Mixing of Snow and Sand

Chapter 49: Shei's Story

Our mind channel blocked out the world as I laid in bed listening to Shei's rendition of the events of my village.

"It was probably a decade before you were born that I was sealed away by the scientists and guardians. The seal wasn't perfect however..." I didn't want to say anything, I wanted him to say what he had to say and then I would ask my questions.

"Several times it broke, much like how the seal for tailed beasts weakens when the jinchurki goes into childbirth, like Naruto's mother Kushina. It took several years before they were able to perfect the seal and make it permanent to a fault. Several of the scientists that created me were killed when I broke free, though I still didn't have complete control over my newfound power like I do now. Eventually, I was locked away in that cave and the villagers were warned to never come near it, for fear that the seal may come undone once again. When you were born however, I sensed your power even from the depths of that cavern, the Osore's power is something that all Tailed Beasts can sense, much as you are able to feel the change in someone's chakra." His red eyes bored into my yellow ones as if to question whether telling me was the right choice still.

"Your power alone was able to weaken the seal inside the cavern without you meaning to. Which is why the guardians were outside the village, they may have befriended you but they also saw you as a threat if you were to get too close to the cavern. They kept you at a distance so you wouldn't accidentally release me. But they were so worried about me being released they weren't aware of the real danger that threatened the village, until it was too late to do anything about it. Orochimaru came before the other Sannin as Lady Tsunade explained, but he came with the intent of stealing you away. He realized you were too young to be able to withstand the effects of the curse mark so he killed the guardians and released the seal. When we were fused together, your Osore became complete. You possessed the greatest control over it than anyone else in your bloodline, you became the center of the Akatsuki's attention and Orochimaru's focus." I couldn't stop myself now.

"How did the Osore become complete? I don't understand." I muttered.

"The Osore comes from within, it may be a visual jutsu but it is an extent of yourself. Even as a child you had amazing control over your ability. Most who possessed the Osore in the past were taken over by the darkness of its power, used it without meaning to, but you...once you learned you wielded it you found control over it. The darkness may have been there still but you didn't allow it to control you like the rest of the Hosaka have in the past."

"What do you mean the darkness of its power? Do you mean the abilities to control the fears and resentment of others? When I use the Osore I do at times feel the dark energies of those that I see the fears of. Does that mean my ancestors were unable to distinguish between the darkness from the Osore and their own darkness? Or was it something much deeper than that?" I pondered more to myself then to Shei.

"To understand it would take much more time than we have at the moment, just know that your basic assumption is pretty close to the truth. Darkness resides in everyone, though some display it more readily than others. It can also change how much darkness flows throughout a person, like how Gaara has changed. The emotions you see during the Osore are the darkest ones that a person has suppressed or attempts to, therefore what you experience at that moment is the darkness being transferred from their fears into your mind. Its enough to drive someone to the point of insanity, hence why others have been consumed by that." I frowned.

"I think I understand what you mean...I never really used the Osore up until recently that is. But I think the difference between my Osore and the Osore of my ancestors is that I can use it for good energy too. I was able to use my Osore to show Gaara my feelings, I think there is a way to use it to see both the good and bad energies of a person." I stated.