They battle for two days and two nights, cave long destroyed and blood curdling on the stone floor. Just a few meters to the left was the severed end of a snake's tail, a large stone pike nailing it to the ground when she tried to halt the White Snake Sage's movements to land the final blow.
The Snake's lower half was skewered and bleeding, its skin and body fraying to the side in two, its former pristine white scales were dyed bloody red, even brown where it dried. It was only thanks to Senjutsu that the Snake was even able to function, let alone battle.
Tamako herself wasn't doing so hot, hair matted with sweat, grease and blood. Her bangs stuck uncomfortable on her forehead, her hair slicked back and glued to her neck awkwardly. Her clothes were in shambles, she looked more homeless than she did against her battle with Pein.
She had formed several forests that broke through the cave, causing a good portion of it to cave in and collapse while they took their battles to the mountains. Her suiton had flooded the lower ground below, creating a large lake where she continuously used to fuel her jutsus. But even while her body naturally absorbed and converted nature energy to normal chakra, she had thrown her weight around for far too long and had been feeling the aftereffects since last night.
Her lungs burned, feet blistering, and her cheeks raw. Tamako heaved deeply, her palms resting on her knees as the Snake before her finally collapsed to the ground. She slowly walked forward and rebalanced herself upright. "Do you admit defeat?" Tamako asks lowly, sun high and casting shadows on her face. "If you give me your allegiance, I shall heal you."
The White Snake Sage scoffed, its body shaking in vibrations at the effort before letting out a low wheeze. "You think the exalted one such as myself shall bow to a lower species?" Its eyes faded in depth, darkening. "I'd rather die."
The Snake let out one last exhale, its entire body slouching into the ground and stilled. Tamako fell to the ground on her back, breathing deeply and uncaringly in how the dirt clung to her body. It was a close battle.
Tamako had begun to realize that her Hiraishin moved faster than she could react. In the early part of the battle, she had used a similar strategy she had used on the Third Trial, using doton to sandwich the larger snake to land a deadly blow. But after two Hiraishin's, the Snake had read her movements and successfully coiled its tail and whipped at her like a spring, sending her plowing through two mountains. She had to thank her makeshift crystal she had grown on the surface of her skin that took the blow, without it, she would've been bisected in half.
After that, she used her Hiraishin in less obvious ways, spraying them across the battlefield and withholding the fact that she could use a chakra tattoo to imprint the seal wherever her palms touched. It was only with that secret, she was able to split the Snake's bottom in half, severely halting the Snake before wrapping up the battle in a battle of attrition.
She slowly heaved herself to at least be upright and stared at the dead body of the large snake. Part of its body was half wrapped around a semi-mountain she had created in hopes to crush her alive, the sheer size of the White Snake Sage still surprised her even now. Her chakra slowly coaxed out of her core, rushing through each limb and crevice as her body glowed a light green, scrapes and the like sizzling shut. She felt a few broken ribs, but she could tend to those later. Her body ran hot, killing any infections she could've gotten the past two days and finally, wipes the sweat that coated her back by shrugging off her top's sleeves and whatever that was left of it. Her modesty was thankfully covered by her old-fashioned bandages she had wrapped around her modest-size chest, but it was a little loose with how much energy and sweat she had exerted. She looked sadly upon how her top limply fell and hung from hips, being held only by her pants.
She should probably go shopping for real next time she lands herself at a village… when she has the money at least. She was broker than broke.
She flinched, feeling several dozen presence reach her and she stood up, nearly tripping at the movement before squinting at the sight. Several snakes of all various colors and sizes slithered up around her, surrounding her in a circle. Tamako sensed no malice, but she should be careful. She had killed their leader after all, even if it was in fair combat.
"Ssstrong." Their voices hissed out. "Champion." A few of them nodded at each other, turning to her with narrowed eyes. "You have defeated the Sage in combat, gaining the right to consume." The masses of snakes sleuthed out the word consume in echoing whispers.
A smaller snake slithered up to her feet, hissing. They were white in color with bright red eyes, so small that its body length could only curl around her palm and fingers, head shaped like a narrow leaf. "I am Akaba, daughter of the Sage." Her pronged tongue sneaked out like murmur, "I shall teach you Senjutsu." She pointed at the massive body with the tilt to her head, "But first, prepare for the consumption."
Tamako turns to the still corpse. How the hell was she supposed to… consume that? It was latent with nature energy, any child who walked up to the corpse would turn to stone immediately. She'd probably have to process it some way.
"We snakes have seen many challengers such as yourself, but only a few have ever contended in battle. Only you have completed all three trials and defeated the Sage." Another snake approaches her slowly, dark violet in color with dark red markings on its side. Massive in size, it towered over her menacingly. It opened its jaws wide open, and slowly, a massive glass jar slowly shifted out of its body and onto the ground. It left a crater on landing, so large that it was nearly the same height as the Hokage Tower. How the hell was something like that just sitting casually in that snake? It was big sure, but that had to be uncomfortable.
Several smaller snakes slithered to the top of the open jar, their fangs biting the rim as venom pulsed and collected at the very bottom. "The greatest honor we can give to the Sage is to consume." The large snake turns to her, his voice loud and clear. "The process will take one week."
She raised an eyebrow. They were making was is subsequently snake wine, shouldn't it take at least three months for it to clear? At her look, the snake offers her a dull look. "Our venom hastens the process."
"Ah." She responds, that was still too long. If she recalls correctly from her days in another life, temperature was important in fermentation. Perhaps she could construct something to maintain a higher temperature than this new mountain that the snake'll have to live in now since she had collapsed and flooded the cave beneath the lake.
But that was a thought for later, she was exhausted. Several snakes slowly heaved the White Sage's body into the jar, wrapping her long body around and around inside before shutting the jar close.
Uneasily, Tamako watches the smaller snake, Akaba, slither up her leg and perch itself onto her shoulder. The little snake's tongue flicked at her cheek, "Unlike my mothers, my bite takes away built up nature energy." She coils softly around her neck, "I shall teach you Senjutsu and ensure you are not consumed by it."
The small little snake is gentle unlike her very large, very old, very haughty and very dead mother. Not exactly kind, but gentle in a way that has Tamako relaxing. There is no evil intent, and no one is exactly angry at their Leader's death. They look at her with impressed eyes, if not a little contempt.
Tamako rests for a day, and the next, she trains. With three out of the seven days already used up, she holds up both hands into Naruto's favorite sign. Shadow Clone Jutsu.
Seven of her pops out, their expressions mirroring her own as they fold themselves into a meditative pose. It takes just a few seconds for one clone's face to grow scales and Akaba quickly bites down, absorbing the nature energy as her clone's features turn back to normal. Another clone's face narrows into a pin-shape and Akaba bites again.
It goes on like this for three days, each pop gifts her the experience of molding Senjutsu. What to do, what not to do. Nature energy is so easily accessible to her, but so difficult to mold in the correct way. Her body's natural response to nature energy was to slowly convert it into her pools, but Senjutsu was to mold the correct ratio of spiritual energy, physical energy and then nature energy.
Her clones try multiple ratio's; 40:40:10, 30:30:40, 35:35:30, yet she couldn't exactly get it right. Too little, and she starts to adopt snake-like features. Too much, and her body turns to stone.
The ratio needed for Senjutsu was extremely precise, but there were only so many ratio's to go through when spiritual and physical energy had to be equal. Three days, and one of her seven clones makes a breakthrough. Dark purple paints her lids, her eyes a golden hue with slitted pupils and the smallest of horns sticking behind her ears.
Her clone focuses a little more before dispelling, and Tamako could feel everything. Every little snake slithering around, the birds perched nearby, even the smallest ant carrying its find to its nest, she could feel it.
There's the smallest smile on her face as she stares at herself using the pool of water, tracing the dark paint and rubbing the horns behind her ears. She understood why Senjutsu was so difficult to learn. It required the perfect three way split of all three energies, and constantly had to be maintained to gather Senjutsu. The paint dissipates, her horns recede and Akaba gives her a little snake smirk. "Mother was a fool to refuse you." Her body slithers around her neck and rests with her eyes closed. "See to Muraba."
