12 3/4

Shocked and Outraged shouts filled the room. Denial over the spirits words were easily uttered for it couldn't be true. Lord Third was as pale as a sheet. His face was blank and his eyes were dry. The information had truly shaken the sturdiest man I've ever met. He was helpless, for how could we refute her evidence? She was there, we were not.

"SILENCE!" a demonic voice boomed throughout the room. All eyes widened and turned towards the specter. Somehow, she had tapped into Kyubi's Chakra. That… that was a terrifying notion. The blood red eyes faded back to the cold violet ones. Lady Korinna glared once more around the room. Her story continued.

"My dream that sent me seeking the guidance of the stars was April 5th. Uzushio fell September 26th."

She let that information sink in. Five, almost six months. What happened?!

"For months I attempted to alert Konoha to our plight. I sent hawks, couriers, and summons. Message after message after message. No reply, no reply, no reply. I grew desperate. The stars showed me the inevitable path, but not the details that led to the end of the road! A month passed, then a second. I grew more desperate. I sent my princess, my beautiful princess to Konoha 2 years sooner than we planned. I had to. She wasn't safe. I had to keep my baby safe. I kept her as long as I could until the day drew too close for me to risk waiting any longer. July 17th was the last day I ever laid eyes on my beautiful Kushina."

Tears glistened in Naruto's eyes but the story continued. "August came upon us in the blink of an eye. I prepared my people for the inevitable. I had been sending civilians away day by day, asking them to flee to where they felt safe. Next were my genin, they were too young and inexperienced to do anything but die, I sent them away. By the time September's heat was crushing us under its oppressive grip, the only remaining souls on the island were myself and the 200 Chunin and Jonin I had under my command. Do not let the history books discredit our strength. 200 took on 10,000 and almost won!"

"It was a week before the Coalition was set to begin its attack, that the truth was revealed to me. A lone Genin stumbled his way onto the beach of Uzu. We found him and healed him as best as we could, but he was too weak and his body didn't have the strength to continue. With his dying breathes, he broke my heart 1000 times. Somehow, someone had betrayed all that Uzushio stood for. There was a traitor among my people. A traitor sending messages to his master every time I sent a plea for aid. Every. Single. Message. Gone. They never reached our Sister Village. But worse than that. The traitor released my evacuation plans. Every single person I ushered away to safety, was ushered straight into death's awaiting embrace. The coalition had sent scouting parties to pick off the innocent men, women and children who had no part in the war between Shinobi."

"Our allies weren't coming. The stars never lied. We were on our own. Our people were already dead. We had nothing to lose. I had nothing to lose. I knew in a week I would be dead. My last act as Uzukage was to uncover the truth and record it. In hopes that the cold, merciless bastard would one day feel the fury of the Uzumaki."

"I stormed into our temple. Down into the crypts, buried beneath the remains of the first Uzumaki was our clan's darkest secret. A secret that would see justice for my family. I unfurled the scroll and performed a most dark and forbidden technique. I asked the remaining members of our once proud clan to join me in the temple for a final prayer. Once everyone was inside, the doors were sealed. Activating every seal given to the Uzukage, my 200 soldiers were sealed in their potential tombstone. They all understood what I was doing and supported my endeavors. I told them the plan for battle, and their best chance of survival. I bid my farewell to my family. We all cried as one that night."

"The technique was activated, doubt filled my core. I pushed away all emotions that may hold me back. I had to see Justice for my family. Knowing my heart would be utterly shattered within mere minutes, I killed my emotions. Vengeance for the innocent blood would be mine. The ancient temple of our ancestors ignited in a red light, the same shade as the liquid life spilled by children due to this traitor's deceit. My hunt began."

The cloak that had enveloped me with its loving embrace was battling the ever increasing fury of the deceased Uzumaki Matriarch. Naruto's chakra had been building every second since his tale began. The crescendo was fast approaching. Whatever Lady Korinna was building for was about to be revealed. I awaited the explosion of her fury with bated breath. Deep down I knew that Misumi was not going to survive this. He may not be leaving this world alone either.

