I appeared in the house and, after a moment, in front of Sensei, my gi was already on. I had gone straight to my room to grab my gear, and fear had begun to creep into me. My pointed cat ears twitched with apprehension, and my tail swayed softly behind me. Sensei rarely used my last name, and I was genuinely scared as to why he would do that suddenly.

  I sat on the floor on my knees, my head bowed in respect to my master, my cat ears drooping slightly. "Tama has come as requested, Sensei," I said in a calm, reverent tone. It took every ounce of self-control I had not to let my voice shake.

  "Good, I can see you are already in your gi as well. I am so proud of you," Sensei spoke. His words sounded formal, yet there was something in his tone—ever so slight—but I heard it as though it were screaming in my ear. He was nervous, and something else... something I couldn't describe.

  The memory of my mother's dead face, filled with terror, came back to me, and I pushed it away forcefully. "That's not going to happen," I told myself.

  "My dearest Fuyuki, I..." He trailed off, and I felt my heart freeze. He wasn't even using my nickname. I began to feel terror grip me, though I tried to shake it off internally, reasoning it was just a coincidence—a lie I didn't even believe myself.

  Sensei stood there silently for what felt like an eternity. I didn't dare look up and show disrespect, but I noticed his feet in sandals as he simply stood in front of me.

  Finally, he seemed to reach a conclusion as I heard him speak. "Fuyuki... no... Tama, my dearest protégé. Three days ago was your sixteenth giving. I am sure you are aware of this." In that moment, my confusion and puzzlement replaced the earlier fear, and my sensitive cat ears flicked in bewilderment.

  "Yes, Sensei," I replied in a formal tone, careful not to slip up.

  "As such, it is with great pride," Sensei said—his voice cracking ever so slightly—"that I graduate you from my student to a full-fledged ninja!" I sat there in stunned silence, unmoving as Sensei declared me a full-fledged ninja.

  Words failed me; I simply couldn't comprehend what had just been said. Only one thought played over and over in my mind: But I'm not ready. My tail twitched anxiously, and my ears drooped in despair.

  "I understand you believe yourself not ready for such a task, my dearest Tama, but you must understand and respect that, as your teacher and Sensei all this time, I have watched you grow into a very brave, stalwart, skilled, and dangerous ninja... and a mature young woman." He paused.

  My heart began pounding faster. What was he talking about? My cat ears perked at every word while my tail swayed uncertainty.

  "It is with a proud feeling and a heavy heart that I bestow upon you the most trusted tool you can have—a gift handcrafted with the highest quality materials I could afford, enchanted with the greatest spells for your water element."

  I felt confused and lost—my mind simply wasn’t working. I remained in the submission position as he continued, "Fuyuki Tamaneko, please arise and accept your gift. May it forever serve you as a ninja until the day you die or decide to pass it on." My tail curled protectively around my legs as I struggled to stand.

  My body jolted, and I jerkily stood—my decorum gone, moving only on ingrained obedience. I slowly lifted my head to face Sensei, my ears trembling with apprehension and my tail swishing nervously. In his hands, he held out to me an ornate box, long and slightly curved. The wood was clearly enchanted with runes to protect whatever lay inside.

  The box alone looked as though it cost a fortune. I could not even begin to imagine what was inside. I looked at Sensei questioningly, but he did not respond—instead, he held the box closer to me. I shakily accepted it with my head bowed, my tail curling around me and my ears drooping in submission.

  With a shaky voice, I spoke, "As your protégé and student, F... F... Fuy..." I let out a racking sob before forcefully pulling myself together. "This Fuyuki Tamaneko is ever so grateful for all you have taught her, and accepts this gift and promotion with dignity and grace, as such an honorable position deserves." My cat ears quivered with emotion while my tail flicked in a mixture of sorrow and determination.

  Despite my words, tears welled in my eyes, and my hands shook. Shakily, I undid the clasp on the box; it came free smoothly, and the box opened without a sound. I gasped, my eyes widening and pupils dilating as I took in every inch of the treasure before me. My tail swishing slowly, and my ears perked up in wonder.

  "Tama is not worthy, Sensei," I said, my voice cracking at the absurdity of it all. I wasn't worthy—I knew it deep down. My tail waved back and forth frantically, like a panicked chicken, betraying my emotions, while my pointed cat ears quivered and shook as my legs threatened to give out.

  Inside the box lay a long, sleek sword of a very shiny metal. It gleamed like water glistening on a sunny day. The enchantments along its length swirled like playful whirlpools of energy. The katana was long and powerful, its depths of power utterly incomprehensible to me.

  "Tama is not worthy, Sensei." The words scraped my throat raw as I repeated them. My tail lashed behind me like a frantic metronome of panic, while my ears flattened so tight they ached. Ninjas don't tremble. Ninjas don't cry. And yet, my knees buckled, the sword's weight dragging me toward the floor, its enchantments mesmerizing and its beauty unending.

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  Sensei's hand gripped my shoulder, steadying me. "The blade chooses its master," he said too gently. "It knows what you refuse to see." But all I saw was the lie: the girl who hid from mirrors, who wrestled pigs to outrun nightmares. My tail stilled, and my ears drooped in sorrow.

  Then, the beautiful masterpiece exuded a wave of calm, like an ocean breeze with the intensity of the deep sea. I felt my eyes widen in amazement at its greatness and the calm it bestowed upon me—the simplicity of it all. My heartbeat steadied as the sword's aura connected with me on a deep, personal level, and for the first time in a very long time, I felt at peace with the world. My cat ears, usually twitching with anxiety, stilled in awe, while my tail softly wrapped around me in a protective gesture.

