Cosmetic author's note, to get the first few lines away from the chapter index:D
Whoop for cosmetic formatting!
New chapter, here you go:
She lets Sasuke lead the way to the Academy. He's reluctant, she knows, dragging his feet. It would be more logical to take him by the hand and simply power walk at this point, because they are far later than she'd planned. But she still can't find her way around the village properly and she doesn't want to risk making her little cousin suspicious.
He is small, but annoyingly perceptive for his age – and he doesn't have the same compunctions about pointing out her strange behavior as the adults might have had. She briefly remembers an incident at the tea house a few days back, where she'd been stumped by the menu. The characters had made perfect sense to her, but her brain hadn't offered any explanations for the names. She'd finally ordered the only things she knew – dango and genmaicha tea, just to stave off Sasuke's questioning look.
Her fond memories of the newfound dessert are cut short as they turn a corner. The Academy appears in front of them so suddenly she almost wants to jump. Tucked away between the village and the Hokage Mountain, only accessible by navigating the long, confusing maze of back alleys, the building seems to disappear from view the closer you get to it.
Now the compound sprawls out in front of them in all its impressive size and it makes her breath hitch just like it did the first time. They walk past the training grounds and into the building, not quite holding hands, but almost. Sasuke's shoulder keeps brushing against her arm, but he makes no move to reach for her and she doesn't either. Inside only silence greets them. Classes are already in full swing.
"Ok," Sasuke breathes, "ok. Hisa-nee-san, I'll go then."
He looks reluctant, but strangely, she thinks it's mostly because of her.
"I-I see you at lunch, right?"
He then squares his shoulders and marches off. Like a true Uchiha, she thinks wryly. Then she is alone in the entrance hall.
Where is she supposed to go? How could she possibly attend class, when she has no idea what everyone expects form her? It takes about five minutes for her to break.
Her eyes dart around until she finds the restroom to her far right and she then she dashes off. She almost throws herself against the door in her haste to escape the panic squeezing her heart mercilessly. The door to the first stall hits the wall, and the next thing she knows is her head in the toilet bowl and the sound of her retching echoing off the porcelain. The door is still wide open behind her.
What am I doing here?, she thinks, between dry heaves. What in the world am I doing here? They'll know. They'll know I'm some sort of impostor. How am I supposed to live here? I can't even find my own classroom, how am I supposed to convince a whole village full of paranoid killers I'm Hisana?
She can feel tears welling up in her eyes and the familiar panicky tightening in her chest. A panic attack, the nurse in the hospital called it.
'Completely normal,' she said. Knowing what it is, doesn't make it any easier to deal with. There'll be a war, Hisana remembers dimly. People would die and she wouldn't be able to do a thing about it because she stopped reading the manga. She's just a girl who used to skim the boring parts. The last issue must be lying on her parents' attic, only half-read and forgotten.
She doesn't know how long she cowers in front of the toilet, willing her lungs to cooperate and just managing enough to keep herself from blacking out. That's how a teacher finally finds her. The woman doesn't say much, just rubs her back and firmly presses a hand against Hisana's chest, pressing and releasing again in time with her own breathing.
"Hisana-chan, we were worried about you," she finally says. "Have you been here the entire time?"
She manages a weak nod, faintly wondering how long it has been. The woman nods in turn. "That's ok. We'll clean you up and then you'll be just fine."
"How-… how did you find me?"
The woman hums non-committically, instead steering her towards the washbasin. She wets a paper towel and wipes at Hisana's face, keeping her still by the chin when tries to turn away.
"Iruka-sensei told me during lunch that Sasuke-kun joined his class during fo the second period, but you still weren't there. When I asked you cousin he told me you weren't feeling well all morning, so I looked for you in the wash rooms. I apologize it took a while; there seem to be quite many of them."
Hisana watches her in a quiet sort of wonder. She doesn't recognize the woman, with her straw blonde pixie-cut and the stern blue eyes behind smart, slim glasses. This is her teacher. Does she know her well? She seems to care, at least. The blonde tilts Hisana's face left and the right, before her pursed lips relax and slightly quirk upwards in a satisfied manner. "Come," she finally says, "I have Mizuki-sensei covering class for now, we have a while yet. I will make you tea and then we can still make it for fourth period."
The woman shuffles her into the staff room, shielding her from the curious glances of the other teachers. Hisana stands awkwardly aside as her teacher makes two mugs of tea and then leads her towards one of the tables in the back.
"Would you like to tell me what happened in the washroom?"
