⠀⠀My reoccurring nightmare, a gun to my head, my finger on the trigger, ended as lightning boomed. My eyes shot open at its volume, and my hand drew a rusty kunai I kept in my shirt. The smell of burnt ozone lingered alongside rain's musk, but the flash had long passed, and all I could see was darkness.
⠀⠀My chipped blade pointed at the one entrance to my makeshift camp. I knew I couldn't sense anyone's chakra, but the forest was dense. My methodical wounder of it curdled into looming dread that approached from all angles. It was as if eyes were watching me, and my racing heart didn't help.
⠀⠀Adrenalin and worry kept me there, and I didn't know how long I sat, blade pointed to the shadows. Enough time had passed that the sun slowly rose, yet its light wasn't enough to cut the gloomy rain. It felt almost endless, and even past the massive tree canopy, I knew the storm line was nowhere in sight.
⠀⠀When I finally chose to stand and leave my tucked-away hobble, it was from hunger. As I ate a bland ration from a tear-open pack, I held my umbrella above me, blocking as much rain as possible. It only vaguely worked, and my situation didn't change until I finally felt someone's chakra.
⠀⠀The oddity of chakra wasn't the power or rush of energy. It was the sensation of flavor, the understanding of emotion, and the odd omni-awareness of others' location. The person was far above me, hiding somewhere in the skyscraper-like trees. Their chakra tasted like smoked peaches. It was sweet and savory, but there was a faint musk I couldn't put my finger on. It almost made me hungrier than I already was, even with my nearly finished ration.
⠀⠀With speed that was easy to track, the nin followed me by bounding from tree to tree. They moved in simple patterns, and where I walked, slowly marching southwest, they were there. Eyes obviously against my back. Had I not known where they were, their stalking presence would have been haunting.
⠀⠀Eventually, after what felt like an hour, I found a river. It flowed south and raged like rapids from the rain. I knew which way to go, but with my stalker, I withdrew my map and double-checked. The moment I flopped the sheet open, their location moved, and I could tell they were trying to see what I was holding.
⠀⠀When a sense of either dread or paranoia spiked in their chakra, I raised my guard. Every muscle in my body tensed as a chill went down my neck. As if it were a warning from nature herself, I could feel their weapon slice the air. When it was only a breath away from my neck, I stepped to the side and avoided the attack.
⠀⠀My map fell to the river's edge as I withdrew my blade and aimed it at my stalker. As I did, I sensed others approaching, and at the same time, my stalker attacked again. A volley of shuriken rained from their position, cutting the rain as they flew. Walking lazily to my left avoided most of them, but I had to bat at least three from the air.
⠀⠀They then jumped, and a young kid, about ten, landed hard against the wet grass. He wore gray clothes, had a headband around his neck, and threw three more shurikens moment he landed. All three were batted away as I saw glowing red eyes and distinct tomoe spinning. Nothing happened as I felt his chakra fizzle through the air.
⠀⠀The distant chakras then appeared, but one of the three flickered with speeds that made my head spin. The dizzy spell worsened as I spun around to see who they were, and standing on the water was a tall, massive man. He wore a familiar vest, wavy maroon clothing, and a metal headband that looked dull in the rain. His eyes were black, his hair was a brownish peach, and his build and belly were akin to a sumo wrestler.
⠀⠀His chakra was steady and reminded me of coffee. It was bitter if roasted but not sweet at all. Were it a smell, it would have been welcomed, but it just left an unwanted taste in my mouth. The other two chakras tasted like honey and shrimp, but neither were pronounced in their flavor. It was as if they were bland.
⠀⠀"Who are you?" the man boomed in a deep voice that matched his size. As he did, the three others landed behind me. "Why are you approaching Konohagakure?"
⠀⠀"I'm Hikigaeru!" I answered in what I hoped was a forceful tone. My new voice was soft and squeaked. "I'm here to see my Papa! He's from Konoha!" The man's guard only rose at the answer. Behind me, I sensed the three lesser chakras close the distance.