"The first activation of my forbidden technique froze every soul caught in the array in place. Innocent and guilty alike. There was no alternative. I began to sweep the crowd, searching for the signs. When I found the young man the God's themselves marked as the traitor, my fury exploded. This was a young man who washed upon our shores over a decade ago. No memory of who he was, or where he came from. We welcomed him to our homelands. He lived with us. Loved with us. He married my own niece! They had two beautiful kids together. He sent his own wife and children to their deaths."

Heartbroken sorrow now intertwined with righteous fury making it difficult to breathe. The emotions saturating the air I breathed was crushing.

"I stared into his eyes. Eyes that once held so much life and energy. A man not born of the land, but was just as much part of the land as any of those born on her soil. The eyes that stared back chilled my very essense. They were the eyes of a soulless monster. I steeled my nerves and asked the simple question I didn't want to know the answer to. "Why?" I asked him. His reply, devoid of any emotion at all, sent shivers down my spine. "My Master ordered me to. It was my mission. Only the mission matters." "Who sent you?" I asked him. He simply stuck his tongue out, showing me the seal preventing him from speaking about his matter."

"My chakra reacted to my emotions. Every single emotion that I had been feeling since I discovered our fate lashed out at this deceiver. The pathetic excuse for a curse seal shattered under my pressure alone, and I didn't just make that boy talk. I made him sing. The revelations I learned shocked me to my core; my fury kept my thoughts clear. I wrung every scrap of information I could from the boy, then called upon the God's to deliver their verdict. As I walked to the dais to deliver my message, I barely noticed the smell of the burning husk I was walking away from."

"I delivered the information to the last 200 survivors of my family. Grim faces, barely containing their sorrow and rage stared back at me. We planned, we grieved, we swore vengeance. After everything that could be said had been said, we simply sat together. Hand in hand. Enjoying the last moments we had together as a family. I felt the pull. My time was growing short. You do not ask Gods for favors without expecting payment. My payment for finding the truth and ensuring my family would one day have the justice it so rightfully reserved, was my life. My mortal body, in exchange for opening the link between the mortal and immortal plane. My eternal soul in servitude for eternity in exchange for their judgement. It was and still is a price I would pay over and over again. However, my desire for vengeance was too strong. Too powerful. Too overwhelming. Too consuming. I had one more act to perform. I was going to cheat the very God's themselves."

"I left my family. Bidding them my final farewell. Entrusting the few survivors the stars promised would live my final order. "Kill him. No matter how long it takes. Avenge our Clan." They agreed. I walked to the holy dais, and unfurled a scroll I had created. When I was a young girl, I had a dream. In this dream, a spirit spoke to me, instructing me to create my own great master piece and forbidden seal. It was for this moment. A contingency plan. The jaws of death would find the clan destroyer one way or another. I activated the seal. My world went white. As I felt a strong tug on my very essence, my spirt, consciousness and memories escaped the clutches of The God's and sealed themselves into the empty pages of a lone diary. My body turned to ash, and the rest you know."

The Uzumaki spirit finished her tale, eyes never leaving Lord Third's face. "The pull is strong. No one can escape The God's forever. My eternal soul is damned now for my deception. I regret nothing. I still have time, Naruto's spirit keeps me anchored. He isn't a vengeful soul, but his sorrow for his people keeps me here. To deliver my story, warning, and advice. Listen, and listen well, Young Monkey."

Naruto's body stood and made his way to stand in front of Lord Third. He leaned forward and whispered something to Lord Third. When he was finished, Lord Third's eyes opened wide in wonder and he stared into the violet eyes in wonder. Naruto nodded before returning to the center of the room.

"A quick history into the origins of the Uzumaki. As you know we are a cousin clan to The Great Senju clan. The first Uzumaki was born however, for a purpose. A divine purpose. Our clan was chosen by The Sage himself. For he created the 9 tailed beasts and set them to be the guardians of this world."

Astonished and disbelieving murmurs broke out. The spirit raised her hand and the room responded to her commanding aura. They silenced immediately.

