Chapter 5
* "What is going to happen to Sasuke? Do you really think the village is going to take care of him?" Mikoto asked me as I was setting down everything they needed at a nearby transit town. Per my request they had disguised themselves so not to be recognized.
"The Third Hokage will keep Sasuke safe as long as possible. By now he should have even set Sasuke up comfortably in his own house within the village. The Hokage is also putting him on an allowance with the Uchiha money so he will never be without food, shelter, clothes, or tools. He will live comfortably." I told her as I stretched my arms to the sky before looking up at the blue mass high above us. It was a beautiful day. Too bad it's a weekend I am supposedly sick. It would be a perfect day for training.
"How can you be sure?" She asks again causing me to look at her annoyed.
"How about this. If the Third doesn't take care of your son... I will." Glaring at her a little more harshly then I had expected to I turn away from them. "We will find a way to communicate so you can receive updates on Sasuke and so that when the time comes Sasuke can come to you. Until then. Be safe. Be smart. Be happy." With that I left them watching me as I walk away. I had to get back to the village before Iruka or someone decides to check on me.*
Moving my arm away from my eyes I give a yawn as I stretch enjoying the softness of my bed. Why my dreams were revolving around that day I didn't have the foggiest idea. It's almost like I am dwelling on saving their lives. Of course I had got caught returning home. Stupid Third Hokage decided to check on me at the exact wrong moment. I had to explain to him about how I was restless hearing about the tragic massacre and how my heart was aching for Sasuke. He gave me a knowing look as if he thought I had been through something similar. Which is why my soul was resonating with the young arrogant Uchiha boy before he had relaxed when Aphrodite brought us some tea as she was on her way out to train. He looked solemn. Truly sad that the Uchiha had been annihilated. Which little did he know I knew it was true. He was against the elders every step of the way. He wanted to find a peaceful solution between the village and the great Uchiha clan. He is probably blaming himself right now for the fate of the Uchiha brothers.
"So, what are you planning to do?" He had asked me both yanking me away from my thoughts and startling me at the same time. Did he really know I had planned something? That I'm going to keep to my promise and watch over Sasuke as best I can? No, he said planning, meaning he knew me well enough to know I was going to do something.
"Would it be alright if I said I want to watch over Sasuke? As his family would have? Make sure he is safe and try to make his lonely existence somewhat more.. Bearable?"
The old man gave me a warm smile before leaning back on the couch and bringing his pipe from somewhere in his robes. "My dear, why wouldn't that be okay?"
In that one sentence it felt like a weight had lifted from me. I had almost actually felt... Happy. Since then I've watched Sasuke in school and noticed how he reacts with everyone. At some point I had even emptied my mom's backpack and had begun to watch what I had on the Naruto anime. Aphrodite of course had caught me and taken my ipad away from me. Saying we should use this as a chance to learn and grow rather then constantly knowing beforehand what is going to happen in order to prepare for it. Too bad really, I had wanted to watch more but I had seen the first few episodes more than enough times growing up anyway and that seems to be what I have saved.
As I continued to watch Sasuke I was able to see him sink deeper into his darkness, dwelling on the fact his family was gone and who had taken them from him. The colder he's become the more popular he is too... well with the girls anyway. The only way I could figure to be there for him was as someone to beat. So I've trained every day to better my skills just so that during each practice at school it would seem like I was getting better. Some days I could feel his glares boring into the back of my skull but most of the time I could hear girls talking about me. Saying that I am only trying to show them up to get Sasuke's attention. Which is annoying enough to put up with. And since I put up with their 'private conversations' doesn't mean I have to put up with them trying to bully me. So what if I'm better than them?
I was just thinking about getting up to get ready for school when my bedroom door busted open with enough force I think the handle went through the wall. Looking in that direction I found myself groaning wishing I could pull the covers over my face and pretend to still be asleep. "Now don't do that! I know you've been awake since dawn like usual!" Aphrodite scoffed at me before walking over to my bed and literally yanking me out of my place of comfort and dragging me pajama shorts and all into the living room as I try and wipe the sleep out of my eyes with my free hand.
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!" I heard shouting causing me to actually pay attention to what is going on. There stood Iruka Sensei, Kiba with Akamaru, and Aphrodite's pet Naruto holding a huge cake with the number 12 on top of it. I found my eyes widening as I look from them to the cake then to Aphrodite. Feeling my cheeks flush red from being in front of them in my pajamas I try and ignore the embarrassment as I walk up to them.
