Hikari leant back on her palms, staring up at what she could see of the night sky. Thick foliage hid her from view where she was seated on a high branch.'It's been a while since I spent the night outdoors,'she thought to herself.'I should take Naruto camping sometime, perhaps when summer comes.'
Down on the ground, Kakashi moved about, putting out the fire they had made when the pair had decided to stop for the night. He was almost done and was preparing to take the first watch.
The girl watched him for a bit, studying his body language. Kakashi had changed a lot from the closed-off teenager she had met months ago. He was more relaxed, prone to smiling or laughing when the situation called for it. Hikari could openly say she was proud of him.
'Hoping the bomb I'm going to drop on him won't make him regress,'she thought with a grimace. Noticing that the Hatake had settled down, Hikari slipped off the branch and landed silently on the forest floor in a crouch.
"Kakashi-nii, there's something I need to tell you."
The teen straightened immediately, both at her tone of voice and form of address. She only ever called him by his full name when she was being serious.
"What is it?"
"Give me a minute."
Hikari traced the perimeter they had set up, placing privacy seals to ensure that their conversation wouldn't be overheard. Not that someone could be missed by either of them but better safe than sorry. There were ways to hide from a sensor, after all.
Kakashi was staring at her with an inquisitive look when she turned back to face him. He was somewhat concerned that they were about to discuss something seemingly important out in the open, but he trusted the Uzumaki's seals.
Not to mention that he was insanely curious.
Plopping down in front of the ANBU with a hidden sigh, Hikari braced herself. Blue eyes were filled with a sort of grim determination as she cut straight to the point, "Your teammate, Rin; can you tell me how she died?"
"Wh-"
"Please."
A single wide eye met Hikari's sorrowful ones and Kakashi had to resist the urge to flee. He could never have predicted that it was how the conversation was going to go. "Don't you already know?" he whispered weakly, hoping that he wouldn't have to say it.
"I know what happened in my world but not here."
That caught Kakashi off guard, enough for the edge to fade as surprise colored his visible eye. "I thought you would have gone looking for the information."
Hikari shrugged, clearly uncomfortable but determined to continue. "Could have, but I didn't want to poke around in your business."
'And this isn'tpoking around?'Kakashi bit back the words that came instantly, taking a deep breath to calm himself. Now that he had processed his emotions, he noticed that Hikari was just as unsettled as he was.
Strangely, that made him relax a little.
"…Kiri kidnapped her and sealed the Sanbi inside her. They planned for the seal to break when Rin entered Konoha, but…"
"But she leapt in front of your Chidori and killed herself," Hikari completed in a quiet voice, a soft and sympathizing expression on her face.
"…yes."
The whispered reply was barely audible even with her sharp hearing but it was all Hikari needed to know. She exhaled, tilting her head back.'So it really is the same here as well.'
She looked back at Kakashi, raising a hand to pat his head gently. He looked up, grey eye suspiciously shiny. "So? Why did you want to knowthat?"
If the words came out harsher than he had expected, Kakashi did not regret them or apologize. And judging by Hikari's expression, she didn't expect him to.
Withdrawing her hand, the redhead shifted to sit in a perfect seiza. She wiped all emotion off her face, knowing that what she was going to say next was not easy. "Would you believe me if I told you that your other teammate, Uchiha Obito, might still be alive?"
Silence.
Kakashi leapt to his feet with a snarl, anger etched on his features. "Why would you even say that?! He's dead! He died crushed under those rocks! Instead ofme! We left him there,Ileft him there…!"
The words that burst out in a fit anger rapidly bled into despair and self-loathing that Hikari did not flinch away from. Instead, she simply held the teen's gaze, not wavering even the slightest in her resolve. From the start, she had known that she was going to bring up old wounds but she had hope that it might give Kakashi a chance to start healing.
All the fight went out of him when Kakashi's outburst did not evoke any reaction and he fell to his knees, hands gripping the material of his pants hard enough to nearly rip them. Hikari still didn't utter a word, reaching out to gather the grieving teen and gently pull him into a hug. Kakashi buried his face in her shoulder.
For once accepting the comfort offered to him.
"I know it's hard to believe," she said after what felt like an eternity, words whisper soft. "But it's what happened in my world. And there are so many similarities here…"
"You don't think it's a coincidence."
"No."
Kakashi pulled back, shoving his rampant emotions into a box and locking it away for the time being. "Tell me everything."
Hikari nodded. "Remember what I told you about Kaguya? There's a…creature, I suppose, born as a manifestation of her will, Black Zetsu. It has been pulling the strings from the shadows to revive Kaguya. Obito was-isa pawn in its plans. That day, when Obitoshouldhave died, another creature, White Zetsu, took him and healed him."
"Healed him?" Kakashi interrupted, eye wide with disbelief. "But Obito's entire right side was-"
"Crushed, I know."
Hikari shook her head when she noticed the teen's mental state about to spiral downwards. "There was nothing you could have done, Kashi-nii. I doubt even Tsunade-baa-chan could have healed him. No, he was infused with organic matter from White Zetsu; since it had Senju Hashirama's cells, it managed to keep him alive."
"The Shodai? How?"
"That's a matter for later. I haven't even told you the worst part."
'What could be worse than this?'Kakashi thought morosely. Already he was hit with information that ripped the ground from under his feet and was on the verge of imploding.
"Rin's death was planned. When your Chidori stabbed her…" Hikari swallowed around the persistent lump in her throat. She wanted to do it like ripping off a bandage but the words just wouldn't come. "That time…"
Kakashi was sure he wasn't going to like whatever came next.
"Obito was there."
He didn't.
When he came to himself, Kakashi found himself lying on the dirt. He was curled up tight under a tree, hands gripping his head, as if the pain he inflicted on himself would overpower the pain in his heart.
Obito, the person he had come to see as his best friend, had watched the love of his life die at Kakashi's hands.
No wonder he never came back to Konoha.
A dry laugh ripped itself from his throat, echoing in the silence around him.'The only thing Obito ever asked of me was to protect Rin,'he thought absently, tugging his hair hard enough to send sharp spikes of pain down his spine.'And he got to watch me break that promise.'
For a long time, Kakashi had blamed himself; he left Naruto alone, he couldn't protect Minato-sensei and Kushina-nee, he killed Rin, he let Obito die in his place.
Now the last part was told to be false, in the worst way possible.
'That day, if I could have stopped myself from killing Rin, would Obito have come back?'
'Would he have forgiven me for leaving him behind?'
Kakashi would never know the answers to those questions; Rin was dead by his hand and Obito was gone.
He didn't even realize his thoughts were going in circles.
Nothing made sense anymore.
