I still need someone kind enough to proof read my story!
Legacy of a Fox: Seven Years
A Yang Production
Chapter Eighteen: Like a Moth to Flames
Konoha was having an unusually boring morning.
"Come back here Hyuuga-san!" Yuki bellowed as she raced down the street, wielding her katana.
"Catch me first!" Hinata shouted back as she turned a corner.
Konoha was having its usual destructive mayhem caused by two rivals in love.
"Today I'll wipe that smirk off your face!" Yuki raised her sword.
"Not if I send you to the hospital first!" Hinata got into the stance for the Hakke Rokujuu Yonshou (64 point hands).
Both remained locked in their place, unable to release their attacks on each other.
"How troublesome." Sighed Shikamaru as he brought down his arm, forcing Yuki to do the same. "Choji, how's Ino?"
"Got her body right here." Choji appeared, holding Ino's limp form.
"Just in time too." Ino, In Hinata's body, gave a sigh of relief.
After some precautions, Hinata and Yuki were released. After being scolded for their actions for the nth time, the group navigated the streets of Konoha until reaching Hokage tower. Two guards on duty escorted the group down the hallway, keeping a watchful eye on Hinata and Yuki.
"Kakashi-san, Iruka-san, and Kaze-san, are already waiting inside." One of the guards opened the door for the group.
Everyone thanked their escorts and stepped through the doorway to the office.
Shizune was busy pouring tea for everyone present and sighed as the group of ten appeared.
"You're late." Tsunade yawned.
"Forgive us, Hokage-sama." Neji bowed on bent knee. "We had to…find the last two of our party."
"Not again!" Tsunade slapped a hand to her forehead. "Yuki, Hinata!" Both girls stepped forward. "What's it going to take for both of your to cease this useless bickering?!"
"For her to relinquish her claim on Naruto's heart." Both girls replied as they pointed to each other.
"Me?" Hinata asked, shocked. "I've loved him longer than you have! I know him better!"
"Well, I won't let him go. I love him and he loves me!" Yuki stood her ground.
Those present could see the throbbing vein on Tsunade's forehead.
"If you both don't start to behave, I'll have you chained to each other, lock you in a cell, and only give you a saw strong enough to cut through bone, do I make myself clear?!"
"Er…crystal clear." Hinata and Yuki felt a cold chill descend upon them. They've been scolded by the Hokage but this was the first time they were ever threatened. Now with Tsunade's "little brother" gone, she had a foul temper and stories of her victims circulated in Konoha. They were not cheerful stories to listen to, so Hinata and Yuki knew how close they were to being one of those stories.
"Good." Tsunade motioned for everyone to sit down. Quickly she swallowed several aspirins and a cup of tea. "Well then, let's get this over with. I'm sure everyone is updated on the latest news?"
Everyone nodded. They had a meeting two weeks before to discuss the secrets of the Uzumaki chamber. It had stunned many to know Naruto was hiding something so incredible.
"Good, because late last night Sasuke-san and Sakura-san sent me a report. They had reached a village called Kitsune Village where Naruto had lived. From what they gathered, Naruto suffered terribly at the hand of a member of the organization Inner Falcon. This group isn't like the Akatsuki, who looked for the Jinchuuriki. This group, the Inner Falcon, is targeting Naruto and only him." Tsunade finished.
"Hokage-sama." Mine coughed. "Could…could this group possibly be the danger Naruto foresaw?"
"I have thought of that, Naruto-sama." The corner of Tsunade's mouth twitched at the title. "We don't know much about this group, but there is a powerful leader sitting on its throne. They work with human-falcon pairings for their high ranking officials and have many lower ranked pawns. Their purpose is to unite the outcast and shunned of the world. Naruto is their keystone. Our goal, once Naruto is safely within Konoha, is to protect him."
"Hai!" Everyone agreed.
Tsunade stood from her desk and instructed everyone to follow her save Shizune. Shizune would make sure no one would miss the Hokage as she was away. Tsunade led the group down the pathway to the outer door of the Uzumaki chamber.
"We have to crawl in this passage way." Tsunade gave everyone a headband with a spotlight fixed to it.
Neji, Hinata, and Tsunade had already been inside the chamber, so they instructed the others on how to safely make their way across the inner entrance.
Scrolls littered the room as the people turned off their flashlights and looked around the chamber.
"It's so old." Mine planted a hand on one of the nearest archways.
"What are these scrolls?" Tenten picked one up and turned it in her hand.
"I'm not sure." Tsunade replied. "I don't want to take them out of here. I mean they were placed here for a reason. But I also don't want to bring more people down here than I should."
Tsunade had everyone climb into the tunnel and she started the walk way. Those not used to being down in the chamber admired the simple elegance, even more so when they saw the pure gold bricks. It was no surprise that several new comers held their breath when they saw the crystallized land. Of course they stood in shocked silence as Tsunade transformed the whole dome with a single step into the sanctuary.
"It's so beautiful." Ino walked through the grass, gazing at one flower after the other. "These flowers, I would love to sell them!"
"Welcome to the Uzumaki underground." Tsunade smiled. "I'm only showing you all this because as those close to Naruto, we need to understand him more in order to protect him. The Inner Falcon isn't the only one after him. Uchiha Itachi and Orochimaru want to claim him also. That is why we need to figure out who these Uzumaki were."
"But…if there were no records of any Uzumaki in Konoha, how do we know there were any to begin with?" Asked Lee.
Tsunade smirked. "Does it look like they lived in this place? I think there is more to this place than meets the eye. They lived underground, of that I am almost sure, but it begs the question: Where? That's where you come in; I need your help in uncovering their city."
"What about the Byakugan?" Questioned Shikamaru.
Both Hinata and Neji shook their heads. "It won't work, something is deflecting it. Even when we tried to look past the chamber…" Neji trailed off as he recalled the frequent hospital trips and shuddered.
"This is our on going mission: to try and uncover what was lost." Tsunade placed a hand on her hips. "I've tried hard to figure out how to enter, I'm tired. I want more information. You're all the best suited for this mission, because you care about Naruto. You're close to him and you want to help him. So here's your chance to help him."
As the group began to fan out, Iruka was pulled over to the shrine by Tsunade.
"Yes, Hokage-sama?" Iruka nervously asked.
"Iruka-san," Tsunade had her hands folded across her chest and she tapped a single finger on her arm, "I know you see Naruto as a son…"
"I do." Iruka smiled. "For Naruto, I was the closest he ever had to a father. His father did die after the sealing of the Kyuubi."
"I know that." Tsunade nodded her head as she watched the blossom petals fall. "You do know who Naruto's biological father is, correct?"
Iruka shifted uncomfortably. "The Yondaime."
"It seems our 4th Hokage has been living a double life." Picking up a petal, Tsunade sighed. "He was our Yondaime, but at the same time, was the head of the Uzumaki. I'm telling you all this because you knew Naruto like a father. Surely Naruto talked to you about his birth father?"
Iruka scratched the back of his head. "Well, I was surprised when Naruto brought the subject up. He wasn't suppose to know, though it was obviously clear. The few times he spoke about the Yondaime, it…well, I couldn't really read his expression very well. There were a lot of emotions."
"When I insulted the 4th in Naruto's presence, he got angry with me." Tsunade replied as she tossed the petal into the air. "He stood up for the 4th, like a proud son. And for a long time after that, I thought Naruto adored his father, what with his plans to become Hokage. I would have never thought Naruto blamed his father for anything."
"Yeah…wait, what did you say?!" Iruka couldn't believe what he had heard.
"You wouldn't believe me if I told you. Even I can't believe it happened. Naruto blames his father for the mess he's in right now. I think there might even be loathing, but I'm not sure. Nothing is making sense anymore. I can't even find that stupid Jiraiya to question him about this."