⠀⠀"And this idiot," without looking, I pointed my kunai at the glowing red-eyed boy, "attacked me!"
⠀⠀"You're an enemy in our land," my stalker warned.
⠀⠀"How am I an enemy?!" I snapped at him, only to point at myself. "Do I intimidate you or something?"
⠀⠀"Enough," the large man boomed before my stalker could retort. His voice wasn't as monstrous as before, even if his features hardened. "Who is your father?"
⠀⠀"Jiraya," I answered truthfully.
⠀⠀"Wait, isn't that-" someone, a girl from the voice, spoke but was silenced by the large man's raised hand.
⠀⠀"How old are you?"
⠀⠀"Four."
⠀⠀"Where did you come from?"
⠀⠀I looked down at my map and furrowed my brow. "My Mama's belly."
⠀⠀The man rolled his eyes, then repeated, "What town, I mean. Which direction did you come from?"
⠀⠀"Tnazaku, I think? I don't know. The people were mean, they reminded me of Mama, and I got lost for a while. I had to help someone's Papa find their daughter. That took a few days," I exclaimed as the last few days repeated in my head.
⠀⠀"Who is your Mama?" he continued to press, his chakra paranoid as he watched me intently.
⠀⠀"A drunken bitch!" I snapped out in my sweet, child voice. One of the three chakras behind me, this time a young man, snorted and broke into a chuckle.
⠀⠀A harsh glare from the man cut the kid off. "Eh, sorry, Sensei," he muttered. "Please don't tell my clam about this."
⠀⠀With a slow, audible sigh from his nose, the man repeated, "Who is your mother?" Each word was spoken slowly, with emphasis on each one.
⠀⠀"Tsunade."
⠀⠀With an excited gasp, the girl who spoke before said, "Oh! Those two had a kid? Really?"
⠀⠀"Utsune, enough. This is obviously a trick," my stalker warned. "She's been trained. No four-year-old talks like that, let alone can block my attacks. She even knew I was following her. Besides, those two would never have a kid together. I recall her throwing him through a wall once."
⠀⠀"She also has explosive tags in her pack. If that helps," the second boy added.
⠀⠀I rolled my eyes at my stalker's comment and ignored how the other kid knew that information. "I have my neckless, if that helps. It used to be Mama's."
⠀⠀"Hoheto." The man looked past me at the second boy. "Any weapons on her?"
⠀⠀"Only the kunai and paper bombs, Sensei," Hoheto quickly answered.
⠀⠀"Show me the neckless then." At the order, a crystal gem and two tiny beads were produced from my shirt, still hanging from my neck. At its sight, the man finally relaxed, and his chakra took on a more vibrant flavor. "Kokoto, Utsune, Hoheto, we're cutting are patrol short and escorting her back to the village. The Hokage will handle the situation from there."
⠀⠀"Yes, Chōyuki-sensei," the three stated in unison, with my stalker doing so with annoyance.
⠀⠀Chōyuki crouched, then lept to my side in a single bound, making the grass splash. "We'll take you to Konoha, but I'll be carrying your bag and weapons for safety. Am I clear?"
⠀⠀"Yes, Chōyuki-san," I agreed, allowing my body to relax. I then dropped my rusty weapon in an empty pouch in my bag and handed it to him. "Does that include my umbrella? I don't want to get wet."
⠀⠀His answer was to look at one of his students. "I don't see any hidden weapons in her umbrella," the second boy stated.
⠀⠀"You can keep it then," he reassured me. "Rhombus formation," he then stated. "Hoheto, you're in front. Hikigaeru, you're going to walk between us. If you try anything, I'll knock you out. Am I understood?"
⠀⠀"Yes, Sir."
⠀⠀Konohagakure was an imposing beauty, but it wasn't the architecture I admired. The taste of chakra was everywhere, and I squired as my mouth watered from it all. I knew neither went unnoticed by the massive man, but I didn't care as I tasted everything from wines and alcohol to sweets and pastries to savory dishes.
