Natsuki tries very hard not to gape- only to fail spectacularly as she stares in wonder at the magnificent creature before her. Large, amber eyes merely stare back unblinkingly at her, bearing a certain intelligence and wisdom that she's never seen before in the face of any creature from either of her lives.
The tiger sitting primly before her is gargantuan compared to the diminutive stature of her five-year-old self, making her feel both small and completely clumsy. Its fur is comprised of deep oranges and stripes of rich ebon, and though Natsuki is struck with the urge to run her fingers through the thick, soft coat, she figures she prefers having her hands attached to her body. Even as the tiger remains still, Natsuki is fully aware of the power it possesses, heavy muscle and lightning fast reflexes that could tear her to pieces in an instant. The predator is at once beautiful and terrifying, and Natsuki wonders if she should bow before such majesty.
"You're going to catch flies, shōko." Hiroki's voice shakes her out of her trance, and he sounds like he's trying very hard not to laugh while gesturing to his own stubbled chin. "You're supposed to be a tiger, not a frog."
"So, this is Kaoru-chan's cub." Right as Natsuki closes her mouth, she nearly lets it fall open again when the tiger finally speaks. Her voice is distinctly feminine, and it bears a certain weight and dignity that makes Natsuki wonder just how old this feline is. "What is your name, child?"
"Natsuki Hagiwara, at your service." Natsuki replies promptly, somehow managing to keep her voice from shaking. Bowing low, she adds, "It is an honour to meet you."
A deep rumbling sounds in the tigress' chest, and somehow it comes across as sounding pleased. With a nod, she purrs back, "I am Masami. I have answered the call of the summoners since the first of the Uzumaki signed our contract." Turning towards Hiroki, her voice gains a note of amusement as she says, "The girl has manners. She certainly didn't get that from you, Hiroki-chan."
"Masami-sama, you make it sound like I'm a terrible influence." Hiroki puts on a wounded tone that contrasts heavily with the smile on his face. Masami merely shakes her head, and Natsuki can't help but wonder at how casually her grandfather is able to address the majestic wildcat. Even sitting down, her head almost reaches his shoulders- her grandfather isn't exactly a short man- and her paws are easily bigger than his head.
"I've known you since you were a cub yourself. You may be turning grey now, but you don't deceive my eyes." Suddenly, the tigress rises to her feet, and Natsuki has to stop herself from taking a step back. She's pretty sure by now that the tigers from her past life had never been this massive- not when Masami is practically double the expected size. Her golden eyes are focused upon Natsuki again, and the girl inhales sharply as she senses the tigress' chakra envelop her. "This one, however…"
Natsuki finds it difficult to breathe, overcome by a slight dizziness as she stares into the aureate depths of Masami's eyes. She can feel the tiger extending her own chakra to prod at her centre, a blend of such powerful energy that Natsuki can't even focus on it without seeing stars. The chakra nature of humans is easy enough to distinguish once she's able to pinpoint the feel of it, but this is something else entirely. It's countless sensations and memories hurtling against her senses, none of which she can pick apart without having it ripped away and replaced by another- and yet, it doesn't feel wrong.
It feels like life.
"You can sense it." Masami's voice snaps her out of her brief stupour, and Natsuki swears she can detects something that sounds like approval in her tone. "Many an Uzumaki were sensitive to the force of life, as well. It seems you have inherited that gift."
"How did you know?"
"I can feel your chakra reaching out to mine." Slowly circling her, Masami adds, "Your sensory skills are impressive for one so young- but they can yet be improved on. Will you be able to aid her with that, Hiroki-chan?"
"I should be able to manage." Hiroki shrugs, scratching at his greying beard in an almost dismissive motion. Natsuki isn't fooled for one second, however- she can see her grandfather scrutinising her with a new light in his eyes, and she wonders if she's done something she shouldn't have by keeping her sensing abilities under wraps. Averting her eyes, Natsuki focuses instead on the great tigress as she comes to a halt in front of her, sitting back on her haunches and calling all attention back to her with a mere swish of her tail.
"A child of the gales," She concludes- an evaluation of her chakra nature, Natsuki wonders? It's never occurred to her that she's never been able to discern the nature of her own chakra until then. However, Masami suddenly tilts her head to the side, an appraising look in her eye- and what she says next makes Natsuki freeze. "And an aged spirit. An abundance of Yin energy resides in your chakra, Natsuki-chan. Be careful to not let it consume you."
"Aged?" Hiroki speaks up before Natsuki can formulate a response beyond her shock. "Is that normal?"
"I've seen cases like this in my lifetime. The Uzumaki have always been known to possess strong souls. Some choose to cling to the world and reform anew- a rare occurrence, but not unheard of."
Oh, if only she knew.
"I see." Natsuki somehow manages to keep her voice steady, though it doesn't stop her from twisting the hem of her shirt between her hands. "Is that why it's been so hard for me to control my chakra?"
"Perhaps so. It should not be something you wouldn't be able to overcome through practise." The reassurance is nice, but Natsuki bites back a sigh at the prospect of more training. She's already struggling with the tree exercise, having fallen off or been thrown back countless times already- so much for hoping she'd be the next Sakura and be able to shatter rocks with her pinky by the time she turns ten.
