Before Haru knew it, two years had passed.
Having Aki as a teacher wasn't too rough. As long as Haru quietly and diligently did her schoolwork and Aki graded her fairly, they got along splendidly.
Aki ignored Haru and Haru ignored Aki. Fair trade, really.
When she learned that Naruto was in the same year as her, she dutifully ran off whenever she heard cries of "dattebayo!". She even made sure to hide and stay quiet whenever he was near. Naruto stressed her out but at least it was good practice for stealth.
Luckily, Haru managed to avoid running into any other canon characters.
All she did was buy groceries, go to the library, walk to the Ninja Academy, and go home. She absolutely avoided the entertainment districts, the playgrounds, the movie theaters, and other fun-looking places for maximum canon deterrence. Sure, she stayed cooped up in her apartment most of the time, but at least she had a TV and plenty of books from the library to read. The perfect lifestyle for a reclusive shut-in.
For the past two years, Haru and the other non-clan students studied the history of the shinobi villages and some basic taijutsu. Since they were taking preliminary classes, they didn't start covering ninjutsu yet. But they did practice chakra control for their developing chakra coils.
At the moment, Haru was sitting idly with her head resting on her desk.
Her classmates were gathered in front of the chalkboard, chattering. "Hurry! Aki-sensei could be back any moment now!" They held out some chalk to Haru. "Do you want to write something for Aki-sensei?"
Haru sighed. "I don't think Aki-sensei would be too happy to see my name on there."
Haru's classmates pulled the chalk away, laughing. "That's right, Blood Eyes! No one would want your name signed on anything!"
Haru placed her head back down, shutting her eyes.
It was no big deal. The kids had slung that insult at her since the beginning.
"Blood Eyes". What a creative insult.
Did they get that idea from their parents? - ("That kid over there. She has the same red eyes and whiskers like it.")
Haru's classmates laid bouquets of flowers on the podium. "All right. Are we ready?"
At Aki's entry, the children stood up from their desks. "Congratulations on your pregnancy, Aki-sensei!"
Aki giggled and beamed. "Aw! Thank you all so much! That's so sweet of you!"
Aki's eyes passed over Haru. Her expression soured.
Haru kept her head turned away from Aki, very much used to her displeasure.
Aki clapped her hands. "Children! It's time for you all to transfer into the more advanced classes with new homeroom teachers. I am honored to have been your teacher!"
The children cheered their thanks while Haru wordlessly nodded.
The students received their class assignment slips and went along their way.
As Haru walked toward her new classroom within the crowd of students, she noticed Aki standing sullenly by herself.
Aki rubbed her belly. "It'll work out. My baby won't die. The Kyuubi won't take my child away this time," she whispered.
Haru gripped the straps of her backpack and continued walking.
Whatever bitter feelings Haru held about Aki, she still wished her the best with her child.
…She should get going to her new class.
Wrong classroom.
This had to be the wrong classroom!
Haru looked down at her paper slip and then back up at the classroom number sign.
No. This was the right one.
But…
Haru turned her head, looking around the inside of the classroom.
Sasuke, Kiba, Sakura, Hinata, Shino, Shikamaru, Choji, and Ino were all present.
Just her luck. She'd ended up in the same class as the Rookie Nine.
Haru took a second look around the classroom.
Some of the Rookie Nine.
Naruto was nowhere to be seen.
Haru thought, Oh no! Don't tell me I took Naruto's place!
Haru looked at all the canon kids again.
Ino, Shikamaru, and Choji were having a fun chat together. Sasuke was sitting at a window seat, staring outside with his chin in his hand. Shino was staring at a bug on his finger. Hinata was fidgeting shyly in her seat, glancing around nervously. Sakura was intently reading a textbook. And Kiba was talking happily to Akamaru and petting his head.
Ok. The Rookies have all settled down and taken their seats.
Haru zeroed in on an inconspicuous seat between two generic no-name students.
That spot! Go!
Haru practically zoomed over to her chosen spot, startling her deskmates.
Haru panted and relished in her moment of triumph. - Good! She was safe!
The classroom's sliding door opened. "Hello, students!"
Everyone quieted down.
Of course, the new sensei was Iruka, as Haru expected.
