Glimpses of Darkness
Author: shattered-words
Disclaimer: If I owned Naruto, it'd be called 'Gaara'. So, isn't it a shame that I don't own it?
Summary: The Kakurezato are on the brink of war and certain events leave several lives hanging in the balance. Meanwhile, what's the fire wielder's fate, and who is the deadly Oto Oinin that has suddenly appeared? (AU, Sequel of "Glimpses of Fire")
AN: We Belong Together - BigBang ("At-chi e it-te" means go away)
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"We are often killed by our
unchangeable circumstances."
-M. e. Tello
o0o o0o Chapter Twenty-four: Our Circumstances o0o o0o
The Oinin stood in the corner and silently observed the chaos that reigned within the room. He had been summoned by the Kazekage while he'd been at his apartment, his tattoo waking him up as it ached, and he had rushed over.
It was actually his day off, and he knew it had to be serious for Gaara to have summoned him after his double-shift merely four hours ago. So, that was why he'd hurried after changing into his still dirty uniform.
He'd realized why he'd been called shortly after arriving, and was shocked but not too much. The Hunter had known for a while that Itagaki Hiroaki had been a terrible and arrogant man. His murder was bound to happen sooner or later, and by someone that wasn't willing to take his abuse.
Of course, he'd be lying if he said he didn't want to know who did it. He was curious to know who'd finally had the courage to end his terrible reign over the Itagaki Ichizoku and Suna council.
"Kamikaze-san," he heard his name being called and he appeared at Gaara's side immediately. He was crouched with his right hand and knee touching the floor. "Have a messenger send word to Itagaki Amane in Konoha of these events."
He nodded to the order and left the room when he'd been dismissed. Ryohei would make sure to also write to his sister who was with Amane in Konoha. She had already managed to get out of marrying Itagaki Motoki, and he was sure that she'd be relieved that Hiroaki wouldn't bother her with the matter anymore.
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The cloaked figure watched from a distance as the Hebi Sannin arrived at the gate and didn't wait to be let in and bounded over the high walls, kicking off a nearby tree branch. He smirked and wondered how it would have been if he had managed to arrive as he had been leaving. It would have been the perfect opportunity to get inside and get a shot at "Joukai", as she had started to call herself. He hadn't known the girls' true name, but for some reason he wanted to know.
He'd last seen her a few months ago while she had been outside of Oto and he had attacked her since the Hunter was no where to be seen, and he had been shocked when she defended easily. Her movements had changed drastically and he realized that she had been using the biju's chakra. That was further proven when he'd seen the crimson that had been overpowering her black orbs when before only a thin rim had lined them and soaked the pupil.
However, he doubted that he would have been able to get close to the girl when Orochimaru had been away since he'd most likely instructed Hitori to stay close to her. So, perhaps it would be better to try now, since he'd most likely summon him for a report during the time he'd been away.
Minoru already knew why the former Konoha-nin had left Sound, since he was coming from the west. He had been in Iwagakure because the Akatsuki member had heard from their leader, Pein, that the snake was trying to form a treaty with Stone. Also, he knew that it was only matter of time before he would leave east for Kumo. The negotiations with Iwa had simply been easier so he'd concentrated on them because their hatred for Konoha during the Third Shinobi War was still strong.
Cloud would also be easy to convince since he only had to promise the Hyuuga's dojutsu at their victory and they'd agree. It seemed like everything else was falling into place for Orochimaru and his wish to see the Leaf in ruins. Minoru didn't really care what the man's plans were but kept an eye on him because the leader was interested in the former Akatsuki member's activities.
He had scoped out the place and had determined that the guards at the gate didn't appear like ninja and the village itself was shielded by anyone outside the village from sensing chakra used within the walls. Also, even if anyone came upon it they would only think it was a normal city. Minoru was sure that the ninja were trained underground in tunnels that Orochimaru had built long ago to perhaps escape from the Hunter-nin that might come for his life for being Nukenin of Konoha.
He moved over the wall with ease and headed toward the hut that he'd first kidnapped Joukai from. When he arrived he didn't sense the Hunter nearby, but he did feel the flare of chakra. As he moved closer, it was to see that the kunoichi was already engaged in a fight with another person. It took Minoru only a moment to identify him as the snake's new apprentice, Uchiha Sasuke, formerly of Konoha and younger sibling of Itachi.
From what he could see, the girl was clearly winning as she pushed him back with her attacks. He relished the sight of her body as it moved in a deadly dance as she interchanged blows with the Sharingan user. Minoru noticed that she changed her weapons between the kodachi and the shorter wakizachi. He figured that it was her way of training herself to be able to handle both types of blades. Or perhaps she used the shorter of the two while she was within Otogakure and the other when outside the walls of Sound.