"I know, it is hard to believe, but I assure it is true. However, over the centuries the human's greed and corruption led to wars breaking out. Attempting to be the strongest, human's looked for ways to harness the power of the tailed beasts. The tailed beasts did their best to uphold the wishes of their father, but centuries of abuse, fear, hatred, and pain soon saw the chakra entities change. They fought back, and were given the moniker of demon. The Sage, who watches over the world from the Pure Lands, was not ready to give up on mankind, so he sent what little power he could between our world and the afterlife, and the first Uzumaki was born. Every cell in his body was blessed by the Sage to quell the rage of the Tailed Beasts. As the family grew, so did their knowledge of the sealing arts. Many have speculated over the years if our prowess in sealing was some kind of bloodline. I will confirm that theory for you all now. Though a simple bloodline is too simple of an explanation, it will do for now and what you need to know."

She paused to allow that information to absorb with everyone. She sighed and clutches her heart as if in pain. Lady Korinna looked around the room and continued.

"To quell the beats ire and rage, Uzumaki began to use their gifts to take in, shield, and subdue the Tailed Beats into their own bodies. The first Jinchuriki were born, and for a time, the world was spared from the wraith of the beasts. It would not last though, as you know. The greed of humanity is limitless. Wars raged. I don't need to give you history lessons. I told you our origins so that what I say next will make you understand the grave error the Traitor made in aiding the coalition forces in bring my clan to near extinction."

She looked down at her, Naruto's, hands and folded them over her stomach. Closing her eyes momentarily she sat with a small smile. Her gaze then zoned in on Fú and she smiled sadly. She then turned her eyes towards Gaara. A frown marred her face as she studied him before her eyes filled with determination. She turned back to Lord Third. Her next statement did indeed shock the room.

"There is a reason that only certain people are compatible to being Jinchuriki. The only people who are capable of holding a tailed beast are those of the Uzumaki bloodline."

Silence filled the room. I immediately felt sick to my stomach. Every person that stood on stage made the connection as well. Slowly but surely, horrible realization started to dawn on every single person's face in the room. Lady Korinna nodded grimly at Lord Third.

"You realize. The rat that scurries in the shadows of Konoha, the traitor who doomed my clan, quite possibly doomed the entire world when the beast's wraith is unleashed with no way to contain. These two," She pointed to Fú and Gaara, "I recognize as kin, and as the last Uzukage and Clan head hereby give them my blessing to carry our name with honor.

Fú gasped beside me and a turned to her. A teary eyed smile that never left the last Uzukage's face nodded happily. I wrapped my arm around her and pulled her close. Her choked sobs were the only sound that could be heard. I glanced towards Gaara. His reaction was much more subdued, but the surprise was clearly evident.

"They are my kin and descendants. However," She made sure to fix Hiruzen with a hard gaze. Not in anger, but in a way that said 'realize what I'm saying.' "Their blood is so diluted that unless they have a child with another Uzumaki, it will not be capable of containing even the One Tailed Tanuki."

Violet eyes set in Naruto's head then sent a menacing glare at the elders before him. "This is a warning to you all though. You will NOT subjugate my descendants to inhumane breeding to save your sorry asses. My kin will not suffer and be unhappy due to your inability to control your greed and lust for power. The Sage is watching, he will not tolerate it. Heed my warning, for when I depart, I have ensured you will not harm my kin any longer." She punctuated her warning with the most menacing aura I've ever felt. My legs shook, my stomach roiled, sweat rolled off in waves. And then it was gone and the neutral expression was back on her face.

"I have come what I needed to say, so now must do a few unexpected tasks. One Moment." She stood abruptly and began to blur through hand seals at a pace that was inhuman. Dozens upon dozens finished in seconds. Naruto's hands suddenly broke apart and were covered in roaring cerulean flames. Naruto disappeared and before anyone could fathom had driven both flame covered fists deep into Gaara's abdomen. His arms rotated in opposite directions before pulling back. The flames changed to an emerald green coloring and two open palms connected perpendicular to the initial strike locations. The flames faded and Naruto's hands pulled back. The spirit controlled Naruto's hands then came together in prayer, Chakra spiking to insane levels. Slowly pulling the hands apart, a tiny sphere of royal purple chakra could be seen. That too, was driven into Gaara's stomach.

