Enter: Riyame Uchiha

I winced away from a particularly painful memory. A peaceful night of sleep couldn’t come soon enough, and I had a feeling that I wouldn’t be so lucky for a while. From the corner of my eye, I noticed Naruto shift awkwardly.

“Well, we just thought we’d check up on you. See how you were settling in,” Kakashi-sensei said casually.

“I’m fine.” My voice was somber. If I had heard another person sound so dead, I would be worried myself.

“I would believe you…if you didn’t sound so depressed.” Our eyes met, and I felt the urge to cry. The compassion in his was enough to make my chest tighten. “Look, I know you aren’t used to being around people who care about you, but you’ll have to start getting used to it now.”

I bit my lip to keep it from quivering. Warmth flooded over me. It was like a soothing blanket that gave me the feeling that everything would be okay. Something involuntary happened then as well. I smiled. Team seven wasn’t all bad…

Naruto’s cheesy ear-to-ear grin hit me like a train. “I’ll make sure Sasuke gives you the apology you deserve, believe it!” He gave me a thumbs up before galloping out the door. I felt my cheeks flush.

“That’s an interesting flush of color,” Kakashi-sensei said, giving me an amused chuckle. I avoided his gaze, focusing intently on my paper white hands. “Most develop a rather intense disliking for him, so this is…intriguing, to say the least.” Heat overcame my cheeks. “No matter…a blush is thousands of times better than no color at all. I’m just glad to know it’s still there.” He ruffled my hair. “I know it’ll be hard, but…try to get some sleep.” He was then gone, and I was alone again.

I wasn’t about to tell him how slim the possibility of that happening really was. When the bouts of nightmares came, they overtook everything. From my dreams to my every waking moment. There were times where it was debilitating. I’d lose so much sleep that I’d be dead on my feet.

It was going to be a long day and an even longer night. Whatever positive emotion that had taken hold left behind a melancholy echo as it fled.

Eventually, I laid back down. I avoided closing my eyes altogether so that the inevitable wouldn’t return. Occasionally I made the mistake of losing the battle with my drooping eyelids, but it wasn’t long before I jerked awake in a cold sweat. I tried to find patterns in the tiled ceiling to distract myself. They were all boring, solid white.

By the time the sun finally set, I found myself escaping into tense scenarios about being face to face with my brother now that he knew. They were stressful enough that they kept my mind reeling, in turn, effectively keeping me from teetering on the edge of sleep. Thoughts of that alone were enough to fill the night with worry.

When the sun rose over the horizon again, my eyes were gritty and my nerves were raw. The light, though it warmed me and the overly sized window let in plenty of it, didn’t do much to brighten up the bleak atmosphere of the room.

The sun was higher in the sky when I sensed an unfamiliar presence stop outside the door.

I spoke before they got the chance to knock, “Come in.”

The girl that stepped in fixed her quizzical gaze on me. She looked to be about a year or two older. Her bangs framed her face and the rest of her hair was tied back. She was slender with golden hair other girls would kill for. The intensity of her eyes reminded me of the Hokage, though they were cerulean in color as opposed to caramel. She surveyed me with polite interest before a warm smile softened the critical expression on her face.

“Hi, my name’s Kagame Tsukasa.” She tucked a lock of golden hair behind her ear and glanced down at a notepad in her hand. “I’ll be taking care of you for the duration of your stay.” Her hands on her hips, she looked me over. “I take it you didn’t sleep?”

“Not really,” I replied honestly, pushing myself into an upright position.

“I told her,” she muttered to herself triumphantly, taking a moment to write something else, “Tsunade was right, though, I have my work cut out for me.” I could feel the look of confusion on my face. She gave me another smile, “Never mind.” She pulled up a stool and sat down beside my bed. “Look…I’m not like the rest of the stiffs that work here. If it were up to me, you wouldn’t have to stay in this asylum. I’d treat you in the comfort of your own home, but the Hokage seems to want you here. So, here you’ll have to stay until we’re sure that there hasn’t been any permanent damage done to your psyche. Okay?”

Her casual demeanor and her, almost curt, bluntness were unexpected. On first glance, she was intimidating and powerful. She carried herself the same elegant way that the Hokage did, but that changed when she spoke.

“I hear you’ve been having nightmares,” She began. How did she…then I remembered how I had let it slip to Kakashi-sensei. I frowned, regretting having ever opened my mouth.

