desolate minds

vii. with red in your eyes

It had been decided for a while that Jin would train to specialize in the fighting style that her grandmother had preferred. In order to master that style, she'd have to learn how to dance first. Dancing would help increase her lithe and gracefulness. It would also help her become more flexible and balanced.

Jin had no problem with her fighting style being decided for her. In fact, if she had been given the opportunity to choose it herself, she'd have chosen the one her grandmother used as well.

Out of all the decisions that had been made for her in her life, there was really only one that she wasn't quite pleased with...

"We'll arrange a marriage for her when she comes of age." The deep voice came from her father; the tone he was using said that this decision was final. Jin remained rooted to where she stood outside her father's study.

There was a hum in reply; it sounded like her mother. "You've already found a suitor for her?"

"No, but by the time she is sixteen I believe we will have found one."

Jin's mother sighed, exasperated. "Don't go making such rash decisions when you're not even sure what the future will hold. Her marriage will be decided as soon as we find a proper suitor."

There was a moment of silence before her father finally grunted in acceptance to his wife's decision. "Very well..."

With her curiosity sated, Jin left with a scowl on her usually expressionless face. She had never once protested or disobeyed her parents' wishes. This however, she could not sit back and allow to happen. In Jin's mind, marriage was supposed to be between two people who love each other.

She had read various books about such romances; a prince and a princess; a knight and his charge; a witch and her childhood friend. Jin had read about so many different scenarios and —as cliche as it may have sounded— Jin had always wanted (the only thing that she had ever wanted) to be able to experience such an amazing thing as falling in love.

Jin would not sit back and allow her parents to match her up with just any person. Jin wanted to be in love with the person she married. Six years old or not, Jin was not called a genius and prodigy for nothing. The hunt was on; she was going to find her perfect match before her parents found a suitor.

× × ×

I wasn't sure when exactly this rule was established, but it exists. If a prospective student was unable to perform genjutsu or ninjutsu (basically if someone can't use their chakra to the fullest) then they could not enter the Sunagakure Ninja Academy. They couldn't become a ninja.

This rule was probably demolished when Gaara became the Kazekage (knowing his moral code), so I'm fairly certain it'll remain in effect until then. Luckily enough, I was born with a healthy chakra system so I (personally) don't have anything to worry about.

Switching the topic, if a student wanted to graduate from the Academy, they would be required to take a practical and written exam. Then, if they passed those, they'd have to demonstrate several basic jutsu. I knew everything that the Academy had to teach— thanks to the help of my past memories, Chiyo, and Sasori.

So, needless to say, I was ready to get the fuck out of there.

"Perform the Sand Clone jutsu again; your hand seals were full of flaws."

I groaned, cracking my aching knuckles. Ninjutsu was fun and all, but memorizing the hand seals was a pain. Literally, since my fingers always managed to cramp up when I was in the middle of trying to execute a jutsu. It was annoying.