"Uzumaki Style Sealing Arts: Divine Tortoise of Holy Protection!" Lady Korinna cried out, her body enveloped in a golden light. "SEAL!"

The light rapidly faded. Naruto was breathing heavy, staring down at Gaara who had collapsed.

"GAARA!" Temari cried out. She tentatively reached out to her brother before turning tear-filled eyes of pure anger on the possessed blonde. "What did you do to him?! That's my baby brother! What did you do you, bitch?!" Temari screamed, getting in the face of Naruto. I had to admire the bravery that took. But I could relate. I'd go toe to toe with a possessed Naruto if he had hurt Kono.

Naruto stared impassively at the blonde kunoichi before a smile broke across her face. "You still love your brother. That is good. He will need all the love and support you can give him. Cherish those bonds, young Temari. Family is everything. As for what I did? Whomever put that seal on your brother should be executed for high treason. It was literally an overly large storage seal."

Temari's eyes widened.

"Yes. It is why he has become so unstable. The One Tailed beast is almost as mischievous as a fox. That impish playfulness turned malicious over the years. Poor Shukaku was treated the worst by the humans, being the weakest. It drove him mad. That THING on your brother allowed Shukaku to have complete influence over your poor brother's mind. I have fixed that."

"The Blue Flames destroyed the seal, the green flames subdued the beast, the violet light created his new seal. From this day forth, with love and support from his family, friends, and village, the sweet little boy you remember will return. Well, I don't know that but he will no longer be influenced with Shukaku's madness. He'll at least be able to sleep soundly." Naruto smiled warmly at Temari who threw herself onto his shoulders. Lady Korinna consoled the girl who was profusely thanking her. I took a glance at Lord Jiraiya to see his reaction to that astonishing display of sealing. I snickered quietly to myself. Apparently Lord Jiraiya still had a lot to learn, judging from the bug-eyed expression and gaping jaw. Gaara was stirring and pushing himself to his feet.

When he got to his feet, he shook his head, trying to clear his mind. He looked up and his gaze locked with those violet orbs. He snarled like a caged animal, sand erupted from the gourd on his back. Without warning the sand crashed to the ground. A look of confusion adorned his face. Confusion quickly morphing to horror which quickly gave way to sheer panic. He grabbed his head and started screaming.

"MOTHER?! WHERE ARE YOU?! WHY CAN'T I HERE HER! ANSWER ME MOTHER!" His tortured screams echoed throughout the building. My heart ached for the poor guy. The madness I glimpsed in his eyes was indeed not my imagination. Temari was crying, not sure what to do. Naruto calmly walked up to the boy, took his chin and raised his head to meet Lady Korinna's gaze. Gaara stared back with pure desperation. Naruto leaned forward, Forehead connecting with Gaara's and he instantly stilled. It was simply for a moment before his eyes opened again. A peaceful tranquility replacing the animalistic fear that had just seconds ago gripped him. He stared at Naruto in mild awe. Naruto smiled gently back, patting the boy's cheek in an affectionate manner. Ok, that just looked wrong! In the back of my mind I knew that the spirit of a grown woman was currently in control. A woman who was a mother before she died. That didn't matter. My most predominant thought though was tying Naruto to a chair and using this memory over and over to not only torture him, but train my projection technique. Training AND torture. Win-win! I laughed softly to myself. Fú looked at me quizzically. I leaned down to whisper in her ear.

