[Insert Disclaimer Here]
Thirty-Six: Take it In Slowly
Two medium boulders with the Sarutobi Clan symbol sat on both sides of the road as entered the Sarutobi Clan Complex, which by the looks of it, pretty much consisted of a large residential area near to the village walls. The area pretty much was an entire 3 blocks of houses, apartments and small shops, all styled in architecture that was faintly similar to the Edo Period just with modern touches. All the buildings were similar in color, white walls with dark ebony along the edges of the buildings and dark blue green roofing tiles. I had never been to this side of the village so I took in everything my eyes could catch.
As Hiruzen-jiji led Naruto, Yui and I, I noticed how people within the Sarutobi territory, were lightly observant but their gazes didn't linger. They bowed and went back to doing their business. The crowd that had followed us from the Estate had thinned out and stayed out of the Sarutobi grounds. I also noted there were less civilians in this area. Almost the majority of those in the street or around had large chakra signatures, aside from the children.
We stopped walking as we were deep within the heart of the complex standing before a wooden high walled area with dark blue-green roofing and a large double door wooden gate with a smaller single door attached on the side. A sign on the gates read:
Sarutobi Clan Head Household.
I looked away from the large gates and looked at Naruto, who was still angry but now he was slightly worried because he kept giving me soft glances and his heartfelt concerns flooded his entire being, and I wasn't sure if he knew that he was doing it but his emotions and just a bit of his chakra wrapped around me like a blanket. He was the reason, I felt so at ease at the moment, despite what had happened earlier, my hand in his only further helped push all the negative feelings away.
"You feeling okay?" Naruto asked and I nodded taking in his bothered blue eyes.
'I'm not going to be okay for a while but you're here with me, that's what's holding me together.' I tapped with my fingers on Naruto's hand, his anger subsided a bit more and he pulled me to stand closer to him. I blushed a little as I could feel Yui's amusement behind us. Hiruzen-jiji pounded on the smaller single door, oblivious that Naruto and I were having a small moment. We were let in and I looked around within the grounds.
Most of the ground was covered with stone cement, except for some areas where there were a few trees. There was enough room in this stone covered yard for one to spar. I noted that the house just like the other buildings, it had Edo Period touches and more notably, this place had one main large 2-story house that connected with two separate single-floor buildings.
"Naruto-kun, I need to speak with Hachiko and Yui alone, don't you have your new home to explore?" Hiruzen-jiji asked Naruto who tightly held onto my hand, his temper began to rise, but it felt bitter.
"I'm not leaving her when she needs me. I know you tried to keep me away and look what happened?" Naruto possessively pulled me closer and he wrapped his arms around me. I felt how one of his hands traced my recently short cut hair. Hiruzen-jiji had half a mind to kick Naruto out, I could see it but then there was a part of him that was too upset that Naruto didn't obey him and Hiruzen-jiji couldn't blame Naruto for reacting like that.
"Very well. You may stay. I suppose I can always have my talk with Hachiko tomorrow. Today has been too eventful." I gave Hirzuen-jiji a thankful glance. His face softened and he led us to the front door of the two-story house. The entrance room was a basically a shoe room. After removing our shoes and walking in to the next room, we were in a foyer with four wooden sliding doors with rice-paper windows, and one full wooden door at the far left end of the hall.
"The far door is a single lavatory and two far sliding doors near the lavatory lead to the dining room and kitchen. This sliding door directly in front of us is the library it connects to a small office, I don't use the small office, Hachiko you're free to use it as you please. Konohamaru and his tutor, Ebisu, use the Library, often when they study practical theory. The last door here leads to the family room, follow me." Yui, Naruto and I followed Hiruzen-jiji through the sliding rice-paper door into a spacy looking modern living room. There were comfy looking sofas, a coffee table. On the back wall there were wide windows that faced a grassy large patio. There were shelves of pictures and random books. I noted that there was a corner of the room that was littered with cushions and there was a wooden sign in red paint that read:
Konohamaru Territory, Trespassers Beware!
On the far right of the room, there were wooden stairs facing the windows.
"This is the family room and the only room that has access to the upstairs. Come along," We followed Hiruzen-jiji up the wooden stairs and reached a hall where there were five doors. Three on the across the stairs, widely separated from one another and two next to the stairs, widely separated as well. I felt a signature within one of the rooms and I was positive it was Konohamaru.
"The door here next to the stairs is a washroom and the door next to the washroom is the guest room. The three doors right across from us, in order, the first door is Konohamaru's room, the one beside it will be your room Hachiko and the last door, Yui may take that bedroom." I looked at Yui who looked very happy about that.
'If the middle room is mine, then why is Konohamaru in there?'
Before I could ask Hiruzen-jiji, I slowly began to loose my strength. I felt like my legs were going to buckle underneath me. Naruto picked up on my sudden weakness and he secured me against him, holding me up.
"Hachiko-ojousama?" Yui asked and Hiruzen-jiji looked at me worriedly too.
"It's from earlier isn't it?" Hiruzen-jiji asked and I nodded. Naruto grew confused and I knew he'd ask about it and would probably get angry.
"I'll get Duelo to drop by. Naruto, please help move Hachiko into her room. I need to go find Konohamaru, who I know is hiding about around here." I narrowed my eyes at my door and saw what Hiruzen-jiji was suggesting. He knew Konohamaru was in my room. Naruto seemed to understand and I looked at him as he started emitting a mischievous aura.
