"Hokage-sama, objective complete." A figure clothed in black with a cat-like white porcelain mask covering they're face, appears in a kneel making not a sound.
An elder man sat behind a desk a pipe in one hand the other adjusting the Hokage customary red and white hat. The elderly man puffs out a billow of smoke matching the color of his goatee "report."
He commanded the other figure nods before stating his report "arrived to destination at 1400 hours, area was undisturbed.
Large amount of chakra was coming from inside the compound. Caution in approaching was signed. Boar and I were assigned to the inside. Hawk and Tiger assigned to patrol the outside and to alert us for enemy if needed. No sign of life in the compound, all traps disarmed. Boar found a loose panel when searching, using caution we moved the panel. A flight of stairs leading to a large sealed room, Boar identified the seal as a barrier seal only dismissible by your blood sir."
The Hokage remained unreadable as he summoned an ANBU hidden in the room. "Bring me Jonin Commander, Nara Shikaku. Immediately."
The other black ops member disappeared as quickly as he appeared. A few seconds later a man with two scars on the right side of his face appeared with a few leaves following the man had dark hair tied up into a spiky ponytail, dark eyes as well as a goatee. His ears were also pierced.
Shikaku wore a meshed shirt underneath his flak jacket, a deer skin coat over that and hand guards. He appeared slouching however his eyes attentive and ready to follow any command "I am needed at the Ryujin compound, I'm leaving you in charge."
Shikaku nodded "understood." The Hokage and the ANBU member Cat Shushined to the compound before slowly entering Cat lead the Hokage to the stair case allowing the elderly man to go first. Boar, Tiger and Hawk were all waiting when they arrived a door covered in an intricate seal.
Pulling out a kunai the Hokage quickly pricks his thumb using his blood his write the kanji fire, the seal pulses blue and slowly unwinds until there is no sign of it anymore.
The Hokage walks towards the door cautiously sliding it open, the room becomes lit in a matter of seconds lighting the room to see in the center, hooked up to a bunch of machines showing different medical terms.
Is a woman who looks no older than 20 with long platinum hair with her eyes closed they had no way of seeing her eye color. Her body build was one of a ninja which was covered in a white kimono with a beautiful crimson obi tied beneath her slightly large bust.
The Hokage's breath hitches as his eyes take in the woman as he whispers loud enough for his ANBU to hear.
"Ryujin Kodai."
The elder Sarutobi sits in the chair next to the hospital bed where the last Ryujin is laying, hooked up to chakra reader, heart monitor, and etc. His thought swirling like the very active chakra coming from the still unconscious woman.
"It's been three days, Hokage-sama. She shows signs of waking up but it seems that her on subconscious is keeping her from waking." Running a hand over his tired face he dismisses the chief of medicine, a heavy sigh escapes him. "That's a heavy sigh Hiru-chi." A croaky and hoarse voice rasps. Whirling around he sees her trying to sit up with only one eye open, a warm gold iris.
"Ko-chan." His voice heavy with emotion, he glides back to the side of her bed taking her youthful hand into his wrinkled one. Not saying anything he just stares. "Hiru-chi, how long? How long was I in Drake sleep?" The platinum haired woman asked using the term of a chakra induced coma in which the subject is put into their conscious to become closer to their "guest".
Hiding a wince the elder man slid his hand out of hers, and up to his peppered goatee. "Five years. We thought…" He paused sighing "you are the last of your clan, Kodai. We- I had thought you died with them."
The woman closed her topaz eye, her unkempt hair covering her face. No tears fell however a deep seated sorrow overwhelmed her, the Hokage offered her no word of comfort knowing nothing he could say would bring back her loved ones or calm the storm of sorrow that raged.
The Hokage left her to her own, as he had his ANBU search for Hound and the Jonin Commander. After asking a nearby nurse to bring water and honey tea he glided back into the room.
He notes her body, though she was in a sleep like coma, has not deteriorated she looks as though she was before the sleep. She lays there as if she is asleep but he knows better, he know that she is talking to her "guest".
