9/27/24: So, here we are again XD. We're going to get completely through this rewrite this time, and then we're going to get through the sequel. I'm manifesting it now lmao.

I spent a lot of time trying to develop the story and characters better this time around, so hopefully I delivered. At least somewhat lol.

P.S. I do not own the cover image for this story. Found it on Pinterest.

Noise…she remembered there was a lot of noise. Thumping and banging, scraping against the walls, shattering glass, high-pitched screams that were so loud they would've reached the heavens had they not been swallowed by the thick canopy of the forest. It startled her awake, but she couldn't open her eyes, no matter how hard she tried. She wrestled with the invisible monsters holding her down, keeping her from running to see what was happening. Her nose twitched and burned with the countless, horrifying smells it picked up, even though she wasn't anywhere near the skirmish. Desperate tears slid from her eyes, dropping onto her pillow.

Her family. They were the ones making all that noise. What were they doing? Were they in trouble? They were shouting curses, screaming each other's names in fits of terror. Something exploded, shaking the walls of her bedroom as debris scattered across the yard. There's no doubt that they were in trouble. She strained against her paralysis, unable to figure out what was wrong. Her senses were alive, working better than they ever had, thanks to her eyesight being incapacitated. She could hear everything: fragile objects being smashed, weapons embedding themselves into the fine wooden walls, furniture being overturned, the desperate cries of the injured. Countless people were shouting. Her sense of smell, which was already powerful, could pick up the horrid stench of smoke–the burning of flesh, and the distant scent of iron…blood.

But her body refused to move, and her eyes refused to open. She was frozen from head to toe. Why couldn't she get up? Her family–her father, mother, brother, and sister–were all fighting their own monsters, too.

Only, these monsters were real. And they were destroying them.

She heard the door to her room slide open slowly, felt the light of the moon upon her eyelids for only a moment before the door was shut again. There was no urgency in the movement, or in the footsteps as they approached her bed. She wondered if she was in trouble like the rest of her family. Unlike them, she couldn't defend herself. She was small and weak. Scared. Her siblings were never like her. They were strong and proud shinobi, even when they were her age. Her parents weren't ninjas, but they were still brave. But she couldn't imagine anyone who would want to hurt them. They'd done nothing but help the village since long before she was born.

She tensed, readying herself for the true nothingness that was about to come. Would the enemy slice her throat? Strangle her? Stab her in the heart? Or perhaps they would simply smother her with her own pillow. The possibilities were endless. Was her family already gone? She knew that if they were able, they would have come to her rescue and stopped this bad person from hurting her. Where were they? She felt more tears sliding down her face, and though her body was still, she imagined she was shaking all over. Fear, she thought. And even in her head her voice was trembling.

"Goodbye, my sweet Kaiya," a voice whispered next to her ear. A woman's voice, so soft she almost mistook it for a breeze that might have blown through her small, open window in the corner of the room. This scent is… She stilled, listening. "One day, you will understand all of this. I hope you can forgive me. I will be waiting for you, however long it takes. Come find me when you are ready, and I'll tell you everything. Never forget how much I love you."

Kaiya felt a warm, wet kiss on her forehead, an overpowering smell of sulfur and blood perforating the air, and then the voice fell silent. The unknown presence in the room disappeared completely, and so did its oddly familiar scent. This didn't make sense. That person had disappeared days ago without a trace. How could they be there now? After a few minutes–Kaiya wasn't sure how long it had been–she began to feel warmth in her fingers, and they twitched as the blood flow returned slowly. Little by little, she could move her hands, then her arms, and then her neck. Finally, her eyelids opened, and she glanced around her small room lit up by the full moon outside as she slowly changed to a sitting position, feeling like she had just been revived after rigor mortis set in. The last part of her body to move was her legs. She took a deep breath and jumped down from the bed unsteadily.

As soon as her bare feet hit the wooden floor, she dashed toward her door, which led outside to the veranda. Throwing it open, the force so sudden and harsh the door broke off its hinges, she ran toward where she'd heard the noises earlier, as if in a dream. It was completely silent now. Too silent. Debris of splintered wood and concrete, along with roof shingles and drywall littered the ground, and she clumsily leaped over them, focused on only one thing.

Her family. Something was wrong. Her ears strained as she attempted to listen to anything–her mother's soft voice as she hummed in the garden; her father's deliberate footsteps as he patrolled the compound at night; the muffled laughter of her siblings as they wrestled in the courtyard after she'd already been put to bed. These were the comforting sounds she had grown to know and love, that she had taken for granted all this time. But now, the property was destroyed and eerily desolate and quiet. Not even the crickets chirped. And what's worse, the only thing she could smell now was the heavy stench of blood and smoked wood.

What happened?

Kaiya's mind was racing, sweat dripping down her brow profusely. She was the kind of child who always thought positive, even when things weren't right. She pushed every negative thing out of her mind and tried to make something good out of a situation. She was so optimistic that it made the rest of her family sick. She did all she could not to think of the worst things, but this time it was personal.

