Chapter 22: Our Counterattack
Sakura
"How is she?" Akiko whispers to her as soon as Dr. Nakayama is out of sight.
But Sakura only scrunches her nose, frown crossing her lips before she can help it.
"You know that's patient confidentiality! You aren't even assigned to this unit tonight; go back to the intermediate care section on the other side!" Sakura hisses, restraining back her voice knowing so many patients are trying to sleep.
Of course people are going to be curious though, a high ranking jounin like Anko suddenly in intensive care is going to stir excitement, a wondering of what type of mission could result in such grotesque injuries.
Akiko huffs in return, hazel eyes burning darker. "Don't get so cocky just because Lady Tsunade picked you as her pupil. There's nothing special about you once you take away your strength and medical knowledge!"
And Sakura swallows down the insult she itches to snap in return along with the twinge of hurt.
It isn't like the Taniguchi are a well-known clan of Konoha either!
Mom and Dad have never cared that the Haruno's weren't one of the old 'legacy' clans of Konoha with members known for their dojutsu or skills on the battlefield. They were happy being the everyday civilian just trying to make a decent wage and enjoy the ups and downs of life.
Something Akiko would never understand.
A IV monitor beeps from down the hall, Kotori peering to the two from the nursing station.
"Akiko, your patient in room 194 has calling for you for the past five minutes! He says his pain medicine is due and to fix his IV line so he can get some sleep!"
Akiko scowls at the interruption, fixing Sakura with one last glare before twisting on her heel.
Kotori makes no effort to hide her smirk as Sakura checks in with her and rest of the nurses.
"Miss lazy-ass trying to sniff for information again, huh? She's lucky we haven't fired her yet if it weren't for us always being so short-staffed. As much as I hate to admit it, we've been really lacking in skilled medical nin lately. Nobody wants to study in the field lately knowing what they've already witnessed from these attacks by rogue shinobi."
Sakura hums her agreement, pushing her irritation for the young nurse aside. She liked to believe it was only because she hadn't seen their worst patient's yet coming into intensive care or just getting out of emergency surgery, the ones on the brink of death or already too far gone…
"I-I heard Anko's condition isn't good from Shizune. I put you as her one to one nurse for a reason. Is it as bad as she and Dr. Nakayama think?" Sakura whispers as they head for her room.
With Jiraiya she was able to put her feelings aside more easily, not having had the close experiences he shared with Naruto.
But Anko is different, stopping by with sweets as she got off a particularly long shift or helping her practice with her aim.
"I'm glad I get to be a part of helping the next generation of kunoichi thrive!" She had once told her one evening, beaming at her progress.
She could hit the bulls eye's with just a single glance now.
Most of the kunoichi Anko knew growing up hadn't lasted and when Sakura dwelled on it, the only other female jounin could think of on par with her skills and abilities was Kurenai…
Those days seem so long ago now looking at Anko's still ashen skin, tubes and lines each dripping into her fluids, antibiotics, and nutrition.
'When are you going to wake up Anko-sensei? Sasuke and I are waiting!' She thinks urgently.
Sasuke she knows will already be waiting at her house for answers as soon as she gets off shift.
And then she'll force herself to sleep until she must meet with Naruto, Hinata, and the rest of their old classmates once more.
"Her blood pressure just isn't coming up how we had hoped. The laboratory and pathology teams are still trying to come up with a proper antitoxin to counteract whatever this bastard put into her." Kotori relates and Sakura nods, willing her tears away to stay focused.
She would check in with their departments next then finally head for home.
Kotori pats her shoulder, setting up a chair for her to sit while she checks in with the other nurses before shift change. It's nearly 7:00 am and she imagines Sakura hasn't really sat down since 6:00 pm yesterday.
"I'll go get you some breakfast goodies from the nutrition room! I'm sure like Ino says you wait until the last minute to take care of yourself after going around and seeing all these patients! Stay here and get your bearings before you faint on us next." Kotori orders before stepping out.
Outside the first rays of sunrise become visible, a warm bluish-purple to burnt orange haze creeping along the still dark forests.
Sakura moves to grasp at Anko's hand lightly, squeezing at it gently wishing she would return the action.
The tears return once more and she allows a few to slide down, taste of salt soon reaching her lips.
"I promise you Anko-sensei, we will make sure whoever did this gets what's coming to them."
-X-
Naruto & Hinata
'Crap, do we have everything we need?!'
