Disclaimer: I do not in ANY WAY own Naruto or Naruto: Shippuden.
A/N: And here's another chapter. I'm on a roll right now and I'm gonna try to keep it going!
Also, please review!
Never Yield (Chapter 10) – Leadership
Naruto's P.O.V.
It's been two days since we came back from the mission to kill Orochimaru. It's Sunday now, and like always for us on Sunday it's the Skulk's weekly meet-up.
I haven't really seen anyone outside of Team 8 since I cried in front of them when Itachi and I saw them. I haven't really wanted to leave my apartment. Kurenai-sensei accompanied me to the hospital yesterday for a mandatory post-mission screening. As expected, my body is perfectly healthy.
I say my body, because I don't think my mind is healthy at all.
That night with Hinata should have been amazing, but that encounter with Kurama just made me worried about something else now.
I told Team 8, Jiraiya, and Tsunade what I saw. Jiraiya got very concerned and left the village to check intelligence on his communications network and to establish rapid communication with the other villages.
Today I'm going to tell the rest of the Skulk...somehow. I know they're worried about me – I hate having so many people constantly worried about me – and I know that eventually, sooner or later, things will advance with the Akatsuki.
But right now, I'm meeting Hinata, Shikamaru, and Sasuke for a very light double date snack. Despite all my worries, I do feel a little relaxed being with my girlfriend, my best friend, and his boyfriend just enjoying a nice sweet treat of dumplings.
(I appreciate Sasuke not bringing up my break down. He just hugged Hinata and me like normal, and I am thankful.)
When the four of us get to the meeting spot, I am shocked, but happy!, to see Yamato there with us. After our mission together and his friendship with Kakashi-sensei, he is as much a member of the Skulk as anyone else.
And as a very welcomed surprise, nobody here brings up my breakdown either. I get some concerned looks by some members of Team Gai and Team 10, but nobody says anything and those looks go away after a few moments anyway.
As usual, there is a huge picnic and we all just talk, mess around, spar, and (in Shikamaru and Sasuke's case) cloud watch with shogi.
As much as I enjoy the distraction, I still have to tell everyone else about what Kurama said. I just...don't know how to bring it up.
"Hey everyone!" Is said by Yamato, and we all turn to look at him. He is holding his sword, looking at it. "I've been talking to Kakashi, and he's been telling me about you all. See, I'm a kenjutsu master, and it's a dying practice in Konoha. I've been wanting to pass on the skill, and Kakashi said that you all are some of the most dedicated people in a long time. So, I picked someone I want to train." Yamato explains, and then he turns to where Choji and Neji are.
(I think Choji was explaining one of the recipes. Neji doesn't seem like a cooking type, but with a nice apron he could probably pull it off!)
"Choji Akimichi, do you want to be my student?" Yamato asks, to the shock of the boy.
Whoa. I never thought of Choji working with swords...but there's no reason why he can't or shouldn't. He is strong, and I know that he has gotten so much stronger while I was away in Whirlpool. He and Kiba were training practically non-stop – he is determined not to let what happened to him in the Chuunin Exams happen again.
"Me?" Choji asks, pointing at himself. He puts down the plate of food he was holding, and Neji puts his hand on his shoulder, and Choji turns his head to see Neji smiling at the opportunity for his friend.
"Yes, you. I have a few reasons – first, everyone else has some special advantage. The Hyuuga have their Byakugan, Naruto has the Kyuubi, Sasuke and his Sharingan, Sakura and her medical jutsu and her strength. This is not to say that you're weak, but that you can benefit the most of taking on a new skill. But the second reason is your strength. Your clan's jutsu requires precision and focus in addition to power." Yamato explains.
The first part of his reasoning I never thought about before...but he's right. Tenten is a weapons expert, Shikamaru is a genius, Ino has her mind jutsu, Kiba has his nose and Akamaru, Shino has his kikaichu, Lee is a master in Taijutsu.
