AN: Happy Yuletide Everybody! Whoot! All that good stuff! Yahoo! Ah, any who, happy holidays, and thank you for taking the time to read this. I'll admit this chapter isn't as heavily edited as it should be so please forgive some of my typos and such. I wanted to get this chapter out this day so I decided to post it early. I hope that my beta and I will start having more time in our lives to go over this sometime, but you know how life likes to take its twists and turns.
Oh, and my computer crashed which means that part of this was not edited in Word so if you see some lower case i's then this is why. I apologize and will get to it soon.
Also, a shout out for those that reviewed! Thank you very much! I love it when I get feed back for a chapter! They make me feel so accomplished if I inspired you enough to type back to me! Please enjoy!
Unlikely Love
These are thoughts, I mused.
"This is speaking regular for everyone else" to this is Japanese
"This is emphasis"
"This is English (also used as a high clearance Anbu code in the Narutovese)"
...
...
...
To be balanced on the tip of a blade I am,
for I will either plummet one way or another
into the abyss that awaits below
the only question, is into which abyss will I fall?
...
Ch. 6 The Balanced Blade
"Those are only the conclusive tests Hokage-sama." Said the young lab tech as he presented said files to the older man. The Hokage frowned at the encrypted sheets that lay before him. THe top page seemed to hold relevent information while on the pages under it there where lines going through sections and 'inconclusive' statuses written all over it, most it rather disorganized for a report. The Hokage looked up from the report to take in the lab that he was in, and at the young man that he had called yesterday morning to get started on the blood work for the woman Samira. It was already mid-morning, and from what the Hokage could tell as he took the sight of yesterday's cloths, and a day old beard, that Haruki was functioning on one of the several coffee cups that seemed to be littered about the lab.
"Haruki-san, how long have you been working on this?" the older man's voice was quiet. Haruki grimaced in annoyance. God, he wanted a cigarette right about now. All these inconclusive tests where just getting on his nerves, and the caffeine was only making him more erratic and hyper. He could use a good dose of nicotine to his system right now, if only for its soothing effects.
"Hmm? Oh, since yesterday sir." He muttered, eyes distant as he pondered what could have caused some of the abnormalities in the testing. The blood had been perfectly normal in consistency and cells so what was it that was allowing it to still carry so much chakra… it should have run out by now, but the scrolls he had experimentally activated with the blood where still running, a number of hours later. It was very... abnormal. A phenomenon. And after all his tests, he still didn't have a clue what was causing it.
"And you've been here all night?" Questioned the Hokage, though he had a feeling he already knew the answer. Haruki could hear it in the man's tone and before he could stop it, his increasing frustration surged forth. Hours upon hours of work. Cups upon cups of coffee, and still no breakthroughs despite the amount of experiments he had put the blood through. He knew he was missing something simple, that the answer was right in front of him, but he couldn't understand. It was extremely frustrating and he could feel it bubbling forth into rapid speech before her could stop himself.
"I just don't get it sir! Nothings making sense with this! Whenever I think I've got a grasp on what's happening with the blood and what it can do, or what it's from, it keeps destroying my theories! Where did you get this sir? This is driving me nuts, trying to figure this out." The outburst was swift and adamant leaving Haruki flushed in embarrassment a he bowed lowly and murmured apologies to the older man. Hiruzen, the third Hokage, however, was more interested in what the younger man had said.
"Haruki, what is it that you are talking about? You mentioned that something is causing your theories to break down?" The young man peeked to find that village leader wasn't upset and he straightened himself from his bow as he cleared his throat in embarrassment.
"Well, sir, the blood still holds chakra right now as we speak sir, even though it was supposed to have lost any residual chakra ages ago, at least an hour after being removed from the host. Despite this, it's still got chakra in it, like it's saturated. I've been trying to understand how that is possible but all the tests seem to do is make things more confusing sir. The blood seems to change under different circumstances before returning to normal once the scenario stimulant has been removed. Because of this, I can't determine different chemical or physical changes, since the circumstances of the experiments keep changing and there is no independent variable to rely upon. Without consistent data, there is nothing to base my theories on," sighed the lab worker as he ran a hand through his mussed brown hair.
"Hmmm, and what tests on it have you run?" Haruki had to hold back a scoff at the Hokage's question. What tests had he not run on the blood already? Bloody hell, he was going to have to create new experiments, just to attempt to get a grasp on what was happening in the cells.
"Well, there is of course an elemental chakra affinity sir, but that was inconclusive which was odd. There was age profiling, but that was inconclusive as well. There was blood composition and basic testing for sodium, glucose levels and everything else, but those all came back normal, no abnormalities, as long as there were no changes made to the blood's environment. There was platelets levels, plasma consistency, white blood cell counts, but those all came back normal. I just don't see what could be causing the chakra to stay, sir, or what could be causing the phenomenon in the blood. There are no abnormalities that I can find, and yet when i add agents to the blood that is normally harmful, the blood doesn't seem to react the same way as regular blood. Not to venom, poison, different chemicals I had on hand, not to different diagnostic seals. Those seals usually are able to pinpoint abnormalities or irregularities, but whatever came up is nothing that I've seen before, so that kind of defeats the purpose of the seal. one of the seals actually exploded."
