Chapter 22: Chapter 22: Was I a mission?
Chapter 22
KARIN UZUMAKI
Sweat covered her face. Her hands were tied to the wall with chains. Karin was falling apart. She tried to move but the chains did not budge. She could feel her heat beat growing faster as panic began engulfing her. She thrashed around trying to escape the prison room she was held in.
She tried to shout, to call for help yet no words left her mouth. Saliva dripped down her chin. And then the door to the prison room opened and her eyes widened when she saw the face of the person walking in. Her thrashing increased as she saw the vile grin on his face.
She tried to thrash around, to move, to escape yet the sound of his steps heightened the feeling of defeat in her heart. She tried to remember her mother's face. Her smile, her cheer. Yet all that came to her mind were those lifeless eyes. In the despair, another face came to her mind, brown hair combed backward, and a bright smile. The light brown eyes stared at her and she tried to reach out.
Zosui, the person who had entered the room held her chin. Karin could see her fear reflected in his dark orbs. The man gave her a wicked smile before opening his mouth. Karin closed her eyes expecting the pain to come any second.
Yet the pain never came. The pain never came as she opened her eyes. She was sweating heavily and her breathing was uneven. Yet the chains were nowhere to be seen. And instead of a dark and desolate prison, she was in a small colorful room.
KNOCK.KNOCK.
Karin was startled as she heard the knock at her door.
"Karin-san. Are you awake? It is time for breakfast!"
And Karin remembered where she was. She was not in Kusa. She was in Konoha. She was safe. For now. After taking in a shaky breath, she replied.
"I am awake. I will be down in a minute," her voice a bit shaky.
"Ok," came the reply from behind the door.
And then there was silence once more. Karin's breathing evened as she got out of bed to get dressed. Her mind was still caught in the dark room, which would soon be her fate. It was only a week till the finals of the Chunin exams. After that, she would have to leave. Go back.
The thought made her tear up. Konoha had been more of a home to her than Kusa had ever been since her mother's demise. The people who worked at the shop, all knew Shinso-kun from the orphanage and were exceptionally nice to her. Nisa-san would tell her of all the times the children had messed up at the orphanage. Shinso-kun would come up every day and they would spend time talking, exploring, or just having a meal.
She got dressed and moved down the stairs. The restaurant had been a resounding success. Even in the morning it was almost completely filled with people. The unique dishes were a major hit. She moved into the kitchen.
"Soma-san, do you need any help?" she asked the young person holding a pan. Soma-san turned to look at her and gave her a bright smile.
"No. Karin-san there is no need. You should take a seat. I will bring you breakfast in a second."
And she just went and took an empty seat. She smiled as she saw the various people working in the kitchen. They were all smiling. Sometimes Karin wished for such a simple life. She had dreamt once of being a simple doctor, not a med-nin. A simple doctor roamed the nations as he healed the people of distant lands.
"Here is your breakfast." And Soma san placed a plate in front of her. It was a somewhat traditional breakfast with rice, eggs, and some leftover fish.
"Thank you, Soma-san," she thanked the chef who took something out of his pocket.
"No need of that Karin-san. But this came from the Hokage office for you."
And Karin frowned. The Hokage office? Why would a scroll come for her from the leader of Konoha?
She placed the scroll to the side and quickly finished her breakfast. After that, she cleaned her hands and opened the scroll. Her eyes slightly narrowing as she read the scroll.
She had been summoned by the leader of the village.
She placed the scroll down, eyes narrowed and a small frown on her forehead. Though despite her confused expression there was a slight pool of dread forming in her heart.
0000
HIRUZEN SARUTOBI
The leader of Konoha watched as perhaps the last pure-blooded Uzumaki stood in front of him. And a slight pang of regret filled his heart as he remembered the late Lady Mito. He remembered her sadness when Uzushio had been devastated, he recalled her despair growing as no Uzumaki entered these high walls for all those years after the attack. And now there was a chance. A chance at small redemption for Konoha.
"Karin from Kusa," we have received a message from Kusa for your early return. And he saw the girl's expression change from surprise to despair in a matter of seconds. He picked up the scroll from the table and handed it to her.
She took the scroll and began reading it. Resignation spread across her face as she read the letter. Hiruzen watcher her lower the scroll. And after a while, she spoke.
"When can I leave?" she asked. Konoha had to issue her a permit so she could pass the border. Hiruzen did not answer immediately as he observed her once more. He got up from his seat and he saw her eyes follow him. He moved towards the seating area at the side of the room and took a seat on a comfortable sofa.
"Come here genin Karin," he said in a loving tone and gestured to the seat in Infront of him. The genin was surprised but took the seat hesitantly.
"Do you know what this symbol means?" he asked pointing to the symbol present alongside the village's symbol.