A hand lands on her head, ruffling her hair and earning a half-hearted glare from her in response. Hiroki merely laughs at her disgruntlement, before he turns back to address Masami once again. "I'm glad you think so, Masami-sama. Looks like our shōko won't be signing any contracts just yet."
"You already knew I wasn't going to make it," Natsuki grumbles, only succeeding in making Hiroki's grin widen even more. Leave it to her grandfather to dangle a shiny new treat in front of her eyes as a way to get her to work even harder. Honestly, it's annoying that he treats her like some kind of overeager puppy. It's even more annoying that he's kind of right.
"I suggest perfecting your training, shōko. Hiroki-chan is not known for leniency, even despite his own lack of discipline." Masami sounds amused as she adds in her two cents, and this time Natsuki audibly groans. Of course her grandfather would be the 'as I say and not as I do' type.
"Alright, I'll work harder," Natsuki relents with a huff. She doesn't like having to wait, but well, the fruits of hard work and all that. She just hopes she won't have to pull a Naruto and leap into a canyon to get her summoning to work- there aren't any ravines in Waves deep enough for that.
With another crackle of laughter- softer this time than the last- Hiroki smooths out her hair before finally lifting his hand from her head. Natsuki instinctively reaches up to pat it down herself, all the while peering up at her grandfather, who lowers his head towards Masami in a gesture of respect. "That's our cue to go back to training, then. Masami-sama, we thank you for your time."
The tiger tilts her head slightly in response to Hiroki's greeting, a shallow purr resounding from within her chest. Her golden eyes flit back to Natsuki's, and the girl quickly ducks into a bow again out of pure reflex. The soft rumbling quickly evolves into something tinged with mirth, and Natsuki can't help but blush. She's just trying to be nice! What's so funny about manners?
"I will see you again, Natsuki-chan." Masami murmurs, her voice low and still bearing that edge of amusement. "Perhaps by then, you shall be ready to surprise me once more. I should very well hope so."
Natsuki doesn't get a chance to think of a reply to that before the tigress disappears in a cloud of chakra smoke, leaving her to wonder if her words shall ring true.
Souji Arikawa is the Ōnami's right hand man, as well as one of the founding members of the council of Waves, having served as both friend and advisor to Ayano's own father. The man's son had passed from the same plague that had taken the first Ōnami as well- a terrible disease that had only been alleviated upon the creation of a cure and vaccine with aid from Konoha's own medical corps. That was ultimately the incident that placed Ayano in the position of leader as she demonstrated her diplomatic prowess, strengthening ties with the Land of Fire and averting the crisis that could have decimated their lands.
The era before Natsuki's birth had been one of great mourning for all of Waves- everyone had lost someone dear to them, and Souji especially had lost his best friend, his wife, and his son. Little Tatsumi had been the one thing that had survived the tragedy, giving Souji the will to continue living even in the face of his loss. It was only several years after Ayano's rule as Ōnami that he finally returned to the realm of politics to aid her the way he had for her father, and Ayano had been all too grateful for the aid during her rise to leadership.
Perhaps it is this long, heartfelt connection that the two of them have that encouraged both parties to introduce the children of their respective families to each other. A sense of hope that this long-time friendship would live on in the future, nurturing a cooperation that would someday benefit their homeland and everything that awaits. For a while, Natsuki is content with having Tatsumi as her only real friend- the older boy is smarter than the other kids her age, and thus is more bearable than the rest of the playmates her parents try to set her up with, most of whom are her age or younger. Getting along with Tatsumi is easy, even if their conversations aren't yet particularly deep or meaningful.
Natsuki only begins to realise Tatsumi's presence has spoiled her when she's enrolled in kindergarten, and immediately resents the curse of rebirth as she's surrounded by the squalor and cries of children. It's not that she particularly dislikes children, but as a child herself now, unable to escape and dodge their nosiness, they're… unbearable.
It doesn't help that a bunch of them have taken to ooh-ing and aah-ing over her compass, and have decided to beat her over the head with questions and constant pestering at every available opportunity.
"It spins so fast!"
"What do you think your soulmate looks like?"
"Woah, mine's never spun like that before."
"That's so freaky. Why is your compass all pointy on this side?"
"What if you never meet your soulmate, ever?"
Natsuki can only grin and bear it, even as her patience wears thin with each question thrown her way. Just because she doesn't understand the novelty of having a soulmate doesn't mean she has any right to shut down the innocent curiosity of other kids. In fact, it is through her entertainment of these ceaseless questions that she meets a new friend on her second week of kindergarten.
"Why do they keep on coming back here?" The mutter comes from somewhere to her left after she'd finished answering another interrogation from a group of girls who had been going on and on about the kind of person they hoped their soulmates would be. Natsuki had only been half listening to the conversation before they'd finally left, feeling a breath of relief leave her lungs as they did. Turning around, she sees a girl with her hair done in pigtails, huddled up in the corner of the break room with her nose stuck in a book. "They're always so noisy."
"Tell me about it." When Natsuki readily agrees with the sentiment, the girl jumps and looks up at her, eyes wide with shock. Leaning back on her hands, Natsuki sighs and says, "I can't wait for them to find someone else to bug. It's not even that big a deal, you know?"
