Despite her internal promise to rebuild everything, she soon had to admit that it was a colossal task. On the first day, they scouted the village, making a rough map of locations where her locator spell indicated there were documents, weapons, or other valuable items—which were numerous. They marked all the spots she planned to reconstruct first to safeguard the clan's belongings.
"We'll have plenty of chances to come back, dobe," Sasuke had told Naruto when they realized that maybe seven days wouldn't be enough to restore everything. "No one knows what we're doing. Once Seina protects this place, no one will be able to access it."
The second day, they started the restoration work. They sent their clones to search through the rubble for documents and other items while they focused on rebuilding. Seina used a repair spell, Naruto sent his clones to check for traps or barriers, and Sasuke managed the items they found, storing them in a compartmentalized trunk.
It was slow, painstaking work. Almost every house had some kind of trap or barrier, but fortunately, most had been deactivated by the damage when they collapsed. The only intact traps they found were those she herself rebuilt—traps within the buildings that were easy to spot thanks to their clones, who "died" and dispersed each time they triggered one.
The third and fourth days passed much the same way. When she'd finished restoring buildings containing valuable objects, they discovered a hidden area with more documents. Unfortunately, they found the entrance to the hideout but didn't dare enter since the protections were intact; it was an underground cavern filled with unfamiliar fuinjutsu. Just approaching it made her hair stand on end as she sensed the ominous barriers surrounding the Uzumaki's secret chamber. She didn't even try to forcibly break the seals with her magic, as she'd done with the simpler seals used to trap Sasuke in that tub when he was kidnapped.
"We'll have to bring in an expert," she muttered. "I don't dare use my powers with so many seals around."
"We could tell ero-sennin," Naruto suggested. "He's a fuinjutsu master."
Satisfied with their considerable haul, they spent the last days restoring as many buildings and bridges as possible. To stay organized, they went street by street. Naruto and Sasuke moved anything rotten or in poor condition so she could disintegrate it, and they stored a few new items they uncovered.
"This'll take me months to get in order. We're only rebuilding Uzushiogakure, but there are other villages near the coast."
"As I said before, with the hiraishin, you'll be able to speed things up a lot."
"Are you going to protect the island now?" Naruto asked. "We only have one day left here. You'd better hurry."
Since no one was around to see, Seina used all kinds of spells and magical barriers. When she was done, almost an hour later, the island was shielded again by an invisible barrier. They enjoyed their last meal on the island, eating outside the tent to watch the sunset over the hills.
"I've written that letter to Itachi I mentioned," Sasuke spoke up suddenly. "I'd like you to read it."
"Really?" Naruto asked, stunned, knowing full well how private Sasuke was.
"Yes. I don't want to risk giving him confidential information, just in case, so I thought you could review it to see if I've said… too much."
Seina took the letter Sasuke handed her from his pouch, setting her plate on a nearby rock. Naruto read along silently beside her.
"Itachi,
You may not believe me, but this is Sasuke. I'm writing because my team and I believe you're innocent, and we've found enough evidence pointing that way. Tsunade-sama is looking into it, but until we have conclusive proof, you remain exiled from Konoha.
On my end, I've thought a lot about everything that happened. About how you acted, why you did it, why you left me alive, why you exposed yourself recently in Konoha when you knew perfectly well how to stay hidden... Everything points to your innocence. A year ago, I couldn't have written these words without feeling furious just thinking of you, but thanks to Seina and Naruto, I've been able to see beyond my anger. Now I'm not full of hatred, although sometimes I'm still angry with you. I have more than just anger now.
You're my brother. You're also the killer of our family. I want to believe you regret it, that you were forced to do it. I want to have my brother close again. I want you to come back to Konoha someday, for people to know you're innocent, even if it means acknowledging that our clan made terrible mistakes.
You can respond to this letter if you want, but know that with my team's help, I'll uncover the truth one way or another, so if you're thinking of lying… save it.
Sasuke."
"It's… interesting," Naruto said finally, with unusual seriousness. "You're hinting that you know what happened with your clan. Do you think that's wise?"
"The fact that Sasuke knows the truth—the whole truth—means knowing that," Seina replied. "Itachi isn't stupid. Even if he thought Sasuke didn't know now, he'd assume he would find out in the future."
