AMagicWriter
patreon
Better Late Than Never Chapter 3 (The Weight of Dreams)
🕑 Added 2024-12-20 22:23:29 +0000 UTCThe sun was setting over Konoha, painting the training ground in amber hues. Kakashi and Naruto sat on the grass, both exhausted from their final training session. The silence between them was comfortable until Kakashi broke it with an unexpected question.
"Naruto," Kakashi's voice carried an unusual weight, "why do you want to become Hokage?"
"Huh?" Naruto wiped sweat from his brow, caught off guard. "Where's this coming from, sensei?"
"Do you remember our first meeting? When Team 7 gathered on the roof?" Kakashi gazed at the Hokage Monument. "You declared quite boldly that you would become Hokage. It's been over a year since then."
"Yeah," Naruto's voice was quieter than usual. "Seems like forever ago."
"You said you wanted to become Hokage so people would acknowledge you," Kakashi turned to face his student. "What exactly did you mean by that?"
Naruto stayed silent for a long moment, picking at the grass beside him. "The village... they always looked down on me. If I become Hokage, they'll have to acknowledge me."
"Have to?" Kakashi repeated softly. "Is that what being Hokage means to you? Forcing them to see you?"
"Maybe," Naruto's voice held an edge Kakashi rarely heard. "Is that wrong? After everything they did?"
"Tell me what you're really thinking, Naruto."
"I..." Naruto's hands clenched in the grass. "I was just a kid. I didn't do anything wrong, but they... they treated me like I was some kind of monster. The adults would whisper, pull their children away. Shopkeepers would chase me out or overcharge me. Some nights, I'd go hungry because no one would sell me food."
Kakashi listened silently, letting his student speak.
"And now," Naruto continued, bitterness seeping into his voice, "now that I've helped save the village, now that I'm stronger, suddenly some of them want to be nice? Suddenly I'm not the demon brat anymore?"
"And that makes you angry," Kakashi observed.
"Wouldn't you be?" Naruto shot back. "They're only changing their minds because I'm useful now. Because I'm strong. Not because they're sorry, not because they think they were wrong."
"So becoming Hokage..."
"I don't know anymore," Naruto admitted, his voice cracking slightly. "Part of me still wants to protect everyone, to be someone important. But another part..."
"Another part of you is still that hurt child," Kakashi finished gently.
"Yeah," Naruto looked away. "Is that wrong? Am I just being childish?"
"No," Kakashi's answer was firm. "You were wronged, Naruto. Deeply and repeatedly. The Third's law may have prevented people from speaking about the Kyuubi, but it couldn't force them to be kind. To be fair. To see you as a child who needed love and support."
"Then how am I supposed to just forget that? How can I protect people who..." Naruto trailed off, frustrated.
"Who might still hate you?" Kakashi supplied. "Who might never truly accept you?"
"Yeah."
"Let me ask you something else," Kakashi shifted to face Naruto fully. "If you don't become Hokage, what would you want to be?"
"I..." Naruto blinked, clearly never having considered the question. "I don't know. Being Hokage was always the dream. The goal. Everything else was just... steps to get there."
"And if I told you it's okay not to know? That it's okay to be angry, to be hurt, to not want to protect people who hurt you?"
Naruto's head snapped up, surprise evident in his blue eyes. "But you're always talking about protecting the village, about duty..."
"The village isn't perfect, Naruto," Kakashi sighed. "The Will of Fire speaks of protecting our precious people, but it doesn't mean we have to forgive those who wronged us. It doesn't mean we have to love everyone equally."
"But a Hokage..."
"A Hokage protects the village because they choose to," Kakashi interrupted. "Not because they're forced to, not because they've forgiven every wrong. They choose it, knowing the village's flaws, knowing its darkness."
"I don't know if I can do that," Naruto admitted quietly. "Not anymore. Not after everything that's happened."
"Then don't."
"What?"
"Don't become Hokage," Kakashi said simply. "Find another path. One that doesn't require you to put aside your pain for people who might never appreciate it."
"But everyone expects..."
