Team Haruka - Aftermath
When I woke up, it was in a soft bed, which was much more pleasant than the stone floor. I'd expected my body to feel sore or stiff after the previous day's events, but instead I felt better than ever. In fact, I probably hadn't felt better since before my first meeting with Mitsutada.
No downsides…
It would have been so much easier if there'd been a cost, or something.
I'm not strong enough.
It hadn't even been two months and I'd used the seal. The hidden leaf chunin exams were almost two years away.
I'm not strong enough.
"Yumika!"
The door slid open, Isae and Kanshi rushing in.
"You're alright!" Isae yipped with joy.
I sat up, forced a smile, and nodded, but they caught onto my true feelings anyway.
"...you used the seal." Kanshi noted, hitting the nail right on its head.
My smile cracked and my gaze went down to my ink-free hands resting in my lap.
"Hey…" another hand came into view grasped onto mine, and I followed it up to meet Kanshi's empathetic gaze once more "...we'll figure this out, alright? You don't have to do this alone."
"Yeah!" Isae stepped up and rested a hand on my shoulder. "With the three of us working together we can work through this!"
My mind wanted to protest, to claim that there wasn't anything to do, but strengthened by the warm hearth growing strong in my chest, my heart sided with faith.
My smile returned for real.
With that Isae jumped back and patted herself down to 'regain' her composure.
"Ahem, by regular standards, the doctors have declared that you are unfit for doing much of anything and should be restricted to light activity for the next few years." She folded her arms and adjusted her imaginary glasses to emphasise her 'Manami mode'. "...but by your standards, you're in perfect health and ready to leave whenever you'd like."
"-which, in this one's humble opinion." Kanshi interrupted with a raised finger. "Should be after dinner. The chef here is a being of exceptional talent, and I would be remiss if my betrothed were to miss her chance at such a divine experience."
We're alone, you don't need to keep my name secret now!
I felt my face heat up, before realisation hit me.
Is he… doing it on purpose?!
He didn't manage to hide his satisfied smirk quickly enough.
You conniving little-!
For a lack of proper projectiles, I picked up my pillow and tossed it at him as threateningly as I could. Which is to say he laughed and caught it… since it was a pillow.
I kept up the act of indignation only a little longer, content to just enjoy the peace.
They stuck around for the next couple of hours and I got to hear how things went on their end.
They'd followed the main group back to the castle and barely been there half an hour before someone discovered a dead samurai with an arrow in his chest. Being my teammates, the samurai naturally turned on them and they had to make a run for it. After that they hid out in the town for a bit to try to put together the clues they had.
At that point, their plan was to find and question the pretty boy samurai, which got complicated when they discovered that he was being held in the dungeon for treason. So naturally, instead of doing the completely smart and reasonable thing of finding another source of information they snuck into the highly fortified and defended castle to break him out.
It was down in the dungeon they agreed on their actual final plan. Isae had managed to deduce that the ninja was watching them, so they decided that Isae and Kanshi would continue their attacks against Yoria as the ninja wanted while the boy samurai tried to track me down.
My teammates found the evidence they needed to out Yoria and in doing so managed to draw out the ninja. Then they actually beat him, but they couldn't stop him from getting away which led to the events in the cave with me and the samurai boy.
"...and that about sums it up, unless we missed something. Kanshi?"
"No, I believe that closes the curtains on this tale."
Um… guys?
They looked my way, picking up on my confusion, but unable to decipher what it concerned.
Pop, scribble, flip: 'Where are we?'
"Oh… that is a relatively important detail-"
The door slid open interrupting Kanshi.
"Perhaps, it's best that I explain." Through the door came the k-pop star who claimed to be a samurai, and yes, his hair was still fabulous.
I noted that he was favouring his left as he approached.
Not quite recovered from that stab wound yet.
"This is home to the Watanabe family, of which my uncle is the current head. Lacking any heirs, I, Atsuki, am next in line, as the inheritance favours the male line through my father, rather than the line of my aunt."