Muraba was that massive snake from before, the one that somehow threw up a jar big enough to fit the White Snake Sage. The one that told her to make alcohol out of their ex-leader. From what Aoba, Sasuke's favorite summoning, said, Muraba was his brother in some way shape or form. After the death of Manda, who was their father (and Tamako could see it, Muraba was almost identical except of black lines, he had red) and ex-boss of Ryūchi Cave, there had been a power vacuum that the two had pretty much stepped away from. Aoba was disinterested and Muraba was more interested in tasting the fine wines the world has to offer..
That sounds a little familiar. "So turning your ex-leader into wine is something new?"
Aoba shrugged by tilting his head down, his tail waving in the air. "Not exactly, Tamako-sama." Tamako almost preened at name, petting Aoba's nose as the snake somehow purrs. "In a battle of contention, the winner would usually consume the loser whole, but since you are human, that isn't possible." His pronged tongue pokes out as he smells the immediate area. "Although crude, the art of wine making allows the entire cave to partake in the consumption." He nuzzles closer, eyes closed. "Muraba is introducing you to the snakes in a way they'll accept you." Then, his slitted eyes open just slightly. "And maybe he wants to taste what a thousand year snake sage tastes like." At his words, Aoba's tongue peaks out again. "I'm also curious too."
She summons a crystal finch to let Sasuke know she's alive and on the ninth day, she holds a cup of burgundy color. The smell is as strong as rice wine and the taste even more, both simultaneously a hint of sweetness like chrysanthemum and bitterness as the aftertaste. But when it hits the back of her throat, it burns but in a really good way. It's a little earthy, a hint of tartness from the berries she had foraged and thrown in the jar as the last tone and goes down warm. On her third cup, she gets a hit of citrus and she's hooked.
The snakes around her seem to share her sentiment with Muraba going as far as to claim that the Sage's usage of nature energy for the past millennium developed the earthy hues into light sweet. Tamako doesn't care, this is the best thing she's ever drunk.
At the end of the night, there's hundreds of snakes varying in sizes, sprawled out like some horror scene, drunker than a college frat party, singing off tune, hiccuping and Tamako can't help but feel nostalgia at the scene. The Snakes weren't so evil after all, they didn't want to eat her alive, and a lot of them didn't really care for human flesh but rather the quality of chakra.
They loved her chakra, they loved the wine she had gifted them, and they pledged allegiance to her power. Muraba coiled contently beside the jar, nuzzling into it as the night waned. "Let me be your exclusive main summon." The large snake says, body riveting as he uncurls. "I shall fight any battle of yours, and in return, share your wine and travels."
Tamako quirks a smile. "Of course." And the Snake mirrors her smile with a deep bow, letting her fingers smooth over the scales at the tip of his nose.
Maybe she was wrong about snakes in the beginning.
They were just adorable.
. . .
There's a buzz of nervousness in Sasuke's body that he couldn't control. It didn't help that Orochimaru was pretty much breathing down his neck at every given moment since he arrived. He didn't know what that snake wanted, but he wasn't keen on giving anything up.
His fingers ran through his hair, pulling at it to soothe himself. It only helped a little. He now understood what Tamako felt when she had to deal with him. At that thought, he winces and an apology grows inside him.
Apologies, I'm sorry, things like that… he'd been saying a lot.
He was half tempted to summon a snake to see if they knew anything about Tamako, but as the days ticked by, that temptation nearly overtook him. The only thing that stopped him, was a gaudy finch pecking out Suigetsu's eyes.
A quick squawk, water splashing and finally, the finch dove to the ground, shattering itself. Its dust slowly wafted in the air, and after a few seconds, finely crushed crystal dust created words that were both relieving and annoying.
Safe. More Time.
That's it.
Three fucking words.
He withheld a curse and went back to his hand exercises. Sasuke managed to get away from Orochimaru's prying eyes at his prosthetic, but now he just didn't care. After fending off Suigetsu's pesting for sparring, Karin's stubborn adoration and even Jugo's soft prodding for another two days, Tamako finally comes back.
His first impression is that she felt different. Sharingan out, he spies the chakra around her to be more focused than it was before. From her self-satisfied smile, he'd figured that she mastered it somehow.
When she declares it was time to get wasted, he is not impressed.
He had no idea why his brother was so hung up on her. Okay maybe he did, but that was beside the point. From all these years of knowing each other, he thought he had a solid understanding of the girl. She was strong, gifted and driven. He doesn't know exactly how long she'd been playing the long game, but she came out victorious if not a little mentally insane because as soon as the war ended, or perhaps it was in the middle of it, she had gone crazy.
Gone are the days of soft reassurance and pretending like the whole world rested on her shoulders, gone are the days she acted like a mother hen to him and anyone else she got her hands on. Gone are the days where she threw herself to one suicide mission after the other because now, she was divulging herself into a different type of suicide.
He thought she was bad at the get-together that Naruto somehow put together, and it was a little concerning that someone he looked up to, turned into that.
It all began when she arrived at the stuffy cave, sneezing and coughing at the build-up of dust. "Seriously, how long have you guys been in here? This cannot be good for your health."
Karin immediately latches onto Tamako and careens her neck so hard to press herself against the taller girl while Suigetsu looks on, unimpressed. Both he and Jugo watched the scene silently.
"This is no good! No good at all!" Both hands on her hips, she smiles widely in a way he was used to, the one he recognized, the one that comforted him. At least she wasn't crying anymore. Whatever Itachi said to her worked, and he was thankful. "Why don't we take off to Kiri now?"
At her suggestion, Sasuke immediately jumped on, he's been waiting to get out of this stuffy hellhole. The girl was an excellent traveling partner. Whenever it rained, she constructed a homey house for them to rest, but when it wasn't, she always reasoned that sleeping with the grass to your back was the best way to experience traveling. The smell of morning dew and the soft cries of a stream nearby was the best way to wake up to.
He agrees, but he'll never voice it outloud.
In an unfortunate turn of events, all of ex-Taka joined, and while Jugo was perfectly fine to travel with, Suigetsu and Karin were not. From arguments that went on and on, Sasuke almost rolled his eyes. Suigetsu was even worse than the Hyuuga girl at hiding their emotions. It was obvious that Suigetsu fancied Karin just a little, by the way he always seemed to tease her at every quip she gave about either Tamako or himself. If he recalls, Suigetsu had voiced out to search for Karin after they had defeated Kabuto, citing that all of this "wasn't fun." It reminded him of his academy days, where some of the boys pulled a girl's hair. Suigetsu was that, an academy student.
"Isn't that right, Sasuke?"
He blinks, turning his gaze to her and grunts.
"Karin, can't you take a hint? Sasuke doesn't care."
"S-shut your trap, Suigetsu!"
The sun dips past the tree and rather than listen to whatever argument the two were having, Sasuke was feeling peckish.
Clearly, Tamako had the same idea, and judging by the glint to her eyes, Sasuke felt a little worried. "Why don't we call it for tonight?" Her hands clap together and wood grows beneath their feet, forming a solid platform before they stretch high and connect into a roof with a circular opening at the very tip. He eyed a shallow hole where the wood formed an open square, just big enough for a fire.
No matter how many times he saw it, Mokuton truly was too handy.
"Woah, that's amazing!" Suigetsu gruffs out, tapping the walls with his knuckles before taking a seat.
Karin smirks, arms crossed as she adjusts her lens, "Hmf, of course it is!"
He lights the fire with a small katon, and although he knew Tamako was fully capable of doing it herself, he didn't exactly want to stay idle. She gives him a nod and pulls out a scroll, unsealing it to reveal a large plate with countless uncooked skewers and sticks them near the fire.
The camp get's quiet as the huddle around the fire, the Water border always ran a little cold and misty. Suigetsu loved every second of it since he didn't have to rest so often or take in so much fluids, but even Sasuke, who always ran a little hot thanks to his lineage, found himself wrapped up in his cloak a little tighter than usual.
Then, Tamako unseals something large. He turns on his Sharingan for a better look and almost blanches at the sight. A quarter barrel keg.
It was made of crystal and was completely translucent with the smallest hint of purple. The liquid inside was slightly tinted like a chestnut and the smell was… it was slightly sweet and spicy.
He perked up in interest when he felt some sort of signature emitting from the keg. It was smooth and clear that even him, someone who wasn't a latent sensor, could sense. Karin's jaw dropped and inched forward. "What is that?" Her fingers twitched before they pushed back her glasses. Sasuke leaned in for an answer, he was curious too.
