A/N: i'm gonna keep this short, as there's two chap updates :D
Thank you my lovely reviewers and those waiting for an update, sorry for taking so long i felt like wrestling a kraken with this 'chapter', that i ended up making two, so i suppose that's 'good' :P this half is the resolution of the Kumo events, woo~ and while i didn't put as much as i was 'originally' planning, it actually turned out kinda sweet...
so without further ado...
ENJOY!
Clunk… clunk…
A strange shumbling sound was the first thing they recognized.
Clunk…
With each slow step, whoever it was on the other side of the cloud cover halted, shuffled, then seemed to persist in moving forward, not out of any true desire, but resignation.
Clunk…
Naota kept dark blue eyes on the shade coming across the bridge, something not feeling right.
Clunk.
There was a moment, a very small, very minute moment when the chuunin could have sworn they heard a chuckle.
The chain of the bridge rattled, and while they all had become used to the shifts and sways of the monstrously ostentatious futility that was their main gate, something about that one small jolt set something off in the dark haired chuunin's mind. Without hesitation Naota raised the tanto in their hands, spreading their chakra into the cloudy mist around them ready to suffocate the intruder at the slightest possible moment…
Then there was some kind of cry.
"Shh… hush, we're almost there…"
A dark blue eye twitched, hell all of Naota twitched, that wasn't right… that couldn't be right!
"Nao-tan?" Taro's surprisingly hushed voice called to his partner. The androgynous chuunin was still apart from very small ticks that if the large man hadn't worked with them so long he never would have noticed. The fact they were on guard was one thing, should have been normal, but something about the setting was setting them off… and that voice in the clouds-
"Taro," the low voice clipped, "get the head of R&D, the Raikage, I don't care…" there was a moment they swallowed hard as the muscles in Naota's jaw tightened visibly, "I want confirmation of the Assassin's status…"
"Nao-"
"Do it." was all the smaller chuunin had to say and their partner was gone. The gate didn't raise, the clouds didn't part, the wind didn't move, the man was simply gone in an instant, doing what they had commanded.
And in that fraction of an instant after everything about the chuunin crumbled…
"What are you doing here?" with barely a flicker of their chakra the cloudy mist hazing the world around them halted, receding just enough for Naota to get a good look at the woman they all thought was dead.
Grey eyes rose slowly, turning for the first time from the ground of the bridge to the sole person standing between her and the gate. The woman breathed out slowly, glancing away, something dead… tired… in those eyes as they looked away. Nothing about her cadence spoke of the familiar grace and ethereal immortal brutality the chuunin had come to associate with the woman, in front of them was a nobody. No spine, no stance, no… care… an apathy their dark eyes just could not associate with the woman known as the 'Last' assassin.
"Let me pass," was all her soft broken voice spoke.
Dark brows lowered over glasses as the tanto in their hands rose again, "Who are you?"
Those deadened eyes rose again, looking at them as if in a haze, "You know who I am…"
The grip on the blades tightened, their lips pressed in a tight line, "I know the woman you look like…" the involuntary snarl barely missed the assassin's notice, "… and what I'm looking at is not her."
Something about the statement set a small spark in the woman's deadened eyes, suddenly her stature seemed to gain an extra inch and her shoulders were straighter. For the briefest of moments she almost looked like who she should be, "Let me through."
Dark blue eyes narrowed as the grimace on their face lengthened, "For a second you looked like her," suddenly Naota lowered the blades, removing the tension in their stance and standing straight but in no way relaxed, "Besides, the woman I respect would know I need confirmation, your… arrival," something about the way they spoke the word made it sound chewed on, "… is unscheduled, far too early, and most importantly…" everything about the androgynous chuunin stilled just so they could stare the woman directly in the face to say the last words, "You're dead."
Out of nowhere the woman gave a chuckled that sounded like a dead sigh.
This caused the chuunin to raise a brow, most people when told they're 'dead' don't laugh so depressingly, and as far as they were concerned this woman didn't 'laugh' period.
"Am I now?" somehow the 'dead' chuckle grew a bit, no less haunting and in no way jovial, "I suppose they assumed the worst when I cut the feed…" her eyes closed in an almost self-depreciating snort, "though I suppose I did die in a way…"
The dark brow curled on the chuunin's forehead deeper… was that… was that sarcasm?
The white haired ghostly woman finally stopped that disturbing 'chuckle' and gave a deep long sigh, "I suppose I would have to wait then, for someone to confirm I am me…" half-lidded grey eyes, both sharper than they had been yet still softer then Naota could accept stared directly at the lone chuunin.
After a moment or two of being slightly freaked out by the gaze, the younger person grimaced, "is there something wrong?"
"Everything," was that a light… smile on the woman's face? "Though since I am detained here, I had thought to ask you a question," again that sharp yet soft look in those grey eyes as they zeroed in on the chuunin's dark blue ones, "Why are you still a chuunin?"
Dark blue eyes blinked, "are…" blink again for good measure, "Are you serious?"