Isae, who'd been completely on board up until now, suddenly fell out of the loop.
"Hold on, you said that it was just you and your uncle." Isae chimed in.
The boy folded his arms unamused.
"I said that the my uncle and I are the only active samurai-"
"-In your samurai family." Isae interrupted.
"We're a family, not a clan. It isn't required for all of us to be a samurai."
"Oh..."
Atsuki sighed.
"As I was saying…" he regained his composure "...but my aunt married out of the family for political reasons."
Wait…
Pop, scribble, flip: 'Why are you telling us this?'
A moment passed as he read the message, then he smiled.
"It's quite simple, I wanted to make it clear that you'd always be welcome in this home, cousin." He waved a hand dramatically, "before she married, my aunt's name was Yumika Watanabe."
Wait, what?
The gears in my mind went to a screeching halt as I processed what he said.
I'm sorry! What?!
Atsuki was my cousin.
Panic.
I almost got my cousin killed!
It all added up. Atsuki had mentioned how a bow just like mine was a family heirloom of his, which meant that it was the first Yumika's bow, the one my mother was named after. That bow, was the one Shikyou had based the design of, specifically because of my heritage-
I suddenly realised, and my head slowly turned to Kanshi who didn't seem all that perturbed by this information.
"Yes?"
Scribble, flip: 'You knew?'
"Well, yes. Didn't you?"
I felt my shoulders sink in embarrassment.
I'd meant to be accusatory, but now I just feel stupid. Of course Kanshi thought I knew. He wouldn't actively keep something like that from me.
"Anyway, I was hoping to speak with my cousin alone. Could we have a moment?"
Isae and Kanshi waited for my assent, but with my nod they left the room.
Atsuki waited a moment, listening to make sure they were gone, then turned back to me.
"I'll just get straight to my point, you don't have to go back. You could stay here. Ninja or not, family is family."
Another chance to get out…
I leaned back and stared up at the roof.
I could.
Abandon sound, get my cursed seal dealt with, live out my life here.
…but that's not going to happen.
Just like before, I had my reasons to stay, to commit to my choice. The Shiin, folks like Jun'You, my brother…
Family, huh?
That did give me an idea.
I brought out my notebook and scribbled out a message and flipped it.
Atsuki looked it over with a thoughtful look, before smiling.
"Certainly, I'll talk to my uncle about it."
Scribble, flip: 'P.S. What's the secret to your great hair? Asking for a friend.'
Following a delicious dinner, we said our goodbyes in high spirits and started the trek back to the hidden sound village. It was a peaceful trip, but thoughts concerning the cursed seal weighed me down.
"I think I have an idea." Kanshi announced suddenly as we sat around the campfire.
He turned to me.
"Your special technique, the one that allows you to regain your vocal functions, could you do the same with the cursed seal?"
I shook my head, and scribbled a message to elaborate: 'Won't work. I don't have the pain tolerance to even keep it up for a minute, let alone two years.'
"With what I'm thinking, you won't need to, only for the duration of the chunin exams."
I guess… in theory I could work on my pain threshold and keep it up that long. If it works at all…
I took a meditative breath in, visualised my chakra, and then drained the seal.
Woah!
All of a sudden, my mind felt sharper, like someone had switched on a light in a poorly lit room.
My alter lied to me! My resistance did nothing!
I wanted to be mad, I really did but…
…of course she did. It's what I would have done.
I let the chakra flood back to the seal and felt the haze settle in again.
Whatever this is, it's not anything active.
The 'haze' seemed to make it harder to discern my own thoughts. That is to say that retaining the details in any chain of thought was more difficult. Normally I'd build up ideas and thoughts on top of each other like bricks in a wall, and while the bricks underneath weren't actively in my thoughts, I was aware of them.
Now though, I could recognise that I was only really aware of the highest layer. I knew where I was, but I wasn't nearly as sure of how I got there. In terms of metaphor, I could see the highest bricks, but everything beneath them was faded out as if made of glass.
