Obligatory Disclaimer: The series Naruto is owned by Masashi Kishimoto; I only own the OCs, picture, and this story.
Chapter 13: Of Consequence and Soil
It was in the comfort of my own home that I awoke, the familiar scents ingrained in the walls welcoming me as I returned to consciousness. My head hurt, a subtle pounding which pulsed behind my eyeballs. Eye strain. I tried to sit up but my muscles groaned in protest at the effort and I fell back onto my pillow, something falling from my face as I did. I blinked and grabbed it with a tired hand. A damp towel?
I sighed and threw it over my face.
The events of yesterday came back to me in a blur. Brief visions jumped to the forefront of my mind; a splintered tree, falling debris, and red. Bright glowing red eyes staring down at me and the rushing of air, and then I remembered everything. Had that all really happen?
On my second try I succeeded in sitting up, my head swimming with the accomplishment. I don't remember how I made it to my bed. I recalled being carried by a certain blond haired jōnin through Konoha but that was about it-
I had fallen asleep on the Yellow Flash. Oh God, how embarrassing.
And Kakashi had been there to witness it. My face burned at the realization. Team Minato had to be a bad luck charm, I swear. Or maybe it was just me; I seemed to attract the most trouble.
"Junko-hime." A voice at the door startled me from my embarrassment. I looked up to find Kenta staring at me from the doorway. What was he doing in my house?
He hesitated for a moment before entering the room, carrying a tray with what seemed to be kayu, or rice porridge, and a cup of tea. I sat up straighter, resting my back against the headboard so he could place the tray across my lap. It reminded me of one of the last moments I had shared with my mother and my heart sank a bit at the reminder.
They still weren't back.
"How are you feeling?" he asked, taking the towel from me before placing a hand on my forehead. "You've been out for a couple of days."
I blinked up at him in surprise before looking down at the steaming bowl. I must've been really sick then as I couldn't remember anything between being carried to the compound and waking a few moments ago.
"I'm fine," I said automatically, picking up the spoon placed by the bowl of porridge. I was starving.
Kenta was quiet as I ate and remained so until I finished the entire bowl. I laid back, completely satisfied and my headache and muscle fatigue waned. He removed the tray and I took the chance to look out the window. The light that shone from the partially pulled back curtains was bright and clear. It must be around noon.
"Where is Mei-obasan?"
For such an innocent question, Kenta went stiff and looked away from me. He wrung the damp towel in his grip, causing droplets of water to splatter onto his dark pants. What happened?
Kenta relaxed his grip finally after a couple of minutes, returning his eyes to me.
"Do you remember what happened? After the meeting?"
I didn't want to tell the truth but I didn't know what that had to do with Aunt Mei- unless something happened when I was brought back to the compound. I had to be careful with my words.
"After the commencement for the returning shinobi, I left to continue training," I began. I looked down at my hands guiltily, the already fading scars a reminder that yesterday could've gone terribly.
"There weren't many training fields for cadets to use, so I found a clearing on one of the cliffs above the Naka River." At my admission, Kenta frowned and I sunk a little lower.
"I know it was dangerous, but I wanted to practice this new jutsu for Ikeda-sensei's sparring test," I lied, clutching my bed sheets slightly. I hated having to lie to the boy; for all of his sister's constant ragging on me, he was quite sweet.
"Why didn't you just use one of the training fields in the compound?" he asked, placing the wrung out towel on a bowl that was placed on my nightstand.
Shaking my head, I messaged my scared knuckled lightly.
"I didn't think anyone would miss me if I was gone." It was the most honest thing I could say. Kenta gave a noticeable flinch. "And I didn't want to ruin anything in case the jutsu went wrong."
He was silent and I took that as my chance to continue.
"I had an accident and ended up falling off the edge." I rushed to finish at the horrified expression on his face. "Shisui-san from my class managed to save me before I fell all the way down!"
I looked away, remembering the angry red marks on his skin and the purple bruising on his arm. I knew Rin had healed him but it was possible that he was sick just like I had been. I hope he was okay.