Iruka moved to stand at the front of the classroom and made his introductions. "I'm Umino Iruka. Your new sensei. It's nice to meet everyone."
Everyone politely greeted Iruka.
Iruka turned his head, looking around at his students.
When Iruka met eyes with Haru, he stiffened.
Even Iruka too, huh, Haru thought resignedly.
Iruka quickly turned away and wrote the lesson plans on the chalkboard. "Now that you've finished your preliminary lessons, you will start learning the basics of ninjutsu and genjutsu, including the more advanced forms of taijutsu."
Many of the students cheered. They could finally get to the fun stuff!
Iruka smiled. "Now then! Let's start today's class!"
"You're going to have to fit your body into all kinds of positions."
Haru blinked at Iruka's words. - Um…Is he saying-?
"...for hiding yourself in tight, cramped spaces from the enemy. Or dodging enemy attacks. Think about your next move carefully but quickly. Flexibility in body and mind is essential."
Ah. Of course, Iruka wouldn't be talking about such things to young children. - What was Haru thinking?
To improve her flexibility, Haru was stretched to her limits. "Owowowowowowowowowowow!" She'd also squeak as her limbs ached.
Meditation helped Haru gradually recover more of her past life's memories to gather and reflect upon.
Those were the most relaxing parts of class.
The rest of the stuff in class wasn't going as smoothly as Haru hoped.
The class practiced using grappling hooks on artificial climbing walls, the kind of walls Haru remembered from the playgrounds and gyms of her past life.
Haru's fear of heights did not help.
Every time Haru reached the top and looked down, she was struck with fear and nausea.
With Haru stuck at the top in tears, Iruka had to climb up the wall to carry her back down.
To train students in balance and keeping steady on uneven terrain, they had to walk atop a rope to the other side without falling into the water.
Haru always wobbled and fell into the water.
Haru's classmates always got a good laugh out of her screwups.
Then there were the shuriken and kunai lessons.
Who better to trust with sharp weapons than a bunch of seven-year-old kids?
Haru made sure to carry around a thick hardcover book to block any incoming projectiles. One badly aimed weapon could end her!
When it came to sparring, Haru only forfeited when she was pitted against one of the Rookie Nine.
Luckily, some of the Rookie Nine weren't so resistant to her idea.
Shikamaru? Well, both he and Haru were always in agreement about forfeiting together and not having to fight. Easy peasy.
Hinata seemed relieved whenever Haru forfeited against her. Probably because neither of them liked sparring very much.
The rest of the Rookie Nine just shrugged in indifference at Haru's immediate surrender.
But Haru definitely knew who she wanted to avoid at all costs.
Shino. With all those insects buzzing and crawling on him?- Ew! Instant forfeit!
Haru's plans worked well for the most part.
Today's class was going smoothly so far.
This particular sparring session would be no different than usual…
…or so Haru thought.
"Next! Kuzumaki Haruto and Uchiha Sasuke!" Iruka called.
Most of the girls (and some boys?!) in the class squealed. "Sasuke! Oh, I wish I could be paired up with him!" They gave Haru jealous death glares.
"I'm not into him like that!" Haru shouted, making it pretty clear to Sasuke's Fan Club that she didn't want to get on their bad side.
This was the first time she was ever paired up against Sasuke.
And Haru knew exactly what she needed to do.
Haru immediately raised her hand up. "I forfeit!"
No one was surprised.
Sasuke's fans nodded in approval. - Good. This Haru girl knew her place.
Iruka sighed and rubbed his forehead. "Haru…explain to me why you keep forfeiting so often?"
Haru gladly obliged. "Iruka-sensei, Sasuke's the best in our class. I'm obviously going to lose against him. I don't want to get beat up when the odds aren't in my favor. I'm just picking my battles wisely, sensei." She tapped a finger to her head. "Flexibility in mind, right?"
"Yes! But-!" Iruka groaned and rubbed his forehead again. Then he straightened up, all stern and serious. "You've already forfeited too many times, Haru. You've reached the limit. You have to fight Sasuke. If you don't, you risk a failing grade and disciplinary action."
Knowing that there was no more to be argued with Iruka, Haru sighed in defeat. "Understood, Iruka-sensei."
Haru stood across from Sasuke and faced him. She laughed nervously. "Hahaha…Please - please don't hit me too hard, Sasuke."