Danger. She smelled danger, mixed in with the overwhelming rust piercing her nostrils, making her stomach church. Goosebumps covered her arms and neck, her spine stiff. Danger.

There were no lights on in the main compound, and she could see there was a hole blasted through the wall, responsible for all the garbage laying about the yard. Something rustled in a nearby rose bush in the garden, just in front of the family room, where her parents drew plans throughout the day and even sometimes through most of the night, hardly ever sleeping; where her siblings played chess until their mother and father scolded them for staying up too late and they stubbornly retired to their rooms, refusing to admit just how exhausted they were.

Kaiya was never allowed to stay up late or join them in the family room after sundown. She was always sent to bed early. She wondered if they were aware she laid awake every night in her bed, listening to them enjoy each other's company. She wondered if they knew how much it hurt to be alone, if they cared. Of course they do. They're my family. They love me.

She doubled over, hands on her knees, as she tried to catch her breath. She was a fast runner now, and adrenaline was working overtime as she searched for her parents and siblings, but fear crippled her, choking her to the point she couldn't breathe properly. Her muscles ached from the strange paralysis she'd experienced earlier, like every part of her body had been in a long, groggy sleep except her mind. She forced her limbs to comply with her demands, just like Shoya taught her. Move!

Kaiya's room was quite a ways from the main compound, although everyone else's bedrooms were attached to the house. She had been told by her sister once that she had been an unexpected surprise, and so they had to build an extra room in the back of the property for her, because her sister refused to share a room. And of course, it had to be behind the holy shrine, or else the gods would get offended. Kaiya wondered if the gods were real. Because if they were, why would they allow something like this to happen?

The five-year-old gulped, taking one unsteady step forward, holding her breath. She could feel her pulse in her throat as she tiptoed past the tall rose bushes toward the door that led to the family room, facing the front of the property. She would have to pass the gaping hole in the wall to reach it. She didn't want to look inside and find something atrocious lurking in the darkness.

"M-mom, D-dad, are you there?" Kaiya called shakily, turning toward the rosebush, before glancing back at the black abyss inside the ruined house that seemed to beckon her. "Dakuma…Hisoka? This isn't funny. Come out, please. It's so dark; I can't see anything. My nose hurts. All I smell is–"

Something shot out of the rosebush and disappeared in the flash of an eye. It was too quick for Kaiya to follow. She stiffened, her nose twitching. That was definitely a…human! The scent was unfamiliar, and she'd only caught a flicker of it, but she already knew it wasn't anyone she knew, and it definitely wasn't the person that had entered her room before.

Of course, she thought, the fear ripping at her heart now. It was beating fast, too fast for her to keep up. Her vision blurred; she felt dizzy, nauseous. If shinobi were on her property, it would explain all that noise earlier, as well as the foul stench of blood. Just as soon as the figure had appeared, it was gone, and she was alone again. She heaved, trying to gain her composure, as she glanced at the rosebush again, searching for any signs of movement.

Kaiya took a deep breath and ran past the dark hole blasted into the side of the house, toward the door that led to the family room. On either side of the front door was a large double-latched window; both were shattered to pieces. She bit her tongue to keep from crying out as shards of glass sunk deep into the soles of her bare feet. She cursed under her breath and limped past the debris, pretending not to see or smell the blood staining the porch and the door, which was somehow still intact.

Kaiya released the breath she forgot she had been holding, unsure of what she'd find inside the dark house. But then she gasped when a dark figure jumped out at her from the blackness, pushing her back and away from the house. She felt herself lose her balance on the porch and fall toward the ground, but the figure caught her, though their hands felt small. She looked up at them, but all she could see was red. And then, she couldn't see anything; she couldn't breathe, couldn't scream. Everything went black again.

"–aya." Black, darkness, nothingness. She was floating in an abysmal void. At first it was confusing, frightening. But then, it was peaceful. Kaiya relaxed and started drifting to the bottom of an endless sea. She could hear muffled voices, but they were distant, irrelevant. It was the freest she had ever felt in her short six years. She started to close her eyes, content in drowning in this murky–

"KAIYA KIMURA!"

Her eyes opened with a start, and she sucked in a breath, straightening up as she returned to reality. She blinked, trying to remember where she was. Last she saw, she was drowning…

She could feel sweat on her neck, the bottom strands of her hair sticking to it, while the top stood on end. She could feel the heavy bags under her eyes, like they were weighing down her face. She looked down, where her teacher was standing, arms crossed as he stared up at her angrily.

"Am I boring you?" Iruka asked irritably, lifting his eyebrow, indicating that this was not a rhetorical question. He expected an answer immediately.

