AN: I remember when this started as a crack fic. Then plot decided to intervene. A different format for this one because I'm kind of excited for the shenanigans once Zi graduates so prepare for a fricken huge chapter after this.
AN2: MissLovesReadinALOT had a good idea so Tobirama has joined the mushrooms, expect this to somehow become a long running gag.
()()()()()()()()
I woke up one morning and realized I had forgotten most of what I knew about my last life and how peculiar it was that it honestly felt more like a relief. I did however, promptly yank out an old notebook and with pathetic doodles as my code put down things I felt were important. Luckily anyone who observed the pages would think these were unrelated drawings. A fox running around in the sunshine, only the sun had a swirl pattern as my mental nod to Tobi and his mask. A lot of random rabbit (for the energy level) figures done in an orange color holding hands for Naruto on another page and all his shadow clones. The ever so well known myth of a bunny on the moon making odango in an elaborate kimono. These full page pictures kept so simple were seemingly random and I just would revisit, add swirls and doodles to make them seem unrelated. Drawing was something I used to really enjoy and since I didn't care if I was good or not, I could take time to fill up page after page in ratty notebooks. If I forgot things from doing them this way then so be it. I lived around ninja, I wasn't going to chance anything staying hidden. I even made certain there were lots of regular doodles in between that had no relation whatsoever or as I thought of my genjutsu shapes. And just because it was interesting, I drew the Hyuuga I knew. I drew Lee all the time as a reminder of what I was working for. To me my brother had come to represent freedom, hard work, loyalty.
From drawing I noticed a side effect, planning and hiding the reminders in creative ways was doing wonders for my focus.
My attempts to find a scroll copying jutsu without outright asking went nowhere. Instead I was devoting a few hours a week that I really needed to be sleeping for, to working out the schematics with my chakra. Since no one in the Hyuuga's could explain how it worked, and I was not approaching the Uchiha! I was at something of an impasse. Likely the answer lay in seals but also that way was mass amounts of chakra reserves necessary, so I doodled ideas down along with my genjutsu plans but mostly left it alone. I knew I'd figure something out in time. I had a half of the year until we graduated, and a year after that before Naruto would.
I did wonder though...I remembered some English...there were a few letters common in our language now but... I shrugged and wrote down a few things I didn't want to forget. To be honest it was the most fleeting of things because almost all of my Before had been absorbed into my NOW but what remained clearly my soul or something felt was important. Those ranged from words "Two paths diverged and I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.." to Murphy's law of combat operations.
I am standing by the verdict I have always been one odd little troll.
The nice thing about practicing my scribbles is I didn't have to hide it from my family and I've even been offered by one of our cousins to learn ink painting later on as I'm older to help out with making the labels and such. Plum blossoms aren't that hard to do that way so even I can't mess that up they said.'
Yeah. I hear that as a challenge. I wonder if I should give them eyes and weird faces to creep people out?
()()()()()()
Lee's reminder of our graduation coming up soon had thrown me off kilter and he snuck it into conversation more often. I guess after a while I stopped counting years and events because my days were so full. It was a constant training or visiting with friends to the point I never really paid attention to time passing. In a way I felt exceptionally lucky for that as it was taking my mind off the nightmares of glowing red eyes. Because in our family a cousin can drop by, or we visit another of their homes and running in with a challenge is never told to 'pipe down' 'not in the house' but cheers and encouragement.
Which would be how Lee, Ten-ten and myself are currently running with one of our older cousins on each of our backs blindfolded around the park. Last time I came by alone there had been a dark haired figure with an Uchiha fan on their clothing and I had not wished to go back without a witness on my side. Though the details are not given to them the entire family knows I had some sort of an interaction and am avoiding the clan, so with that calm that only we seem to have I just always have company if we are going out. Maybe if I was not so happy that my family are wacko I would mind it. Instead? Well we do silly things like this. Once or twice we've even roped Sakura in and she can't seem to decide if she loves it or is embarrassed.
Both dear. Both is the answer.
Embrace the insanity.
()()()()()()
Ten-Ten had fully come aboard team Sakura/Lee and made certain to talk to the girl if their lunch periods lined up better than my own. I knew she was also talking to her about which shops to buy her weapons at but Lee and I both told Sakura that Ten-ten hadn't mentioned her own to be modest. We were getting our weapons made by Ten-Ten's parents and their apprentices, the quality was still quite good as they were exacting but it was a lot cheaper.
