Author's Note: I know that a few of you were excited to read about the spar between Shino and Mirai, but it just didn't fit with the chapter. I'm writing it, of course, and it'll be posted in my Scrapbook fic as a one-shot (eventually). I just couldn't fit into the main fic without taking up more room than I want too and delaying stuff I've been hoping to get to.
I'm so sorry about how long it took for me to publish this chapter. I've been having major writer's block when it comes to Samsaric, and university/work didn't help. Not to mention I've gone to the ER like 5 times so far this year, along with a 3-day hospital stay, so my health has delayed stuff too. Anyway! Hopefully I'll be able to update Samsaric more frequently now! But, uh, no promises. I have a busy life.
Please read and review!
I give you the ninth installment of Samsaric.
Chapter Eight - Excogitate
[Excogitate - verb 1: to think out, devise, or invent 2: to study intently and carefully in order to grasp or comprehend fully]
By the time Bekko had called for the match to stop, I had already done far too much damage.
"Matte!"
"I'm sorry, Shino-kun! Hold still. Hold still!" I put my hands on his shoulders to stop his pained writhing so that I could get a good look at the injury I'd inflicted. "Oh, Kami. I'm sorry. Alright, don't move for a—"
"Uzumaki! Move away from your classmate. You've done more than enough damage!" Tough, beefy fingers gripped my shoulder hard enough to bruise and threw me back. A yelp tore itself from my throat and I scrambled to my feet. Bekko knelt over Shino as the boy whined, his arm bent at an angle that it really shouldn't be going. "Shit. Uzumaki! Get your ass inside! This cost you twenty points! You're to remain inside and you have an hour detention after class is over!"
I stared, my hands jerking so nervously that I had to shove them into my pockets to suffocate the echo of Shino's arm breaking beneath my fingers. But then Bekko snapped at me again and I nodded, turning and moving inside. Just before the door closed behind me, I heard him yelling for Sasuke to go to the front of the building and ask for help from one of the chunin. The entrance clicked closed behind me and I forced myself to take a shaky breath.
Good job.
I twisted my lips at the convoluted mixture of pride and disgust in his voice. I didn't mean to. I just . . . didn't mean to. I pressed my lips together and swallowed in a poor attempt to regain the ability to breathe properly. I'll have to make it up to him. Fuck! I was supposed to become friends with him, not break his bones!
Get over yourself. So you managed to damage a pathetic little human. Big deal.
Shut up. I shoved myself off the wall and then made my way back to the classroom. "It'll probably take a while for them to finish," I murmured aloud to myself in the empty room as I closed the door. A glance at the clock told me that there was still almost an hour and a half left of the Academy for the day. "Might as well get some personal training in. I think I'm almost ready to start Level 1 fuuinjutsu training." With that said, I sat at my desk and dug out my sealing scroll. A simple burst of my chakra was all that was needed to unseal my fuuinjutsu supplies across the table. As I began practicing seal quadrants in my notebook, Kurama rumbled with displeasure in the back of my head.
Wrong.
I paused, gaze flicking across the work I'd just done. The Kyuubi had a habit of occasionally pointing out mistakes I made when studying seal work. The most of an explanation I had gotten for why a chakra demon knew so much about a human form of written jutsu was that he had been contained by Uzumaki before. And if my clan was known for anything, they were known for fuuinjutsu.
What is it? What did I do wrong?
Check your balancing in the third and fourth quadrants.
I dragged my gaze over the seal. I don't . . . . Oh. I repeated the directional sequence and that would cause a doubling effect and destabilize the seal, right?
The door opened and chattering flooded the room. "Rai!" Naruto scrambled up the stairs and threw himself against my side. "Are you okay?"
I laughed and curled my arm around him. "Of course I'm okay. It's Shino I'm worried about."
"What was that, Mirai?" a smaller voice asked. I glanced up to find Sasuke standing just by our row. "You . . . didn't seem like you for a second."
"I got . . . distracted," I answered, trying to be reassuring and knowing I was failing. "It won't happen again." I reached out and ruffled Sasuke's hair.
"Remind me not to get on your bad side," Shikamaru mumbled, climbing into his seat.
I glanced back at him. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to—"
"Attention, please!" Bekko called. "Uzumaki, you've done enough damage today. Please keep your hands off my students."
I turned back around and met his gaze. What are you going to do? the Kyuubi asked, voice echoing in the back of my head. Show your throat and he'll bite it. Choose carefully.
Show my . . . . Oh. I swallowed, understanding exactly what Kurama was trying to say. I smiled thinly at our sensei. "Oh, my apologies. I'll be sure to give you my full attention. After all, I need you to teach me how to be a shinobi, don't I?"
His expression didn't change, but it did manage to gain a chillier aura. "I would appreciate it if you would be quiet."
"I'm sure you would." I scooted my chair forward and let Sasuke by.
Bekko's jaw tightened. "I would like everyone to gather up their things. You are dismissed for the day. Uzumaki, stay for your detention."
Naruto glanced at me. "Rai?"
I smiled and reached down, collecting his things into his bag. "Go with Sasuke-kun, okay? I have some training to do after school. I'll be there to pick you up no later than nine, alright, sweetheart? I'll see you later." I glanced at Sasuke as he joined my brother in the aisle. "You too." I held Naruto's bag out for him.
