A/N: hNGH... This chapter... I swear, refused to be written easily. I even managed to update my other story From the Sea of Souls before I update this one and that one has been on hiatus for a year because I couldn't find inspiration.
But I did it. I freaking did it, cuz goddamn I needed this chapter to happen.
As always, please let me know if there are any grammar or spelling errors, I might end up looking over this chapter a few times later and nitpick anyways because I'm loading this up at 3 AM PST and am TIRED.
DISCLAIMER: Violence is not the answer to solve your problems. I do not in any way promote eye for an eye behavior, as that is a very destructive way of thinking and all our actions have consequences. We must all take responsibility for our actions and when you create violence, no matter what your reasons you only have yourself to blame.
Chapter 7: Breaking the Mold
Song Theme: Jeremy Soule – Auriel's Ascension
Days and nights pass like the autumn's falling leaves, the dry months of summer fade with the turn of the seasons. The world is painted in splashes of burgundy and amber, my breath fogs in the chill air of dusk. Birds have already begun the journey to southern shores, their flocks filling the sky with wing beats and raucous calls during the early hours of the morning.
I train with Jiraiya for several hours every day, carefully conditioning my chakra coils while my core recovers under the influence of a restrictive seal. Jiraiya had explained to the me the dangers of letting my chakra run unchecked and after consulting the aid of a shinobi who's features were disguised by a porcelain mask, discovered the cause of the anomaly. Somehow, my hara or chakra core, the place where my spiritual and physical energies coalesced had become damaged. The pathway ruptured. Forcing my body to create more chakra than was necessary, which explained the incessant buzzing beneath my skin.
As for how this hernia occurred, I presumed that the "incident" was the cause... A violent eruption of chakra built up and unleashed by someone untrained seemed to be the perfect formula in my opinion. Jiraiya seemed to agree and ordered me to refrain from using my chakra unless it was within his presence.
Such an order wasn't too difficult to follow... After all, the placement of the seal nearly made molding chakra impossible, never mind the fact that I hadn't been trained to actively create my energy.
Lucky for me, Jiraiya seemed determined to rectify this problem... Sort of.
xXx
Skylar felt like her body was mired in thick molasses; movements were laborious and her thoughts unusually sluggish. Jiraiya had her training constantly ever since the seal had been activated and as a result the girl had the inescapable sensation that she was only half awake. He told her that this was normal, that the fuuinjutsu restricted access to her chakra so that her hara could heal properly. Slowing the movement of her spiritual and physical energies, so that instead of overflowing to dangerous levels like it was before, it was now reduced to a mere trickle.
This however, had unsavory results; Skylar couldn't help but feel that an important part of herself was missing from all this. Everything felt so surreal to her now, it was almost exactly the reaction Skylar faced when she first came to this strange world. Apart. Disconnected.
A stranger in a strange land.
Without a doubt, the Tsukino's were concerned over this new development, wanting to know the reason for this sudden lethargy. Airi had concerns that the foreign girl was depressed and tried to have someone be around her at all times. Skylar was clever though, and easily lost anyone to go for her daily training with the white-haired man, making sure to never take the same path.
The twelve year old didn't want her family to find out about Jiraiya... Airi had made it abundantly clear that she didn't approve of Skylar training when Minato was around and the girl wasn't going to take the chance that Airi would put a stop to her training. That and the blonde woman would definitely not approve of the fact that young, impressionable Skylar was interacting with a grown man who peeped in bathhouses. What she didn't know wouldn't kill her.
This training was important to Skylar... She wanted to do it. She needed it. What was the point of having power if you didn't use it?
'Besides,' Skylar reasoned, as she waded through the throngs of bodies between her and the school house, 'I can use this new strength to protect my family and repay them for all they've done for me.' Clearing the crowd, the girl strode to the gate and leaned against a brick pillar to await her charge, crossing her arms over her chest. Her eyes drooped sleepily as the day's physical activities took its toll.
