Categories > Anime/Manga > Naruto > The Moonlight Clan
The End
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A ripple in the pool brings me back to my mindscape. I frown, confused, until I realized something is happening on the “outside”. A swirl of my finger and new images appear, this time referring to the present.
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The hallway outside my door resonates with thuds and shouts, accompanied by an assortment of yells and curses. One voice rises above the rest, making a small smile play across my lips.
“When Kazekage-sama returns, you will all pay dearly for this! That girl is innocent! How dare you lock away someone who is precious to Kazekage-sama! I fear for you all when he hears of this! Traitors! All of you!”
Ah, I always knew Akio-san was a good man, one of the few on Suna’s council. A small pulse of energies allowed me to ‘see’ better what was going on. Unfortunately, the slight sigh that escapes me is not unwarranted. The poor man, his pride must be stinging from the way they are dragging him down the hallway, probably to lock him in his own ‘room’ (cough prison cough). Shaking my head, I can’t help but think that when -not if Damnit! - the Kazekage gets back, those guards (along with the members of the council organizing this little shindig), are going to wish vehemently that they had listened to Akio-san.
Because he will come back. Yes. Yes he will…right.
Derailing that deteriorating train of thought, I turn my focus back to my little silver haven, dipping my hands into the pool of my own Inner Energies to grasp the next memory.
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“Again!” The order is barked and the next few moments are filled with the sound of dozens of objects impacting the wooden posts at the far end of the field. Each figure standing opposite moved differently. Some hardly moved at all, while others added in twists, reaches, hops, or flicks to their throws.
A moment of silence ensued.
“Collect!”
How I’ve grown to hate that voice. I see a flick of blond hair as my neighbor blew the strand away, hands moving slowly in circles. A thin ribbon of water surrounds the wooden posts, pulling out the multiple throwing stars or shiriikkin embedded there, then moving to flow passed the other students, each picking up his or her marked stars.
Mine drift close and stopped in front of me, floating as I flicked my aura energy at them, holding them up with it. My arms never lifted, my stance never changed, my eyes the only thing that shifted. They darted around, taking in every sight, every movement. Everything in my vision pulsed with an internal energy, its aura quick to reveal itself in the face of my kekki genkai.
“Squad Three! Two marks down for incomplete! Again!”
My ‘squad’ was Five, comprised of myself, Mizu, and the boy to my left. His weapons glowed softly in his hands as his fire chakra heated them to extreme temperatures. The girl beside Mizu, captain of ‘squad’ Six, balanced each throwing star on the tips of her fingers, magnetizing them so they flew directly at the center targets. Our instructor, who Mizu fondly calls Loud-Ass Sensei, shouts his orders. Then again, he shouts everything from homework to lectures. I just call him Teme. Being with Mizu so long has really lowered my vocabulary expectations.
Sensei is from one of the Hidden Villages, like all our sensei’s are, though this time it was Kirigakure. He had left because, well, actually I have no idea. Maybe he just shouted his way into banishment.
Mizu looks over questionably, and I realize my mental giggling isn’t just in my head. Teme glances down the line, but can’t see me very well between the red flashes that keep leaving the hands of my other squadmate. Mizu’s hands move through a set of hand signals, a code of our own creation so that we could communicate without worry of someone ‘eavesdropping’.
What’s so funny?
Banishment.
She makes a face, but doesn’t push for details since class is ending. We’re meeting a new sensei this afternoon. Apparently, this one isn’t banished or a defect from his village, but one coming to find out more about our Village and our up and coming shinobi. I mentally shudder at the word. Even though I’m in Year Two, I can’t help but revolt against the very notion of what I am becoming. Everything our families suffered was because of ninja, and now I am one. Well, a ninja in training but I’m pretty sure that’s beside the point.
“and so- PAY ATTENTION! THIS IS IMPORTANT!”
“Holy hell man! Take it down a notch!”
