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Beta'd by wecantgiggleitsacrimescene
[4/9/2017] To 650 followers :D
And a little something for Monday blues.
Echo
/ ˈɛkəʊ / ∙ noun
a close parallel to an idea, feeling, or event.
a characteristic that is suggestive of something else.
The first thing that happened to her when she got back to the village was being whisked into the Torture and Intelligence.
Again, the time-traveller sighed, feeling like she was forming some sort of trend she didn't like. Except this time, she was conscious and aware of the procedure and she was shoved into a metal chair instead of a bed. She liked the latter more, if she had to be honest, but no one would offer such hospitality to a known and healthy Shinobi.
And the time-traveller had no way to escape it. She pursed her lips. She really should have thought it through before she picked infiltration as her specialization. But even that was a lost cause like her current situation; information on current affairs was vital to her agenda - and no information was truer or more trustworthy than that which she gathered herself. No one would understand why she looked into certain matters particularly, nor would they know how to suit her motives. They can gather all the puzzle pieces – all different edges of both sharp and round – but only in her mind would they come together to form the portrait; only she was aware of the long term game she plays.
Secrets, she had many.
Too many, considering the closets filled with unburied skeletons in her mind, the way it could stretch for miles to represent all the dog tags she used to collect.
Therefore, it doesn't come as a surprise to her that she gradually came to dislike the T&I.
The idea of someone violating the sanctity of the graves she has preserved repulsed her. They were sacred even if the tombs were knives, even if they were mass graves in the midst of barren land and bloodied skies; no one should be allowed to tread upon them and she doesn't matter if they were allies. The time-traveller would never treat intruders in her mind lightly and it was frustrating that the faculty expected her to lay it bare for their scrutiny. Her instincts were violently against it, but it seemed like she could never escape the bureaucracy and security of the village.
It was truthfully a pain to have to balance between duty and desire, especially when they started to conflict in the abundant grey areas and caveats she had created.
However, she had to make a choice, 'Don't kill the person who enters our mind, Kurama. We'll just restrict their movements okay?'
Her tenant huffed in annoyance, hating the idea of psychological inference more than his vessel. It was too close to Madara's methods and he didn't want to be anywhere near those tactics if he could help it.
'I will try,' he bared his teeth, showing off how sharp they were. 'But warn whichever Yamanaka it is to tread lightly, or I will make an example of them as to why you should never mess with a Bijuu and his jinchūriki.'
'They don't know that,' she admonished him as she ran her hand through his fur in their mindscape, too confident of the Kyuubi's capabilities with destruction.
She has seen him rip illusions to shreds before they could take form and corrode away foreign substances within her body. If the Bijuu truly wished for it, he could destroy minds without batting an eyelid, just as he could level a village with his size alone. Nothing could compare to the Kyuubi's potency - not even Gyuuki who was only a tail short.
And it seemed like today's trend of repetitions would continue because she sensed Yamanaka Inoichi's chakra again. Neutral and tranquil like a lake with jolts of electricity flashing in its midst, it reminded her of Ino's - except sharper; more dangerous, like a katana's Damascus steel rather than surgeon's scalpel.
"Hello," she waved amicably when the grey door opened, revealing the man from the Yamanaka's lineage.
The signature platinum blonde hair piled on top of his head in a shaggy manner while the rest was tied in a ponytail, swaying slightly as he turned to close the door. Green eyes - pale and blankly scrutinizing - stared at her, never straying as he sat down in the chair and pushed the waiver to her.
"Hello, Kara-chan," he greeted back, a small smile gracing his face. "Are you ready for the evaluation?"
The said girl gave a scant look at the contents in contract before signing it. "It's not like I can escape it, Inoichi-san," she sighed dramatically and grinned, "Sometimes we just have to get it over and done with, right?"
Propping her arm on the table, she leaned her cheek on her upraised fist. "Although I must remind you, Inoichi-san, my threat from last time stands."
Imperceptibly, the man frowned. So it seems she really did know I was there. Interesting.
"Why is that so?" He asked curiously, counter-signing the waiver to prove that he was in charge of this evaluation.
"My mind... Is structured to dislike intruders," she put it mildly. "So don't go beyond the limits of where I guide you please?"
Her proceeding smile was sweet like any other kunoichi, except the problem was that kunoichi often used their smiles more for intimidation than charm. It reminded him distinctly of how the Akai Chishio no Habanero would grin before she summoned chains to strangle her victims alive and the sneer of bloodied lips and sharp teeth from the Inuzuka Alpha after she ripped throats apart. The girl's smile was no less dangerous – it was one that promised as much pain as its threatening sharpness.
"Of course," he replied with utmost professionalism and unshaken. "According to protocol, I'll explain the procedure again. With your permission," he tapped the piece of paper, "I am allowed to walk through your mind under your influence. What you are required to do is recall your time in Iwa as far as your memory's capacity allows. Any and all information you provide through your experience will be recorded down and it will be subjected to study before we make a final report on your psyche and performance."
