Author's Note:Once again, welcome back to another chapter of Shattered. I apologize for the late update, but I had things to deal with this week. My brother got involved in a car accident.
He's doing alright now, but he just suffered some large lacerations across the chest and his left thigh. Loss of blood was the main problem, but luckily, an ambulance got over there quickly. He got stitches, and should be back on his feet within a week or two.
Anyways, major thanks to all that reviewed so far. You're making me very, very happy wink. I hope you guys will continue to do so as well. This chapter goes out to my brother, and his health, which I hope will recover in no time.
Side Note: Excuse the fact that this chapter is so much talking and information, but I want to progress the story slow, and heck, I'm sure you'll still enjoy reading all of it. Don't worry; more exciting things will get started shortly. I swear.
Without any further distractions, I bring you Chapter 4. Enjoy!
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Chapter 4: Dealing With Change
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Water cascaded over the edge of the cliff, pouring through the air to the pool below. Light caught the mist that was given off by the water, at just the right angle, creating a rainbow that arched over the pool itself, suspended in mid air. The birds nearby warbled their tunes, and a light breeze kicked through the misty air, spraying miniscule droplets of water onto the ground below.
Fish could be seen swimming within the confines of the pool, darting hither and thither, chasing bugs upon the surface. The occasion stone jutted from the still surface, adding an overall serene effect, and allowing a place for a frog or toad to perch itself. Every once in a while, a fish would jump out to catch a mosquito or fly, creating a splash as it came tumbling down. Ripples would resonate across the surface, disturbing its still form. Roaring of water filled the air, the waterfall crashing into the far side of the pond itself, but settling rather quickly. It wasn't a very large flow of water, and only maybe 40 feet from the ground. Still, it projected a scene of earthly magnificence that could not be paralleled by anything that man could make.
Flames flickered as misty drops continued to enter its presence, evaporating almost within contact. Many small branches and dead grass had been used as tinder, but larger, thicker logs had been used to spring up the flames to their height. Two Y-shaped branches had been placed on either side, and across the bridges of their limbs sat a long, but sturdy bamboo stick.
Tied to the stick itself, using thick, rough, and green vines, two small bodies of meat shined, glazed with their cooked surface, burning lightly. Both of them were obviously poultry, likely a type of native chicken. The meat was gaining a nice brown shade, and was ready to be eaten. As if almost perfectly on time, a hand reached down to grab the bamboo, removing it from the jumping fire.
The hand itself could have been described as peculiar. Skin paler then one had ever seen, and nails painted with a sickly tinted violet. It couldn't be described as indigo, something about the shine and color didn't seem to settle as any specific color. On the ring finger, a simplistic, but valuable looking ring was placed. Silver metal glinted in the firelight, as the last rays of sunlight had long been stolen over the horizon. Two bold, black characters had been placed across the front of the ring, in the foreground of a blood colored background. They read Suzaku (Vermillion Bird).
Itachi brought down his left hand to untie the vines holding the birds to the bamboo. Checking the heat, he quickly removed them, and grasped the larger bird in his right hand. From his right hand side, another hand reached over and snatched the meat rather quickly. Unlike the first, this hand hardly resembled a human one.
Blue was all one could see. One would think otherwise, but the skin wasn't just painted blue; the color remained constant through and through. The nails resembled the same color as Itachi's, and a similar style ring had been placed upon the ring finger as well. Its background was a dark, flat yellow, and one single character was placed in front. It readNanju (Southern Star). Kisame smiled at Itachi as he revealed a toothy grin, biting into his serving, making sounds of contentment after swallowing it.
Itachi shook his head as he watched Kisame eat. "I still don't see why it was such a big deal."
Shooting him a death glance, Kisame continued to eat, albeit slower, and now frowning.
"I mean, what's the big difference if we had eaten fish or birds?" Itachi nibbled on his own portion, but stopped when he heard Kisame choke slightly on his food. Looking over to see if he was caught on a bone, Itachi turned to see a look of pure outrage on his face.
"BIG DIFFERENCE? BIG DIFFERENCE? DON'T YOU KNOW WHAT I AM?" Kisame flailed his arms in a fashion that made his seem much like a child, but that wasn't new to Itachi. Ever since they had first been paired together, Kisame had been the type of guy who was happy-go-lucky, and despite his rather acquired taste for blood, gore, and severing limbs from bodies, he was likely the most comical and energetic of the Akatsuki.
It had kind of grown on Itachi. He seemed so pleased with the simple things in life. No elaborate plots, no scheming, and no grudges. Just pure, plain fun; going with the moment as it came. The only reason Kisame had ever stated he joined Akatsuki was one day, when they had run into a large group of shinobi from the Hidden Village of the Mist. ANBU, no less, and they were very interested in bringing down Kisame.
After killing all of them, he had laughed heartily, and told Itachi that this was what he lived for, what he joined Akatsuki for. "I didn't join this club of stiffs and boring, secretive pricks to go prancing around, tracking down some little animals for some crazy guy I've never seen, bent on world domination."
Itachi had inquired further, and he had responded with a quick stab of Samehada into an already dead ANBU. "I joined because I get to run around and kill anything that gets in my way. It's certainly all I need to get through in life!"
Part of that attitude likely would have rubbed on Itachi the wrong way, but just something about his presence made him feel a little more light-hearted since their initial mission. Maybe it was the last shred of his humanity trying to reach out to the world, and return at least part of the old Itachi, the one that was happy, at least, until the truth had been revealed to him.
"You're a tall, blue, childish killer, embodied as a demon shark." Obviously, he hadn't chosen the right words, as he continued to flail and frown. It almost looked like his bird was about to fly right out of his hands.
"Yes…" Impatience was thick in his voice. "And a shark is what kind of animal?"
