Chapter 2
Time was a funny thing, how fast or slow it passed was directly proportional to how much attention one paid to it. A single day could last an eternity and before you know it, ten years are now behind you. Okay, a bit of an extreme example there. Still, two years had passed since I realized just where I had been reborn. That took some time sink in, back home Isekai was a massive genre with countless people imagining what they would do if they got reborn in some fantasy world or video game. Yet now that it actually happened, not only that but I was sent into a work of fiction. That kind of thing really shakes your understanding of how the universe works. That little episode had my parents running me back and forth from the hospital trying to figure out why I wouldn't stop screaming. Certainly not one of my proudest moments.
Of course the doctors could not find anything wrong, who would expect a toddler to be undergoing an existential crisis regarding life, the universe and everything? In the end all I could do was accept the clear reality around me. That however, came with it's own baggage.
Before me was a small notebook, a diary of sorts. Rather than containing the musings of my everyday, it instead held something far more important. Notes on the future. From what information I had managed to gather, the current head of the village was the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi. Yet there were four heads on the monument, this gave me an estimate of the timeline. Chances were good that I was around the same age as the main cast of the series. Now, there was about an eight year margin of error. It could be that they were all close to if not already Genin and soon the Fifth Hokage would be taking up her position. If that was the case however, then I would be helpless against what was about to occur.
Flipping through the pages I found the entry regarding the Chūnin Exams. This would be my first taste of what war can be like. The village will come under attack by a combination of shinobi from the Sand and Sound villages, orchestrated by Orochimaru. My memories of the series said that, while taking a massive blow, the village would survive. I do believe that civilian casualties were kept to a minimum as well thanks to a swift response from the village shinobi. That all said, it was no guarantee of safety and certainly would not be the only time the village would be attacked. Despite how peaceful the Village Hidden in the Leaves was, this world was one embroiled in constant war.
My best hope was that my own birth had lined up with the 'main cast' of the series. At least in that case I might be able to do something should the time come. So that begged the question.
Do I become a shinobi?
Were I some protagonist of a light novel, this would be a no brainer. Even now the idea of being able to walk on water, jump over buildings in a single bound and breathe fire had that undeniable allure. But I knew the reality of it, I would not be some super hero. I would be a soldier. Most likely just a grunt sent off to fight against actual super humans. I don't believe I had any special talents in this world, I wasn't going to be someone like Itachi who, by my age was probably spitting fireballs and being sent out on missions.
I continued going through my notes as I mused to myself. Orochimaru, the Akatsuki, the Otsutsuki, this world was filled with monsters like this. Considering the possibility of my generation, the path of the shinobi would inevitably bring me into conflict with these beasts in human skin. The safest path I could take would be to do nothing. Just opt for the life of a normal girl. Things worked out well enough in the series. Should things play out that way it would all work out in the end. At least, that was the hope. My knowledge only extended to the end of the main series, the sequel I was far less versed on. Add on to that several years had now passed since I was last able to check anything so I was essentially in the dark.
There also wasn't any pressure from family to get into the shinobi business either. My Father, the giant that he was, made his living as a craftsman and Mother just took care of the home. If I chose to become a ninja, it would be my choice alone. With a sigh I closed the book. Even if I chose to pursue such a path, there was something else I had to take into consideration. Holding the little notebook in my hands, I noted how heavy it felt. What would happen if something like this fell into the hands of the wrong person? What sort of devastation would befall the village, no the world, if Orochimaru found it? Hell, what could I do with this information? Forewarned is forearmed, as they say.
If I so desired, I could try to warn about the Uchiha massacre or Orochimaru's infiltration into the exams. I could befriend Naruto so he wouldn't be alone. As a shinobi I could know the fighting styles and skills of many enemies, we would have an unparalleled advantage against the Akatsuki. I could save so many lives.
Or I could endanger so many more.
Take the Uchiha Massacre for example, being the nearest event I could try to affect. Ignoring the fact I'm a child, say I get a warning out and prevent Itachi's attack. What happens then? If the Uchiha clan continues through with their coup attempt we would have civil war in the streets of the village. That was the simplest example I could come up with. Could I possibly make things better? Maybe. Could things get so much worse in ways I could not possibly predict? Absolutely. Perhaps if I possessed some level of clairvoyance it could be feasible. Alas, I do not and my luck is not something I'd wager money on.
I had no intention of stepping on any butterflies.
I knew I would have need of this information one day, that was why I took the risk of recording it. My memories would inevitably fade in time so I had to record it as soon as possible. To be on the safe side, I specifically wrote everything here in English. Far as I could tell it should be an alien language to this world, but I wouldn't put it past a skilled enough ninja to be able to decipher it.
Crawling over to the foot of my bed I slipped myself underneath. There, I had managed to pry up one of the floor boards. Lifting the board revealed a small cavity between the joists. I slipped in the small notebook in and replaced the board. It should be safe enough there for now. Best I don't leave it simply laying around for my parents to stumble upon. I could probably get away with some silly child's excuse if that were to happen but I didn't want to deal with the questions. They considered me an odd enough child as it was.
