Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

2

The Matthew Effect

The Matthew Effect is a statistical principle that refers to the widening gap between two groups. Imagine a graph with two lines; one on the bottom, one on the top. As the two lines progress the top line will make steady improvement as it rises in height. The bottom line will not see such growth and sometimes will drop even lower; creating a wider gap. It was typically used for scientists to detect inequality in their research. But then it was discovered that it can be applied to societal trends.

On the street corner closest to our building, the window to our room was visible. From the corner, the camping lamp sitting on top of the makeshift desk my sister, Anzu, insisted we own was also visible. Every day, I would stop at that corner and lookup. If the lamp was off, it was okay for me to come home. If it was on, I was supposed to disappear for an hour or two before I tried again. Our mom had done the same thing with Anzu when she had still been with us. And now it was Anzu's way of telling me when it was safe.

But whenever I stopped at that street corner, looked up, and saw that the light was on I didn't feel safe. My stomach would churn and I'd shiver; no matter what the temperature was. Having past knowledge was both a blessing and a hindrance. On one hand, I had skills I could use to my benefit. On the other, I couldn't hide behind childhood ignorance. When the lamp was on, I knew exactly what my sister was enduring. The risks she was taking. It made my skin crawl and self-hatred boil in my gut because there wasn't anything I could do to stop it. If anything, the light the lamp gave off made me feel helpless. Huffing in agitation at the plight of my sister and from the tensions of today, I spun on my heel. On the days when the lamp was on, I usually sought refuge at a park. Picked a tree and passed the time working on homework up in one of its branches.

However; as has already been proven, today was not my day. Spinning on my heels to make my retreat I ran into a man exiting the corner shop. He was holding a pack of freshly bought cigarettes in one hand and his lighter in another. "Woo, little lady", The man drawled as I took a hasty step back; recognizing who I had run into in an instant.

Bowing at the waist, even though it felt like a mistake to make myself that vulnerable, I apologized for Anzu's sake. "My fault, Daichi-san". Anzu didn't have many rules, and the few she insisted on all revolved around this man. Don't talk to Daichi. Don't get caught alone with Daichi. But living in close quarters, sometimes running into the man was unavoidable.

Daichi brushed my apology away. "Don't worry about it", he said. As I straightened out of my bow, he had already opened the pack of cigarettes and was preparing his lighter. He looked like a lot of villains that were depicted in the movies I would watch in another world. Daichi's face was discolored from a lot of exposure to the sun. Strands of his sandy brown hair framed his face; the strands that he hadn't pulled back into his man-bun. And he always wore some ostentatious button-up shirt without fastening the top three buttons. "Where are you going?" Daichi asked as he lit a cigarette. "Home's the other way".

He took a long drag from the cancer stick and exhaled the smoke in my direction before I could answer. Eyes watering from the smoke, I did the same thing that I did at the academy; remain unreactive. "Anzu's busy", I explained.

Daichi let out a singular dry chuckle. "About time. Otherwise, your sister would have had a hard time meeting her quota this month". See, Daichi owned the building we live in. Where he kindly let us live rent-free and offered Anzu protection while she worked, but for a price. Daichi called it a social contract. I called it ownership. But Anzu said I wasn't allowed to talk about it. Our mom had had a similar 'contract' with Daichi. Before she died and Anzu took her place. A moment passed with Daichi studying me as I tried not to fidget. I had to squint my eyes shut when he blew a second mouthful of smoke in my face. "Say, little lady. How old are you now?"

It was a struggle to keep civil; something I was only able to accomplish due to a healthy dose of fear for Anzu and experience. "I'm ten".

Daichi hummed to himself as he shoved his lighter and the pack of cigarettes into his pants' pockets; probably enjoying that I couldn't move until he dismissed me. "Still useless then".

"Yes", I agreed. The sad thing was, at that moment I wasn't trying to placate him. I was useless and would remain useless until I was a member of the genin corps and making my own money. Then I could protect Anzu without making things worse for her.

In the time we spent standing on the corner talking, a few people walked past us. Some went in and out of the corner shop. None gave us a second look. This wasn't the bright and sunny part of Konoha that was active and lively. People didn't come here unless they had to. And the ones that had to live here were better forgotten. "You still going to ninja school?" Daichi asked.

I bobbed my head. "Yes. Anzu wants me to be a kunoichi". It was better to give Daichi more facts than less. Otherwise, he'd keep me at that corner much longer.

Daichi snorted as he took another drag from his cigarette. "As if those high-horse pricks would let one of us join their ranks". Daichi eyed me a second time before shifting his weight. "Just don't get buff while you're there or you'll have a hard time finding work after they kick you to the curb". With that piece of advice, Daichi stepped around me and continued on his way. Glancing over my shoulder, I watched until he was on the other side of the street before letting out a big exhale.

