Obligatory Disclaimer: The series Naruto is owned by Masashi Kishimoto; I only own my OCs, picture, and this story.
Chapter 34: Of Shaken Routine
I was frozen- paralyzed to the bone as my eyes met Orochimaru's.
My breath halted in my throat and my heart pumped ice-cold blood throughout my numb body. This was the twisted man who cruelly experimented on others for his own selfish desires- who wanted to destroy Konoha because he couldn't have it- who had connections to Danzō and ROOT. Who preyed upon the weak and those who wanted to be strong.
This was the man who was supposed to be my mentor?
It was like I was being dissected by his eyes alone but luckily- or unluckily- before I could fall into a panic-induced mental shutdown, a wall of fur blocked my vision and the rumbling of a loud growl brought me back to reality. Prickly, agitated chakra covered me like a wave, and instantly, instinctively, I flared my chakra in response.
Riku's chakra began to shrink but he flared it again disobediently, his growling lowering only a fraction as he moved to curl tighter around my body. And despite the fact that I was in a room with a monster, who could and would dissect me if given the chance, I felt myself relaxing, at least a little, and found part of my rationale returning. The snake man wouldn't be as bold as to try anything with the new Hokage present and in his office no less.
Pressing a slightly sweaty hand to the light patch of fur on Riku's chest, I flared my chakra again. The canine's growling slowed and ended in a huff, disengaging though not completely. His chakra settled to a light rumble- still agitated at Orochimaru's presence or heightened by my reaction I couldn't tell. He sat tall beside me and stared the sannin down, his tail wrapped around my ankles.
I love this stupidly fearless dog.
Of course, our reaction to the snake man's arrival threw the room into silence, Minato and Kushina's eyes digging into my back. Honestly, there was no way to tell the pair that I absolutely, positively did not want to be under that man's 'guidance', but then I would have to explain myself. I couldn't see that going well because all that would amount to was speculation that only I knew to be true while the general public thought he was just one of the prodigy of the Sandaime. Hell, his reputation was probably why Minato thought it was a good idea in the first place- which I didn't understand because anyone with any sense of intuition could feel that something was not right about the man.
But I would have to deal with that later.
Though my instincts screamed at me to escape, to jump out the window if need be since Orochimaru was still at the door, I squashed them down and fell back on what I knew best- Hyūga indifference. I cleared my bone-dry throat and spoke.
"Apologies," I coughed lightly. "He is usually better behaved."
I couldn't see any of the adult's reactions considering the large mountain of fur obscuring my vision, but a chuckle that sent chills down my spine and caused Riku's hackles to raise ever so slightly broke the silence.
"The Inuzuka and their hounds are quite loyal aren't they?"
His voice slithered into my eardrums and I fought another shudder.
"Yes sir," I said plainly.
Another chuckle and another barely concealed shudder, Orochimaru slid deeper into the room. There was no way to hide from him and I finally set my eyes on him; one of the Legendary Sannin- a traitor, psychopath, genius. His face was unearthly pale, same as I remembered from distant memory, which caused the gold in his eyes and the purple that lined them to stand out even more, framed by his pitch-black hair.
My skin crawled when our eyes met for the second time, but I stood my ground with a stable hand on my canine partner, his presence giving me strength. The overbearing feeling of being dissected to the bone returned as strong as ever but I stared back unblinkingly. This seemed to amuse the man more than anything and I found a tiny part of myself wanting to glare but my self-preservation was stronger than the wayward desire.
It was Minato's voice that brought the room back into order- or some semblance of it. The two-faced Sannin and I turned to him at the rustling of his robes and even Riku relaxed as the blond spoke to us, addressing the snake man first.
"Thank you for arriving in such short notice Orochimaru-san," Minato said amicably, as though our initial exchange hadn't happened and that we hadn't just had a standoff between my dog and the snake man.
Despite my prior knowledge, or because of it, I was not surprised by the slight condescension in Orochimaru's voice as he spoke.
"It was no problem at all Hokage-sama," the Sannin said before unfortunately turning toward me. "After all, I've heard much about the young Hyūga and I look forward to mentoring her."
Another shudder threatened to shake me again. I certainly did not share the sentiment though a polite smile strained to stay on my face. Kushina was the next to speak and I was surprised at how subdued she sounded.
"I would also like to express my gratitude for taking Junko-chan in such a short notice," she said, bowing slightly. "Thank you for mentoring her in my stead."