Choji really is at a disadvantage compared to the rest of us...and despite that, he has managed to keep up with us. Only someone amazingly strong could survive what he did with Gaara's sand coffin, and he did.
Choji deserves and has earned this opportunity. He has never quit or slacked off since that training trip some months ago. He has only continued to get stronger and improve and to help his comrades as well.
He looks around at everyone's faces (as do I), and I can see they are all smiling and encouraging him. When he looks to me, I nod at him and then I can see fire in his eyes.
...Does my opinion really mean that much to him?
"I accept your offer...Yamato-sensei. I won't let you down!" Choji says, turning back to Yamato and bowing.
We all erupt in cheers and applause.
While everyone is focused on Choji, I walk up to Kakashi-sensei. He puts his hand on my hair for a few seconds, and we share this moment of mutual understanding.
I hate to ask him this, due to it being permanent in his memory, but I need to know for my sanity.
"How's the kid doing?" I ask, and he ruffles my hair...that's a good sign?
"He's actually doing well. He woke up, and the medics put him back out while he continues to heal, but the fact he woke up means he will eventually be okay. Well, after the Yamanaka examine him and treat him – luckily children are easier for them to heal." Kakashi tells me, and I am happy on both counts.
Not only will he be physically okay, but mentally he will get help too. Thank goodness.
"I have something I need to tell everyone, but I don't know how to do it. Especially after this – I don't want to steal Choji's thunder." I admit to him.
"You won't be stealing anything from anyone. Just tell us." Kakashi advises me, not moving and not saying anything else.
Everyone is getting ready to leave, and it's time.
"Wait!" I shout, getting everyone's attention. They all turn to me, and I take a deep breath before speaking and ending the uncomfortable silence. "There's something that you all should know. My team, godfather, and Tsunade already know and we don't know what to make of it, but it's time you all know too. Two nights ago...Kyuubi told me something. That he senses something wrong with his brother. That's all he was able to say." I explain Kurama's message to me.
"We think it has to do with another one of the tailed beasts. Jiraiya and the Hokage are trying to contact the other villages." Shikamaru adds, and I'm grateful for his ability to filter his mind and focus.
I hate this. It's just one disaster after another. We can't even celebrate our friend's new training before I have to spring something else upon everyone.
"Are you able to ask him anything else?" Tenten asks, and I shake my head.
"No – he's still recovering after what happened on our mission. He saved two lives – mine and another one of Orochimaru's subjects. I think that little message was not just a warning but a plea for help." I say, not wanting to go into any more detail of the recovering child.
But I think Kurama is asking for help. In our...meetings...before we became partners, he mentioned how nearly none of them were treated well by humans. I think he cares about the other beasts - I don't know if that's what he's referring too but with that tone he used I think he's asking for my help.
"We trust your judgement, Naruto! Your youth will guide and lead us forward!" Lee shouts, and I'm reminded of when Choji looked to me earlier.
"I must agree with Lee. We are looking to you." Neji says, eyes determined to follow through.
I am...beyond shocked.
"Wait – does everyone here see me as some kind of leader?" I question, and I somewhat regret asking that.
"Of course! Duh! Yes! Who else?" I hear shouted from all the different voices of the genin and chuunin in the Skulk.
"We trust Kyuubii, too. He said that he could save that child, and he did." Kakashi speaks up.
'These people are after you. Who else is better to lead? We care about you, and we'll follow you no matter what." Sasuke says, and everyone else just nods like Sasuke's words there are definitive.
I knew they all cared about me as much as I care about them. They created the Skulk to show that we are one team – they named it that to show how they accept me and Kurama.
But to look to me as a leader – I've never considered myself as that before. Yes, I am a chuunin and I can lead in a mission. But for something like this? For my opinion to be what convinces Choji accept Yamato's offer, it's a small thing but it says so much.
I've always looked to Shikamaru for guidance. Even when he isn't around me I look to him – I try to think about what he would do and how he would handle things and I would do that.
I also look to Hinata for leadership because her instincts are spot-on. She may not have foresight like Shikamaru does, but her instincts have never led us down a wrong path.
