Death's Door
It was a sight he should have been accustomed to, Kei near death, it was something he had been seeing for years. But here and now, seeing Kei pour everything he has into the ward stone… Makoto needed to lock down his emotions so he wouldn't cry. They had left Hogwarts, left Europe and left that whole other world behind- finally.
Kei had been easy to convince; the little guy knew it was the end. When he was told of his exploits when Makoto was out, he had such a look of understanding… Dumbledore didn't need to continue. They agreed it was time to go.
Before they left, Kei did his best to say goodbye to the friends he made. He made a list and ensured that he spent time alone with each of them to say farewell. Most did not understand. They thought he was just going home but might return some day. Except… Makoto was surprised that the blond, Malfoy, seemed to take it all the hardest. He kept up a good mask, but Makoto saw the trembling lip, and the deep look of resolution. He didn't ask Kei to write like the others, it was like he knew Kei would not be able to. He just held Kei's hand and told him, "I hope you find peace when you get there."
It could mean many things, but something told Makoto, that Malfoy was wiser than he let on.
Kei didn't cry, but he hugged the boy hard.
It was a long journey and the road home was emotional. The closer they got, the deeper Kei fell, like his body knew it was time. Halfway there, Kei couldn't walk on his own anymore so Makoto had cradled his partner the final miles.
Then he saw home.
The Village walls appeared from the trees and Makoto clenched Kei tighter to his chest.
He snuck them back in Konoha, met up with the Hokage, and now they were 80 feet under the city planting the ward stone. It wasn't finished, so Kei was powering every last bit of magic he possessed into it until it was fully charged.
Tsunade was pushing her healing chakra into Kei's tiny body, keeping him from complete collapse. The strain was starting to show. Makoto walked forward and started to lend his chakra as well. They needed to protect their home, and this was just one step.
When Makoto was 12 years old, he had big dreams. He wanted to protect his country and make his parents proud. He didn't picture himself dying, he didn't think he would be in a position like Kei was in now. He only saw victories and a heroic welcome from his family when he came home. At 12 year's old, Kei had done more for this country than everyone from his graduation class combined.
He had used up all his luck the day he was paired with Kei and since then he had been running on the fumes. He wouldn't change a thing. He loved working with Kei, he loves that life he has lived. But now it seemed he really reached the end of his time with the best partner he would ever have. He hoped there was a little luck fume left for one more mission.
o.O.o
Sai had been working hard for the last few months. There were a lot of lines of communication that Kei and Makoto had established that he needed to pick up, or shut down completely. The mantle he was in charge of… the responsibility, he hadn't been prepared. He was learning on the job but he was a strong and capable ninja. He was quick and a fast learner. Compared to most of the genin and chuunin in the village, he was superior, so he could see why he was chosen. That one, Nara, was intelligent and could have also done this, but Sai knew he was chosen because he had things that Nara did not.
One. He worked with Kei and Makoto before. Some of the contacts knew him. Two. He was anonymous. He had no defining physical features. His facial structure was neutral and would be looked over. Most people see his face and forget it. Perfect for a spy. Nara looked too much like his father who had a Bingo Book page. Three. He was just better.
He couldn't complain though. When looking at the facts, it was an honour he was chosen and he would do anything for Kei and Makoto. Before when he was in Root, everything was a bare bleak blank canvas. His mind, his emotions, his ambitions- all of them were empty. With Danzo gone, Root started to crumble. It felt like he was walking outside in the warm sun for the first time. Things were too bright, too new. His stumbled his first couple of steps, unsure of what to do or where to go.
Then Kei and Makoto came along. He didn't understand them. They were so… lively. Everything they touched seemed to come to life. They breathed warmth into his soul. They taught him so much but most importantly they taught him what a home meant and felt like.
So, he didn't care about all the work. He didn't care that at the end of all of this he may lose his life, because up until he met them, he had no life. They helped give him meaning, and without them… he wasn't sure what he could do.
He made contact with everyone they needed for the plan. He organized the pieces.