⠀⠀It was a buffet of chaotic enlightenment that started long before we entered the southern gate and continued to the Hokage's monument. There, tempered and aged, was a chakra of spice and salt. It eclipsed most others in strength and volume, if not taste. Its power steadily grew as we entered the Hokage's building, then peeked when I finally saw the man. I had to gulp down my saliva just to not drool.
⠀⠀Hiruzen was a middle-aged man. His chakra was appetizing, almost like a steak dry-aged in salt and then flame-grilled. Though, there was a spice to it, tempted in a way I didn't know how to explain. A kick of fire hidden past the indomitable layers of control. Worst of all, besides the flavor, his emotions seemed annoyed. Given the tall stacks of paperwork around him, it was understandable. The paper sprung from piles on his deck and behind him, all looming taller than I was.
⠀⠀"Chōyuki-san, why have you returned from your patrol?" he asked in a much younger voice than I expected. His eyes then fell upon me, and a brow raised.
⠀⠀"We found this little girl on our patrol. She says her name is Hikigaeru, and she has Lord First's neckless," the mountain of a man explained.
⠀⠀"I can see that. Why?" Hiruzen mused as his eyes fixated on the gem around my neck.
⠀⠀"Mama gave it to me," I admitted.
⠀⠀"And did your mother steal it from its proper owner, Tsunade of the Sannin?" the Hokage coaxed as his eyes gazed me down. "Or did she win it by gambling?"
⠀⠀"No. Tsunade is my Mama," I clarified.
⠀⠀The man's chakra and features both went still. A calculating eye fixated on me, and realization blossomed through his emotions. Even if he didn't show it. All I could do to prevent myself from squirming under his almost judging gaze was fidget with my fingers.
⠀⠀"Lord Hokage, there's more," Chōyuki put in, and with the same motion he used to silence his Genin team, Hiruzen raised his hand.
⠀⠀It hung there still as ice as he narrowed his eyes at me, and I could almost see the gears in his head moving. "You're father," he began, but whatever question he had died on his lips. "No. It can't be... can it? You can't be older than four if it's true."
⠀⠀"Mama said Jiraiya is my Papa," I confirmed.
⠀⠀"I'll be damned," he silently mouthed, and a tranquil, sober focus overtook his chakra and features. As quickly as it came, it was refocused. "Hound, fetch a medical-nin. I want her to take a blood test," he then snapped. A chakra I had ignored over Hiruzen's strength then vanished. As it went, I made out the taste of blueberries and ice cream.
⠀⠀Not a moment passed before he addressed the large man. "Chōyuki-san, thank you for bringing her. Return to your patrol. Leave her belongings by the door."
⠀⠀"Yes, Lord Hokage," Chōyuki said, and with two steps, he was gone.
⠀⠀When the door closed, the Hokage reached into his desk and withdrew a pipe. He lit it with chakra, took a puff, and a long moment passed before he asked, "You were traveling alone, I presume. Why? Did something happen to Tsunade?" He looked almost expecting, ready for bad news.
⠀⠀"No. I ran away."
⠀⠀Not expecting my answer, he frowned, and it was hard to tell what emotion plagued his chakra. "Why?" he asked as he leaned forward, stuck his pipe in his mouth, and placed his elbows on the desk, fingers interlocked. "What happened?"
⠀⠀"Mama's chakra makes me sick," I stated matter-of-factly. "I got tired of it. Tired of feeling so down, so I left." My short answer wasn't well received, but it wasn't anger that flashed through Hiruzen. It was a disappointing worry. Fleeting in an unsatisfactory way. I didn't care as I smiled at the man, still infatuated with his chakra.
⠀⠀"How old are you, Hikigaeru-san?" he asked, changing topics. Though he had already guessed my name accurately.
⠀⠀"Four. I'll be five on November first."