The two of them nodded and scrambled down the stairs. I nodded to Shikamaru and Choji as they passed. Then I turned my attention to the chunin that was moving to stand in front of my desk. As the door closed behind my last classmate he dropped a stack of paper in front of me. "Let me know when you finish all of this, Uzumaki." Then he moved back towards the front of the room.
I pulled the papers towards me, picked up my pen, and began reading.
Two boats on opposite banks of a river start moving towards each other. They first pass each other 1400 meters from one bank. They each continue to the opposite bank, immediately turn around and start back to the other bank. When they pass each other a second time, they are 600 meters from the other bank. We assume that each boat travels at a constant speed all along the journey. Find the width of the river?
I glanced over the problem again. Of course. No six year old would be able to do it, though maybe that was the point. I looked up at Bekko and he offered me a thin-lipped smile. I smiled in returned and then began sketching out the problem.
"Tonbo-san?" I stopped at the edge of the training ground. "Konichiwa."
He turned his bandaged head towards me and nodded. "Uzumaki-san. I'm glad to see that you made it. We'll begin by training your chakra sensitivity." He tapped his foot against the ground where he was standing in the center of the clearing. "Stand here and put on this blindfold. I will go to another part of the training ground and raise my chakra slowly. As soon as you can, identify where I am. Understand?"
I took the cloth, rubbing my fingers across the rough material. "Got it." As I tied the blindfold on, I turned my attention to Kurama. Any tips?
Chakra sensing is not an active skill. It's passive. Relate it more to your meditation than physical exercise. To be a proper sensor, you'll have to learn to keep a level head, even in battle. Relaxation is the key.
I wrinkled my nose against the thick blindfold. Wow. That was . . . actually help—
"Begin."
I straightened and furrowed my brow, searching for—
Fool. Did you not listen to a word I said?
Oops. I let my shoulders relax, though I kept my defensive posture. I took a deep breath and simply was. Something sparked to my left. I whirled towards it, arm coming up to point. It was the familiar chill that I associated with the man. I must have gotten it right because it disappeared and reappeared behind me. Four positions later, the energy source disappeared again. This time, however, I didn't feel it reappear immediately.
I took a deep breath and blew it out through my nose. Something cold shivered to my left, quieter than before. I pointed.
Sense. Pivot. Point.
Sense. Pivot. Point.
Sense. Pivot. Point.
"Good job. I wasn't expecting improvement on our test, let alone to this level."
I reached up and untied my blindfold. "That was good?"
He hummed in response. "Do you meditate often?"
"I do."
"That would be why, then. Let's exercise your reflexes."
I handed the blindfold back and settled into my stance. "So why are reflexes considered something you specialize in?"
He tilted his head to the side. "You will have to react quickly upon sensing chakra. Chakra sensing and lightning reflexes make for an excellent solo shinobi."
"How so?"
"Think about it." He began moving away from me again. "For instance, light bombs are a good choice. Blind the enemy. Unlike them, you can fight without sight and take them down before they can see again."
"Oh." I nodded. "Makes sense."
"Good. Begin."
The air whistled and the first smooth rock snapped against my cheek. I bit down on my exclamation of pain before it could escape. I ducked the next strike.
Remain level headed in battle. Learn it now so you don't have to do monotonous re-training later. I thought you could use the reminder since you flesh bags seem so poorly equipped for learning.
Kurama's voice made me fumble my next dodge and I hissed through my teeth as pain stung my elbow. He was right, though. Thanks.
Another deep breath and I rolled to the side to avoid the barrage of an entire handful of stones. My foot slipped awkwardly against the grass and I felt the muscles in my ankle pull. It jerked my head to the side and the air whipped right by my ear as I barely avoided the stone. But when the next rock found its mark, I felt my heart rate jump wildly again.
I stepped backwards and took another deep breath. I needed something to focus on, something to keep my attention from wandering and my anxiety from skyrocketing. I breathed in deeply through my nose, crouching to avoid another hit. The chill of Tonbo's chakra washed over me like an ice bath and I rolled to the side. My own energy hummed contentedly beneath my skin, soothing my nerves as I dodged yet again.
"Good job," Tonbo murmured, lowering his hand. "We're going to do some chakra exercises. The more aware of your own energy you are, the better your sensing abilities will be." He held up a rock the size of his fist. "You're going to learn how to pick this up with only your chakra."
I spat the foul slime from my mouth, coughing. Gross. What is that? I don't think that was blood. I dragging my wrist over my mouth and grimaced at the giant caterpillar lying dead at my feet.
That's poison.
"Wh— Oh, gross! That's even worse!" I spat again, trying to make sure I didn't swallow any, as I fumbled for my canteen. I swished water around in my mouth and then spat it out. I'm not gonna die now, right?
You didn't ingest it and none of it made it to your bloodstream. You'll be fine. Besides, with me and your Uzumaki genes, you have more of a tolerance for poisons.
I kicked the creature aside, feeling my shoulders sag with tiredness. I glanced up at the darkening sky past the tree tops. "It's getting late," I murmured to myself. Then I readjusted my backpack, cleaned the blood off my kunai by wiping it on my pants, and slipped the weapon back into its pouch. Making it back to the fence was easy, though climbing over the tall structure was a little more tiring than it was when I'd done it over an hour before.
