Hi, sorry for the wait but life has gotten a bit hectic with school picking up and work but I promise I'll be much more active with updates and the like! Anyways I don't own Naruto only Tomie and please enjoy!
I had no idea why I was out here back in that part of the forest where I met that kid but here I was, kicking at the dirt waiting for him to show up again. It was stupid to come back out here honestly it's not like he'd come back to this spot at all. This forest was huge, I think. He could be anywhere so I should just head back to the compound and never come out here ever again.
Even as I mentally punched myself my body stood firmly in its place not listening to my mind as it yelled to just leave. Letting out a heavy sigh I tried to wave the disappointment that was buried in the back of my mind away and pushed myself to stand up straight and got ready to walk away.
Don't know why I was so disappointed we met once and he just got me some flowers and I left. Yet I came back here without Kamie and stood here waiting for a boy that would most likely never come back. I'm a lonely idiot who-
"Tomie you came back! You came back!"
"HOLY SHIT!" My thoughts interrupted my foot flew out from underneath me and I fell backward feeling my head slam into the large and very sturdy tree that I had just been leaning on. Reeling away from the pain I tripped over my foot and started falling forward before a hand reached out and stopped my fall.
"Sorry about that. Are you okay?" Looking up I saw it was the same boy as last time, who was looking a bit worried at the moment. Pushing myself up and out of my arm I quickly grabbed a nearby branch and smacked the top of his head with it.
"Don't you know not to sneak up on a girl like that!" He obviously let me smack him cause him being a shinobi was more than obvious. He dropped into a small bow giving me a nervous smile.
"S-sorry, please forgive me!" Crossing my arms I gave him a once over and pouted a bit.
"Just this once I guess. Just never do that again! I don't like being surprised!" Uncrossing my arm I rubbed the back of my head which I knew would bruise before sighing. "I'm...surprised you showed up again. I'm, uh, glad though. It's nice to meet someone I'm not related to." Turning around to face him I'm nearly blinded by how bright his smile was.
"I'm glad! I was hoping to see you again and I guess if you were waiting here you were hoping too." He looked like a puppy with his sparkling eyes and I took a few steps back nervously.
"Y-yeah, sure, I guess." Sitting down on the ground in front of him an attempted to fix my bun nervously. I still couldn't bury the feeling that I knew him from somewhere but, tucking the loose hairs into my bun, I buried the feeling away. "Is there anything you want to do? I didn't really think that far ahead."
Sitting down in front of me he thought for a moment before clapping happily. "Did you bring your painting stuff?" Nodding in confusion I pull out a small ink container and brush out of the folds of my obi.
"Yeah, I take it with me everywhere. But what's your idea? I don't have any paper with me." He just smiled and held out his hand. Blinking for a moment I looked between his hand and his face.
"You said you liked to paint, can you do something on my hand?"
"Oh...I mean yeah but what would you like?"
"Anything you want Tomie-chan!"
"Alright, I'm drawing a dick." His hand and his entire body shot away from me the moment the words left my mouth. Looking up I found him pressed to a tree, clutching his hand to his chest.
"Not that!" Waving my brush at him I gave a cheeky smile.
"But you said I could draw anything I wanted to~"
"Anything BUT THAT! How do you know what that looks like?" I shrug and draw a swirl on my hand distracted.
"My brothers would draw them sometimes and then laugh about it. So it must be a boy thing." Touching the brush to my chin thoughtfully. "I guess I can draw a flower or somethinggg OH! I'll draw a fox! Come here!" Excitedly waving him over I scooch my knees over to him. Nervously making his way back to his original position. Gently taking his hand into my own I quickly got started on the fox. The difference in our skin tone almost made me laugh. I honestly looked like a sheet of paper compared to him.
"I really do look like a ghost don't I."
"Huh?"
"What you shouted the first time, you know, ghost? I really do look like one." He blinks at me and nods a bit.
