Author Notes: Thank you weepingsamurai, animelady465, Jennie Ki, kittycatcacher, cestlavie, topsyturvy-dream , BethSannie, mikan26, zeynel, Generator X, LonelyDreamer7, AJGuardian, Pinky-the-elephant-room, Siegfrieda, randomCitizen, ForestShadeau, FANGIRLWHODIES, Nyght Elf and kyza-20! Your reviews last chapter are love and keep me going!
Big shout-out and thank you to MegaDarkly again for the feedback!
A few things: I changed the story summary, apologies if that confused you! Also, I've had a few comments about last chapter and the plot in general and yes, this fic has a lot of moving parts so sorry if I sometimes mess up or aren't clear enough about something. Feel free to ask nicely, I'm happy to answer all questions. Otherwise, just chill and enjoy, this is all just for fun :)
Oboreteiru=drowning
LONG CHAPTER AHEAD!
Chapter 16
..~**~..
..~**~..
"Amaterasu!"
Itachi watched the raging battle below from his perch on the mountaintop.
Lucy had been right.
His foolish brother had done the most foolish of things and not only joined Madara but was following his orders as well.
His eyes narrowed at the black cloak with large red clouds covering his brother along with Team Taka.
It was a sight he had hoped never to see.
The four-man cell had travelled to Unraikyou to take on the Eight-Tailed Beast but they hadn't proven to be much of a match for him yet.
Black flames licked at the screaming octopus soon covering his entire body despite plunging into the pool of water.
He has no control.
The red-haired kunoichi was standing too close to the ever-burning fire and within seconds was covered by the black flames as well.
"Sasuke!"
Itachi watched his brother struggle for control. His Mangekyou eyes wide as he urged the black flames devouring his teammate to recede.
During the battle each one of his teammates had risked their lives to protect his foolish brother. Itachi wasn't sure if Sasuke was worth such loyalty but at least he was refusing to leave the doomed kunoichi behind.
Perhaps all hope wasn't lost.
Sasuke grabbed the unconscious jinchuuriki while the orange-haired cursed man picked up the other two unconscious teammates and they left quickly, eager to escape the Valley of Clouds and Lightning as their battle had no doubt alerted surrounding shinobi.
Itachi had already spotted some Cloud nin nearby, observing the battle as he did. Soon the Raikage would find out his brother had been captured by Akatsuki and then Team Taka would have to face his wrath.
Itachi jumped down from his perch, falling through the mist. This was the last thing he had ever wanted for Sasuke. For him to join in his footsteps like this by following Madara and helping Akatsuki, it went against everything Itachi had planned.
Sasuke was spitting on his legacy. On his sacrifice to protect Konoha. Why couldn't his foolish brother see? Why couldn't he wake up and understand he was being played by Madara? Being manipulated once again by an Uchiha?
You went too far. You nurtured his hate and anger so much over the years that that's all he has left. He cannot protect Konoha. He cannot even see those who love him because he is blinded by his hatred.
After a few hours, Itachi watched Sasuke and his teammate stop to rest, laying down their unconscious charges. His brother was struggling to catch his breath, no doubt the thinner air of the mountains was making their travels more difficult. Fighting Hachibi had taken a toll on his eyes and his body and if it weren't for Team Taka, he would have been killed. He still hadn't fully recovered from their own fight a few weeks ago.
"Juugo, keep a lookout," Sasuke said, getting to his feet. "I'll go scout for water."
Itachi stood in the shadows of overhanging rocks as Sasuke approached the closest source of water. His brother cleaned the blood of his face in the cool stream flowing down from the snow-covered mountain top and didn't even notice Itachi until he spoke.
"That was a close call. Taking on a jinchuuriki."
Sasuke stilled, before he slowly got to his feet. "Nii-san."
Itachi had sent shadow clones everyday to check on his brother. Their encounters had started at night. Itachi had remained in the shadows, watching his brother struggle to sleep, struggle to make sense of the truth Madara had laid bare for him until Sasuke had finally noticed him in the dark.
No words had been exchanged. No words had been needed as Sasuke ranted and pleaded and finally accepted that the shadow of his brother was a figment of his imagination. A coping mechanism for his overwhelming grief.
And it suited Itachi just fine. It was too early to reveal the truth, not when Madara was so close.
"Is this really how you will avenge me, Sasuke?"
The raven-haired teen frowned at his words. "I will avenge you by burning down Konoha. Killing the Elders and everyone who enjoyed the village's peace while you suffered in silence."
Itachi remained silent. He knew his brother wasn't about to be swayed. Not now.
"You can't understand, you will never understand!" Sasuke continued, fury etched in his voice. "You may have wanted to protect me, but your life was more precious to me than anyone else! More precious to me than the village itself!"
Itachi watched his younger brother from afar. Watched the dangerous aura surrounding him, the dark turn his chakra was taking. Watched his hatred grow and kill any love or compassion his younger eyes once held.
This is your doing.
His brother was panting for breath still. They needed to hurry to their rendez-vous point with Madara before they got ambushed by Cloud nin. Sasuke was in no condition to survive another battle.
"Sasuke?"
Juugo's voice rang out through the valley, looking for his leader.
Sasuke hesitated and Itachi made the choice for him, falling back into the shadows disappearing from his sight.
"And tell me, little brother, fighting with Taka today; didn't it remind you of your genin team?"
Surprise crossed Sasuke's face and in that instant, Itachi spotted another emotion that he himself had grown more than familiar with over his years as a missing nin – guilt.
..~**~..
..~**~..
I awoke in the infirmary late at night.
I heard the machinery beeping around me and looked down at the numerous bandages covering my arms and stomach. I couldn't feel a thing. Whatever drugs they had pumped in my system were working wonderfully and I even smiled at the medic-nin that came to check my injuries.
"A few broken ribs, some burns and nasty bruises, but nothing we couldn't fix," the tall medic with a goatee informed me his soothing green chakra swept over my arms, accelerating the growth of new skin.
