Kaka nii and I met up with team Gai at Gato's headquarters at the edge of the forest opposite the village backed up to a large body of water. How this idiot had kept his fortress hidden from his prisoners in the village made no sense.
The six of us politely greeted one another as we began the raid on the compound. Kakashi went with Tenten before we took off into the palace. We split up on the top level. Gai went with Lee and ran the middle floor, Neij stuck by me as we ran the main floor.
We were taking all the deeds and the treasure he had stashed throughout the place. Neji was never too far from me as we went through the house. I made sure to send out several clones. So that the mission could be completed. Kakashi had informed me the Hokage had said rid the world of anything to do with Gato.
One of my clones came across a dungeon down below the main floor filled with women, children, and some men. But one man looked like a picture I had seen in Tazuna’s house. My clone dismissed herself and I took off to the basement/dungeon with a concerned Neji not to far behind me.
Gato had been working with Orochimaru and used an experimented clone to frighten the village. The scum had been sending children to the snake as payment and protection.
We had to call Mito back from her journey home but to the hideout. It was like she had been waiting and she came to heal any injured and check on all the children.
I personally healed Kaiza telling him about Inari and Tsunami. I told him how Tazuna had continued to try and give them a better life. He was so relieved to find out they were okay that he finally passed out.
Relief flooded my body, “Naru, are you okay” Neji asked softly. His lavender eyes took in the dead thugs scattered around on the floor. I nodded not looking at the death around us. I or my clones had killed every thug we came across, especially the ones talking about the prisoners. I was the cause of the death but I couldn’t tell Neji that.
My clone had found several important documents in the basement and sealed them up handing them to Mito before walking off with a unconscious Kaiza. I stopped on a patio that a Kakashi clone and Gai were both standing on. “Who are you… oh Naru" Kakashi said quietly. “I healed him. We should probably take him back to his family. Tsunami would appreciate it" I replied softly.
Gai took Kaiza and gently laid him down. “We will be taking most of these people to Wave with us. He is definitely needed back in his home. But I believe you and my team set Inari back on the straight and narrow path” Kakashi said eyeing Neji who was behind me. To most Kakashi’s gaze would look dull and uninterested, I could see his concern and taking in the small specks of blood sprayed on my clothing.
“Are you okay Naru?”
“I, I’ll be fine Neji. Thank you" I said softly. I had never liked killing but I had never openly shown anyone but Kakashi, Hinata and Shikamaru. “This is a part of our career path we have chosen but it does get easier.”
“That much I do know. I chose this life for myself Neji. Plenty of people tried to persuade me to do something else. Anything else besides what I do. While I may have avoided the public does not mean I have not been on missions before.”
Neji was staring at me, his gaze never waivering, “Keep an eye on him and check him over with your Byakugan. I’m going to keep searching the place. I feel a chakra pull somewhere" I whispered stretching before disappearing back into the palace. Mito passed by me, taking my place on the patio, I sent chakra letting Neji know I was fine flow through my pendant as I heard Mito and Kakashi talk to him.
“Naru is different as you have noticed young Hyuga. She just needs a little space but needs to be reminded that your there for her. I’ve been with her since she was born. And that girl blames herself for leaving you Neji.”
Going back into the basement that was slowly being emptied out by dozens of clones I found scrolls and other gear stacked together alone covered in dust. They shimmered when light was flashed on them, seals caught my eye. The scrolls had Uzumaki swirl on them and sharp pointed thorns sticking out of them.
“I wouldn’t touch them if I were you. Many people have attempted to touch them and gotten hurt.” A sharp male drawled from the right of me. Looking at a the man he was sitting there quietly watching the people be carried out by many of my clones. Sharp violet eyes like my mother’s watched me closely, he had a soft purple glow around him. ‘Spirit Guardian’ rumbled in my head. “These belong to my clan. As my mother’s daughter of the whirlpool, they are mine by birthright. I don’t know how Gato and his men got them, but they are my family’s. They won’t hurt me.” The man watched taking a sharp breath.
I nicked my thumb and smeared blood on the top scroll. It sucked the thorns in through the entire pile. Smiling I laid down one of my mother’s scrolls from Uzu and sealed the scrolls inside it. Behind the scrolls was gear, all the weapons and clothing had seals on them as well. “He raided a Uzu survivor and stole all of their hometown. If he was still alive I would kill him again” I said under my breath.
