Authors Note: Back to the present now.
Disclaimer: I obviously do not own Naruto, the world, the characters or any of the situations. All of these belong to the creator Masashi Kishimoto.
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Chapter 16
Takigakure
Fu sighed as she went through her memories. But smiled when glancing over at her new friends. Once the shock of her being a jinchuuriki wore off, they understood why she was running away due to their own experiences. But still, they were not allowed to just let her come to Iwa or it would probably be seen as kidnapping, and then a war. So, they had decided to still travel to Takigakure and get formal permission to let Fu join them.
Said young jinchuuriki was not happy about having to go back but was overjoyed at having made so many friends.
"This is amazing Chomei!" Fu cheered to her tenant mentally, as she had learned that speaking to them out loud brought trouble.
"I know! If only we didn't have to go back to Taki though…" The seven tails pouted but was happy too.
"It'll be okay! I trust these guys, they are like me and you after all." The girl replied cheerfully, bobbing her mint haired head.
Meanwhile, Yagura and Yugito were having a conversation about the turn of events.
"You know, it is quite fortunate we found Fu when we did. It actually slipped my mind that Taki had the seven tails." Yagura went with a contemplative look.
"Agreed, that village keeps a very low profile." Yugito added with a grimace.
Yugito and Fu got along very well, being the only females in the group. The older female was especially pleased at this fact. Fu meshed with the group well, often joining the other kids and Killer B during their travels and endeavours.
But soon, they would be back at Takigakure, where they all hoped that wouldn't end.
—
Travelling through the Land of Grass for a couple weeks, they saw the forested area of Taki.
"How do we get in?" Utakata asked curiously, after observing no obvious entrance.
"You go under and through the waterfall, then you're in the lake but in the village." Fu explained with a small grin.
"Alright then, lets go! To Taki so!" Killer B rapped, making the younger jinchuuriki laugh.
Moving through the tunnel Fu led them too, they found two Taki shinobi in the tunnel.
"Who are you! How did you get in?" One asked on guard and alert, then they noticed Fu. "Mon- Fu! You're back! Did you bring these people to attack us you-" They accused angrily, everyone noticing they were going to call her monster.
"I didn't! They're nice people who just want permission to let me come with them!" Fu yelled out in defence, puffing her cheeks angrily.
"And how are we supposed to believe you? You always keep running off?" The other shinobi protested vehemently.
"I wonder why she would ever want to leave?" Yagura sarcastically asked with a dark look. "Now listen here, I'm the-" He then went to say before getting interrupted by a loud running sound.
"FUUUUUUU!" A long brown haired individual yelled before standing to pant in front of said girl.
"Hi Shibuki!" Fu answered cheerfully.
"You ran off again didn't you?" The individual guessed with a tired resigned sigh.
"You bet I did." The girl replied cheerfully.
"Well at least you came back this time. Wait, did you bring people with you?" The brown haired one asked curiously as he stared at the little mint haired jinchuuriki.
"Yeah, they want to talk to you about something Shibuki." Fu informed him brightly before bouncing off to Naruto and Gaara to chat.
"Oh, okay." Shibuki went suspiciously before nodding to the group to follow him, leaving the glowering Taki shinobi in the tunnel.
As they followed the man who introduced himself as the village leader despite his youth. they marvelled a bit at the village.
"This is a cool village Shibuki!" Naruto complimented as he looked around.
"Thank's kid, that's good to hear." Shibuki answered back with a warm smile, as he was good with kids.
Leading the entire group into the village leader building, Shibuki sat them all around a wooden circular table.
Yagura once again represented the group and explained their mission, getting a more calm response from Taki's village leader. "I see, and I assume Fu has already joined your group." Shibuki said tiredly but not surprised.
"You would be correct Shibuki." Yagura Fu.
"As much as I would prefer Fu to stay here. Taki has not ever been the kindest to her. If you promise to take care of my niece, you all have my permission to have Fu accompany you on this mission." The young village leader concluded diplomatically with a sad face.
"Fu is your niece?" Yugito noted from beside Yagura curiously.
"Yes, she is Sayako's, my late sister, daughter." The Taki leader informed with a long face.
"We'll take good care of her. You have my word Shibuki." Yagura assured calmly and with an understanding tone.
"I don't doubt it, if what Fu says is true about you all going through somewhat similar circumstances." Shibuki waved off, before pausing to speak again. "But please, may I have a word with Fu first?" The village leader requested politely.
"Of course." The Mizukage answered and all but Shibuki and Fu left the room.
Fu looked at her Uncle in confusion. "What do you need to talk to me about Uncle Shibuki?" She asked innocently, with a tilt of her little head.
