"Undoubtedly," Hilt said, "each of the five villages in the Land of Water are to submit 9 candidates exactly to participate in the exam."

  Ayano raised her hand and started to count on her fingers. "One... Two... Three."

  "That's four of us." Tsubaki said, trying to stop Ayano from wasting her time. "Which means aside from us there are five more participants."

  Tsubaki grabbed Ebisu's Jacket, and started to yank it off of him.

  "H-Hey! S-Stop that!” He resisted, but ultimately this ended in failure. Tsubaki claimed the jacket with ease, “pfft you know what I wasn't cold anyway," he grumbled.

  The girl climbed up the monkey bars, and laid the jacket over Ayano's legs before placing her head down on them like a pillow.

  "Your head is super warm Tsubaki. Are you catching a cold?"

  "That warmth is probably from my jacket." Ebisu said.

  Meanwhile Hilt was pacing back and forth under the monkey bars.

  "There will be five other participants from Ame," Hilt began, "There's Sejin's son from the Kosutta clan, Noboru. The Inuzuka heir Rui-"

  "Ruuuuiiiii she's so pretty."

  "Shutup Ebisu." Both Hilt, and Tsubaki said in unison

  "Then there's my sister," Tsubaki said.

  "Woah, you have a sister?" Ayano asked.

  "We don't get along , but yes I do."

  'That's right, she'd mentioned her during the conversation with Rubin earlier. It doesn't sound like they have a good relationship, and that's sad. If I had a bad relationship with my brothers before they passed, I don't know what I would've done, or how I'd feel now.'

  "Then that leaves..."

  "The Kusakyu clan," Ebisu finished for Hilt.

  Hilts expression seemed to change.

  "Like hell I'm going to work with the Kusakyu," He said, gritting his teeth.

  "Do you know their name?" Tsubaki asked.

  "No, somehow they've been pretty tight lipped on who'd be participating. I know Kuda has a little brother though so it must be him. I'm going to kill him."

  "No, you're not." Ebisu said, "If anything you should use it as an opportunity to learn more about the clan, and figure out what they're up to, I dunno something like that."

  "Like it'll matter. Rubin just lets them do what they want," he spat.

  "Why don't you just leave?" Tsubaki asked.

  "What? Run away? I'm not a coward."

  "It's not cowardly to avoid confronting something you don't want to. If anything, that's bravery."

  "Just be quiet. You don't know what you're talking about."

  "Hey, Ayano!" Ebisu yelled, changing the subject for everyone.

  "Eggggggh egggggh."

  "What are you doing?" Tsubaki asked, turning on her stomach and peaking between two of the bars.

  Ayano was extending her arms as far up as she could reaching for Tsubaki's pot.

  'Oh no, I've been caught!'

  "I'm stretching," she said.

  "Well stretch the other way."

  "R-Right hahaha."

  'I want the pot.'

  Giving up for now Ayano stretched her arms in the opposite direction seemingly reaching for the sand on the ground.

  "So, can you fight?" Ebisu asked her.

  The girl turned to face Ebisu, both of them hanging upside down.

  "Kinda sorta, I mean it's been a long time since I've had to, I might be rusty."

  "You know some ninjutsu don't you?" Hilt asked. "Who taught you?"

  "My brother did. Shiki taught me, and Alu how to wield ninjutsu, but-"

  "Buuuuut?" Ebisu pressed.

  "I think Rubin used the word kekegenkai. It's what makes me special, but I don't want to use that anymore."

  "Oooh so you're just like Tsubaki here then," Ebisu said, smiling stupidly, "Both Hilt, and I don't have any special abilities."

  "If you don't want to use your kekegenaki then don't. I don't use mine either." Tsubaki said.

  "Whaaa really?"

  A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

  'So we're both the same in that regard too.'

  "Useless. Two potential genin from Amegakure who won't use what they've been gifted with. Absolutely useless." Hilt said.

  "What's a genin?" Ayano asked.