Then word came. Two white dogs came to him to start the plan.
Ah… it was time to get into place.
o.O.o
He had only spent five minutes sitting outside watching his family. They were sitting down to dinner. He could see his father readjusting dishes, bringing his favourites closer. His mother was pouring tea, choosing to ignore her husband's antics as she was probably defending her choice to introduce something new to the usual dinner set.
It was familiar sight. He could practically hear his father grumbling under his breath like normal, he could taste the fragrant tea his mother preferred. The feel of the old table under his fingers, as he used to drum them on the edge waiting to eat.
When they finally started eating, he slipped into his old room and left them money. Something to ensure they will be okay in case he doesn't make it back. The low murmur of their conversation hit his ears and he smiled.
Makoto silently carried his partner away from their families. He brought very little with them. Some rations, a single bed roll, his scroll of weapons, and some special soldier pills for the end.
Their last mission together.
One more fight and this was be over.
He griped Kei tighter as his emotions threatened to overflow. He loved his life. He loved his home, but he hated that this world had ruined his partner. But he loved it still.
o.O.o
Itachi stared at his partner Kisame. The man was bloodthirsty and bored. So he made an offer. A great fight. A battle that would truly test his strength.
When word came… Itachi sighed. He looked forward to this day but at the same time… He wasn't sure he knew what to do after.
At first, this was a suicide mission. He left knowing that he could never return to Konoha. He anticipated dying by the Akatsuki, or his brother's hand. Then Kei had a plan. Something that could potentially bring him home at the end.
Now it was here.
Soon he might be able to reunite with his brother. Sasuke. He couldn't help but smile at the thought of his brother.
"Kisame, I believe it's time we returned to the base. We need to have a little chat with our bosses."
o.O.o
Sasuke watched on as Orochimaru tested another batch of potential shinobi. They were fighting, thinking that winning would finally give them the freedom they desired. It was disgusting the pleasure Orochimaru got out of this. The old Sannin was almost panting in arousal as he watched the young men fight. Sasuke always made sure to keep a good distance away.
Oh, the Monster had made some very unsubtle advances towards him. He wouldn't word things in a sexual manner, but Sasuke had enough women throw themselves at him that he could recognize the look in the creep's eyes.
"Would you like to join them Sasuke? Get your sword wet today?" Orochimaru asked in a low voice. His eyes were on his again, raking up and down his body.
He forced down the shudder that wanted to run through him. "No. I just cleaned it."
He was 90 percent positive that nothing would come from it. After all the experiments on his body, Sasuke was sure that certain parts no longer worked as they should. Orochimaru could look and fantasize, but never once did he bring anyone back to his rooms.
At least, that is what he hoped.
The fighting stopped when one man was left. Sasuke pitied him. He was breathing heavy, his eyes were wild, and he favoured his left side. He was safe for now, but in a couple minutes, Orochimaru would have him led away, and he would be seen no more.
Then a squeak interrupted the quiet. A tiny little sound that echoed through the whole room.
"What is that?" Orochimaru hissed out as he looked around the room. "A mouse? How odd…" He trailed off.
Sasuke stiffened. "Guards ready yourselves." He commanded. There shouldn't be any rodents in the base. Orochimaru's snakes were constantly on the prowl, gobbling up any small creature they found. Something like a mouse... shouldn't be possible. They were under attack.
"Who would be so brazen as to try and spy on me?" Orochimaru asked quietly. "Sasuke, find them and kill them."
"Yes, Orochimaru-sama." He was ready to melt into the shadows when little black beings started to flood the room. They came in waves, hundreds of little mice scurrying to every corner.
"What is this!" Orochimaru yelled as he stood up.
Sasuke withdrew his sword and readied himself. The guards started slashing. The mice's dark blood was spraying everywhere. Sasuke moved closer to Orochimaru, prepared to strike when one of these little beasts got closer.
So it was time huh?
One little rodent got close and he swung, separating it's head and body in one swift movement. Both pieces disintegrated into two piles of ink.
