"Are you alright Sayori-chan?" Hazuki asks for what feels like the hundredth time. Even the deep calm can't hide everything. Even it can't hide my growing wariness towards Hazuki, towards getting close to her knowing her fate. It's just… too painful.

"I'm fine Hazuki-wan really." I try and reassure her but she doesn't look convinced her sharingan flares to life for the first time and I stumble back surprised. Hazuki sighs and the sharingan deactivates but the sadness in her eyes is clear. I feel guilty for being the one putting it there but I stay strong. I already tried avoiding the library, it didn't last long when my books became due. I grab the newest books one is a herbology book that I had just started to skim.

Herbological knowledge proficiency level 1

Your overall Herbological knowledge. Shows overall level of knowledge in the field good for identifying plants, poisons, and gardening.

"Take care of yourself Sayori." She says I turn to leave and I can't help but notice the distinct lack of a honorific. The only person I've begun to talk to with that level of familiarity is Ami so it throws me for a loop.

"You too Hazuki-san…" I tell her looking back a sad smile on my face. How long does she have before the massacre? "Please… be careful." I tell her and her eyes widen. I turn and practically run out of the library.

How can you deal with the feeling of responsibility? Right now I really wish I was ignorant to her fate, they were right after all, ignorance is bliss.

The next morning was Sunday and so it was my day off. Three months into the academy you would think that was something to look forward to right? For me not so much. Sure I promised Hazuki and despite me trying to push her away subtly I still intended to keep that promise. However there was only so much flute playing, light reading and wandering one could do before you want something new to do, and well today was one of those days. This was after all my LIFE even though I trained almost every moment I still wanted to ENJOY it to some degree.

Sayori

Titles- Gentle Heart, Academy Student

Age 5

Stamina- 313/315

Chakra- 300/300

Chakra Control- -1.07% cost

——- (locked)

——- (locked)

VIT- 15

STR-9

AGI-20

DEX- 16

ACU- 21

INT- 29

CRE-17

WIS-18

CHA- 15

???- 1

???- 1

Practicing sensing with chakra and the leaf sticking exercise had really paid off. Though I was disappointed with how small chakra control exercises decreased cost I was excited that I remember how small an increase skill like running had been originally and now were through the roof amazing!

Running Proficiency Level 37

The ability to run quickly and proficiently. Stamina cost decreases with higher levels. Speed increase 1% increase in speed per level while running. Current speed 137%.

37% faster really shows, I actually have to hold back at the academy when we run laps. On top of that my morning run has started to become easy stamina wise.

Still I cannot leave, sleep and breath training so I decided to hang out with the only person I could.

"Hey Ami-chan ?" I ask knocking on Ami's door the slight glow coming from the rim letting me know she either has her blind open or her lights on. "Want to go to the park today?" I ask through the door wondering if she is still asleep. I sigh, maybe I should just break my rules and train…

The door opens and Ami is inches from my face eyeing me suspiciously. "Why?" She asks and I blink. "You hate going to the park, or well… doing anything fun!" She declares throwing her hands up in exasperation like I just told her that gravity makes things float up not down.

"I… I…" I begin to choke out because, what exactly are you supposed to say to something like that?

"Whatever… let's go." Ami says stalking pass me mumbling things I can only make out thanks to eaves dropping.

Eavesdropping Proficiency Level 7

Ability to listen in on others conversations without them knowing you are listening. Range 0.1m per level, 100% accuracy. -10% accuracy per additional 0.1m. Current ability range 0.7m

Ya, I really confused her with this one. We grab some food eating quickly and head out the door. I stand a little back letting Ami lead the way. One store owners nod to us, knowing we live in the area. A few probably recognize me form my morning run.

We get to the park, Senju Park, it's big and green, well more green than most of Konoha and that is saying something. I wonder if the Senju compound is around here… are there any Senju left? Other than Tsunade I mean, the show never said if they were dead, but we didn't exactly learn about their clan like we did all the others, nor did we meet any LIVING characters from the clan.

We walk along a people incrusted path through the park. There's a big playground in the middle with sand surrounding it. The playground has everything play structures, swings, and slides. Kids run around playing tag, or rather playing ninja. It's a picture perfect scene, it certainly beats doing nothing at all.

"So… what do we do now?" I ask my roomate who roles her eyes at me in complete and total exasperation.

"Now… we go ask to play too." She tells me like it's the most obvious thing in the world. I suppose form her point of view it is. I begin to move towards a group of boys to ask to play with them and Ami yanks me back violently by the arm.

"What was that for?!" I ask in shock and confusion as I stumble not to fall, very glad I have agility as and dexterity as my highest stats.

"You can't play with boys, boys are gross!" Ami declares childishly. "Except Sasuke-kun…" She then adds as an afterthought with a slight blush on her face as mine becomes red from a far to hard a face palm. Seriously? Ami is a fan girl?! I really hoped that part of the show wasn't going to be real. "Plus they have cooties." She then whispers and I face palm once more.

"So we go play with the girls?" I ask seeing a few girls 'playing' but most are talking more than playing. Well gossip is a good tool for a ninja I suppose.

"Yes, follow my lead, and try to act…." She says pausing with a tight face of hesitation as she flips her purple hair back dramatically. "Just follow my lead." She settles on as a reply and I do as we walk up to a group of girls apparently from the academy. A few I actually recognize form MY class though I have no idea as to the names of most of them.

"Oh Ami-san! Didn't know you were coming!" A girl with maroon spiky and dark browny-green eyes that are laughably large says.

