Chapter 1: Demons in human skin
A/N: Hey everyone! Let's try this again! Let me know what you think in a review! Update schedule is going to be inconsistent but I should be able to get a chapter out once a month at least…
EDIT: Originally I was going to wait until I had more content before posting... but honestly... I am no longer going to be doing anything super extreme like say... rewriting the time space using the power of meta villains... This version will follow the basic structure of the arcs in Naruto but with a few twists here and there. (Seriously who hasn't read the Wave mission, where Zabuza and Haku totally survive, at least two hundred times?) So I think I can write not something informative with crazy theories on how everything works but... rather a story... something entertaining to read.
Disclaimer: I honestly don't own this series. Naruto and Naruto Shippuden, Boruto and all of the games, movies, soundtracks and the like belong to their respective owners and I can honestly say I get no money out of this. Buy all their merch and keep reading fanfiction until their new box set comes out thirty years later!
"Alright… so how about we start with introductions?"
Kakashi Hatake, decorated Jonin, Ex-ANBU captain, student of the legendary Fourth Hokage, son of the legendary Sakumo Hatake 'the White Fang of the Leaf', spoke with a lazy drawl perfected over the years with just enough command not to be ignored and just enough 'I don't give a shit' to be demeaning. Kakashi was quite proud of it.
"Uh? Sensei? How do you want us to do it?" Naruto asked. Naruto Uzumaki was the son of the Fourth Hokage, his sensei, and the previous container of the Nine-tailed fox, the near sole survivor of the Uzumaki clan Kushina Uzumaki. Not that he knew any of this… Naruto, however, did know and comprehend one thing. He was the current container of the legendarily powerful Nine-Tailed Demon Fox and a known knucklehead.
"Hn… Do you need a guide asshole? Name, rank, likes, and dislikes. Maybe a dream if you have something like that." Sasuke said with a snort of derision. "Honestly, it's just basic stuff they already have on our forms."
Sasuke Uchiha, sole survivor of the Uchiha Clan Massacre four years ago. Son of Fugaku Uchiha, clan head, and named a candidate for Fourth Hokage himself. His mother, Mikoto Uchiha, was a highly decorated Jonin who fought during the Third Shinobi Wars, and fought side by side with her husband in the Konoha Military Police after the war. His brother, Itachi Uchiha, was the youngest to ever graduate the academy other than himself, was in ANBU by eleven, and had murdered his entire clan by thirteen leaving Sasuke an orphan.
"Now, now play nice. How about we mix it up some and let our resident kunoichi introduce herself first? You can go with any format, just tell us something about yourself." Kakashi said looking down at his new student.
She was dressed in a familiar red dress and blue bike shorts underneath. The dress, while eye catching, was practical as it could either be casual or formal wear depending on the circumstance. Kakashi frowned however at the girl's body language. She was still nervous… Kakashi sighed, flashing back to the first time he met the girl.
"She's just shy!" Mebuki Haruno said trying to get her daughter to look the Hokage and her new sensei in the eye. The girl was stubbornly refusing, however.
"This is highly unusual..." The Hokage said speaking with Kizashi, Sakura's father. "Normally, there much more paperwork for a clan rejoining the village, but we didn't expect that this paper work was already done twelve years ago and then lost for so long… twelve years… well, it was a busy night..."
In the Hokage's hand was a twelve year old clan re-registration. This was extremely embarrassing. Here was a clan that had come back to the village, all the way from Snow Country, living in near poverty because they were still waiting for their name to be recognized as an official clan of Konoha.
"Well, they still meet the clan requirements… either a bloodline, or a set of at least three clan exclusive techniques to put on file…" Kakashi chimed in. The girl before him was still hiding. Her father, however, was smiling at him with those unnerving eyes.
The Haruno Family was a branch of the much more well known 'Guru clan'. A clan with the special ability to absorb chakra. The technique was rather… frowned upon, but then again, the village hosted the Aburame clan, and still considered them an asset. Even the great Uchiha and Hyuuga clans had stuff that the normal public would rather not know about. Traditions of eye taking and branding control seals on family members being rather queasy subjects for most other clans and families in the village.
Kakashi's attention turned to the little girl who was still trying to hide behind her mother. She had a nice hair clip to keep her bangs out of her eyes, the Xing dress was interesting, and she seemed nice enough…
Those eyes though. Her father had them on as well for the 'I'm head of a bloodline clan' look. Both of them had the whites of their eyes pitch black, and their irises were glowing with crimson bloodshine.
It was like someone took the Sharingan and made it even more emo. There were also puffed blackened veins around the eyes, but they seemed minimal compared to a Hyuuga's. According to the file this was a facet of the bloodline, but the eyes were not a dojutsu as there was little to no change in vision or combat ability with them activated.
"It's okay sweetie, you don't have to hide your eyes from these people." Mebuki said, eyes turning red and black as well. "Come on! Look! Mom's got her eyes out too okay? Everyone is safe."
Sakura saw her mother's eyes and slowly began to relax. Mebuki looked on encouragingly as she tried to look the Hokage and Kakashi in the eyes.
"She's just shy because she has trouble holding them back." Mebuki apologized. "She activated them at school once and a little girl saw… we couldn't draw attention to ourselves unless we had the village's protection back then, so we have only activated our bloodline at home… Sakura has had trouble looking people in the eye since."
Sakura did her best to relax as the Hokage's gaze softened. Kakashi raised an eyebrow.
"It's good to meet you!" Sakura said trying to smile, red and black eyes gleaming and wincing at the same time.
Sakura currently had her hair down, eyes boring holes into the floor behind a protective curtain of pink hair, all in some vain effort to make her eyes as invisible as possible. She eventually spoke up in a soft voice.
"My name is Sakura Haruno… I like drawing, sewing, flower arranging, and… um… I dislike… bullies… and people who don't understand… I also hate spicy food… my dream is to… um…" Sakura stuttered through. Naruto and Sasuke either shrugged or rolled their eyes. She was always like this.
"It's okay! Don't strain yourself." Kakashi said with a light tone. "Alright Blondie, you're up!"
Introductions proceeded as normal. Naruto was a ramen obsessed idiot that wanted to be Hokage, Sasuke was worryingly obsessed with killing his older brother and-
"Why?" Sakura asked suddenly after Sasuke's little declaration.
'…and to kill a certain someone.'
Sasuke looked surprised momentarily before brooding again. "It doesn't matter..."
"Ah, come on!" Naruto whined. "Is it me or not?!"
"I could be if you don't shut up…" Sasuke said ominously staring ahead. Naruto gulped.
Kakashi thought this would be a good time to step in. "Well now that we've all been introduced, we can begin the official test!"
The confused and questioning looks urged him on.
"It will just be survival exercises. Against me." Kakashi said, tone no longer light, but as the tone of a veteran of the Third War. Kakashi smirked as he saw Sasuke nearly snap to attention out of reflex. "You fail you get sent back to the academy and wait until next year."
Gaping like a fish from Naruto, Sasuke froze then relaxed, and Sakura began trembling. What cute little Genin!
"Bring anything you would on a mission, including shuriken and kunai." Kakashi directed. "You will need them."
"Um…ah… Sensei? That… seems… a little… dangerous…" Sakura managed.
