"The only way that we can live, is if we grow. The only way that we can grow is if we change. The only way that we can change is if we learn. The only way we can learn is if we are exposed. And the only way that we can become exposed is if we throw ourselves out into the open. Do it. Throw yourself."
― C. JoyBell C.
Kakashi paid attention. Like, his attention was completely, fully focused on her and not on anything else. It was slightly weird, as the Kakashi she knew was a lazy asshole with his nose constantly buried in his porn book. But then, that Kakashi was six years away from now, and Ren wasn't even sure if he would turn out to become the same man with her around. Well, she could try, anyways. She could, for example, but Icha Icha and bet him to read it. Maybe that would work? Who knows.
But back to important matters, Kakashi was staring at her. Into her soul, almost, and Ren offered him a big grin, cutting the chakra she was pumping into her eyes, as they faded from red to brown, and then to black. And also, world stopped being so insanely HD., but she was pretty sure that she could draw Kakashi's face by heart with striking detail, if she only could draw. Pros of Sharingan, really – it was the copy-wheel eye for a reason, and it granted photographic memory. She forgot about that one, but she would have to use it later. It would be handy one way or another, that's for sure.
"How on earth do you have that?" he asks finally. "I don't know much about Mangekyo, but you must kill someone to attain it-"
"Kacchan, what you know is a piece of shit," Ren snorts, raising her eyebrow at the man.
"What?' he asks, dumbfounded, and girl sighs in disbelief.
"Sure, yeah, let a genin freshman tutor a fucking ANBU veteran on the matter he should know, why not," she snorts. "The thing is, Kacchan, that it's not it. Sharingan technically resolves around precious people, but that's a sack of bullshit, actually. It's all about certain emotions releasing certain types of chakra. Base form you get from a strong desire to protect or to save, not necessarily a precious person, while it's fueled by rage. That makes brain send special chakra around, and awakens Creepy Eyes Stage One. I for example got mine when I was seven. That bitch, Fugaku, threw a puppy into the pond to let it drown, and I was like 'oh no bitch you don't' so I jumped after the dog. Into a freezing-cold pond in fall. But I wanted to save the dog, and then preferably pound Fugaku's face in, which I, sadly, never did, but that awakened my base sharingan," she explains, gesturing in the air for no reason in particular.
"So," Kakashi says, "basic sharingan requires desire to protect and anger combined?"
Ren nods. "Now, Creepy Eyes Stage Two, that's just sweet, you see."
"Why is that?" the man asks, and Ren offers him a very unpleasant grin.
"Because that shit not, it requires trauma. Quite severe one, to awaken. Usually, death of someone close to you is traumatic enough to let you awaken it, that's why it's usually said you have to kill someone close to you or other bullshit," she snorts. "The truth is, trauma is trauma, the end. And me? Apparently being killed was traumatic enough, because I definitely did not have Mangekyō before the massacre, and after massacre it just was there, fucking shuriken of an eye."
Kakashi just stares at her, then blinks, then stares some more.
"What?" she asks, narrowing her eyes, and ANBU just shrugs. "Surprised that I'm talking about my dearest cousin-gone-homicidal putting a blade through my chest as if it was comparable to accidentally nibbling my finger while throwing ninja stars?"
"Maybe," Kakashi agrees, and for once looks away, into the sky, and so does Ren. It's starting to darken, Sasuke will most likely set out to hunt her down and haul her ass back to Hokage's estate pretty soon to help him with homework. Naruto will most likely be with him, and, with any luck, ant other of her minions. Sakura, most likely, because her parents know little about being ninja. Her father might've been one, but it's been years since he's gone civilian, and he remembers nearly nothing. And Sakura, for all the brightness and sharpness she has, still would rather do homework in group, and study with other people. Because that way she could exchange remarks with others. Actually, there was a talk going on, about them starting a study club or something like that. Oddly enough, it was Shino's idea, but it was widely accepted. So far they were still arguing over dates.
Shikamaru voiced the idea to be troublesome, of course, but Ren doubted he would pass the occasion. Sakura did prove to be a challenge to him in shogi once she got a hang of the game.
Hell, there was even a talk about inviting Ino in yesterday, had she proved to have some common sense. Oddly enough, it started with Sasuke's remark.
"What are you thinking about?" Kakashi asks, and Ren lets out a sigh.
"My minions, Kacchan. As in, the band of children that tails me every time they can catch me, basically, with leadership of my brot- My cousin," she huffs. Just when did she start thinking about Sasuke as her brother? It must've happened gradually, for the fact to slip past her. Ren was crude person, sure, but she was not oblivious to people and the mood.
"Ah," the man says, and maybe here's a hint of smile underneath his mask. "Got yourself quite a following, don't you? All of future clan heads from Sasuke's class, and one civilian girl."