I didn't like the way Orochimaru's eyes slid over her.
"The pleasure is all mine, Uzumaki-san," he said. "Junko-chan is in good hands."
My mind screeched in disapproval and fear but my fate was sealed- sealed as soon as Minato handed Orochimaru my complete file and shook his hand. The dread only increased as my new teacher turned to me again and told me to meet him at his training ground the day after tomorrow and I simply nodded out of reflex more than agreement.
When Minato dismissed us and Kushina watched with barely concealed worry as I turned and rushed from the room before the Sannin could spare me another glance.
What was I going to do now?
My mind was white noise, my body on automatic as I moved through the village. I didn't know my destination until I was stepping over a familiar moat and finally stopped underneath a familiar tree.
Kushina and I's training ground- one I wouldn't be using any time soon.
Something painful settled in my chest but I didn't dare release it. Instead, I plopped down onto the base of the tree, taking a deep shaky breath as I did. Riku whined softly as he squeezed his large body between me and the bark of the tree, jostling me until I was sufficient covered and wrapped by his body. It was hot, overtly so, but much needed as the meeting with the snake sannin replayed in my head, bringing with it a chill within my bones even in the mid spring warmth. The canine huffed lightly, the remaining tension being expelled into the air, and I found myself doing the same, a deep sigh releasing a bit of my own out as well.
It helped, as minuscule as it was to the monster I found myself facing, but even a little bit was enough for me to try and gather my thoughts, to figure a way out of this.
But was there anything I could do? The arrangement had already been set, and I would be regularly meeting that man almost every day from now on, at least until the chūnin exams finished. And I couldn't help but wonder what had happened to his team to allow my inclusion; I knew for sure that Anko was fine, she existed in canon after all, but the others were uncertain.
Had he done something to the other two? Was that why he needed a replacement?
A shiver ran up my spine and Riku huffed again, pressing his large head deeper into my stomach. I curled my body into his, wrapped my arms around his neck and burying my face into his thick fur. I had protections in place, I had to remind myself; it wasn't like the snake man could whisk me off to some hidden laboratory. Not only would the Hyūga have issue with that, the newly crowned Hokage and his wife would definitely take notice if I went missing, as well as my parents. Then taking account of the Suzuki clan which followed the Senju, and by extension me through Mother, and even my friendship with the Inuzuka from Kushina, I wasn't defenseless- on the contrary, I had quite the retinue backing me.
But the sannin was highly trusted by the Sandaime and some of the council, Danzō coming immediately to mind. I didn't know how close their connection was, but two evil dudes collaborating in any capacity wasn't good in any stretch of the imagination. Although I had the new Hokage on my side, who knows what the council could or would cover up, especially if it meant 'keeping the peace' in the village- aka the entire Uchiha Massacre. But Minato was better than that, at least that was what I believed. Besides, a large clan's heiress being taken was something that couldn't be easily covered up, especially with the amount of people I knew who would make a stink about it.
I could only hope that this arrangement would only last as long as the few months it took to get ready for the exams and take them. Then I could hopefully move onto better, 'safer', things. Chūnin were allowed higher responsibilities than genin in the shinobi system, and were even given the chance to intern with the many departments Konoha had. Though with my predicament, I could only assume that the clan leaders would have me in even deeper training, perhaps shadowing Hiashi when he become clan head. Although, maybe I could even intern at the Cryptanalysis department- with Mother and Kushina being members, it wasn't much of a stretch. That wouldn't be so bad.
It was a nice thought, but that was all it was at the moment- a thought, a wish for a better outcome.
But I would be fine; I'd get through this.
Hopefully.
…
I sat lazily on Riku's back as he carried me back to the compound. The tension and feeling of suffocation that had long remained after the meeting with Minato, Kushina and he who shall not be named had finally receded. The lack of tension in my muscles, after holding onto it for so long, left me powerless and fatigued and called for a mid afternoon nap, my training from before the meeting catching up with me.
I ignored the stares I knew I was receiving from the villagers, closing my eyes as his steady gait almost lulled me to sleep, until a familiar voice called out to me.
"Junko-hime!"
It startled me slightly and I quickly grasped the fur on Riku's back to keep from falling as he turned to address the source. My drowsiness ebbed away as I took in the sight of someone I hadn't seen in what seemed like forever.
