Author's Note: This chapter focuses this story back on Akina. I feel sometimes it focuses too heavily on Itachi, but their stories are intertwined so I feel I can't leave out details of Itachi's timeline. So here we go, a chapter of mostly all Akina. You guys are getting an update today and tomorrow so enjoy!
Citations: Completely Original.
Chapter's Song: "Helena Beat" by Foster The People
Chapter 22
Sip Of Something Poison
Akina's eyes slowly cracked open, seeing the ceiling tiles of Hamaki-sensei's office. "Ugh," She exclaimed as she leaned up from her lying down position on the couch in her Sensei's office. She looked to her right to see her Sensei looking at paperwork the nurse standing there had handed him.
"Yes, thank you. I'll call this patient soon."
The nurse bowed and turned to leave, once gone, Hamaki-sensei looked to Akina.
"That one was rough on you." He sighed. "The Mochizuki make the poisons and you are developing immunity to these poisons."
Akina got up and looked out the window. "It's the afternoon… I was out since this morning, but it's another poison that I'm immune to…" Akina then noticed Itachi and Izumi down on the street in front of the hospital, Izumi smiling as she walked with Itachi. Akina's heart dropped. "I'm so over my head…"
"Well don't sound so defeatist. You are doing a lot all at once. Mithridatism is no joke."
"What time is it anyway?" She asked to look at the clock— Three-o-clock! "I have to get to my apothecary lesson as we speak." She announced speeding out, tripping over her own feet as she picked up her pace.
"Don't overdo it!" Hamaki-sensei ordered and then sighed.
Mochizuki Dojo
"And…" The old woman said steadily as she poured a salt into a vile of water. It disappeared instantly as it hit the water. "You would hide this in your sleeve, you pour quickly when your target is not looking. It will knock them out." She smirked. "Now… Do you make this poison at home or during the mission?"
"A kunoichi should always be prepared." Akanah answered with a nod of her head.
"Yes, but… No! And why is this? Anyone else?"
"Because the enemy could have us searched before getting close to him." Akina emotionlessly answered.
"Very good, Akina!"
Akanah smiled for Akina, even though she was sad and felt inferior. "Even though I'm older than her… She's more fit to lead this clan one day already."
Akina swept the floor of the dojo, everyone else had already gone home. The Mochizuki elder put away her presentation. "Why are you lingering here?"
"I'm just helping," Akina explained blankly, hiding her true intention.
"I know you've already been into the bunker underneath this dojo." The cunning old woman smirked.
Akina remained quiet and bowed her head in apology.
"Don't be sorry, child. You are the Princess after all, act like it!"
"So I have the right?" Akina asked.
"Flytraps are one of the most dangerous summoning, they're a plant, not an animal… But that makes them even more powerful. I know you are entering the Chunin Exams, and I know you want power to protect others, so… I will allow you to do what you want, Akina-hime."
"Aren't you supposed to advise me to do what is best?" Akina asked.
"You're already doing that, so why I am allowing you to decide if the risk of flytraps is worth it." She nodded, and left the dojo.
Akina swept up the dirt and put it outside, then returning the broom and dustpan to the closet before proceeding to a tall wardrobe with swords and other various weapons in it. She lifted up the floor of the wardrobe to reveal stone stairs.
The green-eyed Mochizuki held a candle in her right hand lighting her way. Akina raised the candle up, leading to a hall where she read the inscription once again.
"The Kunoichi is trained differently from the male Shinobi. Kunoichi training teaches them to use their gender as an advantage, using poisons, and Henso Jutsu of disguise and impersonation. Kunoichi would dress up as prostitutes, Geishas, fortunetellers, entertainers, and a like to execute whatever secret mission and can get away with the murder. There is no castle guarded well enough that a Kunoichi cannot enter."
Akina continued to walk down the hall, reading the wall with the light of her candle.
"Mochizuki Chiyome was the one who taught the first members of the clan, after the tragic death of her husband in the war. Taking in, and adopting young orphaned girls to teach the art of the ninja.
Once Chiyome established the clan and expanded it, she and her girls settled in the newly founded Konohagakure with the Senju Clan and Uchiha Clan. Her younger sister and star pupil, Mochizuki Amarante took the leadership of the clan and after that, Chiyome mysteriously vanished…"
Akina sighed, "Amarante was my great-grandmother, she married the Second Hokage… What happened?"
She then continued down the wall to a scroll hanging
"The Flytrap Summoning. Be warned, Black Rose, we will kill you by quickly consuming your massive chakra levels. You will die and we will consume you, and if you take in too much of our nature energy, you will be turned into a flytrap yourself."