"Ko-chan, what is the last thing you remember?" Hiruzen's voice rasps breaks the silence of the room. Kodai, the last of the Ryujin clan opens her topaz gold eyes, she calmly stares and as she is about to answer her gaze snaps to the door. The person knocks before opening, the nurse with trays of water and tea comes in bowing "my apologies for interrupting."
Hiruzen waves her off, not unkindly, taking the beverages. Serving them to the two of them. The Ryujin sips her honey tea humming as the honey coats her unused throat.
"Thank you, Hiru-chi. And to answer your question. I remember Shina-chi announcing that I was going to be her child's god-mother. Afterwards going to Nii-san's grave and asking for guidance and protection. And when I had come home that afternoon the Elder's telling me that it was time for the convergence and Drake sleep."
Kodai's voice soothing into the deep rumbling tenor that it had previously been, as the conversation goes on. "I say this with great sorrow that… three months later Naruto was born and Kushina and Minato had passed." Hiruzen waste no time in telling her the whole tragic passing of two loved figures.
There was no use hiding her sorrow like she previously had as silent tears trek down her face.
Hiruzen again offering her only a strong shoulder to cry on. Wrapping brittle yet reliable arms around the hurting woman, allowing her a weak moment.
Kodai tears began to calm as she leans away from the Hokage, struggling she lifts her arm and wipes her face with a kerchief the Hokage offers. Taking a calming breath "how old is he? Naruto?" Her voice carrying a very slight tremble. The Hokage fondly chuckles thinking of the boy "six, on October, 10." Surprise shows Kodai's face "the same day as mine."
Outright chuckling and slowly shaking her head. "Of course, Shina-chi and Nato-chi had to do something as crazy as have their child on the same day as my day of birth."
Hiruzen's face shows relief for a brief second 'she can still laugh, and smile through all the tragedy, just like Ko-chan.' Finishing her tea Kodai sets it on the nightstand on her right, before her whole body snaps, rather stiffly, to face the door.
The Hokage watches her every facial expression changing from confusion then to absolute beaming. Answering before whoever is at the door "come in." The door slides open revealing…
Nara Shikaku and Hatake Kakashi.
"Yo."
"Yo"
The man with silver hair sticks up two fingers as he pushes open the door. Immediately looking towards the Hokage, before looking to his right. "K-Ko-ba-san." He gasp his hand dropping slowly, almost like a cautious animal, walks over.
He can hear Shikaku suck in a sharp breath, but he ignores it. Kakashi reaches her unoccupied right side, where Kodai's right hand is stuck out.
Slowly grasp her hand in his, he realizes that it's not a dream. The same ba-san that took care of him after his father's death. The same that allowed him to be human and not a Shinobi, was laying here in front of him,
Alive.
Breathing.
Not caring that his Hokage and Jonin Commander are in the same room, he collapses to the ground next her bed, her hand to his forehead.
No one commenting on how his shoulders tremble or how his mask is pulled down. With the help of the Hokage, Kodai sits up pulling her other hand to thread through his soft silver hair.
"My little Drake, I'm here. I'm not going anywhere. You're not alone." She leaned over to his head whispering, placing chaste kisses to the top of his head.
Line Break
It doesn't take long for Kakashi to calm, wiping his face, he glances to the door where Shikaku is still frozen. "Shika-chi." The man barely conceals a flinch, only her voice could say that nickname that way.
"Ko-chan…" He whispers taking her in, she hadn't changed at all same warm golden eyes, same platinum hair, same sharp teeth, and same flutter of his heart.
What he didn't see was Kakashi moving away from her as his body moved in auto pilot. Sitting on the edge of her bed, he embraced her fully, careful not to hurt her. Breathing in he caught her smell, like a bakery, vanilla and cinnamon.
Shikaku shuddered but didn't cry relaxing into the woman in his arms, what felt like years of stress just melting off his body. Sighing he pulled back "Troublesome, Ko-chan, you're so troublesome." Shaking his head playfully Shikaku moved to stand back, "now, I know you want to get out of here, so I'll talk to the doctor about when you can leave but it probably be a day or two."
