"I have been skating on the dark side of the moon.
The stars glance down at me like cold, gleaming panther eyes.
Even though there is no oxygen I can still breathe."
— Vytautas Pliura
───※ ·❆· ※───
Chapter Sixty: Sinister
DAWN
He was late.
Initially, she knew that this was definitely not an opportunity he wanted to miss. Sasuke took his fights seriously, whether it'd be a crucial turning point or harsh criticism that he would use to improve himself. But as the matches progressed and nerves had began to spiral out of control, she was beginning to think that something important had appeared and was acting as an obstacle that prevented him from arriving on time.
The sight of the crowds were overwhelming, it's scale much larger than the prelims. There were more eyes watching her; eyes belonging to civilians, nobles, Clans, Jounin, her teammates- everyone. It was entirely different from the preliminaries. She had grown stronger and regained some control over her new abilities, but people made her nervous and the very thought of standing in the centre of all attention and being supervised for her performance was something she didn't consider until the very moment she watched all the matches take place.
Naruto's match had been the first. It was amazing to watch how far he had progressed under the teachings of the Sannin, or in Naruto's words, 'Pervy Sage'. The match initially had it's cards against him as Neji pummelled him with his Clan techniques and fighting style, he had even managed to block his chakra points rendering it useless, and somehow Naruto had managed to grasp onto a portion of the Nine Tail's chakra and prove everyone wrong, including Neji, even changing his destiny-embedded mindset to someone who would grow to be a good friend of his. A quirk of his Naruto charm.
She could tell everyone was surprised when he had successfully turned the match to his favour, just like he had done with his match against Kiba: moulding it to his command with his sheer will, hard-work and determination. Nonetheless, she felt proud of his growth, and was happy for him knowing that he had made his family proud in the long run as they cheered at his victory.
It left a bittersweet taste in her mouth, if her family was still alive, would they still be proud of her?
How could they be proud of a monster?
Dawn gripped onto the railing tightly. Sweat built up on her brow and her widened eyes adverted to the ground below her. She could feel it. The dark presence slowly steer into her mind. Unlike last time, it didn't try to take control of her body. It just lingered.
I mean, just look at you. Scared. Your fingers trembling despite the grip you have on the railing. She held her wrist against her chest, trying to diminish the shaking. Dawn couldn't help it, she couldn't help but feel scared. After all, it turned her into a completely different person, into a-
Monster? Oh please, you didn't turn, you accepted. You accepted me, instead of pushing me away like you always do.
I didn't push you away. She scoffed, swallowing her nervousness away. You came unwanted.
Unwanted? Are you admitting that you willingly shunned a side of yourself away to a place your own demons reside? You call me a monster... but what does that make you? Sora hummed, letting out a cynical, bitter chuckle. It seems you keep forgetting, I am you, and I'll always be here to remind you of that.
It's not like you haven't been reminding me my whole life.
Dawn thought back to the times the haunting shadows appeared amidst her dreams and her reality. They resided everywhere she went, it made her realise that there wasn't anything wrong with what was around her, it was her that was the problem.
True. Sora agreed, letting out a sigh. You weren't as much fun back then, but now... you're finally starting to get somewhere. After all these years, you can finally cut those strings controlling you and be free.
Careful, you're beginning to sound like you care about me. She retorted, rolling her shoulders as she watched the match below her. Shikamaru and Temari had entered the arena, the amount of protests from the crowds alarmed her.
Why wouldn't I care? Dawn could hear the smile in her voice, her presence solidified slightly, causing a headache to arise. She flinched, pressing her palm against her forehead. What do you think will happen when you leave this Village to pursue our revenge? You'll be left all alone... with no one but me. I'm the one you'd have to rely on. So why not trust me when I try to warn you about the inevitability of your supposed loved ones betraying you?