Sasuke rolled his eyes.
Haru and Sasuke made the proper one-handed Seal of Confrontation.
Iruka shouted, "Start!"
Haru charged forward, screaming in fear all the while.
Sasuke, of course, instantly wiped the floor with her.
Laying on the ground in pain, Haru couldn't help the tears that sprung to her eyes. She whimpered.
Sasuke blinked, appearing to be at a loss. "I didn't even flip you over that hard!"
"I know! I know!" Haru shouted in frustration. - Damn it! This child's body was so fragile!
Haru's classmates pointed at her and laughed. "Oh, man! What a crybaby!"
Meanwhile, Sasuke's Fan Club cheered at his victory. "You sure showed her, Sasuke!"
Haru groaned and pushed herself up to her knees. She rubbed the back of her head with both hands.
"Sasuke wins!" Iruka said. "Now both of you need to make the Seal of Reconciliation."
Haru and Sasuke clasped their fingers together.
Sasuke's fans hissed.
"I'm only doing this 'cause I have to for class! I'm seriously not into him that way!" Haru hurriedly yelled.
"Are you sure you don't need to go to the infirmary, Haru?" Iruka asked.
"No. I'm fine, Iruka-sensei," Haru said through clenched teeth. She rubbed her sore limbs in annoyance.
The medic-nins at the infirmary wouldn't be happy to see her anyway.
Besides, she needed to get this child's body used to pain sooner than later.
"Hey look! There's the crybaby!"
Haru tensed.
Oh goody. She was being followed.
Loudmouths always did think that the quiet ones were the easiest targets.
How predictably annoying.
The group of boys trailing behind Haru had menacing gleams in their eyes.
Before Haru could run, the boys surrounded her. Some of them grabbed her arms.
Haru tried to shake them off but to no avail. "Hey! Let go of me!"
The boys snickered.
"Iruka-sensei always has to come and help you out! You're a big kid now! Why do you have to be such a wimp who can't even take care of herself?"
"I heard she doesn't have any parents. No wonder she's such a big baby. Doesn't have anyone to teach her how to stop crying so much!"
"Hey, I'm bored." One of the boys cracked his knuckles. "I know! Let's punish her in Iruka-sensei's place!"
The other boys cheered. "Yeah! Yeah! Let's teach the crybaby a lesson!"
Shit! Shit! Shit! - Haru braced herself.
A boy kicked Haru in the stomach. "Why don't you quit wasting Iruka-sensei's time and go home already?!"
Another boy said, "Hey! Hey! Let her fall down! Let's see how long she could stand up!"
Once the boys released Haru's arms, she tried to use her fists on them to make her getaway.
But clan kids trained in taijutsu since they were young and knew more than just the basics. Haru, a civilian kid, did not. The difference in their abilities was too great.
"Ha! You call that a punch?" A boy grabbed Haru's arm, throwing her to the ground. He stomped his foot onto her back to keep her down.
The other boys laughed. "Look at her! She couldn't even stay standing for five seconds!"
The boy holding Haru down sneered. "You may be a lousy ninja-in-training. But you make a perfect punching bag!" He shouted to the other boys, "All right, guys! Let's make good use of this punching bag!"
The boys descended upon Haru with punches and kicks.
Haru curled up into herself, her arms and legs closing to provide whatever little protection they could.
Fuck. Getting beat up by a bunch of kids. How embarrassing…
What did these kids get out of this? Did they enjoy picking on the weak?
"What's the matter? Gonna cry, wimp?" the boys taunted. "Don't you know Shinobi Rule 25? A shinobi must never show their tears!"
"You know, your eyes must be red because you cry so much! Like a big ugly crybaby!"
Haru didn't know how long the boys beat her up, but they eventually got bored and left her laying on the ground by herself.
Haru stared up at the sky, her body aching all over.
No one came to help me. Fuck. Look at me. I couldn't even defend myself against a bunch of snot-nosed brats. How lame. Fuck!
Haru groaned in pain.
She pushed herself to her feet and limped home.
She grabbed a first aid kit and an ice pack from the freezer.
She hissed as she pressed the ice pack against her bruises.
Today it had never been more clear.
No one had her back but herself.