Just Like A Game

Just Like A Game
"Kibou-kun." Akane chirped in her wind-chme voice. "I have an idea."

"Hm?" Kibou asked, cocking an eyebrow.

"Let's explore."

"Good idea. No offense, but listening to music all day is boring." He agreed.

"'Kay!" She said dragging him out the window. "We'll have fun later."

"Damn it, woman!" Was his protest, but he didn't struggle very much. "Stop dragging me!"

"You're gonna make me cry, Kibou-kun." She whined, still dragging the protesting boy.

"You?! What about me?! You've got a claw for a friggin' hand!!"

"I could throw you, Kibou-kun." She said almost menacingly, but let go of his hand all the same.

The Uchiha sucked in breath, as he held his bruised palm gingerly. "Oh, Lord...." He groaned, still managing to follow Akane. "You are so abusive, Akane-chan...."

"Smart boy." She said as they took off.

"Where are we going, anyway?" He said in a poutish manner, folding his arms across his chest.

"We're going to explore the Kuroi Getsuei, Kibou-kun." Akane said running at top speed, becoming a blur. "It'll be fun. We'll look through everything here, maybe meet some new ninja."

"Are you kidding?" Kibou complained, as he tore after her. "There are nobody but your family and mine!"

"This dimension is used by all the Kurosaki of Kurogakure, simple minded Kibou-kun." Akane said laughing. It was a soothing bell like sound.

Kibou looked down slightly, and couldn't help himself from smiling. "You know, I should be angry that you called me simple-minded. But it's impossible, with that voice of yours..."

"Simple-minded boy or not, you're my simple-minded boy."

"Yeah...." He blushed slightly at her words. "Your simple-minded boy...." He repeated softly.

Akane made a slight movement to the left and whispered in Kibou's ear. "And you'll always be mine. I will NEVER lose you."

A bead of sweat dropped down Kibou's face, and he gulped, swallowing the lump in his throat. "Uh....y-yeah...." Was all he could mutter, slightly frightened by Akane's sudden display of possessiveness.

"Yo'll get used to it." She said cheerfully as the reached a lake. "Looked like we have to swim, Kibou-Kun."

"We could just walk, you know...." The Uchiha muttered.

Akane giggled and dived headfirst into the water. "C'mon Kibou-kun. You scared?"

"Hmph." Kibou ran after and dived after her. Immediately, the cold feeling of the water running across his body came over him, and he felt a shiver go down his spine. He immediately swam up to the surface, his head poking out, as he took a big gasp of air.

"Damn, this water's cold!"

"Get over it Kibou-kun." Akane said from halfway across the lake. "I'm hurt that you didn't notice me."

"'Course I noticed you!" He shouted back, pushing himself across the water surface. His arms and legs moved viciously, as he swam to follow her. "Your glowing skin isn't that unnoticeable!"

Akane luaghed her bell like laugh as she got our of the lake first and shook in a manner similar to a dog drying her hair and most of her body, yet her clothes clung to her, still wet.

Kibou stopped in mid-air, his eyes caught in a comically widened position. He was sure his jaw was going to fall off, his mouth was so agape. "A-akane-chan...." He muttered, not knowing what to say.

Akane giggled, staring at Kibou. She motioned for Kibou to come out as she broke a tree in one fell swoop and took the wood and make a fire no time then took off her clothes outer garments to hang over the fire.

Kibou immediately blushed, turning away. "Damn it, woman!" He complained. "Why do you have to be so open about yourself?!"

"You already know what I look like naked." Akane said,gigglng. "Now dry your clothes, Kibou-kun. I don't want you to catch a cold."

"You're just looking for an excuse to see more of me." Kibou muttered, taking off only his shirt, however.

Akane giggled as she threw Kiou's shirt over the fire, jumped back into the lake and came out with two fish which she began to cook over a seperate fire.

Kibou merely put his hands behind his head, sitting next to a tree. "Hmph." He muttered.

Akane sat down next to the fire to finish drying off, and after about five minutes the clothes were dr. She put her's back on and threw Kibous shirt to him. "All's left now is the fish."

"Mine's dead." Kibou muttered, smirking as he took a bite.

"They're all dead Kibou-kun." Akane said having finished both of her's.