"I'll tell you later, just an idea to prank Naruto when this is all over. I'll make sure yo-HOLY FUCK!" Fú and I jumped back as Naruto had just appeared without warning. Violet eyes pinned Fú in place. Her eyes widened in shock as, just with Gaara, Naruto leaned in and touched Fú's forehead with his own. Her eyes closed, and just as with Gaara they opened seconds later. She stared wide-eyed shock before breaking out into uncontrollable sobs. She collapsed boneless into Naruto's waiting arms. The maternal spirit in Naruto comforted the sobbing girl. Despite being a rational and logical person, I frowned slightly seeing Fú in the arms of another man. As if reading my thoughts, those violet eyes turned towards me and sent a knowing smirk my way. I blushed slightly and turned away, only to gasp in surprise as Fú was gently guided into my own arms. I held her close and let her cry into my shirt. Whatever had happened in those few seconds had unleashed a dam of pent up emotions. I looked up, seeing Naruto smilingly happily at the sight. Violet eyes met teal, and Naruto stepped in close.

The possessed blonde leaned in close and whispered in my ear "You're a lucky man. Take care of her. Now, we have MUCH to discuss." And before I knew it Naruto's warm brow was resting against my own. The last thing I noticed before my world exploded in white was my forehead protector gripped in Naruto's hand.

***********************************IY***********************************************

I blinked back tears that sprung into my eyes at the sudden bright light that had surrounded me in all directions. Clearing my vision, I took a look around me. I was standing on nothing, in an endless of expanse of pure white light.

"Where am I? What is this place? I asked to no one in particular.

"Wow. A Yamanaka who doesn't know what a mindscape in. Seems like your parents need to step up your training." A familiar feminine voice mocked behind me. I whipped around and gasped.

Standing not 10ft away from me was a goddess. She was tall. Her tanned skinned completely unblemished. The blood red hair cascading down her back shone with a healthy glow. Her face was one that men would start wars over just to gaze upon it. Violet eyes shone with warmth and her smile was absolutely dazzling. I could no longer ignore my feelings for Fú, but despite those feelings I could feel myself blushing heavily staring at this woman.

"Lady Korinna?" I asked hesitantly. Her widening smile was all the answer I needed. I bowed low to her. "It is an honor to actually meet you."

A musical giggle seemed to sound from all directions. "My, my. So polite. Kids these days could learn a thing or two from you, Kenta. Please, though no need for formalities. We have much to discuss and little time."

I had so many questions, but I knew that she had things she needed to discuss. Important things if pulling me into my own subconscious was any indication. She smiled once again. "Can you read my mind?" I blurted out suddenly.

Her laughter rang clear as chimes. "Yes and No." She answered evasively.

"What do you mean?"

"It would be easier to show you." She waved her hand and my mindscape changed. The endless expanse of white exploded in color. Billions upon billions of threads stretched on for miles, intertwining, connecting, and branching. It was reminiscent of a multi-hued rainbow spider web. I must have looked like a child in a candy store.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Korinna's soft voice asked beside me. Her voice was much kinder in here than when she was possessing Naruto. I nodded.

"What is it?" I asked in wonder.

"This, is the web of fate. It is hard to explain. But in the simplest way I can is that what you see before you is the future of your world."

I turned to her in shock. "So you can read the future?!"

She laughed lightly. "Again, yes and no. As you can see with your own eyes, the future is not set in stone. It doesn't follow a single thread from point A to point B. Every single decision you make creates a new thread, as does every human alive. Every interaction you have changes the outcome of the world. Every human is integral in shaping the future of our world. When you asked if I can read minds, the answer is a solid no. But…" And she reached out and touched a thread. The thread glowed a golden color and the light flew the length of the thread. I followed the light with my eyes and it stopped once it reached an intersection of dozens more threads.

"So… The thread you just touched was a choice made. The light stopped at that intersection and depending on the next choice made is where the light goes?" I theorized aloud to myself.

"Oh, very good! You ARE a bright boy. A good influence on my… energetic grandson." She laughed. "I swear, he IS his mother's child. She was the same, ya know? Much rather go get her hands dirty than "read a dusty old scroll" as she liked to put it" Her smile turned slightly sad.

It was my turn to laugh. Lady Korinna turned questioning eyes to me. "Sorry, but he's just as much your grandson as he is his mother. He's never even met you and you both say "ya know" the exact same way."

Her bright smile returned. "Is that so? That makes me happy. Thank you for sharing that."

