Scroll Communication

Meanwhile, the three reached a quieter corner of the bowling alley.

"Okay, Naruto," Jada began, "we just wanted to check on how you're doing after… you know."

"I'm doing great!" he said with a cheerful smile returning to his face. "Really! I feel a lot better, so thanks for worrying about me!"

Alice leaned in, tilting her head curiously. "That's good to hear! But can you really not remember anything from that fight?"

Naruto's brow furrowed as he thought back.

"Honestly, it was just a hard-fought battle. I remember things starting to go black, and then…" His voice trailed off, and a soft nostalgia crept onto his features. "I saw my mom and dad before Marge woke me up."

The two girls looked at one another, sensing the weight of that revelation. It was something they hadn't fully considered—how deeply Naruto's parents connected to his battles affected him.

But why were these things happening now and so early? While Alice knew the likely cause, she understood it was best to keep her mouth shut.

"Wow," she breathed. "Well, then, do you think it's possible for us to talk with Kurama? Maybe he has something to share?"

Naruto liked the idea of her referring to his Tailed Beast as a "he" rather than an "it."

He tilted his head, pondering for a moment. "I guess we can try. But how exactly are ya gonna reach him?"

Before he could finish, Alice held Jada's hand and placed her other hand over Naruto's forehead. In an instant, the world around them faded as they plunged into his subconscious.

When the colours settled, they found themselves standing in front of the Nine-Tails' massive cage. This was their first time seeing the beast's form, and it was much larger than either Jada or Alice had envisioned.

The Nine-Tails regarded them with an amused expression.

"Well, well, what do we have here?" it drawled with a terrifying smirk and eyes filled with mischief. "How may I be of service to you three?"

Jada and Alice stood their ground, despite the overwhelming presence of the beast. Although the Nine-Tails was indeed horrifying, there was a certain allure to his power that was difficult to ignore.

Naruto, feeling a sudden urge to defend himself, piped up. "Kurama, be nice!"

The Nine-Tails merely scoffed. "Why should I, brat? Nice isn't my thing."

At that, Jada softly giggled, noticing a small sign of affection in the way Naruto interacted with his Tailed Beast.

"You know," she teased, "it's like you actually like him, Kurama."

The beast's eyes narrowed. "I do not like him! That's absurd!"

Alice couldn't suppress her laughter. "You sure seem to have a soft spot for him, though."

Kurama huffed indignantly, "What nonsense!"

"Sure, whatever you say," Jada playfully said.

"Argh!" the beast said, clearing its throat. "Just tell me why you're here already."

Jada took a step forward and spoke, "We actually have two questions for you."

"Go on…" it encouraged.

"First, do you remember anything about Naruto's attacker?"

At this, Naruto immediately interjected. "Oh, come on. Kurama hardly remembers anything!"

"If you would just remain quiet for a moment," the Nine-Tails growled, "I could concentrate."

But Naruto, unable to contain himself, replied, "See? This is just the way he is!"

The bickering continued for a moment before Alice caught his head and put him in a chokehold.

The Nine-Tails appeared to relish the moment and snickered. "Ah. Finally, someone who knows how to shut you up. But that irritated me more than usual, so I'm not answering your first question."

Naruto shot a glare at both of them, but he kept silent this time.

"Oh great," Jada said, smacking her head. "Could you at least answer our second question?"

"Go on…"

"If we let you out, will you lend Naruto your full strength?"

The beast's smile widened, revealing his sharp teeth. "If you open the seal... Minato and Kushina won't help the boy like last time."

Jada immediately recognized the implication. It was as if the beast was saying that if they removed the seal, he would try and kill the boy since he wouldn't have any help like before.

Some time ago, William had allowed Minato's chakra to manifest in Naruto's seal three years in advance. Not only had the truth been told, but now Naruto had a major head start in his journey.

The second time, when he met his mother, was actually during the tournament. In his fight with Lars, he had become emotional enough to tap into his subconscious again, and without any malice, was able to meet his mother before subduing the Nine-Tails.

But despite all that the Nine-Tails had heard regarding the main character's past and the expectations that he's the prophet who will unite the other Tailed Beasts, the beast still refused to believe that.

Everyone had expected too much, like the Nine-Tails would just fall head over heels for the younger version of Naruto. Perhaps if more won conflicts arose in the boy's narrative, things might have been different.

Jada noted the slight contradiction in the Nine-Tails behaviour, aware that beneath the gruff exterior was a kind of denial about his growing fondness for Naruto.

"Kurama," she gently said, coaxing him. "you're just scared to admit that you really do care."

"Care?" he rebuffed, "What do I care for that impudent brat!"

Jada pinned her gaze on him and said, "I think you're just in denial. But it's okay; we understand."

After a moment, she looked to Alice, giving her a nod. Both girls knew they weren't going to get anywhere with the Nine-Tails at the moment, so they needed to regroup.

With that, they exited Naruto's subconscious, allowing the realm to fade into the familiar sights and sounds of the bowling alley.

Naruto blinked, surprised. What might have been moments for them were just milliseconds to the outside.

"Whoa," Naruto exclaimed, "that was weird. I didn't know you two would—"

"Promise us you won't tell anyone about this," Jada suddenly insisted in an earnest tone. "It's for your own good, and it's not something we want to spread around."