I sealed the gear into another scroll and the man smiled at me genuinely. “I have waited a long time before passing on. I am so blessed to have gotten to meet you my beautiful granddaughter. I was glad your mother was not in the village. I can not tell you what happened to your aunt or uncle. I teleported each out but I fear I we lost them too. Your uncle was sent with his aunt, your grandma’s sister, because he was so little. But your Aunt I fear she got lost. But you, my whirlpool princess, are a blessing. You will be a storm like never before.”
Tearing up I looked at the man closely. He was wearing a black long sleeved shirt with wide cuffs that covered his hands. Black ninja pants and sandals and samurai leather vest. He had seal matrixes up his arms I could see when his sleeves fell to his elbows. A long white beard and goatee still heavily streaked with Uzumaki red. His long white hair was held out of his face by his headband. “You are going to be an excellent shinobi and a gorgeous woman. I’m sorry I won’t get to see you grow up my child. What happened to my Kushina.” My grandfather asked softly.
I pulled up my kimono top and showed him my stomach. My grandfather grimaced softly, he ghosted his fingers across the lines of my seal. “A man broke into the village and to the cave that mom was having me in and extracted the Kyuubi. She survived and helped hold the Kyuubi back as my father used Uzumaki seals to contain him with in me. They left me letters and a piece of their chakra with in me.” My voice was soft.
My grandfather placed his hand on my cheek, “You are our hope little whirlpool. I can see it in your eyes the torment and trials you have been through. If they don’t accept you our island will. It’s just a nick away for a royal line. The island will always welcome those it protects and protects it. You have probably felt the tides calling, the calming nature of the water. Oh, sweet Naruto. You’re Kushina’s child that makes you our heir and princess. Even if your aunt and uncle lived and had children, Kushi was our heir. She was going to be Uzukage in the leaf. We were talking about merging. You would have been our Uzukage. You will always be our people’s next Kage, whether you live in the leaf or rebuild our home.” He caressed my scarred cheeks before wrapping me in a bone crushing hug.
” Before life gets away from you return to our homeland. Bury what is left of our dead please my dear. All our knowledge and wealth is yours whirlpool. I am going to be going now. I hope to see your grandmother and mother once again. I am bestowing on you my seal knowledge and the knowledge of our clan. Go to the tides and you will gain it all my child. You will gain the knowledge to erase the caged bird seal. I can see the devastation in your eyes. He's a very lucky boy. Tell him to treat you right or I will find a way to appear again. There is nothing we Uzumaki’s can’t do even in death” Arashi Uzumaki said ghosting a kiss to my forehead. He touched the invisible resistance seal and placed a new seal on my right wrist before fading out of existence.
“Naru. Are you okay? What happened? I saw the fading of a person.” Neji asked with a Kakashi and Mito clone behind him. “I’m fine. I found heirlooms of my clan that fell. Gato and his men slaughtered a relative who had settled in wave and taken their possessions. I met my grandfather through a seal.” Neji grabbed me and hugged me close to his chest.
“Oh Naru.” Mito whispered as Kakashi held her close to him. Taking a couple deep breaths I sighed the tears almost dried up. “I don’t know what all he was into but Gato was sending children to Orochimaru.” I took a deep breath after changing topics, Kakashi and Mito froze up. Anger flashed across Mito’s face briefly.
Neji softly rubbed my back as I was clutching the scrolls. “I may pass out. My grandfather is going to pass some of his knowledge onto me with some memories so I can get to know him.” I muttered. Kakashi and Mito stopped, “That’s not possible.” Neji muttered confused. “Naru comes from a long lone of seals masters. Her mother was able to use seals like most ninja uses kunai. Yes it is very possible.” Kakashi said softly. “Gramps was like 200 when the clan fell though. I don’t know Sensei. I…”
The seal Arashi had placed on my wrist glowed blue like a tidal wave. It didn’t hurt but I could see the difference as I began to see my family’s village in its prime. I saw seals that my mother had been taught and left for me. “He taught her. She was so smart. My grandfather taught my mother all of her seals knowledge before she left the village for Konoha.” Kakashi nodded his head with Mito, “She told us that when we were kids Naru.”
