"Why can't you ever apologize to anyone when you want to, where you want to? You either have to go find them or wait for the idiot to wake up."
Yamanaka Ino could forgive herself for talking to nobody. After all, she was in a crazy boy's hospital room. Plus she was going stir-crazy from waiting for Naruto to wake up, to let her apologize for snapping at him. He'd been found in front of the Konoha hospital the day before, lying next to a huge animal footprint in the ground. Expert hunters had identified it as a wolf's footprint, which had gotten tongues wagging in the village. "Those Uzumakis at it again." All day long, it was the talk of the town.
Naruto was good at many things – being hyper, annoying, obnoxious and loud, for example – but he was a horrible liar. Ino had had him pegged the instant he'd begun denying he knew what his bloodlines were. Years of dealing with Shikamaru's excuses and traps had to rub off a little on her. Simple research revealed that Naruto's Clan had always been secretive, which explained why so few people knew about them. It also showed that they were master summoners – rumored to be able to talk to animals. It had made her angry (that Naruto figured she'd be so gullible) and ashamed (that she had called him a pervert and crazy).
So here she was, waiting to apologize to the blond boy and yet on the verge of strangling him. What kind of power did Naruto have that she, Yamanaka Ino, would be reduced to waiting at his bedside like some airhead Sasuke fangirl?
Just then, like the cats she loved, Ino's curiosity began quietly stalking her reason, all sorts of mysteries and lurid possibilities presenting themselves. The Uzumaki woman in the village now is Uzumaki Setsuna, and she had one sister, Uzumaki Haruka. That's Naruto's mother. But there's no mention of her marrying anyone before her death. Who is his father that Naruto thinks he has to hide that information?
It was an interesting problem – the target of all her questions laid out unconscious before her in a hospital bed, dead to the waking world. The reasonable thing would be not to pry – Naruto obviously felt he had to keep it a secret. Unfortunately, at that point, Ino's curiosity pounced from behind a stray brain cell and inflicted a rather bloody, messy death on her reason. Cats tend to have that effect.
She had never tried the Dream Weaver on an unconscious target. Her father and Sakura had both been awake – if immobile – when she'd used it on them. Hopefully, Naruto's mind would be far easier to dig in for clues while he was asleep. That science said the exact opposite would be the case never entered her thoughts. Lacking reason will lead to such consequences.
Discarding the last shreds of doubt in her mind, Ino placed her hands over Naruto's head and quickly began to run through the seals for her signature technique. When she had finished, she took a deep breath – and sent her soul outwards, through the gate formed by her hands.
"Ninpou: Yume Oriko no Jutsu (Dream Weaver)!"
Her life would never be the same again.
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Pure chaos was the only way Ino could describe what assaulted her. Like Naruto, it was loud. Screams, yells, and howls were everywhere, and none of the memories were consistent – or even visible in many cases. It was like Sakura's split personality, if that second soul had had memories of its own. There were images that didn't fit Naruto's life, things out of place or long since destroyed in the Leaf Village.
As curious as she was, Ino knew survival was her goal. Inoshi had warned her she had to establish control immediately, or risk a backlash that would put the "victim" in control of her memories. Ino didn't have nearly as many secrets as Naruto, but she'd be damned if he'd plow into her soul. That she was prying right now was conveniently forgotten.
Every memory was linked together, although the structure varied from person to person. Once Ino latched onto a certain memory and found a gateway into the rest, she could freely search through the target's mind and find what she wanted. She had to do that before Naruto realized what was happening and shut her out.
The best kind of opening was a nightmare, or something that had been difficult for the target to deal with. If it aroused fear or hatred, the memory was more easily accessible, constantly intruding on the person's thoughts. It would be simpler for her to slip through and into control.
Ino looked around, questing for something to grab on to, but found nothing. The upper levels of Naruto's mind, his most recent memories, were too unstable to deal with until she gained control over them all. To be safe, she would have to go deeper, further into his past.
Diving downwards, she concentrated on getting as low as possible, underneath the swirling mess. After a few seconds, the blonde girl stopped and took a brief glance around. Ino could sense there were fewer and fewer passages down here; a baby wouldn't have had many clear memories. Choosing one, she rushed to a door and yanked it open.
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"Man, who ever heard of a baby with this much hair on his head at birth?"
Ino stopped short as she heard the memory beginning to "play back" for her.
"If you want to complain, you have the baby next time. I'd gladly trade jobs."
She peered around the doorway and noticed two people. One lay in a hospital bed cradling a newborn baby. The other stood beside the bed looking down at mother and child. Ino recognized the woman from her research – Uzumaki Haruka. That would make the baby Naruto, and presumably make the man at the bedside his father. With his head bent down, Ino couldn't tell who it was. When the father looked up, she started. I know that face. Kazama Arashi, the Fourth Hokage.
The same blue eyes and spiky hairstyle Naruto had also graced his father's features, making Ino wonder why nobody had picked up on the resemblance – or why they'd ignored it so long. Ino took a look at Naruto – who did have a pretty full head of hair for a newborn - and prepared to move on, when the Fourth spoke again.
"Aren't you glad you had the kid after all? Got my looks, your voice, great hair like me. He's gonna be special. One of the greatest Leaf-nins ever."
Haruka scoffed, looking irritated. Her face cleared when she looked down at Naruto.
"I mentioned the pros and cons just once, and you think that equals wanting to abort? Not only that, you're talking nonsense."
Arashi looked down at her, looking confused.
"What? Just stating an opinion. He's got the genes to be brilliant."
Naruto's mother glared back at his father, a spark in her eyes.
"He is special. This is my son. He was special when I laid eyes on him, no matter what happens from here on out. What are you pinning stupid expectations on him for?"
"To tell the truth," the Fourth muttered, scratching his head, "I don't really know. I just have this feeling he's got big things ahead in his life."
"Just take it a day at a time. That's how we all get by. Why should it be any different for our child?"
The Fourth shrugged, glancing back down at his son.
"When did you get so introspective?"
"It's called growing up, almighty Hokage. You should try it sometime."
Ino giggled at the Fourth's bewildered expression, and prepared to move on, but not before taking a good look back at Naruto's parents. Incredibly strong from what she'd heard, and they seemed to be loving enough. She knew why the Fourth was dead, but what could have made Haruka leave behind the son she loved so much? Ino looked about and found the door that would give her control.
Letting loose a sigh of relief, she smiled. All of Naruto's memories were now under her control. Everywhere she looked, more questions came to mind. If Naruto was related to such important people, why hadn't anyone adopted him or at least looked after him? If she was going to find out, it might as well be straight from the source.
The Ninetails had attacked soon after Naruto's birthday, and Uzumaki Haruka's death date was not long afterwards. If there was a relevant memory, it would be close. Choosing another door on the same level, Ino stepped into the memory and looked around.
This time Naruto was in an apartment, lying in a crib and looking around. With the curtains drawn, she couldn't tell if this was happening in the day or night. Before very long, she saw the door open. Haruka entered alone, moving slowly toward the crib. Out of maternity clothes, Ino could see that Naruto's mother was all business. Everything was in its place, from weapons and gear to the slightest hair on her head. This was a woman who took nothing for granted, the type to think everything through before acting. Why make her child an orphan?
Upon further glances, Naruto's mother looked haggard, dirt on her face, tears and stains all over her uniform. Ino nodded to herself. This must have been during the Demon Fox's attack. Haruka kept silent for a long time, picking her son up from his crib and looking down at him. Her face was expressionless, but Ino could see something clouding her eyes – perhaps grief, perhaps resignation.
"I should have known it was too good to be true. I'd have a child, we would settle down, and things would be smooth sailing forever."
What could she mean? The care she took in holding Naruto showed nothing but love. It couldn't mean that she resented him. Was it the Fourth? The Ninetails?
The mood was interrupted when the door opened quietly. Ino glanced at it thoughtfully. You did that when you were afraid to intrude, or just simply scared. Now she knew for certain this was happening during the Ninetails' attack. The person who stepped through the door didn't look familiar, but she bore a faint resemblance to someone the blonde did know. Who was that girl with the buns in her hair? Tintin? Tonton? Oh, right, Tenten. Her mother, perhaps?
"Haruka-sama."
The older woman didn't turn around, still looking at her son.
"Heard the news, did you, Tenko?"
"Yes. We drew the task of holding off the Ninetails. Kazumasa and I have already made our preparations. We'll do our best."
"You will do nothing of the sort."
Haruka's response was soft, trying not to startle the baby, but Ino could literally feel the force in the older woman's voice. Uzumaki Haruka was not one to take orders. She gave them, and she expected them to be obeyed.
Tenten's double started, and looked up with a puzzled expression.
"What do you mean?"
Haruka stayed where she was, looking only at Naruto.
"There's going to be enough casualties tonight, and dreams shattered. You and Kazumasa are about to start a family. Can't let that dream die, not while I have the power to keep it safe."
"How?"
Haruka's voice sounded tired, but she was resolute.
"I'm going to fight it. Alone. Follow and you'll regret it."
Misawa Tenko's voice faltered, fighting her commander's order.
"Why would you do that? We're a team!"
"You know and I know no matter what happens out there, it's a losing battle. A good shinobi doesn't waste resources. That's just the way it is. You and Kazumasa are close combat and ranged weapon specialists. That stuff doesn't work on the Ninetails. Among our team, I'm the only one who has the resources to damage it and make it back off, which is what's needed. Why drag you into it?"
"We could defend you, and help you survive!"
