Seven Colours (Naruto)

[Planeshunter]

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020 - On blackmail and plans for the future​

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And, like that, it was already time to get back to the Academy, where another uneventful year of being magnanimously patient with the dumb flies that called themselves my classmates would take place.

Oh, wait, Mother said she'd put a stop to that, so… a full year of downplaying my skills again? Man it's been a long time! Looking forward to it!

Only, in spite of our new social statue of non-pariah-ness, Karin became quieter shortly into the year. Apparently Uzumama hasn't been feeling too well lately. I really hope she gets better soon, Mother is a lot more approachable when she has an actual friend to spend time with.

Anyway, it was cool to be left the fuck alone again. Even if Karin wasn't really in the mood to enjoy it. And my stupid Shimada blood still didn't let me take it easy. It seems like I'll have to find more advanced classes to keep myself busy with while—

"Shimada!" Narutaki-sensei calls, after taking a look at a note brought by a chunin I've never seen before. "The higher-ups want a word with you. He's here to escort you there."

I'll admit to blinking a couple of times, in utter confusion. The 'higher-ups'? Did I do anything lately to piss off the Principal? Because I can't remember gouging any eyes lately. Maybe the Haizuki decided whatever warning Mother gave them wasn't worth their attention and they pulled something with the Council? Ugh, stubborn idiots, they won't be missed when Mother goes on a rampage, but that can only mean trouble for everyone involved.

Then I realize everyone is waiting for my answer.

"Sure." I speak up, feeling my cheeks heat up a little. "Let's go."

As suspected, I wasn't guided to the Principal's office, but simply led outside and then, without so much as by your leave, the chunin put a hand on my shoulder and [Shunshin]'d me away. I was about to make a snide comment about rudeness when I noticed where I was.

"These." I started slowly. "Are not the Council's offices."

"You got that right, squirt." My rude guide snorts. "Now be a good girl and wait patiently until you're called in. I'm sure a fourth year like you knows how to be on their best behaviour. But it's your funeral otherwise, I've done my job."

With that, he [Shunshin]'d away. And I sat down in front of the nice lady that didn't even look once my way. And waited for an hour while being on my best behaviour until I was called in. Because when the Boss Dude wants to speak with you, you go see him, no questions asked.

… The Boss Dude is Kusa's leader. He does have an official title, but it's kind of a tongue twister, so in my mind I call him Boss Dude.

Now if only I knew what he wanted with me… Even after I was finally let in, Boss Dude ignored me and my greetings and kept writing away some scroll or another for a good five minutes. Grandstanding and power plays, trying to make me nervous and intimidate me into compliance even before the conversion proper would start.

Not good circumstances for my first meeting with my nominal head honcho, but I was less affected by the theatrics than by the fact he felt theatrics needed in the first place. What, exactly, is he expecting to gain from this?

"Shimada Ran." He finally breaks the silence, eyes still on the scroll. "Only heir of the Shimada clan and shoe-in for the rookie of the year position, in spite of the heavy investment of the Haizuki clan to promote their own geniuses."

"What can I say?" Boss Dude's words may be ones of praise, but his tone most definitely isn't, and I still have no idea what's his angle. "Ryūzetsu is good, and Muku is a freaking monster. But somehow I managed to score higher once or twice."

"What can you say?" He finally deigns to look at her, his face the picture of unamusement. "Maybe you can provide an explanation for why all your teachers claim you're blatantly holding back this year. If things keep up like this, you'll fall back into the middle ratings."

"Uh..." Honestly, I never expected to be called on my bullshit so directly. Aren't shinobi supposed to be all about subtlety? "I don't want to become too well known? An unremarkable graduation means I won't catch attention. That's even assuming I'll go for a shinobi career after all. I'm still a bit iffy about that."

"For that strategy to work, the shinobi in question needs to be as close to a total non-entity from birth as possible. You were born into notoriety, and have been making waves ever since you started the Academy. If there was ever a chance for anonymity, that ship has long sailed"

"Well I still don't know if I want to be a shinobi, making too many waves will suck if I want to open a travelling ramen stand. Everyone would just assume I'm a spy. And then the Kusa-AMBU would have to extract me to keep up the charade."

"For the last time, there is no Kusa-AMBU!"

"Sure." I agree easily. "And if there was you wouldn't admit it anyway."

He sends me a Look I have no trouble deciphering. 'You're going to keep doing whatever you want no matter what I say, right?' He's the Boss Dude for something, he knows his shit.

I smile at him innocently, as if butter wouldn't melt in my mouth. 'Totes'. He takes a deep breath and pulls some files from a drawer.

"Did you know all Uzumaki are technically wanted fugitives by three different major villages?" The smile is wiped from my face at the non-sequitur, it doesn't take a prodigy to realize where that's going. "As a mainly neutral power, standard procedure dictates we surrender them to either Kiri, Iwa or Kumo. Then we can claim their bounty and be in our merry way without getting into trouble with people who can obliterate our whole village. Like they did with Uzu."

"And yet Karin has been my classmate for two years now." Because what the Boss Dude just spewed is a stinky pile of bullshit, anyone unscrupulous enough to 'acquire' an Uzumaki will fight tooth and nail to keep them. And that includes Kusa.

"We made a deal with one Uzumaki Kurisu, when they first arrived in the village." Wait, what? That's news to me. "She used her very rare and valuable medical bloodline limit to keep our village as healthy as possible and, in return, we take her family in."

Damn, so that's why…

"Unfortunately, she can no longer hold her part of the bargain. Considering that, after heroically saving the lives of a non-negligible number of our forces all through the last week… She passed away from physical exhaustion as of twelve hours ago."

His words feel like a bucket of ice water. Suddenly I feel myself unable to react, struggling to breathe, and holding back the urge to break into shivers. Whatever amusement I felt at this situation is completely and utterly erased.

"Shimada?"

"... Would you mind repeating that?" By some miracle, my voice comes out neutral.

"Uzumaki Kurisu passed away twelve hours ago, leaving an orphan daughter as a charge of the village."

