Pareidolia
Chapter twenty four
Steam and Ashes
"When in danger or in doubt, run in circles, scream and shout."
― Herman Wouk
Four years after Moryo
It had been good to see them all- especially Kurama. He felt completely refueled now, literally. It had taken a long time to cleanse himself of the Sanbi's chakra, to rid himself from that poison, but Uzumaki Naruto finally felt like he could conquer the world again- or burn it down to the ground. The latter was something that part of him still wanted, that urge to consume…
Oh well, that had to wait until he got back to his own time, back to Temari and Tayuya. Right now, he had other things to worry about- teasing an Uchiha, for instance. Uchiha Itachi seemed like a very interesting young shinobi, capable too. Naruto couldn't imagine this man being the butcher of Sasuke's clan. It made him wonder what sort of circumstances Itachi had been in, for him to commit such an atrocity.
Unlike the Uchiha clan, the Hyuga were exactly like they were in his time: stuck-up, arrogant, and conservative to the point that even their cutlery couldn't be taken from the table without the appropriate ceremony. Idiots. Fittingly, Hyuga Hiashi was the biggest idiot of them all. Naruto hadn't forgotten what had happened to the Hinata of his time: how she had been deemed unworthy, how they had sold her to Orochimaru because she wasn't wanted in her clan. No father should do such things. So, he had told Hiashi about the promise he had made to himself: a warning that no Hyuga should take lightly. If Hyuga Hinata was hurt, the clan would suffer. If she ended up being broken like the Hinata he had seen die, the clan would be reduced to ashes. No, not even ashes would be left, he'd burn them to the point where nothing would even be left to remind the world of their existence. In short, the fate of the Hyuga depended on how they treated Hinata.
Of course, Hiashi stubbornly tried to find ways to escape that threat. Naruto wondered why the man still hadn't learned that it was pointless to attempt to attack him. It only caused unnecessary death. And as a father, shouldn't the fair treatment of his daughter be the first priority? The year that Naruto had spent with Tayuya had shown him that: he'd rather chop off his own limbs than allow the little redhead to feel even a modicum of pain.
Similarly, Kushina and Minato didn't allow anything to happen to their Naruto either. Seeing his cheerful and chipper younger self was always a peculiar experience, yet it was the best possible motivation he could get as well. The boy had gained a sister, adopted after a chain of events- a little girl only a little older than the young Naruto. Naruto remembered her… he had seen her die, at Temari's hands.
'How ironic to see them as siblings in this time,' Naruto smirked. The two children stood at the gate with their mother, Kushina, to wave them goodbye. The little Naruto had recovered quite well, considering what his elder self had put him through.
Then again, kidnapping his younger self was only meant to scare the boy enough that he would draw upon Kurama's chakra. That succeeded, allowing the elder Naruto to liberate a fragment of the Bijuu's chakra, resulting in the manifestation of an adorable tiny version of the infamous nine-tailed fox. Seeing the fox being petted by his younger self was a sight Naruto would never forget. He couldn't wait to show his Kurama those memories…
"And remember: don't get too far from the boy," Naruto, his real identity hidden by the eye-less white mask, crouched down next to the one-foot high demon fox.
"Yeah, yeah," the miniature version of Kurama grumbled. "Or the link between my sealed self and this clone-like body is interrupted, and you're not around to create a new one. Pesky meatbag. Just go already. You've already gotten your refill, and you've made fun of me enough as well."
"Sticking close to the kid also gives you the opportunity to get to know him a little. Who knows, we might grow on ya!" Naruto joked, not that the little Naruto understood that joke, but Kurama definitely did.
"When hell freezes over…" Yep, he definitely was still sore over Naruto only giving him such a tiny body. Then again, this was all his younger self could tolerate- he had warned Kurama about that.
"Ku-chan, why are you always such a meany?" little Naruto frowned. "Kaa-chan, is Ku-chan always like this?"
"Pretty much, but don't you think you should say goodbye, Naruto-chan?" Kushina chided the easily-distracted four-year-old. She had taken the children and fox to the gates of Konohagakure so they could say goodbye to their unusual guests.
While Kushina had said her goodbye to her other son earlier that morning, she and Minato had both agreed to keep this hidden from the young Naruto for now. They saw no reason to burden the young Naruto with such confusing knowledge. His innocence and cheerfulness was a thing that was far too valuable, and Naruto wished that the boy could keep it as long as possible.
"Bye-bye Masked-mister, bye-bye Yuya-chan!"
"Train hard and grow strong, little ones," Naruto mussed the hair of both his younger self and Tenten. "And I think you'll need to keep your Nii-chan in control," he chuckled, nodding to Tenten. "Good thing you've got the perfect sensei in Kushina!" If Tenten would become anything like his mother, Naruto knew that his younger self would be kept on a short leash.
Kushina could be pretty darn strict.
"Come on Tou-san, we're late," little Tayuya sighed. "See ya next time, crybaby."
"I'm not a crybaby!"
"You are," Tayuya stuck her tongue out at him before trotting off.
"Be careful in Kiri," Kushina held her son by his arm, before he could follow his adopted daughter. Did that make Kushina a grandmother? He thought it would be best not to inform her of that. If she was even remotely as sensitive about her age as Tsunade was… "Yagura is dangerous," the whispered 'son' afterward was only audible to him.
"I'll manage, somehow," he gently squeezed her hand. "We Uzumaki are too tough to be done in by a little bijuu! See you guys soon!"
He and Tayuya walked down the path, further and further from Konoha, further from his other self, and his parents. Part of him never wanted to leave, wanted to enjoy their company every day, to live the dream he had when he had been a kid himself, a little unwanted orphan. But… that wasn't his place. He had different responsibilities, burdens that only he could bear… and people to return to.
