Obligatory Disclaimer: The series Naruto is owned by Masashi Kishimoto; I only own the OCs, picture, and this story.
Chapter 21: Of Dinner Dates and Chakra Lessons
I sat on the lightly dewed grass underneath the lone tree of my training ground the next morning to begin my meditation for the day. Legs crossed and focus centered on my core, I let the physical world fade away as I closed my eyes. The air disappeared from around me first, then the grass that tickled my toes and the ground beneath me until I was the only thing that remained. I lost myself in the intricacies of my chakra pathways, through the twists and turns that made their way through my organs, through my lungs, through my heart. I followed them, up down and around, taking stock of every limb and muscle, before settling around the tenketsu in my eyes.
And with the briefest pushing of chakra at the nodes, the world returned with an explosion.
Blurry masses of colorful light lit up the world, in the air and soil around me which pulsed with what could only be chakra, or even more accurately, life. It was gorgeous, bright, calming, and alive. It was like another realm where only the world and I existed. My own chakra danced with the earth I sat on, brushing against each other as though greeting an old friend. The air was a hazy blue and when a soft breeze swept the area, small indiscernible orbs of denser chakra floated into the atmosphere and waltzed out of sight. The cool solid chakra below me was sprinkled with tinier, stringier lines that were more active, roots, that flowed upward and outward into the tree at my back. It traveled up and up to the tallest branch and highest leaf, uniform in strength and life.
Everything was connected; from the grass in the ground to even myself and the world around me.
During my weeks of recuperation, I had realized this ability was tied with my byakugan, or came from the same tenketsu that I manipulated to activate the dōjutsu. I wasn't entirely sure. It came about as a result of curiosity and stress relief meditating on my porch, though it had taken me some practice to see anything beyond myself and the ground. The vision's range changed depending on my focus. If I just followed one trail of chakra I could go about twenty feet before my eyes and brain started to hurt from the strain. It was very different from my normal vision, weaker and less detailed, so it wasn't very useful other than meditating and relaxing, at least for now.
Pulling my senses back to myself, I let that vision of the world fade and opened my eyes, releasing a breath.
I was ready.
…
I began with a few drills, running through kata on land for half an hour before doing the same on water for another, which was a more straining feat. The anime made it look easy, but it wasn't; not only do you have to keep a constant flow of chakra to the bottom of your soles, but also manipulate it when dodging. The way you manipulated your chakra changed the way the water reacted to your body. Depending on the amount, the surface could be no different than solid ground, or it could be as bouncy as a trampoline if you displaced the water with enough chakra. It was useful if you were landing from a very tall height since otherwise you'd probably break your legs. It took a lot of practice to make the process involuntary and automatic, a life-saving skill to be sure.
Just as my morning routine came to an end, a caw broke me out of my thoughts and I turned my head towards the sky. It wasn't the calling of a normal bird but it wasn't from the aviary department either. During my time in the academy, we had a trip to the building so we could get familiar with it, though only jōnin and the rare breed of chūnin were called that way. The caw sounded again, more persistent this time, and I looked toward the lone tree on the island where a black bird, a raven or a crow- I couldn't tell the difference- sat perched on a low branch, looking straight at me.
I blinked, staring back at the animal who was watching me with an unusual focus. It could've been paranoia, but as I moved from one side to the other of the small island to collect some wayward kunai, the bird's dark eyes watched every movement before it cawed again and I froze.
Wait a minute…I knew someone who, in the series at least, had a crow summon. Well, Itachi, but it couldn't be; he wasn't even in the academy yet. Then…Shisui?
Having another staring contest with the bird, I slowly lifted my arm and with a caw that seemed satisfied, it flew from its perch and floated down onto my sleeve.
I kinda felt like a Disney princess.
I brought the bird to eye level, noticing a piece of rolled paper tied around its leg. A message for me? With hesitant fingers, I undid the loop and as I held the note in my hand, the crow jumped up my arm, smacking me in the face with a wayward wing before resting on my shoulder. Side eyeing the bird who cawed in response, I unrolled the piece of paper, recognizing the neat handwriting of one Shisui Uchiha.
It was short and succinct, consisting of one sentence.
-Kushina-san is in the clan head's home.
I stared at the message blankly. How did he even know I was looking for her?
Shaking my head, I stuffed the message inside my pouch and regarded the bird on my shoulder with another look.
"Thank you for delivering the message, crow-san." Summons, even the ones that couldn't talk, were incredibly intelligent. Still, I fought the urge to roll my eyes at the fact that I was thanking a bird.
