Hey everyone! Just wanted to say thank you again for all the reviews, favorites, and follows! I love hearing y'alls reaction to this story!

I'm sorry again for the time between updates, adjusting to the new medication is taking more out of me than I thought it would.

I hope you like this chapter!

Instead of starting right away, Kairi and Ichika sent me back towards the village to write my letters back home. Despite the village feeling alive for the first time since I arrived, it still felt weird to be in it alone without a summons near me. So that's how I found myself sitting on the docks, my legs hanging off the edge and into the water. The water moving against my legs steadily is what keeps me calm as I try to think of what to write to those back in Konoha.

I eventually settled on short messages to Reiji, Sensei, Naruto, Tenzo, and the Nara's. Those messages were easier than I thought they would be. The clear boundary of not being able to tell them anything about where I am or what I'm really doing helps take that stress from me. But when it comes to the final letter, the letter to Jiji, I have no clue what to do.

Jiji would be the one I could write the most to. But for some reason, I can't force myself to put the words on paper. Would he even do anything with the information? Would the letter be intercepted? Would he be back under Danzo's control now that I'm gone? All these questions lead me to my short letter, much like the ones I wrote to the others.

Hi Jiji,

I arrived safely. I'm sorry for not sending a letter sooner, but I ran into some trouble along the way, and there were some things I had to do to get set up. I plan to start training soon.

Kiku

I sigh as I seal the letter so that it can only be opened with his chakra. I feel a lump in my throat, my stomach feels uneasy. The guilt starts to eat at me as I stare at the scroll in my hands. Maybe I can write more, tell him more somehow-

"I'll take that, thank you!" A shrill voice calls as the scroll is plucked out of my hands. I look up to where the voice trailed off, only to see a hawk like the ones in Konoha flying away.

"What?" I ask as I see their form quickly disappear.

"Don't mind him pup," another voice says. I look back down towards the water to see a shark peeking its head up just above the waves. "He has a flair for dramatics."

"Uh-huh," I nod dumbly. Hiroto-ojichan told me that sharks were the summons of Kisame. I'm able to see a brief, fuzzy memory of something like that from the anime.

My memories from my last life have never been fuzzy. They've been clear. I know I can't write my memories down, the chances of someone using them to do harm are too high.

"Calm yourself," the shark says. I look back at them and it's as if they're able to see through me. "What comes will come. You will be prepared before you return to Konoha."

"I don't want to go back." The words are said before I even really think of them.

"Sometimes there are things we must do, even if we don't like them," the shark tells me gently. I see their eyes shift upwards before they start to go back to the waters. "I look forward to seeing your growth, Uzumaki-hime."

They're gone before I can even ask their name. A moment later two hawks land on the posts on either side of me. They each reach their legs out and I quickly tie the scrolls with my other letters to them.

"Would you like for us to wait for a response, hime?" The hawk on the left asks.

"Only if it's safe to do so," I say after a moment. "If it's not safe, maybe go back after a day or so?"

"Of course," the hawk nods before they both fly off in the same direction as the hawk before them. Once I can no longer see them, I look back to the water. Dolphins swim closer to the docks than they had the last few days. I can hear their whistles and clicks as the younger dolphins play together. I stare at the water closer to me, looking for any sign of the shark from earlier.

But there's no sign of them.

"What are you looking for?" Kairi's voice pulls my attention away from the water. She sits on the post to my right, her head tilted as she looks out at the water herself. "Now is not a good time for fishing."

"I know that," I say.

"And what time is the best?" She asks, fluttering her feathers slightly as she settles on the post.

"Dawn and Dusk," I say as I look back out to the water.

"So why are you staring in the ocean?"

"There was a shark-"

"The sharks will not harm you, although unlike the dolphins they're not summons, so they will not speak with you."

"But this one talked to me," I turn to look back at her.

"What did they say?"

"They said that the hawk that took my letter to Jiji has a flair for dramatics." Kairi snorts at this. "They told me to calm down, and then they told me that they look forward to seeing my growth."

I hear Kairi's beak click as she closes it abruptly. She looks further out, her eyes narrowing. For once, I don't ask any questions. She looks like Shikaku and Shikamaru when they try to solve a complicated problem in their heads quickly.

"Their summoning realm is deep underwater," she finally says. "It's rare that they come up to the surface without being summoned."

"Is it a good or a bad thing that they came up to see me?"

"I don't know," Kairi says. "Tell me if they come to you again. I don't know if their summoner will try to help or hurt you."

