NOVEL NEXT 58: Future’s Foundations
Kana stared back at her reflection, fingers tracing curiously down the edges of her cheek. She idly noted that the skin was a bit squishier now.
But more notable was her lips; their corners were curved upwards slightly. A smile.
A small smile, to be sure, but when she completely relaxed her face, this was now the shape her lips formed. A smile...
Her eyes as well, they glimmered with a bit more light to them.
Despite the overall sharpness of her gaze, her eyes now held a calmer look - a look with some sense of ease to it. This too was a change from the last time she had peered at her reflection.
With just these slight changes, the impression Kana gave off - even to herself - was far different than the one she remembered from before her journey here. What exactly this impression was, Kana wasn't sure she could articulate, but the difference was still palpable.
These changes undoubtedly reflected the continuous feeling that now gently settled in Kana's heart.
She had come to think of it as a sense of peace. The joy of seeing light at the end of a long darkness. That image was one which Kana had grown to feel was ever more accurate for describing what she had gone through. Perhaps even literally, in some aspects.
These days when she was alone, Kana indulged in this feeling, reassured by it and the visible effects it was having on her.
Setting the handheld mirror aside on a nearby table, Kana flopped back onto the blankets and pillows of her usual room in the Yamakuni complex. She planned to stay here and try to rest her mind for a while.
Now more than ever, it was hard to know her own heart. There was so much to consider all the time, that it was again necessary to slow down and gather her bearings from time to time.
That was especially true regarding the new arrivals in her life. People whose own feelings toward her were of genuine concern. People she now recognized as relatives, family, or soon-to-be-family. What exactly that meant to her, again Kana could not truly understand, save that it wasn't a bad feeling.
After all, now she was Kana of the Senju Clan... but what exactly that change entailed was apparently a matter of much debate between the people who cared for Kana.
Such thoughts still felt so foreign, but the joy that accompanied them was certainly no lie. Even so, there was a lot of jittery anticipation building up within Kana.
This was partly because Dan and Tsunade had also recently held private conversations with Kana.
They primarily discussed their occupations as shinobi, explaining a bit about their abilities and what general knowledge shinobi possessed. This was all exciting and informative, but her appreciation waned a bit when the Konoha duo made insinuations about Kana's own capabilities.
This started gently, implying that they knew Kana had strength and ability unusual for her age. Then they laid out their observations and what they had heard from Kaoru, pressing into specifics. Did Kana ever notice being stronger than others, and when? Did small cuts or bruises heal faster? Where did she spent most of her time? When or where did she learn to outmatch adults? Had she ever received formal education or training?
Each question made Kana more and more nervous, but she extended some degree of truthfulness to her answers. Even someone with her fear and secrets couldn't resist the genuine looks of care in their eyes. Kana only felt capable of this much because of those looks.
Yet, although the budding beginnings of faith, hope, and confidence were growing in Kana's heart, they had yet to fully bloom into that powerful emotion called Trust.
So, she told them an honest but incomplete truth: that she indeed spent most of her time alone, isolated from much of the outside world. That she could only coherently remember being in the northwestern Land of Grass. That she had never been taught or trained, only figured things out for herself. That she only fought when people threatened her life. Many of the same details she had already relayed to Kaoru.
She said all of this and more, more than she ever had before, but Kana deliberately avoided mentioning anything to do with the ritual or cultists - save that they were responsible for her being alone.
Instead she mostly explained how she felt in her situation, and in the process retelling a summarized version her journey away from the warzone.
The answers she gave produced quite a few troubled reactions from the Konoha duo, but again Kana wasn't sure how to interpret their expressions. There seemed to be at least some degree of sympathy there though. A bit of warmth spread to Kana's heart when she realized that, a touching feeling.
Sympathy for her was still not something she understood well, but it was a feeling that she was growing to accept nonetheless.
At the time though, a somber Dan looked like he wanted to ask more, but teary Tsunade had gestured for him to stop - one of those gestures Kana had learned meant 'later'.
Well 'later' hadn't come yet, so whatever it was Dan had wanted to ask, Kana was left to worriedly guessing.
Those conversations and overhearing subsequent talks between the adults left Kana feeling quite rattled. It seemed her childhood, or rather lack thereof, had profoundly worried her prospective new relatives. And them being worried made Kana even more worried.
Still though, the possibility of having to explain the ritual or what she had truly experienced was far too terrifying, which compounded her anxiety further.
When she found herself stressed like this, pondering over the various questions and warnings she had discussed with the adults around her, Kana now explicitly made time to take her mind off it all. It was practically necessary so she wouldn't shiver with nervous tension.
She chose to bathe or rest on her bed mostly, really anything she knew that involved either softness or warmth. A new habit of relaxation which proved immensely helpful as everyone sought to figure out the best way to proceed.
Especially since all of the adults seemed to be under the impression that Kana could not hear their discussions echoing from down the hallways, leading her to overhear many worrisome topics.
In particular, Tsunade had initially wanted to set out and return to Konoha immediately, something which Kana herself, Kaoru, Fuzō, and even Dan had all expressed concerns about. Everyone seemed to have their own points to raise, to the extent where Kaoru, Dan, and Tsunade were holding regular discussions and arguments at length.
How to present Kana to the village, what would they tell others, where was she to stay - and in what capacity? How much should they disclose about the Yamakuni? What should they report about the combat incident here? Who could be trusted with Kana's identity, once it was uncovered? Even Fuzō, who lacked the stamina to keep up with these debates, apparently filtered some concerns through her mother.
Despite all the uncertainty, Kana had again felt touched that so many people were thinking so deeply about her future. Was... this what it truly meant to have people helping you? People looking out for your interests? Family...?