Rubbing his chin, Itachi pondered not the question at hand, but what would make him shut up before he began to become annoying. Coincidentally, they were one in them same this time around. He had never been very good when it came to words. Heck, killing one's entire clan, only to leave your little brother alive to pursue you, and all of that just to complete your own ambitions? It didn't take speculation or doubt. Itachi knew he wasn't a good person, or a kind one, or an emotional one. His heart was one of stone, but it had some soft spots.
Sasuke would always be his younger brother, and there would always be a bond there. It was unfortunate that he had been so strong. If not, he likely could have spared Sasuke and raised him, training him firsthand, and leaving some other powerful Uchiha to deal with him. But Sasuke possessed that drive, the drive that he saw in no other; the actual need to surpass him, to kill him. Not only that, but, being his brother, Sasuke had inherited some strong Tengu blood, allowing him to almost follow in his footsteps. Already, he was still a teenager, yet had grown so far in terms of skill and strength. He wouldn't surpass Itachi until he gained the Mangekyou Sharingan, but seeing how recent events played out, that wouldn't come to pass.
Kisame also struck a pleasant chord in his thoughts. Having him around lightened the otherwise stifling mood, and unlike the rest of Akatsuki, he wasn't afraid to say what he wanted, do what he wanted, or act how he wanted. At first it had been a pain to deal with him, but after seeing his abilities, and the way he dealt with companionship, he came to the conclusion that having Kisame around was a good thing; it kept him from completely losing his emotions and humanity.
"Well…"He stumbled through his thoughts to find the right words. "You're a killer?"
"GOD DAMNIT ITACHI! IS ALL YOU THINK ABOUT KILLING THINGS?" Continuing his childish display, he crossed his arms and pouted, evidently forgetting about the food in his very hand.
Raising an eyebrow, Itachi set down his meal, resting it on a makeshift plate made out of a large banana leaf. "You do realize that you think about killing stuff even more than I do? It's your favorite activity in life."
Opening his mouth to speak, it would have appeared that he was stumped, and at a loss for words, but he suddenly snapped to. "Look, you're missing the point. What kind of animal is a shark classified as?"
"That's all you want? It's a type of fish."
"Exactly!" A large grin covered his face, revealing his sharp teeth. It had been a mystery how his teeth got so naturally sharp, and stayed that way. Sometimes Itachi humored himself with an image of Kisame using a filer on his teeth, trying to get them to fine points. If he ever bit his tongue, wouldn't that hurt?
"Your point being…what?"
"YOU'RE SO DENSE! THAT'S IT!"Standing up, he stomped to the edge of the pond, watching the fish swim glide silently through the clear, still water.
"You're not going to feel any better yelling all the time. It'll throw you off when it comes time to capture Naruto." He could see that his point was getting across. Kisame let out a large sigh and returned to his seat, plopping down and starting to munch on what was left of his meager ration.
"Look. I'm a fish, so eating fish is like if you ate…Sasuke!" A small grin creeped up onto his face. Of course, funny whenever he can be. Baka.
"Alright, alright. I see your point. We won't eat fish, end of story. Anyways, we need to relax. Within a few weeks, Pein should be sending us out to get Naruto-kun."
A silence clouded over them, and it set Kisame uneasy. He didn't like it when they weren't talking; Itachi always seemed so angry, and that he was ready to kill anybody at a whim. Finding the right subject to talk about was hard when these kinds of moments rolled along, because it literally seemed like he would slice you in half if you brought up the wrong subject. Basically, the wrong subject was anything he didn't ever want to discuss. Today, though, Kisame saw it fit to venture out.
"Itachi, when you were talking to Sasuke in that clearing today…" Instantly, he looked to watch Kisame speak. It was instinct to stop the conversation there, but he wanted to pursue it. This question has been really bugging me since this afternoon.
"What about it?" His eyebrows were lowered; he didn't want to enter into this conversation, but this time, Kisame would not be refused.
"You said something about an "Uchiha Madara" to Sasuke, yet I know you killed everyone in clan except your little brother."
"Why do you care about that? It's between the Uchiha Clan." His voice was filled with malice, and it seemed he was about to crack.
"Well, you also said that you met this man in Akatsuki, yet I don't know anyone other than you who's an Uchiha, let alone able to do that crazy Mangekyou Sharingan with their eyes. I mean, if he was in Akatsuki, shouldn't of I have met him already? It's just kind of…for a lack of better phrasing…fishy?"
"Kisame, you should stop now before I decide to stop being nice about this."Shutting his mouth, he looked down at what was left of the cooked bird. Cold had begun to grip its flesh, but food was food.
Itachi always did this when he asked him question that were a bit personal. For example, after the time that Deidara had requested to know what Naruto looked like, instead he provided what Naruto sounded like. Striking him as a peculiar course of action, Kisame had inquired about it, only to receive the cold shoulder, and the refusal to talk for the remainder of the day.
The last time this had happened was the aforementioned event. After returning to their bodies, he had poked around, eventually arriving at the question, "Itachi… are you partially blind for some reason?" Personally, Kisame could have sworn that he was partially blind, but he would likely never know the actual truth behind it. Phh. He can be all, "I'm too cool and secretive to tell my only partner about myself" if he wants to be. See if I care.
Stripping the last of the meat from the bones, Kisame chucked the pile out towards a tree. Much to his surprise, the bones disappeared into the surface of the trunk, rippling the surface as if it was a liquid. Tapping Itachi on the shoulder, Kisame pointed in the general direction of the anomaly.
"I know Kisame, I know. It's Zetsu, no need to panic." He didn't even bother to turn around to see him. The presence that he gave off had become visible about a minute ago. The perks of the Sharingan.
There were downsides, though. He had not foreseen that the ancient script in the Tengu Shrine had actually been serious about the Mangekyou Sharingan and its precautions. From the way it was written, it just seemed like the old Uchihas had wanted to discourage anyone from obtaining the Mangekyou Sharingan from unnatural means because they didn't like people killing their friends.
