As ever, thanks Third Fang and ABitterPill for their betaing work. Thanks yournameandnumber for inspiring the omake. Big hugs to all readers and reviewers.
Disclaimer: guess what I don't own.
Chapter 33:
Distant utopia
A large part of the art of puppetry's strength is dependent on formation.
Puppets were rarely efficient alone if they did not possess any unique or outstanding characteristics, lacking the dexterity and adaptability of humans to perform some of the more advanced movements that higher level shinobi could on reflex regardless of how well trained the puppeteer was. It was why human puppets were so efficient. Their adaptable and chakra infused bodies added incredible versatility to their movements and functions.
In contrast to Sasori's rather morally absent solution to this issue, Chikamatsu Monzaemon long ago had found a different way around the weakness of a lone puppet: creating automatons with the ability to combine their strengths and weapons to magnify their efficiency, a lesson he applied to his own creations to great effect.
Three white puppets adopted a triangle formation, and conjured a powerful tornado of wind that sucked everything in its path between them, and in turn altering the path of a blast of chakra from Alpha that would have otherwise destroyed their controller.
The fake demon vessel groaned as her body contorted like living clay, her sick excuse for flesh morphing into long chakra arms that smashed the puppets within an instant. In response, another puppet, this one wielding two large swords, proceeded to cut through the arms.
Sasori's experienced eyes could only distinguish a vague black and white blur taking advantage of the opening as Orochimaru bisected Alpha's torso horizontally at blinding speed, with his bare hands. The combination of speed and power was impressive and proven just as effective as the tyrant's upper body fell on the ground. It was a fortune to most that the more malevolent Snake Sannin never discovered, or at least achieved Sage Mode…
A second later unfortunately, two limbs had grown from the downed body, and the mad dictator rose to her feet, seething with rage. No words werespoken however as she moved on to attack Sasori up close. A wise strategy, as defeating the puppeteer would end the threat of the others puppets.
She still has enough control over herself to fight tactically, the redhead thought, sending his two taijutsu-expert puppets to intercept her. A barrier of purple light shielded her from their fists, and although they managed to shatter it, both puppets were massacred by Alpha's vicious claws in the process.
She obviously didn't have a vast array of ninjutsu besides shielding techniques, fitting her role would-be as protector. With the Ten-Tails' power backing her up, however, her lack of skill was balanced by her colossal strength.
White snakes sprung from the ground to chain her up, restraining Alpha's movements with intense difficulty as her strength easily dwarfed their own to the point that many of them were already being torn apart in her efforts to free herself. Exploiting the opportunity, Sasori sent his sword wielding puppet to attack once more, backed up by Orochimaru who had released the Kusanagi from his mouth and seized it with his right hand. The duo proceeded to decapitate the fake demon vessel with a combined move, propelling the head ten meters above them.
A string of chakra sprung from the head and united it with the rest of the body once again. "Kill you," Alpha cursed, losing her mind to the power flooding her being. "Kill you, kill you, kill you…"
With a roar, Alpha unleashed a shockwave strong enough to free herself from the snakes and force her attackers to back down. The embodiment of the Ten-Tails had dozens of mouths opening all over her skin, each firing a beam of chakra in all directions. Tails formed out of her tailbone, which her opponent took as a bad omen. The woman was pumping more chakra to balance her lack of skill, and it had a nasty effect on her psyche.
Sasori struggled to avoid them, activating his artificial wings to dodge. Orochimaru's supernatural agility saved his life, whereas the puppets, lacking speed and their puppeteer's full focus, were quickly destroyed one by one. The last remaining dummy managed to save itself by hiding behind rocks and debris, clearly outmatched.
If this continues, our defeat is assured, Sasori thought. I expected her to be dangerous, but the Ten-Tails' power… is unlike anything I have ever seen. Puppets were made to face ninjas and skilled humans, not walking forces of nature. Alpha didn't need skill to win: her brute strength was enough to overcome most obstacles.
At blinding speed, a chakra arm caught the redhead's legs and whipped him against the ceiling hard enough to embed him in it. Quickly regaining his bearings, the puppeteer watched as a roaring Alpha jumped toward him, claws ready. In a blink, Sasori shot her back with a jet-stream of water from his right arm that pinned her beneath him, launched himself from the ceiling while holding her down, reached her, put his left hand over her face, and activated his flamethrower.
The dictator roared in pain, her demonic visage being burned into ashes. In the mean time, Sasori activated Chikamatsu's final puppet and opened its mouth, releasing an orb. The projectile grew into a man-sized lion head, with jaws wide open. It pinned Alpha to the ground, a seal expanding over her body.
"Sealing Technique: Lion Closing Roar," Sasori whispered to himself while backing up as the jutsu started neutralizing Alpha's Tenkentsu…
… Or would have, if the woman hadn't been so resilient. She started breaking out of the lion's fangs, pointed a finger at Sasori, and unleashed a beam of light from it. The redhead blinked, unable to dodge at such a short distance.
So it should be expected that when a wall formed out of the soil just in the nick of time, shielding him from the blast, it surprised the man greatly.
Seconds later, the terrain itself started moving, animated by Senjutsu. The earth restrained Alpha's arm, and then the rest of her limbs. "Sage Art: Inorganic Reincarnation," smirked Orochimaru as he landed next to Sasori.
"You… you insane filth!" Alpha cursed. "How dare you infect this heaven and ravage it? Everything I did, I did for mankind! We clones are the solution to your problems! So why fight us? Why destroy this utopia?"
"Because you've done too much damage and need to be put down." Orochimaru's words were flat and unemotional. "Nobody wants your utopia. It's not worth the cost. Alpha, it's still time to stop this madness."
The dictator laughed insanely, breaking down before her defeat. Or perhaps the Ten-Tails' chakra was messing with her mind. "You… you cannot understand… what we feel. What we clones feel at being nothing but copies."
Alpha tried to free herself, but the seal unraveled her chakra system, and the Ten-Tails' power started to leave her bones. The ground swallowed her limbs, burying her alive. "We are nothing. We have no future, so I thought… I thought we could do something good and meaningful before we ended! I thought we could offer others a bright future! So many of us have nothing to live for, Ihadto give them hope and purpose! You think I didn't care about those who sacrificed their lives for this place? If I stop, they would have died for nothing, you hear me? I will not allow this!"
Her chakra reserves skyrocketed. Sasori, whose skills as sensor were minimal, could easily feel the depth of oppressive power Alpha was calling upon. Her tenketsu reopened, the seal started to unravel, and the ground melted.
The puppeteer and Orochimaru wisely retreated quickly as a surge of chakra vaporized Alpha's surroundings. Among smoke and dust, a humanoid figure rose. The duo put itself on guard, ready to strike. Surprisingly, the clone did not radiate any killing intent, nor hostility.
"At last, I have taken over. I thought she would never use enough chakra."
The voice wasn't Alpha's. It was cold, unfeeling, inhuman. The sound was a whisper, a deadly unnatural noise that pierced the ears and minds alike.
"I have returned." The possessed Alpha cracked her neck in delight. "This body is too small, too weak, too feeble, but mine none the less."
