Resetting Our Lives
Summary: Untimely deaths and mourning spirits. A second chance was deemed appropriate. Now in a new world and in younger bodies, how will they adjust? How will they change things with their presence in this new world?
A/N: I'll just remind people again that I did warn for OOCness some odd distant time in the past. Just putting this out there. :) Also, consider this the entry to a new arc.
Disclaimer: I don't own ATLA or Naruto.
Chapter 5 - Room In The Nest
The former princess held herself proudly when Minato became Hokage. She finally felt like something was right. She didn't want to be under the wing of some no name shinobi. Not that Minato wasn't famous already.
The children attended the inauguration ceremony. Kakashi went with them as a chaperone. The three were relatively okay with each other, even if Kakashi tended to be on the odd side. It wasn't like they could say much for themselves at that subject. They were all odd.
They cheered on with the crowd of people unsuspecting of the cute bloodhounds among them huddled together as they looked up to the new hokage. It was a bit of a relief, actually. For once, they were invisible. For once, no one was looking at them like they were going to snap at any moment and murder someone.
Azula wore a red sleeveless cheongsam with yellow frog knots, a pair of black pants, and black knee-length shinobi boots. She wore her hair down with a red hairclip and wore black elbow length tekko. Unlike Sokka, she wore the usual shinobi holster on her right leg. Her crown was pinned to it like some sort of charm rather than worn on her head. After all, she was no longer princess Azula of the fire nation. She was now Azula, daughter of the hokage. She prefers this more.
Sokka wore a simple kimono-like tunic with short sleeves and split sides and his usual necklace. He wore his original armguards and shin guards displaying the water tribe insignias to honor the occasion. He wore the traditional shinobi shoes and pants in dark blue. He had his sword on his back which was thankfully overlooked by people. His boomerang hung on his side along with a small jug filled with spirit water collected from the cave they were found in.
He was also there to support Minato's inauguration but he held less of the pride that Azula had. Azula was ecstatic while Sokka just wanted to go home as soon as all the important stuff was over. It was true that they both accepted the man and his wife as their formal foster parents but to Sokka, Hakoda will always be his father. It was going to take time for him to accept Minato as his new one. It certainly was going to take time for him to get used to the idea that his foster father was also the ruler of the village now. Hakoda had been chief of the south but...This was different.
As soon as Kakashi's eyes left him, Sokka slipped away from the boisterous crowd. Minato noticed from above and had a sad but empathetic look on his face. The boy always had such sad eyes. It displayed a strong yearning. If he did not let anyone else in soon, he would be drowned by his sorrows.
He wished the boy would let more people in. The answer for that problem dropped in on the new family a bit too unexpectedly.
Minato walked out of the kitchen with the bowl and the pestle still on hand, looking lost. Azula dropped her workbook in shock while Sokka choke on his snack.
"Huh? A baby?"
"I'm going to be a mother, dattebane."
Kushina was already glowing enough. The kids really didn't need the extra effect of spirits and energy sparkles dancing about her in joy upon sensing the life being born in her gut. It just made it seem a lot more unbelievable and more likely to be a dream.
"I'm going...to be a father." The look of disbelief on Minato's face was priceless.
It wasn't a dream.
"A mother, dattebane!"
"You're pregnant?" said Azula in shock - a delayed reaction, for sure.
She's heard her foster parents having sex plenty of times before. She even walked in on them once. But, she never expected this to happen so soon.
Kushina had that hormone suppressing technique thing that was a must learn for all Konoha kunoichi seeing as getting killed on a mission because their period made it nigh impossible to lose their enemy trackers was just plain embarrassing. This technique effectively got rid of the menstrual cycle, ovulation period included. A fact that has Azula marveling at the medical advances of this world.
Really. No period? Without side-effects? That was a medical holy grail for women!
But, for the most part, a kunoichi can fuck as much as she wanted with her boy toy/s without ever getting pregnant unless she took the counter technique to restart said cycle. Looks like Kushina did. That or she was just so high on sex, she accidentally broke the jutsu with that enormous chakra reserves of hers.
"Hm. Perhaps this may just do you good. How do you fancy becoming an older sibling Azula?" Sozin's voice echoed in her head with amusement. He figured this was the hammer to the nail. The one thing that the girl might need to completely...evolve.
