?￢ﾜ ? ~ Chapter Sixteen — Ignition of Drive ~ ?￢ﾜ ?ￂﾠ
In a white room, he stood. At the center of the lotus, he was furious. Elders sat at the six petals of the lotus, and the man at the center made sure to keep his Byakugan active to see each and every one.
"There was an assassination attempt on my niece yesterday," Hiashi Hyuuga began. He tried his best to keep his tone tempered, but with the rage he felt it was nigh impossible. "Do any of you care to explain?"
An elder spoke up—a woman. Despite being considered an elder, she was the youngest there, aside from Hiashi himself. Streaks of black persisted in her silver hair. "Lord Hiashi, why do you assume that it was one of us who did it?"
"Because it is only us in this room who know what she is and have the power to spread that. I have told nobody of Kusari's status." The woman nodded and hung her head. "Now, let me ask again."
His deep lavender Byakugan pulsed, and the air petrified itself. "Do any of you care to explain?"
"I believe that whoever may have done it was in the right."
The voice was behind him. Hiashi didn't need to look back to see him, but he did it anyway. "Excuse me?!" Hiashi's Byakugan glared at one who dared to utter such a statement—in his presence.
His sole pale lavender eye was steady and his silver hair hid the mangled scar on his face. "You saw her, you heard the rumors…" spoke the one-eyed elder. "Her hair is turning white. Just like it was when she was born, when she killed her mother."
"I'm aware," he spat. "I gave the order that she would be not be killed. As a matter of fact, Kizauto, you were the one who wanted her dead the most—"
"—Because she will be the death of this clan!" Kizauto shouted, cutting off his Clan Head and standing. "You know as well as I what her fate will be, and you sit idly by and let it come to pass. You're a disgrace, Hiashi! I would expect no less from a descendant of Shiroida."
Hiashi glared at the mention of a forbidden name. But he would continue to let Kizauto speak. The fool was outing himself.
"You are a fool for allowing Kusari to live. She is no different from Shiroida, the man who desecrated the purity of the Hyuuga Clan and banished us into generations of ruin. Kusari will be the same! That seal you put on her won't hold back her power for long and it's showing now!"
Each word Kizauto spoke boiled Hiashi's blood more and more. He would end this soon.
"She will be no different from her! Kusari is Shiv—"
The one-eyed elder was silenced by a Juken strike to his chest. Hiashi wove hand seals and slapped two fingers onto Kizauto and an X formed. From the X, the Caged Bird Seal branded itself onto the elder's head and he screamed.
"That name is forbidden in this compound," spat Hiashi. "The crime for speaking it is immediate imprisonment and demotion to the lowest rank."
Kizauto writhed on the floor in agony, with Hiashi's left hand in the half seal for activation.
"The crime for attempted murder, however… is death," Hiashi seethed. With that, the Clan Head weaved hand seals. The Caged Bird on his forehead burned from green to white. Slowly, his brain melted from the inside. He was dead minutes later.
The remaining elders watched on, shocked into silence.
"You are all dismissed," Hiashi said with a breath, concealing his hands into the sleeves of his robes. "The situation has been taken care of."
Hiashi didn't bother to see the council's reaction to his words before he left, greeted by the barely rising sun. He slowly made his way home to his daughters. Both of them should still be asleep.
That assumption was the reason for his surprise once he heard the sound of the Juken striking wood at his home. Instead of walking toward his study as he planned, he walked into the outdoor training arena.
His eldest was training.
"Hinata…" he began.
Despite her Byakugan being active, she was surprised to see him. Focus must have gotten the better of her. Immediately, she bowed to him. "Hello, father."
"You are up early," he stated in a questioning manner.
She stood upright. There wasn't much sign of fatigue on her. She must have started recently. "I decided to give myself a new routine, one more akin to yours. So… I can prepare to be Clan Head one day."
The last sentence she spoke was much quieter than the rest of her explanation. They both knew that Hanabi was more likely to take that role; she was a stronger prodigy with the Juken than Hinata could dream of being.
"I see," was all he said in response. Even without his Byakugan, he could see the light of her face dim. Hiashi sighed. "Did Kusari retrieve the flowers?"
Hinata nodded.
"What did she say?"
Hinata shook her head. "I did not speak with her. I saw one of her teammates waiting to see her, so I gave them to him."
Hiashi's eyes dimmed, if that were somehow possible with the utter lack of light they exhibited. "Ah…" he murmured, disappointment palpable in his tone.
"Father, she's made it very clear that she doesn't want to speak with me," said Hinata, the slightest bit of disappointment in her tone. Unlike her father, it wasn't melancholic, it was resigned, like it was a reality she'd accepted long ago. Like it didn't affect her at all. That only made his disappointment deepen.
"I would be lying if I said the feeling was not mutual," Hinata continued. "I can not help but feel uneasy around her. Something inside of me… it tells me not to trust her."
Hiashi couldn't help the clenching of his fists. "She's your family, Hinata."
"She's a family that hates us. The same goes for Neji." Her voice almost cracked, guilt rang though ever so clearly in the short time it rang. Hinata seized it. When she spoke next, her tone was no less composed than it was. "To think they would stop anytime soon is wishful thinking."
Just as you becoming the next Clan Head is equally wishful, was what he wanted to say. He decided against it. Hiashi simply sighed in response before turning his back.
"Goodbye, father."
"Goodbye, Hinata." He didn't turn to face her, simply walking forward and going into his study. Just like he planned beforehand.
—⊱✿⊰—
Shinrai had his hand clasped over Yora's hilt harder than he ever had before. He was done keeping secrets from his brother. By the end of the day, Naruto would know about the Sharingan. Yora… no. Naruto didn't need to worry about him.
He would be fine to Naruto. Whether that reflected the truth didn't matter. At the very least, Naruto deserved to know about his eyes.
The chains on his waist clanged against each other as a ragged sigh shook him. Am I even going to use these? He fucking hated his eyes, those bastard red eyes—he wanted to rip them out of his skull.
But they were strong. They could be used to help Naruto on his path to Hokage. Leaving them to rot would be stupid, all things considered. Shinrai shook his thoughts away with another sigh.
I'll figure all this out later. For now, Naruto just needs to know, he declared, now standing in front of his apartment door. The day had just begun, Naruto was probably asleep. Unless it was a training day for Team 7; it was the weekend, so he should be off?
Shinrai shrugged as he unlocked the door and opened it. Entering the house—after removing his shoes—he was greeted by the smell of breakfast ramen. He's up early… he murmured, looking to see Naruto in the kitchen, half asleep.
Slowly, he looked back at the open door. What felt like an eternity later, he lethargically waved. "Shinrai!" he drawled. "You were out all night?"
