Disclaimer: I do not in ANY WAY own Naruto or Naruto: Shippuden.
A/N: And here's another chapter. I hope you all enjoy and are staying safe!
Also, please review!
Never Yield (Chapter 17) – Coalition Congregation
Naruto's P.O.V.
As I take in the familiar beautiful surroundings of the ruins the old-Whirlpool, everyone is silent.
Except for the crying of my cousin.
And suddenly I feel so awful. I've been so caught up in my own fear and anxiety that once again I have been forgetting about the feelings of my friends.
And this whole trip, Karin probably has been feeling so anxious to see Whirlpool and the Uzumaki clan. For her entire life she thought they were dead, and finding out that they weren't must have been a huge hit to her world-view.
I know it's not the same, but I did have something similar when the Old Man told me about my parents. That instead of just being an orphan from somewhere, that I am actually the son of the Fourth Hokage.
Mom, Dad...I'm really, really trying to be strong right now. I wish you both could help me.
"Karin, I know it's hard to see it like this, but look. You can still see the beauty of this place despite the devastation. You can see that people here lived and you know that though they may not live here exactly, the clan is alive. And the trees and plants and the air...doesn't it just hit your senses so clearly?" I tell her, trying to get her to appreciate what is still here rather than mourning what is long gone.
She wipes her eyes and as she looks around and inhales the air, I can see her muscles relax as she really takes it all in.
"Yeah, it really is magical..." She says in awe now that she can really see the village.
Even though it was still rather recent that I found out about the clan and my heritage, I really feel a connection to this place. Maybe they have a some kind of seal that can touch Uzumaki blood (I wouldn't be surprised – though the thought is really quite unsettling...), but I wonder if everyone else can appreciate the beauty of this place.
Ino can look at the flowers and other plant-life here. Shino can interact with the native insects. Choji, Tenten, and Yamato can perhaps learn of any old kenjutsu styles or moves.
There is something here, both above and below ground, for everyone.
"Karin, your clan is full of fighters and survivors and geniuses. They have managed to completely move their livelihood underground and stay hidden for over two decades." Jiraiya says, and it is the last push Karin needed to be able to regain her composure. "And it is now time for all of us to go there. Naruto, the other seven jinchuuriki have already arrived and are now waiting for your arrival. So we ought not to keep them waiting." My godfather continues, but I can see the support in his eyes as he looks at me.
Shikamaru and Hinata hold my hands as Jiraiya leads us a bit ways away to a new, giant seal in the ground.
"This seal is a one-time mass-transportation seal. When we all step on it, I will activate it and it will transport us all to the village square where everyone is gathered. Are you all ready?" Jiraiya explains and after a few seconds, my vision fades to black as my head spins before my feet hit land once again.
At least I was able to explain to the Skulk that Gaara is changed and he isn't the same person he was before.
Though I doubt he and Tenten and/or Choji will ever be friends...they at least are willing to overlook the past and start anew because I trust him.
But with literally every other jinchuuriki? I didn't quite expect this.
They are all looking at me like either I am: (1) food, (2) someone to kill, (3) someone to worship, (4) boring, or (5) crazy.
(Well, all of them except for Gaara. He's looking at me like a friend with a simple smile and a small wave...)
Meanwhile, all of them look much more mentally prepared for this than I am. My heart beat is still racing, my anxiety probably higher than it has ever been outside of a battle, and this isn't something I can just let my friends help me escape.
Because even though they are supporting me and I'm not alone, I am the leader right now of both these two separate groups – I am the leader of the Skulk and...the Jinchuuriki Coalition.
I let go of my teammates' hands and I walk forward so I am now between the both the Skulk and the Coalition.
"Um, hello...?" I say, and I mentally punch myself. Because that is one way to completely lose the faith of everyone here in one word!
(I probably should have rehearsed something for this moment...)
'Naruto, calm down. Remember why we are here. These people and my siblings trust you.' Kurama tells me, and I take a deep breath before trying again.
"Hello, I am Naruto Uzumaki. I'm, uh, glad you all could make it here." I say, bowing in respect to everyone. I know that the trip couldn't have been easy for someone (whoever 'Utakata' is and having to escape Yagura...), but I have no idea if anyone else was in danger or not.
And surprisingly, they all bow to me in return. And though it does shock me a bit, I try not to let it show just how much that show of respect back – to someone they never even met who called them all out here on a semi-wild goose chase – actually affected me.
