Obligatory Disclaimer: The series Naruto is owned by Masashi Kishimoto; I only own my OCs, picture, and this story.
Chapter 32: Of Dissected Normalcy
I stood in front of Konoha Hospital once again, this time with backup.
Armed with my peonies and a fiery redhead with a basket full of goodies, Kushina and I marched up to the receptionist's counter, and although Kana sent me and Riku a dirty look, we were finally allowed to visit Obito. The trip to his room was reminiscent of when I visited Father after his return. My palms were sweaty around the bundle of flowers in my hands and every possible unfortunate state I had pictured the Uchiha in resurfaced in my mind.
The bright boy wrapped in bandages from head to toe.
Connected to thousands of wires and tubes, unable to see nor hear us.
However, Kushina's presence was powerful and comforting as she strode with purpose towards the Uchiha's room. She led the way, not stopping until we reached his door and gave it a few knocks. There was silence before a tired voice came from the other side and Kushina and I shared a glance before entering, not knowing what we would see.
At first glance, the impression Kana and Minato had given me about the Uchiha seemed to have been at least somewhat exaggerated. Obito was sitting up, aided by a mini mountain of pillows and there were wires and tubes connected to him monitoring his vitals though thankfully not as many as in my nightmares. Bandages were wrapped securely around his forehead and arms and I could see the outline of a cast under the blanket the covered his lower half.
But as I met his eyes, both adorned with dark bags underneath, they were wide with surprise at our approach. And even though he looked like he had been dragged through hell and back, an indescribable warmth spread through my body and I quickly blinked away the stinging in my eyes.
He's alive.
"It's about time you woke up sleepyhead," Kushina teased lightly as she approached and gently mused his hair, mindful of his injuries.
The Uchiha had enough energy to pout and grumble at her but didn't – or couldn't- move away from her affections. Although it wasn't much of a secret, to me at least, Obito enjoyed having Kushina around despite his constant complaining. I think he found the team to be just another part of his family and I would be remiss if I didn't feel the same. Of course, we weren't around each other constantly because of missions and the like, but they were an integral part of my life- irreplaceable.
Riku was more forward with his excitement and lifted his large torso onto the teen's bedside to give the Uchiha wet nose-kisses all over his face. I smiled warmly at the exchange.
"It's good to see you Obito-senpai."
He looked over at me with a weary smile and a grimace as the canine stopped his loving onslaught.
"Well, I am your favorite senpai," he said, only a bit of his usual bravado in his tone. "I wouldn't go down without a fight."
I giggled lightly, finding no fault in his words. "I suppose that's true."
I moved to set the peonies in the vase by his bedside, already filled with a bundle of what appeared to be hydrangea surprisingly enough. They were often used to express gratitude, though there weren't in season just yet. I could only assume they had come from the Yamanaka shop specifically since they always had some in stock. I didn't know how they did it, but it probably had something to do with chakra like most things in this world.
As I arranged them, Kushina sat on the edge of Obito's bed.
"You had us all worried, dattebane," she continued. "Junko-chan almost cried when she heard the news from Minato."
This time it was my turn to send a pout at the Uzumaki, and a blush settled on my cheeks when Obito's eyes settled on me. I huffed and went back to arranging. He chuckled behind me, sounding a bit livelier.
"I wouldn't disappoint my kohai, especially to some Iwa cowards," he said.
His words brought back questions that had plagued my thoughts while I had waited to see him. I turned to look at him again. His wounds, though painful looking on the outside due to all the bandages, didn't appear to be life-threatening at a preliminary glance. Just how was Obito here with us now? Especially if the events I knew from canon had taken place?
"Can you tell us what happened on your mission?" I asked. "I had visited Kakashi-senpai but he was less than willing to speak about it."
And he had been a dick about it. Even though a few weeks had passed since then, Kakashi's words still stung and I hadn't gone to visit him again, not that it would've made any difference; he probably had me banned from visiting all things considered. Kushina hadn't heard the full story either as both she and Minato were swapped with meetings, most likely about the coming of their child, not that they had told me anything specific. The blond was even more swamped than usual and I knew this for certain as talks of a new Hokage had reached the Hyūga elders, talks which had included the Namikaze's recent exploits on the field.
I certainly felt for Minato; while becoming the Hokage had been a dream of his forever, with the addition of Kushina's pregnancy life was very stressful for him right now. Not to mention the state of his team.
Obito blinked at me warily which was odd as it was worrying. Normally, the Uchiha would jump at the chance to regale others with his exploits. Surviving despite all odds would make an exciting tale but instead he was hesitant, a heaviness in his shoulders as he looked down at himself.
I frowned.
"You don't have to tell us if it's too difficult," I added. "I wouldn't want to pressure you to recall anything painful."
"Yeah, take your time," Kushina agreed, holding up her basket. "I slaved over a hot stove cooking your favorites, so you can eat that instead. You better eat it all too dattebane."
"No…no, it's alright," Obito said, a weak smile on his face. "I'll tell you. I think it's because of you that I'm still here in first place anyways."
Blinking in surprise, I took the chair left by his bedside and Obito began his story.
It began as my hazy memory recalled. On their way to Kannabi Bridge, Minato had been called away to a skirmish nearby, leaving Kakashi in charge. This, of course, led to the team being ambushed and Rin being captured, which earned a worried gasp from Kushina though I remained quiet.
Things continued as I expected, leading up to where Kakashi had gotten his eye damaged in protecting him and the Uchiha awakening his sharingan as a result. However, when it came to the part where he and the Hatake rescued Rin, the story began to change.
"One of the bastards caused a cave-in when we were trying to escape," Obito said, looking so very tired. "Kakashi was weakened from his injuries and collapsed while we were running."
