It's in the blood
Oh, it's in the blood
It's in the blood, oh
Oh, it's in the blood
Run all you like
From the place you belong
It's always there
It's in the air
Your dearest kin
Below the skin
"In The Blood" – Darren Korb for "Hades"
As Izumi forced herself to eat the warm soup, she felt her eyes closing on their own. She barely registered Naruto's incessant chatter and Sasuke's presence. It all seemed to fade away… All she wanted was to let herself collapse onto the table in an uncaring heap.
"Ms. Izumi. Lord Hokage has requested your presence. Please, come with me."
That tone was leaving her no choice.
"I'll be right back…" she caught Sasuke's worried glance on her and smiled, "Don't worry."
Almost in a trance, Izumi followed the ANBU through the winding corridors of the Residence to the Hokage Office.
As they just came close to the door Izumi could already smell the heavy aroma of pine and berries and as soon as she got past the door, she almost couldn't see the Hokage behind the thick veil of white smoke.
'Oh… how much does he smoke? Wait… is he filling up another pipe?'
Somehow, to her the Third Hokage seemed… almost smaller?
"Umm… Lord Hokage? Y-you wanted to see me?"
"How are you, my dear?" Hiruzen opened his eyes, albeit a little slowly, "Please, sit down…"
Izumi's knees almost bent on their own, as she allowed herself to sink into a chair in front of the Hokage's desk.
"I… I don't know, I'm sorry…" she said, looking down on her knees, as she played with the fabric of her pants.
"That is okay, Izumi. Take it one step at a time… Now, it is me who should apologize. I am afraid I did not call you here just to ask that…"
"Why then?" Izumi whispered, subtly recoiling further into her chair.
The Hokage sighed, taking a drag out of his pipe, and for a while the only sound in the office was a faint smoldering of the tobacco leaves, as they rustled under a burning ember.
"Izumi… I know it is still too soon to ask you this… But what do you want to do? What future do you see for yourself?"
"I…" Izumi blinked away her tears, "I… don't…"
"I see." Hiruzen sighed softly, "What of Sasuke then?"
"Sasuke? I… just don't want him to end up like Itachi and me… But… I don't know if I… maybe I am only making everything worse? He got that idea… to train to protect me… And I don't want him to… waste his childhood like I did…"
"He will not. Not if you guide him. I trust you can do it."
The Hokage signed, putting aside his pipe with a faint knock, but it was loud enough to startle Izumi.
"In fact, you must guide and preserve your entire Clan."
"Wha– What do you mean?" Izumi looked up at the old leader with a hint of apprehension, "There's no Clan anymore… only us."
"There is still its legacy, Izumi. Its knowledge, techniques, and holdings both inside and outside Konoha..."
"What do I have to do with it?" Izumi asked, her voice trembling a little.
"I had a feeling you would ask that question… Would you like some tea?" Hiruzen took a little ornate teapot and placed a cup of steaming tea in front of her.
'Mm… Mint?' Izumi thought absently, 'and some lemongrass… mom'd like it…'
"Izumi." The Hokage's kind, but firm voice made her look up at him, turning to full attention before she could even realize what was happening, "Listen to me, please, would you? And please try to let me finish even if you disagree."
Izumi nodded, escaping into her teacup. One sip was enough for her to realize that the tea was good. Very good even. .
The refreshing notes of mint and melissa seemed to give her some of her strength back and the slight acidity of fresh lemongrass was giving the tea its absolute best taste.
'Yeah, just like Mom liked to make it…'
"You see, dear…" Hiruzen began softly, "A Kage is a leader of a village, that much is certain. They have absolute command over its resources, its forces and more… But despite this… A Kage is more of a wartime leader or a commanding general. Therefore, the assets of a hidden village, like the land granted for its use, is still governed by the Daimyo's court… Do you have any questions yet?"
"Are you saying… they might take the Clan's holdings away?" she ventured a guess.
"Yes, precisely," Hiruzen smiled, sipping his own tea, "The protocol for such cases dictates that unless a new head of the Clan is appointed within the next six months following the retirement or death of the previous Clan head All assets shall be returned under the governance of the court… I am sure you understand… Everything in this village must bring profit to the country… to justify its existence."
"I… I don't care. Maybe it's better that they take it? I wouldn't know what to do with it anyway…"
"I understand why you would see it that way, given everything you have been through. But, Izumi. May I ask you to try and look past your pain and at the bigger picture? You are still young. Maybe, somewhat naive still. But I trust you are a smart young woman. Surely, you would see my point of view if you took just a moment to think about it?"
"I… don't want to live where they… where they died… I am sorry, Lord Hokage… but I can't accept it…"
"Izumi, you have to understand. More than your clan's legacy is at stake here. We have to appoint a new head of the Uchiha clan and you're the only one who suits the role."
"Why? There is no Clan…Why does it need a Head?"
Hiruzen sighed heavily, picking his pipe back up and spinning it between his fingers.
A weary frown crossed his face, as he lit it with a flick of fiery chakra.
"Appearances, Izumi, it is all about maintaining appearances… Our village is weakened and bleeding due to the loss of your clan… We can't let anyone smell even the faintest drop of that blood. Which means following protocols."
"What appearances?" Izumi sobbed, spilling some of her tea onto the table, "I am fourteen… Everyone is going to see right through me… it's not a good idea, please…"
"Izumi. In the history of Konoha there were instances of young people like yourself being appointed Clan Heads. Especially in times of war and turmoil. Given your genin rank and age, it would not be as unreasonable as it may seem… In the case of a young Clan Head… A representative may be appointed to help with the responsibilities."
"N-no, please… I don't want to… don't force me, please…"
"Izumi… I understand how you feel. I assure you. I would never have asked unless it was important. We need to show strength. To let people know that the Hidden Leaf still has some of it left. And following traditions is the best way to do that. Think of it as protecting Sasuke. By accepting this responsibility, you are doing your part in ensuring his safety and peace and that of other children like him. Can you do that for him?"
Izumi fidgeted in place, feeling a chill run down her whole body.
"I… I don't understand… What should I do with the holdings? Why do we need them? We are only two people, it's going to be a ghost town anyway! Maybe If Daimyo took this land, he might actually build something… I don't know… something useful."
