Seven

Decisions, Decisions

I was able to read Hiragana but I still couldn't write it neatly. It was agonizing because Kushina actually stabbed me in the hand once. That had been so painful. I was still giving it my all. I needed to be better. I had been building in the idea of running away if I was sent out in the war. It seemed like a brilliant idea. I would be away from Konoha, I would only have to strive to be as good, if not better then Itachi. If my memory doesn't fail me Tobi mentioned a four year old Itachi on the battlefield. I still think it's unreasonable but that is the kind of thinking I have been trying to avoid. It's weak, this world doesn't tolerate that. With the way training had been going on I wasn't being treated like a child anymore. I was a solider in training. I would be an equal with time and this approach was beating all the weak parts out of my mind and strengthening me.

I didn't celebrate my third birthday I was lying in the hospital because of one of Orochimaru's sessions. He left after I was hospitalized and came back two hours later with another girl. This one he wanted to train, he wasn't forced into training her. She was better at everything in comparison to me. She was his prodigy. She was rather cheery but seemed to consider anything Orochimaru said as the law. I was always taking my own path. I never followed his. I was a little jealous at how proud he seemed to be of Anko but that's when I remembered what had happened to her. She had been abandoned at fourteen maybe fifteen. She was ten right now.

"So you're Arashi?" I nodded. "I heard from Obito. He says Fugaku-sama has been working his son's ass off because of you." I groaned, was Itachi going to be stronger then before? That would make life harder for me since Wakato and Fugaku are using us as some sort of indirect competition.

After they left a medic-nin was supposed to come and visit me. Guess who the Medic was? Yeah, it was Nohara Rin, followed by Obito Uchiha. I just stared at them as Rin busied herself with the bandages around my arms. Obito pouted and slumped onto the only chair in the room.

"Hey, kid, tell her that she should go for the chunin exams." The pout on Obito's face made me stare at him. He was asking me to get Rin to go for the Chunin exams. I just blinked. "Wow, there is something wrong with this generation. First my cousins and now this kid." He reached forward and plucked my file out of Rin's hand.

"Obito! Be nice she's my patient."

"I don't mind," I said. "He can say whatever he likes as long as I can call him a goggled freak."

"Oi! Don't call me that!" He flipped a page before stopping. "Wait...you're a girl?" I sighed as Rin scolded the boy.

I realized two weeks after my birthday that I had just missed my eighteenth birthday the one I had been waiting so anxiously. I did set up eighteen twigs like candles with leaves tied to the ends in a circles I had made in the mud. In the circle I wrote 'Happy 18th Birthday Saya' in sloppy English and I even set up small pebbles around the cake like frosting. Around it I set up pebbles one for each person I hoped would be there for my eighteenth birthday. The first was for my brother, the second for my sister then for my dad, my mom, my grandmom, Dara, Alex, Nate, Tammy and Kristian. Then I put up even more pebbles of everyone I think I'd know by then. Some people I saw everyday who I hadn't worked up the courage to talk to and some I was sure I'd end up meeting. I bought my self a little wooden card and nicked one of Rai's thin blades. I carefully carved out what looked like a driver's license. I even managed to draw a rough version of my self. It was as neat as possible as I held it carefully in my hands while singing some of my favourite songs under my breath as I swayed my hips to the muted music only I could hear. I was glad that I had such a good memory. I had to pause alot to find words that matched the on going tune but it never stopped. I was found a few hours later when I wanted to be found with the wooden card tucked in the folds of my kimono. I couldn't wait for my sixth birthday. I was planning big things for that one.

Wakato came back from the battlefield. The first thing he did was ask me about my training, I gave a quick response about how I was progressing in the chakra control department.

"You're different now, for some reason." I tilted my head, I hadn't noticed anything different. "You aren't soft anymore, that's the key to becoming stronger. You'll make daddy proud." His word made my insides curl up. I was turning into his defination of a Shinobi. Was I losing myself? Then again a part of me felt elated, my father was proud of me.

He then asked me to spar against him. I agreed immediately. I rushed to my room and pulled off the white kimono with green leaves all over it. Once I was in a sleeveless shirt and some pants I ran back. His gaze lingered a little too long in the bandages on my arms. They were practically permanent now, I injured my hands so much that now I was uncomfortable without them. He let me lead him to the field next to the Library.

I quickly set myself in the standard Taijutsu pose. He did the same. As I started to plan out how I would attack him he had already made his way towards me and was standing next to me. His left leg arched backwards. He was planning a round house kick. I wasn't ready I grabbed his leg to push myself down. I scrambled away as his leg slammed into the ground leaving a small crater. One of his hands was tucked into his pockets as he aimed another kick at me. I jumped up at him aiming for his nose. He obviously blocked. I had expected that afterall anyone would block. I used his crossed arms like a jump board and flipped over him hopping to catch his back. He grabbed my foot and tossed me away like a ragdoll. I was slammed into the tree. I gasped as all the air left my lungs. He walked up and grabbed my throat slamming me into the tree. I scratched at his hand as he leaned in pulling out a kunai from God knows where before pressing it against my neck.

