Disclaimer: I don't own any rights to Naruto or its world. I don't own any media or pop culture referred to or mentioned in the story.
A/N Trigger warning: Bullying and harassment.
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2 Months Later - Konoha Orphanage, Common Eating Area (October)
Ever since the blanket theft, Eiji and Kiori became… not friends. But, Allies (Kiori learned that from another book). Kiori, Eiji and Takuma became allied in their dislike of the sin (Tsumi) in their midst.
Which brought them to their normal dinner routine.
"Look!" A voice whispered behind her.
Giggles of excitement rang out from several others.
"It's so… frizzy." The second voice said, with fascinated horror. "Why doesn't she brush it?"
"It looks like a nest." Another pointed out, almost like an afterthought.
"A rat's nest." The first voice snickered.
This time, all three children laughed at full volume. Nami jerked minutely, otherwise trying not to react to the sudden noise. She learned early on it's best not to give them a reaction.
"Guys," The second voice gasped in false surprise. "I think she hears us."
Oh no… they saw her. Nami looked down at her half-eaten tray of food. She started eating faster, hoping to get a few more bites in, hoping they'd leave her alone this time. She hasn't eaten since this morning…
"And she looks so lonely. Let's go play with her." The first voice said meanly. The other children agreed.
Nami trembled where she sat in the communal dining area of Konoha's Orphanage. The seats around her were empty despite it being the busiest meal of the day. Others were sitting there when she first sat down.
Nami had hoped she'd be able to sit in the empty seat between two groups of children who weren't talking, unseen and unnoticed. But, the other kids ate quickly or fled upon seeing her approach minutes prior. As a result, she was left to eat dinner alone. Again.
That is until THEY spotted her without anyone around.
"Tsumi.**" The first child, a 6-year old boy named Eiji, called out to Nami, using the cruel nickname as if using a swear word. "They let you inside before dark? Don't you have worms in your hair?" He snickered, dropping heavily into the empty seat on her right.
Immediately, Nami grew tense, trembling more. Eiji was only a few months older than her, according to the caretakers. But the boy was heavier and taller than her. And he made ample use of that size difference in their interactions.
"Ehhhh? Are you slow?" He mockingly leaned into her face, jabbing the side of her head with his finger and twisting it painfully. All the while staring at her face, watching for a reaction.
Nami's shoulders hunched and she tried to lean away. She was shoved back from the left, as the girl next to her reached across Nami to grab her half-finished plate and yanked it away.
"You're done, aren't you Tsumi?" The girl in Eiji's group, Kiori, asked sweetly, but her pretty black eyes shined with the same cruelty Eiji's did. She was the second voice earlier.
"Ah!" Nami grabbed at her plate as it was yanked away, but the long strand of hair by her face was tugged, pulling her attention to the seat across the table.
"Trash doesn't eat food with the rest of us." Takuma said boredly. He was the quietest of the trio, but he was no less menacing.
Nami trembled in place, eyes darting from child to child. She clenched her fists, trying not to cry.
Kiori ate Tsumi's food loudly, acting as if her frustrated gaze weren't on the food. "What? Do you have something to say?" She asked sweetly, leaning on Tsumi.
Nami felt trapped. With Kiori leaning on her, Takuma staring her down and Eiji's hand now gripping her right bicep, Nami felt unable to move.
She couldn't help but think of the games… no, the training from her Sifu. She knew exactly how to get away from Eiji's weak hold (Miho made sure Nami knew what a REAL threat felt like.)
But Nami stopped herself from using those techniques, thinking back to the day she was dropped off in this horrid place…
She thought back to Moonbeam Eyes, the Hyuuga who escorted her to this place all those moons ago.
("Control your fear so you don't lose control like that day in the hallway.")
So, despite being able to get out of Eiji's hold, Nami held back, not wanting the man with white eyes to be disappointed. She had to be strong.
Growing bored of Tsumi's lack of reaction, Eiji gave a dark smile. "I think we should play that new game, Takuma."
At this, the slender boy sat up excitedly, unlike his usual laid back demeanor. "You mean with your new toy?" His dark brown eyes zeroed in on Tsumi. "Tsumi-chan," Said girl narrowed her eyes at him, frowning even more. "You're going to like this game."
Nami grew suspicious at his inviting tone. She knew better than to expect anything pleasant from any of these three. She dreaded whatever new form of harassment they came up with.
Eiji looked to Tsumi, reaching in the small bag he kept strapped to his hips nowadays. It was a recent addition from his sponsor to show their promise to endorse his enrollment in the academy. From it, he pulled his new toy. "I haven't had a lot of practice with dummies."
Nami gasped, pupils shrinking at the sight of the kunai. Why did he have that?! They shouldn't even have those! "- - - - - - -!" She hurriedly said this in Uzek, eyes never leaving the weapon.
To the other three, they only heard her panicked gibberish. In response, Eiji pressed the training kunai to her leg under the table, pricking her skin just below her shorts.
It wasn't academy grade, or even a live kunai. The edges were dulled, and the weight was lighter for a young child. But Eiji's sponsor assured him it was what the clans used to train their children in handling weapons. The practice kunai was given to Eiji to get used to handling it, under the sponsor's strict supervision. Or, the man sponsoring him said, if Eiji didn't get caught since it was against the Orphanage's rules for children to have weapons.
Of course, Eiji loved the idea of getting away with such a forbidden secret. And the fact he'd be rewarded with more training and weapons over time only lit his fire to get used to it. He showed his smarter friend, Takuma, to help him come up with ways to test its effectiveness.
From their explorations, Eiji found out the practice kunai cuts if you press juuuuust right, and with enough strength.
Takuma was right! It excited Eiji to see Tsumi react like this. Up close he could see the color drain from her ugly face, she started breathing faster, and her fingers twitched like the rabbit Takuma insisted they practice on!
Hah! She's skill-skish-skittish. Yeah, she's skittish like that stupid bunny!
Unlike her usual guarded attitude toward them, any fighting spirit Tsumi had, fled as soon as the weapon appeared.
Tsumi looked at him again, pleading eyes darting from his face to the weapon. "- - - -, - - - - - - -." She whined in her stupid gibberish.
Eiji didn't understand what she said, but Tsumi sounded like she was begging. Eiji felt powerful, knowing he was in control.
Takuma, thoroughly enjoying Tsumi's fear, propped his chin on his hand. "Yeah, they don't have a lot of dummies at the orphanage." Tsumi's ugly eyes darted to his, disbelief and panic shining in them. Good, the trash knew what the new game meant. This should be fun. "That's why we thought of you." He said sweetly.
Kiori didn't know what the boys were up to, but the redhead suddenly looked dizzy. She looked like she was about to scream in terror.
Before Kiori could ask her allies what "game" they meant, Tsumi surprised them all. She shoved away from the table, a panicked sound leaving her.
"N-NO!" They understood her! But so did others still in the room. A few children looked over in shock at hearing the raised voice.
Eiji tried to yank her back down by the arm, "Stupid Tsumi!" He hissed. At the same time, Takuma's foot darted out to kick her leg. Kiori jumped back in shock.
Before they caused a bigger scene and got caught, a stern voice interrupted them.
"What is going on here?" Warden Yakushi quietly walked from behind them.
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A/N I won't lie, these bullying scenes are tough to write. Thanks for sticking through them. Till next time.