"But…but I thought Naruto wanted to become a Hokage like the 4th!" Iruka tried to reason.
"And he fooled us. There's a lot we don't know about Naruto anymore. He could have lied even to you, Iruka-san, who was at his side like a father."
"Why are you telling me this Hokage-sama?"
"Because Iruka-san, the Konoha council has been on my tail about this Naruto situation since day one. The instant the word arrived of his Sensei's death and his disappearance, they wanted to label him as a missing nin and a traitor."
"What?! But Hikaru-san is the one who betrayed us, not Naruto!" Iruka gritted his teeth. "I trusted that man with Naruto's well being! If I had known…"
"Don't blame yourself Iruka-san; he had all of us fooled. But that isn't the problem here. We need Sasuke-san and Sakura-san to bring Naruto back to us as soon as possible. I'll try my best to resist their opposition, but even my power isn't strong enough to oppose them should they decide to put it to a vote." Tsunade sighed sadly as she watched the others.
Iruka could only flex his hands into a fist as he ground his teeth together. He was tired of waiting for any news of his beloved "son". The only thing he was in this mission was just a bystander and nothing more.
"If it is alright with you Hokage-sama, I feel I must return. I have classes I must prepare for." Iruka excused himself.
"Of course." Tsunade replied, slightly taken aback. She watched Iruka make his way back, being chased after by a worried Kakashi. They spoke quietly and both left. "Naruto you idiot. Haven't you realized how you make people feel?" She sighed and turned her attention to the others.
Akamaru whined as Kiba and Hinata scanned the walls of the dome. He wagged his tail as he caught sight of a butterfly and chased after it, acting like a puppy despite his size.
"Oi, Akamaru! Don't run off like that!" His owner called after him.
Akamaru lifted his nose to the air and caught a wonderful smell. It was a floral smell that struggled to remain, drifting from the shrine, yet it was not the blossoms around him. Now as he sniffed again, he though he could smell two distinct smells. Akamaru followed the smells down a path he couldn't see but could still travel.
"Akamaru?" Kiba watched as Akamaru continued to sniff the air and search for the origin of a certain scent. "Wait Akamaru!"
Akamaru walked through the cut grass, ignoring the distracting bugs and weaved though the exotic flowers growing in the underground chamber. He was getting close to the smell; he could almost pinpoint the origin. A bark was given to tell his master that the origin had been found.
"Akamaru, don't!" Kiba reached out for his dog who was dangerously close to the statues that were off limits. His hand grazed the stone fingers of the child, breaking the skin and staining the stone red. Kiba pulled Akamaru away and hissed at his irritated wound.
"Kiba-kun, are you alright?" Questioned Hinata.
"It's just a scratch, it only stings." Kiba licked his wound.
As Hinata and Kiba continued to dispute over the insignificant injury, they did not see the blood trickle down into the palm of the stone child. What once was just a small drop began to grow rapidly into a pool in the stone hands. The blood spread, dribbling over the sides but not falling unto the ground. Guided by invisible brushes, the blood began to snake over the stone leaving rune-like designs on the child. The designs continued to spread, infecting the child until the blood ran under the hood and gathered where the eyes should have been. The eyes formed, bright blood red, pupil-less eyes from which tears poured to form the nose and the mouth.
"Unacceptable…" A haunting voice drifted from the bloody mouth as the once thought to be immobile hands let the remaining blood cascade to the grass. "Unacceptable…"
The air in the dome chilled swiftly, snow began to drift from invisible clouds. Green grass turned to ice and the flowers shattered like colored glass. Birds retreated into the tress and the insects dropped one by one.
"Unacceptable…" a cold voice whispered into Kiba's ear.
Kiba, reacting from instincts, ducked as the child's stone hand reached to grab hold of Kiba's neck. Hinata tried to come to Kiba's aid, but she did not even land a punch on the moving statue. It had stopped Hinata's fist and with ridicules ease, flung her to a side.
"Hinata-sama!" Neji jumped into the air, colliding with Hinata and cushioning her fall with his body.
"It is unacceptable…" The voice echoed and became distorted as if several other voices were overlapping with its own. "There is no drop of our royal family in your blood…unacceptable. The sacrifice to enter the chamber…only half finished. Unacceptable. Unforgivable…" It lifted a hand and the rune-like images glimmered as the arm transfigured itself into a long finely honed blade.
"Kiba, get out of the way!" Tsunade yelled.
The long blade came down where Kiba had cowered in fear. Akamaru, fearing for his master's life, had clamped his teeth on the loose clothing Kiba was wearing and dragged him out of the way.
"Thanks Akamaru." Kiba quickly climbed onto Akamaru's back and faced his stone attacker.
It looked at Kiba and pushed up from the ground, its weapon drawn back. Kiba only smirked as he saw Lee intercept the attack and knock the attacker to the ground with a drop kick.
"It's not so tough." Laughed Kiba as Lee and the others looked at the child.
Everyone cautiously inched closer to the child.
A stone hand shot out and grabbed hold of Lee's right leg. Lee was jerked off his feet and hurled towards the cold icy walls. Everyone leapt back as the child picked itself up.
The small cracks on the stone face filled with Kiba's blood. The stone mended and the blood receded into the stone. The child gave a small smile before lifting its hand to its face. "Child of putrid blood, I shall punish you for your offence!"
The crack of a whip bounced off the walls as the child revealed its transfigured right arm. A long trench formed in the ground as the child brought the whip down. It charged at the group, aiming for Kiba but willing to destroy all who stood in its way.
Neji and Hinata scrambled to activate the Byakugan, their family blood trait, but scarcely had they begun to concentrate, the long stone whip wrapped around them both. Bound together, the child lifted them off the ground and slammed both Hyuugas to the snow covered ground.
"Neji-kun! Hinata-san!" Tenten ran over the mole hills of snow and approached her friends. Hinata had doubled over and coughed up what she had earlier eaten. Neji was on his hands and knees, blood dribbling out of his mouth, his hair sweeping into the snow.
The female weapons master growled as she reached into her weapons pouch and pulled out a maroon colored scroll. She rolled out the scroll in mid-air, bit her thumb, and dragged the blood along the text on the scroll. A long metal chain with a scythe attached to one end appeared in her hands. Gripping the chain tightly, Tenten began to swing the chain in her right hand.
The stone child cocked its head to a side as it examined the weapon. It could not feel pain, so it was not worried about the scythe. Instead it focused its attention on the chain and the woman wielding the weapon. At the same time, it had to be wary of the other leaf shinobi. With a smile on its lips and the crack of a whip, the child started its attack once more.
"Shikamaru!" Ino screeched. "Why didn't you trap it with your jutsu?!"
Shikamaru shook his head as he and Shino leapt out of the way of the whip. The bug user commanded a swarm to drown the living statue.
The extra weight did nothing to stop the determined attacker. Turning its attention from Kiba to Shino, the whip disappeared and a regular hand appeared. Though patches in the swarm of bugs, the rune imprints glowed brightly. The bugs retreated from the moving statue in sheets
"Your insects are not worth the time, child of the Aburame clan." The statue announced before becoming a blur.
"Shino!" Kiba shouted. "Behind you!"
Shino spun around. The glowing red eyes bore into him and the statue did a round house kick to the head. Snow sprayed into the air in a flurry of white as Shino skidded and tumbled from the attack.
"Are you okay?" Ino called out. She ran in Shino's direction, but a cold stone hand gripped her arm. Instinctively, Ino turned to see who had grabbed her. The lower edge of a stony palm slammed into her lower jaw, sending Ino flying in an arch though the air.
"Ino!" Shikamaru cried. He gritted his teeth as the statue fixed its abnormal gaze on him. Shit! How am I suppose to fight something that isn't technically alive?
