There was a time in my life I was a lazy good-for- nothing shut-in, spending my time drinking, playing videogames and gambling away my last cents online.
I was a 22-year college dropout with 'an above average intelligence, but a lacking work ethic', or so people around me thought. The truth was much uglier.
I was suffering from clinical depression, a mental illness that could be easily solved…comparatively at least. Or so would be the case if my 'family' did value the mind as much as they did their perfectly crafted muscles.
I had been born to a family of athletes, physical gifted, adrenaline pumped muscle-heads who would trade in their brain for extra abs. I, unfortunately had been blessed with a different gift. Intelligence, a thirst for knowledge and a mind suited for solving problems…in a way that didn't require the involvement of fists.
As I grew older the differences between me and my family increased. As I began coding, my twin became a high-school basketball 'sensation'.
As I grew frustrated, my parents believed I was jealous, and they weren't wrong. I was jealous, just not at my twin's success. No, I was jealous at the pride and affection she got. The way our parents understood her.
When graduated high-school, I was sent to studying a college of sport sciences. It was living hell for a scrawny, short guy like me. So, I dropped out.
When I did, nothing hurt more than the bruise on my jaw.
A few years later I died. Alcohol poisoning probably. I was hoping for it to happen after all.
I only wished my next life would be better.
Waking up as an infant put a huge roadblock in my understanding of life.
Biologically my infant brain should've not been able to maintain adult-like rational thought.
Physically waking up as an infant was like being put into the body of a person whose hands and legs have the motor capabilities of jelly.
Mentally having to suck milk out of a woman's breast for survival was one of the most embarrassing things to ever happen to me.
There were also several other factors that made me feel like I had ingested an entire factory of hallucinatory drugs.
Simply put I was in a bad state.
Fortunately for me infants grow very fast and within six moths I had regained motor functions to the point of crawling.
Woohoo! Time to celebrate, except I was still to 'young' to party.
Fuck my life.
On a more positive note I had managed to learn a little bit about my current circumstances.
I lived with a woman, and considering that she was rather loving towards me I assumed that she was my mother. Well I hope she was. Certainly an improvement over my previous one.
There was also a man who visited. Maybe around thrice a week. I assumed he was my father or sperm donor. Whichever he preferred.
There was also a little kid who visited me often. Curious brown eyes, short brown hair and an excited grin always seemed to greet me the evenings, after my naps.
Being a baby was exhausting, and I meant that literally. I had the energy reserves of an empty fuel tank, meaning I would involuntarily fall asleep four times a day.
It was annoying, but unsolvable. A problem I had to weather for a few more years.
I had also learnt my name. At least I think it was mine, if it was a name in the first place. Imagine if I reacted every time someone called me 'poop'. That would seriously suck.
Nonetheless Kurama Akari sounded like a rather interesting name, if a bit girly.
If I ever met whoever was responsible for my reincarnation, I would probably throw a psychology textbook at them. Why a you may ask? Well so that the culprit, may hopefully understand the concept of dysphoria and the various consequences associated with putting a male mind in a female body.
It turned out that I wasn't wrong about my feeling that Akari was a girl's name as I learned when I got a full view of my crotch while crawling around on the ground. Let's just leave it with 'my reaction wasn't pleasant'.
Nonetheless, nothing changed for me at the revelation of my gender, except for a constant sense of extreme embarrassment and thoughts about the future. These thoughts raced from fearful to scary to optimistic to kinky and back to fearful within minutes, as if I were on some mental Ferris wheel moving at expressway speeds.
My attempt at learning the new language was rather successful, and with the help of an adult brain, rather speedy as well.
Overall there was nothing much to say about my life, since it had been rather simple until now.
Though that changed one day as I woke up from sleep o a malicious howl, almost tearing through my eardrums.
Within seconds I was being carried on my mothers back, in a makeshift baby holder made out of blankets. Unfortunately, my mind didn't have time to panic over the lacking safety measures, and the high speeds we were running at as I was busy freaking out over the 100 feet tall fox that was swiping away at buildings.
Things only got worse as I began feeling my skin burn, as if I was internally combusting. It was painful. It hurt like hell. It made me want to cry.
