The Mourning Bells

Iku stepped outside her cabin, shutting the wooden door behind her, with a warbled thunk. The sun was just coming over the horizon. 'Up and at 'em'. Was the theme of today. Iku had gotten up rather early in the morning, just about daybreak. It had been a pretty sight, outside her window, with the rickety, makeshift blinds, pulled just out of the way. The young Uchiha girl had gotten ready rather quickly, too. Not even a shower had been taken. A simple egg, cooked... well let's just say it was 'cooked'; was her breakfast, that simple, quiet morn.

So there the girl was, walking just out of Uchiha territory, heading that early Saturday morning, for a day of 'weekend studying and training', at the ye ole' Ninja Academy.

This morning was chilly. That was on the account of it being early, just about 6 am, by Iku's guess. She wore her usual getup, consisting of her white overshirt-like cloak, with the red and white Uchiha symbol on the back. It was strange how she wore the symbol, as if she had to announce to the world she was an Uchiha. It wasn't readily apparent, but anyone with a mind would be able to figure it out. The real odd part about that though, was the fact that Iku didn't really feel much kinship to her birth clan. She was an Uchiha. So freakin' what? Big deal.

Those people back in the Uchiha clan were still all strangers to her. For the most part anyways. Yet because of her birth, people expected things of her. Well they shouldn't. No one should expect anything of Iku. She would be bound to disappoint them. Only Iku expected from Iku. Because only she cared what she cared about. However, for whatever reason, there the symbol was. On her back; displayed for all the world -that was behind her at least- to see. Iku, the quiet, forlorn, mysterious, cold Uchiha girl. That was about all people knew about her.

Also, about her person, was her mesh shirt, that hanged lower, like a skirt, but not too low. As well as her shiny black leggings, that stopped a few inches above her knee. Her skin was pale, and sort of glinted in the rising sunlight. Morning dew clinging to her.

As mentioned before, it was chilly, and as she walked along, she bent over a bit, allowing her hands to grasp at her legs. "Brrr," she breathed out, awkwardly walking forward, while rubbing warmth into her exposed pale legs. Maybe she should of worn more? Perhaps? No. She was a shinobi. Or at least one in training. Shinobi had to brave harsh conditions, no way around that. Time to toughen up now. Time to get stronger. There was no way a little chilly fresh morning air would be enough to halt her now. So she breathed in that fresh air, filling her longs with its sparkling bite, and she stood up straight, and carried along down the path.

It didn't take her much longer to arrive in the village. Konoha. The Village Hidden in the Leaves. Her home, and founded, by her clan, with the Senju clan. She had read that growing up. The story that had been told was quite fascinating. If it was a tad hard for her to understand. Iku did not get the whole friendship and camaraderie thing that had taken place, to lead to the founding of this village. If they did not want to kill each other anymore. The Senjus and the Uchihas. Then why not just stop? What was with all this 'friendship' nonsense?

She could never understand it.

Regardless, though, it had taken place, and Konoha was now here and her home. Nothing she could do about that, so all she could do was deal. Like deal with the biting morning air, that still nipped at her exposed ankles, just above her black ninja boots.

Iku intended to learn more that day, get some studying under her belt. She walked down a normally busy street in Konoha, but since it was so early, few people were out and about. Most were just store owners, or employees getting ready to open their establishments.

She passed the shops and things, and walked alongside a linked chain fence, her hand extended and brushed along the chilled metal. Only her fingertips could feel that cold metallic surface, as her hands had ninja gloves on them, with the finterips exposed. The school came into view and she walked towards it. It was a Saturday, and Iku, admittedly, wasn't positive if she was allowed in on this day. Well, it wasn't like she was breaking the law or anything... right? She was just here to get some studying done, that was all.

Iku sidled up alongside a window, and her eyes shifted around, looking for anyone lurking about in the dimness of the early morn. She wasn't positive if she was allowed in... But that didn't mean she should sneak in. Ah, what the hell, she was a budding shinobi, sneaking and subterfuge was their game. Besides, it was more fun this way.