"So, you're okay with it?" Sasuke asked her directly.
"What stands out the most is the mention of Tsunade-sama. If this letter gets leaked, it could reach Danzo's ears, and he seems to be one of the instigators behind this whole mess," she replied, considering what might happen if the letter went as is. "I'd put, 'We're looking into it.' If Itachi's smart, he'll read between the lines, and if it gets leaked, the Hokage can defend herself by saying she's unaware of any official investigation."
"Hn… You're right."
Sasuke took the letter and crossed out that line. It was clear this wasn't his first draft or even the tenth time he'd reread what he'd written. They finished dinner in silence, each lost in thoughts of Itachi, Uzushiogakure, and the mess they were in. They returned to Konoha using the hiraishin, too tired to fly. Upon arrival, she spotted someone at the registration desk she almost didn't recognize—Kotetsu.
"Seina-san," he called as soon as he saw her appear. He stood and bowed to her. "Tsunade-sama told me I owe my life to you."
"I'm glad you're well. Luckily, we managed to rescue you in time."
"Thank you so much."
"Yeah, thank you. I can't imagine this job without Kotetsu," his colleague at the desk, also a chunin, chimed in. "When I heard he'd been kidnapped by Orochimaru, I feared the worst."
Seina nodded, accepting their thanks. It was her job, so she'd have done the same for anyone, but she knew how it felt when a healer or medic helped your loved ones when you couldn't do anything yourself.
"I'm dead tired," Naruto complained, dragging his feet with exhaustion. "And here I thought it was going to be a relaxing week."
"Then go to bed, dobe," Sasuke told him. "I'll finish up the edits on the letter."
She said goodbye to her team and went to her room to take a shower. As she washed her hair, she thought about Sasuke's sincere, albeit reluctant, words. What would happen if Itachi responded to the letter only to tell them to go to hell? Though Sasuke had admitted to thinking about that possibility and begrudgingly accepted that he would leave his brother alone if he didn't want to be helped, Seina knew that such a possibility would hurt him.
So, she finished her shower quickly, put on her pyjamas, and went into her study. She closed the door behind her, sat down at the desk, took out a blank piece of paper and a conjured pen. She thought hard about what she wanted to convey, she thought about Itachi, Sasuke, Naruto and began to write.
"Dear Itachi,
My name is Seina Uzumaki, and I am your brother Sasuke's teammate. I know you've received a letter from him. I know what's in it, and I know what Sasuke is leaving unsaid out of fear.
As you may know, I have a brother, Naruto, so I can't imagine ever doing to him what you did to Sasuke. I know you were only thirteen when you killed your clan, on the same day you left Sasuke alive for some reason. If I asked others why you did it and why you spared him, I know they'd say you went mad, or that you're a psychopath who didn't need a reason. But I think they'd be wrong…
I think you did what you did because you had no other choice, because, at that moment, you saw no other way forward. Maybe you believed that your only option was to save Sasuke at the cost of everyone else. Maybe you were right, maybe you weren't. You killed many people, some likely innocent, and there's a price to pay for that. And that is exactly what you're doing, isn't it? You're paying your debt while suffering far from home, far from Sasuke. You torture yourself, thinking that Sasuke hates you—and rightfully so. You want him to end you, not anyone else, because you think that's what you deserve. You believe it will give Sasuke peace, closing this bloody chapter in your story. But you're wrong.
I know something you don't: Sasuke doesn't hate you. Not anymore. He used to, and it made him suffer. Now, he only suffers because he's beginning to see that maybe you're innocent, and that he's hated you for something you may not have done willingly. He feels guilty for not even considering the possibility that you might be innocent. When he sees Naruto and me, I know he feels sad because you aren't with us. Now he doesn't want to kill you—he wants to bring you back to Konoha. Funny how life twists and turns, right?
I know you won't respond to our letters. Somehow, I feel a connection with you, with your intentions. Part of me doesn't know why, while another part tells me it's because we're both "the older sibling." I've researched you. I know you loved Sasuke. I know you still do. How could you not, when he's your little brother and you're Itachi Uchiha, the teenager who adored his brother?