"Yeah just a bit, but you are still really pretty!" That last comment made me choke on my own spit as I dragged myself away from him, leaving a long black line across his hand.
"Where did that come from!"
"Isn't that what girls like to hear?" I lash out and draw a long line on his cheek.
"Don't say it cause you think I just want to hear it! You have to mean it!" Pouting again I scooch away from him leaving him sputtering and flailing. "It's the same as lying." Sticking my tongue out at him I gathered up my supplies and shoved them back in my obi.
"H-hey wait!" looking up at him with a glare he gave me a serious look and grabs my hand. "I'm honest, you are pretty." Freezing I look between his hand and his face once again before I felt my face heat up very quickly.
"I-I GOTTA GO!" Yanking my hand away from him I stumbled away quickly. Walking away backward I wave him away trying to get out of there as quickly as I could. "I-I'll see you later m-maybe? I don't know! I just gotta-" tripping over a tree root I let out a loud yelp and dropped behind a bush.
"See you tomorrow Tomie-chan!" I could practically hear the smile in his voice as he said goodbye to me. I chose to stay behind the bush until I was sure he left. Sitting up I scratched the back of my head nervously and let out a sigh. You'd think being a grown woman in my previous life would prevent me from getting flustered at getting called *pretty* but here I am, blushing like a school girl at the first boy to really call me pretty. Shaking my head and slapping my cheeks I tried to brush it off as best as I could.
He just said that cause he thought girls like that, no other reason. Shooting up to stand I shake my head letting my bun fall apart but catching my mother's ribbon as it drifted towards the ground. "Calling me pretty and acting all nice and being a good person all around. WHAT AN ASSHOLE!" Stomping on the ground once I made my way back to the compound before pausing. "...did he say tomorrow?"
Plucking at one of the flowers I found around the garden I twirled around the stem in my hand before just tossing it in the pond in front of me. It was strange how peaceful it was in the compound when you thought about the battles going on outside the walls. Every day my father and brothers would go out and come back injured but paid.
Picking up a leaf I looked it over before sticking it to my forehead and focusing as hard as I could. Through my lessons with my tutor, I was told about chakra and all the different and mystical things shinobi could do with it. I was currently trying to master the mystical art of keeping a leaf stuck to my god damned forehead. It was supposedly something that helped you master chakra control at a young age and most people looking to get some chakra do that.
Sadly I seemed pretty trash at it as I had no idea how to even control my chakra in the first place. I had seen the healers who helped my father and brothers recover from their injuries using what I think was chakra, their hands glowed green so it had to be. When I asked them to teach me though, they refused. It was infuriating honestly. I just wanted to help my brothers, heal them when they were injured.
Twirling the leaf I looked up at the sky for a second. Hashirama was a shinobi if his stealth and movement were anything to go by maybe I could ask him for help. Nodding to myself I toss the leaf aside and stand up giving a good stretch. Yeah, I'll just ask Hashirama, it's not like I'm asking him to teach me all his secrets, just chakra control. It's no big deal. "It's no big deal!"
"That's no big deal?"
"Dicks!" Letting out a shout I tumbled forward into the pond sending the koi scattering away. Popping back up to the surface in a panic I looked around wildly before spotting Yoro standing over me attempting to contain his laughter.
"And who taught you that word?" Bending down and lifting me out of the pond he raised an amused eyebrow at my wet form.
"A-ah, uhhhh Goro did?"
"Of course he did, come on it's time to eat." Taking my hand we start silently towards the dining room. I fidgeted nervously looking at his face every once in a while before quickly looking back down at the ground.
"H-hey Yoro-nii?" Pausing slightly he glances down at me with a raised eyebrow but doesn't say anything. "D-do you think I'm, you know, pretty?" His face quickly turned into one of confusion as he crouched down to my height. I shifted nervously as he studied me longer before sighing.
"Did a boy tell you that?" Shaking my head I looked away.