"Ah Fu, I want to tell you something about your mother before you go, something tells me you wont be back in Taki for a while." Shibuki explained quietly, motioning for the jinchuuriki to sit with him.
"You mean my mama?" Fu confirmed curiously, though she did seem a little sad.
"I am so sorry about what you have gone through in this village Fu." Her uncle then began to say brokenly, avoiding her orange eyes.
"Uncle…" The young girl worriedly asked confused at her uncle's behaviour.
"You're mother knew the seven tails before you, but the village back then didn't know about what it could do. They showed her no rude behaviour, they treated her well, unlike you. When you had the seven tails sealed in you, it did so much damage, the people then started to hate you and it." He continued, beginning to leak a few salty tears.
This was news to the seven tails jinchuuriki.
"Chomei? Did you do that?" She asked her tenant in confusion, disbelieving her friend would do such a thing. However, Chomei didn't respond, it was silent.
"Your grandfather and me tried to protect you, but then he died and I had to go through all that stupid training to become the next village leader, I'm sorry for not being there for you Fu." Shibuki continued gloomily.
"N… no Uncle! I know you were busy but you still played with me when you could!" Fu tried to protest loudly only for said uncle to shake his brown haired head.
"It wasn't enough, I should've been there more to help you but it just got worse. You had the right idea to run away." The village leader continued.
"It was Chomei's idea Uncle! It wasn't me who thought about it!" The jinchuuriki yelled.
"Then the seven tails had the darn right idea." Shibuki stated with finality. He then sighed in a tired tone, yet firm and resolute. "My point is Fu, I don't think you should come back to Taki, it's too dangerous." The village leader explained.
"What? But Uncle Shibuki!" Fu protested weakly.
"Every time you ran away, it was because you got attacked by the village. I'm pretty sure I'm the only person one who is even nice to you Fu. I don't want my only family to suffer like this, when this mission finishes, go with one of the others to a different village, there has to at least be one place that will be kinder to you then here, I know it." Shibuki told her, getting down to her level so their eyes met.
"But what about you?" The mint haired girl asked tearfully.
"The village only hated the seven tails, and you because of that. They don't even think ill of Sayako. Maybe if they go some time to think about what they've done, things will change but not now. But I care about all of the citizens in Taki, which includes you Fu, this is for the best." He concluded, drawing his niece into a hug.
"This won't be the last time we meet Fu, I'll visit you, I promise." Shibuki assured as the girl sobbed against him. "Please Fu, do you understand why I'm doing this?" The teenage leader tried to ask through his own tears.
"I… I understand Uncle." Fu sobbed as she tightly gripped her uncle in a hug.
Shibuki forced out a strained smile as he and his niece stood.
"Come on now, let's go and meet your new friends." Shibuki croaked as he and Fu walked out of the building.
—
Meanwhile, Yugito was walking through Takigakure alone peacefully. She had separated from the group for a bit while the village leader talked with Fu. The blonde sighed as she looked at the villagers doing their daily business and rounds. None of them steered their children away from her, none of them looked at her with disgust or contempt. It was always new to get used to this, that none of them knew she was a jinchuuriki.
Sitting by the shore of Takigakure's sparkling lake, she sighed as her tailed beast began to speak.
"This is such a nice little place, the bug lucked out really in getting to stay here." Matatabi observed with an air of arrogance. "It's a lot nicer then your village Yugito!" The two tails continued with it's haughty laugh.
The female jinchuuriki's eye twitched.
"I quite like it at Kumogakure for your information you beast." Yugito huffed at Matatabi's undignified yelp.
However, getting distracted by Matatabi, she didn't realize a figure had approached her. She felt a slight tap on her shoulder. Startled, the Kumo kunoichi turned her head and saw a familiar yet distant face.
"Una?" Yugito whispered in shock.
—
Half an hour later, seated by a small wooden table in a small cottage, Yugito and Una conversed.
"You're quite far from Kumo, aren't you Yu?" Una noted as she poured the younger woman some tea. "Are you on a mission?" She asked warmly as the two drank the hot liquid.
"Sort of, I'm on a mission yes but it's not an official Kumo issued one." Yugito explained as she swallowed the tea. "This is very good, just like you used to make it." The jinchuuriki noted with a soft smile.
"Thank you." Una returned with a chuckle. "So is it a personal mission then? I'm surprised the Raikage approved such a thing." The older woman said perplexed.
"Well, he didn't at first, it took some convincing I believe." The blonde clarified as the two sat chatting some more.
"Now that makes sense." Una went. "So what is this mission of yours about?" She curiously prodded her former charge.
"Well, it will take some explaining first." Yugito sighed as she recounted their journeys together.
"Why, that sounds like quite a time you've had with the other jinchuuriki." Yugito's former mentor stated softly.
