Disclaimer: Naruto © Masashi Kishimoto.


II.

They questioned her.

Procedure, her silver-haired savior—Sakumo, they called him—had said before disappearing in a swirl of leaves along with two of his companions. It was understandable—she had been the sole survivor of an attack possibly made by enemy shinobi and her word as the only witness held a certain amount of weight. Mitama answered their questions solemnly, providing them with the few bits and pieces spared from her traumatic and strenuous ordeal.

"How long have you been away from the village since the attack?"

"Mn, 'bout eight days. Maybe?"

"How did you escape?"

She fiddled with her shirt as she tried to form an answer. "…I felt 'em coming an' I ran away."

A pale eyebrow lifted. "You felt them coming? Explain."

She hadn't even tried explaining it to the children of Sakuragaoka and, the one time she had tried expressing herself to her parents, they had merely taken her words for simple, childish babble.

Mitama bit her lip fretfully, eyes averting to her sandals. "I-It's kinda hard ta explain but… They felt like, uh, lit candles, maybe? Big an' bright. An' somebody was movin' 'em closer a-an' I could feel 'em bein' moved?" Her wan cheeks colored. "…Does that make sense?"

The blonde's lips twitched minutely. "I get the basic meaning of it. Can you remember any prominent details of the assailants?"

"W-well… I didn' see no one. B-but maybe they were Suna-nin? T-they used this wind ninjutsu a-an' cut through everythin' like it was nothin' but water. Plus, Sakuragaoka was pretty close to Wind Country—jus' cross o'er River Country an' you're there." Her voice faltered slightly before she continued, "M-maybe they were tryin' ta cut supply production? A lot o' our plants ended up bein' shipped off ta Chōtatsu-shi ta be made inta provisions an' stuff like that." She dropped her gaze as she continued to ramble, "Or maybe they wanted our crops for themselves? I-I mean, Wind Country don' have that much fertile soil—if any—an' they mainly have to deal in imports an' exports from other minor countries. Sakuragaoka was pretty big for a farmin' place an' we had a lot o' different crops. Oh! Maybe it was both—"

The blonde woman tilted her head back, pinching her temples as she held up a hand. "You can stop now. Your butchered dialect is giving me a migraine. I request that you give your answers in as few words possible." She let out a sigh. "While your attempts at figuring out possible motives is…admirable, I suggest you leave such endeavors to usor, at least, to Genbu here."

The dark-haired man in question inclined his head but offered nothing more to the conversation.

Dejected and offended by the woman's lack of manners, Mitama pulled her knees up to her chest and tersely answered the rest of the questions directed towards her.


Their orders had been to wait for their squad's return. If they were not back by sunset, the two were to escort her to the nearest town, Echigoya-machi. If they were not back by morning, they were to take her to Konohagakure no Sato.

One hour had passed. Then, two. Three. Four. Five.

Mitama had mistakenly dozed off in waiting for her savior, only to wake up gagging and short of breath. The two shinobi barely spared her a glance as they whispered amongst themselves before the blonde kunoichi dryly declared their departure. The man easily crouched before her, wordlessly offering to be her human steed for the duration of the journey.

On the back of the dark-haired shinobi, Genbu, passage to Echigoya-machi had been swift, taking a mere two and a half hours on foot.

Mitama could only feel a sense of envy and, oddly enough, nostalgia towards the soldiers' speed and stamina as they entered the merchant town.


("So you aren't as resilient as most. Not everyone is meant to take a punch. Some people have glass jaws—you're one of them. That's fine. Everything's fine, okay?"

"…But, what if I have no choice? What if I have to fight?"

"You don't want to be hit. What does a person who doesn't want to be hit do? They dodge. Your opponent can't hurt what they can't hit, right?")


Her cheeks flushed in mortification as she examined her soiled clothing. She craned her neck up, beseechingly staring at the two adults guarding her.

Genbu's lips curled in lazy mirth. "Pissed your pants, did you?"