"So you know that White Snake Sage that Orochimaru and Kabuto talked about?"
He recalls, the most ancient snake within Ryūchi Cave. Strong and dangerous, that snake was his biggest worry of last week. Even Orochimaru said that the snake was more deadly than him. From the mumbles of Kabuto from back then, he knew that the White Sage would've eaten Tamako alive if she failed. He offers her a short curd nod.
Her grin grows frightening fast, eyes cresenting at the motion. "I killed her and turned her to wine."
At her words, the entire group coughs.
She holds out a cup, sloshing in that almost addictive smell. "You'll only have once in a lifetime chance to drink snake wine made out of a thousand-year white snake sage." Her brows wiggle tauntingly and Suigetsu falls for it immediately. He grabs it from her hand, sips it hesitantly before drowns it like a drowning man.
After that, his memory is hazy.
He knows at one point, the cup has made its round in a full circle thrice, Tamako too drunk, or stupid, to make another cup and they all share. The girl becomes a whole new person after alcohol, and thankfully, she at least hid her medicinal plants well enough that after scrambling for a few minutes, she sunk to the ground in sorrow.
He knows it's so irresponsible of them to drink like this in the middle of nowhere in the Water Country, but it felt so easy to relax after a week of constant panic and worry. So easy to fall into a soft lull when Tamako fingers brush through his hair, combing the edgy spikes and pulling softly at his scalp. Her fingers twist and soon, she begins to braid his longer pieces before finding her hand-eye coordination too low and leans on him as the alcohol settles in comfortably.
Their group falls into soft pauses, a respite that only they knew. The crickling of the fire, cracking and popping and filling the wooden cabin. The muted whispers between Karin and Tamako as the two converse, speaking of their dreams and wants.
His heart almost pulls when Tamako admits that it was one of her dreams to see him like this: brows relaxed and smooth, mouth curved upright and not the other way around.
Inside, questions just seem to bubble and explode. Why? Why do you still care? I'm horrible, ugly and disgusting. Unexpectedly, it wasn't all inside, and rather spilled out. He said those words, outloud and her own brows softened. "Oh Sasuke, don't you remember?" She pulls him close, his head resting in the crook of her neck and she holds him tight like how Itachi had held him when he was younger when he was oblivious to the world and its problems. "We were all kids once, even me." Her hand pats the back of his head in a lax way, "Some way back, I realized that no one was stepping up for kids like us. If we let the cycle continue, it'll always end in bloodshed and tears." She says these words while holding him warm and tight to his ears and self, it all just feels like a juxtaposition. Her, who becomes clingy and soft after alcohol where her defenses are low, wasn't it just a reflection of the loneliness she held within? She must sense his thoughts because she laughs, "So I stepped up, did what many adults failed to do. In hopes that one day, maybe someone will step up for me too."
"Wow, so our great leader himself has emotions after all~" Suigetsu's voice comes in like a screeching board, ruining the entire atmosphere. His face was pulled into a stupid smile, face hued red before hiccuping.
Sasuke, now armed with the cup, prances over hold Suigetu's jaw, his hands tighten to ensure his mouth stayed open and dumped it all in. He ignores the muffled cries and coughs. If it was his last sober thought, it was to ensure that no one would remember any of this.
Tamako laughs at the sight, blowing a puff of smoke towards the ceiling, and leans close to the ground, her stupid bong to the right of her. He sighs and flops down, grabbing the bong before taking his own hit. In a way, the feeling of burning is similar to his family's Great Fireball Jutsu, and it comes in and out smoothly.
As quick as his assault on Suigetsu comes, it quickly goes and everyone, including the victim himself, forgets as the cup soon passes over to Tamako who quickly fills it up to start it all over again.
"Suigetsu…" Karin trails off, almost exasperated. "You spilled half of on yourself..!" Her head thunking into the floor as her glasses laid abandoned to the side of her.
"Oop." He turns to gaze at the front of his shirt before shrugging, "My bad." He sends a pointy grin at her before he finally drinks more. "Just—just don't move so suddenly anymore okay? You're making me dizzy with all that swaying…" He squints at her, magenta eyes nearly disappearing from the act and then a groan. "Forget it, you're looking more like a blob than her."
Jugo finally pipes up, having been the sole person to skip out on drinking just in case his more wild side came out. "Who?"
The redhead grabs the cup and holds it upside down, her mouth wide open to catch the fly drops before pouting. "Sui… you didn't leave any for me…"
"Sorry Karin…" Suigetsu turns to Jugo with a shrug, "A girl back in Kiri." His face pulls into reminisce as he recalls every moment as coherently as he could.
Karin's eyes blink with curiosity, something that nearly everyone caught despite her demure reaction. Uzumaki's were truly too easy to read.
"Fiercest girl I'd met back then, gave me a good run of my money. Back then, at least."
"Friends?" Jugo asks, head raised slightly. "Rivals maybe?"
Suigetsu gives a loud chortle, "Yeah, something like that." There was a hint of mellowness in his tone. "Maybe something more if I didn't spend a good chunk of my time rotting in a fish tank." And there was the bitterness.
Sasuke leaned into the bong and breathed in, just when the time was getting low and winding down, everyone was high enough on something to start sharing. He'll be needing this.
"What do you mean more?"
Suigetsu gives Jugo an unimpressed look. "Like… I dunno. A flame maybe." His face pinches even more at Jugo's continuous expression of confusion. "God, I forget you're the stunted one. Look man." He points his finger and speaks, "Between a friend and a girlfriend. You got that?" Suigetsu hands off the drink without waiting for a reply, but miraculously, Jugo understands.
"So you were pinning after her, huh?" Karin finally says, a small mocking smile on her face.
Suigetsu takes it in stride, "We both were. Just didn't realize it 'til I was gone."
At Suigetsu's words, Sasuke's mind takes a step back, back into the safe confines of his mind. He ponders those words because what Suigetsu said sounded… right but also not. Everyone back in Konoha had someone they were interested in, it was clear with his Sharingan blazing out, staring at his fellow peers at the get-together.
His mind drifts back to a specific person in mind, a girl of personified spring. The back of his neck aches and he goes to rub it away.
"Pinning, huh?" Tamako smiles into the cup, breathing in its aroma before sipping. "I think I kinda get that." She admits lacklusterly, shocking the rest of the camp, including himself.
He knew that something was going on between her and his brother, but he usually didn't think about it because it was a little weird to think that she was involved with Itachi. This was Tamako, a girl who had fewer bonds than he did at twelve. Her admitting it startled him.
"No way!" Karin exclaims, leaning in and almost falling onto Suigetsu.
Tamako flushed bright red at the realization of her words.
"Who? Who?" Karin gasped dramatically, "No.. don't tell me…" Soft dramatic tears sprung from her eyes, "It's not that weird blonde guy right?"
"No!" Tamako coughs into her fist, composing herself.
"Then who is it?" Jugo always asks the straight forward questions without reading the room.
Tamako shyly passed on the cup to Sasuke, who took it gingerly and downed it. Who the hell he was kidding, he really was going to need it if the next round of questions were going to be about someone he considered family and his damn brother. She chuckled nervously, her head turning away from the orange-head and meeting his gaze. Something in her orbs lightens and Sasuke cough's off the jolt he felt to the alcohol instead.
"Enough about me." The bong bubbles as she breathes in, releasing vapor into Sasuke's face with a tease. "C'mon Sasuke, let's hear it."
Suigetsu perks up, a grin looking so evil. "Ooh?" His voice is pitched high with a pointy grin. "Our great leader has an interest?"
"I'm not your leader anymore, Suigetsu." He says back, a little exasperated. He hasn't been their leader since Hachibi. At that thought, his head lulls down, staring at the ground and picking at the would-be splinters.
From this point on, his memory is patchy.
He faintly recalls Tamako saying a few words to cheer him up, a few teases from Suigetsu, questioning from Jugo and a tearful Karin. At one point, though he'll never admit it, he went into an entire spew of apologies in his head instead of refuting their words.
I'm sorry for using you, Jugo.
I'm sorry for abandoning you, Suigetsu.
I'm sorry for nearly killing you, Karin.
He probably passed out, dead cold onto the flat surface feeling more miserable than ever because he left Konoha at spring.
