As the Third Shinobi War waged on, we became stronger, smarter, and more knowledgeable about the outside world and our newly nicknamed, 'Village of the Bloody Mist.'

I was now nine, while my non-identical twin brothers were six years old. I was growing into a very shy and reserved girl, but got cheeky when someone rubbed me the wrong way. My hair was long and black, freckles appeared on my cheeks and my eyes sparkled with brown. Katsu was a lot like me, quiet and calm. However, he became more arrogant with the Mind Reading and Paralysis Ninjutsu orbs he was able to create. His eyes were onyx and he needed glasses to see things far away. Ryuu, on the other hand, was nothing like either of us (despite looking a lot like Katsu). He was kind, friendly, upbeat, optimistic and popular with the Haurutsuki people. He has my big, brown eyes though. Any girl near six years old giggled shyly as he walked by. It irked me being near him in public places, just as it did Katsu.

"How much longer are you going to stare out the window?" Katsu asked in a snotty tone one night. Our homes were just like the rest of the Hidden Mist Village, cylinder in shape, with vegetation growing out the sides of the mountain over the roofs. It was a warm night, and I was daydreaming of a life beyond the island while folding a piece of paper, "Wouldn't it be nice to just, I don't know... Explore, live, laugh, seek adventure?" I asked excitedly, revealing the paper swan I made in my hands.

"Not if we end up dead. I don't even know why you bother asking me. I already saw your thoughts with my orb." Katsu said, smugly holding up an orb that reflected what I was thinking. I abruptly held my head, causing the swan to fall to the floor, "Get out of my head, Katsu!" I demanded. Katsu chuckled before placing his hand on my forehead and pulling out the orb he had sneakily placed in the back of my head. "Your own fault for putting your guard down in a time of war." He pointed out before crushing the two orbs in his hand. The sound made a 'Tweegh!' As if a metal balloon had just popped. It immediately woke up our brother.

"Huh!? Wha-what's going on!?" Ryuu asked as he sat up from his bed, frantically looking around with tired eyes. "Nothing. Katsu's just being irritating. As usual." I glared from where I sat. "What did I do?" Katsu innocently shrugged. Ryuu yawned from his bed, "Katsu, Miyuki? What time is it?" he asked as he wiped his teary eyes. We shared many things, including a bedroom. It's not that our house was a small one. It's just that our parents insisted we share the one nearest to them. "Miyuki's daydreaming about running away again." Katsu complained. Ryuu looked over to me sitting at the window, "Miyuki, what's the matter? Is dad giving you a hard time with training again?" he asked in concern. Instead of replying, I looked to the window frame beneath my feet and clung tighter to my knees.

Ryuu sighed and got out his bed to wrap an arm around me. I stayed hiding in my knees. "There's no point in hiding, Miyuki. The longer I'm around someone's chakra, the easier it is to access their thoughts. Even if your chakra is a little stronger than mine." Katsu said, smugly folding his arms. I looked up at him with a frown and glare, before looking to the side, "Show off.'' I muttered. "Miyuki..." Ryuu whined. I whipped my head to glare at him, "What?" I drew out. "Don't listen to Katsu. I can't read your mind. So, tell me what's wrong." He insisted with a concerned look.

I sighed and looked to the wood beneath my feet before mumbling, "How long are we going to live like this?" I pouted. "Hmm?" Katsu raised an eyebrow with interest. "Live like what?" Ryuu inquired. "Like prisoners in our own home. Slaves to the island and our clan." Before I could bury my head in my knees again, Ryuu put his other arm on my nearer shoulder abruptly, causing me to look up at him. I stared at his face, examining his sympathetic smile... It moved me.

Katsu sighed and walked closer before sitting in front of me in the large window frame. He placed a limb hand on my knee. I snapped my head to suspiciously eye his attempt at affections. I could see the discomfort evident on his face, but he was sincerely trying this time. "I know it's hard..." Ryuu gently said. "I just want to be out there. To live my life and be happy. I want to be a part of the world and help shape it. Make it a better." I had never voiced my dreams before. Somehow, in that moment, they made it easy to. "I want to leave to meet people too. There's a whole world of them out there! And I want to make friends and battle and help everyone I can!" Ryuu said, pumped up with the idea of it already. "Me too." Katsu stated.

Both Ryuu and I whipped our heads, "K-Katsu?" I gasped in disbelief. He scoffed, "Don't act so surprised. I have dreams too. I don't like training to be a ninja. All I want is to go out there and do research. Discover every Jutsu there is. I can't find out things from here. I need to be out there!" Katsu emphasized. "Then why don't we go?'' I thought my neck would've snapped by now. Both me and Katsu stared back at Ryuu in horror. Our jaws dropped in shock, "Heh!?"