Damnit Karin! Why am I just hearing of this now? When I get to you I swear I'll—! I'll… Hug that fixation you have with bottling up your troubles out of you! Aren't we friends? Why don't you tell me these things?

… Should I have noticed by myself? I mean, she's been downtrodden for a while and she did mention Uzumama wasn't feeling well, but I never connected the dots. Am I... a bad friend?

"Do you have any idea how much the Academy has bent backwards to accommodate you?" Boss Dude presses on. "Dropping advanced classes to remain with a friend' isn't something usually accepted. But we did it for you, because you were an investment. And now we find ourselves in a situation where two different investments conflict. Which one we incline towards hands on your dedication to the village."

"We will…" As I'm saying it, I know it's not going to fly. But I have to try, damnit. "The Shimada will take Karin in."

"You are aware I have the final say in that sort of matters, don't you?" He asks with an arched brow. "For the good of the village, I can and will ensure the Uzumaki of Kusa keep their end of the bargain"

TLDR: Shimada are remarkably hard to control, but I have you by the balls. Cooperate and no Uzumaki has to suffer a fate worse than death by my hand.

"You are excused from the Academy for the rest of the day. Go home and think about you future."

---

I leave the building in a daze, the surprise and the sudden realization that my future is not in my hands -as if there was any doubt I'll take their rotten deal- doing a good job at freezing my mind. During the walk though, astonishment and incredulity make way to seething anger.

Fuck fuck fuckity fuck!! Who does the Boss Dude think he is, thus threatening my precious? Does he want a Kusagakure-shaped burn mark on the world maps? Is that what he wants? Because I will be happy to oblique!

I'll rip his legs and use them to break his arms! I'll feed him his own eyes and strangle him with his own guts! Then I'll make a soup bowl with his skull and use it to drink his own blood on the burning ashes of this shitty place! I'll show him for the good of the village!!

… Once I'm strong enough to pull it off. Which might take years. And by then nobody will give us back our lost youth. So there will be no point. The anger cools the heck back down in a snap.

Crap. Think, Ran, think. If you can't beat them, and you don't wanna join them, and for once you're actually not sure which side Mother would pick… what do you do?

Getting even is… delayable. Optional, actually. Now that the seething anger has passed I think the things going through my mind where a teensy little bit… dare I say disproportionate? Pointless at the very least. I don't want to burn down Kusa, it's where I keep my stuff.

The important thing is keeping Karin untouchable, while making sure the cost for said untouchableness isn't a Sword of Damocles over me. So, how to go about that in a way that does —

Maybe...

Okay… Okay. Yes, I have an idea. An insanely complex and absolutely crazy idea that'll take a lot of work and low-key mindfuckery. First I need a specialty. A very flashy and obvious specialty that'll allow me to make a name for myself fast. I have five elemental non-affinities, I'm sure I can whip something together.

Would be easier with access to Kage Bunshin to replicate Hiruzen's Ultimate Jutsu from the Ninja Storm games, but I'll make do.

Then I need a hidden specialty. Something the smart ones will know to look for beyond all my flashy jutsu. Preferable something that justifies hours of isolation in a secluded space where nothing remains behind after I leave. Ideally it would be seals, since that plays into what's already known of me but that gives me no excuse for isolation.

… Waitaminute. What's better than spamming explosive tags to crush the enemy? Remote-triggered storage seals filled with chemical explosives! Chemistry is so much easier to personalize than seals, I could pretty much have an explosive for each situation. It also plays on my known interests, so it'll surprise people, they'll arch their brows and think 'how creative' and then go on with their lives without sparing a second thought.

Once I have all that into place, I can start working on my reputation… and in mastering a completely different discipline I'll show to absolutely no one. Because my plan is stupid reckless, overly elaborate and relies in both absolute secrecy and an Uzumaki's protectiveness towards family.

I know I can count on one of those, the other is up to my own efforts.

I'm also kicking Karin's training up a notch. Remember when I said no friend of mine would be bear fodder? I meant it.

A bit more confident about my chances, if not looking forward to the near future, I walk the rest of the way home. When I get in though, there's a surprise waiting. Mother is sitting at the table, waiting for me, in front of two cups.

Two cups holding something a bit stronger than tea.

Spoiler: A/N

Surprise! I'm back! Updates might be a bits slower than before, at least for a while. QMing is a time hog, especially the first updates.

So! The dirty and ugly has finally splashed Ran directly, and it's touched some sensitive triggers of hers. To make it worse, in this one circumstance she doesn't know which side Mother will take, because it's the freakin village against her. And Mother is 'a flawless ninja'. That means loyalty to the village, so yeah.

Of course, she's unhappy so she counterplots. There are things hinted there I don't expect anyone to figure out, but hopefully you'll remember this scene when they come into play later on.

 

[nyktós]

her taking things seriously and becoming terrifying.. isn't that kind of what the Boss Dide wants?

 

[demonitter]

For a ninja to actually "die of physical exhaustion" is pretty much impossible, our choices are suicide and murder. I hope your Kusa is not so dumb as to actually kill a Uzumaki super-healer and thus it HAS to be suicide or a 3rd party.

Her suicide was forshadowed in that interlude after all .

 

[EternitynChaos]

...So, the Village Leader is apparently an idiot, who is setting up his own future assassination, because god damn it that was the last thing you want to do with someone setup like our MC is, sure, she's going to become an amazing ninja now, she's also 95% likely to end up torching the Village to the ground as soon as she can convince her mother to go along with it, or her mother passes away, and then go a live a happy live with her Waifu, killing everyone and everything that looks at them sideways

 

[LurkingInTheDeceit]

Fuck fuck fuckity fuck!! Who does the Boss Dude think he is, thus threatening my precious? Does he want a Kusagakure-shaped burn mark on the world maps? Is that what he wants? Because I will be happy to oblique!

I'll rip his legs and use them to break his arms! I'll feed him his own eyes and strangle him with his own guts! Then I'll make a soup bowl with his skull and use it to drink his own blood on the burning ashes of this shitty place! I'll show him for the good of the village!!

Click to shrink...

