Reaching
LilacLilyFlower © 2009
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. Unfortunately. Or Noragami, which has a reference.
-O-O-O-O-
Chapter 7
(Hikari's POV)
Life went on.
It was almost abnormal, how everything functioned and filled in for the gaping losses that Konoha had felt. Fumiko's seat at school was filled, and regular shinobi patrolled in place of Uchiha officers.
Slowly, Hikari learned how to function again too.
She wasn't over the Massacre, and she doubted she ever would be. But she learned and practiced how to push the memories back and repress the thoughts. She learned to ignore and deny.
Except everyday, she'd put her hair in a half-bun and secure it with the hairpin, the way Fumiko always did.
Training, Academy work, and pretty much anything helped to distract her. When Kakashi suddenly appeared again at their training ground, Hikari asked no questions and Kakashi offered no answers. He looked at her a little guiltily, but she just didn't care. They continued their Fuinjutsu lessons as if nothing had occurred.
She pushed herself harder and faster than ever. She needed to graduate. Takahiro pushed himself just as much as her, inviting her over to eat with his family sometimes after training ("Because it must get lonely, eating by yourself," he said), and his parents tactfully avoided gushing over her- most of the time.
Hikari kept up her visits with Naruto too. That was one thing that always cheered her up, her ball of sunshine and happiness and positivity. She'd let his chatter soothe the tension from her shoulders, and after their meetings, she could almost believe that everything was still normal.
Her fake birthday passed, and she was nine now (to the rest of the world. She was actually eight and a half). Most of the present she got were the usual kunai and shuriken, and a handmade bracelet made of ninja wire from Naruto, but someone had anonymously left an envelope of chakra paper taped to her door. When she examined it carefully, she saw the faintest vestiges of erratic, jumpy chakra. Kakashi.
Turns out her chakra was water-natured. She would never learn Shisui's jutsu.
She also took it upon herself to take care of Sasuke. She knew that compared to Sasuke's grief, hers was nothing. His brother killed his family and left him with an empty compound filled only with the ghosts and echoes of the dead; so, Hikari made him eat and rest and just function like she was trying to do, and sometimes that took sleeping pills to induce a deep, dreamless sleep that kept away the nightmares (but only the ones in their sleep).
When Sasuke first cursed Itachi and swore to kill him, she agreed. He was a horrible, detestable human who needed to be taken down. But as time passed, she began to feel uneasy. What Itachi told them couldn't be the entire story; the seed of doubt was planted with one small thing:
Don't let Sasuke know. I'm sorry.
So life went on, and Hikari found herself settling in a new routine, similar to the one she had before the Massacre: Wake up. Take care of basic needs, like eating and washing up. Academy. Train with Kakashi. Naruto. Check on Sasuke. Train with Takahiro. Eat dinner, maybe with Takahiro. Do homework. Shower. Read and do extra research. Train with whatever she could in the space of her apartment, usually meditation and fuinjutsu practice. Sleep. If no sleep comes, take two pills. Repeat.
The only things missing were Itachi, Shisui, and Fumiko.
-O-O-O-O-
"I'm going to take the graduation test next week," Hikari told Naruto.
He stopped eating, and gaped at her, the noodles in his mouth falling back into his bowl with a plop. Hikari crinkled her nose and reached over to push his mouth closed.
"Next week? I have to be ready by next week?" he exclaimed.
She frowned in confusion. "What? No! I'm the one taking it next week."
"No, you don't get it. I'm gonna graduate with you," Naruto explained earnestly.
"Naru," she began, "there's a lot you're gonna have to cover in a week."
"I'll do it! I'll do it all!"
Hikari studied his face. She didn't want to hurt Naruto's feelings, but she knew that Naruto was having a harder time than her at the Academy. Plus those pranks don't help him study...
But he had determination. And Hikari, of all people, knew that determination coud make up for lack of natural talent (re: chakra control, which she was still having trouble with and woud probably have trouble with for the rest of her life unless she trained).
She really wanted to believe him. She wanted to believe that she'd be able to graduate with her twin brother.
So she did.
"You should ask your teacher for help on the extra material you need to learn. Takahiro and I can help you too! And our sensei. He's kinda gruff, but he's nice," she offered.