"Can you get off now?"
The bird let out another caw loudly in my ear, digging his talons into my shoulders lightly- an obvious sign of defiance. Rolling my eyes, I took off from the training ground, the crow letting out an offended squawk as it burrowed itself in my hair.
As I stood before the familiar sights of the Uchiha compound, an unease settled in my stomach. I mean, I've been to the compound previously, walking through it as easily as I did my own, but it was different now. First, I had met the clan head and it hadn't been the most positive introduction, though even that meeting came in flashes of trauma-riddled memory. And second…
What if Kushina didn't want to talk to me? What if she ran away like last time?
It had taken me a while, weighed down by the nightmares and emotional turmoil, but I realized that Kushina must've been terrified as well, as much as Aunt Mei had been, if not more so. For what other reason would she run if not that?
Maybe she was doubting her ability to teach because I had gotten captured.
Maybe she was scared that I hated her or something because she hadn't been able to protect me.
They were both ridiculous assumptions but it rang true with her actions. The Kushina I had gotten to know had talked as though we would be training together for a long time, that she would guide and teach me so that, in her words, 'I wouldn't be such a stick in the mud like Daichi, dattebane.' I hadn't exactly agreed with her sentiments, my father just expressed himself differently, but I understood what she was getting at. Simply staying under the rule of the Hyūga had narrowed my perception of many things about the village, along with my own biases towards Konoha; I was luckily enough to not have grown an over-sized ego like many of the clan did. It wasn't until I became friends with my two favorite civilians that I truly realized how much that environment had affected me, thinking that my enhanced spirit would keep the nonsense propaganda at bay.
And I had looked forward to growing up under Kushina's tutelage.
Steeling myself, and with a not so comforting poke from the crow I'd nicknamed Nyx, I stepped through the gates and into the district.
I got lost for a while after I deviated from the main street to the more residential section of the district, and it wasn't until Nyx flew from my shoulder, hitting me in the face once as he did, that I knew which house was my destination. He perched himself on the awning of a normal looking abode, larger than the ones around it. The crow cawed at me before taking off, flying overhead and into what I assumed to be the backyard.
As I made it to the front door, a part of my courage failed me. What if Kushina wasn't here? What if she did run? What would I do then?
Taking a deep breath, I knocked on the sliding door before I gave myself the chance to bolt.
A few seconds ticked by, then thirty seconds, then a full minute passed, my stomach tying itself into knots. Maybe the crow had gotten to me late and no one was home? Yeah, that was a possibility. Nodding to myself, I went to step back and walk away when a voice calling out distracted me from beyond the door.
I swallowed my nervousness and put on my most polite smile as it slid open.
It had taken a second but Mikoto was surprised when she looked down at me.
"Hello, Mikoto-san!" I greeted, my fingers twitching as I intertwined them in front of me. "I was wondering if Kushina-shishou was here?"
I could see the wheels turning in her head for a moment before she smiled back, a smile that was a bit devious on her face. It did nothing to soothe my nerves.
"She is Junko-chan." If it was even possible, her smile grew even larger. I didn't want to know what the Uchiha matriarch knew to smile like that. "Why don't you come in?"
My stomach must've hit rock bottom but I let the woman usher me inside. Trading my sandals for the guests shoes Mikoto laid out for me, I followed the woman deeper into the house where I could hear multiple voices talking, all of which were familiar to me. The house was noticeably comfortable; there weren't many pictures hung on the walls but it had the essential feeling of a home, something lived and loved in. It was different than my house; of course, I lived there with just Aunt Mei now and I loved her, but it lacked something that the Uchiha head's family had. A feeling of completeness that had faded in my own over the years. But maybe that was just me being melodramatic.
We stopped in front of a sliding door where the talking was the loudest, Kushina's voice coming over a quiet voice that could only be Itachi's, and Shisui's coming in amused at certain points. Just what was going on in this house?
Mikoto slid the door open, blocking me from view.
"Who was at the door Mikoto?" Kushina asked and my stomach churned nervously, doing cartwheels at the proximity.
"Just someone who's been looking forward to seeing you," Mikoto said, stepping into the room and revealing me to its occupants as I trailed behind her.
I didn't notice the expressions on either of the Uchiha boys' faces, my eyes instantly locking onto Kushina's violet ones.
Several things happened at once. Itachi, who had been sat in the Uzumaki's lap, was deposited into Shisui's arms. Kushina tried to dart out of the back door that opened to the porch, but Mikoto teleported to the other side of the room, blocking the woman's path before trapping her in a headlock. All in the span of a few seconds.
