When I wake up I'm still at the compound. The rooms are really bare which is normal, Lee and I aren't from a materialistic family so both of our rooms are probably austere to most people. Really if not for the fact I have a Purple plum blossom on my wall and Lee has a gray one you'd never know the difference. We both have traditional futons and white bedding and matching furniture. Our family is strict on things being put away and all my pretty clothes for parties and events are kept in a main closet so that all the girls in the Lee clan can wear them. Since the family triad of colors are white, gray (silver but that's expensive) and purple the shade of plums it makes it really easy to dress everyone. The same outfit's I wear each year at a party are then worn by any little cousins I get and I wear ones my older ones wore etc. The women all trade off and there's an understanding that no one can always wear a certain item unless they made it or had it made special for something much more important. Mother had her red wedding qi pao dyed a gorgeous deep purple that's almost black but still shows red in some places for example.
She's promised me I can wear it when I'm old enough. So really the idea of not having a space decorated and personalized is not a new one to me. Someone placed me in a nice brown yukata and I fold the bedding carefully before putting on slippers and peeking out of the room. My hair is down which feels..really weird. It's long too, and brushes my elbow as I look both ways. When I look back again there's someone right at my side and I squeak, backing up but out of habit my hands come out in a guard position and my weight is balanced along the balls of my feet.
The boy blinks at me. He looks a lot like Kou only not.
"You startle easily."
I shrug because no duh. We then begin a silent staring at each other bit. I tilt my head and he blinks. I probably should introduce myself but let's be honest all Hyuuga's look alike. Really if his hair was darker brown he'd look just like Kou only Kou always has this slight smile on his face now if he doesn't look like he wants to shove a sock in my mouth.
"Who do I thank for taking care of me?" Yeah I got nothing to say to you kid, but I'd like my clothes back and I am not used to my hair being down. Besides, it's late and oooh boy if my family isn't going to be worried. Tou-san and Kaa-san are going to be bad enough but Lee? I am going to be tied to his wrist. Literally. He's done that before. Because I apparently can get lost in our own neighborhood. Hey I'm only five here. Okay okay doubleyears and all so I should be ten but come on..
"..I'll take you to them." The boy who does not like to speak turns and I patter off after him. I mean, what else am I gonna do? He's not my friend so I keep quiet. Something that I think puzzles him because he keeps looking back at me trying to be subtle. Good luck brat. I'm who knows how old mentally for all I refuse to be mature, and you can't be older than five like me.
Finally we enter a room where there are a few adults talking quietly. After introductions that are so boring I mean, Hyuuuga-sama and Hyuuga-sama and Hyuuga- yeah you get the idea. I let it flow in one ear and out the other as I greet them all and thank them. All very formal, laying it on very thick but that's what you do with the old noble clans. I kind of have fun with it to be honest because you cannot lay it on thick enough. Nutella level going here and you know the color that stuff is.
Once all of that is done the old men who are only looking half their age because the doubleyears mess with me and none of them know that if you are 25 you should be 25 not mentally 50 but physically not and..yeah. He puts that white eyes of doom ness gaze in my direction and nods. "It is past dinner. You are likely hungry, word has been sent to your family that we shall keep you for observation tonight and return you in the morning. Your chakra was far too low with the last..stunt..you pulled."
I am so far from sorry about that, I don't even try to hide it. Instead I smile and nod. "I was challenged to win, Hyuuga-sama."
There's actually a scoff from mr. silent kid next to me but I ignore him. Lee is my twin if I can ignore him on a sugar craze I can ignore anyone.
"This is..correct." Kou's father is there (and I seriously will hit my head on something if he's another variant of his son's names when I learn it some day) and I get the feeling he's actually bemused with me. "I am curious what you did to make them all stick at the last minute, including those your hands were not on."
Whoa. Group of four adult Hyuuga and chibi stoic focusing on you is never not a weird feeling.
"I wanted it."
They blink at me.
I shrug and explain a little more. "It is like from the start.." I incline my head to Kou's father because the dude actually is who stepped in to help me just because I amused his kid at parties. "My chakra is not something I focus on that much..I want it to do something and it does. Since the objective was to win by sticking the most items on, and I was ahead by one from startling Kou-kun.." Yeah I'm way proud of that. Not at all honorable but very much a ninja's move and so no one says anything. I think Kou is going to get lectured on not having done so first because we were just standing and talking (how Hyuuga's talk anyways) for a while. "When I realized I couldn't keep my footing I wanted to win and so I just focused on how I wanted all of the papers to stick to him. It was definitely a sight worth remembering." And nearly drowning for. Epic.
"..you just..wanted." It was stated dryly by one of the two most matchy matchy Hyuuga I had ever seen. Seriously these two men could be identical. Except one had a bandage on his fore..he..a..d...
uh...
Apparently I was possibly sitting with Hizashi and Hiashi..which meant.. I turned to look at chibi stoic and noticed tucked in the corner where I hadn't seen her before is a cute little sleeping mini stoic probably a year younger. With blue hair.
Well hello there Tobirama, I see you're trolling me again.
Okay. I accept your challenge.
"Yup."
"..You do not expect us to believe.." One of the unknown clones began, the fourth Hyuuga who was the oldest and Kou's father shook his head.
"This is what she has stated since the start. I have observed with my eyes " Nice emphasis. Totally couldn't guess what you mean. "That she does not channel chakra in a normal way. Rather it forms precisely where and when she wants something. The next time they work together, as she does focus least when paired with my son, watch for yourself."
Normally a lack of focus is a bad thing but the slightly wider eyes and tighter mouths of the Hyuuga around me and the strange look from chibi stoic is well. Weird.