"We can't go outside!" I whisper shouted. Worried we might be heard. "Yeah! Are you crazy, little brother!? Dad would kill us!" Katsu whisper shouted in outrage too. "Oh, come on! We don't have to go far. Just beyond the river to the first island we see." Ryuu explained. "That's 3rd caste territory, Ryuu!" I argued, still in a whisper. "They don't call us the Blood Mist Village for nothing! Ever since the Graduation Ceremony took place, no one, not even guards, go near it." Katsu pointed out as he adjusted his folded arms. "Yeah, and there, it's survival of the fittest. Every man for himself. You know, dad says we wouldn't last a day out there." I added. Ryuu sighed in defeat, "You're right..." He admitted. "Hn. As always." Katsu huffed. "Still..." My two brothers eyed my wondering expression curiously. I stared out the window once again as I replied more to myself than to them, "I never thought, being so different... That we could share the same dream."

My brothers were taken aback for a moment, before Ryuu smiled broadly beside me. "I meant our sister's right, Katsu." He said as he glanced over at him with a smaller smile. Katsu shook off his surprise and scooted closer to me before looking out the window with me and Ryuu. His face softened, staring out over the mist of the starry, moonlit sky, "Yeah...'' he trailed off, a gentle smile growing on his face. It was in that moment were we stared into the night sky. That moment, with the moon as full and bright as the dream we shared. Our bond became unbreakable.

Years passed since then. By the time I was eleven, I was already considered the future ruler of our clan and a Jonin level kunoichi. My brothers weren't far behind. At only nine years old, Katsu's intelligence had become greater than mine, while Ryuu's kind-heart won over our Village. However, this wasn't a competition. It was Haurutsuki tradition that the first-born child be the Head of the Clan, and my brothers respected that. In fact, they thought I'd be the best candidate for the job. We had grown much closer overtime and had formed a squad of 3 with our father as our leader. Despite our level of strength, nothing had changed. We were still hostages to our own home island. Yes, despite our strength, our father kept the three of us safe on the island until we would be sixteen.

I was holding a Shinobi back with my red scarf over his mouth. He squealed and struggled, tapping on the grass as a sign of surrender. My brother chuckled from the side lines as he withdrew his twin blades, "Looks like we win this round, Osama." He said. My father strode over to Ryuu's side, "Alright, Miyuki. Let the guard free." My father instructed, and so I did. Osama gasped in relief and began catching his breath, "Your tactic was ridiculous! I was completely out matched!" The young guard complimented in disbelief. Katsu then jumped into the scene from the nearby tree to walk towards me, "That was courtesy of me. I analysed all the data from our previous sparring session with you and adjusted our team's attack accordingly." He plainly explained. I rolled my eyes and got off Osama's back before helping him up. "Nice work, Osama. It was a valiant effort. Now if you don't mind... It's my turn." My father said, narrowing his piercing blue eyes and readying a hand sign. We gasped and readied our stances, Ryuu backing up from our dad to near me and Katsu. Osama bowed and jumped out the scene.

Moments Later...

"Water Style: Water Prison Jutsu!" I announced as I stood over the water of the wide river. But dad managed to evade the attack. "Ha-ha! Have to be quicker than that, darling!" He taunted as he used the water to swoosh and come up behind me. He grinned as he grabbed the large sword strapped to his back. I looked back but would be too slow to react in time. He was fast. Too fast. And in a single swift motion his sword was over his head and slicing right through me. But this time... I was the one grinning. He had been too busy to watch me train for this next trick, "What? A water transformation???" he gasped in surprise. My waist was sliced, only for him to realise it was temporarily made of water. 'Now, Katsu!' I communicated telepathically with the orb of chakra that was in my head.

Katsu was well hidden and out of sight but acted immediately. The orb levitated out of my brain and floated before melding with dad's stomach. With a single hand sign from Katsu, the orb inside dad activated, causing his body to deadpan in paralysis. 'Ryuu, go!' Katsu communicated to Ryuu, who was lying in wait below the water.

I jumped away just in time, as Ryuu appeared. Kunai in hand, he splashed out the of water to face our father, "Wind Style: Vacuum Blade!" he announced. With the large amount of chakra stored in his lungs, he exhaled the Wind Style onto his kunai while in mid jump, creating a wind sword. "Yes!" Katsu exclaimed in excitement. 'We got him now.' I smirked in thought as I watched Ryuu descending. "HA!'' Ryuu exclaimed, coming down to slice at our father's chest. The water passed dad's body split up over the surface and erupted into two waves as the wind blade made impact. "Yeah!" I cheered with a fist bump in the air. However, it was short lived, POOF!

"Hmm?" me and Ryuu looked at where dad was, only to exclaim in shock at the sight of a split tree branch, "Wah!?" we said in unison. Next, we heard someone exclaim in the large tree near the river's edge, "Gwah!" We both whipped our heads to look over the water from where we stood to see Katsu moaning on the groaned after falling out the tree. We both gasped and Ryuu called out, "Katsu!" before we both ran over the water, onto the grass and back to him. We knelt down to his aid as tears weld up in his eyes, "Katsu!" Ryuu shouted in worry. "Are you okay?" I asked. "Ouch, ouch, ouch." He groaned as he sat up, frowning while rubbing the new bump on the top of his head. As we watched him get up, sniffling like a baby from the pain, clapping erupted from the tree branch above us and we all looked up to face the cause. "Well done, Team Haurutsuki." Our father complimented. We pouted out a groan in unison as we stared up at him. He chuckled lightly and then leapt out the tree.

