to see the runners and as Team Seven and Idate made it up the stairs, everyone began cheering. To Akira's surprise, Fukusuke was just leaving, thinking that Idate had long abandoned the race, which gave the Wasabi family a fighting chance. Idate jumped off of Naruto's back, pride swelling, and he ran straight for the jewels then off to continue the race.

Idate was just about to cross the suspension bridge to Ouzo Island when an electrical shock came out of nowhere and hit Idate straight in the chest. Immediately, Akira signalled to her teammates to go forward while she hid to sneak in an attack. It was Aoi and he was holding a metal handle in one hand into which a crackling beam of yellow electricity retracted—the Sword of the Thunder God. In his other hand, he was holding a paper umbrella from which Akira could only assume poison senbon would come out.

   "Well, well, I have to say I never thought you'd make it this far," Aoi said as he cut two of the ropes holding the bridge.

Idate tried to run forward again, but he only got electrocuted by the sword again.

   "Now, why don't you stop that—you're no match for the Blade of the Thunder Spirit, the sword wielded by the Second Hokage himself. But, then again, you know all about it, don't you Idate? After all, you're the one who stole it and brought it to me."

With one hand, Akira summoned a long thin snake which she instructed to keep a hold on the bridge's ropes as extra reinforcement. With her other hand, Akira threw half a dozen shuriken at Aoi from the bushes. Sasuke immediately noticed the wires attached to them and, without hesitation, blew fire onto the wires. As the shuriken and the wires approached, Aoi threw his umbrella aside and jumped out of the way, calmly evading the attack.

   "You're in the way, Aoi," Akira stated, coming out of her hiding place. "And that sword doesn't belong to you."
   "And you're gone need a lot more than that to dodge my attack!" Naruto said confidently.
   "Everyone—"

Akira had spoken quietly, but her teammates had heard her. They turned to look at her. A familiar gleam in Akira's eyes worried them.

   "—don't hit the sword directly. Especially not with lightning. We're bringing that thing back home. Got it?"
   "Got it!" they all chorused.
   "Shadow Clone Jutsu!" Naruto called.

Multiple shadow clones appeared from thin air and Naruto put his hands behind him. The clones began gathering chakra in the palm of his hand, spinning it into a dense ball. Akira's eyes widened and she couldn't help but smile; this had to have been the jutsu that Jiraya had been trying to teach Naruto all along. When the orb was complete, Naruto ran at Aoi, intent on striking his stomach, but the Amegakure ninja blocked the attack with the sword. Akira winced. Another attack like that and even a blade made of pure lightning would shatter.

   "Ninja Art: Senbon Shower!"

From his back, Aoi had pulled out another umbrella and threw it into the air. A rainstorm of senbon began falling, but Akira was quicker than them. She pulled the water from her gourd and spread it across her teammates and Idate, creating a glass-like shield to repel the needles. The tips embedded themselves into the shield and, when they'd all stopped falling, Akira balled up the senbon-filled water and threw it back towards Aoi. Shock drew itself across his face—he wouldn't be able to use the sword to block this as the water would electrocute him the second it touched the sword, not to mention a single sword couldn't deflect a condensed ball of poisoned senbon. Instead, Aoi jumped out of the way, but that left him wide open to an attack, and Naruto knew it. He summoned another few clones and made another ball of chakra, then charge straight at Aoi. Even though he missed, it gave Sasuke and Akira the time to execute an attack.

Akira swung both of her katana out from their holsters and planted them into the ground. With a few hand signs, the blades she'd picked back up crackled with pure white electricity and it didn't go unnoticed. Aoi's eyes widened as he saw pure lighting-style chakra crackle in the low light, and fear etched itself on his features as Sasuke charged up his Chidori. The Uchiha siblings launched themselves at Aoi as he evaded Naruto's attack. Sasuke's hand pierced the man's shoulder and Akira's twin blades cut through Aoi's stomach like room temperature butter.

When Sasuke removed his hand and Akira pulled out her blades, she looked at him with no emotion at all. He fell limp to the ground and, for good measure, Sakura ran over and kicked him, sending him plummeting to the abyss beneath the suspension bridge. 

With a whip of water, Akira grabbed a hold of the Thunder Blade. She examined it for a moment, enamoured by its presence, then tightly tied it alongside her gourd so that it wouldn't move an inch. 

   "All right, no time to celebrate. We need to catch up to Fukusuke," Akira called. "Move out!"
   "Yes, ma'am," Idate said, chuckling.

Everyone smiled at him and then they all broke into a run. They weaved through the trees and darted down the trail until they could see Fukusuke who was leisurely jogging up ahead. Akira glanced over at Idate and smirked, then performed a few simple hand signs. A little square of earth rose in front of Fukusuke and he tripped, allowing Idate to increase his speed and run past him. Sasuke, Sakura and Naruto laughed as they jumped over Fukusuke and cheered as they watched Idate cross the finish line first. The entire crowd ran forward and chanted Idate's name just as Fukusuke arrived and threw himself to the ground, wailing dramatically. 

All seemed well, but as Idate went to stand at the centre of the shrine to be announced the winner alongside Boss Jirōchō, the head of the Wagarashi family and the Land of Tea's Minister stepped forward.

   "Hold on, that's enough!" Kyūroku Wagarashi shouted. "It seems this kid rode on the back of a hired ninja for part of the way. That's a violation."

Akira glared at Kyūroku.

   "I have proof! Just take a look at this photograph, huh," Kyūroku said, taking out a photograph of Naruto carrying Idate.
   "They have to make it here by their own strength," the minister concluded. "Those are the rules of this race. The boy must be disqualified! This means that Fukusuke Hikyakuya is the winner, and the Wasabi family must disband."
   "It can't be!" Jirōchō said.
   "Wait a minute, that's—"
   "I'll hear none of your excuses!" the minister interrupted Idate. "A promise is a promise, Jirōchō."
   "Just a minute."

From seemingly nowhere, the Daimyō of the Land of Tea came out. Akira rose an eyebrow.

   "There is no such rule. Stop talking nonsense."
   "But, my Lord—"
   "But what? Are you suggesting that I let the Wagarashi win just because you wish it?"
   "No! Of course not!" the minister denied.
   "Perhaps the reason you want to win so badly is that it would mean an end to all the bribes you've been accepting."

The Daimyō pulled out a picture of his minister accepting a large sum of gold from someone. Akira couldn't help but chuckle.

   "Oops. Looks like Kyūroku Wgarashi got caught with his pants down," she said. "Liar, liar, pants on fire."
   "Akira, you've been hanging out with Kiba too much," Sakura said with a sigh.
   "Oh, shush. It's hilarious and you know it."

In the end, it was the Wagarashi family that was disbanded and the winner of the race remained Idate Morino, assuring that the Land of Tea would live in peace and prosperity for years to come. The festivities lasted for a few hours and not a single person was sad or in a bad mood when they ended. By that time, the sunlight was dwindling down and the sky had turned shades of pink, orange and purple that could put the most beautiful woman to shame.

To Akira's surprise, a boat from Konoha had come for Team Seven. She couldn't say she wasn't relieved; this way she wouldn't have to walk all the way back home. Akira boarded immediately and went below deck. A few minutes later, Akira came out with a washed face and hair that was back in its place. Her clothes were still dirty and stained with blood, but that wasn't a big deal to her anymore. On the deck, Sakura, Sasuke and Naruto were saying their goodbyes to Idate and, out of the corner of her eye, she saw Jirōchō board and make his way towards her.

   "I cannot thank you enough, Akira, for leading your team and Idate to victory," he said as he stood beside Akira.
   "There's no need to thank me," Akira said with a half-smile. "I was just doing my job."
   "If there's ever anything the Land of Tea can do for the Leaf Village, it would be an honour."

Akir turned and bowed to the man, and accepted the commission he'd promised for the mission. She put it at the bottom of one of her bigger pouches and made a mental note to give it to Shizune so she could calculate the portion that went to the village. As Sasuke, Sakura and Naruto went below deck, Idate waved Akira over.

   "I wanted to thank you for your harsh words, Akira," Idate said.
   "You're welcome," she said with a laugh. "How else are punks like you gonna learn?"
   "And I wanted to thank you for your help. I'd probably be dead if it weren't for you."
   "Probably, but there's no need to thank me. Like I told you, I'm just doing my job."

Akira gently clapped Idate on the shoulder and smiled, but she turned back to the boat when someone called for final boarding. Standing at the edge was Ibiki Morino and it was clear to Akira that he was trying hard to pretend he didn't recognise Idate. But Idate wasn't and he called out to his brother who never gave him the light of day. Idate sighed and Akira put a hand on his shoulder.

   "I'll see you around, kid."

Idate sighed and nodded, then left. Ibiki pulled up the small wooden plank to get up to the boat and Akira went to stand by him. 

   "He's grown up well, wouldn't you say?"
   "Indeed he has."

It was late at night when Akira and the rest of Team Seven arrived in Konohagakure. Akira looked up at the stars and sighed, smiling contentedly. A wave of elation washed over her. Akira had completed her first mission as a Chūnin and everyone had gotten home in one piece. Sasuke, Naruto and Sakura all gave her proud pats on the back as they were dismissed, leaving Akira to revel in her success. She stayed standing there for a few more moments, breathing in the cool air of Konoha's night, then made her way to the Hokage's office for some final business. She didn't expect Lady Tsunade to be there, but the light was on and, as Akira pushed the doors open, Tsunade looked up from her desk.

   "Akira?" Tsunade said, sounding surprised. "How'd the mission go?"
   "It was accomplished without my team or the clients getting injured," Akira said simply.
   "So it did escalate?"
   "Yeah. I'll put it all in my report, I just need the paperwork."

Tsunade held out a red notebook. Akira stepped forward and grabbed it.

   "Is this my mission log book, now?"
   "Yes, it is. You've earned it after your first mission."
   "Good. Oh, and for Shizune to divide."

Akira rummaged in one of her pouches and pulled out the money that they'd earned from the commission. She dropped it onto the Hokage's desk with a small thump.

   "I pulled something else off the enemy I think you may want."
   "He's dead?" Tsunade said, looking mildly stricken.
   "He got a Chidori to the shoulder, two swords to the torso and he was kicked off a cliff into rampaging river," Akira said dispassionately. "If he's not dead, I'd be worried."

Tsunade narrowed her eyes.

   "What did you take?"

Akira reached behind her back and untied the inactive Sword of the Thunder God from its secure bindings. Tsunade gasped and her eyes widened at the sight of her granduncle's blade. Akira held it out and Tsunade took it to examine closely. After a few moments, she looked at Akira expectantly, awaiting an explanation.

   "It was in the possession of the deceased Aoi Rokushō. He tricked a young boy by the name of Idate Morino into stealing it three years ago. He since defected and joined the Amegakure troops. As for Idate, he was the boy we were sent to protect," Akira stated. "He's a good kid. I wouldn't hold these actions against him—he was coerced."
   "No, he won't be held accountable. I'll send a letter to the Land of Tea in the morning," Tsunade said. She sat and put the sword on her desk. "What do you expect me to do with this?"
   "It's a priceless artefact belonging to your granduncle, Lady Tsunade. It's not up to me."
   "Why not?"
   "What do you mean, why not?" Akira echoed. "You're the Hokage and it belongs to your family. It is not my decision where it goes, nor does my opinion matter."
   "Do you want to keep it?"

Akira scoffed and laughed humourlessly. She stared at Tsunade, shaking her head in disbelief.

   "Are you kidding me?"
   "No, I'm not."
   "Two days ago you nearly bit my head off for having this thing on my shoulder and now you want to give me a priceless heirloom?"
   "Why not?"
   "Because you can't buy me, Lady Tsunade," Akira spat. "You can't buy my trust or my loyalty, and you sure as hell can't make me like you by giving me gifts. Not after the blatant disrespect you showed me the other day."
   "I—"
   "And if this is some kind of test to see if I'd be tempted by power again..."

Akira's voice had quieted down until it was almost menacing. She leaned forward, placing her palms on the desk, and stared resentfully into Tsunade's eyes.

   "Then you disappoint me greatly."

Akira's stare almost made Tsunade uncomfortable. All she could feel from the young Chūnin was hostility, but Tsunade couldn't blame her. She'd put Akira in that position on purpose, to see what she'd do. However, Tsunade hadn't expected the dominance of her stare. Her gaze was shallow, dark and icy, filled with an animosity she knew all too well. In all the worst ways, Akira still reminded Tsunade of Orochimaru.

Chapter Text

Despite not sustaining any injuries, Sasuke went to the infirmary that night. Akira had found her brother lying limp in the middle of their living room when she returned from the Hokage's office. Akira suspected it was his overuse of the Chidori, or maybe just his overuse of chakra in general, combined with the untamed curse mark ravaging his body. Akira looked from Sasuke then down at her hands for a moment. She scoffed. Tsunade's words almost disgusted her. How could she think so little of Akira as to try and tempt her with a power she didn't even need?

Akira didn't get much sleep that night. She stayed at the hospital, watching over her brother and filling out the logbook she'd gotten from Tsunade. She was just about to nod off when Sakura walked into Sasuke's hospital room with a white rose in hand. The two teammates smiled at each other as Sakura placed the flower in a vase near the window sill, and it seemed that the small amount of movement had stirred Sasuke awake. For a moment, he looked around, and when his eyes landed on Akira he seemed to get angry. Akira frowned at him, confused.

   "The doctors say you just over-strained yourself. Your injuries could have been much worse considering what we went through yesterday," Sakura said, blissfully unaware of Sasuke's expression. "Naruto stopped by while I was talking to the nurses, too. He's relieved that you're all right."

At the mention of Naruto's name, Sasuke seemed to get angrier. His fists balled up and bunched his blankets. Akira sighed and she finally understood. Naruto had the stamina of twelve people and the fact that he could still keep going after producing several of his Rasengan jutsu infuriated him—if the knuckleheaded ninja could keep going, then why couldn't the great Sasuke Uchiha?

Akira suspected that she had their father and Itachi to blame for the anger directed at her. Anytime Sasuke felt that Akira was growing more superior, he grew angry. Now, so long as the curse mark on his shoulder was sealed and hers wasn't, Akira would always be stronger than him. It was dangerous. The anger he felt right now would only tempt him to use the curse mark again.

  "So uh, you both must be hungry, right?" Sakura said, pulling Akira from her thoughts. "Is there anything you'd like to eat? I'll go get it for you guys."
   "I'll go with you. I know what he likes," Akira said in standing. "Besides, I've been hunched over this book all night, I could use a walk."
   "You sure?"
   "Yeah, don't worry. I stay up all night a lot."
   "Oh, all right, then."

Sakura and Akira exited the hospital side by side. Sakura was talking animatedly about something and Akira simply listened, occasionally stringing a few words together. They stopped by one of the local restaurants and ordered some food to go. Sakura paid for her anmitsu and Sasuke's onigiri, while Akira ordered the same dango she had with Kakashi a few weeks prior. On their way back, Sakura and Akira passed Yakiniku Q where Asuma-sensei, Shikamaru, Choji and Ino were eating their fill of barbecued pork.

   "Celebrating your promotion again, Shikamaru?" Akira chuckled, sticking her head through the window. "Hey, Asuma-sensei."
   "Yo," Shikamaru said simply.
   "That flak jacket's looking good on you, kid," Asuma said, smiling.
   "What!? Akira, too!?" Ino shouted. "You don't tell us you're promoted and that Akira was too!?"
   "It's really not that big of a deal, Ino," Akira said.
   "Oh, shut up, Akira—it is a big deal," Sakura added, jumping into the conversation. "Akira just led Kakashi-sensei's team on an A-rank mission while he was away! She was awesome!"
   "Nice going," Shikamaru said, holding his fist out.
   "I was just doing my job," Akira chuckled, her face flushed. She bumped her fist to his. "Nothing special, really."
   "Stop saying that and just admit you're awesome!" Sakura complained.
   "Never."

Sakura and Akira said their goodbyes and made their way back to the hospital. As they arrived at Sasuke's room, Naruto burst through, shouting as usual. Akira sighed and shook her head, letting Sakura and Naruto through as they argued who'd get into the room first. Sakura jabbed Naruto in the ribs and, as he fell over, she went in. Akira helped him up and let him through before her.

   "Akira thought it best to get you some onigiri, Sasuke," Sakura said. She set the food on the side table and began looking for something. "That's weird. I wonder where I put those chopsticks I had before..."
   "They're right in front of you, Sakura," Naruto laughed. "You're so lame. Getting all scatterbrained just 'cause you're around Sasuke!"
   "Hey, why do you have to say things like that! Jeez, Naruto, will you knock it off already?"
   "Okay, okay, don't hit me!"
   "Behave, children," Akira sighed, beginning to eat. 
   "There you go, Sasuke," Sakura said, holding out his food.

Out of nowhere, Sasuke slapped the food out of Sakura's hands, sending it flying towards Naruto. Akira looked up and glared at her brother. Sakura was wide-eyed and terrified. Naruto was shouting about having rice all over his clean clothes.

   "What the hell is your problem, Sasuke?" Akira said in a dangerous tone of voice.

Of course, Akira knew exactly where this attitude was coming from. He was sitting in a hospital bed while the two people he wanted to surpass were eating peacefully, unharmed. The glare directed towards Akira and Naruto was testament enough to that.

   "What's with that look?" Naruto asked, annoyed. "Do you have to glare at me like that?!"
   "You two..." Sasuke said slowly. "I want you to fight me, right now!"
   "That is not happening, Sasuke," Akira said sternly. "If you feel good enough to fight, then go take it out on the training posts."
   "Don't tell me what to do!"
   "I will tell you whatever I want, Sasuke Uchiha! I don't take orders from you, either as an Uchiha or as a shinobi. I am your sister and your superior officer, and I expect you to treat me as such."
   "Besides, we're in a hospital. You just got patched up by Granny Tsunade," Naruto added.

The Sharingan suddenly awoke in Sasuke's eyes. 

   "Shut up and fight! Do you really think that you saved me, huh!?" he shouted, looking between Akira and Naruto. "Just because you brought me here and just because you're buddies with the Hokage doesn't mean that you saved me!"

Sasuke jumped out of bed, barefoot, glaring at Naruto and his sister.

   "Besides, aren't you the one who said you wanted to get some fighting in?" Sasuke said, recalling Naruto's words from a few days prior. "Well, now it looks like you've got your chance. That is unless... you've chickened out?"

Akira went to stand in front of Naruto, blocking Sasuke's path. She looked at him, eyes cold and indifferent, though you could clearly see she was annoyed. She readjusted her flak jacket and crossed her arms over her chest.

   "There will be no fighting, Sasuke," Akira stated calmly. "If you insist on fighting, I will have to stop you."
   "Yeah, come one, listen to Akira!" Sakura said, panicked. "This is crazy!"
   "Actually, this is perfect. I was just thinking about how much I wanted to kick your butt!" Naruto shouted, smirking.

All of a sudden, Naruto and Sasuke flashed out of the room, leaving Akira and Sakura behind. Akira hung her head back and let out an agonising sigh. She took out a bit of parchment and wrote a few words on it, before summoning a small snake to deliver the note. Akira looked up at the ceiling and sighed again, then made her way through the hospital and towards the roof where she could sense the boys' chakra.

Sakura followed her, breaths rapid and shallow. She was nervous and she had every right to be. If those two were to actually fight, one of them would die; neither the Rasengan nor the Chidori were forgiving jutsu. Akira blinked and awoke the Sharingan, then pulled out one of her katana. Sakura looked at the blade, then Akira's eyes and finally at the girl's hands. For a moment, Sakura was even more scared. There was nothing behind Akira's eyes, not even worry, just the quiet acceptance that she may need to physically stop Sasuke and Naruto from killing each other.

Akira pushed the door to the roof open. Sasuke and Naruto were standing off, yelling at each other. Akira looked over at the city, silently hoping her message got to its destination in time. If she was the one who'd have to stop this fight, all three of them could get seriously injured.

   "It looks like you picked a fight with me and now you're too scared to go through with it!" Naruto taunted. "Is that it?"
   "Let's just do this!" Sasuke shouted.
   "Put on your headband and we will. I'll wait."
   "Not to worry. I don't need that thing."
   "Just do it, come on!"
   "There's no reason to put it on," Sasuke scoffed. "'Cause you won't be able to make a scratch on my forehead."
   "That's not the point!" Naruto growled. "Come on! You know putting your headband on is a testament to fighting on equal terms as a Leaf shinobi."

Akira's eyes narrowed and she looked to Sasuke; he made no move to put on his headband and it worried her.

   "There you go, acting all high and mighty again!" Sasuke complained. Akira took a step forward. "You don't honestly think that we're equals?"
   "Heck yeah, I do! All this time, and not once did I think I was inferior to you in any way!" Naruto shouted. 
   "You're a complete embarrassment!"
   "Only because next to me, you're embarrassed at how weak you are! Isn't that right, Sasuke!?"

Both of them launched themselves forwards and caught each other's fists. Sasuke attempted to kick Naruto, but he caught his leg and swung him around. Sasuke put his hands to the ground and flipped, kicking Naruto in the face. Naruto came back at him without hesitation, trying to punch him again, but Sasuke grabbed his arm and tossed him aside. Sasuke sent a volley of punches at Naruto, but he blocked them all, except the last one, which sent him crashing to the ground. Then Naruto disappeared in a puff of smoke. Sasuke let out an irritated growl and looked around for Naruto, but the boy came down at him from the top of the water tower and punched Sasuke straight in the jaw. 

   "Don't get cocky and let your guard down!" Sasuke shouted, bouncing back off a fence and returning the punch to Naruto. 

Naruto landed on his feet, but couldn't dodge Sasuke's other attacks. He got kicked and punched in the stomach a few times until he was backed up against a fence. Sasuke was unrelenting, punching Naruto over and over again. As Akira was about to intervene, Naruto finally kicked Sasuke back.

   "I've had just about enough of this!" he yelled.
   "Yes, you have," Akira shouted. "Stop this immediately, that's an order!"

Neither of them listened. Naruto and Sasuke faced each other again, panting, starting to get tired out. Naruto spawned over fifty clones on the rooftop and Akira sighed nervously; even the Sharingan couldn't tell the difference between real shadow clones and the user. They all launched themselves at Sasuke who kicked or punched them all out of the way. He was quick on his feet but three clones managed to get through and kick Sasuke upwards, with a fourth one surprising him from above. However, Sasuke was already halfway through hand signs by the time the fourth clone reach him. He flipped over and blew fire and burnt all the clones to the ground. Akira immediately stepped in front of Sakura and created a shield with the water in her gourd, protecting them both from the scalding flames. Then, out from the fire came Naruto, unharmed, with a Rasengan spinning furiously in one of his hands. Angered, Sasuke prepared a Chidori.

Akira's eyes widened and, just as she returned the water to her gourd, Sakura ran forward to try and stop them. Akira reached out, but Sakura's arm slipped right through her fingers.

Chapter Text

Akira ran forward, her feet pounding on the floor and her heart pounding in her chest, hoping to catch Sakura before she got stuck in the battle occurring between Naruto and Sasuke. Luckily, Akira was within reach in a few seconds. She grasped the ends of Sakura's dress and tugged her backwards, sending both girls toppling backwards onto the rooftop. Despite this, Sasuke and Naruto were still going straight for each other. Quickly, Akira went to get up, but the lack of sleep and food in her body made her instantly dizzy. As she stood, Akira swayed and watched helplessly as Naruto and Sasuke came within inches of each other. Thankfully, however, Kakashi had gotten Akira's note and arrived just in time to intervene. He stood between the two boys and grabbed both their collars, then swung them in opposite directions. Sasuke and Naruto both landed in water towers, each of their jutsu piercing the metal containers.

Akira's head lolled sideways and she sighed, relieved, then sat back down and rested her head on Sakura's shoulder. Sakura muttered a quiet thank you and rested her head on Akira's for a moment before Kakashi came over and helped them both to stand.

   "You two okay?"
   "We're in one piece," Akira sighed, running her hand over the back of her neck.

Sakura nodded quickly and then Kakashi turned back towards Sasuke and Naruto.

On impact, Sasuke's Chidori had completely demolished the front of the water tower. His arm was stuck inside a small hole at the centre of a huge crater in the metal and when he pulled his arm out, a large gush of water followed. Naruto, on the other hand, had only made a small dent and a hole the size of his fist, which made it seem that his attack was disproportionately weaker than Sasuke's. However, as Akira suspected, when she went over to look at the other side of the water tower Naruto had landed in, the metal was completely obliterated, as if a bomb had gone off inside.

   "What do you two think you were doing up here!?" Kakashi exclaimed. "That was a little intense for just a sparring match don't you think? What's wrong with you two?"

Akira stopped her inspection of the water towers and went over to Kakashi and explained what had happened. He seemed more annoyed now.

   "What were you thinking?  Were you really going to kill him, Sasuke? You really have to watch this sense of superiority you've got going."

Sasuke rolled his eyes and crossed his arms. For a split second, Akira wanted nothing more than to punch him in the face.

   "When are you finally going to grow up, Sasuke? You realise that this never should have happened? Akira, who's your superior officer and your sister, told the both of you to knock it off."

Again, Sasuke rolled his eyes. He glared at Naruto and his sister for a moment and then, without a word, he jumped over the fence and vanished. Naruto vanished soon after, but not before he caught a glimpse of the other side of the water tower he'd hit. Akira was about to speak, but she caught a glimpse of someone nearby and readjusted the words she was about to say.

   "I think Itachi is to blame for this," she said, glancing up at Kakashi for a moment. "He's been a lot angrier ever since he came back from our encounter with Itachi and our fight with the Sand Siblings. He was nasty enough a few days ago to get punched."
   "You punched him?"

Akira sighed and shook her head. She didn't want to talk about it there.

   "Sasuke's never been satisfied with his progress since... probably the Land of Waves. He's been looking to Naruto and me for comparison and it's making him frustrated," Akira sighed. She glanced over to her left. "It doesn't help that the Chidori you taught him—his one trump card—was surpassed by Naruto's Rasengan. I suppose you can blame him for that."

Kakashi looked to the base of the water tower that Naruto had crashed into. Jiraya was standing there, arms crossed and seemingly deep in thought.

   "You don't think Naruto's a little young to be handling a jutsu like that?" Kakashi asked. "After all, he could've killed Sasuke. I know you want to protect him from the Akatsuki, but still... to entrust him with a jutsu like that?"
   "Aren't you a fine one to talk?" Jiraya replied. "Teaching the Chidori to someone like Sasuke and not knowing that another one of your students was training with Orochimaru?"
   "To be fair, I went to great lengths to hide that," Akira grumbled.
   "Yeah, and everyone's lucky you're such a level-headed kid."

Neither one of them said it, but Jiraya and Akira knew that that was false. Akira wasn't all that level-headed, and Jiraya had seen that the last time they'd met—Orochimaru's influence over her was far greater than Akira let on. The important thing was that she was well aware of it and capable of controlling it. However, Jiraya couldn't help but wonder when the day would come when Akira just... didn't control herself.

   "I knew Naruto was a hothead," Jiraya continued. "But I never thought Sasuke would be willing to use a jutsu that powerful on a comrade. Obviously, there's bad blood between the two of them—and Akira—but where the hell does it come from?"
   "To Naruto, Sasuke is a rival and a comrade at the same time," Kakashi said. "In fact, it's their competition that keeps Naruto going most of the time, I think. That's why he won't stand for it when Sasuke belittles him. For the longest time, he's been on Sasuke's and Akira's heels, and for that reason, no matter how much training he gets from either of us, the only opinion that matters is theirs."
   "On the other hand, it's hard for Sasuke to sit and watch Naruto's strength and skills develop so fast," Akira continued. "He's got to feel like he's stagnating in comparison. And for whatever dimwitted reason, Sasuke can't acknowledge Naruto even if they've become equals because... he'd be diminishing himself, in a way. Naruto's got something driving him on, and so does Sasuke, but..."

Akira sighed and frowned. Kakashi and Jiraya could see the cogs turning behind her eyes as she began thinking about something. However, instead of continuing her sentence, Akira turned and went over to Sakura again. Her face was streaked with tears. Akira jumped down from her ledge and crouched beside Sakura and gave her a hug. Sakura returned it fervently and they stayed there for a moment. 

   "They'll be okay, Sakura," Akira said quietly. "Do you want me to stay?"
   "N-No, I'll be fine," Sakura said tearily. 

Akira didn't believe her but she respected Sakura's wishes. She stood and left down the side of the hospital building, landing on a few small rooftops before her feet touched the ground. Moments later, Kakashi joined her.

   "So, why'd you punch Sasuke?"
   "He said that I knew who I was training with and willingly put the village in danger," Akira said simply.

She frowned again and took a breath as if to say something, but she didn't.

   "What's wrong?"
   "I don't like where my brain is going, Kakashi."
   "What do you mean?"
   "Like Naruto, Sasuke has something powerful driving him on," Akira continued. "Revenge is what's been driving him ever since Itachi massacred our family and, if I'm being honest with you, I think the curse mark is making it worse."
   "But it's been sealed off and he hasn't been using it," Kakashi said. "It shouldn't be acting up."
   "Well, then he clearly didn't tell you that it overcame him when we were fighting Gaara." 

Kakashi sighed, annoyed. He hung his head back for a moment then gestured for Akira to continue.

   "Honestly, I don't think that's the problem. I think I'm the problem."
   "You?"
   "My curse mark hasn't been sealed for months, Kakashi, and I'm fine. That's the problem. The fact that I'm using this thing unrestricted and it's showing clear results is probably pissing him off. Not only has he been looking to Naruto for progression points, but he's been looking to me for years, as well. So, whenever I accomplish something or outmanoeuvre him in some way, it makes him angry. We have the same power and yet, he can't touch it. It's making him jealous, frustrated, angry—all things that the curse mark is just feeding off of. That's what scares me."

Akira stopped and sighed. Kakashi stopped just ahead of her and looked back. She seemed to be debating whether she should say what was on her mind.

   "That's why a part of this is my fault."
   "Akira—"
   "No, listen, Kakashi," Akira interrupted. "Sasuke keeps seeing me use the curse mark—he sees that it's working and he sees that I'm not suffering because of it. So, he knows—he knows—that the same power is within his grasp if he just... lets go. If I hadn't done something outrageously stupid, this wouldn't even be an issue. I'd be there to help him resist the curse mark, but I can't do that now because that would just make me a hypocrite."

Akira sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose.

   "We should also be worrying about Orochimaru coming back."
   "What?" Kakashi said, sounding extremely worried. "What do you mean?"
   "When we came face to face with Orochimaru in the Forest of Death, he said that Sasuke would come to him for more power, and I... don't think Orochimaru was completely off-base."
   "Akira! That's a big leap you're making! You can't really believe that he'd just—"
   "Up and leave? Defect?" Akira looked as if she desperately wanted to be wrong. "Kakashi, even though I'm the one using the curse mark, you don't trust him. You know that he's volatile and power-hungry, and hell-bent on revenge—who else is capable of giving him the power to defeat Itachi?"

Kakashi mirrored Akira's knitted eyebrows. She was worried, probably more so than she let on, and he was even more worried that she was showing it.

   "I can't let that happen."

All of a sudden, the worry on Akira's features turned to something glacial. Kakashi had seen Akira determined and focused, but never so distantly. There was no anger or worry, just the resoluteness of a woman numbed down by pain, coming to a potentially life-changing decision.

   "We've got to find him."
   "This isn't your fault."
   "Isn't it?"

It came out as a sort of chuckle, but there was no humour behind it, and Kakashi couldn't find it within himself to argue with Akira—he knew he couldn't change her mind.