Her chest restricted, her blue eyes latching onto her friends in the crowd. Sakura was with Ino, cheering on as the matches eventually swept by. Jiro was idly besides Kei, under the claim that she was the only one he could tolerate sitting next to and not be annoyed by her presence. Hitomi and Nana had made the effort to watch her match. Hitomi had been eager to, and she quoted, 'watch her kick Uchiha ass'. People like them weren't worthy of betrayal, but of trust and love.
Their relationship had developed much deeper for her to be able to recognise that what Sora was feeding her, were pure lies.
She even saw Ichiro and Kuro who fulfilled their promises as they waited for her match from above. It was her time to show them that she had improved by trying her best. It didn't matter if she was surrounded by so many people, as long as the people she cared about were there, that was all that mattered. Dawn couldn't allow Sora, or her guilt of what had happened to Yin, hold her back.
You can say all you want, but it won't stop me from putting my trust in these people. Dawn said firmly.
Your ignorance repulses me. Sora chuckled, her presence wavering- soon desiccating into nothingness. Soon you'll realise where I come from, you'll stop pushing me away.
"Man, these people sure are getting angry." Naruto whistled lowly, hanging his body over the fence. "Who knew Sasuke was so popular among everyone?"
Her mood immediately dampened. It only meant that more people would be focusing on their match, not necessarily on her, as they'd be too preoccupied with the 'almighty' Uchiha and their proclaimed power. Even she knew that he was tired of excessive glory being bestowed upon their Clan. It wasn't that he thought they didn't deserve it, but Sasuke was more inclined to believe power was achieved through hard work and not through ascribed genes.
It was then Dawn thought back to the dinner she had at his house; his father's twisted words. It was all propaganda, a huge facade built upon lies as a coverup to conceal one large truth. The truth being that nothing was ever as it seemed, the people who glorify the Clan weren't aware of the true nature of it's Leader. It made her wonder what other lies had been shoved in her face that she had been forced to believe in.
"Great." Dawn responded wryly, grimacing as the crowd began to mock Shikamaru. The boy only spared them an unbothered glance and yawned.
"You know... I've been meaning to ask, why is it that you get anxious around others?" Naruto asked in curiosity. "Wait- did that sound rude?"
She pressed her lips into a firm line. What else was she meant to say other than the fact that the cruel world had shaped her into the person she was today? Being too trusting of others wasn't ideal, especially being in her shoes. She deviated away from the other kids, bullied for reasons she, till this day, wasn't able to comprehend. Sahiro had claimed that it was their jealousy and her uniqueness that prompted them to act upon those emotions. Dawn just thought it was because life had always been unfair towards her.
"Well... believe it or not I was just like you when I was younger." She smiled slightly at Naruto's jaw-slacked expression. Did he think all children were born unsociable? "But now I just prefer to keep to myself, it's not that I purposefully avoid others- I just don't know how to... be social."
A lie. Well, more of a white lie. It wasn't like she was being dishonest, but she purposefully avoided others.
"Maybe I can help you?" Naruto exclaimed, pointing his finger in the air. Dawn didn't know how he had managed to retain so much energy after his match, but he was full of it. "I'll burst that bubble of yours and help you out, believe it!"
Dawn slowly nodded. "Good luck trying."
"Oh... and another thing."
His expression turned strangely serious.
"Are... are you okay after what happened with Yin?" He asked, his lips pulling into a frown.
Dawn froze. She didn't expect him to ask the very thing that had been troubling her throughout the past week.
The sight of her guts spilling out.
Her skin blistering and turning a painful red.
Pure agony twisted on her face as she screamed and thrashed around for help.
The light in her eyes drained in an instant, sanctioning her pure relief; as though death was the only outcome that granted her peace after living in constant pain. One question had been troubling her, was death her only salvation or could she have been saved?
"That's the thing. I can't tell you, but it involves you. It has everything to do with you."
Was it truly her fault that Yin ended up this way?
Whether it was her fault or not, that didn't matter. This deeply webbed scheme that was playing out was beyond her comprehension or power. This wasn't something she could deal with as she was as clueless as Yin was. It also wasn't something that she could keep to herself. Even if it meant putting herself out there, the lives of others were on the line. Yin deserved justice.
