〔 九 〕 the dying embers

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Reliving the dry bones.







She lingered in an empty room, slumping on her bed like a frail puppet chained her limbs in place by fraying strings.

The lights coming from the outside were dimmed, stretching inherently from the uncurtained windows. The lusterless dusk poked the half of her face: one eye stayed closed while the other lazily winked, emphasizing her dull blue iris beneath. Her hair scattered without direction, every strand severely tangling in the messy curls that lapped and devoured the pale bedsheets as if a bloody murder happened.

Utterly still, lifeless as the fall leaves that gust outside.

Then she blinked, twice or thrice, wanting to doze off. But when she did, she only wished if she could join all the dead and return to dust.

It was normal for a child to feel sad when a parent died. But her sadness continued for an extended time, worsened, and significantly interfered with her normal functioning.

At first, she was lying silently, her face was stoic and skin pale. The sky became willow and the clouds had formed in a hazy grey. There was a lazy rain pouring out, pattering eerily against the rooftop.

A torrent of wind started to blow harsh, and the grim rain became stronger.

Once again, she dawdled in the painful memories. She gathered every recollection of her parents and put them inside the coffin of her heart. The little girl recalled how her mind got jarred because of the tragedy, how the pain seared through her skin and took away every feeling she ever had.

The girl lost her ability to talk. Her voice had become short just like her father's and mother's in their final days.

Although she was voiceless, every few minutes she would scream, not like one of those shouts of hysteria and terror, but worse. Howling wind, lashing rain, cracking flashes of lightning, and torrential thunders. It was more than a storm, but the nature of a beast. It had a genuine quality of a person consumed by a pain that knew no end or limit.

It would only go quiet when her energy seemed to drain into the soil. By dawn, she was again stoic and fragile, hated that her lifeless body was being greeted by the rising sun.

Then, her agony in a form of heavy rain and wind would surge, making all the people in the streets groaned in vexation.

It was worse, and the elders of the village knew that this had to stop.

Yet the little damsel never had the intention to.




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Four figures were lined up in the conference room of the Hokage Residence. The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi; Danzo Shimura from the ANBU; and Homura and Koharu from the Council.

A day after the calamity of the Nine Tails went under control, Hiruzen got the title to be the Hokage once again.

He took the girl who went unconscious after pouring out all of her chakras to make a thunderstorm, as well as the infant who was unaware of the tragedy.

The four were planning to make arrangements on how to rebuild Konoha after the devastating blow, and unanimously decided to relocate the Uchiha Clan to the very edge of the village.

Another meeting was set after a couple of days. That time, the little damsel was present (since she had regained her strength).

In front was a long table, with four elders—each had icy cold stares. On the corner, there was Kakashi Hatake.

They provided the girl with a chair and table. On the desk, there was a paper she didn't bother to read.

The girl was seated silently, sunken—not all that poise and graceful. Her lips were pale, her skin lost its gleam, and eyes dull with exploded pupils. Her cursory glance was enough to know she was better off dead.

Despite everything, they discussed their decision for the orphaned siblings.

"The Fourth and Kushina entrusted you and your baby brother's well-being to us," stated Hiruzen, "Akane."

As if on cue, a flash of lightning was seen flashing on the stormy clouds—the burst of lights was pure electricity and triggered the thunders to roar.

She almost wanted to snap the table in two. Her blood suddenly went boiling upon hearing the words Fourth, or Kushina, or baby brother.

It was disturbing for the adults to think a mere child could produce such aura.

"Naruto is his name, isn't it?" Homura spoke, nonetheless.

The Third Hokage only nodded.

"We wanted to make his origin as a secret," Danzo said dismissively; although the old man was amused how the girl embodied the darkness so well.

Hiruzen was likely to agree. "Yes, by means of secret, we mean that he must grow up knowing nothing about your parents . . . Nor about you. He should go by the name Naruto Uzumaki, completely uninformed by the Namikaze."

She never replied; the only sound that could be heard was the light rain showers.

"I know you're smart enough to understand this," added the Sandaime.

Oh, she understood it well. Her father might have made a lot of enemies more than any person had—enemies that were looking to settle old scores. And since he was dead, they had a better reason to have their vengeance through his son.

She also learned that her brother had a beast sealed inside him. The demon who killed every life force she had.

Surely, a lot of murdering people would try to capture him if this fact had spread. The Leaf would be scared of what his captors could do with the demon inside him. It would be a crisis on the international level. Wars could be waged over him. Another shinobi war. No one was safe until he was dead.

And since the Fourth gave the custody of the infant to them, killing him wouldn't be the answer.

The higher-ups had come up with their solution for the baby boy, while the other problem was she.

"As for you, Akane," Hiruzen Sarutobi declared once again, "The best decision we have is to give you a fake death."

Why bothered faking it, she thought sarcastically.

"Thus, you must change your identity."

