Chapter Seven: Mending
"Dad? It's okay to cry."
He held her in his arms and said nothing.
Kimi's home had never been very big. A living room, two bedrooms, and a bathroom all made up the interior, and there had been no yard to speak of—just permanently wilting flowers on the window sill. Regardless, the house had been packed with domestic touches, with countless picture frames and trinkets from all across Fire country, brought back by her father from his trips.
Barely anything remained.
The civilian district that she had lived in was one of the worst hit areas. Kimi's entire neighborhood had been burned to the ground. Her home was now a pile of charred wood and ashes.
Yet, even amidst the devastation, a few precious objects survived. Several photos, lucky enough to avoid the flames, lay mostly preserved under the rubble. Another one of the survivors was Buzama, the ugly cat bauble that her mother had loved.
Kimi, clutching both the tiny statue and the photographs, made her way to the ruins that had been her room. The bookshelf was overturned but undamaged. With her heart in her throat, Kimi carefully overturned the heavy shelf with a chakra-enhanced shove.
Many books were destroyed beyond repair, including several of the texts she had borrowed from the Archive. A few others remained. But Kimi wasn't concerned about any of those.
After searching frantically, she finally found her two journals. The one containing the timeline was mostly intact.
Her diary was not.
Kimi felt a rush of sorrow—melancholy, perhaps—at the sight of the ruined book. The memories of her past life had been contained within it: her mother, her brothers, her friends… the food, the culture, the places, everything she could remember about the world she had left behind. It added another dull ache to the fresh wounds caused by the recent lives lost.
But unlike the dead, the past could be rewritten.
"Kimi-chan," called her father. "Did you find anything?" His tone was subdued; Kimi dimly noted that he had difficulty looking at her.
"Yeah, I did." Kimi grabbed the surviving books and managed to carry everything with her. Kimi's father had found several items in the wreckage as well, including a few mugs and additional pictures.
"Good. Are you ready to go?"
Kimi looked back at the wreckage.
"Yes. I am."
Approximately two weeks after the attack, Konoha was functioning well enough to officially hold memorials for the many dead.
For seven days, there were nothing but funerals. Whether due to irony or the gods' sense of humor, the skies were clear and beautiful. Even the heavens could get tired of mourning.
After all, life goes on.
About a month later, the Academy was rebuilt. Classes started again, as did a semblance of normalcy. But nothing was the same. Their teachers were different—many had died in the attack. The curriculum was different. It felt like war time again. Worst of all, the students were different. From what Kimi could see, about sixty percent of the students were missing from school. Her grade level had dropped from five classes of twenty-five to two classes of thirty. The change brought new students, including a few she recognized from canon. Inuzuka Hana, for one. Her three adorable pups were unmistakable. A few clan kids from the Hyuuga and Aburame were also present.
But the person she was most concerned about was Uchiha Itachi.
He was every bit the genius people said he was. Itachi had a near instinctual understanding of the theoretical and practical subjects, and his ability with strategy and tactics surpassed that of the Naras in the class. Unfailingly polite, Itachi was held up as the model heir and ninja.
She watched him carefully. Kimi knew that danger followed in his wake—the kind she did not want to get involved with. But her vigilance lessened when nothing changed. Itachi paid no more attention to her than anyone else, to her relief. Kimi soon decided to turn her attention to a different matter: the stability of her friends.
Kimi's group was missing a member.
Sweet, innocent Hakui. The girl who loved daisy chains and dresses, who dreamed of becoming a med-nin—she was in a coma. Kimi had checked Hakui's medical chart. Her chances of survival were bleak.
But the gaping hole left by Hakui's absence wasn't the only cause of the grim atmosphere. Not a single child had been untouched by the attack. Yugao's brother, Tsubaki's father, Mizuki's parents and Iruka's parents were a few of the many casualties.
Out of the four remaining members in Kimiko's group, Mizuki was the most withdrawn. Though Iruka and Mizuki were both orphans now, Iruka had his grandmother. Having no living family, Mizuki had to live in the orphanage. At first, lunchtime was made of heavy silences punctuated by awkward attempts at conversation. It took a while for everyone to become comfortable with each other again, and Kimi didn't blame them.
But before she knew it, a week had passed since school had started again. As expected, the results of the first tests had come out. Kimi checked them absently, noting that she'd come in first for every written category. (There was no way in hell she'd do less than perfect in a test meant for children.) Her eyes scanned the list, and she froze. In second place was Uchiha Itachi.