A smile graced my lips “One day I will go to my ancestors home and bury the dead. Then I will have the knowledge to get rid of the caged bird seal and all the knowledge of my ancestors at my disposal. Tattoo seals! They’d be permanent and I’d never have to worry.” Neji looked shocked. Mito and Kakashi nodded in acceptance. “When the time comes I’ll make the journey with you Naru if you would like.” Neji said softly. Tenten had stopped on the stairs and was holding Lee back from saying anything. Gai tapped the two of them and they followed him back up to the main floor.
“Well Naru, Neji we should finish this mission then head back to town. We found enough money to fund the village and pay us for each team.” Mito said softly leading Kakashi further into the basement. Nodding I swiped the tears off my cheeks and squeezed Neji’s hand. Neji brushed a few stray tears away and kissed the back of my hand.
The two of us followed Mito and Kakashi. We found more Uzu treasures in trunks with spikes and scrolls guarded. Packing everything up I stopped in a circular portion of the dungeon. It had seals protecting people from entering. Kakashi nodded his head and him and Mito stood back. Unsealing a brush and ink I began to unlock the alcove.
Neji watched as Tenten, Lee and Gai joined us. Gai and Kakashi kept them from asking me questions as I used my newfound knowledge from my grandpa to unlock the seal. When I added the last stroke Kakashi whistled lowly, “We thought you zoned out before.” Tenten said softly voicing their opinions. Blushing I looked at the seal before activating it and opening up the cavern.
Breath left my chest, there were experiment pieces and curse seal papers laying around. A shimmering person stood and my entire group stopped moving. The woman had long blood red hair with a few gray strands and violet eyes. “Kushina” Mito and Kakashi asked softly. “Oh you know my heir. My baby? I’ve been stuck here a long time keeping people out because of some dumb misguided snake.” A woman said softly. “My grandfather Arashi just passed over. He was protecting scrolls and trunks that had been stolen from survivors. My mother unfortunately passed the night I was born.” I said softly.
“I see her in you. High cheek bones. Sharp nose, round eyes. You have a tint of red subtle in your golden hair my dear. She passed her burden to you my sweet whirlpool. Paternal genes were strong with you, she married the young Namikaze then. I always thought he reminded me of two sannin.” I nodded my head barely concealing my shock. Neji sucked in a sharp breath as he studied me for a reaction. My grandmother approached Kakashi and Mito, “White fangs prodigy guarding my grand baby. Very nice, strong chakra you should not be holding back young man. A wolf would do wonders and make things happen if you ran free. Let go of the past and live for those around you pup. My granddaughter and this young lady both need you. Oh a medic who took on our rhombus of chakra. You look like my dear friend Mito, but with golden and silver hair. I wonder if you and the Namikaze were not siblings born to the slug and toad. You will go far my dear.” She approached me again.
“I will leave all of this to you my little princess. A man took blood and was attempting to recreate our bloodline for our chains and your aunts healing abilities. As soon as he attempted to use blood and took it, I appeared and sealed the room. It’s a failsafe we implemented on the island encase anyone was ever captured. It’s a great seal for you to investigate for you and the clans. Your grandfather should have passed it on, but I will for sure. I will be passing our bloodline knowledge on to you. All of the experimentation should be burned immediately. In the trunk you will find a surprise that will help you my child. I will always love you and be watching over you my princess. You will forever be our people’s Uzukage. Good luck” she said kissing my forehead and adding a few lines on the seal my grandfather added to my wrist.
Blinking away the tears I saw the three trunks she must have been talking about. “Middle trunk.” A deep voice rumbled in my head. Opening the trunk Kakashi placed his hand on my shoulder. “Naru maybe you should go through this in the compound.” “Yeah in just a second. There’s a pull.” I said looking inside the trunk. I couldn’t exactly tell them the Kyubi was telling me where to look. There was a gold and red jeweled scroll with a kitsune marker on one end. Breath left my chest, “Are you sure that this is what you want” I questioned the Kyuubi in my head softly. “You and only you will be the point of contact kit. Don’t bother me.” He grumbled lightly nudging me away. Yokai foxes, closest summons on earth to the 9 tailed beast.
Taking the scroll I sealed it in the seal on my shoulder and then sealed the trunks in Uzu storage scrolls with Neji's help. “Was that really your grandma? She looked as real as you and me.” Tenten was floored. “Yes my mother’s mom. Red hair and all” I said softly. Neji ignored the stares as he wrapped his arms around me softly. Kakashi and Mito had begun to place all the blood and experiments results and test tubes together in one pile.
