A/N: Update date - 7/14/10. I loved writing this chapter. You'll find that this chapter is kind of like a preview/prequel chapter of the sequel I'm planning.
I hope I didn't disappoint with this chapter. I really like it and put a lot into it. Unfortunately, you won't see some of the letters Naruto left behind (at least not in this story, perhaps in the sequel). Why? Because they were hard to write without being repetitive, and it would have taken forever. Sometimes, the reactions were more important than the words (especially in Sasuke's case). You WILL, however, find Asumi's letter in this chapter, which is by far my favorite, so enjoy.
There will be one more chapter to this story (unless I have something come up), so stay tuned.
Personal Responses:
Shinigami: Obviously, someone else will remember that stuff and take care of it. Kakashi, Sakura, and Sasuke were all there for that stuff.
pharix: See above. You MIGHT see more of the letters in the sequel. You DO see Asumi's letter in this chapter, though.
HollowsGrace: Yeah, last chapter was very emotional for me, too. I definitely went through a few tissues :) I imagine it's even sadder for you guys, though, because you're reading the story purely from an observer's POV and everything is new and surprising.
Thousand Tailed Holy FlashFang: Thanks :) It's reviews like yours that let me know I'm doing something right.
Aria Snow: Naruto's life was never fair. At all. But...this was his choice. Remember that.
Enjoy!
Chapter 19: Ten Years Later
Asumi awoke to shouting and the sound of feet running down the hall. Ugh. Damn little brother and sister. Getting ready for another day at the Academy was routine. Even when Arata and Kazuko came running into her room to annoy her for fun. At seven years old, the twins would be starting in the Academy next year, and were very jealous that she was training to become a ninja already.
Heading down for breakfast, she spotted her three year old sister, Manami, playing with her food as her mother and father chatted away. Father noticed the noise of her scooting her chair back and turned around. "Asumi-chan, you'd better eat quickly or you'll be late."
"Daaad," she groaned. "Asumi-chan? When are you going to stop calling me that?"
He gave her a huge grin. "When you graduate from the Academy. Which, by the way, you'll be late for if you don't finish eating in two minutes."
Not wasting any time, Asumi dug in, finishing a decent breakfast in record time. "Bye Mom! Bye Dad!" she yelled as she ran out the door. Using some chakra in her feet, she leapt along the rooftops to make it to class on time. Waiting for her was her best friend, Hyuuga Hanabi.
"You're almost late, Asumi-chan! Let's go already!"
"Sorry," she explained, "my brother and sister usually wake me up earlier. They tend to be good enough as an alarm clock." They shared a short laugh before racing into the classroom.
"Alright, take your seats everyone!" Shouts of 'Yes, Iruka-sensei!' filled the room. I took my seat next to Hanabi and Shikamaru as Iruka-sensei stood in front of the class. After an hour of ninjutsu practice, he made an announcement.
"Today, we're going to do a sparring tournament! Remember the rules! No ninjustsu! No weapons! When someone says that they give up, you stop IMMEDIATELY. If I call the match over, it is over, no arguments. Understood?" Everyone nodded. "Good. Follow me out to the Academy training grounds!"
The tournament brought a slew of parents and siblings from many of the students, including her own. Her parents smiled warmly at her as she fought her matches. Having been trained by several people, like Father, Kakashi-sensei, Obito-sensei, and Sakura-sensei, she won her matches handily. Advancing to the finals, she looked upon her opponent: Uchiha Daisuke.
She would never, ever admit it to anyone, but she found him…cute. But the last thing she wanted to do was join the "Daisuke Fangirl Club," so she became his heated rival. Daisuke was strong, that much she knew. He had been trained by his brothers, Uchiha Sasuke and Uchiha Itachi, two of the strongest members of the Uchiha Clan, and had already awakened the first tomoe of his Sharingan.
Taking him down would require a trump card. They fought tooth and nail, blow for blow, but Daisuke had the edge and it showed. Knocked down for the third time, she finally decided to use it. Asumi knew she was the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki, as did everyone in her class. Her parents had told her that she was special; that she held a powerful demon at bay and would one day be able to use its power for good. Her friends and classmates thought the whole idea was really cool, and everyone she met in the village seemed to respect and smile at her. Several even thanked her for keeping that demon locked up, which she accepted with a blush and a, "it's nothing, really…"
She'd never tried drawing on some of the Kyuubi's chakra before, but she read all about what a jinchuuriki was from confidential scrolls in the library. Being the daughter of the Hokage did have its perks, after all. Jinchuuriki were known to be very powerful because they could draw on the power and chakra of their tailed beast, so she would do the same. Forming a tiger seal, she concentrated as hard as she could on the being sealed inside of her, just like she'd practiced. Finally, she drew upon its chakra, feeling the power flowing through her.