Jiraiya called the exercises katas and explained that they were fundamental in learning the art of taijutsu, the martial art of turning the human body into a weapon. He claimed it was imperative that she learn to balance her own unwieldy body before even attempting to take on another person, that the movements would become natural as breathing with time. Skylar would have agreed with the man... if she didn't feel slighted when he'd traipse off to spy on the onsen, giggling perversely all the way. She got the distinct impression that Jiraiya wasn't a very attentive person...
In any case, performing the same motions over and over for hours did become quite strenuous, her body ached in areas she never imagined could be possible and her arms were limp like we noodles. Skylar felt... mildly frustrated however. It appeared to be like no progress was being made no matter how much she worked. Jiraiya simply reminded her when she voice her irritations, that change cannot occur overnight; things would become easier with time and that her pain would diminish with practice.
She couldn't deny that his words made sense; perhaps she was becoming too impatient...
Thoughts strayed to what she remembered of Minato's fluid movements at their first meeting, such grace and poise in the face of the enemy...
Skylar jolted when she heard a bell clang, having unknowingly slipped into unconsciousness in her musings. Her eyes cast about sheepishly at the people gathering around to pick up their children, hoping that no one saw her slip up. Bad enough that she felt tired all the time, she didn't need to make a scene in public and give Airi a greater cause for worry.
Hazel eyes darted over the babbling mass of students making their exodus, searching for the tell-tale platinum hair of her younger sister. Instantly, her keen eyes zeroed in on a bright patch but dismissed it immediately upon realizing that the shade was off, one look at the child's face confirming the negative. A moment passed with Skylar's piercing gaze roving over dark heads of hair, the intensity of her glare causing some of the children to skirt nervously around her.
Finally, she caught sight of Chinatsu chatting animatedly with a couple of friends on the schoolhouse steps and Skylar couldn't help but smile at the girl's apparent excitement. Her face practically aglow in anticipation.
Today was October 18th which just happened to be a certain blonde-haired imp's date of birth. The now freshly turned eight year old was in anticipation for what was to come this evening, something that the older Tsukino siblings and Skylar had been planning on for a couple of weeks now.
A slumber party.
Apparently, someone in Chinatsu's class had one the previous month and "everyone" had talked about how great the party was. Not to be outdone by this supposed rival, Chinatsu was adamant about having a slumber party for her own birthday and that it was going to be far better than "Miki no Baka's"
It was utterly ridiculous in Skylar's opinion, the whole point of a birthday was to have fun and stuff yourself with sweets... one couldn't exactly do that when another's accomplishments are foreshadowing one's own achievements. The older girl attempted to make the younger see this line of reasoning, but the child was determined. She could swear that the blonde was a mule in a previous life.
And so here Skylar stood, the birthday girl's escort for this evening... Making sure that Chinatsu's friends had all they needed for a night. She gave a polite nod when the children drew close, the older girl taking note of the wary looks she was receiving from the other two girls. Uncrossing her limbs, Skylar pushed off of the pillar and made to greet the group properly. "Imouto," She murmured with a short bow, surprising Chinatsu with her formality, "I'm here to escort you and your friends around town this afternoon." Turning her eyes on the startled expressions of the other girls, Skylar's stiff expression softened. "I'm sorry, we have not been formally introduced, my name is Mukei Sukaira. It's a pleasure to meet you."
The smallest of the two girls, a child with wide brown eyes and ebony hair squeaked and bowed so rigidly that Skylar was worried for a moment that she was going to pull something. "My name is Yamataro Keiko! I'm seven years old and my favorite color is blue. Pleasetakecareofme!"
Blinking in astonishment, Skylar took a moment to register that motor-mouthed response; noticing the way the girl fidgeted and avoided looking at her directly, "I'll be sure to do that Yamataro-chan." Skylar softly responded, resisting the urge to pat the child on the head and instead hoping that her gentle words would relieve some of the tension the girl was clearly feeling.
In contrast, the second girl looked down right bored with her eyes half-lidded and her posture in that of a lazy slouch. "My name is Hayo Tatsuki..." She drawled, running a hand through fawn hair, "I'm eight years old... and I like sleeping... Please take care of me Mukei-sama..."
