Chpater 8 Petty Girl Adventures, Part 1
Playing mind games with the master himself has only serve to destroy me further. It is quite frankly exhausting to even take Shikaku head on. I've quite literally, exhausted myself(yes physically) just trying to even keep up. Perhaps only god can really help at this stage. For my instincts against a mental attack feels like it's thoroughly under calculation. And therefore since it knows what I'll try it can set up counter traps to hit back. To be quite frank, thinking is overthinking, and I can't afford to think anymore.
I just decided I'm just going to iterate continuously until I find something that fits. Usually in the form of this lightning and seeing what minor shapes and charges my puny 7 year old can hold against these supposed Masters. I guess I'm taking it one rank/battle at a time.
That being said, Instinct training with shikaku has actually been pretty helpful. I have been blessed enough upon realizing that at the lower level ranks it really is the difference maker between survival and death. Obviously in jonin level battles that's obviously pretty important still, I'm just worried about staying afloat the moment though. Before, trying to think my way to the top felt like every day was a new moment to climb a mountain. But the mind is not something I can ironically think my way out of. So many ways for things to go wrong, best to tread carefully, for one mistake feels like despair is on the way. Or perhaps that's just fear. Fear of what? Fucking up and the depression that comes after it.
Let's talk about D-ranks! It's been a while since I've had to pick up the actual trash instead of ninja trash instead. For all that I am grateful this time around, for I get to not stress while my genin teammates complain about missions for the first month. I don't let others know by the poker face that I've got.
For some reason that causes us to have C-ranks sooner. Damn the Hokage. The only time something went wrong was when we ran into a couple B-rank missing-nim on our second C-rank, which our sensei took care of for us. Things remained steady while I quietly trained my skills and team formations.
Eventually 6 months had passed, 14 C-ranks, 60 D-ranks, and a pissed off Danzo that we aren't living up to our "potential" later, we are slotted for the chunin exams in Iwa.
We actually had our first exams in Kohona 12 months from now the first time around, but I already was slightly injured then.
By the time, we reached the entrace of the exams, it was mostly packed. The way things go around here at least with female kunoichi is that everyone wears a Mask with passive-aggressiveness and small quips/insults at each other, no big deal.
Until Onoki's granddaughter,Akimichi decides to quite literally smash through the door. And walks straight to me. It takes all of me not to sigh, and just remain Mikoto-esque. It's my current Mask.
Akimichi: A, Miho: Mi
A: Drop the Face punk, let's talk for Real?
Mi: Whatever do you mean?
A: Do you need to it, cause you're scared little girl?
Standing up to a 14 year old who is quite literally up and above my head, I decide I quite literally cannot afford to piss off a royal, for all intents and purposes here, kunoichi who will be known as the straightforward kage in future. And so I Do so.
A: Wise choice, here's how this is going to go. We have to battle that is for sure. I'm obviously not above dirty tricks but perhaps no long term injuries to either side. It's a matter of the long run, not about pride.
Internally, I ask myself who needs Killer B, when we got Aki over here. Before I can respond however, it's like I enjoy shooting myself in the foot for in comes...12 year-old Yugito, the 2-tails herself...
Yugito: Y
Y: It seems that a commotion is bound to happen. The battles we face are respected by both sides. Caution is good, it's not about pride. It's about keeping yourself alive. There's no need to rush, but neither go slow. Other than that, I don't know. We can talk all we want but at the end of the day. Speculation doesn't matter, the battles will be what they are.
I nod my head slightly as I turn to walk away, with a hip check from Aki herself, along with anticipation, there's a deep dread and fear. That I'll screw up somehow. That the squad we have might not be enough and someone might die. For all that I need to survive, battling is not something I want. I just want peace. But life doesn't Work that way. This is the unfortunate Truth.
But that very hip check itself, gave me a sign of life.