As Akira ran off in search of her brother, Kakashi followed, and when they did find Sasuke, they found him sulking in a tree near the Academy. To Akira's surprise, Kakashi bound Sasuke to the tree as he attempted to get away from them.

   "What the hell is this?" Sasuke complained, struggling against the wires.
   "Sorry, Sasuke, but I knew you wouldn't want to sit down and listen so I had to pin you down," Kakashi explained. "You know, you really have to forget about revenge."

Akira glanced over at Kakashi, eyebrows furrowed. He was right, obviously, but what was he getting at?

   "In this line of work, I've met a lot of guys who feel the same way you do. Trust me, for those who follow the path of revenge... it never ends well. You're only going to tear yourself apart, and the ones closest to you as well." Kakashi glanced at Akira long enough for Sasuke to notice. "And even if you do succeed, and you do get your revenge, what'll you have then? Nothing. Just emptiness."
   "Shut up!" Sasuke snarled. "What makes you think you know anything about it!? It's easy for you to talk, you have no idea! Maybe if I killed the most important people in your life—everyone who's ever meant anything—maybe then I'd listen to you! Because then maybe you'd have an idea of how I feel!"

Kakashi stopped Akira as she lunged forward, fists clenched and ready to swing at her brother. He gently squeezed her shoulder and she backed down immediately.

   "Well, it's an interesting theory," Kakashi said airily. "But you're a little late to put it to the test, I'm afraid. Everyone you're talking about is already dead."

Akira took perverse pleasure in seeing the look on Sasuke's face go from rage to guilt. However, the feeling of Kakashi's tightening grip on her shoulder brought her out of it. She glanced up at him and her heart sank. Despite the soft manner in which his eyes seemed to smile, Akira could see a lingering amount of sadness.

   "I've been around longer than you, kid, and I've seen my share of troubles. You're not the only one who knows what it's like to lose somebody," Kakashi said. Sasuke averted his gaze. "Neither of us has lived a charmed life, but we're not that bad off—we're some of the lucky ones that managed to find comrades to fill the void."

The hand on Akira's shoulder went to rest on her head. Kakashi looked between Akira and Sasuke with a small smile.

   "In any case, I do know how you feel. With the Chidori, you've been granted a gift of awesome power, but it's not a gift to be used against your comrades or to seek vengeance. I think, somewhere in there, you know what it's for." Kakashi pause for a beat and then gently patted Akira's head. "All right, end of the lecture. Akira, you staying?"
   "Yeah, I'll stick around."

Kakashi nodded and left, pulling the wires away from Sasuke as he went. 

Akira didn't really want to stay. Being in her brother's presence lately had proven to be more difficult than she'd have wanted. Sasuke was usually very grumpy, he had been for as long as she could remember, but he'd gotten worse since the whole Orochimaru and Gaara ordeal. She couldn't blame him, of course. Akira had screwed up royally and some of his own problems had been accentuated because of her—that's why she felt compelled to stay behind. No matter how argumentative, obstinate and outright rude Sasuke was, Akira felt that it was her responsibility.

With a sigh, Akira sat down beside her brother. She glanced sideways at him as he pulled his knees up to his chest, then back towards the front and at the people walking below. Neither of them moved or said anything for hours. They sat together in silence while Sasuke stared at his feet and Akira watched the midday sun fade into the pale pinks and oranges of a sunset. Soon, the sun settled beyond the horizon and the sky had turned a mix of lavender and indigo, speckled with the beginnings of stars. As Akira was going to tell Sasuke it was about time they went home, Akira sensed a group of strange chakras approaching her position. She frowned and stood, looking around as the curse mark on her shoulder began to burn ever so slightly. Sasuke turned as well and as he stood, four people landed in front of them.

Despite not knowing who they were, Akira could tell that they were bad news—the musical note emblazoned on their bandanas told her as much. Akira had expected this to happen, but she'd only just expressed her concerns to Kakashi. For these four Orochimaru henchmen to be here, ready to swoop in, seemed both convenient and concerning. Coming out in the open before dark had even fallen properly was a boldness that signified they were here to accomplish a mission fast and effectively.

   "All right, out with it!" Sasuke said, immediately antagonistic. "Who are you?"

Akira looked between each of them as they introduced themselves first as the Sound Four and then individually. Tayuya seemed to be the only girl in the group, with pink hair that covered a good portion of her face. Beside her was Sakon, a pale-skinned man with what Akira thought looked like a second head growing at the back of his neck. Kidōmaru gave the impression that he was some sort of mutated spider, with three arms on each side of his body. The last man, Jirōbō, looked the most intimidating. He was taller than everyone else and twice as wide, with slanted orange eyes that glared at Akira and Sasuke.

   "Orochimaru's playthings, I suppose?" Akira said calmly, crossing her arms.
   "I thought that was you," Kidōmaru taunted.

Akira took a deep breath through her nose and tried her best not to react.

   "Oh, struck a nerve, huh?"
   "Not really. I'm just not a huge fan of your boss," Akira said bitterly. "He's a bit of a lying and murderous bastard, isn't he?"
   "Right, as if you didn't know what you were doing."

This time, Kidōmaru had struck a nerve. In the blink of an eye, Akira's katana was barely an inch away from his neck. The Sound Four all narrowed their eyes at the blade that gleamed in the moonlight. Akira looked down its length and then at the four ninjas that stood before her.

   "Now, you've struck a nerve," she admitted. "I'm not going to ask this twice: leave or I'll make you leave."

Chapter Text

Neither the Sound Four nor the Uchiha twins waited for very long before attacking each other. Sakon was the first to attack and while Akira did what she did best, which was hang back and observe, Sasuke went and jumped into the fight without as much as a second thought. They exchanged a few quick blows and then faced each other off, a glaring reminder of what had happened with Naruto earlier that same day. With a sigh, Akira blinked to awaken her Sharingan. She expected some dirty tricks from these ninjas and there was no way she was going to get caught unaware.

   "Come on, kids, I'm waiting," Sakon taunted, an evil smirk on his lips. "I wanna play do-re-mi on those ribs of yours 'til they crack!"

Sasuke and Sakon ran at each other again. Sakon tried to kick Sasuke, but he took out wires from nowhere and tied them around Sakon's legs to prevent a significant amount of his movement—or so he thought. Sasuke went to deliver a series of blows but Sakon blocked them all and, even though he seemed to be pinned into a corner, it was Sasuke who took a hit. Sakon shouted 'do' and the Uchiha went flying backwards, specks of blood falling from his mouth. Akira's eyes narrowed at Sakon. An extra pair of arms had come from his back, most likely those belonging to the seemingly inert twin attached to his body, and they disappeared the second the attack connected. Sakon shouted the next note, 're', and Sasuke went flying backwards again. Once again, a pair of arms appeared and disappeared.

   "Hm, your bones ring with a nice low tone," Sakon contemplated. "Why don't we switch to a sharper reverberation?"

Akira and Sasuke jumped out the way as Kidōmaru came straight at them, his mouth shooting sticky spiderweb-like strings. As they backed off, Akira's blade lit up with crackling white chakra and she sliced through the string coming at her. Kidōmaru was surprised but that feeling didn't stay for long, as he grinned when Sasuke was hit. The kunai he'd pulled out wasn't enough to cut through the string and it stuck to him, allowing Kidōmaru to swing the boy around and fling him into a tree. Akira cursed loudly and ran towards him, but she was knocked back by Jirōbō, who slammed Sasuke further away as well. With a harsh growl, Akira ran around Jirōbō and headed straight for Sakon.

   "I think I'll go for a mi-fa-so combination with you," he said as Akira approached.

When she was close enough, Sakon broke from his bonds and lunged towards Akira. He went to hit her, but Akira phased out of sight, reappearing from the ground behind him.

   "Boo," she taunted, smirking.

With all the power she could muster, Akira kicked Sakon upwards. Within seconds, Sasuke was at Akira's side again, both high above Sakon. They repeatedly kicked him down until he crashed into a nearby roof and, just as she and Sasuke were about to land, Akira's mind went fuzzy. Suspecting genjutsu, Akira went to dispel it, but Kidōmaru was way ahead of her. As her hands were about to form the seal, a string of webs pulled her hands apart and the siblings came crashing to the ground. Everything went black for a moment, and then, Akira found herself restrained by Tayuya with Sasuke dangling by his ankle in Sakon's grip.

   "What does Lord Orochimaru want with you, huh? I don't see what the big deal is," Sakon said, looking at Sasuke. "Kimimaro would have been much better."

He glanced over at Akira and smirked dangerously.

   "But you... You went to him willingly."

Sakon chuckled and it sent a chill down Akira's spine. She knew what he was doing. She wasn't stupid. If Sakon and the others could just pin Sasuke against Akira a little, then maybe he'd be just foolish enough to go with them to Orochimaru.

   "If I had known who he was I wouldn't have risked it," Akira spat. "I'd never put the village or my comrades in danger like that."
   "And yet you use his power willingly," Sakon said airily. "And very well, must I add. You have no pain, no sign of any unpleasant side effects. It's truly remarkable how you've taken to the curse mark—even I had trouble accustomed to it at first."
   "But here you are, spending all your time in this dump of a village, unable to realise your full potential," Kidōmaru continued. "If you keep playing ninja with your friends, you'll continue to rot on the vine."
   "You're acting like fools," Tayuya said, struggling to keep Akira in check. "You should come with us. Lord Orochimaru offers you power!"
   "Yeah, well, neither of us wants it!" Akira shouted.

Annoyed, Sakon threw Sasuke against a wall. He landed with a loud crash that made the stone crumble on impact. Akira glared at Sakon as he got up in her face.

   "You sure? Not in the mood to run back to your teach—"

Sakon cut himself off as Akira spat in his face. He glared at her, and Akira let out a small giggle that sounded so out of place.

   "I'd rather die."
   "I'll ring your tiny little neck!" Sakon shouted, irate.
   "Try it," Akira said airily. There was a fiendish smile spreading across her lips. "I dare you."

Sakon chuckled and he pointed a finger at her.

   "I've changed my mind. I like you."
   "Aren't I lucky?" Akira said. All of a sudden, her smile vanished. "Too bad I don't like you!"

Akira swung her head forward and hit Sakon right in the forehead. He stumbled back a few feet and watched as Akira easily wrung herself from Tayuya's grip, then turned to punch her straight in the jaw. As Tayuya went flying, Sasuke finally stood and he bolted right for Sakon, shouting. The curse mark had shattered the seal keeping it at bay and the flame-like markings Akira hoped that Sasuke would never know again spread across his skin like a disease. With this power, Sasuke hoped to gain an advantage, but Sakon was way ahead of him. Black ink-like blotches spread across his skin and he kicked Sasuke back with such ease that it worried Akira. 

   "Not a wise choice," he said, glancing down at Sasuke. "You shouldn't use the curse mark so carelessly. Take your sister for example. Not a whisper of Lord Orochimaru's power has risen to the surface. He trained you well."
   "I trained myself," Akira said harshly. "Orochimaru may have pointed the way, but I'm the one who did all the work. Someone else could have very well done the same thing and the outcome wouldn't have been any different. Orochimaru did nothing, you hear me? Nothing!"
   "You are—"
   "I am Akira Uchiha!" the girl interrupted. "I am not Orochimaru's tool. That's your job."

Akira pulled out her katana and pointed one at Sakon's head and the other at Tayuya at her side. The blades were close enough that Sakon and Tayuya could feel them tickling their skin. Sakon narrowed his eyes. The fury in Akira's eyes was nothing that he'd seen from others with the curse mark. It was unadulterated and, unlike everyone else in Konoha, Sakon couldn't see Orochimaru's anger bubbling inside—it was purely her own.

   "If you want Sasuke, you're going to have to kill me first." A small and mischievous smile rose to Akira's lips. "Have fun explaining to your master that you killed his prized pupil."

Sakon, Tayuya, Jirōbō and Kidōmaru glared at her, annoyed.

   "Lord Orochimaru did say you'd be a pain in the ass," Tayuya grumbled.
   "Well, we have that in common, then," Akira said with a chuckle.
   "Enough with these runts!" Kidōmaru snapped.
   "Kidōmaru is right," Sakon said. He looked between Sasuke and Akira. "It's up to you to decide. In exchange for the curse mark's power, you will be tethered to Lord Orochimaru and all semblance of freedom will be lost to you—"
   "Sounds like a party," Akira said sarcastically.
   "—to gain one thing, another must be left behind. Think. What is your purpose in this life? To stay in this backwater village, hiding with your little friends?"

Sakon looked at Sasuke and Akira went to stand in front of him instinctively.

   "Forget her," he said, pointing to Akira. "You mustn't lose sight of your purpose. Life in this village is nothing more than shackles! Sever your ties to this pathetic place! If you can do that, then there's no limit to the power you can wield. And you..."

Sakon looked at Akira and smirked, but said nothing. Instead, he nodded to his comrades and they jumped out of sight. Akira took a deep breath through her nose and let it out slowly out of her mouth. She hung her head back for a moment then ran her hands over her face and turned to Sasuke.

   "Let's go home."
   "Let's go home? LET'S GO HOME!?"
   "Sasuke—"
   "Don't Sasuke me!"
   "I'll do what I want, Sasuke," Akira said, trying not to raise her voice. "I am your superior officer and your sister. Listen to me when I say that you don't want this."
   "Oh, sure, but you're allowed to have it."
   "I keep telling you that I'd have never risked it if I knew who he was."
   "Here we go! Playing dumb again!" Sasuke shouted.
   "Hey!"

The shout was so clear and commanding it took Sasuke by surprise. He'd never heard that tone of voice come from Akira before and judging from her posture, this was her sense of pride and duty coming through. Maybe it was denial, too.

   "I had no memory coming out of the Forest of Death, Sasuke. How was I supposed to know it was him?" Akira asked, exasperated. "I knew he was dangerous, but I thought he was a risk to me and me alone."
   "Right, so you took his advice and training just because he liked you, then?" Sasuke scoffed.
   "Is that so hard to imagine?"

The look of confusion that crossed Sasuke's features didn't surprise Akira. For as long as she could remember, Akira had always been the one to remind him that what other people thought of him and his jutsu didn't matter. Whenever Fugaku, Mikoto or Itachi didn't give him the time of day, Akira was always there to remind him that the only person he needed approval from was himself. And yet, here she stood, eyes cast sideways, embarrassed to admit that she'd succumbed to the desire of being recognised and appreciated.

   "I know I've been telling you for years that you don't need anyone else's approval, but... you know the feeling, Sasuke," Akira said. She smiled almost sadly. "You know what it feels like to be passed over and ignored by our father like you're just some pest flying around Itachi's shadow."

Akira took a breath and seemed to hesitate.

   "But at least you got to pick up the crumbs when Itachi started going against him. I never got that chance. Not even our mother gave me the encouragement I needed. I worked my ass off every day to become what I am today and not a single person gave a shit. I suppose that's why I told you no one else's approval mattered. Because I'd adapted to live without it and thought you could do the same. So, when someone even as sketchy as Orochimaru in disguise showed genuine interest in me after a lifetime—a lifetime—of being ignored, put down and ridiculed... you bet I fell for it. I fell for it hook, line and sinker. I was all in."

A breath of laughter escaped Akira's lips. There was no humour behind it, only a small amount of disappointment.

   "This guy didn't really know who I was. He may have known me, but he hadn't seen me train day in and day out, torturing myself over not getting a jutsu down fast enough. He hadn't seen the resolve, the pride, the stubbornness or the strength that I'd built up in all my years. All he saw was some little girl swishing water around in the middle of the day and he was so ready to risk revealing who he was just to get a chance to train with me. And it didn't matter that his motives may have been backhanded because I didn't care. I trained with him because he treated me as an equal. For a girl who constantly had to prove herself to others even for the smallest of things... can you imagine what it must have felt like? Do you understand the feeling of someone just trusting you immediately? Someone just assuming you had the talent to keep up with them?"

Akira laughed lightly again. This time a smile followed and Sasuke thought she genuinely looked pleased with herself. However, it didn't last long. A solemn look overcame her features only moments later.

   "Don't get me wrong, Orochimaru wasn't kind—I specifically asked him not to be. I asked him not to go easy on me or be nice to me because I didn't want to start appreciating anything he was doing for me. It backfired though... He challenged me mentally, physically, emotionally, sometimes to the point where I thought I'd snap, but he did it because he knew—he knew—that I could handle it. And that's what did it. The blind faith that this man had in me made me happy. Really happy. I even started to look forward to seeing him. And, of course, he was right about me in the end... I am exactly like him."

Sasuke frowned.

   "I was born gifted, but no one's ever taken me seriously so I had to take matters into my own hands. I'm selfish. I'm arrogant. I crave knowledge to the point where it gets me into trouble. I can live with myself after doing horrible things. I can live with scarred hands, blood-soaked pores, and murder on my conscience. I'm ruthless, vicious, and just unstable enough to flirt with evil and have it go my way. But we're also very different. I've got you. I've got friends who love and care for me, not because they're scared of me or have to love me. I'm capable of caring, of love, of cherishing things. I have a goal that doesn't just benefit me, but everyone in this village. I fight for what I believe in—peace and justice. I don't give in to my anger or my hatred."

Akira took a step towards her brother and gave him a sad look.

   "This may just be my opinion, Sasuke, but I think Orochimaru's and mine's differences outweigh our similarities. If I'd known who he was, I never would have done this, and now that I have, I regret it. I don't want you to go through the same thing."

Sasuke looked at his sister suspiciously. For a moment, Akira thought he was going to reach out to her, as she'd done, but, instead, he took a step back, and the doubtful look in his eyes grew stronger.

   "Sasuke, Kakashi-sensei is right," Akira said in a warning tone. "You can't go on living off your hope for revenge against Itachi."
   "You don't get it."

Akira's gaze suddenly became rigid, eyes devoid of anything but the darkness of their blue. Sasuke watched her hands as she summoned a small snake and whispered to it. When he went to stop it, Akira pulled out one of her katana and pointed it directly at his chest, its blade gleaming in the moonlight. Sasuke's eyes narrowed at her.

   "I don't want to hurt you, Sasuke," Akira said quietly.

Sasuke didn't believe her. His sister was gone. The concern she had for his safety had left, replaced with the glare she normally reserved for those she was tasked with hunting down. Akira was looking at him from the standpoint of a Konoha Chūnin, now, one that was hell-bent on keeping a member of her village from defecting to the enemy.

   "But if your intention is to leave, then I have no choice but to stop you."
   "This is the only way I can realise my goal of killing Itachi!" Sasuke shouted.
   "Revenge isn't the answer, Sasuke. Killing him won't bring you anything."
   "I have to avenge our clan!"
   "The clan that never did anything for us until Fugaku and Itachi stopped agreeing on everything?" Akira scoffed. "How noble of you."
   "They're our family!" Sasuke retorted. "Am I the only one loyal enough to my clan to seek out any means of getting it back from our brother!?"
   "That's not loyalty, Sasuke! It's insanity! You have to trust me—this power isn't it!"
   "Don't be such a hypocrite, Akira! If it's so bad, then stop using it! Stop flaunting it in my face at every chance you get! Stop telling me that it's a disease when clearly you'd jump at the chance to get your hands on some more!"

Sasuke made to leave, but Akira pulled out her other katana and blocked his path.

   "Brother..." she warned. "This village is my family and you will not hurt it by aligning yourself with Orochimaru. I won't allow it."

Sasuke glared at his sister for a moment, but when the Sharingan awoke in his eyes Akira knew it was over. He pulled back instantly, rapidly making hand signs to send a fireball directly at her. Akira jumped out of the way, narrowly missing the fireball. It singed the ends of her hair and filled the air with an astringent smell. As Akira landed, a wave of pure white electricity charged at Sasuke and he dodged it quickly, running off in the direction that the Sound Four had gone.

Akira huffed in anger and put her katana away, then ran off after Sasuke. With the water in her gourd, Akira repeatedly threw moulded kunai at her brother. She threw some at his feet in the hope to screw with his balance, others at his torso in the hopes to stop him significantly, and as each kunai hit a solid surface it exploded into a thousand little droplets that Akira pulled back and moulded again. Sasuke was throwing shuriken back at her, but Akira dodged them all fairly easily. As they approached the forest, Sasuke turned around and blew fire at her again. Without the time to dodge, Akira shielded herself with the water from her gourd but it evaporated quickly. Sasuke smirked.

   "We've been waiting for you."

Sakon, Tayuya, Kidōmaru and Jirōbō appeared behind Sasuke, smiling evilly. He looked at them and nodded.

   "You've decided to choose power, I see," Sakon said.
   "I wouldn't be here otherwise, you idiot," Sasuke spat.
   "It was already decided that once you abandoned the village you were to become our leader, Sasuke. Please forgive the rudeness we showed you earlier."
   "Like I care," Sasuke spat.
   "So, what would you have us do before you gain your power?"

Sasuke looked back at his sister, eyes almost pleading for her to follow him. But the sharpness of her gaze made more anger rise within him and an evil idea was born in his mind. Akira's eyes narrowed at her brother. Something was wrong.

   "Don't you mean... we?"

Chapter Text

Heroes didn't dread or fear, they buckled up and braced for impact.

But Akira was no hero.

The second the words left Sasuke's mouth, the Sound Four ran at Akira, and while she put on a brave face, pure terror rushed through the girl's veins. There was no way she could take on four people at once, let alone four who could use Orochimaru's curse mark. But Akira fought anyway. She slashed her swords at anyone who approached her, electrocuted anyone who tried to touch her and kicked anyone who came within range. However, it was no use. Kidōmaru's webs had gotten a hold of her arms and her swords fell to the ground. As she kicked and screamed, more webs shot at her and restricted her legs. A desperate cry rose from Akira's mouth and tears blurred her vision. She struggled as someone tried to force something into her mouth, but she bit them and they came back stronger. He shoved a small pill into Akira's mouth as she screamed like a terrified child and they forced her to swallow it. 

Akira screamed as pain seared through her body better than a branding iron. Her mind grew weak, unable to bring a thought to completion, and she conceded to the torment growing inside her. Akira's body curled into something fetal as she writhed and convulsed. Through the pain, she felt herself being hoisted up and she struggled against it, but she wasn't strong enough anymore. Darkness enveloped her and she landed on the ground with a loud thump, her head hitting a hard surface. The pain began increasing in waves, small lulls giving false hope of an end. It was as though Akira's blood had become acid, intent on destroying her from the inside out. Her skin became ashen and clammy, glistening with a cold sweat. Her brain had finally shut down as a final wave of burning pain ran through her body. She writhed around in the darkness, whimpering, trapped in her own psychosis, a tailor-made living nightmare for one.

But then, the pain that once burned like a ravaging fire faded into a fearsome amount of power. All she could hear was the sound of her own heartbeat, and it was suddenly calm again. Akira's breaths came in ragged, shallow gasps until her lungs expanded as fresh air rushed in. The darkness vanished in an instant and, through deep purple smoke, Akira rose into the sunlight. Her skin warmed with the sun's rays and Akira looked down at it. There were scars on her arms still, but her skin was as white as snow and her nails a deep shade of Indigo, extending like claws. Akira's breath became quick and shallow again as she stared down at her hands in panic. As if responding to her fear, her skin glowed orange and then turned black, finally receding back to its normal shade. 

As the smoke cleared, Akira began to hear things around her, but it was as if she'd retreated inside of herself, completely unaware of everything that was happening around her. She looked up with wide panicked eyes and spotted blurry figures of people she couldn't recognise. Muffled explosions rang in her ears and chunks of rock flew at her, but Akira didn't react. She didn't even bat an eyelash when someone tackled her to the ground, saving her from being impaled by an enemy attack. Akira's eyes were glassy and vacant, and while her mind was trying to scream at her to wake up and help those around her, her body wouldn't respond. She was numb, unable to move even a finger. But when a blur of red hair passed in front of Akira's glazed eyes, something awoke inside.

Anger.

With an ear-splitting shout, Akira forced herself to move. Her hand went straight to her chest and she concentrated a significant amount of chakra into the palm of her hand, then sent it straight to her heart. It was as if a jolt of electricity ran through her entire body, stimulating every cell and chakra point that it touched. Akira's heartbeat accelerated, her breathing became normal again, but she was far from all right. The second that her mind became clear again, nausea made its way up Akira's throat and she bent over to vomit. When a gentle hand reached out and touched her shoulder, Akira's fear and anger took over.

A sharp pain in her neck awoke the power that had been forced upon her. Black flame-like markings spread across her skin again and then faded into snow-white scales. Indigo coloured claws extended and the same colour covered her lips. Akira's long black hair grew until it touched the ground and then some. She felt her bones crack and her skin stretch as her arms and legs elongated, making her look grotesquely disproportionate. Clear blue crystal-like protrusions came out of her forehead to create the most painful crown in existence. Her eyebrow ridge became more prominent and scale-like spines pierced through her skin, giving Akira the appearance of some kind of reptile. And finally, Akira's dark blue eyes faded into a washed-out green colour, and they stared at the person who'd touched her with pupils like that of a snake.

Chapter Text

Monsters aren't born. 

They are slowly created, formed like clay pottery, watered with callous memories and mixed with cruel laws. They are hardened with lies and false ideals, then painted with the blood of young victims. Every monster anyone has ever met, or will ever meet, was once a human being with a soul that was soft and light as air. Someone stole that air from their soul, suffocated them, and turned them into monsters. Yet something was born in Akira's eyes the very moment she bared her fangs and snapped at the person who'd touched her. The wickedness of the power she wielded was revealed, uncontrollable and wild, but Gaara, who had her fangs bared at him, didn't flinch. For a moment, the monster stared into the boy's eyes with a fury that surpassed any anger he'd ever seen, but what stood before him was no monster.

It was just a girl. Just Akira.

While the fury contained in her eyes never truly left it became directed towards something else as the girl's mind became clear once again. It didn't take her more than a second to assess the situation and as the enemy approached, Akira sped directly towards him. Even though her limbs were longer than she was used to, it was as if they'd been that way her entire life. With incredible dexterity and grace, Akira's body swayed to the familiar movements of her family's martial arts and, using a nearby source of water, hundreds of water daggers shot directly at the enemy. A few of them went right through him, drawing blood, but the fifth Sound ninja wasn't showing signs of slowing down. A low growl came from Akira's mouth and she gathered the water again, this time sending a single enormous spear to pierce the man. He dodged it narrowly with the help of his strange bone jutsu and he continued his run towards Gaara who made a wall of sand to stop him. But the man kept going, bursting through the sand with ease and knocking Gaara a few feet away.

His and Akira's gazes locked together.

   "I see you're using the gift—"
   "I DIDN'T ASK FOR THIS!"

With a roar only worthy of the monster that had been let loose, Akira charged forward, pulling more water from the nearby source. The man reached to his back and seemed to be pulling out one of the bones protruding from his back but, in reality, he had completely pulled out his spine, each edge on the vertebrae becoming razor sharp. The man swung it at Akira, but the girl waved her arm and blocked it with a clear shield of water. As the weapon dug further into the water, Akira softened her shield and swung her arm outwards, thinning the water again and slicing the spine in half.

Gaara came back as the man's arm turned into a drill-like appendage made of bone. He shifted the sand around him, taking more out of the ground, to create a statue in the semblance of Shukaku. Without having to communicate, Akira knew what to do. She shot a fireball directly at the statue to melt the small metallic particles in the sand, then she doused it in water, hardening the statue even more than it already was. By that time, the drill was already spinning into the statue, but as it cooled the bone shattered to pieces.

The man's eyes widened and he looked down. Only now was he realising that the sand underneath his feet was beginning to move, slowly dragging him down. Within seconds, he'd been sucked down into the earth in a whirlpool of sand, no longer visible to Gaara and Akira.

Akira slowly relented the curse mark's power. Her skin returned to its normal paleness, the scales disappeared, and she listened to the cracking of her bones as her limbs shortened again. Her hair seemed to grow backwards back into her head and the green eyes faded into dark blue. Akira took a deep breath as everything else returned to normal. Her body felt heavy and she was tired, barely capable of standing.

   "He's been buried two hundred feet in the earth," Gaara said, looking down at the ground. "Unable to move even a finger, trapped there until there's no oxygen left."
   "You did it!"

Akira barely had the energy to look towards the third voice. It was Rock Lee. She hadn't noticed he was there.

   "This time I am certain of it!"

But Akira wasn't. Looking back at Gaara, Akira could tell he was still worried, too. To confirm his suspicion, she walked over to the patch of sand where the man was buried and, with a tired sigh, she concentrated her chakra. Akira jumped back almost as soon as the images flew to her mind, and she waved her arms so quickly she could barely see them.

Taking all the water that she'd dropped to the ground, Akira shaped it into three separate discs below hers, Gaara's and Lee's feet. With a pained groan, Akira strained her muscles and raised the hardened discs of water into the air just fast enough to avoid the pillars of bone rising out of the ground below. The girl heaved the water out of danger, towards a patch of nearby forest, and as she was lowering the discs to the ground her body gave out and they all fell a few feet.

   "Sorry," she panted. "I don't have the energy."
   "Don't worry about it," Gaara said, lying back. "You stopped us from getting killed."

Akira's head slowly turned towards Gaara. It was the first time since the Chūnin Exams that she'd seen him. 

   "You've gotten taller," she said, a soft smile on her face.
   "You've gotten stronger."

A sad smile crossed her features and Gaara frowned.

   "I don't want to be strong. Not like this."
   "Did you not seek out this power?" Lee asked.
   "No," Akira said quietly, tears welling up in her eyes. "Is that what Lady Tsunade is saying?"
   "Yes."

With an angry and pained growl, Akira slammed her fist to the ground. A small crater formed around her hand and the birds in the trees above them flew away. Tears came as if, at long last, Akira's accumulated ocean was trickling through. Her face scrunched up and she covered it with her hands, hoping to hide the pained expression on her face. Her mind went back to the moment that her brother forced this new power on her and her body suddenly wracked with sobs. Where there had been love for her brother there was now an aching hollowness. How quickly Sasuke had turned on her made Akira feel sick to her stomach. It was like a stab to the heart. Her entire life she'd tried to keep Sasuke together, but it only took one mistake for him to turn to hatred.

Now, with no clan and no brothers, Akira was truly alone.

And it was all her fault.

Chapter Text

Akira was brought to the hospital by Gaara, nearly completely limp in his arms. Lee walked beside them, limping, and everyone rushed towards them when they entered the building. It was exactly the same as the last time. Akira let herself be taken off by the medical-nin, not caring much about what they were doing. She was nearly dragged into a hospital room and laid down on the bed where the medical-nin changed her clothes and put her in clean garments, as some other doctors assessed her condition. The beeping of machines and whooshing sounds of healing Chakra were faint in Akira's ears.  Her head was turned towards the doorway and she saw that Lee was being ushered into another room, more medical-nin poking and prodding him as well. Just before the door closed to her room, Akira saw Gaara sit on a bench outside, waiting. 

A sigh of relief escaped her lips, but soon she'd take a sharp breath inward when a sudden pain erupted in her chest. The stress on her heart was finally dying down, but the Chakra burst she'd sent to her heart wasn't. It was still making her slow heart pump more than it should, and it was causing her extreme pain. Muffled voices and shouts mentioning 'cardiac arrest' reached the girl's ears, but she was returning to the stupor she was in when she emerged from the coffin the Sound Four had put her in. Akira's breathing suddenly came to a halt, and she was gasping, writhing on the bed she was laying on. The doctors grabbed her and laid her on a wheeled table, before rushing her out of the resting room. Akira's arms reached up to her throat as a reflex. She was no longer gasping for air, simply choking from the lack of oxygen. Her vision was becoming blurry and by the time she'd reached her new destination, everything had gone black, and she couldn't see or hear the new arrivals to the hospital.