Laughter bursts out amidst grumbles of agreement as one of the boys yells out against Teme-Sensei. It looks like Connor was getting another after-school-punishment. Must really suck to be him. My musings are cut short as I sense an unfamiliar aura enter the building. My gaze cuts to Mizu’s and her nod shows she’s gotten the message. The class is silent, the girl next to us having picked up on the exchange and relayed it to the others. It was like this each time a newcomer came. Teme-Sensei leaves in a polite gesture to the new teacher, and to give us time.
“Minute ten seconds.” My soft voice carries to the others. Two boys, identical twins with shaggy black hair and purple eyes, stand up, each making a hand sign. Slowly, the entire class begins to fade away, the invisibility genjutsu taking hold on our organic bodies and sinking into us.
“Twenty seconds.” My mumble is just loud enough for the others. The boys concentrate more fiercely. By the time the door is opened and a man steps through, it’s as though the classroom is empty. I fix my eyes on him, reading his aura and reaching for any thought strong enough to reach me. I still hadn’t figured out any type of mind reading. He’s surprised, then confused, then angry. Angry at the idiot who gave him the wrong room. Damn! Kana lost focus on her chakra. He’s sensed someone here. I can feel her trying to clam down, but now others around her are nervous.
As the new sensei looks around, Teme-sensei’s words repeat themselves in my mind.
‘This is your test. You all understand that our village is unlike any other. We have secrets of dozens of clans, as well as secrets that protect the village itself. Now, here is your opportunity to show us that not only can you protect your family’s secrets, but the village’s as well. Know that secrets are dangerous things to hold, and many of you will feel the need to share them, so the second part of this is to test you on your ability to chose with whom you can or cannot share with. Remember, only once you know the other’s secrets can you safely decide to reveal your own.’
The man glances out the door to check the room number, then around the hall for help, slamming the door closed when he finds no one.
All the while, the four ‘searchers’ in the class look him over. I shift through his aura, finding out what each of his colors mean and what information they tell about him. Another girl, Kyoko, enters his subconscious with one of her family’s jutsu, searching for anything that may link him to any village and what he ultimately wants in coming here, his life goals, and all that stuff. A boy with bright red hair searches his chakra, finding what jutsu the man can use and how powerful they are. And finally another boy, Miko, assessed his health and condition, figuring out the man’s natural strengths and weaknesses.
Another ten minutes go by and still we sit silent. Mizu almost vibrates beside me with all her pent up energy. A soft smirk touches my lips, but I quickly refocus, having a little trouble fully reading the man. He, like all shinobi, is very good at changing and suppressing certain emotions, making colors change or disappear as quickly as they surface.
“Alright brats, I know this is the room and you’re around here somewhere! Get the hell out here before I start breaking shit!”
I hear the hidden threat. I’ll break shit, and since I can’t find you, maybe break you too. I send my aura out to the other three and the twins to signal I’m done. I get similar responses from the others.
“Congratulations Sensei,” the twins’ soft voices ring out. His head snaps in my direction, as that was where they had thrown their voices, but his attention is soon diverted as the each student fades into view. Finally, the twins are left standing there, holding their hand signs.
“You’re pretty good.”
“The last one took two days to figure it out.”
“With hints.”
I know a bunch of people think twins’ finishing each other’s sentences is cute, but I think it’s just a bit creepy. Sensei’s eyes are still wide, trying to make sense of what just happened, when Teme-sensei walks in with a knowing smirk. Kami I hate him. Oh wait. Kaachan doesn’t like that word. Ok, I very strongly dislike Sensei considerably. There! Not one thing in there for her to yell about.
The new sensei’s aura changes and I sense he’s looking for an explanation, but he’ll have no such luck. Practically an entire village of children raised by suspicious and paranoid clans, one would have to be quite dense to believe us to be very forthcoming with information.
New-Sensei, now that he is worth looking at, is a very odd man. At least for around here. His outfit is that of standard Sunagakure, so three guesses to where he’s from. A veil covers half his face, though he looks to be only in his early twenties with no signs of scaring. I look closer. No, no ripple in aura to show hidden injury so it must be for the same reason everyone else from Suna wears too much clothing for living in a dessert. I mean, isn’t it supposed to be hot there?