The girl still seems taken aback at being overheard, but she shoots Natsuki a strange look. "If you think so, why do you talk to them?"
"They'll grow tired eventually. I just don't want to upset the people I'll be schooling with." Shuffling a little closer towards the girl, Natsuki pulls her knees up to her chest, sporting her brightest grin as she says, "I'm Natsuki Hagiwara, by the way."
"I know that. You're the Ōnami's daughter." Oh, right- she's kind of a celebrity around here, strange as that sounds. The pigtailed girl fidgets with the page of her book slightly, looking up at her with wide hazel eyes that express the barest hint of caution as she says, "My name is Hatsume Itou."
"Nice to meet you, Itou-chan." Natsuki makes a few quick assessments- she recognises Hatsume as a student in her class, and from their height difference, she gathers that she's older by at least a year. She's also fairly certain that Hatsume's one of the better readers in their class, and a quick glance at the book she's clutching in her hands confirms that she's reading material that's above their supplied texts. Half of the class is still learning basic nouns and the alphabet, and while this story book isn't particularly complex, it's still of a higher level than the class standard.
Without meaning to, she also notes that Hatsume has a compass on her left wrist, and its arrow is moving steadily as it tracks the movements of her soulmate nearby.
"What sort of book are you reading?" Natsuki asks quickly, before the silence can drag on long enough to become awkward. She notices that the cover depicts an illustration of two men standing beneath a tree reaching towards the sky, with the sun and moon hanging over their heads. A circle of tomoe patterns adorn the necklines of both men, and it doesn't take a genius to be able to put the pieces together.
"It's a story book my aunt gave me." Natsuki finally tears her eyes away from the book cover when Hatsume speaks again, forcing herself to focus on what the girl is saying instead of the thoughts- jealousy love manipulation reincarnation- that flash through her head. "Do you… also like reading?"
Natsuki somehow manages to piece a smile together, using her hands to grip her knees and stop them from shaking as she says, "Yeah, I love reading! That looks way more interesting than what they're making us read in class- what's it about?"
"Well, it's one of the legends from the Continent. Have you heard the story of Indra and Ashura?"
"I don't think so. Who are they?"
For the first time since the start of the conversation, Hatsume's eyes light up as she recounts the- horribly inaccurate, Natsuki absently notes- retelling of the tale of the Sage's two sons. As she quietly nods along to the girl's summary of the story, Natsuki barely notices the time flying past as she engages in a conversation that, for once, isn't about soulmates or compasses- and she begins to think that maybe the hellhole that is kindergarten will be a little more bearable.
In the corner of the Ōnami's office, Natsuki sits quietly on the couch with her notebook, pencil in hand as she carefully rewrites each of the new characters her grandfather had taught her that week. He'd begun teaching her fuuinjutsu basics not too long after she'd made some progress on tree walking, drilling the foundation of the complex art into her and having her practise drawing some of the basic hexagrams and commands.
She was too inexperienced with calligraphy to even think about using chakra ink, but she couldn't exactly drag out the ink and brushes to practise in her mother's office- especially when she's still learning all of this in secret- and so she settles on her recreating the patterns in graphite instead. Natsuki's actually taken to the fuuinjutsu lessons with great interest, finding the struggle of learning all these theories and turning them into something viable absolutely fascinating. Though these exercises seem boring, Natsuki makes the effort to burn the motions into her mind, intent on learning as much about the sealing arts as she can. The idea that she could use nothing but her blood, ink and a brush to make literal magic happen- from creating storage spaces in pockets of air to interdimensional portals that rip through time and space itself- draws her interest in a way nothing else in this world has before. Sure, walking on water and breathing fire is cool, but this? This is a challenge.
There's a knock on the door, and Natsuki looks up in time to see her mother's secretary- Kiyoko, was it? - peek her head in. The young woman shoots her a small smile as she catches a glimpse of her, before she bows towards Ayano to state her business.
"Daigo-san is here to see you, Ayano-sama. He says he has received news on the latest delay in shipments from the Land of Rivers." Natsuki recognises that name- that's the man from the civilian council, one of the representatives of Sector A who provides monthly updates on the income from the ships docking in their harbour. Or is he the one who keeps track of the tax revenues from foreign merchants in the market?
"Alright, send him in," Ayano replies, nodding towards Kiyoko in thanks as the latter retreats out the door. Pushing aside the file she'd been viewing- from what Natsuki can glimpse from here, she deduces that it's the latest report from the Budget Office. Her mother catches her stretching her neck to take a peek at the report, and only smiles as she casually places it far out of her sight and shakes her head. For her eyes only, it would seem- Natsuki sags in her chair in defeat, while Ayano smothers her laughter and puts on a more professional expression as her guest enters the office. A man with short, jet black hair steps into the room, clad in a simple blue shirt that only barely hides the obvious tan lines along his shoulders.
"Good afternoon, Hagiwara-sama." Deep brown eyes dart towards her, and a warm smile crosses Daigo's face as he inclines his head in greeting. "Natsuki-chan."
