Into The Future
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Chapter Two
What's Going On?
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Nidaime paced around his office later on that night, waiting for Dalzen to show up. Where's Dalzen? he wondered. Dalzen is never late.
The man looked out the window at the village. The sun was setting, and it's orange rays caused everything to have an orange tint to them. Soon, the sun was hidden behind rain clouds. Not too soon after the sky was cloudy enough to start raining, the wind kicked up and started thundering. The Second hoped Dalzen wasn't severely injured or caught in a nasty battle. I hope you're alright, Mr. Morino.
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"I hope you don't mind the couch," Taylor told Dalzen before heading to bed. She had just come back from searching for an extra pillow and an extra blanket, and it took her a few moments to bring him a blanket and a pillow. "We don't have an extra room, unfortunately."
"I'll be fine," he told her. "I've slept on worse. Not saying this is bad though."
"Yeah..." Taylor looked down. I just want you to be as comfortable as possible, she wanted to say.
She handed Dalzen the pillow and blanket and smiled.
"Thank you, Taylor," he thanked her, draping the blanket over his shoulders quickly. "I'm grateful you guys are letting me stay here."
"It's nothing," Taylor smiled. "We're glad to help."
Dalzen let slip a quick smile and he sat the pillow down where he was going to lay his head and looked at Taylor.
"Sleep well, Dalzen," she grinned.
"Thank you, Taylor."
She bowed and headed into her room. Dalzen laid down on his back and stared blankly at the ceiling. Taylor turned off the hallway light and closed her door.
Dalzen was left alone. Alone to think. He wasn't all that tired yet, so he thought. He thought about his timeline. What was the mission Nidai was planning to send him on? How important was it? Were Sakumo and Keiko okay? What about his wife and kids?
He put his hands on his face. They're okay. He hasn't been gone that long yet. Well, he's been away from home for a few years. Occasionally, he'd get a letter from his wife and his kids and he'd try to write back as soon as possible.
He sighed. Go to sleep, he told himself. Go to sleep, stop worrying.
Dalzen closed his eyes and dozed off.
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Taylor tossed and turned in bed. As usual, she wasn't having any luck sleeping. That day, two and a half years ago when she nearly died, continued to haunt her. She still hasn't told Kakashi or Sakumo about it because she didn't like to tell people her problems. Although, they weren't just any people. They were her family, so you would think she would tell them, right? No. As much as she wanted to tell them, she just couldn't bring herself to tell them. She was just...scared. Every time she would think about telling Kakashi, she would look at him and remember the twenty-fifth rule of shinobi conduct, and then she would back away nervously and forget about it. "Forget it," she would tell Kakashi. "I'm fine." And with reluctance, the father would back off although he really shouldn't have. Sometimes, Kakashi regrets not pushing her to tell him, even if she thinks it's stupid.
For the past two and a half years, she's been fighting a slight depression and whether she admits it or not, she's got anxiety. She's even had a few panic attacks and every time she did, Sakumo or Kakashi tried to keep her calm, or bring her back to a calm state. Well, if Taylor didn't try to suppress her emotions maybe she wouldn't be so depressed and anxious... But maybe it's not all that easy to not suppress her emotions, she was a shinobi after all.
Kakashi had a feeling as to what's causing her panic attacks, but he couldn't be sure until Taylor told him.
She wants to, very badly. But she doesn't know how to tell. She needs to though. Literally, Taylor was losing sleep over it. Every night, she worried it would happen again, and she would never make it back this time.
Taylor didn't want it to happen. As much as she missed Coushander, Dalzen and Saru, she couldn't bear the thought of it happening again.
She sat up in her bed and sighed, scratching her head. I wish I wasn't so anxious, she thought. I can't sleep!
Sighing again, she turned her light back on and pulled out a book to read herself to sleep.
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Dalzen, Sakumo and Kakashi were all woken up by the sound of Taylor crying out in fear. Looks like she did manage to fall asleep.
Dalzen's eyes flew open. What the hell was that? he wondered. Quickly, he sat up and after a few moments of thinking about the voice, he stood up. Sounded like Taylor. I should see if she's okay because she actually sounded scared.
He headed down the hall and when he got there, he stood outside the door.
"Taylor?" he whispered.
No response. Without thinking, he cautiously opened the door and walked in, only to be greeted by Taylor attempting to attack him with her katana. Lucky for Dalzen, she doesn't sleep half-naked. She sleeps in her day clothes (unless they were too dirty, in which case she changed into another shirt).
