Chapter 21- Aftermath
I was on a skyscraper. One of those tall ones that seemingly towers over cities. But there was no city in sight. I was too high for that. Instead, only clouds surrounded me.
Unafraid, my feet dangled off the edge, swinging back and forth as I looked on.
I wasn't really thinking of anything.
Nothing important that is.
My voice carried in the soft wind that blew my brown hair out in front of me.
I had been singing in a language I was beginning to forget. A language I was no longer comfortable in. A language that made me anxious.
When did I ever sing anyway?
"Reika?"
I ignored the voice, letting myself relax, feeling safe.
Like nothing really mattered anymore.
"You have to wake up, Reika."
I looked over, ending the song and looked into the brown eyes of the one who betrayed me.
"I'm so proud of you., She told me.
"But you need to go back."
"I'm I dead?" I asked her, I was surprised that I didn't feel any anger towards her.
She grinned.
"Nope." She said. "You are very much alive, but dreaming."
I hummed, before looking at the setting sun.
"Why do you haunt me?" I asked her.
"I don't." She stood on the edge of the building, her feet right on the edge. "I'm only a fragment of your imagination, Reika."
"I don't like it when you call me that," I told her.
She laughed.
"That's who you are now, Rei." She grinned, her eyes and face so full of life. "Shelby does not exist anymore."
"You don't belong in the other world anymore."
I opened my eyes and was surprised to see nothing. To my right, I could hear a soft beeping that echoed throughout the room. My fingers twitched, touching the scratchy blanket had been put on me and the equally scratchy cot I was laying on.
My immediate reaction was to move my left arm, but I was surprised that it was strapped to my chest. Instead, I moved my right.
It took effort but I finally managed to lift it. My fingers touched my face, flinching at the pain even a soft touch seemed to bring. Soon enough I got used to the pain and was able to work my way up to feel the bandages that were wrapped around my eyes.
I didn't like it.
Delicately and with some trouble, I unraveled the white material until it fell away.
The light was bright around me, but thankfully not all white like I had expected. This meant one thing. I was not in a hospital.
I blinked before removing the crust from my eyes so that I could see better. I was in a large green tent, with the roof held up with poles. It seemed to be some sort of medical tent if the many empty cots littering the room and machines were anything to go by.
I looked down and noticed that I wasn't in a hospital gown either. Instead, I was in an overgrown black T-shirt, my arm trapped under it. I lacked pants, but the overgrown shirt seemed to cover me good enough.
The idea of being dressed in someone else's clothes made me nervous. I stuck my nose in the t-shirt and took a sniff. My lips crept upwards as I recognized the scent.
Sakumo.
Suddenly, the last events that I remembered surfaced in my mind and hit me hard.
Sitting up quickly, I hissed in pain and curled into my stomach.
Fucking wound.
Breathing calmly, I ripped the IV out of my arm with my teeth and shut off the heart machine before removing the monitors.
My bare feet touched the dirt, but they didn't stay there. Weak, my legs didn't hold out very well, and I collapsed.
"Whoa."
I caught myself on my right hand, little rocks biting into my knees and palm.
I'm alive.
My legs wobbled as I stood slowly, using the cot as a brace and looked around. There was no one around.
Directly across from me was the fluttering flap of the medical tent, and thus my first destination.
My fist passed the curtain and I moved it out of the way to stumble through.
I squinted, trying to cover the sun with my only available hand and slowly allowed the light to dim and for the color to assault my eyes.
Blue, brown and green.
Sky, ground, and trees.
Tents littered the ground. Shinobi moving between them, sitting and chatting near a fire pit, or off to the side. A few were even sleeping in trees and whatnot, probably awaiting their team to start patrols.
My eyes caught sight of the nearest shinobi and I made my way towards him. He was sleeping with his back to a tree, not a few feet away from the tent I had come from.
"Excuse me," I asked, standing over him.
An eye peeked open and he stared at me in confusion. He blinked that one eye before opening them both.
"Uh." He looked at the over-sized black t-shirt I was using and my bare legs before looking at me in the eye. "Why is there a half naked kid in front of me?"
My eyebrow twitched.
"Do you know where Uzumaki-sensei and Hatake-san are?" I asked.
"Uhh." He blinked again, hesitating.
"I'll find them myself, then," I said turning around and fed up with his attics.
"Wow, wait for me, kid."
The ninja got up and approached me cautiously.
"How about you go back to bed, and I'll send for him?" he said.
I deadpanned.
"Just bring me to him," I said, losing patience.
I needed out of here.
He pointed to the tent.
"Be a good kid and go back to bed."
"How about you shut up and do what you are asked," I growled losing patience.
"Hideyoshi is right Reika." A voice behind me said. "You did not look very good this morning."
I turned and looked up at Sakumo.
And the man did not seem happy.
"Let's get you back to bed." I blinked before looked around.
"Where is Sensei?" I asked.
"What the hell!" The man named Hideyoshi hissed. "You want Taicho then all of a sudden you want someone else? Make up your mind."
I ignored him.
"She's on her way." My uncle said before picking me up.
I thrashed.
"Let go" I hissed.
"And have you run off? Not a chance." He said holding me close, hand under my bottom to stop the shirt from riding too high.
He took me back into the tent despite my distaste.
"You shouldn't have left, Reika." He told me, putting me back in bed.
I didn't pout. I swear. But I did notice how his eyes narrowed at IV needle on the floor, and the heart monitor turned off.
"You haven't been cleared to move yet." He said.
"I don't want to be here," I told him.
He sighed.
"Trust me when I say that you have to." He argued.
"I walked, I'm fine," I argued.
He narrowed his eyes and looked at my side, almost as if he knew about the throbbing.
He shook his head.
"You're in my encampment." He said pulling rank. "I'm in charge and you are ordered to stay in bed."
I gritted my teeth and looked away.
He pulled the loose cover back on me and sat next to me. I noticed how his eyes seemed to soften.
"I'm sorry, Reika." He said. "Kushina and I wanted to be here when you woke, but we did not expect you to wake so soon."
His hand landed on my head and he rested it there.
"How long have I been asleep?" I asked.
"12 hours."
I rose an eyebrow.
"You thought I was going to sleep for longer than that?"
He sighed.
"You have chakra exhaustion." He said. "I'm surprised you can move."
"Is it true?"
Our eyes snapped up as Kushina ran into the room.
"You're awake!" she said. I blinked as she childishly hopped onto the cot as Sakumo got up.
I grimaced as the ricochet as it shifted my body.