"Good afternoon, Daigo-san," Natsuki replies evenly, earning a startled chuckle from Daigo in turn. He's never had a reason to visit her mother's office while she's been in before, but it's nice to know that he's nicer than some of the others who have taken to just ignoring her presence. After all, no one expects a five-year-old to take an interest in politics- but Natsuki has never been one to conform to expectations.
As Daigo returns back to attention to relay the current situation to Ayano, Natsuki fixes her eyes on the pages of her book and absently continues her rows of hexagrams, only half-paying attention as she listens in on the discussion taking place. It's become a bit of a habit to eavesdrop on the conversations in this room, especially after the shinobi incident that made her parents paranoid to the point of keeping her within their sight at almost all times. It's probably made her more aware of the going-ons and politics of Waves than most regular citizens, but she figures that's the point of her being here.
Natsuki isn't blind to the deeper reasoning as to why her mother keeps her close by even as she discusses politics with the council members, and why Tatsumi is the playmate she's spent the most time with. It's no secret at this point that Natsuki is bright for her age, and her mother uses that knowledge to prepare her- after all, she is next in line for the position of Ōnami.
Honestly, the notion gives her a whole bunch of mixed feelings. Autocracy is a whole can of worms she wants nothing to do with, especially considering the borderline dictatorial system all of the nations employ, but it puts her in a position where she can implement changes where she deems necessary. At the very least, Natsuki is grateful that Waves isn't subject to the monarchical dealings of the major countries- though she's all too aware of how closely the position of Ōnami treads along that line. Natsuki's familiarity with the principles of democracy makes her hands itch with the desire for change, but she knows such actions are a long time coming. The amount of planning and work it will take to inspire change is daunting, and she frankly has no idea just what it takes to rule a nation. She's led projects and cases in the past, but this is so much bigger than her and anything she's ever faced that even thinking about it makes it difficult to breathe.
A part of her urges her to hide, to merely push aside her ideals from the past and continue as things are- but then she remembers the events of the future, and suddenly her fear becomes secondary.
Natsuki thinks of the Waves she'd known in the past- a community of people with wills broken by the hand of a tyrant, who had not known the power they themselves held until one boy took a stand and inspired change. She doesn't know the consequences her leadership will bring if she takes the mantle, but she'd be damned before she's willing to watch her country and family be put at risk for one man's greed. Team 7 would just have to go find another ruined country to save, and it's not like there's a shortage of missing-nin for them to take on. Surely, she could afford to change just this one thing- the encounter with Zabuza and Haku hadn't had all that big an impact on the plot, sans some more team bonding and revealing Kakashi's capabilities, right?
...Gods, she hopes so. If there's a higher being out there, she hopes they'll give her just enough enough room to move this one piece on the board around. Just one, and she swears she'll never interfere with anything else again.
"Then what should we do now, Ayano-sama?" Natsuki is brought back to the present when Daigo asks the big question. Ayano steeples her hands on her desk for a moment, digesting all the information that had been dumped on her, before she looks up at him with steel in her umber eyes. Natsuki slowly opens up to an empty page in her book, readying her pencil to take note of any new information she's about to hear.
When the Ōnami speaks, all of Waves falls silent to listen- and sooner or later, whether she likes it or not, that voice will become hers. It's her own job to make sure she's ready for what that will entail.
"We'll have to redistribute the local harvest to compensate for the delay. Get in contact with the agriculture department and Matsumoto from Sector C- we need to inform the local producers of the change. We'll arrange discussions with the civilian council by tomorrow. Report any problems you encounter to me by evening today, and I will see if they should be brought up at the meeting or handled separately. Is there anything else?"
"No, that should be all, Ōnami-sama."
"Very well, then. I shall hear from you again soon, Daigo-san. For now, you may be dismissed."
Natsuki doesn't think much of soulmates after her mother explains it all to her, content with just knowing what it means rather than agonising over who bore the mirror image of her mark. Though she does admire the delicate, wavelike swirls intermingled with the sharp, pointed edges adorning the outline of her compass, she doesn't really view it as much more than a very elaborate tattoo. She'd always wanted one in her past life, and so she's rather happy with this hand that fate had dealt her.
That perception changes somewhat when one day, her wrist twinges with such a sudden jab of pain that she hisses and loses her grip on the plate she's washing in the sink. The ceramic doesn't shatter- thank god, these are new and her mother would be so disappointed- but makes a huge clatter as it falls into the sink, and Natsuki can only clutch at her wrist in shock. Quickly wiping away the suds on her hands, her eyes rove over her right hand to try and identify just what happened, but she's only met with confusion as she realises… she's completely fine.
"Natsuki? What happened?" Natsuki jumps as her mom's voice suddenly chimes in next to her. Before she can even turn around, Kaoru's hands are on her shoulders as she looks her over, concern written in the furrow of her brow and the narrowing of her eyes. Natsuki swallows as she notices the sparking sensation of her chakra that she hadn't before, anxiety and battle readiness radiating off of her at even this slight hint of danger. Upon focusing, she can feel the flash of her grandfather's chakra seeping into the floors and walls of the house as he activates the anti-intrusion seals he'd engraved from the living room, and she winces. That's… a bit of an overreaction, but she can appreciate the precaution.