"I will be using the Mind Body Transmission Technique, and the full seals are Ram-Serpent-Rat-Hare." His hands slowly formed the said seals to prove his own credibility. "We shall begin the moment you close your eyes."
She did as he asked with some reluctance. Here we go.
Konoha was special and renowned for its intelligence sector due to the Yamanaka's infamous Hijutsu in mind techniques. Their methods often yielded better results than other villages because they did not use brute force for information - no - the better term was that they 'latched' onto brainwaves and 'walked' the path that had already been built by the person they were using it on. As long as the road existed, they could trek it; which meant that no memory was truly safe, especially for their enemies. Like any other clan, they guarded their secrets zealously and only revealed one technique to Konoha's ranks so it could be widely used for inspection and psych evaluations.
The Yamanaka had confidence that no one could replicate it despite giving out the hand seals of course; all Hijutsu needed specific training to be effective - and attempting the jutsu without it would turn anyone into an imbecile.
Immediately, Inoichi reached out Kara's brainwaves and gently tugged, diving into her mindscape.
'What in the world -' he stopped, mind's eyes furrowing when he entered dark sewers. 'This is quite troubling,' he thought as he gazed at the endless ceiling that was dripping water, raising a hand to catch the droplets.
Mindscapes have always reflected their master's psyche… Like how the Akimichi's mind tend to be in kitchens and Nara's in back porches during late evenings. The condition of said surroundings would determine how healthy their mind was and sewers of all things?
It screamed abandonment, of the unkempt, of darkness and with it, the unknown which could either hide monsters or treasure troves. And from how water droplets would echo in her space, it seemed to stretch wide, giving more opportunity for twists and turns; crevices and potholes to hide her veins of instability.
'Don't linger,' Kara whispered, snapping him out of his observation. An imaginary door at the side opened. 'Come inside.'
Inoichi didn't let his surprise show as he shot another glance at the pitch-black darkness behind him. 'Curiouser and curiouser,' he thought before he entered.
'Are you sure this is safe, kit?' A large vermillion eye opened, gleaming as the door shut.
The jinchūriki who was perched on top of his back, shrugged. 'I trust you, Kurama,' uttered Kara. 'I would worry, but Inoichi-san isn't the one with a Bijuu having full control over her mind. Neither he is aware that his future daughter had taught me how the Hijutsu worked in theory, 'ttebane.'
The ancient beast laughed. The power of knowledge, he supposed.
Hence, under the pair's careful control, Inoichi's experience in her memories was smooth-sailing. He saw everything through the girl's mind as she acted as Airi, from her small village's destruction to her entrance into Iwa. Even if the Head of Intelligence didn't want to admit it, the kunoichi in question was a good actress and a capable Shinobi; she carried out her tasks as she was ordered within the given time frame and the conditions she needed to meet.
Providing information about battle deployments and formations? She seemed to always know where to search for the information and she was seldom tardy in reporting them.
Faking a food supplier's death as an accident? She managed to make the man trip down his house's stairs like it was a casual prank gone wrong.
Destroying the metal warehouse? She had found and lured the next kunoichi on inspection by knocking into her like a child would in play before promptly placing a timed sleeping tag and carrying out her duties.
Destroying her remaining connections? Done impeccably, with her "Airi" persona being substituted with the girl who had died three streets down from a fever a few days ago as the apartment she lived in went up in flames.
But the Yamanaka couldn't shake off the impression that information was being filtered away because sometimes her mind was too quiet or some of her recollections were blurred out. Sure, it was common since no one could proclaim they remembered everything, but it was too specific at times. In all his experience, he has yet to meet a case where someone could block out their own thoughts.
He already knew that every infiltration specialist was a master at restraint but Kara took it to the next level. Where people would have impulsive feelings or anger at the Intel they were receiving, she was unnaturally calm. At least he thought that was the case until –
To whom did she pray?
To every name and to every grave,
All to the end of the dying day.
His skin prickled at the grief that was building. The voice that Kara recalled, despite being soft as silk was haunting; too close to comfort; and a sense of anguish pervaded every inch of it. Inoichi let out an involuntary gasp at the rush of emotion, forcefully stabilising his own chakra to allow the memory to continue but it stopped -
Interrupted, the poem halted in its tracks and cut short.
Everything jolted forward.
"Citizens of Iwa, my soldiers," the Tsuchikage suddenly begun, heavy in its empowering, "Through the years we have fought valiantly against the scoundrels of the South and the East, refusing to accept the false exceptionalism that Konoha put themselves to be and refused to bow to the tyranny of Kumo. A great many have sacrificed themselves for this honourable cause, giving their lives to protect our home.
Today, we commemorate and thank them for everything they have done. Every name inscribed and every drop of blood, sweat and tears they have shed, the Solidarity of the Stone accepts and praises. They are truly, truly the pride of Iwa and we would have them as nothing less."
But something came out stronger than before, refusing to be pushed down.
Lie lie lie lie, Kara's mind screeched, refusing to accept anything that was being said. It was a violent resistance and something was breaking in the girl and he could hear the starting of ominous rumbling.
