014: Encounters

Konohagakure

Hokage Tower 

Hiruzen's Office 

Hiruzen's strategy was a resounding success. Various clans were eager to participate in the upcoming war to gain more benefits for themselves and their families. His position as Hokage was a tempting bait for them to bite, even if they knew they were being manipulated. They had no choice.

An ANBU with a horse mask appeared in front of him.

"Hokage-sama, the target is in the cemetery."

Hiruzen nodded, put on his hat, and went to meet a new and promising member of the Leaf. After all, that clan had always been at odds with his teacher and him. He needed someone who could be trusted, and that little leaf could be the key. Well, if he survived this upcoming war. Nothing sharpens the edge of a knife more than the battlefield.

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A six-year-old boy was approaching Konoha's cemetery. He walked in front of two tombs, a little surprised to see how the tombs were already cleaned, some wild lilies on both graves, everything neat and tidy.

'A worker maybe,' thought the little boy. He prayed in front of the graves.

He heard someone approaching, maybe another person visiting their loved ones.

"Dori me, interimo adapare, Dori me," sang a little kid, no more than three years old.

The first boy noticed the appearance of the boy. He was also an Uchiha, with short hair and a cheerful disposition. He saw the kid holding a bucket full of water in his left hand and some cleaning tools in his right. He was barely able to lift the bucket but went on singing a little tune.

"Ameno ameno, latire latiremo, Dori me."

"Excuse me, do you want some help?" asked the boy.

"Mmmh? Oh sure, thanks!" answered the cheerful little kid.

"Are you the one cleaning the tombs here?" asked the boy, seeking clarification.

"Yes, some people who come here are quite old, so they can't take care of their loved ones' tombs."

The boy was surprised by the little kid's empathetic attitude.

"Thank you, it seems that you already did my job for me. By the way, what is your name?" asked the boy.

"Sora Uchiha. You must be an Uchiha too, right?" said Sora, noticing the little fan on the other boy's T-shirt.

"My name is Shisui Uchiha," said the smiling and sunny boy, recognizing at a glance the name of the current patriarch's son.

And in this way, a future encounter happened before it was supposed to be.

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Sora liked this new Uchiha boy. From what he was told, Shisui was three years older than him and attended the Ninja Academy. Shisui's parents had died on a mission when he was barely one year old. His uncle was his current guardian, but he was mostly left alone due to his uncle's frequent missions.

Shisui offered some help in cleaning some neglected tombs. He was quite fascinated by the idea of paying his respects to some unknown people.

"Sora, please answer, what were you singing before?" asked Shisui, a little confused about Sora's words when he entered the cemetery. 'Is it a song or a prayer?' thought Shisui.

Sora laughed a little and said, "Oh, it's a little song to pay some respects or ask for a miracle," laughing inside about the times he used to sing "Dorime" to pass a test.

"Miracle?"

"Yes! Just like when you want something really, really badly, you have to say Dorime."

Before Shisui could answer, a man entered the cemetery. He was a short man, wearing a hat and haori with a red, full-length kimono tied with a white sash. He looked like he would be in his twilight years in the not-so-distant future. He had a pipe in his mouth.

Shisui recognized the man from speeches at his school. The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, the ninjutsu professor, and the current ninja god. Before he could welcome the Hokage with the courtesy he deserved, a voice was heard.

"Mister, can you please stop smoking? You are bothering the dead in their rest," said Sora politely.

The Hokage did not expect this situation at all, but true to his title as the professor, he was able to keep calm. He laughed a little and said, "You are absolutely right, my little friend. What is your name?"

"Before asking for my name, you should tell me yours first, mister," said Sora.

Shisui was shocked inside. How could he talk to the Hokage like that?

"You are right, little fellow. My name is Hiruzen Sarutobi. It is a pleasure to meet you. Now you can tell me yours," said a smiling Hiruzen.

"Sora Uchiha, mister. A pleasure," said Sora, trying to keep himself calm. This man was dangerous, and he could feel a pungent and horrible aura of death emanating from him. This guy was not simple.

Shisui noticed how Sora's attitude changed and welcomed the Hokage.

"Hokage-sama, it is a pleasure."

"My, my, you must be Shisui, right?" asked Hiruzen.

Shisui was surprised that the Hokage knew his name.

"How did you…" but was interrupted by Hiruzen.

"You are a descendant of Kagami Uchiha. He was my friend and part of my group during my younger years," said Hiruzen, reminiscing about long and never forgotten times.

"Our teacher, the Second Hokage, instructed us and taught us everything he knew. I like to remember him because that way, they live with us," said Hiruzen.

