Obligatory Disclaimer: The series Naruto is owned by Masashi Kishimoto; I only own the OCs, picture, and this story.
Chapter 25: Of Rocky Restarts and Cryptic Dreams
The world seemed to warp before my eyes as I continued to stare. I struggled to not blink, as though the woman who looked like my mother was simply a mirage that would disappear as soon as my attention swayed. Her smile faltered but she didn't move closer as Riku stood between me and her, growling defensively.
My lungs yearned for air. My heart pounded against my ribs. My brain fought to process what my eyes refused to believe.
Mother had been alive, all this time?
Where was Father?
Why wasn't he here?
Was he...?
Any and every word that tried to make its way out of my mouth lacked the breath to manifest itself. The words wouldn't come, words that I had repeated over and over again in my head to greet them whenever they returned home.
That I had missed them.
That I had worked hard to meet their expectations.
There had been so many things I wanted to show them.
To show Father the hard work I had put into the garden and show Mother how much I had improved with my calligraphy.
Even if they had missed my birthdays, my entrance into the academy and subsequent graduation, I had always hoped they would come back and we could celebrate that lost time. But somewhere along the way, amongst the training and studying and missions, the idea of either of my parents returning had become a distant dream. My mind couldn't accept the fact that Mother was right here.
Maybe she was just a hallucination born from my exhaustion.
Through the fog in my brain, the familiar voice of Aunt Mei called for me and I shook myself, looking over at the older woman standing behind the image of my mother.
"Junko-chan, breathe."
At her command, I took a deep breath and gripped Riku's fur with shaking fingers, concentrating on his damp fur and the way his cold nose turned to press worriedly against my face. I tuned everything else out and simply focused on getting air into my lungs.
Under the darkness of my eyelids, things slowed down. With every breath that entered my lungs, my heart settled down to a normal pace. The others came back into focus, first Riku's chakra, then Aunt Mei's; then Mother's, whose shone like a beacon against my senses. My mother who I had not seen in over two years, which had felt like a decade, was standing right in front of me. In the flesh. Alive, after all this time.
And so I ran the distance between us, crashing into her with a sob.
"Kaa-chan!"
In an instant she knelt down, wrapping me up in her arms and I buried my face into her shoulder. She was alive! My mother was alive and `holding me in her arms, the warmth of her body seeping into my own. And I cried and sobbed into her shoulder, every pent-up emotion breaking through the dam I had built to keep them at bay.
I don't know how long I had cried or how long Mother held me. It seemed like forever and yet only a moment simultaneously as she pulled away to examine me closely. She wiped away my tears with a watery smile, taking my face into her calloused hands as her own glistened on her eyelashes.
"You've grown so much," she whispered, combing her fingers through my hair. Her eyes caught my scar and her breath hitched. "Maybe too much, too fast."
"Kaa-chan," I sniffled, staring up at her. "A-are you really back?"
She pulled me close, pressing a kiss to my forehead.
"Not even the Hokage could pull me away from you right now," she declared, that spark of spunky cheerfulness which I had missed dearly peeking through.
I attached myself to her once more. Her heartbeat sounded under my ear and her chakra was vibrant and sunny just like it had always been, maybe, perhaps, a bit dimmer. Once I reassured myself of her well-being and recomposed myself, I had to address the missing piece, the other person I had been waiting for. I steeled myself for her answer, gripping the front of her kimono tightly.
"Where's tou-chan?"
Mother stared back and I noticed the way her chakra withdrew at my question before evening out. She ran her fingers through my hair, smoothing it down against the back of my neck.
"Your father… is a strong man," she answered. "He'll be fine."
He was alive?
"Is he at the hospital? Can we go see him?" I asked pulling at her sleeves, much like the child I was.
She smiled sadly and took my hands in hers with a shake of her head.
"When Daichi and I returned to the village earlier, he was unconscious due to his injuries," she explained and I tensed. "I have no doubt that the staff there are taking good care of him right now. And you know how stubborn your father is; he's probably already up and telling the staff what to do."
Her teasing tone, no matter how much I missed it, did nothing to soothe my nerves. She ran her thumbs across my tense knuckles.