"I'm okay- it was just my hand." Natsuki reassures her with only the slightest tremble to her voice- more out of bewilderment than anything else. "It was hurting earlier. I don't know what happened."
At that, Kaoru's stony expression drops off her face, and in its place is utter relief. Her shoulders visibly sag when she releases Natsuki's shoulders, and a soft sigh leaves her lips as she stands up to handle the rest of the dishes. Glancing at Natsuki, she says, "Wash off the soap for now, and go sit on the couch, okay? Your Okaa-chan will explain everything."
Hesitantly, Natsuki nods and does as she's told. When she sits down to listen as her family explains what's going on, however, she finds her concern slowly melting away, and in its place is utter disbelief. It would seem that her mother had forgotten to tell about the little... extra kick that came with having a soul mark.
Apparently, as if slapping a bunch of compasses that don't even work up to a certain distance hadn't been enough, whatever higher being that had decided upon these laws of nature also decided that the physical pains one person experiences should be translated into similar sensations on their soulmate's mark as well. Ayano tells her that the pain is usually dialled down compared to the actual injury the soulmate receives, but it serves as a helpful indicator of how one's soulmate is doing on the other end of the line.
"So, that means my soulmate got hurt," Natsuki says slowly, watching the turns of her compass with a new light- one that isn't particularly pleasant. "And whenever they get hurt, I'll feel it?"
"That's right." Ayano nods, a sympathetic smile on her face. Natsuki takes a moment to digest that, considering the implications of this information, before she promptly decides that having a soulmate really sucks.
(Yet even as the sentiment remains, Natsuki would still find herself staring at her compass during the worst of her sleepless nights, and praying that the one on the other end would survive the wars to come.)
Her mom is arguing with her grandfather in the kitchen, and Natsuki can literally feel the tension in the air as their chakra signatures respond to their agitation. A part of her mind urges her to withdraw her senses and leave it be, but the less rational, impulsive side of her clamps down on that logic, and keeps her focused on the fluctuating energy coming from the two adults in the other room.
"She's not even six years old, Tou-san! What were you thinking?"
"Our enemies won't wait for her to grow old before they attack, Kaoru. The last attempt has proven that."
"How long have you been hiding this from me? What have you been teaching her?"
"I've only taught her how to harness her chakra for the basics. Already, she's showing signs of being an exemplary ninja-"
"She is five. You are not going to teach my daughter how to kill people!"
"She needs to learn to defend herself, and I don't regret teaching her how to do that."
Natsuki huddles closer the wall, getting as close as she can to the gap in her door to listen in to the argument between the two adults. She channels a thin stream of chakra to her ears to enhance her hearing as well- Hiroki would be mad if he knew she'd used such a risky technique without his supervision, but that's the least of her concerns right now.
Her teeth worry away at her bottom lip as Natsuki tries to push aside the immense guilt surfacing in her head. She'd started on the replacement jutsu that week, and she'd been making some pretty good progress. However, the gig had been up when she came home covered in dirt and playing with her chakra by sticking a bunch of stray leaves to her head- only to find that her mom had been back early. She'd promptly dropped all the leaves to the floor, at the same time that her mother's look of shock immediately turned icy as she fixed a glare on Hiroki.
Kaoru had calmly asked her to go and get herself cleaned up while she spoke to Hiroki, and Natsuki had quickly obliged. She doesn't think she's ever heard her mom sound so angry before.
"I want her to have a normal life, Tou-san." Kaoru's agitation is palpable, and Natsuki can almost envision her running her hands through her short, wavy hair in frustration. "Teaching her our clan's secrets will only make her a target."
"She will be targeted no matter what we do or don't do." Hiroki sounds calm, but the twitch of his usually sedate chakra gives away his own exasperation. "This is for her protection as much as it is for our own peace of mind. This way, she will at least have a way to defend herself."
"So you would teach her to fear for her life at every turn?"
"I would teach her to survive long enough to see those turns."
For a moment, there's silence. And then, Natsuki hears the sound of the chair scraping the tiled floors of the kitchen, and the sound of someone slumping heavily into the seat.
"I just don't understand." Kaoru's words are quiet, and Natsuki can't help but flinch at the watery, defeated tone in her voice. "The war's over. They've already taken everything from us. What reason do they have to hunt us down now?"
"This peace won't last, Kaoru. I wish it wasn't so, but this is the way things are." Hiroki's voice is grave, and the spark of flame from his chakra is once again reduced to simmering cinders. "We can't be sure of what the future holds. If danger breaches our shores, the least we can do is prepare her for it."
Silence once again. Natsuki hadn't noticed when she'd started clenching her fists in worry, but she forces herself to relax when her short nails dig into her flesh enough to actually hurt. She rubs her face against her palms, trying to ignore the panic festering in her chest at the words being spoken. She'd been so happy to have been born in a land free from the wars of the shinobi nations, but now it seems that conflict will come for her no matter what. All because of the blood running through her veins in this body that she never asked for.
She remembers faces- a man with the eyes of legend watching as his best friend dies in his arms, a woman weeping as she holds her new-born son close to her chest, a girl betrayed and left for dead by a trusted comrade - and wonders if perhaps this bloodline is cursed.