Kissing Neji’s cheek I got out of his arms and began to make a seal to burn the pile hot enough to melt all the contents. Sealing the papers and documents up so I could use them against Orochimaru I wiped a stray tear away. “I am going to maim the snake if we ever cross paths.” I stated to Kakashi and Mito who both looked at me with solemn faces. Gai gently patted my shoulder in encouragement.
I found a piece of paper that stated my aunt was alive. There was also a picture of my God father with three children. One had red hair and rinnegan eyes. He looked almost exactly like my grandfather. They were alive after the fall of Uzu. I sealed all of the papers up in a storage seal and created a second part transport seal. Placing all of my storage scrolls with Uzu belongings in them I got ready to send them but Kakashi stopped me.
“Theres a few more places to look. As close as we are to the ruins there may be more and you should send it all at once to the compound.” Nodding we finished the basement and then went up stairs to where a couple Kakashi clones were hanging out. My clones had broken three more sealed rooms but were all waiting in one room for me for blood. Stepping forward I knicked my thumb and went to swipe it. “Be careful.” The kyuubi rumbled in my mind.
Shaking slightly I felt Neji grab my non injured hand. Breathing deeply I swiped my bloody thumb on the door before stars exploded clouding my vision. The door swung open and smoke blew out.
Blinking the stars away I saw an octopus launch itself at me. “You will not have these things. They are not yours to take intruder!” A deep male voice came from the octopus who was about 12 inches long and a deep red color. Grabbing it with my chakra and pulling it to me I heard chuckling in my mind.
“I didn’t break into this room I used blood genius. What are you anyway besides an octopus.”
“The royal lines familiar. Your mom had one. They do everything with you just about. They can also create seals and produce extra ink for seals not to mention they love causing mischief. Perfect for your family. They used their abilities to defend the island before it fell” Kakashi said softly staring at the octopus attached to my leg.
“You are Kushi-chan’s baby? We have a new person? We thought everyone was gone. Someone relayed the information that you had passed on after that night.” A woman’s voice asked from inside the room. The smoke had cleared and now a light had been turned on there were scrolls stacked up together many of them had jewels. Some were sleek and others looked like scales or feathers on them. Sitting at top those scrolls were a pair of octopi.
“I am Kushina’s child. Gramps gave me a seal and grandma added to it. One day I will travel back the homeland to bury the dead.” I stated not sure what to say to them. The bigger of the two nodded his head in acceptance the smaller one sighed. That one was the female, “We must report back to the main boss but since your blood allowed you in here and Oct hasn’t knocked you out because of your chakra then you are our next heir. We will see you shortly. Oct leave it on the leg. We must go.” The male said his voice gruff.
I felt a slight invasion on my leg, the little menace on my leg had left a octopus shaped seal. “If you can deconstruct that or reverse engineer our seal then you will automatically be our next Uzukage Whirlpool. I’m rooting for you.” The female said then they all three disappeared. “I’m done. Kakashi Sensei I’m ready to go home now.”
Kakashi laughed as him and Mito shared looks. Neji held me tightly to him. “What was that?” Lee asked his voice tamed. “Those were the Octopus familiar of Naru’s moms clan. She had one in the compound the whole time she was alive. Then it disappeared one day. Now they have discovered Naru. She will be their next heir. They are mischievous like her also. The Uchiha clan when alive took care of felines and crows.” Mito said a sad smile on her face.
“Cherry would be very disappointed if we traveled straight home and may cause mutiny so not quite yet.” Sighing I popped out a clone to study the seal on my leg closely while I approached the scrolls on the table. “Do you know what these are?” I questioned the people in the room. “Summon scrolls.” Mito said softly. “Yes and some of them came from our village. This one is Kakashi Sensei’s it was taken from my mom and dad. And I’m not even joking. I see him he will be maimed, mummy included. He is probably who took it. But if you’re not a Hatake or pack you cant open it.” I held out a silvery white scroll.
Kakashi stopped breathing, in my hand was the contract of the Hatake lighting wolves. “At home Naru. Seal them up. We can discuss with the Hokage how some of these left the village.” Mito said her voice soft but firm as she watched Kakashi out of the corner of her eye. Sealing the scrolls in a storage scrolls I sealed it in my shoulder seal. “Why did you not send those back to the village?” Lee asked semi yelling.