Repeated use of the Mangekyou Sharingan had proven him otherwise. As soon as he released his normal Sharingan, he had noticed objects were no longer clear and defined; edges and colors had blurred together. Deterioration had continued to follow him, as he grew older, and continued to activate it.
Still, his eyesight was fine as long as the Sharingan was activated. Luckily, Itachi had gotten to the point where he could easily maintain a Sharingan state, except when sleeping, or trying to prevent people from noticing that he was an Uchiha. Most were instructed to be on the lookout for him, and advertising that he was one of the two known surviving Uchiha was just asking for more trouble. It had been hard to remember what Naruto had looked like as a kid. The day he had come to the city to get him, turning off his Sharingan was absolutely required.
Another reason why Naruto's Kyuubi Chakra would prove to be extremely useful. Regenerative properties were hard to come by in the current world, let alone chakra that allowed quick and full recovery of any damaged tissue. It would restore his eyesight back to what it used to be, making him a container fit for a god. A Tengu god, if you wanted to be exact.
Rippling, the surface of the trunk nearby began to disappear as green form poked its way out. Kisame had never like the way Zetsu looked, or his personality, scratch that, personalities. Weird was the only word that could be used to describe. Most of the time, it was like listening to someone argue with their own conscious. There wasn't anything really wrong with that, but the way both sides had almost opposite personalities was utterly creepy. He would likely never get over it as long as he knew Zetsu.
Finally, Zetsu's entire body extended out from the tree's trunk, and he brought himself out, standing upright on the ground. Realizing that he had never seen Zetsu walk before, it was really a confusing moment, as Zetsu almost seemed to float across the ground. Air seemed to bend the light underneath his feet, like the air that rose up off a hot stone surface. His feet didn't even move; the best word to describe how he moved was…hover. Likely some kind of Chakra trick. Meh, I could care less about this crazy guy. I just hope he doesn't stay here too long.
"Itachi…Kisame."Zetsu's black half bowed in unison with the white, and rolled his hand outwards in a polite gesture. Shortly after holding the position, he returned to being upright. His white side seemed displeased; his face was furrowed, and his eyebrows brought down.
"We watched your whole fight with Sasuke. It was…" Pausing slightly, Zetsu seemed to be struggling to prevent himself from laughing.
"Rather uneventful." Kisame fought the urge to chuckle. First time they've agreed on something. And it's about Itachi's fight. That's rich.
"I'm sorry to disappoint, but I'm sure that you understand my reasons." Hostility was backed in Itachi's voice. Seemingly he didn't enjoy the presence of Zetsu either. That, or the fact they were questioning his methods.
"Well, you could have done it another way." A grunt came from Zetsu's black half.
"You know that he had to prevent harm from coming to Sasuke. Only reasonable to use a Genjutsu on him." His other half scoffed in response
"But it could have been so much easier just to nearly kill him…"Ignored almost instantly, the black half spoke up once again.
"You know Pein's orders; all of us need to abide by them." Giving up on the argument, the white side fell silent, and the currently speak half took up the task of speaking to Itachi.
Time seemed to be an important issue with Itachi. Any time being spent with Zetsu was painful enough, but spending free time with him would be like asking for more punishment after it's been already dealt. Thinking on behalf of him, Kisame just wished that Zetsu would disappear into the ground that very moment.
"Why are you here Zetsu? Certainly not for small talk."
"We're here to inform you that you no longer need to search for the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki."
"What?!"Kisame was unable to hold it in any longer. Not only was Zetsu intruding into their own time, but now he was telling them to cancel a mission they had been working on for over 2 years? It was baffling to him, and a reason would have to be given to quell the growing anger in his stomach. Glancing over, he could swear that Itachi's form was shaking with anger.
"Why the sudden change in plans?" Bringing himself up, Itachi turned to face them. You never really could tell what Itachi was doing with his hands. If one wasn't sticking out his cloak's opening, they were both concealed, lost in his cloak.
"Pein has decided to capture this Jinchuuriki himself. After his fight with Jiraiya, he predicts that…"
"The Jinchuuriki and his friends will seek him out. Final preparations are being made as we speak to you." Zetsu almost seemed pleased to deliver the news, and a smirk danced upon his lips, starting at the black half, and weaving its way to the other corner of his mouth.
Quiet roamed over the scene, and it was hard to predict what would happen next; the die have been cast. The tension was killing Kisame. Maybe I should just ignore the goddamn dice and slice this freak open with Samehada. It'd save the world one more abomination of nature, sheesh. Taking initiative, Itachi cleared his throat, covering his mouth with his hand that had just appeared out of his cloak.
"Might I ask…whose orders is Pein following?" Zetsu looked taken aback, and his white half even let out a small, nervous cough.
A gust of wind passed by, spraying a light shower of misty droplets onto the trio of Akatsuki. Being a creature of the water, it had always been enjoyable to head back into a source of water and take a swim. Walking around on land was doable for him, but it just didn't feel the same; didn't feel like home to Kisame. Anytime a collection of water was around him, he was compelled to dive right in.
After seeming to agree with himself, Zetsu gathered his composure, and both halves spoke in unison. "On Pein's Orders."
Sighing, Itachi turned away from him, and tended to the dying fire. His interest seemed much more focused on the fire, but Kisame could tell that he was wrapped up in his own thoughts; he would get this distant look, and his eyes would look far ahead, almost as if he was staring out into space itself, at some distant star.
"I see. Tell Pein that if he needs Kisame or I, we will stay in close proximity of the Fire Country. Once Naruto-kun is dealt with and captured, alert us so we can seal the Kyuubi. That's all I have to say to you, Zetsu."
"Very good. We'll inform Pein immediately."Without any warning, he began to sink into the ground, his body changing colors, melding with the soft dirt below. Whenever he appeared or disappeared, it confused Kisame. Why does the surface he's on have to look like that? How can it turn into a liquid and be suspended in place? Bleh. Too much thinking makes a keen blade dull. Zetsu can stay as far away from me if he wants. As his head disappeared into the ground, Zetsu adorned a smile, and his form faded out within seconds.
