nineteen.
“So council-man Shimura really is against the Uchiha, like we thought.”
“Yes.” Ei replied tersely.
“You can’t tell me anything more then what you think I already know, and what is being done is probably to a further extent then what you or I know.” Shisui summarized. He was looking past her at the vague direction of the Hokage Mountain, expression thoughtful.
“Joining Anbu would open up some opportunities to get information.” She volunteered.
“True.” He hummed in acknowledgment. “Have you found a way past that seal?”
Ei sighed. “No. I’m hesitant to test those limits any further.”
She had shown the seal to Shisui already. Even with his sharingan he admitted the seal was beyond his knowledge of fuinjutsu.
“Stops me from giving away information that would go against the Village.”
“That’s vague. Surely there’s a limit to that.”
Ei waved him off, already thinking of what she could say and what information she could lead Shisui to. “Of course, that would be bad design otherwise. I mean, I can’t just tell you that-” and froze mid-sentence as pain blossomed in her throat. Her jaw snapped shut and clenched as she tried to force her mind past the pain.
“You alright?”
His question rang in her head. She shut her eyes to block out her sudden swimming vision. What had she been trying to say? It was like someone had just taken a mallet to her skull and knocked all her thoughts loose. Focus.
“Yes.” She grit out. “Yes, there is a limit.” Ever so slowly she opened her eyes again and glared at her feet. Her vision stopped shimmering like sunlight on scattered marbles, with an inhale her thoughts slid back into place. “But I should be able to get you looking in the right direction. Look for Tenzo when you get to Anbu, you’ll know him when you see him.”
Her window of time was very short, she had to be quick. Her eyes snapped open as the bright signature she was looking for arrived, and she shot out of the tunnel she was hiding in. It would be her only chance for a long time, there the guards were nowhere in her range, no one that had the seal stamped on their signature, and no civilians near. Her vision swirls as she crosses the barrier and emerges into the woods. Compared to the dull and damp silence of the tunnel, the quiet forest scene was practically an explosion of sound and color. Tiny life signatures and rushing waters, the warbling calls of birds and sleepy watchfulness of Hashirama Trees, all of these were in the back of her mind as she padded silently through the woods to the familiar river banks.
This part of the Naka was very close to a Root exit, and luckily it was also a spot where Naruto went fishing. It was a place she remembered going to when she was a kid, the same spot in the river she used to sit and watch older kids fish. She emerged from the trees quietly, taking a small moment to listen to the boy singing to himself as he fiddled with the hook.
She had been angry when he told her he went fishing on days where money was short, The Hokage was supposed to care for him, she was supposed to care for him, she was proud that he was so resourceful. She had been too scared of the fast currents to ever try fishing when she was his age. That pride bubbled up inside her again, when Naruto turned to her before she announced herself. He would be a good sensor if he joined a genin team.
She quickly shoved that pride down again. Naruto was her main concern now, above Danzo’s will and above her new mission to help Shisui, her priority was still to protect him. She would report her findings on Shisui tonight, but Ei had a feeling there would be similar missions to come, and it would put both herself and Naruto in jeopardy if she continued to meet with him. Until she was sure it was safe, she would have to step back.
Ei inhaled and let it out slowly, it wasn’t a goodbye. It wasn’t like last time.
“Tatsumi-nee?” His head tilted to the side, looking towards where she was hidden in the leaves. Surprised colored his chakra.
“Hi Naruto.” She raised a hand in greeting. The light peaking through the leaves and the sound of water rushing on stirred up old memories, and when she stepped out onto the pebble shore, Ei almost felt like she was seven again. Little wisps brushed against her as she joined Naruto at the bank, chakra remnants left behind by the many children who had played and fished here before them.
Naruto stuck his rod into the gravel and met her halfway in a hug. His hair tickled her chin as he looked up at her. “You’re here! How’d you find me?” He asked.
Ei relished the embrace and the feel of his light happy chakra for a second longer, then released him. “I guessed.” She replied, dodging the question. “I have to leave very soon, but I wanted to tell you it’s going to be a while before I can come to the village again. I probably won’t be able to send any post cards this time either.”
“Oh. Can you stay long enough for lunch today? I can catch fish?” He offered hopefully.
“Not today.” She didn’t look him directly in the eyes, if she did then Ei knew she would waver and spend too much time here, and it would make her miss him even more. Ei quickly took the coupons she had been hoarding from her pocket and pressed them into his hands. “Here, take these. Hopefully they can make up for all the time I’ll be missing.”
