The Art of Bonding

Akemi stopped once again, the tunnel she had been following for the past few minutes having once again led to a dead end. She had expected navigating the tunnel network to be difficult, as every corner and corridor looked identical with stone brick walls and a mix of dim electrical lights and torches, but her patience was beginning to wear thin. Having come to her fifth dead end, Akemi cursed under her breath and abruptly turned around. If she recalled correctly, there was a turn she could take just up ahead, though she wasn't sure where it led, perhaps just to yet another dead end. The thought of smashing through the walls had occurred to Akemi, however, she figured it best not to do anything that may attract the wrath of Sayuri. As much resentment as Akemi had for the woman, she wanted to stay on Sayuri's good side to ensure Sayuri shared her valuable secrets of power.

Making the turn she had recalled a few minutes prior, Akemi immediately noticed a light at the end of the tunnel. Currently, it was difficult to make out any details, but the light appeared to be coming from a large chamber. There was, of course, the possibility that the chamber was itself another dead end, but even with that in mind Akemi was relieved to find something other than a brick wall. Quickening her pace, Akemi hurried towards the lit chamber.

Upon exiting the cramped tunnel, Akemi found herself in was appeared to be a small underground canyon, two steep rocky inclines to either side of the chamber. The entire area was well lit, though Akemi noted that the light source was somehow hidden from view. The purpose of the chamber, Akemi inferred was a training area, which filled her with delight. The area would certainly allow her adequate space to move, being far beyond the compact dojo-type room Akemi had been expecting to find underground. Akemi's mind had just begun pondering what Sayuri's first lesson would be when Akemi noticed she heard a voice call out to her, one that she did not recognize.

"So, you're the newcomer? My 'sister-disciple'?" The cool monotone voice came from a darkened area in the room. It belonged to a raven-haired teen girl, who laid against a giant boulder with her arms crossed, staring directly at Akemi with a stoic expression.

Casually glancing over, Akemi took a moment to scan over the raven haired girl, taking in her appearance from top to bottom. Her dark attire blended in well to the shadows beneath the boulder, even her eyes seemed to hide in the shade. I Akemi had to guess, the girl was likely about the same age as her, perhaps a little younger.

"Sayuri agreed to train me if that's what you are asking." Akemi answered, her own voice being equally monotone and casual as the girl's. "But. I wouldn't go so far as to call us sisters."

"Heh, don't get me wrong. I'm just quoting what Sayuri told me, and she's more of a family member than you'll ever be, trust me." The girl's voice continued in a monotone, "And what's your purpose here? What do you seek from that woman?"

"Why would my purpose concern you? We both are here because we require power, which Sayuri can provide. The details don't matter."

"As a matter of fact, they do. I don't want some loser wasting Sayuri's, and particularly, my time chasing after futile dreams of grandiose. If I see you're dragging me down, I won't hesitate in cutting away the dead weight." A very slight hint of aggression could be sensed within the girl's voice, "So, I'll ask again. What is your purpose for seeking power from Sayuri?"

Akemi stared back at the girl for a moment, her expression unchanged. She wasn't quite yet sure what to make of the girl's sudden turn of aggression, issuing a blatant threat over something so trivial. If this conversation had taken place within the confines of Konohagakure, Akemi would have simply shrugged off the threat, put on a plastic smile and done her best to defuse the situation before it had even begun. Here however, there was no reason for Akemi to maintain a charade of friendliness and humility.

"I seek power because that is my purpose." Akemi explained, still maintaining an indifferent tone of voice. "It is not something I have control over. I was meant to seek out power wherever it may be found, and achieve it by whatever means are needed. If achieving the power Sayuri possesses means allowing her to wield the weapon that I am, so be it."

"What? So you think you're a weapon? To be used by others? That's the most stupid thing I've ever heard! Did some moron just drill that into your head? Or are you really that brain-dead as to believe in such a thing?" The girl's voice grew slightly more outraged this time.

"It is what I was made to be and I simply acknowledge the fact. I did not choose what I am but to deny it would be to reject my very existence." Akemi again turned on her heels, but this time in the direction of the tunnel she had exited from. As Akemi spoke she slowly began to walk towards the tunnel, no longer even looking the girl as she spoke. "I'm not so arrogant as to glorify what I am. I don't deserve to be called a kunoichi, I don't deserve to be called a shinobi. I barely should even be considered a human."

"Why are you turning your back on me? I'm not done talking!" The girl performed the goat hand-seal and several hidden paper bombs blew up just above the entrance, causing a caving-in and stopping Akemi from leaving the room. The girl then left her dark stop and walked towards Akemi, "Sorry for locking us in here, but I really don't like being brushed aside that easily, you know?"

"What do you think you're going to achieve by trapping me in here?" Akemi turned around once again to face Kimi. "Are you trying to start a confrontation with me? It wasn't the training I was looking for, but I suppose it will make an adequate warm up until I can find Sayuri."