"And you're dead. Always keep a weapon on yourself." He tossed the Kunai so it embedded itself in the tree behind me and then walked off as I tried to breath properly while holding my throat.

I walked back to my room and took a quick bath. Later I was summoned by Wakato for dinner. Akane told me that he wanted me to dress appropriately. She helped me change into a green kimono and didn't say anything about the bandages around my throat to cover the bruise nor did she comment on the red-ish gashes on my back. Mother came to pick me up. I was delighted. I hadn't seen her a lot with my training schedule. I couldn't attend most of the business meetings anymore. She pulled me up into her arms and I understood the comfort one got in their mother's arms. It was brilliant. I threw my arms around her neck as we walked to the dinning room. It was a large room with tatami mats and a small wooden table and green cushions.

Inside Wakato and Daichi dressed in identical dark Kimonos were playjng Shogi. Daichi beckoned me closer as Wakato started conversing with Mother. He gave me a quick over view of the game and I kept tugging at my sleeves and collar trying to make sure he didn't see the bandages. It was a shabby job but I had to make do. If he realized it things won't be good. He obviously noticed. He plopped me down on the table and started unwrapping the bandages around my arms. Wakato seemed suddenly distracted as he watched Daichi carefully remove the bandages. The skin was inflamed while the fingers were still slightly charred. There had been no nerve damage so it would heal over time. Daichi gasped and Wakato looked shocked.

"I set off a faulty seal," I muttered sheepishly remembering Kushina-sensei's shriek. The seal was supposed to be an example to get me used to the idea of chakra pulsing through ink but I decided to pump it up with more chakra. Daichi then noticed my collar and started unrolling the loosly wrapped bandages. I tried to stop him by swatting at his hands but he flared a little chakra and cut them off.

"Who did this?" I heard his confusion in his voice as Wakato started looking a little towards my left. His eyes snapped back to give me a slight glare.

"The wood spirits weren't very nice today," I replied with a small smile. He raised an eyebrow confused before sighing.

"You're as reckless as your father," he said. "Be careful. Both of you." Wakato gave a sheepish smile and I was yet again amazed at his ability to act. Around Daichi he was so carefree. Around Mother he was mature. Around me his gaurd was up, he was cold. He had the same attitude with Rai.

I cornered Wakato some time in April. He narrowed his eyes at my glare. His face morphed into a sneer after he sent out a quick spark of chakra to check for intruders. He didn't know that I had already done that. It was the only reason I approached him now. We were alone.

"I have a request to make," I said. He cocked his head to a side. "You will agree to it." He shrugged. I bit my lip remebering how I had seen Tsuki frowning. He had been asleep and that's perhaps the only reason I actually managed to see him like that. When he was awake he always plastered a fake smile. He had become more open with me telling me all about the Shinobi Academy. His eyes seemed to shine and his smiles were real when he talked about it. Sadly because I was still three he couldn't join. He would be able to join when I turned five. He really wanted to go to the Academy.

"I would like for Tsuki to join the Academy in the next session," I said. He grinned as if he had been planning something regarding my request.

"That isn't possible," he replied. "The companion of an heir will join the Academy with them." I clicked my tongue.

"Can I change my companion?" I thought about Mahiru, the little blond boy who still couldn't talk. Wakato shook his head. I bit lip looking at my sandals as I started to think of other options. There was one but I wasn't so sure about it.

"You can join the Academy early, you know," he said. I looked up. I was three, almost four but still it wasn't that wrong but then again I have little to no chance of graduating early since I can't manipulate chakra at all. I think that's when I remembered the true meaning of being a Shinobi. He was glad that I was considering it, that I was following in Kakashi's footsteps. Kakashi had graduated at four, that was impossible for me.

"I'll consider it," I said walking away as Tsukishima's chakra came into my sensing parameters. I bit my lip lightly.

"Arashi-sama," he started.

"Don't call me that," I chided before motioning for him to continue. He shook his head. "Tsuki?"

"Yeah?" I wondered if I should do this but it seemed like the best idea, even if I did get in I wouldn't outdo any of the prodigies. I'll take my goddamn time. I still couldn't control chakra properly.

"Would you ...would you like to go to the Academy? In their next session?" He looked confused before his eyes lit up.

"If it is possible," he muttered. I smiled at the barely concealed excitement on his face. This is what I was doing this for. A child to have childish excitement. I didn't feel like a child. My childhood had been stripped away yet again, I didn't mind though. Compared to this world my previous life was easy. That was my childhood. I knew that the maturity levels of children were far higher in this world. Civilian children seemed to be like children in my previous life but Shinobi children had high maturity levels. They were taught about the war, it was there destination if they were old enough and strong enough.

"Well, it might be," I started. Tsuki didn't even wait for me to finish, he grabbed my hands excitedly and grinned. His grin eventually dissolved into laughs as he spun around still holding my hands. I laughed too before a memory filtered in.

I was about the same age as I was now and one of my friends was clasping my hands in the same way as he spun faster and faster. I was laughing and yelling happily before he left go. We both collapsed and I bit my tongue. Blood started pouring of my mouth as I started to cry. Mom rushed in and picked my up making me spit blood into the sink.