Unknowing of the passing time, the teen lay curled on the ground, mentally ripping himself apart. Distantly, he heard the ruffling of leaves and he vaguely hoped it was an enemy who might put him out of his misery.
"You know, I kind of expected you to react like that."
"…Hikari."
A small hand settled atop his own hands, the gentle touch making him freeze. He didn't deserve kindness; soft touches and comforting gestures weren't for him. Only sharp edges and sharper words, to cut deep and make him bleed, to make him suffer.
"Obito even bet that you would try to hurt yourself, that idiot. Ha, I win!"
What?
Kakashi didn't realize he had spoken out loud until Hikari was answering him, "It was during one of our 'downtimes'; Obito and Kakashi-sensei were arguing that if Sensei had been told that Obito was alive years ago, Sensei would have beat himself bloody in a of twisted sense of self-loathing. Of course, Sensei said that he would do no such thing and instead listen calmly."
The redhead let out a fond chuckle, staring up at the night sky. "I got mad when they didn't stop arguing for thirty minutes and punched that Sensei would have run off and beat himself up verbally. Looks like both Sensei and Obito lost!"
By the time, she finished with her retelling, Kakashi had sat up, staring at her blankly. "What do you meanweargued?"
"Remember when I told you that Rin's death was planned? It was set up to make Obito listen to Zetsu and Madara; even you being the one to kill her was predicted." Hikari's voice softened and she turned to face him. "It was a kind of brainwashing, he even had a seal on him to make him susceptible to it."
"So he became our enemy?"
Hikari hummed in agreement. "Yes and no. He did a lot of bad things, hurting so many people. But in the end, he saw the truth and fought on our side."
"….Obito and my counterpart made up?"
The question was so very hopeful, with a fragility in it that made the girl's heart ache. How could she answer with anything but the truth?
"They did. The pain and suffering that both of them went through tied them together, a bond stronger than they ever dreamed of."
It was something Hikari would never tell this Kakashi but there were fragmented memories, memories that told her how Obito had broken when her Kakashi had died. The Uchiha had never been the same after that.
Hikari often suspected that if it were not for her and Minato's sakes, Obito would have followed Kakashi into death almost immediately after the Hatake.
Focusing back on reality, she studied the teen next to her, keeping her gaze unobtrusive. Kakashi seemed to be calming down, though whether it was because he had processed everything and had come to terms with it or he was shutting down internally was yet to be seen.
"Look, I didn't tell you this to make you upset." Hikari stood up abruptly, making Kakashi look at her with mild alarm. "There are a lot of hints that indicate that Obito is likely to be alive here as well. If that's the case, I wanted you to know. That's all there is to it."
With that, she turned around to head back to camp in order to give the Hatake some space. She stopped when he called out, "Wait! You said Obito hurt a lot of people. What did you mean by that?"
"I'll give you one event. The Kyuubi being released… that wasn't an accident."
Hikari's parting words left Kakashi stunned.
'Obito was the one who released the Kyuubi…?'
That meant the deaths of many shinobi and civilians from Konoha were because of him.
Minato and Kushina died because of him.
And…
Hikariknewthat.
Why was she not wanting his death then?
"It was a kind of brainwashing, he even had a seal on him to make him susceptible to it."
Kakashi recalled the redhead's words but wasn't fully able to reconcile it. Even if Obito had been brainwashed and had evidence to prove it, Kakashi wasn't sure he'd be able to forgive someone who took away everything from him.
Wasn't that a fact?
Hikari, who was a counterpart of Naruto, had had her parents, a chance at a normal life and likely friends as well taken from her because of his former teammate. And yet, she spoke of the Uchiha fondly, like she would his own counterpart.
Kakashi knew she saw him as a brother, just like she had the other Kakashi. The age difference only meant that he was a younger brother while his counterpart had been her elder brother. That meant she saw Obito,in spite of everything he had done to her, as an elder brother.
As family.
Strangely, that was what made the choking despair and panic disappear. Kakashi felt like he could finally breathe, the news that Obito might still be alive no longer quite so burdening.
Even if it were not so, the mere thought that his teammate would have forgiven him was humbling and freeing.
The scent of tea greeted her the moment she woke and Hikari sat up, rubbing her eyes as she stood to follow the inviting scent.
"Good morning," Kakashi said, amused as he held out a mug of tea to the redhead. She reached out for it blindly and took a large gulp. The heat burned her throat as she swallowed the steaming liquid, waking her up immediately.
"Morning…"
Hikari squinted at the ANBU as she muttered the greeting, suspicious of the amusement she saw on his features. "You're smiling."
"I am," said ANBU replied cheerfully, eyeing her rumpled clothing and bed hair. For someone who was usually a morning person, the Uzumaki was weirdly off-kilter and slow on the uptake at the moment.
"What conclusion did you come to that made you so happy?"
Ah. So she was still thinking about the previous night's conversation.
"I thought about everything you said last night and everything you didn't." He gave her a pointed look when she attempted to protest; he was well aware that there were a lot of things Hikari didn't tell him. "I admit I'm still processing, but you implied that there is a way to save Obito. That's enough to keep me going for now."
Hikari nodded rather dumbly, a little astounded by the amount of emotional stability Kakashi had gained and just demonstrated. She did know that the Hatake was a strong person, to be able to survive through so many heartbreaking losses. Her Kakashi had learnt the truth of Obito in the midst of a war and had come to terms with it in mere hours.
Perhaps she was giving him lesser credit than he deserved.
The rest of the hour was spent in relative silence, eating breakfast and clearing up the camp. It was only when they were well on their way to their destination that Kakashi spoke up. "If Obito is still around, how can I identify him?"
"Hmm? Oh, he might be wearing black clothes and an orange mask. In my world, he went around by the name Tobi. Most of the time he acted like a fool," Hikari grimaced, recalling the few interactions she had had with the Uchiha before he had revealed himself. "How good are you at identifying chakra signatures?"
"Not much. Only if they're in range; I'm not a sensor like you."
"Point."
Hikari sometimes forgot that people didn't reallyfeelthe world like she did, not even other sensors. She supposed that it was because she had been subconsciously using her sensing ability as long as she could remember and the added advantage of Sage Mode had changed the way she perceived chakra irreversibly.
Not that she was complaining; it was hell of a useful ability.
Back to her point; very few could sense chakra and the rest couldfeelit within a certain range but not who or what it belonged to. It was keeping that fact in mind that she said, "In my world, Kakashi-sensei never recognized Obito until I broke his mask. His scent and chakra had changed a lot."
"So you're saying that I might not know that it is Obito even if he was standing right in front of me?"
"Yep. I'd rather you didn't engage him if you ever encounter him though."
"Why not?"
Yeah, Hikari was officially impressed.