"There was something she told me before she died." Dawn whispered, her stomach churning. "She said that whatever was happening, had everything to do with me. She told me she felt like something was physically in her head that she was fighting off to stop herself from... burning, as she called it. She told me to not save her, because she couldn't be saved, but there were others like her."
His silence made her nervous, did he blame her for what happened to Yin? Was he repulsed? Angry-
"This isn't your fault." Naruto said, placing a hand on her shoulder, forcing her to look at him. "You have a tendency of putting everything on yourself, so I ask of you to share your burdens with me as well. Whatever it may be, I would never turn against you and I'm glad you told me. I can tell my dad and he can deal with it now, it isn't your burden to carry." He smiled gently.
Dawn stared at him for a moment, unable to think. When his words finally registered, she felt herself finally able to breathe properly. Her shoulders loosened, the tension in her muscles dissipated, her jaw unclenched. She felt so, so relieved.
"You- you want me to share my burdens with you?" She furrowed her eyebrows.
"Of course!" Naruto grinned, placing his hands behind his head. "That's what friends are for, right? You helped me so much, so let me help you. You are someone I care about a lot, you know?"
Immediately, she flushed red in embarrassment and puffed her cheeks. Why did he have to be so straightforward? But she was grateful to have someone like him in her life.
"Thank you, Naru." She replied softly and turned her attention back to the match.
It was then she suddenly felt a shiver travel up her spine when she glanced at the section the nobles and the Clans were present. They had appeared to be the most intimidating, but one Clan she had trouble recognising were the people donned in white with their faces concealed by animal masks. However, there was one she did recognised because their encounter hadn't been able to leave her head ever since the sinister impression he had left on her. It didn't matter who he was, Clan or not, there was something off about him.
"Why can't I move?" Temari stuttered, her hands moments away from making a clone Jutsu to distract Shikamaru.
"Why don't you take a look behind you?" Shikamaru suggested, raising an eyebrow as his hands secured his shadow possession Jutsu.
The holes on the ground from the prior battle allowed Shikamaru to utilise the shadows beneath the ground to pass the limit that Temari had carefully calculated, and enabled him to get her from behind. His plan was carefully thought out and a few steps ahead of what Temari was able to decipher. Dawn was amazed by his strategic thinking and nonchalance. She wondered if there really was anything that could phase him. In her opinion, the boy would make a good Chunin.
"You used the holes on the ground from the last battle to capture me?!" Temari exclaimed in disbelief, defeat resting on her shoulders. "Y-You jerk!"
"Alright!" Naruto fist-pumped the air. "He's definitely going to win for sure!"
Shikamaru seemed to be taking his time in making his last move. Dawn couldn't tell exactly what he was thinking, but considering the frown on his face, he was going to do something, troublesome, as he would put it.
"Yeah, I quit." He raised his hand, admitting defeat.
The crowds began a loud commotion, unhappy with his decision. Naruto gaped in incredulity and Dawn snorted, letting out a laugh.
"Honestly, I expected something like that from him." She grinned, shaking her head.
"B-But..." Naruto stuttered.
"My shadow possession Jutsu used up my chakra." Shikamaru shrugged uncaringly, shoving his hands into his pocket as he released Temari from his Jutsu. "Although I had two hundred other moves in mind, I ran out of time and continuing is too troublesome."
"Uh... I guess that makes Temari the winner of this match!" The proctor announced.
Temari blinked.
That means the next match is... mine.
"Hey, don't fret- I'm sure Sasuke is going to have one of those dramatic entrances of his." Naruto retorted, before his lips formed a genuine smile. "Do your best out there, I haven't seen you fight properly without your injuries so I know you'd be able to kick Sasuke's ass and make it your match."
Her eyes twinkled. "So you're not rooting for duck-butt?"
He snorted, waving his hand. "As if- only kidding, it doesn't matter who wins, I'll be rooting for both of you. Good luck, Dee!"
