Butterflies

"Me? I'm nobody. I'm not skilled like Uchiha-san. I am not passionate like Haruno-san. I am not smart like Nara-san. I'm not as strong as Chouji-san. I'm not as collected as Aburame-san. Or as pretty as Yamanaka-san. I'm not as confident as Inuzuka-san. If anything, I'm like Hyuuga-san, socially awkward. Oh wait, no, she's just shy. The socially awkward one is me." OC! Team 7 remix!

Chapter 24 – And I'll come back

8-8

I hate coming into this room. The hidden library. I hate the feeling of someone always being right behind me, even though I know no one's there. But I need to be here. I need to know. I need to find out about my heritage. I turn on the light, tired of trying to see in the darkness. I'm glad mama had a light installed in here, it'd be impossible to find anything otherwise.

The room itself isn't too big. And there are only three rows of shelves – REALLY impressive, but I'm used to Konoha's General Shinobi Library. Still, for one family, it's nothing to sneeze at. I look at the scrolls, the books, the colours of both. I notice these aren't all of one source. Some are red with a swirl. Some are yellow with the kanji for 'four'. Some are brown with the kanji for 'wolf'. Others still are white with the kanji for 'doctor'. There seems to be no order to them, they're just put wherever they fit.

I pick up a brown one, opening it. After all, if the Namikis are closed to wolves, then this is the better place to start, right? I unroll a section of the scroll, reading the highlights so I know what it's about. Hmm, mostly just talking about training a wolf – and VERY clearly stating how you shouldn't expect to ever tame one.

I nod, rolling up the scroll and putting it back. I grab another brown one. Collaboration jutsus with wolves. Hmm, I see a REALLY big scroll, about as tall as I am. It's also brown, with the kanji for 'wolf'. I take that one, unrolling a section. Names, written in blood, with handprints below it, also in blood. All Namikis. The last one… Namiki Miwako. Mama…

This is the summoning contract.

I roll it back up, placing it on the shelf I took it from. I look around some more, finding other scrolls that are just as large as the summoning contract. Just two though. One is red with that same swirl. The other is white with the kanji for 'doctor'. I take the white one, unrolling a section of it. Doodles? No… not doodles… seals! This is a seal!

I look further and further and further. Seals upon seals upon seals. Each is described; how to produce it, what it does, how to use it. I… don't understand. I just don't understand. At all.

Mama was good with seals. Maybe these are her creations? It doesn't quite fit though. Most of these have medical uses. Maybe papa? Hmm. Well, if this one's papa's, then it might be logical to assume that the white scrolls with 'doctor' on them are all his. That would mean that the brown ones with 'wolf' are likely mama's… so what's the deal with the other two?

I roll the scroll back up, putting it back in its place. Then I go for the last large scroll. Red, with a familiar swirl, now that I think about it. Most of the shinobi in Konoha wear this same swirl on their uniform. I unroll a section…

Names… handprints… in blood… a summoning contract? So why are all the names… Uzumaki…?

The last name, Uzumaki Kushina.

Uzumaki Naruto… Uzumaki Kushina… there's a connection. His mother? I don't know who that is, but I'll ask later. I have no clue what summons is bound by this contract, but if I'm right, that's Naruto-nii's thing to figure out. This could explain why mama was so determined for me to get to know him – even if I forgot all about it.

Okay… so red scrolls with a swirl, those are Uzumaki scrolls. I'll be sure to talk to Nii-san about this. Obviously mama meant for him to have them, and she trusted his parents enough to have these stored here for when the time was right.

So… the yellow ones with a 'four' on them. No larger scrolls, so I'll just grab a smaller one. I unroll a section of it. Hmm, also a seal. No, not quite. This is different than a seal.

Name…?

Flying…

Thunder…

God… jutsu…

…

TOK tok tok-tok…

I shake myself, looking down and finding my hands empty. I must have dropped the scroll from shock. I pick up the scroll, rolling it back up and putting it back.