A chain rattled. The child looked away and saw the chain twirling around its body, the scythe lodging itself in its stomach area.
"Now Hokage-sama!" Tenten yelled, pulling on the chain.
Tsunade ran at the statue, her arm cocked back. Her fist made contact with the stone head. The cracking of stone filled the air as the head came off the statue. The dismembered head rolled over the snow, coming to a rest at the feet of its twin. The group cheered. Tenten was concentrated on the victory that she didn't notice the chain tense up in her hands.
The beheading was not a victory as the group had hoped. Tenten felt herself being dragged off her feet. Her body collided painfully with Choji's armor, causing her to lose her grip on her chained weapon. The headless child twirled the chain in its hand and threw the end at Tsunade.
The Hokage grabbed the weapon in mid-air, pulling with all her might. From the momentum of the chain, the child began to spin like a top, its arm spread out to catch anyone in the way.
"Shikamaru!" Tsunade leapt out of the way of the oncoming attack. "Can't you think of something?"
Shikamaru was only thinking of avoiding the attacks. He leapt into the nearest frozen tree. He watched as the living statue stopped near its dismembered head, picked it up, and attached it back onto its neck. A ribbon of red appeared over the cracks. Once its head was back on, the statue began to spin again, aiming specifically for Tsunade and Neji, who by this time had recovered. That is when Shikamaru saw it.
Having been on the snow covered ground, Shikamaru didn't notice the connection between all the attacks. In the snow, Shikamaru saw the imprints of Lee's body after he had fallen, there were the imprints of Neji and Hinata, there was where Shino skid to a stop, there was where Tenten and Choji had collided, and there was the set of footprints they all had left. No matter the attack, there were hardly any imprints near the shrine! In fact, the statue was the only one who had approached the shrine since this battle had started.
Shikamaru pulled a few Shuriken from his holster and took aim for the shrine. The results were better than he had hoped for.
Several shuriken embedded themselves in the roof of the shrine, but two that were aimed at the twin statue never made it. They were stopped by the body of the moving statue. In anger, the statue ripped the shuriken out of its chest and hurled them back at Shikamaru.
Gotcha! He smiled as he back flipped out of the tree. He hit the ground running, thinking of how to best use this weakness to his advantage. Silently, Shikamaru wrapped an explosive note to the handle of a kunai.
"Tsunade-sama," he landed next to her, "we need to attack the statues immobile twin."
"What?! It's the moving one we have to look out for! What's so dangerous about the other one?"
"No, the immobile one isn't a threat, but it's the Achilles heel of the moving statue." Shikamaru smiled.
He showed her the kunai he prepared and gave her a knowing smile. They quickly spread the word.
Neji and Hinata rushed the statue, attacking it from right and left. Shino had a swarm of his bugs fly around the statue, allowing Neji and Hinata a moment to escape. AS the swarm lifted, Lee had couched down and aimed a kick at the statues chin. The statues feet were uprooted from the ground. Before it could even begin to transfigure its arm in order to land safely, Tsunade was in the air next to it, her hand forming a fist. Her fists made contact with the statue, hurling it to the ground below. A cloud of powdered snow and dust formed where the child collided forcefully with the ground.
The child saw the explosive kunai fly. Taking no time to recover after the crash, its left arm heavily damaged along with the left side of its face, the child ran after the kunai. Just like a real child with tears streaming down its face, it threw itself in front of the immobilized twin. The kunai was driven in to its chest and the tag exploded. Bits and pieces of stone flew all over the place.
"We did it!" Ino and Hinata cheered as Yuki and Tenten gave a sigh of relief.
"I wouldn't be so sure." Shikamaru stated.
The smoke began to lift slowly. Faint outlines started to appear. Rapid footsteps came from within the smoke. Out burst the statue, its left arm missing and the left side of its face crumbling beyond repair. Its moves were sluggish compared to its insane speed at the beginning of the battle. It tripped and missed, weaken by the blast.
Choji slipped past the statue in a hurricane of snow. He smiled as Neji and Lee both kept the living statue preoccupied with multiple attacks that it could barely counter with one arm. Choji made several hand seals in order to enlarge his hands.
"Oi, statue!" Choji bellowed.
The statue twirled around. Choji's enlarged hands were inches away from the other statue.
"Stop!" The statue reached out with its undamaged arm in a futile attempt to protect its twin.
The instant Choji made contact with the other statue, the moving one dropped to its knees. "Stop it, I beg you!" It panted.
Choji looked to Shikamaru, who nodded.
"Will you answer our questions?" Shikamaru asked.
The statue nodded its head before sprawling on the snow. Choji let his normal sized hands drop to either side of him.
"Hokage-sama." Shikamaru turned to Tsunade. "It will listen now." Silently he walked to where Choji stood and handed the Akimichi clan member an explosive note. "Just in case." He whispered to Choji.
"Hokage-sama…?" The broken child questioned. "That title has not been heard in many years."
"I am the 1st Hokage's granddaughter." Tsunade replied.
The statue nodded its head. "The man who came in to claim the Uzumaki territory as Konoha. I remember from the memories I have eaten. Uzumaki-dono did not want bloodshed, so he relinquished the land to your grandfather. Your village, Hokage-sama," the statue hissed, "owes many thanks to our clan. Our family has been here many generations, but then we were driven underground."
Tsunade's lips formed a thin line. "Where is the Village of the Uzumaki?"
The statue chuckled. "Do you think I will just tell you?"
Choji coughed and waved the explosive note. "Do you want this statue to cease to exist?"
"No! I'll tell you." The living statue gave in. "The offering must be completed or else you all will be hunted until it is."
"How?" Asked the Hokage.
"The Inuzuka clan member must offer the blood of family. It is always done in two. That dog will do, for your dog is your family, you have the bond of family."
Kiba looked at Akamaru who barked. The two had been together since Akamaru was just a new born ball of white fur. They had their share of battles, losses, and wins. In life, they shared meals and fun moments followed by depressing periods of time. Family…they were family but they had never stopped to think about it. Their bond was there and it didn't need a label.
"What do we need to do?" Kiba climbed down from Akamaru's back but kept a hand on his dog's fur.
"We need a blood offering." The statue commented. "You must offer your dog's blood."
Kiba hesitantly led Akamaru to where Choji was standing guard. Taking out a kunai, Kiba questioned the statue. "How much?"
"A drop will suffice."
Akamaru lifted his paw and whined softly at the pricking of his paw. A drop of crimson formed, beading and wavering delicately. The drop fell and landed in the open hands of the other statue.
From the small drop, a pool formed. From the pool of blood the rune-like symbols appeared over the stone statue. Eyes and a mouth followed. The cupped hands separated, letting the remaining blood stain the white snow. The statue was reaching out to its twin.
"Brother!" It screamed and ran to the beaten statue. Everyone moved away. "What have they done to you, dearest brother?!"
"Onii-san…" The younger of the two sighed. The eldest gently pulled the youngest to his chest.
"Your arm…" The older brother gently touched the raw end.
"It's nothing Onii-san." The younger brother rested his head on his brother's chest.
"Why?!" The older turned to look at the others. "Why did you have to wound my living brother? Who are you to come down here? This place is only for those of our blood!"
"Onii-san," the youngest interrupted, "we must let them through. They have beaten me."
"But not me!" The oldest cried.
A small cough broke though the crowd and the silent Mine walked forward.
"Uzumaki-dono!" Both statues gasped. "You…No. You are not Uzumaki-dono. Who are you to carry the face of our clan head?"
"I am Kaze Mine, and your Uzumaki-dono was the one who saved my life, that of my brother, and my village. I ask kindly that you allow us the chance to repay all his kindness. We do not understand what is happening to him, but he is suffering."
Both statues exchanged a glance. They nodded.
