Chapter 6
After graduation Gramp Third wanted me to meet him at the Hokage Manor tonight to talk. I couldn't help but say okay. Although, now that I'm sitting in my room waiting for the time to tick past. I couldn't for once see why he'd want to see me right after graduating. It's weird. Was he going to tell me that I couldn't be a ninja after all? Nah, that's not like him. Looking outside at the setting sun I sigh to myself. That old man keeps me guessing that's for sure. Nothing like with L or the Taskforce. I could always figure out what their next three moves would be before they knew themselves. But with Gramps… I dunno, he's unreadable. Gives me the wigs sometimes but I know he's a good guy. Getting out of bed I head for the Hokage Manor.
I do sometimes wonder what he would do if he knew I am not 12 but am actually 92 years old… Wait... Am I really that old?! I mean I don't feel 92 and yeah, I'm smart and all but really.. Wouldn't I be 12 in my head if not for these painful memories of my life with Light? That's impossible. Damen made Aphrodite and I, kids again but he never changed our mental states. It's why I still remember those painful memories. Even if as time passes they seem to be getting harder to remember. How is that possible? A lifetime of memories fading. The only thing keeping Light's memory so vivid in my mind are the pictures I have of him that I accumulated since that birthday so long ago with his family. Photographs that always seemed so important to me to get. To remember my time in the death note world as much as I could throughout the years. "I swear… I'll never forget you Light." I whisper as I look up at the moon. "I will sooner die than forget you."
"Alright, bring Naruto here at once!"
"Sir!" The commotion brings me out of my thoughts allowing me to see the platoon of chunin dispersing at the same time. Causing Gramp Third's robes to whip around wildly as if there was a strong wind.
"Umm. Gramp. What's going on?" I ask as innocently as I could. As had become my normal whenever speaking to him.
"Don't worry about it, Kira. Come inside for our talk." He smiles at me before turning and leading me into the manor and up to his office.
"What did you want to talk about Gramp?"
"You can stop your innocent antics, Kira. You should know by now you can be yourself around me without my judging you just as your classmates do."
"Oh... So you know then." I respond as we walk into his office and over to his desk. Him taking a seat in his chair as I slide onto his desk to sit down. Turning my torso so I was facing more towards him.
"There isn't much I don't know child. Just as I know about your test results. You have done quite extraordinarily. I am proud of you."
"So.. Then why did you want to talk to me?"
"As you know soon will be when you find out your genin teams. I was wondering who you thought would best fit your cousin."
"Aphro? Hmm." Looking towards the windows behind gramps I begin to remember everyone she has affiliated herself with. Even allowed herself to train alongside. "She is comfortable with Kiba. They've trained together quite often and they get along. I would say any group you put him in, put her in too. They would make a great team and Akamaru has already bonded with her."
"I see. Kira.." He began causing me to look at him again. "What you told me six years ago. Do you still feel the same way? I hear you and Sasuke have a bit of a tense rivalry going."
"Did Iruka Sensei tell you that?" I ask wrinkling my nose causing the old man to laugh.
"Yes, he did. He talks about it constantly and how it makes the girls jealous because Sasuke has noticed you above the others."
Shrugging I shake my head. "I couldn't care less about those fangirls. As for Rivals? No, not as far as I'm concerned. You should look at him and Naruto for that one. I'm just training my butt off to give him someone to strive to beat so he could be number one." Noticing Gramps's silence and how he's continuing to look at me expectantly I decide to explain it to him. "I watched him for a while to understand how he reacts with others. I wanted to know how to approach him so I could watch over him. But, in the end, the only one he makes the most contact with is Naruto with their Rivalry. You know one of the best students and the worse student. So I figured what he would need is someone to overcome other than his brother. So he would strive to be better than what he already is."
"Sure. And you feel nothing for the attention he gives you. Though no actual contact is made you have his eyes on you."
"I feel nothing Gramps. Nothing in the sense you are trying to get at. Try as you might, you are no matchmaker. Sasuke and I will never be together like that so keep dreaming."
Sliding off of his desk taking his silence as his usual hint to go. I turn to walk towards the door. "Do you feel anything for those in your class beyond your cousin, Kira?" With my hand on the doorknob, I look down. Do I feel anything? For brats that all they do is mock me or comment on my looks? Losers that have no idea that their whole world can change in what feels like a blink of an eye. Quick like when I fell into the Death note world. Slow but still feels as if you had no time to prepare like when Light Died. The feeling of taking another's life? The weight of their blood left on your hands. The pain that comes from being locked in that mansion with no one there for you? To wake up every morning and not see a smiling face. They know nothing. "No, nothing at all." That is all I said to him before walking out the door.