It will definitely not look good to run late to a meeting he called himself!
Hinata had thankfully made them a checklist of all that they needed to pack before leaving out, double checking everything with her from their future selves' notes to the photos of each Akatsuki's descriptions, he didn't think he was missing anything.
Still, he'd be kicking himself later if he'd forgotten just one thing.
And then he remembers, the scrolls.
He had one while Hinata had the other still stowed away back at the Hyuga manor, within them were traps of confining barriers and space that could lock an individual in inescapable darkness until both their mind and powers were broken.
Though with what he's seen so far from Obito and the rest of the Akatsuki's actions, such a thing may not even affect them or be able to be put to full use.
Hinata curls into his side before his thoughts grow any more jumbled, smile curling at her lips seeing his anxious expression. "Naruto, we have everything. No reason to be so nervous!"
She boldly presses a kiss to his pulse point, hoping its a good enough distraction at briefly seeing him redden as well.
"We need to be sure though, you know! This is my first time actually holding a proper meeting with everyone, I want to make sure that I'm taken seriously!" Naruto laughs in return, pushing a grin up for her starting to indeed relax. With Hinata beside him his stomach finally begins to loosen up, she would support him no matter how their friends reacted.
Besides if he was going to be Hokage, he would need to get used to doing speeches in front of much more people than just their friends. For so long he gained attention through pulling pranks or generally causing mayhem, it was ingrained in many people's thoughts already that was how he was always going to be.
Konoha is less livelier than usual for an afternoon, sun casting long shadows against vacant stalls as merchants fan themselves in the growing midday heat. Gone are the familiar aromas of spices and meats blending together to the sizzle of fried goods, only the strong scents of ash and foods that have been out in the sun for far too long.
"Most everyone is still too uncomfortable with the idea of being out and about after what happened at the stadiums." Hinata whispers as they walk along a mix of pink and white leaves scattered across the pavement. Usually so many would be gathered about at the parks enjoying a picnic or the nice weather, though as it stands only a few have braved going out. The effects of the attack were now trickling down into small businesses...
She feels Naruto squeeze at her hand then, glancing towards an elderly couple packing up their stand early. They buy a daikon radish and sliced pineapple from their colorful assortment before they go, beaming at their toothy grins in return. The stress from a lack of sales is taking it's toll on them physically, sprinkles of gray more visible now in their hairs down to dark bags resting underneath their eyes.
"Thanks for supporting us kid, we'll give you a discount the next time you two come around!" The man chuckles, not noticing his wife's smile waver beside him.
If there's a next time...
"No problem Mr. Harada! Hinata and I like cooking with the ingredients you always have!" Naruto beams in reply.
And he silently promises himself with this plan that he and Mrs. Harada will never have to rebuild their shop from the ground up again.
"You're late." Kiba is the first to announce when they finally make it to Ichiraku's, eyes narrowing at the shopping bags in their hands.
It was no wonder he was noticing Naruto's scent upon Hinata practically everyday now, at some point she had transitioned into living with him. A smirk crosses his lips then, Hinata's reddening cheeks only confirming his theory.
"We already ordered while waiting for you. So, what's this big update all about?" Tenten questions, peering up from her menu. Lee beside her claims it must involve training or potentially a series of youth exercises similar to the ones he does with Gai.
Shikamaru holds in a yawn, nearly shutting his eyes again until Ino none too gently slaps at his back. How she wasn't tired either was beyond him, they'd spent most of the night along with Choji perfecting new team combinations and attacks to take this Akatsuki group on.
'We risk losing important loved ones, but Naruto never said who...'
The thought is unnerving, feeling the beginnings of a migraine pulsing at the back of his head.
Without having to say anything, he knew said loved ones included people he was close to.
"First of all, we're all glad you all could make it here on such short notice. Even better we're happy that based on what happened at the stadiums that everyone has begun training; separately or as a team." Naruto begins.
"The reason for us calling you all together is that the Akatsuki is on the move and we should be as well in going after them. They are at this very moment each assigned to go after a specific tailed beast. They have probably already gotten to some, but our goal is to stop them from getting them all." Hinata finishes.
A silence falls over the table, everyone gathering their thoughts.
"Who do want us each to go specifically after? From what you've given us so far, they each have an unique ability that can quickly become deadly even for the best shinobi." Shikamaru questions after mulling it over.
