The Hidden Seal

Sasami

My parents' cabin was on the outskirts of Konoha, surrounded by pretty flower beds and pollinating insects.

The day they died there was no evidence of who did it, but I knew their last moments played out in the living room in a struggle for survival. There was only the crooked pendulum clock, broken glass and soaked walls, most likely the result of my mother's water jutsu, and the blood. Messy, crimson, blood, splattered everywhere. 

It smelt heavily of dog, and I knew the attackers- ... their ninja hounds... ate my parents' remains.

I returned to the academy the next day, a few hours later than usual considering the long daily walk from the edge of the village to the center.

When I arrived, Iruka-Sensei looked at me with shock. "S-Sasami... you're extremely late." He wasn't just talking about what time I'd got here- I missed the clone exam yesterday, the one that determined if I graduated and became a ninja. 

"Y-yeah, I know. But I'm ready to take the test now." I stared directly into his eyes. 

He regained his composure. "I'll fish a headband out of the closet, when you start your test I'll grade you accordingly." He grumbled something about the inconvenience of not having an assistant teacher anymore as he fumbled through the mess of a closet. Only then I even realized Mizuki was gone.

My eyes strung upwards toward the class- my appearance was horrible. Ino's eyes scanned me, more interrogative than worried, the Uchiha stared unashamedly then looked away playing nonchalant. Most of the class was mildly concerned, yet Kiba seemed struck to the core worried, alarmed, and even remorseful. At the top of the class were my friends Shikamaru and Choji, one's eyes wide and mouth totally agape in complete surprise and the other showing bewilderment by pausing his chip-eating.

"Okay, I'm ready when you are," I turn my attention back to a stern Iruka, loosely holding the hitai-ate in one hand and a clipboard in the other. I pulse chakra, produce a clone, and pass quite underwhelmingly... He slow claps, "Well done," handing me my headband. 

With a sigh, I make my way up to the top, and Shikamaru can't seem to drop his expression, he pulls me in by my shirt, grabbing it and twisting, forcing me onto to the bench.

"What're you doing!?" he whisper-yelled.

"I passed," I whisper back.

He pushes me back letting go of my shirt annoyed by my lack of care. "You missed the test day, and show up like this." He spit. There's dust on all my clothing I couldn't be bothered to change out of. I didn't even shower the night before. "I thought you wanted to be a ninja- more than anybody..."

I sat apathetic.

He huffed, propping his head on his hand, "Now all the girls are talking about you. What a drag," he grumbled, glancing down. We both catch the same blond hair, whispering to a growing group of girls, some of them glancing back.

"Who cares, Ino's a gossip anyway."

His eyebrow lifted. "So you do care."

"I never said I didn't,"

"Then why show up looking like this? I thought you cared about what your sensei thought of you and all that- first impressions and all? Weren't you... excited to be an actual ninja or something?" 

I thought hard. "... I care about becoming a genin." I looked down, I couldn't do too much about my appearance.

He scoffed, "Whatever,"

The rest of the day I felt lightheaded, and briefly confused and angry on the inside. I was uncomfortable too. 'I showed up despite what happened yesterday, how could Shikamaru think I don't care?' mixed with the grief that I felt for my parents so strongly that I could barely feel it. I was extremely tired.

I wasn't surprised seeing I was one of the last kids left, save for team Kakashi. All I had been doing was staring at the chalkboard. Although I would have no team until tomorrow, I was told to stay until the bell- and I had nothing better to do. What did tickle me was when Hannah Inazauka slid open the classroom doors, asking for me.

Then it hit me. Inazauka, dogs, ninja hound, it was still so fresh in my mind. I'd since aired out the place.

I carefully stepped down the stairs until I faced her. My chest filled with devastation, pride, honor, and dread. I didn't know how to feel.

She approached me... hesitantly. "Oh, I forgot today is when you academy kids are assigned teams," 

My brows furrowed. "Your brother goes to the academy... he's graduating too." Kiba.

She folded her arms, thoughtful. "Oh, maybe he told me..."

She was unsettlingly calm. She gazed at me with grim eyes.  After a silence... "Sasami, you need to follow me."

A chill went down my spine. My heart rate increased. For some reason, I felt prepared to fight. Or die trying. The hand in my pocket clutched the scroll at my right side. 

"Okay."