"You go get Duelo-oyaji. I'll deal with Konohamaru." Naruto said to Hiruzen-jiji. Naruto's devilish smile got me full attention. Yui opened the room door to my room slowly. On the far end of the room a bed was posted up against it a large window that flooded the room with a decent amount of sunlight. A set of floor cushions were stacked up by the door and I smiled at the little table on the left side of the room, I recognized the table because it had been once at the House behind the Sweets Shop, it seemed Jun-jiji send it over this way for me. I smiled softly and moved my sights to the right side of the room.
A small vanity sat next to a sliding door. The sliding door was half open and I spotted the chests with my clothes were there, so it was a closet. Konohamaru was right behind large black chest and pressed up against the wall in the closet.
Konohamaru did a good job of hiding, to the naked eye he was invisible but to my sensory, he was easy to pinpoint. I stretched my sensory and felt him quiver, he was surprised and I bet it had to do with Naruto being present.
"I'll go get some tea ready. I've been here at least 4 times this past week bringing your things and getting your room to look decent. I hope you're not upset I didn't get around to putting your clothes into the closet." Yui offered her apologies but I shook my head.
"It'll give us time to pick out through what fits and what doesn't." I managed to say and I felt Konohamaru's shock as he too, like so many, was unaware I had regained my speech.
"Very well. I'll return shortly." Yui left and Naruto helped me over to the bed. As I sat down, I felt Naruto's impish aura engulf me as he pushed me down on the bed and caged me, his hands on the sides of my head. My eyes were wide because he was so bold and the butterflies in my stomach fluttered, they were celebrating for his confidence. He lowered his face and nuzzled my cheek causing me to smile warmly until he spoke.
"They kept me from you, again. You knew what was going to happen. Why didn't you tell me?" Naruto asked, his voice was a little sad and there was a twinge of sadness. I stared into his azure eyes as his forehead rested against mine.
"I-I was going to, but then Duelo-papa and Jiraiya distracted you with getting you to the house your parents left you. I figured it out, that you weren't aware and I wanted you there but I didn't want to put you in a position that would jeopardize the progress you made, the villages are less resentful and I just wanted to protect you." I saw relief on his face and blushed as I saw something playful glimmering in his eyes, I blushed feeling that something exciting was going to happen and the tug wasn't helping either.
"You always do what you can to protect me but I couldn't protect you from this." His voice was deep and soft. One of his hands again lightly played with one of my short wavy short locks.
"I-It's part of the excommunication ceremony Naruto." I whispered shakily. I felt anxious and I was unsure why. I saw how his eyes narrowed and it made my heart pound in my chest.
"It was cruel and the stares, I will make it all go away, when I become Hokage, no one will look at you the way were today, no one will hurt you with their words, you put up a strong front but I know their words hurt you. I'll take all that away Hachiko-chan." He promised. My eyes prickled and my heart drummed in my chest.
"H-How did you-" His eyes glimmered with determination
"Because you're always in here." His hand left my lock of hair and he took my hand and placed it over his heart. A warm feeling seep in me, mesmerizing me as he leaned his head down and his lips captured mine, I moaned a little as I felt the tug pull hard, like it was demanding more.
"EWWW! STOP!"
Naruto let go of my lips and nuzzled my face.
"Boss! Come on, quit it will ya!"
With a wide mischievous grin on his face, Naruto pulled away. I felt my face flush. I had forgotten about Konohamaru being in the room but what really made me blush, was that I figured out the feeling, Naruto was being seductive and because of my extrasensory and the tug, I felt it way more than I should have.
"Oh, Hey Konohamaru." Naruto grinned as he sat up while I simply looked a Konohamaru who was red in the face and not looking at Naruto and I. He tried to bury his mouth into his long blue scarf.
"Ha! That's what you get you little brat! Why were you hiding in my Hachiko's room? What kind of prank were ya going to spring?!" Naruto jumped off the bed and bonked Konohamaru on the head. I didn't have time to feel bad for the kid because I was too busy trying to calm myself down… Naruto had been, so alluring.
'Breath Hachiko, calm your self down.'
"You mean you knew, che, as expected from my rival. So this make-out session was planned out to get me huh? Wow Boss I didn't think you'd get my cousin or is it niece… Wait a minute." I looked at Konohamaru as he tried to shake off the blush by acting impressed, however he was mulling something over in his head. He seemed to have figured it out as he jumped and pointed at Naruto.
"You can't go near my niece!" Konohamaru yelled and pointed at Naruto who raised a brow.
"Niece?" Naruto asked and looked at me as I slowly sat up on the bed.
"I'm higher up on her family tree, Her grandpa is my Uncle. That's why I'm her Uncle boss!" Naruto bonked Konohamaru's head again and the kid let out a small cry.
"Gah! What'd you do that for?!" Konohamaru threw a small glare at Naruto.
"For being pesky and trying to prank Hachiko-chan." Konohamaru threw Naruto a small look and then he looked at me.
"Boss, as her Uncle I can't approve of you dating her." Konohamaru simply said and I smiled a little seeing Naruto flame the poor boy, demanding reasons why.
"'Cuz you haven't battled me for her hand yet. It's a Sarutobi Clan rule, the Man of the House must be challenged by any suitor wishing to court a Sarutobi Clan Maiden. I'm the Man of the House, since Grandpa doesn't really live here. So you can't go near her." Konohamaru, for a little 8-year-old was very familiar with his Clan Rules. Naruto looked thoughtful and nodded to himself. His determination reached me and I saw how he wanted to make things right.
"So what do I gotta do?" Naruto asked, I blinked and wondered why he was playing along.
"Challenge me, duh and state your purpose in hmm, 2 days time! Only then will I give you open passes to get past the wards around this place." To that Naruto perked up. I felt him get giddy and he looked at me giving me a confident nod.