The only things she could see were choppy memories of herself and Itachi, her father getting angry at her for not learning fire-based Jutsu, memories of meeting all her friends. It was like her life was flashing before her eyes, every moment in chronological order.

Was she dying? Is this what people saw when their time was up? Is this what her parents saw? Maybe it was. Maybe it was the last thing she'd see. Or maybe it was what she would continue to see, in death, or in a coma—whichever she was in. Images continued to fly through her mind, tormenting her, scaring her, warming her heart. But then the memory of Itachi striking the family crest in anger jumped out at her, and her body flung itself forward.

Akira woke up by taking in a large breath. A breath so heavy it was almost as if she had screamed. Her chest heaved and her body was drenched in sweat. The room she was in was brightly illuminated and about a dozen medical-nin were surrounding her, looking scared and nervous. But smiles reached their faces when Akira's breathing returned to normal, slowing to a regular pace, and they exhaled a sigh of relief when they found her heartbeat to be regular as well. 

An hour later, Akira was wheeled out of the emergency unit. Waiting outside, to her surprise, was Temari. She was sitting on a bench beside her brother, who was passed out on her shoulder. She smiled when she saw Akira, and the Uchiha smiled back. Temari called to someone up ahead, but Akira didn't see them until their tear-streaked face came into her field of vision. It was Shikamaru, and he definitely had been crying, but the smile that drew itself on his face erased all evidence of that. Moments later, when they reached her hospital room, she found that Kiba and Kai were sharing it with her. Both of them looked severely injured.

   "Are you all right?" Akira asked, voice faint. "What happened? Did Kakashi-sensei get my—"
   "Yeah, he got your message, thank god," Kai said, sounding worried. "If he hadn't you would have died out there!"
   "The Hokage sent us to retrieve you and Sasuke," Shikamaru explained.

A frown crossed Akira's features. She recalled what Lee had said earlier.

   "Does she really think I wanted this?"

Shikamaru, Kai and Kiba were silent. That was answer enough for her. Akira sighed and turned to look at the doorway. Sakura was standing there, wringing her hands together nervously. She looked exhausted, no doubt because she too had been sent to retrieve her and Sasuke. Judging by the look on her face, Akira could tell that they'd been unsuccessful in bringing her brother home. 

Akira suddenly felt nauseous. The thought of the second level of the curse mark being forced on her made her want to vomit, but the only thing Akira could manage to cough up was a stifled sob. The anger on her face suddenly melted and contorted into anguish. She ran her hands over her face in the hopes of hiding her tears, but to no avail, and Sakura ushered everyone out and pulled the curtain around Akira's bed to let her cry and break down in peace. Sakura didn't even try to comfort her. She knew that Akira would just push her away. So, instead, Sakura sat at the edge of Akira's bed and listened to the girls cries get increasingly loud as time went on. Her body wracked with sobs and her throat became raw from crying and shouting in pain. After a while, even Sakura couldn't help but shed a few tears.

   "It's all my fault," Akira managed to croak between sobs. "It's all my fault."
   "What are you talking about?" Sakura said, wiping away her tears.
   "It's me. I'm the one who did this."
   "Akira, you're talking nonsense."
   "No, if I hadn't gone to him in the first place, none of this would have happened."
   "You can't blame yourself—"
   "Of course, I can!"

Akira's shout had taken Sakura off-guard. It wasn't angry, just desperate. She'd never seen Akira look so broken before.

   "I was using the curse mark, Sakura," Akira said through tears. "Sasuke couldn't do it. He couldn't—and then there was Itachi. Goddammit, Itachi!"
   "Akira—"
   "He got mad and jealous. But it's my fault. He's always been mad at Itachi. If I hadn't—If I hadn't—Oh, god... What have I done?"

Sakura hesitated before moving, but she ended up scooting closer to Akira. She looked sadly at the girl and gently grasped her hand. Akira went to pull her hand away, but the warmth of Sakura's hand was a welcome feeling. Instead, she squeezed her hand in return.

   "You didn't do anything, Akira," Sakura said softly. "I don't know what happened out there, but I know you didn't intend for any of this to happen."
   "You have no idea, Sakura. You have no idea. Sasuke—"

Akira cut herself off. She couldn't bring herself to say anything. Sakura was in love with her brother and there was no way that she was going to shatter his image by telling her what he'd done.

   "Sasuke is gone," she continued. "I couldn't stop them. They came at me and they—they just—"

Sakura's eyes widened. Akira didn't need to say more for her to understand.

   "I don't know what Lady Tsunade or anyone else has been saying," Akira said quietly. Her sobs had begun to subside by now. "But I never wanted this. After what I'd already done? I couldn't. Never. But I can't help it now. It's there. It's coursing through my veins like a parasite."
   "More power?"

Akira nodded and sniffled, rubbing the tears off her face.

   "The worst part is... I think I may end up using it anyway." Sakura frowned. "I know. Why use the power if you don't want it? I told Sasuke before..."
   "What did you tell him?"
   "That I'm just like Orochimaru."
   "Akira, you're not—"
   "Of all people, Sakura, I'd expect you to see the similarities," Akira said, sniffling. "I'm sure you have. No use protecting me from something I already know."

Sakura slumped and looked worriedly at Akira.

   "I'm just like him. I'll just want... to know what it's like. Or I may need to use it. If push comes to shove, if I have to chose between saving a comrade or my pride, I think I'd step on my pride and use it without hesitation."
   "I think..."

Sakura paused. She seemed to be choosing her words carefully.

   "I think if you use this for the same reasons you always have—for others, to become the best you can be, to protect the village—then I think it's all right," she reasoned. "As long as you stay like Orochimaru and don't become him... I think you'll be all right."

Akira smiled sadly and squeezed Sakura's hand. They smiled sadly at each other and Sakura left without ever mentioning Sasuke. Akira knew it was because she didn't want to hear what he'd done, and she couldn't blame her. Akira wouldn't have wanted to hear what her brother had done either.

A wave of realisation suddenly hit her. Now that Sasuke and Itachi had both defected from the village, that made her the final heir of the Uchiha clan. Akira almost wanted to laugh through the last vestiges of her sobs. If only Fugaku could see her now... She was sure he was writhing in his grave. And, as if possessed by some demon of mischief, Akira rose from her bed and got dressed. Thankfully, Kiba and Kai made no move to stop her.

She left the hospital room and walked down the hallways, hand grazing the walls to keep her balance, then left the hospital without anyone noticing, her usual bad habits unrelenting even in her weakened state. However, Akira knew all she really needed was a good amount of rest, and there was no way she was going to be getting that in the hospital. So, instead, Akira left and slowly walked down the streets of Konoha, staring at the people who were, so far, blissfully unaware that they were among the first heiress of the Uchiha clan.

It took a long time before Akira reached her destination. She stared at the Uchiha compound's entrance longer than anyone should stare at an abandoned mass of buildings. It took her everything she had to walk underneath the faded red torii leading into the compound. Akira sighed, staring at the streets in contempt. She hated it. She hated everything about the main street. She hated all the banners, she hated all the restaurants that used to be open and bustling. She hated the memories of this street—her parents, Itachi, and Sasuke had sullied them. 

Akira advanced through the derelict compound, the street almost eerie in the low light of the evening sun. Against the darkening sky, all the girl could see was the crumbling walls that were nothing more than a ghostly silhouette of some previous existence. The wind whistled through the trees bringing with it the laughter of children who once lived there and the caring call of a mother letting them know dinner was ready. Vividly, Akira could picture her childhood. The walls didn’t seem so grey when she was only a girl, nor did they seem so small. In her mind, she pictured this place as though it were a castle, her mother and father gliding through the once pristine halls, the King and Queen of their kingdom. But then she gazed upon the overgrown bushes and the shattered windows, and it was evident just how wrong she had been.

When Akira had entered the main house, she went straight to her parent's old bedroom. She knelt down and ran her hand across the dried blood on the ground, where it outlined where her parents' bodies once laid.

   "It's funny," Akira whispered, eyes fixed on the pools of blood. "No one in this compound ever gave me the time of day and now I'm the last."

A dry humourless laugh filled the air and it vanished almost as soon as it came. A few stray tears fell from Akira's eyes.

   "It's not funny. I didn't want this," Akira corrected. "Both my brothers are gone, power-hungry and filled with rage, and here I am sitting alone in an abandoned compound talking to the bloodstains of parents who didn't care about me."

Akira wiped her hand across her face, removing the tears, and she laughed again.

   "Actually, it's ironic. The person you never thought would amount to anything is in charge now. This place, this family... it's mine now. I can do whatever I want, and there's nothing anyone can do about it."

A stern look painted itself on Akira's features. She stood, glaring down at the chalk outline and bloodstains at her feet.

   "You know, I may not have asked for it, but I'll take it. I'll take it and I'm going to tear it all down brick by brick. First you, then Itachi, and now Sasuke... too many Uchiha have brought shame to our family. Sasuke wanted to bring honour to us again through revenge..."

Akira felt sick to her stomach. She paused for a moment and took a deep breath.

   "But it didn't work, and I'm not going to do it the same way. I'm going to protect this village, my comrades, my friends—I'll rebuild the Uchiha clan with love and compassion, not the hate that you and everyone else perpetuated. And I hope, as you watch me destroy everything you lived for, that you writhe in your grave. Because if you're hating every single moment of it... I know I'm doing something right."

Chapter Text

It wasn't wise of Akira to be pulling around a trolley full of supplies in her condition, but she wasn't about to let fatigue win her over—she had no intention of sitting and stagnating in a hospital room, alone with her thoughts. There were large empty jugs, shovels, soaps, varnishes, paint—everything she needed. The girl lugged it around town with great difficulty, ignoring the stares she was getting. Not only did such a small girl lugging around a trolley four times her weight look out of place, but the news of Sasuke defecting from the village had become common knowledge. But Akira didn't care, at least not at that very moment. At that moment, in the pale glow of the morning, before the sun had even fully risen, Akira was headed back to the compound she had visited the day before. 

Upon crossing the threshold of the torii leading into the compound, Akira took a deep breath. The stench of death had long vanished, but the air was still stagnant, filled with dust and heavy with mildew. Akira dropped the handle on the trolley and placed her hands on her hips and sighed as her eyes gazed over the derelict compound. She didn't enjoy standing there. Most of her memories of the old Uchiha compound weren't all that good. Akira remembered being stared down in the streets, being given dirty looks, or being completely ignored while asking to be served at a shop or restaurant. However, there wasn't going to be any more of that.

Akira grabbed a large broom and, with the help of a few dozen clones, went through every inch of the compound to remove all the debris in the streets and inside the buildings. It took them all a few hours and, by then, the sun was shining brightly in the sky. The compound was eventually cleared of all excess dust and mildew caked onto the buildings, as well, by using the water from her gourd to wipe down the facades of small shops and homes. Akira tossed the dirty water into the dry and dead foliage, and went to start working on the focal point of the compound while everything dried. She quickly sanded down the gate with another clone then grabbed a thick paintbrush and a jar of paint, and climbed the torii. As she dipped her paintbrush into the paint, someone appeared below her. A drop of paint fell at Kakashi's feet as she stared down at him.

   "You're going to kill yourself," he stated, unimpressed.
   "Maybe. But of what use am I in the hospital?" Akira replied, shrugging. She began painting the torii. "I'll rest when I'm dead."
   "Akira, you shot a jolt of chakra directly to your heart."
   "Well, yeah, but how else was I supposed to snap out of it and help Lee and Gaara?"
   "By doing literally anything else!" Kakashi called. "People don't even do this under medical supervision!"
   "They'd have died, Kakashi."
   "And you could have died by going after your brother on your own in the first place."
   "I sent you a note."

Kakashi let out an irritated groan and pinched the bridge of his nose. Akira chuckled quietly, set her paintbrush down, then leapt to the ground below.

   "Sorry for worrying you."
   "You really ought to be in the hospital, you know," Kakashi sighed. "You're going to kill yourself for real this time."
   "I—I can't," Akira said softly, glancing away from him. "If I just sit around and rest, I'll go insane, and I don't really want to go home either, so..."

Akira opened her mouth to say something, but she sighed, shook her head, and remained quiet.

   "So, you're doing this, then?" Kakashi asked softly, looking up at the torii.
   "Yeah," Akira said with a shrug. "Doing this. It's not like anyone else is going to."

Kakashi was quiet for a while, and it was Akira that broke the silence again.

   "Sorry, that's a little bit depressing," she said with a chuckle. Akira ran a hand on the back of her neck. "Maybe I should..."

Akira cut herself off again and let out a long breath. Kakashi could see the conflict dancing in her eyes. She knew she needed rest, but the hospital was one of her least favourite places in the world and the thought of going to the apartment she shared with Sasuke made her nauseous.

   "I'll give you a hand," Kakashi said all of a sudden. "If you pass out and die, I'll take the blame."
   "Thanks, I think?" Akira scoffed. "You sure?"
   "Don't make me change my mind." Akira rose her hands up in mock surrender. "But I have to ask... why are we doing this?"
   "I had a bit of a revelation yesterday," Akira said. Kakashi noticed that her mood had suddenly picked up. "I may or may not have been loopy on pain killers, though, but that's beside the point."

Kakashi chuckled quietly.

   "I realised that I'm the last one." Akira rose her arms on either side of her then let her hands fall and hit her thighs. "The last non-dead and non-crazy Uchiha. The first woman to ever head the family. The only member of the clan to never learn a fire-style jutsu properly."
   "That's quite a few revelations, actually," Kakashi countered. Akira rolled her eyes at him.
   "I realised that I can do whatever I want. And..." Akira took a deep breath and released it slowly. "With everything that's happened... I need something that's mine."
   "And this is it?" Kakashi asked, gesturing vaguely to the derelict compound.
   "This is my home, Kakashi. It's true that I've hated it for most of my life, but I have some good memories of this place."

Akira turned and took a few steps towards the torii. She ran her fingers against the chipped paint and crushed a few pieces in her fingertips.

   "I used to wake up to the smell of flowers every day. I'd sneak into my brother's room and go out onto the engawa. He had the best view of the gardens." A wistful smile made its way to Akira's mouth. "I remember training for hours in the family dojo—before it was all broken down and that leaky roof thing happened."

A small playful laugh escaped Akira's lips.

   "I plan on bringing that back. I can do anything I want now. That includes painting the walls a... light grey."

Kakashi furrowed his eyebrows and tilted his head slightly. Akira looked at him over her shoulder.

   "My parents were beige people."

Kakashi stared stupidly at her for a moment and then laughed, incredulous. The last of Akira's family had turned on her, her body was cursed by the likes of Orochimaru, and she was forcing herself to spend hours in the compound in which she barely had a single good memory, and yet Akira was joking about paint colours. 

However, the amazement was short-lived. Kakashi was saddened by her resilience. Reactions like this happened because of trauma, because someone was forced to grow up far too fast. When Kakashi looked at Akira—really looked at her—the emotions weren't so easily hidden. As she climbed back up to the top of the torii, smiling, he could see the slight crease in her brow whenever her gaze fell beyond the gate. He could see the grief and guilt in the indigo irises of her eyes. However, he could also see the tenacious fire that kept her going. She wasn't going to let this or anything else break her, and breathing new life into this old compound was the first step.

   "Beige people?" Kakashi chuckled.
   "In both personality and taste," Akira called back. She nodded to the paint cans on the ground. "Grab the red. Start on the bottom."
   "Yes, ma'am."
   "Hey, Kakashi?" He looked up at Akira and she gave him a half-smile. "Thank you."

For a while, the two of them painted in silence. That was until Akira spilled some paint on Kakashi's head and they laughed for an entire minute. She jumped down from the torii and spent the next few minutes trying to get the paint out of his hair before they headed out for lunch.

While the news about Sasuke had spread like wildfire, it hadn't entirely changed the way people interacted with Akira. Kakashi was used to seeing her interact with Sasuke, Naruto and Sakura. She'd been paying little to no attention to Sakura for the longest time and she enjoyed squashing the boys' quarrels with a forked tongue, but she wasn't like that with the villagers. Of course, some people looked at her as if she was going to be the next rogue Uchiha, but those who didn't welcomed her with open arms.

She greeted the man who ran the weapons shop, the couple who owned the textiles and materials store, and she said hello to all the owners of the places at which she and her friends had eaten. Street vendors of knick-knacks and hand-carved jewellery offered a small token each time she passed, and farmers even asked her about the quality of their produce. Akira had even intervened when two young boys were fighting over a toy, settling the dispute amicably. It was almost as if she had been running the village for decades. Akira knew nearly everyone in the village and most of them by name. Kakashi wasn't even mad when she turned around at the sound of his voice calling her name and announced she'd forgotten he was there. Akira was in her element; ever so helpful, ever so kind, ever so peaceful. Kakashi sighed, a small smile hidden behind his mask.

   "I'm doing this because I care, Kakashi," she said.
   "I'll be fine."
   "Don't lie to me. Do you really think you're so undeserving of other people's sympathy?"

Kakashi glanced at her sideways.

   "I'm helping you because I want to, Kakashi. Because I don't want you to see your best memories turn into your worst nightmares. Because I don't want you to turn into me."
   "Akira, you're not some monster."
   "Aren't I?" Akira chuckled humourlessly. "Take away the curse mark and what am I?"
   "You're just a girl."
   "Yeah, just a girl... A girl whose brother murdered her entire clan. A girl whose family jutsu is based on anger. A girl who killed someone for the first time and got over it because she was used to death already. A girl who prevented someone from ever using their arms again. A girl who willingly sought out power from a murderer." Akira sighed. "You might not be able to tell, or you're ignoring it for my benefit, but I'm a monster created by circumstance. I'm damaged. I'm nearly broken. But I've had help.
   "I don't know what's happened in your life. Maybe I'm preaching to the choir, and maybe you're just as screwed as I am. But I don't see it. And because I don't see it, I'm going to help you as others have helped me. Without Kai, Kiba and Shikamaru... I honestly wouldn't be here. I'd have killed myself a long time ago."

Akira hesitated for a second, but she reached out and clasped Kakashi's hand.

   "I'm not letting that happen to you," she whispered. "It was their care that kept me in one piece, and it'll be my care that holds you together."
   "Why?" Kakashi muttered.
   "Because you're my friend. That's what friends do."

A snapping sound brought Kakashi out of his thoughts. Akira was waving her hand in front of his face. She laughed and shook her head, then dragged him to Ichiraku's.

   "You spaced out for a good few minutes there," Akira said. She turned to Teuchi and ordered food for herself and Kakashi. "You good?"
   "What? Hm, yeah," Kakashi replied.
   "You sure? You seem to have something on your mind."
   "I was just thinking. You remind me of a friend I used to have."
   "Oh," Akira muttered. "Is that... one of the friends you lost?"

Akira felt as if she were trespassing on private property. Kakashi was fairly open with her, but neither of them usually discussed things like this.

   "Yeah... she's one of the close friends I lost."
   "Sorry for asking."
   "It's all right. You remind me of her in a good way," Kakashi said with a smile. He pulled down his mask to start eating, but he rose an eyebrow at Akira who was staring. "Yes?"
   "I'm still not used to you showing your face like that, yet," Akira replied, looking down at her bowl of ramen.
   "You took care of me for weeks, saw my face nearly every day."

Akira closed her eyes and let out a breath of laughter. She glanced sideways at Kakashi and shrugged, smiling. Kakashi chuckled and shook his head. 

For a moment, all was well.

Chapter Text

   "I should revoke your status as Chūnin!"
   "Why the hell would you do that!?"
   "Why!? You know why!"
   "No, I don't!"

Akira had been called to a meeting by Shizune and a troop of doctors who had found her and Kakashi repainting the facades of the homes and shops of the Uchiha compound. She had been tied up, quite exaggeratedly, and practically dragged to the Hokage's office so that Tsunade could have a word with her. At the present, only Shizune and Tsunade were present, but Akira had waited a short while before they entered the Hokage's office. Akira supposed they wanted to question Kakashi before talking to her. 

   "Number one: you've been disappearing from the hospital way too often! You came to us in critical condition, why the hell would you think it was a good idea to just up and leave?"
   "Because I hate hospitals and don't find them restful. If you want me to rest then the last place you should tell me to be is in a hospital room," Akira retorted. "I'm sorry for worrying everyone, but I know how I heal best, and it's not in a hospital setting."
   "Fine. I'm only accepting that because there's something far worse that I need to discuss with you," Tsunade said sternly. She paused for a moment. "What the hell were you thinking!?"
   "Excuse me?"
   "What the hell were you thinking running off with Sasuke like that!?"
   "Runni—what the hell is wrong with you!?"

For a moment, Tsunade just sat there and blinked. Shizune winced. No one talked back to Tsunade like that and got away with it.

   "You've been on my ass ever since you looked at me," Akira continued. "How many more times do I have to repeat myself!?"
   "Akira—"
   "No, don't interrupt me. I've already been beating myself up enough over receiving training from him and you think that I'm... delusional enough to defect just to get a little power up?" Akira scoffed, incredulous. "Look, I know you don't like me, but do you really think I'm an idiot? Do you really think so little of me that you just assume I'd willingly up and leave?"
   "I know Orochimaru—"
   "So do I!" Akira bellowed.

Shizune jumped, and Akira was sure that everyone in the building had heard her.

   "I know you grew up with him, that you were on a squad together with Jiraya, that you're the Three Legendary Sannin. I get it. You know him," Akira reasoned. Her voice was quieter now but still firm. "But... you also don't. Not really."
   "What—"
   "You knew him before he defected, right? You trusted him. He was your teammate. And I'm sure you thought he was... weird. But you never thought much of it, so you never experiences the twisted side of his personality. He hid that from you. Not from me."

Akira let out a short sigh and relaxed her body.

   "There are things that I learned from him that could make your blood curdle, things I wished I could erase from my brain. I can't. So, when I tell you that I'd never seek out this power... trust my judgement. I've seen what the actual power is and I want nothing of it."
   "How is that supposed to make me trust you?"
   "It's not," Akira said with a shrug. "Lady Tsunade, I'm not in the habit of trying to explain or prove myself to people, least of all you. I've done that my entire life and I'm sick of it. All I'm giving you here is the truth and you can make of it what you will."
   "Did you train with Orochimaru?" Tsunade asked, stern.
   "Yes."
   "See, you—"
   "BUT I DIDN'T ASK FOR THIS!"

Once again, Shizune jumped.

   "Who do you take me for!?" Akira continued. "Fugaku? Itachi?"
   "Orochimaru's student," Tsunade said simply. "You remind me of him."
   "I wish people would stop saying that."

Akira clicked her tongue and sighed.

   "Look, there's nothing that I can say that will make you trust me. That was evident when you tried to buy me with the Sword of the Thunder God. You've never trusted me and you never will."
   "Then give me a reason that I shouldn't fire you on the spot."
   "No."
   "No?"
   "No. I'm not about to grovel and ask for your approval."
   "But Orochimaru—"
   "What—you think I grovelled to him?" Akira interrupted. She scoffed and shook her head. "No. Never. Not once. He treated me with more respect and integrity than you have in your entire body."
   "Why you—"
   "But I would never have gone to him if I knew who he was, and I sure as hell didn't go seek out more power when I did figure out who he was. I'd have to be insane!" Akira said sharply. She locked eyes with Tsunade. "So, you don't trust me? Fine. I can't blame you. Fire me. But you know that I've done nothing wrong and that you'd be losing one hell of a shinobi in the process. If I'm not mistaken, I don't think Konoha is in the position where it can afford to reduce manpower."

Tsunade continued to hold Akira's stern gaze, but the girl wasn't wavering. Her eyes were gleaming with defiance and the Hokage wanted to smack the look right off of her face. It wasn't because Akira was being arrogant or rude (even though she was), but because there was so much of Orochimaru to be seen in her eyes. And the fact that she was right didn't help either. 

   "You're right. I can't afford to lose manpower," Tsunade said, relenting. "Under normal circumstances, I'd suspend you—fire you, even. We're low on manpower. I can't legally suspend your pay, either, so there's nothing I can do."
   "There is one thing."
   "Is there, now?"
   "Yes."
   "What is it?" Tsunade asked, eyeing Akira suspiciously.
   "You can trust me."

Tsunade snorted.

   "You just said that there was nothing you could say to make me trust you."
   "Yes, but you could just... trust me," Akira said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "Trust me like you once trusted him. I've got one advantage he never had."
   "And what's that?" Tsunade said, annoyed.
   "I'm an asshole, but I care. That's the only difference he and I have. Do you think he'd have turned out the way he did if he had people to care for and people to care for him?"

Tsunade was silent. Her eyebrows furrowed as Akira talked. Her voice was soft now.

   "There are people in this life that I want to keep safe at all costs, lady Tsunade. If I stray down the path Orochimaru and Sasuke have taken... I could never do that. So, just... trust me. I know what I am. I know what I'm doing."

Akira's dream of protecting the village was known to many, Tsunade included. However, despite the sincerity of her words, she couldn't help but be reminded of Orochimaru again. He too could speak softly and convince people of anything.

   "You're dismissed," Tsunade said simply.
   "Thank you, Lady Hokage. Always a pleasure."
   "Akira..."

Akira stopped just before the door and turned around.

   "If I get even a whiff of something going on..."
   "Lady Tsunade."

The malicious tone of Akira's voice sent a shiver down Shizune's spine and the dangerous look gleaming in her eyes made Tsunade unconsciously straighten herself out. 

   "Don't threaten me. I don't react well to threats."

An insincere smile spread across Akira's face then disappeared in an instant. She turned her back to Tsunade and slammed the office doors open, then marched out. When she was finally outside, Akira took a deep breath and pinched the bridge of her nose. As she slowly let out her breath, Akira hung her head back.

   "I must have a horseshoe up my ass."
   "That's colourful."

Akira glanced up to her left and saw a familiar head of silver hair against the darkening sky. Kakashi was sitting on a nearby rooftop, one of his idiotic books in hand.

   "You were playing a dangerous game in there," he said, jumping down from the roof.
   "Been creeping all this time?" Akira asked with a chuckle.
   "I had reading material." Kakashi rose his book then stuffed it in one of his pouches. "Don't avoid the conversation."

Akira rolled her eyes and walked away. Kakashi let out a quiet snort and followed.

   "It was a dangerous game, you're right."
   "Any particular reason you want the Hokage to hate you?"
   "She already does. The moment she met me, that woman's had it out for me."

She looked up at Kakashi.

   "I'm a wonderful reminder of her old pal Orochimaru."
   "Well, don't you look pleased," Kakashi said, sarcastic.
   "I'm pleased that it annoys her."
   "So you do want her to hate you?"
   "Maybe I do."

A playfully amused look spread across Akira's features. Kakashi shook his head, smiling. 

   "You're impossible."
   "Occasionally."
   "So, uh... where're we headed?"
   "You're gonna love it."

Kakashi gave Akira a sceptical frown, but he followed her nonetheless. When the Uchiha compound came into view he gave her another sceptical look, but Akira grabbed Kakashi by the wrist and pulled him behind her. He figured they'd stop at the torii they were painting, but Akira ignored it and they went further into the compound.

Akira stopped when they'd reached another gate. It was smaller than the entrance gate but no less ornate—Akira had scrubbed the dust off of it the day she'd come out of the hospital and the detailing was clear. Kakashi noticed her look up at the Uchiha crest on top of the gate and glare at it. Her eyes flickered to the banners flowing at half-mast and she sighed, then kept on walking.

   "You okay?" Kakashi asked.
   "Peachy."

Kakashi frowned and looked around. He recognised the path to the Uchiha's main house—he'd been there as a boy. It hadn't been the most pleasant experience, however, being there after the massacre felt strange. Especially since Akira seemed so calm, albeit a little irritated.

   "You sure?"
   "Ask me again, I dare you."
   "We're at your old house, it's a reasonable question,"

Akira let go of Kakashi's wrist and took off her shoes as she entered the house. Kakashi did the same.

   "I'm here to have a few words with my parents. Needed an audience."
   "What?"

Akira shrugged and headed into the house. Kakashi followed, confused, eyes looking around at the old stained photographs that lined the walls. Some of them were of her parents, a few others of Sasuke, but most of them were of Itachi. There was only one of Akira—Itachi was in the frame, as well.

Kakashi nearly stumbled over Akira when she suddenly came to a stop in front of a closed door. She looked at him over her shoulder. Kakashi would have asked what was wrong, but he could see it in her eyes.

   "Go. I'm fine."

A faint smile graced Akira's lips and she nodded, then pushed the door open. Kakashi's breath hitched in his throat the second he walked into the room. It was the only place left in the compound that still retained the stagnant air and stench of death. The dried pools of blood on the floor and the chalk outline were enough to make Kakashi worry about her, but she didn't seem to be bothered. Again, she looked annoyed.

   "I'm here because I feel like making you mad again," Akira said, and although it seemed like she was talking to thin air, Kakashi figured she was talking to her parents. "If you're down there—" Akira kicked the ground—"then you know you've been fixing up the compound."

Kakashi nearly laughed. Of course, Akira would assume her parents were in hell.

   "I plan on painting the walls grey. I know you'll hate it—you were always beige people," she said airily. Akira stepped over the bloodstains and looked down at them, glaring at them from a different angle. "I'm getting help from a friend. I think you know him."

Kakashi's eyebrows furrowed.

   "I was painting with him the other when I remembered something. It made me a little angry," Akira continued. "It was about a million years ago, but I remember some kid coming over. Silver hair, scared out of his mind. I mean, who wouldn't be? You were all yelling."

Akira clicked her tongue and started pacing. She glanced at Kakashi for a split second.

   "I know I've said in the past that there's no honour in this family, but that isn't really true." Akira sighed and turned to Kakashi. "I lied to you. Well, not really. I just didn't tell you why we're here."
   "What do you mean?" Kakashi asked.
   "There are so many reasons why I'm fixing this place, Kakashi. One of them is because of Obito."

Kakashi let out a soft sigh. Akira smiled sadly and gently grabbed his wrist again.

   "Sasuke's lecture, huh?"
   "Partly," Akira whispered. "You barely looked at the torii while I was painting it."
   "That's all it took?" Kakashi scoffed.
   "What can I say? I'm a genius."

Kakashi gave her a sceptical look. Akira shrugged.

   "I recognise trauma when I see it," she said simply. "Takes one to know one."

Akira squeezed Kakashi's wrist and let go.

   "Obito chose to give you his Sharingan, Kakashi. That makes him the only Uchiha I still have respect for. But my parents... My parents loathed him and disgraced his memory because of it." A small amused laugh escaped her lips. "Like I said. There are many reasons why I'm fixing this place. One of them is honouring Obito. Another..."

With a wave of her hand, water from her gourd whisked itself across the floorboards. She swirled it around almost angrily until all the dried up blood and the chalk outline had been lifted from the ground.

   "Is dishonouring my parents."

Akira walked out of the room, bloody orb of water floating just above her hand. Kakashi followed her outside, down a hill, and to the lake nearby. She stopped at the end of the dock and flicked her wrist toward the water. The bloody orb fell into the lake. Akira clicked her tongue and sighed.

   "How anti-climatic. I half expected the gates of hell to open up and welcome that last bit of demon soul."

Kakashi couldn't help but chuckle this time. He dropped a hand on Akira's head and smiled down at her. He expected her to smile back at him, like she usually did, but her eyes were focused on the water.

   "Talk to me."

Akira looked at her hands. She remembered the pale white skin and dark indigo nails from her curse mark transformation.