"No offense, but nobody's that strong. Maybe not even the Fourth. No need to take that kind of chance. If you fight not to lose, you'll never win. I can't go in there thinking about how to make the demon back off while thinking of how I can stay alive. I'd just fail my task. If that happens, nobody survives."
Tenko looked at the baby in Haruka's arms, grasping for some argument to move the other woman.
"What about Naruto? Can you just leave him behind?"
Ino felt like slapping the younger kunoichi. Can't you see she doesn't want to do it? The only thing you're doing is making it harder for her! Her mind is made up. Every word you say about Naruto is like a dagger in her heart.
Haruka straightened, and looked up to the ceiling.
"I'd rather die as a shinobi than live and shame my son. Uzumakis don't break their word. Ever. Those that do are no longer worthy of the name. Setsuna knew that. Had she become a Genin, she'd never have fulfilled her duties. She left the village to keep from shaming herself. When I took the vow of loyalty, I was swearing that I would be there when the Leaf needed me, to do what had to be done. Even if it killed me.
"If I back out now, how can I expect my son to keep his word when his time comes? Why would he, when his mother broke hers at such a time?"
Tenko had no response to that. Ino guessed Haruka wasn't the type to let insolence slide. Naruto's mother looked back down to her child, her eyes looking oddly peaceful.
"Anyway, you forgot it takes two to tango."
"Pardon?"
"My death will give the Fourth more time to think of a way to win. When he does, he'll raise Naruto. I want nothing more than to be there to see him grow up, but for all of Arashi's faults, he'll be a good father. I can feel it."
Ino's eyes shot wide open, the irony dawning on her. She couldn't have known, because the Fourth hadn't even thought of his plan of attack yet. She had no idea he would win by sacrificing his life as well.
A lot of things filled her thoughts. How could Naruto be so cheerful with such a story in his past? One parent sacrificing her life to buy time, so the other could do the exact same thing?
People had never taken the time to really look at him. They saw the way he acted and assumed it was because he was a fool, or worse. How could anyone have known it was because the alternative was this kind of despair? How could they understand it when none of them had faced such a thing?
It made her angry, but she wasn't sure why. Angry for him, for all the things she'd seen him go through? Angry at the world for being so cruel and cold? Was she angry at herself for never seeing it in him? Maybe it was all of them. Whatever it was, staying in this memory would not help her any. In fact, she got the distinct feeling she was intruding in something that should have stayed private.
Rather unlike her, Ino tiptoed out and went looking somewhere else, seeking something happier. It soon became clear that wasn't such a good idea.
No matter where she looked, Ino just got angrier. She saw the Fourth as he completed the seal on the Ninetails, teeth still clenched in bitter hatred of the demon. He left his own son behind to get his revenge. Some hero. She saw the villagers demand Naruto's death, only to be turned away by the Third. Kazumasa and Tenko had tried to adopt Naruto that same day, and also been rejected on the orders of the Fourth, taking one last look at him before departing the hospital. He wanted all of us to raise his son, so we could be reminded of what we owed him. Big mistake. Nobody listened.
The higher up she got, the more years that passed, nothing changed. People scorned Naruto, humiliated him, and he had seldom been able to do anything about it. Ino didn't take solace in not showing up in those memories. She knew she would have done much the same thing then.
Maybe it was because she was distracted that something began to draw her in, something powerful. Ino gravitated towards it, looking for something less depressing. Perhaps this was when Setsuna had returned, or when this mysterious Jiraiya person had been seen in the village.
Before too long, she found herself before a sort of abyss, a place where it seemed a gate had once been, but was now gone, leaving a perfect rectangular opening in a rocky wall. As she stepped forward, peering in, water splashed around her ankles.
What is this place?
"HOW NICE, A VISITOR. I GET SO FEW."
Ino stared as a voice sounded in the darkness, but couldn't see a thing. Slowly creeping forward, she heard it speak again.
"COME CLOSER, CHILD. COWARDICE IS NO QUALITY FOR A NINJA."
It felt…wrong. Strange, inhuman. Yet she couldn't help but keep on coming, as though something was pulling her in, controlling her body. She stopped, and immediately wished she hadn't. A pair of red eyes stared back at her from the darkness, glowing with lambent energy, glaring hatred into her very soul. This was not Naruto.
"THE WHELP IS NOT HERE. HE RARELY PREFERS MY COMPANY. BUT THEN I CANNOT SAY I ENJOY HIS EITHER. YOU, ON THE OTHER HAND, WOULD MAKE A NICE SNACK. A PITY TO KILL ONE SO YOUNG, BUT IT MUST BE FATE FOR YOU TO APPEAR BEFORE ME. EMBRACE IT, IF YOU PLEASE. I FIND THOSE WHO RESIST TO BE…STRINGY."
As the voice continued, Ino watched a set of giant claws appear out of the darkness, helpless to react, held in place by sheer terror.
"Chew on this, furball."
The kunoichi only barely felt the gust of air as the claws swept by her head, something pushing her out of the way. She heard a loud clang as the claws slammed into a massive gate that suddenly appeared where the hole in the wall had been, a large paper seal holding it shut. In shock, she looked up to see teeth underneath the red eyes, a face twisted in rage, staring down at a form that had to be her rescuer.
"DAMN YOU! DO YOU DENY ME EVEN A TINY SNACK, WHELP?"
Ino's head snapped upwards when her rescuer responded – in Naruto's voice.
"A snack? What are you, a cannibal? Forget it. You aren't getting anything to eat today but crow. If you think that little display will make me trust your power and let you fight more often, you've got another thing coming."
The voice's response was just a frustrated growl, as the eyes and teeth vanished. Ino sighed in relief, but that relief quickly vanished as Naruto turned around and she saw his face, looking down on her with irritation.
"You mind taking us back to the real world? I'd like to talk when I'm in total control of myself."
Ino obeyed silently, and the landscape of Naruto's mind vanished.
------------------------------------------------------------------
Neither one of them spoke for some time. Ino was too shocked by what she'd seen, and Naruto too angry to do much other than stare at the ceiling.
For all she'd heard before, the kunoichi had had a hard time believing that Naruto was actually the vessel of the Ninetails – until she had faced the demon herself. Naruto had never known of it until recently, believing himself hated for no reason. Finding out about the demon couldn't have made it better.
But he was the same as ever. To borrow a phrase from the Sasuke fans, Naruto was very, very cool. Facing down a demon for this long? With absolutely no fear? Ino recognized strength when she saw it. And Naruto, loudmouthed, stubborn and irritating as he was, was incredibly strong. He was still trying to make friends and advance as a ninja. He respected the Leaf after everything he'd been through. It couldn't have been easy to forgive everyone for that. Ino probably wouldn't have it if it had been done to her.
Why even make friends with them? It was pretty funny thinking about it. Ino had seen what Naruto was capable of. She knew he could easily justify going on a murderous rampage within the village. If anything, they should have been bowing and scraping to him, not Sasuke.
She wanted to be his friend, as strange as it had once sounded. Not because it was prudent, or to keep herself safe. It was because…well, he deserved it. You might not be able to say anything else to justify it, but that said everything. There was just one problem – Ino had just pissed him off quite severely.
Naruto didn't know what to think. That Ino was here meant she'd probably come to see him. That was good. That he'd had to rescue her from the Ninetails meant she had gone digging around in his brain. That was bad, if not insane.
The whole thing made him jealous. Ino had seen the very things that had always been denied him – Haruka, the short time they had shared as mother and child. Why could she see what he could not?
But as much as he wanted to be mad at her, something kept coming back to him. She understands. He didn't have to ask to know Ino understood what he was. The look in her eyes was enough. She was still here, not running for the hills. For someone who had just faced down the Ninetails, that was surprising.
Naruto had friends – he still counted Kakashi-sensei and Sakura, and Sasuke, when he wasn't being an ass. Even Hinata. But people who understood him, and gave him the benefit of the doubt? Those were few and far between. Iruka-sensei, Aunt Setsuna, Pervert Sennin, the Third, the Ebon Shadow, Lord Yama, Itachi, Blood Claw and Deathstrike were about it. Was it worth being angry over something like this and pushing away someone who could join that list? He considered that for a moment, and then made his decision.
"Guess you saw all the gory details."
Ino looked at him, surprised. Naruto leaned back against the hospital bed's headboard and crossed his arms.
"Yeah, I'm pissed you did it without asking me, but we can't exactly take it back. Question is, what are you going to do with what you saw?"
"You've been through enough as it is without me adding to your problems. Why would I do anything at all?"
Naruto arched an eyebrow.
"This from the girl who chucked a bowl at my head?"
Ino flushed bright red, remembering the scene she'd made at the restaurant. Before she could answer, she heard someone speak behind her – but why did she understand it when it sounded like a crow cawing?
[Hardly necessary, Naruto. I would think she came to apologize. Itachi was the one at fault, as I'm sure she understands.]
Reacting instinctively, Ino responded.
"That's right!"
When nobody said anything, Ino looked up. Naruto sat there staring at her, jaw slack in disbelief. The blonde girl turned to see the gigantic raven Naruto called the Ebon Shadow, perched on the open window sill.
[Did she say something to me, by chance?]
"I'm no doctor," Naruto muttered, "but jumping into my head must have scrambled hers up some. Say something else and we'll check."
[Very well. Can you hear me, Human?]
Ino replied, voice shaking a little with uneasiness.
"Yes."
[She can hear me, but I cannot understand what she says. It would appear she has an imperfect version of your ability.]