"I was doing things," he answered slowly, walking into the kitchen to observe the ramen. At least, that was what he pretended to do. A devious smirk crossed his face. Naruto aloofly watched Shinrai put ice in a glass, fill the glass with tap water, then throw the icy water into Naruto's face.
He yelped with his eyes awake and wild. Cubes of ice slid into his pajama shirt while Shinrai laughed. Naruto dried himself with a nearby rag, instinctively grabbing the boiling pot of ramen.
Shinrai's eyes widened as Naruto flung the boiling ramen-water at him, but he flickered to the living room and the ramen was wasted on the floor. "Are you trying to scar me you fucking dipshit?!"
"You threw ice at my face!" shouted Naruto with a clenched and waving fist.
"To wake you up!" argued Shinrai. "You were walking around like a fucking zombie!"
Naruto huffed, looking dejected at the wasted ramen on the floor. "I couldn't sleep because I was hungry…"
"You're cleaning the ramen up, by the way," added Shinrai.
Naruto groaned, but accepted the terms.
"Hurry up, because I have something to tell you."
It took about five minutes for Naruto to clean up his mess and put a new pack of ramen on the stove. Afterward, he met his brother in the living room, where Shinrai was about ten seconds from falling asleep on the couch.
Naruto's face split with a devious grin. Naruto slapped Shinrai awake.
"Fuck!" cursed Shinrai as he opened his eyes and stared into the stars of space around him. "Y'know what? I can't be mad."
Naruto laughed, pointing his finger at his brother. "Revenge, bastard!"
Shinrai scoffed as Naruto took a seat next to him. "Anyway, what did you want to tell me?"
Fuck, he cursed again. Everything went cold. "Uh, right… that."
Naruto's brow raised. "You alright?"
"Yeah, yeah, it's just something… weird, y'know," he attempted to explain, gripping Yora's hilt. He calmed a bit and let out a breath. "I… have…"
Shinrai trailed off into silence, and Naruto gave him a concerned look. A bit of worry shone in Naruto's azure eyes—that gave Shinrai pause.
"It'll be better if I show you," he stated, before taking a deep breath. He looked Naruto in the eyes, only focusing on his brother. Chakra itched into his eyes and the world bled to scarlet.
Naruto gasped. "W-what—?! You aren't putting me under another Genjutsu, are you?!"
"Nope… it's real," said Shinrai lowly. He forced a smirk. "Pretty cool, huh? I unlocked the Sharingan before Sasuke."
"No… Sasuke has it too," Naruto corrected. "He got his in Wave."
"Ah."
Naruto shook his head. "But that's not important right now—like, how?!"
"Orochimaru," Shinrai blurted out and his body went from cold to frozen. "I've been so busy since I got back because I wanted answers. Nobody would give them to me, so I found out myself.
"Orochimaru killed my parents, and he… experimented on me. He wanted to create a body that could hold all of the Kekkei Genkai in the world, and that body was meant to be me," explained Shinrai. "I also have a little bit of the Kyuubi's chakra inside of me."
Naruto simply nodded along. "Damn…" was all he could manage. "So, Orochimaru gave you the Sharingan?"
"Pretty much," answered Shinrai.
"Wow…" Naruto let out a sigh. "I'm sorry all of that had to happen to you, man…"
"It's fine, it's not like I remember any of it," dismissed Shinrai. "I'm still gonna kill his ass, though."
Naruto put his fist to Shinrai's chest. "And I'll help! Believe it!"
"Thanks, Naruto." A genuine smile curled Shinrai's lips as he deactivated his eyes. "I also have this…" Slowly, he pulled a scroll from his pocket and placed it between him and Naruto. "It has a lot of info on my parents, and I wanted to read it with you."
"Woah!" Naruto gaped. "Where did you get it from?"
"Can't say."
"Damn, maybe I could get some on my parents next…" he mused.
Shinrai smirked with a shrug. "Maybe. I'm sure Ryu can help you when he gets back."
The mention of Ryu darkened Naruto's face. With a sigh, he shook it off. "After we read this scroll, you should tell Sasuke about your Sharingan."
"Fuck no," denied Shinrai immediately. "What the hell makes you think I want anything to do with him?!" The mention of Sasuke irritated him, but the thought of trusting him nearly brought him to anger.
"Shinrai!" Naruto scolded, giving his brother pause. "He's not like how we thought he was. Yeah, he's arrogant, stuck-up, emo, and irritating… but he's good. He threw his life away for me. He was about to give up on all his dreams just so I can live, Shinrai!"
Shinrai's coal eyes widened. "What? He did that?"
"Yeah…" affirmed Naruto with a sigh. "He did. There's something inside of me. I don't know what it is, but it's something. It tells me that I should look out for Sasuke, watch him. He's like me, except he doesn't have someone like you."
A hardened expression furrowed Shinrai's brow, pondering taking over him. Was I wrong about him? Naruto was a good judge of character in his experience. It was almost like he could sense the good and bad in people.
On top of what Sasuke did? The only person I'm certain that would do that for Naruto is me. Probably Ryu too, now that I think about it.
If anything, I should repay him for putting his life on the line for Naruto. Shinrai let out a sigh. "Alright, I'll tell him." The mere thought shook him to his core.
Naruto smiled. "Thanks, man!"
"No problem…" he murmured. "Now, let's see what's in the scroll."
With that, the brothers opened the scroll and delved into the information. Reading it, Shinrai couldn't help but grin the whole time.
—⊱✿⊰—
The freezing water of the waterfall felt as if it was melting his skin off. Gosei didn't mind. He simply kept himself on the water with his legs crossed in the meditative pose. His chakra was controlled to a T. He'd been under the waterfall for hours at this point. The first three were a struggle, but after that, he more or less got the hang of it.
That was why he was focused on image training while fighting the effects of the waterfall. He'd spent the past seven hours trying to focus. He was making progress, slowly but surely.
The longest he'd spent in his mind was five minutes straight before the damned pain got to him. All he could do was ignore it… or at least try. It was a losing battle at this point—no, he would not fail.
He was training for the sake of all he cared about so he could protect them, lead them. A leader without strength is no leader at all.
Right now, he was no leader.
He needed to be a leader to his siblings, his father, eventually even his mother, his clan—the Senju, and his village, Konoha.
All that he cared for… all that he needed to be strong to protect. Yet, he couldn't help but notice the painful disconnect.
Gosei winced, and all focus shattered.
For a split second, the brunt of the waterfall's pressure nearly sent him under into the water's depths. Fear took hold and Gosei stopped himself from going under. He took the time to catch his breath before he stood.