He turned his attention back to the fight as they lunged at one another once more with a mind-boggling speed, but only for Sasuke to be thrown back by a kick to the midsection. She straightened as he sat up, coughing blood on the ground between his bent legs. Her hand lifted so she was pointing the blade toward him, and Minoru was close enough to hear her.
"You're pathetic, Uchiha," she told him, her eyes narrowing. "You come to demand answers and yet can't even defend yourself against my attacks. I have nothing to say to you."
She turned away but he stumbled to his feet and she hesitated as he yelled at her. "I don't care what you say! Tell me where Eizan is!" he demanded of the shorter boy.
"Why do you care so much for that weak kunoichi?" she asked him instead. She didn't glance at him and lowered her head so her bangs shrouded her crimson orbs from view. "She was as pathetic as you are."
Sasuke's face contorted in anger at her words as he wiped his mouth, smearing the blood across his cheek but he didn't even notice. "She's a bit arrogant but she isn't pathetic. I care for my friends so tell me where she is!"
Joukai chuckled at his words and turned her head to look at him over her shoulder. "You care?" the bandages shifted with her grin. "Is that why you impaled your teammate with a Chidori?"
The boy's features darkened with her question and her grin grew. "Urusei," he snapped at her. His hands clenched around the handles of the kunai as he glared at the kunoichi.
She merely glanced away once more, as if she saw him as no threat. "I pity you, Uchiha," she muttered, peering toward the limitless heavens above, which had started to darken as night approached. "You who had everything threw it all away for power. As I said, pathetic."
Joukai sheathed her wakizachi with a flick of her wrists before stuffing her hands into her pockets and sauntering toward the hut. "At-chi e it-te, basan," she said with a sigh. "I grow tired of your presence." She pulled open the door and went in before the Leaf-nin could say anything as it clicked shut behind her.
Sasuke stood there for several moments, glaring angrily at the door she'd vanished behind, but finally turned around and stormed off. He was muttering something under his breath and while Minoru couldn't hear him, he was certain that he would try again. After all, Uchiha were persistent bastards.
Minoru was at the door in seconds and paused as he heard a voice. "At least knock if you're gonna come annoy me," Joukai called from inside. He smirked since he realized that she had most likely been expecting him for a while now, so he humored her and knocked before entering. "You could have at least waited for a response." She sounded annoyed but suspected that it was mainly due to the Sharingan user.
"I'm impatient," he muttered as he closed the door behind him and glanced around the small hut. It was bare but also neat. There were two futons in the corner, a small irori in the middle with food cooking in a pot within it, and instead of a kotatsu, there was a small table with two chairs. It was cozy but a bit cramped for two people.
She was sitting on her futon with her legs crossed Indian style in front of her and her hands resting on her bent knees. "You should learn patience," she chastised him. She didn't seem hostile toward him despite the fact that he had kidnapped her at one point and made it a habit of attacking her while she was away from Otogakure. He supposed that she had gotten use to his presence. Minoru wasn't sure how to feel about that.
"Hmm, perhaps," he calmly responded as he plopped into one of the chairs and glanced at her. She had her eyes closed and appeared to be meditating by the relaxed state of her body. He didn't actually know why he'd come here if he had no intention of either attacking her or trying to abduct her again. Her next words indicated that she was also curious of this fact.
"Why are you here, Eniwa-san?" she asked, crimson orbs sliding open to fix him with a pointed look. He shrugged and nothing more as he relaxed in the chair. The atmosphere of this place was slightly soothing despite the kunai and shuriken that were scattered on the table in front of him.
She sighed and loosened her blades from her thigh and back when she realized that he wasn't going to attack her. They were set on the futon beside her and then she turned back to study him. "I'm afraid that I can't indulge in these little 'fights' of ours," she mumbled. "Those types of things are reserved for friends, and unfortunately, that part of my life is over."
Minoru was disturbed by the dead look in her eyes as she told him this and fought back a chill. He realized then that she wasn't too different from himself. When he'd been a child he had been normal, and then his abilities had manifested.
His eyes had been both feared and coveted, and his family had been slaughtered because of this. He'd been taken in and trained by a ninja of his village to forego his emotions, and became only a weapon. When he'd been Genin he had felt that his squad and Jonin instructor were slowing his progress.
The elite ninja was the one that had raised him and who had killed his family. Minoru had slit his throat with no small amount of pleasure. Those that were responsible for letting him go unpunished for his crime or that had assisted him had also suffered the same fate. He had enjoyed seeing how fast he could kill them.