Ren wonders if he accounts Naruto among clan heads – because he sure as hell is one of the last Uzumaki – or just wisely doesn't mention him. It must hurt to be Kakashi.
"Sakura, huh?" she addresses that topic instead. "She has some good brain in that head. And her chakra control? With some pointers from Hana she can actually heal a papercut."
"Wait," Kakashi stops. "A civilian kid, seven years old, no prior training whatsoever- Can heal?"
His uncovered eye, as black as an Uchiha, widens in shock.
"That kid is something else indeed," Ren snorts. "She has the temper, and can throw a really mean punch. I really pity the bastard who will get her in his team once she graduates."
"Yeah, I kinda pity them, too."
It takes all Ren has to not to burst out and start laughing like a cross between a hyena that's high on something bad and a drunken donkey. She manages to slip up a cough the very last second, and covers her mouth with her open palm, because she's grinning like an idiot. If Kakashi notices, he doesn't address the fact.
...ooo~(x)~ooo...
"What are chūnin exams?" is the first thing Naruto asks after he's feed the news that Ren, in a week from now, will be gone. For two entire months. "What are chūnin?"
Both Sasuke and Sakura slap their foreheads at the same time so hard that the sound is enough to startle Hinata, who was sitting quietly, with Shikamaru and Choji on her either side, reading a book that was apparently interesting enough to keep the Nara heir in sitting position. Shino definitely looks like he wishes to slap his forehead as well, but has enough decorum to not to, Torune tries so hard to pretend he's not amused, and Kiba looks dumbfound but eagerly nods at Naruto's question. Because today, on Thursday, after Ren got back to the estate after getting her ass handed to her on a silver plate by Kakashi (sparring with the man was very, very bad idea), she somehow found entire Rookie Nine minus Ino but with Torune instead, seated comfortably in living room like they owned the place. From what she gathered, they were apparently trying every day to see which suited their study sessions best. So far most dibs were on Friday, though.
Wonder why.
"Don't you two pay any attention in school," Sakura wails, looking absolutely hopeless. "Sweet Jashin."
Also, the kids are apparently picking out her sayings. Sakura, at least, is frequently addressing Jashin – the very same god that Hidan revers when he puts various sharp objects through his body, yes – and Sasuke occasionally slips a bad word or three, when something sets him off. Usually it's people who are mean to Naruto but lately they seem to think twice, because Naruto is hardly alone anymore. Oddly enough, out of all the people he spends time with, it's Shino and Torune who seem to be the most dangerous to the environment. But that might be just because the nature of their clan, because both boys don't think twice about sending their bugs after offenders. Kiba and Sasuke, though, are cutting close second. Kiba actually growls and, if he can reach, bites people. Hana brags on how Tsume is continuously proud of her son, and Ren is pretty sure that this is not how you raise kids.
"Look, all of you twerps," Ren sighs, sitting cross-legged so she's more-less in the middle of all the kids. Thankfully, she's the authority in the room, and even Konohamaru comes running, quite suddenly, and then falls onto his ass right next to Naruto. Apparently she's more of an authority that she thought. "They might told you in class that there are three types of ninja, but I actually recognize seven in total," cue collective gasps, even one from Sakura. "Ninja ranks show how strong a ninja is, and what kind of missions can he do. Easy missions for freshies, hard and potentially deadly for the strong ones. Like killing people and stuff. Hell, there is actually a rank of ninja that basically specializes in killing people."
"Really?" Sakura gawks, horrified, and Sasuke just grins. Good to know where he aims to end up.
"Really. But starting, first we have Academy students, such as yourself, and yes, I count you as a rank. Glorified civilians, really, but everybody starts out somewhere, yeah? So, out of the Academy, you start as a genin. This is what I am now, too, it's the most basic rank. Many ninja stay genin, actually, and then go civilian. Then, after genin, there's chūnin. Higher rank, more dangerous missions, better pay. And also, your team technically gets dispatched. Because, you see, genin are placed in three-man teams for a reason."
"What reason?" Sasuke asks.
"Because some missions might be solo missions, but even fucking ANBU work in at least pairs," Ren sighs. "Teamwork, squirt, teamwork. But, back to matter at hand, Academy instructors are all chūnin, I believe. Umino Iruka totally is one. I believe you like him?" there were collective nods from all of the kids except Konohamaru, varying in intensity. "Okay, off to next rank, we have Tokubetsu Jōnin. They're... Well, special. Like, normal jōnin will specialize in few things, they in one or two. Genma is a Tokujo."
"You like Genma a lot," Konohamaru muses with a smirk.
"Because he's awesome!" Ren scoffs. "He buys me food, and can spit senbon with enough speed and power to shoot a kunai down or pin a fly. And I'm going to live next to him, too! Actually, I'm currently aiming to go Tokujo myself. Then we'll see how it goes."
"Next is a jōnin, yes?" Sakura asks.
