HAPPY HOLI EVERYBODY
It had been two months since the first humiliation at the hands of her sister. She had challenged and fought her sister many times since that day and learned much about her clan and the world around her.
She could remember the first time she had challenged her sister after that day. She had done so in front of the elders and her father. She won and the elders, even her father, had said it was as expected. They had talked about how unsuitable Hinata was to be heir to the clan. The problem was that Hanabi knew her sister had thrown the fight again. She knew that Hinata had held back so very much; she was slow and sluggish and used a very poor version of the traditional jyuuken. It was another humiliation as far as Hanabi was concerned.
Hanabi challenged her again a few days later inside clan walls and won again, but it was another false victory. It infuriated her to no end.
It was finally a week ago that Hanabi got to fight the true Hinata again. She had followed her sister to her team training spot and watched them work. She saw her sister move with speed and grace that Hanabi knew herself not to possess. When the meeting ended Hinata had called her sister out to join her. Hanabi was of course hesitant but met her sister without fear anyway. It was then Hanabi had challenged her to fight there where no one could see them fight. Hanabi lost again, badly.
Hanabi now understood, her sister was still protecting her so long as the Hyuuga soke no juuinjutsu continued to be used.
Hanabi had not challenged her sister again after that day. But today was different. Today, the entire clan would receive a new seal that would protect them all. Today, she would challenge her sister again in front of everyone.
Hanabi walked the grounds of the Hyuuga clan towards the clan hall where Jiraiya of the sannin was removing all of the branch house seals. She entered the building quietly and took a seat next to her father to watch as the last few seals were removed.
It was fascinating to watch. Jiraiya made a few hand seals and placed his palm against the forehead. Symbols unfolded from the juuinjutsu into the air all around it. Finally after the seal became fully unraveled, Jiraiya removed his hand from the forehead, the seal moving with his hand which he then placed on an open space of scroll. The seal collapsed back into itself and when Jiraiya removed his hand from the scroll the Hyuuga soke no juuinjutsu remained.
It took maybe another hour or two before Jiraiya had finished completely. Once he was done he took a break to eat and replenish his chakra.
When he began again he took out a different scroll that seemed to have dozens of the same seal printed over an over again, all of them looked like the leaf of Konohagakure.
"Pretentious," mumbled her grandfather, seeing the symbol. "They would brand us as property of the Leaf."
"Calm, father," said Hiashi as he watched the first seal applied. When it finished it became a symbol for the Hyuuga clan, an open circle slightly shaded around the edges. "See, it is fine. I'm sure it was just his unique sense of humor."
The actual application was the reverse of the earlier process. He removed the seal from the scroll and placed it on the Hyuuga clan member's forehead.
It took hours for Jiraiya to apply all of the seals. At one point, ANBU had to restrain a few of the elders to force them to receive the seal. The only clansmen spared were the children under four years of age.
"Well done, Jiraiya," said Hiashi without any formality. "If you would please teach the process to place and remove this new seal."
"I don't think so," said Jiraiya. "I will teach the clan heir how to place the new seal and he or she will do with it as he or she pleases."
Hiashi frowned. "So be it, Hinata, come forward."
"I challenge for the right to be clan heir," said a cold male voice.
"Neji-niisan?" asked Hinata surprised.
"You have no rights here boy," said one of the elders viciously.
"I am grandson to the father of the clan head. I am the oldest male in that line and it is therefore my birthright to challenge for it," said Neji coolly.
"I knew this would happen. I knew you rodents of the branch house would rise up against us," raved the same elder. "We should kill them all now before we are overrun."
The man dropped dead a moment later as one of the former branch family members slit the man's throat. "That is for raping my wife then killing her with your juuinjutsu you piece of shit." The killer kicked the dead body a few times for good measure then spit on him.
The other elders were beginning to look scared as some of the former branch members glared at the elders for their past actions of intolerable cruelty.
"Enough!" shouted Jiraiya angrily. "That's enough from all of you. You're a family now, start to act like it. ANBU, take that man into custody."
The killer didn't resist or protest. "My children are safe from their evil ways. I have no fear of death or prison now. Hinata-sama, please look after my children."
Hinata could barely nod through her sobs. It was so brutal and there was so much anger from her family, from the way they were treated like third-class citizens at best.
Hiashi saw his world crumbling around him. On some level he knew there would be some reprisals from the branch family but he never expected them to murder any of the elders. To threaten his children or their right to lead the clan. This was the point in time that history would remember. He had to choose to bring his family together or push them further apart.