'If he get's clearance past the wards, we can still have late night visits!'
My blush came back again as naughty little thoughts made their way into my head, and Naruto's performance earlier, didn't help me subside the blush either.
"It's a deal! 2 days then. In the meantime-ACK!" Naruto yelled as Konohamaru got in the way standing with his hands extended out.
"Nuh-uh, can't go near her until the challenge. You lose, I get to decide when and where you can meet and for how long. You win, you get the perks boss but until then, can't go near her." I raised a brow and then realized 2 days without Naruto wasn't going to float with me. I wanted him near me, now.
"Konohamaru, can we, you know speed it up and have the challenge today?" I asked and gave the little boy my best pleading look. He was wavering.
"Aww, okay! Let me just get the stuff ready. Wait here and I'll tell you when it's time." Konohamaru ran out of the room and he was radiating out excitement and plainly overjoyed.
"Why are ya- Oh, you just want me around more huh?" Naruto asked cheekily and I suppressed my blush and nodded. He moved and sat on the edge of my bed, right beside me, facing me as one leg hung off the bed and the other was folded underneath him, and with one hand right beside my thighs.
"So, you never told me why you're legs were shaking. I noticed it during the walk too, you were walking stiffly and I pulled you closer to me 'cuz I didn't want you to fall, I wanted to be close enough to hold you up." Naruto started and I sighed. I looked away from him but he cupped my face with one hand and had me look at him.
"Hachi? Were you in some trouble again?" He asked and my lips trembled a bit, I didn't want to tell him because he'd probably get mad and then there was that part of me that feared he'd hate me once he learned about my chakra.
"I-I, my chakra. I-I can use it now but I'm not a-allowed to." I stammered.
"Not allowed?" He asked puzzled and I carried on.
"I-It scares those around me. I-I'd show you but I'm sure some one would feel it… It's the reason I got kicked out of the clan." I quietly added. Naruto released my face and scooted closer, his arms wrapped around me and I relaxed, leaning my head on his shoulder.
"Just for having chakra? That's stupid." Naruto tried to make me feel a little better but I shook my head.
"It's more c-complicated than that. W-When I mold chakra, if I touch someone, they freeze up, they get so terrified and I a-absorb their chakra… I-It's hard to stop once I start a-and I-I get hurt just as much as the other person. F-For everyone's safety I was tightly locked away at night and watched over tightly. I-I'm happy, sad, but happy to be free from the Estate, from the Clan, it felt like a cage." I admitted and cried. Naruto stilled and his mind went blank, his emotions were bent on one single feeling: Protect.
His arms tenderly held me against him, his desire to protect soothed my aching soul. His temper was shot and I felt prickles against my skin. He was going to stand but I quickly snaked my arms around his torso.
"D-Don't go. Please."
"They treated you wrong. I can't let them get awa-" I leaned back and pulled Naruto down over me, ignoring my aches as the full weight of him was over me.
"Y-Yes you can." I whispered into the nape of his neck, it prickled my skin but that didn't matter. I winced as I felt his digits push hard into me.
"They can treat me like that but not you." He pulled his head back and I stared into his reddish-blue eyes.
"N-Naru, i-it's okay. Th-They meant well, even if it hurt me, they did what they thought was best… I-I didn't help much either after I scared Hyūga and U-Uchiha I-Itachi, after k-killing off his puppet, sucking dry it's chakra, I-I can see why they did it. I-I really don't have much control, I-I liked absorbing their chakra, the rush, the fear... Does the make me a monster?"
"No. You're my Hachi, my most special person. You were there to save me when I was so alone and was starting to believe everything everyone said about me. Now I get to save you from that crushing feeling. You are not a monster." His words were firm and set on doing as he said. He nuzzled my cheek but then paused.
"Hyūga? Neji? You scared him?" Naruto asked, internally cursed remembering that kiss with the jerk.
'Even though his temper is going down, I have to tell him.'
"No, H-Hinata but a-about Neji… Um, he f-forced a kiss on me-" I froze hearing Naruto growl and his temper came back twice as hard. His face was near mine and he possessively nuzzled my cheek.
"I'm going to rip his lips off." His growl sent shivers down my spine but I shook it off as I focused on him.
"I-If it helps, I slapped him, S-Sai offered to hurt him b-but, I-I was satisfied seeing nice big red mark on his cheek he h-had to b-bare for the rest of the d-day." I recalled the mark on Neji's cheek. My mind went on alert as I felt a stinging but pleasant sensation on my lips. Naruto went into a frenzy as his lips feverishly dominated all my senses, I wanted him closer but he pulled away.
"I love that you can protect yourself and you don't take nothin' from no one but, I'm still going to tear a good one in him." His face leaned down into mine and his breath tickled my skin. His possessiveness came back strongly and it began to engulf me, but it was seductive and oh so tempting.
"N-Naru" I gasped as he moved his head to my neck and his lips let a trail of hot kisses. He shifted his body slightly so that my legs were between his, he was careful not to crush me, fully aware of how sore I was but with kisses like his, the pain was nothing. I savored his feather light kisses. I ran my hands down his front and reached the hem of his long sleeve shirt. I slowly snuck my hand underneath and felt how much he liked the contact of my skin on his. He released my neck and stared at me with half-lidded eyes. I pulled him his face down and took his lips only for him to whine as I trialed kisses down his neck and impishly decided to leave my own little mark as I tugged his long-sleeved neckline and heard him hiss. I pulled away and gave him a playful little smile.