It wasn't easy, but at least he had Jiraiya to help him. If not for him, the whole thing in Suna would've escalated horribly. Gaara's seal obviously needed to be repaired, but the Kazekage, Rasa, was very suspicious of Naruto- to the point where Naruto had nearly ended up fighting the man. It was a good thing Jiraiya had been there to pacify the situation. Gaara's seal ended up being fixed, although it still required regular check-ups to see that it wasn't deteriorating, but at least his sanity was preserved now. Another threat against his younger self was removed, considering how the ordeal had strengthened the relations between Konoha and Suna.
Besides the aid he gave Naruto, Tayuya enjoyed Jiraiya's jokes a lot. The girl had soon started calling him Ero-gama. It was an even better insult than the one that Naruto still used; Ero-sennin hadn't been a name Jiraiya had expected, but 'perverted toad'... Naruto still laughed when recalling the face the man had made when Tayuya first said it. Still, godfather or not, Jiraiya didn't know more than necessary, thinking that Naruto was a survivor of the Uzumaki clan who worked directly for Minato.
Looking at his 'daughter', Naruto was proud to see that she was discomfited.
"Well, I suppose that I have to thank you for at least waiting until we got out of Konoha," Naruto said out loud, after Tayuya had suddenly stopped. It made him proud that the little girl had noticed them; she'd definitely become a great kunoichi one day- although he already knew that, of course. "Then again, you wouldn't have liked it if you had involved the wife and son of the Hokage. It would have forced me to be… unfriendly."
His mother's condition was a thing he regretted immensely. If only he had been a minute earlier, then she wouldn't have suffered that fate- but completely suppressing her chakra had been the only way to stop her from dying of chakra deprivation. While he had ended her career as a kunoichi, and rendered her even more helpless than the average civilian, at least she had lived.
That wasn't what he could say of the idiot Hyuga who had 'ambushed' him.
"Tou-san, who are these white-eyed idiots? Are they trying to pick a fight with you?"
"They are, Yuya-chan, so stay out of it," Naruto chuckled. He made a mental note to teach her about the various dojutsu in the world. Not recognizing a Hyuga was… well, he was responsible for teaching her, so it was his own mistake. "After all, these spineless bastards seem to specialize in tormenting little girls. Anything older than that would be beyond their meager level of skill. Such heroism."
"You arrogant-" one of the eleven Hyuga assassins made the mistake of falling for the taunt. The break in his concentration, if only for a second, proved to be fatal. Rage was a horrible advisor.
"One down, ten to go," Naruto wiped a drop of blood from his white mask. The fallen Hyuga had been slain in one mighty punch, one which seemingly broke every bone in the man's face. It was good to have full reserves again. "Seriously, I told Hiashi what would happen if you guys keep screwing around with those seals. I won't let your clan slander the art of fuinjutsu any longer. But if I had to name one thing that pissed me off, I'd point at the treatment your clan's heiress was getting. Good thing that at least has improved, or I would not have waited for you idiots to take the initiative."
The ten glared at him, guarded after his display of raw strength, though they still managed to somehow uphold the typical coldness befitting their Hyuga reputation. The fools, in spite of their so-called all-seeing eyes, still had no idea who they were messing with.
Naruto sighed. "So be it. A few years ago I warned Hiashi that I'd tear his clan down if he didn't change his policies, but apparently the guy is even dumber than he looked. Perhaps nine more deaths would be enough to get message across. So, which of you ten idiots desires to be the unlucky one to survive and bring Hiashi the message?"
"Unlucky?"
Their byakugan registered the sudden shift in the man's chakra, but it was already too late for them to run. "Yeah, the unlucky one to survive will lose his ability to function as a shinobi," the predatory laughter chilled them. This wasn't what they had signed up for. This wasn't what eleven chunin-level shinobi were cut out for. These levels of chakra… not even eleven jonin would have sufficed. "The lucky ones don't have to suffer for the rest of their miserable lives."
Naruto took off his mask, revealing his eyes. Kurama having restored his chakra reserves had finally given him his eyes back. It would be the last thing any of these morons would see. The one who didn't die would not keep his eyes. Did they really think that stupid seal wouldn't be burned away first? No, those eyes would make good bargaining chip to use when introducing himself to the Kiri rebels.
Tayuya backed off, wisely letting her father deal with the enemies.
It was a top-secret mission, one which only she could do. The council sent her, alone, the hero of the sand. Carrying the message of her superiors, she walked through a mist-filled gorge. Her pupil-less eyes could distinguish only a little in the fog, yet she felt oddly relaxed. She wasn't in hostile territory anymore. This treaty would be a huge victory for Suna, and it would be a boon to Kirigakure just as well. Considering Suna's existing ties with Konoha, the alliance with Kiri would create a good chance for them to form a coalition which would surpass the power of Iwa and Kumo- especially after Konoha's Hokage had decimated Iwa's forces to such an extent.
She was a tall woman, proud and often hailed for her beauty, but even more renowned for her skill in battle. Her green hair was tied in a bun on top of her head, with a hair needle stuck through it. Strands of hair, one long and one short, with orange tips, framed her face. In spite of the different climate, she still wore her usual sleeveless, backless top and short tight pants, with two lapels on the front and the back. With an obi around her waist, purple arm-warmers extending all the way up to her shoulders, and bandages around her tights and ankles, she seemed rather out of place here- And she was.
Shakuton no Pakura (Pakura of the Scorch Release) was a hero of Sunagakure, distinguished by her feats in the conflict with Iwa. Yet now she was walking in Kirigakure's turf, delivering a message from her Kazekage, Rasa, to Yagura, the Mizukage. The message was important enough to make someone like her a simple envoy. Then again, if any of the other nations caught wind of this treaty… but that was the reason behind all secrecy.
