Spent the week recording with my band... that took a lot of time up, but we're finally set to play shows! Okay, that was a really bad excuse. Sorry guys :/

I gotta say, I never thought this story would be turning out the way it is. I really appreciate the feedback I have been getting from you guys. I'm really glad my first fic is turning out to be a lot better than I had originally thought it would be. And we still have a ways to go! But what's next? A lot has already happened, and the story of Kiba's dad is coming to a close, see what happens now!

"...What we've got here is... failure to communicate. Some men you just can't reach... So, you get what we had here last week. Which is the way he wants it. Well, he gets it! And I don't like it any more than you men." - Guns N' Roses - 'Civil War' (A/N: I know the original line was from Cool Hand Luke, but I think the introduction speech for Civil War is more significant in this particular case. I also wrote this chapter while listening to this song... I just had to!)

Chapter 20

"Dad?"

His father had been staring out into the sea again. He got quiet after Kiba asked him what happened after their failed attempt to rescue the Third Kazekage.

He finally snapped out of it as he brought himself back. "Oh, right, sorry son," he turned to face his son on the right. "After the mission we didn't see much from Sakumo-sensei for quite some time. I would occasionally see him for a brief moment, but he would be gone as quickly as I would see him. He did everything he could to avoid the public, especially us three."

"Why?"

"Hiashi was very upset that he abandoned the mission to rescue us. Whereas Shibi and I had no real opinion on it, Hiashi was insulted that our sensei did not trust us enough to save ourselves. Truth be told, we couldn't, and I think he knows that. But the type of political backlash we received from this mission failure put the entire village in a bad light, and they all needed someone to blame. The Third Hokage would often speak in his defense, but no one agreed. He was... vilified... within his own village he had sworn to protect."

"Dad..." Kiba looked on at his father, who seemed to have taken a sad, but thoughtful expression upon his face. "What... happened then?"

"Well," his father began, rising to his feet. They had been sitting at the dock for what felt like days, talking about their lives and catching up. Time was not measured here. It was always daytime. He stood waiting for his son to join him, which he did, quickly putting on his sandals as his father began walking away from the dock towards a narrow dirt path, both sides to it with tall grass and out of control flowers blending into the natural greenery. "Like I said, we didn't see him much. I would see Kakashi from time to time and he seemed alright. Of course, ever since he started wearing that mask over his face when he entered the academy, it was difficult to read how he felt."

Their walk was slow but steady, despite their destination was not set, nor did it seem like it would be. "Heh. He still wears it."

His father smiled. "Glad to know some things didn't change."

X X X

"Konan, stand down."

"Nagato!"

"Just do it."

Naruto couldn't make out the figure of the man standing in front of him. The darkness was covering his face and what appeared to be a chair he was sitting in. As he stepped closer, he realized he wasn't a man in a chair. More of a sick, dying man locked in a coma, barely clinging to his life. There's no way this man could be...

"Are you the real Pain?" he asked.

Nagato chuckled. "So... peace has come to me, huh?"

Peace... that word echoed throughout the jinchuriki. His vision flashed back to the image of Jiraiya laying dead at the feet of the Six Paths, impaled by the blades he had used to try and kill him with.

To Kakashi, pinned in between rubble as his head sank down in defeat and exhaustion, blood long sing dried against his mask.

To Shino who laid with his back against the wall of an alley, alone, with a small smile across his face, covered with chaffed and roasted skin. His sunglasses laid to his side, unfolded and neatly sat beside his foot where the wind would not carry it away.

And finally to theimage of Kiba in an openly demolished area of the village. His arm weakly wrapped around the side of his former best friend, his body filled with crusted holes, and still flowing gashes across his body. Under his headband, between the sweat and the blood, was a single strand of pink hair, dancing in the wind as it finally gave way, flying off with the current.

"Do you hate me?"

Naruto stood merely feet away from Nagato. The man responsible for Jiraiya's death, Kakashi's death, Kiba's death, Shino's death, and the countless lives taken from the village and several others. His anger, his hate, his fury, was keeping his legs completely stiff. He almost couldn't move at all, but his anger could destroy mountains and remove them from existence completely if he willed it.

