Akari Uchiha

Ch. 9 Tree Climbing! ... without hands...

"Been four hours of training and you haven't whined once, what's gotten into you brat?" Anko questioned, somewhat confused. 

Of what she had seen of Haru so far, he didn't like rough training, which she provided. Usually most of their training sessions ended when he finally ran off and hid from her, until she dragged his butt back the next morning.

"Nothing," the 12-year-old grumbled, nursing a cut on his arm.

"Hey! Don't give me that!" Anko said resting her hands on her hips. Her 12-year-old maggot rolled his eyes.

"I need to become stronger," he finally answered.

"Oh?" As satisfied as Anko was with him finally getting some motivation, she was also curious. "Why is that?" she asked thoughtfully.

Haru glanced down for a second, contemplating whether to tell her or not, before looking back at her with a determined expression. "I want to protect someone instead of watching her get beat up helplessly by a retired chunin because of something that wasn't even her fault," he grumbles angrily.

Anko raised her eyebrows slightly. She decided not to question further. 

"Well, what are you waiting for then? Get back to the training field," she said clapping her hands while smirking. Whatever happened, it seemed to have given him a push to become stronger. She was going to enjoy this training session.

-----

"I think I'm getting the hang of it!" Akari shouted excitedly from top of a tree.

Sakura whistled from below the tree. "You climbed using your hands the other half," she called back.

"... but... I climbed without using my hands in the start!" she protested.

"I managed to climb all the way to the top on my first try," Sakura said, making a depressed cloud form around Akari as she fiddled with the leaves.

"That's demotivating, pink Goddess."

"Are you ever going to stop calling me that?" Sakura sighed.

"Nope," Akari answered back cheerfully. "Your punch was amazing! It was literally God level!"

Sakura blushed slightly at the compliment. "Well, I'm pretty awesome."

"How do you do that?"

"Chakra control, which the exercise you're doing currently is about," she said.

"Woah! So if I master this I'll be able to do those punches?" Akari asked excited.

"Uh... firstly, you are nowhere close to mastering it. Secondly, this is the most basic exercise, so nope."

Akari frowned, before groaning.

"Why was that man attacking you again? You never told me," Sakura muttered as Akari jumped down.

"Uh... my cousins are rogue ninjas who hurt his precious ones?" Akari said doubtfully.

Sakura frowned. "Oh..."

Akari hesitated slightly. Did Sakura hate Uchihas too? She still didn't know Akari was half-Uchiha though.

Sakura sighed. "You should still report it to someone. Are your parents ninjas?"

Akari shook her head. Her parents were dead.

"Then ask your jonin sensei or master to report it to the Hokage," Sakura shrugged. "I would do it, but I need to go, plus I'm the Hokage's apprentice and she would drag me into training right there," she chuckled awkwardly.