The tale of Mayumi

Chapter 28 - The First Step

Kakashi and I stayed on the rooftop for a while after my unexpected disappearing act.

I still felt lightheaded, my heart racing with leftover adrenaline. I had actually teleported—no seals, no hand signs, no conscious effort. It just happened.

"I need to do it again," I muttered, half to myself.

Kakashi raised an eyebrow. "You sure you're up for that?"

I ignored his question, pushing myself up. I needed to prove to myself that this wasn't just a one-time fluke. If I could control it, then maybe it wouldn't feel so terrifying.

I took a deep breath and focused. Move.

Nothing happened.

Kakashi watched as I tried again. And again.

And again.

After my fourth failed attempt, I groaned in frustration, raking my hands through my hair. "Great. Now it's gone."

Kakashi hummed thoughtfully. "It only activated when you were in danger."

I looked at him, realizing what he meant. "You're not throwing another kunai at me."

He chuckled. "I was just pointing it out."

I exhaled sharply and sat back down. "I need to figure out a way to trigger it without nearly dying."

Kakashi tilted his head slightly, considering me. "Maybe it's not about danger, but about instinct. You weren't thinking about it last time—it just happened."

I frowned, mulling over his words. He was right. My power had activated in moments where I wasn't trying—I was simply reacting.

I needed to find a way to access that part of myself without being in a life-or-death situation.

Kakashi must have seen the determination on my face because he nodded. "I'll help you train it."

I blinked at him. "...You will?"

"You don't have control over it yet," he pointed out. "And if this ability is what I think it is, then it's not something you can afford to leave unchecked."

I swallowed. "And what do you think it is?"

Kakashi studied me carefully. "Something that doesn't belong in this world."

His words sent a chill through me. Because deep down, I already knew he was right.

I wasn't like the others. My abilities weren't just rare—they were wrong for this world.

And sooner or later, I would have to face what that meant.

⸻

Later That Day

Training with Kakashi was... interesting.

Since we had no idea how my power actually worked, our training session mostly consisted of trial and error. Kakashi tried to get me to move short distances, to focus on feeling my energy shift instead of forcing it.

And after an hour of absolutely nothing happening, I was getting frustrated.

"This is pointless," I groaned, sitting down on a tree stump. "I can't do it on command."

"You're overthinking it," Kakashi said simply, crouching beside me. "You weren't thinking when it happened before, remember?"

I sighed, rubbing my temples. "Then what do you suggest?"

Kakashi didn't answer right away. Instead, he pulled out his book and flipped it open, casually turning a page. "We'll take a break."

I stared at him. "Seriously?"

He turned another page. "Mmhm."

I crossed my arms. "You're so annoying."

He smirked behind his mask but didn't look up.

I exhaled sharply, leaning back against the tree trunk. I knew what he was doing—trying to get me to relax. And I hated that it was kind of working.

We sat in silence for a while. The tension in my body eased, and my mind wandered. I thought about Hikaru, about my nightmares, about the strange flashes of memory that never quite made sense.

Then, suddenly—

The world shifted.

I barely had time to process it before I found myself standing on the other side of the clearing.

Kakashi looked up from his book, his eye widening slightly. "...Huh."

I stared at him, my pulse hammering. "Did I—?"

"You teleported," he confirmed, closing his book.

I swallowed hard. "But I wasn't trying to."

He stood up, walking over to me. "What were you thinking about before it happened?"

I frowned, replaying the moment in my mind. "...Nothing in particular. I was just... lost in thought."

Kakashi's gaze sharpened slightly. "Maybe that's the key."

I furrowed my brow. "What do you mean?"

He crossed his arms. "You've been trying to force it. But when you're relaxed, when your mind isn't overcomplicating things, it happens naturally."

I stared at him. "So you're saying... I have to not think about it?"

He smirked. "Looks like it."

I groaned. "That makes no sense."

He chuckled. "You'll get the hang of it."

I wasn't so sure. But at least now, I had a starting point.

And something told me... this was only the beginning.