Of course… of course! Yellow flash, yellow scrolls. Fourth Hokage, number four. Well, now I know who the father is. And suddenly it all makes sense. Mama was one of his personal Anbu guards. Captain knew Nii-san's parents, and hinted that he'd need a strong Anbu guard, like mama was to his… father…

My apartment being right across from his. This of course having been arranged by the Third, so he knows. Of course he knows. He should know the only son of his successor, and predecessor. Uzumaki Kushina… probably his wife. Mama never talked about anything like this, of course. Who could expect a five year old to keep such a secret?

Nii-san needs to know. I'm not… I can't keep something like this from him! But… wasn't it the Fourth that sealed the Nine-tails into Naruto-nii?

To seal something like that into your day old son… that… I can't even begin to understand what that would do to a man.

8-8

"Nii-san." I call to him. I'm trying to control my face, trying to be as stoic as I've ever been. No one seems to be buying it though.

"Sis, what's wrong? You look like you've seen a ghost!" Nii-san is at my side in half a heartbeat. He's… fast, just like the Fourth. Maybe I am seeing a ghost. A living ghost. A ghost that anyone with a Stone headband would happily give their lives to kill.

"I need to talk to you. And Yoshino-sensei. Alone. Now." They share a look, both worried for me. They nod and follow me upstairs and into my room. As I close the door behind us, I activate the seal again. "Captain, drop the camouflage. I know you're here."

A shiver in the air near my window, then a shudder. Slowly the jutsu fades and Captain is there, standing and acting as if he's supposed to be here. He isn't, but I knew he would be. "Uzumaki Kushina." I begin, studying Sensei and Captain's faces at the same time. There's a small wince on Sensei's, but Captain doesn't react at all. "Who was she?"

"… Why do you ask?" Sensei asks me, trying to deflect the question.

"She was Naruto-nii's mother, wasn't she." I don't ask this time. They both wince. Nii-san looks a bit lost – the name probably doesn't mean much to him. "And his father. Namik-"

"What are you getting at?" Captin interrupts. Naruto-nii is on the verge of tears, overwhelmed and unsure what any of this even means.

"Nii-san. Your parents left a bunch of scrolls in mama's care." I tell him, my eyes gazing into his.

"… was my father a Namiki?" He asks. I shake my head, no. "Who was he?"

"Ask Captain. He's the one stopping me from telling you." I glare at Captain Ecchi.

"You can ask, but I'm not allowed to say. Only the Third has that right." Captain evades the situation. How simple-minded, to just say 'I can't tell you, it's not my job'. I snort.

"Arrange for the Third to be here to tell him. Today. We all know I won't keep this from him." I tell him plainly.

"Aya, please understand the reasons why he was never told." Captain tries.

"I understand the reasons. Just like I understand mama's reasons for wanting me to be close to him. What you do not understand is that those reasons only apply to those outside this room. Or have I missed something? Do you think I would kill him for his heritage? Do you think I would sell that information to the highest bidder? And you and Sensei obviously both already know. That means others know. That means that, just like the Nine-tails being sealed inside him, this is the worst kept secret in history!" Captain's eye is about ready to fall out of his socket.

"What, didn't think Nii-san would tell me?" I ask him, tilting my head to one side. "Didn't think I would still love him like a brother knowing what I know?" No one answers me. Not that I'd expected it, really.

"If you want to protect Nii-san, then train him to be strong enough to survive once that knowledge gets out. And stop being such a dumbass and assuming that no one's ever going to figure it out! He looks just like him, for Kami-sama's sake!" And thinking back, I should have been able to figure this out YEARS ago!

I deactivate the seal and open the door. "Tell Hokage-dono he has until after dinner. So, around seven this evening." I say, holding the door open for him.

"Every bit as uncompromising as Miwako…" Captain mumbles, leaving my bedroom.

"Sensei, I need to talk to him. Alone." I demand. She gives me a look, almost as if asking me if she's stupid. "I will stick to my word, but I need to talk to him. And no, this will not wait."

"Aya~aaaa."

"Sensei." I meet her gaze easily. I'm not worried in the least. Whatever she hopes to achieve is simply not going to happen. "What I need to tell him, what he needs to hear… is for his ears only. I'm sorry, but you're just going to have to trust me."

