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Everything and everyone is perfect in Barbieland. Fun, laughter, dancing and joy - that's all what everyone has to do, nothing less, nothing more. The sky is always blue, the sun is always shining, it never rains and it's always summer. Isn't it wonderful?
Saki, the protagonist of this story, is a veterinarian Barbie. Every weekday she wakes up, says hello to her neighbours, eats breakfast, gets dressed and goes to work. Her long silver hair is in a high ponytail today and she wears a green dress. She sits smiling in her car, waves to friends she spots on the street, and slowly arrives at her office. She parks the car, takes her bag from the passenger seat, gets out and, after greeting a few more people, walks through the door. She makes her way to her office, where she unpacks, puts on a white coat and, finding everything in order, puts the "OPEN" sign on the glass door.
She doesn't have to wait a minute for the first owner to arrive. But she is surprised to find Dai sitting in the waiting room with a puppy on his lap.
"Dai! What are you doing here?" asks Saki with a smile, stepping aside from the door to let the man in.
Dai is the Ken who's totally into Saki. Ever since the world began he's been head over heels in love with the doctor, and that's never changed. He wakes up every day with the same burning fire in his heart: he must get a date with the love of his life, Saki... And that's his goal for today. Because it gives his life meaning.
"I adopted a dog! Isn't he cute? I brought him for his first check-up, as it should be." His lips went wide as he smiled, even his big black moustache couldn't hide it.
"Yes, he's very cute." Saki nodded. "Put him on the table, please."
The Ken did so, and the puppy was placed on the examination table with a small plastic-sounding thump. Saki immediately set to work, and Dai watched every of her movements, mesmerized. " Listen, Saki-"
"Thank goodness everything is fine with your puppy, Dai! I wish you both happiness! I will send a document with the most important information to your Kenmail!" She put her stethoscope down on her desk, then took the dog off the examination table and placed it in Dai's arms. "Is there anything else?"
"Well... Would you like to come with me today after work to walk the doggie?" An embarrassed smile came over the man's face.
"Oh..." Saki's face turned a little disappointed, but then she quickly brushed it away and smiled again. Another date... Dai would never give up. He looked at the Barbie with bigger puppy eyes than the dog sitting on his arm. "I'm afraid I have to say no, Dai. You know I can't do this. You're a very sweet Ken, but..."
"I know... I know." Dai sighed. "But I always have to try. I love you, Saki!"
"Bye, Dai. I'll text you the next time you need to bring your dog." Saki waved, with a sad smile. She was really sorry about this silly situation, but what could be done? She never loved Dai after all, and never would, no matter how hard he tried every day for as long as the world lasted. Her life is perfect without Dai's love, maybe one day he will realize that too.
***
It was another beautiful day in Barbieland. Another day for everything to be the best and for everyone to do what they love most! Saki couldn't wait for this morning to begin.
Except it was a strange, strange morning. Strange thoughts were swirling around in her head, quite frightening, and she lay in her bed staring at the ceiling, puzzled. Something wasn't right... Something wasn't... perfect.
She sat up, looked over at her neighbour, who waved to greet her. "Hi Barbie!"
As soon as she heard it, her brain immediately began to protest. Barbie? No. That's not right. This is not good, this is wrong, this is bad. It doesn't fit.
A little more upset than she wanted to be, she snapped back: " Not Barbie! Ken!" He immediately put his hands over his mouth, ashamed of himself for yelling at the girl who didn't understand a word he was saying. But... it felt right. Not Barbie, but... Ken...
Something began to stir in his head as he slowly climbed out of bed. A feeling of deja vu... as if something like this had happened before. Like he'd felt this way before. But that was a long time ago... And now the feeling hit him much, much harder. Yes, he remembered. Even when he was a new doll, at the beginning of everything, he'd had these thoughts. Completely innocent and unconscious, but they were there. Nothing had happened because of them then, he hadn't felt bad, and after a while they'd gone away. But now, after so long, they came back and hit him over the head. Not Barbie, but Ken...