"This is most odd, Haruki-san." Murmured the Hokage quietly as a wry grin twisted itself onto Haruki's face.
"Indeed it is, Sir." The lab was quiet for a minute as the two of them where lost in their respective thoughts before the Hokage finally came to a conclusion. As odd as it was, (the blood's reactions,) he had still come here with a mission, and that was to find out what the estimated lifespan of the young woman was. Nodding to himself he spoke.
"Well, I guess we will have to puzzle over this later, Haruki-san. Try and get some rest, and we will attempt to tackle this riddle some other time. Right now I think we have what we need. You said that everything seemed normal with the blood? What was the decay rate for the cells when put in the processor?" Asked the Hokage as he clapped Haruki on the arm. Haruki blinked as he was pulled from his thoughts.
"Hmm? Oh, it was rather low actually sir, even though the other test suggested that the person in question was an adult." He said as the Hokage's eyebrows rose in surprise. If it was low…
"I see. And what would you say is an estimate time frame or their life expectancy?" he questioned calmly though on the inside his gut was twisting in anticipation. After all this time, to think that they might have finally found a way…
"Mmm, I would say around a hundred years or more sir. Like I said, I thought that you had given me a child's blood, till I realized that it was saturated with chakra." It took all of the Hokage's considerable ninja training not to show his shock at the miraculous news. Samira's future was starting to look much brighter.
"I see. Thank you very much for your work Haruki-san. You may go. I would like your final report by the end of the week." He said calmly.
"Yes sir. Very well." As the Hokage left swiftly, Haruki got to work picking up the mess that was the lab. He paused with a frown as he came across a burnt looking scroll. That's odd. I only recall one seal exploding... Puzzled he turned it this way and that trying to figure out what kind of seal it had been before being used, the barely discernible spiral in the center marking it as an Uzumaki seal. He sighed and shook his head as he rolled up the used scroll. He would have to figure out what had happened later. A lot of the scrolls that he had been pulling from that section of the closet had been pre-prepared stasis seals, used to suspend animation, which was commonly used to preserve blood samples until a later date. He didn't have Uzumaki seals though, since they were all ancient now a days, with the clan wiped out and all. So how had it ended up in the closet and why? How had it opened up and activated? What was in it? He gave an exasperated huff as he resisted the urge to throw the seal across the room. One mystery after another it seemed… How irritating.
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Samira sat up groggily with a frown as the sound of knocking roused her from her sleep. It was early morning from the look of the light as it streamed through the windows. Groaning she swung her legs over the edge of the bed and frowned, not remembering getting in the bed to begin with. Huh, must not remember or something, she mused with a yawn as she stood, a grimace breaking across her features. Her body was still extremely sore and uncomfortable, but at least this time she could stand. She must have been so tired to not be able to remember getting them both to bed last night, she mused before frowning. Then how the heck had she been able to get Naruto in the bed if she was so tired? As she took a step forward, she stilled as a sudden ripple moved through the air.
She remained frozen in place, a variety of emotions racing across her face as she tried to figure out what the hell she had just felt.
There was another ripple again, and she frowned as she shifted uncomfortably. The pressure she had felt earlier was still there, all around. True the feeling of pressure all around her pushing in had abated greatly, but she could still feel shifts of something in the room, like invisible waves brushing lightly against her. There was something in the room, and she found her eyes drawn to where the presence seemed to be causing the disruption. She still didn't know what she was feeling, the sensation odd, but if anything, she would associate the sensation to sonar, except she could feel this ghosting across her skin in an ethereal caress.
She frowned as she regarded the invisible space where the ripples were coming from. She was certain there was something there and she found herself walking over warily, eyes locked on the air. The shifting ripples stopped for a moment, becoming almost indiscernible if she hadn't been paying attention, and she paused, eyes still narrowed before starting to walk forwards once more. The ripples came faster and she froze as she felt the direction they had been originating from begin to change, now coming from more of the left as whatever it was started to move away. She frowned and took a few swift steps, stopping in the disruption's path and it froze as she regarded the empty air.
"Show yourself." She demanded stiffly. The disruption made no response and she found her hand reaching out shakily before it brushed against rough fabric and the air began to ripple, before shimmering away to reveal a masked man a few inches taller than her. She leaped back with a yelp, scrambling for the bed, her heart in her throat as she gasped for breath shakily. Who the hell is this? He looks like the guys that where there when I first exited the lake. What's he doing here? Is he here to take me back to the hospital?
Naruto shifted before blinking blearily when she knocked into the side of the bed. She stared at the masked figure for a moment before ripping one of the drawers next to the bed open, a kunai in hand that she brandished at the unmoving masked figure.