"We were created for a purpose." The youngest commented as he gazed at Mine. "To protect the village of our clan members. The fact that you made it to this chamber is, should have been, proof enough of your worth." He turned to his brother. "Onii-san?"
"Hai?"
"Can you repair me?"
The eldest lowered his face to his brother's. Their hoods obscured their faces, but everyone knew what was going on. Pebbles shot up from the snow and started to connect themselves to the statue. Within seconds the missing arm had regenerated. The two broke apart and both gained their footing in the snow.
"Follow us." The eldest lead the way. "We shall open the doorway. Wait until we tell you to cross."
The two statues returned to their places, in the same pose as before. The snow melted away, revealing the spring beneath it. All the run images on the statues faded and for a brief moment, everything was silent.
"Gather in the shrine."
The group gave one another a look before squeezing into the shrine
Unknown to everyone above, the blood offering had dripped off the statue in front of the shrine and was now running though a small tube. The end of the tube sat at the base of the statue with their hands over their hearts. Identical rune marks appeared on the twin statues. These two also moved, stiffly at first, but they smiled at each other. Taking a few steps away from the shrine, both statues started to peel their hands away from their chest.
Two heart sized jewels were embedded in their chests, one a brilliant blue and the other a dazzling purple. The blood on the children continued to spread towards the jewels, forming a spiral around it. The blood slowly crawled nearer and upon touching the jewel, the color of the jewel changed to blood red and shone with unnatural brilliance.
The statues turned to face one another. The placed their foreheads together and put their hands palm to palm. Their fingers intertwined, they let their hands rest at their sides and smiled as they closed their eyes.
"Two halves of a whole, let us join our hearts together. Our minds belong to us and our lives are wrapped around ourselves. The red string of fate binds us to one another."
As they pulled apart, a thin red thread appeared, connected to the jewels. The further they walked from each other, the long and thicker the thread became. Once was thread was about an inch in diameter, the twins grabbed the thread and whipped it down. The thread stuck to the ground and split in length, rising up to form a large square outline. Inside was a swirl of purple smoke.
"Beyond this is the village of our clan members." The youngest statue informed the group. "You must choose to enter of your own free will. What is beyond this door is the truth and once you know of that tragic past, you must keep it in silence."
Yuki, Mine, and Tsunade nodded in agreement. They took a deep breath, readying themselves for the plunge.
"Are you ready?" Tsunade asked the Konoha Shinobi.
An uneasy feeling fell on those of Konoha birth. They were being asked to cross through this portal in order to reach the Village of Uzumaki. Never mind the fact that they had just been attacked by a statue. For all they knew, this portal was an emotional trap to kill them.
Yuki and Mine, seeing the hesitation in the others, walked down the steps and stood just inches from the opening. Yuki took her katana and plunged her scabbard half way in. When she pulled it out, her sword was intact and unscathed.
"What is this?" Mine tried to inquire to try to give the hesitant ones peace of mind.
"This is an old method of transportation." The eldest replied. "While many modern warriors use chakra, those of the past could not do such things. This method was the only way for our warriors to move over a certain amount of space."
The youngest nodded his head. "The Yondaime said that he enjoyed this method more than the one requiring chakra."
Both Mine and Yuki smiled and approached the portal. "Are you coming Tsunade-sama?"
Tsunade hurried after them.
"Tsunade-sama!" Neji called out.
"There is no time to waste." Mine commented. "If you are going to hesitate, then why struggle in the first place? We've come this far, will you just give up so quickly? You said you wanted to find him, to help him. Were your words lies?"
"Well…" stammered Hinata, dipping into her old habit.
Yuki frowned at Hinata. "You of all people should be here, waiting at the threshold. There should be no thinking, no hesitation. We can finally help reach him. I will not fear anything now."
Yuki and Mine faced the doorway. They took a single, long peaceful breath and took two steps forward.
"Wait!" Tsunade caught up to them.
"We've spent enough time waiting." They replied.
The two walked into the swirl of smoke, their bodies engulfed by the mass of purple and they were gone. Tsunade reached after them and ran in.
Neji and Hinata ran after the Hokage. Kiba, Akamaru, and Shino raced after Hinata. Lee ran in of his own accord. Tenten hurried after Lee and hoped to catch up to Neji. Choji, Ino and Shikamaru calmly walked through the threshold.
"On the other side, the truth will be waiting." The statues chorused.
The strange doorway collapsed into the thread. Both ends were severed and the jewels returned to their normal color and shine.
"It's interesting." The oldest bent down to pick up the thread. "You could have killed them all in an instant. No intruder has ever gotten past you Otōto. Why them?"
The youngest held out his wrist and waited as the oldest tied the thread around his wrist. "They had this comforting smell. Just like the one Yondaime and all the other heads of the Uzumaki had. I could never kill them. The smell reminded me of the people who told us that someday we'll finally sleep forever."
"Oh." The eldest tied the thread to his own wrist.
Hand in hand, they walked to their place, the red thread shimmering. They separated with the thread as their only connection to one another. Gently they placed their hands over the jewel to conceal it. The usual crystal began to grow over their feet and snaked up their body.
"I'm scared Onii-san."
"Don't be Otōto, because no matter what, I'll be at your side."
"The end is coming…"
"…let us face it together."
Their eyes closed as the blood and thread evaporated. The rainbow colored crystal crept up the statues, encasing them in its warmth, but separating them from each other.
Dim light greeted the group as they appeared. Only the sound of the wind could be heard. Dull, lifeless colors adorned the buildings. There was no life in the area, only cold.
"Why is it so cold?" Yuki hugged herself in an attempt to stay warm.
"Because the snow falls." A voice replied.
"Why does the snow fall?" Another voice asked.
"To cleanse the world of its dark thoughts." The first voice answered.
The two voices began to chorus in an inhuman tone and speed, spouting nonsense. As the group watched on, the wind picked up, swirling a fine orange rust colored dust around them. The earlier cold was replaced by sweltering heat. Children's innocent laughter filled their ears. A strong gust of wind forced everyone to bring their arms up to protect their faces. The roar of the wind drowned out the other sound, leaving only a piercing whistle. The whole group had their hands clamped over their ears.
"Where is this sound coming from?" Tsunade was barely heard over the whistle.
One by one, the member of Tsunade's group started to drop to the ground convulsing. Tsunade watched helplessly as Mine and Yuki began to crumble like a leaf, sinking to the ground while still battling to stay conscious.
"What is going on?!" Tsunade yelled over the noise.
At her outburst, the piercing noise ceased completely. The orange rust colored dust and the heat stopped altogether, leaving an evening sun in the blue sky and pastel colored houses.
"Are you okay?" Tsunade extended her hands to both Mine and Yuki.
"What was that sound?" Mine asked politely as she took the Hokage's hand. "My head feels like its ripping in two."
Yuki staggered on her two feet, feeling disoriented, and doubled over as she threw up on the cobbled street.
"Oh dear." Mine murmured as she walked over to pat Yuki's back.
Tsunade was flipping all the unconscious members of her group onto their side. Shikamaru was the first to wake up and instantly regurgitate the insides of his stomach. Though the sound had stopped, a low buzzing persisted in Shikamaru's ears. He moaned and cupped his head in his hands.
"Welcome back Shikamaru-san." Tsunade patted his back.
He only gave her a short nod before throwing up again. Tsunade's voice came as though she was speaking though a wall, but the vibrations affected his now sensitive ears.
For a good hour or so, the fallen members of the group recovered their sense of hearing and orientation.
"It was a horrible feeling." Yuki leaned against a house taking deep relaxing breaths. "I just wanted to stop the pain."
Mine nodded her head in agreement.
"What's that sound?" Yuki straightened as she looked around.