"Your enemy is right in front of you." said Nagato.

And it was true. But... He wasn't anything like he had imagined. Skin and bones, poles sticking out of his back, a large chair with two large cuffs holding his hands separately, and six small mechanical legs which appeared to be his only means of transportation. He looked like he hadn't eaten, slept, or bathed in weeks. He looked miserable, decrepit, and completely at his mercy.

"You want to take your revenge, right?"

He did. His control was loosening faster and faster with every passing moment, flashing back to his confrontation against the Deva Path. "A chain of hatred will start. I created the Akatsuki in order to break this chain of hatred."

"Even if you kill Nagato and take your revenge, nothing will change. The only thing that will come out of it is your own self-satisfaction." Konan defended Nagato, standing at his side, but close incase something were to happen.

Naruto's mind raced back to his meeting with his father. "As long as the ninja system exists, the monster called hatred will keep giving birth to new creatures like Pain. Being a ninja means fighting that hatred. Every ninja is fighting that hatred... Jiraiya-sensei left the job of finding the answer to end this hatred up to you."

"There is nothing someone like you, who doesn't have an answer can do," Nagato talked down to him. "Your role is just to be a sacrifice for the sake of the peace I will create!"

As soon as he finished, a latch on his large chair opened up, and a large metal blade, similar to all the other ones he had seen before shot straight towards him. Naruto didn't flinch as he allowed the blade to pierce his chest. His upper body collapsed onto the pole, but still kept his footing.

"I can freely control your movements from this distance with my chakra," Nagato said calmly. "Don't worry. I didn't hit any of your vital organs, because you're a valuable jinchuriki."

His usually flawless technique, had finally been stopped. Naruto glared back up at Nagato, his eyes now a dark red, as the nine-tails chakra creeped out of Naruto, overpowering the disruptor blade, and Nagato at the same time, exhausting him and causing his head to dip down. The amount of energy that surged back into him was something he was not expecting, and surpassed even his own. When he looked up, all he could see was the spirit of the nine-tailed fox surging an incredible amount of power out of Naruto, easily subduing Nagato's normally impeccable technique in that instant.

"What's wrong, Nagato?" Konan asked concerned.

Nagato slowly rose his head back up to see Naruto, still standing exactly where he had been the entire time since he entered. "He intentionally didn't dodge it so he could..."

"I was planning on talking to you on my way over here, but there was something else I wanted to find out." Naruto said.

"Something you want to find out?" Nagato asked, confused and quickly becoming annoyed.

"I wanted to find out how I would feel," Naruto said. "What am I going to do when I see my enemy right in front of me? I didn't know the answer."

"And?"

"I can't forgive you after all!" Naruto yelled, grabbing the pole embedded in his chest. "Now I wanna kill you so badly I just can't stop shaking!" as he finished, his grip on the pole strengthened as he mustered up more than enough strength and ripped it right out of him, tossing it to the ground.

Impossible! Konan thought. Resisting Nagato's chakra from this distance... There's no way.

Naruto wasted no time. As soon as the disruptor blade hit the floor, he was racing towards Nagato, his eyes still red, the sides of his eyelids shaded into an orange color as he re-entered Sage Mode. Konan threw herself in front of Nagato, and Naruto jumped with a fist ready, but stopped merely inches away from the paper user.

"Pervy-sage once told me that he believed that humans would truly understand each other... When he said that, I couldn't do anything but listen," his fist slowly loosened as he lowered his hand. "When he told me that he would leave it up to me to find out how to stop it... I was just glad he accepted me as his apprentice. But I finally get what Pervy-sage meant now. I understand that it's not something as simple as that."

"But... that won't change the fact that you can't forgive me. Regardless of the beautiful words spoken... Human love is not noble enough to forgive someone that has transgressed as much as this."

"Yeah... you're absolutely right."

"Jiraiya-sensei's words were nothing but old-fashioned idealistic words. Those ideals are far too different from reality... You said that you were going to defeat me and create peace in the ninja world. Even if that's just an excuse to satisfy yourself with revenge, it is okay as long as that's your justice." his eyes focused more on Naruto now, giving a cold stare. "You aren't God. And even after facing the harsh realities of this world, can you really believe the nonsense Jiraiya-sensei has taught you?"