"Shakuton no Pakura," a voice caught her attention. Male, late twenties or early thirties by the sound of it. "We've come to welcome you," indeed, a man stepped through the strands of mist. An idle part of her mind wondered why she felt so calm. She hadn't noticed the man approach, yet she felt unbothered by it. "It is an honor to meet you," wide-armed, signifying that he meant her no harm, the man kept walking towards her. His smile seemed… fake? "This mist shrouds us, so we thought you would need someone to lead the way."
"Thank you very much," she said curtly. "But there is no way I would get lost going through this valley." This had been the route which the Kazekage and Mizukage had agreed to use.
"Very true," he laughed- still fake, yet still she felt no urge to be on her guard. "Well, please proceed."
"Fine," she nodded, and walked on. The part of her brain which was still clear tried to warn her, but the kunai came first. The man whom she had just passed held it, his fake smile replaced by a predatory grin.
"W-What are you doing?!" This couldn't be! The treaty was more in Kiri's favor than it was in Suna's, why would they betray her?
"Feel the pain felt by our comrades who were killed by your village," he hissed. He leapt back, just in time to evade a barrage of kunai thrown by his allies.
Suddenly she was surrounded, with kunai coming from everywhere. There was no escape. This trap… was prepared too perfectly. Why would they have spent months negotiating, only for them to… 'Is that why Rasa-sama was acting even stiffer than usual?'
A few months had passed since they had left Konoha. Tayuya was still back at the camp, while he had joined two rebel squads to see what all the fuss was about. Terumi Mei, leader of the rebels, had been very wary of him at first, even tried to attack him. That corrosive mist thing had really hurt like hell, even he had to admit that. But he had persisted, shrugging off her attacks until he had her ripe for the taking- except, he allowed her to live.
It was a courtesy he had not extended to the blundering fool who had attempted to use Tayuya as a hostage.
The absence of ill will, his unusual power, and on top of it all his gift, two intact byakugan, had convinced the leaders of the rebellion. Of course, the people of Kiri were rather stubborn, hence the annoying attempt to use Tayuya against him. None of their attempts really amounted to anything. Kurama had given him plenty of chakra to last for another year or so, even when fighting regularly. His inability to efficiently absorb and generate chakra was a big nuisance, making him rather cranky when he had to waste chakra on fools.
The old Naruto might have tried to talk them out of it, but the current one… well, he eliminated the threat in a way that wasted as little chakra as necessary. If talking helped, good, but if it didn't- there was no shortage of fanatics- then it was easier to just do as they wished. A few decapitations had ended their futile desire to eliminate the 'foreigners'. Sometimes a violent response did offer a chance to end further hostility; or, as Mei had spoken, "Gentle medics made festering wounds." Naruto saw the wisdom of that when he recalled the problems that Sarutobi Hiruzen created. By being too gentle, too understanding, one allowed the enemy to amass power and strike when he was ready. Still, it was ironic how part of the rebel forces were just as paranoid as Yagura himself, yet proclaimed that they were better.
'Oh well, at least Mei has a functioning brain. I do wonder what weird kind of problem she has with her hearing, though…'
Looking down at their enemies, the rebel squads looked at their leader, Ao. Or 'Byakugan no Ao', as he was called now. Having lost an eye shortly before Naruto arrived, the jonin had been the first to receive one of the byakugan Naruto brought along. Hidden and protected by seals, they had put some effort into being subtle. Subtlety was thrown out of the window when rumors spread through their forces of how Ao had singlehandedly defeated a Hyuga in close combat, even managing to steal his opponent's eyes. It was a blatant lie, one which Mei had chewed Ao out for, mishearing his report and thinking that he was boasting about it.
Naruto grounded Tayuya when he found out she had been the one to spread the word. He liked pranks, but Tayuya still had to learn that her pranks had consequences. Naruto was the first to admit that she had the absolute worst example in him, though. In being rash and impulsive, the father and daughter might not be related by blood, but definitely shared much in terms of behavior.
"Ao-taicho?" the voice drew Naruto's attention back to the situation at hand. "That is the envoy. Should we engage?"
"Negative," Ao didn't look at the jonin who asked the question, Naruto knew that he was focusing his attention on his byakugan. "That mist isn't natural."
"No, Taicho. There is chakra weaved through it."
"I see," Ao nodded. "A very subtle genjutsu. I barely noticed it at first, but for her lack of response being peculiar."
"The loyalists… are attacking the envoy?"
"It seems that is the case."
"Should we engage?"
"Why? We are outnumbered."
"So you just let her die?" Naruto growled.
"She's from Sunagakure, an enemy."
Ao did not see Naruto's glare, not while the Uzumaki was wearing his usual eye hole-less white mask, to know that he was disapproving. None of the rebels ever really found an explanation as to why the temperature around him always fluctuated. No known kekkei genkai even remotely resembled the power which Naruto possessed. Of course, they didn't know him as 'Naruto', as it was a name that could potentially be linked to his younger self. No, they knew 'Genkuro'.
"You said she was an envoy from Suna. If the loyalists attack her, it means she can be of value to us," with clenched jaws Naruto stopped himself from lashing out in anger. These rebels… at times like these, Naruto wondered why he aided them. Honor might be a naïve notion, yet Naruto was a romantic at heart. He wished to be the 'good guy', a remnant of his old self, even if his memories told him differently- that he had done too many things, enough to be a hypocrite if he called himself good.
Not waiting for the other rebels to move, Naruto took the initiative. Suna's envoy was stabbed in the back with a cowardice that made Naruto's blood boil- probably literally. The barrage of kunai flying at the cornered woman was aimed flawlessly, but Naruto hadn't been sleeping during these last four years. Visiting the Fire Temple had been high on his agenda, especially now that his power had been reduced due to Moryo's actions. There were questions to be asked, techniques to be learned, and meditation to be done. Not all the answers could be found in the confusing maze of memories that he held within his mind. Some things had to be taught the old fashioned way. That did not imply that his memories weren't valuable, but unfortunately it would take years to reorganize all of them.
