A story of growth. A story of self confidence. A story of pride. A story of power. A story of the ages, for the ages. A story of triumph. A journey through an old world, towards a new goal. Where the myths of the past are challenged, and new lore rises in a bright future. Welcome to a moment in history...the birth of the legend herself.
This is the story of someone with great love and an even greater dream. The story of someone who dreamed of changing the world, and everything it was made of.
This is the story of Lilith Caroline Kobayashi, a woman from the Hidden Leaf Village.
I was born in sunlight, and dragged into darkness. A child, pure before becoming cursed.
I watched the first woman I came to love wither away in front of me. I closed my eyes to the truth, in order to avoid the pain that came with it.
And as my father and I moved away from our old lives to new ones, he indulged himself. He took part in the sort of debauchery that only those with money, only those called nobility could drink in.
He dragged me into the darkness with him.
At a tender age, I watched bodies writhe and women fulfill the lustful desires of men. Dancing on poles. Sitting half-naked in the laps of wrinkled robber barons. Drinking. Doing drugs. Grinding against each other and kissing violently.
I have no idea what all of this did to me, if anything. But I know that I didn't, or rather couldn't, shove it away like everything else.
I am away from all of that now. Away from that world and everything it could do to me. I am with my wealthy father and his wealthier new wife. I am a child, meant to be seen and never heard.
I am eleven years old.
---
"My name is Lilith Caroline Kobayashi."
---
an alternativeNarutostory.
---
It's currently morning where I am. The place I live is about a hundred kilometers from the nearest shinobi village, called the Hidden Leaf. I have never been there, and have no plans to go.
I am in the backyard of my home, a lavish estate. A place that only generational wealth could afford and maintain, with a small army of housekeepers. There are those who tend to the grass and plants, those who maintain the rooms, and those who serve us directly. We are the elite of the world. It has to be shown to any visitors in full.
The grass is freshly cut, and because of that I can see a small snake slithering on its belly. I recognize it...a garden snake, as per my textbooks. Harmless, as I can recall. Its tongue flicks outwards to taste the air, helping it to navigate. I sit and watch, as my parents have ordered. They always hate it when I get myself dirty, and have taken to dressing me in outrageous and frilly dresses to stifle my adventurous spirit. To my stepmother's chagrin, the results have been mixed at best. But I try to do as they ask, by donning their outfits daily and posing as the perfect child whenever guests arrive. I do not speak.
I especially do not smile.
Today...there is a refreshing wind, and it makes me want to move. I do so. I watch the snake as it slides along the grass, flicking its tongue out at regular intervals. I tilt my head, curious as to what it might want. My parents are not very fond of snakes, as I found out one day when overhearing adult conversation.
Are you...hungry, little snake?
There are grubs in the flower bed nearby, but the barrier will be hard to pass over for this friend. I want to be of service. The consequences can be dealt with later. I step down from my chair and leave the patio to help the small snake. As soon as I pick it up, it starts to squirm in my hands. That only makes sense...I am a giant interloper in comparison.
"You seem hungry, Mister Snake," I say gently. It stops moving...could it be that he heard me and understood? That seems foolish...but it's a nice thought to have. Perhaps in a different world. I carry him over to the flower bed properly, and let him loose. He eats.
I think that he is quite happy with his situation now. It seems to be so.
I watch him as he slithers around and eats, crouching down with curiosity. He starts to look like he is full; I am not sure what brought that thought to mind, but it feels right. His tongue flicks out at me a few times and I pick him up, bringing him over the barrier and back to where I found him. I set him down.
But...he slithers up my arm before I can properly react. Very interesting, this one. He reaches my shoulder. And he flicks his tongue out, hitting my cheek. Once, twice.
I feel...warmth. I don't understand why that is, but this feels like affection. Like a thank you.
I do the only thing that makes sense. I turn my head, and give my new friend a gentle peck on the snout. He flicks his tongue a few more times at me before going back the way he came, down from my arm and towards the ground. He goes quickly through the grass, to the edge of the garden, and out towards the forest a while away.
"Good luck, Mister Snake."
The words come without thinking...but they are genuine, from my heart. A strange, yet welcome happiness.
I allow myself a small smile, and retreat to my seat. My clothing is dirtied by now...but that can be taken care of in time, as it always was. There are pleasant thoughts in my head, and the warmth of the sun is soothing.
I close my eyes, and sleep.
---
I dream. I dream of a woman with scarlet hair, long and full and beautiful. I feel like I know who this person is...she has to be my mother from so long ago. From a more joyous time.
She turns before I can call to her. She smiles. Just as she always has.
I wonder...if she is proud of what I've become. If she's proud of me.
---
"...time to wake up, Miss Lilith."
It's morning. The next morning, now. My eyes open, and I see a...well-furnished bosom above my head. I know this profile at a glance.
"Thank you, Luna."
A maid with a soft, pretty face. Lovely chestnut brown eyes, and long brown hair. My personal maid, Lunamaria Daidouji. Everyone calls her Luna. She smiles and steps back, taking her chest with her. I stare for a moment, trying to recall through this morning haze what made her so bothersome to my stepmother at times.
"I-Is something the matter, Miss Lilith?" she asks nervously.
"No."
"I see..." She sighs. Luna is still young, not terribly far from my age as it is. But old enough to work, and she works well. She is my minder, the one who helps me stay unseen and unheard at the pleasure of my parents. She wears the typical black and white maid outfit, one that fits neatly around her curves. I wonder if this is her path in life. I also wonder if she put on a bit of weight lately.
There are always questions on my mind.
"Breakfast is ready, and the Mistress is downstairs. Will you need help with your bath?" Luna asks.
"I want to do it myself today," I say gently.
"Understood. Then I shall be off." Luna bows, her long hair moving and swaying behind her.
"..."
It's said that milk is a good beverage for growing girls. I will have to drink more of it to reach that level, it seems.
---
My bath is followed by getting into yet another terrible and ridiculous dress picked out by my stepmother. This one has polka dots, and an oversized bow at my back. But it would please her.
"It took you long enough to get down here. You've learned the local language well enough as a foreigner, but everything else...is coming in slowly..."
My stepmother. Emi Kobayashi, daughter of the Kobayashi Rice empire. She is above average height, strikingly beautiful with slender limbs. Her chest however, is not as large as Luna's. She has black hair that is meticulously cared for, in a hime cut. And she is clad in silk. She loves to wear silk as often as she can, whether lounging in the house or outside with others. And this set, like so many others, is thin. Thin enough that she can flaunt her body, intimidating women and drawing the eyes of any man who glances at her form.
She also doesn't like it when I smile. Nobody does, but she is bothered by it more than anyone.
"Go ahead and eat. I have things to report to you."
I nod and go to my designated seat in the sub-dining room. There are no curly fries today. It's disappointing, but...everything else looks to be good. My stepmother smokes from one of the long sticks she always carries around and breathes out a cloud of smoke into the air. She sits in one of the ornate chairs around the distractingly shiny table.
"Your father and I have had a discussion."
Father. I haven't seen his face in weeks.
"We believe that you would be well served learning more discipline, as well as technique and female etiquette. Girls should not play in flower beds, or with...ugh. Snakes."
The last word comes with some disgust. I blink at it and continue chewing on the pancakes in front of me.
"Therefore," she continues, "we have enrolled you in the Hidden Leaf's Shinobi Academy. You will become a disciplined and reliable woman there, then you will return home and apply your lessons."
Shinobi...ninja? Those are assassins, aren't they?
"Your father and I have both agreed to this experiment, so there's no charming your way out of this. Well, as if you could. You will be sent off in two months' time, so you might as well start on the basis of technique or something before it's refined later. I will look into a proper trainer at some point," she says as she blows out another cloud of smoke.
It almost seems too casual. But I have no idea what to expect anyways.
What a strange feeling.
Breakfast ends. A butler takes my things away, and I leave to where I will not be a bother to any adults. I continue to think on what exactly being a shinobi will mean. What it will mean for me, and for my future. I leave through the front door of the mansion, intending to get some air.
The guards who I rarely see are escorting someone up the long path, as the gates close in the distance. A woman in a white kimono that is patterned with green vines and leaves. She has a full, outrageous figure much like Luna. Like a...a pin up model, that I remembered seeing. Her hair is long and straight...and it is also green, a colour that I find unusual.
And yet, I feel drawn to her. My mind brings me to Mister Snake in the garden from yesterday. She comes closer, and I see that her eyes are golden and sharp, taking everything in around her. But she has yet to notice me as I stand on the front steps.
I should head back inside. She seems very important, and it wouldn't do to upset my stepmother.
But...she is already planning to send me off to board in a shinobi village.
Better judgement leaves me. I will my legs to take me down the front steps.
I advance.
---
"This is a time like no other."
---
The woman with green hair raises her hand, making everyone around her come to a stop. With a flick of her wrist, she produces a fan and holds it in front of her face.
An amused smile hides behind it as she looks up ahead.
A child in a hideous dress, white with red dots and an oversized bow flopping at her back. She is small, precious, and cute.
And she had beautiful scarlet hair. Long and wavy, paired with striking amber eyes.
She moved towards the woman and her entourage. Nervous. Unsure.
But determined, all the same.
"So...you're the one after all."
---
"I wonder what sort of child you truly are...Lilith Kobayashi."
---
Scarlet Justice
---
Welcome to the story. This is a project I've gone through before, before life happened and things got stalled. So I'm re-imagining it from the ground up as a story. You've probably noticed the perspective here: you are following Lilith Kobayashi, a young girl in the Naruto world who is born into money, and soon will be getting her first taste of shinobi life in the Hidden Leaf. A colourful cast of characters, old and new, will be here to entertain you. The premise isn't exactly novel, and you will see the alternate timeline twists coming from our protagonist's interactions with the canon world as it is in part 1 of what we know as Naruto's story. But hopefully you readers will enjoy what happens and how it happens. Even if it isn't exactly, uh, high art. There's some content that people may not like and I might as well be upfront with it now.
big gay and big gay accessories: a handy template for future arguments that I may or may not use: "[insert character] is gay, shut up, deal with it". This doesn't mean everyone is going to get a flip in orientation suddenly but there will be plenty of subtext and supertext when it comes to same-sex relationships. If it's too much for you, then unfortunately I'm not going to turn it down any. I guess if it makes anyone feel better we'd probably be dealing more with the L-word, some of y'all like that. But I will handle things appropriately as they arrive for you to read and not just fetishize it.
let's talk about sex, bby: there are going to be talks about sexual things and sexuality and all of that fun stuff. Several of the characters in the story, yes even the younger ones, will speak on these things. This isn't to open the light to orgies or underaged sex scenes or sexual activity. The tone has been set, and my promise to you is to handle these things responsibly. I will try not to get too far into the weeds on this.
murder death kill (MDK): people are going to think OW THE EDGE when we get to certain sections and they probably wouldn't be wrong to think so in most cases. There will be violence and blood-spilling and not very nice things, so I will label these chapters as needed. This isn't because I'm going for a gritty portrayal of nardo: hurricane chronicles or some shit, it's for story reasons, like people being pretty fucked up and impulsive among other things.
not my canon: there will be ripple effects and changes here and there to the canon characters you love and hate. Not as serious as the above stuff, but it's a point of contention with enough people in the fandom. I won't...flanderize or whatever the hell the word is, any characters. But I might give you an extended look at different sides of them, and have them change as relationships are established and moved forward.
the power of god and anime: we're gonna have fights and they're gonna be metal as fuck my dudes. Drink your vitamins and strap in.
it's the same mouth I kiss my mother with: the fanfic will contain coarse language and suggestive themes. People will say bad and naughty words and some of these people might also be underaged. It happens.
That's all for now. Be well and enjoy the story as it unfolds!
Phase 1 Episode Guide (ep. 1 - ep. 149)
began crossposting on Archive of Our Own as of Feb 1, 2022 (Phase 1 complete, Aug 30/22)
began crossposting on FanFiction.net as of Feb 1, 2022 (Phase 1 complete, Aug 30/22)
I move down the steps towards the entourage, which comes to a stop at the woman's command. She produces a fan as I walk forward. I'm certainly nervous. But I feel as if I need to do this.
Her eyes lock onto me, finally. A strange pulse...the same as the one I felt when holding the garden snake. Why is that? I can't be sure...it's nothing I can figure out right away.
"Lovely day, is it not?" she says as she steps away from the bodyguards. Her voice is refreshingly cool and clear...it feels like velvet, but for my ears. I didn't think I could be drawn to her more. Her figure is even more amazing up close...my stepmother dismissively called it a 'child-bearing frame', in reference to Luna at least, in places where she couldn't hear. I imagine this woman, whoever she might be, would give her fits as well. She looks like she's stepped out of a magazine...yes. If there were goddesses on Earth, she would be one of them.
I am thinking heavily on this, aren't I. How curious.
In response to her question, I politely nod. She seems amused from behind her fan.
"My friend you helped yesterday reported your kindness, and it found its way to me. He was grateful, you know? It had been a long journey and he was hungry."
"Mister Snake," I say quietly. But...what could that mean?
"Yes, that's right. My name is Midoriko Ryuuchi. And you must be Miss Lilith, correct? I actually did come to see you, but...well, that wouldn't be believable to most at first blush. It would also be most rude to ignore the owners of this fine estate, so I came to deliver my greetings. I live a short distance up the road."
"Father is working," I reply. "Mother is home, in her study."
"Hm. Rothschild, wasn't it? Married into a rich family once more, so...it's Kobayashi now. Yes?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"Mm. You're a very obedient girl. Only speaking when spoken to, and giving little away. Well done. But yes...I do have important matters to discuss with you, my darling. I will return to you after greeting your stepmother, so if you would wait for me..."
"Yes. I will."
"Lovely. I shall be off. Until then, Miss Lilith."
"Goodbye, Lady Ryuuchi."
She smiles and pats me gently on the head before moving in. I watch her and the sway of her hips as she leaves, before deciding to wait in the flower garden a while.
Midoriko...very much reminds me of a snake. But not in a bad way at all.
---
An hour passes. Midoriko and her mischievous smile find me among the blossoming flowers. A whimsical feeling as she looks me over, lilies growing in the beds just behind her.
"Emi is a terribly boring woman. Then again, she does have a terribly boring husband. No offense meant to you, my dear."
She hides her amused face behind her fan. It seems she was entertained by her talk with my stepmother.
"I promised earlier. Do you still want to hear it? The secret I have for you..."
Her golden eyes feel like they're reaching into me. I slowly nod.
"You must know by now. I am not human. I am...a snake."
She lowers her fan, and I can see her grinning at me with sharp, pointed teeth. Strange. Unnatural.
Entirely like me.
