8: The Young Girl and Isobu
[Aoshi] Since when.
[Hime] The night you left the village.
[Yuriko] Hime. I’m also a jinchūriki. That doesn’t mean you need to die.
*Hime smiled at her sadly.*
[Hime] My clan was born as seers. Our genjutsu and healing abilities are so strong we often have very short lives.
[Misaki] So why take on the burden of a Tailed Beast?
[Hime] I was the only one capable of it. Now that my body has become so weak, Isobu will soon come out and rampage.
[Iyo] How does killing you help?
*Yuriko activated her byakugan. She could see the intricate seal on her stomach.*
[Yuriko] They are going to kill the Three Tailed.
*Aoshi turned to her.*
[Aoshi] Are you sure?
*She nodded.*
[Yuriko] That’s not an Iron Armor Seal or an Uzumaki one. It’s building the chakra inward. As if to create an overfill.
*Hime nodded.*
[Hime] In three days time. I am going to an island where I won’t hurt anyone.
*Amemori got on his knees, bowing to the Hime.*
[Amemori] Hime.
*Shukaku began shouting inside of her. Her mind drifted into her head. On one side of her was Shukaku loud and crazy. On the other was Kurama, quiet and sullen. She walked over to him.*
[Kurama] What do you want, Yuriko.
[Yuriko] Is there a way to save her?
[Kurama] Why would I tell you that.
*Shukaku screeched in the background.*
[Shukaku] He doesn’t know.
*Yuriko turned to Shukaku.*
[Yuriko] You have been with me longer then anyone. My friend, can you save her?
*Shukaku screeched.*
[Shukaku] The great me can, yes.
*Yuriko smiled.*
[Yuriko] How!
[Shukaku] We kill her earlier. It will hurt less.
*Kurama chuckled and watched Yuriko turn back towards him.*
[Yuriko] Kurama, you trusted my great grandfather and my Aunt.
*Kurama looked at her.*
[Kurama] That doesn’t mean I can trust the rest of you, young Uchiha.
*Yuriko bowed her head.*
[Yuriko] Kurama I know you do not want to give me anything. I accept that. Please, tell me how to save a friend at least.
*Kurama stared at the girl. In this world she could not hide her true form. The startling white hair and white eyes. It reminded Kurama so much of the monster his first master’s mother was.*
[Shukaku] I’ve already told you, Yuriko.
*Yuriko bowed her head. Kurama laughed. She was a lot more humble then both of his previous hosts.*
[Kurama] Telling you means risking my life.
[Shukaku] Shut up, Fox.
[Kurama] Are you willing to die for her? It will set us free.
*Yuriko looked at the two Tailed Beasts. Shukaku was the closest thing she had to family at times. Kurama was the family inheritance she didn’t want.*
[Yuriko] I have to be better then those who came before me.
*He smiled and pushed out his fist. Her grandfather used to tell her about Kurama’s habits. She fist bumped him and Shukaku went ballistic. Becoming aware of everyone again.*
[Yuriko] There is a way to save her.
*Everyone turned to her. She had interrupted an interesting moral debate. Hime’s eyes grew wide.*
[Hime] No. That is too dangerous.
*Amemori turned to her.*
[Amemori] How can you save her?
*Yuriko lifted her shirt, revealing Shukaku’s seal.*
[Yuriko] I can host Isobu.
*Amemori looked at her with shock.*
[Amemori] Absolutely not! Let alone a foreign Shinobi, but an Uchiha.
*Aoshi looked at her.*
[Aoshi] Can you?
*She nodded.*
[Yuriko] Shukaku was hesitant but he told me it’s possible. Enough of Naruto Uzumaki’s genes are in me. My chakra can match any Tailed Beast.
[Amemori] No. We cannot give up a Tailed Beast to an Uchiha. Her ancestors revived the Ten Tails.
[Yuriko] I assure you I will not do the same thing.
[Amemori] Your word cannot be trusted.
[Hime] What about mine?
*Amemori bowed his head.*
[Hime] There is no guarantee you can do this.
[Yuriko] I will be fine. Shukaku is excellent at sharing.
*She laughed.*
[Hime] Maybe, but Isobu is not.
- Yuriko walked forward holding her fist out. Hime smiled and tapped it. Both of them entering a joint space for jinchūriki. Her eyes lit up when she saw Shukaku and Kurama.*
[Hime] Is that the Nine Tails?
*Yuriko shook her head.*
[Yuriko] When Aunt Himawari died, I took her place.
- She turned around to see Isobu. He was hiding in a corner.*
[Yuriko] Isobu, this process works better when a Tailed Beast is willing to move into the host.
*Isobu slowly moved forward.*
[Isobu] I do not want to be inside anyone, jinchūriki.
[Shukaku] Good. This magnificent beast shouldn’t have to share his jinchūriki with anyone.
[Kurama] What’s magnificent about you?
*Isobu laughed.*
[Yuriko] I know you want to be free, but realistically that’s not an option. If you stay in her, not only will she die, but you as well.
[Isobu] Death is another type of freedom.
*Kurama snorted.*
[Kurama] If you die you just go back to being chakra for the Ten-Tails. You’d be powering up a corpse.
*Hime looked up at Isobu. You could see they did get along.*
[Hime] Isobu, I know this is selfish of me, but I want to live. I want you to live.
*He looked down at his host. Her life force was already so feeble.*
[Isobu] Fine.
*Hime and Yuriko looked at each other in shock. Isobu said yes. Hime ran and hugged him, making the Tailed Beast blush.*
[Hime] Thank you, Isobu.
*The Tailed Beast nodded and retreated back into the shadows. The two girls turning to look at everyone.*
[Misaki] So you two are done staring at each other?
