Chapter Five

I never thought much of what company I kept as either Kimberley or Kuina. I just often looked for persons I felt comfortable around – mostly that included persons who weren't afraid to speak their minds around me, which gave me the pleasure of speaking freely as well – and didn't really look at other things that made up their character. This would include class, gender and age.

Shimotsuki villagers were what I like to refer as traditional in a sense. They didn't mind someone interacting with another who is of opposite sex, age or even reputation but it was still frowned upon seeing girls only being in the company of boys. Which can be a bit confusing when one-minute Amy wants little Hikari to play with her brothers, but also muttered often of having her little girl spend some time with the neighbor's daughter that is around Hikari's age.

Which I guess I can understand as no one would ever want their child to just be around the company of their family and would love for them to interact with more people to make friends. There was just something that made me feel like my village liked the idea of the traditional male and female. Not ignoring the fact that time and time again many of the village ladies have tried to take my attention away from the dojo and my company who just happen to be mostly males.

"Nina-chan, it feels like we haven't talked in ages!" There was that smile that made my lips twitch to return it as my vision is blocked by a slightly taller girl.

Yuki Hamada – a girl a year older than me with a smile that can rival the sun's rays. She is the only daughter to Phillip and Tsubaki Hamada, who own one of the bakeries in our village.

"You are in a class above me, remember?" My cheeks are pushed together by her chubby little hands, her lips pushed into a pout.

"But you're always around Chris-baka and he's already finishing up school." Her words remind me of the already fifteen-year-old boy who has already begun to start his mentorship with Koshiro and would be working full time with my father once this year ends with the graduation of the oldest class.

"That might have something to do with the fact that we attend the same dojo." I try my best to say with my cheeks still pushed together.

"Well no more! You're going to be ten soon – "

"My birthday isn't until September."

"– and you should be in the company of more females!"

I raise an eyebrow at her words and her hands slacken from my cheeks to rest on my shoulders, and she squeezes slightly.

"I want to be your friend, Nina-chan." Her smile has dimmed a bit and I feel my chest tighten at the sight. "I always have, but you always seemed to be more interested with the dojo and playing with the boys."

In a way, I could say I have known Yuki as she didn't live too far away from me, and we often crossed each other's paths because of it. Her parents never pushed to have me over, even though Tsubaki often wanted to get me out of Koshiro's clutches and away from the 'man's world' – as she liked to call it.

Yuki had always been on the back burner for me which has me wincing from the guilt of doing such a thing to the poor girl. It isn't that I disliked her much, but never found the interest to make friends outside of the ones at the dojo. It didn't help that most girls my – physical – age thought that swords aren't as cool and awesome as the boys did, so I had always assumed that she wouldn't have liked my company no matter how friendly she appeared to me before. Little girls could be odd like that.

"I'm sorry for ignoring you, Yuki."

"You can apologize better by spending more time with me!"

I don't think I quite noticed the trap set for me, or even thought about it much. All I knew was that I didn't want the guilt in my chest to be there anymore. Not when someone wanted something as innocent as wanting to be my friend.

I don't think I noticed much of anything until the signs started to show – that I was indeed growing, and not in the way as my other friends.

The baby fat started to shed from not only myself, but for Anthony and even scowling Zoro as well. Don't even get me started on Chris, who has grown like a weed and now has jawline that could practically cut stone. However, I'm still taller than the two which I often teased both for while they did the same to me for not being as strong as them.

Well Anthony teased, Zoro just blatantly shoved it in my face by lifting a boulder – how the hell does a eight-year-old kid do that anyway!?

I guess the slap to the face was after I noticed the development of breasts. This is something that Yuki giggled over every time it came up in our conversations with each other.

"They are going to be so annoying." I clasp my hands over my chest, cupping the small mounds of flesh which has Yuki dissolving into a fit of laughter.

"All my other friends are so excited about becoming womanly while you find it annoying." Yuki finally says after coming down from her laughter. "You really are weird, Kuina!"

