Chapter 11 - ArcIiii 'Protect the Future' Chapter 2

I was spotted right away. But my journey wasn’t over yet- I had to run through four Tori gates that were on fire. The fifth one caught just as I started my run. I could hear the others encouraging me, and I could also hear warning for everyone to stay away.
My run ended as the ninth gate caught fire. It collapsed.

Shortly after that, so did I.
--

Sakura laid Ryouko and Uzume on the tables she had asked for, tending first to their obvious injuries. Smoke inhalation had been an issue with both, but Ryouko had kept his face covered, so it was less of an issue. He had passed out from exposure to the heat more than anything. Which was a blessing, really. If he had passed out any later, his adrenaline would have worn off, and he would have felt the effects of his heroism.

“He’s got burns on one-third of the left side of his upper body. Mostly his triceps and rib areas… Those are second degree burns. They’re going to hurt when he wakes up if I don’t treat them quickly.”

“And what about the girl? What’s her name? Uzuma? Uzu…something?”
Predictably, Naruto didn’t know the girl’s name.

“Uzume,” Sakura told him with strained patience. “And she didn’t suffer any burns, aside from a couple minor burns on his arms. She must have shielded her face. Her clothes kept the rest of her safe.”

“So she’ll make it?”
Sakura looked to the other table, surprised to see Ryouko’s (unfocused) hazel eyes staring at her hopefully.
--

“So she’ll make it?” After all that, I really hoped she would!

Sakura wiped her hands on a cloth that was blackened with soot. “Yes, she’ll be fine. But you’re not off the hook yet yourself. There’s still the matter of that weird scar on your arm.”

My arm? Huh? I turned my barbequed left arm over to find a white scar run down it from shoulder to wrist. It took me a moment, but I realized that that was where I had cut myself to get blood to flow so I could use that Water Wall Jutsu.

The fire seared it shut. Crude, but effective.

“It’s fine. Must have gotten cut somehow and the fire closed the wound. Lucky thing…”

Sakura could hear the borderline desperation in my voice. I guess she could understand that I couldn’t get close to her; but I doubt she knew why. It must have been hurting her feelings. But I just couldn’t bring myself to hurt myself. I’d already made so many sacrifices. I couldn’t do it anymore. It felt wrong and selfish to push her away; but at the same time it was for the best.

Sakura gave my arm a slight tap. In the time it took for me to wince with pain, she had healed the scar. She didn’t say anything else; she just went back to check on Uzume. Man, I felt like a jerk. But I still couldn’t bring myself to just tell her why things were like this between us.

I heard a sound next to me- Lady Uzume getting off the table. I found that I couldn’t move.

“Sorry for the suppressing jutsu I had to use on you. But it’s the only way to make this tolerable for you. Ryouko, you’ve reached the ‘Ten no Kishootsu’ state of power. But there is yet more room for you to grow. And I see a lot of trouble coming. Rather, I can assume, given what’s happened to you already. So, agree to come with me, quickly and quietly.

I gave her a look that said ‘yes’. She undid her jutsu, and I got up and followed her.
--

Inside the burn remains of the temple, Uzume had Ryouko pull his shirt off and sit in the middle of a summoning circle.

As she finished the circle, Uzume explained what was going on.
“You see, you haven’t learned to tap all of your chakra yet. It’s rare to obtain the ability, and it takes years- usually more than a lifetime. That’s why others find second sources of chakra. It’s also the reason it’s mentioned only to those with the potential to tap the full extent of their chakra.”

Ryouko shifted a little. “How will that help me? I don’t have a lifetime to get more powerful. The danger is here and now.”

“This jutsu is going to allow you to tap your latent power- at a cost. Don’t use this unless you become desperate. Desperate enough to save yourself from certain destruction. Those two out there…they need you.”

Ryouko sat still, not sure what was being done to him. He only felt a curious pulling sensation moving around his lower abdomen.
“Why? Is there trouble coming?”

Uzume shrugged. “I don’t know. You are particularly difficult to read.” She sighed and smiled. “But they’ll be sad if you die; even in defense of them. You don’t have it in you to make those two cry.”

Then she sagged, exhausted. Ryouko ran over to catch her as she toppled over. Holding her carefully, Ryouko checked Uzume’s pulse.

“I’m fine,” she said instantly. “This jutsu can only be performed once. The second time, the life of the caster is taken. This time, I’m only a bit fatigued. The fact that you can touch me despite my protections…it means you’re ‘safe’. And definitely the best thing for those children. Don’t let yourself be separated from them. I know you don’t have it in you to make them cry.”
-
-

I don’t have it in me to make them cry…

I let Naruto lead the way back to the village. I stayed quiet, bringing up the rear and trying to not seem too melancholy. Thankfully, after my ordeal, being tired was expected, so Sakura would likely chalk this lack of energy up to that.

Even now that I know what Lady Uzume did to me…I’m still not entirely sure how ‘desperate’ qualifies as ‘desperate enough’. And I still don’t know what it’ll do to me… Well, I can say with certainty I’ll likely find out against Azami. No matter what, I don’t want to leave with her by force. If I leave with her, I want it to be because I WANT to.

“Naruto, let’s head for Kekkou-Ji temple,” I piped up. “I should drop in on Asuna-chan once in a while, and I’m just about due. I can’t say I’m eager to face M’lady again anyway. I’m pretty sure I broke a rule or two back there.”

Putting it mildly. Letting someone else alter my body’s structure would REALLY piss M’lady off.

Then I realized just what Asuna-chan was going to do to me. Sakura was protective of me, but usually reserved physical abuse for Naruto. Asuna-chan had no such reservations when it came to me. There was no way she’d let this stupidity of mine, even if it ‘was’ bravery, pass without me feeling even more pain.

Friends, huh? Can’t say this is how I imagined it would be.

NEXT CHAPTER: ARC II: FIGHT!

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