Here's chapter 4: Senbonzakura
As usual I do not own, make money off, or in any way have a right to the characters of Naruto or its world. I'm just a lowly fanfiction writer.
I have a good backlog of chapters already written is why these are being posted fairly quick. Eventually it will be a more normal schedule of once every two weeks perhaps, as I do have Divine and Conquer to work on as well.
＊＊＊
I spend the rest of the day after fleeing sensei's house, hiding in my greenhouse. I am so used to feeling Kushina-sensei's chakra that even when I am ten minutes away from her house I had felt it shiver suddenly and go all gushy, and I realized that my sensing could get way too much information from people, way, way too much! I move faster than I think I ever have before, using chakra to propel myself forward, until I reach my greenhouse and slam the door shut behind me. The chakra dampening seals I installed - cut off my sensing abilities in the nick of time.
I am suddenly very thankful that most basic Fuinjutsu just require good calligraphy, chakra control and intelligence. I only began outfitting my greenhouse with chakra dampening seals at the beginning of this week. Also adding hardening seals to the glass panes that would prevent them from breaking by anything other than ninja levels of force. I love Fuinjutsu.
I take some deep breaths to calm down my racing heart from my cross village sprint, and I head to my little office. I have come to realize that the greenhouse is my sanctuary in this fucked up family compound, and I'll need somewhere in here where I could use fuinjutsu or study - without everything becoming damp or muddy. So I have taken one of the miniature greenhouse partitions meant for creating a different biome, and simply made it into an office space. Using seals to keep the humidity, sunlight and heat away.
Completely abusing my father's money I have acquired three large bookshelves placed against one glass wall, filled with every book on plants a civilian could possibly legally buy - and several scrolls on Genjutsu. A very comfortable green couch that can double as a bed, a desk with professional grade writing tools and filled with illegally bought sealing paper and ink. Sorry Kushina-sensei, I think, feeling slightly guilty. I can't always wait for you to supply me. Since my office is in a greenhouse I also have two large leafy plants in the corners by my desk.
I sink into my comfortable expensive leafy green chair - money is so very useful - I sigh in appreciation. In my previous life I did enjoy many finer things as well. My mind turns to Fuinjutsu as I ponder what I should practice next. I already can do storage seals and explosive seals. A basic barrier tag and smoke tag, as well as the chakra dampening seals and hardening seals. I play around with some fallen leaves off my plants as I think. I'll need to find a way, something special to me, something that will give me an edge. Without requiring becoming a seal master of Kushina-sensei's caliber.
I look down at the leaf in my hand, a loose idea fluttering around in my head. I place it gently on my desk and grab my smallest sealing brush, uncapping a bottle of sealing ink mixed with my blood. Carefully I draw a hardening seal on the little leaf. Then I pulse my chakra to activate it. I poke the leaf. It feels as hard as steel. I hum in thought. I grab the small pen knife I usually carry around In my pocket as a just in case, and try to scratch it, no luck. The leaf, small and unassuming as it is, has just become something that screams to me of potential.
I jump off my chair and rush to grab a book off my shelf on chakra theory that may or may not have been stolen from the academy library - The guy is a Chuunin, if he can't catch me they deserve to lose it. I flip through it looking for the section on chakra saturation and objects. My eyes lit up with unholy glee.
This would take a long time, but if it worked as I thought it would…. It would be absolutely kickass.
My eyes turn to the little leaf. This. This little thing was going to be one of my equalizers on the battlefield while I was too young and small to be able to fight equally in Taijutsu and Ninjutsu.
Any emotional upheaval over the last few days melts away as I start experimenting.
＊＊＊
It takes several days for Kushina-sensei to come and get me for training. I haven't been bothering to show up at our training ground, figuring she would be…busy. With kage bunshin and unnatural stamina in play… Well I figured it was best to stay away. And no I wasn't thinking about it… Much.
As usual it happens in a very Kushina-sensei way. I am simply walking in my compound heading between my house and my greenhouse when I feel her chakra moving my way. So I stop and wait for her. Silly me assuming she'd stop and talk to me like a normal person. Instead I have sensei literally swoop off the roof, grab me into her arms and then use chakra to launch us both up and away onto another roof. And then we are off, Kushina-sensei using the ninja highway to speed towards the training grounds.
