a shinobi's tale

chapter 1 : outcast

It feels like it was only just yesterday when I felt that pain.  That excruciating, troublesome, agonizing pain. But it wasn't a physical pain. No. It was my heart that was in pain.  The pain of loneliness.  The pain of not knowing who you are and the pain of being an outcast. It all started on my 5th birthday. Picture this. A lonely child sitting at the barren,  plain table staring into space,  wishing someone was there to see her turn 5 and acknowledge  her.  That was my 5th and worst birthday.  But it was also my most memerable birthday. 

I remember sitting there, staring at the bleak table. There was no food ,  no presents,  no friends and no parents. Just me and my house. Not that I wanted any materialistic items.  I justed wanted to have parents. I decided to go for a walk. I wanted to clear my mind and get some fresh air.  I thought it would ease the pain.  But it didn't help, it only made things much worse. I watched the happy families going to the marketplace and playing with their children .  But what really made me envy every kid in my village was that they had a loving family with older siblings or caring parents to care for them and want them.  I didn't have any of that. 

I walked on and on until I came across a group of kids. They looked a few years older than me. They were playing with a ball and chatting merrily.  Then one kid kicked the ball really hard and it went hurtling in my direction.  I couldn't stop it nor avoid it. In the blink of an eye I was on the ground on my back, a ball by my side. The kids turned to get there ball and saw me laying there helplessly like a door mat waiting to be trampled on. "look at that kid just laying there " said one of the kids from the group, " she looks like a dead rat ".
" smells like one too " added another. They all burst into laughter. 

I forced myself up and patted of the dust. I could feel tears welling up in my eyes. I wanted to tell them to leave me alone and stop being fat jerks  in an assertive tone but all that came out was a feeble "s-stop it please". 
"Aww is the ickle baby upset with us? well why don't you hit me or are you to scared?" said one kid nastily.
"why am I so weak,  why can't I help myself "  I thought.
"Aww are you too chicken to lay a finger on us?" said a kid. He shoved me out of the way and laughed.
"why don't you run to your mommy kid or get your daddy,  oh wait you don't have one!" exclaimed a kid, menacingly.
Hearing him say that made my blood boil. I had never felt so enraged in my whole life.  I wanted to demolish this kid. So I mustered up all my courage and aimed a blow with my fist in his face. 
I hit him right on the nose and he fell hard like a bowling pin. "oh your gonna pay for knocking hara out" yelled the rest of the group. 
I felt so weak. There were four  of them and only one of me.  There was no way that I could take all of them on.
"this is it " I thought. " I'll never take another breath of air again,  but what does it matter,  no one's gonna miss me anyway"

Just as all four of them charged straight for me, a young boy came into view, his movements to fast to follow and before I knew it had pulverized all of the other kids. They lay before me, there faces pale with horror and there bodies limp. I didn't know how but I was saved.  I went closer to the stranger for a closer look at my hero.  He had jet black hair, piercing black eyes and a monotone expression on his face. "th-thank you so much, you saved my life " I said shyly. "It's nothing,  just don't expect me to save you everytime your to coward to attack" replied the boy calmly.
Then he turned away from me ready to leave. I watched solemnly, as hopeful as I was that I would finally not be hated by someone, it was not to be. I would always be hated by the world.  Even this boy who saved my life still hated my being.
Then out of nowhere the boy asked in a rather demanding tone " what's your name girl ".
A little bit of hope returned to me. " I'm Ochimiyo " I replied.  "whats your name?" I asked.
He paused. Then after a few seconds he answered " I'm Kurai".
He took a few steps away from me. Then he kept walking further away.
This was it,  I was never gonna see this boy again and I would be left here alone,  to die and leave the world as lonely as when I arrived.
Then he stopped walking. There was a brief silence.  Then he said to me
" wanna come with me, I mean I haven't got anything better to do and you seem lonely "
My face lit up and I felt like hugging him. This was the happiest I had been in a long time.  " yes please,  thank you so much kurai!" I said happily.
He smiled slightly at the corner of his mouth before returning to the same solemn,  expressionless  look. 

And that is only the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

Thanks for reading! This is my first story so I hope you enjoyed it and I can't wait to write the next chapter.  Please feel free to comment what you thought of this chapter and also who else likes snakes btw just wondering😊😄😊💓