"That is not a normal animal," Orochimaru pointed out. His hands started moving, forming a jutsu. A strong blast of wind pushed an approaching wave backwards.
A squeak gave away an approaching mouse. Sasuke stepped back, angled his body, and sliced it in half. He took another step back, almost touching Orochimaru's arm. "This is a jutsu I have never seen before," Sasuke muttered to his master.
"Yes. It is annoying. The creator must be quite brazen to try and attack here."
Sasuke hn'd as he killed a few more mice. "I will kill him," Sasuke promised himself.
"Such a good little soldier you are Sasuke. Go, kill the one so foolish as to do this," Orochimaru encouraged him.
Swinging around, focusing on a new mouse, Sasuke shot his sword out. Orochimaru flinched as the tip of the sword managed to knick his neck. His eyes narrowed.
"What is the meaning of this?" Orochimaru hissed.
Screams rose around them as bigger monsters started rushing in. Wolves and bears, beings of pure ink tearing through the room.
Sasuke blocked out every thought as he attacked Orochimaru head on. He activated his eyes, his entire focus on the man before him. No distractions. He needed to end this.
Orochimaru dodged, his eyes burning with anger. "You betray me? After everything I have done for you? To make you strong enough to kill your brother."
Sasuke pressed harder. He wouldn't respond.
"Is this because of your precious Kei? With him dead you have no loyalty now? Where will you go Sasuke? You can't return to Konoha, you can't run into the arms of the boy you love. You are nothing without me!" Orochimaru hissed as he shot jutsu after jutsu towards him. There was wind attacks, earth based jutsu, and snakes. So many snakes just flowing out his arms like Sake in the Hokage's office.
Sasuke tried to tune him out. His words were poisonous.
"You will fail. You can't kill me!"
Ink vines burst forth, trapping Orochimaru's arms and legs. Sasuke rushed forward and stabbed his once mentor through the gut. The body crumbled into mud. Sasuke twisted around, dodging to the left as a snake tried for his neck.
It was going to be a long fight.
o.O.o
Heartbreaking. That was the only word to describe the image before him. Kei was weak. Over time he had got used to having a partner that was tiny. Short in height, slender limbs with hidden power, and a childish mentally that made the world a little brighter. But this was a different level he had never seen before. Kei was always strong enough to keep going, to adapt, to just… exist in this blood thirsty society. But right now, as they were hiding in a small shack, waiting for their target, Makoto had never seen the youngest Hatake so fragile physically and mentally. Even when injured and held hostage in a hospital, Kei was always thinking about what to do next, how to keep moving forward. That was gone.
A shell.
That was the only way he could describe his partner right now. A shell of a shinobi, of his partner, or just a living person.
It broke his heart.
He wished that he could travel back in time. Go to before that fateful mission, demand that he join them, or that Kei be his partner from then on. He wished that he had been there at that time to protect him. Kei didn't deserve this.
They had been here for three days, hoping their intel was correct. Makoto wouldn't openly question Itachi, since he didn't see the spy as the problem. It was the fact that no mission or intel was 100 percent accurate. They only had one opportunity to get this correct because their target wasn't the type to leave survivors when he won.
Kei wanted to get ready on his own. One last bit of control before the fight. But it wasn't to be. His hands were shaking, his fingers trembling as they tried to tie laces that weren't there. Kei's forearm was getting agitated as the little ninja was seeing braces that were sitting on the table to his left. His body was trying to work on muscle memory while his mind was nearly gone.
Kneeling before his partner, he gently pulled Kei's fingers away from the arm and cupped them gently between his. "Let me do this," he whispered. Pleaded really.
Reaching over, he picked up the braces, and gently started to wrap the first one. He slowly threaded the laces, pulling them tight enough to hold the leather in place but not to cut off circulation. Holding the boy's hand, Makoto squeezed gently. "Let me take care of you. Save your strength. You said you only need five minutes to finish this."
Kei's eyes were unfocused. Staring at nothing as his one task was finished.