A large red rubber ball was bouncing in Yuki's direction. The ball slowed down as it neared her, coming to a complete stop at her feet. It was old and worn down, the red being a dull color. There were scuff marks from shoes and some smudges. However it looked to be well cared for and was used often in children's games.
Windows were thrown open and the happy voices of those residing within came drifting out.
Two little girls ran up to the ball and grabbed it. Both girls looked up, their beautiful, gorgeous deep blue eyes fixed on the older girls. One had golden blonde shoulder length hair that was tied back into two ringlet pigtails while the other had sun kissed blonde hair pulled back into a pony tail with half her face hidden behind bangs. Both wore similar sailor suit influenced uniforms, one a deep lilac color and the other a robin blue. The eldest girl looked to be around the age of seven and the youngest looked to be six.
"Onee-san," The youngest of the girls grabbed the older girl's hand.
"Let's go Imouto, we have our ball." The older girl gently led her sister away.
The two girls held each others hand tightly as they walked, the eldest keeping a careful look out for any dangers that could possibly befall her younger sister.
"Onee-san," the young girl repeated.
"Don't lose that ball again." The eldest replied. "I don't want you to run off like that again. You scared me."
"Gomen, nee-san." The youngest bowed her head.
"I know you are." Said the older sister with a gentle sigh.
Hoof beats rumbled from a distance. The people who had exited their homes looked down the cobble road. A young man with messy blonde hair and panic filled eyes urged his horse to go faster. He wore a breastplate with a spiral on front, black pants, a red feathered edge cape, and a sword at his side.
"Someone alert the Uzumaki head! We need to ru-" He was cut off as he sat on his horse, his mouth hanging open. Slowly, he slumped forward and slid off his horse, blood flowing down his red cape.
"We don't want to ruin the surprise." The attacker smiled. He was a young man of 23 with long dirty blond hair that covered half his face while the rest was pulled away with a red silk head band wrapped several times around his head. Cold, icy blue eyes peered over the long collared blood rep cape that covered the lower half of his face. His sword shone brightly as he lowered it to his side, blood dripping from the point. He had on a pale purple silk Chinese oriented shirt with long billowing sleeves and two tails in back that ran down to his ankles. A gold scarf like belt was wrapped tightly around his off white and lose fitted pants, trailing down half the length of his legs. On his feet were black slip-on shoes with two dark blue dragons on each side. Taking a step forward, he called out "It's time to end this!"
Several others dressed in similar manner, minus the red scarf tied around the forehead, appeared behind the man, some drawing arrows.
"Fire!" The man commanded.
Arrows were fired, whistling in the air. Yuki estimated where many of the arrows would hit and let out a startled gasp.
"You devil!" She cried as she ran, gripping her sword firmly.
"Haku-san!" Tsunade screamed.
Yuki jumped in front of the two stunned girls she had encountered earlier, her arms spread wide and ready to throw her life away for the girls.
Forgive me love, but I'm sure you would do the same. She thought.
"Yuki!" Mine shrieked as she watched her friend gasp as the arrows pierced her chest.
Yuki gasped as she looked down. The arrows entered her chest and exited without leaving a mark on her skin. She touched her chest and felt no wound.
"Onee-chan!"
Yuki snapped her head up and whirled around. The youngest girl had dropped her ball and stood between the arrows and her older sister. The little girl was thrown off balance and stumbled on her feet. Five arrows flew over her and two more struck her, sending her to the ground in a heap.
"Imouto!" The older sister sobbed as she saw the blood pouring from her sibling and paid no attention to her own wounds. "Why?" The girl sat on her legs, hovering over her dying sister. "Why?!"
The man who had ordered the attack glided over to the young victims, stepping over the half dead people like an emotionless phantom. "You ask why?" He looked down at the girl. "You remind me of a time when my otōto and I loved one another dearly. That time has passed and I must destroy what my brother and I failed to cure. Good-bye child, I shall unite you both in the after life." He lifted his sword to his left shoulder and brought it down at a sharp right slant. He left the bodies on the ground and walked away, the tip of his sword barely above the ground. "Start burning the houses. Kill everyone. No one is to be left alive, understand? This will be a blood bath unlike any other. Now go!"
The group of soldiers ran down the street, passing though Tsunade's group. At last the truth dawned on Tsunade. They were an audience watching a movie of the past. The events would unfold as they had in the past and Tsunade's group was powerless to stop it. People were running in a panic, being slaughtered left and right, children cried for their dead parents, fathers and mothers frantically searched for their children, and houses were set ablaze by the group. No one was safe in the attack. Blood ran down the streets in rivers, the metallic smell mixing with burning flesh and smoldering wood. Screams and pleas were cut off with the sound of metal cutting skin and battle cries. The attackers basked in the spill of blood and laughed manically at the pathetic attempts of the villagers to defend themselves. However, a new group ran into the battle, wearing dark blue capes, black long sleeved shirts, tight black pants, polished black boots, and a silver shield attached to their forearms. While the red caped sought to destroy the village, the blue caped group was protecting the village, striking brutally back at the attacking group. Medic nins rushed to the scene to save lives, risking and losing their own lives in the process. For every red caped person that died, one of the blue would fall. It was a losing battle for both sides and the village.
As the other watched the raging battle, Yuki just stood staring at the bodies of the two sisters. "They were just children." Yuki whispered. "They were innocent. How the hell could you kill them?!" She balled up her fists as she ran at the man. Her punch should have landed, had he been real, but she passed completely through the man. Yuki landed on the ground hard and rolled onto her side.
"Yuki-chan!" Mine heard the thud and turned to her friend. "Stop it! He's just a projection!"
"Don't you feel any remorse you fucking bastard?!" Yuki shouted as she pushed herself up and charged at the man again.
"Stop it Yuki-chan!" Mine ordered.
Yuki didn't register Mine's voice; she was only focused on the man in front of her. "They were only kids! Sisters that loved each other! Can't you see what you did?! How the hell can you call yourself human?"
"Yuki-chan!" Snapped Mine as she tried to restrain Yuki. "I need some help here!" She yelled to the others.
Yuki pulled away from Mine's hold. Drawing her sword, Yuki attacked the image in front of her, passing though again. She threw her hands out to catch herself, her sword clanging to the ground. A trickle of blood ran down her forehead as she bit her lips. Before she could recover her sword, Shikamaru, Shino, and Kiba restrained her. Hinata carefully picked up Yuki's sword and took care to not let Yuki get a hold of it.
"You don't care at all do you?!" She continued to yell, pulling against the three who were restraining her. "They didn't matter at all to you, did they?"
"Yuki-chan!" Mine snapped.
"Did they even matter in your world?!" She pulled harder, crying and shouting. "Do you even have a heart?!"
Smack!
Yuki stared wide eyed as she felt the sting of the slap. Everyone was amazed at the fact that Mine had raised her hand against her friend.
"Enough Yuki-chan." Mine firmly ordered. "That is enough. Don't think for a second that the rest of us don't feel upset either. Yelling won't make time go back. We can not change the past. We're too late to save them. They're gone." Mine calmly turned her head to look at the destruction. "It is a memory."
Yuki ground her teeth as she hung her head. Bitter tears welled up in her eyes. She had known it all along and she let her tears fall. "Why do we have to watch this? We're helpless. What do we gain from watching death and destruction?" Yuki rested her weight on the three shinobi holding onto her. "What the hell is the point of this? It's just cruel!" The young woman sobbed. "It's too cruel!"
An explosion came from the distant that rocked the town. A spray of red rained down on the man, causing Tsunade to cringe.
"That should get his attention." The man smiled. "He can't help but protect our village. He really is an idiot." He threw his head back and let out a laugh. "He doesn't realize what he really is protecting!"
"Brother!" A voice yelled out breathless.
The leader of the assault on the village turned to face the one who addressed him. "You came, dear Otōto."
"What have you done, Onii-san?"
