This is a rewrite, it was my first attempt at a short form fanfiction, and I guess I didn't want to use all of my ideas on the initial attempt only to end up losing my interest in it over time. But if there's one thing I hate, it's unfinished ideas, so I wanted to at the very least put out a complete idea. It is meant to be short so please don't expect long drawn-out scenes or development, everything happens in snapshots. Because Kimiko is living life clinging to small moments that give life meaning.
Rewrite- 27/07/23
(If there's ever a time where someone is interested in writing more within this little fanfic world of CtO then can drop me a message and I'd be more than happy to give it the greenlight)
In the softly illuminated room, Kimiko waited for her next appointment. The Hokage had generously granted her this space to meet with each of her fictional charges.
She couldn't help but sigh at her own thoughts; to her, they were no longer mere characters but living beings. Having spent a lifetime with Hashirama and Madara, she couldn't dismiss them as figments of a man's imagination. They were as real as she was, with their blood flowing the same crimson hue as hers and their hearts beating in much the same rhythm. In some ways, they felt even more tangible than she did. Those who had made her confront the truth of her existence were long gone, yet she remained, grappling with the reality of her own being.
Hashirama and Madara belonged to a bygone era.
And so should she.
A gentle knock on the door interrupted her reflections, and a figure cautiously peeked in. A soft smirk graced Kimiko's lips as she noticed the surprise in the young boy's eyes upon seeing her in her late twenties. He had likely expected someone older, considering her reputation. It was intriguing to see one of the future heroes of this world feeling nervous about meeting her.
"Come in, Namikaze-san," she called. The blonde's face flushed bright red as he entered her office and settled into the chair before her desk. Kimiko watched as his gaze darted around the room, trying to take in every detail despite his nervousness, his mind calculating.
Her smirk grew even wider.
Perfect.
Kimiko had been meeting with Minato once a week for the past few months, gradually building his trust and guiding him towards his destined path. At first, Hiruzen had been surprised when she presented the blonde civilian boy, but he quickly understood that Minato would become someone truly special; one could see it even without her foreknowledge.
On this particular day, Kimiko felt a tinge of anger as she watched Minato walk into her office at eight PM, his familiar bright smile lighting up his features.
"Good afternoon, Shishou," he greeted her as he took a seat. "How are you today?"
Kimiko scrutinized his smile, searching for any deceit, but found none. She mentally reprimanded him for the ease with which he had come to trust her, despite her months of nurturing that trust. Nevertheless, she couldn't deny that their bond had grown stronger over time, and she was pleased with his progress. Minato was overjoyed whenever she spoke of his potential, and Kimiko knew he was determined not to let her down.
However, today, her smile was replaced with a frown, which Minato astutely picked up on.
"Is everything okay, Kimiko-san?" He asked with a tense expression. "Have I done something wrong?"
The frown softened slightly; Minato was indeed perceptive.
"Namikaze-san, your grades are slipping," she said, letting a tinge of disappointment seep into her tone. Despite still being at the top of his class, she noticed they weren't as high as they should be. She couldn't help but notice his subtle flinch. "I distinctly remember telling you during our first meeting that while I saw immense potential in you, I wouldn't offer a second chance if you proved me wrong. This opportunity is reserved only for the brightest of your generation, and if you fail to live up to that standard, it will be taken away just as swiftly as it was given."
"I'm sorry, Shishou," he mumbled, lowering his gaze. "I take full responsibility, and I understand if you no longer wish to sponsor my education. I can only hope that I haven't completely lost your faith in me."
As Minato kept his gaze fixed on the floor, Kimiko rubbed her temples, feeling a headache starting to form. She knew he saw her as someone he needed to impress, and the weight of her disapproval seemed to crush him. And she was relying on that.
"Dog," she called out to the seemingly empty room. Minato looked up in confusion. Without explanation, Kimiko commanded, "Namikaze-san to the hospital and provide her with a private room. Ensure they understand the importance of giving her the best care possible." Shadows flickered from the corner of the room, responding to her command.
Minato's eyes widened with a mix of embarrassment and shame. "Shishou, we can't afford a hospital," he said, his voice filled with concern.
Kimiko shot him an unimpressed glance that immediately silenced him. "That is why you will not be paying for it. Consider it my investment in your future," she stated firmly, opening her notebook as she always did at the end of their sessions. "That will be all for today." Minato rose unsteadily from his seat, his gaze lingering on her for a moment before he walked toward the door. "The next time we meet, I want you to prove to me that I didn't make a mistake today, Namikaze-san," were her final words as the door closed behind him.