"That was a close one, wasn't it Natsuyo?" he asked with a nervous chuckle, looking over to his sister… who wasn't there. "Oh."
She never was the best when it comes to the meditative aspect of training, he noted before walking across the lake to dry himself off, and change out of his swim-wear. With a sigh, a pondering entered his now unfocused mind.
When was the last time I truly appreciated Konoha… the village I call home?
It had been months…
Gosei's fists clenched. Yet another reason to be disappointed in himself. This is why I've been so stunted lately… I have no idea what I'm doing this for.
With that, he resolved himself, tightening his headband over his forehead with vigor. He would go into Konoha, and simply enjoy himself, enjoy the village.
He deserved it, but more so Konoha deserved it.
It deserved the grace of its future Hokage.
—⊱✿⊰—
The Uchiha compound was desolate. Well, of course it was. Only one person lived there. One person… that he was going to see. Shinrai sighed and went to his only comfort, the feeling of Yora in his hand.
Damn you for making me do this, Naruto. The last interaction he had with Sasuke was putting him under the same Genjutsu that made Naruto hate him for a week. This is gonna go great, isn't it?
He crossed the fingers of his free hand. Please don't be home, please don't be home, please don't be home! He chanted in his head, standing in front of Sasuke's door. It had a doorbell, so he rang it.
Not thirty seconds passed before the door unlocked. Fuck, he's home!
Sasuke opened the door and narrowed his eyes on Shinrai. "What do you want?"
Hey man, I kind of have the eyes of your dead clan because a crazy snake played with my DNA. He wished it was that easy for him to say. "First of all, sorry about that Genjutsu I put you under…" he apologized, trying to diffuse any tension that may or may not be there.
"It was a training exercise," murmured Sasuke suspiciously. "It's fine."
Shinrai shrugged and clasped his hands behind his head. "Cool, cool…" He cleared his throat and looked to the high noon sky. "I kind of have something to tell you."
"Alright." Sasuke crossed his arms. "Just spit it out."
"I have…" Shinrai flooded chakra into his eyes and the odd feeling of his iris whirling sent chills down his spine. "Ta-da!" Doing this a second time is a lot easier.
Sasuke's eyes went wide. "Release," he muttered, attempting to dispel a non-exist Genjutsu. He shook his head in utter disbelief. "How the hell do you have the Sharingan?!"
Sasuke's own eyes whirled into crimson, two-tomoe in each eye, just like Shinrai.
Chuckling, Shinrai let out a breath. "I was kidnapped as a child, experimented on by… The Snake Sannin—" Saying that didn't seem to affect him negatively "—and he injected Uchiha DNA into mine and now I'm here."
Staring into Sasuke's own Sharingan reminded him how much he hated those eyes. They disgraced the color red. He felt his chakra burn, just like it did when Ryu put the Kyuubi's chakra into his, and when Yora… died.
This must be it… murmured Shinrai, still awaiting a response from Sasuke. "I wouldn't call myself an Uchiha, more an Uzumaki with a Sharingan."
"...I disagree," said Sasuke, letting out a haggard breath. Shinrai's Sharingan made the weight of what he said to Sasuke apparent, every detail of discomfort, shock, and so so much more he could barely decode.
"Kakashi is someone with a Sharingan. You may not have been born with Uchiha blood… but you still have it now. The proof is in the fact that the Sharingan was born from your eyes." Sasuke forced himself to chuckle. "You may be unorthodox, but you're still an Uchiha."
The words made his skin crawl just as much as they… comforted him, as much as he hated to acknowledge that fact. The burning of Kyuubi chakra subsided and Shinrai sighed. "If you say so…"
Awkward silence fell between the two. Sasuke shifted with his head low. "Come in…"
Surprised, Shinrai took the offer and walked into Sasuke's home, making sure to remove his shoes beforehand. Sasuke led him to the dining table, and the two sat. The home of the Last Uchiha was minimalistic and dull, yet pristine.
"So," Sasuke began slowly, sitting across from Shinrai at the table. "I have a quick question for you before we talk about anything else."
Shinrai nodded.
"What's up with your teammate?"
His brow raised. "Which one?"
"Hyuuga… I sparred with her the other day, and she seemed off."
A slight burn hit his chakra as Shinrai's Sharingan eyes narrowed. "Did you put her in the hospital?"
"She's in the hospital?" questioned Sasuke, visibly surprised. "But… no, I don't think I did. She stopped the match early and told me that she didn't wish to kill me."
Shinrai huffed. "Alright…" I guess I'll talk to her about this when I get the chance. "Anything else?"
Sasuke shook his head. "No, not about this."
Sasuke's sigh broke the ensuing silence. "What's the story behind your eyes?"
It didn't take much time for Shinrai to realize that Sasuke wanted to know how he unlocked the Sharingan. Chills shook him to his core. "I'd rather not say."
Sasuke's face darkened with sympathy—no, empathy. "I understand. I'm sure Naruto told you about Wave, and how I unlocked mine."
"And how you saved his life," Shinrai added. "Thanks… for that, by the way."
That gave Sasuke pause. He simply nodded in response, barely whispering a 'you're welcome.' "My Sharingan came to me when my life was on the line, and I needed power to live and to make my eventual reality come to pass sooner. The problem is, that isn't enough to awaken the Sharingan."
Shinrai's eyes narrowed.
"To evolve it, sure. But to awaken it… it's something bigger. When I used my eyes in Wave, my opponent wasn't who it was for a split second." Sasuke's fists clenched. "It was my brother…"
Heaviness dropped Shinrai's expression. His eyes only made Sasuke's pain and hurt clear to him. Guilt and shame churned within him… all of his hatred of the Uchiha, all the jokes he made at their expense. What have I been doing…?
"I'm sorry," said Shinrai leaning forward to Sasuke. Scarlet reassurance came from his eyes, and Sasuke looked up to match his gaze. "I… also…" he began shakily. I'm really about to say this… "The Snake Sannin took his blood and put it into mine. That's the Uchiha blood I have him me…"
Sasuke's eyes went wider than they ever had before. "You're lying."
"I wish I was."
Sasuke's breathing sped up. "You're… you…" Sasuke shook his head.
"I'll help you kill him," Shinrai said quickly, looking Sasuke in his widened—almost hateful eyes. "In a way… his sins fall on my head. So, it's only right that I help in his downfall."
"Leave!" Sasuke commanded, looking away. "Please…"
Shinrai couldn't hold back his wince. "I'm sorry," he apologized before doing as Sasuke said.
He never hated himself for simply existing so much. Why did Orochimaru put the Clan Killer's blood inside of him? It could've been any other Uchiha, but why him? On top of that Shinrai hated himself like he never had before for hating the Uchiha like he did, for all of the fucked up shit he said about them.
