When Lightning Strikes Part 2

Chapter 4

Hatake Natsumi P.O.V.

"Natsumi..." I look at my brother as he looks at me with his chin leaning on his hand. "Why don't you tell me what is really going on" he says. " because every thing you just showed me is perfectly fine" he says as he lifts his chin from his hand and leans his forearm on his knee. "That is the problem...Niisan" I say. "Its just fine!" I say. "What is wrong with fine Natsumi? Fine is good!" He says. "Fine is not good" I say. "Why not?" Kaiyo looks at me curiously and annoyed. "Because of you!" I say raising my voice. Kaiyo seems genuinely surprised. "Because of you, and your talents. Because of who our Chichiue is and because of who our Hahaue is" I add. "There's so much expected from me. Fine is not good enough. You didn't see the face of my sensei when he saw that this is the level I'm at right now" I say. "Sweetheart you're still in the academy. There's nothing wrong with the level you're at right now.. it'll get better with time and training" Kaiyo says gently. "I just need to be better" I say. "And you will, but it won't happen overnight" he says. I scoff "Forget it" I say tossing the kunai behind me. The sound betrays I hit the target in the bullseye. "I'm fine on my own then" I say, leaving the garden. "Hey!" Kaiyo tries to take my wrist as I pass him by but with a few small steps I avoid him. "Natsumi!" He says but I quickly leave the house. I start running as I hear my mother calling too. Why won't they understand? Why don't they understand the pressure they put on me? I scoff as I stop running. "Stupid aniki" I whisper.

With my hands leaning on the railing I look up at the stoneheads of the previous and current Hokage of Konoha. The wind blows through my hair and it's already getting dark. I don't even look up when someone leans his butt against the railing beside me. "Quite a view, isn't it?" Otosan.. I don't respond. "I have a question for you Natsumi" father says but I don't respond again. "What do you want to be when you grow up" he asks. I look up and father looks at me curiously. It's odd to see the mask on his nose and mouth, at home it's more of a turtleneck. "I want to be a kunoichi" I say. "Do you want to be a Shinobi or do you think that your mother and I expect it of you?" He asks. "I want to be" I say. Father closes his eyes smiling. So this is why he always does this... "what is your goal?" He asks. "Goal?" I ask. "Yeah... a goal you're working towards" Father says. "I want to be a kunoichi strong enough to surpass the legendary Tsunade-sama" I say, blushing slightly. "That's a wonderful goal" he says as he turns around and leans is forearms on the railing. "If that's your goal, then why do you keep comparing yourself to your brother..your mother and even me?" Father asks. I don't respond again. "You seem to keep forgetting that your brother is eight years older than you are...and your mother and me" father chuckles. "It was a whole different time back then" he says. "I'm not comparing myself to you..others are" I say. I feel his hand on my head. "No one is sweetheart. You're your own person, with your own talents and your own goals." Father looks at me and smiles. "We're proud of you either way. As long as you try your best" he says softly. "Besides, your talents are just as your brother's was at your age. You'll be fine" father says softly.

When I open my eyes Inojin is hanging over me. "You okay? That was a nasty fall. You hit your head" he says. "This is so embarrassing" I say as I sit up. "It was yeah" Inojin says chuckling. "Inojin, you can't say that" Chocho says. "Why not? It actually was embarrassing" he says looking at Chocho. "It's fine" I mumble rubbing the back of my head where it hit. When I pull back my hand I see blood. "Sensei!" Chocho shouts as she gets up and runs toward Shino-sensei. "Its just a little blood" I mumble. "It's not just a little blood. You seem very pale. Your parents will probably be called" Inojin says. "Not my parents" I groan. "That's bad?" Inojin asks. "You don't know who my parents are and I kept it a secret on purpose" I say. Shino-sensei walks up to us and looks at my head. "I'll take you to the nurses office and we'll call your parents" he says as he helps me up. I feel Inojin stare as I walk away. It doesn't take long for my father to arrive and he looks at me amused. "Ready to go home?" He asks. "No" I mumble. "She hit her head pretty hard. She might have an concussion so you want to keep an eye on her" the nurse says. "We will" dad lifts me from the table and I wrap my arms around his neck and my legs around his waist was he folds his arms underneath me. I lay my cheek on his shoulder as we walk outside and pass my class. I see some of my classmates look at us surprised, including Inojin. "This is so embarrassing" I mumble as I turn my head toward him. "What is?" Father asks. "This" I say. "You fell and hit your head. Nothing embarrassing about that it can happen to anyone" He says. "Not to you" I mumble "worse happened to me, believe me baby" he says softly. "Will you train me when we get home?" I whisper. "When we get home you will rest" Father says, with a slight stern tone in his voice making me sigh deeply.