A/N: Hello my dears, how are you doing in these isolation times? I hope you are all well, staying at home and staying healthy. Take care of yourself so you can take care of others, wash your hands and don't go around hugging people on the street. But hey, you've probably already heard all of this already.

So let me tell you something you don't know! I am starting an original story project which if I do it right, might end up being my debut novel! I just started plotting it and figuring stuff out, so there's not much to say about it other than the fact that it will be a YA fantasy novel with magic and science in in. I promise that by the time chapter 26 comes out, I will have more to tell you guys.

But now, on with the story!


When I was fifteen, I was informed that by the time I am seventeen, I will be married and sent to another country. I met my future husband that very same day. He was older than me by a few winters, but he had a spark in his eyes that spoke of many battles fought and of many loved ones lost.

Our esteemed clan leader and Uzukage, Ashina-sama, together with his family, met him at the village gates, and I stood and watched in wonder how they lowered the barrier protecting the village. My future husband looked at me and smiled. Oh, what a mess I must have been, all blushing and shy as a court maiden. But who was to blame me, he did make quite a handsome figure, my dear Hashirama.

When the day of our wedding came, my world changed. I was glad to be married, happy to help improve the newly created Konoha together with Hashirama and Madara. Their dream called to me like a beacon. I had ideas heaping in my head of how my fuininjutsu skills would help them, and I was ready to help them, my friends, my husband. But then Ashina-sama ordered for my powers to be sealed, and I crashed. My dream of a Konoha where I would share my knowledge and help people was shattered. Hashirama and Madara, may the kami's bless their hearts tried in vain to spare me of the seal. Uzushio law is absolute, and they are in the end nothing but outsiders... and soon I will be one as well.

But I will not give up, I will never give up. If the Uzukage seals my Uzumaki fuininjutsu skills, then I will make new ones. He will not stop me, nothing will.

-Sealed page from Uzumaki Mito's diary-


-The calm before the Storm-

Yahizui's eyes snapped open, a gasp leaving her lips. Her body was flushed, chakra whirling through her coils. He actually did it… she hadn't expected that. She pushed herself up in a sitting position, glancing at her flower-filled nightstand. She could see Tojiro's penmanship on a card, a pack of tea, likely from Riruka, and even a card from Haku next to a single white gardenia. She scanned the small table for Itachi's sloped writing but found nothing. Maybe…

"Nee-chaaan!"

Yahizui's mood lifted as soon as she saw Naruto's blond hair and watery smile. She stretched her arms and pulled him in a clumsy embrace, wincing as he pulled at her IV. "Hey kiddo," she said, spotting Sasuke through Naruto's spiky blonde strands. "Sasuke-kun! I'm happy you guys stopped by."

"Ne, ne!" intervened Naruto, pulling her attention toward him. "What happened? Were you dead? Were you almost dead? Tojiro said you were in a coma! When did you wake up, did you wake up now? Are you a chuunin now, what happened at the exams —"

Naruto's blabbering was cut short by a small hand wrapping around him and pulling him to the ground.

"Let her breathe, you idiot!" snapped Sasuke as he tried to keep Naruto's flailing hands from hitting his face.

"Let me go, Bakasuke!"

"What did you call me?"

"Bakasuke, Bakasuke, Ba-ka-su-ke!"

"PHAHAHA!" Yahizui's laughter bellowed in the small room, bouncing off the stark-white walls. "I see you two are becoming great friends!"

They both stopped throttling one another and jumped apart with flushed cheeks.

"No, we're not!" they both shouted, then proceeded to grimace at one another.

"I'm glad you both came," she said and motioned for them to come closer.

Naruto barreled into her again and buried his nose in the crook of her neck while Sasuke turned bright red and mutinously stayed put. Yahizui winked at him. She wasn't sure why Sasuke came at all. They weren't particularly close, even if she'd been at his house multiple times. Whenever he was at home, Sasuke would hide behind Itachi's legs, daring to peek at her only from a safe distance. He was a shy child, reserved and quiet. A complete opposite of Naruto's boisterous personality. So how come he was here?

As if on cue, the dark-haired boy pulled a folded note from his pocket. "For you," he mumbled as he handed her the paper.

Yahizui's heart raced as she opened it. Was it from Itachi? Her shoulders fell. It wasn't. Still, the spiky handwriting was familiar.

Hey kiddo, I hear you got yourself stuck in the hospital…again!