He was cursed with the Sharingan as retribution, he already knew it. Whatever cruel God who wanted him to suffer was doing a bang-up job. Shinrai hated it all. He hated his eyes.
His cursed scarlet eyes.
Shinrai fell to his knees in the forest and pulled Yora from her sheath, and peered into the reflection of his Sharingan. He looked, he stared, he examined. Two magatama shaped tomoe whirled around a hatcheted ring in the middle of his iris, orbiting the pupil. All of which were the shade of midnight.
The striking scarlet of his irises was painfully nostalgic. Yet another curse forced upon him by this cruel God.
"Yora…" he muttered, the full brunt of his melancholic hatred rang out in his words. However, upon the utterance of her name, he saw something—a flash of blue. His brow furrowed as he stared at the blade in his grasp, concentrating his vision. "Yora?"
The flash of blue appeared again, and Shinrai seized it with his sight. Yora the blade was glowing blue… the silver of the midnight blade hummed in the metal.
Shinrai's being froze.
Scarlet eyes stared at the midnight blade in his grasp. He barely registered the wind on his back, the rustling trees, the darkening chill of the day. Shinrai remained chained to his waist, while Yora laid unsheathed on the forest's grass.
"Yora?" Shinrai called, his Sharingan whirled as the subtle blue chakra in the sword spiked.
It—no she responded.
She was there.
Yora was there.
Shinrai laughed, the biggest grin that ever crossed his face split it crooked. "Yora!"
The chakra in the blade danced.
"You're here, you kept your promise!" Shinrai caressed the metal of the blade. "Of course you did. You're stubborn."
Yora didn't respond to his words. Shinrai's smile mixed with a frown, but he kept going. His entire body was filled to the brim with heat and his breath was heavy. In the same vein, his heart ached and his Sharingan burned.
He felt every part of everything as he held her.
He held the blade.
He held Yora.
"Y'know… this is kind of cruel," he said honestly, chuckling to himself. "You're here but you're not. You're dead but you're right here! I'm so fucking happy that you're here, but I hate that you're still gone!"
Yora remained unresponsive.
"Yora…" he murmured in a shattered voice. The blade responded as happily as ever. He saw her and with his hands on the blade he could feel her. It was hollow, it was barely her.
That didn't change the fact that it was her.
"I hate myself for hating these eyes."
"Your eyes."
"I said I'll never forget your eyes… I guess you didn't trust me."
Shinrai's trembling hand pointed to his twin scarlet Sharingan.
"So, you gave me these."
"You said my eyes were beautiful."
"I appreciate the compliment, but yours are always gonna be better."
"You and your scarlet eyes."
"The last time I saw them, they were broken…"
"My scarlet eyes are broken, too."
"I hate to say it, but it's because of you."
"I never got to love you."
"I never will."
"I wish I could've loved you."
"I wish I could hold your hand and not your hilt."
"I wish I could caress your face, and not your metal."
"Your face, it was soft… warm."
"Your metal is cold and hard."
"But I find comfort in it all the same."
"My imagination should be strong enough to imagine you in the blade."
"I've imagined so many girlfriends…"
Shinrai laughed, his eyes wet with tears that will never be spilled.
"But I can barely imagine you."
"I hate that so much…"
"I have so much hate."
"I hate that too."
Another laugh filled the cold forest.
"You were right; slow conversations with the blade mean a lot."
"More than I've ever said to anyone…"
"Even you, Yora."
Her chakra sang in the metal once again. The sight made Shinrai's sorrowed smile turn genuine.
"I still remember your song."
Shinrai inhaled and his cold body trembled. "So keep in happiness and torture me while I… tell you 'let's go in style…!'"
His voice was shattered, low… his voice was nothing like Yora's. It wasn't beautiful it was raw and unkept like a scream forced into melody.
That didn't stop him.
"A million hooks around a million ways to die!
Darling let's go outside, it'll be all right."
Shinrai let out a hollow mix of a laugh and a sob. It boiled over as his choppy breaths and chuckles shook his trembling being. His face was dry, his tears never spilled.
Shinrai's cries were dry hollow and full of everything.
He didn't speak.
He needed that time to think.
"I'm sorry, Yora."
"The Haiku I told to you weren't the best; I messed up some of the syllables."
"I have ones better for you now…" he barely choked out, his voice a cracking mess.
Shinrai let in another shuddering inhale.
"Yora's Scarlet Eyes
Coal eyes never made contact
Coal eyes were foolish.
"Sight into Scarlet
I loved your bright Scarlet Eyes
Starlight, Scarlet Eyes.
"No light, Scarlet Eyes
Broken Scarlet Eyes went dim
Scarlet Eyes… now mine…"
He peered into the Sharingan's reflection in Yora's metal.
"You'll see the world through me."
"I'll make Grass the place you dreamed it could be."
"I'll be just like you."
"Your eyes are better than mine."
"You're better than me."
"To be better, I'll be just like you."
Shinrai finally stood, the chains holding the blade of his namesake rattled.
"I'll become you with your blade." He pulled Shinrai out of its sheath.
"With you." He gripped Yora's hilt.
"And your eyes." He peered into his Sharingan's reflection.
"Thank you… so much."
Nothing hurt. Nothing was warm. Nothing was cold. Nothing felt good… or bad. Nothing was his everything.
He shut his eyes. "For everything… Yora."
—⊱✿⊰—
Her Byakugan showed her that there was nothing aggressive—no threats in the vicinity. That gave her the peace of mind to exit the hospital. However, there was nothing that would get her to enter the Hyuuga Compound.
Kusari considered where she would go. Neji was still on his mission, so all she had to do was wait until he got back. Until then, she needed a place to stay. Renting a hotel room was a possibility, but it was expensive as well. She never brought her money with her when she trained, she couldn't risk it getting damaged.
Today was the first day she regretted that decision.
With a sigh, she thought of other possibilities. Any hotel, motel, or inn was entirely out of the picture. It pained her, but she had to stay over at one of her teammate's houses. Ryujin-sensei was still out of the village… and might not even come back.
He wouldn't come back because of her teammates. Her fists clenched. All of a sudden, she was much less willing to stay with them. Unlike her teammates, she swallowed her pride. Staying on the streets was not an option.
Now, she had to choose who she would stay with. Both had their pros and cons. Gosei had the more comfortable living situation for sure, and she'd likely get a room to herself. However, Gosei had parents; she was confident that Gosei himself would have little issue with allowing her to stay. She couldn't say the same about his parents.
