A/N: [OST recommended for this chapter]

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Rest In Peace,
Eruda Rakurai
May 24, 1971 - August 22, 2007

Two hours came by since the burial process ended, yet the lone survivor of the annihilated clan remained seated on the snow across from her mother's grave, immovable as a heavy boulder. One could mistake her for a stoned statue if it wasn't for the white particles of ice crystals coating her cloak and her limbs. A puff of smoke comes out of her mouth with every exhale, her lips dry and blue from the freezing temperature. Her tiny frame trembled uncontrollably, though she refused to leave her deceased family.

Hiruda gazed at the letters carved into the gravestone blankly, unblinking. As she sat in silence, her mind drifts off to her childhood memories.

"Hiruda, dear?" Eruda's gentle voice soothed Hiruda's ears as her mother sauntered inside her room, genuine concern etched on her features.

The nine year-old girl's sobs came to a halt, her lips quivering. Hiruda was leaning against the headboard of her bed, hugging her knees close to her chest. She wiped the snot dripping down to her chin and lifted her head.

"M-Mom..." She struggled to speak inbetween hiccups as Eruda occupied the empty space of the mattress, rubbing her shoulder gently. "They're at it again... Yume and her friends announced to the whole class that I'm Sadako's child a-and... I should... k-kill mysel--"

Eruda shushed her softly, pulling her daughter in a sweet embrace. Hiruda was quick to respond to the gesture as she buried her head into her mother's shoulder, crying her heart out. "Your classmates must've been very blind then."

"What do you mean?" Hiruda asked.

Eruda combed her daughter's long hair with her fingers. "If they think that you have such an unpleasant appearance then that's where they're wrong. You're my daughter and I can clearly see that you have inherited my beauty."

The young girl wiped her tears with the back of her palm, confusion contorting her features. "But I don't have brown hair and green eyes like yours, mom." She pointed out.

Her mother chuckled. "Perhaps you're right. You may have your father's hair and eye color, however, your face reminds me of my childhood days."

Hiruda hummed thoughtfully. "I see. But why does everyone keep making fun of me? They know that I'm the daughter of a noble clan, so why?" Her chest became heavy as she voiced out her question, appalling flashbacks at the Academy occupying her mind.

Eruda placed a finger under Hiruda's chin, tilting it upwards. "I'll have to answer your question with another question first. How do you interact with your classmates, sweetie?"

The young girl played with the skirt of her white nightgown. "Well, when I first entered the Academy, everyone's first impression was that I'm too shy and quiet. They also like my kind personality, it was really fun to be able to help them whenever I can in schoolwork. But after the first semester, that's when the nightmarish experience all began." She swallowed thickly as her throat tightened.

Eruda rubbed the girl's back gently. "I'm all ears, Hiruda. I'm here for you."

Hiruda nodded, taking a long exhale. "I was so happy that Yume invited me to join her popular group, I remember how I was skipping all the way home after that. But for some reason, their behavior changed over the time I've spent with them. They weren't the cheerful friends whom I knew anymore. They became more demanding and bossy, always forcing me to let them copy my homework and making me do other things against my will." Tears blurred her vision, her mind swirling with thoughts about what could've gone wrong with their friendship.

"I didn't have the courage to tell them what's on my mind since I'm not very fond of confrontations. And as a result, their treatment grew worse and worse until they openly declared to the class that I look like Sadako and even spread rumors about the Academy being haunted. At that point, I felt so broken and betrayed. I just wanted to drop out of school and cage myself in my room."

Drops of tears stained her nightgown as her hands formed into fists. "I don't know what went wrong, mom! I've done nothing but did everything they told me to! After all, friends are supposed to help each other, right?"

Her mother's eyes narrowed with worry. "Tell me dear, what exactly did those girls told you to do?"

Hiruda glanced at her anxiously. "Do you remember about me asking for money before I head to school?"

"Yes, what about it?"

"Well, it turns out that Yume and her friends made me buy lunch for them everyday. I wanted to prove that I'm a good friend so I did what they asked." The young girl said.

Eruda sighed. "Goodness. Why would you let them have their way?"

Hiruda's gaze dropped to her lap.
"Because they said they'd kick me out of their group if I disobey them."

"Hiruda." At her mother's stern tone, she looked up hesitantly.

Eruda placed her hands on the young girl's shoulders. "Listen to me, sweetie. Just because those girls are popular doesn't mean you have to be part of their group. You have nothing to prove to anyone, Hiruda. You alone are enough. They've been nothing but a bad influence to you, so why bother of proving yourself to those who compromise your morals?"

Hiruda was touched. Negative judgement and rejection had always been her greatest fears. She had always allowed others to boss her around even if an evil deed had to be done. Little did she know, such doings are enough to tear her apart.

She frowned. "Even if I know what they're doing is wrong, I don't have the courage to tell them directly. I'm incapable of everything."

Eruda tucked a strand of hair behind Hiruda's ear. "There are times in our lives where we have to fight for what we believe in.When we see injustice, we have to fight harder than we've ever fought before because that's how humans grow, Hiruda."

The young girl shook her head sadly. "I'm not brave, mom, and I will never become brave. I'm just a girl of many fears, what can I do?"

