Konoha:
Hinata sat in her room and was rather bored. She had been ordered home after her training but had been ignored since then. It was a display of control and she knew it. Thankfully, their mission was tomorrow and that would keep her away for a few days.
Deciding to kill some time, she got up and made her way to the front of the compound. Maybe she would stop by the bakery and then visit her friends.
"Where do you think you're going?" A cold voice asked from behind her. Anger immediately bubbled up within her as she turned around and faced her father.
"Out." She answered just as coldly.
"Out, where?" Hiashi asked.
"I don't know yet." She answered, unable to keep the loathing out of her voice.
"I don't think so. You have training in an hour." Her father in a commanding tone. The past her would've been terrified, but she wasn't the same person she was three weeks ago. Her experience within The Depths and coming to terms with her true feelings had changed her. It was a small trigger but it was enough for a substantial change.
"I have a mission tomorrow. Training today would be ill advised." Hinata said, now rather bored with the whole conversation. Hiashi was rather taken aback by his daughter's new found insolence.
"It's a mere collections mission. And because of your tone, we will have training now." He had expected his daughter to start shaking or whimpering like she normally did whenever she had to train with him. So her bloodthirsty shark-like grin caught him by surprise.
"Well, if you insist, Lord Hyuuga." Her way of address was not lost on him either. This was the very first she called him anything else other than father.
The two made their way to the main branch dojo in utter silence. Hiashi walked in front and his daughter followed, as was customary but he could feel her malicious intent. While he was glad the girl had finally gained some sort of edge, her lack of subtlety was, as always, disappointing.
"We will be reviewing Rotation. This should be something you already know, but your lack of discipline has stalled your progress." He began.
"I've already mastered Rotation. I would like to begin practicing the Air Palm." Hinata said. Hiashi had had enough of his daughter's back talk and with blistering speed began to rain down blows upon her.
Only to be repelled by a perfectly executed Rotation, that sent him flying. Just as he regained his bearings, Hinata was upon him in a very familiar stance.
8 Trigrams 64 Palms
The girl was as a barrage of strikes, each one aimed with pinpoint precision at his chakra points. However, Hiashi wasn't Lord Hyuuga for nothing and blocked the attack with his own 8 Trigrams.
"128!" Hinata yelled in frustration, pushing herself, and straining her muscles and chakra. Her effort was rendered useless as her father blocked those as well. Exhausted from the effort, Hinata tried to backpedal to put some distance between them. In that split second, Hiashi attacked, landing a heavy blow to the girl's sternum, knocking the wind out of her and sending her tumbling to the ground.
Hinata popped back up on her feet in an instant. Panting and out of breath, she readied herself for the next round, ignoring how sluggishly her chakra was flowing and the pain that came with trying to forcibly reopen chakra points. Her face was set in a scowl and her Byakugan blazed with indignation. She took a step forward ready to initiate her next attack, this time using her newly acquired water chakra.
"That's enough."
The words caught her by surprise. It wasn't like the man to end training early, regardless of how tired or injured she was.
"I am satisfied with the progress you've made. Go. Enjoy your free time." Hiashi left the dojo and Hinata was left angrier than ever. The gap between them hadn't closed in the slightest. With nothing better to do, she resumed training on her own to work out some of her frustrations.
Flower's Landing:
Maruku made his way into Tensei's bar. He nodded at one of his employees. While he couldn't afford to actually pay wages, they were compensated by being allowed to sleep here and eat whatever food was left over from the night. To the people that had been previously homeless and starving, it was a pretty good deal.
Of course, keeping this place open was costing him more money than it was bringing in. Given the surrounding area, people didn't exactly have surplus money to go out to eat and drink. Especially at a place that had been of ill reputation.
So Maruku was surprised to see he had a customer, doubly so given the early evening hours. It was an old man, wrapped in bandages.
"Welcome sir. What can I get for you today?" Maruku asked politely. His employee shook his head rather indiscreetly, but he ignored him. They were not in a state where they could afford to turn away customers.
"Whiskey on ice, and perhaps a bit of company. An old man like myself doesn't get much opportunity to get out much." Maruku nodded and his bartender made the drink and poured the boy some cranberry juice.
