Chapter Thirty Six
Shikamaru leaned against the rail of the ship and looked over the water.
Bodies, parts of ships . . . it was one of the first times Shikamaru had seen the after-effect of a major naval engagement, it wasn't any more or less grizzly than a land battle but it wouldn't be long before all the signs that a battle had been fought would be lost beneath the depths. There would be no monuments erected, or grave markers for the thousands of soldiers who'd died today.
But the fleet couldn't wait around for eulogies or even to seek out any survivors, a few enemy vessels were being left behind intact to search out their survivors, having surrendered there was little to be done, the consensus was against simply killing the surrendered enemies, and no soldiers could be spared to ensure they didn't cause further trouble.
It would simply have to suffice that they didn't have the strength left to harass the village hidden in mist, and had no idea where the exiled village was, and Emiko guessed they wouldn't find it accidentally.
Shikamaru considered how much they were risking on what Emiko was guessing.
They'd left paltry defense for the village, a few Chuunin and ninja students. If an attack were to occur it was possible that the small defense would suffice, but everyone was hoping that the attack on the mainland would be the best defense for the islands.
There would be another meeting aboard the Konoha flagship, which meant another chance to see Temari and hopefully at last a good opportunity to send Sumiko home.
Shikamaru saw Sasuke and the Mizukage's squad come aboard along with Neji whom they must have met over the water since he'd seen them running across the water's surface from their last scuttled ship. They probably didn't know yet that Gaara had wanted a meeting, this had probably just been the ship closest to them.
Shikamaru went down to meet them on the deck but when Sasuke came aboard his legs buckled under him and Sakura-who'd gotten back earlier with Choujuurou-rushed over to him.
It was a bit worrying, Sasuke was one of their top shinobi after all.
But it was also sort of a relief that, barring Sakura's skills being too effective of Sasuke's injuries too minor, the proud Uchiha might not actually make it to the meeting, thus sparing Shikamaru the trouble of dealing with him.
He just didn't feel like he had the energy for it, he was tiring much more easily lately. He noted the way Sasuke avoided acknowledging Sakura, there was a definite air of shame. It amused Shikamaru a bit that the Uchiha was capable of feeling shame, and wasn't wailing at the world itself for somehow changing it's gravity resulting in his stumble.
Sakura led him away, with bespectacled Karin following along. Shikamaru might have inquired after Sasuke's condition but with two high powered medics odds were he'd survive. He spoke instead to the Mizukage, "How'd it go?"
"Fine, fine. Ran into the Sound Five, got most of 'em."
"Most?" Shikamaru asked.
"All except Hatake, he high tailed it." Suigetsu shrugged.
Shikamaru considered that. Kotaro had been a younger Kakashi, talented, brilliant, and now as an enemy extremely dangerous.
"This has put us behind schedule, do you think we'll still be able to proceed with the plan?" Suigetsu asked.
"If a half day's delay could ruin the plan it wouldn't be much of a plan would it?" Shikamaru shrugged.
"Well I can't wait to get to shore and start raising hell," The Mizukage chuckled. "As soon as Sasuke's set right we'll head back to our ship."
"Actually, Gaara wanted a meeting." Shikamaru said.
"Huh. Well I'm tired . . . tell you what, I'll just let Sasuke-san stand in for me. Juugo, you'll stick with Sasuke, the two of you take notes and relay the information to me."
"Why not leave Karin?" Juugo asked, "She's our chief strategist."
"And if I leave her and Sasuke unsupervised she'll be on maternity leave before we make landfall." The Mizukage laughed.
Juugo looked confused, Shikamaru said "Well he'd have to consent to her first, wouldn't he?"
The Mizukage laughed and suddenly Shikamaru realized what Sasuke was really ashamed of, why he tried not to look at Sakura.
I so don't need this. Shikamaru told himself, and his stomach suddenly twisted in pain.
He stoically kept from expressing that pain in front of the Mizukage, he didn't want Suigetsu, whom he trusted about as far as he could be thrown, to know that he might be getting weak.
Shikamaru considered who he'd ask to carry on for him if he died before Konoha was retrieved.
It would have been Kotaro in a different world where Konoha hadn't fallen and where Shikamaru wasn't so seriously considering a successor so soon.