She smiled nervously. "Thanks, I'll need it."
Dawn stared at the crowd who were still recovering from the outcome of Shikamaru and Temari's match. It was when they started to wonder where Sasuke was that her panic began to grow as she grasped onto the scar on her neck. She had to overcome this fear of hers if she ever wanted to further herself as a Shinobi. Her skills were useful and when she put her head to it- she was a formidable opponent during battle. Maybe if she thought of it as a real-life fight rather than a planned match, it'll turn her survival instincts on?
"I can do this." Dawn told herself, taking a deep breath before she stepped outside.
Her heart stammered against her ribcage. She quickly made her way to the centre as the proctor announced the next match. Dawn glanced up, her eyes connecting with Jiro who nodded at her reassuringly, his teeth pulling up into one of those rare smile of his. Kei had her thumbs held up encouragingly whilst the loud cheers of Sakura and Hitomi made her cheeks flush red in embarrassment.
"Uh..." Dawn looked at the proctor hesitantly. "Is Sasuke here?"
The proctor shrugged, appearing as clueless as she was. "Not sure, for some reason the Kazekage is eager for his match and had postponed the match as far as he could. If he doesn't arrive now then I guess you win by default."
"Oh... okay." She nodded, before releasing a sigh.
She was starting to grow worried. Dawn knew that Sasuke wouldn't miss this for the world- but as the hand on the clock ticked by and the impatience of the crowd began to create a tense atmosphere, she was almost convinced he was knocked out cold from overtraining himself or lost track of time.
Abruptly, she shivered. The blonde froze, a strong gust of cold wind hit her directly on the face.
Why is it suddenly so... cold?
Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, but it wasn't enough to brush off the sudden oddity that alarmed her instincts. Suddenly, her eyes caught onto a dark figure on top of the stands. Dawn paused, backtracking her eyes, to double check what she saw wasn't just a figment of her imagination or her mind playing cruel games with her. And it wasn't.
The dark silhouette sat on the edge, one leg hanging off the side whilst the other was propped against their chest. Their appearance or any striking features went unnoticed.
She blinked. And the figure disappeared along with the wind. Then there was an ominous silence.
What was that?
"It has been a couple of minutes." The proctor pressed his lips into a firm line. "I guess-"
A leaf drifted from the sky.
A leaf? She narrowed her eyes, staring at the random, stray leaf.
All of a sudden a barrage of leaves materialised, getting caught up in the wind tornado besides the proctor. The chakra signatures that'd entered made her release a giant sigh, before a scowl fixated on her lips. The wind cleared away and the leaves cluttered to the ground, revealing her grey-haired Sensei nonchalantly standing in the middle with his hands shoved into his pockets and a sheepish smile on his face. However, behind him...
"You dramatic idiot!" Dawn exclaimed, narrowing her eyes at the belated Uchiha. The words spurred out of her mouth, that she didn't even care that Kakashi or the proctor were there.
"Hey- it's not his fault, I held him up!" Kakashi raised his hands up in surrender.
"Of course you did." She scoffed, crossing her arms. "You just had to transfer your late tendencies to duck butt over here."
Sasuke casually stepped forward, a cocky smirk on his lips. "Did you grow feisty over these past couple of weeks, midget?"
Her jaw flung open. "Midget?!" She hissed. "Who are you calling a midget?"
"Clearly you, considering there's no other blonde, three foot child in the arena other than you." Sasuke retorted, his smirk broadening.
"We haven't even been here for a minute and you two are already arguing." Kakashi pinched the bridge of his nose, before turning to the proctor. "Sorry for the late arrival, we got caught on the path of life and there happened to be an old lady crossing the road who got tripped over by a very, weird cat."
"And surprisingly, he's actually telling the truth." Sasuke piqued, scratching the back of his neck.
The blonde, although annoyed by the fact that Sasuke nearly gave her a heart attack, analysed the Uchiha who had bulked up a bit and changed his wardrobe. His hair was a little longer and unkept, but it suited him. He'd lost the turtleneck, replacing it with a simple blue shirt. Perhaps it was because she hasn't seen him in a while, but it felt like the crowd bothered her a little less- knowing that Sasuke was here now.