The process lasted seconds, but the mere sight of it was sickening. The creature multiplied in size, a bulb grew out of its back, one massive purple eye formed on the head, shining with malevolence. The legs became slender, inhumanly so, ending with claws. Ten tails grew out of the back, with hands at their ends. The body was covered with skinless grey flesh that did nothing to hide the bones. The creature was a pure nightmare, and easily towered over the entire landscape, a twisted parody of a humanoid.
For the first time in his life, Sasori briefly felt genuine dread. The creature was wrong, abominable. Primal instincts he thought overcome decades ago resurfaced suddenly.
Fear, Sasori thought upon recognizing the emotion. I feel fear.
"My, this vessel is weak, but suitable to carry on my mission." The creature's lone eye stared down at the two ninjas. "It appears you are to thank for my release. You have my deepest gratitude."
At that point, Sasori and Orochimaru were too frightened to muster a reply.
"Do not despair, sons of man. You face Datara the Ten Tailed, the One-Eyed Kami, the Giant Deity, the Dark Progenitor." The hands-like tails swirled. "I usher the birth of a new world, devoid of imperfection, as Kami of the Stars commands. Those deemed worthy will be purged of all weaknesses. The unworthy shall be granted the gift of oblivion. A new world shall rise from the ashes of the old, and order shall be enforced over the chaos of existence."
The Kusanagi hit its eye, although the blade didn't pierce it.
Sasori finally snapped from his terror and stared, amazed, at Orochimaru. The Sannin cursed as his sword retracted. In the puppeteer's opinion, it was the thought that mattered.
Sadly, the Ten-Tails was far from amused. "If you prefer oblivion over survival, I shall grant this wish. Vanish."
"N-"
The monster's eye shined brightly, and Sasori's world was swallowed by purple light.
Haku
It became quickly clear Haku wasn't going to hold her ground for long.
"Lightning Chakra races through my brain and nerves, allowing for faster information analysis and reaction time than should be physically possible for a human," Five explained, easily dodging Haku's senbon and replying with bolts of white chakra. The mirrors allowed the young ice woman to travel at superior speed, and she avoided the attacks. "I can easily determine your movements and adapt."
Haku pondered about a solution. At this rate, ninjutsu was her only option. Unfortunately, it involved deadly force, and some part of her didn't want to kill the troubled, lonely clone.
In a flash, Five smashed her torso in midair hard enough to break past her armor of ice, his palm reaching her chest. The next second, he kicked her with enough power to hammer her against a mirror. Haku regained enough momentum to dodge a new punch. She was silently glad that she managed to escape the attack as she watched the clone's arm went past the dome of ice.
Taking advantage of the opening, the former Kiri-nin turned the mirror's ice into kunai and threw dozens of them at her opponent. Freeing his arm, Five groaned as a few projectiles pierced his flesh. Moving incredibly quickly, he deflected or avoided the following strikes, closing the gap between him and his opponent.
"Chidori!" Five shouted, a sphere of thunder gathering between his fingers as he struck forward. The lethal blow missed, Haku exploiting her superior agility managed to deflect the clone's arm in another direction. The Chidori shattered an icy wall, the dome crumbling on itself in the process.
Faster than the eyes could follow, Five moved at a new level of speed and caught Haku's neck, lifted her, and smashed her back against the cracking ice. The ice woman was brutally thrown past the artificial arena, but managed to roughly land on her feet regardless. In the background, fire met water and rocks, Kuebiko and Omoikane trapped in a deadly battle with the other clone commander, who was ruthlessly unleashing seas of fire upon their heads.
A roar snapped her out of her thoughts. A bolt of lightning almost fried her had her reflexes not kicked in at the last instant. Five ran faster than the wind and engaged her in taijutsu, putting Haku in a difficult situation. "Senbon won't get past my thick charred skin," the clone taunted her, his blows heavier than cannonballs. "My punches, however, will get past your bones in no time!" The missing-nin was a distance fighter, and keeping her ground at the moment was a feat in itself.
A roundhouse kick put an end to the trashing, sending Haku crashing to the ground. Five's hands grabbed her back and lifted her above his head. "I broke the mind…" he whispered, preparing his execution. "And now I'll break the back!"
A projectile hit his skull and came out from the opposite end, drawing blood. Releasing his grip, he fell to his back, leaving Haku to land on her feet and take a few steps backward. She stared in the projectile's direction.
"I broke the guy, and I broke the brain!" Chibaku joked darkly, wielding an iron rod. At his sides, two of the clones were laying on the ground, knocked out. "You're alright, Haku?"
"Did you kill-"
A bolt of lightning blew up the musket into pieces. "That." Five rose up, blood all over his mask. "Was." He cracked his neck. "Unpleasant."
"Oh, great, another new toy blown up. This is really starting to get repetitive." Chibaku summoned chakra strings, which promptly wrapped around the enraged Five to restrain him. The clone snarled and grabbed them, spun on himself, and sent the puppeteer crashing into Haku's chest.
"Two-on-one seemed to be good odds," Chibaku whined, as red chakra covered his body. Both he and Haku stood up, the ice woman producing a short blade of ice. "Wait, you know kenjutsu?"
"Zabuza-sama taught me as much as he could, but I never got past the basics," she replied softly, hoping the length would give her an advantage over the unarmed Five. She was average at best, but a sword in a taijutsu battle always helped unless you were really THAT good with just your fists.
"That's not gonna be enough!" Five shrieked and charged, his movements turning wild and unpredictable. He quickly closed the gap and engaged the duo in close combat.
"I shot you in the head, so why don't you die, you brain-dead dumbass?" Chibaku attempted a kick, which the clone caught midair. Three tails of chakra swung, like red savage whips. The clone propelled his prey away, dodging the attacks. Haku seized the opportunity and struck horizontally. The insane ANBU jumped, avoiding the blade, and retaliated with a roundhouse kick. This time, the ice woman saw it coming and took a step backward.
Chibaku didn't waste time. When Five landed on one foot, he was welcomed with a mighty punch. The clone caught the wrist, and his second, free foot connected with Chibaku's jaw, tossing him to the ground. The ANBU's hand lit up with a blue glow, and he stabbed the puppeteer's torso, drawing unhealthy amounts of blood. "Nothing will save you, puppeteer! I'm gonna hit you again and again until you're red with your own blood!"
Sasori's apprentice hissed in pain, helpless as his enemy struck a second time, this time in the stomach, and prepared to deal a final blow.
Haku's blade interrupted him, the ice slashing the man's torso and stopping when it hit the ribs. Enraged, Five hissed like a beast, pushed the sword out of his flesh, and his elbow broke the ice woman's nose. The surprised girl's neck was quickly caught by fingers.
"Kiss your teacher for me in the afterlife. He's not gonna save you this time."
He electrocuted her. Haku screamed, as her body convulsed in agony. She dropped her blade, and the pain increased…
An iron hand seized Five's grip and ruthlessly shattered his arm. The ANBU released the ice lady and hissed, receiving a punch to the jaw for his trouble. His new opponent then proceeded to kick the clone's balls and toss him a few meters backward with strength alone. "Water Release: Water Dragon!"