Get well soon and stay out of trouble,

Shisui.

Yahizui smiled at the lines, though something inside her soul tightened. Itachi didn't write a thing? Of course, they were both busy, but how much time could a few lines take? Were the words she'd heard while sleeping true? Had it all been inside her head? She shifted, nudging Naruto to slide back to the floor. "Thanks for bringing me this, Sasuke." Then she turned to look at Naruto. "I'm sorry, Naruto-kun… I didn't pass this time."

A shadow of sadness fell over Naruto's features. It was gone a moment after, replaced with an ease that made Yahizui's heart clench. "It's okay," he said with a too-wide smile on his face. "You can go next time, no?"

"Yeah! And you can bet that I'll get it next time!" She had to, she'd promised. "Until then, you can hang out at my place anyway! Riruka likes having you around. No one has to know."

Naruto nodded, and Yahizui could see that his smile was turning genuine. "Ne, ne, the summer festival is in four days, do you wanna go?"

The summer festival already? The question froze in her throat. If the summer festival was here, then she'd been out for… two weeks? "What day is it?"

Naruto looked confused. "Tuesday."

"First of June," supplied Sasuke.

"I was down for two weeks," mumbled Yahizui to herself. "I wonder what happened to the exams…"

"Cancelled."

Yahizui"s attention zeroed in on the newcomer. He was a tall man with narrow eyes, thin lips and a scarred face that gave her chills.

"Get out," said the man to Naruto and Sasuke. His tone left no room for argument, and the boys did not dare disobey. He then turned toward her. "I am Morino Ibiki."

A chill ran down her spine. Even if she wouldn't have known who the man was, which she unfortunately did, Morino Ibiki made a frightening first impression. 'Kaito's former sensei was the type who had little kids crawling under their beds, and adults trembling with his mere presence. She didn't feel much better.

Ibiki walked toward the bed, his gaze never leaving her face. Yahizui was sure that he could read everything there. He sat down on a nearby chair, his scarred visage uncomfortably close. She could see the jagged edges of the slash, forever leaving its mark on his cheek.

"What you did put Konoha in a terrible position."

"I—"

"Silence." His words were calmly uttered, but he might as well have shouted. Yahizui froze. "Your actions have nearly sparked an international conflict. For that, you are banned from attending the chuunin exams for the next two years."

"Two years? But…" She swallowed her words at Ibiki's quelling look. Two years? She was stuck being a genin for two years? What of her team, would they break them up, would she no longer work with Kaito? And what of her promise to Naruto? "Will Kaito—"

"Kaito is facing similar charges," said Ibiki in a dull tone. "He is being detained for the time being and will have his chakra sealed off for a year after that."

Her eyes widened. "What? No! Kaito-sensei did nothing wrong, he didn't even know I was there!" Yahizui's pulse raced, cold sweat drenching her weakened body. "Please Morino-san, there has to be a misunderstanding! He didn't do anything!" White spots danced in her vision. She blinked once, twice, her hands pushing into the mattress to keep from tipping over. "Sensei had nothing to do with this!"

"He had plenty to do with it. Going against the Kazekage's request and fleeing Suna are just some of the charges."

"But—"

"Silence!"

His voice boomed, and Yahizui flinched so hard she almost lost the little balance she still had.

"Kaito will serve his time," continued Ibiki, "and you will serve yours."

Her head bowed in defeat. "Yes, sir." It felt hard to breathe, the back of her head sleek with sweat.

"You will also polish your story."

Yahizui looked up. "What do you mean?"

"The Kazekage is on his way here," said Ibiki. "If you value Konoha, and your life, this is what you will say…"

Yahizui's head rang by the time Ibiki finally left her room. She slumped over as soon as the door closed, temples pulsing with a latent pain. What had she gotten herself into? And Kaito… her sensei was in prison and faced one year without his chakra, without his job because of her! She thought of what Ibiki told her. Lying about it didn't sit well with her, but she had no choice. His story would place Konoha and herself in a favorable light.

Maybe… maybe she could negotiate with them: her lies for Kaito's freedom. Or maybe they could bust him out of prison. Or she could find a way to undo his chakra seal… Her thoughts ran in circles, each more ridiculous than the other. Moments later, Yahizui's eyelids fell shut, the day's exhaustion catching up to her still weakened body.