I feel a weight coming down on me and it makes me shake and sweat. She is looking down on me. Crushing me slowly, on a whim. It would be so easy for her to make me disappear. Fear. I can feel fear but I can't bring myself to move, to run away. I wonder if I might die here, if I might be devoured in the next moment.
No. She wouldn't. I...somehow know.
"Are you afraid?"
I should be. I should be, and I might be, but I feel more awe than anything as I look up at her, at her terrifying and beautiful form. I shake my head, slowly.
"Hmhmhm...yes. I can see it now. You really are the one."
The pressure fades away. I let out a breath and relax, finally.
"You have a very strong affinity," Midoriko says. "And I've heard that you will be training to become a kunoichi soon?"
I nod. She gets to her knees, in the grass, and wipes my face gently with a cloth. Not even thinking about the expensive silk and how it might be stained by the grass.
"I am truly sorry, darling. I got too excited...it's been so long since someone in this world has been such a suitable candidate. Perhaps you could become the next true Sage...mm, but don't worry about those details just yet. First, you must become a splendid shinobi. Then, you may ascend further. You can recall the voices in your head, and the feelings in your heart, yes? They are, and always have been, real."
I don't know what to say. Still kneeling, she flicks her wrist and produces a knife from her sleeve, flipping it open.
"This is going to be sudden...but I must test you, just a bit more." She twirls the knife in her hand while looking at me. "I want you to make a contract with me."
She's right. It is sudden.
"You only have a short time to learn basic skills before you enter the Shinobi Academy. I know you humans are capable of extraordinary things if you put your minds to it...but I say, why not make it easier on yourself?" Midoriko smiles. "Make a pact with me, dear Lilith. I will teach you everything I know, and send you on your way to becoming a fine, fine shinobi."
The knife stops spinning. She raises it to her lips and runs her tongue across the blade.
My mind screams danger.
But my heart is enraptured. This woman has captured me in her lovely, silken web. We have only just met. But she wants me to make a contract with her, with the snakes. I do like snakes. My stepmother doesn't.
And my father...his vote doesn't count.
"Miss...Midoriko." I breathe her name out, unsure of what to do, of what to feel right away. I look into her golden eyes and find myself settling, floating gently towards an answer as my heart beats fast.
I know what I must do.
I will seal the contract.
For nothing else makes sense.
"Yes," I say quietly. "Yes...I will sign the contract with you, Lady Ryuuchi."
"Lovely. Feel free to call me by name from now on. Midori is very much fine, you know."
"Then...then..." I feel myself blushing. "Midori-nee. Is..that fine?"
"Of course~!" she says, with her wide and dangerous grin. I grin back at her, forgetting my restraint and showing her the smile that everyone hated so much. "Ah, what a beautiful smile. I know that it's misunderstood by everyone else. That's very much fine, my dear Lili. You can share it with me, and nobody else."
Midori gently brings me closer, her hand on the back of my neck. I already trust her so much. The knife blade goes across my neck and bites into my skin.
"Just a small bit of blood, now..." Her hands blur into a strange set of patterns before a scroll appears out of thin air. She sets it down, then uses the knife to cut into skin on her neck, drawing her blood. Her fingers move across the wound, and she presses her bloodied fingers against the wound on my neck, mixing our blood together. She opens the scroll, and then traces a pattern onto it before it immediately disappears.
"Normally, the summoner would sign it. But...I wanted to make sure there were some special conditions for the two of us. I wouldn't want to lose track of you, you know? With this type, you can call on me whenever you need me. Nepotism does have its perks~"
"I see..."
Midori licks the knife clean of blood before closing it and handing it to me. It has gold handles and seems to be finely crafted. "It's a butterfly knife. When you get good enough, I will gift you another. Practice opening and closing it from time to time." She licks her finger and presses it against my wound...I feel like the cut was never made. Her own has already healed, and she wipes away the blood on both of us with a spare cloth.
"No sense in worrying Emi. Speaking of her...I'll inform her that I happen to know of a good trainer, and that way we can have all of the sessions we need. I'll keep my promise to you, and make you into the best shinobi you can be."
"Thank you," I say sincerely.
"Anything for you, my dear little sister," Midori says with a smile. "Now, head up to your room for me and rest. I will see you soon."
"Yes." I hurry at her command and do as she says, like it's entirely natural. Inside and up the stairs to my room, without a second thought.
I know all of this is real, but everything...everything is happening so fast. I don't feel overwhelmed, but amazed at what is going on.
I reach my room, and Luna is fixing up my bed neatly...so I hide the knife behind my back and clear my throat, to get her attention.
"Oh! Miss Lilith...I-I was just making up your bed for you. I...I'm done here, so...I...will be going. Please, don't let me disturb you." Luna gives me a timid smile before starting to hurry out.
But it doesn't escape my notice...the fact that the window is open. The same window that overlooks the flower garden where I was just standing with Midori earlier.
It's possible that she saw something. That she saw everything.
"Luna."
"Yes, Miss Lilith?" She's barely made it past the door before turning around to face me. She plays with her hands and her gaze darts away from mine.
"The window is open."
"I...yes, I just thought that the room needed air, and...and um..."
"Luna...what was it you saw in the yard?"
She sniffles loudly before tears come to her eyes. "I...I saw everything. I know it was wrong to watch, to spy on you two like that. But I was so enraptured that I simply couldn't look away, and...please, forgive me. I promise not to tell anyone about your illicit relationship..."
"?" Illicit? She means forbidden? What is?
"It's just that watching two girls like that...I mean..."
What...is she saying? Is she implying something? Oh, she's blushing. It has to be something lewd, then.
"A-anyways, I promise not to tell a soul! I'll do anything to prove it! Anything..."
I am starting to understand what it is she's saying.
"It's not what you think. Come here," I say. Luna nods and does as she's told. We sit on my bed together, and I explain what went on a while ago.
In my haste to explain, I revealed Midori's secret. Bothersome. But too late to take back now.
"Ah? So it wasn't something like that?"
"No. We're only sisters now," I say.
"Hm. Is it...sister play...?" Luna muses.
"No," I reply firmly.
"I-I see..." She sighs. "Well, I am a bit jealous that you got to be so intimate with her first. Women like Lady Midoriko...they're really my type, you see..."
So Luna is into women with outrageous figures, like she has. Is this a form of narcissism? I wonder a bit about that.
"So you're a lesbian pervert?" I ask.
She waves a hand at me. "I'm a lesbian. Not the other part. Please keep it from Mistress Emi...I don't know what she would think of it."
I actually think it would remove a lot of the tension from the mansion if my stepmother knew that Luna had no interest in men at all. But I nod anyways and vow to keep her secret until the promised time. Luna has been good to me...this much as a service is nothing in comparison.
"Do...you think she likes girls, too?"
I tilt my head in thought. It's a valid question. "I'm not quite sure. Can snakes also be lesbians?"
Luna crosses her arms in thought. "I don't know either. She's really a snake? A non human?"
"Yes."
"How do you know?"
"Resonance," I answer plainly. It's the truth, at least.
"Hm. What's that in your hand?" she asks.
"A gift from Midori-nee. It's a butterfly knife." I present the knife to Luna and she takes it from my hand. Then she twirls it around rapidly like she's had possession of it her entire life. She tosses it up and down, spins it around a finger, and passes it back and forth between her hands before closing it.
"Papa has a collection of knives like this. He taught me when I was young in case I needed to defend myself, and it's come in handy. See," she says as she lifts her skirt for me. There are two holsters strapped to her thighs, just below her frilly garters. "I keep them here, just in case. Of course, neither the Master or Mistress know...I'm asking you to keep a lot hidden from them, aren't I? I feel so embarrassed..."
An idea pops into my head as she hands the closed knife back to me.
Yes. It will do.
"Live with me when I go to become a ninja," I say firmly.
"Really? Me?" she says, surprised.
"Yes." I give her my most serious, convincing look. Her face lights up and she smothers me in a hug.
"I'll be sure to watch over you with all that I have, then. My life is yours...thank you for choosing me, Miss Lilith."
I nod towards her. "I will be in your care." A pause. "Please don't do anything too perverted in the Hidden Leaf."
"Off you go. Luna, be sure to supervise her training as instructed."
"Yes, Mistress."
It's the next morning. Midori-nee has made the arrangements with my stepmother for my training, and we are headed over now to get started for the first time. We leave and start our walk down the paved road, unusual for Fire Country and a symbol of our high status. Our destination is a mile north.
The mansion comes into view quickly, and only grows larger and more majestic as we approach. I can't imagine the expense that went into this sort of structure. The large front gate is guarded by sharply dressed men in suits, and they acknowledge us before escorting us inside. We pass several maids as we enter to a cool, refreshing atmosphere. So Midori has central air installed...certainly luxurious, to say the least.
"Good morning, Lili~!"
"Good morning," I reply. Midori smiles and pats me on the head gently. She's gone with a close-fitting shirt and shorts as she meets us. I pulled up one of my outfits for dancing classes, a light shirt that hangs a bit loosely paired with sweatpants, all underneath my light jacket. Luna has gotten into the mood with a tracksuit, but it's unable to hide her curves properly. Much like everything else she wears, it seems.
"G-good morning, Lady Midoriko."
"It's very pleasant seeing you again, Luna. You've been sent to supervise, have you?"
"It's fine," I say. "I told her everything after she peeped on us from the window."
Midori sighs and places a hand on her cheek as Luna pales. "Dear, dear. How troublesome..."
"She knows that you're a snake now. Also, she's going to be living with me when I go to the Hidden Leaf. She knows how to use the knife you gave me very well. And another important thing is that she's a perverted lesbian."
"Miss Lilith...!"
"Oho...is that so? Hmm...I see. Well, I know that you trust each other very much, so all of this is fine. And I do mean all of it," Midori says as she gives Luna a wink. Luna goes from pale to bright red in an instant, playing with her hands. "So. Shall we chat a bit, or start training right away?"
"I would like to begin," I say.
"Mm-hm. Understood. Follow me downstairs, lovelies."
As we go through the mansion, a question does come to mind. I think Midori would like to hear the answer as well.
"Luna? Why did you choose to become a maid in the first place?" I ask her.
"Eh? Oh, um...mm...it's sort of a long story, but I can condense it a bit," Luna says as we walk. "My mom left my papa for another man. He wasn't getting much from his military pension, so the farm we lived on was really our way of living. I think...I reminded him too much of mom, and it hurt him whenever he got a bit upset. I wanted to do my best for him as his daughter...but we were only barely making it from month to month." She pauses a bit. "I learned that he was secretly putting away money, and it was for me. He saved enough and told me to go live on my own, that it was for the best. He loved me so much, and I knew that. So I did as he asked. My first job was as a waitress, and I liked it for the most part, but the back and forth from home to work was a lot! Probably the worst part of my job, by far. So I saw a job for a live-in maid, and tried it out. I really liked it...serving people is such a joy for me, and I didn't have much to complain about now that home was work and work was home."
"So it was something that you discovered, yes?" Midori asks. Luna blushes and nods.
"Yes. It wasn't something I planned to do, really. I wanted to be something like...a dancer, or a painter. You know, making art. I still do those things in my spare time. But this...it makes me feel so at ease. Not every day is perfect, but this is what I want to do with my life. I'm happy."
I wonder if I'll get to that point one day...finding something that I wanted to spend my entire life doing. Perhaps this shinobi thing would be it? Learning how to kill people? It's so curious.
But I am rather excited to see what this will bring.
"Here we are." We've descended into the basement, where an obstacle course and several targets are set up in the distance. To call it a mere basement would be foolishness, though...it's easily the size of a soccer field.
"Now, we can get started. First, we'll find out which element best suits you. And at the same time, we can look at a suitable form of movement to start with," Midori explains to me.
"Do your best, Miss Lilith," Luna says to me.
Midori hands me a small piece of paper. "This is from a specially grown tree, fed exclusively with chakra and chakra based sustenance. When you flow energy through this paper, it responds to it and reacts in certain ways. This is how shinobi usually figure out where their strengths are."
"I simply have to concentrate?" I ask.
"Yes. Go ahead."
I nod and close my eyes before focusing. I feel something happening and strange things happen to the chakra paper; when I open my eyes I am left with two soggy, wrinkled pieces of paper in between my fingers.
"Ah, that's interesting. You have two affinities already," Midori says with a smile. "Water and Lightning, then. That's a very good start, especially for a high-born child. Now, we'll go through this little course together and see exactly where you stand. Are we ready?"
"Yes," I say. Luna takes my jacket for me, and I bounce on my feet lightly.
"Good. Luna, please time us," Midori says. Luna takes a stopwatch from her pocket and readies it.
"Understood. When you're ready."
"And...go."
I follow Midori-nee faithfully through the obstacle course - it's longer than I realized at first. I keep up as best as I can. She's hardly breaking a sweat, running ahead of me as if it's a light stroll down the road. Meanwhile, I can feel the wind whistling in my ears. We are moving quickly.
She glances back every so often and gives me an encouraging smile. It's working...I am more energized by the moment. We hop and skip and jump over obstacles, test our balance, and move up and down various slopes to test our acceleration and control. We slow after jumping over the last low wall.
"Let's walk the rest off," Midori says. I nod and wipe sweat from my brow as I catch up to her, walking casually along the track while catching my breath.
"Let's see, now. Your strength is a bit below the average for a shinobi. You relied equally on instinct and forward thinking whenever you encountered challenges. And your reflexes...they're exceptional. This goes along with your brilliant speed and balance. You also have a high level of endurance, as shown by the fact that you completed this course next to me. This isn't one for beginners, you know."
Ah. As expected of Midori-nee. She figured all of that out from one session.
"I've also taken note of your body...well, you know what I mean by that," she says with a laugh. "You're very flexible. That will allow you to do some extra things in the heat of the moment, and you won't have to think so much. Things like this..." Midori stops and lifts her leg, holding it against the side of her head. "...aren't as simple as they look. You really do have some talent, you know."
"..." I manage to lift my leg fairly high, but not to the angle she has it at. How exactly does she do that...?
"Ufufu...everything at its own pace, my love. You'll get to where I am very soon," she says with a smile. I feel her warm hand on my head again.
"Understood."
"Good! Now, for the next phase..."
I nod, feeling like I've caught my breath after the obstacle course.
"Is there anything you would like me to do?" Luna asks.
"Ah, yes. If you could fetch us some refreshments, that would be wonderful," Midori says.
"Yes, of course. I will return shortly." Luna bows and heads off, leaving me with Midori alone. She looks me over and nods.
"Well. Shall we begin?"
I nod, and she takes me through my paces.
---
I already knew what chakra was. My stepmother taught me about it, and revealed that she had taken part in kunoichi training - the reason why she got the idea to send me off to do it myself, along with my father's prodding. She decided to become a model, doing what were wholesome shoots until she was scouted and told that gravure models were paid a lot more due to being in demand.