"No more!" said Hiashi loudly. "Our clan has been divisive and cruel for too long. I am dissolving the current council effective immediately. I ask my family to come together in this time to do what is best for all of us. I am appointing Hinata and Neji to a new council and I ask that one person from the former branch house and one person from the main house be appointed to the new council that we may find a way to truly become a family once more."
There was a lot of murmurs spread through the crowd.
"And my challenge to be named clan heir?" demanded Neji.
"There will no longer be a clan heir. We shall as a clan decide our leadership going forward," said Hiashi.
"Then you will step down as clan head?" asked Neji, clearly trying to trap his uncle in a verbal battle.
"I will tomorrow morning, at which time we as a clan shall select one person to represent our clan going forward. I have lead our clan for many years and have done my best to protect our ways and traditions but it is clear I have failed. I will lead you if you ask it of me and shall do my best to see to it our clan continues to be the pride of Konohagakure." Hiashi knew there was no one else fit to lead but he would swallow his pride to save his clan from the chaos at the doors.
"You probably just prevented a repeat of the Uchiha massacre, you know?" said Jiraiya, standing just to Hiashi's right.
"It may already be too late," said Hiashi as he watched his eldest daughter drape a cloth over the dead elder. "This clan may already be doomed. Were we really so arrogant?"
"More than you know," said Jiraiya.
Meanwhile, Hanabi was stunned. All of her plans to challenge her sister had been completely thwarted. Worse, her clan was tearing itself apart in front of her eyes. Had the main house really been so cruel to the branch house? Did the elder really do such a horrible thing to a member of the branch house?
She suddenly understood what her sister had tried to tell her for months now. Their clan was corrupted and broken and needed to be healed more than anything.
"Thank you for helping me, Hanabi-chan," said Hinata gently.
Hanabi had to blink to realize she had moved to help Hinata with the body of the dead elder. "I'm sorry nee-sama. I didn't understand before. Can you ever forgive me?"
"Of course imoto-chan... and please call me 'nee-chan'. I am not anyone's superior," replied Hinata.
Hanabi nodded once and sniffled while trying to hide her budding tears.
BREAK
Tsunade was busy working through a large stack of paperwork. At a matching desk next to her Sarutobi was doing the same. Both were very thankful for the knock at the door to break up the monotony.
"Enter," they both called out at the same time.
Tsunade naturally leveled a glare at Sarutobi who just shrugged with a brief "habit" spoken aloud.
Tsunade shook her head and looked at the new arrivals.
"You sent for us Hokage-sama?" asked Haruno Sakura.
"Yeah, what's up baa-chan?" asked Uzumaki Karin.
The third guest just pushed her fingers together nervously while looking at the floor.
"Good, you're here," said Tsunade. "As I understand it you're all in the iryonin training corps and the reports I've received on you three has been nothing short of impressive. So as of today, all three of you are in competition to become either my apprentice or my previous apprentice, Kato Shizune's apprentice."
"What about the third person?"
"Will still be trained but won't be made an official apprentice," explained Tsunade. Truthfully she already knew how things would shake out. Hinata's combat ability was too valuable to be stuck in a hospital but she could easily become a first class combat iryonin. Karin and Shizune already had a very strong master-apprentice bond forming from the short time they spent on the road. And Sakura was most like herself, temper and all.
"Yo," came a call from three different voices at the window.
"Can't any of you ever use the door?"
"Ninja door," the three men chorused.
Tsunade sighed. "Go find Shizune in the hospital, she'll get you all started."
Sakura, Hinata, and Karin all nodded together and then almost mauled each other trying to get out the door and to the hospital first.
Tsunade meanwhile smirked seeing the girls already competing fiercely for the coveted apprenticeships.
"You've very cruel, Tsunade," said Jiraiya, entering the room fully followed closely by Naruto and Kakashi.
"I take it SIPA is done with you?" asked Tsunade of Naruto, ignoring Jiraiya's comment.
"Yep," said Naruto. "Atsui-jiji should be here soon to give his report."
"And you're ready for your emissary mission?" asked Tsunade.
"Yeah, we should be good," said Jiraiya. "But did you really need to send the fan-boy too?"
"Kakashi is going. An emissary mission requires one emissary and two bodyguards," said Tsunade.
"That's right, so you two had better protect me or else," said Naruto haughtily.
"Baka!" shouted Jiraiya as he leveled Naruto with a punch to the top of his head. "I'm the emissary!"
"I thought I was the emissary," said Kakashi, looking up from his little orange book.
"Idiots," mumbled Tsunade with a shake of her head.
"Jiraiya is the emissary when it comes to any official meetings," said Tsunade. "Naruto is the emissary when meeting jinchuuriki. Kakashi is never the emissary, I don't need a war to start because he decided to read porn while meeting... well... meeting anyone really."
