"Komura!" Her mother called up the stairs of what would be considered by many to be a hovel of sorts.
"Coming mother!" She called down from her small room. It was shared with her brother, Akino, who got the majority of the room as he was elder than her.
"Hurry! Today we're celebrating Akino's graduation!" Even with the beginnings of war going on it was something to celebrate. Overhearing on mother's conversations with other adults she was apprehensive about the ordeal but it wasn't her decision. The family wanted someone to become a strong Shinobi, so her mother would deliver.
"Come on sis you don't want to keep the family waiting do ya?" He was already waiting too? Normally he's the one we're always waiting for. Guess that since it was a special occasion he was trying to act more mature.
"Yeah yeah," Komura replied sarcastically, pulling the shirt over her head. She was told to look nice for the occasion so to complement the dark grey sweater she wore she threw on a stretchy red skirt that ended just above her knees and a pair of black sandals.
Finally she waltzed down the stairs, walking out the door to meet her immediate family who were already waiting outside. Akino was dressed in the clothes he normally wore when he went to the academy, a black t-shirt and loose tan pants, completed with his ninja sandals and a creme colored scarf that he had wrapped around his head.
Their mother always told them that they got their father's complexion and her kind demeanor as her hair and eyes were blue and pink respectively whereas the two children had red and blue.
"Now come along!" Her mother hurried, dragging the two children from the house and out into the swelteringly sun. Even though they lived in a small village on the outskirts of Suna, the heat was excruciating and if it weren't for the special occasion they all would have been covered head to toe.
Their small town looked desolate because of the war. As Komura and her family passed through the streets she looked around at the remaining houses which looked about to fall over and crumble into the dust and sand that seemed to cover everything. The few shinobi here were sent out to the war where many never returned, and the people who weren't barely had enough to live on as is. Homeless lined the streets and the rulers of the land did nothing to help. They were better off than some for her mother's far off lineage to some noble family, but it wasn't by much.
At a joyous call from Akino's lips, Komura snapped her head up to stare at the small building that she would be entering in a few years to begin her training. The ceremony was being held in one of the larger classrooms to accommodate the families of those who passed, so once entering it became quickly apparent the lack of people in the village. Some passing ninja from Konohagakure a couple weeks ago had told Akino that there were dozens of genin when he met them in the street to talk. Yet here there only six graduating, six people moving on to become Genin and get teams.
Komura stayed by her mother's side as Akino moved to stand with the other five in the front of the room next to Himani-sensei. Taking her mother's hand she walked with her towards the back of the room where her distant cousins were quietly bickering.
Once seeing that they were there, she released her mother's hand and ran over to them, enveloping the twins into her small arms with a grin.
"Hey!" Komura greeted excitedly. She so rarely got to see her cousins so every time that she did it was a special treat. The greeted her back with "Hello," and "Hi," from Fuasu and Tsuasu Misako respectively.
"Ah, Mimura, so great to see you," their parents beckoned to your's.
"Always a pleasure," mother responded moving in to hug them.
"I see that you are looking well," Hasuka complimented, looking Mimura's appearance up and down. She wore an ankle length navy blue skirt with a creme colored blouse and matching sandals. Giving a nod of approval Hasuka passed Mimura onto her husband, Kanito.
"Thank you," her mother replied before Komura's attention was captured once more by the twins.
"So...Have things been well with you?" Tsuasu asked politely. Tsuasu and Fuatsu were two years older than her five years of age so growing up in a noble family forced them to have a large range of etiquette.
"Yes, Akino is becoming a Genin obviously, so it is a time to celebrate!" Despite her excited words, a frown came to Komura's features. If only father were here to see it.
"Yeah so we heard, you should be starting soon too right? Make sure to do great alright? You'll have our hopes and dreams riding on you!"
"T-thank you Fuatsu, I can't wait!" The small girl muttered, blushing slightly from the attention.
Finally the induction began with a few words being said from the sensei while the soon-to-be Genin stood uncomfortably in the front of the room. Zoning out, Komura pondered on which headband her brother would be choosing. He was second in the lineup as our last name was Hoshii, second only to Abanusho.
The words of the sensei aroused Komura from her thinking when he commanded them to choose what headband they would wear as they trained to become full-fledged Shinobi.
That day, which should have been a joyous occasion, was ruined so violently that it would remain in the hearts and minds of those who lived long enough to see it before they met the same fate of that which they saw. For no sooner had the first student moved to grasp her choice of headpiece, than screams erupted from outside of the academy.