"How are you feeling?" She asked. She still wore her Jonin uniform but lost the Chunin vest.
"Fine," I answered. "What happened to your vest?"
She scratched her cheek.
"I ruined it," she admitted. "Turns out the Iwa ninja used a sword and was pretty good.."
I blinked.
"Was? You killed him?" I asked.
She nodded before looking to the side.
Sakumo sighed beside me.
"I'll go get a medical-nin." He said getting up before he made his way out of the tent.
I shifted and winced, before straightening my back.
"Reika."
My eyes traveled the face of my teacher and felt a knot curl in my throat.
"I'm sorry."
I blink as our words echoed each other.
"Why are you sorry?"
Catching her eye we looked at each other in surprise, once again.
"Stop copying me," Kushina said.
I lifted my arm scratching my head.
"I'm not," I said dumbfounded, looking as my nails came back crusted with blood.
We fell silent again, looking anywhere but each other.
"I'm sorry I failed you guys."
It was a whisper, something that if I was any further, I would not have heard.
"Failed?"
"I left you guys alone." Her fists gripped the sheets, pushing up the material. "And now Tsubasa and Seiichi are dead."
A beaten face and a jagged cut on the nect flood into my mind.
I was frozen in my spot, not sure If I should, or could, move.
"I fail as a sensei." Her voice was shaking, and the awkward fuck I was, I didn't know how to handle this.
It wasn't even her fault.
They had wanted me. If Rokuro didn't get to me, the Kumo ninja would have.
This wasn't her fault.
"It's not yours." I started. "It's mine."
Her head snapped up.
"What are you talking about!" she hissed. I jumped in surprise, never having heard her angry like that before.
I thought Sakumo was only going to get the medical-nin. Where did he go, it's been long enough...
This time, it was my turn to look down, like the cot blanket was the most interesting thing in the world.
"I sent them ahead," I told her. "We should have stayed together, then we would have all been here."
My voice caught as I thought back to my boys. The busted up face, and the jagged slit throat.
"You did what you thought was best." Her voice wavered and I looked away.
"You tried to protect them."
"I left you three alone."
I gripped my hands a bit tighter.
"You trusted us to protect each other and get out of there," I said, trying to will the tears away.
"I told them to go, and they listened to me."
"They were ten and you're only seven, Reika!" her voice raised itself. And she let go of her part of the blanket to grab at her hair.
"We are ninja," I argued.
"You Are Children!"
I blinked, looking down.
Seiichi and Tsubasa were children. I was not.
"Maybe it is not either of our faults," I whispered. "Maybe, it was just bad luck."
Her tears finally fell down her cheeks and she cried into her hands.
A single tear rolled down my cheek but I whipped it away before she could realize that I was getting emotional.
Don't cry, crying is a weakness.
Why cry when you can work harder so that it doesn't happen again.
I moved to the side, to allow Kushina to move beside me.
She pulled me into her arms gently.
"I'm sorry." She cried. "I'm so sorry."
Raising my only functioning arm I curled it around us, holding her close.
She's only 18.
Kushina just turned 18 and she lost half her team.
I was 7.
"Thank you." She whispered soon after.
I laid beside her but didn't say anything.
"Thank you for surviving."
I looked away.
"I'm not," I confessed. "I would give my life to have either one of those two back, even for an instant."
Tears still streaming down her cheeks as she whispered her response, her hand disappearing behind her, pulling out two scrolls.
She set them between us, and the tears fell harder.
I swallowed my dry throat as my eyes took in the black bands on each of them.
"I would too."
-.-
"You should be good for slow travel in about a week." The medical-nin said healing up my elbow.
It had seemed like when I dislocated it, I had spiral fractured it as well. Meaning, I ended up breaking the bone when I jerked my arm from its socket, spinning it.
"Thank you sensei," I responded. Kushina was gone, something about a letter from the Hokage and I was left alone with the medical-nin.
"You really scared us, kid," he said, looking down at my arm. I watched in fascination as the Green chakra encircle it, and healing it. I could feel the slow turn of the bone as it repositioned itself. The best thing was that it didn't hurt one bit.
"When Hatake-san and Uzumaki-san brought you in here, we were sure you were dead." He continued. "Full of blood, and unconscious."
A shiver rolled down my back as I felt the bone click into place.
I was tempted to use my Byakugan to see what it was doing instead of just feeling it, but I knew it wouldn't fly with him. I had chakra exhaustion, using more chakra will just end up burning my network.
"You smelled of burnt flesh, and your face looked like it was slammed into the wall a dozen times."
He talked on like I really cared, and I was happy to let him. Less time making me speak, the better.
"Your arm was twisted at a funny angle and your fists were ripped to shreds."
That was from the Kumo-nin's teeth. I blinked in surprise.
Rokuro said his name… what was it?
"Imagine to our surprise that you had cauterized your own wound and had chakra exhaustion on top of everything else!"
It started with an M…
"Hatake-san won't give us the details, but I can tell you put up one hell of a fight." He said. "Even right now, I don't understand how you can be moving around, though you really shouldn't be moving at all."
Maido?
Masa?
Make?
Maki.
Yeah, his name was Maki. A Kumo ninja. The one who killed my boys.
"You know, you reminded me of some sort of wild animal. You must have something you hold dear to be able to fight that hard."
I wonder how and why Kumo, Root, and Iwa were working together…
I know Root would have never let them leave the country. But what did they promise Iwa? The scroll? They are Earth country why do they need ores when they probably have them everywhere.
"Isa-sensei."
I blinked out of my trance and found Sakumo standing just inside the flap.
"Yes, Taicho?" he responded, slowly letting go of the technique to give Sakumo his full attention.
"How is she healing."
I rolled my eyes.
"I'm right here," I answered. His lips tightened into a small smirk.
"Well, her arm is healed as much as I can, there is nothing I can do for the chakra exhaustion." He took a deep breath before looking back at me as if he was trying to remember what else I had. It wasn't that big of a list… Right?
"Knuckles were somewhat healed. But her side might be a problem, it will definitely scar. I also took away the bruises on her face."
Isa turned to me and patted my head.
"When did you learn how to set noses, Kid." He asked me. "You did a great job with yours, there won't be much of a notch in it since it was set immediately and correctly."
I shrugged his hand off my head.
"Don't remember."
And that was the truth. Over the years I've broken it so many times, therefore putting it back in place is a cake walk.
"That's good," Sakumo interrupted before turning to me. "The Iwa border is sending over their rotation tomorrow. Kushina and you will be escorted home by them."