I know you've spent years outside, far from Konoha, being hated by the one you least wanted to hate you. I know part of you isn't the same as it was back then. I know part of you has mistakenly accepted that you're the villain, the wolf among the sheep. When someone spends so long pretending to be something they aren't, they may eventually become it.
The other day, Sasuke told me he cares for me, that I'm his older sister. That made me feel even closer to him—and to you. Now, thanks to Sasuke, we're family, Itachi. That's why I'm going to do everything I can to help him bring you back, to uncover the truth. My own little brother, Naruto, has taught me something I sometimes forget: you can never lose hope.
For all these reasons, I promise that we'll uncover the truth, and that you'll return to Konoha if you're innocent.
Seina
P.S. I owe you a beating for torturing Kakashi-sensei. You may be family now, but that doesn't mean I can't punish you for hurting my loved ones."
Seina dried the ink with a wave of her hand and folded the letter. It was much longer than what Sasuke had written, but she hadn't said anything that Itachi didn't already know or couldn't guess. Nothing that would endanger Konoha.
When she awoke the next morning, just another Wednesday, she realized that it was already April. A pit formed in her stomach as she realized the drawing for the chunin exam had already been held. Everyone already knew their destination. She left home and went to the jonin headquarters, where they posted the lists of those admitted to the exam, and came face to face with Kakashi-sensei, just back from a mission.
"Hey, Seina," her teacher smiled as he saw her. "Are you here to see the results?"
"Good or bad?"
"Want me to tell you, or would you rather see for yourself?"
He pointed his thumb to a noticeboard behind him. Seina walked around him, feeling him follow with his hands in his pockets, until she reached the notice. Kirigakure. She had to hold back a sigh of relief, realizing that the worst hadn't happened. It wasn't the best place, but it wasn't Kumogakure. She checked her name on the list, next to an unknown Yamanaka, and turned back around.
"It could be worse," she admitted, and Kakashi-sensei nodded. "Did you just come from a mission?"
"A second mission. You've been gone quite a few days," he said, wrapping an arm around her shoulders as they left. "How did it go?"
"Well, well. I have a lot to tell you, but I have to go see Tsunade-sama now. It's about Karin. My distant cousin."
"Ah. Have you already heard something?"
"Yes. Turns out she's not as guilty as I thought. I'll explain everything later."
"I can go with you, if you want."
She nodded. She told him about the apartment they'd bought—what it was like, where it was, etc. She'd let Sasuke tell him himself about the letter and what they found in Uzushiogakure. Talking about private matters in public was never wise in a ninja village.
"What do you think about Kirigakure?" Kakashi-sensei asked as they waited to be called in to see the Hokage.
"It's fine. Sounds perfect, all things considered, you know?"
"Yeah. I don't know anyone who's taken the exam there, but I could ask around. Any information helps."
"Thanks," she smiled.
"Seina-san, Kakashi-san? You may come in."
The Hokage smiled when she saw her, casting a curious look at her teacher.
"I imagine you're here about Karin."
"Yes, I spoke to Naruto. We've agreed to take responsibility for her as long as necessary. We've bought an apartment for her and I've placed certain barriers to monitor her."
"Perfect. I'll give the order for her release tomorrow afternoon. Did you find a lot in Uzushiogakure?"
"Quite a bit. I'll need the pervy sage to come with us to examine a secret chamber protected by fuinjutsu."
"Didn't you try to open it with your powers?"
"I didn't dare. Even from a distance, you can feel the barriers charged with chakra. The last thing I want is for it to collapse or for something to destroy what's inside."
"I'll let you know the next time he's in the village. I imagine you left a seal there to teleport yourself?" her teacher asked, unsurprised. "By the way, I imagine you know your destination. It's not bad. I don't think you'll get bored in Kirigakure."
Seina snorted at her words.
"You have exactly one month before the exam begins. If I were you, I'd take advantage of it to have Kakashi assess your theoretical knowledge and to train as much as possible."
She nodded. They said goodbye to Tsunade-sama, walking out of the Hokage's tower at a slow pace. There wasn't much urgency, considering it wasn't even noon yet. They walked in silence, each lost in their thoughts. Seina could only focus on three things now: Karin, Itachi, and the jonin exams. She wasn't sure which was the most important. Maybe Karin, as her situation was more pressing and needed immediate attention. Even so, she'd done all she could for her.