His desire, peaked and he crashed his lips on me again, he lightly bit my lip and I gasped knowing fully well he'd slip in his tongue. I slipped both my hands under his shirt and pulled him closer, ignoring my dull aching pain. He too must have thrown caution into the wind because pressed himself tightly against me from his end and my own, we both felt like it wasn't enough. The kiss got rougher, needier and one of his hands was tracing my thigh, I don't know how he managed it but he had propped my knee up and when my chima skirt had hiked up and his hand now he traced my outer thigh, the skin contact causing me to shiver. Naruto let go of my lips and moved down to my neck again. I threw my head back to give him more access.
"Ahem." We both froze at the fake cough. My sensory cleared up and I recognized the signature. Naruto buried his face in my neck and slowly removed his hand from my thigh. He was pushing down the kyuubi's chakra and the prickles on my skin went away, even though I didn't feel them as much anymore due to our bout of passion.
"I thought there was trouble as there as a small spike of chakra but I can see that's not the case." Jiraiya stood at the door with his arms crossed and had a lecherous smile. I tried to hid a bit behind Naruto's shoulder.
"I could let it go on, you know, because this is gold right here, but Sensei would kill me and I'm fairly sure Duelo would ban me from getting any medical treatment from the Hospital." Oh he was pleased to see how embarrassed Naruto and I were.
"H-How long have you been there?" I asked as I fought my blush. Jiraiya grinned.
"Ah, when you pulled the Gaki closer to you, as your hands traced his around his torso, hungrily wanting, pressing to get more… I should write that down." I turned red for sure as Jiraiya pulled out a notepad from his inner vest pocket and in frenzy wrote with a pencil mumbling the words to himself. Naruto had sat up and gotten off me. He pulled down my hiked up skirt and helped me sit up.
"You know, you two are going to inspire lots of my works, if you keep going at it forgetting the door is wide open and that there's people around." Jiraiya kept on teasing.
"Knock it off Ero-sennin. Only I can make Hachiko-chan blush." Naruto stammered despite the blush on his face. His hand intertwined with mine as Jiraiya laughed. Duelo-papa and Yui arrived. Duelo-papa's face faltered as he got a good view of my short hair. From him I felt this underlying anger but his concern for my health came first and he quickly snapped into Medic Mode.
"Hachiko-ojou, why are you red?" Yui asked setting the tea tray down on the low chabudai table.
"You don't have a fever do you?" Duelo-papa asked and approached while Naruto hopped off the bed so Duelo-papa could give me a quick check up.
"I'd say she does –cough-forNaruto-cough-." Jiraiya carried on teasing while he wrote in his notepad. Duelo-papa didn't catch the fake cough but Yui did and an amused smile broke out on her face. Naruto threw glares at Jiraiya to cut it off but Jiraiya was too entertained.
"You're slightly warm, fall is coming up, so it makes sense if you're feverish." I nodded, I understood what he was referring to. It was the strange Hachimitsu Fever that all golden haired Hachimitsu got in the fall and by winter subsided. It was a weird phenomenon that all golden haired Hachimitsu dealt with since birth, however I could see why Duelo-papa was worried. He knew about the Kaguya Seed and how it had changed me, which meant, he wasn't sure if it had messed with the odd Hachimitsu Fever thing. I deeply hoped it didn't because I was seriously done with ending up at the hospital almost all the time.
"I'll set up an appointment at the hospital to run some tests, don't give me that face." Duelo-papa lightly scolded me and I stopped grimacing. He brought out from his medic satchel a white paper bag and handed it to Yui.
"Fever Reducer when she's above more than 2 degrees of body temperature. The purple and white pills are to relieve her pain and the tea infusion is to help her sleep. I put the instructions inside on how to make it."
"Hachiko-chan hasn't been sleeping?" Naruto asked worriedly and looked at me wanting to know. I sighed and Duelo-papa nodded.
"When you're gone out on a mission, she doesn't get enough sleep." Duelo-papa informed Naruto. Jiraiya seemed to like hearing that and quickly took notes on his notepad. Naruto on the other hand looked at me appreciatively.
"How are you feeling after the excommunication ceremony?" Duelo-papa changed the subject and I sighed. it was still fresh but i knew why he was asking. He was concerned for my mental state and everyone in the room reflected this same worry.
"Hurt, Angry but none of it matters. I was born without the Heiress title and I'm still me, even if I don't have my last name anymore. it's not like the last name mattered. No matter what last name I have, it's my first name that means the most to me because it's the only thing I have that Rei-mama could give me." I smiled sadly and I felt Duelo-papa's feels. Yui was sympathetic but Naruto and Jiraiya, they were taken aback by what I had said.
"Your kid is as tough as her mom." Jiraiya pointed out and I lifted my head up and looked at him.
"You knew Rei-mama?" I asked and Jiriaya nodded with a small smile.
"I thought of taking up an apprentice to teach how to handle my spy network. Your mom was amongst the candidates. She was in espionage and infiltration for the Intelligence department. Smart woman." I smiled and thanked him for sharing what he know about her. I rarely learned anything about Rei-mama, aside that she was a chunin and tomboyish. Duelo-papa snapped out of his mental walk down memory lane and he shook off the melancholy.
"I'll come by tomorrow at 1. So get plenty of rest. Kid, don't overwhelm her, got it?" Duelo-papa turned away from me and looked at Naruto who blushed but nodded.
"I may not like that you two are in a relationship but I do know what happens between two people who love each other as much as you two do and you two get very handsy, don't think I didn't notice Hachiko's messy hair and the red mark peeking out on your neck." Naruto and I turned red. Jiraiya was laughing his ass off and Yui, she covered her mouth and stifled her laugh.