Oh, wait 'til you and your friends experience your first menstrual then you'll be singing a different tune, dear Yuki. I decide not to say anything on the matter and instead only roll my eyes as we continue with our hobbies; my stitching and her drawing.

We had come to the compromise of spending some of our afternoons together in the safety of my home away from Yuki's nosey mother and the prying eyes of the rest of the village. It had only been about three weeks since Yuki's confession, but I found that I quite enjoyed Yuki's company and her bright smiles that often did wonders for my moods.

"I should get going before Okaa-san comes looking for me." Shoving a hand through her oddly colored mauve hair, Yuki gives a grin. "Walk me out?"

"Of course." Like if she had to ask….

Waving the girl off from the pathway leading into our compound, I turn around and head for the dojo where I knew my father is still holed up in.

The voices coming from the room of the dojo at the back has me pausing as I didn't remember Koshiro stating he would be having any guests at the one day he has free from teaching.

"That daughter of yours is something else, Koshiro-sensei." I recognize the voice to be belonging to Sam another owner of a dojo just a bit out of our village. He often visited to discuss with Koshiro as he was once a student here, wanting all the advice he can get from his former teacher.

"That she is. Kuina will grow up to be a fine woman someday." Koshiro's pride shines through his words and I cannot help but smile slightly at his words, resting my hand on the door.

I'm sure they wouldn't mind me listening in a bit… They are after all discussing me….

My reasons for sticking around is quite stupid and makes me a hypocrite for wanting to call Tsubaki nosey.

"It's a shame she won't take over the dojo. She has talent for the sword."

"Kuina is not as fascinated with swordsmanship as my other students and there is of course the problem of her being a woman." There is pause. "She wouldn't be able to reach the potential I knew she could if she was a man. I'm glad she isn't set on the life of becoming a swordsman. Chris might just be the next owner of this place after I retire."

"I just hope you don't hand this place over to that wild green-haired brat. I honestly don't know why you let that… beast join your dojo, Sensei. He might be incredibly strong but just imagine the…"

I don't think as I open the door and step in, leaving Sam to trail off.

"Zoro isn't a wild green-haired brat, he's the most talented person we have at this dojo and he'll be the greatest swordsman when he leaves here." I blurt out, before turning to my father who I can feel the displeasure rolling off him in waves. "Dinner will be ready soon, Otou-san. I'll be waiting."

Closing the door without waiting for a reply, I briskly walk out of the dojo with my heart racing in my chest. Koshiro will no doubt be angry over my eavesdropping and rudely interrupting their conversation, but…

"No one dismisses my friend like that." I grit my teeth, feeling my heart burn because….

That really wasn't what I had wanted to say…

"I'm just as strong! I can be just as strong as Zoro and Chris!"

But of course, I didn't say that.

.

.

"… What are you doing?" I don't look away from my task, eyes still shut tightly as I continued to push.

"I'm trying to move this boulder that you put here last week."

"Why?"

"Because if you can do it, so can I." I say through my labored breathing, ignoring the sweat sliding down my forehead. "It budged a bit, but I know I can roll it down the hill if I try hard enough."

"You're so stupid." Zoro's words has my eyebrow twitching as I let up my progress with the boulder to turn around and glare.

"Then you're stupider for bringing it up the hill the other day."

"I only was able to do so after training to do it!"

"Well I'll train myself to do so!" I snap, shoving his face back a bit from mine. "I don't care if I'm a girl and that I'm growing breasts. I can be just as strong as you."

My words seem to shut the shorter boy up as he only stares at me for a while, stupefied. He then shakes his head.

"I didn't say anything like that. Go yell at the right person."

The anger evaporates just as quickly as it came as I plop down on the grassy hill, shoving my hair up into a pony tail as the midday sun of August shows no mercy on me.

"It was Tou-san." I say softly. "I should be yelling at Tou-san."

"He said you can't be as strong as me or something?" Over the year that Zoro has been in Shimotsuki village, me along with a reluctant Anthony had made sure to work on his vocabulary to the point that it seemed like the boy even attended school and didn't have that godawful shortening of words. Although he didn't even with all the persuasion I dished out of it being beneficial for him in the long run.