I let my feet take me in the direction I knew was towards the Uchiha Compound. Rubbing my eyes, I yawned. It wasn't even nine yet and I was already exhausted. The day had really taken a lot out of me. If I had wondered at all if my introverted tendencies had followed me into this life, I didn't have to wonder any more. Meeting all these new people had drained me more than my hour in Training Ground 44.
Energy began pricking at my skin when I entered the compound, heading straight for the Clan Head's house. I knocked and waited, suppressing a desperate yawn. The door slid aside and I heard Shisui before I saw him completely.
"Naruto and Sasuke are having mochi. You can come in and— What the hell happened to you?"
I blinked and glanced down at myself. Bruises stained my visible skin, though I knew they would be gone by morning, and blood was smeared across my clothes. I guess I really didn't look that great. "Uh, nothing much. Just training."
"Just training," he echoed back at me. "Why don't I believe you?"
"I'm not sure. Can I come in?" I shoved my hands in my pockets, smiling up at him. The Uchiha eyed me for a moment before nodding and stepping aside. I stepped in through the doorway and then toed off my shoes. "Do you think we could come up with a time for you to teach me henge?" I asked, following him farther into the house.
"I would suggest now, but you look exhaus—"
"That works!" I interrupted with a grin, bouncing forward as we entered the kitchen. "Konichiwa, Nato, Sasuke-kun." I knew I should probably wash my hands first, but the mochi looked too good to resist. I leaned over and selected one, popping it into my mouth.
"Hi, Rai!" Naruto greeted. "Teme and I played Ninja and we watched Itachi and Shisui spar and then I helped Teme's mom make—"
I laughed and leaned over, planting a kiss on Naruto's forehead. "Hold on, and don't forget to breathe. You can tell me all about it on our way home, okay?"
He seemed hesitant for a moment but then he nodded, content. I turned to face Shisui expectantly and he sighed, motioning to me as he headed into the main room. Itachi was sitting on the couch reading and he didn't look up as we entered. "Good evening, Mirai-chan."
"Good evening," I greeted in return. Shisui sat down seiza in the middle of the room and I did the same.
"The seals for this jutsu are simple. Dog, boar, and then ram." He showed me the signs as he said them. "The hardest part of this jutsu is actually in visualization. The signs guide the molding of the chakra, but you have to focus on what they're molding it into. For example." He flashed through the hand signs again and chakra seared against my system. "Henge."
To my left, Itachi had lowered his book and was watching us. I frowned, studying the form Shisui had taken. "Kami, do I really look that beat up right now?" I asked, staring at the battered and bruised redhead he'd shifted into.
"Yes," Itachi murmured. "You should probably be resting instead of training more." He glanced a little too sharply at Shisui.
I ignored his last point. "Alright." I closed my eyes to focus on the form I wanted. Blond hair, bright blue eyes, whisker marked cheeks the same as mine. I slowly formed the hand signs, feeling my boiling chakra drawing together. "Henge." The molded chakra then just . . . vanished. I opened my eyes, frowning. "Wait, what—"
"That was way too much chakra for that technique," Shisui said, back to normal. He shook his head and got to his feet. "But Tachi-chan's right. You need to get some rest. Stop by later this week and I'll help you out with your bo staff again, okay? I get back from my next mission Wednesday night."
I sighed, climbing to my feet. "Alright." I turned towards the kitchen.
"Oh, and Mirai?"
I glanced back.
"Don't think I don't want an explanation at one point about that poor Aburame kid, alright?"
I flushed. "Right." Then I moved forward. "Nato, you ready to go?"
"Yep!" He jumped to his feet, snatching up his backpack, and followed me to the door. As we got out shoes on, he started babbling about their game of Ninja. I took his hand as we went outside and headed down the road. We were about halfway home when he switched to describing Shisui and Itachi's spar. He stopped mid-description. "Rai?"
"Hmm? What is it, Nato?"
"I think Bekko-sensei hates us, dattebayo. I don't like him. He's really mean to you." His fingers tightened around mine and he frowned. "He's an ass."
"Naruto!" I gasped, trying not to laugh. "Don't use that word."
"But it's true!" he protested.
I sighed, grinning. "Yeah, I guess it is."
"I brought some homemade onigiri if you'd like some," I offered, holding up the open bento box. "I have konbu and ikura."
Choji brightened. "Konbu, please."
I smiled and picked one out, giving it to him. Then I glanced at Sasuke. "Do you want one?"
He shook his head. "Kaasan made me a big breakfast this morning. Thanks."
I nodded and then turned my attention to the brunet who had finally made it up the stairs. "Konbu or ikura onigiri, Shikamaru-kun?"
The Nara yawned obnoxiously, slipping into his seat. Then he stared at me before dragging his gaze lazily to the bento box. "Ikura." He said it as if that word alone took too much effort.
I handed him the food. "I brought a shogi board. We can play during lunch." When he didn't respond, I took that as agreement and smiled.
"Uzumaki, I would appreciate it if you would stop distracting your classmates."