What she hadn't expected, the next day, when Naruto and she went to visit Karin to take her to her new apartment and chat for a while, was the horrified look on her face when she saw her brother.
"You—you!" she stammered, going pale and pointing a shaking finger at Naruto.
Naruto and Seina exchanged confused looks under the watchful eyes of Inoichi Yamanaka and Anko. Karin looked genuinely scared. She wasn't sure why, but it must have had something to do with her brother.
"What's wrong?"
"I can sense a malicious chakra inside you!" Karin whispered as she shrank back.
"Are you talking about Kurama?" her brother asked openly. "Not surprising. I'm the jinchuriki of the Nine-Tails. Same as Seina."
"You're a jinchuriki!?" Karin asked, utterly stunned. "I couldn't even sense it!"
Seina shrugged. Maybe it was because she was always hiding her chakra with her magic? Perhaps Kurama himself helped her conceal his presence. Naruto's Kurama-yang didn't seem to care as much. Whatever the reason, she found it curious that Karin couldn't detect her Kurama-yin.
"Interesting…" Kurama mused. "Maybe it's your magic that hides my presence. Even if I mask my chakra, it's still part of you. She should have sensed it last time."
They managed to convince her, through conversation, that Naruto meant her no harm. Karin seemed to accept their words when Seina's Kurama appeared, startling her, to prove she wasn't lying about also being a jinchuriki. She understood that if Seina had intended to hurt her, she would have done it the first time they met. Naruto's genuine character ultimately won Karin over, and she agreed to stay in Konoha under a minimum six-month observation period to integrate into the village.
"I can't believe I'm here," Karin murmured, gazing at the buildings as she walked between Naruto and Seina. "My mother told me about your mother, about how she was sent to Konoha when everything happened…"
"So why didn't you two come to Konoha too?"
"I don't know. I guess my mother feared being used for her special gift. And look," Karin muttered bitterly. "She ended up in a village that did exactly that."
"No one here will use you in that way," Seina said seriously. "At most, you can volunteer, but no one will order you to die like your mother."
"I hope so."
"Old Lady Tsunade is fair. You'll see Seina's right."
"Look. Here's your new apartment."
Karin, Naruto, and Seina all looked at the building's white facade for a few seconds. Karin seemed at a loss for words as they showed her the apartment she'd have to herself. She looked around with shining eyes, overwhelmed, and then sat down on the plush, comfortable sofa they'd gifted her.
"Wow. My home wasn't this cosy."
"We've arranged a monthly stipend for you, so you can manage your groceries and any missing furniture," Seina informed her, "but Tsunade-sama wants you to find a job in the village to reintegrate."
"I know. She told me."
"What would you like to work as?" Naruto asked curiously.
"Inoichi-san offered me a part-time job at his flower shop. The salary's enough for a simple living alone, but with your stipend and since I don't pay rent, I think I can make it work."
"You also have to check in weekly at the department, right?"
"Yes, for my supervision."
Karin would have a lot of freedom because she was young, and Inoichi would ensure to check her intentions weekly. Seina knew Tsunade-sama also allowed her this independence because she trusted Seina would watch over her closely. Otherwise, she doubted they would have let her live alone without a guard—at least for a few months.
They talked about trivial things with Karin, mentioning Sasuke, their other friends, Kakashi-sensei, and their training. Seina wondered about Karin's military career. She was a genin, so if she were readmitted, she should be able to continue advancing. It was practically impossible for them to let her take the chunin exams that year, mostly because she'd still be under supervision during that period, and they wouldn't allow her to leave the village, even to pick mushrooms. Who knew what might happen the following year…?
"We don't know much about her," Naruto commented as they left Karin alone in her new apartment. "We only talked about ourselves."
"I don't think Karin wants to relive much of her past right now. The best thing we could do was distract her from her situation."
When they got home, Kakashi-sensei was making dinner, and Sasuke was waiting at the table with the letter in his hands. Seina knew he had finally decided to send the letter to Itachi. Sasuke handed her the letter. He didn't even ask how she planned to deliver it to Itachi. Since she'd written her own letter, she had thought about how to send it. She created a pigeon—a common bird worldwide—specifically for this purpose. She had to load it with runes to program it with the "point me" spell and make it undetectable to all but the target of the locator spell. So, all she had to do was send it to Itachi with the folded letter.