"If that's a challenge, you better be sure that you can handle the heat in this 'warm-up'." Kimi spoke with the same voice and expression, the only thing changing about her being her eyes, which turned crimson with briefly rotating tomoe as she finished talking.

At this junction, Akemi knew words were not longer necessary. Reaching over her shoulder, Akemi wrapped her fingers over the handle of her kukri, drawing the weapon and holding out in front of her chest, parallel to the ground. Her steely gaze remained just below Kimi's eyes, Akemi being well aware of the Genjutsu abilities possessed by the Sharingan. The two young woman simply stood and looked at one another for a moment, the tension growing by the second. Both were in battle mode, fully prepared to strike down their "sister pupil" at the drop of a hat. The only thing the kunoichi were waiting on was or the other to be the one to make the first move.

After a few more moments of tense silence, Akemi noticed Kimi inch forward, shifting her weight in preparation for an attack. That was all Akemi needed to see in order for retaliation to be justified. Rushing forward with unreal speed, Akemi dashed towards Kimi, slashing with her kukri as she closed the distance between them.

Kimi's eyes slightly widened in surprise at Akemi's quick onslaught, but she stood her ground nonetheless; Kimi quickly drew a kunai and proceeded to effectively block Akemi's fast strikes and lunges while repeatedly backstepping to try and get some distance, her Sharingan giving her a fluid read of her opponent's movements which otherwise would've been hard to perceive.

As Akemi had predicted, though her strikes were fast and fierce, her opponent's Sharingan provided an adequate boost to her reflexes, allowing Kimi to block and parry the heavy blade of the kukri without harm. However, Akemi knew that the simple kunai wouldn't hold up to extended strikes from her diamond edged kukri. With each blow Akemi felt the kukri begin to bite deeper and deeper into the kunai. Performing a feigning strike, Akemi spun as he side stepped Kimi, delivering a powerful level strike, which, like the previous strikes was blocked by Kimi’s kunai. But unlike Akemi’s previous strikes, this time the kukri managed to cut so deeply into the kunai that it prevented Kimi from pulling away, her weapon refusing to move with her. With a simple yank, Akemi forced Kimi towards her, and delivered a hard elbow to the girl’s temple.

Taking the hit, Kimi was forced to drop the damaged kunai and do a few acrobatic moves to avoid falling on the ground and create some distance between her and Akemi. At the last somersault, Kimi quickly took her right hand to her mouth in an "O" shape and shot a fireball at her opponent in mid-air, promptly landing swiftly afterward.

With the fireball hurtling towards here, Akemi remained still, her kukri down at her side. It was evident that Akemi was making no effort to dodge. The flames engulfed her body, blasting against her face with immense heat. In a matter of seconds Akemi was little more than a dark silhouette in the fire.

Taking note of Akemi's lack of effort in dodging the fireball, Kimi assumed she had something up her sleeve and tried to observe carefully, "Not moving, huh? What are you up to?" Kimi thought to herself, narrowing her eyes in curiosity.

As if partaking in a strange dance, the flames began twisting, seeming to be moving around a central point. In a sudden rush of warm air, most of the flames disappeared, the only fire remaining being several candle-like wisps handing off of a pristine Akemi.

From what happened, Kimi concluded the flames had been absorbed by some unique technique employed by Akemi, "So she sucked in the fire? I wonder what else she can absorb..." Standing in wait for Akemi's next move, Kimi secretly started building up lightning chakra within her for her own counterattack.

"You've made two mistakes already." Akemi stated to Kimi, giving her kukri a quick spin before sheathing the weapon. "The first was thinking an inferior tool would protect you. The second mistake was attempting to utilize Fire Release against me. If you keep making errors at this rate you won't last long." Akemi began forming a rapid series of hand seals, her hands little more than a blur as they moved. Ending in the tiger hand seal, Akemi puffed her chest, Kimi's Fire Release chakra swelling inside her body. "Fire Release: Fire Dragon Flame Bullet!" Akemi practically roared her word as she expelled a large fire blast from her mouth, one significantly larger than the one Kimi had created.

Waiting for the right time to evade Akemi's counterattack, Kimi stood still much in the same way her 'sister-pupil' had done prior, disappearing in a flash of lightning just as the flames were inches away from smoldering her body. All Akemi could see was another flash of lightning high in the air, then a large stream of it heading towards her at an alarming speed, giving her very little time to react.

Jumping back as quickly as she could, Akemi brought her arms up in defense, facing her metal bracers outwards to block the incoming attack. Kimi, still shrouded in her lightning, managed to connect with one of the bracers, leaving a gash directly through the engraved Konoha emblem. Sliding back across the rock floor, Akemi slammed her palm into the ground, quickly halting her movement. Kimi's attack had surprisingly come close to finding skin. Akemi hadn't anticipated the girl switch to the offensive so quickly. Perhaps the Uchiha was a little more than talk after all.