His eyes were wide as he took them, careful not to crumple any of them when he put them in his hip pouch. That pouch was new, Ei had noted with satisfaction. At least someone was paying for his academy supplies, even if he still was fishing for his lunch in the Naka. Ei could afford to stay for a couple more minutes, then she had to leave.
“Why are you leaving so soon? Is something wrong?” Naruto asked. He fidgeted with the green bracelet on his wrist, and Ei’s eyes were drawn to it. She set her worries to the side for a moment longer.
“It’s nothing I can’t handle Naruto, I’m just going to be very busy for a while,” She crouched down to show Naruto the sky-blue cord holding her hair up, tapping it.
“Remember my promise? I’ll come back, this isn’t a goodbye.”
Ei would make sure of it. This is not a goodbye. No matter what it took, she is going to stand in the sun with her brother again. The worry left his signature, and it was replaced with a familiar mischief. The gleam in his sky-blue eyes coupled with the cheeky grin made him look decidedly fox-like, but Ei found it endearing.
“I wasn’t worried!” He denied quickly, his slight frown already replaced with his usual grin. The nice one, not the strained one he gave to strangers.
“I know you’ll be back, just like Inu-san.”
“Inu-san?” She humored, “Who’s that?” Did he get a new plush? She was familiar with his wallet Gama-chan, and his giant toad plush-
“He’s one of those mask guys! The mask people left but Ji-ji said it’s cause they’re super busy, and I’m learning how to be a super cool ninja now, so I don’t need any babysitters anymore.” He glanced around furtively at the empty river bank and whispered, “I think I surprised Ji-ji, cause he spit out his tea and looked real funny ‘ttbayo.”
“Hm?”
“I know you’ll come back after you’re done with your shinobi stuff!”
“Mask people?” She repeated blankly. The rushing river and occasional bird calls quieted, all of the background seemed to fade as she became hyper focused on Naruto. Like Inu-san?? Mask?? Hatake?? The revelation that Naruto had known the Anbu were there was startling, but even stranger was the realization that Hatake was one of the ones on guard rotation. Surely she would have remembered something like that? Had her memory faded that much?
“Yeah, that’s what you are! I figured you were a mask guy too, but I never figured out what kinda mask you have.”
“Huh?” Ei said, lost. “What makes you think that?” Her tone wasn’t quiet right, too bland, and too much like the soulless Foundation shinobi. She belatedly arranged her face into a natural smiling expression to make up for it.
“The picture?” Naruto said sheepishly, seeing the fixed smile on her face, “That one picture I said you looked like a long time ago? My Ji-ji said you used to be a babysitter for me.”
“Ah.” It only takes a moment for her to remember that picture. She resists the urge to pull on her hair. Why on earth had Hokage-dono left something like that around? Susuki-nee said that everyone thought she was dead, so why hadn’t anyone gotten rid of it?
“And you told me that you used to live here a while ago.”
“Ah.”
“I mean, he also said you were dead but I think he was trying to make sure I didn’t mess up your super secret mission.”
Ei felt her expression twitch. His triumphant smile faltered a little.
“Did I guess wrong?” Naruto asked, seeming half disappointed and half afraid of her reaction.
“No.” She said robotically. “No, you didn’t. That’s very clever of you.” She ruffled his hair and pointed to the river, “There’s a fish on your line.” He grinned and rushed to the bank.
She stared at the gravel. He was so close to the full truth it hurt. All the planning and almost dying she had done and little Naruto had practically figured it all out himself. It was funny, a little terrifying, and relieving all at once. Ei straightened from her crouch in time to see her brother pull a small fish off the hook. He straightened when he met her eyes and held out the prize.
Ei gave a thumbs up in return, and a real smile returned to her face. Her shoes crunched on the gravel as she joined Naruto at the bank.
Her mind felt clearer now. She had been so focused on her mission she had almost forgotten why she was doing it. For her brother, the kind and clever boy that she wanted to get back to.
“Good catch?”
“Big one.” Naruto confirmed. He dropped it in a bucket and secured it with some rocks. “Do you gotta go soon nee-san? I can cook one for you too?”
“I’m good. I still gotta go.” She ruffled his hair one more time. “Thank you for sharing your secret with me.” She whispered sincerely.
Naruto preened as he leaned into her touch. “Did I surprise ya?”
“You did!” She confirmed, “You’ll make a good shinobi.”
“Really ‘ttebayo?” Impossibly, his grin grew even wider. His chakra outshined their surroundings and the village in the distance seemed to pale in comparison. “You really think so Tatsumi-nee?”
