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Hello, me! As this is my first time out of my state of insanity, I thought I should take note of it! I am quite glad that I can finally write and speak the way I wish I normally could, though many of my fellow students seem rather surprised. Of course, I did accidentally shock the teacher, so I suppose I can see why. None of them are coming near me at the moment. I think the only reason that they haven't left is because the paramedics told them not to. They're all staring at me, I can feel it, but no one will walk close enough to see what I am writing about.

It does hurt that no one likes me. Hopefully sometime in the near future I will gain control of my chakra like sensei said I should, and then people will like me more. Or at the very least be less afraid of me. In the meanwhile, though, I suppose I shall have to make the best of it.

If nothing else, I wish that Ronin boy would stop teasing me. He's the only one who knows how to really get me upset.

~Rakumo

PS People have called me Kumo before, but I hate that nickname. It would sound much better if it had an I instead of a U. Kimo. Yes, that sounds much nicer. Maybe I will name one of my children Kimo. But Kimo is not a good name by itself, either. Ryukimo? Yes, that works! I will name one of my children Ryukimo when I am old enough to have them.

I don't really have much to say today, but I need to do something to pass the time, so I decided to write.

I think I have figured out why it is my peers seem to dislike me. I did not realize this at first, but I am much younger than most of them, as it turns out. For example, I've just turned nine in the past few weeks, whereas both of my teammates are going on fourteen. I did not realize how out of place I was. However, my parents insisted that I be put into the ninja academy at a young age, and I have held my own according to my sensei. He says that if I continue to progress as I have, he will send me to take the chuunin exam either this year or next. I hope sooner rather than later, but I cannot know for sure. In the meanwhile, I do not want to get my hopes up, for fear that I may fail somewhere down the line.

We have been doing menial things for missions so far. It seems my teammates can't seem to figure out how to do laundry and deliver things. I have spoken with sensei about this, and it has been worked out that we will go on a real mission sometime soon. I hope it goes well.

~Rakumo

PS I decided, against my better judgment, to ask my parents for a katana, should I end up actually going on a serious mission. They agreed a lot faster than I thought they would, and now I have a blade in my possession. I may or may not end up using it.

PPS I've finally remembered one of my teammate's names. His name is Zaku. It took me a while, though, because in the middle of introducing himself, we passed a ramen stand and he said so, so he introduced himself as "Zakuraaaaaamen". Which, speaking of names, I've found that I rather like the name Zakuro. More so than the name Ryukimo. I think I will name my first child Zakuro, and the second will be named Ryukimo.

Sensei is sending all of us to take part in the chuunin exams this month. I am nervous that I will not be able to prove myself, or else that I will scare people and will be disqualified. We have done several missions since the last time I wrote, and each time we have gotten into fights, I have scared my teammates. I usually cannot remember what all I have done, either, which is cause for concern. It only seems to happen when I use one of my stronger lightning attacks, though. I can remember most details of the fight until I use a strong attack, and then it vanishes.

It is probably cause for concern, but for the time being I am worried much more about the chuunin exam than I am about my own problems. I want to see my ambitious dream through to the end and become a jounin. I will do my best to succeed.

~Rakumo

PS I always seem to forget to say something, so I have to keep adding these postscripts. I heard today that they promote certain chuunin to jounin every four years, and that last year they promoted several. I am disappointed, because it means it will take longer for me to become a jounin, but it means that I have more time to prove myself as well. I hope it goes well.

We had a nice party for my birthday a few days ago. It's hard to believe I am already ten. At the same time, though, it feels like I should be much older than I am. I am working at the same level as older teenagers, and doing better than most all of them at it. It is tough to be young and want to do more. However, that's not the point. I was talking about my party. It was a modest little party, my sensei came, and my teammates did as well, along with a few people from around the village, and a few people who used to have class with me. I was happy to see them all. Ever since I passed the chuunin exam, people seem to want to talk to me more. I am glad that my strengths are now making me friends, not enemies. That is always good.

I didn't get very many presents for my birthday. I know it is selfish of me, but I was disappointed that the only things I got were from my parents and my sensei. I feel like a child for wanting more. But then, I am also only ten, and so for me to want more is...excusable? No, that is not the case. If I am going to act like an adult on the battlefield, then I must do so off the battlefield as well. I should be happy...happy that I can sharpen and polish my katana with the maintenance kit that my sensei bought me. Happy that I can now enter and leave my room as I please, instead of being locked inside all day like I used to be. Yes, I should be happy.

~Rakumo

PS I am pathetic for it, but...I am still disappointed.

I was sent on a peace mission a short while back, to the land of forest. I was to introduce myself as one of the chuunin from the Village Hidden in Sound, and I was to try and set up a bond between the two places. It went quite well, I think. They were polite and friendly, the food wasn't poisoned, and the area they live in was absolutely beautiful. It was odd, there were so many people picking flowers that I thought that the earth must be tired of them doing so.

Even more oddly, I walked up to one of the trees by the flower beds, and I thought about picking a flower as well, simply because everyone was doing so. I don't know why I asked out loud if I should pick one or not, but an acorn fell right in front of the flower I was going to pick, and the tip was pointed away from it. I think the forest was telling me to leave the flowers be, so I did.

~Rakumo

PS Hopefully I will get to go back there again soon. I met many different interesting people while I was there, and I felt very comfortable surrounded by all the trees.