The three of us stared at the grown women in front of us blankly.
"Please excuse us for a moment children," Mikoto said with a tense smile, dragging my shishou out of the room and sliding the door shut with a sharp snap.
The sound lasted for a moment, hanging in the air around us before I turned to the boys who didn't seem all that surprised.
"What just happened?"
Shisui shrugged, depositing little Itachi to his side who looked up at me with recognition in his eyes.
There were little navy bows in his hair.
"Kushina-obasan has been visiting our house a lot recently," the tinier child answered, and I blinked in response. How had he become so eloquent since the last time I saw him? It must be something in the water. Damn prodigies. I sighed as I registered his words; I should've guessed that.
I walked over to where they sat at a low table, depositing my slippers to the side before slumping next to the littlest prodigy in the room. Shisui was the one who broke the silence, looking at me with the slightest bit of hurt in his eyes.
"Why didn't you tell me and the others about what happened on your mission?"
My blood froze at his question. Itachi remained quiet, looking back and forth between us.
"How much do you know?" I asked instead, lifting a hand to lightly tease the bows out of the little heir's silky hair.
"Kushina-san mentioned that you got hurt on your mission, and that it was her fault. A lot of people heard the explosion on the western edge of the village too," Shisui said, eyeing me critically.
I may have underestimated the strength of Noburu's bombs.
I tried to shrug nonchalantly, pulling the last bow from Itachi's hair before smoothing down his twisted locs.
"Injuries are an occupational hazard, Shisui," I said, but that didn't help.
"Just because we're not on the same team doesn't mean we don't care about what happens to you, Junko," he retorted.
"I didn't say that," I frowned. "I know you guys care. But in this instance, my wellbeing shouldn't be your main concern."
Shisui's eyebrows furrowed. I sighed.
"If I had been able, it would've only caused you trouble," I said over him when he went to argue. I pulled my fingers from Itachi's hair and faced Shisui properly.
"Your main priority should be to work with and protect your team."
"We're still friends, we can't help but worry about you-"
"I know Shisui! But that's not going to stop bad things from happening."
Shisui's eyes were wide but I continued, voice exasperated.
"What good would've come out of me telling you guys I almost died?" I continued. "What good would've come from me telling you three that I had been so scared, so terrified? That sometimes I can still feel the enemy's hand around my neck as she tried to kill me?"
He was quiet.
"It would've done nothing but limited all of you. Instilled a fear in you that would only get you killed."
I sighed deeply. It had been mandatory in the academy to go over the consequences of this life we had chosen, that more than likely we would die, 'honorably' for the village. It was a lecture that happened every year apparently, but it was different learning that someone close to you died, rather than listening to hypothetical situations and mourning imaginary people. One learned about the mortality of themselves better when those around them were no longer in the world.
"And it's not like I can stop being a ninja. I have absolutely no choice." I looked down at my fingers, tiny and pale. Clean, without the burden of ending another's life. Weak, barely strong enough to protect myself. But I would get better, no matter the cost.
"All I can do is continue to fight, no matter how terrified I am. Because if I don't, everything I've done until now will be for nothing."
A silence greeted the room at my words and I took a deep breath to compose myself, staring down at my clenched hands. I was startled when a tiny body pressed lightly into my side and little fingers grasped the back of my yukata. Itachi lifted his little head to stare into my eyes.
"Kushina-obasan says that hugs make people feel better," he said with a tone that was too mature for his little voice, and a chuckle escaped me. I rubbed away the unshed tears that had accumulated and wrapped my arms around the little boy.
I squeezed him, the toddler compliant to my hug. "Thank you, Itachi."
I pulled away, swallowing the ball of guilt that sat at the back of my throat as I noticed the remorseful look on Shisui's face. I opened my mouth, an apology on my tongue when the door to the room slid open, and a serious looking Kushina walked in trailed by the Uchiha matriarch. Both looked haggard, hair in disarray as though they had just finished wrestling each other.
Kushina's expression faltered as her eyes met mine, but Mikoto walked around her to address the others.
"Kushina and Junko-chan need to talk, so why don't you boys help me get lunch ready?"
It was one of those requests that was more like a demand, a staple of all mothers. Itachi pulled away from me and went to his mother's side, Shisui following at a slower pace, sparing me a brief glance before following his cousin and aunt out of the room.
The light click of the door closing was amplified by the awkwardness that permeated the room. The Uzumaki woman stood by the door, nervous hands running through her vibrant red hair to make it presentable. I remained quiet, allowing her to make the first move and stared down at my hands.