From what she remembered of the initial training, she passed onto me.
Midori tells me that actual ninjutsu is something that I will learn later at the Academy, but she gives me ideas and an understanding of the basics anyways. I learn a few things for the midst of battle and start to test them out, tricks to maintain speed and balance for example. By the time we get through everything, it seems to be getting late, and I'm starting to tire.
"This has been a lot for one day...but you took to this training quickly, Lili. Luna, I apologize for bothering you...but do you think I could keep Lili over?" Midori asks.
Luna nods and sets another refreshment tray down while clearing the other jugs and glasses. "Mistress Emi won't mind at all. I will call and inform her as soon as I finish here."
"Thank you. Oh, and no need to worry about clothing. I have your sizes."
"Ah. As expected of you, Miss Midoriko."
"Lili, we'll take a break and then finish up our training for the day. Tomorrow is another opportunity."
---
The next morning comes and I'm gently shaken awake by Luna. Yesterday was tiring, but fulfilling.
"Miss Lilith?"
"Mm...thank you, Luna."
"Of course. Good morning to you." She's wearing a very...thin and revealing nightgown. I take note of her and frown.
"Warm milk."
"Eh...?"
"Milk," I say firmly. "A pitcher of it. Please."
"Forgive me, Miss Lilith. Right away." She leaves me and heads out of the room, while I head to the bathroom to clean up. I change into a new training outfit provided by Midori-nee, similar to the one I came in with.
"..." My hand goes over my chest and I sigh reflexively.
"Lovely, you're already awake. Good morning, Lili."
"Good morning, Midori-nee." She enters the room and pats me on the head, as always. Her training wear is already on, and I glance up at her.
"Something wrong, love?"
"It's nothing," I say as I shake my head.
Midori puts her hand on my back and leads me downstairs to our training area, where we meet Luna. She's put on a robe over her gown by now and hands me a mug of milk as I move towards her. I gulp it down quickly and signal for more; she pours me several cups until the pitcher is empty.
"Thank you, Luna."
"It's always my pleasure, Miss Lilith. I'll get changed into proper clothing for the day. Please excuse me," she says with a bow before leaving. Midori giggles a bit at that and pats my head again.
"I know what's wrong~ Don't you worry, you'll grow into a splendid woman."
It's...sort of reassuring to hear that.
"But...she does have an outrageous figure."
"And she doesn't even exercise that much."
"Mm. I don't either."
And yet she looks like this...unbelievable. Truly unfair.
"Awful. Both of you," I pout. My elder sister laughs lightly and pats me on the shoulders.
"Let's burn off that frustration in today's session."
That much will be a welcome distraction. "Fine."
The day starts with the normal exercises. We practice movement, especially lateral movement which is important in positioning and evasive action. It's very easy to move quickly in a straight line, it's harder to properly change direction, and it's even harder to discern the right time to change direction and speed. Work today is mainly put into shoring up those gaps.
And now, we've moved on to the promised topic: the summoning technique. Midori is going to do something advanced with me, something that most summoners never get access to.
She takes a small knife and cuts into her own skin, drawing blood. The knife is coated in it once she's done. Her eyes meet mine.
"This will hurt, but it will be for the best. I want you to trust me for this...are you ready?"
I nod slowly and she begins. She takes her steady hand and carves a set of seals into my skin, moving from my left wrist upwards to the elbow. She dips the knife into my blood and traces her lines with it. It hurts a lot. I remain as still as possible, not making a sound. I feel her stop as soon as I think the pain is becoming too much.
"Are you alright, Lili?" she asks.
"I'm...I'm fine," I squeak out, sniffling. Midori cleans the cuts and the stinging makes my voice slip. I'm starting to tear up. As the pain dies down, I see the lines have solidified; they're black and run across my skin in a detailed, intricate series of patterns.
"Lili? Thank you for trusting me," Midori says gently. I nod and snuggle into her, feeling her hold me tightly. I'm reminded of my mother from so long ago...this kind of love and warmth...
I finally bring myself to let go over her, looking into her golden eyes. "I'm ready to continue. I promise." She nods and lets me go slowly.
"We'll continue, then...focus your chakra into your left arm."
I do as she says. Focusing...and then in a cloud of smoke, a red snake appears. It's the size of a man, from what I can estimate, and the scales make it look like a piece of twisted rope.
"Empress!" he says in a booming, manly voice. His mouth does not move, but I can hear him clearly.
"Yes, 'tis I. You have new orders from today...you are now to serve my little sister whenever she calls for you."
"Of course, Empress!"
"This is a good man. His name is Crim. He has some of the strongest jaws in the kingdom, and can take a hold of just about anything. With him, you can grab hold of objects and pull them towards you in one swift motion. He can also take hold of obstacles and stationary objects, to pull you towards them quickly. This means that you can redirect yourself in midair if need be, for example."
"I shall bend and twist to your will, Princess!" he says to me.
"Thank you. I am in your care," I say to him with a bow.
"Until the next, Crim. May heaven watch over you." He disappears soon after. "Now you have another special technique at your disposal, as well as a new way to access your summoning contract. Can you picture us in your mind?"
"..." I close my eyes and concentrate. I can see a man with windswept red hair and muscular arms, dressed in red. That must be Crim. I also see Midori-nee clearly, smiling warmly at me. "Yes."
"Good! Then we're done with everything for now. Just a bit of exercise, and then we'll rest for the remainder of the day. Lili, you have done so well. I'm proud of you."
"Thank you, Midori-nee."
"Oh, darling. Anything for you."
I give her the smile she likes so much, pure and true.
---
Two days seems to be enough at once for now, but we're going to make arrangements to stay longer over the next few weeks.
I hug Midori and almost don't want to let go, even though I will be back soom. Luna has a conversation with her that I stay away from. Luna seems flustered by what's happening. She says nothing as she walks to my side...we head home together in silence.
But it's obvious. Even I can tell that Midori has taken a great liking to her.
"..."
I want it to happen. They would be the most beautiful couple.
My father is a rice magnate now. This is his third marriage. My mother was his second wife, a woman from the West with lovely red hair. It's where I got my own from. I am his only child.
It's something that he's seemed to regret for a long time. The fact that I was born a girl, along with everything else.
Kobayashi is my stepmother's name. My father always married into the woman's family and took over the family business, because of the prevalence of old-fashioned attitudes among the elite. He didn't mind much of anything, as long as he could continue to amass wealth. Kobayashi Rice is remarkably successful, thanks to my father's work and the infusion of cash he was able to provide - a product of my late mother's will. She never cared much for money, or wealth of any sort...she simply wanted to love my father. But he only ever cared about work. He cared so much about it that he didn't realize she was dying until it was too late.
Or...maybe it was that he didn't really care.
...
I don't know if I hate him or not.
---
Six weeks of work begin. Week one: a focus on chakra. Capacity, generation, movement, and distribution among other things. The sorts of things that children from shinobi clans would have access to from the earliest age. I'm behind them.
It's time to change that.
I run around the track circling everything in the basement today, attempting to improve my circuit time. Midori and Luna watch, both taking notes as they stand just off the track. They seem to be talking, getting to know each other a bit more. Bits of conversation reach me as I pass them.
"...things like that, Luna. It's based less on the ideal form, and more on what can be..."
"Ah, I didn't think of it that way..."
It's probably nothing terribly important, or less they would let me know about it. I pick up my pace and keep running.
The rest of the week goes about the same; a focus on physical areas while fitting in everything else for rounded lessons. I go home each night and take a warm bath, with Luna taking care of my hair gently. She had insisted on it for a long time, even after teaching me how to do it properly on my own.
Emi seems pleased at my progress over the week.
The next week has a focus on taijutsu, or physical arts. I still do my regular laps to start off, stretch, and then work at different stations. There's a weight room and Midori teaches both myself and Luna how to work out properly. Focusing on my legs, I feel a bit stronger midway through the week.
Luna takes notes while I skip rope, and Midori brings her water. They share a smile that I take note of before parting. Midori wants me to focus on counting the rotations of the rope, and I do so until they actively start to slow down in my eyes. Being able to see these things...so it's that important, then.
An adjustable speed bag that I spend some time batting around. This is good for for coordination and reflexes, among other benefits. Punching bags and wooden dummies. Midori throws heavy balls at me that I have to dodge, and I must be alert because she's tossing them to Luna behind me at speed. She does the same thing, trying to hit me with Midori catching the missed ones at the other end.
I do get hit quite a few times before the session is over.
The baths help with the soreness. Luna seems to have a spring in her step, which I highly enjoy. And Emi tries to hold conversation with me over breakfast. Between her personality and mine, it's...very awkward. But I show my appreciation for her attempts.
My father is naturally nowhere to be found.
Week three sees focus on identified 'specialty areas'. My primary combat style is offensive ninjutsu, meaning close to long range attacks depending on scenario. The default will be to start at a middle range relative to my opponents. The secondary part of my combat style involves high speed movement and physical flexibility, which we are working on today with a series of stretches and poses.
Midori explains the unique contract I now have.
"It's called Chaos Connection," she says as we do handstands together. "With the seal inscribed onto your body, you have an instant connection to the snake kingdom at the cost of some chakra. You can immediately summon smaller snakes without the need to perform the standard jutsu, and the elite specialized snakes within your memory. Crim is one of them. The unique construction of the seal gives you a direct connection to me as well."
"So we can speak without words, and over long distances?" I ask.
"Exactly. Wonderful, no?"
"Yes. I'll try not to bother you too often."
"Ufufu...so considerate. You won't ever be a bother to me, Lili. But I do appreciate your discretion."
"So there is a unique style for each snake person I can summon?"
"Yes. The ability that Crim shares with you is called Chaotic Movement. He will appear right near you, in the position you desire. It only takes a thought. There is another serpentine technique to teach you, but...the specific needs aren't in your grasp just yet. Fortunately, I have scrolls that you can study once you're ready."
"Understood. Thank you, Midori-nee."
The week goes smoothly. I watch Midori and Luna spar lightly, with Luna wearing a proper athletic shirt under her jacket so that her chest doesn't move around so much. They bow to each other before starting their routine, focusing on quick movements in close with open hands. Luna is...very fast and light on her feet. She's far from oversized, but most wouldn't guess that she could move this quickly based on her looks. Her hands are also incredibly fast; a few weeks ago they were blurs in my eyes, now I can see them clearly but I'm still in awe of her movement and reflexes.
Midori is far from a slouch on her end. Voluptuous, surely, but with speed that makes her very much untrackable as soon as she puts in effort. It's little wonder she can keep up with me. She focuses and gives Luna the respect she deserves, landing strikes with her fingers and palms as soon as she finds openings. Luna responds by tightening her stance, reducing Midori's blows and speeding up until her hands are again blurs to me. It only lasts for a while before Midori overpowers her, and she yields.
"You've improved, Luna."
"Thank you, milady. You've been a great help to me."
"Oh, stop. It's been all you. Take a break, yes?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"Lili, let's start again. Shadow my movements."
I get to my feet and take my position before she starts moving. I start my movement in time with hers.
Luna is absent a bit more starting from the midway point of the week. I assume she's training on her own. Emi talks to me a bit more and asks what I do during training. She makes small suggestions on stretches that I can do in the morning and before bed.
There's something she means to say, but always comes short of saying it to me.
My father is away on business. But that has always been the case.
Fourth week. Speed training. I work on things like extreme lateral movement and acceleration. Ropes, weighted clothing and accessories, and running at the bottom of the pool. We try water walking and I pick up on it after a few tries. The rest of that will be left for the academy.
"I'm sorry to interrupt."
Luna quietly approaches me as I run in place with Midori. It's Monday today.
"Luna? Are you okay?" I ask while moving.
"I...don't quite feel well. I would like to return home, if that's alright."
I look to Midori, who is nonplussed.
"We have plenty of room here, Luna," she says.
"I would rather not impose."
"I see." We stop our running. "Then...if you must. Are you sure there's nothing we can do?"
"There is nothing, milady. I apologize again...I should be alright for tomorrow."
"Understood. Please get some rest, Luna."
"Please take care," I say to her. She gives me a kind smile and nods before leaving.
"..."
Midori is clearly worried, but turns to me and makes a gesture to start again. We work quietly for this session, and the rest of the day.
Luna is in her room when I get home, sleeping. My stepmother has relieved her for the rest of the day.
I want to check in on her...but it might be rude to do so. I hope to see her in the morning.
She indeed wakes me up the next morning, and is quiet through breakfast and the entire way up to Midori's place.
"Good morning, Lady Ryuuchi."
"Good morning, Luna." I don't know what it is, but...the exchange sounds off. Luna is still quiet, taking notes. As I do laps, I notice that she speaks very little to Midori-nee. She is just as quiet in the weight room. She stands silently at the edge of the pool, making sure I'm safe while I'm in the water.
Week five out of six arrives. I work on academics and the finer points of shinobi arts, namely handseals. They're not too difficult to get on the first few tries, and I spend much in the way of time learning how they affect chakra flow. I have done homeschooling for the past while also, because of my move out to this part of the country, so I take the time to catch up on my course work. It goes very well with Midori's help. I pass my tests with flying colours, the results have been mailed back during the week.
Luna is absent.
One of the other maids is Sara, a waifish-looking girl with freckles and a terrible, yet endearing laugh. She assured me that Luna would be taken care of, and I relayed the message to Midori-nee. But it hasn't helped much, has it...
I go home. She comes out of her room to tend to me, but says little like the last week. And so it goes, day after day. Nothing changes.
The sixth week is our last scheduled week of training, and Luna says she has errands to run in the next town along with other assignments inside of the house. I have no idea where these came from all of a sudden...I ask Emi about them over breakfast.
"Hm? There are some things she had to do in town, but...there are also some things that she asked to do on my behalf. It's good, since they likely wouldn't get done in time otherwise..."
"..."
I don't know exactly what is going on.
One of the butlers takes me up to the mansion, and it's arranged for one of Midori's maids to escort me back at the end of the day. This week is about physical conditioning, mainly. More weight and resistance training to finish off everything I've learned. But it feels strange, in a way.
"Is she alright?" Midori asks as she watches me do leg raises. "She hasn't seemed well for a while now."
"I don't exactly know," I admit. "She's spent a lot of time in her room, or just doing odd jobs around the mansion as soon as we would get home. When did you notice something was wrong?"
She crouches and puts her head in her hands.
"It must have been two or so weeks ago. She...started to withdraw, but I thought little of it. Then we started talking less and less. Once she said she was unwell, I thought it would resolve, but..." She sighs. "I don't understand. Something must have happened, but I don't know if it was my fault. I can't apologize for something I don't realize I did, you know?"
"Right."
"Hopefully, I...never mind." Midori gets to her feet. "Rest a bit, then we'll move to the vertical bar. Actually...when you're a bit older..."