Shit. By scoring higher than the vaunted Uchiha Itachi, I might have attracted too much attention. In the Academy, Kimi had cultivated the persona of a book-smart, perceptive child. A bit awkward with her peers, maybe, but nothing too unusual. But Uchiha Itachi had the reputation for being the kind of genius that only came once in a generation. He was regularly spoken in the same breath as the Sannin, Hatake Kakashi, the Yondaime—heck, even the original Team 7 and Madara. No one was supposed to beat him at anything.
Involuntarily, she glanced at the young Uchiha, who was looking at the results with a slight frown. As if he felt her staring, Itachi turned to look at her. Kimi met his eyes calmly before looking away.
After that day, Kimi made sure to get one or two questions wrong on the written tests. Her streak of first places were broken, and she usually got second or sometimes even third. She'd made sure to compensate by trying a little harder in the practicals, so her overall ranking of ten wasn't affected. Kimi also did her best to avoid Uchiha Itachi as much as possible. She did not want to get involved in any sort of Uchiha issue, thank you very much. (Deep down, in the darkest depths of her mind, Kimi knew the truth was more reprehensible: she was afraid. Kimi was afraid of a child who would massacre his entire family. What kind of monster would do that, regardless of justification?)
Her group took her avoidance of Uchiha Itachi as a case of jealousy, a misconception that Kimi tacitly encouraged.
"It's ok, Kimi-chan!" said Yugao sympathetically. "Itachi's just in a whole 'nother league. Besides, you're much nicer than him. He's kinda stuck up."
But it wasn't Itachi that she should have worried about.
Kimi slowly packed her books, pencils, and shinobi supplies. School might be over for today, but she was no rush to leave. She wasn't the only one; a few kids were chatting with their friends or asking the teacher questions. One was even reading—Inuzuka Hana, if Kimi remembered correctly. Next to Itachi, she was the youngest student in the class. Kimi suspected that Hana had only moved up the grades to avoid the appearance of Uchiha favoritism. At least, that's what she'd heard. From what Kimi had seen, Hana seemed determined to prove her detractors wrong. The Inuzuka was still studying; she was completely absorbed in a thick tome. I don't think she realized that the bell rang.
Kimi grabbed her backpack and walked over to the Inuzuka girl. Hana's three pups raised their heads, woken from their nap by Kimi's approach, but they did nothing else. Kimi glanced over at the book and raised an eyebrow. Hana was reading a medical text about purifying Yin chakra.
"Wow," remarked Kimi. "That's a pretty advanced book for your age."
Hana bristled. "Excuse me?" Now fully awake, the three pups stood up.
Taken aback at her response, Kimi hesitated for a moment. "I-I mean, most people don't start on purifying their chakra until after graduation."
The Inuzuka's eyes narrowed. "Yeah. So?"
"Well, I just…" She backpedaled. "I've been working on medical jutsu, too. I could, you know, help out if you need anything…" Kimi finished weakly.
"I don't need your help!" Hana slammed the book closed. "Just cause I'm younger than you doesn't mean I'm weaker or dumber!" She pushed back her chair and stormed out. Her growling companions quickly followed her.
Well, that didn't go as expected. Kimi sighed, berating herself. She'd gotten used to being treated like an adult again, with Inoichi and Dr. Nohara. At school, she was usually more careful, but sometimes, she slipped. Like just now. What Kimi had said would be a compliment from an adult, but it sounded rather insulting coming from someone a few years older than Hana.
Kimi looked away from the door, only to notice everyone staring at her. Even Daikoku had paused in his conversation to give Kimi a curious look.
Great. Just what I need. More attention.
Though still hectic, the hospital was no longer flooded with patients. Most of the patients from the Nine-Tails attack had recovered in the past few months, and the hospital operations had mostly returned to normal. The newer patients were more likely to be suffering from exhaustion than anything else. After the attack, all the ninja were being worked to the bone in order to maintain the illusion of strength. And that included the med-nin.
Kimi did what she could to help out. Her workload had increased dramatically, with Inoichi's constant training and the Academy's assignments, but she made sure to come weekly. By now, Kimi and Dr. Nohara had an established routine; Kimi would work on the smaller injuries while the doctor worked on the more complicated ones.
"Kimi-chan, could you pass me the bandages?" Kimi passed it to her, and Dr. Nohara wrapped the unconscious kunoichi's leg. "That should do it."
They worked in companionable silence for a few minutes. Kimi wondered what was on Kyou's mind; the older woman was constantly glancing at her.
