Chapter 11: Memory Boy

A few hours later, with nothing to show for their search, Shin told Team 4 to find a relatively intact building to set up camp. They found a small home, whose roof was falling in a little, but whose walls were intact. In fact, the house was surprisingly well preserved in comparison to the other homes they saw. There were even family photos still on the wall. A young man in his mid 20s with blood red hair stood beside a shorter woman with equally red hair and freckles, who held a baby in her arms.

After reinforcing the roof with some earthen walls, Team 4 settled down and had their dinner. Warai kept glancing at the pictures, and eventually a meek question came out of her mouth, "Do you think they're...y'know..."

Shin, who was standing in the corner reading the mission scroll, quickly silenced her, "Now's not the time, Warai. Right now, the only thing you should think about is the mission."

And while Shin didn't answer her question, the three of them all seemed to settle on the same conclusion. Each of them made a silent prayer for the fallen family, and took turns on watch.

While Tetsu was on watch, Kannin got curious, as this was once the home of his relative, and went to dresser in the back, looking for anything of import. He found clothes, 'No surprise there.' But as he was shuffling the clothes around, he heard a faint crinkling of paper. 'Jackpot!'

"What are you doing there, Kannin?" He heard Shin speak out

"Investigating!"

"Find anything interesting?"

"I think I just found a scroll."

Appearing beside him in a flash, Shin told him, "Show me."

There was indeed a scroll hidden underneath the linens. It was about a foot wide and a couple inches in diameter. The edges were decorated with scarlet stripes. The paper itself was sealed with a wax pressing in the shape of the Uzumaki crest. Shin tried to open it, but it seems there was some sort of sealing jutsu on the seal.

"I can't open it. We'll just have to take it back with us, and hope maybe Kushina knows how it works."

Kannin thought for a moment, and said "Maybe my mom knows. She lived here before moving to Konoha.

"Does your mom know about the sealing techniques of the Uzumaki clan?"

Kannin went to say something, and realized he had no idea. He'd never seen his mom perform even the most basic jutsu.

"I don't know." Kannin thought a little more, and squeaked out "Wait a minute, what sealing techniques?"

"Did your mom tell you nothing about the Uzumaki clan?"

Kannin scratched his head and replied, "All she told me is that we're supposed to have red hair, and that we came from Uzushiogakure."

"That does not do it justice at all, kid. Before this place was destroyed, there were a lot more Uzumaki running around--and in the war, they were menaces on the battlefield. The never ran out of chakra, they healed from their injuries in record time, and the ones who knew the secret sealing techniques were truly awesome to behold." Shin turned to Kannin and told him directly, "When it comes to sealing, the Uzumaki are the best in the world. Or were, I guess."

Kannin took a moment to digest the information. Why was it that his mother told him so little about his clan and family? But the other part of Harakaze-sense words did give him some hope that once he was older he would be quite powerful!

He asked Shin, "Do you think that I could learn my clans techniques?"

"That depends on if your mom teaches you. Or maybe Kushina might teach you, from what I've heard, she's quite good."

Shin was putting the scroll away when Kannin asked, "Can I see it again?"

Seeing no harm in letting the kid look at it, Shin handed the scroll to him. Kannin ran his hand along the paper, absorbing the intricate designs along the edges, and admired the crest impressed in the seal. As he was running his fingers over the wax, he let out a little bit of his chakra into the seal, and it melted off.

Seeing this, Shin immediately snatched it up and spat out "How'd you do that?"

"I don't know. I just put some of my chakra into it."

Shin furrowed her brow and unrolled the scroll, absorbing the information inside.

"What's it say, sensei?"

"The first half is a basic journal of the woman who lived here, her routines, who she met day by day, etc. But it abruptly changes focus and illustrates some sort of special technique involving chains of adamantine. It seems to be a jutsu exclusive to the Uzumaki, though. I'll see if I can't give it to Kushina when we get back."

Warai interrupted, "Do you know the Habanero, sensei?"

"I wouldn't say we're friends, but we're acquainted." As she said this, she handed the scroll back to Kannin to show him the technique. "Do you think you can do any of this?"

Kannin took a moment to read over the scroll. As Shin said, the first part was an average diary. One day she went out to get groceries and she found a lost dog. Another day she gave birth to her son, who she named 'Fushigi.' Another entry detailed his first playdate.

With each diary entry, Kannin's face sank a little more knowing such a vibrant and kind life was likely snuffed out by the war. It made him angry, not just about how she was his kin, but also for the child, who couldn't have been more than 4 when Uzushiogakure was destroyed, given the dates on the entries.

He shook his head and put those thoughts to the side for the moment, and he looked to the latter half, which indeed detailed a special jutsu unique to some members of the Uzumaki clan which allowed them to create adamantine chains which could be used for a number of purposes, foremost of which was sealing things away, or even within oneself. Thinking of Kushina, he agreed that this was something she needed to see. As the Nine-tails's jinchuriki, this type of technique would be invaluable to control the bijuu.

In the meantime, he told Shin that he would try to learn at least the basic forms of the technique. But it was already dark by then, so he would have to start the next day at the very least.