"So what brings you to the Sky Spot?" He asked lightly, sipping his juice.
"Well… I'm an old man. My time is quickly running out and I wanted to do something meaningful before I croaked. I grew up in Flower's Landing, right here on Thorn Street. To see the state of this place saddens me. I want to invest in the community, leave one last mark on the world."
Maruku was quiet as he digested the stranger's words. He sipped his juice to buy time. This could be an opportunity. He couldn't let something like this pass him by.
"If that's the case, then perhaps you and I have business to discuss." Maruku prodded.
"Whatever do you mean?" The stranger asked.
"This place used to be a sort of community center before the old owner moved. Cleaning this place up would directly improve the state of the area." The boy said.
"If that's the case why not go to the bank and see if you can get approved for a loan?" The stranger asked.
"I'm sure I don't have to tell you, but Flower's Landing has been historically poor. Getting a loan for a business in this place would be impossible. The only reason this place is open at all is because I pay for it. I'm the only ninja from this area so going to the Hokage wouldn't work either as there wouldn't be any point investing in something that doesn't produce more ninja." Maruku said. Bitterness seeped into his voice and the room's temperature rose ever so slightly.
"I see. That is quite the conundrum. However, I think there is a solution to be found. I too used to be a ninja, therefore I know how important it is to rank up in order to sustain yourself and others. When I said I wanted to invest in the community, I didn't just mean its buildings." The stranger said.
"Well what did you mean?" Maruku asked, polishing off the last of his juice.
"I'll make you a deal. Become my apprentice, let me train you, and I will use my resources to save our home." The stranger said.
Maruku was silent as he thought about the proposition. If he became an apprentice, then there was a good chance that he would be separated from Team 8. To make that decision without their input would be extremely selfish.
"I need time to think about this." He said eventually.
"I would be surprised if you made the decision right now. When you've made your choice, burn this piece of paper." The stranger handed the boy a blank piece of paper and stood to leave.
"I never got your name." Maruku said, storing the paper away.
"You'll learn it when you've made your decision." The bandaged stranger said, disappearing in a gust of wind. Maruku sighed as the weight of the new situation settled upon him.
"I really hope I stop getting offers from strangers. One more and it's a habit." He said to himself.
The Next Day:
Team 8 met at the gate at the crack of dawn. "Now, this is just a simple collections mission but we're still going to be dealing foreign ninja so be on guard." Kurenai warned sternly.
"I thought the Hidden Waterfall were our allies?" Hinata asked with a small yawn. Kurenai shook her head. "They're not our enemies, but that doesn't mean they're our allies either." She corrected.
"If we move quickly, we can be there tomorrow, so let's go." Kurenai said, taking the lead and moving quickly. She was pleased that her students kept up with ease. They continued like this well into nightfall until they stopped. Learning from their experience from last time the genie made camp first before settling down. Each of them were off in their own little corners doing their own thing before bed before Maruku called them over.
"I have something for you all." He said. He handed everyone a bracelet.
"I'm not really a jewelry type of guy." Ichijin remarked.
"Shut up it has utility. It'll grow warm if someone wearing a connected bracelet vitals drops below their normal range and it'll pull like a magnet in that direction." They boy said, looking quite proud of his creation.
"It lets us know if the others are ok, or where to go if they aren't." Hinata summarized. The team took the bracelets with murmured thanks. Kurenai inspected the seal markings carefully. It was good work certainly, but it could be better. Seal masters were capable of making real time communication seals. She had previously let the boy develop his sealing abilities on his own but perhaps she would be more proactive on that front.
"Thanks, we'll put it to good use." Kurenai said, putting it on her arm. The boy nodded and went back to sit by the fire. As everyone settled in for the night, Kurenai took first watch while her students slept.
She couldn't help but notice the effect Sparking had on her student's bodies. Ichijin had lost weight and it hampered his physical condition slightly. Maruku had put on some muscle but now even the simplest of genjutsu seemed to be outside of his abilities.