"Seriously, sensei?" I complain.
"I'm just excited to see my adorable student, Dattebane!" She whoops, doing a literal cartwheel while carrying me.
I roll my eyes, More like you're happily laid now. I keep my thoughts to myself, not wanting to bring sensei's thoughts back to our last meeting. "You're always excited." I mutter grumpily instead. I wanted to continue working on my project. Science, sensei! Science!
"It's a beautiful day Inohana-chan! Of course I'm excited, Dattebane!" Kushina hollers, lifting me up enough to give me a smooch to my cheek. Eyes shining with joy and life. Her chakra brimming with happiness. Either Minato-san is really good, or she's just happy he's back.
"Don't do that, I don't know where those lips have been today." I quip, automatically defaulting to smartass, being bowled over by her physical affection and happiness and not knowing how to react.
Kushina-sensei gets tomato red and looks like she's going to give me a piece of her mind, but instead she looks at me with a cheerful smile as we fly through the rooftops. And kisses my other cheek. "You can't stop my love, Dattebane." She says smugly. Before kissing my forehead as I struggle in her arms. She must really have missed Minato. I think as I get showered in kisses. Her chakra is practically radiating joy and happiness. It is really making me slightly uncomfortable. Not to mention the kisses. What happened to Japanese pseudo society being all against public personal affection?
As we land in our training ground I notice both Minato and Mikoto sitting on a blanket. I glare up at Kushina-sensei, "Why are they here?" I don't whine, I simply protest in a different tone of voice.
"I'm showing you off!" Kushina-sensei says proudly, kissing the top of my head before finally allowing me to get on my own two feet.
I glare at Minato, "This is all your fault." Sex fiend! I hiss internally.
Mikoto hides a smile behind her hand as the blonde Jounin looks at me bewildered. "What did I do?" He protests.
"You made Kushina-sensei all kissy." I say with irritation. Rubbing my cheek, pretty sure my fair skin has lipstick marks.
Mikoto outright laughs as Minato blushes and Kushina grins, sensei jogging over and plopping down In-between the two, slinging her arms around them.
"You're just very kissable." Kushina-sensei declares cheerfully. "Now make sensei look good, Dattebane!"
Irritated, I snake a chakra string her way and attach it to sensei's chakra system to show her a Genjutsu of Ichiraku's going out of business. I've never tried it on a ninja before so I am not sure if I would succeed or not. I'll undoubtedly look good if I do and get back at Kushina-sensei at the same time.
As soon as my chakra enters her system I know I have fucked up. My special way of attaching chakra strings means I have a constant conduit attached to my target. Useful normally, but I haven't thought of what it would mean in someone with a Bijuu's chakra. It's like acid burning through my veins, pure malevolent chakra, wishing for my death, to render me apart. Getting it hooks into every crevice of what makes me, me.
I gasp in pain, feeling like my breath is being stolen from me, like I am drowning in physical hate, stumbling where I stand as it feels as if my chakra coils are burning to nothing, my knees shaking, as pure hatred pours down my connection. No no no no no, I scream in my head, feeling like I am on fire and drowning at the same time, I am burning up, I'm dying! I feel a massive predatory presence rise above me, the pressure breaking me apart from all sides. It needs to end, I can't take it, it has to stop, I reach for the pen knife in my pocket, desperately bringing it to my neck, just end it all. Please just end!
Before I can, there is a flash of red and I lose consciousness. A mocking dark chuckle is the last thing I hear.
Please let me die! Is my last panicked thought.
＊＊＊
Mikoto has been enjoying actually having a day off. No Fugaku. No missions. No clan duties. Just being able to be. And even better still, Kushina has invited her to come see her adorable student show off, so she'd finally have some time with her best friend. And inspect this girl that has Kushina going ga ga. Kushina's only known the girls a few months, but in her letters Kushina was practically declaring her family already. It interested Mikoto.
And she is even nice enough to bring eye candy in the form of her boyfriend. Mikoto is really enjoying her day off. Namikaze Minato is definitely at the top of the secret - who would you marry, bang or kill - kunoichi list. Kunoichi wanting to murder someone because of how powerful they are, is one of the highest statuses a man could reach.