"Everyone's expectations aren't your responsibility," Kakashi's voice was firm. "You've grown up carrying the burden of the Kyuubi, the burden of the village's hatred, and now the burden of their changing expectations. Maybe it's time to decide what you want, not what others want from you."
Naruto fell silent, staring at the darkening sky. "I always thought if I became Hokage, it would fix everything. The loneliness, the pain, the anger... but it wouldn't, would it?"
"No," Kakashi agreed. "Those things need to be dealt with on their own terms. Becoming Hokage wouldn't erase the past."
"Then what should I do?"
"That's something only you can decide," Kakashi stood up, offering Naruto a hand. "But whatever you choose, make sure you're choosing it for yourself. Not to prove something to the village, not to fulfill others' expectations, but because it's what you truly want."
Naruto took the offered hand, pulling himself up. "Even if what I want changes?"
"Especially then," Kakashi eye-smiled. "Dreams aren't contracts, Naruto. They're allowed to change as we grow, as we learn, as we understand ourselves better."
"I think..." Naruto paused, choosing his words carefully, "I think I need time to figure out what I really want. Not what little-kid-me wanted, not what the village wants, but what I want now."
"That's why this training journey with Jiraiya might be good for you," Kakashi suggested. "Three years away from the village, from its expectations. Time to grow stronger, yes, but also time to think, to heal, to decide."
"And if I come back not wanting to be Hokage?"
"Then you'll come back knowing yourself better," Kakashi placed a hand on Naruto's shoulder. "And that's worth more than any title."
"Thanks, sensei," Naruto's smile was smaller than usual, but more genuine. "For not just telling me to get over it."
"Some things we don't get over," Kakashi's voice held a hint of old pain. "We just learn to carry them differently."
They stood in comfortable silence as the first stars appeared in the sky.
"One last spar?" Naruto asked finally. "Before I go?"
"Of course," Kakashi dropped into a fighting stance. "Just remember – you're fighting for yourself now. Not for anyone else's expectations."
Moonlight bathed the training ground as Naruto and Kakashi faced each other. The night air was crisp, carrying the faint scent of autumn leaves.
"Remember," Kakashi lifted his headband, revealing his Sharingan, "no Kyuubi chakra. Let's see how you think on your feet."
"Fine by me," Naruto grinned, forming his signature hand seal. "Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
Twenty clones burst into existence, surrounding Kakashi in a circle. Instead of immediately charging in as he usually would, Naruto held back, remembering their earlier conversation about wind chakra.
"Thinking before attacking?" Kakashi raised an eyebrow. "I'm already impressed."
"You haven't seen anything yet," the clones chorused, each drawing a kunai.
Kakashi's Sharingan tracked the original Naruto mixing himself among the clones. 'He's learning to hide his presence better,' he noted approvingly.
Five clones rushed forward, throwing their kunai in a coordinated pattern. Kakashi deflected them easily with his own kunai, but the attack was just a distraction. Three more clones had circled behind him, attempting to land kicks at different heights.
Kakashi reappeared on a tree branch. "You'll need to do better than—"
He cut off as several kunai thudded into the branch where he'd been standing. He hadn't even seen the clones throw them.
'He used the first wave of kunai to mask the sound of the second,' Kakashi realized. 'Not bad.'
"What's wrong, sensei?" one Naruto called out. "Getting slow in your old age?"
"Maa, just giving you a chance," Kakashi eye-smiled before weaving hand signs. "Fire Style: Phoenix Flower Jutsu!"
Multiple fireballs shot toward the clones, dispersing several in puffs of smoke. The remaining clones scattered, but instead of regrouping, they maintained their distance, each taking different positions around the clearing.
'He's setting something up,' Kakashi observed. 'But what?'
His answer came when two clones charged him from opposite directions. As he prepared to counter them, he felt a subtle shift in the air. The kunai scattered across the ground from earlier attacks were vibrating slightly.
'Wind chakra!'
Naruto had positioned his clones to create cross-winds, using his nascent wind affinity to disturb the air currents in the clearing. It wasn't strong enough to be an attack, but it affected the trajectory of thrown weapons—including the barrage of shuriken now coming at Kakashi from three different angles.