Naruto took a small glance to the ground. "When I found out you were Pervy-sage's student... I really wanted to ask you something."

"What is it?" Nagato asked. His mind was confused, but he let his face keep a stoic appearance.

Naruto picked his face up and stared directly at Nagato. "How did you turn out like this if you were Pervy-sage's student?" he took a breath before continuing. "I know that you two aren't psychos who enjoy killing like the other Akatsuki members... Then again... I don't know anything about you." he took another step forward. "That's why... I want to give you my answer after I hear your story."

"Very well." Nagato said. "...I will tell you about our pain."

X X X

Did the moon exist in death? Apparently not. Kiba felt like he had been dead for years and years already, and with no actual track of time with his father, he felt that the events at the village had long passed, that his son had already grown to be a man, and Sakura had most likely found another man. His father noticed his slowly saddening expression and finally spoke up.

"Something on your mind, Kiba?"

He looked to his dad. "Oh. Nothing just... thinking, that's all."

"You miss your mate."

He nodded. "Mmm, I do. I feel like I've been dead for years. It seems like in all the time my son may have already become a ninja, grown up, and Sakura... well, she probably already found someone else."

"I still miss your mother."

"Huh?" he glanced over at his father's subject hop.

"I think about her all the time. And I know she also thinks I'm a coward whom she scared away, right?"

Kiba only nodded. He was surprised he knew all that. Unless there was something he hadn't told him yet, that had to be it.

His father smiled and looked straight ahead. They had been walking for forever, and finally returned back to the docks where they had originally met. The recollection took him some time, but he was able to remember.

"It was a little after you were born. My squad had since been broken up. We were all seasoned enough to lead our own squads, so we only saw each other every so often. As for Sakumo-sensei, it was once in a blue moon any of us would see him."

(Flashback)

"Table for two, sir?" The waiter asked.

"Three. I'm waiting on someone else."

"Of course. Right this way, please." the host guided the shinobi to a table, heading through a glass door to the patio area, which was lightly filled with the sound of piano and jazz. There was no question of the quality in this restaurant.

"Would you like a high chair for the child, sir?"

"That would be nice, yes."

"Right away." the host quickly made his way off to retrieve a high chair.

A few minutes passed by, until the glass door opened, and out stepped Kiyosato, dressed in similar shinobi attire as the person who was waiting for him.

"Kiyosato Inuzuka. Late as ever." he said standing up.

"Fugaku. It's been too long." Kiyosato smiled as the Inuzuka and Uchiha greeted each other with a strong hug. He took a seat across from him, and noticed the young boy being sat in the high chair as they ordered their drinks. He came alone, as Tomomaru insisted on it. They were old friends, and ironically became friends after their fight in the Chunin Exams.

"You brought Itachi?"

"Yes." he happily nodded. "Itachi, say hi to Kiyosato."

Itachi was still a toddler, roughly around five. His hair was fairly short, but he was clearly developing his intelligence at a young age. "Hi Mr. Kiyo! Are you the same man who married dad's teammate?"

Kiyosato chuckled at how forward he was. "That's right, Itachi, I married Tsume."

"She's scary! My daddy always told me that sometimes on missions that-"

"Itachi." he looked at him. The young Uchiha quickly stopped talking. "He's a handful, but he's showing considerable promise."

"Indeed." Kiyosato said. "Hard to believe how quickly we became parents. It feels like yesterday that we were just little Genin."

Fugaku slightly chuckled. "It's true. We've grown up quite a bit. And you? I heard Tsume had just recently given birth to a second child. Poor woman must feel cramped not being able to go out on missions."

Kiyosato shrugged. "She seems to be happy with what she's doing right now. Once Hana goes to the academy she only needs to wait and see if our son will do the same. Once that's done, I'm sure Minato will let her back onto active duty."

Fugaku shook his head. "Minato... who would have thought he would become Hokage?"