-O-

The following morning, Yahizui stood before the Uzumaki Temple. She had woken up with fire burning in her veins and a need to get better. She'd left the hospital as most shinobi do, through the window and with a hastily scribbled note to explain her departure.

With the dilapidated building looming before her, Yahizui's heartbeat picked up. She halted before the entrance, eyes roaming over the structure. Before her, Ashina. Behind her, the lack of knowledge she had to deal with. If she went into the temple, she'd have to talk to him, maybe even… apologize? The mere thought left a bitter taste in her mouth. There was nothing to apologize for! He deserved it for lying, and for her father!

Yahizui stepped back. And still, leaving meant throwing away a once in a lifetime opportunity. It's not like other Uzumaki seal masters were waiting at any street corner. In fact, he might be the only one! Her jaw clenched, the truth proving to be hard to swallow. She needed him. Damn it!

Gathering her courage, Yahizui took the final steps into the temple and flared her chakra.

"That was rather fast," said Ashina. His form was once more translucent.

Yahizui squared her shoulders and jutted her chin up in the air. "Don't flatter yourself. I came here for what you can and will teach me. Nothing more."

Ashiha's long mustache twitched. "Of course." He floated to the back of the temple and Yahizui quietly followed.

"So? Where do I start?" she asked.

"From zero."

She bristled. "You listen here old man, I didn't come to be insulted by you! What the hell do you mean from zero, I know how to do seals, I even made my own code!"

Ashina's mustache twitched again, a muscle in his jaw ticking. "You know how to do seals as a cat knows how to swim. You can do it to save your life, but it's not innate to you. "

It was a bit of an extreme comparison since nothing about seals was simple. "That's not possible. Creating a sealing code takes time and study. Also deciphering a seal takes analytical skills that don't just come out of nowhere!"

"If you would have one gram of patience in your body, you might actually hear what I am talking about," said Ashina in a clipped voice. Yahizui could swear she then heard him mumble something along the lines of just like Saito. "And stop regurgitating everything Mito wrote in that book of hers. That book was her attempt to teach the world a more evolved way of making seals, but it was a mere shadow of what we can do."

"So, what can we do?" she asked with narrowed eyes.

"Sealing codes are different from sealing jutsu," began Ashina. He looked accustomed to explaining things, his posture relaxing, tone leveling out. "A written seal is a pre-made piece of code. It can be copied and all it takes to activate it is chakra. Sealing jutsu requires true skill to create and use. To activate a written seal one infuses it with chakra, but it is only an activation chakra that is guided through the seal script and formula. To create a sealing jutsu takes much more chakra and willpower."

Yahizui's eyes widened at the implications. This made perfect sense! If you needed even half more chakra to create a seal in a jutsu, then even the most straightforward sealing formula would become two times as challenging to make. Not only will it take more chakra, but you will have to create the formula in your head, and infuse it with chakra before activating it. The Uzumaki had larger than average chakra coils, and a greater than average chakra pool inside of them, but what about the other part? Remembering was remembering, no matter how you looked at it.

Ashina seemed to see the question written all over her face. He put a hand in his pocket and pulled out a simple exploding tag. "Tell me what you see."

Yahizui approached him and examined the translucent-looking tag. It was in the usual Konoha sealing code. There was nothing special about it. "It's a basic exploding tag with a contact set-off trigger." She traced her finger over the spidery outer line that seemed to circle the tag paper. "The outer line acts as a fuse, making sure that the timing of the explosion is set for exactly two seconds after the trigger has been activated. The explosion symbol in the middle is self-explanatory."

Ashina nodded, satisfied with her explanation. "Now, take out an empty tag paper, close your eyes, and visualize the seal."

Curious to see where this was going, Yahizui did as instructed. She held the tag, thinking of every line in the seal. In her mind, the script became the more familiar code in which she wrote all her seals and tags.

"Keep the seal in mind. Tell me, how much chakra do you need to activate it?"

Yahizui hadn't thought in terms of chakra units since her Academy days. The concept was so thoroughly drilled into her that she didn't have to work out the exact numbers. Low-ranking jutsu took fewer units and less control to pull off. The higher the difficulty level, the more units, and more control were needed. An advanced Jonin creating a new technique might work out the calculations to make sure their creation was possible, but otherwise, most shinobi just intuited what they'd need.

It took Yahizui a few seconds to extract the number from her subconscious. "One, one and a half units."

"How many units will it take to create a jutsu from that seal?"

