Capítulo 19: Chapter 16: Fugaku’s Overtime.
Author Note: Nothing of importance, just enjoy the chapter, and if you have any questions, make sure to comment!
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I'm currently updating the novel 2-8 chapters a day in patreeeeon. On chapter 27 so far, though by the end of today it will be chapter 29.
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Enjoy you sexy bastards.
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It had been two months since the night of the kidnapping, a night that had left deep impressions on everyone involved, including me. The Uchiha compound had returned to its usual calm, though now security within the compound was amped up, which was understandable considering someone had infiltrated their clan and kidnapped their princess. For me, life had taken on a new rhythm as I recovered and returned to my training full-time.
Fugaku seemed more involved in my training now. He had even taught me a few jutsu, two to be exact: Wind Release: Vacuum Blade and Wind Release: Gale Palm. Perhaps it was his way of showing me his gratitude for saving the little princess.
I hadn't seen or heard Teresa since that day, making me wonder if I had imagined the entire situation. This would make sense considering how much shock and pain I had been in at the time, though a part of me wondered why I would imagine a person I had never seen before in my life. In the end, it didn't matter.
As far as my new power goes, I was now aware of it at all times. Ever since that fateful night, I had been able to feel this strange new power coursing through my body, dormant but waiting to be used. The sensation was alluring, almost as if it was calling out to me, tempting me to tap into its depths, like the call of a siren. It was not demanding, yet it beckoned me, whispering to me in notes of potential and power. The sensation would often creep up, tickling the edges of my senses in the quietest moments of dawn or in the middle of a particularly challenging training session. It was concerning, to say the least.
I wasn't an expert in the matter, but any power so adamant about being used, to the point of being seductive, had to be bad news.
"Are you okay?" Itachi asked, throwing a few dull shurikens my way.
I dodged them deftly, my eyes still on him. "Of course," I lied smoothly, though the concern in Itachi's eyes seemed to sharpen. He seemed to be able to read right through me, which was probably a side effect of spending so much time with him.
"You seem distracted," he pressed, dodging one of my attacks before going through a series of hand signs. "Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!" A large sphere of flame erupted from Itachi's mouth, hurling towards me with swift intensity, growing in size as it approached.
I darted to the side, narrowly avoiding the heat of the fireball as it scorched the grassy training ground beneath us. The residual warmth brushed against my cheeks, and I tasted the smoky aroma of burning grass. "Wind Style: Gale Palm." A stream of violent wind erupted from my palm, cutting through the air with a hiss, colliding with the still smoldering grass and sending dust and smoke swirling into the sky.
Itachi squinted through the cloud of debris, his eyes scanning the expanse for any sign of my movement.
"Peek-a-boo," I said, appearing behind him, my hand reaching out to tap his shoulder.
Itachi spun around in an instant, his hand already mid-swing towards my head. But I was prepared, swiftly ducking under his arm and aiming a low kick towards his stomach, pushing him back.
"You win," Itachi admitted, a warm chuckle escaping his lips as he slid back, sandals skimming against the dewy grass.
"That makes our current score fifteen to ten in my favor," I replied, a faint smile on my face.
"Rub it in, why don't you," Itachi grumbled good-naturedly, brushing the dirt off his shirt. His eyes held a glint of amusement as he gestured for us to take a break.
"How is Lady Mikoto?" I asked, taking a seat on the ground.
"Mother is fine," Itachi replied, smiling as he took a seat beside me. "In fact, she's pregnant again."
Again? But she had Mito a few months ago. I guess Fugaku is working overtime to keep the family line going. Good for them.
"Again?" I chuckled.
"I am not supposed to tell you; she wants to announce it tonight as a surprise," Itachi said, his lips curled into a conspiratorial smile. "But I thought you should know beforehand."
That would explain why Lady Mikoto invited my family to dinner tonight, which wouldn't be strange if it wasn't for the fact she specified in her invitation that it was a formal event.
I inclined my head toward him, appreciative of his gesture. "That's good news. Your father must be over the moon."
Itachi nodded, his gaze drifting to the dancing leaves overhead. "Yes, he's quite excited."
I guess Mito will have a little sister or brother to play with. That's good. She needs the company. She has far too much energy for her little body, and at times she can be demanding. It's like she knows she can get away with anything. She's lucky she's adorable.
"How is the little princess?" I asked.
"Mito? She is as adorable as ever," Itachi replied, his eyes lighting up at the mention of his little sister. He retrieved a small wooden object from his pocket, a carving in the shape of a tiny bird. "I made this for her. She's fascinated with the sparrows nesting in our garden, so I took it upon myself to make her this."
Aww, that's just adorable.
"By the way, is there any chance I can recover my shirt from your sister's grasp?" I asked, chuckling at the thought. Two weeks ago, Mito had found one of my favorite shirts in the laundry room after Lady Mikoto had taken it to clean it for me, and for some reason, the little princess had decided my shirt would make the perfect baby blanket, stealing it from the laundry room in a baby heist.