"Not me. But he's the right man for the job, even if he doesn't look like it."

"I agree. He's so young, but he's very well kept for his age."

The waiting brought them their drinks and after ordering, he brought their meals back to them.

"So, you mentioned a son, Kiyosato? What's his name then?"

Kiyosato smiled. "Kiba."

"It's a strong name for a son, and it's an Inuzuka name as well, isn't it?"

"It is. Tsume named Hana. I told her it was only fair I named our son."

"Your daughter is about the same age as Itachi, isn't she?"

Kiyosato nodded. "Yeah. Hana's maybe a few months younger than Itachi, but they should see each other in the academy."

Fugaku smiled. "Interesting to see how that fight would be. Think it would be much different from ours?"

Kiyosato laughed. "Fugaku Uchiha, I don't think anything could replicate our fight. It was something else."

"You showed me several things. Not just techniques, but a more moral message."

"I think we each taught each other different things that fight, Fugaku."

"I agree."

"So... Head of the military police force and of the entire Uchiha clan, huh?"

Fugaku nodded. "It's not as fun, or enjoyable as it sounds. But it's my duty, and I proudly carry it out. And you? I hear you're training a team of Chunin. Sakumo's son, Kakashi, and one of my subordinate's boys."

Kiyosato also nodded. "Have been for a while. I insisted on getting Kakashi since his father trained me. And Obito is a good boy. Usually a few minutes late to our meetings, but his heart is in the right place. Unfortunately, my request for an all male squad was denied. Our medical ninja, Rin, is very gifted and talented, but I feel she's a... how would I put it... distraction, for Obito, especially."

"I see. He's just of age, he'll get over it like everybody else. Fortunately for us, Tsume was much too frightening to be much of a distraction."

Both the men laughed at the thought of that image. The young Itachi simply sat and stared, unsure of what to say, before looking out to see several citizens walking behind another one, apparently shouting things at him he had never heard before.

"Let me tell you, Fugaku, all that scariness she has is 'properly' vented. And I sure as hell feel it in the morning."

"Haha! And I thought it was suppose to work the other way!-"

"Daddy!"

"What, Itachi?"

"I see the White Fang of the Leaf!"

Fugaku and Kiyosato both looked in the direction of Itachi's finger, seeing Sakumo walking alone while a small group of citizens followed close behind him, yelling profanity and throwing rocks at him the entire way.

"Fugaku?"

"Yeah." he turned to look at Itachi. "Son, stay here. Whatever happens do NOT move, understand?"

Itachi nodded. "Yes, father."

X X X

"Fucking pussy!" shouted one of the villagers, throwing a rock at Sakumo.

"You call yourself the White Fang of the Leaf? You were our guardian and you sold us out, you motherfucker!"

The world around him was just noise. Just white noise for Sakumo now. The day after his mission had ended, it was always like this. The people had grown to hate him, despise him, and detest his very existence. He couldn't even see his son at the Chunin Exams without getting some form of heat. And his students... he couldn't stand to look at them anymore. He let them down, he let everyone down. His own son, too, he knew he did, even though he always said how he looked up to him.

One of the villagers finally ran up in front of him and got in his face. "You're the reason we're at war! You started all this, you piece of fucking shit!"

Sakumo ignored him, and simply kept walking, but that angry citizen wasn't having it.

"Don't walk away from me you motherfucker!" he grabbed his shoulder and turned him around to face him. "Do you know how many good people we've lost because of you? Because you couldn't do your fucking job? Good, solid men gave their lives for YOUR fuck ups! You make me sick!" he finished, spitting in his face. Again, Sakumo did nothing, but turned and kept walking.

"I didn't say you could walk away, faggot!" he yelled, running him to him with a fist, ready to hit him in the back of the head.

And just as the fist was about to connect, it was stopped. The man looked to his left to see a fully equipped Jonin standing there. His straight brown hair carried itself in the wind, even in its long pony tail, lengthy towards his upper back. The red triangles warned him already he knew who was stopping him.

"I think it would be a good idea if you went home." Kiyosato said stoically.