I pointed at the small slash our father had on his kimono, near his stomach, "You used a Substitution Jutsu at the last minute, knowing Katsu would celebrate too early and release his paralysis orb." I stated in disappointment. "Aww... I almost had him." Ryuu whined.

Katsu got up, moaning as he rubbed his aching head to face our father, "He even substituted to where I was and knocked me on the head to prevent me from sensing his new location." Katsu pouted out. Our father let out a chuckle of glee before straightening up and clearing his throat, "For a team unable to work out its flaws in the heat of a battle, you're quick to reflect on your mistakes." He stated. The three of us groaned in response.

Father always had a habit of taking away a good compliment by adding a mistake to it. He was a perfectionist. An oddly cheerful one. "You're still acting individually. Although Katsu is an extremely valuable asset to this team as both communication and intelligence gather-" Katsu huffed smugly, "-he is also the most vulnerable. As I demonstrated with the blow to the head." Dad pointed out, making Katsu glum again. "Ryuu, you are accurate and quicker than I expected with your attacks-" Ryuu's face lit up in excitement, "-but they're not as powerful as your sister's when it comes to ninjutsu. If you can't deliver the final blow, you should focus on protecting Katsu while he aids you both instead." Ryuu's heart sank. "And Miyuki!'' I flinched at the bark of my name. "What were you thinking playing the distraction? Stop hiding behind your brothers and start taking charge! You are their leader and heir to our clan, not some sacrificial pawn. Show more confidence!'' His words were like a stab to the chest for all of us. It struck fear and inferiority into our hearts. Every day was the same. We stopped asking when we can join the Rakurai ages ago. And as we stood absorbing his criticisms, I could feel my eyes well up with tears. I began to sniffle, when suddenly, "Haurutsuki Tadashi."

We all looked passed my father to the ninja who just appeared. He bowed in place, roughly ten steps away. We were all taken aback, 'An outsider...' I realised. "What is it, Ao?" Dad asked the younger eye-patched shinobi. "Lord Fourth orders your presence immediately. It would seem an incident at the Academy is forcing him to drop the Graduation Ceremony. All Council members are to present themselves urgently." This blue-haired 'Ao' explained. We all gasped in surprise and dad hurried over to the shinobi and began questioning what happened. It was too softly done for us to eavesdrop.

Ryuu then tugged at my kimono's sleeve, "This is it. This is what we've been waiting for these passed two years! A chance to get out for a bit." he squealed in excitement. "Y-yeah. B-but-" I cut Katsu's baffled protest off, wiping my tears with my other sleeve, "Ryuu's right." They were both taken aback. "Wow.'' Katsu stated. "That's a first." Ryuu added. "Look, even if the 3rd caste will lessen its rebellion with the Graduation Ceremony no longer a need for protest, it's still not safe. Besides, our parents watch us like hawks. Even with our strength, as long as they're around we-" Katsu stopped as we saw our father approaching us.

"Listen, kids. Me and your mother have a very important meeting to attend. It will most likely continue into the late evening, so don't expect us home in time to tuck you in tonight. I leave Miyuki in charge. As for dinner, take care of it yourselves or go over to Kaiyo and Daichi's. Understood?" he instructed. We nodded, completely speechless. Our father nodded back affirmatively, "See you tomorrow then." He added before turning around and flashing away, along with Ao.

I couldn't help the smirk growing on my face as I glanced at the dumbfounded Katsu. He was standing next to me with a gaping mouth, "Well, that takes care of that, huh, Katsu?" I taunted. He scoffed, still gaping while Ryuu could no longer contain his excitement, "Yeah! We're going on the adventure of a lifetime. Team Haurutsuki!'' he announced and in a burst of speed, began charging up the mountain to home. While we, in a more contained excitement, ran after him.

We got home, showered, dressed and changed into our spare set of training attire. I created a water clone, while Ryuu created two wind clones of him and Katsu. Katsu then placed a ninjutsu orb inside each that would prolong their time and give us a heads up if someone appeared. All they had to do was lay in bed until we returned to take over. We were so excited by the idea of leaving that we left home through our window and began jumping from tree top to tree top, all the way down the mountain.

Then we reached the base...

We halted in the last tree and stared out at the misty river. "Looks like this is it." I stated in nostalgia. Katsu nervously gulped, "The last tree top of Haurutsuki Island." Ryuu grinned, "Hehe. Let's go!" he declared, leaping from the tree top, into the thick mist. "Ryuu!'' me and Katsu exclaimed in panic. "Whee!" was the response of Ryuu's enthusiastic echo as he ran over the river's water, fading from view. We both sweat dropped and bit down on our own protests. "Come on, Katsu. We better go before he gets too excited." I instructed before I jumped off the tree and ran into the mist over the water too. Katsu quivered in place on the branch, staring at my fading figure in horror, "These two... Will be the death of me!'' he called out. He sprung off the branch in his moment of courage and nervously chased after us, leaving our island home, and answering the call...

To look beyond the veil of mist.