- 14 - Time changes -
- 14 - Time changes -
- Yui-
„Yui-sama? I think you should come to the compound gate with me.” One of the younger Clan-members had come to her garden, bowing lowly before her.
Yui frowned, several options running through her head. “What’s the matter? Did something happen?”
The young man shook his head, straightening up in the process. “No. But someone is there.”
She sighed, but got up. Walking over to the main gates she pondered who could be visiting to cause the guards to get her immediately. But she certainly hadn’t been expecting what she saw there. She stopped dead in her tracks, blinking a few times to make sure she wasn’t just imagining her.
A girl with blonde hair was standing a few feet from the actual entrance, her arms crossed in front of her chest. Bright blue eyes darted around the street and the shops that surrounded their compound. She focused this intense gaze on Yui once she noticed her approach.
The girl wore simple black pants, a black shirt with long sleeves and a red dress with slits at both sides over it. A quite cute outfit that nevertheless let her move freely if she needed it. Yui had to applaud whoever chose it for the girl.
She was flanked by two boys, both of whom were quite known in the village - Shikamaru Nara and Choji Akimichi were both heirs to powerful Clans in Konoha. The Nara was standing right beside her, the fingertips of one hand touching the back of her hand. The other boy was standing a little bit behind the two. In a spot where he could easily secure an exit for all three of them.
“Minaru-chan?”, she whispered, still not really believing her eyes.
The girl slowly let her arms fall to her sides, still gazing quizzically at Yui. “You are Yui Kurama?”, she asked with a melodic voice, tilting her head a little to the side. Yui had to suppress a shudder. Her father had had this little habit as well.
Yui nodded. “Yes. I am Yui, current head of the council of the Kuramas. What can I do for you, little kit?”, she asked.
Minaru blinked once. “My aunt said you were my father’s sensei before he left the village.”, she said without further preamble.
Yui nodded again. “I was.” So Minaru had met Akane? Interesting.
“You sent letters to him?” Minaru blinked so rarely that Yui was very much reminded of the way a cat looked at its prey.
She nodded. “I did.”
Minaru looked at both of the boys, a silent conversation going on between the three of them right before Yui’s eyes. She had never seen the likes of it from children that hadn’t even joined the academy yet. Minaru lifted one hand, drumming the fingers against her chest. The Nara boy lifted one eyebrow, she answered with a flick of her hand. The Akimichi tilted his head, the Nara sighed loudly but then they both nodded and Minaru turned back to her.
“I can’t trust you or any of the Kurama just like that. But I would like to try building some sort of connection to you. I’ve come to know Naira and I trust her. Katun as well but not to the same extent.”, she said.
Yui nodded. “I can understand that. But what do you suggest?”
“Meetings with some Clan-members that Naira vouches for. But it will only happen under my conditions. Or more the conditions that the Ino-Shika-Cho dictate.”, Minaru answered.
The Nara boy cleared his throat. “My father as head of our alliance will oversee any meetings between her and members of the Kurama. Either personally or he will appoint someone to replace him. So you will need to go through him to reach her.”, he said.
Yui lifted her eyebrows, impressed. “I didn’t know you would do that for someone who isn’t part of the three Clans.”, she said.
The Akimichi scoffed, looking highly offended. “But she is. She is a Yamanaka by adoption. And a Nara and Akimichi by choice.”, he said, crossing his arms in front of his chest and glaring at Yui.
The old Kurama sucked in her breath and looked at the three children. That would mean she would be as protected as any of the Clan heirs in Konoha. She had to blink back a few tears. “Thank you.”, she mumbled.
Shikamaru snorted, one arm wrapped around Minaru’s shoulders. “She’s our family.”, he simply said.
-Tsunade-
“And what is the reason I should agree to a visit with two boys whom I have never actually met? If you are wrong about them they are brainwashed and might try to get me.”, the girl asked, arms crossed in front of her chest. Her eyes never left Shizune’s.
Tsunade had to give it to her. She was brave. And stubborn. Tsunade saw a part of herself in the steely gaze of the 7 year old child sitting in front of them.
The three other children - one from each of the Ino-Shika-Cho Clans - sat in a half circle behind her, the Nara close enough that his thighs touched her back. They were sitting under a tree in one of Konoha’s parks. But it was the Yamanaka girl who was emitting something that was pretty close to Killing Intent. Tsunade had heard that she was quite protective of her “little sister” but she hadn't expected this kind of hostility.