I felt my smile thin and I turned in my seat. "My apologies, Bekko-sensei. I'm paying attention, now." I closed up my bento box and slipped it back into my bag. Then I made a show of folding my hands on the desk and leaning forward in rapt attention. His expression curled into a sneer and he turned away.
"Today we'll begin unlocking your chakra."
My hand shot up before I was even really able to think about it. His gaze snapped to me. "Bekko-sensei, I've already unlocked my chakra."
He glanced across the other students and then his sharp stare narrowed in on me. "Then I'm sure you can keep yourself from distracting your classmates while they try to do the same."
I arched an eyebrow and just offered him a thin smile. Then I crossed my legs and closed my eyes, choosing to work on my henge while he taught. I pinched off a small amount of chakra. Dog, boar, ram. Under my breath, I mumbled, "Henge."
My chakra dissipated and I sighed. Too much. Resting my hands on my thighs, I took a deep breath and selected another small bit of chakra. Then I kept carefully shaving it down more and more. "Henge," I murmured.
Nothing.
Again.
"Henge."
Nothing.
Again.
"Henge."
Nothing.
I grit my teeth and forced myself to relax. I pinched off a tiny amount of chakra in comparison to what I normally would grab. Dog, boar, ram. "Henge." Instead of dissipating, my chakra held and I felt a shift along my skin. I had to suppress the odd shudder that itched along my spine.
"Whoa! Rai, that's super cool!"
I opened my eyes and glanced down. Then I titled my head to the side, studying the new angle I had of Naruto's body. "Huh."
"Uzumaki."
I glanced up to find Bekko watching me somewhat warily. "Yes, Sensei?" I asked, smiling sweetly and wondering if it looked the same as it did when Naruto smiled. It probably didn't. Naruto always seemed to beam when he smiled and my own was nowhere near as warm or friendly as his.
"I said do not distract your classmates. Five points."
With a sigh, I released the jutsu. That part was easy, since my hold had been slipping since the moment I'd started the technique. I pressed my lips together and glanced out the window. "Would I be allowed to work on my fuuinjutsu?"
"Distracting."
"What can I do, then?"
"Sit there and be quiet so as not to impede the learning of your peers." Then he returned to his lecture about the chakra pathways.
I bit my lip and Kurama sighed in the back of my mind. Whatever you're thinking, it's probably stupid and reckless.
You'd be for it, then?
Of course.
I reached down and double checked that all my things were in my bag. Then I got to my feet and tapped Naruto's shoulder to get him to move forward. "Right," I said with a sigh, slinging my bag over my shoulder and pushing in my chair. "I'll be back later, then." I started down the stairs.
"Where do you think you're going, Uzumaki?"
"Out. You obviously don't want me to do anything but stagnate, so I'm going to find something productive to do with my time." I reached the door and turned to face him. "Take as many points away as you want. That's obviously what you were trying to do anyway." I slid open the door and then left it open behind me as I moved down the hall.
I had to grit my teeth as I left the building and felt Naruto's chakra getting more and more distant. When his energy disappeared completely, I took a deep breath and focused on relaxing the tension from my shoulders as I turned towards my destination.
The guards looked up as I approached and the one on the left said, "Name and business."
"Uzumaki Mirai." I bowed respectfully. "I'm here to check in on Shino-kun's health. I'm one of his classmates."
The man stared at me for a moment and I wondered if all Aburame wore shades to hide their eyes from the rest of the world. But then he stepped forward and pushed open the gate for me. "Straight in. It's the large house right ahead."
"Thank you." I stepped through the gates and glanced around the compound for a moment as I approached the front house. I jogged up the steps and then knocked politely on the doorframe.
After a few seconds, the door slide open and I found myself staring up at the man that could only be Shino's father. "Can I help you?" the man asked flatly.
"I'm Uzumaki Mirai." I bowed, hoping that maybe I wouldn't see the disgust or disappointment that probably crossed his face. "I was wondering if I could check on Shino-kun's health. And apologize for the accident yesterday." When I straightened, I found that the man was watching me with something that might be able to be construed as amusement, but it was hard to tell past his sunglasses.
"Aburame Shibi," he said in return, bowing his head. "And of course. Come inside."
I stepped over the threshold and toed off my shoes, leaving them respectfully by the door. Then I followed the man down the hall and he stopped by another door. Shibi knocked. "Shino, you have a visitor." Then he slid the door open and stepped aside. "Tea, Uzumaki-san?"
I looked up. "That would be nice. Arigato." Then I stepped through the doorway into Shino's room. "Konichiwa, Shino-kun."
The boy looked up at him from his spot reclining in his bed. "Uzumaki-san," he greeted. "This is a surprise."
"Not a terrible one, I hope," I said moving forward. I paused in the middle of the room and then bowed at the waist. "I'd like to apologize for yesterday and the injury that my reckless fighting caused you."
"It's . . . fine," he said awkwardly. And though I couldn't see his eyes because of his glasses, he tilted his head down to stare at his cast. "It's a problem. But you fight well. If you promise not to break my arm a second time, then we should spar again once I'm better."
A smile curled my lips at that. "Sounds like a plan. Oh! I, uh, brought you something." I slung off my backpack and dug through it for a moment. Then I withdrew the wooden bento box and set it on his bed. "I made you melonpan."
