The Cloud Over The Leaf

We trained all the way to sunset today.

It was an satisfying training session since I finally know I've improved. I held back after the first session. I learned my lesson in not holding back after all.

I'm heading back to my house now, with my head sagging.

Why do I look so down? It's because I wasn't able to tell Maka or Sasuke that they unlocked their Sharingans.

[Couldn't you just tell them you saw it briefly when you fought?]

'Only with Sasuke could I do that! If I did tell him, Maka would probably destroy herself in training to get stronger. If I told Maka she has hers, I don't know how she'd react or if she'd believe me.'

[Ah! The only solution then-]

'Is to tell neither!'

I saw nothing!

I just healed wounds! That's all!

"I'm home!"

"Welcome back."

"Welcome back, Hii-Nii!"

I take my shoes off at the entrance and see the twins laying on the ground.

"What are you two doing?"

""Feeling the earth.""

...Huh?

"Grandma said we have to feel the earth to move it, so we're laying down and trying to make it jump with our chakra!"

"Nothing yet."

Wow! I'm surprised they're still training!

"You two are working hard! Keep it up and you'll be strong in no time."

"We don't need to be strong! We just gotta beat Stinky Mask!"

Yozora nods along with Moya's declaration.

They won't let that go, huh?

"Well, good luck then."

""Thanks!""

I pass by them and head over to the bath.

I hope Kakashi won't hurt them too much. It could be them hurting him though.

*******

Later at night,

Hii went to sleep early as usual.

Akumu sat in his Mind space, bearing the pain of his eyes forming.

He'd never tell Hii about how painful it truly is.

The pain kept him from talking most of the time. He was lucky Hii was too busy training to notice his silence.

The pain had lessened recently, so Akumu was eager to have this ordeal pass.

[Haaaa. Once they finish forming, I will finally see again.]

*I'm glad to see your growth is coming along well!*

Akumu stood up and growled in the direction of the voice.

A shadowy figure slowly materialized from a portal in the Mind space. His black cloak floated in front of Akumu along with his flaming book.

[Chaos.]

*Well, hello to you as well! How have things been going?*

[.....]

*Oh, you're still mad at me for that? Come on~! It wasn't that bad.*

[I nearly killed Hii!!]

*Nearly. I don't remember there being a funeral for him. You're fast thinking saved his ass anyway.*

Chaos started floated around Akumu, inspecting him and nodding his head.

*You're growing faster than I expected! You have a knack for blowing through my expectations.*

[Why are you here, Chaos?]

Akumu calmed himself and asked the entity.

He knew better than to try to understand him.

*Easy now! I've come with the best intentions. At least let me speak.*

[......]

*You're mad I made you bite into Hii's soul. Maybe I should've explained that?You could've just ignored it and grown normally though~.*

[I would just have to watch everyone struggle and die against Kurama then?!]

*You could've just treated it like a front row seat to the anime. Just watch the events unfold as you remembered. With an added cast, of course.*

Chaos continued to float around Akumu with a chuckle.

*But I know you couldn't bear to do that.*

[Grrrrr!!]

*Ok,ok! Maybe that was a bit too much teasing.*

Chaos floated in front of Akumu and sat down in the air.

*How about I answer an honest question for you then? For your forgiveness~?*

Akumu was already fed up with him, but he couldn't hold back the urge to get answers.

[Give me three answers then.]

*Sold!!! To the fuzzy wuzzy wolfie!!*

Akumu nearly growled, but held it in. He was better than that.

He breathed in deeply and exhaled.

[Why did I have to eat part of Hii's soul to use my abilities?]

*Ah! It's because I gave the power to you, but a part of it went to Hii. You had to take it back. *

[Why couldn't you just-]

Akumu held his tongue.

Knowing this kind of being, if he asks the question impulsively, it could count towards his answers.

*Awww! I thought you'd ask another question! How frustrating~.*

Akumu breathed in once again and calmed himself.

[What happened to Hii once I put the piece of Kurama's arm in him? Is he okay now?]

*His little soul became complete once you put that piece into him. The excess made him mature a bit faster than normal, but besides a bit of a learning boost, nothing much really. You and him at that moment became two different people.*

Akumu sighed in relief, but a problem soon came to him.

Which question should he ask for his final chance?

Akumu thought of several questions, but couldn't decide which one to ask.

*30 seconds left.*

Akumu looked at him in shock!

*I didn't say I had all night, now did I?*

[Tch!]

