Cloud Arc: Episode Two-Settling In

Been a month since I last updated this one. The good news is that we finally reached triple digits in the follow category. I need some more reviews though, 24 just doesn't seem right with a story that almost had one hundred favs.

But whatever, on to the story…

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Ei was immediately pinned in place when those emerald orbs locked on to his own. The amount of fear he felt at that moment…it was like the first time he saw the Eight-Tails. He felt so small, so insignificant at that moment. The mountain of a man began to hyperventilate, his heart rate soaring. His mind was flying through the pros and cons of the Flight or Fight instinct, when the monster spoke.

"Do you feel fear, Ei? Good. That means that you are smart enough to realize when you are in the presence of one far more powerful than you. If you ever insult my family like that again…" Shin'en's eyes bored into Ei's, "I don't need raw power in order to kill you…insect."

The son of the Raikage scowled, but there was still fear in his eye.

Shin'en turned to look at the Raikage, "Now that we have the pecking order out of the way, what now?"

"Now, Shin'en…we begin your training."

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August 23, 1006 After Sage (A.S.)

Training Ground 01

The Raikage's personal training ground is where we find Shin'en, Darui, Cee, Bee, and Yugito. Ay and Ei had to deal with political stuff.

The ground was ovular in shape, at least over a hundred meters in length and fifty in width. A few trees and boulders dotted the landscape. At the end of the ground was a large pool situated at the bottom of a trio of small, thin mountains. Honestly, they were more like spires of rock than actual mountains. Lining the field was a forest of dense, emerald trees.

"Here," said Darui, "Is where we will determine your chakra nature, work on your taijutsu, ninjutsu, kenjutsu, and other dull things."

Walking into the middle of the field, the Raikage's body guard gave Shin'en a piece of paper. "This is chakra paper. Channel your chakra into it and we'll be able to tell what affinities you have."

Shin'en looked at the paper held between his fingers, mentally calculating how much chakra control it would take to not blow this thing up in his face. With a shrug, he channeled his bare minimum into the paper.

It split in half, one side crinkled into a tiny ball, the other was soaked into nothingness.

Everyone but Shin'en's eyes widened. Three chakra natures!? And all three with equal prominence!? The only person capable of claiming such a feat were the Tsuchikages of the Hidden Stone.

"I take it that means that I have water, wind, and lightning chakra natures?"

Gaining his bearings once more, Darui nodded, "Even though it's dull, but yeah. Water makes the paper wet, fire burns it, lightning makes it crinkle up, wind cuts it, and earth makes it crumble into dust. Don't ask me how it works because I don't know."

"How many jutsu do you know for each element?" Shin'en asked neutrally.

"Between the four of us, quite a few," answered Yugito.

"And because of Ay's order, you're going to teach me all of them, aren't you?"

Cee narrowed his eyes, "Yes, because of Lord Raikage's order, we're going to teach you what we know. Show some respect, brat."

Shin'en looked at the blonde out of the corner of his eye, "Brat you say? Funny that you call me that…when you were there when I taught Ei a lesson in not pissing me off."

Cee paled even further and backed off, a shiver travelling down his spine.

"Hey now. There no need for hostilities. We're all here to explore Shin'en's possibilities," Bee rapped. Darui and Cee face-palmed, Shin'en stared at the Jinchuuriki, and Yugito slapped him upside the head. "Please refrain from trying to rap in front of our guest. We don't need you teaching him your bad habits." The demigod had read that cats had strong maternal instincts, apparently being the Jinchuuriki of the Monster Cat had some side effects.

Regardless, Shin'en felt nothing for her. He doubted he would ever feel anything but contempt for other people.

"Despite my partner's horrendous way of saying it, we're here to test the limits of your powers. We know you have water, wind, and lightning natures, as well as decent swordsmanship considering the Lightning Blades. Furthermore, we know you have water-manipulating powers, and that the weather is evidently influenced by your emotions," Yugito listed. "What else can you tell us about yourself?"