"D-Don't move! Naruto, come here," she demanded as she pulled the half asleep but alarmed boy behind her so she could shield him with her body as she began to edge the two of them out of the room. Now that she was focusing, she could feel the man's presence, which was steady and unhurried, almost like a languid stream, whereas Naruto's presence felt warm but erratic with uncertainty. As she reached the door, she froze. Now that she was focusing, she could feel three more presence moving swiftly into the living room and she found herself gulping uncomfortably in growing alarm. One of the presences was larger than Naruto's presence by enough to make her uncomfortable and she felt her own presence starting to grow in response to her unease, pushing the pressure in the air away until she felt as light as a feather, like it wasn't there at all. The presences in the living room and for the masked man immediately shifted into something more focused and hardened, and she found her breath hitch in fear as the three presences began to come closer. Three men rounded the corner to the hallway and paused as soon as they realized that wide violet eyes were regarding them with alarm. The six of them all remained frozen in place for a moment in the hallway, the stillness stifling as they all waited to see what the other would do. After a moment, a loud yawn from Naruto cut the tension.
"Samira-chan, whassup? You ok?" he asked as he tugged her elbow. Samira shot him a confused look, body still tense.
"Naruto, there are a bunch of strangers in your apartment, you know that right?" she asked him quietly making the boy blink before smacking himself in the head.
"Oh, that's right. Ugh, I haven't introduced you to each other yet,'ttebayo," grumbled the boy before straightening with a grin. "Don't worry Samira-chan! They won't hurt us 'ttebayo! The old guy, my Jiji, is the Hokage. The guy with the pineapple hair is Nara Shikaku, and the girly looking guy with long blond hair is Yamanaka Inoichi, 'ttebayo," Said the boy as he gestured to each person in question. Inoichi had a small tick develop in his forehead as one of his eyes twitched. Samira could feel her anxiety warring with her amusement of Naruto's assessment. She was still having a hard time teaching him proper manners since most of the people he came in contact with didn't deserve his politeness. When the Hokage just grinned and chuckled however she could feel amusement begin to win out as well as relief, though she was still keeping an eye on the masked man.
"What about the masked guy over there?" she asked quietly making Naruto turn to regard the still figure of the operative. He glared.
"I don't like him, but he won't hurt us either," grumbled the boy, making the young woman relax slightly though she still shot the masked man an uneasy look, her grip on the kunai easing a bit.
"Well, I guess we should probably take this to the living room, and I believe some food is in order. You must be hungry, young lady, after your metamorphosis. Dog, will you get us some take out?" asked the Hokage as he lit his pipe with practiced ease, the scent of tobacco filling the air as he took a puff.
"Oo! Oo! Ramen! I want ramen! Get me ramen! At least four bowls, two Pork, and two beef! And Nee-chan likes Yakitori and dango! Get her at least four sticks of either too! And rice! Steamed not fried, with broccoli on the side!" Naruto yelled as he began to jump up and down in excitement for the free food passes. The Hokage just chuckled while the other two men grinned.
"I would like a couple of bowls of ramen as well if you would, Dog. Beef please." He said as he pulled out his wallet before shooting Inoichi and Shikaku a questioning look when they began to do the same, making them pause as they realized that the Hokage would be footing the bill.
"Um, I'd like some gyoza and some yakitori as well with fried rice." Said Inoichi.
"Just get me Yakitori and rice too, steamed. A couple of sticks of Dango." Shikaku said as he turned to make his to the living room as Hiruzen handed the masked man some money.
"Make sure to get yourself something as well, Dog," the Hokage stated with a grin as the masked man nodded before suddenly disappearing in a burst of speed. Samira nearly jumped out of her skin at the invisible ripples his presence sent into the air, making the Old Hokage chuckle as he gestured for her and Naruto to follow. The boy wasted no time grabbing her hand and dragging her after him as he dashed into the living room, to where Shikaku and Inoichi were already sitting.
The two men were talking about a jutsu or so and soon Naruto and the Hokage joined in. She sat quietly listening to them all speak, Naruto seemingly at ease despite the new company in his apartment. Jutsus, being something novel for her, was an immensely intriguing subject and she found herself listening to them speak in interest.
"Now. How have you been doing with your academy jutsus Naruto-kun?" asked the Hokage. The boy's face faltered slightly before his grin returned though it was a little forced as he laughed cheerfully.
"Ahaha, you know me, Old Man. Nothing is going to hold back Uzumaki Naruto, 'ttayo!" he said as Inoichi and Shikaku shot each other unconvinced looks. The Hokage merely grinned kindly at the boy.
"Well, if you show me how they are coming along then I might be able to help you," suggested the older man kindly as the boy's grin became more strained.
"You know, I've never seen you use jutsu before, Naruto," Samira murmured quietly in his ear, her expression questioning. The boy's face flushed with embarrassment as he looked away for a moment before responding.
"Well… I'm not very good at them Samira-chan, and I didn't want you to see how bad I am. I'm supposed to be protecting you after all," he murmured back quietly, trying to keep it to where only she would hear. Samira blinked in surprise before grinning at him.
"Don't be silly. You would do just fine at that without jutsu," she said, making the boy shoot her an unconvinced look.
"You beat me most of the time at spars." He countered. Samira was still uneasy with the others in the room but she found herself starting to relax as she ruffled the boy's hair. His presence was soothing, the conversation between them light. Besides, perking up Naruto when he was feeling a bit glum or lacking confidence was something she was good at and she wasn't going to let his insecurities get to him.
"Well, that's because I know your fighting style and how to counter it, since I started teaching you mine. To others though, it would be unexpected and I have no doubt that you would do fine as long as you kept out of their gasp, considering your size right now," she argued as the boy pouted adorably, making her grin.
