Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.
Correlation
Correlation is a broad term in the sense that there are different types of correlations. Positive linear. Negative linear. Non-linear. Simple. Multiple. Partial. However, a correlation is trying to examine the same thing despite how the data falls. Is there are relationship between variables?
Correlations can lead to predictions, theories, or further avenues to explore. But it is vital to keep one simple fact in mind. Correlation does not equal causation.
This wasn't something I imagined doing. But, crouched on top of my old residence, there was no turning back… I mean, I could turn back. Nothing was stopping me. Anko and Ibiki hadn't even assigned a deadline. It would be easy to turn around and jump from rooftop to rooftop until I was back in a nicer part of the village. Course, that meant I'd have to work up the motivation to do this same thing at a later date. But I digress.
Peering over the edge at the people loitering by the front door, I was confident they couldn't see me. Not even if they had the sense to look up. Night had fallen about an hour ago and it shrouded my presence nicely. At least to civilian senses.
It was a cloudy night. Leaving only the street lights for my eyes to work with. From up here, I could make out the silhouette of Daichi's man-bun and vaguely make out the sleazy pattern printed on his button-up. There was a little light of a lit cigarette close to his face. Based on how he positioned himself, I could sometimes see the swirls of smoke drifting upward. Though I was still too far up to smell the tobacco.
He wasn't alone. Another man stood in front of Daichi, his back to the street as they talked. Their voices were a low grumble of sounds from where I'm perched. However, my imagination didn't falter when scripting their conversation in my head.
"Man, inflation is nuts", said the man. "Even your girls are charging more".
Daichi shrugged and blew out a mouthful of smoke. "I had to raise their quota. Everything costs more since the old Hokage died. Do you know how much it costs to keep the lights on in a building this size?" Of course, all of this would be said with indignant offense. How dare the Third die and leave the village to pay the price of a weakened workforce and an impacted economy.
"Are all you girls this expensive?" The man asked. "I've got to pay rent, you know".
Daichi smirks but manages to keep up his persona for business. Or so I pretended. "I got you. Try room 302. Older broad. She can't afford to charge as much".
Before I could finish their conversation in my head, the man standing in front of Daichi nodded before walking past him and entering the building. And finally, Daichi was alone. As he took a long drag from his cigarette, I jumped off the roof.
It took a lot of time and practice to be able to jump from that height and land silently on my feet. But the effect was well worth the effort. Daichi jerked backward; his hands instinctually raising to protect his face as his cigarette was clenched between pursed lips. Even in a ninja village, it's not every day someone drops from the sky and lands inches away from you.
"F-", Daichi started to curse. Only the need to save his smoke prevented him. Remaining still and silent, I waited for Daichi's processing to catch up. And he did not disappoint. As recognition sank in, Daichi's lips pulled back in a sneer; his hand removing the cigarette to allow it. "What are you doing crawling back here?" His disdain was so obvious that I could taste his bitterness on my tongue. "They kick you out already?"
"Unfortunately, no", I answered. Making my movements obvious, I slipped a finger into my kunai holster and pulled it out to twirl menacingly. There was no way for Daichi to miss it. As an academy student, I'd spent many nights dreaming about a moment like this. It was one of the few benefits of a shinobi education I anticipated.
Despite wariness creeping into his eyes, Daichi had the balls to not give an inch. He took another drag and blew the smoke straight into my face. My nostrils flared at the familiar, miserable scent; deciding to hold my breath at the same moment. This, I did not miss. "So, what're you doing? Feeling nostalgic?" The biting edge in his tone was a sign I remembered. Three years ago, that would've been my cue to beat it. But now, the damage I can do outweighs any attempt on his part.
Tone bored, I kept my eyes fixed on Daichi's face. My kunai still twirling around my finger. "I need some of those prenatal vitamins".
Daichi opened his mouth and let out one singular bark of a laugh. "The abortion pills? Why? Anzu still workin'?" Then his eyes narrowed; sparking with a deviant glint. "Or are you gonna take them?"
Remaining silent and unmoving, all except for my twirling kunai, I didn't dignify any of that with a response. We were standing here on my terms and I'd learned how to keep things in my favor.
When I failed to react how he wanted me to, Daichi snarled; dropping his cigarette to be ground into the concrete by his sandal. "Scram, Brat. You stopped being my problem when Anzu let you go. And she stopped being my problem when you moved her across town. Those pills are for my girls. You no longer qualify".