Naruto snorted, leaning back against the wall.
"Well, either we're both crazy now, or I'm honest. Which one, Ino?"
The kunoichi blushed even harder and mumbled something that sounded suspiciously like "sorry." Naruto, never much of a sadist, grinned.
"Ah, forget it. I hate apologies, and I'm pretty sure you do too. Now do you trust my word?"
What an odd thing to say, she thought. With Uzumakis, it always came back to their word being their bond. Perhaps that was why he hadn't turned against the village. Naruto had friends who had kept their word to trust and defend him, and he was honoring that. Better for her to be in that category, she decided. The part of her that said he was cute as a tragic hero she shoved way in the back of her head. The last thing either of them needed now was for this to get emotional. Naruto needed friends. The rest could come later.
"Yes."
"That's what I like to hear."
[Is it wise to have the secret of your bloodlines running around, Naruto?]
Naruto cut off Ino's brief look of annoyance by responding for her.
"She saw everything I am, Shadow, and she's still here. That speaks for her guts. It also says she thinks I ain't a demon like others. If my secrets aren't safe in Ino's hands, they'll never be safe. I'll trust her. You might try it too. Couldn't hurt."
[So she will be your Human Lorekeeper, and I the animal version?]
Ino looked puzzled by that.
"What's he mean by Lorekeeper?"
Naruto waved it off with a hand.
"It's part of my job with the animals. What I do, they assign someone to remember. It was the same with all the Uzumakis who did it before me. I don't need that from humans. Right now, I'd be pretty happy if they all just stopped treating me like crap."
"Come on, they don't all do that."
"Fine, most of them treat me like crap. Why do you think I always wanted to be Hokage? Who has the guts to badmouth the big boss shinobi?"
"Then why do something stupid like quitting your team? That's a Hokage thing to do?"
"You better believe it," Naruto growled. "If something's not going to work, why waste time and make people miserable by forcing it? Why not find a different way that could improve everybody's future?"
Ino didn't look convinced.
"If you ask me, it looks more like you threw a tantrum at Kakashi and booked it out of there before he could react."
Naruto shrugged.
"Yeah, there was anger in there. But doing the right thing is my story and I'm sticking to it. Not saying I'm right, just the way I see things."
Ino grinned and pointed to her ears.
"You see these, Naruto? These are finely tuned bullshit detectors. And they're ringing something fierce right now."
Naruto laughed, the first time he'd done that in days.
"Yeah? Better clean 'em out, 'cause they're giving you false readings. Remember when you thought I wasn't playing with a full deck?"
[All things are relative, Miss Ino. Surely I am a good reminder of that?]
"Hey! No fair siccing the animal on me when I can't respond."
Naruto snickered.
"How many times do I gotta tell you they've got minds of their own? When they find one of us they can speak with, they'll talk your ears off if you let 'em. You're just lucky you can't talk back. Then they'd want you to help me out."
Ino turned that thought over in her head. In the space of half an hour she had gone from fairly normal girl to being able to hear animals, facing down a demon, and changing her perspective on Naruto. It was turning into a pretty surreal day. As soon as she completed that thought, the day got even stranger.
The door to Naruto's room banged open and a harried-looking Iruka strode in. Mindful of Naruto's secrets, the Ebon Shadow took flight, winging back towards the forest.
"Naruto! I finally found you. You've been putting it off long enough. Come with me!"
Naruto bristled, sensing something related to hard work.
"Putting what off? I'm a busy guy, Iruka-sensei! Half the things I do today I won't remember tomorrow! What're you babbling about?"
"Gee, I don't know. Does your mission ring a bell?"
The blonde boy squinted suspiciously at him.
"I thought that didn't start until after the Chuunin Exam was over."
"It doesn't," Iruka sighed, "but that doesn't mean you shouldn't go see the client and get an idea of what they want. It's the courteous thing to do, and it'll help you prepare for the mission, instead of walking in there after the Exam knowing nothing."
Walking over to a cabinet near the door, Iruka pulled out Naruto's jacket and tossed it onto the bed, where it landed with a heavy thud of weights.
"We should get going. You've only got a day before the Finals start."
Naruto didn't move for a second, and then he glanced at Ino.
"Want to come along? Something tells me two heads are better than one at breaking down a mission."
Ino was surprised – but not much – at what came out of her mouth.
"Why not?"
In for a penny, in for a pound, right?
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"Now remember, Naruto. Try to be courteous, and listen for a while. Usually with private missions the client wants to get something frustrating settled. Let them vent, and things will be easier to discuss."
"Sure, sensei. Whatever you say."
Iruka wondered why the kid was being so nonchalant about a mission he'd jumped at just weeks ago. Everything about today had been strange, from hearing Naruto was in the hospital to finding Ino with him. And why would he invite her along for something as private as a briefing?
When Ino, walking in front of them, turned back and glanced at Naruto, he knew why. Hardly a normal look. It wasn't the typical way people looked at Naruto, as though they wanted to be anywhere else but facing him. Neither was it how she had once looked at Sasuke, like all the other girls. Like they wanted to eat him alive.
This was different. Ino's eyes had the look of someone much older, as if she'd grown years in a matter of days. Those are the eyes of a veteran – if not of battle, then of life. I don't know what she saw, but that's not fear or disgust she's looking at him with. It's familiarity. If I didn't know them both so well, I'd say she'd known him his whole life instead of a few years since the Academy. Like an old friend…or lover.
He should have been suspicious. At the very least, something so odd should have concerned him. But Iruka didn't feel there was anything to fear.
The only reason it's strange is that Naruto has never experienced something like this. People like me understand him, but that's because we've been through the wars and the pain. We know the whole story, and looked past it to see the person, not the demon. But those are all adults – myself, Setsuna, Hokage-sama, Jiraiya-sama. Ino is from his generation. She and the others in his class are the ones he'll have to live with in the long run. It may not be enough that they like or acknowledge him, if none of them truly knows who and what he is, the things he's suffered. If he's ever to feel like a part of this village, they have to understand him. Maybe that's her job.
Iruka shook his head, smiling to himself.
Listen to me. I sound like his father. I've certainly invested a lot in him. Maybe a little too much. Time to let him learn his own lessons for a while. If he needs you, he knows where to find you.
He winked at Ino, causing the blonde girl to start in puzzlement.
He's all yours.
Before she could say anything, they reached the address Iruka had given Naruto, a house about the size of Naruto's. As the three ninja walked up to the door, it opened for them – sort of.
"Get back here and finish your vegetables! I made them myself!"
"Why do you think I don't wanna eat 'em?"
A small blue-and-white streak attempted to leap out the door, but stopped short when Naruto stretched a hand out and snagged it. Once it stopped moving, the blur turned into a boy about Konohamaru's age, held running in place as he dangled from Naruto's hand.
Unlike Konohamaru, this child had nothing good to say to Naruto.
"Who the hell are you?"
The blonde Genin squinted suspiciously at Ikegata Tenji.
"I oughta ask you the same thing. This looks like a normal house. What's a high-Rank mission doing comin' out of here?"
Iruka was about to think of a lame excuse when the voice that had been yelling at Tenji got closer to the door and opened it wider.
"And don't come back, you – oh! Iruka-sensei!"
Naruto saw a girl come through the door, a frying pan in one hand, and bow to Iruka. Even after she straightened, he couldn't quite remember her name. Those hair buns look familiar. Where have I seen her before? Then it hit him.
"I got it! You're the one who got her ass whooped in the Preliminaries by the fan girl!"
Tenten's response was wordless - then again, crowning him with the frying pan said more than enough.
"Some future Hokage," Ino snorted. "He can control everything but his mouth."
Iruka grinned. She definitely sounded like a wife haranguing her husband. I don't think you quite realize what you've gotten yourself into, Naruto. Enjoy.
Another adult came through the doorway, snagging Tenji from Naruto's hand and slinging the protesting child over his shoulder. Kazumasa patted his daughter on the head, feeling his way out onto the porch.
"Tenten! The truth is the truth. That's why we've been working on it, haven't we? There's no need to overreact."
His daughter went bright red, and she wasn't blushing.
"Overreact? He doesn't even know my name! All he knows is that I got humiliated! I'm the laughingstock of the village!"
Naruto shook his head.
"Look, I'm sorry. I suck with names. All I know is you hang around with Lee, so I had to think of where I knew you from. Don't take it so hard. Hinata lost. So did Sakura and Ino. They ain't ashamed to admit it. Why are you any different?"
This time Ino hit him with an elbow in the gut.
"I would have won if you hadn't cheered her on. And anyway, I tied."
Naruto bristled at being hit by two girls and not being able to respond.
"First you want me to be responsible and act all nice-nice with Sakura, and now you don't? Make up your mind, will ya?"
Iruka stepped in before the whole scene turned into a melee and not a job briefing.
"Children, children. Nobody's perfect. Let's all recognize that. Now I believe you had something to tell Naruto, Ikegata-san? A mission?"
Quick on the uptake, Kazumasa ushered everyone inside the house, keeping a firm grip on his son.
"Sure thing. Come on in, then. Can't be talkin' out here for such a high-rank mission."
Ino chanced a look at Naruto as they entered the house, and was surprised at how suspiciously he glanced at everything. He's probably got the right idea. Nothing about this setup feels right. Truth be told, she was suspicious too. Tenten was a Genin, and apparently not a strong one – this mission probably wasn't her idea. That left the tall man with the bandages over his eyes. He was probably blind, but he walked like everyone Ino knew – like a shinobi, ready to spring in any direction. So he ought to know Naruto's not ready for a mission alone. He's had a Rank A mission, but that was with two more Genin and a Jounin.