All of that meant that I didn't think things through as carefully as I normally would.
I couldn't really figure out anything more than that at the moment.
I'll have to look into it later…
I focused back on the present world, addressing Kanshi with a look and a nod.
"Excellent."
With flair and fanfare he stood up and readied himself to speak.
"I believe our clan may have the remedy to your problem, though we will need father's approval." he clapped his hands together "The technique I'm thinking about lets us suppress the memories of a person for a short amount of time."
Wait, why does that sound so familiar- a filler? Bandits? No-
The pieces clicked together.
It's the technique Menma used in the Memory Search Mission filler!
"So what? How does making Yumika forget help us?"
"You see, the danger at present is not the influence of the seal, but rather the damage Yumika could do while influenced by it."
What's the point-? Oh!
Isae seemed to get it as well.
"If she doesn't know about the invasion or about what we're doing, she'd think we were loyal to Orochimaru like everyone else!"
"Exactly!"
Pop, scribble, flip: 'Do we know that your father will be there when we get back?'
"He won't, because he's meeting us on the way. I received a letter from him while we were waiting for you to recover from your fight."
Wait, really?
Scribble, flip: 'Why?'
"He got the report about our encounter in Shirokawa, and like us, figured out that something wasn't right. It should have been Haruka, but he was still needed to help clean up the situation. So Father decided to arrive personally."
Scribble, flip: 'Did you get to hear what's going on?'
Kanshi shook his head.
"Nay. Much like forbidden love, the village is trying to keep this incident hidden beneath a veil." He waved his hand dismissively "...but that's beside the point. Knowing my father, he will agree with my plan, so if you accept then we should make any preparations that need to be done."
There was a moment of silence, before Isae came in with a quiet voice.
"If we do this, is Yumi going to forget about us?"
"In mind, yes…" Kanshi answered, before adopting a bittersweet smile, "...but the heart rarely forgets. We can suppress the memories, but the feelings will still remain."
I clutched my open notebook.
Scribble, scribble, flip: 'Anyway, I'll remember again afterwards right? So it just means I get to know you both one more time!'
Isae's eyes lit up.
"Yeah-! I mean," she quickly reigned in her feelings, "naturally."
"Then I take it that you agree?"
His gaze went to Isae, who nodded, then to me.
Scribble, flip: 'Yes, but I need to stop by the capital first.'
…and on the way there I can iron out what I need to do.
Okay, I know this is my home turf- correction- was my home turf, but this is pathetic…
Getting into the city had been easy.
Getting to the castle had been easy.
Getting into my brother's room had been easy.
…I had a whole plan for if I'd gotten caught too.
I put aside how easy it would have been for me to assassinate my family.
Let's just do this.
I took a deep breath, before removing my mask, approaching my sleeping brother, and shaking him awake.
"Huh-"
I put my hand over his mouth and a finger to my lips.
His eyes widened in recognition, and I affirmed his suspicion with a nod as I retracted my hand.
"Hey, bro." I whispered, my tongue on fire. "I-"
-didn't get any further before he dove out of bed and hugged me.
"Everyone was saying you were dead…"
Oh…
Guilt set in.
"I'm sorry, I needed to disappear."
Slowly, I pulled him off me, then with a sombre smile, I spoke again.
"...and I'm going to have to leave again."
"No-!" he quickly covered his own mouth, catching his blunder, and my head immediately turned to keep an ear out for if anyone heard.
A moment.
We're safe.
Relief.
Still, I'm running out of time.
"Yorihiro… if I could, I wouldn't leave ever again, but this is really important, and…" I took a breath. "...there's something I will need you to do."
He nodded, still covering his mouth.
"The next time the chunin exams are happening in the hidden leaf, I need you to visit our cousins in the land of iron and stay there until it ends. They're Mother's family. I've met them, talked to them, and they've agreed to let you visit." I smiled "If you're even half as good with your words as I remember then I'm sure father will agree."
He nodded.
