The Moon Always Shines Over Konoha
Chapter 4: Familiar Pain
Days faded to weeks and weeks to months.
My outousan had still not returned from wherever he had been sent to.
I was unsure what kind of mission took this long -maybe an infiltration stint or something of the like?- but okaachan seemed unworried, so I wouldn't mind his absence either.
Sitting on the floor in front of okaachan, I put her hands on the ground and pushed myself into a standing position. Maybe this time I'd get farther.
My sharp eyes trailed through the sunlit room, settling on a wicker basket resting against a vase of lotus flowers in the corner. I could even make out the tiny strings sticking out from the overall well-made basket. Oh, thank Kami for the wonderful Uchiha genes. In my last life I hadn't been blessed with a particularly keen eyesight (Thanks, family of three entire generations wearing glasses. You could not have possibly given that trait to my ridiculously healthy brother who hadn't even needed brackets in his teenie years? Nope? Ugh.). Instead I had been forced to wear glasses since my teenage years, cursing even the smallest droplets of rain and rolling my eyes in annoyance whenever someone sarcastically asked if I was made from sugar when I refused to walk out into the rain without proper protection.
Naturally I had been overjoyed when I noticed all the tiny details I could possibly get my eyes on without even needing to strain.
'Awesome!' Had, in fact, been the first thought shooting through my mind, completely with the squeal of joy and broad, idiot grin.
I had now already grown accustomed to it over the course of the last months, and I must say: I really wouldn't want to miss that, like, ever again. It was one of the perks of being born to a renowned shinobi clan, I guessed. Really nice and helpful, if one ignored the stuck-up clansmen, the infamous Curse of Hatred and the eventual brutal massacre of the whole clan.
Not on my watch, Itachi.
The wicker basket I had my eyes on appeared to be the same one mother had used in our last shopping trip. Since then, we hadn't really strayed far from the house, only sauntering down the street to a tea shop, never engaging in anything more than small talk. And even that was weeks back. Mother had isolated herself, ever since her esteemed husband had left the house months ago. Okaachan even let her groceries be delivered right to her door step, where she would accept them without ever granting me a however fleeting glance at the delivery boy. I got the distinct impression of him doing the little grocery runs out of pure charity and neighbourliness, rather than out of a need for money. He had an openly friendly voice, every other time inquiring for mother's well-being, though that was about the only thing I ever caught, because okaachan did her sharp shinobi senses good by ushering the boy out before I had even crawled into the hallway. Chubby face scrunching up, I wondered why.
I had noticed mother had already been on high alert since I had first woken up in our house only a few months back, snatching me up whenever I only so much as yawned and looking me over worriedly.
She might be afraid of the strange burning sensation I had experienced at birth (the memory was still tainted with a distinctly unpleasant taste on my tongue) and looking for signs for its return. But I was sure I hadn't acted like any medical issue was imminent, as I hadn't felt the burning pain since then, thankfully.
I was still unsure what it had been, but I was absolutely content with not knowing if it stayed away in that case.
„Huh, another attempt, Tsuki-chan?"
Luckily for me, learning a new language apparently was not as hard as I had thought. But perhaps that was just normal when you're exposed to it 24/7 with no other option than trying your best to understand, I really had no idea. I knew no expert or ‚first case' I could rely on to gain understanding of the whole born-again-yadda yadda situation, after all, so I just accepted it as NFN, ‚Normal For Ninjas'.
Who knew, maybe I was actually lagging behind by only starting to learn speech by close to a year of age.
In this crazy world everything was possible.
There were still quite a few terms I had no explanation for, but that was simply because I still couldn't inquire for a synonym to understand. Buuuut I was getting there. Slowly. At a snail's pace, actually.
Because understanding and actually speaking Japanese were miles apart.
„Go on, Chikara-san will be glad to see you're doing so well."
The words of encouragement sparked a fire in me, the confusion over whatever the hell a ‚Chikaarasan' was supposed to be pushed aside for renewed vigour.
I glanced up at the woman -her name was Akane, apparently- that had brought me into this world by pure resoluteness, determination in my posture. I produced a gargle somewhat similar to the sharp Hai I had heard the other adults around use, when mother greeted them at the door.
A smile tugged at the edges of okaachan's fine lips and fondness grew in her eyes. She patted my head, fluffing up the soft baby hair slowly growing out.
Okaachan acted really strange today, I concluded. The incessant fussing over my stumbling was annoying on its own, but not against the norm. What really put me off were the irregular looks she shot the door. Coincidentally she had only started this weird practice a few minutes ago, just when a weird tingling buzz began prickling in my chest. Paying it no heed (stupid infant body, getting all twitchy after a few minutes of infant workout), I returned to throwing her mother worried looks.
It was as if Akane expected something to bust through the ricepaper wall at any given moment.
Whatever it was that concerned mother, I was determined to make her focus only on what would make her happy. Stomping (tapping) on the floor had the desired effect, and mother's clouded gaze settled on me.
„Well well, you've got fire in you, don't you? Just like...", she trailed off again, staring off into the distance, sorrow filling her eyes. It was barely there, but the breathy ‚kun' made it to my ears. I didn't quite catch the name, but I put my finger on okaachan missing her husband.
Finally, I grumbled internally. The man's only gone for the better part of a year.
I had made it about one and a half metres through the room, still focused on the wicker basket like a hungry wolf on its prey, when a sharp rap on the door -burning stab- sliced right through my concentration and my weak weak weak infant legs gave out under me. Bracing for the impact, I was relieved when the pain didn't come. Instead I looked into mother's onyx eyes, the usual calmness replaced by something I couldn't quite place.
Wow, she's fast.