. . .
"So this is goodbye." Tamako laments, staring at the crossway that led to two different directions and destinations.
"Aa." Sasuke offers back, arms folding behind his black cloak.
She sighs, opening her arms and giving Sasuke one last hug. "Stay safe, will you? And write to me, okay? We literally have the same summons so there's no excuse." She gives a wiry grin before handing him a marked kunai. It's deep purple in color, its handle wrapped several times in white bandages with invisible chakra seal only he could see. "For whenever you need me."
He thanks her and tucks it away, turning on his heel before walking off with Jugo. The taller man said he'll follow Sasuke for a little while, to see a little bit of the world before returning to Orochimaru.
It would be good for the two, silent in nature to experience nature.
She bids them goodbye as they disappear between a few trees and turns to her travel companions. Her memory is a little fuzzy after the seventh round, but a lot had happened. There was a heart-to-heart Sasuke had, that bumbling fool. Her eyes lightened at the thought before her gaze turned to her two companions. Something happened between the two. From this morning until now, the two haven't argued a single time.
Tamako shrugs and takes off in the other direction, hearing the other two quickly follow in line. It was mid-May now, seven months after the War. Humidity high and warm in a way that felt disgusting, more-so in the Water Country.
The path forward was a simple one, Tamako was in a little of a rush since she had taken nearly two weeks off her schedule, and she was planning to finish the network by new years, hopefully at least.
The new trio turned many heads with their distinctive and hair colors of purple, red and white. All too many times they stopped at the local inn to change it up (you can only camp so many times until your back gets sore) and the children stopped to stare.
At first, Suigetsu intimidated them by showing off his razor sharp teeth, but that only brought their attention to their trio even more. "Nee-chan." One of them said, tugging at her pants as the three sat down to eat. He held up a crude drawing and only after squinting did Tamako realize it was a news clipping from a couple months back.
Suigetsu chorted his laugh, grabbing the muddy paper between his fingers and pointed at the sloppy paintwork thanks to the humidity. "Gods, did they actually put you in those straitjackets?"
Tamako made a face, using her chopsticks to point at him. "Don't remind me. I wasn't allowed to even shower for a month, it was horrible!"
The Hozuki mirrored her face for a moment, handing back the newspaper clipping to the kid. "Ew."
The kid shuffled back and forth, his muddy clothes and shoes leaving marks around that caught the attention of the Innkeeper. "Hey squirt, you know the rules! No mud, no service! And stop bothering my customers." The boy puffed his cheeks.
"But Jiji!" He pointed at her, "It's War Hero Tamako!"
A clatter of utensils and a silent pause until a small uproar. "In these backwaters? Seriously!?"
"Ahaha…" She patted the back of her neck nervously, "I'm just passing by, please, ignore me."
"Is it true!? That you can summon a forest from stone alone? That you can create the most beautiful thing out of rock?"
"Tasuke, don't be stupid!"
"B-but that's what Yuru-nee said! Saw it herself!"
The two kids argued a little more as the three discretely moved out, avoiding prying eyes successfully and staring sadly at the inn. "Dammit, that was the last of my money." She turns to both Suigetsu and Karin, "You guys got anything?"
The two blanched. "Does it look like Orochimaru pays us?"
"Fair point."
Suigetsu stretched his muscles before his fingers twitched, "Why don't we just take some money? We're in the backwaters so no one would even notice 'til we're long gone."
"Oh c'mon Suigetsu." Karin shook her head, almost disappointed. "Have some tact."
"Bleh!"
Tamako rolled her eyes, "I'll show you guys how to make a bit of honest money, just enough for a ticket to Kirigakure."
"This is not what I signed up for!"
Karin barred her teeth, snapping at him. "No one said to come! It was supposed to be just me and—"
Tamako plugged her ears and walked away, praying for the sun to rise faster.
. . .
The three traveled from one port village to the next, offering their services to rebuild flood defenses for the next monsoon or hurricane. Well, it was more of Tamako rehashing the old defenses with stronger doton walls and adding crystal into the base to increase its sturdiness. That paid enough for two tickets. A local restaurant next door was in need of fresh fish, alive.
They threw Suigetsu into the water with that.
Both Karin and Tamako couldn't stop laughing the way he spluttered, his face half solid as he muttered profanities before fusing into the ocean fully.
"It's not so bad, isn't it?"
Karin's smile was full, the smallest hint of red on her cheeks. "Yeah, not so bad at all."
They walked through the sand, feet bare. Wet sand sticking and leaving behind soft footprints that the ocean washed away. The sun had already set, moon and stars for company. Tamako locked her arms behind her back, leaning to breath in the salty breeze. She watched two figures sitting in the sand ahead of her, a foot apart but staring at the same sky.
With a smile, she turned around and walked away to leave the two alone. She covered her mouth, a sneaky smile on her face. How cute.
. . .
The boat ride to Kirigakure was lackluster, it was a small dingy thing with a loud motor and small amenities. There was a cot the three shared, cramped and suspiciously smelling sheets. She and Karin shared a disgusted look.
"There has to be some way we can clean this on the boat." Tamako stressed out, nose pinched.
At her words, Karin tilted her head to the side, lost in her own world as her hands mechanically pulled and rolled out some paper and clicked open her brush set. Her fingers moved without even looking, reactivating the ink with a light suiton and mixing before dipping her brush. It glided over the paper in long strokes, and to Tamako's surprise, they weren't exactly writing characters, but a symbol. It was made slowly, swirls, diamonds and the like inside a circle that took up space in a satisfying way.
Not blinking a single time it took to finish, she slapped the paper onto the bed sheets, grime and suspicious stains seeping into the seal, leaving it white. The seal itself turned black and soiled, wilting away and falling to the ground. Tamako took a hesitant sniff, eyes wide.
She couldn't smell anything weird! Matter of fact she couldn't smell a damn thing from it.
"Karin, you are a genius."
The Uzumaki snapped out of her headspace and turned brighter than her hair. "N-no, it's all thanks to you…" She shuffled her feet, arms hanging low but Tamako dove forward, catching her hands with a grin.
"No, Karin, you have to understand. Something like this, I didn't even think it was possible!" Their fingers intertwined as Tamako continued, "Since we have time now, why don't you show me those seals you've been talking about."
Karin's fingers dug into her back pouch, whipping out at least a dozen pieces of paper. "S-so, this one absorbs chakra from the user. It's kinda like my prototype where I infused earlier like a battery, it expels enough to blast anyone near me. This one is more focused, it can absorb elemental chakra." She flips to the next. "Oh! This one's the one I've been meaning to show you." Her eyes brighten. "My new barrier seal! I've always kept the one you gave me, it's precious." Karin speaks softly now, "This one restrains anyone that hasn't registered with the seal." Then finally, she holds another seal, this one painted red. "I've been experimenting with jutsu-formulas."
At this statement, Tamako leans in, taking a better look at the seal. Jutsu-formulas were different from sealing-formulas. In actuality, Fuinjutsu at its base core and rules is very simple: it was a technique to "put away" or "retrieve" a certain something. Whether it be a kunai or chakra. Hence, it used sealing formulas.
Jutsu-formulas, on the other hand, were quite literal. Technique formulas, indicating ninjutsu. Hiraishin, or Flying Thunder God Jutsu, most famously used by the Yondaime Hokage, is an example of a jutsu-formula. It was not pure Fuinjutsu, but it required it. It can be argued that other "sealing" techniques such as chakra chains or cursed seal weren't Fuinjutsu, but a branch that implemented ninjutsu.
Just like how Summoning Jutsu of summons are not considered Fuinjutsu, but rather Space-Time Ninjutsu, however it still used the very raw cores of Fuinjutsu. There were different branches between Jutsu-formulas and sealing-formulas that shared the same tree.
Both high applications of the two are incredibly difficult, but one couldn't master Jutsu-formulas without mastery of Fuinjutsu. So Tamako was curious what Karin had created. The girl still wasn't so good in controlling her massive reserves, unable to perform most ninjutsu or any genjutsu. It was this very reason why Karin had been able to create amazing Barrier Seals and the like, but unable to create usable Explosive Seals because she couldn't infuse enough fire chakra into the seal in a controlled way.
