Disclaimer: I do not own Boruto or the Naruto Universe. I only own my OCs.
Ten years later…
"Ahh, Ayumi-chan," the low voice pierced the tense air. Her heart dropped to her stomach. She curled her trembling hands in her lap.
"Y-Yes, Daimyo," she stuttered in reply. Her eyes fixed to the wooden floor.
"Are you ready for your departure?" He asked nonchalantly. Ayumi tensed. She couldn't breathe. She stiffly bobbed her head.
"Yes, sir."
"Great," she could hear the creepy smile stretch across his wrinkled face. "It is a shame that you shall be separated by your family so young. You are lucky that your aunt will be accompanying you… With certain safety measures taken." Ayumi shut her eyes as she quieted a shuddering breath.
The Daimyo continued, shifting his weight on his golden seat. "To leave the Land of Calm so early for your age and not to mention so early in your clan's tutelage. It is a pity. Truly. But you must understand." The hair at the nape of her neck stood up. His cold stare narrowed at her.
"Leaving your family to go to the Hidden Leaf Village is an act of bravery in the Land of Calm. We are counting on you."
The wind howled unusually loud outside. It rattled the windows and sliding doors. The candle that was illuminated for the exalted daimyo flickered. The chill of the room plummeted further.
"And you do know what will happen if you do or say anything… unfavorable. Families must share in the burden you inflict." The underlying message cuts through Ayumi. She raised her eyes in shock to the quiet threat. The old man's eyes shaded over. Dim light casted over the eerie grin. The candles surrounding the daimyo raised higher from the wind that seeped in the room. Orange flames licked her sight, searing her brain.
"Yes, your excellence." Ayumi answered, bowing her head again. Rage clawed its way up her chest. It came in an increasing wave to wash over any sort of fear she had. "I will not fail my family."
The Land of Calm daimyo chuckled darkly. "Great." He waved his hand, gesturing to the guards. "Your cousin will accompany you to the Akamine compound." A lung racking cough echoed through the room. Ayumi lifted her stare to a horrible sight.
Her cousin entered, barely standing in between two guards. His grey-blue amused twinkling eyes had a cut at the corner and the other swollen shut. Half of his normally smirking face was unrecognizable under the blue and green bruises.
"You are dismissed." The daimyo said, calmly, as if he doesn't see the poor boy tortured. With that, the daimyo receded behind his gaudy throne.
"Thank you, your grace," Ayumi said through gritted teeth. The guards threw her cousin to the ground before following after the daimyo and disappearing.
"Kai-oniisama," Ayumi gasped, quickly kneeling beside him.
"Hey Ayumi," he coughed out. Blood spitting from his mouth.
"What did they do to you?" She whispered, allowing her older cousin to lean into her side. They slowly stood up and made their way to the door.
"They made me their warning," Kai spat out. He groaned when they stepped out of the Daimyo grounds. They shuffled to the Akamine compound painfully. It was nearly half an hour away on a dirt path.
Kai wheezed out his tale of two days in prison. They charged him with a false sentence of insubordination. Ayumi hissed at the retales of beatings and water torture he had to endure. "I wished that it was just me they made into a warning… Ayumi, they can't send you-"
She shook her head fervently. Although her heart leapt to her throat, she kept a brave face. For him. They stepped through the threshold with Ayumi barely holding Kaito up. The spiral carved into the Akamine gate swung open.
Ayumi's older cousins spilled out, running to Kai with open arms. Satomi-neesama sobbed openly as she embraced her younger brother, who was holding back his own tears. Riku bore Shou's weight from Ayumi's side. Emiyo-nee brushed the grimey red hair away from his eyes. He cried along with them before tugging a numb Ayumi into their hug.
Shouts can be heard throughout the compound. Waves of Akamine arrived with tear stained faces. Keiji-oji and his wife supported each other as they stared in horror at their son. A stern man walked in between them with his arms crossed over his Land of Calm crest over his uniform. The right hand man of the daimyo, her escort. The Head of Military, Yu Shakugen, watched them with a frown.
Kinchirou-oji watched over Shahugen's shoulder with a grim expression. He did everything he could as their clan head to delay her travel and for that Ayumi was grateful.
"We just got Kai back but we have to lose you," Emiyo muttered quietly. Ayumi let a tear run down her face.
"It's okay," she tried with a watery smile. "All according to plan." The circle tightened. Ayumi didn't know whether it was because this will be her last hug with her cousins for a long time or because they didn't want the Marchwarden to overhear.
"Asami-oba is suited up. She'll look after you," Riku said calmly. His hushed tones scarcely met Ayumi's own ears. His strong, puffy face reassured her. As to be expected from the next Akamine Clan Head. Languidly, Ayumi nodded before breaking away.
"It is time."
oOo
Shikamaru slumped behind Naruto. "This is insane." He murmured under his breath. Naruto chuckled in agreement. The Hokage placed aside his stack of papers to the other side of his desk.
"An exchange student." Shikamaru grumbled. He worked out the kinks of his neck. The all nighter for this arrangement. A child sent as a peace offering from the Land of Calm. Right before the storm, Shikamaru thought.
Intel from the said country suddenly turned Konoha's attention to the south. Their neighboring country abruptly stirred from a period of silence. Whispers of war reached the ears of their spies. For Konohagakue, it wasn't new to hear a state bristle at the sight of the power of the current Hokage but still it would be better if the whispers were just rumors. This exchange student raised Shikamaru's weariness.
