Chapter two: friendships

A week or so after she joined the academy, there were special kunoichi classes, and she joined them. They learned things that were gender-specific, yet beneficial for boys as well. From what she heard, people acknowledged that certain skills were traditionally associated with women, especially given the roles they've had for centuries and likely well into the future.

Hoshiko wanted to say it was unfair; the boys should also learn these skills. However, they didn't have the same societal roles as women. Despite strong and respected kunoichi, men often outclass them. The Sage of Six Paths, widely thought of as male, is a distant memory she doesn't want to forget. The story of the brothers could be useful, perhaps written down as a fantasy story, stripped of any connection to the Senju or Uchiha. Searching for records of the two might be necessary to avoid questions about where she learned it.

As many know, children can be cruel, quick to identify the "weird" ones, often shunting them aside. The girls thought she was weird, but she couldn't say it was the worst of it. Hoshiko glanced at Sakura, guilt gnawing at her gut. She wasn't physically hurt, just excluded. It didn't matter, did it? The girls were childish, and she wouldn't like them that much anyway—they were childish.

But she looked at the girl she's planning to replace and wanted to help, to relieve herself from this guilt, because this brilliant girl would be pushed to the background because of her. She walked over confidently until she had to speak. "Hello," she started, a squeak in her voice, the other girl equally shy, not having declared her love for Sasuke and gotten out of her shell. "Hey," the pinkette responded, and Hoshiko floundered, unsure of what to say next.

"I'm a bit unsure about the flowers, and you have really great grades in these things," Hoshiko didn't say. She wasn't sure if that was the right thing to say. Ever since she started applying herself and rising through the ranks, she wondered if asking for help would be a good idea. What if they found her a fake? What if they locked her in a mental asylum? What if, what if, what if? Why can't she just make an estimate or something? She was older than the actual kids at the academy; she should manage more than never-ending what- ifs. She's really just that dumb, huh? She was never a genius in her old life, not really someone to rely on—too fickle, too nervous, too everything.

Sakura smiled back, "I–I'm actually getting some help outside of school." She seemed nervous, much like Hoshiko. "O-oh..." Hoshiko stuttered, hands clasped together, head bowed, staring awkwardly at her feet before asking once more, "Do you– do you think that this... this person can help me too?" Her hands twisted around each other until the friction and heat became noticeable.

The pinkette nodded, and Hoshiko's eyes widened. "Oh– um– I forgot to introduce myself. I'm Kazama Hoshiko." She very carefully refrained from reaching out her hand; handshakes were a lot more serious here. "Haruno Sakura."

Sakura led her towards a girl who was fairly popular. She was loud, an extrovert with a bit of a bossy personality. Not that it was bad, but she didn't inspire everyone to follow her, so some found it annoying. "Hello–" Hoshiko looked down and introduced herself before she forgot again. "I'm Kazama Hoshiko... I heard you were good with flowers...?" She tried looking up and attempting to blow a piece of hair away from her face, even though there wasn't one there. The blonde grinned.

Two years later Hoshiko continued to improve she wasn't the best at everything and she never liked academics but Hoshiko didn't mind the academy; she watched as the people began to develop into those she knew. Naruto had been a quiet and slightly sullen child until recently, but now he's started to act out—joking, pulling pranks, and being a general disturbance. This was familiar (a blinding smile as eyes shone with pure mischief.) He was hyperactive with the attention span of a goldfish. "ADHD?"

Sasuke had been a kind kid at first; then the massacre happened. He was gone for a few weeks, and when he came back, he was scowling, glaring at everyone, sad, angry, and grieving. This was not something she was used to.

She was used to people hiding behind masks of apathy, seduction, or even just amping everything to a hundred. She could maybe deal with that (she didn't want to see the faces of the dead).

She sits near the boy for comfort but doesn't bother him. She doesn't quite know the boy enough to understand if isolation or socialization would be best for him.

Sasuke didn't do well with long-term isolation, putting him in a bad position somewhere down the line. She wanted to help him, and they'd (hopefully) end up on a team together, so it would probably be a sensible idea to build a good rapport with a future teammate.

Sasuke didn't speak to her, and she didn't speak to him; she was just there. They were always in the same spot, just sitting silently.

The fangirls had gotten mad at her; she hadn't shown any interest in their Sasuke–kun. Yet, here she was, getting all cozy or something with him.