He paused for a moment, the memory no doubt replaying in his mind.
"I didn't really think about it," he said, looking down at himself. "My body just moved, just like the last time, and I threw Kakashi out of the way before the rocks could fall on him."
That also fell in line of what I remembered as well. But if that was the case, then how was he alive?
A smile, though muted as it was, spread across his face as he lifted his head and met my eye.
"I don't think I've ever told you how grateful I am to you, Junko-chan."
I certainly wasn't expecting that. "Obito-senpai…"
"I know I always complained about the extra training you put me through, but I really do appreciate it. If you hadn't pushed me so hard…I don't think I would've survived."
A knot formed in my throat at the genuineness of his words. I didn't think that I had done that much for him. Of course, writing schedules for him and training with him, as infrequent as it had become in recent months, wasn't nothing but it wasn't the same as working with him every day.
Still, I gave a smile in return. "You've worked hard Obito-senpai. Thank you for being a good student."
That got a chuckle from the Uchiha which ended with a cough and a sigh as he returned his gaze down at his legs.
"I wasn't fast enough to get away from the rocks myself," he admitted after another moment of silence. "But luckily only my legs were caught underneath the landslide."
Luckily?
Obito scratched the back of his neck at the blank looks Kushina and I sent his way.
"Well, I say luckily but I don't remember much 'cause a rock hit me pretty hard on the head. Rin-chan said that Kakashi took a soldier pill and defeated the remaining Iwa-nin."
And now he was here.
It also explained Kakashi's state; soldier pills were useful to a fault and taking too many had the detriment of causing some nasty things to happen internally. But there was something… incomplete about his explanation. In this new course of events, everything leading up to the landslide was the same. However, because of my intervention, instead of half of his body being crushed, his legs had taken all of the damage. It was still terrible but in the end, Obito survived and was able to come back home instead of being left behind, crushed underneath the landslide.
But how had they gotten him out? My stomach churned.
"How bad are your injuries?" I asked before I could stop myself.
Obito tensed up and the grip on his blankets tightened.
And in the extended silence that followed, I took a closer look at Obito.
It was only then did I notice it. In the relief of his safety I had missed something big, though it wasn't as if it was noticeable at first glance. Obito's silhouette under the blanket was off, unbalanced, and it wasn't due to the large cast that surrounded one of his legs. The way the blanket draped over the other, even offset by the bulkiness of the cast, almost looked as if…
The cold realization must've been clear as day on my face because Obito chuckled awkwardly.
"Yeah…it was a surprise to me too. I just woke up here and it was gone."
Kushina moved, wrapping an arm around him. "Oh Obito…"
He looked away, crossing his arms. "Don't baby me. I'll be fine."
Not even his usual bravado was there- he didn't seem to believe it himself. And remembering what Minato had said, there was little chance he could come back from this to return to active duty. But...becoming a ninja, being recognized, being Hokage, had been the Uchiha's motivating force since he was a child. Would he be able to go back to a normal civilian life, having lived the life he had so far?
My mind connected the dots. Kakashi's reluctance to speak about what happened. How withdrawn he had been. It was only a theory but knowing the team as well as I did, the full sequence of events ran through my head.
The cave falling down around them.
Obito's unconscious body, his legs trapped.
Kakashi, the leader, having to make a drastic decision.
The Hatake was always the pragmatic sort of ninja. I could imagine what he had done and why he was in the mood he was in. He had probably seen no other option, not if everyone was going to make it back home. And because of that choice, all of Team Seven had been able to return, but not in one piece.
Though it was better than the alternative.
Kakashi wasn't completely heartless, as stoic as he acted around everyone. And reaching the level of jōnin so young didn't stop the trauma of having to cut off one of your teammate legs, even if it was to save him.
It was maybe even a reflecting moment for the silver haired prodigy; that maybe instead of abandoning Rin and having gone to rescue her sooner, everything could've been prevented. Hindsight was always 20/20 after everything was said and done. And I didn't even want to imagine the trauma Rin had to have suffered through as well, having to watch the deed and take care of the aftermath.
Even still…
"Of course, you'll be fine Obito-senpai," I said, causing both to look at me. "You're not going to let this stop you from becoming Hokage are you?"
The Uchiha gaped at me. "You don't really think I can still…? The doctors said it would take months of rehabilitation to get my leg to work again…and with the other one gone…"
"You could always get a prosthetic," Kushina said, nodding approvingly at me, her eyes glowing. "This doesn't have to be the end if you don't want it to be."
Obito seemed to struggle with himself. And in that single moment, he looked like the child he was; a kid whose whole life was run by the ninja lifestyle and his own desire to be someone worth noticing. If that was taken away from him…I don't think he would know what to do with his life.
"It will be difficult, but we'll all be there for you senpai," I continued with a wide smile. "Don't give up on yourself just yet."
Obito stared at us with big black eyes, shining with tears though he tried to hide them away. Kushina wrapped him up in her arms and I joined them on the bed as well. Riku joined in too, propping himself up on the edge and laying his large head across the Uchiha's lap. Within our little pile, the teen shook between our arms, little sniffles trickling into the silence.
After a few minutes, we pulled away from the boy who looked away from us, rubbing stubborn tears from his eyes. But there was a light in them that wasn't there when we had walked in which gave me all the hope in the world that he would be alright.
"Y-you guys…" he sniffled.
Kushina grinned. "Besides if you don't, my kid is gonna become Hokage before you do."
Obito looked at Kushina then to me, at which I gave a grin of my own.
He gawked at the Uzumaki woman. "W-what? Does that mean…?"
She grinned. "Minato and I are having a baby!"
"That's unbelievable," the boy blanched and I couldn't help but laugh at his bluntness, watching as Kushina fussed with the Uchiha's hair.
