Those Who Are Found
Chapter 1
A Day In The Life
Hello there my fellow fanfictioners! It's certainly been a while hasn't it? It's taken me a while but I finally got my ass moving on this fic. Let's hope it chugs along a bit more smoothly than its predecessor did.
This is, of course, a sequel to Those Who Are Lost so please go and read that first if you haven't.
I feel I should start off by saying that, once again, I do not watch Boruto. I am a Naruto fan and when Shippuden finished I was done. There were no loose ends for me and so I had no interest in watching Boruto.
I do not plan to watch Boruto but I will do what research is necessary to try and keep characters in character and if I feel I've strayed too far then I will watch a bit of the show to reorient myself. This is my own take on what could happen after Naruto Shippuden and will include Boruto characters but not the Boruto timeline. I've forged my own story here and intend to follow through with it.
If I do make any egregious errors in respect to any Boruto characters then please let me know. I will do my best to steer them back on track in a (hopefully) believable manner. I am not above rewriting a chapter to fix characterization if my deviations are too severe without making sense.
Disclaimer: I do not in any way claim ownership of Naruto, Naruto Shippuden or the Boruto series. These are all the properties of Masashi Kishimoto and his army of super-ninja lawyers.
Anyway, enough of my senseless rambling! On to the story!
A new life, full of joy and hope, but the past does not so easily let go.
THE VOID
It was a dream.
She could tell by the way it felt. The sensation upon her skin as she moved through the darkness. Like wading through tar. As if every movement she made were in slow motion. Every time she turned; a strange tingle would shoot up her spine like a mild electric shock. Perhaps the sensation was meant to warn her. That the dark was no place for her to wander so freely. Or perhaps it was a guide, leading her to the same destination she always came to. Her mind remained clear though. It always did whenever she dreamed.
This time though…
This time the dream was different.
Her dreams had been troubled as of late and Himawari wasn't sure why. Every time she closed her eye and fell into that deep dark abyss, she would soon find herself back there.
But that's not true. You know exactly why you've been bothered lately.
In this place, her thoughts weren't simply thoughts so much as they were whispers. Ones which the shadows used to speak to her. Soft, mocking voices in her ears.
In that place.
The Void.
She called it that simply because no other name seemed to fit. It was a gaping abyss of absolute darkness. She could see herself when she raised her arms but otherwise there was no light. Just the black.
The endless night.
Sometimes, when she walked slowly enough, straining her ears to hear over the sound of her own footfalls. she could swear that there was something more. Something out there. Other things in the Void besides herself.
Strange voices in the air, whispering things about her that she couldn't make out. Himawari couldn't even be certain that there was anything at all. Perhaps it was all just an elaborate imagination on her part. Something she created to deal with the loneliness of it all.
That, and she didn't want to think about the scuttling sounds she thought she once heard. Out there in the dark.
Himawari always began the dream walking. As if she'd come to awareness mid-step. And then she would keep walking. On and on.
Step after step.
Like an invisible string was tugging her along through the inky darkness. Sometimes it would take what seemed to be only a few seconds. Other times, it felt as if entire days passed by. Either way, she always ended up arriving at the same destination.
The house.
It always came back to that damned house. She could still see it as clearly as she had the first time she'd been forced to this place. Back when she'd fallen into the lake of the Valley of the End and lost consciousness.
Ever since she'd confronted her ghosts there, the adopted Uchiha had dreamed of that damned house at least once or twice a month.
Usually, the dreams were untroubled, Himawari content to simply gaze at the structure.
But things had changed.
Now she dreamt of the house every night and she felt an invisible hand pushing her to enter it.
It was as if the place was mocking her. Even in the dream, Himawari couldn't help but purse her lips in consternation.
Why am I here? Why do I keep coming back here?
In the beginning she'd been wary but curious. She knew what this place was. Even if she couldn't remember anything, she knew.
She'd have to have been a fool not to pick up on all the clues. This place was her home. From before she lost her memory and found herself waking up on what felt like the other side of the world.
Something's changed.
The thought flitted across her mind like lightning and Himawari's eye narrowed as she inspected the home.
Typically, when she visited this place, the air was filled with half remembered memories. Snatches of conversation and other sounds which sounded familiar but which she couldn't quite place.
Sometimes she could see lights turned on and the shadows of people moving behind the illuminated curtains. Whenever she got too close though, peering in through the windows or rushing in through the front door, the place would be empty. Only the occasional ghost whispering in her ear.
She'd been terrified every time she'd entered the building. Ever since the first time.
Flashes of her mirror self, the young Himawari, sped through her mind's eye along with the promise her copy had made to her.
"One day… we will settle this once and for all."
Now though…
The house was very different.
The windows were dark and boarded up, there were scratches and holes in the walls and a dark oppressiveness to it all.
Why does it look like this though?
Since the incident at the Valley of the End, Himawari hadn't encountered any specters of her past whenever she returned here.
Moving as if she were wading through chest high water, Himawari approached the front door. With every step that dark feeling increased tenfold. By the time she reached the door the young girl found herself gasping for air, using the door handle to hold herself upright as the dark presence weighed upon her very being.
Trying to crush her beneath its boot.
Gritting her teeth, Himawari turned the door handle. All the other times she had been here she had been able to move through the old house at will, gliding from room to room. This time though, the door refused to budge. No matter how hard she tried, Himawari was unable to turn the handle. It was as if all of her strength had failed her.
And then the door opened.
A man stood before her. His features enshrouded in darkness, backlit as it was by a brilliant light from behind him.
If not for his physique, Himawari wasn't sure she would have even known it was a man. The man stood there, hands on his hips and his head inclined towards her.
"Who are you?" The girl demanded, taking a step back. Her hands and feet moved of their own accord to assume a basic defensive position. She tried to summon her Byakugan but, to her horror, found that she was unable to draw from the well of chakra inside of her at all.
The young Uchiha adoptee could only bare her teeth and curl her open palms into fists. The shadowy man only stared at her, the brilliance behind him intensifying.
With every second that passed it seemed as if his features were beginning to assert themselves. Bracing herself against the strange illumination, Himawari peered at him, trying to make out whatever details she could.
She became aware of a strange buzzing sound emanating from the back of her skull. As if something or someone were trying to drill into her skull.
