Shinobi Isekai: Round Two

Mommie Dearest

((Art by Avokkun on tumblr.))

The late winter sun reflected off the glistening snow, the warming air melting the white blanket that had draped over the forest for months. The river, no longer frozen, was babbling happily, providing a full underscore for the symphony of birds intent on rebuilding their springtime nests and the general hustle and bustle of a land revived after a long winter's nap.

Kyou shifted her weight where she sat cross legged on the river's evermoving surface. Her entire body was encased in a thin layer of yin chakra, the viscous energy swirling as she maintained its circulation. She inhaled steadily, feeling the way her chakra interacted with the water in the air around her and the river below. Slowly, she exhaled, the water beneath her moving to answer her call. When she opened her burning red eyes, she was sitting on a pillar of moving water, the power of her yin chakra more than enough to divert the river's flow in such an unnatural way. She let herself smile, careful not to let her elation break her concentration, lest she fall ass first into the frigid waters.

With another slow breath in and out, she lowered herself back down and stood, stretching her arms over her head with a loud groan and a satisfying pop in her spine. Under her sandals, the river returned to its natural course as she pulled her chakra back into herself.

"Hehehe," she laughed, the joy bouncing around in her heart finally finding release. "Mwahahahahaha!"

Her sudden outburst sent birds flying for their lives, leaving her to chuckle alone like a madwoman.

Finally. Finally! How long had it taken her to lift her own bodyweight like that? Only all fucking winter! Too long! Way too long! Her pride could only handle so many reminders of her own mediocrity, ok?

She grinned down at her clenched fists, water manifesting in slender streams which wrapped themselves almost lovingly around her wrists, solidifying into bracelets of solid ice. Though they sat against her bare skin, they didn't feel could. Instead, Kyou smiled even wider at the hum of power contained within them.

She was getting stronger. Soon, she might even be strong enough to leave the Uchiha Clan for good, without fear of retaliation. Of course, even then she wouldn't be ready to leave. She still needed to be strong enough to take her mother with her, after all. And maybe baa-chan, too, if she could be convinced.

"I thought I heard someone making a fool of themselves."

Kyou turned around, the smile on her face losing its sad twist as she looked upon her sudden guest. "Tobi!"

The instant she looked at him, she immediately looked away, a hand cast over her eyes to protect them. How? How could someone be so goddamned pretty!? Tobirama's white hair and pale complexion had him looking like one of those guys in a Chinese fantasy drama, the snowy backdrop adding to his mystical allure. Over the past season, he'd had another growth spurt, what little baby fat he had transforming into muscle. Every time Kyou met him 'coincidentally', she had to beat herself over the head with the fact that he was a thirteen year old boy! Bad Kyou! Bad!

Ah~! But he's so pretty!

"What are you doing?"

And he doesn't even know it, the jerk! Here he is, blinding her preciously evil eyes, and he has the gall to ask such questions?

A clueless beauty is truly the cruelest of all.

"It's nothing," she said, finally getting ahold of herself. "The light was in my eyes."

The look he gave her made it abundantly clear he didn't believe her, but he didn't pursue the issue. Instead, he clicked his tongue in what Kyou had come to understand was his way of sighing. Really. This boy was too complicated. Couldn't he just emote like everyone else?