"The cliff side gave away and we ended up falling into the water anyways. We had to walk through the forest until Namikaze-san and his team found us."
Kenta remained quiet, looking both horrified and relieved which resulted in a slightly constipated face.
"He should've let you fall." Satomi's angry voice came accompanied by vicious killing intent. I gasped, clutching my blankets to my chest as Kenta quickly stood to block a strike from his sister, placing his body in between me and her.
"Satomi-!"
"Get out of the way Kenta," she growled, angry veins of the byakugan pulsing at her temples. "It's all her fault that Mei-obachan-!"
"No, it isn't Satomi! You have to calm down-!"
"What happened to Mei-obasan?" I yelled, causing both to freeze. Satomi turned her byakugan to me, white eyes filled with hated.
"Because of your little stunt obachan got punished by the elders!"
My heart froze in my chest as my blood ran cold. Minato must've told them. Punishment for branch members usually meant one thing. Images of branded, crying children invaded my vision. Satomi jerked toward me again but was deterred by Kenta.
"Being a Main House member and being the favorite of the elders wasn't enough for you, was it? You had to take Mei-obachan too!"
Words died in my throat as I began to shake. It wasn't fair, I didn't ask for this!
To be placed under everyone's scrutiny.
To be the Main House's scapegoat.
To be a target for the Branch Family's hatred.
It wasn't my fault!
"You're nothing but a waste of space. Everyone would be happier if you'd never be born!"
Something in my brain snapped. I slowly threw my legs over the edge of my bed and stood on shaky legs before steeling myself. My chakra hummed underneath my skin and in my core as it flowed and the shaking settled.
"Oh is the little princess up now?" Satomi sneered as Kenta threw an arm out.
"Junko-hime, please stay back-"
The world shifted around me as I replaced myself with a large scroll that sat near my doorway. Satomi seemed to move in slow motion as she turned. But I was already too close. My open palm hit her stomach dead center and she gasped in pain as the muscles in her abdomen constricted against her will, causing her to fall to the floor on her knees.
"You'll have to excuse my actions for now, Kenta-kun." The voice that came out of my mouth was wrong. It was the same high pitched voice, but the tone was too cold and too detached.
His mouth was gaped open as he looked between me and his sister, unsure of what to do.
Satomi glared at me weakly as she fought to catch her breath.
"Y-you little…"
It was kind of an out of body experience as I watched my tiny, too pale hands wrap around the collar of her beige jacket to force her to look up at me.
"It's surprising how wrong one person can be." I nodded to myself. "For someone who thinks so highly of themselves, you really know nothing."
She went to speak but froze as my chakra lightly touched her neck.
"I'm going to say this once, so please pay attention." I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.
"I am four years old, Satomi-san. Do you really think I have any political power in this clan? Honestly? I'm barely allowed to walk around the village on my own."
Both Kenta and Satomi were silent. On more than one occasion I had caught them tailing after me as I hung out with Noburu and Akane, even more often on the days I spent by myself, excluding Shisui's stalking. I let out a dry laugh.
"I am four years old, Satomi-san, so please excuse me if I need some help now and then. My parents are still on the battlefield. But I guess you guys don't care all that much now that your mother is back, right?"
My fists tightened and shook as I continued.
"This shouldn't need saying but I have absolutely no control over the elders' actions. I didn't ask for this. I can't do anything Satomi-san! I'm only four years old!"
There were tears falling from my eyes but I continued.
"My parents are gone Satomi-san. I have been alone for over a year without a word from my parents. But it's my fault right? It's my fault that they're gone and Mei-obasan has the burden of taking care of me."
I released her jacket but she didn't move from her spot on the wooden floor of my room. Neither of them moved. I turned towards the door, my face wet and my nose disgustingly stuffy.
"I'm going to the restroom to wash up. Please be out of my house before I finish."
The room remained quiet and still even as I walked down the hallway, letting my byakugan fade.
