"...I thank whatever gods may be for my unconquerable soul." ~William Ernest Henley

Disclaimer: I, Dreams-Wishes-Hopes, have no ownership over Naruto

The OC mentioned, Zekuro, belongs to my partner KuroAmaterasu

Dedicated to: Malakkhaled, your review inspired me to write this chapter

-First Person Perspective-

I was sleeping. Peacefully sleeping on a tree. Peacefully sleeping with a relaxed expression on my face as I lay on a branch attached to a large, sturdy tree in a quiet corner of the garden.

You see, I was sleeping, but not anymore, because as I was sleeping oh so peacefully, someone decided to knock me out of the tree. That someone was Indra, with Asura sitting on his shoulders, and our cousin, Kurisutaru, standing behind him.

"Please tell me that you knocked me out of a tree to tell me that Oji-sama told you he took back what he said about me not being ready for the special training, and that I no longer have to wait until I turn twenty," I said, with an irritated face as I stared at my only pair of pants, which now sported multiple rips and tears from my fall.

Last week, Hamura made the decision that I was not ready. I didn't know how to feel about it, since that meant I would get five more years to try and find a way to escape this place without training and studies on my shoulders. Yet at the same time, it irked because that meant I would have to wait five years before learning why I was even adopted.

"Nope. Otou-sama still says you have to wait for five more years instead of one," Kurisutaru replied, helping me up from the ground and plucking some leaves out of my long orange hair.

It had been two weeks since I had that awkward moment with Indra, and while he constantly sought me out, I constantly avoided him out of guilt. The conversation I had with his tutor only made me want to leave this place more, since I stole Indra's place as the eldest child of Hagoromo. And I just can't help but feel bothered by that fact.

"Onee-san? Can we have a talk? It's really important," Indra asked, after he handed Asura to Kurisutaru.

"You better have this talk with him, May. Our fathers are both busy, and I don't want him to hear what everyone else might say. The healer has been very busy as of right now, too," Kurisutaru told me, as he began walking away with Asura, leaving Indra and I alone.

"Well, then, let's get this over with. What is it you need to talk about?" I asked, not looking at the boy.

"Ah, well, it has to do with growing up. As in the stages in which I slowly become an adult," Indra answered, which made me bite my lip.

"Look, I'm, not the best with things like pride and honor, I barely even understand the concept," I said truthfully.

"No, no! I mean the physical part!" Indra yelled out, before clamping his mouth shut with his hands.

"Oh. That makes much more sense," I said, climbing up the tree again. When I reached the branch I was sleeping on, I scooted over and motioned Indra to sit down next to me.

"Cousin told me that the reason why I raised my hand at Asura was probably because my emotions were crazy because I'm growing up, but he gave me no further explanation," Indra explained, rubbing the hand that he had raised at Asura.

"So it wasn't because you hate us?" I inquired, steeling myself to get ready with the truth. The comment from his tutor was really bugging me, and I felt that everything would be better if I heard it from the person directly.

"No, not at all. Asura and I are bound by blood, and even though you're adopted, Onee-san, you have saved me from falling off trees or getting injured many times, so I owe you," Indra explained, recalling the many times he had accidents related to trees.

"Oh, thank goodness. Anyway, Indra, I didn't expect you to go through it so early, since most people go through it when they're a year or two older, but don't worry, I've given this talk to a friend of mine before," I told him truthfully, thinking back to the time when Jean and I had to explain things to Zekuro, and years later, to his sister.

'That Zekuro kid was a really late bloomer. He was what, fifteen? I can't remember,'

'Wait a second, didn't you traumitize Zekuro?'

"Your emotions are just on edge and your thoughts are mostly irrational and random, don't worry, everyone goes through that part," I said, patting him on the back, "Now, the physical part is much more complicated~"

"May, can you explain to me why Indra is hiding in the corner with a bucket over his head?" Hamura Otsutsuki asked, pointing to the boy sulking at the far side of the room.

'Well, he reacted better than Zekuro did, at least,'

'Aww! Look at Asura! He's poking Indra with a stick!'

"Oh, well you see, Oji-sama, since you and Otou-sama were busy and your son didn't want to go through the trouble of it, I had to explain to Indra-chan the stage of his life known as puberty. Oh, and don't worry, I covered everything else as well," I explained nonchalantly, not seeing any problem with what I just said.

After that, I was never left alone with children ever again. Luckily, I got a compromise for Kurisutaru instead of a terrifying old lady.

"Asura-chan! No! Don't climb that tree! Don't encourage him, Indra-chan! Damn it, Kurisutaru! Don't laugh and help me!" I yelled, rolling up the sleeves of my yukata as I began climbing the tree to save Asura.

"I don't see what's wrong with it, climbing trees are good training," Kurisutaru commented from the ground below, next to Indra.

"You wouldn't understand since you never witnessed it. Whenever I'm with those two and one of them go climbing trees, something goes wrong. Something always goes wrong," I replied, grabbing the giggling toddler.

And, as if it was tradition, as I climbed down, I slipped, and Asura slipped put of my hands. Thankfully, Asura landed in Indra's arms. I was caught by Kurisutaru, but after he realized that he had accidentally caught me, he immediately dropped me.

"If I knew better, I'd say you did it on purpose," Kurisutrau told me as he escorted me to my room. Indra had left the garden with Asura earlier than our cousin and I did, since I was very busy strangling the fourteen year old.

"Does it look like I'm happy when I fall out of a tree?" I asked, but as the boy opened his mouth to comment, I shushed him, "It was a rhetorical question,"

"You wouldn't have slipped if you were wearing pants,"

"I would've been wearing pants if you didn't destroy them, again,"

"Last week was the tree's fault,"

"I was talking about yesterday,"

"But you were wearing a kimino yesterday,"

"My pants were underneath the kimino, and was one of the first things that caught on fire when you dropped the lantern,"

And with that, I ended our conversation by closing the door on his face.

Nene: I enjoy writing chapters like this.

Emerald: This chapter was inspired by a review.

Kuro: Are you reading this? Your reviews can inspire!

Shiro: Please review. You don't have to, but they're reassuring and nice.