Dont own aaaaaaanything.

Kay. I'm writing this story for myself officially. XD Hooray!

Iruka had showed me the 'house' as I walked in the first day. It was a small apartment made for one, as most shinobi have. I slept on the couch, after I sat on him when he tried to sleep there. It was just easier to not run into walls while familiarizing myself with the house. Iruka said we would move into a bigger place as soon as the Hokage could get the paperwork done, and that would just make it more difficult. I tried to keep in mind that this was good training for my senses.

As the day approached for me to go to the academy for the first time, I became more and more nervous. I asked Iruka to check my clothes and supplies at least three times a day and listened to the learning tapes he had found, or made, over and over again. Before I finally collapsed on the couch each night I went over everything in my head, and hoped- prayed, really, to whomever I could- that I didn't look an idiot in front of my new classmates. I developed a nervous habit in merely a week, biting my nails. The day crept closer and closer.

The eve of my introduction to society was here. More than ever, I sat and quizzed myself. I made it halfway through the day before biting my nails. As I bit down, I winced. My nail cut my tongue. I jerked it out of my mouth and felt it with my other fingers. My skin was pulling back from my now razor sharp nail. All of my nails were changing like this. As I pulled at the skin in fascination, it pulled off like a sick imitation of a banana peel with hardly any resistance and no pain. As I pulled my skin from my fingers, the blood dripped onto my lap and I began to realize that my fingers must look abnormal now- talons, unlike the calloused, rough hands of the others. I ran my fingers over each other, and was surprised at the smoothness on top. As I spread my fingers as if to fold them together and scraped them against each other, however, I was surprised for an entirely different reason as heat sprang up on my remaining skin. I could still feel with my fingers. Textures were more acute, in fact, the nerves almost screamingly close to the surface of my skinless fingers. Despite these improvements, my blood ran cold at the fact that I must be even more different now, the worst kind of obvious freak. I stood up, planning to run to the closet before Iruka came home and find the thickest gloves I could, to cover up my… deformity, mutation, abnormality, for the rest of my life. But, as I tried to make a break for it, my feet got stuck and I fell to the floor, face first. Groaning, I felt back with my new fingers and felt my bare feet. The same thing. My toes were peeling back as I touched them, unknowingly staining the carpet with blood. My heel was clear of skin, spiking out into a short but deadly sharp blade-like spur. Desperately, my mind searched for a way to hide it- really thick shoes, perhaps, or, or, or… futile. I buried my head in my hands and started to cry.

Iruka still wasn't home, and I was glad. I had decided that there was no choice but to tell him. He might throw me in some research lab or a jail cell, but I had no other options. Postponing this might give me some time to make my case more convincing. The door opened.

"Hi! I'm back. I was thinking, we should have something special for dinner, it just seems like the night before you enter the academy should be pretty big…" I covered my mouth to stifle a gasp. I had even forgotten! What would I do for the academy? I heard his footsteps, and I sat on my hands and feet as he rounded the corner of the sofa. I had also forgotten, of course, about the blood.

I sat incredibly still as Iruka gasped and stared at all of it. He started forward, and checked me roughly for injuries, but I refused to lift my hands or feet. Therefore, he certainly knew the problem lay there. Could I trust him? A random person who took me in? I really needed someone to understand, someone to share this with. I opened my mouth to speak, but I rethought it and supposed it might be easier to just show him. I sat up and he drew back, startled. I brought my hands forward in front of me as if begging, on my knees, wordlessly beseeching him to help me.

"I don't understand," I choked out. "What… what happened? I was normal and then I wasn't!" I was happy, at least, that Iruka was having the same reaction.

"What is that? Is it some kind of bloodline trait? I've certainly never heard of it… I need to tell the Hokage and fast." He was lost in frantic thought as I pulled on his sleeve.

"Please, please don't lock me up or test on me, I'm not bad I swear!" I felt distinctly childish, but I couldn't bring myself to care.

I was astounded, and slightly insulted, when he laughed at my words. "Hoshiko. We are ninja, not mad scientists. You will not be locked up, but we will look for a cure, if you wish it." I was shocked. A cure?

"Yes! Absolutely! I want to be like everyone else. Before tomorrow."

"We need to send for certain people, Hoshi… its not too bad… you can still go to the academy tomorrow if-"

"No ifs! I have to go tomorrow! OK. Were gonna need several pairs of thick gloves and a lot of padded shoes. Can you sew? Well you're gonna learn, 'cause I certainly can't."

Yay. If anyone is reading this... I love you. Truly.

Hugs + Kisses!

OUT! -Axi