  "Every ninja has their blade—a sacred pact between steel and soul. Wield it with the river's patience and the storm's fury," Sensei said, his voice softening. "Name it well, Tama. For a blade's purpose is shaped by its master." I listened intently, my ears perked and my tail swaying gently.

  I traced the swirling blue runes, their light rippling like moonlight on water. The hilt warmed beneath my touch, and through the blade's soothing presence, I felt something I hadn't experienced in years—peace. For a heartbeat, the haunting image of my mother's lifeless eyes faded, replaced by a memory of her warm embrace. Salt stung my tongue, not from the blade but from the tears I'd choked back for a decade. As the katana's calming energy flowed through me, my tail curled slightly, and my ears relaxed in quiet solace.

  "Serenity," I whispered, my ears twitching as if to confirm the soft word, while my tail stilled in quiet acceptance.

  The katana hummed like rain after a long drought, its edge shimmering not merely with enchantments but with the liquid courage that had carried me through nightmares. Sensei's calloused hand tightened on my shoulder as he followed my gaze to the charred timber above the hearth. My cat ears remained alert as my tail flicked in quiet wonder.

  "This blade is your shield now," he said too gently. Outside, the wind hissed through pines, carrying a brittle chill that had no place in midsummer. Jiggle's frantic squeals echoed from the coop. Sensei's jaw tightened, yet he did not turn toward the sound. "The world is cruel, Tama. But you..." His thumb brushed the sheath, where the runes dimmed and brightened like a pulse. "You are a flood in a world of drought." My tail drooped at his words, and my ears flattened in anxious attentiveness.

  I looked up at my Sensei, confusion and fear in my eyes. "But I..." I never had a chance to finish as he cut me off.

  "You are worthy, my child, and you are more powerful than you realize. I know one day you will do great things." I was speechless. It was true—Sensei had always been kind. Yet those were the kindest words he had ever spoken to me. Perhaps it was the blade enhancing my emotions, but I felt a sense of peace wash over me as I gazed into his caring eyes—my ears softening in trust and my tail wrapping around me in quiet solace.

  "You must go now, little one. There is a town to the east of here. As your Sensei and teacher, I make one last request of you before you go." I watched as he walked over to a drawer and opened it. He removed a lock-box that looked enchanted and heavily sealed—a box I had seen a few times but was never allowed to approach.

  He brought it over and held it out for me. "Tama, I ask that you take this to my friend in the capital city of Trissaile. It is far, and you will need to travel a great distance. But I know you are ready for this task. Keep it safe; do not lose it. For if you do, all is lost." My ears twitched with apprehension, and my tail curled protectively as I reached for the box.

  I stared in stunned silence, afraid to touch the lock-box. After a moment, he pushed it toward me and, with a meaningful gaze, asked, "Do you understand me, Tama? This box is extremely important. Protect it as if your life depended on it. Let none touch it." My tail swayed uncertainty, and my cat ears flattened in fear.

  I slowly reached out and took the box. The moment I brought it closer, I detected a horrible smell emanating from it. My body froze as the odor became all too familiar. Suddenly, I wasn't in the cabin anymore—I was small again, clutched in my mother's arms.

  "They have surrounded the village," I heard my father's voice echo in my mind.

  "How many?" I asked aloud, my voice small and distant—not realizing I had spoken the words my mother had said in my nightmare.

  Sensei's concerned gaze snapped me back to reality. I blinked, confused for a moment. Had I spoken?

  Fear gripped me, and I almost dropped the box. Instead, I clutched it until my knuckles turned white. "I won't fail you, Sensei," I said quietly, my voice filled with determination as my ears flicked with resolve and my tail swished with purpose.

  "I know you will not, little one," Sensei said in a calm, caring voice. "I am proud of all you have done and accomplished. It is time for you to go now. Take nothing and hurry—every moment longer could bring disaster."

  I paused, looking into his eyes as my tail lashed back and forth. "What do you mean?"

  Sensei sighed. "All will be made clear when you reach my friend. His name is Mariko. He has a sister named Marika. They are twins. Find them, and they will help you."

  "But, Sensei..." I began, only to have him immediately cut me off.

  "Enough, Tamaneko. You are a full-fledged ninja. I expect you to follow orders." His voice raised, and Sensei looked upset. After a moment, he took a calming breath as my tail lashed wildly and my ears pressed against my skull in fear.

  "Please, Tama, go. Know that everything I do—and everything I have done—is to prepare you for this day. Know that I have always loved you like a daughter." Tears filled the old man's eyes as he did something he had never done before. He reached out and embraced me.

  I wrapped my arms around him. It felt so... wonderful. I began to sob into his shoulder as he comforted me; my tail swayed gently and my ears trembled in sorrow.

  After what felt like a few seconds—but I wished it could last forever—Sensei gently tapped me and whispered, "It's time to go, little one." I nodded through my tears as I leaned back and looked up into his piercing eyes one last time.

  I sheathed the katana onto my back in its original sheath, and with tears in my eyes and a sad smile on my face, I vanished from the place I had called home for most of my life. My tail drooped in farewell, and my cat ears lowered in sorrow.

  I appeared at the edge of the forest. I looked back toward the no-no cage and saw that the hammer still lay next to the chicken coop. Jiggle was nowhere to be seen. "Perhaps it's for the best," I said with sadness, as my ears twitched mournfully and my tail slowly swished behind me. I turned and vanished into the forest, heading east.