*This is CANON to Natsumi's backstory and continues where the flashback in the chapter Sister, Crybaby leaves off*
Natsumi cried behind the stack of empty crates behind the restaurant, sinking into the ground as she drew her knees closer to her.
Weak... Useless... Crybaby...
She sobbed harder, burying her face in her legs to muffle her cries.
All I ever do is get scared and cry... and then Naruto steps in and always gets hurt...
"I don't want to be weak anymore..." She bit her lip and rubbed her nose on her sleeve. But... how do I get strong? Aren't people just born that way?
Natsumi's eyes burst open and she squeaked in surprise as something brushed against her leg.
W-What's that?!
A silvery snake sat coiled at her feet and she squeaked again and moved back from it. "S-S-Snake!"
Its tongued flicked out and it maintained perfect eye contact as it remained still.
It's... not moving. Natsumi gulped and shifted to sit cross-legged. It's not a normal snake.
"Um..." Natsumi wiped her face with her sleeve and looked down at the creature. "I-I'm not really a fan of scaly animals... So... Is there... something that you want, Mr. Snake?"
The snake nodded its head up and down slowly and Natsumi's eyes widened slightly.
It understands me! She blinked and watched as it shifted and its silver coils shimmered and resembled smoke until it was still again and began solid once more. Her eyes widened further and gently reached out to poke one of its coils and quickly drew her hand back. It's definitely make of smoke... but it feels just like a real snake, too.
She gulped again and let out a breath. "Um... so, what do you want, Mr. Snake?"
It lifted off the ground until it met her eyes and it's flicking tongue touched one of the tears on her cheek before it settled on the ground again.
"Are you maybe wanting me to cheer up?"
The serpent nodded again.
This is so weird...
It lifted its tail and began to write in the dirt and met her eyes once more.
"Strength?" Natsumi read the Kanji and looked at the creature carefully. How did it know? She nodded after a moment. "That's right... I do want to be stronger."
Its tail wiped away the symbol to write again and Natsumi read the words out loud as it finished. "Willing? Prepared? Sacrifice?"
Prepared for what?
She bit her lip. "Do you mean, am I willing to do what I have to in order to be strong?"
The snake nodded a third time and she thought for a moment. I'm not sure exactly what that's supposed to mean. It sounds almost dangerous. But... She looked down at her hands. I just can't do nothing anymore. I can't let Naruto be the only brave one anymore, and I can't let him get hurt anymore because of me.
Finally, she nodded at the snake.
"Yes. If it will make me strong, and strong enough to protect Naruto from now on... then I'll do anything."
The snake wiped the writing away and beckoned to follow with its tail. It uncoiled itself and slithered down the alley and Natsumi blinked quickly.
"Follow?" She scrambled to her feet and followed it. "W-Wait! Not so fast!"
She chased after the serpentine form as it left the shade of the alley and became nearly translucent in the sunlit streets. Its faint, wispy form slithered quickly and she rushed through the crowds until the road narrowed and winded toward an old building on a small hill. The snake stopped momentarily to look back at Natsumi, who panted and bent to rest her hands on her knees.
"W-Wait! You're too... fast."
The snake turned and rushed up toward the building and vanished through the door. Her eyes widened and she hurriedly tried to catch up.
"Wait!" She placed her hand on the door, catching her breath before she slowly cracked the door open. "H-Hello?"
The interior of the building was well-lit, but tendrils of smoke drifted around and dimmed the lighting. Countless bookshelves and filing cabinets filled the large area while artifacts and paintings were displayed on the walls.
A soft chuckle came from the corner of the room.
"My my... I wasn't expecting company today."
Natsumi turned and saw an old woman sitting behind a desk. A long, ornate pipe was held up to her lips and she exhaled deeply. The smoke took the form of another silvery serpent, swirled around her, and then dispersed.
She wore a heavy, formal kimono and heavy makeup, with her dark haired styled in a traditional updo. The corners of her lips lifted in a smirk and she brought the pipe to her lips again.
"It's a pleasure to meet you in person, Natsumi Uzumaki."
Natsumi froze and a chill ran down her spine. She knows my name?!
A sleeping, coiled silver snake slept on the corner of her desk and the woman let out a slow breath, forming a series of smoke rings, followed by the form of a snake that slithered through the circles and dissipated into the air.
"Please, do come closer. I'm quite intrigued by you, after all. I think we have much to discuss."
