Chapter 8 – Little Things Count
Previously…
They stayed, wrapped up together on the bench, as Naruko calmed and listened to the sounds around them.
She stirred, minutes later from their hold muttering apologies for his now sopping t-shirt.
"Perhaps I should have worn my apron?" He joked, eliciting a chocked laugh from Naruko.
"No way should that be allowed out in public." She sniffed, mock haughty.
They glanced at one another and laughed.
"Come Naru, we have popcorn to sample!" Minato said rising and tapping her freckled nose lightly.
She stood and linked her hand with his, looking over the grassy park one last time before the two Skies made their way home.
Their movie night finished sooner than anticipated and despite being so sleepy earlier, Naruko was now wide awake - perhaps it was the copious amount of caramel popcorn that had been consumed.
Seeing this Minato decided he needed to clear up a few things.
"Naru, we need to talk."
Naruko sat up on the sofa, wrapping a blanket around her shoulders as she did. "What is it?"
"It's about the Ring and about us living here-"
"-I can't go back! Please, don't make me go back!" Naruko's eye suddenly becoming wide and panicked clutching the fabric in front of her chest.
He placed a gentle hand on her head. "Calm down Naru, that's not going to happen. Ever. I promise!" He soothed, his hands dropping to squeeze her shoulders. "What I'm trying to say is, is that there are a few conditions in order for us to live here, ok?"
After a moment and almost sagging in relief she took a deep calming breath and nodded.
"Ok, first, is we'll have to change your name. People might start talking if they notice we have different surnames and the last thing we want is child services questioning my custody of you. So far, we've gotten away with it, but I doubt it'll be long before people start asking questions. My name here is Ieyasu Sawada, so you're free to pick your own first name to use in public."
'A reasonable assumption, given our Mafioso connection…and also our gossip-loving neighbours.' She thought nodding in ascent. 'Plus, choosing a new name is might be kind of fun.' She smiled.
"I'll let you mull that one over, but decide soon ok? Second, is regarding the test you took when travelling through the Dimension Seal."
"The Inheritance Test? For Vongola?" She asked.
"Yes, that's the one and the reason you hold the Vongola Ring - as you already know. It's passed down by blood and resolve and those that you saw in the Seal were, as you also already know, the previous leaders of the mafia and bearers of the ring."
"When you say, 'by blood', does that mean I'm related to them?" Naruko said with narrowed eyes, her pupils unknowingly becoming slits – clearly reading too far between the lines.
"No, no, no," Minato waved his hands hastily, sweat appearing on his brow. 'That look – minus the narrow pupils –just like her mother! How scary!'
"No, that's not it Naru, Ricardo was my apprentice of sorts. I used a special Seal for it to show us as the same blood in order to carry on the 'bloodline'. I promise you; I have never loved anyone other than your mother!"
"…So about that test?" She continued after scrutinising him for a moment longer.
Minato sighed, letting his shoulders sag in pitiable relief, having let off the hook. 'If only Kushina could see me now, cowed by our 4 – nearly 5 year old…'
"The fact of the matter is, you passed the test. Had you failed…I don't know what would have happened…you could have ended up back in Konoha or…"
"Or...?" She gulped.
"…Or another dimension altogether."
Naruko gasped. "Would you have been able to find me after that?"
"…It doesn't matter you passed the test." Minato answered, sweating slightly.
"Yes, but that was never guaranteed…so what was your plan if I failed?"
"…" He silently pulled at his shirt collar as it seemed a lot tighter all of a sudden.
"There wasn't one, was there?" She said quietly.
Minato sighed, resigned running a hand through his hair distractedly.
"...No, I had no back up plan, no way of guaranteeing you'd pass the Inheritance Test, nor did I know what to do if you wound up in some other dimension…was it was irresponsible of me? Yes. But I believed you would pass. I felt that you would, in my bones."
Naruko remained silent for a while thinking over what her father had just revealed, swallowing the slight lump in her throat. In the end, her father took a chance a ran with it. He'd come up with a risky strategy for bringing her to him and succeeded. She supposed it mattered very little the risks he took and shouldn't judge but she still couldn't help thinking it was pretty careless of him. In the end he saved her so she wouldn't, couldn't, dwell on it any longer.
"Ok. Moving on…so…we both came here due to a Seal in some way?"
