So, it's been a week since the Academy year started.
I decided it might be a nice idea to sign up for a special kunoichi class. Well, technically speaking, it was an infiltration course filled with numerous activities that were traditionally considered feminine (hence, 'Kunoichi class'), such as Ikebana, sewing, playing instruments, cooking (beyond the required standards), and so on and so forth. Despite this, it was open to all students, but was strictly optional.
Although this stuff wasn't really my thing, I signed up for it anyway because who knows when I might need this stuff? Besides, the idea of taking out Tobi with some flowers is too good to pass up.
Due to the infiltration class's mostly feminine activity focus, almost all the applicants were girls (again, 'kunoichi class'). In fact, every girl from my class was there, except for Hinata, who presumably had her own Hyuuga clan stuff for this sort of thing.
Actually, one of the guys from my class is here too. I don't know him, but I definitely recognize his face.
Let's talk to him.
"Hi there," I said, trying to be as casual as possible.
"Heya," he replied.
"I'm surprised you're in this class."
"You, the other girls, and my mother. Guess I don't got the look of someone who can do Ikebana. A shame."
"Just a bit surprising, that's all," I mentioned.
"I guess," he shrugged, "so you're from a ninja clan?"
"Yeah, the Shimuras," I supplied.
"Cool. Any big clan training?"
"Nothing big."
"Oh," he replied, thinking. Just as our conversation had hit a stopping point, we were rudely interrupted.
"Heh, what's a guy doing here?" someone called. Oh bollocks, it was a purple-haired girl, I think I've seen her before?
"What's the matter Ami, can't stand the sight of a guy in this class?" he replied.
"It's called a kunoichi class for a reason," the girl, apparently named Ami, called out.
"We both know that that's not what this class is called, you know."
"Well, you can't be here, you're a boy!"
"And how will you make that happen? I thought Suzume-sensei was teaching the class, not you."
As if on cue, Suzume-sensei arrived right then and there.
"Everyone, settle down. Ah, Suzuhara-san, this is quite unexpected, but I'll allow you to participate in this class," she mentioned. I saw a slight smirk on Suzuhara's face.
Suzuhara-san, or should I say Kenma, wound up being my common partner for the class. I guess awkward exceptions come together then.
I did see Ami run to Suzume-sensei with a trio of flowers in her mouth saying something about poison I think? Seeing Suzume-sensei tell her that the poison was only in the roots of that flower gave the two of us a chuckle though.
Kenma did better than about half the class in the opening weeks, me included. That was certainly interesting.
One other thing I'd noticed was that Ino kept giving me the evil eye. I wasn't at all associated with Ami, so there's no way that's the problem, and I had no problems with Sakura, who was her friend still.
So unless Ino has some beef with Kenma, then there's only one possibility left: Fuu Yamanaka. I had no idea when Fuu 'joined' ROOT, but I'm starting to suspect that it happened recently. Thanks Danzo. I had no idea how close Ino and Fuu were, but they at least knew each other. Perhaps Ino got mad that Fuu disappeared, found out Danzo was part of why he disappeared and started to hate him, and then spread that hate to the rest of the clan?
Fuck if I know.
Whatever had happened didn't change how annoying it was. Ino was a social butterfly, she knew how people worked. If she wanted, she could torpedo my reputation to the point where I'm only more popular than Naruto. Let's hope that doesn't happen.
It might get worse later, because of Torune Aburame, who I know is really close with Shino. I don't think that's happened yet, since Shino hasn't glared my way yet (though how would I tell with those sunglasses of his), but he's also more subtle about his anger.
Befriend Shino before this happens?
That could help. Shino was probably a lonely sort because of his weird fashion sense and strange obsession with bugs, even if he himself isn't a bad person.
No, hold on. If I, a Shimura, befriend Shino and then Danzo Shimura takes Torune, that'd probably look suspicious as hell. Forget Shino or Ino being enemies, that could get Shino's dad the Aburame Clan Head mad at me. Or hell, I could get into trouble with Danzo.
Yeah, now that sounds like a bad idea. Maybe befriend him after the fact, if he's receptive to such a thing?
Okay, so fun fact: Ami's in my academy class. I had apparently not noticed this before - I guess the literal clan heirs overshadowed her.
This would make life a little more difficult. While Ami had tried to bother me, I hadn't reacted to her attempted bullying. She hadn't been the first, after all.
Then she started turning her attention towards Sakura. That's when I decided to get involved.
"Oi, cut it out," I stated.
"Oh yeah, what're you gonna do?" Ami replied. Oh, it's gonna be like that, is it?
"Oh, I'm sure you're aware of what could happen, right? In fact, I think I hear Iruka-sensei approaching right now," I warned. Technically it was a lie. I didn't hear him, I sensed him.
