Sakura's reading a book on the couch until Kakashi sits down next to her. She flashes a quick smile at him before returning to her novel. He didn't like that too much so he cups both of her cheeks and forces her to look at him again. "What?" she owlishly blinks at him. He didn't respond; instead, he squishes her cheeks. She squeaks in surprise, much to his amusement. "Kakashi! What are you doing?!" she puts down her book in favor of gripping his wrist in an attempt to pry them off. She squawks with closed eyes when he smushed her cheeks a little harder. He leans in closer until he lightly presses the tip of his nose against the purple rhombus and proceeds to nuzzle. Sakura opens her eyes when something tickles the middle of her forehead. Her gaze meets the familiar navy turtleneck. She lifts her gaze as high as she could in her predicament; her cheeks flush hot down to her neck when she realizes this man - her former sensei, former Commanding Officer, and former Hokage - is nuzzling his nose on her forehead! Her lips quiver to contain the squeal and smile that threatened to escape. She failed. Kakashi chuckles deeply even as he continued with his ministrations for a moment longer. His finger take comfort in her warmed cheeks. He finishes his nuzzling by planting a masked kiss directly on the purple rhombus. A cocky grin hides under his mask upon hearing her high-pitched whine. He pulls back enough to look down at her reaction - an adorable shade of blush painted across her face and down to her neck. "Kashi~!" Her whine adds more fuel to her adorableness that he couldn't help but give a chaste masked kiss on her plump lips. "Love you." He chuckles when her entire face flushes red accompanied by her gasp. Pleased, he releases her face, gets up, and walks away. Sakura continues to sit there, bothered to the Stars, unsure of how to function. A/N: this was not planned, but it’s a follow up to my other POST. Seriously wasn’t expecting more than 5 likes on that post. Hope y’all like this one!
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“I’ll take Option 4 then.” “Are you sure? Once the contract is signed, there’s no going back.” “Did I stutter? Let’s get this over with.” A/N: You’re here, I’m here, (Never fear for All Might is here!), and Chapter 5 is finally here! Sorry for the lack of post in the past 2 weeks - been busy; slacking; re-editing; and struggling. So this chapter is long to kinda makeup for that but also because there’s more new characters! Hope y’all are still enjoying the story and lemme know what y’all think! Feedback is strongly encouraged! Huge shout out and big thanks to my friend for editing this! Seriously, she's an awesome friend! *See more notes at the bottom* Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. WARNING: Entomophobia (fear of bugs) and Trypophobia (fear of holes). I apologize to any readers who have either one or both cuz this chapter will have descriptions that may trigger them. Chapter 5: The Night Before Hokage Tower An oil lamp brightens his office as Hiruzen re-organizes the fallen objects and paperwork on his desk until a messenger from the Barrier Team arrives, kneeling on one knee, head bowed. "Lord Third! The Detection Division reports an anomaly has entered the village! They're currently searching for its location." Hiruzen narrows his eyes by a fraction. Could it be the same as the ominous presence? "Tell me the full details." "Sir, the sphere had a multitude of ripples. The Detection Division tried to locate the source of the powerful energy, but it appears to have spread throughout the village. One of them perceived the energy not to be hostile. They're still trying to locate the source as we speak while another Interception Guard is checking the status of the village." "I see. I presume the Barrier Team felt the earthquake?" Hiruzen clasps his hands behind his back. "We felt the building jolt, sir." The leader is silent for a brief moment to think of his next words, "There was a strong lightning strike followed by the thunderous roar before the power went out. I expect reports from the Shinobi and the civilians about any damages from this unforeseeable weather." He peers through the window as the darkness stretches for miles. It seems possible that the strike and the ominous presence are tied to the anomaly. What could this mean? "What are your orders, Lord Third?" "Tell the Jounin Commander to assemble the Council for a meeting at 9:00 A.M. I'm certain that we're not the only ones who felt that suspicious presence earlier." "Yes, sir!" The guard formally bows before exiting to execute his orders. Alone once more, Hiruzen sighs heavily. He hears the pitter-patter of the rain against the windows with thunder rumbling now and then. Light flashes in the dark clouds, providing some visuals for him to see the village. Still, he can't get rid of this unsettling feeling in the pit of his stomach. *** Aburame Compound Since the storm strolled in, the insects within the Aburame Clan members have been buzzing with distress. It was an initial warning of the change