Shamefully, Mitama looked away, hands clutching together anxiously as she silently prayed for Sakumo-san's spontaneous appearance to comfort and protect her from his subordinates. The dark-haired man broke out into low, subdued chuckles and her once pallid skin took on a red, tomato-like hue as his laughter rang throughout her ears.

The kunoichi turned away, moving to leave the room they occupied. "I'll get some suitable clothing for her. Keep her safe while I'm gone."

Mitama was left alone with Genbu in the modest hotel room.

His muffled laughter continued, even after the kunoichi returned an hour later.


"Come." The blonde-haired woman—Ayako, she had called herself—held out a hand, beckoning her towards the tub. "You are filthy and simply acknowledging your existence makes me want to vomit."

Mitama remained still, fingers fiddling with the edges of her torn top as she stared down the kunoichi. The girl was aware of her rather unhygienic state but she wasn't an imbecile—nor was she fond of others being so blatant with their dislike of her. She had assumed that common courtesy was the first step in garnering another's respect but the kunoichi named Ayako made it so very difficult for her.

"…I can wash myself." She replied petulantly, taking a tentative step back and bracing herself against the door behind her. "I don't need any—"

"Child." Ayako interrupted, turquoise eyes narrowed. "We can do this the easy way or the hard way—the choice is yours." Her lips twitched as she tucked a bit of hair behind an ear. "Now, I am rather fond of the hard way but I am willing to be genial and give you the opportunity to make the right decision."

"I—"

"Genbu!" She called, rolling up her sleeves and pinning up her sweeping hair. "228.6 centimeters!"

"Got it!"

There was a brief, pregnant pause before Mitama felt her whole body go rigid, as if possessed by an unknown entity. Sable eyes widened as she struggled against the unforeseen force and a low, keening whine fell from her lips as her body crouched, as if preparing for a lunge. When her body did just that, she screamed—loudly—as her tiny body went sailing over the length of the bathroom and straight into the bathtub full of bubbles, the landing softened by the steaming water. Dominance returned but control of her body was immediately relinquished to the relentless Ayako, whose hands promptly ripped off all her clothing and proceeded to scrub each and every inch of her body with a sponge loofah.

The girl flinched violently in pain, shoulders hunching and eyes clenching shut. "That hurts! I—"

"Quiet." The kunoichi leaned back, retrieving a bottle of lavender-scented shampoo. "I need every ounce of concentration to thoroughly clean your dirt-encrusted body."

Mitama could only wince as the blonde slathered her hair with shampoo, roughly scrubbed her uneven locks with sharp, scraping nails and dunked her head underneath the water, holding her there for a millisecond too long.


"You are now a civilized person of society. There's no need for gratitude."

She bit her lip, glaring up at the woman through eyelashes.

"I said, there's no need for gratitude." The blonde-haired woman's lightly painted lips twitched at their corners and her sharp nails made deep groves in the polished oaken floor table.

Her heart sped as a harsh, oppressing aura weighted down on her. She stuttered as she quickly blurted, "T-thank ya, Ayako-san…!"

Ayako nodded curtly, a smirk on her face. "You are most welcome. Now, please cease speaking to me—your vernacular is like claws on a chalkboard."


"Not tired?"

Her eyes snapped opened and her hands froze as the dark-haired shinobi eased himself down across from her. "…I don' sleep too much."

"That's obvious. Understandable too, considering what you've been through this past week." He observed her tiny form as he leaned his elbows on his knees. "What's your name, kid?"

She stared at him suspiciously from beneath her eyelashes. "…Tama…"

"Tama?"

"…Tama's short for…Mitama."

"That's kind of a weird name for a kid—or a person in general." He again eyed her pale form before shrugging dismissively. "But who am I to judge? My little cousin and I are named after some guardian spirits my grandmother worshipped. I don't know why the old hag couldn't give us normal names."

Mitama narrowed her eyes, catching his subtle jab at her name. "…Ma let my grandma name me, too." Something resembling bitterness darkened her features. "She didn' think I'd survive very long."