Retreating from the crawlspace, I dusted off my clothes as best I could and waddled my way over to a pile of brightly coloured blocks. When Mother was busy with the house work I would often find ways to keep myself out of trouble. It was one of the reasons they often had concerns about my well being. Children are selfish and clingy by nature whereas I would stay out of the way. To put it simply I was too understanding. While I would try to play the part of a happy child, I couldn't keep up the act all the time.
Right now, Mother was doing some cleaning in the kitchen. I knew she had plans for us to head out for the park later. It would just be the two of us as Father had some work to take care of. This was supposed to be a bit of a play date, to get me out and socializing with other children my age. I couldn't say I was looking forward to that too much, it was just... weird from my perspective. Still, it gave Mother a chance to get out of the house herself. I was still far from being at an age where I could be safely left alone after all.
"WAH!?"
I cried out in surprise as I heard a loud clatter from the kitchen, followed by hurried footsteps and a slamming door. The small tower of blocks I was building toppled as I clumsily got to my feet and did my best interpretation of a run to see what was going on. Mom had ran into the bathroom and from beyond the door I could hear her heaving. "Momma, are you alright?" I ask, concerned. This wasn't the first time she had been running to the washroom to throw up. From behind the door, I heard her call back she was doing just fine. "Are you sure?" I couldn't help but pry out of genuine worry, even if I knew how she would answer. "I'm sure, Mommy just has an upset tummy."
I knew she was putting on a brave face, if she really was sick she should just take the day off and relax. But no, she would keep on pushing herself, taking care of others before herself. I knew the type, my mom in my last life was the same. Hopefully the fresh air will do her good. If not, I'll have to find a way to make her take a break. Taking a look at the kitchen, it appeared that Mother had been washing the dishes. It didn't look like anything broke thankfully. If I could I'd take over for her here but I couldn't even reach the sink. Even if I were to pull up a chair I'd barely reach over the counter. Plus the moment I was spotted, Mother would certainly freak out.
Instead, I made my way over to the night stand in the living room. There, Mother kept several picture books for reading time. With a bit of effort I was able to climb up on the couch and get a hold of one. Mother had read though all these books to me several times over already, but as I was still learning to read I didn't mind too much. Opening the book I began reading it over myself.
The story was about two ninja, red and blue who lived in the mountains. At the foot of the mountain was a small village. The red ninja wanted to be friends to the people who lived there, however, the people were afraid of ninja. This story was familiar to me, if memory served correctly there was an old Japanese fairy tale similar to this book. I was pretty sure I'd seen it adapted in several anime and manga but I couldn't say for certain. Still, it was interesting to see just how ingrained shinobi were in everyday culture. I mean, the freaking mobile they hung on my crib was two ninja throwing shuriken at one another. On some level it made sense, shinobi all but ruled the lands but it almost felt a bit ridiculous.
Slowly I ran my fingers along the large text of the pages, sounding out the words as I went. Being a children's book the words were short and simple to pronounce, thus making for easy practice. Mother came out of the bathroom a few minutes later. Looking at her, you wouldn't think she just spent the last ten minutes hanging over the toilet. Wait... no. Something was off. Forgetting my book, I instead turned my attention to watching Mother who simply returned to where she left her chores.
For a while, everything appeared to be fine. Yet under further scrutiny I noticed something was off. I slid off the couch and made my way into the kitchen. "Momma, are you sure you're okay?" I ask, putting on the puppy dog eyes. Apparently Mother's mind had been elsewhere as she jumped when I called out to her. She had been washing that same plate for the last five minutes now, it was no wonder I was able to spook her so easily.
"Oh Meiko, you scared Mommy." She said while trying to steady her breathing. "Yes I'm fine. I just, I just have something on my mind is all". I wasn't going to let her off so easy however.
"Are you sick? You go to the bathroom a lot" I did wish I could put my sentences together a bit better, but I'm pretty sure I got the point across. I certainly hit a nerve with that question though, as Mother visibly stiffened.
"No, not quite sick..." She started, her voice trailing off for a moment. "I promise you, I am alright, so no need to worry about me okay?" She turned and knelt down, spreading her arms out in an invitation. Forgetting the fact her hands were covered in water and soap bubbles. Still, I took the hug anyway, soaking my shirt in the process. Mother was quite apologetic when she noticed. I simply laughed.
The rest of the morning went by rather quickly, mostly because I ended up passing out while reading through my picture books. Mother woke me up when she had lunch ready. Groaning, I peel the page from my face as Mother produced a tissue to wipe down my drool-stained face. Placed in my high chair, I slowly munched away at the light lunch before me. Half-awake I couldn't even tell half of what I put in my mouth. The end result was a good chunk of food ending up on me rather than in me. Toddlers aren't exactly known for their dexterity at the best of times. These chubby little fingers of mine tended to get in the way more often than not.
Still, Mother was quite patient with me and once we were finished eating, took me to the bathroom to clean me up and change out my clothes. As I was a bit more conscious now, I apologized for making such a mess. At least Mother was looking better now, she didn't have the complexion a sick person.
A short time later, Mother and I were heading out the door. The walk to the park was still too far for my stubby little legs and now I was too heavy for Mother to carry the entire distance. So instead I sat in a stroller. I'd like to say I couldn't complain about the ride but seeing as the roads were simply packed dirt, the trip was rather bumpy. Someone really needed to invent stroller shocks. That said, I did enjoy getting out like this. Watching the everyday life of the Hidden Leaf was an interesting sight. I mean how could it not be? At any time as you go about your day, someone might just drop out of the sky. Shinobi were everywhere after all.