Mirrors my own reaction at this worm daring to threaten Karin perfectly, if the scum that inhabit this village get in the way of his extermination... well sacrifices must be made. Sometimes you have to burn the infestation out by its roots, until everything that could threaten precious learns to cower. Blood may be thicker than water, but mother would do well to Stay out of the way*cough*

*clears throat* Right, err, I wonder what this convoluted plan could be

 

[nquddus]

Maybe we'll finally get some clarification on Mother's actual powerlevels, influence, and capabilities from the coming disucssion.

 

[Grinningmadhatter1]

I mean to be fair to the Kusakage, having some random prodigal academy student fuck around with classes, take out somebodies eye etc woiod be a pretty good reason to sit them down and tell them to take it seriously or fuck off and stop wasting village resources

 

[Planeshunter]

her taking things seriously and becoming terrifying.. isn't that kind of what the Boss Dide wants?

Click to shrink...

...So, the Village Leader is apparently an idiot, who is setting up his own future assassination, because god damn it that was the last thing you want to do with someone setup like our MC is, sure, she's going to become an amazing ninja now, she's also 95% likely to end up torching the Village to the ground as soon as she can convince her mother to go along with it, or her mother passes away, and then go a live a happy live with her Waifu, killing everyone and everything that looks at them sideways

Click to shrink...

I'm planning a Boss Dude interlude for right after graduation, that should throw some light on his thoughts.

*clears throat* Right, err, I wonder what this convoluted plan could be

Click to shrink...

Now that would be telling~

Maybe we'll finally get some clarification on Mother's actual powerlevels, influence, and capabilities from the coming disucssion.

Click to shrink...

Mother does have some important things to say, but I wouldn't hold my breath.

I mean to be fair to the Kusakage, having some random prodigal academy student fuck around with classes, take out somebodies eye etc woiod be a pretty good reason to sit them down and tell them to take it seriously or fuck off and stop wasting village resources

Click to shrink...

That's a completelly valid point. Good to see someone playing the devil's advocate

 

[Amazon Climber]

For a ninja to actually "die of physical exhaustion" is pretty much impossible, our choices are suicide and murder. I hope your Kusa is not so dumb as to actually kill a Uzumaki super-healer and thus it HAS to be suicide or a 3rd party.

Her suicide was forshadowed in that interlude after all .

Click to shrink...

I must have misread that; I thought she caught the same kind of Ninja Cancer Itachi was dying of.

 

[R.A.G.]

So her plan is to appear to be going with The Plan put forth by her kusabossguy, while secretly getting good enough at medical jutsu and/or disguise so that when the chuunin exams roll around she can fake her and/or Karin's death and get them into Konoha via Naruto backing them as an Uzumaki?

 

[alethiophile]

For a ninja to actually "die of physical exhaustion" is pretty much impossible, our choices are suicide and murder. I hope your Kusa is not so dumb as to actually kill a Uzumaki super-healer and thus it HAS to be suicide or a 3rd party.

Click to shrink...

My interpretation was that the Uzumaki healing bloodline drained the vitality of the user/victim, so plain overuse of her healing could have killed her (in a way that seemed justifiable to Kusa) such that it looked like "physical exhaustion".

 

[Kazorh]

For a ninja to actually "die of physical exhaustion" is pretty much impossible, our choices are suicide and murder. I hope your Kusa is not so dumb as to actually kill a Uzumaki super-healer and thus it HAS to be suicide or a 3rd party.

Her suicide was forshadowed in that interlude after all .

Click to shrink...

...What are you even talking about?

Healing people takes chakra. Chakra uses up your spiritual and physical energy. Therefore, using chakra too much will leave you knocked out and bedridden at best (like Kakashi against Zabuza) or dead at worst (like Kakashi against Pain).

It's also pretty clear during the interlude that overdrawing on her body for too long has lead to long term health problems (or exacerbated the health problems she had from childhood). She didn't say "I want to die", she said "I am dying", after all.

There were hurt people, she was tired, she decided to heal them anyway, her heart (or something else) gave out. Death by overwork.

I mean, sure, she was suicidal in the sense that she knew what she was doing would do her in eventually and decided not to stop, but the village isn't lying to cover up that she slit her throat or anything. She really did die of physical exhaustion.

 

[Jacobs lash]

her taking things seriously and becoming terrifying.. isn't that kind of what the Boss Dide wants?

Click to shrink...

Up until she kills him and most of Kusa's nin to become a travelling Ba like Sasuke.

So her plan is to appear to be going with The Plan put forth by her kusabossguy, while secretly getting good enough at medical jutsu and/or disguise so that when the chuunin exams roll around she can fake her and/or Karin's death and get them into Konoha via Naruto backing them as an Uzumaki?

Click to shrink...

Konoha would use the Yamaka"s jutsu on them.
Them Danzo will have access to her, and future knowledge and that's assuming Zetsu isn't spying on Danzo, or the intermediaries.

If she improves her chakra control she should be able to make a rasengan, and other jutsu. Maybe a bijju-bomb variant when she older with or without the help of Karin. As it needs dense chakra like the Uzumakis. If she goes the ninjutsu route.

 

[Planeshunter]

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021 - On precious people and obsessive behaviour (My priorities to a T)​

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I sat at the table and picked my cup without a word. Playing with the liquid inside, I wondered how to start. Didn't take me long to realize it was obvious and down the cup. It burnt all the way down, but I held it in. Maybe it's the first time Ran's body has alcohol, but it isn't my first rodeo, you know?

Mother looked vaguely impressed when I put the cup down without so much as a twitch. Then she served me a refill.

"You knew about Karin's mom." There's no question, no accusation. A part of me wantes to. To rave and break things, and to yell at her. But this is Mother, so I'll just listen to what she has to say.

"I did."

"...Why didn't you do anything?" My cup is refilled again.

For the longest of times, she doesn't answer. Once, I would've assumed the conversation was over, but by I now recognise the pattern. She's just putting her thoughts in order.

"… Have you heard of the superman's dilemma?" She asks after taking a sip from her own cup.

