Uzumaki Torunai
Its jounin trails time! This chapter will only focus on Torunai as she's the only one from Konoha to take it, now onto the next chapter:
Chapter 11
Torunai stood in front of the large gates protecting the small abandoned village of Uzushio. She couldn't help but feel a sense of nostalgia. The information she gathered over the years pointed out that her mother, Kushina, came from this village and probably stood in front of Konoha in the same way.
"The first task in the jounin trials is to confront the past or 'Trail of the Past'," Torunai repeated Tsunade's words to herself. "I was born in Konoha, but I have roots here, time to confront the ghosts of my ancestors."
Torunai steeled herself and pushed open the large gates. The village beyond was over grown and serene, but there where something looming just out of sight that suggested the opposite. Not even sixteen steps inside the village Torunai felt something brittle break under her shoes.
The tears swelled up in Torunai's eyes, but she wouldn't let herself cry. Torunai lifted her foot and set it down on a safe spot then bent down to see who she stepped on, the bones where female, Torunai could tell by just looking at the ribs.
The skeleton wore tattered clothing that where busy deteriorating, from the position the body lay and the fact that the pants were around the one ankle Torunai new this woman was raped, either before, during or after she was killed. Torunai wouldn't be able to tell from the skeleton.
An emerald glow near the skull caught Torunai's attention. She gasped, this woman was an Uzumaki. Torunai picked up the clip and sealed it into the glove she began wearing since the Yuki mission. It was deprived of all weaponry save for a fighting kunai, and filled with trinkets and treasures that she collected. The Uzumaki clip would not be used but it will be stored in her heart.
Torunai took of her belt and spun it around looking for a specific seal. She missed it four times because of the tears in her eyes but finally she got the seal. She unsealed the book and paged through to a specific page.
"When an Uzumaki dies in battle it is always wise to bury them by water." Torunai read out loud. "The best way to do this is to create a tomb stone using the kotai mizu jutsu. You then seal the body into the solid water and write the fallen one's name on it. Take the sealed body to the closest water source and sent it into the deeps. The kotai mizu will dissolve returning the Uzumaki to nature."
Rubbing her eyes to keep the tears inside Torunai set to work sealing the Uzumaki into her water tomb stone. Torunai sealed the tomb stone into her belt and went deeper into the village the more the tears threatened to escape. She found several other Uzumaki and a few more clips. Torunai took note that the males also wore something similar to the clip, at least in function. They wore a thick ring around their pinkie.
Torunai came to the water source at the far side of the village. Her nose cringed from the putrid smell of the stale water. Torunai scanned the surrounding area and found a large symbol with the kanji for water. Pushing chakra into the symbol the water started spinning. Torunai pushed more chakra into the seal and even forced the kyuubi to share.
Torunai heard a click and suddenly turned to look at it. There was a chart marked for ten years and the soft click was to start the count down.
"When the chart is gold the water would turn for ten years to come washing away the pollution and giving fresh water to the village."
Touching the chart Torunai felt her chakra getting a jump start again without affecting the chart. She smiled sadly as she waited for the water to swirl faster to wash the stink away. Torunai made a boat using the kotai mizu jutsu and placed the fifty tomb stones in it. The boat drifted to the centre of the swirl and turned there. Torunai would later return and cancel the boat manually.
Torunai went to the burned down building in the centre of the village, it kind of felt like the most important place, and it was convenient to give the rest of the shinobi who died a proper burial.
Torunai stood on the highest perch she could find and slowly worked her way through fifty seals. The ground itself answered as it released its moisture lifting the long dead into the air. Not long after there seemed to be flames around the bodies. In a way it was true, Torunai was using the eki hi jutsu at its full potential to incinerate the remains.
Wiping the sweat from her brow Torunai took a good hard look around. Although in ruins Torunai could she the village for what it once was, beautiful. Torunai sat in the lotus position right there on the tower. Torunai let her chakra flow just to get a feel of the village. Searching but not really wanting to find something.