Other than that, I merely see the usual signs that practically shout ‘I’m a shinobi! Throw pointy objects at me!’ A sudden pain erupts on the back of my head, closely followed by my face as somebody (three guesses as to whom and the first two don’t count) smacks me into the desk.
“…Ow?”
“Eyes were glowing.”
I slowly raise my head and let a chilly glare fall on her.
“So you shoved,” I pressed my finger to my nose, “my face… into the desk?”
“Apparently,” Mizu just smiled and tilted her head, as though my annoyance was the most amusing thing in the world.
“…You’re a bad person,” I growl back at her, adding a little chakra to my glare.
Ray, the girl behind us, giggles at our exchange. Nice girl, her calm aura always helps me to focus during the chaotic parts of the day such as lunch or break. I glance over at her and smile, getting a shy one in return. I turn back to my desk to see a fine layer of ice over it and words etched into it. It was the final report from the others. I nod as I read, etching in my own notes by running my hand lightly across the ice, my outer energies deftly writing them in for Mizu to pass on.
Name Baki. Sunagakure. High Chunnin. Hard ass. Shinobi life. Typ. SUN. Safe. Wind elemental. High-chunnin to low-jounin. Healthy. Strong. Clear/respectable intent. Those are some of the notes from the others, and once I added mine another of our classmates would write it up and give it to Teme-sensei for our evaluation.
So, Baki sensei is from Suna. Point to Tsuki. Shinobi life simply meant that the man did nothing else and lived for nothing else than to be a ninja. And he’s a Suna native. …Yaaaaaaaay…not. I stifle a laugh at Kyoko’s note of hard ass, but quickly somber-up when I realize that hard ass is going to be teaching us.
Baki launches into some prepared speech-thing that is so dull I don’t hear anything past word three. Wow, what a crowed pleaser.
Baki-sensei, like a few others who have visited our little spot on the map, was here to ‘shop’ as my parents called it when they explained it to my brother, who in turn explained it to me. Many from other villages now come here to try and get powerful clans to join their village or to agree to an alliance or some such thing.
“Alright. I was also sent here to show a few more basic jutsu that is not included in your…special curriculum,” his voice is gruff, probably from inhaling too much sand, I decide. So the next three hours were spent replacing ourselves with objects, using low-level genjutsu and creating clones. The day slowly ended, and Mizu and I quickly slipped out the door with the rest of the students.
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I leisurely walk up the path to my family home, planning on grabbing a quick nap before starting in on homework.
“I don’t care who you’re Leader is! I will tell you now that your request is denied!” The raised voice reaches me and I freeze.
Father? Is Father…yelling? My kekki genkai automatically kicks on as my steps increase. I slip around the side of the house, climbing in the slightly lower kitchen window. Going in the front door suddenly seems like a bad idea as my Parents-are-Angry senses tingle. Glancing over to where the noise is coming from, I nod to solidify my thoughts. I can see the angry-red emanating from father from way over here.
I scurry over the windowsill and prepare to jump down. Damn! Dishes in the sink! The window was just above them, so getting in was going to be tricky. Stay calm. I can do this. Just don’t hit a dish. When father yells like that…well father doesn’t yell like that, so drawing attention to myself seems like the wrong route to take.
What feels like hours latter, I breathe easier as I rest my head against the counter. Not a single dish even touched. Now, since father is still talking with Kami-knows-who in the front room, I’ll have to go around to the office so I don’t-
“TSSSUUUUUKKKKIIIIIII!”
…Damn
“TSUKI! Tsuki guess what Danny said…today…um h-hello Mr. Tsukiakari-san.”
Leave it to Mizu.
I could just feel them all standing there, Mizu, arms frozen mid-gesture in the doorway, Father and his ‘guest’ near the center of the room staring at her. Father recovers first.