"I need to get back to the hospital. Yui make sure these two aren't alone for too long." Duelo-papa left and Yui handed out servings of tea and had me take the painkillers. Konohamaru bounded into the room and excitedly approached Naruto and I.
"Okay, everything's set up."
"Set up for what?" Jiraiya asked and Yui curiously watched as Konohamaru turned around and began to explain.
"Boss here, can't date Hachiko-imouto until he asks permission and defeats me in a challenge. Clan rules."
"Imotou? Hachiko-ojou is older than you Konohamaru-kun." Yui pointed out and Konohamaru got a little ticked.
"No, she's lower on the family tree, I'm her Uncle since I'm higher up but that makes me old so instead I'll be her Onii-chan!" Konohamaru was stubborn and Yui simply let out a small laugh and Jiraiya sent Naruto a teasing look.
"Looks like you have opposition to your relationship gaki!" Naruto glared back a Jiraiya.
"Yeah, well I'm not going to lose because I have Hachiko cheering for me." Naruto replied and Konohamaru took that as a challenge and stood up to Naruto.
"Alright Boss. I know what I'm going to have you do. Follow me." Naruto looked at me and gave me a firm nod.
"I'll be back." He kissed my cheek only to yell when Konohamaru dragged him away.
"I said not contact until after the challenge Boss!" Naruto and Konohamaru were out of sight and I looked at Jiraiya who was fervently still writing in his notepad.
"Jiraiya-sama, what are you writing?" Yui asked and tried to peek but Jiraiya hid the notepad's contents from her view.
"Research is all. Ah, no peeking Yui-san, unless?" There was this suggestive look from Jiraiya and I picked up on his flirtatious nature. I eyed the tray of tea and found no sweets; it was the perfect excuse to get Yui away from Jiraiya.
"Yui, could you get me something sweet, the medicine left a sour taste in my mouth?" I quickly asked. Yui nodded and left to go get me something sweet from the kitchens. I turned to Jiraiya and threw him a small glare.
"Shisui would hurt you if you flirted with her." I warned him and Jiraiya perked up, seemed he liked to gossip.
"You don't say? ANBU Captain Shisui and the beautiful Yui? Hmm. This could work out for a new book, hm, I do need a plot for Icha-Icha. Tell me, have they done the deed?" Jiraiya asked and I shook my head and saw his shocked face, he wasn't believing it and I smiled a little.
"They're not as perverted as you. They did spend a night together in the same room, maybe same bed, not sure on the details but they didn't do anything of the sort. Personally, I think Shisui likes her a lot but doesn't try to pressure her. When he get's jealous though, that's entertaining." Jiraiya sat down and drank his tea while pressing me further for details. I began to fill him on the date Yui had with Minamoto Chinen and how Shisui was green with envy not to mention the Tea House date, I left out the part about Naruto and I and stuck to how Shisui and Yui had their first row. I didn't get to finish the details because Yui was approaching the room and I quickly changed the subject.
"… and that's how Naruto and I met." I saw how Jiraiya was surprised on the inside that I changed the topic and not a second later, Yui entered the room with sweet daifuku in a tray.
"A few of the clan members brought some fresh daifuku and rice-cakes to welcome you, Hachiko-ojousama." Yui handed me a plate of daifuku and I happily bit into it. As Yui offered one to Jiriaya he stood up and shook his head.
"It's okay, I need to check on the Gaki and Konohamaru. Sensei will kill me if they cause trouble while I'm here." Yui and I nodded as the Gama-Sannin made his exit.
"Hachiko-ojou, he does know you can find them from here right?" Yui asked me and I shrugged.
"I don't know. Um, hang on." I closed my eyes and stretched my sensory and found Naruto nearby, actually it was right next to the house, probably in one of the buildings. Konohamaru was with him and Jiraiya had joined them, Jiraiya was very amused and Konohamaru was beyond entertained. Naruto however was embarrassed but he was determined.
'What the hell did Konohamaru set up for his challenge?'
I was about to pull back my sensory when I found a snarky gleeful emotion with no chakra signature hiding out.
'White Zetsu and I bet Black Zetsu put him up to this.'
"Hachiko-ojou? Are you okay?" I snapped out of it and turned to Yui.
'Get me an ink bottle and brush, don't alert anyone, don't even speak… This might be my new home but I don't trust it. That thing that's after me sent a little friend and I need to update the ward around here and add a few little nifty ones that will pack a punch.' I signed and Yui nodded in understanding. She quickly moved to the vanity and pulled out a drawer grabbing two inkbottles and a brush.
I slowly moved out of my bed and tested out my mobility. I took the brush from Yui and found a space by my bed near the window to put a seal. I turned to Yui and signed.
'The small thin brush. I need to make sure the seals aren't noticed by anyone else.' She handed me the thin brush but she felt hesitant.
'Pardon my asking but are you sure you can activate them?' Yui asked and I sighed.
'You have no idea how much hair pulling I had to do to design something to deal with my chakra problem. I got the idea from some seals I saw when Kisaki and I went to see the exhibition between the two Jinchūriki,' I paused to check my anger. I didn't even want to think of her right now.
'I have the knowledge of how the design works them because of Lady Suisei, she gave me her knowledge that came from her Sensei who designed them. I took the design and incorporated it into my usual seals. Theoretically it should work.'
'How will it work?' Yui asked curiously.