Shizune and Tsunade had spent three days looking for the girl but she was as busy as a bee. She spent at least 5 hours every day at T&I with Inoichi Yamanaka as his apprentice, after that she went shopping with the three matriarchs of the Ino-Shika-Cho alliance and helped Ino and her mother with the dinner preparations. They had learned that twice a week she trained with a young boy in one of the woods near the hospital. A little bit of Taijutsu and muscle building from what they observed. And if she wasn’t doing any of that she was either at home and not available or with at least the two boys that accompanied her now, too.
Shizune hissed lowly at Minaru. “Because one of the Sannin told you so!”, she said, moving forward with an angry scowl.
“Shizune, that’s enough.” Tsunade put a hand over Shizune’s mouth to silence her and shoved her back onto the grass. Then she knelt down in front of Minaru, making sure to be on eyelevel with her. She raised one hand and put that on Minaru’s chin, forcing the girl to look at her. “I understand that you are scared. Everybody would be in your situation. But these boys are just like you. I have to believe in that. But they lack something. You were able to heal yourself. And they can’t do that.”
Minaru raised her chin. “That’s not a skill I can teach or use on someone.”, she said.
Tsunade nodded. She had expected as much. Minaru’s healing resembled nothing she had ever experienced. “But would it be okay if I run a few blood tests on you?”
Minaru narrowed her eyes, suspicion rising in her eyes. “You want to reproduce my ability?!”, she hissed and Tsunade was subjected to three very angry scowls from the children around Minaru. The Yamanaka girl left her spot at the back of the tree and positioned herself between the two medics and Minaru, balling her hands into little fists at her sides. The Nara even wrapped an arm around the small girl and pulled her into his chest. Curious. She had never heard of a Nara that was so invested in… well anything.
“No!” Tsunade raised her hands to try and calm them down. “Of course not! But I have a feeling and I want to test that out.”
Minaru tilted her head. “A feeling?”
“I think I could sample an antidote out of your blood. You should have antibodies in it that we can use to help the boys.”, Tsunade explained.
Minaru gasped lightly, her eyes lighting up with curiosity. “You mean like a vaccine?”
Tsunade’s eyes shimmered and she nodded. “Yeah, that’s exactly right. You are a smart one, aren’t you, kiddo?”
Minaru blushed and turned a little to hide her face in the Nara boy’s shirt. His eyes never left Tsunade. “She isn’t just smart. She’s a gen...”, he said, earning himself an elbow into the side from Minaru to interrupt his words.
“Don’t call me that.”, she said with a scowl on her face.
“But you are one.”, he answered with a smile.
She sniffed, crossing her arms and looking off to the side. “No. You are, I’m not even close.”
Tsunade had to suppress a relieved sigh and a giggle. The first time that the girl acted like someone would expect from a child her age. But nevertheless...She raised an eyebrow. If those two were a little older she would have said they were acting like an old married couple.
“They are always like that. You get used to it.” Tsunade almost jumped out of her skin when the Akimichi boy was suddenly speaking from right beside her. When had he moved?! She hadn’t even noticed. He looked up at her. “Even if she’s considering it. She’s not going anywhere near someone who was connected to these guys without either me or Shika there to back her up.”, he said.
Tsunade looked him over. There was no hesitation in his eyes, just pure determination. His back was straight and he didn’t look away even after some minutes of silence. Then she raised her hand towards him and looked over at the Nara boy. “Okay. Deal.”
Minaru got up from her spot under the tree and approached her. She looked up at Tsunade through her golden lashes. “I will come to visit them tomorrow afternoon. You can get your sample then.”, she said before turning on her heel and going over to the tree to pick up a bag from there and leaving without another glance in Tsunade’s or Shizune’s direction. The three other children hurried to follow her.
Shizune huffed, putting her hands on her hips. “How rude!” She blinked in surprise when she turned to look at Tsunade. “Why are you smiling?!”
Tsunade laughed. “She is a stronghearted, stubborn little brat. Just like someone I know was as a kid. I think we can expect great things from her in the future.”
Shizune shot her a doubting look. “I don’t understand what you see in her. She’s too small, her chakra network is too damaged and she is way too proud for her own good.”
Tsunade laughed even harder. “If I was in her place and had to overcome all these rocks in my way I think I would find a little pride to hide behind as well.”
-Minaru-
“Hey kitten, where you headed?”