With his leaving, Itachi's posture relaxed, and he sat himself down again, picking the last scraps of meat from the bones of his bird. It had gotten cold from sitting out on the banana leaf, at least, on one side: the one that wasn't facing the flames of the fire. Taking this cue, Kisame also sat down, and stared into the dancing lights of orange, yellow, and red.
"Man, that guy just creeps me out to the very core." Merely nodding, Itachi scanned the bones before him for any meat that may have eluded his gaze. Satisfied with his cleaning, he chucked the bones into the fire. They charred, turning black slowly. By the time the fire died, they would just exist as a pile of black ash; he never liked to leave traces of his presence. Carefully, he then tossed in the banana leaf, which caught ablaze within a fraction of a second.
Lying out across the ground, Kisame stared up at the starry sky. He loved looking at all the twinkling lights, so far away from their own home. What's out there? Maybe something cool? Perhaps some more killers like us? That would be pretty awesome if there were…like…a bunch of rabid shark-men living on some aquatic planet…
Noticing that Itachi had also laid out to sleep, he figured that it might be nice to converse a bit before they fell asleep. "Hey Itachi!"
"What is it?…I'm going to sleep in five seconds unless you're being serious." Now he knew that Itachi was just messing with him.
"I hate to ask you some more questions, but do you like Zetsu?" He could hear him chuckle lightly, obviously assuming that he wasn't serious in the first place.
"Of course not."
"Yea, I found it kind of weird when you asked him, "On who's orders?", and he was like, "On Pein's orders."" Met with no verbal response, he persisted the subject.
"Why would you ask that, Itachi? Whom else would Pein be listening to other than himself?"
"Kisame…good night." Rolling onto his side, he faced the direction opposite of Kisame, and fell silent.
Understanding the situation, Kisame stared back up at the pale night sky. Somewhere, their target was waiting, and they had been knocked off from the assignment. The nerve of some people, I swear. If I could slice Zetsu up a bit, I totally would…
Cold shoulder as always though. I doubt I'll ever know the truth. Itachi barely ever talks about himself, let alone his goals.
I wouldn't know the truth unless it came up and smacked me in the face. Even then, it'd be too late.
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Stepping through the doorway, Naruto followed Tsunade in; Shizune closed the door behind them, and headed off. Where she was going was uncertain, but it was odd that she wouldn't join them in converstaion. Nostalgia overtook him; this room was all too familiar. Pictures of old faces hung to one side of the room, with golden-laced plaques underneath them, speaking of grand adventures and achievements. Looking down the line, he spied Shodaime and Nidaime. Pausing when he saw Sarutobi, he changed his footing, heading towards it. Wrinkles and that old grin weren't present; it must have been a picture from his younger days.
Sadness panged his heart. Sandaime, the old man, always looking out for him when things were getting the worst they could be. Protecting his people, to the very end, even in the face of his own student, Orochimaru. His sacrifice would not be forgotten in any of the residents Konoha that had lived through the assault. Letting a small grin creep on his face, Naruto looked down to see what the plaque itself said.
"In loving memory of Sandaime, the most wise and skilled Hokage to ever be seen. His knowledge of techniques was beyond comprehension, and his dedication to this village was unquestionable. At a young age, Sandaime demonstrated that he was an adept at all arts that defined a shinobi, and that he would become the next great leader, with his undying persistence to bring the best to his fellow man around him.
In his lifetime, not only did he protect the village, but also he brought upon various improvements, trying to strengthen the villagers. He stressed unity between each other, accepting people for who they were, and nothing else. Taking the position early in his adult life, Konoha saw one of its most peaceful times in history, with no major wars occurring and involving Konoha. In fact, Konoha had remained untouched until the appearance of Orochimaru, signifying an ill omen, no doubt.
Sandaime died protecting this village from the notorious missing Nin, and Sannin, Orochimaru. Even as his former student, Orochimaru was unable to defeat him without the removal of the soul, partly, destroying his arms, preventing any seal from being formed in a very effective manner. Giving his own soul to stop Orochimaru, the invasion was quickly stomped out after his retreat.
Without Sandaime, the village would have crumbled underneath the scaly foot of Orochimaru and his followers. Only because he acted so swiftly and bravely, at the old age he was, were we able to repel.
Today, his grave sits buried under Hokage Mountain, along with the bodies of Shodaime, Nidaime, and Yondaime. Forever will they stay there, never to be disturbed again. A great procession was given in his honor, and the entire village attended to pay their respects to the now dead Hokage.
A successor to surpass him had been thrown into question. Already, he had chosen Minato Namikaze to take upon his title, but after Minato's death, caused from the sealing of the terrible beast, the Kyuubi, Sandaime once again took up the task.
Now, a direct descendant of Shodaime, and another of the legendary Sannin, Tsunade, controls the seat of Hokage. She is powerful and wise, and everyone is sure that Sandaime would have agreed thoroughly with the choice of the new Hokage. May she continue to rule in his stead, passing on and solidifying his beliefs in the next generation, for they are truly magnificent.
Truly, this man will always be a hero to the people of his, our, and the future generations. May he and his descendants have peace within their family.
Unlike any of the other picture frames, another plaque had been added underneath the first.
This extra plaque is placed in memorial to both Sandaime, and his now deceased son, Asuma Sarutobi.
"Sandaime was such a cool guy, I wish I had spent the time to know him better. He truly turned out to be a great father, and he lives on in my heart, and his legacy will be passed down through generations of Sarutobi"
Asuma Sarutobi wrote these words. Attempting to stop Akatsuki, a rogue organization full of S-Class Missing Nin, Asuma failed to defeat them, and was killed. His sacrifice was not in vain, and both Akatsuki members have met their end as well. A son, an heir to the Sarutobi clan, resides inside Kurenai Yuhi, and will be born within a few months. May his child be healthy and strong, and may Kurenai find the support she needs from various Konoha shinobi.
