Akari POV:
WAKING UP IN A DARK AREA. I look around in confusion, I start walking around until I notice something. It's me, but when I was 7 years old. I'm staring at the bodies of my parents, tears rolling down my face. I narrow my eyes. 'This is too suspicious, especially after Orochimaru bit me, I'm guessing he tried to give Sasuke the curse mark but I got in the way, making him give it to me. This must be to make his victims succumb to his will, but I won't let that happen. No matter what he throws at me I'm Loyal to Konoha.' I thought, I glance around discreetly and notice a snake. 'So he's watching, I'll be suspicious if I know what's happening, I'm going to have to play along' I analysed.
Noticing the younger me look up at me, I stare at me?... her.? I'm going with her. I stare at her as she looks at me with a angry face. I widen my eyes in fake shock and confusion. "You couldn't save them, you are too weak." She said. I grit my teeth 'damn you Orochimaru..' I thought. "If only you had the power to save them, you could've saved them.. THEY COULD BE ALIVE RIGHT NOW.. BUT YOU WERE TOO WEAK! YOU WERE ALWAYS USELESS! YOU DIDNT DO ANYTHING TO STOP SHISUI!" My Younger self shouted at me with menace. Forcing tears to come to my eyes as I take a step back. "W-what no! I tried to! I am training to be stronger to kill that man! I TRIED, I TRIED! BUT HE STILL GOT THEM OKAY?!" I said, bringing myself to my knees, and punch the ground in 'anger'. I smirk slightly, unnoticed. 'Seems like that snake is falling for it.' I thought, glancing at the snake.
My younger self comes over and places a hand on my shoulder. "Accept the Power. With this power you can kill Shisui." She said. 'Time for a world of pain, I'll have to seal it after this...' I thought. I nod at my younger self. A wave of pain washes over me, feeling like 100 kunai's being stabbed into me. I grit my teeth but don't scream. 'I can't show weakness to the snake.' I pass out in the dark space and I wake up, seeing a cave roof above me, I feel a insane amount of power wash over me. 'This isn't too bad.. but I won't use it too much. I'll seal it so I can use it on command without going berserk.. hopefully Mito-nee can help with that." I thought. I look out of the cave, rising with a dark purple aura around me. I look up with my sharingan activated and see Sakura is injured, and her hair is cut. I see craters and Rock Lee unconscious on the sidelines.
I grit my teeth in anger. 'HOW DARE THEY TOUCH SAKURA.. HOW DARE THEY TOUCH MY FRIENDS!' I thought, enraged. "Akari! You're awake!" She said with a smile before seeing the purple aura around me, she looks on with wide eyes. "Sakura..." I started as black flame marks spread on my body like tattoos. "Who did this to you...?" I said in a soft, caring but stern voice. "Akari..." she said. "Who did it..?" I said, slowly lifting my head a bit higher. "It was us." I heard someone say. My eyes snap over to him and narrow in anger. "Akari... your body.." Sakura said, concerned. "Don't worry, I won't be using this for long. I can feel the power growing inside of me. There is nothing to worry about." I said.
I snap my head towards the direction of the guy who hurt Sakura. "So... it was you." I said, gritting my teeth in anger. I hear Shikamaru shout something to the sound-nin girl. "INO IF YOU STAY IN THAT FORM YOU WILL GET KILLED. GET BACK TO YOUR BODY." I look over at Ino's Body and see it's unconscious. 'Ino must have taken over the sound nin.' I thought before seeing the guy who hurt Sakura take out a Kunai and aim it for the Sound-nin's head. 'That will kill Ino as well!' I thought in anger before speeding in front of the sound-nin, grabbing the Kunai just before it could hit the girl. "Oi..." I started.
"What do you think you are doing, trying to kill my friends...?!" I said with so much venom in my voice. I see Ino made it back to her Body. "Ino.. are you okay now?" I said. She nods in gratitude. I notice the sound-nin who hurt Sakura starts charging a Jutsu towards me. I grab the sound-nin girl and throw her towards the guy in bandages, so she isn't in the line of fire. He catches her as the guy finishes charging his attack, he aims towards me. "Snap out of it Dosu! Just because she refuses to die..." he said. His team-mates, Dosu, eyes widen. "ZAKU NO!! DONT YOU GET IT?!" He shouted. His teammate Zaku releases the attack. "SUPERSONIC AIR-SLICE!" Zaku shouted. Just before it could hit me, I run out of the way, making it seem like I teleported.