"Holy--" Kibou's eyes nearly bulged out of his head. "Did you even taste it first?" He asked, laughing as he continued to take bites out of his fish.

"Barely." Akane said luaging waiting for Kibou to finish his last fish.

After a few more bites, Kibou decided it was best to stop delaying them. "You know, this could take a while. How about we keep walking, and I can eat on the way?" He asked, standing up.

"Alright" And decided it woul be funny, she quickly pulled up her shirt and bra and quickly pulled it back down again.

Kibou's head nearly went off its shoulders, its tilting to the side so abrupt and sudden. A slight stream of blood came from his nose, as he stared incredulously. He twitched, almost seeming as if it was in paralysis.

"What the fu--"

And the Akane was off and running. "C'mon Kibou-kun." she said laughing. "We've got much more to explore!"

Shaking his head to clear it, he took off in pursuit, although still taking bites of the fish. "W-wait up!" He called after her, although his speed was enough to easily catch up with her own.

Akane suddenly caught a scent of something that was not her beloved Kibou.

"Uh...." Kibou came to a stop, looking around immediately. "....you feel that, too, don't ya?" He asked seriously, searching for the foreign presence. He didn't activate his Sharingan.... yet.

"I smelt it first." Akane replied, her claws at the ready. "It smells like a Kurosaki."

"Then isn't he a friend?"

"The smell isn't friendly."

"Scared girly?" came a voice from the shadows. It wasn't any of theirs.

Kibou's instincts kicked in, and he quickly pushed past Akane, so that she was behind him. Quickly whipping out a kunai, he tossed it in the direction of the voice.

A figure drapped in black jumped out, dodging the Kunai. "An Uchiha, huh? What a treat."

Kibou narrowed his eyes. "Glad to see you already know who I am. Now who are you?" He spoke as calmly as he could.

"I'm a Kurogakure ninja that was altered ever so slightly by a certain someone and now i feed on blood." The ninja said, seemingly smacking his lips. "You, Uchiha will be a treat."

"The only blood you'll be tasting is your own, right after I break your damn nose." Kibou retorted, the pattern of crimson and black swimming up to the surface of his eyes.

The ninja's eye's glew pink and black as he readied himself for battle.

"Kibou." Akane thought from behind him. "Kick his ass. I know you can hear me."

Kibou nodded in reply, as he stared down the Kurosaki. He smacked his chest with one hand. "I'll even let you get the first hit, if you want me so bad." He taunted. "Come on!"

The Kurosaki charged for the man. "I am Hikomaru Kurosaki!" the man said. "And I'm the one who's going to kill you." he finished baring his fangs and aimed for Kibou's neck.

At the last minute, however, Kibou simply dodged, raising up and slamming a knee into Hikomaru's gut. "Yeah....no." The boy muttered bluntly, removing the knee and allowing the winded attacker to fall to the ground.

"W...what.." he could barely utter it as he fell.

But Kibou wasn't finished there. With one hand, he reached and gripped Hikomaru's collar, forcing him to stand on his feet. Then, with a strong punch, he struck him in the face, throwing and smashing him into the nearest tree.

At first, he stood still, stuck in the crater in the tree. Then, his head hung, swaying slightly, before falling off its shoulders with a thud.

"Kibou Uchiha." He muttered, smirking. "Is the name of the man that took you down. Pleased to meet ya."

"Wow, Kibou-kun." Akane said. "I can't believe you took him down."

"You had no belief in me?" Kibou faked a hurt expression, as he turned his head to look behind him at Akane. "You hurt me, Akane-chan...."

"Of course I did, Kibou-kun." Akane said, sounding hurt. "His power just felt strange."

Kibou rolled his eyes. "Whatever it was, he's no problem now." His Sharingan deactivated.

"Then let's get back exploring!" Akane said rushing off again. "C'mon!"

Kibou rolled his eyes, but he couldn't help but laugh, as he once again took off after Akane.

Suddenly they were forced to slow down, slightly as tehy had entered the high gravity zone. "Wow." Akane said suprised by the fact that she had to slow down.

"Pfft..." Kibou scoffed, as he slowed down to a walking pace. "We're used to high gravity, remember?"