Genin were the most common sight, the young ninja could often be spotted running various errands around the village. They were also the ones most likely to drop out of the blue before dashing off again. The older shinobi were a lot calmer, likely being off duty or on street patrol was my guess. I did often find myself turning my gaze skyward in an attempt to see them running along the rooftops. Once or twice I managed to catch a glimpse of them and it was honestly astonishing. Even the Genin shinobi were unbelievably fast. Back in my old world the running long jump olympic record was around seven meters. And that was a feat only capable by athletes who trained themselves to the absolute limit. Here, it was basically expected if you wanted any hope of being a shinobi. I couldn't help but wonder if that was the effect of chakra, or if the human body was fundamentally stronger in this world.
Twenty minutes or so after leaving, we finally reached the park. My butt was eternally grateful when Mother lifted me from the stroller. Before us lay a massive sandbox, several pieces of playground equipment erected within. Of course there was the standard affair, a slide, a swing set, a monkey bar dome thingy. Then there was a few other things, such as a group of three logs standing vigilant yet worn and beaten. Their purpose eluding me. Beyond that, there was one other structure. A combination of metal bars and logs interwoven together creating a small obstacle course. Being a tiny potato, this structure both intrigued and intimidated me. My monkey brain desired to climb but it was certainly something built for older children. The space between bars was almost the length of my body after all.
Mother noticed my interest in the death trap, taking my hand in hers as she guided me away. "Meiko look, there's a big dog!" Mother's attempts to divert my attention from the dangerous jungle gym was obvious. Following her finger, there was a set of those animal-shaped like teeter-totter things. There was a dog, a cat and a bird, I found it amusing that all three were sporting the iconic ninja headband, the symbol of the village engraved upon their worn surface.
Mother placed me upon the dog, a grumpy looking pug. The next few minutes were spent with me faking enjoyment as Mother cheered me on, rocking the rusty old mutt on my behalf. Around the park, other children ran and screamed. I know Mother worried for me and wished I could interact with others my age but it wasn't so easy. I could put on an act for a while yes, but I couldn't exactly relate to them. It was exhausting.
To my right, another mother placed her daughter upon the cat. Her authentic excitement radiating as she turned to me. "Hey! Let's race!" Her light-blue, pupil-less eyes sparkling in anticipation of my acceptance. The women both giggled at this, sharing an understanding glance and assumed a readied position behind our mounts. I took a deep breath to buy myself time to get into character. A big, stupid grin shining as I shouted back "Okay!".
"Alright, racers ready!" My mother called out in her best impression of a sports commentator. "On your marks! Get set! GO!" The blonde girl beside me screamed a battle cry as our mothers began rocking our mounts. "Faster! FASTER!" She screamed in between fits of laughter and her mother complied, rocking the old cat more and more vigorously. For a moment, our eyes met again and in them the spark of imagination shined unbound. In her mind, we were locked in heated competition neck and neck as we rounded the bend.
"Meiko! You're falling behind!" My Mother called out, egging me on. I smirked, a warm sensation growing in my chest. "Let's go! Faster!" I called out, kicking my heels with their imaginary stirrups. "YAH!" Behind us, our mothers joined in the game. Calling out the twists and turns of the race track, our positions and even the cheers of the crowd. In my own mind, the scene began to take form before my eyes.
We were neck and neck, each participant struggling to get even the slightest bit of a lead. Me on my pug and the girl her fat tabby. Rounding the final bend and the finish line in sight, we share one final glance at each other. No more holding back. Faster and faster, the wind whipping through our hair to the point our eyes could barely stay open. Closer and closer, the crowd roaring around us as the checkered flag stood at the ready. A photo finished! The crowd goes wild!
I blink hard for a few seconds as I returned to reality. I could practically feel the whiplash from how abrupt it was. Oftentimes I got lost in my own mind yes, but nothing like that. My imagination had taken over my senses, transporting me somewhere else completely. Mother, still cheering helped me off the old equipment. My legs buckling once I touched solid earth, only now realizing how unsteady my body felt from the vigorous shaking I had been through. "Whoa..." my voice as shaky as the rest of my being.
"Are you okay?" My former opponent now stood over me, seemingly immune to the same disorientation I currently suffered. "Yeah, just dizzy." I responded as I tried getting back to my feet, staggering slightly. The girl grinned, her smile practically blinding as she shoved a hand forward "That was a great race! My name's Kiyomi Yamanaka! Who're you!?". Bewildered, I just stared at her hand for a moment, not used to people being so forward.
"Oh! Um, I'm Meiko..." Snapping back to my senses, I took her hand in my own. The moment our palms touched, Kiyomi locked mine in a vice grip between both hands and began to violently shake. "Waaaaahhhhh!" I cried as I could swear she was trying to remove my arm from it's socket. My Mother and hers laughing in the background.
"Hey Meiko! Let's go play ninja!" I was not even given a chance to respond before Kiyomi took off towards the slide, my hand still locked in her death grip.
"Aaaaahhhh! W-wait a sec!" My cries falling on deaf ears as the blonde girl dragged me off. I send a pleading eye back to Mother who only smiled as she waved me off with a simple 'Have fun honey!'