The sound grew louder as she made out the faintest hint of blonde in the man's hair, blue eyes.
The buzzing became a scream when she made out the faintest hint of whiskers, so very like her own. It took Himawari a moment longer to realize that the buzzing sound wasn't screaming.
She was.
She could feel the dreamscape begin to shatter around her, her body waking itself up in the real world to save her from this…nightmare. The unnatural brilliance continued to intensify even as the man stepped forward and reached out to her.
The encroaching brilliance enveloped her just before the man's fingers could touch her cheek.
Himawari could no longer even see him, blinded by the light.
"Himawari." The voice was strange. It was both fatherly and yet, so cold. As if speaking with her were a chore, something to be done before moving onto better things. It was a voice she had heard before in this very place.
The memory of a nine-tailed fox toy flashed inside of her mind's eye, the voice that accompanied it sounding almost cruel in its disinterest.
We done? I've got more important things to do.
"You." Himawari spat, ignoring the feeling of his fingers grazing her own whiskers.
"You. Are. Not. My. Father!" Himawari hissed each word with force, recoiling from the alien touch.
The man pressed on to cup her cheek, uncaring of her words. Himawari felt a strange tugging sensation and she knew that she was about to wake up any second.
She closed her eye and prepared to wake up.
"You didn't think you could run and hide from me forever, did you?"
Himawari was done with these games and said the only thing she could think of.
"Fuck off loser." Even as she said it, she couldn't help but grimace, knowing that if Sasuke had heard that he wouldn't have hesitated to scold her for an hour straight.
"Time's up, Hima-chan. It's time to come home. It's time to return to your real family."
HI NO KUNI – FIRE CAPITAL
Himawari awoke with a gasp, shooting upright as if she had just been electrocuted. Her breath came in short, panicked gasps and she clutched at her chest in an attempt to calm her racing heart.
It took a few minutes for her to calm down and settle herself. Deep shuddering breaths continued to escape her as Himawari rubbed her temples, trying to dissipate the images of the nightmare from her mind.
When her fingers came away covered in sweat, the young Hyuuga couldn't help but grimace.
Her sheets and nightwear were soaked in sweat too.
Pulling back her duvet and getting to her feet, the young girl made her way over to the bedroom window, pulling back the curtains to peek out onto the world.
The sun was just beginning to rise, though she could not see it for the other houses on the street were blocking it from view. But the sky had lightened to a burnt orange, and she could see that some of the other houses' windows were lit up as other early risers began to stir and make themselves ready for the day ahead.
Well at least I didn't oversleep.
A small comfort, all things told as Himawari stepped away from the portal. Her bedroom, a modest sized room, was located on the second floor of a regular house in a regular neighbourhood at the end of a cul-de-sac.
The room was simple, a small wooden shelf sat near the door, filled with books she loved and had read a dozen times over. The walls were painted a light, calming blue in stark contrast to her bed which was covered in a light lavender coating. From the pillows to the blankets.
Sasuke had picked out the home for them shortly after officially adopting her into the Uchiha clan. Himawari still wasn't sure how he'd paid for it or even how many funds the man had at his disposal. Whenever she asked him, Sasuke would only give a small smile and reply 'Enough'.
With a sigh, she made her way into the bathroom adjoining her room and began readying herself for the day. Once she had finished with her ablutions, Himawari looked at herself in the mirror, wiping away the steam coating on the reflective surface.
The difference a year can make.
A year spent living with her father had seen her health improve drastically. Her cheeks, once hollow and gaunt, were now filled out nicely and suffused with colour. Her hair had gained some shine and her eye sparkled with life.
The scars that crisscrossed all over her body still remained. Normally silver, they had become pink and flushed from the hot water of the shower. She'd allowed her hair to lengthen until it reached her lower back and Himawari found herself fond of styling it so that a thick set of locks hung as a curtain over her missing eye. The socket, usually hidden by a simple eyepatch, covered by her dark hair. Her reflection's remaining eye stared back at her. Once a cerulean blue, the eye that now shone back at her burned a curious mix of silver and lilac.
Another gift from the Valley of the End. Whatever it was that had happened to her there, the eye remained that same peculiar hue. The blue now nowhere to be found.
Good.
The thought came unbidden and with a viciousness that surprised her. After the dream she'd had, Himawari was certain that she'd be happy to never see it return. Just the thought of it made her shiver.
"It's time to return to your real family."
Himawari glared at her reflection as if the copy had been the words to speak the words aloud rather than her phantom nightmare.
"Screw that." She muttered, turning away from the mirror and returning to her room.
"I'm Himawari Uchiha and I already have a family." The teenager kept repeating those words to herself like a mantra even as she tore through her wardrobe to find a clean set of her school uniform.
At least I don't have to wear Sasuke's old outfit again.
That sent a shudder down her spine. Living in the city had given her a sense of fashion and self-respect that she had no desire to lose and the thought of Sasuke's old clothes was enough to make Himawari's nose wrinkle in distaste. Adjusting her ribbon tie one final time, Himawari resolved to put the dream out of her mind and headed downstairs to get some breakfast.
"It's time to come home. It's time to return to your real family."
Damn it.
"Hey."
Himawari blinked, raising her eye from the bowl of cereal she'd been spooning absently to stare at her father.
"Hm?" Himawari replied absently. Sasuke sat opposite her, newspaper in hand with a plate of buttered toast just off to the side.
"You, okay?" Sasuke asked gently. The corner of the newspaper was flicked down so that he could peer at her.
Was she okay?
What could she say to that?
No, I'm not. Strange voices keep saying ominous things to me when I dream. Now I can't stop thinking about them when I'm awake either.
"It's time to come home. It's time to return to your real family."
Shut up brain.
"Why wouldn't I be okay?" She countered instead, trying to distract from the issue.
Sasuke raised an eyebrow, seeing through her attempt in a heartbeat. The Uchiha simply put down his newspaper, crossed his arms and stared at her, dark eyes flashing.
Kami above, his stare is terrifying.
Her father had a way of making people feel as if they'd just committed an unforgiveable sin. It was something that he used to great effect whenever he wanted something.
"Because you've been glaring at your cereal as if it just kicked a puppy." Sasuke drawled, obsidian eyes never wavering.
Himawari tried to match his stare but crumbled almost immediately. Instead she lowered her gaze back to her bowl and did her best not to openly squirm.