I closed my eyes enjoying the tingling sensation. There was a nagging feeling in the back of my mind, something I should have noticed but didn't due to my exhaustion. Before I knew it, sleep overtook me once more.
I woke up again the next morning to the same medic checking up on my injuries again.
He changed the bandages on my arms, a small smile on his lips at all times. His cheery disposition creeped me out, but I let it slide. He had healed me after all.
"Your ribs are fine and the bruises are gone. Keep the bandages around your arms for now and I'll check on them again before you return to training."
I looked at him incredulously. "Training?"
The medic ignored the question, his eyes focused on my chart instead. "Your muscles will be sore so make sure to spend extra time stretching beforehand and soak in the hot bath after as well. Can you please stand?"
I got up to my feet, my back and legs aching but nothing a few stretches could improve. It was while I was assessing my limbs that I felt it.
Something strange.
It was faint. Barely a trace of chakra like Jiraiya's seal lingering behind my ear, but I felt it all the same.
A touch of a stranger's chakra in the back of my throat.
A seal.
A fucking seal.
"Is something the matter?"
The medic looked at me, a puzzling look on his face, and I wanted nothing more than to punch him hard.
If you say a word. If you say anything they will find out about your sensing ability.
"No, nothing. I think I'll go shower."
The man nodded and slipped my chart back on the foot of the bed. "Breakfast will be brought to you soon."
I breathed hard through my nose and stomped towards the shower, intent on cleaning all the blood, dirt and sweat off my skin before Kinoto inevitably showed up.
I had barely finished my breakfast when the door swung open and my asshole sensei walked in. I sat quietly on top of my hospital bed and waited as his eyes roamed over me, assessing my injuries before giving a nod of approval.
He stopped before my bed, leaning against the wall as he crossed his strong arms over his chest.
"You did well, Six."
He was talking about the Chase of course. There was a pleased look on his face that made my blood boil, but I kept my mouth shut.
"You almost beat One's record. Just a few more minutes and you would have been safe."
I almost scoffed. You were right there watching me as they beat me up and you did nothing!
"You did Team Tora proud. Your skills have certainly improved, although it seems that you've been holding out on us."
I tried to keep my expression as neutral as possible as he kicked off the wall and stepped closer towards me.
"Did you really think we wouldn't notice that you were a sensor?" Kinoto continued, his voice dark and full of violence. "How your explosions were conveniently timed… How you always managed to know where Team Ushi was located despite not having a visual on them… You made me look like a fool."
His hand snapped forward grabbing the front of my black training shirt, our standard uniform, while his other hand grabbed my wrist, holding it in a lock.
"Sensei, I'm sorry," I gasped, unable to move as he towered over me, his dark eyes flashing dangerously.
"I will not tolerate lies, Six."
He added pressure to my wrist and I dropped my gaze in submission, knowing better than to talk better or resist. Kinoto didn't tolerate either. He bent his head, his mouth coming dangerously close to my ear. "If I find out you have been holding more information from me, I will break you."
I paled at his threat and satisfied with my reaction, he stepped back, releasing his hold. I kept my mouth shut.
"Your kenjutsu against Seven was tolerable. We will continue training this evening after your meeting."
I nodded.
"Also the Hokage wishes to see you," he announced, his dark eyes gaging my reaction. "We will meet her after lunch. I will escort you myself."
Yes, finally! Relief must have shown on my face as the next thing I knew a smirk lifted Kinoto's lips and that expression was never a good one.
"You must not be a very good sensor if you haven't yet felt the seal we placed on you during the night."
My stomach clenched at his words. I had felt it of course, but it was another thing hearing Kinoto admit it out loud.
"You won't be able to utter a single word about the training or anyone involved," he continued. "If the Hokage suddenly pulls you out of the program or if we suspect foul play, we will have to take necessary steps before the Hokage becomes involved."
I swallowed, not liking what he was implying. "Necessary steps?"
"These training facilities are rigged with explosives. At the first sign of trouble, Danzou-sama will give the order to blow it all up. Trainees included."
My mouth dropped open in shock. "Blow it all up?" I exclaimed, forgetting to keep my emotions in check. "And kill everyone? What about all those kids you've been training for months?"
His expression remained blank as he answered. "We have more."
They're fucking monsters! They would just kill everyone in the blink of an eye? How many kids has Danzou been training? How many teams does he have? Just how much more is Danzou hiding?
"They're just kids-" I tried to argue.
"Then keep your mouth shut and everyone lives." Kinoto gave me a final look before turning to the door. "Consider yourself warned."
I spent the rest of the morning resting on my bed, trying to figure out a plan. I had to find a way to leave. The longer I stayed, the worst it was going to get. Danzou hadn't even tried to ask me about my visions yet but I knew that day would come soon.
I can't believe I told Genma to get me out in a month! One bloody month, what was I thinking?
There was no way in hell I was staying that long, but then again how was I supposed to alert Tsunade without Kinoto finding out and killing all my teammates? By lunchtime, I didn't have a plan and when Kinoto appeared again with a blindfold in his hands, I was in a slight panic.
"Put it on."
I did as I was told and let him lead me out of the room and through the corridors. We walked for a long time turning left and right multiple times, going up stairs, down stairs and up some more until finally I heard a latch open and climbed out of a tunnel following his lead.
I squinted my eyes once the blindfold came off and took a few minutes to adjust to the bright sunlight. We were back in Konoha, in front of a bookstore just a couple of streets away from the Hokage building.
Kinoto stood before me wearing his usual tiger mask and passed me a white mask with a couple of swirls along the cheekbones and the kanji for six above the right eye.
I slipped it on without a word disliking how the mask limited my vision.
Kinoto led the way and I followed behind him, searching through the dozens of chakra signatures that surrounded us. I noticed my range and detection skills had improved as I could sense all the way to Naruto's apartment.
It was empty.