Honestly our family is kind of crazy about perfection so it's not like anything of sub par quality would be permitted to be anything but melted down so I was very happy to buy the cheaper weapons. Unlike many, Lee and I were rather stingy with our allowances, slowly growing the amounts. We don't know why but we both have agreed we will want that cushion when we are going on missions.
Although if Lee spends his buying snacks for Sakura half the time I'm not tattling. Taking pictures? Where did you think some of my allowance is coming from? Dad's a sucker for cuteness.
If I give a small portion of that to Lee so he provides more instances for me to make parental cooing money off of? Well I'm not stupid and neither is Lee.
()()()()()()
Proving that some things simply would not change Sakura had come to me crying two months before our graduation exam about how she and Ino had broken off her friendship. Yet again an example of how time is altered here because I seem to remember it happening far earlier but well, not complaining. Older girls are a little more rational. Well before hormones become part of the factor.
My first reaction was to worry about her obsession over Emu-Emo boy but Sakura deserved to be treated as a person, not just as someone I hoped would end up with my brother. So taking her hand and leading her off to my favorite tea shop seemed a start. It was a quiet almost run down place that wasn't very popular with the younger crowd which meant it was private and pleasant.
"Ano..there's no menu." She whispered to me as we walked in, sniffling still a little as she slid into the comfy worn booth across from me.
"I know. You don't order like that here. Do you have any allergies or things you really don't like?" She shook her candyfloss hair, puzzled and I honestly was hoping she'd like this place as much as I did.
"Hello and welcome." Came the voice of the owner, Minako was soft spoken and sweet, always done up formally as if this was a fancy tea house. Her family owned the place and they worked in it, her children often did the cooking. I didn't remember what had happened to chase them out of the place they had lived once and I didn't ask. She was allowed to live in Konoha, it said plenty.
"Hello Minako-san. This is my friend Sakura-chan. It's her first visit and no allergies. We just need to talk and I knew this was the best location for a little girl talk." I winked up at Minako who laughed and nodded, setting down our water glasses before she left. She always charged the same amount so it was easy to just focus on your own event and she knew we'd only get tea and snacks. Actually asking for a meal was unusual here, they weren't set up for that."Minako-san is wonderful, don't worry Sakura-chan. Now...what happened?"
"Ano..Ino...well there's this boy..in our class. Uchiha Sasuke.." She blushed lightly but there was no squealing. I like to hope she'll stay the kind girl instead of turn into a yelling one. Oh sure I want her to be confident and dangerous some day but without feeling she needs to change who she is. "We both like him. I mean..He's really strong and good at everything and cool..kind of like a serious Lee-kun.."
"But?"
"Ino really likes him. I mean really likes him. So she's decided since I was her..was.." Sakura's lip trembled and just then Mina set down the tea and snacks before leaving sensing this was the best course of action. Bless her. Kou-kun had introduced me to this place and I loved visiting. It was one of the few places we could talk without the eavesdropping clan all though if one or two Hyuuga were in here somewhere I wouldn't be surprised. I just sipped at my tea, a soft white tea this time with such subtle flavors I couldn't help but close my eyes and humm happily.
Sakura giggled but tried her own. "Oh!"
"What'd she give you?" I smiled at Sakura's blink. "Minako-san always gives different teas. Mine is a white tea this time, what's yours?"
"It tastes like strawberries."
I shrugged. "Probably inspired by your hair. She makes all her own blends..now you were saying?"
Sakura relaxed at the smell of her tea and nodded. "Ino said since I was her best friend..was that we were now rivals for Sasuke-kun."
"I see. Sakura-chan, what do you think of that?"
The green eyes that met mine were sad but she took her time to answer. I think all those times where Lee and I would talk about her brain and how amazing it was, and really the kid is scary smart when you think of what she could do at the chunin exams in canon and she's if anything more brilliant in person. We had done our best to make her feel she never needed to hide that she was intelligent.
"I think..after watching you and Ten-ten-san..and ..um..." Sakura gestured to her own forelocks and I couldn't help but smirk.
Because of course we'd given her the 'Hair Talk' Ten-Ten and I had gotten and then told her about how both of us were going to focus on our careers. Even if Ten-Ten was usually an utter tomboy one look at me from the bells in my hair to the cute outfits my parents stuck me in and you could tell I had zero shame in being girly. I didn't see anything wrong with it. It just always was a second place to the skills that would keep me alive. I like being pretty and I have no reason to apologize.