Tears welled up in Minato's eyes as he rushed to the hospital. His mother's health had been deteriorating, and he felt utterly helpless as he watched her struggle from her bedside. He stole a glance back at the window beside the Hokage's office before leaving.
"Thank you, Shishou. I swear I will never let you down, from today to my final day," he promised with unwavering determination.
Little did she know that this seemingly simple act would be the catalyst for the complete collapse of her carefully constructed house of cards. If only she understood that a promise from Namikaze Minato was a profoundly solemn and unbreakable thing.
This time, Kimiko found herself inside the Hokage's office—a room she had once helped decorate and where she had spent countless days and nights shaping the very essence of the village as it stood today. Before her stood two lines of children, each displaying varying degrees of stiffness. She quickly noticed that some were clan heirs, while the others were top achievers. At the front, a familiar set of blue eyes gleamed brightly, belonging to none other than Minato. The Hokage had warmly greeted them all before leaving Kimiko to take charge of the proceedings.
"You are all here today because someone has recognized your potential. I am Uzumaki Kimiko, and I will be assessing whether they were right to do so. I train only the elite of the elite; anything less doesn't interest me. If you hear your name, don't move, but if not, kindly make your way out of this room, where a Jounin will be waiting for you," she declared. The room was filled with a nervous murmur from the students, and Minato stared at her with wide eyes. She idly remembered that she had never revealed her last name to him.
"Nara Shikaku," her voice resonated through the silence. The boy stood with a relaxed yet confident posture, his gaze deceptively unfocused. "Yamanaka Inoichi," she continued, and the blonde beside him became visibly more alert. She went on to call out a list of names, selecting those she deemed important. Finally, she proclaimed, "Namikaze Minato.
The blonde beamed at her once again, his blue eyes shining with delight at being chosen. However, she also noticed a hint of relief in his expression. Despite his evident prodigious abilities, it seemed he had been anxious about this moment. As the others left the room, uncertain about the reason for their gathering, Kimiko's chosen few remained behind.
"You have captured my attention, unlike your classmates. Now, it's time to prove yourselves to me. This is a chance to reach heights others could only dream of achieving. I can make your names strike fear and reverence in the hearts of every shinobi and kunoichi across all five nations, and I can just as easily make you disappear, so do not test me," she said with a smile. It was the same smile that had once made Hashirama break into a cold sweat and Madara stiffen with trepidation.
"Nara, Yamanaka, Akamichi, Uchiha, Hyuga, Aburame, Inuzuka, and Namikaze," she continued, addressing each of them directly. "From this day forward, you will report to me. Every decision concerning your career will go through me—your grades, your abilities, and even the skills you wish to learn will be approved by me. I will provide whatever assistance you need to reach your peak. If anyone tries to tell you otherwise, refer them to me. I am your highest authority, and my word is final."
She paused for a moment before adding, "The only area where I will refrain from intervening is in clan matters. Those decisions remain with your respective elders. However, if my orders clash with your clan's, inform me, and I will work out an agreement with them. Do not blindly follow any order without considering its implications. Understood?"
"Yes, Shishou," they replied in unison, standing with their backs straight and arms at their sides.
Kimiko paused; her attention focused on Nara Shikaku. "Nara, what is the current status of Uzushio?" she questioned the dark-haired heir.
His eyebrows rose, surprised by the unexpected topic. "Uzushio is an active ally of Konoha, Shishou," he answered.
Kimiko's ever-present frown deepened as she muttered to herself, "Active?"
The Hokage shifted in his seat, sensing the tension in the room as the row of academy students shuffled nervously. Realizing it wasn't the right time to delve into the matter, she scolded herself mentally.
"Is that not the case, Shishou?" Shikaku inquired, his eyes more calculating than Minato's could ever be.
She waved off his question dismissively. "That's irrelevant," she replied, causing Shikaku to bristle at the dismissal. Nevertheless, he accepted her response without further protest. Good, Kimiko thought, acknowledging his intelligence in knowing when to push and when to stay silent.
"Uchiha," she addressed the more stoic of the two Uchiha before her. "Has your fiancé been chosen yet?"
Fugaku blinked at the unexpected question. However, displaying his intelligence, he refrained from questioning it directly. "No," he replied, visibly flustered to the highest extent an Uchiha could allow himself to show.