I recognised Sakura's chakra somewhere in the hospital, but Kiba's was absent. As we turned another corner, heading for a side entrance to the building, a familiar chakra brushed against my senses and I turned my head spotting shoulder-length chestnut-hair covered by a bandana.
Genma!
He had his back turned to me as he stood before a tea shop, speaking to a blonde chuunin I didn't recognise.
Genma, stop flirting and turn around! I willed him to hear me, but of course, he didn't.
He was there! He was right there, barely twenty metres away. Without thinking I took a step in his direction and Kinoto immediately grabbed my arm, pulling me back.
"Don't be stupid." He tilted his head to the rooftops and my breath hitched as I spotted members of Team Ookami lurking in the shadows. "You'll get your friend killed."
I let him lead me away, tears welling up in my eyes. I was furious with myself. Furious to have put myself in such danger and finding myself trapped in Danzou's games. I was too weak to fight back, too weak to break out from their grasp without outside help, and my one chance to get out was about to be taken from me.
I wouldn't risk anyone getting hurt because of my stupid decision. I wouldn't.
I had made my bed and now I was going to lie in it.
I headed up the stairs, taking off my mask for Shizune, who quickly ushered me into the Hokage's office. I stood before her desk, waiting as Tsunade stood close to the window, her back turned to me.
"How are they treating you?" she asked from her spot.
I kept my voice steady. "Fine. It's hard, but I'm fine."
"Good. Where are they keeping you? Sai wasn't able to find you."
Of course not. Danzou probably doesn't trust him enough.
"I don't know." Even if I knew the answer to her question, the seal would have stopped me from saying anything.
Tsunade finally turned around and I noticed the dark circles under her eyes and tired face. The glint in her eye was sharper than ever. "You missed quite a bit while you were gone."
She went to sit at her desk, threading her fingers. "Jiraiya sent us clues with regards to Akatsuki's leader, Pein. He's after the Kyuubi and will no doubt come to Konoha looking for him. Naruto, however, recently left to go train to be a Sage. It might take a while."
I nodded, realising exactly where I was in the storyline. Pein would attack any day now and then Danzou would be Hokage.
I guess there was no point in trying to leave.
"Jiraiya," I spoke up with a heavy heart. "Jiraiya is gone."
Although it wasn't a question, Tsunade nodded unable to meet my gaze. "Yes. You – you tried to warn him… the idiot."
I had never heard Tsunade be anything but a strong, confident woman and seeing her fumble made me realise just how much Jiraiya's death had affected her.
"I'm sorry -"
"Don't." Her voice was cold, and I knew that although she didn't mean to, part of her blamed me for his death. "His death has put important things in motion. Naruto - his training - he's more determined than ever. He's the child of the prophecy, the toads see that now."
I nodded, unsure what else to say.
"Tell me about the attack," Tsunade ordered in a sharp voice, catching me off-guard. "I have no doubt that Pein is heading right this way as we speak to find Naruto. How many will die?"
Well, that's a 180. Not even the other week she didn't want to know about future events and now she was ordering me to tell her?
"Tsunade, you have the scrolls -"
"Yes, but I would rather hear it from you. I need to know so tell me."
"I don't think that's-"
The blonde narrowed her eyes. "Lucy, I'm warning you."
"Tsunade…"
Without warning her fist hit her desk, splitting it in half with a deafening crack. "Tell me!"
Holy shit.
My heart leapt to my throat with fear. My whole body froze at the sudden display of pure physical strength. She had never been this angry before, not since my time in T&I when she hadn't trusted me.
My eyes met her amber ones and we stared at one another for a long moment.
"It won't be pretty," I confessed in a quiet voice, "but in the end, Konoha will pull through."
Tsunade tsked in annoyance as she stood tall before the remnants of her desk. "If all you're going to give me is cryptic bullshit, then you can go."
Damn, she's in a foul mood.
"Tsunade -"
"Dismissed!"
She turned her back on me once more and I grit my teeth, stopping myself from losing my temper and getting into an argument with her. She was a grieving woman after all, and I was the one person who could have saved her life-long friend and hadn't.
No wonder she was angry at me. I dreaded to think what Naruto would say when we met again.
"Unless something changes in the timeline, everyone will be okay, except for one," I finally admitted.
"One?" she repeated.
I nodded. Yes, you.
The Hokage gave a long sigh. "I will find an excuse to pull you out within three days. If we get attacked, you might have to wait a little longer. Can you hold on a few more days?"
I tried not to look appalled but knew I still wasn't very good at hiding my facial expressions. Unfortunately for me, Tsunade was busy checking the drawers of her broken desk no doubt in search of sake.
Come on, Tsunade. Look at me. Look underneath the underneath!
I swallowed hard. "A few more days."
"Good. Stay strong."
She glanced up and I nodded, feeling my heart sink at the thought of leaving the safety of her office. "You too."
..~**~..
Kinoto was waiting for me outside the tower and putting the blindfold on once more he guided me through the dark tunnels back to our quarters.
I wasn't sure where he was bringing me but when I felt Danzou's distinct chakra I faulted. Kinoto took off the blindfold and I noticed I was in an office. Danzou sat behind a desk, his one eye watching me closely as Kinoto motioned to the chair before him.
"Sit."
I took note of the leather straps along the armrests but did as I was told.
"Leave," came Danzou's abrupt command and Kinoto disappeared in a flash leaving me alone with the Councilman.
I didn't like this. I didn't like this one bit.
"You didn't activate the seal," Danzou began, watching me closely. "You didn't try to escape."
"No."
He looked pleased, although it was hard to read his face with so many bandages.
"I see you are starting to learn. Discipline, obedience, perhaps one day you will even come to understand what it is we do within Root – maintaining peace from the shadows. Doing what must be done for the sake of our village, no matter what."
Oh God, please spare me the evil guy monologue…
"After working with your teammates, you must wonder why we bother with such a weak kunoichi. Why we brought you here. Why Kinoto spends so much time training you."