"...that maybe focusing on a boy right now isn't what I need to be doing."
"I'm proud of you Sakura-chan."
The pleased smile lit up Sakura's face and I decided to let her know it was okay to like boys too though. Heaven knows she may be far more interested next year and I didn't want to cause any self doubt issues. "Just remember boys are idiots and take a lot longer to develop. When they're older than fourteen is when they are actually good looking. You'd hate to set your sight on one who maybe isn't the one you'd like better when you're older you know?"
"So what about you and Neiji-san?"
Do not be fooled. She's cute and innocent but her little head tilt and eye blink hides a glint of brilliance. See, this is why I think she's fun. I am such a good influence aren't I?
"Next time don't do the head tilt. Too much with the rest of the look." I chuckle and sip my tea again. Hey she's got pink hair and I have purple, it'd be a shame to not teach her the ways of too freaking cute I have been working on them with Hinata too because it can work instead of words and seriously, Hinata. The girl is sweetness and cute in one little package that needs attention. "Neiji's adorable, not denying that. At all. Have you seen the rest of his family? Hyuuga's have really good genetics but that doesn't mean I'm thinking of anyone seriously." And I think that I can admit to that safely, showing Sakura you can like a boy without deciding to be a fan girl, is precisely why she came to me.
"You're not mad, that I like Sasuke-kun?" Sakura asks and I shrug.
"You can like plenty of boys Sakura-chan. There is nothing wrong with that at all, but don't go choosing one until you know what they are like. Really know them. Until then you stay friends with them and enjoy it. That's part of why I never push you with Lee. I think you two are cute but I also know Lee will never ask for more than you are comfortable with. If you wanted to be friends forever he would. He's just like that. Even though he admires you, and he does you know..he values your friendship most."
"I do like Lee-kun.." Sakura admits. "But I also think Sasuke-kun is very handsome..and his older brother."
"Ehhhh...Uchiha's. Not my thing."
"I don't believe you. Everyone likes the Uchiha because they're so handsome."
"Seriously Sakura-chan, they're pretty but the Hyuuga can be friendly and funny but the truth is I don't think even they can handle my sense of humor. Haven't you noticed I'm a handful?"
"I like that about you. That you're loud and comfortable in your own skin. I want to be like that, Ziwei-chan." Oh kid if you only knew...
"You already are." I point out as I dig out the yen to pay for us. "You just came here and gave your opinion on all that happened and what you think of boys and you're standing by it. You keep that attitude towards everything and you'll be a kunoichi to fear. In a good way. Besides I may be loud but just ask Lee or Ten-Ten, I get quiet for a long stretch of time too."
"I'll miss you when you and Lee-kun and Ten-Ten-san graduate.."
"Trust me Sakura, I'll miss the days of the academy more than you think." I force a smile but I've got nerves building up because it's getting ever closer. These days are running out before events may potentially end me.
I'm not willing to go down easily and I refuse to let them take my brother from me. Nor am I willing to accept Kou-kun or Neiji's deaths. They're too dear to me. I may not be able to do anything, even the future I knew has already turned out so strangely different but I can do my absolute best.
That's really all anyone can ever do.
()()()()()()()()
"Oh, you're here again." Hanabi says and looks up at me. She's cute for being three and seems to find me entertaining. Scratch that. All the Hyuuga find me entertaining.
"Hello Hanabi-chan. Is your sister around?"
"Are you going to jump around like a hoppy bug?" Hanabi asks with her eyes wide and it makes me snort.
"Most likely. Your sister seems shy but she's got a heck of a hit to her if she actually lands one. And since your nee-san is so sweet she doesn't want to hurt me. So if I just try to not let her hit me she doesn't hold back."
"Nee-san..isn't bad?'' And it almost breaks my heart because little Hanabi is a prodigy and all but she deserves a good relationship with her sister. I shake my head as we are walking. I'd pick her up but Hanabi may be a pint sized Hyuuga but she's already full of pride.
"Your sister is fantastic but some people are meant to heal and nurture and that's your sister. She doesn't want to cause any pain. In a world like ours I think that's noble. So since I want your sister to be super strong and she doesn't want to hurt me we mix our training. Sometimes yeah, she gets a hit on me and when she does it's painful..but I think she holds back a lot less with me. So don't let her know okay?"