"Tomorrow?" Isa-sensei asked surprised. "She has to stay in bed for at least another week or two!"
Sakumo shook his head.
"Reika and Kushina have to return to Kohona as soon as possible." He emphasized.
"Why the rush?" I asked, narrowing my eyes.
"Kid, you were hit with a joint attack from Iwa and Kumo." He said. "This Means War."
Was it fear?
Anticipation?
Disgust?
Whatever it was, it rose in my throat, threating to spill over onto the cot.
"Do you know who they are sending?" I asked. His eyes seemed to soften. "From the border?"
"No, I don't," he replied, patting my head.
Do you think I am a wimp if I say that I wanted my parents?
Probably, right?
I was a grown-ass woman.
"Don't worry, they will send trustworthy people."
I looked back up at my uncle and nodded.
"Alright," Ise-sensei sighed. "You should get some rest, we will do one last healing session tomorrow before you leave."
I swallowed, retreating into myself.
"Do as he says," Sakumo said. "You'll be home before you know it."
Home? Without Tsubasa and Seiichi?
Ise-sensei guided my body down and I watched them get up and move outside the tent.
Listening I followed their movements before their voices fell away.
"What am I going to do?" I whispered to myself raising my left arm to the roof of the tent.
Root. The secret Anbu. An organization I should have no knowledge about. A group headed by one of the Hokage's advisors. A man that has more power than I ever could. A man that could tear me apart with nothing more than a nod.
Anger boiled from within me, and I desperately wished that I was able to sneak out to the forest. I needed to punch something, and I needed to punch something now.
Root. The group that so desperately wanted me. Was I that noticeable? Did I seem easy to break? Was I that unwanted that Danzo would be willing to make me go missing? Is it because Inoichi reported that I was desensitized to death?
In what way is it wise to try and break me? Many have tried Danzo. Many have tried. But I won't give in…
My arm dropped onto my face, hiding it in the crook of my arm.
But if I don't give in, who is it going to be? Will he be even more determined to get me? Will he look at me like I am a challenge to break and remake into his perfect soldier? Will he enjoy killing off all my friends until I'm totally alone?
Who will be next?
Kakashi? Obito? Gai? Rin?
My teeth grinded against each other, making my jaw hurt.
What if I try to report it? To the Hokage? Will he do something about it?
"Tch."
As if he would. Danzo has his permission to let loose. The Hokage is weak.
Someone else? Kushina? Sakumo? Minato? Oka-san? Otou-san? Fugaku? Umino-sensei? Who would believe me? Who would believe a 7-year-old in response to a Hokage's advisor?
Would it be better if I just gave up and let him absorb me into Root? Will this stop the attack against the people I care?
Fuck.
"Tsubasa, Seiichi."
I grit my teeth some more.
"I'm sorry."
-.-
The next day, I did not wake up on my own.
Harsh whispers were beside me, but I continued to breathe as if I was asleep.
"I don't know what to do, Minato!" My heart broke at the tone of Kushina's voice. The desperation, weakness and cracking of it told me she had been crying. Or rather still was.
"It's all my fault!" she whispered.
Hushing came from a masculine voice I recognized as Minato's.
When did he get here?
"Kushina," he said, a rustling of clothing was heard and I heard him kiss her. "You didn't ask for this. This isn't your fault, None of this."
"The Iwa ninja wanted the Kyuubi." She hissed.
Minato hushed her again, and their voices quieted.
"How did Iwa find out about it?" the blond-haired future-hero asked.
"Apparently Ryouta told him when he was sent to spy on Kohona and they enlisted the help of the Kumo ninja who had also got through the borders long before we tightened them."
"Shit," It was strange hearing Minato swear, but even I thought those exact words.
"Do you know if either ninja got the news out that you are the Jinchuriki of the nine-tails?"
I hear the swish of her long hair on the clothes.
"I don't think they told the Kumo ninja about me, and apparently the Iwa ninja thought that I would be a great present to give the Tsuchikage."
"That is good at least." He said A weight descended on my bed, unexpectedly.
I let my eyebrows frown down and turned onto my side, my face facing them.
"She'll be awake soon," Kushina said. "She usually frowns when she's about the wake-up."
She laughed without humor.
"She looks so relaxed when she's asleep, but when she wakes up, her frown appears like she has the world set on her shoulders."
Ouch.
That one hurt.
A hand landed on my head and I let my body twitch again. It curled into my hair and pulls through it slowly petting me.
"Any information about the Kumo ninja? Or Ryouta?"
Another swish.
"Reika is going to have to report to the Hokage too, whatever she knows."
The cot shifted again.
"She didn't tell you?"
Another swish.
"She thinks she's acting brave right now, acting like everything is okay. But she has nightmares." Kushina whispered. "She had one just before you got here, I can't ask it of her right now."
She knew that?
"It's your job as her sensei to make sure you get a report from her," he replied. "She is stronger than this, Kushina. She's a ninja."
"I don't want to ask for a report in case it all becomes too much on her. Minato, I think they were killed right in front of her."
That's wrong.
They were killed because of me.
Silence absorbed us before Minato spoke.
"What do you mean by that, Reika?"
Oh shit.
I guess that answers that question of when was the best time to 'wake up.'
I opened my eyes and looked up, catching Kushina pulling back her hand from my hair.
I winced, slowly lifting my upper body into a sitting position, trying to not put too much pressure on my side.
"You were right sensei," I said, playing with the ragged blanket. "Before you left, you said that the Kumo ninja doesn't just want my Kekkei Genkai."
"Reika..."
"They wanted me because I am a girl."
"So those two died?" Minato trailed off.
"Because I was promised to the Kumo-nin." I glanced up passed my bangs to see the blond haired man rubbed a hand through his hair. "They were in the way."
Arms circled me and pulled me into their body.
"It's not your fault, Reika." My teacher whispered. Emotion filled my throat. "We were just an unlucky team."
"Let go of me," I whispered.
I didn't want to be held. The warmth was making me edgy.
I needed control. I needed it back.
I tried to push her away but she clung to me like glue.
"No," She whispered. "Not until you say it."
"Then why don't you say it!" I hissed, anger raging out of me.
Kushina stilled around me.
"She got you there," Minato grinned from beside me.
"You knew she was awake!" Kushina let go of me, jumped up and grabbed her hair. I was surprised to see fear written in her eyes. "You heard everything!"
I exhaled, relieved that she was no longer in my bubble.
Only then did I realize the mess I had gotten myself into.