"I didn't sleep well. I've been having some bad dreams lately." The words came out slowly, as if she were speaking with a mouthful of toffee.
Sasuke's eyes narrowed thoughtfully and one of his hands came up to absently scratch at his trimmed beard. The beard was a recent addition. Something he had been working on for a few months. In the beginning it had come in thin, whispers of hair that had her rolling around in laughter. Over time though, his whiskers had grown in more fully until he resembled an up and coming lumberjack.
Though Himawari would rather die than admit it out loud, Sasuke wore it well. It made him seem more worldly and wise.
I bet that thing itches a lot.
The thought made her smile faintly in amusement. Something which was stripped away from her almost immediately by her adoptive father's next words.
"Do you want to talk about it?"
Uh uh. No way that's happening.
Himawari shook her head furiously. Discussing strange dreams about her forgotten past was not a road she wanted to travel down again.
"I can see the shadows under your eyes. You're not getting enough sleep. It's understandable, I know there've been a lot of changes recently, like with-"
"I said I didn't want to talk about it!" Even as the words left her mouth, Himawari winced.
That was way too forceful.
She could practically hear Sasuke's eyebrows raise again and Himawari felt a flush of shame turn her cheeks red.
"Sorry dad." She mumbled, still refusing to meet his gaze.
"It's alright." Despite that, Sasuke's tone and expression were akin to that of someone trying to defuse a bomb with no idea what they were doing.
"It's just… today isn't a good day."
She didn't have to say more. They both knew why.
Today marked one year since Sasuke had rescued her at the Valley of the End. They had both nearly died that night and the things they'd faced had scarred them in ways they didn't wish to revisit.
A grim anniversary.
Perhaps that's why I'm having these nightmares.
An awkward silence fell between them. Long minutes passed as they finished their breakfast. Eventually, Sasuke tried his luck again.
"Ready for school?" His question was casual but he voiced it cautiously.
"Yes." She replied, recognizing the change of topic for the lifeline it was and latching onto it gratefully. "It'll be nice to see everyone again."
The set of his shoulders relaxed slightly and Himawari chanced a glance. Sasuke's eyes narrowed slightly in amusement. Flushing again, Himawari got to her feet, taking her bowl and spoon with her, and made her way to the kitchen sink to wash up.
"You still good for tonight?" Sasuke asked, getting to his feet and joining her by the wash basin. He stood next to her, his back to the sink and his arms crossed.
"Should be. The Karaoke place is near the central market." Himawari replied, washing her bowl and spoon quickly before putting them on the drying rack. Sasuke let out a small grunt of approval.
"Don't stay out too late." He warned, his tone turning stern.
"I won't." She promised with a smile and a roll of her eye.
"And if you run into any problems-"
"I'll head straight to the bar, I promise."
"Good." He nodded, reaching over and mussing up her hair.
"Dad!" Himawari groaned, swatting the offending limb away, her hands shooting up to fix the mess he'd made. Sasuke merely huffed in amusement, ignoring her subsequent glare as he returned to the kitchen table.
Himawari ducked her head, hiding her smile behind a curtain of hair. She always loved this. The back-and-forth banter between the two of them. Conversation and comfortable silence always came so easily for them.
"You're going to be late if you keep stalling." Sasuke warned, picking up the newspaper and flipping the page.
Rolling her eye at him, Himawari walked over before she snatched a piece of buttered toast from his plate. Sticking it in her mouth, she ignored his protest, grinning as she left the room with a wave.
Wolfing down the bread, she grabbed her bag and left, throwing out a quick goodbye over her shoulder as she closed the door behind her.
The whole time telling herself that today was going to be a great day.
The lies we tell ourselves.
"It's time to come home. It's time to return to your real family."
One year.
One year since the Valley of the End.
One year since we both almost died.
It had been about half as long as that since they'd settled in the Fire Capital. At times, it felt like a lifetime had passed. At others, as if it were only yesterday. It was a curious feeling but one which was overshadowed by Himawari's feelings on the matter.
She was happy.
It wasn't an instantaneous thing. It had taken time. After everything that had happened, it had taken both of them a long time to recover fully. Her recovery with Kouda, meeting Sasuke, fleeing from the Notes of Oto and the Silent Step.
Those things had been harrowing to be sure, but they were only a drop in the ocean compared to the trials they'd faced at the Fire Temple and the Valley of the End.
It wasn't the same as when she had been officially adopted into the Uchiha clan. This was a different kind of happiness. One full of contentment and a sense of security. Here, in the heart of the Land of Fire, she had a home, friends and security. She was no longer just surviving. Here, she was beginning to live.
But it had taken time.
Himawari knew she would never be able to admit it to Sasuke, but she was still frequently haunted by the nightmares of that tower on the lake. The burnt, blackened skeleton of the Jashinist, Toyohisa, and Batou's swinging blade.
When she dreamt those dreams, she could still hear Batou's booming, mechanical voice intoning the words of some omen-filled prophecy.
"Child of the Nine-Tails, Daughter of the Moon."
"Yo, Hima! You in there?" A familiar voice called out. A hand waved in front of her face, breaking her of her reverie.
"Hmm?" Blinking away the fog of memory, Himawari turned her attention to her friend.
Kouki was a small kid barely coming up to Himawari's elbow. With greasy dark locks, round moon spectacles and an overabundance of acne, the poor boy might as well have hung a 'DON'T BE FRIENDS WITH ME' sign around his neck. But what he lacked in physical appearance he more than made up for in other areas.
He possessed an energetic, sunny attitude that was practically contagious. He was also one of the few to take her physical condition in stride, inserting himself into her life with a flair that Himawari still found to be both outrageous and amusing. He was also fiercely loyal and stuck up for those he considered his friends. Something which Himawari admired greatly.
"You were totally zoned out there." Kouki whined around a mouthful of chocolate pocky, his favourite snack.
In fact, Himawari couldn't be sure that she could remember a time when Kouki didn't have a stick of the candy protruding from his lips.
"Sorry, I have a lot on my plate right now. I guess I wasn't really paying attention." The excuse was a weak one and her friend saw right through it with raised eyebrows.
"Um, ow." He replied, gripping his chest as if she'd just mortally wounded him. Himawari adjusted the straps of her backpack and offered him another weak smile in apology.