She sighs, rolling her eyes. "Fine, fine."

Just as she's leaving though. "Thank you, Sensei." She won't know what I mean by that, not yet, but I need to tell her just in case. I want her to know how grateful I am for everything she's done for me. She'll figure it out, I'm sure.

I close the door and activate the seal once again. Naruto-nii looks like he's about to short circuit. "How'd you find out?" Nii-san asks.

"I recognized the name of one of the jutsus, connecting that jutsu to the only known user wasn't hard." I tell him honestly. "I'm not going to lie to you. When you hear it, it will upset you. You'll be proud, you'll be blown away, and you'll be so overwhelmed. But you will also be royally pissed." I would be at least, knowing that my father sealed something in me that made the whole village hate me.

He's quiet for a long time, trying to piece it together himself. "… so what did you want to tell me then?"

"How you react afterwards. What you plan to do after finding out the truth. I'm in." He looks at me confused. "If you plan on staying in Konoha, I'll stay with you. If you plan on leaving, I'll leave with you. If you plan on going on a bloody rampage and killing everything that moves, I'm coming with you."

He shakes his head, trying to wrap his brain around my words. It doesn't seem to help.

"I can't predict how you'll react to the news, Nii-san. I can't tell you what's the 'right' way to react to it either." I pause... "All I can say is that I'm here for you. I have your back. Okay?"

8-8

Dinner is turning out to be a rather tense affair. Uchiha's staring at me and Nii-san, trying to understand why we're so distant. Hokage-dono's trying to find peace is the quiet, but he doesn't seem to be able to. Sarutobi-san is mostly just staring at her food and ignoring everyone. Captain's eating in the kitchen, mostly because I kept glaring at him and that's not a very comfortable way to enjoy a meal. No one seems to be enjoying the atmosphere at all.

Once everyone's had their fill, Yasu-san clears the table. I apologize for not helping, but I'm not leaving Nii-san's side right now. "Well, it would seem that dinner's at an end." Hokage-dono says, smiling. There's no life in it though. "Sasuke, shouldn't you be getting home? It's getting late after all."

Uchiha-san nods, understanding that whatever Hokage-dono's doing here, it has nothing to do with him. Captain sees him out, just to be sure.

"Naruto. I assume you have no issue with Aya being here to hear what I have to say?" Hokage-dono asks. Silly question. Nii-san nods, agreeing that he has no issue with me being here. "Good. I understand that Aya's found your parents' scrolls in her mother's library. I can't say I'm surprised. The council secretly tried raiding your father's house after he died, and I'd always wondered why no one ever found anything of value."

"So who is he? Who's my old man?" Naruto-nii begs.

"Namikaze Minato. The Fourth Hokage and Konoha's Yellow Flash." Nii-san's eye almost pop out of their sockets; he's that shocked. I link my arm with his, reminding him that I'm right here for him. "He'd sealed the Nine-tails in you, because he knew you were already accustomed to its chakra. After all, the previous jinchuuriki was your mother, Uzumaki Kushina." I look to Sarutobi-san, wondering why she isn't surprised… and more importantly, why she's even here.

She's tied to all of this, somehow.

"Nii-san?" I squeeze his arm a little, trying to reach him. He's… he's just out of it. Great… now he's chuckling. This is just too much for him.

"My dad's the Fourth, but I get treated worse than dirt. What a joke." He laughs lifelessly. "And the same man that sealed the beast in me that makes everyone hate me."

I let go of his arm, wrapping myself around him, trying to keep him from falling apart. He doesn't fight it, even though he's stiff as a plank. I have no idea what I can possibly do for him. This is just… heartbreaking.

"Sis… your mom. She was one of his personal Anbu, wasn't she." He doesn't ask. I nod, hoping he doesn't think I'd kept this from him. "Is that why you're like this?"

"No. I only found out today. The second I found out, the second I came out of the library, I came straight to you." I tell him, hating the stupid tears in my eyes.

Almost as if coming to a decision, he wraps his arms around me, holding me tight. I run my fingers through his hair, and curse the stupid knots that I find in there. When did he last comb this mop!? I'm soooooooo dealing with that tonight!