"That's right, however, you're here only because there was a 'me' pulling you through to this world. For me, it was completely random that I ended up here and even then, it was because I'd entered into the Shinigami's stomach as a sacrifice. While you were in a desperate situation, you also weren't heading for the Shinigami's stomach – now I'm not saying it wasn't life or death – but you, nor anyone else had no knowledge of the Seal itself, but I knew you were in trouble as my own intuition was going haywire near constantly. In conclusion, it would have been impossible for you to have travelled specifically here and now, without me already having been here and creating certain…concessions in order to do so."
Naruko looked at her father questioningly, her intuition perking up and leading her now orange tinted gaze to his pocket.
Instead of answering directly, from an inside pocket, Minato tentatively pulled out a slim hexagonal box.
He flipped the small gold latch on the black leather box to reveal six different, brightly coloured jewels inlaid in shimmering platinum bands. They glowed in the dim light of the room and highlighted an empty indent in the centre of the cushion they were laying on. A glance at her left hand confirmed that this is where the ring on her finger used to sit.
Feeling a slight pull towards them, she ran her ringed hand in the air above the box and watched as the rings trembled ever so slightly as she moved. They felt like magnets to her own Flames, like she wanted to close the distance, to be near them.
"As it stands, right now, the only thing anchoring you to this world – because you were not directly bound for it that is – is me."
Naruko's eyes widened, her hand dropping into a fist in her lap.
"So should anything happen to you…?" She left her sentence hanging, but Naruko understood his silence perfectly. Shuddering, a drip of ice-cold fear trickled down her spine at the implications.
Should Minato die, she would no longer be tied to this world and presumably be sent back to Konohagakure.
"I must admit, I misjudged exactly how massive your Flames would be and I won't lie, the strain is…considerable. I won't be able to keep this up forever - ten years at best. These Rings," He gestured to the box now sitting so innocently on the blanket between them. "Are the solution to that."
Naruko looked between her father and the box before she made the connection.
"So, what you're saying is, is that we have a deadline to find six other 'anchors' within 10 years –"
"-Preferably before 10 years, the sooner the better fo -."
"- for us both, yes." Naruko sighed. "What do these rings do exactly?"
"They have a Seal on them which essentially ties your Chakra signature to the wearers. The catch is, that it directly links to the 'Guardian' bond – your anchors – and in turn the Guardian bond ties yours and their Flames together through what is known as 'Harmonisation'. So basically the stronger the bond, the less tension it puts on the original Seals and having a full set of bonds will make you almost impervious to the dimensional 'pull' if you will."
"Should they be out of sync at all – and Naru, I can't stress how important this is – if the Seal and Bond's synchronisation be out at all, then we are back to square one and you will be at risk of being pulled back to the other world, as I fear the Seals on the rings alone simply can't take the pressure that is very likely to increase as you get older." He said with a tense sounding sigh and running his fingers through his for the hundredth time.
"The combination of the Rings' Seals and Guardian Bond divvies out both your Flames and your Chakra, in equal parts amongst your to-be Guardians and until you have the complete set, I also won't be able to let them bear the full weight. Plus them being 'Vongola Rings' make them even more special as they are tied to this world themselves as part of what called the Tri-Ni-Set."
"Tri-Ni-Set?"
"Mmah…let's leave that for another time...?"
"Ok, for now…So, what do you mean by Guardians exactly?" Naruko asked, her insides squirming uncomfortably at the word as she pulled the blanket more firmly around her shoulders for comfort.
"Well, it's largely based on Flames, of which there are seven base types, one for each of these colours." He then pointed to each Ring in turn, first selecting the band with the ruby red stone. "This colour Flame represents a Storm Guardian and whose attribute is Disintegration. You'll probably find their personality comes across as short-tempered or antagonistic, but do not doubt they are loyal and protective. You'll have to earn their loyalty first of course."
He then pointed to the deep blue stone. "This is the Rain Flame, the Flame of Tranquillity. Those with a Rain Flame are normally calm and considerate individuals and like their attribute suggests, emit and air of tranquillity to those around them. Their Flames are incredibly useful in that they can be added to – oh I don't know – tea for example and when consumed, the calming effect is like nothing else. They can also change the concentration of their Flames to either render people unconscious – knock them out or let them drift off to sleep, like I said, very useful."