Shikaku steps out of the room leaving, the Hokage stands as well "I need to head back as well, I… have paperwork." Almost comically his head droops like a kid in trouble. Chuckling Kodai's gaze sweeps the room landing the last person "are you going to leave too?"
Playfully asking him, shaking his head Kakashi moves to sit where the Hokage had previously been sitting. "No, I want to stay. I-." Kakashi moves to scratch the top of his mask only to find it not there. "You remembered our promise."
*Flash Back*
"Tou-san! Ba-san!" Both adult and preteen sit around the kitchen table when a blur of sliver bounds in. The little four year old coming to sit on his ba-san's lap tugging at the mask she wore. "Drake, don't tug." She rumbles out, Kakashi wouldn't admit it to anyone but he loves his ba-san's voice and the way it sounds like a growl or purr.
"Tou-san, ba-san. Do you wear your mask because of your teeth? If you do they don't scare me." Kakashi looks away bashfully "I think they're really cool." He feels and hears as his ba-san chuckles in a rumbling way, and he can see in the corner of his eye his father covering his uncovered mouth.
Pouting he turns and buries his face into Kodai's collar bone.
"Little Drake?" She calls out to him in confusion, releasing an inaudible sigh, she answers "yes, I wear my mask because my teeth tend to scare civilians and some shinobi. I love Konoha and I don't want anyone here to be scared of me."
As she explained and confirmed his thoughts, Kakashi's head peaked from underneath her chin. "If that's the reason, I want to wear one too!"
The child leapt out of her hold standing boldly in front of her and his father. "Kakashi…" Kodai purrs softly glancing toward Sakumo, he subtly nodded his head. He had been planning on getting him to wear one as it was the Hatake style.
"Ba-san and tou-san don't have to go through it alone. And both of you are really cool." Starting of strong Kakashi trails of near the end, but both of them heard him, sending each other a fond smile Kodai sweeps Kakashi into her arms.
"My little Drake, you may wear one." Beaming up at her and over at his father "however you have to promise both of us something." She sets him on his feet looking him straight in his dark grey eyes, he nods and puts on his most serious face.
"You will not wear it around me and I will take off mine."
Kodai can see his lips twitching to smile but he remains serious "I promise, Ko-ba-san."
*End of Flash Back*
Kodai and Kakashi sit and talk for what seemed like hours to the two, before Kakashi has to get back seeing as he has an A-rank mission the next day. Leaving promising to bring one of her custom mask, Shikaku returns taking the seat as well. "The Chief of Medicine said they want to keep you for one more day. How troublesome."
Chuckling the woman only nods as if sympathizing, Shikaku huffs as if offended however his smirk gives him away. "Am I allowed any other visitors beside the three of you and my guards?" Kodai leaning back on her pillows purrs, though everything that has happened she's quite content.
Shikaku caught off guard by the sudden question thinks "at the moment yes. You were pronounced MIA when we heard what happen to the Ryujin clan, even though we didn't find a body, we couldn't find you in general."
Shikaku pauses "so until we announce your health and status to the village Elders, as well as rehabilitate you enough to acquire your kunoichi rank again. You're to remain an S-rank secret. Tch, troublesome."
Seeming annoyed Shikaku scoffs, Kodai reaches over with as much mobility as she has, taking his hand. Her hands rather soft even with her shinobi training while his rough and calloused, squeezing her hand, he smirks slightly rubbing his thumb over a scar in the middle of the back of her hand.
"I need to go get Shikamaru. He went over to Choji's for the night since I was standing in for the Hokage. I'll try to come visit tomorrow." Giving her hand one more squeeze he stands and leaves.
The next morning Kodai awoke sensing a chakra signature heading toward her room. It felt familiar, when she realized it was the Chief of Medicine. Next to her bed on the night stand was one of her old dark gray mask quickly as she can Kodai puts it on along with a white Kimono top tied together with a gold and crimson obi.
