Woo! Another chapter for my wonderful fans! >3<
Kiba is still winning for Akisha. Keep on voting! There's a ShikaKisha pic! I do not own it except for my own edits.
Thanks to all of you who have been commenting, you know who you are! It really keeps me going. Even just a "good chapter" makes me wanna write!! Although I would prefer longer comments ^-^''
So thanks!! And enjoy!
***Akisha's POV***
I groaned, snuggling closer into my covers. "Mmm..." I don't remember my bed being this soft or warm. Ki! Hey, are you awake!?" Ugh, why the loud voice? My team better not have broken into my room again... "Shush Kiba. We're close to the tower but not quite there yet, you can still attract enemies." A much more calmer voice said, sounding to be off to the right. "Right sorry... Ki? Are you awake?" The voice said softly. That voice... It almost sounds like Kiba's...
Wait a second.
My eyes snapped open in panic. "The-THE EXAMS!!" I nearly screamed, remembering the important tasks of the Chunin Exams. In my panic I flung my arms out, swinging and kicking my feet. In the matter of seconds my surroundings of trees flew by me, looking taller with each millisecond.
Oh. I get it.
"SHIT! FALLING! HELP!" I yelled in realization, my voice definitely reaching the height of a scream.
"AHHH!!" I screamed in my fear as I fell even faster to the ground, too startled to think of grabbing onto a tree branch. "Oof!" Someone grabbed me to the side of a nearby branch. I groaned and looked up to see my savior, Shino. "Th-Thanks Shino." Shino nodded silently, setting me to my feet. Kiba as fast as I fell jumped down to the branch we were on, Akamaru right behind his master. "KI!? ARE YOU ALRIGHT!?"
I looked into his darkened eyes, only panic and concern showed through. "Yeah, I'm okay... Sorry about that... Uh, what exactly happened though?" I racked my brain trying to remember what had happened that led to me being passed out. We got our scroll. We were chased out of our camp by animals. And then we... What did we do then? Hinata stepped closer, twiddling her fingers and getting ready to answer my question as she looked in the direction we seemed to be traveling from. "...T-that ninja from Suna re-elly scared you a-and you fain-n-ted out of fear. You've been out for tw-wo days."
Perfect. A trained ninja fainting from fear leaving her team to care for her, for three whole days. I let out a tiny sigh, I really am a coward, aren't I? Fainting from fear... Damn it.
"We're going to the tower now.. We're almost there too!" Kiba said, his tone getting louder again with Akamaru yipping in agreement. I guess he gave up on collecting more scrolls after seeing Gaara in action. Not that I blame him there. He needs a dent in his ego. Without warning, I let out a yawn despite being passed out I feel quite tired. Kiba's forehead was quickly graced with a vein. I sent him a plain look. "What?" His eye twitched. "I carried your ass this entire time we were moving! And you're yawning!?" He did his best to keep his voice hushed due to enemies but his voice still rose with his temper.
I could feel a little hot blush appear on my cheeks, spreading across from each one. He carried me this entire time? Even though my feelings told me to thank him, I scoffed and crossed my arms instead. "It's not like I asked you too! Why didn't you let Shino carry me then? Or Hinata for that matter?" A faint blush appeared on his face, matching my own. He opened his mouth, going to speak when Shino interrupted him. "I tried to tell him to rest but he refused to let Hinata or I carry you." Kiba's mouth snapped shut, a tiny glare being thrown at Shino yet his blush only grew hotter.
"O-Oh.." I turned my head away, attempting to hide my face. "Umm.. L-let's keep on heading to the tower then..." My voice becoming shaky due to the butterflies swirling my stomach. Kiba cared that much to carry me? ...And he never let them carry me either...
Kiba nodded stiffly while Hinata and Shino looked back and forth between us, even Akamaru letting go of a few doggy snickers.
.
Awkward silence
.
"We should get a move on then." Shino said, hopping to a higher branch for us to follow. Oh thank Kami, Shino saved me from the awkward silence. You wouldn't expect it from him, but he breaks the silence quite often, being the first to talk aloud in many situations as long as Kiba's not shouting or something of the like.