The group from Konoha looked over the flames in an attempt to see who the younger brother was. Tsunade stepped through the flames in order to improve her view. A man stood several feet away from her, his fancy clothes flapping in the wind. A background of smoke and burning buildings gave his body a soft glow. His face was filled with anger and betrayal. In his arms was a bundle of blue.
"What do you think, baby brother?" The man hissed. "I'm destroying something worthless."
A hard wind blew, causing the red headpiece to fly off the wearer's head. The hat brushed past Tsunade, rolling to a stop just behind her. She stared silently as the man in front of her, taking in his blue eyes and spiked blond hair. This was the man who was famous in Konoha, dressed like the image projected from the music box. This man-the head of the Uzumaki-was confronting a man he called 'Onii-san'. She quickly fixed her eyes on the bundle in the Yondaime's arms.
"Why are you doing this?" The Yondaime questioned, bringing his newborn son closer to his chest.
The older brother smiled as he reappeared only inches from the Yondaime's face. "Because I love you." The steel of his sword gleamed as he swung it though the air. It managed to graze the Yondaime. His older brother snatched the bundle away and kicked the Yondaime against a half burning building.
"Me dear nephew, someday I'm sure we'll meet in the after life." Naruto's uncle brought the bundle up to his face and pulled the blanket away. A small log with an explosive tag stared up at him. He reacted quickly by throwing the log into the air. As the note exploded, he could feel the coldness of steel against his neck.
"Onii-san." A voice addressed him.
"Yondaime," he smirked. "Who is the imposter then?"
The wounded Yondaime gave a triumphant smile as a cloud of smoke signaled the end of his transformation. In his place, wearing a silk jade green robe with gold thread embroidered on the material, appeared a young boy of fifteen with short cut blond hair and bangs hiding the left side of his face. His soft blue eyes held a look of pride and accomplishment.
"Akito-san." Naruto's uncle said coldly. He smiled as he spoke to his younger brother over his shoulder. "Your errand boy. To think I would be betrayed so cruelly."
"This isn't betrayal!" Akito gripped the wall as he shakily tried to stand, one of his hands clamped over his wound on his right side. "I know where I stand!"
"Tell me Akito-san, will you give up not only your life but the life of your little brother too?" At his words, he could feel his otōto press the dagger harder against his neck.
"I'm sure he would do the same!" Akito replied proudly.
"Then I'll take your word for it." A voice whispered behind Akito.
"Akito-san!" The Yondaime yelled as the image of his brother before him crumbled into earth.
Akito's eyes widen as a sword entered his lower back. He looked down to see the sword protruding out of his stomach as blood dribbled out of his mouth. He gasped silently as the sword was pulled out and he placed a hand over the gash. Blood ran through his fingers and cascaded to the already bloody ground.
"Uzumaki-dono…"He breathed as he staggered forward. "F-forgive me…" Akito fell to his knees, staining his pants. "I f-failed to pro-protect our clan…"
Silently, the Yondaime's older sibling swung his sword horizontally. A spray of blood ribboned through the air as the neck was severed. Akito's head rolled several feet away, stopping face down in the street, his body splayed on the street and his clothes absorbing as much blood as it could retain.
"Do you understand now? I'll destroy everything with these two hands. Then you and I will die together, as it should be." The older brother gave a twisted smile.
The Yondaime let out a battle cry as he dropped the dagger in his hand and unsheathed his own sword. Metal clanged against metal as he attacked his brother, a determined look on his face. They twirled and flipped in the air, sending up bright red cinders and sparks as their swords scrapped against the ground. Yondaime's brother thrust his sword forward and the Yondaime bent backwards, pushing against the flat end before thrusting his at his brother's head. Both leapt back and Yondaime pulled his sword up, beckoning his brother to attack. They both attacked with such strong emotions, it was as if two strong swords masters were fighting. Their attacks were well timed as well their escapes. The way they fought, it was almost as if they were presenting an exotic dance between brothers.
"Why have you changed so much?" The Yondaime asked as he knocked his brother down. He brought the sword down only for it to be stopped by the flat side of his brother's sword. "You changed! You used to be so kind to me, to our village!" He added as he struggled against his brother's sword.
"I've changed?" Yondaime's brother kicked Yondaime hard in the ribs, causing the fourth to stagger backwards. "At least I haven't cast aside my true name! Yondaime, Arashi, what else do you go by!" He flipped upright, his sword pointed at the fourth. "Have you truly forgotten your name, Otōto-kun?"
The Yondaime gritted his teeth. "I'm the 4th Hokage! There is nothing that will ever change that, Hakai-kun."
Hakai stood emotionlessly amidst the destruction he caused. Tsunade and the others looked at both brothers.
"But the Yondaime was named Arashi…" Tsunade reasoned. "His name was Arashi…wasn't it?"
"Oh, there you may be the 4th Hokage by the name Arashi, dear Otōto, but here you are the clan leader and my dear little brother, Tokushin-kun. It is proof of our bond." Hakai smiled. "The poor people of Konoha don't know that their proud leader is a fraud!" He laughed.
"Fraud?" Tokushin, better known as the Yondaime, questioned. "I'm a fraud?"
"What else?" Hakai laughed. "You don't love those people at all! They are just there for you to pass the time with."
"That's not true!" Tokushin pulled out several shuriken and threw them at his older brother. His brother vanished in a swirl of ashes and leaves. "I do love that village!"
"Don't make me laugh Otōto. How would they feel if they knew you were a man whose heart belonged not to one, but rather two villages?" Hakai's voice echoed around Tokushin. "You lie about your name, your birth place, even your marital status! You don't even present your wife! Worse yet, how would your precious Konoha react when they find out that you are the reason Kyuubi is destroying their village?"
A hush fell over Tsunade's group.
"What did you say?" Tokushin's voice trembled. He suddenly felt someone lean on his back.
Hakai smiled as he stood back-to-back with his brother. "You heard me correctly. Kyuubi is attacking Konoha. Two villages are being destroyed. You are only one person, Tokushin-kun. What will you do? Who will you save?"
Tokushin let his sword rest at his side. "Why did things turn out this way? Why do I have to choose? Weren't we made in order to keep everyone in this world happy and so we would never suffer? When did things change? Why are you doing this, Onii-chan?"
"Why indeed." A thin stream of tears flowed silently down Hakai's face. "I want this to end. I want to see you change. I want us to live our life how we see fit. Otōto, do you honestly believe an end will come for this curse? I am tired. I wish to die with this world."
"Is that why you always supported war?"
"My wish is for this world to end. If a single one of us remains, they will give birth to an heir and the cycle will begin again."
"Hakai-nii, do you…do you really believe you can destroy our world?"
"Tokushin, I wish I could be more like you. You are unobtainable, unreachable. To me, you are the last person I want to watch suffer. No one else matters. Our world is an illusion. You feel my pain and you know my insanity. Does it hurt? Are you tired? Won't you follow me?"
The two brothers stood back-to-back as the village behind them continued to burn and wails lamented their loss. Both took a deep breath and gave a long tired sigh; as if a heavy burden was being lifted from their care.
"Take me with you into that distant future…"Tokushin stated as he let a few tear drops roll down his cheek. "To that place where we will never leave." Slowly he started to walk away.
"You have one hour." Hakai called out. "I know I won't see you after that. My nephew…" He trailed off as the wind whistled in the trees.
"He will inherit everything."
"You do know his home will be that village now. They will…hate him."
"I will ask them to love him in my place." Tokushin paused before adding, "You are like me."
"May I ask what my nephew will go by?"
"Naruto."
"For Naruto and Yashin then, I destroy our people. Consider it a final birthday present to my youngest nephew." Hakai gave a content smile. "But what are their true names?"
Both brothers took off running in opposite directions.
