Bouseigan
Uzumaki District – Private training dojo
Life was mysterious and frightening all at the same time, Akane thought as she sat in the formal sitting form, Seiza. Her father was never one for honor or formality. He never taught them such things, things needed when working for warlords and the occasional Daimyo. Uzumaki Akira was never one to bow before anybody, not even before gods or demons, The Kyuubi itself could attest to that.
He passed that attitude down through his children, and like him it had gotten them killed. She the youngest of the original four was the only one to make it to old age. It was when her age caught up to her that she came to this dojo, where the mural on the wall displayed the five of them, young and powerful. Immortal
Fighting and war was what the Uzumaki excelled at, Quick and quiet assassinations or large-scale destruction. Misao and Nagisa, her older sisters. In the prime of their life was capable of destroying armies of shinobi, summons fell before them, A single glance of the Bouseigan could turn entire companies of samurai into madmen that destroyed each other and there self.
The Bouseigan, besides chakra exhaustion had nearly no drawbacks. The advance form, Byousou had one severe drawback, over usage brought upon advance aging. The Byousou represented a change not only in the Doujutsu and its abilities but also a change in the body itself.
"The Byousou Bouseigan is a parasite that alters the body in order to feed itself, Use it too much and it will take control."
Her father had told them once, but she was young and didn't completely understand. The Byousou turned the body into a factory that produce the elements it needed to function, blood, oxygen and chakra. Overuse caused enlarged hearts; decrease lung function and could cause eruptions along the circulatory system and finally death. This was the death that claimed the life of her father and her beloved sisters. The same death that would one day claim her as well.
"The Bouseigan was active when our mother brought us into this world and it will be active when the Shinigami closes our eyes forever." Her father told them all before his death.
Her revere was broken as she felt a presence outside the sliding doors.
"Yes," she spoke loudly without taking her gaze from the mural.
"Ryuu-Sama is here to see you Akane-Sama." The young voice said from outside.
"I remember informing you that I was not to be disturbed today, Kiyoshi." The door slid back to reveal a young blond hair boy, his head bowed in respect and crouched on one knee.
"I know Akane-Sama, but he was very adamant that he tend to you immediately," he said respectfully.
She nodded slightly. "See him in please," she stopped for a second before finishing. "And your stealth has increased by leaps and bounds Kiyoshi, I expect to see your ability with summoning coming along as well," she looked back at him with a soft smile.
He squirmed for a few seconds before nodding and disappearing with a Shuushin. Summoning was his worse skill after all.
Seconds later Uzumaki Ryuu appeared at the door. He took a seat beside her at a respectful distance.
"Do you know what today is Ryuu?" She asks as they both gazed upon the beautiful mural. "Today is the day the Uzumaki family was recognize as a shinobi clan by the Daimyo in the former Whirlpool country." She looked at him.
"I guess today you can say is the birthday of the Uzumaki clan as we know it,
"On this day I like to reflect on the beginning, my three siblings and my father." She finish
Ryuu smiled at her. "I remember you telling me that when I was much younger, do you remember what I told you?" her questioned her.
She returned his smile. "You should never remember them alone when you can share those memories with others," She nodded. "Even then you were wise beyond your years."
He stood up slowly and held his hand to take hers. "They deserve to know what has been sacrificed and they need to know our origin and history, it's better to come from one who was there instead of second hand knowledge."
Akane Uzumaki, eldest of the Uzumaki, Last surviving child of Uzumaki Akira, decided that yes it would be better to reminisce with her family.
Chapter 9
Blossoming Flower
"Kuchiyose no Jutsu," Tittering on the edge of exhaustion, she had tried that technique once again. Nothing. She knew the technique by heart having studied it for several days before her first attempt. The technique was relatively simple; she just didn't have the chakra reserves.
Sakura slump and slowly lowered herself to the ground, her constant attempts and lack of sleep finally catching up with her. With her frustration building she just let it all out.
"SHIT." Her voice echoed through the forest.
"Give it up brat you don't have the chakra to summon anything yet." He emerged from the forest, his blond hair wild and tied off in the back. His sword slung across his shoulder.
"Setsuna," Sakura shrieked as she jumps to her feet.
He waved her panic off and stood across from her. "You can worry about summoning later, Akane-Sama said you had came across something interesting and that you needed to know how to use it," Seeing the wild stare she was giving him. He sighed. "I'm not here to kill you girl."
She nodded hesitantly.
"Now come on show me this sword."
She retrieved the sword from the makeshift scabbard on her back and held it out for his inspection.
"Beautiful." Indeed it was. Reminiscent of the four blades gifted to the children of Akira Uzumaki. Its blade was incredible and bright no doubt created in the ancient Fox Clan forge. The Habaki was a bright silver with the Fox Clan insignia. The other side was decorated with an ebony Kyuubi roaring in victory. 'Definitely a special weapon.' He thought as he continued to appraise the sword.
