Yuzuki stood by the window, her hands clenched into fists as she stared out at the Uchiha compound
The streets, the buildings, the people, none of them had changed
But for her, everything had
She was trapped
Her jaw tightened as the thought circled in her mind, over and over
It didn't matter that she had done nothing wrong
It didn't matter that she had worked for every ounce of her progress
One moment of success, one step forward, and she was caged like a fragile thing needing protection
Her fingers twitched
She could leave
It would be easy
A simple distraction, a few careful steps, and she'd be gone before anyone even noticed
The idea took root, tempting her
She moved a fraction of an inch toward the door—
{You'd last all of ten minutes before they dragged you back}
Indra's voice cut through her thoughts, cool and dry
Yuzuki froze, her nails digging into her palm
"You think I care?"
she muttered
{Oh, of course not
You're completely rational right now}
Yuzuki scowled
{Just imagine it:
The great Yuzuki Uchiha, master of deception, taken down by an irritable clan elder and a well placed tripwire
A tragic end to a promising career}
There was the barest hint of amusement in his tone, but it wasn't mocking
It was an attempt
A bad one
She turned her gaze inward, into the mindscape, and smirked at him
"...Did you just try to cheer me up?"
Indra exhaled sharply, crossing his arms
{Don't be ridiculous
I was merely stating facts}
"Ohhh, I see"
She drawled, her smirk widening
"You're just naturally bad at comforting people, then?"
{I have no interest in comforting you}
"Sure, sure"
She hummed
"But if you did, you'd be awful at it"
{Hnn}
Yuzuki turned back to the window, her mood still simmering but less volatile than before
"You really suck at this, Indra"
{You're still listening, aren't you?}
She clicked her tongue but didn't argue
She was still trapped
But at least, she wasn't alone in it
Yuzuki let out a slow breath, her fingers drumming against the windowsill
"This isn't fair"
{Life rarely is}
She scoffed
"Oh, don't give me that 'wise old sage' nonsense
What did I even do?
Put someone in a genjutsu once?
And suddenly, I'm a national threat?"
{A rather impressive genjutsu
On an experienced shinobi}
Yuzuki clicked her tongue
"Tch... Details"
{Details are what got you locked in this compound}
She turned away from the window, pacing
Her frustration was simmering under her skin, a slow burn threatening to ignite
"It's not like I did anything wrong
I didn't attack anyone
I didn't hurt anyone
I didn't even cheat in a damn spar"
Indra remained silent, watching her carefully
"Fugaku is overreacting"
She muttered
"He sees something he can't explain, and his first instinct is to lock it away
Typical"
She refused to call him father
That word meant nothing to her
All it ever brought was pain
The room seemed to waver for a moment, a flicker of ember red light casting strange shadows against the walls
The air rippled, heavy with something unspoken
Indra's eyes sharpened
{Control yourself}
Yuzuki sucked in a slow breath, clenching her fists
The heat receded, leaving behind a bitter taste in her mouth
"I know what this is"
She finally said, voice low and edged with venom
Indra remained still, waiting
"This isn't about protection
It's about control"
Her jaw tightened
"Fugaku—"
She spat his name like a curse
"Doesn't know what to do with me
So, instead of figuring it out, he's caging me like I'm some kind of wild animal"
Indra exhaled slowly
{He is not the same as your past father}
Yuzuki laughed, hollow and sharp
"They always say that"
Indra did not argue, and Yuzuki was glad for it
She didn't want empty reassurances
She didn't want to be told that this time it would be different
The bitterness in her chest was heavy, suffocating
Words wouldn't fix it
So, she stayed silent
Not because she had nothing to say, but because if she did speak, she might say something she'd regret
The quiet stretched between them, heavy but not uncomfortable
Indra, for all his ancient wisdom and sharp remarks, knew when not to press
Finally, he spoke
{For now, endure, learn}
She exhaled sharply, fingers tightening at her sides
{If you are to escape a cage, it is best to understand its structure first}
Yuzuki scoffed
"Tch
You sound like you've been locked up before"
Indra's gaze flickered, unreadable
{Hnn}
She rolled her eyes
"Right, Mister Cryptic at it again"
Still, as much as she hated to admit it… he wasn't wrong
That didn't mean she had to like it
-=-
Yuzuki sat cross legged on the training ground, watching Sasuke struggle through the first breathing cycle of the technique she had given him
His small hands clenched into fists, brows furrowed in determination
But his chakra refused to settle, wavering unpredictably
It wasn't that he was incapable, far from it
He followed instructions well, his discipline far beyond what she expected of someone his age
That was the problem
He was too rigid
She exhaled, fingers drumming idly against her knee
"You're forcing it"
Sasuke huffed, his frustration breaking through his usual composure
"I'm doing exactly what you said"
"And that's the issue"
She countered
Indra's voice hummed in her mind
{He's gripping onto control like a lifeline
That will only hinder him}
Yuzuki tapped a finger against her temple
"Chakra isn't something you choke into submission
It has to flow, guide it, don't strangle it"
Sasuke scowled but nodded, closing his eyes again as he adjusted his breathing
Yuzuki's gaze drifted as she watched him
Teaching like this helped her ignore everything else...