Kakashi's voice was even, with only pure curiosity and none of the defensiveness she had half expected.
"One, we don't know if he's the same here. Two, if he is, then he's way stronger than you and will kill you without second thoughts. His chakra reserves are larger than yours -and we are so increasing yours when we get back, you can do better than that, Kashi-nii- and his Sharingan clearly doesn't have the drawbacks yours has."
Kakashi internally winced at the idea of being subjected to the Uzumaki's training; she was sure to be harsh, considering what he knew of her teaching the two Uchiha boys. He set that aside for later and nodded in agreement to everything she had said.
Because if by some turn of luck, he did encounter his former teammate, he would have no idea of what to say to him.
That was without even poking the mess that he called his emotions.
"You want to understand the situation before you do anything."
"Yeah. It's not as simple as just dragging Obito home; there's a lot of stuff in the shadows that we need to deal with as well. If I had come here as my older self, I would have taken care of things myself but as I am right now…I can't do it without going all out andthatis not something I can risk."
"I understand."
Hikari spun on her heel, walking backwards for a bit as she looked up at Kakashi. She gave him a reassuring smile, "Don't worry, Kashi-nii; we'll bring him home."
"If he's out there."
"If he's out there," the redhead parroted agreeably. Honestly speaking, she was almost a hundred percent certain that Obito was alive. All that was left was to find out where he was hiding and then to beat some sense into him.
There was a long silence before Kakashi broke it. He looked unusually hesitant and even his voice reflected it, "There's something I want to know…you hate Danzo and want him dead, but you want to save Obito."
Hikari looked quizzical as she nodded, "Yes…?"
"Why? I mean, if you compare the two, they've both done things that have hurt and killed many. But why do you want to kill one and save the other?"
"Ah."
The Uzumaki stopped in place, prompting the ANBU to do the same. Her expression was pensive as she mulled over the question. From an outside perspective, both Obito and Danzo were people who should be killed or taken care of so that they couldn't hurt anyone anymore.
But…
"It's because they have different ideologies," she eventually answered. When Kakashi didn't look appeased by that, she sighed. "Look, I have more information on the situation than I'm willing to reveal. The only thing I can tell you is that Obito has certain, let's say things-" no way was she going to spill that the Uchiha was hunting Bijuu "-he wants and if he can get them without much bloodshed, he will do it. He doesn't care for slaughtering people; all he wants is to achieve his goal."
Kakashi nodded slowly, "But Danzo isn't like that."
"Exactly. That man thinks that he is the supreme ruler and has the right to shape the world as he pleases. He says he's helping Konoha when he's actually furthering his own agenda."
Hikari paused, staring into the distance. Perhaps one could argue that Obito was doing the same thing by wanting to envelope the world in the Mugen Tsukuyomi. And she understood that phrasing it the way she did was practically inviting someone to call her a hypocrite.
But there was no easy way to explain why Danzo did not deserve a second chance when Obito did.
"In the end, it comes down to the fact that one is being manipulated and brainwashed while the other is doing everything out of free will."
'That, and the fact that Obito can change. Danzo will not. I don't know if there might have been a point in time when the old geezer could have been convinced to follow different ideals but I do know that the time has long passed.'
A hand landed on her head and gave her hair a vicious ruffle, making Hikari squawk in indignation. "Kashi-nii!"
"Don't get too lost in your head," Kakashi said, eye closing in a smile. "I was only asking out of curiosity. I shouldn't mention anything about this to Hokage-sama, right?"
Hikari hesitated, shifting awkwardly. "Yes…? I would rather you not."
"You don't trust Hokage-sama."
"No," she admitted, voice soft but emotionless. "I might have mostly forgiven him but I can't trust him when he'sstilloverlooking Danzo's actions. Strike one was the revelation of Naruto's status as Jinchuuriki to the villagers. Two more and he loses any goodwill I still have left for him."
"Not even if he does something to make up for it?"
"No."
The Uzumaki's shoulders slumped, face darkening with the bone-deep exhaustion she always carried and carefully kept hidden. Hikari hadwarnedHiruzen, had explicitly told him that Danzo was out for the Uchiha but apart from spoiling the Shimura's public plans, he had not taken any actions.
She could see Danzo's manipulations clear as day, the rumors that were still spreading in Konoha being only the surface.
And while she had been working tirelessly to counter it, there was only so much a single person could do.
Hikari was well aware that if she told Hiruzen of Obito's existence, of his past actions and future plans, the Sarutobi would set a price on the Uchiha's head.
There was no way she could respect someone who would turn a blind eye to a wayward friend's actions but denounce a person who could be changed.
A leader could never allow themselves to be so willfully blind.
…right, no more wandering thoughts for now.
Fortunately, Kakashi didn't question her further and simply hummed in acknowledgement. He had his own reasons for hating the old war hawk and if Hikari's plans coincided with him getting his best friend back, then he was all for it.
"So…where exactly are we heading?"
Kakashi leant against the tree Hikari was perched on, tilting his head back to look at her. Said girl was squinting into the distance, trying to make out something. She didn't avert her gaze as she replied, "I was wondering when you were going to ask that."
"Just answer the question."
"Summoning Island. It was a place where research of summoning animals and development went on."
"And where is it?"
Hikari dropped down in a flurry of red and black. "Somewhere between Hi no Kuni and Kaminari no Kuni," she replied, tugging her hood up to hide her hair. "Don't worry; it's in neutral territory and we don't have to worry about running into any Kumo nin."
"Then my official mission really is fake," Kakashi stated drily, raising an eyebrow when the girl snickered and shook her head. Dread filled him and he demanded, "Kusa is in the opposite direction! How am I supposed to complete it within the given timeframe?!"
He certainly did not expect this when he had been called into the Hokage's office and given a mission scroll. Hiruzen had told him that the mission was mostly a front and he was to accompany Hikari wherever she went.
Now he had to wonder if he should have asked her what they were doing immediately after they had left Konoha instead of simply following her lead.
Hikari outright cackled at the frustration on the Hatake's face. "You really didn't notice something off when I snuck out of Konoha instead of walking out the gates? Really, Kashi-nii, I think you trust me too much." Her laughter died down to low giggles soon and she continued, "I left a Kage Bunshin so that no one got suspicious but I did talk to Shikaku-san before I planned this."
"That's fine but how are we going to get to Kusa and then back to Konoha in aweek?"
"Stop worrying! I sent a Kage Bunshin to place one of my Hiraishin markers near Kusa. We can just teleport there once we are done on Summoning Island."
"You certainly seem to have thought things out beforehand."
"Yep!"