Confusion swept through the people gathered, a few of the quick-thinkers moved towards to the window to peer outside. If she weren't so small, Komura never would have been able to squeeze through the bodies eliciting horrified gasps to see the destruction reigning through the town.
As she stared out at the embers of houses already collapsing, her mind was unable to understand the truth of what was happening. Burning houses were not uncommon in their village because of the heat and scorching sun, but it was rare to this extent. A few people rushed passed the building, one of the only in the vicinity that wasn't already aflame.
The only Chunnin in the room was already on his way out the door, along with a few of the adults, to get water to put out the fires. Before they could make it out of the cramped space however, another nin appeared in front of the group.
"Well would you look at that," the tall man replied. He wore a white mask with facial features of a dog painted on as well as dark green and navy clothing. "A few kids thinking they can be Genin."
"Who are you?" Himani-sensei demanded.
Without even a sound the intruder hit a pressure point around sensei's neck and she collapsed to the ground, unconscious. The others backed away quickly, giving the man a wife berth.
Another shinobi joined the man, this one with a cat mask.
"It doesn't look like it's here Inunatsu, we'd better keep looking."
"Hn, let me finish off these guys first, all is fair in love and war."
The entire room just stared, uncomprehending the situation at hand.
"They're just kids, leave them,"
"Those kids might grow up Nekona,"
Displeasure filled the female's voice, "Make it quick then, we don't want any more trouble."
"Don't worry about it, just keep looking."
Tsuasu and Fuasu had moved to stand next to Komura and they all gripped each other tightly, fear evident on their young faces.
"See you all in the afterlife," the ninja called out before making some hand seals and shooting out a stream of fire from his palm, disappearing from view.
In the dryness the fire took immediately, already licking at the floorboards hungrily. The fire blocked he only exit to the small room other than the window so Komura watched as some of the stronger men forced the window to break.
A fleeting thought passed her to bring Himani-sensei to freedom as well but she was already being placed outside by her mother before she even got a chance to ask.
"Come on dear we have to go! Grab your brother's hand and head back to the house. Make sure it's not aflame, I have to take Fuasu and Tsuasu home. I trust you Akino, don't lose Komura, and Komura everything will be fine, so don't worry alright?"
"Yes mother," the two replied in unison. She believed her mother's words. Never before had Mimura lied to her so she put on a smile, easing her mother's fears.
Akino started to pull on Komura's hand, giving her the wordless signal that they should get going. She followed obediently, picking up into a run as the smoke from passing houses stung her eyes and throat.
"Argh! Akino! Slow down!"
"No we have to keep going! We have to make sure everything's alright at home!"
A cough erupted from Komura's throat as she stumbled, knocking into a running passerby. The streets were practically deserted in this part of town although screams and the sounds of fire could still be heard.
No flames could be seen in this part thankfully, but Akino continued to drag Komura even that much faster. Finally they made it to their house, which looked as it had when they had left that morning. Thank Kami, she thought, making her way slowly up and into the shack with her brother.
"We have to help them!" Komura cried towards Akino.
"No, mother said to stay here and here we shall stay."
"But there are innocent people who's houses are burning down! We don't even know what those two shinobi where here for!"
"There's nothing we can do to help Komura, you will stay here."
"No! I'm going to go help them!"
"You will not!" Akino rarely raised his voice, preferring instead to settle disputes peacefully.
"O-okay..." Suddenly timid, Komura trudged upstairs to her room, tearing up slightly.
"I hope mother comes back safe..." Akino muttered, staring outside at the fires steadily approaching their neck of the village. She had said that she was going to go being Fuasu and Tsuasu home, and they lived on the other side of the village. He didn't trust those two, or the rest of the family to be exact. Always pressuring mother with this or that, they even rigged it so that he would pass this year. He certainly wasn't ready, he could barely throw a kunai to hit the target, and that's not even mentioning shuriken. Yet he still graduated, no doubt because of them.
Nor did he miss the snarky grins the twins shared after talking with his younger sister earlier. Hey just didn't give him a good feeling. They were subtle feelings, you had to look for the details but they were certainly there. Needless to say he was worried for Komura. She was young, naive even for her age. He may have been a bit harsh on her earlier but it was necessary, he couldn't have her running around and getting herself killed me it was better to follow orders and do as you're told. Less people are angered that way.