The woman's white brows seemed to tilt up in the middle as if to answer the question, Naota mildly noticed her bouncing something behind her back but decided to ignore that odd detail for the moment.
… Since at the present moment they were left just staring at the woman confused. If ever a moment for their pale face to hit sturdy hundreds of years old wooden boards…
"T-that…" Naota closed their eyes and shook their head before looking at the woman again, bouncing, "I didn't want a 'complicated' life…" at the raised white brow the chuunin turned, slightly looking away but keeping the white woman in their peripheries, "… nothing like what you seem to have."
"I see," Naota missed the small nod as the woman closed her eyes, speaking again lowly and softly, "I'm sorry…"
That one phrase had something flicker in Naota's eyes as they turned back on the woman, still with her eyes closed but something about her was definitely more recognizable, "What?"
Those grey eyes opened slowly, not focusing on the chuunin particularly but staring at the dead space between them as if there was something there only she could see, "… about your partner," a sudden life came back to those eyes as they flicked directly to the chuunin's dark blue ones, "I never said anything before… 'I'm sorry'."
Unconsciously the chuunin's knuckles became white around their tanto and their jaw clinched, "Eight years and you suddenly decide to say something now…" there was a fury and rage hidden in those deep pools, a swell of coursing emotions that never quite found their outlet, all of a sudden given a target.
Kemui stared straight into those eyes, the same ones, like many others in the village, she remembered seeing that night, "Yes…" she said slowly, images of the night she murdered her clan and watching Itachi kill his own merged together in her mind as she stared at the chuunin's barely contained emotions, ones she didn't know if she should feel or not, "… now."
Unable to take the 'look' in the woman's eyes any longer, Naota couldn't help but shut their eyes tightly and look away. That wasn't the look from that night, that wasn't the look they saw on the woman's face every other day since… it was wrong, so, so wrong, "how do you do it?" their voice croaked out before the words even crossed their mind, "How do you live with yourself every day with what you've done?" dark blue eyes filled with solemn disbelief stared directly at the assassin, "how-?"
"I know the rumors," there was a flat tone to the woman's voice, "Some of them are true, others completely false," the small bite at the end of the word made it obvious what she thought of those, "I did kill my clan, they were going to kill the current Raikage, I acted without his consent, and no," for a moment those sharp grey eyes closed and her voice came out even softer, "No… there is no justification…" when her eyes reopened they were solemn and soft, almost ashamed to look at the chuunin, "It didn't change a damn thing…"
And like that all the angst and resentment that had built up in Naota in the last moments of the woman's confession evaporated and they saw her for all she was… they sighed, "I could never hate you," they admitted, "As much as I wanted to…" a shake of the head, "I never could," when Naota looked up the woman was staring at them, something small and fragile in her eyes hidden under everything else, "you didn't enjoy killing her, and there was no apathy… you carried each death with you, giving more meaning to her death then she ever felt in life…" something tight pulled at the muscles around their eyes, but Naota wouldn't cry, there was no reason to and they'd done enough years ago, "Because of that I could only ever respect you," they looked away, "I won't forgive you though…"
Out of the corner of their eye, the chuunin could see the white woman give a curt shake of the head, she wasn't asking for forgiveness. Never even considered it.
Naota glanced sidelong at the older woman, for some reason that fact making itself known in their mind. Shinobi never seemed to truly 'age', sure the hair greyed, and they got a few stress lines, but overall from either generations of physical upkeep or simply good health practices they never particularly got 'old' physically… it was the eyes mostly that showed a person's age in their world. You aged by how many you killed, the more you killed, the older you got quicker… Naota wondered momentarily if that's why instead of less than a decade separating them they felt she was an ancestor from an age gone by, "How do you keep on going?" their voice held no malice, no rage, no inflection really but there seemed purpose enough for the woman to look at the chuunin, "… You know the village fears you, the Raikage's personal assassin, the only person to get away with mass genocide and remain in their village…"
"The previous Raikage was much more prolific then I ever was," it felt like there should have been a sigh at the end of her statement, but when Naota looked the woman was only staring off into the clouds beyond the side of the bridge, "And 'yes', I know many still harbor ill-will, even hatred, for my actions, same as any would expect," the words were so mechanical the chuunin could only stare, "though I think most are simply confused, not knowing what it was for… if they remember at all…" there was a long pause as those grey eyes just stared at nothing in the distance and the chuunin wondered if the woman even remembered they were there.
"Still," Naota finally sheathed their blades, standing next to the oddly 'chatty' woman, joining her in her gaze at the grey nothing of clouds, "all that hate, fear…" dark blue eyes went down, almost ashamed, "Even admiration for such an… accomplishment…" a slight glance to the still woman, "… how does it garner barely a response from you?"
"We think differently," was the automatic response but when Naota looked over there was something running across the woman's face that the chuunin couldn't recognize as those cloudy eyes turned down for a long moment. What passed her eyes were thoughts they could not decipher but once the moment was over she looked off in the distance again, still giving barely any recognition they were even there, "Every morning I stare at myself in the mirror for ten seconds…"
Naota bit back the desire to question, waiting for her to continue.