"Listen to me, dear," Hiruzen's pensive eyes bore into her own, "You're still a young woman, so it may be hard for you to understand. But one day you will get married and have children. And so will Sasuke… Your children will be the next generation of the Uchiha… and they will need a place to live, don't you think? They will need a Clan."
Izumi shuddered, recoiling from the Hokage
'Kids? Should I even…' she noticed a ripple in her tea from a fallen tear, 'I… I don't know… Our clan. Should it continue? If… if it can… let someone like Madara out… Or like Itachi. I don't know… I just feel like… we're dangerous.'
The pause dragged on and on. Izumi could feel the silence crushing down on her bones, grinding them into dust. Her muscles threatened to implode with tension, reminding of themselves via dull throbbing cramps.
The silence was burning her eyes and throat like the tobacco smoke that permeated the room.
Say something.
But…
Say anything.
I… don't know!
Decide.
But I can't!
Not only for yourself.
Don't make me… please!
For Sasuke.
Does he even need it?!
For the next generations.
Should there even be next generations?!
They all…
No…
Depend on you… Protect them!
I… I feel broken… I can't protect anyone…
You don't have the right to your own grief. Say it!
"As long as we have you, the future of the Uchiha's is secure…" a male voice from before rang through the room, shattering the silence in Izumi's mind.
A thunderclap of headache struck her like a whip and Izumi shuddered, completely knocking over the teacup
"Ohh… stop talking to me… I don't even know who…"
"That's why I'm able to ask you to carry my will…"
Suddenly, Izumi noticed that the everpresent smell of pine, tobacco and berries… wasn't there…
"What's going…"
Izumi's world suddenly spun, turning upside down. Her stomach felt light… as if she was suddenly plunged into a complete free fall.
"Wha-a-t?!"
In desperation Izumi clenched the table, hoping for it to remain upright when everything else wasn't.
"As long as we have you, the future of the Uchiha's is secure…"
Suddenly, the walls, the floor, even the Hokage… Everything faded away.
Izumi suddenly felt the burning cold ripples on her skin, as if she was suddenly drowning. Water?! Dark, murky water was everywhere… Izumi could feel her consciousness fading…
A drop of blood, sliding down the pale cheek. A sudden shudder of the eyelid.
A crimson eye. And the three tomoe, dancing and melting into one black three-pronged shuriken.
"I entrust it all to you…"
Izumi fell back into her chair with a gasp and a wave of coughing.
The smell, the overwhelming blanketing smell of pine, berries and tobacco assaulted her nostrils with a vengeance.
"...I understand, Izumi… What do you say?"
"What?!" Izumi looked at the Hokage in complete bewilderment, having missed almost everything he said.
"I don't know…" Izumi sighed, looking down at the puddle of her spilled tea, slowly spreading on the table, "Sorry for the t–?!"
Izumi's words died down in her throat. Because in the reflection… she saw a black flower against the crimson of her own Sharingan…
'Mangekyo? But… I didn't use it?!'
Izumi blinked. As she opened her eyes and took a breath, silently begging herself to look into the reflection once more… she didn't see anything out of the ordinary. Just her usual charcoal black eyes.
"It is a hard decision for you, I understand, Izumi, but I must ask you. What do you say?"
"I… I am sorry, Lord Hokage… But did you see anything strange?!"
A shadow of concern came over Sarutobi's face
"Strange? No, I do not think so. Is anything wrong?"
Izumi felt a tremble jolt through her body. Was anything wrong? What was it even? Shisui? Was it… Shisui Uchiha? But he died more than a year ago… As far as Izumi heard.
"I don't know…" Izumi whispered quietly.
"It is alright, dear. Do not force yourself to come up with an answer right away. I understand that I am asking too much of you."
'Protect the Uchiha name? Why are you showing me this? I just want to live… Why should I even care about the damn clan? Just leave me alone… Please…'
"Yet, I must ask one more thing… I wish it could be avoided, but… It is too important for everyone."
Izumi's shoulders fell, as she felt her body collapse back into her seat almost against her own will.
"What can I do for you?" Izumi forced out a faint sentence, hardly above a whisper.
"It has been three days since the tragedy." Hiruzen began somberly, "You must understand, the village can not afford to stay silent about the events. We must issue a public statement to avoid any rumours or unrest."
"But what does that have to do with… me?"
The Hokage sighed, refilling his pipe for what must've been at least the third time since their conversation began.
"You are not a child anymore… I trust you understand how the relations between the village and the Uchiha were… more than strained in recent times. Given your clan's sudden and tragic fate…" the Hokage softened his voice, aware of the tumultuous ground he was now threading on, "It is only natural that other major clans are beginning to have some dark thoughts and draw incorrect conclusions…"
"Are you saying…" Izumi wiped away her tears, "that the other clans suspect that Konoha did it?"
Izumi's voice trembled dangerously and Hiruzen's eyes narrowed ever so slightly behind the veil of thin tobacco smoke.
"Is that why you need me? A friendly little Uchiha girl to show… to show that Konoha and the Clan were always best friends?"
"Do not put it like that, please." Hiruzen replied softly, absently chewing on the handle of his pipe, "I am truly sorry you had to go through such a tragedy. I wish the situation could be resolved better, but… We must live in the real world and fight on with the hand we were dealt. Right now, I am asking for your help to keep the village afloat and united. For Sasuke's sake, for Naruto's sake and for your own, as well as every citizen under my care."
"If you cared about us… Itachi wouldn't have had to go to Madara for help!"
Izumi shot up from her seat, turning around sharply, as she stormed out of the office, slamming the door closed behind her.
Hiruzen sat there, puffing on his pipe as the uproar of sound faded into the restored silence of the office.
With a barely audible click of his tongue, Sarutobi emptied the pipe into the ashtray.
VvV
(with Sasuke; Training Grounds)
"Horse, Tiger, Snake, Ram, Monkey, Boar, Horse, Tiger, Fire Style: The Great Fireball Jutsu!"
With an exhale, Sasuke felt the fiery chakra rise to life in his chest, erupting to freedom, engulfing a part of the clearing in a whirlwind of flames!
'It… Why is it still smaller than Dad's? What am I doing wrong?!'
"Woow! So big, believe it! You like breathin' fire?! Cool! Believe it!"
Sasuke turned around only to see Naruto spying on his fireball with wide eyes
"Wait. Don't tell me you didn't know ninja could do that…" Sasuke deadpanned
"I…" Naruto frowned for a moment, "Course I did! I'm a future Hokage! Gotta know these things, y'know!"