"But that doesn't mean they don't each have a weakness that can't be exploited; we have our jounin sensei and Suna helping us out as well. Deidara will want to finish things with Sasuke for example and his partner Sasori can be taken down by utilizing Kankuro and Lady Chiyo's knowledge of puppets." Naruto explains.
They go down dividing each Akatsuki member up, just the same as his and Hinata's future counterparts told them with the hope they can prevent Kisame's suicide before they can get answers. It feels wrong to place Team 10 against Hidan knowing what could happen, but they know now of his immortality; how best to capture him before he kills again just for the pleasure and his religion.
"What about the head figure guy? The guy going by Tobi or something to that effect?" Kiba asks.
A flicker of scarlet passes in Naruto's eyes, clenching his fists out of sight not to draw alarm.
"Leave him to me."
-X-
Kakashi
'He'll be here soon.'
It's a knowing he feels down to his bones, Obito has been wanting him dead for years now after all...
The night is still and cloudy, moon hidden away in long patches of grey. In the quiet he can hear his heartbeat even louder, mocking his facade of calmness. Would Obito come alone or with reinforcements? He couldn't however imagine Obito wanting anyone to get in the way of his fight.
Their last close encounter had been far too risky, Gai was resilient able to come back from any injury sustained it seemed like. Genma hadn't been so lucky though, the poison had taken days for him to recover from, bringing him far too close to death for comfort.
It'd be too much to watch that happen again with him as leader.
He knew Obito wanted to have the finishing blow on him alone without any outside help, the one to kill him for all his sins.
A crunching from the bushes comes from his right, sliding his head to the left as a shuriken whizzes by into the rolling darkness.
"You always were the best in our class when it came to launching and sensing targets." Obito notes above him, opening in the clouds briefly making his figure shine silver.
And Kakashi studies him briefly, he was wearing that same orange mask from the photo...
"You could at least have the decency to show me your full face. Especially since I already know your identity at this point." He mentions.
He imagines Obito must be scoffing at his demand, but he surprisingly does as he wants.
His eye crinkles at seeing just how heavily scarred the right side of his face is, lines permanently etched in after the events of their mission years ago in Kusagakure. The injuries he sustained would've been fatal to even the best shinobi, someone had helped him survive and recover.
All the while twisting him into a much darker man.
"Who saved you from those mass of rocks back then? Why didn't you return back to Konoha once you were fully healed?" Kakashi inquires. Those had been the main two questions spinning in his thoughts since seeing the proof that Obito was still alive.
"I've gone through many masks throughout the years, this latest one is supposed to be the most sturdy; the best one for made specifically for combat." Obito states, ignoring his question as he readjusts his mask back into place.
Kakashi's frowns, crackling his fingers to be ready for any surprise moves. "You're running the Akatsuki now so whoever helped you had to be stronger than you or at least on your level. There aren't many shinobi alive at this point in time that fit those qualifications."
Obito scoffs, eyes cold and bitter. "I figure your own student or that Hyuga girl would've told you, or maybe they never learned of Madara helping in my rehabilitation."
'Madara as in Madara Uchiha?'
But he died before their time, living during the Warren States Era when territories were marked by the rivers or the bends of trees. He'd been taught the same History lessons of his fateful battle with the first Hokage Hashirama in the Valley of The End, Madara hadn't come out of that battle the victor, or even alive...
However, Obito's expression is serious.
"And what exactly did he teach you, what is your end game goal out of slaughtering so many?" Kakashi further probes.
Because the Obito he knew as a kid would be repulsed by the adult he has become.
A smirk dances across his face and Kakashi leaps back just as he lets loose a swirl of fire.
"To bring Rin back of course. Once I get rid of this ugly, tainted world I'll create a new one in which she'll no longer be dead and gets to properly live out the life you stole from her."
Kakashi becomes silent then, but Obito can tell a frown has formed beneath his mask.
"Did this Madara character give you the full story or just the parts he knew would enrage you such as leaving out that he played a role in Rin's kidnapping and having the Three Tails be put into her? Or have you been manipulated by him as well like a puppet doing his bidding without fail?"
Obito sucks in a breath again in response, raining down pellets of fire.
"Fire Release: Flame Bullets!"
And he slips underground before his lightning cutter can be a direct hit.
There's no use in talking with Kakashi who will never understand the pain of a lost love, an ache that can never be replaced...
The swirl of his heat never hits him though, stream of fire carried away by the wind as he makes out the outline of a second figure. The smog clears quickly enough to reveal blond hair and blue eyes, the same ones from his youth...