"It's not my fault that I'm so short, 'ttebayo," he grumbled. Her smile faltered as her thoughts drew back to when she first met him. She could see for a moment the thinner malnourished boy in her mind's eye before she blinked and a healthier, stronger Naruto was in his place, looking at her curiously, no longer pouting. She could feel a swell of pride fill her as she looked at his fuller young face and the clothes that were starting to get too small for him despite the fact that she had gotten them for him a month ago. he was already growing and it made a strong sense of satisfaction course through her. They might have tried to hold him back, by making him physically weak but he was catching up.
"That's right! You're not going to stay short anymore because you are going to keep eating healthy food and are going to grow up to be and strong, a healthy hearty boy," she said determinedly before pulling him onto her lap so she could squeeze him in a hug despite his squeak of surprise. She pecked his cheek in encouragement and Naruto beamed before realizing that the adult male in the room where regarding him with amusement. His cheeks flushed in embarrassment but he didn't pull away from Samira and instead settled himself beside her in her chair while Naruto ducked head to avoid looking at them.
"But I still suck at Ninjutsu," he muttered so that only she could hear him. She just chuckled, feeling better. While Naruto might trust the men in the room, she didn't and holding Naruto close was as much of a comfort to her as it was a comforting reassurance to her that he was safe and she could protect him if she needed to.
"Well, I've never really seen much Ninjutsu before, so don't worry about trying to impress me. Besides you need to practice if you don't want to suck at it." She murmured back quietly. The boy's grin dropped and he grimaced, clearly uncomfortable. She slipped another arm around him to give him a comforting squeeze.
"If anyone could help you, I think it would be the Hokage. He is supposed to be the top ninja in the village," she reasoned quietly in his ear. Naruto's face flushed again.
"But he's the Hokage! Next to him, I'm going to look like a joke." He cried forgetting to be quiet. Samira just chuckled as her attention was drawn towards the boy that was sitting beside her.
"He started out as a student, just like you, so enough excuses," she said sternly through the mirth that could still be seen in her eyes. Naruto slumped dramatically as he began to grumble, but he stood making his way over to the middle of the living room.
"Kawarmi no Jutsu," he cried, swapping almost instantly with the chair beside her. Samira's eyes went wide as her jaw dropped. When he had performed the jutsu she could feel where is presence was moving, allowing her to track him as he appeared next to her, before he performed the technique again, to replace the chair with himself once more.
"Whoah," she whispered starry-eyed, not seeing Inoichi elbow Shikaku, looking smug. Grumbling, Shikaku handed the other man a pouch of money that the blond began to leaf through grinning happily to himself as he counted out his spoils. Naruto turned to find her regarding him with a shocked face and he couldn't help but laugh at how comical she looked.
"Hehehe, you ok there Samira-chan?" he asked.
"That was awesome! What else can you do! Show me!" she cried as she bounced in her seat, eyes still wide and sparkling with delight as she forgot all about the other people in the room. Naruto grinned, eager to please as he made the hand seals for the next jutsu.
"Henge!" he cried, and there was a poof of smoke before it revealed a perfect copy of Iruka. She clapped eagerly before jumping up from her seat to examine Naruto's transformation.
"This is so cool!" she gushed as she began to poke at the chunin jacket he wore eye-widening when she realized that the fabric moved.
"Holy shit, this is an actual transformation," she gaped as Naruto reappeared in a puff of smoke chest puffed up in pride. The two of them didn't notice how the Hokage and the other two men had frozen in shock.
"Excuse me Samira-san, but did you say that that was a real transformation?" asked the Hokage, his voice seeming to be polite interest, though, in reality, he was reeling. Complete transformations where very chakra intensive. A henge was only supposed to create an illusion. To think that Naruto had pulled a true transformation off at his age. Had he even been using the hand seals for the regular Henge or were they different?
"Oh, uh, y-yes sir, it was solid," she answered, immediately at unease with the reminder that she was not alone.
"Hmm. Very interesting," the Hokage mused as Samira fidgeted uneasily beside Naruto who was regarding the woman with worried eyes. Inoichi noticed and decided to intervene.
"And what about the last jutsu Naruto-kun? We haven't seen you do a bunshin yet. That should be the easiest one," he called with a kind smile only for it to falter as the boy's face dropped. Samira glanced at the brooding boy, confusion and concern at his reaction now pushing away her unease. Was this why he didn't practice his jutsu at home? If so, it would make sense. in Any case, she decided to break the ice.
"Um, Naruto, what's a bunshin?" she asked him quietly. The boy sighed as he crossed his arms, looking frustrated.
"It's a simple clone jutsu, that I can't even do! It looks pitiful every time I try," he cried, clearly upset. She pat his shoulder comfortingly before speaking.
"Is this the reason why you didn't want to show the Hokage your jutsu?" she asked quietly. He pursed his lips before sighing.
"Don't worry Samira-chan! I'll get it down. This time, I'm for sure," he said determinedly as he performed the hand signs. Samira nearly staggered back at the sheer pressure the boy's presence grew, cringing.