Fugaku's watchful eyes, the weight of being caged inside the compound, the gnawing certainty that no amount of progress would ever be enough
Here, at least, she had control
Here, she could do something
Sasuke exhaled slowly
His chakra wavered, just for a moment, before stabilizing
Progress
Slow, but undeniable
Yuzuki leaned back on her hands, tilting her head to the sky
The stars blinked overhead, distant and untouchable, yet always there
"You know"
She mused
"in my past life, I met someone a lot like you"
Sasuke cracked one eye open
"Oh?"
"Mhm"
She smirked
"He was disciplined, methodical, sharp minded
But also incredibly, painfully, stubborn
Wouldn't accept that there was more than one way to do things"
Indra hummed in interest
{And?}
Yuzuki chuckled softly
"He was trying to learn a technique that required adaptability, but he kept treating it like a formula
No creativity, just repetition
And so he failed
Over and over"
Sasuke frowned, considering her words
"What happened to him?"
Indra beat him to the question
{Yes, what did happen to this fool?}
Yuzuki's smirk widened, sharp and laced with something unreadable
'I killed him'
Indra merely exhaled through his nose
{Of course you did}
Yuzuki let the silence settle before adding casually
'He was just another guy I thought I could trust
But even gods like me are wrong sometimes'
Indra didn't press further
He didn't have to
Sasuke, oblivious to the weight behind her words, was quiet for a moment, then muttered
"So he had to be flexible"
She nodded
"Exactly
Rigidity is good for structure, but too much of it, and you break instead of bend"
Sasuke still looked unsatisfied, but he turned his focus back to training, trying to follow her advice
Yuzuki watched him in silence
A few minutes passed before he spoke again
"Do you know more stories?"
She blinked
"Why?"
"Because yours are different from what the elders tell"
Sasuke shrugged
"And they're cool"
Yuzuki smirked
"Flattery will get you nowhere"
"Come on"
He pressed, his eyes gleaming with curiosity
She hesitated
Then, after a moment, she began, her voice slipping into something softer, more rhythmic
"There was once a girl who lived in a golden cage
No chains bound her, no prison walls held her in place
And yet, she was trapped all the same"
Sasuke's hands stilled as he listened
"She was strong, stronger than anyone around her
But that only made them afraid
So they locked her away, whispering that it was for her own good"
Sasuke frowned
"Did she escape?"
Yuzuki let the question hang in the air before tilting her head
"Not at first
She thought she could just walk out, but every time she tried, the bars of her cage only grew stronger
So, she needed another way"
Sasuke's brows knitted together
"Then how did she do it?"
Yuzuki's smirk returned, a slow, knowing thing
"She learned to become a shadow"
She said smoothly
"A whisper on the wind
One moment, she was there
The next—"
She snapped her fingers, letting a tiny ember flare to life before vanishing
"—gone"
Sasuke's eyes widened slightly
"Like a ninja"
He murmured
"Something like that"
She admitted
From within the mindscape, Indra let out a quiet hum
{...You do realize you're just talking about yourself, right?}
Yuzuki's smirk deepened
"Oh, but I haven't gotten to the best part yet"
She murmured, her tone teasing
She turned back to Sasuke, her expression thoughtful
"And of course"
She added
"there was the ever-grumbling old ghost who wouldn't stop lecturing her the entire time"
Sasuke blinked, confused
Indra scoffed
{Really?}
Yuzuki stifled a laugh
"What can I say? Every hero needs a sidekick"
Sasuke still looked lost, but Yuzuki didn't clarify
She let him wonder, tapping his forehead lightly with two fingers
Sasuke swatted at her hand, but he was smiling, satisfied with the ending
Later, after Yuzuki and Sasuke finished training, she stretched her arms behind her head, exhaling slowly
Indra's voice broke the quiet
{You're planning something}
She smirked
'You don't miss much'
{Of course not
And I assume it has to do with that little archive problem of yours?}
Yuzuki tapped a finger against her thigh, her expression thoughtful
'Yeah
I figured that if using genjutsu harmlessly was enough to get me locked down, then I might as well earn the trouble properly'
Indra let out a short chuckle
{I take it we're stealing the Shadow Clone Jutsu, then?}
'Damn right we are'
She stood, dusting herself off, her gaze flickering toward the compound in the distance
'Itachi told me it's in the archives
He probably knew this would happen, maybe even wanted me to find it
