Chapter 3: Psyche

The wind blew softly, rustling the branches of the trees in the Zenin garden. Makima stood still, gazing at the sky. A small bird flew in circles, enjoying its freedom. With a lazy movement, Makima raised her hand, pointing her index finger toward the bird.

"Land."

Without hesitation, the bird abruptly turned in the air and flew toward her hand. With precision and gentleness, it landed on her finger, showing no resistance. Makima looked at it with a mix of curiosity and indifference, as though it were merely a tool under her control.

"It seems to enjoy a lot of freedom with those wings..." she whispered, her voice barely audible.

With one hand, she began to gently tug at one of the bird's wings. The animal showed no reaction, remaining still under her control. Makima continued pulling on the wing, tugging harder. The bird's skin stretched, and the wing creaked slightly, as if it was about to be torn off.

"L-leave it..."

A timid voice interrupted the silence. Makima stopped, slowly turning her head to see her cousin, Mai, who had been watching from a distance. Mai's eyes were filled with fear, and her body trembled. It was as though all her courage had crumbled the moment she met Makima's hypnotic gaze.

"W-why do you want to hurt it...?" Mai's voice shook as much as her body. "I-it trusted you... and this is how you repay it?"

Makima tilted her head, her expression unbothered, though a faint smile formed on her lips.

"I don't trust. It obeyed." Her tone was cold, devoid of empathy. "It's just an animal... its will is weak. Easily bent to my control."

Mai took a step back, her eyes wide with terror. The panic on her face became more apparent as her cousin's words sank in.

"B-but if a child came here... and fell under your control... would you hurt them too?" Mai asked, her voice cracking. Tears began to gather in her eyes.

Makima, with a casual gesture, tilted her head as if considering the question. Then she answered calmly, without the slightest trace of doubt.

"Of course not." Relief washed over Mai's face for a brief moment, but her words didn't end there. "Mother would get mad if I did."

Mai's heart sank in her chest, the relief she had felt vanished as quickly as it had come. Her eyes widened at her cousin's chilling words.

"W-what...?" was all she could manage to say.

Makima paid her no further attention. Without hesitation, in a swift motion, she ripped off the bird's wing. A soft "crack" echoed through the air. The small bird's body twitched slightly before collapsing to the ground. It began writhing in agony, its body shaking from the pain, but its eyes remained vacant, devoid of the spark of life that an animal should show while fighting for survival.

"I'm going to see what my brothers are doing," Makima announced without further care, as though the bird's suffering and her cousin's fear were irrelevant.

As she left, Mai stood frozen, staring at the helpless bird's body. The sobs she had been holding back began to escape from her throat. Tears spilled from her eyes, blurring her vision. A cold shiver ran through her as she realized something terrifying: her cousin didn't just possess devastating power... she lacked any compassion.

Mai had thought that perhaps, with Makima, she would find a companion. Someone to share the burden of being a Zenin with, someone to laugh and trust. But now... now she realized her cousin would not be her companion. She would be her nightmare.

An immense fear began to grow inside Mai, a fear that, despite everything, was mingled with a small but insidious seed of envy. Makima didn't just have power; she used it without restraint, without anyone being able to say no. And as Mai looked at the dying bird on the ground, she realized that not only did she fear her cousin... but deep down, she wished she could be as strong as her.

After playing with Mai, Makima walked leisurely toward one of the dojos where her older brothers practiced. The place echoed with the metallic sound of swords clashing, creating a steady rhythm in the air. Upon entering, she sat in a corner, hugging her knees, calmly watching the sword practice. Her eyes followed every movement, every strike, with a quiet, distant curiosity.

As she drifted into her thoughts, a voice abruptly pulled her back.

"What are you doing here?"

She lifted her head and found her brother Naoya's eyes on her, looking at her with a mix of irritation and surprise. Despite his stern tone, he didn't seem entirely annoyed, just puzzled by his younger sister's presence in a place she rarely visited.

"I'm bored," Makima replied simply, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

Naoya sighed heavily, as if he had expected something more significant.

"You could go to the library and read," he suggested with little enthusiasm.

Makima shook her head, her eyes maintaining that empty, mysterious glint that Naoya never managed to interpret.

"I've already read almost everything there," she replied calmly, unbothered.

Naoya frowned, clearly doubting her.

"Don't lie."

"I don't lie," Makima said with a softness that made him sweat slightly. He knew his sister rarely lied. There was something in the way she spoke that always made him uneasy. Perhaps it was the sense that she saw the world differently, maybe even better than him.

Not wanting to argue, Naoya averted his gaze and asked irritably.

"So what do you want to do?"

Makima shrugged, as if the answer didn't really matter.

"Teach me to fight?" she said, indifferent.

Naoya raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised. It wasn't common for Makima to show interest in something as physical as fighting.

"Fight, for what?" he asked, trying to understand what was going through his sister's mind.

"You never know," she replied, shrugging again. Her words were laden with ambiguity.

Naoya considered refusing, but something in her posture, in the absolute calm she exuded, made him relent.

"Fine. Let's go to another dojo," he said finally, with a mix of resignation and curiosity.

Makima stood up without hurry, following him in silence. Naoya had always struggled to understand her, and the more time he spent with her, the more he noticed that invisible chasm between them.

On their way to the other dojo, Naoya glanced at his sister. He noticed small red stains on her hands and frowned.

"Where's that blood from?"

Makima looked down at her hands, noticing the stains she had ignored.

"Oh, sorry. I forgot to wash them."

"You didn't answer the question," Naoya insisted, stopping to look at her more closely.

"I was playing with cousin Mai," Makima replied, unfazed.

Naoya let out a laugh.

"Fighting? Is that why you want to get better? Haha!" The idea of his sister fighting with Mai amused him.

"No, it's not her blood," she replied coldly.

Naoya's smile vanished instantly, his expression growing more serious.

"Then whose is it?"

Makima looked at him calmly, as if the answer was obvious.

"It was from a swallow."

Naoya raised an eyebrow, puzzled by her response.

"Was it hurt? Did you help it?" he asked, trying to understand.

"No," Makima said without emotion. "I ripped off its wing. I wanted to test something, and it worked."

Naoya's eyes widened in surprise before bursting into even louder laughter.

"Haha! What, are you a psychopath?"

Makima brought a finger to her chin, thoughtful, considering the accusation.

"I don't think so. I don't meet one of the requirements."

"Haha, and what would that requirement be?" Naoya asked, entertained by his sister's response.

"I never lie. Or at least, I haven't yet. I'm still too young to describe my psyche, but most would say I'm... a sociopath, I think."

Naoya stopped, looking at her with a mix of amusement and surprise.

"I'm starting to like you," he said with a malicious smile.

Makima took a step aside, glancing at him.

"I'll tell Mother," she replied calmly.

"Not like that, idiot!"

"I'll tell Mother you called me an idiot."

"Hey, don't do that! I said it with affection," Naoya quickly replied, his tone now a bit more conciliatory.

Without responding, Makima kept walking toward the dojo, leaving Naoya frustrated by his sister's small but decisive victory. Both entered the dojo, Naoya still wearing an awkward smile as he reflected on what had just happened.