"N-no, I was just wondering a…the only boys I really know are you guys." He stood up again and gave me a heavy pat on my head.
"You're pretty Tomie, don't worry about it." Nodding while keeping my eyes on the ground I grab Yoro's hand and we silently make our way to the kitchen to join my family for supper.
"Hey, Hashirama-kun?"
"Hm?"
"Could you maybe perhaps kinda….teach me chakra control?" My voice wavered near the end and I pulled my hand away from his hair where I was sorting leaves and the stray branch from it. He turned to look at me, his usual smile gone and replaced with a tight line as his eyes studied me seriously. "I-I don't want to learn any big dangerous moves. I just want to know how to heal." Getting silent at the end I fiddled with the front of my kimono glancing up at him through my lashes.
He stared at me for a bit longer making me shift uncomfortably where I was sitting before leaning in. "You know that healing takes an amazing amount of chakra control."
"Y-yeah, but my brothers get injured a lot and I feel useless and if I could heal them maybe they would include me in more stuff. It's annoying being left out of everything." He listens intently keeping his steady gaze on me.
"You know that you can use general medical skills, like herbal remedies and other stuff?"
"Yeah but that doesn't work as quickly with chakra healing! You just make your hand glow and BAM wounds all healed!" Looking back up at him I spot his conflicted look and look down with a sad sigh. "I...I figured you were a ninja so you knew about chakra control. I know ninja don't like to share stuff like that but we are friends so I just thought…" Bringing my knees up to my chest I draw shapes in the loose dirt beneath me. "Y-you don't have to if you don't want to."
Looking to the side he gave a contemplative look before standing up straight and giving me a look. "Do you know any trainings? Any at all?"
"W-well I know about the thing where you put a leaf on your forehead and focus and it sticks but I can't really get it to, you know, stick." Grabbing a leaf off the ground I placed it on my forehead letting it go watching as it drifted back to the ground. "I don't really get this whole chakra thing, isn't it supposed to be natural? Why can't I feel it?"
"You need to find your chakra before you use it. People naturally don't feel it so they can't really use it. Close your eyes and focus inward, if you have the ability you will find it." Blinking at him for a moment I nod and close my eyes trying to focus inward. Tapping my finger against my leg impatiently I sat there with my eyes closed I crossed my arm waiting for something.
I still had no idea what I was looking for or what I was supposed to feel. How was I meant to look inward when I didn't know what I was looking for. Chakra was energy so how did I think it would feel. Digging for some energy my face scrunched up in tension as I felt a small spark of something buried deep. It was like a small muted spark buried beneath a lot of mud. Digging at the mud I felt the spark get brighter and brighter before it was like I opened a floodgate. The mud vanished and a flood of green energy appeared and once everything settled it was like a pool. A very shallow pool but a pool none the less.
My eyes shot open and I looked at Hashirama with wide excited eyes. "I-I think I did it!" Clapping happily I looked at him for confirmation he gives me a smile and nods.
"Pretty good for someone who's never used chakra before. Now that you have better access to it you should be able to do the exercise." Practically vibrating I lean forward and plant a kiss on Hashirama's cheek before standing up and brushing myself off.
"Thanks, Hashi-kun! I gotta go before people start wondering where I am! Bye!" Giving a quick wave I started my run back to my compound. Leaving Hashirama sitting there blushing.
Goromie watched his sister pop out of the bushes from his hiding place with a sigh. He knew about her little excursions for a while, constantly vanishing then appearing in the courtyard a little bit later out of the same bush every time. She was completely oblivious to him following her as she ran out of the safety of the compound to frolic doing who knows what in the forest.
It was kind of annoying, she had no ideas about the dangers of going outside the walls. She didn't know the constant fights her family went through to keep things for the whole clan safe. To keep the Senju and Uchiha and their stupid worthless war away from them all. He couldn't completely blame her, father didn't want her to know. He wanted to keep her safe and protected in the compound and instead, she gallivanted off behind his back to do god knows what in the woods. He knew that father saw too much of mother in her and sometimes when Goro looked at her that was all he could see.
