2.

Kanaya had lived a great long deal among grown-ups. She had seen them intimately, up close, and listened to them, and that had not changed her opinion on them. Grown-ups were useless, and Kanaya had already began her journey into one.

Kanaya was not yet ready to allow life to destroy that youthful part of herself yet. To become mature (or grown-up like) you would have to kill the part of yourself that is naive and childish, the part that is creatively idealistic - the part of you that can only be called your innocence- and rid yourself of your humanity. Kanaya was eight years old, and already she was too mature for anyone to really connect to, and certainly too adapted to the colder ways of the world.

Grown-ups were idiots because of how naive they were to the world, and Kanaya was slightly afraid to become like them, with the way they see with blind eyes. She could clearly see the hidden pain left in Hashirama's eyes, the way he distanced himself from the rest of the clan, and she saw how Tobirama had tears in his eyes on occassion, and how Haniyama let out little sobs once in a while. The grown-ups did not see this, and assumed it was all fine.

Everyone around her grieved, and Kanaya stood stone faced with no tears. When she learned of his death, and fled to the woods, she had cried. However that was one time thing, because Kanaya was a genius of sadness, immersing herself in it, and keeping those sorrows to hold, and bear herself so her family could let their own pains out.

She grieved differently than the shambles of family she had left, her soul wept for Itama and no matter what you did, there was no way to comfort it. Kanaya allowed weights on her soul, and became a anchor for those around her who needed someone to cry on, and perhaps after so many deaths, she was used to it.

However, as far as she is concerned, they were distancing themselves, and Kanaya couldn't keep them in her grasp. Hashirama...he was a lost cause. His days were spent training, then slipping off into the woods, and it left a small hole where his presence used to be, and whatever was in those forests, she hoped it helped him as much as Kanaya wanted to.

Tobirama was next on her list, and while they had never been relatively close to each other per se, there was a familiarity about them to keep them together, and Kanaya is sure that if she dies, he'll miss her just a little bit, and that's fine by her. However, as of now, he has taken to following after Butsuma, learning what Hashirama would need to learn to run a clan, and Kanaya guessed that someone would have to, and Tobirama was the only one with the patience for it.

Haniyama's rejection was something that Kanaya was too used to by now, and it was not surprising. They had never been close at all, and the fact that she was keeping her distance was an okay fact with Kanaya, as she didn't care one way or another. Mitama's distance was one of Kanaya's choice, because Riku-sama had suffered two still-borns and three miscarriages, and she deserved to have a daughter-like figure, just as Mitama deserved a mother.

It wouldn't be a full family, but Kanaya was doing her best to give Mitama one, and all this seperation gave Kanaya time to think. Life, plainly speaking, was horrible. How many children had to die before adults came to realize that it was THEIR feuds that began the fights? How long until they could see life as they should, like children, and make up with each other?

Kanaya sat in the top of a tree, with her body spread out on one of the taller branches, with her head surronded by leaves, and a deep frown that made her feel like Haniyama. Everything always makes her feel like Haniyama anymore; tired, weary, and most of all, cold. She was so cold, like the world didn't matter, all that did revolved around her family, like her heart was sealed off to anyone else but those close to her. Which scared her more than anything else because Haniyama...Haniyama was broken, she was pretty and young, and she was very broken to the point where if she died on a battlefield, then she'd be okay with that. Haniyama had two things to do with her life: live and die.

Kanaya wanted to do more, she wanted more not only for herself, but for Mitama, yet no one seemed to quite understand that. While she was a bucket of understanding, they knew nothing of what SHE wanted. Kanaya wanted to do her duty to her decreased father and defend her clan for a few years, then she wanted to settle down in a small, clanless village that was not part of the war. She wanted to get married and have hundreds and hundreds of babies. Okay, Kanaya could admit hundreds were a lot, but she wanted a lot of kids (especially sons because sons always love their moms the most), but that was years away. She had people to protect for right now.

She guessed that she would have to protect Uncle Butsuma, too. As far as Kanaya knew, he was all she had. He was tough and cold, but he gave her the same love that Takuma did, he made her strong and that was the most loving thing a father (or uncle) could do.

So, she had to focus on what she knew. Kanaya was sure of five key things.

1. Anything that is not you, is trying to kill you.

2. She had to protect her family.

3. She needed to get stronger quickly.

4. Power and influence is everything, she needed some of each.

5. She had to survive.

Kanaya could work with that.