"What were you saying?" This time she tried to inject a bit more energy into her words, stubbornly shoving thoughts of her dream to the side for the moment.
"Just that Iseki's going to be joining us tonight." Kouki, taking the bait, responded, his eyes shining with excitement. The poor kid was practically vibrating with anticipation.
Himawari dredged up the memory of her classmates. She was still relatively new to the school, only having enrolled there a few months ago and as such the names of many of her classmates still escaped her.
Iseki… Iseki…
A face began to form in her mind's eye, of a tall girl with soft green hair and honey-colored eyes.
Wait a minute… isn't she the class president?
"You idiot! I told you not to go crazy with the invites!" Himawari hissed, a fist shooting out to slam against Kouki's shoulder. The young boy yelped in surprise and let out a whistle of agony as he rubbed his arm.
"You hit like a bloody ox." Kouki muttered.
"Sorry! Sorry!" He amended quickly, hands shooting up in surrender when Himawari raised her fist again warningly.
Kouki began speaking animatedly about which songs he planned to sing and what he thought the others might sing, sidestepping the issue of inviting Iseki without clearing it with her first. As he continued to warble, Himawari found her attention drifting again as they walked closer to the school.
Occasionally, Kouki's voice would break, his pitch increasing whenever he got too excited about whatever he was talking about.
Every time it did, Himawari's lips couldn't help but to twitch in amusement. She still remembered her first meeting with the boy.
"Woah. Those scars are wicked!" The boy sounded genuinely impressed, so much so that Himawari found herself smiling and turning towards him, rather than shying away and covering herself up.
"Um… thanks?" She said awkwardly, unsure of what to do or say.
"That eyepatch looks so cool!"
"Who are you exactly?"
"Kouki Takahashi." He replied without missing a beat. He said it with such pride, hands on his hips and chest puffed out like he was some peacock. As if the name were supposed to mean something
"Okay…." Himawari winced. Even to her, she knew she sounded a bit pathetic. Kouki blinked at her owlishly, before a broad smile graced his mouth and he let out a big laugh.
"You're pretty weird!" He chortled.
"Hey!"
"It's all good. I'm weird too." He waved off her confused expression and stepped up to her.
"C'mon, let me show you around." With that, he linked their arms and led her away. Himawari, too bewildered to react, allowed him to.
Ever since that day the boy had stuck to her like a shadow. As the weeks went by Himawari found that she didn't mind it at all. It was nice to have someone with such energy.
The sun was warm and bright and she raised her head to bask in its glow. Himawari made sure to nod and hum in assent occasionally to appease Kouki. As they entered through the main gate leading to the school, Himawari could hear the rush of the water fountain. The fountain, a gaudy thing depicting a team of statues holding up a central pillar from which's apex water spouted out of, remained one of her favourite things about the school. The statues, kept in meticulous condition and free from moss and wear, were legendary figures from the capital's past. Generals, politicians and Daimyos and the pillar was emblazoned with the kanji for fire across its surface. Something about the style of it always spoke to her.
Opening her eye again, Himawari stared at the surface of the fountain's water, enjoying the way the sunlight reflected off the water. It was so clear that she could see the glint of wish coins at the bottom. The shoal of small fish flitting between them in playful loops and patterns.
Then the water seemed to flash as the sun's rays reflected off of it in a particular way. For one, horrifying moment, she was back there.
Chained to that sacrificial post on top of the tower, the biting cold blistering her cheeks red and that blade was descending towards her neck once again.
"The Doom of the Hyuuga, a prophecy given form."
"Himawari!"
She could hear Kouki's raised voice in her ear, an edge of panic to it. A hand touched her shoulder and the vision instantly faded.
She blinked as reality snapped back into place. Kouki withdrew his hand, a look of worry mixed with something akin to fear colouring his expression.
"… Are you okay?"
She could feel wetness on her cheeks.
Why am I still crying over that?
"I-I'm…fine." Himawari slowly responded, choking out the last word.
Kouki nodded warily, reaching into his breast pocket. Silently, he passed her a handkerchief.
Himawari took it gratefully, drying her tears before handing it back to him.
"Thank you."
"No problem." His voice remained cheery and his eyes sparkled with excitement.
"I'll meet you after school?" Himawari prompted him, grateful that he didn't interrogate her further about what had just happened.
"You bet!"
SLEEPING TANUKI – HI NO KUNI CAPITAL
"Ryo for your thoughts?" Vivid green eyes settled across from him and Sasuke blinked, snapped out of his reverie.
"It'd cost a lot more than that." He replied easily, resuming his task of wiping down the bar top.
His opposite number grinned in response. Chiaki was to date, his only employee. A local, she possessed a fiery personality and the hair to match as well. Deep red waves, emerald eyes and a personality that was just flirtatious enough to bring customers in by the droves. She was certainly beautiful…
Sasuke's brain shorted as he thought about that.
What the hell is wrong with me?
"How much more?" Chiaki smiled, a certain gleam in her eye letting him know she knew exactly what he'd been thinking about.
"Make it an even hundred, then we'll talk." He replied with a grunt, moving down along the counter, his dishrag in hand.
"You think your thoughts are worth that much?" Chiaki teased, following him effortlessly.
"Hn."
"You're just brimming with arrogance, aren't you?" Chiaki laughed, the sound sounding far too pleasant to his ears.
In the right light, her hair could almost be a dark pink.
It took a great force of will to keep that thought at bay.
"And I've got some to spare."
Chiaki snorted in amusement.
"Come on boss, throw me a bone here."
Sasuke sighed, throwing the rag down onto the countertop. He took a seat and leaned forward, resting his head on his forearms.
"You have kids?" The question was so unexpected that Chiaki couldn't help but laugh. She shook her head, red hair swishing back and forth like a waterfall.
"Nope." She said with a pop of her lips, drawing a snort of amusement from the Uchiha. "I've got six hellish little nephews I frequently babysit though." She grinned at him.
That got his attention and Sasuke raised his head to look at her with something akin to horror in his eyes.
"Six?" Chiaki nodded in confirmation and the Uchiha let out a small whistle of sympathy. The two of them returned to silence as she cleaned the glasses behind the counter while Sasuke was more interested in studying the various stains in the wood itself.