   "Do you believe me when I say I didn't ask for this?"
   "Yes," Kakashi said without missing a beat. "I do."
   "Do you trust me?"
   "What do you mean? Of course, I trust you. Akira, what's this about?"

Akira heaved a sigh. A sudden wave of nausea rose up and everything started to spin. When Akira swayed on the spot, Kakashi helped her sit down on the dock.

   "I'm asking you because... I just wanted to make sure you knew I wasn't lying."
   "What is it?"
   "Sasuke, he—"

Akira let out a harsh sigh. Kakashi's eyebrows furrowed.

   "He's the one who told them to. And they all came at me."

Tears began welling up in Akira's eyes and fear began to creep in. She took in a shaky breath and ran her hands over her face.

   "They all came at me. I—I tried to fight them off. I bit one of them, but he—he just shoved something down my throat and—"
   "Okay, okay, I got it," Kakashi said quietly.

His hand went up to Akira's head again and he gently pulled in onto his shoulder. Akira blinked away the tears, but the panicked look in her eye didn't leave. Kakashi didn't say anything more and he waited for her breathing to return to normal.

   "You hungry?"

Akira pulled herself away from Kakashi. Her eyes were red, but at least the panic and the fear were gone. She wiped away the tears on her cheeks.

   "It's late."
   "You haven't eaten since lunch. Besides, that dango place is still open."
   "I have training tomorrow morning."
   "That training is with me. We can postpone it."
   "Kakashi—"
   "You were feeling pretty decent until about ten minutes ago," Kakashi interrupted. "I have absolutely no clue how to comfort people, so just let me buy you food. All right?"

A small smile reached Akira's lips and she nodded.

   "Fine. But we're not postponing the training."
   "Yes, we are."
   "No."
   "I'll be there three hours late, then."

Chapter Text

Team Seven was disbanded. Officially.

Akira was told the next morning and not even by Lady Tsunade, who had been the one to sign off on the disbandment, but by some Jōnin she didn't even know. 'With Sasuke gone,' he had said, 'Lady Tsunade has deemed the existence of Squad Seven unnecessary.' Then he'd vanished, leaving Akira to stand alone, stunned. She remained immobile, in the middle of the street, eyebrows furrowed just enough so that you could tell the information was slowly being processed by her brain.

She couldn't understand how Lady Tsunade could punish the entire team for something that she had done, for something Sasuke had done. Was everyone's hard work suddenly just that—unnecessary—just because Sasuke decided to do something stupid? Could they be reduced to nothing just because Sasuke had chosen the wrong path? Akira's jaw clenched in anger. Sasuke was hurting her and her friends even in his absence. 

This disbandment made it such that Naruto and Sakura were no longer just Genin, no longer just teammates. Kakashi was no longer Akira's sensei either. They were proper comrades now, all of them, although Kakashi and Akira had been acting as such for several months now. It was strange that it was official, however. Gone were the days when Akira was required to call Kakashi her sensei in front of people and take low-level missions with Naruto and Sakura. For a moment, Akira almost smiled, wondering how strange Kakashi would find it when she simply called him by his name in front of others, but seriousness returned when she thought about the implications of Team Seven's dismissal. She'd have bigger responsibilities now, proper missions with other Chūnin, and maybe some with Jōnin if Lady Tsunade ever got her head out of her ass.

The prospect of joining Jōnin on missions suddenly appealed to her and erased some of the anger she felt. If she joined them on missions, she'd gain more experience and that meant Akria could be recommended for promotion. Becoming a Jōnin like Kakashi could be fun. Maybe she'd lead her own team or become a teacher at the Academy like Iruka, ensuring that the future generations of shinobi knew everything that they could possibly know, or maybe she'd make a career out of going on missions for Konoha and other villages. At this point, however, Akira didn't know what the world had in store for her. With Sasuke gone rogue and Lady Tsunade having it out for her, there was no telling what was going to happen.

Akira sighed and resumed her walk toward the hospital. It seemed long without Kai greeting her and walking with her as he usually did, since he was out on a special mission with his father, and Shikamaru was probably training with his father again, something that would surely last all day. Naruto was in the same predicament as Kiba—both of them were still glued to their hospital beds since getting back from chasing after her and Sasuke—and Sakura was too depressed and heartbroken to leave her house as of late. Despite being alone on this walk, Akira half-expected Kakashi to pop up out of nowhere. They'd already trained together that same morning, but it seemed that all she saw lately was him, and wondered how long it would take to cross paths with him again. Until then, however, Akira had only her thoughts to accompany her to the hospital.

Kiba was fast asleep when she got there, Akamaru lying on the pillow beside his head. Akira sighed gently and sat at his bedside for a few minutes. She watched his chest rise and fall with every breath and chuckled a little when Akamaru rolled onto his face. Akira hoped that it would wake him, but Kiba had always been a heavy sleeper, and she left the room when he showed no sign of stirring awake. Akira wandered down the hall and headed toward Naruto's room in the hopes that his stubbornness would have kept him awake. However, he was nowhere to be found. With a disappointed sigh, Akira closed the door and leaned forward to rest her forehead on it.

   "He's out on a mission," a voice said.

Akira turned her head, forehead still pressed to the door. It was Lady Tsunade. The girl's calm momentarily vanished and was replaced with a surge of anger.

   "I gave Jiraya special permission to take Naruto and Sakura on a mission. He wanted to take you along, but I informed him of your suspension."
   "Right, my suspension," Akira said sardonically."What mission did I miss out on?"
   "It's covert."

Akira turned her head back and pushed off the door. She walked slowly past Tsunade without looking at her. Tsunade called out to Akira, and the girl stopped. She really didn't want to be kept here for too long.

   "I'm sorry."

Akira looked at the Hokage over her shoulder. She seemed concerned, but her eyes betrayed her. 

   "You're a horrible liar."

Akira's footsteps echoed in the empty hallway as she walked away from Tsunade. She wandered off, not much thought put into where her feet were leading her, but she naturally made her way towards training ground three. Upon arriving, her gaze gravitated towards the memorial stone, but Akira didn't stop to say a prayer or even bow in honour of the deceased. She simply walked past it and headed straight for the lake. Her feet sank no more than a centimetre before her chakra stabilized and she was calmly walking on water. She paused, staring out at the horizon.

The sky was nothing at all. It was as if a child had begun to draw or sketch on it with a pencil and then erased it in a way that smudged and spread the grey. I light breeze moved the ends of Akira's black hair, but they soon stood still as raindrops began to fall and soak the strands. She let out a humourless laugh and hung her head backwards. The light rain pooled in the inner corner of her closed eyes and then ran down her face. After a few minutes, Akira's hair and clothes were soaked, but she wasn't in the habit of letting a little rain get her down.

Despite the growing chill in her bones, Akira practised all the jutsu she could. As she moved around, her body warmed up, and it was as if she wasn't standing in the freezing rain. Fire, lightning, Earth, Wind, and Water-style jutsu flew all around her for hours, and she used the sources of water all around her to practise the talent she had been lucky to avoid using during the Chūnin exams. With everything on her mind, however, Akira's dance wasn't as graceful as it normally was. There was too much frustration and anger to allow for a proper flow. Her moves her stiff, choppy, and robotic, and Akira quickly grew even more frustrated as a result.

As she swung her arms, heavy with water-soaked sleeves, Akira found herself unable to get them above her head. She let her arms fall back down and angrily stomped at the water. A large column of water rose into the air and crashed back down just as fast. Akira let out a frustrated growl and pulled off her kimono, violently throwing it aside and leaving her arms and stomach exposed to the frigid combination of rain and wind. She sighed loudly and placed her hands on her hips. Again, she let the water run off her face as she hung her head back and tried to calm down, this time trying to feel each droplet as it glided across her skin.

Akira took a deep breath and listened to the rainfall. Each droplet alighted on her skin with just enough coolness to command her mind to stillness. The beads over her face, more numerous even than the scars on her skin, joined to wash over her in a delicate cascade. She slowly opened her eyes again, deep blue gazing at the cloudy grey above, and then she rose her arms on either side of her. Her muscles tensed and hardened from the effort she was putting into projecting her chakra. Her face became stern and she gritted her teeth, knees bending until she assumed the same position as Atlas, holding up the world on his shoulders. Rain mingled with the sweat forming on her body as her entire being tried to pause the rain above her.

And then, above her was a mirror. The cascade of water droplets had pooled above her, reflecting the image below it. It rippled, like a puddle, but it stretched as far as her eyes could see. Just as she became impressed with herself, an image of Haku's ice mirrors flashed through Akira's mind. Her arms and legs gave out and all the rainwater came crashing down at once. Water surrounded Akira on all sides and pushed her downwards into the lake. Then, she was floating, weightless in the vastness of the lake. The sounds were lazy, the light was gentle and her movements were as graceful as a bird's, every single one of them a meditation. Gaara might have had his sand, but Akira doubted he felt the same freedom around it as she felt beneath the surface of the lake. She was akin to water, almost the same entity, never bothered or stressed when completely immersed by it. Akira let herself float for a while and then, despite the fatigue in her limbs, propelled herself upwards with the help of a jutsu. She gasped for air once her head broke the surface.

Akira climbed out of the water, sending chakra to her hands, knees, and feet so as to not fall through the water again. Panting a little, Akira let her body sag as she stood, attempting to release all the tension from her muscles. She let out a sharp breath, smiling a little, and hung her head back to accept the gentle rain again.

   "You're going to catch a cold if you stay out here," a voice said to Akira's left.

She turned her head and saw Kakashi holding her soaked kimono under the cover of a tree with thick foliage.

   "I'm training!" Akira said, smiling brightly. 
   "Training? We trained this morning."
   "I've got nothing else to do!"
   "Get the hell out of the rain!"
   "Where else do you want me to train!?"
   "You need to stop training!" Kakashi shouted back.

Akira rolled her eyes and walked over to Kakashi. She pushed the wet hair out of her face and rubbed her arms as the adrenaline that kept her warm began to wear off.

   "What do you mean I've got to stop training?"
   "Well, first of all, we trained for three hours this morning," Kakashi said. He held up Akira's soaked kimono shirt. "Second, rain. You're soaked. Third, you're shivering."
   "No, I'm not."

Kakashi rose an eyebrow, unimpressed. Akira clenched her jaw in an attempt to control the shivering but to no avail. The adrenaline had worn off and the wind had gotten worse, chilling Akira to the deepest part of her being.

   "Hey, if I was moving I wouldn't be shivering."
   "Quit being so stubborn," Kakashi sighed.
   "Quit being such a mom."

Kakashi ruffled Akira's hair, much to her dismay, then wrung out the water in her kimono shirt. Akira chuckled and, with a flick of her wrist, dried herself as well as her clothes. She grabbed her kimono shirt and swung it over her shoulders. Akira quirked her eyebrows upwards and smiled cheekily, making Kakashi shake his head.

   "You're still shivering."
   "Shut up."
   "It's a hot bowl of ramen at Ichiraku's for you."
   "You're such a mother hen!" Akira said, exasperated.
   "See, now you know how I felt when you were taking care of me."
   "Hey, that's different. You nearly died!"

Chapter Text

Everything was going according to plan. With the help of Shadow Clones, Akira's reconstruction of her old compound was well underway, as she could accomplish an exponential amount of work.

Just as she'd told bloodstains on the ground, Akira was rebuilding it her own way. When she was a child, it was the people that made the compound colourful. They were happy, smiling people, bringing sunshine into the drab streets. Unlike the rest of Konoha, the Uchiha compound had been littered with beige, brown and washed out greys. The rooftops were simple and made of tin, not the vibrantly coloured woods or terracotta that the rest of the rooftops in the village were made of. And while the gardens around the main house had always been in bloom, the rest of the compound was bare by comparison. Most of the ground was covered in cobblestone, leaving only a few spots bare for some much-needed trees, but Akira didn't remember the scent of flowers coming from the streets.

Today, however, as the sun beat down on Akira who was walking down from the main house, the streets were vibrant. The cobblestone had been pulled out at the sides, creating room for several kinds of flowers and bushes to be planted. The bright smile on Mrs Yamanaka's face when Akira told her about the sheer quantity of plants she'd be buying could have lit up the village. The paths had been washed, revealing a much deeper grey colour than Akira remembered, and benches had been placed within the flowers and underneath trees. The lacklustre brown, beige and washed out grey had been scraped off the buildings, replaced with a vibrant white, and doors and window trimmings had been given various colours. Some were forest green, others scarlet red, and the bakery that Akira used to run to every morning now had a sunshine yellow door. All the signs on the shops had been taken down, replaced with blank canvases for potential future tenants to put up their own, and their interiors had been scrubbed clean, revealing the charming wood interiors that Akira had missed so much. A smile rose to her lips as Akira passed the old bakery and she turned her gaze forwards, towards the giant torii that showed the entrance to the compound. A large tarp had been put up in front of it, as to not let the passersby get a glimpse of the inside while it was being renovated and, as Akira pushed it aside, she turned and looked back. She sighed contentedly. For the first time ever, the Uchiha compound looked inviting.

Akira pushed the tarp aside and smiled at the few curious villagers that were trying to sneak a peak. They shared a few words and Akira updated them on her progress, and then she grabbed the trolley she'd left outside and headed further into town. The villagers had become accustomed to Akira and the trolley. Every day, the girl—and sometimes a few Shadow Clones—would pass by and fill up her trolley, then drag it back towards the compound. Word had gotten out rather quickly that the "last" Uchiha was rebuilding her home. Initially, people were wary. Some said the compound was cursed, others said it would be impossible to get the stench of death out, and some said that going back to live there even after it was renovated was just another sign that even the nicest Uchiha was unstable. However, in time, as they saw Akira's growing smile and the determination growing in her eyes, they became curious. A few of them began to ask how it was progressing, and eventually, those same people began giving her discounts on materials she needed to rebuild. Soon, the reconstruction of the Uchiha compound had become a project for the entire village.

Today, Akira was heading to the flower shop again, as she'd ordered flowers specifically for around the main house. When Akira walked in, Ino was at the cash register, and while normally Akira wanted to bite her head off, nothing seemed to be able to bother her.

   "Hey, Ino. I've got a huge order waiting for me."
   "Yeah, I know. My mother kept going on and on about it," Ino scoffed. "What're you even doing with all this, anyway?"
   "You haven't heard?" Akira chuckled. "I'm rebuilding the compound."
   "The compound?"
   "Yeah, the Uchiha compound."

Ino paused for a moment as she was searching for the orders list.

   "The one where your entire Clan was..."
   "Yup, that's the one," Akira said cheerfully. "The whole village has become involved, you know. Mr Takahashi gave me three building's worth of paint last week and Mrs Han keeps giving me discounts on drinks when I come to her for refills. Your mother has also been very generous. She gave me a few wisterias at a discount."
   "Jeez, when did people start liking you?"
   "I don't know, but I'm not complaining."
   "And you're not... worried?"
   "Worried?" Akira asked, confused. "What would I be worried about?"
   "Living there. You know... after what happened."

Akira frowned and thought for a moment. A cheeky smile returned to her face mere seconds later.

   "Nope. Not worried at all."
   "God, you really are insane." Ino began rummaging around for something. "Where're you putting the wisteria my mother gave you?"
   "I've put one at the entrance so that it creeps up the gate and drapes over the entrance. I did the same thing for the gate at the entrance to the main house," Akira said, looking around at the flowers in the shop. "I think I'll put the last one around the dojo. It'll be nice to have the scent of wisteria while meditating or training."
   "Hm, that's a good idea," Ino said, almost despite herself. She pulled out a sheet of paper. "Got it! You know, for someone who was excited about this, my mother really made your order hard to find—dear god, that's a lot! How're you going to carry all this!?"
   "I've got a trolley."
   "Yeah, you're definitely insane."

Akira laughed and followed Ino outside to the back of the shop where all the big orders were stored. Ino looked at the mountain of flowers and bushes and small trees and groaned, cursing the amount of work she had to do. But Akira pat her on the shoulder and summoned several Shadow Clones to do the work. They loaded the trolley as much as they could and Akira summoned more of them to carry the rest by hand. She grabbed the last small maple tree and thanked Ino, then left. The trail of Akira's going down the streets of Konoha was a sight to behold and several children ran around them trying to find the real one. Eventually, all the clones vanished behind the tarp leading to the compound and they set down all the plants near the main house before vanishing in puffs of smoke. Akira spent the next few hours making a mock-up of the garden, foregoing the layout that her mother had used in the past, then summoned a few clones to dig and do the work. 

Meanwhile, Akira cleaned out the old pond situated in front of what would be her bedroom. It had been Itachi's room in the past, but Akira didn't really care. It was bigger than her old room and the location was far better. Akira took off her shoes and stepped into the dry pond to pull out all the old, dead plants that once thrived. She tossed them aside and then scraped the bottom to make it smooth before placing a pale grey lining at the bottom. Akira filled the bottom of the pond with fine white sand and then, with a wave of her hand, pulled water from the lake to gently place it in the pond. The clones then suddenly came over to finish everything up, as well as plant everything that was meant to go around the pond, leaving Akira with nothing to do. 

With a sigh, Akira went inside. The walls had been painted a pale grey to antagonise her dead parents and the tatami mats had been pulled up to reveal beautiful wooden floors. The house was no longer bare, with all of Akira's belongings from the apartment scattered around, but the bedrooms remained mostly empty, with nothing but a crappy futon that Akira was temporarily sleeping on. However, the bathrooms had been fixed up and Akira had even managed to use the kitchen the other day. It took a while to get the stove started, but after a few kicks and strong words, it was working fine. 

   "Pond's done. Where're the koi again?" one of Akira's clones asked as it walked into the house.
   "They're out back in that huge tank in the shade," Akira said, deadpan. "Did you lose all of your eyesight when I made you?"
   "Don't be mean to yourself."

Akira frowned and rolled her eyes as the clone left. She looked around at all the boxes and sighed, then headed to the kitchen to start unpacking. It took two hours to get everything placed in the kitchen, Akira required the help of a few clones to move tables and wardrobes around, and in the end, it took the rest of the day to finish unpacking everything. When the last picture frame was set up, Akira dismissed all of her clones and stood in the middle of her living room in complete silence.

There wasn't a single Uchiha crest in sight. Not a single picture of her parents. The only picture of her brothers was one where the three of them were together before any tragedy had happened. Akira stared at the walls as she walked around the house in silence. The pictures that lined the walls were pictures that Kiba and Kai had taken over the years, with smiling faces and grimaces at the cameras, and pictures that Akira and Sakura had taken together were scattered around the house, too, featuring a goofy looking Naruto, a confused Kakashi, and the two girls smiling brightly, among others. Beyond the walls, a brightly coloured bouquet softly scented the living room. A lavender coloured blanket thrown on the couch and pillows of different shapes, sizes and colours brought vibrancy to an otherwise greyscale room. A pale green teapot sat and steamed on the stove. Sheer white curtains let in warm light, bringing out the richness of the wood colour. Sunlight trying to penetrate the paper doors brought in soft light, bathing the rooms in a pale yellow glow. And as Akira opened the doors to look outside, she took a deep breath, taking in the scent of jasmine and wisteria wafting through the air.

Akira smiled.

   "Finally home."

Chapter Text

Though Akira's eyes were wide open, her heart pounding, the girl's mind was completely empty. It was as if a hypodermic of adrenaline had been emptied into her carotid artery. She strained to sit in the darkness, limbs still stuck in the dream. As her breathing began to steady, the stiffness in her arms and legs began to leave, and Akira was able to sit up. She ran her hands over her face and sighed. It hadn't been like the other nightmares. There were no signs of Itachi or her dead clan. This time, Orochimaru's face was the one plaguing her dreams. Akira could hear the sound of his laughter still, ringing at the back of her mind, mingled with Sakura's cries and Naruto's shouts. There was a numbness in her shoulder and Akira reached towards it, but put her hand down once she realised what it was that felt numb. Akira took a deep breath. The dream felt far too real.

Akira swung her feet over her futon and passed her hands over her face again. She stood, wandering to the side of her room and picked up a purple yukata before opening the paper doors that led outside. As she loosely tied the yukata over herself, Akira stepped out onto the engawa and looked around. It was strange living back at the compound after all these years, but maybe it was just because of the nightmare she couldn't shake off. Akira had marvelled at the clearness of the pond only yesterday, not an ill thought in her mind, the scent of jasmine and wisteria wafting into the room behind her. The girl stepped forward and held the kimono tighter to her body as she crouched down to look at the pond. From this height, the water was just clear enough to see the outline of bright orange and white fish swimming around. She smiled at them and tossed a handful of their food into the pond, then watched as they came to the surface to eat, leaving trails of bubbles in their wake. Akira sighed, content, but the pit in her stomach remained, as did the numbness in her shoulder.

Akira went back and shut the doors to her room, then walked down the engawa. She quickly reached the main area of the household and entered, pausing a little to stare down the path that led to the rest of the compound. Akira went to the kitchen and made herself some tea and ozoni for breakfast and she sat alone at the table made for four people. As she sat and ate, Akira's mind went back to the dream for a moment. It had taken place in the Forest of Death, she was sure. Akira sipped her tea and frowned, her mind wandering to the mission that Naruto and Jiraya had gone on. Surely it was related to Orochimaru. Maybe that was why she had had that dream. How long was it, really, from here to the Land of Sound? A few days, maybe. Considering Jiraya and Naruto were on the mission, however, it would take longer. Akira huffed. Jiraya had the right idea. It would have been better if Akira had tagged along.

Akira jumped at the sound of a soft knock ahead of her. Eyes wide, she looked up and spotted Kakashi standing in the doorway.

   "Jeez, don't scare me like that," Akira chuckled.
   "Sorry," he said lightly. "You seemed really deep in thought there. You all right?"
   "Yeah, I'm fine. Just annoyed about some things." She waved Kakashi in and pointed to the kitchen. "There's tea and ozoni if you haven't eaten yet."

Kakashi nodded and took off his shoes before entering. He served himself a cup of tea and sat opposite Akira, then lowered his mask to drink.

   "You're finally done, huh?" he said, taking a look around. Akira smiled and nodded. "I saw you added koi to the pond."
   "Yeah. We always had the pond, but my mother hated taking care of fish so we never had any."
   "The garden is incredible, too. Did you do all this on your own?"
   "Well, sort of. I had lots of clones to help," Akira said. "The plants are all from Ino's mother, but I've been keeping them hydrated by having it rain on them."
   "Rain? Like actually rain?"

Akira looked up at Kakashi. He looked surprised.

   "Yeah. There are a lot of my lightning-style techniques that require actual lightning, so I've got to make storms," Akira explained. "So, I just create smaller-scale storms and have it rain on the compound for an hour every other day."
   "Since when can you create storms?" Kakashi asked.
   "A while now. I used to make them as a kid to catch my father in the rain."
   "You devil child."
   "My father knew it was me, too. He was concerned I'd turn out like Madara Uchiha."
   "Madara Uchiha?"
   "Hm? Yeah," Akira said after swallowing a bite of food. "I did a litmus paper test when I was a kid. Came out with two nature transformations."

Kakashi rose an eyebrow and Akira waved her hand.

   "It's nothing."
   "But you have two natural affinities?"
   "Mhm, water and lightning. My father was worried I'd develop the Storm-Release kekkei genkai," Akira said with a laugh. "Another reason for him to be disappointed in me."
   "Disappointed? Wouldn't having a second kekkei genkai make you—"
   "More powerful?" Akira nodded. "But, if it isn't fire—"
   "It's no good."
   "Exactly," Akira stated. "I'd never shown any indication of having that kekkei genkai, though, much to my father's relief. I think my weirdness with water is probably a consequence of my second affinity, actually. Besides, the only person in our Clan to ever have the Storm-Release was Madara Uchiha himself. There's been no record of it—at least to my knowledge—anywhere else in Konoha's history."

Kakashi chuckled.

   "Where do you learn all this?"
   "I learned a lot from our archives," Akira said. "There's a giant trunk beneath the floor of the dojo filled with scrolls and documents on the Uchiha."
   "Really?"
   "Mhm. Plus I've been reading a lot more since becoming Chūnin. Have you ever bother reading the scrolls that are put at a Chūnin's disposal?" Kakashi shook his head. "Have you read anything else other than those dumb books of yours?"
   "Hey, that's not fair."

Akira laughed and stood, then collected the dishes and headed towards the kitchen. She put all of the dishes in the sink to wash.

   "So, what're you here for, anyway? You making sure I'm resting?"
   "Maybe."
   "Mother hen," Akira muttered under her breath. "I'm fine to train, you know. The sun's out, I don't have any more open wounds, nothing hurts."
   "That doesn't mean you should train," Kakashi said, crossing his arms over his chest.
   "Hey, my muscles are going to atrophy," Akira whined as she scrubbed the teapot. "I'm going to get feeble and weak. I won't be able to perform jutsu ever again."
   "Quit being so dramatic."
   "But it's my speciality."

Kakashi sighed and stood, then leaned in the doorway to the kitchen.

   "Fine. We can train."
   "Of course you'd say that when I'm elbow-deep in dishes and not yet dressed."
   "Not yet—"

Kakashi cut himself off and looked away, awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck. He'd only just noticed Akira was wearing a thin housecoat.

   "Idiot," Akira chuckled. She rinsed all the dishes and set them to dry. "I'll be back."

Smiling and shaking her head, Akira turned left the kitchen. Kakashi groaned and sighed, then sat outside at the edge of the engawa, staring out at the pond and the colourful garden. For a moment, Kakashi lost himself as he listened to the soft trickling of water. Akira had to snap her fingers in front of his eyes to bring him back to reality. The purple yukata was gone, replaced with her usual black attire, her flak jacket and bandanna across her forehead.

   "You've succumbed to the garden's curse."
   "The garden's... curse?"
   "Stare at it for too long and you'll lose yourself in peaceful tranquillity. Careful, it's a killer."

Akira and Kakashi were hours into training now. An hour ago the sunset had radiated across the clouds, turning them molten orange with bands of pink. Now, it was gone, and Kakashi and Akira stood in training ground three, under the moonless sky. There was only the minimal light of the stars to show them where they were. They'd started off just sparring, using kunai, shuriken and Akira's Katana to get at each other. Both of them had a few scrapes, and bruises were sure to appear in a few days. After their warm-up, they transitioned into jutsu training, and people who walked by could spectate as sparks of electricity flew around the training ground, and as waves of water rose from the lake and crashed onto land.

At the moment, in the darkness of the night, Kakashi was attempting to teach Akira Earth-based Jutsu. However, it was easier said than done. Akira was far too stubborn to use her Sharingan to copy the technique, and her natural affinities, which complimented and went against Earth, were making it extra difficult to even concentrate the right type of chakra. She'd already learned to create Earth-style clones from Orochimaru, but that was far different from trying to learn how to create large pillars of rock.

   "Tori!" Akira shouted, her hands in the bird hand-seal.

Concentrating chakra in her hands, Akira slammed her palms on the ground and waited a few short seconds. When she looked up, only a small bump had risen from the ground. The girl groaned and stood back up.

   "We have been at this for two hours, Kakashi. I should be getting this, by now," Akira complained. "I learned most of my Jutsu in under thirty minutes!"
   "You're natural affinities are Lightning and Water, Akira. It's completely normal to be struggling with this right now," Kakashi said calmly as he read. "Learning things that go against your nature are often completely impossible. It took me forever to master the Fire-style. Usually, I just use my Sharingan."
   "Yeah, well, you know me."
   "You're stubborn?"
   "Exactly," Akira said, snapping her fingers. "Besides, I don't even know what Earth-style chakra is supposed to feel like. How do I know I'm concentrating on the right thing? And this—" Akira put up the bird seal—"this is a Wind-style seal! This is not helping!"
   "All right, all right," Kakashi said, putting his book down. "You're going crazy. That's enough training for you, today."
   "No way. I'm not going home until I get this."
   "You're going to end up chakra depleted and forced to use the curse mark."

Akira opened her mouth to protest but she clicked her tongue and said nothing. Kakashi was right.

   "Fine. But I'm back here at the crack of dawn tomorrow."
   "I wouldn't expect anything less," Kakashi chuckled. He seemed to hesitate for a moment before speaking. "Asuma, Kurenai and Shikamaru are all at Yakiniku-Q for a late dinner."
   "And you want to go?" Akira asked, fixing her hair. She shrugged. "Then go. I'm not your guardian, Kakashi. You don't need my permission."
   "Idiot, I'm asking if you want to join us."
   "Why?"
   "You've been spending most of your time alone at the compound recently. In the last few weeks, I think the only people you've talked to have been me or people related to the renovations," Kakashi said, stuffing some kunai back into his pouches. "I know last time you were dragged to dinner because of Guy, but you seemed to have fun and I figured... well, I figured you could use the company."

Akira chuckled and sighed.

   "You're making me sound like an anti-social hermit." Akira readjusted her flak jacket. "Sure. I'll go."
   "Good. Your hermiting was starting to worry me. I was scared you'd start living in the caves behind Hokage rock."
   "Hey!"

Kakashi chuckled as Akira playfully punched him on the shoulder. They made their way through the darkened streets and headed towards the barbecue restaurant. Shikamaru seemed relieved that Akira had appeared with Kakashi. As they sat down, Asuma ordered a round of drinks for himself, Kurenai and Kakashi, and the barbecuing began. It was far less noisy than the last time, as Guy wasn't there, but the atmosphere wasn't any less lively. Kakashi, Asuma and Kurenai were quite good friends, and Asuma kept telling more and more embarrassing stories the more he drank. Akira had never seen Kakashi face-palm so much.

Shikaku had come to collect Shikamaru about an hour after Akira and Kakashi had arrived, grumbling something about his mother being worried, and left a few minutes later. However, the festivities between Asuma, Kurenai, Kakashi and Akira lasted for a few more hours, until the restaurant owner kicked them out and Asuma was fairly drunk off sake. Akira wasn't sure how long exactly they'd been sitting at the restaurant together, as while it felt like time flew past them far too fast, the sky was starting to grow a few shades lighter by the time Kakashi had escorted Akira all the way back to her compound. She watched the man walk down the lit path to her home until his figure disappeared in the darkness, then she retreated inside. Akira shed her shoes, her flak jacket, her pants and her hair tie, then let herself fall onto her futon with a gentle thump. 

For the first time in years, Akira fell into a dreamless sleep.

Chapter Text

Akira's eyelids tugged themselves open the next morning. They were tired, almost in pain. She couldn't imagine how Asuma felt after drinking so much sake the night before. As Akira sat up, she could feel every muscle in her body straining to function. Swiftly, the girl stood, ignoring the pain, and stretched her body. Tension was relieved from her muscles and Akira sighed in satisfaction. Training yesterday was more brutal than she thought, and the late night at Yakiniku-Q probably hadn't helped either. Akira looked at the time: it was almost noon. She sighed and pulled on a thin kimono over her body, then slid open the shōji to let in the midday sunlight. The beauty of the garden was incredible, like a colour palette made to alleviate the strain on someone's eyes, and the soothing sound of the sōzu reached her ears, a constant noise of reassurance. 

Soon the kitchen was filled with the scent of sukiyaki, miso soup and green tea, and once again, Akira sat alone at a table made for four people. The girl's mind drifted towards Naruto and Sakura. She hoped they were okay. The ominous feeling she had yesterday had dissipated, nearly gone, but the numbness in her shoulder hadn't left. Akira did the dishes before heading outside to sit by the pond and watch the koi. The sun was beating down on her, its warmth soothing her tense muscles, and turning her, in the eyes of anyone who saw her, into a radiant vision. Akira's beauty was sublime, almost ethereal: her ivory skin shone in the sunlight, almost glowing. Indigo eyes were framed by eyelashes as dark and as soft as her ebony hair, and her rose-coloured lips spread into an effortless smile as her fingertips played at the edge of the water. Gone were the days boys had crushes on her in the Academy. Now, she was truly beautiful, and anyone who laid eyes on her could recognize that. 