Time seemed to pause as the Champion of Susanoo began to think, 'They know much about me already. Damn that Raikage! So far, the only thing it seems they don't know about me is that I can liquefy my body. They also don't know I have every intention of destroying this place after I'm done with the Mist, but they don't need to know that.'

"I watched my family get murdered in front of me a few days ago and I have really vivid dreams about stuff. I also care very little about human life."

Yugito blinked. That was not what she expected. She honestly expected him say something about his favorite color, favorite food, hobby, pastime, or something. She would've been fine with him saying he still wet his bed.

But 'I care very little about human life' was just not right to hear from a six-year-old.

"Anyway…" Darui drawled, "Right now, we have no training regime set up, but we'll fix that tomorrow. As the Raikage ordered, you're to stay with Yugito for the next for years."

Internally, Shin'en's eyes narrowed, 'Pairing me with Yugito isn't out of convenience. They're hoping that her maternal instincts will get me to bond with her, either to use as leverage in the future, or to get me attached to the Village.'

The Black-Lightning wielder paused, trying to think of something to say…and came up with nothing. "This is dull," then he disappeared in a blur of speed.

"I'm with him," then Cee vanished too. That left a ridiculously grinning Bee, and small-smiling Yugito, and an irritated Shin'en left behind. "We walked all the way out here…for that?"

Yugito nodded her head, "Yep, and no charge of mine will be going around in blood-soaked clothes, so come on." She promptly grabbed Shin'en's arm and vanished with a Teleportation ninjutsu despite his protests.

Bee looked around at the empty training field, shrugged, and used his own Teleportation jutsu.

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When Yugito and Shin'en materialized in front of a clothing shop, the only thing that prevented the boy from cutting her hand off was the pedestrian mass swirling around them, and the shinobi that thought they were hidden. Making a scene was not a wise decision.

"Right then, let's go in."

The door opened with a jingle. Shin'en looked around, surveying the inventory, then he looked up, counting the number of bodies on the upper floors of the hollowed out mountain.

"Welcome! How can I help you today, Ms. Nii-oh," the female shopkeeper's greeting was cut off when she saw the state of Shin'en's clothes. "W-what? H-how? W-w-why? Ms. Nii…what happened to this boy?" the keeper was either maternal or just freaked out…probably both.

Yugito placed her hand on Shin'en's shoulder, avoiding the Lightning Fangs, "His clothes are why we're here. He's going to need a few sets of the best you got." When the keeper looked like she was about to ask something else, the Jinchuuriki gave her the look. "Y-yes ma'am," the poor girl squeaked. "Right this way please."

Yugito shook her head at the shopkeeper. Even when she was babysitting her year's prior, Kiyomi always was too inquisitive.

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Shin'en determined that this girl was not trained in how to hide her emotions. The entire time they browsed through the clothing shop, she was either stuttering, glancing at anywhere but him, or trying to control her breathing.

On the bright side, this place did have some nice clothes. Shorts and pants with multiple pockets. Shirts and jackets with hidden slots and compartments. Trench-coats, gloves, shoes, scarves, sandals, and more stuff with hidden functions geared toward shinobi and sneak attacks.

It made the young revolutionary sick.

Yugito had joked (read: irritated) Shin'en by saying that they should get him a few skirts and some panties. He had 'joked' back by slugging her in the stomach. It was with a strained smile and a wheezing voice that Yugito paid for several complete outfits for her charge. After sealing everything in a scroll (Shin'en made a mental note to ask about that later), Yugito Teleported them back to her residence.

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"Go take a shower. You smell horrible." Shin'en gave Yugito a bland look, "Yes, because I know the layout of this apartment."

Yugito's apartment was situated in the closest thing to a pent-house suite the Hidden Cloud could offer, in the top of a mountain. The north side of the suite had a balcony overlooking the Village. The living room was right inside of the balcony. A couch was placed against the west wall, and a TV on the east wall. Adjacent to the TV wall, to the left, was an open kitchen complete with everything a kitchen needed. To the right of the TV was the master bedroom, which was Yugito's. Behind the couch wall was a bathroom and guest bedroom. The door was on the south wall, and right when you entered, immediately to your left was the washroom.