Crossing his arms he glared at her as she finished pulling the leaves from her hair and skipped off towards the house. He wouldn't tell father yet, first, he wanted to see what she was doing out there. There weren't any towns around here so there couldn't be too much interesting out there. So she had to have found something to spend a lot of time on.
Letting out a sigh Goro straightened out and stealthed back into his room. Maybe he needed to get her more art supplies. Next time he goes out he'll see if he can find anything that'd keep her occupied enough to keep her on the compound. Looking up at his father who was sitting peacefully in the middle of his room he shook his head. "She's just messing around in some hidden places in the courtyard." His father nodded before standing up.
"Very well. Keep an eye on her. I do not like her disappearances, people are asking questions." Nodding Goro sat down on the ground as his father passed by listening to the door open. "Protect her Goro, she's all we have left of your mother." Goro felt his heart drop as the door closed.
He wanted to protect Tomie, no matter what. But how the hell was he supposed to protect her from her own dumb choices?
Today was a bit off for some reason, the whole compound was full of whispering and a strange buzzing energy. The servants were being extra antsy and were desperately cleaning everything. That everything also included me. "Tomie-sama! Get back here, I have to make you look presentable!" Booking it down the hallway I could feel Karamie-chan on my heels. She had been my personal handmaid for a long while, assigned by my father recently to keep me from going completely off the rails. She spent most her time letting me do what I want but she was on my ass like a hawk the moment she sees me messing with chakra or my kimono has the smallest smudge of dirt.
Today though, she was merciless. Letting out a yelp as she grabbed the back of my Kimono I felt myself be dragged back to my room and towards my doom. "But why? I don't get what's going on." Kicking my legs weakly I gave up and let her drag me back into the bedroom. With surprising strength, she heaved me in front of a mirror and started pulling out my more fancy kimonos. Grabbing a stark white one she quickly got me wrapped up in the many layers.
"We have a guest clan coming, we've always had good relations with them we wish to better that relationship by holding a ceremony with their head family. We don't want to be like the Uchiha and Senju." I sat nodding along as she pinned up my hair into an elaborate bun. "Your father and the council has some news to announce once the banquet has started." Finishing with my hair she patted my shoulders with a happy giggle.
"Another clan huh? I wish father didn't leave me so out of the loop." Shifting a bit I looked at the elaborate outfit I was now strapped into. "What's the clan's name?"
"The Karagi clan. It's not the most powerful clan there is but it's good to have a few allies in this war-torn world. Now come on my lady, your father wants all of you at the gates to greet our guests." Helping me stand up under the many layers of cloth she guided me out of the house and down the streets.
At this point, I realized everything was decorated. There were lanterns strewn about the main street and everything was neat and organized to make it look the best that they could. It was odd, everyone seemed high strung, wearing the best clothes they got and twitching around everywhere. Everyone had a nervous look in their eyes which practically affected the air around them.
Shaking my head I spotted my brothers standing by my father's side looking very disgruntled. "Did the maids get you too?" I stood next to Goro and looked up at his face with a coy smile.
"Yup, they are relentless aren't they." Squeezing up next to him I eyed the door nervously and dropped my voice a bit "When are they going to come?" The small hand of Kamie slipped into my own and I gave it a light squeeze. Glancing down at her I saw her all prettied up and practically swallowed her in the many layers. She looks up at me with sad eyes and quickly wraps her arms around my skirt, burying her face in the fabric.
He shrugs and drops his voice too "Not sure, they should be arriving at any moment now." I nod and turn to look at the large doors at the entrance of the compound. I wonder if they'd look like Hashirama, currently, he was my only viewpoint on what outsiders looked like. Jumping as the doors started to open I straightened my back and looked forward. As the doors fully opened I locked eyes with an orange haired boy and blinked in surprise.