Part A
I dragged my feet down the street going to meet my sensei, Toru. My long, wavy, brown hair fell around my shoulders. I kept my pace slow as I headed down the long winding road, trying to avoid any more pain on my already bruised body. My brown lunch bag, that I had quickly made that morning, swung back and forth hitting my leg as my hazel eyes surveyed the happy people of the Hidden Leaf Village.
I gazed at all the happiness and couldn't help but feeling sad. Anyone who saw me never would know exactly what I was holding back. Nobody would know about the secret I held buried deep within me.
Every day I wore the same long blue dress, which was made for easy movement. Each day I tied half of my hair up with a black ribbon. Every day I hid my bruises underneath the linen and lace of my clothing. Nobody would see the bruises, or know my pain.
I slowly approached the area where my sensei had told the whole group to meet. My nimble fingers tied my ninja plate around my forehead, tying it tight so that it wouldn't slide off. I set my lunch aside, avoiding the stress of my two comrades and the sensei. I was late again.
Both of my comrades were boys. One of the boys leaned up against a tree. His ninja plate was also tied around his head flattening his brown hair. His light green eyes surveyed the group as they waited, his name was Yuusha. The other boy was quietly sitting in a tree, a leg slung over each side of the thick branch. He surveyed the scene with his black eyes. His ninja plate was pushed down over one eye and his white hair popped out around it. I always wondered why he kept his eye hidden. He, like me, probably had a secret which caused him to hide his one eye.
Our sensei, Toru, surveyed me with his blue eyes. He ruffled his dirty blonde hair. I was always late. I knew that he had the suspicion that something was going on at home but he never asked. He would train me, pretending to care for me but in the end he would do nothing for me. I always looked happy when I was training, only once in while would anyone catch a flash of pain cross my face.
I had plastered on my happy face again. I smiled at the happy people that walked by, but inside my heart was tearing. I was bearing the burden of a secret. When things got real bad at home I wished that I had never been born.
I turned my head to survey my team with false happiness. It wasn't like I would never wish my fate on anyone. I wouldn't give up my life for the world. If I did… it would just be someone else. That wouldn't be fair.
"Is everyone ready to go?" Toru asked, just like he did everyday. I took a quick breath.
"Yes," I said. Kakashi stared at me, as did Yuusha. I could make out Kakashi's eye crinkling at the corner as he grinned at me from under his mask. Once I was ready, everyone was ready.
Quickly Kakashi jumped down from the branch. Yuusha straightened up, and I brushed off my dress. Toru sighed as he pulled out a pen.
"Today I want you to practice your clone jutsu." Toru said with a smile. Yuusha, Kakashi and I all bowed and got into a line. Yuusha went first. He managed to produce three clones, and keep their shapes together.
"Very good," Toru beamed proud of Yuusha. Kakashi and I followed each producing five clones, with solid bodies. Toru clapped loudly.
"You guys are doing well," He hooted. I had been training with Toru for nearly one year now. I was half way through their ninja training. Kakashi huffed and stood aside. His gaze followed me. I had sat down to eat lunch. I pulled out a sandwich.
"Sensei, can we leave early today?" Yuusha asked. Toru nodded.
"I think that's a wonderful idea." He said. I buried my teeth into my sandwich savoring the bold flavor. I chewed as Yuusha and Toru left. Kakashi leaned up against the tree. I ignored him completely though. Dark clouds rolled towards the village in the distance. Kakashi watched them curiously.
"There's going to be a storm tonight." He said. He readjusted his ninja plate and pulled it down a bit more. He was just like me, self conscious that everyone could see behind his mask.
"I love the rain…" I murmured, not to Kakashi really though. I was lost in thought. "It reminds me…" I stopped talking and stood up. I had nearly said 'It reminds me of my mother'. I brushed the bread crumbs from my dress and tore up the rest of my sandwich. The bread was then spread onto the ground for a group of small birds nearby. With the leftover meat in hand I started to sort through the branches of the nearby bushes.