"Kakashi-sensei, let me take over from here." Naruto growls, cerulean orbs washing away to red as Kurama's cloak forms.
He could do this, he just needed to concentrate and not let Kurama's power overwhelm him.
Obito's stare hardens onto him. This fight isn't meant for him, he won't let anyone get in the way of finishing what he should've done years ago.
Especially not Minato-sensei's son.
-X-
Jiraiya
"We can sit here all day if you like! I brought plenty of reading material and hey, since you love art so much my books can be quite the inspiration in growing outside your comfort zone!" Jiraiya chirps, leaning back in his chair.
Sai only gives him a blank look in return.
No wonder he had trouble fitting in with Naruto and his teammates.
Well, he didn't expect this would be easy. The boy had hardly said 5 words to him since being imprisoned except to ask for food, water, pain medicine, and monitored bathroom trips.
Danzo, even with his mark no longer on his tongue still has a hold on him from beyond the grave.
Jiraiya restrains back a coming yawn, they've been at this all night. Sunrise isn't visible in the black void of his underground cell and he resorts to envisioning the shades of orange to red slipping along the fog from the mountains to the Hokage monument, and then eventually down into Konoha below.
"I can't speak on Danzo's orders or the actions he did as Root's leader." Sai repeats again like a broken record.
And Jiraiya sighs, pushing his chair forward against the cement making it screech out into the quiet. "In case you forgot kid, Danzo is dead."
Naruto was never this stubborn he swears!
"Jiraiya we've finished deciphering through his art-books, we didn't find any traps or information of value." Officer Touma reports from behind him.
Jiraiya simply nods, waving him off without even a glance back.
Because something just changed in Sai's gaze, attention become solely on his locked away artwork.
He moves to flip through the pages idly, watching for anymore changes to Sai's expression. The notebook clearly meant something to him, pages withered to brown with faint bends and tears along certain half-finished sketches or ones he just completely gave up on.
"This Shin person must've really meant a lot to you." Jiraiya speaks up and he chuckles to himself at seeing his fists briefly tighten beneath the table.
Now he was getting somewhere.
Sai's lips flatten, debating his options before nodding slowly. "Yes, he was."
But does that matter to Jiraiya at this very moment?
He still doesn't believe this man who lost an arm to Pain/Nagato along with Naruto and the rest of Konoha's shinobi have any hope of taking down the rest of the Akatsuki's members.
They are in a league of their own.
"Was Shin an artist like you?" Jiraiya asks lightly, redirecting their topic.
There's more than one way to get to the answers he wants.
"No, he wasn't. He liked my artwork however and encouraged me to continue on with it despite the chance Danzo would tear or burn the pages up if he ever found them." Sai explains.
Jiraiya nods at that, pleased to see a brief smile cross Sai's face.
His memories of the man weren't completely buried or destroyed.
"Can I ask you a question now? What makes you think Naruto, Hinata, or really any of the Konoha 11 have any chance of defeating the Akatsuki if one of your better known jounin was nearly killed by just one of the lesser known members?" Sai abruptly asks.
Jiraiya frowns, mulling over his answer. He knew about Anko's situation despite efforts to keep it under wraps.
"Naruto isn't weak like you think. Sure, he has his moments of goofiness, but that doesn't mean when the time arises he doesn't become serious." He explains.
Sai only arches a brow, stoic mask back in place. "How so?"
A warm grin crosses Jiraiya's face. "Well for one, he did his absolute damnedest to prevent me from dying to Pain! But even more importantly..." He trails off dramatically at Sai's curious look.
'Yup, I have his full attention now!'
"Death. He already knows how each of them will die or be incapacitated." Jiraiya finishes.
"Can Naruto be a murderer?" Sai muses, even the thought sounded ridiculous saying it aloud.
But at Jiraiya's serious look then he knows that he can, that Naruto isn't completely as kindhearted as he first believed...
"We all can become killers if the situation calls for it, right? I'm sure that was one of the first lessons Danzo taught you." Jiraiya states, smile disappearing.
Sai merely nods, clearing his mind to stay calm. There's no use in trying to fight or continue to stay silent when it just means he'll use harsher forms of interrogation next.
Danzo had been a man of many secrets and mysteries, he rarely showed any emotions besides annoyance at missions gone wrong or frustration over how Konoha seemed to be constantly falling into the 'wrong hands' in terms of leadership.