Akumu just decided to ask the first question that came to mind.

[Why did you give me another chance?]

Chaos looked at him, and gave him a shrug.

*Why not?*

Akumu lunged at Chaos, but Chaos simply fazed through him!

*Hahahahahaa! That was priceless!! Hahahaha!!*

[Enough! Why did you even come here?!]

Chaos chuckled for a while longer at Akumu's expense, then settled down.

*Haaa. Right. I came to inform you of some things.*

Akumu sat down on the floor, waiting with a pissed off look on his face.

*Pfft!!*

[Just tell me already!]

*Hehehe! Right. I came to let you know 3 things. No questions though! I don't feel like humoring you for much longer.*

Akumu was getting more and more pissed off at him, but he held it in.

Chaos reached behind him and brought out a floating knife! It was glowing green with a mysterious energy from the tip of the blade to the tang.

*First on the list!*

The knife hurtler towards Akumu before he could react!

'Slash! Slash!'

[Aaaaagh!!!]

Akumu shook his head vigorously as the pain was excruciating!

*Aaaand done!*

[Why did you do that?! Uuugh!]

*Well, you looked like you were in pain trying to form your eyes, so I gave you a push. This knife is special as it'll speed up the growth of what it cuts. I don't even remember why I made this weapon! Maybe it was to torture someone? Meh. You're welcome.*

Chaos put the knife away and dusted his robes. Akumu rolled around in pain for a short while, but the healing effect Chaos mentioned took effect. He could feel a soothing sensation in his eyes, but his anger was blazing fully!

[Grrrrrrrrr!!!]

*Awww shut up! You don't need to bitch and whine anymore about eye pain. Anyway, the Second thing on the list.*

Chaos resumed his seated position in the air and looked at Akumu.

*Since you're now on the cusp of being fully grown, I suggest you leave Hii.*

[What?!]

Akumu momentarily forgot about his pain as confusion took over his senses.

*I'm just giving you basic advice. Biju aren't known to be able to zip in and out of a host. You two are going to be special exemptions of that. You already can see the effect it has on Hii when you leave or re-enter him. Once you're grown, normal Biju rules apply. You can use this information as you see fit. Don't whine to me if you kill him on accident though.*

Akumu was silent as he heard this information. He had already noticed Hii became suddenly exhausted if he left or entered him. He would most likely have to separate from him for a much longer time than he originally planned.

it was then that Akumu caught something important Chaos said.

[You two? What do you mean by that?]

'Boom!'

Confetti rained from the sky as Chaos clapped in applause!

*Congratulations!! You've won yourself a wife!*

[A wife?! How?!]

*Well, I guess you could say that you two were already like a married couple before, so perhaps this will just be a continuation of that.*

Chaos shrugged his shoulders and floated up from his seated position.

*I decided to extend the same invitation I gave you to a woman you knew. She died rather abruptly, and I figured you could use a buddy from your past besides.... someone who used to be a part of you.*

Akumu's confusion knew no end as he tried to make sense of Chaos's words.

He struggled to make sense of what was happening until he suddenly recalled it.

No, He suddenly recalled her.

[You brought her here?! Where is she?!]

Chaos stared at Akumu and chuckled.

*Relax. She's not born yet. You'll sense her once she's in the world though. She is going to be your other half, after all.*

[My other half?!]

*It was Order's whining that made me do it. If you can eat Yang, someone must eat Yin for balance. It's so much easier to create something that could do it with an already made soul. That's all I needed to tell you. I'll head back now.*

A portal opened behind Chaos as he turned to make his way through it.

He stopped suddenly before he entered the portal and looked back at Akumu.

*You should be prepared for the possibilities of change. Protecting everything is a mountainous task. I'll enjoy watching how you keep it all together.*

Chaos left through the portal, disappearing from the Mindscape.

Akumu could only sit on the floor and think over everything that was said.

He thought back to his time in school, filled with those thoughts of revenge and youth. 

He remembered the girl who would stop her daily dashes through the halls and the tracks to pester him with questions and her excessive energy . 

He remembered the teasing of the students, the carefree smile on her face in contrast to his frustrated blush.

He remembered the times he would ever so rarely smile when he was with her.

[Fuyuki.....Why?]

His growing eyes no longer hurt him as he laid back on the floor, deep in his thoughts.

He laid there, steeling his convictions and plans for the future.

Before he could leave and set out on his path, he had some loose ends to settle first.

He had a lot to do and from how he could feel his eyes forming now, he had little time to do it.