"Kinda," she muttered, resisting the urge to roll her eyes, knowing it would only earn her more backlash. She closed them again to gain her composure before Iruka popped a blood vessel, opening them again ten seconds later. "Err, I mean of course not, Sensei." She laced her fingers on top of her desk and sat up straight, hoping he didn't notice her eyebrow twitching. She heard some of her classmates snicker behind her, but she ignored them. They'd love nothing more than to watch her get escorted out of class again. She bit her tongue to keep from saying anything she wouldn't regret but that would definitely get her in trouble. "Your lectures are the highlight of my day, sir. I just didn't get a lot of sleep last night, that's all." She smiled innocently, her lips struggling to make it further than a centimeter upward. Iruka's frown deepened.

He weighed the options of escorting her out of class or scolding her more thoroughly. But then he sighed in resignation, knowing it wasn't worth the time, and he no longer had the patience to try and correct her. It was no use with her; she'd see it as a game. She loved the attention, and as much as it irked Iruka to let her get away with things, it was much easier to just let it go, rather than drag out a losing battle. She was clever in a way that could twist one in all the wrong places so that she could get what she wanted out of them.

Too bad she only used it to bait him into getting her out of class, which was her goal all along. She wasn't afraid to push the limits of expulsion, knowing that her guardian would find a way to skirt around it. That brat. She was almost as bad as Naruto, the class clown. He wasn't sure which one was worse most days.

Quite annoying, he thought, shaking his head. But if he could hold on just a little longer, he could be rid of her. Surely having her and Naruto in the same class wasn't good for his health. Clearing his throat, he continued where he left off before Kaiya's snoring interrupted him.

"As I was saying, class," Iruka said, standing straight and resuming his teacher-like pose, "as you know, graduation is coming up soon." He couldn't wait. "Start preparing early. The test could be anything we've learned, so don't think you can slack off when you study."

Kaiya frowned. Study? She liked reading, honestly–but only if she chose to read something, not if she was being told by an adult to read it. Especially if it was Iruka.

She hated the Academy and everyone in it–her teacher included. It was full of stupid, self-entitled brats who wouldn't last a day in the real world. All the girls were obsessed with Sasuke, and all the boys were obsessed with sleeping, eating, or messing around. Kaiya herself wasn't much into anything other than taking an occasional nap or reading her own book behind her Elements of Chakra study material. For hours they would sit in a classroom and listen to the most boring teacher at the Academy drone on and on about things that didn't seem to matter to her. The girls would fight over Sasuke instead of paying attention anyway; and the boys were all smelly and dumb and lazy (especially Shikamaru).

Kaiya only enjoyed sparring days, where she was able to beat up everyone without consequence. Everyone except stupid Sasuke, who tied with her every time. She wished she could just punch his stupid face in, but then all the girls would gang up on her. They already bothered her far too much for her liking. She didn't like practicing ninjutsu because, well…she wasn't great at it–average at best. But average was better than poor, which is what her genjutsu marks were. She hoped to kami the graduation test wouldn't involve any of that nonsense.

Well, she wasn't terribly worried about it. In fact, she was sure everyone in their class would pass. Knowing Iruka, the test wouldn't be difficult at all, because he wanted them all out of the Academy as soon as possible. She wouldn't exactly say that he hated them–well, maybe he hated her just a little–but he didn't like their antics, and she's sure he went home exhausted every day.

The only one that would have an issue would be Naruto Uzumaki. The fool couldn't even perform a simple clone jutsu, and even Kaiya could do that. She sniggered, biting her lip. It would be just his luck if that's what the graduation test is, she thought, blowing air through her nostrils.

"Would you like to share a joke with the class, Kaiya?" It was impossible for Iruka's voice to be any more annoyed. "You seem to be enjoying yourself, which is rare. So I think everyone else would like to hear what's so funny." Her jaw clenched as she covered her mouth promptly, her eyes drifting to her blond classmate, sitting on the row directly beneath her, to her right.

She had half a mind to declare her thoughts, but then she thought of the repercussions, and the chores she'd be made to do when she got home. She wasn't quite that brave–not today. Clearing her throat, Kaiya shook her head, a nervous smile appearing across her face.

"Oh, uh. No, Iruka-sensei. I'm not enjoying myself at all. Please, carry on." Her eyes averted to the desks. Shikamaru, who was sitting in the same row as Naruto two seats away, snickered. His mouth was covered by his hands and his head tilted toward Choji, no doubt whispering something irksome. Kaiya blushed in embarrassment, glaring at him with a snarl. She flicked a pencil down at him, hitting him directly in the forehead as he turned around to say something snarky to her. He froze, his laughter dying in his throat. He frowned, sticking his tongue out as he turned back around, rubbing his reddened temple promptly. Kaiya smirked smugly and crossed her arms, leaning back in her chair.

Iruka groaned, shaking his head as he went on with his speech, interrupted yet again. At that point, Kaiya tuned him out completely, taking to studying the dingy classroom instead. She remembered her first day at the Academy seven years ago, the first time she'd stepped into this room. They had a different teacher then. In fact, a lot of things were different at that time. Kaiya's eyes narrowed.