"You will let me help and watch over her training." When Kaoru finally speaks again, Natsuki only barely hears her words. "But if she chooses to stop, you will cease all lessons immediately. We will not force her to live the way we did."
"Of course, Kaoru. I'm sorry."
After that, Natsuki pulls her chakra back from her ears and slumps against the wall, pulling her legs up to her chest as she rests her chin on her knees. She hadn't allowed herself to think of the implications of Hiroki's training, even as he taught her various kata and other offensive capabilities during their days off. She'd focused on the intellectual allure of what he taught her, feeding off her own curiosity and desire to learn how to use all the tools this new universe had presented to her, but she had ignored just why this sort of training existed in the first place.
This is a world where children die fighting in wars that adults begin. These methods exist because war and strife are so common and even expected to occur that this is the only way anyone could think of to keep everyone alive, and she is no exception. The world she'd known before this hadn't been perfect, but compared to this place- where masks of peace are repeatedly slapped over the shadows churning underneath, so fragile and easily broken by the whims of greedy men with too much power- it could have been paradise.
For the first time in years, Natsuki finds herself missing a home that no longer exists.
When Kaoru opens the bathroom door and sees her on the floor, curled in on herself and sobbing into her hands, Natsuki doesn't protest when she pulls her close. It doesn't make anything right, her mom's love alone cannot stop this world from spiralling into chaos- but it makes it better, even if by just the tiniest fraction.
For now, better will just have to do.
It's a bright, sunny afternoon that's somehow not too hot, a rare reprieve from the storms and cloudy skies Waves has seen for the past month. The weather only contributes to Natsuki's good mood, and she has to keep herself from skipping as she walks among the stalls set up in the market square, one hand in her grandfather's while grasping the hem Tatsumi's shirt loosely in the other. The boy had reached the ripe age of eight to Natsuki's five, and was thus far too dignified to be seen holding her hand in public, even if they'd known each other since they were in diapers.
The country itself was recovering from a rather nasty monsoon season, and several of their coastline residences had seen damage from the raging storms and seas. Apparently, things were so bad that they'd had to order a lot more materials than they'd expected, and the land administrative department had been drowning in paperwork for the past few weeks trying to get everything sorted. It didn't help that tensions across the Continent were still high, with mainland supplies being focused on other places that were being rebuilt after the war. However, Waves commonly sees a momentary peak in business right after their stormy seasons, and that makes for a more lively market scene than usual- one that provides a rather nice change of pace for its citizens after weeks of toiling through the whims of nature.
"Natsuki-chan, over here!" The sound of Hatsume's voice ringing over the crowd gathering in the marketplace draws her attention, and Natsuki is left squinting for a minute before she's able to make out the form of her classmate waving at her from beside a small fruit stall.
"Hey!" She waves back just as eagerly, finally dropping Tatsumi's hand to do so and ignoring the exaggerated sigh of relief she hears from him. Next to Hatsume is her soulmate, Yoshiko Furihata, her short black hair arranged in its usual mess of layered spikes and her hands loosely tucked in the pockets of her slacks. Akira is with them as well- Yoshiko's older brother has longer hair than she does and keeps it done up in a small ponytail, and his smile doesn't quite bear that same sharpness that hers does, giving him a softer appearance.
"You're late, akagami," Is the first thing Yoshiko says when they're finally within hearing distance, and Natsuki rolls her eyes at the nickname. The older girl had taken to the dub with fervour, and while Natsuki didn't mind, the way Tatsumi bristles at her side says that he still takes it as a slight on her honour. At this point, she's pretty sure Yoshiko calls her that on purpose just to see Tatsumi react- he's far too easy to work up when it concerns her, the overbearingly protective goof.
"This makes one time, Yoshiko-chan. One time."
"It wasn't even our fault, either." Tatsumi grumbles, earning a sheepish, not-at-all remorseful grin from Hiroki as he waves at them cheerfully. He's standing off to the side to give them space to interact, but Natsuki doesn't miss the way his eyes rove over the crowds in the marketplace, constantly searching for any signs of threat. "Hiroki-ojiisan didn't know where he'd put his wallet."
"Well, at least we're all here now," Akira interjects, his calm words presenting an almost welcome interruption from the subtle tensions that had started to form. Shooting them a grin, he says, "The day is still early, so let's take our time. I heard there are some merchants all the way from Water this week."
"Oh, great! They always have the best sweets." Hatsume enthuses, and Natsuki can't hold back a smirk when she sees Tatsumi's face light up at the prospect of getting his hands on some sugary goods. He then tries- and fails- to smother his excitement behind a cool facade when he turns to face her, clearly trying to seem disinterested.
"Natsu, you wanna try some of those? We can grab dumplings from Kentaro-san while we're there, too." Natsuki almost laughs at how convincing he sounds, but she decides to play along for now. With an enthusiastic nod, she all but leads the way through the crowds with her hand still clutched in her grandfather's. As the only adult and thereby the tallest in their little group, he's got the best vantage point to guide her out of the way of other, bigger people and clear the way for the rest of them. Like a gaggle of ducklings trailing after a tall, grey-haired guardian, they venture through the marketplace lines with rows and rows of vendors- both local and foreign- selling their wares. Several people- vendors and shoppers alike- greet her as she walks by, and Natsuki slowly but surely commits their names and faces to memory as she goes about her day.