My mother noticing my subdued tears hurried her pace, increasing the rate at which ran. We were now jumping across rooftops, covering several meters in seconds.
I would have been rambling about how impossible the speeds we were running at were but I found myself too distracted by the pain I was feeling to even make a small comment.
My eyes began to feel drowsy as I recognized the familiar feeling of exhaustion that had been plaguing me for the past six months. It didn't take long before I blanked out.
A day later I found myself waking up in a hospital, with a nurse holding a glowing palm at my chest. My chest felt like it was being cooled by a soothing current of energy, originating from the nurse's arm.
As I pondered around at the events of the previous day, I felt the loving arms of my mother pull me into a hug. It felt weird, as if I could feel an energy attempting to wrap around my tiny body in an attempt to keep me safe.
I looked at my mother's relieved smile, ignoring the fact that she had tear tracks running down her face. She exchanged a few words with the nurse from before, and then picked me up and left the tent.
As I looked around the broken city, I noted the widespread destruction that had been caused by that large fox monster that had rampaged. What the hell was that even supposed to be? Some sort of government experiment? Had I reached a point in the future where mutant foxes were a thing.
I felt an incoming headache as I began thinking of the various possibilities. Hell, was this even my world? Was I in some alternate timeline? Some other planet? A different universe?
Was all my knowledge useless? Were the laws of physics even relevant? Did I even breathe Oxygen?
I closed my eyes, tired of thinking, almost as if my entire brainpower had been used up. I felt the familiar feeling of stress overcome me, my tiny shoulders strain and my head began to ache. What the hell was I supposed to do now?
Unwilling tears sided down my face as I once again went back to sleep, not wanting to deal with the uncertain future that lay in front of me.
The next world-breaking piece of information only hit me when I had reached the age of three, being finally able to walk, talk and poop myself. Being potty trained gave me an entire new perspective on how condescending human beings could get, even if most of it was just me.
I learned the basic stuff fast, my father, mother and sister's names. I also learned that we were part of a clan, a large family of sorts. Like a mafia, except where everyone was blood related and were not criminals. Though I wasn't sure about the inbreeding.
I mean a bunch of people related to each other? There had to be some sort of inbreeding right?
Nonetheless I managed to learn that I lived in the village of Konoha, which was called a village for a reason despite being at least the size of a medieval city. It even had the large walls around it like the ones seen in documentaries
I also learnt that I wasn't on earth anymore, instead on what seemed like a rather small continent. One that was possibly not on Earth, or was what remained after millions of years continental drift.
Either way every answer that I received seemed to spur on more questions, questions that seemed impossible to answer.
However, the part that blew my mind away wasn't the continents, timeline or gender-change. No, it was the fact that there existed an energy called Chakra. A power that apparently allowed the people of this world to do incredible feats.
Walking vertically up walls, walking on water, casually blowing fire out of one's mouth. These were all applications of Chakra.
Unfortunately, with everything good came a bad, and this bad was the idea of a shinobi; Soldiers who used this mystical power to protect their country. Relied on for all military matters by the 'village', even an idiot could figure out the various things a shinobi could do.
Hell, I was apparently born in a shinobi clan, and hence my choice whether or not to become one was already taken, leaving me with no choice.
I wasn't a morally 'good' person. I didn't have any kind of aversion to killing. I even thought of killing my sister in my previous life, before giving up out of the realization that it wasn't worth the effort.
I had no 'problem' with being a shinobi, and despite my dislike at the idea of being forced, the pros far outweighed the cons… to a large extent.
It wasn't very long until my father began training me as well.
In my opinion the saying 'practice makes perfect' was an overused cliche that wasn't one bit informative about the true message it was trying to convey. So imagine my annoyance at the fact that it was my father's favorite line.
"You've stopped throwing again Akari. The enemy won't give you any time to think."
There isn't any enemy for fuck's sake.
"Yes, Otou-sama"
As I continued throwing kunai at blocks of wood I began wondering if I should have played the rebel after all. I mean the only reason I even joined this profession was to be able to enjoy having superpowers.