Here she is again.
The little girl that stares back at me is tiny and way too pale. Her dark bangs frame two pale and red tinged eyes, and she's trying to desperately stop the flow of tears that continue to run down her blotchy red cheeks.
I'm pathetic.
How did I even think I could do any good in this messed up world when my day to day was as hetic as this? I could barely take care of myself and I've already got Shisui injured and Aunt Mei was…
I sighed shakily. I turned off the faucet, burying my face in one of the dry towels set neatly beside it. I didn't know what to do; if Mei was gone, what would the Main House do with me? Sure, things had become strained between the two of us since I started going to the academy, but I didn't want to be with anyone else. I knew she cared about me at least a little, even if it was only because of a duty to my father.
I hopped down from the counter with unsteady legs. I couldn't just sit around. There had to be something I could do, something to fix this. Exiting the bathroom, I scuffled down the quiet hallway. I was only accompanied the light shuffling of my yukata as I walked past my bedroom and into the quiet living room. There was no sign of either of my cousins. It was too quiet, too empty.
Too dead.
Sliding open the porch door, I stumbled out on the deck. The sun was high in the sky, and there was nothing but the sounds of birds and insects in the air. The compound was hauntingly quiet. And I was left alone, completely alone with my thoughts.
But I didn't want to think.
I didn't want to think about all the possibilities, the realities of my life.
That my parents weren't ever coming home.
That things would continue on, without any difference.
Or even worst; that my very existence had caused, would cause something even more horrific to happen in the future.
Maybe Satomi was right.
I plopped off the edge of the deck, my bare feet hitting the dusty ground. I walked around father's garden whose lot stretched along one side of the large backward, next to mother's empty fish pond. She could never keep those things alive. A trellis sat against the wall that encompassed our home, the vines and flowers crawling up the wooden poles and covering the beige bricks in thick foliage and a variety of flowers. Father had been such a green thumb; on his days off, he would spend his time in the garden, planting an assortment of plants and herbs. Father's flowers seemed to be in bloom constantly, though mother may have played a part with her sealing abilities.
I didn't know many of the names but I remembered one. I walked over to a planter that was separate from all the rest, a plot of pinkish flowers with yellow centers. Daylilies. They were my mother's favorite flowers, and father had planted them for her when she was pregnant with me. I remember the day my father told me about them. It was a few days before they had gone off to fight on the front lines.
I had crouched against his side as he carefully pruned the dead leaves and old buds away from various stems with a precision he had with all things. He had cut away a fresh one and tucked it behind my ear with that small earnest smile of his as he explained their significance to me. But there were a few words that rose in my memory from that moment.
"Your mother and I may be leaving for some time," he had said, picking me up and holding me close. "But always remember that we care about you."
He hadn't gotten to hold me all that often since he was usually busy with his duties, so I always took advantage of his days off to attach myself to him. I remember him squeezing me lightly, and me burying my face into his shoulder.
"Stay you no matter what. Don't let that light in you fade."
Stay me…? I didn't even know who I was even more. Who I was supposed to be?
The Hyūga heiress?
An adult reborn in a child's body?
A four-year-old prodigy with abandonment issues?
None of those sounded all too great, but I couldn't just be empty could I? As appealing as that was, no matter what, I couldn't do that to the people that have come to care about me. Akane, Noburu, Aunt Mei, and Kenta. Even Shisui.
Coming into this world, I wanted to make a difference. I couldn't go back on that promise to myself. I wanted to be a person Kimiko and Daichi, mother and father, would be proud of. If anything, that was something I was absolutely certain of. The only thing. If I could do that, it would make all of this worth it. All the headaches and anxiety. The tears.
I crouched down near the daylilies, noticing how some of the leaves drooped down pitifully. I took one wilted petal between my fingers. Even if it was insignificant, there was something I could do right now. I straightened and walked over to the little shed that sat between the wall and the end of the porch deck. My father's shed. It took some effort but I managed to force it open with a slight pulse of chakra to my little limbs. Coughing as a puff of dust and other nasty things escaped into the air, I stepped into the dimly lit box to grab a little pair of shears on a low shelf and a little spade before walking back to the lot of daylilies.