Thank the heavens for that, I thought; stilling my kunai in one sharp movement. My hand wrapped around its hilt and held it poised in an offensive grip. Stepping forward before Daichi could even gulp, I slid my left foot forward. Hooking it behind Daichi's right ankle, I pulled; forcing Daichi off balance. Ad when he stumbled forward, knees bent trying to save himself, I used my right forearm to slam him into the wall behind him. His current position made our height differences a non-issue as I glared evenly into his pupils. My kunai now angled so the tip brushed the underside of his jaw.
"I wasn't asking", I said; leaking a microscopic amount of killing intent. I could've used more. Wanted to would have been more honest. But I need this asshole to be lucid enough to comply. "You see, I don't have to beg for things anymore". Daichi started trembling ever so slightly. I did my best not to revel in it. "You will give me the pills. Unless you want to be a corpse they'll fish out from the bottom of the closest pond".
Reaching up, Daichi gripped my wrist; the one holding the kunai. His hand wrapped easily around it. As he squeezed, I could feel the pressure against my bones. But Daichi couldn't force me to move. My muscles didn't even strain. Oh, the advantages of chakra and taijutsu conditioning. This one singular moment was almost worth all the effort. "You can't do that!" Daichi exclaimed as he fought to get his feet under him. But my left foot kept him from gaining any leverage. "This is Konoha. Ninja aren't allowed to target civilians".
"That may be true", I hummed. In our village, shinobi weren't allowed to harass civilians. Unless we had official orders, but that's none of Daichi's business. Leaning a bit closer, the smell of smoke infiltrated my senses as I pushed my kunai just a tad higher. Though still not enough to break any skin. "But I know how to hide a body without getting caught".
I could see Daichi's Adam's apple bobbing in his throat. Little beads of sweat started dripping down his face. "Alright. Alright!" The man caved. Stepping back and untangling my left foot, I let Daichi drop to the ground like a man on his last leg.
Daichi slid down the wall of his building until he rested on his butt; legs bent in front of him. I kept my kunai out as Daichi took a few laborious breaths; studiously refusing eye contact. My kunai remained poised and ready in my grip until Daichi dug in his pocket, pulled out a little white packet, and tossed it at my feet. Only then did my kunai return to its holster.
Squatting, I kept my eyes on Daichi as I picked up the offering. My upper lip curled back when my skin came in contact with the packaging. It's been years since I last saw these. And I never thought about them until Ibiki and Anko brought them up. Why would I? There was never a need.
As I pocketed the 'prenatal vitamins' Daichi had to have the last word. "You got what you wanted. So, I better not see you around here again!".
But I was petty enough to not allow him even that much. "Oh, Daichi-San", I said; spatting out the honorific with heavy sarcasm. "Hasn't it sunk in yet?" He stared at me blankly to mask the fear. "You can't tell me what to do anymore".
With chakra aiding my departure, I jumped into the air and out of his sight. The darkness gave him no sense or sight of me as I ran up the side of the building before using the rooftops to leave the Red District behind me.
After delivering the pills to Tsunade, it took her and Shizune about a week to analyze them. "They're basically soldier pills", Tsunade announced; standing by the pod of desks in T&I headquarters as she presented their findings. "Except without any nutrients. It's designed to target the fetus specifically and infuse foreign chakra into the developing chakra network".
With my palm turned towards my face, I stared at my hand; thinking the thought everyone has politely not mentioned since this whole investigation started. Orochimaru and Danzo were linked through these pills. I was number forty-eight. My mother had a history of taking those pills. She hadn't wanted me…
"What would that do to an unborn baby?" Ibiki asked. He sat with his arms folded across his chest; giving Tsunade his full attention. Unlike Anko who was folding her latest mission report into a paper crane.
"Shock the system. Increase the fetal heart rate. Or stop the heart completely. The mother would be more likely to miscarry or go into premature labor too". Tsunade's countenance was grim as she spoke using the clinical side of her brain. Compartmentalizing. A necessary skill for any working with death or hardship. "Though without any specimens for autopsy, this is all speculation".
It wasn't a secret. My mom. Raising one kid was hard enough. But to keep two kids fed and clothed… Maybe it wasn't so much a matter of want. More of a consequence of practicality. She had to try to get rid of me. No Rion meant more food for her and Anzu. It meant not needing time to heal after giving birth. Which meant more customers and more pay. It wasn't personal. I kept reminding myself; staring at my hand.