"Daichi will be so surprised to see how much you've grown."
Her tone was wistful and I looked up into equally pensive eyes. The wait for them had to have been just as long for them, and I had changed so much over the course of that time; becoming a genin, going on missions. All things they had missed.
"I really missed you," I said plainly, another onslaught of tears threatening to fall as I took in the amber orbs that I had both dreams and nightmares about so long ago.
She hugged me tightly.
"And we missed you as well, a hundred-fold."
...
After we wiped away most of our new tears, we moved into the kitchen where Aunt Mei waited alongside a distraught Riku. The pup was pacing back and forth in front of his bowl, uninterested in the meal my aunt had probably bribed him with to get him off the genkan. He barked as we came close, eyeing my mother with distrust.
"Riku," I said softly as he came close, brushing against my side. "This is my mother."
Mother offered her hand to the pup. "Hello Riku, I didn't mean to upset Junko so much. I've been gone for a very long time."
He regarded her warily, looking between the both of us before moving to assess her. While he and Mother were occupied, I looked up at the other woman in the room, sliding over to her silently.
"Thank you for taking care of him, Mei-obasan," I said as she looked down at me.
"It was no problem, Junko-hime," she said, raising a hand to pat my head. "Have you collected yourself?"
"I think so," I nodded and she chuckled lightly.
"Even after all this time, emotions can still overwhelm you," she observed softly with a smile and I ducked my head. "I'm glad."
She lightly grasped my chin and tilted my head to meet her eyes.
"You've gone through a lot, as have your parents," she said. "But never forget that you can be yourself around them. Don't let anyone take that away from you."
I stared up at her for a moment, taking her words to heart before nodding again.
"I will try oba-san," I whispered and she smiled with a tinge of sadness.
"I know."
Mother was staring at the both of us as we turned back to her, Riku on the floor like a puddle as he submitted himself to her belly rubs.
"I am going to check on Daichi," Aunt Mei said as she turned from me, heading to the doorway. "The rice is done and the stew should be ready in a few minutes."
The rest of us followed her to the front door. As she slipped on her shoes, Mother stepped forward and bowed deeply at the waist.
"Mei-san, I know there are no words that can express how much Daichi and I appreciate everything you've done for Junko, but I-"
Aunt Mei cut her off before she could continue.
"Kimiko-san," she called and Mother lifted her head, surprised.
A small earnest smile appeared across the Hyūga woman's face.
"It was an honor to take care of Junko-hime."
A warmth settled in my chest as she smiled down at me and I smiled back with a sniffle. My mother didn't say a word, resuming her deep bow as Mei turned with a farewell, closing the door behind her with a light click. The silence stretched for a moment before I interrupted it with an abrupt yawn. I lifted a hand over my mouth in embarrassment as Mother looked at me, an amused smile on her face.
"Well, Daichi always said that Mei-san was an excellent cook," she said, walking back to me and taking my hand. "Let's go eat and you can tell me all about the things I missed, okay? Daichi gonna be so jealous."
"Okay, kaa-chan," I smiled up at her, letting her guide the way back into the kitchen, Riku on our heels.
The afternoon was filled with long conversations about academy days and genin life, though the accompanying pang from the absence of my father joined in as well. Mother had taken lead on the conversation, asking question after question that my exhausted brain tried to answer. I had underestimated how much all the work I'd done at the orphanage had fatigued me, and the subsequent emotional outburst caused by her return hadn't helped. Nevertheless, she had been pleased to learned that I had made friends in the academy and that Kushina was my new sensei. I was only slightly aware when she got me into the bath and I was out like a light as she laid me in a bed that was not my own but vaguely familiar.
When I awoke the next morning, I was being smothered. I coughed some fur out of my mouth and I pushed Riku's back away, which wasn't an unusual thing, but the arms tightening around my middle were.
"Good morning Junko-chan."
Mother's voice came chiming across my eardrums. For a split second, my heart froze and I tensed, but the warmth of her body and chakra melted all my tension away. She was really here. Alive. I turned and buried my face into her chest, allowing myself the childish comfort before pulling away.
"Morning, kaa-chan," I returned.