"I suspected she was when I sat on the bed," Minato admitted. "But only then."
"I have no idea what you are talking about," I said looking away.
Minato seemed to get exactly what I was trying to say with the comment, but Kushina, on the other hand, did not.
"Don't lie to me, Reika!" she hissed. Her hands were shaking at her side, as she went on an emotional rollercoaster.
"Kushina." Minato caught her attention. "She is saying that she did not hear the information that is way over her clearance level."
A light seemed to click in her brain and she looked down at the ground.
I fiddled with the blanket and tried to figure out what was going to happen next.
I didn't want them to know that I knew for a long time coming, but life really doesn't work the way you want. They will have to tell the Hokage for sure, and thus a target is repainted florescent on my back.
Damn my anger to hell, it makes me loose-lipped.
But I knew the one thing I had to do at this moment, and so I spoke.
"But even if I did hear this secret of yours," I admitted, looking up into her face.
Her eye caught mine, worry swirling throughout it.
"I doubt it would make me like you less." I fought not to looked away, a blush decorating my cheek. My feelings had to be conveyed. She had to know that I was afraid of her, that I was on her side. That I believed that Kurama and she are different. And that it didn't change my perception of her.
"Reika." She sat next to me once again, her eyes watering. "Thank you."
She kissed my forehead, right over my seal causing me to blush
"And one last thing."
She grinned, her tears almost spilling over.
"You're hair stinks."
"Shut up!" I hissed, flopping the blankets over my head and hiding underneath.
I groaned in pain but refused to bring the covers back over my head.
"Go away!"
My guests laughed before Minato got up off the cot.
"On another note, how are you feeling Reika?" he asked.
I took a few calming breaths before pulling the blanket back down.
"Okay, I'm still sore but I'm okay," I admitted, playing down my injuries.
In reality, my whole body was still sore, my joints stiff and my side and arm ached. I doubt I would be able to walk very far, let alone run to make the trip.
Blinking, I looked back up at the man.
"But why are you here?" I asked, confused. "You were not supposed to be on this border."
He laughed.
"I'm part of your escort," he admitted.
"You came form Iwa?" I asked.
He nodded.
"I went only to check something out for Hokage-sama there but he requested that I help with this."
I fell silent, thinking about what he said.
"Is everything okay there?" I asked.
"I can't tell you if your parents are there." He admitted.
I sighed before I caught movement from the entrance.
"We are ready to go when you are, Minato!" a voice called.
Minato lifted his head.
"We will be out soon." He called.
Kushina looked down at me and gave me her bravest smile.
"Are you ready to go home?" she asked.
Home? Without Seiichi and Tsubasa?
My panic must have shown on my face because Kushina pulled me back to reality with a touch.
Grounding me. Her touch grounded me here. In the Now. Tsubasa and Seiichi are gone. They are dead…
"Where are my things?" I suddenly asked.
Kushina blinked.
"We burned your clothes, they were too damaged." She said. "But I have your bag here."
"I don't care, what about the other stuff?" I asked. "My tools."
The lighter. Tsubasa's lighter.
"Right here, Reika." I looked up to see my Uncle coming through the flap.
My eyes landed on the pouches in his hand and I was off the bed in an instant.
"Wow," Minato caught me as I almost fell.
I didn't even thank him before I was off to my uncle.
Shocked, I don't even think he realized that I grabbed my pouches from his hand before I was collapsing at his feet.
My hands, no matter how sore, ripped through the material before they felt the metal of the lighter.
"Good," I whispered.
I flicked it opened watching the flame for a second before closing it and holding it to my chest.
"Wasn't that Tsubasa's?" Kushina asked.
I nodded.
"I stole it from him before I made them leave," I whispered.
Comforting? Was it comforting having something from my dead teammate around me?
"Reika," Sakumo bent down before gathering me in his arms.
"Why do you keep picking me up?" I growled back.
He laughed, the vibration echoing throughout his own and my body.
"Because I Can." He smiled, in his other hand, he grabbed my equipment from where I had thrown it. "As long as you are still a child, I will pick you up. Afterall, you children are what makes old people like me look to the future."
My mouth became dry as he walked toward Minato and Kushina.
That asshole.
I hid my head in his neck.
He admitted that I was the only reason why he was alive. And that he could continue to look to the future. He made it.
"Then what am I going to wear?" I asked as he dropped me on the side of the bed.
"You can continue to wear my shirt, I'll take it back next time I see you," Sakumo said.
He's planning to return home.
"Pants.." I emphasized. "What can I wear as pants."
The three adults looked at each other, trying to see if the others had an idea.
"Oh, I know!" I should have known the response was going to be ridiculous when Kushina piped up. She went to the station that was there before coming back with bandages.
"Hands up!" she said.
Narrowing my eyes, I stared at her like she went bonkers.
"That's a good idea!" Minato said and raised my hands for me.
"What are you.."
I trailed off as she tied the bandages around my waist, being careful around my side.
"Now it looks less like a shirt and more like a Kimono."
Oh, and she looked so proud.
My eyes caught Sakumo's amusing ones, and he really did try to hold back his laughter.
"You know, it isn't too bad." He teased. He handed my gear to Kushina who placed it inside my small bag that somehow had appeared. I had left it in the clearing where we were attacked. And not for the first time I beat myself over not bringing extra clothes.
"I'm not getting a choice, am I?" I asked.
"Don't worry Reika, you'll have two days of embarrassment and then you'll be home." Minato bent down beside me and presented his back.
"Hop on." He said. "I'll be carrying you back."
I swallowed, before looking back at Sakumo.
He grinned.
"I placed a letter in with your stuff if you don't mind giving it to Kakashi." He asked.
"I'll be home when I can."
I nodded and reluctantly placed my arms around Minato's neck. He supported my body with his arms, hoisting me up.
He was warm, not a suffocating warm like the others, but a gentle.
I didn't like it but I had no choice.
"Comfy?" the blond-haired man asked. my arms tightened a bit, and I hid my face in his back as the sunlight assaulted my eyes.
"Finally, let's get going." A man said, taking up step beside Minato.
"Where are the others?" Kushina asked, form the other side.
"At the entrance, they are waiting for us." I closed my eyes and by the time we got the edge of the camp, I had been lulled to sleep once again.
-.-
"What the fuck happened here."
My eyes slowly opened, and I took in my surroundings. It was different compared to how I left it days ago. The smell was disgusting, and the body was obviously no longer there.
"Let's keep moving," Minato called. "We still have at least half a day left to run, before we can take a break."