"It's a good sword, but like it's owner it's unskilled and dull…" He paused as she gave him a nasty look. "Come on lets see what you already know," He said, as he tossed the blade back to her. With his sword still held over his shoulder he rushed towards her.
As he darted forward slow enough so she could keep up he said. "The only way too learn The Uzumaki style is with combat." As he begin to bring the sword down for one handed over hand strike. As she brought the sword up high for a clumsy block. He barked at her. "Don't block move."
She did tucking herself into a tight side way roll.
"Good, because of my height and build you can assume I will be stronger if you can help it always move." He pulled the sword back and tucked it close to his side. "Watch." Setsuna dove to the side and came on his kneeling in a Batto stance. "Do it." He barked at her again and watch as she gingerly threw herself to the side and pop up mimicking her mentor. He nodded to himself. "Remember Haruno this is a simple maneuver designed to save your ASS, Take your hope dreams and most of all your WILL to LIVE and put them in that move."
Sakura looked startled. She gathered herself and with slow exhale she launch herself sideways in a blur coming to feet she slid slightly and rotated on her axis using her momentum she cut threw the air. The blade whistle forward seeking blood and death.
She was breathing heavy and held the stance.
Setsuna who was still kneeling finally stood. "Good, did you feel the sword draw on your chakra?"
"Yes I felt it grabbed me and …" She shook her head as if shaking off the thought.
"No," Setsuna snarl. "Grab that feeling and embrace it, That sword is made to kill not just humans, but any that stands in your way.
The weapon will only respond when you put your life on the line." She nodded at him and closed her eyes and then flung herself sideways once again, twisting into a crouch she spun into several more rotations with the blade at a cutting angle.
Setsuna nearly gasped as he watched her performed the simple maneuver. The mini cyclone she had created was the beginning of one of core techniques of the Makaze Ryuu. This girl might be a natural...
"Good," He nodded. "How did it feel?" He asked her. When she regained her breath she stood on shaky ground before calming herself.
"It was amazing," she finally said as she wiped the sweat from her brow. "it was like all I could focus on was the sword and the enemy nothing else mattered until my enemy was destroyed.
"I didn't feel fear or pain," she whispered and looked at the sword as if it gleam with some unknown knowledge.
Funny enough Setsuna thought it did. "It's called absolute focus, Now that you know it you can feel in your bones and in your mind.
Once you become familiar the technique you can use to focus on exactly what you want instead of the just an enemy or an objective."
Sakura nodded accepting his explanation for the seemingly heightened state of mind all she could see was her enemy being cut down after being caught unaware. The wind that enveloped at the end was very strange.
"Your thinking about the mini dust devil cause by the spinning rotation and the sword," Setsuna interrupted her thoughts. Sakura nodded. "The Makaze style is not based on pure physical strength of the upper body but on rotational forces." Seeing her blank look he continued. "Look I'll demonstrate." He said pointing to a target not to far away.
He stepped forward and spun rapidly into a raising slash nearly ten feet of the ground that viciously cut threw the air The dust from ground swarm around his form as he landed. "That was with no chakra." He looked pointedly at her. "That was non chakra version of the shiden you saw in the forests."
Sakura looked on in amazement as he demonstrated the Hiryuusen again for her. "I want you practice both of those techniques for the rest of the day and tomorrow also try to get use to your limits while using the swords focus ability."
"You can think of them as a dodge and a counterattack," Setsuna said as the dust around him settled. "You can gather or negate speed and power with different rotations."
Once again he faced the pink haired teen and with a mighty leap he was in range and bringing his sword to bear it was almost comical the way her eyes bulged before the previous lesson kicked in and she threw herself to the left, transferring the momentum from her roll into a rotation nearly instantly she was jarred and arm nearly shattered as he appeared in her guard their swords colliding with sharp nasty spark. Her sword jerked from her wrist and landed several feet away.
They both stood Setsuna with calm look on his face and Sakura was holding her wrist gingerly.
"What happened?" Setsuna asked as the girl retrieve her sword and slid it back into the scabbard.
"You stopped the spin." she grimace in pain as she force her self to let go of her damaged limb. "I didn't even see you, it was like you appeared there and..." the words left her.
"This is one of the weaknesses of Makaze Ryuu." He said hefting the sword over his shoulder again. "In time for you the Makaze Ryuu will become almost like a dance, with techniques flowing like water with no definite stance or form."
"The Spin." Sakura muttered. Setsuna eyes widen as she took over. "The only definite form is the use of the rotational forces." She peered up at him in wonder.
He nodded. "Once it has been stopped the Makaze Ryuu is much harder to start and during the process you may even become injured." He said pointing to her arm. "How you defend against it is something your going to have to discover, The Uzumaki Doujutsu covers up this weakness with ease, but you will have to find your own path."
Sakura nodded. "Go see a medic about that arm and I'll find you when it time for more practice." Setsuna said before his form vanished in the rising dust.