⠀⠀"You're quite — articulate — for a four-year-old," he remarked with suspicion in his chakra. It was faint, and his inflection gave nothing away.
⠀⠀"Thank you," I beamed, not bothered by what I sensed. "I like reading the dictionary when Mama's drinking."
⠀⠀This time, Hiruzen winced before asking, "was it hard coming here by yourself?"
⠀⠀"Kind of?" I offered. "It was time-consuming."
⠀⠀"Why don't you tell me about it? How exactly did you get here?" he questioned in a coaxing, inquiring way. "How did you get away from your mother?"
⠀⠀"That was the easy part," I chuckled. "I knew Mama would catch me, so I left a note. She said Papa was training people in Ame, so I wrote that I'd go see him. She showed me how to hide, so I hid after and went the other way. It wasn't hard at all until I got attacked by bandits. I blew them up."
⠀⠀Hiruzen either didn't know how to respond or didn't bother. Instead, his chakra told another story and flared in an odd pattern. Then another two of the nin I could sense in the walls vanished. Both were replaced by a third. My notice of change was noticed as the man raised a brow. "Can you sense my guards?"
⠀⠀"Yeah. I can." I raised a finger and pointed at several sections of the room. "There's one there, there, and there." I then pointed out the window, past the Hokage. "And one on that roof."
⠀⠀In an instant, the nin on the roof flickered, and the Hokage sternly stated, "Lion."
⠀⠀The one word was enough, and at speeds that were even faster than Chōyuki, the second of the guard I pointed at slammed into the one that ran. Pain spiked through their chakra like a cold sting. Hit after hit faded more of their chakra as horror grew in what little was left. Finally, it dwindled out like embers in a fire. I couldn't help but make a face, feeling their pain through my senses.
⠀⠀"Are you alright?" the Hokage asked as he finally rose from his seat and walked around the table. I shook my head as the haunting flavor began to leave an aftertaste in my mouth. "You were able to sense that, weren't you?" At my nod, Hiruzen let out a mute exhale and billowed smoke into the air.
⠀⠀"Lion should have used an explosion. They make the pain go away faster..."
⠀⠀"They are not dead. Lion is adept at sealing chakra," he reassured me. It was hard to believe him, given the pain I had sensed. "Is that why you blew up the bandits?" he asked, and I knew he was fishing for information again. "So you wouldn't feel their pain?"
⠀⠀"Yeah," I answered, as I tried to the pain I felt and packed it away in the back of my mind. "But the second time was to help a girl some bandits kidnapped. She's fine now. Her Papa cried when she got home. I — kind of hope Papa's like that when he sees me. They seemed happy..."
⠀⠀"I'm sure Jiraiya will be thrilled to know he has a daughter, and I'm sure Tsunade will be happy you're safe," Hiruzen commented. It was an innocent remark, something to help a child, but it made my eye twitch.
⠀⠀"No," I seethed out.
⠀⠀"No?"
⠀⠀"I don't want Mama to know I'm here," I snapped, my voice cracking as I did. "She's always drunk! Always drinking! Always making her chakra taste worse! It's horrid... It makes her act like a bitch." The Hokage kept a leveled reaction at my outburst until my final comment, where he choked on my pipe.
⠀⠀"Hikigaeru, that's no way to talk about your mother," the old man scolded me. "Let alone language you should be using."
⠀⠀"Too bad, Hokage-sama!" I pressed, only to take a mocking tone, "'Be quiet, Hikigaeru-kun! Mama's on a roll! Bah, you made me lose, Hikigaeru! Why did I even go all in? Why did you say something? You jinxed me, you brat! Oh, stop crying, Hikigaeru! I didn't even hit you that hard! Come here so I can heal you!'" I let my shoulders drop. "One time, she even punched me through a tree... Even being blown up doesn't hurt as much as her punches!"