Supposedly school was for weaklings.

"Not exactly what he said, but it was close." I hum, not looking to the boy who has taken residence on top of the boulder.

"You never liked swordsplay like the rest of us," mutters Zoro. "Why's it bothering you now? You even hang around that smiling idiot more now."

"Jealous much?" I cannot help but grin up at him as he glares down at me. Looking away I let out a sigh. "I don't like people saying I can't do something. Makes me want to try just to show them that I can do it too."

"Isn't this what you call being spiteful?" It is a genuine question and I refrain from getting up and cooing over the curious look that comes to his face, his eyebrows furrowed and lips forming a slight pout.

"It is." I withhold my amusement and look to Zoro once more. "It's not a nice thing to be, but it is what I am. I don't like that Tou-san underestimates me just because I'm a female."

"The villagers always say stuff about it," He's full on frowning now as he returns my gaze. "You've never said anything about it back then."

I forget how observant you can be, Zoro…

"True, but the villagers aren't my father." I give him a humorless smile. "The opinions of my loved ones are the only ones that I care for. Everyone else can say whatever they want."

"That's the point!" Zoro snaps. I blink. "You're always trying to prove yourself to him! Why don't you do it your way?"

"My way?" I ask, getting over my initial surprise.

"You always go to that old man every other day to sew, right? Well, you should just take that on and forget about swordsplay."

"How's that going to help? Sewing is a woman's job. He won't see anything about it."

Letting out a growl, Zoro scrambles the front of my shirt, forcing me to my feet. I'm too surprised to do anything other than stare at the boy who glares up at me.

"It doesn't have to be a 'man's job' or a 'woman's job', not if you put your all into it and show him you can be strong even as some shitty seamstress." I feel my mouth slip open in silent surprise, processing the young boy's words. "You don't care much for being a swordsman, so be what your heart wants, Kuina!"

.

.

The world outside of Shimotsuki Village and our small island is much different, something that doesn't surprise me as everything can't all be the same. To think though that the world is so much different than what I had expected. I had long ago ruled out the idea of being reborn in the era of my past life, and there were always the little things that popped up that made me think that maybe I wasn't even reborn in my own world.

Technology was so much more different – there are even snails used as phones, for God's sake! – and the government was quite confusing.

"What are Celestial Dragons?" I ask Hamilton one summer day, a month after Zoro's words of advice.

I had taken them seriously and had finally given up the dojo entirely, surprising my friends and most of the villagers. I still hung around on some evenings with Anthony and Chris, even Zoro.

"Is this your way of getting rid of your competition?" Chris asks teasingly to the young boy who scowls up at him.

"I don't need to do anything like that! I'm still going to fight Kuina!"

"Yeah… Wait- what?!"

Koshiro hadn't said much on the matter and had only made me promise to not try and aggravate the old geezer much by going over at his place too often.

I made no promises.

"Oh, those bastards?" Snorts the old man, looking to find my head in the daily newspaper. "They are the people that everyone calls royalty. They can give orders such as destroying an entire island, and no one would question it. They'd just do it."

My eyes widen as I stare at first Hamilton before staring down at the article stating of the incoming visit of one of these supposed powerful people to one of the islands on the East Blue.

"You must be reading that article of where one of 'em are supposed to visit, eh?" It isn't a question, but I still nod my head dumbly. "Hopefully they don't cause no trouble wherever they're going."

To think that such people existed – that could commit such a crime and not be punished by anyone for it. Back in my past life, if you tried to such a thing you'd be met with opposition. No matter how powerful you were.

Just how different is this world from my previous one?

With the incoming visit that was scheduled for the neighboring island – it was a while away, but with a few in between – from the Celestial Dragon, it seemed to affect even my village. The younger children didn't seem to notice; the somber feeling that had fell over the entirety of Shimotsuki village, how no one liked to talk of the matter and would always become even rigid upon hearing the mention of the affronted Celestial Dragons.

It really frustrated me in a way because I could not understand. It wasn't as if the people were coming here. What made everyone so wary? What could have the Celestial Dragons done to cause such fear instilled into people that weren't even in their presence?