“I’m sorry Mizu-chan, but Tsuki-chan is not home yet. Perhaps you should wait for her at your house?” my father’s Clam Voice drifts into the kitchen, a sure sign that he’s angry and is trying very hard to hide it. A rattling behind me breaks my focus from the metaphorical car crash happing in the front room, and snaps it to the sink. The top dish was unsettled by Mizu’s shout, and now teetered precariously.
Well, damn.
I try and reach out for it, but I’m too short and my movement wobbles the dish even more. Mizu slamming the door doesn’t help either.
“I don’t think you understand, you and your clan don’t have a choice in this,” the mystery man/person/thing growls. A choice in what? I want to know! But the dish doesn’t like that my attention is diverted and decides to get it back. I can feel my heart stopping as the dish travels through the too-thin-to-breath air. I panic and my kekki genkai, still on from before, takes over.
Blink. Blink. I stare at the dish floating in front of me, not two inches from the floor. Thank-you bloodline limit! I carefully make the dish rise and placed it on the counter a good ways back from the edge. Seconds –hours- later, I finally rush down the hall and into the office. I couldn’t care less what Father was talking about now, my young mind can’t handle any more.
Well, that had been my plan up until Father stormed in the office, looking like an angry bear that just got poked.
Repeatedly.
With a hot-poker.
“H-hello Papa.” I can tell he’s surprised to find me here, more so to find me here and huddled underneath his desk chair muttering about dishes.
“Tsuki-chan, what are you doing?” I give him a sheepish grin. How am I going to explain this?
“Well, I came home and I heard you yelling. So then I climbed in the window but there were dishes and it was angry I wouldn’t pay attention so I caught it and then I ran away because my head hurt.”
Hmm…that could have come out better.
“Papa, why were you yelling?” His aura nearly assaults me and I jump back instinctively. The aura immediately pulls back and he looks apologetic, though the message is clear. Topic not up for discussion, or at least not with me. I can accept that, because I’m not sure I really wanted to know in the first place.
I go to bed early that night, even though the moon is approaching full. Too much for one day, a seven-year-old can only take so much. With that comforting thought, I let my mind drift off into sweet, comforting darkness.
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A ripple in the pool brings me back to my mindscape. I frown, confused, until I realized something is happening on the “outside”. A swirl of my finger and new images appear, this time referring to the present.
=
=
The hallway outside my door resonates with thuds and shouts, accompanied by an assortment of yells and curses. One voice rises above the rest, making a small smile play across my lips.
“When Kazekage-sama returns, you will all pay dearly for this! That girl is innocent! How dare you lock away someone who is precious to Kazekage-sama! I fear for you all when he hears of this! Traitors! All of you!”
Ah, I always knew Akio-san was a good man, one of the few on Suna’s council. A small pulse of energies allowed me to ‘see’ better what was going on. Unfortunately, the slight sigh that escapes me is not unwarranted. The poor man, his pride must be stinging from the way they are dragging him down the hallway, probably to lock him in his own ‘room’ (cough prison cough). Shaking my head, I can’t help but think that when -not if Damnit! - the Kazekage gets back, those guards (along with the members of the council organizing this little shindig), are going to wish vehemently that they had listened to Akio-san.
Because he will come back. Yes. Yes he will…right.
Derailing that deteriorating train of thought, I turn my focus back to my little silver haven, dipping my hands into the pool of my own Inner Energies to grasp the next memory.
==
==
“Again!” The order is barked and the next few moments are filled with the sound of dozens of objects impacting the wooden posts at the far end of the field. Each figure standing opposite moved differently. Some hardly moved at all, while others added in twists, reaches, hops, or flicks to their throws.
A moment of silence ensued.
“Collect!”
How I’ve grown to hate that voice. I see a flick of blond hair as my neighbor blew the strand away, hands moving slowly in circles. A thin ribbon of water surrounds the wooden posts, pulling out the multiple throwing stars or shiriikkin embedded there, then moving to flow passed the other students, each picking up his or her marked stars.