"You didn't know. Get lost, I need to train. Why are you following me around anyway?"
Naruto's expression turned into a sly grin, spanning from ear to ear
"Hey, you wanna learn somethin' really cool? Like really cool?!"
Sasuke clicked his tongue in annoyance
"As if you know anything…"
Naruto, however, jolted in place, jumping and fidgeting, as his excitement overflowed, practically flooding the small clearing.
"Not me, idiot! I betcha the Old Man's gotta have all kinds of cool jutsus, hidden in his room! I tried looking in my room, but the scrolls there were dumb and boring! We just gotta look more!"
Sasuke's gaze turned into one of contemplation
"Well, we can't just barge into the Hokage's room and look through his scrolls… Seriously, shut up, loser. It's a dumb idea…"
"We can and we will! Believe it! Old Man lets me into his room! I, the great Naruto, will distract him while you–!"
"It's a dumb plan. End of story."
Naruto wilted, blurting something about some idiots not mixing well with great geniuses like himself.
"Horse, Tiger, Snake–!"
Naruto's boundless enthusiasm returned in full force, as if a little burning sun was jumping around instead of a boy.
"Wait! What about askin' Toad Sage?! I bet he's gonna know some cool jutsu! Believe it!"
Sasuke once again froze in his tracks.
"Last time you tried, he left us with Izumi and left… Remember?"
"Yea" Naruto stopped for a second, "But we could ask Izumi again! She's older, obviously she's gotta know some cool stuff too!"
Suddenly, Sasuke frowned, looking at Naruto very intently
"Don't bother her. Didn't you notice how tired she looked?"
Naruto, taken a bit aback, lowered his head
"Yea, I did… but what do we do then? Didn't we agree to see who's stronger? Well, a future Hokage needs to train! C'mon, Sasuke, you're supposed to be smart! Figure something out! Believe it!"
"I was training alright before you showed up, loser. Go learn how to throw a shuriken straight first…"
"What'd you say?! You…" Naruto fumed, pumping out his fist at Sasuke
"Only the truth." Sasuke smirked, getting back to his hand signs
"I'll throw that shuriken straight through your dumb head, y'know! Or…" Naruto hesitated, picking the right insult from his impressive collection, "Or I'll shove it…"
"Hey, brats." Jiraiya landed softly in a crouch, as he gracefully jumped off a tree he had been perched on, "This tree's my favorite spot for writing my book. I'd appreciate it if you both could zip it and get out."
Naruto looked at Sasuke. Sasuke looked back at Naruto… A spark of understanding passed through both boys faster than light.
"Hey, no way! Believe it!"
"Hn." Sasuke nodded in silent approval, "Loser's right for once. We need to train here…"
Naruto, sensing a unique opportunity, like a bloodhound would a drop of… well, blood, pressed on
"Yeah! Whoever decided this was your tree?! I wanna train here too! Believe it!"
"Excuse me?" Jiraiya raised an eyebrow, a mischievous glint flickering in his eye too, as he ruffled Naruto's hair to make the stubborn kiddo slightly uncomfortable, "This was my tree since before you two maggots were born."
"Well… we don't care! Believe it! You want your stupid tree back, you gotta pay for it! That'd be fair! Believe it!"
Jiraiya laughed heartily, his mighty chest heaving, as he wiped the prickling tears from the edges of his eyes.
"You're one gutsy kid, I'll give you that! To challenge the mighty master Jiraiya, the one and only Toad Sage of Mt. Myoboku! Tell you what…"
Suddenly the Sannin grabbed Naruto, like one would a kitten, lifting him up and tossing him up high into the air!
"Go fly!"
Even Sasuke cracked a small smile.
"Woooooow!" Naruto shouted, already falling back into the soft grass, "I can, like, see the entire village right now! Believe it!"
"Do it again!" Naruto shot back up, "Please do it again! Higher this time!"
"Hey, loser." Sasuke sighed, "Don't waste this."
"Ohh!" Naruto slapped his forehead playfully, "He distracted me! That's right, Toad Sage! Here's the deal! Train me or I won't shut up and you can't write your silly book! Believe it!"
Sasuke cleared his throat loudly, still drilling Naruto with a gaze.
"What?!" Naruto shot back indignantly, "It was my idea! Why should you get anything too?! You're strong as you are! And it's not like you did anything to help! Only called me a loser all the time!" he pouted
"If I hadn't, you wouldn't have shouted and distracted him." Sasuke stated matter-of-factly, "So, I did just as much as you."
"No way! Believe it!"
"So… you both want training from the legendary Toad Sage?" Jiraiya asked with a somewhat exasperated sigh.
"You bet!"
"Yeah"
"And you're not letting me write in peace unless I give in to your bratty demands?"
"No way!" Naruto stomped the ground, "I'll be Hokage someday and Sasuke here needs to protect Izumi! We have to be strong! Believe it!"
"I need to avenge my family! And I won't let anything happen to my Clan again!" Sasuke pinned Jiraiya with an intense, but pleading glare, "You're a legendary ninja! If anyone could help it would be you!"
"Yeah, what he said! Believe it!" Naruto eagerly jumped in
"Or I could toss both of you off of the Hokage Mountain…" Jiraiya grumbled to himself, as a small smile made its way to his face, "Why can't you both be more like Izumi? Quiet, respectful girl… You bunch of restless brats… Alright, I'll help…"
"Hooray!" Naruto jumped in elation, only to find himself tossed up and far away again.
Jiraiya shot Sasuke a conspicuous look
"Sorry, I just couldn't resist…"
"I don't really mind." Sasuke deadpanned
"So? You were trying the Great Fireball, weren't you?"
The Sannin weaved the hand signs almost faster than Sasuke's eyes could follow, taking in a deep breath. Sasuke could only describe what came out of Jiraiya's mouth as a tornado of fire. It effortlessly covered almost the whole clearing, gyrating in place, as the flames heated up to be almost white in color. It was a dazzling sight…
Sasuke clenched his fists subtly.
"Oh…" Jiraiya smirked, "Where'd I toss that kid again? I hope not there…"
"I am alright!" Naruto's head popped up from the grass like a little dandelion, "But this is seriously so cool! Woow! It's… it's… How?!"
The Sage reached up with his hand, taking a single leaf from the tree and giving it to Sasuke.