Hanabi's pale eyes lock onto me and I can see her thinking it through before she nods. She understands and then I am graced to a beaming smile. "You keep Nee-san strong so Otou-sama is nicer to her."
"I'll do my best Hanabi-chan but you need to let her know you're proud of her too. I don't think many people do." And I know everyone can hear that and look at all the fuhc- I give. When we arrive at the dojo I bow to Hanabi and grin. "Wanna watch me play 'hoppy bug?' Hey Hinata-chan, mind if Hanabi-chan watches? She seems to think I'm a grass hopper when we play!"
Hinata blushes but smiles and nods, hiding a giggle. Because with Hinata I call it playing and it seems to have a psychological effect that helps her. But really I'm not striking back so play sounds about right. "Yes. That is fine. Um, I wanted to try..blindfolded."
I blink at her but nod. There are some situations where it is dangerous for her to reveal her eyes and not relying on them will only help. Hinata just is always holding back when she does it. "On one condition. Every time you don't try and actually hit me since you won't be aiming for the tenketsu I'm going to tell Hanabi-chan something you don't want her to hear."
Hinata gets the most determined look you have ever seen and nods and I just know we are going to have a bunch of veiny eyes watching over us. See I'm not talking about telling Hanabi stuff about Hinata. I'm talking about not filtering my remarks. Hinata's big weakness is how much she absolutely loves her baby sister. You mess with Hanabi you are going to suffer. You threaten to corrupt cute little Hanabi's mind with my potty mouth and remarks?
Hinata's blindfold goes on, mine is too but my bells will not be muffled for this. It's good training for me to avoid being targeted when I'm giving off such a tell and for Hinata to work on using her other senses. The two of us slide into position and with a grin I can just feel the rush of my blood as the Lee clan nature asserts itself. I want a good fight, more, I want Hinata to want a good fight. So I'm going to sweeten this, make it not just determination for that same purpose..
"You land a good hit, Hinata-chan..and I'll petition Hiashi-sama for a sleepover at my house." Hinata makes a funny sound. You see because of her role as heiress she never gets to sleep over. But the Yue/Lee clan mess that we are if we are doing a sleepover means the entire lot of girls will be piled in one area. All the cousins. It also means Hinata would be very safe because Ko wouldn't turn down being an observer when he'd be paid afterwards in plum wine and sake. It doesn't mean Hiashi will agree to it, but I'm offering to try.
"I'll consider it if she does." Hiashi's voice rumbles out and my chakra is used to him now and so yeah. Sorry Hinata but I totally set that up. Now prove it was worth it. Hinata makes a tiny stumble sound..and then the slide of her feet, the rustle of her jacket as she throws it off. Hinata is serious.
"Begin."
Playing with Hinata is not anywhere near as hard as fighting Lee or Neiji, or Kou-kun. However Hinata can be a force to reckon with when she is determined and so it takes every bit of my concentration as hearing over my bells where the tell tale displacement of air is proves a challenge. I have been training in acrobatics as long as Hinata has in her clan's style though and so where she wastes little movement and moves with her precise motions, for the gentle fist is not the only method they learn. Right now Hinata is employing gentle cloud style which is an un connected series of motions that are meant to work on force and pressure points in the body, not the chakra. It is harkening back to a time before the Hyuuga clan's byukugan was a well spread trait and that they have even told me this is saying a good deal.
It really does suit her though. Because these hits are stunning and when she sends out one she curves around for another in a different direction, she uses kicks more than just hands knowing my moves. She still cannot get many hits on me and none a full strike, I can flitter away and bounce so my jingling bells are in one area but the sound trails behind me as I twist and turn and leap.
Indeed, as Hanabi dubbed me, a hoppy bug.
But Hinata learns my pattern. She's studied, observed, paid attention to when I fight Neiji and so just once she lands a hit when I am touching ground and not yet fully balanced enough to twist away.
It does little damage save make me breathe out harshly but if she'd been attacking a tenketsu with her chakra? My lungs may have ruptured.
"Ah..!" Hanabi's voice makes us stop and we pull off the blindfolds with a smile. It's not a draw because at no point was I hitting her back, for me this was evasive practice where I had to rely on instincts, sight and sound obscured.
"Great job!" and it was.
"Both of you have done well." Hiashi agrees and Hinata has her eyes wide but she's beaming as Hinabi hugs her. Sure, it was in a lesser method but she did it. Blindfolded. Hiashi inclines his head. "Perhaps we could have you stay here instead..?"