"Rion is chakra adaptive", Shizune reminded the room; recalling a factoid from all the testing they made me undergo.
Nodding, Tsunade placed her hands on her hips. "It's a good theory". Feeling their eyes on me, I kept my focus on my hand. Shame I hadn't taken the opportunity to break Daichi's nose or a couple of fingers when I had the chance. I'll probably regret that for many years to come. "Chakra adaption is an uncommon trait. To date, we don't know what causes it. But with larger pathways and reduced sensitivity to foreign chakra exposure, that's probably why Orochimaru thinks his experiments can accept the souls of others".
Souls of others… Some monks believe souls are made up of chakra. There was some mention of this in our chakra theory lessons at the academy. But it wasn't a topic we dwelled on. Monks were non-violent by nature… most of them. So, why waste time learning when it wouldn't aid us in the field? We didn't discuss this theory much.
Shizune leaned forward like a student eager to provide the correct answer. "And those who are chakra adaptive can be trained to have a higher than average stamina and require less recovery time. Since large amounts of chakra flow through their pathways more efficiently. Which may explain Lord Danzo's involvement".
Gold star for Shizune. Yes, Danzo wanted to create perfect soldiers. His conditioning and training made them obedient, fearless, and free of all emotional burdens. But the pills, if we're following this theory, gave them physical boasts their enemies would lack.
Ibiki frowned; forehead creased in thought while Anko flicked her finished crane onto my desk. Lowering my hand, I looked in her direction. Only for Anko to shrug; bother flickering in her eyes as she reached for a second piece of paper. "None of this can be confirmed". Ibiki concluded. "The only victim we have access to is Rion. We would have to examine the others who survived. If they're all chakra adaptive, then…" Ibiki trailed off; letting everyone do the math in their own time.
Victim… It sounded awful. Being called one felt even worse. Though, I couldn't decide if I liked it less than being called an experiment. Reaching out, I started playing with the beak of the paper crane. What about the others? I asked myself. Presumably, there are at least forty-seven. Maybe even more. There could be a forty-nine. A fifty. Maybe number sixty-three was awake and wandering the streets right now; waiting to be old enough for Danzo to snatch them up.
"Correct", Tsunade answered as she fixed Ibiki with a serious stare. It was enough to have the stoic man sit up straight as if he'd been called to attention. "With the information those pills were able to provide, we have enough to open a public investigation. The Anbu in my personal service will arrest Danzo tonight before I announce the investigation".
Anko dropped her folded crane as if jolted by a bolt of electricity. "You mean we'll finally get to question the old geezer?"
"Yes". Tsunade couldn't help the corners of her lips curling up slightly at Anko's enthusiasm. "And with Danzo in custody, his foundation will be searched and his forces brought in for evaluation".
It was a lot. Something similarly felt as Shizune slumped in her seat and sighed. How many extra hours would we have to pull to see this through? Blood work, EEGs, Psych evals; everything they did to me would have to be replicated.
Though Ibiki appeared up to the challenge. "Danzo will have to be kept in the main cell here. We'll need additional space for his ninja; depending on how many you want us to process and how quickly".
"I'll have space available for T&I at the hospital. Though it may change if our advances are met with hostility", Tsunade said. It sounded like she had already thought this threw. Now, it was Tsunade who had her arms crossed under her chest as Ibiki rubbed the bottom of his chin.
"Anko", Ibiki began after a moment. "You and I will interview Lord Danzo together. We'll have to coordinate and stay organized. Most likely this will be a … conversation spanning multiple days". No was doubted what Ibiki meant by conversation. "We will also have to be diligent in our work at the hospital. We'll know more once we have a number of how many that'll be".
Anko threw a paper crane at him, which Ibiki swiped from the air and crushed in his hand without even blinking. "Yeah, yeah. I can multitask. No problem there". A feral grin stretched across Anko's face. "Just as long as we get to play with the more painful toys".
Sighing, Ibiki tossed the now wadded-up paper crane over his shoulder. I watched it sail through the air and land dead-center in the waste bin. Looks like that's one page of Anko's mission report she'll have to redo. "Pain is a last resort", Ibiki reminded her.
Pain had to be a last resort. Use it too soon and an interrogatee may break before all pertinent information was discovered. It was a balancing act. A game of control and rapport. One only Ibiki was a master of.