My eyes noticed the earth wall I had made two days ago. So I know that the blood spatter surrounding the ground had been Rokuro's body.
I almost felt sick, thinking about it.
Almost because it wasn't the most disgusting thing I've ever seen.
My body felt numb and cold. So familiar yet so different.
"Reika, are you okay?"
My eyes slide to the side where Kushina stood next to us.
I stayed silent but glanced over at the wall. Seconds later, a voice called out.
"Ew! Holy shit, there is an eyeball here!"
I flinched, and before I could stop myself I hid my head in Minato's back once again.
"Oi! Dickwad!" She yelled, tone full of anger. "Let's get the hell out of here!"
Without waiting for a response, Minato and her left into the chared area, where I had let explosive tags rip and destroyed the area then into the trees once again.
"Sorry, Rei-chan," Minato whispered to me. "I thought you were still asleep."
"It's fine," I said back.
"I wonder who did that? It looked like it was a bloody animal." One of the other ninjas asked from behind up. "Must be one messed up person."
Kushina lagged back, taking them with her.
Then I heard high pitched screaming.
"Drama queens," Minato muttered. "It's going to be okay, Rei-chan. We'll be back home soon enough."
I stayed silent, refusing to speak, but definitely took the time to think it.
I didn't want to go home.
Not without my boys.
Let me rephrase that.
I looked to my bag that Kushina held as she caught up to us. All the body scrolls were inside, including Seiichi and Tsubasa.
I wanted to go back to Kohona with my boys, alive.
My eyes closed again, and I gave in once again to fatigue.
-.-
The rest of the journey had followed the same routine. Sleeping, listening, not speaking, and mentally beating the snot out of myself.
Fear curled up inside me as we spotted the gates, and for the first time, I was glad that Minato was carrying me. If I had been walking, there was no way I would have been able to get through them.
I hid my head in his back and tried to make myself as little as possible.
Tsubasa.
Seiichi.
"Go ahead to the Hokage," Minato instructed to the rest of the team.
"You guys are not coming?" One of the men turned around. "You are the team leader, you have to be there."
Minato nodded back to me.
"We are going to get her clothes, please tell Hokage-sama that we will be there in 15 minutes."
I watched the streets go by, passed the Hyuga gates, through the main courtyard and out towards the side streets where my family's house laid.
"Where is your key?" Kushina asked as we stepped up to the entrance of my house.
The little tan house.
"In the cleaning compartment of my kunai set," I muttered.
I swallowed.
The kunai set that Tsubasa got me for my birthday.
I squeezed my eyes shut before hearing that familiar lock.
"Traps?" Minato asked.
I shook my head.
"Okaa-san and Otou-san are too afraid that I will get hurt, so they don't put any," I replied.
We walked in and the two teenagers took off their shoes.
Feet padding, I guided them to my bedroom.
That room was the worst.
The room was empty, just like how I left it. but I could almost picture Tsubasa sitting on my desk chair, with Seiichi laying on my bed with my stuffed owl in his arms.
I think he loved that thing more then I did.
I blinked and the image was gone, replaced once more with emptiness.
"I'll go start a bath for you." Minato left the room, leaving me alone with Kushina.
"Clothes?" Kushina grinned. I tilted my head to the side, watching her.
"Your faking happiness right now," I observed.
She sighed.
"Didn't you ever hear that if you pretend everything is okay, eventually it will be?" she asked, before ignoring me and opening my drawers.
If it was anyone else, I would have beaten them over the head with the nearest thing. But it wasn't so I let Kushina look through my drawers for my uniform. I had nothing to hide anyway. At least not there.
Looking to the right, I couldn't help but notice Obito's present.
The last person who held that was Seiichi.
I couldn't help but grab it pulling it to my face and inhaling.
My lips picked up slightly.
It smelled like him.
Replacing it on my bed, I looked back up as Kushina grabbed my spare kimono top, undershirt and leggings. Another red obi and underwear were put with it.
"Let's get you washed up." She bent down and I hooked my arms around her neck, similar to what I did for Minato the whole way here.
We moved out of my room, into the hallway then into the bathroom just in time to see Minato getting up from testing the water.
"I'll wait outside." He said as Kushina placed me on the toilet. He left us, closing the door soon after.
"I can do it myself," I told Kushina as she untied the bandages she had placed on my waist.
"You are still injured, and we don't want you to hurt yourself more then you are now." She pulled my shirt up off my chest leaving me only in my underwear.
"I feel like I'm three again," I grumbled as she took that too.
Taking my hand, she helped me stand, despite my wobbly feet and slip into the tub.
If I had any dignity, I would have blushed at my nakedness.
But being a cage fighter, you lose that. When someone sets fire to your shirt and you have to lose it during a fight. Or if the doctor decides to stitch you up in the middle of the dressing rooms. Men end up looking at you like you are a piece of meat.
I hissed, as the water touched my side, and looked down at the healing wound.
It looked like raw hamburger meat.
Curious, I let my hand pass over it, ignoring the pain it caused me. The skin felt like it too twisting and bumpy.
"That is going to be one badass scar," Kushina said, pulling up a container and wetting my hair.
My hair was getting long, easily running down my back, ending near my tailbone.
I raised my hands to the shampoo but the bottle was taken from me.
"Let me," she said.
"I'm not useless." I hissed.
Kushina grinned sadly.
"I know," she squeezed some out and lathered her hands, before running it through my hair. "Both Minato and I know it."
Her hands were soft, rubbing the dried blood that had accumulated and being careful of the tenderness I didn't know what there.
"Then why are you treating me like I'm about to break!" I growled.
I bunched my hands together and tried to calm my raging anger that was poking at the surface.
Inhale 5
Hold 20
Exhale 10
"You are my last student." She said, trying her hardest to smile. "Let me pamper you a bit."
My anger disappeared as quick as it appeared and I let her continue to wash my hair, rince it then lather it up once more.
I bothered my hands by studying my nails, using my others to clean away the dark red blood that was under it.
While someone had obviously washed my body at the border, my nails and hair were obviously not that important. Ise-sensei had taken a look to see if there were any wounds, but he did not wash it.
Once cleaned to Kushina's inspection, she conditioned it as I convinced her to give me the soap.
From there, we worked to clean me as much as possible.
Draining the tub, she wrapped a fluffy white towel around me and helped me out.
Sitting back on the toilet, she handed me my underwear before grabbing my tights and helping me into them.
My undershirt was next before she slipped me into my kimono.