Her facial muscles must be loose, no glimpse of emotions was visible, but the Hokage's words were enough to provoke her.

"The head court lady of the feudal lord's residence is willing to adopt you," added the old man, "and train you what a court lady does: proficiency in etiquette, languages, dances, music-making, and painting; secretarial tasks; and supervision of servants, budget, and purchases."

She had never been insulted like this before.

He, the Third Hokage, as well as his aides, didn't just put a mockery on her identity, but as well to her pride and blood.

She might be just a five-year-old, but she knew her standing point and rights. She was never a fool.

"Be also mindful that we're doing this to protect you."

Listening to them almost made her brain bleed in utter disgust.

At that very moment, she lost her respect for anyone who was in that room.

"There's a contract paper on your table." It was Danzo who had a dispassionate tone in his voice. "As well as the adoption papers. Sign it and this discussion will be over."

She moved her gaze down. Papers, calligraphy brush, and a bottle of ink.

Averting her eyes to the four people, there was an abrupt change in her facial expression.

Her eyes were giving a glare that could freeze someone's bones, it was as if standing in the middle of a hailstorm, where every lump of ice was a frosted blade slitting into their skin.

She stared with a half-bored look, unbreaking. Then she picked up the brush and dipped it in the bottle of ink.

She was writing something.

The elders thought that she submitted to their commands easily. But their impression quickly changed when they noticed that she was writing on the table, not on the paper.

After she wrote what did she mean to say, putting a little bit of chakra on her hand, she pounded the brush on the table! Hard enough that it penetrated on the wood.

It surprised everyone, flabbergasted by her violent action.

As her eyes began to seethe with animosity, so was the sky. It became more turbulent as if she was trying to prove something.

The thunders came and ruined the harmony of a great 'day', and impetuous growls permeating the air as much as the sudden rain.

Before she stood up, she grabbed the bottle of ink and poured it down to the paper, blotting all the statements written as much as possible.

Although weakly, she rose from her seat and started to head outside the conference room.

As she was about to exit, it was as though she commanded the lightning to strike once more.

The lightning obeyed her. There was a flash, then a flicker, and disappearance. It whipped from the very outside of the Hokage building—might be an inch apart from the windows of the office.

As soon as it stroke down, the glass had shattered by its intensity.

Seconds later when the thunders rumbled haphazardly from the sky.

She then left without a word, but her rage clawed every strand of their being.

The four elders only sighed, dismayed.

The meeting ended that fast as well as they called it a 'day'.

Before leaving, the four of them checked what was written on the table.

Another sigh was withdrawn out of their weary mouths.

"She'll surely be a lot of trouble to handle," Hiruzen mumbled.

They only shook their heads, shrugging off the audacious attitude of the child, and left.

Whilst Kakashi stayed for a bit. Reading the note that Akane left, he couldn't help but smirk.




くそくらえ.



Kuso kurae.

Eat shit.





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For less than a month, it never stopped raining. She tuned everything into mourning, and the people expressed a sound of wailing.

The girl had gone under control. Even though he gained the name 'The Professor', Hiruzen couldn't seem to acquiesce her. He tried to approach her, giving her a suggestion to train her prowess.

But the young miss didn't even batter a gaze to him, instead, she escalated the rain even more.

The Hokage only sucked the smoke in his pipe, exhaling deeply along with the thick grey chemicals.

Today's morning sky was wispy like a ghostly figure. He was watching, afraid that it would turn darker. He hoped not, for he had done what should be done.

Hiruzen was about to go when a presence appeared. Even without looking back, he already knew who it was.

"You took long enough to return," said the Hokage, "Jiraiya."

The white-haired adult scratched his hair timidly. "I apologize, I apologize." Then he moved closer to his teacher. "Then, how're the siblings?"

"The infant is doing fine; I have assigned an attendee to take care of him," answered Hiruzen. "But the firstborn is the problem."

"Why is that?"

"She changed drastically when she witnessed everything about her parents' death. Look at those accumulating clouds." Jiraiya paid attention to it. "It's her doing. Ever since that day, there are no days it didn't rain, and it will only stop when she's asleep or when her chakra has drained."

The Toad Sage already had the other details. "Is she aware of it?"

Hiruzen shook his head. "Apparently, she's not, but she's harnessed her abilities so well. I tried to convince her to let me teach her how to control it, (because her powers to be too great and destructive if she's able to let it all out), but she never listened."

Jiraiya fell silent. To think that the sweet daughter of Minato and Kushina could make this village colorless in a flash.

"How is she doing now?"

"The girl is in distress, almost hopeless." Hiruzen took another sip of his pipe. "She would cage herself in her room, with a little eat or sleep. She also acquired a trauma, taking away her ability to talk. Day after day, she covered Konohagakure with the cloud of her lamentation, weeping and overflowing it with the tears of the rain. She had hurled down the splendor of the lightning and thunders from heaven to earth, making this village as a footstool of her anger. She never let someone near to comfort her, nor to restore her spirit . . . I understand her, but she needs an immediate saving."