"Yup!" Kakashi said smiling. Sakura frowned. "I have some fliers for you! Memorize it and come to the field marked on it around sunrise! Oh! One last thing… Pro tip: don't eat anything unless you like throwing up."
Naruto and Sasuke blanched while Sakura's frown deepened.
Sakura walked home. It was a beautiful spring day outside. The warmth from the afternoon slowly dissipating into the evening but never quite leaving. The trees already full of leaves, so green, and vibrant.
Th sky was starting to take a softer hue as the sun slowly approached the waiting horizon. As it did, it would set to bathe the village in a warm sunburst orange. Sakura briefly wondered if she would have time to sketch, after she was done with chores around the house of course. But then she remembered she needed to pack for tomorrow.
The docket that Kakashi had handed her was practically useless in that regard just being a map. Sakura went out to check the location, but as she walked through the forest path, however, she sensed a pair of eyes on her back. Sakura froze.
"Aw… little bunny noticed us…" Ino's voice crooned through out the forest trail. She dropped from a tree with only a slight brace as she just strengthened her legs with her chakra.
"Ino… I don't think this is a good idea..." Hinata said, dropping down next to her. Hinata was shy, but she had really come out of her shell since she befriended Ino four years ago.
"Relax Hina! I just wanted to show you want I was talking about!" Ino said with a smile that seemed to send ice directly into Sakura's heart. "I'm not going to bully her like Ami does…much…"
Hinata looked conflicted. On one hand she didn't want to risk losing her only friend standing up to a girl she barely knew but on the other hand she felt like what Ino was about to do would hurt Sakura's feelings even if Ino said she wasn't going to bully her…
Ino took Hinata's indecision as a go ahead, and sprinted forward. Sakura tried to escape, but she tripped. Before she could get up Ino was on top of her, straddling her chest and pushing Sakura into the dirt. Ino had pinned her arms with her knees and sitting directly on Sakura's center of gravity.
"Sheesh… for someone who is supposed to be my equal in grades you kind of suck Sakura!" Ino said with a smile. Ino pulled out a single bobby pin and motioned excitedly for Hinata to come closer. "Come here Hina! Look! I told you her eyes were really freaky!"
Sakura struggled and tried to scream, but Ino shoved a balled up sock into her mouth, and arranged the pin so her soft pink hair no longer covered her eyes.
"Damn. It feels like we are doing something naughty Sakura!" Ino said, giggling in delight as Sakura's struggled. "See Hina! She is totally not hurt, pissed off, but not hurt."
Hinata nervously approached closer to see Sakura and flinched. "W-what is that?"
Sakura felt tears coming to her eyes as she struggled harder. Ino put a hand in her hair and threatened to pull. Sakura flinched. Ino was not above pulling hair. "See! I'm not the only one who thinks they look freaky!"
Sakura tried to close her eyes, but Ino's hand in her hair tugged threateningly. Her field of view suddenly filled with Ino and Hinata staring at her eyes.
Red and black, veins puffy and black and… evil looking. Sakura hated her eyes.
Ever since Ino saw them that fateful days she had been her bully. Sakura tried to get the teachers to do something about it, but they were of the opinion that she was overreacting and needed to learn to stand up for herself since she never showed them her eyes. She hadn't been allowed to reveal her bloodline at the time. Not that they could really do anything about it, one teacher confided, for one doesn't mess with the former head of the Torture and Interrogation department's daughter.
Hinata becoming Ino's friend was something Sakura was glad for, but this bullying was something Sakura didn't understand. Hinata's eyes were weird like hers, but much less… freaky…
"I don't understand… she never had a bloodline before…" Hinata whispered as she peered into her eyes with horrified curiosity.
"I told you Hina! She totally deserves the stuff I put her through! I have to keep her in her place! Sakura here is a demon in human skin…" Ino said, grabbing Sakura's chin to control where her eyes looked. "I heard about them from Grandpa. These little suckers can look like anyone and seem human but then Blamo! Soul sucking demon! See the sock was important to keep her from hurting us!"
Sakura was trembling terrified tears spilling from her black and red eyes.
"Ino… I still don't like this… she looks really scared." Hinata said frowning. Ino scoffed.
"So you're fine crushing on Naruto despite him defacing the Hokage monument and being a huge pervert, but you can't handle getting your hands a little dirty?" Ino questioned pointedly. Hinata looked away. "That's what I thought… Now… what to do now?"
"W-we c-c-can… l-let her go? With a verbal warning?" Hinata said softly, returning her gaze on Sakura, looking at her with pity. Not as a human being, but like a trapped animal. "Please?"
Ino smiled at Hinata softly. "I love that gentleness. You're going to make a good little wife someday… Meh… Fine! Sakura! You are hereby warned! Touch Sasuke and you're dead meat! Got it!?"
"Also…um... please don't… um… harm Naruto…" Hinata said, trying to fit in. Ino smirked.
"See, even Hina thinks you're a freak." Ino said, making Sakura's eyes tear up even more, and Hinata winced. "Not that Hina's eyes are weird! They are beautiful in both function and in looks! The veins are a only little weird, but that is totally outshone by their usefulness! You on the other hand…"
Ino leaned in closer to Sakura's ear. "You'll never be anything but a monster pretending to be human."
Sakura froze, feeling her heart break. She… she wasn't a monster! She just…
Ino used the substitution jutsu to get off of her leaving Sakura with a large and heavy log on her chest. She was still stuck! Ino giggled as she walked down the forest path next to Hinata.
"See Hina! I told you she was a monster!" Ino said, slinging an arm around Hinata's shoulders.
"Y-yeah…" Hinata said, but stole a look to the girl struggling with a stump on her chest, and a sock in her mouth. "Sh-she... l-looks really freaky…"
"Aw! Was Hina traumatized?" Ino crooned, snuggling into Hinata some, making the Hyuuga girl squeak, and turn red. "Don't worry, I'll protect you!"
Sakura could no longer make out the conversation as she struggled to breath under the well placed tree trunk. Slowly, but surely, she made it out after what felt like an hour. Sakura ripped out the sock and began to cry, frustration, hate, and sheer pain rolling off of her in waves.
She wasn't a monster! She was a person. She was… she…
'You have no right to call yourself that.' A voice whispered in the back of Sakura's head. 'You were hungry that day… you wanted to eat Ino… no wonder she hates you now… lunging at her, growling… you acted like a wild animal. No wonder she was scared…'
'I'm not a monster! I'm not! I… I just….I'm just…'
'A demon wearing human skin. A liar and manipulator from birth.'
Sakura ran home.
Sakura's childhood home was a small little town house down the road from the marketplace, but since the funding came in from the village, they got to use their clan's original home, and had moved in a few days ago. It was a bit big for only three people, but the Guru Clan mansion was definitely smaller than other places like the Hyuuga or even the Yamanaka Clan house. Even though it was late, her father would still be at work, but her mother…
Sakura opened the door quietly out of courtesy, ignoring her mother's giggling, and the sounds of a man's wet kisses on her mother's skin. Sakura used her training to stay completely silent as she moved around the corner to her room. Peeking into the living room, she saw her mother in a tangle of limbs, and gross kissing noises. Suddenly, the man froze, and her mother smiled, eyes becoming red and black as he went limp in her arms. Sakura shook her head, and went to her room as her mother had her way with the poor man.