Traitor.
I was finally freed from my shackles when we reached the foot of the slide. I watched on as Kiyomi ascended to the top. While I knew the slide itself wasn't that tall, from my current perspective it was akin to the girl climbing a mountain. Upon reaching the peak, Kiyomi looked down from on high; her face still plastered with that massive grin. "Meiko! Watch this!" Slapping her hands together, she tried to form a clumsy hand seal. "Secret Ninja Art! Super Sliding Jutsu!"
She then went down the slide as normal, a gleeful squee following her the entire way. Turning back to me, Kiyomi thrust out her chest. "See that! It's my super secret jutsu! You can't tell anyone else!" Her expression clearly indicated she wanted me to praise her. So, I began clapping with a wondered "Oooohhhh!" to accompany it. Pleased with my offering Kiyomi marched over to my side. "Your turn!" Kiyomi was certainly the type to not take a no for an answer, or any answer for that matter. I found myself being herded to the stairs.
"Okay! Okay! You don't need to push!" My protests falling on wilfully deaf ears
The ascent was slow going, the steps were large and far apart. How did Kiyomi manage to make it look so easy? The worst part was upon reaching the top I made the mistake of looking down. "Oh right, vertigo..." I gripped the bar before my legs could give out again. Below, Kiyomi called up words of encouragement and made another clumsy seal.
A few deep breaths restored the strength to my legs. The world steadying itself in tune with the young girl's cheers. Standing at the edge of the slide, I prepared to descend but Kiyomi's voice once again gave me a command. Emphasizing the seal she was making, I had to perform a jutsu before going down. It was a game of ninja after all. "I suck at naming things though..." Muttering under my breath, I made the seal I was most familiar with from the series. Two fingers on each hand formed a cross before my chest. It was the main seal Naruto used when creating his shadow clones. Of course nothing happened when I did it. I didn't even know the name of this particular seal, much less even feel my own chakra.
"Umm.. Secret Ninja Art... Falling... Bird... Jutsu?" I suck at naming. I pushed myself down the slide, a burst of adrenaline shot through my veins as I sped towards the sand below. For a moment it felt like I was about to be sent flying but it ended predictably, and unceremoniously, with my feet planting in the sand.
Despite the anti-climax of it all, Kiyomi was staring at me as though I just broke some world record. This girl was an endless wellspring of positivity and energy that was for sure. Not even a moment after I had gotten to my feet did I feel a slap across my back followed by a loud "YOU'RE IT" blasted right into my ears. Kiyomi was off like a rocket, her arms flailing behind her in the classic running style. "I guess we're playing tag now.". Resigning myself to the flow, I chased after the laughing girl.
The rest of the afternoon passed in a blur, caught in the whirlwind of Kiyomi's whims. Dragged from one end of the park to another without pause. By the end, we both collapsed on the grass. Even faint of breath, Kiyomi was still managing to eek out a laugh. I couldn't help but admire that spirit. Truth be told, I had a lot of fun. Often at home I would hold back, not wanting to bother my parents too much and focusing more on learning. Being able to just let loose like this, to get this massive excess of energy out, felt fantastic.
"You're pretty good Meiko." Kiyomi said between breaths. I could barely managed to gasp out a 'Thanks' in return. The two of us giggling away for no reason I could comprehend, it simply felt right at the moment. Finally, we both fell silent. Listlessly watching the clouds drift by above, the sun falling low in the sky.
"Hey Meiko?" Kiyomi breaking the silence, her voice surprisingly focused in tone. "I'm going to be a ninja when I grow up. Just like my Mom and Dad". Kiyomi sat herself up "Almost everyone in my family is a ninja." Despite being just a kid, there was a lot of pride in her voice. I then remembered Kiyomi had mentioned her last name was Yamanaka. If memory served, that was the name of one of the shinobi clans in the village. Their specialty focused on mind-based ninjutsu making them an invaluable source of information to the village.
I sat myself up as well, "Because that's what your family wants?" Curious if Kiyomi felt she had a duty to decide her future despite being so young. I was quickly proven wrong as she shook her head.
"Nope. I want to be a ninja just like them! I'm going to be the best Yamanaka ever!" Eyes sparkling with future dreams of glory, she turned to me "You should too! We can be ninja together!" Despite everything we had done today, Kiyomi appeared to be charging up for a second round with how much she lit up at the idea. "Oh! Are your parents ninja too!?"
"No," I replied shaking my head, "My Dad makes stuff. Mom mostly stays at home." To my knowledge, there were no ninja in my family, although I only knew my parents. Now that I thought about it, I had yet to meet any of my extended family members.
"So you don't want to be a ninja?" The disappointment in her voice was palpable, I could almost swear she was on the verge of tears.
"I don't really know..." My voice trailing off as my gaze fell to the ground. It was funny, I was debating this exact topic earlier this morning. "Being a ninja is... scary." Honestly, that summed up my feelings quite well. I was scared. "Fighting is scary." I muttered under my breath.
"Then you just need to be so strong that it isn't scary anymore!"
A simple, straightforward answer. As though it was just common sense that anyone would have naturally. "Look, you were scared when you climbed the slide right?" She asked, pointing towards the equipment in question. I simply nodded my head in response, recalling the feeling of vertigo I had at the time. "You were scared," she continued, "but then you did that jutsu and got stronger and it wasn't scary anymore!"