'What a cheap chicken soup. This is too coincidental, and while I know he is the Hokage, I need to leave ASAP. This aura is hurting me,' thought Sora.

So, before Hiruzen could continue his speech, Sora remembered something and used the little kid card.

"Hokage-sama, Shisui, I need to go back home. I promised Mom that I wouldn't be late. Today we have some guests at home, and I need to prepare," said Sora politely.

'It doesn't matter. Shisui was my objective after all. Fugaku's waste was a bonus,' thought Hiruzen.

"Okay, little Sora, go back home while I tell Shisui some stories about his grandpa."

"Thank you, Hokage-sama! Goodbye, Shisui!" And Sora returned home while Hiruzen passed the Will of Fire to a new and useful little leaf.

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Sora went back home and to his room. He explained how uncomfortable and painful he felt around Hiruzen.

"His soul is tainted," answered a nonchalant Senbonzakura.

"A what?" replied Sora.

"A tainted soul. The sins people carry as they live their lives taint their souls little by little. When they die, they cannot go to the afterlife. Only hell awaits them. People responsible for mass genocide, crimes against humanity, and cruel methods have their souls corrupted, which can be detrimental to purer souls. It's an instinctual response, a danger alert of sorts, a way in which your spirit tells you to stay far, far away from him," continued Senbonzakura.

"But Tou-san and Kaa-san also killed people. They are ninjas, so why don't I feel uncomfortable around them?" asked Sora. It was a valid question. He was sure his Tou-san's hands were tainted with blood. Someone in his position as a clan leader doesn't have any choice in the matter.

"Your mother is lightly tainted. While she killed people, she did not derive twisted pleasure from it, so you don't feel anything around her. Your father is not yet corrupted. Tainted, yes, more than Mikoto, but in his heart, he tries to keep a measure. So he is not corrupted, at least not completely," explained Senbonzakura.

"Also, corrupted people are usually surrounded by vengeful spirits biding their time so they can torture their killer's soul," said Senbonzakura.

"But why did I not see them?" asked Sora.

"You still lack enough spiritual power for that, and you also lack control of it," replied the masked samurai.

"But…"

"SORAAAA! ITACHIIII! COME TO THE LIVING ROOM," said Mikoto loudly, using her chakra.

"Oops, we will continue later, Sen-san," said Sora, running to the living room.

Senbonzakura continued with his meditation. Silence permeated the room until he felt something he had not felt in a really long time.

"So, it seems our paths intersect once more," said Senbonzakura with a little smirk hidden behind his mask.

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Sora and Itachi got to the living room and saw a blur of green and red charging towards them. Itachi, due to his training, evaded masterfully. Sora was not so lucky.

"SOOOOO CUTEEE!" said the woman while squeezing Sora's organs. He made a pitiful stare towards Mikoto, and she finally intervened.

"Okay, okay. Sora, Itachi, this is my friend Kushina," said Mikoto while separating Kushina from her son.

Sora could finally see the woman, and she was a beauty. She was a fair-skinned and slender woman with violet eyes and exotic red hair. It seemed she was on duty because she wore a blue forehead protector with her hair tied up in a high ponytail

 and strands at the sides of her face. Her attire consisted of a standard Konoha flak jacket over a black short-sleeved shirt and black fitting pants.

By her reaction, he could see she was a brash and straightforward person, so he used his past life to dictate his attitude toward her.

"Hello One-san, my name is Sora. You are so beautiful with your red hair, miss!" he said, acting cute. If he tried to ignore her, these types of women could be quite vengeful, so a good attitude was a must. Praise her for being young, praise her hair, and do it boldly.

It worked.

She made a beautiful smile and hugged him again.

"Mikoto, your son is so polite. I am melting!" said an excited Kushina. She had met the twins when they were babies, but due to her special identity and Mikoto's identity, their encounters were drastically reduced.

In an unexpected twist of fate, Sora's head was aligned with Kushina's belly, and something unexpected happened. He caught a glimpse of a giant orange beast chained to a giant rock. He could feel deep malice emanating from that beast, and unable to resist any longer with his meager spiritual power, he passed out.

"Sora? SORAA!" screamed Mikoto as Sora's world faded to black and a little of orange chakra emanated from Kushina.

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A/N: At this pace I should call him sleeping beauty, he always "pass out", but hey, my boy is still a little shrimp surrounded by whales. 

This time I saw how much time I invest in writing, and it seems that I take about three hours per chapter (Writing it) plus 20 min revising it for errors. 

I write faster in my cellphone but I make more mistakes (the first 10 chapter were written in my cellphone). And I make less mistake by using the computer, but I write slower. 

Oh well, Thank you and have a nice day! Dorime!