Flapping a hand at him, Anko seemed completely unbothered by her ruined crane. "I'll let you play your mind games all you want, Ibiki. But I'm breaking out the toys one way or the other".
"What do you want me to do?" I asked; blurting out as Ibiki began to scowl. It was necessary to cut off any lecture or teachable moment Ibiki might have decided to pursue. "Do you want me working at the hospital?"
Danzo was still out of my league. So, I wasn't foolish enough to ask. Besides, some of the components of being a living experiment were still unknown. Sure, great strides had been made since returning to the village. But what if there was something else Danzo could use against me that we'd yet to uncover? But the hospital was doable. I could interrogate Root members. At least the ones who weren't fully fledged yet.
Ibiki pinned me with a look. Serving as a cue that I wasn't going to like his answer. "Anko and I will be working overtime, so you'll have to keep up with our paperwork, your normal office tasks, and I want you to take missions".
"Why?" I challenged in a hard voice. Sure, the paperwork bit I expected. But... "We'll save time if I can do some of the interviews".
Ibiki didn't blink as he stared me down. "As of now, the only people you've questioned without supervision are civilians and genin. We are working with unknowns. Something you're not skilled enough to handle alone. Especially not in an interrogation room". Scowling, I felt my bottom lip wanting to poke out. But I gallantly bit down on it to keep it in place. "And the most obvious reason", Ibiki raised his voice ever so slightly; guaranteeing that he had my attention, "You're compromised".
Compromised. I snorted; ignoring the sympathetic looks from Shizune and Anko while Tsunade started fidgeting impatiently. Shizune recognized this was difficult. Anko understood the need for action. However, neither of them spoke up. Why? Because Ibiki was one hundred percent correct. I was tied up in all of this. I was a number. I was the initial clue. The risk of emotions, personal interest, or small-sightedness was too great.
"This investigation includes me", I argued; needing to try. "I should know what's going on".
"You will", Ibiki assured as Tsunade started to silently drum her fingertips on her arms. A non-verbal cue for us to speed things up. "You'll be processing all our paperwork. You'll read everything that was done and said". A small consolation but it was better than nothing. "And I'm not barring you from the investigation. Anko and I will keep you informed. Based on what we learn, we might have questions for you to answer as well".
Leaning back in my chair, I took a deep breath. Fine. At least it was better than before the invasion when Ibiki temporarily kicked me out of T&I. "You won't have any problems finding missions", Shizune offered. As if she felt the need to give more consolations. "Since Konoha is short on manpower and the village is still recovering, there are plenty of missions to choose from. Every active duty shinobi is a big help right now". Evidently, Shizune didn't know me very well. She seemed to have mistaken me with Naruto.
Deciding this was the end of the conversation, Tsunade moved away from the pod of desks. "Let's go, Shizune", she ordered as she walked behind me.
"Yes", Shizune agreed as she scrambled to her feet. "Right away, Lady Tsunade".
As they exited, Ibiki rose to his feet like a dignified war general. "Since I got the pills", I started to say before Ibiki could hide behind the doors of his office. "Does this mean you won't have to question my sister?"
"No", Ibiki answered. Not even bothering to give me the 'Are you stupid?' look that such a question deserved. "Her interview is scheduled. You will take a mission on that day". Ibiki took a few steps closer to his office. But then paused. Maybe because I was frowning. "Rion, your sister is a civilian", he reminded me. "And will be questioned as a witness. She'll be safe".
And then he turned his back; leaving just me and Anko at the pod of desks. Letting out a puff of air, Anko picked up a pen and reclaimed her paper crane from my desk. "Know what this reminds me of?" She asked.
"Utter lunacy", I guessed; glaring at my desktop as if waiting for it to come alive and attack. Though my answer was more reflective of my frustration than anything else.
There was a moment before Anko answered. Causing me to look up in question. Silence wasn't usual for Anko. She was normally fast with her finger on the trigger before anyone else had caught on to something being up. Her eyes were focused on the paper crane that needed to be unfolded. The hand that held her pen was pressed against the nape of her neck. "Orochimaru's curse mark", she said in her softest voice. Though her grip on her nape increased with every word. "His chakra is embedded in the mark. Just like those pills, not everyone who's bitten survives".
The glare slipped off my face and I had to lean back. Because wasn't that a terrifying correlation?