Reborn in the Mist

Breathe in…Breathe out…Breathe in…and out. My mind was centred, my soul is full, my heart is rich and my hands are empty, ready to receive. My breath hitched as I prepared to ask, to receive. My soul delved and I felt my feet lose the ground beneath them, the darkness of my shut eyes filled with the cool soothing’s of an ocean and then the imposition of monstrous chakra.

I let both take hold of me, refusing to give into the fear, there’s nothing to be afraid of, I asked for this, I came here. I am here. My eyes fluttered open and stung from the ocean soaking every inch of me, a shimmering light in the persistent darkness grew as I floated above what I came for.

He won’t let me have it.

“No, no I won’t.” He said, appearing larger than I’ve ever seen myself in a mirror, than I’ve ever thought of myself. He presses a giant hand over the power, the horde of chakra I’ve come begging for and it all disappears in a vicious whirlpool.

I gritted my teeth and began to flee but it’s hardwork running away from an ocean master. Multitudes of himself forge out of cyclones, all staring disapprovingly as I swam, struggled to the surface if there is one any more.

“When will you stop running? When will you stop pretending?” his multitudes demand, their brows furrowed in deep sneers of disgust.

I choked on my held breath, desperate for air that doesn’t exist I kicked and pushed and pulled at the water to escape but only met him again.

“You’re the one who came in here. You think it will be so easy to have this power? You must earn it, you must face the challenge to seize it. But you are not ready!” His giant form drew the equally massive Bo-staff and he struck, bringing a wave of water down on my head before the Bo itself smites me out of my meditative trance.

I leapt out of the pool gasping for air, my lungs greedy for it and my vision blurred by the droplets soaking my hair in my eyes. I kicked and splashed until Harusame appeared above me, standing on the water he yanked me out with one arm and held me.

“Mizukage-sama! Breathe, breathe!” He demanded as he slapped my back and forced what water was already trapped in my lungs out.

Eventually I caught my breath enough to pull chakra to my feet and stand alone. I stumbled away from the lake, my seventh attempt at reaching Isobu thwarted yet again by none other than Yagura himself. Or, according to him, me.

But I couldn’t believe that, I didn’t want to. It made more sense to see him as Yagura and myself as…what am I? Who am I? These questions have plagued me for another week and I’m no closer to getting an answer, I’m not even sure I want one anymore.

I just want to speak to Isobu or at least master his chakra. I threw myself against the grass as my chest heaved for air and my seal burned my stomach. I could smell Harusame’s vile remedies brewing already but this time I’d asked for them.

The longer I sat as Mizukage the more I felt my strength was insufficient, no, the more obvious it became. The Kages that stand behind each of the hidden villages in this timeline were intensely powerful people.

There was Rasa, the Fourth Kazekage who has consistently fought and subdued the One-Tailed beast, a feat not many can lay claim to especially singlehandedly.

Onoki ruled the Hidden Stone as Third Tsuchikage, a man well aged to have seen the birth of all the major villages, to have fought against Madara himself. There is something to be said about a man who lives long in a profession where people die young.

Ay, the Fourth Raikage and the second fastest person on the planet, a man so fierce he weathers no insult, takes no bullshit and fights with his fists ready to squash whoever may dare threaten his village. His lightning cloak, a version of his father’s own and yet to see its full potential has the strength to take on and shield him from nearly anything.

And finally, the Hokage or Hokage’s as Konoha seems to be the only village that managed to have two generations of Kage living and breathing at the same time. Hiruzen, the Professor who has learned all jutsu known to Konoha itself and Minato, the Yellow Flash, a name that speaks for itself.

In contrast, Yagura Karatachi or at least, the Yagura Karatachi I was playing wasn’t all that intimidating. True Yagura held mastery over both Water and Wind Release and was dipping further into Yin Release when he became a Jinchuriki.

In truth, if tested, I only have power equivalent to that of an expert Jounin and that’s when I channel his personality and memories, a thing I’m not too fond of doing. When I don’t I’m about as useful as a well-rounded Chuunin looking for a promotion.

I suppose that’s not bad but lately, more and more security concerns were making their way to my desk. Not to mention, I casted the die and took the first move against Obito and the Akatsuki, I didn’t know waiting for a report would take so long or that it would make me so anxious.

And so, here I am, back to seeking an ultimate, quick draw, easy win power to soothe my mounting anxieties. If only Yagura would let me through.

“Mizukage-sama, you can’t push yourself so much, this exercise is extreme enough for your stage.” Harusame continued to complain as he set a cup of his remedy on the grass next to my head. “Let’s try taking it from the top again, chakra moulding.”

I groaned at that, sat up and gulped the scalding hot tea before it got cold enough to tastes all the awfulness. By this time Harusame’s gotten used to seeing me do so and simply shook his head as he took the empty cup.

I breathed out the heat as I stood akimbo, “No, theirs is too much to do to waste time inching forward. If I can’t summon its chakra on my own, then it’s time, Harusame.”

His eyes soften as he looked on me, “Mizukage-sama…”

I shook my head, “Don’t worry, you saw me out there, I can handle its chakra. I won’t rampage.”

Still, he looked conflicted, but I couldn’t blame him, I was essentially asking him to put his life on the line, to trust that I’m capable of holding back a Tailed-Beast. In truth, this is a very Yagura thing for me to do but technically, it’s not. Since I know Isobu is asleep and the real Yagura is the first line of defence behind the seal all I need is to bypass him, grind some of Isobu’s chakra into my own and…

“This…if we do this the entire village will be at risk, not just me. The Three-Tails is fully capable of ending my life even with a single tail, one mistake, one slip up and it’s over.”

I gritted my teeth, trusting that as stubborn as Yagura is he won’t stand in my way, not if I do this, not if there’s a true risk of everything being over.

Steely eyed, I nodded, “I’m sure, make the preparations.”

No sooner had I given the order did an ANBU shimmer to my side, kneeling at my feet with his head bowed I sighed, “What is it now?”

He shifted at Harusame’s presence and the Fuinjutsu master didn’t need to be told to give us privacy. He bowed and left the secluded meditation pool to carry his orders.

Once he was gone, Ao took off his mask and by his expression alone, I could tell this was a serious matter, “Lord Funato has called for an emergency meeting with the council, news from Konoha.”

Every muscle in my body tensed at that, I wanted to ask Ao more but I knew he wouldn’t have the answers. “Very well, let’s go.”

Special thanks to my patrons; noxodrac, Garrett and John for helping fund the library!