Especially since one of them was the Thorn Wraith. Despite lacking interest in history, politics, and things of that nature she still knew of her and her accomplishments. That said enough.
On top of that, she wouldn't doubt for a second that Gosei would try to talk her out of her plans every chance he got. She didn't feel like dealing with that constant irritation.
Shinrai was likely the safer option. He would probably jump at the opportunity to allow her to stay with him. Naruto didn't seem like he would be against it, either, and there was nobody else to deal with.
It was unfortunate that they probably wouldn't have a room for her to stay. Their living situation wasn't the best… Kusari sighed. She could deal for a few days. It wasn't like the brothers would bother her too much.
With that, she made her decision. She headed to Shinrai's home. It was a short mid-day walk. The sun barely bothered her. The wind was blowing, so that cooled her off. It didn't take her long to reach the apartment complex where they stayed.
Kusari entered, and the chilled apartment air hit her face. She took in the smell and her brow furrowed. It was cheap; it smelled like it. Shaking her head, she trekked up the stairs to the very top floor. Once she walked to the door of the Demon Twins, she knocked.
A few beats of silence passed before the door unlocked. It opened to reveal a very bemused Naruto. "Kusari? Whaddaya doing here?"
At the sight of his azure eyes, they flashed to crimson slits and Kusari went cold. Simultaneously, she felt that thing inside of her rise and the churning mix of fear and ancient disdain made her sick. Kusari stumbled back.
"Woah! Are you okay?!" spattered Naruto as he grabbed her arm to stop her from falling.
Quickly, she found her footing and swiped her arm out of Naruto's grip. "Yes… I apologize." What was that?!
"Okay…" murmured Naruto suspiciously. "If you're looking for Shinrai, he's not here. He's with Sasuke right now."
Her brows furrowed. "Why?"
"Can't say," said Naruto with a shrug.
Kusari hummed. She really didn't feel like seeing Sasuke again. "I was wondering if I could stay here for a few days. Something came up and I can't be at my home right now."
"Damn, that must suck," Naruto huffed. Then he put on a wide grin and stuck his thumb up. "Of course you can stay here!"
Kusari nodded in respect. "Thank you, Naruto."
"Don't worry about it!" he dismissed with a wave before allowing her in. "Shinrai doesn't like shoes in the house."
She trailed Naruto's finger to see that he was pointing at her shoes. "Oh." I'm surprised. Of course, she respected his wishes and removed her shoes before entering the home.
Their apartment didn't smell as cheap as the rest of the complex. It was clean as well, very clean. She wanted to use her Byakugan to spy any signs of unkemptness, but decided against it.
"Uh," Naruto began, obviously having no idea what to do. "Nobody but Shinrai and I have slept in here. Ah! We don't have a guest room! Why didn't Papa Ryu give us one?!"
Kusari blinked as she watched Naruto meltdown in front of her. She cleared her throat. "Naruto, it's okay. I'll sleep on the couch."
"But—!" he began, but stopped himself. "I mean… our couch is really comfy…"
"Then, I'll be fine, won't I?"
Naruto let out a sigh, slumping his shoulders. "I guess..." He stood up straight and grinned, completely opposite to his previous demeanor. "Do 'ya want some ramen?"
After a brief silence of pondering, she responded. "I would appreciate that." She was hungry, after all, and she couldn't say that she particularly enjoyed the hospital food.
Naruto leapt into the kitchen and began fumbling with the cabinets and the refrigerator—it was a miracle it wasn't broken. She chuckled, then made her way to the couch, eyes widening as she sat. Wow, this is comfortable!
Maybe I thought too lowly of their living situation… she murmured. With a shrug, she stared into space as she waited for her ramen, delving into her thoughts. Thoughts of rebellion.
—⊱✿⊰—
This village is truly beautiful.
Gosei couldn't help but smile as he breathed in the fresh air, felt the sun's shine on his face, and watched the people live their lives… safely. The children laughed and played, couples fell in love, friends cheered together, and even the loners found their comfort in solitude.
Konoha prided itself on being the village most connected with nature, and it was clearly reflected in how it looked. Flora grew freely along the dirt roads. The flowers bloomed, and the leaves shimmered the emerald of his eyes under the sun.
The village itself reminded him of a garden. It would be a garden he would nurture and watch grow, just like his mother did with him. He'd weed out all weakness and purge anything that threatened the prosperity of Konoha.
It wasn't just Konoha that he would lead, however. It would be the world that followed him, follow him into a better tomorrow. He would be the fire shadow which encompassed all.
Gosei's smile grew. This was what he was fighting for… what he was training for, what all his work would amount to. This was it.
That realization didn't conclude his journey, however.
There was only so much he could see from down here, as one with the village. He was one above the village. Gosei looked above to the four stone faces. The four fire shadows which illuminated the village, even in its darkest hours.
Hashirama Senju: The Shodai… The God of Shinobi.
Tobirama Senju: The Nidaime… The Architect.
Hiruzen Sarutobi: The Sandaime… The Professor.
Minato Namikaze: The Yondaime… The Yellow Flash.
His eyes fixated on the Shodai's stone face. The first of the four, the founder. His direct ancestor and his ultimate goal. Only a few were allowed access to the Hokage Monument, he was one of those few.
So, he made his way there. He would've made it there if his name wasn't called. The voice who called him was familiar yet surprising. Gosei looked back at the auburn-haired woman speed-walking toward him with an inquisitive brow raised.
"Hello, Aiko," greeted Gosei.
She smiled and waved back. "Hey! I uh…" She stopped and shook her head. "How have you been?"
"I've been well," answered Gosei honestly. They exchanged about a few more minutes of small talk, and with each passing exchange it became more and more obvious that Aiko wanted something from him.
So, he cut to the chase. "Is there something you want?" he asked, no aggression or accusation in his tone.
She chuckled slowly and twirled her hair between her fingers. "Well… I was wondering if you could maybe… train me? Please."
His brow furrowed. "Train you?"
"Yes!" she affirmed with a nod, then she bowed to him. "I want to become a Shinobi. I know I'm kind of… late. But I don't want to be useless. I need to do something in order to help Grass one day.
"I've been doing basic physical training by myself, but I know I won't get anywhere without proper guidance. I don't know when Ryu's coming back, or if he even will… So, can you please help me?"
Gosei was taken aback. He couldn't help but admire her determination, but at the very same time, her dream seemed hopeless. His face gained a frown of pity. "I'm sorry… but what you're aiming to do isn't possible."
Aiko was crestfallen, and that only made Gosei's frown deepen. "There are other ways to help your country without becoming a Shinobi. Most Shinobi are tools used by those in power, anyway. If you go down the right path, then you could become one of those people in power, and you'll have countless Shinobi at your beck and call."