"We are all here because there are two things we have in common: we are jinchuuriki...and our bijuu are in danger. Kyuubii said his brother was in trouble, and he's my friend. How could I not help him? My friends..." I say, motioning back to the Skulk, but the thoughts in my head are getting jumbled.
I take a few breaths and I wish I could turn around and see the faces of the Skulk, but I resist the urge. I do feel Shikamaru's shadow-communication jutsu latch onto me, and it slows my heart down enough so it's not about to pop out of my chest, but I still feel terribly alone.
I close my eyes and I reach for Dad's bracelet, trying to think what he and Mom would say if they were in my place, because I know that they would do this too, no matter the relationship Mom had with Kurama.
And that's when I know exactly what to say.
"I'm willing to do anything for him. We're friends. We're family, just like they are also my family. And you guys are family to Kyuubi's siblings, so you're family to me too." I say, getting excited and feeling everyone focus on me when I first say the word 'family.'
Because I don't think I used that word to describe Kurama before. I've used 'friend,' 'partner,' and maybe 'teammate,' but I've never used the word 'family' to describe Kurama before.
But he is family. He's a member of the Skulk. He's saved me, helped my friends, earned their trust, and he trusts them too. What else could he be if he isn't family?
"And as part of my family, our little group has a name. Now my girlfriend picked this name out, so I know nobody has a problem with this name." I say, getting a small jab at Hinata in there because she gave the name while I was practically drowning in anxiety on the way here. "The eight of us, we are the Jinchuuriki Coalition!" I say, not even realizing that my nerves are gone.
Is this what it's like to really be in charge of something? Is this what being Hokage will be like, but with anxiety and possible consequences being a million times worse?
Because now I know for sure that being Hokage is what I'm meant to do. Hearing the applause from not the Skulk, but the Coalition and Kurama, makes me know that I want to help the people that are important to me. No matter how afraid or anxious I am, I will do whatever it takes to make things right.
Re-informing them all that our plan is to basically camp out in the village until Konoha gets the job done against Akatsuki kind of dampened the spirits a bit, but the Coalition understands that it really is the best plan for us to just be out of the way.
After I finished my leadership speech...at first it was so nerve-racking, but the more I talked the more I knew Hokage is where I want to be. Now more than ever. But after I finished that, the Coalition and the Skulk started to mingle.
I was probably the only one not nervous when Gaara came up to Choji and Tenten to apologize for what he did to them during the Chuunin Exams (as far as I am concerned, it was a different person in his body and not him at all).
I told them before we came here that he was likely to apologize and they promised me to at least hear him out if he did, and they seem to forgive him. Because, he was nearly in tears over the guilt and regret that he was so screwed up to have done that to such 'good people.'
There were no hard feelings between the rest of Teams 10 or Gai when Temari and Kankuro came up to comfort their brother either. Everyone knows that it's all in the past: Orochimaru is gone, and Shukaku's seal is secured.
When everyone was getting to know each other – which I should be doing right now – I took care of a more personal matter.
"What do you think?" I ask my cousin Karin. We are walking alone together along the village, looking at the inverted fountain, and she is looking at their livestock.
"It's...beyond words. You know, I nearly lost hope when we were being held. But then you guys came and it feels like all that pain was worth it...because I got to meet you and the Skulk. All of you have helped me – and Sigetsu and Juugo – so much." She says, eyes still roaming all over.
Yeah, despite what happened to me on that mission, I'm glad I went on it. Going through all I did, with Yuka Tsunowari and the injured kid and Karin, it was all worth it because I got to help these people and help make them happy.
And that's what I want to do as Hokage. Protect my people and to help them have happy lives.
After Karin explored the village some more, Juugo and Suigetsu (Her friends? Her teammates? Her companions?) reunited with her and they went to speak with Sikona. I had to go back to the Coalition and actually meet them.
Utakata was the first one that I met. He has been through a lot. First he got attacked by Akatsuki, got a huge disruption-of-sorts to his chakra network that made medics think was a coma, then was forbidden to leave by his 'maniac' jinchuuriki Kage and had to escape.
He really isn't that much older than me, either. I'm fifteen, and he's seventeen. I know I've been through some physical stuff too, but to have to escape his village and become what is essentially a rogue ninja? That I couldn't imagine doing on my own.
(But I wouldn't have to. I know the Skulk would leave with me and I would leave with any of them too, if necessary.)