Kushina practically flies into the training ground with her small apprentice in her arms. It is just so cute. And the grumpy face of the little girl with lipstick marks all over her makes it hard to keep a straight face. The way she keeps trying to act cool and adult, but really fails at it is admittedly super cute. Genius intelligence, but she really can't hide how pleased she was when Kushina mothered her. Not to Mikoto's gaze. You can not hide from Uchiha eyes.
She isn't able to hold back the smile when the girl grumpily blames Minato-san for her predicament. Which is of course true. Mikoto hasn't seen her friend out in the village at all until today, nor Minato-san since his return. Knowing Kushina's appetite elsewhere. She is surprised Minato-san could walk at all.
She is kind of excited to see what the girl can do, with how much Kushina has bragged about her. Watching intently as Kushina tells her to show off. Sharing a confused glance with the other two as the girl seemingly freezes, eyes blank.
Then her small tight chakra erupts violently and the girl screams such a heart rending terrified scream - that all three of them jump to their feet, eyes flitting back and forth searching for the threat. Kushina launches herself to go to her student, eyes panicked. But it only makes the little girl scream louder, sounding like she's under brutal torture. Mikoto sees the little girl flinch back on shaky legs and reach into a pocket. She immediately activates her Sharingan and looks into terrified forest green eyes and knocks the girl out just as the small pen knife is being raised to her own neck. The girl falls limply, as if a puppet with its strings cut. Minato manages to get her just before her head could hit the ground. Her little body is still shaking in his grasp.
Mikoto frowns, brows furrowed, she had been forced to use almost a third of her chakra just to make her Genjutsu knock the girl out. That was highly unusual. It was probably more chakra than the girl had in her entire system. There was something odd with the girl's chakra. It should not have been that difficult to knock her out with Sharingan induced Genjutsu. If anything it should have been much easier than normal. She was fairly accomplished with her Sharingan after all.
All of them stand tense and feel the surroundings for any sign of an enemy. The sudden silence after such jarring tortured screams have them all on edge. Yet there is no sign of an enemy, even to Mikoto's Sharingan. Kushina lets out a quick sob, when they realize there is no one else around. Kushina grabs her stomach looking ashamed and fearful, making a spike of fear travel down Mikoto's spine. No … Surely the girl hadn't!?
"What just happened?" Minato says, gently holding the girl up, Kushina hovering but not daring to touch the girl. Mikoto wonders if this would break the bond between the two. She hopes not. The Kyuubi already interfered enough in Kushina's life.
Kushina looks heartbroken and tears are flowing from her eyes, "Something made the Kyuubi chakra react." She wrings her hands, looking guilty.
Mikoto saw something with her Sharingan as she knocked the girl out, "She had a chakra string attached to you, Kushina." She reports, keeping her tone calm and collected. Kushina doesn't need to feel any blame, this was not her fault. Who would expect a 4, soon to be 5 year old to be able to manage to attach to the Kyuubi's chakra. It's not like we can tell the girl to be careful of it. Mikoto thinks, chagrined. State secrets were not given to prepubescent girls.
Minato raises a surprised eyebrow, thoughtful eyes on the girl in his arms. "Chakra strings, that's remarkable for someone her age." His hand shimmers green for a moment. Mikoto recognizes the diagnostic jutsu, she narrows her eyes seeing the little body jolt, that's not normal, "Kushina, she's fine, she's just had a dose of intense killing intent." He soothes his girlfriend, not having noticed the little jolt due to watching his panicky lover.
"I've had my chakra interact with Kushina before, there has never been a reaction like that." Mikoto says, laying an arm on Kushina's shoulder, squeezing it gently. Showing she was there for her. Carefully, she activates her Sharingan again, watching the girl. Nothing immediately pops up, the girl seems fine now, just unconscious.
"She's a sensor, Dattebane." Kushina cries, "This is all my fault. She'll hate me!" Mikoto can feel her chakra churn standing this close to her, as she wasn't a sensor, that was a bad indicator of just how badly Kushina was taking this.
"You couldn't have predicted whatever it was she was trying to accomplish with the chakra string, Kushina!" Minato says softly, stepping up close to her, hugging one arm around her, letting the child's body press against her sensei. Mikoto normally didn't do such displays so publicly but her friend needed it, so she hugged the other arm of her friend, pushing Kushina's head against hers. "He's right, and there's no way that little girl hates you. It's pretty obvious she idolizes you."