Well, that came out of the left field… As far as I know, 'Superman's dilemma' is a term that can actually be applied to two different problems, and I guess Mother as super or more than any pajama wearing caped good samaritan.

One of them contemplates a superman who can save anyone, but not everyone. How does he pick who will be saved? Because no matter what criteria the superman follows, choosing who will be saved is no different from choosing who will die.

Does he have any right to do that? But everything gets worse if he doesn't, so he has to. I guess you could call this one the Kiritsugu Dilemma1​, if you want to be cute. I take a sip from my cup.

The other dilemma asks, assuming he could solve all troubles, whether he should or not. People need a certain level of struggle in their lives to develop as individuals. If they never have to worry about anything, they'll remain children until they die of old age.

You could call this one the Axiom Dilemma2​, I guess. I take another sip.

… Now that I think about it, there's a third Superman dilemma. If he can save anyone, and in this world there is always someone in need for saving, when does the superman take a break? When does he do things other than save people, when doing so means people go without saving?

I'll call this one the Panacea Dilemma3​. Mother refills my cup.

"I have heard of more than one." I finally answer. "But I don't see how they apply to you, Mother. You don't care about saving everyone, so you can pick those you want to save, and take breaks as required. And I know better than anyone you won't let those you care for grow fat and soft. Your love is the living example of tough love."

Did I really say the 'L' word? … It must be all the sake. I take another ship.

"So you do know three of them, impressive." Is it suddenly hot in here, or is it the alcohol? I take another sip. "There's a fourth dilemma that fits the name. What does the superman do when the person who needs saving refuses to accept it? Should he accept their wishes or save them against their will?"

Ah, now I get it.

"Freedom of choice?" I ask.

"Self-determination is the core of my beliefs." She nods, taking a sip of her own. "I will never take that away from those I love." Damn, even she's throwing that word around. It's definitely the sake.

"Even if that was the right thing to do?" I refill her cup.

"What does 'right' mean, Ran?" She immediately empties it, and I refill it again. "Any sufficiently powerful individual must be, by necessity, removed from common morality. Because trying to follow rules made for other people will only cause trouble. What we call morality is a system that only works amongst reasonably equal individuals4​. What's right is what I can live with, and taking away your choices isn't."

There's a lot of deep and complicated stuff being said, but that last sentence is one I can get behind no questions asked. What's right is what I can live with, simple and easy. Knowing what you'll be able to live with on the spot might be a bit harder in practice, though.

"By the time I met Kurisu," She continues. "she was an empty woman, beaten and broken by life, and pushing herself forwards only because of her love for Karin. I did my best to make her happy but, once she realized her daughter was in good hands, it was only a matter of time. So I'll hurt, I'll endure, and I'll know I did the right thing." She empties her cup, and I refill. "At least she died smiling."

And I understand, I truly do. Mother is the way Mother is, and not even being flawless saves you from, sometimes, being faced with impossible choices.

But I'm not Mother. I'm prodigious, but not flawless, I'm allowed to be selfish. And Karin isn't Uzumama. She'll have a future if that's the last thing I do. I have my plans. They aren't super fun, in fact are the opposite of super fun, but they're there. It won't be easy, I'll regret taking this course of action more than once and being this extreme is most likely me overreacting, but I'm already committed so screw that. We'll see through all this bullshit.

I grab a new bottle and drink straight from there until it's empty. Mother tries to look disapproving, but there's an amused smirk in her lips ruining her act.

I am… an obsessive person. I had a vague awareness about that fact going as far back as my past life, but during the last two years of academy I've had enough time to realize how bizarre my personal insanity is. Probably my new genetics didn't help much here.

Stupid Shimada blood.

That's when I notice the tower of sake bottles piling up besides us. How much, exactly, did we drink?

No matter, my plan always in mind, I immediately dive into my new schedule.

(1) After Emiya Kiritsugu, from Fate/Zero
(2) After the spacecraft Axiom, from WALL-E. Laugh all you want, I loved that movie
(3) After Amy Dallon, from Worm.
(4) This set of beliefs around morality might become relevant in future stories of mine. I have at least one main character that wields that philosophy like a blunt weapon.

---

Okay, maybe not immediately. I have something to do first.

Today was a bit of a special day in the Academy, you see. While I missed it due to… you know, being summoned by Boss Dude to be blackmailed, there were special events going all the way to the evening. First day officially working with chakra, need to make sure nobody will blow their own heads up or something. Kind of a big deal. It was even true for the clanless kids.

What an amazing coincidence it was planned for today, right? Right, I don't believe in coincidences either, but this works in my favour. It means Karin is only just leaving when I finally drag my ass back to the Academy.

"Ran-san?" She greets me as soon as I step into view. "What was that about? Are you alright?"

"No I ain't." I grumble. "Som'one forgot to tell me important things, and Imma terrible friend, so I didn't notice."

"It's not your fault!" She hurries to protest. Good, at least she knows what she's done. "I just, um.. Didn't want to..." Then she cuts herself with a squeak, because I trap her in a bear hug. I'm gonna to cuddle the sad out of her if is the last thing I do.

"Didn't wanna to worry me?" I ask softly into her ear, she nods without a word. "A whole lot of piss that did. Ev'ry time you keep som'thing like this from me, feels like you dun trust me. ...It hurts."

"N— No! That's not it!" She protests, pulling back to look me in the eye. Sweet Madoka but her eyes are beautiful. "I'll never want that!"

"Then you hafta stop bottelling up everything, Karin." Then I pause, because there's something I always ass-u-me'd but never asked. And it's kinda important. "We're friends, right?"

"Are you… drunk?" Darnit, that wasn't what I wanted to hear.

"Maybe I am, maybe I am not. I came straight right here from a hash... negotation." I keep piling up my debts with Mother, and I still have no idea how to even start paying them off. "Speaking of that, we hafta go pick your things, yer now a Shimada ward and will be living home with us."

Spoiler: A/N

And that's half-drunk Ran for you. Wanted to keep writing the rest of the evening, but the narrative kinda stalled there. Next chapter will start with her waking up the day after and remembering things.[/spoiler.]