I shook away my blush, wiping the red back to my normal pale. Following Shino, my feet jumped up next to him, ready to move ahead. I looked back down to the rest of my team, "Come on." Kiba grined, the blush dropped from his face as he hopped up to the branch with Hinata. "Right! Let's go!" Akamaru barked, glad to be leaving. Shino started to travel again, making all of us follow right behind him. Kiba, unlike normal, being quiet the entire time. Something's on his mind... I know it.
*****
"Ready?" Kiba asked, stepping in front of all of us with Akamaru back in his normal spot upon Kiba's head. It didn't take us too much longer to get here, only a half an hour to reach the tall tower. Everyone nodded to Kiba's question, determined to face what was inside. Kiba flung the doors open, revealing a dark space. He was first to step inside, then Shino, and then Hinata and I at once.
I wasn't expecting this.
A plain room- Correction. A plain, empty room. I looked around, my eyes searching around, from the white walls the the tile floors. Off to the side there was a stair case, a little platform connected from the staircase to double doors. "Look.." Hinata said louder than usual, pointing to some writing on the wall ahead of us. I looked up at it, reading 'without heaven' and 'earth' and something-something... "There's missing words." I mumbled, loud enough for them to hear. I walked closer to Kiba. "Heaven? Like the scrolls? Maybe they want us to open the scrolls."
"I guess that makes sense? What else do we do anyway." Kiba shrugged and took out the scrolls from his pack. Hinata nervously looked around, something tells me she's not to keen on this idea. Kiba turned to me and tossed a scroll. I easily caught it, I'm not that incapable, you know?
I looked down to see the heaven scroll. "Okay on three."
"One."
"Two!"
"THREE!!"
At the same time Kiba and I pulled open the scrolls causing smoke to fill the air. In a sort of lazy panic I tossed it in front of me and yelled at Kiba to do the same. He followed my instructions, and not a moment later a man with a cigarette in his mouth poofed into the room from the scrolls.
Hinata and Shino both had curious quiet looks upon their faces and I also choose to remain silent as well, waiting for the situation to explain itself. However Kiba looked from the scrolls to him, a wildy puzzled look on his features. "Wait-WHAT!?" He pointed accusingly at the smoking man. "WHO THE HELL ARE YOU!? And that cigarette's burning my nose.." He added towards the end, waving at his nose. I stared unfazed at him, If it's not what he expects. then Kiba will flip out.
I looked up to the man smoking. He seems familiar. "My name is Asuma. You might have heard of me, or seen me around the village. I'm the Sensei of Shikamaru, Choji, and Ino, If you know them that is." I nodded with some happiness, just hearing those two names made me smile. "Yeah. Choj, Shikamaru, and I are all friends!"
Asuma grinned, a realization flew in his eyes. "Then you must be that girl Shikamaru always talks about, Akisha." I face palmed immediately. Damn.. What has he been spreading around. "Let me guess, he's always complaining about what a 'troublesome girl' I am?" My voice dull but still had some former excitement in it. Asuma shook his head. "Quite the opposite. He's always complaining that if a girl named 'Akisha' was there then he wouldn't be as bored and have another person to watch the clouds with him. Mainly he complains that you're not there." Asuma's voice was filled with a knowing tune, like he knew something nobody else did.
"R-really?.." I choked out, surprise filling me. Shikamaru actually complains that I'm... Not there? Kiba looked from me to Asuma, a frown plastered on to his face. "HEY! HEY! Let's get back to the Chunin Exams! Why are you here exactly!?" Asuma blinked and rubbed his neck, blowing out some smoke. My team mates coughed but not me. It really wasn't that bad, my father used to smoke back in Suna back he gave it up when we came to Konoha, so it's nothing I'm not used too.
"Oh right! I'm here to tell you that you have passed the second exam." Kiba's eyes widen before he jumped up cheering. "WOO!" Hinata smiled softly. And Shino... Was being a Shino. I grinned, hugging on to Hinata due to the pure happiness. "Thank God!" Asuma nodded to us contining to show it was really true, the deadly second exam of the Chunin Exams was over with. "You arrived here on the fourth day, tomorrow's the last day for this exam. So at the end of tomorrow you will be instructed to go to the main room. For now however, I will show you to your rooms here."