"Make a wish Kira" Iruka Sensei smiled down at me gently. Now.. Why did this all seem familiar? I ask myself but shrug the feeling off before leaning forward and blowing out my candles. Cake before school? Who could wish for anything else? I thought to myself as the flames blinked out.
*3rd person*
At the Shuriken practice exam the class had to line up and wait to be called individually to throw their shuriken weapons at the posts. Quite simple for a few of them. A decent work out for others, and rather difficult for the rest. The class could only use a selected number of kunai and shuriken to hit the specified targets. But when it came to one girl's turn to throw, the girls in line began to talk about the black haired ice queen as they call her.
"Watch, she'll show off for Sasuke again." One brunet said crossing her arms in front of her chest.
"I know right, how pathetic can she be?" One of the girls next to her replied as she had just finished with her turn. Only achieving three out of five targets in their allowed single throw.
Aphrodite who was standing in between Sasuke and Kiba turns on her toes and glared behind Kiba at the other girls. "Gosh if you are soo jealous of her why not practice more!" She shouted achieving a snicker from Kiba causing her cheeks to go red.
Kira ignoring the commotion around her and the eyes that are upon her, pulled out the allowed weapons and leapt into the air. Remembering before Aphrodite had voted that Kira hide away her Ipad, Ihome, and the like; to just go through the anime upon memory and try to make a home for them without it. Itachi had done the exact same thing she was doing now within one of the episodes of before his mission to eradicate the Uchihas. Gasps could be heard through out the class as Iruka's eyes widened in surprise. She had practice too long and too hard to perfect this move to fail now. Sending herself into a spin as she began falling head first to the ground she counted the seconds remembering where every single target was placed.
Suddenly opening her eyes she threw first the shuriken and then the kunai since the rules of this practice were... The targets had to hit with the shuriken only. Her kunai intercepted the shuriken to knock them the directions they needed to fly in. Seconds ticked past before the thudding sounds of weapons hitting their marks rang throughout the now silent practice area. Kira tucked into a ball to flip backwards so she was no longer plummeting with her head towards the ground.
Landing in a crouch on the ground Kira gives herself a second to regain her bearings from spinning upside down as she had before standing up. "Woohoo! Go Kira! That was completely Awesome cuz!" Aphrodite shouts out towards her cousin who had finally nailed the very move she would spy Kira attempting over and over again in the darkened training grounds they frequent. She was honestly happy for her even if she was the only one cheering. Iruka was stunned into silence as he was looking from Kira to all of the targets containing the proper shuriken. In the graduating classes it was normal for students to miss one or two. But as far as he knew only two people had managed ever to hit them all. Granted she's older than either of the previous boys but something told Iruka.. That she was still holding back.
He's had that feeling for seven years now. Ever since he had watched her get kicked by her cousin and recover as if it hadn't even phased her. He could remember her first year in school. She was graceful to be sure but she always seemed rather bored. As if she wasn't being challenged enough. Iruka had meant to push her to try harder. To aim higher but unlike the others she would never budge from her ways. She would simply look upon him as if seeing through him, chilling him down to the bone. Was he scared of this girl? No he wasn't. He could tell from the times of her muttering words of encouragement under her breath to Naruto and without a word uttered of disapproval she would let her cousin invite him to train with them.
The way she handled Naruto would often remind Iruka of siblings. Though he would never voice it allowed other then to Lord Third. So he knew without a doubt. Kira Lake wasn't as icy as her eyes would make you feel. She had a heart larger than most.
"Oh look, how does it feel Ice Queen? To be second rate." One of the girls that had grouped up with the very ones Aphrodite had yelled at before speaks with her hands on her hips. Kira's movements paused as she stared the girl down making her take a step back from her.
"You know you could do it too if you would just... you know what never mind. You girls are too weak to even worry about." Aphrodite glares at the girls as she too puts her hands on her hips cocking her hip towards her left side.
"Easy for you to say Aphrodite. You and your cousin are two of the best in the class. Of course neither of you can compare to our Sasuke." The girl who was clearly quickly becoming the leader of the little.. Sasuke love group they were accumulating achieved a bone chilling glare from Kira before she walked away from the girls.