She frowned. This was more difficult. She had to take into account the radius of the explosion, the strength, and a catalyst that would create an actual explosion, not just a fire jutsu!

"Stop overthinking!" Shouted Ashina. "Just imagine the seal and follow your instinct!"

Follow my instinct? What kind of teaching was that?

With doubt in her mind, Yahizui focused on the mental representation of the seal and tried to empty her mind of anything else. It felt... like she was weaving the seal inside her mind as if she was writing it on paper.

"…Two… and a half units." She said, and somehow she felt it was right. The seal was almost wholly written inside her mind's eye, and she could feel her chakra already responding to it.

"Now activate it. Show me you are an Uzumaki and make the jutsu!"

If one were to ask her how she knew what to do, Yahizui would say it felt like an invisible force pulled her hands together to form a seal. She would say that her chakra acted on its own and molded itself in the pattern of the seal she had visualized. Her intent was strong, the purpose clear. She could feel the paper in her hand and poured all that energy into it.

The paper sizzled in her hands, and Yahizui had one second to jump away before it activated. The explosion felt warm on her face and pushed her hair in all directions before dissipating. She gaped.

"How did that happen? I just felt what I needed to do!"

"Partly your genes, partly your chakra configuration," replied Ashina. He moved his hand through the air and drew a symbol. "Inton, or Yin chakra, is embedded in a sealing jutsu. You create something out of nothing."

Yahizui nodded, deep in thought. "Just like with the Adamantine Chains."

"Exactly. The Uzumaki have an uncommonly strong connection to the Yin chakra nature. This is what enables us to be true sealing masters."

"But surely, other people can do that as well!" Countered Yahizui.

Ashina sighed. "Yes, they can. Given time and resources, anyone with a Yin chakra affinity could have the same sealing proficiency as an Uzumaki. This is why we kept our secrecy above all else. This is why all who left the village divested themselves of the ability to use our seals. The danger was too great."

She shivered at Ashina's words. Just what sort of power did the Uzumaki hold? "And now? The clan is gone, anyone could go into the village…"

"Impossible. Until now."

Yahizui shifted in place, curiosity eating away at her. "What do you mean?"

Time stood still around Ashina's floating form. "As Uzushio fell, the village's emergency protocol activated," he said in a low tone. "All my family and I saw to it that the village would never be accessed." He paused and in the silence Yahizui could hear the outside breeze. "We gave our chakra and lives to place Uzushio in a personalized barrier that only a member of the main clan could access. I wanted to give Saito the chance to return should he want to. And now…"

"I'm the only one that can access it," gasped Yahizui.

"It would seem so."

"Wha-how…I…" She stuttered, her tongue feeling heavy. After a deep breath, Yahizui settled on a croaked, "How?"

Ashina turned, his face hidden from Yahizui's prying eyes. "That is not important at the moment. You must first understand seals and how we Uzumaki use them. So far, your performances have been abysmal."

"What do you mean?" she screeched.

"You," he pointed toward her, then behind her toward the wooden box that contained Kushina's photos, "have not even been able to crack Kushina's seal, and she was no genius." At Yahizui's scoff, Ashina continued. "Kushina left Uzushio as a child. She was the last person to receive the secrecy seal and had barely been a novice in the art. All she learned was from Mito, who, although an excellent teacher, was also limited by the secrecy seal's parameters."

Yahizui could see where this was going. "Do you feel better making fun of me?" The back of her neck burned with shame. "I had no one to teach me, I had no one to show me! All I know I learned and figured out by myself, so climb off your high horse!" Her white-knuckled fists shook by her sides. She was furious, her cheeks red with shame. "Teach me, and then at the end, we'll see how good I am!"

Ashina paused. "Very well. You must first forget all you've learned about sealing techniques."

He spoke for hours. After a few minutes, Yahizui quickly pulled out a blank scroll and a piece of charcoal to take notes. Ashina was a precise type of teacher. He did not deviate from the subject, did not flourish the information with examples or stories, making every spoken word seem important. Yahizui noted it all down, pausing to shake the cramps in her hand from time to time.

By the time the sun began its descend, Ashina finally decided to stop for the day. Yahizui's hand was cramping, three full scrolls lying at her feet. This was what she needed. Progress! She quickly packed it all away, said her goodbyes, and ran back to the village gate. Her mind was buzzing by the time she reached her home. She opened her door and yelled, "I'm home!" as she took off her shoes, but no answer came back. After a quick scan with her sensor net, Yahizui realized that Riruka wasn't at home. Strange. Oh well, she couldn't blame her. No one really expected her to wake up now. Come to think of it, she might have to get back to the hospital for the last check-up. Hopefully, they weren't too upset with her leaving like that.

