"Mom, I'm leaving now," I say putting on my shoes.
"Ok dear- oh wait, can you bring this to your father please," my mom said while handing me a bento box.
"He forgot it again this morning," I say rolling my eyes.
"Yes he did now hurry up," my mom says slightly chuckling.
"Ok later mom," I run out the door.
"Bye hunny," mom said giving me a heartwarming smile as I walked out the door.
Little did I know, that would be the last time I ever saw it...
TIMESKIP
"DADDDDDDDYYYYY WHERE ARE YOU"
Suddenly, I hear a grunt and books falling along with a big thud. I ran towards the noise to see my dad laying on the floor covered in books. I couldn't help but laugh.
"You ok old man," I say taunting him.
"Aiya, you little brat, don't just laugh and help me up please," he says groaning while sitting up.
I laughed even more as I bent down to pick up all the books and place them back neatly on the shelf.
"Daddy"
"Yes hun, what is it"
"Why are you spending so much time in the library now, what are you trying to research here."
My father looked taken back a bit and then smiled. He patted my head and looked at me with proud eyes.
"I guess I can't put anything past you huh"
"Nope," I smiled.
"Geez, well if you must know, im researching an old scroll within our clan. I came to realize that it has been missing for some time."
"Can I help you," I say with hope in my voice.
"Well, they always say 2 is better than 1 so why not," dad said smiling.
"Great, I'll start over there," I say about to run off, "wait I almost forgot." I stuck out the bento box that was still in my hand and gave it to him.
"This is from mom"
My dad took the box and looked at it with hunger shown in his eyes.
"Thank you," he said, "oh, and make sure you don't leave a mess while searching."
"Hmph, I should be telling you that old man, and you never told me what scroll im looking for anyway."
"Oh right, sorry my bad," he scratches behind his neck while nervously laughing.
"You can't miss it, it is a red scroll with gold in-bedded lines on the corner"
"Then are you sure it's here, I mean you have been looking for weeks"
"Just call it a hunch," he says, "plus, maybe im not the right person to find it."
This left me very confused. I don't know why but I didn't question it. Instead, I began my search for the scroll.
After some time, you would think I was going to give up but no, I was more determined than ever now. Huh, I guess I got that from my father.
"Aiya it's getting late, time to head home now," my dad calls out to me.
"Dad can I stay a little while longer," I pleaded with the puppy dog eyes I knew he couldn't resist.
"But-," he took a deep breath and sighed. "Fine but you better be back home in an hour top young lady or you'll have to deal with me," dad said trying to be intimidating.
"Don't worry I will, I wouldn't want to deal with mom now," I evil-smiled.
"You little brat, I can be mean too ya know," he pouted.
"Yeah yeah I know, now get going I'll be home soon"
"You better," he said leaving me alone in the library.
Once he left I continued my search for the scroll. As time progressed I thought I'd never find it, or it simply just wasn't here. My doubts vanished as I found myself stepping on a hollow creak on the floor.
"This place must have a basement, I can feel the draft from here"
I traced my steps to find a string on the floor. I pulled it up to see the stairs beneath it. My curiosity got the better of me as I quietly walked down the stairs not thinking twice. The room was dark and I looked around until I found a light. Unfortunately, I got lost in the darkness and barely kept myself from tripping over stuff. That was until I caught a faint light at the side of my eye. I was skeptical but I kept following the light. As I walked in deeper the light started shining brighter. Then it all became clear. It was sitting in a glass case like it was on display. I could barely tear my eyes from it.
"I found it"
When I looked around the room, it was filled with paintings. The one that stood out to me the most was this picture of a beautiful woman. She had all the element symbols around her head and she looked very prestigious. My eyes wandered back to the scroll sitting flat in the center of the room. It had to be the prettiest scroll I've ever seen.
"Wow is that real gold, I thought it would be just painted," I said to myself as I examined the details.
Carefully, I picked up the glass case covering it and I set it on the ground. I hesitantly reached for the scroll. As soon as I touched it, the scroll started glowing. Shocked, I jumped away falling back in the process. I squinted in pain as looked back up to see the scroll still glowing.
"What the hell"
I stood up and got closer. Out of pure curiosity, I reached to touch the scroll again. When I did it started glowing more than before. My eyes started to widen even more when it started to levitate.