Mebuki Haruno wasn't a floozy necessarily. Her husband knew about and even approved her activities as long as she didn't go all the way. They had to eat somehow…
As a Guru clan branch, Sakura's family could eat as much as they wanted, entire buffets in a single sitting, yet starve to death. Their bodies couldn't absorb nutrients from regular food, so they consumed chakra.
Her mother would use her 'Desperate Housewife' or 'Femme Fatale' routine to regularly bring new 'boyfriends' and even sometimes 'girlfriends' home. She would eat her fill from them and would put a Genjutsu to make them think that they had… had done something special… and that was why they were so tired…
She had turned everything about herself into something to attract more food for her family. The red dress, her chakra eating ways helping her stay youthful, the extra care her mother would put into her make-up…
They had to eat somehow… right?
'A liar and manipulator from birth.'
Sakura walked down the brightly painted hallways to her room and shut the door. Her room was, well… pink… Sakura's old room had been a cheerful yellow, but this pink monstrosity… Sakura had no words.
Sakura didn't mind pink as a color, but given her hair and her eyes… this was an eye searing pink mess… The room had apparently been once owned by a somewhat spoiled five year old, but it was large enough to be a full master bedroom in any other house. She even had her on bathroom. It would be repainted when her father got time off of work...
Sakura went inside the bathroom and washed off the tear stains from her face before starting to pack. Rope, ninja wire, spare kunai, her side are kunai, shuriken, smoke bombs, explosive tags, her romance novel… anything to get mind off of what Ino said...
Sakura was distracted by a knock on the door and her mother standing in her doorway. Gleaming crimson irises, and black sclera, a sensual smirk on ruby lips, pearl necklace around her neck accenting the white in her outfit, and a figure-hugging red dress. Mebuki Haruno was thirty five going on twenty. She was beautiful, dangerous, and sensual… totally unlike her little girl...
Sakura had her father's shaggier pink hair, a slim frame and the total lack of confidence in her appeal was made apparent by the baggy, unattractive clothing she normally wore. Mebuki frowned. She was trying to teach her daughter how to be a proper Haruno woman and Sakura was stubbornly resisting any chance at making herself cute or sensual...
"Hey baby girl, sorry if you saw anything! I was just... making dinner..." Mebuki said smile returning. It would have been wrong, comedically so in any other circumstance. Her daughter avoiding her eyes hurt, however. "Come on baby! We have been over this!"
Sakura hadn't known what the strange men who came to her house so often meant until only a few years ago. She had taken a long time to understand being more used to the way that outsiders of the clan thought of that sort of... relationship. Her parents had sat her down, however, and discussed things with her. Sakura still wasn't completely okay with it...
Sakura kept working on her pack as Mebuki went and sat on her bed. She patted a spot next to herself expectantly, and reluctantly, Sakura sat down. Her mother's perfume was mixed with her most recent victim's cologne...
"Sakura, I know how much you want to fit in, but refusing to eat, not practicing your hunting skills... you're a kunoichi now! We are expecting you to learn to provide for yourself and be able to even share some, some day…" Mebuki said with lidded eyes and a small frown on her perfectly drawn lips. "Sakura? Did something happen?"
Sakura's eyes began to turn red. Tears falling from her normally horrifying eyes. "Why can't we just be normal? Why are we parasites? Why does it have to be like this?"
Mebuki looked at the floor. "Sakura… we are more like… symbiotes… We take people's chakra, yes… but we also give back! I just gave that man a wonderful time! He was more than willing to come back for more! I give it about a month, and he will become one of my regulars!" Mebuki said proudly.
"Wasn't that Kiba's daddy?" Sakura asked dubiously and Mebuki's smile wavered.
"It's not wrong honey..." Mebuki said a bit dismissively, more like she was trying to justify it. "He's been separated from his wife for ten years. They are practically divorced already."
"But not yet." Sakura pressed. "I just-"
"Look, to answer your question- Yes! We are a bit like parasites, but that doesn't mean we are not people too!" Mebuki said with a huff. "We have to eat somehow! It is like getting mad at a spider for eating flies. It's not the spider's fault for needing to eat flies, and it isn't the flies fault the spider is really good at catching them when they are being stupid and fly too close..."
"But Kiba's mom is really scary!" Sakura said vainly trying to change her mother's mind.
"So am I." Mebuki said with a dangerous glint in her ghoulish eyes and a wicked smile. "If she comes to reckon with me, I will just show her a good time too!"
Sakura hung her head in defeat as her mother giggled. There was no reasoning with her mother.
"Now! Are you going to eat dinner tonight or not?" Mebuki asked. "You are just hurting yourself if you don't. It's been three day baby..."
Sakura frowned, but nodded. Mebuki smiled victoriously and leaned in to Sakura's face.
The easiest way to share chakra was mouth-to-mouth. The 'kiss of life' was a principle of chakra as well. Since they were mother and child, however, their mouths didn't touch. Mebuki just hovered, her parted lips over Sakura's, and let the chakra she had collected flow into her daughter's waiting maw. Half of the man's chakra that she acquired was given mixed with a bit of her own. It was an act unique to their clan.
Sakura felt the addictive, icy hot, warmth of the man's chakra run down her throat and through her chakra system. Her chakra nodes eagerly accepting it and converting it into her own energy.
Still, Sakura felt partially revolted. Discomfort and disgust filled her mind as she thought about the things her mother had to do to get this much chakra, how her body was being filled with the chakra of her mother's lover, and how she was a monster because she was technically devouring a human being by osmosis.
When Mebuki's mouth finally lifted, Sakura felt a queasy, and a horribly guilty feeling ran through her. Mebuki sighed.
"Your morals are all fine and good honey, but you have to think of it from our perspective as well." Mebuki said, reclining back onto Sakura's bedspread. "If we don't eat, we starve, and if we get that hungry… I watched my own mother go insane and start attacking everyone in sight because she was just that hungry. Most of your father's family were hunted and killed because they were 'monsters'. The problem is that, in a sense, they were right. They were too hungry and eating irresponsibly. We have both have a duty to this family. To keep it safe and to only partake of chakra in a responsible manner… well… mostly responsible… We have to stay hidden until the Hokage can break the ice for us."
Sakura was very interested in her lap. "A girl saw my eyes today…"
Mebuki straightened up. "Who, where, how?"
Sakura cringed. "Hinata…Hyuuga?"
Mebuki let out a long sigh. "Dammit…"
"Is that bad?" Sakura said, flinching slightly at her mother's 'Are you serious?' look. "I mean, worse than normal?"
Mebuki nodded. "We, our clan I mean… we may have some... ah... bad blood between us…"
"Um… how?" Sakura asked. "Our clan left the village shortly after the founding… on good terms even…"
Mebuki winced a bit. "We… ah… might've stolen their Taijutsu style…"
Sakura's eyes widened.
"But it was just so good for our clan! We had to keep it!" Mebuki said defending her family's honor. "I mean it wasn't our fault that the soon to be branch family member was madly in love with Lady Rize…"
Sakura looked on in horror. "Great Aunty Rize stole the Gentle Fist from the Hyuuga clan?!"