"Kenta-nii!"
I found a smile easily spreading across my face as I took in the sight in front of me. The preteen was clad in what appeared to be hospital scrubs, his hair in a careful bun and hitai-ate tied proudly around his forehead, giving me major Aunt Mei vibes. I slipped from my trusty steed and quickly closed the distance between me and my cousin. I hadn't seen him much with my business; if I was being honest, I probably hadn't talked to him properly since my last birthday which was only a quick thing and my next was just around the corner.
My embrace caused the boy to make a noise of surprise, but his arms came to rest on my back lightly. I was quick to pull away before I made him too uncomfortable- the Hyūga weren't big proponents of affectionate displays.
"It is good to see that you are doing well, Junko-hime," he said gently and I faked a pout as I poked him.
"What did I say about all the formality?"
He chuckled lightly with a light shrug.
"Apologies, force of habit, Junko-chan."
I grinned up at the boy. He was so different than when we were in the academy, heck even a little after that. The years that had passed since then, as few as they were, had been very good to him.
"Are you heading back to the compound Kenta-nii?"
He shook his head, holding up a small scroll in his hand.
"I am on an errand; I have to go to the Inuzuka compound to give my teammate Suzu-san some extra details for our next mission since she was absent at our meeting."
Riku and I perked up at the mention of the canine clan. I hadn't been to visit in a while; my own clan duties and team nonsense had taken priority. Maybe a visit was in order.
Besides what was more therapeutic than puppies?
It was easy to get Kenta to agree to our companionship to the Inuzuka compound, and I ended up taking the lead as we approached as I was more familiar with the clan. The opening of the Inuzuka compound was nothing like the Hyūga or Uchiha; it was a loose collection of houses with a lot of space. I gave a light smile and nod to the Inuzuka milling about and they responded in kind as I led Kenta over to the kennels, where I assumed his teammate and her partners would be. The boy was quietly taking everything in; I didn't know if it was the first time he had been to the Inuzuka compound, though it was definitely the first time he'd seen me in the compound of another clan.
Like before, I knew that the Hyūga were aware about me going to other clans' homesteads, though Kenta and Kushina would be the only people who have actually seen me interact with them instead of just hearsay.
I idly wondered what he thought about that.
I pushed open the doors to the kennel and was immediately assaulted the sound of barking and the smell of dog. Riku quickly brushed past me, lumbering towards back of the building. It didn't take long for us to figure where he was going as a shout and a laugh followed, causing the barking around us to increase in value.
"It's 'bout time, you showed up," Haru's voice floated over to us before she emerged from the back, followed by my silly pup and another Inuzuka. "I was beginning to think you forgot about me."
"I could never," I smiled at the older girl. "Life just been a bit hectic-"
Before I could continue, I was interrupted by the other Inuzuka.
"Kenta! What are you doing here?"
The other Inuzuka must've been his teammate, Suzu. She had long dark hair parted into two spiky pigtails which were tucked into the furry hood of her dark red vest, which contrasted with the beige shorts she wore. Her arms, like her calves, were wrapped in bandages, more of a fashion statement than for practicality I observed quickly, which were tucked into her sandals.
Kenta, looking like a real Hyūga, stepped forward pulling the scroll from his medic pouch, his tone all business. So much different than the stuttery mess he was in the academy, I would've shed a tear if I was a more dramatic person.
"Sarutobi-sensei wanted me to give this to you. It's for our next mission."
His teammate didn't seemed to process his words, gapping opening at him. Haru laughed beside the girl, throwing an arm around her shoulders.
"Don't mind her," the older girl chuckled. "Zuzu-chan can be a little a bit slow, 'specially with-"
Suzu went red and swatted at Haru, and from beside me Kenta mouthed the nickname under his breath in thought.
"Shut up Haru-nee!" The younger girl squeaked.
Ah. That makes sense.
The younger girl swiped the scroll from Kenta's outstretched hand and frowned at him.
"You didn't have to come all the way here for that," she scoffed, stuffing the scroll into her own weapon's pouch on her leg. She waved her hand at him. "Especially after your medic stuff."
"It was no problem."
Despite the boy's easy tone, the girl's frown grew deeper, and if my eyes weren't deceiving me, a muted blushed rose onto her tanned cheeks.
Oh.
Oh.