With practice ease she slips on black knee length skin tight shorts as well. Just before the male doctor, something that was rare by its self, announced himself walking in.
He introduced himself as Nara Takeshi, as he was taking all over her vitals, the whole time explaining what he was doing and why he was doing it. When asked why he explained that a lot of shinobi feel more relaxed when the process is explained.
Takeshi announced her healthy and ready to be released only to take somethings slower and he left telling her to be careful. Testing her range she realized that her full movement was back, sitting crisscross on the bed Kodai delves into her subconscious.
'Drake, you are troubled. Tell this one.'
In her mindscape was a temple tatami mats lined the floor and sliding doors with intricate designs of dragons. Floating gracefully in front of her was a large gold eastern dragon the fur along his back was crimson.
"My lord, I have recently found out that my family is gone and two people that I love very much sacrificed themselves for the sake of the village and son. As well as being in the Drake sleep for five years in which the pronounced me missing or dead."
Panting a little from her rant to the creature, she felt relieved Kodai had been holding that in since she woke up. And since she spoke to Kakashi about what he has been doing for the past five years, she only felt sorrow and self-anger.
She left many people behind.
One who need her more than anything.
Growling loudly to herself, at herself. The self-deprecating stopped when she felt a large clawed hand land on her head, looking up Kodai sees a half man half dragon. The form her ancestor fell in love with.
'Little Drake, do you wish for revenge? Do you wish to try and rewrite fate itself?' The man's mouth never moved but she could fell his voice rumble through her mind.
"No, my lord. I wish for neither of those things."
'Then why the sorrow, why the hate. This is not your final resting place you will see them again. Patience, little one.'
With those last words Kodai left her mind, feeling more like herself since waking. Kodai open her eyes sensing a presence in the room, as quickly as she could spun around finding herself faced with a smirking Shikaku.
Releasing a breath Kodai didn't know she was holding, she looked up at him "I've already signed you out. You'll be staying at the Nara compound until you're free of your classified status. Shikamaru knows we'll be having guest of high caliber and to keep his mouth shut. Troublesome son." Kodai chuckles at the obvious affection in his voice.
"Then let us go."
Arriving to the compound with very little problem, Shikaku walks in taking his shoes off "Tadaima, Shikamaru! Come say your greetings to our guest." When no movements can be heard Kodai can hear Shikaku grumbling under his breath, however thanks to her sharp sense of hearing she can hear what he is saying.
Giggling when he mumbles that his son is way too much like himself as he walks away to find his boy. Shikaku looks over his shoulder "Make yourself at home the sitting room is to the right and the kitchen is to the left pick one and I'll find you soon."
Walking off to find Shikamaru, Kodai picks the kitchen, so that she can fix a quick lunch for everyone and a thank you gift for allowing her to stay here. Looking in the fridge she sees the fixing for Omurice grabbing the ingredients and follows her mother's recipe instead of onions using mushrooms.
Cooking for three is rather fast then having to cook for six. Before she can get caught up in her memories she finishes just in time for Shikaku with what she assumed to be Shikamaru over his shoulder. Setting the table Shikaku sets his son next to him as Kodai sit across form the older Nara.
The younger Nara still asleep wakes up rather slowly to see a rather beautiful masked lady sitting across the table. Seeing the stranger wakes him up quickly Kodai witnessing the change is like watching a little Shikaku all over again.
"Shika-chi, your son is a mirror image of you when we were younger." Kodai chuckles seeing both the Nara's color, Shikamaru rubbing the back of his head and Shikaku scratching the bridge of his nose. Observing the two's nervous/embarrassed habits only caused her laugh to rumble out longer.
Shikaku smirks a little smug chuckling about the fact that he unintentionally got her to laugh. Shikamaru grumbles before saying his thanks for his food and starts eating. After Kodai and Shikaku calm down they start eating as well "so dad, want to introduce us. Or am I going to have to keep guessing."