"Yeah? Says who? You? I know who you are. Kiyosato Inuzuka. You're one of the shitheads who was on the mission with Sakumo. Far as I'm concerned, you're almost as bad as him."

"Hilarious how ignorant the people are to what really happened. No wonder nobody takes them seriously."

"The hell did you just say?" the man said, getting out of his grip and stepping back.

"He said you're an idiot, in a nice way."

"Oh yeah, bitch?" the man turned to his right but stopped when he saw it was Fugaku, dressed in his military police uniform.

"Yeah, bitch." he quickly closed his eyes, and opened them just as fast to reveal his sharingan. "What the fuck are you gonna do about it?" Fugaku said, getting directly into his face. "Hit the captain of the Leaf Village Military Police Force. I'll show you what the fuck I can do." The other villagers slowly backed away, not wanting to anger the head MP. "You better walk home before I arrest you and all your little friends here for harassment and attempted assault. Got it?"

The troublesome man did nothing, but quickly ran off with the others. Fugaku deactivated his eyes and looked back at Sakumo. "Are you oka-" he looked, but he was gone. So was Kiyosato. "They're gone?" He looked around again, but imagined they were already gone. He walked back to his meal and finished it with his son before taking him home.

X X X

The day was coming to a close. As the sun slowly walked downstairs into the horizon, Sakumo kept his slow pace through a small garden. It was around the season when the trees were blooming, and leaves and pedals tracing across the field was an average thing. Kiyosato only watched his sensei walk, not even stopping to acknowledge him.

"Sensei, wait, please!" he ran up behind him. "Why are you doing this? Why are these people doing this to you?"

"The village needs someone to blame. And it is something only I can carry, because of me the Third Kazekage is gone." he finally stopped, keeping his back to his student.

"No it isn't! You made the choice to save us because you knew there would be another time for us to redeem ourselves! I don't blame you, and neither does Shibi!"

"Hiashi... thinks different."

"Man, fuck Hiashi! He's so full of himself he thought he could get us all out of that situation we were in, but he was just as knocked out as we were! You were the only one who could save us, and you did!"

"No. He's right. The mission was a top priority. I even told you that before we left, remember?"

"Yes, of course I remember, sensei! But you can't keep going on like this, don't you see what's happening to you?"

He said nothing.

"Kiyosato, you're a young ninja with a very bright future ahead. You married a powerful ninja, and have fathered two children already. They'll become strong, just like you." he turned back to face him. "My final lesson for you is this: Don't become me." and as he finished, he vanished in a puff of smoke.

"Sakumo-sensei, wait!" he ran to the smoke, but as it dissipated he could tell he was long gone. He fell to his knees, punching the soft grass below him as the pedals of the cherry blossom trees flew past his face. "Dammit! Why couldn't I stop him?"

"Don't become me." "What does that even mean?" he sat down with his legs crossed as he looked up at the sky. Sensei...

"Funny. I never thought you were one for gardens, Kiyosato."

He slightly turned his head to catch a glimpse of who was speaking to him. An old friend he hadn't seen in quite some time.

"Shikaku?"

The lazy Nara took a seat next to him in the grass. "I overheard your talk with Sakumo-sensei. He's really in a tight spot by the sound of it."

Kiyosato kept his face to the stars. "It's... complicated."

"Yeah. I know all about complicated, believe it or not. Much as I hate it, it's something I'm rather experienced with."

"You know I always thought... when we were this old, all these problems would just stop. After starting a family, the problems we had during our childhood, I thought it would all just eventually fade away."

Shikaku shook his head. "It doesn't get any easier, does it?"

"Nah. Never does."

They sat in silence for a few moments. A shooting star whipped its way across the sky.

"I'll let you have this wish. I think you need it more than me." Shikaku said.

"Heh. Yeah, maybe you're right."

Hm... What to wish for... Maybe a calmer wife... No that wouldn't be any fun. Oh shit, did I already waste my wish?

He closed his eyes for a moment before finally coming to a conclusion.

I wish my children... no matter what it takes, I wish my children to grow up proper, and to become great ninja. So that they can stop this violence. That they can put an end to all of this. Yeah... that's my wish.