“I get it,” Kagame said, “You’re not ready to get into that with someone you just met. So let’s move on to a different subject for now…actually, why don’t we get to know each other a little bit?” I said nothing, so she took that as her cue to speak first. “I’m thirteen, my parents died when I was two, and Lady Tsunade practically raised me. Your turn.” She looked at me expectantly, and I had to fight the sudden urge to laugh.

“You’re very…direct.”

“She speaks!” Kagame motioned to me grandly, and I couldn’t help but crack a smile. “That’s good. Now that there’s some color in your cheeks, why don’t we start with the basics?”

After a bit of prompting, I said, “I’m twelve, I’d rather not talk about my family, and I’m not very interesting.”

“Not very interesting?” Kagame quirked a golden brow at me, “I, for one, am very interested in why you don’t think you’re interesting.”

“I don’t do anything,” I muttered with a shrug.

“You’re a ninja,” Kagame said with a matching shrug.

“Yes, but-“

“Then you do something,” She said, cutting across my argument. “Not as boring as you thought, huh?”

“I’m still pretty boring,” I muttered defensively. And to think I was offended when I thought someone else had called me the same thing…the hypocrisy was almost laughable.

“Oh really,” She challenged, “If I read your file correctly, you were in an advanced program at the academy that allowed you to graduate a year early. How is that boring?”

“I read a lot of books,” I retorted dryly, “that’s as boring as it gets.”

“Depends on the book.” As she and I went back and forth, I found myself growing increasingly frustrated. She had a counter for everything I said. She fired off question after question. This girl was relentless.

“Are the nightmares because of your clan’s massacre?”

“Yes…wait, what?” I could feel my cheeks heat indignantly. Her question was so sudden that had I answered without even thinking.

“That’s what I thought,” She sighed, her pen scratching across the paper, “what kind of jerk does this crap…” I knew that wasn’t meant for me to hear, but my response slipped out.

“The same kind that murders his clan and leaves his brother and sister live to suffer.” Kagame’s eyes widened slightly, but then she began to laugh. “How was anything I just said funny?”

“You’ve got a few problems, my friend,” She chuckled. I frowned at her.

“Kagame, how many times do I have to tell you not to laugh at the patient,” a familiar voice scorned. Lady Tsunade’s intimidating presence was announced by the clicking of her heels. “You look exhausted,” She said when she saw me.

“I’m fine,” I muttered. She looked at Kagame with a raised brow, who gave her a subtle shake of her head. It really shouldn’t have, but something about it filled me with envy.

“Kagame, you have a lot of work to do,” the Hokage said, handing her a slip of paper, “I’ll leave you to it.” Her heels clicked out of the room.

“You think,” Kagame huffed under her breath, “ow.” A pen had flown across the room and hit her in the back of her head. My initial shock was quickly replaced with laughter that had me doubling over and clutching my sides.

“I’m glad my pain amuses you,” Kagame grunted, sending a glare over her shoulder at her assaulter. When Kagame turned her attention back to her patient, her laughter had dissolved into tears.

“I’m sorry,” Riyame sobbed. The blonde gave her a disbelieving look. That took an unexpected turn.

“What are you apologizing for?”

“I’m a mess,” She hiccuped.

“I think of all people you have an excuse to be one,” Kagame reasoned, “It’s not like your crying is of any inconvenience to me.” Her onyx eyes were big. They reminded her of a small child, and the innocence in them was overwhelming.

Kagame studied the raven haired girl for a moment. Her reaction told so much, yet not enough. She was made to feel like an inconvenience, and from the shock on the girl’s face, often. If she could, Kagame would gladly smash in the face of whoever was responsible for this, but Kagame wasn’t naive. Years of loneliness could be a heavy burden. She read over her file so many times the night before that she knew it by heart. Hospitalized several times over the course of three years, two more years of self-isolation before she graduated from the academy, and then matched with a team of two Hyuuga. Her self-esteem was doomed from the start.

Man, did she have a lot of work to do…

Kagame waited patiently for Riyame’s crying fit to subside. Once the tears stopped, a drained expression rested on her face.

“Do you wanna talk about it?” Riyame shook her head. “I can’t help you if you don’t let me,” Kagame said in a soft, sing-songy voice.

“It’s easier if I don’t think about it.” Had the room not been dead silent, Kagame wouldn’t have heard her.

“He really did a number on you,” She sighed.

When she was younger, she had heard all about the Uchiha massacre. She never thought she’d ever meet a living member of the clan in person, let alone treat them as a patient. She knew Itachi’s name well. Word of what he did to his clan was infamous.

