Sozen the Ghost Shinobi

Chapter Four

  ✦𝕋𝕣𝕒𝕚𝕟𝕚𝕟𝕘✦ 

Sozen woke with a start again, some of Zabuza's memories had penetrated his sleeping mind. The blood, the gore and the feeling of revelling in such carnage. Sozen couldn't help but quietly bolt outside and throw up in the bushes. The emotional impact these memories took on him caused him to start feeling unwell. 

Sozen fell down, almost into his own vomit as the world started to sway. He had no clue as to why he felt so sick, but he did. He fully acknowledged how bad it was moments before he passed as the sun peaked above the mountains.

It was Sakura to find Sozen a couple of hours later, a small scream echoing as she found the boy deathly pale and unconscious. That alerted Naruto and Sasuke to their location where the two boys helped carry Sozen back to Tazuna's house.

Kakashi was struggling to figure out what had happened, but it seemed obvious from the two's prior conversation.

"Sozen's mental state has weakened, using his Kekkei Genkai on Zabuza must have been too much," Kakashi mused.

"Kekkei Genkai?" Sakura asked, glancing at the markings on Sozen's face.

"The story isn't mine to tell, but Sozen has a very powerful Kekkei Genkai but it - like many others - takes it's toll on the user," Kakashi sighed and held a hand up to his eye.

"You look like you know a bit about that, Kakashi," Sozen muttered with a huff of a grin.

"Sozen!" Naruto yelled, "you made us carry you back, you lazy ass!" Naruto grumbled.

"Yes, remind me to save you for that one," Sozen teased. 

"How are you feeling, Sozen?" Kakashi asked, wary of the exhausted boy.

"Tired, but I have something to do," Sozen sighed as he pushed himself up.

Sakura scolded Sozen for pushing himself, whereas the two boys glanced over at Kakashi.

"Since you lot look able to train, follow me," Kakashi lead the three away. 

Sozen quietly pushed himself up and slowly walked to a nearby clearing, he (unable to jump) walked up the trunk of the tree. When he reached a high point, Sozen went about looking for a cliff. He soon spotted one and using what strength he had, teleported himself there. The cliff was high and cut away at an almost vertical angle. It was perfect for the type of seclusion Sozen wanted. 

Sozen sat down in a meditative pose, his legs crossed and his arms held in the Tori hand sign. With the wind release seal allowing some of his attribute chakra to flow freely, Sozen's meditation started. He felt his weight lift off the ground until he was floating in the air, this "talent" of his was no Fujimoto Kekkei Genkai - it was his own power. The ability to levitate in the air was a very hard task to accomplish without meditating, but the sense of freedom and detachment done wonders to help Sozen reconnect with himself.

Unfortunately, some being of fate decided to ruin Sozen's peace by sending horrid visions of the Kyuubi attack. The Sharingan that held the fox in its genjutsu,  the destruction of the village and even a faint memory of Naruto's birth. A shiver ran down Sozen's spine as he resaw the fate that befell Naruto's parents Minato and Kushina Uzumaki. The Fourth Hokage's face lingered in a memory that Sozen hadn't seen before. It seemed almost as if it were someone else's memory but the voices that trailed around it... scared him.

"Your boy's grown strong, Hana, it seems that he has inherited the clan's traits too," Minato's smile seemed to be aimed directly at Sozen.

Sozen didn't know what to think, was this his memory? From what he recalled of his often absent mother, her name was something akin to Hana, maybe Hina or Handa. His memories of her faded every time a Fujimoto clan memory appeared as if his heritage wanted him purged of his mother's side. He couldn't even remember her full name.