He finally opened his eyes before turning to Shikaku and smiling, nodding his head to tell him he was done.

"That took a while. Must have been a pretty big wish."

"Yeah, kind of."

"Tell you what, it's getting late," he stood up, offering his hand down to the Inuzuka. "Why don't you come back to my place for a drink? There's something I want to show you, and you can tell me some more about what's on your mind."

Kiyosato hesitated for a moment, but took his hand as they stood up and began walking towards the Nara household.

X X X

The messenger bird flew quickly towards the Inuzuka household as Kiyosato walked inside the Nara home. He figured Tsume wouldn't be too upset as long as she knew where he was, and hopefully he wouldn't be too long. He followed Shikaku inside to find Yoshino who was sitting on the couch, holding a baby in her arms as she watched television.

"Finally home I see." she said, not turning her head.

"Hey Shikaku," Kiyosato whispered. "You didn't tell me you had a kid."

He shrugged his shoulders before turning his attention to his wife. "I know. I... ran into a friend."

Yoshino turned her head to see who was with him. "Ah, hello Kiyosato. It's been a while since Shikaku mentioned you, much less seen you. How are you?"

"I'm good. It's great to see you again, Yoshino. I didn't know you two had a child otherwise I would have brought something."

"It's fine, really," she glared at Shikaku. "Ol' faithful here doesn't like attracting a lot of attention."

"It's such a drag." he added in.

"Anyway," she motioned for them to come over, which they did. "This is Shikamaru. He's only a few months old, but he's a good boy. Barely cries or yells, and spends most of his time just sleeping."

"He looks a lot like you, Shikaku."

Shikaku shrugged his shoulders, letting a small smile escape his face. "What can I say, I'm pretty lucky."

"I heard you and Tsume had another child." she said.

He nodded. "Yes. He's around the same age as Shikamaru. We named him Kiba."

"It's a nice name. And how is she?"

"Tsume? She's good. A bit cooped up, but she's handling it alright, I think."

Yoshino smiled. "That's good. I'll have to stop by and bring Shikamaru. It would be so nice for the boys to enter the academy together."

"It would." he replied.

Shikaku finally broke the mood. "I'm sorry, Yoshino, but there was something I wanted to show Kiyosato. We'll be in the back."

She nodded. "Okay. I'll bring some drinks for you two as soon as I put Shikamaru to bed."

The two Jonin made their way to a back room. Both removing their shoes, Shikaku took to one side of a small table, and after looking closely, Kiyosato could tell what it was: a shogi board.

"Shogi?" he asked.

He nodded. "I know there's a lot on your mind, and I know it would take a while. Sometimes it's easier to express yourself through different things. Playing instruments, fighting, or board games like this."

He knelt down to the opposite side of Shikaku.

"Your move, Kiyosato."

(End Flashback)

"Shikamaru is just like that now." Kiba said.

"Is that right? That's something else."

"Actually, now that I think about it, me and Shikamaru played a game of shogi a while back."

His father gave him a surprised look. "Really?"

"Yeah. When I was having trouble with Sakura, Shikamaru showed me something... but it was after I played a game of shogi with him."

Him, too? Hehe... I guess they're more like us than we thought.

"Dad?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you think it's a Nara thing?"

"I don't think so. I think they're just drawn to that game due to it being a thinking game. Shikamaru's father was a master at it, and I'm sure his son is no different."

"That's true..." he thought for a second. "So what happened after that?"

His father patted him on the back. "You're sure eager to find out about how I died, huh son?"

Kiba laughed. "I just want to know everything I can about my dad." he smiled, nudging his father's arm.

"Well, we kept playing. The game lasted for a long time, I was sure surprised, but what he said to me was even more of a surprise, yet... it made sense."

END!

Hey! So... no hard feelings right? Totally didn't mean to do this again guys :/ Sorry... been a really busy break! But I'll have you a few more before I go back to class, promise. This next chapter should be the end of the father's arc, so I'll try and make it good. And I will have it up by TOMORROW! How's that sound? My way of making it up to you guys. :)

Anyway, please review and I will see you guys next time!