The girl was simply too stunned to take note of the spirit's apparent arrival. She didn't even bother retort. Sozin could tell she was highly disturbed by this development. However, he made no mention of it. He expected it, really. Change always was the most terrifying thing. Much like that moment in the past when he learned that his best friend was the Avatar.
"Oh no. Fuck no. This can't be happening again." mumbled Sokka. He jumped out of his seat and started dancing oddly around Kushina while singing some weird chant.
"What are you doing?" asked Azula.
"A prayer ritual for babies. I'm am not having a sister again. Nuh uh. This one has to be a boy."
"I that sense it is a boy. It's a child growing strong like the coming of a little sun." The children heard Sozin's voice echo in their heads.
"I'd rather it be a girl." argued Yue.
'Oh no. Don't you dare try anything Yue. I mean it! None of your magic tampering and moon voodoo!' hissed Sokka. It was going to be a boy. It. Was. Going. To. Be. A. Boy.
"Oh, thank you! I always wanted a boy dattebane." Kushina gushed at the cute scene. She was in her own female wonderland. Her aura was beaming pink. She was so high in happiness that she didn't even register that the child just cursed. She would've chewed him out otherwise.
"Ha! Majority rule!" cheered Sokka. It was so going to be a boy.
"Oh no! I forgot the face paint! You think bean paste will work?"
"Stop it. You look stupid." chided Azula glumly. Sokka was too absorbed with the baby news to entertain her. A fact that embittered her further.
Meanwhile, Minato was still frozen by the news. Sure, he was happy but the shock also paralyzed him in his place. He was still stuck at the first sentence. He was becoming a father?
A baby was coming. It was...threatening. I was going to be a sister. An older sister. I've never been one before and it presented a certain intimidation to it.
Everyone is so happy. They act like I should be happy. But, I'm not. I remember what great grandfather said to me well enough and felt like actually taking it, this second chance thing. I might as well get comfortable if I'm stuck here for the rest of my life, right? It wasn't like I had a choice other than chose to be bitter for the rest of my life. Truthfully, this world is like a wonderfully refreshing vacation.
No, father to constantly tower over me like a looming watchdog. No absent mother to constantly mock me. No servants to constantly lie to me due to fear of retaliation. No Zuzu and Uncle to constantly mess up and leave. I don't have to think about them anymore. Because they don't matter. They were nothing but ashes of old memories thrown to the wind.
Compared to my old life, this was paradise.
But now, a baby's coming. That dream come true suddenly seems so far away again. It's like the illusion shattered with that one revelation and I was reminded of the cold truth.
I don't belong here. I'm not really the child of Minato and Kushina. I'm just worming myself into their lives, like some leech. But this baby, it won't be adopted. It won't be some pitiful damaged good that everyone keeps avoiding. It won't be a charity case. It will be flesh and blood. It will be real. The true child. It's...terrifying.
There was this fear in me growing. My new parents weren't really mine. I knew for a fact that it was all just a convenient arrangement. A formality. When the baby comes, I'll be redundant. I won't be needed. I won't be the youngest one in the house anymore.
It's not quite jealousy. I know jealousy very well and this wasn't it. No, this was fear. Real fear worthy of me. This was paranoia. I felt that as soon as the baby comes, I won't be needed anymore and will be thrown away. There was even this fear gnawing at my mind that Sokka, the only one left that was like me, the only one who could understand, would pick the innocent and pure real baby over me as a younger sibling.
I'll be ignored again. I'll be left alone again. I'll be discarded, left to begging for attention like some pathetic dog. I didn't want to go back to that.
The worst part? Sokka knew I was feeling this way. I tried my best to school my features and hide behind the act of being okay. I was always a great liar so I had no problem with that. The problem's our spiritual bond.
As perfectly isolated I try to keep my mind as, sometimes, stray emotions carry over. It doesn't take a genius to decode all those feelings of insecurity and fear in light of the current situation. It just so happens that Sokka was already plenty smart on his own, for the right things. I couldn't hide such a thing from him no matter how hard I tried. It worked best at close proximity and we were always such.
It didn't used to be like this. We used to completely shut each other out due to hate and bitterness. But in time, that changed and so did our bond. It was surreal to have a literal connection with someone. But, for someone like me, it was like addiction. Once I had it, I never wanted it to go away. Maybe that's why I tried so hard all this time to delude myself into this fantasy. And now, that perfect world was about to change whether I liked it or not.