Naruto grew quiet. "Teachers don't really like me."
"What do you mean, teachers don't like you?" she inquired, pushing the lock of hair that always in the way out of her face (it was too short to fasten back and always fell in between her eyes). She huffed and wondered if she should change her hairstyle to get it out of her face, but she quickly squashed that thought. She needed to keep Fumiko's hairstyle.
"When I ask questions, they ignore me, and when I do something right, they don't tell me I did good! They only tell the other kids! And when I mess up they always yell at me and punish me and make me do more work but they just tell the other kids to try again!" Naruto complained, words gushing rapidly out of his mouth. "So I get those bastards back by pranking them, and they can't catch me," he concluded with a smug smile.
She frowned at his words. The teachers, chuunin, couldn't catch Naruto, but Hikari pushed that thought aside. She focused on his other words. They discriminated against Naruto, a boy who was sunshine and sweetness and maybe a little mischievous, but never mean-spirited. It didn't make sense.
Then, a sudden thought struck her like one of Kakashi's Raiton (Lightning Style) jutsus.
"Do they ever say anything?" she demanded.
Naruto shifted in his seat and avoided her eyes.
"Naru,", she pleaded softly, "please tell me. I'm your friend." She cringed at the word "friend". Sister. I'm your sister.
His eyes flicked up once before staring down at his lap, where his hands clenched his shorts. "They call me demon," he whispered.
A familiar rage surged through her veins, cold and apathetic, surprising her with its intensity. Hikari balled her hand into fists, nails biting into her palm and drawing blood. Her mouth automatically twitched in a relaxed curve, and her face smoothed over instantly.
Those ignorant, stupid, foolish, annoying idiots! she screamed mentally, wishing she knew harsher words. Bastards! Bullies! That's not how sealing works! Naruto is NOT the Kyuubi!
Naruto was watching her carefully for her reaction. She hummed in thought to quickly think of something to say.
"Well, that's stupid. If anything, you're more of a brat," she teased, sticking her tongue out at him.
He gasped, jokingly offended. "Yeah, well, you're a... a... a bigger brat!"
Her eyes narrowed playfully at him, and she said with a hmph, "I'm not the one who has a noodle on his shirt."
"Wait, what? Hey! You couldn't tell me that earlier?"
-O-O-O-O-
On the day of the graduation test, Hikari couldn't keep her hands from shaking. What if she didn't pass? What if she couldn't get strong enough to protect Naruto? Protect Sasuke? Find Itachi, and ask him questions?
She snapped to attention when Ichirou called the potential graduates to order. "In order to graduate, you'll have to pass both parts of the test. The first part is a written exam," he paused, waiting for the groans and mild screams of panic to cease, "and you need to get at least 90% of the questions correct."
So she didn't really have anything to worry about, after all. Not for the written portion, at least.
She finished the test in record time, without checking her answers. Laying her head on the table, she observed her classmates lazily. Some were muttering under their breaths, and others were sneaking glances at each others' papers, while simultaneously hiding their own answers.
This last observation made Hikari sit up raptly, her eyes shooting around the room to search for teachers. There were none.
Then they must have another form of surveillance.
Scanning the area around her table carefully, Hikari spotted a tiny bug angled towards her. She moved to the right. It turned to watch her. She moved to the left. Its head swiveled in her direction.
Aburame, she thought. Emptying her pencil case of pencils, pens, erasers, and senbon, she slammed the case over the bug, obstructing its vision. The class turned to give her strange looks, but only Takahiro remained looking at her quizzically. Reaching over, she took his pencil case and trapped his bug too.
"They bugged us," she whispered under her breath.
He frowned confusedly. "Why would they go through the trouble to do that?"
Hikari's mind raced as she came up with possible conclusions. Maybe they just didn't want anyone to cheat. But if that was the case, Ichirou-sensei could have just stayed in the room. It's like they were expecting some of them to try cheating.
Oh. Oh.
"They want us to cheat," both Hikari and Takahiro whispered, coming to the same conclusion.
Hikari shifted uncomfortably. She didn't have to cheat, because she knew the answers. But if the teachers really were looking for cheating, is it better to cheat?