She may someday have to lead these people- and even if she didn't, the least she can do is try to remember the ones who treat her with kindness.
After an hour or so of meandering about, Natsuki finds herself looking at a large array of teas laid out by a vendor from the Continent. Her grandfather is haggling for a lower price on a packet of jade ring leaves while she finishes up the last of her Kirin Nectar lollipop, when an awed cry from Yoshiko draws her attention to another stall nearby.
"Hey, you guys, check this out!" A glance over at where the older girl is standing shows that the others are already moving to gather around her, having been summoned by her call. Natsuki slowly peels herself away from her grandfather's side to do the same, putting her now-empty lollipop stick into her pocket- they really ought to set up more trash bags along the roads here- before trotting over to see what's managed to catch Yoshiko's attention this time. She isn't quite sure what she expects, but when she actually catches sight of what everyone's gawking at, her eyes widen in fascination.
The simple, yet elegant accessories aren't really anything special- they're mostly simple sets of cords that hold a single stone in the middle- but the gem itself is something else. The gemstone is smooth and polished, appearing almost crystalline in its opacity, but there's a soft pulse of light that's visible even under the bare shade of the stall's roof. Reaching out with her chakra sense, Natsuki has to really focus before she's able to discern that the faint blue glow is the result of minute amounts of chakra forming within the rock itself. The source of said chakra is miniscule, and she can only just sense its presence due to the outpouring of chakra it's generating- microorganisms, perhaps? Is it even possible for microbes to grow in solid states like that to begin with?
"They're so pretty." Tatsumi breathes, and Natsuki can only nod absently in agreement. His tone turns inquisitive as he reads the sign beneath the assortment of jewellery aloud, "Nilavu stones?"
"I read about those before. They're harvested from the mines of the tallest mountains in Frost," Hatsume chimes in eagerly, eyes still fixated upon the soft luminescence of the gemstones on display. "They say old chakra is stored in these, from when the gods first walked upon the Earth. It's supposed to chase away bad luck and evil energies."
"Well, someone certainly knows her stuff." An unfamiliar, bemused voice bearing a heavy Lightning accent chimes into the conversation, making everyone but Natsuki jump in surprise. She'd already sensed the vendor's signature approaching them the moment they'd gathered to gawk at the lovely pieces of jewellery, as well as the faint misdirection genjutsu she'd cast over herself to conceal her presence. The woman's steel-grey eyes stand out distinctly against her sepia skin, and Natsuki doesn't miss the slight lift of her brow when she notices her lack of surprise at her appearance. However, it does little to deter the polite smile she wears on her face as she elaborates.
"All that you've said is true. They say the Land of Frost was the centre of the planet once, before the world was split into all its lands. The Tukka Mountains are said to be where the gods rest, until it is time for them to awaken again- that's where these gems are from."
"Are these even allowed to be mined?" Natsuki asks, curiosity colouring her voice. The vendor's eyes flit back towards Natsuki at her question, and she continues, "If the mountains are considered sacred, shouldn't they be preserved, instead?"
The woman's lips twitch slightly in amusement, but there's a genuine look of appraisal in her gaze when she answers. "Moderation is key, as always. The world doesn't stop its ways for the memory of sleeping gods- but we don't test their generosity, either." Her tone grows lighter as she says, "So then, would any of you be interested in buying one of these little charms- as a token of good luck?"
"O-oh. No thank you," Hatsume says bashfully, while the others make similar comments of refusal. "I don't have enough money left on me."
"A shame. Are you sure you don't see anything that interests you?" The woman's stare lingers upon Natsuki longer than they do on the others, and Natsuki isn't surprised when she says, "Perhaps a yellow stone to compliment that fiery hair. How's about it? I can give you a special price if you buy two or more."
Natsuki looks at the price listed, and purses her lips. She isn't one for superstition, but there is substance to the myths of legend in this world- and if these really do chase away bad energy… maybe they could help with her nightmares. She'd rather like to be able to reach ten years of age without eyebags to match that growing number.
"How special a price are we talking about?" The merchant's eyes gleam with intrigue at the unexpected challenge in her voice, but before Natsuki can start getting down to working out a bargain, a quiet comment from Akira momentarily distracts her.
"I'm surprised you even have any money left after your dumpling spree." The seemingly casual observation earns him a glower from Natsuki- Akira has a talent for making even the most innocuous comment carry enough weight to make one pause, and the skill comes in handy when he talks down his sister or Tatsumi from doing anything reckless.
"I do have some modicum of self-control, you know." Natsuki shoots back- even knowing so, she does a quick mental evaluation of how much she has left after spending. Next to her, Yoshiko groans.
"Stop using big words. They're confusing," She grumbles. Natsuki is just about to reply with something about helping her expand her vocabulary via exposure, when when she hears the sound of something dropping to the floor.