"What is it?" I ask.
"Well, I don't want to upset Emi any...but pole dancing is a good thing to try."
"Pole dancing? You mean adult dancing?"
"It's not necessarily erotic, you know. There's a sort of unique finesse that goes into the art."
"..." Well, she's not wrong. "You can show me later."
"I'll do that. Just...don't tell your stepmother."
I'm not sure she would mind too much, having spent all that time doing erotic photo shoots. It would make her a...hm. But she's not exactly averse to hypocrisy, is she.
Yes. Best to keep it a secret. For now, anyways.
---
Training ends successfully. Even so...
It's been a while since I've talked to Luna.
I find her in the kitchen, polishing silverware. Her brown eyes seem a bit dull today, again.
"Luna?"
"Hm?" She turns her head lethargically before snapping to attention. "Miss Lilith. I am at your service. I apologize for being absent recently. What might I help you with?"
"I don't need anything right this moment," I say.
"Yes, understood. My apologies."
"When you're finished, bring some tea up to my room, please."
"Of course, Miss Lilith. Right away." The sullen look on her face returns as she focuses on cleaning the silverware as quickly as possible. I give her one last look before leaving the kitchen.
It's not too long before I hear a knock on my bedroom door.
"Come in," I say, putting down my book.
Luna enters with a silver tray. On top of it is a china teapot, a small bottle of milk, sugar cubes, and a china teacup. She sets the tray down on the table near my bed, and stands rigidly at attention.
"Is there anything else you would like, Miss Lilith?" she asks me.
"Yes." I pat the empty space on the bed beside me. "Please sit."
"As you wish." Luna quietly sits and places her hands in her lap.
"You can talk to me," I say.
"..."
"I don't like seeing you upset. And you have seemed upset for a long while."
"...I just don't feel well."
"Are you sick again? Please, we can find you a very good doctor."
"No...not physically. I'm just...miserable. My work has probably suffered, hasn't it? I apologize, Miss Lilith."
"Your work is fine," I say, getting a bit frustrated. I'm not angry at Luna, I just...want to make her stop hurting. "What is causing you pain? Please, tell me."
She is quiet and still. She doesn't want to answer...but she makes herself do it.
"...for the first time in my life, I don't feel adequate for someone else."
"Is it love?" I ask, thinking of how she and Midori looked together.
"I'm scared to go any further. I don't know what to do."
"..." I know that Luna and Midori-nee have been getting very close, but Luna seems tentative about the whole thing. I don't know why that is. Inadequate? What would make her think something like that? Why would she cause herself such pain?
She deserves what she has now. She deserves someone as warm and kind and loving as Midori-nee.
"I've done this before, I just don't know...I don't know what it is, but I feel like it's a mistake. Like I might not be good enough."
"You shouldn't think such things," I scold lightly.
"You're right. I should simply focus on what's ahead...we're leaving in a week or two, anyways."
I frown. "If you're giving up, then I'll make her my bride eventually," I say, trying to rile her up a little.
"A rivalry? If it's you...it might be nice after all," she says with a solemn smile. She stares at the floor and I feel distressed. I want to fix whatever was wrong, but I know that I can't. It reminded me of the rift between my mother and father.
It's unfair.
"Maybe you could marry me instead?" she jokes. "I already follow you around all day as it is..."
"I can do that too," I say quickly. "If it will make you happy, Luna."
She closes her eyes. "You're too kind sometimes, Miss Lilith..."
"..."
Sometimes I wonder about that. Being kind...was that really who I was? Or was I just dissecting these situations and saying the right things?
Life is confusing sometimes. It's painful.
I want to say something to Luna, to make her feel better. But I don't have anything.
My hand squeezes hers. She looks at me, and produces a melancholy smile as she squeezes mine back.
My father never actually took care of me. Emi was a terrible mother when I first met her. She was rude, uncaring, and easily annoyed. That was just to start. Never having a child of her own, she saw me as a tool, a means to curry favour. And my father, for his part, always gave her the green light.
From what I have glimpsed of him, my father has remained the same over these past two months. He barely looks at me, doesn't even notice me at times. But Emi has been different. She has been paying attention to me. She has gone from minimal interest to actually caring about me. About not just my progress, but my well-being.
"Lilith."
"Yes, ma'am." We cross paths in the main foyer today. Midori-nee suggested two weeks of rest before my departure to the Leaf; I had done enough work over the past month and a half that I deserved it. No objections came from me.
"..."
"..." We are both silent, and it's quite awkward again.
"I really should apologize. Those dresses look especially horrible on you now. Goodness."
"...I see."
"You look fabulous, physically speaking. I worried with all the training you would become musclebound, or something to that effect...but it's worked out well. Very good."
"Thank you."
"When you do return, I'll be sure to make you look more chic," she says with a smile. Her fingers snap as she walks off, and a maid runs from the other side of the foyer to meet her.
We have had talks like this over the past few days. Short, engaging, and with a compliment or two on her part. She also gives me advice, like the other day.
I should use my lips to smile.
I try it out. It...makes me look subdued, and a bit cuter. I understand why she suggested it, and it's a useful tip for the future. We've somehow become closer, and her eyes have changed. Emi no longer looks down on me...I think she only did it to protect herself. I wondered what kind of threat I could possibly be, but I realize the marriage wasn't all that long ago, even if it feels like it.
She's drinking tea with Luna today. I really do wonder what they could be talking about.
---
A new day arrives. Luna seems marginally better, though still depressed from what I can tell. She asks me not to worry too much, and I respect her wishes.
Today is a warm and sunny day. I put on something that isn't hideous - a silk shirt and pants will do. Silk always feels nice.
"Luna?"
"Yes, Miss Lilith. How might I help you?" Luna appears in my room a moment later.
"I was going to head up to Midori-nee's mansion. Did you want to come along?"
"I...think I should decline."
"I see." It's disappointing, but the last thing I want to do is pressure her. I give her a hug, and she hugs me back. "Then I will be back in a few hours. Be well."
"Thank you, Miss Lilith. Please take care."
I nod and make my way out. A handsome young butler takes me up the road to Midori's place, and I curtsy before the men in suits. They bow deeply to acknowledge me, and then the large gates slide open to lead me up the path and inside.
We meet one of the regular maids, a woman of average height but with a muscular figure. Her hair sweeps across her eyes.
"Lady Lilith, a pleasure to see you again," she says. I remember her name is Maia, from previous interactions. She sometimes was present in the weight room when Midori-nee and I trained, and helped with spotting.
I curtsy again to acknowledge her and she elegantly returns the gesture. My escort nervously bows deeply, seemingly not to offend her.
"Lady Midoriko is in the yard. She's taken on her natural appearance...did you want me to follow?"
"I will be fine. Thank you very much."
"Understood. If the gentleman would follow me, we have a rest area for him to wait in."
I nod to the butler, who gulps before following her. In the meantime, I head towards the backyard. At first, it seemed like entirely too much space for one woman and her maids. But the words 'natural appearance' made me understand what was going on.
I reach the yard and run into a massive, dark green wall. It has scales on it, big ones, and is moving slightly. Pulsing with what I know is life. The wall of flesh moves until the head of a snake comes into view. It towers high over me, and my height is swallowed up by the single golden eye that stares at me. I can see myself reflected in it, with my awestruck expression.
But I know exactly who this is.
"Midori-nee," I speak into the air.
"Yes, 'tis I. I was taking advantage of the good weather, and its blessed warmth," I hear her say. Her voice is the same as ever, going directly into my head. "Do you dislike this form?"
"Not at all," I reply.
"Really? You're not just saying it?"
"I'm not," I insist. "I like you this way also."
"You really are sweet, Lili. But I'm sure you like the form you first met me in, no? It's very convenient for hugs. I simply have to stretch myself out like this every so often...as much as I love kimonos and racy lingerie, I am a snake through and through."
I nod to that and run a hand across her scaly skin. It's amazing how different it feels. There's a beauty in this form of hers...something that I can't yet describe, but hope to one day soon. "You're really big, Midori-nee. Do all snakes in your world get this size?"
"No, only royalty tends to grow to this size in the first place. There are definitely man-sized snakes to be found amongst the humans, but...mm. I am still growing, even now. One day I should grow big enough to rival him, the Supreme Snake." I hear her sigh. "But I don't want to wait that long. I want to take my rightful place soon."
"Why?" I ask.
"Humanity has already left its disgusting fingerprints on my world. And that foolish...hrm. No, never mind. I will tell you more about that once you are truly ready. I promise."
"Yes. I understand."
"Very good. Now, give me a moment...I think I have absorbed enough sunlight for the day." I step back and Midori's large body begins to glow green before turning into a mass of light. It slowly melts down and shrinks into a humanoid shape...the light melts away, downwards and towards the ground, revealing my elder sister in all her glory. She wears a green kimono for the day and flips her green hair dramatically, giving me a smile.
"You came to see me once more before you left. That makes me so happy, Lili. Did you have anything in mind today?"
"No, nothing. I just wanted to see you."
"Then let's have tea together. Will that suit you?"
"It would."
"Good." She produces a fan from one of her sleeves with a flick of her wrist. "Let us enjoy ourselves."
---
We sit quietly in the garden, enjoying the scent of the carefully tended-to gardenia flowers nearby. Freshly brewed tea has been brought to us, and we sit beneath the shade of an umbrella at a wooden table. There is a question that has been on my mind for a long while now. I decide that I will ask it, no matter what might happen next.
"Why me?"
"You were the only one to choose," Midori replies, seemingly on reflex. She...has probably been waiting for me to ask that very question.
"This is far bigger than me, isn't it..."
She sips her tea before answering. "Yes. In many ways, it is."
"..."
"Do you resent it, Lili? Knowing this much?"
"No. I love you," I say. It's the only sensible answer. And it's a truthful one.
"I love you, too." She lets out a breath. "No matter what happens...do not be afraid to move forward. I will always be your shield."
As our eyes meet, she smiles warmly at me. And the joy that springs up in my heart makes me smile back at her. It's a new kind of smile, this time.
I want her to treasure this one just like the last.
---
"Miss Lilith..."
Yes, I know. This is it.
My day of departure.
Luna's voice brings me up and out of bed. "Let's take a bath."
"Yes, Miss Lilith."
Luna washes my hair as she always does, then leaves me to soak in the tub alone. I sit for a while, thinking about what will be coming down the road of life. Cliche, probably...but important all the same.
My equipment and clothing will be procured once I reach the Hidden Leaf Village. Everything important needed has already been packed, including my casual clothing. The hideous dresses will be donated to...I want to say the less fortunate, but I would hesitate to call anyone wearing those things fortunate at any point. Everything else will be bought in the village. Expense is an afterthought. The rich, as Emi tells me constantly, live mysterious lives.
I dress in a light jacket and fuzzy dress, simply to throw something on for the trip down. The slippers I'm wearing can be safely discarded later.
Luna waits for me in the foyer and supervises the loading of the carriage. She nods as I meet up with her.
"Shall we go?" I ask.
"Yes, we shall."
"Has Father already left for the day?"
"He didn't return last night. From what I know, he is completing yet another business deal."
"I see...understood," I say, tonelessly. I have no idea why I keep hoping against hope. Perhaps that bond between father and daughter is more persistent than I realized. "Luna."
"Yes, Miss Lilith?"
"Be honest with me. Tell me what you're feeling."
She pauses for a moment before her face twists up with loathing. "He is a worthless man."
"..."
"I have next to no respect for him. I'm sorry."
I nod. "Don't apologize. It's more than a fair assessment."
She looks at me sadly before composing herself. "Yes. I'll make sure the rest of the bags are downstairs."
A while later, we are outside of the front gates. The carriage that will take us to the Hidden Leaf is ready to depart.
"You know what to do, Luna."
"Yes, Mistress. I will report to you as needed, and inform you of Miss Lilith's graduation date."
"Very good." Emi turns to me, and I can see that she's thinking on what to say.
I wonder. It seems to be more than a generic goodbye, at least this time.
"You are a Kobayashi woman. Remember that, Lilith."
Emotion that I didn't realize I was holding back comes to the surface.
"Thank you," I say with absolute sincerity. I...am there at last. Emi has acknowledged me, openly. She has accepted me.
These past two months have done more than I realized.
"I know that I've looked down on you for the longest time. Lilith, I apologize. The next time we meet...I want to see you as a warrior. As the proud woman that I know you can become."
"I won't fail you," I say with passion. "I promise."
"Hmph." A smug smile shows up on her face. "That much was obvious from the start. You are my stepdaughter, after all. Be on your way, dear. Take care."
"I will. Goodbye." I give her a hug and then move to step into the carriage. Luna starts after me.
"The journey begins in earnest."
There is another person inside with us.
"Lady Midoriko," Luna says quietly.
"'Tis I. I've come to see you both off properly. Lili, do not hesitate to call on me whenever necessary."
"Yes, understood."
"Luna...I have much to say to you. Would you come to me a moment?"
"Yes...of course." Luna leaves her seat beside me to sit next to Midori at the other end of the compartment. The carriage starts to move as the horses pull, and I see Emi waving us off before we leave her sight.
"I have...high standards, Luna. And..."
"..."
"It's a bit insulting on your part to think those things."
"I...don't understand," Luna says, blinking.
"I wouldn't pick someone unworthy of me all of a sudden. It's foolish for you to think that."
"I'm sorry...I didn't mean..."
"If you didn't mean it, then...no, I'm sorry, I might be bad at this myself," Midori says with a soft laugh. She puts her hand on Luna's leg. "I want to hear the words from you, Luna."
"I simply thought that it was too good to be true. Even if it was wrong, I...ran away from you. I thought that it would be better if we just stayed far apart, instead of hurting you and disappointing myself. I misread your feelings, and I judged you. I'm so sorry. I...got scared."
"Why? Did I...?"
"It was nothing you did! Don't misunderstand...I was scared because of how wonderful you are. How perfect you are. You're so beautiful, and intelligent, and kind and warm...and, um." Luna takes Midori's hand in hers. "Incredibly sexy. I thought about you sexually...more than once. You really are a goddess."
"Ah. I'm happy to hear that, you know?"
"You have a sense of humour, too." Luna pauses. "I love you. I really and truly do, Midoriko. Even as I tried to increase the distance between us, I couldn't stop thinking of you. I wanted you so badly, and I was so stupid that I denied myself."
"You know what I am...right?"
"None of that matters. I want to be with you...if you would let me after being so stupid."
"You are not stupid. And neither are you perfect. You're Luna...and you're the person I fell in love with all that time ago. You're exactly my type, you know?"
"A-am I..."
"Smart, and caring...clever...attentive...so many good things. And in the same way you mentioned earlier..."
"Yes...?"