The bar was a small one. He'd bought it for a song half a year ago. When he and Himawari had decided to settle down and make a go of it here, the Uchiha had found himself listless. Other than training with his new daughter he'd found himself growing bored.
Restless.
Then he'd found the Sleeping Tanuki. An absolute hovel of a bar which had been closed down decades ago.
Deciding that he needed a project, he'd bought the title deed and set about with renovations. It had taken him the better part of three months to reopen the place but now that he had, he'd found himself with a very popular bar on his hands. Thanks, in part to it being new, and of course to his lovely employee.
"Is it your daughter?" Said employee finally ventured. Sasuke's mouth twitched downwards slightly, confirming her suspicion.
"Did something happen?" For the first time, Chiaki sounded concerned.
"She's been having some trouble recently." Sasuke sighed, sitting up slightly.
"What kind of trouble?"
"Let's just say that today is an anniversary. Not the good kind either." Sasuke muttered, massaging his temples as if he could feel a migraine coming on.
"A bad anniversary?"
"The kind that brings up bad memories." Sasuke's tone made it clear that any further delving into the subject was strictly off-limits.
"Hey, I get it." She raised a hand in mock surrender. "Say no more."
"Where is she today?" Chiaki continued after a brief silence.
"At school."
"You let her go to school today?" The bartender replied, a bit surprised. "Would've thought if it was a bad anniversary, that you two might stay at home."
Sasuke grimaced openly at that. That had been his hope too but his new daughter had other ideas.
"Himawari is very stubborn." That drew a laugh from Chiaki.
"Wonder where she gets that from?"
"Get back to work employee." Sasuke grumbled without any real bite. Chiaki gave him a small salute and stuck out her tongue before moving away.
Sasuke picked up his rag and carried on wiping down surfaces, trying not to think about what kind of day Himawari was having or about how Chiaki's laugh made him want to smile.
HIGASHIHINOMIYAKO HIGH SCHOOL- HI NO KUNI CAPITAL
Why is this class so boring today?
It was frustrating. Of the myriad subjects that were taught at the school, history was one of her favorites. There was something about reading about the past exploits of famous men and women that sparked her interest.
Irony, thy name is Himawari.
Himawari couldn't help but snort in amusement at her own thought, drawing a baleful glare from the teacher, Ms. Kawamura. Bobbing her head up and down in silent apology, she turned her attention back to the textbook in front of her.
Normally, Himawari would have had no problem just diving into the text but today, the words just seemed to blur in and out of focus. Her mind couldn't help but wander as thoughts unwanted came to the forefront of her mind.
The black fires consuming the great temple. The malevolent sea of black-clad shinobi staring at her, Batou at their head.
Himawari wasn't sure how long she sat there, staring at the textbook but seeing nothing. Her mind kept flashing through images of the previous year, like a film on repeat.
Why did it have to be today?
Slumping forward, Himawari covered her eyes, both the one that was there and the one that was missing, with her hands in frustration. As if, by doing so, she would be able to stop the flood of memories.
The sound of the clock striking midnight.
The flash of steel as Batou swung the sword that would end her life.
"Child of the Nine-Tails, Daughter of the –"
NO!
Screaming the thought inside her head in an attempt to prevent that damned incantation from rattling around again, Himawari let out a quiet groan, lifted her head and stared out the window.
It was a beautiful day outside. The sun was shining and the cherry blossoms were in full bloom, creating a veritable hurricane of pink petals with each and every push and pull of the wind.
I just have to get through today.
At least there was karaoke tonight to look forward to. She'd been practicing singing songs for over a week, much to Sasuke's amusement.
"And then of course, for Hi No Kuni, there was the Nine-Tailed Fox." The teacher's voice cut through the haze of her own thoughts and brought Himawari screaming back to reality.
Wait…
"Is everything alright Himawari?" The teacher questioned, looking a bit startled. It was only then that Himawari realized that she had shot to her feet in shock.
What did she just say?
"What page are we on?" The words spilled out before she could stop herself and Himawari turned crimson from the embarrassment. The teacher's lips pursed in annoyance and she opened her mouth to rebuke the young girl.
"Sorry Miss. Could you repeat what you just said?" Himawari asked, trying for a more diplomatic approach, particularly in light of the fact that she could feel the eyes of the entire class staring at her.
"Himawari! You should pay more attention in class!" Ms Kawamura looked so positively scandalized that, if this were any other day, it would've been amusing.
"Yes Miss. I'll do better next time." The words rolled off of her tongue automatically even as she sat back down and began flipping through the pages of the textbook in an attempt to catch up to the rest of the class.
The teacher sniffed, unsatisfied, before primly informing her of the relevant section of the textbook.
Himawari flicked to the page in question, her finger slamming down on the page to hold it in place while she read. The first thing to catch her attention was the artist's sketch. It depicted a landscape, filled with forests, hills and mountains. Looming over it all, wreathed in flame, was a gigantic shadow with glowing red eyes and bloodstained teeth. Nine, gargantuan tails swished in the background, their tips so sharp that they resembled blades. The image sent a shiver of… something down her spine.
Fear?
Apprehension?
Recognition?
Her eye sped through the lines of the accompanying text, trying to absorb as much information as possible.
There wasn't nearly as much information as she had hoped but, what was there, she drank in greedily.
'In the year 85 Post-Founding (P.F.), now known as the infamous Year of the Fox, a great disaster swept across the Land of Fire. One of the Legendary Tailed Beasts, giant monsters made of pure, malevolent chakra invaded Hi No Kuni, leaving a trail of destruction across the land, the scars of which still persists to this day.
The Tailed Beast in question was the infamous Nine-Tailed Fox.
Of the Tailed Beasts, the Nine-Tails was considered to be the most powerful and uncontrollable. After wreaking a trail of destruction throughout the Land of Fire, the Kyuubi was finally stopped thanks to the efforts of the Fourth Hokage of the Village Hidden in the Leaves. Though the reasons for the Demon Fox's rampage remain unclear to this day, the beast's defeat resulted in an unexpected boost in diplomatic relations between the Daimyos.
In what came to be known as the Council of Tails, the Daimyo and Kage of every nation agreed that further restrictions should be placed upon the lives and military use of the Tailed Beast containers known as Jinchuuriki. Elimination of the Jinchuuriki was a proposition that was seriously considered, only turned aside by the unanimous opposition of the Kage of the Hidden Villages.