A care I don't exactly return'
Indra hummed
{You care for Sasuke, yet you don't seem to feel the same about Itachi
Why?}
Yuzuki's shoulders stiffened slightly before she exhaled, rolling them back into place
'Sasuke is my brother'
She said simply
{So is Itachi}
She turned then, her crimson gaze locking onto Indra's with something sharp
'I know Sasuke
I was there when he was born
I've watched him grow
I understand him'
She scoffed
'Itachi? I don't know him at all
And I don't trust the face he shows to the world'
Indra studied her in silence, something unreadable flickering behind his ancient gaze
{You and I are alike in that regard}
'Maybe'
She admitted, glancing at the darkened sky
'Or maybe that's just another flaw we're too blind to see'
Indra didn't answer
For once, she was grateful for the silence
Yuzuki turned to where Sasuke was still practicing, his small form outlined under the dim light
She stepped forward, ruffling his hair despite his quiet protest
"Come on, let's go inside"
Sasuke pouted but followed without argument
As she led him back toward the house, her mind was already elsewhere
Soon, she'd be taking what should have been hers all along
-=-
Yuzuki stood at the entrance of the Uchiha compound, arms crossed, lips pressed into a thin line as she eyed the shinobi waiting for her
Shisui Uchiha, one of the clan's most talented, grinned easily at her, his posture relaxed in a way that set her on edge
"So, you're my babysitter today"
She muttered, her crimson gaze narrowing slightly
Shisui chuckled, rubbing the back of his head
"That's one way to put it
I prefer 'guardian' it sounds more official"
She scoffed
"It doesn't change the fact that I'm being watched"
{Hnn
At least this one has a sense of humor}
Yuzuki resisted the urge to roll her eyes
"Well, Fugaku-sama's orders"
Shisui said with a shrug
"And hey, you could do worse
At least I'm fun company"
Yuzuki gave him a flat look
"Are you?"
Shisui laughed
"Ouch
Tough crowd"
{Well... He talks too much}
"You're one to talk"
Yuzuki muttered under her breath
Shisui, oblivious, gestured ahead
"So, where to?"
She considered for a moment
The personal training ground behind the house was too small, too enclosed
"The public training grounds
The one with enough space to actually move"
Shisui raised an eyebrow but didn't argue
"Alright, lead the way"
As they walked, he made several attempts at conversation, asking about her interests, making light jokes, even suggesting they stop by a dango shop
Yuzuki dismissed each attempt with short, curt replies or silence
{Persistent, isn't he?}
Indra mused
"He's annoying"
She muttered under her breath
{Hnn
You'd almost think he was trying to get along with you}
Yuzuki huffed but said nothing
Shisui, ever determined, finally sighed in mock defeat
"Man, you're harder to crack than Itachi"
Yuzuki stopped abruptly, her expression shifting
"I have training to do"
Shisui tilted his head, amused
"Training?"
Yuzuki folded her arms, her tone flat
"Yes
Unless you plan to waste more of my time"
He smirked
"I wouldn't dream of it
But I'm guessing you're not planning on ninjutsu, right?
You're a bit young for that"
She didn't answer, which was answer enough
{He's observant}
"He's annoying"
She muttered under her breath
Shisui, completely unaware of her internal conversation, reached into his pouch
"Tell you what"
He said, pulling out a small, blunt kunai
"How about some shurikenjutsu?"
He spun the dull weapon between his fingers before offering it to her
"I'll even make it fair and give you this"
Yuzuki stared at the kunai, unimpressed
"You think I can't use a real one?"
Shisui chuckled
"I think you're too young to stab someone in the foot by accident"
Her expression darkened, but she didn't argue
{...He's not entirely wrong}
Yuzuki clicked her tongue but took the kunai anyway, stepping back as she adjusted her grip
Shisui's gaze followed her movements, his interest piqued as she shifted into a stance more refined than what he expected from a child
"Alright, let's see what you've got"
He said, pointing toward a tree with a marked target on its trunk
"Try to hit that"
Yuzuki didn't respond
Instead, she lifted her arm and, with smooth precision, threw the kunai—
Not at the tree
At him
Shisui's eyes widened slightly before, in a blur, he substituted himself with a log, the kunai embedding itself where he had just stood
When he reappeared a few meters away, he was grinning
"Well, that was unexpected"
{Hnn
I think I like this one}
Yuzuki smirked
"Then you're both idiots"
-=Chapter End=-
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