He wondered . . . would Mist try something? If he were gone would Suigetsu try something? It was crazy to think that he was in any way keeping the Mizukage back. Physically he doubted he could stand up to the Mizukage, it was only intellectually that he could overcome him.
And yet Shikamaru had no doubts that if it came to it he would outthink Karin and the rest of the Mist village . . .
Shikamaru considered that Suigetsu, like Sasuke might be more interested in seeing who he could match physically, but unlike Sasuke might recognize the dangers posed by someone he couldn't match mentally.
He was getting ahead of himself. He had no reason to suspect that Suigetsu was up to anything or that his presence and survival would stop him.
Suigetsu went to the sickbay with Juugo, presumably to get Karin and inform Sasuke of the meeting, Shikamaru saw Gaara's ship coming up alongside his own, Gaara and Temari were on deck, as was Sumiko, asleep in her mother's arms.
Shikamaru sighed, Sumiko was lucky to be able to sleep after such a turbulent fight. Then again maybe she'd slept through it, safe-relatively speaking-below decks.
But she wouldn't be safe at all if they didn't send her back to the island soon.
However if they sent a messenger bird now the enemy might follow it and find the island . . . he'd ask Emiko what to do once the meeting was over, but he needed to act quickly.
The thought of Sumiko being in danger just made his stomach hurt more.
Now instead of hoping that Sakura had trouble repairing Sasuke he was hoping she managed to finish her work quickly because he was probably going to need some form of healing himself.
He forced a smile as his wife and brother-in-law came aboard, he didn't want her to worry; even if it felt like her husband was being eaten alive from the inside out.
Ryu stood at attention when Lord Kurai came into the room, "The enemy fleet will be here in short order, the armies from Wind are delayed we're all that stand between our enemies and the total conquest of the Land of Waves." The bug herder said through gritted teeth.
"Not necessarily," Okatsu said. "The Emperor meant for our little experiments to intercept the enemy after all."
"Intercept them if they made it past the army." Ryu pointed out.
"Which they've effectively done," Okatsu said, "They've made it past the army because the army won't be here. Thus, while the army remains intact it has still been more or less defeated."
"Granted, but do we trust them to be set loose in the city?" Kurai asked.
"Do we care?" Okatsu asked.
"We do." Kurai said sternly.
"Well they can be controlled with simple command phrases spoken by the right people. I mean a few might get out of sight and eat some children but that's a chance I'm happily willing to take." Okatsu shrugged.
"Ma'am, if we're going to be a bigger threat to the Empire's people than the rebels-" Ryu began but Okatsu cut him off.
"I'll burn this city to the ground before I see it in enemy hands, Lord Orochimaru entrusted us with the defense of his hard won empire and here after a bit of difficulty you're ready to surrender?"
"Nobody said that, but we lost much of the fleet when our task forces were ambushed," Kurai snapped, "If the Lightning navy aids them in taking the ports our soldiers will stand no chance."
"You are one of the Emperor's five fingers, together you form his first . . . act like it. I trained the Five to be the best of the best, to be the greatest ninja of your generation and you shy from battle? Only Hatake managed to survive your little sea adventure!"
"We encountered Uchiha!" Kurai growled, "Are you simply incapable of remembering simple details?"
"Your purpose is to bring our Lord that single, solitary man." Okatsu said, folding her arms, "How is it that all five of you together failed? How is it that against Uchiha's lackey whore your stupid slut of a wife failed? How is it that the Sound Five are thus far little more than a posturing social club? Are you or are you not the greatest ninja in this world?"
Kurai scowled, he took a threatening step towards Okatsu and she met his gaze with cold intensity.
Ryu felt nervous, he felt like he didn't belong in the room anymore, he wanted very much to leave.
Kurai lowered his gaze and said "You're right, Sensei . . . we're failing our Lord, I will discipline the others and myself when an opportunity arrives."
"Spare me." Okatsu said coldly, "I will discipline the lot of you when I get back to the capital after we defeat the Konoha rebels. Hatake too, he may have survived but he let the rest of you die; he's just as much a failure."
Kurai bowed and Ryu was shocked to see a member of the Sound Five start out trying to command the defense and then be effectively put in his place-cast several places lower in fact-by a middle-aged woman whose ninja prowess shouldn't have been anywhere near that of a member of the Five.