"Yea but I haven't been in it for awhile." She said looking at Kibou, and her eyes widened. "Kibou-kun y..you're-"

"Eh?" Kibou turned his head to stare at her, cocking an eyebrow. "What?"

"You're glowing." She said, looking at the young Uchiha whose glow seemed to be brighter than her's.

"Wha..." He immediately turned downwards, staring incredulously at his hands. "No way...." He muttered, finally noticing the brilliant glow radiating from them. "How....?"

"Maybe it's because you've spent so much time with me." Akane said. "Maybe I'm radioactive."

"Pffft. Then everything around us would start dying. That hasn't happened so far..."

"True." Akane said. "Only now stealth is impossible for us."

"Who needs stealth?" Kibou rolled his eyes." I have super strength, remeber?"

"So do I, but strength isn't everything." Akane said, rolling her eyes as well. "Dad found that out the hard way."

Kibou snickered. "Poor sensei found an opponent who could seal away his power... I don't think he'll be too happy the next time he sees Sachi again..."

"He likes Sachi." Akane giggled as they set off again.

"But he has Lynterria..."

"I know." Akane said becoming a blur again. "But Sachi is prettier than mom."

Kibou quickly followed in pursuit, rolling his eyes. "Then why didn't he just marry her?" He asked.

"Maybe he thought she wouldn't like him." Akane said, wondering the same thing herself. "And let's face it, if he had married Sachi, I wouldn't be here."

Kibou rolled his eyes. "You're a clueless puppy...." He muttered in a blunt, but humored manner.

"Not funny, Kibou-kun!" Akane said, picking up a rock and throwing it at him.

He immediately dodged, but didn't stop, tackling her to the ground and pinning her on her stomach, in a similar fashion to their previous fight. He lowered down, his breath tickling her ear as he whispered again.

"But you're my clueless puppy."

Akane turned red. "Nice, Kibou-Kun real nice."

Kibou pulled himself up slightly, so that she could turn on her stomach, but he quickly moved back into his spot once more, his legs straddling her waist. He grinned at her seemingly embarrassed expresion.

"Why are you blushing?" He asked softly. "You have nothing to be embarrassed about when around me..."

Akane laughed her bell like laugh. "I'm not used to hearing things like that from you, Kibou-kun. You're usually so busy making jokes."

"Consider me in a new light, then." Kibou squinted his eyes shut, reaching over to push away a daft of hair that came over Akane's face.

Akane reached up to kiss him. "I think I can do that."

Their lips met once again, and it was seemingly for about 4 minutes before they broke away from each other. Then, Kibou slowly got up, allowing Akane freedom to stand once more.

"Well let's finish exploring." Akane said awkwardly."

A Naruto-like grin came across Kibou's face. "Where to, next?"

"Who's knows?" Akane said taking off flying this time. "I've never explored this whole dimension. It's supposed to have no end."

He took off after her, the grin fading a bit. "Then this is going to take a while." He muttered under his breath, although he was certain Akane could hear him.

"You'll be spending time with me so does it matter?" Akane laughed.

"Good point."

"I smell blood, Kibou-kun." Akane muttered sounding serious. "Blood, and the smell of wolves."

Kibou narrowed his eyes. "There must've been a fresh hunt." He guessed. "What does the blood smell like?"

"Not a human's as far as I can tell." Akane muttered. "But it's still blood and you know what that might mean."

"It's no concern to us." The Uchiha said automatically. "If it's another animal, we shouldn't disturb them."

"Those are demon wolves." Akane muttered apparently deep in thought and barely dodged a tree. "Stay alert."

Kibou frowned heavily at the Kurosaki's actions. "Why are you so tense? We can just pass by this area without a second thought..." He pointed out, expressing mild concern.

"You're not a demon you might be able to handle them like you handle that ninja."

"I'm just sayin', there's no need for us to fight if they're simply hunting for animals. Just as long as they don't hunt us."

Claws came out of nowhere and Akane reacted instantly, snatching Kibou out of the way.

"Stupid wolves." Akane muttered keeping Kibou behind her only to see they were surrounded. "Damn."

Kibou grinned, putting his hands in his pockets. "They don't look like much. I'll let you handle 'em this time." He said casually.

"Stupid little boy." the Alpha wolf snarled. "We'll kill you." He sprang at Kibou only to be met by Akane's fist with a sickening crunch.