"Look, kid. It's pretty simple really. To make your fireball bigger you need to be converting more of your chakra into fire nature at once. But to do that, you need to learn how to do that with minimal losses. Got it?"
Sasuke nodded, his black eyes becoming even blacker with concentration
"But… I am already at my limit. I can't pump anymore chakra."
"A-ha, so you've already picked up on your second issue. Smart. You need to train your body to be able to withstand building up more chakra for a jutsu at once…"
"To do that… you need to improve your chakra control. Take this leaf and hold it on your forehead… without hands."
"You… you mean with my chakra?!"
"Exactly, kid. Get to work."
As Sasuke tried and tried to make the leaf stick, it kept falling. Again and again.
"Who's a loser now, believe it… Loser!" Naruto laughed, laying in the grass on his stomach and playfully tossing his legs around.
"Oh yeah? Why don't you try it yourself? Oh wait, you still have to learn how to even throw a shuriken before you do that… Loser! " Sasuke snapped
"What are you suddenly so happy about…" Jiraiya appeared right behind Naruto, "Sasuke's got a point there… Get up, kid."
"Look," Jiraiya put a shuriken into Naruto's hand, firmly holding his arm in place, "You hold it between your index finger and your thumb. Got it? And then you align it with the target and do this motion to throw."
The older ninja guided Naruto's hand into a correct motion
"Like this. Nice and smooth… Remember this motion, kid. Learn it by heart."
"Alright," Jiraiya said to himself and the boys, "Since you guys ruined my quiet morning anyway, I might as well go do something useful… You both train here. You have all you need."
The Sage disappeared in a body flicker.
VvV
(with Izumi; her room)
Izumi lay in her bed prone, staring, almost burning through the generic whitewashed ceiling.
'Hypocrites! They are all… Just trying to sound like they care!'
With a sudden flurry of movement, Izumi tossed away everything: pillows, blanket and her plaid, leaving only the barebones bedsheets. Space. There wasn't enough space.
'What have they done to help when it mattered? I don't know!'
She tossed around from one side to the other, feeling the hard rigid fabric of the bedsheet.
For Izumi it suddenly felt like laying on raw sand. Irritating.
'And now they want me to help keep the village safe! What have they done to keep us safe? Mom… Sasuke's parents…'
'...protect the Uchiha name…' the voice from before rang again in her thoughts.
'What was that… thing?!'
She didn't know what she should have called it. A daydream? A vision? It was something… strange. That much she knew for sure.
'What'd I even see? I… was falling somewhere cold… then there was a Sharingan? Or a Mangekyo?'
Then it hit her. It was the same voice from earlier. The boy, who was missing both eyes in her dream!
'Who is he?! Why do I keep seeing him?! What's going on with me? Mom… I need your help… I don't know how to do this myself… Please, come back!'
Izumi reached into her back pocket, pulling out two tiny bells and holding them right above her face.
With a subtle flick of the wrist, she made them ring and fill the room with a lulling melody. Just like the old, the better times…
'Nobody cares about us… Not even the Hokage!'
Not the workers, dismantling Mom's shop.
Not the landlord, squeezing out every last dime of profit, regardless of how many memories to trample over to do so.
Not the villagers, whispering their pity too little too late and glaring over their shoulders.
'Did the Hokage protect us because he cared? Or just to look good to the other clans?'
But then Izumi remembered the comfort of falling asleep on the grass, leaning into master Jiraiya's sturdy body. She almost felt the same warmth, radiating through her skin.
'Does he care? Doesn't seem like he's faking it…'
Her eyes fell onto the wooden box with the Go set she had bought the day before, just sitting there on her nightstand.
Gingerly, Izumi dusted off the game, brushing the polished wood with her fingers and feeling out every little scratch on its surface.
'Dad…' her mind went back to all the time they used to spend over the game. The gentle breathe of the summer evenings, the young crescent moons showing up through the veil of clouds. And Dad's big kind eyes…
"You were from the village too… and you fell in love with Mom. You didn't care if she was an Uchiha or not, did you?"
Izumi smiled to herself with the edge of her lips, as if momentarily peering through time itself to hear his voice.
"Of course you didn't…"
'Then why? Why were we pushed to it?! Why'd Itachi have to choose between family and village?! And why did we choose to answer aggression with more aggression?! This is all so stupid! How could people die… how could Mom die… over something so stupid?!'
Izumi shot up from her bed, pacing around the room, each step echoing with anxiety. She tried as hard as she could to calm her breathing, but it seemed to only grow more out of control… and in the background there was this… this strange restlessness to her chakra. Just like before, her inner energy was buzzing, prickling her with pins and needles and just throwing her slightly off balance.
'and even if we did everything right! If we found a peaceful solution! Madara would have come and killed us all anyway!'
'Was there… ever any future for us?'
To calm herself down, Izumi opened the box, setting up the Go board. The cool touch of the smooth playing stones absorbed some of the turmoil, but she felt like all stones in Konoha, even the Hokage Mountain wouldn't have been nearly enough to contain all of it.
With a click, she placed a white stone onto the board.
"Even if I agreed… and we restored the Clan someday… "
Her hand trembled slightly, as she was about to place a second stone.
"Wouldn't someone like Madara just come along and…"
'Even seventy years ago… Madara Uchiha was already fighting Lord First, right?'
'Even before that… We already were at war with others even before that! What kind of clan were we? Could we ever… just live? Like normal people…'
Izumi suddenly swept away all the stones she had just placed, letting them scatter over the floor.
'Why is the first thing everyone learns about us at the Academy is that we were constantly at war? It's… it's wrong… I didn't ask to be born like that…'
'Even with ourselves… Seventy years later Madara just… just shows up to kill us all… just because! Could that even be Madara?! He'd have to be over ninety years old… Or was it some other Uchiha?!'
Izumi covered her mouth with her hand, practically choking a sob out, as she felt tears brush softly on her arm.
'Maybe… Maybe we're all just secretly like that? Arrogant and… and hating everything we see! Madara, even Itachi! Am… Can… What if I am like that too? What if I just haven't seen it yet?!'
She stared at the bells, now resting on her bed.
"Mom… I am not like that, am I?" her voice chipped at her own words, "I feel… angry! So angry… At Itachi, at the Hokage! At this village! What if… one day I wake up… and…"
Izumi blinked violently, as for just a moment it almost felt like she was only seeing the room through a single hole in the swirly mask…
"What if I wake up… and become like him? Like M-madara?!"
