« Every man who rises above the common level has received two educations: the first from his teachers; the second, more personal and important, from himself. » Edward Gibbon
Chapter 6 : Teach me to be strong
I woke up early this morning. I felt exhaustion in every of my bones. Gai-Sensei had me fight the boys over and over again. I felt sore. Every move was like a torture. But I wouldn't flinch. I was an Uchiha, and I had that big chunk of pride inside of me.
I couldn't fail. And certainly not to a Hyuuga and a civilian boy who couldn't mold chakra.
Pride was a good thing sometimes. When you become exhausted, it's your muscles who fell first. After that you only have your spirit to hold. Hopefully I had nice reserves of chakra. Brother had had them as well, it helped him being even with Itachi-Sama when they sparred. I put on a T-shirt, some ugly grey sweatpants and went running.
Running always cleansed my mind. I just focused on the air entering my lungs and on my strides. I think running was the thing that I had missed the most when in the hospital, right after the Massacre. I was left with only a functional lung for a while, and my grades in Taijutsu had dropped. Well I don't actually remember this period clearly.
Sometimes Tenten tells me I changed quite a bit since it happened. Other people said the same, even my teammates. Maybe I was more sociable before. Now I just focused on everything that was around me. Focusing helped not thinking of the past. Whenever I would think of before, my surroundings would dim and get black and red. How many times did I found myself clutching my camera with trembling fingers, trying to get a grasp of the real world?
Focusing on tasks and staying efficient. Staying at the top like a true Uchiha should do. There weren't much I could do : I had to hold for Sasuke-Chan, I had to. Because my mind was chaotic, and I had no way to set it right. The only thing I could do was keeping the dreams away. But with the fatigue I was starting to fail…
Seems like someone wanted to tire me to the bones. My body would hold. I had been stitched pretty well. A pierced lung, broken bones, tiredness, chakra could repair anything. Only the mind was left, and mine was a twirling muddle.
I focused on my running. I had to hold for Sasuke-Chan. If I was going crazy, who would be there for him? He had already filled with revenge. Next time he will go all emo and have nice little flirts with death. I didn't need us to be more messed up. I just wanted us to be whole again.
Someone waved at me and started running with me.
"Sasuke's Nee-chan, hello !" Naruto-Kun cheerfully greeted me.
I slightly smiled. That kid really had a talent to brighten people's days. I slowed my pace with me to adjust it to his little legs.
"Hello Naruto-Kun." I said. "It's a bit early for you, isn't it?"
"Not really…" he said.
His voice was trailing. He was obviously going to tell me something. I wasn't much surprised. I always ran on the streets near his flat, so it wasn't rare for us to greet each other.
"Hey! Can I ask something?"
"Go ahead."
"Are ninjas always bruised that way?"
He gestured at my arms. All my Tenketsu had been harshly hit my the Hyuuga prodigy several times. He didn't have to use his Byakugan to see them since he had hit me so much already. It drew weird patterns of my white skin. He had attainted them all, even though I managed to block or avoid most of the hits. That meant how much times Gai-Sensei had us go at each other. Lee had left me some nasty bruises as well. My had troubles clenching my right fist, and one of my shoulders was still really stiff.
"I'm sparring a lot with my partners. I must not be good enough at avoiding, that's all." I joked.
"Did you beat them up as well?"
I smiled mischievously. They had their fair share of blows as well. And I still wasn't counting the bruises. The blonde beamed at me in return. It felt nice to have someone like that to talk to. Usually Tenten or Lee-San brightened my day, even though the girl was much softer and the boy often brought desperations and face palms.
"And uh… do you think you could teach me…"
The rest of his sentence was lost to my ears. Hopefully I could read lips. Naruto-Kun seemed to hold my cousin into high esteem. He wanted to be better than him at school. Well his actual words were 'how to beat the crap out of your bastard of a cousin'.
"Focus on your basics first, boy." I said. "We'll see if you're worth it."
He pouted. Apparently battles to him were like having badass techniques. Well I didn't expect much of an Academy student. Especially the dead last of the class. How many times haven't I heard about Sasuke-Chan being partnered with him to have teams of even level in the class?
"I mean it. If you don't work on your basics, you will have nothing. What are your worst classes?"
"Chakra control and Genjutsu." He spat.
"Well I heard you had lots of chakra. It's hard to control everything, but the main point is to produce the right quantity to avoid waste of energy. Then you have to learn how to direct it. Genjustu is trickier. It requires a particular set of mind, and I don't think you have it."
