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Artwork: jessejzette - The 7 Generations of Hokage - Find jessejzette on deviant art.
A NEW WORLD – CONNECTING TO ANOTHER
Lara's Camp
Most captains and colonels are doing nothing today. They are sat back, relaxing, being as calm as can be. This is an order that came from Elliot himself, recognising that it is important to defuse tensions from yesterday. Lara is their commander, her word goes above all, but in situations like this it is best to listen to Elliot's advice. His tactical brilliance may not quite match up to Lara's, but his calm diplomatic decision-making is superior in peaceful situations.
Spirits are reasonably high among the majority. Though they tried to kill the traitors, and failed, they did not actually lose any of their own warriors. A few of them were injured, chiefly a foolish colonel who insisted on attacking Naruto. That had proven a foolish mistake.
The three chief generals working under Lara, Elliot, Brooks and Blackburn reunite outside her tent. Lara hasn't been seen or heard from since the decision to end the civil war and each of them is worried about her. Brooks did initially criticise Blackburn for his lack of support during the conflict, but Elliot soon made her forget about the issue. The three of them need only concentrate on supporting her and moving forward after this incident. That is easier said than done.
"She still hasn't come out of her tent, Elliot?" Brooks asks.
Elliot shakes his head. "I've never seen her so emotional as she has been lately. She's always been erratic but never this emotional. Something has been changing in her".
"Then should we be saying something to her?" questions the enormous Blackburn, "Should we be offering her some words of encouragement?".
"I doubt Brooks is the best person to offer encouragement and I cannot think of any words that would reach her. Quite frankly you are the only one amongst us who could, but I fear that she would resent anything you say as the words of a traitor".
"I just did what I thought gave us the best chance of success" Blackburn argues. "I did what I thought was right. Isn't that the entire point of fighting Furst"?
Elliot looks away from Blackburn. Is that the point of battling Furst? For Naruto and Sarada, they are battling Furst for their own freedom. For Clyde, he is battling Furst so that he can save his own world from tyranny. Lara is different though, she is battling Furst so that she can get over the pain of her defeat to Clyde. Is that then their reason for fighting? Are they fighting for freedom? Or are they fighting for Lara?
"It's no use worrying about the past" Elliot admits. "I'm certain that Lara will get through this, with or without us. She always has, and she always will".
With his piece said, Elliot simply watches with curiosity as Mirai walks past him. The military leader of the Hidden Leaf, Mirai is the counterpart of Lara in many respects. Seeing her head into the tent, Elliot wonders if he should stop her but soon decides against it. If he cannot think of the words, then perhaps Mirai will be able to do so. It surely wouldn't do any harm to let her try, would it?
Inside Lara's Tent
As the canvas folds back, it makes a soft but abrasive noise. The sound of canvas on canvas signals to Lara that somebody has entered the room and she raises her head in curiosity. Likely none of her own subordinates would dare to enter her personal living quarters without her having told them to, a theory that proves correct. The woman who does enter is around average height, if not slightly taller, with a distinctive engraved head-protector wrapped around her head. A shinobi.
Lara gets up from her chair and walks towards the new entrant to the room. Approaching her, she watches Mirai's facial expressions, searching for any sign of fear. Nothing, no fear, either the woman doesn't know what's good for her, or she's strong. Lara gives her a brief inspection, judging that this confidence likely comes from being hardened in battle. Then another observation helps her to remember everything, a tiny bit of ash on the side of Mirai's neck. Accompanying it a bruise, not fresh but hardly aged. It was obtained in the battle yesterday.
"You're the one who fought Elliot" Lara notes, "The one who fought Sarada yesterday. That's you, isn't it?".
"Yeah, that's me" Mirai responds.
Mirai doesn't know what to make of Lara's uncertainty. Does she not bother to remember the many significant faces that take part in each of these battles? It wasn't too long ago that, as Lara says, Mirai defeated her second-in-command. Beyond that, Mirai defeated Sarada yesterday, though that victory was tainted by circumstances. She knew Lara was strong and arrogant, but aloof was something she didn't expect.
"What do you want?" Lara asks, turning around and walking back to her chair. "I doubt you have come for a social visit".
"You know, some of us might come for social visits if you tried a bit harder to work with us" Mirai says.
The military leader of the Hidden Leaf has so many questions about her counterpart from this world. Beyond her own self-pity, she knows that Lara's job has likely been even harder than hers. Thanks for Lara's attitude, a spitefulness she has sourced for a reason unknown, Lara has been virtually alone for hundreds of years. Solitude and slaughter hardly build character, yet Lara's character is so inconsistent with what Mirai first thought. Gradually, as her emotions have shown more and more, her motivations have made less sense to Mirai. She watches for a reaction to this point but sees nothing, it seems that Lara isn't interested in any sort of social visits, or at least isn't willing to show it.
