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Uzumaki Mizuki is not a fighter.
She is a scholar.
Maybe a sensei.
But not a Shinobi.
The two Shinobi things she learns are storage seals and dodging.
It is enough.
More than enough.
So when she gets called to (insists on accompanying) her cousin and partner Kushina to Konoha, she doesn't enter the academy.
It is not a popular decision.
Uzumakis are famed for their chakra reserves, Kenjutsu and Fuuinjutsu.
Mizuki doesn't care.
Uzumaki Mito is firmly on her side.
No dares to stand against all three of them together.
(For Kushina is on her side, will always be.)
Even though Mizuki is a civilian, a mathematician and not a fighter, she is an Uzumaki.
There is a reason they are renowned.
She is still dangerous.
Somewhat.
She is a civilian but it is not long before someone tries to attack her.
He is there one minute and gone the next.
Mizuki doesn't even blink.
The people around her whisper about sorcery and magic and she simply continues.
Kushina cannot help but laugh when she hears this.
Mizuki is not a magician.
She is an engineer.
A poet too whenever the mood strikes.
Perhaps that is magic in itself.
Kushina throws back her head and laughs because the only thing Mizuki has on her at all times are her storage seals.
It is not difficult to draw conclusions.
Mito's eyes sparkle with delight when she hears the whispers about a man who looked like ANBU simply vanishing.
Serves them right for attempting to harm one of her grandchildren.
No one tries anything for the next few weeks.
Mizuki awakens one morning to... nothing.
Strange, she could have sworn she heard a sound.
Further exploration reveals a stray kunai.
Mizuki shrugs.
Kushina who saw it all, simply cackles.
"How much space have you got in that seal, 'ttebane?" she asks.
Mizuki shrugs once again.
"Theoretically, there are no limits. Everything shrinks once it enters and the seal isn't exactly small but..."
Kushina laughs through the rest of the explanation, attracting some interesting looks from the the people passing by.
If she runs off to tell Mito and the woman loses her composure too, well who is there to see?
And if there is anyone, they wouldn't dare say something.
Uzumaki Mito is still formidable.
Uzumaki Kushina is scary.
But Uzumaki Mizuki is quickly becoming downright terrifying.
Her would-be attackers simply disappear, all their weapons so thoroughly destroyed that you cannot even find the ashes - they whisper.
Uzumaki Mizuki has a ghost or a god (depending on who you ask) protecting her.
The girl would have otherwise been dead by now.
With no real skills to speak of, except something civilian (and beneath them) it is the only way the Shinobi can understand her continued existence.
The civilians mostly ignore the gossip, simply enjoying the company of the kind but unfortunately short-tempered Uzumaki.
If there is a vengeful spirit protecting her, it is best to stay on her better side.
And really, the girl is kind and clever.
They actually like her - more than the other Shinobi affiliated people they meet.
They even enjoy the company of her cousin - though not too often.
The other redhead is a little boisterous.
Not that they would ever tell her that.
They are not sure what would be worse - an angry Uzumaki Kushina or Uzumaki Mizuki's protector.
They are not planning on finding out.
But others do not share their sentiment.
Shimura Danzo is vexed.
He has had multiple ROOT agents attempt to kidnap the Uzumaki brat but all of them fail.
Just disappear.
The girl has no Shinobi capability to speak of so he doesn't understand what is going on.
He has lost countless of his best trying to capture her.
The next time, he will have to observe from a distance.
There is nothing much to see.
The weapons thrown are simply absorbed about a meter away from the girl.
The agent he sent eventually has to approach the girl.
The minute his hand gets close to her skin, he is absorbed too.
Danzo stares at the scene in horror.
Slowly, he uncovers a Sharingan on his arm.
He assesses the area but still cannot see anything.
Shimura Danzo - feared, hated, obeyed flees.
He has to get away from the girl.
It would be wonderful if he could get her under his control but it is clear that is not going to happen.
But Danzo doesn't know how to let things go.
And one night he gets too close.
The next day, Danzo is announced missing.
Mizuki doesn't understand why all these Shinobi are coming up to her and pledging their loyalty.
Kushina is too busy being hysterical to answer her and Mizuki falls back to politeness.
She accepts their oaths.
Because Danzo's successor would always be the one who vanquished him.
There are no further shocks for the village.
Except the sudden fountain that springs up one day to honour the lost regardless of whether they were Shinobi or not.
And the small but mighty monument dedicated to the Uchiha police.
Mizuki sets to work on a building for the former ROOT.
It is somewhat Spartan for she has abused storage seals to give them as much space as possible.
No minions of hers are going to live uncomfortably.
And slowly, they start to open up.
She has to order half of them to go to therapists but slowly, they are reintegrated.
It doesn't happen quickly.
There are lapses.
But it is working.
Slowly.
Nothing too terrible happens until Kumo tries to steal Kushina.
They want Mizuki too.
Mizuki allows herself to be guided to her before she tries anything.
When the first Nin tries to touch her, he abruptly disappears.
Then the others charge at her.
In her desperate attempt at evasion, Mizuki manages to knock herself out.
When Minato Namikaze happens to discover gleaming strands of bright hair, he is not entirely surprised to find a bound Kushina attempting to awaken her cousin.
Everyone knows Mizuki has a ghost guarding her.
Minato is surprised that Kumo is unaware.
He thought everyone knew that by now.
Oh well.
If they didn't know that already, they do now.
He saw the last one (presumably) flee.
Minato simply unties Kushina and escorts the two home.
(But it is not their home.
Nothing will ever replace Uzushio.
Minato does not know that.
And he will never know.
It is too late.)
Everyone sees it coming.
Everyone.
When Uzumaki Mito, Uzumaki Kushina and Uzumaki Mizuki head to the gates of Konoha, the blue swirls of their homeland proudly displayed against their black skin, there is no one there.
The gates swing with the wind.
It only brings more attention to the fact that there is no one there.
The Unmakes shrug and proceed forward, tailed by Mizuki's minions and Kashina's new minion - Minato.
They never come back.
For years after, there are whispers about the ghost of the Uzumakis.
The nin of the Hidden Villages overhear just one conversation and decide it's best to stay away.
Uzumaki Mizuki is not a fighter.
But her protector as sure as hell is.