in weather; however, their distress increased tenfold the longer the storm rages on. Every clap of thunder and crackle of lightning causes the bugs to crawl and jump anxiously underneath their host's skin. The humans can hear their troubled wails that there's too much chakra; that something "powerful" will "arrive soon." Their hosts tried to appease their critter friends but to no avail. Rather, it put the humans on edge. Many speculate there's been a change in the Second War - the enemies could've developed a new weapon or they gained more territory in an attempt to have an advantage. Few thought the storm was brought by the Ame forces, which may explain the amount of chakra in the air given the intensity of it. Yet that doesn’t explain the thick ominous fog that hangs over their heads. It wasn't until a blinding light flashes through their windows paired with a deafening boom of thunder that the insects screeched, hissed, and ticked. Their human skin bubbles up because of the critters agitated behavior. Their actions intensified when the ground quaked and the lights gave out, encasing the compound in complete darkness. "It's here!" Multiple tiny voices screech. "It's here! It's here! It's here! It's here! It's here! It's here!" "What is here?" The Head of the Clan asks. "Power." The voices hiss amidst the chaos. "Where?" "Everywhere." The Clan members sit in a foreboding silence, unsure of what to make of their critters revelation. *** Inuzuka Compound All of the canines in the Inuzuka Clan have been on edge since they smelt the storm's approach. It's not an unusual thing considering canines have a better sense of smell and they often warn their human counterparts to be cautious. What is unusual are the canine's perturbed behavior: fur bristling; ears pressed flat against their skulls; and tails tucked between their legs. Sounds of growling, whimpering, and yips are heard accompanied by a flick of their tail and/or a twitch of their ears at every crackle and roar from the weather. The pups press their small forms against the larger dogs and/or the humans to seek comfort. Their human companions also share their agitated state, which concerns them. They can feel something is off in the air they breathe in - it's as if they're inhaling a thick layer of humidity that's not just from the storm, and it coats their throats like mucus. "This might be the worst storm of the decade." One member states while looking out a window. "The unexpected are usually the worst." Another member says indifferently. "You might be right but…do you feel - do you feel that?" "…Yes." All of a sudden, a blinding white light flashed before them! An ear-splitting roar of thunder causes all Clan members to cover their ears with their hands; their canines cower with high-pitched whines. None of them didn't have the time to recover when their home shook causing items to fall. The lights blew out, shrouding them in darkness. "Shit! The fuck was that all about?!" One member exclaims as the ringing recedes. "Worry about that later! We need to check if anyone's hurt! Someone get the backup generators up and running!" Another shouts. The Head of the Clan narrows his eyes at the dark clouds. "That was no ordinary lightning bolt." "No. It reeks of powerful chakra." The canine beside twitches its nose. He ruffles his furry companion's head reassuringly. "Indeed it does." *** Hyuuga Compound The longer the storm continues to rage, the more worrisome the Hyuuga Clan members become. Their bodies tremble upon feeling the ominous build-up of energy that many of them activated their Byakugan to scan for the source. What they saw was beyond anything they've seen in all of history. The black clouds are not composed of water vapor and compressed air; instead, it's multi-colored chakra energies twisting, swirling, and bending as if captivated in a violent dance. Every time the different colored energies clash, thunder is heard, and lightning crackles. They watch as the cloud of energies finally spins in a uniform direction, forming what appears to be the eye of a tornado with streaks of electricity snapping everywhere. They gain speed, generating more electricity into a single focal point. They deactivated their Byakugan when flashes of light got too intense. After it appears to have gained enough power, a thick lightning bolt strikes the ground. The sound of explosive thunder shakes their entire body as well as the ground beneath them. "What in the world was that?!" A member asks with bewilderment once the shaking stopped. "That amount of energy…It's unbelievable!" Another gasps while looking at the sky again without their eye ability. All can still feel their bodies tremble in the aftermath; the images of colored energies are vivid in their minds. "Do you think enemy forces are behind this?" One asks directly to the Head of the Clan. "It's possible but…" A grim expression settles on their face. They reactivated their blood limit power to scour their surroundings - the colored chakra energies are still present in the sky but now it's everywhere. "We should