Excruciating pain shot up my arms. I gritted my teeth and worked through the pain.

Be careful, Kakashi had said. Don't over do it.

But I'd felt pain so much worse than this.

I could push through this. It had been an entire day since the newly formed Team Kakashi had left to pursue the akatsuki, and I had made progress. I could visibly see the chakra shooting down my scrap metal, even if only for a second. It was painful progress.

But I would be able to progress in leaps and bounds, faster than anybody would expect me to, because I could push past this pain.

I sat back, mulling over the most recent attempt. Training like this was basically experimenting: you tweaked variables until it worked, and then practiced that way until perfected. I had gotten to the point where my chakra would run down metal for a split second, but no more.

Maybe the problem was the amount of chakra. Maybe I was using too little in an attempt to draw out my chakra reserves so I could train longer. I had fairly large chakra reserves; my extensive physical training saw to that. Nothing close to Naruto, of course, but respectable enough for a jonin of Konoha. My chakra control, however, was only mediocre. I needed to work on my ninjutsu.

I took a deep breath, held onto the warped kunai tightly, focused, and pushed.

The metal exploded.

I flinched, eyelids automatically closing in an attempt to protect my eyes, letting out a wordless exclamation of surprise. Most of the medal shards exploded outward--away from me--but a few scraped my skin, drawing blood. One particularly sharp piece pierced my shoulder, entering the flesh. I swore quietly, painfully raising a hand to my shoulder.

"What the fuck?" I wondered aloud, pulling my hand away and viewing the blood there. "That was incredibly violent."

Wincing, I pulled my clothing down off my shoulder in order to further inspect my wound. "Wow," I mumbled, poking at the bloody hole left behind by the piece of metal. I reached backwards, feeling along my shoulder to see if there was an exit wound. There was none. "Thank God that didn't hit my eyes."

The wound was still bleeding slugishly, along with a few scrapes along my face. Taking a deep breath, I probed at the wound, deeper and deeper until I felt the edge of the metal. Gritting my teeth against the pain, I slowly worked it out from my flesh, doing my best to not worsen the wound.

Letting out the breath I'd been holding, I inspected the bloody piece of metal in my hand before allowing it to drop it the ground. "Like a paper bomb," I mused. "But harder to dodge."

Blood dripped down my chin, and I wiped it away. "Also much more difficult to control," I conceded.

I tossed another scrap of metal up and down slowly. This certainly could be weaponized. But I couldn't imagine a way in which it could be controlled, or directed. It would simply take out anyone in the area of the blast.

Would it have to be a suicide weapon, then? Did someone have to be right there to set it off? If so, it was useless--unless one could force a disposable ninja to set it off and take out more enemy than the one ally lost.

It would actually be the perfect weapon for a claw-- a weapon with no regard for itself.

No. If this potential weapon was to be successful, it would need to be possible to set it off with the necessary surge of chakra from a distance. Perhaps through chakra strings, or maybe there was a way to store a large amount of chakra in the metal ahead of time, but use a seal to hold it off and stabilize it. Did the chakra have to be lightning nature? Or would any large amount of chakra make the metal explode?

I had forgotten how much I enjoyed experimenting, creating. But now was not the time for it. I still needed to perfect my ability to run my chakra down a blade. I still needed more information. And the only way to get that?

Practice.

***

I was puffing air in strangled breaths, exhausted from all the training I'd accomplished today, when an ANBU appeared in front of me.

"You've been summoned by the hokage." He intoned, before disappearing from sight.

I sighed. Of course, I'd been expecting this. I appeared in front of Tsunade in an instant.

"I was summoned," I stated simply, casually. 

"Yes," Tsunade started. I saw Sakura standing behind her, tense and worried. My appearance seemed to have slightly startled them, what with dried blood caked on my face and shoulder and multiple bruises and scrapes appearing on my arms.

If Tsunade was curious, she didn't show it.