I look at Hinata with a shrug, it makes little difference to me and any disagreement Hinata may have had perish when Hanabi squeals. "I wanna join! Can I?" Of course, Hinata melts to that.
It happens a few days later, when I visit with Kou and we have one of our usual training sessions. In this one I get to layer genjutsu and he tries to dispel it faster until his dojutsu cannot assist him anymore. Sometimes I wear out first, sometimes he does. It's good practice for us both. My genjutsu on my friend can be a little stranger and he takes to giving me annoyed looks as of course I make them all ridiculous ones involving his brother and crazy situations so he actually wants to watch them play out instead of dispelling them. I'm creative, it works.
The sleepover is fun. There's a few other girls around our age and younger who all pile futons together in a large guest room and we stay up late talking about our favorite kunoichi tales. For once, boys do not factor into my evening and considering that it appears otherwise all the girls I know are rampantly noticing the other gender (and I suspect at least one cousin goes for the same team but that's none of my business) it is nice to just trade tales of powerful women.
I learn many new ones, all either Hyuuga by birth or marriage and the girls seem to be thrilled to have a new audience to hear them. It turns out that there have been quite a few women leading the Hyuuga clan in the past and like the Yue clan it may have even been matriarchal at one point.
"It's said the most powerful person ever, with unlimited amounts of chakra was a woman.." One of the older Hyuuga girls, maybe fourteen there with us, futons all piled together so our heads can be nearby to whisper tells us with a nod. "No one remembers her name now but we know she had the Byukugan."
If I wonder idly if she was pale as the moon ...well I do not voice it. Interesting though, that the Hyuuga may without knowing, have the most accurate story sleeping within their own myths.
()()()()()()()()
Ten-ten bless her, had also never let me forget to take days off training. So there were a number of them where we'd kidnap our cousins and go out for picnics and games. As a highly competitive group these turned into massive tag fiasco's, races, and an infamous game of hide and seek where there was two broken bones, a concussion, and five cases of poison ivy that was hailed as 'the best game ever'.
Not a smile was missing either. It became known as "The Dangit Tobirama Game." Okay I'm a horrible influence but playing ninja has nothing on the way Lee clan plays hide and seek. We are allowed to attack either whom we find or to prevent being tagged when found. Due to the frequent outbursts by yours truly in both situations of course the youngsters started copying me.
In my defense when you are suddenly dodging stink bomb water balloons, various weapons from Ten-Ten and a few of my other cousins, and Lee's taijutsu it is a perfectly acceptable curse. I almost never could be caught though because I cheated the ever loving blazes out of things using my chakra. Oh you wanted to hit me..I'm over here now. Sticking upside down and how did I DO that? Not a clue. Whoops missed me because that is a genjutsu and now you just landed in a thorn bush.
So yes. Dangit Tobirama is now a Game. I'm so proud.
()()()()()()()
I'm starting to really loathe pre-teen hormones.
There were plenty a day where Ten-Ten and I would wander and just talk, hand in hand. People always think of her as a tomboy but her dream was to be a legend like Tsunade, and she'd found people took a weapons mistress wannabe more seriously if she acted more boyish. That didn't mean she couldn't be every bit as giggly and gossipy if she felt like it.
"What about that Inuzuka boy who graduated a year before us?" Ten-Ten asked. Yes. We are actually discussing boys. What? We're eleven year old girls. What'd you expect? Just because I've got the memories..kinda..of an older person does not mean this isn't fun.
"He was cute. I'm not sure I go for face markings though."
"You can't judge someone about things like that, it's not like they can help their heritage Zi-chan."
"Ten-chan I also don't have to like everybody that way. Besides, he did have an issue with bathing."
"Ugh. I'd forgotten that..okay..what about.." She smirked at me and I knew just then what was coming. "Neiji..."
"You are an evil girl. Yes, he's pretty."
"But?"
"He's so serious. Trust me I know, I mean yes he can make sarcastic jokes but I like it when someone can have a sense of humor. Oh stop grinning..yes. Yes he's very pretty to look at. Are you happy now?"
"Mhmm. I like his serious face. He comes across all cool."
"...that's not cool. I'm pretty sure that's ate the wrong thing and so I am grimacing."
"OW!" Yes she smacked me but I grinned at her. "Come on Ten-chan, you're part of the family. We never seem to get the serious ones. They just can't handle us."