notify the Hokage immediately. The village could be under attack!" Another clan member urgently proposes. Without looking at the audience, the Clan Head speaks. "Send a report to Lord Third of what we witnessed. We'll await his orders before we act." He cuts off any protests that were about to be spoken, "There's too much that we don't know about the energy source. It could be enemy forces that are behind this; however, even I have doubts they have the capabilities to amass that level of power." "But - !" The Clan Head faces his audience with his Byakugan activated, "We will wait for Lord Third's order. End of discussion." The room falls into a tense silence. "For now, we must check if anyone is injured from the earthquake and clean up the mess." Even as the Clan Head said that, they remained vigilant. *** Outskirts of the Village - Hatake Household Two people sit in their living room reading their vices after they finished dinner. Sakumo Hatake, recently named The White Fang of Konoha, sits at the coffee table with a novel in hand while his only son, Kakashi, sits across from him with a scroll entailing chakra manipulation. Seven additional bodies lounge in the living room, huddled together near the patio door. Three large wolves of gray, dark brown, and a mix of the two are piled together in one section; a large black wolf rests its head atop of the white wolf's back; and two smaller wolves of light brown and reddish-brown curl up next to each other. Sakumo may be thankful for the momentary tranquility of being home with his family, but his pack have been on edge since the storm's approach. Their tails flick with every sizzle of electricity as a low growl rumbles when thunder is heard. The pack warned the humans to not go outside because they sense something will soon arrive. This greatly worried the man because he thought the pack was referring to a change in the War - oh, how he greatly wishes it were something else. Now as the storm rages on, he starts to feel a shift in the electricity current buzzing around his home. He puts his book down in favor of looking through the patio door just as he heard another drum of thunder. He sees the pack lift their heads to look out as well with their ears perked upright. Kakashi saw the slightest movement from his father; he followed his line of gaze out the window. After watching the pouring rain for a couple more seconds, he feels a shift in the air. "Dad," "Yes, pup?" Sakumo angles his head to look at his son. "Something doesn't feel right." That catches the man's attention immediately. "You and the pack can sense it too." If it weren't for this foreboding presence he feels, Sakumo would've been proud of his intuitive son. "That's right. There's certainly something different about this storm. Both humans snap their heads towards the wolf pack when their growling gets louder. Sakumo shifts into a kneeling position, ready to spring into action in case something bursts through the patio door. The young boy copies his father's stance with bated breath. The seven wolves jump into an arc formation in front of the humans, each crouched as if ready to pounce with baring fangs while growling. "It's almost here." The male black wolf rasps. "Brace yourselves." Without a moment's hesitation, Sakumo pulls his son with one arm while the other hand grabs the tanto blade that rested on a nearby bookshelf. Unexpectedly, bright light flashes through the patio and windows accompanied by an ear-piercing rumble of thunder that temporarily dulls their vision and hearing. Sakumo fell on his left side and the pack nearly lost their balance when the ground shook. Other items fell over while the lights blew out, enshrouding them in darkness. Finally, everything stilled. Sakumo winces as he slowly sits up with his son in his protective hold. The ringing is receding but a pounding headache is left in its wake. "Pup? Pup, are you alright?" The darkness isn't helping with the man's dulled vision from the bright light. "I'm fine, dad." Kakashi rubs his small fists against his eyelids to relieve some of the strain endured from the sudden - and rude - light show. He physically felt his father exhale in relief before the older man rose to his feet. "What about the pack?" "We're fine, pup." A feminine voice calls out. "What was that just now anyways?" The boy asks as he encircles his arms around his father's neck. Sakumo rubs the child's back reassuringly as he places the tanto blade on the table. "I don't know but it's quite powerful if it caused the ground to shake and blow out the lights." With his eyes now adjusted to the darkness, he expertly maneuvers to the side of the living room door where a side dresser is placed. Thankfully, it only shifted from its original spot rather than falling over completely. He slides open the left panel and reaches inside the dresser; his fingers brush against a glass cylinder object before pulling it out. He sets it atop of the dresser and pulls out a matchbox next. "Let there be light." He humors after he lit the candle. Its soft yellow glow provides some visuals