I wanted to raise my brows at him and ask 'how stupid do you think I am?', but kept my sarcasm at bay.
"For my visions," I answered, looking him dead in the eye. "You want me to tell you about my visions."
A creepy smile spread on his lips. "I see you're catching on quickly."
I took a deep breath dreading the next step. This was it, Danzou was going to ask me about my visions, or torture me, or something. This is what I had been dreading the entire time in the program and he had waited until after my meeting with Tsunade to begin.
Just how far would he go to find out about them?
My heart thumped inside my chest as I waited for the old man. He peered at me for an uncomfortable moment before his hand reached for the bandages around his right eye.
I watched in utter shock as he lifted them revealing the Sharingan eye underneath. The air shimmered with chakra and I let myself be pulled under into his genjutsu. It was so much more powerful than any genjutsu I had ever felt during our training.
So much more real.
The office disappeared and in its place, I was suddenly back in the Hokage's office with Tsunade sitting before me at her desk. To one side, Genma was leaning against the wall, arms crossed.
It was so strange and I let myself believe that it was really them because I knew that any doubt would immediately alert Danzou.
"Lucy, we need your help," Tsunade pleaded, an earnest look on her face. "The village needs your help."
Tsunade's tone was so off, I almost laughed. Really? Is that what Danzou thinks Tsunade sounds like? Has he even met the woman?
"Of course, Tsunade-sama," I answered, playing along. "Anything for Konoha."
The blonde nodded. "We need to know about Akatsuki's attack. We need to find out what happens next. Tell us about your visions, Lucy. I know we discussed this all before but we need to hear it again."
It was like being stuck in a bad soap opera, but I cooperated and played my part. If genjutsu was the means that Danzou used to find out about my visions then I was in luck. Here, I was in complete control. Here, I could fool the bastard into believing whatever he wanted.
"I will do my best, Hokage-sama. My visions are difficult to interpret at times, but I will tell you all the details I remember."
And so, I spilled my secrets. I told him about Pein. About the attack, about the village being destroyed, and Naruto coming back to fight. And really that was about it because in the end, I had only read Pein's Invasion arc once, watched the anime once, and did not remember much about it.
Of course, I never said a word about the real Pein, Nagato. I gave enough details to satisfy Danzou, but vague enough so as not to reveal any real information.
Without warning, Tsunade's expression twisted into a furious one. "Tell me again!"
Before I could add another word, her office warped and I found myself chained to a metal chair in a dark room with a large wooden desk at one end.
What the-?
I took in my surroundings and noticed I was back in Konoha's jail - back in the Torture & Interrogation division.
No!
Fear blinded me and I struggled to breathe. My eyes darted around the room in a panic until I realised Ibiki was nowhere to be found. Instead standing in front of the desk was a very scary-looking Tsunade and Genma.
"What's going on?" I demanded.
"Lucy, we need your help," Tsunade said in a cold, unforgiving tone. "The village needs your help."
Huh?
"Yes, of course, Hokage-sama."
Is this like good cop, bad cop? Danzou started with the easy interrogation session and now this is the hard one?
"Tell me everything you know about the attack," she ordered.
I nodded although my eyes were fixed on Genma, whose face was blank; a kunai twirling in his hand.
"The village is going to be attacked by Pein. He has six bodies -"
"When?" Tsunade cut in. "When will Pein attack?"
I shook my head. "I don't know. The visions don't give me a timeline."
Tsunade gave a slight nod and I watched in horror as Genma threw the kunai straight into my shoulder.
And the pain, goddamnit, the pain that radiated through my arm, was real. I screamed, tears prickling my eyes and I wanted nothing more than to snap out of Danzou's jutsu.
You can't, I reminded myself. It's the Sharingan. If you break out of it so easily, he'll know. He'll know and then the torture will be real.
They asked many questions about Naruto.
"How does he defeat Pein? Does anyone come to his aid? What triggers him to transform into Kyuubi?"
I didn't know the answers to half of their questions. What triggers Naruto to change? I thought to myself the third time they answered, but I drew up a blank. It had been so long and I was so tired…
I endured through the interrogation and two more kunai thrown my way. I endured it without revealing anymore information and praying that Danzou would be satisfied especially since I revealed in the end that Tsunade would be weak after the attack and he would take her place as Hokage.
I didn't see any issue in telling him all of this. It was only the grand picture as I couldn't remember any of the details and if Danzou knew the outcome was him becoming Hokage then surely he wouldn't try to meddle and would let everything play out.
A knock at the door interrupted Tsunade's questioning and suddenly Danzou appeared.
"What is the meaning of this?" he demanded, looking between Tsunade and myself. "Lucy is a Konoha shinobi, why do you treat her like an enemy?"
I didn't hear Tsunade's response. I didn't hear anything and just looked at Danzou as if he had grown a second head.
"Danzou-sama?"
The old Councilman limped over to me and put a hand on my shoulder. Warmth spread from his hand through my body as if he were a medic nin although there was no green chakra or other jutsu.
"Lucy," he continued, looking down at me with an almost pleasant face, "you're safe with me."
His image disappeared and the scene reset to the beginning again. Me chained to a metal chair while Tsunade and Genma stood before me.
"Lucy, we need your help," Tsunade began in the same unfriendly voice. "The village needs your help."
"I… yes, Tsunade-sama."
I had no idea what was happening. I couldn't understand what Danzou was trying to do as Tsunade interrogated me again.
Oh God, no.
The three kunai hit the same three spots everytime and everytime I screamed. Despite knowing I was in a genjutsu, my body still reacted on instinct to everything that was happening to me. It was like being stuck in my worst nightmare. I was reliving my whole T&I experience again although it was all in my head and there was nothing I could do about it without revealing even more of my skills to Danzou.
Danzou, the bastard, put me through the interrogation two more times and by the third, I was sobbing throughout the whole ordeal with fear. Each time he appeared in the doorway of the interrogation room, relief washed over me as I knew he would touch my shoulder and all the pain would go away.