"Just be glad you arrived before those crowds over there began protesting." The proctor retorted. "Please clear the arena."
"Good luck, guys." Kakashi smiled eagerly, tousling Dawn's hair. "It doesn't matter who wins, I'll probably use it to make fun of you but that's besides the point. As long as you've tried your hardest, that's all that matters."
"Thanks." Dawn and Sasuke deadpanned.
Kakashi waved, shun-shinning to the stands where Kei and Jiro were located. Finally, it was time for the match to begin.
Okay, this is like every other time you sparred with Sasuke. She reassured herself, standing on the opposite end. Except there's hundreds of people watching you and you kind of have to wound him so he admits defeat.
Dawn snorted. Sasuke admitting defeat? That would only happen when pigs could fly, she'll probably have to knock him out.
"I see you've been training." Sasuke speculated, cocking his eyebrow at the katana on her back. "Since when did you work with swords?"
"It was actually a small skill of mine ever since I was young." Dawn shrugged. "I just found a teacher to help me hone and touch up on my Kenjutsu. And a little something else as well, but I'll only use it if absolutely necessary since it's a work-in-progress."
Her hand twitched in remembrance of what Ichiro had gifted her. It was very unexpected on his part and never did she imagine that it was going to be something that she'd ever get her hands on, but it was worth it.
"Isn't the whole point of a trump card is to keep the fact you have one a secret until you attack your opponent unexpectedly?"
Her grin broadened mischievously. "True. But that isn't going to affect the outcome since I'll beat you anyway."
Sasuke scoffed. "Sure, we'll see about that." He rolled his shoulders, her eyes latched onto the curse mark on his neck.
Images of the forest of death, Orochimaru and Kabuto flashed into her mind. Despite Kakashi sealing his curse mark so it wasn't able to harm or take control over him, something told her that a seal wasn't enough for something constructed by elements of darkness to be deterred so easily. That, and ever since her seal was loosened, she could detect signatures and waves of heat of all sorts. It wasn't visible, but she could feel a dark essence subtly ooze from his neck.
Noticing her stare, Sasuke gave her a look of reassurance. "It doesn't bother me, really. Kakashi Sensei dealt with it so it's not a nuisance." He then added. "Remember our deal?"
Dawn watched him carefully. His feet were making the same stance they'd usually make when he was preparing to fight. His right foot was dominant, so it was pointed towards her. He clenched and unclenched his fists. It was clear he was as nervous as she. Though, unlike the other time they'd sparred, he looked more confident. Her lips twitched.
"No holding back." Dawn confirmed, rolling her shoulders, her muscles twitching in anticipation. "No hesitation. A fair match." She grinned.
Sasuke reciprocated her grin. "A fair match."
The proctor looked between the two, before speaking. "Well, if you're ready... you may begin."
───※ ·❆· ※───
KAKASHI
"Kakabaka!"
The Hatake momentarily froze. He knew he was going to get scolded by the purple-haired woman the moment he told Sasuke to train a little bit more before making their way to the examination arena, but he knew that training and analysing the Uchiha's curse mark was necessary which is why he had insisted on training him. It surprised him that him and Sasuke shared similar abilities, so he made the impulsive choice of teaching him one of his Jutsu: something else Kei was going to kick his ass for.
Inwardly grimacing, he opted for a sheepish wave, casually smiling at his lover.
"Hi, sweetheart." Kakashi grinned, planting a kiss on Kei's cheek. He then stood besides Jiro and smiled at him.
Jiro gave him a wary look. "You're not planning on kissing me on the cheek, are you Scarecrow?"
Kakashi sweat dropped and shook his head. "No- unless you want one?"
The wolf scrunched his snout in disgust. "Get your disgusting human germs away from me otherwise I will maul you to death with my teeth."
His eye grew wide. "Uh..."