The red seal in Karin's hand had a few lines around, bending around a circle before continuing down. It looked like an ordinary seal, one you would use to store away a kunai or two. But judging from the latent chakra spilling from it as well as the several reinforcement that indicated it was something more complicated than water damage, wear n' tear and even maybe something to prevent spoilage.
"This is capable of sealing ninjutsu." She smiled brightly, "Used the battery formula as the base, the one I showed you earlier. Me n' Suigetsu were testing it out three months ago. Sealed away his Water Gun Jutsu I did." She puffed in pride.
Tamako suddenly understood why the Uzumaki were feared so much back then. Minato's Hiraishin was capable of diverting Bijuu Bombs which was a feat she only understood after wallowing in a cell for a month. If Karin mass-produced this seal… she didn't even want to think about it.
"Karin, promise me this." She says calmly, "Whatever you do, don't let anyone get their hands on this. It's very powerful, and in the wrong hands, it could be replicated." Most of Karin's early Fuinjutsu used a universal language method, one that can be read easily in its intents due to using Kanji. Tamako's sealing language used an alphabet and words that this world hasn't seen so she was safe.
At that thought, Tamako pondered more. Karin's inventions were very very useful in the right hands. In fact, with some of these seals, she could imagine higher-levels of application. The seal that could absorb elemental chakra, could they tweak it to absorb different sorts of chakra? It's safe to say that it could have multiple applications just based on the red-seal Karin had just shown her. What about Yin-Yang? Or what about medical ninjutsu? If that was possible, they could create a portable emergency first-aid seal. That would revolutionize the world. And that wasn't even taking into consideration of that self-cleaning seal that Karin had pulled out of nowhere.
These were basic enough seals that could be sold to the general public, with higher tiers like Shinobi-Grade. Though, they'll have to do something about the seal absorbing even scent, that was getting too close to scent-blocker seals that ANBU like to use, and guard.
The only thing left to do was to fix those small problems, implant and experiment with medical ninjutsu, teach Karin her sealing style, and just maybe… they could sell it. Karin could make a living outside Orochimaru's protection, find a home and be protected. Any village would welcome her with open arms, but at the same time, Tamako wasn't sure if she could trust any of them.
She relays half of her thoughts to Karin, and the girl brightens. "L-like out here?" She waves around. "No more stuffy caves?"
Her eyes soften. "Karin, as long as I'm around, you won't need to stay with Orochimaru."
Orochimaru has been growing into a… decent person as of late. He still did experiments, but they weren't human experimentations at the very least. Well, that was a lie. The base she was at, she saw a few test-tube babies but they were made up of Orochimaru's cells, not anyone else. She shivered at the thought of Orochimaru clones walking around. Surely that wasn't his goal…
But that still didn't completely write out his sins of the past. Suigetsu has been looking for a way out since the war ended, but he was pragmatic enough to stick with Orochimaru for protection amongst other things. Karin, well, she didn't have any other options. Jugo willingly went with Orochimaru since the Sannin had finally promised to help Jugo maintain his cursed state.
Maybe… maybe Karin would like Kiri. It wasn't so different from Uzushiogakure from the climate alone. The two were island nations, sandy beaches, tropical climate nearly all year round.
Her eyes turned to the glass door, watching as Suigetsu took in the sea and thick mist. He must be reminiscing. How long has it been since he was home? The memory of two nights at the beach reaches her mind, and just maybe…
"Karin… how about we partner up?"
She perks up, her head tilting to the side with confusion. "Partner?"
Tamako nods back, "It's an era of peace now. There's no better time to do something you enjoy." She holds up the seals and waves them around a little. "How about we start a little sealing business?" With a little pause, she finally reveals the last half of her thoughts and Tamako blinks in surprise when Karin brightens even more.
"That's… that's a really good idea!" Then, hesitance. "A-are you sure about me? I'm—I don't know if I can…"
"Of course you can." Tamako holds up her own brush she had tucked into a pocket and begins drawing. Romaji should be simple enough, all she needs to do is explain the alphabet. She hasn't shared this part of her with anyone, but it only felt right to share it with Karin. "Here, let me explain my sealing formula."
. . .
The trio arrived in Kiri on the second day. Kirigakure's architecture was incredibly brutalist with most of the village built in the same cool-tone brown bricks. The only pinch of color were the variety of rooftops ranging from light purple, blues and reds. Many of the buildings were cylinders and built high alongside the mountainous regions.
They were already checked by the border patrol where their ship docked at the main docks, escorted by a shinobi who signaled another shinobi. On a closer look, it was Chojuro!
He was one of the Mizukage's guards, the one that nearly bisected her in half nearly a year ago.
"H-hello." He waves at them meekly, "P-please come with me. Mizukage-sama has been waiting for you."
This time, Tamako remembered to send word of her arrival ahead of time. She really doesn't want to get arrested for unlawful entry, especially since she had a rough past with Kiri. She signals Suigetsu to behave and the three follow Chojuro.
The Village wasn't as big as Konoha or Suna, nor was it dense. There was plenty of room and trees around, but the buildings were very high up and probably in some sort of apartment complex layout. She could spot much nicer traditional houses as they walked up the Mizukage Tower in the far back.
"Come in." A light feminine voice voices out and Chojuro opens the door for them, greeting the Mizukage before shutting the door behind him.
"Well well well, look who we have here." Mei spoke softly, her painted lips in a small smirk as she leaned forward on her desk. To the left of her was Zabuza, and to her left, Kisame.
Wait, Kisame?
She did a double take, a wide grin on her face. "Kisame, what are you doing here?"
She thought all of the Akatsuki had made Ame their home.
"Hello, Little Miss." Kisame snickered, Samehada twitching and withering on his back like a starved animal. "Looks like you've learned something interesting, Samehada is itching to have a taste."
Tamako grinned louder before twitching at the nickname. She still had no idea who started that nickname, but it stuck in the Akatsuki. Sometimes Obito called her that when he was feeling vindictive, especially after she teased him about smooching off of Kakashi since the two lived together at the Hokage Residence.
Zabuza crossed his arms, without an expression. "Managed to wrangle him back home." He huffed and nearly rolled his eyes. "Took a few battles."
"Well in any case, it's good to see everyone." She nodded at the two Swordsmen before regarding Mei with a slight bow. "Mizukage-dono."
Mei fingers intertwined as she spoke. "Tamako-chan." She said the suffix with a ring to her voice before she got serious. "Now, tell me. What brought you here?"
It takes her ten minutes to explain why she wanted to connect all Five Villages together, another ten to explain exactly how and twenty in how it works exactly. When she finishes, all the shinobi in the office seem to ponder her words with a very specific look, a look that ninja have when they conspire.
"Sunagakure and Konohagakure, huh?" Mei finally says. "It should be a shame to not benefit from such a network." She leans to the side, and Zabuza quickly speaks.
"I've had the honor to benefit from the network. She helped in locating the target of a large bounty."
Mei's smile lengths. "So it was her, that you spoke of. Not much a little girl anymore, is she?"
Zabuza gruffles out a cackle. "No, not anymore." He pauses for a second, then nods firmly. "She's a good one."
The two seem to communicate with hidden nuances only they understood, leaving Tamako mostly confused but when she caught Zabuza's eye, she understood. This was payment for her help, all those years ago. From Wave, both times. Zabuza knew what type of person she was.
"I have ground rules." Mei speaks, turning her attention to face the windows that showcased the whole Village. "I do not want the network inside the Village or within fifty meters of it. I'll construct an additional space within the Cypher Building where your network will be nestled and be kept safe. I'll have ANBU guarding it at all times to ensure Kiri's connection does not fall."
Tamako nods. "That's fine. Do you require assistance?"
Mei shakes her head, "No. It'll take three weeks to finish, or less. In the meantime, why don't you do some sightseeing?" Her eyes peer at Suigetsu for a moment before flicking back to Tamako. "I have some words to say to this young man, could you be a dear and let us speak?"
Tamako turns to Suigetsu, looking for any emotions that would betray him and finds that he is content. Or rather, quite pleased. "Alright." Her eyes glance at Karin and meet her eyes. "Come Karin, and Kisame, didn't you want to spar?"
The Hoshigaki blinks, his sharp teeth on display at her words. "Of course, why don't I show you my favorite training ground?"
Karin freezes at his look, grabbing onto Tamako tightly. "W-what the hell is he…"
Kisame sneers harder.