"Yeah. You're right. I don't think there are any in our year who have a sense of humor though..I don't really want to look younger. Boys are so immature." She grinned slyly. "Guess we'll meet lots of chunnin when we graduate..."
"Why is everyone talking about boys with me lately anyways?"
"Because there's rumors about you."
"Wait...seriously? What rumors!?"
"That you were caught cheating on Neiji with an Uchiha."
…...
"Ten-chan so help me if you're making this up..."
"Ha ha ha ha! Your face!"
"Run."
()()()()()
"Have any of the Uchiha approached you?" Ko asked as he observed my form. We were now trying to wear out my chakra by my laying genjutsu after genjutsu. It was actually a pretty neat technique that their father had taught me. One where you would obscure something hidden by ever so slightly altering the location. In this case he'd laid out a blank scroll on the ground.
"No. I've seen them a few times.." Rat. Snake. The hand signals were teaching me how the flicker and flow of chakra would feel when I lay a genjutsu down and it sort of tickled as if I was using strings to move something I could easily do with my muscles. Kind of like..wrap a few threads around your foot and then bob it up and down. You could do it just by flexing your ankle, your calf, knee..etc. That is what the difference felt like, almost as if I couldn't understand why I was using hand signs. Ko's dad had been right though, if I knew them than I could fake it if ever I wanted to keep my abilities secret. To avoid another incident is really what was meant. The first genjutsu I put down extended the debris I saw so it seemed to cover the scroll. "..Always made sure to not make eye contact and go the other way. Why?"
Rat. Rat. This time the leaf pile was more to the side, and then to the other side. You could break a genjutsu but there'd be another below. I liked this trick a lot. Sure you had to maintain each genjutsu but you could effectively swamp so many of them to buy time. I had ideas to use this in my own way but I didn't wish to practice that infront of Ko. He was still a jerk.
"Hm. It is surprising they have been waiting so long. They must expect you to have one as a teammate.."
Snake. Rat. This time I made it look like the scroll was off a ways, layered another to hide the fake scroll.
"Clever. Can you handle a few more?"
"Yeah. More ideas?"
"Make it look like a branch, then repeat in the other direction but not equal distance away or they may detect the pattern. If you do end up with an Uchiha on your team at least there are none valid to graduate that have an active sharingan so you needn't worry so much..but the idea of team bonding will complicate things."
"Not a chance of Neiji on my team you think?" I started layering the genjutsu's as told. Really I liked passive genjutsu, once you lay them down just entering where they were triggered them. More chakra taken when you place them but you don't really have much maintaining to do. My chakra seemed to be getting the hang of it too and each one was a little faster.
"No. Remember, it has been carefully hidden of your potential. The fact you have a quick capacity to learn and fantastic chakra control was leaked to muddy the waters but that would have been discovered just by your efforts in the academy. Neiji has complained many a time about how much work he has to keep you in your place at the academy scores..."
"He's just perturbed that I am competing for number one rookie since I don't take kunoichi classes."
"Indeed." And Ko sounds highly entertained there. It's true though, they can't call me the top kunoichi because they get that score from the different class. Instead simply because I'm a book worm and I have a headstart with a lot of my information I give Neiji actual work.
"Poor baby, has to put out effort. Serves him right for fracturing my collar bone last time."
"The medic's healed you. Besides you did shatter his wrist."
"Meh. I know I slipped in control." Which I didn't, we just had managed to hit that point where Neiji and I did not hold back. At all. It was a dangerous point to reach but with how long we had fought together at this stage it was a fantastic one. He didn't wipe the floor with me any more, my exceptional acrobatics made him work for every hit and from observing him all the time (and bribing Kou-kun for more details on how the gentle fist worked) I had found I could twist the Yue clan method of chakra enhancing my blows to do some real damage. I had just gotten irritated as I felt my collarbone fracture which hurt and decided I didn't want him to be able to use his hand for now. I was going to have to ask Ka-san and granny for more help with that..I think the techniques of the Nanashi method may have a much more dangerous version they haven't taught me.
"Hey Ko..."
"Yes?"
No we still don't like each other but we manage to make this work. And with his help actually working on my genjutsu so much as an extra lesson here and there I begged my dad for an extra bottle of plum wine to give him. I may have told Tou-san that Ko had a girl that his clan wouldn't approve of..hey I know how to work the romantics in my life.