She blew out in frustration. "Why only a warning to Black Roses? Are we the only ones with enough chakra to summon them?" Akina looked at the writing on the wall, and then 'Mochizuki Amarante' written on the scroll. "The same hand writing… Was Amarante a Black Rose or did she use flytraps as a weapon? She was able to summon them, she signed the scroll, the last one to sign…"
Akina then stepped in front of the scroll more, bit her thumb to sign her name on the next blank writing spot, she then dabbed blood on each finger with her thumb and placed it in the square to leave her five fingerprints on the scroll in her own blood.
Akina went back up the stairs, and as her head poked out from the wardrobe floor, she seen Benjiro standing in the dojo before her, his arms crossed.
"Ben Nii-san…" She grinned.
"I know you want to be better prepared this time for the Chunin Exams, but don't you think that warning is there for a reason? Did you sign?"
"You've read it… Why has no one ever tried to summon flytraps?"
"Because of the warning, they take a lot of chakra, they siphon off chakra like crazy. That will kill any person with normal chakra levels, but my conclusion is Amarante used flytraps against Chiyome."
"What?"
"Chiyome supposedly was a black rose, she left the village after Amarante started leading the clan."
"Our great-grandmother turned on her elder sister?"
"By using flytraps to siphon off Chiyome's massive chakra levels."
"That makes sense…" Akina nodded.
"You know that the Black Rose Kekkei Genkai is rare. Being rare, and black roses symbolizing death, it scares people. If the clan found out, they would treat you as if you had the plague and my mother would jump at the chance to have you banished from the clan… Just as black roses have been banished before. If that ever happened, we're done for… You are better fit to lead us into the future."
"I've heard this before, Benjiro. You don't have to tiptoe around the matter."
"You see how Iva is dividing from the Uchiha, that prejudice will just keep breaking down relations with the other clans, and could lead to chaos within the village. Our clan has been a mediator between the Uchiha and Senju historically. We've stood in the gap. You will stand in this gap."
Green eyes abruptly closed, cutting her cousin off. "Amarante married a Senju, the Second Hokage…"
"The First and Second Hokage's mother was from the Mochizuki, she married into the Senju, and that's how the First Hokage had Wood Style."
"I seen someone in Anbu who has Wood Style…"
"That's impossible…"
"I seen him, he wasn't much older than you."
"Well, if you meet him again you should invite him to dinner." Benjiro smirked devilishly.
"Just continue your story." Akina sighed.
"Chiyome wanted Amarante to marry Uchiha Izuna for the sake of fairness since a Mochizuki had already previously married into the Senju, but Amarante refused and married the Second Hokage, Senju Tobirama."
"So that's what Chiyome and Amarante fought over?" Akina asked.
"What I've heard…" Benjiro shrugged. "They're dead so we can't ask them their sides to the story. So will you marry Uchiha Itachi or this wood style boy?"
"I don't even know the wood style user! And Itachi… He's…"
"The grandson of Uchiha Izuna. It'd be amazing for Clan relations." Benjiro nodded.
Silence. Akina was lost in her thoughts.
Benjiro dramatically sighed, preparing his words, "Akina… I'm kidding. I just want you to be safe, safe and happy. Crawl before you run, don't get arrogant. If you reveal you have that power during these Chunin Exams, your safety could be in danger."
"I appreciate your concern, but there's no need to worry." She passed him coldly. She stopped for Benjiro to glance back, Akina looking over her shoulder. "Thanks."
Benjiro smiled, he knew her cold exterior had a warm heart underneath the shield of ice. "Anytime… Now get out of here. I'll cover for you at home."
"You've taken on my chores on top of your own and Jonin missions… I'm eternally grateful to you, Nii-san."
"Yeah, you totally owe me. Just go get to training."
She nodded, and took off onto the trail into the woods. Benjiro watched her, and thought back. "A Wood Style user… An experiment of Orochimaru's no doubt. So many secrets in this village."
Akina stood out in an open field, the black rose gave a gulp, swallowing her slight fear and regret, as she'd bite her thumb and spoke out the hand signs, "Boar, Dog, Bird, Monkey, Ram…" She slammed her hand to the ground. "Summoning Jutsu!"
POOF! Three flytraps appeared at Akina's feet once the white smoke cleared, they were about two feet tall. The two flytraps on each side went from the ground to wrap around both of Akina's arms. To then whisper in her ears, "At your service, milady…"
The one on Akina's right arm, with the lighter pink tongue, spoke her name first. "I am Dokueki" POOF!
Once she left in smoke, the flytrap on Akina's left arm, with the dark pink tongue stated her name before leaving, "And I Doku." POOF!