She recalled her parents escorting her to the giant red building, which honestly was just one big eyesore, even to a five-year-old. They walked on either side of her, smiling and waving to everyone who passed by. Kaiya remembered feeling so elated; she was excited to be joining the Academy, and she was proud to have parents who were so respected in the village, even though they weren't shinobi.

Her father and mother neglected to stand anywhere near her, keeping almost two meters' distance between themselves and her, like she had some sort of virus that might infect them. She didn't notice it then, of course, but thinking back on it, she remembered how aloof they were with her–all of them, her siblings included. Their smiles were feigned, stretched taut across their lips, and they only made the gesture out in public. You would think a village of shinobi would notice the slight twitch of their eyebrows and how difficult it was to keep their faces so cheery all the time.

They arrived at the Academy, standing with other parents and children who were waiting for the induction ceremony to begin. Her parents mingled with the other adults, some of them other parents, others the former teachers of their older children. After the ceremony, they waved to her halfheartedly and then returned to their busy lives blueprinting the village.

Class was only a few moments from beginning. The small, white clock in the front of the room ticked by slowly, the second hand mocking her as it seemed to speed up with every thump her heart made against her ribcage, yet time seemed frozen. Rather than sit at the single available seat on the bottom row, Kaiya chose to make the long walk all the way up to the third section, second row from the top; that way, she could see the entirety of the room and not have to worry about the others staring at her back.

She took a nervous breath and exhaled slowly, hoping the other students wouldn't notice the shimmers traveling through her shoulders as she passed them. She was the youngest in the class. Her parents had somehow convinced the Hokage to enroll her early, appealing that they wanted her to learn as soon as possible, and since her birthday was only a few months away from the start of the academic year, the Hokage allowed it. Now that Kaiya was older, she knew the real reason her parents sent her to the Academy early.

They were planning something sinister for the day she turned six, and they didn't want her in their hair in the meantime.

She couldn't help but spend that entire first day thinking about her family, wondering if her siblings had gone through the same mental torture. (Ha! Of course they didn't. They were perfect and popular and strong). She figured her parents were lucky for never having to experience the Academy at all. She hadn't been around very many people other than her family, so there was no one else she could really compare herself with.

Eiji and Ayaka were both talented and successful architects in Konoha. Despite not having a shinobi heritage, her older brother Dakuma was a fifteen-year-old fresh Jonin, and her older sister Hisoka was a fourteen-year-old Chunin. Kaiya's family was pretty well-known and well-liked, and she was happy to be walking in their shadows, even though she didn't have the popularity they did.

That was, until the truth was discovered.

Just thinking about it made Kaiya sick, and her musings were cut short. She pressed her hand against her chest, where an odd-shaped pendant sat underneath her shirt. Feeling it gave her a sliver of comfort. "Kaiya, did you hear a word I just said?" Iruka was glaring at her yet again, exasperated, hands on his hips in disapproval. She blinked several times, returning to reality once more.

"Of course!" she lied, her voice dripping with fake enthusiasm, as it often did when she found herself in these situations. Rubbing the back of her head, she chuckled nervously. "Every word, Sensei. I promise." Iruka's eye twitched. If he had to get onto her one more time that day, he might just have a heart attack. He was definitely getting a cup or two of sake after work.

"Oh? So, you won't mind repeating it all back to the class, then?" he said. Kaiya paled, and this time the entire class burst into laughter. Even Sasuke sniggered, his eyes closed.

"..." Stupid Sasuke. What I wouldn't give to wipe that smirk off his face.

"Right." Sighing, Iruka shook his head, pinching the bridge of his nose. This girl makes me question my career choice sometimes. "See me after class, Ms. Kimura." Kaiya groaned in protest, slumping in her seat. She stared at the ceiling blankly as she rested her neck against the back of the stiff chair, her expression stoic. It's not like this was anything new. In fact, it was getting increasingly more difficult to control her antics lately. She'd been daydreaming a lot about the past, although she wasn't really sure why. But at least she would get out of class when Iruka scolded her before. Now, he just wanted her to suffer through it, as if he had anything important to say.

"Yeah, fine," she mumbled, crossing her arms. "Not like I haven't heard that before." The instructor gave her one last pointed look before he finished up his lesson for the day. It wasn't worth the trouble of addressing her disrespect for the third time in under twenty minutes. If he could just get through to graduation…

When class was dismissed, Kaiya didn't bother moving from her seat. Instead, she propped her feet up on the desk and leaned back, resting her hands behind her head casually. Iruka told her to wait for him there while he filed a report on her "disruptive behavior", complaining about how much paper he'd been using the past five years, telling Kaiya she was bad for the environment. Her file was probably as thick as his arm by now.