Several moments passed in silence, then I felt a twinge on my lips before bursting out into laughter. She really made it seem so simple. My laughter however, appeared to ruffle her feathers. Kiyomi's cheeks puffed as she made a groan of annoyance. "Hey, that's not funny! I'm serious!"
I needed a moment to calm my laughter before I could speak properly again. "I'm sorry," I managed to stammer out between breaths, "You make it sound so simple. I should have thought of it." It was certainly interesting watching Kiyomi process my response. Starting irritated, her expression softened before finally settling on expectant joy.
"So, you mean you'll do it!?" In her excitement, Kiyomi had all but moved to press her face into mine. Forced to place a hand between us, I pushed myself back to get some space. I could tell from the look in her eyes that 'No' was not an acceptable answer.
"I'll think about it. I need to get stronger first so it won't be so scary."
Wrong answer.
Kiyomi's expression burst with unbridled joy at my words. "Okay! Then that means we just need to train!" Gaining her second wind, the girl hopped to her feet and grabbed me with a now all-too-familiar grip. "Let's go! Ninja training! Ninja training! Ninja training!" How she could still have this much energy was beyond me. As such I surrendered myself to my fate as I was dragged back to the sandbox.
As we were en route back to the slide where this all began, something caught my eye, movement behind a tree on the far side of the park. It was only for a moment so I wasn't able to make it out. Kiyomi caught on to my wayward gaze as she stopped pulling. "What's up Meiko?"
It took me a moment to respond, my focus on the tree in the distance. However there was no extra movement so I merely shook my head. "I thought I saw something." Kiyomi turned to check for herself, scanning the park but finding little out of the ordinary. "It was over there" I guided her by pointing out the tree in question. Kiyomi's face scrunching up as she tried to focus.
"But that's so far away! How did you see anything?" Sounding both impressed and confused the young blonde turned to me, an idea formed in my mind upon and a mischievous smile on my face.
"I used a new jutsu." Watching the unbridled wonder grow in her eyes was adorable. If I hadn't known better, I could swear there were literal stars in the young Yamanaka's eyes.
"A JUTSU!? A REAL JUTSU! MEIKO THAT'S AWESOME! WE'RE GOING TO BE THE BEST NINJA EVER!" The moment her hands slapped onto my shoulders I knew I made a mistake. The world turned into a violent blur as Kiyomi began shaking my entire body in an expression of her excitement. Up? Down? Direction lost any and all meaning as my brain was bounced around in it's meat case. My weak cries the only resistance I could offer against this assault.
"Kiyomi! Say goodbye to Meiko! Its time to go!" An angel's voice came to my salvation as the tremors ceased, the blonde's disappointment all too apparent as she turned to her mother.
"Nooooo! We were just about to start our ninja training!" Kiyomi whined as she pulled me into a tight hug as though I were some teddy bear. Truthfully, I was somewhat grateful. The shaking had stopped but the world was still spinning, without the support I'd find myself on the ground no doubt.
Kiyomi's mother came over to us, "Come on now, we need to pick your brother up from the academy." I knew she had knelt beside us but the world was still spinning and I was trying to keep my lunch down to notice anything else.
"Can Meiko come with us?" Kiyomi pleaded, pulling me tighter. "Then we can all do ninja training together!"
The world was finally calming down and I was able to focus again. Kiyomi's mother was quite beautiful, sharing the same hair and eye colours as her daughter. A kind, soft smile on her face as she placed a hand on her child's head. "Maybe next time, Meiko and her mom need to go home soon."
Tears began to well in the small Yamanaka's eyes, pulling me in tighter still. "Nooo..." The girl whined, her hug starting to get a little painful.
"You'll be able to see her again," A hand was slid between the two of us and gently we were pried apart. "Meiko's mom said they would be back here tomorrow."
Wiping the tears from her eyes, little Kiyomi's mood brightened a bit. "Really?"
Her mother nodded, "Yup, but you need to be good if you want to come back, alright?" Kiyomi's response was instant, nodding back to her mother before turning back to me.
"Bye bye Meiko. We need to go get my brother now, he's going to be a ninja soon! See you tomorrow!" It was honestly amazing how fast the girl could shift between moods. With a quick bow, her mother took Kiyomi's hand and they made their way out of the park.
With everything finally over, I simply fell down onto my rear and let out a sigh of relief. Without Kiyomi around to keep me going, the exhaustion had quickly caught up to me. My eyelids growing so heavy I could practically fall asleep on the spot. And from the sound of it, tomorrow I'd be doing it all over again. Mother knelt before me, her usual smile this time appeared more radiant than usual, a certain pride in her eyes that warmed my heart.
"So, did you have fun?"
Nodding, a weak "Yeah," was all that I could muster. Sure I was dragged around and left at the mercy of Kiyomi's whims, but overall I think I did enjoy the experience. Whether or not I was looking forward to doing it all again the next day however, was a different question entirely. Mother however, was quite happy with the situation.
"I'm glad, you finally found a friend. Kiyomi seems like such a nice girl." Another nod and a non-committal noise was all I had the energy left to eek out. I felt Mother's arms wrap around and lift me from the ground. As she carried me back to the stroller, I thought I saw something moving in the distance again. Rubbing my eyes, I tried to focus on whatever it was but my eyelids were too heavy. Once I was placed in my stroller, I heard a voice call out to us.