"… If I can do that, no one else can hurt me," she turned on the chuunin, cold grey eyes only half-way staring at them gazed from the woman's pale face, "Because there is no one in this village that hates me more than myself."
Before Naota could even fathom a response the white woman walked passed them. A jerk on the bridge and that familiar groan of old chains and heavy metal signaled that the gate was opening. Vaguely they could hear Taro making some comment, someone else, probably from R&D greeting the woman, but all of that blurred in the dark haired chuunin's mind as they slowly turned, trying to fully grasp the woman's meaning…
That's when they saw the little white haired baby sleeping in a wrap attached to the woman's back…
Dark blue eyes just stared and once again their mouth ran before their brain could stop it, "K-Kemui-san!" the woman had already caught up with the R&D rep, but momentarily she glanced at the chuunin with her left eye over her shoulder. Naota was frozen by the look, not sure what the hell they were trying to say… then dark blue eyes glanced at the white haired child, and back at the woman's sharp eye, "That child…?"
"A Foundling…" was her clipped response, as she turned back and walked over the threshold with the R&D rep, quickly followed by the familiar slamming of the gate, blocking everything from view.
Naota just stared… after all the woman just said… to think…
A large hand came down on the smaller chuunin's shoulder, which they gave a terrible start and glanced back with a startled blush only to find Taro grinning, "Hey, Nao-tan, you okay?" his grin slipped slightly as the larger hand squeezed their partner's shoulder, "Ya seem kinda… freaked?"
Their mouth opened but nothing came out, they closed it and tried again only to get the same result. After several failed attempts and repeats of this cycle and Taro's eyebrow just rising higher and higher the chuunin just shook their head, looking away, "forget it…"
The larger brown haired man frowned slightly as their partner looked away, he didn't let go though, just staring at the back of their head while gripping their shoulder, "Sure… whatever you say," he gave another squeeze for good measure, some things words just could not say.
There was a knock on the door.
Kemui turned from her task of folding her belongings just enough to get a sense of the person that just entered her old room in the Raikage's tower. Massive reserves, massive presence… no sense of 'reservation' yet not wholly wild and without control. The smallest of smiles picked at the edge of her lips, even if she had wanted to avoid this meeting just a while longer…
"Lord Raikage," the woman spoke softly without facing the man, an odd reversal from their normal routine.
Jinrai watched the woman's back a moment, a pout slightly tugging on his lip but not obvious as he stood by the closed door. Two and a half years… sure it was abrupt, her return after R&D had lost communication, the news of the 'Uchiha Massacre' spreading far and wide, other nations and supporters in Rai pushing for some action since Konoha had lost a significant power-base… so much bullshit that went straight out the window the second his eyes fell on the small pale woman.
The large man's mouth opened to speak but no words came out, his beady black eyes were stuck on her but he couldn't decide how to address her. The woman in front of him, with her back to him in fact, was… resigned; her motions small and she'd yet to look at him directly. There wasn't a fire there nor the stiff reservation of something dangerous underneath… she seemed… weak, and that just didn't make sense in his mind. Without thinking his large hand had reached into the space between them-
-When a small movement caught his attention out of the corner of his eye.
There was that feeling of his presence crawling along the back of her neck, the primitive feeling that told any combatant someone was looking their way. Using her senses alone she could almost read the expressions on his face, how his chakra fluctuated with his turning thoughts, his still movements and confusion. A thin line pressed on Kemui's lips. –This is why I didn't want to see you…- a pale hand clutched the robe in her hand, grey eyes staring into the middle ground. –I don't know what to say just as much as you…- and just as her jaw clinched, ashamed at this… whatever it was that had her mind all screwed up a sound crossed her ears. Her head tilted on instinct and when she finally registered what exactly it was grey eyes went wide and she turned in an instant.
Standing in front of her, in the middle of her room was a man she had personally seen crush mountains and in his monstrous hands was her son, the chubby year old baby boy reaching up to grab the man's other hand that could so easily crush him.
Grey eyes were wide, her hands dropped, just staring…
A small smile passed the Raikage's lips as he looked at the tiny white haired baby staring up at his massive by comparison hands, trying to grip just one of his fingers with both of his own. An almost chuckle released itself as he could feel the boy grab hold, grinning as he squeezed as tight as he could on the captive appendage. –Strong… just like his mother… - at the thought of the small white woman his gaze left the boy and traveled directly to his mother, the mere sight of her knocking the mighty Oni out of his trance.
She looked horrified, as if not knowing which of them was more terrifying, him or-
The Raikage looked back at the boy, his smile gone and lips in a slight frown. –Right…- he removed his hand from the child's grasp garnering a small protest as he stepped forward, "Looks to me," beady black eyes raised enough to catch the woman's downcast ones, "like you don't trust me," unconsciously his arm tightened the smallest bit on the boy, "Holding… your son."
Pale hands tightened into fists and the woman purposely looked away, he didn't need to see her face to know her white brows were low.