"Ironic." Genbu muttered, lacing his fingers together. "Anyways, I'm going to get straight to the point, kid. In wake of the destruction of Sakuragaoka, you are to be a ward of Konohagakure no Sato. Do you know what that means?"

The girl nodded hesitantly, hands toying with the edges of her newly-evened hair. "Yeah."

"What does it mean?"

She stared at the man, lips pulled into a deep frown. "It means I'm under Konoha's legal protection 'til I'm o' age."

His lips twitched at its corners as he nodded shortly. "That's the basic gist of it. You'll be taken to the capital where you'll fill out some paperwork for your citizenship—you'll have lots of fun with that, by the way—and, while it's processing, you'll be placed temporarily at one of Konoha's orphanages."

"Temporary?" She murmured inquisitively. "I won't be…?"

"Well, what I meant was… Hm." Genbu paused, eyes searching her face for something secret. "Konohagakure is a hidden village, meaning that alongside traditional academic schooling, official shinobi training is available for those interested. There's another living arrangement available for orphans that meet certain criteria who wish to pursue a military-based career."

"Military?" She parroted softly, biting her bottom lip as spotty, vague fragments clicked together in her mind. "Would I…get my own home?"

His face remained carefully blank as he propped his chin on the back of a hand. "Yes, you would. Nothing extravagant, of course—just a little place equipped with the bare essentials. However, in order to be qualified for your own apartment, you have to do a few things. Namely, you have to prove that you're capable of caring for yourself for an extended period of time; you have to pass an exam to be admitted into the Academy; and you have to maintain a high class ranking for the duration of your shinobi training."

"It doesn't sound…" Her head tilted incrementally, trailing off. "Well…"

"It doesn't sound too hard?" A low, sardonic chuckle rumbled in his chest. "You'd be surprised, kid. There's a very low rate of children that actually qualify each year; I don't think there are any children that even qualified this year."

"Why?"

"Because most children aren't capable of caring for themselves at the age of six—especially not those who haven't developed proper life skills." He shrugged his shoulders. "They may pass the initial exam to get into the Academy but, eventually, the burdens of taking care of themselves and keeping a high class ranking make most kids buckle under the pressure."

"What's tha point of havin' it then?" She couldn't help but question. "If most can't, what's tha point of havin' it? Why not let 'em live at tha orphanage an' attend?"

The dark-haired man sighed, reclining back with crossed arms behind his head. "The Academy isn't free, kid. It has a tuition fee and the supplies necessary for proper shinobi training isn't exactly cheap. The orphanages already have to clothe, feed and house a relatively large number of children; they aren't able to put them through shinobi training as well."

"O-oh."

"That's where the Advancement Scholarship comes in. It's only available to children such as yourself and it pays for everything—including living expenses and school supplies. All you have to do in return is what I explained earlier and, again, it's not the easiest thing to accomplish for children without the advantage of maturity and a sense responsibility."

The girl frowned thoughtfully. Despite Genbu's demoralizing words, the feat still didn't sound as complicated or taxing as he was making it out to be. Mitama wasn't one to boast but she knew how to care for herself and she was certain she already had a decent grip on certain academics. The knowledge she had seemed almost inherent and it perplexed her at times, spontaneously knowing certain things but, because of that same awareness, she knew that having such capabilities were an advantage for a helpless child such as she.

She mumbled faintly, incoherently with eyes cast down as she came to an obvious decision.

"Hey, kid. You know how to write?" The shinobi asked abruptly. "And can you read?"

Her eyebrows furrowed as she considered his question. Realistically, she shouldn't have known. Most in Sakuragaoka were illiterate—all save for the village head and his wife. Mitama hadn't learned to read or write from the man nor his wife; they hadn't been on close enough terms to even fathom such a thing.

But, Mitama knew she was literate.

After a moment, she nodded. Wordlessly, the dark-haired man reached into a pouch at his waist and pulled out a blank scroll along with a slim brush. Applying a bit of chakra to the brush, the once white bristles darkened, dampened with ink. With an expectant look on his face, he handed the brush to the girl.

"Write your name." He ordered simply.