She hoped.

...

Armor was simply not created for women. Kanaya was many things. She was mature, she was kind of smart, she was a good big sister, but there were also some negatives to her.

She was a scrawny, tangled haired kid trying to fit into armour that was not made for her. This was Hashirama's armour, he had given it to her because he had gotten one a bit bigger. He had recieved his armor due to its unfortunate previous owner dying. Armor was hard to get sometimes, and often only given to those that would use it often (or to put it simply, not die), and at eight years old, it was assumed she'd live for a while.

However, the armor was another thing that she owed to Hashirama, and her debt was growing by the day. Kanaya was born in a time of war and famine, when there was not enough food to go around. She should have died, and she knows that she should have died. Haniyama, unlike Kanaya, cared little for her newborn sister at that time. Her mother was ill and could not care for her. Hashirama had, at the age of four, pushed himself to grow and gather enough food for himself, his siblings, and a tiny little girl with redwood hair.

Even now, if food was scarce, Hashirama made sure she ate her food even on those days he couldn't seem to eat himself. Kanaya would try to be like him, to offer him whatever rations she could when she knew he was hungry, perhaps even starving. Hashirama would smile like he was fine and after big fights, take what she offered, but she would always find those rations returned later. These days, she made sure he ate well, because food was more plentiful in this settlement than the last.

Kanaya did her best to repay her debt, she did his chores, took on his shifts, so he could have free time to sneak off to skip rocks in the river, and even did his laundry and healed his wounds. But the debt built up still when her kind cousin would let her sleep in his bed when it was cold, or allow her to have his extra clothing (or armor), and she could never fully repay the boy that allowed her to live when Kanaya was suppose to die.

It was because this was his armor that she vowed to only bring him honor as she wore it. Uncle Butsuma had declared that she would be heading back to the battlefield soon, as a large ambush had wiped out a good number of men, and he requires more people for missions. Hashirama (as her debt grew) had argued that Mitama was not yet one, and all new 'mothers' did not go out on the battlefield for a year. It had taken an hour of fighting and arguing before Butsuma ended the arguement.

Kanaya had to get in the way between Butsuma's fist and Hashirama's face before it ended.

So here she stood, eyes narrowed in determination as she tried her hardest to train in this armor, and realized how hard it was. Her former green armor was easy to use; the metal was light; the movements were not restricted; it was simpler than this. Her darker green armor was heavy to defend the body more from steel swords or tantos, and it was her worst enemy.

She, as all wind users do at some point, could feel herself become strong when the breeze blew. The wind is like the breath of nature; when it blows, she feels alive, like floating on air. Upon an accident of meditating and chakra control, she stumbled upon something dangerously exciting. If she was not in armor and focused her chakra around her, she could float on the wind.

Kanaya had affectionately dubbed it, Kaze no sutorenjā. Wind Drifter.

Of course, Takuma just had to name her after the Goddess of Metal; how ironic. Her nature element was wind, and she could float but her dumb METAL armor made it impossible for her to do so. She felt weak compared to her cousins and sister, even more so in this horrible piece of metal. Water was the chakra nature of Tobirama, who's attacks could almost rip off limbs, and destroy the grounds. His mastery was something impressive, considering his age. She was two years younger, which caused a rivalry with him that Tobirama didn't even know about, but was still there.

Using all her pent up frustration, she focused her chakra to her center, and when a gust of wind breezed by, she shot it out of her hands, surprised to see how it seemingly knocked down a tree branch.

That, that she liked. Kanaya never felt more impowered than when the wind blew by, and if adding her chakra caused it to react, than perhaps there is a way to do this on a battlefield. Depending on the area, there is a possibility of wind, or at least a good amount of air. So, Kanaya had two things to figure out if she wanted to determine how to create wind at different points in time, and how to use it like she just did.

To be able to use wind as a weapon will be the ultimate advantage, as it can easily be created, sharpened, and used against any blade that was made. How do you destroy the wind?

You cannot...Now all she had to do waa figure out how to do it. Sitting down in that heavy armor, she pressed her hands together in the sign of Snake, concentrating her chakra to see just how loose she could get it, and she would go from there.

However, as it turns out, chakra is very soothing when concentrated hard enough, so soothing that Kanaya had fallen asleep practicing. Her eyes only snapped open when she felt a push, and her body was sent tumbling onto the floor. Innocent brown eyes stared down at her sheepishly; the same brown that mirrored Haniyama's eyes, causing Kanaya to smile brightly.