After a quick dinner and a much-needed shower, Yahizui sat down on her bed and poured over the notes she'd taken, reading them until her eyes felt heavy, and her head dropped on the pillow.

-O-

Two days passed and still, Riruka hadn't come home. Yahizui started to worry. Was she on a trading trip outside Konoha? She stopped doing them years ago, claiming they were no longer worth the effort in her old age. Not that Riruka was old, she thought. Not to her anyway. Still, tomorrow was the festival and Yahizui worried about her adoptive mother. That and the kimono she wore the year before no longer fitted her. She had to go shopping. Alone.

A few hours later, Yahizui finally found the motivation to gather some of her saved money and tackle the issue. She'd go in a store, buy a yukata that didn't clash with her hair and come back to work more on the sealing jutsu exercises Ashina gave her. Easy. She was about to step out when the door opened and a sick-looking Riruka stepped in.

"Riruka-sama!" shouted Yahizui, dashing toward the older woman. "Are you feeling ill, what happened? Can I help?"

"Yahizui," cooed Riruka, but her eyes looked far away. "My sweet girl, I'm sorry I wasn't there when you woke up." She briefly touched the top of her head, pulled back, and walked past her. "I am feeling a bit unwell, excuse me while I go rest."

Yahizui moved to guide her in the house, but Riruka stepped away. "Anything you need?" she asked.

Riruka was already halfway toward her room when she answered in a strained voice. "Nothing, I just have to rest a bit."

Yahizui nodded. Maybe she was just under the weather, caught a cold or something. She put her shoes on and closed the door behind her, thoughts returning to the dreaded shopping trip.

She ended up being saved by the good graces of all the benevolent Kami's out there and Inuzuka Hana's kindness. When Yahizui saw the other girl browsing in the same yukata shop, she stuck to her like glue, and Hana gladly provided the necessary assistance. They ended up spending the day together, talking about anything but the recently canceled chuunin exams. Yahizui was grateful for it. At the end of the day, she parted ways with Hana, the other girl's enthusiasm about the festival seeping into her.

That night she fell asleep again with Ashina's teachings on her chest. She was making progress, but it wasn't fast enough. Speeding up her seal writing was crucial at this point. She knew that, but the work was tedious and progress was slow. Instead, Yahizui had spent the past few days trying to perfect the formulas she knew. Her success with the exploding seal tag gave her a boost, but when she tried to do the same with a simple barrier, her progress halted. Her mind hurt from the mental leaps and loops it had to perform to memorize and convert the seal. The purpose and coding of an exploding tag was straightforward, easy, but a barrier was proving to be a totally different species of coding. One had to take into account the radius, strength, physical anchors and the amount of chakra to be put in the barrier. More people within the boundary meant more chakra was needed, which in turn required a directly proportionate chakra-enhancing variable. In written form, all variables were included in the seal, as well as a detection variable that could identify how many people were in the radius. The seal would then choose the appropriate enhancer according to what the detection variable provided.

Now she had to do all that calculation inside her head. It was beyond exhausting. Ashina would tell her to 'follow her instinct,' but what did that even mean?! It wasn't like she could hold all the different calculations and variables in her head on the off chance she might need them one day - that was the whole point of sealing code!

As she drifted off to sleep, a headache pulsing between her temples, Yahizui wondered whether it was too late for her to learn the Uzumaki way of sealing. Maybe if she'd been doing things this way from birth...but he had taken that option away, hadn't he?

The following day passed in a blur. She spent the majority of the day alone, wondering whether she should barge in Riruka's bedroom and see if she was all right. Around noon her guardian stepped out. She'd thinned out, her usually rosy, round cheeks sunken, her skin ashen in the midday light.

"Are you sure you don't want to go to the hospital?" she carefully asked over their light lunch. Riruka hadn't touched her food yet. "I'm sure they can at least check you over…"

"No, there's no need. I simply need to rest." It looked like she was debating something as she paused, her eyes glassy. "I'm sorry about the chuunin exams."

Yahizui paused. She was still bitter about it, but it was nothing compared to the punishment Kaito had to take. Because of her. "Yeah," she muttered, lowering her head in shame.