Fading fast, I ushered in the last of my strength to see who was calling. A young boy came into view, the metal plate on his headband reflecting the sun caught my eyes. Groaning, I sat back in my stroller. Too tired to inquire any further, I tried to listened in on their conversation as I drifted off to sleep.
"Excuse me, Hashimoto-san?" The boy asked, his footsteps falling silent as he stood before my mother and I. "I have a message from your husband. He says the talks with the client are going long and that... late... sorry..." Their voices trailed off as I slipped away.
A familiar screen sat before me, the white light from the text editor stung my eyes. I was making a final check for errors before submitting the application. It was getting late and I wanted to get this submitted before heading to bed. That way, there was a good chance the mods could get a look at it and, with a bit of luck, everything will be good to go for tomorrow.
Just as I was about to submit the document, a message pops up in the bottom right of my screen.
Me: "Hey K"
K: "Hey dude, almost done?"
Me: "Yeah, was about to submit when you pinged me. How bout you?"
K: "Good to go."
Me: "You never did tell me what you were making."
K: "Well you can check it now, I just posted."
Within a few clicks, I was checking out the newly submitted character concepts. Right there at the top was a post under K's name.
Me: "Oh, a Yamanaka? Not many of those on the site."
K: "I know! They're so broken!"
Me: "Not really, all their jutsu leave them vulnerable. You miss once and you're dead, and you know how fights go here. Nothing lands until the mods step in and say 'nah, you ded'."
K: "Trust me, I'm gonna destroy everyone with my build."
Me: "Like that Mugen guy destroyed your last one?"
K: "That was bull and you know it! Damn broken Uchiha."
Me: "xD"
K: "I'm so going to destroy him once I get Jonin, just watch."
Me: "Well, that's a long way off. So, we still teaming up?"
K: "Hell yeah! I got M in on it too so we got all three areas covered. You go unga bunga, M has Genjutsu on Mana and Kiyomi will destroy their minds with ninjutsu!"
Me: "Meiko isn't some kind of caveman."
K: "She's unga bunga and you know it. Anyway, is it posted yet?"
Me: "Sorry, I'll do that now."
"Meiko... Meiko honey." A familiar voice called out to me from beyond the darkness, causing me to stir. My consciousness being drawn back from the brink, I slowly and with great difficulty, try to open my eyes. Before me, a familiar silver-haired woman knelt before me.
"Mmm... Momma?"
"Hey honey. Sorry for waking you." The world beyond Mother slowly came into focus, the landscape blanketed in the warm orange glow of the setting sun. "Mommy had to stop at the store for a bit." Rubbing my eyes, it appeared we were in the shopping district. Stalls and stores lined the street and crowds of people packed the narrow alleys. A large yawn escaped me as I tried to stretch as best I could within the confines of the stroller.
Mother giggled as she lifted up a shopping bag held on her arm. "We're having hamburger tonight!" A non-committal noise was all I managed to indicate my acknowledgement as my head fell and I tried to go back to sleep. "No no no," Mother said, gently shaking me back awake. "Don't go falling back to sleep or else you'll be up all night."
She had a point, plus, that dream I had still played in my mind. Kiyomi Yamanaka. That was the same name as K's character, I finally remembered. "Could it just be a coincidence?" I mused to myself as I shook my head to try and stay awake. If it wasn't, then the implications were huge. For one, this might not be the canon Naruto universe, it might instead be an extension of the old forum world. In that case all my notes are practically pointless. But there was one, far more important detail this could imply.
"I might not be alone."
Was Kiyomi like me? Was that K? If so, she's quite capable at playing the role of an excitable child. Maybe she didn't recognize me? Or well, remember. It took me a while myself after all. I'll need to ask her tomorrow. I need to know. If it is K, maybe they know something about how we came to be this way. Tomorrow was looking to be quite the day.
Around us, the crowds began to thin as we moved away from the markets. A cool breeze blew past, my skin growing bumps as a chill spreads through my body. "Its getting chilly lately." Mother commented to no one in particular. Summer was waning and soon Fall would be upon us. Fall in the Hidden Leaf was a spectacular sight to behold. As befitting its name, the village was naturally surrounded by a sea of leaves and when fall came about, the forests became a veritable ocean of flame. Brilliant reds and vibrant yellows as far as the eye can see.
It was also a gigantic mess once they started falling. I could only imagine the legions of Genin being unleashed to keep the streets swept and gutters open.
We found ourselves passing through the same park from earlier this afternoon, the place now vacant "Almost home Meiko" Mother called to me, probably checking to make sure I hadn't fallen asleep. I made a simple noise in the affirmative to indicate that I was indeed conscious. Reminded that we would soon be having dinner after getting home, my stomach began to grumble. Mother laughing, indicating that yes, she heard that. "You must have built up quite the appetite today, huh?"
"Well, today is a special day, so I'll make you an extra large hambu-"
"Finally alone, took you long enough."
An unfamiliar voice cut Mother off, dripping with a vitriol that caused my blood to run cold. I couldn't see who was speaking but the voice was female and came from behind. This was followed by a dull thunk and a gasp of surprise from Mother as her weight fell onto the stroller. I grabbed the sides as tight as I could as it nearly shot out from under her weight. Mother managed to remain standing and immediately began running.
