Disclaimer: I do not in ANY WAY own Naruto or Naruto: Shippuden.
A/N: And here's another chapter. This one's a bit shorter than usual, but it happens sometimes and that's okay! Hope you all enjoy!
Also, please review!
Never Yield (Chapter 11) – Love, Scars, and Hope
Naruto's P.O.V.
I mean it's a good idea, right? Whirlpool would be the ultimate protection!
"That's insane." Jiraiya says, shaking his head. "I mean...it just wouldn't work. To get everyone there, well...I suppose that if we...but that can't work, except if we..." Jiraiya says, looking at the ground and mumbling.
My own two teammates are still holding onto me after the not-so-good news we got about the other jinchuuriki, but both of their faces are looking at me like I'm suddenly bald or something.
"Um, sensei?" I snap him out of his planning and he looks at me.
"Naruto, that may just be the most ridiculous, crazy, ingenious idea I have ever heard. I have to go meet Tsunade, now. If this is to work..." He tells me, and winks before leaving in a swirl of leaves.
"Okay, what the hell just happened?" Shikamaru asks after the leaf-trail hits the floor.
"Perhaps it's time I tell you guys more about Uzushiogakure..." I say, knowing I'm going to be divulging really sensitive information.
So I told them more about Uzushio itself. The water-walking, the little stone island that requires one to solve a puzzle to find the right whirlpool to teleport onto the island, the proximity alarms within the village itself, and that the only way to the actual village because it's so far underground is a special seal.
It was hard telling them all this. I hadn't up until now because I was trying to respect the privacy and autonomy of Uzushio. Sikona had said that I could tell them as much as I wanted if I trusted them – and of course I do – but it just felt like that information should stay with the village itself.
But I felt like I had to now. Because Uzushio is the one place where I think all the jinchuuriki can be safe from Akatsuki. And while they're there...we assassinate Akatsuki until there's no more risk to the world.
There is no redemption for them. The world would be better off with them dead.
"The idea of yours is good." Kurenai-sensei says after considering my words.
"It does sound like it would be the safest place for you and everyone else." Shikamaru says, and that makes me pause.
Me? I...never even thought of myself as going to be with them in Whirlpool. I thought I was going to be in the battles, or at least doing something to help.
But at the same time, unfortunately, it makes sense. I was nothing against Yuka. Even with Kurama's chakra running through me, I was no match and was only stalling for Yamato.
Feeling like this...so weak against an enemy, knowing that they could just kill you and you can't do anything about it...it is so unnerving.
But with Shikamaru's words, they make me realize something else too. If I'm going to be there, then I'm not going to be the only one there.
"You too. There's no way in hell I'm going to go there without you guys. The Skulk too. Akatsuki will know to target you guys for information, or just to mentally hurt me. I won't let them have that opportunity." I say, looking into my girlfriend's and my best friend's eyes.
"I'm glad you said that – because you promised to never leave me or us again. We're staying together from now on, no matter what." Hinata says, and she's referring to last night when we talked after my shower.
"I don't care how we have to do it, but you're right. The Skulk needs to stay together during this. If Jiraiya is able to somehow work this out with Tsunade and the other villages, even better. But the Skulk will be together." Kurenai-sensei says, and I know that she could convince anyone to do anything, even my godfather and Tsunade.
We'll all be together. Whether we go to Whirlpool or not, or we fight. The Skulk will be together as one team.
Until we have more information about Whirlpool, my team and I have decided it would be best to wait to tell the rest of the Skulk about my idea. They know how hard it was for me to tell them about Whirlpool, and don't want to have to put me through that again with everyone else until absolutely necessary.
Kurenai-sensei stopped our training session and said she was off to find Jiraiya in the hopes of being able to help, leaving us three chuunin on our own.
"I think I love him." Shikmaru says randomly as the three of us walk to nowhere in particular, just trying to enjoy the others' company.
And I smile.
When Shikamaru came out and told us he was gay, I never would have thought that he would get together with Sasuke Uchiha of all people – Sasuke was so different back then when we were assigned teams. But then they started hanging out on that training trip and their relationship just evolved to what it is now.
And I'm so happy for both of them. I can see it in both of their faces and in the way they act when we are on double dates – they make each other happy. And if there is anything I learned at all in the past week with that mission, is that there is far too much cruelty in this world and that true moments of happiness is a gift.
It's a gift I get to cherish when I am with Hinata. And it's a gift Shikamaru and Sasuke get to cherish with each other too.
"I'm so happy for you, dude." I tell him, and just gazes at the sky as we walk.
"When did you know?" Hinata asks, and I can his smile as his eyes close, still facing the sky.
"It was the day before we got Jiraiya's message. Sasuke and I were laying together after a couple of shogi matches – you know, trying to keep our minds off of worrying about you guys. Anyway, after our last match he just pulled me in and kissed me and then hugged me tight – and that's when I knew. For a moment nothing else existed except us, and I knew I wanted to make him always feel like that too. I didn't even know I knew then until just now while saying it." He says all of this with his eyes closed and still walking.
The both of them must have been worried sick. Shikamaru was worried about me, someone he considers his brother, and Sasuke was worried about both his brother and his sensei.
And that complete moment of serenity he described...I have felt something like that with Hinata, too. It is indescribable and magical and I have never felt something better than that.
"You deserve it. You both do." Hinata says in response, and I don't even have to say anything else. Shikamaru already knows I'm happy if he is.
"We all do, everyone" Shikamaru says, putting his arms behind his neck and yawning, still walking with his eyes closed.