The Raikage stood barely a foot from the woman, her son easily within her sight. The large Oni of a man half expected the woman to take the child from his arms and rush out of the room… what she really did he expected even more.
In the time it takes to breath the Assassin had drawn her blade and held it a scant inch from the boy's throat, the baby blissfully unaware of the meaning of the shiny object moments away from cutting him open.
"I can't…" the knife twitched as the Raikage watched her still cast down head, "I c-can't do it…" her right hand went to the left, gripping her armed hand tightly, shaking the blade all the more. The large blonde man couldn't tell if the woman was trying to press the blade down or pull it away, the confliction in her actions so obvious, "I can't do it on my own!" in an instant grey eyes were on him, asking him, begging him to tell her what to do in this instant.
Gouzen Jinrai could count on his hand the number of times he had seen tears in the white haired woman's eyes, she didn't cry, never that he'd seen, there were just times tears would form and even rarer that they would fall. So suddenly seeing his friend crying as she held a knife to her own son's throat, in his arms no less…
The muscles between his eyes moved his brows up and that's as far as he remembered about the expression he must have given the woman, before his arm reached out, grabbed the back of her head and pulled her toward him. She must have lowered her hands on her own because he didn't feel the cold blade on his skin nor smelled any blood. A small part of his mind had to laugh at that –She's an Assassin… she is always aware of where her blade is pointing…-
"What do I do…?" a choked mumble escaped between them as his hand absently rubbed her loose white hair, "I'm supposed to kill him," a deep intake and he could feel the tears on his skin, "There aren't supposed to be any others… I swore…" there was a sudden clang as the woman dropped her weapon. For as long as the Raikage had known the woman she never just 'dropped' that blade, if it was out she was holding it, or had given it to someone like that cat with the Nibi… she never just discarded it like that… then she gripped his robe and he knew why she'd let go, "Jin… tell me what to do… please…"
His hand lowered, tracing her loose white hair to the pony tail for the longer strands at her neck and moved to wrap her further in his arm and finally grip her shoulder as he leaned as far down to her as he could, "Raise him," he could feel her whole body still as a small frown tugged on his lips, "You saved this boy for a reason," he let the small woman lean back when she pushed, her grey eyes wide and just staring. The tightness of his frown increased but for some reason he could feel something pick at the edge of his lips, "it would be worthless to kill him now…" for whatever reason the imposing man smiled.
Grey eyes shimmered; just staring at him for what felt like the longest time before the woman forcefully broke away, running a hand over her face as she breathed in deeply. Kemui was not a woman that broke easily, in fact as far as he knew this was the first time he'd seen it.
–Though… there was that time…- the first time he had seen her after killing his father she had seemed like a shell of the woman he had known. He didn't know what happened, just that she had been there after the fight and was the last thing he saw before passing out… then when he came to days later the woman he knew was gone, all that was left was 'Kemui'. Bee had said she stayed until he was unconscious then left, probably to deal with her own loss on her own…
A large hand reached out, encompassing the woman's shoulder as she calmed down facing away from him, composing herself.
Did the Uchiha Massacre dredge up memories? Was she mistreated on her mission? Did more happen then the piddle of information R&D sent him, comprising mostly of 'she's alive' and 'working on her targets'? He'd known about the child, after a catatonic Yugito had informed him during the briefing and he'd gone to R&D himself, but they'd told him it wasn't 'pertinent information', he didn't need to know what he had sent his friend through when he sent her off on a mission, for them, which wasn't even her specialty!
That large hand tightened on her shoulder as he felt the woman shake, "Satsuki…" there was an odd hope in his voice as he spoke her name, her other name that had become lost after that day long ago. She turned enough to look at him with one grey eye over her shoulder, her hand still holding the lower part of her face and tears still threatening to fall, but she was looking at him and not an ounce of scorn for the name. His fingertips pressed into the fabric of her old kimono, "Are you still with me?"
White brows rose apologetically, that visible grey eye shimmering again before she faced forward, her body relaxing as an audible sigh escaped, "Yes…" her voice was so fragile and soft, "I'm still here…"
He shook her shoulder, a small grin picking at his lips, "Good," he patted her shoulder before letting her go, the white haired woman turning to him reflexively after the lost contact, "Because there's still a lot we have to do and I need my best subordinate functional."
The edge of the woman's lip twitched, "Of course, Lord Raikage," her voice was still fragile but the woman turned fully towards him, slipping her hands into her long sleeves and glancing down at her son who seemed perfectly content in the large man's hand. Without warning a light laugh left her at the scene, the large and threatening Raikage, holding a baby in one hand.
"What?" his voice was flat as she saw his dark skin pout, his free hand setting on his hip making him look that much more ridiculous.
She bit her lower lip trying not to laugh at how ridiculous it made him look, feeling it was even more inappropriate with how she had acted previously. Grey eyes glanced to the side, trying to spare the woman the scene, "You look ridiculous…"
The pout spread, "and you look tired," that had those grey flash back on him and it was the woman's turn to almost pout, a smirk picked at the large man's lips, "I'm trying to decide what to do with you…"
A white brow rose, "Lord Raikage?"