No. No, she really wouldn't. But the tea is really nice and the woman, whose name she doesn't even know, looks so very concerned for her, in a rather stern, no-nonsense manner.
"…the nurses say it's a panic attack. I-I can't help it sometimes."
The other nods thoughtfully.
"Did they say anything else about it?"
"Just that it'll go away on its own."
That is a lie, but they hadn't commented any further on it, so apparently they didn't think anything of it.
"Ok," her teacher says but looks unconvinced. "I will still make a note of it in your file. On the next PsychEv I would like the medics to know about it."
She nods, unable to do anything else.
"Now come, it's time."
She takes both of their empty mugs and places them next in the sink before leading Hisana to a classroom in the opposite direction of Sasuke's. Ito Osen-sensei it says on the door. Ito-sensei gives one sharp knock on the door before entering. She doesn't wait for a reply and, even though it is her class room, that seems to irk Mizuki-sensei. Hisana doesn't know what she expected. Mizuki was kind of the first antagonist, so she expected…something. For him to look slimy or evil, maybe. But he appears perfectly normal – apart from the unsettling glint in his eye as Ito-sensei briskly walks up to him, shooing Hisana towards an empty seat, and dismissing him with a few curt words and a nod.
For a second she thinks, maybe Ito-sensei sees it too, because her eyes suddenly turn flinty; but then she resolutely turns her back to him. Maybe she imagined it, she thinks. Sensei's eyes might just look like that.
Lessons are actually a relief. True to Iruka-sensei's notes, they are at about high school level in terms of difficulty, but everything tailored especially to ninjas.
There's Mathematics, in which they calculate the path of throwing weapons at different angles and velocities; History and Politics, in which they discuss not only the history of Hi no Kuni, but of all countries, their social and political hierarchies as well as current events; Tai- and Bukijutsu, consisting of practical Taijutsu lessons and weapon practice; a language class, which, as all of the shinobi nations share a language, is called Adaptation and Infiltration and mostly consists of recognizing and replicating different local accents and customs; and finally Kunoichi classes.
Much to Hisana's surprise, she finds the last class of the day to be rather interesting. It is taught by Suzume-sensei, a fussy woman with wild, curly hair and impeccable make up.
"Today we have news to discuss. Let's see who paid attention in History and Politics; we all know the Daimyo's youngest son married last month. Who can tell me what his wife's name is?"
One of the shorter girls far in the back is the first to raise her hand.
"Tachibana Mei-sama."
"That's right," Suzume-sensei nodds. "Can you also tell me why that was so surprising?"
The girl hesitates.
"I-I think because Mei-hime's aunt offended the Daimyo? They were supposed to be married and … Aiko-sama turned him away for someone of the lesser clans?"
Suzume-sensei smiled.
"Good, good. Did you keep up with current events?"
"Yes, I've read the reports that in came last Friday. They say that the Daimyo's wife already hates her, because she held a formal dinner two weeks ago and she seated Aiko-sama next to Iwako-sama, the Daimyo's esteemed mother."
There is giggling all around.
"Iwako-sama is still bitter, because she thinks Aiko-sama would have made the better wife and she's back to making snide comments towards Yuna-sama, the Daimyo's new wife."
More giggling. Basically, Kunoichi Class turned out to be one giant gossip session.
It does make sense, Hisana muses that evening, lounging on the couch with her homework spread out over the couch table. After all, it is politics. The Daimyo's family apparently scorned the Tachibana clan for quite a while because of the Daimyo's bruised ego.
She pokes at her own bruise, left by a tiny fist earlier that day. Taijutsu class was ridiculous. Apparently she is in fourth year, which makes her in fact around ten, she realizes belatedly. And a class full of ten-year-old ninjas is also full of uncoordinatedly flailing limbs. It's easy to see who is from a prominent ninja clan, their strikes more precise, even when practicing the Academy style, and who is civilian.
Unlike the Uchiha katas, real fighting didn't come so easily to her. It was a small shock and it cost her. She'd have to train more, get her reflexes up to speed. She'd felt her own movements choppy and unsure against the Hyuuga girl's swiftly delivered onslaught; a bent metal rod trying to block an artfully crafted katana. She beat her, but only barely and with more luck than ability.
Her little cousin marches past the couch with a pout. He gathers a few apples from the kitchen, grabs his pack of shuriken that hangs on the coat rack and then walks out the front door, very deliberately closing it behind him. She snorts.