A powerful dragon-shaped torrent blasted Five away. Haku sensed strong hands holding and examining her. "You're fine," said Kuebiko. "He didn't damage the vitals… I think. A medic will be able to patch you up in no time."
Haku's eyes widened, as Five rose up. "Behind!"
Kuebiko slowly spin on place and faced his enemy, putting himself between the crazy clone and the former Kiri-nin. Haku struggled to move, but simply making hand-seals proved to be painful and difficult. Five's shocking had messed with her nerves.
"You think you can take me on alone?" Five raised his functional arm, which sparked with lightning chakra. As the clone released a powerful attack, Kuebiko pointed his arms in the bolt's direction and opened his palms. The bolt of chakra reached the gauntlets, swirled around them… and switched direction.
Five roared, his own attack hitting his chest and burning it. Flames appeared on his outfit, slowly burning his clothes and flesh. "I think I can manage," said Kuebiko, as the clone charged. In a blink of an eye, the former Nidaime Hokage moved behind his opponent and welcomed him with a kick. "Surrender, and I promise you will be spared."
"Die, die, die, DIE!" Five's fist swung, the move erratic and careless. In Haku's opinion, the meds' effects had worn off, returning the clone to his raging madness. The fire wasn't helping.
"I am faster and stronger," Kuebiko stated evenly upon deflecting the blow and unleashing a storm of lightning-fast strikes at the ANBU, whose hits were either dodged or ineffective. The difference in skill and power was tremendous. "Your comrade isn't doing any better. You have lost."
He was right. It was only a matter of time. Five would be beaten into submission or consumed by the flames of his own outfit, and Three was being backed into a corner by Kuebiko's partner, snakes and rocks winning over fire jutsu.
"If so… I'm not dying alone!" Five noticed Haku, the blood over the mask creeping her out. He wasn't seeing her, but he could probably sense her heartbeat. He raised his arm at her and shot a bolt at her face.
Kuebiko outmatched it in speed.
It happened so fast Haku almost thought he had somehow teleported. In a blink, he was in front of her, catching the thunderbolt once again and redirecting it.
This time, Five didn't wait, and jumped at the surprised world traveler, clutching to his helmet. "If I go down, you go down!" His body released bolts of lightning, making Kuebiko shriek in pain, as the armor fried. He vainly attempted to push back his attacker, without avail.
"Say goodbye to your future…" Five's body brightened with a blue haze. "I'M GONNA KILL IT!"
Haku clenched her jaw and joined her palms.
Five's mouth widened in pain and surprise. The haze left his body, blood fell from his torso, and the lightning shocking Kuebiko vanished. The clone slowly stared at the icy spear impaling his heart, before moving his gaze to Haku.
"Why… did you take so long?" He asked upon falling to his side, Kuebiko recovering. "I was… getting restless…"
"It didn't have to end like this!" Haku shouted, more to herself than her agonizing enemy.
"Ha… I'm dust, and I will return to dust… that's just the way… of this cursed universe…" He kept staring at her. "You said… you would not give up… to despair? Fool… despair is all…" He chuckled, coughing up blood in the process. "All you have… in the end…"
Haku narrowed her eyes. "What about Hope? You said you had no name…" She took her breath. "Why not Hope?"
"A name, eh?" Five asked, his mask red with blood. "I think... a name does not matter. In the end... nothing really matters, beside our actions." He chuckled one last time. "Still… it's a good name… gotta… remember it."
Five closed his mouth, and fell into eternal silence. His outfit's flames finally reached the mask and started to burn it. Soon, the whole body became a funeral pyre.
Kuebiko offered his hand to Haku, helping her getting back on her feet. "Is everyone alright?" asked the latter.
"Well…" Omoikane stomped on the defeated Three's face. "Not everyone." She stared at Chibaku, and her expression darkened.
He was covered with blood. The red chakra surrounding his body was starting to dissipate, unable to mend the wounds. Kuebiko rushed at the boy's side, examining the wounds. "The first blow damaged an artery and the second the spine," the former Nidaime stated. "The Kyuubi's chakra won't flow enough to prevent a hemorrhage." A grey aura covered the boy. "This stasis should preserve his life until… until we find-"
It happened.
It was sudden. It was brutal. It was a sour noise that pierced the minds, took over the thoughts. It was a cold sensation that paralyzed the bodies, it was a surge of malevolent chakra spreading in her bones, in the blood.
Haku struggled to remain conscious, but neither Omoikane nor Kuebiko seemed affected, although the latter appeared to have a harder time at maintaining Chibaku's stasis. "Oh shit…" the armored woman said.
"Yes." Kuebiko raised his head. "The Ten-Tails is free."
Sasori
He could feel his limbs.
It should be impossible. They weren't alive. They were wood and steel. Yet, Sasori could feel them. He could feel his fingers, his face, his hair. He opened his eyes, and stared around himself. Orochimaru was standing at his side, still holding the Kusanagi. Alpha's garden had been reduced to a sea of dust and bones. They were the only people alive, Alpha's thralls having been consumed by the monster's chakra.
The Ten-Tails was sitting in the center of the devastation, in a lotus position. It radiated with power and malevolence. Its mere proximity should have ended Sasori's life.
Yet, he had survived, and he could feel his limbs.
"The Inorganic Art infuses inorganic matter with Senjutsu, giving it a life of its own," Orochimaru whispered. "This natural energy is currently shielding you from its chakra, as it protects my body."
Sasori glared at the monster. "What is it doing?"
"Spreading its chakra and warping earth into its own image, I guess." The Sannin narrowed his eyes in despair. "Nothing in my arsenal can take it down."
The redhead frowned. "The beast isn't free yet. It's still contained inside the statue, and merely using Alpha as a proxy body. I have a seal that can unbalance the chakra control of an individual so… maybe could it disrupt the bond."
"Are you certain it can work?"
"I'm not sure. I applied it to a puppet made to be sent into a pocket dimension and unbalance the jutsu user's chakra control. I never tested it against a demon vessel." It worked on Madara, but could it disrupt the link between a pseudo-Jinchuuriki and the Juubi? "It may work… if I manage to put it inside the Ten-Tails' body."
"You aren't going to do it. In fact, being even near it will kill you once you get close. I'm the only one of us with enough control over Senjutsu to survive such action." Orochimaru handed Sasori his blade. "Put the seal on it. I can infuse it with enough Senjutsu to get past the flesh and activate the seal… if I get close enough. Extending the Kusanagi would dilute the energy and it would be for naught."
Had he gone mad? "Your range of vision won't allow you to dodge all incoming attacks. Unless…" He smirked. "Unless we cheat."
Orochimaru apparently understood, and he smiled back. "It has a hundred-to-one chance of working, but it's still a chance."
"I am afraid not."
The Ten-Tails stared in their direction and opened its mouth. "Stay dead this time," it said, firing a sphere of purple light in their direction. Orochimaru in turn quickly bit his finger, made hand-seals faster than the eyes could follow and slammed his palms on the soil.
A cloud of smoke covered the duo's vision, and the sphere exploded against… something. Probably a snake summon, strong enough to survive a small Bijudama, the redhead thought. Once the dust settled, Sasori looked up.