"I have a question" Mirai continues, "I watched you during the fight with Carmen. Watching that fight everyone else concluded that you were a hinderance but not me, so I have something to ask you. Why did you hold back?".
"Hold back?" Lara snorts. "Are you stupid. Do you think that I would hold back against my former teacher, a member of the aristocracy and hope to win?".
"I don't know what you were hoping for, but I've seen you fight a few different people now. There is only one person I have ever seen you truly give your all against". The Sarutobi clanswomen's observation is correct, exactly what Lara had hoped to avoid. "That person is Clyde, both yesterday and when you attacked us the first time".
Lara only ever gives her all against Clyde?
"And what do you know of the limits of my strength" Lara asks, jumping back out of her chair and yelling into Mirai's face. "How are you so well equipped to judge how powerful I am? Yesterday you were completely consumed with Sarada, before that you were consumed with Elliot. You are always more emotional in your fights than I am".
"I didn't accuse you of being emotional" Mirai points out.
"Just shut up!".
Lara circles the room, seething at the accusation being levelled against her. What makes her truly angry is not the accusation coming from Mirai, it's the ones coming from within her own head. All this talk of emotions, of holding back, it's all too complicated. She is the leader of the military, she should be spoken to about war and battles, not about emotions and feelings.
"Every time you and Clyde clash, I felt it. It was a tremendous power emanating from the point of contact, truly remarkable" Mirai says, doing her best to emphasis her praise with her tone. "Perhaps your previous outburst revealed something about your true nature. Perhaps you are afraid of being emotional when you fight. And perhaps you are only emotional when you fight Clyde".
"I said shut up!".
Mirai doesn't dare to speak any further. She watches as Lara's anger continues to spiral, as the lead general of the army ducks to the floor and scratches at her own bald head. A rage builds within her as her own thoughts attack her like little insects in her head. Each insect attacks her mind, enhanced and made worse by all these idiots like Mirai, Clyde and Naruto.
"I don't know!" Lara admits. "How am I supposed to know? Is there some deeper meaning about me fighting him? Is there something more going through my head?".
"Of course, there is, you already know that, you just need to admit why?".
"Because he's the only person I've ever had any emotional connection with" Lara snaps. "All you other people, you all have such complicated thoughts and desires. You all think such strange weird things and I can't stand it. But with Clyde, I've seen his life, I understand why he wants the things he does, I understand why he is fighting. He is the only person I understand, that's why I can fight him without… without…".
"Without doubting yourself?".
Lara stops, her temper finally calming with her own revelation. Almost everyone in the military considers their own past. Everyone has forgotten where they came from, but they wonder about it, what sort of people they were, what were their family like. Lara has never looked into her past, she has never wanted to know why she has become this way. Going all out is something she has never needed to do except against Clyde, so it has never held her back before. Now it is finally holding her back, all because she doesn't understand people. Perhaps she has always had that problem, perhaps it is the influence of her past that has stopped her from going all out against those she cannot empathise with.
"What do you want?" Lara asks.
"You need to learn to make an emotional connection with other people. That is the only way you can get stronger" Mirai declares. "I know you probably won't listen to me, but I think the reason Clyde can do that better than you is because he leads from the front rather than commanding from the rear".
"Leads from the front? It can be a weakness to lead from the front, a poor tactical choice that reduces your chances of victory".
"It can be" Mirai admits. "But he also does that because all of those eyes behind him, fixed on his back, they inspire him. He knows that each and every one of them depend on him. If nothing else, he can connect with them all through that. More than you can at least".
"Are you saying that doing that makes Clyde better than me?".
"Yes, I am".
"You…".
"Clyde isn't perfect, but he does what he does because he wants to understand the hearts of those around him" Mirai explains. "You should try doing it yourself, then you may be able to connect with someone other than him for once".
Outside Lara's Tent
Mirai exits the tent and immediately takes a deep breath of the fresh air. It's hard to describe, but the air around Lara feels slightly different. It's the same sensation Mirai feels with a whole group of highly charismatic and influential individuals. It's what she feels with Sarada and Boruto. It's how she felt around Lord 7th and Sasuke. It's how she feels around Clyde. Perhaps the true sense that inspires foresight can detect the traces of fate and destiny. Perhaps it is the destiny of these individuals that makes Mirai feel this way.
"Sarutobi Mirai, may I have a word" Elliot asks.