Just as the Uchiha was reaching up to the window, to fiddle with it to break the lock -if that was even necessary, she heard voices. She quickly ducked behind some bushes, and peered out, trying to be as stealthy, and sneaky as possible. Iku hadn't let learned about chakra manipulation, and hiding one's chakra scent and sensing chakra and all that jazz. Presumably the people she spotted hadn't studied that yet either. They didn't seem too much older, though, there was no real way to tell. Why was she hiding anyways? It wasn't like she was doing anything wrong. Just being outside, and around, and stuff. Not until she actually snuck into the school, would she be doing something wrong. Ah, whatever. Might as well learn how to be stealthy now, right?

So she observed the people, hidden from sight as best as she knew how, until they had disappeared, their voices nothing but faint mumbles. She reached up, and fiddled with the window, finally she pushed it up, hearing the soft brushing sound as it went upwards. Then, Iku, bent her head in, and stepped inside the Ninja Academy.

With a gentle shut of the window behind her, Iku moved onwards, to find something to preoccupy herself with in here. Hopefully it would be something to help further her skills as a shinobi. This was the Ninja Academy after all.

{words: 1092}

Shiki, aka Momma Bug on campus... Haha not really. She was the student who was distanced by others, the reason obvious to anyone who looked at her. Dressed in a way that told you of her heritage as a Aburame. Heritage that came with roots. Roots that were so deep that a century old oak tree, could only dream its tree-ish dreams of being so deep. Tree-ish dreams that would never come true because they had already grown to their full height. The trees could never achieve this anyways. They were cut down, turned to paper, paper to scrolls and books, and scrolls and books to knowledge.
Shiki loved knowledge. On the weekends, for this reason and this reason alone, she snuck into school to study. She had gotten up as always with the hive, feeling as the feasted upon her chakra and moved around much more than they did in her sleep. She had gotten dressed and started her curl-ups as always. After that was finished she stood up. Leaving her room, and entering the garden in her homes center, walking through it to the house's front entrance. Slipping on her sandals she left her home without saying anything at all. From there she entered town.
This was where magic happened, decisions made, items sold, wares traded, brothels formed. Not really that last one. The thought of a brothel being in Konoha, her village, the Village Hidden in the Leaves was creepy. Why would a women do that to herself? Why would a person run such an undecent establishment. It was made her skin crawl, which is suprisingly hard to do when your skin actually crawls from bugs. Even so it was a thought she didn't enjoy having.
Shiki finally reached it! The center of town, the center was the heart. always the heart. The heart was kept everything alive and Konoha's market pumped money in and around town. That was what a lot of ninjas and men were after right? That was what pumped the blood of a town. Right? A stable economy kept things running. Right? Oh well.
Taking a left turn she began to head to the school yard. Walking slow at first, but then seeing Iku. It was the uchiha girl from her class, was she heading to class too? No, couldn't be she had never seen her there before on the weekends. Looking down a single tiny bug floated up to her eye level, she said one word for it to follow, "Track."
Watching tiny bug float through the street, connecting without notice to the waist of her mesh skirt. Shiki had always wondered what it would be like to wear one, but her father and mother were always getting stricter and stricter. The jackets got longer, covering her more. At the same time, she wondered would her creepy body even look that well in one. It was hard to tell. Distancing herself from Iku she started to walk slower, stopping every now and again to keep herself from detection. After Shiki had started walking around she had headed for the front door.
"Oi Shiki! What's a young lady like yourself doing on school grounds so early on this Saturday?" A voice called, it was one of the younger year teachers. Shiki stopped dead in her tracks. Miss Geku.
"Hi Miss Geku, I um... came to study." Shiki admitted finding it hard to lie to her first year teacher. Looking down like she was about to get yelled at.
"No harm my dear, studying is a important part of a ninja's job, whether the subject be darker or light such as what I teach. It's needed. Its quite cold today, isn't it?"
"Yes ma'am." The Aburame girl replied, deathly quiet.
"Well, its not good for you, or your bugs. Lets go inside come come." Ms. Geku said walking to a side door on the other side of the building. Pulling out a small key she unlocked the door and they both walked in. After shutting and locking the door back up Miss Geku turned to Shiki and ruffled the young Aburame's hair past its already messy state, "You go study, I have lessons to plan, and papers to grade. I'm sure your friend would enjoy the company.
Shiki tilted her head at first, but ended up bending over laughing, her former teacher joining into the laughter. Without another word she left with another ruffle to Shiki's hair. Shiki herself followed. Having left a female bug on Iku, Shiki left one of her male companions guide her.
She followed her companion becoming quite close. As she approached Shiki slowed down to silence herself completely. Rounding the corner, she followed Iku from behind, "You know its the weekend right? Your not supposed to be here."