Minaru turned around and looked around the crowded street to see who had called her. Her face lit up, when she saw the woman with the dark purple hair headed her way with a small box of sweets tucked under her arm. “Anko-san! Good afternoon!” She jogged over to Anko and stopped only a foot away from her, unsure if it was okay for the woman. But she smiled up at her.
The snake summoner grinned and pulled her against her chest in a massive one armed hug. “To you too, kitten. And? Care to answer my question?”, she said, setting the girl back down on her own two feet and patting her head.
“The hospital. Tsunade-sama asked me to come over.” Minaru answered, rocking on her heels. She sorted her hair again, suppressing the scowl she could already feel growing. Anko always made a mess of it.
“Huh. And your little Nara-shadow? Where did you lose him?”, Anko said and nodded at Choji, who returned the greeting. He was munching on some sugarcane that Minaru had bought. They had noticed that he enjoyed it quite a bit and so he was able to forego his Chips for a few hours.
Minaru snickered. “Shika had to leave for Clan training. So it’s just Choji and myself until he rejoins us for dinner.”, she explained and leaned on Chojis shoulder. The Akimichis and Naras had started to hold their trainings at different times so that either Choji or Shikamaru were always free to be with Minaru.
Anko grinned brightly. “You kids seem to be glued together at the hip these last few weeks.”, she said. Choji and Minaru shared a look but only shrugged. Anko whistled lowly, her eyes shining with curiosity. “Mind if I join you? I wanna visit someone in the hospital as well, I could accompany you to the Slug Princess.”
Choji nodded, taking Minaru’s hand. “That would be great, thanks.”, he said and they restarted their walk to the hospital.
“What does Tsunade want from you anyway, kitten?”, Anko asked after a few minutes of silence.
Minaru sighed. “She thinks she could create an antidote for the boys you found in the same room as me if she examines my blood.”, she answered with a light shiver.
Anko looked at her before putting a hand on Minaru’s shoulder and giving it a reassuring squeeze. “You’re scared, aren’t you?”
“Yes.” Minaru nodded meekly. “I know that she is this well known medic and everything, but she could do a lot with my blood if she wanted to. Even try to decipher some of the skills of the Rayani-Clan.”
Anko hummed in thought. “Would you feel better if I kept an eye on her? Just to make sure she doesn't start anything fishy with your blood.”, she asked then.
Minaru turned towards her, eyes wide. “Would you do that?”
“Sure. Why not?” Anko said with a smirk.
“Because it could get you into trouble?”
Anko huffed, puffing out her cheeks. “Don’t worry about me, kitten. I’m the crazy Snakelady, remember? No one will suspect anything when I’m acting weirdly.”
Minaru blinked a few times. “I don’t want you to get into trouble because of me.”, she said, looking down at the ground and worrying the hem of her shirt.
Anko stopped and turned to take Minaru’s shoulders. “Kitten, I don’t mind doing it. And now listen up because I ain’t gonna repeat it. I like you. You’re one of the few people who don’t judge me. And if I can do this to repay a little bit of that trust to you I’m gonna do it. Got it?”, she said and poked Minaru’s nose.
Minaru blinked a few times, stunned into silence. Then she nodded with a small smile. They resumed their way to the hospital. After a few more moments Minaru took Anko’s hand. “Thank you, Anko-san.”
Anko smiled lightly and wrapped an arm around Minaru, pulling the girl into her side in the process. “Don’t mention it, kitten.”
- Minaru -
When Minaru stepped into the room with Choji she had to suppress a shudder. Lying there under the sheets were two boys. One of them had incredibly pale skin and black hair. She sighed and muttered his name under her breath.
Sai. Or that was the only name she had ever known of him. They had learned in their investigations of the Root, that all of the members were kidnapped as kids and were trained to to not only lose their emotions but their memories as well. And so not one of them remembered their real name. His hand was wrapped around the hand of the other boy, lying at his side.
He had grey hair and tan skin, his hair a mess on the pillow while Sai’s was smooth as always. She could only guess who the other boy was. Shin. The brother he had told Naruto of. Naruto hadn’t been with Sai when he was forced to fight and kill his resurrected brother.
Minaru looked over at Shizune. “Did they wake up at one point?”, she asked in a low voice. She didn't want to disturb their sleep.
Shizune checked the sheets in her hand before answering. “Not that we know of. Why?”
Minaru sighed and pointed at their joined hands. “I don’t think you put them into bed like this.” A chuckle escaped Choji.