Her lips pursed as she took the brush in hand, contemplating where to write on the scroll and how large or small. With a slightly unsteady grip, the girl slowly wrote out the hiragana required for her name.

She paused before jotting down the necessary katakana for her name.

Finally, she completed his request with the kanji form of her name.

御霊

Genbu hummed thoughtfully, taking both the scroll and brush in hand. Quickly, he jotted something down before holding the writing before her face. "Read this out loud."

Her eyes scanned over the text before she let out a short, appalled squeak. "T-That's n-not—!"

"Read it." He pushed, grey eyes dancing with mirth.

"Mitama is a brat that peed her pants." She read through gritted teeth, her tiny hands balling into fists. "Y-you—!"

He let out a carefree laugh, roughly jabbing the seething girl on the forehead with a finger. He snorted when her head jarred, knocking into the wall behind her. "Time to hit the sack, kid. Regardless of whether or not the squad returns, we're heading out before afternoon."

When the man turned his back, Mitama childishly stuck out her tongue at him.

She really hoped Sakumo-san would return, simply so she wouldn't be alone with his terrible underlings for much longer.


The dark-haired shinobi let out a deep, guttural yawn as he pulled at his spike of a ponytail. "You're up with the chickens, kid."

"Mn. A-an' tha n-nice chefs gave me stuff ta make onigiri…for breakfast. Here I made o-one for you. Please take it, Genbu-san." She held out the plate, a small, angelic smile on her pale face.

"Cute. I know you spit in that onigiri, kid. Try again on someone else—preferably not a shinobi."

The smile dropped. "… …I don' like you… …"

"Heh. Should I start calling you Ara-Mitama now?" He ruffled her hair roughly, filling the early morning with his rough chuckles.


Sakumo-san and companions still did not return in the morning.

Mitama couldn't stop the groan of vexation as she unwillingly climbed Genbu's back and listened to his seemingly unending jokes about her little "accident."


The journey to Konohagakure had been broken into a total of seven days.

The trip from Echigoya-machi to Tanzaku-gai had taken five days. The trio arrived in late evening and resided there until early afternoon—Ayako hadn't been fond of the various gambling facilities, the whore houses or the many men that thought it wise to proposition her. The decision was made spontaneously, just as she and Genbu exited a bookstore to see the blonde kunoichi holding a screaming man in a rather painful-looking joint lock.

"Ayako, you can let go now." Genbu said as he pushed through the clump of people that had gathered to watch the spectacle. "Besides, you're making a scene."

The woman glanced at her partner before finally noticing the various stares that were on her. The kunoichi clucked her tongue, jerking the man's arm before relenting. Mitama watched in amazement as Ayako's body sinuously untwined from the man's and, with a graceful, flamboyant handstand, she was back on her feet, dusting dirt from her clothing as she leveled the man with a disdainful scowl.

"If you wish to keep all your limbs, I suggest you never approach another woman with such blatant disrespect again." She flicked a bit of hair over her shoulder, her eyes narrowing at the crowd before she pivoted on her heel. "Come. Let us leave this cesspool of debauchery and hedonistic revelry. It disgusts me."

Genbu tilted his head away from the slowly dissipating crowd, letting out a low chuckle as he mussed up the small girl's hair. "C'mon, kid. I'd hate to stick around and see a comrade hanging about in this place. That's something a little too personal for my tastes."

She let out a small squeak as the shinobi led her away but, for some reason, she had the urge to turn back towards the crowd. When her head turned, her eyes caught a glimpse of gleaming onyx and a shock of spiky, white hair.

"Stop dragging your feet, kid." Genbu complained, jerking her forth a bit. "Sakumo-taichou isn't back there."

Her eyebrows furrowed at his words. She didn't hallucinate—not in the traditional manner, she supposed—but she was sure that she had seen two physical characteristics of Sakumo-san: ebony eyes and light hair. Granted, Sakumo-san's hair bordered more on a shade of light grey but, if given the proper lighting, it could appear white.