"Fuki-san! Nice to see ya!" Ami says smiling brightly but not very sincerely as I sit down next to her and she begins to talk about this and that. Little things, gossiping about other girls at the academy, FANTASING about Sasuke (cough creepy), and occasionally running around. I stay quite listening and eaves dropping. At least I can grind my skill in a more social setting.

Eavesdropping Proficiency level has risen X2

"Hey! I know you!" A girl then declares out of the blue after staring at me too long. It was giving me goosebumps if I am being honest.

"Huh?" I say tilting my head because yes I know her. Her names Hibiki she's in my class. The only reason I know the teal haired girl with dark eyes is because she was very loud when it came to whining about exercises in the morning.

"Yep! Definitely know you! You're the ghost girl!" Hibiki says and I blink, haven't heard that one before, and though I do not participate in gossip I do listen to it.

"Ghost girl? No, googly…" Ami says stepping in catching herself. "Sayori-san isn't the ghost girl, your wrong." She tells Hibiki in a sure voice that makes the girl faulted a little before regaining her nerve.

"No, she's definitely the ghost girl! Always just sitting there and never talking, with a face that's dead!" Hibiki says and I raise an unimpressed eyebrow.

"You're wrong, Sayori-san is my… friend and so she can't be the ghost girl can she?" Ami says and Hibiki now has a vicious smile.

"Maybe your a ghost girl too?" Hibiki suggests and Ami narrows her eyes.

"Why am I talking to a loser like you?" Ami then says dismissively turning to walk away head held high.

"Why you… your a ghost girl alright!" Hibiki says grabbing a fist full of Ami's hair (I suppose with ninja academy students violence would be a common solution to childish debates). I move getting up on instinct and grab her wrist tightly. It'll probably bruise from my grip.

"Kindly let go of Ami-chan's hair." I say in a tone that leaves no room for argument. Hibiki hesitates and I hold on harder making her whimper pitifully, I may not be the strongest my nails are sharp.

"Ow… ok!" Hibiki says a few tears in her eyes as she releases Ami. Hibiki glares at me hatefully and I seem to have everyone's attention. "Creepy ghost girl…" I hear her whisper and anger flashes in Ami's eyes so I move to diffuse the situation.

New title gained

"Want to play ninja?" I ask my voice unsure as everyone pauses. After a few seconds the girls all nod and we begin a 'riveting' game of ninja. I win with my running skill for my team. It's a mix of freeze tag and capture the flag since we don't have fake kunai and shuriken to play with this time. We play for a few hours and then as it gets darker a few kids start to go home with their parents and Ami and I call it a night.

"Why didn't you tell me your so fast!" Ami demands with a sour look as we walk back. The sun is just beginning to set painting the village in soft red and warm orange colours.

"You never asked?" I replied weakly as Ami begins to babble I pull up the new title.

Ghost Girl (10% increase at rate stealth skills increase, naturally quiet without meaning to be, slightly unsettling presence to those who do not know you well, difficultly for other to tell your emotions when you do not want them too.)

It may have been meant to be an insult but it's a pretty good title. I smirk a little and then that smirk dies as I grab Ami's hand. She quiets down instantly as I look at a heart breaking scene. A boy with blond hair sits on a swing in a playground. The playground is smaller than the one at Senju park. Kids run home to their parents the boys smile fades a farmiliar pain filling his eyes. I can tell Ami recognized that pain too. None too quietly the parents speak to their kids.

"I told you not to go NEAR that boy."

"He's dangerous."

"That child is no good."

Their eyes are filled with hate as though the child. A child our age… had was somehow a stain, a pest, an insect in their way.

The boy… Naruto turns our way and our eyes meet again. He tilts his head squinting his eyes before getting up and leaving wordlessly. I stand frozen with Ami.

"Why…? Why do they look at him like that?" Ami asks confused. I realize that other than maybe some whispers she probably hadn't been told anything about Naruto since she doesn't have parents TO tell her.

"They… I don't know." I tell her and it's not a lie, we live in a world where chakra is an accepted part of life, how could they be so BLIND? "His name's Naruto… he's an orphan like us I think. But he's completely alone." I tell her and something plays on Ami's face what I'm not sure but there is some shift.

"He's in my class." Ami says finally and then we drop the subject and head home.

POV Choji Akimichi

When I started at the academy I was nervous. Really nervous. I mean how could I not be? I never liked training. Well that wasn't quite true… training was fine, it was fighting I didn't like.

Of course there wasn't really a choice when it came down to it. I'm clan heir after all. I want to be a ninja, I want to protect my village, protect my family… it's just I don't know if I can do it. I don't know if I am brave enough.

Still I went to the academy, unsure about everything. The classes were fine, we weren't even really fighting like I thought we would be, at least not yet. As clan heir I was also far ahead of most of the other kids so I really didn't have to worry. However then came a new problem. Friends.

No matter what I did I always seemed to be the odd one out. I sat with Shikamaru in the back but he was a FAMILY friend not MY friend. I tried to play ninja with the other kids but they would always be upset if I was on their team saying I made that team loose.

I'm not fast but I'm strong. That's what Tousan says anyway.

"How was your day Choji?" Kaachan asks as I sit down for dinner I move the meal around on my plate, not hungry for perhaps the first time in my life.

"I-it's fine…" I lie and I know it is not convincing in the least. My grand uncle is there, he's here most nights honestly. He narrows his eyes at me.

"Still having trouble making friends?" Tousan asks lightly. I freeze hesitating before nodding and Tousan exhales long and hard.

"I might have a solution for that." Ojisan says, and all eyes snap towards my granduncle who takes a sip of his drink before smiling.