No one wins wars. Everyone loses.
What the fuck did she ever win?
The Four- It was cut again, and the Yamanaka was frustrated and aggrieved. Never had a case been this complicated so he reached–
Towards the last silver of strings of memories which were fading away, fingers coiling around them like he was catching light, and he yanked
Surfacing a chimera of faces – red eyes, sharp noses, heart-shaped face, pale, tan, in tears, smiling, facial markings, a blur of blood? The rumbling was getting louder and he hears waters pouring with the expressions twisted coming closer - 'This was not what I wanted-'
But it was, it is, the answers to her mysteries and maturity were staring back at him but he couldn't comprehend it. He can't understand it because he doesn't want to believe the macabre, doesn't want to make sense of the million faces of agglomerated grief and pain and death and and and—
Suddenly, something roared and he was ejected, head knocking back in reality and his nose and eyes bleeding from the backlash. The kunoichi was furious and aware, a snarl tearing from the back of her throat at the insult of her territory being invaded.
"I respected you," she growled. "I told you not to interfere where you're not allowed," her voice blended with her beast's, sharing his outrage. Her claws dented the metal table she was holding to stop herself from pouncing on her friend's father, snarls still issuing from her mouth intermittently.
Despite being in a sorry state and coming so close to losing his mind, Inoichi spoke hoarsely, blood eyed and pained, "Child, how do you act like you're still okay?"
How could she be functional - just a glimpse into her true psyche had nearly drove him into a frenzy. How could she possibly sit here and talk to him and pretend like everything was still fine when clearly nothing was for her? Where does that strength even come from?
Stumped at his question, any anger the time-traveller faded away, her eyes flickering to violet before it turned vermillion again. "I-" she gaped, "You saw-" she choked, "Did you really see?"
She was desperate now, sharpened nails digging into her palms and piercing skin.
"I'm so sorry," he apologised, clutching on his head, his pale green eyes filled with more distress. "I really shouldn't have done that. It was my mistake." Inoichi stood up abruptly and gave a deep bow. "If you would forgive me, I need to recollect myself."
Saying that, he left the room, the door slamming behind him as he stormed to find his superior.
…
The Hokage blinked when one frazzled looking Head of Intelligence came bursting into the room with his secretary cautioning him away.
"I request a private audience please, Hokage-sama," he pleaded, the blood smears on his face telling of vexation and restraint.
"Granted," the said leader hastily allowed, nodding to his secretary and flickering a chakra pattern to his operatives. Soon after, the walls of his office glowed, signalling that it was sealed tight. "What is it, Inoichi-kun?"
"How—" he raked his fingers through his blonde hair—"How could you allow a girl like Kara become a kunoichi, Hokage-sama? With all due respect, she is not fit for duty. She's barely sane."
Hearing his proclamation, Hiruzen's expression became severe. "Jōnin Yamanaka, please tell me you didn't do what I am presuming you did."
"I saw what was in her mind, Hokage-sama," he shook. It was penance enough that he had to witness it. "She… Kara is not fine. She's damaged," he whispered the word he wished he didn't have to use but there was no conceivable explanation otherwise.
"I already know that," the aged leader sighed, leaning back against his chair.
"Then why—"
"Because if I didn't," he cut in, "She would have driven herself insane by staying idle. The only thing I could do to help her was allow her to do what she wanted and live her life as she had known it."
"But the Yamanaka could have helped her if you brought her to us," he protested, hands crumpling the fabric of his pants. Even though he said that and being one of the brightest minds that the Yamanaka ever had in its history, he wasn't fully certain that he could.
The Hokage's lengthy pause only served to confirm it. Taking a long slow drag and feeling the burn of inhaled smoke in his lungs, he spoke, "It's not that I don't allow you to do so, Jōnin Yamanaka. You can't."
"But we haven't tried," whispered Inoichi.
He wanted to help the girl. She was too young to be plagued by such angst and too valuable to lose to her own plights. It might have stirred from his interest in solving puzzles but there was also sympathy – he didn't want her to die by her own mind.
He has seen too many cases of that – in their ranks, in civilians, even his closest family members and friends. As someone who had viewed more than a thousand minds, he was all too clear of how often it happened, and how devastating it could be.
No one could escape from themselves – that, was the worst torture of them all.
"If you had the capability to save a girl who watched her whole world burn down in front of her eyes, I would have let you have her the day I met her, Inoichi-kun. But such a daunting task is one I dare not give. I've seen her memories. Nothing you can do can absolve her of her albatross but time and the achievement of her own resolution."
"I do not understand what you mean, Hokage-sama," he spoke slowly, trying to process his words as he said them.
Tired, the Hokage closed his eyes. "I trust that you won't speak of this to any soul beyond these walls?"
"You already had my oath years ago, Hokage-sama," he dutifully replied.
"Then, do you believe in the possibility of a soul remembering their past lives, Inoichi-kun?"
"That… That is not possible," he replied, mystified.