Finally, it all stopped. The interrogation room disappeared and I was back in Danzou's underground office, facing his swirling Sharingan. I was covered in sweat and breathing hard, terrified of what would come next.
"Calm yourself, Six, and forget about the genjutsu. Forget about my eye."
Like hell I will!
But his Sharingan swirled as he tried to wipe my memory and the pull on my senses was so strong, I almost gave in.
No, it's genjutsu. It's just genjutsu, block it out! I resisted his Sharingan and forced myself to control my emotions again, acting like nothing had happened. Danzou sat perfectly still before me, his bandages back in place as he picked up a folder from his desk and examined its contents.
After a moment, he spoke as if he hadn't just spent the whole session torturing me inside my own head. "As I was saying, you have made significant progress during the course of this program and the Hokage has informed me she would like you to continue for the time being. Your sensei has also informed me that he is satisfied with your recent results."
I furrowed my brows for a moment before relaxing my face. "Ok."
He nodded, closing the folder no doubt containing my information. "I expect you to keep training hard and not fall behind the others. Particularly your kenjutsu skills. We can talk again tomorrow. Dismissed."
"Yes, Danzou-sama."
Tomorrow? I have to come back tomorrow? No, there's no way in hell I'm going through that again!
My legs shook as I stood up from my chair and sudden light-headedness and fatigue overwhelmed me, but I didn't care. I ignored it all eager to get the hell out of his office.
Kinoto stood on the other side of the door, waiting, and I put on a brave face as we headed back to the common rooms. I noticed it was only lunchtime. I had been stuck in Danzou's genjutsu for what felt like at least an hour and yet it seemed only a few minutes had passed in real time.
I joined my teammates for lunch, nodding at their conversation while keeping my tears at bay. I was rattled from the genjutsu and wanted nothing more than to scream in rage and fear at what Danzou had just done to me.
I wanted to turn tail and run away. Hide from all the mental torture I would face again tomorrow, but I already knew there was no running away. I would be scarred again, and this time I didn't have Tsunade's sleeping potion.
At the thought of Tsunade, my stomach lurched. The bastard was brainwashing me into thinking Tsunade and Genma meant pain whilst Danzou was comfort and relief! Was this how he controlled his Root shinobi?
The thought was so disturbing that bile rose in the back of my throat and my tears threatened to spill over.
Oh God, what are they doing to me?
..~**~..
I gripped the bokken, raising it above my head before bringing it down in a diagonal cut. Kinoto kept a watchful eye from the side as I continued to train through the various kata he had taught me over the days.
Kenjutsu training with him was the last thing I felt like doing, but I had no choice. Besides practicing kata forced me to simply focus on my body, the sword between my hands, and the invisible enemy before me.
I pictured Danzou.
Kinoto stepped forward, his own sword in hand.
"Time to spar."
I nodded and stepped into position. He came at me and we went back and forth several times before stopping the spar and resuming our positions.
I was getting better at anticipating his attacks and avoiding a smack from his blade. After a while he came at me with more aggression than usual and I struggled to parry his attacks.
"You seemed particularly focused today while practicing so I thought you might be ready to up your training."
I ignored his words and shoved him back with the force of the wooden blade.
"What's the matter, Six?" he taunted, stepping to the side as I thrust forward. "Didn't think you'd be here tonight? Thought the Hokage would pull you from the program?"
I clenched my teeth and spun on my foot, hoping to catch him off-guard but Kinoto was too fast for me. My training was like child's play for him.
He disappeared behind me and his blade smacked my lower back. I fell hard on one knee.
Asshole.
"You're too naïve, Six. Too trusting," Kinoto continued, circling around me as I paused to catch my breath. "Did you think the Hokage would save you? She made a deal with Danzou-sama."
My breath hitched. No, it's not true.
"They agreed that you needed training and be kept under control. What else was she going to do with such a weak kunoichi who held such vital information?"
He's lying.
I gripped the sword again and kicked off the mat, eager to wipe the smirk off his face. I came at him like a fury, striking and thrusting until my blade grazed his shoulder, but anger only got me so far and eventually he fought back.
"Why do you think she didn't summon you for a whole week?" Kinoto argued, striking from above.
She's busy. She just lost Jiraiya.
"Why do you think she didn't send anyone to check up on you?"
She said Sai couldn't find my location.
"Why do you think she sent us medics from the hospital?"
"Shut up!" I shouted, losing my temper. "You're lying!"
His dark eyes met mine and I saw the satisfaction within them before a powerful hit landed on my shoulder. I fell back on the tatami mat, the bokken knocked from my hands.
"Am I?"
He let his words dangle in the air between us. As much as I wanted to ignore them, they had rattled my confidence. Why had Tsunade waited so long to meet with me? Hadn't we agreed on a timeline? I tried to remember our exact conversation in her office in vain. All I could picture was Genma and her interrogating me about Pein. And the infirmary? They had doctors and nurses at all times and all the latest equipment. Just like Konoha's hospital. Was that Tsunade's doing?
My mind couldn't make sense of anything anymore.
Kinoto squatted down before me, his dark eyes studying my face. "No one is coming for you, Six. The sooner you realise that, the easier it will be. You belong to Team Tora now."
They'll come, won't they? It's just… too soon. I promised Genma a month.
Kinoto picked up my bokken. "Practice is over. Go shower and get some sleep. We have a mission tomorrow."
I fled from the room, eager to get away from everything and everyone and clear my thoughts. I headed straight for the showers and relished the hot water running over my stiff body. Kinoto's words haunted me and played over and over again in my mind, but I shut them out. He was playing with me. Just like Danzou. They were trying to play mind games, trying to turn me against Tsunade and make me fall in line with their plans.
Resist! I yelled at myself as I dried off and slipped into a large T-shirt with the leaf emblem and standard black shorts. Don't listen to them!