A small smile I couldn't stop spread over my face, even as Kenta shrugged, most likely used to the girl's tsundere characteristics. Before the girl could get another word out, two furry shadows rushed towards us. They looked like Akita, if memory served correctly, and they skidded to a stop in front of my cousin, their curled tails wagging excitedly. They looked like twins, both having light golden brown fur and white undersides, the only distinction between the two of one having a darker muzzle.
Kenta smiled a small smile, giving the dogs light pats on the head.
"Hello, Yuki, Sho."
Sho, the one with the darker muzzle, nuzzled Kenta's side affectionately and that is when I noticed the bandage wrapped around their hind leg.
"So yer the guy who healed little Sho," Haru grinned, stepping closing and ignoring her younger sister who was fuming behind her, possibly in embarrassment. "Zuzu-chan told me all about it. You did a real good job."
The bashful Kenta of yesteryear returned, albeit minutely.
"It was nothing," he said, scratching the overly affectionate pup under the chin. "It is my duty as medic to heal everyone on our team."
The blush across his teammate's face seemed to grow in response, and Haru let out a bark of laughter. To see such normalcy; to see how my shy cousin had transformed into such a dependable ninja, one that was cherished by his teammates and others, made my heart swell.
I doubt that I would have the same experience, considering everything.
Haru met my eye with a grin which I shared easily despite the return of my rain cloud.
"They're quite the couple, ain't they Junko-chan?"
"Indeed," I chuckled lightly, bringing the attention of the group onto me.
"Who are you?" Suzu blurted, finally taking notice of me.
Their master's attention on me, Yuki and Sho's attention shot to me as well, as seeming to finally notice me- I probably smelled too much like Riku. Their damp noses pressed against my exposed toes and bare arms, lightly jostling me as the duo tag-teamed analyzing me. Seeming to see no problems with me, the Akita twins damp noses went to examine my face, and I couldn't help the burst of giggles that escaped me as I lightly scratched them under the chin.
"I am Hyūga Junko, Kenta-kun's cousin. It is nice to meet you."
My cousin's teammate just stared at me. I could practically hear the cogs grinding in her head as she looked between me and Kenta. She also took a glance at Riku who was pouting at me from his seat next to Haru, put off from the attention I was receiving from the other ninken. Suzu's eyes finally shifted onto me again, settling onto the headband that was tied loosely around my neck.
"AH! You're the kid that took Riku!?" She blurted loudly, causing Kenta to twitch beside me.
"That is correct." I smiled lightly, unbothered as the large hound ambled over to me, causing the akita twins stand at attention. The dogs stared down at each other before the smaller dogs began to swarm my canine companion. It was just a mass of fur and sniff noises as the dogs interacted.
Suzu was still staring at me with wide eyes, causing her big sister to laugh and pat her roughly on her back in true Inuzuka fashion.
"Junko-chan's pretty impressive, isn't she?"
"The flattery is unnecessary but appreciated," I said to the kennel caretaker, lips twitching in amusement as Riku broke free from the impromptu dog pile, a bit forceful as he returned to my side, rubbing against me and peering at the other dogs over my head.
"We should be heading back soon," Kenta interjected lightly, once against shifting the attention of the room. "I have to still prepare for the mission and I am sure Junko-hime has her own duties to attend to."
Both the Inuzuka sisters seemed to start at how Kenta addressed me, but I was too distracted by the remembrance of serpentine eyes and malicious intentions.
Had that really happened this morning?
Ugh.
"Kenta-kun is right," I agreed, reluctantly as Yuki and Sho detached themselves from each other and returned to their human partner. "We will have to cut this meeting short- my apologies."
Haru was the first to break from her stunned state, looking down at me with a new gleam in her eyes.
"Well then, don't let us keep ya," she said easily, throwing an arm around her sister's shoulders who was staring at us with increasing scrutiny. "Stay safe and come visit soon ya know?"
"Understood," I smiled.
"I will see you later Suzu-san," Kenta followed up and the Inzuka nodded, a delayed reaction.
The trip home was in silence, I had returned to Riku's back and Kenta walked alongside us. He was probably going over what he needed for his next mission in his head and I found myself thinking in similar terms about what I would have to do in the coming days.
I would soon found myself in brand new territory- hazardous to be sure. There was Orochimaru to be worried about obviously but then there was the matter of my new teammates as well. Anko would be there without a doubt- I had seen her in the flesh, adolescent though she was. Although things in this universe had changed, for the better hopefully, I was entirely certain that I would see the purple haired girl in the coming days. My other teammate was less sure- would Shun, my disgruntled clansmen be there or would it be someone else entirely?
