Chapter 69: Remembrance and Resolve
Sugimoto, Murai, Koshiro, Ryozo…all met their end in the war. I traced their names across the ocean blue war memorial plaque, a giant structure with a cushion for meals that would go uneaten, incense burners, several bouquets of wilting flowers and a plethora of weapons left to honour the deceased.
All that was left of Division 13 was myself and Minako who, last I heard, was still recovering and learning to live with her disabilities. I pitied her so much now that I remembered she existed, a shinobi that couldn't wield a blade much less cast jutsu was as useful as the meals left at the foot of the plaque.
I wondered how she's been all this time. The last I saw of her was in the very battle I remembered within my seal, with her lost fingers she had to be sent away from the battlefield entirely and since then, well, the rest of Division 13 met their ends in other battles and I became a Jinchuriki for Isobu and now, Mizukage.
Knowing her she's kept her distance out of shame, an unwarranted shame. But I was no better, what was my excuse? Reincarnation? Becoming a Jinchuriki? I was still breathing for fuck sake.
I resolved to visit her someday soon and pulled out a stick of incense, lit it with the provided match and placed it in one of the burners. I stood in silence and breathed in the scent yet my nose registered nothing, Isobu's chakra had done a number on me and several of my senses aren't what they were. I'd recover but it was annoying right now.
So few of Division 13 had their bodies returned to Kiri to be buried, Sugimoto, Murai, Koshiro and Ryozo weren't among those fortunate enough to return and so their engraved names on the giant plaque with a multitude of others back to back was all the solace left for those who remembered them.
My legs trembled from standing a mere thirty minutes, aching to sit back in the wheelchair but I refused. Standing till, the incense burnt in it's entirety was the least I could do after…abandoning the memories of the comrades that sacrificed their lives for me, at my orders, for their village which I know protect as Mizukage.
How ignorant I've been. Jason was not all I was and he never should have been, his pointless confusion and anxiety prevented me from seeing the truth, from remembering the lessons that gave me the strength he so abused. No more, no more.
The journey by boat to the mainland had given Ao more than enough time to summarize all that'd happened in the time I took to become myself again. This village was a mess.
My knuckles whitened at my side as I recalled all he recounted, the Yuki and Kaguya being abused at Lord Funato's orders, despite the fact that I'd gone out of my way to provide a place for the Kaguya and explicitly made it known that only Shizu Yuki would be executed for her crimes, he's gone on to move against my will and why? Just because I slumbered for a week and a half?
I took in a breath and caught a whiff of the incense at last, it smelled like…like Kirigakure. I don't know the method behind it but whoever manufactured these sticks managed to capture the nostalgic scent of home. That's nice.
Light footsteps creeped behind me and for a moment I expected to see Lord Funato but it only took a second for me to relax my fist as Uncle Aoto stood beside me. He didn't say a word, even his breathing felt suppressed. I glanced over and his eyes seemed to glaze over the plaque, finding and reading names that more than likely meant something to him.
He didn't pick a stick of incense nor did he offer any platitudes, he just stood there, his huge self standing by me patiently. I thought he'd at least say hello or talk about the many fires he's been running around trying to put out in my absence but no, he stood still and breathed.
This…is nice.
We stood in silence for minutes as I waited for the incense to finish burning. When it did I let out a heavy sigh and said, "So…how have you been?"
I met his teary eyes and before I could react his arms were wrapped around me, dragged into a giant bear hug as he stifled a sob. Startled as I was I couldn't refuse the warm embrace, it was filling like no other and so I leaned into it, grateful I had him for it.
He set me free eventually and asked, "Do you…want to go see her?"
Again, not the question I expected but I was thankful for the consideration. I shook my head, "I've already been there, seen them both." Mother…Kaoru. Their resting place was the first place I had Ao take me.
I gave a bow to the burnt incense and the plaque of my forgotten comrades before leaning on Uncle. He helped me fall into the wheelchair and began wheeling me forward.
"Where to?"
"Ao let me know what Lord Funato has been up to with the Yuki and Kaguya…"
Uncle didn't say anything for a moment, "He's an old man stuck in his ways."
"He's a disobedient toad."
"Or that…You're awake now, there won't be any more problems."
"No, there won't."
Again silence reigned as Uncle digested my meaning before he asked, "What do you want to do?"
I thought for a moment. I hadn't given it a shred of thought since I woke up but what I needed to do was obvious, "I'm going to get stronger, I am going to make Kirigakure stronger and anyone that gets in the way…well, they'd better be stronger than me. War is looming isn't it? The Daimyo must be anxious now."
Uncle hummed, "Ha…what happened? With the Three-Tails why…what happened?"
I looked over my shoulder and found his expectant, curious gaze and smiled, "An awakening."
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