The first day of Academy predictably rubbed their nerves raw. She gave Sasuke quite a scare when she didn't turn up during lunch and now he is sulking because she refuses to tell him why. No matter how cute he is, Hisana is still somewhat wary of her only living relative. There is no doubt that there is something dangerous about him and, with Itachi apparently out of the picture, she has no idea what could set it off in this universe. Their close relationship would have to be enough to keep him in Konoha. If he found out though how she'd broken down, she fears he might lose his respect for her. It might only be her own paranoia talking, but she doesn't want to risk it. Ninjas are supposed to be strong.
She can't tell him, but simply letting him walk off in a huff is also disconcerting. She has no real authority over him, so, as much as she would like to forbid him from leaving home alone, she can't. Konoha seems to be a safe village, but Sasuke is a cute little boy. Not to mention that he would develop the Sharingan at some point; that's two reasons to kidnap him.
God, she already sounds like her mother. With a sigh she shoves her almost completed homework aside and makes to follow him. He doesn't notice her, not even as she almost stumbles over a bunch of rowdy kids. It's vaguely amusing and she wonders if she's just that good, or if Sasuke isn't quite as good as he always likes to boast.
The sun is starting to set when they arrive on the Academy training grounds. There are still quite a few students around, doing target practice or sparring under the watchful eyes of their parents. She swiftly climbs a tree, to watch them from afar.
Ninjas are still a strange sight to her. As Sasuke claims one of the targets for himself, she watches a bunch of Inuzuka brats go at it. They jump each other, yipping and yowling like puppies. Only an occasional clawed swipe or a yelp as someone sinks their teeth into someone else, indicates that they are not merely playing around.
Someone goes flying and the adult watching them, a tall, vicious looking woman with wild hair, belly laughs. There are disapproving looks from what appear to be civilian mothers who are gathered a little further away. They very obviously belong to a group of boys practicing their Taijutsu in a far more orderly manner. Every once in a while one of the women darts out to anxiously separate them, before the fight becomes even remotely interesting. She watches them all lazily, lulled into half-sleep by the sounds of her cousin training. Time passes.
The steady thunk thunk thunk of Sasuke hitting the target is interrupted by a shrill voice. "Sasuke-kun~" someone chirps directly below her. Hisana snaps awake instantly.
It's a blond girl, dressed in purple, who bats her eyes cutely in Sasuke's direction; could this be Ino?
"Sasuke-kun~" she repeats, this time louder.
Hisana briefly wonders how such a small girl could produce such a volume.
"Can you help me with target practice?"
There's a gasp at her boldness as several more girls emerge from all sides. Hisana bites back a laugh and watches the dramatics with interest. Marie had always said that there is no greater joy in life than messing with your younger sibling's love life. She shifts on the branch, lying flat on her belly to listen more closely.
"No."
Ino pouts.
"But you are so good at it and I can never quite hit the bulls-eye. Just show me once!"
"Sasuke-kun," yelps another dark haired little girl, "I'm far worse at Bukijutsu!"
"Sasuke-kun, I'm really good at Bukijutsu~" – "No, I'm better!"
"Go away."
With that he turns around and resumes practicing. The girls look torn between hurt and awe.
"He's soo cool," Ino swoons.
This time she really has to bite her tongue to keep quiet. Whether it's the mental age difference or the fact that in the past few weeks she has spent almost every waking, and sleeping, hour with Sasuke, but what Ino thinks to be so cool – Hisana easily recognizes it as Sasuke's awkward-face. There's a good chance he really doesn't know what they want from him, that they like him, and that he's about five seconds away from bursting into tears from sheer overload. One of the girls opens her mouth again, as if to call him back, and so she slips from the branch, landing next to Ino almost silently. The girl startles.
"Sasuke," she says, ignoring them, "it's time."
She can feel them gawk at her for addressing him so casually. As far as she knows, she has the right to call him by name, simply because she's the older one. Neither Sasuke nor the nurses said a word about it and she isn't going to cater to his fan girls' expectations.
"And who are you?" Ino huffs.
Hisana slowly turns towards her, still aware of her cousin gathering his shuriken and stuffing them into his bag.
"Uchiha Hisana."
The girl's entire face changes, morphing from annoyed over shocked to embarrassed, before settling on unconvincingly innocent.
"I'm –"
"Yamanaka, I know. I'm not impressed."
The girl blinks at her owlishly, once, twice; then her mouth snaps shut with an audible click.
It's kind of freeing, she thinks. Not giving a damn about politeness because she's an Uchiha. There's something akin to relief in Sasuke's eyes.
"Nee-san? I'm ready."
She nods and then simply turns around to lead the way. Not few eyes follow them, most of them strangely amused by her unabashed rudeness.
Yes, quite freeing indeed.