"Bunshin no Jutsu!" he cried and she winced at the huge mass of fast coming ripples he sent through the room as he executed his jutsu. There was a poof and it cleared to reveal two sickly looking copies of Naruto on the floor. Naruto glanced down before scowling when he spotted the pitiful clones.
"Ugh. Naruto, not so much chakra," Samira groaned as she shook her head to get rid of the slight dizziness that the ripples had caused. The boy blinked in surprise before his expression became confused.
"Huh? What do you mean Samira-chan?" he asked as he took her reaching hand. Using him for support she made her way over to take her seat unsteadily.
"You only needed a little chakra to do the other techniques. If the bunshin is supposed to be the easiest that means it should probably take the least amount, but with this jutsu you completely overloaded it. I think that that's why it's not working. I think you were trying too hard," she explained not aware of the fact that Hiruzen and Shikaku where regarding her with open interest now. Naruto's jaw dropped slightly as his eyes widened comically as he regarded her nauseous looking face.
"What?! Really?!" He demanded as Samira nodded vehemently, the boy not even thinking to ask how she knew he was using too much chakra since he knew that he had been using more chakra than normal. The Hokage and Shikaku and Inoichi, however, had not missed this. It seemed that she, like most that came from the lake was sensitive to chakra. She would continue to be for a month or so before she got more used to it and could withstand more pressure over time. But she was already picking up on and understanding what she was feeling and learning to utilize this sensitivity even though she had just woken with this new ability that day.
Hiruzen and Shikaku traded an interested glance. However, unlike the other two, Inoichi was glowing with something akin to pride, looking decidedly smug. Naruto rapidly went through the hand seals again and this time when the smoke cleared, there was an only mildly ill-looking couple of Naruto's standing beside him. But they were standing, and they looked just like him. The boy stared with wide eyes before exploding into loud cheers.
"Yes! I did it 'ttebayo! I did it! Yes! Samira-chan, you're the best! That was awesome, 'ttebayo!" he yelled as he tackled Samira in a hug. She laughed as she hugged him back, making sure to give his back a few comforting pats, though she still looked a bit pale.
"See? I knew you could. And what do you learn from this situation Naruto?" she asked him, making him pull back to look at her, wide grin still in place.
"What Samira-chan?" he demanded excitedly.
"Sometimes you can't use force to make something work. That technique wasn't focused on power, which was why it gave you so much trouble and sometimes, there will be situations where you need to step back and take a closer look at what is going on instead of trying to muscle through it. Sure stubbornness will work at times but there is only so much it can do. But I know you can figure out when you need to step back and when you need to be stubborn. You're a pretty sharp kid," she said with a grin. Naruto beamed happily, chest puffing up with pride, basking in the praise.
From the wayside, the Hokage watched the two of them interact with a level of pleased satisfaction noting how Naruto, for once, was not mouthing off or displaying the usual amount of bravado he did when accomplishing something. He had been expecting the boy to turn to him and tell him to enjoy his hat while he could because he would be taking it from him soon, or something equally boastful and brash.
The young woman seemed to take the boy seriously Hiruzen noted so perhaps that was why the boy didn't feel the need to overcompensate by mouthing off to her about him being the best. She seemed wise for her age and a fast study. Once more, Hiruzen considered what Inoichi had proposed to him, that she become a Konoha ninja. It would be a lot of trouble. It would make creating a cover for her all the more difficult and would probably cause a lot of headache for him and the council, but he was starting to at least consider it. For now.
Samira stiffen and she clutched Naruto to her protectively without thought at the sudden ripples that flew through the room as the masked man, Dog reappeared, carrying several bags of take-out. And she was already protective of the boy, fiercely so, he realized with a grin, knowing that Inoichi, Kakashi, and Shikaku had noticed as well.
"Ah, Dog. Good. Well, I think I'll go set the kettle to boil if anyone wants tea," said the Hokage as he rose.
"But Jiji, we don't have any tea," came Naruto's muffled voice making Samira blink before blushing as she released the poor kid she had been squeezing. Hiruzen paused, a flash of confusion crossing his wizened face.
"Oh? Then what do you drink?" he asked as the boy began to grin.
"Milk, fruit juice, and milk shakes! We had some tea but we ran out a few days ago though. But don't worry! Samira-chan got us a blender so now we can make all sorts of drinks! She won't let me have too many though since they are sweet," he said as the young woman blushed slightly when most eyes turned to her.
"Oh? Is that so?" asked the older man with a warm grin as Naruto began to grin back, getting excited.
"Yup! Samira-chan plays really well on the Erhu, so she makes lots of money!" said the boy, making the young woman blush deeper.
"Naruto-" she began but the boy continued to speak.
"She's been getting us the groceries and she's a really good cook. And we garden and go hunting so the money goes farther! The other day she got me some new clothes after one of my shirts ripped. Oh, and Samira-chan is really smart! She's been helping me with my homework and been teaching me a new taijutsu! It's not even from this world! Isn't that awesome? And its super cool too! You should hear Samira-chan play though because it's really good." By this time, Samira's face was almost as red as her hair from all the praise and attention that Naruto had brought to her.