Though it became painfully obvious what okaachan was feeling when she whipped towards the door, facing the rice paper door with tense restraint. She turned slightly to the side, bracing me protectively against the side of her hip, stance rigid and tense.
She slid the door open and I had to squint at the sudden brightness. My eyes were highly sensitive and I usually preferred shadows over the bright glaring sunlight.
That's what we get for staying inside all the time.
A whiff of tiger grass and dog made me sniffle, and the tight grip Akane had on me lost its force.
„You", she breathed, all the tension leaving her body in a heartbeat.
I frowned at the unusual behaviour. Okaachan never opened the door with me in eyesight, and she had never sounded so lost.
„Well", a male voice drawled, „I heard you were alone and could use some company, Aka-chan."
I dared a sneak peek at the mystery man that had the dubious ability to make okaachan speechless. What I saw made my mind stumble.
On the wooden front porch in the warm rays of sunset stood a tall shinobi, a jounin flak jacket over a dark shirt adorned on both sleeves with a rhombical clan sigil. And if the specific form didn't already tip me off, the mop of distinct silvery-white hair, shining in the waning rays of sunshine like a snowy mountain's peak, was the punch in the gut clearing my head immediately.
This man was a Hatake, I was sure of it.
I quickly gave him the once-over, and despite okaachan's strange reaction and the stinging (burning) pain slowly clawing its way through my limbs, I couldn't help but think safe.
His friendly tanned face displayed a warm smile, and he looked at okaachan like an old friend would do. He was a shinobi, a jounin, no less, and could certainly pose quite the threat if provoked. I knew I shouldn't feel safe around a stranger like him. But my instincts pleaded with me to trust, that the strange recognition I felt in his vicinity was something good and that okaachan wouldn't have just stood there if he were dangerous. So I stayed silent, and observed.
„What- why-", okaachan stammered, a hand hesitantly reaching out, only to retreat as if reflected by an invisible force field. „But they said you were dead."
The last part was no more than a breath, something I only barely picked up despite our close proximity. Her voice quivered, and when I glanced up, I saw wetness glistening in mother's dark eyes.
The Hatake- because what else should he be with these looks- didn't seem to have caught okaachan's incredulous whisper, as he continued speaking when Akane didn't do anything except staring at him, her hand covering her mouth in silent shock.
„I just returned from that ages-long guarding mission in the Land of Lightning, and thought-" He stopped talking abruptly, glancing worriedly at Akane's tear-stained cheeks. The next moment he jolted upright, caught in the motion of stepping closer to comfort Akane, apparently just now noticing the small figure that was me at okaachan's side. He looked at me intently, then at Akane, than back at me, his eyes widening at a revelation only open to him.
Before he could open his mouth for the direly needed inquiry, Akane grabbed him by the wrist and pulled him into the panelled hallway.
I winced, there it is again. The burning grew in intensity, pulsating with every waning moment they stood motionless by the threshold.
A short staring duel ensued, but before I could do anything more than think What the hell is happening?, okaachan threw every ounce of Uchiha stiffness overboard and practically jumped at the Hatake.
„Oh dear, oh my dear Daiki! How can this be? How can you be? They told me you- you-"
Her trembling voice broke off, and I needed a second to realize the wetness dripping on my face were okaachan's salty tears.
The Hatake - Daiki - didn't hesitate and embraced okaachan, holding her without another word as she sobbed uncontrollably. She leaned into him, momentarily lost in grief over something I couldn't quite grasp.
Only after a long minute I felt Akane squirming in the white-haired man's grip, clearly ready to face him once more. They separated, slowly, as if Daiki wanted to make sure she knew he would hold her for hours on end, if need be.
I really like this friend of okaachan.
It was the kiss on Akane's forehead, not a small peck, no, a real, warm, loving kiss, that made my eyes widen.
Oh. Oh.
Well, I hadn't quite hit the mark when I'd assumed they were friends, had I?
Judging from the intense look full of longing in Daiki's eyes, they were closer than friends.
Much closer.
Daiki Hatake and Akane Uchiha were lovers.
For Kami's sake, really?!
Good that Takeo- uh, outousan hadn't yet returned. That was a time bomb waiting to blow up.
What is even happening?
"They told me you had perished at the border of Kumo and Iwa, ambushed by unknown shinobi. I- I thought I had lost you, and I threw myself at the first man offering me consolation and an open ear. I was weak, and I betrayed you, and-"
Okaachan didn't stop mumbling for a long time, and despite his obvious confusion, the white-haired man let her ramble and held her tight, whispering words of comfort in her curly hair.
I gave him great credit for it. I wasn't sure I would've handled the sobbing mess that was Akane Uchiha that expertly.
Their routine of Akane burying her face into his chest and him gently stroking her back, while doing his best to steer clear from me with his hip-holstered sword continued for quite some time. It gave me time to think, as far as that was possible over the thumping pain all over my body.
The tension in the air had decreased immensely, and while he seemed unwilling to let go just now, the Hatake man carefully parted from the tight embrace. "I don't want to intrude. When I came back I heard you had married a Clansman and resettled here. Just wanted to congratulate the lucky ba-", Daiki broke off after a hard stare from okaachan, still nestled close to him.
I raised an eyebrow at okaachan's insistence on manners even in a situation as complicated and emotionally laden as this.
Pff, you'd think they assume I can't understand them yet.
He coughed awkwardly, eyeing me once more. "Sorry. I didn't know about… Ah, well, excuse my rude intrusion, Uchiha-hime. I'll show myself out."
Okaachan's eyes shot up at the usage of the formal title, protest in her expression. "No. Don't you think you can walk away from me. Not now. Not after I just got you back."