Regardless, Naruto still had fond memories of seeing how surprised Chiriku had been when this random stranger had dropped by. But he wasn't half as surprised then as he would be a good two months later, when Naruto had managed to master their techniques.
"Raigo: Senjusatsu (Welcoming Approach: Thousand-Armed Murder)." It was the monk's ultimate technique, one which Naruto preferred not to use when it wasn't necessary. But defense was needed, while the number of enemies required a thousand arms to deal with.
Chiriku had summoned- created- a construct of chakra that was peaceful and calm, to defend him from harm and, when he willed it, to angrily strike down any opponent. Naruto was different. Every chakra-based construct which he had created previously had been different from what the monks did, and the Senjusatsu was no exception: this was a being of flames, not calm but churning like the bottomless ocean. It was not peaceful, but vengeful like the burning hells.
The poor envoy would likely not escape without at least a few burns, but it was nothing Naruto couldn't fix. Besides, a little scorching was better than being turned into a porcupine from all the kunai stuck into your body. She would have to be satisfied with the fact that he chose the lesser of two evils.
Shouts were heard, and the Kiri loyalists stirred: too little, too late. Naruto did not summon the Senjusatsu idly, nor would he waste chakra by sustaining it for too long. Memories of the past had shown him that combat should be resolved swiftly and decisively, lest you give your enemies time to create more havoc.
The arms weren't solid, but they didn't need to be. A thousand arms spread through the gorge, leaving no place for the ambushing loyalists to hide, effectively turning their trap against them. Each Kiri nin touched by an arm died in flames.
The last one standing was the man who had 'welcomed' Suna's envoy, and subsequently stabbed the woman in her back. Unsurprisingly, the man was a sniveling mess, demanding, begging, to know who he was and if he could please spare him.
"Terumi Mei says hello," Naruto's voice remained cold. He disliked murder. There was a distinction between killing people in combat, and executing an already-defeated enemy. This case was the latter, and it felt like murder, a crime- a necessary crime, though.
With a deep sigh, Naruto released the chakra. The enormous Buddha dissolved, having done its duty of ugly necessity. Moments after, Ao landed, visibly displeased, which didn't surprise Naruto much, considering how the man had just seen that he been holding back on them before now. Well, in truth Naruto hadn't seen the need to use such power in any of the previous skirmishes.
"My men are looking for survivors," the only non-Hyuga who wielded a byakugan announced. "That was reckless."
"It was necessity."
"Nonsense," Ao retorted. "You should've left her to die. That was probably why Suna sent her here, all alone, in the first place!"
"I don't care, Ao. Now piss off," Naruto growled. "I'll heal her before I return to camp. If any of Yagura's minions pop up after you leave, I'll make sure they're either disposed of or unable to follow my tracks."
"As you wish," Ao scowled. "But I will mention this in my report, Genkuro-san."
"Of course you will," Naruto said dismissively. Ao was too precise. Naruto never had much tolerance for nitpickers, especially the bossy type of nitpickers like Ao. "And Terumi Mei will remember that I help the rebels because I chose to do so."
Ao was a lot, but was no fool. He left. He was loyal to a cause, and Naruto was needed for that cause. Antagonizing the man was counterproductive.
Walking toward the green-haired woman, the injured envoy was sitting on the ground, Naruto was surprised to notice that he hadn't even burnt her. "Now that's a new one… I thought I had to heal your burns," Naruto frowned behind his mask. "There's still that gash on your back, though. Please sit-"
'Still' was what he wanted to say. Technically she did such, even though she attacked him. Bright orbs of yellow and orange fire scorched right through him. Seemingly autonomous, the orbs followed when he evaded, even though the Suna envoy seemed motionless. Yet, Naruto saw no one else. The three orbs converged, its combined mass far greater than the individual three ever were, and crashed down.
The resulting explosion… could have been massive. If the jutsu was used on someone other than Naruto. For the first time since he had interfered, the envoy moved. Her face, grimacing when she moved, as her back hurt like hell, she turned to him with confusion showing in her eye. Then again, Naruto was performing some kind of weird 'ouch-I-burned-my-hand' dance which would have made even the most stoic Aburame frown in confusion.
"You're… unharmed?"
"No, I'm not," Naruto snapped at her. "My hand is burned, dammit! Fuck, that hasn't happened to me since I fell in that volcano."
"You fell into a volcano."
"What's with that deadpan expression?" the masked Uzumaki exclaimed indignantly. "That piece-of-shit demon threw me in it, and it burned like hell!"
"That's what lava does…"
"Yeah yeah, I know, Miss Smartass," he grumbled. "Now, stop moving. And quit attacking me. That wound on your back needs to be healed, so stop moving around or you'll bleed to death."
"What does it matter," she turned away from him, her expression saddened.
"Everything." He ignored the groan that left her lips when he pulled the kunai out of her back, using one hand to keep her firmly in place. Dropping the bloody kunai, his remaining hand was cloaked in the warmth he previously used instinctively. Having spent a few months with the monks again, he had learned a thing or two about healing. "As long as there is life, there is hope."
"You heard your friend. My life is forfeit. My village sent me to die."
"Is that all it takes for you to give up?" Naruto sighed. "I thought shinobi like you would be more used to treason by now. I forgot the content of the bingo book they gave me, but considering the neat fireworks earlier, I'd at least say you are a jonin. Pretty good one too. No chunin should have such skill. Then again, people with kekkei genkai can do weird things too. I remember that guy with the ice thingy, who did… I'm rambling, aren't I?"
"Yes…"
"Ao said your name was Pakura, right?"
"Correct."