"She tried to kill herself!" Kushina cries out. "Because of me!" She tries to move away but Mikoto and Minato both are of the same mind and force her tighter into their embrace. Bringing little Inohana-chan against her as well. Mikoto would not allow her to run away from this and blame herself. Kushina would regret it forever considering how close she had gotten to the girl already.
"That's a normal reaction to overpowering killing intent, she won't blame you." Minato says, sounding sad and tired. Mikoto agrees, what was their luck even, this was supposed to be a happy relaxing day, allowing Kushina to brag about her pseudo daughter. Now she looked like she was scared to touch her.
"Hold her Kushina." Mikoto coaxes softly.
Kushina shakes her head wildly, looking terrified. Hands shaking. Minato, showing he was both a genius and someone with balls enough to date Kushina, shoves the girl into her arms and lets go. Forcing Kushina to either drop the girl or hold her.
Kushina sinks to her knees, crying and rocking Inohana-chan in her arms as Mikoto and Minato soothe her.
＊＊＊
I wake up with a start, feeling wetness on my face. Kushina-sensei's face is hovering right above mine and I can't even understand her. She is blubbering so badly.
"Kushina-sensei are you okay?" I ask, which draws a wail out of the woman as she presses me against her chest. My face ends up in the crook of her neck. I inhale deeply, the scent of Kushina-sensei just making me feel better. Safer. Home…
"Why are you asking me if I'm okay, Dattebane!?" She cries, "I want to know if you're okay, you dummy!"
"Since you're the one crying you should answer me first!" I argue, some memory of what had happened started to trickle through. Oh, shit! I'm an idiot, why on earth did I try to attach to Kushina-sensei's chakra! I know about the Kyuubi for crying out loud!
"That's stupid, Dattebane!" Sensei pushes her teary, snotty face against mine, forehead to forehead. "You're gonna tell me how you're feeling, right now!"
I am feeling really irritated, I have fucked up badly. I almost killed myself for fucks sake. And obviously upset sensei badly, making her believe she was responsible. It's the only reason I can think of why I react explosively, "Baka-sensei! I asked first!" And I push my forehead against hers, glaring into her eyes. Tasting her tears on my lips and just getting more pissed off. She was crying because of me. Because I'm a damn idiot!
"You little brat! Students should answer to their sensei, Dattebane!" Kushina-sensei growls, pushing back against me, tears stop flowing as her face grows red. Eyes sparking as she stares me down, cheeks starting to puff out.
"I asked first!" I shout into her face, struggling to push back against her forehead. "Chipmunk-sensei!" I growl back at her smushing into her cheeks. Hearing her deep intake of breath at the rude nickname, preparing myself for her going Uzumaki style loud.
"Minato-san, are you sure she isn't Kushina's?"
We both turn and glare at the smirking Uchiha. She raises an imperious eyebrow, "You realize what you're doing right now?" She points out dryly. Minato standing next to her and trying to keep a straight face. He's really bad at it. Amusement is obvious.
We stare at each other again, nose to nose, both of us reddening slightly at how ridiculous we are behaving. I decide to be the adult in the situation. "I'm okay sensei." Expecting her to reciprocate and for this to be over.
Instead Kushina-sensei bites her lip, looking guilty. "If you don't want me to be your sensei anymore I'll understand, Dattebane." She whispers to me.
My eyes go wide and I stare up at her in shock, what the hell? Suddenly I feel furious. How dare this awesome kunoichi take on the blame for my fuck up. I gnash my teeth together. "Minato-san, please lift my sensei off me… So I can kick her Baka-sensei ass!"
I hear Mikoto snort, Kushina stares at me in shock just inches away from my eyes. Eyes that are glaring into hers. Minato shakes his head ruefully, "I'm not sure that's a good idea at the moment."
I snarl, making Kushina-sensei rear back a few inches in shock, I'm almost seething with anger. At myself. At her, for daring to take the blame. "I was the one dumb enough to try and show Kushina-sensei a Genjutsu of Ichiraku's closing for good. Without having tested it, without sensei knowing I could do it, without knowing it would backfire on me so badly. I'm the weak one, the one that messed up! So don't you DARE to suggest I should want to give you up!" I roar into her face. Eyes practically shooting sparks as I glare at my sensei.