Kaiya ignored him until he left the room, then glanced down at Sasuke, who had made his way to the floor and was trying to push past Sakura and Ino, who were arguing over who would walk home with him–just a typical day, Kaiya thought, rolling her eyes. She didn't understand what girls found so appealing about Sasuke Uchiha. He was moody and arrogant and quiet, and he didn't show interest in anyone or anything–especially them. And he thought he was better than everyone else, which pissed Kaiya off to no end. A cactus was more approachable than he was. Yet all the girls drooled and fought over him like wild animals.

Sasuke frowned, his annoyance oblivious to the two lovesick maniacs, but palpable to Kaiya. She could practically smell it wafting off him. She laughed, catching their attention. All three of them looked up with irritable expressions.

"And what are you laughing at, Beef Brains?" Ino barked, waving a fist in the air as she bared her fangs. Steam curled out of her nostrils as she exhaled indignantly, her cheeks rosy from anger. She currently had her other arm wrapped around Sasuke's shoulders. Even with Kaiya occupying her attention momentarily, she was tugging him towards her, fighting against Sakura, who was doing the same with his arm. Kaiya sighed dramatically, rolling her eyes again, this time so that the others could see. She frowned at the insulting nickname.

Don't let them get to you, Kaiya, she told herself repeatedly, chewing on her cheek. Her nose twitched in irritation. Don't let them get to you. Iruka-sensei is already upset.

All of Sasuke's admirers (Kaiya referred to them as "stalkers") called her 'Beef Brains' because she had more muscle than all the other females in their class. She was ambitious when it came to physical training, so she worked out a lot more than most of her classmates, even the boys. Ami started the nickname when they were seven, and Ino and Sakura kept it alive. Kaiya had even been questioned a few times if she was really a boy pretending to be a girl. She answered those girls by punching them in the face, asking if a boy would do that. Of course, it got her into trouble, but it was well worth it to see them cry.

Kaiya stared at the heated blonde for a few more seconds before replying, "Hmm? Oh, I was just laughing at poor Sasuke here, who has to put up with you two every day," she answered, shrugging. "I don't know where he finds the patience. I mean, you're telling him he's got to choose between a pig with a big mouth and a big-ass forehead know-it-all? Come on, there's gotta be better options out there, right?"

Sakura growled, pointing up at the brunette, one hand firmly gripping Sasuke's sleeve so he couldn't get away.

"OH YEAH, BEEF BRAINS?" she screeched, her teeth suddenly turning to fangs, just like Ino's. "Just go ahead and say that to our faces!" Cha! You stupid bitch!

Kaiya's eyes narrowed, but she didn't move a muscle, tempted as she was to take Sakura up on the offer. Sakura heaved, her [flat] chest moving up and down dramatically as she took in deep breaths and let them out slowly. Kaiya closed her eyes and counted to ten, then opened them again.

"Maybe some other time," she decided, closing her eyes once more and leaning back further in her chair. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "I'd rather not waste precious seconds of my life disposing of the two of you. Even taking on Naruto would be more of a challenge." The two girls, clearly insulted, lunged at Kaiya, climbing up the stairs to the desk where she sat. Forgetting all about Sasuke for the moment, they tackled her chair, throwing punches and hurling insults, only to find a few moments later that she wasn't in her seat. Sasuke was also gone. They paused in confusion.

"W-what the…?" A shadow appeared behind them, and they stiffened.

"Told you: a waste of time." They turned around to see Kaiya standing over them on the desk, arms crossed. Her expression was frigid, frozen like a dark, icy statue. Chills ran down the girls' spines, as if they could feel the cold air radiating around her figure. They shivered.

"You're a monster," Ino muttered, hugging her chest. She looked away, her shoulders sagging. Sakura nodded, clenching her jaw to keep her teeth from chattering. They didn't notice the slight twitch in Kaiya's fingers at the insult. "How are you so fast?"

Kaiya almost smirked. "I train. You should try it sometime," she replied. Their words won't hurt me. I won't let them. The dream she'd had earlier in class came back to her, and she tensed. I won't be a victim anymore. Ino huffed, standing to her feet slowly; Sakura followed.

"Tch. I bet you train so hard so that you can betray the village, just like your–" Before she could finish her accusation, Kaiya's eyes widened in outrage. Her eyebrows furrowed and her face hardened as she grabbed Ino's collar before she could move, pulling her up to her face so fast she got whiplash as she gasped. Both girls were stunned at the speed and ferocity in which Kaiya moved. Her fists clenched the purple fabric of Ino's shirt tightly, shaking with unrequited anger. Her eyes were so cruel and empty of any empathy that Ino could almost see her death in the reflection of Kaiya's dilated pupils. With sweat dripping down her brow, her eyes wide, she gulped, her voice caught in her throat. Her heart beat relentlessly against her chest. This was true fear.

"Just like my what, Ino?" Kaiya's jaw was clenched just as tightly as her fists. She was trembling, the rational part of her brain trying to keep her from smashing her classmate through a wall. As if reading her mind, Sakura covered her head and cowered on the floor. She prayed Kaiya would have mercy on her. She'd never hit Ino or Sakura, but that didn't mean she wouldn't if pushed far enough.