Being a ninja was Anzu's dream. Not mine. I would have been happy with a life that would guarantee that I'd get to see middle-age. However, maybe dying during the Shippuden timeline wouldn't be that bad; if I got to take out Daichi before then.

After that day when Naruto called me out in front of the whole class, there was a shift in the classroom dynamic. Primarily caused by Iruka-Sensei's actions. I was sitting in the back corner like I always had; propping up my head with my hand as I waited with everyone else for Iruka-Sensei to arrive and begin the school day. Other than actively avoiding looking in Shino's directions, yesterday's big reveal seemed to have been forgotten. Even Naruto was back to his usual self as he tried to get someone to notice him. It created a false sense of security that I should have seen through. But either due to my current mental capacity or because I had lost sleep the previous night, I believed I was safe.

So, I worked in my notebook like I did most mornings. My notebook started out as a way to stave off boredom. I used it to count how many times my first-year teacher said the word 'quit'. I used it to note who got bullied by the rougher members of class three. With time, I noticed that the superficial data I thought I was collecting was actually more useful than just entertainment.

Halfway through my second year, I had worked out what type of data I needed to collect to be able to make predictions about my environment. By the end of my second year, I knew what days we'd have evacuation drills or when the teacher was going to give us a pop quiz. I knew when Ami would get bored with her latest victim and move on to the next. See, most people, whether they believe themselves to be spontaneous or not, followed a pattern. Some of these patterns were subconscious. Others were set up by a systematic organization. You just needed to find the right data to track it.

I had sections on everyone in this class. With the exception of Shino. And with that information, I had a sense of where they would be and what they would be doing throughout the school day. Except for Shino. The boy was just too hard to read. Whenever I started to collect data on him and tested a prediction, I was always wrong. My notebook was a tool I used to help pass by unnoticed. To avoid confrontation and never be in the 'right' place at the right time.

Of course, that's not to say my notebook was foolproof. Patterns can be disrupted. Disruptions are mostly caused by external variables. For example, someone being absent because of illness or when Sasuke lost his clan. During times like that, my data was skewed.

Working on my Chouji section where I recorded what flavor of chips he was currently eating; I wasn't prepared for the data disruption that was about to occur. Like most days, Iruka-Sensei entered the room and made a beeline for his desk. Unlike most days, he didn't immediately take attendance. Instead, he scanned the students sitting in the first row; like he was looking for someone in particular but was having a hard time making a decision. I doubt anyone noticed. Or if they did, they didn't care. A distracted teacher meant a few seconds longer they could talk with their friends. "Ami", Iruka-Sensei called after he reached whatever conclusion he was aiming for. "Switch places with Rion. I want her to sit in front today".

I almost snapped my pencil in half at that announcement. "But Sensei", Ami protested in a high-pitched whine. "I won't be able to see anything back there".

A lie. I knew it. Sensei knew. And so did everyone else most likely. Ami didn't want to move because she'd be sitting away from her friends. "You'll be fine", Iruka-Sensei assured her. "It's just for today". He left no room for further argument. I didn't have to see her to know Ami was pouting.

Our classmates were silent as they watched the two of us collect our things and begin the swap. Iruka-Sensei had never asked us to change seats before, so it wasn't a hard jump in logic to assume this was related to yesterday. When Ami and I met in the middle of the aisle, she bumped her shoulder into mine. With her back facing the supervising adult, Ami freely snarled at me. "Your seat better not smell like the gutter", she hissed before pushing past me.

I continued unbothered; ignoring the sympathetic look Chouji sent me as I passed his seat. I guess he overheard Ami then. While Ami was annoying, she wasn't a problem. At least, not one I needed to waste my worries on. Iruka-Sensei forcing me to move, thus increasing teacher proximity; now that was cause for concern.

Ami's seat was the worst spot in the entire classroom. Front row on the aisle, and centered with Iruka-Sensei's desk everyone could see me. Especially Iruka-Sensei. With stiffness in my joints, I slid into the seat and tried to disregard the glares Ami's friends were sending in my direction. What was my play here? My whole plan was centered around not garnering the attention of others. But now that I had it, how did I manage it? Or better yet, how did I get rid of it?

Satisfied with himself, the jerk, Iruka-Sensei nodded. "Good morning, everyone. This morning we will be taking a test on the shinobi code, as promised". On cue, a choral groan echoed throughout the room. I swear it was something every class had when a teacher announced a test. "Now, now", Iruka-Sensei said good-naturedly. "It won't be that bad". He assured us as he went about passing out the test papers; starting with me. Usually, Iruka-Sensei passed a stack of papers to those sitting on the aisle to be passed down the row. But today, for whatever reason, he gave each student in the first row their test one at a time, before returning to giving stacks of tests to the aisle seat behind the first row.

