I have my arms crossed as I mumble under my breath, fuming with smoke practically billowing out from my ears. Honestly, do the annoying brats think it's fun to pull my hair in class? To accidentally ruin my lunch by tossing it on the ground? To try and trip me while I walk in class? The lunch thing worked, which may be adding to my anger in my hungry state. The tripping was attempted and so more annoyance than anything. The hair? Well, batting away grabby grubby hands isn't my idea of fun, even if it boosts my awareness skill to do it.
A stray blunted shuriken just flies my way, and I catch it mid-air, glaring after the group of girls who threw it. They aren't even from my class!
Awareness Proficiency level has risen X1
Awareness Proficiency level 34
Ability to be completely aware of your surroundings at all times, even when sleeping, meditating, or being otherwise distracted. Level of awareness increases per level.
Well, at least there are some benefits. Still, this has been going on for days now, and it doesn't seem to be letting up. I have half a mind to go rant to Sasuke about him playing hero, which started this whole thing, but I don't think I am that angry yet.
Still, here I am, walking pointedly to the Uchiha compound. I need to let off some steam. (Not to mention, when spars start, I will probably have a great number of people volunteering to be my opponent, and I don't feel like getting beaten up.)
Then I think for a moment. What if Izumi isn't there? Hazuki is probably working right now, and since I picked up new books this morning, I don't really have to go to the library right now. What would I do if neither are there? However, by the time I think about this, I am already at their door, and I do not sense anyone inside of. I feel around, and among the many burning Uchiha signatures, Izumi's is nowhere to be found. Had I been thinking more, I would have searched with my sensory skills ahead of time, but I didn't. I kick a rock on the path, but unfortunately, instead of moving, it stays trapped on the ground, causing me to stub my toe and awkwardly jump around with my foot in hand. This really isn't my day.
I sigh again, resigning myself to the walk home to an awkward house with a still-upset Ami who is ignoring my existence. That is until I feel a hand in my hair, and remembering all the tugging, I grip the wrist of the offending hand hard, and I hear a quick shout more of a surprise than pain and turn around, blinking at Shisui who I still can't sense annoyingly enough.
"Hey, hey! Easy with the death grip Sayori-chan. I was just going to ask if you need help finding your little boyfriend!" The annoyingly happy voice of Shisui rings out very loudly, and it feels like the Uchiha compound slows down at his proclamation, and though I release his hand as he does, I'm sure my face is now bright red.
"Sasuke-san is not my boyfriend!" I growl out equally loud so that the many ninja eavesdroppers will surely hear. Seriously for ninjas, they aren't being very subtle. Then again, I am starting to understand that ninjas and ninja families are the worst gossipers in existence.
"Ok, ok…" Shisui placates, and I relax a little. "You aren't into labels, I understand. I once met this adorable couple who had been together for…." Shisui says with a devilish smile at the clear pressure point I was giving him.
"Would everybody stop thinking that I even like Sasuke that way? We're six!" I exclaim indignantly, almost missing I hadn't used an honorific for Sasuke's name and just pray that Shisui misses that little detail too. Whether he does or doesn't (I'm guessing there is no way he wouldn't), he lets the matter drop.
"Alright… well, if you are looking for Izumi, she asked me to tell you that she was called away on a last-minute mission." Shisui then says, and I can't help but feel disappointed at that. I really wanted to talk and spend some time with someone who wasn't angry with me.
"Ok... Well, thanks for letting me know." I say with a weak half-smile. My disappointment must have shown on my face because Shisui tilted his head like a curious bird.
"You know you really do act like Izumi's little sister. Your face is the exact same way as when Itachi used to blow her off to go train." Shisui says, and I feel my eyebrow twitch. If that is the case, I probably got something from Hazuki and MAYBE Izumi. I do, after all, spend a good bit of time between the two of them.
"Well, you know Hazuki and Izumi are my FAVOURITE Uchihas." I say, rolling my eyes but trying to tease him right back. Shisui puts a hand over his heart in mock hurt, but his eyes continue to glow bright with mischievous intent and glee that can very easily rival the sunshine look in Naruto's eyes.