I smiled “Because if the snake was able to sneak them out once he could try again and I’m not taking that chance again” I said softly. “From my mother’s journal there were several different summons animal scrolls with our family before they fell. She thought were lost. Since we were good with seals and keeping things safe several scrolls came into our possession. Then the clan collected them as they came across them. We didn’t keep them to ourselves we found a special deer contract that was given to the Nara clan..” Neji rubbed my back as I looked at the rest of the room.
Visions of my grandmother’s spirit flashed before my eyes. Grandma was talking to a very large octopus who created the blood seal in this alcove. “My wife is not happy you and your beloved are dead. Our daughter has gone to Kushina permanently. We have sealed this room and when the seal breaks a few of our warriors will appear. We will be pulling anything that has been attempted to be opened that is not permitted in here and the temple between here and the leaf. I’m not to enthused though, a mummy will face the wrath of the royal line one day.”
“I have seen snippets of the future Kai. We will have a whirlpool like never before. She will be the color of the sun and change the world. This child will be our future. The mummy will get what is coming to him I’m sure, our village will not allow anyone but descendants to return. Our future is in the leaf now Kai. She will one day find you and take you by storm.”
Blinking the vision away I noticed I had unconsciously shared it with the 6 others in the room. Kakashi and Mito were looking at me softly.
There wasn’t much more in there than a few trunks with seals. Breaking the seals, I sent them with clones to the storage scrolls and transport scroll in the basement. Walking through the last floor we travelled back down to the basement as a group. Kakashi, Gai and Mito put everything of importance to go back to the village on the transport seal.
Making 2 dozen clones they nodded at me and took off outside. “What were they for Sensei?” Lee exclaimed. “To keep the forest from catching fire when the house burns to the ground. The Hokage ordered us to erase Gato. She will use water techniques and seals outside to keep it contained.” Lee nodded looking at Gai sensei.
“We gathered everyone we found outside your barrier in the woods. The three teams from the village are going to meet us in the woods to help transport everyone back.” Kakashi said. Nodding I finally spoke “Is that everything to go back to the village?”
Mito and Kakashi did another once over the house before nodding. “That’s it. Send it and I will let the Hokage know he can have some of it when you get home.” Mito softly spoke from behind me. I had papers that were in the Uzumaki blood papers about my father and Mito as well. Orochimaru had apparently decided they were to much alike.
Pushing the thought out of my head I would focus on them when I got back home. Neji softly held my hand in his. Taking comfort in his strength I nodded taking my hand and performing hand seals. Activating the seal I transported everything to a seal room in the basement of compound. No one uninvited could find my sealed room.
Turning around I started out the basement and compound my mind buzzing with information. Tenten nudged Lee with her elbow as Neji led me behind the Sensei’s to the clones I had spaced evenly around the building. “Ready when you are.” One said looking at Kakashi. Nodding I let go of Neji’s hand instantly feeling cold as I took my place in line.
Kakashi and Mito performed hand seals simultaneously as two clones activated enhancement seals as two giant fireballs left the two. Throwing a wind breakthrough at their fire everyone backed up as the compound caught on fire. Burning brightly it started accelerating as my clones erected a barrier purple in color.
Fatigue hit me swiftly when the fire flamed brighter and my clones nodded that they had it. Neji caught me and wrapped his arms around me. “On my shoulder I need you to activate it. There’s energy bars.” I spoke softly to Neji shocking him. Neji nodded getting really quiet before activating the storage seal on my left shoulder. He grabbed the 16 bars that popped out and placed them on a rock to the right of me.
Neji sat us down in the grass and let me rest against his chest. “You will be off missions for like a week when you and team 7 make it back home. Kakashi too.” Mito stated her voice tight with emotion. Neji tightened his arms around me as her chakra warmed over me and I ate 4 energy bars back to back. I offered the Sensei’s and team Gai each a bar. Everyone took one as we looked on at the flames in the barrier.
“Naru” Kakashi asked his voice even but concerned. “I’ll be fine. I over exerted myself today and haven’t ate enough for my metabolism.” His look didn’t say he believed me whatsoever. Neji watched me closely concern etched in his eyes as he kept a blank face. Kakashi and Mito checked that the barrier were holding before leading us to the group of people we rescued. I ate three more energy bars before we met the group.