The large Oni of a man bounced, moving his arm specifically with the baby boy causing a gurgle of a giggle from the year-old, "This boy is special, he's going to need his mother around to watch him…"
The shift on the white woman's face was immediate, from almost jovial to shamed, "Of course," her voice was low as she looked away, "An almost pure-blood Uchiha-"
"That's not what I meant," there was a growl in the large man's voice that drew Kemui's attention immediately, he was frowning with those beady black eyes boring into her, "I could give a fuck less about this boy's parentage," there was a definite growl as grey eyes blinked at him. The Raikage looked down at the white haired boy, looking up at him with curious black eyes as he raised his other hand, feeling Kemui momentarily tense then relax as all he did was rough up the boy's white hair, "He's your son," those black eyes turned to the woman as she faced him, "even if he's only half of you, that's more than enough to make him one hell of a fighter…"
She gave him a barely perceptible smile, "Flattery doesn't suit you," then looked away, ignoring his pout. Without realizing it a large weight had been lifted from her shoulders, if there was one thing that had worried the white woman about returning it was how her Lord would react to her son, a child that despite her wishes she couldn't find it in herself to harm. She glanced back at the large man, wiggling a large meaty finger in the boy's vicinity causing him to laugh as he grabbed at it. The whole time she was pregnant she told herself, her true self, she would end the child's life once the mission was complete, he was only a means to an end and that was all… the second she'd seen the boy, being handed to her by Itachi as he was the only one that had been with her when her quick labor had struck, and she saw the boy's small bit of white hair… something in her had shifted. No one in her family had looked like her, not her parents, not the other clan members, no body. Her colorings had been wrong since she was born and had been why she was called 'bastard' even though her parents had assured her she was theirs. When the Uchiha had dared to call her son the same… a fire had roared in her that threatened her entire charade, she would have killed Fugaku and the entire council right then and there if Itachi hadn't distracted them all. Even if her lies to the boy had been utterly false concerning her lineage, it made her wonder about her child… wonder if his 'oddity', same as her own was why she couldn't strike him down, more than him just being her flesh and blood. When she dared to think about it, she wondered if this was a sign of the dormant 'wolf blood' in her Reki had told her about, meaning her son truly was the same as her…
She watched the Raikage play with her son, bringing her thoughts back to the present as he had this odd grin while her son tried catching his fingers, "Since when did you become a doting father?"
A pout spread across his face as his eyes narrowed on the woman, "Had some practice," he raised the boy above his head much to the shrieks and giggles of the fearless boy. The Raikage could feel his Assassin cringe again. –She really does care about him… even if she doesn't realize it…- part of him grinned at that, while another wasn't sure what to think. He tossed the boy up and caught him, much to his amusement, but knew he was treading a fine line with his subordinate. –Would she attack me?- it was a valid thought, one that in any other situation he'd never consider, but in this one… catching the boy and looking at the near-frantic glimpse in the woman's sharp eyes… he actually welcomed the thought. With a smirk the large Oni of a man held the boy out, offering him back to his mother, "You still look like you don't trust me…"
There was a barely there frown as she took back her son, holding him so he looked over on shoulder, before glancing at her lord again, "I trust you," she said cryptically walking towards the bed, "I just don't trust myself…" the white haired woman set the child down back where the Raikage had originally garbbed him, setting him on his back and looking him over, then she tickled him and gave a light smile as she squirmed before standing back straight and facing her lord. There was an amused look on the man's face, one she glowered at, "What?"
A smile cracked his face as he ran a hand absently over his goatee, "just wondering when you became a worried mother?"
Grey eyes glared flatly as she walked around the bed, back towards her packing, "I had some practice," she mirrored his words, ignoring the grin on the Oni's face.
The Raikage smirked as she went back to what she'd been doing, he wandered to the edge of the bed sitting down, glancing back at the little boy who seemed to be gnawing on a pillow, "So…" beady black eyes glanced at the woman's back, finding it strange to find her long white hair just down and not in its normal three thin braids, "Going to tell me about Konoha?"
Her actions paused only momentarily at his question before brushing it off and continuing her task, "It'll all be in my report once I confer with R&D about the transcriptions and relevant data…" she didn't have to look at the large man to feel the pout.
And pout he did, "I wasn't asking for a report," beady black eyes glanced back at the white haired baby who seemed to be looking at him too. The large Raikage poked him in the foot garnering a childish giggle, "Was just asking a friend how her time was in a foreign village, if anything interesting happened," out of the corner of his eyes he could see her stiffen again and his smirk grew, "Aside from having a kid, of course…"
A flat steel colored glared was leveled the large man's way as all he did was grin. She kept it up for all of a minute before sighing in defeat, what would be the harm? "I can tell you they're all crazy," a blonde brow piqued on the man as he looked at her while still absently playing with her son. Her grey eyes glanced at the giggling baby a moment and some of her frostiness melted, "Would you believe me if I said the sanest people I met there were a blind minstrel, a clan-killer and their Jinchuuriki?"