And up. And up.
It was a colossal snake.
Sasori had never seen such creature. It could easily tower over buildings and small mountains, and as long as a river. Its scales were black and purple, its eyes as green as grass, and it had fangs the size of fully grown humans. "Orochimaru…" The beast hissed. Its skin was a bit singed, but the summon didn't seem harmed. "Did you just use me, the Mighty Manda, king of all serpents, as a glorified meat shield? Who do you think I am?"
"Well…" the Sannin grinned. "A glorified snake shield."
Silence. "You sneaky, ruthless, magnificent bastard!" Said the snake. "That was an awesome and cruel stunt! I heartily applaud!" It noticed the redhead puppeteer. "Oh, nice to meet you. Orochimaru, is that your new bodyguard? And…"
It finally noticed the earth-destroying abomination hissing in front of them. "What do you want, you little ugly… thing? A royal ass-whipping from my royal Highness?"
"Manda, would you kindly try to restrain it?" Orochimaru asked. "We may have a way to defeat it, but we need time." He handed Sasori his bloodied finger. "Here is your ink for the seal."
The snake snorted. "Couldn't find a pen? Blood is dramatic, yet unpractical."
"Enough babbling." The Ten-Tails prepared to fire a new sphere. "Die-"
A tail whipped its face, and threw the sphere against the ceiling, destroying part of it. "Manda's Wonderful Tail Whip!" Manda roared ferociously, winding around the surprised Ten-Tails' limbs and pinning it to ground. "Manda's Fabulous Binding!"
Sasori's jaw dropped, as he finalized the seal. "How can it survive direct contact?"
"Who do you think taught me Senjutsu in the first place?" The Sannin snickered, as the redhead finished his work. Orochimaru waved his Kusanagi. "Ready?"
"Always," Sasori replied, linking his strings to the Sannin's limbs. "A hundred-to-one chance of survival? Good odds, given the situation."
Orochimaru nodded and charged.
With a powerful roar, the Ten-Tails freed itself, propelling Manda into the ceiling. The Bijuu rose up and its eye shined brightly. Hundreds of fire blasts were launched from it, each deadlier than the last at the two humans. Combining his agility with Sasori's precision, perspective and guidance, Orochimaru dodged them all. They all missed, and he continued advancing.
"Stop," the Ten-Tails ordered, its hand-tails vainly moving to smash the Sannin. Orochimaru continued his advance, untouched. "I command you to stop." It opened its mouth and released a new sphere at the Snake Sannin, exploding into a sea of fire.
Not only did it miss, but the rebel leader proceeded to outrun the blast, dodge flying debris, and reach the Ten-Tails, his face as serene as ever.
"What? Impossible." Orochimaru jumped toward the creature's torso. "Stay back. I comm-"
With a roar, the Sannin stabbed the monster's flesh.
In an instant, it was over. The Ten-Tails exploded into purple light and smoke. Orochimaru gracefully landed on the ground, as gently as a feather. The Kusanagi fell to the ground, next to Alpha's body. The malevolent chakra quickly dissipated, vanishing as quickly as it spread.
Slowly and carefully, Sasori joined the Sannin, the duo observing Alpha's body. Her clothes had been partly torn to shreds by the Ten-Tails' chakra, and she was frankly half-naked. "The end of the link caused her death," Sasori suggested. "The chakra regenerating her was the only reason she could survive the possession. When it ended, it was ove-"
Alpha opened her eyes.
Years of advanced reflexes saved Sasori's life, as he instinctively dodged an incoming blade of wind. How could she still be alive? The puppeteer wondered, genuinely astonished, as the woman rose once again, furious, harmed, and ready for a fight. "I will not… surrender… I refuse."
"Woman, you are a mess, broken, bruised, and against two super-mammals and one awesome master of snake-fu," Manda replied. "It's not amusing."
Sasori nodded in appreciation, observing as new figures reached them. Kuebiko and Omoikane were followed by three restrained and bruised clones, and Haku was carrying a kid covered with a grey haze.
Sasori's eyes widened in dread, and in a foolish fit of worry, turned his back on Alpha and reached his apprentice. "No," he whispered upon examining the wounds, "no, no…"
"I will keep the stasis until he gets medical attention," Kuebiko whispered to the puppeteer. "However… I'm afraid it might not be enough."
"It's over Alpha," Orochimaru declared.
"As long as I stand, it will never be over," the priestess snarled, gathering wind around her palms. "Alone or not, I will continue the fight."
Haku snapped at this point. "To fight for what? For a grave and ashes? Are you truly this selfish?"
Sasori didn't see her expression, nearly completely focused on his apprentice. He didn't need to. The voice was all he needed. "Hundreds died today because of you! For this garden of bones! When will it stop? When everyone but you is dead? Five died for nothing because he loved you! Because of your actions, Chibaku is at death's doors and who knows how many the Ten-Tails killed upon awakening! You do nothing but bring pain and death to others! You… you're just as bad as Madara! You use people as tools and you have them killed without care! You say you want to bring peace and unity, but have you brought beside war and destruction?"
Sasori slowly turned around and glared at the dictator, hesitating between gutting her on the spot for threatening his apprentice or worrying over his apprentice. However, her expression was, to put bluntly, surprising. It wasn't rage, it wasn't denial.
It was regret.
"There truly is nothing left… is there?" Alpha stared at the agonizing Chibaku, then at her captured men, and finally at Orochimaru. "If… if I surrender, will you spare the clones that fought today?"
"You are in no position to negotiate anything, but… yes. Those who surrender will be spared."
Alpha bit her lower lip, and the winds around her fists vanished. "Utopia was my idea, my responsibility," she said, offering her hands. "I'm the only one to blame for the work camps, and everything else. The others were just following orders."
"Alpha, you're under arrest for genocide, crimes against mankind, homicides, torture, and a dozen other charges I haven't memorized." Orochimaru transformed the soil into chains and restrained the woman with them. "Your men will be given fair trial." The Sannin then glanced at Chibaku. "My best medics will work on him."
It was a fool's hope, and Sasori was well-aware of that. The damage was too great. The body would not survive.
There was however, one solution still available.
Chibaku
The second he regained consciousness, the blonde was aware something was different.
His vision was greater than before, better, more precise. He couldn't close his eyes. His limbs felt… well, he couldn't feel them. He knew they were there, but they weren't warm. They weren't alive. He didn't even feel the air in his mouth.
In fact, he didn't sense any mouth.
For a split second, the puppeteer wondered if he was dead, and attempted to glance around him. Surprisingly, he managed to move his head without problem.
Chibaku was in a hospital room, white. No windows, one door to get out. And Sasori. Sasori staring over him.
"Good morning, Naruto." He forced himself to smile. It was supposed to be reassuring, but Chibaku found it creepy. "You returned from a long journey."
Yes. He remembered. He remembered Five, his parody of a Chidori. He remembered the pain and the blood. "How long was I… out?" His voice had changed. It was deeper. "What… what happened to me?"
"You were asleep for four days. Many things have happened in the meantime." Sasori interlocked his fingers on his lap. "You should have died. Your vital organs were a mess and your spine was crushed. The Kyuubi vainly attempted to save your life, but the wounds were too severe."