With a mumble and a huff, Kushina walked over to the low table and I looked up when she sat down to the side of me. She swallowed, the noise audible, before speaking.
"So…" she said, fingers twitching on the table's surface. "How are you doing Junko-chan?"
"I'm fine. How are you?" I couldn't help the slight accusatory tone that slipped into my voice, and she flinched in response. I was still hurt that she had abandoned me for nearly two weeks.
"I'm alright." She looked away from me. "Though I guess you know that already, dattebane."
I didn't want to prolong the conversation or we would never get anywhere. I knew if I just waited, neither of us would get to the real issues we had to address.
"Kushina-shishou, I don't want to make assumptions about your feelings," I began and she returned her gaze. "But I know that the mission was hard for the both of us."
"That's an understatement," she mumbled and I nodded in agreement.
"Things happened and… and I can understand if you don't want to be my teacher anymore. I am tiny and an easy target for the enemy, and being the first student you get to teach, with the additional lack of a true team, has to be really stressful-"
She cut me off before I could go on.
"Wait a minute…you think that I don't want to be your sensei?" I nodded. "I thought that you didn't want me to be your sensei anymore!"
I blinked in surprise.
"When I heard that you went to the Hokage and the hospital all by yourself, I thought you didn't need me," she admitted.
"But why didn't you come check on me?"
"I was working on it, dattebane! Your aunt is super scary," Kushina huffed with false bravado, before looking away shamefully.
My brows furrowed but I didn't say a word. That couldn't have been the real reason.
"I…I believed that you hated me for not being able protect you, and thought it'd be best if you were assigned with someone better."
She leaned back, her eyes taking me in full, settling on the scar that stood out against the dark hair of my right eyebrow.
"The very least I can do is protect you, and I barely did that."
I listened quietly as Kushina laid bare her heart to me, the woman looking vulnerable.
"You almost died Junko, because I failed at being a good sensei," she said shakily.
I stared blankly at her. Really? That was the reason?
"That's stupid."
She looked at me sharply. "What did you just say?"
"I said, that's stupid," I repeated, crossing my arms across my chest. "Unexpected things happen all the time on missions out on the field. You couldn't have known that there had been another enemy. And when it really, truly mattered, you saved me. Therefore, it is stupid that you would think that I hate you, when it's far from the truth."
She continued to stare at me, mouth open.
"And there's no need for talking about what ifs, when I am alive and relatively unscathed, having been rescued by your hand."
I took a deep breath after my speech, turning a bit red under Kushina's wide eyed gaze.
"I am a bit pissed at you though," I admitted, rubbing my arms self-consciously. "You probably shouldn't shushin away from your possibly traumatized student. It's bad form Kushina-shishou."
She stared at me for a moment longer straight in the eye, and before I knew it, I was being smothered.
"Oh, you're so mature Junko-chan!" she said, squeezing me tightly. Even though I could barely breathe, it was nice, the tension that had been heavy in the room evaporating. I pulled away to meet her eyes.
"Well, someone has to be in this relationship," I quipped back, receiving a noggie for my troubles.
"Yeah, yeah." She rolled her eyes with a smile on her face. The smile fell to a frown the longer she stared down at me where I was trapped in her arms and she sighed.
"Another thing…if we're being honest here," I looked up at her. "I was terrified when that ninja captured you. If I had been one second slower, you would've been…"
She cast her eyes downward. "I've always talked big, but I really hate the fighting. And the war especially."
Her eyes became dark, her fingers combing through my hair.
"I lost my home to the Second Shinobi War and I've always wished that I could've done something more. But like you said, there's no point in thinking about what ifs, dattebane."
I stared at her with wide eyes at her admission. She smiled at me again, this time more determined.
"But I don't want to lose another family, so I'll fight as long as I have to." She grinned at me. I smiled back.
"I feel the same way." She gave me another squeeze.
"I'll do my best to teach you and be there for you, so please be patient with me, okay Junko-chan?"
My smile softened and I nodded.
"Of course, shishou."
…
The air cleared between us, the Uchiha boys returned to find myself in a headlock, squirming to get out of Kushina's hold. After not seeing me for the duration of my recovery and having read Shin Yamanaka's report, much to my dismay, the Uzumaki woman was adamant in making up for lost time by trying to smother me in affection. I had made the mistake of mentioning that I still occasionally had nightmares, and when she drilled me about them I refused to answer, not wanting to have such a discussion in the Uchiha head's home. This had not gone well in my favor.