Though she had trained them, that must count for something.
Okatsu dismissed Kurai and he left, Ryu waited until he was gone to ask the older woman "Does it concern anyone else that Hatake-sama hasn't returned? What if he's . . . defected?"
"His true body would be done away with that instant." Okatsu said simply, "His mind is under fairly regular watch, though he can't be monitored while on assignment. The moment he returns to his body-and he'd have to eventually-we'd detect his betrayal. If necessary the Emperor can also force Hatake to return to his body."
"I see . . ." Ryu hesitated.
"I don't care." Okatsu glowered, "Just get my little bundles of joy ready, set them in pairs at various points with larger numbers at points of strategic importance . . . consult with the Daimyo and his staff. When the enemy arrives I want the experiments as our first line of defense if they breach into the city, but I also want ninja prepared to mop up the mess afterwards."
"Yes ma'am." Ryu nodded.
"Oh and Ryu . . ." Okatsu said.
"Ma'am?" Ryu asked.
"When we get back the Five will be harshly punished for their failure against Uchiha. Yukio would have to be punished as well. I know you're his friend but I will tell you just once; Uchiha is beyond you or myself, only the Five stand a chance and if you interfere or attempt to aid Yukio you will be killed. If not by Uchiha, then by me, because I will not allow you to stand between my students and the realization of their purpose. Are we clear?"
"Of course ma'am." Ryu said softly, and left the room to see the Daimyo and begin setting up the defenses.
He wondered, given how relieved he felt to be away from Okatsu, if Kurai's sudden show of being browbeaten was just that; a show. Had he accepted Okatsu's threats just to get away from her?
Probably not. Anyway it didn't matter, soon enough he'd see combat again and the Five would redeem themselves by capturing Uchiha.
Soon enough the experimental prisoners, the "mutants" as Okatsu had called them, would be let loose on an unsuspecting and barely protected city in order to save it from an enemy army.
There might be a moral, or a joke in there somewhere, but for the life of him Ryu couldn't see it. All he saw was a small army of experiment prisoners being let loose on friend and foe alike while the paltry force in the city tried to fend off the enemies who'd defeated four of the Sound Five.
"Your arms and legs are just covered in bug bites," Sakura said as she rubbed more ointment on Sasuke, "But you weren't actually poisoned."
"Or he was and I cured it." Karin suggested.
"Maybe. Maybe Kurai didn't want to poison you, Sasuke-kun." Sakura suggested.
"Kurai doesn't do things halfway, not when it comes to combat." Sasuke said thoughtfully, "I felt poisoned at the time . . . but even after biting Karin I didn't feel much better. Are you sure you didn't cure me of any poison, Sakura?"
"Absolutely." Sakura said.
"So obviously I did it." Karin reasoned.
"Or he was just tired from lack of chakra and he's had time to regain it." Sakura suggested.
"Why are you so determined to undermine my ability?" Karin asked stiffly.
"I'm not," Sakura said, narrowing her eyes, "I just find it difficult to believe that you cured him of Aburame poison just by letting him have a bite on your arm; that's all. I mean you weren't even trying to."
"I wasn't trying to do anything but make him whole again so that means I wasn't trying not to cure poison." Karin said.
Sakura hated that line of reasoning but she wasn't interested in arguing with Karin so she just said "That's true. I guess I didn't think of it that way."
Because I'm sane and all. Sakura thought.
Karin looked smug until her tall friend Juugo came into the sickbay, "Karin, Mizukage-sama says it's time to go."
"Really? I thought they had another unnecessary meeting." Sasuke said gruffly.
"They're not unnecessary, with this delay we may not be able to get to Naruto at the appointed time so Gaara probably wants to know if there's some solution, he needs Shikamaru and Emiko for that and since the fleet belongs to Water the Mizukage might as well be there too." Sakura told him.
"There is a meeting." Juugo said in an almost eerily calm voice, "Sasuke will be attending as the Mizukage's stand in, and I'll be his second."
"Joy." Sasuke sighed.
"Why aren't I invited?" Karin demanded.