"She was a half breed! She didn't even 'open her eyes' until she fourteen, and she had a boyfriend. Big whoop!" Mebuki said dismissively. "It wasn't her fault the guy gave it to her, she didn't know it was the super special, for the clan only, fighting moves…"
"So I know the Gentle Fist?" Sakura squeaked. Her mother had taught her the clan way of fighting since she was old enough to walk. Her father was apparently a master… Both had become really rusty in hiding, however.
"Not exactly. We changed it enough that it only resembles the original. We use a lot more grappling in our version and we can't exactly shut down a chakra node… but… when push comes to shove… we can wreak living hell on a person's chakra system and drain them dry while their body is trying to recover from violent internal bleeding!" Mebuki said cheerfully. "It's not like we were given the Sixty-Four Palms! We just… might have the ability to bypass most armor and destroy any chakra based substance!"
Sakura palmed her face. "Oh my spirits..."
"It's not like it's even common knowledge!" Mebuki said. "But um… if we get a house call-"
Sakura and Mebuki jumped nearly a foot in the air as the doorbell rang throughout the house. Mother and daughter looked at each other before rushing off to greet the guest or enemy on their doorstep.
It was her father, looking tired from working a twelve hour day in the rice fields. He tried to smile for his family though.
"Hey darling, you look fetching as always! Come here my little blossom!" Kizashi said with a grand smile. Sakura hugged her father tightly.
Her father, unlike her mother, took no care in his looks. He had a thick bushy moustache and a stubble beard as he usually forgot to shave. He smelled of tobacco and rice from working in the fields all day and his smoke breaks.
Her father usually 'hunted' more subtly than her mother. A drunk on the street was his favorite target. An over excited Genin who was going to copy their favorite anime character and stay up all night training was another favorite.
If he couldn't find any of those, he would visit a brothel, pay well enough, and put the girl under a Genjutsu before she could put one on him. Genjutsu being a favorite of prostitutes since they could give 'service' while resting. He would drain her while she dreamed of a nice, non-erotic, evening with a man who just wanted some tender love and care that his wife would never show. Some 'cuddles' here and a sob story there and the women would usually gave him a partial refund and tell him that they hoped everything turned out okay with his wife.
Kizashi loved his family. He would do anything to protect and feed them. Even if it meant lying and cheating in order to do it.
"So… I hear you had an accident…" He said sounding a little sterner, releasing her, and making her look him in the eyes. "Sakura, I heard that you were being bullied still. Is that true?"
Sakura looked into her father's red and black eyes wincing subconsciously at making eye contact. Sakura began to tear up. This was all her fault...
Kizashi sighed, reading her mind from her facial cues. "You are not at fault here. You are a good girl Sakura. Daddy just needs to take care of some business now before we can relax for the day okay?"
"What sort of business?" Mebuki asked worriedly.
"The Hyuuga clan kinda found out we are in the village already... and that we have a rightful claim. So… they challenged me to a fight." Kizashi said rubbing his neck. "They want to prove they are dominate, see what we can do, and probably try to punish us in ring for 'stealing' their Taijutsu…"
"When?" Mebuki asked trying to remain calm. Sakura's heart sunk with dread as she remembered what happened today. Hinata...
"Tonight?" Kizashi said with a wince. "And I accepted?"
"WHAT?! HONEY!" Mebuki shouted angry and worried.
"Hey look! I didn't want to worry you, and I'm probably going to lose, but then um… they kind of identified who we were, you know, in public, and today at work I was told to invite all of us to the family." Kizashi said.
"So... what? They want us to come watch them beat on our husband, father, and clan head while sitting around drinking tea?!" Mebuki said outraged. "I can't believe you accepted that fight in the first place!"
"Neither did I…" Kizashi admitted. "It was kind of a spur of the moment thing. I… I didn't want any of us to feel ashamed to be, well… us… if I fight and I do well enough than perhaps…"
Sakura felt her heart ice over. Her father was going to get the snot kicked out of himself to prove to her there was no shame in being his daughter…
"Daddy I-" Sakura began eyes wide, mind still recoiling at this change of events.
"I'm not going to do it just for you." Kizashi said holding up a hand. "I… I want us to live normal lives here. To not have to fear as my family did in the Land of Snow. When I heard that our clansmen had an open invite to be a member of Konoha I dropped everything in order to come here. It was like the promised land… but when I got here there was almost nothing but rubble and mourning in the fox attack.
"You were born as our little fragile hope after escaping winter. A cherry blossom. A herald of warmer times. We helped rebuild. We served dutifully despite our need to eat and spend many nights hungry… Now is our chance. I can feel it in my bones. We can be a real clan of Konoha. A place where no man, woman, or child need feel ashamed because they are different. That is the Konoha I serve and the one I am striving for."
Mebuki was getting teary eyed. "Honey, you don't need to fight in order to prove that…"
"But I want to." Kizashi said firmly. "I want to show them what we can do. I may be rusty, but I have been practicing non-stop for the last few days. My body is a bit out of shape, but it should be able to fight against a few Hyuuga! Oh! That and since they use Gentle Fist, free food!"
Mebuki chuckled and Sakura was conflicted. She… she didn't want to see her father get hurt. The Hyuuga clan probably wouldn't play nice…
"Well! Come on! We still have some time to get to the Hyuuga's so lets get ready! Let's show these bug eyed nay-sayers whose boss!" Kizashi said.
The Hyuuga compound was quite frankly, huge. The Haruno's new house was about ten times the size their old house was floor space wise and the Hyuuga clan compound looked about five times larger than that… If they were low balling it... The gates alone were enough to make anyone feel tiny. To their surprise, however, they swung open with ease. A woman opened the door, eyes looking a bit cold but she bowed anyways.
"The master of the house is expecting you." She said ominously.
Kizashi glanced and Mebuki and his daughter before responding. "We are glad to accept his invitation."
The woman nodded. "Follow me."
Kizashi, left without much else to do, followed. Inside the gates were just as impressive. They could spot expensive woods making up the pillars of the compound, smaller buildings beautifully arranged to make the most of the space provided, and the pristinely kept courtyard leading to the family dojo.
Inside the large building was a low lit arena. Expensive wood flooring instead of floor mats like in other houses covered the arena area while high quality mats were used where the Clan Heads sat waiting for them. The woman leading them bowed and dismissed herself.
Sitting on their lower legs in full seiza position, were not just the Hyuuga clan head and a clan elder, but Hinata, what appeared to be Hinata's younger sister Sakura knew nothing about, and two more clan heads, and their children.
She recognized Tsume Inuzuka, Head of the Inuzuka Clan and overall scary lady, and Shibi Aburame, Head of the Aburame Clan and overall creepy guy. She remembered them from parent's day, but didn't remember their presentations well, just that they used dogs and bugs. Kiba smirked at her before being elbowed by his sister. Hinata refused to look at her and Shino was stoic as usual. Tsume spotted Mebuki and sniffed before glaring daggers at the woman. Mebuki smiled sweetly and shrugged.
Hiashi rose from his seat. He carried himself in a majestic and noble fashion as head of the, currently, most powerful clan in Konoha. He represented their wealth, their strength and their sheer presence with every breath.
