I push away worries about the new title as I try to subtly avoid Choza throughout dinner instead of sticking close to Choji as I had when I first started to visit. I try not to be rude, but I hope that Natsumi and Yataka think I am simply preoccupied with catching up with my friend.
It's true that Choji has plenty to tell me. He visited all over the land of fire, after all, he saw the ocean even. I remember the ocean from my last life, but in this life, I have never seen it. Would it look different than I remember?
"You couldn't even see land. It just seemed to go on forever!" Choji declares, telling me about the ocean. "And there were spots with no trees at all. Some people had never even seen a ninja before!" Choji then adds, and to him, someone surrounded by ninjas never seeing one must be quite the shock.
There is an awkward kind of feeling in the room right now; even the chakra is rattling in response. No lie is forever buried, or maybe some are, but no one ever knows them. Still, all the greatest disasters are things that catch people off guard, and that was in my old life. It's worse for ninjas. Would Choji hate me if he found out I was a sort of spy? I didn't want to think about it. Not now or ever.
When dinner passed, I couldn't help but wish it hadn't. Choji is all tired and, towards the end, looks ready to pass out on his food.
"I think it's time to call it a night, Choji-chan." Natsumi teases, lifting up Choji. He makes a sound of weak protest which is super cute but seems to collapse in his mother's arms.
They head off, and I take a moment to appreciate the scene before I realize in my distraction that I hadn't seen Yataka being ushered out the door. That… that means I'm alone with Choza!
"Why don't we talk in my office?" Choza suggests, and I hold back a flinch remembering the soft hum of chakra from seals making said office soundproof. I nod and follow him, letting the deep calm drown me. "Did you have a nice summer?" Choza asks the large man being unusually soft and cautious rather than his carefree and loud attitude he usually has.
"I did," I say, making small talk. He nods and smiles, seemingly pleased I did. "I told Koharu-sama you were returning early, though." I blurt out because I don't know how exactly to work that into a conversation.
"I see…" Choza states I can tell he is thinking. Thinking in a way a shinobi should, not in the way of a parent or just a person but a shinobi.
"Yataka-san told me, and well…." I begin to say, getting nervous despite the calm. He raises his hand, silencing me as though I am a subordinate. Aren't I, though?
"It's fine. It actually explains some things." Choza says with a sigh that is heavy, so incredibly heavy. He doesn't elaborate on how it explains things. Had Koharu acted on the information? If so, in what way? My wariness keeps me from demanding answers on the subject. Answers I want so desperately.
"Choza-sama…" I say, ignoring how he had insisted previously for me to call him san; he just doesn't feel that familiar right now. "I don't know what I am doing." I admit, and it takes some weight off my chest because isn't that the truth? I am just guessing constantly and hoping one of my guesses doesn't completely blow up in my face.
"I know…" Choza says with a subdued smile he gets up and stands in front of me, making the height difference between us terribly apparent. I maybe come up to his waists if I am on my tippy toes. His hand rests on my shoulder, and I look him in the eye, not backing down.
"Then why?" I ask because I need to understand why he didn't take the out I offered. Why would he risk his clan with someone unreliable? Why any of this? I need to know how big a gamble he thinks he's taking and maybe figure out why.
"Because…" Choza says a bit more jolly, more Akimichi-like. "Even if you are mistaken," he says, and I flinch at that. If only he knew how much of a mistake I am. I'm a COSMIC mistake. Yet not…? I mean, there was that whole introduction, so maybe not a mistake? More like a cosmic prank? "I have a feeling you're a good mistake." He says, and I just blink at that. I don't think anyone considers a mistake good, but I guess they do happen. My mind flits to many scientific discoveries that were made by accident.
"Thanks…" I say awkwardly because how do you respond to any of this?
"Now, this is what I want you to pass along." Choza says, and I nod, ready to listen and report to Koharu. The academy will start soon, and this year will definitely be interesting that's for sure.
You have gained 1 WIS!
I sigh… well I will get plenty of experience.
POV Yataka Akimichi
Many believe that the Akimichi clan are mere brutes. When standing beside a mind like a Nara, or even a Yamanaka, it's easy to see how. Our Justus may be yang based, based in the body, while Nara and Yamanaka work with yin based in mind; however, we are not so easy to fool.
Continued exposure to the two clans ensures this. It's why I am almost disappointed in my nephew for forget this.
As I head home, I decide not to take a direct route. I mean, the Hokage tower isn't THAT far from the Akimichi compound. I'm just getting some air… at least. That's what I plan on telling anyone who asks.
Before I know it, though, I am walking up to the secretary. I smile as though I recognize her though I really don't. There are so many; after all, there is always someone on duty 24 hours, and they change regularly.
"Can you tell Hiruzen that it's a lovely night for a stroll?" I ask her leaning forward on the desk. She looks at me, totally and helplessly confused. That's alright, though. It isn't for her. It is for the Anbu that are no doubt watching us. Not that I would ever know. They are near impossible to sense and deadly silent.
"I'm sorry, sir, but do you have an appointment?" The woman asks, her eyes narrowed; a ninja, of course, so she knows a code when she hears one.
"No, I'll wait." I tell her, and she opens her mouth to speak but is stopped as we turn to see Hiruzen with bags under his eyes, walking over to the desk.
