Chapter 21
Chapter 21: The Fox Festival - Arc 2
The streets were now blanketed in darkness, illuminated only by the warm, orange glow of lanterns hanging above the bustling booths. Families, children, and shinobi strolled around, laughter and excited chatter filling the air. The autumn leaves had turned golden, red, and brown, swirling softly in the cool evening breeze.
Morgan stood by one of the stalls, carefully wrapping a present before storing it inside Avalon's storage. Nanoha had mentioned feeling cold while stationed on the icy planet of Akillia, where the humanoid, yeti-like inhabitants wielded powerful ice magic. “The best winter clothes are made here in Konoha,” she murmured proudly to herself.
Her eyes wandered over the lively booths: fish-catching games, bingo stands, and even a small booth showing movies. She had already picked up a few films she knew Ellen-sensei would love, but she still needed to find stuffed animals for her friends. Vivio loved rabbits, Einhart adored tigers, Rio was obsessed with dragons, and Corona had a fondness for birds—especially penguins.
Weaving through the thick crowd, Morgan spotted a game booth displaying an assortment of stuffed animals. To win one, players had to hit targets using shuriken, kunai, or senbon. Determined, she bought a set of attempts and focused. The first throw was a success; she managed to win a plush tiger. The second attempt was equally successful, earning her a rabbit toy.
However, her mind kept replaying her earlier encounter with the Medical Corps, Arashi—who was actually Minato in disguise—and members of the T&I department. Inoichi had been scrutinizing her the entire time, likely trying to assess her mental state. She was sure they were still suspicious of her.
Lost in thought, her third throw missed the mark completely. Cursing under her breath, she heard a soft chuckle from behind.
“Neh, Dad, can we help Morgan? She reallyseems to want those plushies!” a familiar voice called out. Sensing the familiar chakra signature, Morgan turned around in surprise.
“Han!” she exclaimed, her eyes lighting up.
The young boy grinned and gestured to the tall figure beside him. “Morgan LeFay Uzumaki, this is my dad, Obito Uchiha. He’s the best at hitting targets!”
Obito gave a relaxed smile, his single Sharingan eye gleaming under the festival lights. "It’s nice to meet you, Morgan. Han never stops talking about you at home,” he said warmly, though his tone carried a hint of curiosity. “Looks like you’re having a bit of trouble with this game. How about a little help?”
Morgan felt her tension ease as she returned his smile put her hands together and bowed sheepishly: “I’d appreciate that, Obito-san. These targets are a bit trickier than I expected I am counting on you.”
Obito took the shuriken from her and assessed the target board with a calm, calculating gaze. Without hesitation, he flicked his wrist, sending the shuriken flying with precision. It hit the target dead-center, earning a plush dragon toy from the booth owner. Sensing his chakra, she realized he was definitely ANBU level. He had one eye covered with an eye patch, does he only have one Sharingan?
“Wow, that was amazing!” Morgan cheered, her eyes sparkling. “I’ve been trying to get that one for a while—the dragon is so cool!”
Obito chuckled and handed her the prize. “Consider it a gift.”
Morgan’s cheeks flushed slightly as she accepted the plush toy. “Thank you! This will mean so much to her.”
Han clapped his hands excitedly. “Alright, what’s next?”
Morgan nodded. “Yeah, um, the penguin... and maybe that fox plush. They’re for my friends. They live far away, so I can only visit them a few times a year so tomorrow I go and visit them. I hope these souvenirs will make them happy.”
Obito looked down at Morgan, his expression softening from amusement to something more thoughtful. “You’ve got a lot of people you care about. That’s admirable.”
Morgan paused, caught off guard by his words. “I... I guess I just want to make them happy,” she said softly, her thoughts drifting to her past summers in Milchidan.
“Hey,” Han nudged her playfully, “you’re spacing out again! C’mon, let’s get that penguin.”
Grateful for the distraction, Morgan smiled and nodded. “Right. Let’s do it.” Grabbing an extra snake plush Obito had won, she handed it to Han. “Here, this is for you.”
“Thanks, Morgan!” Han beamed.
As they walked to another booth, Morgan nearly stumbled but was quickly steadied by a firm hand. “Uzumaki-san!” Looking up, she saw her savior.
“Oh, Itachi-san? I see you’re on guard duty,” she said, noting his Konoha Police uniform. Itachi decided to tag along with their small group, his expression as calm as ever.
“Sorry for my slow reaction, Master” Avalon telepathically spoke to her, to which Morgan replied back mentally, “It’s fine. Itachi or Obito would have caught me anyway.”
As they moved through the festival, Obito watched her with a growing sense of intrigue. This girl... there’s something about her, he thought. She’s like a puzzle, and I can’t help but wonder what’s hidden beneath the surface.
Meanwhile, from a distance, a pair of familiar blue eyes, hidden beneath a hood, watched the trio with a mix of regret and curiosity. Arashi, Minato’s alter ego, couldn’t help but question whether he was doing the right thing by staying in the shadows. Then shaking his head he returned to the Hokage tower with the small treats he had scored. Even though the festival was in full swing he couldn't relax. The Paperwork seemed to increase massively.
Morgan... what happened to you? And why do you seem so... alone all the time?
As the festival lights twinkled around them, Morgan and her companions continued to laugh and enjoy the festivities, unaware of the storm brewing beneath the surface.