It would take days to reach him, but she knew it would get there. Eventually. She went outside to make sure no one saw her attach her letter, stored in her pouch beforehand. She didn't want to raise Sasuke's hopes if Itachi didn't respond. She watched the bird fly west. She realized everything was now in Itachi's hands. Seina could keep sending him letters, even if he didn't reply, but the one who'd have to decide what to do with the opportunity he was given wasn't them. No matter how hard-headed Naruto was about it.
The next day, it was as if everyone had rockets under them. Sasuke and Naruto were sent on a mission, Kakashi-sensei handed her a stack of exam questions and disappeared, and she was called to train with Tsunade-sama. Now that everyone knew where the exams would take place, it seemed they were all a bit anxious to ensure she was well-prepared so she wouldn't mess it up.
"Huh. It's not that bad decoding secret codes," she said aloud to Kurama, the only one who wouldn't leave her alone.
"Humans and your silly exams," he yawned.
Suddenly, Seina was plunged into another kind of academic whirlwind. Mondays, she trained with the other genins; Tuesdays, with the anbu and Kakashi-sensei; Wednesdays, with the Hokage; Thursdays and Fridays, she worked at the hospital; and on weekends, she'd take a break and do improvised theoretical exams with her master and Shizune.
She almost forgot that something called "missions" existed until eight days later when Shikaku called her to his office.
"I have another mission for you. It's a solo one. Here. Deliver this confidential document to our contact in the Land of Waterfalls."
Seina took the scroll, slipping it into her pouch. Fortunately, she had seals nearby, so she left Konoha and teleported with hiraishin. The mission took literally an hour. The most challenging part was finding Konoha's contact hiding in the dense forest of the Land of Waterfalls. She handed it over, received a coded note, and left again.
Shikaku was waiting, unsurprised to see her.
"I know you leave seals wherever you go, so I knew you'd take little time with the mission. In fact, from now on, you'll handle the delivery of confidential documents to places I know you can quickly teleport to. This will boost your mission count for the jonin exams and give you time to study and train."
Seina nodded. She should have seen it coming. When she returned home, she found Sasuke and Naruto, freshly back from their mission and covered in bruises. She didn't even ask. She simply healed them while her clones made dinner.
"How was your week?"
"Good. I've been fully occupied. I planned to visit Karin tomorrow since it's Sunday and I have nothing else to do."
"And Kakashi-sensei?"
"He left on a mission three days ago," she shrugged. "It seemed pretty important, so I doubt he'll be back soon."
"Do you know if Itachi has received my letter yet?" Sasuke asked.
"He should have, unless he was very far away."
Sasuke didn't ask again. Seina knew a part of him almost didn't want to know if Itachi had read his letter or not. The truth was, she wasn't lying when she said she didn't know. The pigeon was programmed to leave a couple of hours after Itachi took the letters. That would give him time to write and read whatever they had to say.
Sunday passed more slowly than Saturday. She went to visit Karin. She noticed how Karin had put her monthly allowance to good use, buying a few more pieces of furniture for her comfort, as well as filling the cabinets with pots and towels. As she'd mentioned, she'd been hired part-time at Inoichi's flower shop, so every morning she spent four hours working in the store.
"It's not bad. I know a little about flowers, but I'm learning a lot from Inoichi's wife."
"Have you met Ino?" her brother asked.
"No. I'm not sure if they want me to hang out with her just yet."
"Maybe it's not that. Ino's been training hard for the chunin exams."
"Like Seina."
"Are you going to take the jonin exams?" Karin asked, surprised.
"That's the plan, yes."
"Then I wish you lots of luck."
They wrapped up their chat, closing out a very hectic week in Karin's apartment. Kakashi-sensei hadn't returned from his mission, as she'd guessed, so she had dinner with Sasuke and Naruto, discussing the chunin exam. She drifted off to sleep, vaguely aware of someone entering through the window, but she knew it was Kakashi-sensei, so she closed her eyes and let herself fall into a deep rest.