I wake up the next day, knowing it is three days until the start of the academy. A sense of trepidation filling my veins/chakra pathways. I really need to look better at the biology book becuase in this world every body is as reliant on chakra as it is in blood. Perhaps more so considering there are people who can turn into water or smoke and there is no way smoke can bleed.

I get up and I make my way to the kitchen, quickly realizing there are no leftovers in the fridge. I am so not making a new meal, I'll stall breakfast and have a big lunch later after shopping. I reach up and take the ramen cup my eyes scanning over the ryo. Or rather the complete lack of ryo. The cup is empty…

A sense of betrayal burns inside me. It burns bright like the sun and hot like a volcano ready to erupt at any moment. I throw the cup hard against the wall hearing plastic meeting tile. My fists ball at my sides and my eyes narrow. I am getting my money back. I don't think as I march, loudly, to Ami's room slamming the door open, I pay no mind to the fact this is my first time going in her room ever.

I slam the door open ignoring them squawk of surprise at the sudden action as I see the purple haired girl's eyes land on me. She's not asleep like I thought she would be, in fact she seems ready to go, as she is carrying her brown satchel bag over her left shoulder, the bag I notice, is far to big for her, practically touching the floor despite the fact she was adjusting it's strap to be shorter and shorter trying to fix this issue.

"Damn, googly-eyes! Have you ever heard of knocking!" She demands angrily and I am a little startled at the response, she seems confused and well… not quite as smug as I figured the BRAT would be. I pause for a moment and am glad I did. "Are we going shopping or what?" She then says, now I stare slack jawed at her. Shopping? As in going to spend the pooled together money that she stole. She did steal it right? Did I look at the wrong ramen cup? I swear if that's the case I might just die of embarrassment!

"Huh?" Is my dignified response as several emotions play across my face before the calm consumes me once more, I let it, hell I welcome it this time rather than the sun burn like sting of my own embarrassed confusion.

"I… I moved the money." She then says as realization comes to her. It's a mixed of sadness and embarrassment of her own. She walks out motioning weakly for me to follow clamming up again. I did assume she stole from me… but it was a fair assumption! Right?! I mean what else was I supposed to think? She shows a jar, a tea jar actually, one I hadn't really noticed before meaning that it was most certainly a new item, even if it looks really old. It kind of reminds me of Halloween decorations that are painted to looks spooky and ancient but are really just dollars store goods. She opens it and I tilt my head confused by the tea leaves in a brown bag. She pulls it up and the money is underneath, not just mine though, more than mine, her share is there too. I look at Ami in awe and surprise. It's a much better hiding spot then a ramen cup which I had admittedly did on a whim.

"Where'd you get the jar?" I ask hoping it doesn't sound accusatory.

"The lady downstairs. A welcome gift when I met her." Ami states and she looks ready to go, I geuss we're going shopping together. I nod acknowledging her answer.

"I'll be back out in a second." I tell her and run to my room traces of blush still marking my face as I quickly get dressed and ready to go throwing my own oversized backpack on along with my clothes. I choose my usual dark grey/black shorts, and a top that is a dark green t-shirt that has tree yellow flower like buttons on the neck. It will work well with my black boots. It wasn't my fault right? Assuming that she stole… I'm not a bad person for jumping to conclusions… I'm not…

I sigh as I go out meeting Ami who looks at me a slight glare of accusation in her gaze that makes me flinch away. This is ridiculous, this guilt for something that was so perfectly reasonable. We say nothing as we exit the apartment locking up behind us.

I guide Ami through the streets past our general area. She seems surprised by our heading but doesn't comment. I note how she holds her head, chin up and proud, her shoulders squared firmly back. She looks confident, cutely so like a child dressed up as an adult, yet there is also a slight meekness to her. A part of her who want to hide. I think about how I walk. Never really thought of it before. I often look up too but it is more with a dreamy look? My head in the clouds thinking of this or that. My hands are in my pockets, absentmindedly tapping finger to finger to pass the time. We probably look like quite the strange pair.

"Where's the shop?" Ami asks clearly uncomfortable with our heading, we are getting closer and closer to the clan compounds after all.

"The Akimichi compound…" I tell her with a slight smile. I liked Yataka, and his advice had been good. Hopefully he would have more advice on what to get.

"W-what?! We can't go there!" Ami hisses lowly as though afraid to be overheard. "The matron always used to say that anyone who wandered into the ninja compounds never came out! The Akimichi will gobble you alive if you insult their cooking and don't eat everything on your plate!" Ami said a cold sweat running down her brow and I blink several times. Did civilians really tell such stories about their own ninja? Though the who 'don't eat everything in your plate' thing kind of reminds me of a monster coming to eat little boys and girls if they aren't good. I flush red with exasperation.

"Ami… they are just people. Like you or me. Just people. Ninja… but we're going to be ninja too aren't we? They'll be clan kids at the academy…" I begin to say and she turns sheet white at the thought. "I promise…" I say quickly getting worried she might actually pass out. "Yataka-san isn't scary." I add and she doesn't seem to believe me but I can see the stubbornness filling her eyes. Even if only not to be cowardly, in the obstinate way of a child refusing to acknowledged how small they really are, she will come.

We enter the Akimichi compound the vibrant smelll of spices filling my nose and making my mouth water, especially considering I skipped breakfast and Ami probably did too. The streets seem even more filled this time then the last with the vendor and restaurants calling for customers to come and explore, coaxing them over like a siren's call. I keep and eye on the various merchandise, just in case but head for the vague direction I remeber Yataka's stand being. I find it quickly with the large aging man rumbling welcomes to anyone who wanders even vaguely by.