Hoshiko didn't like that; she didn't have the best tolerance for people calling her mean stuff, but she knew how to hold back tears. She continued out of pure determination and spite, as a wise person once said, "spite is a great motivator."

Later, she started leaving innocuous gifts. She knew that Sasuke disliked anything sweet and liked tomatoes of all things. She doesn't condemn him for it, but she also doesn't understand kids, as most of them just have a sweet tooth.

Then there are those who just don't like sugar, which feels weird when growing up with cakes and way too much candy. She was really glad for her high metabolism back then, but now she had a lower metabolism. It took some time to get used to not overeating, but eventually, she managed (not really), and she loves not having to be hungry all the time.

It was a bit sad that she can't have delicious food. She sometimes envies the Akimichi for getting to eat so much and have a completely valid reason for it, or the Nara who could probably just fall asleep anywhere. No matter how tired she is, there's no way she can fall asleep in school; it's just not possible for her for whatever reason.

Hoshiko wondered how to approach the blonde without causing too much trouble for her family. If she were an orphan, then this wouldn't matter. She isn't certain, but hanging around him may cause at least some problems, or maybe they don't.

She isn't quite sure, but she approaches the boy out of view, just in case. She'll see how it is, build a rapport, and see how the people react. She can't guarantee that she won't pull away, but she has to try; she will always try.

"Hello," she started, shifting slightly. The blonde pointed, and he asked, "Who are you?" She understood; she was quiet and liked solitude more than most others here, so she didn't take it negatively.

"I'm Kazama Hoshiko," she tries. She's quiet and doesn't usually make friends, but she hopes that maybe the blonde's outgoing nature would keep the conversation going. "Well, I'm Uzumaki Naruto," the boy boasted, "and I'm going to be the next Hokage." She smiled. "Ah, the famous line," and nodded.

"Alright then," she continued, a small smile on her face, "Future Hokage–sama," she said teasingly. She already knew he'd be the Hokage, the seventh to be exact, so there was no doubt, no ridicule, or even hesitation. This boy would become Hokage, just like in the canon timeline, and she'd make sure of it.

She thought of what to say next, settling on, "would you allow this little girl to help you on your journey?" If she was going to make sure that this boy became Hokage, then she'd probably need to state her intention to something along those lines.

"Huh, really?!" The blonde was quick to shout. There was disbelief there, and yeah, she could understand why; no one must've believed the dead last to actually manage it. But she already knew he would if things were too different from canon.

Hoshiko nods, blowing black hair out of her eyes, even though there was nothing there. It was more of a nervous tick thing than anything. "Let's be friends," she decided. She's been deciding a lot recently, but the blinding smile she got in return was (a blinding smile only the sun could rival). It wasn't the same, and she could've fallen to the ground in relief when she understood that.

She didn't want to deal with the panic, so instead, they shook on it and are officially friends or something like that. They'll probably need to develop more of a relationship first other than classmates and possible teammates. The latter of which only one knows about; Hoshiko sighs. She had a long future upon her, but maybe that's for the best.

Hoshiko is content with just letting the two friendships build up; there's no need to introduce them to one another, not yet, and none of them have complained, nor have they commented about her other friendship.

She finds it a bit harder, though, to hold up two friendships at the same time. She was used to small groups who'd hang out together, but she doesn't want to deal with the squabbling (a boy with black hair helps her to her feet, another boy with a blinding smile stands behind him), shouting, and just the general annoyingness that it causes.

And the headaches—she's had enough headaches to last her three lifetimes.

So when the time came, she thought that maybe she could at least try to talk with her... friend? Hoshiko isn't too sure if what they do constitutes as friendship. She honestly hopes that the little gifts would be enough to at least get him to try, but for all she knows, they may just be dumb or could make him think she's a fangirl.

She breathes in and violates the silent rules that she'd followed before this. "Hello," she greets, shifting. She can feel her hands getting sweaty. "I'm Kazama Hoshiko," she introduces since that's polite, right?

He looks up, and she avoids eye contact, and she panics—why didn't she plan ahead?! Is she an idiot?! "It–" she cuts herself off then just barrels forwards

"You have a lot of fangirls," she starts, avoiding even looking at his face, but she can feel the 'oh, really?' stare that she has to be getting right now. It's probably muted; all expressions on Sasuke's face are muted unless he's arguing with Naruto. "I thought I'd tell you now that I do not like you like that... the things I leave behind are just because..." she trails off because well, I'm a reincarnation who knows the future, and oh, your brother isn't that bad actually sounds like a horrible thing to say

She wants to giggle at the absurdity of it. Honestly, the best things she could get out of telling someone is probably a mental hospital—she might even need it at this point—but there's no way she'll be able to change things from there.