I promised to talk about it later when I noticed the boys staring from the doorway. A blush settled across my face and Kushina let me go, almost glowing with how pleased she was. Itachi toddled over to where I had half collapsed and grabbed onto my hand.
"Mikoto-obasan says the food's done," Shisui called from the hallway, a ghost of a smile on his face, and I allowed the smaller boy to drag me over and out the door.
"Ita-chan's really attached to you, dattebane," Kushina commented as the four of us walked into the kitchen, Shisui leading the way as Itachi continued to pull me along. "When he heard I was your mentor, he wouldn't stop asking about you."
I gazed down at him, and Itachi blinked up at me with his large black eyes.
I looked at Kushina. "We had a bonding moment."
Shisui made a funny noise and I couldn't help but chuckle, the older woman looking between the three of us before shaking her head.
The table was already set and as we went to sit down, I nudged Shisui. We exchanged no words, but I was sure he could tell I was apologetic by the look on my face. He hadn't deserved the end of my ire. He gave me a nudge back with a smile, which I read as he was sorry for bringing up bad memories and I knew that we would be alright. Neither of us liked to let things fester. It was one of the traits I liked best from the boy.
Lunch with the Uchihas was an interesting affair, probably louder than usual with the addition of Kushina. I tried to con Mikoto into telling me stories about genin Kushina but the redhead threatened the both of us, claiming that those days were long gone and best forgotten. It was all in good-natured fun, although, I didn't put it past the Uzumaki to wrestle the matriarch again if she dared to open her mouth about the topic. We finished the meal by sitting on the outside porch to enjoy the rest of our tea.
Itachi wasn't as easily lulled into the comfortable afternoon atmosphere. He seemed almost shy as he scooted closer to me from his seat between his mother and I, where I was grilling Shisui on where he got his summon. Apparently, it was a gift from his father, who was fighting on the front lines; Mikoto had been holding it for him until he graduated from the academy.
"Koko-chan," Itachi began, as though beginning a business meeting. "Can I see your marbles, please?"
I giggled at the seriousness of his request and reached into my pouch for them. His little brows furrowed as he palmed the few I handed to him and I rolled a couple in between my own fingers absentmindedly, letting my chakra take them away. I didn't rely on the marbles as much as I used to for meditation, having grown out of them funnily enough. But the marbles were a symbol of the start of Aunt Mei and I's still growing relationship and I treasured them, taking them with me wherever I went.
"How do you do that?" Itachi asked, eyes focused on how the little glass orbs caught the light as I pushed them into the air with my chakra.
I tilted my head to the side. "Do you understand the basis of chakra theory?"
"Chakra is created through the combination of spiritual and physical energies. Physical energy is strengthened by training the body and spiritual energy by training the mind," Itachi recited perfectly. Really, I had no doubts but hearing it come perfectly out of the three year old almost had me gapping. Almost.
I let the marbles drop into my palm. "Perfect. And have you started practicing with your own chakra?"
"I can stick leaves onto my forehead." He nodded proudly, causing me to chuckle.
"That's a start. The thing with trying different materials is that they usually require varying concentrations of chakra to get them to act according to your purpose," I began, tapping lightly on a glass marble.
"With the leaf practice, for example, using too much causes it to catch on fire because the leaf, which keep in mind is in the process of decaying, requires a specific amount of chakra as its threshold is lessened, causing it to combust if it's overcome. It's the reason why it's recommended to use newly plucked leaves rather than older, drier leaves."
I could feel the stares of both adult women on me and a heat rose up my neck and unto my cheeks.
"Was that too much to understand?" I blushed. I always went on tangents when I found something completely fascinating. Specifically chakra.
"Probably," Shisui quipped and I swatted at him to hide my embarrassment. "You know I'm right."
"I know, but you don't have to say it out loud."
"I think I understand," Itachi said with furrowed brows. "The leaf can only stand so much outside chakra because it's weaker. So a marble would need more chakra because it's not in a state of decay?"
My face broke out in a grin and I clapped my hands together.
"Exactly! See, he gets it."
"Itachi-chama's different, like us," Shisui said before his voice became teasing. "But remember when you tried to explain your theory on chakra thresholds to me and the others the first time? Before you simplified it, Junko-sensei?"
My blush returned. That had been a wild process requiring several diagrams and a mountain of textbooks. I went to argue back my point when Itachi tugged on my sleeve to get my attention.
"What is a chakra threshold? I've never read about anything about it before," he asked.