Confusion welled up in his dark eyes, though he seemed determined to pull through with his farewell. "Akane, you're a married woman now, and I'm… a man from your past. What would your clan members think if they saw me here? Saw us here, together?" He held her by the shoulders, trying to uphold the distance he had established by retreating from the embrace. His eyes were hard, though I was sure I spotted a glimmer of deep-seated sadness and regret in his dark orbs. "It would disgrace you, if they found out. And I can't allow that."
Mother was not at all okay with his valiant statement. Her face distorted into a furious grimace, as she grabbed him by the wrist, obviously using her kunoichi strength to hold him in place. "I. Don't. Care." The tears in her eyes belayed her true feelings, despite the angry growl, despite the furious mask.
At that moment she reminded me more of a certain red-headed Uzumaki than the infamously cold and level-headed Uchiha. Okaachan was full of surprises, it seemed.
When Daiki failed to respond, Akane pulled him closer until their noses almost touched. "I don't care for any of them. Only for you." Her gaze softened and a sad smile spread over her petite face, when, she lifted me a bit, as if she had just now remembered the little figure in her arms. "I love you, Daiki, and I love everything we share. There's nothing I would favour over us being together."
She took the hand limply hanging from his side and intertwined her pale fingers with his calloused ones, a hopeful look directed at him. But between the bursts of pain searing through my veins and making me wince ever so slightly, I could already see the impending rejection.
Daiki sighed, opening his mouth to bring his point across once more, if less authoritative this time, when I couldn't hold it in anymore.
I gasped in my pathetic infant voice, when the rolling waves of pain washed over me, concentrating in a tight knot of searing, white-hot pain in my chest, just above the breastbone.
Both adults' eyes immediately shot towards my small figure, the wide-eyed worry written all over okaachan's face. "Tsuki-chan, what is wrong?"
I had underestimated my mother's worry, for her high-pitched voice bordered on p-like-panic, when she let go of Daiki and lifted me to eye level. I gasped anew, and not because of the aching fire pumping through my body like a second heartbeat.
When I opened my eyes after snapping them shut due to another burst of pain, I managed a glance at okaachan's crimson ones, three black tomoe swirling lazily in circles. She used the Sharingan, the Uchiha Clan's famed Kekkei Genkai to find the source of my pain, eyes shooting erratically all over my tiny body in search of something to pin the blame on.
"What is happening to the child? How can I help you?" Daiki sounded suspiciously like a whining dog, helplessly watching from the sidelines, as I whimpered and squirmed in pain. I had almost forgotten his presence over the burning in my veins, but I mentally appointed him the Nice Guy of the Week for his apparent worry for another man's child.
Especially considering the child in question was that of his old love and a stranger.
Okaachan's voice was distant and analytical when she spoke, every last bit of lingering sadness squashed by the need to help her child. "It's the seal. It has disintegrated much faster than anticipated."
The griefing woman rediscovering her long lost lover had vanished, vanquished by the hardened professional kunoichi.
"A seal? I know a thing or two about the sealing arts. Show me."
Daiki too had left his lost puppy-behaviour behind and switched over seamlessly to his jounin persona, as calm and collected under enemy attack as an ordinary person would be when preparing dinner.
He motioned for mother to lay me on the wood panels of the hallway. His intelligent eyes glanced at the Uchiha woman, waiting for permission to continue. When she nodded in tight-lipped concentration, her crimson eyes still focused entirely on the small body in front of her, Daiki wasted no time and lifted the dark red shirt. I was distantly aware okaachan wouldn't have allowed contact of exposed skin to the cold floor panels if she wasn't convinced something was going severely wrong, but my thoughts were jumbled even with the coldness touching my back. The pulsating ache easily burned the calming coolness away without leaving a trace.
I winced, lips not able to hold in the pathetic whimper, when Daiki's fingers brushed over my exposed belly. Whatever it was he was looking at (I couldn't quite turn my head to check, for the searing ache was ever increasing in intensity), it made the dark-haired kunoichi (okaachan! Why didn't you put me in my crib if I'm sup'sd to go sleep?) frown in barely concealed worry.
But before long Daiki wove a couple of lightning-quick hand seals, which resulted in a soft glow emanating from my belly. The white-haired man smiled grimly, apparently satisfied, and the pain was knocked down a notch. I could still feel the presence of… whatever it was that made me ache so much, but it had been demoted to thrumming background pangs of hurt once in a while, all in synch with my thundering heartbeat.
Is it supposed to go that fast? It doesn't feel okay to me.
"I can stabilize it until we find a master who is knowledgeable enough to refurbish it", Daiki interrupted my now clearer thoughts with cautious determination. That, apparently, was all okaachan needed to hear. She leaped up, grabbed Daiki- who thankfully had the presence of mind to pick me up with one hand while keeping the warm glow on my exposed belly constant with the other- and stormed towards the sliding door.
Her head whipped around, fixating Daiki with a fierce glare. The three tomoe in her crimson eyes spun furiously. "Follow me closely, and move fast. We don't have any time to waste."
Her kunoichi persona was scary. I could feel the chills run down my spine, even if that gaze hadn't been directed at me.
The hard glare softened minutely, when she snuck a quick glance at me, then okaachan was gone in a flash.
Wow, okaachan is fast!
The chakra-induced leap catapulted her high above the neighbouring houses of the Uchiha district, her lavender yukata fluttering haphazardly in the wind.
I noticed absently that she wasn't wearing any shoes, her almost porcelain skin shining in the dusk.
Daiki was left to stare after her almost dreamily (stay focused, dammit!), only to chase after the kunoichi, barely keeping up with the brutal pace she set.