"Well," he cracked one lid open, his brown eye sorrowful and enhanced by the wrinkles at the sides. "You're looking at a girl who survived it. Who has seen the world at the brink of destruction and wants to make sure it never happens again.
"I do not know the full happenings of her angst. But I do know that countless of her closest comrades fell before her whilst landscapes were destroyed in an instant as she stood by helplessly. She has so much guilt, promises and the hopes of others lying on her that what once drove her had now become her burden. Can you honestly tell me that you can fix that?"
"…No."
It was a reply the warlord had already expected and was resigned to hear.
"Exactly, Inoichi-kun. Please do not pry into her mind ever again. Tell the rest to do the same."
…
Afterwards, the young kunoichi got her wish in a way she didn't foresee.
On her evaluation, it was stated in the remarks that she would be exempted from any usage of Yamanaka mind techniques and any future evaluation would be under Yamanaka Inoichi himself, even if he retired. It also cleared her from any suspicion of being a double spy – Kurama snorted at the impossibility of it – which confirmed her loyalties to Konohagakure no Sato once again.
Furthermore, she had received a standing invitation to seek the help of the Yamanaka clan anytime she wanted. An added boon was that this allowance of hospitality extended to the Nara and Akimichi as well, even though it was not explicitly stated.
Kara blinked. That… worked out better than expected.
'Did it? I would not forgive that ingrate so easily if I were you.'
'He didn't mean ill and you already know it, Bijuu-who-can-sense-emotions,' she said, rolling her eyes. 'And thank you for not killing him. It must have been tough for you, 'ttebane.'
'I only spared him because his offspring is essential to the victory over that madman,' he sniffed. 'It was a blessing she inherited more traits from her progenitress than her progenitor. However, it is quite a curse that he is necessary to complete half the equation.'
'Quit holding a grudge, rabbit-ears. He already apologised.' She waved the evaluation papers back and forth, imagining it was in front his snout. 'He even showed his sincerity by making sure I never have to be put through it ever again.'
'And that means the world to me,' he retorted sarcastically. 'I am not the one who has to face him after the missions you will have to undertake. I scarcely care for the good faith he shows in return for his previous impertinence.'
'Yes, yes,' the jinchūriki soothed. 'It's probably a good thing, 'ttebane, you suck at talking to other people. Even your siblings.'
The Kyuubi glared at her for the slight.
'Kit?'
'Yeah?'
Suddenly, the fox grinned smugly in revenge. 'Heads up.'
'Kurama you teme—'
The girl choked the moment she stepped out of the T&I building as a red carriage slammed into her, the person's chakra blaring like a light bulb dialled up in brightness nine times.
'Kara-chan!" Kushina screamed, hugging her fiercely. She swung her side to side as if she was a rag doll, ecstatic that the younger kunoichi was finally home.
"Kushi-Kushina-nee, p-please put me down," Kara barely squeezed out, feeling her lungs constrict from the lack of space. "P-Put me d-down."
It might have been vindication for the older woman to abuse the girl a little bit.
"Sorry about that, 'ttebane," her mother beamed, squeezing her for a moment longer before settling her down on her feet although her hands never left her shoulders. "I got overly excited, 'ttebane! You're finally home!"
"No… No kidding," wheezed Kara, pressing her own hands on her ribs. Her hugs have always been too tight, she inhaled the surrounding air greedily before she spoke, "It's good to be back."
But as soon as the delight tided over, Kushina's temperament switched. And it switched fast. From the wide smile she was sporting it became one of reproach; brows furrowing and shadowing violet eyes, speaking volumes of her dissatisfaction.
"Now, Kara-chan, it was really impolite of you to leave Konoha without even warning us 'ttebane! Did you know how worried we were?" She scolded as she fixed her the girl's jacket collar. "We had to hear the news from the mission board and that was not a nice way to start the day off. The desk Shinobi was a grouch and Mimi-chan started leaving holes in the walls and he bent the pan when it was his turn to cook. So please tell us in advance next time, or at the very least leave a note, and now you can't say we didn't tell you. We do worry about you, you understand that right?"
Worry about me? For? Kara stood there silently, shifting her feet.
Kushina tilted the kunoichi's chin to look at her visage. "But," the shade of her irises softened, "It's a good thing you came back." Her thumb caressed her cheek. "And you're fine. Looking a little tired… But nothing some sleep can't fix, 'ttebane."
She stepped back to view Kara in full. "You've even gain a little height. And you're prettier too. Mimi-chan's going to flip about that."
The time-traveller guessed she had grown a little, considering how the top of her head was nearing Kushina's shoulders but being better-looking on the other hand, well, she hadn't cared about it back then, and she wasn't about to now.
"So, Kara-chan… what haven't you said to me?"
The said girl flushed at her mother's expectant look. "Tadaima."
Kushina smiled broadly again. "Okaeri."
…
And awkwardly enough, her mother had followed her back home.
A home she hadn't inhabited for nearly two years. Even if her stasis seals were effective, there was bound to be dust collecting on every surface and hopefully, she had thrown out all her food when she left.