If someone was watching Torunai, they would've seen multi colored chakra foxes dancing around her before they jumped into her, with each fox that jumped into her, Torunai's eyelids and lips started to slowly chance color. When the last fox jumped in, it appeared that Torunai was wearing light blue eye-shadow and lipstick. Something Torunai wouldn't know until later.
Torunai was surprised that she felt stronger rather then weaker when she pulled her chakra in. She only discovered residual chakra that was still powering a device here and there but no life beyond a few animals.
Torunai looked at the sky and realized what time it was, she wouldn't make it to her next destination before night so she decided to go to the source of residual chakra that felt most similar to her own, assuming it was her family's home. There was just one other thing she needed to do, release the boat to set her fallen relatives free into the now clean, odorless water.
Torunai's dreams were filled with battles that she didn't fight as the memories that entered into her from the dancing foxes filled them. This was a start of the permanent kitsune semi-sennin mode. She woke up feeling the change in her mind and some names of Uzumaki that still lived. Most disturbing for Torunai was her mother's name. She was barely alive, but alive and sealed within Torunai herself.
"I'll find a way to get you out, without killing you mom." Torunai smiled sadly rubbing her navel where the seal appears occasionally when the fox was being a bitch, "Just no peeking on me and my girlfriend ok?"
Torunai might have imagined it but she could've sworn that her seal tapped the Morse-code for 'I love you' into her palm. Torunai went to the gate and looked back one last time. She would restore this village one day, maybe not for shinobi, maybe not for anyone, but just for the sake of restoring it.
"Second task is the Trail of the Body." Torunai said as she made her way to Suna for the second trial, fighting.
Torunai passed a caravan on her way west. She stopped briefly to see who was on guard duty, since she was there when the client requested shinobi. This caravan was heading to Tsuki Country, two gennin under the supervision of Kakashi, with Sakura serving as medic.
Torunai reached Suna by noon and was given a room in the Kazekage's mansion. The battles have been postponed due to the heat wave that hit Suna. The mansion was massive and the potential jounin where scattered around the air conditioned recreational room. Torunai didn't recognized any of the faces, which wasn't surprising since the chuunin candidates she were familiar with all still had to gain experience in their respected villages.
"Well hello cutie," a teen said walking in Torunai's direction. "Konoha must be desperate if they sent you here. Lets form an alliance and I'll…"
All anyone saw was the hopeless flirt falling to the ground, knocked out cold, no one saw who or what did it. All they knew was that it seemed like the small red head wearing make-up might have done it.
On the surface Torunai seemed indifferent, like this happened all the time. On the inside though she was freaking out, she was trying to ignore the creep that openly flirted with her and when that didn't work she imagined a pressure point that would knock him out was pierced with a senbon. That senbon was then formed out of her chakra and at high velocity entered the sad excuse, knocking him out before disappearing.
"Because of the heat wave we will be doing things a little different tonight. We will be having a battle royale while Suna jounin supervise to make sure no unnecessary deaths occur." Baki, the acting Kazekage, said then looked at the list. "Ten jounin potentials with Konoha sending only one." Baki scanned the room and made eye contact with Torunai. He felt a chill down his spine. Battle starts at sundown at the arena to the west.
Torunai thought back on the tour she took the first time she was here. The arena in the west was the ultimate jutsu blocker. It was a large isolated mettle dome. They pumped minimal air in making katon and fuuton impossible. There weren't any water so suiton was out of the question. The ground was just as metal as the walls blocking douton and would raiton users.
"The rules are simple, taijutsu only." Baki said when the contestants arrived. "As you may have noticed the arena is designed to block all the elements. The fight will begin in ten minutes."
Torunai padded the seal full of ryo she got when Baki purchased the seventeen chakra seals from her for the jounin, she was watching them put it on and activate it. She scanned the arena and saw the teen who flirted with her glare. She knew he was trying to intimidate her, but it wasn't working.