"Five minutes. Just come back to me for five minutes okay?" Makoto begged. He started on the second brace, taking his time as he knew he didn't have much of it left.
As he tied the last knot he leaned forward and kissed the leather. Sniffing, he pulled back and locked away his emotions. It was too early to be so sentimental. When this was over, he would let out everything he was holding in.
Gathering up his partner, Makoto gently carried him out. They had a very small window to make this work. Tobi was not an opponent they could fail to kill. Itachi had a lot of suspicions about the man, but that was all it really was. They had no exact intel on his exact strength, and needed to use all their under-hand tactics to win.
He plotted the ambush days ago. He set some traps, put up a couple fail-safes, and conditioned the layout to fit their plan.
o.O.o
Sasuke was panting as he slouched over Orochimaru's body. He had never been so tired in his life. The only reason he won was because he had taken to coating his sword in a paralyzing drug. He was on defense more than attack during the fight, but all the little knicks he managed to land, forwarded him to victory.
Sai had taken care of the trash in the room. His little ink monsters were not durable but they outnumbered and overwhelmed the shinobi. There was no interruption to the fight, but when he was about to flag, Sai provided some long-distance support.
He would admit, only to himself and never out loud, but he wouldn't have been able to win without Sai.
"We must leave," Sai said as he appeared at his side.
"Not yet," he heaved out. "Must burn the body." Orochimaru had performed too many experiments on his body for Sasuke to trust he didn't have a way back. "We need to burn him and this entire complex down.
He heard horror stories about the secret room Orochimaru kept in Konoha. His father used to tell them to Itachi at night like a bed time story, probably to justify their planned mutiny. Even this base, there was areas Sasuke never ventured simply because the smells and sounds were off-putting.
"Get up. We must move quickly."
Sasuke glared side ways at the other shinobi. It was easy for him to say, he stood off to the side and just drew pictures. Sasuke was actually moving around and fighting for his life. Catching his breath, Sasuke stood gingerly and walked away.
"You take care of the body. Leave nothing." He commanded. He couldn't stand to see the Sannin anymore.
"You should treat your wounds" Sai stated quietly.
He didn't even turn. "Why?" He did his job. He killed his target and completed his last mission for Kei. He could return to the village, potentially reunite with his brother, but he didn't have a lot of motivation to return. He was tired. Not just from the fight but from everything.
He could run away now. Become a real nuke-nin. His brother, if he survived his fight, could find him. He could live his remaining days free. No obligation, no restrictions… no master.
"Kei will be disappointed in me if I let you die after the fight." Sai threw out.
Sasuke's heart stopped with his feet. "He is alive?" He couldn't be. Orochimaru's spies would not have come back with bad intel.
Sai smiled. There was no joy behind it though. "When I saw him last, yes."
"When was that?" Sasuke clenched his fist, trying to hold back from punching the asshole that wouldn't give him a straight answer.
"A week ago."
A warmth spread quickly from his chest. Kei was alive. Konoha seemed a lot more appealing now.
o.O.o
Makoto panted as he forced himself to his feet. He needed to keep walking, he needed to get home.
The battle had been brutal. He was a good shinobi, a strong fighter, but Tobi was leagues ahead of him. Makoto worked best with a partner, alone… he was no fighting genius. The only reason they won was because they were tricky bastards and Kei has magic on his side….
He flinched at the memory, gripping the body in his arms as hard as he could. He was exhausted, injured, and mourning.
The Fight
Makoto didn't bother hiding. It would be pointless. He had placed Kei in a tree, placed a goodbye kiss on the child's head, and then jumped away. He pushed down all his emotions and focussed on the incoming chakra signature.
When Tobi arrived, the man giggled and waved. "What is this waiting for me? A gift?"
Makoto stared hard back. "I heard the Akatsuki finally got some eye candy, but it seems the reports were wrong…. Ma… What an eyesore," he threw back.