Despite any quirks that Asuma may have had, such as his unmistakable habit of chain-smoking, he proved that every Sarutobi to date was full of strength and courage, even in the face of death. His students will continue to live on, and pass those ideals and behaviors he had taught them into families of their own.
Asuma had proved himself a capable and loving man, raising three talented shinobi: Nara Shikamaru, Yamanaka Ino, and Akimichi Chouji. All three saw it out to avenge Asuma, eliminating the Akatsuki. Though usually an act of revenge would not be acceptable, the targets were already listed, in the bingo book, to be killed on sight; so they achieved their goal, and the goal of Konoha as well.
Asuma and Sandaime.
You are lost, but not forgotten. Never will you be.
Grinning from ear to ear, Naruto reached up to wipe the tears forming in his eyes before they could collect. Old man… you really watched out for me. I kind of miss you now.
Stepping across, he stared up at a picture that had always troubled him. The face on Hokage Mountain had always brought a creepy feeling over his spine, as if something was there, some force driving him to come closer, to inspect, to inquire, to examine. Studying the smiling face before him, he recognized it as the one belonging to Yondaime, or, based upon the last plaque he just read, Minato Namikaze.
His blond hair and smile brought in feelings of familiarity, but Naruto shrugged them off. Ever since he was a kid, he had gotten those exact same feelings when seeing his face, but it was inconsequential. I bet everyone has it. He was the Hokage who sealed the Kyuubi…within me. Saved the village from utter destruction, and brought peace, along with his death.
Reaching out, unconsciously, Naruto let his finger trace over the name. His deep thoughts were interrupted by Tsunade's loud cough.
"Naruto, I know you're reminiscing, but we have some important matters that I need to talk to you about." She almost seemed tense, expecting something sudden to happen.
Turning around to face her, Naruto walked up to the empty wooden chair, carefully sitting down in it. "Uh…sure."
Watching her actions, he could tell something was troubling her. Usually Tsunade was quite the straightforward woman, and went directly to what she wanted, or tried to explain her point without distraction. But now, she seemed lost, searching for words. Things didn't piece together just quite right; she was always very open and quick to speak when it came to Naruto. The way she treated him could have almost been considered the type of bond a boy shares with his favorite grandmother.
Seemingly gathered in thoughts, she sighed lightly, and brought her hands together, resting them onto the writing area of her desk. Prodding him, she ran her eyes over Naruto, examining him, looking for something that he could not discern. Her eyebrows perked up slightly, and she glanced over at the picture frames on the nearby wall; the faces of the Hokages preserved for an eternity, staring back out with their smiling faces.
What's wrong with Tsunade-baa-chan? I've never seen her so concerned with what to say with me. Shuffling uneasily, he tried to maintain a smile to keep Tsunade off his own feelings. She turned back to face him, and almost nodded to herself, as in reassurance that she was about to discuss something correctly with him. Her hands, he noticed, were clenched tightly, the muscles bunched together.
"Naruto…you seem awfully familiar with that portrait of the Fourth Hokage." Her voice started out wavering, but seemed to gain confidence, the words flowing out smoothly.
"Well, I don't really know anything about him at all. I just kind of feel…you know…connected to him, or something like that. He's the guy that stuck the Kyuubi in me after all." It didn't really seem like an inappropriate question, but he couldn't figure out where Tsunade was going with this.
"Do you feel anything else towards him?" Curiosity was plastered across her face, and now she leaned her chin on upraised hands, balancing her weight slightly forward. One of her eyebrows was raised slightly.
"You could kind of say that…it's just that…that when I look at his face, his facial features strike me as interesting. Familiarity is a good way to describe it. I feel like I've seen his face before, even though I never met him, at least, as far as I can remember back. I just assume that his face was one of the few things I saw when I was born, so, of course, I'm going to have some connection there."
"I see… Does his name ring a bell? You traced his name with your finger just a few minutes ago." Excitement overtook curiosity. Whatever responses he was giving, they were obviously the right ones.
"Do you mean Yondaime? Or do you mean his full name, Minato Namikaze?" This conversation truly seemed to be going nowhere important. Why would Tsunade-baa-chan need to talk to me about something as trivial as this? And in private? Something has to be going on.
"Both of them. What sort of emotions do you get when you hear either?" Tsunade was almost leaning completely over her desk. It was inevitable, but Naruto glanced down at her ample bosom, hanging slightly over the desk. Gravity pulls on everything, and her shirt could barely hold her chest in. Man, she may be old, but her body will always be like when she was 20. That's going to be weird when I see what she really looks like…
"Tsunade-baa-chan, I really don't understand why we're talking about this. Importance doesn't seem present here. Are you sure this is why you…"
"Shut up and answer the question Naruto!" A glint of anger flashed through her eyes. She may have been prodding gently for answers, but she wanted them, one way or another.
Naruto didn't want to answer; an outside force compelled him not to. He knew why this was holding him back. Every time he looked into that face, he felt, deep down, that somehow, he was directly connected with him. Sure, he may have sealed the Kyuubi inside him, but every once in a while, Naruto would look into a mirror, and compare himself to Yondaime. Chills would run up his spine when he did this. Facial features, hair, everything…was just like a spitting image of the Fourth Hokage.
