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Ann sat up in the familiar field again. She looked around frantically, desperate to see her uncle again. With no one in sight, she curled into a ball and quietly cried.
It seemed like forever before she felt a hand on her back. Ann flinched away and turned, ready to fight if it came to it. Instead, she saw a woman, who looked like her uncle if he were female.
Ann~Zabi? No…A-are you my mom?
She wiped her eyes then examined her. Ann felt like she had met the woman before, but she's only remembered seeing her in that locket. The familiarity confused her.
The woman nodded.
Ane~I'm your mother. It's been hard these past two weeks, hasn't it?
She extended her arms, inviting Ann for a hug. The teen nodded and moved forward, letting Ane embrace her. Ann felt the tears well up again, but tried to control herself to keep from crying. The hug felt good, almost relieving, but she still felt an ache in her chest.
Ann~I miss Zabi so much…Why isn't he here?
Ane~He will later. You need to learn about your kekkei genkai first.
Ann~No. I want Zabuza!
Ann couldn't keep it together anymore and started crying again. Ane kissed the top of her head and sat down, pulled her into her lap.
Ane~I know, baby. He'll be here. You'll have to wait for him anyway, so I wanted you to learn about your powers.
Ann shook her head as she continued to cry.
Ane~Will you learn after he arrives?
Ann shrugged and pulled at her. Ane quietly sighed, not knowing how else to bargain with her, and held her daughter a little tighter.

A short way from them but still out of sight was Zabuza and another man. They paused when Zabuza saw them.
Zabuza~You and my sister are already present, Auron. Why is it still necessary for me to be here?
Auron~Ann trusts you. She's still grieving too, idiot. Ane and I might be the ones to better explain her powers but you have to be present to stabilize her.
Zabuza~You’re her parents though.
Auron~You are too for her. You're just as much of her parent as me or Ane. I also worry she'll keep trying to force the dreams to see you. It's very difficult to keep her from doing that.
Zabuza~Fine. Let's go. I wonder how much Ane actually told her…
Auron~Probably not a lot.
He walked on first with Zabuza close behind.
Zabuza~Stop that mind reading s**t. It's creepy.
Auron~You need to get used it. That's not going to go away.

When they got to Ann and Ane, Auron placed his hand on his wife's shoulder.
Ane~Took you long enough.
Auron~I'm sorry, dear. It took a while to convince Zabuza to come with me.
She rolled her eyes.
Ane~Of course. How will we tell Ann? She's not in a very reciprocating mood.
Auron~He's here. Ann can see him.
He crouched down behind her and spoke softly.
Auron~Ann, dear, I brought someone.
She looked up from Ane's shoulder. The first things she noticed was the red coat and the scar down his eye. Ann recognized him from the locket as well, but clearly older because of the scar. He also felt familiar to her.
Then she noticed Zabuza just to the side of him, but a few paces behind. Ann pushed from Ane and jumped onto Zabuza, making him fall and start crying again.
Zabuza~You stupid brat. Don't knock me over like that.
Ane~Watch it, Zabuza. Or I will punish you.
Zabuza only scoffed and rolled his eyes. Ane and Auron moved so that they were sitting closer to them.
Ane~See, baby? I told you he'd be here.
Zabuza~Come on, brat. Regulate yourself. You'll pass out. Can she pass out?
Auron~She can. I wouldn't recommend it though. Nothing will happen to her. I just don’t recommend it right now.
Ann~Please stay, Zabi. I-I-I don't want you gone again!
Zabuza~I…I'm here…That's all that matters, brat.
She shook her head.
Ann~Don’t leave. Please don't leave! Not again!
He touched his forehead to hers.
Zabuza quietly~I can't promise that. That's not in my power.
She cried even harder.
Ane~I don’t think she's ready to learn it, guys…She might have to figure it out herself…
Auron quietly nodded in agreement.
Zabuza~So you're giving up on her?
Ane~No! This is too soon. I was hoping she'd calm down seeing you again, but she's even more worked up. Ann needs to learn to control her powers soon or she'll end up hurting someone! The strain of keeping it from advancing further is wearing her and Auron out.
Auron nodded~After she called you that first time, it's gotten stronger. I don't know what will happen next if she's left unchecked.
Zabuza nodded. He petted Ann's head in the hopes of calming her down.
Zabuza~Maybe getting her to talk about something else will bring her back. Ann, what have you been doing since you returned to the Leaf?
She shrugged, but her crying lessened.
Ane~Oh, have you had the cinnamon rolls yet? They're delicious.
Ann shook her head while still buried in his chest.
Zabuza~No, no cinnamon rolls. The icing is practically all sugar.
Ann slowly stopped crying as she listened.
Auron~A treat once in a while is not a bad thing.
Zabuza~You don't understand. Even buttercream had her walking the walls. Literally.
Ann sniffed.
Ann~Wh-what's buttercream?
Ane~It's a type of icing. You had it on your cupcake on your 5th birthday.
Ann~D-did I pass out?
Zabuza~Yeah. You also bit me before that.
Ann~Did I dream s-something that ni- *hiccup* night?
Zabuza~I imagine so. I remember you waking up sad in the middle of the night.
Ann turned to face her parents and wiped her eyes again.
Ann~M-mom? You said I had a cupcake on my 5th birthday. How did you know?
Ane made a face like she got caught. Auron shook his head.
Auron~She wasn't supposed to tell you that. I was hoping you wouldn't notice. I'll explain that day, but it will involve you learning about your kekkei genkai as well. Are you willing?
Ann nodded. Zabuza quietly sighed in relief that she's finally calmed down.
Auron~We'll start with your kekkei genkai. There's two halves to it: memory and death. When we saw you on your birthday, it was a bit of both, as your mother and I are dead, but it's more memory than death because I had to hide that memory from you.
Ann~Why though?
Auron~It was too soon to reveal your powers to you, but we wanted to see you. We've seen you before that, but it was brief enough to pass off for a simple dream.
Zabuza~How many times? You guys were so adamant about her powers being hidden and you go around visiting her like this?!
Ann patted his chest. Zabuza looked down at her then huffed as he calmed down.
Ane~I think three or four times. It was all when she was younger.
Zabuza~The birthday dream sounds different though.
Auron~It is. We spent a good amount of time just talking, making sure Ann was happy with you.
Ane~You're such a softie with her, Zabi. Even with the missions you took her on, you made sure to keep her safe.
Zabuza~Shut it, Ane. I did what I needed.
Ann pouted and hit him. Zabuza rolled his eyes.
Zabuza~Don’t start. I didn't do just the bare minimum. It only took three days of that to be done with your colic.
Auron~Anyways, I made sure you couldn't remember your dream at the time. If you like, I can let you remember it now.
Ann nodded, so Auron moved closer to them and cupped her cheek.
Auron~I can access your thoughts and memories and even project my own thoughts like this. I don't like messing with memories though, so telepathy is the most I'll use for our kekkei genkai.
Ann~So a mind reader?
Auron~Heh, yeah. Basically.
With the memories she's made since her 5th birthday, it took a bit longer for Auron to find the memory.