Daisuke looked at her in total surprise. Payback time, she thought. But before she could start going to town on his face, something felt…wrong. Her vision began swimming with red…strong emotions of hate and malice swelled up inside of her. She felt her body changing…she looked down at her hands, and noticed that they resembled claws more than the soft fingers she was used to. The red began to overwhelm her…it hurt…
Asumi looked up suddenly, finding herself in completely different surroundings. In front of her was a giant cage…and behind that lay a giant, red, nine-tailed fox staring at her with a smile that could only be described as horrifying.
"Foolish human. You thought you could use my power WITHOUT CONCEQUENCES?" it shouted, causing Asumi to fall back and scream in terror. "You'll learn the price of thinking you can control ME!"
She was in shock, more scared than she had ever been in her life. Red chakra began to seep through the bars and surround her. She felt like she was suffocating…
"Leave her alone, furball."
The red immediately faded, the feelings of pain, rage, and anger disappearing. She looked up to see a man with bright blond hair, wearing an orange and black jumpsuit, staring at the fox.
"YOU! COME HERE! I'LL RIP YOU TO SHREDS!"
"Saying you're going to rip me to shreds isn't going to make me come closer, baka. I thought you were supposed to be clever?" The fox roared in frustration. The man turned to look at me, and smiled. "Why don't we go talk somewhere quieter?" He snapped his fingers, and Asumi found herself in a place of pure white…
"You!" she shouted in recognition. "You're the one from the pictures! Who are you?"
The man laughed. "So they haven't told you anything about me yet? I don't blame them; it's pretty dark stuff for such a young child."
Asumi pouted. "But I'm ten! I can handle that stuff! And you still haven't answered my question! You're in a couple of the pictures at my house! Who are you?"
He smiled. "My name is Namikaze Naruto. I'm you brother…imouto."
She was beyond confused now. "N…Naruto? You're the one who saved the village from the Kyuubi! And…you're one of those people from the future! But…I've never had an older brother!"
Naruto ruffled her hair. "That's because I died when you were less than a year old. But look at you now…you've gotten so big!"
Asumi processed his words, finally coming to terms with the truth. "But…if you're my older brother, and you died…how are you here?"
The blond chuckled. "Because I helped make your seal, dummy! I placed some of my chakra into your seal so that I could help you out when you needed it."
The gears clicked in her head. "Then why? Why haven't Mom and Dad told me about you? And how did you die?" A tear began sliding down her cheek.
He gave her a bittersweet smile. "It's complicated…I died the night the Kyuubi attacked the village. Right after I finished your seal." He paused, sighing. "If you want to know more about me, ask Mom and Dad; they'll tell you all you need to know. I'm so glad, though, that I've gotten to see you all grown up. You're a big girl now!" Asumi giggled as at his antics. "Do you have any brothers or sisters?"
"Yeah! There's Arata, who looks like Dad but has Mom's red hair and eyes, and Kazuko, who's got Dad's blond hair and his eyes, too. Then there's three-year-old Manami-chan, who's got this weird orange hair and gray eyes. Arata and Kazuko are twins, and they're so annoying! And they never get tired! They're so loud and they run everywhere and make messes all the time and stuff! Manami-chan plays with her food constantly, and Mom says she always finds some way to get past the childproof stuff when they aren't looking. And Mommy is making another baby brother, but says that I won't be able to see him for awhile…"
Naruto rubbed at the tears flowing down his face as he tried—and failed—to hold back a sob. He quickly pulled himself together, though, and gave a foxy grin at his sister. "That's great…that's fantastic…" He looked up at the ceiling for a few moments before returning his gaze back down. "But…there is something I have to ask."
She looked up at him, hopeful and teary-eyed. "What is it, Nii-san?"
He looked at her with anticipation, like he'd wanted to ask this question for a long time. "Do you eat ramen like Mom, or like Dad?"
She smiled at him. "Like Mom! Daddy hits his own face every time he sees me and Mom eat like that!"
He gave her a huge grin. "I knew it! Tell Dad that he owes me 5000 Ryou."
Asumi laughed in response. "Asumi-chan…" Naruto said, his expression suddenly dark. "I…have to go."
The redhead looked up at her brother horrified. She quickly hugged him, burying her face into his stomach. "No! Why do you have to go? I don't want you to go!"