*They looked at each other confused.*
[Aoshi] Five minutes went by.
[Amemori] What happened?
*Hime smiled.*
[Hime] Isobu is willing to go to Yuriko.
*Amemori looked around the room. All the shinobi here seemed to like the idea. He wasn’t sure he could make the call. Before he could respond, she started to cough up blood. A man appearing behind her. Aoshi rushed forward and he jumped back disappearing into the floor. Hime, fell.*
[Aoshi] Iyo!
*Iyo looked around panicking.*
[Iyo] I can’t sense him.
[Misaki] You won’t. I know this clan’s technique.
*Yuriko rushed forward to Hime. Her byakugan activated. She could see the chakra slowly receding.*
[Yuriko] We need to do this now.
*Aoshi turned to Amemori. He quickly shook his head. Aoshi directed Misaki and Iyo to stand guard. Amemori helped him place Hime on the ground.*
[Yuriko] Aoshi, you are going to have use your Mangekyō Sharingan to monitor the process.
*Aememori looked at Aoshi.*
[Amemori] I’ve never seen you do well with sealing jutsu.
[Aoshi] Yuriko will guide me.
[Amemori] She’s twelve, Aoshi. The Uzumaki clan is scattered. She probably doesn’t know the whole process.
*Hime started shivering on the floor. Chakra leaking out from her.*
[Yuriko] Enough! This is what’s going to happen. Aoshi, you will draw the Eight Trigrams seal on the floor. Amemori, you will draw the second seal. The Hidden Mist has the Water Style seal Bottom Feeders’ Chain. The seals will activate causing Isobu to be dragged into me. During this, Iyo will monitor Hime’s health with his medical ninjutsu. As well as keep a link between everyone established. That leaves Misaki as the only guard.
*Aoshi looked at the twelve year old in shock. He wasn’t sure if any of them were capable of this. The man from before appearing through the floor again.*
[Man] That’s a cute plan, but don’t think I’d let you get way with that.
[Misaki] You’ll have to get through me first.
*Misaki drew her sword. Aoshi hands hit the ground.*
[Aoshi] Earth Style, Wood Wall.
*The floor boards lifted up forming a dome around them. Iyo, moving quickly towards Hime.*
[Iyo] Water Style, Healing Waters.
*His face scrunched up, a small handful of water appearing on Hime’s body. His face filled with disappointment that it was all he could muster. The water slowly moved towards her wound. Aoshi, quickly moved to draw the seal. Amemori, finally moving to join them. Yuriko, removed her shirt. The large seal on her stomach and the Ai on her collarbone in full view. She laid down next to Hime and held her hand. Aoshi, looked at her one last time. She nodded. He activated the Mangekyō Sharingan.*
[Amemori] I’m starting now.
*He began weaving signs as his water seal lit up. Water pillars erupting from the floor, forming a cage around them. A single pillar dropping down and raining on the two girls. From the water two clawed hands erupted from Yuriko’s stomach, pulling a water chain out of Hime’s. Hime screamed and Yuriko’s body started moving. Aoshi, weaved signs again. Wood hands coming from the floorboard holding her down. Soon a large burst of chakra erupted from Hime. Amemori looked up at Aoshi.*
[Aoshi] This is going to hurt, Yuriko.
*He activated the Eight Trigram Seal. The chain from Hime to Yuriko began to be pulled faster. Iyo’s medical ninjutsu starting to fail. His chakra depleting. Amemori keeping the chain going. Aoshi’s eyes started to bleed. The seal and the sharingan were taking to much of his chakra.*
[Iyo] I can’t.
*The water on Hime’s body faded into steam. The link with Misaki on the outside disappeared and Iyo fainted. The Princess’s body started jerking. Amemori looking at Aoshi in panic, but he couldn’t look back. Yuriko’s body began filling with pale blue chakra. Hands from within her began pulling the chain. Soon another pair of hands joined in. They gave a final tug and the chakra ball that was Isobu was violently pulled into Yuriko. Hime’s body settled. Chakra erupting from Yuriko’s body.*
[Amemori] What’s going on!
[Aoshi] Part of Hime’s seal has latched on to Yuriko’s. Shukaku is rioting.
*Aoshi dispelled the wood wall. Misaki was sitting on the floor of the room, exhausted. Her chakra nearly depleted. He pointed to Iyo and she came over to move him away. Amemori, picked up Hime and moved over to the far wall. He began using medical ninjutsu to heal her. Aoshi used his Sharingan on Yuriko. The Tailed Beasts coming into view. *
[Kurama] Isobu!
*Isobu was rioting inside of Yuriko. Kurama fighting to get out of his cage. Shukaku was building chakra up. Yuriko was nailed to a post between the three. He rushed over to her, but frozen air rushed towards him. The whole landscape turning into winter. Her hair becoming white and her eyes.*
[Aoshi] Shukaku. What’s happening?
*Shukaku refused to look at Aoshi. Sand forming to trap him at his feet.*
[Kurama] Her body is too weak to handle his chakra flow.
[Aoshi] Why is she trying to take his chakra?
[Isobu] She’s not. The left over part of Hime’s seal is forcing the overfill into her.
[Aoshi] What is Shukaku doing?
[Kurama] He’s trying to create a seal to hold the overfill.
[Aoshi] What can I do?
*Kurama looked the young shinobi.*
[Kurama] You don’t have enough chakra to help.
*Kurama’s tail shot forward piercing Aoshi through the chest. He collapsed into the snow.*
[Shukaku] Now.
*Isobu, Kurama and Shukaku slammed their tails down on Yuriko. The Tanuki released the sealing jutsu, a large sand pyramid building around them. She fell from the post into the snow. The world swirling away*
-End