Akane then rammed her fist into the ground causing rocks to fly up at the wolves. She charged around at the wolves, brutally snapping their necks, and came to the last one which turned and fled.

The Uchiha smirked at the remaining wolf's retreating back. "Sorry. You were gonna kill who?" He said tauntingly.

"Let that one go." Akane muttered. "He was new to the group. I saw his thoughts. They were clouded in fear."

Kibou shrugged. "As you wish, Akane-chan." He replied.

The two took off again, out of the scent of blood.

After a while of more running, Kibou yawned. "I'm getting bored, Akane-chan..." He whined, his eyes looking around lazily.

"Well, if this place is endless, you'll be bored for eternity." Akane laughed, becoming a blur again as they reached a lush grren forest overlooked by a mountain.

"Tch. Unless I happen to decide I want to turn back..."

"And make me cry?" Akane said, pouting again.

"I'll bring you with me." Kibou smirked.

"I wanna explore, Kibou-kun."

"I wanna see something other than forest...."

Akane suddenly took off into the forest.

Kibou's eyes jerked in her direction at her sudden turn-off. He groaned in disbelief and exasperation. "Jeez...." He muttered, turning sharply and running after her.

Akane kept running and kept her mind blank. If she thought one thing Kibou would know where she was so she had to not think.

Kibou put up a hand to his head in frustration. "Did I REALLY piss her off THAT bad?" He thought, his footsteps stopping as soon as he heard hers stop. He searched around. "Akane-chan!" He called. "Come on, I know you're here! I can sense your chakra signature!"

Akane popped up in front of Kibou and made a face. "BOO!"

"...." Kibou remained silent, his expression not wavering.

"Kibou you jerk!" Akane slapped him across the face. "You're supposed to be scared."

This time, however, Kibou caught her hand with his corresponding, using his free one to wag a finger. "Ah, ah, ah...." He replied teasingly, as if he was speaking to a child. "Just because I didn't get scared doesn't mean you get to hit me."

Akane grabbed his hand and threw him into the forest, flying after him. She stuck out her tongue. "Now you have to explore with me."

As she caught up, though, he had caught himself in mid-air, now flying in front of her. He still had that smirk on his face. "Well, I didn't say that I didn't want to!" He replied cheerfully.

"And look we've reached the mountain." Akane said pointing at the large structure of rock in front of her. "Let's climb it with no chakra."

Kibou raised an eyebrow, then shrugged. "Oh, what the hell. Let's do it." He muttered with slight enthusiasm.

Akane grabbed a part onto a rock and began climbing quickly. "C'mon Kibou-kun."

"Tch." Kibou grabbed a part of the walk and climbed after her.

Akane was already halfway there and punched the side to makes rocks fall down. "C'mon Kibou-kun, you can climb faster."

He jumped to another part of the trip, while still heading hot on her heels. The rocks missed him barely, one scraping his arm, as they fell down to crumble on the ground. "If you're tryin' to kill me, woman..." He muttered, gripping pedestal after pedestal of rock. "You aren't doing very good..."

Akane shouted a victory cry from the top of the mountain. "I GOT HERE FIRST."

"It wasn't a race..." The Uchiha muttered, pulling himself up shortly after. "By the way, you did realize I could see under your skirt, right?" His tone was calm, blunt, and held a slight amount of teasing to it.

"Transformation." Akane cried transforming into herself but wearing a similar outfit that her mother wears. In turn, the Uchiha simply chuckled.

"You look exactly like your mom!" He commented.

Akane used her demon chakra just for a minute to pull Kibou up. "You were taking to long."

"Uhm.... I'm right beside you...." The Uchiha muttered, watching as she used her demon chakra on the empty space.

"Oh." Akane said turning red. "Well this rock looks alot like you." And so it did.

Kibou rolled his eyes. "Like I said before, Akane-chan.... clueless."

Akane kissed Kibou for at least five minutes just to shut him up. "Now let's keep moving Kibou, you stall too much."

Kibou rolled his eyes, yawning some more. "Lead the way... I don't have a map..." He muttered.

Akane look hurt. "My kisses bore you now?"

"It's not that.... it's just that.... I feel like.... well, not to sound like a hypocrite..." Kbiou scratched the back of his head. "But you're kinda goin' at 'em the wrong way."