 

[RyubosJ]

I keep piling up my debts with Mother,

Click to shrink...

Dear, your mother isn't counting.... Or well she is, but only cause she knows you are and keeping track is just sensible.

Also what was Ran's third birthday present for her mother?

 

[Creed]

Hmm maybe now that Ran is taking things moderately serious she will earn that "obliviously overpowered" tag lol.

Am I the only one who thinks it's extremely difficult to be overpowered in naruto when you have the likes of Madara dropping meteors on people like it's nothing as the endgame(unless Ran somehow stops it before it gets to that point)?

 

[Grimmouse197]

The superman's dilemma. .....that's a modern term.....is she a reincarnation too?

 

[demonitter]

Hmm maybe now that Ran is taking things moderately serious she will earn that "obliviously overpowered" tag lol.

Am I the only one who thinks it's extremely difficult to be overpowered in naruto when you have the likes of Madara dropping meteors on people like it's nothing as the endgame(unless Ran somehow stops it before it gets to that point)?

Click to shrink...

Is dropping a meteor overpowered? It sure LOOKS impressive, but how a random Bijuudama should be a bigger danger to any specific idividual or thing, they even stopped a meteor from doing any damage before Madara dropped another one, unlike a big demon ball that just explodes and wipes out the village around the defending Kage.

Its that funny thing from Dragonall Z and onwards where the ki blasts and punches are all planet shatteringly strong to deal any damage to the opposition but only do small explosions, beams are aimed up and so on. The power of a magical superpower boom is not generally related to the size of the explosion, unlike in real life where there is a strong correlation with the two.

Kaguya even has her cheat superpoison/disintegration nails? stakes?

 

[One-who-reads]

"By the time I met Kurisu," She continues. "she was an empty woman, beaten and broken by life, and pushing herself forwards only because of her love for Karin. I did my best to make her happy but, once she realized her daughter was in good hands, it was only a matter of time. So I'll hurt, I'll andure, and I'll know I did the right thing." She empties her cup, and I refill. "At least she died smiling."

Click to shrink...

Endure

Great chapter. It's hilarious that getting drunk pulls her out of her own head. So she can act like a normal human being, she just needs to get drunk first.

 

[Planeshunter]

Also what was Ran's third birthday present for her mother?

Click to shrink...

Slippers, warm and fluffy, peach colored slippers. She got a matching pair gifted back for her own birthday.

Hmm maybe now that Ran is taking things moderately serious she will earn that "obliviously overpowered" tag lol.

Am I the only one who thinks it's extremely difficult to be overpowered in naruto when you have the likes of Madara dropping meteors on people like it's nothing as the endgame(unless Ran somehow stops it before it gets to that point)?

Click to shrink...

It's not so much about comparing her with her setting, but with her peers. Ryūzetsu is very capable, Muku is considered the prodigy of a century, and she mopped the floor with one and walked out uninjured from a 'technically a draw' match with Muku when he broke various bones. That's before her first summer with Mother. Afterwards she could catch adult shinobi sneaking around the village.

We mainly get her PoV, so how absurd her feats are isn't really emphasized.

About comparing her with Madara... well, look me at the eye and tell me he isn't overpowered too

EDIT: it wasn't 'technically a draw', she forfeited. Mixed things up with an earlier outline.

The superman's dilemma. .....that's a modern term.....is she a reincarnation too?

Click to shrink...

The tern is modern but the way she phrased it isn't. Make of that what you will.

Endure

Click to shrink...

Fixed, thanks for the heads-up

 

[alethiophile]

That was really good.

Also, half-drunk Ran is cute.

 

[RyubosJ]

Slippers, warm and fluffy, peach colored slippers. She got a matching pair gifted back for her own birthday.

Click to shrink...

Not labeled #1 mum? Poor women, think she had a moment where she decided to step it up over the next year?

 

[Planeshunter]

Not labeled #1 mum? Poor women, think she had a moment where she decided to step it up over the next year?

Click to shrink...

I doubt I'll find a way to get this in story, so I might as well just tell you guys here.

Ran is self-conscious about giving out praise. She feels words are too cheap to truly mean something and that she's just sucking up to someone when she praises them, specially when those words become routine.

Telling Mother she's the best mom in the world once, through a gift that took a lot of work, is one thing. Doing the same year after year would feel fake to her. In fact, the soup bowl happened only because Mother was being ridiculous about the mug.

Not sure if this counts as 'cute' or 'uncute' of her, to be honest...

 

[LuridThrone]

Not sure if this counts as 'cute' or 'uncute' of her, to be honest...

Click to shrink...

Cute, in a grumpy Pug dog sorta way.

 

[Planeshunter]

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022 - On getting drunk and waking up with a pretty girl (Never thought it'd happen to me!)

---

​

I wake up groggily, feeling slightly sick, utterly disoriented and somehow incredibly warm and comfy. My first impulse is to bury myself deeper in my futon and enjoy the feeling, so that's what I do. Cuddling closer to the soft body besides me, I let out a satisfied sigh as it softly moans and do my bes—

Cue screeching vinyl player.

Body going tense as my mind brutally and suddenly clears, I reach with my senses to try and figure out what's going on. The first thing I recognise is Karin's smell, which is consistent with the size of the body in my arms, and the texture of the hair on my face. Okay, that's… that's good, I think? At least it's not bad. Forcing my locked up muscles to relax again, I try to figure out what the hell is going on.

I'm sharing futon with Karin. I slept with Karin! We're both wearing our pajamas, which is both a relief and a disappointment. Because puberty, yeah. But I still slept with Karin! Who so happens to be my best friend. Who is feeling like shit because her mother just died. So she's vulnerable and in need for affection. And as far as I know, isn't even physiologically ready for… the fun stuff.

Yeah, cool your jets, Ran. That's your friend you're platonically sleeping with. It means nothing. Except that she's the most huggable creature this side of a Kuriboh and there's nobody in the world she'd rather hug than you.

Damn, romantic or platonic, that's a heady feeling.