"You ok, Samira-chan?" he asked quietly as he placed a comforting hand on hers. She nodded clearly embarrassed as she cleared her throat. It was clear to everyone in the room that while she might trust Naruto, she was not comfortable being around them and that having all their attention on her was making her very uncomfortable.
"We're not going to bite," came a teasing voice across from her making Samira jump in surprise as she realized that the masked man was now sitting across from her. She tensed slightly as her eyes focused on him. She couldn't help but remember the hoards of masked people that had been there when she had first come out of the lake. Seeming to sense the direction her thoughts had taken and the source of her discomfort, the man slowly raised his hand to his mask.
"Hokage-sama. With your permission?" he asked. Samira didn't understand but was assuming that he was asking for permission to remove his mask.
"Permission granted… Kakashi." Said Hiruzen. The silver-haired man lifted his mask to reveal a young face that didn't match his silver locks, the scar over his left eye prominent. His lower face, however, was concealed with a dark navy mask. Samira blinked in surprise at the sudden gesture before the man grinned under his cloth mask, making his eyes crinkle shut.
"Yo! The name is Hatake Kakashi. Nice to meet you." He said before offering her his hand. She blinked, a bit taken aback as she hesitantly reached out to grasp his hand. He took her fingers before giving them a few wiggly shakes. Samira's lips twitched with suppressed bemusement as he held onto her fingers.
"And may I ask what that was, Hatake-san?" she asked politely though she was holding back the urge to yank her fingers back from his calloused fingers. He gave another grin as he laughed sheepishly.
"Isn't that how you greet people in your world?" he asked, making Samira stifle a snort of amusement though she could not hide the tentative smile that began to spread over her lips. That was nice of him to try and acknowledge her culture like that.
"No, Hatake-san. Here," she said, as she hesitantly re-positioning their hands before adjusting her grip and giving his hand a couple of shakes.
"There. That is how it is done. Only a couple of shakes are needed. The grip, not too firm, not too weak. Just... right." She said a bit shyly as the man chuckled.
"Is the grip important?" he asked appearing amused. She found herself humming in thought distractedly, not noticing the way the man was starting to emit a smoother warmer presence or the fact that she was still grasping his hand, though her grip had lessened.
"Mmm, I g-guess almost important as the type of bow you perform, but this is only the case in certain circumstances. Mostly the consequences for an improper handshake are less severe. Handshakes show... equality, confidence, and different intent towards one another while bows show deference and submission, which is tied closely to respect. A handshake is more formal but not submission; a sign of greeting, vulnerability, trust and respect or equality," she said quietly, making the man hum in understanding as he thought about it, his eyes drifting to their joined hands. He could see what she meant now that she mentioned it. By reaching out to greet someone, you gave them a grip on your person, that they could take advantage of it they so chose to harm you. He could also see how it could be used to intimidate or greet based on circumstance.
"So... refusing to shake hands would mean that you dislike or don't see the person in question as a peer, while an improper bow is a complete disrespect. I see. Your right. The severity is not the same," Kakashi mused as he looked down at their joined hands. Her hand was small in his, and he couldn't help but marvel at the pale perfection of the skin in his palm. He could see the attraction of handshakes. She definitely had dainty little hands. Samira hummed in agreement as she let his hand go and stepped back, her shoulders loosening slightly as she began to relax. And Kakashi smiled to himself as her tension ebbed and found himself starting to become more at ease as well, despite the fact that he was still a bit uncomfortable with her appearance. She still reminded him of Kushina-nee but he found himself starting to see the young woman more. Her being awake and having her own personality out and about, however, was probably the most deciding reason for his growing comfort.
The clinking of kitchenware alerted Samira to the fact that most everyone had left to go help prepare the food in the kitchen and she found herself rising tentatively to join them. Kakashi followed making sure not to crowd the once more flighty female as she edged into the kitchen to see what was happening. Naruto was currently unwrapping his ramen and moving them to the table as Shikaku piled the yakitori onto a platter while Inoichi set plates at the table, the Hokage getting glasses out along with a pitcher of juice. Samira hesitantly went over to help carry food to the table along with chopsticks and soon everyone found themselves seated at Naruto's rather small table. Kakashi had drifted back to the living room with his food.
"Please pass the Yakitori," Samira murmured to Shikaku who was sitting in front of the bowl. He gave it to Inoichi who was sitting on her left before the man passed it to her with a kind smile that she returned tentatively. Soon her plate was full and everyone was eating contently in near silence, though the unease still remained. Finally, Shikaku decided that he had had enough.
"I'm surprised. I would have thought that you would have asked us by now what our involvement is if we know about your origins and where the ones that brought you to this village." He stated, making Samira as well as the rest of the table freeze mid-bite. The Hokage frowned, wondering what Shikaku was doing taking such a direct approach and Inoichi sent his friend a questioning look. Samira's response, however, was actually a bit surprising. All nervousness disappeared from her as she regarded him with surprisingly flat eyes, her face not amused.
"Would you have told me the actual truth? What's the point in asking you if I don't trust your word? And does my opinion actually matter to any of you at this point? You make it sound like I actually have a say in anything that happens next." she murmured seriously, a bitter edge tinging her words. At this Shikaku's eyebrow rose slightly along with Hiruzen's. She was making a valid point, though her source of logic had to be questioned.