After detangling ourselves from my parents' bed, we got ready for the day. It was odd not sensing Aunt Mei's presence as I got ready, and Mother's was loud and almost abrasive with how alert it made me feel. We split as I returned to my room to get dressed in my winter appropriate outfit. I was in the bathroom brushing my hair when Riku huffed from the doorway, alerting me to her presence though I had been keeping track of it.
Mother stared at me silently for a moment, a thing she had been doing ever since she had returned, before reaching for the brush.
"May I?"
I passed it to her and turned back to the mirror, watching her in the reflection as she began to brush through my hair gently.
"Your hair has gotten so long and pretty," she complimented. It reached my elbows now, much longer than the bob I had been sporting when they had left.
"I have good genes after all," I said, trying to keep the atmosphere light. She paused, meeting my eye in the mirror before a smile spread across her face.
"Well, of course," she chuckled.
Once all the tangles were out, she placed the brush on the counter and began running her fingers through my hair, pulling strands together in the beginnings of a French braid. I stood completely still as she worked, combing my normal fringe into place. I watched her in the mirror, noticing the care she put into every pull and twist, being careful to not tug too hard.
It was surreal. I never believed I'd have a moment like this with my mother again, not after all this time. But it was real. As real as the fingers that combed lightly along my scalp, making sure the plait wasn't too tight, and her light humming which brushed against my ears. However, as the almost crushing relief that came with the return of my parents subsided, even with the unknown state of my father, a simmering fear was bubbling up in my stomach.
What if I hadn't turned out the way they expected? What if the relief wore off and she realized that I wasn't the child she really wanted? This happy atmosphere couldn't last forever.
A slew of other questions bubbled in my mind as well, like the missing letters I had been promised, but I was interrupted by a light tug on the finished braid.
"Junko-chan," I looked up from where my gaze had fallen and automatically smiled when her eyes met mine in the mirror.
"Thank you, kaa-chan." I turned to hop off the step stool when her hands on my shoulders stopped me in my tracks.
"Wait here for a second, will you?"
She didn't wait for a reply and disappeared through the doorway. I stared a look with Riku, who huffed before laying his head back down on his paws. I shrugged, staring back at my reflection. Though I was a pessimist at heart, I would try to enjoy this time with my mother while I still had the chance.
As I waited, I grabbed my hitai-ate from its place on the counter and tied it around my head and behind my ears, making sure to not mess up the braid Mother had worked on. I had just finished tying it with a secure knot when my mother's chakra brushed against my senses once more as she returned, pausing at the doorway. I turned to her, blinking up into her amber eyes that were glazed over in thought.
"Kaa-chan?" At my voice, she jumped a bit and I frowned. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine, Junko-chan," she said with a shake of her head.
She examined me with those bright eyes of hers as she stepped closer, settling on my headband.
"You've grown so much in the time we've been away," she whispered, taking my face into her hands. "Already a genin, the youngest to ever graduate I hear."
I simply nodded, not knowing what to say. She stared at me for a moment longer in silence before reaching into the obi of her kimono and pulling out what appeared to be a small jewelry box.
"My grandmother gave these to me the day I graduated from the academy," she continued. "I had hoped to do the same for you, but I guess it's better late than never."
She opened the box to reveal a pair of earrings. They were made of a particular blue shade of crystal, three little orbs that decreased in size with each orb, but were no larger than my smallest marbles. She pulled them out of the box, cradling them in her hands before looking at me with a somber smile.
"Think of them as a Senju heirloom, something to carry around with you," she said, meeting my eyes. "A reminder that you are a part of that clan as well."
I swallowed thickly and nodded. Since I didn't have any piercings for them, Mother took care of that easily, sliding the posts through and healing the opening completely with a surge of chakra so that I barely felt a pinch. When she finished, I looked into the mirror and took in the sight. I was surprised at how right they looked hanging there as they swung, brushing lightly against my jaw.
I turned and hug her. "Thank you kaa-chan. I promise to take good care of them."
She returned the hug, leaning down to giving me another kiss on my forehead.
"I'm sure you will."
...