Someone his age was from Haruka's generation. Ino had never asked any adult about Naruto, but she gathered her parents and their friends knew far more than they let on about him. They had to know what he was, and what he was capable of. You want to tempt him to do what you want, by offering him the one thing you know he can't resist – glory. What's your game?
Thankfully, Kazumasa ended the confusion quickly.
"Okay, you're tensed up. Easy, already. I'm not sending you on a suicide run."
Kazumasa picked Tenji up off his shoulder and plunked him down on the living room couch, where he sat glaring at Naruto.
"This is my son, Tenten's younger brother, Ikegata Tenji. It seems he's run your Iruka-sensei into the ground, and it's the same for us. As you might have guessed, I'm blind for the moment, and I can't really look after him. Tenten has her own life, and my wife is an Anbu member, so she's always on call. It's not the best way to raise a kid."
If anything, Naruto's expression got even harder. Ino winced to herself. He'd better not be saying what I think he's saying. Naruto isn't one to take disappointment lightly. When Naruto did respond, his voice was disturbingly quiet. He didn't have the force of his mother with that tone, but Ino knew he was just as serious.
"Let me get this straight. You signed up for a high-Rank mission. You got Iruka-sensei to get my attention with it. Then he drags me out of a hospital bed. AND ALL OF THIS TO TELL ME TO YOU WANT A BABYSITTER!?"
His hands came together violently, colliding and forming his favorite seal. Within seconds, five Naruto clones had surrounded Tenji and one was holding him by his feet, upside down.
"I don't know why he's giving you a hard time. To tell the truth, I'm not sure I want to care. I got a life too, Mister. I just spent three weeks training for what's gonna be a hard-ass fight with that Hyuga punk. I'm tired. I'm wasted. I ain't got time to mess around with a little brat who doesn't take anything seriously. Hell, even Konohamaru's better to deal with. You want help with him, get a nanny. Stop wasting my time."
Taking the mission notice out of his jacket, Naruto handed it to Iruka.
"Sorry, sensei. I don't have time to waste on dumb practical jokes. I'm out of here."
Ino got up too, but slowly, not wanting to cause a scene. I can't believe there are still people who can't see he just wants to be a normal, accepted part of this place. Why can't they deal with him normally and stop playing stupid jokes on him?
They got halfway to the door, ignoring Iruka's protests, until one sentence from Kazumasa stopped Naruto in his tracks.
"You're just like your mother."
Naruto turned around slowly, and this time the anger in his eyes was obvious to everyone. Even Tenten started inching towards the other end of the couch.
"What did you just say?"
"Uzumaki Haruka. One of the first women to achieve high rank within the Anbu. Famous for never taking crap from anyone, whether it was the richest client or the Hokage himself."
"What's it to you?"
Kazumasa slumped back against his seat.
"She was my commander."
Naruto searched his mind for where he'd seen Tenten's father before.
"Wait a minute. You're the Master of Blades? The one who was always getting drunk and whining about not being able to date Misawa Tenko?"
The blind Jounin grinned.
"That, I corrected with your mother's help. When she sacrificed herself to hold off the Ninetails and ordered the rest of the team to stay behind, that sealed the deal for Tenten's mom and I. We owe her big, for that and many other reasons."
Naruto bristled at the older man's relaxed tone.
"So why are you screwing around with me?"
"How else was I supposed to get you to come here, when you didn't even know who we were?"
"Come here for what? Reminisce for old times' sake?"
Kazumasa waved a hand in the air.
"In a manner of speaking. I've been keeping something for you. Consider it a little bit of payback to your mother. Come with me."
The blind man still knew how to get around his house, and strode to the back, followed by Tenten, Tenji, Iruka, Naruto and Ino. Before long they stepped through a sliding door, and into a decent-sized dojo, weapons of all kinds securely strapped into racks on the walls. Walking to the very back of the room, Kazumasa grabbed a small ring set into the ceiling and pulled. As he did so, a hidden weapon rack came down, revealing four straight blades – Anbu weapons. Taking the sword on the very top, he walked back and handed it to Naruto.
As Naruto took the weapon, he heard a faint rattle from within the scabbard.
"I ain't one to use swords, but I'm pretty sure they aren't supposed to rattle. You're supposed to just pull 'em out and start hacking."
Kazumasa bowed his head.
"This particular sword is no longer fit for combat. It's something I deeply regret, but was unable to do anything about."
Naruto regarded the weapon in his hands suspiciously, squinting at the well-polished lacquer sheath.
"What're you trying to say?"
"That was Haruka's sword. When the rest of the team went out to find her after the battle, it was beside her, in pieces, along with the bodies of four large wolves. I took the pieces home with me, for safekeeping. Now it's yours."
Naruto looked down at the sword and pulled it out. Where the scabbard was more than a foot long, the blade he removed was barely half that length, the rest snapped off and still inside the sheath. The blade was bright, and apparently still sharp. On the very bottom, nearest the hilt, two characters were engraved. The blonde boy squinted down at them.
"Suzaku?"
Kazumasa scratched the back of his head, a little chagrined.
"Chalk that up to youth. When you're young and tough, you think you're invincible. You know everything. When our team was formed, we all got new blades, and we called ourselves the Shijintai (Four God Squad). Your mother was Suzaku, I was Seiryu, Tenten's mother was Genbu and our medic Kuriko was Byakko. The names were carved into our blades."
Naruto nodded his head up at the hidden weapon rack.
"You've got three more Anbu swords up there. Don't tell me those are the other ones from your team?"
"Good guess. When Haruka died, it was our wake-up call. We weren't kids anymore, nor were we as tough as we all thought. The next day, we went back to our old weapons, and stored away the Shijin blades. It wasn't anything noble or wise. We just didn't want to be reminded that our swords were whole because we hadn't fought."
Naruto hefted the broken sword in his hand and then sheathed it, looking over at the Master of Blades.
"Why take it so hard? If you'd fought, you'd be as dead as my mom is. I don't know why she did it alone, but I can guess. She wanted her teammates to carry on, not waste your lives on a battle you couldn't win. I doubt agonizing over it was what she wanted you to do with the rest of your life."
"I suppose. I try not to think about it too much, hence the rack in the ceiling."
Tenten knew better than to believe that coming from either of her parents. She had a different perspective on the sword.
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"Okay, Princess. You've mastered the art of the throwing needle. Now I think it's time you learned something about blades."
Her father had said that to her one day years ago, as they sat in the same dojo. When she'd looked around, it had called out to her. Something precious makes you strong. Fighting for it, that is. They always say that to us at the Academy. The scabbard had looked exactly the same then as it had when her father gave it to Naruto, immaculately polished, lovingly placed on the highest weapon rack in the room. For her parents to devote so much time to maintaining it, the sword had to be precious to them.
"I want to learn how to use that one."
Kazumasa followed his daughter's eyes until he saw the sword she meant, and went white as a sheet. His voice sounded strangled as he spoke again.
"Sorry, Tenten. Any sword but that one."
"Why? It must be powerful if you're always taking such good care of it. If I'm ever going to become as strong as Tsunade, shouldn't I master strong weapons?"
She had never forgotten what happened in that instant. It was one of the only times her father had ever become truly angry at her. Cold precision showed in his eyes, what her mother said happened when he became the "Master of Blades."
"I'm warning you, daughter. It's a closed subject. Don't ever ask me again."
Cowed, she had simply asked to learn how to throw kunai. Kazumasa had calmed down, but he had never spoken of the sword again – at least not within sight of her. Later that day, Tenko had cornered him about the incident, not knowing their daughter had crept into earshot.
"You didn't have to bite her head off just because you have survivor's guilt. Why do we even have the swords there if they're such a source of shame?"
"You know kids. They have a knack for finding just the thing you didn't want them to see. Doesn't matter if you lock it in a safe, or up in a closet. They'll get to it. I figured putting them in plain sight would throw them off the trail."
Tenko sounded exasperated.
"Throw Tenten off the trail? You promised her you would teach her every weapon style known to man! Why wouldn't she ask to use the sword?"
"All right! Leave off already. I'll store it away. Somewhere safe, so we can return it when the time comes."
Tenten blinked at that. Return it? Who did they borrow it from?
Her mother responded, a bitter tone to her voice.
"If it ever does. I saw him today, you know. The children were teasing him again. All of the usual things, why he has no parents, his clothes, everything."
"So much for the Third's orders. People found plenty of ways to get around them and pass down their fears, even if the children don't know why they fear him."
"Then why has he let this happen? He should have known it would unless someone was there to protect the child!"
"Orders, he said. So everyone would be reminded of what they owed him."
"That," Tenko snorted, "is going to be one big unpaid debt by the time he becomes an adult. Do they want to make him become a missing-nin? Wasn't it enough that we lost our best and brightest in that fight? Now they'd like to banish the one who bears the greatest burden from it!"
Kazumasa chuckled.
"You have to admit, that would suit them just fine. But he's stubborn, like his parents. He won't break. Much, anyway."
"How can you be so cavalier about this?"
"We asked the Third if we could have him," the Master of Blades said, "and he said no. We could ask today, we could ask tomorrow, and every day for a year, and the answer would be the same. All we can do is live with it and hope for the best."
"That's not much consolation."
"Hey, you want consolation, there are other ways to get it."