Aiko looked up at him and emerald met diamond. Gosei nodded at her. "I can help you with becoming one of those people," he added.
With a sigh, she simply shook her head. "No thank you," she declined, much to Gosei's surprise. "I appreciate your offer and advice, Gosei." Then she simply left.
Gosei shrugged. It was inexplicable yet inspiring how some people could be so hopeful… to believe in a non-existent reality so much. His own sister was guilty of it, even.
It was something precious all the same.
On top of Hashirama Senju's stone face, it all became visible to him. Everything precious, everything dispensable. Everything to love, everything to hate. Everything to nurture, everything to weed out.
This village… is truly beautiful.
The high-altitude air filled his lungs as he looked down upon Konoha with a smile. One day, his face would be immortalized on this monument and he'll watch over this village forever.
All the people below felt like ants from where he stood, yet he would give his life for those ants in a heartbeat. Gosei chuckled. Only the Senju mattered to him more than those ants…
He spent an hour watching Konoha from above. The sun began to set, and the cobbled brown of the Shodai's stone face shone like amber. He had enough of a reminder to succeed now.
It didn't take long for him to exit the Hokage's Monument, and walk through the village back to the Senju Compound. His mother greeted him first with an accusatorial gaze. Of course, he had to get over the chill in his spine to explain himself.
She let him off the hook, thankfully.
Next time, he made the note to tell his mother before he exited his training routine. But now, he was back under the waterfall. The frigid waterfall threatened to peel his skin off, but he pushed through.
For Konoha, for the Senju, for the world.
He kept his chakra controlled and his mind focused.
The black behind his eyelids went white…
He clenched his fists in the white void, felt his breath, tasted his saliva, heard and smelt nothing as he looked into the endless expanse of nothing. In that void, he trained. His chakra was effectively infinite in the mindscape, there was nothing to stop him from going forever.
That, he did.
There was no semblance of time in the void. Nothing to keep track, nothing to note. It was just himself and his training. Water rushed from his mouth and the white void cracked to an earthen brown.
Control and persistence.
He controlled his every movement, even the movement of the very chakra in his body.
He persisted through every ache, every labored breath and waning of focus.
It was like the waterfall didn't even exist. He didn't even feel it anymore. Had he gone numb? Or was his focus so great in his mindscape that his body simply didn't register to exist?
It didn't matter to him. He needed to keep training.
When his focus inevitably broke, it was sudden—abrupt as if he was asleep and dunked into frigid water. Well, that was because he was.
His eyes opened to the real world, and he was submerged under the waterfall. He was engulfed in black. He couldn't see the floor of the lake below and all he saw above was the slight twinkle of moonlight.
When he attempted to swim, his arms barely responded. It was as if all energy was zapped from it. As a matter of fact, his entire body was drained of everything. He simply sunk deeper into the water's depths.
A fear like no other possessed him.
NO! No—no! NO! I can't die here, not yet, not ever no.
He thrashed or at least attempted to. His body simply wouldn't respond to him. All he could do was reach out as the moonlight faded from sight.
Slowly, something grabbed onto the hand he reached. He grasped it. The entire body of water shook. Revitalization struck his chakra, his body his being. A vortex swirled around him and he willed himself out of the water.
The vortex whirled into an inverse tornado with Gosei at the center. The water moved him and he commanded the water to let him breathe. It split the vortex and Gosei stood on the split stump, breathing the night's air.
He looked around, examining his hands, the way water moved with the chakra in his body. Catching his breath, the water calmed at his order. Slowly, he descended and the vortex dissipated into the lake. It was still, aside from the calming ripple from the waterfall.
"Congratulations, my son."
Gosei looked ahead to see his mother smiling pridefully at him.
Realization dawned on him. He did that. He controlled the water… with no hand seals. Only his will. All him. It was his Godai.
Gosei grinned.
—⊱✿⊰—
Once again, Ryujin found himself awkwardly reciprocating a hug. He should've expected it, honestly. The entire time he traveled with Miya, it was always tense. They weren't in the village, and there was still a target on his back. It was no time to rest or drop their guard.
Not even when they entered the Land of Fire or even Konoha. They still needed to report to their Hokage, write the mission report, give their prisoner over to T&I…
But now, they could finally rest. Relax, and truly be themselves, not the calculated killers they were trained to be. Simply Ryu and Miya.
The latter's grip was suffocating.
Damn near the full brunt of every emotion she felt was squeezed into him to replace the life that was squeezed out. It was oddly nostalgic. She always worried for him, and he prided himself on being the reason for her first gray hair way back when. Except in the past, she usually resorted to knocking him upside the head.
This was different.
Was this because his life was at risk? He was a Shinobi, his life was always at risk. But… this was probably the second closest time he came to losing his life. The number one closest time, it nearly brought Miya to the grave alongside him.
He knew she hated worrying, yet he worried her anyway.
She made sure that he felt it.
The worry.
The frustration.
The relief.
All of it…
Ryu returned the hug just a bit tighter than he usually would.
I'm sorry, was what he said with his grip.
Miya somehow hugged him tighter… as if to say, it's okay.
In those moments, the two felt a sort of peace with each other. An assurance that everything would be alright. It would be alright because they would make it so.
They separated and let out a sigh together.
"Goodnight, Miya."
She smiled and wiped what seemed like a tear from her eye. "Goodnight, little Ryu."
The nickname he hated so much curled his lips into a smile. It was a smile that was kept as he walked up to his apartment, entered, and retreated into.
Finally, he got to rest.
After he rested, he would see Aiko, see Naruto, see Team 5… then he would train like no tomorrow.
—⊱✿⊰—
Kusari spent the vast majority of the day conversing with Naruto. He was quite the talkative one. Despite what the rage inside of her felt, he was pleasant. She could see where Shinrai rubbed off on him, and the opposite as well. Speaking of Shinrai, the sun had set hours ago, and he had yet to return.
Naruto was tired. He yawned nearly every sentence he spoke. She was not only tired in the sense of needing sleep, but tired of waiting for him. Luckily, her wait ended when Shinrai entered his home.
He took a minute to examine the sight of her and Naruto on the couch. "Hello?" he greeted, visibly bemused.
Naruto grinned. "About time you got home! She's been waiting for you!"
"Is this when you usually get home?" she asked.
"Uh," he spattered. "Why are you here?" he asked, his own tiredness making his tone blunter than intended.
His tone stung a bit. Kusari looked crestfallen "Do you want me to leave?"
"No," he answered. "I'm just asking why."
"Ah," she murmured. "I would like to stay here for the time being; I can't go home for… reasons."
