2.
A year later:
Emi groaned. She hated mornings. Unfortunately a certain little red head seemed impervious to the head-ache inducing sunlight of the early hours. Emi scowled and rolled in her cocoon of blankets to fix Inari with her glare. Inari didn't even blink. She didn't seem so young right now. Her peach kimono style shirt was lowered to hang in a line across her chest and just above her armpits leaving her shoulders bare and the material hung to her knees a slit down either side to allow free movement, the black Obi was pulled tight around her waist and bandages had been painstakingly laced around the end of her shinobi trousers. Inari's hair reached her upper back and clung close, her fringe was cut in a messy V at the centre of her forehead with the crimson strands framing her face. She'd somehow managed to attach her sword to her back, the shape of which loomed over her now making her already diminutive height shrink beneath its shadow. Inari's grey eyes centred on Emi's and silently watched. Emi wondered how Inari like her sword could appear so fragile and indestructible at once. Emi's eyes grew heavy again as sleep pulled her under.
Inari stayed to watch Emi slump back under the blankets before leaving and closing the door behind her as quietly as possible. She'd woken much earlier than need be but Inari didn't want to be late and she didn't sleep well anyway so she was typically awake at the crack of dawn. She had planned ahead knowing that the unaccustomed weight of her sword on her back could prove a problem. Her feet lifted easily enough, the bulk no different to when she was pulling it behind her in fact it felt...better. Her sword was no longer a weight she had to drag; it was with her now so close she could feel the glass-like blade against her skin through the cloth. It was working with her and keeping her grounded to the earth beneath her sandaled feet. Something solid wrapped itself around the frame of Inari's bones. It was steely but not unpleasant. She felt strong in her purpose for the first time in her short life. Despite the calm step and now resolute expression Inari was still a six year old girl with a sword four times her height strapped across her back so although Inari had set out early and now felt as though the very Konoha Mountains had made her she still arrived about the same time as the other new students.
She heard the steady lull of their chatter before she saw them. There was less than she imagined there would be. The children circulated about, small groups already forming as friends waved over friends or cousins stuck to cousins. Although it all seemed innocent enough, a group of children in essence, there was something odd about the gathering. Firstly the children were all dressed in personalised ninja garb which despite their short limbs and apple cheeks managed to avoid looking like they were playing dress-up in their mommies or daddies wardrobe. Secondly there was the way the children would glance at every new arrival. They were measuring them up, seeking out any strengths or weaknesses as if they were half expecting to be ordered to pounce at them any moment now. More than a few eyes lingered on Inari's sword and her fingers flexed instinctively back towards it.
"Hey, I'm Sarutobi Asuma."
Inari's eyes slicked towards the boy in front of her as he extended a hand towards the girl opposite him. His hair was pitch black as was hers and flicked towards the left as if constantly battling some invisible wind while hers tucked out at the ends. His eyes were black holes while hers were crimson not unlike Inari's hair. A square jaw already at this age paired with his bulky jacket made the boy, Asuma, appear roguish while the girl, who was yet to introduce herself, sported some form of clothing that appeared like a cross between a scarf and a cape. 'She's very pretty,' Inari thought the oddity of her ominous red eyes having little effect.
"Yuhi Kurenai," the now identified girl answered then smiled, "are you nervous?"
"Nervous?" Asuma grinned, "Nah, you?"
"No," her eyes wondered over the others, "some of them don't look ready."
"Some of them look ready to puke," Asuma replied casually.
"Especially that guy," Kurenai pointed out a kid with eyebrows like thick black slugs who was currently squatting up and down at an alarming speed. Asuma laughed and Kurenai smiled but there was no malice in either gesture.
"Most look calm though," Kurenai observed her eyes lingering towards a white haired boy with a mask covering half his face.
"That's White Fang's son," Asuma said, "you seen that kid with the massive sword yet."
"Yes, she's standing right behind us," Kurenai answered.
Both children turned, Asuma leisurely leaning back with his hands in his pockets and Kurenai's head turning to face Inari. Inari said nothing in response to the steady way both regarded her.
"Good morning," Kurenai smiled and Asuma nodded his head in way of replicating her gesture. Both pairs of eyes trailed past Inari's shoulder to the huge blade that glinted and threw silvery reflections across their faces.
"What's your name?" Kurenai asked.
"Inari," she replied.
"You nervous?" Asuma said.
Inari shook her head.
"You don't speak much do you?" Kurenai smiled.
Inari shook her head.
Then both Kurenai and Asuma smiled.
"Are your parents' shinobi, Inari-san?" Kurenai inquired.
Inari shook her head and both laughed good-naturedly. This opened up the topic for Kurenai and Asuma to discuss their parents and Inari was more than content to listen in. They didn't demand Inari's input and they didn't shun her presence either. Asuma and Kurenai talked while Inari listened for another ten minutes enough time for Inari to decide she liked the pair before silence descended at the presence of the shinobi who stared back at the group. He hadn't said a word yet but his mere presence commanded enough respect to wordlessly quiet the children. He launched into the Academy's initiation speech without hesitation. Inari and the two boys Kurenai and Asuma pointed out listened with their eyes locked on the shinobi, soaking up every single syllable that escaped his lips while Asuma and Kurenai chatted with one another quietly lest they distract anyone else. Half-way through a boy came running over. Every single pair of eyes shifted to the goggled boy, most with contempt that he'd interrupted and others with just plain curiosity. The boy stumbled through apologies and quickly tried to dematerialise among the crowds in hopes that his already watering eyes would become less noticeable. It didn't work; everyone had already seen his face and registered him as the boy who had almost started crying when he arrived late.