"HEEEEELP!" A blood-curdling scream pierced my ears as Mother tried to escape the assailant. Frantically, I tried to spot someone, anyone in the area as the stroller violently bounced me around. Confusion and fear overwhelming me as I desperately tried to figure out what was going on.
"DON'T TRY TO RUN!" The attacker screamed out, her footsteps rapidly approaching us. Mother cried out in pain and this time could not remain standing. Collapsing, the stroller shout out, tumbling onto the grass with me still in it.
"MEIKO!" I heard my mother cry out as I came to a stop. Bruised but otherwise alright I began fiddling with the buckle, trying to escape it's clutches. The crash had left me facing Mother's direction, she lay on the ground a shining piece of metal sticking from her shoulder, crimson red staining her clothes.
"Mom..." My voice shaking in disbelief. This couldn't be happening right? Why was Mother under attack? Who was doing this!?
Mother tried to get to her feet, the pain causing her to falter and fall to a knee. So instead she began crawling with all her strength towards me. Tears welling in my eyes as I fought the buckle restraining me. "Stupid... Thing... Let. Me. Go!"
"I never thought I'd see one of 'your' kind in this village." Venom-laced words from the assailant snaked their way towards us. Mother paid them no heed, her one and only priority being my safety. "Hehehehehe." A low, insidious laugh was emitted from the attacker as their feet came into my sights. "How many times have I dreamed of this, of getting vengeance on you people!" Their words punctuated by a swift kick into my mother's stomach. Blood splattering from her mouth as she collapsed onto the ground again.
"MOM! NO!" I cried out, tears blurring my vision. Tugging and pulling at the buckle, the safety device finally surrendered to me as an audible click preceded my freedom. Now released, I fell out of the seat and immediately began crawling towards my mom. Throwing myself at her, I tried to use my body to protect my fallen mother. The blood coating her shoulder and back warm as I saw my reflection in the knife protruding from her body.
"Meiko... no... run please..." Mother's voice was weak as she pleaded from underneath me. I looked to the attacker, towering over the two of us. A woman, skin scarred by middle age stood before us, deep blue hair sitting long and ragged on her head, obscuring some of her face. Her eyes grey and filled with a malice that chilled the blood. Speckles of blood marred her clothing.
The woman's eyes turned to me, as though first acknowledging my existence. "Oh? What's this? You got a brat, do ya?" Her mouth curled in disgust before gnashing her teeth in an almost feral display. "Disgusting. Trying to spread that filthy blood." Practically spitting, the crazed woman looked upon me as little more than filth beneath her heel. The woman raised a leg again, about to continue her assault on her new target.
"NOO!" Mother screamed, pulling me in close and shielding me as the woman's foot collided with her head. I felt the impact on my back as her head bounced off my tiny body.
"Mooom!" I cried, but Mother only held me tighter.
"Its okay. Its okay Meiko. Mommy won't let her hurt you." Despite all the pain, her only worry was for my safety. That simple fact broke the dam as my emotions burst forth in a torrent of screams and tears.
"STOP STOP! DON'T HURT MY MOM!" Weak. Small. Pathetic. I couldn't do anything but scream in impotent rage as my Mom was struck again and again. All the while she clutched me tight, whispering sweet reassurances she would keep me safe.
"Aaahhhh, shut up you damn brat!" The witch cried out, her foot slipping between Mother, no, Mom's defences and caught her face, throwing her back. Now exposed, the woman grabbed and threw me away. Now standing between us, the creature in human flesh turned her attention back to Mom.
"I had an idea..." A cruel, twisted grin grew on the witch's face as she stared down Mom. "I think I'll gut the brat first. I can't wait to see your face as you watch your little crotch-spawn bleed out in front of you."
"NO! LEAVE HER ALONE!" Mom cried out, trying desperately to move. Her struggle rewarded only with another swift kick. The witch droning in annoyance at Mom's resistance.
Every inch of my body was shaking, bruised and scratched I may have been but what overwhelmed me was fear. Fear and shame at my helplessness. "Dammit!" I cursed myself, my pathetic, useless self. Was I just going to lie here and watch Mom die? Blood-stained fingers curled, tearing the grass from the earth. I had to do something, anything!
In my palm I felt something small and hard mixed in with the torn grass. A stone. Gripping it tight, I pulled myself up and took a deep breath.
"STOP HURTING MY MOM!" With that as my war cry, I mustered all the strength my tiny body could muster as I threw the pebble at my Goliath. The monster turned towards me, enraged at my defiance as the projectile impacted her directly in the eye.
The beast screamed, clutching at her twisted face. Free arm flailing in rage. Heart pounding, I charged forward towards Mom. I had no idea what I was going to do, all I knew was I had to get to her. To help.
"MISERABLE PIECE OF-" The witch screamed as she regained her senses. Spotting me moving towards Mom, the beast intercepted my course. Leg swinging forth and catching me in the stomach. I was launched airborne as my lungs were vacated. The ground was unforgiving as my body bounced and rolled on impact. Desperately, I gasped trying to take in air and devolving into a coughing fit.
The woman checked her hand, a small amount of blood pooled in her palm from her wounded eye. "You little..." Rage barely held bound as she produced a second knife. "I'm going to take my time with you."