He went downstairs to get dressed. Last night he had made himself an outfit with a skirt, but just looking at it now made him sick. How could he wear that???? No way! He threw the clothes into his closet and quickly found himself a pair of jeans and a shirt. They didn't match at all and the shirt was too big, but so be it... As he got out of his nightgown, he looked down and quickly covered his breasts. Something was not right here. He didn't want his chest to be bulging, no and no! It was a horrible feeling... He quickly looked for something to wrap around himself. It didn't help much, but it eased his mind a little. The oversized shirt came in handy... It hid the unpleasant sight. But something was still missing... He took a hair tie and tied his hair in a bun to make it look short. But no, it wasn't right... Not good enough... By the time he blinked twice, he had scissors in his hand and was mercilessly clipping his perfectly shaped locks. The end result looked something like a scarecrow, but at least it was short enough... Like a Ken's would be. Yes, it made him feel much better, though he still didn't understand the seed of these Ken thoughts. Why did he suddenly want to be a Ken doll? Everything was fine the way it was! And yet now he couldn't stand being who he was until now. Good thing he didn't have to go to work today, it was Saturday. He can be home alone and figure it out for himself (side note: his neighbours are all watching, because there are no walls in a Barbie house.)
Then he heard someone ring the doorbell. Oh no...
"Hi Saki! I thought I'd surprise you on this lovely Saturday morning and we could do the dog walk!" Dai. Of course it's Dai!
Saki looked for an escape route in fright, since he couldn't show himself to Dai like this. He noticed that his neighbour, Tsunade was watering her flowers, so he quickly waved and called her over.
"You must help me! Please tell him I'm not home so he can't see me!" He looked pleadingly at the woman who, though completely confused at the sight of the strange Barbie, did as he asked. And Dai left.
"I don't think he understood why I was in your house if you weren't here, but he didn't ask any questions." Tsunade said and sat down next to her friend. "What happened to you, Saki? You can tell me everything. Until then, I'll do something about that bird's nest on your head...
And Saki told her everything, he trusted her. While Tsunade adjusted his hair with a pair of scissors and a comb, he told her about old memories and this morning's madness...
"Do you want to be a Ken? But you're a Barbie!" Tsunade was puzzled.
"That's it! But I'm telling you, I've always felt that somewhere... it just came out so strongly today for some reason that I did this." And he pointed at himself, then sighed heavily.
"You could have chosen better clothes, not to mention your hair... But if it's good enough for you, Saki, it's good enough for me." Tsunade smiled and hugged him tightly. Saki was so happy to hear this that he burst into tears, which frightened him.
"What is this?? I've never cried before! Tsunade, what's happening to me?" He looked in despair at his neighbour, who was also surprised, having never seen a doll cry before, but she pulled herself together for his sake.
"I think you should go to Orochimaru..."
"To him?! But he lives in that scary cave... And I've never been there... How can he even help me?!"
"He... Well, he's an interesting character. I know him quite well, back when he lived among us, we were friends, you know? We used to go to practise together. Then something happened to him and he moved there... But I think he could help you. Somehow, I'm sure!"
And after some persuasion, they hopped into Tsunade's car to visit the mysterious Ken.
***
This day was full of surprises, that's for sure. In Orochimaru's cave, a chill ran down Saki's spine, but he stood his ground and did what he had to do. He talked to him, even when he was scared shitless of the weirdness. But as it turned out, Orochimaru knew what he was going through and even told him how he himself felt: sometimes Ken, sometimes Barbie... Saki couldn't imagine it, but he was glad to have at least one person who understood him.
"You have to go out into the real world." The black-haired doll thought.
"What? To the real world?! And what am I supposed to do there?" Saki gasped, already in shock.
"Such sudden changes can only happen because you are being played by someone who is going through something similar. Do you understand?"
"That girl... who's playing with me... wants to be a boy too?" he muttered quietly, in disbelief.
"Just say it's a boy, Saki." Orochimaru nodded a few times. "So yes. If you want to understand that, then head into reality!"
***
It was an indescribable feeling to enter the real world. Everything there was so... real! The wind, the sunshine, the cavalcade, the people... The people! So different from the Barbies and the Kens...
Saki was trying to tune into this world, these new, real energies... He thought people would stare at him because of his imperfect appearance, but the opposite happened. He completely blended in... Maybe there are more like him here?
But the hard part was yet to come. He had to find his human, who could be anywhere! Although Orochimaru said that since they were connected, he would appear somewhere around him in reality. Except he still felt lost. Where should he go? Where to look...? He sat down on a bench, closed his eyes and let any thoughts drift into his head.
Slowly he began to see things. Images, memories, feelings... A little girl with grey hair and dark eyes. Oh, there she has him in her hands! And playing with him, and other dolls. There's a little boy with her, black-haired, smiling, playing too, the two of them making up scenes for the dolls. They're sweet... Then there's a break, and the grey girl is older, but much more serious. She has no more toys, she just looks sad. Something's weighing on her soul. The scene changed again, but now she was holding him again. As if she were nostalgic... Then he saw the scissors in her other hand...
Here everything went dark and the vision ended. Saki woke up, blinked a few times, trying to make sense of what he had seen and remember everything. He looked up, and the beat stopped in him. There he was...