"Kamitachi No Jutsu." Temari Barked she swept her Tessen forward and unleashed a barrage wind chakra blades at her elusive prey. A wall of earth and mud rose from the ground and absorbed the mighty blades of air, Temari rolled forward reaching into her pouch she threw several shuriken behind her at her previous location.
Naruto was sneaky bastard who liked to appear behind her. He appeared then ducking and weaving through the projectiles. They had done this dance many times before, Temari threw he Shuriken and Kunai in a very distinct way. He was able to dodge them by a small margin and slight smirked appeared on his face as the barrage ended.
When the air cleared he saw her. Her sun kissed skin and dark blonde hair brought a true smile to his face. Suddenly he was perplexed as she was pointing behind him.
Hesitantly he turned slightly. The damn shuriken had explosive tags attached to them.
"Baku." She whispered.
The explosion was massive. Naruto barely had time to throw himself into a forward roll in seconds he came to a stop reaching for his own kunai. He felt cold steel on his skin.
"I must be losing my touch." Naruto sighed Temari had appeared behind him with a kunai at his neck.
"Nah," The older girl said, "Your just waiting for this." she quickly withdrew the kunai and kiss him on the cheek.
Narutos' face turned bright red. Strangely enough he still hadn't got used to that.
She gave him her own sardonic smirk. She licked the tip of her finger. "Temari 3 Naruto 2." She said she wrote it in the air.
His future wife grinned at him.
After another bout of even more intense sparring. They left the training area.
They chatted for entire trip from the training area to the meeting spot where she would meeting with her Jounin Sensei. They enjoyed each others company. Did they mean they would be happy when they married. They both knew the life of a shinobi was nothing to take lightly. He wouldn't let it interfere with his goal, he could never be happy until his sisters murderer was brought to justice.
"Temari," He whispered. "When we..."
"No," She Interrupted. "That's a long way away for now."
"When we are both Jounin." She turned and hugged him fiercely. "Your my only friend Naruto."
Don't worry about anything else."
Naruto smiled and hugged her back.
Sometimes he wondered why he even tried. Assassination and espionage, surveillance behind enemy lines was easy. Being a Jounin sensei was not. Kakashi thought as he ventured through the Uzumaki compound. Looking for his wayward student. He was able to track Sakura down but the girl was completely exhausted.
Her training with Setsuna had left her bruised and battered. But the girl smiled as she retold the tale of learning the sword ryuu. Tracking Sasuke down at the nearly empty Uchiha district was easy enough.
But the much smaller Uzumaki area was causing him some trouble. About to give up the the exercise he came across a familiar small house with smoke bellowing from the chimneys up into the sky.
"The bellows." he muttered as he approached. He had spent some time here years ago
Without knocking he poke his head in the door. Yep just as he remembered it hot and smoky. Off to the side Setsuna tested a balance on a short sword with a straight blade.
"Get your ass in here Kakashi." Setsuna grumbled without taking his eyes off the sword. "It's been sometime since you've have duties in the bellows." Setsuna said as Kakashi slid into the room.
"I was looking for my little missing student." Kakashi said as instantly begin feeding chopped wood into the massive forge that took up most of the room.
"Ah, the brat is at a personal training ground flirting with the young Subaku girl." Setsuna gaze at the sword once again before tossing it to Kakashi. "Take a look at that for me, it's for your student." Setsuna wiped the sweat from his brow.
"Sakura?"
"Nah, not just for her all of them are getting one." He grumbled as he picked up another and begin gazing at it with his doujutsu. "Its part of my punishment, all the little Genin are getting one and its also going to be part of the academy to introduce a novice sword style." Setsuna said as he begin to test swing another short blade. "Damn little spit fire your genin is." He tossed simple blade with the rest of the pile. "Akane-Sama has her eyes on that girl, Makaze style sword play and that contract." He grumbled as he toss a blank into the forge.
"Contract?" Kakashi asked as he toss his blade into the near by pile. He pick up a raw shaped blade and begin heating it up again in a smaller forge nearby. "From Akane-Sama?" Setsuna nodded as he walked towards the larger forge and begin pumping the large bellow nearby. "Damn Lion-Clan contract Byakuya's second son."
Kakashi turned to the man and stared his one eye wide in surprise. "Kuro?"
Setsuna chuckled loudly. "My thought as well." He shook himself slightly. "That girl won't be able to summon that bastard for a while but when she is able to..."
"Even with Doujutsu she'll give both of those idiots a challenge." A dark voice appeared behind Kakashi who didn't even pause as he continue firing the smaller bellow.
They both ignored him. "Speaking of idiots." Kakashi Grumbled. Setsuna laughed. "Not even you can sneak into the bellows heard you creeping in the door like a rookie ANBU."
Nagato who was standing tall and powerful behind Kakashi slump slightly. "I am definitely out of practice if I can't even sneak up on the both of you in the bellows."
They Laughed at his defeated look.
It's been a couple years, Figured i would post something.