"I won't be at the hospital for several months." said Dr. Nohara suddenly.
"What? Why? Is something wrong?" Kimi looked at the doctor with concern.
"I'm getting married."
Kimi blinked. Well. I didn't expect that. Doctor Nohara's never mentioned a significant other, let alone a fiancé. The hospital is basically her life. "O-Oh, wow! Who's the lucky person?"
"Tane Seicho."
She frowned. "Wait…" I've heard that name before. "The flirty stitches guy?" she yelped, finally remembering. "Why are you getting married to him?" Kimi flushed, realizing how rude she'd been. "Sorry, I—"
Dr. Nohara waved her off. "No, I understand. It seems out of character, doesn't it?" Her eyes became pensive. At Kimi's puzzled look, the older woman began to explain. "I'd almost died in the attack, you know. Had I had a single iota less of chakra, I wouldn't had made it. I'm the last Nohara. If I die, my bloodline dies with me. I'm… I'm not growing any younger." She cracked a smile. "In the past month, I've had seven messages from the Intelligence Division. All not-so-subtly hinting that I start procreating."
"So… it's for children," Kimi said slowly.
Dr. Nohara nodded. "Of course. Tane-san might be a bit… unpolished, but he has good chakra control. Being civilian-born, he's agreed to take my name. There's none of that messiness that comes from marrying other clan shinobi. And most of all, Tane-san doesn't mind my leg." She gestured to her prosthetic. "It's a good match."
Kimi mused that over. It's a self-arranged marriage, I guess. As long as they both want it… "I'm sure it will be."
"Thanks, Kimi-chan." Kyou checked the clock. "Well, it's getting late. I'm leaving now."
Kimi gaped at her. "You're leaving? Voluntarily?"
The doctor winked. "I have a date with my future husband. I don't want to be late."
After saying her farewells, Kimi watched as the doctor walked down the hallway.
"All for the glory of Konoha," she murmured. With a sigh, Kimi went back to the hospital rooms. She had more patients to heal.
Every month or so, the Academy held tournaments for each grade level. First came the gendered spars, where boys were matched against boys and vice-versa, and then came the general tournament, which was no holds barred, literally and metaphorically. The results of the tournament were factored into the overall class rankings, so most students took it very seriously.
Kimi wasn't a fan of beating up little kids, but she tried—sometimes. Kimi had solid-enough scores in the other subjects to afford slacking off in the tournament.
Right now, the gendered tournament was in progress. Yugao was fighting against a Hyuuga girl named Natsu. Despite copious use of the Byakugan, Natsu was losing miserably. Yugao was simply too fast and too skilled with the sword for the Hyuuga to react properly. Though her theoretical subjects could use some work, Yugao was, without a doubt, the strongest kunoichi in their class.
Clapping, Kimi cheered as Yugao finished the spar. Most people joined her; Yugao was well liked by both the boys and girls.
Daikoku let the cheering continue for a little longer. "Alright, that's enough. Make the seal of reconciliation, girls." Grudgingly, Natsu accepted Yugao's hand and shook. The teacher patted both girls on the back. "Yugao-chan, good job, as usual. Natsu-chan, your defense needs some work." The Hyuuga flushed brightly at the criticism. Her clan was known for their impenetrable defense, after all.
Pretending not to notice, Daikoku turned away from the two girls. "Now, next up! Mita Kimiko and Inuzuka Hana! Step into the ring."
"It's Kimi," she muttered as she stepped forward. As they passed each other, Yugao clapped Kimi on the back. Tense and ready, Hana and her companions stood across from Kimi in the circle. I have terrible luck. But was it really just a coincidence that Hana's my partner? Kimi gave the grinning teacher a considering look.
"I'll show you who's weak!" Hana's snarl was echoed by her three pups. It might have been intimidating if it weren't coming from a six year old.
Kimi smiled politely and made the seal of confrontation.
"Start!"
Hana leaped forward. The Inuzuka tried to grab her, but Kimi just managed to sidestep. In these kind of matches, Kimi was at a disadvantage. She refused to use poisons on little kids—their developing bodies might react adversely—and she refused to use her rudimentary genjutsu for about the same reason. Her strongest technique, medical ninjutsu, could easily be used in battle, but most were lethal or extremely painful.
Kimi dodged Hana's high kick and grabbed her outstretched foot. She pinched Hana's ankle, putting pressure on the nerves that passed through. I might not be able to use medical jutsu, but I can certainly use the knowledge. Tripping over her own feet, the Inuzuka yelped and stumbled back, which was to be expected. Most nerves in the lower extremities helped with balance.