He hugged her back, his tone soft. "I'm sorry, Asumi-chan…I wish I could stay. But I only have so much chakra, and I have to save it for the really, really important parts. Okay? Everything is going to be alright…"
Asumi felt his body fade…and disappear entirely right out of her grasp. She looked at where he had just been, silently crying. As the realization hit her, she dropped to her knees, burying her face into her hands…
00.000.00
"She's coming to."
Asumi creaked her eyes open, seeing a blur of yellow and red. She blinked, clearing the image. "Mom…Dad?"
They smiled in relief. "Asumi-chan, are you okay?"
She nodded, a little overwhelmed at the moment. They helped her sit up, and she saw that she was not alone in the room…Hanabi-chan, Hinata-nee-san, Sakura-sensei, and her siblings were standing there, looking concerned. "Asumi-chan," her father asked, "why did you try to use the Kyuubi's chakra? You know it can be very dangerous. We told you not to try it yet."
She looked away from his gaze in embarrassment. "I know…but I really wanted to win …"
Her parents embraced her. "Asumi-chan," said Minato, "your mother and I are proud of you no matter what happens. It's okay to lose when there's no danger. It happens to everyone."
She nodded into their chests. "But Daisuke always wins…"
Hinata laughed. "Trust me, Asumi-chan, he'll lose sometime. And you'll beat him eventually, but you have to beat him the right way. Okay?"
Once again, she nodded. "Asumi-chan, your class is down the hall. It's only been a few minutes, and Hanabi-san will walk with you. We want you to go back now. Okay?"
Asumi was about to nod, but she suddenly jumped up, much to everyone's surprise. "Wait! I talked to Nii-san!"
At that, everyone's eyes went wide. "He…he placed his chakra into her seal!" Minato said in realization. "He must have done the same thing our future selves did for him."
"Oh yeah!" shouted Asumi. "He said that you owe him 5000 Ryou, Dad!"
Minato and Kushina looked at her, surprised for a moment, then smiling wide the next. "That I do…" he said, almost in a whisper.
Hinata and Sakura wiped away a tear as Hanabi, Kazuko, Arata, and Manami looked on in confusion. "Why didn't you tell me about Nii-san?" asked Asumi, her tone bordering between confusion and hurt.
Her parents looked at her solemnly. "It's very complicated, and we wanted to wait until you were a little older before telling you about him…there's a lot to talk about, and some of it is stuff that you wouldn't understand right now." He sighed. "For now, you should go back to class. When you get home today, we'll all have a big talk, okay?"
Walking back into class after her recent episode was embarrassing and awkward, but Hanabi stood by her the whole way, helping her overcome it.
00.000.00
The talk had been confusing even though her parents had done their best to keep it simple. What sparked her attention most, however, was when Mom said that Naruto left behind letters and memories for his family and friends, including Asumi. She was elated, and her brother and sister were jealous. Minato quickly assured them that he left a letter for them, too, but that they would have to read it when they were older.
After handing Asumi her letter, Minato and the rest left her in the living room to give her some privacy. Looking at the scroll, she read…
Dear Asumi,
I don't know when you're going to read this. I've written down all of my advice on dealing with the Kyuubi in a separate scroll, along with many of my memories, so this letter won't be about that, really.
You and I are one and the same. Yes, you're a girl and I'm a boy and all that…that's not what I mean.
You are what I could have been. I'm what you could have been. I was born on October 10th, 207, the same day that the Kyuubi no Youko and Uchiha Madara attacked the village. I come from the future; I and a few others accidentally traveled back in time. In my time, everything was different.
Asumi, you have to understand that first. On the day I was born, Mom and Dad died to save Konoha, and in the process, they sealed the Kyuubi no Youko into me. That's right…I'm the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki from the future. You know what that means, right? We're both jinchuuriki of the same tailed beast. We were born from the same parents, in the same year, only in different timelines. Because the Kyuubi attack of my time claimed many lives, including that of the village's greatest hero, your father, people were very bitter and angry about that event. My parents had died, as had nearly everyone who was supposed to take care of me. People had no idea who my parents were, but they knew I had the Kyuubi sealed into me. Many saw me as the beast itself; others merely hated me for what I represented.
I grew up alone. I didn't know who my parents were until I was 16. I didn't have any friends until I was 12. For those first 12 years, I was hated by most people in Konoha. Their hatred, glares, and occasionally, beatings, haunt me to this day. I had to prove myself, working tooth and nail for every inch of acceptance and respect that I received. I was looked upon as a dead last, an idiot, someone with no skill or common sense whatsoever. I worked hard and put my life on the line many times to overcome that. It took many years, and I eventually became their hero…but that pain never goes away. I never had Mom and Dad hug me and comfort me, I never had anyone to cheer me up when I failed or praise me when I succeeded. I couldn't talk to anyone about my fears, problems, or dreams.