Whole body jerking in response to the unexpected honorific, Skylar recovered quickly and gave an awkward wave of her hand. "Ah... Please just call me Mukei-san or Sukaira-chan," She uttered with a grimace, "Sama is too formal for someone like me..."
"Whatever you say senpai..." Tatsuki drawled, giving a wide yawn behind her hand and somehow appearing to slouch further.
Skylar looked between the apathetic Tatsuki and the bubbling personality that was Chinatsu, 'I'll never understand this relationship...' She mused briefly before clearing her throat to get everyone's attention. "Alright, is this everyone or are we still waiting for others Chinatsu-chan?"
Giving a melodramatic huff and screwing her face into a pout Chinatsu replied, "We're still waiting for Junko... She got in trouble with the teacher today and had to write an essay..." The blonde girl sighed theatrically raising the back of her hand to her forehead and staring mournfully into the heavens, "We will probably be waiting here for a while my dearest sister. I know how excited you were for the party," Chinatsu made a show of ignoring the deadpan expression Skylar shot her way and clenched her hand into a fist, mock tears pricking the corners of her eyes, "But know that even if we have to wait here a thousand years the party will go on..."
Slow clapping followed a dramatic pause and Chinatsu bowed with a flourish to her three-man audience. The sounds of "Wah, so cool!" and "That was nice." from her two friends making her chest swell with pride.
"Yes, that was very impressive." Skylar intoned robotically, clapping her hands loudly with exaggerated slowness, "You're so talented. I wish I could be as cool as you. Wow. It's hard to believe that we're related. You should be in theater..."
"You don't have to make it sound dumb!" Chinatsu abruptly interrupted with a near hysterical shout, a bright red blush painted across her cheeks when her friends gave startled giggles at her expense. She glowered when Sukaira stared directly into her eyes and gave a brief quirk of her lips, 'That cheeky brat!' The blonde girl fumed. Her glare turned to surprise however, when her friends surreptitiously scooted close when the older girl's attention turned back to the school entrance.
"Did she just tell a joke?" Keiko whispered conspiratorially, putting her hand next to her mouth so her voice wouldn't carry.
Confused, Chinatsu blinked at the smaller girl, "Uh... yeah." Her eyes darted to where Sukaira was once again leaning against the brick and then back again. "Why wouldn't she?"
"I always thought she was just a loner with no personality." Came Tatsuki's droning reply, giving a shrug when Chinatsu shot her a scowl. "What? It's not my fault that every time I see her it looks like you're just talking to a brick wall. I've maybe seen her smile..." She paused for a moment to think, rolling her eyes to the side for a moment before coming back. "Twice. Maybe three times. But only ever at you and then she quickly goes back to her... normal face." As one, the group of three turned to look at the stoic girl who seemed to be struggling to keep her eyes open.
Chinatsu frowned severely and firmly planted her hands on her hips in a near perfect imitation of Airi, "She's got plenty of personality! Sukaira-nee is just... she's just shy around strangers. It's not like everyone is going out of their way to be nice to her, you know. She's just protecting herself!" Crossing her arms, the platinum-haired child grumbled, "Wouldn't you do the same thing if people gave you a cold shoulder? Acted like there was something wrong with you?"
Both girls shuffled nervously from foot to foot, with Keiko reluctantly answering, "I guess so..."
"Exactly." Huffed Chinatsu, sticking her nose in the air, "Now where in the world is Junko?" The blonde girl hissed, gritting her teeth, "She should be here by no-"
"Oi! I'm done you big whiner!" A crude nasally voice interrupted Chinatsu mid rant, causing everyone's heads to flip around and acknowledge the newcomer strolling nonchalantly down the school steps.
A girl with long wavy brunette hair descended the stairs, a mischievous gleam in her dark eyes. However, the moment those eyes caught Skylar in their sights, the grin faded from her lip and turned into a scowl, her eyes darkening considerably, "What is she doing here?" Junko voiced snidely, her face twisting into an ugly sneer.