He used to be the pedigree of the Uchiha clan, and now he was an S-rank criminal. It was a waste of talent. Kagame had read his file. Graduated the academy at the top of his class after only a year, passed the chunin exams at ten, and became an Anbu captain at thirteen. Everyone who had ever known him mentioned his adoration for his two younger siblings. Yet…he had managed to scar them both emotionally.

She didn’t know much about Sasuke, having only gleaned over his file for a few moments. She knew he was a grade A jerk, but anyone who knew the kid knew that much. Riyame on the other hand, everyone seemed to forget. The hospital staff knew her intimately only because of extended stays. Getting to know your patients was half of the battle, and no one really knew her. Kagame would have to work from nothing, and she had a feeling that what she had just witnessed was only the surface of the problem.

“I’m sure it’s much easier to forget if you don’t think about it.” Kagame measured her words very carefully. “Sometimes, though, it’s easier to get it off your chest. It’s a heck of a burden to carry by yourself, and…well, you’re not alone anymore.”

Riyame’s eyes were cast downward as her teeth worried her lip. A sign of anxiety, Kagame noted silently. She continued to wait patiently, which was something Kagame admittedly needed help with. Maybe this would be a good chance for her to exercise it, as she had a feeling that the poor girl wasn’t likely to spill everything at once. She would have to draw it out of her.

“If I…” She stopped, but Kagame knew where she might be going.

“My lips are sealed. I’m treating you,” Kagame assured her, “Frankly, it’s none of anyone else’s business what you tell me. No matter what it is.” Riyame’s dark eyes cast over her for a few moments before they settled on her lap again.

“No one?”

Kagame stood, walked over to the door, and shut it firmly before taking her seat again. “No one,” She promised.

“I don’t want to repeat it…not more than once.”

“Then I’ll listen.”

The girl nodded. As she spoke, there was a dead quality to her voice. The blonde said nothing throughout the entire explanation. The details were relatively vague, yet they contained visuals Kagame knew could have only come from first-hand experience. Occasionally, she would shy away from the explanation as though it pained her. And though her first instinct was to end the conversation, Kagame let her continue.

By the time she was done, silent tears streamed down the girl’s face. What color she had gained was splotchy and nearly gone. Tsunade had warned Kagame how much work she faced. Kagame always thought she tended to exaggerate, but this time, it was very clear that the Hokage had underestimated the amount of effort this would take. Well, if Kagame didn’t have endless patience before this, she was bound to have it afterward.

“I see,” was the only thing the blonde could manage before she got her bearings. She needed to get the poor thing off this topic and move on; otherwise, she would never sleep.

“Alright,” She sighed. It didn’t always work, but it was a way to introduce a new topic. “Why don’t we move on to something else…what about your team? You haven’t so much as mentioned them, even in the short time we’ve been talking.” Riyame hesitated, but Kagame spoke before she could, “I’m not talking about the temporary one.”

“They’re…strong,” She said vaguely.

“Well, yeah…but is that all there is? They’re strong?”

“They’re…stronger than me.”

“Doubtful, but continue.”

“There is no doubt. I’m the weakest link. All I’ve ever been good at is running and hiding. They’re Hyuuga. They’re strong. They’re fast. They’ve got their Byakugan and their gentle fist. Heiogi practically carries the team…and Leon just…they’re out of my league, and everyone knows it. Even my sensei. That’s why he…” She took a moment to clear her throat, “That’s why I just stay out of the way. If I’m not there to screw it up, everything goes smoothly. He can focus on the others, and I avoid embarrassing myself…or facing Heiogi…because I’m not perfect…because I’m a mess up…because I’ll live in a shadow for the rest of my life, and I’ll never get better, and-“

“Okay, I’ve heard enough,” Kagame cut across her. So much became clear to her. Team sixteen fueled her self-loathing. Why wasn’t she surprised?

“Is that all your squad is? Negativity?”

A soft, sad smile swept across the girl’s face. “It’s all true, but yes.”

“What about your temporary team? Are they so negative?”

“No…well, not all of them are.”

“And how do they see you?” Kagame crossed her arms and quirked a brow.

“As a member of their team,” She whispered.

“If they can see you as a member of their team, yet your own squad can’t, then they are the ones with the problem. Not you,” Kagame said firmly, “Now why don’t you tell me more about team seven?” Riyame hesitated, but once she started, Kagame was pleased that she felt comfortable enough to continue.