… And so not the point, Ran! Time to stop perving on your best friend and figure out how you ended up in this rather enviable position to begin with. I remember being blackmailed by the Boss Dude and getting back home in a rage, where Mother was waiting for me and… we had a… philosophical discussion? Yeah, I think that's what it was.

A philosophical discussion mixed with lots and lots of alcohol. Mother because she was obviously grieving in her own special way, and me because… well, I was monumentally pissed off, and had to distract myself somehow. I vaguely remember getting a promise out of her to get Karin's custody, which would explain why she's here but…

Hey, cut me some slack, it was the first time I drank, and we emptied the damn cellar. In fact, I have the distinct impression I should be dead to the world, feeling like any loud noise is a jackhammer on my brain and the faintest brightness burning my eyes and not… 'Slightly sick'

Can't even get properly hungov— wait, that's a good thing. You win this time, stupid Shimada blood.

And I still don't remember how we ended up like this. I think I went to pick up Karin after consuming enough alcohol to kill your average white whale, then we… went to her home to get her things? Oh, yeah. I kind of remember being surprised when we didn't end up in that dingy apartment that was her first home in Kusa.

Apparently they were offered a decent living space sometime later and they moved. How weird it is that I never visited? But with Karin spending most of the day with me and Uzumama always coming to pick her up, I guess the chance never came.

In any case I helped her pack and seal up everything. Fortunately I wasn't quite drunk enough to offer drawing up my own storage seals on the fly for that. Carelessly drawn seals are trouble. Things still tend to come out explode-y from them. And in random directions. And in random states of integrity.

Truly, a poorly drawn seal is one of the most dangerous weapons in this world. Unfortunately, they're an unpredictable and aggressively indiscriminate weapon.

By the time we arrived back home, I was starting to crash down, and Karin's mood wasn't exactly in a good place either, so I made the laziest omelet rolls I've cooked in my life and we went to bed without unpacking anything. Karin made some feeble attempts at getting her own futon, but I was having nothing of that.

I had a promise to keep, and hugs and cuddles were part of it. When she starts waking up, I put my own frustrations away and get my best smile ready. Making sure she doesn't dwell on sad things too much is another part or it, after all.

"Wakey wakey, sleepy head!"

"Uh, Ran-san?" She blinks a couple of times, making a fair impression of an owl. "What are you doing… oh."

"Oh, indeed! Hey, I wasn't on top of my game yesterday, so in case I didn't do it then, let me welcome you to the Shimada household! You already know where everything is, but now you live here." That gets a giggle out of her, and I take the chance to slip out of the futon before she realizes what position we were in and gets all weird. "And without further ado, let's get our morning workout out of the way! There are some paired exercises I never had the chance to try out before!"

"Morning… workout?"

"Wait, you never did light training in the morning?" When she shakes her head I almost stumble, but I recover quickly. "Well, that's not going to fly in Chateau Shimada, I'm afraid. Up you go, the yard awaits, and after we tire ourselves out the delicious breakfasts will be even deliciouser!" There are people who don't work out in the mornings? The more one knows…

"Ran-san?" I pause to look back at her, already halfway to the door. "Will it be 'light training' or 'light training'."

"Clever girl." Then I send a wink her way and keep walking out. "Mother is King in this home, take your guess~"

As the door closes behind me, I have to hold back a chuckle at her dismayed groan. Then a burst of uncertainty takes my good mood away. Did I overdo the bubbliness? I hope I didn't overdo the bubbliness. I want her too distracted to feel blue, not wondering whether I'm on drugs.

---

For all her complaints, Karin kept up with my morning routine like a champ. I guess her body hasn't forgotten summer camp just yet.

"Cheer up!" I chirp as she collapses in her seat in front of me and I drop in the table a tray full of eggs, bacon and sausages. "Mother was kind enough to stock the fridge with extra-greasy food, so we get to have an obscenely unhealthy breakfast!"

We start eating with gusto, until Karin's hands stop and she sends a furtive look my way. She continues eating, but there's something in her demeanor that's no longer the same. And she keeps shooting hesitant looks at me. Should I say something? Does she need some comfort talk? Or am I being a helicopter friend and making a big deal of things she'd be better not dwelling on?

I would know if I was a psychologist, but I'm not. I'd probably know if 'helicopter friend' is a real term, too.

"Um… Ran-san?" Oh, well, as long as she starts the conversation…

"Yeah?" I reach for the glass of juice, intent on not making a big deal out of this unless she does first.

"You said some things last night." Oh, crap, did I? "You're… going to be busy this year? Because some meanie?"

"... Last time I get drunk, I swear." I rub my forehead in frustration. It's not like this is a secret or something, but I doubt I was delicate about it, if I was calling the Boss Dude a 'meanie'. "Boss threw the book at me. I have to start giving my all to my studies or he'll be a jerk about it. I'll still spend as much time as possible with you! It just… it'll be more studying and training and less playing."

For some reason, that makes her laugh. It's a nice laugh, complemented with an amused look thrown at me. Not sure what I've done right but… go, me!

"Ran-san, it's always studying and training with you. Well, that and cuddling" She grumbles. Without any heat. While blushing furiously. Holy Triforce that's adorable."I don't think we've ever just...wasted time together."

"Come on, I'm not that bad, am I? I remember teaching you how to play hopscotch and jackstones"

"Coordination training."

"We also spent evenings just sitting on the porch talking about things."

"Debate and philosophy training, that's when we weren't just talking about our other lessons." Why you little… "Accept it, Ran-san, we've never painted our nails, or tried clothes, or talked about cute boys. You don't do 'idle chat'."

"And you're copying my speech patterns now, apparently." I grumble.

"Well, we've been best friends for years now…" Still, my heart! Don't lose it for the first cute girl who smiles at you with mischief!

"Okay, yeah, sure, whatever." Smooth, Ran, smooth. "Anyway, it'll be a busy year. Shall we start?"

"Let's blow this joint!"

"... Where did you hear that?"

"From a genin team."

"I'd love it if you let me know who they are next time we see them so I can say hi. And Karin?"

"Yes, Ran-san?"

"... Please don't say it ever again."