But, she wasn't naïve. She knew the person she'd seen a mere glance of wasn't Sakumo-san. If it were, why hadn't he approached earlier and stopped Ayako's behavior? Mitama was quite sure the woman wouldn't have gone as far in the presence of her captain and she was sure Sakumo-san wouldn't have allowed the situation to progress to the level it had gone. As well, where were the other two members of their squad that had accompanied Sakumo-san? Mitama couldn't deny the possibility that something could have happened to them but, regardless, things didn't add up.

Besides, she had noticed another feature of the mysterious man: a noticeable wart on his nose.

And, for some reason, Mitama felt that odd sense of familiarity.


They arrived at Konohagakure no Sato after two more days.

"Here were are." Genbu said, shifting his hold on her small form. "Home sweet home."

Mitama could only croak as she beheld Konoha's enormous gates, a myriad of feelings and fleeting memories surging deep from within her mind and soul. She shivered as they passed through them, weaving through the mass of people coming from and going towards their own destinations. Her teeth gritted and her vision blurred as she tightened her hold around Genbu's sturdy neck, to the point where the man had grunted and pinched her thigh in response.

She barely twitched.

"Calm your nonexistent tits, yeah." He laughed when Ayako sent him a hard glare. "Look, we're almost to the Administration Building. Our destination's the Hokage's Office. It's that room at the very top there."

It took the girl several long minutes before she recovered from her momentary stupor. Consciousness and function returned to her just as they stepped through the threshold of the Hokage's Office and, for her own health, Mitama ignored the wash of déjà vu that threatened to overwhelm her once more. Dazedly, she realized that Genbu had set her on her own two feet and, unconsciously, her tiny hands latched onto the fabric of the man's pants.

"Genbu, Ayako." A coarse voice grumbled in acknowledgement.

"Hokage-sama." The two greeted simultaneously, bowing at the waist and Mitama followed suit.

When they straightened, the tanned man had leaned back in his chair, regarding the young girl with an indistinct expression. "I assume this child is part of the reason as to why you are here without half of your squad. Am I correct?"

Ayako nodded. "Yes, Hokage-sama. Despite our prior mission's objective, we were unable to reach Sakuragaoka in time to prevent its destruction." She gestured towards Mitama. "We encountered this girl several miles from the village, being accosted by a large wild boar. Sakumo-taichou dispatched the feral creature promptly and retrieved the child. Through some basic questioning, we learned that the girl hailed from Sakuragaoka and had managed to escape the night of the attack."

"Sakumo-taichou, along with Gen and Dotarō, departed for Sakuragaoka to search for any possible survivors, leaving with us the orders to wait until sunset for their return. If they hadn't returned by that time, we were to head for the closest populated area—which had been Echigoya-machi." Genbu added, placing a hand on her shoulder and forcing her from behind his back. "Finally, if they hadn't returned by morning, we were to escort the girl back here, to Konohagakure, where she would be safe."

"Is that right? Was it…?"

"The girl claimed she witnessed what she believed to be a wind ninjutsu but, given enough training, any shinobi could possibly learn to use another elemental nature." Genbu shrugged a shoulder, shoving a hand into a pocket. "However, we can't be certain until Sakumo-taichou and the others return."

"Yes, I suppose so." He mused, absently scratching his goatee as he rested his gaze on Mitama. "Now, then. What is your name, child?"

She squeaked as Genbu pushed her lightly, making her clumsily stumble over her own feet. Suppressing the urge to turn and glare at the no doubt smirking shinobi, the girl bowed deeply before rising. With colored cheeks and fidgeting hands, she answered, "M-my name's Mitama, uh, H-Hokage-sama."

"There's no need to be nervous here, Mitama-chan. You're safe here in the Leaf." A solemn look marred his features, making him seem older than he was. "As for your loss, I am deeply sorry for it, as well as for the subsequent pain that you've suffered."

She nodded awkwardly, scratching the back of her neck as she averted her gaze to the ground. "I-It's nobody's fault e-except tha people that did it." As well as her fault but she doubted that would be appropriate to voice. "I-I jus' wanna…not think about it v-very much. Please, Hokage-sama."