Out of my bag, came my kunai pouch which was tied to its place on my thigh, and my pouches that slipped onto the obi. I forwent my forehead protector, due to no longer having material to tie it to.
Reaching into the drawer, she pulled out my mother's brush. One that the woman had chased me with when I was younger.
Softly she brushed out my hair until it ran straight down; wet but presentable.
She then helped me stand before opening the door so that Minato knew we were done.
"Ready to go?" He asked us. "Hokage-sama is waiting for us."
I nodded my head, not trusting myself to speak.
He bent down in front of me soon after, and once again, I climbed onto his back.
He shifted my weight, so that he could carry me better and we left, Kushina locking the door.
You might be wondering.
Why did I let her take care of me? Why am I not so angry?
As of then, I was 32, in a seven-year-old body. I had my pride, and I wasn't as disabled as they were making me out to be.
Kushina was smiling, faking happiness. But her hands were shaking as she took care of me and it had nothing to do with her injuries from her fight. Those were gone already.
Thank you again, Kurama.
I could only imagine what she was going through.
Her shaking hands, touching me, washing me, verified my existence.
She was grounding herself.
By making sure I was alive.
I looked up and watched as we passed into the tower.
I closed my eyes and pictured the path that we took, knowing full well what that route consisted of.
Turning to the right, we moved up the stairs to the second floor. Turn left, walk 8 steps before stopping at the door.
Knocking rang in my skull and a voiced called for us to come in.
Opening my eyes, I watched as Minato brought us through the door. Stopping in front of the large desk, he bent down so I could get off his back. I took a few shaky steps and bowed as much as I could to the Hokage.
"Team 6 and Namikaze reporting in," Minato said taking the leadership role.
"Please be at ease," Hiruzen responded getting up.
I was surprised to see him go to the corner of the room where a chair had been placed. He picked it up and brought it forward himself.
"I heard that you gave us quite the scare, Reika-chan," he said placing the chair beside me. "You haven't recovered, so please sit down."
I blinked in surprise and before I had the chance to say anything, I was placed in the chair by my teacher.
"Stop manhandling me." I blushed flailing my arms.
The adults laughed at my reaction. Crossing my arms I traped them to my sides.
"As much as I would like to continue this discussion, I need to hear your report." The Third Hokage sat back in his chair and grabbed his pipe from his ashtray.
He placed the pipe between his lips, and I watched as the ashes burned brightly.
"Kushina-chan." Smoke tumbled out of his mouth. "Are you hurt?"
She shook her head.
"Just Reika."
He inhaled again.
"Then we better hurry so that she could be brought to the hospital to get checked out."
And I heard my teacher inhale before she started
"Everything had been going according to plan."
I listened closely as she described our extra precautions and how we took shifts in to, protecting the camp and scouting.
She spoke about Ryouta-Rokuro's strange behavior, and how strange the village looked when we got there.
"I took the initiative and diverted the mission to go straight to the border. On the way there, we were attacked by three ninjas. Ryouta, Iwa, and Kumo all working together. Since Iwa had a Jonin, I chose to draw him away from the kids, and I had confidence that they would be able to figure something out." She looked down at me, and I couldn't help but avoid her stare. "When I got the Iwa ninja alone, I got some information out of him."
"All three of them were working together for some reason." She told the Hokage. "Each for their own cause."
Her hand descended onto my shoulder and I couldn't help but flinch.
"We later found out that the Kumo ninja was after Reika for her Kekkei Genkai, and we are not completely sure what Ryouta was after, but I'm sure Reika could tell us about him. As for the Iwa Ninja, he was after two things."
"And these things are?"
Her eyes narrowed before she swallowed her nerves.
"They were after the scroll with the ores in it." She wrung her hands. "And they somehow found out about the Kyuubi and was after me."
Shit.
Why could she have waited to tell him about that?
The room fell silent, but not threateningly.
"So Reika-chan, you know." The Sandaime put the pipe down and leaned back in his chair.
It wasn't a question.
"They were discussing it while I slept a few days ago," I answered, trying to calm the shaking in my hands.
There was a reason why the Kyuubi was kept a secret. Other then the council, the Hokage, and Kushina herself, only Minato was supposed to know… right?
Why was that?
Did they kill all those who know?
Will I be?
"It was our own fault," Minato finally spoke.
"We thought she was sleeping and spoke about it." He stated. "Reika woke up because we were being too loud."
I looked over at the hand on my shoulder.
It squeezed me reassuringly.
"This is an S-rank secret." Hiruzen sighed, before looking at me. He was obviously contemplating something. "I have a feeling this isn't going to be the first S-rank secret that you come across."
I shrugged, but rubbed my nose on my shoulder, trying to hide my guilty smile.
"Finish your report, we will tackle that issue later."
Kushina nodded and continued where she left off.
"Apparently they had all met up and wanted something from Kohona so they decided to team up."
That is an understatement.
But I had to wait to give my own report.
"Apparently both the Iwa ninja and the Kumo ninja were spies, and since we closed our borders to foreign ninja, they were stuck inside with no way to contact the outside."
"So your status?" the Hokage asked.
"Should still be a secret to Iwa, Kumo and whoever Ryouta was."
The Hokage nodded, before marking up a small paper with a pen.
Amused, I recognized it as a post-it note.
"And this Iwa ninja, how is his condition?"
"Dead." She placed a scroll with Iwa marked on it on his desk. "But I wouldn't recommend opening him here. I lost control when I realized that he wanted to kill my team and take me away."
His eyes narrowed his arms folded themselves and he leaned into his desk.
"We will discuss that later as well."
I watched as Kushina looked down, almost ashamed.
"Continue."
"When I came to, the Iwa ninja was dead, and Sakumo had restrained me." Kushina's hand fell from my shoulder and she fisted them both her hands beside her.
So Sakumo also knows about her status as well.
"He told me that he and a couple of his men were patrolling the woods when a couple of beetles swarmed out and got their attention. They guided them before they lost the scent and disappeared. They separated and he found me before we took off to find my team."
She stopped and took a breath before I felt her eyes shift to me.
I refused to look away from the junction of the Hokage's desk.
"We came across an area where a barrage of explosive tags had blown up. Signs of a fight was clear, and we identified various jutsu. Blood was absolutely everywhere, with a corpse in the middle. It was no longer recognizable, the top of the body had been blasted to pieces."
Calming my breathing, I took my eyes off the desk and looked up at my teacher. Her purple eyes were hard, and she stared straight at the Hokage, reporting as a professional shinobi.