An encouraging smile etched across the woman's features. "Then become brave, that's what you need to do."

"It's not that easy, mom. Easier said than done." Hiruda pointed out.

"Nothing spells easy in our lives, sweetie. Sometimes, it's better to risk everything than holding on to nothing."

A tear strolled down on Hiruda's cheek, the liquid cold against her skin. "If I had risked everything, would you be alive instead, mom?"

Her heart sunk as the howling wind was her sole response. Reaching up, she brushed her hand against the carved letters on the gravestone. She didn't know how many times she wept through the whole night of the crisis, but the tight, painful sensation in her chest unshackled her downright despair. She hugged her knees close to her body and buried her face into her hands.

"It's not fair... Without you... I-I can't go on, mom. Without your words of encouragement and your comfort, it's impossible." Hiruda whimpered, clenching a handful of snow on the ground.

To Hiruda, her mother is by far the most gentle and soft-hearted woman in the whole world. Eruda was her solace during her darkest hours at the Academy, it was as if she possesses the power of alleviation. Hiruda's surroundings would brighten up instantly upon the presence of her mother. She's the sky that holds the clouds, the lady of the house, and the peacemaker of the family.

And most especially, she was Hiruda's world.

The young girl glanced at the gravestones around her, where each of her family members were buried. She recalled the precious memories that were carved deeply into her heart; the kenjutsu lessons with her father, when she and her cousins played tag at the forest, and when her grandmother would storytell her days of youth.

Hiruda was having mixed emotions at the moment, disbelief, sorrow, and guilt. She was the cause of their deaths, the cause of the war, and the cause of the demise of Mifune's troops.

She was the cause of her loneliness. She had started it all.

Hiruda gasped, as if though she lost the ability to inhale oxygen. Her hands tingled and her heart pounded rapidly, attempting to burst out of her chest. Her breathing grew erratic as she clutched at her chest, the compression of her lungs making her choke violently. The young girl collapsed on her back, eyes widened with fear.

She rolled on the snow, looking around the empty graveyard frantically. "H... Help... Some... Body..." She wheezed.

Her consciousness began to drift away as black dots danced around her vision. Her eyes slowly fluttered close, wanting to succumb into the darkness.

"Maybe I should just die. That doesn't sound so bad, I'm sure my family is waiting for me up there."

o==[]::::::::::::::::>

The green ceiling of the tent greeted Hiruda when she woke up. She recognized the owner immediately upon seeing the infamous katana laid beside the sleeping bag.

"That means the General is alive." She mused.

Her legs felt like jelly when she tried to move, which leaves her no choice but to stay put for a while. Upon realizing her exhaustion as she recalled the arduous events that had transpired, she sighed. It was hard to believe that all those things occured in one night when everything felt like it had been an eternity.

Hiruda slipped her cold hand into her cloak pocket, only to feel the soft and coarse texture against her fingertips once more. She pulled it out and gazed at the pansy flower longingly, twirling its stem between her fingers.

She squeezed her eyes shut, as if forcing herself to unsee an illusion unwillingly.

"I cannot be acquainted to a ninja, it's the same as falling into the enemy's hands like a fool."

Hiruda held one of the petals, about to pluck it off when her mind wandered subconsciously.

Hiruda played with her fingers awkwardly, the gaze of a certain blonde making her nervous. Naruto studied her closely, his blue eyes wandering from head to toe. He was crouching in front of her, the close proximity of their faces was enough to trigger the girl's lightheadedness.

"Naruto?"

The said boy blinked, meeting her eyes. "Hm?"

"You've been staring at me." Hiruda pointed out.

"I just couldn't get this question out of my mind." He said, stroking his chin thoughtfully.

"What is?"

"You talk so politely, the way you behave is prim and proper, and not to mention, your clothes look expensive! Could it be that..." He paused, his eyes lighting up after a moment.

"You're a princess?!" He exclaimed, smiling jubilantly.

Hiruda took note of his observant conjecture. She twirled a strand of her hair around her fingers. "Well..."

In all honesty, she wanted to reveal her identity as Naruto's childish excitement entertained her. However, witnessing the betrayed expressions of her new friends upon admitting the shocking truth will surely haunt her.

Sakura noticed the girl's discomfort so she stepped in. "We'll take that answer as a yes, but if it's something about your family that makes you uncomfortable, then we won't cross past that boundary."

Hiruda smiled in relief. "Thanks, Sakura."

Naruto's broad smile didn't cease as he stood up. "I can't believe I just protected a princess! That's Naruto Uzumaki for you, believe it!"

The ravenette chuckled as she watched Naruto pumping his fist in the air proudly.

The boy grinned. "Since I'm in the presence of a princess, then I'll protect you, ya know!"

Hiruda's cheeks reddened. "You don't have to, I'll only be a burden to you."

"Don't be silly! Protecting a princess is honorable for a ninja! So until the war ends, let me protect you, okay? Princess Hiruda?" Naruto winked when he called her by an honorific name.

Hiruda finally cracked a bashful smile. "If you insist, Naruto."

The girl was unable to hold back a smile as she thought about the recent menory. In an instant, it disappeared as she stared at the flower dejectedly.

"I'm sorry, Naruto. But you can't protect your own enemy."

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Word Count: 2,097