"Mou, you wound me deeply, Hokage-sama," said Kakashi, not moving in the slightest from his perch in the window and continuing to read his porn.
"You leave tomorrow right?" asked Tsunade.
"Yes, we leave tomorrow," said Jiraiya. "Why? You want to have a night of ecstasy with yours truly before we leave? Get that twenty-year itch scratched until it chafes?"
Jiraiya was suddenly implanted face first in the wall of the hokage's office.
"Did you have the wall reinforced, sensei?" asked Tsunade.
"Of course. As soon as you accepted the position I had a work order filed and made a top priority," said Sarutobi with a grin. "I even had Jiraiya-chan put reinforcing seals on it to make it extra sturdy. Of course he just thought it was an extra security precaution against having my office attacked but what he didn't know..."
Tsunade snorted and laughed heartily at that.
Naruto meanwhile was poking the twitching man. "Should we take him to the hospital?"
"Nah, I'll fix him up in a bit. For now he can suffer. I see you've already had your chuunin vest altered," said Tsunade.
"Of course," said Naruto with a big grin. His chuunin vest was now completely black in color with only the pocket flaps colored burnt orange to match the rest of his outfit. "I look even more bad-ass than usual!"
A knock on the door interrupted their banter.
"Enter," called Tsunade and Sarutobi.
Tsunade glared at him again and again he only shrugged and said "habit" as if it was nothing unusual.
"What took you so long Atsui-jiji?" asked Naruto. The boy decided to pull Jiraiya out of the wall and dragged him to an open chair.
"I am not a shinobi. I do not move as fast as you and even less so because of my age you little twit," said Atsui, his cane suddenly bashing Naruto in the head once.
"Why are you so mean?" whined Naruto as he rolled on the floor grasping his head in pain.
"I've just spent two weeks with you, I'm annoyed and irritable as a result. What did you expect?"
"Gaki finally got under your skin, eh?" asked Sarutobi as he took a seat in one of the open chairs in the sitting area.
"I suppose he did," said Atsui, taking his own seat.
Tsunade meanwhile patched Jiraiya up just enough for him to be attentive for Atsui's report.
"Begin when you're ready," said Tsunade as she finally took her own seat.
Atsui handed each of them a booklet to start with. "As you know well by now we broke the testing into three main areas: physical, mental, and chakra. I'll be explaining the results for each section in brief. First I will explain strengths and weaknesses of each area as well as a comparison to the result from the first time he was tested and then recommendations for training in each area. I will end with further career path recommendations. If you require any clarification you can interrupt if needed or simply refer to the full evaluation you each hold now. Any questions before we begin?"
Physical: Uzumaki-san is in extraordinary physical condition. His flexibility is moderate which is the same as his first evaluation, it is not expected to improve as he ages unless he really focuses on it but that would probably be more detrimental than not. His strength is extraordinary, it is an extreme increase from his first evaluation. It is all high-tensile muscle strength so it is not bulky in the slightest. His stamina is extraordinary which is a fair increase from his first evaluation. From what we understand of his training, Hatake-san gave Uzumaki-san very strict drills which he repeated thousands of times as part of his training regimen. This is the key contributing factor to both his strength and increased stamina. His healing factory and recovery rate are extraordinary which remains the same as his first evaluation."
"So what's his limit? When will he stop seeing gains?" asked Tsunade. She couldn't help herself from running a diagnostic jutsu on Naruto's arm.
"He doesn't have one," said Atsui. "I believe his only limit will be in diminishing returns. If he continues along his current path he will reach a point where he will need tens of thousands of repetitions to see any improvement."
"And once he reaches that point it will be more beneficial to focus on speed," said Tsunade understanding.
"Precisely," said Atsui. "His speed is also exceptional where previously it was moderate or slightly below moderate. Again, this links back to his training regimen. His reflexes are precognitive at this point, he is able to combine his hearing and sight to actively predict movement. In his previous reflex testing, he was struck thirteen times with three direct hits. This time he took only two glancing blows that hit his clothing but no actual contact with him. It was... beyond impressive. Obviously our test does not compare with actual combat. As fast as we can make our machines fire bean bags, real combat is still faster."
"Bad-ass, who's a bad-ass, I'm a bad-ass," sung Naruto to a jaunty little tune.
A smack to the back of the head from Tsunade put an end to that. "How would these results compare to most jounin?"
"I would expect these levels from most rookie jounin, or tokubetsu jounin," said Atsui. "Uzumaki-san has done well to develop his sense of smell such that he is a mediocre tracker but his sense of taste has not improved much—not that it has been trained."