Dalzen was able to stop her. He appeared behind Taylor — like a ghost — and grabbed her hands, putting one behind her back and the other hand with the katana he had the katana pointing at her head. He grunted, slightly annoyed that he almost got himself hurt. He should've waited for Kakashi and Sakumo, let them nearly get hurt by the youngest Hatake.
"Wake up, Taylor. It's just me, Dalzen," he whispered in her ear. Maybe that'd wake her.
She opened her eyes, looking startled. It took her a moment to realize that she was awake, and that Dalzen was behind her. He clenched her hands, making sure she couldn't escape and try to hurt him again. He had no idea that she opened her eyes.
"Huh?"
"You okay, Taylor?" Dalzen asked her.
Taylor did not respond. She was still trying to figure out why Dalzen was behind her, pointing her katana at the back of her head and holding her other hand behind her back.
"D-Dalzen? Wh-What are you doing?" she wondered.
"I could ask you the same..." he grumbled.
Finally, Sakumo got to her room and Kakashi just after his father arrived at the room.
"Taylor, are you okay?" Sakumo asked, then noticing Dalzen. "Dalzen?"
"She came at me with her katana," Dalzen explained.
"Oh I did...?" she sighed. "Shit."
Taylor let go of the black katana and let it clatter on the floor.
"I'm fine," she stuttered. "Just...a bad dream..."
"That looked like it was more than a bad dream," Dalzen grumbled.
Taylor yanked her hands out of Dalzen's tight grip.
"I'm fine," she repeated, looking at them. "I'm sorry I woke you guys."
"Taylor," Kakashi started. "Are you sure?"
Taylor nodded, picking the katana up.
"I'm fine, Dad." She looked at them with concern, "Please guys, go back to sleep. I'm being...me..."
Kakashi sighed heavily.
"Alright..."
Taylor stood up on her toes and gave Kakashi and Sakumo a kiss on their cheek.
"I'm okay," she assured. Just a little damaged on the inside, though, she wanted to add.
Kakashi kissed her back and he left with Sakumo. Dalzen stayed, though.
"I hope you don't do that to me every time I do this," he teased her.
"Dammit, I thought you were an intruder," she grumbled.
"It's okay," Dalzen told her. "I am used to being ambushed."
Taylor looked down.
"Please go back to bed," she told him.
"Of course."
Dalzen left and Taylor closed the door behind him. Sighing, she sat down on her bed and held the katana in her hands. That katana was Coushander's and as she looked at it, she could hear him begging her to tell them that no, she's not okay, and then tell them what's going on. I want to, Coushander, but I can't bring myself to tell them, she thought. Shit, Dalzen might end up pushing me to speak. All he had to do was just press her, much more than what Kakashi and Sakumo were doing. Sighing, she laid it down on the floor beside her bed and laid on her bed.
Dalzen looked at Sakumo and Kakashi.
"What was that all about?" he wondered as they walked towards the kitchen.
"We forgot to mention...she has night terrors," Sakumo explained. "She wakes up screaming late at night. Her screaming can be heard throughout the entire house."
"But we don't know what the night terrors are about, we just know she's being scared," Kakashi added. "And I know she knows what they're about, but she won't tell us."
"Why? I know she trusts you two," Dalzen wondered.
"She trusts us, but whatever is happening in her dreams, she's too scared to tell us," Sakumo said. "...And I might know why... Kakashi!"
Kakashi looked at Sakumo.
"I don't enforce the laws of being a shinobi at home."
"Yeah, but she thinks you do so she doesn't want to show weakness like fear. Although she's willing to do a lot of crying in front of us..." Sakumo sighed heavily. "But, whatever it is that has been giving her nightmares, it's been affecting her since that predicament."
"It's been affecting her mentally and emotionally," Kakashi added. "She's been having mental breakdowns and we have no idea how to fix it, but we need to figure out how before she has one in front of her teammates or in a battle."
Sakumo sighed.
"I wish she'd tell us so we can help her..."
Everyone fell silent for a few moments, then Dalzen thought of something.
"It started two and a half years ago?" he inquired, looking up at the Hatake men.
"Yeah. About a week after she got back too...What a way to start the new year..."
"Well, would it be plausible if it was that whole situation that's been haunting her?" Dalzen proposed his idea.
