"Oc in Naruto"

Chapter 6

After the others filed out, a thoughtful silence settled over the hospital room. The setting sun cast long shadows through the window, painting the sterile walls in warm oranges and deep purples. Aria shifted slightly against her pillows, her dark eyes meeting Kakashi's measured gaze."So," Kakashi began, settling into the chair beside her bed. "Dragon eyes. That's quite rare, even among your clan."Aria's fingers unconsciously traced the bandages around her left arm. "You noticed.""During the engagement. When you were tracking the third ANBU, your chakra signature shifted. Became... deeper." He paused. "Different from the typical dragon kekkai genkai.""It manifested differently in me," Aria admitted quietly. "The clan elders weren't sure what to make of it at first. Most get the enhanced physical capabilities, the affinity for fire techniques. But the eyes..." She touched the corner of her eye lightly. "The expanded chakra reserves are unusual too.""Ah. That explains how you maintained sensory tracking for so long during the test." Kakashi's visible eye crinkled slightly. "Though I suspect ANBU is more interested in the visual capabilities.""They want to know if it can match the Sharingan in combat analysis." There was no pride in her voice, just quiet acknowledgment. "It doesn't. It's... different. I see chakra patterns, flow disruptions. Useful for medical techniques and tracking, but not for copying jutsu."Kakashi nodded. "That's why you spotted the genjutsu trap before it fully deployed. You saw the chakra construct forming.""Yes. Though it didn't help much with the follow-up attack." She grimaced, gesturing to her injuries. "They were testing my limits deliberately.""Maa, getting three tracking seals on ANBU evaluators is no small feat, even with kekkei genkai advantages." He studied her for a moment. "How are you really handling it? The recruitment drive is aggressive this year."Aria was quiet for a long moment, considering. "I understand why they're pushing. With the recent border tensions... they need sensor types who can operate independently. Who can track and gather intelligence without being detected." Her fingers twisted in the blanket. "But...""But you're eleven," Kakashi finished softly. "And ANBU takes things from you.""Yes." The word was barely a whisper. "I've advanced quickly, learned to handle the responsibilities of rank. But ANBU is different. The masks, the isolation..." She met his gaze. "How did you do it, senpai?"Kakashi was silent for several heartbeats. "Not well, at first," he admitted. "I thought the mask would make things easier. That distance was strength." His eye grew distant with memory. "I was wrong.""That's why you encouraged the team to keep including me in things. Even after you suspected my rank.""The bonds you've formed with them are strength, not weakness." Kakashi's voice was firm. "ANBU will demand much from you, but it doesn't have to take everything. Don't let it."Aria absorbed this, her expression thoughtful. "They're good friends. Even if Naruto's going to be insufferable now that he knows I've been holding back in training."A quiet chuckle. "Maa, you might have to teach him that barrier seal technique you used in the test to make it up to him.""The one that nearly drained my chakra reserves even with the kekkei genkai boost?" Aria raised an eyebrow. "That seems unwise.""Perhaps start him with something simpler then." Kakashi eye-smiled. "Though I notice you didn't deny planning to teach him eventually."Aria's lips quirked slightly. "He has the chakra reserves for it. And the determination. Once he masters the basics...""You're a good teacher for them," Kakashi observed. "The rank difference hasn't changed that.""They make it easy. They're..." she searched for the words. "They're genuine. No politics, no clan expectations. Just... friendship.""Hold onto that," Kakashi advised quietly. "Especially if you accept the ANBU position. The masks are necessary sometimes, but remember what lies beneath them."Aria nodded, then tried to stifle a yawn. The day's events and revelations were clearly catching up with her."Get some rest," Kakashi stood, adjusting her blanket with an oddly paternal gesture. "We can discuss training modifications tomorrow. I have some experience helping prodigies balance multiple roles.""Thank you, senpai." Her eyes were already growing heavy. "For understanding.""Maa, what are fellow prodigies for?" He moved to the window. "Though I meant what I said about Guy's training regimen. Excellent stamina building...""Books, senpai. All of them."His quiet laugh followed him out the window, leaving Aria to drift off with a small smile, the weight of secrets finally lifted from her shoulders.After a long moment of silence, Kakashi