"Auntie Mikoto, get up. The floor's cold. You're not a snail."
Natsume held out a hand to her.
Mikoto looked up, dazed. A snail?
What does this have to do with snails?
"What, open your eyes and plan to bite the hand that feeds you?"
Natsume arched a brow, teasing.
"S-sorry."
Mikoto naturally took his hand, letting him help her up.
When his arm slid around her soft waist, despair washed over her.
She wanted to resist, but her body obeyed; there was no going back.
And now, the Uchiha needed Natsume—
To return to Konoha, to arrange Sasuke's path post-graduation.
Without the Hokage, impossible.
Natsume pressed close, a helpful citizen, comforting the unsteady Mikoto.
After she cried again, vented the negativity, and steadied, she finally told him about her Mangekyō's twin abilities.
What could he say?
Truly the eye that reflects the heart.
The powers matched her state of mind at awakening.
Amatsumika and Aye-Kagachi—
Two support techniques.
They still boosted Mikoto's strength.
Especially the latter.
And the former was uniquely valuable for reviving the Uchiha—
Maximizing the chances of children with Sharingan.
[Because of your actions, Uchiha Mikoto's fate has changed. You have gained 100 Fate points.]
After lunch, Natsume wasn't full, so he continued with fruit.
Mikoto sat behind him, hugging him.
She picked up a grape, peeled it to reveal the juicy flesh, and held it to his lips.
"Thanks."
Natsume opened his mouth, tasting the slightly sour, slightly sweet grape.
"Good?"
Mikoto shifted her seat, propping his head, peeling another.
"Not bad."
Natsume squinted, relaxing entirely.
This was the life.
"Is Sasuke's team leader Kakashi?"
Mikoto whispered by his ear.
"No."
Natsume shook his head. "Me."
Mikoto froze a few seconds, then realized it made sense.
She knew he had the Mangekyō (not that it was Eternal).
Kakashi only had three tomoe—at least for now.
Plus, he was the Hokage's disciple—Sasuke's future was secure.
"Thank you."
Mikoto massaged his ear while feeding him grapes.
"Small favor."
Natsume smiled.
He was taking Sasuke as a disciple to harvest fate points.
But how to trigger his eyes was a problem.
In theory, the stronger Naruto got, the more Sasuke would be stimulated—and would grow.
But theory rarely matched reality.
He suddenly thought of Mikoto's Aye-Kagachi—it might work well.
Controlling senses and emotion was perfect for Mangekyō conditions.
But he had to worry about Sasuke's own foundations.
Find a way to give him a dose of Yin Release.
Speaking of Yin, he knew one such person—
Kurama Yakumo.
Soon, a creature of pure spiritual energy—Ido—would form within her.
But devouring it would be wasteful—
And would harm Yakumo, possibly erasing a future genjutsu prodigy.
Natsume fell into thought.
Mikoto didn't disturb him. She paused the feeding and kneaded his shoulders with gentle, wifely focus.
Natsume came back to himself and remembered a certain thing—
The Box of Ultimate Bliss.
Said to be the Sage of Six Paths' tool—a wish-granting device.
Open it and a wish is granted.
In reality, it wasn't.
On its four sides were faces—joy, anger, sorrow, happiness.
After the wish, it became a monster—Satori.
It reads minds, and it's immortal.
From that description alone, Natsume figured it was a Yin-based thing.
The box was in Hōzuki Castle, Land of Grass.
Natsume looked at Mikoto.
Awakening Mangekyō wasn't enough to beat Itachi.
She needed experience.
Though he'd trained her for years, she lacked powerful enemies.
Hōzuki Castle might be a good dungeon.
"What is it?"
Seeing him stare, Mikoto asked, "Do you want… that?"
She reached out automatically, but Natsume took her hand.
"When do you want to see Sasuke?"
He stroked her boneless-soft fingers.
"I… whenever."
She wanted to say 'the sooner the better,' but wisely chose a safe answer.
"I'm liking you more and more."