Eyes shining, I was about explain when Shisui elbowed me with a look that said, 'don't over do it' and I sighed. We'd be here for over an hour otherwise, because then I would have to explain the chakra differences existing within minerals and organic matter; and I had already dug myself a hole just by mentioning thresholds.
"A threshold is the limit of something to withstand a certain amount of exertion before becoming overcome. Like the strength of something to handle a certain pressure before it breaks," I began, side eyeing Shisui who nodded in approval. "It's based on theories of medical ninjutsu, so it makes sense that you haven't seen anything like it in normal textbooks. It can be seen most clearly in chakra transfers; you can only transfer so much until the body starts to reject it or becomes so dependent that it cannot create its own."
This theory was also how I understood my byakugan and the gentle fist style better. The jūken was an optimized taijutsu specifically for using chakra against an opponent; or if you wanted to think about it in another way, it used an opponent's own chakra against them. Since it directly attacks the chakra producing tenketsu, a certain amount of chakra needed to be produced to disable an opponent's with every strike. It wasn't as easy as hitting them and turning them off like a switch. They were more like valves, and the stronger an opponent, considering strength and genetics, the more chakra needed to disable or destroy them completely.
Itachi was silent for a moment, and I could practically hear the wheels turning in his head.
"Meaning the threshold of the person has been overcome by the foreign chakra?"
I grinned, fighting the urge to stick my tongue out at Shisui. "Exactly. That's why medical ninjutsu users train intensively with their chakra. If they use too much, they could send their patients into comas."
Itachi stared at the marbles in his tiny hand and I could feel the light pulsing of his chakra as he attempted to move them. The marbles only moved a little and he frowned. There was a spike in his chakra when he tried again, but they flew out of his hand and I quickly snatched them from the air before they could hit him in the face. The little prodigy flinched in surprise before his expression became crestfallen. I chuckled, patting him on the head and dropping the marbles back into his hand.
"I'm sure you'll get it soon. I'll let you borrow those for a while. You'll probably master it by the next time I see you."
It was a bit presumptuous of me but I had a feeling that Itachi would become another facet of my life, just as Shisui had.
"That's some pretty advanced stuff there kiddo," Kushina cut in, a look of wonder on her face.
"When all you do is study all day, you're bound to pick up something," I said dismissively, trying to ignore the way Mikoto looked at me. It was very analytical, as though she was trying to see what was going through my head. I could understand why; I had pretty much went on a tangent about chakra theory to her three year old son. If I wasn't me, I'd be weirded out too.
Kushina stared at me for a moment before nodding to herself.
"I'm going to have to get you away from all those books if you have any chance at being a normal kid. Although, I have a feeling I'm already too late."
I opened my mouth to retort but couldn't.
"That's true," I sighed, Shisui nodding in agreement.
Kushina and I left in better spirits, bidding the Uchiha trio farewell with a thanks and a promise on the Uzumaki's part to visit again soon.
"What are we going to do now shishou?" I asked, walking alongside her as we made our way through the gates that separated the district from the rest of the village.
It was getting late in the afternoon, having spent longer than expected in the clan head's home. I was thankful that Fugaku hadn't come home during that time; I could only imagine how awkward, or violent, that would've turned out.
"Well, I'm not dressed for training," she said, waving down at her green dress. "And it is getting late, but we could go over the foundation for some ninjutsu at my house, if you're feeling up to it."
The prospect of learning something new excited every nerve in my body and I fought the urge to rush her as we walked through the village, though I knew she could tell I was eager by her chuckle. I made sure to memorize the location of her home, a nice-looking abode that sat in the quieter part of the village. Kushina looked around the dark home as we stepped inside.
"I guess Minato's not home yet," she mumbled, flipping on some lights after taking off her sandals, and I followed suit.
After handing me some scrolls and dumping me at the kitchen table, Kushina turned to start dinner while I let myself become absorbed into the material. The atmosphere was comfortable, no more awkwardness between us, and for the first time in what seemed like forever, I was able to relax. It finally felt as though things were falling into place, just as they should be.
We were going to start with the Water Clone jutsu and the Hidden Mist technique. I had thought that last technique was specialized in Kiri, but Kushina had nipped that in the bud. She claimed that those of Uzushiogakure had been masters of water jutsu which only paled in comparison to their fūinjutsu. I took her word for it and it made sense, since from what I remembered, that village had been located on an island.
If I could get those techniques down relatively quickly, we'd move onto a more offensive jutsu, Suiton: Teppōdama, or Water Release: Liquid Bullets. I was a bit surprised at her willingness to teach me a skill above my level, since the offense ninjutsu was at least a C-rank, but Kushina was confident in my ability to learn and use it. And it would be helpful to have more long range attacks in my arsenal.