Akina turned her attention to the flytrap that remained at her feet. He had a red tongue, he grinned.
"I am Mochizuki Akina-hime. Who are you?"
"Princess… My pleasure. I am Ibara. Son of Kinsei-sama and brother of Doku and Dokueki."
"Where's this Kinsei then?"
"You'll have to give a little more chakra to summon her. She is Kinsei-sama after all. So will this be all or how can I serve you?" He'd ask as he curled around Akina's ankle, not phasing or scaring Akina as he intended to.
"What's the warning for black roses mean?"
"It means what it means… We were used as a weapon against Chiyome, she was a black rose."
"Was Amarante a black rose, too?"
"No… She was afraid of her elder sisters power after she lost a fight, and she trained with Tobirama-sama, and summoned my mother to defeat Chiyome. Chiyome was cast out after that."
"Is Chiyome still alive?" Akina asked urgently.
"You sense her, don't you? All of them."
Akina hesitated, but she couldn't deny it.
"We will protect you, and serve you. We will not consume you."
"What about the warning?"
"We have to eat chakra to survive… But we will not suck you dry. As for you turning into a flytrap, that's just part of Senjutsu."
"Sage Jutsu?" Akina asked.
"Let's just start with you summoning my mother to become our new master… I'll be looking forward to serving you, Akina-hime." POOF!
"Okay, I can do this…" Akina took a breath, focusing her chakra to her hands, and slamming her hand to the ground, "Summoning Jutsu!"
POOF! Ibara appeared with an annoyed attitude. "Why'd you bring me back?"
"I'm trying, okay?" She glared in annoyance, frustrated with herself.
Akina focused her chakra again, Ibara watching, and she slammed her hand to the ground, "Summoning Jutsu!"
POOF! "Hello!" Both flytrap sisters beamed with glee.
At this point Akina was severely annoyed but it didn't show on her face to the full extent of her frustration.
"You're being too flashy slamming your hand down you lose focus…" Ibara scolded.
"That's how it's supposed to be done." She scolded back.
"You're arrogant," Ibara hissed. "You might be smart and strong, but your chakra control sucks."
"I can use every color of roses." She defended.
"Even your black roses?"
"…Yes." She hesitated, remembering Hisoka's death.
"You used them, but you were out of control, weren't you?"
Silence. She saddened.
"Black Roses are to be controlled to create a dome of darkness around the enemy, and then they cut the enemy to pieces. No one can escape that technique."
"Mine never created a dome, but they did cut Hisoka-senpai to pieces." Akina sadly confirmed.
"Because you're out of control." He insisted.
"So how do I control it?"
"Focus. Still your heart… Your heart is too wild, you're always doing, training, and accomplishing. Just be still for a moment. Think of nothing."
Akina took a breath, closing her eyes.
"Inhale… Exhale… Inhale… Exhale… Feel your chakra… Direct it to your hands."
She obeyed the flytraps voice. He waited, feeling her chakra in his roots.
"Hand signs!"
Akina repeated the hand signs and opened her eyes to announce, "Summoning Jutsu!"
Smoke once again filled the summer air, and once it cleared, Akina opened her eyes to see herself standing atop the head of a gigantic flytrap.
"Whoa…" Akina said unenthusiastically, getting down on her hands and knees to peer over to see the small flytraps about eighty feet below. They appeared to be dots.
"Hello. I am Mochizuki Akina-hime. Are you Kinsei-sama?" She tried to keep a dignified demeanor despite being a little scared.
The huge flytrap held an equivalently huge pipe in the side of her mouth, as the other side of her lip curled up to let out the smoke. Akina coughed when the smoke came up into her face for the flytrap to speak. "That's my name, don't wear it out."
Akina rubbed her eyes and face from the smoke, letting out a light cough, before she bowed her head in respect. "Well, it's an honor to meet you."
Kinsei grinned happily, letting a small stream of smoke out again. "Pleasure's mine, but might I ask one little question?"
"What?" Akina suspiciously asked blankly. She expected things were going good, but she built her guard back up.
"WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?! SUMMONING ME FOR NO PURPOSE!"
The kunoichi stood quickly to send chakra to her feet, so she'd stay atop Kinsei when she trembled with her loud voice. "What the—" Akina caught her balance once Kinsei waited quietly for an answer. "But there is a purpose, milady. Not a very necessary one, but—"
"If it's not necessary. I'm not necessary…So I shouldn't be here." She growled low.
"I promise you, I won't summon you again unless it's necessary." Akina said sternly and sincerely, only hearing Kinsei growling though. "I just wanted to meet you."
"It's a little late, but while I'm here I should really put my so-called new master to the test… Let's get it over with."