If I was betting woman-child-whatever, I would guess something had happened to Shun. I mean, why have two Hyūga on the team, and better yet, if you had the chance to swap in another- to keep the team dynamic stable- why wouldn't you?
That only left one question- what happened to him?
This question plagued me the entire trip to the compound. Kenta escorted me all the way home with a promise to properly visit once he had returned from his mission. I sent him away with a muted smile and well-wishes, watching him disappear down the path and around a corner until he was out of sight.
Riku and I entered an empty house- the windows were left open, letting in the fresh early spring air. I slipped my sandals and padded down the quiet hallway, nary a squeak under my feet. The smell of something sweet entered my nose as I reached the living room. A plate of scones sat on the table, still warm to the touch as I grabbed one and settled onto one of the cushions set around it. There was a cup of tea set nearby on a wooden coaster, still lightly steaming. They were an invention of my mother- the wood was inscribed with a fūinjutsu seal that provided continuous low heat. She often used them when she would step out for a bit and the note left beside the goodies confirmed it.
'Junko, I expect everything on that plate to be gone when I return from the market.
Love, kaa-chan.'
A small earnest smile spread across my face at the message, hearing Mother's teasing tone in my head. I ate in silence, the only noise accompanying me the crunch of Riku eating his own food on the pouch deck outside and the wind chimes. Maybe, perhaps, I had already skipped to the stage of acceptance- the anxiety that I thought would return in the silence never did. It was just as quiet in my head- for seemingly the first time in a long time.
The warmth of the baked goods and some version of chai tea settled in my stomach and spread to my finger tips and toes. I leaned back to find Riku's lazy form stretched along the wooden floor behind me and sunk into his fur. The hum of chakra I could feel against my back rose and fell, adjusting to match a rhythm not dissimilar to my own. I nuzzled into the mass of black and brown fur, smothering a smile and a sigh before releasing any leftover tension.
My muscles relaxed and any last thought was swept away by the fresh air that flowed in from the outside, the twinkling of the wind chimes Mother and I had put up together fading away as my consciousness did the same.
…
I awoke in my bed, discombobulated. I blinked up at the wooden ceiling of my bedroom, vision blurred from accumulated eye junk. It was early, early morning if the very dim light from my window was any indication. A grumble-whine sounded from the other end of my room and the mound of blankets there twitched, before rising towards me in a languid pace. Some of the blankets fell to the floor during transit, only partially revealing the canine's dark fur until he settled his head on the edge of my bed, his snout pressing lightly to my cheek in greeting.
"Morning Riku," I murmured softly under my breath as I rolled to face him completely.
He whined lightly, nuzzling against my face once more before returning to his corner of the room, picking up his fallen blankets on the way. As Riku settled back down, I shifted under my own blankets, trying to get comfortable for a few more minutes before finding the effort futile. I'd probably be up anyways, seeing as I had wasted the rest of my yesterday.
I pushed my light blankets to the side, spending a few minutes to straighten them out before moving to my dresser. If I were to hazard a guess, Mother had come home from her errands and had found me asleep in the living room. I only briefly remember her shaking me awake, but she must've gotten me to shower and go to bed, if my changed clothes and braided hair were a trust-worthy clue. I changed into more suitable training gear, black and long sleeved, and exited the room quietly to not disturb my sleeping companion to get my day started.
The absurdly early atmosphere permeated the entire house. Although I tried to keep quiet, not difficult with my training, I could feel my parent's chakra stir as I bypassed their room, as if in response to me. Although I got up early often, my parents were always up before me. I pondered whether I should go and greet them as well, but the tension in my muscles from my long sleep called to be taken cared for. I stepped through the kitchen and living room, sliding open the porch and stepping out onto the wooden deck, knowing one of them would come join me soon.
Slipping into my sandals, I jumped off the raised deck, landing in the growing grass to start my morning routine. The motions came easily to me as I went through my katas. My muscles were still a bit sore from yesterday's training, so I went easier on myself, especially since I didn't know what I would go through tomorrow.
Tomorrow…
I soon came to the end of my regime, muscles sufficiently stretched, and let my arms drift to my side, staring off into the garden where the flowers were just beginning to bud and bloom. My feet carried me over to them and I knelt down, caressing the petals of an asagao, a morning glory, between my fingers as I pondered my next move.