Naruto didn't quite understand what they wanted to keep a secret. He honestly didn't like when they randomly acted like they knew what was going to happen next without telling him. By now, however, he was used to it.

"Okay, fine," he relented. "I won't say a word!"

Once back at the bowling lane, the group had shifted its energy to laughter and good-natured taunts. For the moment, Naruto was laughing again, surrounded by friends, and Jada wouldn't have it any other way.

"Hey, you guys," William called out. "Hope you don't mind, but I brought some extra snacks from the concession stand!"

Both Naruto's and Chōji's faces lit up at the prospect of food. Sakura watched them as her earlier concerns faded slightly. Perhaps William was right; perhaps Naruto was going to be okay after all.

Once the event ended and everyone went their separate ways, Jada redirected her attention toward something more significant.

Upon leaving the Leaf Village, she weaved her way through the terrain of the Fire Country. Hours passed as she trekked through the greenery and routes that led her deeper into the wilderness until eventually she reached a secluded clearing.

This spot had become a secret meeting of sorts, a place where she could do what she pleased without unneeded attention.

Once settled, she retrieved a scroll from her bag, unfurling it carefully. She then focused her chakra and performed a single hand sign.

"Scroll communication jutsu!"

As she infused the scroll with her chakra, she began to write on its surface. "It's me," she had written as she watched the ink disappear.

"Jada! I'm at the Hidden Rain Village. What's going on?" the words appeared a moment later. It brought her relief.

"I need to speak with you in person. Are you free?" she quickly wrote, hoping for a favourable answer.

To her delight, the reply soon faded onto the scroll: "I am. I'll be there shortly."

Now it was time to use the Flying raijin she had given this individual during their last conversation.

Almost instantly after activating the technique, Itachi Uchiha appeared beside her.

"Jada…" he said in a warm tone against the chill of isolation. His normally stoic demeanour softened with a genuine smile. "It's good to see you."

She felt her heart swell with excitement. "It's good to see you, too, Itachi."

This was more than a simple meeting; this was the culmination of countless conversations they've had in secret. The bond they shared wasn't merely that of clan members—it was a deeper understanding that connected them after she had revealed everything about his past.

She knew everything that was to know about Itachi Uchiha's story. To her, he was more than just a fictional figure; he was an enigma wrapped in tragedy. To her, his background was both admirable and disturbing.

Itachi was the firstborn son of Mikoto and Fugaku Uchiha. His early childhood was marred by the horrors of the Third Shinobi World War. At just four years old, he witnessed the devastation that left scars on his heart, turning him into a pacifist who dedicated himself to becoming a "ninja among ninjas."

He dreamed of a world devoid of war, a goal burdened by the violence surrounding him. Such resolve began to take shape even before he became a big brother at five when Sasuke was born.

Shortly after that, he met Shisui, an encounter that would lead to a bond as strong as family.

By the time he was six, he enrolled in the academy, where he amazed everyone with his unmatched skills. His teachers praised him as the best they had ever taught, and he graduated at a remarkably young age.

Jada couldn't help but feel sorrowful when she considered him at that age—so gifted yet so burdened by expectations.

As Itachi climbed through the ranks, his accomplishments became a source of pride for his family, especially for his father. Still, it was painfully clear to Jada that he walked a solitary track. Despite the admiration, few could grasp how deeply he yearned for peace or how isolated he had become because of his talent.

As he reached the age of eleven, he joined the Anbu and quickly rose through the ranks, showcasing even more skills that eclipsed his peers. He captured the attention of Leaf Village leaders, but with that attention came a separation that seemed to grow ever more suffocating.

It was tragic, Jada thought, that while Sasuke adored his older brother, Itachi's heart carried the anguish of knowing the potential conflict that was over the whole clan. Their plans for a coup d'état against the village leadership—the very village that had once been their home—tore at Itachi's beliefs.

He understood, perhaps better than anyone, that such rebellion would only perpetuate the cycle of hatred, leading to yet another war. This time civil.

Yet, he did not shy away from the burden of being a double agent—compromising his loyalty to protect his brother and his village. Shisui's tragic fate forced Itachi to take his friend's eye and one day use it in a time not fraught with so much sorrow.

By the age of twelve, the tragic moment arrived when Itachi faced the unimaginable choice: to side with the Uchiha and risk countless others or to extinguish his own family to prevent greater suffering.

Observing his fateful decision was the collapse of a clan. Jada's heart ached for him as he carried the guilt of his actions, forced to cast himself as the villain before Sasuke, all to set his brother on a road of vengeance.

The night of the Uchiha massacre went down in the ninja world's history.

To know that Itachi executed his own parents, yet they died without resentment, their final words filled with love—Jada struggled to grasp the depth of his suffering. He had been tasked with a mission that cost him everything, yet it left hope in Sasuke, whom he believed could one day avenge their family by dying by his younger brother's hands.

As Jada reflected on Itachi's story—his immense talent, the heavy burden of family loyalty, and his sacrifice for peace—she understood that to many, he was the villain. But to her, he was a tragic hero who walked with loneliness to protect the world from the very cycle of hatred that had consumed their clan.

Now, he had help this time around.

Upon meeting Jada after Orochimaru's failed invasion, he was convinced that she would be the one to help balance out the problems within the Leaf Village.

And how could he not believe her after she successfully revealed Danzo Shimura's schemes as well as Madara Uchiha's involvement.