To this day, neither the shirt had been cleaned nor it had been returned to me.
Itachi laughed. "You can try, Takeshi, but I doubt it. She has become quite attached to it."
I sighed, feigning disappointment. "My favorite shirt, held hostage by a baby."
"Father thinks she likes your shirt because it makes her feel safe," Itachi continued. "It must be infused with your scent, and it's rather comforting for her, considering how she fusses less and sleeps better."
I smiled at that. "Then I guess I have no choice but to surrender my shirt to the little princess."
"And it took you two weeks to realize that," Itachi replied, his eyes shimmering with amusement.
"So, how do you feel about being a big brother again?" I asked.
"It feels strange," Itachi confessed, his expression thoughtful as he stared at the wooden sparrow in his hand. "Mito is barely a few months old, and now there will be another. But strange as it may feel, I am...happy. I like the idea of having another sibling."
I hummed in acknowledgment. "You do seem to enjoy being an older sibling. Do you want a boy or a girl this time?"
"I would be lying if I said that I don't feel any preference," he confessed, his fingers tracing the intricate grooves of the tiny wooden bird. "I think...a little brother would be nice. Seeing I already have a little sister, a little brother would make the pair. Why, do you want to bet and lose again?"
I chuckled, shaking my head. "No, that's okay. I'm still paying the first bet. I'd rather just wait and see what happens."
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[Later that night.]
As we arrived at the Uchiha Compound, the house was filled with laughter and the delicious aroma of food. Everyone was wearing formal attire, including me, since my mother had forced me to wear a kimono. It was the perfect setting for Mikoto to make her announcement. Though I would've preferred not to wear a kimono, it doesn't matter if kimonos are also for men; they are very uncomfortable.
I arrived with my mother, the excitement palpable as we were greeted by Mikoto at the door. She looked radiant, just as she had when she was pregnant with Mito, her happiness evident in every gesture and smile. My father hadn't been able to come due to being down with a terrible case of flu, deciding it would be best not to ruin the event with him sneezing every two seconds.
"Takeshi, Mai, welcome," she greeted warmly, embracing my mother. "Please, come in. The others are already here."
As we entered, I saw familiar faces: Fugaku, Itachi (who was also wearing a kimono), Minato, and Kushina, who was chatting animatedly with her husband, her vibrant red hair catching the light as she laughed.
We found our seats at the long dining table, and soon, the room was filled with the hum of conversation and the clinking of utensils.
"Are you as uncomfortable as I am?" I whispered to Itachi, who was sitting right beside me.
He glanced down at his outfit, a slight grimace maneuvering its way onto his features. "Undeniably so," he confessed in a low voice, tugging subtly at the stiff collar of his kimono. "But it's a necessary sacrifice."
I wouldn't say it was a necessary sacrifice, seeing the last time she announced her pregnancy I hadn't been forced to wear this hellish abomination of a garment. I felt like a porcelain doll, too stuffy and rigid.
As we settled in, Mikoto eventually stood up, gently tapping her glass to get everyone's attention. "Thank you all for coming tonight," she began, her voice filled with warmth. "I have some wonderful news to share with you all."
There was a collective silence as everyone turned their attention to her, eager to hear the announcement.
"Fugaku and I," she began, her eyes
sparkling with happiness as she rested a hand on her stomach, "are expecting our third child." A round of applause echoed through the room as Fugaku rose, wrapping an arm around Mikoto and planting a kiss on her forehead. Her face was flushed with joy as she kissed her husband back. "But that isn't the only announcement we have for tonight."
It isn't?
Did Itachi withhold information about tonight from me?
Curious, I turned my attention to Itachi, who seemed just as surprised as me.
I guess he didn't.
Kushina stood up, a playful smile on her lips. "That's right! Because I am also pregnant, you know!"
Mikoto chuckled, shaking her head. "You were supposed to wait for me to call you."
Kushina waved her away with a hearty laugh. "Ah, you know me, Mikoto. I've never been one for formalities!"
Kushina was pregnant as well?
"How far along are you, Mikoto?" my mother asked, smiling.
"Two months, maybe three, give or take," Mikoto replied, smiling, her hand rubbing her flat belly.
"I just found out about mine, you know!" Kushina interjected with a beaming smile before anyone could reply or even ask her how far along she was. "The doctor said a week or two."
As everyone continued talking about the news, I remained silent in my seat, feeling a distinct sense of foreboding that I didn't know how to quite place. I just felt something bad was going to happen, and it was connected to this.
The Kyubi attack?
I remember it was a plot point of the original series, but I didn't know much about it, other than the fact it happened long before the series took place, and that this event was what led the village to seal the Nine Tails inside Naruto.
I also remembered mentions of the Fourth Hokage dying during this. But Minato wasn't the Fourth Hokage yet.
I needed to rearrange my thoughts.
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