"Uh oh! I know that look. That's a how dare you rate me below a sluff like Sasuke." Aphrodite giggles before smirking at the girls. "If I were you, I'd watch out on my way home tonight. She is clearly ready for blood." She nearly lost it when the girls became as white as paper from her comment only the noisy one was quick to recover.
"Seriously Aphrodite, I don't see how you can put up with your cousin let alone live with that psycho." This officially caused Aphrodite to glare rather then smile or laugh like usual. Little did they know that the one and only Sasuke Uchiha was walking towards them after finishing his turn.
"You shouldn't dis someone before you know them. If you only knew her or seen what she is truly capable of you would be singing a different tune. KIRA IS NOT A PSYCHO YOU PINK HEADED WHORE!" From Aphrodite's outburst all went still in the practice area. Looking right at her in confusion. The usual fun, energetic, and playful blonde beauty was now wearing a mask of pure hatred as she stares Sakura Haruno down. The tension in the air could be felt. Giving off the feeling that someone was about to die.
"Geeze, don't you girls ever pipe down?" Sasuke comments as he rubs his ear to seem as if Aphrodite had bothered his hearing. "Pathetic losers."
*Kira*
"We will now start the final exam. When your name is called proceed to the testing room." As usual Iruka Sensei was standing in front of the class with his right hand behind his back as he is reading off from a stack of papers in his left hand. This is so boring. "The final test will be on.. The clone Jutsu." See told ya. Boring. Leaning back in my seat I look next to me to Aphrodite curiously. Once Iruka called the first name and left the room I finally stretched my arms above my head.
"Hey Cuz, how'd you get that seat anyway?" I ask her noting that a stupid girl had sat there the day before.
"Don't you remember?" She asks me with a giggle now looking to me doing a peace sign with her fingers. "One of the girls you threatened yesterday was the one assigned this seat. I knew how you'd feel if a boy was sat next to you so I took the chance myself!" Sighing to her giggling I look up towards the ceiling.
"I don't remember threatening anyone." I already knew what had happened. Or at least I figured what had happened after hearing Aphrodite yell like that in the training grounds yesterday but, I commented just to make her giggle.
"Kira Lake please come to the testing room." I heard Iruka call causing me to sigh. Great, the way he said that I had completely missed him calling for me the first time.
"I know you don't need it. But good luck cuz!" Aphrodite's hyper tone piped up as I stood.
"Yeah.. You too. Don't let me hear that you passed in third alright. You and I are taking one and two." Shaking my head to the giggles that followed I walk from the room and made my way into the testing room.
"Well, it's nice of you to finally join us." Iruka Sensei said with a smile. I knew he wasn't mad. He seemed to always get all.. Happy when ever I was caught actually talking. Even if it was only with my cousin. Stopping in front of them I let my eyes fall on Mizuki. Instead of telling me to start when ever I'm ready Iruka was smiling closed eyed, telling the other examiner about my shuriken test and how well I did. Was he gloating? Mizuki seemed to not even be paying attention to him which caused me to glare before shrugging boredly. Why not have a little fun? Taking the chance during Iruka's bragging I decided to mouth the words to Mizuki. 'I know what you are planning. Enjoy prison dumb shit'
Even though Iruka was finally done I knew Mizuki caught what I silently said for his eyes went wide. Until he finally glanced at Iruka as if to make sure he didn't see what I did. "Now Kira, whenever you're ready."
"Why not just pass me right now Iruka Sensei. You already know I rock at the simple Jutsu."
"No, Kira. You have to do the Jutsu if you want to graduate. Just take the short time necessary and lets say.. Make four clones. That would earn you Second just below Sasuke who made five." He smirked as I growled.
"Fine but I'll make 8. Show you that Sasuke isn't all that he's cracked up to be." Without commenting to my words Iruka only smirked knowingly. Damn it. He did it to me again. Using Sasuke to make me do what he wants. Stupid Sensei.. No, Stupid Me for falling for it again!
Sighing I raise my hands up into the necessary sign. Whatever. I pull on the necessary chakra within me and nearly groan in annoyance. "Clone Jutsu." I unnecessarily call out just as a huge puff of smoke cleared the room leaving just me and my 8 replica.
"Well done Kira." Iruka beamed clapping. Looking away I release the jutsu.
"Yeah.. Whatever. Just give me a headband Sensei. I'll take blue to go with my genin outfit I bought myself last week with gramp third's money he..." Raising my hands with two peace signs bending my fingers creating the quotation hand gesture. "Inconspicuously left at my place."