Izumi clenched her eyes, because suddenly they felt warm. No, not warm… They burned…
You're a hand sign away…
You know the Fireball Jutsu…
Burn it down…
Burn it all…
The Hokage Residence…
To the ground…
What have they done to help…
Your mom.
Nothing.
Itachi.
Nothing.
You.
Nothing.
The Clan…
What have they done to help you all?
Nothing!
Izumi glanced into the mirror on her wall and froze…
There it was. Her Sharingan was changing… slowly, almost mockingly, the three tomoe danced in place, as they fused together in the center of her eye.
At first the core sprouted… then came the three petals… As if someone painted an eerie flower, burned it into her cornea with ink and fire.
The buzzing… her chakra… her eyes… and the mirror! All of it suddenly melted together!
She felt it… the restlessness… the chaotic surge of energy…
Izumi shut her eyes, focusing on the flow of her chakra. A simple and calming chakra control exercise she'd learned long ago.
There wasn't much flow. It felt like a tug of war all throughout her body, with different streams violently pulling it into opposite directions until…
The visceral sound of her bones cracking under the strain, the vision of her muscles giving way one by one, tearing themselves apart from the inside… That's what flooded her mind.
She frantically put her hands on her face, neck, then at her abdomen under her shirt. Looked down at both her legs, as if to make absolutely sure her body wasn't violently pulling itself apart.
'What's happening to me?! Why…'
She shut her eyes tightly, somehow hoping to stall, to force it back, but it was under her skin, all throughout every bone in her body and in her own blood. And it was relentless.
"I don't want this! It's unfair! You're my body! Listen to me!"
A fire was now burning under her eyelids. The same fire that had burned her home down. Had taken her mother and her life too… and now it was burning inside her very mind.
"Stop…" Izumi implored, "Stop… showing up whenever you feel like it…"
"Go back! Stupid Mangekyo!" she shouted into the silence of the room, feeling as if her own body had decided to lock her out.
She could only watch her own tears flow helplessly, as the crimson flower slowly took root in her own eyes.
'Where were you when I needed to save them?! Mom, Mrs. Mikoto… Mr. Fugaku! You couldn't even help me save Itachi! Why now?! I don't need you anymore!'
Yet, the reflection in the cold glass of the mirror remained unchanged.
VvV
(with Sasuke; Izumi's Room)
"Hey."
Sasuke's voice broke through to Izumi as if coming from deep underwater. She didn't even register it fully, only turning towards the sound on pure reflex.
"Sasuke? Not now… Go away…"
Sasuke gasped, backing away a little
"Wait… Your Sharingan?"
"Not. Now. I am… I'm… not feeling well…"
"Why do you… When they came asking Big Brother… something about how Shisui died… I didn't hear everything, but… Itachi got really angry and he… He beat them up… and then… he… he apologized and… looked at me… with those eyes! Why do you have them?" (*)
Sasuke gulped air down in big, worried breaths, as he struggled to say it all
"I asked and Father said they only opened under one specific condition! What is it?!"
Izumi's knees buckled and she almost collapsed onto the bed. The thought had passed through her body like a jolt of electricity, taking her back to the night of the Massacre.
"Sasuke. Out!" Izumi raised her voice slightly and the boy jerked back.
With the last dregs of her energy, Izumi managed to close the door between them shut.
"That's why…" Izumi mumbled to herself, now that Sasuke wasn't there, her thoughts racing faster than words could keep up, "you have to watch someone close to you… die?!"
Her mind raced back to the vision at the Hokage's office. She felt like she was falling into water and… drowning… And then someone activated Mangekyo…
'So… Itachi saw it? Shisui's death?! Nobody else died back then… It had to be Shisui… But… didn't he kill himself?! Why would Itachi be there?!'
"Itachi…" Izumi collapsed onto her bed, unable to move a single muscle, "Did you kill him?!"
On the other side of the door Sasuke could feel his own anxiety go through every little part of his body. He breathed it for air, as he clutched the doorknob in desperation
"Big Brother… wasn't the same after that day! Something happened to him… Please, open the door…"
"I can't take it anymore!" Sasuke shouted into the painted wood of the door. If he could he would have blasted it off its hinges right away, "First Big Brother gets these strange eyes, then he and Dad look like they hate each other! And then… Then… someone attacks… and… I don't understand! Nobody told me anything! And now… now you have these strange eyes too! What's going on?!"
Izumi didn't… no, she couldn't answer…. She swallowed her tears and words, no matter how much they wanted out.
Sasuke couldn't… he shouldn't know the truth about the Uchiha, about Itachi and Madara… About Shisui's death…
Izumi silently vowed to keep it all buried for him even if it burned her out from the inside.
"Not now…" her whisper was just loud enough for Sasuke to pick up.
"I… just want my family back! My Clan!" Sasuke pulled on the doorknob with all his strength, "I want things back to how they were! And you're hiding something… I know it! Please, tell me! I am an Uchiha too! I have the Sharingan already, so… I am not just a kid! I need to know!"
'I am an Uchiha too! I have the Sharingan already, so… I am not just a kid! I need to know!'
Sasuke's words echoed in Izumi's mind again and again like a broken record…
'I have the Sharingan already!'
'I am an Uchiha too!'
"Is that so important to you? Being an Uchiha?" Izumi asked the troubled boy silently
"Of course it's important…" came the sniffle from the other side, "we need… we need to find whoever did this… and kill them. And then… When I grow up I'm gonna restore the Clan! I am gonna be stronger than Dad, you… than even Itachi! So strong that nobody would dare attack our Clan! I promise!"
"Really? You are?" Izumi's voice grew weaker, more turbulent with every question
"I am…" Sasuke sobbed, "But… I need your help… Izumi, please!"
Slowly. Begrudgingly. Izumi got up.
It felt as if her own chakra suddenly grew dense. It clogged her system up like thick viscous slime…
She took a couple of steps towards the mirror on the opposite wall, feeling like a rusty and broken mechanism
Of course, the reflection remained as still and unchanging as the last time. A black flower was still blooming in either of her eyes against their natural crimson, as if drinking all the blood spilled in Izumi's young life.
'But one day you will get married and have children. And so will Sasuke… Your children will be the next generation of the Uchiha… and they will need a place to live, don't you think? They will need a Clan.'