Either way, clean up. What fun.
But then, hacks. Shadow clones and jutsu alike were meant to be utilised (read: abused).
"Kushina-nee… Don't you have stuff to do…?" She asked hopefully as she stopped in front of her apartment door.
"Hm? No. I cleared out my schedule today in anticipation of you coming back home. It's just you and me today." Kushina scrunched her nose slightly when all the seals had been deactivated. "And you smell like you could use some help 'ttebane."
The jinchūriki cautiously sniffed the air. Yeah, it definitely smells like ramen that has gone bad and some spoilt food. "Brave yourself," she mumbled, pushing open the door and holding her breath before sprinting towards her kitchen to clear out the ramen bowls in her sink.
And by clearing, she meant opening the window and setting the contents and the bowl on fire with a basic Katon jutsu before throwing it out, signing a 'good riddance' to the abomination she called rotten food.
Litter bugs, some might accuse. But better ashes than the ramen itself, she reasoned, because even cockroaches wouldn't want to get close to it.
"I would reprimand you…" Kushina said in gasps – she was holding her breath too – but she gave her a thumbs up. "But that was pretty good."
"Do you think the neighbours below will complain?"
Her mother imagined about a flaming pile of garbage bypassing her window before smiling mischievously. "They would, but I don't think they are around. And it's not everyday someone sees a streak of flame and smoke descending when they usually rise."
Kara giggled before surveying her apartment's condition again. Truthfully, it wasn't as bad as she had expected; she'd need to wash the curtains and wipe down her furniture but they were matters she should do on a regular basis regardless. Her old medic teammate had seen to that – having ranted her ears off about cleanliness and the importance of it. Back then, Sakura couldn't fathom how she had lived in her dingy old apartment with poor cuts of poultry, undone laundry and dishes all year round, but she had momentarily forgotten that Uzumaki Naruto never really had anyone to tell her what was right.
Past her was already grateful enough to have a roof over her head, showering facilities even if it was cold and just… a home. Somewhere she could retreat to at the end of the day, never mind its condition. And her grandfather figure hardly checked on her apartment because it was usually her visiting him in the breaks of his busy schedule. Now that the time-traveller thought about it, she hadn't properly thanked the Hokage for giving her the apartment and paying for her rent until she was Tokubetsu Jōnin at least.
Mechanically, Kara dug out her cleaning supplies from below the cupboards and ran the rags through water at the sink. As she was doing so, she caught Kushina threading a ring through her dog tags' chain and she paused.
"Minato-sensei proposed?" She asked. "When did he do that?"
Her mother blushed slightly, clipping the chain back together before taking a rag. "Two days ago, 'ttebane. On top of the Hokage Monument."
"Romantic," commented Kara softly. She had heard stories about the proposal from her two teachers in the previous timeline. "It's really beautiful up there."
"Right?"
After the short exchange, Kara immediately summoned four clones. She sent one to help Kushina in the living room, two of them to the kitchen and bathroom respectively, and the last one to do the laundry while she cleared out her room.
They work in silence, save her clone's grumbling and the shout for more supplies – another replica was summoned to get them – to which Kushina had to inquire incredulously, "How much chakra do you have, Kara-chan?"
"A lot!" She half-yelled back, cursing when she hit her head against the table.
"Have you ever measured!?"
"The scale couldn't measure it in full! I was nearly chased out from the administrative office when I tried, 'ttebane! I almost broke the measuring system!"
"Seriously? How old were you?"
"I think it was three years ago!" Kushina's expression turned slightly monstrous although the girl couldn't see it. Being an Uzumaki, she was naturally disposed to have higher chakra reserves than the average Shinobi. But even at nine summers and without the Kyuubi's influence, she hadn't hit the upper limit of the measuring system.
That had only happened when she was thirteen; having contained the Kyuubi and with the beast vastly boosting her reserves.
It wasn't her fault that she didn't know that the kunoichi came to this timeline with matured chakra coils and reserves, one that was still growing as a result of her body catching up again. Tacking on the fact that she had been harbouring the Kyuubi since she was a baby and the seal was created to make her get used to the corrosive ancient chakra, the strain of the purification process had imperceptibly increased her reserves without her actively trying.
Deciding there was no point trying to figure out how a small body can store so much chakra, Kushina started to wipe the walls again, careful not to touch the scriptures of security that were drawn.
"How did she even manage this?" She murmured, she laid down the rag to inspecting the array in lieu of cleaning.
It's rather extensive and overly paranoid, the Uzumaki gave her verdict, truly appreciative of the effort that had gone into the sealing. It was always nice to see Fūinjutsu again; while they still lined Konoha's outer walls and some older structures, the art was mostly lost. Practitioners remained mostly practitioners but little pursued the idea of taking apprentices or advancing themselves to step into the realm of masters.