Kushina-sensei smiles at me sadly, "Oh, Inohana-chan, you could never be weak or stupid." She lifts me up, hugging me tightly as she sits up. "I'll even forgive you for trying to make me believe there wasn't anymore Ichiraku's, Dattebane." She says, sniffling. And I'm almost sure she's joking.
"This is literally making my ovaries twitch." Mikoto says, shaking her head, and the look on Minato's face is so hilarious both me and Kushina-sensei just start giggling.
"I think, maybe it's time for lunch." Minato suggests carefully.
"But, I'm supposed to show off Kushina-sensei's teachings." I protest quietly. Kushina stands up, carrying me towards the blanket and the basket of food sitting there. "You'll be able to after we've all calmed down, Dattebane."
Mikoto smirks at her, "Minato-san and I are perfectly calm." She says airily as she smoothly sits down in a seiza position. Looking regal even on a picnic blanket. Fucking Uchiha, I think sourly.
"Bite me, Mikoto-chan." Kushina says with a huff. Depositing me onto the blanket, sitting down next to me. Smiling beautifully as Minato hands her a wet cloth. I close my eyes and just listen to the light banter as sensei cleans the tears off her face. Feeling her chakra wrapping around me like a blanket. Barely a sign of that malevolent chakra buried deep underneath. I squirm at the memory of desperation and needing to just die to get away from it. How did any kids survive the Kyuubi attack!?
I'm brought out of my musings as Minato asks me a question. I blink, blushing a bit, "Sorry, Minato-san, could you ask again? I wasn't paying attention."
He smiles at me, a curious glint in his blue eyes, "I was asking, how did you get the idea of introducing Genjutsu through a chakra string." He pauses for a moment, looking thoughtful, "And all without any hand seals too…"
My mind thinks furiously on what to say, I couldn't exactly explain that I had planned it all out and worked for years for it, I was not even 5 yet. Blame it on spiritual chakra it is. "Ah, well I noticed doing anything physical with chakra seemed way harder then doing anything mental. So I figured I was probably a Genjutsu type." I explain, having all three adults paying rapt attention. "Except I didn't have any Genjutsu, but I did have plenty of reading materials about the brain. So I studied the brain and charts of chakra pathways and Genjutsu theory from the academy library. And I realized that what Genjutsu needed was a way to attach to a target's chakra pathways, which hand seals usually assisted in, focusing your chakra to make it reach a target."
I take a breath noticing they were all looking at me with surprise and I blush slightly, and I also might have preened, just a litte. "I have read of chakra strings, although the material didn't specify how to make them, so I theorized I'd need to make thin strings of chakra and wrap them around each other until I got one thick functional string. Then I had something I could attach to a target's chakra system to induce a Genjutsu."
Mikoto sighs theatrically, "Kami, you would have made a wonderful Uchiha."
"Mine, Dattebane!" Kushina-sensei says, grabbing my arm for emphasis, giving her Uchiha friend a playful dirty look. Mikoto just smiles at her. I can overhear Kushina mutter under her breath about Uchiha smug look #5.
"You really are a genius, to manage a chakra string at your age, all from a mention in a book, and then use it to affect a foreign chakra system." Minato muses out loud, giving me a small smile when I duck my head, trying to avoid that piercing gaze. I feel exposed, like he is reading me like a book.
"Does it work?" Mikoto wants to know. Seeing my questioning look, she clarifies. "Are you able to use Genjutsu this way?"
I know I can, but I haven't managed to try a ninja yet, and I couldn't admit to my practice on civilians. So there really is only one answer I could give. "I think I could, but I haven't put it into practice yet." I make a face, with furrowed brows, "It didn't work so well with Kushina-sensei." C'mon tell me the reason, it's the perfect time! I think, surreptitiously watching Kushina-sensei.
"Kushina is… Special." Minato says diplomatically. "You're unlikely to run into the same problem elsewhere." Kushina-sensei looks relieved at that explanation. I guess I'm too young and not even a ninja yet, to share that secret.
"You better not run into the same problem, Dattebane!" Kushina mutters, ruffling my hair. I know what she means. Me running into the issue again means I would be up against an enemy jinchuuriki. Definitely something to avoid. On this I agree with Kushina-sensei emphatically.