But to know that not only both of them, but the rest of the Skulk too, are looking to me for leadership with this whole Akatsuki thing...it fills me with both immense pride but also immense dread.
If I lead them, I can always be with them and do my best to protect them. I never want to have another situation like what happened in the Second Exam with Team 10. If my clone wasn't with them and told me where they were, they would have all died after Choji escaped the attack. If I'm there, I can protect them even if it means I'm the one dying. I'm proud because I can be with them and protect them.
But there's dread because what if I can't protect them? I was utterly screwed against Yuka – she hurt my summons and I still couldn't actually do anything to her even with Kurama's affect. Yamato saved me while I was just delaying my inevitable death if I were alone.
If the enemies are just too strong...I may just be leading them to their deaths. If they stayed away from me, they would be safe. The Akatsuki wants me and Kurama. If I weren't on that training trip, Sasuke and Shino never would have gotten hurt because they never would have attracted the attention of Deidara and Hidan.
I just attract badness. If I don't lead them, that would probably be the ultimate protection from the Akatsuki.
"I care about all of you too...and that's why I shouldn't lead you. Sasuke, you and Shino got hurt defending me. If you weren't with me, you never would have gotten hurt! And I'm sure you all know that I fought Yuka Tsunowari. If I lead you, I can't make sure you all are safe. And you all mean too much to me for me to risk that." I say.
Being with Team 8 is one thing. I promised Hinata that I would never leave her again. She, Shikamaru, and Kurenai-sensei are a part of me now. But the rest of the Skulk never signed initially for all of this when we became friends.
And what comes from my speech? The anger.
"How dare you? Do you think our protection and safety is any more important than your own? That you don't mean as much to us as everyone else? I'll have you know Naruto, that you're wrong. You matter just as much as any one of us standing here right now. And it pisses me off that you keep thinking that it's not true!" Ino yells at me, and then she takes a deep breath and continue speaking.
"I know...I know it's hard to believe. You told us that you were alone for so long. That fucks up the mind. Every time we tell you we care it's fighting what you have internalized, whether you consciously know it or not. But you say you trust us and believe us – so even if you don't believe it yourself, believe that we believe you matter, okay?" Ino continues.
"...Okay." That's all I can say – because how else is one supposed to respond to something like that? She's a psychologist!
And just like that, I have become the leader of the Skulk, and as horribly terrified I am, I am also extremely touched and happy and loved.
One Day Later
This just feels wrong.
I'm training with Hinata, Shikamaru, and Kurenai-sensei. It feels like a normal day – and I can't help but feel that this is just wrong.
What Ino said yesterday...I keep replaying it in my mind. I know I'm not any less important than everyone else, I really do know that. And I know that they all love me and want me to be safe and will support me.
But I don't feel like I deserve it? Or at least I don't feel like I deserve it as much as compared to everyone else? It's two things that are in my mind: the first is that it's probably just internalized issues because of how I was never given true love as a kid. The second is that so many of my friends are in potential danger...are so many lives worth putting in danger just to protect one?
Hinata and Shikamaru are doing their best at supporting me right now. They know I have issues with my self-esteem and what Ino said isn't any news to them. But I feel like I'll just be hurting them if I talk to them about this even more – I just talked to Hinata about being a bad boyfriend. I can't have them even think for a moment that I don't accept or believe their love – because I do.
And that's what makes it hurt even more, because I know that they're going to be in the most danger because they are my teammates.
And I'm selfish too, because as much as I want everyone to be safe, I don't want Shikamaru and Hinata to ever leave me either. I love them too much – I need them. They are what got me through that last mission.
I gave the Skulk the option of not following me...yet the entire time a huge part of me didn't want them to leave even if it meant much more safety.
I am just so conflicted. And not only that, one of my other friends is completely out of communication.
'Kurama?' I try to talk to him, but he's dead silent.