Blonde brow rose higher, "Interesting friends," he fiddled with the baby's foot, "I take it the 'clan-killer' was Uchiha Itachi?" he watched the woman out of the corner of his eye, gauging her reaction, "The one responsible for the 'Uchiha Masscre', or so they claim?"
Her face was stone but she nodded, "He was probably the only one in their ANBU I could respect, coming so close to figuring me out," there was a light chuckle as she crossed her arms and leaned back on the table, "Though I think he got too close and stopped caring about my identity as his higher ups kept tugging him in too many directions…"
The Raikage watched her, knowing he had to phrase his next words correctly, "So he didn't just crack and kill his family?"
Hollow grey eyes rose just enough to look at the large man sitting on her bed, "No," there was a light sigh, "Like I said, he was one of the sanest people I met there…" the large Oni could tell she was gripping her elbows tightly in her sleeves, trying to suppress more latent emotions, "it was those people, who orderedhim to do it… then blamed him for it…"
The large man frowned, measuring the words to say. He didn't need to be a mind-reading to understand the implications, and he understood even more why such a thing was affecting the woman so much, coupled with the issues of her own son, "You tried to stop him, didn't you?"
Grey met black and he knew it to be true, "I made my choice… he was forced into his…"
There was a nod from the dark skinned Oni, accepting her words as an end to that thread, "Was there anyone that actually caught you?"
Oddly the woman had a light smirk picking at the end of her lips, "Only one, Shimura Danzo…"
The Raikage froze, that was an old and infamous name. None of their spies could get much information on the old man, but he had been a former teammate of the current Hokage, and everything the man did was ruthless. Beady black eyes turned slowly on the small woman, making sure she understood how serious mentioning that name was, "Are you sure?"
Steel looked back at him, just as serious, "I would be a fool to think he didn't know the second I stepped into that village," her eyes closed as she considered the amount of information she'd managed to get, more from her own instincts and observations then anything actually concrete, "If I had to guess, that man is the head of the secondary ANBU forces that tailed me constantly," steel opened and stared at the Raikage, "that man is responsible for those assassins…"
There was a nod from the Raikage, accepting that 'unofficial' bit of the report he was sure to get later. If this was just a small bit she was willing to tell a 'friend', he was almost unsure what the full-length report would entail. The large man glanced at the small white haired baby, he seemed to be staring with those curious black eyes right at him, his wiggling and noises having ceased almost as if he knew just how serious the situation around him had become. Part of the big Oni wondered if that was something from his mother, he reached out and fiddled with the boy's foot, garnering a smile if nothing else before turning back to the white haired woman who seemed to have been watching him, as she looked slightly more relaxed then her posture was a moment ago, "So tell me about this Jinchuuriki?"
A white brow rose as she glanced from her son to her Lord, "An interesting kid," there was that distinct sigh like she was about to complain, garnering a small grin from the Raikage, "Though again I have no idea what Konoha is thinking, the boy doesn't even know what he is, let alone who he is…" the scowl of irritation made it quite obvious the woman did not approve of the wasted potential the foreign village was ignoring.
The Raikage kept grinning, "Oh, so there's more than just him being a Jinchuuriki?"
Grey eyes flatly glared at the man, more in her own annoyance then actually any negativity towards the man as he reached back and played with her son, "Aside from the fact his name is 'Uzumaki' and he's their Jinchuuriki, which isn't that surprising considering the last two," there was a deep sigh, "But honestly, the boy is a carbon copy of the Fourth Hokage…"
"The Yellow Flash?" That had the Raikage's attention, "That boy, their Jinchuuriki, is the Yellow Flash's son?"
The white haired woman gave a curt nod, "I would bet your life on it, Lord Raikage," the two shared a smirk. During a previous war, long before he'd decided to end it with his Father's death and take over, the young and brash Gouzin Jinrai had several encounters with the man considered the 'fastest' of all shinobi. Jinrai had proven otherwise, and Kemui had shadowed him to observe the man's technique, and keep her Lord safe. Between the two of them they'd recognized it wasn't real speed the man employed but teleportation, something that once Jin understood that could counter, since he truly was the Fastest Shinobi alive. According to the two of them, the only reason the man was still alive was because Jinrai had wanted to face him on equal footing as a Kage… so it was quite an upset the news that the man had died fighting the Kyuubi nearly a year before he'd taken the hat.
But now news the man had had a son?
A vicious grin spread on the Raikage, "Tell me there's a reason you didn't bring the brat back with you?"
The woman leveled a flat glare with the suddenly excited man, "Aside from the abrupt ending of my mission, evacuation of myself and my son, and the hordes of ANBU, both normal and secondary that watch the boy constantly?"