I need to go…
Something tugged in my chest.
I can do one more.
I enveloped my brother in a hug, held it for a minute, then I left.
…
The moon hung high, but its light granted no warmth, leaving only a mild chill in the air.
I dropped out of the shadows of the canopy into the silver light landing in front of Kanshi who'd been waiting for me to return.
"Did you accomplish what you set out to do?" he questioned, respectfully ignorant of my goals.
I nodded.
"Well, then," he acknowledged, "Father arrived, Isae is explaining the situation to him as we speak, so we should-"
The sudden tight grip of my hand around his wrist stopped him.
His bewildered gaze fell upon me, but I couldn't meet it, my eyes cast down.
Alright. Let's just do this…
My brother wasn't the only one I'd wanted to speak to alone this night. The pain from my tongue was drowned out by the heat of my nervous heart's rapid beating.
"Kanshi…"
I couldn't speak. I knew what I needed to say, but the words wouldn't come out. It was like my hand was frozen, stuck on the lid to Pandora's box.
What's said can never be unsaid.
I needed to.
He'll hate me.
Trust him.
I gathered the courage to meet his sincere gaze.
A metaphorical finger twitched, unlocking the latch.
"You were right earlier, I have been keeping something from you, and I-"
I had to stop and let the fire on my tongue wash away before I doubled down with a renewed fervour.
"Yumika, you don't need to speak, I-"
"Please… just listen."
The lock loosened.
"I'm scared that if I don't say it now I never will."
I took a deep breath.
My hand gripped the handle.
Here it comes.
"I grew up once. I graduated from school a disappointment…" It was barely a whisper.
"Yumika, what-"
"I flunked out of university a failure…" I interrupted him, the quiet was gone, overturned by a desperate haste. "…I died a worthless 21 year old, having done nothing with my life!"
My chest heaved, I'd started shouting.
"But I came back! This is my second life."
The box was open, the truth was out there.
Out of breath I turned to face Kanshi.
"Hm, okay."
Huh?
I brought up a shaking finger and pointed to myself.
"D-didn't you hear me. I've died and come back to life. This is my second life."
"Right."
I found myself fumbling.
"I-I came from a different world. One without chakra or shinobi…"
He nodded.
My shoulders sank, my heart cracked, and my gaze fell.
He doesn't believe me.
"Thank you."
Huh?
His radiant smile lit up the night.
"Y-you believe me?"
"I'll always believe you."
His immediate response shattered any semblance of defence I had left, and I found myself just standing there, mouth opening and closing like a goldfish.
He stepped forward and gently rested his hand on my arm.
Close.
"You want to say more right?"
"Uh huh- y- yes. Um…" I somehow managed to pin the tail on my thoughts. "...yeah, when I said that the future was like a story I read… I, um, meant that literally."
Once again, he just nodded, and stared expectantly.
Was there more?
I opened my mouth and just said the first thing that came to mind.
"I might also be in love with you."
I knew. I may not have experienced romantic attractions in my past life, but it was the only thing that fit the symptoms. I knew, but…
"You're not comfortable with that." Kanshi finished my thought for me.
I nodded, and Kanshi kept his understanding smile with merely a tinge of bittersweetness.
"I didn't understand it before, but I could tell." He stepped back, keeping me at arms length and my heart ached for it. Then he continued his observation, "your body is 13, but your mind is 34. Have I summarised the issue correctly?"
I nodded.
He sighed.
"Well it's a good thing our betroval is set 7 years from now…" then he flashed me a smile again "...perhaps then you won't be as much of a moral delinquent."
I rolled my eyes. Despite the fact that I knew I shouldn't joke about something like this...
"Right, I'll just be a 41 year old married to a 20 year old, no big deal."
He poked me on the forehead playfully.
"Mentally 41. We can compromise on the average and say 30, is that agreeable?"
…this was still ridiculous.
"Pft."
I tried to hold off my incoming laughter with my fist, but the pressure just built in my chest in waves.