"Next is a full jōnin, yes. Technically the highest rank, and only the best people become them. They're also an genin babysit duty, like my sensei, Shibi. Then, we have ANBU. They're mostly jōnin, too, but they have tokujo among them, I think. Kachhan is an ANBU."
"Kacchan?" Naruto asks.
"Hound, Kakashi, whatever," Ren rolls her eyes. "That guy who bought us food once, the one that transformed."
"Ooooh!"
If there was a gawk, and then a cackle behind the window, Ren pretended to not to notice. Let poor Yamato have a laugh once in a while.
"And then there's Kage, the leader of the village," she claps her hands. "It's not necessarily the strongest ninja in the village, really. It's someone strong, sure, but first and foremost, Kage deals with shit ton of paperwork."
"Like old man!" Konohamaru chimes in. "That's why he's hardly ever at home!"
"Exactly," Ren nods. "Now, as we have that covered, which twerp needs help with homework?"
Quite predictably, Kiba's and Naruto's hands shoot in the air instantly. Sometimes Ren feels like she's the only one who actually can get them to learn, and that makes her dread next two months. Are they going to fuck up much?
...ooo~(x)~ooo...
"Remember to bother the ANBU as much as you can, you two," Ren says not a full week after, ruffling hair of both Naruto and Sasuke. They both groan at the motion, trying to swat her away, but they don't really mean it, she knows. Otherwise they would be successful. "Also, you have very much green light to prank people. But, if you get caught, you're going to be in a big trouble, understood?" they both nod at that quite eagerly.
"Maa, Ren, are you encouraging young generations to do mischief?" comes flat voice from her left, and the girl snorts, looking at the covered face of her tutor of last few days. She noticeably improved her synchronization with sharingan thanks to him. Maybe even enough to not to die in Iwa. Ren knows that Kakashi has no good memories from Iwa.
"Naw, Kacchan, just to be the little menaces straight from hell I know they are," she admits with a wide grin. Kakashi grimaces. "Don't worry, I'll bring you souvenirs. Maybe even a vest!"
"Get that vest," Sasuke says, "so I can brag to everyone."
Ren snorts and ruffles his hair again, "I'll try my best, squirt. Don't be too much of a menace to Genma, though, okay? Genma is alright."
"I'm glad you think I am," says Genma, lazily approaching them. He's also currently being tailed by two gangly boys, one with dark, spiky bush and one with fringe poking out of bandana. Unmistakably, Kotetsu and Izumo.
"Are those your kids," she asks, pointing at the duo. They both gawk, and Genma snorts. "Because they sure do seem so."
"Maybe," Genma moves his senbon to the other side of his face. "The porcupine is Kotetsu, his shadow is Izumo. You got all you need, Ren?"
Ren sighs, and cranes her neck to look at where her team is slowly approaching. They're at the village gates, and there are quite a few genin teams around, but none that she recognizes from her class. Hana is walking towards her, and before long, Ren has Inuzuka's arm draped around her shoulder. Kiba instantly materializes next to Sasuke and Naruto.
"Ah! I almost forgot!" Ren gasps suddenly, swats Hana's hand, and pulls out a kunai. And then, just like that, she grabs her braid – which reaches to her waist – and promptly slices it off at the base of her neck, accompanied by gasps and surprised shrieks. Her newly-freed, short hair fall quite nicely around her ears, natural Uchiha spikyness keeping them from her eyes.
"Nee-san!" Sasuke cries in utter horror as Ren puts the blade back into her pouch.
"Well, at least your blades are sharpened," Genma snorts, and the two chūnin behind him gape openly. Ren shrugs and pushes her murdered braid into hands of mortified Sasuke.
"Keep those, I'm going to sell them to a hairdresser or something when I'm back, okay?" she says, and the younger boy can only manage a numb nod in return. "What?"
"Holy fucking shit, Ren, you just chopped off few years' worth of hair!" Hana cries, gaining attention of some people, and Ren shrugs again.
"Long hair is a fucking disadvantage!" she arguments. "It gets everywhere, is hard to keep, and even if I would turn a person that would decide that pulling my braid was a good idea into a bloody pulp... Well, I'm not a fan, you know? Short hair rules! Besides, Hibiki has long hair, one of him is enough."
Genma just puts a hand on top of Ren's head and ruffles her hair. Not like it looked anywhere near well-groomed in the first place.
"You'll do just fine. Now, off you go, kid," he smiles, and Ren smiles back.
"Sure thing, mom," she laughs, and barely evades a playful smack to the head.
And now, mission: get the damn vest for Sasuke to brag and to have better pay. Because Ren knew that advancing was not beyond her – but was she actually able to pull that off? She was going to compete against people with more experience than her, most likely, both in ninja branch of business and life in ninja world in total.
No matter, she was going to give them hell anyway. She and Awai, and some very mean, and very Uchiha, fire-spitting techniques.