You tried to save me?
…Yes. Yes I did. The Kyuubi's tone was different… warmer. I… I was certain you would die, to be honest.
"Your body was failing you. The resistance's best medics did their best, but they only could stall the inevitable. Tsunade herself would have given up. I didn't." The redhead searched under his robes. A mirror, Chibaku thought, suspicions filling his still beating heart. He had a pretty good guess why he couldn't feel his limbs. He stared into his reflection and contemplated his new body.
Steel. It had to be steel, or an alloy. His shape was humanoid, his body made of assembled red and black plates. His limbs were big, thick and strong. His visage lacked any features, replaced with a glowing orange, triangle shaped screen. He looked like a bulky knight with a heavy armor. His chest was golden, and deep underneath, a human heart was beating.
"I will add hair later, alongside fake skin. It should make it easier for you to adapt-"
"Sasori," Chibaku cut in, "Honestly? As a living puppet? I look awesome. Even if I don't have a nose." He moved his head and stared into his master's eyes. "The design isn't yours, I guess? You favor wood over steel."
"Technically, some of the components are made of titanium, but that's beside the point. Kuebiko and his comrades helped with the design and construction, whereas Orochimaru provided most of the materials and resources."
Chibaku nodded to himself, before mentally frowning. Ah, yes, I don't have eyebrows anymore. I have to get used to it. "Wait, did you just say Orochimaru?"
"It's a long story." Sasori scoffed. "As you guessed, I salvaged your heart and replicated the same procedure I used on myself to turn you into a human puppet. It was the only way to save your life. I…" He struggled to utter his next words. "I apologize."
"For what? Turning me into your masterpiece? Wasn't it your goal all along?" Chibaku chuckled. "Look, I'm alive. No big deal. Just need to get used to my new body, and it'll be fine."
You're strangely happy for someone turned into a killing machine. To think I was worried for you…
Really?
…Did I just say that out loud? The Kyuubi cursed. Forget these words, meatbag. They certainly don't mean anything.
I think you're cute when you're embarrassed.
I'm not! How can I? I'm still linked to your soul and put into a junk body! And you're still alive! I don't feel warm inside, you dream!
I never said you were.
The Kyuubi wisely decided to shut up and stop digging itself in further.
"No." Sasori's voice snapped Chibaku out of his thoughts. "No, Naruto. You aren't my masterpiece. And you aren't my apprentice. When I operated you, when Kuebiko brought you dying to me, I… I felt something one does not feel for a student, or an life achievement. I felt something more."
Sasori's hand seized Chibaku's own.
"I felt how a father feels for a son."
Haku
Here lies Zabuza,
He lived to fight and fought to save lives,
His tales shall be told for the ages to come.
Haku thought it was a nice epitaph. Orochimaru had promised he would take care of the tombstone and make sure no one would disturb him. Staring at the nocturnal sky, the young woman wondered if stars were observing her, watching her struggle as a spectacle. "Are you watching, Zabuza-sama?" She whispered to the dead, as she deposited flowers over the ground. "I will make you proud, I promise…"
She stared at the second tombstone and placed flowers next to it, as well.
Here lies Hope,
His name was the one thing he had,
It will not be forgotten, and neither shall his life.
Picking up the sounds of someone walking in his direction, Haku moved her head. "I apologize if I disturbed you," Chibaku spoke, with his new deep voice. He was carrying roses. "I can come later if you prefer."
"No, go ahead." She lowered her eyes. "Sorry, Chibaku-san."
"For what?"
"If I had gone for the kill since the very beginning, you would still be normal."
"Haku-san, I ceased to be normal since the moment I was born. I see it as a metamorphosis, another stage of my life. No big deal. And if I remember well, you stopped him from landing a killing blow, so you saved my life instead of ruining it. The guy was easily good enough to rival Jounin, I doubt going for the kill since the get-go would have changed the situation." He placed flowers over both graves. "Why did you bury his ashes here?"
"To remember." Haku briefly glanced at her friend's body. He was close to eight feet tall, and even if his movements were clumsy, they had a lot of strength behind. The ice lady had little doubt he could shatter stone if he wanted to.
"You know… I have every reason to hate him, and yet I don't." Chibaku crossed his mechanical arms and faked a cough. "In many ways, he's what I would have become had Alpha found me instead of Sasori. I would have been loyal and bitter. He needed to be put down, but… the fact gives no pleasure."
"I never enjoyed killing." Haku stared sadly at Zabuza's grave. "It is necessary from time to time, but when you start enjoying it, there is no turning back. My teacher taught me that, and… he told me to follow my own path. I think I have found it."
Chibaku silently listened. "The world shouldn't produce people as miserable as he was. If he had had a little more support and guidance, he wouldn't have fallen into self-destructiveness and despair. The world is full of sadness and suffering… and I intend to fix it as much as I can. To make sure nobody else ends up like he did. But for this, I need to be stronger." She took her breath. "From now on… nobody dies under my watch."
"Not even me?" Chibaku couldn't repress a bad joke. "You have grown, Haku-san. Zabuza is proud of you, wherever he is."
"Thank you," Haku smiled and lent him her hand. "You're taking your transformation surprisingly well."
"To be honest, becoming a human puppet is something I intended to do, albeit not so soon." He chuckled at the lady's astonished face. "The prospect of turning into what I am may disturb you, and I can understand it. I mean, I won't be able to start a family, I won't be able to feel the most basic physical pleasures... but I can theoretically live forever, I will never grow old and sick, and I'm one step closer to my goal. I try to be optimist. As for a family?" He chuckled. "I already have one."
"Your goal?"
"One day, once I have surpassed my master in all fields, I will find a child on the roads. One with no future but incredible potential. I will look into his or her eyes, and if I like what I see, I shall take this kid as my apprentice." He briefly laughed. "Does it sound familiar?"
The Rebel
"Are you absolutely certain of your decision?" Orochimaru frowned in disappointment as Kuebiko nodded politely. Finishing his meal, the Sannin stared at the word travelers. He had cordially invited them to share this feast, and had hoped they would stay. "You will be treated as the heroes you are. I will do everything in my power to reward your efforts."
"As much as I find the description of heroes ironic, we must insist." Sasori coughed. "We have comrades to find."
"We are honored by your offer, but our… our family, needs us," Haku added politely.
"Well, it was fun as long as it lasted." Manda shrugged, resting lazily on an oversized throne. The snake was too proud to settle for anything less. He had previously suggested having a feast at his 'shiny snake kingdom' instead of the rebellion's former headquarters, but his summoner had rebuked the offer. The story had started here, and so it had to finish here as well. "Still, we're going to miss you. We need more strong willed mammals around here."
Orochimaru couldn't agree more. "If your decision is final, at least allow me to offer you a reward for your precious help." Joining his palms, the Sannin summoned a scroll. "This… is the summoning contract of the snakes, which I modified with Kuebiko's assistance. If you sign it, you will be able to call upon the snakes of this world… or even me, if you ever need my help. I will come."
"… Let me get this straight," Chibaku started, "you altered a summoning contract within, what, three, four days, and enhanced it simply with vague theories and information?"