No, she decided. Shinobi use all tools, but not unnecessary ones. Still, she thought, glancing back at Takahiro, I guess I can help others.
She silently grabbed a hold of his hand, laughing internally when his shivery chakra stuttered from surprise. When she was sure she had his attention, she began tapping the answers in standard Konoha Morse Code with her thumb. He got the hint and began jotting answers down.
Senju Tobirama, brother to Senju Hashirama, the First Hokage, was made the Second Hokage when the First died...
-O-O-O-O-
When the first portion ended, Ichirou came in and collected everyone's papers. He gave Hikari a look when he lifted the pencil cases from the table to set the bugs free, and she shot him a sheepish smile.
"Now that you're all done, we'll call you into the adjoining room in the order of your scores. But first: do you all know that you were bugged?"
At the cries of outrage, Ichirou grinned evilly. His eyes landed on Hikari and Takahiro, glinting with something that resembled... pride?
"There was a reason for this. As you know, if you graduate, you'll be put in three-man cells. To see who cheated off whom, or who helped whom, basically, who was more compatible to be on a team with whom, we bugged you. Now, we'll start with the practical exam. We'll tell you what to do when you're inside."
Then, he shifted through the papers, scanning the answers for the first person who got a 100%.
"Hikari."
Yes!
Mutters broke out in offended tones, but Hikari ignored them in favor of calming her nerves. What if they asked for something that involved chakra control? Hers was only up for an 82% success rate. Or worse, what if they asked for a genjutsu? Yin Release. And what if she failed? Could she show or do something that would convince them to pass her? She began breathing rapidly, her heart rate increasing. Takahiro squeezed her arm for good luck, and she marched into the room next door.
Ichirou and Suzume-sensei, the teacher of kunoichi classes, were seated behind a table. There was nothing else in the room.
"Let's see," Ichirou mused. "Taijutsu, 1.5. Ninjutsu, 1.5. Genjutsu... 1. Speed, 2.5. Stamina, 4. Intelligence, 2.5. Power, 2.5. Handseals, 3. Your total stats are 18.5 out of 40."
He looked up at her and frowned. "Your stats are more than sufficient for graduation. In fact, this is closer to the level of a prodigy such as Hatake Kakashi and Uchiha Itachi than an average genin. Then again, you're not exactly average."
At her questioning expression (slightly marred by the grimace she showed when Itachi was mentioned), he sighed. "The only concern we have is your age." She opened her mouth to argue, but Ichirou beat her.
"No matter how much you train, there will be opponents that are more physically developed than you, and you will be at a disadvantage. Granted, you'll start out with D-rank missions, but looking at your rate of progress, it won't be too soon until you're taking on C-ranks, and maybe even B-ranks."
"Additionally," Suzume interjected, "while your kunoichi class grade is fine, I've heard that you want to be a shinobi, not a kunoichi. Is this true?"
At Hikari's nod, her mouth downturned into an unpleased frown. "Why?"
Hikari took a deep breath before explaining. "The only kunoichi in the history scrolls is Senju Tsunade. I don't want to be like her. I can't form Yin Chakra no matter how hard I try, and my chakra control is too wild for the precision required for Iryo-ninjutsu and her Strength of a Hundred Technique. Instead," her eyes grew sparkly, "I want to be like Senju Tobirama! His mastery of Water Ninjutsu is awesome, and he died for his students. I want to protect people too. Plus, kunoichi have to do those missions. The gross ones."
Suzume contemplated her words carefully. "Hikari, there's something you have to understand."
"Tsunade protected people too. She revolutionized the field of Iryo-ninjutsu, and discovered advancements that put us ahead of other hidden villages. She was strong even without her technique, and she was the one who really opened the doors and levelled the playing field for women and girls."
"As for those missions, well, think of it this way. Men can't do those missions. We girls are the only ones with the qualifications to do them," she said, winking. Then, she grew serious once again. "There is a pride in being a kunoichi, and you would do well to remember that." Hikari took in her words, reflecting on them. It was true, wasn't it? Senju Tobirama was strong, but Tsunade... it took a different sort of strength to be a medic and an active...kunoichi. Besides, if she grew strong enough, the Hokage might decide she was wasted on those missions and send her out with shinobi.