to their surroundings: many books shifted forward from their place on the bookshelves; some picture frames fell over on surfaces while hanging frames are crooked; dishes in the drying rack nearly slid out; etc. Sakumo sighs as he guesstimates the damage in the other rooms. He looks over to the wolf pack after hearing a curious whine. The black wolf blends in well with their current surroundings save for his golden eyes reflecting the candlelight. The white wolf steps forward to nudge her nose against Kakashi's right foot; a little smile appears on his features as he leans forward to pat her head. The other wolves follow suit, earning a childish giggle. Sakumo chuckles then places his son on the floor, allowing the wolves to surround him. Meanwhile, the man lights another candle he pulled out from the dresser. "I'll be back after I check on the other rooms. Stay here until I return." He leaves the room with his candle after hearing a chorus of barks. Sakumo checks their bedrooms and sets everything back into place before moving to the bathroom, and finally, his private study. Most of the items on the bookshelves were shifted forward, threatening to fall onto the ground. His stacks of scrolls are on the floor and the photo on his desk lies flat on its back. He sighs again as he places the candle on the floor before picking up and rearranging his things again. The last thing to fix is the photo. He picks it up and looks down at the smiling woman. Memories of happiness and contentment flood his mind as a wistful smile graces his features. He rubs the side of his thumb along the woman's jawline before setting the photo upright on the desk again. He nods his head then leaves, closing the door behind him, and continues his candlelit path to the living room. He abruptly catches himself from calling out son's name as he re-entered the living room. He silently laughs at the sight of seven wolves huddling around his sleeping child. He wishes he had a camera to capture this moment but taking in the sight will suffice. He went into the hallway again to open the storage closet where extra sleeping mats, blankets, and pillows are kept before returning to the room. He arranges two sleeping mats with the rest of the bedding in the center; his pack members took the hint because they silently moved to encircle the mats. He carries his son to tuck him under the blanket then slips into the second mat. Sakumo takes one last glimpse at his son before checking the weather through the patio door. The clouds are as dark as ever, the rain never ceased, and the wind whistles now and then. It seemed to have calmed down yet he can't shake the suspicious inkling that something huge is about to happen. Hokage Tower - Conference Hall - 9:00 AM The Conference Hall is full of the Clan Heads, the ANBU Commander, the Jounin Commander, the Chief of the Police, the Head Director of the Hospital, and many other notably skilled Shinobi. They talk amongst themselves about the events from last night while awaiting for the Hokage and the Elders to enter and officially begin the meeting. Sakumo sits beside Jiraiya with Tsunade and Orochimaru sitting on his other side. They've recapped their experiences to each other, theorizing what it could mean. The leading speculation is that Ame forces are responsible for the storm while the Toad Sage says otherwise. "Oh, stop with the "prophecy" shtick!" Tsunade negates with an eye roll. "But this could be what the Great Toad Sage prophesied!" Jiraiya asserts. "You want to believe that the storm is connected to this 'apprentice you'll acquire'?" Orochimaru inquires with his raspy voice. "Yes!" He groans at his teammates' unimpressed looks so he turns to Sakumo, "You believe me, right?" The man nervously scratches his right cheek with his index finger, "You're not wrong about the ominous presence." "But do you believe in prophecies?" Jiraiya leans in expectedly. "Well…uh…" The White Fang is saved from answering when a familiar chakra signature approaches and the sound of a door opening. The Hokage enters the Hall with four people in tow: Homura Mitokado, Danzo Shimura, Koharu Utatane, and a member from the Detection Division. They sit at the front table that’s facing the audience. Hiruzen clears his throat and begins his speech, "I'm sure the lot of you felt the earthquake as well as the strange presence last night." Many audience members nod their heads, "I've received reports earlier this morning about the blackout affecting the entire village from the low-income districts to the wealthiest. It was fortunate that the backup generators were operational. Lady Tsunade," he gazes at his former student, "do you have a report about the hospital's status?" The said woman stands up to gain all attention, "The hospital's backup generators were fully operational, preventing chaos to ensue. We treated some patients last night who were injured during the quake. Their injuries were non-life-threatening and were discharged soon after treatment. We expect more are coming." At his nod, she sits back down. "Kenji, what's the status