He looked into the eyes of the person he was destined to meet. Fifteen years old, his eyes still big and black, a black beanie on his head, only his silver bangs showing. He wore a big grey T-shirt and green shorts. On the side, perhaps the same boy he used to play with.
"Let's go, Kazuhi. No way, okay? He looks similar, but..." the guy was about to pull away, Saki had to make the move and act.
"I'm Saki! Your... your doll!" he said, and stood up from the bench. He couldn't lose him now.
As it turned out, his name was Kazuhi. So Kazuhi froze completely and refused to be dragged away. "Saki?"
"Yes. I've come to you to ask you about what's happening to us!" he looked at him, almost begging, and he could only hope that he didn't scare the boy to death. But then the next moment, Kazuhi stepped up to him and hugged him, as tightly as if he would never let go.
***
"Did you cut my hair?"
"Yes!"
"And you gave me these clothes??"
"Yeah."
"Did you really take me out again after all these years and... feel better playing with me?" Saki was completely moved by this.
After they bumped into each other, things picked up speed. Kazuhi and Obito took him home - although Obito didn't like it at first - and just... talked. They talked so much! Especially about Kazuhi, Saki was interested in everything about him. He asked him to tell him everything.
"I always knew I was a boy. Even when I was little, but then everyone thought I was joking and talking nonsense. And then later I found out that my parents didn't take it well when I leaned towards boyish things, so... I repressed it to keep myself safe. For a long time, for years, I pretended not to think about it, and it hurt more and more... I could take it until now. Suddenly I found you again and I shaped you into what I wanted to see myself as. So I cut your hair, tied your breasts and gave you boyish clothes. If I'd known you had a real self, I wouldn't have done it! I'm sorry..."
"Excuse me? Kazuhi, I'm fine like this. So much better, you wouldn't believe it! Thank you!" He took the boy's hands and smiled at him.
"Really...?" Tears welled up in Kazuhi's eyes, which he quickly wiped away. "Then I'm not alone... My own doll was always like me..."
"Yes. You may have made me this way, but it feels right. It feels good. I mean... It could be better, with a real Ken body, but for now it's fine..."
"We're together now, and we help each other. Okay?" He squeezed the other's hands. "Actually, when I brought you out again recently, I gave you a new name. A boyish one. Would you like to know?
"Oh... Sure! A more boyish name... I hadn't thought of that before."
"Sakumo." Kazuhi smiled sweetly. "You like it?"
Saki's eyes lit up, he couldn't hide his joy even if he wanted to. "I love it. I'm Sakumo now! Thank you Kazuhi, it is so nice to have met you!" His tears of joy started again, but it wasn't a strange feeling anymore. It was just good.
"Me too, Sakumo!" he gave him a few tissues before continuing. "You know, I'd like another name too, but... nothing fits." he shrugged.
"Shall I give you one?" Sakumo tilted his head. "It might surprise you enough to like it!"
""You would give me a new name?" The boy had to smile. "After all, I named you. Hm... What's the first name that comes to mind when you think of me?"
"Kakashi."
Before the boy could respond, the front door opened and a man entered through it. His black hair stood unruly in all directions, long curls reaching to the middle of his back. He had a sturdy build and stern black eyes, and he scanned the scene in confusion.
Sakumo was surprised too, but instead of being frightened, he felt a completely different thing... He had never found a man so beautiful and attractive, his movements were simply perfection. The way he pushed that curly black hair out of his face... Sakumo felt his heart tear out of his chest.
It was a... Ken crush. He must really be a Ken in spirit, because he'd never felt like this as a Barbie before. And now that he's found his true self, it's finally happening... But how lucky is it to fall for a flesh and blood human? That didn't interest him in the slightest at the moment. He was much more preoccupied with staring at the man.
"Obito, Kazuhi... Can you please tell me who this stranger in my house is?"
"Oh, sure, Madara, you'll just think I'm crazy. Besides, I'm Kakashi now!"
***
A long conversation followed. Madara was, to put it mildly, not happy that the boys had brought a strange adult into his house who they didn't really know either... at least at first he was nervous. Then he slowly calmed down, and... at the moment they were watching a movie on TV, around 10 pm. The boys were sitting side by side on one sofa, Sakumo and Madara on the other, a little shy. Soon the senior Uchiha noticed that Obito and Kakashi had fallen asleep. He smiled faintly at the sight.
"They're cute." Sakumo said and he looked at the boys.
"They are." Madara nodded. "I swear... I swear, if I hadn't seen what Kazu- Kakashi did to that doll, I wouldn't have believed you. I wouldn't believe it." He looked at Sakumo as if he wasn't real.