She tossed a few blunt senbon at the canines to keep them from surrounding her. Hana charged forward, full of anger. Kimi wasn't the best at taijutsu, but she did know how to keep a clear head in battle, something Hana hadn't yet mastered. Though the Inuzuka girl had more skill and raw talent, her moves had become sloppy in her rage.
"I'm gonna tear you apart!" Hana howled and tried to scratch Kimi's face. Kimi simply tilted her head back, avoiding the sharp nails. Then, one of the pups latched onto her leg, and Kimi fell backwards. She rolled to avoid being kicked, but the dog was still attached to her feet.
"Let me show you my clan technique, Kimiko!" Hana's nails elongated, and her teeth grew sharper. Shit. Kimi glanced around. Behind her was edge of circle. If I want this to work, I have to time this right.
Hana went on all fours and pounced. At the last second, Kimi rolled again—right out of the circle.
"Stop!" called the teacher. "Kimiko lost. Stand up and make the seal of reconciliation." Hastily, Kimi stood and brushed the dirt off her skirt. She had a reputation to maintain, after all. Kimi winced at Daikoku's look. Apparently, she wasn't as convincing as she thought.
"That was a good spar." Kimi made her voice quaver slightly. "You were really strong." Hopefully, this loss will get Hana off my back.
"Don't pa-patronize me!" Hana scowled. "You lost on purpose!"
The teacher hummed. "That's a serious accusation, Hana-chan. What makes you think that?" He glanced at Kimi, too fast for most students to see, but the Yamanaka had trained Kimi well. It was only a second, but Kimi saw his expression: smugness. Daikoku had noticed her act as well.
"Because if she'd rolled forward, I would've fell out of the ring!"
Kimi shook her head. "I… I didn't realize that," she said, faking embarrassment. "Everything was moving so fast and I…" she trailed off, forcing a blush. Perfect.
The teacher frowned. Oddly, he seemed unwilling to push the issue. "Alright, girls. Make the seal of reconciliation."
Kimi held out her hand. Hana grabbed it tightly. "Let me know if you want me to heal your bruises," Hana growled, baring her teeth.
"Sure!" Kimi smiled. "That would be very helpful."
Hana blinked. "Huh?" She narrowed her eyes. "Y-Yeah, I knew you were lying about knowing medical jutsu! You can't even heal your own bruises."
She laughed lightly. "Well, I do have a lot of them—"
Then, Yugao stepped in. "That's not true!" she shouted. "Kimi knows how to heal bruises and cuts and sprains and even broken bones!" Yugao's hand drifted to her practice sword.
Ah, crap. Kimi had healed all the kids in her group, for one injury or another. She never expected that to backfire on her. Yugao, you're a darling, but now is not the time for defending me. Kimi knew that she had been very close to reconciling with Hana. At least, before Yugao had stepped in.
"You're lying!" Hana stepped forward. "There's no way someone like Kimiko could do that!"
"It's Kimi!" Yugao grabbed the hilt of her sword. "Not Kimiko!"
Kimi winced. Again, I appreciate Yugao's loyalty, but this is taking it a bit too far. "Guys," she stepped in between them to diffuse the situation, "it's not a big deal. We're all friends, here." Kimi shot the teacher a pleading look. Daikoku smirked back and did nothing.
"Speak for yourself." Hana settled into a taijutsu stance. "I'd never be friends with an arrogant little liar!"
Yugao unsheathed her sword. "You take that back!"
Kimi grabbed Yugao's arm. "Let it go, Yugao-chan," she whispered. "It's not worth it. You don't want to get in trouble." Kimi could see Yugao struggle with the decision. Anger warred with practicality. In the end, practicality won out, and Yugao stepped back.
"This isn't over!" Yugao sheathed her sword. Hana glared but also straightened out of her crouch.
"Hana-san!" called out Kimi. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to offend you."
"Keep your fake apologies to yourself!" With a sniff, Hana deliberately turned her back on her. Kimi winced. Turning your back on a friend means you trust them. Turning your back on someone you don't know means that you think they're weak. It was quite an insult, one that almost made Yugao lose her temper again. Though Kimi expected otherwise, she hoped that there wouldn't be too many consequences from this schoolyard spat.