"Not while the children are awake, silly."
"Oh, sure, rain on my parade."
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The idea intrigued Tenten – appealing to her romantic side, or to the part of some girls that is attracted to outcasts and riff-raff. There was the slight problem of not knowing the boy's name, but to a young girl, that was no big deal. Fantasy hardly requires a good knowledge of facts.
It had captivated her ever since. She had wondered if she could be the one to bring such a tragic figure in from the cold, and earn respect for reminding everyone what a hero he was. Certainly the boy would appreciate it too. On the days when people teased her for her hairstyle, or her clothes, or any number of things (lame jutsu included), it was a nice way to get back at the popular girls in her head.
As she got older, Tenten figured it would be a good idea to at least find out who her fantasy charity case really was. After a little research around the village, she had settled on Sasuke as her target. After all, he had no parents, he wore the same clothes every day, and there was this subtle sense about him that he was dangerous, just like his brother. It was a perfect fit – if you disregarded the fact that Sasuke never got teased.
So much for that little fantasy, she said to herself now, looking at Naruto. Why had she never considered him before? Ino obviously had, or she wouldn't be here now. A little voice in her head said it for her. You didn't want to. You wanted someone popular, who could make people stop bugging you. How was she different from any of the airheads who chased Sasuke? He wouldn't return their affections. Sakura was on his team, constantly trying to get through to him, and even she got no love. Time to move on, girl. If Ino, the most domineering girl in the village, could get in good with Naruto, she wouldn't have a problem.
Naruto was annoying, and his mouth was only slightly cleaner than a sailor's, but he was tough. Tenten had seen that much for herself in the Forest of Death. He turned three on one into a one on one matchup without any help. Then, not only had Naruto handled Kiba with several instant counters, he'd also done the unthinkable – face down Neji without flinching. Nobody did that. Even Gai-sensei had moments when he felt unnerved by the Hyuga prodigy.
Had she really missed something? Tenten pondered it while looking at Naruto again. There really were things about him you could overlook if you didn't see Naruto up close, straight in the eye. When he had gotten angry at her father, his eyes had changed. It wasn't the same thing she'd seen Kazumasa do. That was human, promising a single moment of pain that would finish you. Naruto's eyes were like a wounded animal's – or something worse. Eyes that could deliver an eternity of suffering without blinking, because they had already seen it firsthand.
But he hadn't done that. Not because Naruto couldn't. Because he wouldn't. How was that even possible? For someone to go through humiliation, loneliness, sorrow and everything else on the emotional spectrum and not come out homicidal was unbelievable. The kind of mental strength it must have taken to do that was Sannin-worthy. The kind of thing she'd aspired to, so she could become like Tsunade. And that I've always failed at.
More than she wanted love or popularity, Tenten had always wanted to be strong. You didn't get many strong female role models in this culture, and girls weren't often seen in positions of power among the shinobi until they got old. She could count on her fingers the women who'd done it at a young age – Tsunade, Tenko, Kurenai…and Uzumaki Haruka. And when she had met someone who had similar strength, and could show her what she had to do, she'd hit him with a frying pan. He DID deserve it, though.
Naruto was definitely worthy of her attention – if she could figure out what he saw in Ino. There would be time to find out if that led to other things later, especially if her father managed to tempt him into taking the babysitting job. Kazumasa looked like he was ready to do just that.
"Now, understand something. This is not what I was going to pay you for taking on the job. It's completely different. I know you don't have time to do it every day, so I'll propose a compromise. Most of the time Tenji isn't that big a handful. We can control him just fine. But there's going to be days when I'm not around, Tenten's out, and Tenko's not available. Or there might be times when he's just making us all pissed. I'd like to be able to call on you then, and see if you can't connect with him."
Naruto got straight to the point.
"So if the sword ain't my payment for being your panic button, what is?"
"I'm sure you've heard Tenten is a master of throwing weapons. She can hit a target a hundred times in a hundred throws. That isn't innate, nor a Bloodline Limit. It came out of special techniques and training I devised as a younger man. I can give you the same accuracy, with more weapons than you might think."
The blonde boy's answer left Tenten fuming when she heard it.
"Sorry, not interested."
As much as she wanted to learn about strength from him, Tenten was a little tired of having her skills put down.
"Why? Because I 'got my ass whooped' using them? They're not good enough for you to learn?"
He turned his eyes on her, and even though he wasn't angry, she quickly shut her mouth. Naruto stared at Tenten for a moment, and then back at his mother's sword.
"It ain't that. What you do with your weapon throwing and those scrolls? That's family business. Something you and your dad share. I ain't butting in."
"What are you talking about?"
Tenten heard the sword rattle as Naruto tightened his grip on it.
"Don't ask me to explain. I'm not good at that. Maybe I'm just weird. But it seems to me this kind of thing – special techniques, things only your family knows, learning together – is what keeps people together, keeps 'em feeling like family. Up until a month or so ago, I never had that. When it happens for me, I don't exactly feel like havin' anybody else around. It's special to me. And I can't just be takin' that away from you. Maybe you don't feel the same, 'cause you've had it all along. But you ain't getting me to bust in where I don't belong."
When his daughter failed to respond, Kazumasa spoke for her.
"Then what can I give you to make this deal work?"
Naruto lifted the sword and put it back in the blind man's hands.
"You want to do something for me? Then find somebody to make this sword usable again – and teach me how to use it."
Kazumasa regarded the broken weapon grimly.
"You should know that the blade can't be fully repaired. If it could, I would have done it years ago. The best I can do is sharpen the rest and make it a wakizashi or kodachi."
Naruto shrugged.
"That's fine. I get the feeling the Anbu wouldn't be too happy to see me carrying around a full blade anyway."
"Now, do you think you can handle my son?"
Naruto rolled his eyes and vanished. Before Tenji could realize he was there, the little boy was upside down again, Naruto holding him by the ankles. Tenten's younger brother protested loudly.
"All the blood's rushing to my head!"
"Good, there'll actually be something in there for once."
Tenji squirmed, but Naruto showed no signs of letting him go.
"Let me up!"
"Why should I?"
Tenji's only reply was to squirm even harder. It didn't help. Finally, Naruto raised the boy's eyes to meet his own.
"When you learn to treat people with respect and not take advantage of your dad and your sister, I'll treat you normally. Until then, you're staying like this, every time I see you. That's gonna happen any time your sister or your dad thinks your punk ass is being a pain. Which would be every day, if you keep at it. So go ahead, be a brat. I look forward to it."
Looking over at Kazumasa, he shrugged.
"That answer your question?"
"Looks like a deal to me."
Iruka smiled as he watched Naruto and Kazumasa shake on the deal. That was one of his students he no longer had to worry about. But what about the others?
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"So, are we clear? You work here when you have the time, and you're not on call unless you've told me in advance you'll be available. I can always find temporary help. But so help me, skip town without telling me, and I will cut you off."
Uzumaki Setsuna looked down at her newest employee, awaiting her answer. Sakura knew better than to keep her new sensei waiting.
"Yes, ma'am."
Her moment of seriousness over, Setsuna waved off the formality and slouched back in her chair.
"Come on, just call me Setsuna-sensei. I ain't one to talk about manners. This is a small operation. It'll be you, me, Slinger, Miki, and maybe some occasional help if we can make a profit to afford 'em. Just like a normal, semi-functional family. Everyone pulls their weight."
"I've never done anything like this before. How will I know what to do?"
Setsuna chuckled.
"Oh, you'll learn. According to that Iruka guy you're a smart cookie. You'll get the hang of it right quick. Now, mind you, we do things a little…differently here. As you've noticed, we have three waitresses to cover a dining room that can seat more than a hundred people. Obviously the numbers don't add up, right?"
"So how do we serve the customers?"
Setsuna waved Miki over, and the redheaded waitress placed a small bundle on the table in front of Sakura. When the pink-haired girl opened it, she found a uniform like the one Miki and Slinger wore, along with several heavy metal weights and an oversized pair of shoes.
"You aren't serving customers quite yet. The pace would make you keel over in a day or so. Instead, you're going to come in here before we open up and train. Then when we open, you'll observe how Miki and I go about things. We didn't advertise the grand opening much, so the two of us can handle the crowd until you're ready to help out."
"Train in what? Isn't it just balancing a tray and getting it to the table quickly?"
"Sakura," Setsuna sighed, "you got a lot to learn. Slinger! Start us off on a practice run! And don't cook anything this time! Naruto and his pals aren't around to eat the leftovers."
"Your funeral, boss."
Setsuna snorted as she tied a headband around her forehead, holding her hair back.
"Please. You've never beaten me at this and your lazy ass never will. Miki! Let's get it on! Been too long since we gave Slinger a challenge."
The other waitress smiled, preparing herself with a headband as well. Sakura watched, puzzled, as all hell broke loose. Slinger Ozaki bellowed a war cry as he dashed into the kitchen. Seconds later, a bowl came soaring out of the window between Slinger's domain and the dining room.
"Pork ramen, heavy soup! Table 7!"
Setsuna smirked and bowed to Miki.
"Show the new girl how it's done."
"Of course."
The pink-haired girl's eyes shot open as Miki leaped into the air, grabbing onto a beam and swinging herself around it. After a circle or two, she used her momentum to soar off the wooden support. The petite waitress intercepted Slinger's bowl in mid-air, catching it in one hand and delicately altering her course by bouncing off another roof beam. Miki landed with nary a sound by Table 7, the water inside the bowl barely disturbed. Sakura's jaw dropped.
