The Lost Shinobi

Him

Akiko was training. She had been trying to perfect one of her jutsus, one which involved a complex motion. Bear Trap. Despite the name making it sound so easy, it was actually difficult to perform. She made three hand signs, Ram, Tiger, and Dog. A bear trap of chakra appeared, snapping a tree in half. "Close enough," Akiko muttered as she laid down, not necessarily tired, but wanting a moment of rest.

"Aren't you overdoing it?" a familiar voice asked. Curious and confused, Akiko turned around. "Utuami Eto?" she asked, and the boy scratched his head. "Uhh, yeah, Akiko Akuma, isn't it?"  Akiko shook her head, "Akiko Momochi." Eto looked confused, "But in the match, you were known as Akuma." Akiko shrugged, "It's just a name." Eto nodded and sat down next to her. 

Akiko looked over at him, "Shouldn't you be in the Hidden Mist Village by now?" Eto chuckled, "I'm not actually from there. Well I mean I am, but, I was only born there." Was he, nervous? "You did slice his shoulder." "Shut up." Eto looked at her and smiled. It was genuine, and gentle. He had the brightest and captivating eyes the color of magenta. His hair was a pitch black, despite a piece of his bangs being a dark crimson. "Is Eto your real name?" Akiko asked. 

Eto shook his head, "It's actually Jiro. Jiro Yukimura." Akiko smiled, "Well, Jiro, nice to meet you." Jiro smiled, "Nice to meet you too, Akiko." Akiko laid down again, "So, where'd you learn the Mist jutsus from?" Jiro smiled, "I learned them from my father, he trained me to know more than my siblings, so that I could teach them." Akiko's eyes widened in surprise, "You have SIBLINGS!?" Jiro scratched his head, "Yeah, six of them, and you?" 

Akiko stayed silent for a moment, "I have two brothers that are alive, although one is currently training with a perv, and the other, I've never met him. I have another brother, but he died to save my father. Then I have an older sister, I don't know where she is." Jiro looked at her closely, "So, you have three now?" She nodded, "Who are your siblings?" Jiro looked away for a moment, "Well, they're all in the Academy, but one of my brothers are about to graduate." "Good for him!" Akiko exclaimed. She meant it.

"Do you wanna, meet them?" Jiro asked, nervous of the answer. Akiko smiled, "I would love to, but, I have training to do." Jiro smiled at that, "Well then, I'll train with you!" Akiko looked at him, not expecting that answer, "I mean, if you want." Akiko gave him a warm smile, "I'd appreciate." She looked at him, "How's the shoulder?" He stared at her, "How's your body?" Akiko smirked, "Touché."

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"So, uh, is that your maximum power?" Jiro asked, sounding tired. "Heh, nope. It's somewhat of a slight fraction of it," Akiko joked. "Quit lying, thanks to me, you're this strong!" Yūrei boasted. "Be quiet you rat," Akiko replied. "EHHHHH, WHERE'S YOUR RESPECT FOR YOUR ELDERS!!!" Yūrei shouted, giving Akiko a migraine. "I don't care." Suddenly, she felt a chill, and the Curse Mark stung. He couldn't be here again. No, something's happening, but not here. How long had it been since she'd seen Naruto? Three weeks? Akiko found herself worrying for him. "Hey, Akiko, are you alright?" Jiro asked, concerned. 

Akiko put on a smile, "I'm fine." She looked out in the sky, "Something happened."  Jiro threw a shrunken at her, which she backed away from. "There's better ways to get my attention," Akiko said, an anger tick showing her frustration. "Heh, sorry, you were just spacing out." Akiko rolled her eyes. Then, she asked out of suspicion, "Jiro, how did you know that I was gonna be here?" With that, he turned red, "Well, uh, you see, I sort of followed you here." Akiko was a little surprised at that, then she chuckled, "Here I am, thinking you're actually noble and kind, when in reality, you're a perv like all the other boys." 

Jiro started waving his hands around, "Nonononono, it isn't that at all. Besides I'm still underage to spy on people like a perv, even if I'm sixteen."  Akiko was shocked at that, "You're sixteen?!?!" "You're short," she added. Jiro got ticked off, "Just because I'm shorter than you by an inch, doesn't mean I'm considered small!" "So, short?" Akiko asked, with amusement. Jiro was getting bitter. "Hmph, I'm still older than you." Akiko and Jiro spent a few moments glaring at each other, but then started laughing. Akiko felt good to be laughing with someone. After all, she hadn't been feeling all too well. 

Akiko looked at Jiro, who was still laughing. Was this seriously the guy who had nearly killed her? Jiro looked at her, "Hey, is everything okay?" Akiko smiled, "Just fine." "Come on, we've got training to do." "Right."

"Do you really think that he's gonna be with you for a long time? People never last you know."

"I just need some time. Besides, getting to that level isn't gonna be easy, I'll need all the training I can get."

"Remember, this isn't pain tolerance anymore. You'll need to use whatever you have to get stronger than what you are now."

"How am I gonna be able to get so strong if you don't let me use my full power?"

"Don't get restless kid, full power could kill more than ten people, and you're not really at that peak yet."

"You're the one who taught me! When all I was doing was getting beaten by Yuuta, Anko, Kakashi, all they were doing. They wanted me to succeed and I failed. You came to me to succeed, you taught me what I needed to know to get stronger."

"I didn't have another choice, we would've been killed by Scar, had I not intervened with your training. You were getting stubborn, not letting me tell you the important parts."

"I...you're right. But still, we need training. Maybe Jiro can help us. That way, I might finally be able to unlock it."

"That's a little too excessive, don't you think?"

"If my kekkei genkai can copy jutsus, maybe I can achieve that as well."

"That's a dream, you'll need to go through more pain  than anyone's ever experienced."

"Maybe, but if I can make it, thanks to Jiro, this will be an achievement that might be once in a lifetime."

"I can only say, good luck kid." 

"Thanks, we'll both need it."