"Welcome, Haruno Family, to my home. I would like to introduce my old team who were invited to sit in on the match." Hiashi said speaking in a polite, if regal tone. "Lady Tsume, head of the Inuzuka clan, and Lord Shibi, head of the Aburame clan and their children starting from the eldest. Hana and Kiba of the Inuzuka and Shino of the Aburame clan. My family Hinata and Hanabi of the main family of the Hyuuga clan are also in our presence as well as Lord Hideyoshi, elder of the branch family of the Hyuuga clan and respected councilor. I look forward to our bout."
Kizashi inclined his head. "It is an honor to be here. I am Kizashi Haruno of the Guru Household. This is my wife, Mebuki Haruno and my only daughter Sakura Haruno. I look forward to our bout."
With that everyone sat down again as the elderly Hyuuga stood and bowed to the assembled guests.
"Tonight, we shall witness a match between Clan Head Hiashi Hyuuga, Jonin, and head of the Hyuuga clan, and Kizashi Haruno, Head of the Haruno-Guru family." The man said. "I, Hideyoshi Hyuuga of the Branch Family of the Hyuuga clan will proctor. The match will consist of one round. There are to be no weapons, and no Genjutsu, or ninjutsu is allowed with the exception of both families Nin-Taijutsu, as outlined in their respective techniques. All Taijutsu is allowed with the exception of the use of the Eight Gates. Honorable fighting, defined in the honorable conduct for shinobi given to us by the First and Second Hokage, is expected and will be kept or the match will be stopped. You may begin when ready."
Kizashi watched as Hiashi rose and made the Konoha sign of confrontation. It meant that the person making it will fight the person with their all, but that they do not consider the opponent an enemy. Kizashi had been glad that he had found this in tidbit in Sakura's academy books.
Kizashi shrugged off his shirt and stood before the Hyuuga chest bare. Both men activated their eyes. The Hyuuga's a blank, yet furious stare of white and Kizashi's burning crimson in a sea of ink. Some of the younger members looked at this with awe.
Kizashi nodded his consent also making the sign and signaling that he was going to let match begin.
Kizashi rushed forward, even knowing the man would simply counter attack, but in this first move he needed to test a theory. He needed to see if he could absorb a Gentle Fist stab. Hiashi didn't seem alarmed, and settled into a simple, low stance and waited. His eyes widened, however, when the man suddenly appeared behind Hisashi and tried to jab at his midsection. But then again, he saw that coming.
Hiashi made a quick step forward, than pivoted, and introduced Kizashi to a chakra enhanced palm strike. The thrust landed, but Kizashi still stood. Hiashi's eyes narrowed as he watched what was happening in the other man's body. His chakra had absorbed the impact and the chakra behind the blow. He could absorb his Gentle Fist! Hiashi and Kizashi began to exchange blows.
Kizashi was rusty. That much was clear. He was slow and occasionally uncoordinated but his stamina and the power behind the blows was nothing to sneeze at. That thrice damned bloodline made it so he couldn't get a solid hit in and all of his normally lethal katas suddenly became as effective as simple thrusts and shoves. What was worse was that Hiashi was beginning to tire as the man absorbed his chakra with every blow and parry.
He kept escaping the other man's attempt at a grapple, however, but even just counter attacking meant giving up more of his chakra to the monster before him. Kizashi seemed to recover his stamina whenever he took in more chakra, even healing from the light wounds Hiashi managed to give him with the chakra he absorbed. Hiashi tried a different tactic.
"Air Palm." He intoned and using his chakra shot his hand forward hard enough to make a concentrated blast of air. This wouldn't be absorbed because it was just air. No chakra behind it, but purely chakra enhanced muscular strength pushing the very air in front of him in a concentrated blast. Hiashi's eyes widened, however, when Kizashi suddenly began to spin around dissipating the air blast in a swirl of chakra.
Hinata's mouth dropped open as well as every Hyuuga in the room. That was the Rotation justu. A move only taught among the main clan of the Hyuuga and one of their most complex. One needed to fire chakra from every node in the body and then spin at a fast rate. If performed correctly it became an offense or defense that deflected any attack. While Kizashi was sloppy in form, it was clear that his chakra control rivaled the Hyuugas.
"You are truly a formidable opponent." Hiashi admitted eyes wide. "Show me. What else can you do?"
Kizashi smirked a bit and clenched his jaw. His whole body seemed to exude chakra before it all focused on his back. Red flame like feathers sprouted and erupted in an inferno out of his back, dancing and twirling with false heat. Hiashi's eyes widened further when he saw that this was no flame but chakra. Pure chakra. Perfectly contained outside of the body and causing an eerie halo to come around the burgundy haired man. In the dark of the night and with no light except those softer ones around the room the man surely looked like a demon.
The flames collected back into his back. "I can't do the ninjutsu involved with these techniques, but I can do this."
Kizashi pushed his chakra, or rather Hiashi's chakra at this point, back into himself and out his hands. There was a pillar of pure chakra in each before they molded around his hands, encasing them in dangerously concentrated chakra, and promising extra pain if they were to land.
Rushing forward he attacked again, shrugging off Hiashi's Gentle Fist attacks, but wherever Kizashi's hands touched burned and nearly broke bone from the brief contact. Finally, finally Hiashi managed to get a hit in that the other man couldn't block or dodge. A well timed sweep, Kizashi's lack of upkeep on his training making his footwork sloppy, had put the man on his back. Suddenly, Kizashi was on the floor, and a foot was about to go into his face. Hiashi, however, held out two fingers to the man.
The sign of reconciliation. He was offering mercy. Tired, on the floor, and sweating Kizashi reached up and took hold. The fight immediately ceased with the clear victor as Haishi Hyuuga. Hiashi helped him up.
"You're bloodline is most impressive and a good counter for our Taijutsu." Hiashi admitted. "Your technique is sloppy, however. I understand you have been in the civilian sector for the last ten years or so?"
Kizashi nodded. "Farmer. Still hold the job… gotta do something with my life…"
Hiashi raised an eyebrow. "As you say… but don't you three need to consume chakra?"
Mebuki walked over to her husband and pressed her lips to his allowing her chakra to flow into him. Sakura covered her face. This was so embarrassing… Kizashi was immediately back to full health as their chakras mingled.
"Thanks babe." Kizashi said giving his wife an extra kiss, making Mebuki giggle. The others looked on in curiosity and more than a little embarrassment on the younger watchers. "How about we answer that a little later? Let's see what our panel of judges thought!"
"Ya fight like a mad man, but your chakra control is insane." Tsume admitted grumbling. "I could've taken ya though…"
"Indeed. That was my observation as well. It was like watching a human version of one of our Parasitic Insects fighting. Uncoordinated but extremely durable." Shibi added. "Can you absorb all chakra based attacks or are there any restrictions?"
Kizashi shrugged. "I can't say much because, you know, clan stuff, but I can absorb oncoming attacks. If it gets a bit much, I can always use the Red Feather or Vortex to counter."
"Red Feather is the wings, right?" Tsume's eldest, Hana asked speaking up.
"Those were so cool!" Kiba said chiming in.
Kizashi laughed. "Yeah, they are! Basically with those out I can absorb even more chakra than I usually can but if I am not absorbing anything than they can be pretty tiring…"
"So like an overdrive." Tsume summed up. "I noticed you healing up. How does that work?"