Chuckling Kodai lift a sharp eyebrow at Shikaku, the man just groans rubbing the bridge of his nose again. "Shikamaru, this is my academy friend Ryujin Kodai. Ko-chan this is my son, Nara Shikamaru." Shikaku's monotone voice drawls bring another chuckle out of Kodai, as Shikamaru's black eyes widen dramatically "Ryujin! As in the extinct clan of Dragons. Then that means you must be the Dragon sennin, Dragon Empress."
Kodai winces slightly hearing someone listing her titles. "Yes, little Drake. However those titles did not come without sacrifice. However enough of me, Shika-chi tells me you've already made friends with an Akimichi. What do you two like to do?" Accepting that she was trying to get off the subject of her titles, Shikaku and Shikamaru share a brief glance, one that Kodai sees but doesn't draw attention to.
"Yeah, His name is Akimichi Choji. What do we do? Well we don't do a lot. I mean, I like to watch the clouds and Choji tags along sometime. Oh! And sometimes we go to his family's restaurant. But I mean, what a drag… uh. How long have you known my dad?" Kodai stores the name Akimichi Choji as someone important, as she's about to answer Shikamaru, Shikaku stands "well I hate to leave you here with just Shikamaru but I need to get back to work. How troublesome."
He heaves a sigh placing his newly clean plate in the cabinet, and turning to Shikamaru. "Don't be troublesome for Ko-chan. And don't answer the door unless Ko-chan knows who it is." Finishing his orders for the younger Nara, Shikaku glances back at the Ryujin "I really hate leaving you like this but duty calls, and thanks for lunch it was really good."
The woman waves him off "I understand, I am a kunoichi. Just be careful." He nods walking out of the room, shifting to face Shikamaru again. "How about we clean up and go to the sitting room. We can talk more in there." Shikamaru shrugs standing up with his plate in hand "I don't mind."
Now leaning back on a comfy dark green couch Kodai releases a content sigh, with Shikamaru on the other end slightly tense. "You want to know how long I've known your dad." With that, the Nara seems to perk up a little and nods.
"Let's see I was a first year and he was in the fourth year. But I use to always see him outside napping under a tree, earlier when I said you look like him I meant it. Though you have you mother's eyes and brows." Kodai pauses observing the boy in front of her, when she mentioned his mother, his eyes widen.
"I often wondered if Shika-chi ever got any sleep at home, but it was in the middle of the year when I realized that he wasn't actually napping but rather watching. Listening. To what was going on around him."
She watches as his brows furrow and nod at her observation of her academy days and young Shikaku. "W-What was my mom like?" Shikamaru's lower lip trembles moving to sit upright on the couch Kodai shifts closer to the boy.
"Your mother was a gentle however strict lady, loved to boss around Shikaku and myself. I remember Yoshi-chi getting on to me so many times for training to hard or for not sticking up for myself when it came to my clan Elders. Kaede Yoshino was your mother's name and a very good friend of mine." Sobs come from the 5, almost 6, year old as Kodai pulls the boy into her arms.
"She loved you very much, she planned to name you Haruto. But your father had other plans." Strangled giggles pour out of the crying boy. They remained there for a while him resting his head against her chest and Kodai humming a soft lullaby.
Soon the worn out Nara was fast asleep, however she never let go of him purring in content. There's a fable that Dragons hoard things that interest them, for Kodai she treasures children, so right now she is very happy and content.
About two hours later Shikaku returns noting the silence in the house he brandishes a kunai, and sneaks. Checking the kitchen first watching carefully, than moving on to the sitting room. Sliding the door open quietly, a soft smile spreads his face, putting his kunai away he leaves to find a blanket.
Bringing back the blanket he sprawls it over the sleeping duo careful not to wake either one. Kodai sleeps on her back with her arms wrapped protectively around the younger Nara. Who is sleeping on his stomach over the Ryujin.
Ok, so this is the first chapter. My re-do for Fanfiction and in all honestly I have not been able to put my laptop down. I also worked out a update schedule, hopefully I will update on the first day of the month every month until I finish. Now I'm not so sure with my other story, my Haikyu one, but again hopefully I can update that one with this one at the beginning of the month.
So until next month.
Ja matane.