Manda chuckled. "Orochimaru is many things, but a retard he isn't. He's the smartest mammal alive in my book."
"You're too kind." The Sannin reddened in embarrassment. "I simply have a special talent for summoning."
"Special talent? Surely you jest." Kuebiko snorted. "After decades of research, my knowledge of summoning contracts and arrays is vague at best. You on the other hand have cracked the theory behind them and discovered secrets seal masters never imagined existed in the first place. If you could help us, I'm sure summoning anyone to other worlds would become child's play within months."
Orochimaru smiled in embarrassment The armored man overestimated him. "After I fix my world, it would be with pleasure. I first have to handle the transition toward a new, non-despotic regime."
"Speaking of it, what are you going to do next?" Sasori raised an eyebrow. "Build a new Hidden Village?"
Orochimaru shook his head. "In a theocracy, the people belong to the gods. In a ninjacracy, the people belong to the nation. In oligarchies, the people belong to a minority. In a despotism, people belong to one person. I have rejected those solutions and created my own. The people will belong to the people." The Sannin chuckled. "Democracy. It sounds good, isn't it?"
"That's interesting but…" Chibaku tilted. "You're a nice guy and a hero. If you ruled alone, you could have greater results and everyone will applaud." He chuckled. "I can't believe I said that of Orochimaru, of all men."
Orochimaru was beginning to wonder what his doubles had done to deserve this kind of reputation. Surely they weren't all total bastards, were they? "You simply have to look outside these walls to see where the last benevolent dictatorship lead us to. As for ruling... I was born to work in a lab, not to lead, but circumstances decided otherwise. I have no intention of staying in power longer than necessary."
The Snake Sage took his breath. "Alpha's words convinced me she started as someone you could relate to. An idealist with her head full of dreams and wanted to offer a better future to this devastated land. She was in the same position as I was, leading a revolution to depose tyrants. She used to be a rebel once… but power… absolute power corrupts absolutely. It is easy, to force people to share your ideas instead of convince them. It is quick, it's efficient, and it ultimately ends with extremism and another revolution, and the whole horror restarts anew. I will break this cycle once and for all by making sure no one can gain absolute power ever again."
"A wise decision," Manda nodded. As the others stared at his throne, he hissed. "I am the king because I lead my species during crisis and wars, and because I'm awesome! Otherwise? Snakes are wise enough not to need someone telling them what to do. I guess it can become the same with you mammals."
"It will take time, but I will destroy our previous rulers' legacy. The clans will have to accept they aren't some kind of master race, my people will learn true friendship and peace, and the clones will be given fair trials. Some like Three will receive a death sentence for their participation in a genocide, but most will be given a chance to atone and repair this devastated planet. Your friends Twenty and Ninety have already accepted to work for the rebuilding of civilization. I suggested they choose names, to live as individuals and not gears of a machine."
"Are they-"
"Ninety is still as adorable and clumsy as ever, and Twenty…" Orochimaru took a red notebook from under his robes and gave it to Chibaku. "He wanted me to give you this. I will attempt to find a cure for the clones' defects and allow them to become people of their own right. In time, a few might start families and find happiness."
"Then… this leaves only Alpha and the statue," Kuebiko whispered. "What do you intend to do with her? Publicly execute her?"
"And make her a martyr? Unhappy people tend to lionize dead leaders, and since the new regime won't suddenly bring peace and food for all..." Orochimaru trailed off. "No, I have something else in mind for her. I will strip her of her powers, and have her see the work camps, her victims, and take responsibility for her actions. Perhaps she will try to atone for what she did… and if she doesn't, she will live a broken shell of her former self, powerless, alone." A fate worse than death, in his opinion. He couldn't settle for less.
"As for the statue, I gave it to the White Snake Sage, the spiritual leader of all serpents. He and other summons will keep it until we find a more… permanent solution to get rid of it. I swear no one will ever use the Ten-Tails' power again."
"You never cease to astonish me, my friend. Not many of your kind would give up on limitless power, no matter the drawbacks." Manda stared down at the world travelers. "Call me if anyone needs to fear the power of snake-fu. It's gonna be pretty boring around here now we have earned our happy ending and our enemies are gone… until they return and we kick their ass again."
"I give you all my blessings," Orochimaru said softly. "I hope you will find your lost comrades and reach your dreams. This is all I wish."
As the others bowed in respect and friendship, a woman chose that time to enter the room. "Finished Eon's programming," said Omoikane. "We leave whenever you want, maggots."
Chibaku
Twenty: "New one, nothing personal I hope. I don't know who you are exactly or where you're going, but… take care of yourself."
Ninety: "I'm so sorry we had to fight, and… and, well, I hope we're still friends. It… it meant something to me. So… well, I hope you're fine, wherever you are."
Chibaku silently closed the notebook and stepped outside the strange machine. The inside wasn't particularly… bizarre, or at least, not as much as he had expected from a dimension-traveling machine. For starters, it was a circular room with seats equipped with belts, and Omoikane had decorated the inside. Except a panel and computers, it looked like a dining room. The travel itself had lasted an hour, and besides some shaking, Eon had traveled undisturbed.
Of course, Chibaku had no idea what could happen when the machine was disturbed. Landing in a world of spandex pirates, I presume, the Kyuubi deadpanned.
As the gates opened, the puppeteer was welcomed by a strange, wonderful sight. They were on a beach of black sand, in front of a…
"A red sea?" Haku spoke for the puppeteer. The sky was even more disturbing, a mix of yellow and red, without clouds. In the horizon, the crew could see flying rocks, strange structures, and islands. "This…"
"It doesn't make sense, yes," Kuebiko whispered, upon exiting the traveling device. "I told you, this is the End. A dimension made of the remnants of universes long gone. The geography changes all the time, the structures you see appear and move elsewhere according to a logic we do not yet understand. There is no sun, and yet we have light. No earth core, and yet there is gravity. This whole place ignores the laws of physics."
"Toys with them, you mean," Omoikane shrugged. "I once saw a man disguised as a bat drop from the sky and falling into the sea. Nonsense doesn't begin to describe this place."
"The island is our Base, a location we took as our home. This," Kuebiko pointed at a yellow, metallic, tower structure standing farther down the beach, "is the center of our installation. It keeps tracks of all the worlds we discovered, gathers data, and-"
"And I will cut the sentence short before it turns into techno-babble," a new voice interrupted. A familiar man stepped into view, wearing a blue shirt, white shorts, sandals, and black glasses. He had long white hair, and a recognizable face. "Hello guys, nice to meet you."
"Kabuto?" Chibaku quickly corrected himself. This man was Kabuto, but with ten years more, a leaner body, and his outfit was quite un-Kabutoish.
"I used to be called that, until I attempted a space-time ninjutsu and screwed up in a spectacular way," the man chuckled. "I'm Fukuro, the overseer of our team. Can I offer you refreshments? It would be good to take some rest after your latest adventure."
"Gotta get my swimsuit later, but first, we have a bigger problem to deal with-"
"Yes, yes Omoikane, I was getting into it… the situation is not pretty. At all." He watched at his comrades. "I lost contact with Vajra six hours ago."
