Ktema es aei
"Orochimaru! Come out motherfucker!"
Tsunade screamed around throughout Orochimaru's hideout, but no one answered.
It really seemed that the place was empty, the walls – dripping stones covered with moss – echoed and repeated her screams.
"C'mon, I can't believe it!
It's the motherfucking fourth place we look in!
Where the fuck has he gone?"
"Tsunade, wouldn't it be better for us to come back home?"
"Again that?
Shut the fuck up, Hinata, fuck.
NO, IT'S NOT.
We've got the order to find Orochimaru and so we're doing."
"But, Tsu..."
"And I'm called SENSEI!"
"Tsunade..." said Sakura, lightly.
"Yes, darling?"
"Mmh...that's however strange that we don't hear from the HQ since days.
Something must have happened, back home.
Shouldn't we at least send – someone of us – there, and the rest stays here?"
"...That's completely fucking right.
The intelligent you are, my dear.
Sak-HINATA! Go back to Konoha.
Call Deidara and he'll esc ort you. At least with him we can communicate.
WHERE THE FUCK IS OROCHIMARU?"
She screamed and swore and turned round the corner – and screamed again.
"The fuck...?"
"In Konoha.
He's in Konoha, Orochimaru.
I should have gone with him, but now I understand...and...from physician to physician...would you mind healing me?"
There was Kabuto, lying on the ground, watching them – in his hands weapons and in his eyes FEAR.
"They came...they were four.
That...Akatsuki. They stole...the body of that guy from Konoha..."
Tsunade gasped:
"BODY? Dead? Naruto? Which guy?"
"Naa...the white haired guy...the guy of toads..."
"JIRAYA'S BODY? Tobi? Akatsuki? The fuck do they do with –"
"All clear."
Kabuto stood up as soon as the healing finished.
"Right now you all have to go to Konoha and I'll come too. Orochimaru is waiting for me."
Tsunade stood up slowly and grabbed his arm, pale as a sheet.
"The fuck does Orochimaru in Konoha?"
"..." Kabuto leered her silently. "The fuck has DANZOU done in Konoha.
A dictatorship.
I think Orochimaru is alright, he should contact me as soon as he reaches Kakashi.
He brought the boys' corpses there.
Oh, yeah.
Akatsuki killed them.
When they came here...I could scarcely defend myself.
Luckily they weren't properly those of Akatsuki – they were only other guys from their allies.
Those two, Kakuzu and Hidan...
They have a certain idea of violence that they like to use on people before killing them...luckily you're arrived later.
I don't know if they think of that only like Orochimaru – on males, I mean."
"...God. Naruto and Sai...?"
"Naruto and Sai.
One of them stated that if it weren't he to do it, 'Sasuke darling Uchiha' would."
Tsunade swallowed a comment with tears:
'At least – had it been Sasuke'.
"What do they want to do with Jiraya's body?" she asked, instead.
"That's a thing I must talk about with Orochimaru first.
He's always got the priority on me, you can understand – no, don't understand that – I didn't mean..."
Tsunade chuckled, unwillingly.
Sakura watched Kabuto and didn't comment.
Kabuto watched her in reply and didn't comment, but smiled.
They called Deidara.
Kabuto burst out, when he saw him: "Are you brain-addled? Still here? Didn't you feel them coming?"
"...Yeah. But I have orders to follow.
That's actually a problem, I can't take you all in on a single ride. Someone has to wait here.
What about – oh, your choice..."
He was nervous – he had decided he wanted to smoke, and of course he couldn't – we mean, he would simply EXPLODE.
You laughed?
Tsunade was distracted. The total, utmost squalor of that death...what would Kakashi say?
WAIT.
Kakashi knew.
If he was in Konoha, Kakashi had surely known...
"Try again to reach the HQ, Sakura. There must be a way to contact them..."
In Konoha, under Shikamaru's father's corpse, a walkie-talkie rang – in vain.
Shikamaru and Kakashi were still kneeling down, thinking – Orochimaru had been so silent.
The entire city was silent. Only a child wailed – near them – probably alone.
It took five minutes for Kakashi to realize it and lift the head – finding Orochimaru right in front of him, looking him, WORRIED.
Orochimaru WORRIED?
"..." Kakashi stood up, grabbed Shikamaru's arm and lifted him up too.
Shikamaru moaned and sobbed.
Orochimaru sighed, stepped back, turned and went to another point of the city – to Shikamaru's father, whom he brought to the morgue.