The attack hits the place I was standing, leaving a crater. Zaku looks smug. "Looks like I blew that bitch into bits." I narrow my eyes, I run behind him. "What bitch is that?" I said. I raise my arm and backhand his neck, standing still as he flies a good distance. I weave through hand-signs. "FIRE-STYLE: ART OF THE DRAGONS BREATH, PHOENIX TECHNIQUE.!" I shouted, and blow fireballs in the shape of a dragon, towards Zaku. " You're getting Overconfident! I can just blow these out!" He said, sending a giant sound wave towards the fire, blowing it out. When the fire disappears it reveals to be shurikens in the flames, heading towards Zaku. They hit hit and he covers his face with his arms. I smirk.
I speed and skid across the ground, one arm in the air next to me, one on the ground. "ZAKU BENEATH YOU!" I heard his teammate Dosu shout. I slid under his legs and spin around. I grab his arms with one foot on his back. He shouts out in pain as I pull his arms back, putting pressure on his back with my foot. Remembering what he did to my friends, and most importantly Sakura, my eyes cloud with anger. "Heh.. you take so much pride in your arms, time to bid them Farewell!!" I said with a vicious grin. I start pulling his arms out of his sockets and he screams in pain. Hearing his bones snap. I drop him to the ground. I turn towards Dosu. "Only one left.." I said, walking towards him. "I hope you are more of a challenge, Dosu.." I said, slowly walking towards him as he shivers in fear.
"STOP IT!!" I heard a familiar voice shout, arms wrap around me from behind, digging their face in my back. Getting flashbacks from the scream.
~~~FLASHBACK~~~
He walks away into the house, I stand froze on my spot, I snapped out of my trance trying not to glance at the dead bodies around me in fear of puking, I ran after him into the house and I hear one thud upstairs, I bolt upstairs and see him in my parents room. Father is dead on the floor, his head decapitated from him body, his arm hanging on a thin rod of flesh. My mother is sitting there and Shisui has his katana raised, ready to slash and kill my mother.
"STOP" I Scream in fear on my mother's life.
~~~ FLASHBACK END~~~
I look back at the person, seeing it is Sakura, with wide fearful eyes, filled with tears staring at my blood red ones. "Please.. Please stop.." she pleaded. My gaze softens and I look around, seeing Lee, Naruto and Sasuke injured and unconscious, seeing Ino and her team-mates scared and injured, my body fills with guilt.
I slowly start to retract the curse mark and it returns to the 3 tomoe pattern on my shoulder. Feeling weak from the power, I fall back into Sakura as she catches me under my arms, we fall to the ground as she hugs me close. "Akari! Are you okay?!" She said concerned. I nod and we both look up at the sound of Dosu's voice.
"You're pretty tough. Obviously in your current state, we have no chance of defeating you, Akari." He said, holding out a scroll in front of him, he chucks it towards us and I catch it in one hand. "Please accept this as a token of my admiration... and some reparation from out trouble." He said.
I look at the scroll before looking back at him. "...And allow us to leave in peace, after what we've done, it may seem a lot to ask. But something but is afoot that merits further investigation and confirmation! I give you word on my behalf of us all, that if you let us go now.. Then the next time we face you, we will stay till the battle is done, no matter how poorly we fare!" He finished. I nod, and he nods back in gratitude. I notice Sakura look alerted at my curse mark before looking back at the sound-nin with an angry look as he picks up his teammates. "WAIT!" She shouted. Dosu stopped as he looks back at her.
"YOU'VE GOT TO TELL ME WHO THE HELL IS OROCHIMARU?! WHAT DID HE DO TO AKARI DAMMIT?! AND WHY WAS HE AIMING FOR SASUKE?!" She shouted, her voice rasping slightly with so much anger and venom in her voice it shocked us all. "I don't know.. we were just following orders." Dosu said, walking away disappearing into the forest.
"Hey! Are you all alright?!" Shikamaru shouted, running to check on us. I stand up and brush the dust off my body. "Thank you Sakura.." I said to her. She nods with a smile and I see Ino trying to support Lee. I go over and take Lee's other arm as Sakura stands by my side. "Are you alright Lee?" I asked the boy. He looked up at me with a smile. "I am alright Akari, thank you for protecting us." He said, I nod before looking at Ino. She looks at me. I smirk teasingly. "You okay now 'Ino-pig'?" I said, referring to the written exam.
She rolls her eyes will a small smile. "Oh shut up 'billboard brow.' Thanks for the save." She said, Sakura looks us with furrowed eyebrows as we laugh. "And what's going on here..?" She said with her arms crossed. Me and Ino look at each other before laughing loudly as Lee and Sakura look confused. Neji comes over and supports Lee instead of me and Ino. Neji walks Lee over to Ten-Ten who is standing near Naruto as me and Ino finish laughing. Sakura just looks at us with arms crossed. "So..?" She said with a small glare.