"How…? She's so…"
Setsuna looked amused.
"Clumsy? On the ground, maybe. In the air, there's nobody I trust more than Miki. She feels she can be free up there, and I ain't one to mess with success. Get the point now, what you're gonna be training in? We give the customer thrills, chills, and no spills. Exactly what a girl with brains but little brawn needs to balance herself out."
"But I can jump! Every Academy student has to be able to do that kind of acrobatics just to graduate!"
Slinger interrupted Sakura's complaint with another "order."
"Miso ramen, chicken teriyaki bowl and an extra pot of rice on the side. Table 39!"
"Hang on a second. I'll be right back."
This time Setsuna shot into the air, but instead of going straight up to the airborne dishes as Miki had, Naruto's aunt began to twist in midair. As she drew closer to the target, Setsuna's hands and feel began to glow. Sakura gasped, startled. Chakra? But I thought she wasn't a shinobi!
Snagging the ramen bowl in one hand and the teriyaki bowl in the other, Setsuna spun again and lashed a foot out at the little metal pot Slinger had put the "rice" in, catching it with her chakra and hurling it above her. Landing beside Table 39, Setsuna quickly set the dishes in her hands down on the table, and then held her right hand out. A second later, the metal pot plopped down into her hand, undisturbed.
"Still think you know it all, missy? Slinger, time out! The rookie needs a lesson."
Sakura slumped into a nearby chair, wondering what she'd gotten herself into. Setsuna approached after laying down the rice pot, patting the pink-haired girl's shoulder in sympathy.
"I ain't gonna lie, Sakura. This is not an easy job to learn. It wasn't for me, and it wasn't for Miki either. Hell, Slinger's got it tough too. His tosses have to be spot on for us to do anything with them. As for us, we have plenty of concerns. Body control, chakra control, peripheral vision, aerodynamics, geometry, timing, even gravity. But above anything else, we gotta have speed. If we drop the ball, someone goes hungry longer than he should. That's bad for business.
"Here's your first lesson. Shinobi aren't the only ones who take pride in their jobs. If you think you're going to wuss out on me, then leave now. If you're staying, then it's time for lesson two. Put on your uniform and the shoes, and stand in front of the window."
Sakura slipped on the pink blouse and deftly tied its matching apron around herself. But when she went to pick up the shoes, she could barely lift them. When she dropped the ugly-looking things to put them on her feet, they landed on the wooden floor with a huge thud.
"Setsuna-sensei, what are these things?"
"Training shoes, with lead weights in the toes and heels. As you so innocently put it, you can jump already. But you lack the endurance to do it for a full work shift. These will help you build up to that. For now, they serve a different purpose, to anchor you for this part of your training. Put 'em on and get over there, and you'll get the picture."
Sakura complied meekly, a little afraid of what might be coming. Looking through the window into the kitchen, she took note of the wide grin on Slinger Ozaki's face. The pink-haired girl wasn't too encouraged by that. When a huge Naruto-style ramen bowl came flying at her out of nowhere, her fears were confirmed. I am SO screwed. Frozen in place, she closed her eyes and braced for the hit. When it didn't come, Sakura opened her eyes slowly – to see the bowl held in Miki's palm, inches from her face. The frizzy-haired woman smiled encouragingly.
"It's only kitchenware. There's nothing to fear. All you have to do is catch it for now. The rest will come to you."
"What," Setsuna said dryly, "did you think the restaurant business was any easier than the ninja world? Fear has no place in either. Confidence is the key in both. Always keep it in mind. Ready to try again?"
If she kept on the way she was, she would never be worth anything as a shinobi. Sasuke was beyond her, and Naruto had left the team because of her. I can't hinder them any longer. I have to find something I can be good at! If I can't even be a waitress, what CAN I do? Glaring at Slinger, Sakura crooked a finger, her inner self lending a little inner fury.
"Do your worst."
"You asked for it!"
A bowl the same size as the first streaked towards her. This time, Sakura concentrated her chakra in one hand and snagged it easily.
"Pfft. Anyone can do one at a time. Let's crank it up!"
Slinger split her attention by firing two bowls to either side of her, but Sakura got both, even if it strained her reach.
"You've only got two hands, girl. Deal with this!"
Sakura's eyes widened as Slinger hurled three bowls at her this time, in quick succession. What do I do? As she wavered, Setsuna's eyes bored into her student. Time to see if all those smarts have a quick wit behind then, or if you're just a bookworm.
Looking over at Setsuna, Sakura flashed back to what the older woman had just done, and turned her attention back to the bowls. Catching the first, she flicked it into the air lightly, dishing off the second quickly to the table beside her, and snaring the first and third in her hands.
"Is that all you've got?"
Setsuna chuckled as Slinger's eyes lit up sadistically. Bad choice of words, girl.
Within seconds, the space between Sakura and Slinger looked like an assembly line of pottery, bowls, dishes and trays flying at the pink-haired girl in increasing numbers. As Slinger increased the number of items in each round, his tosses got wider, forcing Sakura to bend her body all over the place, unable to lift her feet in the heavy shoes.
Finally, as Slinger finished hurling eight items at her, one soared out of her reach. Gathering her chakra, Sakura prepared to jump for it – until Setsuna's voice rang out.
"Time out! Slinger, cease fire."
The pink-haired girl looked over at Setsuna, who lazily snared the errant dish.
"Do you know why I made you stand in one place?"
"Because I'm not ready for more?"
Naruto's aunt shook her head.
"No, although that was a concern. The point of this drill isn't just to teach you how to snag stuff and juggle large orders. It's also to teach you the limits of your reach."
"Aren't I supposed to work on that?"
Setsuna waggled a finger at her student.
"Yes, but only so much. Did you really think Miki and I only handle one order at a time? We've got way more than that when the lunch rush hits. When that time comes, it's important to know which throws are meant for you, and which aren't. Slinger will only throw something the target waitress can reach. The ones you can't reach are somebody else's problem. If you get distracted by them, you're messing up your own duties."
"Like on a mission, you mean…"
"Know your duties and stick to them. You'll never go wrong."
"But isn't that too strict? Sometimes you have to improvise!"
"True," Setsuna admitted, "but that requires timing. You need to know what everyone in the team can accomplish. It only comes with experience. Jump in to save someone who was getting around to turning the tables, and it screws the whole fight up."
The pink-haired girl wondered if that was all Setsuna meant. Being Naruto's aunt, she had to know about Team 7 breaking up. If everyone has their duty, then maybe mine is to leave things alone for now. To concentrate on myself. Knowing Naruto and Sasuke, they must be training right now too. Trying to butt in on either of them would only create more problems.
Looking around the restaurant, Sakura took in the high-ceilinged room, beams and rafters crisscrossing it. This is my world now. And I'm going to rule it before I'm done!
"So what's the next lesson?"
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"Honestly, Hinata. How would I know what the next lesson is? If you're serious about creating a new style, there is no lesson plan. You learn whatever you want to learn."
Yuuhi Kurenai ran a hand through her long raven hair, puffing out a breath as she usually did when exasperated. She, like many people had been glad to see Hyuga Hinata change into something stronger than she'd been. Unlike most of them, Kurenai actually had to live with Hinata. She felt guilty saying it, but it had been easier dealing with her when she'd been meek and introverted.
The "new" Hinata was as hyper as Naruto when it came to exploring the things she'd once avoided. The girl was constantly looking for new experiences, absorbing new experiences with the same zeal as she did the latest jutsus and attacks. It was like she was making up for twelve years of isolation by being anywhere and everywhere about the village in the span of a month.
She had learned taijutsu from Gai and more from Asuma, in hopes of finding a fighting style that worked for her. That was coming along, but Hinata was still looking, still not satisfied.
"I think I've finally figured out what I want to add."
After fighting Neji, Hinata had become far less willing to eat her words than before. She didn't sound like she was whispering anymore, although she'd probably never get as loud as Naruto.
The Hinata that greeted her now, coming down from her room, was living proof. Her hair had been totally redone, forehead protector holding back parted bangs that showed off wide, newly expressive eyes. In the back, Hinata had grown her hair out to just above her shoulders, letting it flow freely, if messily.
Hinata had even spent some of her saved-up allowance on a new wardrobe, with input from Kurenai and some fashion magazines. It didn't all look normal, but it was more colorful than she'd ever been before. Right now Hinata was in "training mode," dressed in a sweatshirt, oversized T-shirt and loose-fitting jeans for ease of movement.
The shy girl she had taken in was becoming a new person, Kurenai mused. I think I can take a few annoyances for Hinata's sake. Let's see what she becomes on her own.
"What did you have in mind?"
Hinata's eyes lit up.
"Genjutsu. Illusions can be pretty powerful. I ought to know. I've been living one all this time, holding myself back. It's the perfect plan. We don't even have to go out and get another teacher! You've mastered plenty of illusions!"
Yuuhi Kurenai did indeed know plenty of illusions. The problem was, her illusions were mostly done from a stationary position, to support teammates. Hinata's new focus was on mobility, hitting from many different angles at once, instead of specific spots like the Gentle Fist required. Nothing Kurenai knew would mesh with that.
"They're not suited to your style. You need someone who can do genjutsu on the fly, something that's rare even for Jounin. It'll be a big surprise to your foes."
Hinata looked disappointed.
"Who ever heard of someone with that kind of power?"
"It's not surprising," Kurenai said, looking up at the ceiling. "The only one in the village who knows how to do it doesn't like to talk about it."