"What the hell is wrong with you Hatake?!" Kei hissed, planting her hands on her hips as she mustered her signature glare: one that she had often used, but was very effective in frightening him. "Why are you so late- the one time, the very one time where you have to be early, you arrive late and you made Sasuke late- postponing his and Dawn's match till the very end."
"You better apologise." Sakura shook her head in disappointment. Kakashi didn't know where she appeared from. She then lowered her voice. "You should know better than to make pregnant women angry. That's some dangerous stuff you're involving yourself in."
"You're right." Kakashi agreed before looking at an expectant Kei. "I'm sorry?"
She rolled her eyes. Her mood instantly changed when she pointed at the arena. "Oh my god- okay, shut up now- their match is starting- it's actually starting, I'm scared."
He patted her head. "Take deep breaths-"
"Shut up."
"Okay."
He turned his attention to the match. Kakashi would be lying if he said he wasn't looking forward to this match the most, it was an interesting pair and the fact that they were teammates made the match even more suspenseful. Training Sasuke sharpened his idea on his strengths and weaknesses, whilst Sasuke was great at Taijutsu due to his brute strength and swift force, he lacked main offensive attacks and mostly relied on weaponry.
Dawn, on the other hand, was one of the best at Taijutsu. Her small weight and size allowed her to be incredibly agile and flexible in her approach, therefor meaning she lacked the physical strength. Despite that, she had a lot of surprises up her sleeves. There was many outcomes to this battle.
"Well, if you're ready... you may begin."
Without even sizing each other up or unnecessary monologues— the two charged at each other at the speed of lightning; straightforward, streamlined and synced.
They don't mess around. Kakashi raised an eyebrow, smirking.
Straight off the bat, Sasuke had made the first move which was predictable as Dawn usually played on the defensive side, taking the more analytical, wary approach before she knew what she was getting into. The Uchiha barrelled his fists towards her, to which she grasped onto his wrist and use the weight of his body to propel herself into the air and flip over his figure. Landing at an unimaginable speed, she aimed a kick to his lower back. Sasuke stumbled forward, recovering quickly as he sent a line of jabs in her direction.
The blonde swiftly pushed his jabs away and dodged as his fist swiped across her head. Kakashi was surprised when Sasuke had managed to land a harsh blow to her stomach due to his new profound speed, but was even more surprised by Dawn's speedy recovery as she landed crouched on the ground. Utilising her lower angle, she belted her leg into his shin, forcing him to her level as she reciprocated his move and aimed a kick to his lower stomach.
The sudden attack sent him backwards as he rolled on the ground and quickly steadied himself on his feet. They exchanged eye contact momentarily, once again charging like two territorial lions, unable to back down from the upcoming challenge.
"What the..." Sakura trailed off, her eyes wider than saucers. "They're going so fast I can't even see them- and Sasuke's so fast- and Dawn's even faster— where did they get this strength from?"
"Sasuke has been training on his speed a lot throughout the weeks." Kakashi elaborated. "Dawn has always been fast, using her petiteness as an advantage. But she did manage to swipe Sasuke off his feet, which means she must've been training on her strength. The both are aware of their weaknesses and each other's strengths, they're possibly equally matched. However..."
There will always be one that'll outmatch the other.
This time, the battle took a different approach: Dawn had decided to take the offensive strategy. She was quick on her toes sending multiple jabs and punches towards Sasuke. Although they lacked power, the amount she threw at him all compacted together simultaneously that even with Sasuke's speed- Dawn's speed clearly outmatched his which was understandable. Sasuke had recently touched up on his speed, for as long as he had known Dawn- training was drilled into her regimen, perhaps even years beyond what an average Genin is capable of. Some would even dub her as a prodigy.
Although, I'm worried about what's motivating her to become stronger. Kakashi pressed his lips together, thinking back to the very first day his Genin introduced themselves to him. She wasn't hesitant in making her goals clear, it only showed that there was so much that he didn't know about her.