"Hey Hakai?" A young Yondaime's voice was heard as the brothers ran and melted into the background.
"What Otōto?"
"We'll always be together, right?"
"Yes. In our world there is no end. It's like a big game. There is no 'dying'. That is why we will die together…and take this world with us…I love you."
"I love…you."
The projection died away, leaving the audience to try and digest the new found information. The once whole houses returned to their true state, charred and half burned. Statues of people filled the streets, some on the ground and many others trying to escape an unknown fate. Life had ended here. Love had ended here.
"The night Kyuubi attacked Konoha; the Yondaime left his village in order to save ours." Tsunade whispered, not believe what she was saying. She suddenly remembered what the statue had told her.
"Your village, Hokage-sama, owes many thanks to our clan."
"He let his people die at the hands of his brother in order to save Konoha."
Yuki wiped her eyes clean as she darted forward, following the path Hakai had taken that night. She had to see with her own eyes the result of his actions. Both brothers had talked so easily about death and destruction. They talked so easily about love.
"I love you."
They were such cruel words coming from brothers.
"Won't you follow me?"
"For Naruto and Yashin then, I destroy our people. Consider it a final birthday present to my youngest nephew."
Naruto's birth wasn't a day filled with joy. He was a child born to a bloodbath, a child of death. He was a living monument of thousands lives lost. How must he feel every year on his birthday? People hated him enough for something he had not control over. He didn't deserve any of this, not one bit. It was such a blood stained past. So much blood on such innocent hands.
Yuki's lungs began to burn as she gasped for air. She couldn't find Hakai…such a cruel loving brother. She slowed down to a walk, wheezing heavily with each step. The others were rapidly catching up to her. Just this street, she thought, picking her way through the statues of villagers and soldiers.
Hakai sat underneath a large bare tree in the center of the village, his sword causally thrown on the ground. A dagger was embedded in the soft earth at the base of the tree. The sleeve of his outfit was pulled away from his forearm, exposing the delicate flesh. Yuki could see the long, lethal cut running the length of his forearm. His head rested on his left shoulder, yet he had a content smile on his face. Vines had wrapped themselves around the man who had ended it all…
…the statue of a man. Just like the villagers, Hakai had become a lasting imprint of the past, frozen in time.
"Is that Hakai-san?" Hinata asked as she appeared next to Yuki, a hand on her shoulder in concern.
"Hai." Yuk barely answered.
Tsunade parted from the group and walked forward. She had seen much in her life on the battlefield, but Hakai was one of a kind. He destroyed everything. He died and he killed his brother's name.
Color filled the scene and the group became an audience once more.
The moon shone through the cherry blossom petals that rained down on a blood soaked Hakai. He looked at the moon and dropped his sword.
"Otōto…" He closed his eyes. "We've….all this time, we kept missing each other. We took a long time but now I think…we finally connected."
As if someone punched Hakai in the stomach, he doubled over holding his shoulders. He trembled as if he was in horrible pain.
"Otōto…otōto….forgive me…" He cried silently. "Forgive me."
He dragged himself towards the base of the tree and leaned back against the trunk. From the folds of his clothes he took out a beautiful purple dagger. Calmly, he rolled up the sleeve of his left hand, exposing his forearm. There was no hesitation in his movements as he dragged the blade through his skin, only tears. He slammed the dagger into the ground.
"Happy birthday dear nephew." He whispered. "My death is the last gift I bestow unto you. Your father and I struggled. Take care of your brother, of your bond together." Hakai closed his eyes and readied himself for his end. "I'm sorry…I'm sorry."
Tears continued to flow freely as the blood dripped from his wound. The only indication that Hakai had left the world was his head rolling to his left shoulder.
The past faded and the statue that was the image of Hakai reappeared, covered in vines. Tsunade reached out and started to tear away the vines, snapping the dried ones in half.
"Who's there?" A soft voice asked.
Tsunade jerked her hand away from Hakai. Neji stood by her, one hand on his katana. Yuki had her sword drawn; Hinata was poised for the gentle fist. Tenten had her scroll ready, Lee was in his bring it on pose, Shino and Kiba had their animal partners ready, and Shikamaru, Choji, and Ino formed their combination. Mine gripped two kunais as she waited.
A lantern appeared through a window. The sound of wooden sandals reached their ears.
"Who's there?" A door cracked open. A 12-year-old girl appeared, holding a lantern in one hand. "Oh!" She exclaimed upon seeing the group. She had long silver-white hair cascading down her back, deep icy-blue eyes, and the softest, palest skin girls would kill for. A true beauty people would call her. Her kimono was pure silver with a pale blue dragon twirling around her body. Her eyes widen as she realized who the members in the group were and dropped the lantern as her hands flew to her mouth in shock.
"Who are you?" Tsunade gently asked.
"No! You can't be down here." The girl yelled. "You must leave! You have no protection here! Leave! He'll be terribly upset when he finds out!"
"Wait, what?" Everyone asked.
The girl ran up to the group waving her arms frantically. "You must leave. It is dangerous here. This is the realm of shadows!"
Kaw! Kaw!
The sound of wings flapping filled the air as a raven landed on top of Hakai's statue. Tsunade's group didn't even flinch at the sight of it, but the girl feared it.
"Leave! I'm begging you to leave. It's dangerous here. Go now!" She cried as she tried to get everyone to move.
"What's wrong? Why are you here?" Tsunade asked. "Are you the only one here? Is there something here that scares you?"
"Hokage-sama, you must leave." The girl took Tsunade's hand into her cold small one. "You are in danger here. Listen to me, you have to leave now and not come back without Naruto-dono."
"You know Naruto?!" Yuki cut through the crowd and took hold of the girls shoulder, holding the girl so she would look Yuki in the eye. "How do you know Naruto? Do you know where he is?"
The girl's expression changed. Her eyes became cold and hard. "I've been given my instructions to make sure you live. He had hoped you never came to this place. He hates this place. 'It reeks of blood. There are so many voices…such sad voices. Their death plays in an endless reel before me. What a grand gift that was given to me. Happy…happy birthday to me.' This place is dead. So please leave while you still have your life!"
Kaw! Kaw!
The girl looked over to the raven and became worried. "He is coming…not him. Anyone but him!"
"Are you afraid of this bird?" Tenten asked, pointing to the raven. She walked over to it. "It won't hurt you."
"Stay away from it."
Tenten smiled as the bird cocked its head. She reached out to pet its feathery head when she screamed.
A huge blue eye appeared in the middle of the raven's head.
"Run!" The girl grabbed Yuki's hand. "One of them is coming."
"One of what?" Yuki asked as she as pulled. "Who are you?"
"My name is Tsuki. Naruto-dono is a dear, dear friend." Tsuki replied as the group ran after her down several streets. "As for what we need to avoid…one of them, a god of death."
Everyone exchanged a look of bewilderment. Was this girl for real?
"Are you trying to tell me we're running from a Shinigami?" Tsunade managed to ask between breaths.
"Yes! Now quic-" Tsuki was cut off as she ran into a shadow in the middle of the road. She looked up in fear. "Shinigami-san…"
The Shinigami was dressed in black with a white mask hiding his face. There was a blue teardrop under his right eye. His cape fluttered behind him as he punched Tsuki into a wall.
"Tsuki-san!" Yuki whirled around. A cold hand, far colder than any she felt, grabbed hold of her arm…it was like the hand of death. She was spun forcefully around to face the Shinigami.
"So you are his…" A masculine voice rumbled behind the mask.
The raven Yuki and the others had seen earlier perched on the Shinigami's left shoulder, its blue eye staring hungrily at Yuki.
"I…" The Shinigami started. "Forgive me…" He held tightly onto Yuki as he exposed his icy blue lips.