"Hashi-Itoko?" She questioned lightly, prodding him with her eyes for an answer. Hashirama beamed.

"Sorry about knocking you down." He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly, that dumb smile still stuck on his face. "I just- Oh! The armor fits." His eyes gazed at the green metal on her chest, and she followed his gaze nodding eagerly.

"Hai! Thank you, Hashi-Itoko." Kanaya delivered a swift bow of thanks before she stood up, and he grabbed at her, adjusting the leather straps on it to tighten the armor onto her. "I'm very grateful for it, and I find it is a little harder to use, I guess." She babbled. "So what did you need?"

"I...Yes."

"You weren't listening?" Kanaya asked, and then answered her own question. "Of course you weren't. Is there a reason you came here?" She curled into her cousin's warm body. His arm was around her neck, and he was beaming at her, nodding eagerly.

"Actually, I was wondering if you could do me a little favor," Hashirama began, tightening his grip a little. "I want to go skip rocks, but I have to gather grain from the field nearby." He then gave her big eyes as he quickly shot out. "I'll bring you a prize from the next mission by a village."

Immediately, Kanaya nodded without hesitation. She was quite willing to start paying off her debts to him. He smiled brightly, hugging her a little tighter, and smashed his cheek against.

"Thank you, Ka-na-ya-chan~" He sang excitedly as he jumped up to go. Before he left she frowned and yelled back.

"Do me a favor and get rid of the ugly bowl-cut!"

Whether he heard it or not, she doesn't know, but she hopes he does fix that mess.

...

The Senju were a large clan, mostly consisitng of many women and children to be fed. All over Senju occupied territory were scattered patches of wild grain that needed harvested. It was usually done by the younger ninja, such as Hashirama or Tobirama, not someone as inexpierenced as Kanaya.

Of course, no one complains if she goes to get the grain, as no one wants to pass up food. Feel what it's like to truly starve, and Kanaya guaranteed that you will forever think twice before wasting any sort of food.

In famine, if you cast your gaze to those around you, you will see many things: here is a mother who cannot feed her child; a father who starves so his child may eat a bit; siblings dying to feed their little brothers and sister; or wailing children with unsatisfied stomachs. It was with this in thought that Kanaya quickly returned to her home to lay her armor to rest, and strapped Mitama to her back.

She had once felt the monster called Starvation. It was a demon that resided deep in her stomach, causing pain like no other to the point where she could no longer more nor do anything. The only escape of these demon was a meal; a crust of bread; watery, lifeless soup; or even raw greens; anything to fill your belly. Kanaya would take no risks with this grain. She had Hashirama, Tobirama, her sisters, and Toka to feed with it, and she wanted them to have warm bread tonight. Kanaya would not allow anymore famine to creep into her settlement.

Mitama was asleep, her soft breaths making Kanaya shiver as they touched her neck, and she was not disturbed by Kanaya's urgent pace as she hopped tree from tree. Perhaps the little baby was too used to this way of traveling. Kanaya's pace slowed as she approached the spot.

As a precaution, the Senju had placed a genjutsu over the plot to make it appear that weeds grew there instead, and Kanata is pretty sure that Toka was the one to do so, because she was brilliant at Genjutsu, even better than a Uchiha with their Sharingan, and her left eye could see straight through it. She thought of having the grains ground into flour, and use a little sugar to make them a treat.

Instead of fields and fields of gold, she arrived just in time to witness the last of the grains being cut and placed into two large bags by a strange looking boy wielding a small scythe, which made her blush as all she had with her was a sickle. Mitama made a small whimper, and Kanaya hushed her, her own empty sacks clutched in her hands.

Although initially caught off-guard, Kanaya was back to her senses as she examined the strange boy, and she raised her eyebrow at his apperance.

He was taller than her (probably Hashirama's age) and lean built with tanned skin, he had wild black hair that fell just over his shoulder blades, and bangs that fell over one of his eyes. He had a piercing black eye, and his hair was thick and abundant, but his face (like Kanaya) was femininely round, with pretty eyelashes. The only thing that was shocking to her was the red-and-white fan that made her choke on her breath.

Uchiha.

Kanaya prepared to leave, being as quiet as possible, but Mitama decided to change this as she let out a quiet wail that alerted the boy of her presence. She froze in place, looking at her outfit in distress. She was in a plain, cotton yukata with straw sandals, and the weapons on her was a small sickle in her obi, and she had a baby on her back.