"Why should I. It sucks and my chatora doesn't do what I want."
"It's chakra, Naruto-Kun." I sighed.
I don't think I'll ever be able to teach kids at all. We clearly didn't think the same.
I finished my jog near the cemetery road. There I slowed down and started walking, breathing profoundly.
"You're making noise while breathing." He noted.
I cringed slightly. Chakra could heal everything, but scarred remained when the medics weren't that good. Konoha may have the best medical facilities of all ninja villages, the individual skills weren't so great. Maybe that was because of Tsunade-Sama's departure. Why I knew about her? Probably because she was Tenten's idol. A shame her chakra control was too poor to become a medic. As for me, I never thought of going on that path. There was only a few medics among the Uchiha clan, mostly because we had needed a specialized optometrist that wasn't a Hyuuga. Most of our clan members had been policemen anyway.
"It's an old scar." I explained, hiding my feelings.
I was getting good at fooling people. After all, how could I not? I had to convince myself I wasn't going half crazy. Plus, most of my Genjutsu training consisted in getting to know human nature. It was easy to fool them if you gave them the right signals, and there was no need to fake them with chakra.
"Cool!" he muttered. "Can I see it?"
"No, you can't."
He pouted in answer. Away from us I could distinguish the lonely silhouette of Hatake Kakashi.
"Why so?" he asked. "Cool ninjas have cool scars, right?"
I smiled sadly, looking away.
"I think you're well placed to know the worst scars are the invisible ones." I muttered.
He kept silent until he recognized the graves.
"Are you visiting someone?" he asked with a bit of embarrassment.
"Yeah…"
Being an orphan he could never give his greeting to his family. I believed there was a few Uzumaki graves near my clan's. Of course there was the one of Mito-Sama, the wife of the first Hokage. I bet there was some other we could stop near and pray.
I remembered Gai-Sensei telling me he would have a talk with his fated rival regarding my education. The man turned his head when he arrived. I frowned as his look fell on Naruto-Kun. For mere seconds he showed surprise, confusion and an expression akin to guilt. Then his grey eye fell on me like he was expecting something.
I would ask nothing from him here. It was a time and a place to pray for our fallen relatives.
Naruto-Kun's hand was suddenly inside mine as we walked through the tombstones. His fingers slightly trembled. I should be here with Sasuke more often. Maybe it would do him good. Itachi-Sama's birthday was approaching and the boy was going to be a pain, like every other year.
"Father, Mother, Onii-San, let me introduce you to Uzumaki Naruto." I said wen we stopped before the graves and started praying. "He's a really nice boy. You would have like him, Nii-san. He really has the same cheerfulness as you."
The boy was speechless. I wasn't finished. Today I felt like praying to another tomb I seldom came to, even though I cleaned it like I cleaned the other tombs of my clan. While walking I showed the boy all the headstones that belong to my clan, all the people that weren't anymore.
"Good morning Fugaku-Sama, Mikoto-Sama. I'm sorry I am not here with your younger son. Sasuke-Chan is doing really well. I think he can even count on Naruto-Kun who's here with me. I hope they'll get to know each other better."
I nudged Naruto-Kun for him to say a few things. He muttered a prayer I didn't quite hear. I think he was starting to get the grumpiness of my cousin, as well as the aura of sadness around me. I felt like adding something else.
"I trust that your oldest son is fine. I wish he is well, wherever he might be." I whispered to the wind.
A crow croaked in a tree before flying away. I prayed a bit more.
Then we went to the nearest Uzumaki grave. I thought there would be more than one. Yet the Uzumaki clan had been mostly living in Whirlpool Country, not in Fire country. There was only this Uzumaki Kushina lying here.
"Hello, Uzumaki Kushina-San. I'm afraid we don't know each other, neither had we met before. But I have this boy with me who belongs to your clan. I wish you could bless him from where you are." I prayed.
Naruto-Kun didn't talk that time, but his hand was hanging on my shirt. He was trembling, and I was mostly sure he was crying. I said nothing. I had no tears to cry. I had never cried for our dead. I wasn't able to.
"Let's go back to the village. I'll treat you some breakfast." I said to the boy.
He nodded in silence.
We went near the KIA stone. The old ANBU was gone.
Sasuke-Chan didn't look really happy when I introduced his classmate into our house.
"What's he doing here!" he complained.
"I invited him. He came to train with me and even gave his respects to our ancestors. Two thinks you should do more often young man."
Sasuke-Chan looked away embarrassed. Naruto-Kun wore a victorious smile on his lips.