That prompted another question. "But wait, didn't you know that? Haven't you been keeping an eye on Naruto? Or however, ghost…spirit things do?"

She laughed delightedly at that. "No, silly! I closely follow his threads, yes. And they show me glimpses of his life. But it's not like I get to watch a live movie of my grandson's life."

I contemplated my next question. "So… You can't know the future. But, following the threads, especially of powerful or influential people, you could theoretically map out the most likely paths that would be taken and have a rough estimate."

Her smile widened. "Very, VERY good. I had such a good feeling when I discovered your fate thread had wrapped itself tightly around My Naruto's."

I stared at the red headed woman in shock. "What do you mean wrapped tightly around Naruto's? I love Naruto, He's like a brother to me, but I DO NOT want to marry your grandson. He'll make a wonderful husband to someone someday, I'm sure. But I like-"I cutoff as Korinna had burst out in gut busting laughter. It took her a solid minute to get it out of her system. Wiping away a couple tears of mirth she finally looked at me, another giggle escaping before sobering enough to explain.

"No, silly. Having an interconnected fate thread doesn't mean if because you're married." I sighed heavily in relief eliciting another fit of giggles. "It means that the two of you have resonating souls. Once you found each other, the connected. The best way I can explain it is, you're soul mates. AND" she cut me off as I had opened my mouth "There is no such thing as romantic soul mates. That's a fairy tale we tell children to make them believe in their one true love. Soul mates is of course the common name. The formal name in the ancient tongue is 'Anima Resonante Eoa.'"

I blinked at her. A stream of thoughts, feelings, and phantom memories echoing in my mind. She smiled knowingly at that. "Why does that language sound so familiar to me? You know don't you?" I looked down at my shaking hands. My emotions suddenly fluctuating. I jumped when I felt wetness hit my hands. I was crying? When was the last time I cried?

"Oh." Escaped my lips and I collapsed in a boneless heap. Warm arms embraced me immediately and began to rock me. I have no idea how long I sat there, bawling like I was 3 years old again. It could have been 5 minutes, or it could have been 5 hours. I didn't know nor did I care. The only thing I knew in this moment was that I needed to release these emotions I'd been pushing down for years. The fear of what I was. The images I dreamt of. The visions that swam in my mind when certain words were spoken. The knowledge that always seemed out of reach, causing me worlds of frustration and grief. All of it was being cleansed as I cried in this strangers arms. I needed this more than I knew. Shinobi were taught to dampen our emotions. Emotions could jeopardize the mission if not controlled properly. I threw my middle finger to that rule, because I was in my own head, I was going to cry as much as I wanted and no one would know.

I managed to calm down after a bit. I sent an embarrassed smile towards my best friend's dead grandmother. She smiled in understanding.

"Feel better?" She asked gently.

"Yes. I'm sorry for losing my composure."

"Don't be silly, silly! You're a budding and bright young shinobi with a mountain of potential. You're also human. Humans are allowed to cry every now and again, ya know? A good cry never hurt anybody." She finished with a playful shove. I laughed out loud for the first time in what seemed hours.

"Now, time is running short. I have a few more things to pass along to you. Important information that you must decide what to do with. But before we do any of that, I have a gift for you." She smiled brightly.

"A gift? For what?"

Her radiant smile became subdued. "For saving my grandson. For loving him unconditionally. For welcoming him into your home with open arms. For helping to guide him. For introducing him to his past. For everything." She finished, a few small tears slid down her cheeks. "These are happy and sad tears, ya know? I never got to see my baby grow up, nor my grandson, and that makes me sad. But knowing he has you in his life brings so much joy to my heart. NOW. Take you shirt off, pretty boy!"

"WHAT?! Are you some sort of lady pervert?!

She cackled at my reaction before calming down. "Oh I love getting those kinds of reactions. Please, take off your shirt, Kenta. I'm going to place a seal on you that will benefit you for the rest of your life. Do you trust me?"