But you will not grow up like that. I've made sure of it. You'll have Mom and Dad with you every step of the way, and probably brothers and sisters too. Obito, Kakashi (both of them), Rin, Sasuke, Sakura, Hinata, Sai, Jiraiya, Tsunade…they're ALL going to be there for you. You won't be hated, you won't be shunned, and you will have people to talk to. You'll be treated as the hero you are for keeping that fox at bay; you'll live with a loving family, you'll have all that you could need…
All of the things that I could only ever dream of. That I wished for every night as a kid, knowing full well that I would be disappointed when I woke up in the morning. So I ask you to not take any of that for granted. Be happy for all that you have, and cherish it.
But…can you do something for me? When you're sitting at the Academy, surrounded by friends and fanboys alike (ask Sasuke and Sakura for tips on dealing with that), look out for that kid sitting alone. Talk to them. Make them feel wanted. Give them someone they can call a friend. I don't expect you to understand what that kind of action will mean to them…but just know that it's really important, okay?
I remember the day you were born…I was scared to hold you. You were so fragile and small…and I'm so damn clumsy. But I did make a promise to you on that day. I'm going to protect you, I said. I'm going to always be there for you.
I meant it. I never go back on my word. That's my nindo.
I don't really know what you'll be like when you're older. I saw you last when you were less than a year old. But you've got the best genes there are. Your Dad is a genius among geniuses; your Mom is loving, sweet, tough, stubborn, and extremely determined. And if their looks are anything to go by, you'll put Sasuke to shame when the fanboys come rolling in.
Live a long, happy life. Remember that the best way to honor someone's sacrifice—and the greatest revenge—is to live life to the fullest.
But most of all…
Prank the shit out of everyone. For me.
Love,
Your Nii-san, Naruto
Asumi held the letter shakily as her mind struggled to wrap around the stunning revelations contained in the letter. She didn't even bother trying to wipe the tears away—they just kept coming. Putting the scroll down, she hugged her knees, burying her face in them as she tried to sort out her emotions.
00.000.00
Kushina and Minato waited several minutes before reentering the living room to find Asumi still holding herself, crying. They knew this would happen, which is why they tried to wait until she was older to tell her about it. But it was all out of their control now; all they could do was comfort her wherever possible.
"Asumi-chan," Kushina whispered. They moved to embrace her, and she melted into it.
"He…he really…is…me?" she asked.
Minato picked up the letter and began to read it while Kushina reassured her child. "He is your Nii-san, Asumi-chan…and you are you. But…you two are very alike."
Silence dominated for half a minute until Minato finished reading the letter. "Asumi-chan," he said, "your Nii-san died happy, with a smile on his face. He wanted everyone to be safe, and we are…because of him."
After several minutes of quiet, physical comforting, the trio was able to spend the rest of the day normally.
00.000.00
The next day, Asumi learned that her class would be focusing on history—specifically, the most important day in Konoha's history: October 10th, 207.
That piqued her interest immediately, recognizing it as the day her brother was born…and died. She paid attention to every word, as did many of her classmates.
As the lunch break rolled around, Asumi suddenly remembered her brother's request, and looked around for the person sitting alone. It didn't take long, and she recognized him almost immediately.
Aburame Shino. She never gave him much thought; with his huge coat and sunglasses, she could barely see any of his skin. He never seemed to react to anything. But she did know that he didn't seem to have any friends. He was always sitting by himself and never participated in any games.
"What are you looking at?" asked Hanabi.
Asumi scratched her head. "Erm…Shino. He's always sitting by himself. Don't you think…that we should go talk to him? Try to be friends?"
Hanabi gave her an uncertain look, but nodded. They headed over to where he sat underneath a tree. "Hey, Shino…can we sit with you?" Asumi asked.
The boy looked up at her, but she couldn't tell what he was thinking. "You may."
Deciding not to be put off by the curtness, they sat down and took out their food. "So, Shino," began Asumi, "why do you wear those sunglasses all the time?"
He didn't take his eyes—as far as she could tell—off his task. "My eyes are especially sensitive to light, and being able to hide one's emotions and body cues is advantageous."
Now I'm getting somewhere, thought Asumi. "That sounds very useful in battle…but do you have to wear them all the time like this? Kakashi-sensei sometimes wears a mask, but he takes it off a lot too."
Shino lifted his gaze at her. For a while, he didn't say anything, but Asumi was determined not to get creeped out. Finally, he reached for his sunglasses and slowly removed them, revealing brilliant brown eyes. After only a few moments, he put them back on.
Appreciating the gesture, she smiled wide. "Thanks, Shino! Your eyes look really cool, by the way."