"Ha… haha… hahaha, sure! Let's say that!"
"I am entirely serious!" he objected.
Which of course just made it funnier.
"So how old does that make me now then?" I asked cheekily.
"Too old for me to kiss, that's for sure." He scoffed uncharacteristically.
Aw, you were planning to, weren't you?
I brought a hand to my chest in mock horror.
"You wound me."
Then I felt a smirk come on.
"If we keep up those rules, then you better mind yourself, I'll be a six year old in a few minutes when you wipe my memories. What would your father think?" I said poking fun at the nonsensical excuse he'd pulled.
"That's not how it works…" he let out with minor exasperation.
With that last joke out I managed to reign myself in.
"In all seriousness, I'm worried. If it's as you say and the 'heart' won't forget, I'll still have these feelings and without my memories I won't know better. Can you-?"
"Of course."
"Thank you. That reminds me…" I popped out a few stacks of paper and a collection of journals. "...these are all my notes. The journals are all in English, a language from my last world, so you won't be able to understand them, but I will. They're filled with notes, observations, records, and whatever else I could recall of the story, so you need to keep them away from me."
I handed said journals over, and he took them without complaint.
"These papers are what I've transcribed for you. They're training goals and instructions for me. I can't leave them for myself directly, because then I'll figure out that I was ready for this and whatever excuse you and Shikyou make up will fall apart. Can you make sure I stay on track? You can say that you helped me train before so you had some idea of what I wanted."
"Certainly."
I handed over the papers.
"Oh, and remember to make sure I keep practising the chakra recession technique-"
"Yumika."
I stopped rambling and looked at him.
"I understand, and you've probably written everything down here right?" he indicated to the pile of papers.
"Um, well, yes, but-"
"Then it's fine."
For a minute we just stood there in silence.
"Yumika…"
"Please, just a bit longer."
We stayed another minute before he wordlessly took my hand and led me to the camp where Shikyou and Isae were waiting.
"It's good to see you again, are you ready?"
Kanshi gave my hand a comforting squeeze, and I nodded.
"Alright. The process is quite simple, the jutsu takes effect through song, all you need to do is not resist." Shikyou explained. "Once I'm done, you won't be able to recall anything before this moment. I'm going to start now."
He brought his flute to his lips and started playing a melancholy melody.
It didn't take long before I could feel the enchanting tones permeating through my body.
My vision began to fade.
Then everything went black.
…
…
…
My eyes snapped open.
Did it work?
"Welcome back."
Strategy Journal
New Entry - Rock Lee (15)
Alright, last chance before the exams rock up. In all seriousness, the three main weaknesses to note from Rock Lee are a theoretical fanon vulnerability to genjutsu, his eccentric personality, and his honour code.
TLDR: If I ever win against Rock Lee, it won't be in a battle of fists, but a battle of words.
To Kanshi, here's my training notes.
Do regularly:
1. Taijutsu & staff katas. Fighting in the field does not count, that's a surefire way to get sloppy.
2. Target Practice. Same as above.
3. Restock. I have a lot of stuff, and plenty of it is pretty niche. If I use up or lose anything, I need to replace it.
4. Chakra Control. This can always be better.
5. Wire techniques. I still suck and need practice.
6. Practise the receding chakra trick.
…
Major Goals
1. Wind Transformation.
2. Body Flicker technique.
3. Finding a way to shoot the big bow (try chakra strings)
…
Moderate Goals
1. Shooting multiple arrows at once.
2. Redirecting arrows by manipulating the fletching with chakra.
3. Genjutsu.
…
Minor Goals
1. Figure out if it's possible to negate large wind blasts with a kite, parachute, or something similar.
2. Study strategy and tactics.
AN: So that's the end of Team Haruka. I'm not a fan of amnesia arcs, so yeah, I'm skipping it and covering it retroactively. So next up after the intermission is the Chunin exams!
...but after the intermission I've caught up to my backlog so that'll be the end of the weekly uploads for a while.