"And you did not inform us?" Kuebiko jumped in place. "How did it happen?"
"Hey, I thought it was just a temporary malfunction, I tried to correct it myself," the scientist protested. "He was investigating one of the worlds in danger of collapsing, and the communication ended mid-sentence. I tried to reactivate it, but the armor ceased to send me information and all my attempts were in vain. One of you will be teleported where he was to investigate as soon as possible."
Sasori scoffed, attracting everyone's attention. "We keep hearing about this Vajra for days, but the only things we have learned are his name and some of his story. Do you have a photo? We might help locate him."
Kuebiko nodded to himself and faced the trio. "You remember, Sasori, when Orochimaru had patiently explained me how that… anti-utopia… came into being?"
"I remember."
"To be honest, it's not the first time I've been put in a similar situation. I have visited a world where my brother became a benevolent tyrant and others where my clan was made of warmongers opposed to the peaceful Uchiha, although Madara was still evil. I have seen worlds where the Will of Fire became a tool to justify tyrannical regimes under Danzo, one of my former students. But… it was the first world I have seen where things went that bad… the first place that showed me how warped and malevolent my life philosophy can become. It is painful, to see everything you believe in turned into a nightmare."
The machine-man tried to put himself in the man's shoes. If he had seen a world where puppetry had been used to enslave people instead of helping creativity, it would be a terrible experience indeed. "Why are you telling us this?"
"I want you to understand the Infinity follows some vague guidelines. In eighty percent of the known multiverse, Naruto Uzumaki exists or existed, in one form or another, be it as a male, a female, a hero or a criminal, a nobody or a legend. In nearly all the worlds he exists in, Madara became a maniac that made the life of thousands miserable and was directly or indirectly the secret architect behind countless tragedies. In seventy percent of the worlds where Konoha exists, the Kyuubi attacked it at least once. There is a pattern, similarities. It's why I assume, most often than not, that some events happened, that some people are frequently evil and others not."
Omoikane shrugged. "Vajra is the living proof these rules do not constantly apply. That sometimes, a man who seems fated to turn into a monster… does not."
"You imply Vajra is a villain we faced?" Haku pondered.
Fukuro searched in his pockets and brought out a photo. "I took it a year ago," he said, as he showed it to the group.
Chibaku had to admit, it was a shocking surprise. He wasn't the only one to recognize the man; Haku paled in horror and dread in understanding, and Sasori struggled to maintain a stoic expression.
The photo was banal. Four people in casual clothing taking a drink together. The fourth man was an old man in his seventies, with white hair, wrinkles, a friendly smile, and an aging, familiar face.
The face they had come to hate and fear.
"Once upon a time, Vajra used to be called Madara Uchiha," Kuebiko started. "It seems insane, but it's the truth. Think about it: if there is a world where he is evil-"
"There must be a world where he's good," Chibaku whispered. He had been used to seeing Madara as a constant, vicious threat, so the existence of a good version of him was shocking.
"To be honest, I do not consider him to be Madara, simply a person who shares the name and bloodline. He's simply too different, and the only one I met that is a decent person. I'm afraid he's the exception that confirms the rule..." Kuebiko shrugged.
"I told you his world developed advanced technology using the Bijuu. Vajra theorized it was because the Sage never taught ninjutsu to mankind in ancient times, leading people to grow without it and focus on technique and machinery. Bloodline limits existed. However, their application changed: the Byakugan greatly helped medical science, and Madara used his Sharingan to advance physics and mathematics. There was no feud between Senju and Uchiha, no ninja clan era, no Hidden Villages, and Vajra never was anything more than a respectable scientist and scholar. The destruction of his homeworld by the very technology he helped design is a source of guilt and shame he still hasn't gotten over."
"Freaky…" said Chibaku. "Why do good people always suffer the most?"
Because they have the most to lose, the Kyuubi whispered ominously.
Kuebiko
The screen room, as it was nicknamed, was the place where Fukuro spent most of his time. A large circular room equipped with dozens of screens and computers, it compiled any information gathered by the armor and allowed direct discussion and support.
Kuebiko took his seat and sat next to Fukuro, politely refusing a drink. "Worlds are collapsing, or so I have heard."
"That's just the tip of the iceberg unfortunately," said Furuko, photos materializing on the screens. It represented a version of Konoha, with four Hokage faces on the main monument. "This is Reality-23."
"Diverging element: Naruto Uzumaki and Kiba Inuzuka switched teams after previous match-ups proved disastrously inefficient. I took this photo two years ago."
"No, Vajra took it five days ago." Fukuro smiled. "Focus."
The Nidaime obeyed, and narrowed his eyebrows. The picture was nearly identical, save for a detail. A spot of yellow in the completely blue sky. "What is that?"
"A breach opening on Reality-355. The barriers between realities are weakening, and portals are multiplying. Vajra recorded dozens of them and the number keeps growing."
"Reality-355, the 'Responsible Jiraiya' world?" Kuebiko frowned. "It all started with this one."
"The breach opened soon after your battle with these three Uchiha Madara. Vajra was investigating your disappearance when he noticed it. He also interrogated Jiraiya and his godson. You will be happy to learn both are fine, although the Sannin harbors post-burn wounds across his skin." Fukuro chuckled. "They mistook Vajra for an attacker the first time he crossed paths with them. Took him two hours of explaining to convince them that he wasn't trying to kill anyone. They send you their regards, by the way."
"I will have to thank them for their help at a later date. They're good people." The former Hokage crossed his arms. "These breaches could turn out to be dangerous."
"They are. Remember that Naruto Uzumaki who organized the downfall of Konohagakure, killed the Sandaime with his bare hands, and proceeded to turn the continent into an anarchy-filled hellhole? Or that Sage possessed by the Ten-Tails? Imagine what would happen if they crossed a breach to a defenseless universe?"
The images of the possessed Sage still haunted the man's dream. Imagining that mass of tentacles and eyes appearing in the middle of Konoha was disturbing.
"That's not all. The breaches are by nature weakening the barriers separating realities. With time, the breach could grow to let one Earth cross it and crash into another. It's pretty much what is starting to happen in a few cases. If the problem isn't corrected soon, I'm afraid it might start a domino effect and cause the destruction of hundreds, if not thousands, of realities."
It was a nightmare. "How can we avert this disaster?"
"By locating the guy responsible and asking for his cooperation." Fukuro locked eyes with him. "We heavily suspect the power of this Kazama Arashi to have caused it through unforeseen side-effects. How can we be so sure, you might ask? Well, we reproduced his entire travel and the worlds he visited are the most affected, and his homeworld will, if not stopped, crash into another reality in a big explosion first."
Kuebiko cracked his neck. "Fixing breaches in dimensions. Easier said than done. You reproduced his travel, you said? What prevents us from locating where he went?"
"That's the problem: whatever happened during your fight with that Madara Triad caused the travel to leave no trace. His former world-jumps were… messy. Like someone breaking doors instead of opening them and the mess he leaves in his wake by doing so makes it all but impossible to track. As of right now it's impossible to learn where he is, or if he's even alive. This leaves us with three options: try to solve the problem on our own, which doesn't look good, try to find him by exploring world after world, which might take eons… or wait until he travels again, in which case, we could locate him."