Natsumi took a few steps closer to the woman and looked her over. "That snake... was yours?"
"Of course." She puffed on the pipe and smiled slightly. "My snakes diligently watch over the happenings in the village. I'm not able to walk much anymore, if at all, so they see the world for me."
Natsumi glanced down to where the woman's lower body was hidden behind the desk. "You're paralyzed?"
The woman chuckled. "Not exactly. I'm just much older than I'd care to admit, still holding onto life despite how my body is failing."
Natsumi stopped in front of the desk and the woman pointed her pipe at a chair that sat neatly against the wall. Out of the pipe emerged a wispy serpent that gripped the chair and pulled it closer, setting it behind Natsumi. She sat after a moment and the smoke vanished.
"That's an interesting ability you have." Natsumi shifted until she sat comfortably. "I've never seen anyone who could create things out of smoke before."
The woman chuckled. "Why yes, yes it is. Unfortunately, I believe I may be the last person left with this power. It's unfortunate, really, but all things must come to an end eventually." Her dark eyes rested on the girl before her. "Although I do enjoy talking about myself, I am more interested in you at the moment."
Me? But... why?
"Before we begin, I should introduce myself." The woman's lips curved in a faint smirk. "I am Oto; beauty of the Leaf, the fang in the night, former ANBU investigator, and quite possibly the last of the snake worshipers."
Wow... she sounds almost like royalty.
"I've never heard of Snake Worshipers before, Oto-sama."
"Oh, we were a large clan, quite a long time ago." Oto drew in a large breath on her pipe. "We liked to keep to ourselves, though, preferring to live amongst the Great Serpents of Ryūchi Cave. As a result, there were not many outsiders familiar with us."
"Ryūchi... Cave?" Natsumi paused. "I've never heard of that place."
Oto shook her head slowly. "That's to be expected, growing up in this village. It's considered dangerous and taboo."
"There were once over a thousand of us." Oto continued. "All loyal and devoted to the Serpents. We protected them, cleaned them, prayed to them... and, those of us who were chosen, gladly were sacrificed to them. To be one with the flesh of one of the Great Serpents was the highest honor."
Natsumi stiffened and shuddered slightly. A... snake cult? Performing human sacrifices?
"An even greater honor was granted to a few of us with the most Chakra and the purest devotion."
Please don't say something about human sacrifice. Natsumi pressed her lips together and remained quiet.
"To become a snake ourselves..." Oto closed her eyes and took in a breath as she smiled faintly. "That was what we all strived for— To be selected by the Great White Snake. However, very few of us ever were chosen, and even fewer survived the trial." After a pause, she opened her eyes. "Although, she did chose others for another great honor— to become Hebihime— one of the Snake Princesses."
"What does that mean?" Natsumi asked quietly.
"Hebihime..." Oto puffed and another silvery snake slithered through the air for a moment. "Those of us who survived the Divine Bite, but walked between the realm of the living and the realm of the dead... We were trained in many things. Art, culture, music, poetry, dance, seduction..." Her eyes darkened and she smirked faintly. "...and assassination."
Natsumi's eyes widened. "A-Assassination?"
"Oh, yes." Oto nodded. "Anyone whom the Great Serpents held a grudge against or they considered a threat... we were sent out, disguised as entertainers and courtesans, to infiltrate their castles and villages, and lay waste to those sentenced to Divine Punishment."
Natsumi swallowed. Just as I thought... there was something more to her mystery than just being a quirky old woman... but... a cultist and an assassin?
"Once we had served the Great White Serpent for many years, we could become eligible to go through another trial... and the reward was either to become one with her flesh, or to be granted long life and become serpents ourselves." Oto rested her hand on her cheek and blew another series of smoke rings. "Ah, but that was so long ago, and both my clan and the Hebihime are now gone. I can only hope that the Great White Mother thinks of our service fondly."
"But, enough of that, now." Oto rested her eyes on Natsumi again and bowed her head. "It's an honor to meet an Uzumaki face-to-face, after so long. We are both one of the last members of such noble houses, after all."
"Noble?" Natsumi repeated quietly. We're noble?
"So, you want to get stronger?" Oto looked Natsumii up and down. "Many have had the same goal, but few have the motivation to actually achieve it."
Natsumi lowered her head slightly. So... she thinks I'm weak, too...