For the foreseeable future, at the very least until the end of the chūnin exams, Orochimaru's presence would be an almost constant shadow over me. I definitely couldn't react as I did yesterday- it wouldn't be good for my heart that's for sure. I sighed deeply, closing my eyes. I would need to pull together every experience I had with the Hyūga, having forged a mask to deal with unpleasantness. It would need to be stronger than ever before, for a much more serious battle.
But who knew how long that would last?
The sliding of the porch doors broke through my thoughts and I looked over my shoulder to find Riku and my father steeping onto the porch deck. My canine friend let out a soft bark, beckoning me inside and I was all smiles as I channeled my pumping chakra and met them with one huge leap.
I grinned up at Father as he shook his head.
"Good morning Junko," he greeted me, laying his palm on my head. A light scolding tone that lacked any real fire took over his voice. "You slept for a long time yesterday. You shouldn't be pushing yourself so hard."
I opened my mouth to refute- I pushed myself hard all the time and rarely over slept and had only done my regular training yesterday- besides it was the emotional revelation that had done me dirty- when Mother's voice came from behind him in the kitchen.
"No excuses young lady!" she called over the sizzling of eggs. "You were practically sleep walking all day. You need to take it easy, especially today."
I sighed- I didn't know I was that bad. Being in a body this young was both a blessing and a curse; I could go a surprisingly long time training, reading and the like but the crashes could be particularly bad, like yesterday were I overslept.
"Yes, kaa-chan, tou-chan."
Father's expression softened and he gently escorted me back inside, letting me slip off my sandals as he did.
"Come get cleaned so you can eat breakfast."
I followed his instruction easily, letting Mother kiss my forehead on the way to the bathroom. A short ten minutes later I was washed and newly clothed in simple black cotton pants and a soft green tunic. My hair, damp and getting curlier by the second was quickly tamed by Mother as I took a seat at the table. In less than a minute, my hair was dry, braided and there was an omelet, steaming, waiting for me.
Suddenly ravenous, I set to work demolishing the breakfast before me. Most likely noticing how my eyes had lit up at the sight of food, my parents didn't pull me into conversation, only sparing me light chuckles as they started on their own food, lightly discussing grown up things in the silence.
Father would be meeting with his old teammates again today and Mother needed to oversee some new designs for the Cryptanalysis department. Meaning I would be alone for the day- again - though with Riku of course. I set my utensils to the side as I pondered what to do. More physical training would be a no-go since I didn't know what snake dude had in store for me. And I wanted to be properly prepared for anything that could happen. I wasn't one to lay about so once Mother and Father left, I would probably go back into the village or maybe just the compound library. There probably wasn't anything I couldn't learn in the next twenty-four hours that would prepare me for whatever came but it was better than ruminating on the unavoidable.
Once again- ugh.
I blinked as my plate was taken from in front of me and a weight settled on top of my head, dainty fingers combing through my bangs.
"Is everything okay Junko-chan?" Mother asked as I looked up into her amber eyes.
I fought the urge to sigh again and bared a mild smile.
"Just wondering what I should do today."
"You should be resting." She punctuated with a light poke of my forehead before moving to the sink. "Though knowing you, that's probably impossible."
I gave a sheepish smile in return. An amused smile quirked her lips.
"I may have some scrolls you can work on if you'd like, though I'd really prefer if you relaxed today. Considering her pregnancy hormones, who knows what 'Shina has for you tomorrow."
Wait, she didn't know?
"Ah kaa-chan…" I struggled for a second, words caught in my throat as Father's attention joined the fray. Mother turned off the faucet, plunging the kitchen into silence.
How could neither of them not know? Had it been kept from them? Kushina should've told Mother at least.
Riku lifted his head onto my lap from where he had been laying at my feet, giving me his strength.
"I had a meeting with Minato-sen- I mean, Minato-sama and Kushina-shishou yesterday."
Understanding came to my parent's faces immediately.
"Decided to rest already, huh?" Mother hummed as she returned to the table, wiping her hands on her apron. "Honesty, I didn't expect her to agree to it so soon, but it's good she did."
Had she teamed up with Minato to get Kushina to quit teaching? Mother seemed to get caught in her thoughts for a moment and so Father took the reins of the conversation.