"That's our theory, but we can't be sure until Taylor actually tells us," Kakashi admitted.
Sakumo sighed again.
"But, we don't want her to know that we've noticed her behavior," he said. "She really won't be will to tell us at all if we press her."
Dalzen nodded.
"Oh, well that makes sense...She's stubborn. Kinda like someone's father I know..." he teased Sakumo.
"Oh we all know that he's stubborn," Sakumo grumbled. "I think that's okay though, with the shit he went through I don't blame him for being more stubborn..."
Kakashi sighed and sat down at the table.
Dalzen sat back down on the couch and looked out the window and saw it was raining. He couldn't help but think about when he and Taylor met. He was walking Coushander home and out of the blue, they heard a girl say, "Grandpa". She mistook Coushander for Sakumo, and now that he knew the older Sakumo, he knew why.
When they told her she had the wrong man, she continued past them and headed straight for the elder's house. Both men were confused, but they followed her. She crossed into the elder's land and got to the porch, where she passed out from a lack of blood. Dalzen and Coushander had to take her inside, even though Coushander didn't want anything to do with her, and they had her fixed up by Kano. The next morning, she woke up and as he tried to stop her from running out, she beat on him until he let her go and that was her chance to run, which she most definitely took. Now looking back upon that, it amused Dalzen that he let a little girl beat the hell out of him like that. All it took were three strong punches to the gut and he let go.
As soon as she got him to let her go, he knew that was the force of a shinobi and that girl was a shinobi. When he and Kano convinced Coushander to let her stay with him, Dalzen would take her out of his hair for a few hours.
In all that time Dalzen was with Taylor, not once did it seem like she was scared, other than that first day but that was beside the point. She was in a room full of strangers, no wonder she was scared! Especially when she saw Dalzen himself. She was slightly frightened by him at first, but warmed up quickly because he seemed much nicer than what his looks said.
A loud crash of thunder snapped Dalzen out of his thoughts.
"Man, no more crazy nor'easters!" Sakumo groaned, watching the wheat.
"Yeah really. I'm surprised the wheat has held up as well as it has," Kakashi remarked.
"So, you took over the Hatake business?" Dalzen asked, looking out the window.
Sakumo looked over his shoulder.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, you grow and sell wheat like your otousan?"
"Yeah...I thought it was the least I could do for my old man. Besides, I like the smell of wheat at dawn and dusk," Sakumo responded. "I like doing it."
"Bet your old man would love to know that," Dalzen told Sakumo.
"I'm sure he would, Sensei," Sakumo smiled. "So, Dalzen, what do you want to drink? We've got water, tea, and heck, I've got soda if you're interested."
"I'll pass on the soda, Sakumo," Dalzen told him.
"I figured as much but I thought I'd offer anyway. Actually, that's probably wise that you pass on soda...I think that's Taylor's stuff..." Sakumo realized at the end.
"Thank you, though. But I don't care what you bring me as long as it's not soda," Dalzen told Sakumo.
Sakumo chuckled.
"Ah, well you're stuck with tea then," he grinned.
"That's fine, Sakumo."
He watched Sakumo stumble over to the fridge. It was odd seeing Sakumo so much older. His grey eyes were much lighter than what Dalzen remembers and his hair was as long as Taylor's. He was very tall, nearly Dalzen's height minus four inches. He had subtle lines around his mouth and there were lines under his eyes. His hair was still as full and fluffy as what Dalzen knows from the younger Sakumo and it was still grey, but in the light sometimes he could make out white strands of hair. So, since most Hatake are born with grey hair, that must mean when they get older their hair goes white. But what if they are like Saru and have white hair? Do they go grey? That would be something to see...
Despite Sakumo's older appearance, looking nearly like his father, he seemed so much younger than he appeared. It was like he was a 40-year-old trapped in a 56-year-old's body.
In a way, it was true. Sakumo died many years ago, yet one day...before his granddaughter was born — about three days (even though Taylor was originally supposed to be born a week later, but she wasn't thankfully) — he was brought back to life. (Coincidence? I think not!) Whatever or whoever did it, no one knew, but all Sakumo knew was that he was glad he was revived because without him, Kakashi wouldn't know what to do with Taylor. Sakumo was once a father, and Kakashi would've needed his guidance.
Dalzen remembered Sakumo telling him that. It was odd to know that, but it left Dalzen curious to know how Sakumo was revived but if Sakumo and Kakashi haven't learned how it happened in the past 16 years, then there was no way Dalzen would find out himself.