It did not look good for her. Especially as the boy whipped his head towards her, a kunai sliding out of the sleeve of his haori, and he glared at her with red, devil eyes. The Sharingan.

"Y-You.." She took a breath before breaking into a wail, "My father's field, what have you done?" She rubbed her eyes, as Mitama quieted down into soft cooes.

The boy blinked in surprise and his eyes turned back to their original onyx coloring, and he blushed a bit, but kept his harsh eyes firm at her accusingly, sad expression.

Th boy recovered quite quickly. "It's not like you own this land. This is for a good, dignified clan with women and children to be fed," he intoned. His eyes darted to the sickle that hung on her body.

"I don't own this land, but my father rented it. I have a family too. My mother, uncle, father, cousins, and my baby sister need food, and you just steal it." Kanaya countered, lying. This boy's eyes darted to the bundle on her back, where Mitama was making little mewling noises, and his eyes softened for a few moments. His kunai disappeared, and he shook his head.

"Look, my clan needs this more. We are saving up for winter." The boy's voice was strange, and a little too high for any teenage boy to have, but Kanaya ignored it as he put his scythe away, and looked at the very large bags that he was stealing from her clan.

Kanaya shook her head. "So my family can't eat because you are stealing from us? My uncle and father planted this. What man can stand here and take from a little girl and a baby?" She stated hotly, using all the emotions she could to lie in this guy's face.

Too her dismay, the boy laughed, shaking his head at her. "Listen up, peasant, I'm a girl too." It made Kanaya blink once or twice, and narrow her eyes as she examined the Uchiha's face. She could see the girly-ness in her she supposed.

Kanaya could not hide her feminine features. Her redwood hair was long, flowing down her back in a low tie. Her face was round, with delicate features, and she had nice, pale skin that doesn't look like she had ever seen the sun. Even in boy's clothing, you know that she is a girl. This girl has none of those things, probably taking after her father or something, and she is almost like a tree, very broad and showy like a male. Kanaya frowned, her lips falling into a pout, and she wonders of her ninjutsu is strong enough to fight a Sharingan user over wheat.

"Well?" The girl mocked. "Do you need this?" She wiggled her sacks, and her hand touched the scythe at her side, which made Kanaya frown as she took a step back, defensive of her sister.

They did need it. Her clan needed to start saving up for the winter, but Kanaya shook her head. She didn't like to be seen needing something - as if hunger were a sign of weakness that Kanaya had steeled her heart from.

The girl that she had labled Bōisshugāru (Boyish Girl) stared at her with those cold, unfeeling eyes that belonged to all Uchiha. It took all off thirty seconds before the shinobi disappeared using a Body Flicker (a simple technique that all children learn) and there, where she had once stood was a sack of grain.

It was a act of kindness. While the Uchiha had owned two large bags, she had the decency to leave one. Bōisshugāru was (as far as she knew) a real piece of work, and didn't seem nice at all. However, she left this for her.

Kanaya prided herself in being remarkably bright, however she was having serious doubts. From birth, her mind was filled with whispers of the Uchiha demons; they do not feel; they are cannibals; they are monsters; they are baby-killers; they are disgusting; they are the enemy.

However, what kind of cold-hearted cannibal can leave something so valueable as food to a stranger when they could have either left with all of it or killed her and Mitama? The teen was four years older than Kanaya, and was obviously stronger than her. Murder would be easy, but Boyish Girl refused to do so.

It left Kanaya wondering; how many of the clans have conflicts with someone else- and how many of us truly know the opposing clan? Each clan (or simply a clan leaders) have individual clans with whom they are competitive, or they dislike or battle with; however, how many actually see these people in a more human sense? They see war and battles; grudges and old wounds; however how many can take a step back and see a person behind armor and swords. Adults deepen the wounds by making up stories to futher this hatred, and do not look at the other people in these opposing clans. It leaves her slightly shaken how a enemy could be so kind.

Peace could easily be achieved if stories were stopped, if rumors were gone, and if adults could (like children) see people under the clan name.

Yes, she thinks to herself as she picks up the bag, Grown-ups are very stupid.

...

Kanaya had a very large distaste for council meetings, because, as all children do, she HATED was all the boring politics. Of course, here she was, sitting next to Haniyama as a obediant little princess.