"What's that supposed to mean, dattebane?"
Obito froze, unwilling to speak his mind, and the Uzumaki took his silence as an insult and messed up his hair even more, though careful of his wounds.
In a way, knowing what I had thought I knew, what Obito said was right. It was extremely lucky that he had managed to escape alive, and even more so in this rendition of events. Almost unbelievably so. But he was home now, safe, and no matter how injured he was, no matter how broken, I wasn't going to let him fade away, not without a fight.
Kushina and I left with puffy red eyes and by then the afternoon sun was strong in the sky. We didn't have much planned for today, only visiting Obito on our schedule since she had more meetings to attend. We separated at the doors of the hospital and I found myself wandering through Konoha. Neither Mother or Father would be home when I got back, the former still busy with her seal work and the latter having gone to train with his former teammates, so there was no hurry to go back to the compound.
I had the whole afternoon to myself, which I needed in the wake of these revelations.
It was almost the end of February, but the weather already nice and warm out. I paid a quick visit to Tsukuda's, receiving a hearty hug from Miho as well as a melon anpan and a bone for Riku, then made my way to a familiar red bridge. I hadn't visited the place since graduating from the academy, only walking along its path to go train and the occasional mission. And as I leaped onto the railing and took a seat, Riku laying on the ground below me, I couldn't help but reminisce about everything that had changed since then:
I had been on my first b-rank mission right off the bat, where I had my first encounter with the realities of the ninja profession. Then, as a result of that mission, I met with the Inuzuka and had gotten Riku as a partner.
Mother and Father had come home from the war, the latter worst for wear, but he was doing well now and had even started training again. Mother and I had had a falling out soon after their return, but since then we've come to an understanding.
I had my first mission outside of Konoha, and consequently had my first kill.
I met my baby cousin Neji and was informed that I would be taking part in the chūnin exams.
The Kannabi Bridge mission occurred and Obito had survived, though injured, and was here in the village.
And Kushina was pregnant with the future savior of the world.
So much had happened in such a small amount of time that it almost gave me whiplash. I couldn't relax completely since there were still problems like Orochimaru and Danzō to deal with in the village but things were changing. And now that the plot had been shifted, significantly with Obito's return, who knew what would happen next?
All this time, I had acted on my foreknowledge to help me traverse this world, carefully constructing relationships so that I could better move in the village. A lot of it was coincidence or fate, like my mother's relationship with Kushina and every other relationship that had come from it. But I had worked hard at solidifying my relationships with Team Minato, Obito especially, Shisui, and Itachi, as callous as putting it that way seemed.
But it had worked out; I put more effort into Obito and as a result, he was here, injured though he may be.
And although there were still things to worry about, the Uchiha's return brought a relief I hadn't felt in a long time. Not even my parents' return had brought on this kind of reprieve; it was the relief that something I had done had changed the movement of this world- that all I was doing wasn't for nothing.
Maybe now I could focus on my own problems.
I took a bite from my melon bread and sighed through my nose. Still, I couldn't ease up now that the chūnin exams were coming up. It was ridiculous that I, a six-year-old, would be participating, though technically I would be seven before the end of it. Besides, if Kakashi could do it, I wasn't going to be left behind.
But before I could begin to plan out the rest of my day with training, a familiar voice called out to me.
"Junko!"
There was a slight pulse of chakra, the telltale sign of a shushin, and Shisui was suddenly by my side, looking up at me from his spot on the ground next to Riku.
I swallowed my mouthful. "Hello Shisui. How are you doing?"
Whatever was going to come out of his mouth got caught in his throat and the Uchiha glared half-heartedly at me, a pout on his face.
"I should be the one asking you that."
I gave him a little smile. "Well, you know me; I'm always okay."
He looked at me for a long minute before sighing and hopping onto the railing beside me. I broke off a part of the uneaten half of my anpan and handed it to him as he took a seat and we ate in silence for a moment.
Shisui had gone through a change from when we had first met too. He'd obviously grown from the shy, skittish boy whose idea of ice-breaking was throwing a boomerang at my head. He was more confident and more forthcoming with his opinion, unafraid of showing his genius. And his unruly hair had only grown more so over the years.
As I looked at him from my peripheral, I wondered if I would be able to save him from his fate as well. Or maybe I already had in some way- though that was probably wishful thinking.
"Are you sure you're alright?" Shisui asked after we had both finished our halves.
"Of course I am. I would never lie about that."
At that, the Uchiha gave me a flat look at which I grinned.
"Fine, I lie a little bit but for good reason," I admitted. "But I really am doing well Shisui; you don't have to worry about me."
His response was automatic. "I always worry about you."
I blinked in surprise and stared at him. Shisui returned my gaze solidly for a few seconds before looking away, a light tint to his face.
That's adorable.
"I mean, with how trouble-prone you are, someone has to," he added.
A smile spread across my face. "A lot of people worry about me Shisui."
"And that's a problem Junko!" He huffed as he looked back, still red-faced. "You can't take on everything by yourself- especially if we're going to help Itachi-chama with his dream."
I flinched slightly in surprise. Shisui really had changed; I had never seen him so assertive. Akane and Noburu must've been a huge influence on him. Although...maybe it had something to do with our mission together. Tensions had run high during it, which only increased after giving our report to the Sandaime- tensions that had not yet been settled.
"What's brought all this up? What's wrong Shisui?" I asked softly.
He sighed heavily, too heavy for a seven-year-old as he looked at me, before turning his gaze to the river below us.
"I just…have a bad feeling," he said after a moment. "I have a feeling that you…you're going to disappear or worse someday."
My eyes widened and my face fell. Well, if that wasn't foreboding at all.
"I can't really explain it," he continued as he met my eye. "I'm just…really worried about you."
