"Again!" Asa Yamagami snaps.
Sweat pools on Kiriko's forehead. She wipes her face of grass. She reaches up, gathering her wild hair into her hands and puts it into a ponytail.
Her mother, Asa, returns with four kunai in hand. She bends down, her brown eyes stern and strong, and gives them to Kiriko. "Find your strength."
Kiriko nods. The kunai fit perfectly between her fingers. She mounts the shortest of the four wooden posts once again. The target dummies stand before her. She inhales deeply. Her mother's words echo in her mind.
Sharp brown eyes snap open. Kiriko flips to the post beside her, launching a kunai at the target. She does it again, then again, and then a final time as Kiriko lands— toes, sole, heel— onto the last post. Each of her kunai met her target with a satisfying thunk. Kiriko glances back at her mother.
"Excellent." Asa nods. "Now, gather the kunai, and—"
A single flash of black lightning.
Hirota appears before Kiriko and Asa. He tilts his head forward and gives Asa a two-finger salute along with his signature grin.
He has gotten taller since Kiriko last saw him. They were the same height only a month ago. Kiriko's heart beats a little faster.
"Hirota," Asa greets. Annoyance tinges her tone. "We are training."
"I heard. I wanted to watch."
Her heart beats faster still. Kiriko's ears turn a brilliant shade of red. "Wh-what?"
Hirota smiles at her. "You've been training hard. I want to see your progress."
Kiriko gives her mother a single look, and—
"Fine." Asa sighs. "Gather the kunai, Kiriko. You will repeat this exercise until you do not make a single mistake in fifty attempts."
Kiriko nods.
She trains with her mother.
Hirota watches.
When they are done, her mother leaves the two of them in the yard. She says that she must attend to business with her father. Kiriko doesn't ask any other questions.
"How was it?" Kiriko asks.
"You did well."
Kiriko fights a girlish giggle. Instead, she just nods. "I know. Can you do it?"
"The exercise?"
She nods again.
Hirota extends his hand. The kunai fly towards him, slipping right between his fingers.
Kiriko stares at him.
"Hanzo says to not leave your mouth open or else flies will enter it."
Kiriko closes her mouth.
Hirota stands on the post where she starts the exercise. He inhales. Then, he is crouched atop the final post, all four kunai buried into the dummies. It takes Kiriko a moment to realize that he even moved.
"Not fair." Kiriko pouts. "You're not supposed to use your powers."
"You didn't say I couldn't use them."
Kiriko's pout deepens. "Meanie."
Hirota laughs.
"I wish I had your powers," Kiriko says.
It is an innocent comment. One born of childish jealousy. One born of wanting things to be easier. Kiriko thinks it is a funny joke. Until she meets Hirota's gaze. She sees something she has never seen in his eyes before.
Fear.