Outlander: Found on the Path of Life. Part 1

Chapter 13. Seigenryu

Arina winced lightly and Kakashi cast a worried look in her direction. She immediately smiled reassuringly, shook her head, as if saying that it was unpleasant, but tolerable.

"As you know, memory deployment takes a considerable amount of time. But it is safe to say that, fortunately, Orochimaru did not have any influence on the girl."

"If you were able to analyse particularly Arina's memory, then this does not reveal to us the interaction with Orochimaru of the other girl before..." Kakashi belatedly bit his tongue. Hatake, you don't know when to slow down, do you?

"Naturally, we also thought of that," Hiruzen smiled condescendingly, noticing Kakashi's oversight. "However, we also saw the dream that was an echo of the memory of Arina's predecessor: and through that dream we could unwind this thread a little — in fact, this was the main difficulty and this procedure required a more thorough preparatory work and extra time... Anyhow, we believe that this was their first and last encounter. Fortunately or unfortunately — it depends on how you look at it — it didn't exactly work out. Orochimaru also did not get to mark her — for some reason, he clearly did not expect a refusal, or did not plan to use the girl for such purposes."

"Case in point... and, ahem, regarding this whole situation with Arina's 'migration' into our world?" Kakashi looked at the girl again and figured from her look becoming melancholy that they had probably already discussed it, and the answer was not reassuring.

"Preliminary discussions, unfortunately, did not lead to any encouraging conclusions, but I assigned several people to look into this issue. However, I would not particularly count on a favourable outcome. There are probably insurmountable circumstances," Hiruzen looked at Arina sympathetically.

"The problem is," Arina said softly, lowering her gaze, "that with a high probability I simply have nowhere to go back... I do not know how my body — the body of the girl here — was able to cope with a blow to the heart, but in my world the laws of physics are very severe and after a head-on collision with a ton of iron, you will hardly leave mincemeat. Not to mention if it catches on fire... So even if it had been possible to arrange an exchange again, we might very likely just get two deaths instead of one."

Kakashi looked at her with compassion, gritting his teeth. Another feeling — unforgivably selfish — he tried his best to suppress.

"But, on the other hand, it means that I can stay here and continue to pester you further," the girl raised her head, smiling, but tears glistened in her eyes.

Kakashi wanted to pull her to him, but he had to restrain himself under Hiruzen's gaze — he had already permitted himself far too much in his presence, under other circumstances he would have been standing stiffly to attention.

They were silent for some time. Hiruzen coughed. Kakashi cowardly hastened to change the subject:

"And what about the seal?"

It seemed as if Hiruzen had also breathed a sigh of relief.

"Regarding the seal, it is quite interesting. Actually, it has already been deactivated, so I wish you luck in potentially having to train another student," Hiruzen smiled gently.

Arina looked down modestly. Kakashi shuddered slightly at the mention of 'students' — as soon as he remembered the bickering on the way to the farm earlier.

"Fortunately, the seal also had nothing to do with Orochimaru and did not pose any threat to others," Hiruzen continued. Apparently, it was imposed by someone at Hofu temple. Given the traditions of those lands, and, in particular, the cult of the Goddess of Fertility, it can be assumed that the girl was kept at the temple sort of as a living embodiment of the goddess, while restrictions from her chakra were removed at certain times of the year to conduct a number of rituals that contributed — just think of it — to a rich harvest! Savageness, really."