For all he spoke she did not hear, for all his words she would not listen. Hoshikata is rocked to his core by the venom in her words, by the fact that she seemed to truly want this. She said this was for her but he knew better. It was not for her better, it was for her to hide from the harsh world outside. She spoke of living only for the village, only as a defense to hide from herself. She was putting on a mask, something he was familiar with. She wore it not for necessary reasons, but instead to keep the world from seeing her pain. As sure as light, Hoshikata knows he must remove the mask to help her, and he similarly knows that doing so might well push her past the point of forgiving him.
Only a year before she spoke of the life she wanted for herself, of coming out from under the visage of his cousin in order to find her way. And now she spoke of how best to do anything but what she wanted. The cage did not vanish, it simply moved in so tight she could not see it. His eyes stare into her own, refusing to break that contact as she gets up to leave. He has little time to do what he needs. Succeed or fail, the risk of losing her was the same.
”You wish to see what tools look like?”
His words are soft, but they seem to carry with little trouble across the growing space between them. His chakra manipulation was subtle, for no sooner has she stepped out of the racks of books than she is in another land altogether. The sun above beats down with a heat unlike any which Cloud has ever had. A cool breeze comes from the south, over the lip of the crater which surrounds the entire village. A young boy, with platinum silver hair and bright gray eyes, is being led by an older man with similar features through the courtyard of the mansion in which she has appeared.
”But dad, I don't want to tell them that! I want a friend. You never let me have any friends. If I say that they won't like me anymore!”
CRACK
The sound of the older man's hand against the boy's face was louder than life, the boy himself sent sprawling onto the paved stones of the ground. The man stands over him, face red as he begins to speak in cold words. ”I don't care what you want. You're going to remind them of their place. You think you have any right to live for yourself? You belong to the clan. You belong to me. Now get up. If you don't I'll do worse than that.”
The boy rises slowly, wiping away his tears even as his father yells at him to stop crying like a baby. The world blurs as it flies past her, coming to a jolting stop inside of a classroom. The same boy, now barely into his teenage years, is sitting apart from the rest of the class. As the teacher tells him to demonstrate a jutsu, he rises and does so flawlessly, before taking his seat. The other students begin to mutter.
“Thinks he's so good. I wish I could show him.”
“Yea, he's just some snobby rich kid whose parents paid to put him here.”
“I heard he told Konjou that she was just a peasant and not worth his time.”
“He was just born with silver spoon in his mouth, my mom said. She told me he was too uppity for me to waste my time.”
The boy hears this, his face going blank. There were no tears now as he asked to go the restroom. Against her will, Haruka is brought along as he does. But once he steps into the room, he falls to his knees and begins to cry. “All I wanted....was a friend...”
Again her world flows around her. This time as it stops, the boy is again speaking to his father. The older man is pacing back and forth as the younger explains that his lunch was stolen from him at school.
”By who?”
“I don't know...”
Another slap as the older man stops pacing, staring down at the child.
”Don't lie to me boy. Who?”
“It was Sukoto.”
“”And why didn't you punish him for it?”
“He needed it. His mom can't afford food for him, not while paying the fees for school.”
”Since when is that your problem? The world isn't fair, boy. You think you can give to everyone who is doing without? You didn't make his mom poor, and so help me if you ever give away something to another person again like that I will make sure you can't sit for a week. What did I tell you? Your classmates aren't like you. You're important. You're human. They're sheep, waiting on you to lead them. Do you hear me?”
“Yes sir...”
This time, as her world stops racing past her, she comes across the boy, now a young man, staring at two others and grinning. “I heard it myself. Sukoto said she took him into the janitor's closet and made his day.” The largest of the three boys growls and storms off into the door, the other two following. Inside, a frail, dirty child has become the target of assault by the larger one. After the beating was over, the smaller one is left lying on the floor, blood coming from his nose and lips, one eye swollen shut. The white haired child walks over and looks down, shaking his head.
“I told you last time Sukoto. You're just filth. If I catch you eying anything of mine again, I'll get Sendo to do much worse.”
He turns and the smile fades, a look of bitter sadness quickly flitting across his face before vanishing. As he steps out the door, everything fades. The world fades back in to reveal the same courtyard, a small form kneeling before the father from before.
”So, did you remember what I said? You made sure they learned who you really are? Good. And remember, you belong to the clan. Your mother and I will make sure you know how to serve the family. No worries there. But never let that foolishness about friends enter your head again. You're not alive for you. You're alive for us.”
The boy rises and turns, looking directly at Haruka for the first time. ”This is what a tool looks like.” As his words end, the man behind him becomes her father, strings coming from his hands to make the form dance, and the small boy has instead become her, doing all that he demands.
All goes black, and slowly the world returns, revealing that she was still in the library, and before her was Hoshikata, his face the blank one now. ”You think yourself a tool? Very well.” He holds his arms wide open, taking a deep breath. ”The one called Ishikawa Zaku is no more, by my hands. By the laws of your village, that means you must kill me. I will not stop you.” His golden eyes lock to her own, revealing nothing.
(Stopped Haruka from leaving)