Receiving confirmation that there was no longer a dedicated guard detail on the Jinchuuriki was worrying. She knew that guarding a seemingly normal boy would bring unwanted attention to him, but anyone could see the disdain that shinobi had for him. It didn’t take much for people who weren’t in the know to realize he was something different. Taking away the guards was almost like the Hokage was daring someone to take Konoha’s jinchuuriki.
“Yep. So I’ll share a secret with you.” She stage-whispered. She covered her mouth with one hand, leaning in close. Naruto gasped and leaned in closer to her.
“I have a mask just like Inu-san. The mask’s name is Tatsumi, but my name is Ei.”
“This concludes my report, Danzo-sama.” Ei intoned.
He grunted in response, his unbandaged eye closed in thought.
“Will I be returning to courier work sir?” She asked after a moment.
“No.” He said, looking up and opening his eye. “Your orders are the same, report to me monthly.” He glared at the district map that lay on his table.
She wished she could have seen past that seal at his chakra. Ei couldn’t even guess what his thoughts were.
“Request for comment.”
“Speak.”
“In my report, I mentioned his interest in joining Anbu. Should I be concerned with recruiting Uchiha Shisui to the foundation?”
It was very unlikely that Shisui would be allowed to join, and he already agreed with her that joining Anbu would be the best way to stay informed. Ei nervously waited for Danzo-sama’s reply. Ei had an idea of what was happening and hoped she was wrong, but she needed to confirm it.
Danzo-sama looked up from the desk and at her for the first time. “Though I’m sure you would be able to sway him to our cause, It’s become increasingly clear to me that the Uchiha Clan are no longer a part of this village. The Foundation doesn’t have room for anyone with wavering loyalty. No, your priority is to continue monitoring your current assignments.”
Ei expected that. That wasn’t so bad though, currently her assignments were in-village monitoring the Uchiha. That was a relief. With her other duties taken over by other members, and cutting off ties with the trading company she’d been using for an easy civilian cover, she had freed up time to meet with Shisui. Ei might even have time to see Susuki-nee again.
“Understood.” She murmured.
He stamped her written report and rolled it back up. “If I didn’t need you for this mission I would have had you train to become an instructor. You’ve done well to grow your own skill sets while instructing juniors in your all assignments, it shows promise.”
“Thank you sir,” said Ei as she took the rolled report from him, stunned. She was uncomfortably aware that only a year ago the praise would have thrilled her, but now it sat like a stone in her stomach. An instructor? A tight, uncomfortable feeling welled up inside her.
She knew that she had some improvement in her skills recently, but it had all been so she could break away from the Foundation. Ei didn’t think anyone would notice, and was hoping that it would stay that way. Was Danzo-sama trying to say she was suspicious? Was this some sort carrot and stick ploy to keep her from leaving like Kinoe?
Ei did like teaching her juniors, but the little tips and tricks she showed younger members were all just that, tricks. The thought of actually teaching kids to trust each other and work together, only for them to battle to the death to become the perfect shinobi, it was sickening.
“Before this assignment Kame had requested you be transferred to his command.” He said offhandedly, “Once this is over I may grant his request, but this mission will be your priority. That being said, I’d like you to stop interacting with the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki.”
The scroll in her hand crinkled slightly as her hand spasmed suddenly.
“The Sandaime, in his infinite wisdom, has decided the Foundation wouldn’t have custody of the Kyuubi. Putting the container in the academy and dismissing the Anbu guard, nevermind the wasted potential- it brings up security concerns for the village to have a weapon like that allowed to run loose. ” He inhaled, clearly it was a frequent argument in the council. “But, I was outvoted. Until I can convince him otherwise, the Container will remain as the Hokage’s ward.” His sneer made it clear what he thought of that.
“Understood.” She said robotically, bowing once more. She left the meeting room and went straight for one of the exit tunnels, not bothering to visit her quarters.
Shoving her mask to the side of her head, Ei took a swig from her water flask, trying in vain to wash away the rising bile. With her senses open she quickly found the exit that would take her farthest from that meeting room, and anyone else. The walls were damp and cold and too close.
She emerged in an alley-way, melting out from the shadows into the neon-lit Konoha red-light district. There was no one near so she pressed her back to the wall and slide down to a sitting position. The rough and uneven plaster wall scraped against her head and grounded her as she spat the water to the side.