"Yataka? This is a surprise." Hiruzen says, and of course, it is. I intentionally avoid him; I have for YEARS. We may have been close once, good friends, but that was another life when we were both very different people. I have never forgiven him for what was once known and now long forgotten as the 'Akimichi Sacrifice' we lost so many of our clansmen; I lost a good portion of my family, including my young cousin Emishi, a talented boy not quite a genius who I had all but raised with my brother since his parent's deaths. He was only ten years old. Hiruzen signed off on IT, and never punished anyone who gave what constitutes a suicide order.
The history books will never say it as it is, but I know the truth. My father, for all his faults, gave his life that day, taking the place of five of our younger clan members with his incredible strength… including myself and my brother, after all by this point, an heir was born in the form of Choza. This is why I will never hate Chono Akimichi; in the end, he showed his true colours.
"Yes, it is. Should we take a walk?" I ask; it was our code back before I learned to hate Hiruzen and so many of my so-called friends.
"Of course." He says he is probably drowning in paperwork. I almost feel pity for him. We walk through the mostly deserted streets, talking without looking at each other. "You know I never wanted to…." Hiruzen begins to say, and every muscle in my body tightens. He does not get to apologize!
"The past is the past. Nothing can change it." I say in a deceitfully calm voice. He winced but nods, accepting. The land of sky attacked during the second shinobi war. We were already fighting so many enemies; the funny thing? In that particular land were nomads in village form, they were highly aggressive only when provoked. I don't know all the details, but THEY were provoked. Their flying technology could bypass almost all our defences, and when they allied themselves with the land of wind, the higher-ups feared the worse, and so they needed to be destroyed. The problem? They could attack out of jutsu range and bombard our shinobi. We needed some sort of easily retractable barrier.
The Uzumaki had already been destroyed earlier in the war, and the Senju numbers were plummeting while the Akimichi power grew. The clan was already wary of the village as we were so often being pushed to the front lines taking heavy casualties away from our allies, the Nara and Yamanaka. I had heard there was talk of defecting and leaving the village among the three clans. Nothing serious, just talk. But it was enough that the Akimichi, with their size-increasing jutsu, became the living human shield for Konoha shinobi when the attacks would rain down.
No one knew until the order was given on the battlefield. 70% of the Akimichi there that day were given the order, and less than half lived to see the next battle. Any strength the three clans had was destroyed, tying them back to Konoha we all knew there was no other way we could survive.
"Not that I don't enjoy seeing you, old friend…." Hiruzen begins to say, and I calm my nerves. The clan must come first for the clan head, yes, but the Chibi… something was going on and as I was the one to suggest that Choji befriend her…. Well, I feel responsible for the kid. Responsible like I was for Emishi, but this time… this time I won't be forced just to watch. It just irks me that Hiruzen, of all people, is the best one to keep her safe.
"I'm sure you heard of Sayori." I state, and he doesn't look surprised, but I'm sure he is.
"Yes, she seems to have a talent for making unusual friends; Sasuke Uchiha didn't seem to enjoy the company of any of his peers; however, she seems to be the exception." Hiruzen states, and I nearly get whiplash. What the hell?! Kami! Does that girl have a death wish or something?! The Uchiha are volatile right now. Anyone who gets too close will surely get burned! The fact that the Hokage is paying attention to a child's friendship, even one of the latest prodigy of that clan, just confirms such things.
Still, I can use this to my advantage.
"Such a young aspiring prodigy would be wasted in a sub-level class…." I muse out loud, trying to sound happy about the idea, but I see Hiruzen stop walking.
"Prodigy?" He asks suspiciously; it really is impressive how well the Chibi hides it intentionally or not, but if she isn't one, then I hate food, and Danzo wears bright pink.
"I remember another young orphan prodigy once upon a time, and he certainly made himself something." I whisper, thinking of Minato. I really thought that kid was going to change things, or rather prayed he would.
"What's your stake with the girl?" Hiruzen asks, and I cringe. She's just a kid, not a weapon, yet she is going to be a weapon; no, she already is one, and it is just the decision on whether she will be a disposable kunai or a revered katana. Everyone who knows about the deeper workings of the village recognizes that not all the classes are the same. There are key classes, one or two per year and then sub-level classes. Those in key classes have a 33% chance of getting a jonin instructor and a team, which makes their chances of survival skyrocket along with their skill, they have about a 20% chance of apprenticeship if their team fails, but they impress the jonin. They might not even be sent to the genin corps if they fail but instead could even have a chance to retake the academy year instead! The genin corps has a high mortality rate and very little chance for promotion when compared to actual teams. Very few to enter the genin corps will ever have the chance to be a jonin.
The key classes are an unspoken rule. Filled with students that at least are seen to have potential and, one way or another, assets to the village. As a clan heir, Choji is in one of them. However, as a nameless orphan? Sayori is in a sub-level class. A class that will have a very high death toll in its first 5 years after graduation, a class which will have almost no apprentices or passed teams, they are disposable, like Emishi had been. Would his life have been thrown away so carelessly if he had been in another class?
"I just would hate to see talent go to waste, Hiruzen," I say innocently, and l leave, but I know Hiruzen will think about what I said. If she is under the Hokage's gaze, things will be safer for Sayori or more dangerous there will be no in-between.