Mirai has never completely forgiven Elliot for the things he did when he first came to the pocket world. She has never forgiven him for the murder of Kato Dan, for the intimidation of the children or for the assault on the Hidden Leaf Village. She reluctantly approaches him, willing to give him a few words.
"What do you want?" she asks.
"You spoke with Lara, what did she say, is she alright?".
Mirai shakes her head. "I told her that she should try to connect with you emotionally. I told her that she may be able to communicate with the rest of us better if she did that. I doubt she took my advice though".
As Mirai walks away, Elliot gently whispers just two words. "Thank you".
Mirai pauses, wondering if she heard him correctly. She nods her head slightly, acknowledging the gratitude before continuing away. Speaking with these vile people is not her responsibility and she has already done more than enough.
Clyde's Camp
Sarada takes her glasses off and cleans them with her sleeve. While others have stopped working and begun to relax, she has continued. It has been relentless, but she is at least grateful for what Naruto gave her previously. Her first comfortable sleep in weeks, all because was broken and beaten by her own friend. 'Life' is a comforting element, one that can bring that sleep to anyone.
"OK" Sarada says in response to one of Clyde's many captains. "If you could ask them if they are still willing to cooperate with us, I would be grateful".
"Of course ma'am".
"On a more general basis, how is morale, captain? Are you still willing to work with us?".
"There are some who are resentful of the rebel's actions" the captain admits, "But most of them just want to forget about it and move on".
"I see, thank you for help".
With his orders in place, the captain returns to his group to carry them out.
Sarada takes a moment to be grateful for Clyde and his subordinates. For years the two groups were at war. Clyde's group sustained very few casualties, but they were hated by the pocket worlders. That hatred led to violence, an extreme violence that should never be seen on any battlefield. The transition to this new working relationship has been helped enormously by Clyde's subordinates though. Each of them has worked hard to forgive any past transgressions. If they had not done this, perhaps yesterday could not have been so successful.
A pair of feet hit the floor next to Sarada as Lara teleports to her side, presumably straight from the latter's quarters.
"Hey, I want a word with you".
Sarada sighs at Lara's blunt demeanour. "If we must speak then we can. I won't forget about yesterday though, you wanted to kill many people I consider to be my friends".
"I want to know something" Lara begins, ignoring Sarada's complaint. "It's about the way people look at you all. They all look at you Hokage with admiration but with Uzumaki Naruto, something is different. Why do people look at him that way, even you do it?".
Lara noticed a long time ago that people looked at Naruto in a certain way, like he was divine rather than human. Initially she dismissed her suspicions, she had only ever encountered him at the 'right time'. He had been a hero, saving people from certain death at the last moment, that was probably why they looked at him that way. It was all biology and chemistry back then, at least in her mind. Yet as she saw Naruto beaten by Hashirama for the second time, the looks didn't disappear. He had an invulnerable mystique, one that she couldn't understand.
"Why do we look at him that way?" Sarada repeats the question. "I guess we don't even realise we're doing it. We look at him the way we do because he is a hero".
"But you must have tales told of your heroism" Lara says. "So must the others, Boruto and Hashirama, are you all not heroes too".
"Sure we are. All the Hokage have stories about when we've been heroes, but we've all had obstacles we couldn't overcome before" Sarada explains. "The greatest obstacle was once described as the cycle of hatred, you can think of it as eternally escalating retribution. We've all tried to take revenge before, even myself and Boruto, that's because the alternative is so incredibly difficult".
"And what is the alternative to revenge?".
"To just forgive al the sins against you and accept the remaining hatred onto yourself. You take all that hatred and you destroy it".
"I don't get what you mean at all".
Sarada understands Lara's problem with this concept. This world is very different from the pocket world. In the pocket world, while difficult, the weak could rise up and destroy the strong. People could attack each other in underhanded ways. It was a dark world where conflict was often hidden in the shadows. In this world, everything is defined by your strength. There has never been an escalating retribution against Furst Jonas, because he is too strong. There has never been an escalating retribution against Clyde or Lara, because they are too strong. The worlds are different yet in many ways are similar.
"Our village has two great clans, mine, the Uchiha and Lord Hashirama's, the Senju. They have warred for longer than we can remember" Sarada explains. "My ancestor and Lord 1st found the Hidden Leaf together, but my ancestor couldn't let years of animosity and hatred go, so the two of them fought. Lord 1st defeated my ancestor, forcing him front the village was his only option".
"Are you saying that was wrong?".
"No, it's what anyone would do. Except Naruto changed everything. He battled my father under similar hate-fuelled circumstances. But through persistence and years of hard work alone, he managed to change the outcome. He brought my father back to the village and our two clans haven't fought since".
"So he broke the Cycle?" Lara concludes.