Natsume turned to face her. "Then after I'm Hokage."
"Thank you."
Mikoto smiled.
"You should smile more—it's pretty."
He studied her. "When you meet Sasuke, use Aye-Kagachi on him—amplify your reunion joy to the maximum. You get me?"
Mikoto's eyes lit. Her lips curved into a crescent—pure, from the heart.
Natsume blinked and patted her head. "Don't overuse your eyes, or you'll go blind."
Of course, she was far better off than Itachi.
He'd been feeding her his blood to temper her body for years.
He had a Sage Body now—arguably more useful than Hashirama cells.
"Mm."
Mikoto nodded obediently.
In that moment, she felt Natsume wasn't so bad.
Then she shook the thought away.
"Sasuke graduates tomorrow. Want to watch?"
Natsume asked after a thought.
To him, Mikoto was a good subordinate.
She could do anything.
Though obedient now, it'd be even better if he won her heart.
"Can I?"
Her eyes were full of hope.
"Of course. But don't meet him yet—give it a couple days."
He nodded.
"Thank you!"
Mikoto was excited.
Whatever his reasons, Natsume had earned some of her gratitude today.
At least he was good to Sasuke.
Natsume stood. "I'll come by in a couple days."
He left and shut the door behind him.
"Try this from me!"
A sudden gust.
"Who taught you to shout before an assassination?"
Natsume sidestepped the fist of Tayuya.
"Damn you!"
In a kimono, Tayuya halted and spun, throwing another punch.
Her chakra whipped up gusts.
Monster Strength.
Natsume had taught Karin, and Karin taught Tayuya.
Taijutsu to greatly boost her close combat.
He caught her fist, flicked a finger on her forehead.
Tayuya's body vanished.
"You fell for it!"
Her excited voice came from above.
Natsume looked up.
Cursed-seal Tayuya, a white horn on her head, a darker face, brimming with pride.
"Hey, I can see—white."
"Pervert! Die!"
Tayuya blushed, one hand holding her clothes, the other balled into a fist.
"Weak punch, loose footwork, overreactive."
Natsume shook his head. "At this rate, you won't assassinate me in a hundred years."
He stepped back, easily avoiding.
"Mind your own business!"
She landed, hands on hips, scowling. "Damn perv!"
"So, failed assassination?"
Natsume smiled.
"What do you want?"
Tayuya instinctively backed up, then realized it looked weak. She planted her feet. "I'm not afraid of you!"
"Come here."
He beckoned.
"Fine!"
She ground her teeth and approached, defiant.
Natsume quickly tapped the horn on her head.
"You…"
Tayuya shuddered and nearly fell.
Her white over-knee socks flashed in the sun, glowing pale.
"A toy for you."
Natsume took out a black butterfly choker.
Tayuya blinked. It looked pretty.
But what kind of punishment was this?
Until she spotted the bell and snapped, "You playing me?"
How could she assassinate anyone?
Get close and the bell would give her away.
"You don't have to wear it when you try to kill me."
Natsume was generous. "Fair enough?"
Tayuya snorted and put it on.
"Looks good."
Natsume complimented sincerely.
With Uzumaki Hinae's careful care over the years, she looked more delicate and pretty than in the original.
With the black butterfly, she was like a doll.
Add a gothic maid outfit and it'd be perfect.
"Don't think praise will stop me from killing you!"
Head high, she wore the look of "no matter how good you are to me, it won't work."
"Good deeds go unrewarded, huh."
Natsume rubbed his chin. "Need to add punishment?"
"You're unreasonable!"
Tayuya panicked.
"Oh? You argue reason now?"
Natsume chuckled. "When did you learn that?"
"…"
She glared. "You're so annoying!"
The bell at her neck chimed crisply as she moved.
"Alright, I won't annoy you."
Natsume waved and vanished.
Tayuya paused, wanting to say something, then snorted.
Next time she'd really teach him a lesson.
Thinking that, her mood improved.
She skipped away, bells jingling, smiling as she headed to the training field.