"So, Pakura-san, how's your back?"
"It doesn't hurt. The anesthetic seems to work well."
"Aneswhat? Oh, yeah that thing that medic use before… damn, forgot," Naruto smacked himself against his foreh… foremask. "Anyway, it seems pretty much done. Your muscles might be a bit sore first, though."
"You're… my back is healed? That kunai…"
"Yeah, it stuck deeply. And you lost quite a bit of blood too. I bet you're pretty darn tired now."
"…"
"What? You don't believe me?" A redundant question, considering the expression he saw on her face. Distrust was the least insulting word to describe it.
"Who are you?"
"I'm surprised you didn't ask me 'what' I am," Naruto chuckled, amused by her attitude. Stretching carefully, the woman discovered (though still refused to believe) that her back was healed. The darn thing had punctured a lung, but otherwise the kunai hadn't hit anything Naruto couldn't heal. Had any of her organs been bust, the situation would've been more complex.
"Hmm, well, before I answer that, I gotta ask you what you're planning to do," Naruto continued. "The rebel forces have already retreated, and I'm sure that Yagura will send one of his goons to this place soon. Are you planning to wait for them, do you want to return to Suna, or do you want to join me?"
"Join you?" her pupil-less brown eyes narrowed, as if she hadn't been looking at him with enough suspicion already.
"Yep. I saved your ass, so you owe me," Naruto joked. Bad decision, because this woman was too serious for her own good. "Let me rephrase that: the rebels always need competent shinobi to aid their cause. And so do I!"
"Cause?"
"Err… yeah, there's a rebellion within Kiri. Yagura, the Yondaime Mizukage, is trying to purge the lands of all people who carry a kekkei genkai within them. The rebels rebel against that. Obviously. I mean, it is obvious that rebels rebel, they wouldn't be rebels if they weren't rebellious, and-"
The woman put up her hands, weary of his distracting banter. For someone who just warned that Mizu's forces would likely soon arrive here, he was far too relaxed. "I know what the rebels want. But the way you talked, you seemed to suggest that you had a cause too."
"Ah, yes. That would be the death of Yagura," Naruto dropped the cheerful act. "His existence is a threat to many things. But again, I won't tell you unless I know what you want."
"I spent my entire life for the sake of my village… only for them to discard me like a rusted kunai. I knew that my Kazekage was acting strangely. I knew it was peculiar for me to be assigned this mission all by myself, but… I never thought they'd… not this."
"Betrayal is an ugly thing," Naruto nodded. "Do you wish to remain loyal to them?"
"I… I don't know."
"That would limit your options to two things: complete your mission, and go to Kirigakure. Considering your earlier 'welcome', I don't know if you'd survive that, Pakura-san. The alternative is failing your mission and returning to Sunagekure."
She cringed. Failure. She knew that aborting a mission that was as crucial as hers was… but why was her mission crucial? Her death would placate Kirigakure, serving as atonement for Suna's past transgressions. With her life, Suna hoped to buy a peace with the rival hidden village, so that it could focus its attention on the situation at Iwa's borders.
"If I continue, I die. If I return, I die." It was a harsh conclusion, yet an inevitable one. "Why would you even want me to join you?"
"Why wouldn't I? You're competent enough to look after yourself. And my Tayuya-chan would benefit from having a mother."
Pakura choked.
"WHAT?!"
"Well, I'm not really the best possible parent," Naruto admitted sheepishly, completely missing the true reason behind her exasperated response. "I mean, I took her to the Fire Temple for a while, so she could get some proper education. And Mei took a liking to her as well, teaching her a thing or two about chakra control whenever she has the time. But apart from her… well, I'm kinda a mess myself. Tayuya-chan needs a proper role model, and Mei has a bad habit of threatening people that I'd rather not see in my little girl. No, she needs someone other than me to bond with, someone who isn't bound to her duty the way Mei is."
When Naruto focused his attention, which had drifted off when he was thinking about Tayuya's education, back to the woman in front of him, he was surprised to see three deathly orbs of steaming heat.
"Filthy pervert!"
"Eh?" he held his hand up, blocking the orbs that aimed to harm him. The ratio was horrible, barely sufficient to keep his reserves fueled, yet still he was able to absorb anything heat-based. He had theories, but he did not know exactly why, still: the only chakra he could integrate as efficiently as before Moryo had cast him back in time was Kurama's.
"You rescued me to become a mother to your child?" she hissed, lunging at him with a kunai. Only now did Naruto realize how she interpreted his words, how badly he had worded it. Filled with righteous female fury, her kunai lashed toward him. He sidestepped, but in his carelessness he missed the follow-up punch. His mask absorbed most of the hit, but it didn't survive the impact. The result… well, Pakura gasped.
"And that's why I wear a mask," Naruto was a little irritable about the matter of his looks. The encounter with Yagura had left his face scarred. He considered destroying and reforming his body, but that was a waste of chakra. And annoyed after getting such a tiny body, Kurama had refused to share enough of his chakra for such superficial reasons, forcing Naruto to stick with it.
Staring at the empty eye sockets, Pakura had but one question. "What happened to you?"
"My eyes exploded," Naruto shrugged, as if it was a regular occurrence. If not for the scars, Pakura wouldn't have believed him.
"So… you're blind. Yet what you did to save me was…"
"Oh, I do have eyes," Naruto put some energy into it, manifesting the churning flames in his eye sockets. "See?"
"…"
"I know, it's weird. I'll explain later. So, can you make a decision on where to go?"
"The decision isn't mine," Pakura scowled. "It shouldn't be mine."
"You can die by their terms, or live by your own. But, as far as they care, you could just as well have perished here today. Besides, there are two governments in this land right now. The latter might give you some leeway in your choices."
"So he interfered during the exchange, after Yagura's men turned on the envoy?"