"Maybe," continued Riruka, "you could join another organization."

Yahizui's head snapped up, but this time it was Riruka who seemed highly interested in her plate. Another organization? Did she mean…a snort pushed past her lips. "Pfff! As if the ANBU would consider a genin! You sure are funny!"

A pause. Yahizui turned back to look at her food, her mind slipping into a fantasy of entering ANBU. Would she work with Itachi? Maybe… in his squad? She shook her head, and a blush crept up her neck. She wasn't sure what was sillier, thinking she could enter the village's elite squad, or that Itachi would be anything but professional even if they were in the same team.

"What if…" began Riruka in a strained voice. "What if there was another organization that would have interest?"

"Who?"

Riruka's dish clattered to the floor as she abruptly stood, her chair scraping loudly across the wooden floor. She mumbled something about getting rest and quickly left, leaving Yahizui to stare at her back. What had gotten into her? She stopped at the closed door, pushing her ear against the wood and waited. She could hear the shuffling of steps, the creaking of hinges, and after a pause, a gasp. The bed creaked and Yahizui could only assume that she took her medicine and lay down. She was just about to knock on the door when the large clock on the wall indicated that she had one hour to get ready before the festival began.

Her fingers lingered on the door. This was silly, Riruka was fine, it was all fine. Plus, if she didn't know how to take care of herself in a house filled with medicinal plants, then no one did. With one last nod, Yahizui whispered a hurried "get well," ran the steps up to her room and began tugging on her hair to smooth it down.

Forty minutes later, she looked at herself in front of the mirror and smiled. She'd managed to pin the rebellious strands of her hair to the side, her thick mane twisted in the back and held together with white flower pins. Yahizui was sure she'd never spent such a long time on her hair, but she was glad she didn't give up. As for the yukata, she had to admit that it was beautiful. It was as light as a feather, the material flowing over her skin, making it perfect for the warm air outside. It was a lovely pale yellow color with red poppies around the hem and sleeves, all held together with a dark red obi decorated with white blossoms. She felt girly, and for once, she had to admit, it felt nice. With a smile on her lips, Yahizui grabbed her geta slippers and a small bag with a storage scroll and cash, and allowed herself one last moment of vanity in the mirror before stepping out.

With the sun setting over Hokage Mountain, the festival lights were turned on, and Konoha came to life in unexpected ways. There were rows and rows of colorful stalls offering mouth-watering food, trinkets and chances to win at different games. As a rule, there were no throwing games since that would give the resident shinobi population a definite advantage. Still, there were enough other activities that would keep even the most seasoned jounin occupied. Yahizui walked among the stalls, her eyes sparkling at all the colors and lights. Everywhere she looked there were smiling faces, colorful yukatas and families enjoying themselves. A quick chakra scan was enough to find her two teammates, standing between a fishing game and a small petting zoo.

Tojiro was the first to notice her, waving excitedly in his olive green yukata. Next to him, Haku's white hair contrasted with his blue-grey yukata. He turned to look at her, his eyes briefly widening. Yahizui smirked. Ha! And he told her she could never pass for a girl! Eat that!

"Hi!" she said, slightly breathless from trying to balance in the uncomfortable shoes.

"You're back!" Tojiro enveloped her in a bear-hug, lifting her up to his level. "We were so worried about you!"

She took a moment to soak into the embrace and the feeling of being with them again. "Thanks, Toj," she murmured, then playfully batted on his arm. "Now let me go before you ruin my hair!" She patted her hairdo as soon as he placed her back on the ground, pouting.

"Careful there, Hizui," drawled Hakudoshi to her right, "you're starting to become vain." She was just about to throw a retort at him when he smiled. It was kind and open. "It's good to have you back, and… you look nice."

Her cheeks dusted pink. It was good to be back and have the whole team with her. Only, the team wasn't whole. The smile fell from her lips. "I wish sensei were here."

The mood soured as both boys nodded. Suddenly the whole idea of attending a festival when their teacher was somewhere in Konoha's bowels didn't sit that well with them.

"Yahizui-nee-chaaaaan!" A hyperactive orange and yellow ball hit Yahizui in the stomach, making her lose balance and stumble in her shoes.

Naruto was a small sun, his energy radiating off him in waves and providing a needed lift to their moods. He smiled, laughed and spoke for all of them, pulling them in all directions and stuffing enough food in his mouth to feed a small family. There was no way anyone could stay sour around him for long. Yahizui and the boys were no exception.