"Shisui…"
I didn't really know what to tell him that would reassure him of my safety because that was not a certainty in this world and definitely not in this profession. It was more likely than not that I could be severely injured someday where I would end up dying. A bleak but expected end, though hopefully it wouldn't come to that.
I took a deep breath and lifted a hand to him.
"I can't promise that I won't get hurt or worse, but I assure you that I'll never disappear, at least not without reason."
The future that spanned in front of us was as a mystery to me as it was to him now; though that didn't mean I would stop doing what I needed to make sure my loved ones were safe and able to live in peace.
Shisui stared at me in silence as he processed my words.
"Okay," he said as he met my eye again and took my hand. "And if you ever disappear, on purpose or not, I'll come find you."
Uchiha and their pledges…I couldn't help but smile at his serious expression, so much like Itachi just a few weeks ago. And so just like then, I lifted my other hand and poked his forehead.
"It's a promise."
Shisui scrunched his brows together but a smile finally spread across his face.
"So what are you going to do now?" he asked.
I tilted my head to the side. There wasn't much I could do at present; I could train and seeing Obito this morning only strengthened my desire to do so. Though on the other hand, I also had to rest since I would be having another session with Hizashi tomorrow. That didn't leave many options, as all I ever did was train.
I don't think I even knew how to relax anymore.
"You just thought about training, didn't you?"
At Shisui's observation, I could only give a sheepish grin and the Uchiha shook his head with a smile. A thoughtful expression rose on his face before he hopped off the railing.
"Let's go somewhere."
…
I followed Shisui back into the village proper, and for the first time noticed the construction going on. At my questioning look, the boy was ready with an answer.
"They're getting ready for the spring festival and the coming coronation of the next Hokage," he explained.
"Oh."
It seemed like only a couple of days ago when it had just been talks, but soon it would be a reality; Minato was going to be the Yondaime. That mission had been the turning point of the war, though not without its casualties on our side as well. In recompense, though I didn't know how much it was worth, the Sandaime was stepping down. While his successor hadn't been a surprise to me, or to the Hyūga twins it seemed, the elders had been sidelined by the announcement. That had led to an interesting conversation, one I had not been expecting.
…
I had been sitting seiza next to Hizashi as one of the elders read the report about the upcoming coronation. The atmosphere was tense and the stench of disapproval was thick in the air, but Hideyoshi was suspiciously calm, looking over his copy before, in a move I didn't expect, turning to me.
I was usually ignored during these meetings and so I could've swore that my back creaked as I went ramrod straight at the attention.
"This Namikaze Minato… he is the husband of your mentor, is he not?"
I blinked, before nodding. "Yes, sir."
The clan head hummed under his breath. "Then it stands that you interact with him regularly?"
I nodded again, not knowing where he was going with this line of questioning. Out of all the people I interacted with, Minato was the very last person I think would interest the elder, though with the blond's upcoming status change, it did make sense.
"Yes, sir. I've trained with him and his team many times in the past."
This answer seemed to please him though with such a stoic face I couldn't tell the difference from his normal expression. However, that was where the questioning ended and he dismissed me soon afterwards.
…
Hopefully, that wouldn't become anything detrimental to me in the future.
Shisui and I walked through the marketplace, talking about nothing in particular. However, I found myself taking in the sights of the busy village more than our conversation. Everything seemed... lighter. Amongst the hammering of construction for the festival stalls, there was excited chatter and laughter. People were all smiles as they passed by each other, walking with more of a skip in their step.
Maybe it was the prospect of having a new young Hokage, one that had almost single-handedly turned the tide of the war in Konoha's favor. All things considered, it was a pretty smart move on the Sandaime's part to step down. It wouldn't undo the wear the years of war had done to the village and its morale, but it would give new hope that sustainable peace would be able to return. Treaties between some of the combatants were already being sketched out, though those would take time as well.
It was just nice to see more liveliness in the village. For most of my life, if not all, Konoha had been in a state of war, a war that had taken my parents from me for half my time here. There had always been such tension in the village since I could remember, so it was great to see such renewed life here.
But this was just the beginning; there were still so many things to worry about, to take care of, and I would need strength to survive what was coming next.
I must've gone too quiet because Shisui poked my arm, causing me to look at him.
"You're doing it again," he said blandly.
"Doing what?"
"Getting lost in your thoughts."
I knew I did that a lot, though I thought that I had gotten better at also keeping attention of my surroundings.
I need to work on that.
"Well, I have a lot to think about," I shrugged.
Shisui stared at me before pushing like he usually does. "Then what are you thinking about?"
As much as I trusted Shisui and appreciated his concern, I was not going to drag him into my troubles. He was exceptionally smart for someone so young and had a mature mind in some cases, but he was still only a child. Besides, while we had discussed outlandish things in the past that no normal child would even think about, this was something I had imposed on myself and I had no intention of burdening anyone else with it.
Maybe I am a masochist.
"The chūnin exams are coming up in a few months and the elders are preparing me for it," I said instead.
It got the reaction I was expecting; the Uchiha stared at me with wide eyes and jaw dropped.
"All by yourself?"
Riku, who had been trailing us silently, gave an offended bark and pressed his wet nose against his face.
"You know what I mean," he sputtered, pushing the canine away. "Full genin teams usually enter the exams…how is that going to work?"
I shrugged. "I am the 'heiress' of the Hyūga and a prodigy; I'm sure they already have several plans in place."
There was also the option of doing by myself; if I remembered correctly, Itachi had done it alone so it wasn't impossible. But it would be difficult as I didn't have the luxury of using genjutsu to confuse my enemies. I would have to be all physical. Although… maybe there were seals that could give the effect of genjutsu. I should've asked Kushina when I had the chance.