  "Later." Tsubaki said, shushing her up.

  "I don't recall needing a kekegenkai to lock your ass down earlier, Hilt." Tsubaki spat.

  'Wow she's vicious.'

  "Anyway, Ayano. Whatever your reasons, you don't need to use your kekegenkai. Do you know what your chakra nature is? Ebisu asked

  "Chakra who now?"

  "Your chakra nature," Ebisu repeated, "It's what you have an affinity for using."

  Ayano shook her head, her hair flapping around wildly as she was upside down.

  "I have an affinity for water style ninjutsu, and Hilt here is lightning style just like his dad."

  "Oooh that's neat. What's yours Tsubaki?" Ayano asked.

  "Most of the Akinoyo clan are born with water style as their affinity. I'm no different."

  "That's sooo cool! I hope I have something fun like explosion style!"

  Hilt let out a frustrated groan.

  "Here, let's take a test." Ebisu said.

  Both genin flipped off of the monkey bars landing on their feet at the same exact time.

  Ebisu reached into his pack, and pulled out a small slip of paper.

  "Okay, once I give this to you all you gotta do is infuse it with some chakra. Once you do that we'll have our answer," the boy handed Ayano the slip.

  Tsubaki peered down from the top of the monkey bars, and even Hilt looked on curiously.

  "Okay! Here I go!" She exclaimed. Ayano held the slip of paper, and closed her eyes.

  After a moment or two the paper suddenly burst into flames, and was quickly reduced to ash.

  "Woah!" Ayano said, "how'd I do?"

  "Fire nature. Not bad." Tsubaki said.

  She tossed Ebisu's jacket on top of him from the monkey bars, and leapt down.

  "Wuaahhh!" Ebisu cried out for a moment, unable to see.

  "Whatever, guess it's good for variety. The other candidates better have wind or earth release to balance us out," Hilt said.

  "I'm going to go check on Sora now." Tsubaki said.

  "It is starting to get late huh?" Ebisu replied.

  It was true, the sun had started to go down, and Rubin had asked her to be back before it got dark.

  "I guess I'll go ahead and head home then guys." Ebisu said with a yawn, "hehehe I'm glad the Rain Gang are coming together as the bestest of friends though haha?"

  "Not a chance."

  "Shutup Ebisu."

  Ayano wrapped an arm around Hilt, and another arm around Tsubaki and pulled them in.

  "Friends?" She asked them both.

  "I mean..”

  "That's..."

  "What I thought." Ebisu finished closing his arms around the four of them. Him and Ayano were the only ones smiling.

  After the group parted ways Ayano, and Hilt walked alone together toward Jonin HQ. The boy was walking in a relaxed manner with his hands behind his head. Ayano watched his face, and saw that he was staring off at the moon rising in the distance, the sun setting behind them.

  "Hey Hilt," She asked.

  "Hmm?"

  "What does it mean to be a 'forever slave'?"

  "Oh, well," The boy struggled to find the words.

  "It's okay, I think I'd rather hear it from you than either of them."

  The idea of Cayan being the one to explain her misfortune irked her in every way imaginable, and she just didn't trust Rubin enough yet to hear it from him.

  "You just seem like the type of person to speak your mind, and be honest about some things so..." She added.

  "It sucks, it really sucks." Hilt said, "as a slave you're already compelled to do whatever your master tells you, and on top of that you have that mark on your face," Hilt sighed. "A forever slave is someone who's ownership has been transferred to someone else. But due to the nature of the jutsu if the new master relinquishes freedom then ownership transfers back to the original owner.”

  Ayano was at a loss for words.

  "B-But then."

  This meant that even if Ayano did her best, and participated in the Mock Exams, and earned her freedom it would only mean freedom from one master, and not both. Did Rubin lie to her?

  "This hole just keeps getting deeper, and deeper," she whispered.

  Ayano brought her hands up to her face, and felt how wet her eyes were getting.

  'Oh great, I'm crying again.'