The Hokage's words tore through her consciousness like a flood, merging with Sasuke's silent promise into an unstoppable torrent that crushed Izumi's walls completely.
"A… Clan? Why is that so important?"
VvV
(with Izumi and her Mom; Eight years ago)
"Mom…" little Izumi sniffled, crumbling in her mother's caring arms, "They are being mean again… the boys at the stupid Academy… Why are they calling me an off-brand Uchiha? Is there something wrong with me? Why… why wouldn't the Clan take us in?"
Hazuki Uchiha sighed, hugging her struggling little girl and cradling her even closer to her own chest.
"Of course there's nothing wrong with you, silly. You'll always be our little flower, no matter what anyone calls you."
"But it's even the Uchiha kids now, mom! Aren't we from the same Clan?! We're supposed… to protect each other, right?"
"I am so sorry, dear…" Hazuki suddenly whispered, while brushing Izumi's hair gently.
"Huh?" kid Izumi fidgeted slightly as she turned to face her, "You're sorry? Why'd you be sorry, Mom? Did you do anything wrong?"
"No, honey. I didn't do anything wrong… but… You see, the Clan doesn't like us… because our family is… a little different, okay?"
"Because of Dad?" Izumi wiped her tears with a subtle sniffle, not noticing how Hazuki's hands trembled slightly at the words.
"Yes… Because Mom loves your Dad very very much… They don't like it because Daddy is not from the Clan… I… I am so sorry you have to go through this…"
"It's nothing, Mommy!" the kiddo suddenly laughed through her tears, leaving her own mom puzzled, "I love Daddy very very much too! They are just jealous they don't have my brave, kind Daddy to protect them, that's all!"
"But I wish… I wish the Clan saw it too… Just how awesome our family is. That we're worthy too… in our own way!"
"You see, honey. Sometimes adults do silly and mean things too… Nobody's ideal, you know. But I think it's kids like you who'll grow up one day and make our Clan better, right? You think you could do that, hm?"
"Yeah! They'll see how perfect our family is and they'll be sorry for being meanies like that! We'll show 'em together, you, Daddy and me!"
"That's my brave little girl! Say, Izumi, you know how a beautiful flower can grow even right through tough concrete, right? You're my little flower."
VvV
(with Izumi; Reality)
Izumi looked at the eloquent black flower, blooming in her own eyes and it looked right back, peering right into her thoughts.
Izumi picked up the two little bells from the shop again, lifting them to her eye level and giving them a long ginger look
"Make the clan better, right, Mom? Well, I am not a little girl anymore… I don't know if I can really do it… without you and Dad…"
The black flower of the Mangekyo just looked on, seemingly getting even blacker with every moment, as if daring her to avert her eyes and break its spell.
"Go back." the girl whispered, "I don't need you, go!"
The flower continued to stare uncaringly, not to be commanded by anything or anyone.
Suddenly… its petals shattered into the familiar three tomoe, dancing like ripples on the crimson water!
The Sharingan soon faded, its intense colors melting right back into her deep dark eyes.
Izumi let out a sigh, still not taking her eyes off of the mirror, not for a moment.
"Yeah… I think…"
"I think I know what to do… Maybe?"
VvV
(with Izumi and Sasuke; The Corridor)
The door creaked open. Sasuke's eyes widened slightly, as he instinctively backed away.
The silence settled in, only to be eventually broken by Izumi's voice, barely more than a whisper.
"Sorry. I didn't mean to scare you like that…"
"Wha-?!"
"Shh. I'll tell you everything... Just... Later, okay? Just a little later…"
"No!" Sasuke pouted, biting his lip, "I am not a kid! I can take it!"
"I know you can. I can't…"
"You were crying…" Sasuke stated more than asked.
"Yeah… Don't worry about that. I am not crying anymore, am I?"
"You sure?" Sasuke squinted at her, his eyes clinging to hers and never letting go.
Izumi shook her head in a negative, her shoulders giving way under the load. Izumi sighed in defeat, as Sasuke's gripping gaze lingered on her hair, settling after her breath like a sea wave.
"Izumi!" Sasuke's voice suddenly rose and trembled, like a string, "You… You won't hide anything important from me?! If anything was wrong, you'd tell me right away, yes?!"
"Itachi and Dad never told me anything! I knew something was wrooong…" Sasuke sobbed, "They… they stopped talking to each other… and they looked at each other… really strangely… and then… all of this!" Sasuke cried silently, only an occasional wince or sob breaking through.
His defiant posture, straightened back and wide spread shoulders belied even that.
"Sasuke…" Izumi herself sniffled, wiping the remainder of her own tears, "Look at me for a sec… if I feel like I need help, I'll tell you first. Promise."
"You… sure?" Sasuke squinted his eyes at her again, his tears overflowing
"Yeah" Izumi nodded subtly, "Yeah, I'm sure. We're from the same clan, after all… we should help each other, right?"
'Right, Mom?'
"Right."
VvV
(with Naruto; Training Grounds; a little later)
"Okay, this one was better, believe it!"
Naruto absently wiped the trickles of sweat from his brow, taking out another shuriken from the pouch.
"Heh, turns out it's hella easier when you hold 'em right! Thanks, Toad Sage!"
The kid only noticed the time when the sun tipped over midday, slowly crawling to it's resting place for the day. And also once his fingers started to hurt a little every time he threw a new metal star.
'Wonder what Izumi and Sasuke are doin'...'
"Huh? You're still at it, kid?" Jiraiya landed softly behind him and Naruto recoiled like a scaredy kitten, almost jumping up into the air
"Hey, Toad Sage! What's the big idea scarin' people like that?! Believe it!"
"Not my fault you're a little scaredy cat, kid." Jiraiya chuckled, "Anyway, even your friend has already left, so…"
"No way! No! No way!" Naruto pouted at the legendary shinobi, bringing a shadow of a smile to the man's face, "I ain't leaving just so you could write your books! I'm training to be Hokage!"
"And just so you know… Sasuke isn't my friend! You better believe it!"
"Yeah, yeah…" Jiraiya yawned, pulling out his own shuriken with a speed that betrayed his laid-back demeanor, "Whatever you were just going on about, kid? I wasn't listening…"
Jiraiya's shuriken sped towards the target, then, not even half a moment later another one and another
"Hey! You're cool and all, but ignoring people's really rude, Toad Sage…"
"Zip it and watch." Jiraiya smirked, "If you trained you heinie off… you'd hopefully learn to do like a little tiny fraction of what the legendary Toad Sage can do! You can believe that, kid."