This in turn led to the further tax restrictions placed on…'
The textbook veered off into certain trade agreements and other points of politicking between the Nations that weren't of any particular interest to her. The bell rang, signaling the end of the lesson and the school day, but Himawari found herself rooted to her seat. She kept on reading and rereading the extract about the Nine-Tails, committing it and the artist's sketch to memory.
Try as she might, Himawari could already hear Batou's voice in her ears again, whispering this time.
Child of the Nine-Tails.
Where before she had only felt fear born from confusion, this time it was something entirely different.
Does that mean I'm a monster too?
"Yo! Hima-chan! Are you coming?" Kouki called out, sticking his head back into the classroom.
Snapping herself out of her stupor, Himawari nodded, gathering up her things as quickly as she could before following her friend out.
None of that matters anymore.
I'm Himawari Kouda Uchiha and I have a new life now.
THE SLEEPING TANUKI- HI NO KUNI CAPITAL
Sasuke tensed when he felt it. The flare of chakra at the edge of his senses. Even though they were still some distance away, the mere presence of someone with significant chakra after spending so long surrounded by those without sent alarm bells ringing inside his head.
His hand stilled from wiping down the bar top for the hundredth time that day.
"Everything okay boss?" Chiaki called out, taking in his unnatural stillness with some concern.
Suddenly, Sasuke's head shot up to glare at something just behind her.
"You shouldn't be here." He growled darkly.
"I hear that line way too often." Another voice drawled in response.
Chiaki whirled around with a gasp, hand to her heart. There, seated at the bar as if he were a regular, was a man.
"What the hell?!" Chiaki screeched, her skin turning pale in shock at the unexpected intrustion.
"Everything's fine ma'am." The stranger was quite young, seemingly in his late twenties with a shock of wild brown hair kept in place by a strange headband. He wore dark, navy-blue clothing covered by a green combat jacket. A large, woolen blue scarf wrapped around his neck as if it were still the middle of winter. But the biggest indicator as to his identity was the headband he proudly wore, displaying the symbol of the Hidden Leaf.
"You can relax." Even as he spoke, the man reached over and grabbed a bottle of beer from behind the counter.
"Don't tell me to relax! How did you get in here? I didn't even hear the bell ring." Chiaki demanded, having regained enough courage to become angry. She stormed over to him to take back the drink before he could open it.
"You must not have been paying close enough attention then." The man casually remarked, keeping the bottle out of her reach and opening the cap effortlessly with a flick of his thumb. The paleness of Chiaki's skin was immediately replaced with a suffusion of red as her shock gave way to anger.
"The bar's not open yet. You'll have to come back in an hour." Sasuke spoke up, his voice cold enough to freeze water. "You're trespassing on my property."
"I can call the Watch if you need me to." Chiaki chimed in turning back to Sasuke, a triumphant gleam in her eyes as her words made the stranger tense in apprehension for the first time.
That made the strangers' lips twist in annoyance and he looked over Chiaki's shoulder to glare at the Uchiha. "Seriously?"
A long pregnant pause ensued, Chiaki keeping her eyes on her boss. One small nod, and she'd run to the nearest watch station.
"No need." Sasuke bit out after a few more moments consideration. "I'll be fine. Could you give us some privacy though?"
Chiaki opened her mouth to protest but closed it with a 'click' when Sasuke shook his head.
"It's fine. This won't take long. Just come back in an hour."
Chiaki's eyes narrowed as she considered him. Those same striking emeralds flickering between him and the stranger, thoughtfully.
"All right boss. I'll be back in time for opening." Turning to go, she snatched the beer bottle out of the stranger's hands as she made her way out the door, ignoring his cry of protest. "Goddamn ninja scum!" She spat on the way out.
"Loyal employee you have there." The shinobi grumbled.
"Why are you here Konohamaru?" Sasuke retorted, going behind the bar to stand opposite the shinobi.
Konohamaru merely grinned as if they were old friends, one hand reaching up to rub the back of his head sheepishly.
"I never would've thought that you of all people would be living the domestic life. I mean, running a bar… this is some kind of joke, right?" Even as he spoke, Konohamaru's other hand made a sweeping gesture of the place.
"Careful." The Uchiha warned, his words soft but no less dangerous.
"I mean if anything, I expected to find you as a raging alcoholic not the one serving them drinks!" Though the words could've been interpreted in a joking manner, their delivery certainly wasn't.
"I said careful. You forget who you're speaking to. I'm not Naruto." That seemed to have a more direct impact on the man. Konohamaru lost his smile and his hands came to rest on the bartop. His next words were filled with anything but mirth.
"You've proven to be a very difficult man to track down, Lord Uchiha."
"Good." Sasuke's reply was cool and collected, the only sign that Konohamaru acknowledged it being a slight clenching of his fist.
"In fact, Naruto gave standing orders to just about every single ninja in the Leaf regarding what they should do upon meeting you." Konohamaru kept on speaking, keeping his tone light and conversational.
"Is that so?" Sasuke humored him, playing along as if they were old friends discussing the weather. When a potential opponent got chatty, it paid off to let them ramble.
"I see you've got a few new scars." Konohamaru too seemed to be proficient in the art of the conversation game and switched track. A new avenue of attack perhaps.
Wrong thing to bring up today.
"Get. To. The. Point." This time, the Uchiha didn't even bother to hide his hostility. It was only when the wood splintered beneath his palm that Sasuke realized he'd been gripping the edge of the bartop with too much force.
Point, Konohamaru.
If the smirk on the shinobi's face was any indication, he knew it too. Deciding not to push his luck in that moment, Konohamaru instead reached into one of the pockets of his combat vest.
If it were possible, Sasuke tensed even further, prepared for a weapon or some other form of attack. But all that was withdrawn was a slim, manila envelope bearing the all too familiar seal of the Hokage.
"This is for you." Konohamaru told him, thrusting the envelope in his direction. Sasuke took it after a moment's hesitation, his fingers feeling strangely numb. The Uchiha took particular notice of the fact that the envelope, while bearing the seal of the Hokage, was unsealed.
"Naruto says its time to come back." Konohamaru continued, not giving him the chance to read the missive inside. Sasuke froze for a moment upon hearing that, before placing the envelope down gently on the countertop.