The duo stepped up their pace after that conversation, reaching the coastline in less than two hours. "Now what?" Kakashi asked, looking around. There was no one in sight for miles; there wasn't even any sign of human settlement. "Do we go looking for a boat?"
"No. There aren't any boats that go to Summoning Island."
That response earned the redhead a deadpan glare. "I don't see any island so that means this place is at least a hundred miles away. How are we going to get there, water walking?"
Hikari beamed at him, a mischievous twinkle in blue eyes. "Exactly!" she chirped, taking his sarcasm seriously. Channeling chakra to her feet, she stepped on the water as easily as walking on solid ground. "If what I'm sensing is right, we have another hour of steady running ahead of us."
Kakashi sighed, resigned to the Uzumaki's craziness. "If I run out of chakra, you're carrying me," he threatened, stepping on the water himself. "And you're telling me everything you know about this island."
"I can give you some chakra if you need it," Hikari replied, spinning around to face the horizon. "I have plenty, after all."
"Right…the island?"
"We actually stumbled on it by accident. Yamato-taichou -I mean Tenzo-san-, Gai-sensei, Aoba-san and I were on our way to Kaminari no Kuni when we sailed into a storm and a huge bird grabbed Gai-sensei," the redhead recalled. That had been an utterly chaotic time but looking back on it, she could recall the memory with fondness.
"The island was filled with all sorts of huge beasts; snakes, spiders, eagles or a weird mix of different animals. Someone wanted the ultimate summoning beast and the researchers were trying to create it."
Kakashi could guess where the story was heading. "Something went wrong."
"Yeah. The beast was too strong for them to control and it ate? swallowed?" Hikari shook her head, not wanting to bother with the semantics. "Basically it killed them all and a bunch of the other beasts, then went to sleep."
"That thing is still alive?!"
"Should be," Hikari shrugged, perking up at the first sight of Summoning Island. It was still far away but at their current speed, it wouldn't take more than forty minutes. "It could use Genjutsu and Raiton as well as the abilities of any creature it consumed."
Kakashi almost blanched at the thought of such a creature. Having a multitude of those running around wouldnotbe good.
"So we're going to kill it?"
Hikari nodded. "Honestly, no one ever goes near that island because of the creatures that live on it so it really isn't important. The reason I want to go there is because the spirit of the person who was helping the researchers to restrain the beast was waiting for someone to come help her kill it."
"A spirit?" It was almost incredulous to hear: a powerful beast and a spirit. "Is there something special about her?"
"I only saw her once but Aoba-san said that she was described as a 'survivor of a certain clan of shinobi' in a journal he found. Her name was Honoka and it seemed that she was an Uzumaki."
Back then, Hikari hadn't known that the woman with red hair could have belonged to her clan. It was only after Minato had started telling her stories of her mother's clan that she realized that Honoka was family, albeit distantly.
Since there was no way to save her, the least Hikari could do was to free her spirit.
Kakashi sighed, though it was fond rather than exasperated or frustrated. "You really are one of a kind, Hikari."
"Huh? What'd you mean?"
It was a relief to set foot on the ground again; running on water for an hour straight was not something Kakashi cared to do again unless it was strictly necessary. He took in the sight in front of him; at first glance, Summoning Island seemed pretty normal. There were no signs of the giant beasts Hikari had told him about but perhaps they were deeper inside the forests and mountains.
Movement in his peripheral made the ANBU turn to his right; a young woman with red hair and dressed in a purple sleeveless kimono blouse was standing near a tree. Sharp dark eyes met his own, a fiery determination in otherwise dull eyes taking Kakashi aback.
'This must be Honoka,'he mused as he called to the other,livingUzumaki, "Hikari? Is that who you mentioned?"
"Huh?" Hikari blinked, looking up at Kakashi before turning in the direction he was facing. Her face brightened at the sight of the woman and she exclaimed, "Yeah, that's her! Come on, Kashi-nii; we have to follow her!"
Honoka led them through the forest for a while, the trees eventually parting to reveal a rundown building. Once inside, she directed them to one of the rooms. Kakashi went inside, partly out of curiosity as to what was inside and partly out of professional concern to investigate.
Hikari, however, did not follow him; instead she stared at the woman who was leaning against the wall. "Hey…um, you can't talk, right?" she winced when dark eyes connected with hers but to her surprise, the woman nodded. "Okay…my name's Hikari. Uzumaki Hikari."
That got a reaction.
Honoka blinked and stared at the younger girl's face and Hikari obligingly pulled down her hood, letting her hair spill over her shoulders. For a moment, the two girls stood still, the only noise in the room coming from Kakashi rummaging about.
Then Honoka smiled, her features softening. Tears welled at the corners of Hikari's eyes but she didn't let them fall, instead showing a blinding grin. "I guess we're really family then, huh?" she laughed, the sound a little wet. "I wish I could have met you for real. But since I can't, I'll do my best to free your spirit!"
Smile widening, Honoka nodded. Her lips moved soundlessly but Hikari could tell what she was trying to say.
"Nice to meet you, little cousin."
"Is this the beast?" Kakashi asked, peering into the strange liquid. The so-called ultimate summoning beast looked like it was dead but he knew that wasn't the case, thanks to Hikari. It did appear rather creepy, though. "How do we kill it?"
Hikari came up the short flight of stairs to stand next to the teen, brow creased in thought. "I'm not completely sure," she said, frowning. "Last time, Gai-sensei kicked it towards the volcano," she gestured to the opening on the left, "and Honoka-san stopped it from flying away. After that, I used my Rasenshuriken to slice it in half and drop it into the lava."
"Rasenshuriken?"
"Wind chakra added to the Rasengan."
Smiling at Kakashi's awed mumble of "You completed Minato-sensei's jutsu", she continued, "While drawing it towards the volcano is possible, I can't use the Rasenshuriken. I don't know the effect it will have on my younger body."
"Can you give it a try?"
Hikari pondered that for a moment."Kurama? Can you watch over me and intervene if the nature chakra goes haywire?"
"Sure. Try not to gather too much."
"Okay. Thanks!"
To Kakashi, she said, "I'll try but don't bet on it. Keep an eye on the stupid thing and think of some ways we can beat it while I meditate." With that, she leapt off the weird pool-like container and settled down to gather nature chakra.
Taking a deep breath, Hikari focused on her core and the chakra flowing around her, concentrating on collecting only trace amounts of nature chakra. She didn't need much, after all, just enough to stabilize the Rasenshuriken and allow her to throw it.
After what felt like an hour but in actuality was only a minute, Kurama called out to her."Kit, open your eyes."
When the redhead obeyed the command, she found that she was in their shared mindscape, the fox having drawn her in while she had been meditating."What?"
"Look at your reflection."