Shino shifted, awkwardly pushing himself up with one arm. Then he reached out and opened the box. "Arigato."
"They're unlocking chakra in class today. Thought you'd probably want to know that."
Shino glanced up at me and, around a mouthful of melonpan, said, "Shouldn't you be at the Academy?"
"I've already unlocked my chakra, so this was more important. How long do you have to wear the cast?"
"Two weeks. I was told that I can return to the Academy tomorrow, however." He nodded to the chair in front of his desk. "You can take a seat."
I nudged my backpack aside and pulled the chair near the bed. "Do you like shogi?"
He just nodded.
"Do you want to play?"
Another nod.
I grinned and then dug my shogi board out of my backpack. "Great!"
"Any particular reason for why you're not at the Academy, Mirai-chan?"
I jumped in surprise, whipping around with a squeak. "Tachi-chan!"
He sighed at the name. "Well?"
I shoved my hands in my pockets. "People were unlocking chakra today and our sensei wouldn't let me practice anything else. So instead I visited Shino-kun to apologize and make sure he was okay."
"Was he?"
"Hai. We played shogi." Then I smiled smugly. "I won." I glanced in the direction of the Tower. "I'm gonna head back and wait in the yard until lunch break."
"Which is in an hour," he pointed out. "How does Ichiraku sound?"
"Really?" I squinted at him. "Are you paying?"
"I suppose."
"Great! Then let's go!" I grabbed ahold of his sleeve and started skipping in the opposite direction.
Itachi sighed and turned his arm so he was gripping my wrist. "Hold on," he murmured.
Roaring chakra charged through my veins and the world around me dashed by. I caught my breath when we stopped, ignoring the boiling beneath my skin. "Whoa. I don't think I liked that very much." I pressed my hand against my twisting stomach and followed him to the bar. As I hopped up on a stool, Itachi cleared his throat.
"I want to help you."
I glanced at him. "What?"
Teuchi looked towards us. "Your regular, Mirai-chan?"
"Hai. Please."
"One vegetable ramen," Itachi requested. When Teuchi nodded and turned away, Itachi turned to me again. "I've already agreed to help you with your taijutsu. But I'd like to help you with other things."
"Other things?"
"Shinobi are not made solely from fighting. They are body and mind as a whole."
I straightened. "Why? Why do you want to help me?"
"I talked to Shisui and he told me the reasoning you gave him to convince him to teach you."
"Oh." I cleared my throat. "Alright, then. I'd love for you to help me with that. How are you planning to do that?"
He reached into his kunai pouch and pulled out a scroll. "Here."
I took it and unrolled it. Then I blinked, staring at the writing inside. "Wow. Uh, I'm not planning on being a politician, you know."
"I know. But believe me when I say that political knowledge goes a long way. You'll have to be able to pack a physical punch, but you also need to know how to manipulate and deceive."
I nodded and rolled up the scroll. "Got it. Thank you." I licked my lips as Teuchi set five bowls of fresh ramen in front of me. "Itadakimasu!" I dug in. I'd finished three bowls by the time Itachi sat back, setting his chopsticks across his empty bowl. "So you're just gonna give me scrolls?"
"Hardly, Mirai-chan. But this is a good place to start, I think. And if you come over after the Academy, then I can help you more with your taijutsu."
I wrinkled my nose, pulling my fifth bowl closer. "It'd be later than right after the Academy. I probably got detention again. Which is fine, I guess. Bekko-sensei seemed determined to give it to me no matter what."
Itachi frowned minutely. "Are you having issues with your sensei?"
"Nothing I can't handle. For now, at least." I finished my last bowl and set my chopsticks across the top. "We'll see how long it takes my patience to run out." I began digging out my wallet.
"Just be sure not to do anything impulsive," he told me, putting out a hand to stop me. Then he withdrew his own ryo and set them on the counter. "Arigato, Teuchi-san. If this would work better, we could do some taijutsu work now at the Academy while you continue to avoid your sensei."
I hopped down from the seat with a grin. "That'd be perfect." I tucked my hands into my pockets, ignoring the looks thrown my way as I followed him out onto the street. "I figured henge out."
"So soon?" He didn't sound surprised.
"Well, I only got it once. Haven't tried it again. And I wasn't able to hold it very long. But since it's an actual transformation, not an illusion, it doesn't require a level of chakra control that's beyond me yet."
"So you haven't figured it out. You haven't mastered a technique until it's perfect every time." He produced some dango from out of nowhere and offered some of it to me. "How is your water-walking?"
I stared at the dango for a long moment before taking it. Where'd he been keeping that? After murmuring my thanks, I said, "Getting better, but it's difficult. I definitely understand the concept, but it's not constant like tree-walking. It requires . . . ." I frowned, not really sure what the word I was looking for was.
"Flexibility?" Itachi offered up, putting a hand on my shoulder. And then before I could respond, the world around us bent as we shunshined. The earth slammed to a stop under me and I stumbled, lungs trying to crawl up my throat. He didn't sound particularly apologetic when he said, "Sorry."
I managed a weak glare. "A warning is always nice," I rasped out. Kurama snorted in amusement and I made a face at the sound. Upon realizing that Itachi was watching me in amusement, I straightened and cleared my throat. Turning and leading the way into the front yard of the Academy, I said, "So, where should we start?" I dropped my bag to the ground and stepped away from it.