"You shouldn't mock, Uzumaki Naruto. I trust you're not doing much of these either. Now I'll have to prepare myself for today's training. I trust you with the rice cooker boys. And no fighting."
I went inside the bathroom. The bruises looked nastier under the crude light. They didn't extend to my exposed skin. There were black and blue spots everywhere. There was even burn marks on my hands and around my lips.
As I stood under the water, I felt the world twirling in black and blue. I vomited a bit of bile. My control was wearing thin. Shit! I waited for it to pass, hoping none of the boys had heard.
I had to hold.
I dressed in my kunoichi attire, noticing how stiff my chest had gone these days. Damn! I'll probably have to deal with hormones pikes on top of that! My period should start in about two days. I put pads in my pouch, just in case.
In the mirror I checked the bruises on my neck. I felt blushing. The dark marks of Neji-San's fingers looked like hickeys. I felt like blushing. Thanks hormones! My hair was getting long these days, maybe I would be able to hide the ecchymosis in a few months.
The breakfast was a happy one for once. I took the time to bring the boys to their classes, greeting the people I knew. My Hyuuga teammate was there too. Hinata-San bowed to me and I did the same.
"Hey, hey! Who's the best between you two?" Naruto-Kun suddenly asked.
I was a little taken aback by the question. His enthusiasm seems to embarrass the Hyuuga heir who went all red. Oh. Preteen love, I see.
"I think we're equal." I suggested.
"Probably her." Neji-San said at the same time.
I blinked. What did he just say? I might have heard wrong.
"Of course it would be my cousin." Sasuke-Chan said with a knowing voice.
"N…Neji-Nii-San is strong as well." Hinata-Sama stuttered.
"That answers nothing!" Naruto-Kun complained.
"We shouldn't go at each other for no reason." Neji-San said.
"I concur, that wouldn't be very mature."
"And why wouldn't you demonstrate your clan's Taijutsu techniques in front of the class?" said Iruka-Sensei as he entered the class.
Neji-San and I both nodded to the Chuunin. I checked the clock, ignoring it's annoying ticking.
"We might be late for training." I remarked.
"Indeed." Neji-San said. "In fact we already are."
"It won't change much. Gai-Sensei and Lee-San will probably find some excitement without us. We can spare some of our time to show these children to work a little bit more."
Most of them had probably no idea there would only be nine people chosen through them to train under a Jounin Sensei. Given there was children from various clans of Konoha and that seven were heirs, it left only one spot (Naruto being the Kyuubi's vessel will be the other). Genin corps weren't much fun, according to Tenten, and I doubted much of them would enroll in Administration or in medical courses.
Someone coughed near us. I would have jumped if it wasn't for the self-control I had gained around the two Taijutsu freaks. My eyes embraced the form of the Chuunin. Black haired, yellowish skin like he was sick, black rings against the eyes. Yet the way he walked. He had a sword in his back.
"Would I be wrong if I assume you're Hayate Gekko?" I politely asked.
"I am, Yanagi-San. Your Sensei said you might want to learn swordsmanship." He managed without coughing.
"I am grateful you are considering teaching me."
"I have never taught anyone before." He said. "Is that a tanto in your back?"
He had good eyes. I showed him brother's short sword and he examined it with respect.
"It is a fine weapon. But even though you can use it in battle, I would advise against it. Your frame isn't good for it is a man's weapon."
"It was my brother's." I said.
Near us, Sasuke-Chan was staring.
"Iruka, you seemed interested in a hand-to-hand combat, were you not? I'll have you two fight, I need to see how you move."
"I don't like being late." Neji-San sighed.
"Say you don't want everyone else to see me beat your ass." I teased.
"Heh, as if it would be that easy." He taunted back.
Next thing I knew I was jumping backwards to stay out of range. I was at a big disadvantage: I doubted they would allow me to use a Katon Jutsu inside here. Well that also meant he wouldn't use his Kaiten to block me.
"Stick to Taijutsu as much as possible." Iruka said. "All of you can look at these two Genin, this is the level you will be asked to enter the Genin Tems, and not the Corpse. Understood?"
"Hai, Sensei!" they chorused.
I had no time to get distracted. Neji-San was almost on me and I still hadn't landed. He missed me of a few inches. I grabbed a desk and turned my Sharingan on while wheeling above a student. I had to be conscious of them too: they might not be fast enough to avoid me. Even though I could try not to hurt them, I had lots of inertia with my training weights.
Right, now I had to place myself for the Uchiha katas.
