New Lives
Chapter 29
"This #! Spider needs some #! Fangs!" Hidan was ranting again. His new, robotic body had no built in weapons, both because Kakuzu didn't expect Hidan to enter battle and that he was too cheap to buy them.
"I didn't risk my hide busting you out of prison so that you could run right back in!" Kakuzu was angry, Hidan still wanted revenge on the Nara boy for destroying his body. Shikamaru, meanwhile, wanted revenge on Hidan for killing his beloved Sensei right in front of him...
"I can't let him get away with it! The little #! Is gonna' be #! When I #! Find him!"
...
"You must be so proud of your students, Kidoumaru." Yoshino smiled gently over her coffee at the Spider-Nin.
"Yes ma'am, they're a great bunch of kids, but I'm not the only instructor at the Academy."
"So, are you ready for the next class of Genin?" Shikato asked, picking at his breakfast.
"I'm looking forward to it. The school is thinking of teaming Shikamaru and myself up, he'll teach strategy and I'll teach field combat."
"Yeah, not to mention wilderness survival, first aid and combat technique." Shikamaru stumbled into the room, rubbing his weary eyes, "He could do both himself, but they didn't want him to wear himself out. Lucky dog, people actually don't want you to do hard work!"
"I couldn't do it all alone, Shika. It takes the whole team to win, not just one player. I may be a good strategist, but I don't have the patience for sitting in a chair teaching brats how to think. You do."
"Yes, we're proud of you too, Shikamaru."
Shikamaru grunted at the comment and yawned, It's too early to be up! "Thanks... Any word on Hidan?"
Shikato shook his head, "There was a weird report this morning, someone in Takigakure reported seeing Kakuzu and Hidan, but he said Hidan's head was in the body of a mechanical spider..."
Shikamaru shuddered.
"Don't worry, bro. Takigakure's a long way away. And if that guy is stupid enough to try to come back to Konoha, it'll be his last mistake."
Yoshino set a plate of eggs in front of Shikamaru, who just picked at them, "I almost hope he does come back. I can't let him get away with killing Asuma-Sensei... But if he does come back, he could put everyone in danger. I guess it's just selfish of me."
"You want revenge for Asuma, that's understandable, that's human nature. Anyone would feel as you do, in this kind of situation." Shikato was making sense again...
It was scary...
...
"Hey, Sai!" Kiba rushed to catch up with the ANBU.
"Yes, Mutt?"
Kiba let his nickname slide, "I hear you have those two freaks living with you. Is that true?"
Sai looked down at the Inuzuka, "If by 'two freaks' you mean Sakon and Ukon, then yes."
Kiba's lip trembled slightly, "You don't know what kind of monsters they are! They can't be trusted!"
"I intend to help rehabilitate them."
Kiba stared in disbelief, "Rehabilitate?"
"Yes. I understand that you suffered terrible trauma at their hands, but that was a time of war. We are at peace now." Sai put a hand on Kiba's shoulder, "A few days ago Sakon was speaking about how wrong it had been to hurt you. Ukon disagreed, but still, it is a start. You needn't worry about them, they are my responsibility now, if they attempt to harm you, or anyone without do cause, I will kill them myself."
Kiba nodded, "Thanks." Sakon, feeling remorse for hurting Akamaru and me? Is that even possible? Sai wouldn't lie, would he?
...
"So, Itachi, do you want to... You know, finish what you started?"
"You misunderstand me, Kisame. I did not kill my clan because I hated them, though I did hate many of them, I killed them because I had to."
Kisame could almost swear he felt a hint of emotion in Itachi's voice, "I have no reason to harm Obito, and Sasuke no longer interests me."
"Then what will you do now?"
"I don't know, but does one ever know where life will take them?"
Kisame grinned, "Well, let's go find out what's in store for us."
...
Kidoumaru sat in a tree, watching the Pre-Genin practice their simple little Jutsu. So, this is the next class...I'll have to ask Iruka for his observations on their potential...
"Scouting out prospects?"
Kidoumaru turned slightly to look at Obito crouching on a nearby branch, "Yes. Some of them already have skill, they just need fine-tuning."
Obito nodded, "But just because a kid doesn't seem to have potential, that doesn't mean they don't have potential."
"True. Like I told that Gin fool, a poor teacher blames his students. Some of these kids have obvious potential, others have hidden talents. I hear you came into the game a bit late, but you came in with a bang."
Obito smiled, "Yeah, Obito was always the failure, the 'Useless Uchiha'..."
"You're the only Uchiha I respect, and Kakashi, he really admires you, you made him into the ninja he is today."
Obito laughed and rubbed the back of his neck, "A pervert ninja?"
"Nah, that was Jiraiya's fault..."
They both laughed, "Hey, how's Sasuke doing?"
"He's doing better now, he's being nice!"
Kidoumaru nearly fell out of the tree, "Sasuke being nice!?" He jumped to the ground, followed by Obito, "That's like Sai being overemotional!" He looked toward the defaced Hokage Monument, "I bet people are angry...
" "Yeah, but it's going away, now that everything came out about the..." Obito swallowed hard.
"Yeah, I'd hope so. I was ready to kill Sasuke when he did that to Sakura, Ino and me, but now I feel kind of sorry for him. I've done terrible things too, I can't judge him too harshly..."
"Sasuke is a good boy, he's just crazy. How's Shikamaru doing?"
Kidoumaru sighed, "He's upset about Hidan escaping, I can't blame him... Asuma-Sensei was like a father to him, and Hidan can't seem, at least in Shikamaru's mind, to be brought to justice, whatever happens, he's still alive, and Asuma-Sensei is still dead..." Kidoumaru looked beyond Obito and waved.
"Obito?"
Obito turned to see a beautiful woman with two Inuzuka-like tattoos on her cheeks.
"Rin?"
To Be Continued . . .