If Sparking was an imbalance of physical and spiritual energies like how Anko hypothesized, then Kurenai would need to work on enriching their weaker sides. Maybe that would offset things at least temporarily.
The Next Day:
Team 8 arrived at the Hidden Waterfall village early the next morning. The landscape consisted of lush green fields, gently flowing rivers, and roaring waterfalls. Overall, the country was peaceful and zen-like. The actual village itself was built on a plateau with a lake in the center that gave way to four different waterfalls.
They were guided up the northernmost waterfall through a passage used for trading. Taking in the sights of the village, there were festive decorations set up and people seemed in cheerful spirits.
"What's going on?" Hinata asked their guide curiously.
"The Festival of Masks starts today. Every year from today until next week we have this festival to celebrate the beginning of our village and the calamities it's overcome. We also celebrate our dead at this time. We raise our voices and our spirits so we can let those who've passed on know we're ok, that despite how saddened we are by their loss, we can still manage to press on and live our lives."
"That's beautiful. We don't have traditions like this back home." Maruku said, his eyes shining with interest.
"Perhaps after you're business is concluded, your teacher may allow you to participate." At this all three genin turned to look at Kurenai with puppy dog eyes. She wasn't fazed of course but she wanted to reward their effort for trying.
"We'll see." Was all she said as they entered the administration complex. "Wait here, too many foreign ninja meeting the leader of a hidden village is a bad look." Kurenai said, leaving her students with their guide and going off on her own.
"So what sort of things do you do at the festival?" Maruku asked. Their guide smiled slightly at the boy's interest.
"Best for you to find out for yourself." Before Maruku could press for more information, Kurenai returned.
"We can stay for a bit but don't forget we're on a mission or that we're in a ninja village." Kurenai warned sternly. The genin nodded excitedly before dashing off into the city.
Hidden Waterfall:
Maruku looked at a selection of masks with interest. So far there wasn't anything that caught his attention. "What are you looking for lad?" The vendor asked. Maruku shrugged, not sure.
"Well, you're a ninja aren't you. In that case you'll want to take part in the Beetle Cup. It's a tournament of sorts for people like you. Here, take this, free of charge."
"Are you sure?" Maruku asked, taking a mask that depicted some sort of cat monster.
"Of course, I want everyone to enjoy the festival."
"Thank you, I'll put it to good use." Maruku said, putting the mask on. He wandered around for a bit, eating fried food, and playing various games. Eventually he came across a group of people who were writing on lanterns.
"What are you doing?" He asked an old man.
"I'm writing a message to my son. He died in the war and I want to make sure his spirit can rest peacefully." Maruku suddenly felt embarrassed that he had asked such a personal question.
"Here. Write something, anything. After all, that dreadful war took someone from everyone. I'm sure you have someone you want to let know that you're ok." The old man said, handing the boy a blank lantern.
Maruku took it and the brush with care. "Tensei. Where are you? Are you ok? Why did you leave me?"
The thoughts came rushing to him suddenly. He felt small and uncertain. Maruku hadn't realized that Tensei's sudden abandonment had hurt him this much. He had been so preoccupied with other things that he hadn't slowed down to analyze his own feelings.
With all these thoughts floating around his head, he wrote on the lantern. "Thank you." He said handing the brush back.
"No worries lad. Live proud."
Maruku continued on his way, stopping occasionally to help people put up decorations or to learn more about the village. It was strange being able to interact with complete strangers without hostile looks or malicious whispering. Things like this didn't happen back home.
It progressed into late afternoon as he saw a crowd of people begin to move through the streets. "What's happening? He asked a stranger in a horned beetle mask.
"The Beetle Cup is starting soon; people are going to find seats or register." They responded.
"How do you register?" He asked. The stranger tilted their head. "Follow me. If you can." They blurred from sight in a burst of speed. Maruku instantly gave chase, keeping hot on their trail. The stranger led him around in circles for a bit and tried using a clone technique to deter him but he wasn't fooled.
The stranger was giving off quite a bit of chakra, so much so that even a novice could sense them. Eventually the stranger stopped at a multistory building.
"Well done. I didn't think you could actually keep up. Registration is on the second floor. I'll see you in the ring." The stranger vanished, leaving Maruku alone to register.