"The cycle keeps getting reborn. Evil people will always give birth to it again" Sarada admits. "But Naruto showed us that there is always another choice. He proved that the cycle could be beaten".
"But why do people look at him that way? Surely they cannot admire him so much because of that alone?".
"They really do. He truly never gives up and we all admire him for it" Sarada explains. "I am to surpass him as the Hokage, but I always want him to be around, because his presence alone is so comforting. Knowing that he is such a constant, such a consistent force makes him relax to be around, at least for me".
Sarada receives no reply from Lara.
"Don't you have anyone like that?" she asks.
Lara ponders, her mind instantly moving to Clyde. 'Idiot, he's nothing like that'.
"Lara?".
"I didn't think I had anyone like that" she answers. "But who knows anymore".
Lara decides to walk back to her tent rather than teleporting. She ignores the many looks of terror she receives. Equally, she ignores each and every call or salute that comes her way. Her mind is entirely fixed on what she has learnt today. She needs to connect with someone. She needs to understand the emotions of others. Everyone looks at Clyde the way they do because they trust him. Everyone looks at Naruto that way because he is a constant in their lives. Does she even have such a thing in her life?
As she walks into her portion of the camp, she continues to contemplate these questions.
'Do I really find Clyde comforting to be around? Is he the constant in my life?'.
'Is that why I connect with Clyde? Is that why I understand his emotions? Is that why he is the only one I can fight against with my full power?'.
'Am I really even thinking about this? Don't I want Clyde out of my life, don't I want to prove that I am better than him?'.
'Or am I like her? Do I only want to surpass him because I admire him so much?'.
Lara arrives back at her tent, pulls back the canvas that forms her door, and enters.
She is stunned by what she sees.
To her right, perched atop a small table next to her bed, a small creature with feathers and little tiny legs.
'An owl?'.
To her left, someone is going through her draws. A girl with shining white hair, with brilliant purple eyes. Dressed casually in a faint-green hoody and with worn black trousers. The young woman turns around to look at Lara, a small drop of blood dribbling down from the corner of her mouth.
'This woman is strong… too strong' the owl realises.
The owl flies over to the young woman, gripping her by the head and then turns and flies at the tent. Using his sharp beak, he tears through the canvas and flees the camp with his associate in tow. That young woman looks at Lara in surprise as the two of them are separated by the majestic bird, wondering just who this woman is that she is escaping from.
Lara pauses for a moment. 'She was stealing my stuff… I've never known anyone else drink that blood before…'.
Lara makes the decision to go after her. Activating her 'golden light' cloak, Lara begins to chase after the owl and the girl on foot. On a day where nothing else has felt normal, it feels good to be doing something she is talented at once again.
"She's coming after us" the young woman yells.
"You are not powerless mademoiselle, fend her off" the owl replies in a male, strongly accented voice.
The young woman slowly condenses a ball of 'light' divine energy and throws it at Lara.
Lara blocks the ball of energy with her forearm and is surprised once again by the sensation she experiences when it contacts her. She was initially taken by the coincidence that both of them were 'light' users but is much more surprised by the power of the attack.
'It's weak' Lara realises.
The young woman continues to attack. Time and again she throws ball of 'light' after ball of 'light with Lara. Each attack is more frantic than the last as Lara dodges them effortlessly. It was instantly apparent to Lara that she was the stronger of the two, and more slowly, it is becoming apparent to the young woman as well. Her panic escalates even further when she realises that Lara is beginning to charge an attack of 'golden light', something which she cannot do.
"It's not working, fly faster".
"I'm flying as fast as I can mademoiselle" the owl replies, "Stop distracting me".
The young woman desperately creates a spear of 'light' in her hand.
'Is this really all the power she has?' Lara wonders, 'How did she find our camp?'.
The young woman casts the spear towards Lara, but the lead general easily sidesteps it.
'Anyway, I have to kill her' Lara concludes, 'It all ends here for her'.
Lara finishes charging her 'golden light' attack and then reveals her trump card in the fight. She teleports up into the air, positioning herself just a few meters behind the girl and the owl. She smiles, it is a glorious feeling for her, to be in the hunt once again. Right now, she doesn't have to worry about any feelings, any diplomacy, about Naruto, about Clyde. She only needs to focus on the here and now, she only needs to focus on the kill.
Then the young woman's eyes meet Lara's.
Lara sees the tear in young woman's eye.
Lara does something she never thought she would. She allows the attack to dissipate in her hand. She lands gently on the ground and stops chasing after the girl and owl.
Lara lets the two of them escape.
'That look… she was so desperate...'.
'Why though… why did I let her go…'.