Blood of the Broken, Scars of the Spiral (there are whirlpools in our veins)

Chapter Eighteen

'The ache for home lives in all of us. The safe place where we can go as we are and not be questioned.'

-Maya Angelou

//

The Hokage comes to visit him again soon enough, naturally, he bristles, muscles tensing as he tucks away sharp teeth.

Watches as the man stares wearily at the fabric strewn onto his floor and the stuffed cat on his futon and holds back the urge to grin. Naruto's feeling of accomplishment dies when he begins to talk about his progress at the academy. The thought of that place makes burning red and swirling tides twitch and flare beneath his skin.

The man leaves him with a small stipend of money and a string of curses threatening to spill from his tongue.

"They'll never let us go," he told Kurama wretchedly that night, and they let out a harsh laugh in response.

"Of course not," they said, lips pulled back in a terrible, torturous rictus of a smile and he could feel their rising bloodlust. "Not unless we make them."

Uzumaki Mito's smile was just as bloodthirsty as Kurama's, though Naruto didn't think either would appreciate the comparison.

"Do you know why Kiri and Iwa destroyed Uzushio?" she asked. "We weren't a major Hidden Village. We weren't even a proper shinobi village– but our people had such skill with seals that it terrified them, so much so that they slaughtered us and then they hunted down the survivors and slaughtered them too. And they have likely succeeded in their intention– I died before I could finish passing on our secrets to Kushina and I know not if any Uzushio seal masters or mistresses survived to pass down our secrets to Uzushio descendants."

"But people still know how ta seal," Naruto pointed out, "Pa was supposed to be some sorta sealing genius, even though he wasn't an Uzushio seal-master."

"Maybe he was," Mito said dismissively, "but do you know the difference between an ordinary seal-master and an Uzushio seal-master?" Here, she smiled and held up her hand. Naruto could feel, rather than see, how Mito's chakra moved under her skin, before she turned and pressed her hand against the trunk of the nearest tree. Naruto's eyes widened as a seal, blood-red and brilliant, blazed into the pale trunk under Mito's palm.

"An Uzushio seal-master," Mito said, green eyes bright and fervent, "has no need for ink or brushes or even blood– all an Uzushio seal-master needs is the chakra under their skin. This is what I will teach you. This is the legacy of our people. This is the legacy of Uzushio."

This, Naruto realised, was the weight of a legacy and it was a weight he'd carry gladly. This he told Mito, who smiled.

"It will be hard work," she warned, "but I know you will be a dedicated student. And one day little Sea Star–one day you will know freedom. One day you will know Uzushio. One day, you will know home."

//

Mito was right about it being hard work. The very first lesson Naruto had been taught was about tenketsu points and it had set the tone for the lessons that had followed. "Tenketsu points are where chakra can be expelled from your body," Mito had explained. "Your palms have two of the main tenketsu points of the body. Another is found on the forehead," she'd gestured to the purple rhombus on her own forehead. "They can be found throughout the entire body, however, most use only the points in their hands and feet."

Mito had then smiled. "But Uzushio seal masters are not most. We are not the Hyuuga, able to map out the tenketsu points of the body, but we don't need to be. We have always been a clan known for our sensors, and you are no exception. There are three hundred and sixty-one tenketsu points from which your body can expel chakra, Naruto-kun. I want you to find them all."

It had been Naruto's first assignment from Mito, but not his only one. It had taken him nearly two months to find each tenketsu point and another two months to be able to expel chakra from each point. During that time he'd also spent hours each night in his mindscape learning about different chakra types– elemental, natural, yin and yang– as well as sealing theory and common sealing components and symbols, and proper calligraphy, with Mito testing him relentlessly.

There was no rest during the day either. As well as any assignments from Mito, such as the one locating tenketsu points, Naruto had to practice circulating his chakra around his body and shaping it under his skin, which was at least something he could do as he was sewing or doing his homework– Mito even said it was good practice to be able to focus enough to manipulate his chakra when his hands were busy elsewise.

Naruto was exhausted but he persisted despite himself. He was learning so much and each time Mito smiled, they knew he was one step closer to being able to free Kurama from their prison. He could see the careful hope in Kurama's eyes as he soaked in everything Mito was teaching him; sealing came naturally to him, it was obvious to all three of them. It was in his blood and Naruto was determined that he would preserve knowledge of the practice. This was the legacy of his people and it filled Naruto with pride.

Practicing manipulating his chakra had increased Naruto's ability to read the flickering in the chakra of the ANBU watchers so he could tell when they weren't paying attention and slip away without them noticing. Like Aiya used to, he'd bring scarves to cover his bright hair and rub dirt on his cheeks to hide his whisker-marks, so in his ragged, second-hand clothes and old sandals they just appeared to be another pair of kids running wild and underfoot around Konoha.

He'd tell Chisika about the academy and she'd give him her branding of advice.

"Ninja are bad business, kid– don' go tanglin' wiv shit tha'll get ya face down in a ditch," Chisika warned and Naruto nodded.

"I know," he'd said, "and I don' wan' anyone else gettin' hurt 'cause o' tha' shinobi business. I'll be careful, don' worry, 'ttebayo."

"Good brat," she almost smiled and Naruto grinned.

"We'll change the system, Chisika-san, I promise."

"Yeah kid," she sighed, "we will."

He watches a couple of dirty children run around on the streets and his eyes narrow.

Konoha had to go, for himself, his people, and all those it had oppressed.

A/N

Not much to say here. It's been a while and I hope you enjoy the chapter. I'm starting to work on drafts for another project and I'm super excited. 

I passed English SOL! I'm so proud of myself, I even managed to get a perfect score :) 

By the way, you're looking great today, per usual. Your skin is just GLOWING! You have to give me your routine;)

Luv you guys, and thank you SO MUCH for 2.2K reads. I'm actually screaming. This story was literally just a throwaway idea that I didn't plan to have more than 6 chapters. But then I got to chapter 4 and saw that people were actually reading this crap so I figured, 'Well then, I guess I should probably make a real story,' and so I did.

I'm rambling now, huh. Still, thank you. I will do my best to see this story through to it's end.

Remember you are loved and cared for.

Byyye <3