It wasn't until I was zipping up my boots on the genkan to get ready to finally see Father at the hospital that I remembered another pressing issue.
I gasped. "I forgot about training with Kushina-shishou!"
Riku huffed at my side. No wonder he had been so pushy this morning! I never missed training but for once in my life my desire for training was at an all-time low. I wanted to see my father before anything else.
"I'm sure that she'll understand," Mother tried to reassure me as she laced up her own boots. But I couldn't just leave the redhead waiting at the our training ground without notice.
Thinking quickly, I pulled one of my mini notebooks from my pouch and wrote a note on it, detailing how my parents had returned and that we were going to the hospital to see Father, apologizing for missing practice. I knew Kushina would be more than understanding, but I had a certain upbringing; just because it was an emotional time didn't mean I was going to forget my manners. Satisfied, I ripped it from the book and folded it in half, tucking it into a mini pouch on Riku's harness.
"Riku," I ordered and he stood at attention. "Get this message to Kushina-shishou right away."
At his bark of affirmation, I slid the door open and he rushed out, disappearing in the blink of an eye. Mother was staring at me bizarrely as I turned back, and I blushed a bit under her analytical gaze. But she just smiled, rising to stand and pulling my jacket from the coat hanger for me.
"So responsible. Daichi is going to be so amazed when he sees you," she chuckled and as soon as I put it on we left, back into the frozen tundra that was Konoha in the winter.
I didn't mind it as much this time.
I huddled next to Mother as we walked through the village. We had one destination in mind as we moved but now well rested, I talked about all the places my friends and I had visited, noting all my favorite spots. I didn't stop talking, a mixture of nervousness and excitement coursing through me, until we arrived at the threshold of the hospital.
My hand found Mother's absentmindedly as we approached the counter where a familiar nurse was tending to the front desk.
"Hello, I was wonder which room Hyūga Daichi is in," Mother said, giving my hand a comforting squeeze.
The woman's eyes found mine immediately with recognition.
"You must be Kimiko-san," Aina said, efficiently looking through her record book. "Mei-senpai told me that you would be coming soon. He is in room 264."
She offered a comforting smile down at me which I returned albeit halfheartedly. Giving the woman thanks, my mother and I headed up to where his room resided, each step sending my stomach into whirlpools. It seemed that every time I came to the hospital things like this happened; the place and I didn't have the most positive relationship. A part of me wished that this was as simple as a mental evaluation.
My nervousness and excitement grew with every step we took towards my father's room. By the time we were standing in front of the door, I was sure my stomach would've won an award with how many flips it had done during the entire walk.
"Tou-chan is going to be so happy to see you," Mother whispered down to me.
She must've felt the nervousness in my grip. I gave a jittery nod in reply and with a single tug, the door was open.
The atmosphere in the room was heavy but my attention immediately focused on the man who was propped up with pillows in the only bed in the room. Father. The first thing that stuck out to me was the bandage wrapped around his head, standing out against his long dark hair that flowed freely past his shoulders. It stretched over his right eye, covering it completely, though his left widened as it took in the sight of me.
I could only stare back in response. Just like with Mother, I felt tiny, much like the child I was even though my hitai-ate felt heavy under the weight of his gaze.
"Mei-neechan was right, you have grown so much while we've been gone."
His deep voice rang in the small quiet room, and my heart soared at the familiar baritone. Pride was present in his voice despite the tired and drained tone it held and the way his body sagged against his pillows.
And just like with Mother, I skittered over to his bedside, coming to a stop before I leapt onto the bed, though the urge was very strong. My eyes darted from his bandaged head to the others that littered his exposed arms. There was a certain gauntness in his cheeks that made my brows pinch with worry. A nasty looking scar peaked under the bandage over his eye, running down his cheek and worryingly close to his jugular, with other minute scars littering his bare hands.
I didn't know what to say. Should I ask him how he was doing? Tell him how much I missed him?
His large hand came down on my head, jostling my headband and my thoughts.
An earnest smile spread on his face, tired and dull but full of the love I remembered from what seemed to be forever ago. Another deluge of tears threatened to fall but I shook my head, willing them away, though a few stubbornly escaped down my cheeks.