Mine drift close and stopped in front of me, floating as I flicked my aura energy at them, holding them up with it. My arms never lifted, my stance never changed, my eyes the only thing that shifted. They darted around, taking in every sight, every movement. Everything in my vision pulsed with an internal energy, its aura quick to reveal itself in the face of my kekki genkai.
“Squad Three! Two marks down for incomplete! Again!”
My ‘squad’ was Five, comprised of myself, Mizu, and the boy to my left. His weapons glowed softly in his hands as his fire chakra heated them to extreme temperatures. The girl beside Mizu, captain of ‘squad’ Six, balanced each throwing star on the tips of her fingers, magnetizing them so they flew directly at the center targets. Our instructor, who Mizu fondly calls Loud-Ass Sensei, shouts his orders. Then again, he shouts everything from homework to lectures. I just call him Teme. Being with Mizu so long has really lowered my vocabulary expectations.
Sensei is from one of the Hidden Villages, like all our sensei’s are, though this time it was Kirigakure. He had left because, well, actually I have no idea. Maybe he just shouted his way into banishment.
Mizu looks over questionably, and I realize my mental giggling isn’t just in my head. Teme glances down the line, but can’t see me very well between the red flashes that keep leaving the hands of my other squadmate. Mizu’s hands move through a set of hand signals, a code of our own creation so that we could communicate without worry of someone ‘eavesdropping’.
What’s so funny?
Banishment.
She makes a face, but doesn’t push for details since class is ending. We’re meeting a new sensei this afternoon. Apparently, this one isn’t banished or a defect from his village, but one coming to find out more about our Village and our up and coming shinobi. I mentally shudder at the word. Even though I’m in Year Two, I can’t help but revolt against the very notion of what I am becoming. Everything our families suffered was because of ninja, and now I am one. Well, a ninja in training but I’m pretty sure that’s beside the point.
“and so- PAY ATTENTION! THIS IS IMPORTANT!”
“Holy hell man! Take it down a notch!”
Laughter bursts out amidst grumbles of agreement as one of the boys yells out against Teme-Sensei. It looks like Connor was getting another after-school-punishment. Must really suck to be him. My musings are cut short as I sense an unfamiliar aura enter the building. My gaze cuts to Mizu’s and her nod shows she’s gotten the message. The class is silent, the girl next to us having picked up on the exchange and relayed it to the others. It was like this each time a newcomer came. Teme-Sensei leaves in a polite gesture to the new teacher, and to give us time.
“Minute ten seconds.” My soft voice carries to the others. Two boys, identical twins with shaggy black hair and purple eyes, stand up, each making a hand sign. Slowly, the entire class begins to fade away, the invisibility genjutsu taking hold on our organic bodies and sinking into us.
“Twenty seconds.” My mumble is just loud enough for the others. The boys concentrate more fiercely. By the time the door is opened and a man steps through, it’s as though the classroom is empty. I fix my eyes on him, reading his aura and reaching for any thought strong enough to reach me. I still hadn’t figured out any type of mind reading. He’s surprised, then confused, then angry. Angry at the idiot who gave him the wrong room. Damn! Kana lost focus on her chakra. He’s sensed someone here. I can feel her trying to clam down, but now others around her are nervous.
As the new sensei looks around, Teme-sensei’s words repeat themselves in my mind.
‘This is your test. You all understand that our village is unlike any other. We have secrets of dozens of clans, as well as secrets that protect the village itself. Now, here is your opportunity to show us that not only can you protect your family’s secrets, but the village’s as well. Know that secrets are dangerous things to hold, and many of you will feel the need to share them, so the second part of this is to test you on your ability to chose with whom you can or cannot share with. Remember, only once you know the other’s secrets can you safely decide to reveal your own.’
The man glances out the door to check the room number, then around the hall for help, slamming the door closed when he finds no one.
All the while, the four ‘searchers’ in the class look him over. I shift through his aura, finding out what each of his colors mean and what information they tell about him. Another girl, Kyoko, enters his subconscious with one of her family’s jutsu, searching for anything that may link him to any village and what he ultimately wants in coming here, his life goals, and all that stuff. A boy with bright red hair searches his chakra, finding what jutsu the man can use and how powerful they are. And finally another boy, Miko, assessed his health and condition, figuring out the man’s natural strengths and weaknesses.