"YAHOO! SHOWER HERE I COME!! " Kiba shouted as he ran ahead, even though he was oblivious of where to go. Asuma nonchalantly grabbed him by his hood, choking the poor boy. "Whoa there. I wasn't done. I also have to explain the writing." I let go of Hinata, sighing at the thought of anything holding me back from a nice safe room. "Who cares about that! We passed. That's what matters." It was true. Why would it matter if we already passed? What matters now is nursing oursevles back to health since I doubt there's only two of these stupid exams.
A sweat dropped appeared on Asuma's forehead as he mumbled to himself. "Now I see why Shikamaru likes you." Kiba flung himself around and out of Asuma's grasp. "REPEAT THAT!" I cocked an eyebrow, repeat what? I couldn't hear what Asuma had said. "Huh? I didn't say anything.." Asuma pointed to the writing, getting off the topic Kiba wanted to know. "Anyway.." Kiba's eye twitched, but he decided to let it go and walked back over to me. I nudged him, whispering, "What'd he say?"
Kiba crossed his arms and looked away. "Never mind. Forget about it." "Alright.." I answered understandingly. "Hey, are you two listening?" Asuma asked, a little bit of anger in his voice. I nodded vigorously, scared to see Asuma angry. I don't really like upsetting adult figures, or really anybody that can kick my ass. "Of course!" Kiba with his eyes rolling added on, "Yeah, yeah." Asuma sighed. at us, shaking his head. "As I was saying. The heaven in this paragraph refers to the mind. 'If you lack heaven, be prepared. Seek wisdom.' I've been told by Kurenai. Kiba needs more heaven for his mind while the rest of you seem to have enough."
Kiba lurched at Asuma only to have me grab him by his hood. "Calm down, you'll only prove him right with this kind of moronic behavior." Kiba slowly turned around giving me a nasty glare. "'Moronic'?" A smirk danced on my lips. "Oh, sorry, don't you know what that means?"
"AHEM." Just as Kiba went to murder me, Asuma got our attention back. "'If you lack earth, run in fields. Seek advantages'. Kurenai also told me that's Akisha's and Hinata's weakness." My shoulders slumped as Kiba laughed and pointed at me. "I'd rather be smart than stupid like you!" I snapped at him, making him shut his mouth. "I-I'm not stupid!!" He barked right back, causing Akamaru to whine.
"Can I please finish?" Asuma's tired voice ended the steam coming from Kiba's ears and my own. Asuma went on, "If you have both, then you can succeed in even the most dangerous missions." He looked all of us in the eyes, traveling from Kiba to me, then Hinata, and lastly Shino. "Train hard, both your mind and your bodies." We all nodded at the wise words. Asuma took this time to take a puff of his cigarette making Kiba grab his nose. "Hey! Do you mind!?" Asuma shook his head, smiling a closed eye smile. "No, not at all."
Kiba's eye twitched at him. "Now, If you follow that staircase to the second floor. Rooms 204 is Hinata's and Akisha's. Room 205 which is across the hall is Shino's and Kiba's." I raised an eyebrow in question. "I thought you were showing us our rooms."
Asuma waved off my words. "I got better things to do. Take care! Good luck!" And with that he poofed away. Kiba's bad mood washed away as he ran for the stairs. "YES! FOOD AND SHOWER HERE I COME!" Shino followed him with his hands in his pockets, murmuring about Kiba's impatience to either himself or the insects within him. I took a step in their direction before I realized something. My body spun back around. "Hinata? Aren't you coming?" She nodded quietly, sadness on her face. I draped an arm around her shoulders, trying to play caring as best as I could. I never did think I was the best at cheering people up.
"What's wrong?" She looked to the ground. "I'm a-always lacki-ing in strength..." I removed my hands from her, using them to seemingly wave away her discouraging words. "Bhh! No worries, so am I. All we need to do is just train more, you shouldn't worry about it." Hinata shook her head. "No-o! I need to w-worry about it! My whole cl-l-lan looks down on my-my weakne-ess... I c-can't keep up wit-th any of you!"