"Tou-chan," I whispered. "Welcome home."
His visible eye crinkled slightly in response.
"It is good to be back, Junko," he replied, his voice rumbling in his chest.
Mother came from behind us, wrapping her arms around me and lifting me onto the bed next to Father while she sat on the edge, encompassing us all in her arms. There were no words spoken. None that would've been able to accurately convey every emotion that coursed through me, and a new onslaught of tears fell from my eyes. I didn't try to stop them.
Finally- finally everything felt right. Complete.
And I knew peace, if only for this moment.
Once I was able to speak without sobbing, I spent the better part of several hours recounting every significant thing that had happened over the course of the two years I had gone without them, forgoing certain events like my trip into the Nakano river, the rough patches with the clan, and my first mission as it was still classified. Although, I think they knew from the way their eyes drifted to my scar. I got various reactions, from alarm to amusement, though most of it was reluctant acceptance that I had grown without them.
Father sighed, leaning back into his pillows.
"You've gone through so much in such a short amount of time," he commented, a bit of drowsiness seeping into his voice.
It must be the medications; his injuries must've been serious considering the IV attached to his arm and all the bandages I could see. I was surprised he was still awake at this point.
"I don't think it compares to what you've been through," I replied from my spot crushed between my parents' bodies. Mother didn't have any obvious injuries or scars like Father did, but she moved a bit differently from what I remembered, and the shortness of her hair indicated something had happened.
"Still," Mother said, running her hands through my bangs, lightly brushing against my scar. "You've done so much for someone so young."
I looked at both of them, then let my eyes drift to Father's hand which I held between my own.
"Well, the elders expect a lot from me."
The atmosphere shifted and their bodies tensed beside me. The reason why they had agreed to such an arrangement was a question that plagued my thoughts frequently when I thought about my parents after their departure. They said nothing in response and I didn't say anything either.
Those questions could come later, when Father came out of the hospital and we could all go home together.
Soon, a nurse came to give my father his lunch and more medication, and Mother and I were rushed from his room as he needed his rest. We swore that we'd come back to see him again very soon before leaving the building.
My more childish side wanted to sneak back into the hospital and return to Father's but the more logical side, who was slowly returning now that I was free from my burden of emotions and tearful outbursts, knew that the man needed his rest. He had stayed up like a champion listening to my stories though I could tell he had been struggling to stay alert.
It was weird stepping back into a frozen Konoha with my mother at my side, but we didn't have to wait long until Riku ran up to us having waited patiently outside, stark against the white snow.
I lifted my hands to run through his snow-dusted fur. "Did you have to wait long?"
He barked, tail wagging as he pressed his cold nose against my face, no doubt noticing the redness there.
"I'm okay. Thank you for sending my letter to shishou." He barked again, curling slightly around my body.
Ever since Riku became my partner, we were never apart for extended periods of time and I had been in the hospital for hours, the day turning into the afternoon in the meantime. He nuzzled my side, trying to bury his freezing nose past my scarf and against my neck. I giggled and jumped back before noticing a piece of paper stuck alongside his scabbard.
I pulled it out and unrolled it, reading the note written in Kushina's handwriting.
-I expect you and Kimiko to come over as soon as you're done!
I couldn't help but smile at the note, lifting it to show Mother. She smiled as well as she gazed over it.
"I guess we have somewhere to be, don't we?"
…
As soon as we stepped onto Kushina's porch, the door swung open wildly and the redheaded woman pounced on my mother, Riku and I smartly moving out of the way before we could get run over. Seeing them together was as heartwarming as it was bizarre; it was like two separate worlds finally coming together. My mother stood over the other woman by a few inches, and if I didn't know any better, I would've thought they were actually sisters as they hugged.
Their reunion was much shorter and less tear-filled than mine had been, though there were a few, and the Uzumaki woman quickly ushered us inside to the warmth of her home. We were instantly sat down at the kitchen table where a buffet of food waited for us, and Kushina didn't let us talk until we were full and satisfied with lunch. Conversation returned in the living room where we all piled onto the couch, my little body cushioned by both women with Riku sitting at my feet. But as I got comfortable between the pair, a sudden drowsiness overcame me, maybe spurred by the filling lunch and emotional roller coaster of being reunited with both my parents. The overwhelming sense of peace lulled me to sleep.