"Am I dreaming, there's no way"
The scroll started to unravel by itself and I was confused to see nothing written in it. My confusion turned into wonder when a picture started to form on the scroll. It was the same woman from the painting.
"You're finally here"
......
"Huh"
"I've been waiting for quite some time now"
"I- I'm hearing things, t-there's no way"
The woman in the painting looked like she was staring deep into my soul. I couldn't look away. I don't know if I was scared or just mesmerized.
"I can't hear your thoughts yet so you're going to have to speak up"
"Yet?" "W-wait your talking"
"Yes I am"
"B-but your just a scroll, s-so how"
"I'm not a scroll, I was just temporarily sealed inside the scroll"
"Then... who are you"
"My name is Hayami little one, and yours is Aiya right"
I was taken back a bit but still questioned away.
"How do you know my name"
"Well of course I know the name of the next person chosen to rule over me."
"Rule over you? What does that mean"
"It means dear child, you are the next person to be named my master"
"Master?! No, I think your mistaken, im just a little kid"
"Age is of no importance, all that matters is that you were chosen"
"This doesn't make any sense, plus you told me your name but you didn't exactly tell me who you are or what you are"
"Forgive me, I guess after year's without human contact my social skills are a bit low"
"I-It's fine but can you please explain who you are and how you claim me to the 'chosen one'"
"You know, for a little girl, I can already tell you are very intelligent"
"I get that a lot," I chuckle.
"Well then, on with the explanations. My name is Hayami, a God of elements. I am a very powerful being and to suppress my power, I am sealed inside people. However, not just any people. I only tolerate kind and pure-hearted souls like yours who will not use my power for evil deeds. The last time I was sealed inside someone was 100 years ago. She was your ancestor and you remind me a lot about her. When she passed, I was sealed away in this scroll until the time came for me to be re-awaken. My dear, I choose you to be my next master and to use my power at your will"
"But why me, I doubt im anything special"
"You girl don't realize how truly special you are, you have more potential than any host I've ever had. Soon you will come to realize that. Until then, do you accept me as your servant"
"This is all so sudden, how can I possibly rule over a god like you"
"With experience of course, I will guide you in how to use my power. So I ask once again, do you accept"
I didn't know what to say, I was only 7 years old. This god wants me to rule her, me? The girl who can't even reach the top cabinet without help. Me?!?! It makes no sense. I don't want to be in charge of someone. It's just not my thing. But, she said I was chosen, I can't let her down. She sounds truthful, I believe her.
"How about this, let's just be friends"
"Pardon"
"I don't feel worthy enough to be in charge of someone like you, so let's just be friends," I say with a smile.
Hayami goes quiet for a few seconds. She had no idea the anxiety I was going through during that little time.
"I was right"
"Huh"
"You are exactly like her," she smiled.
Then, the scroll started to shine again. Brighter than ever before. But, I couldn't look away from the light. It was blinding but I could tolerate it. The light was the last thing I saw until the darkness hit.
🌹🌹🌹
"Ugh my head"
I slowly got up to find myself still in the same room as before. However, it was a lot brighter and I could actually find my way around now. I took a look around to see a bunch of scrolls neatly stacked away on a shelf.
"Did I pass out, what exactly happened"
Suddenly, the memories came flooding into my head. I looked around to see the red scroll gone and the glass case right where I left it.
"That was a dream right, there's no way that was real"
"Oh it was real my dear Aiya"
I jumped up at the sound of her voice.
"Hayami?! Where are you," I asked looking around.
"I've already sealed myself inside of you"
"Wait you are sealed inside of me"
"Correct, look at your stomach"
I lifted my shirt to see I beautiful gold sealing pattern right in the middle of my stomach.
"Pretty"
"It is isn't it"
"Hold up you can hear my thoughts"
"Of course, I am a part of you now"
"So this is what you meant when you said you couldn't hear my thoughts yet"
"Precisely"
"Oh no"
"What is it"
"It's nighttime, I was supposed to be home like three hours ago, mom is going to kill me," I say sprinting out of the room.
I ran as fast as my little feet could take me but I couldn't help the feeling that something was wrong. It was quiet, way too quiet. In my clan, the nighttime was usually the liveliest time because of all the festivals and celebrations. We were strong but also hated conflict. I started to slow down as I looked around but nobody was there.