The only response the big man had was a pout, "You could have gotten through all that…"
There was a tired sigh as his response, "six years ago I could have," she shrugged, letting her shoulders lower more than normal, "I don't think I could have pulled it off then, not to mention keeping both him and my son safe on the road," steel eyes cut back to the man as he continued to pout, "And while I could get away with those fools thinking 'Uchiha Katsuri' and her son died with the rest of the Uchiha in the massacre, I don't think there'd be any explanation for why their Jinchuuriki suddenly disappeared… they'd either blame him for the massacre or come after us, looking too closely and realizing the bodies I'd left weren't of me and my son," there was a light frown on her face as she looked down, truly upset with her own decision, "I wouldn't doubt Danzo would start a war with the vague information he'd had…" a deep sigh, "Not to mention how insecure the other villages would feel about us having three Jinchuuriki…"
The Raikage was looking at her serious, "They'd really blame a kid for the massacre like that?"
The woman gave him a sad look, "They'd believe that over testimony, evidence, and Itachi admitting it himself…"
A frown spread on the large man, "Those people really are idiots," he crossed his monstrous arms, "It's too bad, would have liked to have another around, or someone that's a real challenge," he rubbed his goatee in thought, ignoring the woman's flat look, "Stealth was paramount, keeping those idiots uninformed," he glanced at the white haired woman, "And you're safe, along with this one," he nudged towards the boy with his shoulder, "We'll just have to think of something for catching the boy later…"
The white woman sighed, "You never give up do you?"
The large man clapped his hands on his knees as he stood up, "I'll never stop, until everything that can threaten my village is ours or destroyed."
All Kemui could do was give a slight smirk and quick nod, "Of course, Lord Raikage."
"Hmm," he was back to rubbing his goatee while staring at the woman, "I think I figured out what to do with you…" a white brow rose as his only response as the large man turned fully towards the woman, "I don't want you doing any more external missions until you fully recover from this one…"
Grey eyes went wide as the woman's protest was immediate, "Lord Raik-!"
A large hand held up stopped any further protest, "You need it, this isn't up for debate," he could see the defiant frown and spark in her eyes, but just speaking with her now he could tell this mission affected her more then she would probably ever admit. He smirked, "That's why I have a different mission for you, within the village," her grey eyes narrowed on him but she didn't' protest further, "You're still registered as a Jounin of this village," white brow rose puzzled as his grin widened, "and while I've never previously enforced this, I will now, Jounin are required at some point to train others…"
"I'm not taking a team," the woman looked like a bristling animal with her hair on end.
"I'm not asking you to," the large man smirked as he walked towards her, "Besides, there's only one person I'd trust you to train properly," the look in his eyes softened as hers did too, both of them knowing full well who the large man was talking about, "No, for now, you'll be providing extra training to the entire Shinobi forces…"
Grey eyes blinked, unable to fully understand what he just said, "what?"
The Raikage was smirking evily, enjoying the perplexed look on the normally so composed woman's face, "There's been a recommendation from the R&D staff that observed your mission, as well as one from the Commander of ANBU, with full endorsement from Reki," the woman was just staring not understand what he was saying, his smirk grew, "As well as my own endorsement after watching your subordinates in action…"
"Jin," the woman practically growled his name, getting irritated he wasn't getting to the point of what she would apparently be doing.
The smirk would not leave his face, "From now on, until I feel it is necessary or we have the adequate forces to further train without you, you will be in charge of training the entire Shinobi forces on advanced Intelligence gathering and Counter-Intelligence techniques."
Grey eyes blinked, "What?"
"While you were away your subordinates managed to catch spies that ANBU missed," he pointed at the woman, "While on your mission you managed to go two and a half years without suspicion or notice aside from a highly paranoid few, and even then there is nothing concrete to place you there or even validate it was you that was there," he smirked as all she could do was blink, "Therefore I want our entire forces at least aware of these techniques, if not capable of pulling them off…"
Grey eyes continued to blink, "But Lord Raikage, they aren't 'techniques'," white brows furrowed as she gauged the man, "What I did, what I taught my subordinates, those were simple, basic things I knew to look for, and did not want them slacking off or being behind me in skill when I left the village…"
It was the Raikage's turn to stare at her flatly, "And think about what you managed to do with that simple, basic training?" if he didn't know any better it almost looked like the woman was embarrassed, "Now I want everyone in this village made aware of that, from the beginning Academy Student to the Veteran ANBU," the large man paused a moment to think about that, "Especially the Veteran ANBU!"
The woman blinked, thought about it, then found it hard to suppress the chuckle that wanted to let loose, "Lord Raikage," she looked him straight in the face with a sincere smile, "All you have to do is ask."
The large man gained a stern look, facing the woman completely and placing his hands behind his back as he stood up straight and looked imposing, "Kemui, I request that you teach the Shinobi Forces the advanced techniques of Intelligence Gathering and Counter-Intelligence you employ in your missions."
Grey eyes stared a moment, taking in all that was her Lord, before a light smile appeared on her lips and the woman gave a light bow, "As you wish, Lord Raikage."
The serious moment was ruined by the white haired baby boy sitting up and clapping his hands with gurgling chuckles.
Both serious adults looked towards the child and deflated, more serene smiles lighting up both their faces.
"Thank you, Jin," the woman glanced towards the large man next to her, "For solving my own dilemma."