I am starting to get worried about him now, too. I know after he finished healing the kid he said he must rest, but I've never felt such emptiness before. As he's always been with me, I've never known what it felt like to be at all disconnected from him. Even after he started resting, I didn't know how it felt because I was weak too.
But I'm nearly recovered now, and now I can feel like something is missing. His normal healing factor for me hasn't decreased at all (I pricked my finger on a kunai just to test it), so that gives me some assurance that he's probably okay...but I miss his presence. I never knew it was there until it was gone and I miss it...I feel so alone inside right now.
But we're training right now. Like a normal day before everything started going to hell.
Hinata and Shikamaru are wicked strong now. They are hurting me in this spar and it is so much fun! They say I'm powerful and scary? No – they are!
"Good work, team! If you keep this up, I'm sure you'll make Jonin at the next exams in a year!" Kurenai-sensei says as we continue to punch, kick, and beat the hell out of each other.
But then Jiraiya-sensei shows up (making me only just now appreciate just how nice a normal day would have been...) and he looks like crap – I have no idea when he last slept.
"Hello there, Team 8. Kurenai, you look as sensual as ever!" He says, and he ducks and dodges the kunai she throws at him like it never even happened. "But I come bearing some news. I got some messages from the other villages, and Sikona's response came through too."
"So, the other villages have confirmed that their Jinchuuriki are still alive. However, one of them was recently attacked by Akatsuki and kidnapped but they were recovered before things got too bad. That Jinchuuriki is in a coma." Jiraiya says, and my heart just falls.
It really isn't just me. All the other jinchuuriki are in serious danger right now – and I have no idea how I can help them.
"Did it happen when Yuka attacked me?" I ask, but I already know the answer.
"Unfortunately, yes. When Itachi left, Akatsuki started preparing on places and things that he was interested in. One of those was Orochimaru – you happened to be there, and they tried to take advantage again. The other Jinchuuriki, they were stalking for quite some time." My godfather tells me.
Arms from my girlfriend and best friend go around my shoulders and waist in an attempt to comfort me.
"And Sikona? What did he say?" I ask, hoping that there is some better news.
"We can escort Karin to Whirlpool if she wants to go. Sikona also said the other two – Juugo and Suigetsu – can go with her if she wants to stay with them. He knows that they could have developed close bonds while in captivity and he would not want to break that up." Sensei explains.
At least that's one good thing. So far, the three people we rescued from Kabuto's research facility have been in the hospital. I had visited them yesterday after the Skulk left, and they so seem rather close (if not a slightly bit dysfunctional).
Trauma does things to people. It made me feel close to Gaara when he had just tried to kill my friends and myself. And it was that close feeling that led me to that offer I made, which led to him regaining his life back.
I doubt I will ever know exactly what those three went through. And I hope that I never do, and I hope that nobody I'm close to ever does too. But they went through some hell, and their dysfunction may be the best kind of support system they could ever have.
"Good. They would be safe in Whirlpool with their system and-" I cut myself off, realizing something huge.
I can feel how wide my eyes are. I probably look like I just found out I'm surrounded by thousands of paper bombs about to go off.
"Naruto? What is it?" Kurenai-sensei asks, concerned.
"Whirlpool! That's the answer!" I say, and everyone just looks confused, even my godfather.
"What are you talking about?" Jiraiya asks me, and I resist the urge to groan.
"All of the jinchuuriki should go there! Ultimate protection from the Akatsuki!"
A/N: And the "Kurama's Plea" arc continues! I know how I want this arc to end, but I'm not quite sure how I'm going to get there, but that's the fun of writing, isn't it?!
The part about Choji...he really got shafted in canon. Everyone else is a 'master' or has some kind of special thing about them that gives them some advantage. Choji never had this, so it's only fair that he gets something and why not kenjutsu?
And...yeah. I had planned for everyone to go to Whirlpool since I did that arc in "To Be a Ninja" and it's finally starting! Yay!
I hope you all enjoyed! Stay tuned for Chapter 11!
Also, don't forget to review!