Seeing the change in heart in Hikari's eyes, Suzume smiled. "Now, all you need to do is make two clones of yourself."
"Only two?"
"Well, at least two, I suppose."
Hikari nodded.
"Bunshin no Jutsu!"
-O-O-O-O-
She smiled blankly as Takahiro's parents congratulated her on her graduation. She was searching the clearing for a certain blond-haired boy who said he'd graduate with her.
She couldn't find Naruto anywhere. Before she could actually search for him, Takahiro grabbed her by the arm and dragged her off towards the shopping district. "A new outfit and hairstyle for a new status!" he crowed.
At the store, he tried on numerous clothes, asking for her opinion on whether he should get a haori, if loose or tight sleeves suited his fighting style more, if the shorts he chose made his legs look girly, if he should get a sword, if a yukata of all things looked cool but was practical for a freshly graduated genin, and if he should get a scarf to wrap around his head and face.
She said no to the haori, because he wasn't skilled enough to make up for the impracticalities it came with, and that tight sleeves worked better because he didn't hide weapons in his sleeves, no, the shorts did not make his legs look girly, they weren't that short anyways, no, he shouldn't get a sword unless his sensei said otherwise, and that a yukata definitely was out of the question. And no scarf. She didn't need another Kakashi.
He ended up going with a dark red mid-sleeved shirt, black mesh for his wrists and ankles, tan shorts that hung loose at the knees, and a black, hoodless jacket. He wore his hitai-ate on his forehead, the standard way. Then, he turned to her with a suspicious smile.
Oh, no. "No, no, no, you are not making me get another outfit. The one I have is good enough," she said, making an X with her arms.
He kept smiling and dragged her through the store, pushing heaps of clothes he chose off the racks into her arms. Then, he pushed her into the changing room.
She sighed, and began sorting through the clothes, separating them by what article of clothing they were. Pants, leggings, shorts, mesh, bandages, shirts, tank-tops, sweaters, military jackets, parkas, yukatas (of course), battle kimonos, and... capes?
Hikari didn't understand how that was useful at all.
Sighing once more, she picked out several colors that would be neutral, and not flashy, which was what a shinobi- kunoichi- should NEVER be. Beiges, whites, blacks, greys, dark greens, dark blues, dark... well, dark everything.
She made her final selection and tried it on, tugging at the hem of her shirt to ensure it fit comfortably. Then, she left the changing room to receive a final verdict.
Takahiro's eyebrows went up when he saw what she chose. It wasn't that unexpected, because she was surprised herself at her choices. She'd gone with a white shirt, beige jacket, and brown pants that she bound with mesh that started at her ankles and ended at her knees. She decided to tie the ribbon Naruto gave her around her left wrist, her one splash of color (not including her hair), where she could hide several senbon or tags. Her hitai-ate went around her neck.
All in all, very light, fair, and totally not like her.
"Very, uh, different," Takahiro commented, eyeing her apparent transition to the light side. "Hurry up and pay for it!"
She exchanged her old clothes for the new ones, a benefit that shinobi had. The theory was that if they were good enough to keep the clothes from being destroyed, the clothes were good enough to be worn again, especially since shinobi-grade material was slightly more expensive than civilian cloth. This was obviously an advantage for orphans, who tended to be in the shinobi academy.
"Haircuts now!"
"No," she refused, digging her heels in when he tried to drag her again. "I'm not changing my hair. Clothes, sure, but not my hair." Takahiro stuck his tongue out at her.
"Okay, fine, but you still have to come with me to tell me if my hair looks bad or not."
She agreed, and they ambled towards the hair salon, chatting amiably. After a while, Takahiro mentioned, "You know, you really gave me a scare when you suddenly grabbed my hand during the written portion. I thought that you'd fallen in love with the amazing me."
Hikari laughed. "Takahiro-kuuuuuuuuun," she teased, poking his cheeks, giggling when he responded by puffing them. "Anyways, we're only nine-"
"Ten."
"-and ten, so I doubt we'd know what it feels like to fall in love."
"I guess."
