Konoha's Maelstrom

2

AN: Namikaze Clan symbol is the one on the right. Uzumaki on the left. I want you to note that this may not be canon, but I really like this symbol for the Namikaze Clan, so this is what it will be also.

Also note that Minato didn't have a proper clan, so he made this the symbol when his last name "Namikaze" became acknowledged as a clan. I'm going to be honest, it kind of reminds me of a rasengan.

Meiko, with her back to the Kyuubi, looked around. Her mindscape was ugly and dreadful. It held nothing nice and was very clearly uncomfortable.

Meiko looked at it as she thought any other child would. It is her mind, so she could do with it what she wanted. Since it was her mind, she could control how it looked.

Meiko closed her eyes.

The corridor disappeared first. She didn't know what the Kyuubi was thinking, or doing, all she knew was that she was fixing one problem.

The endless ceiling turned midnight blue and stars twinkled above. Her eyes stayed closed.

She imagined a water fountain with a cobble path around it. She imagined a large willow tree swaying softly and a path threw a plethora of flowers. She imagined a grove of trees in the east and a snowy mountain range in the west. Beneath her feet, she imagined grass, while just a few feet in front of her was a large lake.

She imagined the bars gone and a collar with a seal around the Kyuubi.

And just like that, her mind changed to her dream.

It was beautiful and peaceful.

Meiko opened her eyes and a light played in her pruple eyes. She liked how her mind looked now.

She then turned back to the Kyuubi to see him looking around in shock. She smiled softly, closing her eyes. It was a sad smile, but it also promised better things.

"Thanks for talking with me, Kyuubi-sama."

And just like that Meiko disappeared from her mindscape, willing herself to leave.

鳴戸

Meiko's eyes opened, only for everything to be blurry.

She felt wet tears slipping down her face, leaving tear tracks. She took choking breaths and sobs racked her body. Her vision blurred and she glared at the ground.

It would be so easy to just jump, she thought as she pushed down the tears. Meiko, in truth, didn't want to die. She knew that she didn't want to die. She wanted to kill something inside her. The problem was she didn't know what she wanted to kill. The one true fact she knew was that it wasn't the Kyuubi. It couldn't be the Kyuubi.

Meiko stood slowly, and pulled out her hair tie as she felt the wind flowing through her hair. Main character moment, she thought to herself. She shook her head and stared over the village.

The Uchiha Complex was to her far right, and the Hyuuga Complex was to her far left. Near the Inuzuka Complex was the market and villagers' homes. Right in front of her and behind the Hokage building was the Sarutobi Complex, which was next to the Nara Complex. The Aburame Clan was in their complex just northwest of the Hokage building. Next to the Nara Complex was the Yamanaka Complex, and beside that was the Akimichi Complex.

Meiko had seen this view hundreds of times, and she'd watched the lights turn on and off. She'd watch the sunrise and set.

Right now, she found no peace of mind. Everything hurt. Her heart, her head. She wished pain didn't exist sometimes.

As Meiko looked over the familiar landscape, her eyes strayed to a building in the far corner of the village. It was where she had wondered about often. Meiko had seen Jiji stare at the building before, as if sad.