She did so and stared, doing a double-take. One hand rose to trace around her eye. Unlike before when her eyes turned yellow and the pupils transformed into bars like the toads, accompanied by orange around her eyes, now it was completely different.
Her eyes remained the same azure blue and her pupils were normal. The only change was a light smattering of blue, the same color as her chakra, on her eyelids."Huh. Is this because I've lost the Toad contract?"
"Probably,"Kurama agreed, head resting on his front paws as he watched his host."The benefits you receive from Sage Mode aren't linked to the summons you learn it from but the contract seems to affect some parts of it. I suspect that you can still use Sage Mode like normal but I suggest signing a new contract."
"Eh? What for?"
"To help you stabilize nature chakra. I doubt physical age matters much,"the Bijuu rumbled, explaining his theory."Only chakra control, which you are proficient in. A summon will boost your abilities and the shift in Sage Mode will allow you to work together more efficiently with that summon."
"Huh. You have a point,"Hikari mused. Combo techniques with Gamakichi had been a lot easier once she had mastered Senjutsu."Let's shelve this for later. Right now I need to beat up that failure of a summoning beast."
Hikari opened her eyes in the real world, just in time as the chrysalis started to crack. Kakashi leapt down once the beast began to emerge from the shell, drawing kunai with explosive tags attached to them. "What's the verdict, Hikari?"
"I can use the Rasenshuriken but we've only got one shot," she reported, eyes trained on the now roaring beast. More voices started to echo in the cave and blue eyes widened in realization. "The other creatures! They tried to help before but ended up being eaten! We can't let that happen!"
If the Ultimate Summoning Beast gained more abilities, it was going to be a pain to deal with.
"Can you use your Kage Bunshin to herd them away?"
"Maybe…"
Twenty clones popped into existence and dashed away towards the opening. Shouts and screeches followed once they disappeared from sight but none of the monsters came in, letting Kakashi and Hikari know that their idea was working.
"What's the plan, Kashi-nii?"
"Hide your presence and prepare your jutsu," Kakashi ordered, throwing a kunai at the beast when it turned in their direction. The beast let out a deafening screech at the explosion, making the two humans wince. "I'll draw it towards the opening; when I give the signal, you come in."
"Got it!"
Kakashi eyed the beast as he ran halfway towards the opening, throwing another kunai to get its attention. Just as expected, it shifted its gaze to him, completely ignoring Hikari who darted further into the shadows. Lightning crackled and hurtled at him, making the teen run up the wall to dodge it.
'I see why it was called 'ultimate'; it can use shinobi techniques easily.'
Running to avoid the lightning snapping at his heels, Kakashi threw another kunai at the beast's eye when he noticed it start to glow.'Genjutsu this time,'he thought.'If Hikari hadn't warned me, I wouldn't have prepared for such techniques.'
The beast roared in pain and sent tentacle-like appendages at him, making the teen curse and flip to dodge them. But his constant movement served the purpose of making the beast follow him, sending lightning and the tentacles after him in turns.
When they were about three-fourths of the way to the opening, Kakashi jumped to crouch upside down on the ceiling and yelled, "Hikari! Now!"
There was no verbal response but the sound of piercing winds filled the cavern. Hikari's suppression and perception seals faded, revealing her holding up a blue sphere that had four points like a shuriken. Even far away, Kakashi could feel the sheer amount of chakra emanating from the jutsu.
One of the girl's Kage Bunshin appeared at his side, using the Hiraishin seal that he still carried. "You might want to get out of range, Kashi-nii," she said cheerfully, grabbing his forearm and triggering another Hiraishin. This time, they appeared next to the original.
"We're ready, Boss!"
Hikari nodded, eyes focused on the beast that was still howling and heading towards the opening. She reared back, then threw the Rasenshuriken with full force. It swiftly crossed the distance and hit the beast, pushing it out the opening.
"Come on," she said, dragging Kakashi with her as she ran to the opening. The two looked down, watching the Rasenshuriken expand before cutting the beast in two and exploding. Kakashi pulled his hitai-ate up, looking at the swirling vortex of chakra with his Sharingan.
"Is that-?"
"Tons of microscopic wind blades," Hikari finished, cheering when the beast fell into the lava and let out a final screech of pain before sinking. "Tsunade-baa-chan said that it destroys the chakra network and prevents the victim from using chakra ever again."
Kakashi blanched and inched away from her, "I don't want to be on the receiving side of ."
Hikari laughed, shaking her head. "It's one of my favorite jutsu but I won't use it often since it could be connected to the Rasengan. Also it's too powerful to use against the average shinobi."
A shimmer in the air next to them made Kakashi and Hikari turn to see Honoka appear. She looked down into the volcano, a relieved expression crossing her face when she saw that the beast was dead. Directing her gaze back to the two of them, she bowed low in gratitude.
"You can rest in peace now, Honoka-san," Hikari said softly, her smile matching the one Honoka gave, tinged with both sadness and relief. The spirit began to glow, shattering into gold flecks that dissipated in the air.
One last thought echoed in the remaining humans' minds.
"Thank you."
Kakashi and Hikari were back in the abandoned research facility, combing every nook and cranny for the remnants of the research. Should someone find it and get it into their heads to recreate the experiment, there was no telling what kind of damage it could cause.
A box in the corner caught Kakashi's attention and he moved to pick it up. Opening it, he found three thick scrolls inside. "Hikari," he yelled. "Come here for a second!"
Thuds sounded above his head, followed by running footsteps. Hikari appeared at the doorway of the room he was in half a minute later, curiosity in her features. "What is it, Kashi-nii?"
He gestured to the box, "Can you tell what these scrolls are for?"
Hikari plopped down on the floor next to the Hatake, taking one of the scrolls from the box. It was fairly large, about the length of her arm. There was no writing to help identify it nor could she open it. She stared at it, wondering where she had seen something similar.
"Wait…is this a summoning contract?"
That was it; it looked like the scroll Jiraiya had carried around, passed on to her after he died. The scroll in her hands looked a little more elegant than the Toad contract, with intricate patterns on the edges instead of the plain borders of the Toad contract.
Kakashi raised an eyebrow at her mumbling and dug into the box, checking to see if there was something else inside. He found a sheet of aged paper, most of the words having faded with time. "This says that they really are summoning contracts," he said, skimming the contents of the paper. "Apparently, they couldn't open or use them so they were stored in here."
"Huh."
"You should take them, Hikari."
That jolted the girl out of the trance she had fallen into and she whipped around to stare at Kakashi. "Why me?"
Kakashi shrugged, getting to his feet and dumping the other two scrolls in the startled redhead's lap. "I already have my ninken and don't see the need for another contract. I'm going to check the other rooms now."