Stoic in the face of this animosity, Skylar replied drolly, "I'm here every day to walk Chinatsu-chan home, as I'm sure you are well aware... Why should today be any different?"
Junko gave a menacing glare, which on an eight year old was about at threatening as a pout-faced kitten. "You don't belong here and nobody likes you. You should just leave."
"Your perception of my situation is skewed by your personal feelings for me." Skylar murmured, pushing herself off the pillar and meandering her way forward. "Don't assume that you understand everyone's views, you'll only make a fool of yourself." She sighed, rubbing the back of her neck and groaning when it audibly popped with a twist. "In any case, being that I am a part of Chinatsu-chan's family it was inevitable that you would have to deal with me... and I don't plan on going anywhere."
Turning her head, Skylar's eyes roved over every girl, "Now, please be considerate of the fact that it's Chinatsu-chan's birthday and behave accordingly. I'm sure none of you wish to incur Airi-san's wrath." Wide eyes and shaking heads followed her statement and Skylar nodded her head once, "Good. Neither do I." With a grimace, the older girl looked up at the darkening sky, "We need to get moving now... enough time has been wasted as it is." She muttered, leading the way off the school grounds.
The brunette blinked a couple of times at Sukaira's back and then leaned close to Chinatsu, "Did... Did she just lecture me?" She whispered disbelievingly.
Chinatsu snorted and gave Junko an irritated look, "Seems like it. You must have really annoyed her, because that's got to be the first time I've ever heard her say that much in one sitting."
Groaning, the other girl pouted, "So she lectures when she's mad? That's so boring..."
"She must have picked it up from Onee-san." Grumbled the platinum-haired girl, crossing her arms again before giving Junko a scowl. "And don't you dare try to make her mad, you're supposed to be nice!"
Before Junko could snark back, a distant but clear voice cut through the conversation like a dagger, "Need I remind you that we are running on a tight schedule." Sukaira's voice called dryly from beyond the school gate, snapping everyone to attention, "Who's house is the closest from here?"
xXx
From house to house the group walked, the resident of each household entering to gather necessities while the rest waited outside and chatted amongst themselves, sans Skylar who was determined to get rest where she could. A few awkward moments occurred when Skylar greeted each child's respective mother. Keiko's mother seemed to be fluttery and air-headed, while Tatsuki's appeared to be a very strict no nonsense personality. However, when Skylar met Junko's mother, she could understand where the girl's latent animosity toward her came from. The woman openly glared and demanded to know the reason for why she specifically was standing on their doorstep.
Skylar figured the reason for this attitude stemmed from the tiny meek face poking around the woman's kimono; a toddler with visible burn scars on a pudgy arm.
Wisely, she kept her lips sealed in this encounter and let Chinatsu do the talking, making a valiant attempt to ignore the toddler when she made grabby hands toward her. She shoved her hands in her pockets when the girl drew closer and stood as still as a statue when the small child grew impatient and gripped her pants. Noticing this, Junko's mother gave her a venomous look and swiftly carted the child inside, overlooking the little girl's shrieks of protest, and slamming the door.
Chinatsu asked if she was alright. Skylar merely grunted.
Once around that roadblock, with Junko arguing with her mother all the way out the door, the group threaded their way through a maze of streets to the edge of town. The crowds in the market district having dwindled with the lateness of the hour.
Chinatsu felt a shift next to her and noted how Sukaira's shoulders steadily tensed. "What's the matter?" She whispered, drawing the attention of her friends who's voices immediately hushed.
"Kazuma-san isn't hammering..." The older girl declared with a growl, her voice rumbling deep within her sternum.
Casting her eyes about nervously, Chinatsu confided with a bit of a tremble in her lip, "You don't think he'll try anything do you? I mean, there's five of us..."