And like always, he's right.
Can Kurama's siblings feel his weakness right now? Do they know that he's okay? Do they know that he and I are friends?
I want to be able to tell him everything. I want to thank him again for helping to save that kid. I want to tell him the news sensei gave about the other jinchuuriki and what Sikona said. I want to tell Kurama my idea about everyone going to Whirlpool.
If we have any chance of this working, I will need Kurama's help. I promised to help him when he needs it, and right now he needs my help to keep his siblings safe.
I have a feeling Gaara would join us. He trusted us to help him with his seal, and I think he would trust us again with this idea. So, one allied village helps build are case.
'Kurama? If you can hear me, we're trying. I promise we'll do everything we can do to help.' I tell him, and I'm saddened, though not surprised, to get nothing in return.
Before we separated for the day, Shikamaru said he would try to think of ways to get my plan to work. He says Tsunade and Jiraiya will probably think of them first, but he's willing to do it for me and for Kurama...though everyone else except me still doesn't know his name and calls him 'Kyuubii.'
I wonder if he'll ever be comfortable sharing his name with anyone else. I know it was hard for him telling me, but we bonded after I got Orochimaru's seal removed.
I hope that all this is enough for the Skulk to gain his trust, too.
One Day Later
Hinata, Shikamaru, and I are heading to the hospital to meet with Karin, Suigetsu, and Juugo as they are finally being discharged. Though they were in no danger of dying, there was a lot that needed to be done because of the starvation they had suffered. And like the kid we rescued – who I was told is recovering well but is still being treated – they have likely received some kind of Yamanaka therapy.
When I last saw them a couple days ago, they looked a lot better than when I met them. Bruises were nearly gone on them, they had gained some weight but still looked too thin. But most of all they looked really calm and relaxed. When I met them, they were nice and grateful (though Suigetsu does have a rather crass mouth), but they were all clearly on edge and nervous and scared. But here, they seem calm and hopeful. And like Sikona said about them being together with each other, they can be a great source of support.
When I got dressed and left my apartment, one of sensei's messenger toads found me and told me to not tell the three about Whirlpool just yet because of my idea. I can understand that, and I probably would have mentioned something if not for the message.
On the way to the hospital, we walked through the training grounds and I was happy to see Choji already deep in his kenjutsu lessons with Yamato. Choji looks just like he did when he found out he had two elemental affinities – confident and excited to prove himself. I have no doubt in my mind that he'll become amazing.
We also passed by Konohamaru and his friends who are being taught by Ebisu. Those three kids are so innocent, so excited. It's really sad what they're going to have to face when they grow up and become shinobi. They'll change, that innocence and happiness won't be there; or at least, they won't be there in the form as it is now.
"Naruto!" Karin – my cousin – is cheerful as we enter the room.
"Hey, guys! I brought my team to meet you all!" I say, and Hinata and Shikamaru exchange introductions with them, though they already know nearly everything I know after I told them about that mission when they took me home.
They all look a lot healthier than they did when they arrived here, and they look even better than when I last visited them. And that's when I notice it – Karin's arm is nearly scar-free.
"Karin! Your arm! It looks amazing!" I say, and she only smiles at me and holds her arm out to me.
"Yeah, they treated us with some donated Kyuubi chakra that they had. It healed them so much, except this one which is years old! So, thank you for your donation, Naruto!" Karin says, and I freeze. Hinata and Shikamaru immediately get closer to me out of instinct.
How...how could she possibly know?
The look on my face probably says it all. "Don't worry, we understand! And it had to have been you – I knew there was something different about you when I met you and I couldn't quite figure out what I felt. But when they mentioned Kyuubi chakra I knew it had to be you then."
She was able to feel Kurama in me? Even I can't feel him right now – maybe this missing feeling I am aware of didn't actually start until later and not after healing the kid.
This just leaves more questions than answers.
"Yeah, I hate Yagura because he's a fucking maniac, not because he's a jinchuuriki. You helped to save us. So in my book, you're cool no matter what." Suigetsu says, and that makes me feel a bit better.
"You are a friend. You helped make all the pain in my head go away." Juugo says and bows to me.
"...Thank you, all of you." I say, bowing in respect and gratitude. My teammates relax again that makes me think.
I was right. The chakra heals scars – and I need to tell the Skulk about that if they have any scars they want to try healing.
But for now, we just hang out and talk with our new friends. I feel a little bad about not visiting them more, but I've been mentally struggling lately and they've been healing up here. At until we have some sort of game plan with Whirlpool, I can just focus on getting them used to my friends and me.
"Just wait until you meet our other friends too!" I say, excited for them to meet the rest of the Skulk too!
I wake in the dank sewer of my mind again finally, and I don't hesitate at all as I run around the corner and up to Kurama, who's actually looking at me.
"Kurama!" I say, reaching the bars of the cage. I put on of my hands through the cage and one of his tails taps me lightly in greeting.
"Sorry I was gone for so long. But I have good reason." Kurama says and starts explaining to me why he's been completely out of touch for days now.
And it starts to give me some real hope.
A/N: Yeah, this one's a bit short. I could have kept going at the end but it really just felt like a natural stopping point for the chapter. Like I said in the past, some chapters are meant to be long and some are meant to be short. And this chapter was mostly written for developing sub-plots and other prior stuff.
I'm still just kind of taking this thing by ear right now. I only have a few notes on how I want the main confrontation to go down (as of course it has to happen), and yeah.
I hope you all enjoyed! Stay tuned for Chapter 12!
Also, don't forget to review!
