The nerves I had been pushing away hit me like a truck on the day of the Final Exam. My time to back out had long passed but that didn't stop me from wanting to run all the way home once I saw the filling stadium.
"You have no problem teasing a random stranger but you get stage fright? That's such a contradiction." Hayato said once I sat on the bench in the competitors area.
"I don't have stage fright. It just sunk in how much we have riding on this." Not a complete lie. I was prepared for the pressure of us participating. I wasn't expecting my apprehension to the judging crowd that will be watching everything we do.
My nerves stayed with me after the Kage speeches and when I got called into the arena. To try to distract myself I survived the battle field. Most of it was water with small patches of land covered in moss and rocks. Most of my focus will be staying upright and steady footing on the water and slippery ground. My opponent was unlucky, one of the Kiri Genin. Clearly he was at an advantage battlefield wise and with his attacks. Any ninjutsu he has will need water and now he has tons of it. And he knew it with that smug look on his face.
"You should give up before you get hurt, tree hugger! There's no way you could beat me in the water." Already he was making me mad with his arrogance.
He's underestimating me because of his field advantage. And being very arrogant. If he lost and got promoted I question what exactly the Mizukage was thinking. He's the type of person I would never let incharge of anyone. Fortunately for me I wasn't a Kage so I didn't have to worry about this kid after our match.
Unfortunately for me he brought out a katana and got into a stance all arrogance wiped off his face. He could probably easily block my arrows and will insist on getting in my space to take me down. Still I brought out my bow and arrows getting ready with a plan forming as the proctor reviewed the rules.
"Begin!" He barely got out the last syllable before I shot off my first arrow.
I shot off half my quiver, some hitting the Kiri Genin but most of them were blocked. I wasn't too worried though. The reason made itself known when I got an arrow in his sword arm and he dropped his sword and in the next second every arrow I let fly moved from where they landed to hover a centimeter above the Genin's skin ready to implail him. His surrender came out through clenched teeth and I used my chakra stings to bring my arrows back to me and re loaded them into my quiver as I walked through an entrance in the arena to get back to my seat.
Unfortunately for me I was not Itachi who probably memorized the ways back to the competitors box. I got lost. Sealing my bow and arrows back into my scroll I sigh wondering the stone halls hoping I run into one of my teammates or someone from the leaf. And I did run into someone but they weren't from the leaf.
Yagara Karatachi. The Jinchuriki of the three tails. And the Mizukage. Like my Hokage, he was young and pretty. I mean he was cute in the anime but in real life he was as pretty as a prince and his purple eyes and scar were mesmerizing. And as soon as that thought crossed my mind I realized that I was staring at the Mizukage who looked amused and irritated at the same time.
"Is there a rule somewhere that you have to be gorgeous to be a Kage?" I tried to stop myself, I really did, but I was too stunned.
His irritation vanished and soon he was bent over laughing. His Kage hat fell to the floor as he gasped between fits of laughter. I just stood there like an idiot with my face as red as a tomato watching the Mizukage laugh at me.
After what felt like hours he stopped chuckling as he picked up his hat with a grin on his face. His eyes were sparkling and swept my form from top to bottom before locking with my eyes. "Who knew the universe could be so twisted. Come along, I'll show you back to the competitors' seats."
Still dazed by my embarrassment I followed the Mizukage who took me back to halls I was familiar with. He stopped in front of the bathrooms around the corner from the Competitors stands. Without another word he body flickered and was gone.
I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding before shuffling into one of the two bathrooms. Locking the door I turn on the sink splashing my burning face with cold water. Once I believed my temperature was back to normal I turned the water off and went to leave but I see the reflection of my back in the mirror.
I don't know what made me do it but I pulled my shirt up over my shoulders and pushed my pants down to my thighs. I'm once again awed by the mural on my skin. It really was a masterpiece. But this time instead of looking at the Thunder bird and the words written in lightning of the storm I stare at the Water dragon and the words written in the sea out of water. Even though it blended into the Mural I could read it clearly.
'Who knew the universe could be so twisted'
I'm completely silent as I take my seat in the competitors' stands. Itachi was coming back to the stands while Hayato was going down for his match. And I just sat there.
I felt like I couldn't breathe. My head was bursting with thoughts but I couldn't hear a single one. I felt like carving off the mural on my back just to get rid of it. How cruel could the world be? This isn't fair. None of this is fair.
Itachi greeted me when he got up to the stands and I looked at him only to see the small figures of the Kage's behind him. My eyes focused on two specific ones that sat next to each other. And my chest filled with the burning feeling of fury.
I hate my soul.