“Kakashi-sensei is…amazing. I’m honored that he even agreed to take on as another student. With an already full team, four is a crowd. Yet…then there’s Sakura…she’s…sweet and it’s like having an older sibling that actually cares about me. And Naruto…” Pink bloomed in her cheeks and her speech paused for a moment. “He’s…a bit dense sometimes, but he…he’s so full of energy, and he loves being a ninja so much that it’s almost contagious.”

A smile lifted Kagame’s lips as she babbled on about the spiky-haired dunce. This went above and beyond admiration—not that she blamed her it. Naruto was nothing if not dedicated. He was easy to look up to when you were used to living in the shadows of those around you. But, this was a crush. The kid wasn’t exactly Kagame’s type, and though she thought he was a bit of a dimwit, a petty part of her found it amusing when he annoyed Tsunade.

Kagame also noticed how she carefully avoided bringing Sasuke up more than briefly. However brief, she did nothing but sing his praises. That didn’t bother her, it was what accompanied that. She couldn’t compliment him without insulting herself. It was like it was forbidden for them be compared next to each other. Kagame didn’t bother having to ask to know why, and she didn’t like that.

“You like him don’t you?”

“What? Who—no! I, mean,” she cleared her throat, as her voice had raised an active, “I consider him a friend, I guess, and he’s sweet and strong and…is it that obvious?” Her dark eyes were mortified.

“Probably to anyone that hears you talk about him…except for maybe him. He will probably never notice,” Kagame said, “you said it yourself. He’s dense.” Relief flooded her features.

They talked through the day and late into the night. In the bigger picture, it mostly trivial things, but Kagame didn’t mind. Riyame needed a friend. Not a faceless doctor treating her like a wounded animal. Kagame did her best to assure her that she was a confidant. Nothing said in this room would be spoken to anyone else unless it was medically important.

Riyame went through several different bouts of emotion. She kept a depressed sort of calm about her when they weren’t on a particular topic. Kagame avoided the subject of her family unless she thought there was something she needed to know to help her. They talked a bit more in-depth about her own team. Kagame had already figured out that her teammates were bullies, but by the time the topic was exhausted, she wanted to smash their faces in. With both of those subjects, she’d go through short crying jags—which she would spend half of the time apologizing over. When Kagame could pull her out of those, she kept her on positive topics like her temporary squad-mates.

When it came time for discussing her interests, Riyame wasn’t nearly as forthcoming. She insisted that she didn’t do much of anything outside her life as a ninja. So far, the only thing Kagame could get out of her was that she enjoyed reading and detested training in front of others. When she tried to press her, Riyame would just shrink into herself and refuse to answer her question.

Riyame’s eyes started drooping at some point late in the night. It didn’t take much for Kagame to talk her into lying down, but she had to promise not to leave until she fell under. Which didn’t take much time because the instant she closed her eyes, she nodded off instantly. Kagame watched over her intently as she did. You could learn a lot about someone by what they did in their sleep.

Riyame wasn’t a sound sleeper, at least not the first few times she attempted it. She writhed and whimpered, waking in a cold sweat several times. It was only with Kagame’s assistance that she managed to be lulled into a peaceful slumber. Once she had, the room filled with silence. That silence weighed down on Kagame as well. It wasn’t long before she too fell under.

She woke with a start before the sun had fully risen over the horizon. Panic overtook her until she was sure that her sudden alertness hadn’t woken up the dozing girl. Once she realized that Riyame was still deep in oblivion, she decided that now was as good a time as any to freshen up.

She crept out of the room and made quick work of going home and changing into her everyday clothing. As she walked back to the hospital, she noted how nice the weather was.

I think she needs some fresh air, Kagame thought to herself.

She didn’t need to stay cooped up in that hospital room all day long. It’d drive anyone insane—plus she worried that the poor girl was half there already.

Once she arrived, she greeted the nurses as they went about their duties. They eyed her oddly, and Kagame realized that none of them had ever seen her in her everyday clothing. She sent a glance down at her bare midriff and shrugged. Staring never stopped her from wearing what she wanted.

When she reached Riyame’s room, she briefly considered knocking, but thought better of it. If she was asleep, she didn’t want to chance waking her.

She entered, fully expecting the girl to still be in dreamland. What she didn’t expect was for her to be sitting up and fully conscious.

“Oh, you’re awake,” She said, “That saves me some trouble in the long run.” She glanced around the room, spotting Riyame’s shoes. She scooped them up and strolled over to her bed with purpose. Riyame looked at her, eyes widening for half a second as she took her in.