"I understand. Very well, let us start on another subject. Has either Genbu or Ayako explained your options for taking up residence in Konoha?"

"Yes, Hokage-sama, a-an' I'd like ta be a shinobi—er, kunoichi?" She glanced away, a sheepish smile on her face. "I'd like ta get tha Advancement Scholarship an' my own h-home, please!"

A flash of shock bolted over his face before a benevolent smile stretched his laugh lines. "Ah. The path of shinobi is one often traveled and one often abandoned. Are you sure you wouldn't prefer staying within one of our facilities and attending Gakuen Kareha for regular schooling? You won't have to worry about feeling out of place, if that is what's wrong. Our caretakers are very kind and would never neglect one of their own."

She didn't hesitate. "No sir, that's not it. I'd jus' like ta attend tha Academy an' get my own home please."

His eyebrows furrowed as he shifted in his seat, leaning forward to pin her with a sharp, intimidating stare. "Mitama-chan, I'm not sure you understand what it is that you're asking for. Are you fully aware and prepared to endure the responsibility and dedication this endeavor would require?"

The girl wrung her hands together but kept her gaze steady. She wouldn't lie and claim she was fearless but she refused to cower before his blatant attempt at submission—it would only serve to drive her further from her own, personal home. "N-no disrespect, Hokage-sama, but I know full w-well what it is I'm askin'."

At that, Genbu deemed it an opportune time to interrupt. "If I may interject, Hokage-sama?"

The Hokage arched an eyebrow, resting his chin in the palm of a hand. "I take it that it was you, Genbu, that told her of the Advancement Scholarship and its requirements?"

"That I am, Hokage-sama. However, it was with good reason. Despite her rather hayseed appearance, this one here is a lot keener than one would initially believe at first glance." He smiled lazily, completely unapologetic as he ruffled up the sulking girl's hair. "She's literate—which is a miracle considering her rustic background. Her survival instincts are impressive—she survived alone in Fire Country for about a week and would've made it to Echigoya-machi had it not been for that one small hiccup. She has a vast array of knowledge, spanning various different subjects. Hell, she even knows the twelve basic hand seals."

He watched his subordinate. "So, I am to take it that you are vouching for the girl?"

"She has a little problem with her bladder control but yeah, I'm vouching for the kid." He snorted lightly, in complete amusement as Mitama stomped on his foot. "It would be a waste to send her to the civilian school."

"What about you, Ayako?" He stated, shifting his gaze to the blonde woman. "You've been observing her as well."

"While I don't agree with Genbu's hyperbole, it would be an untruth if I were to claim that she was simply of average intelligence. Her reasoning skills are notable, as well as her social studies—particularly that of economics. Her logistics is very basic but deserves mention considering her rural environment." The willowy kunoichi gave Mitama a sideways glance. "The girl has indications of being a sensor, which likely bolstered her odds of her surviving as long as she did, though, she did do adequately even if one were to not take that into account. If given enough training, I believe she'd fit in somewhere but I do agree that it would be a waste to send her to Gakuen Kareha; the odds are that she'd likely move at a pace far above her peers and we'd end up attempting to recruit her for the Academy, anyways."

He stared at the trio blankly before releasing a soft puff of a laugh. "I see. It seems it's decided then, Mitama-chan. After your citizenry papers have been processed, you'll be allowed to take the entrance exam for the Academy—and you'll be able to move into your new home, if you pass."

A sunny smile curled at the corners of her lips as the words left the Third's mouth. Barely suppressing her happiness, she bowed deeply at the waist. "Thank ya very much, Hokage-sama…! I'll do my very best!"

"I don't doubt that, Mitama-chan." He smiled obligingly while tilting his head towards the kunoichi. "Now, Ayako, escort Mitama-chan downstairs and help her with her papers. I'll be waiting for your mission report before nightfall."

"Yes, Hokage-sama." The woman bowed before she snagged the back of the small girl's shirt, using it to drag her along. "Come, child. The sooner we get this finished, the sooner you'll be able to get the resources to fix that horrid dialect of yours."