"However, I believe you have what it takes."
Natsumi blinked quickly and looked up. "I... do?"
Oto nodded and her faint smirk grew. "I suppose there's only one way to tell."
Natsumi clutched the hem of her shirt and muttered. "How?"
"O-ho." Oto chuckled to herself and tapped the sleeping snake gently. It blinked it's eyes and flicked its tongue out as it yawned.
"Yes, mistress?" The serpent groggily hissed and Natsumi's eyes rounded.
A... talking snake!
"Umito, be a dear and fetch me that scroll. You know the one." She tapped some ash out of the end of her pipe into an ornate bowl and then stroked the snake's head. "The one with the ivory and ebony ends."
"Oh? That one?" He lifted his head up and looked over at Natsumi with his slitted eyes narrowed skeptically. "For her?"
"That's correct."
The snake sighed and seemed to shrug, and then uncoiled its long body and slid off of the desk and onto the floor. Stretched out, Natsumi could see that he was much larger than he had seemed while sleeping, at nearly two meters long.
"Alright, if you insist. I just hope you're not waking me from my nap for no reason."
The snake disappeared through the vent in the wall to the floor below and Natsumi looked back at the woman.
"Oto-sama?"
"Hm? Yes?" The woman released another puff of smoke and her eyes rested on the girl again.
"What did you mean by 'test'?"
"Oh, there's just a series of little challenges I want to see if you can pass. If you do, it will prove to the both of us that you have what it takes to attain the strength you seek."
"What kind of tests?"
"That, I can't tell you. You must find out for yourself." The snake returned, carrying a small scroll in its mouth and depositing it into the woman's open hand. Oto held it out for Natsumi to take.
"But... what happens if I fail?" Natsumi held her hands on her lap and stared at the scroll.
"That you'll have to find out for yourself as well..." Oto smirked faintly and blew a ring of smoke at her. "However, I expect you will surpass both of our expectations. When you do, I want you to return to me with the scroll, and I will give you instruction on your first step to the path of power."
Natsumi bit her lip and hesitantly reached out for the scroll.
I don't even know her... should I trust her? This all seems so mysterious and even dangerous...
Hand hovering over the scroll, she met the woman's eyes and saw that her pupils were slitted.
But... as strange as she seems... she also feels familiar somehow, and she doesn't seem dishonest...
Her fingers curled around the scroll and she slowly drew it closer to herself.
"Excellent." Oto sat back in her chair and smirked as she watched Natsumi in amusement. "I look forward to your triumphant return, Miss Uzumaki."
Natsumi stood and placed the scroll into her pocket. "Thank you, Oto-sama. I hope I can do as well as you think I can."
"I have no doubts, child. No doubts at all." The woman chuckled under her breath.
Natsumi turned and began to walk to the door and Oto spoke up.
"Oh, and, Natsumi. There's one more thing I should tell you."
Natsumi turned and met her eyes, where a mischievous light twinkled.
"Yes?"
"Do not open the scroll inside of the Village." Oto warned. "North of the Village, there is an old temple ruin. It's difficult to find, however, the path will open up if you possess the scroll. Once you find the temple, unroll the scroll on the alter and then you must give it an offering."
"O-Offering?" Natsumi blinked and touched the scroll through her pocket. "What kind?"
"Just a bit of your blood will do." Oto held up a hand and wiggled her fingers. "The scroll will appear blank at first, but simply write your name in your blood on the center of the scroll, and its information will reveal itself. That is when your trial begins, so take care to follow its instructions carefully."
This seems pretty dangerous after all...
"Ah..." Oto exhaled another tendril of smoke. "One final tip— once your trial begins, you cannot change your mind. If you try to stop before you have finished each of the steps, there will be... consequences."
Natsumi shuddered. "Consequences?"
"I wouldn't worry." Oto stroked Umito's chin and chuckled, then blew a thick cloud of smoke that swirled around the girl. "Good luck, Miss Uzumaki."
Natsumi blinked and coughed, waving away the smoke. When it cleared, she recognized the alley she had been before.
"W-What? How did I..." She turned around and saw the smeared remnants of the snake's message in the dirt. It wasn't a daydream at all...
She reached into her pocket and looked over the scroll, holding it between her hands. Do I really want to do this?
After a moment, she bit her lip and replaced the scroll in her pocket.
No... I can't second guess myself. I need to get stronger. It's not an option.