After school, Kimi made herself a simple vegetable stir fry and rice. Her father was on a business trip, and he'd asked their neighbor Asuka to watch her. The old woman often forgot Kimi existed, which Kimi appreciated; she liked her new-found independence.
Kimi finished her food and headed to the Yamanaka's compound. All the sentries knew her by now; all Kimi had to do was smile to be let in. She traveled absentmindedly through the hallways; Kimi knew the Yamanaka compound better than her own home.
"Ah, Kimi-chan!"
"Inoichi-sensei," she greeted as Inoichi caught up with her. "You look well." And it was true. Though he seemed a bit haggard, Inoichi no longer looked like he was about to fall apart. The bags under his eyes were gone, and his manners were as polished as ever.
"Thank you. As do you." He smiled and turned down a separate hallway, one that Kimi had never been in. "Today we're doing something… different."
"Oh?" Kimi gave him a look.
"Yes." He pushed open a polished wooden door. "This is my office."
She stepped inside. The room was large and sparsely furnished. The wall facing the door was covered with bookshelves, and the desk in the room was simple but elegant—like everything of the Yamanaka's. There were two chairs on either side of the desk and nothing else.
Inoichi sat down, his back facing the bookshelf. "Take a seat, Kimi-chan."
Kimi obeyed. Her back was facing the door. The Yamanaka's own training had pressed the importance of position, and Kimi was beginning to feel acutely uncomfortable.
"How was your day, Kimi-chan?"
She scowled. "What's your next question?" Kimi deepened her voice in imitation of Inoichi. "Did you make any friends, Kimi-chan?"
Inoichi laughed softly at her impersonation. Still, he repeated the question. "How was your day?"
Kimi sighed. "Not well. I think I started a feud with Inuzuka clan," she admitted.
Her teacher leaned back, more amused than surprised. "Do tell."
Without ceremony, Kimi recounted the events of the day. "... and then she called me an arrogant liar. She also claimed that I give fake apologies."
Inoichi tilted his head and looked at her. "So?"
Kimi didn't bother to hide her confusion. "What?"
"So, what do you think of her claims?"
She chewed on her lip, suddenly uncomfortable and not just because of the door. "I mean… I think they're a little unfounded. I don't think I'm that arrogant, and I usually mean my apologies. As for the lying, well." Kimi shrugged.
Inoichi laughed again, this time loudly. "Is that what you really think?"
Shifting in her seat, Kimi tried not to look away. "I don't understand. What are you trying to say?" After a second, she added, "Inoichi-sensei."
His eyes became flat. Kimi felt as if he had examined every part of her and found her wanting. "Contrary to what you'd expect, the Inuzuka are very perceptive, especially when concerning people. It comes from that innate pack mentality, I suppose. Hana was fairly accurate in her judgement. Don't you think so?" He didn't wait for her response.
"You accept your ability to lie, at least. It's a positive trait for a ninja. We've been training you in this skill, not that you really needed it. Lying comes as naturally as breathing for you. As for your apologies… sometimes you mean them. You have the admirable quality of acknowledging blame when it's due. Mostly, they're just a technique to avoid conflict. Rarely do you believe your apologies." He chuckled. "And your arrogance. Oh, your arrogance. You can't actually think yourself humble, Kimi-chan. If anything, your arrogance is your defining quality. You think yourself better than your peers, than your family." Inoichi smiled. "You even think yourself better than me."
Kimi felt as if someone had pulled her chair from under her. Do I really appear that arrogant? She felt a surge of anger, but it was quickly buried under her emotional turmoil. But I am more mature than the children; I'm an adult, for heaven's sake. Is it so bad to want equal treatment? Kimi closed her eyes. But I'm not an adult now. I'm supposed to be a kid. But she wanted freedom. Inoichi had given her a taste of independence, and Kimi wanted it so much that it hurt. But Inoichi doesn't really think of me as an adult, does he? She didn't know what to think, either of Inoichi's claims or how he'd said them.
She'd seen many sides of her teacher. Kimi had seen him be polite, playful, and even vulnerable… but never had she seen him so cold.
Then, he shook his head, and he returned to his normal self. "Kimi… the mind arts, as we like to call them, are incredibly complex." He'd dropped the suffix, and that hadn't passed her notice. "In order to use them, you must have complete understanding of yourself. You must acknowledge each flaw, each morsel of guilt, each fear lurking in your consciousness." Inoichi pinned her with his gaze. "It's not easy. What I said was just the beginning. If you want to back out, I won't hold it against you. But if you want to continue learning the mind arts, then you must be ready."