Shizune joined her and nodded. “Huh. You’re right. We sure didn’t. What do you think that means?”, she asked and opened the boys' files to note down something.
Minaru bit her lip and looked up at Shizune. “Are there poisons that the human body can eliminate over time if the body is kept alive and fed for long enough?”, she asked.
“That’s exactly what it is, Minaru-chan.” Shizune and Minaru both turned to look at Tsunade who had stormed into the room, grinning madly. She shoved some sheets into Shizune’s face. “Look at this, Shizune! Look!”
Shizune took the papers from her and studied them before a frown formed on her face. “Is this… stonevipers? I thought they were extinct!”, she cursed, looking back up at her sensei.
“Me too. As far as I know the last ones were killed about 50 years ago. That’s why no hospital has the antidote for their poison anymore.” Tsunade said, rocking back and forth on her heels. She was still grinning brightly. Choji who was leaning against the wall next to the door shook his head.
“Let’s ignore the fact that someone apparently was able to reproduce the poison of a dead animal for the moment. How does it work?” Minaru asked. She moved to stand next to Choji who rested his shoulder against her hip and started to share his own calm with her.
“It was one of the most lethal neurotoxins. It first destroys every neural connection that lets the human body move. Then it moves on to destroy the organs, keeping the lung and heart for the end. It’s painful and long. But it can be countered by feeding the patient a strong cocktail of minerals, blood, electrolytes and vitamins to keep their immune system working.”, Tsunade explained. “The antidote creates something like a safety net over the most important organs to keep them functioning and then the body can start to heal itself faster.” Tsunade pointed at the sheets in Shizune’s hands. “And you’ve got enough antigens in your blood to sample at least five doses of the antidote out of it. And then we can go on and create new doses of antidote on the basis of the already existing ones.”
Minaru blinked a few times, trying to keep up with her. Medicine had never been Naruto’s strength and it didn’t look like that had changed. “So you can help them?”
Shizune nodded with a smile. “Yes. Yes, we can. You can leave it to us.”, she said.
Minaru nodded and turned to leave with Choji. She stopped in the door and turned once more to look at Shizune and Tsunade. “If they are… normal… and they want to talk to someone would you tell me?”, she asked hesitantly.
Tsunade’s smile was almost motherly. “Of course. Now, off you go, you two brats. I’m sure Hanako-san and Kana-san will have my head if I keep you too long.”
Minaru giggled and reached for Choji's hand. “Don’t worry. Come on, Cho.”
On their way out they passed Anko and the Snake-summoner reached out a hand to shortly touch Minaru’s shoulder. They shared a tiny smile before Choji and Minaru left the building to head home.
- Ino -
“Ino? Can I come in?”
She looked up from the book she had been reading and saw Minaru standing in the half open door to the hallway. “Sure thing. What do you need, imouto-chan?”
Minaru’s lips twitched in the half smile she always had when Ino called her sister. “I want to show you something.”
Ino tilted her head. “Show me something?”
“Or more like… introduce you to someone, I guess. I was in the hospital together with Choji today, you remember that, don’t you?”
Ino nodded. “Yup. To see Tsunade-sama and these two boys Tou-san and the others found together with you.”
Minaru nodded. “Exactly. Raya said she had an idea how we might be able to speed up their recovery but we need an insert point to get there. And the Yamanaka are the only ones I know who could create something like that.”, she explained.
Ino blinked a few times. “Raya? Who’s Raya?” She never heard that name before. But she would guess she was one of Mina’s Clan members if the name was anything to go by.
Minaru halted and cursed under her breath. “I… guess it’s easier to show you. I’m not sure if you would believe me if I just told you.” She reached out a hand and put her index finger on the spot between Ino’s brows. Suddenly Ino wasn’t able to look away from Minaru’s eyes again.
Two slow blinks and somehow they were sitting in the middle of a lush forest, golden sunlight filtering through the leaves and a soft breeze rustling the grass they were sitting on. Windchimes softly rang in several of the trees. “Wha… where are we?!” Ino gasped, able to look around as soon as Minaru had removed her finger.
Minaru smiled lightly. “This is my mindscape. Come on, this way.” Minaru got up from the ground and started walking through the forest, stopping to touch one of the trees once in a while.. Ino had to hurry to catch up to her.
“Your mindscape?! You are able to enter it and bring people with you just like that?!”, Ino asked once she had reached her, flailing her arms.