*Orientation*
Walking up to the room I was told the genin were meeting in I pause outside the door watching two girls arguing who made it first.
"Give it up, I had to look back to see you, my toe was at least a tenth of an inch ahead." The flat-chested pink-haired loud mouth and permanent pain in my butt said to the blond. They both do look worn out which made me curious how far they had actually run. If just across the village then they seriously needed to work on their stamina. Who am I kidding? Both of them looked like they needed to train day in and day out for an entire month to even catch up to the weakest members of our graduating class. Then again, they have already proven this much over the years in class.
"Have you always been this delusional?" The blond asks then I watch as the pink-haired girl turns towards the classroom gasping before giving a giggle and running down the desks towards someone. "Hey whoa where ya going?"
And there she goes, running after Sasuke like the fan-girl she is. Oh well, at least the door is no longer being blocked. Stepping inside I glance around looking for a head of blonde hair that wasn't pulled up in a ponytail looking flat and damaged. However, I felt myself sigh as I saw her setting in front of Sasuke with one open seat next to her. Of course, she would choose that spot. Rolling my eyes I make my way towards the front of the room. Trying to ignore the staring eyes upon me because of my Genin outfit. I had missed my favorite look, my thin see-through crème colored overshirt, my red bikini, and short tight black jean shorts. Sadly when I was browsing the store I figured out an outfit similar to that one would only get snagged on branches. So I had a custom-made navy blue bikini and a pair of as close as possible to black jean shorts. I was wearing my black and white arm sleeves along with my leg warmers and a pair of black ninja sandals. Since I couldn't find a top I liked to go over the top of my bikini I was wearing a long navy blue scarf where its hems fell over my back, past my waist so it was covering my pouch filled with my ninja tools.
"Well, Well, so that's your new outfit!" Aphrodite exclaimed standing to wait for me to sit. Causing me to raise a brow in her direction.
"What? It's easy to move in and it's similar to my most favorite outfit only this one has a scarf." I give her a shrug as I run my fingers through my long soft hair.
"Wow, that outfit is actually pretty cool looking. Let me guess you designed it yourself and had them make it for you since I doubt they are used to fabric quite like that." A smirk forms on Aphrodite's features causing me to smile at her.
"Yup. The shorts along with having my leg and arm warmers lengthened alone took most of my share of the money Gramp gave us for a graduation gift. I guess I'm lucky the swimming suit itself even though custom made just like the shorts didn't come up to much. The scarf was on sale too."
"Whining like that reminds me how unused to a limited supply of money you are." Aphrodite pokes fun at me as she sets down with me.
"So sue me. And who are you to talk? Your family is loaded too."
Aphrodite tries to smile innocently with a giggle at my comment. As if to say. Who? Me? Maybe. "We want each squad to have a balance of strength and ability. So that's how we set them up." Iruka explains pulling us out of our conversation. Before looking at the papers in his hand. "I will now announce the squads." Yup, Squads. This is going to suck. No matter where I get put. Teamwork will be impossible. Unless I was placed on a team with Aphrodite. But knowing gramps that won't happen. He wants me to.. 'come out of my shell' so to speak so he'll throw me on a team full of brats.
"Squad 7!" He calls breaking me from my thoughts. "Naruto Uzumaki" Of course it's Squad 7, next will be Sakura Haruno causing Naruto to cheer for joy. Oh yay… which when you think about it. Their team doesn't balance well at all. Sasuke got all the best scores out of the boys and Naruto got the lowest. Yeah, that balances but then you have Sakura who is only book smart and weak everywhere else. Utterly useless. "Sasuke Uchiha." Great now flat-chest is yelling victory. So annoying. "And Kira Lake." Wait… what? How do I fit into the whole balancing shit? What the hell?! Sighing I look past Aphrodite to see out the window. Yet, I can kind of guess why. I just said it didn't I? Sakura is utterly useless so they need someone to balance her out since two teams have to have four. I guess it's only logical.
"Iruka Sensei, why does a great ninja like me have to be in the same group with a slug-like Sasuke!" Naruto's voice pulls me out of my thoughts just as I was watching a few birds play happily in the sky outside. Looking towards Naruto I see Sakura getting mad. Yep, going to be eventful.
"Sasuke is one of the two who had the best scores of all the graduating students. Naruto you had the worst scores." Iruka answers causing everyone to laugh. Wait, what? Does that mean Aphro did actually come in third? "To create a balanced group we put the best students with the worst students."
"Just make sure you don't get in my way." Sasuke says a bit condescendingly. "Loser."
"Hey what did you say?!"
"Hard of hearing?"
"Knock it off Naruto set down!" Sakura snaps at Naruto as Iruka Sensei clears his throat.