Tobi giggled again. "You know some things you shouldn't~" he sang in a cute tone. "Now you gotta die~…"
Relaxing his stance, Makoto smirked. "I know a lot of things I shouldn't. Like you aren't going to see the next sunrise."
In a blink, Tobi was moving. His speed was insane. Makoto was quick to dodge, pulling out two kunai's and defending himself.
The clock as ticking,
Going for a side-kick, Makoto watched as his opponent did a back flip, narrowing missing his foot. Tobi was back on his feet and charging him. Makoto threw both kunai at the man, and watched as he danced to the side to miss them. Pulling out a tanto, and started slashing.
Four Minutes
Tobi was nimble, avoiding every swing, and pulled out his own kunai. There was a loud sound of clashing steel ringing through the forest as they clashed. Makoto could feel his arms getting cut up, the other mans' skills surpassing his own and managing to slip through his defences. Jumping away, Makoto bounced between trees, traveling up to gain some distance. He used one hand to throw some stars, trying to maintain his positioning.
Three Minutes.
"The leaf returned to the trees… how cute~" Tobi yelled. "But all leaves must fall to their deaths."
Suddenly Tobi was behind him, breathing on his neck.
Flipping his tanto around, Makoto stabbed backwards. He could feel that he made a connection, the metal of his blade giving him a bit of resistance. He kicked off, twisting around mid air to kick out. Tobi dodged, and grabbed his leg to pull him in. Makoto grasped the tanto with both hands and slashed down, aiming for the face but only getting a knick on the side of the man's orange mask and leaving a small drop of blood from his previous attack. He didn't even have a second to admire the colour contrast before he was gone. Makoto was falling, but he recovered quickly. Freeing a hand, he grabbed a branch and swung around kicking out again, almost hitting the man that was attempting to come at him from below.
Two Minutes
He missed and let go of the tree, free falling to the ground and passed the enemy. He landed on his feet but felt a sharp pain in his side as kunai was dug deeply into his left ribs.
"So foolish. Thinking you could take me alone." An arm wrapped around him, and he could feel Tobi pressing against his back. Time seemed to slow down as the kunai in him was pushed a little deeper, inch by inch getting closer to his heart, "You shouldn't have come alone."
Makoto tried not to struggle, knowing he was done. He turned his head slightly, seeing the orange mask in the corner of his eye. A spot of yellow grabbed his attention and he huffed out a small chuckle. "You should know that a Konoha shinobi never works alone." He struggled out.
One Minute
Tobi giggled again. "Then I will kill them too."
Makoto turned away, waiting for the man to just finish he job. "You can try."
"Are they here Leaf-nin? Hiding among their brothers and sisters? They should have come to help you earlier… Because I am going to kill you now."
Makoto smiled. Tobi wasn't wrong.
A tiny ball of yellow fluff dropped from the sky, landing on Makoto's head. The yellow bird chirped as it slowly waddled towards the man holding him from behind. Taking a deep breath, Makoto stomped on the mans; foot and twisted around, closing his eyes.
The canary exploded in a cloud of yellow smoke and suddenly, Tobi found himself with a small boy on his chest. Trying to pulling away, he was stick to the little boy.
He looked down, his one eye meeting the blazing green fire the lurked in the boy's one eye. He was mad. He was glaring so fiercely, and Tobi knew exactly who this was. His doom.
Kei grabbed the enemy's hand, lifting it up and quickly running through some hand seals.
"Double Snake Suicide."
Then the world exploded.
o.O.o
Tsunade took a deep breath before she stepped out onto the balcony. Three weeks ago, she was forced to make one of the hardest choices she would ever need to make as Hokage. The Plan changed. The plan that they had slaved weeks, days, hours over in secret. The plan she never fully believed in. Nothing her mentor did, prepared her for this.
When she agreed to run the village, she hoped it would be a short reign and then she could hand the hat over to some one better suited for the job. Now, she wouldn't wish this responsibility on any one…
Two of her best ninja came home from a long-term mission and forced her to push their schedule ahead. Makoto had informed her about everything that happened while they were away. Kei was unstable and recognized that he was… ready to die. It had been a struggle to get things in place, and just that morning, she got confirmation from all teams. Their targets were dead and they had only lost one of their own.