They entered the salon, and of all places for Hikari to run into Sasuke, she didn't expect it to be at the hair salon. "Sasuke!"
Sasuke turned towards them, earning a scolding from the hairdresser, which he ignored. He acknowledged them with a quirk of an eyebrow, and his eyes locked onto their forehead protectors.
"Oh, these? We graduated early," she explained. "How are you doing? Are you taking care of yourself? You better be. Don't train too hard," she ordered, earning a scoff from both Takahiro and Sasuke, "and remember to eat good food. Not ramen, like Naruto." He rolled his eyes, and Hikari blew a raspberry at him. The hairdresser tittered, and finished brushing the hair off of Sasuke's neck.
"There you go, sweetie, you're all done," she cooed at Sasuke. Takahiro hopped into the seat, cheerfully asking for a cool haircut, and to lop his ponytail off.
Sasuke lingered by the doorway. "Naruto tried to graduate today."
Instantly, Hikari's focus zeroed on him. "What happened?"
"What do you think? Iruka-sensei didn't let him." Looking off to the side, he added, "You guys should come over sometime. And don't train too much." Then, he abruptly left.
Hikari merely smiled to herself. She knew Sasuke's quirks well enough to hear his underlying message: I miss you guys. Don't get too far ahead.
"Hey, Hikari," Takahiro said, brown eyes wide. "Do you think we'll be on the same team? If we are, who do you think our teammate would be?"
She mused over his words, sifting information and analyzing possible outcomes. According to the research she did at the library, Konoha's teams were split into three-man cells with a jounin leader. The placement of each individual depended upon his/her strengths and weaknesses, and how well they complemented each other, not including personality. By all accounts, there should be more active genin in Konoha, judging by the number of graduates, but she could worry about that later.
"I think," she said slowly, unsure of her deductions, "that if we are on the same team, we'll get someone that's not as strong as either of us. I'm at the top of the class, and you excel in Taijutsu, so maybe someone that's good at Genjutsu but is weaker in other aspects?"
"There's Oshiro Daisuke. He's older than us, around 12 or 13," he said. "He has perfect marks in Genjutsu."
She just hoped that whoever they got (whether they were on the same team or not), he or she wouldn't be bitter about being on a team with someone three to four years their junior.
"Alright, you're done," the hairdresser said. "Is it cool enough for you?"
"Yeah, thanks, Oba-san! Hikari, look! I look like Yato from Noragami!"
What? "Who?"
He pouted. "He's from an anime, a show from another land called... Japan? I don't know, but they speak the same language as us. And okay, I don't have black hair and blue eyes like the actor, and my hair's stiffer than his, but still."
Reeling from the new knowledge of another land, which wasn't anywhere in the scrolls at the library, Hikari blinked as a sudden revelation came to her. Takahiro said that it was a show, meaning either a play, with live actors, or a screen with a projector. The first option would have been viable, but she knew that he'd never left Konoha in his life (Konoha tended not to invite musical/play companies in), so it would have to be a screen with a projector. And since there haven't been public screenings for at least 20 years, it would have to be a private screen, which could cost in the thousands, even the millions.
Huh. Takahiro must be richer than she thought.
How did he even get something from another land?
Well, it doesn't matter, she decided. Although that does explain why his parents are always harping on him to do better. Something about the prestige that comes with being a shinobi.
She'd stayed silent for far too long. "Um, alright then. It looks cool, I guess," she admitted, glancing off to the side. He grinned widely at her.
As they left the salon and started to head their own ways, he called her name loudly.
"Hikari! Come over for dinner today!"
-O-O-O-O-
A/N: Well, it's been a while. Welcome back, me!
This chapter was mainly just housekeeping and getting things out of the way. The story is going to shift a little now, with more emphasis on Hikari and her team, but the characters we all love (Naruto, Sasuke, Kakashi) will also feature a little more prominently as well. Also, the rest of the Konoha 11 will gradually make their appearances!
As for that thing about Japan, I plan on having that play into the story waaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyyyyy later. As in the Fourth Shinobi War later. So keep it in mind! (I hope I remember as well D: )
Next chapter will start speeding things up a bit!
See you next time!