When a clan leader is chosen, their siblings are always their generals (or right hands), and if the sibling is dead, the children take their place. Haniyama is the general and lead advisor, and if she dies, it falls onto Kanaya to take her place until Hashirama becomes leader. Then Tobirama would take that position. It was manditory that she be here and be updated on all events involving the clan, especially since she could run it one day.

The way children are dying so quickly, there is a chance something could happen to Hashirama and Tobirama (Itama and Kawarama are proof of that), leaving Haniyama as heir to the clan. After her, is Kanaya, and then the go over to other distant members. No one dared doubt that either Senju Princess could be clan leader, so here both girls sat. Kanaya had Mitama clutched in her grips, allowing her to knaw on her formal kimono (the one used when she was at these meetings), and it was more of furisode. It was red silk, and the sleeves were unbareably long to show she was unmarried (duh) and was eligiable for marriage, even at her young age.

Besides this, Kanaya was not disrespectful, but these meetings consister of elders that were all old and locked in their own ways. A lot of things were found in disagreement, such as who owned this or that, what money could be used for repairs, if wheat or meat was better for traveling shinobi, and the likes, which left Kanaya highly disappointed in why the leader even listened to these old fools. However, regardless of her misgivings towards the elders, she had to speak with them on all matters.

"-best to destroy all allies." She heard Haniyana state as her mind came back to her. Her sister's face was blank dispite hearing mutterings and some hisses. Kanaya, the ever 'perfect' hime simply fluttered her fan to give herself and Mitama some air, while the elders argued among themselves.

"That's not of any importance to our clan. One little clan could not do much damage to us." An elderly man said frowning deeply. Kanaya wondered how they managed to live so long. Were they even ninja? She highly doubted any shinobi could live that long. Or perhaps they were Kami-sama's cruelty for the sins of the clan. Either way, Kanaya hated them.

"They've made an alliance with the Uchiha clan once more. I'd expect them to attack at anytime now. We must destroy them first, before they can attack us." Haniyama stated, her eyes narrowing, but she kept her neutral as one slip-up could cause a large fight. "Tajima will not wait for us, instead he and those damn Hagoromo will slaughter us." Haniyama's face may be blank, but her eyes spoke what was unspoken. Those dark orbs showed a story of anger and inner torments at the council. "We must not back down from them. We must destroy them before they can be used by the Uchiha."

This caused quite a bit of murmuring within the ranks of the elders, even Butsuma seemed to consider this, however Kanaya was having her own inner turmoil about the subject itself. She tended to stray away from ideas involving large battles, and Haniyama's idea was basically genocide. The Hagorormo made a poor decision to allie with the Uchiha, yes, however that did not mean they had to die for it. It caused her distress, and (because her opinion was valued) it was up to her to stop this madness at once.

Bloodshed did work, however fear did better.

After much murmuring, the eldest man began to nod, a pipe in his hand. He lit it before he spoke, and it caused Kanaya (who sat to his right) to began to softly choke, alongside Mitama. Hashirama motioned at her, and she swiftly shuffled the baby away from the smoke that made her eyes water into her cousin's safe, tobacco-free, arms.

"We can see your point." Pipe Elder said with a slight nod as he straightened his back loud crack of the bones. "If no one opposes the matter, we can attack with our best shinobi. We cannot allow those demons to-"

"I oppose it." Kanaya's small voice broke through Pipe Elder's voice.

Silence as all eyes turned to the eight year old girl.

Butsuma, who had been quiet for most of this, turned to her with harsh eyes, almost like he was disecting her with his gaze, looking deep into her entire being to see what was under the skin. Kanaya shuffled her feet silently at the tense moment, but kept her face brave as he nodded. "Explain."

Kanaya was sure he'd side with her, after all Butsuma was a harsh man and would do what was best for the clan even if the elders didn't agree.

"I believe it would be," She began, despite the burning glare of Haniyama in her head. "beneficial to reinstate our alliance with the Uzumaki Clan. If you recall, they are masters of sealings, and are a well known, and feared clan. They have a main base on an island near the Fire Country with at least five or six large settlements directly in our country. That is even bigger than the Hagoromo Clan.