Hokage-dono clears his throat. "There's more…" Oh, Kami-sama! Say it ain't so! "The Nine-tails chakra… it would have been too much for you to handle at the time. Ideally a new host would be between the ages of six and nine years. So… Minato split the Kyuubi in half to give you a fighting chance."

I don't like where this is going. And judging from Naruto-nii's VERY tense posture, I don't think he does either.

"Where's the other half?" Nii-san asks, almost sounding afraid of what the answer might be.

"In me." Sarutobi-san answers. I can hear the sorrow in her tone, but… I turn to her, study her. Cared for red hair, brushed until it shines. Obviously cared for face and skin. Light makeup. Perfect posture. She's the type of girl that was raised never wanting a thing. "Our mother gave birth to twins that night. Hokage-sama raised me as his own, knowing he couldn't make you disappear as well."

Well, isn't that convenient. So, you get to live the good life, while Naruto-nii gets all the hatred? All the stares? The harsh words? Kicked out of stores? Kicked out of the orphanage as well, might I add. And he CERTAINLY didn't deserve that, not like I did. I know I was an unbearable, snot-nosed brat that basically terrorized anyone that picked on someone when I was around. And seeing as Naruto-nii was around a lot, I got into a LOT of trouble.

I look down at Nii-san, wondering why I'm in his lap. That's… rather embarrassing. I scoot over, still making sure he can feel me. And I look at him, his eyes are always so expressive. And right now… he looks betrayed.

"I see. So, let me guess. You're the village's little princess?" He asks, his tone sour. And dark. Really, really dark.

"Yes." She admits, looking away. "Thanks to daddy, I've lived a very sheltered life. Never wanting for anything." I'd shut up if I were you. You're only adding fuel to the flames.

"I think I've heard enough." Nii-san says, getting up. He storms out of the room, his footsteps thundering down the hall and up the stairs.

"Thank you for coming, but as you can no doubt guess, we are no longer given to entertaining you this evening. Please leave." I say as elegantly as I can. I look to Captain and Sensei as well. "All of you."

They all nod solemnly.

8-8

Naruto-nii spends the next four hours in my arms. Crying. Tears of anger, frustration, betrayal, pain… so much pain. I don't leave his side for a second of it. I won't even pretend I can understand what he's going through. To know that someone who's life should have been identical to his –other than gender– is a princess, while he's treated like the scum of the earth.

"Sis…?"

"Nn?"

"Thanks…"

"For what?"

"For… being you."

"Your welcome."

"… and sis?"

"Nn?"

"Is it weird that all I can think about… is if Asami and I are anything alike?"

"… no. I've been thinking about that too."

"And what do you think?"

"That I'd never respect her as much as I respect you."

"… why's that?"

"Because she could never understand. Scraping the bottom of the barrel every day, trying to survive when the world wants you to give up, to just lie down and die? She'd never be able to understand how we think, how we operate."

"…"

"I respect you. Not because of your parents, not because of your burden, not because of the idiots in the village or how they treat you. But because you never gave up."

"…"

"You're messed up right now. I get that. But once the dust settles, my Naruto-nii is going to get right back up. Then Nii-san's going to come up with a plan. And then we're going to execute that plan. Until then, all I have to do is keep you in one piece."

He holds me a little tighter again, sobbing into my hug. It's alright, Nii-san. Just let it out. I won't judge you for being human.

8-8

"Morning, Yasu-nee!" Naruto-nii sounds… perky. Yasu-san and Sakiko-chan weren't explained what happened last night after dinner. Sensei'd kind of shooed them off so we could implode in peace.

"Good morning, sweetie. Did you sleep well?" Yasu-san is… a character. She doesn't even seem to care that she's essentially the woman of the house, that she takes care of everything for us – even though we try to help her all we can. She seems… happy, having people to take care of. And Kami-sama knows we need someone to take care of us sometimes.

"Meh. Could have been better. But! Today's a totally different day! Today's going to be awesome!" He sounds bubbly, sunny, but I see the worry lining his eyes. Yasu-san takes one look at him, her smile wavers a bit – she sees it too.