That there is the problem. I. Do. Not. Like. It.
"What did that poor grass ever do to you?"
I heard someone speak behind me. I didn't show surprise or jump or hold my breath. I'd be stupid to let people realize they caught me off guard. But, this person is one of the rare few - and growing number - of people who actually can do that. He sneaks up on me regularly and he probably knows the obvious by now.
I turned towards him with a sneer.
"Exist." I tell him. "Like you." I added.
He just laughed. I made a jab at his being and all he did was laugh. It was a bit cringing, his abnormal cheeriness and maturity. He reminded me of Ty Lee, always smiling and keeping everything bottled on the inside even when she's always so afraid. At first, I found that particular part of him endearing, almost nostalgic. Then, it finally came to me that he's way worse than Ty Lee ever was and that they were not similar at all.
"You really crack me up, Zu-chan." he smiled. He's completely screwed up there in the head if he thinks my insults are jokes.
The nickname elicited a response from me. A proper eye twitch.
"I thought I told you not to call me that, Shisui!" I yelled at him. I have repeatedly warned him not to call me by that nickname. It reminded me too much of Zuko. I used to call him Zuzu, to tease him. Now, this jerk is doing the same thing to me.
"Aw~ Why not? It's cute." he said.
I simmered in rage. Why is it that he always chooses to press my buttons? Why won't he ever listen? Why won't he just...fear me?
This idiot deserves a lightning bolt up his ass!
"If you do that, I'll take you over and dance like a drunk tiger monkey in front of your classmates." threatened Great Grandfather.
My breath halted for a second and then I returned to simmering in rage once more. Only this time, it's not about the brain damaged fool. It's about another brain damaged fool.
'Now you talk to me. I've been waiting on you for hours.' I relayed with vexation. I called out to him hours ago but he just ignored my hails. It's not like he's the moon spirit. He doesn't have some important moon duties to attend to. All he does in the spirit world is drink tea all day and do gardening.
Now I know where Uncle got his cookieness from.
"I've been here for hours. You were just too busy ranting about pointless things to notice." he said. His image suddenly blurred into existence. I could see him physically just fine. He was hovering safely just behind my annoying classmate, holding a cup of tea and looking rather tranquil.
"What? Is there something on my face?" Shisui asks suddenly. He must feel rather self-conscious now that I'm staring.
But he's not really who I'm staring at. I'm staring at the old man setting up what looks to be a picnic spread right between us. There were more spirits joining in. A bunch of small Hairiyo birds and a couple of dragonfly bunnies. They were more along the lines of the spirits from our world, chimerical. Not like the ones native to here who only flew about me like mindless moths.
The veil between our spirit world and this world wasn't too transparent. Actually, this world doesn't have a spirit world. There's only this world and...beyond.
'Pointless!? How could you say they're pointless!? I'm panicking here! I'm telling you, I don't usually find anything worthy of panic.' I pressed.
"I know." he said flatly. I suddenly felt a wave of embarrassment come over me. Of course he knew. He was my great grandfather. He's been watching our family long before I was born. He knows my every quirk and every secret preferences.
'Perverted old man.' I jabbed. He's not really. I doubt he find anything about me remotely arousing. But it's still creepy to know that he's been watching me since birth. By that, I mean since birth. He knows everything 24/7 for the last 14 years of my natural first life and still going strong here in my second world.
"You really had that birds and bees talk far too early for my liking." he sighed.
"Here, have a bite. Eating these always makes me feel better. They're special strawberry flavored." Shisui waved a stick with pink dango at my face. He settled next to me with his snacks out, unwittingly joining the picnic atmosphere that was mocking me so.
"I prefer actual fruit." I sneered at him. Then, he grabs an apple from his knapsack.
I just had to open my mouth, didn't I?
I grabbed it, albeit with a growl, and roasted it in my hand with blue flames. Then, I ate it. It was delicious and I just realized how hungry I was really. I was so focused on the baby subject that I forgot about food.
I sigh.
"Hey, having a date without the third wheel?" teased Sokka as he came approaching. He brought our lunch with him, mainly since he's the only one who ever remembers to grab them before we leave the house, and tossed the paper bag to me.
I opened it to see just what I am supposed to be heating up today and saw fruit and...wasabi? I shot Sokka look.