"I-I'm sorry, Kaiya! I wasn't thinking about what I said, but I-I didn't mean it, I s-swear!" Ino cried, squeezing her eyes and turning her head away, as if that would help protect her from Kaiya's rage. The latter growled, rearing her free arm back as she prepared to punch her in the face.

"I thought I made it clear not to speak of them ever," she snapped, her voice tight and short like a cord stretched taut. "I told you the next time someone did, I was going to make them regret it, didn't I?"

Ino could feel the tension building up like a rubber band being pulled back as far as it could go, to smack someone in the eyes painfully. She held her breath as she waited to feel the agonizing pain that would no doubt leave a lasting mark for weeks. Kaiya could hit just as hard as some of the boys in the class. She was also the fastest girl, which meant Ino had no chance of escape. Her short life seemed to flash before her eyes, and the biggest regret she had at that moment was not being able to kiss Sasuke before she died.

Damn you, Kaiya Kimura.

Ino waited with bated breath. After a few seconds of nothing happening, she found a brief sliver of courage and opened her eyes, shocked to see Sasuke standing next to her assailant, gripping her free wrist almost as tightly as Kaiya was holding Ino's shirt with the other. Kaiya's fist was clenched so tightly her knuckles paled; the struggle between her will and Sasuke's could be seen by the red splotches on her cheeks as she fought against his grasp, to no avail. Kaiya wasn't used to losing matches of will; she wasn't used to losing battles of strength either. But Sasuke bested her in both. She gritted her teeth from the effort.

Finally, as stubborn as she was, she gave up, her hand going slack at the wrist, held tightly by Sasuke's firm grip. When he was certain she wasn't going to continue her assault when he let his guard down, he slowly released her, letting her arm fall at her side loosely. Then he took hold of her other hand still clinging to Ino's collar, but his grip was much gentler this time; he simply took hold of her, and she immediately let go, no fight left in her.

Sakura was brave enough to lift her head, just as astonished as Ino to see Sasuke return, and even more shocked to see Kaiya back down. Sasuke…

"You…rescued me, Sasuke?" Ino said in disbelief, flattered as her cheeks turned a light shade of pink. Her heart fluttered; butterflies churned in her stomach. Inner Sakura howled with jealousy. "But why?"

Sasuke had his arm out, keeping Kaiya from advancing on the blonde should he relax. He frowned, not bothering to look at her.

"Don't get the wrong idea," he said. With one arm outstretched between Ino and Kaiya, his free hand made its way to his pocket. He glanced at Kaiya from the corner of his eye, directly to his right, as his eyebrows furrowed. "Kaiya is already in enough trouble as it is. You should know better than to mention those people in front of her, especially when Iruka isn't around to protect you. Kaiya doesn't know how to restrain herself." He paused, letting the three girls digest his words, his gaze turning to the open door at the front of the classroom.

Kaiya frowned. The door had been closed a moment ago, just before Sasuke had come back and stopped her. He came back just for this? And after all the effort I put into helping him escape? Tch. The clock in front of the room mocked her, ticking incessantly; it echoed in the current silence of the room, reverberating off the ugly-colored walls and into her eardrums. Tick, tock. Tick, tock. Tick, tock. Nobody moved for several seconds.

Finally, Kaiya shifted, turning to face Sasuke. She studied him meticulously with her piercing gaze, and he stared at her in the same manner. It appeared they were communicating through their eyes, but for Ino and Sakura, it was almost impossible to tell for sure. It didn't make sense for them to do such a thing; they never talked to one another at the Academy, and one surely wouldn't call them friends, or even acquaintances. They were both loners, preferring to avoid people any chance they could.

At last, Kaiya yielded to Sasuke's cold glare, relaxing her shoulders and turning around.

"Tch." She shot a warning glance at the girls one more time, jumping down from the desks and onto the ground floor in one leap. Turning back to them, she leaned against the bottom desk in the third section. She stared at the floor defiantly, crossing her arms, until the others got the message. Leave, before I change my mind.

Sakura and Ino said nothing more as they shuffled out of the room, giving Sasuke a longing look before sliding the door shut behind them in a rush to get far away from Kaiya. Sasuke made no attempt to return their desperate glances. Nor did he make any effort to exit the classroom.

Damn, Kaiya thought, irritated, Iruka-sensei sure does take his time, doesn't he? Or maybe he's writing extensive notes on my bad behavior. Probably a novel at this point. She almost laughed at the thought but quickly reminded herself she was angry at Sasuke for interfering.