Not in a fun way either.
Of course, now is when my stomach grumbles.
I'm sent off with Neiji -because it must be Neiji though he has a bare forehead right now- and we pad along to the kitchen. The ladies there make me a snack and I happily munch on onigiri because they are scrumptious. Neiji sits beside me eating his quietly. Before long Kou sneaks in and smiles, a real smile which I don't get often as he sits beside me. I hand over a rice ball without hesitation.
"I see you have met my cousin, Neiji."
"I have a name now." I reply and smile widely at Neiji, before he can get in trouble for not having given his name I continue "We did forget to introduce ourselves. I'm Lee Ziwei.." because I cannot resist the cheekiness of the traditional "Please take care of me.." which Kou snickers at. Neiji gives me a look.
"Hyuuga Neiji. You seem to get in trouble, taking care of you would be a full time task."
"Indeed." Kou says. I shrug.
"I give back."
Kou nods at that as well and Neiji looks confused but I don't explain. Kou can on his own, but I won't risk a lack of eavesdroppers. Kou was very strict on explaining that when walking me to the gate one time.
"Ni-san was reprimanded for losing his temper, and for the girl. Tou-san may have known but now so do plenty of others." He was smug about that and I tittered.
"Your welcome." I knew what he was really saying after all.
"You're excused from coming tomorrow." Kou states calmly and I nod.
"Frankly I'll be amazed if ni-chan lets me out of his sight for a while. He gets ..worried."
"He does." Kou says it so deadpan that I notice Neiji looks startled. Yep. Lee is a basket case when riled up and Kou has seen it at the parties.
"you have no idea, Kou-kun."
The night passes gently into morning, soon I am dressed and being escorted home. Very kindly, Kou's tou-san lets me know I am excused for the rest of the week as my family is no doubt worried for me but he looks forward to whatever further surprises I bring next week.
Lee is waiting at the entrance to our gate and once again, I almost eat pavement.
"Zi-chan! You were gone so long! I heard you were almost drowned!" Lee is frantic as he hugs me now and I just sigh, wriggling an arm free to pat my twin on his head gently. Kou's dad is totally cracking up silently the jerk.
"See you next week.." he leaves gliding away elegantly, while I continue to be cried on by my wailing twin about how I was almost gone for this world and the light had gone out of his life.
Dramatic.
Oh but I love him for it.
The days plod by slowly until we go back to normal life. Even then, my chakra training is never quite so bizarre but I'm being taught a number of things at Kou's speed now. I'm being used for Byakugan practice by lots of kids as my chakra is weird when I use it. The complete ease I have at the idea of 'deformed coils' makes people shudder.
To be honest, I'm starting to wonder if it's not a Yue clan bloodline trait. We did develop a fighting style based off it and it could be just happenstance but things rarely are. Who knows? Tobirama probably but he's not telling.
Anyways, deformed chakra coils that allow one real application to be through the roof isn't exactly a bad thing. Lee will become unmatched in his taijutsu some day. Mother has a never ending supply of energy to get things done. She's like the energizer bunny. Granny? Well I think she just has the ability to know how to get people to do what she wants, like a genjutsu that works the opposite way or something. And apparently my chakra just does what I want. Which sounds way cooler than it is since I have such pathetic reserves.
I will never be a front line fighter. You know, I'm good with that.
The academy proves to be a whole new twisted bit. Of course first day of school I have to troll the place. I just haven't figured out how... hmm.
Turns out halfway through the day just before lunch I'm given the perfect choice. Kunoichi classes are to be held while the boys go over tactics..really? Not. Going. To. Happen.
"Ziwei-chan you need to go with the other girls for kunoichi training."
"Nope."
"what? Ziwei all girls.."
"No. I want to learn how to fight, so I'm not a girl for now."
I swear I think the whole class just acts like I hit them with a brick. "Uh..that..but you are a girl Ziwei-chan.."
"Not for this hour."
"You were a girl before."
The class is going back and forth as I state this with the teacher, who sorry has nothing on Iruka and looks completely dumbfounded. Lee next to me is acting like nothing is happening. He is so used to me by now, kind of how I am when he goes nuts. Out the corner of my eye I think I see Neiji (who I haven't seen since that one time) shaking his head. Oh yeah, Kou would talk about me.
"But I am not right now."
"You can't just not be a girl, Ziwei-chan.." the teacher is getting bothered now. I'm just getting warmed up.
"Yes I can."
"No, that is not how it works.."
"Prove it." I cross my arms and lean back smirking.
"I..Get into Kunoichi class!"
"You first!"
"I am a boy"
"Well right now so am I!"
"No you are not!"
"Prove that!" Dead silence. Yeah. I thought as much.
"Lee-kun, please inform your sister to get to class.." the teacher almost begs my twin. You know he must be used to twins or something because yeah I'd listen to Lee but Lee is my twin. Whatever else he has a nutty sense of humor and we've pulled this stuff on people before at parties. It doesn't have to be believable to give them headaches.
"Sensei my twin is in class." Lee deadpans with a big smile as usual. He carefully doesn't say sister, for which I give him a smirk.
"Your sister needs to go to her rightful class."
"My twin is where they will learn things." Lee nods, pulling the dumb act and then we both grin, having seen the clock. We've done this one to our parents before. By the way, Grandpa the troll totally taught us this routine to mess with his friends. So the next part we say in unison.
"Aren't we supposed to get started? We've wasted ten minutes already."
The sensei throws his hands up and goes to the board.
I get to start learning tactics.
The next day when Lee and I give the sensei a look as the girls all get up to go to kunoichi class he doesn't say anything.
Twins 1. Sensei..0.