"What are you looking for?" Kakashi asked as he watched me curiously.
"Well…" I giggled happily "these." I pulled back the bush to reveal a family of foxes. The mother was sitting next to two cubs. I lay the meat down in front of the family and left them.
"See you later." Kakashi said. I once again ignored him and walked away.
Part B
I readjusted my ninja plate as we waited in the clearing for our last team member. Yuusha looked as if he was ready to fall asleep on his feet while Toru-sensei was glancing thoughtfully up at the sky. I sat in the tree, surveying them. A cloud floated lazily by, not a care in the world. It didn't matter because no matter how late our last teammate was, I couldn't help but be overthrown by how adorable she was.
I turned my head just as Tenshi came up the path towards us. Her long blue dress blew around her in the breeze, hugging her trim waist and small curving breasts. Her hands where busied with tying her ninja headband around forehead. She caught everyone's gaze as she put down her lunch and settled herself in for a day of training.
Tenshi was the only girl in our group. Her soft shoulder brown hair yearned to be touched and her large hazel eyes sparkled when she when she laughed. If you looked closely though, you could see the great sadness that clouded her eyes, but she was always quick to push it back farther from people's prying ways.
Even though she was smiling when she sat down, I knew something was up. She walked with a stiff stride. I gazed at her out of the corner of my eye; before pulling down my mask a bit more to make sure that only one eye was visible. I had one normal eye and one strange. I always wished that I had been born normal though.
Tenshi turned her head to survey us with a happy look. I glanced at our sensei who, was still looking at her while scratching his head. I ruffled my own silver hair, trying to find some way to break the silence that was overwhelming.
"Is everyone ready to go?" Toru asked, just like he did everyday. I held my breath, waiting for the soft voice form Tenshi, whom took a quick breath.
"Yes," she said. I stared at her, as did Yuusha. I grinned underneath my mask. Once she was ready, everyone was ready.
I jumped down from the branch. Yuusha straightened up, and Tenshi brushed off her dress. Toru sighed as he pulled out a pen.
"Today I want you to practice your clone jutsu." Toru said with a smile. Tenshi, Yuusha, and me all bowed and got into a line. Yuusha went first. He managed to produce three clones, and keep their shapes together.
"Very good," The sensei said smiling his approval. Tenshi and I followed each producing five clones, with solid bodies. Toru clapped loudly. I was breathing heavily while I looked at Tenshi. She seemed unfazed by the tiring exercises.
"You guys are doing well," Toru cheered. I had been training with Toru for nearly one year now. I was half way through my ninja training. I huffed and stood aside. I followed Tenshi's movements with my eye. She had sat down to eat lunch, pulling out a sandwich.
"Sensei, can we leave early today?" Yuusha asked. Toru nodded.
"I think that's a wonderful idea." He said. I was busy leaning up against the tree while Tenshi ate her sandwich. Dark clouds rolled towards the village in the distance. I watched them curiously.
"There's going to be a storm tonight." I said. I quickly readjusted my ninja plate and pulled it down a bit more.
"I love the rain…" Tenshi murmured quietly. I looked up hopeful that maybe she was talking to me. She looked lost in though and her eyes were sparkling again. "It reminds me…" I watched her as she stopped talking. What does it remind you of? I asked myself. Tenshi stood up and brushed off her dress.
Tenshi ripped apart her sandwich with her small delicate hands. She spread the bread onto the ground where it was instantly torn apart by a group of robins. Then she started to search the bushes for something.
"What are you looking for?" I asked as I watched her curiously.
"Well…" She suddenly giggled happily "these." She gently pulled back the bush to reveal a family of foxes. The mother was a bright red color as were the babies. She lovingly lay the meat down next to the family and quickly pushed back the branches. Then she turned to leave.
"See you later." I said. Tenshi just walked away as if I didn't exist.