Akira stood and left the pond side to get appropriately dressed before heading out of the compound, Katana and gourd strapped to her body. Her feet lead her to the hospital, mostly to visit Kiba, but also to see if a medical-nin could remove the tension from her muscles, allowing her to train some more. She passed the spot where she and Kai used to meet up, finding it deserted, and sighed, ignoring the sakura petals that fell in her hair. The shopkeepers of the main street greeted her as usual, and she spent a few minutes chatting with them and trying to refuse a bracelet that one of them wanted to give her.

   "Is there a medical-nin available to relieve tension in my muscles?" Akira asked as she reached the front desk of the building.
   "Coming here of your own free will, I see. People will think you've gone crazy."

Akira's head turned and she spotted Shizune, smirking at her. A shiver ran through Akira's body and she almost had the urge to run away, terrified she'd be put back onto a hospital bed. A little squeak came through her lips.

   "Don't worry, I'm not going to strap you to a hospital bed," Shizune said, answering Akira's unspoken question. The girl sighed with relief.
   "I've gotten plenty of rest lately. I just trained too hard yesterday," Akira explained, rolling her neck and shoulders. "And then I went out for a late dinner with... friends."
   "Come on. I'll have a look at you."

Akira bowed gratefully and followed Shizune into an empty room. She lay down on her stomach, as instructed, and waited a few minutes as Shizune prodded her back. Soon, a warm sensation was felt and the tension slowly disappeared. 

   "Thank you," Akira said politely.
   "No problem. You should rest properly next time you train so hard, though."
   "Yeah, sorry... for worrying you all."

Shizune stopped in her tracks and looked over at Akira. She was sitting at the edge of the hospital bed, looking down at her hands. Shizune thought she looked exhausted.

   "Worrying us?"
   "You know... leaving the hospital all the time? Worrying the nurses?" Akira clarified. She was about to say something else, but she chuckled dryly and shook her head. "Nevermind. Thank you, Shizune."
   "No, what is it?" Shizune said softly, worry etching itself onto her features.
   "I know it's not an excuse, but I really hate hospitals." Akira awkwardly scratched the back of her head. "I don't have any good feelings towards my parents, but I can still remember them lying there being examined. It's gotten better, but sometimes I can still smell the blood. I think some part of me thinks that if I stay here too long, I'll turn into them."

Akira shook her head and smiled sheepishly.

   "Sorry, didn't mean to dump that on you."
   "Don't worry about it!" Shizune said, waving her arms. "I'm just surprised you're even talking to me."
   "Why? Because of Lady Tsunade?"

Shizune nodded.

   "Yeah, I can see why you'd think that. But I've got no bone to pick with you, so..." Akira shrugged. "And you're not acting like I'm some lunatic going after Orochimaru's power."
   "Well, I believe you," Shizune said simply. "And I know that Lady Tsunade does too. She's just..."
   "Emotionally involved."

Akira looked up at Shizune. She wasn't saying anything, but Akira could tell that Shizune wanted to agree with her.

   "I get it. Trust me. She knows him and looking at me brings back bad memories. She just... doesn't have to be an ass about it, you know? I know I screwed up. I've been beating myself up over it for months, now. But I had no control over getting the mark, I had no way of knowing who this guy was, and I had no control over getting this extra power." Akira stood and went to the door. "She's preaching to the choir, and until she gets her head out of her ass, we're not going to get along."
   "Right," Shizune sighed.
   "Anyway, thanks Shizune."
   "Oh, Akira!"

The Uchiha turned back around.

   "Naruto and Sakura are back."

A smile reached Akira's lips and she thanked Shizune again before running off as fast as her feet could take her. She didn't bother using roads this time, opting to cross over rooftops and trapeze on electrical wires instead. She arrived at the gates of Konohagakure in mere moments, landing just beneath the gate to the village. From afar, she spotted a head of white hair and she just knew that it was Jiraya. Akira took a deep breath and broke into a run, tackling Sakura into a hug the second she reached her. Sakura flailed as Akira spun her around.

   "Akira, what're you doing!?" she shouted.
   "Ugh, I was so bored without you guys!" Akira said, releasing Sakura. "And I had this weird dream that you'd died, so that didn't help."
   "We died!?"

Naruto had spoken. He was up in Jiraya's arms. Akira assumed he was injured or used too much chakra again.

   "Well, clearly, no."
   "Anyway, what've you been up to?" Sakura asked as they all resumed their walk towards the village.
   "Well, I was almost removed from the Chūnin program, for one."
   "What!?" Naruto and Sakura exclaimed.
   "Lady Tsunade's got some personal problems she's taking out on me," Akira explained, waving her hand dismissively. "Oh, I've moved. That's new."
   "You've moved?"
   "Mhm, I renovated the old Uchiha compound and I've been living there. You guys should come to visit—I've got a huge garden and a koi pond."
   "You have a garden?" Sakura asked.

Akira nodded and smiled. Sakura found that surprising. She didn't think of Akira as the type of girl who liked to spend hours slaving over a garden or even liking flowers at all. However, the flower conversation continued far longer than Sakura had expected, much to Naruto's dismay, and they spoke about the gardens until they were at the hospital and Naruto was being bandaged up. As Naruto began to butt in about something else and Jiraya jumped in, Sakura pulled Akira aside.

   "I need your opinion on something."
   "Uh, sure," Akira said, a little taken aback.
   "When Naruto and I were out there, I had to protect someone, but I couldn't do anything—I was dead weight," Sakura admitted, saddened. "I have no idea what to do to change that. I hate being so useless."
   "Think about what you're good at."

Sakura was quiet for a while.

   "I'm good at chakra control."
   "Yeah, you are. You're better than me," Akira chuckled. "And you're crazy smart."
   "That isn't really a good combo for protecting people, though."
   "Well... I read the mission log from your guys' attempt to bring back Sasuke. Everyone did a good job, but there was one thing that was missing."
   "What?"
   "You tell me."

For a moment, Sakura said nothing. Behind her eyes, her mind was going a mile a minute.

   "You think I should study medicine?"

Akira shrugged.

   "You have all the qualifications for it, Sakura. Who knows, maybe you'll become the greatest medical-nin to ever exist."
   "Don't make me laugh, everyone knows that Lady Tsunade—"

Sakura cut herself off as if suddenly realising something. She looked back into the hospital room and at Jiraya, then back at Akira the mark on her shoulder. Akira smirked and nodded. 

   "You can do it. I know you can."

Without hesitation, Sakura ran off. Akira watched her until she vanished around the corner, then went back into Naruto's room. He looked confused when Sakura didn't walk in with her.

   "Where'd Sakura go?"
   "Training," Akira said simply.

Jiraya noticed a little smirk tugging at the corner of her mouth, but this time it didn't worry him. It was a pleased smile, as if something really good had just happened. Naruto complained about Sakura not saying goodbye, but Akira just kept smiling. However, a knock at the door brought everyone out of their thoughts. It was Shikamaru and he was acting really strange.

   "You don't have to be so formal, Shikamaru, it's just me," Akira chuckled as they both walked down the hallway.
   "I know I don't have to, but this is a request from Chūnin to Chūnin," Shikamaru said. "I figured it'd be better that way, or is it just weird?"
   "Weird. Definitely weird."
   "Well, I'll know for next time."
   "Anyway, what's this about? Tsunade's on my ass about missions and such, so you better have cleared it with her."
   "I did, don't worry. Besides, it's not really a mission."
   "Then what is it?"
   "You probably know we're still short-staffed literally everywhere since Orochimaru attacked the village. I've gotten the Hokage's approval to start asking people if they wanted to help teach at the Academy until most of our ninja return from missions."

Akira blinked stupidly. She'd once thought about teaching but had never given it any serious thought. 

   "You want me to teach? Do you even know how hard on people I am, Shikamaru?"
   "Which is great! We need someone to keep these runts in line so they learn properly," Shikamaru said. Akira breathed a laugh and shook her head. "With all the threats coming our way lately, I think you'd be one of our greatest assets."
   "You're crazy."
   "I've already asked the three Sand siblings to help out and they've accepted. Temari is covering tactics and Kankuro and Gaara have agreed to teach basic ninjutsu."

A little flutter of excitement suddenly appeared in Akira's stomach. She'd almost forgotten that the three Sand siblings were still in Konoha following the mission to retrieve Sasuke. This could be her chance to get to know Gaara better.

   "That's surprising," Akira said, trying to hide her excitement.
   "Yeah, you heard Sand siblings and you got excited, don't try to hide it," Shikamaru said, unimpressed.
   "Shut up.
   "Are you in? Yes or no?"
   "Well, what would I be teaching?"
   "Come on, Akira..."
   "No, no. You need to sell me on this."

Akira stuck her tongue out at Shikamaru and he rolled his eyes.

   "I figured you would be better off teaching taijutsu and weapons," he said with a sigh. "Out of everyone I asked to teach, you're the best. Kunai and Shuriken are second nature to Uchiha, plus you've got your own schtick with the swords. You could use bokken and teach them how to use larger weapons if they're advanced enough."

Akira further annoyed Shikamaru by pretending to be deep in thought, tapping her chin with her forefinger. When Shikamaru started groaning, however, Akira laughed and swung her arm around his shoulders.

   "You can count on me, Shikamaru. I'll teach."

Chapter Text

Akira led a number of young ninjas through a brightly lit trail. Their feet stomped on the ground, clearing the tall grass which, in some cases, was taller than the children. When they came upon a large meadow, surrounded by the tallest of trees, Akira asked for the students to sit before her in the grass. It tickled at her ankles. A few wildflowers hid in the tall grass below the trees, but the shorter grass the students were sitting on only contained a few clovers. Excitedly they all sat down as asked and turned to look at their new professor. Some didn't think she was qualified enough to be doing this, but others, like Konohamoru and his gang, thought that there was no one better than Akira to be teaching them about Taijutsu and weapons. It didn't do any harm that she had taken them on a little field trip to start their training.

   "Good afternoon, everyone!"
   "Good afternoon, Akira-sensei!" the group of children chorused.
   "Since this is our first weapons lesson together, I decided to take you guys to a place where I used to come to train all the time. If you look closely at the trees, you'll see quite a few dents, holes and scrapes."

One by one, curious children turned their heads to observe the trunks of the trees. Sure enough, most of them were littered with deep cuts and punctures, new wood nearly shining underneath them all. 

   "What're we gonna do today, Akira-sensei?" Moegi asked, excited.
   "Nothing too crazy, Moegi. Today, we're going to start by figuring out how many basic ninja weapons you know," Akira said. She dropped the bag she'd been carrying and it landed with a loud thump. "Then we're going to train a little. If we have time, I might even show you what my speciality is." Akira dropped a  bundle of bokken on the ground. "Kenjutsu."

The students who were sceptical at first were now interested in the prospect of training in Kenjutsu, and everyone's attention was captivated. Akira began showing them multiple ninja tools, such as Shuriken, Kunai and explosive tags, demonstrating their uses as they went. As a result, a few trees got cut or blown up, much to the amusement of the students. Then they all graduated to training. Each student took a tree and aimed Kunai and Shuriken at it, much like Akira did in the Academy herself. She went to check on each and every student, giving them tips or positioning their arms or bodies to make sure they had the correct technique. When Akira had seen improvement in at least more than half the students, she sat them back down and did a short recap before proceeding to what the students were most excited about.

   "Kenjutsu," Akira began, "is regarded as a branch of Bukijutsu, which is the use of ninja weaponry in combat. Kenjutsu refers specifically to sword techniques."

Akira pulled out one of her Katana, twirled it in her hands and knelt down, holding her blade in both hands to show it to her students. There was a collective chorus of amazement. She stood back up and held her Katana behind her back.

   "Now, Kenjutsu is special because only two people are deemed worthy of using it. Can anyone tell me who?" Udon raised his hand. "Yes, Udon?"
   "Only ninjas and Samurai can use it, right?"
   "That is correct. The Art of the Sword is reserved specifically for Shinobi and Samurai. What's great about it, is that a sword can be used with many other techniques like Ninjutsu, Taijutsu, sealing techniques called Fūinjutsu, Genjutsu and even Chakra flow."
   "How the heck do you use a sword for Chakra flow?" a kid said.
   "Like this."

With one swift movement, Akira planted her katana into the ground. After a few hand seals, she grabbed the blade which immediately began to glow bright white. The buzzing of thousands of lightning bugs filled the air and the student's eyes became wide with fascination.

   "This is a technique of my own creation," Akira said. "It takes the Lightning-style chakra inside my body and extends it onto the blade. This way, I can use a variety of Lightning-style techniques in conjunction with my katana."
   "Woah, how'd you do that!?"
   "Well, that will be for another class. Remember, Gaara and Kankuro are going to be teaching you guys about Ninjutsu."

There was a collective hum of excitement and Akira couldn't help but smile.

   "Now, what I use is really Nitōjutsu, a two-sword technique."

Akira released her jutsu and pulled out her other katana. She twirled them both in her hands and, with one swift movement, brought her swords together to slice through a decent-sized tree. The students cheered and Akira gave them a playful mock bow.

   "Since you guys are absolutely fantastic, we've got time to have a little extra fun. Everyone line up and grab a bokken. We're going to be trying out some basic sword techniques!"

Everyone nearly jumped up and ran to the pile of bokken that lay on the ground beside Akira. Then, she guided the students into properly positioning and distancing themselves so they didn't hit each other with the wooden sword. Akira taught them about proper stance and a few basic swings before letting them spar together for a short while. The Uchiha stood back for a while simply staring at the sparring students who were trying desperately to get this right in front of their sensei. Akira smiled. They might have been snot-nosed brats, but they really were ninjas when they wanted to be.

   "Hey, Akira-sensei! Kakashi-sensei is here!"

Akira turned her head to the left and Kakashi was in fact there, leaning against a tree.

   "Akira-sensei?" he chuckled. "Something happened while I was on a mission."
   "Oh, yeah," Akira said, awkwardly rubbing the back of her neck. "I'm teaching while most other Chūnin teachers are out on missions as a favour to Shikamaru. I took up Taijutsu and Bukijutsu. As you can see, today is weapon's day."
   "Teaching them the Art of the Sword, I see."
   "Uzumi, don't hit Hattori with the bokken!" Akira gave the two students a disapproving look and they apologised. She turned back to Kakashi. "I can't teach them the art until they're thirteen. This is just good old Kenjutsu."
   "Hey, Kakashi-sensei, can you sword-fight?" one of the students asked.

One by one, everyone student looked at Kakashi expectantly.

   "Huh? Well, I can hold my own, I suppose," Kakashi said pensively.
   "I wanna see Akira-sensei and Kakashi-sensei sword fight!"
   "Yeah, me too! I wanna see who's better!"
   "All right, come on, guys, class is over. We have to pack up," Akira said, laughing.
   "Aw, come on, Akira-sensei! I wanna see you kick your old sensei's butt!" Konohamoru exclaimed.

Akira looked over at Kakashi who shrugged and picked up a bokken. The girl laughed and put her Katana away, picking up a bokken as well. They faced each other and bowed, Kakashi seemingly a little unsure, did the same a few moments after. Akira then rose her bokken over her head and dashed forward with an intensity that surprised Kakashi. He went into a defensive position and Akira smirked, instantly lowering her bokken and striking at the legs. Kakashi was wobbly, completely off-balance, and Akira struck again, this time on his shoulder. He blocked that one, just barely, and swung his own bokken out haphazardly. Akira dodged it completely, swiftly moving behind Kakashi and jabbing him in the shoulder, sending him forward to the ground. She flipped him over and pointed the tip of her bokken at his neck, stepping down on his own weapon. Kakashi raised his hands in defeat. Akira had barely broken a sweat.

   "You can hold your own, you say?" Kakashi shrugged. "You went easy on me, old man."
   "I'm making you look good in front of your students."

The sounds of cheers drowned out Akira's laughter as she helped Kakashi stand. The kids gathered up all the equipment and put it back into Akira's backpack and even bundled up the bokken for her. She thanked them all and strapped everything back onto herself, then told the students to follow the path back to the Academy. Kakashi and herself kept up the back of the line.

   "I have to admit I was a little thrown off by your enthusiasm at the beginning there," Kakashi chuckled. "Who taught you all that, by the way?"
   "I've always been fond of swords and it was Itachi who first noticed. He's the one who got me my first blades," Akira said, smiling as if remembering something. "Eventually, my blades got dull, but I had no idea how to sharpen them, so I went to Mr Ogawa in town. He nearly laughed at me when I ran in, desperate for him to help. He ended up doing more than just sharpening my blades."
   "Ah, so that's why he likes you so much."
   "He used to train in the Art. He couldn't teach me since I wasn't old enough, but he gave me scrolls that showed all the techniques I needed to know. I studied them non-stop, and when I thought I got something down, I went to show Mr Ogawa. He never said anything, but I could always tell by the look in his eyes whether I'd got it right or not."
   "How long have you been doing this?"
   "Since I could hold a sword, really," Akira said. "It became an obsession really fast."
   "That explains why you're so good at it."   

When they'd all reached the Academy again, Akira dismissed her students to their last class with Temari, and she went to the storage unit to put all the weapons away, Kakashi in her wake. The Uchiha looked up at him.

   "So, what brings you here? I'm sure Lady Tsunade didn't let you come back from your mission just to say hi and smack me with a bokken," Akira chuckled.
   "Oh, right. I needed to give you this," Kakashi said. He handed Akira a slip of paper. "From Shikamaru. Apparently, you're needed somewhere."
   "Hm, thanks. Now go, you're busy."
   "All right, Akira-sensei."
   "Shut up."

Moments later Kakashi disappeared. Akira opened the letter and gasped. She stuffed it in her pocket, made sure she was stocked up on ninja tools then disappeared in flash. Akira reappeared at the edge of the village, standing on top of the gate. She placed her hand down on it and activated her sensory ability, quickly locating the people she was trying to find. It didn't take more than a few minutes for her to reach Shikamaru, Ino and Choji, who were gliding through the trees with great speed.

   "What took you so long?"
   "Sorry, Kakashi and I got carried away with some bokken."
   "Well, glad you could make it," Shikamaru said.
   "So, what're we dealing with?"
   "Fūjin and Raijin, the Legendary Stupid Brothers," Ino said simply.
   "Great. Bring any snacks you're willing to sacrifice, Choji? Because that is all they want."
   "They'll be dealt with. Our concern is getting Naruto away from them," Choji said.
   "Why is it Naruto that always finds himself in these messes?" Akira sighed. 
   "That's not all. Mizuki is behind all of it," Shikamaru added.

Akira groaned.

   "Of course he is."

Chapter Text

Shikamaru, Ino, Choji and Akira arrived just in time to prevent Naruto from getting himself split in half by the Stupid Brothers. Akira landed with a loud boom, sending a wave of electricity towards them to paralyse them long enough for Shikamaru to render them immobile with his Shadow Possession Jutsu. Naruto crashed to the ground then looked up at his saviours, momentarily confused as to why they were all there. Akira took the time to explain to him that Lady Tsunade had sent them, and by the time she'd finished Shikamaru was already having problems keeping his grip on the brothers because of their sheer strength.

   "Naruto, you and Akira keep going after Mizuki. Leave those to idiots to us," he said. Akira frowned, looking concerned. "We'll be fine. Go."
   "You better be okay. If you die, I'll kill you."

Shikamaru let out a breathy chuckle and Akira dragged Naruto along with her, away from the two supersized brothers. As she looked ahead, Naruto could see the worried look on her face, but it vanished the second Akira turned to look at him. Naruto smiled, albeit a little sadly; Akira always worried for others, but never let others worry about her. 

Naruto led Akira to the trail that Mizuki and Iruka-sensei had taken after being separated. They ran through an extensive amount of bamboo, which Akira found strange. Bamboo groves this large never occurred in the wild—at least, not in this area. Akira put her hands together and dispelled what she thought was Genjutsu. Immediately, the bamboo began to disappear like a mirage. Before them stood a large three-story building. It was old and abandoned, nature having taken its toll on it. The windows were cracked by the pressure of creeping vines and the concrete had been weathered by rainfall. Moss was growing in every crack that the vines hadn't created and the front doors had been busted open what seemed like years ago. 

Akira frowned. The numbness in her shoulder returned and, for a moment, she was worried. In the past, whenever the curse mark began to numb, something related to Orochimaru happened. Slowly, Akira blinked and revealed her Sharingan.

   "What do you need that for?" Naruto asked. "There's no one here."
   "It doesn't feel right," Akira said. "I'm not taking any chances."

Naruto nodded in acknowledgement and they carefully moved forward. The nagging feeling in the back of her mind grew stronger as they approached and Akira barely had any time to react as a large explosion erupted. It was as if a fist of orange flame had decided to punch its way out of the building. Cracked windows finally shattered as smoke and fire rushed out. Thousands of pieces of glass and rock flew outwards and Akira put herself between Naruto and the explosion to shield him. Several pieces of glass and concrete scraped her skin and, when the explosion died down, Akira turned to look at the building. Barely any of it remained. Akira's eyes narrowed. She had a feeling that that blast wasn't created by mere paper bombs.

   "Wait, Akira, was Iruka-sensei still inside!?"

Akira's eyes widened and she wasted no time before dashing forward into the crumbled building. Naruto followed close behind and, as they approached the crater where the building once stood, he spotted Iruka-sensei crawling out from underneath a large piece of rubble. Akira let out a breath of relief, but her guard still wasn't down. The nagging feeling was still there and the numbness in her shoulder was slowly growing into a warm, radiating pain. As Naruto went to help Iruka, Akira's Sharingan darted everywhere, making sure that nothing Orochimaru-related was going to pop up and ruin her day.

   "Where's Mizuki?" Akira asked sternly as she arrived beside Iruka and Naruto.
   "Akira, Iruka-sensei is hurt! Can't you—"
   "It's all right, Naruto. My injuries are minor," Iruka said. He looked up at Akira and his eyes widened a little upon seeing the Sharingan in her eyes. Something was worrying her beyond the scope of the mission. "I don't know where he went. I had just enough time to shield myself from the blast. There must have been at least five pa—"

Akira's head suddenly turned to her left and Iruka cut himself off. Akira couldn't exactly see it, but the Sharingan could sense someone coming their way. As a precaution, she slid both her katana out of their holsters and took a step forwards, ready to launch herself at any moment. However, Akira's danger radar turned itself down to sceptical when a woman bearing Leaf insignia approached the scene. The Sharingan hovered over her body. She was unarmed and quite calm. When she got close enough, Akira rose one of her katana to her throat.

   "Let me treat his wounds," she called, holding her hands up.

After a moment, Akira lowered her sword and allowed the woman to approach her, Iruka and Naruto. She followed the woman closely, always within a blade's reach, even as she began to clean and bandage Iruka's wounds. 

   "Who are you?" Akira asked.

The woman glanced upwards and the gleam of Akira's blades caught her eye.

   "My name is Tsubaki. I'm—was—Mizuki's fiancé."
   "What!? Fiancé!?" Naruto exclaimed.
   "This is the second time Mizuki has caused you trouble," Tsubaki said, looking at Naruto and then Akira. "You have my sincerest apologies."
   "So you know what's going on then, don't you?" Iruka asked. "You're aware that Mizuki broke out of prison."
   "Yes," Tsubaki said, looking away shamefully. "The other day, he came by my home. I realised immediately and tried to stop him, but in the end, I just let him go."
   "The way he is now... there's nothing you could have done," Iruka said.
   "No, I should have tried harder to stop him," Tsubaki continued.
     "Sometimes, no matter how hard you try..."

Akira sighed and gripped her katana tighter.

   "People don't realise what's good for them. They do stupid things," she continued. The look in Sasuke's eyes that night flashed in her mind. "It's not your fault you couldn't stop him. It's his fault for not realising he's doing something wrong."
   "Iruka, Naruto, Akira—I'm begging you! You have to take me with you!"
   "Even though Mizuki—"
   "You probably think I'm crazy for asking," Tsubaki said, cutting Naruto off, "but the path he's on, no matter what, I have to stop him."
   "It's a noble goal," Akira said. "But we can't allow it."
   "What!? Akira, why not?"
   "I don't trust her."

A cold look landed in Akira's eyes as she looked down at Tsubaki. 

   "You don't trust anyone, Akira! Dammit!"
   "Can you blame me?" Akira said, looking over to Naruto. His gaze saddened.
   "Look, Tsubaki knows more about Mizuki than either of us," Iruka reasoned. "It'd be stupid not to take all the information we can."
   "Fine."

Akira put her katana away and crossed her arms over her chest. She looked at Iruka.

   "You're the senior officer, so it's your call."

Iruka stared at Akira as her eyes returned to their usual shade of midnight blue. Despite the threatening red eyes disappearing, the harsh gaze they held didn't vanish with them. When Tsubaki was done treating Iruka's wounds they all resumed their search, following the woman down a winding path in the forest. It was then that Tsubaki told them of Mizuki's quest to find Orochimaru and gain the same power as the three Sannin. Naruto went to say something about Akira, but the Uchiha stomped on his foot and kept him quiet. Her eyes narrowed at the back of Tsubaki's head as she continued her story. Now she knew why the curse mark on her shoulder was throbbing. 

Soon, the four ninjas came upon a cave and, somehow, Akira could tell that they were in the right place. The air was heavy and there was an aura about the place that made the burning sensation on her shoulder intensify the closer they got. Akira slowly pulled out her katana again, warning Iruka and Naruto that something up ahead wasn't right.

Mizuki came out of the cave and Akira held up her katana. He looked nothing like he once did. He was far more muscular, his clothing was ripped, and the look in his eyes was completely deranged. In his hand was a beaker filled with a liquid that looked like pure flame. Akira's eyes narrowed. It was the same colour as the flames brought on by her curse mark.

   "You guys sure are persistent, huh?" Mizuki said. He looked up and spotted Akira. "This is perfect—Akira's joined the party. I was going to take you down anyway, so now's my chance."
   "You lousy—"

Iruka held Naruto back and cut him off.

   "Mizuki! Your twisted ambitions end here!" he said.
   "Pompous as ever, eh Iruka? Too little, too late for that though. Same as always." Mizuki held up the beaker to his face. "Beautiful isn't it?"

With a wave of her arm, Akira sent a dagger of water towards the beaker, but by the time it reached Mizuki, he'd already drunk the entire thing. The glass shattered and fell to the ground, a single drop of lava-like mixture falling with it. Akira returned the water to her gourd.

   "You know, you pathetic ingrates should consider it an honour to become my first prey."

Mizuki's body began to enlarge, muscles inflating unnaturally. Large stripes the colour of flames curved around his arms and they spread to the rest of his body in mere seconds before turning into black tiger-like stripes. For a moment, Akira wondered how effective that liquid was, but as Mizuki's muscles kept growing, Akira couldn't deny that it was at least somewhat powerful. She frowned and sighed, taking a step forward.

   "So, this is what he was after," Naruto growled.
   "Orochimaru's curse mark?" Iruka gasped.
   "Or some cheap imitation," Akira said, sounding annoyed. Naruto and Iruka watched as she took another few steps forward. "You guys are going to have to stand back."
   "Akira..."
   "What do you mean we have to stand back?" Iruka questioned.
   "Because I have what he has."

The burning sensation in her shoulder slowly began to spread across her body and flame-like markings followed where the pain went, taking Iruka and Mizuki by surprise. Akira frowned and took a deep breath, trying to control the intense anger that came with the curse mark's power. She hoped that she wouldn't have to use more power than this. Akira wasn't sure that she'd be able to keep herself under control if she had to use the power Sasuke had so graciously gifted her, and she didn't want to have to go through the curse mark's transformation in front of everybody either. However, Akira let the first surge of power flow through her body.

The amount of chakra in the air made Iruka and Tsubaki visibly recoil, afraid and nauseous. Naruto, on the other hand, feeling sub-par, launched himself towards Mizuki with a war cry to assert his own power. Mizuki was fast, and he went to punch Naruto before he could reach him, but Akira was faster. She dashed forward, breaking the ground apart as she kicked off, and hit Mizuki's arm out of the way before colliding the butt of her sword with his stomach, making him fly back several feet. 

   "This isn't possible!" Mizuki shouted angrily.
   "Of course, it is," Akira said, sounding almost bored. "Did you honestly think that you were the only one Orochimaru was interested in?"

Akira turned to look at her comrades.

   "If you want to stay alive, stand back."
   "Oh, no, they won't!" Mizuki called. "I've got my eye on that little Nine-Tailed punk!"

Mizuki launched himself at Naruto again, but Akira interrupted him. She quickly swiped her katana down on his arms and he hissed in pain, recoiling long enough to cast a glare at the girl who'd injured him. However, Mizuki's attention was diverted to Tsubaki who, against Akira's recommendation, latched herself onto his arm, pleading for him to abandon the path he was on. Mizuki stared at her for a long while, seemingly contemplating her words, but he ultimately ended up grabbing her by the collar and tossing her out of the way with incredible speed. Then, Akira made a mistake.

Swayed by her unstable emotions, Akira launched herself towards Tsubaki and caught her before she snapped her back on a rock. At the same time, Mizuki ran at Akira and kicked her down alongside Tsubaki. With a loud cry, Akira took the brunt of the impact. Pain shot throughout her body and, just as it began to die down, another surge of pain washed over her.

   "No, no, no," Akira muttered to herself.

Pain seared throughout Akira's body. It came to her in waves, stronger and stronger by the second. Her chest was heaving, tears stung in her eyes, and nausea rose up to her throat as she pleaded for the pain to go away. Iruka and Naruto watched as her pleas turned into howls of anger, as her body began to contort in pain. Another wave of pain rushed through her body as uncontrollable fury raged through her mind. As a blood-curdling scream filled the air, Akira could feel the bones in her body elongating. Claws pierced through her skin, fangs ruptured through her gums. Crystal-like horns pierced through the skin on her forehead as one last wave of pain rushed through Akira's body. An immense surge of power ran through her chakra network, but unlike the last one, this one consumed the girl's mind. As her eyes opened again, pale and snake-like, Akira's intent was only to kill.

Chapter Text

Bright red Sharingan locked themselves onto Mizuki. Akira's out-of-control mind didn't care that Mizuki had become more powerful as well. All she could think of was death and destruction and being the cause of it.

As her eyes focused on Mizuki, they ignored the horrified looks on Naruto's and Iruka's faces as they gazed upon her transformation. As she bared her fangs and launched herself forward, they could tell that the curse mark on her shoulder had taken over. The monster before them wasn't Akira—they could see it in her eyes. Akira's claws latched themselves onto Mizuki before he could touch Naruto. She pinned him down and snarled in his face, teeth bared to intimidate. Mizuki's eyes widened with fear and he kicked at Akira, sending her backwards. She landed perfectly on her four limbs, claws digging into the ground as she skidded backwards. Akira had barely come to a stop when she launched herself at Mizuki again.

Indigo claws slashed down on Mizuki, cutting through the top layer of his skin like butter. With a yell, Mizuki fell back, unable to evade the next attack. The fury that rushed through Akira's mind came through to her eyes, paralysing Mizuki. It was pure intent to kill. All the man could do was lie there. Akira lashed at him repeatedly and, as Mizuki managed to break free, everything was over. Mizuki's body began to smoke and all the power from the beaker wore off, sucking the life out of him, and leaving Mizuki as barely more than a husk. With the threat gone, Akira's mind began to clear and her body returned to normal. As she fell to her knees a few feet away from Mizuki, nausea rose up to her throat and she vomited. Akira took a deep breath and looked down at her shaking hands; her knuckles were scraped and cut, and as she watched her blood gently seep from her wounds, Akira stopped a pitiful whimper from passing through her lips.