Another ten minutes go by and still we sit silent. Mizu almost vibrates beside me with all her pent up energy. A soft smirk touches my lips, but I quickly refocus, having a little trouble fully reading the man. He, like all shinobi, is very good at changing and suppressing certain emotions, making colors change or disappear as quickly as they surface.
“Alright brats, I know this is the room and you’re around here somewhere! Get the hell out here before I start breaking shit!”
I hear the hidden threat. I’ll break shit, and since I can’t find you, maybe break you too. I send my aura out to the other three and the twins to signal I’m done. I get similar responses from the others.
“Congratulations Sensei,” the twins’ soft voices ring out. His head snaps in my direction, as that was where they had thrown their voices, but his attention is soon diverted as the each student fades into view. Finally, the twins are left standing there, holding their hand signs.
“You’re pretty good.”
“The last one took two days to figure it out.”
“With hints.”
I know a bunch of people think twins’ finishing each other’s sentences is cute, but I think it’s just a bit creepy. Sensei’s eyes are still wide, trying to make sense of what just happened, when Teme-sensei walks in with a knowing smirk. Kami I hate him. Oh wait. Kaachan doesn’t like that word. Ok, I very strongly dislike Sensei considerably. There! Not one thing in there for her to yell about.
The new sensei’s aura changes and I sense he’s looking for an explanation, but he’ll have no such luck. Practically an entire village of children raised by suspicious and paranoid clans, one would have to be quite dense to believe us to be very forthcoming with information.
New-Sensei, now that he is worth looking at, is a very odd man. At least for around here. His outfit is that of standard Sunagakure, so three guesses to where he’s from. A veil covers half his face, though he looks to be only in his early twenties with no signs of scaring. I look closer. No, no ripple in aura to show hidden injury so it must be for the same reason everyone else from Suna wears too much clothing for living in a dessert. I mean, isn’t it supposed to be hot there?
Other than that, I merely see the usual signs that practically shout ‘I’m a shinobi! Throw pointy objects at me!’ A sudden pain erupts on the back of my head, closely followed by my face as somebody (three guesses as to whom and the first two don’t count) smacks me into the desk.
“…Ow?”
“Eyes were glowing.”
I slowly raise my head and let a chilly glare fall on her.
“So you shoved,” I pressed my finger to my nose, “my face… into the desk?”
“Apparently,” Mizu just smiled and tilted her head, as though my annoyance was the most amusing thing in the world.
“…You’re a bad person,” I growl back at her, adding a little chakra to my glare.
Ray, the girl behind us, giggles at our exchange. Nice girl, her calm aura always helps me to focus during the chaotic parts of the day such as lunch or break. I glance over at her and smile, getting a shy one in return. I turn back to my desk to see a fine layer of ice over it and words etched into it. It was the final report from the others. I nod as I read, etching in my own notes by running my hand lightly across the ice, my outer energies deftly writing them in for Mizu to pass on.
Name Baki. Sunagakure. High Chunnin. Hard ass. Shinobi life. Typ. SUN. Safe. Wind elemental. High-chunnin to low-jounin. Healthy. Strong. Clear/respectable intent. Those are some of the notes from the others, and once I added mine another of our classmates would write it up and give it to Teme-sensei for our evaluation.
So, Baki sensei is from Suna. Point to Tsuki. Shinobi life simply meant that the man did nothing else and lived for nothing else than to be a ninja. And he’s a Suna native. …Yaaaaaaaay…not. I stifle a laugh at Kyoko’s note of hard ass, but quickly somber-up when I realize that hard ass is going to be teaching us.
Baki launches into some prepared speech-thing that is so dull I don’t hear anything past word three. Wow, what a crowed pleaser.
Baki-sensei, like a few others who have visited our little spot on the map, was here to ‘shop’ as my parents called it when they explained it to my brother, who in turn explained it to me. Many from other villages now come here to try and get powerful clans to join their village or to agree to an alliance or some such thing.