Kakashi substituted again, but this time Naruto was ready. A clone burst from underground—a trick learned from their first bell test—forcing Kakashi to jump. In mid-air, another clone appeared above him, hands already formed in a familiar spiral pattern.
"Rasengan!"
Kakashi twisted in the air, barely avoiding the spiraling chakra sphere. But as he landed, he realized his mistake. The scattered clones hadn't just been creating wind disturbances—they'd been herding him into position.
The original Naruto burst from behind a tree, having used the Rasengan clone as cover. His fist connected solidly with Kakashi's jaw, sending the jōnin stumbling back.
"Got you!" Naruto crowed triumphantly.
Kakashi regained his balance, rubbing his jaw. "Very clever. You used your clones to create minor wind disturbances, affecting my movement options. The underground clone and Rasengan were just to get me where you wanted me."
"Like it?" Naruto grinned. "I figured even if I can't control wind chakra properly yet, I could still use it to mess with the air currents a bit. Each clone only needed to use a tiny amount."
"And the punch?"
"Well," Naruto scratched his head, "I know you always expect ninjutsu or fancy moves, so sometimes a simple punch is the last thing you'd expect."
Kakashi chuckled. "Using your opponent's expectations against them. Very good. But..." He disappeared in a swirl of leaves, reappearing behind Naruto with a kunai at his throat. "Never let your guard down after landing a hit."
The Naruto in his grip popped into smoke.
"You mean like you just did?" the real Naruto asked from above, descending with another Rasengan.
Kakashi substituted one final time, reappearing at the edge of the clearing. "I think that's enough for tonight. Well done, Naruto."
"Really?" Naruto dispelled his remaining clones, walking over to his teacher. "But I only landed one hit."
"One hit is more than most genin manage against a jōnin," Kakashi pointed out. "More importantly, you showed tactical thinking. You used your surroundings, your clones, and even your underdeveloped wind nature in creative ways. All without relying on the Kyuubi's power."
"Yeah, but it took a lot more work," Naruto admitted. "With the fox's chakra, I could've—"
"Could have what?" Kakashi interrupted. "Released raw power without skill? Relied on healing abilities rather than avoiding damage? That's not the path to becoming stronger, Naruto. It's the path to becoming dependent."
Naruto absorbed this, looking thoughtful. "So that's why you wanted me to fight without it."
"Exactly. The Kyuubi's chakra is a tool, not a crutch. Tonight you proved you can think strategically, adapt to situations, and create effective plans on the fly. Those skills will serve you better than raw power ever could."
"And when I master wind chakra properly?"
"Then you'll have another tool in your arsenal," Kakashi eye-smiled. "One that you earned through hard work, not one you're borrowing from a tenant who might not always be willing to help."
"Speaking of wind chakra," Naruto looked at his hands, "my clones barely managed to disturb the air. How long until I can do real wind techniques?"
"That depends on your dedication to training," Kakashi pulled out a leaf. "But creating even small wind disturbances on your first try is impressive. Most shinobi take weeks just to make a leaf crack."
"Really?" Naruto brightened. "So I'm not completely terrible at it?"
"Far from it. You have a strong affinity; you just need to learn control." Kakashi handed him the leaf. "Keep practicing while you're away. And remember what you learned tonight—sometimes the simplest solution, like a well-timed punch, is the most effective."
"Thanks, sensei," Naruto tucked the leaf away carefully. "For everything."
"Just promise me one thing," Kakashi's voice turned serious. "Promise you'll focus on developing your own strength before reaching for the Kyuubi's. Real power comes from within, not from what we borrow from others."
"I promise," Naruto nodded firmly. "Besides, outsmarting you was way more fun than just overwhelming you with chakra."
"Oh? Getting cocky after one punch?" Kakashi's eye glinted mischievously. "Want to go another round?"
"You're on!" Naruto jumped back, hands already forming his clone seal. "This time I'll land two hits!"
"We'll see about that," Kakashi lifted his headband again, smiling beneath his mask.
As they squared off for another bout, both teacher and student knew this final training session was more than just a sparring match. It was a lesson in self-reliance, in creative thinking, in finding strength within oneself rather than depending on borrowed power.