"Better." Akemi informed Kimi, her tone still bland but somehow condescending at the same time. "But still mediocre."

Still shrouded in a lightning aura, Kimi stood still for a couple seconds, "Oh really? Let's see if you find my next technique 'mediocre' as well!" The Uchiha then retracted her recently used Steel Claw and quickly performed the dog, boar and snake hand-seals, her aura getting wilder before disappearing in a flash once again, then reappearing in another flash right in front of Akemi!

The older kunoichi couldn't react in time to the sheer speed and Kimi managed to land two blows from her now extended hand Steel Claws before zapping right through Akemi and landing a few feet away from her. The two blows from her claws would certainly heavily grieve her opponent, and as if it weren't enough, a 'X' shaped lightning explosion befell Akemi shortly after, forcing the kunoichi to fall on the floor, seemingly defeated, "Unfortunately for you, a single mistake is all it takes for me to finish you off, and yours was underestimating me, an Uchiha." Kimi's lightning aura died down as she spoke in a similar emotionless, but condescending tone, sheathing her claws and crossing her arms as she looked over her shoulder at the grounded girl.

"If anything I think I overestimated you." Akemi spoke, her voice oddly calm and unburdened for someone who had just been mortally wounded. "Your attack made a mess of my vest, but didn't even scratch me." Without even moving a muscle, Akemi's body began sinking into the rock floor, as if the girl had been laying on fast moving quicksand. In mere moment's Akemi had been completely engulfed by the rock, disappearing from view. Mere moments after Akemi's disappearance, the earth wall of the massive chamber began shaking. Without warning, the rock beneath Kimi gave way, swallowing up to her knees and locking the kunoichi in solid stone. "You being an Uchiha means nothing to me." Akemi spoke in a strong voice, now standing atop a higher section of rock behind Kimi. "Just the leftovers of a once powerful clan trying to grasp at any last shred of prominence they come across. Most of you were so weak a single man slaughtered you all in a single night, one of your own in fact. Are you truly proud to bear that Uchiha name?"

Kimi slightly tilted her head up from the shifted floor that caught her by surprise, upon hearing Akemi's offensive statements, "What did you just say? From what clan do you hail from? Do you even have a family?!" Kimi suddenly looks over her shoulder at Akemi, her Sharingan suddenly shifting form to a "X" pattern, "Just who the hell do you think you are to talk trash like that about the Uchiha?!" The Kimi buried in the earth suddenly 'puffed' in white smoke, then a wooden log appearing in her stead.

The clever use of the basic Replacement Technique was notably well executed. Akemi found herself taking a mere moment to process what had just happened to her enemy, a moment that could prove fatal. From behind Akemi, Kimi zoomed out of nowhere, ready to strike at the older kunoichi with her Steel Claws again, "I'll shred your face to pieces, you scum!"

Seemingly caught off guard, Akemi could do little but try and draw her sword before her opponent's claws found flesh to cleave from her body, but with Kimi's speed such an action seemed unlikely of success. Akemi turned her body, her kukri unsheathed but still lagging behind. Akemi looked up, inadvertently meeting the crimson gaze of her Uchiha adversary, filled with an obvious rage.

Kimi's left eye glowed as the two kunoichi made eye contact, "Kunitsukami!" Kimi shouted mentally.

The two clashed once more and locked themselves in another close-quarters fight, except this time Kimi seemed to be predicting almost every move Akemi made, either defensive or offensive, beyond even what her Sharingan allowed her to do. In time, Akemi herself started feeling a somewhat unnatural sense of dread, momentarily taking away her focus from the fight and allowing Kimi an opening, which she took advantage of; Kimi quickly slashed a few times on Akemi's vulnerable body and finished her off with a powerful kick to the gut that sent the wounded kunoichi tumbling back.

Still visibly angry, Kimi snarled at her fallen opponent, "Don't mock the Uchiha's visual prowess!"

Flat on her back, Akemi lifted her head to look at Kimi, no expression on her face as it slowly began losing its color. In mere moments, all the color from Akemi's body had faded into an earthly brown. The soft earth that had made up Akemi's clone began crumbling, quickly reducing to a pile of soft dirt.

"That was quite interesting." Akemi said, appearing on the side of Kimi opposite her clone. "What was it you just did to my clone? It certainly wasn't a technique I'm familiar with." Akemi stud with her arms folded across her abdomen, apparently waiting for an answer.

"Tch..." Kimi frowned at the sight of the decomposing clone, meaning most of her effort had been worthless.

"What's it to you?" Kimi said after hearing Akemi, slightly turning around to look at her with disdain on her visage, blood running down her cheek from her left eye, "You were criticizing the Uchiha just moments ago, and now you find my techniques interesting?" Kimi raised her right hand and began infusing her Steel Claws with lightning, "And what makes you think I'd tell jack shit to a hypocrite like you?"