"Being able to make love to you...thinking about it makes my heart beat fast. I've dreamed of you more than once."
"Ah." Luna is blushing. "I...am so flattered to hear that."
"Luna...thank you for accepting my feelings. All of them. I love you."
The kiss they share is filled with passion, and I don't consider pulling my eyes away. It's pure, this expression of love between these two beautiful women. Something that makes indescribable feelings bounce around inside of my head, even as relief and affection courses through me. I watch them get lost in each other for what feels like a long time, before they slowly pull away from each other.
Two pairs of eyes, filled with love and hope for the future. A bond formed over a few weeks and strengthened in a few minutes.
It's more and more beautiful the more I think about it.
At the same time...I wonder if something has blossomed inside of me. I do feel like I could have a case of the vapours if I don't calm down soon.
"I suppose I should go. We will talk soon. Until then...both of you, take care."
Midori gives me a wink before disappearing in small cloud of smoke. Luna takes her place beside me again, face red with heat.
"Window."
"Ah, yes." She opens it, letting fresh air rush into the compartment. I feel better immediately and so does she, though we both still must be blushing a bit.
"Was that better?" I ask.
"Yes. Yes, much better. Thank you, Miss Lilith." She seems to know what I meant by that.
I simply nod and lean back into my seat. The carriage continues to move straight ahead, down the road.
Towards the place where I will make my first mark on this world.
I awake and stir on my own. Luna is sleeping in - I made sure to order her to.
A brief shower in my new bathroom...the water chills me to the bone at first and takes far too long to warm up. But I shrug it off easily and finish washing up before getting dressed. Today's outfit is important, and so I decide not to rock the boat too much.
Something modest will work well. A dark blue shirt with sleeves that flare out starting from the elbow, and black pants that are rolled up to my ankles. Simple and honest.
I make myself breakfast, which is easy enough. Midori and Luna took me through a few simple dishes. Today will be eggs and toast, with a glass of milk. Everything is set after I eat and wash my dishware. I slip into my blue shinobi sandals and wiggle my toes a bit. This is comfortable enough, surely. The key on the table is attached to the end of the short chain attached to my belt, which dips into my pocket. I leave the apartment, lock the door quietly, and head down the single flight of stairs to the bottom.
Mid-town of the Hidden Leaf. A relatively wealthy part of the village, as evidenced by the fact that our modest-looking apartment costs quite a bit in comparison to homes further away. It's early and this city-state - nothing else seems to describe it as accurately - is already lively. People are moving quickly along the sides of the streets, with merchants setting up shop. Carts and small vehicles occupy the middle of the roads as they occasionally pass. There are all sorts of characters here...shinobi and civilians blend together as I walk. My feet take me through the growing crowds towards the Shinobi Academy, which isn't very far away. Or, it doesn't seem like it after all of the training from a few weeks ago.
City life seems busy, but not terribly bad. I will definitely get used to this. Before my mother died, we would take occasional trips down to the closest city, and explore for a few hours. Living out on the estate, however...it had definitely spoiled me. Some habits would have to be shaken away properly, and soon.
The Academy building is welcoming from the outside, with neatly cut grass bordering a sensible concrete path that leads up to the front. It seems like a normal school, but the children here are training to become soldiers. Some would take a different career path, most likely, while others would devote themselves to the military full time. I wonder what my fate will be, even as my parents have deemed this a short experiment. It's possible I might be suited for this life above all others.
I head inside with greetings from some of the instructors. It seems that I am still quite early. The cafeteria is open, and I check in to see that they serve light breakfast before classes. Perfect. This will take some more pressure off of Luna...I really want to learn to navigate everything on my own. And this is an opportunity to get some more dairy in my system. I think of Luna and Midori. Yes, a few extra helpings of milk won't hurt.
Before I leave, there is one more important thing.
"Excuse me, ma'am," I say to the cook behind the counter.
"Yes, honey. What did you need?"
"Do you happen to have curly fries on your menu?"
"Every day, kiddo. We serve them for lunch and for late snacks."
I nod, feeling quite pleased.
School looks to be a fantastic place.
---
Attendance is important. Emi has told me this more than once in the past few weeks.
Her voice rings in my head as I walk to the designated classroom. Early, but not too early. I feel I have the timing down correctly for a neat and proper first appearance.
"..."
Hm. I wonder what my classmates are like.
There's some shuffling around before I decide to slide the door open.
And something drops onto my head.
The object bounces on the floor in front of me before coming to a stop. An...eraser? That's for...a cloud of dust is falling over my face. I cough and wheeze, inadvertently breathing in the dust and making it worse. It enters my nose, it settles on my clothing and is sprinkled all over my feet. There's so much chalk dust...
Through my teary eyes I can see that nobody is coming to help. They're almost all laughing, and as I clear my vision, I can see that a boy in an orange jumpsuit is laughing hardest of all, clutching his stomach. There's one person in front with black hair who isn't laughing, but...the smug, pitying look he gives me is just as awful.
A prank. Just for fun.
They're all making fun of me, the little foreign girl. The one with her fair skin and scarlet hair, the one who kept sticking out like a sore thumb. Painful memories come rushing back. Nothing had changed.
How cruel.
"What's going on here...?"
I turn my head to see someone else enter the classroom. He must be our sensei...his hair is tied back, and he wears a green military vest. There's a headband with a leaf etched into the metal - the village symbol, I remember. He also has a scar going across the bridge of his nose.
"Oh, no. You're...I'm really sorry about this," he says to me. From what I can tell, he's serious about his work and clearly cares about his students.
"Sensei...it's fine." I was used to this, after all. The shaming, the shunning...all of it.
"It's not fine." He sighs. "Sorry again." I feel him carefully help me get some of the chalk out, touching as much as he thinks he reasonably can before backing off. "Let's get you introduced properly. My name is Iruka Umino, and you can just call me Iruka-sensei like everyone else. Welcome to the Hidden Leaf. I really hope you have a better time than this the rest of the semester..."
Iruka-sensei makes sure we've removed as much of the chalk as possible, then leads me to the front of the classroom. I stand at attention, numb to everything as he writes my name on the board.
"Alright, listen up! Get back into your seats and get your eyes up here, on the double!" The class settles down and complies. "Good. Okay, today we have a new student. I'll let her introduce herself." He nods to me.
"..."
I think about what I want to do. I really should be polite. I should follow the rules, the social contract, all of those things that I've been taught.
Right.
These cowardly little brats don't deserve that much. I will deny them the courtesy they expect, and supply my own.
"My name is Lilith Kobayashi," I say tonelessly. "I look forward to working with all of you."
They start to snicker at me, with chalk still in my hair. I slowly let my lips curl upwards.
And without restraint, I smile.
I force malice through it, letting them see my sharp teeth. I thoroughly enjoy watching the fools squirm and shake in their seats. I close my mouth, and they remain frozen in fear as I walk down the middle aisle, towards the empty seat near the back of the classroom. Iruka-sensei seems thrown off by my introduction and is taking time to find himself.
As I reach my desk, I hear unsubtle movements. It seems that I now have plenty of space to myself. Hm.
I suppose I will not be making friends any time soon, but that should be fine. I've managed before.
Something curious. A timid looking girl with pure white eyes is sitting nearby. She's out of place compared to her classmates, because her desk has not moved an inch since I arrived. She looks at me quickly before burying her head in her notes, or trying to with little success. I wonder. Is she too frightened to move, or just too stupid to understand the message I sent earlier?
I suppose I will find out. I sit, and Iruka-sensei gets control of the class again.
---
Lunch is predictable. Everyone moves away from me and I sit alone with my curly fries.
"Mm."
They're quite good, even without ketchup. I can get used to this.
---
Class ends after a slow day, and I head home with a few books in hand. Tomorrow I will carry my backpack with the essential items for each of my classes, now that I know what is necessary. Today I have gone through reading, writing, and chakra control. Iruka-sensei says that the other items will come later, but that it looks like I won't have trouble catching up.
I tell Luna about my day. She's very upset after seeing me come home with the chalk in my hair, but I manage to calm her down.
"I don't disapprove of your use of intimidation, especially after what they did...but it'll be hard to make new friends. If you're okay with that, then I understand. You'll always have my support and that of Lady Midoriko." She muses a bit as she herds me into the bathroom. "Your teacher, Master Umino...he seems very nice. I hope there are more teachers like him around."
Luna tells me that she's found some things to occupy her time. She's joined a dance group and an outdoor painting group that meets twice a week. That would be good for her. I don't need her waiting on me hand and foot any longer...I think I need to grow up a bit.
She washes my hair carefully and tenderly as we take a bath together, and I help wash hers in return. We take a soak together and chat about our new lives so far. After getting out, she gets to work cooking me dinner. Grilled salmon and spicy curly fries.
Today will end on a good note as a result.
---
The weeks pass. I endure being ostracized by the class. Iruka-sensei does his best to help every day, but it doesn't result in progress. He looks after Naruto a whole lot, I notice. He's a child who craves attention, and that was the reason behind the prank he pulled on me.
We pass each other in the halls from time to time, and he seems lost in his own world. Sometimes...he seems different. Like he's drained of energy. I don't know for sure what his home life is like.
Basic ninjutsu comes into my grasp as classes continue, and with great ease. Body substitution, clone arts, body flickering, and water walking are all learned quickly. Iruka-sensei praises me and offers small tips, which I internalize for better results. Within a short period of time, I end up near the top ranks of my year...this bothers the pink haired girl - Sakura Haruno - and her blonde frenemy - Ino Yamanaka. They're vying for a certain boy's attention.
Sasuke Uchiha.
Supposedly, he's important. I remember that he wasn't having fun at my expense on that day, but he seems like the kind of person who cares about his ego more than anything. He was still looking down on me. Pitying me like I was trash.
Naruto is a loudmouth. He's predictably at the bottom of the class, despite declaring himself Sasuke's rival. A buffoon, to be sure.
I investigate and get the name of the timid girl who sits near me without fail. Our desks have been rearranged so that I'm squarely in the back corner, and she is now beside me. Her name is Hinata Hyuuga, I learn from overhearing gossip. She is an elite, a high born girl just like I am. But...she's different. Much different.
I wonder what she's really like.
Iruka-sensei sends me home at the end of the day with more books.
"Lilith, is everything okay?"
"Yes, sensei."
"Are you sure?" He means to put his hand on my shoulder but stops. I sigh and place it there for him.
"I'm sure, sensei. Thank you for watching over me. I'm growing quickly thanks to that."
"Hehe, I think you would have done that much on your own. Listen, if you ever need to talk, it would be between us. No pressure."
"I understand. I'll see you tomorrow, then?"
"Bright and early!" He grins, and...hm. It's so much like Naruto that it seems uncanny.
Perhaps the reason he always puts up with Naruto's antics is...I see. It makes a lot more sense now. He really is kind.
"Sensei, remember to get your rest also. I wouldn't want to see you burn out."
"Right. I promise I'll take care of myself." He lightly pats my shoulder before moving away.
I leave the classroom for home, and wonder on his kindness. Something tells me that someone with that big a heart must be carrying immense pain alongside it. One day, when I'm older...I will find a way to properly comfort him.
Today we are outside at one of the Leaf's many training fields. An obstacle course has been set up. It looks to be easy enough to deal with...certainly nothing compared to running with Midori-nee.
"Alright, today's your first major test of the year," Iruka-sensei says. It's a warm morning, usual for the Leaf. "The obstacle course ahead is part of a race between two teams each, running in pairs against each other. As a special treat for today, the winner will also get a prize! We're going to be ranking everyone based on times."
The class murmurs amongst themselves before Iruka-sensei calms them down.
"The overall winner is the pair with the fastest time through the course. Ideally, you'll cross the finish line together. But your final time will be determined by when the last member of your team crosses the line. That means you can cross the finish line separately, but it's to your benefit to keep pace with each other. This is about endurance and teamwork. You need to run two laps for this," he says as he holds his fingers up. "Go to the end where the flag is, activate it with chakra, then run through the course again towards the starting line. Because of the nature of the course, you'll skip the very first obstacle on your return trip and focus on getting to the finish. That means you do the low nets once only. Got it? Any questions?"
"Yo, Iruka-sensei! What's the prize gonna be?" Kiba Inuzuka asks. His dog Akamaru barks from on top of his head to punctuate the question.
"That's a secret. Work hard and you'll find out what it is."
"Can we share the prize with someone?" Sakura asks.
"Maybe. Can't say for sure. Okay, pair up. You all know each other by now, so pick a good partner."
This challenge seems to be about efficiency. I don't see anyone in particular I want to pair up with, though. Unfortunate...I do have options.
Naruto is filled with energy...but he's a complete idiot. Sasuke is strong in many areas, but he's not much for teamwork at all. Shikamaru...no, that was a dare that I couldn't stomach taking at this point. He is an unbelievable sort of character.
There is one person. I'll try...I don't expect much, but there's no shame in failing at this point. I am already alone as far as the class is concerned.
I walk over to Hinata, the girl who was always nearby in homeroom. She is standing alone, pressing her fingers together.
"Lady Hinata," I say as politely as I can. There is an irritation at having to pander like this to mere children.
Oh. But she wasn't laughing on that day, was she? I remember now. She was...sad. Not pitying me. Genuinely sad.
"Ah? Um...t-there's no need for formalities, you know?"
"I see. Then just call me Lili, if you'd like." I feel like it would make sense to connect with her, even if it's just this one time.
She nods quickly. "I-I can do that...did you need something from me...?"
"I'd like to be your partner for today."
"Oh...um..." She looks across the field towards Naruto, who is trying to court Sakura unsuccessfully. She and Ino are instead fighting over Sasuke again. Hinata was always looking at Naruto for some strange reason...I don't know what she sees in him, but it has to be something to make her that jittery.
"I understand if you would like to be with someone else," I say. She snaps out of her thoughts to look at me.
"N-no...it's not that. I'd like to join you. I mean...if you would join me," she says quietly.
"I appreciate that. I think we will make a good team," I reply.
She stares at me a moment before smiling. "Yes. I...feel the same, Lili."
I politely return her smile.
Now that we are paired up, the competition can begin in earnest.
"Begin!" Iruka-sensei shouts, sending the first of many pairings off. The times are predictably slow. From what I can see...
The high wall is meant to be climbed using the chakra on our feet, and we can't peek beyond it to see what's on the other side. Most of us are going in blind, which is an effective enough test.
Naruto gets stuck with Choji, and they run against Shino and Shikamaru.
"Let's get this over with," Shikamaru says in his usual bored tone. I want to slap him.
"Get ready to lose!" Naruto shouts back. Choji pats his stomach and takes up a runners' stance beside Naruto.
"Ready...begin!" Iruka-sensei shouts. They take off quickly enough...for academy students.
Was everyone really this slow?