with the police force?" The Chief of Police, Kenji Uchiha, stands up next. "We dispatched teams to check on the villagers and to assess any property damages. As I'm sure Lord Third has already heard, damage to most structures was minimal. However, we noticed that homes near the Hashirama Forest had broken windows and the residents reported their belongings either broken, fallen over, and their furniture violently shifted from their original positions." Hiruzen narrows his eyes the slightest bit while some of the audience members whisper to each other. So I was right to assume the lightning bolt went in that direction. "Have you sent a team to investigate the Forest?" "Negative, sir. We prioritized the safety of our villagers. I was about to dispatch a team to investigate further but I was called to attend this meeting." "Thank you." Kenji bows his head then sits back down. "Now, let's get to the reason why I summoned you all." The room's atmosphere becomes tense. "A messenger from the Barrier Team informed me what the Detection Division discovered last night. Please explain your findings." The member from the Division stands up to address the audience, "We detected a powerful anomaly entering the village last night. Unfortunately, we haven't located it yet because our barrier is still rippling." "We've been breached and our barrier is compromised?" Danzo, sitting on Hiruzen's right side, interjects. The member continues coolly, "The barrier is still intact despite the rippling effects hindering our ability to locate the anomaly. We do know that its power is scattered throughout the village, which may explain the blackout. Its intensive power might also explain the quake we felt." "Has the barrier weakened at all?" Homura, sitting on Hiruzen's left side, asks. "No. The barrier still holds strong. There was no identifiable breach, no point of entry - nothing we could find." "Perhaps the Hyuuga Clan can enlighten us then?" Hiruzen suggests, cueing the Clan Head to rise. "You sent a report to me last night." "That's correct, sir. Many of my Clansmen were wary of the storm before we felt the ominous build-up of energy. We used the Byakugan to find the source only to realize that the clouds were made up of different colored chakras." He paused to allow his words to sink in before adding on, "These energies formed the eye of a tornado, generating more electricity in the air moments before a large lightning bolt struck the earth." "Where did it strike?" Koharu, sitting beside Homura, asks. "We didn't see where it struck, but I believe the Chief of Police might be on the right track about the Hashirama Forest." "If the anomaly arrived in the Forest, it's likely that it has already relocated. However, it might be a good start for the investigation." The Hokage asserts. "We should send Hunter Scouts to check the Village Walls and Gates to ensure that our defenses are optimal. We can't afford to allow potential enemies waltzing in whenever they please." Koharu sternly suggests. "Indeed. The Second War is already taxing as it is." Homura pushes his glasses up. The Jounin Commander stands up while clearing his throat, "If the Hokage approves, we can send three to four-people squads consisting of at least one Hyuuga member. If the anomaly is the source of the powerful disturbance, then the Byakugan should be able to find its chakra signature." The Aburame Clan Head rises, "My Clansmen volunteers to help with the investigation. We can communicate with the other insects to track down the anomaly." "Will the Inuzuka Clan aid in the search?" Homura curiously looks at the Clan Head. "There might be a chance we can sniff out its foreign scent but the storm would've washed it away by now. On the other hand, we'll help do a perimeter check on the Walls and Gates and see if we can find anything." The Clan Head narrows his eyes with a slight frown, "Whatever it is, the thing spooked all of our canines." He focuses his gaze on Sakumo, "What of your pack?" The White Fang rises, "They were agitated by the disturbance as well. One of them warned me that something has arrived, then we were blinded by the light and couldn't hear after the thunder." He directs his dark gray eyes to the Jounin Commander, "I volunteer to help with the investigation but we must be more discrete. It's one thing for the public to panic, but this anomaly might escape- or worse, attack - if it catches wind of our plan." "Agreed." Danzo nods his head. "If you find the ominous source, apprehend it immediately." "Wait a minute," Jiraiya interjects hastily as he rises from his seat, "I understand that everyone is on edge, but we need to tread carefully. For all we could know, this powerful thing could help us win the War!" He ignores the harsh whisper Tsunade called out, "If we act violently towards it or if we capture it without giving it a chance, then it might attack us." "Are you suggesting we take a risk of trusting this anomaly whose power greatly affected the entire village in a single moment?" Danzo incredulously scoffs. "Would you rather the enemies find it first