And I dreamt.
I was on that familiar cliffside yet again.
And that familiar figure was here too. She wasn't standing ominously on the air over the canyon, instead sitting on the edge with her feet dangling innocently off the side. For being the backdrop where most of my nightmares occurred, it was startlingly peaceful. The fog was lighter than it usually was, though kept with the pastel watercolor thematic it seemed to have. I found myself walking to the edge, the vibrant green grass making way for my bare feet. There were no crawling, climbing corpses waiting for me over the side, the lighter fog letting me see the Nakano river flowing unbothered below.
It was possible that I was lucid dreaming; I never had control in any of these dreams. The figure that was me and was yet not me- not anymore-, would puppeteer my every move, making me witness my dead and dying loved ones time and time again.
I turned towards her and found that she was staring at me with those mismatched eyes, her head tilted questioningly.
"Are you just going to stand there?" She, I, spoke and I shook my head before hesitantly lowering myself to the edge, a few feet away from her.
It was beyond weird; this was the first time my tormentor had actually spoke to me.
She scoffed. "Hey, I only act based on your mental state; you're the one who made me into a monster. Stress does wonders on the mind."
She could read my thoughts!?
"Well, duh. You and I are one and the same after all," she said, idly tossing a loose rock into the ravine below.
I stared at her blankly before my vocal cords decided to work.
"What is this?"
She hummed, kicking her feet. "Your mindscape, more or less. The place where your memories, terrors, and goals for the future coincide."
"You're surprisingly forthcoming with information," I blurted out and she chuckled.
"The person you should trust most is yourself," she commented, leaning back on her hands. "Especially, with the whole ninja lifestyle thing we, you, have fallen into."
I blinked up at her. "I suppose so."
It made sense in a way; with the return of my parents, a huge fear had been lifted from my shoulders. While Father was still worryingly injured, at least he was alive. They both were. Being reunited with them had obviously changed my mental state.
It was silent for a moment and I took the chance to look around. If this place was peaceful all the time, I wouldn't mind staying for a while. It was a faithful recreation to the real thing with only a few differences. The clifftop across the ravine was filled with forest, though what appeared to be a tower loomed in the distance. Behind us, the forest that opened to the clearing we were in stood tall, taller than it did in reality. At first, it looked like the place where I had busted my knuckles on a tree that fated day when Shisui had followed me over the cliff. Yet, beyond that existed nothing but pitch darkness. There was something in there, there had to be, but I didn't dare try to gaze any further into the abyss for fear of being pulled in.
"That is the forest which houses all your fears, the things that you believe you've locked away," the phantom at my side said, and I quickly tore my eyes away from it to look into hers.
She grinned.
"It's pretty interesting, much more than the tower, but I'd recommend staying away from it. I won't try to stop you if you venture in though."
I refused to look back at it, instead staring down into the river. This place was essentially me laid out across a piece of Konoha. It made sense in a way; this site was a place that had a huge impression on me, even more than my own home. I had one of the first worse days of my life here.
But how did this figure of my old self fit in this new world? Into this new me?
Having heard my questions, she grinned a perfectly normal smile.
"I am, in a way, the keeper of this 'world', and of a world forgotten," she said. She spoke like a weirdly poetic character who you'd find in a old shrine or something in an rpg. How odd.
The phantom shrugged at my observation. "This is how you choose to remember. We had liked fantasy stories after all."
I don't think I had read anything other than textbooks and scholarly journals ever since I had came to my realization in this world.
"So you hold all the memories of my old life?" I asked to clarify and she nodded.
"Yep, every event and memory that happened Before is stored in here," she said, tapping against her temple.
Learning that came as both a relief and an unwanted reminder. My memory from Before became less reliable everyday, and I was luckily enough to have written down plot elements before they had disappeared from my memory. Though not only that, things like my family and friends from back then had also become faded over time, as well as the feelings associated with them.
"You, or I, sequestered these memories away so that we could focus on the future, though you obviously don't remember doing so."