Shisui looked troubled and I was reminded of his words from earlier.
"Has Inoichi-sensei talked about it at all to you and the others?" I asked, trying to distract him.
"Yeah." Shisui stuck his hands in his pockets, a pensive expression on his face. "Noburu and I are up for it, though Akane-chan is anxious about it."
That was expected; I didn't think Akane really liked fighting, which was why she had chosen to specialize in medical ninjutsu in the first place, alongside her idol worship of Nonō Yakushi. The only reason I could see why she had decided to join the academy and go through all of that was because of a certain blue-eyed brunet. Speaking of which…
"How is Noburu doing?"
Shisui hesitated. "He's doing better than before but…"
When he went silent, I nudged him. "But?"
He sighed before digging his hands deeper into his pockets. "You're still a bit of a sore subject to him."
I frowned; maybe I had gone too rough on him in the meeting room.
"It's nothing against you," he amended, seeing the look on my face. "I think to him, you're a reminder of how he did on that mission."
It was a few weeks, almost a full month since that incident- since I had killed a man. Even still, the memory was fresh as if it had happened yesterday; of course the events of that day wasn't something that was easily forgotten. I remembered the raw terror in Noburu's eyes as that man, Ichirou, headed towards him- remembered how weird the boy had acted when we had thought our plan was successful.
"That wasn't the first time something like that happened, was it?"
Shisui nodded then gestured to the rooftops. Taking his lead, we moved from the increasingly busier streets to the roof of a random building, Riku having to make the trip in a few impressive leaps from fences and overhangs. There were a couple of benches and a little gazebo on top. There were many of these types of structures on buildings throughout the village, especially the non-residential parts. I could only assume that they were for shinobi to use for relaxing in between missions and the like.
I definitely couldn't see civilians taking the time to climb up here.
"It was about seven months ago," Shisui began, leaning against the railing that encompassed the rooftop. "It was one of our first missions outside of Konoha and we were still getting used to it. We were on a delivery mission to a town not too far away and ran into some bandits."
Seeing my frown unmoving, a halfhearted smile spread across his face.
"They weren't as organized as the ones we encountered, but it was still our first encounter with an enemy."
I relaxed a bit, crossing my arms over my chest.
"And Noburu froze that time as well," I concluded, and at the Uchiha's nod, sighed and closed my eyes.
It wasn't an uncommon occurrence, especially with civilians who didn't really get their training until they started the academy. Their graduation rate wasn't the highest, especially during my time there, and once they were out there, they were unprepared for it. Though, considering his family ran a shop frequented by ninja, and considering his father's feelings about the profession as a whole, I had no doubt that Noburu had grew up hearing about ninja, both the good and the bad. And with his mother's decision to be a ninja, in a family that was wholly civilian, that might have influenced him as well. He should've been well aware of what ninja life would be like.
But with his personality and his attitude during our time in the academy, I couldn't say that I was all that surprised by this development. As much as I appreciated the friendship that we had made over the years, Noburu did not have the best control over his emotions. He was quick to anger and was as stubborn as a mule. And as it happens, those who had a lot of bark rarely had any bite to back it up like with those bullies so long ago.
Although I had helped foster a more studious part in him, giving him schedules to work not only on his mind but also his physicality, all the training in the world couldn't change natural inclinations in behavior. That would take years of living and experiencing life, and possibly going through puberty. Of course, there were ways of nurturing more emotional maturity like meditation but life would always be the better teacher for those types of things.
"Has he talked to Inoichi-sensei about it?" I asked, opening my eyes. "He is a Yamanaka after all; he out of anyone should be able to help with his mental block."
Shisui sighed this time, scratching the back of his head.
"Sensei did pull him aside, but other than that Noburu hasn't told me anything."
I hummed to myself. This wasn't something that I would be able write a schedule for regardless. Besides, it was Inoichi's job as their mentor to take them through the stages of being shinobi, and in the bluntest terms possible, teach them not to die. Still, it was uncomfortable knowing that Noburu thought of me as a reminder of his inadequacies. How could I fix something like that?
I huffed, the air blowing my bangs askew and Shisui gave me a sympathetic smile in return.
"We should probably just let it be for now," he offered. "We know Noburu- it'll just take him some time. Seeing what you did might even help him get over the block he has."
I raised a brow. "How do you figure?"
Shisui's dark eyes dropped to his sandaled feet for a moment before meeting my gaze.
"Noburu really looks up to you," he said. He scratched the back of his neck again. "We all do. Even though you were probably as scared as we were, you handled the mission professionally- like a real ninja."
Inoichi had pretty much said the same thing and hearing it from Shisui's mouth only made me feel worse. I didn't want them to rely on me for everything; I wouldn't be able to save them from all the things this world would no doubt throw at them. And knowing that they held such views made my stomach clench, because I knew if anything happened to them, the guilt I would feel would be immense.
"But why?" I could not hide the incredulousness from my voice. Shisui blinked at me.
"Why?" He repeated. "I mean…"
The Uchiha went silent for a moment, brows furrowed as I looked at him.
"Well, you're really smart and skilled; you graduated at the top of the class."
"I barely beat you by a few points," I interjected. "I don't think that's worth such praise."
"Only on the physical part- knowledge wise, you beat me by a lot." Shisui frowned at me. "I don't think I would've done as well if you hadn't taught me more about chakra and other things; I would've never thought about it the way you do. I'm sure the others feel the same."
"That's not true," I argued shaking my head. "Akane and Noburu may have needed some extra help because they're civilians, but you would've been okay regardless."
And even then, the two civilians had made it to their last year in the academy without my influence. All I had really done was give them a little specialized guidance; Akane had her skills as an iryō-nin and even though Noburu could be headstrong, he had good instincts when it came down to it. Once he got over his block, I had the highest expectations that he would be able to fend for himself.