Kara's coming close though, she brushed the scriptures with gentle fingers, noting the sensory seals for intent, the barriers to repel physical or energy followed by the triggered consequences to shock and burn and the stasis seals that dripped below. The latter was a new addition, judging from the degree in which the ink was fading. But it is still unpolished, 'ttebane, she tapped on some parts that were redundant. Perhaps she wrote them in for insurance? She hazarded a guess.
"But still, is she trying to fortify her home into a bunker?"
Clearly, the Fūinjutsu mistress had wondered out loud because her aid had replied: "Yeah. Boss said she wouldn't be satisfied if it was anything less. She went all out on this one."
The display of intelligence took her back by a few moments. "Did it take long?"
"… I don't remember. But I know Boss adapted it from your works and the old ones she crafted. She spent a lot of time studying yours especially. She hasn't seen anything like it and she was so excited she didn't sleep for a few days. She was crazy, 'ttebane."
… Were clones even allowed to sell out their original?
Then something else caught her eye. No way, 'ttebane. Her vision traced over the matrixes that were travelling down the hallway's walls, following the lines closely. She stopped in front of the wooden door that was adjacent to Kara's room, fingers hesitantly touching the doorknob before pulling back abruptly, scalded by the heat it was emitting.
Another physical barrier? She identified. Why is it specific to only this room? Is it the master to hide—?
There is no way… No way, Kara-chan figured out a chakra storage seal and its conversion. She looked fearfully at the protective layers in place. But while Kushina had no evidence to prove it, she had none to disapprove it either.
Barriers tend to come in two kinds: the temporary and the sustainable ones. Being an Fūinjutsu user who skewed towards barrier usage with her adamantine chains as conduit and anchor, she favoured the temporary since it was more viable for battle.
Temporary barriers were the type that could be quickly casted in a sense; usually one-dimensional to block several energy or physical attacks, with added features like the chakra bursting afterwards or having a feedback. Uzumaki Kushina had experimented with all the types and was feared for her proficiency in it; although part of it stemmed from the fact that only a small number knew how to deal with her speciality.
Sustainable ones on the other hand, needed a lot of more prep work and had an initial high sunk cost but they were comparatively more stable. Hence, there were more options and ramifications available; more layers could be added and it was more difficult to deconstruct them since the barrier wouldn't necessarily fall with the removal of one anchor.
The two-layered sensory barrier at one and five kilometres out of Konoha was one of such examples, but the greatest of them all was definitely the barrier of Uzushiogakure no Sato– one that had repelled Iwagakure and Kumogakure's combined assault for two weeks or more, even with the army of troops continuously pouring torrents of jutsu to weaken it.
The two villages had been right to fear the village's Fūinjutsu prowess – no – the Elemental Nations feared Uzushiogakure no Sato all the same. Their ability towards area effects and defence were highly prized and they economised their chakra expenditure despite being naturally blessed with genetic vitality and huge chakra reserves.
But the greatest secret that laid behind Uzushiogakure's barrier was the genius chakra storage seal; a work that constantly stored chakra underground over decades which sustained the barrier and prevent attacks. It was Uzushiogakure's last stand, one that was heavily dependent on demoralising their enemies with the futility of an invasion to make them retreat. Back in the Warring Clans period, it had been effective; numbers were smaller and coalitions were even more unlikely.
It was a behemoth of a structure that no one could overcome, until the destruction of the village proved otherwise.
Barriers could always be sustained through the gathering of chakra from the atmosphere. Whereas the complexity of chakra storage could not be sufficiently explained. Storing a Bijuu's chakra in a container was easy enough (if the mental stability wasn't taken into account) since its host would supply what was necessary to keep it in – so it worked like barriers in a sense that the 'atmosphere' was the host themselves. Furthermore, it meant that the seal was technically always 'open', circulating and in interaction between the medium and the stored content.
Which explained why the Bijuu would be released if the host died; there was nothing to keep it in.
But a standalone chakra storage was different. Energy in itself was a volatile thing. If it was allowed to run rampant, it could easily ruin the storage from inside and cause it to implode, and to say nothing of the problems that came with the stored chakra's affinity with a certain elements. A proper chakra storage needed neutralisation of said elements in the chakra to refine it to its mildest form and a constant circulation to direct the flow of energy through the barrier The conversion of the energy was already a hard task and yet there was more: like the infinite circulation of the energy and the failsafe of thicker 'walls' to contain and yet be able to expand. However, the rewards reaped from succeeding would be directly proportional; the user could dictate the concentration of chakra or the time that its linked seal array could last and neither was it constrained to just barriers.
So hypothetically, if she linked the storage to an exploding tag, the explosion would be several times larger than a tag that wasn't, because the seal array had more energy to work with.
And if Kara could do it, it would be a small piece of history re-attained, and Kushina yearned for that. For too long, there had been a lack of Fūinjutsu work with its diminishing practitioners, and consequently the spark of madness needed for creation and it was a shame. Fūinjutsu, no matter how dangerous, should not be allowed to die out. It was the way of the spiral, the rhythm in the chaos, her blood boldly declared; where the monstrosity of an ancient language could bear miracles when interpreted correctly, bringing the greatest beauty of all.