But still, the root of their initial urgency seemed to be a matter of sensitive timing, particularly related to Tsunade's responsibilities in Konoha and her duties during the war, which she was already shirking when she set out to rescue Dan. Other matters were thus set aside to discuss after they settled this most pressing one.
However, it was Dan himself who had proposed some brilliant delaying tactics to buy them more time. The man proved to have what Kana considered a very savvy understanding of his village's procedures and bureaucracy, pointing out several loopholes which they could apparently exploit without violating any rules.
Though it was fascinating to hear, Kana could do little more than listen and learn from what the adults were saying. She did so gladly. The context their words provided helped her know what to expect.
It seemed that Konoha was not so simple and united a place as it appeared, with many conflicting interests and considerations to manage. Especially considering Dan's mission was meant to refill war coffers, and that technically he was still assigned to this high-priority war mission.
The undercurrent of it all was that it would be extremely unwise to enter Kana into Konoha without thorough preparations. Something which the girl herself duly noted for her own safety.
Soon it was decided to send the rest of Tsunade's squad back to Konoha with a report - a journey that would take at least two or three days moving at top speed. That alone bought them a few more days to work with.
But the contents of their report discussed the discovery of an unknown hostile group operating on Konoha's least-defended border during wartime, the cultists who had assaulted Dan.
Both Konoha shinobi agreed that this would be sufficient excuse for them to stay and investigate for longer - and an excuse the village leaders would not easily criticize.
Thus the timing constraints were removed, reopening discussion of Kana's situation.
In the end, everyone agreed that it was best to meet with Lady Mito first - and discreetly at that - deciding what secrets to keep and what stories to tell only after hearing her opinion. Something which Kaoru and Tsunade had been particularly vehement about.
Kana was largely fine with that decision, but the idea of having to be on full guard for her entire stay in Konoha made her feel strangely tired again. Not tired in body, certainly, for she was as energetic as ever, but in a sort of emotional capacity. That was another motivation for rebuilding habits of meditation and relaxing.
Whether Kana wanted to or not, she doubted there was much else she could do for now.
But just what kind of influence did Uzumaki Mito wield, for both Kaoru and Tsunade to be so adamantly respectful of her?
When they held another private discussion, Tsunade explained it to Kana as thus, "My grandmother is the only one who knows both the secrets of the Senju and of the Uzumaki - both sides of your heritage. Considering what she's told me over the years and the things she's had to endure, our two clans have many foes to worry about. Without her insight, I'm not confident we could make the correct judgements regarding... certain troublesome decisions."
When asked what exactly those troublesome decisions were, Tsunade had only vaguely muttered something about "handling the old geezers" and "not crossing Lady Mito lightly" before promising that Kana needn't concern herself with it until later. Which was hardly very reassuring at all.
So, Kana resolved herself to keep her own secrets tightly guarded, the ones not already exposed anyway.
Forcing her way back up onto to her feet, Kana told herself to stop thinking about it all. She had come here to relax in the first place, and had woefully failed.
Perhaps it was time to head to the baths instead...
Tsunade let out a sigh as she leaned onto Dan's shoulder.
A chilly breeze wafted around, prompting them both to snuggle closer to each other. The two sat together on a wooden bench in one of the outside courtyards by the main baths.
A comfortable silence between them, they enjoyed each other's company in the peace away from the havoc of war. Dan's mission and Tsunade's emergency deployment... had resulted in an impromptu vacation of sorts for the two of them.
Though it was not as if they had no work to do, quite the opposite really. But they both deemed it a waste not to enjoy the facilities here while they could. Freshly out of a sauna, the two wrapped in bathrobes had decided to head outside for some fresh air, leading to their current position.
Grandmother was right, the hotsprings in the north truly were healing.
And healing was something both she and Dan craved after pondering the truly headache-inducing complexity that was the future of Senju Kana.
"I know what they'll say Dan, we both know it... but she's still a young girl. Even I can tell at a glance that she's been traumatized. There's no way we can involve her in war... not when there's so few of us left. Grandmother would never forgive it..." Tsunade whispered gloomily.
"I agree, if it was my niece I would never agree to it... not my sister's child. Never." Dan breathed firmly, a distant look in his eyes, "Your family is my family. I will never lose my family again - never let children be sacrifices for war."
Tsunade glanced up at Dan's eyes, her face flushed to match the adoration filling her heart. They met each other's gazes for a while longer, conveying their resolve in the silent moments.
Before long though, Dan spoke up again,
"To some extent, young Kana must've already known... before we had said anything, that her power is rare. I have a feeling I know why she hides her past so much, despite how obviously she did not wish to lie."
Tsunade grimaced slightly, the chill down her spine not caused by the cold wind.
"In my opinion, she's done well to hide it. It's smarter that way. How could she trust anyone with this? Not just the Senju's godly gift, but the Uzumaki's treasured sealing chains too... it's not something that could be conveyed in words. It's not merely a matter of trust."
The Konoha shinobi had been curious from the start how Kana, who ostensibly had no training in the ninja arts, had managed to defeat several armed adults. Autopsies revealed critical stab wounds, puncture wounds, and blunt force trauma. However, bruises on the necks of some victims... were shaped like the links of a chain.
Combine that with Dan's own testimony, and Kaoru's context about Kana's strong Uzumaki appearance...
Dan and Tsunade all but knew for sure by now... the girl possessed not one, but two kekkei genkai. That was an awe-inspiring statistical improbability by itself, but the bloodline traits in question were from two of the most powerful clans in the entire world.
"Dan, we have to do our absolute best if we're going to help her."
"I agree, but I think your grandmother... will know how to give us the best advantage. A second kekkei genkai is easier to hide than one..."
"Dan...?"