He also found the walkie-talkie there – he let it ring. Then it stopped. Then it began again. Orochimaru answered:
"Mh?"
"Kakashi?"
"Tsunade?"
"Orochimaru?"
"Oh, hi."
"THE FUCK, 'HI'? WHAT'S GOING ON? WHERE'S KAKASHI? DANZOU? THE DICTAT"
"Everything's ended, calm the fuck down. Danzou's been killed, the Sand is an ally of yours, Kakashi's alright, a lot of people here are dead – there has been a fucking slaughter in your city, girl."
"...girl...don't call me girl. I want to speak with Kakashi."
"As soon as I find him. I suggested we allied, too, but he rejected. Where are you?"
"...here's your Kabuto..."
Tsunade passed the walkie-talkie to Kabuto without looking him.
A dictatorship, a slaughter, dead people.
Naruto, Jiraya.
She cleared her throat, she held her breath, then a scream blasted out of her mouth, an incomprehensible, long, wailing scream full of profanity and blasphemy.
No one commented, Kabuto went on talking with Orochimaru as nothing had happened.
It was only when they arrived in Konoha that Tsunade noticed 'OH, those blinks between him and Sakura...?
Uh oh.'
Orochimaru WOULDN'T be so happy of this.
But, 'I don't give a fuck'.
She followed Kakashi's chakra trace and found him staggering with Shikamaru towards what was left of the Hokage's palace.
"Jesus Christ, I can't leave the place for a moment, that this shit happens..."
"Shit happens, Tsunade...shit happens." sighed Kakashi in reply.
"Where are you going now?"
"To the morgue.
All the corpses have been brought there.
There has been a complete slaughter.
The entire Uchiha clan has been erased, in the end.
A lot of Anbus – everyone – this has been a motherfucking hecatomb, Tsunade...a hecatomb...I didn't think..."
Tsunade mumbled, as they walked.
There was something else.
There was a kind of pain in the air, that wasn't justified by the killings, the violence, the brothel.
NO.
There was something else.
He asked Kakashi to tell her everything, and so he did, saying what he knew – the refusal of human rights, the discrimination, the persecution, those who slowed the march of evolution.
Then Tsunade understood.
What she felt was what they all felt.
Their people.
Their people did it.
Their people accepted it. Their people, the peaceful people – PEACEFUL? Ninjas, peaceful? Actually –
WHEN, peaceful?
What image had Konoha built of itself?
What peacefulness – oh, my god.
Slaughterers who define themselves GOOD and say that other slaughterers are WRONG.
Maybe that was the utility of all this international carnage.
The entire ninja world had to be rebuilt.
There was no doubt.
But there was still something else.
This racism.
This violence against innocent people – Ninjas had always had a code of honour, okay, a bit contorted and often wicked one – but STILL a code of honour.
This – my God, neither Yakuza behaved like this.
Kakashi told her that there had been NO CIVILIANS in that war.
No innocent people, no one was spared.
Children were killed as abruptly as they were criminals.
Konoha's population was decimated.
They hadn't got the Kyuubi, no more.
Akatsuki had got the Kyuubi.
Akatsuki had caused this dictatorship.
Akatsuki was able to put up a dictatorship in an enemy country.
Akatsuki had also other demons.
Akatsuki had threatened Orochimaru.
Akatsuki treated Orochimaru as he was of no importance. Orochimaru.
Akatsuki had kidnapped their Jinchuuriki and killed him like it was a joke for them.
Akatsuki – knew Orochimaru's movements. And their movements.
Akatsuki – had entire nations, evidently more than one, by its side.
Akatsuki – could move anyone to its side, moreover.
Akatsuki – was evidently stronger than OROCHIMARU and all their countries.
Akatsuki – Akatsuki was the fucking end of the world.
A dawn, it will be – dipped in innocents' blood.
But if Akatsuki was stronger than Orochimaru and all their countries – which, by the way, as for now were TWO countries – Akatsuki still wasn't stronger than ALL THEIR COUNTRIES AND OROCHIMARU TOGETHER.
Altogether.
That was the only chance...
"Kakashi.
Call Orochimaru back.
We have to make the alliance."
Kakashi nodded and didn't even reply. She knew better...
Orochimaru was swearing.
Tsunade laughed. Kakashi didn't. Shikamaru sobbed.
Orochimaru was swearing and cursing that "motherfucker of Tobi".
EVEN JIRAYA'S BODY!
"Can you understand HOW THE FUCK will he be strong with THAT BODY, fuck, THAT BODY?"
"I know, Orochimaru-Sama.