Sure enough when the fight started the teen rushed at Torunai. Torunai almost laughed when he stopped dead in his tracks when her eyes started to glow. Torunai got into a low stance and invited the teen to attack her while her chakra balled out to prevent any sneak attacks.
The teen got over his shock and attacked Torunai again. Torunai dodged the first few attacks in favor of studying the teen's style. It was a solid style but it lacked originality, and like her mother wrote, over-specialize and you breed in weakness. Torunai gave a chakra enhanced punch to a 'well protected' opening. The margin was one second after a front kick. Torunai ducked under his leg and hit straight up, not only knocking him out cold, but also sending him flying and leaving him a few octaves higher.
Torunai realized her error too late, strong opponents have bright orange neon lights over them that says: 'I'm strong, come and get some'. Torunai sighed and either parried, diverted or dodged the attacks until she found an opening and exploited it. She got a few hits and she was sure she'll nurse an eye for a few hours later, but soon enough six guys were lying down and out. The girls smiled in mock sympathy.
A buxom blonde turned towards Torunai when a whistle sounded. They both looked up at the Kazekage's box and saw Baki halting all fights. Torunai crossed her arms but then saw what was happening, the Suna jounin were removing the men from the arena. When the floor was clear the fights were resumed. The blonde didn't waste time as she attacked Torunai fast and often and didn't leave any openings not even well guarded ones.
"You fight well for a loli," the blonde said, her hitae-ate was from Kusa.
"And you are well guarded for an odoriko." Torunai snapped back. They both stopped their current attack and just laughed.
"I like you kid, you are strong and witty. Let's finish this."
They both reeled back for a strong punch at each other but at the last second turned to the other girls that were closing in on them, the girls were knocked out and when Baki saw that the remaining opponents won't fight anymore he halted the fight and motioned them to follow him back to the mansion.
"Good fight for all of you," Baki announced later the night when the downed opponent were woken up. "A messenger bird was sent back to your villages with your battle times. As of now the 'Trail of the Body' is done. You will be escorted back to your country's borders in the morning for your last two trails."
Before parting ways the next day the Kusa chuunin gave Torunai a kiss on the forehead.
"I hope we don't meet in opposite sides of the battle field," she said, "I would like to fight you again, but not as enemies, take care loli, be good."
"Take care odoriko, until we meet again." Torunai said before walking south from the desert.
Torunai arrived at a junction in the middle of nowhere. She could feel them. The spirits were restless with her presence. She figured that this would be as good a place as any to do her third trail, 'The Trail of the Spirit'. Unknown to her was that that exact spot was where the bijuu gathered to bit farewell to the Sage of Six Paths. Deep inside her the kyuubi shed a single tear of her own.
The 'Trail of the Spirit' was different from the others since it didn't involve anything physical. You abandon your body and seek out the spirit that best represent you. Torunai already knew it was foxes. This trail however was to align herself with them completely.
Torunai drew the symbol into the ground and sat meditating, focusing her chakra into the symbol. If her eyes were open she would've seen it was golden not her hue of blue or magenta.
"What do you want insect!" Torunai instantly recognized the feminine growl. She didn't open her eyes when she spoke.
"I'm busy with the jounin trails, kyuubi. I would appreciate it if you didn't bother me."
"You are aligned with foxes, it is only natural that the closest one to be drawn to you."
"You are evil. I don't think I need that kind of alignment."
"Don't worry insect, you actually already did this part, unconsciously, back in Uzushio. You are currently in a permanent semi-sennin state. If you look into a mirror you'll see that your lips and eyelids are powder blue. Your mother could access this state too, but her version wasn't permanent like yours."
"How… How did it happen?"
"The spirits of the fallen Uzumaki gathered around you and merged part their spirits with yours. I'm just here relaying the message now piss off and don't bother me again." The kyuubi ejected Torunai.
"You could've handled that better, Kurama-chan." Another red head said from her dark corner.