"Oh? Do you not believe that you have any choice in the matter?" he asked. Samira gave a snort, her face slightly embittered.
"It was made very clear to me by everyone that I met when first arriving in this world, that there are forces here that did not exist in my world, and that I'm basically powerless to oppose anything. That I'm not even considered human. That I do not officially exist and that I'm expendable." She said, her voice calm and level but unmistakably cold and acerbic. The Hokage found himself sighing tiredly. He was going to have a word with Ibiki for this misunderstanding that he had created. Naruto was scowling but didn't speak as he watched the proceeding carefully, his ramen forgotten momentarily.
"While there are points to that statement that are very true, that is not entirely the case, Samira-san," the Hokage said as Naruto frowned from the side, listening closely. "In a lot of ways you are powerless right now, and your initial treatment was unmistakably inhuman. There is a reason for that though, and it is not because you are from a different world." He said as his fingers steepled, dark eyes boring into her hard flat ones. "Can you think of why?" She frowned slightly before looking away, eyes unfocused as she thought before understanding filled her eyes.
"It's because the people that come to this world die soon, is that correct?" she murmured quietly.
"Correct, though there is a way to extend their lifespan a few years at best." He said making Naruto and Samira stiffen in surprise. Only a few years?
"However…" cut in the Hokage loudly as his eyes shot over to meet Naruto's as the boy opened his mouth to speak. The Naruto's jaw snapped shut as he began to grit his teeth, pain, and anger in his eyes. "In your case, it seems a bit of a phenomenon has taken place." With that, the Hokage pulled a file from his robes before sending it across the table with a gentle push. Samira opened it before scanning through it. It had been copied into English she could see and she was able to read the bad grammar without a problem.
Apparently, she had chakra now, which explained why she was able to sense pressure all around her. This presence she was sensing all around was chakra and the chakra of others. Her blood work looked normal, except for the decay rate for her cells. In fact, it looked like the decay rate had lessened if anything, putting her lifespan over a hundred years. She frowned before slowly looking up to meet the Hokage's gaze.
"I'm not going to die naturally anytime soon," she murmured in surprise as the Hokage gave a nod.
"Exactly. We're not sure how this happened. Usually, the way to extend life for your people is to give them a sample of blood from a compatible host and then pump chakra into them during the metamorphosis process," he said making her frown.
"Is that why there where so many blood tests? At the hospital?" she questioned quietly. Hiruzen nodded and Samira sighed.
"If I had stayed, the hospital would have found me a compatible blood match them monitored my metamorphosis." She murmured with a frown as Hiruzen nodded.
"Indeed."
"And then you would only have a few years to live instead of a hundred," Shikaku stated as he took the time to take a bite of food. Samira sighed.
"Fortune favors the bold," she murmured with a pained look as she considered all the people that had come before her that had died while she was fortunate enough to live and survive, even if it was an accident, and even if it was a phenomenon. She sat in silence as she thought about what had happened thus far, no longer feeling as angry and as hopeless as before. This at least made sense. This was why there where people all around the lake. She wasn't the first to come through it seemed. This was why they had taken blood from her, why they had kept her in the hospital, why they didn't really talk to her. After all, its hard to get attached to people who you know are going to drop dead soon. Her eyes narrowed. This explained a lot but that didn't explain why that Scar guy had to be such an ass.
Laughter from all around the table broke Samira from her thoughts only to realized that she had been speaking aloud. She blushed slightly but felt herself truly relaxing for the first time that morning, or mid-day if you wanted to get technical.
"My dear, is the man you are speaking about rather tall with an imposing figure, with scars across his face wearing a black bandanna a big black trench coat?" Questioned the old Hokage kindly. She scowled and he nodded in understanding. "Ah, that's right, you had the misfortune of meeting one of our top interrogators in Konoha, Morino Ibiki. He's pretty much the head of the Torture and Investigation department my dear. He messes with people's heads on a regular basis. He wasn't actually the one that was supposed to retrieve you from the lake but just so happened to be passing by to investigate something. He brought you back to the village as soon as possible because there had just been a security breach at the base. Most of the time, your people never even see the village, but after the kidnappings, we decided any and all newcomers from the lake had to be relocated to the village," said the Hokage as Samira frowned.
"Kidnappings?" she questioned as the older man grimaced.
"Yes. Right before your arrival to this world, there was a number of people that were killed at the base before several of the people that had just come out of the lake where taken." said the Dark haired Nara with a frown, his serious gaze meeting Samira's. She found herself swallowing uneasily at his implications.
"And how took these people?" she asked uncertainly. The men traded a glance as the old Hokage winced.
"A traitor to the village. Nothing more," the old man murmured quietly before he lit his pipe, the rich scent of tobacco filling the air. Samira regarded the old man somberly as she read the sadness and unhappiness in the elder's posture and face. The pipe seemed to be a stress relief for him as well she noted. Whoever this traitor was, it must have hit the old man hard.
"Why did this traitor go to the effort to take the people thought?" she asked quietly still curious as she was uncertain. If anything this kidnapped might try and kidnap her as well if he had managed to find out about her. Shikaku sighed, muttering troublesome as Inoichi grimaced, clearly not enjoying the topic. The Hokage's face darkened slightly. Samira had to fight back the urge to cringe as her unanswered question left an oppressive weight over the table, the silence tense and awkward. Samira shifted uneasily before frowning as she realized something.