"Why not?"
"The man who taught her ultimately betrayed the village. Technically I shouldn't even be talking to you about that, but I think you can be trusted. Besides, the really forbidden stuff is beyond you and her. There's no danger in mentioning it."
Hinata shrugged.
"As long as you think it'll help, I'll go."
"Child," Kurenai said, "in the end it's going to be your fighting style. Don't force yourself to do something you won't enjoy."
Her protég's expression didn't change much, other than a little smile at the corner of Hinata's mouth.
"How will we know if I enjoy it unless I try it? Making up a new style is important, but learning anything new is just as nice. It's more than I ever got to do before."
The bitterness Hinata still felt towards the Hyuga was plain in her voice. For all the talk about improving herself, or impressing Naruto, Kurenai knew there might be another motive behind her actions. Revenge. And apparently not just against her father and younger sister Hanabi. The very first thing she'd asked Gai to teach her was how to improve her speed. Based on how hard Hinata had thrown herself into those lessons, her target was clear. She's gunning for Neji. Everyone needs to be fast, but to beat a Hyuga, you need to be even faster.
"Look, let's get it into the open," Kurenai sighed. "You want to learn something that can beat the Byakugan, Gentle Fist and the Kaiten. You've made it clear you won't use the Hyuga-ryu, which means you have to add more outside influences. I'll introduce you to the genjutsu user I just mentioned, but I'll warn you first – your lessons are to stay a secret. Even hinting you're learning some of her techniques could land you in very hot water."
"Does she have a name, or what?"
"Trust me. The less said, the better. You'll know well enough when you're introduced."
And I can keep it a surprise from her new "teacher," as well.
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"Whaddaya want?"
That these were the first words out of Mitarashi Anko's mouth when she opened her door did not bode well for Kurenai's plans. The Special Jounin yawned as she squinted at Kurenai and Hinata, obviously just arising from another late night. The red-eyed woman cursed under her breath. Well, it's not like this was ever going to be easy.
"I have a proposition for you, Anko. Care to let us in and hear it?"
The other Jounin opened the door fully, and walked back over to flop back onto her bed.
"Knock yourself out."
Kurenai rolled her eyes. She was pretty easygoing, but this was ridiculous.
"Anko, dear, I've brought you a student. You might want to start paying more attention to me if you actually want to teach her."
Anko was a Special Jounin because she was a special case – nobody knew what to do with her. On the one hand, what Orochimaru had taught her was useful. On the other, letting her teach anyone would be legitimizing an S-class criminal. The Leaf had enough issues without encouraging people to betray the village for power. That Orochimaru had abandoned Anko didn't help; to the old guard that showed her weakness. Anyone so easily manipulated was unfit for much of anything.
Was she about to use her fellow ninja? Most likely. Kurenai pushed down the nagging of her conscience by telling herself it would be good for the Anko to feel useful for once. We're all looking out for our own interests. She understands that.
Anko muttered something from the bed, which Kurenai had to lean in to hear.
"What's in it for me?"
This was the question she'd been waiting for.
"I'm surprised you had to ask. Don't you get it? This is your chance to show the village you can be a good sensei. Not only that, you can stick it to Orochimaru by giving away his precious techniques. What's to consider? You ought to be jumping at this opportunity."
"She might. I won't."
Kurenai turned, and Anko sat up, to see Hinata glaring at both of them.
"Kurenai, I want to learn and become somebody that I define myself. If it's all the same, learning new things isn't important enough that I'd want to manipulate someone to do it. We're better than that. Anko-san's better than that. If it has to come to this, I'd rather not go through with it."
She turned to leave, but Anko's voice stopped her.
"Hey, girl. Your sensei's a jackass, but you've got something I didn't have when I was your age – some spine. Anyone with that needs to be brought up right. If you want to learn, I'm game."
Kurenai nodded.
"You'll do it, then?"
"I ain't doing it for you. I'm doing it for the girl. If you want her to learn from me, then leave. I'm not a hotshot Jounin, but I'll be damned if I gotta crawl to you for acceptance."
Trust Anko to try and turn things around when she got a chance. Kurenai didn't blame her for it. Though why Hinata would suddenly get so noble about it was beyond her. The girl had been so set on learning everything she could, hadn't she? But if that was how she wanted to play this scenario, then that's how it would be.
"Fine, I'll get out of your way. Have fun."
Fun was the last thing on Anko's mind as she watched Kurenai leave. Hinata arched an eyebrow as the signs of a hangover completely disappeared off the Special Jounin's face. Was it an act?
"Very nice, girl. You have the good cop-bad cop routine down. Kurenai didn't even have to signal for it."
"What makes you think I wasn't serious?"
Hinata could see it in the older woman's eyes without having to ask. Fear. The fear of many things – betrayal, shame, and loneliness. Fear that opening up to someone new would only end in tragedy again. That was what kept her a Special Jounin, not being gullible. There was no place for fear on the battlefield – that was the only lesson Neji had ever taught her. Nobody could really call Anko on it because she'd put on the "Naruto mask," hiding her fears with false bravado.
"You and your sensei aren't the only ones who've tried to pry the things Orochimaru taught me out of my head since he left. The Anbu interrogated me, people tried to blackmail me. They try to tempt me with all the things they think I want, and none of them has ever succeeded. Don't think you will, either."
Hinata sighed. Anko reminded her a little too much of the "wild" Hinata she'd sealed away for so long, and the older woman was about as irritating as that split-off soul had been.
"Just now you said I had some spine, and you didn't. That's not right, if you ask me. You have strength – it's just buried away where you're unwilling to get to it."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"I don't know much about Orochimaru. But if he was anything like a normal sensei, he wouldn't have taught you unless you could stand up to it, and stand up to him. A weakling never would have survived training with him in the first place. You're not weak, just scared that the things people say about you are right."
Anko turned away, snapping a curse at her. Hinata's expression didn't change.
"What's the point of doing that? Running away from your problems will just dig you a deeper hole. I can tell you firsthand; the only way to change the way others see you is taking a chance at being what you want to be. I'm trying it, and I'm happier than I've been in a long time. That's why I came here, to learn about something I missed out on. All I want is a chance to experience something new. You can even test me to see if I'm worthy."
"Fine! You want a test? I'll give you a test. One genjutsu, that's it. If you think you can handle the rest after mastering it, then come back here. I doubt you will. Nobody else ever has."
Hinata sighed.
"You're angry at the world because they assume things about you that aren't true. The same thing happened to me. But getting angry about it or ignoring it won't change anybody's mind. If you're happy, doing something you want to do, being the person you were meant to be, people will change the way they look at you. Naruto seems to believe that, and so do I. Why not give teaching a chance?"
"Save it. I'm tired of arguing with you." Anko growled. "Come closer, girl. I'll give you what you want. Don't regret it."
"Trust me. I won't, and neither will you."
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Hinata was beginning to rue that prediction. It had been two weeks since her confrontation with Anko, and she was no closer to understanding what the Special Jounin had taught her than she'd been when first hearing it. She'd set herself the goal of having the genjutsu ready for the Chuunin Exam Finals, so she could show everyone that she wouldn't be lagging behind, but that deadline was only a few days away now.
Anko hadn't made it easy. The lesson had consisted of a few mumbled phrases before she'd ushered Hinata out the door. The purple-haired Genin wasn't about to let Anko be right about her not being able to learn it by going back and asking for help.
Genjutsu is about will. You have to get control over the target's will, so that they see and feel exactly what you want them to. Other people use regular illusions, and overwhelm the target's soul with chakra. What I do is different. A wise guy once said the eyes are the windows of the soul, and he was right. If you can hold your target's gaze, and find the window into their soul, you don't even need to blow as much chakra as Kurenai and her buddies do on their techniques.
She'd tried it on Kurenai, passing it off as a staring contest, but that had gone nowhere. Shino was training with Kiba for his fight, so those two were out. In desperation she'd even tracked down the three little Academy students who were always hanging around Naruto, only to find out they blinked too much, got giggly, and generally distracted her into playing games with them. Fun, but it wasn't getting her anywhere.
Something had to give, but when? How? What does she mean by 'the window of the soul?' The whole thing was a bunch of nonsense. If Anko had wanted her to just go away, Hinata would have. She didn't need to keep me hanging on a riddle.
All this thinking was getting her hungry. With Kurenai out training Shino, there was no point in cooking dinner just for one. Might as well go out and get something.
That thought ended when she opened the door to leave, and saw someone about to knock.
"Now you're the last one I thought would visit me."
Hinata really did mean that. Of all the people that could possibly have shown up, her younger sister Hanabi – the new heir of the Clan – was probably the least likely to pop up. Her eyes narrowed suspiciously.
"What are you doing here?"
"Father sent me. He warns you that just because you do not live as a Hyuga, you are still a representative of the Clan. You are not to bring shame upon the Clan with frivolous actions and mongrel combat styles."
Just the tone of Hanabi's voice set Hinata's teeth on edge. The Hyugas used formal, archaic speech in private, as if to emphasize how much they held themselves apart from the rest of the Leaf. Living with Kurenai, Hinata had gradually cast those words out of her mind. Now her sister was bringing it all back.
"I'm sorry he feels that way, but it's none of his concern. When he cast me out, he lost the right to control my life. If I were you, I'd get out from under his thumb too."
Hanabi bristled. She obviously didn't share her sister's opinion.
"I do not need advice from an outcast. I am simply here to deliver a message. By force, if need be. You are not important enough to the Clan that force is not an option."