Later
As the moon cast long shadows across the training ground, Naruto and Kakashi sat against a tree, catching their breath after their spar.
"Jiraiya-sensei really let me have it," Naruto said, breaking the comfortable silence. "Said I was playing at being a shinobi instead of actually being one."
"Oh?" Kakashi turned slightly. "And what do you think about that?"
Naruto picked at the grass beside him, his usual energetic demeanor subdued. "He's right. I've been treating this like some kind of game. Like if I just try hard enough and believe enough, everything will work out." He let out a bitter laugh. "Pretty stupid, huh?"
"Not stupid," Kakashi corrected. "Young. Inexperienced. There's a difference."
"Yeah, well, I can't afford to be either anymore." Naruto's voice hardened. "The time for playing shinobi is over."
Kakashi studied his student carefully. "What will you do when you see Sasuke again?"
"When?"
"Not if. When." Kakashi's eye narrowed. "You will meet again, Naruto. And when you do, he'll be even further gone than he was at the Valley of the End."
Naruto was quiet for a long moment, his hands clenched in his lap. "Next time," he said finally, "I won't hold back."
"Even if it means—"
"Even then," Naruto cut him off. "I get it now. What happens to him... it's his choice. Not mine."
Kakashi nodded, accepting the answer.
"Sensei?" Naruto's voice turned questioning. "Do you think... if Sasuke never got that Curse Mark from Orochimaru, would things be different? Would he have stayed?"
Kakashi sighed, leaning back against the tree. "That's hard to say. Sasuke always had a darker side to him. The Mark might have just brought out what was already there."
"What do you mean?"
"Think of it like poison," Kakashi explained. "The most dangerous poisons don't create something new – they enhance what's already in your system. The Mark might have worked the same way."
"But how can we know for sure?"
"We can't," Kakashi shrugged. "Though if you want a better answer, you should ask someone who would know better than me."
Naruto's eyebrows furrowed. "Who?"
"Anko Mitarashi."
"The crazy examiner lady from the Chunin Exams?" Naruto's face scrunched up in disbelief. "The one who was all..." He made an exaggerated sultry pose, earning a light smack on the head from Kakashi.
"The best torturer of Konoha's Interrogation Department," Kakashi corrected, though amusement tinged his voice. "And yes, that Anko."
"What does she have to do with any of this?"
Kakashi's visible eye widened slightly. "You don't know? I thought everyone..." He shook his head. "Anko was Orochimaru's student before he defected. She has the same Curse Mark as Sasuke."
"What?" Naruto jumped to his feet. "Are you serious? That scary lady was snake-face's student?"
"Keep your voice down," Kakashi pulled him back to sitting. "It's not exactly a secret, but it's not something she advertises either."
"But she's still here," Naruto said slowly, processing this new information. "She didn't leave with him."
"No, she didn't."
"So she fought it? The Mark?"
"In a manner of speaking," Kakashi nodded. "Though you'd have to ask her for the details. It's her story to tell, not mine."
Naruto fell into thoughtful silence, absently rubbing his shoulder where Sasuke had struck him with Chidori. "Do you think she'd actually talk to me about it?"
"Probably," Kakashi eye-smiled. "Though I'd recommend not leading with the 'crazy lady' comments."
"I'm not that stupid," Naruto grumbled. "But... wouldn't it be weird? Me just showing up asking about something so personal?"
"Sometimes the most important conversations are a little weird," Kakashi stood up, brushing off his pants. "Besides, you might learn something valuable. About the Mark, about Orochimaru, about fighting your own darkness."
"My own darkness?"
"Everyone has it, Naruto," Kakashi's voice turned serious. "The trick isn't getting rid of it – it's learning to face it. To control it instead of letting it control you. Anko might have some insight into that too."
"Is that why you're telling me this now?" Naruto looked up at his teacher. "Because I need to learn about controlling darkness?"
"Partly," Kakashi admitted. "But also because you need to understand that people aren't simple, Naruto. Anko was Orochimaru's student, but she's one of Konoha's most loyal shinobi. The Mark doesn't define her, just like your..." he gestured vaguely at Naruto's stomach, "doesn't define you."