"That's good. Did you need something extra so you can take on this awesome day?" She asks. "I already have some water boiled, if you'd like some ramen after breakfast?"

"Nah, it's cool. You've already made so much good food! I mean, seriously! Yasu-nee, you're just awesome!" Nii-san's wearing his mask. He's trying to protect her from his crumby mood.

"Of course I did. I mean, I want to take care of my family, so why wouldn't I?" She smiles warmly, but I see the lining of sadness in her eyes. She sees through him. It's kind of hard not to, really. I mean, once you've seen him happy, it isn't hard to see through his mask.

After everyone's eaten, Nii-san insists he wash the dishes – it's only fair since Yasu-san didn't let him help with breakfast, he argues. We let him. "He's not okay. Is he." Sakiko-chan doesn't ask. Even she sees through him.

"No, sweetie, but if we show him just how much we love him, he will be." Yasu-san tells her. "Sometimes love is all that helps."

"Yosh!" She announces, getting pumped up. She dashes off towards the kitchen already shouting excitedly. "Don't worry, Naru-nii! Your sisters are gonna take super good care of you! We'll love you to bits!"

We hear dishes shuffle around angrily, but nothing breaks. "O-oi! Saki-chan! I'm trying to wash the dishes here!" Yasu and I share a look, giggling. "Hey! What the heck's gotten into you!?"

"Can you feel the lo~oooooove!?"

8-8

At exactly six-thirty-two, someone rings on the bell. I head out to see who it is, slipping into my old pair of slippers – simply because my sandals would be too much of a hassle.

"You're here early. Something to prove?" I ask, finding Momochi-san and Yuki-san on the other side of the gate.

"More like annoyed that the two idiots across the hall started fighting at three this morning, and haven't stopped yet." Momochi-san offers in a complete deadpan. I blink. Is he being serious?

"Whatever. Oh, by the way, you have your sword still sealed. Why is that?" I ask, just to see if this is the right person.

"… are you seriously checking if it's really me?" He looks annoyed.

"You can't come in unless I let you, you know." I remind him, my tone sweet as honey.

"Then why the hell did you bother giving me back my sword?" Ah, it's really him. No one else would know that.

"By the way, Yuki-san. Did you read anything about that thing today?" Hey, it's early! I can't be subtle yet!

"Yes, Namiki-san. I've already gone over that scroll you gave me on the basics of medical jutsu and the first few jutsus that I'm expected to learn." She answers easily, still smiling. I do notice she's rolling her eyes though. So she CAN emotionally react to outside stimuli!

I open the gate and let them in. "We've already had breakfast, I'm afraid. If you want to join us, you'll have to be here for about six. Sometimes a bit earlier, depending and Yasu-san's mood."

"Her… mood?" Momochi-san asks, as I'm closing the gate behind them. If I didn't know any better, I'd almost think Yuki-san's moods have a major impact on his life.

"If she's in a good mood, she cooks more. And that takes longer." I shrug; she's almost always in a good mood. Everyone has their quirks, her being a civilian doesn't change that. He 'ah's and leaves it at that. I'm almost sure he was worried about something else entirely. Hmm, I wonder what Yuki-san is like during 'that time' then.

Still, whatever. I think back, wondering where these two were for dinner yesterday… Ah, right. Captain had 'helpfully' suggested they take some time to scout around the village, maybe get something to eat at a café. Whatever.

8-8

It's going on eight before Uchiha-san and Captain arrive. I roll my eyes at them, wondering why team training wouldn't be until eight to begin with! I mean, come on! Nii-san and I have been training since Momochi-san got here! It's much easier to test these two subtly – thanks to knowing them a good deal better, and being a bit more awake now. So I swing the gate open, letting them in. And just in time to see Sensei walking up the road. I close the gate, waiting for her to walk up.

"Mornin'!" I greet her, smiling brightly.

"Aya-chan! Don't you dare start with that! It's 'good morning'! And you will address me as 'Yoshino-sensei', do you hear me?" All the proof I'll ever need right there. I open the gate, letting her in.