Shisui shook his head.
"You're more than just a teacher to us- you're our friend. Does it have to be any more than that?"
But that was the problem wasn't it? Even though we had spent so much time together, which in the long run was only a few years, it had also cemented a fact of my maturity above them- though that could be debated- because of my unique situation. We weren't on the same level and wouldn't be for a long time, not until the horrors of our profession took away any remaining childishness.
And wasn't that a horrific fact in itself?
"Junko?"
I turned my attention back to the befuddled Uchiha. A smile that I didn't feel spread on my face.
"Sorry Shisui, it's nothing," I said, clasping my hands behind my back. "I'm just overthinking things again."
He didn't look convinced, though he rarely did after my long stretches of silence. However, Riku rose from where he was lying nearby and barked, reminding me of the time. We had been talking for most of the afternoon and the sky had taken on an amber hue. Shisui seemed to notice it too and sighed, giving me a serious look.
"Well don't, at least not with us," he said before a smile spread across his face. "Our friendship shouldn't be something you have to think too hard about."
Oh, if only it was that simple.
Still, I found my smile softening into a more genuine one at his words.
"You're right, of course," I conceded, brushing those worrying thoughts to the side.
Taking another peek at the dwindling sun, I turned back to him.
"I guess we should be heading home soon."
We were ninja but being off-duty, and being prepubescent, there were still certain expectations we had to meet. Like being home for dinner.
Shisui nodded, taking at look at the skyline as well.
"Yeah," he said, stretching his arms behind his head. "I'm supposed to be at Mikoto-obasan's house for dinner."
I sent a questioning look his way and he clarified. "My mom has a meeting with the merchants in the compound and my dad's still away."
Once again, I was reminded how lucky I was; even with all the clan shenanigans and secrets, at least now I got to see my parents every day. And so I didn't even think when I spoke next.
"Do you want to come to my house for dinner?"
I hadn't expected Shisui to agree.
He had stared at me in that way of his, blindsided by my question. I was all ready to take my offer back and play it off but he finally spoke, agreeing to my invitation. And after the Uchiha had summoned a crow to tell Mikoto the change of plans, the three of us headed to the Hyūga compound.
Out of all the ideas I've had in the past six years of my new life, this would have to be one of the more idiotic ones. The Hyūga were an incredibly secretive and exclusive group of people. Hell, those who didn't marry inside the clan were usually herded and branded into the Branch family. Outsiders just weren't a thing in the compound; unless it was someone from a very high position, non-Hyūga didn't meander within our walls. For all the faults the Uchiha had, at least they opened their doors to the village.
So yeah, a very dumb, idiotic idea on my part.
However, it wasn't as if it was an explicit rule. Sure, we had to keep our clan secrets secret, but no one ever told me we could never bring in people. At least that was the story I was going to stick to if all this flew back in my face.
And yet apprehension danced across my skin as we neared the guarded gates of the compound. If Shisui felt it he didn't say anything, quieting just as I did as we grew closer. Taking a silent deep breath, I squared my shoulders and adopted the now natural expression of neutral disinterest that I always prepared when walking through the compound and led the Uchiha through the gates.
The guards on duty spared us no direct glance but I could feel the heat of their attention at the back of my neck when we passed. But that wasn't the worst of it. It being evening, other Hyūga were moving through the compound getting ready for dinner or coming back from missions, Branch and Main alike, and their stares were more obvious. Shisui walked at my shoulder while Riku walked in front leading the way. It would've been easy to ignore them as I usually did, but the additional companion turned up the intensity.
Whispers became more hushed and more heated, but I continued to walk with an even pace. But the more the whispers and stares came, the more I regretted my decision, an unfounded embarrassment rising in me.
I had expected this, had planned for it on the trip over, but had missed a tiny yet important detail. Shisui was a prodigy as well, his senses also honed. He could probably hear every whisper, every term they used for me.
'What does the little half-blood think she's doing bringing an Uchiha in here?'
'The little 'heiress' halfling thinks she can get away with everything, doesn't she?'
'She's not even a true Hyūga.'
'Outsiders.'
'Outsiders.'
Outsider.
My silent breaths raddled in my chest as I held them, held on until the familiar view of my home came into sight and we were the only ones on the footpath. I couldn't find the words to say to Shisui until we made it to the front steps of my door.
"I'm sorry," I sighed. "I didn't mean to subject you to all of that."
I couldn't meet his eye. Riku whined, pressing his nose to my head.
"Do you go through that all the time?"
I half expected his question and peeked at him from under my bangs. There was a tiny frown on his face and his attention was trained on the path we had traveled. No one was in sight.
Releasing another sigh, I straightened myself and faced him directly as he turned towards me.
"It's weakened since my parents returned home and my last mission… but yes, it is a normal occurrence. Ever since I was declared heiress."
I had never admitted it to anyone outright. I knew Mother and Father were aware of it, though other Hyūga usually kept their mouths shut when they were with me- well when Mother was present. Father probably got the worse of it, from both sides of the clan. No only had he gotten his daughter 'adopted' by the Main family, even after losing his eye, losing his byakugan, he had suffered no repercussions because of said daughter. And Branch members had gotten punished much worse for much less.
Of course, I didn't know everything Father went through when I was gone training- Mother and Father were experts at keeping that facet of their lives separated from me- but knowing the Hyūga as I did, I knew it wasn't something as simple as a slap on the wrist. It made me wonder if his sudden urge to get back to training was connected in any way.
"Anyways, don't worry about it," I continued at his silence. "I've been dealing with it for most of my life. I am used to it."