"Oh fine," Ami replied, before going to her seat. That felt easier than expected.
"Th-thanks," Sakura muttered. Right, the confident outgoing Sakura came later.
"You're welcome," I replied. Our conversation ended as soon as it began, Iruka-sensei arriving soon after the altercation.
So, my awareness of chakra started out unbearable, but then I grew into it. Nowadays, it essentially manifested as high control along with chakra sensing. Chakra sensing was a fun little thing, I guess it could be likened to a sixth sense... well, if you want to get really technical there's more than the five traditional senses...
The chakra sensing was a little different though, in that I could focus it more acutely than the other senses. I don't know if it's like that for all chakra sensors or if I'm unique in that regard due to my circumstances.
Iruka-sensei was the primary teacher of ninjutsu classes in the academy. At least, for our year. Although we were currently learning about the very very very basics of ninjutsu such as what chakra is. Apparently Naruto had already started his habit of skipping classes. Iruka didn't comment on this though.
Soon, class ended and lunch began, with the class filtering outside. Naruto was still nowhere to be found, with no obvious signs pointing to where he could be. And then Sakura approached me.
"H-hey, I'd like a chance to talk," Sakura asked.
"Sure," I replied. No reason to say no, after all.
"You and Ino don't get along," Sakura bluntly pointed out.
So much for dancing around the issue. "You're not wrong," I responded.
"Why is that?"
"I'm not sure myself. It might just be that our clans don't get along, but she seems to dislike me specifically."
"Like Ami and I?"
"No. Ami's just a bully who goes after weak targets. With Ino, it seems personal, maybe shared by other members of her clan," I reasoned/bullshitted. If this was about Fuu, then I doubt Ino was the only person that felt the way she did, but instead Ino was the only one I'd seen with those attitudes.
"Why would her clan dislike yours?"
"I don't know," I half-lied. While I had theories to what was up, I had no confirmation and no way to get that confirmation. Not like I could just ask Danzo 'hey, did you induct a Yamanaka into ROOT recently?'
"Maybe you could talk about it with her," Sakura suggested.
"Are you sure about that?"
"People should try to talk things out," Sakura stated.
"Alright alright, I'll think about it," I responded, partially to get Sakura off my back.
"Great, now another thing, can we be friends?" I was not expecting an offer like that. But I could agree to that.
"Alright, friends?"
"Yeah. Friends."
"Alright, see you later!" Sakura stated.
After that conversation, I got to thinking. I can't just walk up to Ino and say 'hey, what's up?' and ask about Fuu. That'd be fucking stupid and probably get my ass killed.
So, then what? I'd probably need some sort of neutral arbitrator involved, and I have no idea who would work in that role... fuck it, this is something for later.
Later came, I'm still stumped. My original plan had been to figure out how to talk to Ino.
I couldn't come up with an actual plan for that, though, so I did something else in order to feel like I'd accomplished something. I began to write down what I knew of the situation and everything that surrounded it. Knowledge of the Yamanakas gave way to ROOT which led to Danzo, with some associated footnotes regarding Akatsuki and Ame and Orochimaru and some other stuff. It was kinda refreshing knowing that some of this knowledge was somewhere, but the sheer scope of what I was up against was intimidating. Still, it was knowledge of what I had to eventually face. This knowledge being written in English was the perfect protection for my thoughts, since I doubted anyone could read English in this world.
The question was, now what?
I was no closer to finding a solution between me and Ino. I can only assume that Fuu's parents, whoever they were, despised Danzo and possibly the rest of the Shimura clan, sending an attitude that Ino was copying. As for Inoichi, he... could go either way. He might've either hated the old bastard or been neutral. I highly doubt he held much goodwill toward - who's knocking on my door?
I went to see who it was knocking on the front door and it was Sakura... huh?
"H-hi Sakura."
"Hey Rei, can I come in?" Sakura asked.
"Uh, hang on," I mentioned, before going to find my dad.
"Hey dad, my friend from the Academy came over, is that fine?" I asked. He nodded. Alright, I guess ninja parents were very hands-off about this whole parenting thing. Then again, I was mentally an adult. I think.
"Okay Sakura, dad's fine with you coming over," I stated.
"I figure friend's should hang out, so... what do we do now?" Sakura said. Right. Sakura at this stage was sort've a follower type of person, and I haven't got much experience with having friends over. I only had like one friend like that when I was younger - then we kinda just fell out of our friendship. Yeah.
We ended up playing ninja. Good as anything else.
End Rei 3
Ah, the wonders of top secret information and a military government.
As always, thanks for the support!
Chapter updated 12-18-2017.