Second Destiny
A novel by:
A.R. Fredrick
Based on the characters in Naruto,
created by: Masashi Kishimoto
Archive: With Permission Only
Chapter Rating: PG
Disclaimer:"If I owned Naruto, I'd buy a Ramen Stand."
Update Schedule:Next Chapter Due 9/09/09.
Chapter Six: Idiot no Jutsu!
Seven Years Before the Kyuubi Attack.
Though her eyes burned with longing for sleep and their lids were heavy, Kushina could not quell the chaos of her own mind and allow herself to succumb to the slumber which eluded her. She tried to unwind, and let go of all of her pent-up energy, but it seemed like the more she tried to relax, the more agitated she became.
She was alone in one of the sparsely furnished rooms of the Ninja barracks that the Hokage had afforded her, and while it was certainly more cozy than some dank and vile cell in an ANBU dungeon, it was still unsettling in its own right, mostly due to the uniformity and impersonal nature of the room. There was a bureau which served as storage for the bedding she was now using as well as a place to stow her gear, a small table, and a largely functional but drab tatami mat which dominated the floor, and hid slate gray tiles underneath. No color, no flare, no personality. The futon on which she rested was a drab green and came with a matching blanket and pillow, though she usually tended to like green, the shade reminded of half decomposed banana leaves, and she could not stand looking at it.
The only thing the entire room had going for it was the view, Kushina had taken time to appreciate it when she had opened the large bay window, hoping that a cool breeze would sweep the stifling heat from the room. She was able to see the sun-dappled peaks of the Hokage Monument, as well as the rest of the village, which was sweltering to a degree, due to the unseasonable heat.
Then she laid on hideous futon, with the pillow under her head and her bare feet propped up on the folded blanket, with the hope that the melody of a distant wind chime would lull her to sleep...
But here she was, still tossing and turning like a rowdy infant, unable to sleep in spite of everything.. It wasn't enough that she had been running for days, it wasn't enough that she STILL hadn't had the benefit of a bath or a hot meal, it wasn't enough that her feet were killing her and her ankles were chafed from her Kunoichi sandals, and it certainly wasn't enough that she had actually completed her mission and deserved a damn respite. In the end, all of this wasn't enough to get her brain to actually shut off for awhile! What else did she need to do, for Kami's sake, climb a mountain? It wasn't that she couldn't, she still felt twitchy from the chemical enhancements she had ingested, it was just that she didn't feel like overdoing it this time. She wanted to rest, and be lazy for a little while.
"Damn Soldier Pills are more trouble than they're worth," she muttered to herself nonchalantly, then winced at the raspy croak of her voice, and wondered if she had started to go insane, what with talking to herself and all...
The redheaded woman let out a frustrated sigh and readjusted her sleeping attire, as the loosely fitting slumber robe had become twisted due to her incessant thrashing, once the garment was in order, she turned onto her side, to lay facing the window.
A faint breeze had found its way through the window and cooled the room slightly, however it did nothing to sate Kushina's building temper...
She had come to the conclusion that her restlessness had to be a result of the mission which she had just completed.
After the interrogation and Truth Seal she had been forced to endure at the hands of Morino Yuudai, as well as her meeting with the Hokage, she had been offered accommodations and led to the barracks without further delay. It ticked her off that they were privy to the information that she had carried and risked her life to deliver, while she was still clueless as to the subject matter of the clandestine factoids. She HATED not knowing, that was at the core of what was bothering her, and now that she had stumbled upon the epiphany, it no longer chewed at her psyche. She was determined to uncover the details that the scroll she had turned over to the Hokage had contained, as soon as she had a nap, a bath, and a bite to eat.
"Cause all work and no play makes Kushina a sleepy girl," the redhead murmured to herself through a yawn.
As she closed her eyes to the world, she smiled with satisfaction. The sunset was nearly complete, stars dusted the new night sky with zeal, as if trying to compel the moon to make a hastier appearance, and the sweltering heat that baked the earth had abated, which allowed the redhead to drift into a much deserved slumber.
The Hokage Monument stood as a tribute to each Ninja who had taken up the mantle of protector and leader of Konohagakure no sato. The likeness of each Hokage had been carved in stone atop the mountain that the village proper was situated around, the faces were a reminder to the citizens of Konoha, that without the bravery and sacrifice of each individual that adorned the mountain, the village would not exist today. It was a testament to the greatest hero's that the village had ever seen, and was meant to be honored and respected.