Our clan hadn't much of Taijutsu techniques. Most of them were fan dances for the women. I could imitate them by hitting with backhands and elbows instead but it was weird. If the Hyuuga's moves were all about the arms, ours were about footwork.
We made it to the dais still half flying. Hinata-Sama, Sasuke-Chan and Naruto-Kun hadn't had the time to take a seat yet. I saw the veins pulsing around Neji-San's eyes. The fun had begun.
"Hakke rokujūyon shō!" he called as he was striking two jabs at me. "Hakke nii shō!"
I avoided the lower blow by a simple step on the side while parring the upper blow. I was totally focused when the next two hits aimed at my shoulders. I knew he was restraining himself a bit like I was: no ninja should reveal whole, even before his peers. I parred them as well.
"Yon shō!" He announced while striking slightly faster." Hachi shō!"
His chakra was glowing on his fingertips like micro chakra blades. There was no mean to block his wrists, because that would only expose me. Instead I was dancing around him, parring and avoiding him. Stepping away, turning my foot, jumping… I had learned these moves by heart to please my stepfamily. I could reproduce them how I wanted. But today It wasn't about gracefulness.
"Hachi shō!"
Eight blows were avoided and he went even faster. My circular kick caught him behind the knee, properly tripping him. I could predict where he was hitting.
"Jūroku shō!"
Two of the sixteen hit my upper arm and my thigh. I felt numb on the spots he touched me. I kept going.
"Sanjūnii shō!"
Tree had me on the right leg as I carefully tried a high kick. I clenched my teeth, using his arms as a bearing surface and managed to catch his head on a scissors hold. I quickly drew away because there was no point choking him for real. I just wanted to show him I would have succeeded if I had done so. My retreat allowed him to close a Tenkestu in my flank and two in my back. My stiff shoulder felt like moving a block of rick.
He made a pig step in my direction. I braced myself as the students were cheering for us.
""Rokujūyon shō!"
I had been slowed down quite a bit, but not enough to be impaired too much. Though I decided to be careful and put some distance between us. He followed. We danced together again. I was avoiding his blows with a smile, occasionally being touched, occasionally landing a hit. I counted the blows in my head. 53… 54… Only ten left. I kept dancing in his divinations, biding my time. 61… 62… 63… 64!
I used the small opening he left me.
"My turn." I said as my fist had him on the abdomen.
I felt him constrict his muscles to diffuse the blow, filling his body with chakra. I went on, twisting one of his arms, just the tie to land a palm on his ear. He tumbled, disorientated by my blow. In a real fight I would have used this to settle a Genjutsu and accentuate his confusion. Instead I let him go while leaping in his back and kicking his spine. He grunted while trying to face me.
I was an elusive target, intangible as a will o' the whisp. We went at each other again, him trying to get my Tenketsu.
"That will be enough." Gekko-San said and we bot stopped a few inches before our hits landed.
Hum, he would have done a nasty blow this time. I had an appreciative look. He chuckled in answer. We relaxed. We crossed our fingers in reconciliation. His bandaged hand felt rough under my skin. I was breathing fine, though sweating a little. Neji-San was panting more.
Huh… Was it what he meant by me being better than him.
The students exploded in a standing ovation. I was taken aback. Why applauding to this? We were just having a fight. Soon they would know this wasn't about beauty or performance. This was about survival.
I felt a headache growing. I focused on my mental barrier. I would not flinch. Not before everyone! I closed my eyes and breathed slow. I opened them to see the pride in Sasuke-Chan's eyes. I felt warm.
"Your Nee-Chan's so cool!" Naruto-Kun shouted.
"Hinata, your cousin is hot," a girl dared saying.
"Do you think they have a thing?" the Inuzuka boy mocked.
Sasuke-Chan stood up to glare at him. The puppy barked playfully at my cousin while his master insolently waved at me. I felt Neji-San going stiff near me. What was the problem with them? There was never and there never will be anything between a Hyuuga and an Uchiha.
I looked at the swordsman.
"Training ground 3 at six A.M. sharp." He said.
I bowed.
"Thank you very much."
Neji-San nudged my side. We better be going. Iruka-Sensei thanked us. We exited the room silently. Nothing was said between us. There was nothing to be aid.
I still had much to learn.
Hello ! I hope you enjoyed your reading !
Thanks for reviewing by the way :
Hilva Peruna : Thanks for your review !
Lucie : I don't know what you meant by "relatable"...
tomato : thanks for the comments. I wish I could update sooner, but I hadn't have enough time to write this year, especially with my computer dying on me...
Everyone have a great day!