"Doesn't she had friends?" inquired Jiraiya.

"She does, those kids from the Uchiha Clan."

"Oh, then that's a good thing. How about we let them visit her?"

"It's not, actually," replied the Third Hokage. "We let everyone know that she died along with her parents, in an attempt to get her away from trouble. From the Uchiha Clan, most especially."

Jiraiya had caught the news as well. There was a risen speculation that it was the said clan who released the nine-tailed beast in the village.

"Is there a way to calm her?"

"There's only one I could think of: secretly making her drink sedatives. She was placed on medication to suppress her emotional state and let her sleep—"

"She's just a little kid," Jiraiya objected calmly. He never liked the idea of making her drink such a substance. "It will only make things get worse." Then he sighed, irritably rubbing his nape, and made a decision promptly. "Anyway, for a time being, let me take care of her."

Jiraiya couldn't just overlook this matter. He felt responsible for the siblings' well-being.





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After the affliction and harsh eventuality, it felt like the girl had gone into exile. She might be living in the same village, yet she found no resting place.

Her sadness clung to her skin, and she was no longer considering her future. Or even the dream she once had. Her fall was astounding; there was none to comfort her.

The room where she was contained was as good as a graveyard. There was nothing inside, except her neglected existence fading into silence.

Dry throat. Sore muscles. Skullaches. Blurry visions.

Those were the kinds of physical pain she had to experience each day. And now her life ebbed away; days of suffering gripped her firmly. The night pierced her bones; her gnawing pains never rested.

Soon, the door creaked, followed by unison footsteps.

"Why did you bring me here? This should be fast; I still have a gambling session to attend, you hear me?" A woman's voice boomed inside the room.

"It won't take long, Tsunade." A familiar voice. Jiraiya-sensei. "Please, just examine her."

The young lady didn't seem to care who was the person; her energy had flown in every direction.

"Isn't she . . ?" Tsunade couldn't continue, because a great shock painted her face.

She almost didn't recognize the girl. She wasn't the daughter of the Fourth Hokage that Tsunade knew. The girl's lips were chapped, skin was showing first signs of dehydration, and significant weight loss . . .

She was as good as the dead, Tsunade thought.

Suddenly, there was a rush of mercy caressed her heart. The pitiful look on the girl's form wasn't new to her. Twice in her life, Tsunade learned to digest the grief of losing someone. It was painful, suffocating, and crippling. What more for a kid like her?

Now that she was here, the female Sannin didn't have the heart to turn down the ill-fallen toddler, because it would be also a shame for a medical ninja like her.

"All right," Tsunade uttered in surrender. "I'll keep her under my supervision. But as soon as she's fine, I'm leaving."

Jiraiya laughed, grateful. "As expected, I can confide in you, Tsunade!"

Then Tsunade, with her assistant, Shizune, started doing the immediate care. They bought her the necessary stuff to make her fine again.

The medical ninja was talking to her with an old Japanese accent. With each word, her fine fingers would flourish the stagnant life in her.

Tsunade . . .

She was younger than she had expected, but somehow, the young girl didn't mind. The redhead had been indeed deprived of emotions, yet she knew that her hands were beautiful, precise, and elegant. From that, it defined that she was such a wonderful person.

In just a little while, she fell asleep.





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The moment she woke up, the room below her eyes seemed to change. Her once gloomy room had begun to become lively with brimming and calming shades of green. Mostly decors with cute frogs design. Frog stuffed toys, plushies, pillows, and blankets. The walls, too, were painted with frogs murals.

She sat down, leaning her back on the headrest. Her body was strangely feeling light. No pain tried to punish her.

Then she noticed what was outside her window. It was cloudy, and a low streaks of sunlight made a way through the gaps of the clouds.

Something irked in her. This place didn't deserve any sunlight, nor did she deserve all of the endearing designs in this room.

And in just a second, the sky became more grey and millions of raindrops had cascaded down to the Earth.

On that cue, someone had entered the room. She eyed the person.

Jiraiya-sensei.

"Oi, Akane!" he greeted frivolously and rushed next to her bed. "I'm glad that you're awake! How are you?"

The young lady didn't answer.

"Look–" Jiraiya raised the thing that was on his hand– "I got something for you!"

What he got a was a frog hat.

"Here, try it." Then the Toad Sage put it on top of her head.

The girl only got annoyed.

"It looks good on yah," Jiraiya laughed. "Try smiling," and he urged, "Akane."

Instead, the rain became harsher, it was as if she was telling him to leave her alone.

Jiraiya could tell what was on her mind, but he stayed.

The Third Hokage was saying right. When she was conscious and did have plenty of energy, it would start raining with lightning and thunders. But whenever she was asleep, the sky would be bright.

He didn't mind raining, though, because . .

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