I went through the motions of getting ready for bed, my thoughts drifting from Kinoto to Danzou's genjutsu. He would call me to his office tomorrow and I would have to go through it all over again. A strong wave of nausea overcame me as I sat on my bed, my legs hanging out. I pushed it down, breathing through my fear while staring blankly at the wall ahead.
That was how Four found me as he walked in wearing nothing but his black boxers while running a towel through his wet hair. I ignored him and kept my eyes fixed on the opposite wall.
"Six, you still up?"
I nodded.
He slipped a sleeveless white shirt on and crossed the dorm towards me.
"Three isn't here," I noted, my voice unusually monotone.
He looked over his shoulder to Three's alcove, closed off by a curtain. "She spends her nights with Shiro, lucky guy."
Shiro from Team Ookami. The best looking one in my opinion, handsome and deadly in a Kakashi kind of way. For some reason, Ookami used colours for its members and not numbers.
I nodded again, dropping my gaze to the ground.
"Six, you okay?"
I didn't know how to answer him. I should have shut him out, yet I was grateful for his presence. He wasn't here to fight me or hurt me like everyone else in this damn program.
Four genuinely cared.
"How long have you been here, Four?"
He paused, his friendly stance shifting as his hazel eyes studied me closely. I could tell he knew something was wrong when I spoke. We weren't supposed to ask each other personal questions.
"Six…" he warned.
"Why would anyone join this training?" I continued, anger simmering in my voice. "How has anyone managed to survive?"
Four ran a hand through his damp hair, before coming to sit on the bed next to me. "Six-"
"It's Lucy."
"What?"
I closed my eyes, trying to reign in my volatile emotions. "My name. It's Lucy."
He gave a sigh and after a moment he answered in a quiet voice, "Ryo."
Ryo. It suits him.
"And I've been in this dump almost nine months now," he admitted, propping a leg up against the side of the bed. "And what you're feeling – the isolation, the anger – we've all felt it at some point, Si – Lucy. We all went through that shit, but we kept it together."
I looked up at him in disbelief. "Nine months?"
I couldn't believe it. He had endured this twisted training for nine freaking months. I couldn't understand how he had managed to survive all that time.
"It wasn't always like this," he reassured me. "At first I worked with a few other kids my age in a nearby camp. We had a trainer to teach us some basic taijutsu moves. A nice one too. That lasted a few months and then as I showed the most promise I was brought here and joined the two kids."
I knew he meant One and Two, the youngest of our group.
"They're both orphans and were training with Danzou-sama for a long time. There was another boy, but he died from an illness or something so Three joined soon after. She's… she's a missing nin from another hidden village."
He chuckled from the look on my face. "Yeah, I know, right? You wouldn't think Miss Prissy-Pants would be capable of pulling that shit and evading hunter nin, but she did. She's part of a clan too, the way she acts and speaks all fancy. Then three months ago, Kinoto-sensei and Dajimu-sensei took over and everything got a lot more… intense."
Three months ago? Was that my doing? Was Danzou already planning to get me to join back then?
"What about you?" I asked, noticing he didn't mention anything about his background. "Why did you join at first?"
He shifted his body to face me and dragged out a necklace from underneath his T-shirt. I had glimpsed it before but never up close. It was a simple leather string with a small pendant made from greenstone – jade perhaps. I didn't recognise the symbol, but it looked like a stylised fishhook.
"This is my brother's," he told me, showing me the pendant. "We were part of – a group – living outside of Takigakure. There was nothing for us there. The war killed our parents and Taki cared very little for its citizens, much less surrounding villages. My brother and I did whatever the fuck we could to survive. Then our last job brought us too close to the border with Fire and we got caught by Konoha ninja. We were both put in prison along the border and one day, Danzou-sama came to visit. He came for business and heard from the guards about my fighting skills. He offered me a deal. Come back to Konoha, train and serve as a shinobi, and after two years he would pull some strings to get my brother released."
So that's how he gets these kids to join. No doubt he offered Three protection from the hunters who were chasing her and used Four's brother as bait.
"I didn't want to leave my brother, but he insisted I go and gave me this necklace as a promise that we would meet again in two years. He told me to go train, become a strong ninja, and a hero to Konoha like Yondaime Hokage."
Right, Naruto's dad.
Four had placed all his trust in Danzou's deal. With a heavy heart, I realised that Danzou would never allow him to leave Root, not after training him for two years. Four would probably never see his brother again, but I bit my tongue. The promise to his brother, the hope of reuniting with him, was all he had.
I felt even worse after hearing his story, but at least it set things right in my head. Danzou was the fucking worst. He had to die and I could not wait for the day when Sasuke would defeat him.
"Two years?" I said, breaking the silence between us. "That's a long time. I doubt I would last that long."
Ryo shuffled closer. "Don't let those assholes from Ushi get to you, Lucy. You're stronger than you think. You survived the Chase and kicked ass. You'll make it like the rest of Team Tora. We're here for you."
I could only nod, not really believing his words. I was in over my head and I wasn't sure how I would ever get out of this mess.
How I would ever find my way home.
Four's strong arm circled my shoulders and on instinct I leaned into his touch. I could feel the heat of his body through his shirt and it was warm and inviting. It felt nice to be hugged.
How long had it been since another person had actually touched me in a non-violent way? The sad answer was probably the medic who had checked up on me earlier in the morning and drawn a blood sample.
I used to touch and hug my friends and family all the time back home and had never realised how much I had taken it for granted until I came to Konoha. Ninja didn't like being touched as a rule and from my observations while living around Konoha, public displays of affections were really rare. I'd seen people give Genma dirty looks for putting his arm around my shoulders just like Ryo had done. It hadn't meant anything, it was just a friendly gesture, but the Naruto world seemed pretty conservative about that kind of stuff.
Or maybe it was just Konoha.
I looked up at Ryo and caught the heat behind his hazel eyes.
