The White Flash

Bitten

It was becoming more and more clear over two weeks. The truth behind Hiruzen's claim. She fought with the strength of ten Jounin on unbalanced swings, which only multiplied once she had her footing. Ayumi barely managed to parry her blade. The clashing of metal sent sparks into the air, the chakra that was forced through the cracks of Onimaru created an eerie shriek that echoed throughout the woods. It cleared the surrounding area of wandering souls, animal and human alike. Onimaru sucked the chakra from her body like a glutton with each movement. Within two hours of training, Ayumi was left near empty.

            That's how she ended in her current situation, flat on her back and caked with sweat, layered with dirt, and cauterized wounds. Retsu's falcon, Hyakkimaru, soared overhead-a tell tale sign that the samurai was near. Just as predicted, the leaves rattled as she returned from her trip into town. Ayumi arched her back to peer at her mentor, carrying two large containers from the local snack shop. Retsu took a seat beside Ayumi, placing a food container and water bottle in her lap. "Eat up, we'll start again in an hour."

            With a grunt, Ayumi sat up, "Retsu-san, I wanted to ask you something."

            Opening her container, Retsu began to dig into her rice bowl, "what is it?"

            "How did you know my Ojii-san?"

            "Sakumo? Actually, we were on the same team." Crossing her legs, Retsu gazed ahead of them. "He was one of the first to accept me into Konoha when I first transferred. You see, I didn't talk to many people in my homeland so I was very socially awkward and having a mutation that prevented me from doing much with the other kids didn't help much either. Everyone else had been friends since the academy while I was simply part of a failed outreach program. Although, Sakumo was a kind man and took the time to make sure I was comfortable walking around the village. He and one other helped me train and taught me different jutsu. If it weren't for them, I wouldn't have accomplished what I have until now. More likely than not, I would have died in the Second War." Her eyes moved to Ayumi, "stories are told of the heroes who win flashy battles, but often there are those who accomplish amazing feats on a slightly smaller scale. While Orochimaru, Tsunade, and Jiraiya fought with Hanzo in Amegakure; Sakumo and I were deep in the Land of Lightning rescuing a platoon of Konoha shinobi who found themselves surrounded."

            "Really?"

            "Really, really. Sakumo always tried to protect as many lives as he could. He saw things in a way that-at the time-was uncommon."

            "Oh?" It wasn't often that she was able to hear about her grandfather. He had died by his own knife when Kakashi was little; she had assumed that they weren't memories that Kakashi would want to speak about. "And what was that?"

            Retsu raised one leg, resting an arm along her kneecap, "it's often said that shinobi are only tools used by others to wage war, but that is not entirely true. A sword is a tool; it has no conscious. Whether it is used to protect or to wage war depends on its wielder. Shinobi are different from tools because they have a consciousness. No matter how hard they fight to correct that flaw, every human is born with it. Nobody in this world can abolish their humanity, their hearts. It's displayed in every action that they take. Feelings of the heart like hatred, love, sadness, belonging-they can be suppressed but they're always there."

            Ayumi's gaze fell to her own rice bowl, nearly finished. Was that true? Her friendships with Shikamaru and Choji, the need to poke fun at Kankuro, her willingness to befriend the reluctant Gaara, even the desire to protect her father. Had she simply been ignoring herself? Haku's face flashed through her mind. Even he, who she had so clearly seen herself in, chose to throw himself in front of her blade to save Zabuza. If she did that, would it really be to protect?