Kimiko's gaze shifted to the girl standing beside Fugaku, contemplating the situation. It was still too early for such decisions to be made; their stories hadn't even truly begun. It presented the perfect opportunity for her to strategically insert herself into their lives. After all, she had been honing this skill for years now—it had become a well-practiced art form for her.
Over the next half-hour, she posed a wide range of questions to each of her future charges, from inane to philosophical, seemingly confusing the occupants of the room. Yet, as all of them belonged to powerful clans, they knew better than to question her authority and responded with short and precise answers, treating it as a matter of life and death. She found satisfaction in their obedient responses.
Turning her attention to the blonde, she showed no sign that they had met before. "Namikaze," she began calmly. "What is your favourite colour?" This seemingly simple question appeared to catch him off guard. Minato stared at her, his cheeks flushing with embarrassment.
"Why do you ask, Shishou?" he inquired, scratching the back of his neck nervously. The others in the line stiffened, glancing at him with a hint of horror. They all felt the imposing aura emanating from the woman before them, overshadowing even the Hokage himself. They feared her power, both as their elder and as a shinobi. Uchiha Mikoto subtly nudged the boy beside her, sending him a warning to be cautious.
Despite the warning, Minato chose to ignore it, continuing to avoid direct eye contact with Kimiko. Observing him, she raised an eyebrow, almost feeling a hint of fondness for the boy's stubbornness. "Namikaze," she spoke again, this time allowing a subtle edge of threat to seep into her tone. She watched as the boy flinched in response.
"Red," he mumbled, avoiding her gaze, but still providing his answer.
Kimiko paused, her mind suddenly flooded with the image of her young charge, Minato, entangled in a fated romance with a red-haired Uzushio kunoichi, much like herself in her youth. The thought of him holding strands of her locks in his fingers, the red hair swaying like red strings of fate, brought a mix of emotions within her. She had always despised the colour red and what it symbolized, haunted by its significance. Yet, tendrils of that same despised colour hung from her own head, a constant reminder of her past. If it weren't for her cousin's ire, she would have gladly sheared them off years ago.
With a sigh, she pushed aside such thoughts, focusing on the present and her role as a mentor to these young shinobi. There was no place for personal feelings or nostalgia in her mission to guide them towards their destinies. She had a responsibility to shape their futures, and that required setting aside her own inner turmoil.
After a few more prodding questions addressed the group, Kimiko's words hung in the air like a weighty promise. "Today marks the beginning of a new chapter in your lives. If you seize the opportunities presented to you, you will look back on this day with pride. However, if you squander this chance, regret will be your constant companion. Look to your left and right, for these will be your comrades. Help each other, for Konoha was built on the values of unity, compassion, and honour. There is no individual victory without the collective success of all. Uplift one another, and I promise to be the ladder to your success. When one of you struggles, you all struggle. When one of you succeeds, you all succeed."
Her gaze met each of their wide eyes to ensure they understood the weight of her words, and they stared back at her with determination. "I will be meeting with each of you separately over the coming weeks. Your families and clans have been informed of this. Do not disappoint me. I am not known to give second chances."
"Yes, Shishou," they responded in unison, their voices carrying a firm resolve.
The Hokage remained silent as her chosen few filed out of the room, and once the door closed, he turned to face her with urgency in his eyes. "What's going to happen in Uzushio?" he inquired, maintaining a level tone. Kimiko smiled at the man; even in his younger days, his eyes had always revealed his true emotions. Hiruzen was a gentle soul, not one naturally inclined to make the tough decisions that life often demanded.
"Nothing you can prevent," she confided, rising from her seat and moving towards the door.
Her limbs felt stiff from standing in one place for an extended time – a sensation she didn't particularly enjoy. It reminded her of a time when she held no power, a time when she was required to stand in one spot for hours on end, serving others and enduring complaints and abuse with a strained smile.
"Cannot or am not allowed to?" Hiruzen questioned, breaking her train of thought. Kimiko paused and turned the door handle, considering his words carefully.
"You know better than to ask, Hiruzen," she replied cryptically before leaving the room.
Kimiko knew that Hiruzen wouldn't take any action, as she had encountered this situation before. Whenever she revealed glimpses of the future to others, they accepted it with heavy hearts. They had learned the consequences of meddling and understood the gravity of certain events that would unfold, regardless of their actions. She, too, had learned this lesson the hard way.
A haunting scream echoed in her mind, a painful reminder of the past. However, like she had done back then, she chose to ignore it and walked away, resolute in her decision to let events unfold as they were destined to be.