Hikari watched him go blankly, then stared back at the three scrolls. "Might as well," she muttered, sealing them in her bracelet.
The two of them rapidly went through the rest of the building, finding nothing else of worth. All of the research materials they had found were promptly burnt and the ashes scattered in the wind.
Their final act was to construct a memorial for the dead researchers; Kakashi's Doton made swift work of that and there was a small stone slab with the names of the researchers that they were able to find engraved on it.
Kakashi and Hikari made their way out of the forest once they deemed their work done and offered their prayers for the dead. "That was quite the adventure, huh?" Hikari asked, grinning wide and bright.
"If by that you mean completely crazy, then yes," Kakashi retorted blandly, wondering when this became his life.
Hikari pouted at the response. A wicked gleam entered her eyes making the ANBU edge away warily but she threw her arms around his waist in a tight grip.
"Next stop: Kusa!"
Manami stifled a whimper of pain as the man bit into her arm harshly and felt chakra drain from her body. It was a very uncomfortable experience and not something she preferred to do.
'For Karin's sake, I'll endure,'she repeated to herself, over and over in her mind. She had very little options; the Uzumaki were still hunted everywhere and there was no safety for them out in the open. In a village they were at least promised some measure of protection.
Zosui nodded approvingly when the man sucking her chakra stepped back, his injuries healed completely. "Two more days, Uzumaki, and then you will be given a house in the village. Provided that you heal our men whenever necessary."
"I understand, Zosui-sama."
Kusa had proposed a one-week time period as a trial, to see if Manami's claims of her healing ability held up. For the time being, they had to fend for themselves in the forest but they were able to buy food with the little money they had.
Manami pulled her sleeves down to cover her arms, littered with bite marks. The scars were unlikely to ever disappear, what with how her body and chakra were surely to be taxed thanks to the agreement with Kusa.
If it weren't for her daughter, there was no way she would ever comply with men like Zosui.
She stepped out of the hospital, keeping her head down and pulled out the little pouch of money she had. Wincing when she realized that it wouldn't be enough for a decent meal, Manami resigned herself to stale bread for two days. It wouldn't do to let Karin go hungry.
The main gates came into view and Manami walked out, ignoring the disdainful glares she got from the guards. She looked around, searching for her young daughter. Manami had absolutely refused to bring Karin with her to the hospital during the trial period, afraid that Zosui might realize that she too had healing chakra and try to exploit her.
"Karin?"
No answer.
Fear threatening to choke her, Manami turned back to the guards. "My daughter, where is she?!"
One of them looked down his nose at her, sneering. "How should I know? We only agreed to watch over her if she stayed near the gates. If she wandered off, that's her own fault."
"How could you! She's just a child!"
"None of our business, woman! Get out of here!"
Manami bit back the enraged retorts at the tip of her tongue; instead, she turned around, intending to scour the entire forest for her little girl if she had to.
"Karin?! Karin, where are you?"
The Uzumaki woman ran through the forest, hoping to spot a glimpse of her daughter.'She couldn't have gone far,'she thought, fear gripping her heart in a vice-like grip.'Oh, Karin, where did you go?'
"Mom!"
Relief crashed over Manami in waves at the sound of her daughter's voice, turning around just in time to catch the little redhead who came running at her. She fell to her knees, hugging Karin tightly to herself. A quick glance over the girl told her that there were no injuries or signs of stress.
Holding Karin gently by her shoulders, Manami asked, "Karin, where did you go? I told you to stay by the gates."
"Sorry, mom," the little girl wilted, eyes lowering to study the ground. "But the kids from the village took our stuff and threw them into the forest! I had to get them!"
"Oh, sweetheart…I'm sorry for leaving you alone."
"It's okay! I know mom loves me so I'm happy!" Karin smiled widely at her beloved mother. No matter what, her mother always took care of her and made sure that she felt safe. Recalling something from earlier, she brightened. "Mom, come with me!"
"Karin?"
Manami stumbled over her feet at her daughter's enthusiastic actions but went along. "What is it?"
"I met two nice people! They helped get our stuff back!"
'What?'
Manami knew that it was probably wrong of her to be suspicious of people she hadn't even met but she couldn't help being wary. Most strangers had never been good to them, either trying to take advantage of them or being outright cruel. So her suspicion was justified but for the sake of her daughter, she tried to keep an open mind.
Karin took them to a clearing in the forest and Manami used her grip on her daughter to pull her back a bit. She used the time to study the two; to her surprise, neither of them seemed to be older than twenty and the one wearing a hood appeared to be a child, going by their stature.
The only identifying feature on them was the Konoha hitai-ate worn by the boy.
"Oh, hey, Karin!" The one in the hood called cheerfully, voice giving them away as a girl. "Is that your mom?"
"Yes!" Karin replied just as happily, pulling her mother towards the two. "Mom, meet Hikari-san and Kakashi-san!"
"Nice to meet you," Manami said cautiously, taking a seat next to the duo when no threatening moves were forthcoming. It appeared that they had been watching over her and Karin's meagre belongings, dusting them off and packing them safely. "What does Konoha want with us?"
The silver-haired teen shook his head, pointing at the girl. "Not Konoha," he replied blandly. "Rather this brat."
"Hey! I'm not a brat!" The girl protested, shooing him off. "Don't you have a mission, Kashi-nii? Get to it!"
Kakashi patted her head in a mocking manner and jumped away when she swiped at his hand. "Fine. I'll be back in an hour. Uzumaki-san, Karin," he said, inclining his head at the mother and daughter pair before vanishing.
"Show-off," Hikari grumbled, glancing at the two bemused Uzumaki. In her world, she had not known Karin very well, the woman having died before they could bond over anything but their shared clan. But she remembered that she had lived in Kusa before being picked up by Orochimaru and had not liked her life there.
Hence, the trip to Kusa.
"Don't worry, Uzumaki-san," she said, smiling when the woman looked at her warily. "I'm here to help you."
"What do you mean?"
"I'm offering you a place in Konoha, if you want it."
Manami gaped, struck speechless at the words. It had been hard enough convincing Kusa to allow them to stay and now Konoha was offering them a place to live?
It sounded too good to be true.
"What's the price?" she questioned, eyes narrowed and all the steel of a protective mother in her voice. If the conditions were going to be the same as Kusa then there was no point in accepting Konoha's offer.
"Nothing?" Hikari blinked in confusion. While she could understand the mother's worry for her daughter, there was no reason to be so hostile.
"Idiot,"Kurama facepalmed, morbidly awed by his Jinchuuriki's obtuseness."Drop the hood!"
"Oh, right. Forgot about that."
"There really is no price, Uzumaki-san," Hikari reassured, one hand rising to tug her hood down. "I'm an Uzumaki too."