And that was that. Hangover forgotten and worries postponed, we head to class. This year won't be much fun, but I'm going to squeeze every single drop of it where I can.

Spoiler: A/N

Could've sworn I had some comments to make about this chapter, but can't for my life's worth remember them. It's Friday and I just woke up, cut me some slack

 

[Planeshunter]

Spoiler: A/N

I had this ready to post yesterday but… someone talked me into getting FE: Three Houses this Friday, and it's thrown my schedule for a loop. Yesterday… yes, yesterday I kinda forgot the world existed. My bad. Tehee~

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023 - A year in hell (or 'Training montage for overachievers')​

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Boss Dude required me to stop being lazy, and gave me reasons to motivate my enthusiasm. Probably more motivation than he actually intended, but I don't do things half-cocked and I really don't like Boss Dude's face anymore. So I devoted myself to my new schedule. Whenever I faltered, I only had to remember my seething rage at that smug son of a bitch presuming to dictate my life.

Not that I faltered often, because waking up cuddling with Karin was a hell of a morale booster. Don't ask me how that happened, by the way. I had a proper room ready for her and I made sure she knew, because I'm not the kind of trash who takes advantage of the situation like this, but Karin straight up ignored it.

You can imagine my surprise that first -actually second- day, when she went to change into her pajamas and got into my futon to cuddle without a word. It might've taken a lot of willpower to tell her again she had her own room if she wanted to use it, but I did. She might've nodded against my chest as her only answer, and cuddled closer. I might've shrugged and put an arm around her. I'm weak, okay?

In any case, thanks to that my routine began with complicated maneuvers to extricate myself from Karin's sleepy grasp without waking her up, at the first light of dawn.

From there it was physical conditioning. I didn't want to turn into the second coming of she-hulk, so it was mostly aerobic exercise and flexibility, along with eye-hand coordination training. Training weights would be more than enough for any complementary muscle training.

By the time it wasn't such an ungodly hour anymore, Karin joined me in my cool down exercises. Not to boast or anything, but it's been stated before by independent sources that my cool down exercises are enough to count as serious workout for a normal person.

Yes, it was Karin who said so. Why do you ask?

The worst part of the day was the time I spent on theoretical studies at the Academy, I only managed to trudge through lessons that bore me to tears thanks to heavy drug abuse. And with that I mean caffeine. Lots and lots of caffeine.

Still, some classes were simply impossible. I mean, what's a girl who has cryptology down pat and is pioneering in gravitational physics in her spare time supposed to do during 'Math for Dummies'?

But appearing to keep to the curriculum was my own way to be difficult without breaking Boss Dude's rules, so I kept at it while surreptitiously pulling out my books for other, more interesting subjects and making sure I had them down pat instead, becoming the first ever master of the art of Stealthy Study.

I'm prodigious like that.

Evening meant more training, this time with Karin at my side for everything. Knowing what to expect of the future, I made sure Mother found a good personal tutor on the subject of chakra control. Katekyo C was a traveling monk that she somehow convinced to stay in Kusa for the year. He was really good at both talking us through chakra exercises and turning my arguments against myself when we talked.

I had more fun that I probably should with the guy. He never told us his name though, so I decided to call him Shifu1​. Because I already had too many sensei.

All this helped me a lot with my elemental transformations, but I don't think I'll be able to pull off anything useful anytime soon. Mother wasn't kidding when she said not having an affinity was a serious handicap. Karin, on the other hand, kept cheating with her [Mind's Eye of the Kagura] to get more than she should out of her training. Not that I resent her, if you're not cheating you aren't trying enough and I very much want Karin to try. And those [Uzumaki Adamantine Chains] of hers aren't going to manifest themselves without a generous pool and firm control on her chakra.

After dinner, I cloistered myself in an underground room, where I ostensibly practiced my secret specialization full time. In all fairness, I did some practice, as the noxious fumes that left the room from time to time can attest, but I mainly left that for my time with Katekyo A. Unsupervised chemistry experiments being a bad idea and all that.

No, I mainly got ready for my plans for the future down there.

Let me tell you, this was the hardest part, because I was developing a completely different skill set that nobody could know about. So not only was I trailblazing a new field, but I had to be very careful not to develop any telling habits around it.

Fortunately it was something that could be learnt from books, and practiced behind closed doors in a windowless room. There's no way I would've managed to keep any kind of outdoor training secret in a shinobi village. Small mercies.

Yeah, Karin's presence or not, this last year of Academy wasn't any fun.

I woke up tired and went to bed completely exhausted, only having decent sleep to get ready for a test. My migraines were the stuff of legends and a low-level headache was an almost constant partner. My growth would predictably be stunted. Even when I visited the hospital to ask about possible palliatives, they couldn't do much for me beside recommending a healthy diet and… well, to stop doing that to myself.

....

Fat chance of that happening.

I also became somewhat irrational due to my lack of sleep and constantly aching body, snapping aggressively against anyone and anything that bothered me. Except Karin who had approaching privileges. Even Mother earned her share of sharp words.

Yes, I snapped at Mother. Sleep deprivation makes fools out of the best of us.

You could say I took the maxim 'this is a time to learn' to the extreme. Had any potentially lethal incident happened during this time period, I would certainly be dead now, because I was in no shape to react to the unexpected. But hey, I learned a lot and I learned fast. That was my part of the bargain.

(1)Shifu: Chinese for master, in the non-kinky way.

---

Finally, after far, far too long, the year ended.

Graduation tests in Kusa were a bit less demanding than those of Konoha, and with that I mean only a couple of hopefuls -or maybe you could call them 'hopeless' instead- failed. The philosophy in Grass is different from Konoha's, where the graduation itself was supposed to prove the worth of the genin hopefuls. Here, graduation means you've gone through the necessary lessons, nothing more nothing less.

Dropping out is forbidden and graduation is a joke. The obvious conclusion is that the reputation of Kusa's Academy is artificially inflated, since really there's no merit in getting a forehead protector. And yet civilians look favorably on Academy graduates just because they spent four years listening to a teacher and wear an ugly metal ornament in their heads.