Ei sucked in a breath, focusing of the smell of cheap food and old buildings. It was still cold, the walls were still close, but even in the empty alley of a red light district, it felt more alive then the dark tunnels of Root. Ei couldn't afford to make herself sick with stress. Staring into the ground and pressing her cold, numb fingertips to her lips, Ei forced herself to slow down.
I have to get out.
“Aren’t you sensor types all about flower-y metaphors and such?”
“That’s just because it’s hard to explain the way chakra is to people who can’t see it like sensors do. Its all fiddly, It’s not just that blue glow that you see.” She felt that she should tell Shisui that she was a sensor. It was a distinct advantage over him and maybe she shouldn’t have given that up, but it felt right to give Shisui that trust. They were partners of sorts now anyway. It had derailed their planning session slightly, but Ei found that she didn’t mind the almost-normal conversation.
“Well what makes the tree metaphor bad then? When I have to read through reports written by you fiddly-types it’s full of metaphors like that to explain it to us lowly non-sensor types.” Shisui saw the deadpan look on her face and amended with a smile, “Joking aside, what actually makes it different?”
“It’s- no- It’s not about the tree. The tree is fine. Roots, leaves, I get it. Part of a unified theme and all. It's reducing it to all to simple phrase and overusing it that I think is stupid. Shinobi aren’t leaves, we aren’t shogi pieces or cards, the foundation isn’t actually the root of the village - it’s all stupid. The village isn’t a tree, its not a perfect pure organism that works together in harmony, its a messy group of people all living together. The village isn’t together like a tree, we aren’t blocks of cells working together perfectly to make a larger organism work.” Her hand had found its way to her scalp while she spoke and she detangled her fingers from the hair at her nape to lay it on the cold metal railing they were leaning on.
“Well trees aren’t perfect, that’s why there’s dead ones.” He said bluntly. “Cells can mess up and make mutations, that’s not perfect. Parasites can make a tree sick too, right?”
Her brow furrowed slightly at the very literal interpretation of the metaphor. She squinted at him. “I was complaining about the overuse of a single phrase, what are you talking about?”
“Ok, hear me out. The dumb tree metaphor, its describing the village right?” Shisui held out both hands in front of him. Ei noticed he talked with his hands a lot for someone who was supposed to be in the reserved Uchiha clan.
“This isn’t about figurative speech anymore is it?”
“Listen. The tree metaphor doesn't fit because the tree is sick, ok. The village is corrupt, but if that corruption was gone, and the village could work together then it would work smoothly, just like a tree.”
She frowned. It didn’t need pointing out what that corruption part was. She glanced up at the sky, even though the scattered pin pricks of light were similar to the chakra signatures in her vision, the sky was too cold, too far away, and all together unfit for the metaphor. “Well since you still want to use metaphor, we need a better one. It should be a forest. It’s called the Village Hidden in the Leaves anyway, so it matches the name better too.” She gestured to the village, all the little buildings and walkways and people and lights that made it up. It was like a brighter version of what she saw in the woods bordering the Naka river. Warmer, and more lifelike.
“And if the village was a tree, even if it’s a healthy tree, then that means that someone will always in the shadows. Someone will always have to bear that burden. A forest is better. A forrest works together, it helps itself and its not- you know- dumb. It bears the burdens of the other things in the forest but it’s not going to be destroyed if one part is lacking or sick.”
Shisui hummed, then turned away from the nighttime scene she gestured at, back to her. The humor in his chakra warned her ahead of time. “Wouldn’t that mean more shadows though- all the trees would have their own roots-”
She clicked her tongue. “We’ve overused the tree metaphor, just say what you mean.” Ei said quickly, brief period of introspection over.
“That’s unrealistic for Konoha. Shinobi have to be like that, its what keeps this village going.” He snapped his fingers, “I’ve got it. A mushroom.”
“What.”
“A mushroom. They got like networks and stuff, and they don’t have a buncha roots in the shadows.” He had a serious face but his eyes and his chakra betrayed the humor behind it.
“Aren’t mushrooms dead?” She snorted.
“Maybe you’re just a dumbass who doesn’t get village pride.” Shisui sniffed.
A tiny smile quirked at her lips. “Who’s ever heard of the Village Hidden in the Mushrooms? That sounds terrible.”
“So, I’m right then?”
“Maybe.” She admitted. Talking about it now she had to agree. The role of shinobi was to be in the shadows, so that everyone else could be in the sun. Mushrooms were creepy, musty, nasty things that grew in the darkness and stretched their networks all over so there were no secrets and every spore connected was exactly the same.
“Does that make me a mushroom then?”
“What?”