"That's a shame," he responded as he leaned back against the chair. "Since I intend on returning again and again until I finally bring you back with me." He stood as he sensed the Hunter's approach and knew he'd finished with the Sannin. "I'll retreat for now but don't think you've seen the last of me."
Minoru formed seals and disappeared in a puff of smoke moments before the door was slammed open. "Konbanwa, Hitori-kun," Joukai called out amiably and didn't seem to find it too disturbing that he'd withdrawn a kodachi. "Put that away and come eat something." She stood and moved toward the irori to remove the pot of stew that she had made earlier and which she had heated for tonight.
"Joukai?" he inquired and she turned to face him with a grin that was obscured beneath the bandages as she waved him over. He hesitated only a moment before sheathing the weapon and moving toward the table as he slipped into the chair that Minoru had just vacated. She could tell he was concerned because he'd sensed the Akatsuki member's presence within the hut. He hadn't caused trouble, so she didn't pay the man too much attention.
"Don't worry yourself," she said with a smile as she rested a hand on his shoulder. The motion seemed to calm him and he finally removed his mask. She turned away from him almost immediately and thus missed the slight furrowing of his brows at her action. Meanwhile, she had placed the shuriken and kunai aside to make way for two bowls which she filled with the food she had made. She removed the bandages and sat in the other chair before both of them started to eat in silence.
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The sky was still dark when he left the shower after he had stretched and did his early morning exercises. He dressed in his usual attire; dark green, high-water pants and short sleeved white shirt underneath his flak vest. When he slipped his sandals on he went down stairs with the agility of a feline and wasn't surprised to find that Yoshino was already up.
"Ohayo gozai-mass, Nara-san," he said to her as he plopped in a chair. He noticed that neither Shikamaru or Shikaku were up, but with a woman like Yoshino, he doubted that she'd let them sleep for too much longer.
She turned to give him a tired smile. "Ohayo, Kuroboshi-san, but please just call me Yoshino." Her attention was turned back to making breakfast as she shuffled around quietly.
"Of course, Yoshino-san, but I also insist that you call me Aiko." She nodded a reply before he rested his arms on the table and laid his head on them. He hadn't found sleep easily last night since he wasn't use to being in a strange bed, and he hadn't wanted to get use to it either. Being in Konoha was fine, but being in this place had him on edge.
Of course, he would eventually get use to it but that wasn't to say that he'd drop his guard. He'd been shinobi for too long to ever really do that. Besides, he knew that he was already past the expectant age that Oinin usually died, but he'd been lucky until now. He had no illusions of being invincible and knew that he would fall in battle one day.
However, that didn't mean that he'd let the enemy take his life any easier, and if he could save himself from being killed then he'd take the chance. He still had to get Arisa away from Orochimaru and so wouldn't give up on life just yet.
The kunoichi placed a bowl of rice in front of him and he muttered "Itadakimasu" as he straightened and started to eat. He was half-way finished when she set the miso soup beside him. Soon Aiko was rising from the table and Shikamaru and Shikaku were just entering the room. "Ohayo," he greeted them. "Ima ika-nakereba."
Shikaku only nodded as he plopped his body into the chair he'd just vacated as Yoshino removed the empty bowls. "Just behave yourselves," he grumbled. "If you're needed, an eagle with a white ribbon tied around it's left talon will be sent over the forest."
Aiko nodded. "Aa, domo. Sumimasen." He formed seals and disappeared in a puff of smoke. When he was gone they started to eat and Yoshino made a mental note to get up early everyday since the Suna Jonin appeared to be an early riser.
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Amane descended the stairs and paused momentarily when she noticed that all three of her hosts were sitting at the table and seemed to be waiting for her. "Ohayo gozai-mass," she greeted quietly. She slipped into the offered chair uneasily because she didn't wish to be rude.
The three replied in the same fashion before Yumi placed a bowl of rice and a plate of three small cooked fish in front of her. "Itadakimasu," the wind user muttered before she started to eat.
"So, what are your plans for today, Itagaki-san?" Yumi asked politely as she took a sip of her green tea. She tried to sound casual but didn't do a very good job of it.
"Amane is fine," she replied. "And my teammate and I will be training with Kuroboshi-sensei close to the stream in the forest." She informed them of the general location in case they were needed, but not too specific in case they wanted to spy on them. After all, that river cut a long path through the forest and even went further east and past the village.
Sakura watched her as she ate and Amane noticed that the girl was wearing black pants and a short sleeved dark blue shirt with a Chunin vest over it. The other day she had been wearing normal clothing and knew that she'd be training today as well. "You're being trained by Tsunade-san, aren't you?" Amane asked her after she'd set her empty bowl down.
The kunoichi smiled easily at her and nodded. "Hai," she stated proudly. "I've decided to become iryou-nin."