"And Sasuke?"
"Made his choice," Kakashi finished firmly. "Just like Anko made hers. Just like you're making yours now."
Naruto stood up, brushing grass from his pants. "Where can I find her?"
"Training Ground 44 – the Forest of Death. She practically lives there when she's not working." Kakashi paused. "Just... be respectful. And maybe bring dango."
"Dango?"
"Trust me," Kakashi eye-smiled again. "It helps."
"Right," Naruto nodded, determination settling over his features. "I'll talk to her tomorrow, before I leave."
"Good." Kakashi placed a hand on his shoulder. "And Naruto? Remember – sometimes the best way to understand where someone is going is to talk to someone who's been there before."
"Yeah," Naruto looked toward the distant forest, barely visible in the moonlight. "I'm starting to get that."
Tomorrow
The morning sun cast long shadows through Konoha's streets as Naruto, dressed in more normal clothes with a few visible bandages still wrapped around his arms, made his way to the dango shop Kakashi had recommended. The small, traditional-style shop was tucked between two larger buildings, its weathered wooden sign swaying gently in the breeze.
Inside, the aroma of sweet dango and fresh tea filled the air. Naruto approached the counter where an elderly woman in a pristine white apron greeted him.
"One large box of dango, please. Thirty-two pieces."
Ten Minutes later, with the carefully wrapped box in hand, Naruto headed toward Training Ground 44. The Forbidden Forest loomed before him, its massive trees stretching toward the sky like ancient guardians. The last time he'd been here, during the Chunin Exams, the forest's oppressive atmosphere had sent chills down his spine.
Now, six months later, he walked through the chain-link fence with steady steps. The forest was still intimidating – massive trees with trunks wider than houses, darkness that seemed to breathe, and the constant sensation of being watched. But Naruto wasn't the same scared genin anymore.
His enhanced senses picked up movement all around him. A giant centipede, easily as long as he was tall, observed him from behind a rotting log. Several pairs of yellow eyes tracked his movement from the canopy above. None approached – they'd learned to recognize the scent of chakra, to know which prey was too dangerous to hunt.
The whistle of steel cutting through air was his only warning.
Naruto tilted his head, the kunai missing him by inches and embedding itself in a tree behind him. A few strands of blonde hair drifted to the ground; it would have cut his cheek if he hadn't moved.
"My, my," a sultry voice called from above. "Looks like someone's gotten better at dodging since the exams."
Naruto looked up to find Anko Mitarashi perched on a thick branch thirty feet above. She was wearing her signature mesh armor bodysuit under a tan overcoat that fluttered in the forest's perpetual breeze. Her dark purple hair was pulled back in its usual spiky ponytail, and her face bore that same predatory smile he remembered from the exams.
"Thought you might be hungry, Mitarashi-san," Naruto held up the box, grinning. "Brought you a little gift."
Anko's tongue darted out, licking her lips as she recognized the shop's logo on the box. In a fluid motion that reminded Naruto of a snake striking, she dropped from the branch, landing silently before him.
"Well, well," she plucked the box from his hands, "maybe you're not completely hopeless after all."
After leaving the Forbidden Forest, they sat on a fallen log near a cluster of young maple trees. The morning sun had risen higher, creating dappled patterns through the leaves. A gentle breeze carried the mixed scents of forest decay and sweet dango.
Anko had already devoured several skewers, the empty sticks arranged in a perfect star pattern on the wrapping paper beside her. Her coat was open, revealing the mesh armor underneath and, just visible at the junction of her neck and shoulder, the edge of a mark Naruto now recognized as similar to the one Sasuke had.
"So," she said between bites, "what do you want?"
"Can't I just bring a gift to a fellow Konoha shinobi?" Naruto tried for innocence, scratching the back of his head.
Anko snorted, flicking an empty dango stick at his forehead. "Nice try, brat." She popped another dumpling into her mouth. "You're here about the Uchiha kid, aren't you?"
Naruto's surprise must have shown on his face because Anko rolled her eyes.
