A/N: I couldn't resist posting this. I absolutely love Saiko's character, and I think you all will too. She's brilliant! ^.^ This story won't be worked on too much until HJAPC ends though, I'm sorry. That story was here first, and I don't think Atsuko would appreciate being interrupted by Saiko too much. Plus, Saiko has a lot to say and she would prefer it be said when nothing else is going on. Consider this a teaser. It's the prologue to Princess of Explosions. ;D
P.S,.I know Saiko's family is a little confusing. When I get around to updating this, I promise I'll explain a lot in the author's notes!
P.P.S. All the definitions found at the beginning of every chapter are found on .
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Freedom: the power to determine action without restraint.
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Ever since I was little, I wanted to fly. Not that cliché, "in-the-movies" kind of bullshit; I really wanted to fly. I didn't want to be a bird, although I always admired them. They could do whatever they wanted, whenever. No path was restricted for them; they could just unfold those freedom-bringers, flap them a few times, and the wind would take them wherever they wanted to go. Birds are awesome, so free. I guess that is kinda clichéd, in a way.
Growing up as one of the Seven "Princesses" of the Stone, I longed for that freedom birds have. Luckily, I found it, in a slightly different form. I found it in the form of a career. Now, this career wasn't a job for just anybody. It was tough, took a lot of training, and my life was always in danger. But I loved it. I could get away from all that shit that comes with being "Lady Saiko" or "Saiko-sama," and just be me. I took orders, not demands. I wore baggy pants; not tight, annoying kimonos. I could run as fast as I wanted, and sleep whenever I felt it necessary. Oh yes, my job was the best thing that ever happened to me.
Of course, Father didn't agree. He wasn't going to have even one of his seven daughters getting into trouble. He wasn't going to allow me, not the eldest nor the youngest, to set a bad example and dishonor the family. But, of course, Mother was on my side, and she won that battle. She had the same job as me, after all, so how could she deny me the freedom that she experienced every day? Mother never gave up her job, even after becoming the feudal lord's wife and acquiring so many more responsibilities than she had before.
What were Mother and I? Well, we were ninja. I was the first of my family to become one, but I wasn't the only one. My older sister Chiya, and all of my younger sisters followed in my footsteps. When they were old enough, Amaya, Pinkuko, and Mei departed for Iwagakure and attended the ninja academy there alongside Chiya and I. I started when I was nine, so I was a little late, but I caught up fast due to determination and much hard work. Chiya, starting when she was fourteen years old, had a lot of catching up to do. There was one small setback though, for both of us.
Akahana, the eldest of us all, had developed views much like Father and looked down upon us. She was always scolding us, telling us that we were ladies, not kunoichi. When I was thirteen, she even went so far as to call us scum. I threatened her with my fist, and of course, got in trouble. I got in even more trouble when I muttered "complete bullshit," upon being asked what I thought being a Princess was. Mother laughed when she came home from an escort mission and Father, quite disturbed, explained to her what had happened. I remember she came into my room that night, ruffled my long, blonde hair, and said, "That's my girl. Don't give up on your dreams, no matter what people say." I clung to those words like a child to her favorite blanket. It was the most beautiful thing, in my opinion, that my mother ever said. And it was to me. Those words were our connection, our shared joy.
I think I was her favorite, because even Akahana, a royal family's wet dream, was never praised for things Father disapproved of. Mother never ruffled her hair or kissed her forehead. Perhaps it was because she was too old, but there's evidence that contradicts that. Akahana was fourteen once, too, and I have no memories of her being treated the way Mother treated me. Perhaps I was too young then, at nine years old, but I doubt it. I remember many things.
Sadly, on my fifteenth birthday, Mother passed away. She was murdered by ninja from a neighboring country that we happened to be conflicting with at the time. She wasn't even on a mission; she was bringing some young kids back to their house after finding them lost in town. Akahana was with her. The moon was almost out, and it was raining. I'll never forget that night; it's forever etched into my mind. Akahana burst into the castle, screaming for help and crying. Her normally neat and tied hair was all over the place, and there was a look in her eyes that I can only describe as immense fear. There were streaks on her face where tears had fallen. Then I smelled it; blood. In shock, I looked down, past her face.
Her white kimono was stained scarlet.
Mother was found dead in the road twenty minutes later. A huge gash tore her throat apart, and there were bruises all over her body. Akahana wouldn't repeat what happened in front of her little sisters, but Chiya, Mitsuki (my youngest elder sister), and I were old enough and smart enough to figure it out. They hadn't just killed her and left it at that, they beat her, took advantage of her, and then slit her throat. She couldn't even fight back; she wasn't wearing clothes that were easy to move around in and wasn't equipped with the proper tools. Her taijutsu could never beat that of a man's, and they probably didn't give her enough time to form seals for jutsu. She was never speedy like I was.
After that, Father tried to force us to give up the life of shinobi. Mother was a well-known, high-ranking kunoichi; she wasn't killed at random. The killers were trying to thin out Iwagakure's military forces, probably planning an invasion. Of course I wasn't going to give up my job. I was needed most then, as my mother wasn't the only one who was assassinated. Many more of our strongest shinobi had been killed, and one of our strongest had deserted the village. I was a Chunin at that time, but I was so close to becoming a Jounin. The village needed me. Of course, Father protested and argued, but in the end, we all stayed kunoichi. Even little Mei, who was only ten years old and still on the road to becoming a ninja, didn't quit.
It was Chiya who stood up for us, surprisingly. She was always so quiet and soft-spoken, no one really paid much attention to her and she seemed to prefer solitude. She had already surprised us once, when she became a shinobi like I did, but she shocked us again when she explained to Father, (in a very firm tone,) our importance and responsibility as ninja. I remember staring at her in awe when Father looked down, as if he were ashamed, and apologized to her. My Father was not one to say sorry, and Chiya wasn't one to speak up. Mei ran up to her and hugged her, thanking her for that.
Ever since my mother's death, I've taken my job a little more seriously though. I always heard people saying they became ninja to protect the ones they loved. I became a ninja to break away from my family, and just be me. I realized then that that wasn't my only reason anymore. I wanted to protect the ones I loved as well. Chiya, Mitsuki, Amaya, Pinkuko, Mei, even Akahana. I wanted to protect them all. I couldn't let another person close to me die. Sure, I wasn't the greatest shinobi of Iwagakure, but I was almost a Jounin and I was important to the village.
Something happened though, something big and life changing. It was more life changing than my mother's death. I was offered flight. And ultimate freedom. I'm talking no castle, no overbearing father, no rules, no restrictions, nothing. I could do whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted, wherever I wanted, and however I wanted. But there was more than that. I was told I could be taken high in the sky, and that I could see the world. I had to consider it for a long time, but in the end, my selfish craving for flight won over those important to me. I left, and stood by the side of the one who had deserted the village shortly before my mother's death: Deidara. To this day, I can't say I regret it.
It wasn't the end though; it was only the beginning. I still remember that first night of total freedom. Deidara whisked me away, like in those fairy tales you hear. Except, he didn't have a noble steed; he had clay birds. Eh, it was close enough for me. I always wanted to fly anyway, right? Well, as soon as we got high enough in the sky, I found myself scared as shit. I did not want to fall off that damned bird.
I guess maybe I didn't want to fly. Maybe I just wanted to be free.