A pregnant silence passed between them. Sasuke now had both hands in his pockets casually, listening to Kaiya's accelerated heart rate that seemed to echo off the walls, a small grin appearing on his face. He stared down at her quietly for a minute; there was no sound other than the clock and Kaiya's frustrated, heavy breaths. She grasped at her chest desperately, where her pendant sat beneath her shirt. When she seemed to calm down, just a little, he made his way down the stairs to stand beside her, about ten centimeters to her right at the same desk. In the almost awkward silence, he averted his gaze to the wall. He hardly looked directly at her these days, she noticed. Well, that was to be expected, after what happened to him.

"You should just mind your own damn business." Sasuke's eyebrows creased as he turned to her in question, still avoiding direct eye contact. His lips pursed, but he didn't respond right away. "If someone brought up Itachi and what he did, you'd do the same thing. You know you would. I wouldn't stop you, either. The only difference is that none of our classmates know about what happened to you." Kaiya caught Sasuke's dark expression through her peripherals, praising herself in silence for her victory. The mention of his treacherous brother made his blood boil, his skin clammy, his tongue dry. His fists clenched inside his pockets; she could tell because of the shifting of the fabric. It was pretty much the only way to get a reaction out of him now.

She closed her eyes, waiting for him to blow up at her. She almost wanted him to, so she could have an excuse to punch him in lieu of not getting to do so to Ino. However, unlike her blonde classmate, Sasuke would be able to stop it, and he wouldn't think twice about returning the blow. Then again, that made her want to do it even more. She knew he was stronger than her, but that just fanned the flame of pride swelling within her gut, beckoning upwards, trying to escape through her mouth and nostrils.

But he didn't move. Instead, he smirked wryly. "You want me to believe you wouldn't have stopped me? Considering the trouble I would have been in if I started a fight in the classroom," he retorted, turning his head toward her expectantly. An annoyed tick appeared in the corner of Kaiya's forehead as she opened her eyes and faced him. She bit the inside of her cheek.

"Anyone ever told you how annoying you are, Uchiha?"

"Hmph. I could ask you the same question, Kimura." A small ghost of a smile appeared on her lips. It was rare for her to do so genuinely, but Sasuke Uchiha somehow knew how to make her grin every now and then. Even if he was infuriating.

Kaiya let out a deep sigh, uncrossing her arms and using them to support her weight on the desk as she leaned back further. "You'd better go," she said, after staying silent for a moment. "Iruka-sensei will be here any minute now. I assume he went straight to the Old Fart himself this time, and I'm sure he's still in a foul mood. You might get scolded for staying behind to visit with a troubled student."

Sasuke grinned, straightening up without a word, and walked to the exit. He stopped just short of the door, removing a hand from his pocket to open it. Kaiya blinked, waiting for him to speak.

"I really don't care whether you graduate or not, but if you're planning on being a ninja and facing enemies that can kill you, I have some advice." Kaiya's eyebrows furrowed; she couldn't wait to hear what advice he had for her. Know-it-all.

"Learn to control your emotions better, Kaiya," he warned, neglecting to look back at her. Even so, she knew he was smiling as he spoke, to antagonize her. "All your emotions, not just the ones that make you seem vulnerable. It's easy to tell what bothers you, and everyone uses that to provoke you into a fight. If you stop reacting quickly to your feelings, people won't use them against you so often, and you won't be seen as troubled."

Kaiya bit her lip so hard she broke the skin; she could taste the bitter, metallic tang of blood as she licked her lips. She could smell it, and it calmed her down–only slightly. She sneered, gripping the pendant beneath her shirt again, bunching it into the fabric.

"So, you're saying I should just let people say what they want?" she asked darkly. "They don't know what happened, so why should I just let them talk about it so freely? It's none of their business either way. Just like it's none of yours. You of all people should…" Sasuke's shoulders tensed, and for a moment he thought about grabbing Kaiya by the collar, just like she did to Ino. He paused and let a breath out of his nostrils. No, that would make him a hypocrite. He didn't even notice his fist was clenched at first, but when he did realize it, he uncurled his fingers and rested them gently on the door handle, making no attempts to pull it aside.

"That's not what I'm saying," he corrected her firmly, choosing not to address her jab at him. He knew what she was trying to say. You of all people should understand the pain of rumors. And he did. "Ino and Sakura and all the others who throw the past in your face…it's not right, but they're not the ones who hurt you. Not initially. They didn't cause your pain. Your family did. They're to blame, Kaiya, not our classmates. You can't take your rage out on them. It won't bring you any relief."

Kaiya's hard expression softened slightly. She didn't want to admit the bastard was right, but Sasuke didn't need her to say it for him to know he'd backed her into a corner. "I'm telling you not to be so honest about yourself. You're an open book. It's not difficult to tell when you're angry, or sad, or scared. It's because you give everything away. It's all in your eyes. You can disguise your appearance, lie to yourself and others. But your eyes never lie–it's always been that way with you. That's the difference between us, even though we've gone through similar circumstances."

Kaiya blinked, her gaze turning to the chalkboard at the front of the classroom, where Iruka would no doubt make her write 'I am a terrible student' about three hundred times, until her fingers numbed and her hand cramped. She rubbed her fingers together, as if she could feel the chalk between them already.