Now that he had signed up, he sat in the waiting area as the first matches begun. Something about beetle masked stranger bothered him. He couldn't put his finger on it. All he knew was that something felt off.
He didn't have time to think about it as his number was called for his match. Maruku made his way downstairs to the arena,m. There was cheering crowd with almost all of the wearing different themed masks.
His opponent was wearing the mask of a swan and took a fighting stance that was instantly recognizable.
"Hinata?" He asked too quietly to be heard over the noise of the crowd. Hinata nodded, reading his lips with her Byakugan. A grin came to his face subconsciously and his heart began to pound with excitement.
Team 8 had purposely avoided fighting one another so the chance to do so was highly enticing. Anticipation swelled within him and his body began to ache. The noise of the crowd faded away into faint background noise and the sights of the arena became nothing more that white space as he completely focused on his teammate.
Distantly he heard the signal to begin and he moved. He exploded with heat as he began to engage Hinata in taijutsu. During his training within The Depths, he had figured out a way to add fire chakra to his Hollow Barrier for a dangerous defensive ability.
It helped offset the worse drawbacks of Gentle Fist and allowed him to fight Hinata without worrying about having his chakra network shut down. The hardest part was actually hitting the girl as she masterfully avoided his strikes.
They were in a bit of a stalemate as neither could hit the other. Hinata couldn't touch the Flame Barrier without getting burnt and Maruku couldn't hit the because of her flowing style. That was the case until Maruku's movements started to speed up. He had activated the Inverse Limit seal without realizing it.
Doing so cost him his defense and Hinata was able to land some decent shots but Maruku couldn't feel any of it. Pain didn't exist for him as he grabbed Hinata's wrist and broke it. She yelped in pain and sent a current of lightning chakra through her body to try and force him off.
Maruku raised his hand in a chop and it became engulfed in plasma, generating a tremendous heat. He brought his hand down in a severing motion, intent on finishing his opponent.
His kill was interrupted as the beetle masked stranger held him place with surprising strength. "That's enough. Save some for me." They said, keeping their grip strong.
Maruku couldn't help but struggle. To him, everyone in front of him was an enemy to be eliminated. To fight and destroy to his full capabilities was the only thing that occupied his mind. The seal on his right hand began to activate. Before it could take place, everything went dark.
Later:
Maruku woke up in a dimly lit room with a pounding headache. He tried getting to his feet only to find he was chained to a wall.
"Easy there. The more you struggle the tighter those restraints get."
He froze at the sound of the warbled voice, recognizing it immediately. "You!" He spat venomously. The masked stranger of the Arashi Foundation stepped into his field of vision.
"Long time no see." They greeted cordially. Maruku snarled, spitting weak embers as he did so as he tried to lash out at his recurrent kidnapper. His restraints tightened and sent a strong blast of electricity coursing through him. He howled in pain as he was electrocuted.
"I warned you. Look, I'm not here to hurt you. I just want to talk." The stranger said. Seeing as he had no choice but to listen, he tried to calm down but he was still shaking from his recent shock.
"You know, Tensei had recommended you to me based on your burgeoning sealing talent. He's trustworthy enough for me to take him at his word." The pain in Maruku's body vanished as he zeroed in on the stranger's words.
"Where is he? Is he alive?" He croaked out, his voice raw from his screaming. The stranger tilted their head at his questions.
"You know I can't answer that. Not without you joining me that is. But I didn't bring you here to discuss that. Did you know that you're dying?" The stranger said. Maruku was befuddled at the sudden question.
"What are you talking about? I'm just fine." He snapped.
"You're Sparking and you're clearly not in control of it." The stranger replied with an obvious tone of voice that even the voice modulator couldn't mask.
"What the hell is Sparking?" He asked, impatience coloring his tone. The masked stranger went very quiet and radiated a quiet fury. The stranger took a few steps closer and he cringed, anticipating the strike that would come. But it never did, instead the stranger placed a gentle but strong hand on his shoulder.
