Disclaimer: No copyright infringement intended. Masashi Kishimoto owns Naruto.
A/N: I apologize for the time it takes to post between chapters. It's frustrating to start reading a series and find that the author has not updated in well a long time or has abandoned their idea. I actually lost the feel I had for this and had to go back and reread the previous chapters to figure out where I was heading. A big Thank You to GeneralWildfire for the occasional prodding I needed to get back into the swing of things.
Not beta'd. All mistakes are my own. I still can't promise any regular updates on this, but I will try harder.
Chapter 4 – Timing is Everything
They had journeyed long and hard before deciding to take a rest. Kai settled in for the night while Tsume, Yoshi and Ronan took turns guarding their camp and keeping their friend warm. They never bothered with a campfire unless they were accompanied by additional shinobi. Before first light, Kai and his team were fresh and ready to resume their quest.
Continuing in a northeasterly fashion, Kai procured his journal of notes from his pouch. This journal contained every bit of research he had found over the past years pertaining to his father. The reports sent to Lady Tsunade from Kakashi before his ultimate disappearance, and the official request prompting such a mission to the Land of Darkness.
The request always confused him. The Land of Darkness lay between The Land of Light and the Land of Shadows. Each of those nations were strong, yet the Land of Darkness held no hidden village, the mountains surrounding the land gave it its fortitude against its hostile neighbors.
His notes revealed that all the paths taken to find Kakashi ended at one particular pass; the Dark Demon Shadow Pass. Everyone he questioned could not remember why they had stopped at this particular point. Only a couple of anbus were able to tell him that something like foreboding kept them from entering the pass. The ones brave enough to try suddenly became sick, too ill to proceed. Yet once they were miles from the borders they miraculously recovered. This was his ultimate destination, the place where his journey would actually begin, because from that point there would be no turning back if they made it through.
As agreed the first report to the Hokage contained the information that would undoubtedly send another squad of shinobi to act as back up. It was something his mother taught him, to always remain a few steps ahead of the current hokage. A safety net of some sort. He only hoped Lord Hokage would not be too mad at him for his previous deception. No doubt he would send a team of shinobi which would include a few who would see to it that this young anbu remembered who the Hokage was.
He softly laughed and only hoped that Ibiki or Kiba was not part of that squad. But knowing his luck they both would be hand picked just to reinforce the issue at hand. He was sure his punishment wouldn't be too severe, because of how valuable he was to them. Silently he wondered what his father would have said of his current actions. It was sad not to have a clue. Pushing those thoughts away he summoned a noble hawk to carry his message. Once it took flight he set about marking a path only ninja of his caliber would be able to follow.
Village Hidden in the Leaves
"Lord Hokage!"
Naruto looked up from his pile of nonstop paperwork with something akin to relief on his face. Anything to avoid those piles stimulated his senses. "Hey Aki." He saw the scroll and immediately his eyes were drawn to the familiar seal of the Wolf Sage. "Is that what I think it is?"
"Yes, it's a message from Kai."
"Thank you Aki." He dismissed her without another word. Naruto performed the necessary jutsu to reveal the scrolls contents. Upon further perusal Naruto exclaimed, "Why that little…" A short bark of laughter followed. "Leave it to that scamp to find the path." He read further and his brow furrowed with concern. That's a risky move. I wonder if Kiba can perform the same jutsu.
"Aki!"
His assistant came in through the doors. "Yes, Lord Hokage."
He hurriedly wrote down as many names as he could before placing the scroll in the shinobi's outstretched hand. "I need to confer with these shinobi as soon as possible. It is of the utmost importance." Naruto stood looking out the window over the expanse of his village like many of his predecessors had done so long ago.
I know you're out there. Never once did I believe you were dead. Lost, yes, but dead, not a shinobi of your greatness. I'm sure I would have felt that severed bond as I did that one fateful day. If anyone can find you it will be your son. My faith in him is as great as yours was in my future. Hang in there senpai.
A few hours later jonin and anbu alike sat waiting for their Hokage to speak.
"Kiba, any idea why the Hokage would have summoned us?"
"I'd bet anything that it's some message from Kai."
"Yeah, leave it to the kid to find something that the rest of us couldn't figure out many years ago."
"My only worry is he might try something risky to achieve his means."
A smile flickered across the strategists face, "Isn't that what being a shinobi is all about? Taking risks."
"You know what I mean. And from the look on Lord Hokage's face he does too."
"I see what you mean." Shikamaru glanced around taking in all who had been summoned. "Yep, this has got something to do with Kai. All shinobi present have been influenced by a Hatake in some form or way."
Kiba wasn't surprised by this at all. A general hush came over all those who had gathered as Naruto began to speak.
"Thank you for coming on such short notice. I have received my first message from Kai. Through his thorough research he has discovered the path that he believes will lead him to his father and the Land of Darkness. As soon as I have confirmation, I will strategically place a designated team of shinobi to escort our lost ones home."
A booming voice asked, "And what if his plan doesn't work."
"Then we will have lost another great shinobi to the Dark Demon Shadow Pass."
"That's unacceptable!" Kiba announced.
A wicked smile and gleam entered the Lord Hokage's eyes. "I was hoping you'd say that Kiba. Then we will do our best to pick up where Kai left off and rescue not one, but two shinobi."
"You've got a plan." The smile was contagious.
His famous laugh reached their ears. "When do I not have a plan."
If he had planned right the Hokage would have summoned Kakashi's and Yuki's closest friends and Kai's mentors by now. The Hokage had never planned on allowing Kai to disappear completely off the chart and Kai wouldn't hold it against Naruto either. He and his team were not far from the pass; possibly a few miles. Even from this distance the sense of foreboding wafted on the stillness of the land.
This was it. They would camp here, get the rest they needed, because this might be the last time they have any. The jutsu he needed required a great amount of chakra. Even he did not know how far they would need to travel before he could release the jutsu.
Yoshi, Ronan, and Tsume protected him throughout the day and into the night. Nothing out of the ordinary came to pass, yet something out of a nightmare caused some due unrest for the young anbu. Upon waking he knew it had been a vision. His father was alive, barely in one sense, yet fully living in another.
Seventeen years ago
Lying in a cell he tried to fight the jutsu that had ultimately brought him to his knees. Itachi was nothing compared to this mind numbing relentless attack to make him forget everything he knew about himself and his life. Her face, had become his anchor in a sea of nightmares, but it too had begun to fade. He screamed her name over and over again. Don't fail or you'll never see her again. A sudden image flashed across his mind which caused the prisoner to scream even louder, the pain unbearable until he no longer thrashed around and lay abruptly still.
The art of manipulating people's memories was a fine jutsu. The courtiers of this land had heard of this particular ninja and had set a trap to lure him to their land. In a bid to the Hokage they convinced her they needed an exceptional shinobi to bring down an oppressive feudal lord. A spy to their lands informed them that their prayers had been answered and the son of the White Fang had been sent. It was now up to them to convince him to stay and become their new lord.
The more he fought the more frequent the headaches grew in number and in size. His memories were pushed further and further away and new ones began to take their place. The gates of blindness shuttered the old memories burying them deep into his subconscious while the fabricated new memories took a prominent stand.
His mind might have been destroyed yet what the enemy didn't count on was this man's heart. A heart that refused to completely give in to the cloak of darkness surrounding it.