I nodded immediately. I barely knew this woman, and I had no way of verifying if what anything she'd said was true. But my instincts were telling me to trust her. I grabbed the hem of my shirt and took it off in one smooth motion.

Lady Korinna began to weave a complicated set of seals I had never seen before, she gave me a once over. "Little Fú is a lucky lady." She said out of the blue.

"What?!" I asked trying to cover myself back up, causing another bout of laughter from the crazy red-head.

"I'm just saying! I know you two like each other."

I blushed heavily, noticing that all the commotion she'd been making hadn't once broken her rhythm or concentration.

"You really are Naruto's grandmother. Like to mess with people just as much as that blonde idiot does." I grumbled under my breath, making sure it was loud enough for her to hear still. She laughed loudly once more.

"Ok. Ready? This is going to hurt, I won't lie. But I promise, you'll be grateful.

I braced myself and nodded.

"Uzumaki Style Sealing Arts: Gift of the Lord of the Morning" Lady Korinna shouted, each finger on her right hand ignited in a brilliant silver color. She thrust her arm forward, and to my horror, her silver coated fingers plunged into my chest. Before I could cry out in alarm, I felt her hand grip my heart and squeeze. My world erupted in agony before darkness claimed me.

'Fuck you, instincts. You let me down…' was my last thought.

************************************Afterlife*****************************************

My eyes shot open and a flailed around in panic. My last memory rushing back to me; the violet haired witch had crushed my heart. I looked around wildly and locked eyes with a set of violet eyes set in worry. I jumped to my feet and flickered a distance away.

"Stay away from me!" I shouted. "What did you do? How am I still alive?"

She took a hesitant step forward, arms out wide showing she meant no threat. "I'm sorry, Kenta. I didn't want to put any extra stress on you or make you second guess the seal. I know it was scary, and I know it hurt. I'm sorry, truly."

I took a few calming breathes while analyzing the situation. She didn't kill me. Yes it hurt like a bitch, but she did say it would hurt… I relaxed slightly, but still wary.

"You didn't answer me. What did you do and how am I still alive."

She nodded and slowly lowered her hands to her side. "I'll answer your second question first." She took a deep breath and a vein throbbed on her head, I braced for impact as I'd seen the same expression on my own mother before. "We're in YOUR mindscape, Idiot! I can't kill you! I thought you were smart!" She huffed and instantly changed her demeanor. She smiled at me. "As for what I did, I told you. I gave you a gift. A seal."

"Yeah, but what does it do? And WHY did you have to plunge into my chest? Couldn't you have just like… given it to me on my arm or something?" She shook her head.

"Your mindscape is a manifestation of your consciousness. When you enter your mindscape, or like with your clan's mind walk, have you never wondered why you have a body if you're just consciousness?"

THAT gave me pause. I'd never even considered it. It really didn't make sense now that I thought about it. I shook my head.

"Because the consciousness is directly linked to your soul." She stated. "What most people think of as a soul, isn't what it actually is. A soul is pure, unfiltered spiritual energy found in all living creatures. Everything around you has a soul. A soul's only purpose is to provide the yin half of chakra. What separates a human soul from other animals, is that we're self-aware, have free will and a consciousness. Your consciousness and soul, as you get older, eventually start to fuse. Our earliest memory we have of our life is when the merging of self and soul completes. When this happens, our soul becomes more than simple energy. It's an intelligent entity. All that being said, when you come in here, since soul and consciousness are one in the same, why can't you the spiritual energy or your soul?

My mind was reeling. This was next level psychology/spirituality. This changes so much that we know of as human! I thought about everything I just learned. A minute later I looked up at the red-headed enigma and pointed down. Right where my heart would be if I was an organic being. In here, I'm not. I'm pure spiritual energy.

She smiled brightly. "Exactly. The body you see is your consciousness's automatic defense mechanism. I had to pierce that to get to your soul. That seal is a soul seal. It can never be damaged, copied, or tampered with unless someone where to get down this far into your mindscape and do what I did. The only clan I know of that could do that is…" She sent a wicked smirk my way.