"Pregnant women." he shrugged. "They have the weirdest taste in food."
"Ah~ I know what you mean. You know, Itachi's mom is pregnant. You better steer clear from their place for a while." suggested Shisui.
Sokka gave him a pleased look. "Noted."
Ugh. I rolled my eyes. Here comes the inevitable.
'So, other than the awkward obvious, what have you two been talking about? I could feel tidal waves of emotion all the way from the classroom.' he asked me playfully as he sat adjacent to me and Great Grandfather.
I clenched my fists and held back the raw anger. He could see through me quite literally. I enjoyed many of the perks that coming to this world the way we did had to offer but not this. This means I can't hide anything from him.
I used to be good at schooling my emotions but I've come to find difficulty in doing that here in a more...internal level. I don't know if it's this body or if it's the...release. If it's the sudden comfort and the feeling that there are people who do care about me now. If it's learning about how to not be alone anymore. But, it's a problem that screwing me over with the people I am close to.
Too bad all of them happen to be very perceptive in their own ways. Ninjas.
Then, there's Sokka.
'Are you really doing this to us? Silent treatment?' asked Sokka. 'You know we can practically read your mind right?'
"Of course I know!" I hissed.
"Uh, are you doing that wordless talking you do again?" asked Shisui. Suddenly, I felt very warm in the face and it wasn't just because I felt incredibly embarrassed.
"She's on fire." noted Shisui, with a bit of understandable panic.
It didn't take long for me to suddenly be drenched from head to toe and then, not be.
"Thanks." I said to Sokka.
He isn't very good at using his bending much. He's still awkward about it. But, he at least knows how to get people dry easily enough if he drenches them by accident, a skill that's been invaluable recently for not pissing off instructors - and by that I mean pranking them with accidents.
"Sorry about that. It was rude. Just because we can read each other so well that we don't need words doesn't mean other people can too. We'll try to have less of that." I said with heavy tones, clearly indicating an alternative meaning.
'You're seriously trying to use the kid to get me to stop? Not gonna happen.' Sokka smirked smugly.
'Kid? He's five years older than you.' I reminded him.
'Biologically!' he pointed out. 'Chronologically...You know what I mean.'
"She's trying to manipulate the conversation again." noted firelord Sozin.
'Wha...I hate you!' I complained in a fit. The old geezer just shot me a jovial smile. So...mocking.
"Oh no. It's fine. It's body language, right? I learned about it from my uncle. It's so awesome you two can do this without a byakugan or even a sharingan." Shisui said excitedly.
I stared at him, being all happy and peppy like that. I felt like all of my energy was being drained by him. Ignorance is such bliss.
I could feel it roiling off her. They're like waves. She probably doesn't realize that it isn't just anger she's dealing with. I know exactly how she feels, really.
The day Katara was born, it was such a happy moment in our family. She had been so small, I could barely remember. But, I remembered what came next. I was only two, or maybe three, at the time. But, Katara was with me, playing outside the hut. That was when she started doing her bending, laughing all the way. I thought the tricks were so cool too and we played with the snow for a long while.
Then, Dad saw her. He looked horrified. He suddenly took her away from the ground and brought her into the house. I was asking so many questions and he couldn't hear me through the panic. I could feel that something was wrong and he just started arguing with Mom in the hut, leaving us with Gran Gran all of a sudden as they tried to fix the...damage as they called it.
I was so scared that day. I never forgot about it even if I forgot about all the other more important things. And later on, that fear turned into an irrational envy.
I was jealous of Katara. A lot. It wasn't just the bending or how she could be so strong about Mom's death or how she could be so responsible when I'm supposed to be the big brother or how all the other kids looked to her when there's trouble and not me when I'm technically the one left in charge of the tribe. It was the...attention, I guess. Before that raid when everything went to hell, I had this hidden bitterness. I cursed at her, felt angry. I felt like she was taking my parents away.
If there was one thing I remembered from Mom, it was that Invisible Man story. At the time, it just hit so hard, so on point, that I was afraid that she saw through me and I couldn't stop having nightmares for weeks. That's why I never showed it that much, the anger. I always hid behind sarcasm and logic and never actually tried to turn that ugly emotion into something...worse. Because if I ever did, I knew that I'd lose the little bit of attention I had left from them, only to be replaced by fear and hate.