"Shut up Kushina, I don't have the energy to deal with you too." The kyuubi now known as Kurama said. "I told you before she's not ready. Even now her chakra is too unstable."
Torunai opened her eyes. She did notice the blue around her eyes and lips but didn't pay much attention to it, or knew what it was for that matter. She wondered if her mother's spirit inside her might've caused the sage mode, only one way to find out. Torunai went through the seals and mustered all her chakra to summon the leading fox. When the smoke decimated a small fox with three tails sat staring up at her.
"Why have you summoned me Uzumaki-san, I was watching my stories." The old vixen said in a cranky voice.
"My apologies Kitsune-sama, I was just wondering about my permanent semi-sennin mode." The vixen looked at Torunai properly now.
"You are the jail for the kyuubi, correct?" Torunai nodded, "But that isn't all, is it? You are also keeping another alive inside the same seal."
"I found that out two days ago, it's my mother."
"I do not know about the permanent semi-sennin mode because I never experienced it." The vixen said, "However my theory is that your mother was in sennin mode when she was sealed, that could've caused your eyes to turn gold. The natural chakra mixed with bijuu chakra and your new alignment caused the change, but don't quote me on that since it's just a theory."
"That's more than what I had, thank you Kitsune-sama."
"My name is Dekobou young Uzumaki, congratulations on your alignment and good luck."
Torunai sighed as she wasn't ready for the last trail yet, the 'Trail of Endurance and Survival'. She needed to go back to Konoha and leave everything behind except for a single kunai. They will then blindfold and chakra suppress her and drop her of somewhere and she has to survive until she got back to Konoha.
She made her way back up north towards her home. She didn't check the time so when she arrived it was past night and the gates where closed for the night. Torunai camped out and waited for morning. When morning came Torunai walked up to the gate guard that happened to be the eternal chuunin.
"Uzumaki Torunai reporting back from her third Trail." Torunai handed them the papers and her passport, they could find no fault. Then Torunai handed them a scroll. "My artillery and clothing, I'm waiting for Gai-san to go hide me somewhere, he'll be here in…3…2…1."
And with that Torunai was abducted by a green blur. In the run Gai put on Torunai's blindfold and applied the seal that would only release with Tsunade's chakra. Gai took sudden turns and twists. Torunai knew she would be lost even if she wasn't blind folded. Gai was just going too fast.
After an hour of running Torunai was put down gently then spun to disorient her while Gai returned to Konoha. With the cobwebs gone Torunai took of her blindfold and made sure her kunai is secure around her leg. She hasn't worn a shuriken pouch since the academy, sure there were no shuriken in, but hers had a holder for her kunai.
Like Torunai predicted she was completely lost in an unfamiliar environment. Torunai sighed. The best thing to do was to find out where she was, but without making human contact or chakra.
Torunai climbed the nearest tree to get to the sunlight. Once at the top Torunai took the kunai and balanced it in her palm, by her estimate it was around seven in the morning and north would be to her left. Torunai turned north and took a mental picture. Of a very peculiar stone shape, that was her current target, Torunai also took note of land marks in the other directions and once she got down she marked the bark just out of sight for most.
When Torunai reached the stone half an hour later she recognized it instantly, for beyond the stone lay a chasm filled with yellowish gas. Torunai knew this gas was poisonous, she used it often enough when she was under Inoichi's watch.
This was Kuma-country, and just beyond the rift was Hoshi. Torunai shivered at the thought of this country, but smiled at the memory. The last time she was here with Amaru and Anko she met a cute girl that was a bit too clingy for her tastes, but they did have a moment.
"Sorry Hokuto-chan, I promised the next time I was here I would visit, but I need to get back to Konoha without making contact with anyone."
Just beyond the rift a young girl suddenly opened her eyes from her meditation and looked to the south. Her soft eyes were filled with joy as if she heard a long lost friend's voice.
"I can feel you Torunai-chan and I understand, travel safely back home. We'll catch up next time."