"Well," I say as I look back to the water. "That's reassuring." I hear a snort behind me, and when I turn around, I see Ichika. She nods towards Kairi who flies away in the direction of the Uzukage's tower.

"What was that about?" I ask Ichika.

"Kairi being a worrywart," Ichika teases. I just raise an eyebrow at her. "Really, she knew I was getting things put in order."

"Things put in order?"

"Just follow me, Cub," she says as she turns to walk back towards the island. I watch her for a moment before pulling my legs out of the water. By the time I go to stand up, Ichika's already at the tree line. Her tail flicks playfully and I already know whatever is happening is going to be a drag.

"I'm sorry, what?" I manage to gasp out as I fall to the ground. Getting to the onsen in the cliffs was one thing. But we just spent I don't know how long climbing to the very top of a mountain.

"I brought you here to sign the summoning contract," Ichika repeats as she looks down at me. She shakes her head before walking to a pile of rocks at the very top. Couldn't I have just signed it at the bottom of the mountain? Would I have to go through trials after climbing a literal mountain?

"Enough complaining, Kiku-chan," Ichika's voice is teasing as I struggle to stand up.

"I didn't-" I finally look up to see her shaking her head at me.

"I'm a mother, Kiku. I have eyes in the back of my head."

"You can't see my thoughts 'ttbane," I huff as I walk over to her. My chest feels tight. A large part of that comes from the altitude. But a smaller part, I have to admit, is emotional. Would my mom have said stuff like this to me? Would she have the look of pride in her eyes when she looked at me like Ichika does?

"You just admitted it," Ichika says, pulling my attention back to her. I puff out my cheeks, there's no denying it. I give her a grin as I finally finish my walk to stand beside her.

"Is this where the trials start?" I ask as I look out towards the ocean. The setting sun reflects across the waves, I can see the dolphins continue to play together near a small whirlpool back by the docks. I have to force myself not to pout. I still haven't been able to swim with them yet.

"They've already started," Ichika says. I turn my attention back to her as she starts walking around the small clearing we stand in. "You are not used to this type of elevation, the journey up to the top of this mountain was difficult," she pauses. "But not once did you waver in your trust in me to lead you."

"Each potential summoner has had to make the same journey, but only a few have made it this far."

"But they lived here, right? Why wouldn't they be able to make it up here?"

"Most did not want to be so far from the water," Ichika says. "Coming up here is the exact opposite of everything they knew."

"But didn't they go on missions before?"

"No," Ichika says. "No child of Uzushiogakure would leave the village before they were of age, even if they had advanced in rank."

"How old was that?"

"Fifteen," she says.

"Fifteen?"

"Fifteen," she says again. "Each child would go through their coming of age ceremony before they left the village. After that ceremony is when they would be considered an adult."

"What does it involve?" I knew of the temples and vaguely that there was a ceremony at some point. But I wasn't really thinking of that when I was busy burying my village.

"You'll have to find out like the rest of the children in Uzushiogakure did," she says.

"And how was that?"

"Going to the temple on your birthday," she says, amusement clear in her eyes.

"What a drag."

"You don't like surprises?" Ichika asks, her head tilting to the side slightly.

"No," I shake my head. "Surprises haven't really been too good for me so far." I see a brief flash of something in Ichika's eyes. My only guess is pure rage from the heat coming from her chakra.

"We will have to change that, then," she says after taking a few breaths. "But now, we will focus on the rest of your trials." I feel a brief flare of fear. What would I have to do now? Climbing the mountain was hard enough. I can't fight up here. It's gotten a bit easier to breathe, but there's no way I'm doing anything intense up here.

"The trials typically include showing loyalty to the village," Ichika says. "But you've already done this."

"How?" I ask. "I just completed my duty-"

"I'm not talking about your work these last few weeks," Ichika cuts me off. "I am talking about the fact that you did not disclose anything about what you found here in your letter to Sarutobi."

"Word could get to Danzo, he could try to harm Uzu or Naruto more-"

"You put Uzushiogakure first, Kikuko." I freeze. Naruto is my first priority, though. He's always been my first priority. Keeping him safe, keeping him happy. Keeping him alive.

"Your brother is just as much a part of Uzushiogakure as you are, Kiku," Ichika says gently. "But I am not happy that you did not include yourself in your explanation." I feel a lump in my throat as I look away from her towards the ground. She sighs and I can hear the sounds of her faint footsteps as she walks closer to me. "We can work on that later," she eventually says.