That was the only thing that shouldn't happen. I'm sorry I couldn't"
"Shut up.
I shouldn't have left you there alone. At least if I brought you here – I mean. Whatever."
Kabuto gaped at him, swallowing hard.
The fuck was happening with Orochimaru?
The latter caught his glance and replied saying:
"It's that Shikamaru boy. That boy has quite some effect on me. Don't be jealous, then..."
Kabuto smiled and broke down crying.
That had been more than enough for him.
There wasn't a single thing in all his life that went well enough to be acceptable.
And that was also with Orochimaru.
He didn't love, he didn't admire, he didn't respect, he didn't considerOrochimaru as a superior of his.
Simply, Orochimaru had always been HIS ONLY CHANCE to survive.
That was normal for him to keep staying by that cold-blooded fucking half monster of a slaughterer, as long as IT WAS HIS ONLY CHANCE.
That was only something he hadn't taken into account, before – that thing Orochimaru was thinking of.
That was really too much.
That was – he remembered what Orochimaru had done to Sasuke.
It was so simple for him – so justifiable. 'Oh, look, I wanted it, so I took it'.
Kabuto was fucking SCARED of that man, SCARED and he couldn't even let him see it, this would have been a PROVOCATION for Orochimaru.
As long as he was his only chance, KABUTO WAS PRETTY FUCKED. UP.
But here, everything was changing.
Danzou had been killed.
If the alliance got in – no. He couldn't leave Orochimaru. Orochimaru would NEVER accept that.
In fact, he said:
"Kabuto.
We must go back there again, to pick up our things – it would be better if we came to live here, for the moment.
Now, no, it's better if – you, don't move from this room.
I'M going."
'Fucking jealousy' thought Kabuto.
He didn't even nod.
Orochimaru didn't even look at him and went away.
Of course.
No answer – no question – no negotiation – only ORDERS.
There wasn't a chance of being alright beside Orochimaru, for him.
There wasn't a chance, either, of LEAVING HIM – with his permission.
Then Kabuto decided.
It was and it had always been his job, that of the spy.
The mercenary – to leave Orochimaru, joining Akatsuki was a good chance...
Then he decided, he stood up and went out of the room, on the street, watching out every fucking corner – he realized he was panicking – being afraid of Orochimaru was more a CONDEMNATION that an obsession.
Orochimaruphobia.
That was it.
Kabuto started to run, run and run until he left the city and continued running like an idiot, in the only direction he knew to be safe and sure: opposite to their – no – Orochimaru's hideouts.
He found the Akatsuki, yeah, or well – they found him – they took him in, and it all went good for a couple of days.
Kabuto knew a lot of things, but he learned a lot of things then, right in the moment.
Everyone talked with him.
Tobi had decided to trust him, even if he had been so dependant by Orochimaru.
The only thing that he had to avoid was: Kakuzu and Hidan messing up with him.
Messing up – you know, don't you?
To keep Kabuto in the place and make him being obedient, it was enough to spell the magic word "Orochimaru" and he practically climbed the walls for the terror.
Well, Tobi could quite understand.
Kabuto was in a fucking maze now, and he didn't even know it.
He had cornered himself, actually.
He was trapped between Orochimaru and Kakuzu/Hidan.
Poor thing, Kabuto.
Tobi decided to drain as much information as he could from him, and then let K&H have their revelry.
Poor thing, Kabuto.
It's a bad thing in itself, being in the middle of a war – but if you even choose the criminal side...
You know that WON'T end well, to you, don't you?
Poor thing, Kabuto.
After a couple of days Tobi had finished his draining, K&H arrived and the same night Kabuto lost consciousness for the first time, regaining it five other times and losing it definitively seven days later.
It was pretty much violent, of course – neither Kakuzu nor Hidan managed to spill a drop of collaboration from Kabuto.
He didn't want and he didn't want and he didn't want, and they did the same and did it the same and did it the same.
Hidan decided to NOT use Kabuto's body for his rites.
Hidan decided to resurrect him in some way.
Shit, Orochimaru could do it.
They had to find a way, too – maybe that guy Pain...weren't they his allies?
Or, better defined, his subordinates?
Hadn't Pain asked him to be the sacrifice for his massive Edo Tensei?
That could be.
Yeah.
Fucking Kabuto to death was a price worth paying, and he was completely sure that that guy Pain would force him to do that shit the same, if he refused.
So, that was an awesome shit of a barter.
Kakuzu would have the worth without paying the price. Kakuzu was his brother, and moreover his mate.
