Hi guys! Thanks for liking and following this story! This time inspiration hit me for an entire day and I managed to come out with this chapter before New Year! Yuhuu, it's good to be back with my family and I hope you all have a nice Christmas holiday in spite of the pandemic!
Now on to the story!
'And everybody knows that you're in trouble
Everybody knows what you've been through
From the bloody cross on top of Calvary
To the beach of Malibu' - Leonard Cohen, Everybody knows
One week later I woke up earlier than usual to train and drop by the Konoha General Hospital to submit my application papers for the trainee program. Even as early as 7 in the morning, the main entrance was bustling with activity and I had to wait twenty minutes in a row till my turn at the front desk came. The nurse there gave me a bewildered look and asked me where my parents were, since she couldn't process my application without the explicit permission of an adult. The pause after that was very awkward for both of us as she read the immigration papers and certificate of citizenship I'd gotten mailed home a few weeks prior. Her face was overcome by a look of pity that set my teeth on edge, and she almost looked regretful when she told me she'd have to turn down the application, regardless of my circumstances, on the basis that I wasn't yet of the age of consent.
"I'm sorry, dear, but unless a guardian signs the consent form, you'll have to wait until you graduate from the academy to apply. Do you have somebody like that ?" she asked. I shook my head no, feeling a seed of disappointment bloom in my chest. Up until that point I'd never thought not having parents would be an obstacle in my life here. Well, lesson learned, nothing that can be done about it, the only relative that's been mentioned to me was this Tsunade person, but I didn't know how to find her.
I left the hospital with the motherly nurse's worried look still pinned on me and I tried to look less like a kicked dog while making my way slowly towards school. But it was hard to hide my dark mood, I had been really excited about it, and both Itachi and Genma had encouraged me to pursue medicine, and I knew somehow that I would be good at it. The prospect of waiting till I graduated seemed like such a waste of time. Would I even have time to study properly once I started going on missions ?
That thought was even more depressing, I thought sagging my shoulders. Can I really not do anything about it ? Maybe I can find a guardian ?
But who in their right mind would take me in and be responsible for a complete stranger from Iron country ?! I didn't know how these things worked here, this village had an administrative system the likes of which you could never find back home. There was a form or a procedure for every single damn thing.
I continued mulling over my options as I took a seat in class, completely ignoring the boys from yesterday I was sitting with, when they both turned to glare at me. Would Itachi count ? He was training me, the Hokage had appointed him for that, but that was ridiculous... he was not even two years older than me, rank or no rank, cool or not, I couldn't ask him to take responsibility for me now, could I ? And he was part of a prestigious clan, that apparently had had beef with the Senjus for generations. Now, the clan was practically extinct, save for me and this older lady, but I didn't think they'd take too kindly to their heir being associated with me like that. I wasn't alright with being associated with him like that. For reasons that I found hard to explain to myself, I wanted to be seen as his equal someday, however silly that may sound. So age, family relations and my own...pride, of sorts, that's three counterarguments.
But I wasn't left with much, the only other people I knew that counted were the rest of the team that had brought me in. But they were already so busy with missions, and already granted me some of their time by training me. It would be selfish to impose like that on them. Tenzo-san and Kakashi-san were doing missions back-to-back and Genma and Namiashi-san had their own private life they were living together. Maybe they'd want kids at some point, most couples wanted to be parents, right ? Who was I to saddle them with me.
At that point, our teacher came in but I continued joggling those ideas for the reminder of the day and the next weeks to come.
I continued training by myself in the mornings before school, I prolonged my jogging distance around Konoha, I practiced with my sword and shuriken for hours and repeated the katas and exercises learned form Itachi religiously every day and meditated with Tenzo's scrolls every evening, I read through all the books Genma gave me. School was going fine even with my minimal attention for it, I had rapidly climbed up to the top of the class, but the achievement did little to solve my problems and I barely interacted with anybody there anyway, so there was no point in thinking too much about it. With enough work, I could take the next placement tests in a few months and jump to the final year, with which I'd hopefully be done with as soon as possible. That was the only plan I had been able to come up with.
Unlike what Shisui had promised me, Itachi came back from his mission a few weeks later instead of days, stone faced and taciturn, and announced he'd been granted a week of leave which he planned to use to bring my taijutsu up to speed and review my progress. He kicked me around the mud a bit more, but taught me a cool spining kick at the same time. He nodded approvingly when I showed him the Academy jutsus and weapon throwing techniques, but commented that my aim was still too slow, so he chased me around the training grounds with shuriken, kunai and senbon to "teach me by showing".