Once done with my questions, I silenced myself and let Kushina get back to cooking something that smelled slightly on the beefy side. I ran through the hand seals for the Hidden Mist technique, ox then snake then ram, as the clone technique required water and only one tiger seal, meaning it would have to be practiced later. Closing my eyes, I let my vision shift into that weird realm again by activating the tenketsu in my eyes before going through the hand seals another time. The appropriate tenketsu lit up in groups as I performed the sequence and I noticed with a bit of fascination how the chakra that was released with each seal condensed around me. But as I finished the final seal, most of it returned to me and the rest dispersed into the atmosphere, not transforming into mist like I expected it too.
Maybe I didn't exert enough chakra, but I also had to consider that the lack of water in the atmosphere could also be a factor. Frowning, I went to try again, watching as the chakra moved through the tenketsu when a hand on my head startled me from my concentration.
I blinked up at Kushina's scolding face. "No practicing at the dinner table. I get enough of that from Minato, dattebane."
"Apologies, shishou." I gave a sheepish smile, and she returned to her spot at the stove with a roll of her eyes and a smile on her face.
Having got the theory down, I closed the scroll and took a look out the window whose blinds were partially open. Outside, the sun was beginning to set, the village cloaked in a dusty orange.
"It may be time for me to get going, Kushina-shishou. Mei-obasan is expecting me soon."
Kushina looked over at me with a faltering smile. "Do you really need to go?"
I tried to keep myself from getting sucked into her sad violet eyes.
"I mean, I would stay but Mei-obasan doesn't know where I am."
"I could send a summon to let her know if you want." I jumped at the familiar voice that spoke from the doorway to the kitchen.
Minato. I tried, stealthily, to move my hand from my thigh pouch and folded it with my other in my lap as he walked to the table, lacking his vest and equipment. I gave a hesitant smile.
"That's okay Minato-sensei, I don't want to intrude."
He simply smiled, reigniting my guilt for my words a few days ago, but I smothered it down as he responded.
"It's not a problem at all. I'll even take you home afterwards. How does that sound?"
I couldn't fight against the combined forces of both their eyes and relented.
Just like lunch with the Uchihas, dinner with the couple was a comfortable affair, a dinner of thick beef stew and rice. Minato pulled me into conversation about the techniques I was starting to learn, and with a bit of pushing from Kushina, the conversation moved on to different topics. It ranged from offers to train some more with his team, to an technique he was willing to share with me when he had the time, and then onto the subject of fūinjutsu, which immediately grabbed my attention.
However, that moved onto the topic of my mother, and eventually my father. A part of me didn't want to hear about them; it would only widen the ache I felt, reopening old wounds and fears that I thought I had down under lock and key.
But it was nice. Nice to hear stories about their lives, lives that I had the barest knowledge about.
How mother and Kushina would often go on pranking sprees against the helpers in the Senju manor, spurred on by Mito who had a mischievous streak as well.
How one time, they had pranked my father and how that had led to my parents dating for the first time, as my mother had felt guilty for ruining one of his favorite books with permanent dye in the brightest pink they could find.
I let myself get lost in the stories, visualizing younger versions of my parents, living and smiling without a care in the world. And before I knew it, it was late in the evening and Minato whisked me away, back to the compound.
Author's Notes
Posted/Edited: March 27th, 2017
Hopefully, the good times of this chapter made the wait worth it. (Don't expect them to last.)
After an unplanned hiatus due to life related matters, I HAVE RETURNED. I also spent that time going through the over 90,000 words of this story reediting some parts. To new readers this won't matter much, and long time readers aren't missing out on any new stuff, as I just caught some errors and rewrote sentences so that the chapters flowed better. The only somewhat significant thing to note is that I changed Junko's name from her previous life to Renée. This will only have slight importance later in this story and I mostly changed it to tie it to another fic I'm writing.
Anyways, thanks to everyone who has reviewed, followed, or favorited this story. For a Chance at Happiness has reached over 1,000 follows and almost 900 favorites! That's so crazy to me but I appreciate it all the same. Truly.
Question and Answer Time
-FreelanceBum: Things might be looking up for Junko now, but there is still a chance for her to crack under the pressure. Luckily, she is building a support group that will help her out.
-ShugoYuuki123 asked: "What sort of things will be different in this story from the orignial plot-line? What about Obito and Rin and the Kyubi attack? Or will it be a surprise?"
