The Cloud Over The Leaf

The night was still, and the moon was full. Kaya looked out at the moon with a bad feeling in her chest. 

'What should I do? Should I go and look for her?'

She contemplated her mother's words, wondering if the time to let Kushina handle everything on her own had come. She knew Kushina well and this also lead her to believe she could screw it up. If Minato wasn't there to help her, who knows what she'll do. 

'But if she fails, she'll pick herself up like she always has. She'd grow to be a great mother that way. I just hate to see her fall.'

"Stop thinking about it, idiot."

"Wha-Mom?!"

Kaya turned around surprised as her mother slowly moved beside her. 

"Haaa. You know, you make the same face that buffoon does when he thinks too much."

"Oh. Haha."

Kaya dryly laughed as she focused back up to the moon. Riku placed her hand on her back, keeping silent and just supporting her daughter.

***

Henda and Di slowly crept next to Hii's crib as the left the women alone to talk. Henda softly poked one of Hii's cheeks as he lightly exhaled.

"I hope Kaya will feel better. She hasn't really been cheerful in the last two months."

Di nodded as he watched his grandson. 

"She's wearing a mask to keep everyone happy."

Henda nodded as he pulled himself away from the crib, gazing at his father in law.

"I don't like it, but I'm not in their circle like that. I'll just support her as much as I can."

Di slowly nodded as he made his way out of the baby's room.

"Sometimes, that's all you can do."

Henda looked at Di's back slowly disappear and sighed.

'Those two love each other so much, but their pride..'

Henda was only a blacksmith, but he could only imagine the pressure his wife never tells. The pressure to be descended from the Cloud village. The pressure of not being talented in kenjustu, like her father. To have the wrong affinity to learn the family techniques. 

'Kaya had to push through all that to get where she is now. I can't imagine how that was for her. Her dad too, and even Riku when I think about it'

He shook his head of those self depreciating thoughts and gazed at his son. 

'I have to be strong like that! I have to be a father for Hii!'

Unlike Kaya and her family, Henda was just a normal boy who fell in love with blacksmithing. He could only get more experience with Di as having one arm in this business was a little too much to handle. Though Di had experience and Riku or Kaya as helpers, they were ultimately not interested in the craft.

Henda, however, jumped at the chance to be an apprentice that did more than work the counter. He just never expected to fall in love with the master's daughter! He also never expected to succeed in his love either!

'Though it was luck, I also had to try hard to get here. I'll just have to keep at it like I always have!'

A fire burned in his eyes as he turned to leave the room, before turning back silently and kissing Hii on his forehead.

' Hope your dreams are fun, son!'

Henda smiled as he headed out of the room, wondering if his wife was feeling better.

*****

The gray and black space twisted once more as Hii had appeared in his soul space. Hii looked forward to sleep now that Akumu let him rub his fur more than he used too. 

'Hehehe! I get to pet him one more time today!'

Hii looked around for akumu and found him laying down a distance away.

'Akumu!!! Let me rub your fur!!'

Hii shot towards Akumu and buried himself in his side. Akumu looked at Hii frolicking in his fur and sighed. 

[Hii. We need to talk about something.]

'Huh? About what?'

[Face in front of me and I'll tell you.]

Hii obeyed and slowy floated in front of him. He felt a sense of pressure from Akumu now, unlike before. Akumu faced Hii and started to explain.

[That crazy being came in here while you were awake.]

'What?! Did he do something? Did he hurt you?!'

Hii started to panic. He wasn't sure what he could do with this body against that being.

[No, it's fine. Chaos didn't do much. In fact, he helped us out.]

'...His name is Chaos?'

[Ugh, yeah. It is. That's beside the point though.]

Akumu faced towards Hii and said nothing. Hii stared at Akumu, waiting for whatever he had to say to him. The two stared at each other until Akumu finally sighed and began.

[Tonight, something bad will probably happen.] 

'Something bad?! What's gonna happen?!'

[Well, before I begin to explain what's going to happen, I have a question for you.]

Akumu paused for a short moment and spoke again.

[Would you want to save the people of this village at the cost of your life?]

'What?! To use my life to save them?! Is the threat that bad?!'

[It's the strongest type of Biju right now. It's going to be unleashed tonight. Remember the pretty red haired lady?]

Hii nodded. He doesn't think he could ever forget that ladies smile.

[She's like us. She holds a powerful beast inside her. They aren't as friendly as us though.]

'Really?!'

[Yeah. The problem is though, she will die tonight with the 4th Hokage.]

Hii's face grew pale at the level of threat Akumu spoke of. He then realized something.

'You said you can stop it?!'

[I can have a good attempt at it, and I've been thinking how i can make it succeed.]

Hii's eyes sparkled with excitement!

'Oooh!! Then what can I do to help?'

Akumu looked at him, and clenched his jaws.

[I need you....to give me your life energy.]