No breaks were taken, no extra breaths inhaled, everything was immediate- but the flow of the battle was extremely clear to his eyes, Sharingan or not. Every kick and punch exchanged cancelled out each other's attacks. Their recovery time were equally balanced yet the pattern of their movements entirely contradicted each other. Where Dawn's attacks flowed like a stream of water in a still pond, it also torrented at command, gushing down furiously- rivalling the speed of a cataract. Where Sasuke attacks contained flickers of sweltering fire, it also expanded, thrashing wildly like loose, hellish flames.
And yet the two elements, rather than diminishing each other into a worthless singularity- it worked together, intertwined with great compatibility. Kakashi only hoped that the two, able-bodied students of his pursued their missions together in the future, though he feared their unstoppable force.
"Incredible!" Guy, who appeared out of nowhere with his student Lee, whispered- mesmerised by the current fight. "I've never seen such Taijutsu style before... Dawn... where did she learn such moves? And how did you make Sasuke's speed like that of Lee's without his weights in such short time?"
"Ah," Kakashi glanced at Guy before smirking. "Well, with Sasuke, he was able to copy Lee's moves and build on his new strength for... something else. As for Dawn... if I'm being entirely honest, like Lee her abilities are out of pure hard work and dedication. She perfected her skills over the years and is very fluid and volatile in her attacks."
"Years?" Guy's eyes grew wide.
"Yes well, according to Kei and from my own knowledge, to Dawn training isn't just something that she does to gain strength from- it's her hobby, something she does for fun." He chuckled at the girl's antics, but also out of discrete concern.
"You got yourself some interesting students, Kakashi." Guy shook his head in disbelief.
"I would love to train with her some time!" Lee exclaimed enthusiastically.
"I think she'd love that." Kei piqued in.
After suffering from another harsh blow to the stomach, Sasuke furthered his distance from Dawn knowing that close-ranged attacks were futile when she clearly had the advantage. He flung a couple of shuriken at Dawn, to which she skilfully deflected with a kunai. Kakashi took into account that he was trying to create enough time to distract her with a Jutsu.
Sasuke then performed a couple of hands signs, that he recognised to be a fire-styled Jutsu.
Moments later, a roar of large flames emitted from his mouth ferociously. Kakashi had expected Dawn to move out the way, but strangely she stood there- staring at the flames as though she was in a deep trance. What unsettled him was the undoubtable threshold of fear brewing in her blue eyes, the wavering of the flames dancing in the reflection of her vision.
"Come on, Dawn." Jiro's chest rumbled with a small growl, slowly lifting up from the ground. "Overcome it. Don't let it control you."
"Let what control her?" Kei asked in confusion.
Kakashi stared at the wolf, one that also had an eyepatch concealing his eyes and a scar breaching across his face. It would be a lie if he said he wasn't curious about his story, but what he did know was that he was incredibly overprotective over Dawn; but why?
"Her fears." He eventually replied, his face stoic and devoid of what he was feeling. "She has a fear of fire."
The Hatake blinked, he certainly didn't expect to hear that. He wondered how he didn't notice any sooner. Embedded in his heart was an obligation towards the safety of his students, if he failed to even know the simplest things about them, then he failed as a Sensei.
In the last second of time, Dawn had shifted- her stance changing entirely into a more stable hold, and her hands equipping the katana on her back which sliced across the fire like it was a piece of wood and refracted the flames towards the opposite direction. However, she had diverted the flames ten times potent with a much stronger momentum in it's attack, Sasuke had managed to dodge in the nick of time just as the fire created a giant crater on the ground.
The crowd fell silent.
Sakura blinked. "Did she just..."
"Deflect fire with her cool sword thingy?" Naruto exclaimed, his eyes sparkling in admiration and awe. "Not only that, but also make his attack even more powerful!"
"Firstly it's a Katana, secondly when did you even arrive?" Sakura asked, startled by his sudden appearance.
"Now." Shikamaru shrugged, before squinting at the arena. "Man... girls are scary."
