Okoi, on the other hand, was taller and therefore had better reach. She was also at least marginally stronger and she specialized in grappling. No doubt because of her ability to siphon chakra through flesh-to-flesh contact.
There was also something odd going on with the girl and Naruto. Every time she started siphoning off his chakra, she started blushing and looking... drunk?
Sasuke nodded to himself. That wasn't quite it - but it fit the staggering she usually did afterwards. Not the falling-down-drunk he's observed some of the perpetually alcoholic were. No, this was more what he'd heard of as "pleasantly buzzed" or something similar. He hadn't ever turned to strong drink himself, the most he'd ever indulged in was the traditional "spring sake" and then at most two cups. One for himself and one for the ancestors. Tradition kind of thing.
Then the two broke off their hand-to-hand fighting to grab weapons.
Now this was more like it. Naruto was a blur and very very precise. From what he'd revealed of his past, anything less than perfection resulted in being "whacked" repeatedly by a shinnai. Which kind of explained how Naruto was clearly proficient in the use of his sword.
Okoi quite obviously favored a single-blade knife style. She'd have been better using a staff or similar weapon, something with better reach to compound her own advantage in height/reach. Against the average sword-user she'd probably be a lot more credible. As it was she was getting demolished very quickly.
Then when Naruto signalled the end of their match and stepped away, she said something VERY strange.
Naruto broke off, saluting her with his sword as he stepped away.
Okoi put the blade away and gasped for air. Boy had some serious stamina, and his chakra reserves were... "Why do you have three chakras?"
Naruto came to a complete stop, eyes narrowed.
Okoi realized that maybe she had broached some forbidden subject. "Uhm, no. Forget I asked."
"What do you mean, three chakras?" asked Sasuke, sounding interested.
Naruto's gaze flicked from Okoi to Sasuke and then back. He pursed his lips, then shook his head, and finally turned and walked off.
"That was odd," noted Sasuke out loud, then focussed on Okoi. "What did you mean 'three chakras'?"
Okoi let out a deep breath. "I get the feeling I opened a great big can of worms with that. Maybe it would be best if we all just forgot about it."
"I'm curious now," commented Sasuke.
Okoi flopped down and picked up her water bottle, thinking things through. "One of the things that seperate the Kisaragi from the Akado families is that we just don't suck away an opponent's chakra. To us, chakra has... a sort of flavor or odor. I have to put it in terms like flavor or odor because it's different from both of those but there really aren't the right words to explain it."
"So the sword-priest tastes good?" asked Sasuke, trying to fit it together with the way she had acted.
"He has a kick like high-grade sake," said Okoi, blush returning as she remembered. "It's... sunshine and warm fields, fresh citrus, sweet and potent. That's the first chakra. I think that's him. Then there's the second chakra, it's..."
Sasuke tried to decipher Okoi's expression. He couldn't, being completely unfamiliar with it. Awe? Longing?
"It's amazing, whatever it is. Never felt anything like it. Under that is something dark," said Okoi, now shuddering and wrapping her arms around herself. "Dark. Rage. Hate. Foreign."
"Foreign?" asked Sasuke.
"It doesn't fit, doesn't feel human, neither does the second chakra really, but the second chakra is all peace and calm. The third is anger and... it's like a beast caged there inside him, but it also isn't him."
"You're..." began Kakashi, suddenly there.
After Okoi had practically launched herself halfway across the training ground with a scream, Sasuke uncovered his ears and figured the kunoichi had been concentrating on the puzzle that was the swordsman.
"You're brushing up against an S-Class secret," said Kakashi as soon as Okoi had finished hyperventilating and recovered from the experience. "It would be best to stop now."
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(Posted Sun, 24 Jul 2011 17:29)
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