"Don't look so shocked. The whole village is talking about it." She gestured with a fresh dango stick. "Not every day the last loyal Uchiha goes rogue and nearly kills the village's jinchūriki."
The casual way she mentioned his status made Naruto stiffen slightly, but Anko either didn't notice or didn't care.
"Besides," she continued, her voice taking on a sharper edge, "I know that look in your eyes. Saw it in the mirror enough times when I was younger." She turned to face him fully, her typical playful demeanor replaced by something more serious. "You want to know about the Mark."
Naruto nodded, absently touching his own shoulder where Sasuke's Chidori had struck. "Kakashi-sensei said you might understand... what it does to someone."
"Did he now?" Anko's voice was neutral, but her fingers unconsciously touched her own Mark. "And what makes you think I want to talk about it?"
"Because," Naruto met her gaze steadily, "you're still here. You fought it. You stayed loyal to Konoha." He paused, choosing his next words carefully. "I need to understand if what happened to Sasuke... if it was really the Mark's fault, or if..."
"If it just brought out what was already there?" Anko finished, her lips curving into a bitter smile. "That's the real question, isn't it?"
She reached for another dango, her movements deliberate as she considered her response. The forest behind them seemed to grow quieter.
"Tell me something first, kid," she said finally. "What do you really want to know? Because if you're looking for excuses for your friend's choices, you're asking the wrong person."
The wind rustled through the young maples, carrying with it the distant sounds of the forest's more dangerous residents. Naruto watched a leaf spiral down between them, landing on the scattered dango sticks that marked their shared meal.
"I want the truth," he said quietly. "Even if it's not what I want to hear."
Anko's smile turned predatory again, but this time there was something approving in it. "Well then," she stretched, her coat falling open further to reveal more of the mesh armor underneath, "tell me everything that happened at the Valley of the End. Every detail. Because understanding where your friend is going..." her free hand touched her Mark again, "starts with understanding exactly how he got there."
The early morning sun filtered through the trees as Naruto finished recounting the Valley of the End battle. His voice grew quieter when describing how he'd hesitated at crucial moments, how he'd tried to "save" Sasuke rather than stop him.
Anko had listened silently, methodically working through the dango, her eyes growing progressively narrower. When Naruto finished, she set down her empty stick with deliberate precision.
"You're an idiot," she said flatly.
Naruto flinched, but he didn't try to defend himself, he knew he had been an idiot, she continued.
"The Uchiha brat tried to kill you. Twice. Shoved a Chidori through your chest, and you still held back?" She leaned forward, her coat rustling with the movement. "You should be kissing that fox's feet for saving your sorry ass."
Naruto's hands clenched, anger flaring at the mention of the Kyuubi. The familiar heat of rage rose in his chest, but instead of exploding as he once would have, he took a deep breath. His fingers uncurled slowly.
"The Cursed Mark," he said carefully, meeting her gaze. "How much of what happened... was it responsible for Sasuke betraying everything?"
Anko's lips curved into a bitter smile.
"The Mark?" She barked out a harsh laugh. "The Mark just sped up what was already happening. Your precious Uchiha would have left this village sooner or later. The Mark just gave him a convenient excuse to do it faster."
The words hit hard, but Naruto found they didn't devastate him as they might have days ago. He'd already started suspecting as much. 'I'm not a child anymore,' he reminded himself. 'I can handle the truth.'
"Thank you," he said quietly, "for being honest."
Anko's eyebrows shot up in surprise. She studied him with new interest, like a snake discovering its prey had unexpectedly grown fangs.
"You're different than I expected," she admitted, reaching for another dango. "Most people don't thank me for destroying their illusions."
Naruto watched as she unconsciously touched her mark again, rubbing it as if to ease an ache. Before he could stop himself, he asked, "Does it still hurt?"
He immediately regretted the personal question, but Anko's expression didn't change.
"When he's nearby," she answered, her voice uncharacteristically quiet. "It burns worse the closer he gets to Konoha. Like a compass pointing to its master." Her lip curled in disgust at the last word.