"Show me your stance again."
I settled into my stance, adjusting according to what he had told me last time. I looked up at him to find him frowning. "Is . . . something wrong?"
"No, not at all." He moved forward and began gently nudging my hands and feet to slightly adjust my positioning. As he did so, it began to feel a bit more natural and easier to rest into. "Where did you learn this stance, Mirai?"
"Here and there." I couldn't exactly say I learned it in a past life. "I've seen a lot of the ANBU spar, so I guess I pulled a lot of things from them. Why?"
"There are elements to it that I haven't seen before. It's a strong stance, just . . . unfamiliar." He put a hand on my back to have me straighten a bit. "How's that feel?"
"Huh. Better, actually. How'd you do that?"
"Your stance was good, but kept you too tense. Slight adjustments—mostly in your knees and hips—allow for a more even distribution of your weight so that you won't tire from it. Relax out of it."
I straightened out of the stance, focusing partially on the warm glow of Naruto's chakra off to my right. I let that familiar feeling wash over me and then honed my attention back in on Itachi.
"Now, enter the stance again."
"Again?"
"The stance is useless if you need me to adjust it ever time. You need to be able to remember the changes I've made and keep those adjustments yourself."
"Right." It was difficult to remember everything he'd done, and though the stance I settled into felt familiar, parts of it still felt wrong. Itachi moved forward and tapped my right elbow a bit closer to better protect my midsection. Then he shifted my knees back a little so they were over my feet. After a couple more adjustments, he stepped back. I looked down at myself to try to remember everything he'd done.
"And relax," he ordered. When I'd done so, he said, "Again." He paced around me, adjusting a couple things. "Better. Relax. Again. Good. Elbow in. Relax. Again. Keep your shoulders loose. Relax. Again."
Naruto's chakra, and the energy surrounding his, began to stir excitedly. As I relaxed out of the stance again at his direction, I said, "I think it's lunch break."
"Ah. I should probably go before Sasuke sees me and insists on leaving school." Itachi smiled faintly and bowed his head. "You have a lot of potential, Mirai-chan. I can see why you're so desperate to learn."
"Thank you for your help, Tachi-chan."
He sighed. "You're insufferable." Then he disappeared in a shunshin.
My chakra coils flinched back at the sudden rush of energy. I turned towards the tree I'd sat at the day before and sat down, pulling out Naruto's bento box. I had that and the shogi board out when I heard him.
"Rai!"
"Nato! Come eat your food." I managed to pull up a smile for the people accompanying him. "I brought my shogi board. As promised. Up for a game?"
Shikamaru didn't answer immediately, but he did sit down across from me and immediately move a knight. Then he pulled out his bento. "Where did you go?" he asked.
"I went to visit Shino-kun. We played shogi. He's very good."
"Was he okay?" Choji asked worriedly. "It looked like it hurt."
"He said he'll be back tomorrow. And he looked like he was in a good mood." I shrugged. "So yeah, I think he's okay."
The five of us fell into a comfortable silence, with even Naruto quiet as he devoured his food. It was only broken once when Choji shyly asked if he could have some more of the onigiri from earlier, to which I was happy to comply. My game with Shikamaru was close and for a moment it looked like he was going to win. Until.
"Uzumaki!"
Shikamaru jumped in alarm, sending his bishop flying off the board instead of moving to where he wanted it. "Sorry," he mumbled.
"That's fine." I picked up the piece and handed it back to him, glancing towards the front door of the Academy. Bekko stood there, arms crossed as he glowered. "I'll be back, Nato." With a ruffle of his hair, I turned and headed for the Academy door. "Hai, Bekko-sensei?"
He frowned down at me, arms crossed tightly on his chest. "We're going to speak with the Hokage."
That . . . was not what I had expected. "Sorry?"
"You have been disrespectful, disorderly, and disruptive. I simply cannot have you threatening the learning of more deserving students. Come with me." That said, he turned and started up the stairs, leaving hot ash over my skin.
In alarm, I realized that hot ash was his chakra. And that I was feeling his chakra twist and writhe angrily, defenses around it dropped by his emotions. Well, if this was a battle he thought he would win, then he was sorely mistaken. I jogged after him, my steps a little lighter than they had been before. Naruto's chakra disappeared when we entered the building—it hurt less than it had the day before—and Bekko marched right up to the desk outside the Hokage's office. "I would like to speak to the Hokage, please."
The chunin at the desk looked up. Her gaze flicked to me for just a moment before she nodded. "Hokage-sama is in a meeting at the moment. You can speak with him after he's done." She returned to her paperwork.
As we moved to wait, I mused, "You know, the Hokage won't side with you."
He didn't look at me, but when I relaxed I could feel the way his chakra twitched at my words.
"We have an understanding, now. So it really would be better if you didn't even try."
The chunin at the desk got up with a stack of paperwork and moved to the door. She knocked. After a moment, the old man's familiar voice called, "Enter."
She pushed her way inside and I could hear her—both her voice and chakra—as she said, "Here's the report you asked for, Hokage-sama. And Korudo-san and Uzumaki-chan are here to see you."
"Are they, now? Go ahead and send them in."