If there had been any doubt about okaachan's status, it now was officially dismissed. Albeit I didn't have that many references (none despite okaachan, outousan and the Hatake, the treacherous voice in her mind whispered lowly), I suspected Akane Uchiha to be a high-ranking shinobi. I was pretty sure speed of that calibre wasn't chuunin level.
The Hatake man followed Akane, weaving through electric wires spanning to and fro above the noble rooftops of the Uchiha district. I was glad I had never been prone to sea sickness, as I surely would have met up with my stomach's content right now if I did. Daiki Hatake wasted no time in evading any obstacles by going the long way around it, no, instead he flipped and jumped like a gymnast, always holding me tight to his armour-clad chest. Apparently he had no problem with keeping up with Akane, who only seemed to take up speed, and maintaining whatever he did – something chakra-induced, no doubt- to hold back the rolling waves of white-hot pain like a dam protecting the tender coast in a tropical storm. It helped- but I could feel it was only a matter of time.
It had felt only like a few minutes at most, but we had made good time and put a lot of distance behind us very quickly, if I could go by the sudden change in architecture. We must be nearing the edge of the Uchiha district. Aw shucks. I really enjoy this feudal Japan-style. Oh well, I would have enough time to explore the district in-depth, when I was finally allowed to leave the house on my own. Wouldn't be long anymore. Only three, maybe four years, at the most. Four years of staying inside, playing nice, model baby to Momma Uchiha and not despairing over my lack of power to do anything besides burping and wobbling pitifully from room to room.
Aaaaaand right back to despair. Yay.
The traditionalist Uchiha district was quite a bit larger than I had imagined from the rare visits the anime had made to the elegant clan grounds. Hmpf, not much to visit if the Clan is extinct for most of the series, is there?
Hadn't Kakashi and Itachi already gone to the Ninja Academy at five? Or even graduated from the place? I can't recall it clearly, but that at least implies I won't be on house arrest that long. That counts as a small win, doesn't it? Wohoo!
Only a few years…
Maybe there was something valuable to do in the meantime. After all, I could already have the chance to develop some shinobi skills beforehand. The big clans set great value upon passing on the traditions and jutsu on the new generations, if I remembered correctly. Luckily Akane seemed like the parent who gladly shows her child everything she knows and explains with soft patience, for the slow-brained little twerps like me. Another win, this time a big one! Forget making friends or exploring the village, gaining power and strength is the way to go!
I grimaced almost immediately at how Sasuke-like that sounded. Ugh. No need to already go power-crazy at infant-stadium.
Although that surely would be a first-timer. A crazed sharingan-wielding dwarf in diapers shooting red flames from the mouth, all the while cackling maniacally sounded like a really fun way to be remembered amongst the clans and villagers of Konoha.
I was brought back to the present abruptly, when Daiki's grip on me tightened marginally.
It had taken me a laughably long second to process our sudden drop in speed. How disappointing. Oh well, I'm still a baby, ain't I?
The white haired Hatake came to a full stop right behind okaachan, only to turn sideways as if to shield me from some invisible force.
"Uchiha Military Police, stop right there!"
Oh. So much for 'invisible force'. My infant senses really sucked.
I wiggled in Daiki's arms, careful not to disrupt the light beam of pain killers he apparently transferred to me.
A duo of dark-uniformed shinobi had built themselves up in okaachan's path, instigating a very obvious attempt at stopping us right in our tracks while also maintaining the necessary distance. Thing is, I highly doubted the short distance of maybe six metres would do them any good, if okaachan and Daiki went all out on them. They really didn't look like they could pose any kind of threat.
Who were these bumbleheads?
"Who are you and what do you look to gain from illegally travelling across the rooftops of the most honoured Uchiha Clan?"
I inevitably felt my eyebrow go up and I had to stifle a laugh when I spotted Daiki doing the exact same thing. Probably would have thrown him off, and I didn't want the pain to return when his focus on the jutsu inevitably let off.
Man, I'm a freaking coward. And I didn't even encounter any knife-wielding and fire-spitting enemies yet!
Instead of despairing over my meagre display of mental strength -maybe when I've grown out a bit and actually learned how to defend myself- I refocused on the strange people in their way.
The loudmouth was a plain-looking guy, dark brown hair, standard jonin uniform with the MP sigil stitched to the shoulders of his long-sleeved uniform shirt. His partner had a wild looking light brown mane and small, lizard-y eyes that gave him a scrawny, suspicious look. They both smelled of sweat and something I couldn't quite put my finger on, but gave me the distinct impression of 'long time without showering'.
I scrunched up my sensitive little nose. These guys screamed unsympathetic.
"You need to let us pass immediately", okaachan ground out, her sharingan eyes swirling angrily. A sudden overbearing aura made me shiver despite the warm summer evening air.
Uh-oh. Okaachan was not in a good mood.
You should really just let us pass, guys. Or we wont be the only ones seeking medical attention this evening.
But who was I to judge? Two shinobi racing above the rooftops, while one upheld a jutsu of some sort and the kunoichi had her sharingan activated and led the pair barefoot must have looked rather suspicious.
"We- we can't just let you go, Uchiha-san. It would be against protocol to-" "I don't care for protocol!", okaachan cut in, her voice raised, but not shouting yet, because that was simply below an Uchiha kunoichi. "Me and my partner need to go, now. And if you want to argue.." She let her swirling crimson eyes speak for her, the threat blatantly obvious.
But Loudmouth didn't want to let the issue rest. "But Uchiha-san, your 'partner'-" he even put the word in air quotes, hah!,"-isn't part of the Clan, and we can't let a security issue slide like that-"
My eyebrows rose above my hairline (did I even have one yet?) at that.