Once again, he looked at her silently for several seconds before replying. "Thank you."
"So," Hanabi said, "you're from the Aburame clan? You work with bugs?"
"Yes."
"And what's that like?"
Asumi thought she recognized something like confusion in Shino's look…but really had no idea if she was right.
"Your question is rather…vague."
The conversation continued with the same slow, give-and-take style for the rest of the lunch, but by the end of it, Asumi was glad she took the time to do it. She had cheerfully offered Shino to come eat lunch with them any time and hoped that he would take them up on it.
After gathering back into the classroom, Iruka-sensei said that they had a surprise and that a couple special guests would be teaching them today. They were lead to a weird room with intricate markings Asumi recognized as seals.
"We're in what's called a memory room. You'll be seeing this room more when you're older, but today we're going to finish the history lesson with a special treat." Iruka went on to explain the function of the memory room, and the kids became very excited, though they didn't understand half of what they were told. "And here is who is going to be teaching us today, Uchiha Obito."
Asumi's face lit up when she recognized 'Obito-sensei' walk into the room. "What's up, everybody? My name's Obito and you'll be entering my head today!" he enthusiastically shouted, pointing to his head in dramatic fashion. "So try not to get lost, or you may end up covered in paint!"
Several of the kids laughed, both at his antics and the nonsensical joke he just made. After placing their hands on the seals as instructed, their surroundings faded into a colorful world filled with random pranking objects, oddly colored trees, and a sun that changed color often.
"Come on, guys! It's this way!" he shouted. They followed him, taking in their surroundings in wonder the whole way. When they arrived at a particular, random spot, Obito had them stop. "Okay guys, remember, if you want out, just think that in your head. Ready?" Everyone nodded or yelled an affirmative. A strange fog enveloped everything…
"But we want to fight! We're strong enough!" I shouted. Next to me stood my teammates, Rin and Kakashi-kun, while in front of me stood a large task force assembled to take part in the battle.
Kakashi-jisan gave me a strong look, but Naruto spoke up first. "Obito, this fight is way beyond your level. You're strong, there's no doubt about that, but this…don't you remember what happened in my time?"
My head sunk. I knew all too well. "Obito, I'm not going to let you, Rin, or Kakashi-kun get hurt." I looked back up to see Kakashi-jisan talking. "I won't lose you again. Help with the evacuation to the shelters…please."
Reluctantly, I consented, and we began following his order…
Asumi watched with joy as she got to see her brother once again…even if it only was a memory.
I stood atop the Hokage Monument along with many Konoha shinobi and citizens as we watched the battle unfold…
The memory was an immense thing to process for her. On one hand, she got to see the beast she contained 'in the flesh,' wreaking havoc and looking scarier than anything she had ever seen. It was frightening to think about…that was what was inside of her. It sent chills down her spine. But seeing her brother battle the beast with power she couldn't even fathom was breathtaking. And then…
Then she saw a second Kyuubi form just beyond the village wall. She realized what it was immediately; Naruto, being the Kyuubi jinchuuriki from the future, either fully transformed into his bijuu or released it entirely. To her amazement, the second Kyuubi began fighting the first. The explosion of chakra blasts colliding from the two great foxes reminded her just how powerful her tenant was…once again, she was terrified.
But then she saw the first Kyuubi have its chakra seeping away down into a source she couldn't make out in the distance, and realized that it was her. She was witnessing her own sealing process from a distance. And then, after a short time, the second Kyuubi began to walk away…
00.000.00
"How are you feeling, Asumi-chan?" asked Minato. He had known exactly what had been covered in the Academy today, and was concerned. He had built another memory room inside of the Academy for the immense educational opportunities it presented, without the risks of actual combat. It had since proven invaluable.
"…scared…" she said, clutching her stomach.
He understood immediately; he crouched down to her level, placing his hand over hers. "You're safe, Asumi-chan. That seal will hold it back. I helped design it myself, remember?" She looked up at him, less fearfully now, but still uncertain. "And should the worst happen, Naruto placed part of himself into the seal to make sure he could protect you from it, no matter what. He never lets his precious people get hurt." Adding on a smile at the end seemed to deliver the final touch, as she smiled back and hugged him.
He was right, she thought. Naruto had protected her already. When she was scared, when the redness overwhelmed her, Nii-san had protected her. She felt…safe.
A/N: Well, thoughts? Like the twists?
Here are some questions for you guys:
1) What did you think of Asumi's letter?
2) What did you think of Asumi's character?
3) Were the character interactions believable? If not, where were they not?
4) What were your favorite parts of this chapter? Least favorite parts?
Until next time!