"Yes, Terumi-sama."
"Ao, cut out that formal crap," Mei glared at the man. The man gulped, knowing far too well how unpredictable the woman was, which combined badly with the danger she posed with her two kekkei genkai.
"As you command, Terumi-san."
"Argh, get out. Go bother the troops or whatever."
A giggle resounded from the back of the tent, revealing a six-year-old girl with pinkish red hair. The girl stuck her tongue out at Ao, who ignored it, mostly. The exasperated sigh from the man when he left the tent made both the girl and the woman laugh.
"Tou-san was doing weird shit again?"
"A woman shouldn't talk like that, Tayuya-chan."
"Good thing I'm not a woman yet," the girl smirked. "He'll be here soon."
"How do you know?" the auburn-haired woman wondered. The girl seemed to have a sixth sense regarding the man's whereabouts. And… well, Tayuya wasn't the best person to keep secrets. Not that she blurted them out, but the awkward silence that fell whenever Mei touched a subject she couldn't talk about was telling enough. Ao's report only added to the speculation that the man known as Genkuro hid a fair share of secrets. In her position, Mei found those secrets rather dangerous.
"Because Tou-san promised we'd eat ramen tonight," Tayuya beamed. A promise involving ramen was always kept, even if it meant going through solid walls. Tayuya would never forget the terrified look of the ramen chef after her father had burst through that wall!
"Did somebody say 'ramen'?"
Mei facepalmed. Of course he just happened to arrive at that specific moment. She even had the growing suspicion that he had waited until the word was mentioned before coming in. As usual, he completely ignored her guards, though they were smart enough not to try and attack him. He had once told her that he was used to jumping into his leader's office like this, a habit he had no intention of changing. Just to be sure, she put her hand up, signaling her guard that it was okay.
"Genkuro-san."
"Terumi-san." The chuckle that accompanied those words revealed he had been listening. Before she could retort, however, a second arrival showed herself. "Tadaaa!" Like a cheap magician he waved both hands at the woman, as if he had just pulled a rabbit out of a hat.
"Who… the envoy," Mei sighed tiredly. "Of course it is the envoy."
"Yep," Naruto sniggered. "I'm-"
"TOU-SAN!" Naruto was cut off by a dropkick.
"I see you've been practicing taijutsu today," Naruto plucked the little girl from the air, before her feet could connect to his face. "Or you've been drinking coffee again. You know what I said about coffee, the last time you went on a rampage."
Rolling her eyes, ignoring the banter, the envoy stepped forward. "Terumi Mei, it is an honor to meet you."
"Shakuton no Pakura, it is an unexpected pleasure," Mei returned the courtesy and bowed just as deeply. "What brings you to the headquarters of our rebellion? Aside from the fact that someone was irresponsible enough to lead an outsider to this place, a place which was supposed to remain a closely guarded secret."
The sheepish smile on Naruto's scarred face showed that he at least had the decency to feel embarrassed, not that she expected him to feel any remorse. He just did whatever came to mind, seemingly without any form of planning. Yet the unpredictable man had an agenda of his own, a hidden agenda, so Mei could still not say she truly knew his goals.
"Genkuro-san was kind enough to lead me to you," Pakura stoically ignored Mei's jab, knowing its target. "My original purpose was to deliver a message to Kirigakure. Kiri, however, ended up betraying me." She left out the strong suspicion that it had been Sunagakure that had figuratively stabbed her in the back, leaving it to Kiri to plant the literal dagger.
"So, I led her here," 'Genkuro' stopped fooling around. "The rebels can use a little help, can't they? And Pakura is an official diplomat right now, even carrying her Daimyo's seal and all, so… that should be beneficial, right?"
"My village sought an alliance with Kirigakure no Sato, yet by assaulting the official envoy, Kiri broke that agreement," Pakura didn't show it, but she was impressed by Naruto's on-the-fly scheme. He was correct, she was indeed the official emissary, so she could ignore any underhanded agreement between Suna and Yagura's government, and instead side with the rebels. By proxy, that would imply that Suna sided with the rebels.
Of course, Suna wouldn't be pleased. Thus, Pakura was planning to send her hitai-ate along with her final letter, a letter which would hopefully be an agreement between her and the Godaime Mizukage, Terumi Mei. Of course, if she, as envoy, recognized the rebels as the rightful rulers of Kirigakure, then it was within her mandate to do everything within her power to aid the 'ally of Sunagakure'. The elders and the Kazekage wouldn't like it one bit, especially not when the Godaime Mizukage just happened to have some dirty secrets on Suna which she could use in her favor… yes, this would be a final insult before Pakura turned her back on the village that sold her out.
Having explained the situation to Mei, she was surprised when the woman immediately looked at Naruto. "This was one of your schemes." No question, no accusation, just a conclusion.
"Yep."
"Very well, then I accept your aid, Pakura-san. Although it is both for your safety and that of the rebel forces that you do not fall under my command. We cannot risk this situation leading to Suna aiding Yagura before we take control of the nation."
"That's where the pretending-to-have-died part comes in," Naruto supplied. "If those backstabbers in Suna knew about this, they'd take a more active stance to avoid giving Yagura the impression that Suna broke the armistice."
"I understand," Pakura bowed. Whether it was to Mei or Naruto, she couldn't say. He was very unusual, but there was something about him, something strange… something compelling.
"Why is she here?"
"Now, now, don't be rude Tayuya-chan."
"But Tou-san-"
"I gave my word." Only four words, yet it stopped Tayuya from continuing to whine. She knew darn well how much her father valued his promises- far more than her biological father had ever done, that's for sure. Regardless, that didn't change the fact that she didn't like this situation.