Yes, they both knew he had secrets, secrets he thought were worth dying over...
"Ready to begin now?" Jiraiya starts again.
-X-
Sasuke
"How long have I been out?" Anko whispers, voice far too dry and cracked for her liking.
It's like she's swallowed a dozens razors.
Light rain patters along outside amongst a stream of endless grey clouds, mini puddles along the sidewalks and damp streets hold leaves scattered by the wind of all shades of green.
The color reminds him of Sakura, Sakura who isn't here to witness all her hard work come to fruition when she finally gave in to sleep and went home.
"A little over a week." Sasuke eventually says, watching as her brown eyes drift towards him.
"I know Kabuto did this to you Anko-sensei and I'm going to kill him; don't worry." He continues at Anko's silence.
He watches as her eyes widen, shifting herself up in bed despite the intense pain. "No, Sasuke! That's exactly what Kabuto wants! He knows you'll go after me in revenge, it's already caused your sharingan to change which is what he'll try to steal to use to finish Orochimaru's plans."
But it's like Sasuke hasn't heard her, dark eyes absently gazing towards the forests.
Kabuto was still hiding out there, waiting for his arrival.
And once he finds him, he'll force him to tell him of Itachi's location as well then get rid of him once and for all.
"I'm not a coward." Sasuke answers simply.
Anko grits her teeth, ignoring beads of sweat forming against her head and back. Her heart monitor beeps in alarm, echoing out into the room and it's then they both hear the sound of footsteps approaching.
"You should rest sensei, I'll take care of this." Sasuke concludes.
Sharp blood-red eyes of the sharingan gaze back at her, inescapable...
"Is everything okay in here?" Kotori asks behind him a minute later and Sasuke nods, stepping aside to let her check Anko's vitals.
When she awoke again she'd be angry at his decision, letting anger and revenge cloud his thoughts like this...
Once outside he heads in the direction of the Haruno household because unlike what Anko believed he wasn't the only who felt this way.
Sakura just as much wanted to see to Kabuto's downfall as well.
-X-
Naruto
Kakashi-sensei doesn't want him here, he knows this.
Hinata was already communicating outside this zone, ensuring all preparations were in order with each village to stop this war from even starting off.
"Do what you have to do Naruto, even if it means staining your hands red..."
He clicks his tongue, he's never had to kill before. The thought makes his stomach roil, Obito used to have hopes of peace and becoming Hokage himself. Kurama interrupts the images quickly, reminding him of who Obito truly is.
The man who played a role in his parent's deaths and will continue to kill again.
This is supposed to be a battle between old friends, to finish what was left unsaid because of each of their actions and circumstances.
If he doesn't get involved now, Obito will only become stronger, more lives will be lost...
Wood release allows him to alternate the terrain, roots of all sizes forming and following them ready to crush or skewer them.
The cutting technique truly is versatile, impaling his clones with the projectiles to upending the earth in attempt to sink them in.
"Listen Naruto, I can handle Obito on my own. The last thing I want is for one of my students to be caught in the cross hairs of this." Kakashi notes, determined to ensure none of his short or long range attacks land on his real body.
"I'm not stepping down, you should know that isn't an option now anyways!" Naruto remarks back.
Obito is nothing like any of the ninja they've come across from before, Madara has taught him much about how to counter any ability he could come across and how to manage the weaknesses of his own skills.
He dodges their attacks with relative ease and it's only when Kakashi realizes the extent to which their Kamui share dimensions can they twist this battle in their favor.
Because it is there in said endless void that Naruto's rasengan finally makes contact, shattering his mask to pieces.
And he stiffens briefly in surprise at what he mutters by his ear, at just how much he knows of his plans for wanting a Ten Tail's revival to using the reincarnated jinchuriki.
It's all already being responded to by each of the nation's mobilizing to stop him, gathering their best shinobi...
"You underestimated me."
-x-
Stay safe everyone; wash your hands! Writing helps me to relax and keep my mind off the way things currently are in the world, I hope my story as well takes your mind off any stressors you may be feeling yourself if even just a little. Working in healthcare I've come across a variety of things, but never the fear/panic like this. Luckily I'm in a position now working outpatient that allows me to work from home to still communicate with our clinic patients in the interim.
Let me know your thoughts as always as the combat and warfare truly approaches!
Enjoy. Review. Favorite. Follow!