"Wait," I say after a second. "How'd you know what I wrote to him?"

"The beetles are the biggest gossips in the village." My mind immediately goes to Reiji and I have to force myself not to laugh or cry. He's just as bad at gossiping as Jiji.

"You have proven your loyalty to your village," Ichika says. I force myself to look back up to her. "You have proven that you trust me completely."

"You have also proven your courage," she says. "When you accepted the task of burying your people, you saw it through to the end, despite the things that horrified all of us. Despite the things that have started to haunt you." I force myself to not think of those images. I shut them behind a very sturdy door in my mind.

"What is left is your commitment," she says. I look to her as she begins to walk around again. "Every potential summoner has taken a stone from the top of this mountain." She looks at me as she steps on one. The stone is a dark gray color, even with the orange hues from the sun that paint everything around it.

"They have made a commitment to protect the Will of Uzushiogakure with their life, a pact made with their blood spilt on the stone."

"What does that include?" I ask after a few minutes of silence. Did I have to do specific things? Was it like passing on the will of fire to the next generation in Konoha?

"It depends on the person," Ichika says. "Some have become teachers, others have worked in the Uzukage's guard, some have become fishermen, and some have become midwives. Each has contributed to the continuation of Uzushiogakure in some way."

"How can I do that when I'm the only one here?"

"You keep fighting until it is safe enough for the others to be called home like you have been."

"What?" I ask as she moves her front paw off the stone it was on. She walks over to the small stack of stones in the center of the clearing.

"You felt the call in the wind. Just as your mother did."

"How?" I croak out.

"Because Uzushiogakure herself called you home," she says simply. "The mountains, the wind, and the sea have worked together to protect Uzushiogakure. The Uzukage has historically had to work with all three to further that protection."

"The Uzukage? I thought their summons were the seagulls?"

"They were," Ichika says. "But many of them also had a summoning contract with the mountain lions before they went on to become the Uzukage."

"Was mom ever able to-" the question dies in my throat at the pure pain in Ichika's eyes. "I'm sorry," I whisper.

"It is not your fault," Ichika says. She walks over to me and lays her head on my shoulder. "She did not want the burdens you now carry to fall on you, but her choice was taken from her."

"What do you mean?"

"There is a tradition among those who survived the massacre and their descendants to come to the banks of Uzushiogakure," Ichika says. "They leave copies of their most important notes, ideas, techniques, and sometimes letters for their future children."

"M-mom came?"

"She did," Ichika says. "I was the one to find her on the shore. It was clear that you and your brother were her world." I can't respond. I just shake my head as the tears begin to fall. "She hoped to return, to complete what you have done these last few weeks so you and your brother had somewhere safe to go outside of Konoha."

"Outside of Konoha-"

"She loved your father more than almost everything in this world," Ichika says gently. "But she knew her place in Konoha, and the last thing she wanted was for one of you to be forced to take it." I feel tears burn at the back of my eyes.

"How do I make the pact?" Ichika pulls her head from my shoulder to look into my eyes.

"Choose the stone that calls to you, sign your name on it with your blood, and place it on the top of the stack." She walks away, only to lay down on one of the large stones nearby. I look around the small clearing. The ground itself is barren, except for the stones that are scattered throughout, only a few small green plants stick out from under other rocks.

I walk around a bit until I see a stone that looks exactly like the paler patch of fur on Ichika's chest. I look at it for a moment before making my way around the rest of the mountain top. There are smaller and larger stones, some that are shiny, some that are rough.

But I keep looking back to the one that reminded me of Ichika. I stop looking at the others and walk back towards that stone. I reach down and carefully pick it up before turning back around towards the stack of stones in the center of the mountain. I carefully put the stone on the ground beside the stack before cutting my thumb. I take my time writing my name on the stone.

Uzumaki Kikuko

I know my mom loved my dad. I know I should love him, too. And maybe a part of me does. But I'm too angry. He subjected Naruto to becoming the jinchuriki. One of the clearest memories I still have from the anime is how Minato used the seal, despite the fact that mom could have done it herself with the chakra she had left.

He could have at least lived for us.

But he chose to die for his village instead.

I take a deep breath to calm my anger. The last thing I need to do is be angry as I make this pact. After a couple of minutes of deep breathing, I finally grab the stone and place it on top of the stack.

There's a puff of smoke in the air next to me as soon as I place the stone down. And when it clears, Ichika stands next to me, pride shining in her eyes. She tackles me to the ground and licks my face, causing me to burst out into laughter.