"I've also talked with the two tails recently." The younger woman added curtly to her old mentors surprise.
"Really? That really shocks me, I thought you, you would've…" Una trailed off but Yugito understand what she was thinking, 'never have tried after Roy died.'
"I know, they weren't the most pleasant of company. I got blackmailed into letting them talk whenever they do please." Yugito explained with an irritated tone, resting her hand against her Kumo forehead protector.
"That does indeed sound like the only way you could be convinced to do so." The older woman chuckled.
"You wouldn't believe them, they have this aggravating laugh and they insist we're on a first name basis, the beast." The jinchuuriki growled as said beast protested this description.
"That must drive you insane." Una guessed to which she received a stiff nod.
After that they settled into an uncomfortable silence, during which occasional glances were shot at the other. It was Yugito who decided to cross the unforgiving void.
"Listen Una, I am so sorry about never talking to you after, that incident." She apologized quietly, looking ashamed.
"No no, I understand Yugito. I wasn't really thinking about anything in particular when I decided to leave Kumogakure and come here. If anything you should blame me for not being able to reach you after you grew distant." Una insisted frantically.
"I do not and never will blame you Una! In all honestly, I don't think anyone could get me to snap out of it back then." Yugito insisted herself.
"But as your mentor I should've…" The older woman tried to say before being interrupted.
"You didn't do anything wrong Una! Please listen to me when I say you did more then you ever had to do for me! I owed it to Roy to not let myself fall into a pit because of him, and I owe it to you to not let you feel regret over me." The blonde jinchuuriki concluded with frantic determination.
"Yugito…" Una went before cracking a small smile. "Alright then, alright. Bygones be bygones then. So how did get out of that pit you fell into?" Her former mentor asked curiously.
"Well, I suppose it was after the other jinchuuriki offered me the option." Yugito easily answered like it was basic addition.
"Didn't you storm off after your first meeting though?" Una asked with a slight tilt of the head.
"Well yes, then I went back to the old house and spoke with the two tails." The younger kunoichi explained after some hesitation.
"So, does that mean the two tails-" The older woman tried to guess before being cut off.
"NO! No, don't even suggest that it was only because of the two tails I came." Yugito frantically protested, huffing like a stubborn child.
"Well actually Yugito, I agree with the human, I did after all have that talk with you on the cliff." Matatabi pointed out cheekily.
"That meant nothing!" The jinchuuriki yelled out in defiance.
"Oh come on, would you have gone if you never talked with me?" The two tails innocently interrogated.
"Why I… "Yugito trailed off mentally, thinking hard.
"You can thank me for going on this trip Yugito! I got you out of your sad phase." The beast argued happily.
"You caused that, phase. You killed my best friend!" Yugito reminded the two tails in an angry tone despite showing no emotions on the outside.
"It was one human boy! It's not like you haven't killed anyone using MY abilities!" The two tails shot back instantly, Yugito recoiled.
"That one human boy! Was my best friend!" Yugito snapped mentally, scowling in real life.
"You would understand if you lived as long as I or my siblings have." Matatabi simply stated. "Compared to what I have done in the past, it was nothing." They added stiffly.
"Quiet! Quiet you.." The jinchuuriki snapped as the conversation ended, glancing back to her mentor her expression softened.
"Sorry Una, the two tails is incredibly irritating as I said." She explained, regaining her composure.
"It's alright Yugito. I understand." Una replied warmly, as she really did understand.
—
Leaving on good terms with her former mentor, and making plans to meet one day once the mission was over, Yugito returned to the group. Upon arriving, she noticed that Fu was already there, and had been crying.
"Is Fu alright?" She asked Utakata who was nearby.
"She was just saying goodbye to her uncle. Her uncle also requested that one of us take care of her even after the mission is over." The brown haired jinchuuriki explained.
"Oh, but didn't Fu want to leave though. She ran away after all." Yugito noted.
"Sometimes people don't think their actions through completely when executing them. I also don't think Fu expected to never return for a long period of time. Plus, her uncle seems to be the only one person in the village she was close too." Utakata further elaborated to which he got a nod from his blonde companion.
"I see." She said going up to Fu. "Hey Fu, it'll be alright." The older jinchuuriki comforted, giving Fu a light pat on the back.
"I know Yugito." Fu answered back with her own smile, encouraging despite her quiet volume.
"You can talk to any one of us at any time if you need it." Yugito told the girl before she got up to talk to Yagura.
After making further preparations and gathering more supplies from Takigakure, the group of seven went forward to Iwagakure to find the last of the jinchuuriki.
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Authors Note: So the Fu arc is done! And I'm just going to mention here I do have a plan with Yugito and Matatabi, eventually.