The red-haired kunoichi looked up and her eyes widened as she noticed the symbol for the first time. Her hands shook as she recognized the symbol and after some time she answered in a small voice.
"It is the symbol of the Uzumaki clan." Her words were a little shaky. Hiruzen nodded and took out a picture from his book.
"Do you recognize the person in the picture?" The genin saw the picture. And after a while, she shook her head.
"This is the wife of our Shodaime Hokage, and her name was Mito Uzumaki." And he saw understanding dawn on her face.
"Uzu-Uzumaki, like my clan," she asked a little dazed.
Hiruzen nodded at that. And then he continued.
"Konoha was a long-standing ally of Uzushio, our ties older than the warring state era. During the Second Great war, the rest of the villages allied with each other just so they could break this alliance."
The little girl was now paying attention to his words. History was a part of Konoha's academy curriculum yet the rest of the nations had a very different education system and had their own version of the history that they liked to present.
"Their coalition was massive. They attacked Konoha but could not breach our defenses even if we struggled we were able to hold them off. Yet the same could not be said of our ally." He stopped at that. The girl's fists clenched at his words.
"Beware those, with blood on their heads," she spoke just barely audible.
So she knows about her heritage, Hiruzen thought.
"They were able to overwhelm the small island nation. Konoha tried to send aid. Yet their alliance left them with greater numbers and all teams sent were either killed or captured. Uzushio could not withstand the attack without aid and the consequences were dire."
It was said that for each Uzumaki dead they had killed at leat ten of their opponent's shinobi. The hardest hit had been Kirigakure, where they would coin a new term for the Uzumaki.
The Red Devils.
"The war lasted ten years, the last stand of Uzushio had left our opponent's forces spent. So, Konoha was able to push back, and peace had been made once more. A very brief peace, yet peace nonetheless." He continued speaking in a serious tone.
"Why are you telling me this Lord Hokage?" the red-haired genin asked Hiruzen took out a scroll from his pocket and after opening it placed it on the table.
Karin Uzumaki read the scroll and her eyes widened as she read the scroll. It was the scroll distributed among all of Konoha's allies after the war. It was to direct any Uzumaki to Konoha. It was a very desperate effort but something they had thought could work at the time. But, they had been wrong.
"Konoha has done an investigation into your circumstances." And the girls' eyes widened at that. Her posture changed as she tried to cover herself up as if trying to hide all those bite marks.
"And we would like to honor our pledges to our long-lost ally. Konoha would like to offer you help, should you seek it."
The girl had a complicated expression on her face. Defection was considered the greatest dishonor among the shinobi villages. For another village to make such an offer was sketchy and dishonorable, yet Hiruzen had thought about it for a long time. In the end, he decided to make an offer. The choice would rest with her.
The girl was eyeing him with distrust, her brows furrowed and her hands clenched. Various emotions and thoughts buzzed behind those red eyes.
She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. Hiruzen felt a foreign chakra spread throughout his office and his eyes widened slightly at that. It had been a long time since he had felt such a probe.
He stopped the ANBU from moving with a single gesture. The girl did not open her eyes for some time and silence permeated through the room. And then she opened her eyes and looked him straight in the eye and asked in a hesitating voice.
"How?"
0000
SHINSO KEN
I had been in the office of Shikaku Nara, the jounin commander. I was training at my usual place when an ANBU brought the summons and I rushed to meet the jounin commander. Then he had informed me of all the information regarding Karin's situation.
I was both elated and worried about this. This meant that there was hope for us. A chance for her to change her future, yet there was a cost, she would have to give up on becoming a ninja. And as Uzumaki were a shinobi clan she would need to have a relationship with a shinobi on active duty.
According to the jounin commander, there was a high chance that I could be that shinobi. Conflicting thoughts ran through me as I rushed towards the restaurant. I was rushing through the buildings as a ablur.
I entered the restaurant and saw Soma cleaning the table.
"Souma, do you know where Karin is?" I asked immediately. Soma was startled to see me rush in. He then pointed toward the top floor, and I immediately made my way up the stairs.
As, soon as I was on the second floor, I saw Karin sitting there, alone on a table looking out the window. My heart stopped as I saw her looking out the window, as the darkness marked the beginning of the night.
I slowed down, my steps measured as I moved towards her. She turned and looked at me. Without her glasses, her red irises shone brighter. Unlike the Sharingan's dark color. They were more radiant as she stared into my eyes. Her expression gave no indication of her thoughts.
She gave me a tight smile as I sat down on the seat opposite her. Both of us had not spoken a single word to the other. And after a long arching silence, she spoke the words I had been dreading to hear.
"Was any of it real?"
And my heart ached upon hearing those words. She did not let me say as she continued speaking in a very let down voice.
"Was I just a mission to you?"
0000
Fragile hearts in a cruel world. What will be the future for the Uzumaki princess. How will fate play its cards? Questions. Questions. Questions.
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