He smirked, "What are friends for," his beady black eyes glanced down at the woman, "Now if you'd do something for me?" a white brow rose as an answer, he shuffled a bit uncomfortably under the look, "Train up a new assistant," he growled, "If I have to spend another day with those two idiots I'm going to kill them…"
The woman gave a light laugh behind one of her raised sleeves, "Of course, Lord Raikage," she glanced at him sidelong, "I'm sure Reki can give me a list of potential candidates, seeing as I too will be unable to fully watch you thanks to my new duties."
The large man grumbled next to the smaller woman, who just lightly smiled.
There was a sigh from the large Oni, "Things are going to get hectic aren't they?"
The wolf just glanced at him, "Of course," the pale woman folded her hands into her sleeves and stood comfortably, watching as her son just grinned at them both, "Things always seem to change quickly…"
"Hmp," the large man grunted, rolling his shoulders, "Yorihi's not gonna know what to do when she gets back from dealing with that master of yours…"
The pale woman smiled at the thought of her Student, "if there's one thing my master would have taught her, it's how to adapt," she gave the large man a sidelong glance, "after all that's what you want me to teach the others," he gave a snort as an answer, to which she shook her head at, "after all, who would have thought my mission would have ended like that?"
"Heh," the large man smirked, "Definitely from left field," there was a dark laugh that left the man's chest, "Should have heard the complaints from Section S…"
Kemui gave a depressed sigh, "I've heard enough as it is from Reki, from both sides," she gave the man a knowing look. If there was one person that had an earful to say on both the topics of her ubrupt mission end and her son, it was the Uchiha Bastard.
"Not too good I take it?" there was a smirk tugging at the large man's lips.
A sigh was his immediate answer, "Between the flagrant yelling about my own idiocy, praising Itachi for wiping them out and wanting nothing more than breaking his neck for doing it for her… it's probably best to let her calm down some before asking about that list…"
The Raikage chuckled, "Well you're both alive and unharmed, I'd call that progress…"
"I'd call it divine intervention," the woman frowned, "her daughter had come in while she and I were on the verge of drawing weapons, took one look at my son and asked if she could keep him," there was a light chuckle, "I'm lucky that woman cares more about what she considers family then her own hatred."
The Raikage place his hand on the woman's shoulder, gripping it, "It'll all get better…"
Without thinking, the woman raised one of her own pale hands and grabbed his on her shoulder, "I know," a sigh, "I know…"
There was a grin on the large man's face as he squeezed her shoulder, glancing at the little white haired boy all too content to play with pillows since the adults were out of reach, "So what's his name?"
"He doesn't have one," she turned to spot a confused glared leveled her way, "The Uchiha followed a tradition where a child didn't get a name until they were a year old," she shrugged, looking back at her son, "Though, I suppose it's been long enough…"
A tiny blonde brow rose as the large man looked down at the woman, "You 'suppose'?"
The white haired woman looked down and spoke in a low voice, "The day of the Massacre… was…" the hand on the woman's shoulder gripped tighter, making it evident the large man understood. Kemui looked up at her Lord, her own emotions on the event muddled between the thoughts of her persona and that of her true self, but she appreciated the gesture nonetheless.
"So," the large man released her, crossing his arms and looking at the year-old drooling all over a pillow with a smirk, "What are you going to call him?"
Grey eyes glanced at the large man a moment, then down to her son, a light smile finding its way on her features, "Yoken Sutego," she could feel the large man glance down at her so she met his gaze with a light shrug, "He's not of my clan, nor his father's," the pleasant smile stayed on her pale face as she looked back at her son, "He's the reason I'm here right now… even if I want to protect him by saying he isn't mine…"
"Hmp," the Raikage crossed his arms, "You make it too complicated…"
The woman glanced at him with a raised white brow, "So why did you name her Tenkyuu Yorihi?"
There was a large shrug, "Felt like it…"
The white haired woman just shook her head, "Of course."
The Raikage took a step forward, arms crossed and looking imposing, his beady black eyes looking down at the curious black ones of the little boy who was looking up at him with a grin and sucking on his fingers, "Alright, Sutego, you're gonna be the man around here and watch your mother," the Oni had a wide grin as the little boy started clapping his hands, smiling at the the giant as if to agree, "That's what I like to hear!"
Behind them, Kemui could only sigh and shake her head… even if she was still smiling.
Yoken - Given Conditions
Sutego - Foundling
A/N: just to say, that first scene was the FIRST part of the duo chap i wrote... that i decided to keep, the idea for it i had a long time ago, and i just wanted something to show how much the whole events in Konoha really affected the Assassin... its a good contrast to the next one and what's going on with Yorihi... plus i like Naota, i have no idea what 'it' is, but their little dig of 'i don't want a complicated life' i found interesting -shrugs-
also, i have no idea what the hell is going on with Kemui and the Raikage... i swear, these two... don't tell me, the writer, jack... i think i had too much fun with the Raikage being all 'big-daddy' XD
love me reviews, thank you all, do more, i love it :3
Till next -shoos- Sayounara, Mina!
-Ikasury