'The dead center is where all the work is done for me, I push a chakra into it and the seal will split my Spiritual Energy and Physical Energy. The Spiritual Energy will be pulled into the right side of the middle seal, which is a seishinjutsu seal Lady Suisei's sensei created. The right middle layer, will automatically draw in Natural Energy and mix it with the incoming Spiritual Energy. All that will be fed to the outer seal, activating it. The outer seal is a creation of mine, it's meant to seal up the entire house and anyone trapped within under the wards with bad intentions is in for a world of pain. The pain depends on how much chakra I pump into the center and since I can't control my chakra so well and it's dense, you can imagine how painful it'll be.' Yui nodded but she was a bit confused.
'What of the Physical Energy? What happens to it?' I perked up at that question.
'Physical Energy, I asked Sai about it. He said if raw, it's called Yang Release and revitalizes and strengthens. The center seal feeds that energy into the left side of the middle seal, which is a seal designed to strengthen the wooden frame making it indestructible given how dense my chakra is.'
'So anyone who can mold chakra can use the seals, that's why you're making them small and unnoticeable.' Yui voiced her conclusions and I nodded.
'Double-edged but, only you and I know about the seals, oh and Sai but I trust him.' Signed and Yui agreed, Sai was pretty damn trustful. I got to work and painted a seal in my room, the bathroom, the wall in the hall of the second floor and the wall by the stairs. There was no way White or Black Zetsu would find the two seals up here, however as a precaution, to keep the first and second floors separately secure, I put five seals, one in the living room, behind an expensive vase, another near in the first floor bathroom, one in the office that Hiruzen-jiji let me take over and another in the shoe room. By the time I finished, White Zetsu had disappeared, probably to report to Black Zetsu.
'You plan to seal off the first and second floors from each other?' Yui asked and I nodded.
'Yes, to protect those in the separate floors. Let's say Konohamaru is upstairs sleeping and I sense Black Zetsu down stairs? This will keep Black Zetsu trapped on the first floor and Konohamaru will be safe upstairs away from harms way.'
It was one of the many things that bothered me living with little Konohamaru. He'd be exposed to danger, simply because I lived here; as if being the Hokage's grandson wasn't dangerous enough.
"H-Hachiko-ojou?" I looked at Yui and shook my head.
"L-Lost in thoughts. Let's go check up on Konohamaru, Naruto and Jiraiya." We headed out of the main house and to the building on the left side of the house. Jiraiya was laughing and Konohamaru was rolling on the ground cracking up. I felt the tug and turned to where Naruto was supposed to be and I picked up his chakra signature inside the building, he was scared, distressed and I couldn't help wonder what was making him feel that way. The door was open but it looked dark inside. In fact it looked like a large storage area.
"What is going on?" Yui asked and there was a loud scream from within the building. Konohamaru kept laughing so he couldn't explain. Jiraiya on the other hand elaborated.
"It's a challenge of courage. This little brat made a haunted house of sorts and the Gaki is having trouble getting through it. I'm surprised Naruto hasn't run out of there considering how many times he's screamed." I looked back at the side house and focused on Naruto, who was erratic but his determination was strong.
'He's afraid of ghosts and a haunted house… Oh Naruto, facing your fear for me, I'll have to make it up to him on our date.'
A spike of adrenaline and fright got my attention and Naruto ran out of the small building.
"GAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!" In his hands was a box. He threw the box at Konohamaru and hugged me. He was shaking like a leaf and holding onto me tightly.
"Wow Boss, you really do care for Hachiko-imouto if you faced my challenge." Konohamaru said between stifled laughs. Naruto buried his face into my neck and I patted his back to make him feel better.
"So romantic." I whispered and Naruto stilled in my embrace, he was embarrassed but I couldn't see his blushing face. I had to mentally give props to Konohamaru, how he found out Naruto was scared of ghosts and haunted like things was beyond me.
"I take it the Gaki get's your permission to date Hachiko-chan?" Jiraiya asked and Konohamaru nodded and opened the box. Inside was five pieces of paper. Jiraiya recognized them and I dissected the seals on them.
'Passage, lets the user just walk through what ever the seals around here are meant to do. Huh, interesting, but I haven't seen any seals around the house… Maybe the seals are somewhere else… Ah! The wooden walls, the gates must have the seals. Huh, need to check those out. Maybe in the library there will be information and as a last resort, I'll talk to Hiruzen-jiji.'
Afterward Jiraiya had to pull Naruto away, because they still had work to do in Naruto's new home. He promised to visit once his new house was ready, so that I could visit his new home.
Dinner was entertaining with Konohamaru, who went in detail of what he had done to the inside of the storage building. It was all hanging pieces of tofu, an assortment of curtains and playing with shadows to make silhouettes and traps to trigger movements from make-shift mannequins.
Once bedtime came, I took another pill for the pain and skipped the tea, despite Yui's insistence. I was concern with White Zetsu's appearance and didn't want to be completely knocked out when he could lurk about. There was that and I wanted to try and reach Nia. I tried for over an hour and got nothing. It was like she was avoiding me but that didn't make any sense. Was there a reason she should avoid me? Thinking about it made me angry at her and so I slept and decided if she didn't want to speak to me, then I wouldn't seek her.
-Next Day-
I woke up bright and early despite that I fell asleep late. I had Yui fix my hair. She cut it so that now, it was a messy layered tousled chin length hair. It was so different from what I was use to. My head felt lighter but the person looking back at me in the mirror, was now the new me. I pinned my bangs with a white daisy flower pin and smiled at my reflection.
"Now that it's cut properly. How about we get you dressed, have breakfast with Konohamaru and then we'll unpack?" I nodded and Yui helped me pick out a set of hanbok, a dark purple chima skirt and a pale pink jeogori shirt that had little white daisies. The tying ribbon was white with purple embroidery designs. I found getting dressed was faster now that my hair was so short.