"During the written exam when I disguised as you, Ino tried to invade my mind, thinking it was you. I chased her out and when some glass got sent flying towards us when Anko made her big entrance. I decided to keep up my act saying. "You okay 'ino-pig' And she said. "Shut up 'billboard brow' I'm fine." Making sure no one knows it was me." I said with a smile, Sakura nods in understanding as Ino looks at me with an angry face.
"Don't do that again though! You scared the shit out of me when you chased me with your Katana!" She said in rage. Sakura looked at me shocked and I just smiled sheepishly. We all snap out attention to Naruto as he wakes up. "EVERYBODY GET DOWN NOW!! NO TELLING WHERE HE IS!" He shouted, crawling around. Me, Sakura and Ino just sweatdrop in confusion. "That idiot is finally awake!" Ino said, with a twitching eye. Choji hits Naruto on the head with a small log. "Don't have any impulse control do you?" Shikamaru said with a sigh.
I smile before patting Ino and Sakura on the shoulders before running over, waving to Naruto. "Naruto! You are awake! Took you a long time for a Future Hokage huh?" I said with a smile, wrapping an arm around his shoulders, putting him in a headlock rubbing my fist in his head. He laughs trying to fight out of my grip before swatting my hand away. I keep my arm around his shoulder. "You are okay now, right?" I asked. He nods with a grin before looking at Sakura with wide eyes. "SAKURA... YOUR HAIR?" He said, shocked running over to her. Me on his tail.
She smiles sheepishly. "You mean this? I wanted to update my image, a new look." She said."Does that involve the scratches and bruises too.?" I said, leaning over to Sakura, whispering in her ear. She gains a tick mark before punching my head. "SHUT UP BAKA!" I just groan and lay on the ground clutching my head. "I'm already injured Sakura.! What the hell! Crazy woman." I said, I look over to Shikamaru and Naruto seeing they are gesturing me to stop with their hands. I look at them with confusion before feeling a dark aura behind me.
I shiver and slowly turn around and see Sakura cracking her knuckles. "What.. did you say...?" She said, venom coating her voice. I gulp before turning to Naruto and Shikamaru, Ino next to them now getting away from Sakura's aura. I salute to them, with a tear in my eye and they salute back. I stand up and puff out my chest. I turn to look at Sakura. "It was uh, nice chatting but I have to walk my goldfish.." I said, backing away slowly. It looks like saying that made her angrier and I start to sweat as she starts walking towards me. "GOTTA BLAST!" I said, running away.
"GET BACK HERE YOU DAMNED WEASEL!"
"NO YOU AND YOUR MONSTROUS STRENGTH IS GONNA KILL ME, CRAZY WOMAN."
"SHANNARO ILL KILL YOU!"
"WAIT IM SORRY-"
"STOP RUNNING FROM ME AKARI UCHIHA!"
"SASUKE SAVE MEEEEEE-!"
I shouted running towards a now awake Sasuke, he just sweatdrops before he sees me running towards him, an angry Sakura hot on my heels. He widens his eyes before shaking his head with his arms crossed with in a X motion. I widen my eyes as he runs away to Naruto. "TRAITOR!" I shout at him, running past Naruto, Sasuke, Shikamaru, Choji and Ino as Sakura starts to gain speed.
"HOW ARE YOU RUNNING FASTER.!?"
"CHA! ILL KILL YOU!"
"WHAT DID I EVEN DO-?!"
"DIEEEEEE!"
"TEAM GUY PLEASE HELP-" Is all I said, before Sakura grabs me by the collar. And I freeze as I see Ten-Ten and Lee shaking their heads as Neji looks away with a sweatdrop. "TRAITORS!-" I said before Sakura put her other hand on my mouth, silencing me. I try to thrash away from her grip but she dosent budge. I look at Naruto and Sasuke with pleading eyes and they just look at me with pity. I slump down as Sakura grabs some rope from god knows where and ties it around my body, locking my hands at the side, she grabs her ninja headband, tying it around my mouth, I try to protest but it dosent work, she smiles before grabbing the end part of the rope, dragging me across the floor.
"Oh hey Sasuke." Sakura said, finally noticing him. He just sweatdrops in disbelief. Team 10 and Team Guy look at me with disbelief as I send them pleading gazes. "Um S-Sakura shouldn't you let Akari g-go?" Lee asked. She looks at me and shrugs before walking over to him, dragging me with her. "Thanks for helping me fight those sound nin Lee." She said with a smile before hugging him. I glare at him.