"That…that seems like something I would do." I nodded slowly.
"However, I won't tell you anything you've forgotten, at least not yet," she added.
I stared. Why not?
"It's for our safety," she explained, though that should have been obvious to me. "You've got your notebook, and that's enough of a risk don't you think?"
If it was easily accessible to me, then any Yamanaka or mind-stealing person could get that information. Having it locked away was useful in keeping me safe. Though would it be enough? And how would I know if something that needed changing was coming up if I didn't remember? I had my notes, but I had written only key events down, and I had written them as vague as possible in case it fell into the wrong hands.
"Have more faith in yourself," my other self said. "Measures are in place in case you ever need the knowledge I hold."
"And what is that?" I asked.
She smiled and rose to her feet, and I did the same.
"All you must do is remember your original name, my name, and I will offer that knowledge to you."
My original name? I tried to remember it, the name that belonged to the phantom in front of me, but nothing came, floating away from reach.
"Yep, as soon as you remember it, I will give you all the info you want, with some limitation," she grinned. "We wouldn't want to get ahead of ourselves. Though I don't mind offering hints every now and then in your dreams."
How…generous. But how would I distinguish them from the nightmares?
She grinned a bit maliciously at that thought before easing closer to me.
"For now, do not worry about the future as the present will have its own hardships," she said, taking my shoulders into her hands.
And before I could take another breath, or cast another thought to question her words, her hands were pushing me. I fell backwards into the ravine, catching a glimpse of a sympathetic expression on her face before she disappeared.
I jerked awake, blinking owlishly into a dimly lit room, more tired than I had been when I fell asleep. My other self was such an ass!
I rose into a sitting position, the blanket that had been thrown over me falling around my waist. Mother and Kushina were gone but Riku's head popped over the edge to greet me. I smiled at him, running a hand over his ears before throwing my legs over the side of the couch. Faint conversation flowed to my ears from the kitchen in familiar voices and I hopped down silently to meet them at the doorway where I froze.
The atmosphere was worryingly tense, both women standing side by side near the stove, teacups clasped between their hands.
"I don't know what will happen in the future with the clans due to this, but…." My mother trailed off, her voice so very tired and drained.
Kushina slammed her cup down onto the counter, startling me and Riku.
"I won't let anything happen to her," the redhead growled, her hair floating dangerously around her. "I'd tear them apart before they could even think of touching one hair on her head!"
It was the most vicious outburst I had ever heard from Kushina, though this seemed to relight some of the light in Mother's eyes. Were they talking about me?
I stepped into the kitchen warily, more disturbed than I had been in the dream.
"Kaa-chan, shishou, what's wrong?" I asked, causing both women to jump in alarm which only worried me more.
I always kept my footsteps quiet instinctively but I was still just a genin; the jōnin women should've noticed me coming.
"O-oh hey Junko-chan," Kushina stuttered, hair dropping down around her. "Ah, sorry for waking you up."
I shook my head. "I was already awake before your outburst, shishou."
"It's nothing you need to worry about Junko," Mother said, coming closer to rest her hand on my head.
But I wasn't having any of that. I stepped from underneath her hand, causing her eyes to widen in surprise as I looked up at her with hands clenched at my sides. I had been kept in the dark for so long, the powers that ruled over my life hidden away from me. But if Mother knew something, I deserved to know.
"If this is something that concerns me, I have a right to know," I declared, looking her straight in the eye.
Mother looked lost, not knowing what to say. Her mouth moved but no words came out.
The air grew heavy in the silence that followed. This couldn't be what she expected when she returned, such a headstrong and vocal child compared to the one who had just nodded and waved her goodbye with barely contained tears. Her only child, which she had lost several informative years with. She didn't know how those years without them had shaped me or the type of person I had become. She probably wished now more than ever that I was a normal, less inquisitive child, but that had sailed a long time ago when they had left and I had decided not to hide my 'genius' from this world.
When they were gone and I had to choose how I was going to survive in a world where it seemed my entire extended family and clan hated me, while the looming threat of war and foreknowledge burdened every step I took.
Mother looked to Kushina as though asking for help but the Uzumaki woman didn't have an answer, looking between the both of us conflicted.