spoke quietly. "That wasn't just advanced chakra control during the test, was it? What I saw at the end..."Aria tensed slightly, her fingers curling into the blanket. For a moment, it seemed she might not answer. When she finally spoke, her voice was barely above a whisper. "No. It wasn't.""Your eyes changed. And those scales..." Kakashi's analytical gaze studied her with new understanding. "A kekkei genkai. One I've never seen before."Aria's eyes remained fixed on her hands. "No one has. Not for long, anyway." There was something dark in her tone that made Kakashi straighten, his visible eye sharpening."Your clan?""Kicked me out." The words were clipped, painful. "My... variant wasn't what they expected. Wasn't what they wanted." She gave a bitter smile. "The traditional Dragon Essence abilities are powerful enough, but this..." She gestured vaguely toward her eyes. "This was something else. Something that scared them.""Because of its potential?"Aria finally looked up, meeting his gaze. "Because of what happened to the first person who saw it in combat. And the second." Her voice grew very quiet. "And everyone after that who tried to... contain it."Understanding dawned in Kakashi's eye. "That's why there are no records. No survivors to document it."She nodded once, shoulders hunched slightly. "I tried to control it. To hide it. But during the test, when the third ANBU came at me with that lightning technique...""You reacted instinctively," Kakashi finished. "That's why they pulled back so quickly. They sensed the change in your chakra.""I managed to suppress it before..." Aria swallowed hard. "Before it fully manifested. But now ANBU knows something's different about me. Something beyond just advanced chakra control and sensing abilities.""Does anyone else know?""No one alive." The words hung heavy in the air. "My clan... they tried to seal it when it first appeared. When that failed..." She trailed off, but her meaning was clear.Kakashi was silent for a long moment, processing this. "How long have you been carrying this secret?""Since I was seven." Aria's voice was steady, but her hands trembled slightly. "I learned to use just enough to survive, never enough to draw attention. Until today.""And now ANBU is interested." Kakashi's tone was carefully neutral."They'll want to know what it is. What it can do." Fear flickered briefly across her face before she masked it. "I can't... I can't let them...""Breathe," Kakashi instructed gently, recognizing the edge of panic in her voice. "What you tell them - what you show them - that's your choice. Your ability, your terms.""But if they order me...""Then we'll deal with that when it comes." The 'we' was deliberate, making Aria look up sharply. "You're not alone in this anymore, kohai."Tears threatened at the corners of her eyes. "It's dangerous, senpai. What I can do... what happens when...""Maa, having dangerous abilities just means we need to be more creative about how we train them." His eye crinkled slightly. "Though perhaps we should practice somewhere less populated than the regular training grounds."A small, disbelieving laugh escaped her. "You're not... afraid?""Of my eleven-year-old kohai who threatens me with book theft? Terrified." His tone softened. "But of your abilities? No. They're a tool, like any other. The question is how we help you master them safely."The tension in Aria's shoulders eased slightly. "I don't know if it can be mastered. The Dragon's Eye... it has a will of its own sometimes.""Then we start small. Learn its triggers, its limits." Kakashi's voice was calm, practical. "And we make sure you have someone watching your back while you figure it out.""Someone who can stop me if...""Someone who can help you maintain control," he corrected firmly. "Though we should probably wait until you're healed before we start experimenting with ancient, potentially lethal kekkei genkai abilities."That startled another small laugh from her. "Probably wise.""Get some rest. We can discuss the details once you're stronger." He moved toward the window, then paused. "Aria? Thank you for trusting me with this."She nodded, unable to speak past the sudden tightness in her throat."And I won't tell Guy about this particular aspect of your training," he added with an eye-smile. "Though he's still very excited about working on your basic conditioning...""Senpai!"His chuckle followed him out the window as he dodged another thrown pillow, leaving Aria shaking her head with a mix of exasperation and profound relief. The weight of her secret was still there, but somehow lighter for being shared.Though she was definitely going to find a way to get back at him for the Guy situation. Some secrets might be too dangerous to share, but pranking schemes... those were fair game.