"The Celestial Dragons have much power, Little Bird." Koshiro says to me at dinner a few days later. "Power that may use however they please. This has caused people to fear them greatly over the years."

"Have they done anything with this power?" He doesn't answer my question and instead gives a sad smile, which in its own way answers my question.

A chill runs down my spine at the thought of what they could have done.

Hamilton's words reverberate through my skull and I wonder… have they done anything like that?

Have they killed people? Destroyed islands of people? Just because they could?

The thoughts have me shoving my unfinished dinner to the side.

Surely not.

Right?

.

.

When word comes that bandits have been terrorizing a part of our village on the outskirts, it makes villagers angry and scared. Would they come here? Would they enter their village and destroy?

My father responds kindly to their worries as does the head of our village, Asif Khan. They wouldn't allow such people to terrorize our village. We weren't weak, and we wouldn't let them get away with hurting us.

"Take care of yourself, you two." I murmur, handing off the little packages of snacks for their travels.

Chris gives me a bright grin while my father only smiles – something he usually does, so it isn't much of a change of his usual facial expression – in reassurance.

"We'll be fine, Kuina-chan! No worries." I roll my eyes but smile nonetheless at the young teen. "You should take care of Anthony and Zoro though. Those two had looked ready to run after us."

"The only reason I'm gonna run after you is so that I can fight those bastards myself!" Snaps Zoro, who appears from behind me.

My hand connects with the back of his head. "Language, brat."

"Shut up. I should be the one going, not that idiot!"

"Too bad." Chris raises his nose, sneering down at Zoro who glares heavy daggers up at him. "Maybe if you were tall enough, you could've come."

"Why you – "

"Alright. That's enough." Sighs Koshiro as he begins to drag Chris away. Reaching out though, I stop their movements as I hug them as tight as I can before letting go.

"We'll get rid of those bandits, no problem!" Waving, I stay in the spot until the two backs disappear before turning to the scowling Zoro.

"You should try working on making other facial expressions, Zoro." Placing my index finger between his brows, I smirk. "You'll get wrinkles before your time if you continue."

"You're older so of course you'll be the first to get them."

"Why you – "

Waiting had been quite not what I had expected as Yuki tried her best to keep me away from worrying too much, and then there was the making sure that Zoro didn't pulverize the substitute dojo sensei before Koshiro gets back. Anthony was even more clingy, never really leaving my side and had even slept over much to Zoro's annoyance – he didn't like spending dinner with the 'baby' – and was quite worried that made me try to reassure him. It didn't leave me time to be worried for the two.

But as the third day came and I saw first my father looking a bit beat up as he came up the path, I felt the relief wash over me. I had not been worrying, but the relief made me think that maybe I had fooled myself.

Then there was this sinking feeling as I saw what my father held in his hands.

The satchel that Chris often wore – that he always liked to defend it wasn't a woman's bag – was held in my father's hand.

Because if Chris had gone home instead of coming here to at least see myself and Anthony first, that would mean the satchel wouldn't be in my father's grasp. It would be around Chris, who should be walking right behind my father or even running toward me now even if he was covered in bruises.

"Little Bird – "

"Where's Chris?" Really, my mouth just blurted it out not waiting to hear what Koshiro had to say.

As the satchel is passed over to me, I feel heavy bricks fall into my stomach with my heart racing even further as I keep a steady gaze up with my father.

He's silent for a while, not saying anything not even when a breeze shoves his loose hair to slap his face does he move to push it away.

"He didn't make it back with me, Kuina." A pause. "He's gone."

And oh – there it was. What I had been dreading to hear.

I can only do what any person would do upon hearing such a thing.

I screamed.

We'll be heading into some plot now and oooohhhhh I'm sorry Chris! :'(

Thanks are going out to all my reviewers of the previous chapter; SilversterWulf, merendinoemiliano, arapyanime, Yuki Suou, LittleAngel2292 and the guest :)

Hopefully this chapter doesn't cause too much confusion with the small timeskips here and there... And I'll be seeing you guys next month :D Bye~!