“I’ve been awake since you left,” She muttered. Kagame frowned, but Riyame said, “You didn’t wake me, or, at least, not on purpose.” Her eyes flickered to her before she explained. “Your presence was comforting.” There was a brief pause, then, “I’m sorry. That’s pretty weird. You probably don’t believe me anyways. No one ever has-“

“Who says I don’t believe you?” Kagame interjected, “In fact, I wanna hear more.” Riyame looked at her then with the same big, innocent eyes.

“Really?” She sounded so meek, so Kagame gave her the warmest smile she could muster.

“Yes, really,” She said, “You can do it while we take a walk. You’re getting out of this room.” She set the shoes beside her bed. Riyame just nodded and swung her feet over.

Kagame led her out of the room by her hand, and a passing nurse stopped in her path.

“Has she been discharged?”

“Nope,” Kagame chimed.

“Well, then Lady Tsunade-“

“Lady Tsunade can shove it,” She replied.

“Don’t get in trouble over-“

Kagame was quick to stamp out Riyame’s protest, “I’ll deal with the Hokage. The instant I tell her that this is a part of your ‘treatment’, she’ll back down. Trust me.”

Kagame could tell that Riyame wasn’t keen on the possibility of confrontation, but she said nothing else on the matter. Instead, she prompted her to talk about her comment on Kagame’s presence as they walked side by side through the village. As she explained it, Kagame found herself more and more fascinated by it.

“So you can sense another person’s presence? Not their chakra. Their presence.” She just wanted to make sure she got it right.

“Yeah,” Riyame admitted sheepishly, “The only others I’ve told about it are my teammates and my mother. Mama believed me, but Heiogi and Leon weren’t convinced.”

“And you didn’t tell your sensei?”

“I doubt he would have believed me,” she said with a grimace.

“Did your mother?” Kagame knew that her family was a touchy subject for her, so she did her best to keep her tone delicate.

“Yes.” A deeper sadness touched her features that made Kagame’s heart ache for her.

“Well, if it makes you feel better, I believe you,” Kagame said with a warm smile. Riyame suddenly blushed, but before Kagame could ask what was wrong, she blanched.

“Naruto is coming this way,” She whispered, “and Sasuke is right behind him.”

Kagame glanced behind them only to find out that Riyame was right—except for one tiny detail. Naruto was practically dragging him. The scene would have been amusing were it not for the anxiety practically pouring off her friend. Then Naruto’s eyes landed on them.

“Hey, Riyame!” He called, a smile filling his face. He towed Sasuke behind him—whether he liked it or not. Sasuke managed to yank away from him by the time they reached the two girls.

“Leave me alone,” He growled. It was a sad attempt at menacing—or, so Kagame thought.

“Not until you apologize,” Naruto growled back. Kagame stifled a smile.

“Naruto, don’t-“ but the blonde girl cut across her.

“What’d pretty boy do?’

“Do I know you?” Sasuke turned on her.

“The name’s Kagame Tsukasa,” She retorted curtly, “and you’re about as intimidating as a kitten.” His returning glare brought a boastful smirk to her lips.

Naruto laughed at him and Sasuke was about to turn on him when a voice everyone jump—except for Riyame. It was proof enough in Kagame’s eyes that she was telling the truth.

“Is there a problem here?” Kakashi’s voice sounded from behind her.

“Not at all,” Kagame replied evenly.

“Good! I hope you’re doing better, Riyame,” He said, ruffling her hair. She said nothing, only giving him a sad excuse for a smile. The atmosphere shifted. Naruto gave Riyame a sympathetic look, Sasuke shifted awkwardly, and Kakashi wasn’t convinced.

“Take good care of her,” Kakashi said to the older of the two girls, “and remember what I said, Sasuke.” All eyes were on him as the jonin took his leave.

“What’d he say?” Naruto poked at him accusingly.

He glanced at Riyame and said, “Nothing,” before stalking off himself.

Naruto growled to himself and grumbled, “He was supposed to apologize for what he said.”

“Just forget it, Naruto,” Riyame said, “I think getting kicked around is punishment enough.”

“I’d like to kick him around some more. I'd wound more than his ego,” The blond grumbled. Kagame took them both off guard by laughing out loud.

“Sorry,” She said with a smile.

The rest of the day, Naruto hung around. Kagame didn’t mind. He kept Riyame in a better mood. Soon enough, he even got her to smile. It didn’t matter how he did it either. All that mattered was that she stayed in high spirits while Kagame figured out how to help her cope with the trauma. She promised to herself then that she’d figure it out. She was out of that dark fog. For now…