"But I'm here. And it's so good to be here!" He put his hands together in joy.
"Kakashi hasn't been this happy since... ah, poor kid."
"Hm? What do you mean? What happened to him?" Sakumo sensed that something serious was going on, so he had to ask him anyway.
Madara massaged his forehead, then looked up at the sleeping children again.
"I suppose it's not hard to guess that I'm not his father... When he told his parents at home that he was transgender, they just threw him out... Obito brought him here immediately, and I took him in, of course. They were friends from pre-school, we were always his second home, so..."
Sakumo did not expect this. "Thrown out by his own family...?" He whispered with a surprised expression.
"Yes." The Uchiha exhaled sharply. "So I'm going to do my best to make him happy... and if he's happy because his childhood doll came in as a human, I'm not going to be the one to ruin that. Even if I feel like I've gone mad."
"You're not crazy! I'm really real... or I'm getting real... I'm so sad for poor Kakashi now..." again the tears started to fall, and Madara couldn't stop hugging him.
***
Days passed. Sakumo stopped counting, just enjoying life, the company of the new people he met. The new things he had to learn every day - life in Barbieland was so much easier! Here everything is so complicated...
"Are you sure I should cut your hair, Kashi? I'm not a hairdresser! I'm a vet... That's what I do!" Sakumo held the scissors hesitantly, while Kakashi sat in a chair in front of him.
"I cut yours, didn't I? So, this is just fair!" He chuckled, not afraid at all. He just wanted it short, he didn't care about anything else at all.
"Oh well..."
Naturally, Kakashi ended up at a hairdresser, who fixed the bird's nest Sakumo had created on the boy's head.
***
The Ken was also beginning to understand Dai. How can you live with such a strong love?! With each passing day he liked Madara more. In every sense. Spiritually, physically... Sakumo was completely freaked out by it. He had no idea what he should do. He's a Ken doll! And Madara is a real man... How could anything work between the two of them? Even so, he couldn't help himself from occasional compliments and other dreamy glances. He was completely lost in the Uchiha, he couldn't help it. And it was becoming more and more obvious.
"Sakumo?" called Obito once, as the Ken watched Madara washing dishes in the kitchen from the living room. Oh, the way those arm muscles tightened with every wipe...
"Yes?" he replied, but his eyes never flinched as they sat on Madara.
"Are you really into my father?"
"Yeah."
Then, two seconds later, Sakumo realized the question and blushed red. "M-m-my... I... Obito..."
But the boy just smiled and gave him a brief hug. "'It's fine with me. You are so nice, and he needs someone like you. It's just... you're a bit lame, you know." He couldn't help but laugh a little.
"Oh, Obito..." His words warmed his heart. "Of course I'm lame! I'm not even a real person... And I've never felt like this before."
"It's okay. Just talk to him and everything will take care of itself from there. Be yourself."
"Is it that simple?"
"Sure! Go over there and say something!"
Sakumo had only one reference point... Dai. Dai's lines, Dai's attempts... So when he stepped up to Madara and spoke to him, he managed to say, "Would you like to watch me castrate a cat? It's so interesting! I could explain the whole thing!"
Result: Madara said no, although he tried to be polite... and Sakumo spent that evening talking to the boys, who gave him a bit of a lecture on how to flirt.
***
As much as he was happy at first to have finally found his true identity, he often hated being transgender. It was hard for him to want a body he didn't have. The boys quickly gave him a binder which helped him a lot, seeing his chest flat made him happy. But it was not enough. He wanted a masculine face, a masculine figure, a masculine voice... He already knew about the hormone treatments, but they scared him. And he's just a doll anyway! He probably doesn't even function like humans... Although he was picking up more and more of their traits. A multitude of emotions for sure, and new things every day... When he first sweated, he almost went into shock, but his little family was always there to help and comfort him... Family. They really were like family to him now, and he never thought he'd be a real parent... And Madara... Oh, Madara. That was all he thought of him. He thought about him and a pink mist came over his head. He'd improved a little, and perhaps it was now clear to Madara how Sakumo looked at him... now they just had to wait. In any case, when they watched TV together sometimes in the evenings, it happened that he leaned against the man, who didn't object, and even embraced him once... Sakumo was in heaven then, that was for sure.
***
"Sakumo... Are you sure you want this?"
A voice. In his head? No... Who knows. Maybe he's dreaming. He slowly opened his eyes, and a great whiteness surrounded him. Somewhere far away, he saw a figure and began to walk towards it. Who could it be? Were they talking to him? He felt he had to meet them.