He had always disregarded this. Even in his wildest dreams, there would be no way he could be family of the Fourth Hokage. That would be absolutely, positively too absurd. The son of the Fourth Hokage never would have had the Kyuubi sealed in him, then ignored by the people of Konoha, doomed to live a childhood of misery. He would have never been teased, ridiculed, and left alone to improve on his own. Hokage wouldn't be a dream, it would be almost guaranteed. The son of Yondaime wouldn't have the drive to be the next Hokage…
Shaking himself from thoughts, he fought the compulsion to remain silent; a vein was beginning to throb on Tsunade's forehead. If there was one thing that he could bet Sakura learned from her, more than anything else, it was the aggressive, "I'm going to be who I want and do and say what I want, and if you have a problem with that, I'll smash your face in and send you flying across town" attitude. Realistically, Sakura had inherited almost everything from Tsunade, except Sakura had her own personality, though her training heavily influenced it. The only other thing that he could list was that Sakura didn't have the voluptuous curves that Tsunade did, but that would have to remain a secret to never reveal: he would be a bloody mess within a few seconds of saying it out loud.
It didn't bother him, though. Sakura was the most beautiful, in his opinion, of the girls in their generation. She wasn't busty, like Hinata had just recently become, but her figure was very feminine, and it was attractive to Naruto. To start dating a girl like Sakura would be the stuff dreams are made of. That'll never happen though…Sakura doesn't love me like that…
Pains gripped his heart, reminded him of past pain that he had conceivably masked. Sakura would always love Sasuke…Naruto had come to terms with that. Regardless, she meant the world to him; her happiness reflected his. He wanted Sasuke back for his own reasons, for that bond that he had made, but in part, all of his actions were to protect Sakura's well-being and health. The remorseful resolution he had come to was that, no matter what he did, Sakura would be with Sasuke, and his emotions would always go unrequited. Just out of the sheer love he felt towards her, he would do anything.
Noticing he had lead himself off track once again, Naruto quickly tried to respond before he meet his doom at Tsunade's growing anger. Truth was going to have to come in his words. "Connection. I feel like I'm related to him. Probably sounds pretty farfetched to you, though."
Tsunade's face brightened up like the sun rising over the mountains. This very set of words must have been what she was looking for, because once she had heard them, a smile flared up, and she leaped to her feet, turning to face out towards Konoha. What's so important about that…
"It seems like we've reached the heart of this conversation, Naruto. Would you mind coming over here?" Lazily, she waved a hand at her side, gesturing for him to come to her left side. Cautiously, he got up from the chair, padding over the wooden planks set into the floor. Taking his place, he stared out the windows as well, admiring the beauty of Konoha. All the things that the plaques had said were right: the Hokages had worked with all their power to preserve this wonderful haven.
Lifting her arms, Tsunade grasped him by both shoulders. Turning him to face her, she stared straight into Naruto's eyes. "I need to tell you something that's likely going to change something inside you. Do you want me to? Now is your only chance."
Huh? Why is this so important? People usually weren't serious around him, but whenever they did get serious, it meant something big. And here Tsunade was, grabbing him by the shoulders, telling him that she needs to tell him something that could change the very fabric of who he was. Change the very ground upon which he based his character. Racking his mind, he tried to figure out what this may have to deal with. Regardless, I need to know what this is about. I'll go through my life never knowing if I pass this up.
Taking a deep breath, he merely nodded in approval. She seemed to pause a second for her own sake, and then made eye contact with him. "Naruto…do you know who your parents are?"
Confusion sprung across his face. She knew that he had an idea of where she was going with this, but still, he didn't quite grasp what she was implying yet. His shoulders got stiff under her touch, and his eyes stared far off, as if trying to recall something that had been dug deep into memory, either to forget the pain, or to remember it forever.
"I…I…don't know. The faces aren't clear, and I can't remember…anything. I was an orphan from birth, that's all I can remember." Furrows appeared in the skin of his forehead. Parents were definitely a sensitive subject when it came to Naruto. Since a young age, he had been abandoned, with no one to watch over him, take care of him, love him, and console him. Everything had just been day after day of misery and loneliness, with no one to speak to, to love.
For these exact reasons, Tsunade had tried to approach the conversation carefully. Success was rewarded when she realized that she could use the picture of Yondaime to spark the conversation itself. From there, it was only a matter of asking the right questions.
"Naruto…" Bringing himself back into focus, he met Tsunade's gaze once again.
"Your father was Minato Namikaze, or Yondaime. He was our Fourth Hokage."
Eyes wide open, his mouth opened slightly. Comprehension had left him, what he had just heard made everything else disappear. The words themselves seemed to remain in the air, echoing endlessly. But, above all else, Naruto didn't want to believe what he had just heard. So many times, he had considered the even possibility of it ridiculous, and that if he was the son of Minato, then things would have been so much different.
Still, here was Tsunade, a woman he trusted and treated like family, telling him otherwise. This wasn't something that would change everything, but something about it was…unsettling, revealing of his true nature and ancestry. I'm the son of the Fourth… sense was not an option here. It couldn't make sense, it wouldn't. Why? So many questions floated through his brain, each screaming out, demanding to be answered. It almost felt like he was going to collapse.
Somehow, though,everything fit into place. All the feelings he had towards Minato, all the looks they shared… his body itself almost seemed to agree, without listening to his thoughts, believing with every fiber it had that what Tsunade had just said was the full truth, and that there was no other answer. However, all his questions still buzzed, stinging his consciousness with their presence.
Trying to steel his mind, Naruto focused, bring questions together. Ideas upon how this could be true were tossed; any kind of assumptions he may have made on this matter needed to be cast away. Taking every single question, he came up with the simplest question one could ask; one that humans have been asking all of their existence.
"…How?"
Taking in quite a deep breath, Tsunade began to speak slowly. "Well…that's going to be quite a long history. Do you mind if we sit down again?"
Without answering, Naruto rushed to the chair he had once been sitting in. Waiting patiently, he watched Tsunade come back to the desk. She could tell he was brimming with questions that needed answering. This is going to take a while… Sitting down, Tsunade arranged some of the paperwork to move it out of her way.