Shisui frowned again. He looked like he wanted to argue but stopped himself. It was clan business after all; there wasn't anything he could do, even if he was the nephew of the Uchiha matriarch. His interference could only bring more problems.
Giving an apologetic smile and shaking my head, I reached forward and opened the door. We were greeted by the delicious smell of grilling fish and miso soup and I led Shisui inside, Riku racing ahead. I giggled at the sound of Mother's musical laughter as she was greeted by Riku, and moved to grab a pair of slippers for the Uchiha who was looking around the genkan curiously. I undid my weapon pouches and set them on the little cabinet where we kept extra slippers for guests and suggested he do the same.
I took another breath of the comforting scents to calm my nerves. Dealing with the Hyūga was one thing; dealing with Mother was going to be something completely different. I really didn't know how she would react to Shisui though I didn't have to wait long because as we walked down the little hallway to the kitchen, Mother's figure appeared at the doorway.
"Welcome home, Junko-chan," she greeted. "I see you brought home a guest today."
"Sorry for springing it on you so suddenly," I said.
Shisui nodded and bowed to her, unexpectedly. "I apologize for the intrusion."
Mother stared at him, a curious expression on her face. She seemed to come to some conclusion as she broke out in a grin and patted Shisui on the head, diving her fingers into his unruly hair.
"You must be Uchiha Shisui," she said. "Junko's told me about you. You may call me Kimiko; it's nice to meet you."
I watched the encounter, my tension relieved. Though I shouldn't have had any doubt as she hadn't shown anything adverse to my friendship with him, learning about Mother's respect for Tobirama, known for his dislike for the Uchiha, had made me a bit wary.
Shisui lifted his head as Mother removed her hand and eyed me in his peripheral before looking back to the Senju woman.
"It's nice to meet you too Kimiko-san."
"Dinner is almost ready," Mother said, smiling down at the both of us. "You two can get comfortable until then."
"Okay kaa-chan." I grinned up at her thankfully and she gave me a little pat in return. "Let's go Shisui."
That had gone pleasantly- a needed solace after the tense walk over. As Mother went back to cooking, humming a soft melody under her breath, I led Shisui towards the living room, an idea popping inside my head.
"Wait here for a bit, I'll be right back," I said as he took a seat at the low table.
He blinked up at me before nodding, taking another curious glance at his surroundings. I walked to my room with a skip in my step, quickly throwing open the door and spotting the item I needed sitting innocently on my desk. I quickly grabbed it and exited the room, closing the door silently before making my way back to the living room and to our new guest.
Despite all the emotions I had gone through today- seeing Obito, talking about Noburu and rethinking my friendships, and then going through the onslaught of Hyūga insults-, having Shisui over was new and different and overwhelmingly normal.
When I returned to the living room, Shisui was still sitting at the table but he now had a cup of tea and there was another waiting on the table for me. Mother. In the less than thirty seconds it took me to retrieve my bō, she had gone and poured tea for the both of us. So not completely normal, as my mother wasn't just some housewife or doting parent but a full-fledged ninja, but you know, I'd take whatever I could get.
I grinned at Shisui as I slid onto the cushion to the side of him where my tea rested.
"What did you have to get?" he asked as he set his cup down.
I lifted the shortened staff onto the table and passed it to him. Shisui rose a brow but took it, passing it between his hands like I had when I first got it.
"It's a bō my father gave me," I explained.
"Oh, so it extends with chakra?" He didn't try it but a familiar interest sparkled in the boy's eyes. "That's really cool."
"See, this is the way you show someone a new weapon." I smirked at him. "Not throw it at their head."
A flush spread across the boy's face. "I already apologized for that!"
"I know, I know," I grinned. "I just wanted to make sure you didn't forget."
Until dinner was ready, Shisui and I talked about the new things we were focusing on in our training; of course, not normal, but it was normal to us. The Uchiha claimed that he was getting better at his shushin and that his skills with his tanto and fire jutsu were improving. He was steadily on his way to becoming Shisui of the Shushin and I was equal parts happy and anxious for him.
I told him that I was working on my fūinjutsu with Kushina and had just started working with bō training with my parents when I wasn't busy with the Uzumaki or Hizashi.
"You said that your elders were getting you ready for the chūnin exams earlier," he said. "What kind of training are you doing for that?"
"If it isn't a clan secret thing," he tacked onto the end, and I gave a tiny smile at his consideration.
"It's nothing too special," I admitted. "Every week they get a chūnin from the clan and have me spar with them."
Shisui's brows furrowed. "That sounds…"
I shrugged and stared into my empty cup, trying not to wince at the reminder. At the very least I was getting better in my sessions; and now with everything settling down and new realities being created, I could refocus on improving myself. Clan training was a part of that, and though it was ridiculous and crazy and teetered on the edge of abusive, it would get me ready for the world that was out there, ready to strike me down if given the chance.
"It's a privilege that the clan cares so much about my training," I said after a moment, meeting his dark eyes with my own. "It may be hard but it's for the best."
I didn't know how honest my words were. Shisui frowned and there was a pause before he spoke again.
"You've gone through a lot, haven't you?"
It was a rhetorical question; knowing what he had seen today and considering our conversation from earlier, it was easy to see how he had come to that conclusion.
"I suppose," I said. "But in the grand scheme of things, I am luckier than most."
He didn't know how to respond to that and I could see it in his eyes. But before the atmosphere could become too tense, we were distracted by the sound of the front door opening. I blinked before giving him small smile and rising from my seat.
"I'll be fine, I promise."
I couldn't see how his face changed as I had turned away but I felt his eyes trail after me as I moved to the door, hearing both Mother and Father's voices from the hallway.