I wasn't stupid or inexperienced. I knew exactly the intent behind his actions. After all, he was a guy sitting on a bed with a girl in his arms. His other hand lay across my hip, his thumb stroking my bare skin, and it soothed and excited me at the same time. It was ridiculous that his simple touch could make me feel this way but after the emotional turmoil of the day and the fear of what would come tomorrow, I welcomed it.
If I had been in the right state of mind, I would have kept away.
I should have kept away, but I wasn't thinking straight and Four had a way about him, a carefree attitude that reminded me of home.
Messy brown hair, strong jaw, tanned, muscled shinobi body – you could do a lot worse, Luce.
I made a snap decision and brushed a strand of hair out of his eyes. "So, do you share your sad sob story with all the girls, Ryo?"
He chuckled, a low rumble in his chest, before licking his lips. "Only the pretty ones."
I smiled softly, holding his gaze. His hand curved around my neck, and dipping his head, he kissed me.
His lips were soft and after a moment of apprehension, I relaxed and threaded my fingers in his damp hair. I focused only on the touch of his hands on my skin and the pressure of his lips, desperate to forget about everything else.
Once my tongue brushed his, the kiss became more urgent and he pulled me into his lap, slanting his mouth over mine. I briefly pushed him away to drag the long curtain shielding my bed from the rest of the dorm.
My small alcove was plunged into darkness and I let him pull me back into his arms.
..~**~..
..~**~..
Pein's attack came without warning.
Team Tora was travelling through the forest and had almost reached the underground tunnel when the ground shook with such violence that most of us fell to the ground.
"Hold on!" Kinoto shouted as panic spread through me and my heart thumped loudly.
Holy shit, what the hell? Earthquake?!
Finally, it stopped and we all noticed the huge cloud of dust hanging beyond the trees in Konoha's direction. We headed straight for the village and although I knew – I knew – what Pein had done, nothing could prepare me for the devastation that spilled beyond the gates and walls.
Kinoto jumped atop of the village walls and when we followed, the sight I saw from up top was something I would never forget in my life.
Oh my God.
The village… was gone.
Utterly flattened. Just one big massive hole surrounded by a ring of debris and countless dead. I watched at the Hokage mountain beyond barely visible from the clouds of dust in the air. A dozen or so people below us along with multiple Katsuyu bodies looked around the devastation in confusion and despair.
Buildings, shops, trees, even the bloody Naka river were gone. There was nothing left, some villagers and ninja popping up from under the debris but everything else was gone.
Oh my God.
Although I couldn't see their faces behind their masks, I knew my teammates were just as shocked. Three had fallen to her knees and Two's hands were shaking. Four clenched my hand briefly as all of us stood speechless before such destruction.
I struggled to breathe. It was so horrible, everything was so awful, and it was all my fault. I could have done something. I could have prevented it. I could have…
Another mask flashed before Kinoto, a scroll in his hands, and we all waited as they spoke in undertones.
After a moment, our leader finally spoke. "Orders from Danzou-sama. We are to spread among the village and look for survivors. No one is to intervene with Uzumaki's fight against Pein. Stop anyone who gets in the way."
He assigned areas to all of us before ordering us to scatter. I followed Four North closer to the Hokage Mountain and began to recognise some chakra signatures within the area. Kiba, Shikamaru, Ino, and… Sakura!
I had hoped to bump into the pink-haired girl to give her a heads up about Danzou. I had thought long and hard about the genjutsu interrogation sessions and the information I was freely sharing during those times and what Danzou might do with it. One of my conclusions was that since Danzou knew ahead of time of Tsunade's weakened state, I wouldn't put it past him to try and simply eliminate her when at her weakest.
If I can warn Sakura of the danger, she'll know what to do.
I stopped and noticed Four ahead pause as well, looking over his shoulder.
"Kinoto-sensei assigned you here, I'll be further-"
He would be further north and right next to Sakura and Tsunade's location.
"Swap with me," I demanded, looking around the debris for other chakra signatures but found none.
"What?"
He was surprised by my request, disobeying direct orders from Kinoto.
"Come on, he just randomly assigned areas, it doesn't really matter where we end up," I argued, not wanting to waste any time. "Just do me this one favour, Four."
He hesitated. He didn't want to disobey Kinoto and I understood. The consequences weren't fun and we both knew it.
"Fine," he answered in defeat and jumped through the field of crushed buildings and concrete slabs towards Shikamaru's group while I headed straight for Sakura.
As I ran towards her group, a flash of blue light caught my attention. In the distance, in the middle of the giant crater that was Konoha's centre was Naruto fighting with Pein. I couldn't see anything being so far away, but the three brightly-coloured giant Toad summons stood out against the dark earthen ground.
Good luck, Naruto. You're going to need it.
I continued my mad dash across the debris closing on Sakura and noticed the distressed look on her face as she was talking with another ninja. From the veins sticking out around his pale eyes there was no doubt he was a Hyuuga.
I came to a halt wondering how to approach the situation as I noticed some ANBU lingering several feet away. Checking on other chakra signatures, I didn't sense Kinoto nearby or any of the others except for Four, and decided to take off my mask.
As I came nearer, the Hyuuga noticed me first followed by Sakura dressed in her civilian clothes.
"Lucy!"
She looked quite surprise to see me standing before her and coming back to her senses she ran towards me.
I was expecting a happy reunion, perhaps even a hug, but she lunged at me and grabbed me by the front of my shirt.
"Did you know about this? Did you?" she shouted, throttling me as she spoke.
God, she's so strong!
"The village is destroyed! So many are dead!"
"Sakura-"
"Genma-san is dead! Kakashi-sensei is dead!" Her green eyes were filled with tears. "Don't you even care?"
I looked back at her stunned.
Genma…
I had no idea what happened to Genma during Pein's attack, but I guess he had tried to fight off one of the bodies and had gotten himself killed. I tried not to let the news affect me, he would be back after all. They would all be brought back with Pein's jutsu.
"Sakura," I answered in a quiet voice and felt her release the pressure around my shirt. Her Hyuuga companion and nearby ANBU had turned their attention to us. "I'm glad you're okay."
