( 13 of October )
The year of the Kyuubi
I was walking around numbly, thick clouds of dust were still floating along the streets, the usually bright Konoha was uncharacteristically silent. Everyone was tense, careful to catch even the barest whisper.
The squads of tracking shinobi had already swept over the battered area of the village, so it was unlikely that someone needed to be rescued, and the ones still under the rabble didn't need help any longer.
I wasn't alone in my slow contemplative walk, a lot of civilians were roaming the ruins that covered almost half of the village. Either so desperate that their minds had simply shut down to numb the pain, o acutely aware that they had lost everything.
There were already squads rebuilding on the edges of the open, no, already cauterized wound of the village.
I shuddered remembering the dread of the night before, I had been glad when the magical shiny barriers of chakra had sprung out on their own here and there, cutting off the venomous presence of the demon.
The academy had one hell of a defense, probably because it would be the target of any kind of preventive strike against Konoha. It made sense: first the schools, then the hospital. After a few days, the barracks, and you have mass panic.
Turns out the orphanage I was living in had been on the safe side of the village, so my long months of preparation in crafting myself a possible alibi had been useless. I was also relieved to see Chihiro unscathed, even if she had almost hugged the life out of me once I made my way back to the orphanage.
I had to suppress an annoying twinge of guilt while she was fussing over me. I couldn't avoid thinking that the people around me were real and no longer fictional characters. But still, it wasn't like I could do anything to change their fate. And the option of being found out was the real scary thing in that world.
Until I reached S rank at least. I was a mediocre academy student, and my self-discovery of chakra wasn't something I could compare with anyone else. But I hoped to have the possibility of growing strong, enough to not feel constantly threatened. Even while I was walking aimlessly I feared being kidnapped by Root agents.
I could only hope that my less than stellar Academy performance was enough to keep me away from them. Maybe I should encourage Itachi's tentative friendship? Maybe not. I thought, remembering the giant, swirling Sharingan in the eyes of the Kyubi. The Uchiha had enough problems on their plate, and I wasn't going to poke at the future massacre with a ten-foot pole.
And I already disliked the thought of killing strangers, but realistically, what could I do?
The academy had been put on hold for a week, while the bureaucracy of Konohagakure no Sato gathered its bearings, the funerals would proceed into an uninterrupted flow for three days, at least the ones for commoners, the Hokage funeral was going to be held on Saturday.
The academy students were expected to attend. I somehow disliked the thought. Maybe it was related to the small twinge of guilt that the thought of Chihiro dying summoned in me? I couldn't tell, and I carefully sidestepped the problem of analyzing my feelings. I couldn't be bothered.
I watched from the edge of the off-limits area a group of doton users bringing together groups of the rabble that were being charged over carts which ran swiftly over rails. At least they can use chakra for something that it's not killing.
I thought. I could distinguish grim expressions and stern gestures from where I was standing. These were people used to deal with death, if not sudden disasters of that proportion.
I remembered that Kakashi was only fourteen. Hell, in my first life, the biggest problem I had faced at that age had been the number of wanking sessions I could have in a single day.
"We should probably help." a voice said from my side, startling me. I looked at Itachi tilting my head in a manner that I hoped could convey how annoyed his sudden appearance made me.
"We are civilians until we make genin. And while for you it's a formality, for me there's still a long way to go. Besides, don't you have some Uchiha stuff to do?" I replied.
Seeing him frown at the mention of his clan I rolled my eyes. He was thinking that I would treat him differently because he was a Clan heir. "I know that you have a little brother, probably your parents would prefer it if they had you watching over him while they do what they can."
"Mother had been less than amused by my late night." He almost shuddered. I would need to break him out of that she that hid his emotions, speaking to a brick wall was unsettling after all. "And there are wet nurses for all the clan children, my aid would only hinder everyone."
I recognized a note in his tone that I didn't expect. Concern. But not for his clan, for me. He was such a thoughtful kid, worrying over the home of the orphan boy from the academy.
"The orphanage was spared. Even if a giant boulder crushed his way through the park in front of our courtyard." I informed him, and from the minute lowering of his shoulders I could tell that he felt relief.
"Hana is well too." He added.
What? "Who?" I asked, honestly without a clue. Beyond the most important characters, I knew very little about the narutoverse. Sure, the rare explanations about chakra and techniques were easy to remember, but those had always been the most fascinating parts.
At least for my fantasy dependant brain. He briefly looked at me with an arched eyebrow and turned once more toward the disaster in front of our eyes. Both of us lost in our thoughts.
I was once again thinking about the implication of the story Itachi shared with me. And on its own, a memory made its way at the forefront of my head. In one of the Naruto movies they traveled back in time through the Hiraishin.
The potential of fuinjutsu was right there for all to see. But I didn't know if this world was strictly the manga one, the anime one, or a mesh of everything, fandoms included. But it was something I had no control over.
I turned my back on the destruction and started to walk back to the orphanage. Maybe I should focus on my chakra control regime until it was deemed acceptable training in the park on your own.
...
( 25 of May )
Four years After the Kyubi attack
I stepped forward and tilted my head to avoid a jab, while punching the inside of the arm that was outstretched, giving me an inviting target I could hardly refuse.
I hit a cluster of nerves, but I didn't stop there, raising my elbow to intercept the other, enraged punch from my opponent.
I concluded the step forward slamming my forehead on my enemy's nose, strong enough to break it, before dropping low and executing a textbook leg sweep.
Hana went down heavily, howling in pain and being assaulted by her three puppies, that immediately focused on licking away her pain.
I leaned forward and raised her from the ground, ignoring the forgettable sensei: "The winner is Daiki! And that's all for today! We will see you all the next week for the genin test!"
Before he could come over and ask us to perform the 'bullshit sign of hippy happiness', or how the sensei preferred to call it reconciliation, I pinched her nose and pulled, setting it right.
She howled in pain once more and two of the pups growled threatening me, while the third headbutted my leg lightly. He was the smart one.
Being triplets, the Haimaru brothers had the same grey fur with white undersides and short pointed ears and mostly resembled Huskies.
By whatever Inuzuka secret ceremony, she had been assigned the triplets a month before, and their understanding of human-tongue was still shaky. But at least they had stopped peeing everywhere.
"If you keep letting your face unguarded I'll keep breaking your nose." I blandly pointed out, before performing the sign of reconciliation and leaving the academy' grounds.
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