Akina pondered, eyes peering cynically. "Test?" To have Kinsei jerk her head up, sending Akina flying into the air above. "Waaahhh…" Akina did hand signs midair, dispersing into Indigo petals.
Kinsei then chuckled, sucking in on her pipe. "Listen, you twig... I'm not gonna go easy on you."
Akina chuckled as well, mocking Kinsei, as petals reformed Akina's body on Kinsei's head. "What's the point of this test again?"
"To see if you're fit to be my master. If you can control me then I'll accept you as such, but if not, then…"
"Then what?" Akina snapped, showing no fear for what might come.
"I'll just crush you… What blood type are you?" Kinsei hissed and mewed again.
"That's my business! Rose Style: Binding Vines." Rose vines shot from the ground, binding Kinsei down to it, wrapping thick stems around Kinsei's ground bound stock.
Akina leaped down, watching Kinsei struggle, until she did indeed break the vines. Akina grabbed a knife waiting for Kinsei to come at her— But she just buried into the ground.
Shisui and Benjiro watched Akina from a far off hill, watching over the open field Akina fought in. Shisui asked, "Shouldn't we help her?"
Benjiro shook his head. "This is her fight. Even if we did help… Akina couldn't win that way. Secondly, if we offered help, do you think Akina would take it?"
"No, I guess not." He'd answer with a sigh.
Akina waited for Kinsei to reappear, wondering when or where she'd come back to the surface. "She must be deep in the ground… I can't feel her—" Then in one short second that changed— Kinsei shot out of the ground, right below Akina's feet, to swallow the girl whole!
Kinsei gave a chuckle, her mouth clasped closed to then start mumbling, "You really are an impossible one." Sucking in more spoke into her mouth, causing Akina to hack as she held onto the top of the pipe that sat in Kinsei's mouth.
"Hack… Ugh…" Akina placed her hand over her mouth and nose. "Note to self: Never kiss a guy who smokes… it'll be like kissing an ashtray." Akina then took out another knife to cut her fingers, letting the blood drip on Kinsei's tongue.
"Yum… O Type." Kinsei mewed happily, assuming Akina was hurt and dying. Akina then crawled towards the pipe sticking into Kinsei's mouth. Now that Kinsei was enjoying the taste of her blood instead of sucking in the tobacco. Once she got to the end of the inside of the pipe, she casted a hand sign. "Rose style: Petal Paper Bombs!"
Paper bombs that looked like petals flew into the pipe! BOOM! The whole end of the pipe busted into pieces, having Kinsei complain in sorrow, "My pipe!"
Akina then appeared atop Kinsei's head, covered in soot from head to toe, smirking nonetheless though. "Sorry, but I'm not done yet." POOF! Akina appeared and disappeared numerous times, placing bloody knives all around different places of the area. All while Kinsei was going crazy.
"Oh great… I smell her in various directions. Her delicious blood… Which way?" Kinsei then realized she was outsmarted. "Hmph… To think she would— Okay! I surrender!"
The emerald-eyed Mochizuki reformed in petals on Kinsei's head. Crossing her arms and asking, "Good. So do you call me master now?"
"Hah, don't push it, princess. I'm only surrendering because I need to shop for a new pipe. But I do acknowledge you as a great kunoichi and it will be a pleasure working with you. Put today aside and start fresh?"
Akina tilted her head up with a distrustful aura. "Well, let's see… You tried to eat me and you ruined about ninety-nine percent of my lung capacity…"
"You ruined my pipe." Kinsei smirked.
Akina shrugged. "I look forward to being allies."
Kinsei chuckled at Akina's personality. "Make sure it's necessary." POOF!
Akina blew away in petals as the smoke from Kinsei's leaving appeared— To then reform in front of Shisui and Benjiro.
"Awesome!" Shisui crossed his arms.
"You need new clothes…" Benjiro sighed.
"She goes into the Forrest of Death tomorrow. She can get new clothes for the Final Exam at the arena."
"You think I'll make it to the Final Exam, Shisui-san?" Akina smiled, out of breath.
"Without doubt." He nodded.
"Then let's get gyoza at Ichiraku. My treat." Benjiro smiled.
"But I'm supposed to make dinner at home tonight…" Akina fearfully informed.
"I already told mom to eat dirt." Benjiro scoffed, showing his bruised arm and skidded elbow. "She threw me and my stuff out of the house."
"I'm sorry." Akina's brows furrowed.
"You're bunking with me tonight then," Shisui shook his head.
"Akina, too?" Benjiro asked.
"Sure, and tomorrow, the Chunin Exams!" Shisui smiled.