And it worked indeed, I won't deny it, after this boot camp ordeal I could hurl a weapon way faster and with more accuracy since I'd experienced on my own skin how a target was going to 'react'. I even asked him if he thought I could form weapons out of wood or shoot projectiles out of my hands if somebody got the drop on me while I was unarmed. He almost smiled at that, like he was proud of me for thinking it, which strangely made me feel very good about myself.
He seemed more relaxed then, after a few days spent in the village, compared to how he had been right after he came back. I was curious what changed that and what happened on the mission but I didn't know how to ask him. What a chicken I was. But regardless, his improved mood gave me enough nerve to show him the project I'd been working on.
'Can it move independently of you ?' Itachi asked contemplating the wooden construct in front of him, the almost exact shape and height as me.
It was a Wood Clone as Tenzo-san had named them in his scroll. I had formed it by standing with my back pressed to a tree so I could use the already preexisting wood as base material instead of molding it from my body, like Tenzo-san usually did. It had taken over half an hour for the entire process and I had to repeat the hand signs every couple of minutes to maintain my focus, and I was so physically and mentally drained at the end I was gripping the bark of the tree to stand upright. Tenzo-san had described it as feeling your chakra and consciousness flow in the tree and then reroute it in the clone, basically using the tree as a converter of sorts as well.
'The kinetic energy in your chakra along with its revitalizing and restorative properties are turned in the driving force that pushes the plant cells to accelerated division and differentiation. For that purpose, it's better if young hardwood trees are used in the beginning, since the proportion of living, functional sapwood to the nonfunctional heartwood is greater. The user has to distinguish between these two types of tissue and then nurture the vascular structure of the sapwood in the conductive systems of the clone body, such as blood vessels, nerves, the gut and the bone marrow. The reminder of the sapwood can be used to mold soft tissues and the bark and outer layers may serve as a base for bones and muscle.
Once the chakra has been separated in these tree directions and begun cellular differentiation, high concentration and a solid anatomical knowledge framework are required to shape the organs, with the main focus being the scheletomuscular and nervous systems. These are absolutely necessary to the clone's ability to move and its intended fighting or reconnaissance purpose, therefore taking precedence to the completion of other systems.
How this process take place remains largely unknown to me, seeing as it hasn't yet been discovered or documented. How the simple thought of the caster along with his chakra being pushed in an element translates to a fully identical and functioning replica of the user. Most people who create an Elemental Clone, myself included, do not possess the comprehension of the most intricate workings of the human body on a cellular and molecular level, and yet the clones are solid, can walk, run, fight, even speak. They can move away from the caster to defend or recon, but the distance is limited, suggesting that the split part of the consciousness inhabiting the clone is still somehow bonded to the main part in the users body.
The process may be similar to the Nara's Shadow Possession Jutsu, seeing that they must remain in constant contact with the shadows they control to inflict their will on a subject. This begs the question of the consciousness transfer during the Clone Technique being also an Yin Release, which adds a new dimension to how we perceive Elemental techniques as a whole. Further research on the topic is required.'
You had to admire the dedication this guy had put into trying to explain how something so obscure and uncharted worked. I would have to remember to thank him profusely for the scroll next time I saw him.
'Yes, but no more than a few meters. After that it feels like a mass pushes down in my head, right at the front' I replied still catching my breath. It felt like my head was splitting, but I couldn't deny the wonder and satisfaction of looking at the other Juno. The colour was off, kind of greenish-brown, and on closer inspection the skin retained a bark texture. But she...it, was breathing, I could see the chest rising and falling, and could turn around to watch both of us. Is this how mothers feel about their babies ? Damn, what a nice feeling...
Itachi also appeared downright impressed as he made his way towards me and helped me down on the grass, handing me a water bottle, which I drank from greedily. 'I think that will suffice for today. Astonishing work indeed, Juno' he said and my ego swelled to the size of the Hokage Monument at the praise. 'Tenzo-san will also likely want to have a look at it himself when he's back from his mission'. Because even though the two of them, Genma and Kakashi-san were part of an ANBU team, it looked like they could take missions as sub-units as well.
The prospect of showing off to the others gave me another very needed morale boost. What can I say in my defense, all kids like to boast and I had been in a slump since my application got rejected at the hospital. So in a way I was trying to compensate my perceived inadequacy by excelling in something else.
Itachi seemed to notice that my thoughts had taken a sobering path and asked me if everything was alright. How he always knew was a mystery to me. I considered telling him about my dilemma, but out of whatever misplaced sense of pride I had at that time I didn't.
'Just some stuff I need to work through by myself' I answered vaguely. He gave me a slightly frustrated look, but thankfully didn't push.