Yui and I headed downstairs to the kitchen. It had been odd to step into a kitchen. It was the first time in a long time I had gone into one. The last time, it had been with Mim when I was seven, it felt nostalgic and strange to do it again but this time without her. I watched Yui and helped her make congee, she protested but I insisted on helping bringing up that I needed to learn to cook anyways, now that I wasn't an heiress, I could "learn" to do housework.
In my past life I had lived on my own so I knew how to clean and had some memories of cooking but they were faded, the knowledge was there but I was sure I was rusty and there was no way I could crack an egg with one hand as Hachiko. So in a way, I was re-learning, which wasn't so bad.
Konohamaru was deeply grateful when he entered the kitchen, obviously following his nose, but there was this loneliness in him that lifted from his being and it made me feel good, to know that my presence in his life had a flipside. After eating breakfast, he happily left to the Academy with the bento Yui had made for him. He was so touched, that it made me get sentimental.
Yui and I cleaned up and not long after Hiruzen-jiji arrived, he found us both in the kitchen washing dishes.
"I see you two are handling things fine without any help." He said and I smiled at him.
"Yes, we made Konohamaru some breakfast." Yui filled him in.
"I see. Well we can't hold off our talk, follow me." Yui and I followed him to the library and we sat across from him. I noted how Hiruzen-jiji was sort formulating his words in his head, he was concentrated and focused and then he spoke.
"As you probably noted Hachiko, there are only 2 ANBU watching over you now." I nodded, I had noticed when an unknown ANBU and Sai had come onto the grounds.
"There's a reason for the reduction in personnel, as Hokage and you as my charge, it would be insulting to have more than four ANBU tailing you. Instead, there are two, to compensate for the reduction, there's this you must wear." Hiruzen-jiji handed me the gold bee pendant Duelo-papa had given me when I was younger, I thought I had lost it. I took it and noted a small etched seal on the back side of it.
"The Ōtsutsuki designed it, it'll allow us to keep track of you." I grimaced hearing that. They had turned one of my favorite items into a GPS. I studied the seal and found it was complex fūinjutsu, well beyond my knowledge, still, I could probably figure out how it worked if I studied it thoroughly with Toneri, I'd have to visit Jun-jiji at the candy shop.
"This is the reason the Hyūga have completely backed off." I sighed and accepted the compromise.
"The service staff I hired, Duelo and Jun both agreed, and convinced me to dismiss them. They'd like Yui to teach you how to cook, clean and pretty much prepare you to run a household on your own." I looked at Yui and she was being sheepish. She knew this was going to happened and kept quiet about it.
"Duelo-san approached me yesterday and told me to keep quiet. Sorry Hachiko-ojou. I tried to stop you from helping so you could enjoy the peace while it lasted, now I plan to teach you a lot of things any young woman should know" I sighed and forgave her.
"I take it this is their way of getting back at me a little for having a boyfriend so young?" I asked and Hiruzen-jiji smiled amusedly.
"Yes. Duelo, did say if you were old enough to think you could have a boyfriend, you'd be old enough to learn to do a few chores and cook." Hiruzen-jiji was tickled but I wasn't, I'd show Duelo-papa and Jun-jiji.
"Another issue we must talk about is Naruto." I looked at him wondering what he was going to say. Hiruzen-jiji was serious and in Hokage-mode.
"He cannot, under any circumstance learn of Black Zetsu."
"I have to tell him. He's running a risk just being associated with me. No. He has to know." Hiruzen-jiji frowned and stared at me, pressing me to go on, I was so abusing my cover in doing this and to be honest, I didn't care what the repercussions would be.
"He needs a reason, a strong reason to get stronger faster. I'm that reason he needs right now. You and I both know, he needs an extra push with all that's coming in the future. He needs to be aware there's something out there that wants to get to me. The more he knows how tied the Akatsuki are with Black Zetsu, the better. If there's one thing I've learned about Naruto, it's that when he wants to protect something or someone precious, he goes above and beyond expectations." Hiruzen-jiji seemed to understand what I was getting at.
"Very well. I take it you want to tell him yourself?" Hiruzen-jiji asked and I nodded. Hiruzen-jiji sighed but allowed me to do as I wished.
"I believe that is all we have to discuss." I nodded and before I could ask about any seals, Hiruzen-jiji set down a scroll he brought out from his kage robes.
"This has a floor plan of the grounds and the location of the seals. I take it, you'll want to inspect them and make sure they're functioning properly?" He asked and I smiled
"You know me well." I commented as to took the scroll.
"You are more of a Sarutobi than you think."
Hiruzen-jiji left as he needed to get back to running the village and doing whatever Kage do. Yui and I settled for unpacking our things. I worked in the office while she unpacked my clothes. She assured me she'd unpack her things when Duelo-papa picked me up for my appointment at the hospital.
As I unpacked my scrolls, document and spare inkbottles, brushes and books, I noticed the invite for the investors meeting in Wave.
"Forgot about that. I'll have to show it to Jun-jiji and Shisui so we can plan out the security detail for the trip." I rubbed my temples and set the scroll on the desk in the priority pile, well it was the only item in the box, but it's the thought that counts.
At lunchtime, Yui and I ate some delicious Onigiri and Spring Rolls we made ourselves. My riceball making skills were bleak but I managed. The spring rolls though, came out better. Duelo-papa arrived not too long after. He took a bento from Yui and we departed to the hospital.
Needless to say, I hated returning to the hospital for blood work and a check up. However, Duelo-papa let me have one little freedom on a very special condition.
