Mika never really wanted this. It was just in her blood. In her village, the Hidden Village of Elements also known as Kouseitan’i, there were two sets of ninjas. At birth a destined fortune teller informs the mother if their child is a ninja or not. They then inform them if it’s to be just a regular ninja, as she is, or an elemental ninja. The difference between the two ninjas is that a regular ninja has to rely on any type of ability they themselves can obtain. They have to work hard for their skills, unlike the elemental ninjas who are born with a certain element that they will be able to always use. Elemental ninja however, while they already have their abilities, they must work hard to increase it to allow them to use it in many different ways.

Mika was of course happy that she wasn’t an elemental ninja. They had more extreme missions and were expected to work harder to protect their village. They had much more responsibility than any other ninja. It’s not that Mika didn’t like being a ninja. She loved her village and being able to protect it. It’s just that sometimes it was a little too hectic for her and she just wanted a normal life, to be able to relax and enjoy her life and maybe start a family.

Shaking her head, Mika jumped from tree to tree, following after an escaped nin. Mika never expected that he’d already had backup until she was suddenly slammed into a tree, someone grabbing her by the throat.

“This is the beauty that you want so badly, Oujou?” a ninja called out to the man who had now returned, grinning down at Mika.

“It sure is.” Oujou, the DeathNin, another elemental nin and very dangerous one, grabbed Mika by the arm, pulling her from the other man’s grasp and into his own embrace. “It’s been awhile Mika.”

Glaring up at the man, Mika tried to pry herself free from his grasp but he was stronger.

“So why did they only send you after me?” Oujou asked. “Wouldn’t it have been better to send another elemental ninja after me?”

“They’re on other missions,” the girl explained.

“Missions more important than me?”

Mika hated this. Normally they wouldn’t have sent her on this mission, but she was the only available ninja. Lately they’ve been at war with neighboring countries while still trying to conceal themselves from the other hidden villages that didn’t know about them.

“What do you want Oujou?” Mika spat out.

“What do you think I want Mika?”

Mika’s eyes widened as she suddenly realized what the man wanted and just what he was going to do to her. She started struggling more but the man only threw her to the ground while the other one disappeared.

“You should have just said yes all those years ago.”

~ * ~

“Sir, we found your sister,” an Anbu member told the current Soshikage.

“Where is she? Is she alright?” Jinsei questioned the ninja. It had been awhile now since his sister had gone after the DeathNin, and his other ninjas had returned since then. It was only natural that he was so worried.

“Sir, I don’t know how to tell you this…” The Anbu member looked down away from his Soshikage. “She’s been raped.”

“She’s been… what?” Jinsei fought down his anger, trying not to take it out on the Anbu. “Where is she?”

“In her room.” The Anbu stepped aside, allowing Jinsei to run past him and to his sister’s room. He burst into his sister’s room and she just stared up at him blankly.

“Niichan…” Tears fell down the sweet girl’s cheeks. “I’m sorry. I failed. He got away.”

Jinsei ran over, pulling the girl into his embrace. “It’s okay. We can catch him another time. I’m just glad that you’re okay.”

“He’s going to kill someone,” the girl sobbed out. “We can’t wait till next time. He’s a killer and he’s going to kill lots of innocents. We have to do something about it.”

“And we will,” Jinsei explained to her. “When we find out where he’s gone.”

~ * ~

“You can’t have this baby,” Mika’s best friend, Gina, told her. “You’re going to die.”

“I’d rather she be born and lose my life, than to kill her chance of life before she’s even had it.” Mika glared at her friend, upset that the other girl had been so against having the child.

“And who’s going to take care of her?” Gina asked.

“Jinsei. He’ll make a great father.”

Mika smiled at her friend, that sweet innocent smile she always had. Gina couldn’t argue with the girl anymore. Not when she had that smile up. Gina shook her head and smiled back, still unhappy with the girl’s decision, but not willing to fight anymore. She took Mika’s hand.

“I’m here for you if you need me. But tell me, why do you want this baby so bad? It’s the baby of that man.”

“Because I know that she will be a great ninja and that she will get revenge on her father for the both of us.”

~ * ~

“Please! You have to tell me!” Mika screamed out. “Is she going to be a ninja?”

Shisan nodded, placing her hand on the girl’s forehead. “Your daughter will be the FireNin, Hono.” She placed a warm hand on Mika’s belly. “I feel a great future from this one. She holds so much power.” The woman sighed.

“Thank you Shisan.” The girl smiled, obviously pleased with the fortune teller’s answer. The girl then let out a scream as pain coursed through her body, contractions a couple months too early. Doctors rushed into the room, pushing the fortune lady to the side where the Soshikage also stood to keep out of the way. Shisan shook her head. It was really a shame to watch such a young girl die so early in life, but at least it was for another wonderful life to be born.

The fortune teller began to wonder how the woman had known so early in her pregnancy that her child would be a girl, let alone be a powerful ninja. It was a question everyone asked in their village, but stayed clear of Mika when they did so. It’s not that they doubted the girl, but some thought that maybe she’d just lost it after she’d been raped and that being pregnant was making her crazy. Shisan of course though could feel the truth in Mika’s words and just wanted to know how she knew. Was it really the intuition of a mother?

As her daughter was brought to her, Mika smiled, holding the child gently in her arms. “Hello Hono.” Her smile weakened as a nurse took the baby from her arms. “Grow up and be strong Hono.” Her eyelids fluttered, finally closing as she fell limp on her bed.

The nurse then handed the baby to Jinsei who just stared down at the child. Finally, he let up a smile while saying, “We’ll make your mother proud, right Hono?”

“It’s amazing sir,” the fortune teller cut into his thoughts and Jinsei blinked at her. “FireNin are very rare. We haven’t had any for over a hundred years.”

“And yet I have one right here in my arms,” Jinsei responded. “Luck be with us. My sister wanted this child, even at the cost of her life. I won’t let anything happen to you Hono. You’ll grow up a strong ninja just as your mother wished.”