The pairs crawl through sand under low nets as the first obstacle. Choji's round frame causes problems as Naruto scrappily moves ahead. Shikamaru and Shino move at a steady pace. Naruto leaves his partner in the dust and moves to climb the wall...
...then falls on his head shortly after. Right. His chakra control was horrid. Shikamaru and Shino cruise to the other side, making it back on the return trip as their opponents barely make it up the wall. I can hear Naruto yelling like a madman as he races around.
Well after Shino crosses the finish line, Naruto jumps over the wall on his return trip. It looks like he's miscalculated the height of his fall and makes a painful landing, rolling to the finish. Hinata lets out a small gasp and slowly moves towards him.
"Ah...a-are you alright, Naruto?"
"Ugh...fine..."
"O-okay."
I still don't see what's appealing about him. Iruka-sensei palms his face in frustration.
After Naruto and Choji post the slowest time of the day (no thanks to Choji), it's Sasuke's turn. He's paired with Kiba and Akamaru.
At the signal, Sasuke and Kiba take off, looking much faster than the others - though it helps they're facing two nobodies near the bottom half of the class. Sasuke is focused on the course, Kiba is focused on showing up Sasuke. It ends up working out as they blaze ahead to the day's fastest time. However, I note that Sasuke's chakra control isn't close to immaculate either. Interesting for the supposed class number one. He seems to pick up on my scrutiny and glares in my direction, startling Hinata. I ignore him and walk to the starting line.
Hinata's nerves have suddenly settled, and she looks determined to make this count. Ino and Sakura on the other side of us have put away their grudge to take on a mutual enemy.
Me.
How intriguing.
"Begin!"
I take off with Hinata. As expected, she's not nearly as quick, so I adjust my pace. We're neck and neck with the other girls after crawling through the sand. The wall is coming up, and from my knowledge of the Hyuuga...
...good. Easily done. Sakura and Ino are no slouches either, keeping pace with us as we run up the wooden wall. But if I've gleaned this information correctly...
"Hinata, jump."
"Yes!"
We hit the top of the wall and see it immediately - a smattering of logs forming a descending staircase, and ringed with barbed wire on the sides. I hop down from log to log, hearing Hinata follow as I hit the ground. Taking a moment to glance back, I can see that her face is flushed.
The pace was too much right now. I've gotten well ahead of myself.
There's a sizable gap between my team and the others. If we keep up this pace, fastest time might be within our grasp. On the other hand...Hinata isn't looking the best. Perhaps it's time to slow down, even at the possible cost of victory.
"I-I'm...o-okay..."
She doesn't want to let me down. She wants to try her best. I remember being looked down on the past few weeks. I remember feeling humiliated. I remember being bullied, and left out, and mocked for merely being different.
I will not fall into the trap. I will not be like the others. I am different.
And so, I will reward this girl's faith in me. No matter the cost.
"We're going to slow down."
"B-but..."
I grab her by the wrist gently. She stares at me in confusion as we jog together, panting and flustered.
"You're my partner. I will not let you get hurt, and I will not leave you behind. We will fight, together."
"Lili..."
"Let's take it slightly slower. Our pace will bring us back in line with those two, but it will be fine. We still have a return trip, remember. We have to endure, and we have to focus. Understood?"
She nods as we continue running, slower this time. I feel we are at a suitable pace and let go of her wrist, letting her run freely beside me. Sakura and Ino are pulling even with us through the straightaway. It would have been nice to run a faster time, to assuredly win.
But this is more important.
The next obstacle coming up is a large, deep-looking basin of water. I can't see the bottom. Hinata and I come to a stop, and I take her hand in mine.
"Ready?" I ask.
"Yes," she replies confidently. It's a side of her I've never seen before, and I'm glad to see it. Not just because of the competition, either. We lag a bit behind our rivals as we water-walk, but the focus is on keeping an even pace with each other. We cross, move ahead, and reach vertical bars over a small chasm.
"Let's go."
"Yes!"
Hinata is a quiet girl. But quiet doesn't mean weak. We tear through the bars, making up time, and then drop onto a rope suspended over a bed of wood chips. Seems benign, but any manner of traps could be inside. No reason to risk it.
"Faster?" I ask my partner.
"I can do it...I think..."
I take it as a yes and nod. "Follow my lead." We move lightly across the rope, feeling each other out and synchronizing the bounce as best we can. Leaving the rope, we see the last portion ahead is wall jumping over a pit before we reach the flagpole in the distance. As I take my first step, I understand what is happening...the walls are slippery even with chakra adhesion, and we can't remain still for too long. Hinata and I use our strong chakra control to bounce through and to the end, where the flag is. We touch the base and flow chakra into it to register our lap time.
"Now...back to the start," I say.
"Please follow me this time," Hinata says. She makes a single seal with her hand. "I don't know if this will truly help, but...Byakugan!"
Her eyes seem a bit brighter and veins have popped up on the sides of her face. So this is the Hyuuga bloodline limit...capable of seeing in a complete circle around the user. Rather impressive.
Hinata easily jumps ahead and does the wall jumping section as I follow. She still seems a bit winded, but now she's definitely leading me.
We're well ahead, but she's going faster...right.
This isn't just a head to head. This is about total time.
She wants the win like I do.
We reach the top of the first wall, and I decide to go for it. With a big leap, I pull Hinata into my arms while in the air, calculate the landing, and hit the ground with one roll to go across the finish line.
"L-Lili...ah..."
I look at her apologetically. "I'm sorry. I wanted to win this one."
Her blush is bright, but she nods anyways, giving me a tender smile. "I understand...m-me too..."
I set her down and wait for the results.
---
Sasuke and Kiba eventually win by a second.
The prize is two vouchers for free barbeque.
---
We return to the classroom and go through some short lessons before being dismissed for the day. A warm bath would be nice once I made it home.
"L-Lili..."
Hinata bashfully presents me with a bottle after class is dismissed for the day. Her head is pointed downwards.
"Hm? What's this for?"
"It's...um, I noticed you like milk a lot, s-so I brought some from my home...it's specially fortified milk..."
"Hm." I take the bottle from her politely and bow my head. The cap comes off, and I drink.
I drink down the whole bottle in one go.
It's really delicious.
"I thought...y-you worried about it too," she says. I wonder what she means. Then she crosses her arms over her chest, and I understand completely.
"Yes. I do. You're the same," I say.
She blushes and nods. "Do you think...if I grow, that he'll notice?"
"No," I say bluntly. "He's an idiot."
"Oh..." She deflates at that.
"But there's more than that at your disposal, Hinata. Don't give up."
"Yes...I won't. Thank you. Um, Lili?"
I lick my lips and scan the nutrition label before answering. "Yes?"
"Are you...also doing it for a guy you like?" She presses her fingers together again. "Um, I mean to say...is there anyone you like?"
"..." I think on it a moment. It would be a tough question. I'm young, rich, and was raised in a heavily patriarchal household, even if my father wasn't around to directly enforce his will. I lived a life that taught me that a good man, a good and wealthy man at least, was the holy grail. Legacy was important. Prestige was important.
That much is understood.
Midori and Luna kissing was super hot.
That much is very well understood.
I know where my priorities lie. Clearly.
"I like girls," I say bluntly. "No interest in boys." That is not a lie. I have never paid attention to men as much as I did women - I know Luna's three sizes and when they change, for example. Was I simply too young to know better? Possible. But unlikely. This didn't feel like a phase...if it was, then it must have been a very long one.
This is one "gift" I don't resent my father giving me.
"O-oh...um...okay." Hinata seems a bit taken aback, but it's natural.
"I don't think I'm into anyone here, either," I add. "No offense to you."
Hinata blushes and shakes her head. "I-I'm not offended by that..."
"Okay." I turn my head to her, giving her a wink. "You're still very cute, you know. I'd date you."
"I'm going to head home for now. Thank you for the milk, it's very delicious. I'll see you tomorrow, Hinata. Oh, and well done today. You were a wonderful partner."
She nods furiously as I leave, speechless as her face has turned bright red.
The next set of classes put more of a focus on tree climbing and water walking. I try not to show off too much, but complete the exercises easily enough. It's the same as the training I did at Midori's place, so I'm familiar enough with how it all works.
Hinata does her best as well, improving day by day. She also make sure to bring some of the fortified milk for me daily. It's nice after having curly fries.
"Ah? There's no reason to pay me back...it's no trouble."
We're sitting together at lunch, away from everyone else. Hinata wasn't terribly popular either, and had to deal with bullying from the other high-class girls.
"I suppose that's fine," I say. "Where is it ported in from?"
"Ah...um, there's a card..." She takes it out of her pocket and hands it to me. This is good, I can tell Luna to make some bulk orders for the house. "I-I don't mind bringing you some either way..."
"If that's what you want, then I can go with it. Thank you, Hinata."
"Of course...you're welcome, Lili." She gives me a bright smile. "Ah, I'll be back in a moment...I wanted to check for something..."
"Take your time," I say as she leaves. As I continue biting into my fries, I notice someone approaching.
"Hey, Lilith."
"Iruka-sensei. To what do I owe the pleasure?" I say in greeting.
"Ah, just came around to check on the kids. You mind if I sit?"
"Please, go ahead."
"Thanks." He takes a seat on the bench beside me. "I was just looking at your reports, and you're amazing. You've already passed by most of the class at this point in the year, you know?"
"Thank you, sensei."
"You're definitely a genius."
"Really? I doubt it. I think that anyone who works hard enough could do this sort of thing." I think on it for a moment. "At least, that was my assumption. Sensei, do I really stand out that much?"
"You really do. Even among the clan children, you're doing very well. It's not very common, but there are stories of children from outside shinobi villages taking to chakra and the shinobi life very quickly. That alone doesn't guarantee success, but..."
"Hm." Perhaps I was different after all. Iruka would know that much, wouldn't he? And he's been honest with me about everything, ever since I entered his classroom. I am special...I see. Then the only thing to do is embrace that strength and use it to move forward.
Midori did say much the same thing, didn't she...I suppose she didn't want to let my head swell up too fast. So this is where I am...potentially a genius of some sort.
"I wouldn't speak too quickly, sensei. There's still work to be done."
"You're different, too. Most children would be excited at hearing that news, and would rush home to tell their parents."
"It hasn't been a conventional journey, exactly," I say before biting into another fry.
"I guess you can tell me more about that later, if you feel like it."
"I just might, sensei." I wipe my mouth with a napkin. "Thank you for your encouragement. It's meant a lot."
"Gotta help the leaves grow, right?" he says with a smile.
"Ah. Sensei...d-did you need something from us?" Hinata asks as she returns.
"No, no. I was just talking to Lilith here about her progress. Speaking of that, you've been improving as well, Hinata. Well done!"
"T-thank you, sensei." She timidly bows before taking her seat.
"Did you find what you were looking for?" I ask her.
"N-no...none today either."
"Hm."
"It's good to see you two together. I really was worried about both of you getting isolated from the class," Iruka says as he gets up. "Anyways, I'll see you later-"
"Iruka-sensei! Help me out!"
Naruto rushes towards us and ends up bumping into the table, making it shake slightly. He holds his side a bit before frantically moving his arms.
"Listen! I forgot my tools at home again-"
"All of them? Again? You're unbelievable," Iruka grumbles. "Alright, just calm down. We'll go to the equipment storage and get you a kit to borrow. Again. Make sure it's back in my hands by the end of the day."
"Alright!"
"I mean it this time."
"Alright, alright! I promise!"
Iruka sighs. "I'll see you girls later. Come on, knucklehead."
"Listen, it was seriously on the list..."
"Yeah, whatever. I seriously should consider letting you flunk that class..."
"What! Sensei, you really can't..."
I can't imagine dealing with that almost every day of the week. Or thinking about it.
Or falling in love with it. I can see Hinata pushing her fingers together, deep in thought.
Seriously. What does anyone see in that idiot?
---
Today I wake up early for a bath with Luna. It's the day of my ninjutsu midterm.
We sit in the tub together and she tends to my hair expertly as always. No sense in looking less than my best, after all.
"Luna."
"Yes, Miss Lilith?"
"I like girls."
"Hm." I can't see her expression from here, but she sounds unsurprised by my revelation. "Well, I think Mistress Emi will be a bit disappointed...but accepting of you. Shall I keep it a secret for now?"
"Yes. I would like to tell her myself. I've already told Hinata."
"Oh, that's not a problem. Lady Hinata is very quiet...she won't tell a soul. But I suppose you figured that much, hm?"
"I did."
Luna pauses a moment to put something into my hair. It feels cool against my scalp. Her hands start to work again. "Miss Lilith, you're sure that you like girls?"
"I'm sure," I say. "It's not just a lack of interest in men. I like how women look and feel better. They're soft and warm and sensual and..."
"You get a sort of heat in your chest," she finishes.
"Yes."
"I understand. I don't think it's a passing thing...I found myself interested in girls when I was younger, but I kept hearing it was a phase and went out with boys. My papa never said anything, but...he knew. He definitely knew," Luna says with a soft laugh. She runs water through my hair to rinse it. "So he very subtly introduced me to girls from time to time. I didn't notice until I started living on my own, but those were happy days. After that, I was sure that I wanted to be with a woman, and decided to act on those desires. But you're very self-assured, Miss Lilith. As expected of you."
"Hopefully I find someone to be with. I'd rather not become a pervert," I say.
"That's a bit silly to say," Luna says.
"Hm."
"So are there any girls your age that you have an interest in?"
"Not that I know of. The cute ones are all into guys. Like Sasuke."
"I see. From what I've seen, he has some handsome qualities."
"Oh."
"What is it?" Luna asks.
I close my eyes. "You're also a pedophile, then."
Luna sighs, exasperated as she continues to rinse my hair. "Miss Lilith, you are terrible sometimes."
We finish washing up and eat breakfast together. Luna sends me off with a bottle of milk, and she tells me that she will put in the orders for the fortified milk by the end of the day.
I reach the schoolhouse early and use the relative quiet to look over my notes, then head towards my new classroom. With things getting more serious in this second semester, most of our classes will take place in a bigger, wider room. It's essentially a lecture hall, which I don't mind at all.
Iruka is no longer our only teacher, and our class size has doubled after being merged with a few others.
"Today is your big ninjutsu test. We would like you to show us what you've learned so far in terms of more advanced techniques. There's no pressure for them to be battlefield ready, so we'll accommodate you as much as we can in this closed environment."
I feel confident enough. Three techniques, which should suit me well for the time being. Two water, one lightning. This is probably well ahead of the rest of the class, lending credence to what Iruka said the other day. It very well might be genius territory.
We will see what the other instructors think.
