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Snow fell in thick, drifting curtains, cloaking the land in shimmering white. In the midst of this winter wonderland, a delicate jade rabbit darted across the snowy field, nimble and quick.
Chasing after her, breathless and bundled in ornate foreign robes, was a girl whose refined appearance was now undone by exhaustion.
"Huff… huff… Lady Kaguya… please, please don't run anymore!"
The rabbit's ears twitched. Her moon-bright eyes glinted with mischief as she glanced back—and with a sudden burst of speed, vanished into the thicket.
The girl followed the tiny pawprints to the edge of the trees, finally collapsing into the snow, bewildered.
"Where did Lady Kaguya go?"
The wind and snow muffled all sound. Suddenly, a pale arm reached out from behind, and—smack!—landed on her shoulder.
"Ah!" The girl jolted, scrambling on all fours to the nearest tree. She spun around, back pressed to the trunk, only to see a small, unfamiliar girl standing barefoot in the snow, white eyes shining with innocent clarity.
Only she and Kaguya lived here. Where had this third person come from?
She froze, uncertain.
The little girl cocked her head, voice pure and ethereal:
"Aiki?"
Aiki—that was her name.
Aiki's eyes went wide. "Ka-Kaguya… Lady Kaguya?"
Kaguya nodded her tiny head. "Mm~!"
"Eh? Eh? Eh…???" After a moment of stunned silence, Aiki started trembling. "You… you can take human form now?!"
Kaguya suddenly raised her hand. "Above…"
Aiki looked up—just in time to see a massive clump of snow break loose from the branch overhead and plummet toward her.
"Oh." In that instant, despair.
Splat! Her head was swallowed by snow, leaving only her eyes blinking out from the makeshift snowball.
Kaguya pointed and burst into laughter, clutching her sides.
"Hahahaha!"
That year, Kaguya was ten.
Her transformation from rabbit to human marked a new chapter in her life.
One day, out in the palace courtyard:
Kaguya was radiant. "Hey, Aiki, what should we play today? Snowball fight again?"
But Aiki's gentle demeanor was gone, replaced by seriousness.
"Lady Kaguya, starting today, you must learn how to fight."
Kaguya blinked, curious. "Fight? What's that?"
Aiki produced a sealed box with two snakes inside, separated by a divider.
Kaguya crouched beside it, chin in her hands, watching with eager interest.
Aiki slid open the divider. Instantly, the snakes lunged at each other, coiling and biting in a vicious struggle.
Kaguya's smile faded.
Soon, one snake lay motionless. The other was battered and bleeding.
Kaguya frowned. "Why… isn't it moving?"
Aiki answered quietly, "Because it's dead."
Kaguya's gaze trembled. "Dead…?"
Aiki's voice was solemn. "Fighting is the means by which one brings death to the other."
Kaguya stood up, shaking her head. "Then I don't want to fight."
But Aiki pressed on. "Lady Kaguya, you are of noble Ōtsutsuki blood. You must master the ways of battle. It's the destiny given to our clan."
Kaguya protested, "But I don't want to see anyone die!"
Seeing her resistance, Aiki paused, then softened her tone.
"Actually, fighting doesn't always mean killing. Sometimes, it's about protecting…"
Kaguya perked up. "Protecting?"
Aiki smiled gently. "Yes. Protecting what's most important to you, keeping it safe from harm."
Kaguya's eyes sparkled. "So… if I learn to fight, I can protect you, Aiki?"
Aiki's gaze flickered with something complicated, but she nodded. "Yes, you can."
Kaguya's face lit up. "That's amazing! Teach me how to fight!"
Aiki began her lesson.
"To fight, you first need to master chakra."
"Chakra?" Kaguya echoed.
Aiki explained, "Every living thing has chakra, a power sleeping inside. Without training, most never awaken it. But your clan, Lady Kaguya, was chosen by the heavens. You have great chakra from birth."
Kaguya frowned. "But I can't feel anything…"
"Watch."
Aiki raised her palm. Blue energy shimmered over her hand, pushing away the swirling snow.
Kaguya's mouth fell open in awe. "That's… chakra?"
The glow faded.
"Yes, that's chakra. Once you master it, yours will be even stronger. Now, calm your mind and try to draw out the chakra within you."
But Kaguya was restless, unable to sit still. She tried and tried, but nothing happened.
Sweat beaded on her brow. "I'm all sticky… this is awful."
Aiki smiled. "Let's bathe and purify ourselves first."
In the icy spring, Kaguya luxuriated, splashing and relaxing. She called out to Aiki, who sat at the edge:
"Aiki, why don't you come in too?"
Aiki smiled. "I'm not like you, Lady Kaguya. I'd freeze in ice water."
Kaguya pouted. "How are we different? We both have two eyes, two ears, one mouth~!"
Aiki laughed softly. "You'll understand when you're older…"
For a moment, her smile seemed tinged with sadness.
That night, a beast's roar ripped through Kaguya's dreams.
She jumped up and rushed to the palace window. In the courtyard below, a wild beast snarled and stalked toward Aiki. Against the wall, Aiki was bleeding, a claw-shaped wound slashed across her shoulder.
"Aiki…!!!"
Kaguya leapt into the yard.
Aiki shouted, "Lady Kaguya, run! You haven't mastered chakra yet—it's dangerous!"
"Roaarrrr!"
The monster lunged at Aiki.
"No!!!"
A surge of emotion Kaguya had never felt before ignited inside her. Veins bulged at her temples.
"Don't hurt Aiki!!!"
Bang!
When she came to, the beast was sprawled in a pool of blood.
Kaguya sat in the snow, panting, eyes wide and shell-shocked.
Aiki approached, voice gentle.
"Lady Kaguya, you've awakened your chakra—and even the Byakugan. But I must apologize. To awaken your fighting instinct, I staged this scene…"
Kaguya's face was stunned. "Eh?"
Aiki said softly, "Remember that feeling—you'll be able to use chakra and the Byakugan from now on."
Kaguya asked, "But what if I hadn't managed to use chakra just now?"
Aiki smiled. "You would have. I believed in you."
"Stupid Aiki…" Kaguya threw her arms around her.
Time flowed peacefully. Kaguya grew into a graceful young woman.
With Aiki's guidance, her mastery of chakra improved every day. Awakening her talents made her realize just how different she truly was.
One day, she asked suddenly,
"Aiki… are you human?"
~~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~~
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