"What's all this for 'ttbane?"

"I'm so proud of you," she says, her voice warm. She finally relents, moving back to sit beside me. "And I'm happy that you picked that stone."

"Why that stone?"

"It means that I will be your partner," she says. "Each stone represents one of the mothers, which means I will be your primary partner, and my children will also come to your aid."

"Really?" I say, a grin making its way to my face. Maybe we could get together and-

"If you even think about summoning them to prank you, I will prank all of you ten times harder," Ichika hisses out. I can't help it. I pout at her.

"What if we prank Ren?" Ichika tilts her head for a moment before nodding.

"You have my permission." I grin again. "But I need to hear some of your previous pranks before I allow you to start planning with the other cubs."

"Well, this one time-"

"Not right now, Kiku," Ichika says.

"But-"

"You still have to sign the contract, too."

"I'm gonna die of blood loss with all these pacts and contracts ya know."

"Humans, always so dramatic," Ichika says under her breath. I laugh at her reaction as she stands up and walks back towards the large rock she was on earlier.

"What are you sitting around for?" She asks, her tail flicks and I struggle not to point out how much she acts like a house cat.

"Where are we going?" I ask instead, standing from my spot on the ground.

"Good choice," she says, looking back at me. I scratch the back of my head as I walk towards her. Once we're at the rock, she places her paw on one of the small stones. Chakra flares and suddenly, the rock is opening.

"There's more?" I whisper to myself. Ichika laughs at me as she walks into the darkness. I stare at her retreating form for a few seconds before shrugging my shoulders and following her. I can barely see as we move down what seems to be a large cave system. I hear water dripping somewhere and slip a few times as we go lower and lower.

Soon, we make our way to a small cavern. The only thing lighting it up are plants that glow between some of the rocks. In the center of the cavern is a small stone table. The only thing on top of it is a closed scroll. Ichika motions for me to walk closer, and as soon as I'm beside the table, the scroll opens on its own.

I immediately recognize the last two names. Uzumaki Kahana, and below her, Uzumaki Kazumi.

"You'll sign this just as you signed your stone," Ichika says as she moves behind me. I feel her brush up against my back and feel the muscles I didn't even realize were tense relax. I cut my thumb with my kunai once again before signing my name.

Uzumaki Kikuko.

"Then you need to put your fingerprints with blood beside your name."

"Again with the blood stuff," I tease as I start pressing my fingers against my thumb. I carefully place my right hand down on the scroll underneath my grandmother's fingerprints. I force my tears back as I pull my hand away. The scroll closes on its own and I can't help but stare at it.

I don't know how long I stare at the scroll. At some point Ichika starts nudging me away from it. Soon I'm following her through the dark tunnels in a daze. We walk for what seems like forever and no time at all, until we reach a similar rock like we had at the top of the mountain. Ichika presses her paw against another small stone, and just like the last rock, this one opens up.

But this time, it's to the darkness of the jungle. I hear the different sounds of the bugs buzzing in the night. I'm briefly reminded of Reiji, but I push those memories away, the feeling of guilt is too much for this moment.

Ichika leads me back towards the center of the village, but stops before the jungle opens up to the last line of homes. She turns down a path that I had never seen before. We walk for a few more minutes in silence until we reach the end of the path.

A house sits at the end of the path. It's a small two-story home, the outside of it is painted in a dark green, much like the area around it. The top is a reddish-brown color that reminds me of the dirt at the top of the mountain earlier.

"There are tunnels underneath the home that lead to the Uzukage tower, the hospital, the academy, and the clinic," Ichika says, finally breaking the silence. I see a faraway look in her eye for a brief moment, but she quickly comes back to the present. "This is where your grandmother and Kahana lived."

"Did mom live here too?"

"No," Ichika shakes her head. "I can show you their old home later. After Kushina was taken, Kazumi could not stay there." I don't say anything as we both stare at the house in front of us. The windows on the front of the home are all open, their bright blue shutters open wide. I hear a small sound before I see what looks to be a seashell windchime move with the wind.

"Can we stay out here tonight?" I ask, my voice cracking.

"Only if you tell me that prank story before you go to sleep," Ichika says. She leads me over to the base of a large tree where we both sit down.

"One of our friends didn't tell us he got into ANBU," I say as I start picking at the grass in front of me.

"As is to be expected."

"Well, he ended up as one of our guards," I say as I look up at her. "He led us right to ANBU headquarters one day…"