A surprise really.
Staring down at the crowd below, Tsunade struggled to find her words.
"As a nation, we face opposition from all sides. Sometimes our enemies are small, and sometimes they are grand. I am sure no one here will every forget the times that Konaha has been in peril, but I am positive you also remember how hard we fought together. How we all came together, and came out stronger on the other side. For a number of years now, we faced an invisible enemy. The Akatsuki was a group of rogue shinobi's bent on entrapping all the tailed beasts and taking over the world."
It was also time to right some wrongs.
"To combat this, we made many sacrifices. The first of many being our own Uchiha's. Itachi and Sasuke, Uchiha. We have labeled them Nuke-nin's. Told you they betrayed our village, but that was a lie. They have done so much for this village, sacrificed everything for us, and we, I, have allowed you to think and talk badly about them.
The Uchiha brother's public history is a fabricated lie that we spread, so that we could set them up in advantageous positions to spy. They are two loyal Konoha-nin that have helped eradicate the biggest threats to this village in secret. We asked a lot from them. More than we should have. More than we have asked any ninja in this village, and not once did they turn their back on this village, or give us cause to doubt their love and loyalty to Konoha.
I tell you this, because over the last 3 weeks, Uchiha Sasuke has killed Orochimaru, Uchiha Itachi, has killed the leader of the Akatsuki, with help from several other loyal Konoha shinobi, that I cannot name at this time, they helped to defeat these monsters. It's time they returned home, and I hope you will welcome them back as the Heroes they are."
The only heroes she could publicly recognize at the time. She couldn't tell the village about the horrors they faced. The battles they fought. The years of planning that happened. They couldn't know the details, and she would probably never be able to send the brothers on any spy missions. They would never know the therapy they would both endure, the rehabilitation, the grief they will fight with every day. Civilians were blissfully ignorant of the truth of shinobi life, and it was her job to keep them that way.
"Hokage-sama," a voice spoke quietly from behind her. "Kakashi-san is ready to see you."
Looking down on her village once more, she could see many confused faces. Some were happy, others angry, but the confused faces were what stood out to her the most. They heard her words, but they didn't blindly believe them. She wished to stare at them more, but she needed to go and see one more face. One that will be filled with anger and sadness. She expected him to yell at her, to question every decision she made regarding his brother, and to break things.
"I'm coming…" Tsunade whispered.
o.O.o
Kei laughed as he skipped through the woods. It was the first time in a long time that he felt pain free. His mind was clear, everything was working, and he felt so light. A glow in the distance was calling him, and he skipped along.
When he reached the clearing, a man was waiting for him. He was tall, well built, and had a head of white hair that he recognized.
"Hello Kei, I am happy to finally meet you. I am Hatake Sakumo, and I think we have a lot to talk about," the man introduced himself.
"Otou-san!" Kei cheered and jumped into the man's arms. "Nii-chan has missed you so much."
Sakumo laughed. "Has he? Well, I don't want to see him for a very long time. It's not his time to join me yet."
Then Sakumo carried him to the fire and warmth.
A/N: I know... it's been a long time. This has been sitting on my laptop for a long time. I made a bare bones outline of this chapter, and came back often to bulk it up but... I was stuck and didn't know where to go and then I started other stories and couldn't get back into Newton's Third Law. But I knew I was never going to just abandon this story. It will be completed. It was will probably just take a long time. So thank you to everyone who has reviewed, to everyone that had stuck around, and to everyone who continues to love this story. As I wrap it up, there will probably be plotholes and other mistakes, as all my notes and ideas for this story have been lost as I have moved a few times since i last worked on this.
So as a late Christmas gift and one final update for the year, here is the chapter that I have been struggling over. I wish everyone a great new year, and hope 2020 treats you all well. Be happy and healthy 3
B of M