Tsukihana Ichigo

“Lord Hokage, I don’t understand. I passed the exam. Why can’t I become a ninja?” Ichigo was standing in front of the renowned old man’s desk, her grey eyes filled with tears as she confronted him about the injustice done to her. She had passed the exam with flying colors, but yet, she was refused her headband and told that it had been decided that she was forbidden to proceed on to the Genin rank. Thinking that there had been some mistake, the girl had rushed to the Hokage’s office to beg to reconsider.

“Ichigo, my dear… I am afraid that my hands are tied. If it were up to me, you would have begun your training today,” the Hokage sighed, shaking his head sadly. “The fact that your mother has defected to the outlying Tsukihana complex weighs heavily on the minds of my colleagues… They are concerned that she may try to use you to harm the village.”

“I would never! I don’t even see my mother anymore!” Ichigo cried, slamming her fist angrily on the desk. Sniffling, she bowed her head to the revered ninja. “Please… All I want to do is protect my home… Can’t you help me?” With a heavy sigh, the old man stood and walked around the desk to place a hand on Ichigo’s shoulder. In her distress, she hugged him, sobbing, desperate for the old man to hear her plea.

“I’ll see what I can do. Go home now, Ichigo; you’ve had a long day,” he relented. Ichigo nodded and wiped away her tears, bowing gratefully before silently leaving the Hokage’s home.

The next day, Ichigo spent her day wandering miserably around the village while her peers started their ninja training. She sulked until late in the afternoon, and by the time the sun was setting Ichigo found herself in a child’s park, one she had frequented many times with her father. Being so late in the day, the park was devoid of visitors, and the young girl sat on the swing watching her shadow slowly glide back and forth across the ground in the yellow light. She gasped when a shadow eclipsed hers, and she looked up to find one of her classmates standing in front of her with his arms crossed.

“Naruto,” she murmured. She had never had much dealings with the boy, being so involved with her training and studies, but she had always been as nice to him as she could. After all, he was ostracized by the village just like her, and she knew personally just how lonely the world was without people who respected you. Ichigo’s father personally disliked the boy and insisted she have no interaction with him; Ichigo was unsure just why this was so, for when she asked him he refused to comment on the matter. 

“What’re you doing here?” he asked, sitting on the swing beside her. “Didn’tcha start your training today? I started mine. Our sensei is a real weirdo- and I got stuck with Sasuke! But I have Sakura, too, so I guess it’s not all bad,” he babbled excitedly. Ichigo tried not to be jealous, and focused instead that things were finally going right with Naruto. She stared down at her feet, trying to find the words to say.

“They said that I couldn’t become a ninja… Even though I passed the exam,” she answered finally, and Naruto jumped to his feet in surprise.

“What? That’s not fair! Why not?” he cried angrily.

“Because of my family,” she sighed. Naruto snorted and crossed his arms with an angry huff.

“What a load of crap. I’m so tired of people being so judgmental around here…” he muttered, sitting back down on the swing. “I mean, you’re almost as smart as Sakura, and I’m sure you could kick Sasuke’s self-centered butt.” Ichigo laughed at this, feeling better that the boy thought so highly of her. Naruto was the closest thing she had to a friend, she realized.

“Thanks, Naruto. Lord Hokage said he would see what he can do for me,” she smiled, standing up from the swing. She was just about to say farewell to her ex-classmate when the ground suddenly lurched beneath her feet and knocked her on her behind. Explosions began to ring through the air, and smoke billowed from a nearby building. Ichigo could see black shapes darting through the darkness, dashing their way across the rooftops and heading for the Hokage’s home. Naruto helped her to her feet, drawing a kunai knife.

“Come on! We gotta do something!” he cried and took off after the dark shapes. Ichigo hesitated to draw her weapon, contemplating whether the village that had wronged her so greatly was worth fighting for.

… This is my home. I have to protect it, no matter what. That’s my ninja way, she decided, drawing the long ninja blade strapped to her back and dashing after Naruto. The two children soon caught up with the invaders, who were battling with Jonin and slowly pushing their way to the large building. Ichigo screeched to halt when she saw the familiar insignia that decorated the invaders’ clothes- the same mark that was drawn on the back of her white top.

“It cannot be,” she whispered as their leader, a woman with white hair that matched Ichigo’s own, turned to face her.

“Hello, my daughter,” Ichigo’s mother purred as she kicked the body of a fallen ninja off the rooftop. “It’s been a long time.”