"After lunch, you will meet your new Jonin teachers. Until then class dismissed." Iruka Sensei says causing everyone to start getting up to leave. Naruto on the other hand stands up and looks at Iruka Sensei causing Sasuke and Sakura to have to stop since he was in between them and their way out. Looking out the window at the birds again, I think about how my appetite has been decreasing lately. I can only guess it's because my body is starting to go into transition. I am about to grow my painful fangs.
"Iruka. You said the best students with the worst what did you mean by that?"
"I mean Naruto. Kira scored the highest. You scored the worst. Sasuke scored second in the class and Sakura compared to the others is extremely week outside of her intelligence. See balance."
"Wait so Kira scored higher than Sasuke?" Sakura asks. Feeling eyes on me I sigh standing to make my way towards the door boredly.
"Sweet! Kira, I didn't know you were good!" Naruto calls out and I just shrug pausing to glance back at him.
"You would have if you would have taken Aphrodite up on her offers to train with us. Rather than going at it alone."
Without even waiting for a response I turn on my toes and walk out. Though I could hear from behind me a little comment. "Wow, I think that's the nicest I've ever seen her be." Of course, that annoying voice had to be Naruto. It seems I've only wasted my breath trying to utter encouraging words to him over the years. At least Aphrodite has a friend in her squad. I knew the second Gramps had asked me that question. What team she would be on.
Upon walking outside of the academy I look up towards the sky. "Have fun, Aphrodite. It is time we grow stronger apart." I spoke to myself before walking towards the trees, finding a nice shady place just off the path to lay down. Looking up to the sky in between the tree branches I nearly sigh contently at the silence. I had almost forgotten how much more time I have on my hands when I don't need to eat. But even though not eating is nice I know that soon I will have to find a fresh supply of blood. Maybe later I should look around the hospital to check out their security on the blood bank. They should have one right? It's a hospital after all. You never know when a patient will need a transfusion.
"He knows about my feelings and he purposely tries to get in the way... He enjoys interfering and making me feel bad... Naruto, he doesn't understand one single thing about me. He's just annoying... All I really want is for you to accept me Sasuke. That's all." Sakura's voice broke me out of my thoughts causing me to smirk. I remember now, this is where Naruto parades around as Sasuke to try and get close to Sakura. Poor guy. Well, they don't call it unrequited love for nothing.
"You just want me to. Accept you?"
" , that's how I feel. I'd do anything for that." I could hear the birds chirping happily unaware of the so painfully fascinating scene that was taking place just on the other side of the trees from me. " ! What's the matter?!" Sakura yells nearly causing me to laugh.
"I. I'll be right back!" I heard Sasuke's voice running away from the area.
"I didn't know that Sasuke was so shy. Maybe he needs a little time to get ready." Finally rolling my eyes I stand up from where I was laying down. "Who's there?!" Sakura yells in my direction. Seriously, I had hoped to leave here without her noticing... Oh well. It can't be helped. Stepping out of the trees onto the path I lean against a tree crossing my arms. "Kira? What are you doing here? Oh wait, you were spying on us just now weren't you?!"
"You know. You really are annoying. I don't have to explain myself to the likes of you." I sigh raising my right hand and sifting my fingers through my bangs spotting Sasuke slowly making his way down the path from the corner of my eye as I look up towards the sky above one of the nearby buildings...
"You think you don't?! We all have known you have a crush on Sasuke! That's why you try and get his attention by one-upping him all the time!"
"Tch." I click my tongue and look towards her from the corner of my eye. "Do you know anything? If I did want his attention, which I don't, it wouldn't be because I like him. In fact, you and everyone else except for Naruto and Sasuke are little childish fools. Too pitiful to even bother with."
"I'm more childish than Naruto? That pipsqueak is just annoying. He hasn't had parents to tell him right from wrong so he just does what he wants without having to worry about getting punished. If I did half the stuff he does I would get punished and scolded by my parents. He's childish, annoying, and all alone!" She yells at me stepping closer with each word spoken. Finally growling I thrust my arm out feeling my fingers tighten around her neck. Spinning with her until our positions are reversed. Pressing her against the tree I had been leaning on. I watch a moment while she struggles in my grip making pitiful choking sounds.
"You think you know of Solitude? Of Loneliness? The pain it causes as it rips open your very chest creating a hole of darkness within you? Someone who has two parents constantly at home. Someone to wait for you until you come back. To scold you when you break a rule. To hug and comfort you when you're feeling a pain that is nothing compared to those of us who have nothing? You loudmouth whore. You are the most annoying pest I have ever laid eyes on." I snarl at her causing her eyes to go wide before I roll my shoulder and toss her behind me. "You're nothing but a waste of space." I growl to her before walking back towards the academy.