As he got closer, he saw her: it was a short old woman smiling up at him.
"Sakumo! Do you know who I am?"
"No, I have no idea! I don't even know where we are..." He looked around again, but it was only the same empty whiteness everywhere...
"I am your creator. The creator of you all! Call me Chiyo." She reached out and took one of his hands. Her palm was so warm and soft, but one could feel the years of experience on it. He felt at home with her. "And you're dreaming."
"My... creator? Did you invent Barbies in real life?" Sakumo was very surprised. "Dreaming...?"
"Yes. You're talking to my ghost now, I'm no longer alive... But I sensed that a Barbie... I mean, a Ken had found a new home. And I thought I'd see how you were." She smiled so sweetly, she was like a ray of sunshine.
"I... I really did find a new home. And a family. I'm fine! Everything is perfect!" The Ken squeezed the woman's hand gently.
"From what I've seen, not everything..." Chiyo ran her free hand over her own chest.
"Oh... Well, there's nothing you can do about that. I have to accept it..." sighed Sakumo.
"Are you sure there's no way?" She raised one eyebrow. Sakumo's eyes widened a little... What?
"What are you talking about? Still... what could be done? I'm a doll, not a human-"
"Anything is possible, sweetie. You just have to wish! You can live with your new family, you can live as a human, you can live as a man, whatever you want..." She reached up with both hands and cupped Sakumo's face.
His eyes filled with tears as he listened to her. Would it be that simple? Just think about it and... it happens?
"But... But if I wake up and... everything will be fine... For poor Kakashi, it's not possible in this way. He would be sad! It's so much harder for him!"
"No, he wouldn't be sad. I've seen that he's a really nice boy, and he'd be very happy to see you happy." Chiyo nodded encouragingly. Sakumo sighed and nodded as well.
"Then... I..."
Chiyo took his hands again and said, "Just close your eyes... and feel."
And then Sakumo woke up as himself.
***
Best day of his life. When he woke up, it took him a minute to remember his dream again... But then his hand crawled up his chest and he felt nothing. He touched his face, which was covered with a light morning stubble... Then, as he concentrated harder, he felt his new body part at his groin.
In one movement, he jumped out of bed and ran downstairs. Everyone was already sitting at the table, only he was missing...
"At last! We thought you'd been swallowed by the bed!" Madara laughed, then turned away from the pancakes on the stove to look at Sakumo. But as soon as he saw him, he could hardly believe that this was really happening.
"I... I had a dream... And... And...!" The man suddenly started crying, he was beginning to realise what had happened to him and it was very shocking. He started to feel dizzy, but luckily Madara was at his side just in time to stop him from falling.
"I'm not even going to ask how, Sakumo..." he just simply pressed him against himself. For the first time, he felt such intense body heat... And his heart was pounding.
"SAKUMO?!" Kakashi and Obito jumped up from the table at the same time, and ran to him. "What happened at night? Are you really..." the grey haired boy joined in the hug with delight, of course Obito did the same.
"In my dream, the ghost of the Barbies' creator appeared and told me that I could be anything I wanted to be. And I... wished!" He laughed with joy and gave everyone a kiss. "I love you all so much..."
The others just laughed at the absurdity of the other's story.
Madara suddenly leaned over to his ear and whispered so that only he could hear. "I love your new voice." At this, Sakumo's face began to flash red, but he was so happy. Today really was the best day of his life! Even Madara was flirting with him!
"You have hairy arms!"
"And your legs!"
"And your face is stubbled!"
"And your head is... more angular!"
The kids were showering him with comments, and Sakumo was enjoying it so much.
"The ghost did a good job, she really made you handsome..." Madara just chuckled, and Obito snorted.
"He's been flirting with you for months, Dad, but you're even worse at it!"
***
Well, this has come too. The little family sat together in the car, all cheering Sakumo on. He was nervous, but also very excited and couldn't wait to get inside.
"It's going to be okay, papa!"
"You just go in and you'll be done in two minutes, no problem!"
"Just don't make me jealous." Madara finished the line.
"Jesus, you're stupid!" Sakumo just laughed, then smiled back at the boys, and finally leaned over to Madara and kissed him.
"We will be waiting for you!" Obito squeezed his arm.
"Thanks, Bito." Sakumo ruffled his son's hair, then finally got out of the car and walked into the large building. People hurried around, waiting their turn, and he headed for the reception desk.
"Hello! I have an appointment!"
"Hello. What's your name?"
"Sakumo. Uchiha Sakumo!"
"And what is your appointment for, Sakumo?"
The man replied, smiling brightly. "A prostate exam!"