Oh, this had to be a trick. But what was its purpose? When the last student received their test, Iruka-sensei said, "you may begin". The only sound that could be heard was twenty-two papers being turned over as Iruka-Sensei slowly returned to his desk. When he passed me, he smiled; causing my heart to skip a beat. I was missing something. But what?

With my eyebrows slanted inwards, I took a deep breath and studied the test. I was the first one to get the test. Did Iruka-Sensei give me a different test? A harder one to prove I'd been faking it this whole time? A quick scan of the first page had me throwing out that theory. No, all the questions were ones we had studied in class. Easy ones too, by the looks of it. So…. My brain scrambled to find an explanation. Did Iruka-Sensei think I was a cheat? And he moved me to the front to see what I would do. But that didn't make any sense either. As planned, I never scored higher than 85% on exams. If he did think I was a cheat, he must not think I was a very good one.

A minute passed without me doing anything or coming up with a plausible theory. Nerves officially shot, I decided that I had to stick to my routine. Without knowing what was happening, it was foolish to completely fall apart. If I did, it would be that much more difficult to recover.

With the sense that Iruka-Sensei's eyes were on me, I took a deep breath and flipped to the last page of the test. There were twenty-five questions. On the last test, a ninjutsu test that had a theory and a practical portion, I had made some unplanned errors and ended up with a score of seventy-five percent. To maintain my position as an average student, I needed a score of at least eighty percent.

The sounds of pencils at work filled my ears as I did some quick math in my head.

80/100 = x/25

100x = 80 x 25

100x = 2000

X= 20

Meaning, I had to get five questions wrong. Exhaling to force a state of calm, I picked up my pencil. It's okay. I can do this.

In a rare bout of optimism, I hoped that Iruka-Sensei would let Ami and I switch back after the test was over. It was unpleasant sitting next to Ami's friends who had taken to pinching their noses whenever I looked in their direction. And having the majority of the class behind me was wreaking havoc on my nerves. My comfort zone was on the sidelines and I loathed Sensei for forcing me out of it.

But after all the test papers were collected, Iruka-Sensei continued with morning instruction like I had always been sitting in the front row. Like it was completely normal for him to call on me to answer questions or read aloud more than once a day. Sticking to what I knew, I kept up my system of getting two questions wrong and one right. But it was worrisome. If Iruka-Sensei kept this up long term, I would have to recalculate. Otherwise, it would become obvious that there was a pattern in my responses.

When the lunch hour arrived and Iruka-Sensei released us, for once in my life I was the first one out the door. With my notebook tucked securely under my arm, I sought refuge in a far corner of the academy's courtyard. While most spend their free time in the courtyard to enjoy the fresh air. Few wandered far building; wanting to connect with their friends and gossip about other groups. I thought I'd be safe. Safe to calm down. To reflect and come up with some contingency plans. Flipping through the pages of my notebook, I attempted to do just that.

As evident by this morning, I couldn't lay low and let this blow over. Not when Iruka-Sensei was making that impossible. So, the next best thing was to find someone who could lure Iruka-Sensei's focus to themselves. Hinata…. No. Ino…. No. Sasuke…. Maybe, but it would be hard to manipulate him. Shikamaru….No. Naruto… too easy, it'd be expected. Kiba….

"You're scared. Why? Because you've been seen". A monotone and knowing voice broke through my thoughts.

Nearly jumping out of my skin, I slammed my notebook shut and jerked my head to the left. Shino stood a few feet away; his shoulders relaxed with his hands clearly visible. A purposely non-threatening posture. My mouth hung open as Shino kindly gave me the time to process. Around us, we listened to the sounds of Konoha's main street and that of the other academy students enjoying their break. When I regained myself, I snapped my jaw to a close. "You know, for someone who doesn't talk much, you've said more to me these last two days than you have in a month". It was an observation that also signaled an inquiry.

Which Shino had no trouble interpreting. "Why?" He asked on my behalf. "Because you are in distress", came his answer.

I blinked twice; hands twitching. Shino was going out of his way to talk to me because…. He thought I was distressed? I mean, at this moment I was, but…. "Why?" I pressed for more; needing more. Ever since I clawed my way through class two and three and join Shino in his class, we served as company the other could tolerate. But that was it. We weren't…. we weren't the sort to seek each other out due to feelings of concern.

"Rion", Shino spoke slowly. The sound of my name had me freezing. That was the first time he had ever used it. Previously he had always just referred to me as you. The sounds of the street and our peers at leisure washed over us again as Shino fell silent and I waited for him to say whatever was on his mind. However, that didn't happen. After a minute or two ticked by with just us staring at each other, Shino turned and walked the other way.

Staring at his back, I clutched my notebook tighter. What the hell was that?!