"I shouldn't be the only one left in the dark," I said, my fingernails digging crescents into my palms.
But Mother seemed to gather her resolve as she returned her gaze to me, looking more serious than she had been before.
"I said that it is nothing for you to worry about."
"But kaa-chan-!"
"I won't say it again, Junko!"
My mouth shut with an audible clack of teeth. Her voice was strict, more harsh than I had ever heard. There was a tightness in my chest and my breath caught as I saw the anger and desperation on her face. When she said my name in that tone, I knew there was no room for debate.
That name. Junko. Obedient child.
That was what I had been labeled, what I had strove to be for my parents.
Who I had always tried to be, in one way or another, even when I had taken liberties.
Obedient to others and my own goals.
And so I bowed my head, shuffling away from her, a rebellious sting dancing across my eyes.
"I…I understand, kaa-chan. I'm sorry. I was out of line," I mumbled.
The atmosphere was stifling. I couldn't help but think I had jinxed myself, a part of me wanted to laugh at the irony; it was a self-fulfilling prophecy that the day would end in such a way when it had started so well. I didn't look at her face, but I could feel her chakra curl into itself. She made no move to come closer and neither did I.
"Kimi, Junko-chan," Kushina spoke up, trying to placate the situation but soon another presence made itself known at the doorway.
Riku barked lightly as Minato stepped into the kitchen.
"Ah, am I interrupting something?" The blond asked awkwardly as he slowed his pace until he was standing at my side.
I stepped back; I had to get out of here and reorganize my thoughts.
"I'm going to see tou-chan," I declared, not looking at any of the adults in the room.
I hurried out of the kitchen with my loyal companion at my heels. No one tried to stop me as I gathered my jacket and boots and escaped into the frigid cold. It was a silent trip back to the hospital, my thoughts dominated by the look of absolute hopelessness I had seen on Mother's face when she was talking to Kushina. The harsh tone of her voice repeated in my head as we stepped into the hospital's lobby and I signed into the guest book again. I was only mildly surprised that no one tried to stop Riku from following me deeper into the building, but didn't spare another passing thought as we made it to Father's room and slipped inside.
He was sleeping. I walked silently over to his bedside and slipped into a chair nearby, Riku curling up on the floor beside it. I stared into Father's resting face. Although he was most likely heavily medicated, there was tension in his features and his chakra moved anxiously, as if he was caught in a nightmare. Yet, not knowing what he had been through, it may very well be a memory.
And as I sat there, ideas, plots, and plans raced through my thoughts.
Life was only going to get more complicated from here on.
Author's Note
Posted/Edited: July 21st, 2017
The surprise train never stops around here does it? As always, thanks to everyone who has favorited or followed this story so far. And thanks for all the reviews; they flatter me more than necessary (I smile like a goofball reading every one), but I appreciate them all the same.
Q & A
-Jfoodsama and Bibliomaniac100 both asked about the possibility of Junko receiving the tenseigan instead of the mokuton, Jfoodsama bringing up the fact that since Junko is half Hyūga and Senju, she has the necessary ingredients for it to awaken.
It isn't that I don't like the idea but with already planning to give Junko a deviation version of the mokuton, I think giving her the tenseigan would be overkill on the dōjutsu department, especially since she actively uses her byakugan. Since the tenseigan seems movie-specific, I don't know how viable it is as a part of Junko's arsenal.
While I have planned out the way and reason why a mutated mokuton may appear in Junko, I am willing to hear ideas in favor of a Tenseigan!Junko.
-Dynamic Cheetah asked: How long will the time skip be?
The time skip will be a year. While I think the pace so far is fine, I also want to get to the baby Rookie Nine before this story hits fifty chapters. Important events during the skip will be covered in the interlude before it.
Speaking of interludes, the winner of the poll and the character that will be featured in the upcoming interlude chapter will be Minato Namikaze! For all those who wanted Kakashi, he will get his turn eventually. But don't fret, there will be plenty of Kakashi and Junko interaction in the Minato interlude.
Next time on For A Chance at Happiness:
Chapter 26: Of Bygone Days and Renewed Resolve