The smoke took long to clear in the air due to it's density and the dust that arose from the ground. Instantly, Kakashi knew what Sasuke was going to do. He was going to use this as an opportunity to use the Jutsu he had taught him, knowing that it was a last resort. But what worried him was that if that Jutsu hit Dawn, she'll be severely injured- beyond injured, it could inflict a lot of damage; especially when hit directly.
Just what are you thinking, Sasuke?
When it did clear up, Sasuke gathered chakra to his feet and propelled himself on the wall. He then performed the hand signs that the Hatake knew all too well.
"Wait a minute... don't tell me... Kakashi Hatake!" Kei growled, grabbing Kakashi by the hem of his Jounin vest. "You taught him that Jutsu, didn't you?"
Kakashi pressed his lips together firmly. "Well yes... he and I are very similar is some aspects, I taught him what I thought would be beneficial to him."
"So that's why you had him train this much? Flesh activation." Guy mused, shaking his head. "But Kakashi... he's using this Jutsu against a teammate... what is he trying to prove?"
Kakashi glanced back at the battle sullenly. "I... I don't know."
After completing the hand signs, his hand engulfed itself with blue, electrifying chakra- one that was visible and very difficult to maintain. However, Sasuke had just about tamed it as he dragged his arm along at lightning pace down the wall.
"Wait a minute," Naruto looked at Kakashi with an unsettled look on his face. "What exactly is this Jutsu you taught him?"
"It's an original move, made by Kakashi himself." Guy answered. "His chakra is stimulated from activating his flesh. It then produces a fluctuation in it's thrust which resembles the cry of a thousand birds. Otherwise known as Chidori."
"But... why is Sasuke using it on Dawn?" Sakura asked nervously, her eyes widened in fright. "It looks and sounds really powerful and he's heading for a direct attack at full speed- not to mention this entire battle is more of a survival match than a competitive one... shouldn't he be more lenient towards her...?"
"Like I said Sakura. Sasuke is different." Ino muttered, her eyes never leaving the battle. "He doesn't care who the opponent is, what gender, who they are, if they're weak or strong- every match is an equal match. He's not intending to harm her, he's respecting her by acknowledging the fact that she's as strong- if not, more strong than him. Which is why he's not holding back."
So this is what Kei meant. Kakashi thought as everything dawned upon him. Sasuke doesn't know how to express his feelings, so he does it through a different method. But even then... there's no way Dawn could counteract this attack.
His breath hitched, his body frozen in place and his eyes glued directly on the heaps of chakra on Sasuke's hand as he approached Dawn. A sickening feeling grew in his stomach as he anticipated what would happen next- because he didn't know how it was going to turn out. Dawn had placed her Katana back in it's sheathe, this time her eyes tentatively focused on Sasuke's arrival.
Much to the Hatake's surprise, as Sasuke thrusted the Chidori forth- Dawn blocked his punch by directly grabbing onto his fist.
"What the..." Kakashi gaped. "This isn't meant to be possible..."
Yet what he saw proved that it was indeed happening. That the lightning he had bore in his hands didn't pierce through her grip, in fact Sasuke was frozen in place; his eyes betraying the shock he felt. The high voltage of electricity left his control and coiled around Dawn's arm, not once creating any damage. It was as though she had dominated the element and made it submit to her command. She then released her grip, the lightning now coursing through her fingertips.
"Is this a Kekkei Genkai of some sorts?" Guy exclaimed, marvelling at the sight. "Such prevailing youthfulness... this ability of hers is unheard of, even judging from her prelims battle. No one could've expected this."
"That's my girl." Kei grinned proudly.
"Now she should finish this battle off by eating him." Jiro grinned wickedly, his tongue swiping over his teeth.
Just as Kakashi waited to see what was going to happen next, a slow dance of feathers cascaded from the sky.
Seconds later, the arena was filled with unconscious bodies.
***
Sorry for the late update, mocks were absolutely stressful but I rewarded y'all with an extra long chapter so... I hope you enjoyed it :)