"Why haven't you had it removed?" Naruto asked, then winced at his own tactlessness. "Sorry, I shouldn't have—"
"You think I wouldn't have gotten rid of it if I could?" Anko snapped, her previous calm vanishing. "You think I enjoy having this thing on my neck? This constant reminder of—" She cut herself off, taking a sharp breath.
The forest seemed to grow quieter around them, as if sensing the tension.
"No one can remove it," she continued, her voice controlled again. "Not even your precious Tsunade. It's part of me now, just like it's part of your friend. The only difference is what we choose to do with it."
"But you fought it," Naruto pressed. "You stayed loyal to Konoha."
"Because I had something stronger than hatred," Anko said, her hand dropping from her neck. "The Mark feeds on darkness, kid. Anger, revenge, bitterness – it takes all that and amplifies it. But it can't create what isn't there."
She turned to face him fully, her expression deadly serious. "Your Uchiha friend? He was already full of darkness. The Mark just gave him a taste of what that darkness could become if he embraced it. And he liked it."
"So there was never any hope of stopping him?"
"No."
Naruto absorbed her words, understanding settling over him like a heavy cloak.
"You knew, didn't you?" he asked suddenly. "When you saw him in the Forest of Death. You knew what would happen."
"I knew what could happen," Anko corrected. "I recognized the look in his eyes. The same look I used to see in the mirror – someone desperate for power, willing to pay any price to get it." She grinned, but there was no humor in it. "Why do you think I was so hard on all of you during the exam? I was trying to show you that power always comes with a price."
"Some lessons have to be learned the hard way, I guess," Naruto said.
"All the important ones do," Anko agreed. She stood, stretching like a cat. "Well, this has been sufficiently depressing. Thanks for the dango, brat."
As she turned to leave, Naruto called out, "Anko-san?"
She paused, looking back over her shoulder.
"How is a Cursed Mark made?" Naruto asked suddenly, his eyes fixed on the mark on her neck.
Anko's hand instinctively covered it. "According to Hiroto, our Master of Seals, it's a Level 7 Seal." She let out a bitter laugh. "There's no one in the world who can deal with it. Even a Level 5 Seal is almost impossible to understand."
She paused, her expression distant. "Though there was someone once. Kushina Uzumaki could have destroyed it, but..." Anko shrugged. "She died fourteen years ago. No one knows exactly how it happened."
Naruto's head snapped up. "Uzumaki? Like me?"
"Huh," Anko blinked, as if just realizing the connection. "Yeah, must have been from the same clan as you or something." She waved her hand dismissively. "If you want more information, ask that pervert teacher of yours. Jiraiya would know more about it."
Naruto nodded slowly, his eyes drawn back to the mark on her neck. He studied it with an intensity that made Anko shift uncomfortably.
"What are you staring at, brat?" she demanded.
'I'm going to learn about seals. And when I come back, I'll remove that mark.' Naruto almost said the words. "I..." Naruto started the promise to remove her mark on the tip of his tongue. But he caught himself, remembering another promise made with the same blind determination – to bring Sasuke back to Sakura. His hands clenched briefly before relaxing. No more promises he couldn't guarantee to keep.
Instead, he gave Anko a genuine smile. "Thanks for telling me all this, Anko-san. You know, you might look scary on the outside, but you're actually pretty fun on the inside."
Anko's eye twitched. "Fun? Did you just call me fun, brat?"
"Well, yeah," Naruto scratched the back of his head. "In a terrifying, could-kill-me-at-any-moment kind of way."
"Get out," Anko growled, her hands forming seals. Several snakes erupted from her sleeve, lunging toward him. "Before I show you just how 'fun' I can be!"
Naruto yelped and leaped away, narrowly avoiding the serpents. As he bounded through the trees, he could hear Anko's laughter echoing behind him, somehow both playful and menacing at the same time.
Once he was far enough away, he slowed his pace, his mind turning over everything he'd learned. But one detail kept coming back to him: Kushina Uzumaki. Who was she? Why had she died fourteen years ago?
As he walked toward home to finish packing for his journey with Jiraiya, he added another item to his mental list of questions for his new sensei. Something told him that the answer to who Kushina Uzumaki was might be more important than he realized.