Turning towards the sound, she's surprised to see that it had come from the money pouch her grandfather had just dropped- Hiroki never drops anything, ever, he's many things but not careless- but she's far more worried about what she detects when she instinctively reaches out for him with her chakra sense. His chakra is surging, flickering – hope disbelief it can't be – in a way that she's never felt from him before, and when his eyes meet hers, Natsuki sees a fierce determination there that she's not seen since the day he'd first started teaching her how to control her chakra.
"Jii-chan?" Natsuki asks, her voice leaving her lips in a cautious murmur. She can only watch as Hiroki pauses to sweep his pouch off the ground with a fluid grace that should have been unfounded in men his age, and in the next moment he's suddenly carrying her in his arms before she can even register what's going on.
"You all stay around here. I'll be right back." His sudden announcement catches everyone off-guard, and all of the kids exchange glances of mild alarm before they look back at him.
"Hiroki-ojiisan, where are you going?" Tatsumi asks- but by the time he does, Hiroki is already headed deeper into the sea of people ambling about the town square.
"Just stay put," He throws back over his shoulder, and Natsuki feels his hold tighten on her slightly as he skilfully dodges past the throng of people. With how frantically he's moving, Natsuki's surprised that he hasn't already taken to the roofs to navigate- though perhaps that would be an overreaction too great for even his taste.
She doesn't dare voice her questions as to why he's acting this way, abandoning the rest of the children he'd been tasked with watching over in favour of grabbing her and running like this. A dozen possibilities run through her mind as to what could have garnered this reaction, and Natsuki finds herself extending her own chakra sense around her like a security blanket in response to her own worry.
Scanning every signature that crosses her path, Natsuki begins to feel almost dizzy in her search for any potential dangers in the area. For a while, there's nothing particularly eye-catching in the crowd, until she hears her grandfather inhale sharply and feels him stop in his tracks- right as she detects the first set of signatures to actually stand out in her mind's eye. There are four of them, three smaller than the largest of the signatures, which feels like rumbling earth and solid rock that bears the promise of crushing all that stands in its way. Two of the smaller ones feel like burning fires, warm and strong and full of life.
The fourth… the fourth is closer to them than any of the others, coming from the young kunoichi standing before her and her grandfather with wide, lavender eyes. Her chakra feels like the ocean breeze against her face, the kiss of warm, summer wind when she opens her windows on a sunny day- and something angrier, ominous, lurking just beneath the surface. Natsuki can't quite move as she sees the headband proudly worn on the girl's forehead- that damned leaf symbol shouldn't make her tremble the way it does, damn it- but to her own numbing surprise, it's not the hitai-ate that truly strikes her deeply. It's the girl's hair.
It's red. The red of fire, blood and the passion. Vibrant, breathtaking- damning.
The red of the Uzumaki.
"Kushina?" Hiroki's voice is nearly a whisper, his face pale as he stares at the young kunoichi mirroring the same look of disbelief. Natsuki can feel the blood draining from her face as well- though for entirely different reasons. This isn't happening. No, no, absolutely not. This cannot be real.
"Hiroki-jiichan?" The kunoichi's voice begins to crack before she can even finish speaking his name, her hands going across her mouth as she stares at Hiroki with wide, teary eyes. She takes a hesitant step forward, as if uncertain whether the sight before her would vanish like some cruel illusion, and Natsuki can only feel dread seeping into her skin as she realises that no, this is very, very real. "But… it can't be- I saw you, when I left the island! You were supposed to be…"
"It's me." Hiroki's own voice is wrought with emotion, and if Natsuki had been able to tear her eyes away from the kunoichi in front of her, she would have seen tears brimming at the edges of his vision. Dropping to a knee, as if to reassure her he means no harm, he says, "Shina, it's really me. I'm alive."
Those seem to be the magic words- because in a single instant, all of the fearful doubt on Kushina Uzumaki's face is replaced with overwhelming relief. Choking back a sob, she ignores the protests of her genin team and sensei in favour of rushing towards Hiroki, who catches her in his arms all without once releasing his hold on Natsuki. The kunoichi clings to both Hiroki and Natsuki as if they were a lifeline in a sea that's pulling her under, her breaths ragged and tears streaming down her face while she embraces the last members of a clan that she'd thought dead. It should have been a joyous moment for the Uzumaki, one when Uzushio's beloved children are finally reunited under the same blue sky- but all Natsuki sees is angry orange and red against a blanket of stars, nine tails thrashing in the air while a baby cries alone on an altar, and everything turns cold.
With each ragged sob that Kushina heaves as she clutches onto the last of her family with all her might, Natsuki feels any resolve she had of staying uninvolved in the established fate crack across the surface- a mere prelude to the moment it would shatter into a million pieces.
AN: (ramsay voice) Finally, some canon character interaction.
Anyway, this concludes the end of the prologue arc! We've laid the foundations to move straight into the driving plot and we may finally see some actual kisame action in the next chapter at last. While I'm here, i'd like to say this is my first take on a lot of tropes and themes that I haven't really delved into with writing before, so if I accidentally make any mistakes or represent anything harmfully, please do not hesitate to inform me! I am still learning and I would gladly change any misinformed narratives should there be any!
In the next chapter- yall know it aint a shonen story without a timeskip babey