TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS
Underlined - English
‘Italicised’ - Thoughts
In Text Bolded - Tailed Beast
UNNAMED
“Report,” Danzo-sama orders, and I comply immediately.
“ROOT Agent 26,” I state for clarification, as we are all the same. “Reporting on long term observation of one Tsubasa Noa, current jounin of Konohagakure no Sato. Tsubasa Noa has been reunited with Jinchuriki Uzumaki Naruto and ANBU-taicho Uchiha Sasuke. She was first spotted together with them, Hatake Kakashi, Jiraiya of the Sannin, and Godaime Senju Tsunade two days ago while traveling to training ground 7. Once there Tsubasa, Uzumaki, and Uchiha proceed to group spar against Hatake in an attempt to retrieve a bell from him. Said spar seems to have also served as a replacement for the jounin exam, as Uzumaki and Uchiha now are registered as official jounin of Konoha.”
Danzo-sama takes a moment to consider this, and I am rock solid and still as I wait for his gesture to proceed. When it comes I continue on without delay, “Uchiha demonstrated abilities quite similar to Hatake in stealth, speed, endurance, genjutsu, and ninjutsu. His genjutsu with and without the Sharingan seem to have passes Hatake in skill, based off outward reactions, and his proficiency with the Sharingan has reached a level to at least match Hatake. He has three tomoe.”
After a brief - very brief, ROOT is always prompt and obedient - moment to gather my thoughts, I continue on succinctly: “Uzumaki has proven proficient in both the creation and utilization of seals; a method similar to how the Yondaime was rumored to transfer seals by touch was demonstrated by him with the use of a paralysis seal at the end of the spar that Hatake was unable to release himself from. I did not observe any use of the Sage arts. Uzumaki’s ninjutsu, taijutsu, and fuuinjutsu seems to be on par with if not past the level of the first Toad Sage Jiraiya.”
My report finished, I await further orders only to be surprised when instead Danzo-sama begin to speak aloud, though not at me.
“She’s shown proficiency in taijutsu with that blasted Green Beast, and is well on the way to surpass Tsunade. She’s … 19. Her kekkei genkai is invaluable … but her position as clan head makes the Clan Restoration Act far more difficult to push on her … She has objected to its use in the past as well … and as the years have passed she’s both gained friends and allies and blocked me at every turn. She can’t be allowed to just run free.”
“26,” Danzo-sama states, finally addressing me. “You have been a main source of information in this case. She still has yet to sense your drawings?”
“Hai, Danzo-sama,” I affirm. “I have conjectured that she likens them to the chakra levels of a small animal.”
“Good,” Danzo-sama muses yet again, and yet again he is no longer addressing me but the air. “Those rumors are notoriously hard to prove true. It seems to be a joke among most of the community to make that girl some prize that many men - even women - seem to be going after and fighting over. That is not good. If she gets mixed up with some woman or with some genetically incompatible then her bloodline may very well be lost …”
Silence, and as ever I am as still as a statue with a spine of steel.
“Keep an eye on her relationships. See if you can pin down which of her teammates or friends she is involved with in such a way. Report immediately if you find that she is growing closer to anyone in particular.”
“Hai, Danzo-sama.”
He studied me for a moment, and stands from his rather regal chair. “Agent, what is a name you have used in the past?”
I freeze for less than a millisecond before I answer, as hesitantly as any ROOT agent can, “I have been called Sai, Danzo-sama.”
“Sai,” He echoes, and I stuff deep down the part of me that cringes at the way he says the name that Shin-nii gave to me. “Sai, you are now to begin to interact with Tsubasa on a semi-regular basis. Begin to establish a relationship. We may need a more direct source - though continue your other duties all the same.”
“Hai, Danzo-sama.” I feel a thread of apprehension quickly squashed. “I will do my best.”
TSUBASA NOA
I don’t know why the timeline has changed as much as it has.
Well, okay. That’s a lie. I totally know why the timeline has changed so much. I may or may not have booted Sakura off her kinda-rightful place on the team to become the Neo-Sannin. I also drop kicked Sasuke off his path of revenge, gave Ruto a significantly nicer childhood, and made friends with all of the old Konoha 12.
And that was all just early on - I also inadvertently saved the lives of both Haku and Zabuza in wave. And deterred the interest of Orochimaru, forcing him to split it between me and Sasuke while also ensuring that my boys were far smarter and more trained this time around. I saved the Sandiame’s life and kept Sasuke from defecting while still ensuring that Tsunade became Hokage, (which was pretty big).
I strengthened Ruto’s relationship between him and Jiraiya - while also telling him off. (I told a lot of people off.) I deterred Danzo’s plans and managed to instate myself and my team as Clan Heads, solidifying our influence. Somehow the ‘time-skip’ went from two and a half years to 6.
(And I totally stole Temari’s future husband. Sorry, not sorry. I’d gladly be essentially a homewrecker for my Shika.)
So yeah, I made a bunch of changes.
But why has Akatsuki not attacked yet? Because they knew that Ruto wasn’t here? They attacked Konoha targeting him, right? And he just happened to not be here - instead off training to be a Sage. Would that deter them so much?
No Ruto means no captured Kurama which means no imminent threat of war... Somehow they never went after Gaara, but many things could be the reason for that. Zabuza, Haku, the Sandaime, Gekko Hayate, and a lot of other people are alive when they weren’t ‘supposed to’ - who knows how many people died because of them? Or continued to live?
(Butterfly effect: didn’t really believe in it till I realized I was living it.)