"Scent tracking should be sufficient for his chosen career path," said Kakashi, briefly looking up from his book.
Atsui nodded once. "Training recommendations are to continue his current path of development with an emphasis on speed in addition to repetition.
"The mental evaluation of Uzumaki-san was much improved. He scored an 118 on his intelligence quotient exam which tells us he's still above average intelligence, with a two point improvement. His memory has improved slightly and his ability to focus has made significant strides forward. He is still able to process a hundred thoughts in the time it takes a normal person to have one complete thought but the difference now is that at least eighty of those thoughts are on one subject instead of maybe twenty or thirty thoughts on one subject and the other seventy or eighty are on seventy or eighty other subjects or ideas. This is a massive improvement, one Uzumaki-san should be proud of and congratulated for. It was projected that it would take five to ten years for him to reach this level."
"Well done Naruto-kun," said Sarutobi in his grandfatherly way.
"Thanks jiji!" Naruto blushed and scratched the back of his head nervously at the attention.
"The results of his personality tests were mostly the same however his ability to judge was much more balanced between feeling and thinking but still he is feeling-dominant. He is still a soft type A personality."
"The biggest change came in his psychological evaluation."
"Saiga-sensei is still awesome," said Naruto.
"She said, and I quote, 'Uzumaki-san has shown marked improvement in his psychological well-being. Any signs of a previously noted id developing are completely absent.' She questioned how this was possible wherein Uzumaki-san revealed part of his experience in Uzushiogakure in which he experienced a sacred truth ritual that allowed him face down his id and accept his own darkness."
Three of the occupants were shocked by this information.
"What?" asked Naruto. "It wasn't a big deal."
"Naruto-kun," said Sarutobi, "What you experienced is so very rare. I've only heard of a few locations where such a ritual could take place, that you found such a place and succeeded is nothing short of profound."
"Nah, it wasn't that big a deal," said Naruto. "It was just something I had to do."
"Uzumaki-san unknowingly completed yet another step into being able to completely control Kurama's chakra as if it were his own. Unfortunately the last step is extremely dangerous and probably should not be attempted for a long time," explained Atsui.
"What do you mean?" asked Tsunade curiously. She had read the files on Naruto's progress but obviously a lot of his file was redacted for security reasons.
"Uzumaki-san has been working through a process of mastering the kyuubi's chakra. There are several steps, one of which was to conquer his inner darkness which nearly all jinchuuriki develop during their lives. The final step is for him to open his seal and defeat the kyuubi in combat."
"His name is Kurama," said Naruto, a miffed look on his face.
"I am aware of his name," said Atsui. "I was only trying to explain it a bit clearer."
"And you couldn't use his name to do that?" asked Naruto. "I don't go around calling you scientist jackass all the time, do I?"
Atsui closed his eyes and took a few deep calming breaths.
"Moving on, Naruto's mental training should proceed as it has been. I would recommend adding more diplomacy instruction as he is still very crude in social situations."
Naruto stuck his tongue out at the man in response.
"And he is very childish," added Atsui.
Naruto had to be restrained from taunting him further.
"Chakra, his tenketsu remain unchanged as does the size of his chakra coils. No change in the flow rate of his chakra. His chakra capacity is now the largest in the village. His chakra control has improved significantly but it is still quite bad. He will have to continue with water walking and tree climbing, probably for the rest of his shinobi career just to keep up with his chakra capacity growth rate."
"Thank kami for the smaller blessings. At least his tenketsu haven't gotten any larger," said Kakashi.
"His affinities are still strongly aligned to wind and slightly to earth. He still has a low affinity to spiritual chakra and a strong physical chakra affinity and the balance within those has not changed. Bloodline and fuuinjutsu remain the same."
"However, his shape manipulation has evolved somehow," said Atsui, annoyance leaking into his voice. "When we tested his shape manipulation he again spawned chains but they were barely visible to the naked eye, we could barely see a wavering of the air that made us think they were there. My assistant during the test tripped over one of them which told us they did form but the chakra make up had changed. These seemed to be imbued with a strong spiritual affinity for genjutsu, his weakest affinity by far."
"Adolescence already gaki?" asked Jiraiya. "You grow up so fast."
"You knew? You understand why this happened?" asked Atsui, nearly demanded actually.
"I do but it's not for me to tell," said Jiraiya, giving Naruto a poignant look.
"So, in Uzushiogakure we learned about my clan. And we might have learned some secrets of our bloodline and the importance of our chains and how they evolve or can evolve," explained Naruto.
"Would you mind sharing with us?" asked Sarutobi. "I respect the secrecy of your clan but my curiosity is craving the knowledge."