Is he suicidal or what? A wild animal would back down if confronted by a kunoichi expressing this amount of killing intent, but you still press on?!
"He appears to want a set of new teeth", Daiki chuckled lightly, if lowly. No need to aggravate Akane any further, or worse yet: Bring her rage upon himself.
While the loudmouth kept on rambling about regulations and protocol- What, is he young Kakashi's Uchiha double? Only with less skill and certainly less spine, of course- okaachan's fists tightened at her sides, and I could practically feel her temper rising. When the breaking point finally came- an off-handed remark about the untrustworthiness of 'outsiders', which was a clear jab at Daiki's presence in the oh-so holy district- the usually so calm and graceful woman exploded in a fit of rage rivalling that of the red-hot habanero.
"My trusted partner and I need to pass, now, without any further delays. You won't stand in my way, or I swear I'll make you regret that decision." The oppressive aura- I was fairly sure it really was the thing commonly referred to as 'killing intent' now- intensified immensely, so much so that I nearly choked on the crushing, evil weight of it. I felt a strange… tingling, and the dark force materialized as an obscure creature of shady anthracite smoke in my mind's eye. It was as if I might grab the physical manifestation of Akane Uchiha's wrath with my chubby little hands, probably being consumed by fire and eternal darkness in the process. What the hell?
Okaachan, no, kunoichi Akane Uchiha produced a small flame inside of her palm, her crimson red eyes boring into her opponent's mind.
As if she needed to emphasize her point.
The Uchiha MP was practically shaking when she focused her intense glare on him.
Come to think of it, Akane really seemed to trust Daiki. No mother would just hand her aching child over without relying on deep-seated belief in the other person, ex-lover or not.
That's… really kind of cute.
Whatever had happened between them in the past- Akane still trusted the white-haired shinobi blindly.
I hope he becomes my godfather or something. He seems like a really nice guy.
Not only did Daiki Hatake look like a pleasant person, he also wasn't hard on the eyes.
Must be a Hatake thing.
What? I could see what had made mother ensnared to him.
And rightly so, as he unhesitatingly had put everything aside for now and focused everything on helping the child of the woman he so very obviously still loved and a man he could only have felt careful dislike for. It wasn't personal; No-one would want to be best friends with the guy who stole your girl away.
"U-Uchiha-san, I- I have to discuss that with my partner, just give us a sec-"
Without another word Akane unceremoniously grabbed Daiki by the shoulder and jumped.
The chakra-induced sprint had sent us hurtling through the air far longer than I would have thought possible even for ninjas, and I could spot the white wall encompassing the clan district fly by below us long before we even neared the ground.
If I could've seen my own face right now, I was sure I would look like a comic character whose face was comically distorted by the g-force of the abnormal leap. My stomach felt like it stuck to my bosom and my guts were social enough to join.
Ugh.
It felt like the roller-coaster ride at the theme park I had visited with my brother in the last summer we had spent together, only this time I had been smart enough to pass on the greasy fast food beforehand.
My younger brother had giggled like a small child despite his eighteen years of age, especially when I had turned green from the bolus slushing around in my stomach at incredible speeds. I had planned to get back at the lanky idiot for that, maybe by the means of a jump-scare or some water balloons to the face. But now…
Oh brother...
The returning sorrow at the new reminder of everything I had lost when I so unwillingly joined the ranks of would-be Konoha shinobi materialized as a sharp stab to my heart, and I couldn't hold back the soft sob escaping my infant lips.
Daiki's shinobi instinct cut in and his piercing grey eyes easily zeroed in on my puffy red face, salty-hot tears already burning in my eyes.
"Akane, something's wrong." His dry, toneless statement was enough to make the brown-haired kunoichi whip around, metaphorical hackles raised. She assumed a fighting stance, crimson eyes shooting around, already assessing the area for a possible threat.
"No, dear, it's her", Daiki breathed softly. His steely eyes expressed confusion, though his mouth set in a thin line of worry. "I have maintained the jutsu continuously, but I did not imagine the sudden spike in her chakra. I sensed something, but I don't know what it is." He looked up at okaachan, who had taken position next to us, tightly-controlled features not entirely enough to mask the anxiety she so clearly tried to hide.
His voice was low, but steady when he inquired,"Akane, does this have anything to do with the seal?"
Huh. I wonder what it's for?
Why would a small child need a seal for? Especially given how the seal kept causing me near unbearable pain for some reason.
Daiki still hadn't gotten an answer.
"Aka-chan?" Maybe coaxing her with a nickname would make the kunoichi answer?
The dark haired woman had avoided eye contact so far, but when she finally looked up, I was taken aback by the coldness in her eyes. "Daiki. Not now."
The Hatake man holding me tight seemed to consider probing for more information, but quickly thought better of it. There were more pressing matters at hand, and he could always inquire more after dealing with the mystery surrounding the seal on the infant in his arms. Or at least that's what I estimated his thought process to come to.
The quick glance at me and the re-emerging worry in the steel grey eyes above me proved me right.
"All right, then let's move on."
And gone we were again, sprinting and leaping high above Konoha's sparsely populated village borders.
I raised my eyes to the sky, momentarily glancing at the strained grimace on the Hatake's face. He couldn't have been much older than twenty-five, but he already had deep grouches of worry embedded in his tanned cheeks. Or maybe it was a genetic thing? Kakashi's father had displayed similar features, if I had gathered correctly from what little screen time the infamous White Fang had had in the Anime, and he couldn't have been much older.
The moon had risen up and shone brightly high above us. I distantly took note of its unnatural size. I was more concerned with the eerie atmosphere making me shiver and wiggle in the Hatake's strong arms.