to use it against us?" The Toad Sage inwardly smirks at the Elder's twitch. "What makes you certain that the enemy isn't the one behind this anomaly?" Kenji asks. "We know too little about the disturbance to conclude if it's good or bad." "Enough!" The room falls into a tense silence once more at the Hokage's command. Those who were standing quietly sat back down. "Now then, let's do what we can without causing public panic of a potential attack. "Gather the available Chunin and Jounin ranked Shinobi to form the Hunter Scouts and send them to scour the perimeter. At least one member from the Aburame, Hyuuga, and Inuzuka Clans shall be assigned. Another faction will consist of the Konoha Military Police with the rest of the available Shinobi - start the investigation at the Hashirama Forest for clues and other candidate places like the Forest of Death and the Training Grounds. I suspect that the anomaly may avoid crowded places for the time being." "Understood, sir!" The audience affirms in unison. "Meanwhile, the Barrier Team will continue their attempts to locate it. Smoke them out by changing the barrier formula." "What shall we do if neither of us finds the anomaly?" The Division members ask cautiously. A frown graces the village leader's features. "Then we best prepare for the worst to come." He stands up from his seat with Elders following his lead, "Everyone must update each other if you discover anything. I expect reports by the end of the day. Dismissed." "Yes, sir!" Hiruzen walks out of the Hall with the Elders in tow. The frown still mars his face even when he returns to his office to resume his duties. *** Hokage Tower - Main Lobby Some of the people exiting from the Conference Hall stayed in the Main Lobby to further talk amongst themselves. Others were about to leave the building altogether to inform their clan members and/or gather the rest of the available Shinobi forces. Jiraiya slings an arm around Sakumo's shoulders with a teasing grin, "By the way, how's the little tyke?" "Kakashi's fine. He also sensed something off last night." The White Fang sighs exasperatedly, "I swear that boy is growing up too fast." The Toad Sage snickers, "Well, he does have gray hair at the age of two." "Like you're one to talk! You were born with white hair!" He shoves the white-haired man off of him, laughing at their childish banter. "Both of you are childish." Orochimaru taunts them in passing. "Oi! Are you joining the Hunt?" Jiraiya calls out. "As much as I'd like to, I have other things to attend to." The duo watch their Snake friend leave the building, then Jiraiya claps Sakumo on the back in parting. "Be careful out there! Let me know what you find, if anything!" The White Fang gave him a two-fingered salute and the Toad Sage left to catch up with Tsunade. *** Outside of the Hokage Tower "Stars, I need a drink." Tsunade groans as she exits the Hokage Tower. "Something on your mind, princess?" Jiraiya asks once he's closer to her. "Care to share your thoughts?" "Humph! Buy me a drink first." "Of course! Shall we go to our usual spot?" He wordlessly follows her down the path to the local bar they frequent. *** Barrier Team When the Division member returned to his post, he summarized the details from the meeting. When he checked the water sphere, the ripples were concerning. They've done the standard protocols last night until dawn but nothing worked. The only noticeable changes are the ripples behavior from violently quivering to steady wavelets in all directions. "Bring the barrier formula scroll!" He commands one of the assistants. A minute later, the assistant returns with a five-foot-tall beige and green scroll and unravels it on the floor in front him. The parchment is littered with black characters with large circles either containing a single Kanji character for "Boundary" and "Barrier" or they're blank in the event to add changes. The Division member dips his brush in black ink then swiftly writes the Kanji characters for "Search" and "Bind." Once he finished, he and the other two members performed the necessary hand signs to direct their chakra into the sphere. Whips of water from the pool below rise up to wrap around the sphere, altering its shape to match the barrier formula including the new variables. The three members use the Sheep hand sign to finalize the changes, causing the water formula to glow white. All while they kept an eye on the wavelets to see if it'll finally stop. Alas, they did not. Instead, the ripples became agitated again. "It's not working! What can this mean?" The person on the left from the middle asks. "Do you think the anomaly is actively distorting our ability to find it?" The one on the right asks. I'm not sure, but let's keep trying. If this continues, we'll need to report it to the Hokage." *** Hokage Tower - Rooftop Atop of the Hokage Tower is an assembly of available Chunins and Jounins to form the Hunter Scout Teams. The Jounin Commander reads off the names as he forms each team of four people, including one member from the Aburame, Hyuuga, or Inuzuka Clan. He helps