"Is there still a possibility that this traitor will be coming after me? Naruto told me that someone was going to be coming up with a background story for me so that I could live in the village without anyone being the wiser as to my true origins. Is this the reason why I'm going to be in hiding, other than the obvious being that I'm from a different universe?" she asked, awkwardly as the men at the table traded another loaded glance.
"People from your world are... Unique, Samira-san. Especially here, in this world. There are certain things about your people that make them very useful and there are certain individuals who would want to take advantage of this, which is why it would be best to hide you in plain sight." said Inoichi, choosing his words carefully. Her eyes narrowed but she didn't speak.
"What sort of things?" she asked quietly, eyes serious as they held Inoichi's gaze. He stared at her helplessly for a moment before glancing at the Hokage. The older man finally nodded in acquiesce.
"To put it bluntly Samira-san, your people are very very useful when it comes to a lot of things, especially when it comes to being a ninja. Some make exceptional ninja when they have the right mentality for it, which is rare. Because of the lack of chakra in your world, your people are stronger physically than ours in several different ways. Your bone mass will be denser, as well as your muscle tone. If exposed, you will barely be affected by most toxins and venom's from this world and you will probably have a high alcohol tolerance as well as tolerance to drugs in general. You are sensitive to chakra which is an excellent skill to have as a ninja, a rare skill. Strictly speaking, can you imagine the kind of soldiers that could be produced if somehow someone figured out a way to extend the lives of your people?" he asked as Inoichi shot the man an exasperated look, clearly frustrated with the way that Shikaku was handling the situation. Samira's eyes had gone wide with alarm at the man's harsh words and Inoichi opened his mouth to speak before he was cut off by Naruto leaping to his feet, his chair falling in his haste as he pointed a finger threateningly at Shikaku.
"Hey! You shut your mouth you stupid pineapple head or I'll make you! Don't think that I'm just going to let you talk about Samira-chan or her people like that 'ttebayo! They are people too! You can't go around talking about them like they don't have a choice as to whats going to happen to them or not!" yelled the boy indignantly.
"You are right Naruto. They are people, but there are those in this village and in others that would not care whether they are forcing these people into servitude or not, and while I may be the Hokage, there is only so much that I can do to protect her, which is why you need a solid cover, Samira-san. The secret of her origins if of the highest level, do you understand?" asked the old man as his serious gaze held Naruto and Samira's own. The boy nodded vehemently as the young woman nodded stiffly, clearly still reeling from what she had learned.
"Don't worry! I'll keep my mouth shut, 'ttebayo!" swore the blond vehemently as Samira continued to look at the table in a daze. Life just had to go and get complicated for her, didn't it? She sighed in exasperation as she scrubbed her face in her hands, feeling stressed.
"And speaking of cover stories," Said Shikaku causing Samira to look up to meet his dark amused gaze, "We need to make you one, which is why I'm here." With that, he pulled out a tablet and Samira had to fight back a groan. This day just kept getting better and better.
Could it get any worse?
There was a knock at the door that Kakashi quickly opened and the answer to her question stepped into the room, all six foot four inches of it, his dark trench coat the same as she remembered it, bandanna and scars all in place. Morino Ibiki's eyes widened in shock as he entered the room before a menacing grin slid over his lips.
Yes, yes it could.
To be continued...
AN: Whew! Short and important. Meh, what can I say? It was awkward to write but needed. To tell the truth, I lost a lot of enthusiasm for writing this story the moment the manga ended. And to tell the truth, I was partially in denial after finishing it and had to reread the last time skip about two times before finally processing it a week later...
-_-* yeah, it was that bad a reaction. But oh well!
I have re-found my enthusiasm and I hope that you all will continue to follow the story even though the manga is over. And now to the good stuff! :D Mwahahahaaaa, this is going to be so much fun!
Fliscent- *evil grin* Oh I can't wait!
Itachi- *-/_\- woman, what are you doing this time?
Fliscent- you'll see 'Tachi-kun! Kukuku... An author of my mad Skill will just have to make things interesting! Mwahahaha!
Itachi- Foolish little woman you lack enough S-
Fliscent- ಠ_ಠ
Itachi- *o/_\o
Fliscent- ಠ_ಠ yes?
Itachi- ... *sweating bullets fake smile*^/_\^ never mind
(He was going to say 'skill' but realized as soon as he said the 's' that she might really have enough hate for the 'kill.' Haha, skill? s-kill? Get it? And he's supposedly an S rank missing nin and all? Do you see how- oh never mind. You get my bad puns. Enough already)
Anyways, well, I guess I will be updating soon, if the next chapter will flow out!
Fliscent-Almighty Puuuuuush!
Pain- *-_- "... It doesn't work that way..."
Fliscent- But this is my baby!
Pain- (╬ Ò ‸ Ó) Definitely doesn't work like that!
Anyways! Please leave a review! I love hearing from you guys! Also, I would like to shout out for those that did leave a review last chapter and those before it! I appreciate it! Extra kudos! :)