I straightened. When the chunin stepped out, she waved us inside. "Go ahead," she murmured. "He's meeting with Mitarashi-san at the moment, but has said you can speak with him now."
Bekko led the way, nodding slightly to the chunin as he passed her. I paced evenly after him, listening curiously to the faint whispers of a new chakra I hadn't ever heard before. When I stepped into the office, I found myself staring at a purple-haired kunoichi that was chewing on a dango stick.
Oh.
Anko.
She squinted at me and seemed to be getting ready to say something but was easily interrupted before she even began.
"Ah, Bekko-san," Hiruzen said, smiling as the door closed. "Is there a problem?"
"Hokage-sama, I cannot teach this child. She's is a disruption in the classroom and today even had the audacity to leave the Academy in the middle of a lecture about—"
"Hokage-sama," I interrupted easily, hands folded behind my back. "Could I share my perspective?"
He glanced towards me and I felt Bekko's chakra seethe. Could no one else hear that? The Hokage nodded. "Very well. What is it you have to say about the situation, Mirai-chan?"
"Bekko-sensei is presumably a very accomplished teacher, I would think it best to move him to a class that doesn't contain myself or my brother, considering the bias he seems to have against us. And I would, of course, hate for that bias to affect my progress as a shinobi."
Bekko's chakra choked and Anko's own distant energy uncurled in curiosity. The Hokage frowned. "Bias, Mirai-chan?"
"Hai." I smiled cooly and let my gaze flick momentarily to my father's portrait. "Bias."
"I see." The Hokage cleared his throat and pulled out his pipe. "Hmm. Bekko-san, I'd like you to return to your class. Send Naruto-kun up here, along with his and Mirai-chan's belongings, please. Anko, if you could go downstairs, I believe Kakashi is waiting to meet with me to receive a mission. Bring him up here, please."
"Hai, Hokage-sama," Bekko said. He threw a sharp look in my direction before turning and leaving, his angry energy leaving with him.
Anko shrugged and flicked away the dango skewer. It bounced off the wall and landed in the trashcan. "Sure thing."
When the door closed behind her, subtle chakra flared around the walls of the room. "How did you find out?" the Hokage asked curiously. He didn't seem surprised, or even worried. Just interested.
Without an invitation, I strolled over to the couch that sat under the window and took a seat. "The seal appears when I mold chakra." I cut my gaze to him. "This doesn't change anything. I still get to train but I still get to stay with Naruto."
He smiled, but with his eyes shadowed beneath his Kage hat I couldn't quite tell if it was genuine. "Of course. How was your first session with Tonbo?"
"Helpful." I listened to the way the chakra in the walls dissipated. "I'm already sensing better."
"And as I understand it, you've already gathered some teachers of your own, have you not? Shisui-kun and Itachi-kun seem very fond of you, and I hear that you managed to drag Yanagikage in via a bet."
"Hmm," I responded disinterestedly, habitually tracing out the patterns of storage seal on the couch cushion. Distantly, I felt Naruto's chakra spark against my senses as it reappeared. "Are you going to replace Bekko-sensei?"
"I will see what I can do. There is a very promising young chunin that could replace him, but I'm not sure. I wasn't planning on making him an independent sensei so soon."
The door opened. "You asked for me, Hokage-sama?"
My chakra lifted happily and I bounced up from the couch. "Niisan!"
"Pup?" The bewilderment was palpable in his voice and he caught me easily when I threw myself at him in a hug. With one hand resting on the top of my head, he asked, "Is something wrong, Hokage-sama?"
"Just having some issues with the twins' sensei, that's all," Hiruzen said easily. "Naruto will be joining us shortly and neither will be returning to class today. Now, I have some things I would like to discuss with Mirai-chan, so I would be pleased if you could entertain Naruto-kun in the meantime. And possibly review with him the things he'll be missing from class today? I believe they're going over the basics of both chakra theory and the Academy taijutsu stance as well as beginning basic conditioning."
When I looked up, Kakashi was staring at the Hokage. When he just continued to stare, I cleared my throat to prompt him. He glanced at me and then back up. "You want me to . . . teach him?"
"Just for today. I'll delay your mission, of course. But it would be helpful while I go over some things with Mirai-chan. Could you do that?"
"Um." He straightened and his hand dropped from my head. "Of course, Hokage-sama."
The door opened. "Jiji?"
"Ah, Naruto-kun! Come in, come in."
I grinned at my brother, taking my bag from him and noting it was a little heavier than before. I shouldn't have expected anything else, of course. He wouldn't have been able to seal the shogi board and bento boxes back into their scrolls. "Nato, do you think you could hang out with Nissan while I talk to the Hokage?"
He blinked and then looked up at Kakashi. "Wait, but what about school?"
"I'll go over today's lesson with you," Kakashi said, though he paused hesitantly over every word. He put a hand on Naruto's shoulder. "We should go."
"Send Anko back in, please," Hiruzen said. As they left, he gestured to the floor in front of his desk. "I'd like to have a conversation, Mirai-chan. In fact, Mitarashi-san and I were just discussing you and your desire to progress."
I stepped forward and stopped in front of the desk. "Oh?"