…
The meeting between Father and Shisui was unintentionally funny, well to Mother and I to say the least. The Senju woman had already told him about our guest before I had made my way to them, Shisui following a few paces later. Mother had taken the initiative to introduce the Uchiha to the man, and Father had stared down at him with his lone eye for an uncomfortable amount of time. It wasn't until a nervous bead of sweat ran down the Uchiha's face that Father reached out his hand for a handshake, and the palpable relief in the boy's entire body caused Mother and I to giggle in the background.
And as it was, Mother controlled the conversation during dinner, and Shisui and I regaled them with stories from the academy that I hadn't told them. Father was his usual quiet self though he threw in comments here and there about our- Noburu's- shenanigans. It seemed to go by too quickly and soon Mother was packing Shisui some leftovers and Father and I were walking him out of the compound.
Our walk was relatively insult-free as we traveled under the cover of the night, but I was happy when the Uchiha boy was out of the compound and safe from the Hyūga's critical gaze. Father and I walked Shisui a little way down the road, away from the direct sight of the guards on duty.
"Are you sure you don't need us to walk you home?" I asked one last time and once again Shisui shook his head.
"I'll be okay," he confirmed. "Thank you for walking me this far."
He looked up at my father and gave a little bow.
"Thank you for allowing me into your home."
Father gave the boy a simple nod. "It was no problem."
Shisui turned back to me, a somewhat sad smile on his face. "I guess I'll see you around if our schedules meet again."
I wondered how long that would be. Now that it was confirmed that Kushina was pregnant, there certainly would be no more planned missions together. Nevertheless, I gave him a smile in return.
"I look forward to it," I agreed. "Let the others know I'm thinking of them okay?"
"Of course," he said.
Shisui turned to walk away but paused. I watched curiously as he faced us again, looking up at my father briefly before meeting my eye.
"Junko?" I nodded, letting him know he had my attention and he continued.
"I'm really glad you're you."
I tilted my head confused. What had brought that on? What did that even mean?
Either pleased by my reaction or something else, Shisui grinned and took off, jumping on a building nearby and disappearing from sight. Staring at the empty rooftop, I shook my head.
"What a strange kid," I muttered under my breath.
Father let out a hum in thought and I looked up at him to find an indiscernible expression on his face. His expression smoothed as I turned to him and he took my hand, guiding me back into the compound. The trek back to the house was more subdued, and I thought about what I had done.
"Tou-chan?"
"Yes, Junko?"
My voice went quiet though I knew he could hear me. "Do you think I did something wrong by bringing Shisui here?"
Father didn't answer immediately and I waited patiently for him to speak, peering up at his face. He stared ahead, seeming to collect his thoughts before he returned my gaze.
"If you feel that you can trust the Uchiha boy, I have no reason to deny the friendship between the both of you. I'm sure your mother feels the same."
That was a relief but still…
"But what about the elders?" I questioned, looking back down the deserted road. "I brought someone from another clan into the compound."
I had been going to the Uchiha compound for years now because of Kushina's relationship with Mikoto, and because of that I had a growing relationship with Itachi. And yet the elders had never brought it up, though the clan as a whole knew about it. Of course they knew, just like they knew about my relationship with the Inuzuka. And I still couldn't tell if the elders weren't saying anything because they saw it as useful or they didn't care, but I had a feeling that the former was truer than the latter.
But this situation was different; I had brought an Uchiha into sanctum of the Hyūga. Although it was just to the outskirts where our house was located, I knew that I had renewed some hate in my favor by my actions. Just because I wanted a little normalcy.
I just didn't want it to fall back on Father.
"It is not forbidden for non-Hyūga to enter the compound Junko, do not worry about it," Father said.
Yeah, but it is frowned upon.
I frowned but said nothing, knowing better than to argue with him. I knew that even though I may not see any ramifications, my actions would have consequences. The Hyūga were big proponents of punishing disobedience and curbing anyone who went out of line. And considering Konoha's somewhat outdated views, and the Hyūga's 'Hyūga-ness', the disobedience of a child reflected poorly on the parents.
Father squeezed my hand and I looked up at him. A tiny, earnest smile was on his face.
"Having those you can trust is very important in our line of work," he said. "And sometimes you cannot control who it comes from."
I thought about his words carefully.
"Is that what happened between you and kaa-chan?"
He hummed in affirmation. "Yes and more, but that is a story for another day."
We walked a few more steps, our home and Mother waiting just in front of us.
"Although, I do have certain rules going forward," he said.
I blinked up at him. He looked down at me, seriousness on his face.
"Let your Mother and I know before you invite boys over to the house."
I stared blankly before an abrupt laugh escaped me. Father was going to be the overprotective type when it came to boys?
"I am very serious Junko," he continued as my laughter quelled and there was an amused sparkle in his own eye. "This is a very important rule."
I was sure amusement danced in my eyes as well as I put on a front of seriousness, mimicking my father.
"Of course, tou-chan."
Author's Notes
Posted: July 23rd, 2018
And I had wanted to get to Naruto's birth before FACAH's second anniversary. Oh well.
Just gonna go ahead and thank everyone for their patience; this chapter gave me a lot of trouble and a lot happened in it, but I hope you enjoyed it regardless. I really didn't mean to take another (2 month) break, but I guess I kind of needed it. Along with life stuff, I've been suffering a bit of writer's block this year, as seen with the lack of updates, but finally got past it. Can't say that posting will resume the pace it had before but I'll do my best.
And woo boy, things are going to start really moving in the next arc.
Also, I will be going back through the past chapters and cleaning up the author's notes because they are super long. I will save the responses though and will add any important ones to my profile for future viewing.
I really don't have much else to say, but thank you for all the favorites, follows, and lovely reviews. I seriously can't believe that there are literally thousands of you who wait for this story.
Until next time.
Next time on For a Chance at Happiness:
An Interlude: Earthly Wisdoms