Is it possible to avoid the war completely? How many of the Akatsuki are still on board, and how many dropped out like Orochimaru? Does Nagato still follow his same path? How many Jinchuuriki have been killed and their bijuu captured? Will I ever know?
Could I have done more?
Ruto laughs so hard he - fancy fancy Sage he is - falls off of his Ichiraku's stool.
“ Shadow-boy set everyone up to do what ? ” He demands breathlessly. “ You mean he seriously has half the village debating which other member of the Leaf 12 you’re dating?”
Sasuke ‘hns’ smugly from my other side, and I shoot him a toothy grin. “ It spread even into the Corps ,” The smug ex-taicho adds. “ Those who didn’t know who I was behind the mask occasionally would speculate around and sometimes even with me. It was rather disturbing how often my name come up. ”
I snort again, and have to push back the mental image of how Ino or canon-Sakura would react in this situation in my place, “ Ew. I don’t date my brothers, I’ll leave that up to the Kurama Clan. They’re messed up enough for that. ”
“ But who do the most people think you’re with? Is there a majority? ” Ruto pushes on, and I shovel ramen into my face to get out of answering.
“ Not really, ” Sasuke saves me. “ But in terms of who comes up a lot - besides you and me? - Shino, Kakashi, Neji, Lee, and Ino top the list.”
Ruto chokes on his ramen, and I have to pound him on the back a few times to clear his airways. “ Whaaaaaat ?” He draws as his eyes go as wide as his ramen bowls. “ I can mostly get us, Neji, Ino, and Lee - but Kakashi and Shino ?”
“Kakashi I have no explanation for .” I clarify, indignant. “ He’s another one of my brothers - and he’s like 14 years my senior ” - (If you don’t count my memories of another life, cuz then I’m both nearly two years his senior and 16 years Shika’s senior. We don’t think about that.) - “ And apparently anyone interacting with an Aburame any more than three times in a week ‘must be fucking them. ’ This is what I get for being a good friend! Honestly! ”
(After Ruto’s laughter goes on for more than five minutes; I hit him with a good sized kick to his shins and he shuts up.)
UZUMAKI NARUTO
The moment that the council meeting is in session I know that something is up.
Out of the folder I brought - for notes and bored doodling alike - I bring out a single thick piece of parchment while out of the corner of my eyes I see Noa and Sasuke mimic my actions.
After too long of having letters that told of important news weeks after they happened, I decided to try and develop a system of more instantaneous communication. It had a short range, but after a year I managed to develop three sheets of parchment that would mimic each other.
Write on one, it appears on the other.
(Jiraiya bet I couldn’t do it. He owed me ramen for a month after I pulled it off.)
‘ Something’s up ’ I scrawl in english across the page.
‘ Your fault, you two, ’ Noa’s neat loops write back. ‘ Silent for six years with only the occasional attempted dick move? Yeah, it’s totally you. Troublesome, you owe me dango for this.’
‘ That’s just rude, ’ Sasuke fires back in his meticulous hand. ‘And cut it out with the ‘troublesome.’ You may be practically the next Lady of the Shadow Clan, but you’re not a Nara yet.’
‘ I resent that. ’ Noa jokes back, but whatever else she was going to say was cut off by Baa-chan bringing us all to order.
‘Called it,’ Noa writes in bold, annoyed letters when Danzo calls attention ‘one last matter.’
“It is concerning,” The one eyed jerk starts, and I have to suppress a shiver at his dry, monotonous tone. “That rumors have been cropping up in the small village Moeru, in the northern part of the Land of Fire - near the border to Grass Country - that surviving Tsubasa clansmen have been attempting to establish headship.”
(Stunned as I - and the room as a whole - may be, I can’t help but scribble a quick ‘ Or not ’ on the paper before turning back to the discussion.)
Noa takes a second to gather herself, and then turns to face the elder with a positively neutral expression. “Shimura,” She addresses, as always forgetting - on purpose or not - any honorifics. “This is a matter that I should’ve been alerted of immediately and privately, not one to be brought before the whole of the council for your own personal gain.”
(The old bags that are the Advisors flinch minutely, showing to the room - who were paying attention - that they also knew of the matter and Danzo’s plan. Jiji doesn’t look happy though, and I can tell that six years has put strain on that relationship possibly past repair.)
“I apologize, Tsubasa,” Danzo apologizes, not sounding apologetic at all and leaving off the honorifics in kind. “But I was merely concerned that this conflict of interest may sway your position in this meeting - and maybe even your loyalty to this village.”
‘That was weak. He didn’t expect you to fight back,’ Is Sasuke’s thoughts on that.
I scoff outright, and the room turns their attention to me. I shrug, and gesture at the room. “This is pathetic,” I declare, scoffing again. “Ero-sennin was in and out for two decades before taking a twelve year stint away. Baa-chan - y’know, our Hokage - was gone for twenty years before coming back to take the hat.”
I scan the room, seeing how much affect my words have. “If you question the loyalty of one of our top medics and elite jounin over a conflict of interest she didn’t even know existed, then why do you not question theirs? Mine? I’ve been out of village for how long? Six years? Yet my position is not questioned.”
“She is a bastard child,” Danzo tries again, with far more bite than he deserved to give. “The Tsubasa may contest her position.”
“Or they may not,” Ino’s dad cuts in. “This may be an incentive for powerful shinobi to join our village, why deny them the chance?”
“And as Tsubasa-sama said,” Choji’s dad adds. “This is not a matter to discuss here, at least for the moment. Tsubasa-sama is to deal with this to the best of her ability first before it becomes our concern.”
“Good point, Chouza,” Baa-chan grits out. “Discussion closed. Noa, deal with it.”
“Hai, Hokage-sama.”