"I am so sorry. I wasn't aware you didn't know. I can't believe no one told you when the signs are so obvious." Their voice was quieter and somehow seemed filled with empathy. It only served to confuse Maruku further and a small pit of ice formed in his stomach as if was anticipating bad news.
"Your village has failed you yet again. Very few people experience the Sparking phenomenon, and even less survive. For no one to tell you that your life is in danger is the sort of shit I can't stand." The stranger said, still in that same strange tone of voice.
"But what is Sparking?" He asked quietly. To his shock the stranger finally removed their mask revealing a brown skinned girl with mint green hair and strange orange eyes.
"Wow, you look like me." He blurted out. The girl chuckled at his outburst. "Not in the slightest. This is just your first-time meeting someone with a similar complexion. My name is Fuu and we have a lot to talk about." Fuu said, sitting down next to him. With a single strike she severed the chains that bound him.
Maruku rubbed his sore and aching wrist and he thought about what to do next. His body was still a bit unresponsive due to the electrocution and every instinct he had told him there was no way he could beat Fuu even if he was at full strength. He had no choice but to listen to what she had to say.
"Back to your question. Sparking is rather complicated but it's completely natural. Before we get into that, what do you know about the Tailed Beasts?" Fuu asked. There was an intensity within her eyes that put him on edge.
"Not much." He began carefully. "I know the Nine-Tails attacked the Leaf a few years which is probably the reason why I don't have any parents. I know they can be sealed away. That's the ultimate form of mastery when it comes to sealing jutsu." Maruku said, unable to look away from Fuu's eyes.
"That's basically right but there's a bit more to it. Tailed Beasts are a mass of malice and chakra. Their chakra leaks from them and mixes with natural energy. People who have an aptitude for nature energy absorb a bit of this polluted energy and it causes Sparking."
"Are you saying I've been absorbing Tailed Beast chakra?!" Maruku asked in alarm. Fuu laughed but it wasn't malicious.
"It's not much. In fact, it's almost minuscule, but the mix is enough to upset the balance between physical and spiritual energy which is very dangerous. Besides, even if you were absorbing a large amount of Tailed Beast chakra you'd be fine. You're already suited to be a perfect host." Fuu said. A bitterness entered her voice and she took his hand in her own.
"What do you mean?" He asked, unable to hide his curiosity. Fuu held out her other hand and a luminous ball of blue energy appeared. The light it generated was blinding and it hurt to look directly at it. But that was nothing compared to the heat it generated. It dried the air around them and he started to choke on the hot air. Fuu quickly cut the power and the air slowly returned to normal.
Fuu looked at him patiently as she waited for him to put the pieces together. "Was that Plasma Style?" He asked rhetorically.
If he had The plasma Style, and Fuu had Plasma Style that had to mean they were at least distantly related which meant there was a possibility that there were others who had Plasma Style. Which would mean a family or clan.
"Holy shit." He whispered. Fuu nodded emphatically as she fully understood the weight of her revelations. "Does this mean we're cousins?" He asked nervously. Fuu gave a small smile and nodded. Before he could ask anymore questions she stood up.
"I'd really like for us to talk more but our time has grown short. Listen, you've only seen the faintest of shadows. You haven't experienced the real darkness that rots within the five great nations but when you do, I'll be there to pull you out of it. Take this and whenever you feel scared or trapped say the words "Storm Front." Fuu shoved the monster cat mask into his satchel and pinched a nerve on his neck. Darkness consumed him once more as he fell unconscious.
Kurenai was livid. One of her students was badly injured and another was missing. Surprisingly enough only Ichijin had managed to keep himself out of trouble.
"Hinata. You need to tell me who did this to you. If it was a Waterfall ninja then we have a very serious issue." She tried again. Hinata shook her head, refusing to answer yet again. It was beyond frustrating that the girl she had helped look after was refusing a direct order.
The door to their room opened and Kurenai shot up in a defensive stance, drawing a kunai as she did so. She relaxed ever so slightly as her missing student walked in.
"Where have you been?" She hissed out, more than a little stressed. Maruku looked confused as he caught sight of Hinata with her wrist in a cast and bandages wrapped around her entire arm.