Shinrai narrowed his eyes. Then, he nodded in acknowledgment and walked in, removing his shoes and closing the door. "I'll make sure the bed is fine enough for you to sleep in."
She furrowed her brow. The bed? Naruto said they don't have a guest room?
"Naruto, you fed her right?"
"Of course!" he responded.
"Good, good—" He yawned as he walked off.
"Shinrai, what do you mean about the bed?" asked Kusari, bemused.
Not turning to face her, he answered. "I am going to sleep on the couch, so you can sleep in my bed because that is the hospitable thing to do!"
"No, it's fine—"
"—Our couch is comfortable, wouldn't be the first time I've slept on it," he dismissed.
With a guilty sigh, Kusari conceded. "Alright." It didn't feel right to take the bed of whose house she asked to stay in. However, she knew that he was insistent; she was too tired to argue, anyway. "I would like to talk with you privately when you get the chance."
He laughed and entered his room. "Okay!"
Naruto yawned. "Well, now that Shinrai's back, I guess I'll head to bed. Goodnight!"
"Goodnight," she said in kind as Naruto walked to his room, shutting the door.
In the time that Shinrai walked into his own room—which I'm going to be sleeping in, I guess—Kusari prepared herself for the upcoming conversation. She was going to tell him about her little fiasco. During the times she wasn't speaking with Naruto, she thought about what her course of action would be.
Taking down the Main Branch was something that she could not do alone. Talking to other Branch Family members aside from Neji would be foolish, yet she still needed allies. Gosei was against her as is, Ryujin-sensei was out of the village, so that left Shinrai.
She could trust him… at least she hoped. Soon enough, he exited his room and sat down next to Kusari on the couch. Both of his blades remained chained to his waist. "So, what's up?"
Kusari took a minute to gather herself, exhaling as she clasped her hands and rested her chin on them. "The reason I was in the hospital was because… of an assassination attempt."
"Who?" was all he asked in a chilling tone.
"An elder of the Main Branch," she answered quickly. "I'm staying with you because I don't feel safe in the Hyuuga Compound. I sent a letter to my address from here to inform my brother that I am here once he returns from his mission."
"Okay, so who do I have to kill?"
"Not yet, Shinrai," said Kusari as she let out a haggard sigh. At least he's eager… She refused to make eye contact with him, instead staring into the space in front of the couch, out the window to the night sky.
"I'm telling you this because I believe that you can help me. I plan to eradicate the Main Branch one day. I need you as an ally, someone I can trust," she said truthfully. Saying all of this was easier than she expected. Well, it wouldn't have been the first time she poured her heart out to him… she shuddered as she recalled her mini-meltdown after Grass.
It was not one of her proudest moments, to say the least.
"If there's anyone you want dead, I'll give you their head within the week."
She cleared her throat and took in his words slowly, with a furrowed brow. "I'll take that as an agreement."
"It is!" he answered cheerfully.
"Alright," she continued with a sigh. "I'm sure this would go without saying, but tell nobody."
"Of course, of course."
"Thank you, Shinrai," Kusari said, closing her eyes.
He smiled. "That's what friends are for. Is there anything else you need from me?"
"When you get the chance, can you teach me how to throw a punch?"
His brow raised. "A punch? Isn't that like, against the Hyuuga rules?"
She shook her head. "None of that matters anymore."
He smirked. "Alright."
With that, Shinrai stood. "I'm gonna go take a shower. The bed is yours!" He waved as he walked off.
Kusari was finally able to relax. It felt like a mountainous tension was lifted off of her. To tell somebody… was gratifying, in a way. She always talked to her mother's shrine, pretending that she talked back… that it was her smiling back.
It was just then that she noticed how little she talked with her mother now… ever since she joined Team 5. A churning sickness radiated in her gut. I miss my mother.
—⊱✿⊰—
Not even a body. Not even a body to mourn over, to bury… not even a body to say one last goodbye to. They should've expected this when they became Shinobi, the pain and the cruel nature.
But they didn't expect it to hit them like this.
It did anyway. That was why the twins sobbed over the two pictures on a shrine. One with their mother, the other with their father. The pictures were together, just like they'd always been.
Kuro clenched his fists. "I at least hope they died together…."
"I hate that all we can do is hope," Kura spat through her choppy breaths.
Kuro shook his head, futilely trying to wipe the tears out of his eyes. They only spilled more. "No… there has to be something!"
"THERE ISN'T!" Kura screamed.
"No, they were after Hiyenzo, right? He must've played a part in their deaths, so we kill him."
Kura glared at him. "And how the fuck are we supposed to do that?! HUH?! There's… nothing we can do…"
Kuro only sobbed harder.
"Oh, stop crying, you little bitches."
The twins whipped their heads back with a venomous glare. The black-masked man they glared at was unaffected, casual, and walking toward them.
"Who the fuck are you?" Kura seethed.
"I'm the one who can get you revenge on Hiyenzo! And the other individual who played a part in the deaths of your parents," he informed with a suave attitude.
"Who is it?" Kuro asked, seizing the opportunity. "How can you help us get revenge?"
Zero chuckled. "I'll tell you… once you get me an audience with your Tsuchikage."
"Alright," agreed Kuro, but Kura grabbed his hand and looked at him incredulously.
"We don't even know who this guy is?! What if he's trying to assassinate Lord Tsuchikage?!" she questioned.
Zero laughed. "If I wanted Onoki dead, then he would be already."
The twin's eyes widened. Zero placed his gloved hand over where his mouth would be on his mask and gasped. "Oop! Don't tell him I said that… or you'll be seeing your parents soon enough."
A wave of killing intent hit the Kuro and Kura. They stiffly nodded and led the masked man through Iwa's night and toward the Tsuchikage's tower. The moment the three entered, the Tsuchikage was outraged.
"YOU AGAIN!" the elder shouted, blasting at him with his Particle Style.
The twins frantically got out of the way, but the blast only hit the door, atomizing it. Zero walked out from the wall, shaking his head. "Sheesh, Lord Tsuchikage. I thought I made it clear that I didn't mean any harm last time…"
"Kuro, Kura, why did you bring that man to my office?!" he demanded, not taking his eyes off of Zero.
Kuro stepped forward. "He said he can help us get revenge on Hiyenzo!"
"It's true!" Zero vouched… for himself. "There is someone I know… a certain snake that is planning to invade Konoha. Kumo may or may not be involved."
The Tsuchikage's glared intensified. "Orochimaru? The rogue Sannin?!"
"Yes, that guy! He managed to found a hidden village of his own! Otogakure. Impressive, if you ask me. But I went looking for him, and he said that if I successfully get you involved in the plan to Crush Konoha, that I'll be allowed to help Orochimaru Crush Konoha, which is something I very much want to do."