"How did you find me?" Sasuke eventually replied, watching the shinobi carefully.
Do they know about Himawari?
Sasuke wasn't a fool. Himawari's physical appearance and her kekkei genkai gave away her bloodline immediately as one of the Hyuuga. And the Hyuuga were not renowned for letting people walk away from their clan. At least, not with their eyes in tow.
"You were registered with the city's office." The slight frown on Konohamaru's face made it clear that he hadn't expected the question and was a little confused by it.
"That was over a year ago." Sasuke countered, pressing the issue. A look of mild irritation crossed over Konohamaru's face and he waved the question away.
"The paperwork got buried. It was pure chance that our operative here came across your name."
Pure chance? At least that means he wasn't sent here by the Hyuuga. Which means that he really was here to deliver this message to me.
"Operative? The Leaf spying on its government now?
"We're shinobi. We spy on everyone." Konohamaru drawled, clearly growing bored with that particular line of questioning.
"What exactly did this agent find on me at the City Office?"
"What does it matter?"
"It means I got sloppy somehow. I like to learn from my mistakes." Konohamaru stared at him in disbelief, mouth opening and closing a few times. A slight tinge of red at the edge of his collar was the only indicator that he was genuinely becoming irritated with the Uchiha's interrogation.
"Not much. Just a copy of the license for this place." He finally allowed, continuing when Sasuke opened his mouth to ask another question. "Things with Oto have been escalating the last few years. There have been skirmishes. Losses."
"I know. I had a few run ins with their forces last year." Sasuke informed him dryly.
And losses is an understatement. The Leaf has been getting slaughtered.
Memories of the riverside massacre he'd come across the previous year when he'd been on the trail to rescue Himawari flashed across his mind.
"You did? What happened?" Konohamaru surprise sounded thick and false and the Uchiha didn't buy it for a second.
He already knows I've engaged with Oto before. He's digging for intel.
"What always happens when people try to cross me." Sasuke responded neutrally, his face an expressionless mask.
Konohamaru merely nodded and carried on as if his question hadn't been so obviously evaded. "We're on the precipice of another war and Naruto needs all hands-on deck. Even yours."
"No."
The Leaf Nin merely nodded and kept on speaking. "You can meet my team and I at-"
It was at that moment that he froze, his brain finally catching up with Sasuke's response. "What did you say?"
"No." The Uchiha said it more slowly this time. As if he were trying to explain something to a genin.
"What do you mean 'No'?" Konohamaru demanded in disbelief. From his expression it was clear that the younger shinobi had thought that Sasuke's acquiescence was a given. The letter from the Hokage a mere formality.
"I've retired." Sasuke wasn't too proud to admit that the way Konohamaru's jaw dropped open in shock, amused him to no end.
"You can't do that!" Konohamaru protested.
"Sure, I can." Sasuke replied with a shrug of his shoulders.
"Shinobi don't retire!" The last word was said with disgust.
Interesting.
"Then I quit."
"You can't do that either!"
Again, Sasuke merely shrugged and then made a show of bending down to search behind the counter. "I can give you my headband if you'd like something official? I've got it somewhere around here."
Konohamaru went red, spluttering and spitting with rage as words tried and failed to leave him in a coherent manner.
"These are orders from the Hokage!" He eventually roared.
"Are they?"
"What?!"
"How do I know this is legitimate?" Sasuke stood up, his face a stern mask even as he slid the envelope back toward the other ninja. "Naruto and I agreed on a very specific method of communication. The fact that you're here is quite suspicious."
"Suspicious?! How am I suspicious?!"
"This doesn't look like an official letter to me. It's a copy."
"Of course, it's a copy! Naruto gave one to every senior ninja in the village!" Konohamaru ranted, staring at the Uchiha as if he had lost his mind. Sasuke merely grunted in reply.
"A likely story. And what about you?"
"Me?"
"How do I know that you haven't turned traitor and this isn't some elaborate setup?" This accusation proved to be too much and Konohamaru shot to his feet in outrage.
"What the hell is wrong with you?!" The man yelled incredulously. Konohamaru then proceeded to spend the next few minutes cursing the Uchiha using every slur and insult he could think of.
Sasuke, for his part, merely raised an eyebrow in response, calmly waiting for the tirade to end. Eventually, it did, as Konohamaru turned purple in rage only to stop suddenly and glare at the Uchiha.
"You're messing with me, aren't you?" He accused blackly. Sasuke merely shrugged with one shoulder.
Konohamaru delated with a sigh, one hand rubbing at his eyes even as he retook his seat. "Kami, you really are still just as big of a bastard as you always were."
"We've never met. In fact, I think this is the first time you and I have ever spoken to one another." Sasuke reminded him, ignoring the glare that he received in return.
"Doesn't mean it's not true." Konohamaru finally muttered, slumping forward.
"You want another drink?" Sasuke offered after another few moments of silence during which Konohamaru's complexion began returning to normal.
"Sure."
With a small grunt, Sasuke reached down and grabbed two more bottles of beer. Uncapping them, he handed one to Konohamaru and took a swig from his own. The alcohol fizzed down his throat and the Uchiha had to struggle not to grimace. He preferred sake but he wasn't going to complain.
"So." Konohamaru began after the two of them spent a few minutes silently drinking.
"So." Sasuke countered.
"Why the reluctance to come back?" He knew the question was coming but Sasuke still felt his hackles raise slightly in response even though his face remained as still as stone.
I have to be careful here.
"I have a family here." He answered simply, keeping his tone neutral.
"You remarried?" Konohamaru asked. The question came slow and though his face remained neutral there was a flash of something in his eyes that unsettled the Uchiha.
"I adopted." Sasuke elaborated, hoping to put the matter to rest with that alone. Konohamaru's eyes widened in response and another flash of that unidentifiable emotion in his eyes made Sasuke tense.
"Wow."
Does he know something? Is that what I'm sensing?
"Yeah."
Konohamaru nodded thoughtfully for a moment before his gaze sharpened. "Bring the kid with you."
That's not happening. I'm not bringing Himawari to the Hyuuga's front door.
"I don't want to bring her into that life." The words somehow seemed both firm and hesitant at the same time. But the impact they had on Konohamaru was profound. The ninja's eyes clouded, as if he were trapped in a particularly unpleasant memory.