"Aiya"
"What's wrong Hayami you seem a little frantic"
"I think you should go back"
"I am going back, I need to get home and hopefully get off easy with the wrath of my mom," I cringed at the thought.
"No, I mean back towards the library"
"Why, did we forget something"
"Aiya, I'm sure you feel it too, something is wrong. It's not safe here"
"Well then, I should go and warn my parents, they can help with whatever the threat is"
"Aiya wait"
I didn't listen to her. Instead, I took off running into my clan's housing district. When I got there I was paralyzed. The smell of blood lingered through the air. I quietly walked through the entrance and what I saw almost made me vomit. There were dead bodies everywhere. I recognized most of the corpses and I silently cried for them. But, I needed to find my parents, I wanted them to tell me everything was going to be ok. I ran towards my house to see them battling an unknown person.
They all spotted me and I froze not knowing what to do.
"AIYA RUN GET AWAY FROM HERE NOW" my dad screamed out.
However, that only made me more terrified. He never once raised his voice like that to me ever. I turned to look at my mother who had the same expression on her face telling me to run.
"Aiya you heard them, let's go"
"B-but-" I was cut off by the unknown guy my parents were fighting.
"So this is your kid huh, as thanks for such a good fight, I'll kill her first," he said speeding towards me.
I couldn't do anything so I just closed my eyes and waited for the impact. However, it never came. I opened my eyes to find my mother standing in front of me with a kunai through her stomach. My eyes started to water as she coughed up blood.
"Aiya," she said in a weak voice, "go please"
"Mom," I squeezed out.
"Aww how heartwarming, if you know what's good for you kid, you'll run away like a good little girl," the criminal said.
I was crying uncontrollably at this point. I looked at my dad and his expression told me everything. I used every bit of courage I had and I ran. When taking off I heard my dad call out to me.
"I love you Aiya"
Not stopping, I ran out of the village I didn't know where I was going. All I knew was to run away.
"Aiya, turn here, I sense a lot of people there. It might be a village"
I followed her instructions and ran towards the village not stopping once. My legs felt like they were about to give out but I didn't care. I saw the entrance to the village and sighed in relief. Suddenly I tripped over a rock only to be caught by an unknown man. My vision was foggy and the only thing I could make out was his gray hair.
"Hey hey calm down, what's your name," he asks.
"Aiya, Aiya Hinode," I breathed out.
"Hinode? What are you doing here, did something happen?"
"They're dead," I cried.
"What?!?"
"Please help, my parent's they are still fighting him, please," I cried before I passed out in the stranger's arms.
TIMESKIP
I woke up next morning in confusion. I was tucked in gently in a soft bed completely unaware of my surroundings. Once again memories came flooding into my head and I began to panic.
"Aiya dear calm down, your safe now"
"But what about everyone else, my parents, are they ok"
"Aiya, I know you are a big girl so I won't say anything to give you false hope. I don't know about your parents but I do know everyone else in your clan is dead. I'm so sorry"
I fell off the bed and on my knees. I cried my heart out. Not aware anyone else my in the room, I felt gentle arms wrap around me and pull me into their chest.
"Quiet down child, everything is going to be ok," the person who turned to be an old man said.
After a couple of minutes of trying to calm down, I looked at the old man.
"Who are you," I asked sniffling.
"My name is Hiruzen Sarutobi, I am the Hokage of the Village Hidden in the Leaves. Your name is Aiya, right"
"Yeah, how do you know"
"Well one of my ninja found you almost passed out at the front gate"
I was scared to ask, but I needed to know...
"D-do you know what happened with my parents"
The old man gave a sympathetic look and I felt my heart break right then and there.
"Sorry Aiya, but, they are dead"
"Wh-what"
"An S-ranked criminal named Senso Kenka killed them all, I'm so sorry"
"No you're lying, my parents are strong they wouldn't let themselves get killed"
"Aiya, our anbu went and collected the remains of your clan, I promise you im not lying"
I was in complete disbelief. My mind wandered to the person who killed them and my heart got filled with rage.
"He will pay"
"Aiya-"
"NO ILL KILL HIM FOR THIS," I say clenching my fist, blood dripping from my hand, and tears running down my eyes.
"But Aiya"
"What"
"He's already dead"
Why did I almost cry writing this? Anyways that is it for the first chapter, see yall next time :)
😜😜😜