Hinata watched as her sister's body tensed, and Hanabi settled back into a defensive stance. The whole thing was rapidly turning into the one thing she didn't need with her fighting style unmastered – an actual fight. Then again, if you can't master Anko's riddle normally, you might as well try it in combat.
Slipping a hand in the pocket of her jeans, Hinata pulled out a pair of fingerless gloves, which she slipped on, and stepped outside. After closing Kurenai's door, she shrugged.
"I don't want to fight you, but I'm not just going to stand here and let you or Father push me around. If you walk away, we can both forget this ever happened."
"I do not take orders from you."
Her rational side said to flee or talk her way out of it; she couldn't counter the Gentle Fist. Hinata wasn't about to listen to that. I'm done stepping aside for what everyone else wants. Naruto was right. I'm have to be what I want to be. And if that means doing it by force, maybe it's the only language the Hyuga Clan understands.
"Very well. If I can't get you to leave with words, you're not leaving me with any option but a fight."
Hanabi activated her Byakugan.
"A foolish gesture. Father was right about you."
Hinata arched an eyebrow at her sister.
"That has yet to be determined."
When Hanabi didn't move out of a defensive stance, Hinata's eyes narrowed. She wouldn't have enough chakra to do a Kaiten with range like Neji, so she's not charging up. If I didn't know any better I'd say she's…scared? Of ME? That's impossible.
Or was it? Hanabi was five years younger. Smaller, less powerful, and likely slower after the speed training Hinata had done with Gai. But with the Gentle Fist that didn't matter much. Score enough glancing hits and the odds would even out. It had to be something else.
Then it hit her. Her father's message was the key. Why would he be so scared of what a no-talent, disowned daughter did with her life? Hinata had been disowned. She didn't even count as a Hyuga. The Clan's image was safe from her. What wasn't safe was the Clan's new heir. Hanabi was young – more easily influenced. If Hinata found success doing something totally out of bounds for a Hyuga, Hanabi might follow. To combat that, Hiashi had demonized her. Hanabi looked at her like she was insane, dangerous somehow. And to a young child, that image would have tremendous power.
Pieces of Anko's puzzle slowly began sliding into place. She said other genjutsu users overwhelm their target's will. They take control by force. But her other point was that if you can find something to empathize about with the target, and keep them entraced with your gaze, you don't HAVE to overwhelm them – they'll let you right in. What other alternative did she have anyway? Hinata knew if she closed to fight Hanabi straight up, it would be a losing battle. Might as well see if I've figured out Anko's little riddle.
"I'm sorry, sister."
That got her attention. Catching Hanabi's gaze, Hinata activated her own Byakugan. Focusing on the chakra points in the eyes would make it easier to follow Hanabi's head movements and stay in eye contact.
"What do you mean, you are sorry?"
"My weakness pushed you into the role of the heir. Now you're stepping into the same place that crippled me for so long. I may not like you, but even you don't deserve this."
Hanabi made as if to shake her head, but her sister cut her off.
"You think I'm crazy, right? Father's told you as much. But look at the facts. Look at your life, and then look at mine. I'm living, learning, and experiencing all sorts of things that I could never have seen if I'd remained the heir, part of the Clan. And Father calls that crazy, something to be scared of. You've never wondered why?"
"No…"
The younger Hyuga's voice was strangled, and her legs tensed as though to spring backwards. Hinata made her voice even softer, back to the way it had been. Emphasize the similarities between us, not the differences.
"I'll tell you why. It's because he lost control of me, and I exploited it. I freed myself. And now he's scared you'll do the same. Scared you'll actually be normal."
"Why would I want to be 'normal' if it means being you?"
"You'd rather be an all-powerful Hyuga and not know anything that's going on outside the house? Life is for living, not just existing in. If you're not doing what you want, what you love, you'll never be happy. Father took that away from me, and now he's doing it to you."
"He would never do that. I am his heir, his student."
"Sister, you're neither. You're just a pawn in Father's elaborate game of life. What kind of hobbies do you have? What do you like to do in your spare time? I'll tell you what the answer is. You don't have hobbies. You don't have spare time. All of your time is Father's time. You do whatever he has planned for you."
Hinata gazed even harder into her sister's eyes.
"That's not life, Sister. It's slavery."
When Hanabi's eyes shot wide open, Hinata readied herself. She sensed this might be her one chance to master Anko's first technique. Concentrating on the eyes in front of her, she thought rather than spoke, doing her best to push those thoughts outwards to Hanabi. You and I are alike. I am right in front of you, talking to you. You are talking with me. I am not moving. You are not moving. We are at a standstill.
That in itself was no big deal. She could do it all day long and not know if she'd succeeded. The key was Hanabi's reaction if she moved. Hinata lifted her foot, and took as large a stride forward as possible, moving up a few feet closer to Hanabi without breaking eye contact. The younger girl didn't even blink. Good grief, it worked. Well, don't just stand there, keep her off guard! Hinata spoke again, even as she took more steps forward.
"I won't tell you to be me, Sister. I know you probably don't want that. But I will tell you to be yourself. The only way you'll ever know what that means is if you break free of Father – and the Clan. The only way the Clan will change is if our generation does it. I can't do it alone."
Hanabi gritted her teeth and snarled a reply.
"I will not help you."
"Oh, I think you will. You're too smart not to see the truth for what it is."
The Hyuga heir stared hatred at her older sister, until Hinata's image disappeared.
"Since the only truth you'll accept as you are now is battle, you've left me no choice but to fight you. I hope we won't have to do this again."
Hanabi slumped to the ground as Hinata's knife-edge chop crashed into her temple from behind.
"Garyuu Kenpou: Hebime Odoroki (Self-Taught Fighting Style: Snake Eye Surprise). Welcome to the world of the living, Hanabi."
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When Hyuga Hanabi opened her eyes again, an unfamiliar sight greeted her – a ceiling not her own. She lay on a comfortable bed, not at all like the stiff futon that awaited her at home. Where am I? Distant voices answered that question for her.
"So you're telling me it actually worked?"
"Just barely. If I'd made one mistake, or if she'd been bluffing, she'd have had me in the perfect position to give me the beating."
Kurenai and Hinata. Why had they brought her in to recover? Why not simply leave her on the street, if she was such a bother? Hanabi rose to leave and opened the door of Kurenai's guest room. Unfortunately, Hinata and Kurenai were parked right in front of the stairs leading to the first floor.
"Oh, good. I was afraid you'd really been hurt, the way you collapsed."
Hanabi, already humiliated by losing to an outcast, went bright red.
"I do not have to stay here and listen to this."
Hinata sighed. And again we come to Hyuga pride.
"I won't force my opinions on you. That's Father's game, and he plays it well. If you really want to be his puppet, then by all means, go home. Just be sure to remember one thing."
"What now?"
"That you're going back to dressing like a doll and being whatever Father wants you to be. Me, on the other hand? I'm free. I can wear leather pants and watch him hyperventilate about it disgracing the Clan."
Just as Hanabi was digesting that, her sister spoke again.
"Ooh, I almost forgot! A NAVEL RING!"
The younger Hyuga fainted dead away. Kurenai sighed.
"Hinata, dear, you didn't mean that, did you?"
"Well, maybe not the piercing. But fashion is fashion. Leather is in this year."
Kurenai held her head in her hands as Hinata went back up to her room, humming a tune. Naruto, you've created a monster.
Later that night, Kurenai dropped in to see how the girl was doing. It's not often you score a psychological victory like that. When she opened Hinata's door, she caught sight of the girl laying in bed doing sit-ups, headphones perched on her ears and blasting away.
When the Jounin entered, Hinata switched off her music and sat up fully.
"What's up?"
"Oh, nothing. Just checking up. I figured you'd be celebrating."
The purple-haired girl shrugged.
"I got lucky. I was angry; nearly dug my own grave challenging Hanabi to a fight before I was ready. If she hadn't delivered my father's message, I'd have been the one that got beat."
"Well, consider it a lesson for the future. Nobody ever said creating a new fighting style would be easy."
"Yeah," Hinata murmured. "Lord only knows how I would have turned out if I'd actually been good at the Gentle Fist. Locked away, pale as a ghost, never seeing the sunlight, squashed under my father's thumb. What a life. I almost feel sorry for my sister. Almost."
"Why almost?"
"She believed my father when he said becoming the heir was wonderful, something to aspire to. Now, hopefully, she knows the truth. What she does with it is up to her. If she's as smart as he says she is, I've got no reason to feel sorry for Hanabi."
"Why did you do all of that? For revenge?"
Hinata shook her head.
"No. Change has to come from inside before it can be helped from outside. I'm just making the chink in their armor somebody can blow wide open someday."
Kurenai looked at her "daughter" in amusement.
"You don't want to do it yourself?"
Hinata laid back on her bed and crossed her legs.
"Only the Hokage has the power to push for that kind of change. I may want to be stronger, but being the leader? That's not something to strive for without really being dedicated to it. Right now I'd be satisfied just knowing what I'm going to be like once I've got my own identity."
Kurenai leaned back against the wall, looking out over the village to the stadium, where the Chuunin Finals would start soon.
"I suppose you're right."
Hinata turned and looked out the window as well, thinking of what would happen when Naruto fought Neji. I've taken the first step in changing my Clan, but I'll still need help. Let's see what happens when they fight. If battle is the only thing a Hyuga understands, Neji may finally have to change his mind.
A/N: Please Support Me On patreon.com/The_Alchemyst