One by one, I went through the lot, clearing away the dead and dying buds, and digging out little plants I recognized as weeds from the times I would sit alongside my father during his gardening and discarding them as well. Before I knew it, I had gone through the rest of the garden and the sun was beginning to set.
Dirt was crammed underneath my fingernails and my palms and fingers were scratched in several places but I couldn't feel them, my hands having long since gone numb. I sat back to admire my work, a pile of compost at my side. The garden looked much better as though cutting away a few dead things had given the entire thing new life.
If that wasn't symbolic, I didn't know what was.
Pushing myself to my feet, I turned away from my handy work to return to the house. I was filthy and starving, so I'd wash up and figure out something later. I made my way to the deck, pulling myself onto the raised porch clumsily with my tired limbs. I froze as I registered sounds coming from my kitchen, a steady scraping of a wooden spatula against a metal pan.
Could it be?
I slowly walked to the open porch door to peek around the frame. A familiar back was turned towards me, hair up in an immaculate bun and a wrinkleless yukuta protected by a deep brown apron. Aunt Mei.
I was hit by a wave of déjà vu as I struggled to find the right words to say. But what could I say that would make everything okay? It was my fault, my fault that she was punished. I gripped my dirty yukuta and closed my eyes tightly. What should I do? What could I say? She must hate me like all the rest. She has to.
I was interrupted by a light hand being pressed against my head.
"Junko-hime." Her voice came softly but I didn't look up.
The hand pressed a little firmer, and after a moment she crouched down. But I didn't open my eyes. She sighed lightly, pulling what seemed to be a twig from my hair before lifting me underneath my arms. My eyes flew open as I was lifted into her arms, only getting a slight glimpse of her face before I was situated at her shoulder. Reminding me how small I actually was.
I didn't say a word as she carried me from the kitchen, down the hallway and into the bathroom where a steaming tub and a fresh pair of clothes was waiting for me. Just how long had she been here without me knowing?
"Wash up and relax in the bathroom for a little bit Junko-hime, and dinner should be finished once you're done."
Finally, I looked up at her as she sat me down near the little washing station near the tub. She wasn't angry or cold as she looked down at me, nothing but concern on her face. I didn't deserve it.
She pressed her hand against my head once more before turning towards the door.
"Do not worry about a thing." She parted with a little, earnest smile on her face before closing the door behind her.
I moved mechanically as I removed my soil crusted yukata and dumped it into the hamper in the corner of the room. I scrubbed and cleansed myself thoroughly before using the small step-stool to lower myself in the bath. Could it be that she honestly didn't hate me for getting her punished? I wanted so desperately to believe it to be true, but a large part of me could only doubt her actions. That she was being forced against her will to stay with me.
I dunked my head under the water for a few moments before resurfacing. That didn't matter. She was still here though, and if she was still here, that meant I could apologize or something; it was the least I could do. Pulling myself out of the tub and drying myself off, I changed into the fresh yukata that had been laid out for me, a light blue one, and walked to the door. I couldn't put it off forever.
With squared shoulders, I walked down the hall and into the kitchen where Aunt Mei had just finished setting the table. My courage began to wither as I stepped to where she stood at the table and stared down at her socked feet. I bowed my head lowly, accidentally bumping my head against her knees.
My words came out choked.
"I'm so sorry obasan!"
She seemed startled, but I continued. "It's all my fault that you were punished, and I'm so sorry!"
"Junko-"
I continued to sputter apologies until I was interrupted, the woman wrapping her arms around me. My heart skipped a beat as she pressed the side of her face into my damp hair.
"Junko-hime, nothing is your fault." She gave me a tight squeeze. "You have nothing to apologize for."
"But-" I tried to pull away but she just held me tighter until the tears stopped. When had they started?