(I put it in place before the group thing.)

Words: 800 even
Chakra: 99/100

Iku thought she had slipped into the school without being seen: a slippery little fish. She thought she had perfected the art of a sneaky ninja: sneaky like a cat stalking its prey. Clearly that was not the case. Well, she knew she hadn't perfected it, but she had thought she had at least gotten a tiny bit better. At any rate, she had failed to get in undetected. She didn't know she had been noticed by a teacher of all things, but would probably feel rather dejected knowing another student of all things noticed her.

She walked down the darkened hallways of the Academy. It was a tad different this early in the morning, with no one else around. It felt... cold. Not chilly. Cold. Almost unwelcoming. Which was in stark contrast to how the school normally felt. Which was incredibly welcoming, and very cheerful.

Iku preferred it like this. Mournful, and melancholic. Slower, and more intimate. Iku felt right at home in the Academy at that moment, her small feet carrying her through the empty halls, with only her shadow for company. Time was passing, as she moved through the school, and the city would soon be stirring, but for now, Iku was alone. Or at least she thought so, until she heard a voice behind her. It slightly spooked her, but the girl made no visible indication of being surprised.

The other girl's voice rang through her head. She wasn't supposed to be here? Well so what. Neither was this other student by the looks of it. This was another student. Iku turned to look at the girl that had spoken to her. A girl stood there, taller than Iku. Not that it was hard to be taller than the Uchiha girl. Her emotionless eyes quickly took in the image of this person. A big trench coat, covering most of the body. With a pair of ugly black goggles over her eyes. Iku knew she could never wear anything like that. Those goggles would obstruct her vision; which was crucial to an Uchiha. That coat, too? Gaudy. Though, standing side by side, Iku did note she was slightly under-dressed, just standing there in a white cloak, and small thin, mesh shirt, and pair of leggings that didn't even go passed her knees. Her wardrobe indicated the girl's heritage. An Aburame clan member. She probably had hundreds, perhaps thousands, -...maybe millions- of tiny little bugs swarming about inside her. What a strange strange, bizarre jutsu. A clan secret really.

Iku found it incredibly exciting. How neat. She wondered how the mutual relationship worked between the hive of beetles, and the hose person. She almost wanted to... Her eyes bore down on the Aburame girl, staring deep into her. She shook her head lightly to clear it.

Both girls were vastly different it seemed. Or at least they were, at first glance. One an Uchiha, with a simple ocular Kekkei Genkai. The other, a member of a respected, but mysterious clan, with an even more peculiar ninjutsu style. The Uchiha were secretive, but not nearly to the level of the Aburame. Still, it was confusing. The Aburame were liked better. The Uchiha were always considered with such contempt and scorn. Every day of an Uchiha's life, they were scrutinized. As if people were waiting for them to mess up. Aburame? Totally chill. Even though they were walking bug hives. Nope. No qualms with that from the average person.

Iku did not care though. She did not care to make people like her. If they wanted to be suspicious of her that was their own prerogative. She might even propagate those Uchiha stereotypes. Why not? She didn't care. Might as well keep people in the dark. Make them fear her.

So, the two girls had their differences, but Iku noted that this Aburame chick was here in the Academy in the early morn, too. Maybe they had some similarities. Maybe. Not that Iku was trying to empathize with another.

"I don't care," Iku finally responded, after leaving quite the awkward silence in the air. While both girls stood side by side in the dim hallway. "Same goes for you, I suspect, and yet you are here as well." Iku closed her mouth, not wishing to speak anymore than she had to.

She turned quickly, her long midnight hair whipping. Iku then began walking away from the Aburame girl. She headed towards the library, and opened the door. It wasn't locked like the front door to the school had been. With a side-ways glance to the Aburame, Iku disappeared inside, to get some studying done. The door closing behind her disappearing person, with a loud clang that rang throughout the empty halls. Iku had seemed quite disinterested in the Aburame girl, but she was actually rather intrigued at the girl's appearance. Perhaps there was something else here she could learn today. Something else she could study.

{words: 825}