"As for you, Genbu, there are a few more things I'd like for you to go over for me."

"Yes, Hokage-sama."

Mitama followed quietly, the smile that had brightened her face falling in favor for a thin-lipped frown.

The Third was a man known for his mastery of the ninja arts; deception and concealment of emotions should have been elementary to the man.

She had seen it, however.

Mitama had seen that skeptical glint in his eye. It was a look that doubted her intelligence, doubted her worth simply due to her lowly heritage. It was irksome being judged like that, as if she deserved no chance to prove herself and differentiate herself from the status as country bumpkin.

But it was fine.

She would pass the entrance exam with flying colors.

It was not a boastful claim.

It was simply a conclusion.


("Congratulations. You are now an official kunoichi of Konohagakure no Sato. Wear that forehead protector with pride. Remember, always embody the Will of Fire.")


Mitama let out a quiet yawn as she stretched out her achy, stiff limbs.

Genbu had been right about the papers. She found herself having plenty of fun with them.

She turned over a page in the thick packet, sighing when she realized she still had another ten pages to fill out.


After a short interview consisting of questions regarding her background, she was carted off to the nearest orphanage for temporary stay. Her kunoichi escort led her into the quaint building, said a few words to a caretaker and left without another word to either Mitama or the chubby, round-faced woman that had placed a gentle, comforting hand on her shoulder.

"Mitama-chan, was it?" Her lips curled at the girl's tentative nod. "Well, come inside, dear. Everyone has gathered for dinner. I'm sure you're hungry."

Mitama found herself tuning out everything the woman chattered into her ear as they moved to the designated eating area.

She didn't mean to but she had no reason to remember the people or rules of a place she wouldn't be around for very long.


None of the children spoke to her. The caretakers hid it well but seemed to be wary of her.

She had heard their whispers of her appearance; they spoke of how she looked and acted uncannily like a ghost—a spirit. Her skin was pale, accented by large, darkly-rimmed brown eyes and hair the deepest black. She was thin, wispy and her footsteps were light, barely making noise as she glided across the hardwood floors. She kept quiet often times but, when needed, she spoke in a soft, subdued manner, seldom raising her voice among others. She barely slept at night—if ever—and it only served to perturb to children and workers alike. It may have been simply waking up to the sight of her, the girl that seemed more ghost like than human.

Mitama frowned, eyes absently following after a spider on the windowsill before her.

Really, she didn't mind the solitude. She wasn't much of a social butterfly, anyways.


Days passed.

Mitama kept herself occupied between exploring the general area around the orphanage and tending to the half-dead, ravaged plants that dotted the facility's grounds.

It must have been the farmer's blood.


Her citizenship processing had been completed by her fifth day in the orphanage.

There wasn't much to confirm about her identity. She had been born in a rural farming village that had no doctor. She didn't know the circumstances of her birth but knew that she did have a birth certificate. She had found it one autumn afternoon, tucked away in her grandmother's things and she had took it, simply because it was hers. Etched on it had been her both her parents' names, her grandmother's name and, funnily enough, her brother's name as well—he had been another witness to her birth.

A small, whimsical smile teased her lips as she stared at the parchments that declared her an official citizen of Konohagakure no Sato.


"Hello, little one."

He came for her several weeks after she'd received her papers.

Her quivering hands snagged one of his, a beaming smile brightening her monotone features. It was difficult for her to suppress the joy and relief of seeing the silver-haired man before her, seemingly alive and well.

"Sakumo-san…!" Her voice was breathy, light as she spoke. "You're back!"

"There was nothing to worry about, little one." He patted her head gently, chuckling in that familiar baritone that washed over her like a refreshing summer shower. "Did Ayako and Genbu treat you well in my absence?"