Though sometimes honor and respect were overlooked by some of the more mischievous residents of the village, as was the case on this day. For the past two hours Mitarashi Anko, and Umino Iruka had scuttled about the monument, tossing water balloons from one concealed position or another, in hopes of drenching an unsuspecting member of the populace below. They had to be careful, and move covertly, never throwing more than one balloon from each spot, lest some of their victims became wiser to their antics, and realized where the liquid projectiles had originated from.
The sun had nearly set for the day, leaving little more than a smudge of waning orange light on the horizon, and stars were visible in the budding night sky. The moon had yet to make an appearance, but it could be reasoned that from their vantage point, they were not really afforded a view of the celestial lunar body.
"I did it! Yatta!" Anko cried in glee.
Behind her, Umino Iruka tried to stifle a groan that had built up within his chest. The adolescent duo of ne'er-do-wells were crouched within a tangle of bushes, that had sprouted up on the head of the Nidaime Hokage, purposely taking position there to launch their latest volley of balloons. Below the carved countenance of the former Fire Shadow rested the Market District, and the latest part of the village to fall victim to Anko's watery wrath.
"Umino-san? How many balloons do we have left?" Anko asked with a pitch of excitement still resounding in her voice.
She dared not glance back at the boy, as she had her eyes closed, and her right ear facing the approximate trajectory of the last attack she had launched, her brow was furrowed in concentration as she listened for any groans, moans, or other cries of protest. When she had first began throwing the balloons to the village below, there were sounds of embarrassment or anger every few moments, but now that the afternoon was behind them, targets were few any far between.
Anko surmised that it was her own fault that they had not been more successful, as she had failed to bring along a spyglass, or the means to propel the rubbery vessels further out into the void. Though, she had pegged at least a good twenty people thus far, and was feeling pretty satisfied with herself. She had tried to get Iruka interested in the endeavor, but had failed miserably, as all he was interested in was returning home, and waiting for Anko to fulfill her part of the bargain.
For his sake, she hoped that he didn't hold his breath, because he'd get blue in the face while waiting, she wasn't going to be able to produce a shuriken anytime soon. Anyways, it bummed her out that he had not taken a more active role in their escapade, and had settled for merely supplying Anko with the balloons, other than that he had hardly said anything, he hadn't even replied to her earlier question.
"Iruka? What he heck? How many balloons do we have left?" She asked for the second time, with her voice escaped her mouth through clenched teeth, making it sound like an impatient hiss.
"Err. Sorry, sorry Anko-chan, lemme check, okay?" Iruka replied in a startled haste.
She could hear him rifling through the bag, as well as the soft jingle of the zipper pull-tabs as the pack shifted back and forth. Then there was a soft snap, a gurgling sound, and a muffled cry of surprise.
Anko opened her eyes, and turned to look at the youngest Umino, as he scampered to his feet, and began to prance around in the bushes, doing a haphazard little jig. His legs were flailing about with no discernible destination in mind, and his hands were busy trying to wring a copious amount of water from his now soggy tan shirt. He grunted and mumbled to himself in such a fashion, that made Anko wonder if the kid had gone nutso, either way she couldn't help but enjoy the spectacle he was making of himself.
What started as a small giggle, bloomed into side-splitting laughter, as she witnessed her younger companion step onto the backpack that he had strewn carelessly onto the ground in an effort to get dry, then become entangled in the shoulder straps. He tried to kick the bag deeper into the bramble of leafy branches that surrounded him, but failed horribly, and lost his balance. He butt landed square on a rock that he had been perched on several moments before, and the boy cried out in pain. Tears started to flow in silent lines down his red face, joining tears of a more jovial nature from a still laughing Anko.
"Oh boy, oh man, oh momma, that's classic Iruka-san," Anko muttered between giggles.
"It's not funny Anko!" He cried indignantly.
"Sure it is, you just have a hard time laughing, because you're the butt of the joke!" Anko told him, while pausing for a heartbeat for her statement to sink in. "You get it, don'tcha? Butt of the joke?"
A fresh gale of laughter assaulted her as she finished relaying her quip to him, but the humor fell on deaf ears, and the boy grabbed at the backpack that he had become entangled in, removing his sandals, to allow his feet to slip free of the straps more easily. Finally free of the wretched pack, he threw it past Anko, and got to his feet as it came to rest behind her.