the Chief of Police form their faction for the investigation. Sakumo directs his gaze upwards, unsettled by the overcast weather. It's like a warning for the impending unknown is about to come any second now. He's glad he left his son with Jiraiya's pupil, Minato Namikaze, for the day. He didn't like the idea of Kakashi alone in the house, even with the pack, so they went to Minato's home and asked him to watch over his son until he returned. Besides, Kakashi likes Minato so he felt better knowing his son is in good hands. He snaps out his thoughts when the Jounin Commander speaks, "Alright listen up! Hunter Scouts will check the Walls and Gates for breaches. Check the visitor logs and get a report from the Guard Patrols. Aburame members, scatter your insects around the assigned areas. Inuzukas, see if you can pick up the foreigner's scent. Hyuugas, your priority is to find its chakra signature. The same is applied for the investigation teams." "Sir!" The Scouts affirm in unison. The Chief of Police addresses his faction next, "Like what was said, half of us will start the investigation at the Hashirama Forest while the rest will gather eye-witness reports from the nearby residents. Our goal is to find clues about the mysterious presence and apprehend it immediately. Although it's likely the source relocated to desolate areas like the Forest of Death and/or the Training Grounds. Report your findings via radio communication between all teams." "Sir!" The teams shout in unison. "The Barrier Team is altering the barrier formula to find the anomaly as well. They'll notify us by the Mind-Body Transmission Technique." The Jounin Commander adds. "We don't want to cause a public panic so give vague answers if anyone asks. At the end of the day, we'll submit the reports to the Hokage." "Yes, sir!" When given the signal, both sets of teams scatter to their assigned areas. ⚫⚫⚫ Sakumo can already feel the energy radiating from the Hashirama Forest from a couple of miles away. Even though the Forest is said to have special trees infused with the First Hokage's chakra when he created it, the amount of power wafting in the air is too much. It's like gravity is pulling them down. "Stars." The Hyuuga teammate wheezes as her Byakugan scans their surroundings. "What do you see?" The leader asks. The team abruptly stops just before the tree line as they feel the power intensify. "There's an abundance of chakra floating within the Forest. Most of it is blue but there are different colors mixed in. They're…they're in harmony, unlike last night's storm." She directs her gaze upwards, "Even now, the clouds are composed of the same energies yet they're rapidly wavering." "Think you can locate the source?" The leader asks. The Hyuuga member slightly squints her eyes for a moment. "The dense chakra is obscuring my sight. We need to venture forward." "I see." The leader faces the Aburame member, "You're up." The Aburame member outstretched his arms to the side, allowing the Shokaichu worms to wriggle from his pores and fall to the ground. "Locate a chakra signature that's different from the rest." The white little plump worms burrow themselves deeper into the ground to carry out their orders. The host kneels then performs a sequence of hand signs for the Secret Technique: Insect Gathering; he places a palm on the ground to allow a web of chakra to expand further into the Forest. Many different species of bugs begin gathering at their location. Sakumo inwardly shudders at the image of the white worms. He meets the leader's eye, "Think you'll have luck with your pack?" "It's worth a shot." The White Fang bites the pad of his thumb, performs the summoning technique hand signs, and slams a palm on the ground. A circle of black scriptures appears beneath him the same time a large plume of smoke arises. Sitting in a formation are the seven wolves, looking at their summoner expectedly. "I need you to track any foreign scents in the Forest." "You're referring to the disturbance, yes?" The dark brown wolf asks. "That might be a challenge because of the dense chakra everywhere is mixing with the other scents." The gray wolf sniffs. "C'mon, you've faced greater challenges than this." He teases. "The insects report a human crash-landed in a clearing." The Aburame member announces. "A human?" The leader echoes, surprised. "You heard the man - you're going to sniff out a human scent." Sakumo snaps his fingers as a signal for the wolves to scatter. The pack leaps past the trees to begin the hunt. ⚪⚪⚪ Hashirama Forest Sakura sits beside a small stream that's not too far from the cosmos flower field. The cold water reawakens her senses as she scrubs her hands and legs of the grime, mud, and blood. She feels more refreshed after rinsing her face and the ends of her hair. She would've preferred a hot shower but this will do for now. She stands up with chakra on her soles and begins the trek back to the flowers. More of her childhood memories flood through her mind like a movie: her running through the fields, making flower crowns, leaping through the forest