"Ne, ne," said Naruto as he hopped on one leg in front of them, waving about the dripping ice-cream in his hand. "wanna go to the ducky fishing game next? Or to the—"

"Watch where you're going, brat!"

A large hand grabbed Naruto by the scruff of his shirt, knocking the treat from his hand. Yahizui's eyes narrowed at the Uchiha police crest on the man's arm, her teeth gnashing in anger. "Let him go," she hissed.

The man looked at her with his sunken dark eyes. "Or what? I can throw you in jail for public disturbance."

She was about to shout at the man when Hakudoshi squeezed her shoulder and stepped in front of her. "Excuse our small friend," he said in a calm voice. "He got excited. With all the sweets the kids eat, they can get… hyperactive."

They were frozen in time for a heartbeat, Hakudoshi's words playing in the Uchiha officer's mind. Just as Yahizui was about to explode from holding herself back so much, the man released Naruto with a disgusted scoff.

"Put a leash on him," he spat, then turned away with hulking steps toward a couple that was rambunctiously kissing next to a shop.

"What the hell was his problem?" asked Yahizui as she helped Naruto to his feet.

Tojiro shook his head. "Not sure what's up with the police force lately. It's like they're picking on people randomly, giving fines, or even putting civilians in jail for talking back or defending themselves."

Hakudoshi nodded, his eyes following the broad-shouldered Uchiha officer. "Something's brewing inside the clan."

Yahizui shivered. Did Itachi and Shisui know?

Her eyes roamed over the crowd, sensor net activating unconsciously. She felt Shisui on the next street next to another Uchiha and Itachi was… her eyes shifted to the right, and there he was, standing still as a statue, nestled between two buildings. Their eyes met, hers hopeful, his cold. He held her gaze for what felt like an eternity, but when Yahizui blinked, Itachi was gone.

Her soul felt hollow. What had happened? Why was he acting like that? When she left for the exams, they had been… what had they been? They'd had a few stolen kisses and a day that she liked to think was a date, but nothing more. What did he think of her, what did he feel for her? She gasped, breath catching in her throat at the horrifying realization that she had no idea whether Itachi felt… anything for her.

"Uzumaki Yahizui?"

Yahizui looked up and came face to face with an ANBU mask. She quickly took a step back, her eyes wide. When did he appear? "Y-yes," she answered.

"The Hokage requests your presence."

Yahizui didn't have time to respond. The ANBU grabbed her hand and transported them to the front of the Hokage tower.

-O-

"Come in."

Yahizui pushed the massive door with trembling fingers, her geta sandals making too much noise on the wooden floor. Before her, the Hokage's office opened in all its glory. Genin didn't have the chance to see the Hokage's office unless they did something terrible enough to garner an audience here. Much like she had done. Despite her curiosity, Yahizui's attention wasn't on the desk or the ceiling-large bookcases.

Beside the Hokage were two of the three council members. In front of them stood a tall man draped in the official white Kage robes and a white and blue hat with the 'Wind' symbol that hid his gaze. Her eyes widened, heart hammering in her chest. The Kazekage was in Konoha; it was time to play her part.

Her thoughts were churning, Ibiki's hissed instructions replaying in her mind. Sweat trickled to the back of her neck, the air stifling her. Yahizui bowed, holding the position and taking deep, calming breaths.

"You may rise, Yahizui-chan," urged the Hokage.

Yahizui raised her head and fixed her attention on his kind, wrinkled eyes. One more breath. His gaze calmed her, assured her. It will be all right. "Hokage-sama, Kazekage-sama, honorable Council," she said with another incline of her head.

"The Kazekage was kind enough to pay us a visit, and now that you are awake, we were hoping to hear what happened during the chuunin exams."

Yahizui nodded at the Hokage's words, her attention fixing somewhere above the Kazekage's shoulder. "Of course." She had repeated the story a thousand times in her head, filling Ibiki's scenario with details and making it hers. "After the second exam, I… couldn't sleep. We had encountered an especially hostile team during the exam, and to escape, I killed one of their members. It was my first kill, and it stayed on my mind. I wanted to get out and I left just before the curfew began. I… I walked through the village and at one point, I got lost. I climbed the buildings, hoping to get a better idea where the contestants' lodge was. Something came out of nowhere, a huge wave of chakra that crashed into me. I fell into a greenhouse and… my chakra reacted automatically. I was scared, I didn't know what I was doing. There's no one to teach me, so I don't know how to control the chains. Before I managed to climb out of the rubble, I passed out."