We remained in companionable silence for the next 15 minutes only making small talk about future training ideas. But then he dropped another question out of the blue.
'Tell me, Juno, have you grown accustomed to Konoha in these last few months ?' he asked looking at me with those Sharingan eyes of his. I almost got lost for a second in them, they were so unexpected and close to my face, the three tomoe spinning slowly around his pupil, like that time in my hospital room. An unspeakable urge to spill everything that bothered me, every worry and silly thing, overcame me.
I stiffened and drew away from him clamping my eyes shut. Damn Uchiha and their eye genjutsu, I grouched in my head drawing air through my nose slowly to calm down. That had been close. I had heard in the village before about their clan's abilities, but to experience them first hand was something else. I opened my eyes to see that he looked chastened next to me, as much as someone as stoic as him could look, having moved a few more centimeters away from me.
'I'd prefer it if you didn't do that again, Itachi-san' I replied, letting some ice slip in my tone. To his credit he nodded and ducked his head, mumbling an apology. Maybe he had done it accidentally, there's no doubt I wouldn't have been able to resist him otherwise.
We sat there awkwardly next to each other without saying anything, while I tried to puzzle what kind of answer he wanted.
'To answer your question,yes, I like it here and your team has been very helpful and accommodating. I'm grateful for that' I said and tried for a smile, which he didn't mirror. If anything the frustrated crease between his brows only deepened.
'I spoke today with your teacher at the mission office. He said you barely talk in class, aside from answering when he asks you a question.' he gave me a meaningful look. 'You should befriend your peers, Juno. I understand needing space for yourself, better than you would think, but segregation always leads to misunderstandings down the road' he added, a pensive look on his face and I got the feeling he wasn't just talking about me.
I stayed quiet, since I didn't know how to respond. It didn't feel like he was scolding me but it wasn't a suggestion either. He seemed like he was speaking from personal experience and it hit me, that a genius like him, who climbed through the Academy and shinobi ranks so quickly, must not have had much time to interact with children his age. That thought saddened me a little and I nodded to show him I would think about it.
He surprised me yet again with his next statement. 'I'm taking my younger brother, Sasuke, to the Autumn Festival next week. Shisui will come as well and the rest of my team might join us. Would you like to come ?' I turned to stare at him. This entire conversation has been very out of character. He never inquired about my life outside of training before. My confusion must have been obvious because me closed his eyes and sighed quietly. How on earth could he covey so many emotions while being as poised as he was ? It had to be a clan thing, because baring my weird classmate and Shisui, all Uchihas I've seen behaved like that.
'I've come to realise I have been remiss with a number of facets of your training' he explained to my puzzled expression.' I have concentrated on the physical aspects and nurturing your natural abilities, but completely ignored the social aspects, hence why your interactions with others are increasingly deficient'. He gave me some time to mull that over.
'Is that so important? Talking to other kids?' Will that really help me finish the academy sooner, I thought in my head.
Itachi observed me strangely, an undefined emotion in his eyes as he gave the training ground a cursory glance, as if to make sure nobody was eavesdropping, the he leaned closer. 'Yes, yes it will, Juno. You see, true strength comes from unity' his words were barely a whisper as if revealing a great secret 'I know me and Kakashi-san or Tenzo-san may prove poor examples of that, and it happened like this partly because of circumstance and also choice, but it is for that reason that I do not wish for you to follow in our footsteps. There will come a time in the future where you will find yourself in a situation to rely on your own team. I would wish that you will be able then to cooperate with them without difficulty' he finished his little speech, not knowing that I would take these words to heart, adding them to the steadily growing list of rules and instructions governing my actions in the future.
That was probably the first time he had revealed anything of a personal nature to me and I was mature enough to understand the significance of the gesture in the veiled apology coming from somebody like him. Even if I wouldn't understand until later how important it was, since he said it was his wish, I decided I would at least try. It obviously meant a great deal to him.
'Alright. I'll come to the festival' I accepted and gave him a tentative smile, which he returned this time with a slight uplift of his lips.
'Very well' he went back to business mode, standing up. 'I will spar with your clone now. Let's see to what degree are you able to control it.'
Hope you enjoyed this chapter! I sure did and I have the next one planned out already, waiting to be written sometime in January ^^ This was a bit more focused on the developing bond between Juno and Itachi, whom I still find incredibly hard to write. Besides that, hope you liked the pseudo-scientific explanation for the Wood Clone (I really tried). Next chapter it's the festival and some very nerve-wrecking meetings for her, including the infamous Uchiha parents.
Till next time~~