Minaru shook her head. “Only the people who are part of my network. It is a highly emotional construct.”, she said and suddenly her eyes lit up. “Hey, Raya. How do you feel today?”
Ino had concentrated on Minaru so much that she hadn’t noticed they had reached a clearing. A brook bubbled over stones and wound its way around a big nest. Next to the nest there sat a big bird with red and golden feathers. The bird looked Ino up and down with golden eyes before looking back at Minaru and then something like joy was visible in its eyes. And… Were these tomoe like in the Uchiha’s Sharingan?! She had read about them in one of her books. What the heck was going on?
Much better. It’s good to have these new connections to spread my wings. The bird turned it’s head and looked directly at Ino now. I see you brought a visitor, Chick. Ino had to suppress a shudder. The female voice was directly in her head, a mixture between powerful and soothing.
“Yes. I thought we could use her help. And I don’t want to keep secrets from her.” Minaru said and stepped even closer to the massive bird, cuddling up to its breast feathers. Then she turned her head to look at Ino. “This is Raya, the Great Phenix of Fire. She is the reason I heal faster than “normal” people.” Ino was pretty sure she could hear a content sounding trill from the Phenix. And she wrapped a wing around Minaru in a very protective way, rubbing her beak on Minaru's head.
“Pretty…” Ino mumbled before she could stop herself. She hastily put both hands in front of her mouth to stop anything else from slipping out and looked up at the Spirit in fear, but Raya just laughed lightly. Ino bowed a little and tried to regain her dignity. “Um… I don’t know how to say things like that… Nice to meet you, Raya-sama?”
The bird laughed again, her wings spreading a little in the process. Don’t worry about pleasantries like that last one, little bird. I am not like my proud younger brother, you can just be yourself. I may be old now but I still remember how it feels to be young. Minaru already mentioned it, I am called Raya. You are Ino, right? The Yamanaka heiress.
Ino nodded mutely. Then she cleared her throat. “Y… yes. That’s me.” She blinked a few times before looking directly at Minaru. “Wait a minute. Didn’t you say that you Rayani are bound to the Great Spirits of Nature? And that one of them was a Phenix?”
Minaru nodded with a shy smile, still half hidden in the Phenix’s feathers. “Yes. And yes, you are guessing right. Raya was one of the original 6 Spirits. She was sealed inside of me.”, she explained.
Ino’s mouth fell open. Even she could feel how powerful this being was. And she was sealed inside of her little sister. “I… thought the Spirits were benevolent beings? Why would someone need to seal them away?”, she asked.
Raya sighed. To save me from death., she answered.
Ino blinked stunned. “Huh?”, she asked dumbly.
I was betrayed. But a good friend saved my life by taking my essence and putting it into her own soul. There I was able to form again in peace. And since this day I have always had a bearer to support me. , she explained. Then she opened her wings a little and looked at Minaru. Let’s get back on track. You think she can help us? She’s not even in the Academy yet.
Minaru huffed, looking offended. “Neither am I. And I don’t want to spill everything I can do just yet. Not even to Inoichi-san. But Ino won’t tell anybody. And with a little guidance I’m sure she can open the path for us to slip into the boys’ mindscapes.”
Ino looked at Minaru. “You want to enter the boys’ minds?”
Minaru nodded. “Yes. There are several neural focus points in each mindscape. When we reach them we can support them so their healing will go by faster. They have been in coma for almost 4 months. I think they shouldn’t lose any more time.”
Ino gasped. “Are you even sure if they are… okay? What if they are already like these creepy guys who keep attacking you?”
Minaru smiled gently. “That’s what I have you for, Onee-chan. I need you to keep an eye on my emotions as long as I am in there and pull me out when you sense fear or something like that.”
Ino sputtered for a few moments before sighing and sinking down to the grassy ground. “Okay, I’ll help you. But I won’t be responsible if Tou-san gets mad at you for doing stuff like that without his okay.”
Minaru smiled brightly and hugged Ino. “Of course not. I would never ask that of you.”, she said.
Ino grumbled. “Get off me, you are way too happy right now.”, she said.
“Or maybe you are just too grumpy.” Minaru countered with a giggle and started tickling Ino. Ino screeched and tried to escape her. After a few seconds she noticed they were back in her room, the sheets of Ino’s bed tangled around both of them and they had just narrowly avoided hitting the bedside lamp off it’s table.
“When did we get back here?”, she whispered. Minaru just answered with a mysterious smile.