Kimi wet her dry lips. "Mind arts?" She'd learned how to deceive, how to read others, and how to manipulate them. But Inoichi had always called it the subtle arts. "Do you mean... like, your clan techniques?" she said, trying to sound joking. Trying to pretend like his words hadn't affected her.
"Somewhat," he admitted. "But not exactly. The majority of the Yamanaka's techniques depend on our bloodline. We have an innate understanding of the mind that cannot be taught." He gave a smile. "It's like walking or breathing for us.
"However, learning to defend the mind does not require that natural understanding. It does require a firm sense of self, though. All of our techniques do." His smile turned sharp. "Even Yamanaka have lost themselves in the mind arts."
"I see," Kimi said slowly. Inoichi is offering to teach me more than just simple tricks. But why?
"So?" Inoichi leaned forward. "I will not force you on this issue." His voice grew soft, almost tender. "This is entirely your choice."
For Kimi, it wasn't a choice. She was a psychiatrist. The opportunity to look deeper into someone's mind, their consciousness… "I want to learn."
Chakra, by its very nature, was tied to physical and mental states. Thus, it affected and was affected by emotion. The basic principle was simple, almost commonplace. Most sensors read emotion instinctively, and most medics took advantage of it when healing their patients, but no one considered it a skill. But the Yamanaka did. And by extension, so did Kimi. Learning how to control her own chakra's response to emotions wasn't difficult for her; she'd always been in tune with her emotions.
Learning how to read emotions through other people's chakra was proving more complicated. But it was the first step in the mind arts—a skill every Yamanaka practiced in childhood until it became as instinctive as breathing. She had to master it.
And that was Kimi's justification for using it on her friends. But really, how was it any different from reading body language? Most doctors would kill to have such an effective tool for reading emotional states.
All through lunch, Kimi extended her chakra sense to gauge the emotions of her friends. She had to be extra careful with Tsubaki and Yugao, as they were both sensors, but they didn't seem to notice anything different. Mentally, all the children seemed to be doing much better. Sure, Iruka acted up sometimes; he'd rub his new scar before doing something reckless. Yugao would get angry easily, and Tsubaki would just become silent. But none of their behavior was extreme. Kimi expected them all to recover without outside involvement.
Save Mizuki, that is.
For a second time, just to make sure, Kimi sensed Mizuki's emotions again. His chakra was tightly bunched in his core, and it constantly alternated between anger, sorrow and jealousy. Mizuki still sat with the group, and he still talked and laughed with the group, but it was all an act. His sarcastic comments grew caustic, and Kimi hadn't missed his dark, jealous glare. His behavior was toxic.
Kimi frowned. By now, all the kids had finished eating. Everyone was lounging around, finishing work or relaxing. There were ten minutes left until lunch ended, too. Now was as good time as any.
"Mizuki-kun," she whispered to him. "Can I talk to you?"
He gave her a puzzled look but agreed. "Whatcha need?"
"I mean, alone. Follow me?"
Mizuki's confusion grew. "Um… okay." He stood up. Quietly, Kimi started walking away from the rest of the kids. Yugao was the only one to notice; she shot them a curious look, but she said nothing.
Kimi led him to a clearing behind the school. The floor was uneven from the roots of thorny bushes surrounding them. Not many kids ever came to this place. It was too uncomfortable for either relaxing or practicing. Mizuki watched with confusion as Kimi cast one of the two genjutsu she knew.
"What are you doing?" he asked.
"Just making sure that our conversation remains private. No one can eavesdrop on us now." It was as simple D-rank jutsu that made their conversation inaudible. Inoichi had promised to teach her the more advanced version, but he'd avoided the subject since.
Mizuki crossed his arms. "So, what's the deal?"
Kimi frowned to herself. She knew what she had to say, but she wasn't sure how to say it. After a few seconds of deliberation, Kimi decided to go with directness. "Mizuki-kun, is something wrong?"
His face darkened. "What kind of question is that?"
She extended her chakra sense again. Though Kimi didn't need chakra to know this, Mizuki's emotions were once again in turmoil. Once again, she cursed Konoha's utter lack of mental health care, especially for children. "You've been acting weird," she replied. "You haven't been talking much, and… you've been kinda mean." Especially to Iruka. Kimi knew the reasons for his behavior, but no one had confronted him for it. Not even the teachers.
"I don't know what you're talking about." Mizuki's expression darkened.
He was blatantly lying. "I think you know exactly what I'm talking about." Kimi gave him a look. "What you're doing isn't right."