"Your arm is twitching. Throw the kunai with force."
In annoyance I threw the damn piece of metal with all my strength, resulting in it wedging straight in the center of the tree, only a few inches below where the target was drawn.
"Good work Akari. Go join your sister for your break."
I didn't wait a second, running straight towards the shade of the wooden house, before falling onto the floor from exhaustion.
"Dehydration, sunstroke… so many ways to die," I mumbled to myself, cursing the slave driver that was my father.
"Want some lemonade Akari-chan?" came a soft voice from above me. As I looked up, I was greeted to my sister's soft smile and amused yellow eyes.
"Yup," I declared jumping up and reaching for a glass, only to miss it and fall back onto to the floor.
"Meanie…," I growled, rubbing my chin in annoyance.
"Where are your manners Akari-chan?" my sister cheekily responded, smiling condescendingly at me.
Eyebrows twitching, I responded, "Please…". Upon receiving the lemonade, I quickly began gulping it, ignoring the horrified look my sister was giving me.
"Akari, you're supposed to drink it slowly. One sip at a time."
Unfortunately for my princess sister, I was a commoner at heart, and hence finished the drink. The loud burp that came next only reassured the fact.
"Akariiii!" cried out my sister in annoyance, now holding her hands at her hips, the same way mother did. Only Yakumo was six, had cute chubby cheeks and big wide innocent eyes, even if they were narrowed at the moment.
My only response was to run, which eventually lead to a game of tag. One that lasted the rest of the evening.
"I don't get it. I'm faster than you so why do you always escape." said a deadpanning Yakumo as she caught me by the back of my t-shirt and lifted me into the air.
"It's cos I'm smarter," I said, puffing my cheeks childishly.
"No, you're not."
"Am."
"Not."
"Am."
"I'm older."
To that I only responded with a cheeky grin.
"Kids it's time for dinner. Have you had a bath?
What came next was the both of us being taken and dumped inside the bathroom by our mother, who had already embraced her inner demon.
"Come on," said my sister, dragging me to the tiny bath tub which was filled with hot water.
A few minutes later I was undressed and relaxing in the tub.
"Akari, why don't you try a be more lady-like. Okaa-sama says that as the daughter of the clan head we must strive to be like royalty."
I just gave her a glum look.
"It's not fun," I replied. That and the fact that I didn't like my family's attempt at forcing pre-conceived notions of our clan's superiority. Especially considering the fact that we had been steadily falling out of the village's hierarchy for the past few decades.
While I didn't have any knowledge of Konoha's political system, I had at least some idea about Family politics, something I learnt from films, books and history. It didn't take much thought to figure out that the Kurama clan was nowhere near the level adults wanted us to believe.
The problem was that they were trying to brainwash me and my sister into believing that. I knew that I would be fine, but my sister? I had grown fond of her and from my past experience, I knew what having an inflated sense of superiority could do.
"Mother says that for the Kurama clan to rise we need to show them our power. We need to- "
I interrupted to propaganda set-piece by throwing water at my sister.
"Gotcha!" I said as I ran out of the bathroom in glee, burying my thoughts for now.
Dinner was a relatively quite affair, mostly because I knew my parents weren't as forgiving of my childish antics, unlike my sister, who secretly adored them. Not that she would ever admit it.
"Akari," said my father, attempting to pull me out of my thoughts.
"Umu"
"Akari," he repeated, this time with an undertone of disapproval.
"Yes, Otou-sama?"
"About your training today…do not worry. Yakumo had just as many problems when she started throwing kunai as well."
"Otou-sama!," cried my sister in annoyance. "You'll destroy Akari's opinion of me even further."
It was mother's turn to cut in.
"You won't disrespect your sister will you Akari?" she asked, a demonic aura surrounding her like some sort of cloak.
Trembling I nodded fiercely before quickly working on finishing my food. An angry mother was not one to mess with.
But I guess being treated as a kid wasn't that bad.
Yakumo's sixth birthday was apparently a momentous occasion within the clan, and according to may father, 'The day Yakumo is introduced as the heiress.'
