Hiya people, I'm resurfacing from amongst mountains of papers stacked on my desk to bring you a quick update!
I have news: I'm posting this story on ao3, too, so check my profile out for the link to my account.
And I have a confession to make: I'm a terrible liar. I know I promised you that shit would be hitting the fan in this chapter, but instead I've written ... something. I had originally intended this as an omake for breaking the 100-follower-margin (shoutout to you guys, you're fabulous! And you'd be even more so if you didn't stay silent!), but before I knew it, it had gotten out of hand.
I decided to upload this as a chapter anyway because I feel that it adds to the story, so even if it's more of a filler, I hope it deepens your understanding of the situation Etsuko's in - there's even information that she might never know herself.
So, enjoy this Interlude! (Actually, as it doesn't count as a full chapter, does it make me only half a liar?)
Interlude: Nobuo
Uchiha Nobuo did not have a good day.
It started early in the morning when he nearly missed his alarm going off. Kiyomi had woken him up when she had turned in her sleep, a frown marring her face while the obnoxious signal found its way into her dreams. This had never happened before. He usually turned it off a couple seconds after it activated.
But neither had something like his three-and-a-half-year-old daughter furiously telling him that she was not going to become a 'career bride'.
He hurriedly turned the alarm off and sighed internally.
There it was again. The thought that had kept him sleepless for almost the whole night.
He had known that she was smart from the moment she had called him otou-san, not only because she must've learned it with insane speed considering that only few nights before she had been more or less catatonic, but also because she had consciously chosen to present them her efforts when they were all neatly gathered around the dinner table, thus achieving the greatest surprise effect. He had confirmed with Kiyomi later that she hadn't tried to speak the whole day before. It might have been nothing more than a coincidence, but Nobuo had stopped believing in them long ago. Life as an active duty shinobi in one of the biggest Hidden Villages tended to do that.
He was not going to start on the issue of her calling him otou-san, when he was pretty sure that neither he nor his wife had ever presented himself to her as anything else than otou-chan. It still puzzled him deeply and he wondered if he would ever figure it out.
That, of course, had only been the beginning. In the following years, the little girl they had so thoroughly misjudged in the first six months of her life proved again and again that she was not what was considered a 'normal child' at all. It was not just about the speed with which she picked up practically everything, but also the long periods of pensiveness she could immerse herself in, the selective maturity she showed and the utter lack of interest in any social contact with other children her age.
Also, all the things she did when she thought that nobody was looking.
His daughter had the working morale and the analytical insight of an ambitious chuunin. At age three.
No, he corrected himself. She'd actually had those skills even before she was three.
He wondered how much of this was actually related to the … unusual circumstances of her birth. Circumstances he'd never really forgotten about but conveniently buried in some dimly lit corner of his mind and left alone because they suggested things that he hadn't wanted to deal with.
Obito's birth had brought them back to the forefront of his mind, though, and full force at that.
He vividly remembered Etsuko's diagnosis seven weeks into the pregnancy. It was the first time that the doctor had been able to pick up traces of brain activity and what they had discovered had been … puzzling to say the least.
"Uchiha-san, your child presents a very interesting case. Although it's still in an early stage, the fetus is already showing traces of brain activity, which usually doesn't happen until three weeks later. Besides, it looks like the brain is rapidly growing and advancing in a pace much faster than the other organs. It's nothing dangerous, yet, but we'd like to monitor this development very closely."
Her brain had stopped growing when it had gained the size baby brains usually had which was a huge relief, but instead of stagnating in progress, it developed further, building synapses and connections that approached the complexity of a teenage-brain.
Kiyomi had been eating the whole day at that point.
On the day she was born he had been afraid of what was going to come out of his wife's womb. He wasn't proud of that and he had never admitted it to anyone, not even to Kiyomi, but it was the truth. He'd been terrified of the idea that something monstrous would come crawling out.
Instead, Etsuko had looked like any other tiny child, coming into the world with a giggle and what he could have sworn looked like excitement shining in her onyx eyes.
For a moment she had lulled them into believing that everything was fine.
Only to plunge them straight through a six-month-period of emotional desolation by becoming catatonic five minutes later.
He couldn't describe the relief he'd felt when the doctor had told him that there was nothing unusual about Obito. He didn't think he would've been able to bear another strain like that.