"Next we have the yellow coloured Flames, the Sun Flame and the Flame of Activation. Sun users, like their Flames, if you can picture it, are constantly on the move like fireworks or a simmering pot on a stove. Their Flames can lean one of two ways," Minato said, helping himself to another piece of popcorn. "They can channel their Flames into healing, which given their characteristic of 'Activation' accelerates the healing in an individual and encourages the body's cells to mend. Or, they channel their Flames into a more destructive purpose by accelerating the damage they can deal. A single punch from a destructive Sun Flame user can be devastating."
"They can only do one or the other?" Naruko wondered aloud, thinking of all the uses for such a Flame.
"It's rare, but it's possible to find a user that can do both. I can only think of a handful myself, my own Sun Guardian included." Minato said tapping his lips in thought.
"Moving on, the emerald green represents the Lightning Flame and their Flame characteristic is Hardening. They consider themselves as the 'defenders' of the Famiglia and you'll find they are very protective, even more so than the Storm Guardian. They put themselves on the front lines, so to speak. They can imbibe weapons with their Flames that become virtually indestructible, which no doubt reflects their rather stubborn personalities."
"Indigo Flames are Mist Flames; whose trait is Creation. Mist Flame users are honestly, of the ones I've met so far, quite headache inducing." He grumbled. "They are cunning and crafty which suit their Flames in that they create illusions - they can make you see exactly what they want you to see and highly skilled Mist users can even make themselves invisible. Personally, they remind me of cats."
"Cats?" Naruko deadpanned.
"Yes, Cats. Wilfully wandering from place to place, distrusting creatures that they are. They'll let enemies approach, only to trick them into becoming trapped in a cage and then after all that, they play with their food... So yes, I thought cats were quite fitting."
Naruko blinked cutely at her father's antics. 'His mind sure goes to strange places…' She thought.
"The purple stone - this amethyst coloured one here – shows you the colour of Cloud Flames and the Flames of Propagation. The users of these Flames are infamous for their aloof, antisocial personalities. Basically they don't mince their words and they're blunt to the point of injury, not to mention their bloodthirsty dispositions. You will see that they are more reclusive than the other Flame users; drifting like clouds. It wouldn't be far off the mark if I say they are socially inept, but don't go saying that to their faces…or anywhere even remotely within hearing range. I learnt that the hard way." He shuddered rubbing the back of his arms.
Naruko tilted her head this way and that as she took in the Rings in a new light. "What about the orange Flame?" She asked thinking of the warm Flames that surrounded her and saved her life a few weeks back.
Minato smiled. "The Sky Flame is the rarest and most sought after of them all. It is seen as the 'home' to all of the other Flames. Due to the Flame characteristic of Harmonisation, others are drawn to them. You aren't likely to find a Sky on their own, as other elements actively seek to 'harmonise' with them. What I mean by that is a bond is formed between a Sky and another Flame, it could be friendship or respect or even love, where the two Flames intertwine and bolster one another. Other Flame users will never be complete without a Sky to guide them and will feel as if something is missing – not a hollow feeling, it's hard to describe – like… not feeling they belong anywhere. Sky-less Flames users are known as unattached or unbonded elements. It's only after they are bonded, they are called Guardians. With me so far?"
Upon Naruko's nod, he continued. "Sky Flame users bear leadership qualities such as patience, acceptance and the like. They also tend to stand out from the crowd as others are drawn to them like moths to a Flame. Because Sky's are mostly always powerful, you are more likely find Sky Flame users in the mafia, than amongst civilians due to how sought after they are. You, daughter mine, are most definitely a Sky. Every now and then I see a glint, a flash of Orange in your eyes. No doubt your Flames, like mine, work in tandem with your intuition." He smiled.
"These Flames of ours are also known as 'Dying Will Flames'; they are highly condensed energies refined from our life forces – similar to Chakra in that aspect. There are different purities of Flames, which are proved by the clarity and 'aura' of the Flames they give out. The general rule of thumb being; the clearer the Flame, the higher the quality. There are also combination Flames such as a 'Sky-Storm' better known as Flames of Wrath, but that's getting ahead of ourselves for the moment."
"That makes me an unattached Sky, I guess. So then I need 'Guardians'…six of them?" Minato nodded in assent.
"Where do I find Guardians?"
Again Minato smiled. "Simple. You start by making friends."
"Friends?" Naruko repeated blankly.
"Yep! We'll start tomorrow!" Minato said cheerily.
"What do you mean?" Asked the little blonde.