"Well, in the first stage our chains bind to the strongest chakra within us. In the second stage they bind to the weakest source of chakra within us. In the third stage they can use any chakra within us at will. In the fourth-"
"That's enough," said Jiraiya, cutting him off. "That knowledge is to never leave your clan. Not ever!"
Naruto swallowed nervously at the intensity of Jiraiya's statement. He nodded nervously anyway.
"You know?" asked Sarutobi.
"I was there, I should not have been but I was," said Jiraiya. "That knowledge is more dangerous than you can possibly imagine. It will remain secret and it will never be revealed to anyone but an Uzumaki."
"Fair enough," said Sarutobi. "Still, those chains of yours are quite something."
"Training recommendation for his chakra are pretty much negligible. More chakra control and just keep building on his jutsu and seal repertoire and I suppose those chains. Kurama will wait a few years for you to get strong enough to defeat him. Until then just keep working with him," said Atsui.
"Did we ever figure out what Kurama's blood gift to Naruto was?" asked Sarutobi.
"It still remains a mystery," said Atsui sourly.
"I'm sure you'll figure it out in time," said Sarutobi.
"Question," interrupted Tsunade as a stray thought struck her. "My grandmother Mito was an Uzumaki. Is it possible that I have the bloodline as well?"
Everyone blinked in a semi-state of surprise.
"But wouldn't you have inherited-" Naruto began but was cut off.
"Senju bloodline should over power anything you may have gotten from Mito-sama, no?" asked Jiraiya.
"We can check," said Atsui, tapping his chin in curiosity. "Would you mind sending an ANBU to my facility to retrieve the chakra test sheets?"
Tsunade waved a hand slightly in the air and small gust of wind indicated a sudden departure.
The group sat quietly waiting for the ANBU to return.
"Ero-sennin?" Naruto asked softly. "If she's Senju and Uzumaki then isn't she..."
"I don't know," said Jiraiya. "We'll see soon enough."
"Here are the items you requested Atsui-san," said the female ANBU that suddenly appeared.
Atsui took the sheets gratefully. He was happy he didn't have to go himself.
Sorting through the sheets he held one out to Tsunade only to immediately snatch it back. "Be gentle. This just rests on top of your palm."
Tsunade held out her hand palm up as told.
The sheet sat calmly for a moment before chains shot from her palm glowing green with healing chakra.
"Well shit," said Jiraiya.
"Um, does this mean I have to claim her for the Uzumaki clan?" asked Naruto.
"I don't know how this is going to work," said Jiraiya, looking to Sarutobi and Tsunade to find an answer.
"Tsunade is the last of the Senju bloodline but she clearly has Uzumaki bloodline traits. I believe it would just be her decision," said Sarutobi.
"My grandmother kept this hidden all that time," said Tsunade softly. "Well shit!"
"So, you're family too, huh?" asked Naruto, looking directly at Tsunade.
"Yeah, I'm family," said Tsunade. "But I can't be part of the Uzumaki clan because I'm the last of the Senju clan. It would mean the end of my clan."
"Your clan ends with you anyway," said Sarutobi. He desperately wanted to smoke just then. "Unless you have an illegitimate child somewhere I don't know about?"
Tsunade glared at Sarutobi.
"If you want, I'll get you pregnant," offered Jiraiya, a bit too much glee in his voice. "It might take some practice and effort but I'm willing to put in the hours."
Jiraiya was once again implanted in the wall.
Tsunade frowned. She had never thought about the future of her clan. Ever since she lost Dan, she thought that was the end of it. "I have to think for a while."
Naruto and Kakashi nodded and stood. Together they pried Jiraiya out of the wall and dragged him out of the building with them.
"I suppose it's time for me to take a walk for my therapy. Walk out with me Atsui-san," said Sarutobi. He then stood and left along with Atsui.
Tsunade was left alone with her thoughts.
BREAK
Two yellow snake eyes glowed in the darkness of the cavern. The owner of those eyes stewed in his own rage and anger. All of his careful planning. All his years of plotting his ultimate revenge. All of it ruined by one small slip up. All destroyed by that single brat.
"We finally spotted the boy," said Kabuto from just outside the cavern entrance. He was smart enough not to be seen or he was certain he would have died as a result.
"Where?"
"He was spotted leaving Konohagakure two days ago traveling east on the road towards Mizu no Kuni."
"Alone?"
"He was sighted in the company of Jiraiya and Hatake Kakashi," said Kabuto.
"Fetch Jugo, we're going after them. I'll deal with it personally."
"As you wish, Orochimaru-sama," he said, vanishing a moment later as the cackle of the hebi sannin filled the cave behind him.