Another scroll joined the other.
The only thing that signaled her distress was the slight shaking of her hands.
Minato's face was unreadable, calm and collected.
"After slipping passed Seiichi's traps, we stopped in a clearing where three bodies laid, no other chakra signature in the area. There wasn't much of a fight there. It was obvious where the Kumo ninja got in, but once he caught up, the boys didn't seem last long."
Her hand took the bag off her shoulder and opened it, taking out the scrolls one by one. She placed it on The Sandaime's desk.
"The first thing we noticed was the kids. Tsubasa had been beaten severely, and died by intracerebral hemorrhaging while Seiichi's throat had been slit." She said. "At first we were puzzled as to why and how the Kumo ninja died, as we looked upon his smashed face. Thinking along that logic, the other body should have been Reika. Not Kumo."
Her voice croaked near the end and she had to pause. I watched her swallow, concentrating on her words.
Feelings were filling my core, and I really didn't want to deal with it.
I really really didn't want to deal with it.
"The Kumo ninja seemingly died from being paralyzed. Before being…"
I wanted to wince as she paused.
"I think pulverized was the word Sakumo said." Minato piped up.
I was surprised at the soft laugh that came out of Kushina.
"I think that is somewhat of an understatement." She continued. "You can get the report from T&I after the autopsy, but I doubt they will be able to recognize him."
Anxiety struck me again as I wondered what that was going to classify me as?
Will I be a loose cannon? Will Inoichi take me off duty? I know that this is going to land me back in his office.
"Only after we examined the bodies more, did Sakumo notice Reika, who was leaning on a tree, curled up, and watching us. Her chakra was completely hidden, her eyes trailing us. Every time one of us reached for the boys, her killer intent spiked."
Kushina finished with that, as the office fell into silence.
My eyes turned back to the Hokage and watched him get up out of his chair, before emptying his pipe in the ashtray.
Weak.
I always thought that Hiruzen was weak.
A man that tried to help but lacked the balls to actually get what needed to be done, well… Done.
It's weird how your perceptions of people change when you meet them face to face.
He stood in front of me and bent down to my level.
Seeing me not as one of his soldiers, but as a seven-year-old.
Weak?
No.
This man was tired.
Tired of war.
Tiered of having to order people to risk their lives.
Tired of sending children to their deaths.
And the next shinobi war hasn't even started yet.
"Reika-chan." He said, catching my attention again.
"Yes, Hokage-sama," I answered studying his younger face.
"Are you able to report?" he asked.
Does he actually care? I asked myself.
Or is this grandfather attitude an act?
"Yes, Sir," I answered before collecting my thoughts.
I began when Kushina took off with the Iwa nin before retelling our actions, and my reasoning for sending my teammates ahead.
But out of everything, I knew I had to withhold information and dread carefully when I told him about Rokuro.
My word against a councilman.
The man would never listen to a seven-year-old who hasn't even been a genin for a year.
"By listening to Kushina's side of the event, I agree that each one of the ninjas seemed to have something they wanted." I swallowed. "the Iwa ninja wanted the Kyuubi and the Ore scroll, while the Kumo-nin wanted me. But with Ryouta, he wasn't an exception."
I readied myself for my next comment.
"He wasn't even a foreign ninja."
The moment the words tumbled from my lips, the room seemed to darken.
"You shouldn't make that assumption unless you are very sure, Reika." I wasn't surprised that the words came from Minato's lips.
"I know, and I am completely sure." I forced my hands open and then closed again.
"He canceled the henge after Seiichi, Tsubasa, and Maki- the Kumo-ninja- left. His real name is Rokuro, I don't know that last name, he worked in the aviary."
I was unsettled by the way the Hokage's expression didn't change.
"Yes, you were posted there in quite a few instances." He stated. I tried not to be bothered by the way he seemed to know my every move. Of course, he did, he is the one who gives the orders.
But I don't like to be tracked. I don't like people knowing what I do.
"I didn't think twice of it, but he would often invite me to 'join' him," I admitted. "For some reason, he wanted my help. He never really gave me more information than that so I never took him seriously."
Inhale 10.
Hold 20,
Exhale 5.
Tread carefully.
I looked up and caught the Hokage's eye.
"He seemed to be under the orders of another to make war," I stated. "He was apparently sick of the waiting game and wanted to fight. By recruiting the two foreign ninjas, who had to contact with the outside, he gave them information and rewards if they helped him."
Very carefully.
"We fought, and he was beating me, despite the dirty tricks that I was pulling on him." I continued, the adults in the room listening to my every word, and it somewhat scared me that they were taking me so seriously. I was only seven.
It was definitely a different reality to my last life.
"I was trapped and he was taking pleasure in repeatedly hitting me."
My eyes drifted up to my teacher.
"I would have been knocked out and take out of the Fire country if it had not been for the Dark Chakra that immitted from where Sensei was fighting. I guess that is what you meant by losing control."
The red head's eyes widened as I directed the last part to her.
"He locked up, and I was immediately able to get out of his grasp and stab him, killing him."
I looked back at our leader once I saw her eyes start to water.
This was not the time for making people cry.
I finished my story soon after, being clear on how the body blew up after he died by itself, and not because of me. Then I moved onto reporting on how I defeated the Kumo Ninja.
"When I came to, I awoke to chakra signals coming into my perimeter." I blew my bangs that hung in my eyes out of them. "I wasn't going to let anyone else touch my team, but it was Sakumo-Oji-chan and Kushina-Sensei."
The silence, was long and clear as the Hokage contemplated.
"Thank you, Reika-chan," he put a hand on my head. "I'm taking you off duty for a month or two so that you can heal properly."
Heal properly.
I was smart enough to know that meant my body and my mind.
"You did well out there, I am very proud of you." He slid his hand off my head and he got up off the floor to move around his desk. "I am very sorry you had to go through this, Reika-chan."
Collapsing back in his chair, he took out more tobacco and put it in his pipe.
The silence continued as he lit it.
Danzo.
I left enough hints to tell you it was Danzo.
Please, do something!
"Kushina, you will be kept in the village for the time being as well. I'm don't want this to happen again." He ordered. "And make sure you and Reika drop by the hospital to get checked out."
"Yes, Hokage-sama." She replied.
"Minato." He turned to the other man in the room. "Do you have anything to add?"
Minato shook his head.
"Not at the moment."
At the moment.
Meaning something will be said after.
"I'm keeping you home for a bit, take the time to train your apprentice, I'm planning on sticking him in a team with the next set of graduates." He ordered.