They were deathly cold. She could feel the warmth of her body begin to wane. Distant voices yelled, the sound of wings flapping and a raven's cry…her memory was playing back the images of those around her who had passed away. Was she dying? What was going on? All she wanted was to sleep peacefully, eternally.
Tsuki's vision was going in and out of focus as she tried to figure out what happened. Tens of ravens were circling the group, attacking them relentlessly. She looked over to the Shinigami who attacked her. He was bent over, Yuki in his cold embrace. Her skin was losing its color and her eyes were dulled over.
"No!" She cried. "Stop it!" She pulled several silver threads from her Kimono and threw them at the Shinigami. The threads attached themselves to the death god and Tsuki pulled him off Yuki. With a smile, she pulled on the threads and it wrapped itself around the death god. His raven noticed the situation and called off the attack on the others. Tsuki made sure the death god would not escape before hurrying over to Yuki.
Tsunade had arrived at Yuki's side first. The swordswoman was extremely pale, her pulse weak, and her breathing shallow. Tsunade began to gather chakra in her hands when she heard Tsuki speak.
"That will not work. She had some of her life force drained. Take her to your village. Put her in bed. I will come later to treat her. Now go!" Tsuki commanded.
"Kiba!" Tsunade turned to the Inuzuka clan member.
"Hai!"
"Can your dog carry Yuki?"
He nodded.
"Good. Help me get her on his back."
"Go back to those statues. Give them the same blood that got you here. Do not stop for anything! Go! I'll meet you later." Tsuki instructed.
Kiba, Akamaru, and an extremely weaken Yuki lead the group. Tsunade looked back at the girl.
"Will you be fine?" Tsunade asked, worrying for the safety of the young girl.
Tsuki laughed. "I may not look it, but I am beyond my years Hokage-sama. Now leave, I'll take charge of Shinigami-san."
Tsunade looked at her group and back to the girl. "Good-bye." She ran off to catch up to the others. Tsunade, she didn't know why, but she knew that things were no longer as simple as before. There were gods of death involved, people that no one knew…
"Mine-san?" Tsunade caught up to the young leader.
"Hai?" Mine turned her head to look.
"How many more? How many people will show up? How many twists and turns will appear?" The Hokage asked. "Yuki-san and her sister appeared, you appeared, and this girl Tsuki appears. Suddenly this Shinigami appears. This village appears…his family appears."
"I don't know how to answer those questions. The only one who has answers is not here. But Hokage-sama, what will you do?" Mine asked.
"Excuse me?" Tsunade replied as Kiba and Akamaru were opening the pathway home.
"You have told me much about the Yondaime. He is extremely well loved in Konoha. He is the reason the Kyuubi was defeated, but if what Hakai-san said is true, than he is also responsible for the attack on your village. Also, he abandoned his people. Isn't that on par with a murderer? He isn't prefect anymore. What will you do?" Mine smiled before crossing over the threshold.
"…once you know of that tragic past, you must keep it in silence."
"Yea," Tsunade thought out loud as she left the village. "What will I do?" The gate closed safely behind her.
-/-/-
A rustling of feathers told the Shinigami that someone was coming. But it didn't matter to him.
"Why do you these things?" Tsuki asked as she kneeled down and began to free the Shinigami. "Why do you do things that will make him hate you?"
"I…can not eat him like the others. I can not stand the thought of his body being taken in by the other Shinigami. I know too much about him. It is unbearable." He felt the bonds loosen and he flexed his wrists. "She looked so appetizing. I have not fed in many weeks. The temptation was too strong. I couldn't resist."
Tsuki sighed as she stood. "He wants to die. Yashin was his only reason to be alive. He is a broken child."
The Shinigami pulled his cloak closer to his body. "Yashin might still walk the earth. I am sure he is alive." The Shinigami quietly swept by Tsuki as he got ready to leave.
"He won't forgive you." Tsuki remarked. "You hurt Yuki-san and by doing so, placed her piece on the playing board. Because of you, all their pieces are now on the board. To them this is only a game to pass the time. For us, it's our immortality. You are in a difficult place, Shinigami; I suggest you set your alliances straight. It would be bad if Naruto-dono was to direct his unfiltered anger towards you."
"Are…are you threatening me?"
"No, Shinigami-san, only speaking the truth. I must report what I know to Naruto-dono. He will not be pleased with your feeding on Yuki-san. I wonder how he would react if he knew you would be willing to hand his precious few over to the enemy?"
The Shinigami spun around and grabbed Tsuki's kimono. She spun and aimed a kick to his head. He managed to block it with a hand. Tsuki curled her fingers into a fist and aimed an upper cut punch to the Shinigami's chin. He flew several feet into the air before landing in a heap of feathers on the ground.
"Don't forget who I am, Shinigami. I won't be taken down so easily. Think about where you alliance lies. You say you're not selfishly thinking about yourself, well think again!" Tsuki said before storming off to report to Naruto.
The Shinigami lay very still, despite his raven peaking at his clothes. "Kazoku…" he whispered. "Kibō…Aijō…" In a whirl of feathers he took off into the sky, his raven following closely by.
In a brightly lit room stood several figures dressed in gold, silver, and white. Each wore either a silver or gold mask. They whispered to each other as the leader, one wearing a gold and silver mask, sat near a table on a gold chair.
"Sir?" A figure wearing a silver mask appeared, a female's delicate voice coming from behind the mask. Her beautiful blue hair was pulled back with a red ribbon, leaving only a few strands outlining her face. She was dressed elegantly, like a young Japanese princess. "Has something happened?"
"Something has happened. The missing pieces have just appeared-" A male voice replied. He reached out and several miniature people materialized in his hand; he placed them delicately on the board. "-right here." His long nail gently caressed the miniature's faces. "We looked for these and they show up. Now we know where the village is. However…" He picked up two different pieces.
"However?" The woman asked.
"We seem to have lost two main players." The man chuckled, drawing the attentions of the others in the room. He looked the two miniatures in his hands over, taking in their detailed faces. His chair scrapped against the floor as he stood up. Everyone becomes silent. "Naruto-san and Kyuubi-san are trying to manipulate the game. The traitor wants to declare war on us once again!"
Everyone turned to look at nine different paintings that hung on the white washed walls, each showing nine different portraits. The last one had a large streak of red paint over it, the portrait behind it barely visible.
"What are we to do?" One of the gold masked figures asked.
"They are quite troublesome aren't they? More so now that Shukaku and his vessel have joined in. Well no matter." The leader held the miniatures between his index finger and thumb so the others could see them. One was of a young man with raven black hair and onyx colored eyes while the other was of a young woman with soft bubble gum pink hair and emerald green eyes. He let the figures fall from his hand. They landed with a clatter to the ground. Uchiha Sasuke and Haruno Sakura gazed up as the leader brought his foot down on the clay figures, sending small fragments sliding across the marble white floor, "We'll just have to crush them all."
"And what of Kyuubi?" Another figure questioned.
"Yes." Someone else agreed. "He is immortal. And he knows the divine laws."
"What of him?" The leader asked. "We just kill his army and imprison him once more. It is better this way. I'm sure the truth would just crush him."
Everyone murmured in agreement.
"Besides," The leader pulled out another miniature from his sleeve and placed it on the board. "Our favorite player has returned to the game. A family reunion is in order, and family always comes first."
Everyone followed their leader out of the room and into a courtyard full of cherry blossoms. They did not fear Kyuubi and those who followed him. Their only fear was the unspoken and forbidden truth. If they were declared the enemy, then the group would gladly take that title and embrace it. There was so much more to this story than what many thought they knew.
Kyuubi, the leader thought as the others returned to their proper rooms and he was left with his thoughts in the courtyard. I truly am sorry that I could never tell you the truth. Will you be able to forgive me? He watched a group of three birds fly in the sky. If it was the other way around, could I forgive myself?