"My eyes, huh?" she repeated, confused. "How are our eyes different?" Sasuke stared at the wooden structure in front of him, lost in thought for several seconds.

"Your eyes are clear and sharp, like a kunai." Kaiya blushed, glad he was turned away. He traced the door absentmindedly as he talked, feeling his cheeks getting a little warm. He was glad he wasn't facing her now; he didn't want to know what she was thinking–and he didn't want to give away what he was thinking in return. She was probably wondering when he'd taken the time to observe her so closely. "You don't show much facial expression–except when you're angry–but your eyes hold everything you're feeling and thinking all at once, and you have no idea how to hide it. For people who have been around you long enough, they know what makes you tick, because you give it away freely. And any experienced shinobi will be able to tell right away, no doubt."

"And yourself?"

"Me…all I feel is emptiness and a drive to right a wrong," Sasuke answered, letting out a sigh. Kaiya wanted to roll her eyes. Sasuke fought a grin as he remembered what she had once said to him. "You've told me before, haven't you? That my eyes are empty and–"

"Sad," she recalled, her gaze lowering to Iruka's desk, not a paper out of place. She wondered what was taking him so long. Sasuke chuckled.

"Yeah. Anyway, the others bother you so much because you make such a big deal out of everything they say and do. They only mess with you because they know you'll react. It's a game to them," he told her truthfully. Kaiya frowned, her lips curling into a scowl.

"Nothing about what happened was a game!" she shouted, clawing the desk with her fingers hard enough to make scratch marks on the wood. "What if I think you're wrong, Sasuke? It feels like they really think I'm a…" Her voice faded before the end of her sentence. She couldn't say the word traitor. It was too painful, cut too deep. Sasuke scoffed, shaking his head.

"Kaiya, you're one of the most stubborn people I've ever met, next to Naruto." She frowned at the comparison, clearly an insult, shaking her head incredulously. Sasuke looked back at her to catch her expression, smirking in triumph as he caught the annoyed glint in her dark pupils. "Heh. See? Easy." She blushed in embarrassment. "Regardless of what everyone else thinks, you know the truth." Kaiya stared at her feet. No, I don't know anything. "They'll grow up one day. Maybe you should, too." He paused, but before Kaiya could give him a mouthful of her own insults, he said, "I'll see you later. Try not to do anything stupid until then. I'd hate to see you not be able to graduate because of your troubled behavior."

Kaiya shot up her middle finger as a response, Sasuke's back already turned to her as he slid the door open, walking out without another word. "Tch. Stupid Sasuke, always thinking he knows everything."

She knew he was right, although she would never tell him that to his face. Keeping her emotions to herself was one thing she'd always struggled with, even as a child. She would cry too much, laugh too loud, and love too deep. She blurted out what was on her mind most of the time, and she didn't have a filter, no matter who she was talking to. When her family had been exposed, all of those previous emotions morphed into anger, and she couldn't hold that back either. She would fight anyone who pissed her off without a second thought, whether they were girls her own age or older boys. She stopped crying, stopped laughing, and stopped loving. She even stopped talking for a while. But the one thing she couldn't get rid of was her anger.

But really, what did Sasuke want her to do about it? And why did he care? She didn't give a damn if people knew what she thought. She couldn't help that her eyes showed her emotions. Not everyone could be as dull as him.

About a minute later, almost fifteen minutes after he'd left, Iruka returned. Kaiya frowned, scoffing at his leisure, like he hadn't kept her waiting forever.

"Hmm. I'm surprised you're still here, Kaiya," he said, sliding the door shut behind him.

"You and me both," she muttered in response, studying her cuticles in boredom; they were dirty and scuffed from after-lunch shuriken practice. She hardly cared; she didn't micromanage her hygiene habits, especially if training was involved. It was too much work. "If I'd known you were going to take so long, Sensei, I'd already be at home."

If Kaiya didn't fear being held back from taking the graduation exam, she would've said something more offensive. She mused the possibility that she could say anything she wanted and could still take the exam, since Iruka would want to be rid of her as soon as possible. Instead, she scratched her chin with her dirty fingernails, trying her best not to show how impatient she was.

Kaiya's face suddenly contorted into an odd expression, a mixture of many emotions–annoyance, anger, anxiety, and hunger. (Was hunger an emotion? It felt like it should be). Her eyebrow twitched as she tried to hold her face together. Iruka watched her in awkward silence, wondering what exactly was going on. He neglected to ask, sure he didn't want to know the answer. Such a strange child, he thought, letting out a resigned sigh. At least the Hokage had given him advice on how to handle her until the exam.

"In any case, let's have a little chat, shall we? With graduation coming up, I need to make some things clear." Kaiya's eyes narrowed, her face going slack. Here we go, she thought, sitting down on top of the desk, waiting to hear what Iruka had to say this time. Another lecture.