"Oh yeah?" Naruto perked up, "You'll see! I'll be the bestest Hokage of 'em all! Which means better than you, right?!"
"You cheeky brat!" Jiraiya didn't hesitate to match the young boy's energy, "How many Hokage do you know about?"
Naruto frowned for a second and then bounced back
"Four! Everybody knows there were four Hokage and the Fourth was the awesomest! Believe it!"
"Exactly!" Jiraiya's smirk widened, "Four. And how many Toad Sages do you know? Like one? The one and only yours truly, huh… how does that sound, kid? Huh? Huh?"
"About the Fourth Hokage you like so much…" Jiraiya leaned on the training pole, one leg over the other, nonchalant as ever, "Who do you think trained that guy, hm?"
"No way! No, no, no! Nooo way! He was a genius! Believe it!"
"Yes he was, because my lessons, imbued with invaluable sagely wisdom made him a genius…"
'Sorry, Minato, I hope you'll let me show off for a little moment here. But seriously, I wish you could see the boy right now…'
"Oh… you trained… the Fourth Hokage… and now you're training me! Yatta, believe it! I'll be the bestest student, even better than Fourth Hokage, believe it, Toad Sage! Thank you so much! Believe it!"
"Sure, finally some respect, am I right? Just don't pee yourself, kid. Whoever told you about being my student. I am only helping so you finally left my spot alone…"
Naruto's sly smile certainly sent a little shiver down Jiraiya's spine even if momentarily.
"What's that look for, kid? You look like you're planning to kill the Hokage or something… Little menace…"
"Okay, I am gonna be comin' here every day! And I won't leave until you agree to teach me! Believe it!"
Jiraiya nearly burst from the laughter.
"You're one gutsy brat, that's for sure! You know… People usually beg for my training like 'oh great master Jiraiya… oh please, please would you consider spending a second of your time on training me…' You know that sorta thing."
"A Hokage doesn't cry, y'know! You'll train me and I'll be your bestest student, believe it! Better than the Fourth Hokage was!"
Jiraiya suddenly matched Naruto's uncanny sly smile perfectly
"Oh yeah? Wanna bet? It's gonna be fun seeing you mess up, right?"
"See my ass, Toad Sage! I am never ever gonna mess up, believe it!"
"Man, Minato sure used to choose better words even though he sucked at naming his techniques…" Jiraiya deadpanned
'Sorry, Minato… Kushina… I promise I'll tell him about you… when the time is right. I am sure you'd understand'
VvV
(with everyone; Training Grounds)
The banter stopped right at the moment when Izumi and Sasuke stepped into the inner yard.
"Izumi!" Naruto ran up to her, "You'll never guess what I'm gonna tell you! Oh, hey, Sasuke. You still here?"
Izumi spared him a cursory glance, clicking her tongue in appraisal
"I'll try. You've been training all day. You got better. Maybe, even hit the pole?"
"Hey! How'd you know?!"
"Just a hunch…" Izumi replied somewhat absently, as her gaze had already moved on to Jiraiya.
"Hm. You look a little different, kid…" Jiraiya returned her look with a pensive nod, "Thinking about things?"
Izumi just nodded. In Sannin's eyes she read that he probably knew just what she had been thinking about.
"Master Jiraiya… Do you think I could do it? Should I?"
Jiraiya turned to look at the girl more attentively
"You don't look like you need my advice there."
Izumi's eyes followed Sasuke for a bit, as the boy had already gotten himself into a new back-and-forth with Naruto and now they were competing to see who threw shuriken better.
"I… hit?!" Naruto jumped up sky high, as his shuriken hit the pole.
"Hn. Maybe you're not such a loser after all…" Sasuke grumbled, throwing his own stars with precision.
"Ha! You said it! Finally said it! Believe it!"
In his rush, Naruto threw three more with a nice whistle to them… only to miss the mark completely.
"Nah, still a loser." Sasuke stated calmly
"Shut up! You're throwing me off on purpose! Believe it!"
"Does he even need a clan? All those lands… I don't know what to do with them…" Izumi looked at the wise shinobi, hoping for an answer
"That's really for the kid to decide." Jiraiya hummed thoughtfully, "and I get a feeling you've already decided it for yourself too…"
"I did?" Izumi whispered, as if still convincing a part of herself to go through with it
"I told you already, kid. We live our lives trying to make the best choices. You've made yours. Even that already means a lot."
"But is it the right one, Master Jiraiya? How would I be a clan head… It's…"
"Who knows…" Jiraiya looked up at the sky, "But what really matters is that it's yours and you made it hoping for the best. Oftentimes, it's all we ninja can hope for. But you're not really asking about the title, are you?"
Izumi shrugged her shoulders as if feeling cold and turned to the legendary Sannin
"Can I really protect Sasuke? I am not even talking about the clan and… you know, next generations… I can't even protect myself!"
Jiraiya's eyes softened, as he looked at the trembling girl before him.
"But you're doing the best you can, right? I know it's hard, but try not to worry about the far future. Most likely, it'll turn out completely different anyway."
"I… I've tried that already…" Izumi sat down in the grass, leaning against a tree and closed her eyes momentarily, "And I failed… With Mom, with Itachi, with Sasuke's parents… I thought I was making all the best choices just like you say… What if I just fail again?"
"You're just hopeless…" Sasuke's voice reached Izumi just as he scoffed at Naruto for missing yet again, "Completely."
"Shut up, Sasuke! That just means I gotta keep tryin' twice, no thrice… No, infinitely harder than you! Someday, you're gonna see what an awesome ninja I'll be! And you're gonna be sad 'n sorry for how mean you were!"
"Infinitely harder, huh?" Jiraiya echoed, "You see, Izumi… Naruto might not have a proper family, a big clan or even a half decent upbringing… But that kid has guts. Lots of guts… Doesn't matter how much that boy fails, he's always going to get up."
Izumi absently picked up a stone, kicking away some of the dirt and grass before tossing it elsewhere and watching it fly without a care in the world as to where it lands.
"I don't know if I can do that anymore… After Dad died I had Mom to pull me back. And now…"
"Well, I think you still can. It wasn't easy, but look at how much you've already done for Sasuke, for honoring your family's memories and even for Naruto. Don't think for a second that that's what everyone in your place could've done."