He was also relieved that there had never been another issue of that magnitude with her again. It seemed almost like … her spirit, for lack of a better word, had finally caught up to her brain development and now that both of them were in synch, she was exceedingly mature in everything concerning a certain kind of intelligence that was made up mostly but not only of the skill to learn efficiently.
What stood in a crass contrast to that, though, was the fact that she was severely lacking in all things concerning stealth. It was hilarious how she thought that she was secretive in her obsessive perfectionism to get everything right or how she believed that he hadn't noticed her taking two of his notebooks. While the first issue by itself was something he was truly proud of, the rest was almost worrying.
It was strange how advanced she could be in some areas but at the same time so painfully insufficient in the one that was essential for the survival of every shinobi, almost like she had already lived a life in which this facet didn't matter at all.
Nobuo shook his head with a short exhale. What a ridiculous idea.
She was still only three, it was natural that she lacked in certain areas. In fact, it made everything else even more impressive.
He swore under his breath when he looked at the display of the alarm clock and realized that he would have to rush through his preparations if he didn't want to arrive late at work. Usually, Kiyomi would be up with him, preparing his breakfast and bento box, but the ceremony yesterday had gone longer than they had anticipated and Obito had slept through it, only to be awake afterwards and demand his mother's attention for another couple hours after they had finally returned home. She must have been exhausted to the bones.
Not to mention the shock Etsuko had given them with her … strange reaction to Yashiro's taunting.
He just barely made it on time into the Uchiha Police Force administrative building, but even while he settled into his office and began the routine paper work for some petty civilian squabble from the other night, he could not stop thinking about his daughter.
Her outburst had been something on a wholly new level.
He was fairly sure that things like marriage hadn't been discussed with her, yet, and that the term 'career bride' never even mentioned. Ever.
So, logically speaking, a three-year-old shouldn't have understood what Yashiro was even talking about, much less deduced the implications.
Implications that she apparently already had an opinion on. A passionate one at that.
How was this possible?
"Nobuo!"
If he had been anything less than an Uchiha, he would have jolted from the surprise. As it was, he simply raised his head, his face impassive, and looked at the speaker. It was his partner Tomomi.
"We got a case in" he said. He wore a grim expression, deep lines engraved around his mouth and on his forehead. "There was a murder over at the civilian quarters. Two victims, a married couple. We better hurry up and get there fast."
Nobuo rose abruptly from his chair. "Did ANBU apprehend a suspect already?" he asked while they moved out of the building into the open street.
Tomomi shook his head. "No. It looks like whoever did this got away before ANBU arrived."
Nobuo sighed quietly. Murders were never a pretty sight.
)()()(
Nobuo was back at his desk in his office and massaging his temples, his eyes closed.
The investigation had lasted the whole afternoon and it turned out that the dead couple had left a six-year-old daughter behind who had been staying with a friend at the time of the murder. There were no relatives to take her in since her parents had moved here from another village. She would be sent to an orphanage as soon as it was reasonable to say that she was not targeted by the murderer.
The girl, Funahara Yuki, had reminded him of Etsuko.
They had similar shoulder length black hair and though the girl's eyes had been a shade lighter than the Uchiha midnight, they'd had the same blank look in them as Etsuko in her first six months.
He had seen this look quite a few times before, both while he still had been on field duty and as an officer, but only finding it on the face of a child had managed to make him realize what Etsuko must have felt back then.
Horror and shock.
Why, why had his daughter been so terrified just minutes after her birth? Why, if she had been giggling just seconds before?
Would she remember if he asked her?
"What has you thinking so hard?" Tomomi's voice carried over.
Nobuo opened his eyes to see his partner standing in front of his desk with two mugs full of steaming tea in his hands. He put one of them on the desk and Nobuo gratefully accepted it.
"I was thinking about the Funahara girl. Another child in Konoha's orphanage."
"Ah" Tomomi nodded. "It got you thinking about your children, didn't it?"
He nodded and began, hesitantly. "I … I know Etsuko and Obito would never go to an orphanage if something should happen to Kiyomi or me and that the clan will take care of them, but I can't help but feel that … that ..."
"You don't want to leave them alone."
Nobuo exhaled. "Etsuko is so mature but at the same time she's so vulnerable and so dependent. She gets attached so easily, it's … I guess it's normal for a child her age, but I believe that it will seriously damage her if she lost someone close. And Obito … she would think that it was her duty to look after him on her own. I mean, it's almost scary how protective of him she is already now." He let out a short laugh. "Forgive me, I'm not usually prone to rambling."