⠀⠀What anger Hiruzen held died at my ramblings, while I inherited the fury just thinking of Tsunade. Instead, his chakra felt sober, and the taste dulled. It was as if the steak was raw. "I'm sorry to hear that, Hikigaeru," he cautiously apologized. "But it's time for the medical-nin to do their work."
⠀⠀He gestured behind me with his pipe, and I glanced to the door and felt a dull chakra waiting alongside Hound. In my ranting, I missed both of their arrivals. "Okay..." I agreed with a seething sigh.
⠀⠀"Is it alright if they make sure you're okay?"
⠀⠀"I am okay," I mumbled. "Mama's the one that needs help.
⠀⠀When I eventually left, I glanced back to Hiruzen, who had lost his smile, lost the luster in his chakra, and what remained was almost scary. He was fixated on a wall, and the fire I sensed hidden away in chakra grew into a familiar chill. One that I only felt when my reoccurring nightmare came to fruition. And I pulled the trigger. Then the office door closed, and his chakra spiked about, commanding the Anbu around him.
⠀⠀It was a sobering experience that helped me focus on anything but the chakra throughout the village. Even as I followed the medical ninja to the nearest hospital, I wrapped my mind around the memories of it, trying to tell what Hirzuen's perspective was. It was mind-boggling.
⠀⠀Then a powerful chakra bloomed through my senses. Unlike Hiruzen, it wasn't a beacon of attraction that captivated me long before I reached my destination. It was a quiet thing. Reserved even, that tasted of fried rice, bacon, and garlic. It was almost smokey in flavor as if the chakra itself was hung above hickory and left there for days.
⠀⠀It was heavenly, all until I saw the man who emanated the feeling. He was tall but had pale skin and snake-like eyes. His hair was black and long, and he wore a loose purple street kimono. He smiled at the medical-nin and I, and somehow it was peaceful and lacked the malicious nature I remembered.
⠀⠀"Hello, Hikigaeru. My name is Orochimaru. I'll be taking care of you for now," he said.
⠀⠀My mouth dried at the sight of the man, and I held my tough as I followed him and my escort into the building. The world then divulged into a haze as I was eventually left alone in a room with him. While the door was open, it didn't elevate my stress over the monster that moved like a man.
⠀⠀I didn't resist as he cleaned my arm with a swab and withdrew a butterfly needle. I sat as still as I could as Orochimaru then drew my blood. The situation was cold in my eyes, even as he held a warm smile and casually made a few comments. They landed on deaf ears as his chakra was even more flavorful up close.
⠀⠀I had to remind myself not to lower my guard with the vile man, which wasn't hard as dread was clearly visible in my features. As quickly as the pressure began, it was over, and he withdrew the needle when a small vile was full. It was a tiny thing, no bigger than my pinkie, and I hoped the man did not have plans for it. I knew those hopes meant nothing.
⠀⠀"I truly don't see why Sensei is having me test your liege. You look just like them. You have his hair and her face. You even make the same expression Jiraiya does back when he had to get blood drawn."
⠀⠀"Sorry," I said quietly, and the words were choked out.
⠀⠀"At least you don't fuss about the pain," he happily hummed.
⠀⠀"Mama's fists hurt more," I admitted, and the truth made him laugh.
⠀⠀"That they do," he agreed with another laugh. "Though, I hope Tsunade doesn't hit you too hard in the future. I'd be remiss to not see you grow. Imagine the potential you could bare having them as your parents." I said nothing, not trusting myself to break into a rant again. "But, our time has drawn to a close, Hikigaeru-kun. Someone's here to meet you. Isn't that right, Minato?"
Author's Note
⠀⠀If you enjoyed the first chapter and want to read more of this reboot, I beg you to review it. It honestly, earnestly lets me know you want more. More than just favoriting and following.
⠀⠀And you can thank Kaiimei for keeping my love for Naruto Alive. They are the author of War Dogs and Akari's story through the multiverse, who I tried to pull inspiration from for my My Hero Academia story. That... didn't work out, so what inspiration I have will be thrown into this story.