I look around and see a stick next to me, I lean over and grab it and try write on the dirt as much as I can. "Give tem 10 scrol" is what it said, I tugged the rope by leaning back and she looks and I point at the message. She sweatdrops at the attempt to write before looking at me with bewilderment. "But we need the scroll-" she said and I try to talk but it comes out muffled. She sighs before taking back her forehead protector. I thank her. "Thanks, and I may have done something stupid?" I said.
She looks at me with a twitching eye. "What did you do now..?" She said. The others look at us with a sweatdrop as it looks like a mother scolding a kid. I gesture her to lean down and I whisper in her ear. "I stole a Heaven and Earth scroll from the people who were giving them out at the start of the exam, just incase." I said. She looks at me with wide eyes. "YOU DID WHAT-?!" She shouted, throwing her free hand in the air, the other holding the rope.
I nod and gesture to my weapons pouch, telling her to take out the scroll with the leaf symbol on it. She takes it out and I release chakra onto the scroll and it shows a heaven and earth scroll. I hear gasps from other teams as Sakura looks at them with shock. "How did you get them!?" Ino said, I smirk and wink at her. "Secret" is all I said. She just sighs. "You can have the scroll the sound-nin left, we don't need it anyway." I said. They thank me and Shikamaru picks up the scroll.
~~~ TIMESKIP: They all exchanged goodbyes and split off. They met Kabuto along the way after Naruto and Sakura tried to open the scrolls. They fight the enemy who placed the Genjutsu and made it to the tower. They met Iruka and he dismissed them.~~~
Team 7 and the rest of the genins who passed the 2nd Exam are all standing in the battle arena. Our Jounin Sensei's are standing in front of us but off to the side a little, while directly in the middle infront of us is The Third Hokage. Behind all of them is a big pair of arms, hands in a hand-sign. The Third Hokage looks at everyone, his gaze lingering on Sasuke a little longer, before looking around again. 'He must know Orochimaru is here, and they knew his Target was Sasuke, I'm assuming they think Sasuke got the curse mark.'
"Congratulations to you all.. on passing the second exam!!" The Third Hokage congratulated us all. I look around the Genins and see Ino looking at our team with a smile, mostly Sasuke. Figures. I look at the Jounin and see Kakashi and Guy talking in hushed voices. I look back at the Genin at the sound of a whining animal.
I look for the source and see it's Akamaru in Kiba's jacket. I narrow my eyes. 'Why is Akamaru acting scared?' I thought, confused. 'Wait, if Kiba and Akamaru are here that means...' I thought, turning to look behind Kiba. Hinata. 'So she made it, I'm glad.' I send her a smile and a thumbs up and she gives a shy smile back.
I see Sakura looking conflicted at so many genins being here, I silently move closer to her and she clutches the back of my shirt silently. "Hey! Check it out! Old Man Hokage, Iruka-Sensei, Kakashi-Sensei, and even that mega-brows guy are all gathered together! It's like a dream team!" He said with a grin. My lips twitch upwards in amusement. Feeling a spike of pain from my shoulder, I grunt and clutch the curse mark. I see Sakura look at me worriedly. I go to say something but Anko beats me to it.
"Now Lord Hokage himself will explain about the third exam." She started in a strong voice so everyone can hear her. "Listen up and take every word he says to heart!!" She finished with furrowed eyebrows. "They are all yours, Lord Hokage." She said, stepping back. "Very Well." He said back. He starts going on a rant on the purpose behind the exam but I zone out. I can't seem to concentrate. The pain of the curse mark is getting worse and it's starting to effect my concentration.
The pain starts to get worse. 'Orochimaru must be here, but where he can't be disguised as a Genin. He would be found out too quickly.' I thought, I glance around and notice a peculiar looking Jounin, he looks familiar. Wracking through my mind I remember a page in the Bingo Book, Orochimaru's page. I think back to the picture and the Jounin. They look to similar for my liking. No doubt that is Orochimaru but it seems the Hokage or Jounin don't notice. 'Honestly the security here is shit.' I grimace.
I focus as much as I can as I see a new shinobi jump out of nowhere. All I get are snippets of what he said. 'Preliminaries' 'Too Many Applicants' 'Start Now!' 'They must be having a preliminaries because there are too many applicants who survived. They will be starting now...' I see Kabuto forfeit. That just makes my suspicions rise. "WHAT?!" I heard Naruto shout as the pain fades a bit. Naruto snaps his head towards him. "K-Kabuto..?!" I notice Sakura and Sasuke also look confused on Kabuto's sudden forfeit.