I think I mentioned this in another chapter, but since this story is slowly veering into 'fix-it' territory, certain characters may escape their canon fates which will cause a landslide of deviations from canon. However, it will not be a simple fix and some things will may turn out worse than expected. Do with that what you will. :)
-OneWhoReadsTooMuch and Scarla Roza, who were wondering about how Minato thinks of Junko:
A interlude for Minato is a high possibility as well as one for Kushina, though those won't come until later. I was also thinking about adding little bonus scenes at the end of some chapters from different characters' point of view, that are less in depth than the interludes but just a little extra something to widen the perspective of the story.
-minshe and k123 who mentioned Junko getting a dog to help with her trauma:
Not saying that she will get a dog partner but there is a very, very high possibility that it might just happen. And I might have already written it. Who knows? :)
-Heitor, as always thanks for the extensive review:
About the mokuton, as I mentioned previously, it will not be a pure wood release and will be significantly different than Hashirama's or anyone else who has it. Nevertheless, there will be a logical reason for why it manifests within Junko, going into the background of her family and the history of Konoha. Giving her a variation of the mokuton isn't a decision I came to lightly, suggested by readers or otherwise, and I will make sure it makes sense according to this story and what we know about Naruto lore. Though, if at any point it doesn't fit when it does come about, I trust that you will call me out on it.
And in working with the Gentle Fist style, I can see the practical use of it, like in trapping enemies to easily get in physical strikes. I have other ideas for it as well but that would fall under spoilers. Like I said, it won't be something Junko relies on all the time like Naruto and the Rasengan. While it may not seem to be necessary for Junko as a character, I see it more as a way of her getting in touch with her Senju side, although that in itself will have its complications.
Special chakra, received from Hamura or another source, is an interesting thing that I only briefly thought about. Considering her reincarnated state, her chakra is different to begin with since, in a way, she is already a dead soul given another chance at life; but thank you for bringing it to my attention.
The way Junko is acting is very unhealthy, and her rushing will definitely make things worse, though with not only Kushina back on her side as well as Minato and her friends, maybe she will calm down. Of course, she doesn't see these things herself since she has all that foreknowledge and her goals to change certain events.
To the last few of your questions, Satomi will make her return to the story soon and hopefully this chapter cleared your questions about Kushina. The sabotage plot will pop up again, though it will be a little while until then. Junko's status among the Hyūga will be addressed and explored within the upcoming chapters, so I hope you look forward to it.
-someonethatreadfanfics and others worried about Junko and the mokuton, please read my response to Heitor (like the first two paragraphs if you don't want to read the whole thing).
-donstehly2 asked: What's with that "saving you" line the enemy said?
You'll just have to find out. It might turn out to be a very important line. ;)
-xburner21: Yeah, I'm not really concerned about romance (at the moment), but it will have it's place later when it's more appropriate (and no, you're not bothering me). Maybe when that time comes, I make a drabble AU series for For a Chance at Happiness, so things that don't happen here can exist there. If that's something people want.
-QuantumZero commented on Junko's ninjutsu skills:
I am planning to have Junko as balanced of a character as possible, with her ninjutsu and her clan techniques. I don't want to ignore one in favor of the other as that wouldn't be any fun.
-Anseo asked: Did Junko have her first kill and the others are keeping from her or is she just paranoid? What about the sabotage?
Junko didn't actually kill anyone, but coming so close to death has changed her permanently; it won't be something she will forget easily and it will affect how she acts from now on. The enemy ninja will have their time to shine later, but for now, their plot must remain a mystery. (And to your question about the others like Hiruzen and Kushina reading Junko's mental eval; I have a question at the bottom considering your proposal.)
-gonewind321 posed a bunch of interesting questions on chapter 4;
But if Junko (or myself), were to be placed within another village, with new friends and loyalties, her goals would definitely change. The only reason why Junko is fighting so hard for Konoha is because those people have become so real to her; and she fights for them as she feels as though that is her purpose in being reincarnated, along with the fact that they have become as loved as her past family. Though, if she had to go against the main cast, with her foreknowledge, would she be able to strike them down for the livelihood of her new loved ones, I really cannot say for sure. Interesting questions though.
-ILikeToThinkI'mCool: If you enjoyed past Shisui moments and this one (hopefully), then you'll love the next chapter.
**Whew, that was a lot of answers and comments, but now I have a question for you, dear readers.
Question
1) Would you like to see bonus sections at the end of some chapters of other character's point of views?
Let me know your thoughts.
Next time on For a Chance at Happiness:
An Interlude: Still Water