"Mitarashi Anko, you're a total jerk!" Umino Iruka proclaimed.
The younger boy crossed his arms, and turned to leave along the same path that had brought them to this place. Meanwhile, Anko had gained a reasonable semblance of control over her emotions, and opened her teary eyes to watch as the boy started to leave.
"Iruka-san! Wait! Please wait!" She called after him.
In his haste to leave his companion behind, he had yet to put his sandals back on, as a result of which they were each clenched in one of the hands of his still crossed arms, and jutted out from between his armpits like a set of foamy yellow wings. He stopped bead in his tracks as she called after him, and turned his head back to look at her.
"What?" Iruka asked with a sniffled whine.
"I know you're going to be a great Shinobi and all, so I was wondering if you'd help me?" Anko asked him, with a hint of awe in her voice.
"Really Anko-chan?" He asked in disbelief.
"Really! Cross my heart!" Anko informed him, while she made the motions of a cross upon her chest.
Iruka turned to her with a smile, while the redness began to fade from his features. His arms were still crossed, and he seemed hesitant, almost afraid to take another step toward her.
"No foolin'....." She reiterated to the boy as genuinely as she could.
"Okay then, I guess, how can I help?" Iruka asked her with a raised eyebrow.
"Can you teach me what you just did there? What is it called, 'Idiot no Jutsu'?" Anko asked him, in the most serious tone she could muster.
It took several seconds for the true intent behind her request to register with the boy, as it was a dry sort of humor that kids several years older than her were accustomed to, but when he finally realized that she was mocking him yet again, he turned away from her, and stormed off wordlessly into the night.
"It was just a joke Iruka-san!" She yelled to him, expecting a response and getting none.
While Uzumaki Kushina was trying to cast aside the bonds of the earthly realm and escape to the Land of Nod, and Mitarashi Anko was imploring her partner in crime to divulge the secrets behind his 'Idiot no Jutsu', Hatake Sakumo had finished tackling a beast of a different nature, namely his wife, Hatake Kumiko.
After their initially terse meeting at the teahouse, Sakumo had taken the time to explain that his new mission had been given under rather dire circumstances, and he did not have the luxury of declining it, because if he were to even suggest such a thing both his reputation as a Shinobi and his honor as a man would be forever tarnished. Because he was forbidden from giving the exact details of the mission to his wife, as to not risk an information leak or rumors that spread like a wildfire, she had scoffed at his vague description of a periless mission regarding his immediate attention, and warned him that if he even attempted to pull such a stunt again when he returned, that she would personally see to it that he got intimately reacquainted with the Ninja Barracks "that houses the rest of Konoha's Elite Slackers," as she had so colorfully phrased it.
Sakumo had brushed her threat off as an idle one, told her to pass along his regards to Kakashi, managed to pilfer a kiss on the lips from her, and absconded from the premises before his wife had even had the chance to offer him refreshments, much to his chagrin. But he had a timetable to keep, as he had promised the Hokage that his team would leave before sunset, and the light from the aforementioned fiery star had already nearly dissipated from the horizon.
He transversed the tiled rooftops of the buildings that made up the Market District, hoping to make up for lost time by running as fast as his legs could carry him, he jumped from one edifice to another, moving closer to the Hokage Monument with each stride. Below him, he could hear the hustle and bustle of the village, but he paid the villagers no mind as they went about their daily tasks, he had a war to avert.
By now ANBU Messengers had surely delivered orders to each requested member of Sakumo's mission unit, and hopefully the lot of them were already awaiting his arrival at the departure point.
Though he wasn't usually the type to indulge in frivolous pre-mission thoughts, he hoped that upon the success of the mission they might be able to stop in a bustling merchant city, or trading post so that he might be able to procure a gift for his wife and son, and soothe the fires on the home front.
With that whimsical thought in mind, he sped off into the further spreading nightfall to his comrades that awaited him.
Young Mitarashi Anko had long since given up the fanciful fairy tales that still entertained her more childish peers. She no longer believed in river spirits, or wind spirits, or the possibility of visits from ghostly apparitions of her ancestors, which had long since passed.
But at heart she was still a child, even with her willingness to embrace the logical ideals and the rational mindset of the adults she had chosen to emulate, she could not suffocate the smoldering fires of her adolescent imagination.