Akira stood, swaying, and began to walk away. Naruto tried to catch her as she wobbled, but Iruka held him back, and Akira fell to her knees again. She was exhausted, panting as if her lungs couldn't get enough oxygen and desperately holding back tears so she didn't look any weaker than she already did. For a moment, she rested her forehead against the cold earth, hoping that the feeling would dissipate, but to no avail. She stood again and kept walking, but a hand on her shoulder made her stop. A sudden wave of anger rose within her and she pulled her shoulder away. The sudden jerk made Akira fall again, but the person who'd touched her picked her back up. Akira turned her gaze upward. Lady Tsunade was looking down at her.

   "Stay here."

Akira hadn't even the energy to nod, head lolling forwards, and she waited for Tsunade and a few medical ninjas to stabilise Mizuki's condition. She didn't dare look back at the injuries she'd caused in her rampage.

   "His body's cellular structure is disintegrating," Lady Tsunade said as she approached Mizuki, Iruka and Naruto. "This is caused by the formula you took."
   "What?" Mizuki croaked, loud enough for Akira to hear him. "That's impossible."
   "You're getting a taste of your own medicine."

Tsunade walked away and let the medical-nin take care of Mizuki. They also updated her on the situation with the two Stupid Brothers which, Akira was happy to hear, went without too many issues. Shizune had been injured helping out Shikamaru, Ino and Choji, but the medical-nin said she was going to be fine. Iruka and Naruto followed.

   "Good," Akira managed to mutter. Tsunade glanced at her. "I'm glad they're all okay."
   "Orochimaru probably discovered that potion by accident while he was trying to develop some other illegal jutsu," Tsunade said, turning back to the medical-nin. "All we know is that that substance absorbs the DNA of animals and combines it with the human genome. It draws huge primal power out of the body and only lasts a short while. As it works, it puts an incredible strain on the host's body cells, stress that far exceeds the capacity of the human body. It's too dangerous for anyone to use."
   "But why would Mizuki do that?" Iruka asked.

Akira scoffed and it made Tsunade glance warily at her.

   "Orochimaru is a very persuasive individual," she said quietly, her voice hoarse. "For someone like Mizuki, it probably wouldn't have taken much to convince him. But... even the strongest minds have a hard time resisting him."

Iruka gazed somberly at Akira. Something clearly happened the night everyone went searching for her and Sasuke, and if Akira was here but not Sasuke, she had to be right. Because if Sasuke had been convinced to leave, convincing Mizuki would be like snapping his fingers.

The medical-nin came up beside them with Mizuki on a gurney. Akira slowed and let the others keep walking forward. She glanced over at him and his eyes widened in fear. Akira frowned and looked down at him sadly.

   "If I'd been like you, desperate for power, this is what I would have gotten."
   "But you have it! You have Lord Orochimaru's power! How!?"
   "It doesn't matter," she said quietly. "I didn't ask for it. I don't want it."
   "But why!? This power—"
   "Is corruption."

Akira's voice had become dangerously quiet. It was as if something went off inside the girl's head.

   "Look at yourself. This power consumed everything that you were," she crooned. "And me... look into my eyes, Mizuki. Are you sure that you can tell the difference between me... and the monster that nearly killed you?"

Mizuki hesitated, eyes gleaming with fear.

   "There's one difference between us, though. He chose me, Mizuki. He chose me so I can use this power. But you... you're doomed to stay like this forever while my power only grows. Ponder that information, will you?"

Akira smiled, seemingly innocently, but Mizuki clearly saw the malice behind it.

With a deep breath, Akira heaved herself forward to catch up with the others. After a moment, she felt like a different person. Glancing back at Mizuki, Akira frowned, confused. She'd just threatened a dying and defenceless man and that feeling didn't sit well with her. Akira reached for the mark on her shoulder. Maybe the threat had been correct. Could Akira really tell the difference between herself and the monster inside her right now?

The next day, Akira bumped into Kiba, Hinata and Shino on her way to the hospital. They were on their way to see Kurenai-sensei who, during the Stupid Brother's mission, had gotten injured when they'd come to help. Akira joined them instead of heading to wherever she was going, as Kurenai had become something of a friend after spending a fair amount of time with her, Asuma and Kakashi. Akira could also take advantage of the visit to go see Naruto who, once again, was sitting in the hospital after expending too much chakra.

What had transpired the day before hadn't reached the ears of anyone beyond those of Naruto, Iruka, Tsunade and the few medical-nin who'd been sworn to secrecy. Akira intended to keep it that way. Beyond the embarrassment she felt, Akira hated the way her body felt. Somehow, she felt as though the power was still there, wriggling around in the bloodstream like a parasite. Every movement she made felt as though someone else was making it and it made her skin crawl. Besides, would her friends ever feel safe and normal around her if they knew?

On their way down one of the hallways in the hospital, the four young ninjas crossed paths with Shizune and Lady Tsunade.

   "Oh, hey, you four!" Shizune greeted happily.
   "You here to see someone in the hospital, too?" Lady Tsunade asked.
   "Yes!" Hinata said enthusiastically.
   "And you, Lady Tsunade?" Shino asked politely.
   "Oh, well—"
   "She just doesn't want to stay in the office," Shizune interrupted. 
   "Ah, zip it!" Tsunade scolded.

As Tsunade and Akira passed each other, they shared a cold look. While the others hadn't taken notice, Kiba did. It wasn't unusual for them to give each other the cold shoulder, but looking back at Tsunade once they'd passed her, he saw that her gaze had softened to a saddened and pitied look. Though Akira didn't say anything, clearly something had happened during their mission the day before that both women were hiding. 

At Kurenai's and Asuma's room, it didn't take long for Kiba to forget what he'd seen and tease Hinata. She complained about it, of course, but as Shino pointed out, it was normal Kiba behaviour and there was nothing that she could do about it.

   "Hey, Hinata. Try not to faint when you see Kurenai-sensei."
   "Come on, don't bring that up right now!" Hinata protested.
   "Something happened that I should know about?" Akira inquired.
   "When Naruto was in the hospital—"
   "Shino, don't!"
   "She took one look at Naruto all bandaged up and keeled over!" Kiba continued for Shino.
   "Kiba! This is different! I'll be fine this time!"

Kiba and Akira chuckled as Hinata hurried to open the door to Kurenai and Asuma's room, but instead of finding either sensei, Hinata was met face-to-face with a shouting Naruto, his feet stuck to the ceiling. His face couldn't have been more than two inches from Hinata's. He was yelling about 'Grandma Tsunade' again and didn't notice that it was Hinata standing in front of him until her face became as red as a tomato. 

   "Oh, hey, Hinata!" he said, oblivious to the redness of Hinata's face as well as the scared and confused looks of everyone else. "Hinata? Hinata, what's the matter with you? Your face is looking a little red there, you okay? You got a fever? Let me feel your forehead." 

Naruto placed his palm on Hinata's forehead, but Hinata began to freak out so much that she began to shout. In the process, she unintentionally headbutted him, sending the yellow-haired ninja into the opposite wall. Hinata then proceeded to faint and fall backwards. Kiba caught her easily as if he was expecting it, but Akira just blinked stupidly and stood there, confused.

Kiba placed her on a nearby hospital bed as Naruto grumbled something about how weird Hinata was, and as soon as the words had left his mouth, Naruto was bolting out the door. Kiba and Shino went over to Kurenai and Akira smiled at her as she crossed the room and sat on the window sill. A muffled noise caught her attention and Akira turned to look down in the hospital courtyard. Tsunade and Naruto seemed to be arguing about something, For a moment, Akira's eyebrows knitted together, wondering what it was that they were having such a heated discussion over. Deciding against opening the window to eavesdrop, Akira turned and faced the room. Hinata was beginning to wake up.

   "Hey, you're up," Kiba said in a teasing voice.

Hinata looked away shyly and Akira couldn't help but smile. Her attention was brought back to the conversation when Kurenai mentioned Mizuki.

   "So, you're saying that Mizuki knew nothing?" she asked.
   "Lady Tsunade even interrogated him herself," Shino said. "He didn't have any information that could lead to Orochimaru's current whereabouts."
   "After all that trouble... he was nothing more than one of his pawns."
   "So it would seem, yes."
   "Then we still have no idea where Sasuke is," Kiba sighed.

Akira looked back out the window to avoid everyone's gaze. Naruto and Lady Tsunade were still arguing.

   "Yeah, so much for that fight I had with Mizuki..."
   "Don't worry about it too much, Akira," Hinata said reassuringly.
   "Thanks, but I'm not worried all that much," Akira lied. She was getting good at doing that. "To be honest, Naruto seems to be more affected. He's been arguing with Lady Tsunade down there for a while now. Besides..."

The girl's mind wandered to the moment when Sakura left for her "training". Jiraya and Tsunade had been talking that day and, whether on purpose or by accident, they didn't try to hide what it was they had been discussing.

It was true that Naruto was taking Sasuke's defection much harder than Akira—even with what he'd done to her. She'd experienced the loss of a brother like this before and the second leaving in a similar manner wasn't all that surprising. But Akira also had inside information. Three years. They had an estimated three years before Sasuke was in going to be in real danger. Until then...

   "...I don't think he wants to be found."

Akira frowned. She couldn't believe the words coming out of her mouth, but she meant it with every fibre of her being. Kiba watched her chest rise slowly as Akira took an unsteady deep breath.

   "You don't seem too broken up about your brother defecting," Shine stated.

Kiba would have punched Shino if Kurenai hadn't given him a warning.

   "I'm not. Not really, anyway." For a moment, everyone in the room was visibly worried, but when Akira glanced around they all hid it. "I've had one brother leave before and he did much worse on his way out. This is nothing."
   "But he's your brother."
   "It doesn't matter that he's my brother, Shino," Akira said. She looked out the window again. Naruto and Tsunade were nowhere to be found. "He's an enemy now whether I like it or not."

Chapter Text

Monday

Kiba had seen dirt underneath Akira's nails millions of times and always put it down to some intense training scenario in which she ending scraping the ground. It wasn't until he decided to visit her at the Uchiha compound, to make sure she was doing all right, that he truly knew why there was dirt under her nails on occasion. As a girl, she'd learned how to care for a garden during her Kunoichi classes, but she'd never expressed any appreciation towards them. However, her plants were always perfectly potted, her flowers perfectly arranged, and she was always able to tell all the herbs and flowers apart. One of her projects was to grow lavender, and she did, giving it to her mother as a birthday gift. But between Kunoichi classes and Ninjustsu training, Akira had always gravitated towards Ninjutsu training.

Kiba had never seen Akira gardening of her own free will until he saw her out there, hair done up all messy, tank top clinging to her sweat and dirt between her toes. Those plants were her obsession, her distraction from everything, a symphony of aromas blending to an intoxicating perfection. Kiba took it upon himself to silence Akamaru, to watch Akira as she knelt down beside her lavender, carefully tugging out weeds from the dark dirt. Of course, one couldn't keep Akamaru silent for long, and soon he ended up weaving his way through the lavender, the jasmine and the wisteria, until he was sitting beside her, barking gently. Akira's head swiftly turned towards the small dog and she smiled sweetly, wiping her hands on her shorts before vigorously petting Akamaru. 

   "Hey, boy! What are you doing all the way over here? Where's Kiba?"
   "Kiba's here."

Akira looked up from Akamaru and her eyes brightened. Her smile widened and she rose from her spot, dusting herself off. 

   "Kiba! What are you doing here?" Akira beamed.
   "Just came to check up on you. You seemed a little off the other day," Kiba explained.
   "Oh, don't worry about it, I'm fine."
   "And you seemed pretty angry at Lady Tsunade."
   "Heh, yeah," the girl chuckled. "She's got some personal issues she's taking out on me and it's pissing me off. Otherwise, everything's good."
   "You sure?"
   "One hundred per cent. Oh, did you want to come in? I can probably make us a quick lunch if you have time."
   "You sure? You seemed really into that gardening of yours," Kiba said with a laugh.
   "It doesn't matter—I have all day to finish this. Kakashi is only getting back from his mission tomorrow and my training has to wait until then. Come on in."

Kiba had quirked an eyebrow upwards as Akira neglected to add 'sensei' after Kakashi's name, but she didn't notice a thing. Akira grinned at Kiba and waved him over, telling the boy to follow her into the traditional Japanese home. Even before the Uchiha massacre, Kiba had never set foot inside the Uchiha compound, let alone the main household. Walking in now should have been a chore, considering what had happened, but it wasn't. The place was beautiful and, despite it being completely deserted, the restoration that Akira had done made this place far more alive than it had ever been. Everything Akira had done erased all traces of her childhood and the massacre.

They walked down the engawa and removed their sandals before entering the main room that branched off into the dining room and kitchen. The wood and tatami mats were cool underfoot, but beams of sunlight pierced through the paper doors and warmed Kiba and Akira's faces. Akamaru ran inside, taking the opportunity to run around, exploring the foreign space. There was a peaceful silence between Akira and Kiba as he leaned against the counter and watched Akira whip up a quick lunch of onigiri and miso soup, his dark eyes following every movement she made. Bothered, Akira looked up at him from the corner of her eye.

   "What?"
   "Nothing. Just looking at you move."
   "Why?" Akira asked, a little perplexed.
   "You move like you're dancing. It's nice to watch," Kiba answered as if it were obvious.

Akira snorted and she shook her head. It wasn't the first time somebody had told her this, but coming from Kiba it was strange.

   "Shut up."

Kiba chuckled and walked over to grab the onigiri and miso and bring it to the table.

   "You know, you're allowed to talk to me if there's anything wrong, right?" Kiba said all of a sudden. Akira brought the tea to the table and sat opposite him. "We're best friends. You can tell me anything."
   "Didn't buy it, did you?"
   "Not a word."
   "You don't have to worry, you know."
   "I'm always going to worry about you."

Akira looked up at Kiba and smiled halfheartedly. A worried look wandered into Kiba's eyes.

   "It's about what happened with Mizuki, right?"
   "Mostly, yeah."
   "And what happened with Sasuke?"

The girl nodded and took a sip of her tea. He was a bit of an idiot, but when it came to Akira, Kiba was incredibly astute.

   "It's all that talk about curse marks."

Akira wasn't surprised that he knew about the curse marks. In fact, she assumed that everyone knew by now, but it was still strange to her that Kiba knew something about something she'd never told him herself.

   "Naruto kept bugging everyone about this Orochimaru crap. About how you and Sasuke went berserk in the Forest of Death. Something about a mark on your shoulder." Akira's hand went to the mark on her shoulder and Kiba gave her a knowing look. "Guess that potion crap with Mizuki spooked ya, huh?"
   "It came a little bit too close to home, yeah," Akira admitted, dodging the question a little. "It's also why Lady Tsunade and I aren't on good terms."
   "Right, what're these personal issues she's taking out on you?" Kiba said with a chuckle. He took a huge bite of onigiri.
   "The mark was given to me by Orochimaru. Basically, he's sealed a portion of his chakra inside it and, by definition, inside me."

Kiba's eyes widened and his mouth hung open as he was chewing.

   "Close your mouth, come on," Akira gently scolded, pushing his jaw up. "Lady Tsunade's reaction was more... angry. The second she found out, she immediately assumed that I'd gone looking for it—that I'd asked for it."
   "That's crazy!" Kiba shouted.
   "Well, yes, but I understand why she thought that."
   "Why?"
   "I remind her of Orochimaru."
   "Huh!?"
   "Ignoring the murder and the illegal jutsu, I can see what she means," Akira said calmly, taking another sip of tea. "I went looking for ways to use the curse mark instead of just forgetting it exists. Learned how to make it my own."

The surprised look in Kiba's eyes vanished and it darkened.

   "You're not him."
   "I know."

Akira took a deep breath. Despite herself, a small smile reached her mouth.

   "But I am just like him."
   "You're smiling. What're you smiling for?"
   "I don't know, Kiba," Akira sighed. "I don't know."

Wednesday

As Akira walked out of her home a few days later, a smile reached her lips when she spotted Sakura waiting for her by the koi pond. The training Sakura had been receiving from Lady Tsunade had given the girl newfound confidence and she'd regularly come to Akira for some sparring practice to take a break from the medical ninjutsu she was cramming into her mind. The girls walked through the garden's together, exchanging playful banter and discussing the training that they were both receiving. Beside the gardens of Akira's home, and through a small bamboo grove, the Uchiha had made a clearing, ripping out years and years of overgrowth to create an extra training space other than the dojo on the other side of the main house.

They practised pure taijutsu first. Sakura had improved immensely and it was clear that she'd been practising on her own. Akira no longer felt the need to hold back in order to give Sakura a fighting chance. They kicked and they punched and dodged and swerved, hair and clothing swaying with every move their bodies made, every gesture an evolution in their martial dance. However, soon, there was a break in the performance and the pink-haired kunoichi flew through the air like a fluttering petal, landing on her backside. Akira wiped the sweat off her glistening forehead, a cool smile on her face. Sakura groaned as she stood back up, but she too had a smile on her face.

   "You've gotten better," Akira said, stepping towards Sakura.
   "Not by much. You're still way better than me," Sakura replied.
   "Don't compare yourself to me, Sakura. You know that with practice you're just going to keep getting better and better."
   "Yeah, I know. It's just tough when you're my only reference point."

Akira gave Sakura an encouraging pat on the back.

   "Hey, it's almost lunch time. Did you want to take a break?"
   "Sure. I've got a coupon for that dango place you like, should we go there?"
   "Sounds good to me."

Akira and Sakura put a towel to the beads of sweat going down their bodies and tossed them into the house for Akira to pick up later as they left the main house. As they headed into the village, a few people couldn't help but stare. It was strange seeing these two together. Not only did Akira used to have a profound hatred of Sakura, but it was also because they contrasted so much it was almost strange to look at. Pale pink versus pitch black. Dark blue against mint green. A bright red outfit and a sombre black one. However, their smiling faces brought them together in the odd yin-yang that they were, and the laughs that echoed in the restaurant blurred all the lines that separated the two. And those laughs continued well on into the day, until the golden rays of sunlight began to fade into pale purples and pinks.

Friday

   "Okay, everyone, we're having a joint class today!"
   "With who, with who!?"
   "With..."
   "Oh, come on Akira-sensei!"
   "Gaara and Kankuro!"

A general wave of excitement rushed through the classroom and they all excitedly followed Akira as she led them outside to the training ground beside the Academy. A large selection of weapons waited for them up against the walls, as did Gaara and Kankuro who were already there with their own students. Akira sent them a little mock salute, which Kankuro returned, and she stood between him and Gaara as she directed her students to sit amongst the others. There was a cacophony of 'hello's directed towards the teachers and the other students and after a few seconds, everything became quiet again.

   "What're we doing today?" one of the students asked. "Are we continuing what we did last time?"
   "Yes, we are," Gaara said simply.
   "We're going to pick up our kunai and shuriken and we're going to be tying them into Ninjutsu training," Akira added.

There was a collection of excited whispers.

   "All right, everyone, let's pick up some sharp things and get throwing," Kankuro said. The children giggled and rushed to the piles of weapons. "What?"
   "Do you always have to say it like that?" Akira said, shaking her head disapprovingly. 
   "He does. He has no self-control," Gaara said.

Kankuro complained about Akira and Gaara ganging up on him, but their little spat was soon dismissed by the students beginning to try out their combination jutsu, which meant that the three temporary teachers had to keep a close eye on them so that they didn't hurt themselves. Akira, Kankuro and Gaara walked around the training ground and gave pointers to the students, and Akira even demonstrated a technique that got the students even more fired up than before. 

Occasionally, Akira would find her eyes wandering over towards Gaara. The students had really taken to him even though he barely showed more emotion than a brick wall. Despite himself, Gaara was kind, and the children loved to cling to him whenever he came over to them. It made Akira scoff a laugh each time and he'd look at her, as if wanting to be saved, but she never did anything. She enjoyed seeing Gaara like this, vulnerable—human. A drastic change from the last time they'd crossed paths. Maybe Akira wouldn't have to help him get back to normal all that much—just by being exposed to people who weren't afraid of him, Gaara was transforming on his own.

   "It's nice, isn't it?"

Akira looked over. Kankuro was standing beside her, looking at Gaara struggling to shake off several young girls who were hanging off his arms.

   "It is," Akira said with a smile.
   "You know it's because of you, right?" Akira frowned. "He's changed because of you and Naruto."
   "I don't think we really did anything."
   "You did. He saw that you cared," Kankuro said with a shrug. "Despite everything, you showed concern. Treated him like a human being. That's all it took."

The little girls giggled as Gaara rose his arms up in down, creating some sort of ride for the children as they clung to him. After a few seconds, he seemed to give up on shaking them off and began to spin around, making the girls squeal in laughter. It made Akira's chest well up with warmth and a gentle smile rose up to her lips.

   "You did that."
   "Gaara did that himself," Akira said quietly. "We just showed him the way."

Chapter Text

The wind rustling through the bamboo leaves masked the heavy breathing coming from Akira's mouth. The sun was beating down on her and Kakashi as they had a re-do of their sword fight from the other day. Bamboo swayed in the wind and it brought the scent of cherry blossoms and jasmine to Akira's and Kakashi's noses. The sōzu's gentle and constant tapping could be heard from their position as well, and Akira tried to sync her breathing to it, succeeding in only a few seconds. Her feet were spread wide apart, anchoring her to the ground. Her left hand held one of her katana behind her back, pointing upwards, while the right was steadily holding at katana at eye level. It was directed towards Kakashi who, unlike last time, wasn't holding back as they fought. With a glance at Kakashi's arm, Akira could tell that he'd received intensive Kenjutsu training—the red Anbu tattoo said it all.

Akira huffed and wiped the sweat off her forehead with the back of her hand. She rolled her shoulders and got into position again, ready to begin again.

   "You sure you're up for some more?" Kakashi taunted.
   "This is nothing, old man," Akira shot back. "Even when you're not holding back you're no match."

Just as they were about to start again, a Jōnin appeared before Akira, hands behind his back. The girl groaned and stood, taking the scroll that the Jōnin was holding out to her. As soon as she did, the Jōnin vanished in a puff of smoke. Akira read its contents and sighed, then put her katana back into their sheaths.

   "New mission?"
   "Yeah. It seems that I'm not grounded anymore," Akira said with a light chuckle. "I've been assigned as Team Leader."
   "That means you're leading the Genin again," Kakashi said, straightening himself. "Naruto's probably going to be there."
   "He better listen." Akira picked up her discarded flak jacket and swung it on. "He already doesn't tend to get along with others on missions. I need a clean track record, so I don't need him screwing up my orders, either."
   "No one has a clean track record, Akira."
   "I know, I know," Akira sighed. "I want the cleanest possible record. So far, all I've got going for me are two missing-nin brothers, a curse mark, and a bad reputation with the Hokage. I need to wipe some of that away."
   "Do you want to find Sasuke?"

Akira paused for a second as she wiped the sweat off her neck. Her eyebrows quirked downwards.

   "No," Akira said sharply. "You know what he did." Kakashi nodded solemnly. "But, I have three years until this becomes a problem. Maybe my opinion will have changed by then."
   "You heard?"
   "Sort of. Jiraya is very loud."

Kakashi chuckled and the two of them bid each other goodbye before Akira ran off towards the Hokage's office. When she burst through the doors, Tsunade was at her desk and Guy-sensei was standing before her, gushing about the success of his mission. Shizune watched, a little concerned, as tears fell freely from his eyes as he dramatically recounted the events to the Hokage. Akira gave him a strange look and was almost tempted to walk back outside, but Tsunade had seen her and called her over. It seemed that Guy hadn't noticed Akira walk into the room as when he was done talking, he screeched upon seeing her beside him.

   "I have something I want to put your squad on."

Tsunade's words caught both Akira's and Guy's attention.

   "We're stretched thin enough as it is, and yet somehow, Naruto's managed to bring in more work," Tsunade sighed.
   "And remember Guy, one of our clients has already asked for you specifically for that S-rank mission," Shizune added. "You'll have to set out today if you want to make it on time."
   "That's why your kids will go alone."

Guy cheered so loudly that Akira winced.

   "The day has finally come. You won't regret this! My students will nail this, believe me!"
   "Also," Tsunade began. She shot a look at Akira. "I'm assigning Akira Uchiha as their squad leader, and Naruto will be joining them as well since he's the one who brought this in."
   "What's that about!?" Guy shouted. "Listen I love those kids more than anything in the world and I'm telling you that they can handle it! Why can't they go alone?"
   "Akira is a new Chūnin, so she needs all the experience she can get as a squad leader in order to better perform on higher-rank missions," Tsunade explained. "And just as I said, Naruto found these guys, so he gets a spot on the team, too."
   "Fine," Guy finally conceded. He dramatically pointed a finger at Akira. "You lead them to victory."
   "Uh, yeah, sure," Akira said, taking a step back.

Moments later, Neji, Lee, Tenten and Naruto were by Akira's side, all geared up and ready to go. Akira's flak jacket was fastened tightly to her body and she was also geared up, katana in their respective places and gourd of water strapped to her back. 

   "Those men that Naruto rescued are here to request our services," Tsunade said, turning to face Akira. The girl's expression was stern. "They came all the way from the Katabami Gold Mine, one of the most abundant mines in all the Land of Rivers. About six months ago, a bunch of goons calling themselves the Kurosuki family showed up and ran the magistrate out of town. They've taken over the village and, apparently, have been killing people left and right."
   "That is unforgivable," Lee exclaimed.
   "Once these men have regained their strength, your objective is to escort them back to the Katabami Mine to take out the Kurosuki family. A simple mission, really, they're probably just a pack of money-grubbing hoodlums."
   "Then why the heck am I here?" Naruto complained, looking away in a huff. "Sounds like a monkey could do this job."
   "Who do you think you are!?" Tsunade said, glaring at the boy.
   "Oh, come on, Grandma, I've got enough on my plate already. With training and looking for Sasuke—"

Naruto cut himself off as Akira stepped forward, an irritated look in her eye.

   "Lady Tsunade," she began. "I will not be able to tolerate behaviour like this on my team. If he hasn't shaped up by the time the mission begins, I will be denying him a place on this team."
   "Understood. If he hasn't shaped up by the time the mission starts, I'll send him back to the Academy!" Tsunade added. One of Akira's eyebrows shot up. She hadn't expected Tsunade to back her up so fervently. "That'll bar him from all future missions."
   "Thank you," Akira said politely. She turned to Neji, Lee and Tenten. "See if you can get any information out of these men. They're still recovering, so don't push them too hard, but if there's something fishy let me know."
   "Yes!" the three ninja echoed.
   "Report anything and everything to me."

The three ninja nodded stiffly and left, followed by a grumbling Naruto. Akira turned to Tsunade.

   "What can you tell me about the leader of the Kurosuki family?"
   "His name is Raiga."
   "Raiga?" Akira repeated. "I know that name."
   "I learned on a past mission that he is, or was, one of the Seven Swordsmen on the Mist," Guy said.

Akira let out an audible sigh and pinched the bridge of her nose.

   "Another one?" she complained. "Jeez, these guys are everywhere. First Zabuza, then Kisame—"
   "And now Raiga," Tsunade added.
   "Do we know the weapon he wields? It'll give me a good indication of his fighting style."
   "Rumours only," Guy said. "Apparently, he wields the legendary Kiba."
   "The legendary lightning blades? Well, that'll make things interesting."

Akira nodded respectfully towards Guy, Lady Tsunade and Shizune before exiting the office and heading to Mr Ogawa's for a final blade sharpening. Once done and the men from the Katabami Gold Mine were rested up, Akira called for a team meeting before departing. The three men would be waiting at the gate to the village in approximately twenty minutes.

   "It's only fair that, since I demanded you report everything back to me, that I report to you," Akira said. "Communication is key in any situation, especially when the mission becomes slightly more difficult than anticipated."
   "What do you mean?" Neji asked. "Is the mission not what it appears?"
   "I spoke with Lady Tsunade and Guy-sensei. The leader of this Kurosuki family is reputed to be one of the Swordsmen of the Mist."
   "So?" Naruto said.
   "We've already met two, Naruto," Akira sighed. "Zabuza Momochi and the shark freak that tried to grab you with Itachi."
   "Oh."
   "His name is Raiga, and it appears that he wields the legendary lightning blades."
   "The Kiba!?" Tenten said, almost excitedly.
   "Right, Tenten, you're the weapons expert," Akira said. She nodded over to Naruto. "Care to explain?"
   "All right! The Kiba are two swords that are passed down from generation to generation in the Land of Mist. The swords have been imbued with lightning, granting enhanced cutting power in a manner similar to the high-frequency vibrations of lightning-based chakra flow. It is this capability that has resulted in these "thunder swords" being claimed as the sharpest swords in existence. Even without lightning, they are very dangerous in battle, able to be used in combination with agile spinning movements, sweeping through the targets while the user also rotates. This, combined with the jagged nature of the blades allows for more damaging wounds inflicted."

Akira nodded, impressed.

   "And if the user is capable of lightning-based techniques, it'll also allow them to use their jutsu without having to make any hand signs," Akira added. "Thanks, Tenten."
   "No problem!"
   "In any case, Raiga isn't going to be an easy opponent to defeat. It'll be even more inconvenient since he and I will have a similar move set, so I expect all of you to follow orders in battle. I'll be the one who can better anticipate his moves, and I don't want anyone waltzing into something they can't handle. No one is to get injured if I can help it. Understood?"
   "Understood!"

From the corner of her eye, Akira could see the three men approaching, looking nervous. 

   "Our first priority, until arriving at the mines, is to keep these men safe. We'll get to the Kurosuki when we arrive." Akira glanced back at the three men and frowned. "If there's anything fishy about them—don't hesitate to tell me."
   "You don't trust the clients?" Neji asked, sounding annoyed.
   "Not at all."

He nodded once but remained unconvinced. 

   "Lee, were there any stops on the way for us to rest?"
   "Yes, I know one! There is one shop that is close to the village," Lee announced. "It can be a rest stop and a home base."
   "Good."

The three men arrived beside the five ninja. They looked relatively okay, but the darting of their eyes told Akira that they were nervous about something. Whether it was simply the threat to their lives or something else, however, Akira couldn't tell.

   "All right, let's head out."

The three men from the mines led Akira, Lee, Tenten, Neji and Naruto through the forest, taking them down the route that they'd taken on their way to the Leaf Village. Around noon, Akira called for a lunch break. Both Naruto and Lee finished eating quickly in order to get some training in, while the others ate at a regular pace. Then they all set off again, with Lee sprinting ahead screaming about curry. After a short while, Akira and the rest of the team arrived at what could have been the shop that Lee had mentioned before. It was small and rustic, and the smell of curry was wafting out of it all the way down the path. 

Lee rushed inside and greeted the old lady who worked there by grabbing her and twirling her around. Naruto, Tenten and Neji looked on, a little confused, and Akira went to stand at the edge of the hill the shop was on. The Katabami mine was visible from here.

   "Come on, Akira! We must eat the Curry of Life!" Lee shouted

He dragged Akira into the shop and sat her down in front of a plate of blackened curry. She looked at it oddly and smelled it. While it didn't smell bad, the excessive amount of spices nearly burnt her nostrils. And although Lee's face was beet red from the spice, he was eating it with no problem. Neji, Tenten and Naruto took a bite and began coughing. Akira gently pushed her plate forward without tasting it all. 