Tomomi sat down on the chair before his desk. "This case got you shaken up, didn't it?"
"Yeah, I guess so."
For a moment, Tomomi didn't say anything. When he finally spoke again, his voice seemed to come from far away.
"There's nothing that you can do about it. You're a father, so you'll always worry. It's only natural. But don't forget what your job as a father is. You have to teach your children how to survive, give them the means to build up their own strengths and believe in them. Leave the doting worry to your wife, she'll do a better job with that anyway. And when the time comes when you and she aren't around anymore, your children will still have all the things you taught them and will shape their lives according to them. That's really all you can do."
Tomomi stood up. "You should go home now. I can finish up the report on my own. Go home and get some rest, you look like you need it."
He nodded at Nobuo and left.
The younger man had a small, grateful smile playing on his lips.
"Thank you, Tomomi-senpai."
)()()(
The peace he felt from his conversation with Tomomi was only temporary. As soon as he entered the study of Uchiha Takao, he caught up to the tense air that raised the hairs at his nape.
"Takao-sama" he said as he kneeled down and pressed his forehead on the tatami mat.
"Nobuo-san" the clan head greeted him. "Sit up."
He did as he was told and watched as the elder finished signing some paper work until his dark eyes were trained on him again.
"Are you informed about the current situation at the borders?" he asked without preamble.
"Are you referring to the disturbances at the border of Rain?" Nobuo asked back.
Takao nodded. "The Hokage told the Greater Council today that he believes that these are caused by advancing forces from Iwa. ANBU reports support this claim and indicate that additionally to that, Suna is also trying to expand their territory. They already seem to have met on the other side of Rain. If this continues, Konoha will be forced to act. It cannot afford Rain to fall and the borders of either Earth or Wind to approach Fire Country."
Nobuo sat up straight. "What does this mean precisely?"
Takao looked directly into his eyes.
"It means that Konoha has to be prepared for a war against Iwa and Suna. It means that as Konoha's strongest asset, Uchiha will be fighting at the front lines again."
)()()(
"Okaeri, Nobuo." Kiyomi greeted him when he entered his home.
He didn't waste his breath on an appropriate answer.
"We need to talk." He grabbed her hand and almost dragged her into his study. She followed him with a surprised and worried look on her face but waited for him to slide the shoji screen shut before she spoke.
"Is this about something that Takao said?" she asked cautiously.
"Yes. Listen, Kiyomi, this is important." He drew a deep breath.
"According to Takao, the village has started preparations for a war against Suna and Iwa."
His wife's eyes widened in shock at that, but before she could answer to this piece of news, a loud thud sounded from outside.
Nobuo was at the screen in two quick strides and practically yanked it open.
There, on her knees and looking up at him with big, terrified eyes, was his daughter.
He inhaled sharply as images of the Funahara girl started to layer themselves over Etsuko's face. The same eyes again, filled with horror and shock.
"What are you doing, Etsuko?" he asked, his voice much sharper than he had intended it to come out. He heard the shuffling of cloth as Kiyomi moved behind him, but his eyes never left Etsuko.
Who was breaking down right on front of him.
Her chest was rising and falling rapidly as her small body began to shake uncontrollably, her mouth opening and closing as if she wanted to say something but couldn't bring it out.
Her eyes rolled back and she fell forward.
Nobuo caught her in his arms.
"Calm down, Etsuko. Breathe." He repeated the words again and again, cradling her against his chest and rocking her back and forth.
It didn't work.
He gritted his teeth and called out to Kiyomi.
"She's hyperventilating and I can't get her to calm down. Quick, get a paper bag and bring it to her room."
Kiyomi nodded frantically and ran into the kitchen.
He picked up the shaking body of his daughter and brought her to her room. Setting her down on her bed, he didn't leave her side until Kiyomi came in and put a brown paper bag over her mouth.
Nobuo stood up to make place for her and positioned himself at the foot of Etsuko's bed, closely monitoring his wife. He let out a breath when, finally, his little girl started to calm down.
Well. This day had been complete and utter shit from the moment he had awoken this morning.
He had the glum feeling that worse days were coming still.
So, that's it. I'm going back to burying my head in the preparations of my finals. I'm sorry to say that I can't estimate when I'll be able to present the next chapter, but please bear with me.
What I can say, however, is that a review never fails to brighten my day. So leave one and it might be rewarded! :)