Sukaira hummed noncommittally, filling the younger girl with dread. Toshiro had become more aggressive with his harassment attempts recently and it was starting to scare Chinatsu. He didn't even seem to mind if someone saw either, occasionally having to be shooed off by a random passerby. At one point, the boy's had followed them out of town and started throwing rocks at them! None managed to hit them of course, but the fact of the matter was that their behavior was becoming increasingly dangerous and Chinatsu was beginning to fear for their safety. To make matters worse, the girls had never been out this late before, which increased the chances of running into the boy.
Her three friends seemed to pick up on this nervous atmosphere and huddled close.
"Stand in front of me." Sukaira tonelessly uttered, her eyes narrowed, and back straightening to her full height. "All of you... now."
The children had just crowded before her with wide eyes when the first stone struck the older girl in the shoulder, making her hiss. An upwelling of blood surged through her split skin and oozed down her arm. Chinatsu gasped.
"Hah! Got her!" A young male voice hollered, causing the hackles to rise on Skylar's neck. "Hand me another one Shin." Toshiro barked, his voice dripping with excitement. Skylar didn't want to know what sort of expression the boy was sporting.
Gritting her teeth, the older girl shot the gaping children before her a critical eye, "What are you gawking for? Run. Get help." Grunting when another rock smacked right in the middle of her back, between the shoulder blades, "I don't want you getting caught in the middle of this."
Lurching up, the girls stumbled over each other to get further away, clutching their belongings close. Chinatsu lingered however, keeping up with Skylar's pace and worriedly looking over her features when she flinched from another blow. Their stalkers chortling behind them. "Sukaira-nee are you okay? What should I do?"
"I told you to g-Ah!" A rock struck her hard in the calf, the muscle giving way beneath her, while another stone simultaneously smashed into the back of her head and caused her to topple over. Managing to catch herself with her hands, Skylar's world felt fuzzy and the only thing that stood out in her mind was pain. 'Ugh... What?' She wondered blearily as she felt something tickling her neck, 'What is...' Tentatively, Skylar reached her hand back and touched something damp.
When she brought her hand forward again, her pain ridden mind could not deduce why the appendage was red...
Two smaller pairs of hands grasped her own and Skylar dimly lifted her head to see Chinatsu's concerned gaze, "Sukaira-nee!" The girl screeched spectacularly, making Skylar wince at the sheer volume, "Come on, you need to get up! You need to run too!"
It happened in a moment.
A snapshot of when Skylar had closed her eyes to keep the world from spinning. She heard something hit the ground hard and the screams of Chinatsu's friends. Opening her eyes, Skylar saw her adoptive sister sprawled out before her. Blood leaking from a wound at her temple.
The world was thrown into clarity once more and Skylar felt the beginnings of ragged breaths crawl up her throat. No more vertigo. No more nausea. Everything was in focus. The breaths quickened and Skylar felt herself begin to shake, her teeth chattering in its violence.
There was a subtle shift in the air behind her...
She shot a hand back, catching the sharp stone that had been chucked at her already bleeding scalp wound. The rock crumbled and broke in her grip, her chakra shattering the mineral into dust. Chakra arced and crackled around her, the smell of ozone permeating the air. Skylar slowly turned her head, looking over her shoulder to give Toshiro a baleful stare.
With a roar, Skylar rocketed away from Chinatsu's fallen form, her hazel eyes shining feverishly in righteous fury. Jou and Shin attempted to stand before Toshiro in an attempt to defend him, but Skylar merely swatted away their efforts, backhanding them both with enough force to open the path to her target.
Crouching low, the teen sprung forward to drive a knee into the boy's diaphragm, eliciting a strangled cough. When Toshiro reached down to grip his pained abdomen, Skylar grabbed the lapels of his shirt and cold cocked him right in the jaw. Snapping his head back and summarily knocking him out cold.
Carelessly dropping Toshiro's unconscious body, Skylar marched back to where Chinatsu lay, ignoring the scrambling attempts of Toshiro's friends as she passed them by. Carefully, she cradled the now barely conscious girl, silently relieved to see her confusedly casting her eyes about and breathing steadily. "Go tell Airi what happened," Skylar directed at the three girls, each carrying various stages of shock in their expressions, "And tell her to come to the clinic immediately... GO." She ordered loudly when they stalled, causing the girls to jerk out of whatever stupor they were in and scramble to heed her command.