"Then I expect the Yondaime has put you on another team, since the exams are coming up."
I nodded, running my fingers along Riku's ears.
"Yes."
"Well?" Mother put her hands on her hips. "Are you going to tell us who?"
It's not like I had much of a choice.
"It's..Orochimaru-san."
The temperature of the room dropped. Father's brow instantly furrowed, his eyes darting to Mother who had become stock still. The goosebumps on my arm rose; her chakra, normally so bright and apparent had gone ice-cold as well.
"Out of anyone he could have gotten, Blondie had to choose him."
Her voice, usually so light and cheerful, was as sharp as a kunai. My throat closed and Riku whined lowly, and I was afraid to see what I would find if I looked at her but found my own drifting to hers automatically. The warm honey amber I had come to know and love had turn to sharp gold and if my eyes weren't wide before, they definitely were now. I always knew that Mother was dangerous- she was a jōnin after all- but seeing it, feeling it… it was probably something very few lived after seeing.
"Kaa-chan…?"
My voice, as quiet as it was, escaped past my lips, jostling Mother from whatever state she had been in. Her eyes immediately softened as they met mine, and she sighed deeply, moving to cup my face between her hands. She stared at me steadily, thumbs brushing against my cheeks as she regarded me with an unreadable expression. I didn't know what to do or what to say so I stared back, still shaken by the change, my mind racing.
Had she had some bad experience with Orochimaru in the past?
Had he done something to her?
I didn't know what she had seen or what her thoughts had settled on but she gave my face a light squeeze before moving away.
"Get some rest Junko."
There was no room for debate in her voice and I nodded blankly, eyes trailing after her as she excused herself and disappeared deeper into the house. The silence that spread at her exit stagnated the air and I blinked up at Father from across the table. My lips moved uselessly, tripping on words that wouldn't come and he sighed, meeting my befuddled gaze from where he had followed Mother's departure. Riku whined, brushing his damp nose against my cheek.
What the hell was that?
Father rose from his seat with a longsuffering sigh and walked over to me, kneeling beside my chair so that we could be face to face.
"Your mother…Kimiko has gone through a lot to get where she is today," he began, cupping my cheeks the way Mother had. "She does not mean to take it out on you."
"Did something happen between kaa-chan and Orochimaru?" I asked, point-blank.
Although, there was little chance he would share such information, I had to know. Especially if he was going to be my teacher. As expected, there was little change in his expression, though he did move his hand, lightly brushing my bangs away from my forehead.
"It is not something you need to worry about Junko-"
Of course not, because it wasn't like the man in question wasn't going to be in control of my waking hours for the foreseeable future or anything.
Oh, then Mother was freaking out over nothing? Bullshit.
My discontent must have been plain on my face as Father sighed again, a sterner expression on his face.
"Junko-"
"Why can't I know? Why all the secrecy?" I blurted, causing him to lean back in surprise. "Since this directly affects me, I should know if there's something about him before I train with him tomorrow."
The irony was not lost on me but I was so sick of the secrets, especially from the two people I wanted to trust the most. Especially Mother- there was still so much left unsaid between the both of us, even with her brief instance of opening up.
But, as always, there was no point in asking, if the slight hardening of his eye was any indication.
"There are just some things you don't need to know, Junko."
Of course.
Fine.
I looked away from him, frowning at the floor. "May I be excused?"
A near silent breath reached my ears in the silence after my question, and the rustling of clothes and his hand moving signified that he was standing. Riku whined again.
"You are excused."
I didn't waste a second longer. I slid from my chair, not sparing a glance at my father as I nearly bolted away from the kitchen, the clicking of Riku's nails on the wooden floor following after me.
Author's Notes
Posted: February 21st, 2019
Junko with the teen angst and she hasn't even reached puberty yet.
Sorry for the wait; the holiday season was very, very draining. Then the long awaited Kingdom Hearts 3 came out and completely absorbed my life. But thank you for all the reviews, favorites, and follows- I really appreciate them! To be honest, I've been feeling a bit disenchanted with writing this story lately; maybe because it has been my main focus for almost three years on this site, even when I've wanted to write and post other stories. However, I feel as though if I do, I might leave this story for too long that I may never return to it; but your kind words always keep me coming back, so thank you once again.
Next time on For a Chance at Happiness
Chapter 35: Of Unforeseen Resonance