I grunt in pain. Sakura's attention snaps to me as I hunch over slightly, clutching the curse mark "Akari maybe you should quit too..!" She said, I snap my head towards her. "Why? I can continue Sakura." I said. She clenched her jaw. "Ever since that Orochimaru attack you, you haven't been yourself!" She informed.
I furrowed by eyebrows. 'What does she mean? I only used the curse mark for a limited amount of time so I don't go bat-shit crazy.. I guess it did bring out some anger but that's because it's not sealed yet...' She looks at my hand, clutching my shoulder. Due to the fighting, part of my undershirt has ripped, mostly the shoulder Orochimaru bit me, but I cover it up with part of the undershirt. My anbu armour in a scroll.
She grabs the hand holding my shoulder to reveal the curse mark. "That mark on your skin is hurting again, isn't it?!" She said in a whisper shout, glancing around for anyone who may be listening in. I grab grab her wrist, pulling it down and clutching the mark with my other hand. "Shh! Not a word about the mark! I don't want the Jounin suddenly swarming me and causing a uproar." I said. I can see she is holding back tears at my pain, my eyes soften as I pull up the undershirt more to cover the mark and I wipe a tear from her eye. She slaps my hand away and my eyes widen.
"Why... Why do you always have to act so strong!? I can't bear to watch you suffer Akari!" She whisper-shouted with sadness and anger in her voice. I look at her in the eyes with a reassuring look. "Sakura, this is my decision and my decision alone. I can bear with this pain. This is my burden." I said, I notice her eyes droop a little. I sigh before placing a hand on her shoulder. "If the pain gets too much, I'll drop out of the exams. Just for you..." I said reassuringly, whispering the last part.
Sasuke looks angry with my decision. "Don't continue these exams Akari." He said with finality in his voice. I glance at him. "Why are you butting in, Sasuke. As I said this is my decision and my decision alone." I retort. His anger rises as he grabs me by the collar of my shirt. "Don't you get it!? If you continue and the mark activates it, you could loose control!" He whisper-shouted in my face, I narrow my eyes at him. "So you are telling me if you had the curse mark you would drop out?" I questioned him.
His face falters for a second before it hardens again. "Of course I would!-" He started to say before I cut him off. "Bullshit! We all know you would continue and you know it! You are just hungry for the feeling of overpowering all these genins, a curse mark wouldn't get in the way of the 'oH gReaT sAsUkE UcHiHa!' Because you have a stick shoved so far up your ass you have to prove you can beat everyone here! So you can feel superior and feed your ego!!" I whisper shout back in his face. His face contorts into pure rage.
*BAM*
My face snaps to the side, forehead protector flying off my head. I heard gasps from Sakura and Naruto. Sasuke punched me. I slowly raise my head. My hair shadowing my eyes, due to the forehead protector not keeping the hair up. "Heh.." I laugh slightly, catching Sasuke off guard. "Hey! Why the heck did you punch Akari!-" Naruto started off before I put a hand up to stop him. I grab Sasuke's wrist and shove him away, he stumbles back, letting go off my shirt. I pick up my forehead protector and tie it around my forehead again.
"It's fine Naruto.. after all.." I said, the hair no longer shadowing my eyes. Glaring at Sasuke with a smirk. His eyes widen slightly. I point at him with a determined gaze." You're one of these people I want to fight the most. To knock you off your high horse and face reality that everything won't be given to you on a silver platter." I finish. Sasuke grits his teeth, but nods accepting the challenge. Pain washes over my shoulder and I grunt, clutching the curse mark hunching over a bit.
I glance up at the Hokage as I hear him talk faintly to Ibiki, seeing them glance at me and whispering. "It's just as I feared.." he said, gravely. My eyes widen slightly. 'Shit... he knows...'
They announce that the Preliminaries are starting now. I stare at the giant board as the names roll. They finally stop of two names. One I have never heard of.
Sasuke Uchiha vs Akado Yoroi
I glance at Sasuke, seeing him having a smirk on his face, I sigh. Feeling someone clutching my shirt I look and see Sakura with a nervous look on her face. I place an arm around her shoulder and send her a reassuring smile. She smiles back, relaxing slightly. I face forward, narrowing my eyes at Orochimaru.
The Battle has Just Began....
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4556 Words! Woop not as much as I imagined but I'm tired so shortish chapter.
Sasuke snapped, but Akari snapped back harder. What do you think?
Who should Akari go up against?
Enjoy this cute photo of Akari and Sakura ❤️ I drew it credit too me.
Have a good day/night. ~ Author.