"Also, if we were to rekindle the flames of our alliance, word will spread. The Uchiha are stubborn and prideful, but not dumb. They won't attack us directly even with their new alliance if we have the Uzumaki on our side. It also saves the lives of those who would fall in battle during the invasion of the Hagoromo Settlement." She finished with a deep breath, her eyes becoming hard to mask all the fears swirling inside of her. Anxiety is nothing new to her, nor is rejection. She has learned to steel her heart from whatever they may say. Her words soarked up a slur of murmurs and quiet debating from the elders. Hashirama gave her a thumbs-up from his place with Mitama, while Tobirama gave her a nod with a neutral expression. Haniyama was less than pleased, gripping Kanaya's arm so tightly in began to bruise, hatred seeping into her gaze, but Kanaya stared back unflinching.

An alliance was what was best for the clan, however what would be better was a truce, and stopping this fighting. But that wasn't going to happen anytime soon, but she'd protect her kinsmen as best as Kanaya could.

The elders slowly began to stop arguing over the matter, each looking content on having voiced their opinions, and finally the Pipe Elder set down his pipe, blowing a puff of smoke at Kanaya. It made her eyes water, but she blinked it away. "On behalf of us all-" there was a pause as he choked- "we believe an alliance to be best for the Uzumaki share our blood." Pipe Elder nodded his head slightly at his words before turning his hard gaze on Butsuma.

The Clan Leader nodded, "I concede with Kanayama on this matter," He stated, while Kanaya flinched at the usage of her complete name. "however, when the oppurtunity arises, we will attack the Uchiha will full force alongside the Uzumaki. Send out a messenger this meeting is closed." And with that he stood and strided towards the exit with a dozen or so elders at his heels like a pack of dogs. Kanaya remains frozen even as Haniyama leaves, and Mitama is given back to her by her dear cousins. Hashirama is happy for her to have voiced her opinion and beat her sister out in a clan matter. Tobirama says nothing, and there is a tension with Haniyama going on.

If this is victory, she wishes to never feel it again. Winning feels like icy dread at what is to come.

...

Their blades clashed again, reverberating through the air a noise that could be only described as death itself. This fierce battle of wills was fought by two clans in blurs of reality and color. It was a deadly dance of steel and fire. The smell of rotting flesh drifted on the wind. Men wailed in agony around her; cries of the dead echoed alongside the ringing of metal on metal. Kanaya nearly shrieked as blood painted her skin, a dead man's body tarped over her own as kunai plunged into his back, crimson splattering the cold ground. It went on for hours and hours until an ungodly shriek erupted-

Kanaya's entire body jerked up, her throat closing up painfully as her baby sister wailed in her ear. Tears choked her up as her body erupted in shivers, her muscles locked into place painfully, almost like being frozen alive. It wasn't until Mitama almost rolled off the bed that caused her to move, picking up the baby with shaking hands and slowly settling her down with a rocking motion as her mind raced to figure out where she was.

Home. Home. Home. Home. She told herself, but her mind was still on that battlefield. It was a place of death and suffering, of agony and of horrors, of damage and shattering, of blood and tears. A battlefield is...is...

Kanaya wanted to leave the whole war behind her, and there was something on that battlefield that demanded commemoration as it replayed in her dreams. Yes, even her dreams were not safe from being poisoned and turned into nightmares. Dreams were a place where memories go to find purpose for their existence, they are a way for people to find happiness in little ways. Most dream of a relative or a happy time, sweet memories to cherish.

Others like Kanaya found memories turned in heart-pounding nightmares that they can never escape. Childhood memories should be filled with carefree, games in the warm sun; not a living nightmare of a gore-filled battlefield.

Her first few battles would always be laced into her mind, always there to haunt her until the eight year old couldn't sleep. Rocking Mitama, she realized something dreadful.

Uncle Butsuma wants to send me out into the field again...

The thought burrowed into her heart as she realized this fact. It coiled into her entire body until Kanaya was gagging with fear. Little Mitama must have felt her dark emotions because she began to get distressed herself, and Kanaya realized that one day Mitama would be a kunoichi. One day her sweet little Mitama would be in the same position. It made her even sicker.

Mitama settles into a sleep again, her breathing easy and Kanaya leans in, giving her a soft kiss before lying her back down onto her side of the futon and tucked the blue-and-green quilt that Airi had made around her small body. "Don't worry, Imouto." She promised. "I'm going to make sure that you never, ever have bad dreams. And if you do, I'm going to make them all go away, I promise. I just need to get my own head together..."

For a few moments there was silence as Kanaya stared into the darkness and she spoke again, time to the world around her. "I can fix everything. I can fix this world."

But even Kanaya doubted her own words.