Everyone gets a form and sits down at their desk to fill it in. Up to five techniques can be put on at once, the fewest we can submit is two. I submit my three, with the name of the jutsu, the element if applicable, the intended application and any additional effects that I might have observed. When finished, I hand my sheet to one of the instructors. He raises an eyebrow and looks at me before stamping the sheet and putting it into a pile.
Once everyone is done, we head out to the field and the various instructors use their ninjutsu to create or move obstacles as needed. Several of my classmates have impressive looking clan techniques. Shikamaru manipulates his shadow, Choji can make parts of his body massive, and Kiba can have Akamaru transform into a near-perfect clone of himself.
Predictably, Naruto is unable to perform even the most basic ninjutsu. Sakura has filled her sheet with basic arts that she tries to execute as cleanly as possible, but are pretty much worthless.
"Next, Kobayashi." The woman holding up the clipboard lets out a low whistle as she sees my list, then smiles towards me. "Right. Let's see your Lightning Release technique, then."
One of the instructors uses Earth Release to create a large, heavy boulder. I stand at what I think is a reasonable distance from it, focus my chakra, and make an amusingly fitting seal.
Snake.
"Lightning Release: False Darkness."
The spear of lightning shoots forward from my mouth and pierces the boulder, tearing it apart in a jagged burst of light. Definitely needs more work, but I'm satisfied with the result for now. The instructors, who were clearly skeptical, are now standing impressed.
"Where the hell did you learn that?!" Naruto yells.
"My onee-san. She taught me," I reply calmly. Midori gave me the technique scroll during our training, and we did work on it without actually launching the jutsu. This was my first try.
"Eh...? N-no way..."
"That was...really good, Lili," Hinata says quietly from beside me.
"Thank you."
I can feel someone's glare at my back. Turning my head slightly, it's as I expect: Sasuke is staring at me ruefully. Everyone else seems awed at the power displayed or disturbed at how strong I might be. My reputation hasn't exactly improved, but being near the top of the class affords me some respect at the least. I am frequently known as an ice queen.
Barely acceptable.
My demonstration gets me a perfect grade.
---
The semester moves ahead. I end up studying more often with Hinata in the library, and she seems grateful for it. Iruka gives me more material, but this time its geared towards shoring up my personal weaknesses. He observes and I report.
My genjutsu skill is now developed enough to break basic illusions with ease, and I can identify when I'm trapped. I have speed far beyond that of the rest of the class, and it also allows me to mask any deficiencies in taijutsu or strength. My hope is that I can leverage my strengths so that I'm never exposed too quickly in a confrontation.
The girls have a few sections separate from the boys. Flower arranging is one of them, and it's where the girls gossip the most...about boys, and about each other. I've kept my nose out of it, instead focusing on lessons with Hinata next to me. Though for all her seemingly narcissistic traits...Ino is extremely good at flower arranging and deciphering hidden meanings from each pattern laid out in front of her. She's very much the teacher's pet, and it doesn't hurt that her father is one of the Leaf's higher-ups.
This morning is when she decides to pay me a visit. Her hands go onto her hips as she stares me down.
"So what's your deal, anyways?"
Definitely a bit high on herself. "There's no deal," I say bluntly, pretending to know what she's going on about.
"Are you trying to impress Sasuke?"
"No." I continue with my notes. "I have no interest in boys," I say casually.
Ino seems confused and opens her mouth to speak, then closes it quickly. "Hmph." She flips her blonde hair over her shoulder and walks back to her desk before sitting.
"..."
After taking one last look at me, she goes back to gossiping with the other girls in her circle.
"W-was it okay to tell her?" Hinata asks from beside me.
"It's fine. She didn't understand a word I said," I reply calmly.
"Ah...okay."
I have to wonder what the endgame is. Are they being manipulated into liking him by their families? Or is it something else entirely?
I can't pretend to care too much. Even if I did like boys, his face is far too punchable to stand.
---
It's now the point where the semester is winding down. We are approaching the end of school and graduation...being slotted into the same year as my other classmates, this means I will be leaving the academy with them at the end of this year. I have to wonder what would happen if I wasn't doing so well, but the infrequent sight of some students older than me and in remedial classes gives a bit of an answer. I would likely repeat the year until I graduated or simply dropped out.
This time of year is frantic. The increased pressure from courses, the rising temperatures, and the beginning of what is informally known as sparring season. Classes are built around the potential for interruption as traditional sparring can take place at nearly any time. Students follow tradition and tend to schedule their fights at times that won't cause as much disruption, but mainly due to the fact that they can get as many people out to watch as possible. These last few months before the final exams are said to be packed with the most call-outs and challenges.
I near the end of an enjoyable lunch, alone this time. Hinata seems to have something to look after. The bottle of fortified milk nears my lips.
"You."
A most unwelcome interruption. And from the most unwelcome of people, to boot.
"Sasuke. May I help you?" I ask calmly.
"We're sparring after lunch," he says. "Feel free to decline if you're scared."
A need to assert dominance. I understand it well enough. My father is much the same.
"I am not foolish. Everyone has already caught wind of your challenge by now."
"Hmph. Clever."
He walks away without another word. Well. This is my first challenge so far, and it's from the class number one. I can decline easily, but it wouldn't look good on me. It's one thing to be labelled an icy bitch, it's another to be called a coward. But fighting him...might be quite troublesome. He's got height and power over me, being a boy.
I find myself thinking of that idiot slacker Shikamaru while I enjoy my milk. This really is a bother.
"Lili..."
Hinata appears in front of me, seeming like she's been running. "I...um, I heard about it..."
"Yes. It's happening after lunch." I take another long sip of my milk. No turning back.
"I'll be cheering you on," she says with confidence. I give her a nod.
This is the original version of chapter 9 "Lost Courage". It is being replaced in the regular order by chapter 9.5, which contains revisions to the main scenes within the chapter.
---
cw: physical assault and trauma.
While fighting and violence are part of this world, simply hurting people is a different matter. This chapter will have such moments, and a character trying to make sense of things after being victimized.
I've also gone with a different perspective for battle flow. Tell me what you think about it, since it's subject to change at this point.
I walk towards Iruka and Sasuke follows suit. The rules here are simple enough: taijutsu, basic Academy techniques, and modified shinobi tools only. In these conditions we shouldn't have to worry much about lethal injury. The fight ends with surrender, knockout, or at the discretion of the referee.
I make the Seal of Confrontation and Sasuke follows suit. There's a pulse coming from him...he seems to have dark designs for the match.
"We'll see if you're worth anything after all," he says.
"..." Rude, isn't he. Perhaps I need to fix that.
The crowd, gathered well back of the designated fighting circle, seems to be in Sasuke's corner. I know that I have at least one supporter in Hinata, and that's more than good enough for now. It's too bad I can't see her in the mass of people...
"Ready!" Iruka calls out.
I continue holding the seal until the appropriate time.
"Begin!"
---
Lili blocked as Sasuke threw the first punch, feeling its weight as it sent her sliding backwards. He moved and followed with a kick that she swiftly dodged before re-positioning herself.
Data filtered in.
Sasuke was strong, and quick. He outclassed her overall in taijutsu. Simple assessments.
He could really be trouble if she wasn't careful. Lili focused and searched for a proper approach. She knew she was faster, and likely would have much more stamina. Those could be used to her advantage immediately.
She took a quick step backwards and avoided Sasuke's next punch, then started running towards the edge of the ring and stepped to her left as he attacked again. Reaching into the pouch on her side, Lili whipped out shuriken and peppered the ground in front of Sasuke to make him slow down.
He looked at the gap and pushed chakra into high speed movement, crossing the gap between them. Lili admired his speed for a moment before leaning away from another hard punch, and saw him winding up for a roundhouse kick. She quickly split her legs and dropped to the ground, letting the attack sail over her head before she popped back up, cartwheeling away to a safe position.
Lili caught her breath before watching Sasuke throw a kunai at her. It slammed into her chest and made her wince before she turned into a log in a puff of smoke. Lili accelerated through the small cloud and hit Sasuke in the face with a right hook, making him stumble. She followed with two rapid knees to the gut and finished with a somersault kick, sending him to the ground on his back.
Landing, she readied another kunai. She saw him look at her with contempt before drawing his own kunai and charging. His strikes were strong, as expected...she worked on dodging and parrying whatever she could as their weapons continued to clash. A strong swing made her stumble, and he followed up with an open palm to her chest. She kept her focus and sped to her left to avoid his wild slash, then sped up again to drive an elbow into his back, making him grunt in pain.
It was another relatively weak attack, but Lili settled for breaking his combat rhythm as she got back into position.
Sasuke weaved handseals and made a clone of himself, which armed itself with an extra kunai as he did before charging.
Lili grumbled to herself. With actual ninjutsu on hand, this wouldn't be an issue...she would have to guess a bit. One of them was fake with fake weapons, but none were thrown. He was probably betting on a substitution. If he did get too close before she reacted, she would be at his mercy when it came to taijutsu. Pick the right direction to move, and she could go right through the clone...but that was also a big risk.
She kept her focus.
The shadow. Right. Sasuke's was clearly defined as he moved, coming in from the right. And on the left, his clone was winding up and ready to throw his weapons.
Safe move was to attack both with ninja tools. That way, it would at the least make him block and force a reset.
Lili decided to go for the hard read instead.
She drew more weapons and shot ahead, then braked briefly before shooting towards the Sasuke on her left...and stopping on a dime, much to the real Sasuke's shock. The clone passed through her as she whirled around and unloaded a set of kunai into Sasuke's chest, making him float in the air briefly before hitting the ground painfully.
"Aaaaagh!" He scrambled to his feet, visibly hurt. "You...!"
"..."
Lili watched as he dropped his weapons and made a single seal, huffing and puffing. "I'll put an end to this."
"...?"
She could feel his chakra building at a distance. Before she could fully process what was happening, he disappeared from her sight completely. Lili caught a blur at the very last moment and raised her arm to block the incoming strike, a heavy kick that threw her to the ground on her side. She rolled out of the way as Sasuke's foot came down where her head was, and stood up to see that he had disappeared again.
Where was he...?
His elbow went into her back, making her cry out. A moment later, he attacked from the front and drove a fist into her stomach, making her reel. He followed with a kick to the face that she escaped with a substitution art, leaving a small log behind.
Lili caught her breath. He was going all out. Definitely. She knew that if he sustained that pace for too long, she was done for...yes, he was burning energy very quickly, but it wouldn't matter if her teeth were down her throat. He was seriously trying to hurt her. She skipped back a fair distance and saw him disappear again.
Alright. There was one thing to do, and only one thing.
There was no time to be scared. No, it was time to take the fight right to him.
Lili focused and felt the energy rush through her body. Sasuke appeared in front of her.
She easily saw him coming.
He threw a punch and she stepped past it, elbowing him in the chest and making him fly backwards before he hit the ground. She had closed the power and speed gap for the time being, and she would take advantage.
She accelerated, becoming a blur as she ducked another punch and chaining punches to Sasuke's body, sending him stumbling backwards and off-balance as he gasped for air. Lili spun on her heel and launched a kick that hit him in the side as his chakra boost wore off. She didn't dare stop and drove forward again, punching him in the side of the mouth, feeling her knuckles sting as they slammed into his cheek bone.
She came across with another punch and ended up hitting a log, but Sasuke wasn't far away as his movements started to slow. She sped forward before the log could hit the ground, charging him and sliding to avoid his swinging fist before popping upwards to deliver an uppercut. Sasuke flew through the air and hit the ground, rolling backwards before getting to his feet.
Lili felt her temporary burst wear off. She gasped for air, looking over at Sasuke who had bruises and dirt all over his body. He spit into the dirt and forced himself into a stance, intending to move forward against his body's wishes.
She knew she was nearly there.
The next move...what was the right move for this stage?
Lili readied herself for more high speed movement as Sasuke approached, but...as he moved, she knew something was wrong. He threw punches that came out more and more slowly, and instead of attacking, she took her time to dodge everything. Sasuke chased Lili slowly around the ring, his exhaustion making him heavier and heavier with each moment.
He whiffed a punch and stumbled to the ground, slow to move. Lili reasoned that it had to be inexperience...he had probably never gone that low on chakra before in a fight. It was affecting his overall coordination.
"..."
There was no sense in humiliating him, or dragging things out further.
She walked over to him and placed a knee on his back before he could truly get up. One hand went onto the back of his head, and the other held a kunai gently against his neck.
"That's it," Iruka called out.
---
I nod to acknowledge Iruka and holster my weapon as I move away, taking some time on my knees to catch my breath. A few parts of my body are definitely sore...but this has been a welcome experience. I know where I am and where I stand. A good match.
This is the time for proper sportsmanship. Iruka checks Sasuke for serious injury as he brings him to his feet. Sasuke insists he's okay, even as he glares at me. I make no move to provoke him any further; aside from his fragile ego, it wouldn't be fair to do it at this time. My victory is more than enough. For the first time, I'm aware of the crowd as they move in closer after the match's conclusion. Hinata shakily makes her way to the front and gives me a wave. I smile and wave back to her. I hope I made her happy with that performance, and that I've inspired her a bit.
There are many mutterings of disbelief, and distressed commentary after Sasuke's loss - more than my win, of course. Many are unhappy. I really don't care.
I get to my feet and face Sasuke, presenting my hand for the Academy tradition. The Seal of Reconciliation was meant to remind everyone that even after an intense fight, these were still your comrades. People you should care about, and respect, if only a little. That sounds like a good thing to adhere to.
Iruka is looking after the other children as Sasuke looks down at my hand for a moment. I try to reassure him with a gentle smile, keeping my mouth closed as Emi taught me. He doesn't return my gesture, but raises his hand.
My guard is slack enough that I don't realize what's happening.
His hand is above mine.
I stare into his eyes, and can see nothing but the colour of blood. I freeze. I can see what's happening but I can't stop it. I can't talk. I can't scream.
His hand is high above mine.
I am on my knees.
The air disappears.
It's so dark.
It's so-
---
"I don't like people."
I remember this memory. I said it to my stepmother one day, in the midst of those training days.
She took a long drag of her cigarette, placed on the end of a stick, as she lounged on her couch. Rings of smoke came from her lips, and she gave me a smile...one that was filled with sadness and understanding.
"Oh, honey. Who the hell does?"
---
An eternity passes.
No.
A second split into unholy pieces.
My eyes fly open. My chest heaves painfully as I gasp for air. My hands fly to my throat and clutch it as tears come to my eyes. I can't stop coughing even as I try to breathe.
I am in pain.
I am utterly, indescribably, furious.
I am upset.
I am so terribly hurt.
"Lili!"
A hand...Hinata's hand. I can feel it on top of mine. I clutch at it as if my life depends on it, and she lets me. I slowly calm down and breathing becomes less stressful.
So many voices...but there's one that cuts through the void and into me.
