Chūnin Exams (XVIII).

"Both opponents have yielded. This match is a draw!"

Itachi blinked while trying to make sense of what was going on. When he heard his opponent surrender at the same time as he did, he thought he might have heard something wrong. After all, his sight was already blurry and full of black spots from exhaustion, who was to say that his hearing wasn't compromised as well? Maybe his brain was just starting to imagine things. After such a fight, it wouldn't be a big surprise if he had a concussion in addition to his other injuries.

It didn't make any sense. She was obviously affected by the sudden loss of her power and exhausted from the fight, he could see that even in his current condition, but he didn't doubt that she was in notable better condition than him. If the fight continued, she would win hands down.

Fortunately, she seemed to notice his confusion even though he didn't say anything. He didn't think he would have been able to voice his questions loud enough to be heard over the crowd, so that was very convenient.

"Continuing the fight when you're half-dead on your feet would be boring," she said with a small smile. "Consider this a sign of my appreciation for such a good fight and also a 'thank you' for helping me avoiding an international incident. Next time, you will not be so lucky."

Itachi chuckled lightly while he was gently aided to his feet by an arriving medic, ignoring the dull pain in his ribs that this action caused. He would try to avoid this 'next time' if he could. No need to press his luck.

"Remember, you owe me another fight," her voice echoed from behind him, just when his vision started to get black. "I'm looking forward to it."

....

"Come one, smile a bit! You don't want to look like a grumpy old man in the photo, do you?"

Itachi was already smiling, but he reluctantly widened it a bit more. He wasn't the type to widely grin, never had been, and that wouldn't change now. But if it made his teammates and mother happy, he could bring himself to do so.

Nonetheless, it was a relief when the flash finally appeared.

"Alright," his mother said while she waved the film she held in her hand before turning it around for them to see. "I think it turned out great, don't you agree?"

The picture showed him lying in bed with Anko and Yukio on either side of him where they have squeezed themselves on the edge, proudly holding their new flak jackets into the camera while the Hokage and Tanaka-sensei stood to each side of it with small smiles on their faces.

Yes, he could already see his mother framing that picture and putting it into their living room right next to their family portrait. His father would doubtlessly approve.

Sasuke would surely swoon over it as well, so at least there was that to look forward to.

"Damn right!" Anko exclaimed while she jumped up from his bed, her fist thrown into the air. "It was about time that we were promoted after we worked out asses off for so long!"

"Language," his mother chided, though she didn't bother to hide her smile.

Even now, he could still see some worry on her face. Not surprising if you considered the beating he had taken especially towards the end of the fight, but it made him still feel uncomfortable. In the end, his worst injury had been his shoulder. Other than that, he had only bruises and mild sprains. Nothing that the medic-nins couldn't heal. As it was now, he had been told to rest a few days and not to do any training for a week or two to give his body time to recover but was otherwise completely fine.

She wasn't the only one who wasn't as cheerful as it might appear at first sight, for Yukio seemed somewhat down as well. The difference was that he couldn't hide it as well as Itachi's mother.

"Come on, Yukio," Anko said, having noticed it as well. "No need to look all gloomy like that. We're Chūnin now! Be a bit happier!"

"Do we really deserve it, though?" he said with a downward smile. "I mean, you and Itachi did great, but I got whipped off the map like a petty little annoyance, without any trouble at all. I didn't really-"

"Ah, shut up. No one of us could beat her, you had just bad luck that you fought her in your first match."

"Itachi got a draw, though."

"Only because she decided to forfeit out of some sense of honour," he said. "I was in much worse condition. Had we continued, I would have lost without question."

"Your teammates are correct," the Sandaime spoke up. "Yugito Nii wasn't an enemy any of you could have hoped to defeat, yet all of you -yes, that includes you as well- did a great job in trying to do so anyway. Not just that, you also demonstrated important abilities every shinobi needs to have: Anko showed her willingness to lay down her life to support her comrades and Itachi demonstrated the ability to understand that there are times where fighting to the bitter end is not the right decision, for example." He put a hand on the boy's shoulder. "You didn't fight to win but to give your team as much insight into the capabilities of an enemy as possible. You saw the greater picture and acted according to that without hesitation." Taking a step back, he smiled at the three of them. "All of you have proven yourself worthy of being called shinobi of Konohagakure. You deserve these vests and all the responsibilities that come with them, never doubt that."

"I guess so," Yukio murmured, still sounding unsure but appearing to feel a bit better than before.

"Well then," the old man continued. "I have one last meeting with the other Kage before we can leave tomorrow. Are you feeling up to it yet, Itachi?"

"Yes, Hokage-sama." As long as they didn't run the entire way back but took their time, he should easily be able to manage the journey.

"Wonderful. Then I will leave you all to celebrate your victory now. I'm sure your sensei and Mikoto will make sure that you don't overdo it."

....

"If you have anything to say, say it. Just stop glaring at me from behind like that all the time, it's getting on my nerves."

"Well, maybe I wouldn't be glaring at you if you hadn't just thrown away a sure victory like that!"

"Really? Your bad mood has nothing to do with the fact that you lost in the first round, then?"

The way the head of her teammate -former teammate, she reminded herself. The exams are over now- became red as she became even angrier was all the more amusing when combined with the ugly snarl that was on her face.

Yugito thought the other girl must be really angry if she was accusing her that openly. Usually, she limited herself to snide comments and muttered insults, fearing the consequences of actually offending her. A stupid sentiment for she certainly wouldn't hurt another person from her village even if she could get offended by the words of a person she didn't care for at all. Not that Kuina knew that, of course, and Yugito didn't plan to tell her any time soon. Watching her like this was way too amusing.

"Why you-"

"That's enough, from both of you." The other girl's mouth snapped shut at the words of the Raikage while she instinctively straightened up under his gaze. "The show you provided was sufficient. There is no doubt in anyone's mind about who was the strongest participant and real victor of the tournament." His eyes locked with hers. "It was easy enough to twist your action in the minds of the present feudal lords as something positive. You had already won and your opponent was beaten, hitting him again would have been dishonorable. While not a sentiment that would hold much worth with any shinobi worth their salt, those civilians ate it easily enough. Still, Yugito, would you mind sharing what really moved you to forfeit the match?"

She swallowed. When he hadn't asked for her reasoning immediately after the match or when they left the village, she had assumed that conversation would wait until they arrived home. Obviously, she had been wrong.

"I really didn't want to beat him into the ground when he was already in such a condition-" she began, only to be interrupted by the other girl.

"Since when are you capable of feeling pity?"

"-after he gave me such a great fight."

The Raikage stayed silent for a moment before he replied. "Is that all?"

She straightened up when she heard the disapproval in his voice. "No," she added as calmly as she could. "It was also to pay him back for his help."

"For what?"

"While I didn't lose control, it was a close thing. Without his intervention, I might have run amok during the fight, which would have had horrible political consequences." She then explained what happened in her inner world at the end of her fight.

He stayed silent for a long time, making her fear the worst, but when he replied, his voice was calm. "I will let it slide this time," he said. "But I expect that there will be no repeat of such a thing, is that clear?"

"Yes, Raikage-sama!"

"We will also move up our timetable. Once we return, you will immediately depart with my brother to finally learn how to completely control your Tailed Beast's chakra. We can't afford to let something like this happen again. Next time, there might not be a convenient Uchiha brat close enough to save you."

"Yes, Raikage-sama!"