"Oooi! Izumi!" Naruto flew by her like a little blondie hurricane, "c'mon you gotta tell us who's better at throwing shuriken! The jerk keeps calling me a loser, but I betcha I've learned more in a day than he's in years! Believe it!"
"Sorry," Izumi smiled slightly despite herself, "I'm gonna go with Sasuke there…"
"Oh…" Naruto wilted, sinking into the grass near her like a downed ship, "but… you haven't even seen how good I can throw now that Toad Sage trained me up…"
"Sorry, Naruto… I'm sure you've learned much too, but family bias…"
"Family what?" Naruto blinked, still a little hurt
"Bias… it means… It means I go with Sasuke because he's my family, get it?"
"Oh… okay…" Naruto pulled his knees to his chest, turning a little away from Izumi, "I wish I was someone's family too…"
Izumi looked at the boy's back, already half-regretting the words she'd uttered so absentmindedly.
'Guess, I'm not the only hurt one here…'
"H-hey…" Izumi's hand hovered above Naruto's sagging shoulders, "You know I didn't mean it like that, right?"
'Everyone wants to belong somewhere…'
"It's okay. Believe it. I… I'm used to it already, really…"
'I wanted to be an Uchiha too… a part of the Clan… Even when it only hurt our family… Can I really refuse the Hokage? And leave Sasuke without his heritage? What if it's important for him too?'
Naruto perked up, trembling like a little dandelion in the wind as Izumi's hand slowly found its way onto his little shoulders.
"Hey, come on… Don't be sad like that."
"I miss my family too…" Izumi sighed, rubbing Naruto's back, " And Sasuke misses his…"
'Guess being a part of something's really important… for everybody…'
"Tell you what…" Izumi continued, pulling the boy a little closer, "Let's be friends?"
"For real?!" Naruto shuddered, his big blue eyes flooding with disbelief and his voice chipping with innocent childish hope, "Like… You mean it?!"
"Sure." Izumi clapped his shoulder, "we probably won't magically become best friends, you know, but… let's try?"
"You got it! You so got it! Believe it!" the boy jumped up, and wrapped his hands around Izumi before she could really protest, but then he abruptly let go and pulled slightly away
"But you said it was not the time to be friends…" he looked at her, wincing subtly, as if he knew he was about to wake up from a really good dream.
Izumi looked at him, noting his worried features.
'He's right… whatever am I doing?'
'I can't stop now, can I? I'll only upset him more…'
"Yea… I know what I said… It's fine, really… I… changed my mind, okay?"
"Okay!" Naruto eagerly shook his head, all worry gone from his face in an instant, "so… bestest friends forever, right?"
"Right." Izumi whispered, returning the hug, albeit hesitantly.
"Hey, loser! Why are you hugging her?" Sasuke shot a bewildered look at Izumi and then at Naruto, as he finally took a break from his training, but didn't expect to see… that scene.
"I can do whatever the hell I want, idiot! We're now friends, believe it!" Naruto shot back, immediately tensing up even in Izumi's arms.
"What?" Sasuke rubbed his eyes, as if to unsee what he had just seen.
"Boys. Stop it with the name calling or I'm nobody's friend." Izumi said a little more stern than usual, releasing Naruto back into the grass.
"Fine," Sasuke grumbled, "guess he's…" the words lodged themselves in his throat and his tongue barely moved, but he coughed the words out, "...not the worst… Just annoying… But if you say so…"
"See! Jeez, how hard is it to be nice?" Naruto chuckled merrily, "Right, Izumi?"
"Shut up, lo–!" Sasuke caught himself mid-sentence and glared at Naruto, "Just shut up."
Jiraiya once again laughed heartily, startling both boys, as he set aside his drafts for a yet another new installment of the critically-acclaimed Icha Icha series.
"I guess you little rascals have trained in more than just jutsu today, huh? And Izumi… Good choice. Bye, kids."
In his already familiar manner, Jiraiya was just gone with the wind.
"So… you guys down to do somethin' fun tonight?" Naruto asked, spinning on the balls of his feet.
"No way. Need to train my fireball." Sasuke deadpanned, having seamlessly recovered from the slightly sticky situation with that whole friendship thing.
"Yeah, I need to do something as well. Take care, boys."
"Bye." Naruto echoed, his head falling slightly
"Bye."
VvV
(with Izumi; The Hokage Office)
Izumi felt as if bugs were gnawing at the pit of her stomach, as she knocked at the door of the Hokage's study, being let in by another gray-clad ANBU agent.
"Oh? Izumi?" The Hokage set aside his paperwork and emptied his trusted pipe, his eyes smoldering with curiosity, "Please, take a seat. Help yourself to the tea if you want… In the morning you ran off rather quickly and I did not have time to fully explain… If you have changed your mind, we can come back to that conversation properly. What do you think?"
"You were right, Lord Hokage." Izumi delivered, measuring every word, as she looked up right into Hiruzen's eyes, her own only shimmering slightly with doubt and moisture. She blinked them away, embracing the resolute shade of crimson in them.
"I can't just run away from this. I agree."
"Very well, Izumi. Do you want a cup of tea?"
Author's Notes
(*) - Sasuke's referring to the events from "Naruto" ep. 129/130. Go check those out for a refresher!
Oh, guys, how much I wanted to start this new arc already! It's been legit sitting in my head for more than a year and now I finally get to put it onto the page (U_w_U)! This is going to be a really huge arc you guys! Got it all planned out in a huge GDoc, but Izumi and the gang just did a lot of their own stuff this chapter, so I guess nobody really cares about my plans and spreadsheets! Anyway, really hope you guys enjoy reading this as much as I did writing it! Enjoy!
Review reply time:
: Here comes even more cuteness for you, because I just can't stop writing it for some reason! Just tell me where to unload your delivery of a metric ton of cute character interactions! Thanks for the theory on the visions!
Lilthug: Yeah, keep commenting, man, so I could ste-! *cough* incorporate your feedback! Thanks for the comment! Hope you enjoy this new arc! Thanks for the theories and the good stuff!
A Reader: You were really on the money, my man! Thanks for all the theories! Yeah, you pretty much almost guessed it! Keep it up!
Peace to all of you guys and looking forward to reading your thoughts on this new arc! I am going all in on it! Hope you like it!