"You think you can look down on me?! On everyone here?! Just because you're fucking rich, from the middle of nowhere! I don't need your pity! DON'T LOOK DOWN ON ME! DON'T YOU FUCKING TREAT ME LIKE GARBAGE-!"
I can hear struggling and Iruka's voice ringing out sternly.
It's quiet a while. Hinata rubs my back as I keep trying to get more air. Iruka comes back and kneels before me.
"Lilith...tell me what hurts. I need to hear that you're okay," he says.
"..." I force myself upwards, shaking, and move Hinata's hand away.
"Lili...? Are you-"
"Stop. Leave me alone," I say firmly. I can feel the tender flesh on my neck as I touch it. I can feel the chill that ripples down my spine as I remember.
"Lilith, we need to get you-"
"Leave me," I repeat. "I'm going home."
"No." Iruka stands in front of me. "You have to go to the infirmary. Lilith, I am not making a request. Sasuke will be disciplined for this as soon as we figure out what happened, but you have to get yourself checked out." He turns to the crowd. "As for the rest of you, the fight's over. Leave, find something else to do."
The crowd slowly disperses.
Hinata keeps trying to get close to me, and I shake her away. I don't want her. I don't want anyone.
"Stop. Stop it, Hinata."
She clings to my back, shaking. I stop resisting and let her stay.
"I'll go with you," she whispers. "I want you to be okay...please..."
"Please look after her, Hinata. I have to take care of Sasuke first, because of what I think I saw...I'll meet you two over there."
Hinata moves me towards the infirmary as I stare at the ground. A nurse comes to check on me after talking with Iruka. I can't remember what happened.
I'm just so tired.
So...tired.
Luna comes to see me.
"Miss Lilith."
Her voice calls me out of my haze. I turn my head on my pillow to look at her. I have no will left to speak.
"I understand." She sits on the bed next to me, and takes my hand in hers. It's warm. Soft. Strong.
I'm eternally thankful for her.
---
It's night. Everyone is asleep, and so is Luna. She did her best. She tried her hardest.
I love her. So much.
But even that can't stop the tears from flowing.
In this bed. Lost. Hurt. Alone. I tried so hard. I did my best. And even then, I...
I...
I can't do anything but cry. In a time and place where nobody will ever hear me.
This was originally a rewrite of a story chapter, labelled episode 9 "Lost Courage". Within it there was a fight scene that broke away from the established 1st person POV and moved into 3rd person limited POV. After getting a lot of good feedback, and before getting to the next part of the story, I decided to rewrite the middle section in 1st person just like everything else to see how it would go. I think it looks and feels a bit better, but I'll appreciate any commentary from readers. Hope you enjoy.
e: as of 6/18 I've decided to move this into the regular rotation and put the first version into the sidestory category. All of these notes will stay where they are for historical purposes, and the chapter will be renamed appropriately.
---
cw: physical assault and trauma.
While fighting and violence are part of this world, simply hurting people is a different matter. This chapter will have such moments, and a character trying to make sense of things after being victimized.
I walk towards Iruka and Sasuke follows suit. The rules here are simple enough: taijutsu, basic Academy techniques, and modified shinobi tools only. In these conditions we shouldn't have to worry much about lethal injury. The fight ends with surrender, knockout, or at the discretion of the referee.
I make the seal of confrontation and Sasuke follows suit. There's a pulse coming from him...he seems to have dark designs for the match.
"We'll see if you're worth anything after all," he says.
"..." Rude, isn't he. Perhaps I need to fix that.
The crowd, gathered well back of the designated fighting circle, seems to be in Sasuke's corner. I know that I have at least one supporter in Hinata, and that's more than good enough for now. It's too bad I can't see her in the mass of people...
"Ready!" Iruka calls out.
I continue holding the seal until the appropriate time.
"Begin!"
I block as Sasuke throws the first punch, feeling its weight as it sends me sliding backwards. He moves and follows with a kick that I swiftly dodge before re-positioning myself.
Alright. I can see a few things going on.
Sasuke is strong, and quick. He outclasses me overall in taijutsu. Simple assessments.
He could really be trouble if I'm not careful. I have to focus and search for a proper approach. I know that I'm faster, and will likely have much more stamina. These can be used to my advantage immediately.
I take a quick step backwards and avoid Sasuke's next punch, then start running towards the edge of the ring before stepping to my left as he attacks again. Reaching into the pouch on my side, I whip out shuriken and pepper the ground in front of Sasuke to make him slow down.
He pauses for a moment before pushing chakra into high speed movement, crossing the gap between us. He really does have some impressive speed, doesn't he. I admire it for a moment before leaning away from another hard punch, and note him winding up for a roundhouse kick. Not good, but manageable. Time to use one of my strengths.
I quickly split my legs and drop to the ground, letting the attack sail over my head before I pop back up and cartwheel away to a safe position.
I take a moment to catch my breath. Sasuke quickly recovers from his attack and throws a kunai at me; it slams into my chest and makes 'me' wince before I turn into a small log in a puff of smoke. My time is now, then. I accelerate through the small cloud and hit Sasuke in the face with a right hook, making him stumble. I follow up with two rapid knees to the gut and finish with a somersault kick, sending him to the ground on his back.
It seems like I'm holding my own this time, which is more than I could have hoped for. I make sure to ready another kunai as I land, and take my stance again. Sasuke looks at me with frustration and contempt before drawing his own kunai and charging.
His strikes are strong, as expected...I do my best to dodge and parry whatever I can as our weapons continue to clash loudly. A strong swing makes me stumble as I block, and he follows up with an open palm to my chest. It hurts, but I need to focus...I speed to my left to avoid his wild slash, getting behind him, then speed up again to drive an elbow into his back, making him grunt in pain.
It's another relatively weak attack, but I can settle for breaking his combat rhythm. My combat speed has helped a lot, since I'm really not that strong yet...hopefully that will change one day soon. I settle back into position, waiting for the next movement.
Sasuke weaves handseals and makes a clone of himself, which arms itself with an extra kunai at the same time he does before charging.
I grumble to myself. With actual ninjutsu on hand, this wouldn't be an issue...for now, I will have to guess a bit. One of them is fake with fake weapons, but none have been thrown. He's probably betting on a substitution. If he does get too close before I can react, I will be at his mercy when it comes to taijutsu yet again. Pick the right direction to move, and I can go right through the clone...but that is also a big risk.
I keep my focus, looking for clues as he moves. He's not at full speed just yet.
The shadows.
Right. Sasuke's is clearly defined as he moves, coming in from the right. And on the left, his clone is winding up and ready to throw his weapons.
The safe move is to attack both with ninja tools. That way, it will at the least make him block and force a reset for both of us.
"..."
Forget all of that. I'm going to make the hard read instead.
I draw more kunai and shoot ahead, then brake briefly before shooting towards the Sasuke on my left...and stopping on a dime, much to the real Sasuke's shock. Looks like he underestimated my body control. The clone passes through me harmlessly as I whirl around, gathering momentum, and unload a set of kunai into Sasuke's chest. The impact makes him float in the air briefly before he hits the ground painfully.
"Aaaaagh!" He scrambles to his feet, visibly hurt. "You...!"
"..."
I watch as he drops his weapons and makes a single seal, huffing and puffing. "I'll put an end to this."
"...?"
I can feel his chakra building at a distance. Before I can fully process what's happening, he disappeared from my sight completely. This is...I catch a blur at the very last moment and raise my arm to block the incoming strike, a heavy kick that throws me to the ground on my side. My eyes widen and I roll out of the way as Sasuke's foot comes down where my head once was, and stand up to see that he has disappeared again.
Where is he...?
Suddenly I can feel his elbow go into my back, and I can't help but cry out in pain. A moment later, he attacks from the front and drives a fist into my stomach, making me reel. He follows with a kick to the face that I escape with a substitution art, leaving a small log behind.
I catch my breath some distance away, wincing as my body tries to absorb the pain. He's going all out. Definitely. I know that if he sustains that pace for too long, I'm done for...yes, he's burning energy very quickly, but it won't matter if my teeth are all the way down my throat. He's seriously trying to hurt me. I skip back a few more steps and see him disappear again.
Alright. There is one thing to do, and only one thing.
This is no time to be scared. No, it's time to take the fight right to him.
I focus and feel the energy rush through my body. Sasuke appears in front of me.
I can easily see him coming.
He throws a punch and I step past it, elbowing him in the chest and making him fly backwards before he hits the ground. Good. I've closed the power and speed gap for the time being, and I will surely take advantage.
I take a breath in and accelerate, feeling the wind whip past my ears as I duck another punch. I gain position, then chain punches to Sasuke's body, sending him stumbling backwards and off-balance as he gasps for air. I spin on my heel and launch a kick that hits him squarely in the side. It looks like his chakra boost has worn off. I won't dare stop at this point.
He's open and I drive forward again, punching him in the side of the mouth, feeling my knuckles sting as they slam into his cheek bone. I move across with another punch and end up hitting a log, but Sasuke isn't far away as his movements start to slow. I rush forward before the log can hit the ground, charging him and sliding to avoid his swinging fist. At the last moment I pop upwards to deliver an uppercut, sending Sasuke through the air. He soon hits the ground, rolling backwards before getting to his feet.
I feel my temporarry burst wear off, and the shock makes me gasp for air. I look over at Sasuke, who has bruises and dirt all over his body. He spits into the dirt and forces himself into a stance, intending to move forward against his body's wishes.
I know that I'm nearly there. The soreness is catching up with me, so this is nothing but a good thing.
The next move...what's the right move for this stage of the fight? I ready myself for more high speed movement.
Sasuke approaches, but...as he moves, I know something is wrong. He throws punches that come out more and more slowly, and instead of attacking, I decide to take my time to dodge everything. Sasuke chases me slowly around the ring, his exhaustion making him heavier and heavier with each moment. I let him do as he pleases.
He whiffs a punch and stumbles to the ground, slow to move. I reasoned that it has to be inexperience...he had probably never gone that low on chakra before in a fight, or at any point. It's affecting his overall coordination...
"..."
There is no sense in humiliating him, or dragging things out further.
I walked over to him and place a knee on his back before he can truly get up. One hand goes onto the back of his head, and the other holds a kunai gently against his neck.
"That's it," Iruka calls out.
I nod to acknowledge him and holster my weapon as I move away, taking some time on my knees to catch my breath. A few parts of my body are definitely sore...but this has been a welcome experience. I know where I am and where I stand. A good match.
This is the time for proper sportsmanship. Iruka checks Sasuke for serious injury as he brings him to his feet. Sasuke insists he's okay, even as he glares at me. I make no move to provoke him any further; aside from his fragile ego, it wouldn't be fair to do it at this time. My victory is more than enough. For the first time, I'm aware of the crowd as they move in closer after the match's conclusion. Hinata shakily makes her way to the front and gives me a wave. I smile and wave back to her. I hope I made her happy with that performance, and that I've inspired her a bit.
There are many mutterings of disbelief, and distressed commentary after Sasuke's loss - more than my win, of course. Many are unhappy. I really don't care.
I get to my feet and face Sasuke, presenting my hand for the Academy tradition. The Seal of Reconciliation was meant to remind everyone that even after an intense fight, these were still your comrades. People you should care about, and respect, if only a little. That sounds like a good thing to adhere to.
Iruka is looking after other children as Sasuke looks down at my hand for a moment. I try to reassure him with a gentle smile, keeping my mouth closed as Emi taught me. He doesn't return my gesture, but raises his hand.
My guard is slack enough that I don't realize what's happening.
His hand is above mine.
I stare into his eyes, and can see nothing but the colour of blood. I freeze. I can see what's happening but I can't stop it. I can't talk. I can't scream.
His hand is high above mine.
I am on my knees.
The air disappears.
It's so dark.
It's so-
---
"I don't like people."
I remember this memory. I said it to my stepmother one day, in the midst of those training days.
She took a long drag of her cigarette, placed on the end of a stick, as she lounged on her couch. Rings of smoke came from her lips, and she gave me a smile...one that was filled with sadness and understanding.
"Oh, honey. Who the hell does?"
---
An eternity passes.
No.
A second split into unholy pieces.
My eyes fly open. My chest heaves painfully as I gasp for air. My hands fly to my throat and clutch it as tears come to my eyes. I can't stop coughing even as I try to breathe.
I am in pain.
I am utterly, indescribably, furious.
I am upset.
I am so terribly hurt.
"Lili!"
A hand...Hinata's hand. I can feel it on top of mine. I clutch at it as if my life depends on it, and she lets me. I slowly calm down and breathing becomes less stressful.
So many voices...but there's one that cuts through the void and into me.
"You think you can look down on me?! On everyone here?! Just because you're fucking rich, from the middle of nowhere! I don't need your pity! DON'T LOOK DOWN ON ME! DON'T YOU FUCKING TREAT ME LIKE GARBAGE-!"
I can hear struggling and Iruka's voice ringing out sternly.
It's quiet a while. Hinata rubs my back as I keep trying to get more air. Iruka comes back and kneels before me.
"Lilith...tell me what hurts. I need to hear that you're okay," he says.
"..." I force myself upwards, shaking, and move Hinata's hand away.
"Lili...? Are you-"
"Stop. Leave me alone," I say firmly. I can feel the tender flesh on my neck as I touch it. I can feel the chill that ripples down my spine as I remember.
"Lilith, we need to get you-"
"Leave me," I repeat. "I'm going home."
"No." Iruka stands in front of me. "You have to go to the infirmary. Lilith, I am not making a request. Sasuke will be disciplined for this as soon as we figure out what happened, but you have to get yourself checked out." He turns to the crowd. "As for the rest of you, the fight's over. Leave, find something else to do."
The crowd slowly disperses.
Hinata keeps trying to get close to me, and I shake her away. I don't want her. I don't want anyone.
"Stop. Stop it, Hinata."
She clings to my back, shaking. I stop resisting and let her stay.
"I'll go with you," she whispers. "I want you to be okay...please..."
"Please look after her, Hinata. I have to take care of Sasuke first, because of what I think I saw...I'll meet you two over there."
Hinata moves me towards the infirmary as I stare at the ground. A nurse comes to check on me after talking with Iruka. I can't remember what happened.
I'm just so tired.
So...tired.
Luna comes to see me.
"Miss Lilith."
Her voice calls me out of my haze. I turn my head on my pillow to look at her. I have no will left to speak.
"I understand." She sits on the bed next to me, and takes my hand in hers. It's warm. Soft.
I'm eternally thankful for her.
---
It's night. Everyone is asleep, and so is Luna. She did her best. She tried her hardest.
I love her. So much.
But even that can't stop the tears from flowing.
In this bed. Lost. Hurt. Alone. I tried so hard. I did my best. And even then, I...
I...
I can't do anything but cry. In a time and place where nobody will ever hear me.