"Extra chakra helps us stay healthy and youthful. I am already in my forties and my wife is only five years younger." Kizashi said glancing at Mebuki who merely smirked at the jealous looks on the other female's faces. "But in battle we can heal up small wounds if there is chakra to spare."
"And your daughter can do the same as you can?" Shibi asked.
Kizashi motioned for Sakura to come forward and meekly Sakura stood by her family.
"Our daughter is able to do many things, but I am still teaching her much of the ways of our clan." Kizashi said neutrally. "She is our pride and joy, but she dislikes fighting."
"M-may I s-spar w-with her?" Hinata suddenly pipped up, surprising everyone. Kizashi looked curiously at her while Hiashi smiled with pride. This was the first time Hinata showed any interest in fighting herself.
"If it's okay with Sakura. I would have no problem." Kizashi said. "However it is getting late."
Sakura looked up at her father but nodded nervously. "I-I can f-fight…"
Kizashi smiled at her. This what he had been trying to encourage in Sakura.
Hinata and Sakura stood apart from each other making the sign of confrontation before sinking into similar stances. Hinata activated the Byakugan and Sakura moved her hair to the side, revealing her own strange eyes. Sakura stared down her opponent. It was clear both of them would be holding back. Sakura out of nervousness and Hinata out of guilt.
Sakura didn't really blame the girl for earlier. She seemed nice even if she didn't try too hard to stop Ino. Then again, would she be any different in Hinata's shoes?
Kizashi sat next to Mebuki and Hiashi.
"Does your daughter always have your clan Dojutsu activated?" Hiashi asked.
"It's not exactly a Dojutstu, but yeah, basically. Sakura nearly always has them on." Kizashi said non-chalantly. "She has trouble controlling it."
"Isn't that chakra consuming?" Shibi asked.
"Unlike the Byakugan our eyes don't do anything special." Kizashi admitted. "I have noticed a bit more ease in using the bloodline, but it just sort of happens… We can keep it on indefinitely or we can turn it off and look like normal folk." Kizashi said deactivating the hellfire from his eyes in example. "It is more comfortable to have them out though…"
Unlike her father Hinata took the first move. Sakura pivoted, and caught her arm in a flying armbar, forcing the other girl to the floor. Hinata froze as Sakura began to drain her. Hinata desperately began to jab at Sakura's legs, but she just held on harder to her hands as her legs fell limp.
Hinata wrenched her hand away trying to get up but her head felt woozy and she fell to the floor again where Sakura climbed on her. From there, Hinata was soon put into a full nelson and felt her strength fade away at an alarming rate.
"Incorporating grappling was a smart decision." Tsume said watching the girls fight. "Shibi's clan does something similar."
Shibi nodded. "I have a question. If I were to use my Parasitic insects on you, Kizashi, what would happen if they decided to drain your chakra?"
Kizashi looked uneasy hearing the monotone way Shibi spoke the question, briefly wondering if it was a threat.
"The one with the strongest 'suction' would win. If we were tied, we would cancel each other out both losing chakra from the effort." Kizashi said keeping his voice even.
"Intriguing." Shibi said as his gaze returned to the match. Kizashi let go of a breath he didn't know he was holding. The Aburame sure had a tight grip on their emotions. Made trying to read the guys near impossible.
Sakura finally made Hinata submit. Kizashi looked proud. Hiashi was a bit disappointed but he got to see Hinata want to fight with his own eyes. That was enough for tonight.
"Sakura!" Mebuki called after her daughter. "Give back some of her chakra so she isn't bedridden!"
Sakura flushed bright red. "Mom!"
Hiashi frowned. "Is there some reason for her to be embarrassed?"
Kizashi winced as Sakura relented under her mother's pressure leaning over Hinata, face totally red. "Well, it just looks weird to outsiders and it is usually meant as a token of trust."
Hiashi raised an eyebrow, but watched as Sakura's lips moved over to his daughter's, and nearly jolted in surprise. Kiba had a nosebleed as he watched Sakura flow her chakra back into Hinata's barely conscious form with her mouth just barely over Hinata's.
"Mouth to mouth is the easiest way to transfer the chakra." Kizashi said crossing his arms. "You can use the hands of course, but mouth to mouth is the most direct method. As such, it is usually a token of trust or respect or in my daughter's case courtesy, so your daughter doesn't suffer chakra exhaustion."
Hinata's half lidded eyes fluttered awake as her chakra was restored to her. She felt her tiredness and any soreness fade away. It felt... nice…
But then her eyes refocused and Hinata blushed furiously squealing in embarrassment. Sakura was kissing her?! What?!
Mebuki chuckled as Sakura flinched away and scurried to hide behind her mother in embarrassment as well. Hana and the other children looked embarrassed as well. Well, Tsume was working on yanking Kiba's ear.
"So you can also restore chakra…" Shibi said. "We do something similar… but… it is rather unorthodox the way you do it..."
"So, kissing is just feeding for you guys?" Tsume asked eyes narrowing. Mebuki saw this and smiled.
"It can be… but we also see it as a sign of trust or even love. Kissing family members like lovers is out of the question. I usually feed Sakura the way she gave Hinata her chakra back. That is the safe, chaste version if you will." Mebuki explained trying to get Sakura to stop hiding. Hinata was still bright red. "But when I kiss my husband it is common to share any food we collect."
"And how do you do that?" Tsume asked narrowing her eyes. Mebuki's glinted mischievously.
"Would you like to find out?" Mebuki asked, eyes half lidded, smirking at Tsume's embarrassment. "If you must know I gather it from… 'volunteers'… and my husband usually feeds himself on drunks or the occasional prostitute. We then take turns feeding Sakura."
The adults looked incredulously at the odd family. Kizashi grimaced at his wife's bluntness, but he agreed it was probably best to get this out of the way.
"We have to eat somehow…" Kizashi said softly, but firmly. "They usually wake up with a bit of exhaustion and thinking they just had a wild night… Our clan's specialty might be chakra absorption, but we are all proficient in Genjutsu. Have to be… Otherwise we starve. Our bodies can't really receive nourishment from food… so our only avenue is chakra. I wish it was otherwise but that's how it is."
Tsume looked on angrily. "So, when your wife drains a 'volunteer' she is giving them a 'fun time'?"
Mebuki sighed. "It is only for food. I don't mean anything by it. It may be underhanded, but there it is. We have to eat somehow. I give my sources a 'fun time' so my family has a reliable food source. Kizashi can't keep paying for prostitutes after all, and those girls are quick on the uptake."
Hiashi looked uncomfortable despite his statue like features. "So, now that you are an established clan what will you do?"
Kizashi smiled. "Sakura here can find us food as she fights. I am planning on getting back into the fighting scene again so I can feed my family and Mebuki…"
"Will keep finding guests." Mebuki said, smiling as Tsume growled. "For my new massage business!"
"Massage?" Shibi asked as Mebuki's eyes sparkled with enthusiasm.
"Yup! Imagine you just come back from a mission and you are dead tired, or brimming with anxious energy, but then you see a massage place! You get a massage and you can either pay with money or with a bit of chakra…" Mebuki said seductively. "People think they had an amazing time either way, and they are relieved body, mind, and spirit!"