"What happened?" He asked, concerned. Hinata gave him an incredulous look like he was some sort of idiot.
"That's what I've been trying to figure out, however she's been rather uncooperative. But enough of that I asked you a question. Where have you been?" Kurenai said in a steely voice.
"I was at the festival. I didn't know when we needed to be back." Maruku lied. He couldn't risk anyone finding out his connection to Fuu and the Arashi Foundation. Kurenai got up, crossed the room and slapped him across the face.
"Lie again and see what happens. I will not ask you a third time." Her voice was dangerous as she continued to invade his personal space.
Maruku remained silent as he tried to keep his temper under control. He tried desperately but it was for naught as blood started pumping and all his attention zeroed in on his teacher. The brief disciplinary action had triggered a Sparking reaction and he desperately wanted to fight. A vicious heat filled the room, and his sealing tattoos started to activate. Before he could take any action, Kurenai stopped him by knocking him out in a single blow.
She looked back to Hinata, a scowl on her face. "Did he do this to you?" The girl denied it desperately but everyone saw straight through her. Kurenai frown deepened and she turned to Ichijin. "Pack everything up. We're done here." The boy rushed to comply not wanting to draw the angry woman's ire.
"You can walk so let's go." She told Hinata without looking at her. She hoisted her unconscious student over her shoulder and waited for Ichijin to finish his task. Needless to say that she was deeply disappointed in all of them.
The trek back to the village was done in complete silence as Kurenai had forbidden anyone to speak. When they got back home she marched them right up to the Hokage tower.
"Team 8 here to report, mission status complete." Kurenai said, handing the Hokage a small package that had a faint ominous red glow.
Hiruzen took one look at the squad and had to repress a sigh. He was out of tobacco so he wasn't really equipped to deal with the nonsense today. "Anything else?" He asked tiredly, praying for a negative answer.
"There were a few complications that I need to speak to you about privately." Kurenai said.
"Goddamn it."
Hiruzen shooed the children out of the room and Kurenai gave them a warning to not go too far. "Now what is it?" He asked.
"His Sparking is out of control. He badly injured one of his teammates. Hiashi is going to be pissed once she returns home."
Hiruzen very badly wanted to bang his head on the desk. The situation was bad enough without clan politics. If one was this bad it wouldn't be too much longer before the other lost control as well.
"I'm hereby suspending your squad from active duty until further notice. I'm sorry but I have no other option. I will assign them masters better suited for their growth." Hiruzen said grimly.
"Also why you three really shouldn't eavesdrop, it could land you in serious trouble." The door opened suddenly and the junior members of Team 8 tumbled onto the floor. There was immediate yapping from all three of them, either trying to apologize for getting caught listening or trying to explain why their squad shouldn't be disbanded.
"My decision is final. Take this time to reflect upon yourselves so that when you come together again, you won't make the same mistakes." The Hokage said sternly, his patience running thin.
"You are all dismissed."
The genin left in a hurry but Kurenai left at a more subdued pace. She was still reeling from the fact that she had essentially lost her squad and that the fate of two of them were up in the air. Everything she had worked to prevent had come to fruition.
While Kurenai was fuming, her now former genin had convened at Ichijin's shop where they were rightfully freaking out.
"This is bullshit!" Ichijin raged, throwing a cup against a wall and breaking it. "I agree, this is really bad." Hinata said, a scowl on her face. The two looked at Maruku who was oddly quiet.
"Why aren't you more upset? You're dying and Kurenai-sensei knew it and didn't tell you. You should be mad!" Ichijin groused, shaking his friend.
"I am mad. But there's nothing to be done about it now. I'm more worried about you Hinata. What's your father going to say when he finds out you've been suspended?" He asked quietly.
The girl shrunk in on herself a bit. "I'll be branded with the branch seal and be made into a servant." She shook her head with disgust. "I'd rather die than let that happen."
A sudden flare sparked within him. "I won't let that happen. Active duty or not, I won't lose a single one of my friends." Maruku said with determination.
"That's great and all, but what are we going to do about you?" Ichijin asked.
"Give me a little time and I'll get back to you on that. There are some things I need to consider." He said leaving through the window.