Manami stared at the newly revealed redhead, her long crimson locks spilling down her back and onto the grass. "You…"
"Mom," Karin whispered, red eyes wide with admiration. "Her hair is just like ours!"
"I didn't know there were other Uzumaki around," Manami whispered, eyes still trained on Hikari's hair. For years, she had never met another Uzumaki, her late husband being the only other one she had known except her daughter.
Hikari simply smiled, pulling her hair up into a ponytail and off the grass. "Not surprised. The only other Uzumaki I know is my adopted little brother. The red hair skipped him though; he looks more like his father. I joined Konoha a few months ago, after my parents were killed by bandits," she said, sticking to the fake backstory. "I'm not going to force you to come with me. It's just an option."
Before Manami could reply, a growl cut through the air and she looked at her daughter. Karin's face was bright red with embarrassment as she held her stomach. "Oh, I'm so sorry, Karin!" she exclaimed, pulling out the bread she had bought.
Hikari twitched, her keen sense of smell telling her that the bread was rather stale.'Kusa really isn't forthcoming with aid. Selfish bastards.'
Noticing Karin's expression of distaste and resignation at the sight of the bread, she unsealed a box from her storage seal. "Hey, Karin," she called, holding out the box when the little girl looked at her. "Have some of this."
Karin took it hesitantly, looking at her mother for permission. She slowly opened the box, mouth watering at the sight of perfectly made onigiri. "Is it really okay…?"
"Yeah, eat up. I have more if needed."
"Yay! Thank you, Hikari-san!"
Hikari smiled fondly, watching the child dig into the food with gusto. Feeling eyes on her, she raised her head to meet Manami's teary gaze. "U-Uzumaki-san-!"
"Please, just Manami."
"W-Well…Manami-san, what's wrong?"
"It's just…thank you."
The seven-year-old shifted awkwardly, not quite sure what to make of the situation. "You're welcome…? It's just not right to let a child go hungry…Kusa is a real piece of work."
Manami nodded, rubbing her arms as she recalled what they demanded of her. "I know but it is all I've got."
Hikari's eyes narrowed at the action and glancing at Karin to ensure that she was distracted, said in a low voice, "You have healing chakra, don't you?"
"Y-Yes…" Manami startled, taken aback by the disgust she could see in those bright blue eyes. "Hikari-chan, what-?"
"I can't guarantee you a very happy life in Konoha," Hikari cut her off abruptly, expression dead serious. "There are a lot of people prejudiced against my little brother and they will definitely make your life hard. But there are also many who will support you and you can just ignore the idiots. So will you come with me to Konoha? Because I just can't ignore what youwillgo through in Kusa."
The determined declaration took Manami by surprise but she held back on any immediate response to sort through what the girl had said. "Your brother?"
Hikari frowned but leant closer to whisper in the woman's ear, "He's the Jinchuuriki of the Kyuubi."
Manami froze; while she might not have much knowledge of Fuuinjutsu, she could separate the kunai from the scroll. She held no ill will towards the boy but was able to understand why the villagers would hate him; the destruction the Kyuubi had wrought on Konoha was well-known.
But to place all the blame on the child…
Hikari sat back, expression still serious. "That's a secret, Manami-san. You can't tell anyone, not even to Karin."
"I understand."
"Okay…what else? The Hokage will be on your side, as will a lot of the clan heads. But there's a person named Shimura Danzo, who will want you or Karin for your healing ability. He's already trying to get me but I'm too much of a public figure, you see."
"If we come to Konoha, will we be safe? No matter what, I cannot endanger Karin."
"As expected of a mother," Hikari grinned. She knew that Manami would understand what she had implied. If Hikari had known about the pair's existence then there was no reason Danzo wouldn't.
While he had not known in her original world, she wouldn't exclude the possibility that he might go hunting for other Uzumaki if she couldn't get her. And that would put Manami and Karin in the line of fire.
If Manami chose to follow Hikari to Konoha, she and Karin would be guaranteed the Hokage and a multitude of clan heads' protection, which would be enough to keep Danzo away.
"Like I said, it won't be perfect, but I swear to give Karin as much of a normal life as possible."
Manami searched her expression for any signs of deceit but found none. There was only the promise of protection, a chance for more family. She finally smiled and nodded. "I accept your offer, Hikari-chan."
Hikari beamed, joy lighting up her blue eyes as she cheered. Karin looked at them because of the noise and turned to her mother, "Mom, what is it?"
"We're going to Konoha, sweetheart," Manami told her daughter, pulling the little girl onto her lap.
"To Konoha? We don't have to stay with the mean people?"
"Nope! You're staying with me! How would you like a brother, Karin?"
Karin perked up, red eyes shining. "A brother?"
"He's a few months younger than you but I'm sure you'll get along great!"
The youngest Uzumaki practically demanded her mother, "Mom, Konoha! Let's go there! I want to meet my brother!" She paused when something occurred to her and turned to Hikari. "Can I call you nee-san?"
"Of course, Karin."
Hikari laughed and held out her arms when the three-year-old launched herself at the older girl, spinning Karin around and making her giggle in delight. Manami watched them fondly, thanking whichever deity had brought Hikari to them.
After a few minutes, Hikari set Karin down on her feet. "Manami-san, would you mind showing me your arms?"
The woman flinched but nodded, pulling up her sleeves. Karin sniffled at the sight of the bite marks on her beloved mother's arms and wrapped herself around the woman's middle. "Mom…"
"They're disgusting, aren't they?"
"Not at all," Hikari replied gently, taking hold of Manami's wrists. "They're a sign of how much you love your daughter. But they were caused by the Kusa idiots; you don't deserve to carry around a reminder of their cruelty."
Activating her Yin-Yang Release, she channeled a little bit of her chakra into Manami's body, directing the chakra to heal only the bitemarks and not touch anything else. It wasn't necessary and the woman's own chakra would heal anything else.
"A special ability of mine," Hikari winked when Manami stared at her unblemished arms in wonder. The girl stood up, sensing Kakashi's approach. "Are you ready, Manami-san? We should leave for Konoha as soon as possible."
"Ah…yes."
Manami glanced in the direction of Kusa, internally debating whether she should inform them of her decision to cancel their agreement. Eventually she decided against it, not wanting to deal with the complaints they would definitely make. They didn't treat her as human and she was more than willing to return the sentiment.
Kakashi dropped into the clearing at that exact moment, raising an eyebrow in question at Hikari. "They're coming with us," the latter replied and he nodded in understanding. "I can Hiraishin everyone to Konoha, but far enough from the village to pretend that you walked there."