As I try to straighten my hair, as Kushina-sensei once again messes it up, with me sending an unrepentant Kushina-sensei a dirty look, Mikoto speaks up. Having stayed out of the potential Kyuubi related discussion.
"Try it on me." She suggests.
"Are you sure, Mikoto-chan?" Kushina-sensei asks with pursed lips. Like myself, she probably feels apprehensive after the disastrous first try. Although at least she wouldn't have a demon in her gut so it couldn't possibly go worse. Then again she was Uchiha.
Demon or Uchiha. Which is worse. Well… If this was Sasuke, I'd definitely say worse. But his mom seems so much cooler than him.
Minato just watches us, keeping his opinion to himself. Probably expects Mikoto to know what she's talking about in Genjutsu. Uchiha and all that. Although I bet, pretty boy genius that he is, that he has a few under his belt too.
Mikoto smirks lazily, activating her Sharingan, "I'm Uchiha," she says, and the weird thing is that she isn't even sounding arrogant or anything. Just assured. That just being Uchiha, Genjutsu holds no danger to her. No wonder Sasuke ends up such a tool. It's literally in the genes. Mikoto pulls it off better than Sasuke though…
Kushina rolls her eyes, but relents. Giving me a little shove as if to say, well get on with it then. I look at Minato and he simply smiles at me, so no one was going to say this was a bad idea. Alright. I want to test my skills anyway, this was about as safe as it could be. And since all the adults have agreed, it would totally be their fault if this backfired again.
Damn, this all was totally going to be reported to the Hokage wasn't it? Well, at least I'll get some practice. And totally legal too.
Without effort I create a chakra string and send it off towards Mikoto. Who deactivates her Sharingan, the test being pointless if she doesn't allow herself to fall under my Genjutsu. I frown as I feel out the chakra pathways, having to struggle much harder to try and induce my Genjutsu. Here was the difference between civilians and Shinobi. The chakra system is flowing strong, it didn't want to be directed by a foreign influence. Slowly and painstakingly I started to influence parts of her brain, specifically for her vision. Trying to create the image of Kushina-sensei turning into ramen. Besides I didn't think I could handle trying to induce her hearing as well, having enough trouble not getting swept away in the chakra pathways as it was. How the hell did anyone fool all the senses with Genjutsu if it was this hard!?
I could feel my chakra take effect. Mikoto's quiet chuckle told me it has succeeded. And then my Genjutsu unraveled easily as anything as Mikoto stopped letting me do what I wanted and fought back. Fought being the wrong word really, as to me it felt like she'd just flexed and I'd been pushed out.
"That was hard, and it unraveled so easily." I pout a bit, I admit. That was nothing like doing it to a civilian. The chakra was so unwieldy and so easily upset. I'll have to become not only stronger, but more subtle, infiltrate the chakra without it naturally fighting back. I have so far to go.
"You just put me under a Genjutsu without using a single hand seal or any sign at all for anyone without a Doujutsu, that you had performed any action. Don't pout." Mikoto chides me gently. "That is simply prodigious ability." She tosses her hair lightly and sends Kushina a beatific smirk, "For a non-Uchiha."
"She is right, most Genjutsu masters fall in battle due to enemies knowing they are performing Genjutsu and fighting back more easily. You've found a way where the application will be unseen." Minato hops in as well to cheer me up. I must have looked particularly disgruntled for both of them to reassure me.
"I can't help you train Genjutsu." Kushina-sensei looks petulant. Sticking her lower lip out. Her eyes slide towards Mikoto who's eyes widen slightly. "Kushina, no!"
Kushina narrows her eyes, "I'll wear you down, Dattebane." She promises ominously. "I'm pretty stubborn," She grins suddenly, "For a non-Uchiha!" Throwing Mikoto's comment back at her with glee.
Mikoto just sighs and looks to the sky. I have a feeling she does this often around sensei. I was still trying to figure out if her comeback even made sense.
"She'll be busy with the academy in a couple months, and she'll have plenty of time to work on Genjutsu later." Minato says, laying a hand on Kushina's arm, getting the explosive redhead to let out a huff of air and let it go.
"You need to teach me how to wrangle Kushina-sensei so easily." I tell him semi-seriously. Which gets the surprised blonde to let out a chuckle as Kushina-sensei whines about students growing up too fast and getting sassy with their teachers.