   "Oh, by the way, where is Karashi at the moment?" Lee asked. "Is he out?"

Akira furrowed her eyebrows and looked over at the old lady. She'd gone silent and her smile had vanished from her face.

   "Well... the boy was very moved by your work ethic and began attacking life with quite a new vigour. So much, in fact, that he left the shop and set out for town," the lady explained. "I shouldn't have pushed him so much, always telling him to be strong. 'I'm going to be a man,' he said. 'Part of the Kurosuki family!'"

Lee slammed his plate on the table. The old lady sent him an apologetic look.

   "Oh, please, you mustn't worry yourself, son. I'm not blaming you."
   "Too late now," Tenten wheezed after downing an entire glass of water.
   "I am responsible for this..."
   "Oh, dear me..."
   "Akira!" Lee shouted, raising his hands up in the air. "I request to include the rescue of Karashi in your mission! We will bring him back from this road of evil that he has taken."

This was an all too familiar task. Akira sighed and she looked at Naruto as if on instinct. He looked almost as invested in the idea as Lee. No doubt Naruto was thinking that if he could save Karashi, then maybe he'd be able to save Sasuke.

   "I'll allow it, but I'm not putting your lives in danger for his. If complications arise, we will abandon this extra task."
   "Thank you, Akira! I will remember this act of generosity!"

Akira gave Lee a strange look as he bowed deeply. Neji pulled him back up.

   "We'll use this shop as a base of operations and begin scouting the village. Then we can come up with a strategy and make our move," Akira said in standing. She turned to the three men from Katabami. "You three better stay behind. If we face the Kurosuki family, things will definitely become problematic."

Chapter Text

Things had become problematic.

It didn't take more than a half-hour for one of the men being escorted back to the mines to vanish, claiming that he'd try to reason with Raiga himself. It threw everyone into a panic. Lee, Tenten and Naruto began frantically searching around the shop for any sign of his whereabouts, but Akira and Neji just stood there, annoyed. There was nothing worse than someone running off on their own and directly towards the danger they were meant to be spared from.

When Lee, Tenten and Naruto came back from their frantic search, Akira ordered everyone to get their gear and suit up. In record speed, the whole team was out the door, attempting to track down the runaway Rokusuke. While Akira was concerned for his safety, the look in her eyes could kill. She wasn't surprised that this had happened. The three men were excessively nervous from the beginning and it was only a matter of time before one of them decided to do something stupid in their altered state of mind. That, however, didn't change the fact that this would put her, her team and the miners in unnecessary danger. Naruto went to say something, but seeing the look in Akira's eye, he shut his mouth and followed his team leader's orders.

The mountain path grew wide where the soil was soft and then narrow in the rocky passes. There were times that the mountain path was barely there at all, no more than a mild disturbance in the dirt, but it was always there, leading the team towards the mines that they had their sights set on. As they travelled, they watched night turn to day, darkness fading into pale hues of yellow and blue. When the mines came into view, Akira signalled for everyone to hide. They all ducked behind a few large boulders to regroup and figure out how to proceed.

   "You know, instead of just saving Rokusuke and Karashi, I say we finish the Kurosuki family once and for all!" Naruto stated.
   "Let's not get carried away, Naruto," Akira said with a sigh. "Our mission might be to take out the family, but I'd prefer if we did that with our three miners alive."
   "Okay, then what's the plan, genius?"
   "Don't forget what Guy-sensei told Akira," Lee commented, a serious look on his face.
   "What? That the leader of the Kurosuki family might be one of the Seven Ninja Swordsman of the Mist?" Naruto scoffed. "If you ask me it just makes things more interesting."
   "I dunno... We can't exactly be sure that what Guy-sensei said is reliable in the first place," Tenten added reasonably.
   "We don't know whether the information Guy-sensei gave us is accurate, but I'd rather proceed as if it was than be unpleasantly surprised and unprepared," Akira reasoned. "But, before anything else, we need to investigate."
   "Then let's go!" Naruto cheered.

Akira scowled at the back of Naruto's head. She appreciated the enthusiasm, but there was no need for him to be cheering when people's lives were at stake.

Akira gestured for everyone to follow her as she weaved her way through the mountainside and stopped as they had a proper visual of the entrance to the mines. There were dozens of people dressed in rags hauling out baskets and baskets of rubble by hand. They were being supervised by men in long dark cloaks, hoods obscuring their faces. As one of the older labourers was carrying a load far heavier than he should have been, he collapsed to the ground, exhausted. Immediately, the men in dark cloaks began threatening to call Raiga for another funeral. As her team looked on, outraged, Akira's eyes wandered to where the man was pointing. There was an entire field of small mounds with hunks of metal sticking out of each one of them like grave markers. Akira felt sick to her stomach. There must have been several dozen people buried there.

   "Okay, that does it! Now I'm mad!" Naruto growled, watching the scene unfold.
   "Stay calm, Naruto," Akira said quietly. "We need to finish our reconnaissance before we make a move. Jumping in too quickly is dangerous."
   "Yeah, hold your horses, Naruto," Tenten agreed.
   "Great idea! Let's just sit here and watch them drive that old man into the ground!"
   "Right!" Lee called all of a sudden. "You just leave this to me!"
   "Lee—oh, come on!"

Akira cursed loudly, which surprised the team, but she didn't make a move to stop Lee. At the speed he'd left, there was no way she could. Instead, she watched, annoyed, as Lee crept up behind the four cloaked men and took them down with ease. Akira sighed and, with one last look around, she jumped out of her hiding place to join Lee. Neji, Naruto and Tenten followed. She was about to reprimand Lee when the old man that he'd helped began panicking.

   "Are you crazy!?" the old man said, panicked. "Dear heavens, what have you done?"
   "Hey, what's wrong?" Naruto asked, getting angry. "We just helped you!"
   "No! No, you need to do to me what you did to them or else they'll think I'm behind it!"
   "We're here to stop Raiga and the others once and for all," Akira stated, crouching to the man's level. "We'll tie these ones up so they can't come after you. You're not dying today, all right?"

Suddenly, a gong rang, echoing through the mountains and the mines. 

   "Is that some kind of alarm?" Neji asked the old man.
   "No, it's summoning everyone to a funeral."
   "A funeral?"
   "That's right. If any one of us displeases Raiga, then the punishment is a funeral where the guilty party is buried alive."

Akira's eyes narrowed. 

   "Despicable," she muttered.
   "He what!? Buries them alive!" Tenten said, outraged. "That's the worst thing I've ever heard!"
   "Then Raiga gets very sad. He bows and weeps over the coffin as if he's lost a dear friend."
   "Sounds like we're dealing with a real nut job, here," Naruto sighed.
   "That gong... Who's funeral are they ringing it for?" Neji asked.

Akira swore again and it seemed to answer Neji's question.

   "You don't think—"
   "Who else?" Akira pinched the bridge of her nose and thought for a moment before looking back to her team. "All right, Tenten, Lee—tie up these four men and make sure they won't be getting loose."
   "Right!"
   "Once that's done, old man—I want you to stay hidden and away from any of these men. Tell everyone you see the same thing."
   "O-Okay! Thank you!" the man said, then ran off.
   "Let's go."

Akira's temporary team dashed over to the burial site. When they arrived, at least a dozen cloaked men were standing around a coffin. Akira blinked slowly to reveal her Sharingan, anticipating she'd need to use it very soon. Neji used his Byakugan to look into the coffin to check if Rokusuke was still alive. Thankfully, he was fine, but if he stayed in that coffin for much longer he'd be buried and suffocate to death.

   "We need to draw the guards away then get him out," Neji stated.
   "Okay, we should hit them fast and hard," Naruto added.

Lee and Tenten nodded in agreement, but Akira was focused on something else. Glancing upwards at the main building of the mine, Akira could see someone standing there.

   "Agreed," Akira said after a few moments. "There's someone in the distance I need to keep an eye on, so Neji will lead the attack."
   "Right," he said with a nod. "Let's go."

Lee, Naruto, Tenten and Neji threw smoke bombs at the cloaked men. They scattered, taken by surprise, but they recovered quickly enough for them to see the four ninja arrive. Akira noticed one of the men run off so she threw a kunai at him and Tenten threw another to hide Akira's position. The kunai hit him directly in the back of the leg and he fell to the ground, preventing him from going any further for the time being. Satisfied, Akira's eyes wandered back to the figure at the top of the mine's entrance.

She listened to the crashes, the punches and the grunts beside her, eyes fixated on him, and when everything became silent, Akira looked back to her team. Lee was standing in front of the man that Tenten and Akira had hit with their kunai and, judging by the look on his face, Akira could deduce that this was Karashi. Lee and Naruto began to try and reason with the boy as Neji and Tenten pulled Rokusuke out of the coffin he'd been thrown in, but it seemed to be proving difficult.

Akira's eyes narrowed at the sky as clouds began to gather far too quickly. It was almost an announcement that something was about to happen and, by the looks of it, it involved someone who, like her, was able to manifest storms and electricity. It seemed that Guy's information wasn't all that far off after all.

The three tomoe in Akira's eyes swivelled as her pupils dilated, examining the scene unfolding before her. She quickly looked to Neji, who looked back at her through the rocks with the help of his Byakugan. She signalled for him and the others to head up to the top of the cliff, and, as they left, Akira followed without being seen. As they reached the top, fog began to creep around everyone's ankles and quickly filled the air, masking the presence of anyone in the area. Akira clicked her tongue, annoyed. This was the mist that Zabuza had used. It was no question now that Raiga was one of the Swordsmen of the Hidden Mist.

As Akira and the others came to the realisation, a silhouette appeared in the thick mist, like a ghost, and a malicious laugh filled the heavy air.

   "Ninja Art: Hidden Mist Jutsu."

Akira's eyes focused on the figure so intently that her eyes almost hurt. Anything she could learn from this man would be an advantage now and in the future. However, as the silhouette moved around, Akira noticed that she couldn't anticipate his movements. Despite having her Sharingan awakened, she was just seeing him normally. Akira looked at Neji and, as if on instinct, he turned to her, as well. His Byakugan was activated, but the look on his face told Akira that he too was experiencing a strange failure in his kekkei genkai. 

Akira looked back towards the silhouette. None of the Seven Swordsmen of the hidden mist were known to have a kekkei genkai. The only explanation was that there must have been someone else around with the ability to inhibit someone's bloodline trait or a jutsu of terrifying design that could do the job. Akira needed to figure out which one.

   "Behold!" the same voice shouted. The silhouette raised its arms into the sky. "Ninja Art: Lightning Fang!"

Immediately, the fog dissipated and revealed a clear picture of the silhouette before her and the team. Akira's eyes narrowed. Pointed towards the sky were the legendary lightning blades, blue electricity swirling and crackling around the blades. Her gaze darted down again. On the man's back was a hump, as if there was something hiding inside his jacket. Akira didn't have the time to examine it, however, as the sky turned charcoal grey and storms began to rage ever stronger.

   "Lightning Fang—strike them down!"

As it was with many lightning-based attacks, there was no time to react. Within a split second, a flash of lightning struck the rock just before her team. The cliffside was destroyed and the four ninja were swept down into the rubble. Akira's eyes shut tight and they reopened to a black landscape. Behind her, buried under rubble, were the chakra signatures of her teammates. Akira let out a small sigh of relief and turned her head back, annoyed. The power that Raiga wielded was impressive, she could see it and feel it from here, but she could also see something interesting at this distance.

The lump on Raiga's back was not a mere growth. There was a second chakra signature and, by the looks of it, Akira thought it belonged to a child. The smell of blood reached her nose, but there was none. The feeling of her blade piercing Haku returned like a hot flash of lightning and pulled her out of her jutsu. Akira let out a short breath and clenched her fists, knuckles turning white and nails digging into her palms. Now wasn't the time to remember these things.

   "Thunder Funeral: Feast of Lightning!" 

Raiga pointed the kiba down towards Akira and her teammates. She slid out of her hiding spot and, halfway through his attack, Akira jumped in front of the bright blue lightning and held out her arms. From her gourd came a thin wave of water and it spread in front of her like a wave. When the electricity hit it, the water flashed brightly, crackling electricity twitching its way across the wave. The second before it reached her hands, Akira turned the protective barrier into a weapon, sending it towards Raiga with a flick of her wrist. He only just evaded it, eyes following the wave as he jumped out of the way, and then they settled upon the girl as he skidded to a halt. However, Akira wasn't done. She balled her fists and pulled her arms apart. To Raiga's surprise, the water and the electricity separated. The electrical charge landed on a stone nearby and exploded, filling the air with dust, and a blade of water cut Raiga on the cheek as Akira returned it to its resting place.

   "I wasn't expecting you to come out and play. You seemed a little... scared," Raiga taunted.
   "I was just observing for a little," Akira admitted. Raiga couldn't discern any emotion in her voice. His eyes narrowed at her. "Now, enlighten me, Raiga Kurosuki. Who's the one that's been whispering things about my team to you? Is it that child strapped to your back?"

Raiga seemed taken aback by her words. There didn't seem to be anything special about this girl and yet she'd already seen right through him.

   "I have to say, I've grown quite annoyed with adults turning children into their tools."

The man's jaw clenched and he became visibly angry. He seemed ready to strike again, but a hushed voice telling him to calm down reached Akira's ears.

   "Don't get mad, Raiga. You know it's not true. We're strong together."
   "Hm, so there is someone in there," Akira noted. "I'm going to assume you're the reason my team's kekkei genkai aren't working as they should be."
   "Yes, that is correct."
   "Be quiet, Ranmaru! Don't give the enemy any details!" Raiga shouted.

Akira's eyes nearly rolled back into her skull. Exhaling slowly, she clenched her fists, trying to quell the anger rising within her at the parallels between these two, Haku and Zabuza. 

As Raiga began to taunt her again, Akira closed her eyes and immersed herself in her surroundings. Her heartbeat was loud in her ears, but it was calm. Raiga's breathing was ragged and Ranmaru's was quick. Two squirrels were jumping through the tree branches to her left. Someone was moving in the rubble below. The metallic swish of her blades cutting the air reached her ears. Akira twirled them out of habit and rolled her shoulders. She listened to her joints crack and felt her muscles relax, then positioned her body in a loose offensive stance, ready to confront Raiga.

With a flick of her wrist, Akira swiped her katana at Raiga. She heard him dodge it, but barely, and before he could properly get into a solid stance, Akira lunged at him with her other blade. He blocked the attack with his own blade and the clash of metal against metal resonated in the empty and desolate landscape. Through sheer will, each blade electrified itself. Raiga's blue lightning and Akira's white chakra sizzled and crackled as they fought for dominance upon their respective blades. 

Raiga pushed in but he expected more resistance. Instead, Akira swung her arms outwards. Her katana caught on Raiga's kiba, forcing them in the same direction her blades were going, and she stepped forwards to headbutt the man with considerable force. Raiga skidded backwards and, before he could do anything, Akira was already mid-jutsu.

Against all Raiga's expectations, Akira abandoned her katana and planted them in the ground, using them as a stepping stone to vault herself upwards and swing her legs out. In a few swift movements, Akira hit the lump on Raiga's back with a powerful kick. A small, pained cry escaped into the air and while her heart was telling her that hitting children wasn't the way to go about things, her mind couldn't have cared less—they were both the enemy and, as such, Akira wasn't going to hold back.

Chapter Text

An uncharacteristically wry smile reached Akira's lips and it made Raiga uneasy. She was taunting him more than he was taunting her, trying to set him off balance, and it was working. Akira was forcing Raiga to focus on the boy rather than on the fight and she knew he would get sloppy because of it.

Things got worse for Raiga when Lee arrived to fight by Akira's side—she recognised his movements by the sound. He approached Raiga, completely out cold and relying solely on muscle memory. He fought Raiga off and kicked the cloak from his back. A travel bag flew off, a scream coming from within, and then Raiga finally lost it. He growled, his body shaking with violent anger, and rose his kiba to the sky. Raiga aimed his jutsu at Lee, but Akira intercepted the attack. She held out her blades and captured the electricity from her enemy's jutsu as if it were her own, then swung her arms forward. The lightning flung itself towards Raiga and hit him square in the chest, propelling him in the opposite direction that Ranmaru had gone.

As he stood up again and began to berate Akira, Naruto came out of nowhere. His foot easily connected with Raiga's jaw and sent him skidding across the ground again. 

   "All right, pal!" Naruto called. "Now, you're dealing with me, too, 'cause there's no way I'm letting Akira and Bushy Brow have all the fun!"
   "Naruto, this is hardly fun," Akira sighed. She glanced at her katana still firmly planted in the ground.
   "You filthy little brats!" Raiga spat.
   "Hey, I've got something I wanna ask you! Rumour has it you're one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Hidden Mist."

Akira quirked an eyebrow.

   "So, what if I was?"
   "You know Zabuza, right? Oh, and a big shark-looking guy called Kisame?"
   "I have nothing but loathing for those two," Raiga said sharply. "You'll have to forgive me if I don't feel like reminiscing—and I don't wanna tell you anyway!"
   "Well, then I'll just have to beat the answers out of you!"
   "Naruto, be careful!"

As Naruto ran forward, Ranmaru managed to crawl back to Raiga and onto his back again. The two of them struggled a bit before Raiga kicked Naruto off. He crossed his kiba and shot a ball of electricity at Naruto and it hit him square in the chest. Naruto went flying backwards, his body limp and dragging itself across the ground. Raiga seemed satisfied with himself, but when he turned to Akira, her eyes were open and he was met with the blood red of the Sharingan. For a moment, he didn't seem worried, assuming that whatever Ranmaru was doing would protect him. However, the Sharingan pierced right through him. As he went to perform the same jutsu, Akira's pupils contracted and the smirk that rose to her face made his confidence drop. He called for Ranmaru, but the boy was out cold and unable to help him.

Akira's body moved before he was done charging his attack. As he aimed his attack at Naruto again, she took hold of her katana and placed herself between her comrade and the enemy, blades outstretched. Swiftly, she parried Raiga's attack. Akira pushed back on his blades and, when he stumbled back at the sheer fierceness of her parry, she sent her own orb of electricity hurling towards him. The attack hit Raiga square in the chest and sent the man skidding backwards, clutching his torso in pain and completely unaware of the fact that Ranmaru was no longer attached to him.

The corner of Akira's mouth twitched into a wicked smirk for the quickest of seconds. Naruto looked on a little worried. Akira had always been a proud fighter and a force to contend with, but taking pleasure in the pain she'd caused was out of character. For a moment, even Naruto was reminded of Orochimaru.

   "Not so swift without Ranmaru, are you?" Akira taunted.

At the mention of Ranmaru's name, Raiga began shouting for him again, but he was met with silence. Neji, who'd since broken free from the rubble, was holding the bag with Ranmaru inside and muffling the sounds coming from it. Using this moment of distraction, Naruto summoned dozens of Shadow Clones and used every single one of them to attack and taunt Raiga as best they could. However, Raiga destroyed them all fairly easily, using the lightning blades to slice through them like they were made of softened butter. Akira kept encouraging Naruto despite this, as the more chakra Raiga used, the slower he moved.

But Raiga noticed this, too, after a while, and instead of pursuing this fight, he darted off. Naruto and his clones followed in his wake, as did Akira. She caught up to him with surprising speed, but he was already halfway through performing a jutsu by the time she reached him. Akira narrowed her eyes as the Sharingan took note of the hand seals. She pulled Naruto out of the way just as a shockwave of electricity rushed towards them, breaking up the rock as it went.

Naruto let go of Akira and used the momentum to land several feet away and out of danger. Akira rushed towards the wave of crumbling stone, however, and using her katana, she sent a wave of white electricity ahead to break up the projectiles coming her way. As they shattered, they filled the air with a cloud of thick dust which Raiga couldn't see through. For a moment, he stood there, trying to ascertain where Akira was going to come from, but it was Naruto's clones that doomed him. They rushed at him so loudly that Raiga turned to them in order to stop an attack, but they did nothing. Instead, Akira came in from behind, fist alight with pure white, and jabbed him so hard in the shoulder that he was launched into a nearby ravine.

Akira's muscles relaxed again and her arms fell to her sides, the tips of her katana brushing the ground. She took a breath and released it just as quickly. While Naruto cheered their victory over Raiga, Akira went over to the edge of the cliff and watched as Raiga fell to the ground with an unceremonious thump. The tomoe in her Sharingan swirled and slowly vanished as Raiga's life signs deteriorated, returning Akira's eyes to their normal indigo hue. With a deep sigh, Akira left the cliffside and went over to her team.

Neji opened the bag, revealing Ranmaru. He was a small boy, much smaller than Akira had expected, but then, after all, she had been expecting Haku. Looking into this boy's red eyes, however, Akira found that there was nothing of Haku in him. Even as Ranmaru began to lament his tragic life to her team, Akira's eyes remained cold and her arms remained crossed over her chest. To Neji, Tenten and Lee, this seemed normal, but given Akira's earlier behaviour in the face of Raiga's pain, Naruto found this odd, too.

   "The mission was to drive the Kurosuki family out of here," Akira interrupted. Her voice was cold. "With Raiga out of the way, the threat to the village is gone."

Everyone on the team nodded. Akira glanced at Ranmaru.

   "Now, the question at hand is what to do with the Kurosuki family now that they've got no leadership," she continued. "Take the head off of a beast, it's hard to predict what it'll do next. Once that's done, however, the mission will be finished."
   "But, uh... What're we supposed to do with him?" Naruto asked tentatively.

Akira looked to Ranmaru again. The coldness in her eyes remained but she stayed silent. What could they do? He was a child, most likely drawn into Raiga's delusions because of a lack of better options. She doubted Ranmaru was dangerous without his partner, and even then, they'd defeated Raiga without much effort. But she also knew that his power to nullify kekkei genkai was a threat to bloodline trait users everywhere.

Faced with her silence, Neji made a suggestion that Akira didn't even contemplate before agreeing to. It was selfish, perhaps, on Neji's and Akira's part. After all, they were the only users of a kekkei genkai in the team and it only served them to contain Ranmaru. 

   "Do you really think that he is dangerous enough to tie up?" Lee asked as Neji bound his arms and legs.
   "No, I don't believe so," Neji replied. "But he may be a danger to himself."

Once he was tied up, Neji picked up Ranmaru and locked him in a nearby shed. Akira slid her katana back into their sheaths and then walked up to the shed. She placed a seal tag over the doors, much to Tenten and Lee's surprise.

   "A Chakra-sealing tag as well?" Lee questioned.
   "Yeah, isn't that a little over the top?" Tenten added.
   "We have to assume he possesses other jutsu," Akira reasoned. "As Neji said, it's for his and our own safety."
   "Safety? The boy can barely walk let alone be a problem!"
   "You heard him, Tenten. With Raiga gone, he's got nothing left to live for. He'll hurt himself."
   "Oh, yeah, and how do you know that?" Tenten asked, annoyed.

Akira glanced at Naruto. There was a rare expression on his face, something between sadness and nostalgia.

   "Just a guess."

Chapter Text

Just as they were about to reach the village and announce a job well done to the villagers, a loud rumbling sound echoed through the valley. Large boulders began to roll down the side of the cliff directly at the five Konoha ninja and none of them were fast enough to avoid them. They were run over like limp ragdolls and the impact of the boulders knocked the air out of each and every one of them. To make matters worse, being stuck underneath them made it hard for their lungs to find air again. Eventually, they'd all run out of oxygen.

Akira tried to wiggle her way out, but the only parts of her body that could move were her arms—and they moved just barely. She let out a frustrated groan loud enough for everyone to hear her and, more annoyed than anything else, she began pulling her hands together, scraping her skin against the rocks. As her arms moved, Akira could feel her shoulders on the verge of dislocation and she let out a pained cry as they popped out of their sockets. However, she pushed through the pain and hoped that she'd be able to make a few hand seals. The last time she'd tried to perform an Earth-style jutsu it hadn't worked, but it had to this time. If she remained crushed under this boulder for much longer, Akira's brain wouldn't have enough oxygen.

With the hand seals made, Akira swung her arms outwards as best she could, screaming in pain as her shoulders snapped back into place. A heavy pool of chakra began to form in her abdomen and one of the rocks nearest to her suddenly adhered to her arm. Slowly and one by one, rocks began to attach themselves to Akira's arms to form a giant fist. With one final cry, Akira swung her rock fists at the boulder that was crushing her and obliterated it. Air rushed into her lungs again and Akira stood, coughing. Slowly, she destroyed the boulders that were crushing her team, and she turned back to the Kurosuki goons with bloody rocks falling off her arms.

   "You know, I've never been able to do that until now," Akira panted. "I think that means I've just gotten stronger. Let's put it to the test, shall we?"
   "You're not gonna get the chance!" one of the henchmen called. "Ninja Art: Black Tornado!"

One after the other, the members of the Kurosuki family piled themselves on top of each other, creating two human pillars. Claws of razor-sharp metal protruded from their fingerless gloves and, as they began to spin, created two giant tornadoes that would cut them to shreds in seconds. Akira rolled her eyes, annoyed, and looked to her team.

   "Tenten!"
   "On it, Akira!"

Tenten pulled out a giant scroll and spun it around with ease. She performed a series of hand signs and then pulled out a spiked chain. She twirled it above her head a few times before throwing it at both tornadoes. The second the chain hit, the spinning claws got stuck and the spikes embedded themselves in the men's own arms, preventing them from moving.

   "Lee, Neji!"
   "All right!"

Lee and Neji jumped in, kicking and beating down the opponents with surprising ease. Their agility surpassed the enemies' and they were nearly taken down, slowed and injured. 

   "Naruto!"
   "Oh, yeah!"

Naruto finished them off by spawning dozens upon dozens of clones, beating every single enemy to a pulp. They had all fallen into a heap, passed out, and the few stragglers that had fallen a ways away were dragged over into the pile as well. Akira performed a single-handed sign, blood dripping from her arms, and shouted yet another Earth-style Jutsu. Spears of rock rose from the ground with incredible speed, forming a pyramid around the pile of unconscious bodies.

Akira heard something shift to her left, and her arm reached out, sending a coil of water to wrap itself around Karashi's ankle.

   "You," she said, voice dangerously low. "Give me one reason why I shouldn't encase you in bedrock like the others."
   "Yeah, Karashi! What were you thinking back there!?" Naruto shouted. "I mean, haven't you learned your lesson by now?"
   "Well, Karashi—what do you have to say for yourself?" Rokusuke demanded.
   "Uh—Uh, it was just a joke!" Karashi said meekly. 
   "You think we'll believe this was just a joke?" Akira asked calmly, raising an eyebrow at the boy. "You've tormented this entire village."
   "But I didn't have any other choice! If I didn't do as they told me, I would have been killed by the Kurosuki!"
   "Well, instead of the Kurosuki, I'll do the same with a blow from my hammer!" a villager said.
   "That's right!" another added.

A few men began shoving Karashi, and so Akira removed the coil of water from his ankle. However, Lee jumped between the boy and the men, getting down to his knees. Naruto noticed that Akira seemed displeased. Did she want the villagers to harm Karashi?

   "You should strike me instead until you are satisfied!" he said.
   "Why would we punish you?"
   "At one time, Karashi was a kind-hearted, innocent young man, and I am partly responsible for him joining a gang of thugs."
   "Hm? You're to blame?" the old man they'd saved earlier said, confused.
   "It is because of my words that he came to think that power was everything," Lee explained. "It is true, Karashi was naive. But even so, he has a rare ability to make life-saving curry. Please let Karashi atone for his sins, let him make curry. And also, if Karashi ever goes astray again there will be consequences! I swear. I will punish him with my two fists."
   "Hey, what does everyone think of letting Lee and Grandma Sansho deal with this?" Rokusuke suggested.
   "Well... I suppose he was just an underling of the Kurosuki family," the old man said. "It's not like he attacked our village himself. Maybe it would be better to have Rock Lee take Karashi under his wing and see..."

Lee grabbed Karashi's head and pushed him down into a low bow.

   "Thank you very much!" Lee said.
   "Y-Yeah, thank you," Karashi said meekly, embarrassed.
   "And with that, our mission is pretty much complete!" Naruto said, satisfied.
   "No, not just yet," Akira said, a serious look on her face. "There's still Ranmaru."

The seal hadn't been tampered with. It was still intact and the doors were still shut tight. Akira sighed before ripping it off and pulling the doors open to reveal Ranmaru, still tied up in every manner possible. Neji stood beside him.

   "You all right?" he asked.
   "What does it matter if I'm feeling all right, or not?" Ranmaru said, a smile on his face. "I can't go on living all alone like I am."
   "Hey, come on, you can't say that!" Naruto chastised.
   "Why don't we just leave this weakling here?" Tenten said, getting irritated. "Everyone ought to be able to live by themselves."
   "But don't you need some good friends in life that you can count on in a pinch?"
   "I'm talking about the basics here! I can't stand weak indecisive people!"
   "Then do you hate the sick? The dying? The poor who cannot do better even if they tried? Young children who depend on their parents?" Akira inquired, staring straight at Tenten. "Then you hate more than half the world's population, Tenten. Do you think that's a wise way to live?"

Tenten seemed embarrassed to have spoken in the first place and remained quiet.

   "I was frail from the moment I was born," Ranmaru said softly. Akira turned to look at him, face still impassive. "And for most of my life, a shabby cabin was my entire world. I have no memory of my parents. I survived only because the villagers took pity on me and brought me small amounts of food from time to time. But even as fragile as I was, I had a special power no one else did. As time went on, everyone feared me, because without leaving my room, I could see what was happening outside. From then on, I had no more visitors bringing me food. All I could do was wait to die. If it weren't for Raiga, I wouldn't be alive. Raiga took me beyond those walls, showing me a world I'd never experienced before. If Raiga isn't here to care for me, it's the same as losing my own body."

Akira crouched down to Ranmaru's level and gazed straight into his eyes. 

   "Raiga was using you as a tool. You were not living for each other," she said simply.
   "Akira!" Lee gasped, outraged.
   "Yes, he might have been using me," Ranmaru chuckled, staring back at Akira with a soft smile. "It's possible. But whether good or bad, either way, it doesn't matter to me, 'cause I'm just a tool to sense things out anyway."
   "If that's what you believe, then you're not really alive, are you, Ranmaru?"

The boy's eyes widened in shock.

   "I knew someone like you once," Akira said, her voice and gaze softening. "Someone who only lived for one other person, someone who they thought had saved them, too."
   "What happened to them?"
   "I killed him."

Tenten, Neji and Lee looked on confused, but Naruto knew that Akira was speaking of Haku.

   "I killed him when he jumped in front of his partner to protect him. But he didn't do it out of love or desire or anything that could possibly warrant sacrifice. He did it because he thought that that was all he was good for, that he was just some tool for his friend to use whenever it suited him," Akira continued. "It's never sat well with me, Ranmaru. It's never sat well with me because I took the life of someone who'd never truly lived before. I stopped it, prevented it from happening."
   "Akira... it wasn't your fault," Naruto said gently.
   "It doesn't matter, Naruto. It still ended that life and anything that could have come from it." Akira took a deep breath and let it out quickly. "That's why it's not what we're going to do today. You're going to live and you're going to start by eating the Curry of Life."

There was a collective sound of confusion, save from Lee. He encouraged it, once again repeating that the curry had saved his life. Ranmaru was surprised when Akira reached over and untied him, swinging him onto her back. As he sat atop her gourd, Ranmaru gazed at Akira with fascination. While she didn't have the signature enthusiasm of Naruto Uzumaki, Akira's tender smile was just as infectious.