  The sun had fully set, and the dark moonlit sky peppered Amegakure in a blissful shade of bright white.

  "He promised he'd free you after you participate in the Mock Exams right? Knowing him he probably intends to free you from both himself, and whoever your original master is."

  Ayano tried to calm down, and think clearly about everything. Earlier, when she was with Rubin and Cayan they did intend to explain the forever slave concept to her. If they wanted to, they could've just withheld that information, but then again who's to say she wouldn't have heard it from Hilt, or Tsubaki or someone else?

  'It's all too much to think about.'

  "I'm just going to put my faith in my friends," Ayano finally said aloud.

  'Because if I don't do that then everything becomes uncertain, and I'll find myself in a spiraling pit of despair.'

  Hilt chuckled. "There you go with that word again."

  "Yep, deal with it." Ayano said, smiling brightly.

  The two finally arrived in Jonin HQ, and made their way all the way up to Rubin's office. Inside was Cayan sipping on some tea, and Rubin was seated across from him at his desk.

  "Ah, welcome back my darling Ayano. Oh, Rubin, this must be your son. He looks quite like you," the man stood up, and extended his hand to the boy.

  "Keep your filthy hands to yourself," he replied brushing it aside.

  Rubin had nothing to say to that, though Ayano detected the slightest hint of a smile from the man.

  "Ah, well no matter," he turned back to Rubin, "shall we get on with it then?"

  "Right. Ayano, earlier I wanted to tell you about a for-"

  "Don't worry about it, I already know," Ayano explained, “just like Cayan said. Let's get this over with."

  Rubin nodded.

  "Please come stand in the center of the room."

  Ayano did what was asked of her, and once there both Cayan, and Rubin placed a hand on one of Ayano's shoulders.

  With his free hand Cayan declared a unique hand sign, and then spoke:

  "Ninja Art: Nexus Event - Item Transfer: Ayano Kaguya | Recipient: Rubin Ikeda | Signature: Cayan Utomoia"

  Then Rubin spoke next.

  "Ninja Art: Nexus Event - Item Acceptance: Ayano Kaguya | Sender: Cayan Utomiia | Signature: Rubin Ikeda"

  As the final word was spoken Ayano's face began to burn. She started to fall to the floor, but Rubin caught her in time.

  'It's just like the first time, no it's worse than that.'

  Ayano's face felt like it was on fire, and while that's where the pain started, that was not where it ended.

  "AHHHHHHHHHHHH!" She cried out.

  It felt like a hot rod was being pressed against her face, and slowly moving down her neck, and to her body.

  "Cayan what's happening!" Rubin asked worriedly.

  "Relax, the jutsu starts with the brain, and then spreads to the rest of the body. This is completely natural."

  But it was so, so slow. Ayano pushed Rubin away, and collapsed onto the ground. Hilt ran over to the girl, and grabbed her arm.

  "Don't touch me!" She screamed, her voice as high pitched as a bird.

  The boy backed away, hurt but understanding.

  'My body. Is not my own.'

  That was the message her brain was sending her. It was as if her very soul was rejecting the bag of meat it was stuck in, but it had no means of escape. The pain coursed through her chest where it felt like air bubbles were forming under her skin with no escape before finally popping like a needle to a vein slowly sending the pain down further, and further.

  "Rubin, you better keep up your end of the bargain." Hilt said in frustration.

  The man nodded, and looked at Cayan.

  "I know, I know. I'm not to leave Amegakure until the end of the Mock Exams, after which we will both free Ayano of her bond," the man started to leave the room. It seems he had no last words for his former slave. "I'll be around if you need my services," he said, disappearing from view.

  Ayano finally looked up, and out the door. Her face was red, and her right eye was bleeding, but despite it all she did what her brother told her to do.

  'Never stop smiling.'

  And so looking like a woman who’d gone mad that's what she did. She looked at the pain in her body, and in the world and smiled.

  Ayano

  Mikan

  Sora

  Noboru

  Ooyama