I never do get to show off today, other than finding out how much more difficult it was to affect the chakra pathways of a Shinobi. Yet it has been a good day in the end. The cold calculating part of me was pleased with closer ties to Namikaze Minato and Uchiha Mikoto. As well as having the first incident which would eventually surely lead to Kushina-sensei telling me about her furry tenant.
The only tiny snag being that if canon played out. All three of my contacts would be dead before I was 20.
Well. There is also the whole third war thing that might have me dead long before any of them, as they're already deadly Shinobi.
＊＊＊
A few weeks later
"Are you sure about this, Dattebane?" Kushina-sensei asks me, looking dubious.
We're sitting in my greenhouse office, sensei having arrived to ink a storage seal on me. A seal on human skin is much harder than a paper seal. You have to contend with someone's chakra system and tie the seal in - in such a way the chakra accepts it and doesn't interfere with its function.
To make matters worse in this case. I have begged her to not ink a regular storage seal, but one for one specific duty only, and one that would remain just slightly open, allowing my chakra to constantly diffuse amongst the interior of the seal.
"I'm sure, I mean, you did say it was possible, right sensei?" I squirm a little in my seat, my torso naked. If she couldn't do it, I was going to be very frustrated due to my idea losing its most important component, the constant saturation in my chakra.
Kushina-sensei nods her head distractedly as she sorts through her brushes and her ink. "It is, Inohana-chan." She gives me a considering look, "It just means you won't be able to get a normal storage seal too, Dattebane." She pokes my naked chest, "With this seal just barely open enough for your chakra to swirl through it as a conduit, any other seal on your body would not work properly."
I nod, my hair done up in a bun to prevent it from falling down onto my body, which today is going to be a canvas. "I understand, sensei. I'm willing to do this."
"If you're sure." Kushina-sensei sighs, giving me a fond look. "Why do I always end up doing whatever you want, anyway?" She playfully grumbles.
"Because you're way too nice for a ninja." I say honestly. My lips twitching as she pokes my cheek, looking put out.
"I'm not that nice. I'm a badass ninja, Dattebane!" She argues, looking adorable with puffed out cheeks.
"Sure, sensei, sure." I tease her. I feel a shiver run down my back as the first brush stroke against my chest spreads the cold wet ink on me. "That's cold, sensei!" I complain.
"Pick up your balls, Inohana-chan, it's just ink." Kushina-sensei says amused, her tongue sticking out as she focuses on her brush strokes.
She let me look at the design beforehand. It's amazing how much effort goes into what in the end will look like a tiny swirl of a seal on my inner right forearm. Kushina-sensei has to paint my entire torso and arm in seal script, tracing and following my chakra pathways, to ensure the seal could keep my objects inside, while still remaining open just enough for chakra to enter continuously.
"How's the family been, what with everything." Sensei tries, casually - very unsubtly, to ask me.
I roll my eyes, "Kushina-sensei, everything's fine, you know I can handle them all being upset at me, right?" I step right aside from the main point - my father. And focus on the clan giving me the cold shoulder.
Kushina-sensei hums, sounding unconvinced. "And everything with your father, he's treating you okay?"
"Don't ever join the interrogation department, sensei, you're so not subtle." I snark. I would have shaken my head, but I need to remain still.
"I can be subtle." Sensei protests, eyes narrowed as she paints around my belly button. I shiver and squirm slightly, the ticklish feeling hard to ignore.
I receive a swat to my thigh, "Stay still, Dattebane!" Kushina-sensei says reprovingly.
"It tickles!" I protest, but do my best to stay still. I want this seal pretty badly after all. Also, success, she's forgotten that I didn't actually answer about my father.
Kushina-sensei's eyes light up, and she gets a devilish grin on her face, even as she continues to paint the seal. "Aha, so I have found your weakness, Inohana-chan!" She giggles.
"Tickling is a war crime!" I say looking down at her with narrowed eyes. From the amused look on her face, I know I'll be facing tickling attacks from now on. Fantastic. More reminders that I am essentially tiny and helpless.
The rest of the work continues in silence, Kushina-sensei focusing and with me watching her work with rapt attention. Admiring the skill in applying such a seal with deft hand and not a single mistake.