Now I wasn't one to doubt family tradition, nor was I one to really care but putting such kind of a responsibility on a six-year-old was in no manner healthy. My previous sister had developed a superiority complex due to the expectations put upon her. I had almost been driven mad by my failure to fulfill these expectations.
I knew the negative effects of such behavior personally, and yet there was nothing that my three-year self could do. Nothing but hope that my new sister wouldn't turn out like my old one.
The party was a rather public event and with every member of the Kurama clan present it would be a rather memorable one. Or so my mother believed which led to me struggling against the 'evil' yukata that was attempting to take control of my body.
"Oh, hush child. Those clothes are perfectly normal," scoffed my mother at my ridiculous claims, all of which were just flimsy attempts at preserving my 'masculine pride'.
Of course, eventually the demon defeated the poor mortal, and I found myself grudgingly admiring myself in the mirror.
I was cute, cuter than most children. My yellow yukata matched my eyes, making them more striking and visible, like a hawk observing the water for fish swimming underneath. My brown chin length hair had been combed rigorously, making me look like a girl. Well I was a girl. Physically.
Nonetheless the party began in the evening with guests pouring in from all across the compound. Men, women, children, none had been spared from makeovers and yukatas. Yakumo however, was dressed the brightest, wearing a black yukata with a white sash.
Then again as the heiress, she was supposed to be the brightest. To symbolize the next head, she had to look the part, even if she wasn't the strongest. Yet.
The Kurama clan succession was based on a hereditary system, unless the heiress was defeated in battle at the time of succession. It was a rather messy system, but then again what did I expect from a society that was culturally medieval
"Akari-chan, you're supposed to be socializing with the guests, not sitting in a corner and brooding," came my sister's familiar voice.
"Say's the heiress whose supposed to do the same?"
"I did talk, much more than you did." Sighing she gave up. "So, what have you been up to?"
"Looking at the stars?" I asked her, tilting my head.
"Why are you asking me?" Shouldn't you know what you're doing?"
"I don't know. I'm just thinking I guess."
She just shrugged before turning around.
"I must go. Otou-sama wants to meet me. Apparently, there's some special ritual to be undertaken."
"Ritual. He didn't tell you about this earlier?"
She just shook her head before leaving me back to my own thoughts.
I woke up with a start. The lights were on. My room was hot, and I drenched in sweat.
Fire sputtered around the room, slowly edging towards me, trapping me in a circular dome. Fire wasn't supposed to do that.
I could feel energy around me, much stronger in magnitude than normal. One belonged to my sister, the other was much darker, felt hotter, but also belonged to my sister.
I could feel the energies meshing, colliding, crashing and joining. They were fighting at one point, merging the next. As the heat began closing towards my body, I could feel the energy rising. I could feel the spark of conflict, the harmony of unity.
Unable to handle the energy I pushed. The fire disappeared and my room vanished, leaving behind colors, a vibrant shade of colors painted as if depicting the insides of a wormhole.
And in the middle sat my sister, or a monster that had the shape of my sister. Skin colored black, and with long orc-like ears she sat there kneeling in front of our parent's corpses.
"Yakumo?" I softly called, spurring a reaction from the creature. Within seconds it had pounced upon me, clawed arms ready to rip me apart. As I closed my eyes in fear and waited for my death, I heard a scream of anguish.
I was back in my room, with no sign of my sister, nor the monster that looked like her. There weren't any burns, nor were there any corpses. Nothing except for the fact that I was lying on the floor, in a defensive position on the ground.
I ran up to Yakumo's room, barging in like some sort of crazed madman and quickly hugged the girl. She however didn't respond only breathing very slowly as I felt her temperature rise up.
I ran downstairs to wake my parents, hoping to warn about Yakumo's illness when I found them lying on the ground, right next to each other.
"Okaa-sama? Otou-sama?"
They didn't respond, preferring to just continue sleeping.
"Okaa-san, this is no time for games. Please wake up."
There was still no response.
I put my fingers on their necks in an attempt to check their pulse.
There was none.
AN: Well hello there. Thanks for spending the time to read the first chapter of Illusion my newest OC reincarnation fic. I do not own Naruto nor anything related to it. This story is for entertainment purpose only.