Rika walked into the library wearing a new outfit. Kyuji had ruined her robes with that dam sword. She wore a long-sleeved shirt with a high collar that covered her mouth. It was paired with olive green cargo pants and bulky off-white boots. Her boots, despite their appearance, were comfortable, and the weight didn't bother her. Since reuniting with her long-lost twin sister, she had started taking better care of her hair. It started when Maya insisted on at least brushing it; now Rika actually spent a little time styling it. Her favorite way to wear her hair was in twin buns, a half-updo. Her hair was thick enough, and Rika thought it was cute. Though she noticed some strands that looked either white or blond, enough to be noticeable in her black hair.
Maya had pointed out the difference, but Rika wasn't too concerned. She was more concerned about her parents. At the same time, she wanted nothing to do with those cowards. She knew fate had its ways, so she wouldn't interfere. As far as Rika was concerned, she was still an orphan. Her parents, Maya's parents, were not her own. The thoughts still bothered her, so she came to this library for a distraction.
At first, knowledge was power for her; she remembered trying to cram as much as she could into her head, and by applying her time-manipulation techniques, she managed to master more jutsu and books than would be physically possible for someone her age. Even if she had a photogenic memory, which she didn't, it would still require more time. She had her own ways to streamline it. She had her very accurately named Jutsu, which she herself developed, Chrono-Sanctuary, and the Chrono-Cramming Blur.
The sanctuary she usually used was in her own private quarters. By layering her Seikon space-distortion with her Temporal Strider time-halting abilities, Rika created a localized, invisible bubble of isolated reality. Inside this pocket dimension, space expanded infinitely, and time flowed entirely independent of the outside world—allowing her to study or train for hours while mere seconds passed in reality. To prevent her body from breaking down, the jutsu suspended her biological aging while active. Because the synchronization process required intense concentration and a long setup time, it couldn't be used in battle. Furthermore, the bubble's exterior was incredibly fragile; any external physical or chakra-based disruption would immediately shatter the dimension, dropping her back into normal space-time.
The other, Chrono-Cramming Blur, helped with notes and paperwork. Rika significantly accelerated her localized timeline by using a spark of seikon chakra to stimulate her hands, enabling rapid, precise micro-movements. To an outside observer, Rika became a brief, three-second blur of motion, after which a boring chore—like filling out a stack of paperwork, organizing a desk, or polishing her gear—was instantly completed.
Rika believed she was getting better at her abilities. Though if she were honest with herself, she probably should calm down on cramming knowledge into her brain using her sanctuary. Otherwise, she'd stay a kid forever.
Rika walked down an aisle of the library. The public section, she knew, she had already read. There was no harm in reading them again. It'd been a while since she had read a few of them, so she could use a refresher. She could look at them with a different outlook. Rika had been thinking about things more strategically lately. Things were just about her anymore.
Rika looked at the books, looking for something on relationships. She scanned the books; this section she had not read before. She paused at a title, 'Tips on a healthy and long-lived relationship.' She picked it up and opened it. She scanned the pages and furrowed her brows. "I don't need advice for marriage..." she muttered as she shut the book and put it back on the shelf with a sigh. She was already bored of this section. From pick-up lines to advice for couples. She finally found something that wasn't about romance. Though it was just one section over in psychology. The shelves were bare, but she picked up one of the books that was in there. 'Dark Psychology.' That sounded a little weird.
Rika opened the book and activated her Chrono-Cramming blur jutsu to read a few sections. She figured out the book was about manipulating people. "Huh, that'd explain why it's called dark psychology... a little on the nose there..." Rika mumbled. She continued reading, though she felt her attention drifting elsewhere. To the books she had already read: history, the bestiary, so on.
Rika closed the book and set it back on the shelf before she moved toward her comfort area. She grabbed the bestiary and found a seat. She plopped down on the seat and started reading the book about Suna's beasts.
[Topic made]