   "I'll be your body for now, all right? What do you say?"
   "All right, but I have one favour to ask."
   "What is it?"
   "Can I see Raiga one last time?"

Akira nodded and the group calmly headed towards the edge of the cliff. Down below, in a pile of rubble, Akira could see two arms and the kiba sticking out, the blades gleaming in the sunlight. Neji went to the edge and, using his Byakugan, checked to see if there was any sign of life in Raiga. Looking at Akira, he shook his head. 

   "Let's go."

Akira eyed Raiga's arms suspiciously before turning around and leaving towards the Curry of Life shop. The nagging feeling was still there at the back of her mind, like a bad cold that just wouldn't go away. However, she pushed it away—if it became a problem she'd deal with it then.

The sun had risen completely by the time Akira's team arrived at the Curry of Life shop. The two men that had remained behind greeted them warmly upon seeing them and ran inside to get Grandma Sancho. It was like a warm family reunion, and Akira couldn't help but smile a little despite her worries. The old woman sat Karashi down and chucked him a plate of curry three hundred times spicier than she usually made it, calling it the 'punishment curry'. Karashi wolfed it down, crying from the spiciness, but thanked his mother all the same. Then she prepared a mild batch for everyone else, including Ranmaru, but he hadn't even touched his by the time everyone else was done. 

   "She made it mild," Akira said, looking over at the young boy. "You should be able to eat it."

The boy shook his head and kept it down. Akira frowned. This day clearly wasn't done, yet.

Chapter Text

For the past few hours, Akira had been helping Grandma Sansho around the Curry of Life shop, a feeling of dread aching at her. She hoped the lightning and this thunder wouldn't come back, but there it was, with rain cascading in diagonal sheets. A sense of foreboding was gnawing at Akira's insides and, when she paused to listen to the rain, she found there was a certain rhythm to the downpour. It was anger, and Akira just knew that Raiga was responsible for it.

However, Akira couldn't be sure. She sent Tenten to check on Ranmaru and Karashi but she hadn't returned since. Karashi had eventually returned alone, but his excuse wasn't very credible, which meant that Ranmaru was a liability and Tenten was most likely in danger. If Ranmaru even suspected that Raiga was still alive, despite Akira's earlier speech, there was a possibility that he'd return to him.

Akira and her team wasted no time. They geared up and ran directly into the downpour.

   "Would lightning and some cliff be really enough to beat someone?" Neji said, sceptical. 
   "Huh? What do you mean?" Naruto asked.
   "Neji's correct. We may have seen Raiga dead, but that doesn't mean he actually was," Akira stated. "I don't think Karashi was telling the truth, either. Either Lee hasn't convinced him enough or someone is threatening him again. I'd tend to go with the latter."
   "But we already took out the Kurosuki family!"
   "Maybe my eyes were clouded," Neji admitted. "If Ranmaru can stop us from using our kekkei genkai, maybe he can alter its perception, too."
   "No way! Ranmaru was on our—"

Naruto cut himself off. As they pushed through the trees and the bushes, they came to a clearing. Standing at the centre was Raiga, kiba held towards the sky as they took on the lightning. Akira's eyes narrowed and she activated her Sharingan.

   "Don't use anything that can conduct lightning," she shouted over the raging rain. "He's using lightning in its purest form! This isn't chakra!"
   "If he can draw upon the power of nature itself, truly harness it," Neji began, "there'll be no stopping him!"
   "It's a good thing I'll be able to do the same thing in a few moments!"

Akira's pupils dilated and contracted with every flash of lightning and every move that Raiga made. She pulled out her katana, silently praying that they wouldn't shatter under so much stress, and ran at Raiga. Akira copied the man's movements, flowing her own chakra into the blades she was holding. She rose them as Raiga raised the kiba and, simultaneously they shot a vast amount of power at each other. Both attacks missed and everyone behind Akira dodged the enemy attack.

   "Neji—Byakugan! We need an advantage!"
   "If we can dodge his attacks and take the battle to him, that'll be our advantage," Neji said after a moment.
   "Right—Naruto!"
   "Way ahead of you!" Naruto called. He ran forward, dodging another strike of lightning. "Shadow Clone Jutsu!"

He kept moving forward, creating more and more clones as they got vapourised by lightning. Akira kept copying Raiga's movements, slicing the air with their blades to shoot concentrated waves of lightning at him. Naruto ran past Akira and straight at Raiga, forcing him to pause his lightning attacks. Neji took the opportunity to sneak behind him, palm outstretched, ready to use his gentle fist technique. However, Raiga saw it coming, and the moment before Neji's hand hit him squarely in the back, a giant bolt of lightning crashed down on him, then Naruto. 

   "You brats... Are you really that dumb? This isn't ordinary Chakra I'm blasting you with, it's actual lightning."

Naruto fell to his knees, and Neji fell back and tumbled a few feet. Raiga laughed.

   "Stop it!" Lee said, coming up beside Akira. "How dare you disrespect an opponent who fought you with all he had?"
   "Oh, I remember you. On second thought, I won't hold a funeral—I'll just kill you!"

Lee proceeded to remove the incredibly heavy weights attached to his ankles. He dropped them to the ground, causing something akin to an explosion. He looked to Akira for approval, and she nodded, allowing Lee to jump forward and punch Raiga in the face. 

   "I hate this kid!" Raiga shouted, outraged. 

He shot another bolt of lightning at Lee but he dodged it. Lee swerved and shot himself back at Raiga, kicking him directly in the stomach. Upon landing, Raiga pointed his kiba to the sky, and all of a sudden, his body became engulfed in lightning. He slammed his Kiba downwards to hit Lee, but the boy was quick and evaded with ease. However, the current continued to travel through the ground, so when Lee landed, it electrocuted him anyway. He too let out a pained yell, but at least Lee was still standing, though wobbly.

   "Why... do you go so far?"
   "I'll get so strong that Guy-sensei will look at me with a smile... that is my Ninja Way!"
   "I see... So, you live for this Guy person... and you? Do you live for this Guy, as well?" Raiga asked Akira, who scoffed.
   "I live for myself and my village," Akira stated. "And I'll destroy anyone who gets in my way."
   "Well, then, I guess we'll only be giving this Guy-sensei a funeral, because I'm killing both of you right here!"

Raiga raised his kiba into the air again, charging them and himself with lightning. He then began to spin, creating some kind of tornado. Akira's eyes examined him intensely.

   "Ninja Art: Thunder Drago Tornado!"

Akira and Lee's feet began to dig into the ground as they tried to hold themselves in place. The tornado swirled higher and higher until it formed a dragon with bright red eyes. Both Lee and Akira were caught in the winds. It sucked her in and tossed her around like a ragdoll, then dropped her like a heavy stone on the cold ground. Lee tumbled further away, rolling off the cliff and out of sight. Akira could do nothing but watch, as her pained body was slow to react.

She heard Raiga laugh dangerously and struggled to get back up and face him. A little smile rose to her lips. Behind Raiga, Karashi and Tenten were feeding Naruto and Neji the blackened Curry of Life. Neji passed out again, senses overwhelmed by the spice, but Naruto seemed to be getting more and more energised by the second. As Akira went to attack Raiga again, Ranmaru appeared behind her, walking. For a moment, she marvelled at the healing properties of the curry. After spotting Ranmaru, Raiga attempted to run to him, but Akira held a katana to his throat. 

   "We're the ones who helped him," Akira said quietly. "You will wait, or you will die."
   "You're alive, Ranmaru!" Raiga said, almost deranged. "We'll be together forever again! Let's kill them all, Ranmaru, and have fun doing lots of bad things!"

Ranmaru looked up at Akira, almost pleading, but the girl's attention was captured by Lee, who returned swaying on the spot. His cheeks were tinged with red and he didn't seem to be all there mentally. Akira frowned. Somehow, alcohol had gotten into Lee's system, and there was enough of it for him to be able to use the Drunken Fist. He launched himself at Raiga, tripping over a rock as he went, and hit Raiga with a flurry of unpredictable hits.

Raiga rose his kiba into the air and drew lighting again, then shot it at Lee. The boy dodged with extreme ease. Raiga kept trying to attack him over and over again, but Lee found a way to evade all of the incredibly fast attacks. He ran towards Raiga and kicked square in the jaw, sending him flying. As he landed, Raiga used another jutsu to summon lightning as his armour and darted straight for Lee. However, the boy passed through all of his defences and jabbed him directly in the stomach. The impact sent both Raiga and Lee flying backwards.

Akira closed her eyes and tried to calm herself. It had been far more difficult than usual. Akira's heart was beating fast, her mind was reeling, her breaths were shallow. Raiga wasn't going down, even with Lee's powerful Drunken Fist. Akira's thoughts brought her to a darkened forest. She could hear heavy breathing, the slicing of skin, the dripping of blood. Cold sweat dripped down her brow. However, by the time Raiga and Lee were standing again, Akira's mind was blank and her body was positioned in a loose martial arts form. When her eyes opened again, Raiga was standing fairly close, but Ranmaru was standing between him and Akira.

   "I want to feed you the Curry of Life, too..." Ranmaru said softly. "You'll realise that you're not alone if you eat the curry. Everyone's feelings are blended in..."
   "What're you saying?" Raiga said, irritated. 
   "Let's stop hurting people."
   "Cut it out, Ranmaru! You're my eyes and ears! We'll no longer be two people in one if you keep saying these things!"
   "Shoot your lightning. If I die, the strong Raiga will also die. We're two in one, so—"
   "I... won't be able to remember you from when we were one," Raiga said.

He rose his Kiba and charged them with lightning.

   "I must give you a funeral!"
   "No, you won't," Akira said calmly, standing in front of Ranmaru. "You'd kill the friend who risked his own life to save yours?"
   "Ranmaru betrayed me!" Raiga shouted, outraged. "He broke the promise of it being just the two of us forever!"
   "Joy with strangers is better than sadness with those you love, Raiga."
   "Quit running your mouth, runt! Don't underestimate me. I'm Raiga Kurosuki, once one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist! I won't take orders from the likes of you!"
   "If you're one of those swordsmen, then what's with Kisame!? Where is he!?" Naruto bellowed.
   "Kisame? I hate him. I hate them all! The only friend I have is Ranmaru. But Ranmaru—we're no longer two in one."
   "Raiga—"
   "IMPUDENT!" Raiga bellowed, drawing an immense amount of lightning towards himself. "Who do you think taught you about the outside world!?"
   "Naruto."

Akira's voice was so quiet he'd barely heard her. With one look, Naruto could tell what was going to happen. 

   "Don't let Ranmaru see."

Naruto's eyes widened ever-so-slightly, but his gaze turned serious quickly. He nodded once and Akira did the same. She looked back at Raiga, a cold and detached look in her eyes, and as soon as Raiga charged forward, so did Akira. Naruto pulled Ranmaru and Lee away from the fight, much to their protest. 

Akira dodged all of Raiga's attacks, weaving her way through the flashes of lightning as she bolted straight for the enemy. The pale blue lightning glowed in Akira's dark eyes, and as Raiga stared into them, he could see nothing but the void staring back at him, the flashes of his attacks seemingly absorbed by the darkness. He half-expected her to perform a jutsu as she approached, but glancing down at her hands, he saw that they were gripping her swords, with no sign of chakra anywhere. When he looked back up, Akira's arms were crossed over her chest, the tips of her blades crossed behind her head. In one swift movement, she slashed her arms outwards. Raiga anticipated the attack, but not the one coming from the real Akira appearing behind him. As his eyes caught one last glance of the icy emptiness in the girl's eyes, the real chakra blades crossed in front of her and sliced cleanly through Raiga's neck.

Raiga's head fell with a soft thump and his body soon followed. Akira closed her eyes and took a deep breath, then wiped her blades on her pants before putting them back in their holsters. Calmly, she walked over to the decapitated Raiga and sighed, disgusted, as she looked at him. Then, as if kicking a pebble, Akira punted Raiga's head off the edge of the cliff and tossed his body in after. As they fell, she performed a few hand seals and vapourised Raiga's remains in an instant.

   "There. Your last funeral."

Chapter Text

Akira ruffled Ranmaru's hair before she and her team left the Curry of Life shop. He was being left in Grandma Sansho's capable hands and was going to train him and Karashi to take over the shop.

Ranmaru had no idea that it was Akira's fault that Raiga was gone, and she would keep it that way until the day she died. On the other hand, Tenten and Naruto both knew that Akira had taken Raiga's head clean off. Lee had been shielded with Ranmaru and Neji was still unconscious at the time, and neither of them was informed afterwards. It had come as a shock for Tenten. She didn't speak for a while following Raiga's unceremonious end and even now, as they were on their way back to Konoha, Tenten found it difficult to look Akira in the eyes. What was more worrisome was that Akira was playing it cool, as if nothing had happened. Even Naruto seemed concerned. Had her training with Orochimaru really dulled her senses that much?

Akira and her team made it back to the village safely, and the Hokage congratulated them on a successful mission. Akira bid her team goodbye and went straight home to have some non-spicy food and a hot bath. The perfectly lined bonsai trees greeted Akira as she walked underneath the torii to her home, and she ran her fingers through the wisteria that hung above. The koi pond was alive with hungry fish, and the girl passed by to give them food. The lily pads swayed on the undulating water, and the rest of the garden was a riot of the colours of May. The sight of it made Akira smile.

Akira groaned in satisfaction as she untied her hair and removed her headband, dropping them beside the tub. She slid the bathroom door shut and looked at herself in the mirror for a few moments, though she didn't linger for too long after seeing the dirt and blood that had dried on it. Soon the bath was filled with steaming hot water, and Akira undressed slowly before hopping in. The warm water soothed her sore muscles and the pain in her shoulders, and the constant deep breaths she was taking calmed her down until serenity. Though, it was short-lived. The image of herself cutting off Raiga's head turned everything red. She gasped, opening her eyes and sitting up straight in the bath. 

   "You had no choice," she whispered to herself. "You had to make sure... He'd come back before."

A long sigh escaped Akira's lips. The bath she'd planned to sit in for hours was ruined and she hurried to scrub the dirt and blood from her body. Akira watched, eyes vacant, as the dirty water swirled down the drain. When the droplets of water began to cool her skin, she dried herself off and threw on a yukata, tying it around her waist. For the next half hour or so, Akira busied herself in the kitchen making tonkatsu, genmai, miso soup and sunomono, and placed everything at her spot at the table and dug in. Today, no one came to bother her during her meal, so Akira enjoyed the view of the sunset and the sounds of her garden alone. The dishes were done quickly, and the kitchen was soon back in order. A small pot of tea was made for her to enjoy as she stared at the koi, and once the darkness had overtaken the day, Akira retreated inside for some well-deserved rest, though it was occasionally plagued by the fear-stricken face of Raiga Kurosuki.

Fists brutally met with wood, cutting and scraping knuckles on each impact. A foot collided with the wood, then another and then another, in rapid succession. The ankle was split and bleeding now. It'd take a day or two for it to heal completely. Forearms rose to midnight blue eyes as they blocked an imaginary punch, and a limber body swayed to the left to dodge an imaginary kick. Legs jumped up high, black hair flying all around like a halo of smoke, and the nimble ninja flipped sending a final blow to the top of the wooden training dummy. The ninja wiped the sweat off of her brow with her shirt, exposing her stomach for a moment, and headed over to the shade to fetch her bottle of water. 

Akira had been up since dawn to practice her taijutsu. She found it lacking compared to her other skills, and being a Chūnin meant that all her skills needed to be honed, not just the ones she was naturally good at. It was almost noon now, and Akira's body was just now feeling the burn of her training. She shrugged off her kimono and tossed it aside before wrapping her hands in bandages—this would keep her going longer and avoid any more injuries. Moments later she was back to kicking and punching the wooden training dummy to a tune she was humming, denting it more than it already was. She was interrupted when a ninja appeared on her property and handed her a scroll. Akira sighed and grabbed her water bottle and kimono before heading inside. The girl changed clothes and slid on her flak jacket, finding no point in taking a shower if she was going on a mission where she'd get sweaty and dirty again. Besides, she hadn't the time. 

Akira was in the Hokage's office in mere minutes, rushing over to the Academy when she was ready. The Hokage greeted her with a smile, and soon Naruto, Kiba and Hinata had joined her. Kiba and Akira had some sort of odd greeting ritual that involved three different kinds of fist bumps, and they tried to teach it to Hinata while Shizune was preparing the documents. Apparently, the mission was a simple one, to retrieve a thief. Naruto was obviously dissatisfied with the simplicity of the mission.

   "I'm not fired up!" he shouted. "It's a mission to catch a petty thief! It'd be the same no matter who went on the mission!"
   "Look. Under normal circumstances, a simple four-man team of Kiba, Hinata, Shino and squad leader Akira would be sufficient, but Shino is unavailable since he's on another mission. Which means it'd be better if you were there than not, right?"
   "What!? Old lady, that's taking it too far!"
   "I'll do my best!" Hinata said with a smile.
   "Yeah, Kira and I can give it a whirl," Kiba said, nudging his squad leader.
   "That's Squad Leader, to you, Inuzuka."

Kiba puffed his cheeks and stuck his tongue out at Akira, making her giggle. The sound of it almost made her own ears bleed, but Kiba seemed to find it amusing.

   "Anyway, your mission is to capture the man who stole the Misogi Tea Jar owned by the Feudal Lord of the Land of Tea," Tsunade said, holding up the image of their perpetrator. "This man, Gosunkugi. According to sources, he's now hiding in the Land of Stone. Get over there quick, catch him quick."
   "Hearing that makes me even less fired up," Naruto groaned.

Akira smacked him upside the head with a smile and asked all her teammates to get geared up for the worst possible scenario. It seemed that Naruto and herself had a knack for attracting trouble, so Akira expected the worst to happen during a simple mission like this. At least she had a very capable Kiba and Hinata by her side.

The quartet stopped for lunch about halfway there, in a meadow that was almost as beautiful as Akira's garden. Hinata had made everyone a box lunch with onigiri the shape of Naruto's face, which made Kiba and Akira chuckle a bit, but they tasted great so they didn't mention anything funny. Once again, Naruto complained about the banality of the mission, but Kiba was there to kick him in the butt and tell him that missions like this once in a while were good to take it easy all the while working. Made things fun.

It didn't take long for them to reach the Land of Stone, and it didn't take long for the scenery to change from heavenly to derelict either. The bright green meadow seemed so long ago now that they were knee-deep in the dusty and rocky ravines of the Land of Stone. There were piles of rocks everywhere, almost like grave markers, but because of the symbols on them, Akira knew that they were shrines of some kind, but it didn't change the fact that the entrance to this Land made you want to turn back around and never return. The first outpost to the Land of Stone wasn't anything much either, as buildings seemed like they'd fall apart just by blowing on them.

Akira, Kiba, Hinata and Naruto climbed down the side of the cliff they were on and began their trek to the outpost. Kiba brought down his hood, which led to Akira staring at him perplexed for a while, as she'd rarely seen the entirety of his head. When Naruto caught her staring she shook it off, and they pushed on into the seemingly deserted town. There was a strong breeze that pushed around debris on the ground, creating miniature tornadoes in corners of buildings where the air got trapped and spun. Soon, Akira spotted people sitting down on the porches of the buildings, every single one of them staring at them as if the Leaf Ninja were some sort of plague. 

   "What're these guys doing? Staring like that," Naruto mumbled.
   "I wouldn't look at them directly," Akira warned, looking straight ahead. "They might get provoked if you look at them the wrong way."
   "This doesn't seem like we're gonna be able to do this quick and easy," Kiba said. Akamaru whimpered in agreement.

Akira cursed under her breath as she spotted something. Hinata, Kiba and Naruto turned to look at the same thing and noticed it was a wanted poster with a reward posted underneath it. Akira cursed again. If bounty hunters were going to be involved in this, this mission was definitely not going to go on without a hitch. The Feudal Lord of the Land of Tea should have informed the Leaf Village that he had set a bounty on the man as well. Tsunade and Shizune could have gotten more skilled ninja for the task. 

   "Why're there posters of the guy all over the place?" Naruto wondered. "Three million ryo? Hm, let me go ask!"
   "Wait, Naruto!"

Naruto waltzed into a place called the Asia Saloon. It was bare and unkempt, the smell of stale drink was in the air. Akira's hands twitched towards her katana, seeing all the men in the bar look them up and down.

   "Hello!" Naruto announced.
   "Can I help you?" the bartender asked.

Akira leaned against the bartop to keep an eye on its patrons. All eyes were on them.

   "I have something I'd like to ask you."
   "If you're not a customer, beat it."
   "Then I'll order something! I'll have ramen!"
   "This is funny. Ramen?" a patron laughed. Others joined in the laughter.
   "Are you making a fool of me? Get out, brats!" the barman shouted.
   "If it's the money, we have some," Naruto announced, pulling out his coin pouch.

Akira almost went red in the face with anger. Was he really that dumb that he'd swing his money around a place like this? The girl's senses perked up when someone moved to her left. An arm stretched across her, aiming to grab Naruto's arm, but Akira pulled out a kunai in a fraction of a second and planted it in the man's arm. She kept her hand on it and looked at the man, smiling innocently.

   "I would like to apologize for his behaviour," Akira said nicely. "He's not familiar with the basic rules of an establishment such as this one. However, it's not an excuse to take advantage of him, right?"

Akira reached into her pocket and pulled out a few ryo, sliding them on the counter.

   "Tell him what he wants to know. And get a glass of water for the dog."

She removed the kunai from the man's arm and wiped it on his jacket. Akira smiled threateningly at him and put the kunai away. The barman smirked, clearly amused by the girl's attitude, and took the coins before grabbing a bowl and filling it with water. Akamaru barked gratefully. 

   "Who the hell gets water for a dog!?" the man shouted, pulling out a short sword. Akira rolled her eyes. "You wanna die!?"

It took barely two seconds and he was on the ground, but not by Akira's hand. A tall stranger had intervened, knocking him to the ground with barely more than a swing of his Katana. Akira rose an eyebrow, impressed. This man was trained in the Art of the Sword, she thought. Then the stranger pulled out a paper with the face of the man Akira had just stabbed. Akira clicked her tongue. The helpful one was a bounty hunter.

   "Bounty, Michizo Manaka." He turned to Akira. "You can take the credit for this one, young Master. Take the money from this bounty for the water and information you seek."

The man left the saloon, and Akira's eyes followed him as he went. She turned her head to Naruto, her eyes still fixed on the stranger.

   "Ask your questions. Don't get beaten up."

Akira followed the man out of the Saloon and called out to him, arms crossed and with a stern look on her face.

   "Hey." The man turned. "Who are you?"
   "Sazanami. A Bounty Hunter," he said with a small smile. 
   "I figured as much. I was more curious about the way you handle that sword. That was Iaidō, was it not?"
   "Little lady knows what she's talking about, eh? Who're you to know such things?"
   "Akira. That's really all you need to know."

The man smirked, a sign of respect. Naruto, Kiba and Hinata then came running after her. Sazanami tilted his hat as a goodbye and turned to leave, but Naruto had questions of his own to ask the stranger. The introduction was redone, and Naruto began his questioning.

   "Say, say... that was really cool what you did back there! It was so fast I couldn't see when you drew your sword! Even Akira isn't that good!"

Akira rolled her eyes and sighed.

   "It was really surprising," Hinata added.
   "Life and death are on the line for us Bounty Hunters. No matter how many lives we could have, it wouldn't be enough if we couldn't draw our swords faster than others."
   "Say, say! What's a Bounty Hunter?" Naruto asked.
   "Really, Naruto? You have to ask?" Akira sighed.
   "Let's see... There are people who offer a bounty in order to capture bad guys. And a bounty hunter catches those bad guys to receive the bounty."
   "Then, this guy has a bounty on him too?" Naruto asked, showing Sazanami the picture of Gosunkugi.
   "Boy, that's..."
   "Why's there so much money on his head?" Kiba asked. "Three million ryo seems a lot for a petty thief."
   "A simple thief, you say..." Sazanami said, frowning. "Boy, this man is an A-rank bounty who has killed dozens of people for the sake of stealing."

Akira sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose.

   "I knew something was going to go wrong."

Chapter Text

Akira had her hands placed firmly on her hips, and the shadow that cast from the setting sun was just as impressive as the real thing. Her midnight blue eyes remained fixed on her teammates as well as the stranger they'd just met. Akira didn't follow Naruto, Hinata and Kiba, who were heading out of town with Sazanami. She remained stern with her feet grounded to the spot where she stood. There was no way, no matter how friendly he seemed, that she was going anywhere with a Bounty Hunter. Their mission was to retrieve Gosunkugi and bring him to the Land of Tea to face justice, collect their wages and head home. While Sazanami hadn't expressed interest towards Gosunkugi's bounty, considering how high it was, Akira was sure he was going after it, and all the niceties were only happened to get information out of them.

   "Naruto, Kiba, Hinata." Akira called in a stern voice. The three turned around. "We're going back on course."
   "What!? Come on, Akira—he promised ramen!" Naruto whined.
   "That's an order."

Kiba frowned as he stared at his best friend, and he slowly walked to her side. Hinata followed. Akira whispered words of distrust towards Sazanami, and their gazes hardened. The Uchiha expectantly looked at Naruto, whose head was switching from Sazanami's back to Akira's dark expression. Eventually, the boy took a step towards Akira and followed through until they were side by side.

   "Let's go."

As they turned to leave, Akira heard Sazanami sigh. Hinata looked fearfully at Akira as the Uchiha activated her Sharingan and placed her hand on the hilts of her Katana. Kiba and Naruto looked at her nervously too. Akamaru seemed to be the only one who was as certain as Akira, growling softly at what was behind them.

   "Sorry, but you guys are going to die here," Sazanami said. "To think that twerps like you would know that Gosunkugi is in this town."
   "So what if we know?" Naruto growled, looking back at the Bounty Hunter.
   "Gosunkugi is my prey. I can't hand him over to you."
   "Knock it off," Kiba said. "You should just go get him yourself."
   "No. Even if you guys are kids, it's a different story when it comes to Leaf Ninjas. It's better to have fewer competitors."

The man pulled out his sword and pointed it at the back of Akira's head. The girl took a deep breath and relaxed her body, slowly pulling out both of her katana, which she twirled in hand. She closed her eyes and she listened to the man's movements. First, he took Hinata hostage, which angered the boys, but he simply knocked her out with a hit to the head. Kiba hurled himself at him next, using his Beast Mimicry Jutsu to gain power and speed, but Sazanami was still faster and stronger, knocking out both Kiba and Akamaru with a total of three hits. Naruto used his Shadow Clone Jutsu and distracted him a lot before actually trying to get to him. If he had been quieter, it would have worked, but Naruto was swiftly defeated as well. Just then, Akira felt something cold placed against her neck.

   "You won't do it. You may be a horrible person, but you're not a murderer. If you were, you wouldn't have wasted your time and spoken to us."
   "I must be the one to capture him."

Then just like that, the man was gone. Akira opened her eyes and dissipated her Sharingan. She put away her katana and ran over to Kiba first. Akamaru was already awake and licking his face. She pulled him up onto her legs as she knelt down, and lightly tapped his face until he woke up. Black eyes met with her blue ones a few moments later, blinking to focus on their surroundings. He stared up at her for a moment.

   "Are you all right?" Akira asked, eyebrows furrowed in worry.
   "Yeah, I'm good. You?" Kiba asked calmly.
   "I'm fine, do not worry."
   "The others?"
   "Waking up now."
   "Could you two get a room or something?" Naruto groaned, spying Kiba and Akira. 

The girl scoffed and turned her head away, unsuccessfully hiding the blush rising to her cheeks. She roughly pushing Kiba off her in standing, which made him yelp in surprise. Hinata giggled. Kiba sent her a mock glare, amused. 

   "Where'd Sazanami go?" Naruto asked, looking at his teammates with an odd expression.
   "I don't know," Akira said after clearing her throat. "As I was analyzing his movements, I realized that he meant us no harm, so I didn't engage him. He let me go unscathed, but with a warning. I suspect he's off to search for Gosunkugi."
   "Well, I'm not just gonna stand here like this!" Kiba announced. "He'll beat us to the draw!"

Akira nodded and lead her team back to the outpost town. It was dark by then, crickets heard but not seen, and the cool air rustled Akira's long hair. She awakened her Sharingan again and examined the deserted buildings for movement, then the horizon. Kiba and Akamaru listened and sniffed for any indications to their whereabouts, and Hinata used her Byakugan to look through buildings and large boulders to see if anyone was hiding behind them as they moved through the outpost town. Naruto walked lazily behind them.

   "Dammit, where is that old man!?" he complained. 

Just then, Akamaru barked, looking directly to the conglomeration of mountains just outside the town. He barked again and dashed off, leading the four ninja out of the outpost and into the wilderness of the Land of Stones. They rushed back into the ravine they'd taken on the way in and immediately spotted Gosunkugi alongside four bodyguards. Sazanami was following them, weaving through smaller boulders to remain hidden. Akira gave concise instructions to her team and they all split up, each responsible for an aspect of the ambush. Sazanami came out of his hiding spot when Gosunkugi and his guards rounded a corner, but the guards were waiting for him, and Gosunkugi snuck up behind him. When he told his four guards to finish him after he'd nearly impaled Sazanami with nails, Naruto initiated the first phase of the attack. 

   "Gosunkugi! You're under arrest!" he called, creating over two dozen clones.

They were veiled in shadow, and Akira could tell by Gosunkugi's expression that he couldn't tell it was all the same person. 

   "Retreat!" Gosunkugi shouted, running off with his guards.

Naruto was about to go off and run after Gosunkugi, but Akira came out of her hiding spot, contrary to what she'd planned, and caught Sazanami as he began to fall, weak from his injuries. She called for Kiba and Hinata, who promptly showed up.

   "We'll get Gosunkugi after. At the moment, we need to treat this man or he's going to bleed out. Bounty hunter or not, no one's dying on my watch."
   "Stay away from him, kids... He's too much for you," Sazanami whispered, voice strained.
   "Shut up," Akira said bluntly. "He's too much for you, as well. Once you're up and running again, the five of us will go get him. It's a safer and more efficient plan than either of our initial ones."

Hinata located a small hut in the mountains and led the team to it, as Akira carried Sazanami on her back. Kiba unrolled a thin mattress from his backpack and Akira laid Sazanami on it. It seemed he'd passed out by the time they'd reached the hut. Akira helped Hinata with patching up his wounds, but the Hyuga did most of the work as she was better at medical work than her—Akira only knew the basics that were mostly used on battlefields, not precision work like this.

   "How could such a strong guy get beaten?" Naruto asked, crestfallen.
   "Gosunkugi isn't a mere thief," Kiba stated. "He's a shinobi, same as us."
   "Shinobi?"
   "I noticed it was a Jutsu as well, what he used to—"

Akira cut herself off as Hinata signalled for silence. She blew out the candle and pulled out her katana just as a large man with a mace broke down one of the walls to the hut. Naruto jumped on him, smashing his foot onto his head, Kiba lunged at him, punching the man in the gut and Akira swung her blades at him so fast that she chopped off the tip of his wooden mace with one of the blades, the other pointing at the man's neck. He growled loudly and tore himself away, bolting into a run and disappearing off into the distance. Akira frowned.

   "Did he mistake us for someone else?" Naruto asked.
   "He was in the bar earlier—I think he's another bounty hunter," Hinata said.
   "Look at this," Kiba said, picking up a piece of paper. He handed it to Akira. "It's a wanted flyer."
   "This man who calls himself Tokichi is a major criminal who has killed a family of three. He has a bird-shaped birthmark on his chest."