to reach The Alcove. Her chest tightened when images of her best friend and rival popped up; tears sting the back of her eyes. The slugs on either shoulder sensed her dampened mood so they nuzzle the tops of their heads under her jaw. The child giggles at the tickling sensation and gives them a grateful smile. When she returned to the field, an idea came to mind. She channels her chakra while performing the Sheep - Snake hand signs down to the ground to erect wooden beams, creating a large square "floating" deck. It's high enough to not crush the flowers underneath so she made a couple of stairs. Next is the gazebo with curtains of Devil's Ivy along the four sides. Lastly is the wooden bench table positioned in the center of the entire structure. "How quaint." Katsuyu on her right shoulder comments. The child sat down on one side of the table then placed both slugs on the table surface. "I need you to do something for me." "What is it, Milady?" "One of you will divide into smaller copies and place yourself around within a one-mile radius. I want to make sure this place is secured even though I don't sense any human chakra signatures within the vicinity at the moment." "I understand. I'll alert you if anyone approaches and/or is heading your way." At her nod, the left slug does as she's instructed. She divides into the same size as land snails, falling from the surface and slithering away into the forest. Sakura's still amazed at how fast the slug can move! "Now then!" She sighs while stretching her arms back. "What shall we do in the meantime?" "Have you decided what you're going to tell Lady Tsunade and Lord Jiraiya?" Sakura hums thoughtfully, "Yes. I just hope they'll take me seriously." She slumps over with her arms crossed on the table and rests her chin atop of them. Her cheeks puff out a little. Maybe you can show them the Wood Release to gain their attention. I'm sure they'll take you seriously then. Inner suggests. As if my creation isn't enough! Sakura snorts softly. Just saying. Katsuyu perks up slightly, "I suggest you alter your chakra signature or suppress it completely, Milady." Sakura raises a pink eyebrow in question. "My other-selves are positioned as instructed and they can sense your strong presence." She blinked owlishly, "Oh." She closes her eyes to concentrate compressing all of the chakra in her reserves until it's no longer radiating from her person passively. Then she forces it to alter its signature to mimic a nearby squirrel in a tree. "Very good!" Katsuyu chimes. Sakura's stomach grumbles, causing her to groan when the hunger pains arise. She squeezes her eyes tighter to fight it off. A small grateful smile appears on her face when she feels the slug sending a soothing wave of chakra on her hand. "I'll be okay. I still have the ration packs just in case." She mumbles out. "I know. They'll be here soon." She observes her weary form, knowing that she's quite exhausted. Since her arrival, she suspects Sakura hasn't gotten proper rest. Plus with the lack of a proper meal in who knows long during the War, the child must be on the last stretch. The duo falls into silence as a cold breeze passes through the ivy curtains. *** "You've arrived." A/N: This chapter was a struggle but not as bad as Ch. 4. This one introduced a lot of characters and techniques that I had to make sure everything flowed nicely. Plus, I included their perspectives / reactions to the storm and figure out the details of the meeting.
Last chapter, I promised to bring Kakashi into this and I did, featuring Sakumo and the wolf pack! I took a few moments to research about Japanese Wolf Deities - inspired by Ch. 27 of "Daughters of Fire" written by justjstuff on AO3 because I liked their concept of integrating folklore to the Hatake Clan and Ninken Contract Scroll. So I Googled that and stumbled across a Weebly site about it: Raph Häussler (2016) Wolf & Mythology, retrieved from https://ralphhaussler.weebly.com/wolf-mythology-italy-greek-celtic-norse.html I based the pack's names on the statues and descriptions of what's mentioned in the site, which will be revealed soon. Plus, who can resist puppers and doggos?! Comforting Toddler! Kakashi?! Like, c'mon. It was interesting to read the folklore and looking at the wolves that closely resemble the deities - and you know what? Some of the Japanese Wolf species do resemble or share some physical traits to Foxes, which may explain why sometimes lore has both canines referred to as seasonal protectors: Foxes appear during the Harvest Time and ascend the mountains as Wolves in the winter. There's also a Wolf Deity Festival that happens in January...which coincidentally kinda fits with my plans for the story! (really wasn't expecting that!) Oh, and don't worry. I'm aware of the lack of continuity between certain events in the chapters thus far - please know that I intended for some of them to occur with reason. Happy readings! CHAPTER 6 HERE I COME! |
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September 2021
AuthorHi there! My name is Kristine and welcome to my website! |