. . .
"How about some rules?" Tamako asks, stretching her muscles and grinning at the satisfying burn. "I don't think Mizukage-dono would like it so much if we destroyed the village."
The blue-skinned man merely smirks. "No, no she would not." His gills flexes as he brings down Samehada, the sword wiggling around at the movement. "How about you show me whatever that's got Samehada so excited?"
"Are you sure?" She sits down anyways in the lotus pose, hands clasped together with her eyes closed. Her chakra mingles together with nature energy, swirling in her core in a way that feels so satisfying and just right. It only takes moments, but she takes more time to gather more. It's been so long since she'd last seen Kisame, she should at least make it worthwhile.
As she gathers nature energy into her body, she essentially begins to become one with nature. The early mist of the morning, the swaying of grass to the subtlest of movements guides her mind until several pairs of feet land just a few meters at the edge of the training ground.
She stands up, purple painted her lids and two horns sticking behind her ears just slightly. "Then you'll keep it to Taijutsu and Kenjutsu, right?"
Kisame cackles even harder, releasing Samehada from the ground and swings it over his shoulder. "Little Miss, you never fail to surprise me." Samehada purrs in his hands, and the two clash their respective weapons. Kisame leans in, their foreheads almost touching. "Hmm, this is what they call Senjutsu, no?" He peers at her slitted pupils before Samehada swerves around Tamako's katana, jaw open to take a bite out of her form.
Sensing the sentient sword's intentions, she ducks, twisting her katana just slightly and the two blades slide off each other, sparks flying in the air. With Samehada on the ground, Tamako slams the katana into the dirt to further block the blade from moving further and pushes her weight into the handle. Her body flies into the air, legs swiping forward that Kisame grabs with a single hand.
Tamako flips her body upside down, taking advantage of Kisame's busy hands, she signs once with her hand and crystal claws grow on her hands. She pushes her arm forward and Kisame disengages, leaving Samehada behind as dirt blows into the air at the movement. "Fast. Faster than before." He cracks his neck, keeping the same smile. "Faster than me."
"Why, thank you Kisame." She murmurs back, before snapping back into the air, avoiding Samehada's lunge before shifting her arms forward, snakes darting beneath her long sleeves at Kisame who dodges to the side, nails digging into the ground to slow his movement just in time to snag Samehada from the dirt and reaches her in the air.
They clash several times, testing Tamako's claw durability. Samehada snacks on her crystal at each wrangle. The blade had a mind of its own, swerving around and bypassing both hands, clawing and nipping at her clothes. At the fourth collision, snakes sneak past her sleeves and wrap around Kisame's arms, tightening them together. With an over heel strike, she lands a blow directly, throwing Kisame's head to bend down with the force alone. She doesn't let up, imbuing Senjutsu into the ground below. Sage Art; Inorganic Animation!
The once flat ground spikes forward without warning, trapping Kisame in midair as the prongs stick flush to his body. He limps forward, hand still clutching Samehada with a frown. "That was no doton. I sensed nothing."
"Senjutsu." Tamako says, her hand pulling into a hand sign and releases both Kisame and her Sage Mode. "I used nature energy itself to transform and warp it."
"That's a nasty technique." He falls to the ground into a low crouch, "It was sudden and not even a twitch of chakra was felt."
"It's indeed quite amazing." A voice cuts through from the forest, soft pattering of the ground that indicated the individual was approaching. Tamako quirks her head up, a smile brimming on her face at the familiar face.
"Haku!" She walks forward, grabbing their hands tightly into hers. "Oh, it's been too long." She hasn't seen Haku since before the war! He wasn't quite a boy anymore, now twenty years old. In fact, he towered over her. He still had feminine features, but there was roughness in the edge of his eyes and mouth but it only seemed to add to him. He had long strands of hair that framed his face and they were secured just a few inches from the ends with an inch long piece of cloth. His hair was tied up high in the back with some white rope and fell to the back of his neck. There was no doubt about it, Haku was as beautiful as she'd last seen him.
Haku coughs into his fist, shrugging off black haori with dark green trimmings to her, placing it around her shoulders. "Please." He says simply as she shrugs it on. She's never got the chance to change clothes even after her battle with the White Snake Sage. The only thing protecting her modesty was some bandages wrapped around her chest, and Samehada had reduced her already shredded top that hung around her hips to rags.
"Oh, thanks."
She looks up again, eyeing the muddy green turtle neck he had before finally rounding back to his eyes. "What brings you here?" Then she smirked, "Did our spar interest you?"
Haku nods, the softest glow to his cheeks. "Your prowess has definitely changed since the War. You never cease to amaze me."
Tamako mirrors his smile. She and Haku, they'd shared many similarities with their mastery of senbon. From what she's gathered, Haku had grown into one of the fastest shinobi, his deadly precision combined with speed has earned him the nickname of Haku of the Blizzard. One caught in his blizzard would find themselves drowning in his ice if they were lucky.
Then, a sudden thought crossed through her mind. There was another shinobi known for their mastery of senbon. He was a former ANBU of Kirigakure's Hunter-nin Corp and was Mei's right hand man. At the office, she spotted Kisame and Zabuza, but not Ao.
Before she could inquire, a signature hanging by the trees lands down. Light blue hair swooped up and wore the standard striped gray turtleneck and a green yukata that reached to his upper ankles. With one eye bandaged and two talismans hanging from his ears as piercings, perhaps she assumed too quickly.
"Tamako-san." He regards her calmly, but his eyes have deep respect. "I've never got the chance to thank you." His arms are crossed as he averts his eyesight. "I'd always thought that the new generation doesn't have the grit for war, but you have proven me wrong."
Her story was told far and wide, but it felt like too much credit. She couldn't have done it alone, not without everyone else. "I merely directed Minato to the Intelligence Division."
"But still, if you had not…" He trails off, a firm frown on his face. "We were mere seconds from being eviscerated by the Bijuu Bomb."
"The minds of the Alliance, I hope you continue to serve the world to your best." She offers.
"Not to Kirigakure?"
She raises a palm as she reasons, a smile on her face. "Ao-san, you of all people should understand the ramifications of the Fourth War. More than ever does this Alliance needs to be maintained, no matter what troubles we face."
His eyes shift back to hers, Haku watching the interaction with a bated breath. Then, Ao concedes. "I see." He turns around, back facing the group before leaving with one last message. "I'll see to the implementation of the network myself. Rest assured, it will not take long." Before he flickers away.
Haku lets out the faintest of sighs. "Ao-san has given you approval." He smiles awkwardly, mouth turning upright in a strange motion. "Ao-san has always been a stickler for rules and traditions."
She waves him off, "It's no big deal, I understand." Then, she brims with a smile. "But nevermind that, tell me, how are you doing? What have you been up to?"
Haku gives her a soft grin. "Zabuza-sama has been reinstated to Head ANBU, his feats in the war has made him a hero in the eyes of Kiri. Ao-san too, but he has retired from ANBU and now works as Mizukage-sama's right-hand man. As for me, well, I'm always serving Zabuza at his side."
"Some things just never change do they?" They laugh together, mirth in their eyes. "Then, tell me what's going on between Zabuza and your Mizukage." Her brows wiggle. "Something's up, no?"
Haku gives her a beam. "Oh, let me tell you…"
. . .
They meet up back with Suigetsu later into the night, resting at the offered lodging. He comes in with a new flak-jacket and a hitai-ate tied around his left thigh, metal bent just right to stay flush to his leg. "So this is what you ultimately chose."
He sticks a tongue at her. "I have no choice! You've given all the remaining Seven Swords to Kiri, meaning that there's nothing out there for me to collect." Sugietsu gives her a stink eye, "Otherwise, I would've been out there." He points out the window for emphasis but Tamako smirks.
"Oh yeah, definitely out there. Robbing and stealing from the locals, homeless all the like."
"Why you—" He points at her with bared teeth. "It doesn't even matter with your face, that stinkin' attitude of yours—"
Karin cuts in, snagging him by the collar of his new flak jacket with a calm smile. "Suigetsu, keep jabbering and you're gonna find out."
Tamako rolls her eyes and settles into the bed, lying flat on her back with her arms and legs spread eagle wide. "In any case, does that mean our little journey together has ended?"
