The Light Of Konoha

Glaring- At Nothing In Particular

Sasuke's P.O.V.

I glared at the floor for lack of any other specific source of hatred in the vicinity for which to glare at.

'Kuso... That freak nearly floored me...'

I focused my hate-filled gaze onto my open palm.

'I was so weak... Was that all there is to the Uchiha clan?
No... I'm sure that if I were more serious I could have done better...'

I glanced up at Aki, who was looking incredibly vacant as he leaned against his strange summoning creature.

'He's able to summon already... And he did a better job than I did when he fought Lee, even though he got knocked out...'

I thought over the battle silently, scrutinising every detail.

'That was just his tai skills that we saw in battle, and against such a master of tai jutsu as Rock Lee... Despite him getting beaten pretty badly, what he did was incredibly impressive.'

I clenched my open palm into a fist.

'And what did I do...? I didn't land a single hit... My kekkei genkai was useless.
But his kekkei genkai...
It's made him stronger much faster then mine has.'

I stared hard into his directionless eyes and lax expression.
My icy glare, which could freeze even the bravest of ninja, seemed to have no effect on him.

He was so relaxed it was almost cocky.

'But perhaps it is...
I used to think I would be able to beat Aki, but now I'm not so sure...
Of course I'd never admit that out loud.'

Thinking back to the battle, I found myself curious of how he was able to move at such a pace when we all know how unfit and weak he is physically.

There was a ruckus next to me and I'm pretty sure someone threw a kunai at Naruto to my left but I couldn't care less at that moment.

I approached Aki subtly,
"Hey, I was wondering..." I started awkwardly, slightly embarrassed,
"how'd you do those things in the fight before...? I know you did that refraction thing... But how did you.. You know... Move so quickly?"

My face was probably tinted slightly red at having to risk showing my curiosity.

When he didn't answer, I grew slightly redder but I tried to keep my cool by letting out one of my usual grunts,
"Hn."

Byakko was sweatdropping and shaking his head, I just gave him a confused stare.

Aki wasn't even looking at me, staring straight ahead.

"What's up with you? Did I do something wrong...?" I mumbled.

He continued to ignore me to which I grew an irk mark.

"Hey, Aki!"
I grabbed his shoulder forcefully but as soon as I did, he fell straight onto his face.

I stood frozen and gawking in shock, Byakko looked so horrified I could even tell his expression in his fox form.

He started yipping and howling as he was jumping frantically around Aki whilst nudging him with his snout.

Aki rolled onto his back and blinked a few times before looking upwards with narrowed eyes and a confused expression.

"Huh? Byakko, did you drop me?" He said nonchalant.

Byakko frantically shook his head whilst mewling profusely, then he started growling and barking madly at me.

I finally regained myself to point at Aki in disbelief with a few irk marks appearing on my forehead,
"You...! You...! You were sleeping with your eyes open?!!
And all that time I thought you were ignoring me!
Turns out you were just being a moron!"

He rubbed his eyes to clear away his dazed look before yawning and stretching like a child.
"What's got you so riled up? I've never heard you talk so much at once..." He muttered sleepily.

My irises contracted as I realised that I was indeed too emotional for my usual self, I relaxed my stance and returned to having my hands in my pockets with an emotionless expression.
"Never mind."

I turned and walked slightly away and back to where the other's were.

'He's right though... Being on a team and going on these adventures has made me grow too soft... I need to remind myself of the hatred that has made me strong.
I've begun to forget and that's why I couldn't beat Lee, I need to think of nothing but revenge if I want the power to destroy him.'

We were stood at our assigned gate, waiting for Anko's signal.

After much debate, we decided to give Byakko the scroll for safekeeping, simply because in the case of the scroll being under threat he could poof back to his origin to keep it safe until Aki could summon him again.

I don't think it's against the rules... Probably.

Suddenly, Aki spoke into the silence.
"What exactly can you do, Byakko? Skill-wise."

I sweatdropped, 'you're deciding to ask that now?!!'

Byakko, now in his human form, smirked cockily, crossing his arms with a smug confidence,
"Breathe fire of course~"

"Really?! Awesome!" Naruto yelled.

"That's cool...?" Sakura said unsurely.

"I feel like my role in the group is being threatened..." I mumbled.

Aki didn't say anything for a while then sighed.

Byakko's face instantly fell, anime tears streaming down his cheeks.

He crouched on the floor facing away from the group whilst a dejected purple aura surrounding him.

"The master is disappointed in me..." He mumbled to himself woefully,
"I can do other stuff... Like travel in shadows and do a little dark-style, but I thought breathing fire was totally awesome..." He cried.

"Wow, shadow travel?! That sounds even cooler!!" Naruto exclaimed.

Sakura smiled, "yeah!"

I narrowed my eyes, "now Shikamaru's position is even being threatened..."

We all looked at Aki expectantly but he was shivering slightly and he looked even paler than usual if that's even possible.

Byakko's eyes widened as if he just remembered something crucial then he began sweating profoundly.
"T-That's not what it sounds like! I-I promise I-I'll n-never use dark style on y-you or a-anything like that m-master!!" He stuttered in a panic.

We all stared at Aki curiously but he merely grit his teeth and smiled falsely.
"I don't know what your talking about, Byakko," he ground out threateningly.

Byakko turned pale and started shaking his head frantically.

The stuttering mess got so wound up he spontaneously changed into fox form.

Suddenly, in the distance we could hear yelling from our Procter and the ninja stood guard at the gate signalled for us to get ready.

'This is it... Part two of the chûnin exams is about to begin... And it's gonna be far more perilous than the first...'

"Part two of the journeyman ninja selection exam begins...
NOW!!!!"