The Naruto World's planetary constellations seemed to always fit the mood.
Where were they even taking me? Sure, the pain had subsided as of now, but considering Daiki's expression, it couldn't be easy to maintain whatever he was doing to stabilize the seal.
"We've arrived", okaachan announced faintly.
I looked around sleepily, almost entranced by the warmth seeping into my exposed limbs. We had landed in front of a single story house, with white-painted walls and traditional rice-paper screens. Above the entrance a single kanji was engraved in golden metal.
Sucks to not know how to read Japanese.
We will get there. Don't you give up yet, you weak little stickler!
I could spot several strategically placed torches along the side of the building facing the street which created small patches of twilight between the different sources of light.
Smart. There could be guards or the like waiting in the shadows, and one wouldn't be able to spot them with the naked eye. Luckily I had apparently picked the winner in the lottery of genetics, for I was able to make out at least a dozen humanoid figures hovering in the shady places. And they all had their weapons at the ready.
I gulped and looked up at Daiki for comfort.
He appeared calm enough on the outside but I picked up a faint trace of sweat. So he is nervous..
Obviously he would have the mental resolve to keep up a poker face even in a situation as dire as this. He was either chunin, jonin or tokubetsu jonin, and all of that spoke only the barest of his battle experience and hinted at his true skills.
Glancing back to the highly-secured house (if they've got that much security on the outside… what the hell are they protecting?), I took her mother's relaxed posture into consideration. I had seen okaachan under pressure and willing to use rough means to enforce her will just barely fifteen minutes ago. Conclusion: There was no danger I needed to worry about.
I wonder who okaachan brought me to..
Instead of doing the obvious thing and knocking on the door, mother stepped closer to the entrance and wove a series of hand signs. I could make out the typical sound of an activated jutsu and all of a sudden the ground lit up in a soft yellow glow, forming a perfect circle of light around okaachan.
The flare of chakra quickly provoked a reaction, as all shadow guards lowered their arms and sheathed their various weapons.
"A deactivation code jutsu, no doubt known only to you and whoever it is we're meeting, am I right?" Daiki looked at the faint glow still at okaachan's feet appreciatively. He had mentioned an interest in sealing jutsu before..
"Yes", Akane confirmed absently, "We agreed it would be easier than me dispatching all her guarding puppets every time we needed to meet."
Guard puppets? A quick glance confirmed okaachan's statement. The fine grooves of wood indicated a non-human origin.
But weren't these things more common in Sunagakure?
Kankuro had spent some time here during the chuunin exams, where he participated with his two siblings as a kind of disguise to cover up the Sand's planned invasion of Konoha. But he wasn't even born yet, so what other sly Suna nin came into question?
I couldn't recall any other puppet users resident in Konoha for the life of me, neither before Naruto's time, nor during it.
Luckily Daiki seemed to have similar thoughts, or I would've never known more.
"A puppet user? I have never heard of one choosing to live here, but his expertise in dismantling the damned things would've come in handy during missions near the Sand."
The unasked question was rather obvious: How come I've never heard of an expert's input in dealing with these wooden literal death traps if Konoha has a puppet user at its command?
Okaachan shot him a dirty look -still no curse words allowed, apparently. She expertly ignored his statement, either oblivious or wilfully ignorant of the low whine he emitted. He sounded hurt.
Awww, poor Daiki! If only I could hug you right now… Nope. Still only wiggling like a worm in his arms. Damn those useless infant limbs!
Okaachan should really drop her ice-cold kunoichi act right about now. I couldn't take those hurt puppy dog eyes any longer. Oh man, where his ears droopy?! That guy was a human, not a dog, for Kami's sake!
At least I had caught his attention with my fussing, and the poor man lowered his eyes to look at me.
Behind him the full moon shone with all its mysterious beauty on the firmament, framing his tanned face like a halo.
It's just like those hilariously overacted moments of 'romance' in modern drama shows. I wonder how stupid my toothless, near-bald, chubby little babyface must look right now, staring at him with wide-open eyes and a mouth leaking saliva.
"Tihihihihihi."
Daiki's face lit up like the north star. What did I do to make him grin like an idiot?
"Aka-chan, look! She's giggling, it's so cute!"
Wow, who made that giant lump of a softy a jonin?
Although I suppose, a giggling, squealing infant baby might look cute. Under certain circumstances. Mainly when said baby wasn't me. I wasn't cute. I was a fierce warrior, ready to take down the military dictatorship and the stupidly reliant feudal system of the Land of Fire, yeah!
…...Or I was going to be exactly that, when I was grown up. Possibly. Maybe.
"Again?" I couldn't even turn my head in time, that's how fast ice-cold kunoichi-turned-wobbling-mess-of-a-mother took up position next to the white-haired and still grinning Hatake. Her eyes were onyx once again, and they shone with pride.
"Dear little Tsuki-chan seems to deeply enjoy the sight of the moon. That's why I chose this name, a variation of 'Tsuki' and 'suku', 'moon' and 'love'."
Mother sounded an awful lot like she was boasting.
...Well, thank you mother, for that impromptu explanation, but we really have more important matters to attain to, don't you think, Daiki?
"It fits her perfectly."
Oh come on, really? Is it the right place and time to gush over my name? Though okaachan seemed to have put quite some thought into it. It was endearing, really, especially when you originally stemmed from a world where names were mere words, seldom with a deeper meaning.
It was all nice and well, okaachan and Daiki happily standing by each other's side, glancing at her with a mixture of endearment and pride, until a gruff voice interrupted their little unscripted cuddle time.