She threw him a storage scroll, directing him to seal away the mother-daughter pair's belongings. While he was doing that, Hikari spoke to the other Uzumaki.
"I'll be using a technique that will take us about a couple miles away from Konoha. I can't come with you after that, I'm technically supposed to be in Konoha right now."
Karin looked confused, "Why?"
"Coming to get you was a secret; only Kashi-nii, the Hokage and one other person knew that I was going. I left behind a clone so that no one figured out my absence."
"Is it because of that Shimura person?" Manami asked, a little worried. "You mentioned that he isn't a good person."
"Yeah. So we're going with the story that Kashi-nii found you and offered to bring you to Konoha on my behalf." Hikari knelt to be on the same level as Karin, "Karin, when you get to Konoha, don't say anything about me, okay? This will be a little secret between us."
The little redhead nodded seriously, the expression looking adorable on her young face. "I promise!"
"That's a good girl."
Straightening, Hikari placed a hand on Manami's shoulder and held out her free hand to Kakashi, who took it without question.
The four were gone the next second, nothing in the clearing indicating that they were even there.
Manami shifted Karin in her arms; the girl had fallen asleep on the walk to Konoha, which was a good thing. It meant that not much attention would be paid to her.
"Don't worry, Manami-san," Kakashi spoke up, next to her. "Hikari would have sent a message to Hokage-sama by now. Once I report in at the guard station, I'll take you directly to him. After that, you can go to Hikari's house."
"Will you be escorting us the whole way, Kakashi-kun?"
"Yes. At this stage, there are very few people we can trust with your safety. That will change soon but it's better to be careful."
Twenty minutes later the trio stood in front of the gates of Konoha. Manami was slightly intimidated by the sheer size of the village, but hurriedly followed Kakashi.
At the guard station, Izumo grinned at the Hatake. "Welcome back, Kakashi-san. Surprised to see you at the gates, though. Don't you always report directly to Sandaime-sama?"
Kakashi shrugged and pointed behind them. "I came this way for their sake."
"Huh?"
"Are theyUzumaki?" Kotetsu gaped; the Uzumaki clan was said to be almost extinct but in front of him were two, not even half a year after their first redhead.
"Yeah. I found them near Kusa."
Izumo got it and grinned wider. "For Hikari-chan, huh?" he teased the older teen. He looked at the woman and bowed, "Welcome to Konoha, Uzumaki-san! We hope you'll find a home here."
Manami gave a weak, but no less sincere, smile. "Thank you, shinobi-san."
The day had been long and confusing for her, going from facing a dreadful future in Kusa to a happier one in Konoha, with an added bonus of two new family members.
Thankfully for her muddled state, Kakashi swiftly completed the necessary procedures to allow her and Karin entry to the village. In what seemed like no time at all, she was standing in front of the Hokage's office and the silver haired teen was knocking on the door.
"Come in."
Kakashi opened the door and gestured for her to go in first, which Manami did hesitantly. An aged man was seated behind a large desk, giving her a warm look. Next to him was another man with a spiky ponytail.
"Manami-san, the Sandaime Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, and the Jounin Commander, Nara Shikaku," Kakashi introduced, gently herding the woman to a chair. "Hokage-sama, Nara-sama, this is Uzumaki Manami and her daughter, Karin."
"Welcome to Konoha, Uzumaki-san," Hiruzen greeted with a genial smile. "I trust your journey was safe?"
"Y-Yes, Hokage-sama," Manami stuttered for a moment before reaching for her confidence and composure. "Thank you for granting us a place in your village. You have my gratitude."
Shikaku gave a lazy smirk at that. "Direct that to the resident redhead," he told the confused woman. "Hikari's the one who insisted that we find you. Get an idea into her brain and she can out-stubborn anyone in the world. And don't worry; there's a privacy seal in here. No need to watch your words."
"I see…"
Hiruzen interrupted at the point, sharp gaze focused on Manami. "Uzumaki-san, what did Hikari-chan tell you?"
Manami straightened, her own expression turning serious as well. "She spoke about her brother," she gave the men a significant look at that and when they nodded with twin grimaces that spoke of regret, she continued, "and about a man named Shimura Danzo who would want my daughter and myself for his own purposes.
"Yet you chose to come to Konoha?" Shikaku queried lightly, but his dark eyes held a multitude of questions.
"Yes," the Uzumaki woman answered in a determined tone. "I weighed both Kusa and Konoha's offers and chose what was best for my daughter. For her sake, there's nothing I wouldn't do."
She paused, a helpless smile curling her mouth. "And…there's something about Hikari-chan that makes you want to believe her. To trust in her. I realize that she's young, but…Also, she's family." Manami looked down at her sleeping daughter, stroking her hair in a soothing manner. "She promised to protect us and I believe that she will."
The meeting with the Hokage done with, Kakashi led Manami and a now awake Karin to Hikari's house after getting all the necessary paperwork proclaiming the two Uzumaki as citizens of Konoha.
"Hikari-chan lives far from the main part of the village," Manami noted, taking in the single large house surrounded by lots of open space and trees. "It's peaceful."
"She chose this place to get away from the villagers," Kakashi replied in a meaningful tone and she understood. Hikari wanted to keep her little brother away from the irrational hatred of the village. Manami approved; it would give the boy space to grow up in a relatively normal environment.
'Would he like us?'she thought as Kakashi opened the door and stepped inside. "Don't you have to knock?"
The teen shook his head. "I live here too." The easily spoken words took Kakashi himself by surprise; it was one thing to admit it to himself and another to say it to someone else. Huh, living with Naruto and Hikari sure had helped him a lot.
Soft footsteps were the only warning Kakashi got before a yellow and orange blur slammed into his legs, making him stumble a little. "Kashi-nii!" Naruto giggled, raising his arms for a hug. "Welcome home!"
Warmth bloomed in Kakashi's chest at the words, the wonder at having ahometo return to never becoming old. "I'm home," he replied with an eye smile. He picked the boy up and turned around, letting him see the two newcomers.
It was proof of his growth that Naruto didn't flinch away from the strangers, instead watching them curiously. "Kashi-nii," he whispered, "they have hair like nee-san!"
That was the cue for Manami, who picked up Karin to be at eye level with the other child. "Hello," she said, nerves coloring her voice. "My name is Uzumaki Manami and this is my daughter, Karin."
Blue eyes widened at the familiar surname and Naruto tilted his head back to stare at Kakashi. "Kashi-nii..?"
"It's alright, Naru-chan." Hikari's voice came from inside the house before she appeared at the Hatake's right. "They're family."
To the two wide-eyed Uzumaki standing on her doorstep, Hikari directed a soft smile, warmth visible in her blue eyes and in her expression.
"Manami-san, Karin…welcome home."