Her lips curled down in minor distaste. She couldn't outright say she hated them; hatred was such a strong word that she was unwilling to use it so lightly. If she were being honest, they weren't that bad. Ayako insulted her speaking while Genbu made constant jabs about her one accident but they hadn't doubted her abilities—not like their leader, the Third Hokage, had done. Mitama would even go so far as to say that it was with their intervention that she was able to take the Academy's entrance exam.

She shrugged a shoulder. "They were okay, I guess. I don' really like 'em that much, though."

He laughed. "Well, you aren't the first to say that and I doubt you'll be the last."

The girl nodded before another thought entered her head. "Ah! Sakumo-san, I'm gonna take tha entrance exam for tha Academy. Did you hear 'bout it?"

A softer, solemn smile formed as he nodded. "That's actually why I'm here. I was free and was asked to guide you to your testing area."

"Really?" She couldn't stop her bashful smile of delight. "T-thank ya, Sakumo-san."

He ruffled her inky locks, a hidden emotion shining in his onyx eyes. "There's no need to thank me. It's my job to help the people of Fire Country."

Her hands clutched his larger, warmer one a bit tighter. "I know, Sakumo-san."


The Academy's entrance exam was laughably easy, just as Mitama knew it would be.

It was predominately written, save for the brief fitness and health exam given by an on-sight medic before it began.

The ebony-haired girl was only a bit miffed at her diagnosis. Insomnia—chronic for it had lasted for well over a month—as well as symptoms that suggested she suffered from anemia. The girl only experienced chilly hands and feet, pale skin and shortness of breath but, despite those symptoms, she was sure she was of acceptable health. When she voiced that, however, the medic-nin had merely squinted at her dubiously and recommended she followed up with a doctor.

All in all, Mitama couldn't help but feel she had wasted valuable time taking such tests.


She supposed it was worth it when Sakumo-san accompanied her to her new home.

She walked into the small apartment, grimacing a bit at the dust and cobwebs in every corner. Genbu had been right when describing it. A minimalist place with only the bare necessities, the only separate room being a bathroom. It was plain, the only notable feature of the tiny living quarters was that she got a small balcony that overlooked a few restaurants and shops. Her lips pursed as she plopped down onto the mattress, coughing violently as dust billowed up from its seams.

"It's not so bad." Sakumo-san said with gaiety. "I'm sure that after a bit of cleaning, it'll be a very cozy place to call home."

"Home." She echoed quietly, that familiar sense rising in her breast. "This is…my home."

It was an odd and confusing feeling.

Sakuragaoka had been her birth home but, for some reason, she lacked the sense of attachment one would have to such a place. She had cried for the lives lost—had cried because of her own weakness but, for a reason unknown to her, she couldn't shed a tear for Sakuragaoka being gone.

"Little one?" Sakumo's voice invaded her thoughts. "Is there something wrong?"

She wondered what Sakumo-san would say if she told him that. She wondered if he would dismiss her words, attempting to comfort her with the claims that she was still grieving and that the feeling of loss never went away, only lessened with time. She wondered if he'd believe her if she told him she felt no such loss.

"No, 'm okay." She smiled weakly. "...Jus' hungry. An' I wanna go shoppin' for clothes."

"I can help with the hunger but you may want someone else to help with the clothes."

She wondered what he would say if she told him that, in her small, dingy apartment beneath the leaves of Konohagakure no Sato, she felt more at home than she ever had in Sakuragaoka.

And, for the life of her, Mitama couldn't figure the reason why.


A/N: A lot of things stuffed in one chapter simply because I wanted to get to Academy days by chapter three. The Advancement Scholarship concept is from Mind the Gap by Sage Thrasher—a very interesting SI, by the way. Canon claims that orphans of the Konoha Orphanage can enter the Academy when they reach a certain age but, for some reason, that doesn't sit well with me; I like to think a certain number of orphans are allowed to enter the Academy due to money constraints. I don't know how citizenship works in the Shinobi World—the MC grew up in a rural village in Fire Country. Would it take very long for her to be granted citizenship with her whole family dead and as a minor? She had a birth certificate.

Thank you very much for the reviews, favorites and follows. They make me so happy. Please leave any constructive criticisms—I only get better through it.