Kakashi, Gai and Mito created clones to help bring the people back to the village. My eyes were met with a dozen of my own clones.
“Naru!” the girls exclaimed rushing over to me concerned. Sakura looked at Mito in concern. Mito nodded softly and Sakura relaxed but kept a close eye on me. Neji refused to let my hand go as he held me by his side. I gave Hinata and Shikamaru looks telling them I would explain everything. Sakura while examining me could faintly sense the seal on my wrist and saw the Octopus shaped one on my calf. “I’ll explain soon Cherry. Let’s get these people home first.”
My words soothed a couple people but caught Kiba’s interest. “You look like you got a tattoo. Is that red and purple? I didn’t think seals could be colorful.” I smiled softly and a couple elderly stopped walking. “Seals can be whatever I deem necessary. Did you know that the 4th Hokage only appeared in a yellow streak of lightning because he added the flare and dramatics. The 2nd did not use dramatics. Other than those two the only other shinobi whose come close to using the seal besides myself is Shisui, he was the master of the body flicker technique.”
Sasuke smiled softly as he and Naruto had a conversation on blade techniques. It took us an hour to get back to the village with the wounded. Having gained my strength my clones were helping a now awake Kaiza towards his home. Tazuna saw us and started hollering for his daughter. Tsunami came out of the house hollering at her father about waking up Inari but stopped frozen as her eyes fell on the man between two of my clones.
Turning my hand slightly using a small one handed wind manipulation I nudged Tsunami forward and it broke her trance. She sprinted to the man and threw her body against Kaiza. “How? What? We watched you die!” He wrapped his arms around her stiffly. “According to sunshine here, I was swapped with an experiment. They kept me beat up and taunted me. She saved me. Told me how Inari helped save the village.” He said softly.
The whole village came out and began another celebration as we brought people home. Hinata, Shikamaru and Sakura helped Mito heal the rest of the captured people. I had tried to help them, Neji held me in place and Mito threatened me. Inari had woken up and refused to leave his dad’s side.
Neji watched Hinata conflicted, healing someone with an active byakugan went against the clan. She was good at it, he had to give her that. She also was no slouch in practice, so her not fighting her sister in the compound confused him to no end. Ino and Shino were watching us with interest.
“Hey Asuma Sensei, Kakashi Sensei would it be okay if I got emergency field medicine and found someone who specializes in poisons besides Anko. She’s crazy.” Ino asked to the surprise of Kurenai. “I can get you in for emergency field medicine to teach you how to keep someone from dying. The head of the hospital though is an ex shinobi and a grumpy ass” Mito said making Sakura look up surprised.
“Shiro Sensei is a hard ass Ino. He will be hard to butter up. It took me awhile. But he also is in the process of training our medics better more like how Mito sensei is trained in healing. Not her strength. Tenten has recently picked up learning emergency field medicine as well” Sakura said softly looking at the pale Ino.
Shino asked if he could learn to because Kiba would need all the help. “Mito and Shiro said if we were going to take people apart we needed to be able to put them back together for our entire team. We’re apparently monsters in the making or something.” Sasuke and Naruto grumbled making Ino laugh.
“You are monsters in the making. Two of you combo like a seasoned duo I’ve only seen a couple times in my life and I trained under the 4th Hokage. One of you has been unconsciously augmenting your chakra into your limbs so much so that you were already on your way to monstrous strength and a diamond defense. Without realizing it. So no sarcasm there.”
Sasuke and Naruto both blushed looking down as Sakura beamed. “We need to talk when we get home and we get time” Kakashi said softly to a Mito who was watching him concerned. I started thinking where the scrolls would be best used. “Shika do you know if your parents know where the forest shadow scroll is currently?” Shika turned his head slightly. “I think dad might but we can find out when we get back.” Accepting his answer I let Neji sit me down shoving a bowl of rice and marinated pork in my hands.
Smiling at him gratefully, I ate before we winded down for the night once more but this time as the sun was rising. Neji walked me to the tent I was sharing with Hinata. Sakura, Ino and Tenten were sharing a tent. Kakashi and Shika were watching thankfully. The 4 shadow clones I had used popped letting me know that the seals were in place and ready to go. “We’re protected no harm can be done in our space.” I said letting everyone know it was safe. Kissing Neji’s cheek softly, he pecked my forehead. “Goodnight Neji.” “Goodnight Naru. If you need anything I’m in the tent over.”