One of the reasons why she dreamt of having a family was to ensure that the legacy of Fūinjutsu would continue and subsequently proliferate; she wanted to show those that destroyed her home that everything they had worked for had been useless because their art was eternal.
The people of Uzushiogakure no Sato would have wanted that.
"Kushina-nee..?" Kara carefully prodded her mother figure who was standing in the middle of the hallway and staring into space.
"Oh sorry, 'ttebane. I was distracted," she smiled sheepishly, ruffling the girl's hair. Gazing into her wide vermilion eyes that were filled with honest curiosity, the Fūinjutsu mistress concluded, There was no way she could have done it. She's too young and Fūinjutsu in any branch is too vast to comprehend in such a short time.
(But she was wrong.)
"Distracted by what?" The girl sent a wary look to the locked door.
"Your security seals," replied Kushina, offering the half-truth. "You've gotten pretty good at them, Kara-chan. Which is impressive considering the little help you had in the past, 'ttebane."
Kara preened under her praise.
"Say, how much do you know about matrimonial seals?"
Brows scrunched under the question. "Is it a field of study that I need to go into? I've… never really considered the possibility of it?"
Kushina smiled, but the upturn of her lips was small as if they were weighed down. Ah, another thing that might be lost in history. "It's not really important per se… But I am getting married and they were part of the rites of matrimony back in my old village."
The girl tilted her head to acknowledge that she was listening. Thus, the Uzumaki continued, "I'm short of a helper to draw it on for me, you see. Minato had Jiraiya-sensei so he was settled there... but I didn't. I was resigned to using a clone… But it turns out I had one under my nose all along."
Dumbstruck by the request, Kara blurted out, "What if I mess it up?"
"When you manage to make seals like these?" Kushina quirked an eyebrow, gesturing at all the sealing language that was lined the walls of the apartment. "I think you would have a harder time being wrong with how simple matrimonial seals are. Plus, you're not starting from scratch," she shrugged, "I have some reference material from the past."
"Oh, um," Kara scratched her cheek bashfully, "I would be happy to draw it for you then."
"Good," the older lady chirped. "I'll bring over the designs tomorrow, 'ttebane."
…
Apparently, her encounter with Yamanaka Inoichi hadn't been her last of her run-in with the village's bureaucracy that week. Three days later, she was summoned to the Hokage's office.
"A promotion?" Kara furrowed her brows as she brought down the scroll she was reading.
"One that was long overdue," inserted the Hokage. "You have the skills and the experience for it, and you were technically eligible for it even before you left on your infiltration mission."
He wrote something on the report he was reading before putting it aside. "And I'm sure you've heard rumours of the upcoming Hokage selection right?"
"It's kind of hard to miss when that's what most of the Shinobi in the village have been talking about for the past few days, Jiji."
"Well your promotion has some political motivations as well. If Minato has a good track record as a teacher, it can carry forward and boost his credibility as a leader. And while Danzo has lesser influence at the Daimyo's table, I would prefer if Minato's election is solidified just as the Sannin's success had done for my reign."
Without much difficulty, the time-traveller understood his meaning. In the previous timeline, Team 7 had been dubbed the neo-Sannin of their generation and it eased the process of the Rokudaime Hokage's ascension despite being in the midst of the perilous war.
"So I'm basically a bargaining chip?" She joked. Although it's not like I haven't been one before.
"Of sorts, but that does not mean your promotion is unmerited, Kara-chan." Hiruzen said strictly as his eyes crinkled in affirmation for her. "It would not have been given to you if you did not meet the requirements. I was hoping to give you more time to fit into your specialisation so you could make the full leap to Jōnin… But forging ahead in this manner isn't necessarily bad either."
"I'll adapt, Jiji," she assured, grinning. "It just feels weird though, to be promoted to Tokubetsu Jōnin."
"Oh? And why is that so?"
The time-traveller laughed quietly albeit ruefully. "It's weird to think that the last time I was twelve, I was just becoming a Genin. Yet now… I'm a Tokubetsu Jōnin. Times are really different, 'ttebane."
And war is still ugly, to force children into soldiers prematurely.
"The former does sound a lot more attractive," the Hokage opined with steepled fingers. "… A time where children could be children, was it not? I think it is a blessing that it's fast approaching."
"After three wars?" said Kara, the volume of her speech dropping with each word. "Why didn't we stop at the first?" Why did it take a fourth to realise what we could have accomplished together?
"Better late than never, I suppose," he concluded reluctantly, returning to the stacks of paper on his table. "The rest of your paper work is still processing by the way. You should receive the notification of your induction soon."
Vermillion eyes flashed cerulean for an instant. "Okay."
Omake: Shinobi Mothers and Wedding Preparations
Kara loved her mother. Even if the world was destroyed and she ceased to exist, there was never a doubt in her mind that she loved her. And it was not a baseless declaration; the girl would willingly jump in front of a thousand weapons and a hail of jutsu if it meant that she could protect her.