"Because you..." because you looked like you needed it also probably not a good thing to say right now. It's been two years already since the massacre happened, and she's pretty sure he'd take it as pity, and with the little she knows about Sasuke? well, he probably doesn't like pity.

She searches for other words but can't find them. "Look, I just—let's be friends," she said as assured as she can be, and oh Kami, why would she say that!? That was just stupid and so much more brash than she should've been. She isn't brash; she's careful and nervous and—

"Okay." Her eyes snapped back as her mind settled into reality. Okay? She'd thought she needed more than that—so much more with how the anime had portrayed him. Just two years of sitting, leaving gifts, and warding off the occasional fangirl storm. She is happy and grateful; it's just that—okay?! That was all it took!?

She sat down awkwardly and opened her bento; it was really cutesy. She doesn't really understand why it's so cutesy, not why her brother likes this stuff, but her brother has decided that she can't feed herself or something. Which, yeah, fair; she overeats a lot, no matter how hard of a grasp she has on how much to be full but not full; food's just too good not to pass up on.

Hoshiko looks around before asking, "Do you have any hobbies?" She tries. "I train" was all she got. She doesn't really know for certain if this is just normal; maybe he doesn't want to talk? Maybe he prefers listening? She doesn't know but pushes through anyway. "I like to read; I've gotta keep my spot at the top, y'know." It felt weird to talk to someone, and well, she didn't really know the exacts of socialization, but she's pretty sure you aren't supposed to clam up, and being friends probably meant a lot more work on the relationship.

She's starting to believe this is some sort of joke. Maybe Sasuke just wanted her to stop? Maybe he wanted to brood alone? But his isolation led to him leaving and going full "Kill Bill" on the future kage, specifically the higher-ups in Konoha. While, yes, many are corrupt, and there are definitely lots of bad things here, it doesn't mean that murder is the only option, does it?

This world had normal people living with slightly unstable killers who have all their life trained to do exactly that, so why wouldn't murder seem like the solution to all your problems? Of course, not all of them. People don't usually kill others who they have emotional connections to unless they have to. She can't quite think up a 'case in point' thing because the first things that pop up are Kakashi and Rin, but Rin decided to—well, she died on her terms. And then there's Orochimaru and Sarutobi, a relationship she is not touching right now even in her mind.

She honestly just doesn't want to think about the implications of Orochimaru really being let out after kidnapping and experimenting on children. She'd rather believe that Orochimaru wasn't willingly let out (Orochimaru needed the first two Hokage to beat his former Sensei). It was just... if Sarutobi could let child experimentation go, then what else? (Kidnapping and slavery) How far would he go to ignore all the wrongs of those he finds... precious?

Hoshiko would go far for what's hers, but she couldn't possibly let kidnapping and experimentation go, could she? What if kidnapping, slavery, or experimentation took her back to them? If that's what it would take, then would she? If that was the price...

She stops thinking; that road will only bring misery to both herself and others. She doesn't need to answer; it's completely hypothetical, and there's no reason that that would be what it takes.

Lunch passed, and they all went inside for lessons. They were interesting to her; she hadn't read much history and never found the text very exciting. She much preferred fantasy and magic. Luckily for her, history always had a tinge of fantasy in it. It reminded her strangely of analog horror, where the text would be normal, then slowly delve into war, throwing fireballs, or other things.

Strangely enough, she doesn't believe she's seen anyone actually throw a fireball—wait, no, there was... foxfire and something else, something with a blast. At least she knows now that not every fire jutsu is used through the mouth, though many are.

But that's only her judgment made from the anime, and it is entirely possible that she's wrong. She's an academy student, not even a genin, from a civilian family. She wouldn't have any possible access to knowing that or not. She could ask Sasuke now that they're... friends? It seems almost impossible to believe it. He probably just wanted her out of his hair; yeah, that's it. He'll reject her or something eventually.

Wow, she is making this sound way too much like a romance or something. She looks up and notices that she hasn't been paying attention. There are keywords and such scribbled across the chalkboard, and she has no idea what they're talking about. She focuses hard on it and tries picking up where she left off. It's hard, but she manages, if only slightly.