"I can understand that." Konohamaru murmured after another moment, lost in his past. The moment passed and he blinked once, gazing up at Sasuke for another long moment.
"I'll talk to Naruto." Konohamaru sighed, wincing as he imagined the Hokage's reaction. Not to mention the other two people he'd have to let know.
"I'd appreciate that." Sasuke replied, a small smile tugging at his lips the only indicator of the immense relief he felt wash over him.
"Naruto will not be happy." Konohamaru reminded him, downing the rest of his beer in one go and motioning to Sasuke for another one. The Uchiha obliged despite having taken only the single sip from his own beverage.
"He'll probably come up here to drag you back again." Konohamaru continued, taking a swig from the fresh bottle with a grunt of thanks in Sasuke's direction.
"I'll deal with that when it comes to it."
Sasuke opened his mouth to thank the man when he froze. A sudden flare of chakra tugged at the edge of his senses. But the way it was fluctuating wildly. That chakra…
"Relax. It's probably just my Gennin." Konohamaru told him, having sensed the chakra as well.
Except Sasuke recognized the way the chakra pulsed. The way he had taught her to do in case of an emergency.
Himawari.
KARAOKE ICHIBAN
"That was awesome!" Daichi whooped excitedly as the song ended. His sister rushed forward, her hands waving frantically in an attempt to calm him as he jumped around, fist pumping the air and waving the mic around in his other hand as if it were a katana.
"What?" Himawari yelled back, her ears still ringing from the overly loud music and the grating voices of her friends' terrible singing. Why did Daichi have to be a fan of Heavy Metal?
"He said it was awesome." Iseki replied right next to her. Iseki, and an older boy who Himawari guessed to be her boyfriend, were their unexpected additions to their karaoke party that night.
The ringing had subsided just enough for Himawari to have caught that and sje nodded in agreement.
Iseki joining them had been a welcome surprise. As the class president, she had always seemed so reserved. Now, outside of school, the girl had finally let her hair down, so to speak. Her normally cool expression gave way to laughter, smiles and jokes that came way too easily.
I guess the class president act is just that. An act.
Sitting there in their private booth, Himawari looked at all of them, a warm feeling spreading through her, emanating from her chest. The next song began and when Kouki dropped the microphone onto his toe, swearing in the middle of a particularly rowdy lyric, Himawari couldn't help but laugh.
Next to her, Iseki choked on her drink as she joined her.
I'm happy.
The night was going perfectly and all thoughts of her morbid anniversary and strange dreams were forgotten in the haze of fast food, cool drinks, good company and horribly sung songs.
"That was so awesome!" Kouki yelled, his pumping the air with his fist in a manner that was far too enthusiastic. Daichi nodded emphatically alongside him while his sister, Ayaka rolled her eyes in annoyance.
"Slow down there Flyboy!" Iseki snickered behind one hand, her boyfriend, who's name Himawari couldn't remember, joined in dutifully on the teasing.
After an hour, they'd decided it was time to step out and grab a few drinks and snacks from the local in-house shop before returning to their booth. After another hour they'd head to the local arcade for a bit before calling it a night.
"Hey! I'll have you know that FlyBoy is my best song!" Kouki retorted, walking backwards and waving his finger at them in admonishment.
"Then there truly is no hope for you." Himawari giggled, causing Kouki to turn to her, his face a comical mix of betrayal and someone trying desperately not to laugh.
"Himaawaariii-chaan!" He whined, loud enough for the surrounding crowds to take notice, heads turning in curiosity.
"Keep your voice down!" Himawari hissed, her face enflamed, punching him on the shoulder hard enough to make him yelp.
"Kami above but you hit hard!" Kouki whimpered, rubbing his shoulder furiously and looking at her like she was a wounded animal.
"Maybe you should take a few steps back now." Ayaka suggested, her lips tugging upwards into a smirk.
"Huh?"
"It seems our dear little Himawari-chan has an admirer."
"What!?" Himawari squeaked, her body freezing like a statue.
"Don't turn around!" Ayaka screeched, barely able to keep her volume under control.
Yeah. Absolutely no chance of that happening.
"Why not?" Himawari said instead.
"You'd be way too obvious," Iseki hissed in amusement, her face frozen into a fake smile.
"Well who is looking at me?" Himawari said, a touch impatiently.
"A really cute boy." Ayaka giggled. The moment she said that, Himawari could feel herself flush, heat creeping up her neck to settle in her cheeks.
A boy? A boy is interested in me?
"Poor guy must have it bad, he's gone so pale." Iseki's partner mused.
"You mean the blondie?" Kouki blurted out, foregoing subtlety to openly stare past Himawari at the person in question. Ayaka, seeing Himawari frozen, dutifully stepped up and punched Kouki's arm for her.
"Ow! Why does everyone go for the shoulder?!"
"He's coming over!"
"What?!" Himawari squeaked again.
I must look like a tomato by now.
"You totally look like a tomato!" Kouki snickered only to howl in pain a moment later as Himawari, Ayaka and Iseki hit his arm simultaneously.
"Women are crazy!" Kouki whimpered even as Daichi led him away, nodding in sympathy.
"Okay, we're all going to go now. See you in the booth!" Iseki said loudly, ensuring her message sunk into all their heads. As she herded them away, she sent a wink in Himawari's direction.
What? But I…
I don't know what to do.
But then it was too late. She felt a touch on her shoulder and, summoning courage from who knows where, Himawari turned to greet her admirer with what she hoped passed for a smile, plastered on her face.
"Hel-"
"Himawari?" The boy said, his voice a curious mix of emotions. Hope, disbelief, joy, anger, fear.
But Himawari heard none of it. All she could see was her nightmare come to life. Blonde hair, eyes of an oh-so-familiar blue, markings disconcertingly similar to her own.
"It's time to return to your real family."
Time's up.
And there we have it!
A big part of why it's taken so long to get this fic out the door is because I was just never happy with it and kept deleting and then restarting it all. I finally decided to just buckle down and try to get it out. And so here we are!
Hope that you enjoyed it. If you did then a review would always be appreciated. If you have any thoughts on where you think this will go or what you would like to see happen, I'd love to hear them.
Until next time on Those Who Are Found.
Chapter 2: Desperate Flight, Fateful Confrontation.