Rin, Obito.
It was going to be that year.
"I also want you to keep working on that jutsu I gave you. Kushina, I trust you will be helping him with it."
"I've helped with the theory, but the attempts themselves are up to Minato." She replied.
"I'm on the application right now." The future Hokage smiled. "I should have it down in a month or two."
The Sandaime nodded.
Hirashin.
Could this be the Hirashin?
"I expected no less."
He sighed again, letting out smoke.
We heard the dismissal in his voice and Minato came to me to put me back on his back.
"By the way, Kushina, Reika." The Hokage called as we headed to the door.
"Yes, sir."
"You both have to report to Inoichi once a week," he replied. "I'll have him send over a message telling you a time tomorrow."
I hid my face in Minato's back, to hide the smile that stretched across my face as the door closed behind us.
Because in my fucked up brain…
That door meant something.
The world as I knew it would end and a new period would begin.
The start of a world of pain has begun.
The Third Shinobi War.
Obito meeting Madara.
Rin committing suicide on Kakashi's Chidori.
Minato and Kushina's sacrifice.
And all this has started with Tsubasa and Seiichi's death.
-.-
Hello Everyone!
This chapter is honestly the hardest chapter I have written. it took me a solid week to figure out what type of reaction that Reika should have. How would she react? would she take it badly? take it like she would everything else? I finally sold myself on this, although her grief will be continuing for at least another few chapters.
Question: Do you think I should have portrayed Kushina and Reika's grief in another way? How and why?
Recommended fanfiction: Clearing Mist by shadownumera. I blame this on you, Silverlined Pheonix. I was curious about fanfictions where the character is matched with Kisame after your last comment and got hooked on this one.
Once again, thank you all for your views, follows, favorites and Encouraging reviews.
Love you all,
RavenMocker6
P.S: there is probably going to be a delay for the next chapter. I'm leaving for Greece once again this year to participate in an Archeological Dig so as soon as I get settled there i'll be back on and updating.
Curleystruggle, Next time, I'll try and make it more heart pulling to make you cry. I think that is my new goal. Before this story is over, I want to make you cry at least once! I hope you like where I'm hoping to direct the story. As for telling him about Root, what would be the fun in telling the Hokage directly? She gave him enough of a hint, but will he take it? We will see. Chibi-Neji would be so cute! It would be adorable seeing him run around all crazy-like cause Reika is his sister and would bring out the child in him. I love the idea, but we'll see if he is even born.
Taylor. Denney2, Thanks! I take pleasure that I can make you cry! (Does that make me a bully?)
Sazaleli, Awww! And You are on to something. Karma will always be a B... especially when Reika is concerned.
Dark Rose Charm, Reika's friends will become very important to her after, and as you have seen in the previous chapters when Reika is emotional she does one of two things. Pushing people away or clinging to them. I won't spoil anything, but there are going to be some changes, while other things will not change. I won't say any anything else about what the future holds for Reika for now. I don't want to spoil anything.
YXZX, I hope you like her reaction. It was really hard, even for me to figure out what her reaction should be.
Love Stories00, here we go. As you wished, Minato was there when she was hinting at Danzo's involvement. But I don't know if he will really figure it out until much later. I'm evil, I know, my aim was really to get you guys attached just to kill them. Doesn't mean it didn't hurt me to kill them off.
Antimoni, Thank you! Thank you very much!
fixerbacta, well she hinted at it. like she said, it's her word against Danzo's. She has to tread carefully.
Sukondis, I am too. But their deaths will not be in vain. Killing them off has a purpose, don't you worry.
GreyMoon. Huntress, Really? a thing between Reika and Tsubasa? That was totally unintended, but not entirely unwelcome. As for the tornado of bugs, it is something I came up with. I was thinking about what would happen to he bugs since they no longer have a body of chakra to cling to and feed off of. I figured, why not make a dramatic moment out of it. As for Karma's a B... That I know. I can tell you that it is not going to stop either. It's going to follow her for the rest of her life. Thanks for telling me about the corrections, as soon as I have a moment, I'll go back and take a look. You know, I like the way you described her. "The Itachi, before Itachi is born" that characterizes her perfectly. As for a list of possible pairings, I'll make up a list and set it up one of the next few chapters.
Xiu, Sorry it took me so long. Here you are. I know I took three weeks, Sorry!
Ironyismyname, Tsubasa a canon character? I think you might be getting him mixed up with Torune. Tsubasa is an OC. Torune would not have been born yet.
Lizyeh2000, She will have to report to Inoichi's office for sure. We will be seeing her there quite a few times.
Pebblepeak, Welcome to Karma is a B... I'm glad to have your attention and am very happy you like it. Yup, her team's death will affect her greatly, whether it will be for the good or the bad, You'll have to read the next few chapters to find out. Afterward, you can tell me what you think. Like I told GreyMoon. Huntress, I will be posting a list within the next few chapters of who I'm debating on pairing her with.
Silverlined Pheonix, They both died because Karma is a Bi... That would have been a bitch move though. suddenly being like "Opps sorry for making you cry but it is a genjutsu. Haha made you look." I'm not saying, cause it could equally be Zabuza, or Roshi, or Darui, or even Nagato himself. So many options. GreyMoon. Huntress asked for a list of possible pairings and I will provide in within the next few chapters. Ding ding ding, Minato was at the front, but only for a message, but he escorted her back so it must count for something!
Missawsomesauce, Oh trust me... When Reika finally gets her hands around his neck. He is going to wish he was dead. And it is going to feel so good!
Mr. Meowington, Awww. Sorry! ...or maybe I'm not. I got attached to them too, but I have a lot of the future storyline based on their death so I had to kill them.
Way of life, You know, That is a very good question. It has quite a vague answer. She doesn't tell anyone because she is Reika. she takes the world on her shoulders, and she thinks that she needs to do this alone. When you look into her flashbacks, you can see that those she was close with either betrayed her or were dead, leaving her alone. That feeling has crossed over to Reika. She thinks that if she counts on the other's they will betray her, or end up dying anyway. She doesn't understand that these secrets are what will hurt the others. Just like how they got her friends killed. But on the other hand, you have to understand that Rokuro specifically says that he wants her to join Anbu. What Seven-year-old knows the process to join Anbu? is she randomly goes up to the Hokage, or even Sakumo and says Root- a secret organization- is after her, and threatening her without solid evidence, she will not be treated kindly, and they might even think that she is a spy. Thanks for commenting, I had to really sit down and think about this.