But Utakata is a nice guy! He's in relatively good spirits, considering everything he's been through. He says he hopes to be able to return to his village, but if he can't he would at least be looking forward to a fresh start somewhere else. Jiraiya already told him he's welcome in Konoha if he needed to go somewhere else, and Utakata said that he will if needed.
He told me, "If someone as crazy and nice as you comes from Konoha, the village must be a sanctuary." Apparently I am Konoha's ambassador or something...
Saiken – Utakata's bijuu that Kurama originally called for help for – also thanked me and said he and all the other bijuu appreciate all that I and Konoha have done. To think about all of them, to connect to Kurama that only one person other had at that point, takes a special kind of person.
I'm not gonna lie – getting all this praise makes me feel so...ungrateful? Like I don't feel I deserve any of this praise. I'm doing these things because it's the right thing to do.
Getting the seal removed was the right thing to do because Kurama was in pain. Going on that mission for Karin was the right thing to do because she is an Uzumaki. Helping Kurama and everyone else is the right thing to do because they are in danger.
Maybe it's because of my childhood again – my self-esteem issues and all that – but I kind of wish they would stop praising me and thanking me so much. I just feel undeserving and kind of like an imposter.
I want to be Hokage. When I do these things they say it's because I want to help people because it's the right thing to do. But to be called special and to be the image of Konoha in their eyes...I don't feel special.
But I thanked Saiken and said that he and nobody else has to thank me – I'm just doing the right thing. And then a much older man walked up to me, and that's who I'm talking to right now.
And I don't know whether I love him or hate him.
"Naruto, don't you fret, Or you'll miss my next new set! I know we only just met, but we'll be the best of friends, you wanna bet?" Killer B raps and rhymes. I'll admit it's impressive and awesome, but the reason I might hate him has nothing to do with him.
He's the chosen brother of the Raikage – who is the same man who authorized the attempted kidnapping of Hinata when she was a small child and that cost Neji his father.
I know it's not fair of me to hold it against B. But this is something that hurt my family in such awful ways that I'm not sure if I can really look past it.
(I knew I wasn't that special or deserving of all that praise, if I'm judging B for something he didn't even do and had no part in...)
I look around to see Hinata and Neji talking to different jinchuuriki. They know about B after I told them a few days ago when Kurama explained the situation to me. Kurama told me because he knows how much my family means to me, and he felt I deserved to know. And I felt that Hinata and Neji deserved to know, too.
And they actually weren't mad. They are still furious and will never forgive the Raikage, but they don't blame the village's people or B who had nothing to do with it. They also said that if it was the beginning of the year, they would have felt different. But being in the Skulk, getting to know Sasuke despite Itachi's (when he was still a spy) reputation, and having connected with Suna...they are able to separate the feelings of hate for the Raikage from the village and even the Raikage's family.
But I don't know if I can, not with this. And I know that it isn't fair at all, especially because I forgive Gaara who, despite being under the influence of his bijuu, almost killed two members of my family.
It's backwards, and it's not fair. Maybe it's because Hinata is my girlfriend and Neji is her family. Maybe that's why I feel so strongly. I don't know why, but this is hard for me to get past.
But I'll try - I have to. I owe to Hinata and Neji, to Tenten and Choji, to Gaara, to Itachi. I owe it to everyone who's been given a second chance or has the strength to move past something so horrific.
"Haha, sorry, B. It's just that meeting everyone right now is a little overwhelming. But you're right, I'm sure we'll be great friends! After all, you're part of the Jinchuuriki Coalition, and the Coalition is family!" I tell him, and when he laughs and extends his fist for me I think I already feel some of those feelings I had going away.
And I extend my fist and bump it with his.
"There we go, there's the first one. As a team, we'll always stand tall in the morning sun!" B says, and it's true. No matter what, as we stick together, we'll be the ones standing as the sun rises after a long night of battles.
...And hopefully, that's just a metaphor.
But B's a good guy. It'll take some time for these thoughts to fully go away, but I already feel lighter about it and I'll take that as good progress.
Meeting the rest of the Coalition went smoother than it did with Utakata and B. None of them tried to give me the praise Utakata did, nor did any of them have connections with the Skulk's past.
I didn't really talk to any of the bijuu, even B's. The jinchuuriki relayed basic messages of 'thanks' – I wonder if they somehow knew I didn't really like getting the praise earlier (did Kurama say something? Can Kurama even talk to them right now? Maybe it has something to do with proximity?).
