V.2-C.12│Getting Accustomed II│

"This is the Land of Eddies, huh?"

Right now, the rather large group have now found themselves on the landmass that was used to be called the Land of Whirlpools. In fact, the very common name of Uzumaki could mean 'whirlpool' or 'maelstrom,' which goes hand in hand with the naming of these lands.

"Yes, it is." Obito replied to the girl, the girl known as Anko Mitarashi, especially since she hasn't been here before and everyone had been split off into smaller groups on this journey.

It would seem like Sakumo paired off with Haruhi, which made sense since these two seem to know each other a small bit. Kushina and Mikoto went to pair up with Tsunade, making those three have their own little discussions about things...

Whatever that may be, which for some reason made Obito feel as if they were sometimes talking about him. 'That is just my paranoia acting up... yeah, paranoia.' Obito thought to himself.

Then there was of course Shizune, Kurenai and Rin, whom formed their own little group as well, leaving Obito to be with Anko.

Obito wondered a bit now as time was passing, about how the others would react to the 'little' fact that Mikoto is not only pregnant, but with his child. 'It should be fine... I think?'

Obito was also adjusting to his new circumstances in that Kaguya was now able to interact with him and speak to him as well. He was not expecting that he and she would be able to converse once he and she formed whatever that weird connection was.

"This place seems... abandoned..." Anko replied as she looked around, specifically they had all split off in their groups and had gone in different directions throughout this main town that they have come across.

Sure, there had been those rumors about some of the Land of Whirlpools coming back even since the emergence of this last of the mysterious Uzumaki still alive and powerful enough that they would save their land from further ruin and complete collapse, but that didn't mean this place would be swarming with people.

Nothing has changed, at all, except for maybe nature having come in to reclaim more land, with animals abound everywhere.

"It would seem that way..." Obito replied himself as the both of them was specifically looking around an area that could be considered the main base of operations here. The 'town hall' so to speak, and there didn't seem to be much of anything.

The thing is, the people that were still left on this land, within the once known nation of the Land of Whirlpools, would of should have been pushed out or outright demolished by Gato, the business tycoon some time ago, which would of destroyed even the last vestiges of this lost civilization.

If Obito and his team he was a part of at the time didn't come on orders of the Hokage, whom didn't even care that much at that time because of those pirates since it was a small issue, the people here would probably have been eradicated.

Maybe even enslaved, for laws are rather loose when one is not directly within the borders of a lawful society.

The seas, and the unowned, unclaimed lands of a ruined nation, made things all the more easier for people to be evil.

"I thought that there was going to be some people." Anko said as she looked around some more, though there really wasn't anything of substance to be found. "The buildings are actually a little bit similar to Konoha." Anko contemplated on this factor.

"What? You didn't notice, or you didn't know?" Obito questioned as right now there wasn't much else to talk about of importance.

"Know what?" Anko asked.

"You know the uniform that the shinobi and kunoichi of Konoha wear the Uzumaki swirl, don't you? The Uzumaki are also a clan distantly related to the Senju." Obito replied, making sure that Anko better understood what he was talking about.

"Oh... I see then." Anko could piece together the dots, connecting them.

A silence would befall the two for a few minutes as they would go around looking at things, inspecting and deciphering whether or not there has been anyone around, but there would be no such clues.

It is a ghost town, and if there was anyplace, anywhere, located within this small town, then it should be here.

"Nothing." Obito said as he exited the building and saw Anko waiting there for him.

"Same..." Anko looked away after saying that, before she hesitated for a bit, but would still get out in the end anyway, but not without a little bit of a push from Obito.

"What is it?" Obito asked, seeing that she seemed to have something on her mind.

"I was just wondering... It's about... about Orochimaru." Obito did take note of the lack of a respectful title that Anko would usually use for Orochimaru.

"Yes...?" Obito was aware of the fact that somehow Orochimaru had a small hand in helping the younger girls escape through Anko, though he also understands that this shouldn't be without a price of some kind.

"Orochimaru asked for some sort of... trade. He wanted your assistance with some kind of project involving your sealing expertise. I... I agreed on your behalf. Sorry!" Anko turned as she bowed a deep bow towards him, expressing that she was in the wrong for doing so on his behalf.

"Hmm..." Obito thought about what this could possibly mean, but first he needed to deal with the silly girl in front of him. 'This is most definitely not how I remember the creepy woman...' Obito had realized a long time ago that no one he does know would keep true to what he believed them to be.

Especially those that he had no way of ever knowing about. "No problem. I'm assuming that he wouldn't accept anything else, even something that you could give. No. I know for a fact that he wouldn't." Obito comforted, or tried to comfort Anko, though his words didn't seem to be enough to allay Anko's fears.

"... I... But it was wrong of me to do so. So, I shall accept any punishment you give to me!" She would expect nothing less.

"Punishment...?" 'Was she always a bit... of a freak like this? She almost seemed excited for a second there.' But Obito knew for sure that she is almost assuredly serious in her request.

"Yes, please! I will not be able to forgive myself if you do not punish me!" Anko still kept her head down, and all she had to go by was the tone of Obito's voice instead of being able to see anything else, like his facial expressions or any other movements that would indicate the way he feels.