"She's your favourite! What! That will not do. I'm about a hundred times more fun than boring Izumi..." Shishi says and then sighs, but his smile holds through the whole little rant. "Guess I'll have to change your mind. Let's see how good a teacher Izumi really is." Shisui says, and before I can blink, I am being dragged by yet another Uchiha through the compound. Why am I even surprised at this point?
He drags me to the training ground right around where Izumi usually does her dancing lessons.
"You want to train with me?" I ask as he lets go of me, his smile more tame now. Still, isn't he a jonin? I get Shisui is a bit... unique... Especially for an Uchiha, but doesn't a jonin already have a lot to do? Wouldn't Shisui be even more so, given the whole situation?
"It's my dream to be a jonin instructor." Shisui admits softly, and I blink but then nod. I could see that. Didn't he help teach Itachi to be the crazy powerful ninja he is now? Then again not a lot of Uchiha jonin instructors. "Either way, as the Uchiha clan's newest stray cat, I should ensure you are getting taught right." Shishui says, and I glare at the 'stray cat' thing, but I have to admit there are a lot of cats in the Uchiha compound.
"Alright then, let's dance." I say and try to catch Shisui off guard charging in, which isn't really my style, but against a WAY more experienced and powerful enemy being able to set them off balance is critical. At least in theory... I punch for a soft point. Shisui isn't wearing any armour, and specific organs, no matter how much muscle you build, are always vulnerable. Older ninja use kicks to aim for these points, but since I'm small, they are within punching distance. However, as expected, each one is deflected. Like with Izumi's dance practice, I try to step around his defences, launching faints, but every attempt is deflected with ease until an open palm hits my chest, sensing me flying into a tree huffing.
"Izumi's a better teacher than I thought. Now, are you going to tell me what trouble you're having at the academy?" He asks, giving me a moment to get back to my feet and catch my breath before he attacks me, making me have to dodge and weave around his strikes since there is no way I could effectively block them.
"What makes you ask that?" I ask him while dodging, and my mind feels pulled in all sorts of directions. How could he know? I barely talk to him!
"Two things." Shisui begins to list off, and I have a feeling this is his go-to way of explaining things step by step. "One Itachi went through the same thing. Prodigies generally don't have it easy with their peers." He says, and I pause for a moment, and he lands a blow. I gasp but manage to turn on my foot slowly, varying from the leaf standard taijutsu, which is just too predictable to use against someone who has learnt it as well as Shisui has.
Taijutsu proficiency level has risen X2
Taijutsu Proficiency Level 22
The ability to perform Taijutsu and physical attacks. Increases skill with all Taijutsu attacks and styles per level. Increases the speed at which you master new forms by 1% per level. Increases speed, strength, and precision when performing Taijutsu by 0.2% per level. Current ability speed at which master forms 122%, increase in stats while performing Taijutsu 4.4%.
"I'm not a prodigy." I say, and I dodge one of his strikes, and he smirks.
"Right, and I'm not an Uchiha." Shisui drawls with a smirk as I continue to dodge, which probably isn't helping my 'I'm not a prodigy' line thing. He's going really easy on me anyway, right? "Second, Sasuke told Itachi, and Itachi told me." He then adds, and I clench my jaw.
"Kids are bugging me because Sasuke is nice to me." I admit, and Shisui raises an eyebrow then a look of understanding crosses his face.
"Ahh... The fangirls." He says with a slight shiver that is totally understandable. I bet he has a bunch of fangirls too. The fifteen-year-old who became a jonin at eleven. He's Konoha's youngest ever, jonin? He would definitely have had a swarm of fangirls. "When you start spars, you can deal with them." Shisui says, and I give him a blank look. Is his advice really 'beat up your bullies until there stop bullying you' because... Well, given we are training to be a ninja, that might work. After all, the village leader has to be the strongest ninja. If that weren't the case, we wouldn't be a ninja village. We would just be your standard small country. (ninja villages really are like their own countries)
"They all seem to think that Sasuke like-likes me." I say, annoyed, and Shisui doesn't meet my eyes, and I freeze. Kami, please let that thought just be from the mind of fangirl children and not the actual truth.
"You're a good friend to Sasu-chan, the little stray cat. Just hang in there." Shisui says, and I nod, and we resume.