"Well, we'll work on the right way later." Akane said taking off down the mountain. "In your room."

"Darn it, woman...." Kibou was started to get exasperated with this woman's lust craze, as he took off after her. "I didn't mean sex!"

Akane giggled and they kept running and they reached what seemed to be a rain forest. "Just how big is this place?" Akane thought out loud.

"Hopefully, it's not the Amazon." Kibou replied, looking around. "Otherwise, it's gonna be quite large."

"I was referring to this dimension, Kibou-kun."

"Oh. That's a different story."

Akane suddenly saw a flash of pink. "Kibou-kun, let's move." She said sounding excited. "Something is calling me."

"....Are you at that time of the month, Akane-chan?" Kibou asked curiously, tilting his head to one side.

Akane ignored him, and ran straight into the forest following the light.

"Impulsive much?" Kibou asked, catching up in about 5 seconds.

"No." Akane said, running through the plants in the rain forest. "Something's calling me."

"You'd better hope it's not calling you for lunch." Kibou retorted.

"It's not a bad calling Kibou-kun."

"Oh. In that case, what is it?"

"I'm hearing a voice." Akane muttered and her eyes glazed over. "It's saying, Come... for power."

Kibou's eyes immediately widened. Clearly, when someone's calling you to hand away "power", it usually meant that they were trying to possess them. And judging from the way Akane's eyes glossed over, it was just the case here.

"Akane-chan!" He shouted, grabbing Akane's arm with his nearest one to make her stop in her tracks. "Wait!"

"Calm down." Akane said shaking Kibou's hand away. "I know what I'm doing, Kibou-kun."

"Like hell you do." Kibou muttered firmly, grabbing Akane's wrist again in a vice-like grip. "Your eyes were glossing over!"

"I know." Akane said, her voice sounding dangerous. "I'd let go of me Kibou-kun or you be minus a hand."

"I dare you." Kibou said lowly, narrowing his eyes in a cold glare. "'Cause I'd rather lose a hand than lose you."

"That;s nice." Akane said turning to face the boy her eyes and face blank. "I'll get that power." She said and broke into a run. "Even id I have to drag you with me."

"AKANE!" Kibou snapped, immediately cutting her off. Stepping behind her, he locked his arms under hers in a full nelson, effectively restraining her movement. "You're not going in there!"

But Kibou jumped off from pain as Akane's aura formed, and it was not it's usual blue but deep, blood red.

"There's nothing wrong with the power, Kibou-kun." Akane said, and as usual the demon chakra made her look even prettier, but her eyes and face were still blank. "Are you scared of me growing powerful?"

"I'm scared of you losing something in return!" Kibou shot back, clenching his burning fists. They winced with pain, but he didn't seem to care at the moment. "You can't just waltz in to an unknown energy like that!"

"I have chosen Akane, Kibou-kun." Akane said her face still blank. "She won't lose her life, merely her former power." And with that Akane raced off towards the glowing light.

At first, Kibou's eyes widened out of both shock and realization. He had been right about the possession thing after all. But, just to make sure....

He gripped Akane's arm once again, but this time in a more gentle grip. "I want your full guarantee. Her mind, her soul, herself.... none of that will be lost?" He ignored the sizzling of his hand, and gritted his teeth.

"I promise." Akane said her face still blank. "She'll only lose this demonic power of her's. She be the same after she merges with the crystal. He appearance, soul and even that strange glow you two posses. The only thing that will change is her level of power which will increase drastically."

Kibou stared at her for a few seconds, before finally letting go. "All right, then. Do as you will...."

"She wants you to follow, Kibou-kun." Akane said taking off towards the light.

Kibou sighed heavily, as he pushed his feet forward, right on Akane's heals. But he remained silent. He would just simply have to see what happened...

After five minutes they reached a small glowing crystal. "Here it is."

Kibou put his hands on his hips, staring with one eye open at the crystal. "Shiny." He commented.

"Now all I have to do is break it." Akane said reaching for the crystal but was repelled. "Tch.. Damn."

"Wow...." Kibou drawled, unable to resist cracking a joke. "It looks like I didn't need to keep you away. The crystal can do that itself."