Juugo shrugged, Sakura could see from the man's face that he didn't want to say why so she suggested, "Maybe your Lord just feels that Sasuke can better handle the talks since he's from Konoha and knows Gaara so well. Juugo is perfectly capable of defending Mists' interests if Sasuke misrepresents the Mizukage."
"He probably just doesn't want me and Sasuke-kun running off and getting whoever captains this bucket to perform a wedding at sea." Karin mused and headed for the door.
Her back was turned so Sakura felt it was safe to roll her eyes, the scoff that also escaped her was accidental but luckily it seemed Karin didn't notice.
"Never mind her," Sasuke said, "thanks for fixing me up, Sakura-chan."
"No problem . . . do you need any medical care, Juugo-san?"
"No." The giant man said calmly.
"All right then, I guess we should go to this meeting then." Sakura said with forced enthusiasm.
At least she got to go to a meeting with Sasuke and Karin didn't.
Sasuke stood up and Juugo took up a position to his side as if he were a bodyguard, and Sakura supposed he probably thought he was.
Juugo was a very quiet person, he was pretty much always calm though sometimes, like now, it was obvious that that calm was forced and that he was focusing very hard on maintaining it. She wondered if it was nerves, or if the Mizukage suspected some more important discussions or something.
As they got further from the sickbay Juugo seemed to grow more relaxed and then Sakura felt like she understood, "You don't like infirmaries, Juugo-san?"
"No." He said flatly. "The blood, the carnage."
"Carnage?" Sakura laughed, "Sorry, I guess I never thought of it that way . . . I'm sorry, it must have been difficult for you to have to retrieve Sasuke-kun from there."
"Suigetsu likes them even less than I do . . . that's why he told me to go get Karin." Juugo said with a shrug.
Sakura frowned, and Sasuke said, "He never had a problem with hospitals before, he was just being lazy."
Juugo said nothing but Sakura sensed he wanted to say something, so Sakura supplied what she guessed the six and a half foot tall shinobi probably wanted to say; "It's been a long time Sasuke-kun, Suigetsu is bound to be a little different than you remember. Anyway lots of people dislike hospitals, or in this case sickbays."
Sasuke shrugged and the trio reached the bridge. Juugo held the door open for them and Sasuke gestured for Sakura to go in first, she stepped into the doorway just in time to hear Taisho Hirate slam his fist down on the table and shout, "That's ludicrous, it's suicide!"
"Uh . . . gentlemen first." Sakura said, backing up and waving the two men into the room ahead of her.
Karin scoffed at Suigetsu when she reached the flagship again, he'd been waiting on deck, likely for Sasuke but she'd act as if she thought he was waiting for her.
"I didn't take you for the jealous type, don't want me alone with Sasuke-kun too much, Suigetsu?"
"Mizukage to you in front of the men." Suigetsu warned her.
"Yeah, yeah. So what's the problem? Why am I here and not there? Why did you skip out on the meeting when it could be important?"
"To talk to you, obviously." Suigetsu scoffed.
"What, you mean you really are the jealous type?" Karin raised her eyebrows and adjusted her glasses.
Suigetsu rolled his eyes, "Don't play stupid, you're too good at it. You know I want to discuss the things you may or may not have told Sasuke. If our plans are going to proceed properly we need to be on the same page."
"Well given that I had to write most of the pages it's easier for me to skim." Karin scoffed.
Suigetsu gave her a very hard look, "I'm not playing games Karin, this is the future of the entire Village Hidden in Mist we're discussing in case you've forgotten."
"Fine, fine, fine," Karin shrugged, "Let's hit the mess hall then and discuss it over lunch. Really there's not that much to tell, I mean Sasuke and I didn't do all that much talking."
"And yet it would seem you said too much, wouldn't it?" Suigetsu scoffed.
"Spare me. I said everything I meant to and exactly what I needed to say to make Sasuke clay in my hands. Even now he thinks I'm nothing more than a hanger-on, a fan who never grew out of her affection for him. He has no idea that I'm the one using him."
Neither did Suigetsu of course.
To Be Continued . . .
Note: This chapter was delayed because my computer died on me and took a good week to get working right again, this chapter wasn't finished at the time and I had to restart pretty much from scratch once things were running again. That said this chapter should have been up last week so I'll be posting another chapter later this same weekend.