"Of course," she simply responded. She didn't inform her that it was the best course of action for her since her fighting abilities weren't the best. Being a medical ninja would be easy with her sharp mind and good chakra manipulation, but didn't tell her this. Amane had never been one to let others know of what she was thinking.
She stood from the table with minimal noise. "Sumimasen, mou osoi dess," she muttered with a bow before moving toward the door. Amane didn't glance at them before she went out the door, but she could feel their eyes on her back the entire time.
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Iwane slipped out of bed and padded quietly to the bathroom. She was once again grateful that the room she'd been given had it's own shower and bathroom, so she didn't have to interact with the Inuzuka family so early in the morning. Actually, she only wanted to avoid Kiba since she didn't want to get into an argument with him.
The other day she had sensed that he wanted to say a lot of things to her but she hadn't given him a chance and she intended to keep it that way. As she exited she almost groaned when she saw who sat on the bed. "Ever heard of knocking?" she demanded.
She was only wearing panties and a tank top shirt, but she didn't let her discomfort show as she slipped on her pants. The canine looking ninja didn't seem too embarrassed with the situation either and only glared at her. "You're a jerk, you know that?" he replied instead. "You broke Hinata-chan's heart." The last part was said with a growl.
The Erizawa female raked an annoyed look over him before turning back to getting ready for the day. "Iie, I saved her from a bigger heartbreak," she simply responded. She turned to face him as he sprang from the bed, but didn't stop him as he grabbed hold of her arm.
"You're gonna apologize to her or I'm going to kick your ass, and I don't care if you're a girl." His eyes had narrowed dangerously as he peered down on her, since he was taller by five inches. Her hand had come to grip a kunai she'd hidden in her towel, since she had sensed a presence while she had been in the shower.
She found that she had no need to use it as the door was pushed open. "Get out, Kiba," a voice told him sharply and Iwane turned to see that it was his older sister, Hana. He glared at her for several more seconds before he released her. "Now." Kiba growled before he turned and stormed out of the room. "Please forgive his behavior, Erizawa-san."
Iwane allowed herself to relax and the hand that had been gripping the kunai came to rest at her side. "It's no big deal," she replied with a grin before she turned around and pulled off her tank top. Along her shoulder blades Hana could see something written in ancient Suna text she couldn't translate, and which had been tattooed into the Sand kunoichi's skin.
The Erizawa slipped on her bra before putting on her armored vest. "He's probably mad because he has a crush on Hinata-chan." Her top shirt, which was the dark green long sleeved shirt she wore under her Chunin vest, was slipped over her head next. "By the way, would you inform Inuzuka-san that I'm going out for training?"
Hana nodded as she faced her once more. Iwane slipped on her black sandals and then tied the Suna hitai-ate around her left bicep. "Ja ne, Hana-san," she replied before forming seals and vanishing from the room. The older kunoichi was lost in thought for several moments before turning and leaving the room as she closed the door behind her.
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Enenra had left Konoha with great haste since he'd stayed longer then he'd intended and he didn't wish Akatsuki to suspect him of being disloyal. His figure was a blur of motion as it moved from tree branch to branch and no sound marked his progress.
As he was about to leave Hi no Kuni he paused and glanced in the direction that would lead to Otogakure. Both Sasuke and Arisa were there, under constant threat and he could do nothing for the moment.
His hand slipped under the cloak and allowed his fingers to trail along the chain he wore around his neck, and the silver ring that hung from it. The child, in her sorrow at leaving Konoha had given him her most priced possession and had sworn to return and visit him with her beloved brother. Shortly after, he'd found out about the tragedy that had befallen the family and that the girl had become an orphan.
If she had been part of Konoha, he would have convinced his father to take her in. However, perhaps it was best that it wasn't so since three years later his whole family had been slaughtered by Orochimaru. Itachi had allowed them all to believe that he was their murderer, and the real Uchiha Itachi had died along with them. He had then become Enenra, Oinin of Konoha.
There were several times over the last five years and a half that he had regretted his decision to leave Konoha in search of revenge. It had destroyed any chance he ever had at happiness or anything that a child his age should have had. He'd been denied joy, a dream, and love. However, if given the chance he would do it all again because in the end, his heart had died a long time ago in a house fire.
Itachi -no, Enenra- let the chain drop back under his shirt and he jumped out of the tree and toward the Akatsuki safe house his partner was staying at. After all, Kisame could only cover for him for so long before his absence was noticed.-
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at-chi e it-te: go away
basan: a large fire-breathing chicken monster (yes, I'm making fun of his hair lol)
ima ika-nakereba: I have to go now
mou osoi dess: It's getting late
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End, Chapter Twenty-four