"Secret." He said with a wink and mimed zipping his lips and throwing away the key.
Naruko sighed. Just like that the serious atmosphere was gone and her father had flipped it on its head. She shook her head at her father's silliness already knowing she wouldn't be getting anything else out of him and let slip a jaw popping yawn.
"Time for bed I think, it's getting late and you're going to need all your energy for tomorrow." Minato said tapping her on the nose.
After allowing her father to guide her up the stairs she got herself ready for bed and flopped under the covers as Minato tucked her in. She was fast asleep before her head had even hit the pillow.
That night she snuggled further into her comforter, mumbling in her sleep as she dreamt of impossible things.
Her wings felt powerful as she stretched them wide, watching the dust kick up as she flexed them experimentally.
She flapped them again, but this time with purpose and felt her toes lift off the ground before she set herself down once again.
She felt a strong breeze run through the feathers on her back and curled her toes over the ledge she stood upon.
She teetered for a moment on the edge and then simply…let go.
Closing her eyes, she leant forwards spreading her arms and tucking her wings as she freefell. It was the most exhilarating feeling; her blood pumping, lungs full, the wind rushing past her with her hair and wings flowing behind as she plummeted, faster and faster still. The feeling of freedom allowed her to let go of all her earthly worries. No more rules. No more restraints. Nothing and no one could hold her back.
For this was her Sky.
As the ground quickly approached, her orange tinted gaze snapped open as did her wings, which perfectly caught the flowing wind, stopping her descent instantly.
She hovered there feeling the strength in her feathered extremities before giving a huge flap of her wings and shooting up into the sky at speed. From an outsiders' perspective it may have looked as if she had disappeared in a flash of orange and gold.
She dove in an out of clouds of white, enjoying the cooling water mist her face. She wove herself into the thunderstorms, dodging the forks of lightning with ease. Ascending, her silhouette cast a dark shadow over the clouds beneath her, the sun warm on her back making the wings gleam in the light.
So high was she now that the air was becoming more and more thin. The heat was no longer a comfort as it glared upon her reddening skin.
The clouds turned a menacing deep purple, the storm flashed between red and green, whilst blue rain lashed at her from the side and the suns yellow gaze turned fierce.
Before she knew it, she had flown too high. Too close to the sun above the clouds.
Suddenly she screamed as her beautiful feathers caught fire and burnt away into orange dust. Pain exploded from her back until all that was left of her wings were two withered stubs protruding and bleeding terribly from her shoulder blades.
Before she could even mourn the loss, she was falling. Screaming and clawing at the air around her. Her tears and blood lost, to the jet stream as gravity pulled her to its core. She worked her arms and legs until they protested. She looked down, only to see an ocean of water beneath her.
Terror filled her as the water filled her vision. There was no land in sight.
Her survival instincts kicked in, making her adjust her form into something that wouldn't kill her upon impact. She pinned her arms to her side trying to keep her legs straight and managing to take a lungful of air before she was plunged into the waters embrace.
Deeper and deeper she was being pulled. Bubbles escaping from her nose from the shock of frigid water around her and the stinging of the salt-water on her mutilated wings.
Her lungs were burning as she struggled and kicked her legs furiously, fighting to get the surface.
She kept her eyes on the dwindling light from above, but no matter how hard she struggled she was getting no closer.
More precious bubbles of air escaped, and darkness began entering her vision.
She was slowly suffocating. Drowning.
She was going to die.
Helplessness filled her completely when she realised, despite her best efforts she was steadily sinking.
When she couldn't hold on any longer and exhaustion finally took its toll, she inhaled, coughed and spluttered and –
Naruko gasped sitting bolt upright, sweating and panting, panic still flooding her system. Her eyes frantically darted around the room while her arms felt for the bedding around her in reassurance.
She reached back to grasp at her shoulders feeling for the wings that were never there.
Seeing nothing amiss and also seeing she was still in the safety of her bedroom; she took a deep calming breath. Then another. Then another and suddenly felt abnormally tired from the whole ordeal.
She lay back against her plush pillow and felt sleep pull her under it spell once again. By morning she wouldn't remember the vividness of the dream, nor the dull ache in her back. In fact, it would be many years later that she would recall her reason for waking up in this night.
A she lay in bed once more, peacefully dreaming of rainbows and night skies, whilst a pale white feather on her bedroom floor glowed and turned to nothing.