From the heap of proverbs and fantastical tales of heroic Kami that she had long since cast aside as rubbish, clamored the ghastly ghouls and bogeymen that thrived in the dark, images of such creatures rose in her mind like a phoenix, reborn from the ashes of her deepest childhood fears.
It had started innocently in the beginning, she was still hidden among the bushes, sitting atop the gigantic stone head of the Shodai Hokage, which had been carved into the mountain side with the rest of the Hokage Monument. Umino Iruka had taken the path of a crybaby, and had run off as a result of her taunts and teasing, and the night had finally fallen in earnest. Rather then blame it on herself, she blamed the stars. She became so transfixed by the appearance of each pinpoint of light in the celestial tapestry of the sky, that it wasn't until the moon had made its presence known on the horizon, which was a muddy orange color; that she had heard footsteps traipsing up the path behind her.
She held her breath and listened as the sounds grew nearer. The rustling of leaves.... The sound of pebbles crunching underfoot, the wet plop of something landing in a muddy patch of earth that had been born after the untimely demise of one of her balloons... Though she would never admit it to anyone but herself, it was at that moment that she realized that the horrid creature which stalked the trail behind her could only be one thing.... A brain-scarfing zombie.... She was paralyzed with fear, until she heard the muttered declaration that carried on the wind....
"Crap..."
The moan came, and it was at that moment that Anko almost kicked herself for entertaining such juvenile fears, there was not a zombie behind her!
Of course not silly!
It was probably just some lost lover boy, on the way to meet his damsel in distress for some moonlit escapades.
Yuck!
If anything, Mitarashi Anko felt lucky, she had the chance to pull one more prank before the end of the night, and as she gathered up her soggy backpack and scampered to her feet, she felt her head swell with pride, at the thought of making some teenagers bathing in a hormonal onesen, freak out when she jumped out and scared them.
She could barely contain her laughter as she fell in step behind a dorky looking brown-haired guy with a Shamisen strapped to his back.
He's gonna try and woo her with music? Seriously!? Lame.
She moved as quickly as possible, silently as she was able to, staying a few yards behind the man at all times, deftly using the shadows and surrounding foliage for cover whenever possible.
She tailed the man for almost a quarter of a mile before anything happened, by then they had broken away from the standard paths that the Memorial Park and Hokage Monument similarly employed, and had started along a rough dirt track. The moon had risen to its perch high above the night sky, and afforded both Anko and Shamisen-san lunar light to better navigate the path, the latter of which was still oblivious of the former.
The brown-haired man came to an abrupt stop in a man-made clearing that was encircled by blackberry bushes. Mitarashi Anko was not one to give up so easily, and she trudged up closer to Shamisen-san, slinking along in the gloom, until she was a foot outside of the clearing, laying flat on her belly under a blackberry bush, while she quietly drank in mouthfuls of the soil rich air.
After her lungs had stopped burning, she realized that she could hear voices emanating from ahead of her and strained to listen in on the conversation.
"... Either way Miyazawa-san, your excuses won't fly, this mission is of the utmost importance to the survival of the village, and orders clearly specified that you were to supposed to meet up with the rest of the team before sunset."
The man, which Anko had yet to see, spoke curtly to the brown-haired lover boy that she had nicknamed Shamisen-san. Apparently the man was a Shamisen-wielding Shinobi named Miyazawa, but since Anko preferred her nickname over his family name, she continued to think of him as such.
"Yeah, well, sunset is a little vague in terms of setting a standardized meeting time, besides, there are only the two of us here, so I must not be so late, huh?" Shamisen-san said.
"Actually, you're the last one to arrive, because of that, I was left behind to guide you."
"Wow, that's so nice of you Nara-san, and after all I've heard about how lazy you are... You don't seem like the type at all.." Shamisen-san admitted.
"You're wrong Miyazawa-san. You're late, the last one to arrive and apparently need some training, I'm a Shadow Clone."
Author's End Notes: Anko is about to open a whole can of worms. Because of that, I can't wait to write the next chapter! In other news, you still have a chance to vote for your favorite pairing, so check out the poll on my profile. Anyone ever seen Reading Rainbow, with Levar Burton? Apparently, this show is being cancelled due to lack of funding, after 26 years on television. It sucks. If you were a fan of the show during your childhood, write them a letter or something. Finally, an interesting little tidbit, the entire rough draft of this chapter was written on my Blackberry, awesome, huh? Review Please!