Getting into shorts and a tank I laid down beside Hinata the days events weighing on me. Sakura, Shika, Sasuke and my clone joined us in the tent for a conversation. I had one female clone out studying my seal some more eager to get the invasion off my leg. Hinata sat on her mat watching me her eyes soft but full of worry. Leaning against her softly I let the entire events out. Jumping on the sword, yelling at a child, sparring with Sakura. The gift from Neji, almost letting the Kyubi’s anger influence me when I thought Sasuke was dead.
Hinata was quiet as she held my hand like a life line. Shikamaru was in his thinking pose as he listened. I told her how Sakura and Sasuke performed their first kill because Gato threatened to take and use me and Sakura.
I explained how we met up with Team Gai and I had shadow clones go through killing thugs. Finding and healing Kaiza, meeting my grandparents separately, finding lots of Uzumaki treasure. The cavern with the octopi in there, the new seal. The fact that I had about 20 summoning scrolls in my shoulder seal now. Not including Kakashi’s and the Kitsune. She asked about Neji not leaving my side when we travelled back. Paling and blushing lightly I looked at her, “So I shared the memory of my grandmother and head octopus with them. Then I over exerted myself and about passed out from everything.” Hinata stroked my hair softly. “I worry about you. You carry the biggest burden I’ve ever seen and you take on everyone’s problems no matter how small and inconvenient.”
Shika nodded his head in agreement, Sakura latched onto my other hand. “We are here to lessen the burden your carrying. You don’t ever have to pretend with us. I may not have been the best before but you have always been genuine.” Cherry said softly. Shikamaru’s lip twitched up in a smile as he kept his thinking pose. Sasuke grunted in agreement as he kept talking softly to the clone.
“Okay, our teams are headed back tomorrow since the threat is over and Naruto has used shadow clones to significantly help out on the construction of the bridge. So we are not needed. Nightmares might hit and if they do send a message we’ll correspond always. Use our sealed scroll to send it to either of us. Don’t loiter to long in the temple. I heard you almost walked into the ocean because of seals.” Hinata looked at me concerned at the same time as Sakura.
“The ruins are trying to call me home. My ancestors are not buried. My grandparents, the men, the women, the children. The island has gone into defense mode and no one is allowed there but me. Neji said he will go with me when the time comes. I now understand why I would get quiet and feel a pull to the ocean, to feel the breeze and run the tides.”
Hinata gripped my hand in hers tightly, “You would have to lead the way atop the water. The seals would have to detect you first and foremost. But us 4 could go with you too.” Shika said with Sasuke fully agreeing. “No one should have to face the dead alone. You shouldn’t have to bury the dead by yourself Naru.” Sasuke whispered softly. Smiling at them we made a silent pact to do it together no matter the cost.
Shika, Sasuke, and Naruto left us first going to their own tents. “You will never be alone again Naru. I think our groups are unbreakable.” Sakura said hugging the two of us tightly before heading to her tent. Sighing I collapsed back before Hinata hit me. “You almost walked into the ocean and your exhausted! Naru breath.” She said hugging me. “My aunt and uncle made it out of the fall Hina. We may have more Uzumaki out there. If we can subtly let them know I’m alive and so is our seals. I can secure our village tighter than I will upon return. Gramps gave me some safety seals they used in Uzu.” I hugged her back and she chuckled as I finished talking.
“I think dad was checking the seals on the gate and perimeter of the village before we left. He seems distressed lately. Talking about your dad and Sasuke’s more when he thinks he’s alone.” She said softly as our heads rested against each other. Humming in agreement I fell asleep a few seconds later, Hinata fell asleep not too long after me.
Sleep was easy to come, the nightmares even easier. The first thing I saw was gray stone walls and no door. Slowly the floor was being covered in a rushing down pour of blood. Faces were flashed on the wall of the dead Uchiha, Hizashi, my parents, haku, Zabuza and several others flashed in front of. Soon I was drowning in the pool of blood. It felt like eternity as I got swallowed up.
This has been a long time coming and I'm terribly sorry it took this long to update. I am actively working on it again.