"Ahh! Sayori-chan nice to see you again chibi!" He says with an affectionate tone. I blink once in surprise that he even remembered me and twice in annoyance that even though he knows my name he is calling me chibi. Despite her still clinging fear Ami laughs lowly at my expression which I am sure must be hilarious. "And whose your friend?"

"This is Ami, we live together." I inform him in a matter of fact tone pushing down my annoyance though I feel it just escaping the deep calm.

"Well any friend of the chibi is a friend of mine." Yataka declares and I openly gape. I met him once and listened to his stories so was the friendliness just good salesmanship? Or was it real? I would have to take a bit longer to figure it out.

"It's a pleasure to meet you…" Ami squeaks out but her voice is mouse like and really high with nerves and it is my turn to grin viciously.

"So what do you girls like?" The Akimichi asks gesturing around as he begins to tell extravagant tales of each vegetable type despite my efforts to keep them brief the time flies by. He messes up my hair MULTIPLE times but in the end he gives us a really great deal on more brown rice, onions, a small seasonings kit, tomatoes, carrots, broccoli, and tofu. He even tells us that if we come back in a week he could get some eggs for us at a good discount for them about to be going bad so we would have to eat them that night. Then to top it off we get blueberries! I think I am going to cry because I love blueberries.

"Thank you so much Yataka-san!" I tell him with a little bow as we head off a good chunk of ryo poorer but excited to cook.

On our way back we stop by a pawn shop. The broker a middle aged man with flat hair greased to the right side with so much product that you could see it glisten in little blobs along the hair. His hair is dark blue and he had tan skin, that looked like it came from a spray can. His eyes dark oak like colour. He stood behind a glass case showing the more valuable goods, while the larger items hung on shelves in the muddled messy store. His name was printed in golden lettering on a name plate in front of him as he gave a smile similar to Yataka's but not as real or sincere. The name printed was Aoi Makino. Around the store I sense around, he is a civilian form what I can tell but the unsuspecting man near the front of the store is definitely a ninja. The guy at the front of the store is probably a jonin or chunnin by how much chakra he has. The ninja having light brown hair, dark eyes and a scar that looks like a burn over his face. He seems exasperated and bored with the whole job as we walk in.

"Oh hello, my guests, to sell or buy?" Aoi asked asked in a sickly sweet voice that I'm not sure if he actually thought worked or not. The ninja I can tell quietly scoffs.

"Buy, we need a… what was it?" Ami asked somehow feeling more at ease with this clear slime than a man like Yataka.

"Alarm clock." I state looking through his items there are so many. He seems to carry everything from lamps to curtains, jewels to furniture. I even spot what looks like ninja weapons. I can see some shuriken and kunai. None of this stuff is good quality, but at the same time it's probably dirt cheap if you can negotiate the price right. Still when it come to weapons you need to put your trust into during life or death situations… I'll spend the extra ryo for quality.

"Well we have excellent clocks over there. Be sure to test them out to ensure their top quality. Remember all sales here are final…" he says the last part in a darker tone then the rest of the little speech.

"How about this one?" Ami says geysering to an impressive looking wooden clock with a swinging pendulum on the bottom. We take one look at the price and recoil. Apparently this man has no problem gambling when these prices would scare any sensible person away. Eventually we find a little red alarm clock with big shiny belts in the side the size of mouse ears. Somehow I feel it suits Ami perfectly. "This one's nice." Ami says about the clock and I nod.

"Oh.. what good taste you both have. This is a genuine antique. One of the last of its line. It's even in mint condition see…" He says pressing a button as a loud ringing fills the store, that would definitely be loud enough to wake us. "I couldn't part with it for any lower than…"

"We'll give 1,500 ryo." I say sternly my eyes hardening and coaxing the calm to become less of a wave and more air a tsunami giving me a near perfect poker face. The price is cheap, but that's why we are here and not at a store.

"What!" He yells in indignation looking wounded by my price like I physically struck him. Considering our laughable height difference it is quite comical.

"That's the lowest I will go." I tell him and Ami looks startled but nods fiercely like we are totally on the same page.

"I couldn't sell it less than 5,000!" He declares and I turn to leave his eyes widening. "Alright 2,500. Can't go any lower." He tells me and I hide a smirk nodding and we go home happy with the alarm clock yet somehow I feel like a fool…

When we get back we set up the clock in the kitchen hoping it will be loud enough to wake us both. I start to cook happily followed by me and Ami gorging on said food before she heads off. I opt to stay, I practice my reading, meditating and sensing some more.

Cooking Proficiency level has risen X2

Sensing Proficiency Level has risen X1

Reading Proficiency Lev has risen X1

I then do some working out around the house before Ami comes home happy.

Body Conditioning Proficiency Level has risen X1

Body Conditioning Proficiency Level 5

The overall conditioning of your body. Increases rate at which your STR, AGI, and DEX increase by 1% per level. Increases value of VIT stamina by 1 point every 10 levels. Current ability 105% training speed, VIT value 20 stamina.

Happily I go to bed but the next morning I curse mentally when no sound of ringing wakes me or Ami. The clock so conveniently priced, it's minute hand has moved but the hour hand? It has not. We were sold a broken clock and now have lost ryo on junk… I think if the slimy broker and fume silently while Ami fumes VERY loudly. This is such a headache…