We got a passionate and absolutely empty speech about how real life is supposed to be the test, which is both terribly impractical and yet the fairest judgement possible. Think about it: You die, you fail; you live, you pass. Passing grades may be revised at a later date if you… you know, die.

Of course it also means there's no retaking the test. Terribly lazy and an utter waste but hey, it's cheap to implement. And most shinobi that fall in the line of duty don't leave enough pieces to even need coffins.

"What are you thinking, Ran-san?" Karin's voice pulls me from my reverie.

"Unflattering thoughts about how these tests were a farce." I answer without thinking. "I mean, what's the point of a test that 95% of the class passes? Might as well just throw the forehead protectors at us."

"I agree, Shimada." Ryūzetsu, with Muku right behind, joins the conversation. She even seems to mean her words. Without suffering physical pain for it. "But then we wouldn't be able to say we're following the famous Konoha Academy system."

"Kami keep our village from losing a free reputation boost." I nod at her. We haven't become friends or anything sappy like that, hell I haven't had time to think about making new friends, but we're in far better terms. No confrontations, no taunts… we actually try to work together if we get paired for whatever the reason. On days like today, when I've actually slept properly, we even greet each other if we cross paths.

Though this might be the first time we actually hold a conversation. Wonder if her family finally stopped breathing on her neck? I'm glad Ryūzetsu grew up, childish behavior by those who don't know better is easy to forgive but, from tomorrow on, she'll be an adult responsible for her actions.

We actually walk together for a while before going our separate ways, the four of us. Conversation is stilted and there's a lot awkward silences, but such is life. I'm socially retarded and still might be the most competent in the field here, so give us some slack.

"We're home." I'm a bit surprised when nobody answers. It's not that Mother had said anything about being home for my graduation but… you know, I kind of expected it. Instead I bake a cake. Because I haven't had time to cook in a damn full year, and today I deserve a break.

"Ran-san?" Karin calls to me after I take the finished cake from the oven to let it cool down.

"Mm, Karin? Is something the problem?" Now that I think about it, she's been kinda quiet today. I wonder what's going through her head.

"There's no problem but…" She stops there for a moment, before throwing a radiant smile my way. "Remember my first birthday party?"

"How could I forget? I was cleaning up evil strips of coloured paper for a week afterwards." I feign a shiver at my own words, before remembering something else and feeling a bit gloomy. "I also kinda imposed my friendship on you back then, didn't I? Can't believe I took a year to even ask whether you actually considered me a friend or not."

"No, nothing like that!" She hurries to protest. "The locket made me very happy! I'm the one who's sorry it took me so long to return your words."

Before I can open my mouth again she puts a small wrapped box on my hands. Probably a good idea, we could've ended up in an eternal cycle of 'my fault, not yours'. A graduation present? Welp, I have nothing for her, now I feel like a jerk.

But when I open it, all thoughts flee my head. It's a locket. For a moment, I think she's giving hers back to me, but a quick glance confirms she's still wearing it. It's a matching locket, exactly like the one I gifted her back then and she's faithfully worn the last two years.

Every single day.

Spoiler: I open it, vision wavering slightly as I feel something prickle at my eyes.

[media]

There's it is, the same inscription I engraved in hers: 'BFF'

"Ran-san, are you ok?"

"Yeah, just..." I bite back a sniffle. I'm not crying. I'm not. "There must be someone cutting onions nearby. Damn ninjas, amrite?" She smiles, and doesn't push it.

"Your mom told me there was a secret way to open the locket, using the matching one." She says instead. "But that you ran out of money to actually make a matching one. That gave me the idea."

Stupid Mothers conspiring with your best friends to try and make you cry… Where in the world Ran got the money for it it's beyond me, but I'm not so crass as to tell her she shouldn't have bothered.

"I have been helping your mom when you were busy, silly." She answers my unasked question with a giggle. "Not that it's been easy this last year. Remember when you used to complain your gramps was a slave-driver?"

"I wasn't that ba—" I cut myself becacause, alright, fair is fair. I kinda deserved that. "Okay, maybe. But it was for a good reason. No friend of mine will end up as bear fodder."

"You have an unhealthy fixation with bears, Ran-san."

"Ran."

"Huh?"

"You're my best friend, I'm your best friend. Honorifics are pointless. Call me Ran."

She makes a show of thinking it over. "On one condition." She answers, raising a finger.

"What?"

"I get to be the big spoon tonight."

If I was someone else, my blush would've gone nuclear at that. Sweet innocent Karin has no right to turn innuendo back against me, it's against the natural order of things! Fortunately I'm not someone else, so I'm not blushing at all. Not even a little bit.

The same way there's no tear tracks running down my cheeks.

Because I'm a Shimada and I'm a hard ass bitch. So that's definitely not happening.

…

…

Stupid Shimada blood, had to fail me now of all times.

That night, I went to sleep with the novel but very welcome sensation of Karin's presence behind me and her arms around my body. I dreamt of warm, flowing red, and everything was well with the world.

The following day we get our teams assigned, and I get a new appreciation for how much of a cunt the Boss Dude can be.

Karin is not in my team.

 

[EternitynChaos]

...I said it before, I'll say it again, Village Boss is TRYING to get Assassinated by her isn't he?

 

[LurkingInTheDeceit]

"I get to be the big spoon tonight."

Click to shrink...

Karin's really growing up isn't she? It feels like only yesterday she was completely terrified of everything around her, resorting to following the scariest person around that might keep her safe. Now that scary person is little spoon, amazing.

I'm still wondering what this convoluted plan will entail, and how it's gonna stop stuff like this:

Karin is not in my team.

Click to shrink...

From happening (Murder? Treason? Coup?)

 

[Sceptic]

Karin is not in my team.

Click to shrink...

How many "accidents" would it take to change that, though?

 

[nquddus]

I mean it kinda makes sense for the village to not put her with Karin. Assuming a 3 person team, there's no way our MC doesn't completely ignore the other member of their team to protect and help Karin. They probably don't realize how vindictive and disloyal to the village Ran is though.