Shifting Chinatsu so that she wouldn't jostle too much and making sure that she was still awake, Skylar caught Toshiro's "friends" surreptitiously attempting to escape, "Oi." The girl called, halting them in their tracks, "Don't think you can wriggle your way out of this... I'll find you and drag you back if I have to."
"Nyah!" Shin taunted, sticking out his tongue at Skylar, "You'll never catch us if we separate, Baka!"
"Yeah!" Jou chortled stupidly, showing off his nostrils as he turned up his nose with his thumb, "We'll just pretend we don't know anything and that you and Toshiro got in a fight, not us!"
"Is that so?" Rumbled a third voice that sounded like a couple of boulder grinding together. "Then I suppose as "loyal" friends of Toshiro you won't mind carrying him to the clinic to be sure he's okay."
Turning around woodenly, the boys both faced a giant of a man with muscles the size of Skylar. "Oh... uh... Hi... Kazuma-san... How long have you been standing there?" The boys stuttered simultaneously, sweat visibly running down their faces.
"Long enough." The bear of a man replied gruffly, shifting his beady eyes slightly to give Skylar a look. "Go on. I'll take care of this."
Nodding, Skylar quickly strode away, ignoring the occasional stares and whispers as she passed through town. Chinatsu's limp body clutch tightly to her bosom.
A/N: Ugh, what a shitty way to spend a birthday. Concussions are NOT fun and can be very dangerous, I had one when I was 10 where I fell backwards off a stool on a slick floor and whacked my head good. All I remember was there was a kid standing next to me... and then he wasn't there. Dunno how long I was unconscious for but damn if that isn't unsettling...
QUESTION TIME!:
Q: Does anyone listen to the Song Themes that I put at the top of the chapter? (They are more or less for my benefit when I'm writing the chapter. I like getting the correct 'atmosphere.')
Q: Do you have any suggestions for songs or song themes for this fanfiction? (I love listening to music while I work.)
Q: If there was a place you could travel to, where would it be? (Can be anywhere.)
Beatrix Hart: Ohh, Shisui would actually be a pretty interesting one and I'm with you there on the age thing... He's always seemed like an older brother figure for Itachi. I would totally try haggis... I actually would probably eat anything if it was prepared before or around me. My friends actually make fun of me a little because I'll eat just about anything if you shove it in my face.
Electrik Emeralds: God that sounds awful being confined in a car for over 1000 miles! Yeesh. I would probably never do it... But you never know with plane ticket prices.
Tech-cha: Well I still value your answer, despite your opinion on the matter. I do admit that SukairaxMinato would be interesting, but probably not in the same way you're thinking. As for food... that... sounds absolutely bizarre and fantastic at the same time.
Crys: Lol! I see you are the practitioner of "shipping all the ships" ;) Also your ice cream sounds supremely amazing and I want to put it in my face right now. As for my furthest travel distance I traveled from Portland, Oregon US to Tampa, Florida US via plane... so give or take about 3000 miles or 4828 km. The longest I've ever traveled... and I hated it, never go to Florida unless you like being hot and sweaty all the time. :C
CeresMaria: Bahahah! Your comment brought a genuine smile to my face! Thank you so much for that. Youth!
LeAvaBella: I... have never heard of someone eating pig slop. You have intrigued me... why you do this?!
Dear U. x .U: Sukaira as of between chapter 4 and 5 is now 12 years old, her birthday being July 19th. She is now at apprenticeship age. Also... uhm... That flower eating story sounds like it could be dangerous... Don't eat strange flowers... you can actually die if you eat the wrong plant. (:|
Aegyo: Apparently three people have confirmed that they have eaten cow tongue, how interesting! I'll have to try it some day! And just to let you know... I LOVE pairing drama! So look forward to seeing that some time in the future.