So, she huffed and stomped out of the tent which the two of them shared. It was big enough to accommodate thrice their number, but Naruto and Tayuya had been given a separate tent, as they were technically apart from the rebel forces, just like Pakura. Considering how she had been brought in by Naruto, Mei had assigned her to Naruto as well.
"Don't take it personally, Tayuya-chan just… well, she has a certain distrust when it comes to women. It took several weeks before she accepted Mei, and that's only because she thinks that Mei is funny. The hearing thing, you know." He saw Pakura's slightly questioning look. "You'll see it in due time. Especially when Ao is around. Poor guy…"
Rummaging through a chest filled with clothes and other stuff, Naruto finally found what he was looking for. "Much better, right?" he chuckled, turning towards Pakura. He made a mental note of keeping a spare mask with him in cases such as these.
"Why the masquerade?"
"Why not? It's fun to keep people guessing about your identity," Naruto shrugged. "Besides, my scars aren't exactly a pretty sight. Tayuya-chan isn't bothered by them anymore, but many others are. Shinobi are surprisingly squeamish, in spite of their usual bravado."
"She really seems to love you," Pakura smiled wryly. Thoughts of her apprentice, Maki, came to mind. Had Sunagakure already declared her dead? Probably. Maki would be devastated, no doubt. But there was little that Pakura could do about that right now. As long as people thought she was dead, no one would come looking for her, thus no one would be able to prevent her from completing her mission in the way she wanted it to be completed. If Suna wanted an alliance with Kiri, they could get one, just not with Yagura's 'Bloody Mist', and most definitely not with terms that were favorable to Sunagakure. Pakura would make sure that the Kazekage and his council would bleed for how they had thrown her away.
"Tayuya-chan? Well, yeah, she does. Without me she would have… let's just say that I changed her life for the better, and she knows it."
"Changed?" Pakura frowned.
"I'm not her actual father, I'm afraid. Adopted. She's the daughter of a ringleader of a band of thugs. Her life before I took her along wasn't very pretty. That's why she'll have a hard time warming up to you. Get it? Warming up?" he chuckled. Her deadpan expression stopped him, making him rub the back of his head in embarrassment. "I know. I'm the last person who should utter such a lame fire-joke."
"You said you'd explain," Pakura had refrained from asking the question that controlled her thoughts thus far. But, she did desire answers. "Who and what you are. You said you'd explain if I sided with you."
"I did… hm," he scratched his mask, the area that covered his chin. "You're perceptive enough to know that 'Genkuro' is just a cover. It's necessary to hide my identity, so that I won't risk the safety of those close to me, and all that jazz. You know the drill: powerful people always attract unwanted attention."
Pakura nodded. She knew that better than most. The fact that her clan, her bloodline, had been decimated due to the fear people held for the Shakuton kekkei genkai was proof enough to support his claim. "So you have a kekkei genkai?"
"Me? Neh, not really. I am… what would be the best word to describe it?" he mumbled pensively. He took a seat on one of the two chairs within the tent- the place where he and Tayuya usually dined. "I am an anomaly."
Gone was the playful and goofy attitude. Pakura had seen that switch a few times now. There was a huge gap between the Genkuro who frolicked around, and the Genkuro who was a seasoned warrior.
"Bijuu affect their jinchuriki in strange ways. Their chakra leaks through the seal which imprisons them, infecting the human being that acts as both prison and warden. I… you can see me as a result of that effect. I am no jinchuriki, yet hold much of its chakra and the subsequent differences." It wasn't the complete story, obviously, but it wasn't truly wrong either. The time travel, his battle with Moryo, his first death at Gaara's hands, his father's seal which had split the Kyuubi in two, banishing half to the realm of the Shinigami while the other half was sealed in Naruto, those things had to be left out for obvious reasons.
"Are you an experiment?"
"I am an exception." Naruto didn't want to see himself as an experiment. That hadn't been the intent of his father, the one who created the seal which held Kurama, nor had it been Kurama's desire to cause all this. The fact that this time's Kurama had undergone such radical changes only emphasized that the fox never wanted what had happened in his own time.
"So your eyes, your resistance to fire, they're all the result of you being exposed to a bijuu's chakra?"
"Pretty much. Oh, and that thing with my eyes exploding happened because I tried to absorb some of Yagura's chakra. The Sanbi and I didn't really connect all that well, which destabilized my chakra, effectively poisoning me. Oh well, apart from a few ugly scars, I haven't really suffered any long-term disadvantages from it. Although I did scare Tayuya-chan quite a bit," Naruto sighed. "It was only shortly after we met when that incident happened. She was terrified that I'd die."
Pakura didn't really know what to say, her mind overflowing with all the revelations of the day, and Naruto was reminiscing the time when Tayuya was fussing about him. While his desire to return to his own time was as strong as ever, part of him wanted to delay it. Minato was exploring theories surrounding the Shinigami, to see if it could possibly offer a way for Naruto to go home. Likewise, Jiraiya was searching for a dojutsu that was rumored to transcend the limitations of the mortal world, a dojutsu thought to be extinct. Yet, Jiraiya had seen it in a boy he once trained. Regardless, Naruto hoped that he didn't have to make the choice until this time's Tayuya was a bit older.
He couldn't bear the idea of abandoning his little girl before she grew up to an age where she would be able to understand his plight.
"There is an organization which is dedicated to capturing the bijuu, all nine of them, for unknown purposes," Naruto revealed. "I work to halt them; that is why I went to Yagura. The only problem is, and I'd prefer you keep this a secret, even from the rebels; the problem is that the Sanbi took control of the Mizukage. There is no Yagura anymore, just a façade behind which the Sanbi hides."
"What?!"
"With the seal compromised, and the Sanbi practically freed, it would be easy for Akatsuki to extract and seal it away. But rather than ally himself with those who oppose Akatsuki, the Sanbi became a liability the moment he decided that Akatsuki was not a real threat to his existence. Short-term views, and that stuff. Anyway, I cannot risk the safety of the entire world for that. As such, I aim to kill Yagura, to kill the Sanbi. That'll buy more time, as it'll take years for the Sanbi to reform."