Shibi turned to Kizashi. "And you are okay with this?"
Kizashi sighed. "It might seem strange, but I trust my wife completely. She is a massive flirt, and can get frisky at times, but she only belongs with me." Kizashi said and Mebuki grasped his hand, gently rubbing her thumb on his calloused knuckles. "Just like she trusts me completely when I have to 'pay for food'. We have had to do some things that we aren't proud of to survive, but we are always loyal to each other, and to our little girl."
The scene before them was both uncomfortable and surprisingly sweet as Mebuki kissed her husband's cheek. Sakura moved her hair back in front of her eyes, blanching at the show of affection. Her parents were always so lovey-dovey…
"The Hokage knows about this and is okay with it?" Tsume asked still miffed. Everything about Mebuki seemed to set her teeth on edge.
"Yep!" Mebuki said happily. "He was too shy to give a 'donation', but he was fine with our activities as long as we keep it under wraps."
"And how many of my clan have you drained?" Tsume growled. Mebuki sighed once again. Tsume needed to lighten up...
"I am not that much of a floosy! I keep the cute ones if I can, but other than that they come and go as they please! I only have a few regulars, and I work really hard to keep them thinking that they are the only ones." Mebuki said crossing her arms. "None of your clansmen are my regulars… yet…"
That smirk at the end did it. Something in Tsume snapped.
"Bitch you wanna go!?" Tsume growled getting to her feet. Mebuki eyed her husband. Kizashi sighed.
"Spar only." Kizashi said. "Give back the chakra as well."
Mebuki smirked. "Okay honey! So how do you-"
"Fang over Fang!" Tsume roared, trying to hit her enemy. Mebuki's smirk never left. Tsume was fast, but…
"Vortex!" Mebuki chimed in like a bell and span, redirecting the blow with the bastardized Rotation. Hiashi's frown deepened. Another one...
Tsume was up on her feet at once, charging the other woman. To her surprise, she had a different attack waiting for her. A attack that was different than her husband's. Mebuki's arm was covered in a harsh red light, looking loosely like the Chakra Scalpel, but covering her whole arm. Tsume was alarmed when Mebuki took the hit head on, and even managed to cut her with the chakra. Tsume growled at being rebuffed and charged again, cursing that she didn't bring Kuromaru, her wolfhound, to fight with.
"Mebuki favors the Red Shell." Kizashi said in way of explanation. "Think of it as a mix between the Chakra Scalpel and your Rotation. It takes a bit of chakra to use but it can also absorb chakra. It is one of the most defensive moves we have in our arsenal."
"And the Red Feather?" Hiashi asked. Kizashi sighed as Mebuki began to goad Tsume by walking around her holding her 'blade' up defensively but smirking and sashaying her hips as she walked.
"I can go ridiculously fast with that if I combine it with the Body Flicker." Kizashi said mildly. "I am rusty however, and that move takes up too much chakra. I didn't want to crash and burn during our bout. It takes the most stamina of our arsenal to use."
"And you aren't worried about your wife because?" Shibi said watching the two women fight, Tsume becoming more ferocious by the second. Kiba was rooting for his mother while Hana looked pale as her mother lunged forward, spinning rapidly, towards the blade.
"Gentle Fist is the strongest right?" Kizashi asked, pointing to the way Mebuki parried another blow, watching as Tsume kept bouncing off the shield like arm-blade, and losing more and more chakra as she fought.
"Can you combine the two jutsu?" Shibi asked interested. Mebuki got brutally kicked in the stomach, getting up just in time to hold Tsume back from clawing her face off.
"A master can." Kizashi admitted. "But it is not wise as it would cost much more chakra than one can output. Mebuki is only doing so well because she got to eat today and because Tsume keeps rushing head long into her blade."
Tsume seemed to hear this, and jumped off, landing gracefully on all fours. She began to circle the other woman, watching for an opening. Mebuki was smirking, but was obviously flagged from trying to keep up with the much faster Tsume.
Slowly, her arm lowered, and her fiery shield blade dissipated. Tsume gave Mebuki no time to relax. Mebuki was surprisingly competent, but Tsume was a raging beast of a woman ready to claw her face off in savage chunks. Tsume was about to strike Mebuki, who was too tired from the relentless attacking, when Kizashi's wings grew, and he just appeared behind her, locking her arms and head in a full nelson like his daughter had with her opponent.
"That's enough." Kizashi said in a low calm voice. "If you have any further grievances, you may speak with me about them."
Tsume snarled, but eventually nodded, roughly pulling herself out of the hold before glaring at Mebuki.
"Keep your grubby paws off my men!" Tsume growled. Mebuki, still panting, and looking much more roughed up, nodded. Tsume, finally pacified, sighed.
"You aint half bad, bitch." Tsume admitted. "How many of those jutsu do you have?"
"Five." Kizashi said stepping forward. "Red Feather, Red Shell, Red Scale, and Red Tail are the basics, with Red One being a most advanced jutsu in our arsenal."
"Red One?" Shibi asked. Kizashi hesitated.
"All of them at once." Kizashi said solemnly. "My father used something similar once to save his family during the fall of Snow's last Daimyo, but the technique is extremely taxing. My father died using it."
"Shit. You guys have a Gates equivalent?" Tsume said, sitting down with her kids. The Eight Gates were a famous kata that granted the user power far above even the Hokage, but in exchange, you died. Even opening one gate could get you killed or seriously injured.
"Nothing that extreme…" Kizashi said. "When one becomes a Red One, they tend to… go nuts… he held off a small army with the technique, but… they say even if you survive you live as nothing more than an animal, a demon in human skin…"
Sakura flinched slightly at the words, and Hinata looked down.
"Well… shit…" Tsume said rubbing the back of her neck. "Our clan has something kinda like that with the whole 'Inner Wolf' thing. A lotta my clan can use it but they usually end up feral. You gotta be a sheepdog protecting the flock not a wolf feeding on it. There is no difference between the two mutts really but who they choose to fight."
Kizashi smiled. "I think I understand."
Hiashi looked uncomfortable, but finally spoke. "I'd like to ask a question."
"Very well." Kizashi said, straightening up.
"… Would you be willing to spar more often?" Hiashi said. "I noticed that there are several similarities between our fighting styles, and much we can learn from each other. In exchange you may keep the chakra you 'borrow' during bouts."
Kizashi was floored. "Are you serious? That's great! Yeah! I would love to come over more often!"
Mebuki smiled, but the smile faded when she checked her wrist watch. "Oh! Dear, it's time for us to leave. Sakura needs to be up by sunrise tomorrow!"
Kizashi glanced at his wife and nodded. He exchanged a firm handshake between himself and Hiashi.
"Thanks." Kizashi said. "I'll try and get into better shape and then we can really brawl!"
"Indeed." Hiashi said, the corners of his mouth quirking up.
As they were shaking hands Mebuki smirked at Tsume. "I almost forgot!"
Before Tsume could even say 'what?' Mebuki was kissing her full on the mouth. Tsume's eyes bugged out and Kizashi just rolled his own.
"Thanks for the chakra, but you can have some back!" Mebuki said playfully before leaving happily with her daughter. Tsume was dumbstruck for a few seconds before she regained her senses.