Slowly, menacingly, the witch approached my crumpled form. Struggling to breath, I tried to get up, to move, anything, but my body refused to respond. All I could do was lay on the ground, trembling like a captured hare as the wolf approached it's prey.
"Please stop! Its me you want! Leave her alone! She's just a child!" Mom's pleads for my life gave the witch pause. I watched as a sickening glee overtook the madness in her eyes. Slowly, she turned to face Mom.
"That's it" The low hissing made me sick to my stomach as the witch spoke. "That's what I want to see." Mom had successfully drawn away the witch's attention. Her eyes darting between our assailant and myself, she drew on the last of her strength to start crawling away.
Slowly, the witch crept closer to Mom, the knife in her hand flashing a crimson red as it reflected the setting sun, a premonition of it's blood lust. "You and your kin took everything from us, from me." Sliding the knife along her palm, the woman stared into her reflection for a moment. "Now, its my turn to take from you." Her head twisted back as she turned her attention back to me with a wide Cheshire grin straight out of a nightmare.
Mom, realizing what was about to happen, cried out again and forced herself once more to move. Calling upon the last of her strength, she managed to dart forward and grab onto the attacker's waist.
"NO! I WON'T LET YOU HURT HER!" The woman groaned in annoyance as she struck Mom with the handle of the knife once, twice, three times over the head. Yet Mom would not relent, determined to do whatever she could with the last of her strength. "MEIKO! RUN! RUN AND DON'T LOOK BACK! GET HELP HONEY! GO!" With her final command spoken she then bit down hard into the woman's thigh.
"AAAAUGGH" The vile witch screamed in pain as she continued striking Mom's head. Blood starting to trickle down her face now from the repeated blows. "Get off me you damn rat!"
Finally able to somewhat catch my breath, I was able to steady my body enough to barely get back on my feet. Immediately I took a few steps towards Mom, wanting desperately to help her. However, I stopped myself, her final words still playing in my head. Once more my body started trembling and tears welled in my eyes. "M...Mom..." I couldn't move, forward or back. I was paralyzed, helpless to do anything but watch my Mom's desperate struggle. I had to run, to get help or else her sacrifice would mean nothing.
Yet my damn legs refused to move.
"Come on you stupid idiot! If you don't move now, both of you are going to die! Are you just going to let that happen!? To let Mom die like that knowing you're going to be next!? Once a useless idiot always a useless idiot! Now both of you are going to die and its ALL. YOUR. FAULT!"
The taste of warm iron spread across my tongue as I winced in pain. The trembling ceased and I removed my hand from my jaws. Blood poured out from the fresh wound in tune to my heart. For the last time, I looked to my Mom, still latched onto the witch's leg. Between the beatings, she was able to open one, blood-soaked eye and meet my gaze. What I saw wasn't sadness, wasn't fear. It was one of peace and a heartfelt wish for me to run. To be safe and, of apology that she couldn't be there with me from now on.
I bit my lip before the tears could start again. Turning, I ran back towards the buildings in the distance, screaming for help as loud as I could.
"Wait! Damn brat!" The witch growled in anger between her pained cries. Looking down on my Mom, her patience ran out. "Fine! You die first then. Your brat will be right behind you!"
I heard Mom's pained scream but I couldn't stop. I had to keep running, for both our sake.
"HELP! SOMEONE! PLEASE! HELP MY MOM!" I continued screaming for aid as my vision blurred away. My throat burned and I gasped for breath in-between my cries. The nearest building felt miles away on my stubby little legs. I ran with all I had hoping, praying that someone would hear my pleas. Through all this, I failed to hear the rapidly approaching footsteps behind me.
A heavy weight smacked into my back, throwing me to the ground. The witch had caught up with me. She had tackled me from behind, knocking me to the ground. I twisted my head back to see what was happening. The woman stood about a meter from me, nursing a bleeding leg where Mom had managed to take a chunk of flesh. The witch stood hunched and haggard, her victims putting up far more of a fight than she had expected.
"Haa... haa..." Her breath was long and ragged, clearly the ordeal had taken its toll on the witch. Not enough however, that she would just stop. I tried to get back to my feet again, to keep running but she pounced. Landing on top of my small frame, we entered a short scuffle. I swung and kicked to try and get free from her grasp but I was simply too small, too frail. Too weak.
With one bloodied hand, she pinned me down on my back. Making sure I could look her in the eyes as she did the deed. I struggled with all my might but at best I could only scratch her forearm. By pressing her weight down on my chest, not only was I pinned down but I could hardly breathe.
"Don't worry, I'll send you off to see your wretched mother soon enough." The vile witch cackled as she raised the blood-stained blade high into the air. A drop of Mom's life essence falling on my cheek. "No..." I cried meekly, part of me resigned to my fate as I continued scratching and kicking. It wasn't enough however, I couldn't break free.
"Don't blame me child. Blame that pathetic creature you called a mother, for carrying her filthy blood in your veins!"
The bloodied blade flashed in the light of the setting sun as it came down on me.
I screamed one final time.
Author's Note: So here we have Kiyomi, one of my friend's OCs. Expect to see a lot more of her in the future. I do wonder if I should have split this into two chapters with how much that happened. Oh well.