"Well, what do you want me to do?" he shouted. "Do you expect me to be the same when my, when my…" Mizuki gritted his teeth, "when my parents have died?"
Now it all comes out.
"You don't understand! None of you understand!" His hands balled into fists.
Kimi waited for him to continue. When no response seemed forthcoming, she decided to speak. Mental health professionals weren't supposed to share any personal experiences of their own, but Kimi was much too close to the kids to be their therapist. She'd have to approach this from a different angle. "I lost my mother, you know. And my sibling." And my world.
That brought out a response. "It's not the same! You still have your dad! And," he spat, "the Yamanaka clan behind you. And Iruka has his grandmother and the Hokage and the everyone else still has their family! You weren't shoved into an orphanage with nothing! I have nothing!" He was almost screaming, now. Abruptly, he became calm, almost conversational. "The Nine Tails did this. And it's still alive. It's a baby, now. Konoha's done nothing about the monster that killed my parents!"
Kimi stepped back like she'd been slapped. He already knows? "How did you—"
"No one pays attention to a pathetic orphan." His eyes were filled with self-loathing. "Why should they? I'm worthless."
"No, that's—"
Mizuki shook his head. "How many great shinobi came from civilian families?"
Kimi looked at him. He looked back, waiting. "Namikaze Minato," she said quietly.
"Of the great geniuses that Konoha produced, only one was civilian-born. And he's dead." His hands shook. "Don't you see? I don't have a chance. And without my family, I'm…" The dam broke, and Mizuki frame shook with heart-wrenching sobs.
Kimi's own heart broke for the kid. Mizuki was too perceptive for his own good. She sat next to him and said nothing. As Inoichi had said, sometimes, the most important thing was to listen.
After a moment of hesitation, Mizuki sighed softly. He looked up, and the two watched the clouds in silence.
"What do you want to do?" Kimi broke the silence once Mizuki's emotional state began to settle.
He took his time in answering. "I want to be an Academy teacher." Mizuki's voice shook slightly. "It's… not a bad goal for someone like me. And it's important. I want to make sure that civilian kids are treated normal. So they don't have to be like me." He became more confident as he spoke. "I mean, I'll probably be stuck in the Genin Corps, but if I work hard, I can get a field promotion. It's not impossible."
Kimi used every skill she had, from chakra sense to body language, to see if Mizuki was telling the truth. And while Mizuki was a good liar, he wasn't as good as she was. As far as she could tell, he was telling the truth.
Kimi could easily see how Mizuki had gone down that path in the show. He'd probably labored away in the Corps for years before receiving any recognition, and Mizuki become jaded enough to put the ends before the means. After seeing Iruka achieve his dreams with a fraction of effort, simply because he'd been from a ninja family, Mizuki had become resentful. Or so she speculated.
She didn't approve of what he'd done, of course not. But Kimi knew that his original desire came from good intentions.
"I think it's a very good goal. I'll do what I can to help." And she meant it. The bell rang, signifying the end of lunch break. Kimi offered Mizuki a hand. "Now, let's go to class." Mizuki took her hand. He hadn't recovered completely—there was no magic therapy jutsu—it would take years and years for that. But it was a start.
Out of the corner of her eye, Kimi saw a flash of red.
The Academy had a rigid method of teaching. There were lectures, notes, and assigned reading—none of the arts and crafts that elementary school students would have done back in her home world. However, the Academy was very insistent on group work. The number of students in a group varied from two to five, and the teachers were always sure to emphasize the role teamwork would play in their lives as a ninja. On average, the teachers assigned three or four group projects a month. Besides, it also gave them an opportunity to see how the students interacted with one another.
So, Kimi wasn't surprised when Daikoku, their new teacher, gave them another project. The assignment itself was simple. They were given the details of a C-rank escort mission, and their job was to write how they planned to complete it.
But she was dismayed to learn that Uchiha Itachi was to be her partner.
Kimi looked at the boy who had silently taken a seat next to her. Uchiha Itachi. A scrawny seven year old with dark eyes and the beginnings of stress lines. He didn't look very dangerous.
The boy looked back at her. "Hello, Mita-san. It is a pleasure to work with you." His voice was high-pitched in that childlike way, but his tone and bearing were much more mature. It was quite unnerving, really.
Is this how I sound to the Yamanaka? She looked down and forced herself to blush. No, I must be worse. Itachi's frighteningly intelligent, but he's never been an adult. "Okay," she mumbled, playing with the hem of her shirt. "Nice to meet you. C-Could you… I mean, you can call me Kimi."