"Don't touch them, don't' use your chakra. That's what the ANBU that will escort you will do." I agreed and saw why he had said it. I was let into the high security floor and found myself before Jūgo. He looked a bit more bulkier, taller for sure and I noted how the Natural Energy seeped into him slower than before. The ANBU that followed me, Sai and the unknown ANBU hid in the shadows.
"Y-You." He stammered surprised and I nodded and sent him a small smile.
"Duelo-papa thought a visit from me would be nice good for you."
"No, you should go away. I'll go in a rampage once I-" I frowned and crossed my arms and that got him to shut up, he tensed up and his Natural Energy seeped in even slower than before.
"You won't, you're taking in little Natural Energy, well even less now that I got here… Why?" I asked and saw a glimmer of hope in Jūgo's eyes.
"I see now, you're strong enough to keep me in check. Only two others have been able to keep my rages in check, Orochimaru-sama and Kimimaru." He sadly said Kimimaru's name.
"Is he your friend?" I asked after a minute and Jūgo shook his head.
"My warden but I suppose friend… You are different." He pointed out. His reddish-orange eyes were analyzing me.
"How so?" I asked and he looked thoughtful. It was silent but not an uncomfortable silence.
"Nature like. You remind me of flowers." I stilled and hid my surprise. He was very intuitive. If I gave off the vibe of a flower, then he was very attuned to nature, more than he thought. I smiled and shrugged.
"I like flowers." I simply said but Jūgo shook his head.
"No. You remind me of a certain type of flowers. They bloom once every Blue Moon. Near where I was born, outside the borders of the Land of Iron, I saw the buds once, my grandmother showed them to me once and warned me never to eat them because they caused the madness that inflicted my mother." I blinked and processed the information and found it to match with what Lady Suisei know of the Kaguya Flower.
'Kaguya Flowers blossom once in a Blue Moon, on the thirteenth lunar month of the year. The flowers wilt after 19 years, but strangely, every fall equinox, like clockwork, they produce faux seeds. The actual Kaguya Seeds don't come about until the next Blue Moon, when the last set of Kaguya Flowers wilt. The cycle of death of the Kaguya Flowers is fabled to be a live representation of the reincarnation process. From the death of one flower, comes a new life.'
Feeling a bit of panic, I wanted Nia's opinion but then i got angry remembering she was avoiding me.
'I don't need her, that egotistical jerk.'
Instead, I handled this myself.
"Y-Your mother ate a flower?" I asked and Jūgo nodded.
"My grandmother hailed that I was in the womb when it happened. She claimed that it's why out of all my family, I have the worst rages, because of the flower." I breathed in shakily, he and I had more in common than I initially thought.
"I-I'm probably going to be out of line for saying this but, the flower you speak of, I was given it as a child to save my life." Sai jumped down and had his uneasiness aimed at me.
"Hachiko-san, was it wise to share that information?" Sai asked and I knew he shifted his eyes at Jūgo, who was still absorbing what I had said, as if it hadn't sunk in.
"Trust me, I know what I'm doing." I whispered to Sai and he nodded and stood a ways behind me. The other ANBU however, unlike Sai, was suspicious and had this distaste for me.
'Must be a Hyūga.'
"Do you let it get to you, the Natural Chakra?" Jūgo asked after a long silence. I shook my head.
"I don't have problems like that… It's been ingrained in my family's genetic structure, I'm immune to its effects because my DNA, but I admit, the chakra I have because of it is a bit scary." I saw how his face was impassive but internally, he agreed.
"Hachiko-san your time is up." Sai behind me pointed out and I nodded.
"I'll see if I can come back and visit you at another time." I tried and saw a bit of hope in Jūgo rise, it seemed my visit left an impression or perhaps that impression had been made a long time ago.
I was returned to Duelo-papa's office. Sai apparently had a script of what Jūgo and I had talked about and gave Duelo-papa the scroll. Duelo-papa looked it over and he grew alarmed when he got to the important bits, he seemed to have figured out, just as I had about what had happened to Jūgo's mom and incidentally Jūgo as well. He said nothing on the matter but rolled up the scroll. The unknown ANBU was still, but he was interested in the scrolls contents. Duelo-papa quickly burned the scroll and gave Sai a firm nod.
"Come along Hachiko, we must get you back home. Perhaps we could stop by the sweets shop?" I perked up at that.
"That would be nice." I smiled warmly at visiting the shop. Not because of the candies but because of memories that place held.
-Guess Who-
When he had first felt it, it was surprising, so powerful, this person was strong enough to subdue Jūgo. Now more than ever, he wanted to meet this person. Before he died, he wanted to see the person who'd take over his duties as warden. he had heard a name, a whisper of it from one of the Konoha ANBU.
'Hachiko'
I must meet this 'Hachiko' soon, before my time is up, I must measure this 'Hachiko' and his capacity.
A/N: This chapter was light and fillerish, I admit but I did add a little more mystery and gave away a bit about Jūgo (Yes, I took the basic Naruto Filler format, what you gonna do about that? Jk).
No commentary for this chapter because it's a filler and I'm lazy. However I has a new system to implement. Starting Next Chapter, there won't be a commentary. I want to include those who leave anonymous reviews and answer thier question. So for CH 37, no commentary until CH 38 is up and then no commentary for Ch 38 until 39 is up. This way, I take in all the review and can compile and clarify anything that may seem confusing.
Regular Reviewers, I'll still PM you back so no worries there. The commentary for last chapter should be up. Go check it out.
Now, let me thank you all for the reviews, the views, fav's and follows. You make my day more than you know.
Until Next Time,
-Anbu