And you back up your mates, don't you?
Poor thing Kabuto.
As for now, he was dead, folded in some strange icy clothing that prevented him from rotting away like the corpse he was.
Tobi told Hidan that they would meet Pain again in a short time.
The boss was busy, he had to collect his forces to move the final strike against Konoha.
The poor, little, helpless and nearly alone Konoha.
The Sand was its only ally.
The Sand had a Jinchuuriki too. That Jinchuuriki would help Konoha.
That Jinchuuriki was their primary goal.
Tobi began to prepare their sneak attack, to get Gaara and Shuukaku, kill the earlier and retain the latter.
He thought of killing Kakashi immediately.
Again, he thought of killing Kakashi immediately.
Since years he thought of it. But he couldn't, again and still; he needed Kakashi. He needed his left eye.
His own left eye...
Kakashi's left eye watched CORPSES.
Hundreds of corpses.
They had begun to prepare a new graveyard, there wasn't simply ROOM ENOUGH for them all in the old one.
Orochimaru came back.
Shikamaru was sitting near the morgue door, on the ground, helpless, motionless and mute, looking in the void before him.
Orochimaru passed by and didn't even dare to touch him.
He stepped in – one step, two steps – he turned to Shikamaru and said:
"Do you want me to revive him?"
Shikamaru thought. Three tenths of second.
"Yes. Then he'll tell me what he wants to do.
Survive or die again."
"As soon as this shit's over, my dear. Kakashi. Now. We got the alliance?"
"...Gaara is alright.
He says we can only do so.
Orochimaru..."
"Kakashi. Let me talk with you a moment – in private."
Kakashi sighed heavily.
"This is not the right moment, Oroch-"
"KAKASHI!"
Guy stepped in, panting. "Fuck it...I've looked for you...everywhere..."
Kakashi looked him, completely stunned.
"Those fuckers..." went on Guy "They've attacked...from the air...they had...incredible things...they dropped bombs...Kakashi, Kakashi...that's...
Kakashi, everything is wasted, Kakashi, I AM SO SORRY, I had to keep everything under control, Kakashi, Kakashi, I'm so sorry..."
While talking, Guy stepped to him and ended up crying on his shoulder, hugging him.
Kakashi didn't speak for a while.
He had COMPLETELY FORGOT about Guy.
How could he forgot about Guy?
Or well, Naruto...the thing here...the war...GUY...his schoolmate...his childhood friend...GUY...
He simply decided to not say a word.
He looked at Orochimaru, who was rather stunned himself – looking alternatively at him, at Guy, and at Shikamaru.
Kakashi understood.
No, he didn't even think of laughing.
Everything was too much – fucked up – erased – wasted – razed – GROUND ZERO.
Void and Still.
All hope was gone, and it was gone to the dogs.
As they went out, their moral sank even more.
NOTHING.
Razed houses.
No corpses on the streets, no more, they had brought them all in the morgue.
Ruins.
Blood everywhere.
Razed houses.
EMPTY HOUSES.
Blood everywhere, in the houses.
STILL HOUSES.
GHOST HOUSES.
A ghost town.
A dead town.
A KILLED TOWN.
Orochimaru sighed and wept, while walking.
Yes, yes, he wept. We said it had been too much for him. This was too much for everyone.
Orochimaru then said, to the three of them altogether:
"Well, what about the alliance?"
Kakashi nodded. Shikamaru looked him. Guy exclaimed:
"Well, that's just a good thing, Kak, isn't it?"
He hadn't called him so on purpose.
Kakashi neither noticed it.
He smiled to him, he nodded and, instinctively, rubbed his forehead against Guy's.
'Like kitten' thought Orochimaru.
Shikamaru smiled.
Then he abruptly started talking, fast and rather coldly:
"We have to find a Jinchuuriki for the Tentails now.
So when we get at Akatsuki and bring them the demons away, we have someone to host them.
Clear, no? Actually...we have to prepare a profile..."
Orochimaru nodded.
Kakashi watched him and Guy asked:
"Why a profile?"
Orochimaru answered: "Not everyone is able to do it, you understand..."
"What would you think of a psychological profile?"
"Then, then, yeah. But keep in mind one thing: red haired do it better."
That was THEN.
When the three of them looked him, locked eyes – and they all laughed.
Shikamaru laughed and obviously ended up crying, Orochimaru patting his shoulders and assuring him that
he would let him meet his father "the soonest possible."
And in the meantime he was thinking:
'Now, the fuck do I do with Kabuto?'