He tilted his head. "And you may call me Itachi." For a little kid, his tone was ridiculously aristocratic.
They worked in near silence, only speaking when necessary. Kimi worked hard to keep up her facade, even acting resentful a few times. She was supposed to be jealous of him. Itachi mirrored her reticence, but he was unfailingly polite.
But after her first (deliberate) mistake—which Itachi corrected—his attitude changed.
"You intentionally plan to receive lower scores on the written tests." His words were flat, emotionless.
By now, Kimi was too practiced to give herself away any further. "What?" She infused the word with just the right amount of confusion, shock, and distress. "Well, sorry for not being good enough for you." Gripping her pencil tightly, Kimi looked away.
Itachi tilted his head. "Did anyone ask you to score lower than me?" he asked seriously.
"I don't know what you're talking about!"
His eyes flashed red. Literally. Kimi flinched at the sight of the Sharingan—this time, her reaction wasn't fake. He didn't give an explanation for his action, and Kimi didn't ask for one either.
They continued to work in silence.
"If you'd like," Itachi said suddenly, "I could ask the teacher to switch my partner."
Kimi stopped at that. Then, she looked at him again. Really looked at him. This was the boy who would grow up to murder every man, woman, and child in his family to protect his brother. He would work as the fugitive for the rest of his short, miserable life to serve Konoha. He was one of the strongest men who would ever live. And one of the most reprehensible murderers in the entire show.
He was a kid. And under the layers of his blank, refined mask, Kimi could detect a tiny bit of hurt.
She closed her eyes. I've been an asshole, haven't I? He's like Mizuki. He hasn't done anything. But I've been treating him like a criminal. I'm such a hypocrite. I promised myself that I'd act... but how can I do that if I try to avoid everyone I deem dangerous
Kimi looked towards the front of the room. The teacher had stepped out for a smoke break, and all the other students were focused on their work. She faced Itachi again. This time, she let a little of her own mask slip.
"No, it's fine." She smiled. "You were right."
Though Itachi's face remained neutral, Kimi saw understanding and a smidgen of triumph in his eyes. "I see."
They continued on the project, and Kimi made an effort to engage in more conversation. Her body language was the same, but her words were incongruous; every so often, she spoke to him like an adult. Several times during their conversation, Itachi's eyes flashed red, so fast that Kimi wondered if she had imagined it. She still didn't remark upon it.
Once the class was over, the lunch bell rang. The teacher dismissed them, and the students flooded out of the classroom. Kimi joined them. Once she stepped outside the classroom, she hesitated and looked back. Itachi was following them at a much slower pace.
"Hey, Itachi-kun."
Outwardly unsurprised, Itachi looked at her. But Kimi had noticed a telltale twitch of his fingers that telegraphed his shock. "Yes?" he replied.
"Do you want to join us for lunch?" Kimi knew that he usually ate alone. There were no other Uchiha in the class, and Itachi usually spent lunch practicing.
His eyes flickered red again. After a moment, he responded. "Yes."
To say that her group was startled to see Itachi would be an understatement. But after some initial wariness, they accepted him. Yugao in particular seemed to like the younger boy; she drew him into a detailed discussion on the merits of swords versus shorter blades.
While Itachi didn't join them for lunch each day, he did come by every once in awhile. Kimi was glad for that; it wasn't healthy for a young kid to isolate himself.
(But Kimi couldn't help but wonder if her intervention would make any difference.)
AN: The Academy years are quickly drawing to a close. While this chapter focused on her academic side, the next chapter should focus on the political maneuvering... and the actions of various clans. Instead of having one monstrously large chapter, I've decided to split it into two. Chapter Eight will mark the actual end of Part One.
Also, would any of you be interested in a collection of side-stories from this same universe? This would include deleted scenes, events from other characters' perspective, and anything I decide not to include in the main story. On a different note, I would like to thank AnalogToothBrush for recommending this story in her fanfic Mitama's Ladder! I really do appreciate shout-outs.
Many thanks to MalevolentRace, my infinitely awesome beta. Their help has been invaluable.
And thank you for all the wonderful reviews! I really appreciate you taking the time to read and comment, during and after my long absence.
This chapter's recommendation is The Way of the Apartment Manager by Elizabeth Culmer. It's not a OC-insert in the traditional sense; instead, it focuses on the changes that an ordinary ninja can make. The characterization is just great.