"You are to act as a reinforcement for Team Kakashi. You will act as an individual unit, but will travel with Team Yamato in order to fulfill the mission and bring the Akatsuki down." She ordered.

"What's the catch?" I asked. Clearly, something was going on. It was obvious with Sakura's nervous stance and slight, fidgety movements.

"In the case that Naruto is unable to complete his jutsu within the next couple hours, you are still to move ahead with your orders, but you will not be accompanied by Team Yamato," Tsunade said.

I nodded. "Anything else?"

She shook her head once. "You're dismissed. If you are not contacted by Team Yamato by nightfall to engage in a plan, you have my permission to leave the following morning."

I nodded. "Understood." Turning on my heel, I left, hurrying down the stairs and appearing outside. Exhaustion flooded through me. But I had to get back to training. I had to perfect this. I had to-- 

A wave of dizziness came over me and my body doubled over as vomit rose up my throat. I retched to the side and was seized by a fit of coughing. I detected Sakura's presence behind me, but ignored her and kept walking.

"You've been training hard, Cashile. It's taking a toll on your body," Sakura lectured, worry lacing her voice as she caught up to me.

I waved her off. "It's nothing Sakura."

"At least let me bandage your arms,"she urged. This kunoichi was persistent. But if I let her bandage me up I'd heal faster. She had a point.

"Make it fast," I muttered, conceding.

She used her medical ninjutsu to ease some of the pain. Bruises faded and she wrapped my arms tight in bandages. "Take it easy," she warned one last time. "You need to be fit for this mission, Cashile."

I nodded dismissively and watched her run off, most likely back to Naruto and Yamato.

I sighed and stared at my bandaged arms. Perhaps now would be a good time to rest and allow my body to recuperate so that I can heal with stronger abilities. If I was simply training my body, I would be able to continue. My chakra, on the other hand, was a different matter altogether. I needed rest.

By my calculations, Team Yamato would be accompanying me. There was no way Naruto would fail in whatever he was working on, with such high stakes on the line. Well, that's a bit rash to assume. A more accurate prediction, would be that it is highly unlikely that Naruto would fail with such high stakes on the line.

I let my feet wander until they led me to a place I used to call my house.

I didn't bother to knock. I knew Aiden would be at work. Aisa, on the other hand...

Or should I say, Aisa and Michiko, sat red faced on the couch, looking highly alert as I kicked the door closed behind me.

I raised an eyebrow. "Oh," was all I said.

"Cashile-sensei!" Michiko exclaimed. She abruptly stood, smoothing down her skirt. "I-I should leave."

I waved off her suggestion. "No, stay, stay. Don't mind me." I headed for the kitchen, opening the fridge and poking through it.

"C-Cashile..."

"By your tone of voice, I'm assuming your brother doesn't know you have a girl over," I stated blandly.

Michiko had seemed to be in control of herself now. Her face was of normal color now, unlike Aisa, and she smoothly replied, "We were just discussing teamwork strategies, sensei. I'm just here as a teammate. Unfortunately Kento couldn't make it. He had ... family business," she lied smoothly.

I become more proud of her every single day. Clearly, I was a great influence.

"Unfortunately for you, my specialty is deception," I walked over to Michiko and flicked her on the forehead.

"Ow," she muttered, rubbing the new red spot on her forehead. Her eyes widened as she seemed to notice my bandaged arms.

"Training. Don't worry about it," I replied before either of my genin could make a big deal of it. I turned to Aisa. "And Aiden will return at the usual time?"

Aisa nodded vigorously, still brightly red faced. "He usually gets back from his morning shift in about an hour. Then he has to go back for evening."

I nodded, gulping down some water. "Sure," I acknowledged around the bento in my mouth that I'd found in the fridge. It wasn't half bad. I wandered over to the couch, ordering, "Off."They scrambled to obey, and I collapsed on it. I really should steal it back. "I'm taking a nap," I announced. "You guys continue... whatever strategies you were previously discussing. Please, don't let me interrupt team bonding," I said sarcastically.