Torunai was relieved to know where she was but a vein was throbbing in her head. Kuma-country was four days away at Torunai's top speed with chakra enhancement. Without that it would take three weeks and since she has to avoid human contact she couldn't run and that would set her back another week.
Torunai turned west and started walking. She walked until dusk when she decided to get something to eat and rest for the night. She found a family of foxes nearby and they guided her to a bush of non-poisonous berries near a stream. She offered them a smile and they parted ways.
"So that is what it means to be aligned with an animal? They help you whenever they can." Torunai whispered to herself then ate her fill.
Torunai scanned the area and found a large root that could be hollowed out to carry water. She went to work on and filled it with water. She took off her sports top and cut it to tie around the root to carry it and to serve as a cork.
Torunai traveled for two days when she encountered her first sign of trouble, Akatsuki. There were two shady characters one a blonde with something over his covered eye and the other was clearly a puppet, most likely controlled from the inside. Torunai was glad her chakra was sealed off or else she would've been a beacon to these clowns.
Torunai found herself a safe spot in a tree and listened to the two argue about art. She kept her emotions and surprise inside while there were explosions happening on irregular intervals. As an artist herself she sided with the one the blond, Deidara, called Sasori, art was meant to be appreciated and not blown up.
The Akatsuki members only left their spot three hours later. Torunai sighed in relief. She got lucky with Itachi and that fish guy, these guys would stuff her full of explosions then make her body a doll after stitching the pieces together.
Torunai suddenly felt violated, almost like she was being undressed. She knew it was Sasori. He clearly didn't know she was a jinchuuriki but his eyes were violating. Torunai ran from for a good hour getting away from the Akatsuki puppet master.
Strangely enough, that was the most trouble Torunai had on her journey back to Konoha. Mostly because after meeting the two 'artists' Torunai called on the foxes and they guided her through the underbrush until she was in familiar territory.
It was only now that the most important thing about the conversation she overheard the Akatsuki members have, click in her mind. They are currently only gathering information and won't go after her and the other jinchuuriki for the next three years.
"Only one more day until you're home girl," Torunai told herself after cutting yet another piece of cloth from her shirt.
Torunai laughed at herself when she surveyed her shirt. The sleeves that hid her hands when she did her disconnected seals were totally exposed. Part of it formed makeshift gloves and a splint for her right leg, but most of it was what kept the natural healing agents around a rather large wound over her left breast. She might've had a healing factor but it was fueled by chakra, so this wound would scar. Torunai reached the village about an hour before sundown. Gate duty was covered by Sakura and Amaru, Torunai was relieved to see friendly faces.
"Uzumaki Torunai, Registration ID 012607, returning from her last jounin trail," Torunai said then realized her voice was hoarse.
"Why did you…" Sakura started before Amaru stopped her.
"Torunai clearly sealed her papers with her other equipment. That is why she gave us her Registration ID, which is correct by the way. It also says here that she has to be taken to Hokage-sama immediately upon arrival and has her chakra sealed." Amaru handed Sakura the clipboard, "Sakura, remember the procedure, I will be back in a bit."
Amaru supported the limping Torunai all the way to the centre of town, Torunai noticed that the glares were just a phase stirred by all the rumors that went around, they weren't that often anymore but the ones she felt was extremely intense.
"So the rumors had been piling on more huh?" Torunai asked half heartedly she only now realized how weak she felt.
"Where did Gai-san drop you?" Amaru asked ignoring the question but answering it too.
"A few kilo's from Hoshi." Torunai said then poked Amaru. "And thank you for trying to spare my feelings, but you not answering me told me it was bad. Where did our friendship go wrong?"
"It didn't, we're just both too busy in our lives. I spent my time at the hospital and you focused on other stuff, like being Hokage-sama's apprentice. You are currently on the same level as Shizune-san, only in the field."
"We should hang out sometime."
"You are going to take on an apprentice of your own soon, but we could find some time for, maybe a mock date?"