"Your father, Minato Namikaze, was a genius at birth. By the age he graduated as a genin, many already speculated that he would be the next Hokage. Also, he had a personality that caught people off guard. It didn't matter to him how good he was compared to other shinobi; Minato always maintained a positive outlook and tried to instill that feeling into others. Failure wasn't a word he knew, and it was replaced by the phrase, "Keep Trying." Many laughed at how charming your father was. Not to make you jealous, but he was quite the woman's man. Half of the genin class kunoichi had the hots for him."
Geniuses. Naruto had heard his fill on them. The word, in his opinion, was hollow; a mere title bestowed by those who did not understand what gave a shinobi true power; the drive to protect. One could obtain massive power by being clever, or charming, or powerful, but if one's objective was not to protect, then they would fail, lose to the one whose objective was. This was likely one of the most firm believes that Naruto had cemented into his personality, and why bonds were so very important to him.
Being a genius meant nothing. Being stronger meant nothing. Taller, faster; these words meant nothing in the face of danger. All the strength that you would ever need came from your drive to protect. If you didn't pursue that, then all those titles you may have meant nothing to the outcome of your battles. It fact, the word genius had almost begun to become taboo with Naruto. He despised when people judged how a person was, or what they could achieve, based on a title. Warmth spread over his body as he realized that his father held the same ideals as he did.
"Your father underwent instruction from Jiraiya. They got along with each other better than any student and master at that time. Both had the happy-go-lucky feel to them, the spark of goofiness that made you smile. He learned from Jiraiya so quickly, that within the first year, he had already become extremely adept, and began to develop his own techniques. At this point, Jiraiya tutored Minato personally, and there, he developed two new techniques. The first you've learned already, and even progressed on, at the young age you're at."
"You mean the Rasengan?" Naruto's interest was peaked, and he was absorbing everything that was being thrown at him.
"Exactly. Your father developed this technique, but was unable to finish it, as a result of his death. You, however, have added your wind element to it, creating a more complete technique. Funny how things run in families; Minato was a wind element as well."
"Now, other than the Rasengan, Minato developed the Hiraishin no Jutsu (Flying Thunder God Technique). This new type of ability was an outbreak of genius: it allowed him to instantaneously travel from spot to spot, as long as they were marked with special seals. Allowing instantaneous, or close enough that it appears to be, travel was groundbreaking. A flee-on-sight order was given to all those who opposed Konoha in the Third Ninja War for him. Thinking ahead, Jiraiya wrote down the seal, and it is currently in possession."
"Shortly after, Minato was chosen by Sandaime to succeed him as Hokage. The people were overjoyed. Minato was hailed as one of the strongest shinobi to ever grace the ninja world, and easily took the position of Hokage. During his short reign, he made many diplomatic missions, and the most important, at least, to you history, being to visit the Whirlpool Country."
"The Whirlpool Country…?" That didn't sound right. On the maps he had seen, there was no Whirlpool Country.
"It doesn't exist anymore. It's part of the Fire Country, near the border of the Rain Country." Satisfied, he returned to silence, and she took it as a sign to continue with the history lesson.
"Anyways, your soon-to-be mother, Kushina Uzumaki, fell in love with Minato at first sight. On his mission to the Whirlpool Country, he met her, and they hit it off like firecrackers. Their newfound love was only strengthened when a surprise attack occurred, and Minato defended them, preventing the death of Kushina, which was the target for kidnapping by these shinobi."
"Winning over her father's approval, Kushina began a relationship with Minato. When he returned to Konoha, she snuck away, and appeared in Konoha to visit him. That very day, they got married, without any procession, any guests. I assume that on their honeymoon, you were conceived."
"Could you…not talk about…that?" Though he was trying to be angry, she could tell he was too engulfed into the story to be angry that she had mentioned his deceased parents having sex.
"Alright, so from there, Kushina stayed with Minato, and they watched over her pregnancy. Luckily, he hadn't had any relatively important missions at that time, so he got to spend a significant amount of time with her. I remember hearing about them from Jiraiya. Deemed the most well suited couple in all of Konoha."
"Kushina Uzumaki…your mother. The best way to describe her would be to compare her looks to, well…" Caught on her words, Naruto shot her an inquisitive look.
"She looked a lot like Sakura does now, but her hair was longer, and darker in color. Also she had bright blue eyes, just like you. Personality wise, she was a tomboy, and you somehow inherited some of that. In fact, some of her techniques, and style of fighting, mimic the way you fight."
A mental image began to form. Young, beautiful, with blue eyes and dark red hair… Getting a pretty good idea of what she likely looked like, he then placed his father next to her, with his arm wrapped around her shoulder. Both were smiling from ear to ear, and he swore that they must have been the two happiest people in the world. Suddenly, his image flashed, and two more figures appeared, in the same posture as his parents.
Standing there was Sakura, her hair short and kinky, like always. Following the hand wrapped around her shoulder, he traced the arm to a face that he knew all too well. Naruto stared at himself, grinning wildly, and Sakura as well. Staring at Minato and Kushina, he gasped with the similarity between each parent, and the respective person of the next generation. Shaking the chills from his body, Naruto dispelled the image, and regained his focus on the world at hand.
"So, she gave birth to me, and died in the process?" His voice was laced with a sort of sadness that was hard to explain. It seemed like he understood what had happened, and come to terms with it, but was being sad onpurpose. As if it was supposed to be that he acted sad. No doubt, he was sad about it. Perhaps he is angry that his parents weren't there? Maybe I should keep explaining everything. Sour memories isn't what I want to leave him with, especially with the news I have to bring upon him after this…
"Naruto…I understand the rest of this is going to be touchy, but I need to explain to you why your father sealed the Kyuubi in you." Anger flashed in his eyes. He must blame his father's sealing of the Kyuubi for all the misery he's gone through. Remaining silent, she decided to pursue the matter.