My. Jaw. Dropped. "You… you're telling me that I could theoretically attack and destroy another human beings soul?! That… is terrifying! I can't even imagine… But what would that do to a person? Destroying their soul?"

"Theoretically? Kenta, 1000 years ago The Yamanaka Clan were the boogie men of the world. Every single clan feared them. The ability they possessed to invade the mind, bend reality, break their opponent down to a blubbering mess, and yes… to the clan's largest threats, destroying the soul of enemies."

I looked down in shame. "So, my ancestors were a bunch of warmongering, fear inducing bullies? That… is really disappointing to hear." I sighed. My dream of reaching S-Rank left a bitter taste in my mouth. Strong hands gripped my arms and I looked up into the smiling face of Lady Karinna.

"Kenta. Though your clan techniques have become a mere shadow of what they were, one thing about your clan has never changed. Your love of peace, but willingness to go toe to toe with anyone who threatens what's yours. The Yamanaka clan of old lived in the rolling hills in the area that is today known as Land of Bears. They spent their days cultivating and growing all things that live. They were happy and peaceful, and bothered no one. They only fought when provoked, but never have they ever started a single fight. They simply finished them."

She paused for a moment and took a step back. She seemed to be searching for something. Seemingly finding what she was looking for, she beckoned me to come closer. "See this? That's your thread. I want you to take hold of it, and think about your ancestors. The web will read your intention. Go on."

I took a step forward and took hold of the thread she indicated. It was surprisingly warm to the touch and seemed to vibrate with a life of its own. I closed my eyes, imagining what my ancient ancestors could have looked like. The thread in my grasp warmed suddenly and began to vibrate much more noticeably. I sensed, something, change around me.

"Open your eyes, young flower." Lady Karinna whispered excitedly. I did as she said and gasped. My entire mindscape changed. No longer and endless white void, we were standing in lush green grass. Low hills dotted the landscape for miles around. I turned around and had to quickly remind myself that I had already cried my one allotted time for the year. Fields or brightly colored flowers stretched on in every direction, disappearing into the horizon. Rows of healthy vegetables of every kind were neatly manicured and not a leaf out of place. Various types of trees dotted the fields, providing comfortable pockets of shade for anyone to rest in.

I turned to the right and once again felt at a loss for words. Large, white stoned walls, polished until shining gleamed in the sunlight. Great Wooden doors the only break in an otherwise seamless stone structure. Emblazoned above the doors was a quote and a very familiar clan symbol.

"It hasn't changed at all." I whispered.

"You come from an ancient and noble clan, Kenta. A clan of integrity and character. You embody all your ancestors stood for."

A small smile worked its way onto my face and I read the quote. "May our lands of beauty and life bring comfort to your weary soul. Friend, be welcomed. Come in peace, go in peace."

I couldn't help the few tears that escaped. I wiped them away quickly. I closed my eyes for a brief moment, picture clear in my mind. When I opened them the wooden doors were open. I rushed into our ancestral compound. Small houses in neat rows lined the streets, for every house a private garden. A marketplace was set up in the small plaza. A large building dominated the skyline directly in the middle of the compound. Our clan symbol painted at the top of the building. It was like its own village. I could picture them now. People in the fields, taking great care to nurture the life that had been lovingly grown from a tiny seed. Children, running and laughing and playing in the streets. Men and women stopping to chat while running errands for the day. I was once again surprised to feel the dampness on my face. I couldn't quite place the emotion I was feeling. Happy? Sad? Lost?

"What happened to them?" I managed to ask.

Lady Korinna smiled sadly. "What happens to anyone that's seen as different, dangerous, or anything else outside the norm. Their powers were feared. The only people that they hurt were those that threatened them. But paranoia is a terrible curse. Neighboring clans began to get the idea that your ancestors were plotting to destroy them. So they attacked first. A carefully planned and well executed night raid by 14 clans. It was too sudden. They were caught unprepared and unaware. They did the only thing they could do, run. They fled east. They were hunted and chased for months before their enemies finally gave up. Deciding that the damage they inflicted and the lives they had taken were enough to break your clan."