I flinched causing me to trip. For a moment I thought history was going to repeat itself before I collapsed on top of Tsuki still panting. He chuckled and I laughed.

Finding Sakuraya was easier then I thought, especially an hour after lunch time. He was sitting on the roof top of the Library and munching on sweets. His kimono was loosely tied and I could practically see it slipping off his shoulders if he sat up.

"Sensei," I started. His eyes shifted to the right looking at me for a moment before they returned back to the sky as he popped another piece of candy in his mouth.

"You don't need to call me that anymore." I sighed and nodded.

"Sakuraya-san," I started again seeing him grimace. "I wanted to ask you something." He looked at me curiously before sitting up. I was right, his kimono slipped off his shoulder and he fixed it quickly.

"Go ahead," he said with an encouraging smile. I pulled my legs up after sitting down next to him.

"I ...do you think it's a good decision for me to join the Academy early?" He blinked in surprise. He hadn't been hoping for this. I wonder what he was thinking.

"Well, I think that depends on your reasoning. You are still rather young for the Academy most kids would be four or five. It's only an years worth of wait." I nodded to show I knew that. "Then why?"

"Tsuki, he really wants to go and I'll turn four in two months," I muttered. He looked surprised again.

"So you're doing this for Tsukishima." He smiled. "That's a noble reason." I nodded. "I respect your decision, whatever it may be. You can come to me if you require any help with any Academy work."

"So I can call you sensei again," I asked batting my lashes with a slight grin.

"No way," he said. "No one wants to teach a brat like you." He closed his eyes and stuck his nose in the air.

"Sensei," I muttered in mock anger. He opened one eye before we both burst intk laughter. Laughter truly is the best medicine. I felt better, way better. I muttered a quick thanks before returning to the compound. I had to go to dinner with Wakato, Mother and Daichi.

After dinner while everyone was conversing lightly I asked if I could interrupt. When given permission I told them about my decision to join the Academy early. Daichi patted my back as if he was happy with my decision. Mother smiled too.

Wakato got an odd hungry look in his eyes. I gulped as he stared at me, his honey coloured eyes seeming so much darker and sinister. After dinner he summoned me to his study. I went after changing out of my night clothes (a yukata). He sat stiffly waiting for me to settle down before setting up a privacy seal. I had seen this being done a few times but mostly in private meetings with very important guests. I wasn't allowed in any meetings with the counsel till I was five when I had adequate knowledge of proper etiquette and clan head dealings. I would be training on that later.

"Arashi, report." My eyes widened. What report? "How has your training been going?"

"I have been training under Uzumaki Kushina-san," I started. I had been taught the norms of a proper report by Sakuraya. Every person's name was to be mentioned fully to avoid confusion about family names. Titles must also be added where deemed necessary. It should be clipped, professional and formal. No mentions of feelings unless specifically asked for or if they might have altered your judgment. "She has been going through basic Hiragana formats. I can recognize them all and write most of them. We shall be proceeding towards Kanji in a month. I have also trained under Orochimaru of the Sanin. We have been working on Chakra control side by side with Basic Taijutsu and weapons. Also, he has taught me to dissect techniques to find weaknesses and tricks."

"Progress report?" I paused for awhile.

"Complete recognition of Hiragana and ability to write most of them." I didn't add the fact that they looked like chicken scratch and would get better with my motor skills around the age of seven. "Chakra control inadequate due to imbalance and readiness to expel all chakra till exhaustion. Being fixed with healthy increase in Physical Chakra. Haven't actually suffered chakra exhaustion yet. Chakra pathways stable. Taijutsu exceptional for age. Dealing with weapons good. High accuracy still to be achieved." He frowned a little obviously not happy about my chakra control.

"You will be joining the Academy in their session which starts in August. Information on your class fellows is in the following file. I expect you to be ready to build connections. Sakuraya will explain in further detail. I expect you to always be above average, you may be given a handicap due to age. Any other queries may be taken to Sakuraya." I nodded as I picked up the file, flipping through it quickly to see multiple pages written neatly in Hiragana, I smiled. I could read these. "You may leave." I got up and barely made it to the door when a senbon whipped past my head and imbedded itself in the wall. I gasped.

"You will acknowledge me when I dismiss you by saying 'Yes, sir' or 'Yes, Father'." I gulped and turned ignoring the blood trailing down mh cheek from the cut.

"Yes, sir," I spat out. His eyes narrowed as I turned and pulled the senbon tossing it. It spun in mid air just before he catched it. Then again I was already out, I knew he did ctach it because there was no sound.

Glimpse

"Before. He thought you would come to me and ask me for my opinion so he told me to get you to agree to it. He knows you respect me."

"Respected."

"Excuse me," he asked.

"I respected you. I don't do well with betrayal."

A/N: This is in response to a review I got last time about the glimpse. 'Some people still think she is a boy?' Well, little kids don't really look all that different, ya know. Also I can upload some sketches I have of Arashi and some other OCs. If you want them then do suggest, Tumblr or Deviantart? Or is there another website?