Sakumo came in and handed Dalzen a cup of tea, "Here you go," he smiled.
Dalzen inclined his head respectfully, "Thank you, Sakumo."
"You're very welcome, Dalzen," Sakumo smiled.
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Taylor finally crawled back out of bed around eleven that morning. She really wasn't feeling well, though, but she came out of her room to eat lunch because she was hungry anyway. Sakumo saw her and could tell she wasn't feeling well.
"You okay?" Sakumo asked her as he cooked.
She leaned against the fridge and shrugged.
"I got out of bed didn't I?"
"In other words, you're not feeling well."
"I think it's my allergies," Taylor admitted. "It's just my sinuses, my head and my throat."
"Go take your medicine then."
"I don't have any left. Daiichi accidentally threw away the bottle thinking that it was empty."
"Are you kidding me? That was a new bottle!"
"Sorry...I didn't notice until half-way home when we got to the forest."
Sakumo groaned.
"Damn kids..." he grumbled.
Dalzen looked at them.
"If you want, I can walk her down to the village to get another thing of allergy meds," he offered.
Sakumo glanced at his sensei.
"Are you sure?" he asked. "I don't want you to feel like you have to. I mean, Taylor is 16, she should be able to go by herself."
He looked at the girl. Taylor's arms were behind her back as she shyly glanced at him. He couldn't tell whether or not she wanted company, but Dalzen felt that she did.
"Yeah, I'm sure," Dalzen nodded. "Besides...I can get to know the future Konoha in the process."
"Alright..." Sakumo looked at Taylor. "Taylor, are you okay with Dalzen escorting you?"
She shrugged.
"Yeah. That's fine."
Dalzen stood up.
"Go get what you need from my wallet, okay?" Sakumo told Taylor.
"Yes Grandpa."
Taylor left to go search for Sakumo's wallet and Dalzen glanced at him.
"Are you okay?"
"No, I'm pretty stressed," Sakumo admitted. "Not knowing what's wrong with Taylor is driving me nuts."
He looked down.
"I might say it a lot, but I do wish she'd tell us what's wrong with her," he told his sensei.
"I understand," Dalzen said with a sigh. "I would probably feel the same way if one of my kids was behaving like Taylor — the night terrors and the mental breakdowns — and not tell me what was wrong. I guess I'd be a bit worried too."
Taylor returned with enough yen to buy allergy meds.
"C'mon Dalzen...if you want to still come," Taylor said in her very quiet voice.
Dalzen walked over to her and they both slipped their sandals on.
"We'll be back," Taylor told Sakumo.
"Alright. Thanks Dalzen," Sakumo smiled.
"It's nothing, Sakumo."
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Eleven-year-old Sakumo ate his bento box at lunch with Keiko, his teammate, and Murasaki, the girl watching over the two.
"Hey Murasaki, shouldn't Sensei be back by now?" he asked.
Murasaki glanced up.
"It's a special mission from intel, Sakumo," she said. "He might not be back for a few weeks."
Sakumo looked down.
"Oh...right...a special mission." he stuck a bit of rice in his mouth. "Sorry..."
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Nidai went to the intelligence ward and asked if anyone had seen or heard from Dalzen. He got pretty much the same answers.
"Sorry sir, Dalzen hasn't been here in like, forever!"
"Nope, no sign of the Morino!"
"Geez, I haven't thought about him in a while..."
Then came the Uchiha's answers...
"Oh! Morino is missing? Good for him..."
Nidai had to take that as a definite no. But something told him the Uchiha knew something he didn't. But, the second Hokage didn't press them. He wasn't sure if they knew something or not, They probably didn't. Dalzen tended to stay away from the Uchiha anyway.
He sighed. Maybe Dalzen will show up soon. Nidaime could only hope.
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Dalzen and Taylor walked in silence. Together, they went into the store when they got there and Taylor looked around till she found the allergy medicines, which she grabbed a bottle of one and payed for it. Then, they headed back out. It wasn't five minutes before Taylor caught sight of Kiiro's Arts and Crafts store and remembered she needed something.
"Dalzen, do you mind if I go into the art store over there for a moment? I need more bristol board."
"I have no idea what that means, but I guess so," he nodded.