"How much time, before his homeworld is destroyed?"
"I would say… three weeks. Perhaps two. Afterward, I would advise praying, 'cause only the gods could save the day, and you know how likely that's going to happen." The man drank and sneered. "We can try to slow down the inevitable, but without Arashi…"
Kuebiko glanced at the door and interrupted the conversation. "It's not polite to eavesdrop conversations, Haku."
The young woman blushed and entered, giving the duo a polite nod. "It wasn't my intention," she excused herself. "I am sorry if I disturbed you." Haku stared at the screen. "I… none of us knew."
"What is done is done, and I doubt any of you could have realized the danger of Kazama's method without proper equipment." Kuebiko glanced at Fukuro. "Could you…"
The man shrugged. "Banished from my own office, you jest…" The scientist politely smiled at Haku and exited. Kuebiko silently offered her a seat. She sat quietly, and for a few seconds, no word was spoken.
"You wanted to talk to me, isn't it? I could see it into your eyes."
"I had something to ask, but given what I just heard it can wait," said Haku with a faint voice. "I know someone that can help solve our… our mistakes. If we can get into contact with them, they would probably be able to fix the situation."
Kuebiko blinked in surprise. "Truly? That's interesting… but we're both aware you would not pass on the occasion of seeking information on a 'good' Madara Uchiha unless it was important. What is on your mind?"
Haku smiled. "I would like to ask you to take me as an apprentice. It may not be the right time. However, I want the power to help others as much as I can. Since the situation is sour, I would understand if you refused."
Kuebiko had expected such request, ever since her former mentor died. Simply not so soon. "It's the debacle with this Five that convinced you?"
"He had a name," the teen narrowed her eyes in displeasure. "I don't want to see anyone else end as he did, broken and despaired. I want to give hope to others."
"A wise and noble choice." He joined his fingers. "I gladly accept to take you under my wing. I managed to train six people during a war, I can certainly tutor one person during such troubled times."
Haku bowed down in gratitude. "Thank you. When will we start?"
"My, you're eager to learn," Kuebiko chuckled. "Right after you explain who can help us, and were he or she can be found."
It took her half-an-hour to give the details, and yet the man still had a hard time understanding what he was hearing.
"A different multiverse? Dragons?" Kuebiko raised an eyebrow. "It's... confusing."
Sasori
"Cannon?" Chibaku glanced at Omoikane. "Kunai launcher? Jet-pack?"
"I tell you, I can upgrade your body into an awesome weapon of mass destruction in no time," the woman smirked sadistically. "By the time I'm done with you, you will be turned into an iron man, no, an iron monger! NO! I will reinforce the armor and turn you into a living tank! OF DOOM!"
Sasori had no idea what a tank was, but it sounded efficient. The offer was too good to pass up. "May you do the same with my current body? I will remake it using iron and steel, if needed."
Omoikane grinned, obviously happy to entertain her weapon fetish. Chibaku simply glanced at his teacher. "Truly?"
The redhead nodded and explained his reasoning. "The ninja world is ruled by an arms race, student. Over the ages, puppetry followed it. Chikamatsu gave it a place on the battlefield, and I upgraded his theory. However, since we started traveling through universes… we have been losing. Badly. Our puppets are destroyed one after the other. It's obvious we have reached a point where current puppetry is clearly outdated against new, supremely dangerous threats like Madara or Alpha."
He observed his student's thick, strong limbs. "I think… I think you represent the new stage of puppetry. An individual controlling a puppet from within, building more advanced models and defeating enemies with versatile weaponry."
"So, you want to win the arm race?" Omoikane smirked. "Believe, with me, it won't be a race: it will be a trashing."
Chibaku crossed his arms. "Could you give me a Byakugan-vision? It would help on the field for battle and... researches."
"Naruto..."
"What?" Sasori's student feigned innocence. "I'm certainly not going to use this weapon to spy on women's baths or see past their clothes! I mean, I don't have reproductive organs anymore! I promise if it randomly activates around Haku, it will be a coincidence, and my mind won't lust at her perfect, beautiful-"
Sasori sighed. Some things never changed.
Omake:
Why Kushina should never teach
"Time to show you the power of red spandex!" The redhead shouted, her headband covering one of her eyes. She was wearing... no, such horror couldn't, shouldn't, ever, be described with words. "I am... Redbeard! I fear no one, but I am feared across the seas!"
Minato put a palm on his face and cringed at his girlfriend's latest prank. Why am I dating her, again?
"Redbeard-sensei!" Gai jumped in place. "Why are you so awesome?"
"Because I'm shining with the fires... of YOUTH!" She tossed the genin a green spandex outfit. "With it, you shall burn with coolness! Promise me to spread the power of youth across all corners of the land, beginning with that sulky Kakashi!"
"YES, REDBEARD-SENSEI!"
"GAI!"
"REDBEARD-SENSEI!"
Somehow, Minato had the feeling Kakashi's life would become even more miserable.
A/N: first... Merry Christmas, all readers! Here is my gift for you, a bit early, but still!
On the chapter... I thought it would be funny to have the shyest Orochimaru have the most flamboyant Manda ever. Plus, Orochimaru is pretty much his world's messiah, instead of Naruto (a perspective flip), although he's a lot more cynical and ruthless than Naruto will ever be and has self-esteem problems. Nobody's perfect.
Five was originally intended to survive and become the 'Chaotic Evil Teammate' of the Arashi group, but I realized 1) it would be out of character for the cast to accept someone who tortured two of the heroes and shows no regret, and 2) his death would be good for Haku's character development, which she's currently lacking in it. I intend to make her a strong, iron-willed badass. The Evil Naruto Teammate spot will be filled in the next arc, but by a Lawful Evil character instead. For those who wonder why Five could use lightning on his brain without frying it... he didn't. It had the side effect of making him even crazier.
Yep, Chibaku is officially a new, advanced model of human puppet now. It's symbolic of him slowly surpassing his mentor. Some might be surprised by his lack of angst over the situation. The key part of his character is that he's, deep down, very apathetic: he has a few goals in life and a few people he cares about, but he couldn't care less if he were to lose a hand or about most tragedies happening around him as long as they don't affect him or his loved ones. In many ways, he's a smaller Sasori, although he hides it well.
The world collapsing/breaches is going to be the focus of the next two arcs, and as you can expect, there will be a lot of action. Vajra's story and whereabouts are going to be a main focus as well. If you wonder why Kuebiko commented Madara never changes back in his introduction, here is the reason: Vajra is the one Madara he has seen that isn't evil, hence, he considers all the others are. He gave up long ago on finding good Madaras, although they exist: he just hasn't run into them yet.
Finally, I will try focusing on my other stories more from now on, so the next update will not come quickly. Sorry.
Happy holidays everybody, and please add a review as Christmas gift!
Edit: for those who wonder about Sage Mode and why it is so useful against the Juubi, it's a plot point, as one of the characters will learn it in time. However, I will give you a hint: what is the Juubi if not Natural Chakra given physical form, albeit corrupted?