"It's because I'm a demon, Kibou-kun." Akane said. "This crystal repels demon, but I can break through it with enough force." She pressed on and she fought back a scream as the aura around the crystal fought to repel her. "T..th..this is c..ch...child's play." She panted forcing her hand through the barrier and grabbing the small crystallized orb.

Kibou watched intently, ready to come in to assist her at any given moment. "I trust in you, Akane-chan..."

"I got it." She said showing Kibou the glowing pink orb. "Now I have to break it."

"Go right ahead."

"Alright." Akane said, flexing her arm back and slamming it into the jewel, but it was repulsed by a smaller barrier. "Tch... I figured thsi wouldn't be easy." She said slamming her fist into the orb, but being repelled again.

"It's probably your demonic blood that's causing it to be repelled." Kibou observed.

"Maybe." Akane said, smashing her fist into the barrier but getting repelled. "Breaking bones is easier than this." She muttered, sending her fist crashing into the barrier, slightly denting it. "Yes!"

Kibou's eyes widened slightly, and he slowly got up, sensing the barrier's eventual shatter.

Akane slammed her fist into the barrier shattering it and the crystal. The shards glew and she was enveloped in their light. "Wh..wha?"

"Here we go...." Kibou thought, taking in a deep breath and hoping for the best.

As the light swirled around Akane and aura of a blue dog lept from her body and turned to Kibou. "This is her demonic power, that we have banished from her body. You can either choose to accept it yourself, or destroy it."

Kibou closed his eyes in thought for a moment. There seemed to be no way to object to it. He had already recieved the promise that Akane would not be harmed, and Akane clearly had more knowledge in this department than he ever would.

So, he nodded. "I accept it." He said calmly.

"I see." The dog roared loudly and charged at Kibou and began to merge with his body. In a flash it was over and Kibou's power had increased. The light faded from Akane and she fell to the ground, her power drastically increased.

Instantly, Kibou was there, although completely exhausted himself, catching her in his arms gently. "Easy..." He whispered, as he allowed her to rest in his gentle embrace.

"K..kibou-kun?" Akane asked, sounding tired and looked up. "Your power feels, different. You feel like Dad."

"I do?" Kibou had not let the new power coursing through his body pass his mind. He felt his hands tingle, even at her touch.

"Only you're power." Akane muttered, sitting up. "It's not as high as his but the feel is similar." Akane said, shaking her head and suddenly gasped.

Immediately, Kibou's face turned to one of concern. "What is it?" He asked.

"My Shyakugan." Akane said slowly. "It's different. I can see so many things. And I feel so powerful. What is this power anyway?"

"It's a form of Purity." The same voice that had told Kibou about the demonic chakra spoke now. "It's why you had to give up your demonic chakra to the young Uchiha over there."

"Wha..."

Now Kibou was completely stunned, as he held his hands up just enough to bring them into his view. "You transferred her power to me?" He asked, flexing his fingers. "But....why?"

"You two complete each other and we had no wish to destroy that." The voice said. "You owe us." it finished before fading away.

"Well we gotta finish exploring." Akane said. I've looked through my new Shyakugan and this place is only as big as Earth. It shouldn't take that long to get back to the house." She said getting up and suddenly looking prettier than ever and "You owe us" rang through Kibou's head.

Kibou narrowed his eyes slightly. "I knew there had to be a price to pay for this." He thought, slowly getting up on his feet. He reached back down to Akane, in order to give her a hand.

Akane took his hand and got up. "I feel different. But we'll worry about that later." Akane said as she broke into a run, becoming more than a blur.

"Careful, Akane!" Kibou warned, as he took off after her. "At this point, the friction would wear your skin off."

"Like that would ever happen." Akane called back. "I'm a goddess!"

Kibou rolled his eyes, but he couldn't help but chuckle.

"I wonder what this power can do?" Akane thought. "I may not be a demon anymore but I still haven't lost my love for fighting. I hope we encounter someone with good strength so I can test out my power."

Kibou's chuckle faded, as he continued to follow Akane deeper into unknown territory. At least, unknown to him, anyway.

Akane suddenly stopped picking up a strange new smell. "Kibou-kun, stop."

As if on cue, he stopped, landing on the balls of his feet on a tree branch. He cocked an eyebrow at her standing form. "Hm?"