Defying Gravity

Chapter 44

Ethelia's pov

So this week has been.... a week.

My dad hasn't gone to work. I'm pretty sure he's days away from getting fired from his teaching position. If it weren't for my superb lying skills and odd ability to fabricate my dad's handwriting, he'd be toast. I mean, I'm sure we can keep afloat with what the Hokage is giving me, which I'm thankful for, but my dad is wasting away...

"Can I do anything to help?" Obito asked. "Do you want to crash at my place for a while? He hasn't hit you, has he?"

I decided it was probably best to avoid telling Obito my dad had been yelling out me, since it's hurt nothing but my feelings. "Shut up, you obtuse peanut. Of course he hasn't hit me. And no, I don't need to crash at your place. My house is fine." I scoffed, even though getting out of my house for a night or two would be heavenly. My dad's sleep schedule has flipped, and he's up all night. And that means I'm watching him.

"Whatever you say..." Obito didn't look convinced, which made me feel warm and fuzzy on the inside. I scooted away from him, rubbing my arms despite not being cold. Something is happening to me, and it's nothing good, either. I'm beginning to feel... to feel... emotion.

It makes me sick just to think about it.

I'm no idiot, either. I know what kind of emotions these are, and as much as I try to ward them off, they're still there. I groaned. See, complicated stuff like this happens when you talk to people. Hence why I don't talk to people. Man, this whole thing is turning into a shit show. First I have to become a ninja, then I'm almost raped, and then my dad finds out I'm becoming the very thing he never wanted me to be?! Not only that, but I'm experiencing feelings.

"Are you okay? You look like you're having an internal monologue." Obito said bluntly. We were training, once again completing our two laps around the village. Nowadays, I've improved in the stamina category. I'm now only 98% dead when we finish rather than 100%. A vast improvement considering my background.

"Fuck you." I decided that was a safe enough answer, flipping him off.

"How good?" Obito answered immediately. I froze, my eyebrows shooting so far up they just about disappeared into my hairline. Obito also paused, his eyes widening at his own answer. I don't know if I should be mad, impressed, and just annoyed. Honestly, I'm feeling a mixture of all of them.

"I-I uh, didn't mean it... like..." Obito's cheeks turned red. I chortled. Virgins. Well, I'm a virgin, but I don't have a soul anymore, so I'm generally unaffected. Unless it concerns food, in which case hello, hi. It's me. Here to report for duty and steal a good deal of whatever food you happen to have on your plate at the time.

"Sure you didn't." I winked at him. His face got redder. God, he's too easy.  

We finished in relative silence. Maybe I should start making more sex jokes just to shut him up. I'll have to use them sparsely, though. He'll grow an immunity if I do it too often, and we can't have that. My only defense against his endless blabbering would be ruined. I'd be out of business for sure. 

"About time." Kakashi scoffed. I flipped him off too. I'm in a very middle-finger sort of mood today. A side effect of wanting to die, I'm sure. I'll deal. 

"Now, now, you guys. We need to get back on the topic of Ethelia's chakra control. It's our top priority right now. Ethelia, you've been doing the leaf technique, correct?" Minato looked to me. I looked back. Is he ever in a bad mood? It could be hailing and he'd be fine. Hailing fire. It could be hailing fire and he'd still smile.

"Ah, I'm better at it." I said, and it's actually true. At night I don't have much to do but make sure my dad doesn't choke on his own vomit or wander out of the house, so I had plenty of time, and I've got enough chakra that it didn't tire me out. With the help of the tree outside my house, I'd managed to get it down in around seven days. It's sort of pathetic seeing as most academy students around the age of eight can do it after a few tries, but what can I say? I'm a human bomb.

"Whoa, really? It doesn't even blow up anymore?" Obito looked like he doubted me. I'll kick him in the balls for it later.

"Yes, really." I swiped a leaf off the ground. That's the last of my physical activity today, thanks. I slapped it on my forehead. It stayed.

"Are you sure it's not just sticking to your sweat?" Rin had a fair point.

I pulled the leaf off and stuck it on the back of my hand before I begun to wave it wildly. Obito grinned widely, his eyes shining. I glared back in response, my gaze shifting back to the pleased Minato. "Ah, I can also do this." I said, and leaf began to float as I pushed more chakra out. The blonde grinned, and Obito whooped. Kakashi looked annoyed. Probably because I did something productive for the first time in my sorry life.

"Good work, Ethelia!" Minato grinned. "Now, Kakashi and I have carefully checked the area for wildlife and people, so if you want to give tree climbing another go..."

I thought back to how Obito had literally been forced to snag me out of the air to prevent me from flying around the world full circle and shivered. I glanced at the Uchiha. I really shouldn't care about his opinion, but I'm pretty sure Rin and Kakashi aren't going to risk their lives to stop me from snapping my neck on a tree when I fly across the training field.

He gave an encouraging thumbs up. I wasn't not encouraged.

"I mean... I guess." I narrowed my eyes a little. "What if I blow something up?"

"Then something blows up." Minato said, smile never faltering. 

I sighed, trudging over to one of the trees. I heard Obito cheer for me, but I didn't say anything in response. Instead I glared up at the tree in front of me, hesitantly stepping up to it. Somebody shout timber, because it takes a special kind of idiot to do what I'm about to. Knowing that this, that I, could very well blow up half the forest, and possibly the world should stop me. And yet it hasn't, and here I am, about to climb this damned thing anyway.

I lifted my foot and put it against the tree, hesitantly putting as little chakra as possible. I tried to remember the leaf technique as I did so, although I'd never tried to stick a leaf to the bottom of my foot. I felt the tree dent under the force of my chakra, but it did nothing more than that. I released the breath I'd been holding. Not that this doesn't mean I still won't cause half the village's destruction.

I placed my other foot. It dented to. I tried to suck some of the energy back in, and it seemed to work to some extent. I heard Obito woop happily behind me as I began to slowly walk up the tree. I wonder if I somehow got high, because this is trippy as hell. Flying I get. I have so much chakra that, sometimes when I'm emotional, some of it seeps out and pushes me upwards, and keeps me suspended in the air. Well, that's how Rin explained that shit anyway. Point is, walking up trees? Weird as hell.

I walked halfway up before deciding to not and walking back down. I'd left shoe prints in the bark, but they were noticeably more faint the farther up I went. Still, an enemy ninja could see those and easily follow us, so I doubt I'll be going on any missions anytime soon.

"Amazing job, Ethelia!" Minato grinned widely, and Rin erupted with applause. Kakashi actually seemed mildly satisfied for once in his sorry little life. Shocker.

"You did it!" Obito captured me in a hug, pinning my arms to my sides and lifting my body up. I sucked in a breath of air. Ah. Physical contact. This is fun.

"I'll kill you." I threatened lowly. Obito just laughed. Shit, he knows my threats are empty.

"Let's go get lunch!" Obito insisted. "On me!"

"It's always on you, Obito." I pointed out.

Minato looked like he wanted to stop us, but Rin just shook her head. I contemplated glaring. On one hand, it is free food, but on the other, Obito is dragging me. I sighed, my eyes moving back to the tree I'd walked up. I couldn't help but smile a little, looking down.

I did something productive, and I didn't even kill anyone in the process.