Though, it would be still hard to decipher even if she looked at him. "How about-" She heard him say but stopped to move forward, making her tense up for a bit.

Her mother was not a kind woman, and not exactly a good mother in general, especially evident in Anko's slight movement once hearing Obito come closer towards her.

Anko tensed for a second, before she felt Obito's gentle touch as he pulled her into a small hug, which shocked her as she wasn't expecting this. Her mind shut down for a second.

"-How about a hug. That shall be your punishment." It would seem that Obito was actually a lot more perceptive than what one would think.

"Um-" Anko didn't respond, only letting out some cute little noises in return.

"You... well, you didn't really do any wrong. Making a promise on my behalf seemed a bit... excessive, but I can trust in your judgement in things like this. I don't mind someone I consider close to myself doing this. Just... be more careful." Obito added, making Anko realize that maybe she had nothing to worry about.

Certainly, this feeling she is feeling now is far off from what she expected to feel, and the warmth is even more so appreciated.

"Can you promise to not do anything stupid? Promise to take care of yourself better?" Anko didn't understand why he would be willing to allow her to be close to him, not that she doesn't already have a concept of what friends are or should be.

In fact, she knows a lot of things, even at a young age, that maybe she shouldn't have known. Running away from home was a big step, and the only reason she had the courage to do so was because of Obito.

"I promise." Obito didn't see it, but Anko smiled a really genuine smile, though what felt like it lasted for a while would come to an end as Obito stopped hugging her.

"That's good..." Obito wasn't all that great with stuff like this, but he can at least act as a supportive person. He may not be able to solve everyone's problems, and may be nosy sometimes, pushing himself into positions that people may not want him in, but he does what he can.

He knows that ones problems can only truly be solved by themselves instead of others, but one should at least have some form of support from those around them.

Humans are quite the social species after all, and the actions of those around them, the words one says and the way one communicates themselves is all important in the long term.

'Now I just wonder what it is that Orochimaru wants with me...' Obito thought to himself, knowing that the older man is dangerous. 'Maybe I should tell Tsunade about this. She might know something... or maybe she wont. But it is better than not bringing it up.'

Obito himself knows the problems that can arise from not communicating with those around oneself, and they don't even have to be your friends, family, lovers, or even just acquaintances for someone to be affected.

[]

What was actually happening within the Land of Whirlpools?

That is the question some people would have on their minds, but none would be stupid enough to just go in and try to do anything about it. The information there is now probably long gone, destroyed or taken by others.

Techniques? Special powers or techniques that could be learnt? Nope. No one is going to find anything like that, especially since most of what the Uzumaki would pass on to others was all through word of mouth.

Meaning that nothing was recorded, and everything anyone knows about anything is all spread throughout inside of the heads of those in the know.

Techniques that concern the sealing arts, and of course the Uzumaki would also have some kind of mechanism that allowed them to better protect their minds from those that would wish to steal their secrets as well.

It wasn't that hard. Not since the Hyuga of the Land of Leaves could do it to their branch family.

Not that the Uzumaki did anything like that, creating a cursed seal to make sure the Byakugan is safe through death and pain. No, the Uzumaki were a people, or clan, that were all about family.

Or at least it would seem that way, so they devised a seal that would not stay forever, but would only be temporary to set up the necessary defenses against those that wished to extract information pertaining to the Uzumaki.

Doesn't one wonder why information on the Uzumaki and everything about them seemed to be nowhere? Sure, the villages that attacked them could be suppressing the information, actively, but that doesn't account for everything.

Deep within the Land of Whirlpools, happened to be a group of people that had become a part of some small movement within these lands.

The people here haven't exactly be thrown back to the stone ages, but the level of tribalism has increased ever since the complete breakdown of their nation.

"So? Are you sure that this mysterious Uzumaki girl is in actuality a thing?" A member of said group asked, as speculation had been starting to build for a while now in regards as to whether or not the Uzumaki clan was still alive.

Especially given that the Uzumaki was actually a much more common and widespread clan throughout their lands, that is until their absolute extermination from the planet. If there really were any survivors, they would be in such few numbers that may only be counted on one hand.

Of course, these people discount people like the current Senju descendants, as they are a part of a village that is also under speculation for the attack on their home.

"I know. There is a reliable source behind the rumor, and it is much less a rumor since Gato has been actually taken care of." Another person spoke up, which got the agreement of the many people within the room.

"It matters not. Now that the people of the Land of Whirlpools has actually started to gather again, it matters not whether there is this mysterious Uzumaki woman or not." Another replied.

"I guess... But we mustn't give up on this hope." Soon again, others also agreed with this notion, for the Uzumaki were widely respected and looked up to.

A slam was heard as a door opened to reveal a young lad. "Everyone! I think...!" He was quite out of breath. "I-I think that Lady Kushina Uzumaki has come back!"

"What!?" An uproar was of course what happened next, as information was divulged but given the secluded nature of the people here, they didn't know much about what was happening on the outside world at large.

But that didn't matter and wouldn't matter, for they have now possibly found their savior and last hope for the Uzumaki, for the Land of Whirlpools to recover and become a prosperous home for themselves again.

"We must meet her! And most importantly... we must see whom is her consort!"