“Alright. I was also sent here to show a few more basic jutsu that is not included in your…special curriculum,” his voice is gruff, probably from inhaling too much sand, I decide. So the next three hours were spent replacing ourselves with objects, using low-level genjutsu and creating clones. The day slowly ended, and Mizu and I quickly slipped out the door with the rest of the students.
==
==
I leisurely walk up the path to my family home, planning on grabbing a quick nap before starting in on homework.
“I don’t care who you’re Leader is! I will tell you now that your request is denied!” The raised voice reaches me and I freeze.
Father? Is Father…yelling? My kekki genkai automatically kicks on as my steps increase. I slip around the side of the house, climbing in the slightly lower kitchen window. Going in the front door suddenly seems like a bad idea as my Parents-are-Angry senses tingle. Glancing over to where the noise is coming from, I nod to solidify my thoughts. I can see the angry-red emanating from father from way over here.
I scurry over the windowsill and prepare to jump down. Damn! Dishes in the sink! The window was just above them, so getting in was going to be tricky. Stay calm. I can do this. Just don’t hit a dish. When father yells like that…well father doesn’t yell like that, so drawing attention to myself seems like the wrong route to take.
What feels like hours latter, I breathe easier as I rest my head against the counter. Not a single dish even touched. Now, since father is still talking with Kami-knows-who in the front room, I’ll have to go around to the office so I don’t-
“TSSSUUUUUKKKKIIIIIII!”
…Damn
“TSUKI! Tsuki guess what Danny said…today…um h-hello Mr. Tsukiakari-san.”
Leave it to Mizu.
I could just feel them all standing there, Mizu, arms frozen mid-gesture in the doorway, Father and his ‘guest’ near the center of the room staring at her. Father recovers first.
“I’m sorry Mizu-chan, but Tsuki-chan is not home yet. Perhaps you should wait for her at your house?” my father’s Clam Voice drifts into the kitchen, a sure sign that he’s angry and is trying very hard to hide it. A rattling behind me breaks my focus from the metaphorical car crash happing in the front room, and snaps it to the sink. The top dish was unsettled by Mizu’s shout, and now teetered precariously.
Well, damn.
I try and reach out for it, but I’m too short and my movement wobbles the dish even more. Mizu slamming the door doesn’t help either.
“I don’t think you understand, you and your clan don’t have a choice in this,” the mystery man/person/thing growls. A choice in what? I want to know! But the dish doesn’t like that my attention is diverted and decides to get it back. I can feel my heart stopping as the dish travels through the too-thin-to-breath air. I panic and my kekki genkai, still on from before, takes over.
Blink. Blink. I stare at the dish floating in front of me, not two inches from the floor. Thank-you bloodline limit! I carefully make the dish rise and placed it on the counter a good ways back from the edge. Seconds –hours- later, I finally rush down the hall and into the office. I couldn’t care less what Father was talking about now, my young mind can’t handle any more.
Well, that had been my plan up until Father stormed in the office, looking like an angry bear that just got poked.
Repeatedly.
With a hot-poker.
“H-hello Papa.” I can tell he’s surprised to find me here, more so to find me here and huddled underneath his desk chair muttering about dishes.
“Tsuki-chan, what are you doing?” I give him a sheepish grin. How am I going to explain this?
“Well, I came home and I heard you yelling. So then I climbed in the window but there were dishes and it was angry I wouldn’t pay attention so I caught it and then I ran away because my head hurt.”
Hmm…that could have come out better.
“Papa, why were you yelling?” His aura nearly assaults me and I jump back instinctively. The aura immediately pulls back and he looks apologetic, though the message is clear. Topic not up for discussion, or at least not with me. I can accept that, because I’m not sure I really wanted to know in the first place.
I go to bed early that night, even though the moon is approaching full. Too much for one day, a seven-year-old can only take so much. With that comforting thought, I let my mind drift off into sweet, comforting darkness.
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