"When the Kyuubi attacked the village, we couldn't stop it. No ninja could. Against the advice of the elders, and other comrades, Minato summoned Gamabunta, and took on the task of fighting the Kyuubi. Somehow, he was able to get enough of an opening to use a forbidden sealing technique on the Kyuubi itself. What was going through his mind afterwards was unknown, but I assume he was trying to find a place to seal it."
"Using his cleverness, Minato realized that a Jinchuuriki could harness the power of a Bijuu, not only amplifying its strength, but putting it into a human form as well. Doing so would allow a ninja of amazing caliber, one who could fend off anything, protect the village from harm. I assume he chose you because of the confidence he had in his genes. Also, you had just been born, and any being that had already established a normal connection with their chakra would reject the Bijuu, getting killed in the process."
"As a newborn, your body had not yet solidified its connection to your chakra. So, adding in a foreign one would be of no problem; at that stage, it would become part of you; normal chakra that your body expected to have."
All the information that Tsunade was providing didn't seem to be helping his mood. Arms now crossed on his chest, Naruto was paying attention, very carefully, but seemingly blocking his mind to incoming news. Engorged in his own thoughts, he could barely process or accept what she was saying. I need to get his attention, or this could end... badly.
"Look, Naruto…" Waiting for him to make eye contact, she stopped speaking. After realizing that she had stopped, he turned to see what was going on.
"Your father didn't mean for things to turn out the way he did. He told the people that he wanted you to be seen as a hero, a boy who would one day protect the village, become Hokage, and lead everyone to an age of peace. But with the sealing of the Kyuubi came a price; Minato died shortly after the sealing."
"If he could have, he would have stayed behind, and watched over and took care of you. This wasn't his intention, and he would be outraged if he were still alive. You are the savior of Konoha, Naruto. I'm not going to dodge around with fancy words here. We need you to survive the troubles brewing in the future, and you're father did what he did for that very purpose."
Resolve was breaking. What she was saying swayed his thoughts, bending walls made of weak mud. His anger had always been childish in matters of this topic, but he didn't want to change them. For so many years, he had built upon the fact that the Fourth Hokage sealed him, and his parents had left him in horror, letting him fend for himself. But now, knowing that the Fourth Hokage was his father, it somehow skewed the facts, and put them back together, in a way that made sense, one that relieved his anger.
Acceptance was on his shoulder. Of course Minato had tried to make his life wonderful. Who wouldn't want their son to be bestowed with amazing power? Not only that, but to protect the village, to carry on your ideals and beliefs? There wasn't any questioning now. Listening to Tsunade was imperative; she was telling the truth, to her knowledge of it.
"I…think I get what you're trying to say, Tsunade-baa-chan…" His voice was distant, and she knew that no matter how much information she threw at him, it would take some time for him to get acclimated to the idea of Minato, the Fourth Hokage, not only being his father, but sealing the Kyuubi in his for a good purpose. What struck her as so amusing was the fact that he pursued the goal that Minato had wanted all along: Naruto wanted to protect the people of Konoha, gain their recognition. He wanted to be Hokage.
Smiling, she remembered that she had something of high value. It was rightfully Naruto's, as a matter of fact, but that didn't really mean that he was ready for it when he was younger. However, it was obvious that Naruto needed it now. Though it may not be as helpful as the key to his Hakke Seal, it would still prove to become extremely handy, pray that he trained enough with it.
Reaching down to the lowest drawer on the desk, Tsunade tapped the lock, putting in the exact amount of chakra needed to unlock the lock, and maintained it for 10 seconds. Hearing a click, she pulled the drawer out, and searched through various metal boxes, until she found one, labeled "Minato". Fascinated, Naruto peeked over the desk to try to get a better look at what she was doing, but was unable to see it completely.
Tossing the metal box onto the desk, he poked at it, testing to see its purpose. Chuckling, Tsunade placed her finger on the lock, once again pouring in the right amount of chakra, and maintaining it. Opening on it's own, the top half of the box peeled open, revealing a scroll packed into a velvet lining.
Removing the scroll, she checked to make sure it was the correct one. Only one set of characters was written on the outside of the scroll, and the sealed area. It read:
"Hiraishin No Jutsu: The Seal, performing of, and all the miniscule details that no one cares about."
Without any indication, she placed it in Naruto's open hands. Marvel was stamped across his face. Here, in his very hands, was the technique that had made Minato Nami…his father so famous. Learning this technique would create a huge boost in his prowess and fighting ability. Staring up at her, Naruto tried to discern if it was a trick. Noticing his feelings, she opened her mouth to speak.
"That scroll was written by Minato and Jiraiya. It's complete instructions on how to use that technique. It's forbidden, but I'm sure no one cares at this point." As he rolled the scroll over in his hands, she noticed that she had forgotten to mention a key detail.
"Naruto…that technique requires a lot of practice. You need to be careful. Listen to everything the scroll says. If not, you might end up transporting only…parts of your body." He visibly gulped, and the imagery was none to pleasant for him to think about.
Placing the scroll lightly inside his pocket, he brought his attention forward to Tsunade. Shifting uncomfortably, she averted her gaze, returning back to the portraits hanging upon the wall. "Is there anything else you need to talk to me about? I'd like to check up on Sakura-chan."
"Unfortunately, yes. Please get comfortable Naruto, this is…going to be hard." Not knowing how to respond, he merely scooted his chair closer to the desk.
What's got Tsunade-baa-chan so serious again?
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Author's Note: Well, I hope you liked that chapter. Still, many apologies for the fluffiness, but I wanted to go pretty in-depth here, so I needed to talk about some of the less major points of the story for a little bit. We'll get back on track of the main storyline in the next chapter.
Please, drop off a review. They are like sacred objects; each one is another bolster to my confidence and determination to keep writing this fanfic, and, plus, every single person who reviews is awesome wink. I don't want to sound begging, so I'll leave it here.
Anyways, that's it for now; the next chapter should be up next weekend, likely Saturday. Have a great week!
- Yondaime-Sensei