Both girls laughed at that. Amaru has been in hot pursuit of Shino for as long as Torunai knew the girl, but the stoic boy didn't get the hints. They continued laughing and chatting until they reached Tsunade's office. Once there Tsunade removed the seal which caused Torunai's surface wounds to heal instantly. Tsunade then gave Torunai a scroll to write the details of the Jounin Trails, except for the one in Suna.
After finishing the report, Torunai took the time to write a foot note on the conversation she overheard the Akatsuki members had. Only she forgot their names. Torunai then discussed the events in as much detail as she written and even catalogued every wound she obtained. Tsunade demanded Torunai show her the scar over her breast. Torunai obliged with a heavy blush,
"This could have been worse I suppose." Tsunade said sighing in relief. "It's just right of the nipple. Good job dressing it without the aid of jutsu."
"Thank you Hokage-sama." Torunai said testing her leg, it healed completely. "But you couldn't have left 10 percent chakra instead of 2? I really didn't want to scar."
"Stop whining brat," Tsunade sniped, "After tomorrow's ceremony you'll be a jounin."
"And the day after that I can take on an apprentice right?" Torunai smiled.
"Right,"
The Next Day
Torunai stood in front of the entire shinobi council, the civilian side had no say in shinobi matters so they were excluded. Torunai was nervous. Her fingers kept twitching under the extra long sleeves of her kimono.
"Fellow shinobi, you are here to witness the promotion of Konoha's latest jounin." Tsunade said calming the ruckus down. "Uzumaki Torunai has completed all four trails in less than a month."
There was a scuffle and Torunai realized that most of them couldn't complete all the tasks, or did it in more time then Torunai. The girl blushed in embarrassment.
"Torunai is the youngest jounin in seven years, and because she was an apprentice to one of the sannin, she gets to choose. Either take an apprentice, shinobi or not, or take a gennin squad. Please choose now Uzumaki Torunai."
"I choose an apprentice." Torunai said confidently, "I feel that I am too young to take a gennin squad that would most likely be older then myself. And I feel that Konoha needs more field eisei-nin."
"Do you have an apprentice in mind?" Chouza asked.
"When I was treating Hinata-san in the hospital after the injuries she sustained during her chuunin exam, her sister showed interest in the medical arts."
"That is a lie you wish to corrupt the young Hyuuga with your heinous ways!" Hyuuga Hiashi found a kunai very close to his groin and gulped.
"I plan to teach the young Hyuuga to be a medic, her preferences in a life partner is none of my concern. I chose my path a while back and yet I do not have a girlfriend, because I do not force my ways onto others. I pursued Haruno Sakura, but found that she wasn't like me, so I let that go. I pursued my teammate but she has interests in the Aburame heir.
I have flirted with Inuzuka Hana but we both agreed she is too old for me."
Tsume started to laugh uncontrollably. Hiashi took the opportunity to look over the copy of the Jounin Trails report in front of him. He couldn't find a fault not even with Torunai's alignment with foxes.
"I will allow this, but Hyuuga Hanabi is forbidden from practicing jyuuken. I will send Hinata with a scroll containing all of Hanabi's possessions. As of today, Hyuuga Hanabi is no longer a Hyuuga." Hiashi stood up and walked out. Just pausing at the door, "But if you get her killed or let the Hyuuga secrets out, you will be killed."
Tsunade cleared her throat.
"Now with the entertainment out of the way there is one last matter to discuss. Torunai you have an estate in the south of the village under your father's name. Do you wish to move in or will you stay in your current apartment?"
"I need to consult my roommate, we make decisions like that together, but if I chose the estate, the last of my clan is welcome to join." Tsunade nodded to Shizune who knew that Torunai meant them and Karin.
End of chapter
The Jounin Trails are over and Torunai now has an apprentice of her own. With the Akatsuki not planning to make their move for three years what misadventures could Torunai and Hanabi get up to?