But meeting everyone went well and we're all hoping this whole mission all ends up being nothing more than a precaution. With any luck, we will receive news in a few days that Akatsuki has been defeated (killed...) and that we are all free to return home (or possible Konoha, in Utakata's case).
And we are also hoping that Yagura stays out of danger, but (mostly) only for his bijuu's sake. Considering what happened between him and Utakata, we all don't want Yagura to be hurt, but we care more about the bijuu. Utakata even says that Yagura – his Kage – would be better off dead.
I don't necessarily believe that yet – he doesn't seem to be on the level of Orochimaru, Yuka Tsunowari or the whole of Akatsuki – but he definitely doesn't seem to be the best person, after what Suigetsu, Kurama, and Utakata say about him.
(Ugh, I just had an unpleasant thought. When I become Hokage, Yagura might still be Mizukage and I would have to deal with him them on a political level. That just sounds awful...)
(And an even worse thought...dealing with the Raikage...I have no idea how I would be able to do that after what he did to Hinata and Neji...)
But right now, things are actually looking okay. We are (mostly) all here, and we're all on the same page! The Coalition and the Skulk are getting along fine enough, Karin is loving the village, and I haven't had a complete mental breakdown!
I do worry about my comrades in Konoha who are being sent after Akatsuki. These enemies are dangerous and no matter how strong our village or our shinobi are, I will always worry about my comrades.
"Naruto, finally you're free. I need to have a word with you." Hinata says with a tone that gives me deep chills. It's that 'you fucked up and pissed off you girlfriend' tone and I've only heard it a few times before.
But I think I know what it's about...
"Hinata, come on! I was just trying to break the ice. It's a good name!" I say, knowing instantly that this is about the joke I made about her coming up with the 'Jinchuuriki Coalition' name. I was nervous, more anxious than ever, while a group of older and powerful shinobi with their ancient chakra-being partners looking at me to lead them through this.
So...yeah. I think that joke should be excused...
"Oh, I'm sure. But I think Sasuke can use your help. His ears still haven't been cleared out completely, and you're the best at water-style jutsu." Hinata says, and her smirk at me is just as good as her shutting off every single chakra point in my body.
But I do not want to deal with Sasuke right now. I now regret ever laughing at him for falling into that muck.
"Yes, Hinata!" I say, walking over to her. We still give each other a tight hug and a soft kiss - I love this girl so much! - and she points me over to where Sasuke is still trying to clean out his ears in Whirlpool's inverted fountain.
(Shikamaru – his boyfriend, the one who should be helping Sasuke – is just laying on his back on the ground. His eyes are closed though, because there are no clouds to watch. Serves him right!)
Then I suddenly get a genius idea!
"Hey Sasuke, I know what'll get it all. Summoning jutsu!" I call out to my friend and then make the hnd sign before summoning Gamatatsu.
"Hiya!" The young, yellow toad says, looking to me.
"Long time, no see! Gamatatsu, I have a really important mission for you. That guy over there, his name's Sasuke. And he has some gunk stuck in his ears. Do you think you can help?" I ask Gamatatsu.
I'm barely managing to hold back my laughter as even Shika sits up to watch this.
"Of course I can!" He says before jumping onto Sasuke's shoulders and sticks his tongue into Sasuke's ear to lick the muck out!
"AHHHH! GET HIM OFF ME!" Sasuke yells in disgust, trying to shake the young toad off.
I fall to the ground in laughter, and Shika is already there and laughs along with me. The rest of the Skulk and the Coalition turn and watch as my best friend's boyfriend desperately tries to get the toad's tongue out of his ears, with little luck.
And they all laugh too.
And just like, I manage to not only solve Sasuke's issue, get Hinata back for that little prank, but I also managed to raise the spirits of my two groups even more.
But, sorry Sasuke! Hahaha!
A/N: And that's another chapter. I think I might be done with this arc, but I'm not sure. I have no idea what exactly is next, but I do know exactly how this story will end.
This chapter was very hard for me to write. I'm not sure why, but I struggled a lot with it. The only easy part was the very ending, which wrote itself when I got to it and wasn't planned at all.
Anyway, that's all I have to say about this one. I'm still writing, but it's definitely going slower right now. But perhaps that's understandable, given the state of the world and all. Stay safe, everyone!
I hope you all enjoyed! Stay tuned for Chapter 18!
Also, don't forget to review!