It takes over two hours, but it is finally finished, even Kushina-sensei's critical eyes can't find anything wrong after going over it three times. I honestly think the extra double-checking is a little over the top after the second time. She's a seal master - she didn't make a mistake.
"All right, I'm going to activate the seal, you might feel a slight pinch, Dattebane." Kushina-sensei tells me, right hand hovering over my belly, right over where one of my chakra gates rests. Even though the seal itself won't be on my belly, by activating it from there theoretically my seal will always be attached to the gate as well, ensuring my goal of suffusing everything in my seal in my chakra.
"Fuin!" Kushina-sensei says, fingers glowing as she slams her hand into my belly. And, Ow! Can't she just touch it? Damn it, sensei!
The seal script starts shrinking, coalescing towards my arm, and I let out a sharp gasp, that pinching feeling sensei mentioned. It's more of a feeling of being repeatedly stabbed in the gut. "You call that pinching!?" I manage to get out through gritted teeth, the seal still shrinking.
Kushina-sensei shrugs, violet eyes looking over the seal critically as it finally settles as a tiny swirl. "Don't be a baby, Inohana-chan."
"A baby!" I splutter, "It feels like being stabbed repeatedly!"
"A stab is nothing." Kushina-sensei says, looking at me unimpressed. And then I remember. Kyuubi jinchuuriki, to her a stab is probably a very minor inconvenience at most.
"Crazy monster sensei." I mutter, lifting my arm to examine the tiny little swirl tattooed onto it.
"You know I can place a seal on you that makes you feel like you're being tickled. All the time. Like 24/7, Dattebane!" Sensei says, giving me a teasing look.
I pout, "I get it, awesome beautiful kami-sensei it is!" I lift my hands in front of me in defense. "Please no evil torture seals!"
A hand ruffles my hair, and I let it with only a slight twitch of annoyance. "You're so cute, Inohana-chan, please never grow up, Dattebane!"
"Sure, want me to get the sun to shine only on you as well, sensei?" I drawl sarcastically.
"Oh, just test the seal already you little smart ass!" Sensei says, rolling her eyes and giving me a light smack to the back of my head.
I get up and walk over to my desk, picking up a handful of my seal scripted leaves and hold my full hand towards my seal, utilizing my chakra just as sensei taught me. The leaves disappear into the seal immediately. I let out a loud whoop at the success. Sensei seems less impressed.
"You had me modify a storage seal so you could keep your plant waste in it?" She asks very dryly.
Those are very judging eyes. Mean sensei, no trust in your student?
I shake my head, brimming with excitement, "No! Sensei, these leaves all have seals that make them hard as steel and sharp as a kunai as well. Eventually I hope to add some more seals to them - once I can figure out layered seals and multi effect ones." I bounce on my feet and jump forward grabbing her hands excitedly, "Sensei! If I get enough leaves, and let them suffuse in my chakra, I should be able to control them when I empty out the storage seal! I'll have a cloud of razor sharp steel leaves able to defend and attack with!"
The idea came to me as I was thinking of the shinobi skills I had seen in the anime. Gaara and his sand, specifically. It was also inspired by another anime, bleach. And the abilities of Senbonzakura. I envisioned a whole cloud of deadly leaves under my control. Able to direct it to attack and shred, or to cover me and defend. A real hidden in the leaves technique!
"If it works… That's actually really clever." Kushina-sensei mutters, a finger to her lips as she seems to be rapidly thinking. "Right! Dattebane!" She snaps her fingers, pointing at me. "Your Fuinjutsu lessons are stepping up!"
"Hai, sensei!" I cheer, bouncing on my feet.
The excitement is infectious and we both just keep ramping up like sugar high little kids. We don't actually get anything done for the rest of the day. We're both way too overexcited.
＊＊＊
Authors Note:
Hidden in the leaf technique is a fun one. Certainly not something that will be immediately OP as it will take years to build up her 'arsenal' enough to be a real competitor to Senbonzakura. Yet even with a few dozen leaves that's still dangerous in a battle.
First date with the Kyuubi. This isn't fluffy talk no jutsu Kyuubi, so not too pleasant. There are reasons why Genjutsu was so hard to attach to Inohana. And why it cost Mikoto so much to achieve chakra wise.
Cheers
JollyHippopotamus