Once I composed myself, she let me go, holding onto my shoulders. I blinked away the wetness that sat on my eyelashes.
"Listen to me Junko-hime." I stared directly into her pale lavender-tinted eyes which only held care and concern.
"You are not at fault for what the Main House does, not matter what others may say." She looked away. "Despite what others may think, including myself."
I tensed at her admission and she gave my shoulders a squeeze.
"You were placed in this position against your will, and all you've done is try to meet the expectations of others, which you have exceeded."
She looked down, staring at my hands that were clutched in the fabric of my yukata.
"Despite the fact that you are a prodigy, many of us forget that you are just a child, not even five years old. I am not innocent in this either."
Aunt Mei grabbed my hands and enfolded them into her own.
"And for that reason, I sincerely apologize if I ever made you feel unwanted."
I didn't know what to say, but even if I had the words I couldn't speak as I stared at her with wide eyes. No words existed to accurately express what I was feeling. But as she finished speaking, it was though a weight had been lifted from my shoulders. No, not lifted but lessened, relief washing though me and a fresh onslaught of tears began to fall from my eyes.
She ran her fingers across my cheeks.
"Do you forgive me Junko-hime?"
I nodded.
We sat down for dinner, together for the first time in a long time. She asked me about my time in the academy so far as we ate, how I was getting along with Ikeda-sensei, and even how Akane and Noburu were doing.
There was no distance, no ice.
And even if was for only this moment, everything felt alright.
Author's Notes
Posted/Edited: October 25th, 2016
Minor edits: February 3rd, 2017
...
As usual, thanks to all who have added this story to their favorites and follows. I appreciate it!
I'm glad so many of you liked the last chapter. Personally, I feel like it was one of my better chapters and one of my favorites to write. Shisui is a real interesting character to write since the canon doesn't go too far into his background so it's kind of freeing while also frustrating. And of course the return of Team Minato and Obito's uncanny ability to almost maim Junko whenever she's in the vicinity. That's always fun.
Reviews:
Thanks to AmericanNidiot, Mari, Kirie Mitsuru, k123, one who reads too much, CHARA ATE MY SOUL, Guest, Anseo, Kaede Kayano, 372259, mythologyfreakgirl, Judgement of the Arbiter, Guest, Hal, and calcu22 for your lovely reviews on the last chapter.
-AmericanNidiot: I too am jealous of Shisui's eyelashes like what the heck. It's those Uchiha genes. Completely unfair.
-Mari asked, "Is she going to warn Obito or Minato?"
Junko, with all her good intentions, is very careful and defensive about her foreknowledge. Considering Obito's personality, I doubt he would take her warnings seriously. Minato, I think would believe her but with his ties to Jiraiya and being the future Hokage, she'd probably be better off keeping the info to herself and try to do the best she can. The walls have ears after all.
-Kirie Mitsuru asked, "There is no official pairing so far, right?"
There isn't an official pairing, that much is true. So Junko/Shisui isn't canon to this story. Yet. I am going to focus on their relationship more in chapters down the road. I just like to keep it open in case my ideas change; though I definitely ship it.
-k123: Junko definitely does need some familial love, so hopefully this clearing of the air helps everything in the long run.
-Anseo asked, "What will Junko's specialization be?"
Well, considering her slight obsession with chakra, I think her focus will be in ninjutsu, concentrated on nature transformations. While that's kinda of a broad choice, it also allows Junko to learn a lot of techniques since she just likes to learn. So she'll be good in taijutsu, as Hyūga are known for it, and ninjutsu for variety. I haven't completely fleshed out her arsenal since there's really no need for it in the academy, but her genin days should be very interesting. As for specialization like ninja departments like ANBU or others, I haven't really decided.
-372259: Unfortunately no Minato and Kakashi interaction this chapter but there will be in the future, along with the rest of the team.
We're coming to the end of the academy days, so I hope you're all excited.
Next time For a Chance at Happiness:
Chapter 14: Of Hot Pots and Fans