"You bitch!" Tsume roared, trying to chase after her, but her old teammate held the woman back.
"Let them go." Shibi said. "What she did was no different culturally than for me to remove insects from your dogs. It was a courtesy thing."
"Yeah! One she didn't earn!" Tsume spat, wiping her mouth. "When I see that bitch next…"
Shibi let Tsume go as she fumed, gathering up her children. Said children were partly mortified and totally embarrassed.
Shino had been overlooked the entire time, and was rather put out about it, so Shibi clapped his shoulder softly. Shino blushed faintly, and the two shared a brief moment in silence before Shibi turned to Hiashi.
"What do you think?" Shibi asked. Hiashi shook his head.
"If I can learn and acclimate to your culture old friend than I can learn theirs." Hiashi said. "Their techniques are something else though."
"Agreed. We saw that all three can fight, but have different abilities and levels of skill." Shibi said. "If they grow and become a true clan then they would become… formidable."
"Hmm… I think I know how to beat them, however." Hiashi said as Shibi slightly quirked an eyebrow. "They still rely on the Gentle Fist as the basis of their Taijutsu, but without the Byakugan they would be weak to being ambushed. As they cannot see all around themselves. Also their Red style jutsu would be susceptible to the Gentle fist as well, if one was willing to sacrifice some chakra to dissipate their strongest defense for a crippling follow up blow."
"Or use a higher level of absorption to negate their own... So… ambush them with higher numbers then." Shibi simplified. "That's assuming they do not use that Red One technique. If they do that than…"
"I personally just compare it to the Uchiha's Susanoo of old. Probably something an ancestor could do, but not something that all can." Hiashi said, staring out into the night. The crisp night air of spring allowing for a puff of steam from their breaths. "I don't know what the trigger for using such a jutsu would be… but all I can say is that I would rather not fight against a Red Shell and Red Feather combo anytime soon…"
Shibi actually shivered. He saw how fast Kizashi had to have been moving in order to intercept Tsume. Combine that with his wife's Shell, add chakra absorption, Hiashi's rotation, and whatever the hell the others could do? No thank you…
"Good thing they are out of shape and a small clan…" Shibi said. Hiashi nodded in agreement.
"A good thing in deed." Hiashi said.
Sakura walked hand in hand with her parents down the semi dark streets of Konoha.
"I think that went well." Mebuki said smugly.
"I still can't believe you kissed Kiba's mom…" Sakura muttered. Mebuki giggled.
"Had to get back at her somehow." Mebuki said. "Stealing my business is worth some embarrassment."
"But now…!" Kizashi said, moving ahead of them, and turning to face them. "We can find a different source of income! No more hunting! No more having to have random people around the house! No more finding drunks! We can be free!"
"How's it different?" Sakura said looking down. "Now everyone knows we are freaks…"
Kizashi rubbed her shoulders excitedly. "We are not freaks! We are just like everyone else! I mean, Mr. Aburame is still a well respected member of the community, and he has bugs inside him!"
"But Daddy!" Sakura said looking at her father red eyes blazing. "I get bullied because my eyes look different! What do you think people will think when I tell them 'Oh! You can breathe fire occasionally? That's nice. I suck people's souls from their body and then make overpowered chakra constructs to kill people!'"
Kizashi looked a little lost. "Then what do you want? I mean…baby we gotta eat somehow…"
"I don't know!" Sakura said, upset at having her argument turned around. "I was fighting Hinata and I was- I gave her back the chakra and- everyone thinks I'm a freak now!"
Mebuki stepped up to her panicking daughter. "I get it… I used to think that way too… but then… I met someone who loved me. Really loved me. He wasn't afraid of me and thought I was spectacular! I also found out that kissing was super fun…"
Sakura was tearing up in frustration. Didn't they understand? "But what if-"
"Honey, I know this is kind of scary, we are scary! But honey, You are amazing!" her father said trying to comfort her. "You! You are amazing! Like you said! You are a nice young girl, with a great smile, and can suck their souls out, and make overpowered chakra constructs to kill people! What's not to like? You are among ninja! You don't need normal!"
"Yeah! You kicked that little Hyuuga girl's butt! Shino and Kiba seemed to like it!" Mebuki chimed in. "See baby! Boy's like scary girls! Little bit of danger to get the blood pumping!"
"Mom!" Sakura whined. "I'm trying to- I am trying to have an extratextual crisis!"
Kizashi laughed heartily. "Yup! Live it and love it!"
"Oh! I can't wait until you get a boyfriend so I can tease you both!" Mebuki said. "Make sure he has enough chakra to share with Mommy…"
"Mom!" Sakura said red faced and mortified.
"Hmm… still gonna have to make sure he isn't afraid of Daddy… ain't no coward going to marry my daughter." Kizashi said red and black eyes gleaming.
"Daddy!" Sakura squeaked. "Will you guys stop picking on me!"
"Sorry baby!" Mebuki said rubbing her shoulders again. "We just needed to cheer you up… You are a good person and I know our lifestyle isn't all that… noble… but neither is being a ninja! I mean they still lie cheat and steal like the rest of us!"
"But they weren't born to do it!" Kizashi and Mebuki stopped and listened to their daughter. "I am a demon in human skin... I was born a liar and a manipulator… B-but I… I want to be a hero…"
Sakura whispered the last part. "I want to be a hero who rescues people, who people can look up to… I… I just… not… I'm a parasite… I can't…"
"Hey…" Kizashi said wrapping his arm around her shoulder. "Have I ever told you the story about your grandfather?"
Sakura nodded glumly. "About a million times."
"Well, your grandfather…" Kizashi said. "Was a total psychopath… Completely and totally insane monster… Even he was a hero… He fought an army by using his bloodline to save his family… but, what I didn't know until recently, was that he saved another person that night. You remember that guy that came over? Your sensei, Kakashi? Well he saved the princess of the whole Land of Snow that night. And he was only able to do it because all the evil Daimyo's men were busy dealing with the complete and absolute monster that was your grandfather.
"All I am saying Sakura is that you have been given a great power. A power that in the right hands can be a force for good or for evil. But you and only you, decide what you do with that power." Kizashi said. "Nobody can decide what to do with that power except you. So if you are going to be a hero be the absolute best hero. If you are going to be a monster be the best monster. It doesn't matter what you were born as. What matters is what you do with it."
Sakura sniffed. "Thanks dad…"
"So..." Mebuki smirked. "I still have some of Tsume's chakra… who's hungry?"
"Mom!"
The next morning Sakura had everything packed. Her eyes blinked black and red. She was going to kick some butt.
A/N: So… you probably have some questions… Let's try to answer some pre-emptively.
I totally ripped off the series Tokyo ghoul:
I admit it. It works a lot differently but same concept and same design. Have any questions about stuff? A Tokyo Ghoul wiki search will answer most of them but for any clarifications just PM me or leave your question in a review.
For those of you who have read the original I am just going to start off basically where I left off. My goal with this rewrite is not to stress about a ton of stuff but just let the story explain stuff. I want to have fun moments mixed with the sad. This chapter was supposed to get people up to speed and help my readers understand what Sakura can do and what she can do in the future. If I can point at Tokyo Ghoul and say 'It's like that one' than that works for me.
Leave a Review if you love me!