I soon came to realize that it was foolish. When Dad went away, leaving us, I had to protect her. I realized that the fire nation could always come back once they realized that the last water bender of the south pole was still alive and I lived on in paranoia for the longest time.
That's what Azula is feeling - the envy. That's always what she ever felt about a sibling. I'm sure Zuko never noticed but the reason why she picked on him so much was because he had everything she wanted. Not the crown. Not her friends. But, her mother's love.
But it'll come to pass. She'll realize it at some point. But, she's really high maintenance in a sense that she'll need someone to actually spell it out for her. Besides, it'd be preferable if someone like her skipped the whole envy phase before the baby even came. I mean, her having it just now when the baby is barely just a few weeks old as a fetus is just baaad. All it does is positively buy me some time.
My little story isn't going to change it though. She probably already knows anyways, just from the bits and pieces I've revealed to her. What she needs is something more real. What she needs is reassurance. Or better yet, investment.
She needs to be able to learn how to ride this wave. Having a kid sibling doesn't have to be so bad.
"Oh no. It's fine. It's body language, right? I learned about it from my uncle. It's so awesome you two can do this without a byakugan." Shisui said excitedly.
"You mean like your blood limit?" I asked him excitedly in front of Azula.
'What are you doing!?' she hissed at me. She probably sensed my slightly sinister plans.
"I guess? It's not as powerful with insight alone though. But, it certainly has more practical uses." he snickered. Then, he stopped, realizing his slip up. "Don't tell them I said that."
"Cool. So, this blood limit...Are all Uchiha like born with it or something? Is that how you figure out Itachi-speak?" I asked with a laugh.
"Ah, nah. I don't need sharingan for that." Shisui waved.
"Does that mean you're close like brothers? Like with me and Azula?" I broached.
"Huh. Now that you mention it, I guess we kinda are." he said.
"He must be one weird little brother for you." I ribbed him jokingly and he laughed.
"Haha, you can say that again. But, I wouldn't be bummed if he were my real little bro."
There was a dull look in Shisui's eyes, deceptively hidden by the smiling and the laughing. It was only there for but a second but I saw it.
"Poor boy lost his parents to the war didn't he?" noted the late firedork.
'He was imprinting. It's stupid.' scoffed Azula.
Now, we're all in agreement that Shisui may be a bit screwed up in the head. But, Azula has a very unique take on it. She claimed that Shisui only ever got drawn to Itachi is because he was lonely himself and wanted to fill that void. Itachi was just perfect because he was always alone and was so little, like a baby brother. Like the one his parents promised him he would have after the war was settled.
I doubted her then but I get this feeling that she might've been right. But, that's precisely why I'm dragging out this conversation in front of her.
'Sokka, you moron! Stop this at this instant!' she yelled at me. The anger was starting to show on her face and for a completely justifiable reason.
"Forget Itachi. We're at school. We should be talking about Daikoku-sensei's unfair homework or something." she pressed.
Really? Homework? That's the best you could come up with Azula?
"Unfair? But, he only asked us to write an essay on village history." Shisui asked in confusion.
"I'm only four!" argued Azula. We both shot her a look that said You're seriously playing that card? before she huffed and looked away in embarrassment.
'Just give in. If you're not going to agree to a heart-to-heart - uck, that needs to be renamed - I'm going to keep tormenting you like this.' I grinned.
'No.' she said resolutely.
"Ask him about Itachi's baby brother to come?" FL Sozin suggested with a devious smirk while sipping his tea.
'Great idea.' I said. "Speaking of four year olds, how do you think Itachi-chan is going to handle a baby?"
Shisui snorted. "He'll probably be a lot awkward about it."
'You sadistic assholes!' she yelled in anguish. I almost pity her. Almost. Come on, from this point of view, her stubborn fight just seems so stupid.
"But he'll get better at it eventually. Even if he can't, he can always count on me for advice." added Shisui.
At that, Azula froze and I knew I had her.
"You mean he has you and me for advice." I added, with a mock glare. Shisui chuckled all over again. But, Azula remained frozen. She glared at me bitterly. But, I knew I won this round.
She seriously needs to be able to get over this.
"Sure, we can share. But, if he asks you about baby care advice, know that you're the one who dug your own grave." threatened Shisui.
Hmm. I think...I have an idea.