"Are you finished with that little baby party you're giving or shall I wait another five minutes?"
The new voice sounded decidedly not female, so I was a bit surprised when the two adults gushing over me whipped around and faced a medium-sized brown-haired woman.
Wow. What an organ!
She reminded me a bit of Tsume Inuzuka, for her tomboy-ish attitude and deep, almost manly voice. She gave the staunch impression of a woman best not to be messed with.
"Chikara-san!", okaachan exclaimed, her fighting stance already vanishing, and planted a firm hand on Daiki's defensively raised katana.
When did that even happen?! They had both moved so fast, I hadn't even noticed Daiki drawing his weapon!
Ugh. It certainly will be a long way to reach their level of awareness and speed, but I wasn't discouraged that easily. If a bumblehead like Naruto or a civilian, non-clan born girl like Sakura could reach the immense, almost god-like (and a bit ass-pulled) power they had achieved in the anime, then so could I. With a harsh training regime, some nice teammates and a distinct lack of a certain massacre, I was going to reach jonin level, no doubt.
If I lived that long.
Hi self-doubt and despair, long time no see.
Why couldn't I have been born with a certain blonde Uzumaki's borderless optimism instead of that grouchy realis- no, pessimism? UGH.
"Uchiha-hime. Is it time already?" The brown-haired woman -so that's a 'chikarasan'!- sounded like she already knew the answer to her question.
Okaachan nodded, the formerly rather obvious anxiety now barely detectable. She seemed to think I was in good hands, now that we had arrived at that Chikara-person's place.
Said woman made a hand gesture, beckoning them closer.
"Come come, and bring the dog-boy with you."
My mind screeched to a halt. Wait, what?
'Dog-boy'? What even is this woman?
Okaachan snorted, clearly doing her best to force down any kind of chuckle. "He is a good man."
Chikara's eyes widened fractionally, but I spotted it anyway. "Don't tell me, is he the young man-" "Chikara-san-not now", Akane interrupted harshly.
I raised an eyebrow. Say what now?
Conclusively, she mumbled a low "Don't mind her words, she's a bit- catty", when the white-haired shinobi shot the retreating form of Chikara a venomous glare. A low growl emitted from his throat.
Okaachan smiled a small smile, intent on brightening the mood. But Daiki and the strange puppeteer-woman's first introduction couldn't have gone worse. The two gave the impression of cat vs. dog; instant dislike.
I highly doubted there would be much salvaging to do, but mother seemed satisfied with Daiki abstaining from ripping her throat out with his slightly sharper than usual canines.
After one deep, deep breath, Daiki confided carefully, "I don't like her. But I'm a grown man looking to help a cute little child, so I'll swallow my pride. Promise." He didn't sound happy, but sincere.
Okaachan shook her head, saying, "Don't worry, we won't stay for long."
Patting his shoulder lightly, she turned to follow Chikara through the entrance of the all in all rather plain-looking house.
Daiki hesitated for a moment longer. His eyes grew steely, as if he was bracing for a challenge.
What now? The woman insulted you, yes, but you have a very urgent case of 'burning, pulsating, furious pain in the stomach' right in your arms, so move.
Before he set in motion, Daiki's lips curled into a self-indulgent grin.
"You may have taken me by surprise, weird puppet lady, but I won't let this rest." He continued in a smaller, almost childishly-offended voice, as he neared the rice-paper and wood building, "And I am a wolf-man, just so you know."
I felt my eyes roll skywards. Oh god, I've had such high hopes for you!
Here I was stuck with my crazily dangerous if angered mother, a sassy possibly ex-suna nin and a fierce shinobi acting like sulky ten-year old. Oh, and the mysterious pulses of hot, burning ache, don't forget them!
This was going to be a fun night.
The next fifteen minutes had commenced relatively peacefully, if one excluded the continually intense glaring duel between Chikara and Daiki. Neither gave an inch of space, neither gave any inclination of planning to let it go.
The only thing stopping literal sparks from crossing the space between their eyes was Chikara's rummaging around in search of thingamajigs to use in whatever she planned on doing to me. Mother had long since accepted me back into her arms, even though Daiki was huddled close by, maintaining the flow of chakra to my aching belly without breaking eye contact with the puppet user.
Something was off about Chikara's outward appearance, but I couldn't quite put my finger on it. Her hair? No, it was neatly balled into twin buns of dark brown atop her head. Then maybe… her clothes? Hm, she didn't wear typical Konohan clothing, if you catch my drift. Instead her dark red bloomers, traditionally chinese black wrap-top fixated with three golden pins above her sizeable bust and brightly-coloured dangling ear rings brought back memories of an underestimated kunoichi using weapon sealing scrolls as her preferred method of combat. Could it be? Chikara reminded me strongly of the only female nin in Maito Gai's team, Tenten. The hairdo, the clothing, yes, even the facial features were too similar to be purely incidentally.
Okaachan cleared her throat, a pointless attempt at breaking the tension in the room. "May we proceed with the ritual, Chikara-san?'
The dark-haired woman shot her a glance. Something sparkled in her eyes, as if she was happy she could carry out a 'ritual' (man, did that sound ominous).
Apparently the Akane-instigated break in their glaring duel had also encouraged Daiki to speak up, despite the tension still up in the air.
"You apparently know yourself around seals, and you use puppets. To my knowledge there are no puppet users except for the ones in Suna. So, are you a from the Sand?"
There was a certain bite to his otherwise innocent enough question, and I wasn't the only one capable of picking it up.
Chikara's expression grew hard, and she put her tools down with a little more force than necessary. "That's how I see you have very little knowledge, dog-man."
Oh, an upgrade from 'dog-boy'. Reluctant acknowledgement, perhaps?