"I was wondering so I could copy my notes for Lee, is there a way to use chakra for it? He needs all the revision help he can get these days if he's going to pass with scores high enough to make up for his lack of chakra." It was true too, but the only person I could expect to help and ignore why I ask or look into it? Jerk face.
"No. Would be a handy technique but while you can make a clone of something it just mimics appearance not actual writing."
"Great. I need to get more ink."
"You need to adjust your last genjutsu. You made one leaf stand out too much."
"That's on purpose." And it was, I grinned up at him. "You noticed one leaf. Just one."
"Ah.." Ko nodded. "I see Otou-san brought up purposeful misdirection. Well we are done for the day."
Yeah. I'm so going to use that trick in the future to have someone go move something and trigger a trap. Dispelling the genjutsu is faster for the caster and my chakra seems almost..giddy..at just shrugging it all off. It always makes Ko twitch because it should not be that fast and easy but there you go. My chakra's a special little snow flake. For all it melts away rapidly and leaves me tired to practice like this my reserves have grown and the scary level of what I will be capable of some day as my chakra learns from my doing things with hand signs it is only getting more efficient. No one outside of Ko has a clue though and I am always careful to hold back.
One of these days I'll be able to layer a dozen genjutsu without a single hand sign because I will know how they work and how I want them to work. It's a heady thought and the main reason I have so many notes on what my ideas are. If I can't out power the crazies out there I will face one day, I am going to make every spec of my chakra count. My fingers curl around the blank scroll as I walk to the gates, no one is there to talk to today so I'm just going to meet up with Lee and head home.
The scroll in my hand makes me wonder...
Maybe it's time to try a copying method again. What if I focused on not copying the physical book..but just the contrast between negative space and ink?
()()()()()()()()
My experiments fail. Every time. I try just copying the ink, I try it when I'm looking at the patterns, I try every twist on it I can think of. I've even tried spilling out the ink onto the fresh paper so there's something for it to work with. That was a pain to clean up.
Sighing because it's the night before we graduate and honestly I do wish I'd been able to give Lee my notes, instead I look at a haiku I've just finished using a brush for and stretch. Relaxing I smooth the edge of the paper, my free hand on the scroll I use so often for genjutsu practice it has started to feel like it has some of my chakra in it. It's kind of a security blanket, comforting. There's no actual reserve but it's just my chakra is used to permeating it and I guess that's why it seems nin get so attached to a weapon or outfit. It's like a personal signature all over things. Quite literally.
"I really wish I'd managed to figure out how to copy things..I guess I have a whole year though."
A year. You know, I've actually never even run into Naruto. I wonder if he has that crush on Sakura?
"Tobirama please..let my brother pass with high enough marks to keep his dignity..ugh but..he needs to be on Neiji's team and he's a rookie..I really hope that whole stupid first last and kunoichi was something they made up for Naruto's team.."
"Ziwei! Lee! Dinner!"
"Coming Otou-san!" I shove the scroll away in a drawer with my old pencils and abandoned school papers I won't need again and leave the haiku out to dry as I go out to join the family.
"Are you hungry Zi?" Lee asks as he comes out of his room, rubbing his eyes. He's been practicing old workbook problems just because he knows he needs a high score to make up for it. We have other ways he can be tested but there is no guarantee we won't have mean instructors who refuse to count them.
"Very. I didn't realize I'd been writing so long."
"Working on your calligraphy?" Lee says with sympathy and I nod. It used to be they let me slide with my chicken scratch, for some reason though these days I have to practice my forms just as much as Lee because I misspelled an item on the grocery list once. The family does not tolerate sloppiness.
"Grandpa had me working on that stupid Haiku again."
"Which one? He always makes me do .." lee clears his throat as we patter down the stairs. "The Wren, earns his living, noiselessly."
"I like that one..."
Lee sighs. "I did too until I had to write it so often. Which one is it you are doing?"
"Grandpa is crazy you know that." I shrug but recite dutifully if rather flat because I do not enjoy the poem. "Over-ripe sushi, The Master, Is full of regret." Lee's shoulder's start to shake because mine is hardly poetic.
"He's getting you back for making sushi with the wrong ingredient huh? I would have thought he'd forgiven you by now for using the wrong grade."