Both Karin and Suigetsu tense at her words and the red-head finally releases her hold on the Hozuki. "Yeah, I guess." Suigetsu says plainly. "I'm the last of the Hozuki, so I've inherited whatever was left." He said it with a somber voice, eyes drawn to his insignia.
Being the last of your clan, why was this story so common? It's a shame for this world to have such occurrences so often, clan genocide, mass cullings and the all.
"But, I guess I got what I wanted." He turns to her, his sharp teeth on display. "I'll have access to all the Seven Swords, and eventually, I'll master them all. Just like my brother."
Karin's eyes soften and she finally speaks up. "Good for you, Suigetsu." Her eyes then crease with a tease. "Finally, something good is happening to you." She pokes at him sharply, water splashing at each movement. "You better figure out something with your raiton weakness, cuz I'm not gonna be there to patch you up anymore, okay?"
Suigetsu slightly pouts, "What, you're not gonna leave behind a few of your seals for my fish tank?"
Suigetsu recovers differently from other shinobi due to his Kekkei Genkai of Hydrification. Unlike where other ninja would be healed using medical ninjutsu, either by traditional methods like Mystical Palm or the more extreme of biting Karin, Suigetsu's case was a little different. He had to rebind himself with special water molecules to fully recover, it was something Karin had to do for the Hozuki after he was nuked by Killer Bee back in their Akatsuki days.
Karin's seals expelled just the right ratio of the water mixture at the most optimal pace, and they could be used directly on the skin while on the move, although slower, or placed into a body of water where Suigetsu could submerge and intake it with his entire body.
The girl was a genius.
And that brought Tamako's thoughts back to the ones on the ship. Karin could do a lot of good for the world, and a lot of good for herself. She won't lie and say that Sasuke had the greatest impact on the girl, but Karin, ever before the old Hebi and Taka days, had found herself underestimating her abilities. Karin was always a shy girl, Grass molded her to be like that. To be undermined, to feel unworthy, to think that sacrifices were duty.
She still remembers those bite marks, so large on her small and frail body. They were red like Orochimaru had just plucked her out of Kusagakure's hands just moments ago. Adult bite marks on her neck and legs, trailing closer and closer in places they shouldn't be.
Cold fury runs through her, because that wasn't right. She had tried her best in pushing the girl out of her shell, and for a few months, it did her alright. Found her calling in Fuinjutsu, tried to reason that her worth wasn't just being a chakra battery, but of course that's what Sasuke regulated to her.
At least Sasuke wasn't biased, he treated everyone like that in his lost days. His Sharingan was rated E for everyone at the very least. Thank god he at least showed his apologies separately to each person he had wronged.
Suigetsu… would be good for her. Their antics set aside, they had good enough chemistry. They could relate on an emotional level, and when Karin got angry enough to express herself, at least Suigetsu couldn't feel a thing, and it worked vice-versa. Suigetsu couldn't exactly bite Karin, whom these days lets no one bite her. It could work out, but then again, she was no mind reader. If anything, she hopes the two would at least be close friends.
Friends are important, and it looks like the two could use someone like that.
"Stupid." Karin drones out, her hand slinking into her back pouch before pulling a few tags. "The last of my stock, I'll make more while we're still here."
"Thanks Karin~" Suigetsu hums out, taking the tags that were wrapped in parchment paper carefully.
"Karin, about the seals…" Tamako sits up and leans forward. "Why don't we finish that lesson?"
. . .
It takes two weeks instead of three for the new sub-section of the Cypher Building to be processed, built and hidden away. Karin's tags come in handy and all too many times Mei's eyes glimmer at the Uzumaki, fingers itching as Karin places seals at every corner around the Building and introduces the chakra of the correct personale.
The two shinobi exchange glances, Mei's eyes raised in competitiveness but they slowly fade into muted surprise when Tamako nods her head. Mei leans in closer as the redhead works, arms crossed as the two watch. "Do you truly not care about my intentions? She's an asset of yours, isn't she?"
"An asset, yes. Karin's value knows no bounds, but in the end…" Her eyes relax and soften when Karin blushes bright red when Kiri's resident Seal Master throws questions after questions. "...Karin is my cherished friend. Kiri would be good for her."
If Karin continues to exceed, she could bring prosperity to Kiri as a whole. Finally shed away their old Bloody Kiri moniker and transform the village into a new image. It would do her so much good if she saw how much good she could do. Will do.
Mei freezes at her words, her head turning to her with almost dumbfoundedness. "You really are a selfless person. This could give Kiri an edge over your precious Suna." The Mizukage at her core, doesn't mean these words. She only said it to emphasize and perhaps grasp a reaction out of the Shouton User.
"This will give an edge to the Alliance." Tamako corrects. "Karin is a soft individual at heart. Something like this would only build her confidence and reach new heights." Their eyes meet and Tamako smiles. "Karin and I were discussing revolutionizing seals fundamentally in a way that would benefit the general public." Her gaze turns to Kiri as a whole. "Your village's medical care is one of the lowest of the five, only beating out Iwa." She says this without filter nor scorn. It is a fact. "Are you interested in revamping your medical corps with incentive?"
Mei doesn't ponder. She was the biggest opportunist of all the Five Kage's, she had led a revolution against the Fourth Mizukage's reign and gathered every bit of support and money that no one else had achieved. There was a reason why she was the Fifth Mizukage. A smirk stretched her painted lips. "Oh, do tell."
So Tamako explains, going into far depth of her and Karin's "idea" of a seal-based start-up that would dabble in general public use. Medical seals, the different types of "cleaning" seals that would absorb either oil-based stains, dirt, blood or other. They were still trying to incorporate all four and more into one tangible seal. There were other seal ideas in the works, but the most important one was the medical seal. In the first few stages, they would introduce the civilian-grade into the market at a reasonable price, perhaps a little more expensive than a few bandages and salves. The seals weren't exactly one use, but rather could be used multiple times until the seal ran out of iryō ninjutsu. It depended on the severity of the wound and how much chakra it expended. After each use required a recharge of iryō ninjutsu, this could bring in work and money into their hospital. More work would mean more demand and more incentive to learn the trade, even if it was a side-hobby. This would increase pay for medic-nins and standing within the village.
"Of course, this will not just be a Kiri exclusive." Tamako says, taking a moment to breathe before divulging further. "Kiri will be the base, as its location and access to the seas makes it the perfect port to ship off to the other villages." Kumogakure was directly north here by sea, Konohagakure directly west, Sunagakure was a little out of way south west, but caravans by Konoha could also venture to the Wind Country. With Iwa, well, they would have to rely on caravans due to its secluded location.
That brought up another thought… she would have to bring up train transportation to Kumogakure. They were so far away from the other Great Nations that their closest neighbor was Kirigakure, a nation known for its seclusion, by water. They were able to get by with their land rich with metals and trade, but even then… it would be nice to have direct transportation from Kumo to Iwa, that way Iwa wouldn't be so secluded anymore.
So many things on her checklist, so many things running through her mind. The Elemental Countries were a blank slate that could be so much better. With the power she held now, nearly anything was possible.
"This could potentially increase Kirigakure's nonexistent trade to a world powerhouse." Mei finishes, her green eyes glowing.
"Yes, it will." Tamako admits. "In ten years, I'd imagine that even without my intervention, Kirigakure would develop far more than the other villages." She grins at the Mizukage's expression. "If you must, just think of me taking advantage of Kirigakure's economic growth power."
Mei almost scoffs at her words, twisting her body to face away before adding, "I get why Zabuza likes you so much." A shake of her head with a sigh, she looks up before her heels click away towards Karin.
The two greet each other as Mei strikes up conversation, and judging by Karin's awed look, the Uzumaki just seemed to revere any and all strong women. Yes, Kiri would be good for Karin.
With the construction ending, Tamako finally adds Kiri to the network and had the Mizukage conversing with Ao all the way in the Southwest island by Land of Fire. The connections were private and can only be opened up if both individuals wanted their rooms to clash.
Mei was impressed, able to peak into each of the dozen islands the Land of Water had, making communication easier than ever. Tamako's kunai were hung in the middle of the hidden room by two thick ropes, that way she could stop by if the network ever went down in Kiri.