"Great!' Taylor led him into the store and she went looking for her stuff. Dalzen knew this store was something else before it became the art store, but he had no clue what was there before. He glanced around. He hadn't the foggiest about art, all he knew was Taylor was great at it. Dalzen stood there stupidly, wondering if he should follow Taylor or just stay there. He chose the latter. Then, he heard a voice.
"Need help looking for something?"
Dalzen turned around and saw a woman with greying, brown hair and emerald eyes. She wore a violet, low-collar blouse with fish-net underneath. The woman smiled at him.
"Ah...no... I-I don't need help... I'm just here with..." he thought for a moment and chose what he was going to call her. To hell with it, he's her uncle whether he realizes it or not. Not biological of course... "...With my niece. She needed something so I brought her here."
The woman kept the smile on her face.
"Oh, I see."
Taylor bounded over to them with two bristol board sketchbooks.
"Afternoon, Kiiro-San," Taylor ginned.
"Ah! Good afternoon, Taylor. Got what you need?" the woman looked at Taylor.
"Yeah," she pulled out her wallet and pulled out the money to pay for the sketchbooks.
"2000 yen for 2 22.9 x 30.5cm sketchbooks?"
"Yes ma'am."
"Right."
She handed the 2000 yen over to Kiiro and grinned.
"Thank you Miss Taylor," Kiiro smiled.
"Are you ready now?" Dalzen asked Taylor.
"Yes, Dalzen," Taylor nodded.
Kiiro looked at Dalzen.
"Oh? Is this your niece?"
"Not technically..."
"I just say you're a friend," Taylor shrugged. "But family works just as well."
"Oh, I see. Wonder why I haven't seen him before..."
You don't need to tell EVERYONE, Dalzen thought bitterly, holding his head in the palm of his head. Embarrassed? Perhaps a little. He was the last person anyone would have thought that would get into this type of situation. It was a little embarrassing to hear that he got caught in this...predicament.
"Because...he isn't from this time," Taylor explained. "He taught my grandfather, to give you an idea of what time he's from."
"I see." She looked at Dalzen. "I'm Kiiro, I'm the art store owner."
"Dalzen Morino," Dalzen said his name for the umpteenth time in 24 hours. Man, he's said and heard his name so many times in the last 24 hours, he really would be unlikely to forget his own name. Well, as if he could forget his name.
"Pleased to meet you," Kiiro smiled.
"Likewise," Dalzen returned the smile quickly.
"So, I guess this is another time incident?" Kiiro asked.
"Yeah, but we don't know who did it, exactly," Dalzen said.
"Oh, how I love a good mystery..." Kiiro mused about her collection of mystery novels. "Too bad Tsunade burned the scrolls with the time jutsu, at least the ones in the village."
"Yeah..."
Kiiro thought for a moment.
"Have you guys started sending the other Kage messages, asking who might have a scroll with a similar jutsu?" Kiiro wondered.
"You know, that never even crossed our minds," Taylor realized.
"Good idea," Dalzen agreed, looking at Taylor. "Think we should do that?"
"Yeah," she nodded. "Thank you Kiiro-san. We never even thought about that."
"It's no problem Miss Taylor," Kiiro smiled.
Taylor hugged her and she returned the hug.
"Hey, you need to show me what you've been doing," Kiiro suggested.
"Okay, I'll bring my binder over in the next week or two," Taylor promised.
"Great," Kiiro smiled. "I'll see y'all later then."
"See ya!" Taylor smiled, bowing and leaving. Dalzen did the same and followed Taylor out.
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By the time they got home, lunch was done. Taylor walked inside and took her allergy medicine with a cold glass of water and she sighed heavily.
"Man, my allergies are really killin' me!" she grumbled. "I can't breathe from my nose right now."
"Aw," Sakumo chuckled. "Should'a told them to stay out of your stuff."
"But that's the thing! I did tell them," Taylor exclaimed. "After I woke up from being unconscious, of course. Did I mention I sprained my ankle and was knocked out?"
"Wow, they suck at listening then. And no, you didn't. That would explain the bad limp you have right now."
"Yeah, they do. And yeah...hurts like hell to walk but I don't care."
"Well then, if you really don't care...will you get the dishes out and go get your father from his room please?'
"Of course, Grandpa."
Taylor pulled out dishes for them to eat from and chopsticks/spoons, then went to her father's room and knocked on his door.
"Dad?"
"Yeah?"
"Lunch."
"Okay, thank you sweetheart."
"No problem, Daddy."
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