Inevitable
Chapter 15

Amejisuto let out a battle cry as she charged at hersparring partner, Neji Hyuga, with a fist ready to connect with the man’s jaw.Her opponent activated his byakugan, gaining the ability to see through herlike an x-ray and locate her chakra points. He tried to jab the ones in her armas she plunged her fist near his face, but leapt back at the last second,surprised that he couldn't touch them. There seemed to be a force-field orsomething that wasn't there before.

"Air manipulation," she explained with a smirk,noticing Neji's confused reaction. She had made it a habit to use hernow-mastered element as much as she could, this time forcing the wind to be ashield around her. It was light enough to allow flexible movements but hardenough to keep people from reaching specific points, though it could still bepenetrated by jutsu. The downside was it used up twice as much of her chakrawhen she used a jutsu herself. Maintaining the air shield was difficult atfirst, but was worth it when fighting opponents like Neji, who inspired theidea.

He realised this and tried to think of all the fightingjutsu he knew that wasn't purely physical. "Eight trigrams rotation!"he called, making a thin blue layer around him as he moved his hands fast enoughto push out his chakra. It ended up looking like a swirling blue dome thatmoved quickly towards the Ishi, who was quick enough to get out of the way andstrike when he was recovering some chakra.

"Water style: Water Geyser!" she called, doingseveral quick hand signs. A large stream of boiling water burst out of theground underneath the Hyuga, who quickly moved to the side, right into anothergeyser. He was almost defeated. Amejisuto took the opportunity to send a fewkunai with wind directing them to stab around her opponent, hitting the clothesand pinning him to the ground.

"Another victory for Ameji," Itachi called. He hadbeen standing and watching from the side, impressed as his student had won, notone but three, rounds against the Hyuga prodigy. "Good work on noticinghis fighting style and making it so he couldn't get a hit in," hecomplimented.

"I'm exhausted," Neji complained.

"So am I. I used lots of chakra on that last waterjutsu," Amejisuto stretched. "Just enough chakra left to keep me awakeand moving, though."

"Let's go home then," Itachi smiled, ruffling herhair.

"Wait!" Neji called as they started walking."Can you please un-pin me?"

The two laughed and helped the Hyuga before leaving to theUchiha district. Fugaku was gone, working at the police station like usual, Mikotowas having an ‘allied mother’s force’ meeting, and Sasuke would be back fromhis mission in a few days. By now, almost everyone in Konoha had heard thatSasuke and Naruto were interested in each other and were curious on what wouldhappen when they got back.

Itachi had stopped watching the Ishi like a hawk but stillkept an eye out for the Akatsuki, just in case they showed up for some surpriseattack. She waved a hand in front of his face to get his attention. "I'mgoing to take a shower. I feel too gross from fighting three rounds withoutmuch of a break," she grinned, heading off to her room. The man decided tomake a snack for them; his parents would be out all night due to an UchihaCouncil meeting that was being held later.

Amejisuto got to her room and gathered fresh clothes,tossing the ones she was wearing into a laundry hamper and hopping into theshower. She hummed happily as the warm water ran down her sweat and dirtcovered body, washing it away. 'Thatbattle with Neji was fun. Beating hot-shots are very... well, does empoweringwork? Yah, it feels empowering,' she sighed and stretched her sore muscles.'It takes so much chakra though. I shouldwork on better strategies.'

She quickly washed and stepped out of the shower, drying herlong brown hair and putting it into low pigtails before throwing on loose and comfortableclothes. "What can I do for you? What can I do that no one else can do,"she sang casually with her eyes closed. She kept humming as she walked into themain part of her room. "Ah, maybe I'll have a short nap. Itachi can wakeme up whenever."

She jumped onto her bed, rolling over and gettingcomfortable before falling asleep.

----

Itachi smiled as he added the finishing touches to the saladrolls that he learned how to make from a ninja in Kirigakure. "Some pork,lettuce, and now to wrap it up," he stated rolling the contents of thesnack in two thin sheets of sticky rice paper. Once he was done, he nodded insatisfaction.

He set the snacks on the table and ate one right away."She's been out of the shower for a while. It's probably safe to go innow," he got up and walked across the house to her room. "I shouldtell her today," he mumbled, thinking about what would have to happen onceshe was eighteen.

"Amejisuto, I made some food," he knocked on herdoor. There was no response and he waited for another minute before knockingagain. "Must be sleeping. Fighting Neji is no easy task after all, letalone winning three rounds," he mumbled before slowly opening the door. Hesaw a small lump under the blankets on her bed and he tried to shake her lightlyso she would wake up. He frowned when she didn't move at all. "Wake up.It's not good to sleep for a long time during the day."

He pulled down the blanket and gasped as he saw a whitefigure that was definitely not hisapprentice. "Oh, well good thing I wasn't sleeping," it answered abit too cheerfully. The Uchiha was taken by surprise and then realised that theenemy had succeeded. He silently cursed himself for leaving the Ishi alone whenher chakra was gone and she was weak.

"Where is she?!" Itachi growled, his eyes turninginto the crimson sharingan with anger.

"Don't worry, she's safe with the Akatsuki. Well, fornow at least. I'm afraid that unless you come with us, her torture will starttomorrow. She won't die, but every day she will be close to death before ourleader will heal her and start the torture over again until you decide tojoin," the white.. Thing... Said with a strange tone, making the ravenshake with pure anger. "So what will it be? The world, or your world? Which one will youbetray?"