"Hey it could have been worse! Besides how was I supposed to know? I saw sliced fish I thought it was the right type. It was in the kitchen. Didn't know he'd gone and made it spicy n soaked in sake and dried." Lee starts to say something but shrugs. We are known for having cast iron stomachs in the family, perhaps thanks to Otou-san's cooking. "Thank you for the food!" We chirp as we go to sit down and yes, it is our tou-san's turn again. While our mother is a wonderful cook it skipped Lee and I and our father. Oh at least Lee and I can make basics, Onigiri, miso soup, stir fry..simple things..but our tou-san? There's a rule in the family especially from our grandparents who came from a time when you were fortunate to eat. You never say anything but thank you and you completely clear your plate.
Even if it's like what we are eating tonight. Overcooked mushy rice, shredded nori, pickled ginger and soy sauce. You somehow get used to meals like this. No wonder Lee had no issue later on with the curry of life.
()()()()()()
Before I knew it morning had come and we were preparing for graduation. As if the months just slipped away between one training session and the next. I knew we were capable, but whether Lee would be harassed over his methods, and frankly I was going to take a score hit if there was a jerk of a sensei on staff taking umbrage over my skipping kunoichi lessons. So truly there was no telling what would happen.
It was really anticlimactic to be honest. We took a written test that was all basic stuff we had gone over many times. Indeed it was almost identical to the reviews we had gotten every month for this past year!
Lee had even breathed out a loud sigh of relief upon seeing that these were the problems he had reviewed the night before and was able to just fine on. Most of it was history, questions on how to fill out mission reports, chains of command, local geography. Essential stuff, nothing really striking. There were a few special questions in there that asked more difficult questions but even these were readily available to anyone who did a little self study.
There was one on whom we thought was the most impressive historical figure and I actually rolled my eyes there. Tobirama. Duh. (I actually wrote Duh in there because I could) He founded ANBU, the academy, created numerous jutsu's. The guy created the chunnin exams and was able to mediate between the founders of our village. It was all amazing the numerous things he had done and yet he was always overshadowed by his brother or his student and our current Hokage. I took great pleasure in writing as much as I could and in such a way that was insulting using any other answer. Really it took a visionary to found Konoha, but it took an amazingly skilled mind to figure out how to make it work.
I'm pretty sure Lee had a different answer. He was a troll in his own way and if there wasn't something in there about some common person no one had ever heard of, or just 'every soul that lights up this village with their desire to succeed' I'd eat one of his future weights. They'd have to pass him on principal though because they were really looking for the ability to think and reason. Lee could do that, he just often twisted it up around so much you'd try not to question things. He gets it from our grandpa. Okay and me. I'm such a good little sister.
Then on from the mind melting stupidity that you have just completed we got to enter a room to.. just model the common jutsu. I didn't show off there, outside of my family and the Hyuuga it still wasn't known that I was a chakra control freak of uncanny levels and I intended to keep it that way. It made me ever so glad I'd learned how to use the proper hand signs. We did have a twist here though. Of course we took the exam together. We demanded it and fortunately it seemed the instructors were interested in the dynamics of twins where one was chakra hindered and the other was just a weird kid.
Lee managed to pass on being able to move fast enough to beat a substitution as I performed it if far more slowly than I was honestly able to do so it still was a good speed. He couldn't henge but he was able to take down and land four strikes on the instructor we had to fight to prove our taijutsu was at least pretending to be decent. On a curious whim they asked us to demonstrate fighting together against our opponent and that is when he was taken down. Trying to hit me was a mistake, distracted by the jingling purple troll and then WHOMP! And Lee delivered a devastating axe kick that made a very loud impact when the man hit the floor. He had underestimated us. We had no shame in giving huge grins. Fear us. When it came to the clones instead Lee was tested for his memory recall. It was a very old test but our tou-san had brought it up so we knew it was perfectly fine to substitute. Not only that but his ability to recall seemingly pointless information was impressive.
We passed together and exited the classroom with smiles. We would be back tomorrow to meet our team but for right now?
"Race you home?"
Lee paused then shook his head, arm over his eyes to hide his tears. Smiling, as he really felt joy if he was turning down a challenge; I wrapped my arms around my twin tightly.
"We both worked hard for this Lee. I'm proud of you."
"All that training..all the hard work.." he clung to me just as tightly, unashamed to be emotional. "It paid off.."
"Yeah. It did."
()()()()()
It took a few hours for it to sink in. "Holy shittake mushrooms, Tobirama.." I ran my fingers over my headband. "I'm a ninja..."