"And without the Sanbi, this 'Akatsuki' can't continue its plans."
"Exactly. Stabilizing this nation and putting a government with a friendlier disposition towards us is a beneficial side effect. Of course, Rasa knows about the threat, friends of mine helped with stabilizing his son's seal. Unfortunately, neither he nor the rest of Suna's council believe that Yagura is compromised, or else we wouldn't have had this conversation."
"Who is 'we', who are your friends?" Pakura spoke up after what had been at least a minute, mincing his words. "How much of this is orchestrated by you?"
"I'm not a strategist," Naruto laughed cheerfully. "Never have been, and probably never will be. But I can see opportunities when they pass by. In the end, everything I do is aimed at stopping Akatsuki."
"How does Tayuya fit in that picture?"
"Whether by blood or not, she's my daughter," Naruto evaded the question. Telling Pakura that he was from the future, that he was in love with the future version of Tayuya, was… weird. "Give her some time. She'll accept you eventually. She's always been slow to trust women."
"Why?"
"Why? Well, her actual father never treated her well, so her mother was the only one she really had an attachment to. But that same mother barely even bothered to stand up for her when the father tried to sell her. Nor was she willing to follow her daughter, even though I offered to take her along as well. Sadly, it seemed that that woman did not know any better than to just blindly obey her husband," Pakura was confused as to why the temperature within the tent suddenly dropped. As if all the warmth was drained from the air. "The one person Tayuya held any faith in, before she met me, went and betrayed her. That betrayal left deep scars in her soul. As I said, her father never showed her much love anyway, but her mother… I suppose dealing with her issues with grown women is a matter for later. For now, you should rest. It's been a rough day for you."
She couldn't disagree. Betrayed, sold out, sent to die, Pakura's entire world had been destroyed. Thinking about that, realizing how much the way Suna's betrayal hurt her, Pakura could barely realize how such an event would affect a little girl like Tayuya.
'Is that… could it be that this is the reason why he rescued me? After all, if his goal is to stop Akatsuki, my demise would have been irrelevant to him.'
It had taken a while for him to find his daughter, and after some coercion, she had given in. Returning her to the tent, where Pakura stared at them from the bed she was resting in, Tayuya had merely scowled. "That's our tent," she had said to him. She didn't like sharing her father's attention with someone else.
'And yet it has to be done. If Tou-san or Ero-sennin find a way, I need to have contingencies in place for my little girl,' Naruto sighed. He took a place outside the tent, in front of a camp fire. Pakura took this the wrong way, fretting over her taking his bed and all, but he just waved it off. He didn't need nearly as much sleep as regular humans did. Besides, he needed time to meditate, to sort out the amazing mess that his memories had become upon his revival. That's what he did, every night, seven nights a week, fifty-two weeks a year. And it likely would take him several more years until he could finish this process.
Closing his eyes, calming his senses, shutting out the world around him, Naruto turned his attention inward.
Opening his eyes, Naruto found himself in the usual place. It was the same vast hall as always, weakly lit by the gentle light that shone from the countless mirrors that stood within it, the representation of his mind and memories. Unlike before, when it had been a disorderly mess, the mirrors now stood in a semi-orderly fashion. It had been quite an undertaking, as the mirrors had been scrambled by the unfortunate aftermath of his battle against Moryo, and Naruto had spent years to organize his mind. It made it easier to recall things, as well as making it easier to store new memories. A strong foundation was needed in order to build further.
Turning towards the door that connected the vast hall to the doorway that led to the other halls, Naruto saw a familiar figure. A little boy, his body entirely composed of flames, was waiting in the hallway. He couldn't enter this hall, as it wasn't his, so whenever Naruto wasn't around he had to wait in the dreary sewer-like hallway.
"Hello, Genkuro. Ready for tonight's explorations? Whose hall shall we enter today? Hashirama's? Asura's? Or do you want to continue where we left off last night, with whatshisname from the Kaguya clan?"
Author's notes:
I originally wanted to switch between past and present with each chapter, but the thing with Pakura got a little longer than anticipated. Pakura using the rights that she has in the context of her diplomatic mission in order to side with Mei's rebellion was something which, I have to admit, came to mind while writing the chapter. Usually I plan such things ahead, but… oh well. Sometimes chapters just seem to write themselves, not caring about any plan which a lowly writer such as me has beforehand.
At least Genkuro's appearance made a nice cliffhanger, so I can't complain. And, there are more halls than just one? Yeah, that definitely deserves its own chapter…
I did ask you once 'where do Genkuro's memories go', although in hindsight it might've been better to ask 'where has Genkuro's essence gone'. Heh. He's still around, yes, but… well, you'll see next chapter. I admit I feel amused by the dichotomy that can be seen in the reviews: in the past people kept urging me to 'bring back Naruto', and now that he's back I hear 'bring back Genkuro'. Ironically, I chose both options. And no, I do not need to thank Jack Daniels for aiding me in the creation of this weird-ass plot… Nor am I on drugs, to answer another question. I might be Dutch, but not all of us are junkies!
Jokes aside, I'm grateful for all of your support, I really am. Not only for Illuminated's hard work, but also for everyone else supports me in this endeavor. I'm glad that this story hasn't lost as many readers as I feared it had! I know, this matters little to you, but my life has been busy, with some of its current aspects being difficult and time-consuming to deal with, so I really considered putting this story on hiatus. But then the previous chapter suddenly became the most-reviewed chapter I ever published… talk about getting a reason to keep on going!
-Z-
Edit: once again Fuyuriku managed to eliminate several mistakes. Thank you!