"What else did you see?" The Kazekage's voice was a deadly sword wrapped in velvet.

Yahizui forced her mind to quiet. "Nothing, sir. With the chains leaving my body, I quickly lost consciousness. The Adamantine Chains is a technique relying on emotion and my fear triggered them. Unfortunately, it also consumes large amounts of chakra."

"You are an Uzumaki, no?"

She looked directly at him. "Yes, sir."

"It seems that Konoha is blessed to yet again have an Uzumaki in their midst."

"Indeed," replied the Hokage jovially. "We are delighted to have Yahizui-chan with us." He fully turned toward the Kazekage, the easy smile never leaving his lips. "Would that be all, Kazekage-sama? I'm sure young Yahizui is eager to return to her friends."

"That will be all," he lightly replied, though his posture was stiff.

Yahizui bowed low and retraced her steps back to the large door, pushing it open. She barely had time to close the door when a hand clamped around her upper arm, pulling her to a smaller, side-room. She struggled, her breath rising to a panicked staccato. "Let me go!"

The lights went on, and Yahizui stilled. "Honorable Councilman," she said, cursing her lack of attention when Riruka introduced his name. "I apologize, I was not aware it was you."

"You may rise," he said in a raspy voice. "My name is Shimura Danzo, we've briefly met."

Yahizui latched onto the name. "Yes, Danzo-sama. I remember. Riruka-sama spoke only good things about you."

Danzo's upper lip twitched, but his visible eye showed no sign of emotion. "Tell me, child, what did you see in Suna?"

She fought the instinct to bite her tongue and looked at his bandaged right eye. "As I said—"

"What you said was a lie," supplied Danzo. "You will now tell the truth, genin."

Yahizui stilled. This was a village official, her superior followed only by the Hokage. Likely, it was the Hokage himself that put him up to the task. She looked at him once more and tried to hide her fear. There was something about this man that screamed danger, although he was missing an eye, had a useless hand, and was walking around with a cane. "I saw… a monster, sir. A huge monster made of sand, spilled blood, and chakra."

"The Shukaku," he said. "And what else?"

He was probing for something, looking for a specific piece of information. Yahizui thought of the crying red-haired child. "The monster was a child. Or rather, it came from a child. I saw it return to its child-like from before I passed out."

Danzo's lone eye shone. "What did the child look like?"

Her hands trembled, her senses picking up the energy coming from the man before her. The air was thick, each breath stabbing her throat and lungs like a thousand needles. "A-a boy. A red-haired boy!"

The pressure eased. Yahizui took a deep breath, her hands still. Danzo had stepped aside.

"You did well, Yahizui. I hear you've been placed on probation for the next two years. Such a waste…" He paused, carefully considering her. "Come to me if you ever feel like you want more."

Yahizui stood there, frozen between fright and surprise. With a quick nod she stepped back, mumbling a quick "thank you" and slipping out of the room. Her lungs filled with air, body finally able to relax. She ducked behind a large column, leaned back, closing her eyes. That was intense.

"Uchiha-dono." The secretary's wizened voice made her freeze. Which Uchiha? "I'm afraid Hokage-sama is unavailable at the moment. You must come at another time."

"There is no other time," Itachi's voice was foreign, panicked. What happened to make him lose his calm like that?

Yahizui's chakra tuned in on his signature as the elderly secretary refused him once more. His chakra was chaotic, a storm that spiked at random, so unlike the still flow it usually had.

"Please, Utsu-san I must speak to the Hokage. Now!" Yahizui jumped at the steel in his voice. "It is about Shisui!"

"It is not possible!" insisted the secretary. "Hokage-sama is speaking with the Suna Kazekage, and he must not under any circumstance be disturbed. This is a matter of village diplomacy!" the old man's tone held no room for argument. Itachi's retreating steps were the only answer.

Dread gripped her heart with an icy claw. What happened to Shisui to make him so… frightened and angry? Should she leave him be, or… Yahizui peeked behind the column, took off her shoes, and ran after Itachi.


A/N: What has happened to Shisui to make Itachi so panicked? Where is he running to and what will Yahizui find out by following him? Can you guess what will happen? Let me know in a comment.

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