When he finally found it, he let her remember it before pulling away.
Ann~We talked for a long time. I couldn't keep that back then? Really?
Auron~No. Because we couldn't risk you knowing and trying to force it to manifest sooner. And it is happening now. Some of your powers are becoming available to you, and you need to practice and take it slow.
Ann frowned.
Ann~If I don't?
Auron~It takes a level of mental strength to maintain. With how you were the past few days, you'll either hurt yourself or hurt someone else. You could potentially destroy their mind and they'll wish they would've died instead.
Ann looked down and nodded.
Auron~The first thing you need to do is to stop forcing these dreams with us. You WILL hurt yourself because you're trying so hard to make it happen. And you could hurt us too.
She turned back into Zabuza's chest.
Zabuza~What did you say?
Auron~The truth. She needs to stop forcing the dreams or risk hurting herself or us.
Ane cut Zabuza off before he said something.
Ane~Cool it. We want Ann safe. She's pushing where she shouldn't, and you've seen when she overdoes it. Ann is already overdoing it and the consequences will happen, stupid ******** dumbass.
He hummed and nodded, remembering how Ann was stuck in bed for a week from chakra exhaustion. This will probably be worse than that if she doesn't kill herself first.
Zabuza~Alright, brat, do you understand?
Ann nodded.
Ann~Is that everything I need to know right now?
Auron~There's the death aspect. You get a sort of premonition sense for death depending on how well you accept it happening. You were resisting it the day before Zabuza died. That's why it affected you the way it did.
Ann~That must be why Zabuza didn't tell me why it was happening.
Auron~We can also resurrect ourselves. It's limited though, and you'd have to cross over again at some point.
Ann~Resurrection?
Her ears perked, interested.
Ane~Auron.
Auron~She needs to know. It's why we wanted to keep her from knowing when she was younger. Ann takes missions now. It's important to stay safe.
Ann~Or people will use me…Ninjas are just tools anyway.
Auron~But it doesn't need to be that way.
Ann~How did– Oh, that's the telepathy thing, right? Weird…
She wiped her eyes while Auron nodded.
Auron~It is. We've been here a while now, though. It's time to go.
Ann~But dad…No…
She turned her head to look at him but kept close to Zabuza's chest.
Ane~Oh, she's good. Must be hard not to give in, huh Zabi?
Zabuza reluctantly agreed.
Auron~You need to properly rest. Three days minimum before we can see you again. Longer if you keep trying to force the meeting and I have to prevent it. Do you understand, dear?
Ann~Yes, dad…
Auron~Good. We'll give you and Zabuza a minute. We'll see you in a few days.
Ane~Be good, honey. We love you.
Ane and Auron each kissed her head before leaving them.

Zabuza~Do you understand what we're trying to do brat?
Ann~Yeah…this is real?
Zabuza~It is. Auron is right about you knowing now. You need to stay safe. If the wrong person overpowers you, you can potentially be used as a weapon.
Ann~Aren't I already?
Zabuza~You'll be weaponized differently. You still have your autonomy and humanity. What I'm talking about is that you'll be stripped of that. Do you remember Yagura and the coup? Like that.
Ann~Oh…
Zabuza~Get some rest. Proper rest. I want to see you again soon.
Ann~Really?
She couldn't stop the tears from forming again.
Zabuza~Stop crying. Yes. But if you keep being stupid about it Auron won't allow it to happen. Understand?
She nodded against him.
Ann~O-okay…I'll try…