Without a second thought I slapped her on the back of the head. Not too hard, but hard enough to make her jump. "Then don't moan about it! That'll do nothing. I personally don't find you a weak link Hinata. You're incredible! You possess such an amazing Kekkei Genkai and move at steady pace with it. Sure you need more confidence but I do too. We will get stron-Hell! We get stronger everyday."
She stared at me, a new found hope in her clear eyes. "...Thank you, Kisha." I scratched the back of my head sheepishly. "I-It's the truth, you know?" Hinata nodded with a small smile. "You're truly wise Kisha." I laughed a little, removing my hand from my neck. "I can't be wise, I'm too young, don't you think?" Hinata's smiled widen and a giggle was released from her mouth. "Come on, let's go enjoy a night without worrying if we're going to die, hm?" I asked with some humor. My feet took me walking ahead, making Hinata jog up to me. A different look in her towards me. Like... I was someone actually important... Someone who made a little difference, who had morals to admire, just someone who had an impact.
"Thank you again, Kisha." She whispered.
"Of course, Hinata."
Both our tones had true appreciation in them.
*****
A sigh of content freed itself from my mouth. I had on shorts and a huge normal shirt that was laid out on the bed when we entered the tiny, yet tidy room. I jumped to the bed, my eyes drooping with sleepiness. We had some of the food they offered here a little bit ago, not the best food ever but I was happy to have a little something in my stomach. Hinata was on her bed, laying down. "Kisha... C-can I ask you some-ething?" Curiosity mixed in with my tired expressions. "Hm? Go ahead, what it is?" She sat up, crossed legged as she twiddled her fingers. "U-uh... What type of g-girl.." Her face went red in the matter of a second. " ..Do y-y-you think Na-Naruto would go-o for?"
Looks like this won't be a quick chat. I sat up, matching her own sitting position. "It's tough to say... A brave girl definitely. He likes to do stupid stuff so really as long as you let him drag you along to something, you don't have to be super brave." My thoughts traced back to Naruto's old pranks but I erased them, trying to think seriously. "Honest, and loyal for sure. He was picked on from what I remember, so being loyal would be a big factor for him, I think."
This is kind of hard. I'm trying my best give good advice, but this Naruto we're talking about, not to mention, I'm very terrible when it comes to love. An idea popped up. This I have to tell her. "Another thing with that blonde! You can't just hope he'll figure it out. He's not the smartest... You would have to make the first move." Hinata seemed thankful for my answers, but you could tell she was a little unsatisfied with them. After all this would mean she'd have to step up and confess to him. A small laugh was heard from me. " But don't worry. He's not that stupid to turn you down!" She let out a small laugh like mine. "Thank you... F-for everything." I waved her off for the millionth time it seemed. "No problem." Hinata looked up at me. "So.. Please d-don't take this too personal. Do you like Kiba or S-shikamaru?"
My face unwillingly went red. "Pft! Wh-what!? Neither!!" Hinata smiled knowingly. "So which one?" I scoffed and laid back down, facing away from her. "NONE!" I heard her giggle at my outbursts. "Kiba?" My face got redder. "Shikamaru?"
My body tossed over back to facing her simply to throw a glare at the blue haired girl. "GOODNIGHT HINATA!" With a huff I grabbed my pillow over my head and pretended to be asleep. I heard her whisper a light, "Good night, Kisha." "And I don't like either of them.." I mumbled, it was unheard though, as my eyes were starting to flicker close.
I don't know why I got this defensive... It's not like I like one of them...
No, they're my friends after all.
Then again?
*****
So! Is Akisha finally realizing her feelings, hm? What if this story has a whole huge twist where Hinata and Akisha end up together!?
....Yeah, no ._. Sorry but that won't happen XD No yuri in this story. Kiba, or Shikamaru, or someone else but that's in the future >-> *looks around* Erm! I've said too much! O-O *dives out of near by window*
I HOPE EVERYONE ENJOYED THE CHAPTER!
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*EDITED; BUT IF ANY GRAMMATICAL/SPELLING ERRORS ARE NOTICED PLEASE NOTIFY ME*
-And I want everyone to know that even though this book is completed, I do still check the comments on it X3 so feel free to keep commenting despite this book being finished!-