However, as far as her affections for Uzumaki Kushina went, it was unable to dispel her absolute hatred for wedding preparations. (Any preparation honestly, they were troublesome.)
In hindsight, it suddenly made sense why Minato-sensei was out of the village. He clearly didn't sit through all the catalogues Kushina had found and decided that compulsory missions were the way to get out of it. A crafty method, she had to admit, except Kara was leaning more towards cursing him rather than appreciating his schemes.
It should be him sitting here, she let out a short hiss under her breath, all the wedding designs on the page blurring into a blob of nonsensical colours as she stared at it for far too long. Or maybe it was just that she had massacred the two year old edition with her pen. She wasn't really picky about her inability to see the details at this point.
Bring back Temari's wedding, the time-traveller woefully lamented. Those were simpler times; the couple had just declared their engagement to the rest of the camp who were in attendance and the five Kage immediately administered the wedding with a few vows before they celebrated. It was short, simple and sweet, without the complexities of costumes and locations.
This was all superficial, thought the jinchūriki, for what most was most important was union in the end, was it not?
Also, the group of kunoichi that Kushina had gathered for her wedding was intimidating… Especially when all of them were her old comrades' mothers: namely Uchiha Mikoto, Inuzuka Tsume, Nara Yoshino, Akimichi Momo and Yamanaka Mayuko. It was only short of the Hyūga, Haruno and Aburame – but the Uchiha and Hyūga would never be caught alive together outside of a mission or the council room and the Aburame have always been disturbed by the Bijuu her mother was harbouring.
'How times have changed,' cackled Kurama as he watched her squirm. The jinchūriki chose to ignore him with the grace of a chicken hiding behind its wings.
But on the bright side of things though, Inuzuka Tsume was still sarcastic and kickass.
"What is this company trying to do? Create a canopy of flowers to poison the air?"
"I swear, that's not a kimono. They're trying to strangle someone with that fabric, Shina-chan."
"Wow, is that a phoenix or picture of a monster trying to be a bird?"
"A theme for Kiri's most popular drama?" Her nose scrunched. "Didn't the characters die in that show? Hana-chan kept sobbing about it into my ears for hours. Didn't think she could understand it, but what do y'know?"
As a result, the youngest kunoichi was part dying and part shoving her knuckles into the back of her throat to stop herself from laughing too hard. Alas, even as she was suffocating herself, the conversation continued.
"The protagonists did die," the Akimichi confirmed kindly. "They both jumped off the ship together, if I recalled correctly."
"Are they trying to advertise a failed marriage then? Isn't it counterproductive to—" the Inuzuka flipped it to its cover, tearing it partly—"Perfect Weddings?" She snorted at the irony of it all. "This is why I never partook in this bullshit even though those elders wouldn't stop barking down my throat."
"Perhaps it's a ploy to make people marry several times," Yoshino mused from the business standpoint. "Although they have chosen poorly in terms of who they are targeting. They would have better luck with the richer echelons of civilians."
"The show is targeted towards civilians, and so do the magazines." Mikoto informed them as she frowned at something in the catalogue. "The former already romanticises Shinobi into righteous and committed people who would die for a cause like love. Hypothetically, it could rile up discontent in unfulfilling marriages and partners would start seeking for they cannot have. While I applaud their strategy, they could use a bit more creativity."
"They hardly need it when people already buy into their narrative and pursue a fleeting love that ends before the voyage reaches its destination. The fact that an entire section for it is enough proof." Mayuko commented critically while Tsume cringed.
Kara hunched over, shoulders shaking. Oh Shodai, she bit into her laughter, If his mother was this great, is her son what's left?
The other women shared secretive smiles with each other as the girl's giggles reached their ears. Needless to say, all of them had noticed the awkwardness exuding from her and understood that it probably stemmed from their age disparity.
"You found a cute one," Momo whispered to the Uzumaki who was seated next to her. "I just want to hug her and never let her go."
Same, Kushina thought, gazing at the girl with dark hair and vermillion eyes. I think so too.
Some Trivia:
I thought it was really cool that it ends up being Yamanaka Ino's poem that allows Yamanaka Inoichi to see through some of Kara's woes. Maybe it was destined. (Or a daughter's cry to help her friend? It wasn't intentional.)
Chakra Storage seals with the Time-Travel:
Kara didn't actually manage to recreate the Uzushiogakure's version. What she did was she made eighty individual and more fortified ones (she needed to contain Kurama's chakra, go figure), and upon activation, she 'connects' all of them together like they are eighty batteries placed together. Her chakra became the 'wire', in a sense.
I immensely dislike Naruto sometimes for not going deeper into Fūinjutsu theory. Much of my explanation is very 'circuit-like' due to the small electronics course I took in the past. I honestly think Fūinjutsu is more like computer language, but I didn't take it, so I had to substitute. So yes, it's an uphill battle to explain Fūinjutsu that is actually so important to the canon plot especially since YOU KNOW, YOU SEALED A BIJUU IN ONE OF THEM. Ah whatever.
I could rant about this crap for hours and never see the end of the plot holes.