>Kyoko POV<
"Mum! Dad!" I yelled as I ran through my village, which was engulfed in flames. I looked around quickly. "MUMMY! DADDY!" I screamed as I saw my house. I burst through the front door just an unknown man cut my parents' heads off in one fell swoop.
My blood ran ice cold and it felt as if my heart shattered into a million pieces as their bodies fell to the floor. Blood pooled around my feet and the unknown man slowly turned to look at me.
No...
"Uncle?" I tried to say, but nothing came out but air. His creepy grin scared me, making me back away into a wall.
"My dear niece, it's been a while," he chuckled. Tears leaked from my eyes. "Now, now, don't cry. You'll join them soon enough," he rose his katana over his head and I shrunk against the wall. "Die!"
He stopped as if he heard something, then disappeared. I stared at where he once was for a moment before slowly crawling towards my parents' heads. Tears fell from my eyes relentlessly as I picked them up and hugged them to my person.
I heard rumbling and my home collapsed, somehow falling around me so I remained perfectly unscathed.
"We have a survivor!" A voice yelled out.
"Are you okay little gi- oh... oh my god..." a female ninja gasped as she saw me crying, hugging my parents disembodied heads. She had long black hair and red eyes with a Konahagakure forehead protector. What were leaf shinobi doing here?
I stared at her for a while, barely understanding what was happening. Her voice was just a hum as she talked to someone else. She then said something to me and someone with a cat like mask took my parents' heads from my arms. I reached to take them back, but the woman hugged me, keeping me away from the man. I tried to scream, "let me go!" at her as I wiggled and fought her hug, but my voice was gone. I couldn't talk anymore.
Finally, I was able to hear something.
"You're going to be okay"
Lies.
•••
I dressed, putting on some black shorts, a black tanktop, and fishnets as I put my long greyish white hair into a high ponytail to get ready for my first day at the ninja academy. The Hokage had given me an apartment and some money to start out with and some ANBU were watching me until I was use to taking care of myself.
I ate an apple and met the ANBU that would take me to the academy. He nodded in greeting and led me to the building. He had me wait in the hall outside of the classroom while he talked to the teacher. Moments later, he came and brought me inside. The once rowdy class went deathly quiet as they stared at me. I ignored their stares and walked up to the teacher.
"Hello Kyoko," he said warmly, smiling at me. His warm nature, the way his eyes shone softly, melted my numb exterior and I looked up at him shyly. "How are you today?"
I opened my mouth, but when no sound came out, I closed it again and nodded once. The teacher looked at the ANBU in confusion, who whispered something to the teacher. The teacher's eyes widened in horror momentarily before a pitying look covered his face.
"I see," he said sadly. He looked back at me. "My name is Iruka. I'll be your sensei."
I nodded again, staring at the floor.
"Let's get you seated then," he put his hand between my shoulder blades and gently led me to a chair in the front. When I was sat down, he looked at the class. "Class, this is Kyoko. I expect you to make her feel welcome and help her whenever she asks-ek!" He stopped and looked at me as I stared at the table.
Ask? How could I? My voice is gone, maybe forever.
He said nothing after that and went back to teaching. I laid my head on my desk. I had learned all this back in my old village. I decided to take a nap, but as soon as I was almost asleep, two voices ruined it.
"Hey, you," a high pitched voice said. I lifted my head to see a pink haired girl next to a blonde girl. Both were looking down at me threateningly. I cringed and remembered the look on my uncle's face when he was about to kill me. I shrunk under their gazes and they smirked. Not wanting to show my discomfort, I straightened and looked them dead in the eyes.
"Why didn't you introduce yourself?" Pinky asked. I shook my head at her and she scowled. "Answer me," I shook my head again. I opened my mouth and pointed to my throat, trying to tell her I couldn't, but she took it like I was pretending to barf at her and gasped dramatically. "Why you- you- ugh!"
"Just stay away from our Sasuke," Blondie said, crossing her arms. I frowned at her. I shrugged and laid my head back down. "Don't ignore me!" She yelled, making me cringe as my ears pounded.
"Hey, just leave her alone already," the three of us looked over as a brown haired boy, who had triangles on his cheeks. They glared at him, but sat down in their seats again. He sighed and smiled at me. "I'm Kiba. And you're Kyoko, right?"
I nodded.
"No reason to be shy, I won't hurt you," he chuckled. I shook my head and touched my throat. He tilted his head curiously.
"What?"
I shook my head again and laid my head down, not wanting to communicate anymore.
"O...kay then," he sighed, turning away just as Iruka walked back in. The rest of class went by slowly and as the bell rang, Iruka told us that the graduation exams would be tomorrow.
"Oh, Kyoko-chan?" He said once the other students left and I was still getting my stuff back in my backpack. I stopped and looked at him as he leaned against the desk. "The ANBU told me about your... speech problem. Also about your village." I looked down and he put a hand on my shoulder. "Just know that if you need something, I'll usually be here," he said with a comforting smile.
I nodded slightly.
"Alright, now onto different matters. About tomorrow's exam, you could wait until-" he stopped when I shook my head. "You want to take it?" I nodded. "Do you need someone to train you?" I shook my head and he sighed. "Okay. I'll see you tomorrow. Goodbye Kyoko-chan." He said as I left. I waved over my shoulder in response and went home, immediately collapsing onto the bed.