She spent the last few days with her old friends. Gossiped with Haku, sparred with Zabuza and Kisame, and took advantage of the high quality sashimi they had here. The sushi in Kiri was unlike any other country, and she would dearly miss it.
She introduced Karin to her friends one by one, going as far as to meet other shinobi of Kiri. Suigetsu introduced Karin to his Academy friends, his last remaining teammate and showed her around the village before realizing it had changed a lot from what he remembered. They had one last dinner at Suigetsu's favorite seafood hotpot restaurant, laughing and pointing when he ordered shirako, or fish sperm sacs. Tamako was an individual that was adventurous when it came to food, but something like this was a little too adventurous…
When it came time to leave, she found herself at Mei's office one last time in the form of a summon.
As a gift, Mei gifted her high quality thread and fabrics made with their infamous silkworm farms that flourished thanks to the high humidity of their islands. There were several bolts of dark colors that Mei had somehow figured Tamako had favored, as well as a new outfit to replace her nonexistent one. Her face was red when Mei regarded it.
"I can't have Kirigakure's beneficiary and honorary ninja walk around in rags, can I?" Mei clasped a hand on her shoulder. "And please, call me Mei, not Mizukage-dono." She winks and her eyes tread to the box, a gesture that indicated she wanted Tamako to open it.
She accepted the bolts of fabric, the spools of thread and the clothing wrapped beautifully in a decorated box. "Thank you, Mei." Her fingers gripped the box and opened it, revealing a dark purple, almost black, hanten. Similar to a haori except it stopped right below her hips and its arm length only a little past her elbows. Beside it was a folded up plain hakama pants, still made of the soft and durable fabric and silk. There was a black patterned thin obi and a dark brown rope beside it to secure it. On top of it all, were samurai sode shoulder armor pads that hung from the shoulder to elbow as well as waist plates that weren't as heavy as she thought it would be. Tamako could only see herself wearing only one pad on her non-sword arm for better mobility.
"It isn't exactly Kiri style." Mei begins, a faint smile on her face. "But we had an infamous smither from Iron visiting us. I thought it would be appropriate for someone as infamous as you are."
Tamako twitches at the dig, laughs and smiles anyways. Her reputation will always be both good and bad no matter what she would do, so she took it in stride.
Then, she sees it. Tucked in the middle, nestled between the plate armor and cushioned between the lightweight and drapey fabrics was a black Kiri hitai-ate. She thanks Mei with a downcasted glance. "Thank you, truly." And turns to each shinobi in the office one by one. Mei, Zabuza, Haku, Ao, Kisame, Suigetsu, and Chojuro.
Karin is beside her, all packed up with dozens of scrolls spilling from her lone back pouch from the amount of little gifts she had gotten over the past two weeks. Some snacks as thanks from the Chunin on patrol duty around the Cypher Building after she fixed the barrier seal. A new set of kunai from Chojuro after she had developed a seal around the bandages that wrapped and unwrapped around Hiramekarei automatically using heat that is expelled after pouring chakra. Kisame was quick to get on Karin's good side for the same deal, letting the two swordsmen manage their sword quicker and easier. A beautiful haori jacket from Haku after she had A few bottles of sake from older Jounin whom now had their flak jackets auto repair as long as they sealed extra thread on the inside. An elaborate calligraphy set by Mei herself.
There were tears in Karin's eyes, threatening to spill as they said their goodbyes.
Tamako patted Karin's back with a smile. "This doesn't have to be a goodbye, you know."
Karin blinked her tears away, surprise painted on her face. "What do you mean?"
She gestured to the shinobi. All of them had grown to like Karin, for her initially shy nature that turned exuberant, if not a little violent. Karin fit in a way. Kiri had always valued a little violence here and there, it was simply in their nature and perhaps, they've grown to appreciate Karin for more than just what she had to offer, but also as a person.
Tamako had seen it all, Mei ordering her shinobi to interact with Karin so the Uzumaki would grow attached, but instead, they were attached to Karin's radiance. There was something about bathing in the presence of something so inherently talented it blanketed you comfortably. It must be an Uzumaki thing, to be the sun in a land that is covered in mist and changing their dull weather of overcast into something just a little brighter, in both person and future.
To Naruto, who had always been the light and inspired her to do better.
To Karin, who had fought to be light and inspired her to be better.
Tamako's heart stings because the Uzumaki, no matter what obstacles or hardship they face, always seem to nestle into her heart the very same.
Karin blinks once, twice, then a heavy shake. "No, I can't let you leave..!"
"Karin." Tamako speaks once more. "If we leave together, you'll spend the rest of the journey silently missing them, won't you?"
Karin turns to the shinobi, tear ducts working before back at her. "B-but…"
She gently smiles, patting her wild red locks one last time. "This is a good place for you, and it's not like I'm saying goodbye forever." Her finger points at the Cypher Building. "I'll always be there."
Karin blinks away her tears and lunges forward, crushing Tamako into a hug. "You better leave messages for me, okay? An-and—" She stutters, her face flush to her shoulder and arms tight around her. "Visit often! Don't leave me with Suigetsu."
"Hey!"
The two laugh at his upset outburst and they break apart. "Of course. I did promise you, didn't I?"
"Right… the company." Karin's head looks up to meet Tamako's eyes. "What shall we call it? The company I mean."
"Hmm." Tamako ponders. She wanted the company to be under Karin's name, but something as simple as using Karin's last name, Uzumaki, might pose some problems because of Naruto. That boy was just too powerful and notable. People might associate and she wasn't trying to take advantage of the boy. Karin was too on the top, and some people may find fault with that. Perhaps she could combine their names into a safe-sounding name? "How about… Kariko?" It came out smooth, was simple to say and didn't have to be abbreviated. If someone were to one day mention the name, it would be recognizable.
"Kariko…" Karin grins. "To influence science, that's what Kariko will do with seals, right?"
Tamako blinked. She didn't think too hard about the meaning, but in this way… it would work.
加理子
What a fine name. Yes, that will work.
"Perfect."
. . .
Her next stop was the Land of Lightning, north of Kiri. It was only a two day boat ride away.
She first left Konoha with a group of five, now it has dwindled to just her lonesome self. She didn't regret giving a home to Karin nor did she regret letting Suigetsu finally reach home, but it did leave her in her own thoughts.
Her fingers rubbed the fabric of Mei's gift, it was almost too new and too pretty to put on and eventually let tear and wear it down. But she really did need clothes…
Tamako glances to her pouch, filled with seals Karin had hastily given to her before she boarded the boat, saying things that she could always make more. An idea sprouts in her mind and she pulls out the spool of thread. She forms a thin needle with crystal and loops the thread in, and gets to work.
She didn't want to risk anything, so she stitches and embroidery into an embroidery hoop she makes with Mokuton and cuts squares out of the bolts. Then, she let's imagination and concentration lead her. She follows Karin's guidelines in those self-repairing seals she had created for those Jounin, embroidery kanji like repair and thread, before divulging into patterns she uses for her barrier seals. A fabric of space, a bubble of chakra that mends its own expanse when disrupted. Her needle threads and threads at the wave of her finger, the string glowing blue with her chakra.
When she's done, she snaps and ties with a shock of her chakra and feels of the latency. It's light in a way that reminds her of a simple barrier, almost unnoticeable but there. With the same needle, she punctures a hole. Slowly, the hole closes in size and disappears, and that's when she smiles.
Stitching seals into clothes, it almost felt like a lost art.
The loud honking of the boat jolts her from the mindspace required for seal-making and she sighs, lying in her cot and stares into the metal ceiling. Just two more days of the sea, and she won't be seeing it for a long while.
But in the end… the sea will always have a soft spot in her heart.
AN
Kiri Arc closes and she says goodbye to Suigetsu and Karin. It always left a weird feeling that Suigetsu stayed to work with Orochimaru even after the war despite fearing the man for most of his younger years. What happened to his dreams of wielding all the swords?
As for Karin, well, I always felt like she had nowhere to call home. So I wanted to make her a home, she deserves that at the very least.
Yes, Karin will be a very very rich aunt lol
As for the two? I'll leave that to the reader's discretion! Perhaps they'll be in the final epilogue.
(Side Note: I have a few renders of our MC, you can check them out by going to my profile and checking out the fic on wattpad! It should be the latest chapter 53. [Sea] in the AN.)
What did you guys think about this chapter? Let me know!
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