I grabbed her shoulders, pulling her into a hug and despite the confusion on her face, she let me.
"I need to speak with you," I whispered in her ear. "But no one can know I'm here."
After a pause, she nodded and pulled back.
"Naruto… " she began in a softer voice, turning to look at the battle raging in the crater. "Naruto is fighting Pein by himself."
"And he'll be fine," I insisted, squeezing her shoulder. "Trust me."
Sakura bit her lip. I could tell she was eager to believe me but with all the destruction around it was hard to understand how things could turn out fine.
"But Lucy, Shishou…" She turned to the group of ANBU standing further away and I followed her line of sight. Tsunade had been laid down on a blanket and was currently being heavily guarded.
Good, let's make sure it stays that way.
"She exhausted herself trying to protect the villagers," Sakura explained, visibly upset by Tsunade's condition.
"She's in a coma," I said, choosing my next words careful so as not to trigger Danzou's seal. "She'll remain that way for several weeks and she'll be vulnerable."
Sakura's brows furrowed. "What do you mean?"
"You, Shizune and ANBU need to keep watch over her at all times. Tell Kakashi as well when he's back. Let him know that Tsunade could be in danger and he'll know who to trust to look after her until she recovers."
Her face morphed into utter confusion. "But Lucy, I told you, Kakashi-sensei-"
"Just promise me," I urged, grabbing her shoulders.
Surprise flashed across her face before she looked back at me with resolution. "I promise. We will keep her safe, of course we will."
I let go, satisfied with her answer, and gave her a sharp nod before putting my white mask back on.
"Lucy, where have you been all this time?" Sakura asked, finally taking in my appearance.
"Special training," I answered as vaguely as possible. "Don't worry, Tsunade and Genma know all about it."
My answer didn't seem to reassure her. "Are you safe?"
I was glad for the mask hiding my face because whatever broken expression appeared behind it would have been answer enough for Sakura.
Before I could say a word, she continued, "I'm sorry, it's just that I overheard Genma and my 'patient' and they seemed… they seemed really worried."
Patient? No one should know where I really am! I searched her face until it dawned on me. Oh my God, she means Itachi!
I hadn't given him much thought over the past few days so caught up I had been with training and Danzou but hearing about him from Sakura brought forth a swirl of emotions.
"How is he?" I asked, trying not to sound too eager for news. "Has he recovered?"
Sakura nodded. "He'll be fine."
I let out a breath of relief and my lips pulled into a smile. I hadn't realised how starved for news I had become since Tsunade hadn't breathed a word about Itachi when we last met.
Sakura didn't say a word, but I caught the intrigued look on her face.
A large explosion resonated from the crater bringing us back to reality. Naruto was still down there fighting Pein. We headed back towards the Hyuuga ninja and one of Katsuyu's bodies and I stayed away, listening in to their conversation.
All right, that's it. You did what you needed to do, warning Sakura to keep a close eye on Tsunade, I thought to myself, squinting my eyes at the distant figures of Naruto and Pein. They didn't seem to be moving.
"Pein has Naruto pinned to the ground. A metal rod is puncturing both his hands," the Hyuuga explained to Sakura.
Come on, Naruto. You've got this. I tried not to picture the metal rods pinning his hands. Just turn into Kyuubi, meet your dad, defeat Yahiko and then go to Nagato and Konan and find out about their past.
That was about as much as I remembered. There was definitely more to the fight than that, but I hoped that whatever events or details I had forgotten wouldn't hinder the final result: Pein sacrificing himself to resurrect everyone.
I tried my hardest to keep it together as I watched from afar. Soon he would lose it, transform into Kyuubi and meet his dad.
I bit my lip and paced on the small block I stood on, unable to contain my stress. Something nagged me. Why hasn't he transformed into Kyuubi yet? What triggers him?
With every session Danzou had asked the same question, again and again.
It doesn't matter, Naruto's strong. He's got this.
"He's completely pinned to the ground now," the Hyuuga spoke again. "There are metal rods puncturing his arms, body and legs."
"Shit." I felt Sakura's anxious gaze on me, but kept my focus on the crater below.
I was so nervous I could feel my breaths coming out in pants, my heart thundering inside my chest. I had the vague memory of another ninja trying to pull the metal rods out of his hands. Did someone else come to his rescue?
I'm missing something. I'm missing something! I realised in a panic. I had prayed for months that my patchy memories of Pein's attack would be enough and that I would have everything under control, but clearly, I didn't.
A shout slightly to my left side, further down the debris caught my attention and my blood ran cold.
"He's in trouble now," the Hyuuga added, as my eyes focused on Hinata being held back by a member of Team Ookami as she tried to run towards Naruto.
I'm not afraid to die protecting you… because I love you, Naruto-kun!
I gasped as realisation hit me like a ton of bricks.
Oh my God, Hinata! Hinata's the trigger!
And I, like an idiot, had caused Danzou to order us to keep everyone away from the fight.
My mind whirled. But if Hinata didn't make it, if she didn't confess her love, get beaten up, cause Naruto to lose it and change into Kyuubi, then…
Then…
I didn't have time to think of all the repercussions. I didn't have time to think it through. Not when my mind kept picturing the worst.
In a split second, I made a decision. Pushing chakra to my feet, I charged forward.
..~**~..
Phew, almost 10,000 words. Please let me know what you think in a REVIEW! :)
I was re-watching Pein's invasion arc as research for these chapters and had totally forgotten about Hinata intervening which inspired me. The Fourth shinobi war is even worse, I only read the manga a few years back and don't remember half of it.
Next chapter: Not a happy one I'm afraid... Things are going to get worse for Lucy before they get better. Pein aftermath and Danzou becomes Hokage. More Naruto, Kakashi and Genma.
Looking forward to hearing all your comments about this chapter! I'm so glad there are so many of you still reading this fic and I hope you enjoy it as much as I like writing it :)