"Good morning, Yoshino-sensei. Sorry, you know how I am." I shrug it off. I still give her a hug though. Strict as she is on me, I know she does it out of love.

We walk together, but we don't take more than three steps before she starts. "How is he?"

"Shaken. He's strong though. He'll get through this." I answer honestly.

"No plans of abandoning ship, right?" She eyes me a bit closer now. She figured it out. I knew she would.

"Not as far as I know. You'll have to ask him though." Again, totally honest. If he runs, I run with him. Simple as that. We enter the front room, where I kick off my slippers and Sensei takes off her slippers as well. I suppose she isn't training today – it's mostly damage control. "Yuki-san and Momochi-san are here already. So are Uchiha-san and Captain."

"Ah. I'm glad. I was hoping to steal you and Haku away for a bit, before you have to go to your class. You've already done your warm ups?"

"Of course?" What a silly question to ask. Besides, Naruto-nii and I always start the day with a good warm up, workout and a light spar.

"Good. Your class starts at ten, right?"

"Yes, Sensei."

"We'll leave at nine then." That's in an hour. I guess she wants to show Captain who's really in charge here. I'm not against it. "And do me a favour?"

"Mm?"

"Don't you ever scare me like that again! I honestly thought you would leave!" If Nii-san decided to, I would have… but he didn't, so it's pointless to think about. "And… besides that… You are taking that information I told you yesterday quite well. I remember being freaked out when I first heard."

"Sensei… I've killed people in cold blood." I remind her. I don't know how bad getting my period will be, but blood isn't exactly something that bothers me. Besides, as descriptive as Sensei was, nothing she told me was all that bad; compared to watching someone bleed out right in front of you, at least.

"Maybe… but we'll see how well you take it. I still can't believe you didn't get that in the academy? Isn't that a required course?"

"… a guy trying to talk to me about there? I'm pretty sure I snuck out." I say, deadpan. I'm totally serious though! There was this one guy, a medic I think, that started a class talking about my privates. Sorry, but common sense tells you that a man in a room full of girls that is talking about that is asking for trouble!

"A guy…? I thought it was required that a kunoichi give that class?" And you're asking me this, because…?

8-8

Kami-sama, I love Sensei! Since Captain was on his 'I'm the alpha, you'll listen to me' crap again, she didn't even mind me completely ignoring him and simply doing my own training! So long as I train properly, she doesn't mind. AND! As an added bonus, because I asked Yuki-san to train with me, she complimented me!

I love Sensei.

"You girls ready to go?" Sensei asks. I'm already wearing my shinobi sandals, but Yuki-san is wearing slippers. I should talk to her about getting proper sandals though. I mean, training in slippers isn't too hard, but these are just more comfortable.

"Yes, Yoshino-sensei." I reply, after chewing and swallowing the riceball Yasu-s… Yasu-nee made for me. Yuki-san is still happily munching on the snack. I smile at her, understanding just how she feels. There's just something about Yasu-nee… she draws people in and spoils them rotten. I mean, heck, look at Nii-san and I. We both have MAJOR trust issues, but somehow Yasu-nee never once triggered any kind of negative reaction from us.

"Namiki-san, thank you for the food." Yuki-san says politely, only not to me. She's talking to Yasu-nee.

She's already shaking her head though. "Oh, Yuki-san… I'm-"

"Namiki Yasu… I like it." I toss out there. "Don't you, Yasu-nee?" Yasu-nee's eyes go wide with shock, at first, but slowly soften and she starts tearing up a bit.

"Sweetie, you're… so much like your brother." Is all she says, before kissing me on my brow. "Make sure to pay close attention during your class. And keep safe, okay?"

"I will." I beam at her.

"And Yuki-san, I understand you'll be with her. Please take good care of my little sister for me." Yasu-nee bows low to Yuki-san.

"As you request, Namiki-san." Yuki-san bows as well.

8-8

End Chapter 24

8-8

A/N: A bit more drama, a bit more raw emotion, and a whole lot of OH CRAP! Be honest, you guys, how many of you saw the whole Asami thing coming?