"We'll just..." Michiko trailed off.

"Uh, go..." Aisa finished.

The last thing I heard before I allowed myself to drift into a healing sleep was Aisa and Michiko's giggles, and then the slamming of the door.

Excruciating pain shot up both my arm. No, not only my arms.

Every muscle, limb, ligament. Every bone. Every inch of my body was in pure agony. A low hollow sound echoed from the pit of my stomach, but I was far from hungry-- only used to the dull ache in my chest, the constant yearn for replenishment.

But I had been a bad tool. And the bite of the cold metal which contained me as my body numbed from the cold, was a reminder of my failures.

I had been disobedient. I had fought back. I had rebelled. I had been bad, bad, bad. And I repeated this over in my head, banging the side of my head against the cold, hard, unforgiving metal, until I saw blood splatter the cold, hard ground, and stars shine above my head. And shine they did-- until I could do nothing else but succumb to the darkness.

I gasped wide awake, glaring at my arms. Pain still coursed through, but a lesser, more... sore form of pain. The pain of my arms in my unconscious mind must have dragged back old memories associated with the type of pain.

"Hey, hey," a voice spoke hurriedly. It was then that I noticed his presence. He was sitting on a recliner--which I had most certainly not bought when I'd owned this apartment--but was hurriedly standing, setting down the book he was reading. "You alright?" he asked, wandering over, awkwardly standing next to the couch.

"What time is it, Aiden?" I asked, sitting up slowly. I flexed my fingers. Better. Much better.

"'Bout two," he answered. "What's up with your arms?"

I glanced down at the bandages. "Training," I answered. "Piece of metal blew up in my face. I was thinking that  it could maybe be used as a weapon--metal bomb, y'know? But honestly, it would probably make more sense to put shards of scrap metal by paper bombs. Much more deadly, much more simple, and doesn't take up as much chakra."

"Metal exploded in your face?" He asked, fascinated.

"Yeah. Hey, got anything to eat?" I asked. "I need food for energy. Gotta get back to training."

He eyed my arms but said nothing, respecting my knowledge of my own body and limits. "We could go grab that sushi, now," he offered hopefully.

"No," I shook my head. "I gotta get back to training. I'm leaving on a mission by tomorrow morning at the latest, and I need to perfect this technique I'm working on."

"Right," Aiden agreed. "Sorry."

"Nothing to be sorry for," I awkwardly reassured. We were silent for a moment. "So... food?"

He turned, rummaging through the fridge and pantry. "Well, apparently you ate my bentos," he glared.

"They were good and I was hungry," I defended myself.

"I have some onigri," he offered. "And salmon."

"Sure," I agreed. "I need the protein. And tea, too?"

He nodded, and we ate in silence.

We didn't speak for several minutes after the meal, simply sitting at the small table. Finally, Aiden requested, "Be careful, right?"

"Always am," I replied flippantly, standing. He grabbed my hand before I could leave.

"Really," he insisted, dark eyes insistent. "Be careful, right?"

I watched him, and realized how serious he was. With Asuma's death so recent in the village, such a shock, and with my team's previous mission running long, and even before that, when Aisa and Michiko and Kento had returned without me... Aiden would never try to control my life, make me stop being a ninja.

He just wanted me to be careful.

"I will be," I promised softly. He squeezed my hand once, then let go.

But sometimes, careful wasn't enough. We both knew this, both thought it, and he feared the possibility, but neither of us spoke it, allowing the idea to hang between us unspoken.

Those words didn't need to be said.

__________________________

HEY!

Another quick update! But we seriously need some inspiration cause writing fight scenes is HARD so comment! Make your comments super light and inspiring!

OKAY back to debating about resolutions at Model UN!

BYE!

gaara119

Helloooo,

Finals week is approaching!! How nervous am I.

Very very nervous.

Hope you enjoy, and all comments are nice!

-S

Comment, Vote, and Fan!

Ja ne!

Insomniac_Lullabies