"You could've just answered me instead of spouting such bad-intentioned nick-names", Daiki growled. Seems like he only picked up on the insult, not the faintly hidden bitterness Chikara expressed at the mention of Wind country's hidden village.
Suddenly the oppressive aura from before returned. My wide eyes instantly shot to okaachan.
She looked like she wasn't opposed to strangling the two squabblers, but the ice-cold fury that had scared me so much before hadn't made an untimely return.
Apparently mother only wanted to concentrate their attention on her, by whatever means possible. The heavy veil lifted as soon as she was sure both of their eyes were entirely focused on her.
"I see now that you two won't become acquaintances anytime soon, but please, focus your energy and concentration on the task at hand! Tsuki-chan needs our help, and I won't stand by and watch you two squabble like first-graders any longer!" She glared at each of the two adults accusingly, willing them to put their differences aside even only for a short moment.
Daiki lowered his head in shame, and even the outwardly stubborn Chikara seemed less eager to continue their little argument.
"Can you pull yourselves together or no?"
The two opponents glanced at each other, apparently united in the wish to help and squabble later.
Chikara looked Daiki square in the eye, apparently adult-ish for 'temporary truce', and began placing candles I a hexagonal formation on the table in front of her. She produced an ink pad and a brush from somewhere and after a few quick strokes and another hand seal the thick dark lines detached from the tabletop and swirled around, akin to deep-black snakes slithering about.
Hm. Another seal?
The moving lines spread out and formed a symbolical circle, adorned with dozens upon dozens of smaller, delicate flourishes. It had something hypnotic to it, and I had a hard time separating my eyes from the dancing lines and squiggles. Is that how a cobra feels when it sits in front of a serpent charmer?
I used my hard-worked detachment of the animate dancing spectacle to muse about the possible purpose of all the different signs. I could pick out the rare kanji, but most of the settling black lines looked like they were nothing but gibberish.
The expertly painted curls and twirls looked wholly decorative, but nothing in sealing arts was purely for looks. That's what I reckoned, anyway. Nothing of militaristic use had a 'pretty looking' stamp on it. It was its use, its practicality that counted, not that it looked nice.
Satisfied with the way the dancing black lines had settled all over the hexagonal outlines of the unlit candles, Chikara motioned for okaachan to place me in the middle.
In my world this whole shtick here falls under 'unwanted treatment of small children' or 'how to make your neighbours think you're a cultist, step one'.
No, really. I knew they only wanted to help me, but the thing is: Being surrounded by candles, cryptic writing and basically being set atop an altar of sorts would scare anyone shitless.
"We have to move fast, or the overwhelming pain of the seal breach will be her end."
It took me a second to understand that Chikara was talking about none other than me.
'Overwhelming pain'? Gulp.
The sick pressure in my stomach didn't help. I have a really bad feeling about this.
In the process of preparing her jutsu, Chikara rounded the table to stand over my head. In a last step to ease the tension, she addressed Daiki in a light tone, her mood apparently under control now. "If you care to know so much about my origins, shinobi-san-" "Daiki is all right", the white-haired shinobi interrupted, his voice filled with careful friendliness. He wanted to honour their truce and be the best guest Chikara could hope for. She nodded, acknowledging his efforts. "Daiki-san it is, then. My Clan, the Dakuten Clan, came to Konoha barely two decades ago. You were right with your assumption, as we are a proud Clan stemming from the Land of Wind. Our speciality is and was summoning tools sealed in storage scrolls beforehand, be it puppets, explosives, weapons or just all of that together."
Huh. Who would've guessed Tenten stemmed from such a renowned Clan?
A bit of her smugness shone through when she continued, "Though we left because of the irritating amounts of sand common to our home grounds back then."
I felt a stupid smirk form on my face. 'I don't like sand. It's coarse and rough and irritating and it gets everywhere.' Did Chikara and her Clan really pull an Anakin Skywalker?
The equally idiotic giggle didn't wait around the corner. No, really, it was hilarious.
How am I supposed to take this situation seriously when despite all the danger and painful foreboding it reminds me of one of the cringiest lines in all of cinema history?
I giggled and giggled and giggled, and my stupidly high baby vocal cords brought the most annoying noise in recent times to my ears. Tears of laughter rolled down my cheeks, and I couldn't make out okaachan's expression behind the hand she held in front of her mouth, just like the real ladies did. Her shoulders hitched in irregular intervals. I guessed she thought my annoyingly high-pitched baby giggles sympathetic enough to join in, just like Daiki was. I wondered if Chikara had a stupidly cranky grin on her wrinkled face, but I couldn't see because my vision was swimming and ouch, that hurt!
From the corner of my eye I think I saw Chikara weaving seals with her hands. Daiki had stepped back from the sacrificial table. I felt like Aslan in that god-awful Narnia movie, only I wasn't bound by iron chains and skinned alive. Although that might become an option, if that pressure kept building inside of me. Ouch!
Guessing that the real deal was just about to hit me in the face like a wood hammer, I raised my eyes skywards. There, in the ceiling of the otherwise simple and unembellished room sat a window, allowing me a clear view of the bright full moon in a star-spangled sky.
Just then Chikara slammed her palm onto the coiling seals right above my head, and I couldn't hold it in anymore. I screamed and screamed and screamed, no chance to take a breath because it just hurt so much.
My throat was raw and dry like Suna's endless sand dunes, when I was finally embraced by the pressing veil of darkness.
Funny, I reflected, how the second time in my new life the full moon signified incoming change.
Author's Note:
Another chapter, and another bunch of questions raised. Hope you like it!
Please review this story, reader's input really helps an author.