It wasn't designed for luxury, but for efficiency. This was a military styled Hidden Village, after all.

"Well considering that you can sense water wherever it is, I assumed that you would be able to track the plumbing," came Yugito's sarcastic answer.

Shin'en's eye twitched, "Oh I can sense the plumbing water…it runs through this entire complex!" His patience with this woman was running low. The demigod sensed the movement of atmospheric water molecules and, on reflex, brought his arms up, blocking the hand Yugito had thrust out to cover his mouth.

If she was surprised by his speed, she didn't show it. She did, however, say this, "Keep your voice down. There are other people below us and I don't want them banging on my door telling me to 'shut up.'"

Shin'en snorted, "The walls are sound-proofed, and I doubt anyone has the balls to tell an Elite Jonin/Jinchuuriki to shut up. Now would you please tell me where the shower is?"

Yugito huffed and backed off, crossing her arms underneath her chest, "It's just around the corner. And please use soap, you smell like ass."

Yugito spun around and headed for her own shower, fully intent on soaking herself in the warm water, when her enhanced Jinchuuriki hearing picked up the tiny whisper of words: "You would know what ass smells like, since you eat it all the time."

The Jinchuuriki's face turned a fiery red in righteous fury. Who the hell did this brat think he was!? How the hell does he even know about something like that!? Yugito was willing to bet money that this little ingrate would wake her up in the middle of the night with his thumb in his mouth, softly crying about his wet sheets!

Yugito whirled around, ready to bend this brat over her knee and tan his hide, but he had already retreated into the bathroom, a soft click signified the locking of the door.

'Oooooooh, when you get of there kid, you're in for the spanking of a lifetime!'

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The water came on with a powerful hiss, quickly filling up the bathroom with steam and heat.

Shin'en undressed himself, throwing his bloodied clothes into the corner by the door. Not even his underwear was free of blood, the life-fluid having soaked through his pants. His clean clothes, a set of simple, dark navy pajamas, were folded neatly on the sink counter.

With a sigh, he moved aside the curtains and stepped into the running water.

A feeling of serene calmness overtook his body when the warm liquid engulfed him in its embrace. He felt clean now, safe, refreshed, protected. His mind felt clear. No more analyzing potential threats, no keeping his nose to the dirt, no watching over his shoulder, no making sure he wasn't being followed…no more keeping his mask on.

[Naruto Shippuden OST: Loneliness]

Finally, away from prying eyes, Shin'en mourned for his family. Tears fell from his eyes as his emotional dam broke. He lamented the good memories and the bad memories.

The time he Kazuma went fishing, and he was the only one to catch fish.

The time he Hinami played hide-and-seek in the woods and got lost.

The time he Arashi went hunting, and they killed a bear together.

The time he let Kyoko dress him up.

The time he and Hideo played shogi all day, but Hideo never won.

The time he and Yoshio stayed up all night to look at the stars.

The time he and-

Shin'en fell to his knees and clutched his heart as a sob ripped itself from his chest. It hurt so much.

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Yugito looked out the balcony window. The setting sun had been covered in rainclouds, and rain fell heavily upon the Cloud Village. Considering there was co forecast for that type of whether anytime soon, that could only mean one thing…

She heard the water stop running, so she turned off the TV. She got up from the couch and walked over to the hallway. Shin'en stood there in his newly-bought pajamas, his eyes red from finally letting it out. Yugito was a trained ninja; it was easy to read the emotions of others. Just like she could tell there were still things the little boy hadn't let out yet.

Yugito got down on her knee and wrapped the six-year-old in her embrace. He struggled only half-heartedly, his energy spent, but not all gone. She held him tighter and said softly, "Let the rest of it out." The boy froze in her arms…lightning flashed right outside the window, a clap of thunder accompanying the blast.

Percy Jackson couldn't fight it anymore, and cried himself to sleep.

[End OST]

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Was it short? Yes. Was it late? Yes. Was it heartbreaking? Most definitely. Even I feel sad about this chapter, but Tragedy is one of the genres for a reason.

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