There were three requirements to be a student at the Ninja School. Love the village and hope to help preserve peace and prosperity. Have a mind that will not yield, able to endure hard training and work. Be healthy in mind and body. Inari believed herself to possess all three. Emi believed she possessed all three. The fire smouldering beneath the calm and serene exterior confirmed she possessed all three. There was some trouble concerning where to seat Inari in the classroom due to her sword, an object that she was adamant in refusing to be parted from without having to say a word. The seats rose atop one another, all perched to gaze down onto the huge blackboard and space at the front of the room. It was stadium like but the smell of chalk and ink clearly reassured Inari that this was indeed a classroom. Eventually their sensei, an older man with a drooping salt and pepper moustache and hawk like eyes that could appear soft and approachable one moment and hard and reprimanding the next, decided to sit her at the front.
"Hyuga Shinji," he called pointing to the first seat on the foremost desk.
"Inari," he pointed to the next.
"Hatake Kakashi," then the next.
His finger trailed up to the row above.
"Nohara Rin."
"Sarutobi Asuma."
"Yuhi Kurenai."
Inari slid into her place beside a boy who was twitching every now and then before glancing at his watch, quietly telling himself to 'calm down' and repeating the process. His hair was a deep brunette and clipped short except for the fringe that hung down to brush against his effeminate eyelashes. His skin was ghostly white and he had wrapped himself in an oversized pale blue woollen jumper that reminded Inari of the hand-me-downs she used to don. The boy's features were rounded and soft, buttony nose and cherub cheeks an awaiting mother dreamed of, the nervous, restless glances only adding to the urge to wrap the boy in blankets. His eyes were the glassy orbs of all Hyugas' and lingered fearfully on Inari's blade as she settled in beside him.
"Erm, t-that's not sharp is it?" he asked.
Inari nodded.
"I'm, I'm Hyuga Shinji," Shinji extended a hand eyes still locked on Inari's weaponry.
Inari took his hand and shook.
"You're name's Inari right?" Shinji smiled timidly, "how come you don't have a last name?"
"Wait, no you don't have to answer that, I'm sorry that was too personal," Shinji then began to babble nervously, gripping at his hair while Inari silently watched, "I shouldn't be asking questions like that, that was so rude of me. I'm very sorry please accept my apology. It's the first day and I've already- "
"I don't know my parents and its fine Hyuga-san" Inari interrupted, the boy seemed more shocked that she'd said something rather than mollified.
Someone sat themselves beside Inari before Shinji could scramble to formulate some response to Inari's frankly unexpected reply. It was the boy with silver hair Asuma and Kurenai had pointed out. What Inari could see of his expression was set in a determined scowl and his black eyes did not register Inari or Shinji just remained locked on their sensei awaiting instruction.
"Good day," Shinji smiled timidly, "I'm Hyuga Shinji."
"Hatake Kakashi," the boy answered his gaze never wavering from their focus. Shinji opened his mouth as if to say more then was overcome by uncertainty and settled for nervously looking about himself paying particular attention to Inari's sword. Ren-sensei began the class soon after, beginning with a history of Konoha in which all aspects were covered, then mathematics much to Shinji's joy and science much to his chagrin. Ren-sensei then requested that the class attempt to apply the mathematics that they had learned to various ninja related situations, most involving the speed and distance of an attack based on multiple variables. Inari couldn't honestly say whether she enjoyed them or not, all thoughts that did not revolve around searching for an answer had been discarded in the tunnel vision her mind had adopted. She needed to work hard. There was no room for anything else until class finished. And it did eventually when the sky had just begun to bleach with the oranges and pink hues of the encroaching sunset on the horizon. The light bathed the floors of the classroom through the windows and the sound of parents chatting amongst each other as they waited to collect their children from their first day wafted in. It had some of the children fidgeting impatiently in their seats.
"Right," Ren-sensei turned his back to them to erase his scrawl from the blackboard, "Class is over you may all return home. I'll see you all tomorrow."
Shinji leapt from his seat as if someone had set alight a fire underneath it. He hastily bowed to both Kaskashi and Inari.
"I'll see you tomorrow Inari-san, Hatake-san," Shinji smiled before scrambling for the door. Inari's departure was far more patient. She stepped out onto the mellowed light of the courtyard, steadily making her way through the crowd of departing students. Inari tried not to look at the family groups that clutched their children to them. She put a concentrated effort in keeping her eyes on the opening in the school's courtyard that spilled out onto the Konoha streets. A voice halted her.
"Hey, Shrimp!"
A small smile bloomed across Inari's face, only one person called her shrimp. Emi was lounging against the courtyard's wall trying hard to look as cool as a nine year old could among the throng of milling parents. It didn't work even if her messy hair and signature scowl made her look like a street urchin the shy shape of her brown eyes betrayed her efforts.
"Shrimp! You deaf or somethin'" Emi yelled again, looking about herself insecurely when some of the parent's tsked at her shouts. Inari walked towards her and didn't stop.
"Can't believe I even bothered to pick you up. I'm missin' a chance to see Yuki-chan singin' so I can babysit. An' now I just look like an idiot you better be-" Emi's mutterings were cut off as Inari walked into her and wrapped her skinny arms around Emi's waist. Inari pressed her cheek against Emi that soft, contented smile never leaving her face.
"Thank you, Emi," Inari spoke into the familiar scent of Emi's shirt.
Emi tried hard not to smile. She really did but her lips moved to echo the warmth that had instilled her insides.
"Yeah, yeah, you better be an' your doin' the dishes tonight," Emi mumbled but the smile never left her face or Inari's.
a/n:
I actually got a review *.* I feel all warm and fuzzy, so thank you anonymous guest for helping me decide whether or not to continue. I know I only added the first chapter yesterday but my fingers got itchy and I eventually gave in and decided to put this in.
Thank you for reading.