"Hai. Mitarashi-san is one of the few within Konoha's walls that is proficient in the first few levels of fuuinjutsu. You are interested in that subject, are you not?" He pulled his ashtray across the desk and emptied his pipe into it. Then, with a sigh, he took off his hat and set it aside. "Ah, Anko. Come in, come in."
I stepped aside so she could stand beside me. When the door closed, I felt that same faint echo of the chakra in the walls. With a frowned, I looked up at her. "You're willing to teach me?"
She shrugged, already chewing on another empty dango skewer. "Meh, the Hokage promised me that we could have our sessions in a dango shop and that all expenses while we're there will be comped by the Village. So I couldn't possibly lose anything by doing this, right?" She frowned deeply and the skewer splintered between her teeth. "Right?"
Shrugging, I said, "Well, I have read that it's pretty common for beginners in the art of fuuinjutsu to explode seals. But loss of life is negligible in the pursuit of being badass, right?"
She spat out the splinters and then turned a wide, manic grin on me. "Oh, I'm going to enjoy this."
"Ohayo, Tachi-chan. Can I come in?"
"Mirai-chan. We are just about to start dinner. Would you like to join us?" He stepped aside and let me in.
I waited until I toed off my shoes to respond. "I would, thank you. Is it just you, again?"
"Hai. Tousama is on a mission and Kaasan is working a shift at the hospital. So hai. I hope my own cooking is to your approval." He waved me forward. "When Hatake-san was waiting for me with Naruto-kun at the Academy, he told me that you were having lessons with Mitarashi-san."
"Hai. Hokage-sama thought it would be good for my fuuinjutsu studies." I stepped into the dining area and stopped by Naruto. "How was your day, Nato?" I pressed a kiss against his temple and moved to sit next to him. As he began to happily rant about his day, Itachi dished out a plate for me. Eventually, Naruto followed a rabbit-trail into excited ramblings about his race to the compound with Sasuke. When he claimed he won, Sasuke immediately countered that and the two devolved into an argument. With a sigh, I turned to Itachi.
"Anko is really smart," I admitted. "But I think I might get fat if I actually eat as much dango as she's offering me, no matter how much I train."
"Nonsense. If she's offering you too much dango, pack it up and bring it to me." He said it flatly, in the same tone he'd used to invite me inside or tell me that his parents were out. But when I squinted at him, his lips curled just a touch.
"I'll be sure to."
The moment dinner was finished, Naruto and Sasuke dragged us outside just in time for them to tumbled to the dirt and start wrestling. With a mild, contented sigh, Itachi sat down on the steps and closed his eyes. When I sat next to him, I could hear his chakra fall into a steady hum. "Tachi-chan?"
His chakra flickered. "Hai?" He opened his eyes and glanced towards me. Something must have showed in my expression, because he said, "I'm meditating. Would you like to join me?"
"Ah." I sat down and let my hands fall loosely into my lap. I closed my eyes.
When I opened them, I was staring at familiar red fur behind grey bars. "Ohayo, Kyuubi."
"Brat," he mumbled, not even budging from his nap. "Leave me alone."
"Touchy," I muttered. "Fine. I'll just go . . . ." I turned towards the doorway that led to the rest of my mindscape, only to hesitate. Except for my first time arriving in my mind, I'd never left this one room. "Explore," I finished oddly.
Silence greeted me outside Kurama's room, the lack of sound echoing up and down the empty ANBU hallway. The whispers above my head were quieter than they had been last time, more echoes than distractions. I pressed my hand against the smooth, grey wall. "Left," I asked myself, "or right?" The decision was made for me when I saw the open door down to my right, the flickering warm light spilling out standing in stark contrast to the passive cool tones in the rest of my mind. I turned and moved towards the door, fingers trailing along the wall. Was that the Record Room? I stepped into the doorway.
The room in front of me was a disaster.
Scattered books and scrolls layered the floor, as if throw out by a tornado. Or maybe Naruto and Sasuke on a bad day. Some loose pages filled the empty gaps in the catastrophe. This was my mind? But just what part of it?
When I moved forward, my foot bumped against something and I looked down to find a scroll half unraveled on the floor. I stooped down and picked it up. When I unrolled it farther, the world spun and my stomach twisted.
"The Hokage is busy."
When had I gone to the Tower? Without moving, I heard myself say, "But we really need to talk to him. It's important!"
The desk chunin in front of me looked both annoyed and unconcerned. "He's in a very important meeting. You can't speak to him right now."
"Later?" I heard myself ask again.
"He's preparing for a journey to Suna tomorrow, so you won't be able to speak to him until he comes back."
With a gasp and a desperate wrench of my hands, I closed the scroll and the world tilted for just a moment before returning me to the disastrous ANBU Records Room within my own mind.
Well, then.
This was going to take a little work.
Chapter End
Answer: Believe it or not, I completely fell for a kids' cartoon. Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug and Cat Noir. I was absolutely not expecting to get sucked into this show so easily, but the plot is surprisingly entertaining. Plus, it's tiny gods who turn French teenagers into superheroes in order to fight regular citizens who have been corrupted by demon butterflies! What's not to like about that? Admittedly, the fandom and its fics/comics/etc. are what really make the show.
Question: What's a fandom you're always suggesting to people?
Today's suggested fanfic: How to Obtain a Reverse Harem in Naruto by Darkpetal16.