The Tsuchikage's eyes narrowed. "Why would you go through them and not come directly to me like last time?"
"Oh, that's because I'm trying to strike a deal with you and not simply tell you something," Zero answered cooly. "Plus, I think Orochimaru would like these two…"
The twins shifted close to each other.
"So, Lord Tsuchikage, what do you say?"
The Tsuchikage let out an exasperated sigh. "Organize a meeting between Orochimaru and I. I don't make deals with middle-men."
Zero laughed. "Respectable, respectable…"
Then he turned to the twins. "Miya Uzumaki was also involved in the deaths of your parents," he informed. "I'll be frank with you. You may be prodigy kids who made Jonin at age twelve… but Hiyenzo made Jonin at twelve as well, and Uzumaki did at ten."
Kuro clenched his fists.
"On top of that, they've had over double of your lifetime to hone their skills even more. You stand no chance in hell against them," he said bluntly. "But that doesn't mean your revenge is any less obtainable.
"Both of them have Genin Teams. All you have to do is kill the people they care about, just like they killed the people you cared about," suggested Zero with a dark chuckle.
Then he shrugged. "Eh, just food for thought," was the last thing he said before falling backward and disappearing into the floor.
The Otoko Twins and the Tsuchikage were left in their own silence.
Kuro walked forward and bowed on his hands and knees. "Please accept, Lord Tsuchikage please. I can't let our parents' deaths go unpunished. I… I won't be able to live with myself!"
"Kuro…" his sister began, pained. "Just… stop it, it's pointless—"
"SHUT UP!" screamed Kuro, not taking his head up from the bowing position. "Please let us crush Konoha."
The Tsuchikage sighed. "I'll see once I speak with Orochimaru," he assured. "I'll keep your revenge in mind."
Kuro's fists clenched and tears spilled from his eyes onto the floor. "Thank you."
Kura could barely watch him.
?￢ﾜ ? ~ Chapter End ~ ?￢ﾜ ?
Omake one: Kusari asking Shinrai for help, but the original version where it's from Shinrai's perspective
It didn't matter how much it hurt him—it made him feel just as good. So, he kept doing it. Shinrai clasped his hand over Yora's hilt. His mind was blank as he walked home. It was the dead of night. Naruto was probably asleep.
Shinrai frowned. He hadn't spent much time with his brother since they made up… he was busy. The strange thing was that neither of them seemed too affected by it. Did they truly grow apart during their estrangement?
No… he muttered, the refusal of such a notion palpable. Well, everything he really needed to do was done. He got his answers—and more. All he needed to do now was train, and that was certainly something he could do with Naruto.
With that, he found himself at the front door of his house. The light was on, Naruto was awake. Odd… he murmured. He unlocked the door and opened it with his brow raised. Naruto and Kusari were talking together.
"Hello?" he greeted, visibly bemused.
Naruto grinned. "About time you got home! She's been waiting for you!"
Kusari nodded her head at him. "Is this when you usually get home?"
"Uh," he spattered. Why is she here? Not that I'm complaining—wait, why am I asking myself, ask her! "Why are you here?" he asked, his tiredness making his tone blunter than intended.
Kusari's expression dropped. "Do you want me to leave?"
"No," he answered. "I'm just asking why."
"Ah," she murmured. "I would like to stay here for the time being; I can't go home for… reasons."
Shinrai narrowed his eyes. Okay, this is certainly related to why she was in the hospital. He nodded in acknowledgement, then walked in, removing his shoes and closing the door. "I'll make sure the bed is fine enough for you to sleep in."
She furrowed her brow, but Shinrai spoke up again. "Naruto, you fed her, right?"
"Of course!" he responded.
"Good, good—" He yawned as he walked off.
"Shinrai, what do you mean about the bed?" asked Kusari, bemused.
Not turning to face her, he answered. "I am going to sleep on the couch, so you can sleep in my bed because that is the hospitable thing to do!"
"No, it's fine—"
"—Our couch is comfortable, wouldn't be the first time I've slept on it," he dismissed.
With a sigh, Kusari conceded. "Alright. I would like to talk with you privately when you get the chance."
He laughed and entered his room. "Okay!"
Naruto yawned. "Well, now that Shinrai's back, I guess I'll head to bed. Goodnight!"
"Goodnight," she said in kind as Naruto walked to his room, shutting the door.
It didn't take long for Shinrai to finish preparing his room for Kusari to sleep in. He made sure to always keep it clean, along with the whole house. Ms. Miya's own home and Ryu's renovation inspired him greatly.
He exited his room, and sat down next to Kusari on the couch. Both of his blades remained chained to his waist. "So, what's up?"
Kusari took a minute to gather herself, sighing deeply as she clasped her hands and rested her chin on them. "The reason I was in the hospital was because… of an assassination attempt."
What?! He leaned forward, feeling the itch of fiery chakra in his eyes and a burn in his chakra. "Who?"
"An elder of the Main Branch," she answered quickly. "I'm staying with you because I don't feel safe in the Hyuuga Compound. I sent a letter to my address from here to inform my brother that I am here once he returns from his mission."
His fists clenched, and his chakra churned like lava inside of him. "Okay, so who do I have to kill?"
"Not yet, Shinrai," said Kusari as she let out a haggard sigh. She refused to make eye contact with him, instead staring into the space in front of the couch, out the window to the night sky.
His rage was unquelled, but his face softened.
"I'm telling you this because I believe that you can help me." Shinrai couldn't hold back his smirk. "I plan to kill every single member of the Main Branch one day. I want you as an ally, someone I can trust."
A soaring joy was piled on top of his infernal rage. She trusts me… His smirk contruded into a grin, then he controlled both into a satisfied resting expression. "If there's anyone you want dead, I'll give you their head within the week."
Kusari's face was odd, but it seemed positive… to him, at least. "I'll take that as an agreement."
"It is!" he answered cheerfully.
"Alright," she continued with a sigh. "I'm sure this would go without saying, but tell nobody."
"Of course, of course."
"Thank you, Shinrai," Kusari said, closing her eyes.
He smiled. "That's what friends are for. Is there anything else you need from me?"
"When you get the chance, can you teach me how to throw a punch?"
His brow raised. "A punch? Isn't that like, against the Hyuuga rules?"
She shook her head. "None of that matters anymore."
He smirked. "Alright."
With that, Shinrai stood. "I'm gonna go take a shower; the bed is yours!" He waved as he walked off. There was one thing he wanted to say, but he knew if he did Kusari would get mad at him.
We can finally be monsters together.