Is this exchange student a sign of good ties or the calm right before the storm? The blond jinjuriki seemed to have read his advisor's mind when he heaved a tense sigh. A knock echoed through the room.
"Ah, Nanadaime. It is an honour to finally meet you," Yu Shakugen in the navy blue Land of Calm uniform greeted with a bow. Two figures shuffled in behind him.
Shikamaru narrowed his eyes at the slyly smiling man. He quickly scanned the newcomers. A cloaked woman slightly older than him stood tall beside a small figure. A little girl stood, eyes shifting nervously around the Hokage Office. She looked like the same age of Shikadai. Her covered shoulders hunched. Shikamaru's heart twisted as she lowered herself to a deep bow with the older woman.
"Yu Shakugen-san. It is nice to meet you," Naruto replied shortly but as politely as possible.
"Nara-sama," The military head nodded at Naruto's adviser, who frowned and shortly nodded back.
"I am glad that the Land of Calm and the Land of Fire can show our mutual trust," Yu continued, unfazed by the curtness. A smug grin flashed over the man's features. "Here is a prized miko of the Land of Calm. Hailing from the Akamine clan."
The two stood steadily. The child lowered her cloak. Tendrils of flames leapt from the hood. Shikamaru nearly choked at the sight of their new resident. Naruto bristled.
"Ah yes, Akamine Ayumi," Yu purred, pleased by their surprise. "The youngest miko of the Akamine clan. Known for their fuinjutsu, talisman, and red hair. With her aunt, Akamine Asami." The older woman displayed her scarlet hair slowly.
Naruto and Shikamaru stared wide eyed at the child. Auburn red hair shining from the sunlight streaming into the window. Her amber eyes steeled. They bowed again this time by the waist at the Hokage and his adviser.
"The Akamines are Uzumaki relatives," Yu smugly announced. "Other than you, Hokage-sama, the rest of the Uzumakis have settled in the Land of Calm, where their mothers and daughters became priestesses. They serve our nation." Shikamaru openly glared at the hidden message from the grinning man.
"With that done, I shall take my leave. My orders were to depart immediately," Yu declared, boldly dismissing himself from the audience with the Hokage. He turned with a smirk. "Ayumi-chan, take care. Asami-san, I leave her in your protection."
"A sign of mutual trust," Shikamaru scoffed quietly to Naruto. They stood by the door, watching the girl look out of the window. She too whispered to her companion.
"It's a display of power- sending the youngest member. Another family of Uzumakis..." Shikamaru shook his head. The Nara studied the young girl who held her head high. The noon sun shone upon the city. Her eyes held a watery sheen. Tears remained at bay. She was brave, Shikamaru would give her that.
"Ayumi-chan." Ayumi turned to the Hokage. He smiled at her brightly. His blue eyes sparkled at her. The air and chakra radiating off him was like a summer day. It was bright and warm like the sun. "How was your trip to Konoha?"
"It was alright, Hokage-sama. It is very different from the Land of Calm," Ayumi answered politely. The Land of Calm was stagnant, controlled with an iron fist of the Daimyo. It was like a maze, never knowing what lurked behind every corner. A maze that the Akamines could not escape from the last fifteen years. But in Konoha, it breathed life and movement. Buildings and people flowed and moved around freely.
Naruto cautiously leaned over the table. He glanced over her features. Pale skin, red hair, humming vibrant chakra. Something about the last one caught his interest. "They said that you are an Uzumaki. I don't have a reason to doubt it. Your hair is beautiful," Naruto said with a genuine smile. Ayumi flushed almost as red as her hair. A hand shot up to her head.
Red hair, the Uzumaki trademark. That separated her from others… A curse and a blessing. She didn't know which one it was.
"Thank you, Hokage-sama. Your comment is very kind, Hokage-sama," She answered, a bit flustered. She floundered a bit. She could feel her aunt suppress a smile beside her.
This was not how she imagined the head of the Hidden Leaf Village to be. Ayumi blurted out, "Your eyes are very beautiful… Hokage-sama." She flushed again before looking down to the ground in embarrassment.
Naruto laughed full heartedly, "Thank you, Ayumi-chan." Shikamaru's stance relaxed. He smiled slightly at the little girl who no longer looked like she was about to cry. Her cheeks turned the same color of her miko uniform. An accent escaped from her surprise. Cute, he thought to himself as the girl remained flustered.
"Thank you for your warm welcome, Hokage-sama," Asami cut in easily. She bowed once more. Ayumi shakily followed suit. Naruto waved his hand.
"Since you are here in Konoha, you can just call me, Nanadaime." He directed a smile to the young girl. "While you are here, I hope you will be comfortable. Anyone who is in this village is part of my family." Her amber eyes looked at Naruto with a flash of shock.
"T-Thank you, Hoka- Nanadaime-sama." Ayumi quietly said. Naruto gave her a wide smile which she returned with a small one.
"Nara Shikamaru, here, will assign someone to bring you to your new place." Naruto informed the girl, who nodded. "I have to go now but don't be afraid to approach me, if you see me."
Naruto stood up and went for the door. Shikamaru followed. A jounin appeared at the door silently waiting for the newcomers.
"Thank you very much, Nanadaime-sama, Nara-sama!" Ayumi exclaimed, causing the two to look back at her. She bowed again. Her ponytailed red hair swung down with her.
"Get some rest, Ayumi-chan," Naruto said before exiting the room. A serious air fell upon the two as they strode down the corridor.
"To make a child play an adult game." Naruto shook his head. Shikamaru grunted in agreement.
"But what exactly are they playing at?"