Authors Note: i'm going to say that five-ish months have passed since Yagura and Utakata started the journey, it might be off mathematically but the end goal is that this entire story takes place over a year in present time.
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 22
Return to Kiri
"Welcome to Kirigakure! The village of the hidden mist!" Yagura shouted as they entered said village.
Their now complete group of nine jinchuuriki had spent a full two and a half months travelling to the Land of Water. Yagura had suggested they all go there as it was an isolated location where they could all peacefully train. Another reason had been that as Mizukage Yagura could better protect them diplomatically and politically. The last reason had mainly been for the villagers, in the case they figured out that not two, but all nine jinchuuriki were in the village.
The long journey had been peaceful, rarely confrontational as well. The Iwa jinchuuriki were mainly silent, but did open up after the first month with large amounts of pestering. However, the four and five tails jinchuuriki were still not close with the group, they were more of acquaintances if anything.
Utakata and Yugito were not new to Kiri, having lived and been on missions there respectively. Roshi and Han had visited during their early days of being missing nin, but that had been many years before so the sight was refreshing.
The three children though were a little intimidated by the thick and ominous mist that surrounded the village, as well as a gloomy atmosphere that many newcomers initially experienced. They opened up though after some of the adults gave them a talk about not judging on appearances, and also that they had been here before and it was a nice place to be.
The Kage of the group decided to find everyone a place to stay before reporting to Mei and resuming his title officially. After all, he was gone for a number of months already, a few more hours wouldn't hurt.
That plan almost fell apart immediately when every villager that saw him began whispering or yelling. All of these discussions being about how the Fourth Mizukage was back and who the mysterious people he was leading were.
In hindsight Yagura should've expected this, this being his own village after all. However, months without having to deal with constant recognition dulled that sense of caution.
Sighing, the Fourth Mizukage quickly ushered the group of jinchuuriki into one of the secure inns before rushing off himself to see Mei before she heard from a second hand account that he was back.
"Hey Mei! I'm back!" The three tails jinchuuriki announced, narrowly beating a panting shinobi who arrived after him to the office.
"I see that, great to have you back…" A tired Mei greeted in return, offering a loopy smile.
She was completely surrounded by stacks of paperwork and looked exhausted.
"Thanks Mei. I see your managing things well." Yagura noted, as the large amount of paperwork Mei had was actually normal around this time, maybe even less.
"That I am. So are you going to be reassuming your position as Mizukage? I have many things I would like to take care of." Mei asked with a hint of eagerness.
"Of course, as soon as I get things settled with our new guests. And greet my family. So assume around tomorrow I'll be ready to start again." The jinchuuriki informed with only a twinge of nervousness in his voice.
"Oh well okay then, that's to be expected." The auburn hair woman kunoichi replied with only a slight irate twitch. She then looked to the shinobi who arrived after Yagura. "Please leave the two of us." She ordered to which the shinobi dutifully obliged.
"I assume this means that your mission regarding the jinchuuriki was a success Yagura?" The taller woman prodded as she resumed some paperwork.
"You would be correct Mei. All of them are in the village currently. I want to help train them personally though." Yagura confirmed with a light smile.
"That means your going to balance your work as the Mizukage and training?" Mei sceptically questioned with a doubting gaze.
"Yes Yagura, are you trying to kill yourself with overwork? Don't forget your family as well. I imagine Asuri and the kids will be heartbroken if you come back only to be stuck in work every hour of the day." Isobu added to the statement making the jinchuuriki wince.
"I, am painfully aware of that fact. I am just going have to persevere through all of it." The Fourth Mizukage answered with his own nervous and irate twitch. "And get used to speeding every process up tenfold." He mentally added crestfallenly.
"I wish you luck in that regard Yagura. I really do wish you luck." The Fifth returned with a forced grin.
"I wish myself luck too…" The short Kage trailed off quietly with a mental pout.
"But I do wish to discuss the jinchuuriki matter with you more, if you don't mind?" She proceeded to implore with a firm tone befitting a Kage.
"Of course, it's only natural there would be some questions." Yagura returned easily.
"Do you have a plan if any of the jinchuuriki lose control? Kirigakure is in a dangerous position and risks many things if a situation like that arises." Mei stated with a hint of concern and worry.
"Of course, at least three of the jinchuuriki including myself should be able to handle a situation like that. I have complete faith in the other two to take charge in such a hypothetical scenario." The short Kage explained with determined confidence.
The woman in the desk of the Mizukage relented the matter, satisfied with the answer.
"I worry sometimes you know." She then began to say playfully. "That sometimes the things you do cause more harm then good to Kirigakure. But I trust you Yagura." Mei finished with a chuckle.
However the other Kage was not laughing, in fact he had a dark yet serious look on his face, pink eyes standing out from the shadows.
"Mei." He curtly began in a slow, serious tone that was rare coming from him. "If you believe that I am doing seriously anything that puts Kirigakure in a bad position, in danger, then I want you to do something about it." Yagura ordered with that same dark look, his fists tightly clenched at his side.
"Yagura…" Mei trailed off a little surprised at her dear friend's reaction.
"One of the reasons I know you can handle being the Mizukage is because I know you can put the village first. Above everything including your own beliefs and jurisdictions." The jinchuuriki continued darkly, looking beyond Mei now, out the window behind her in the office he had spent so much time in.
"If the time ever comes, if it's for Kirigakure's benefit in the long run. I know you of all people will be able to strike me down." Yagura spoke with an air of finality, eyes hard, body clenched.
*In one world*
The Fourth Mizukage is introducing reform after reform in a public announcement. Kekkei Genkai user's rights are being restricted one after another. He doesn't even flinch when the crowd roars it's mixed opinions, both positive and negative. Yagura simply ignores it all and leaves, a dull lifeless look in his pink eyes and face.
Mei is in the crowd, surprised and horrified about what is happening. This is not the first new policy that is so unlike her friend to come out. She doesn't know what's happening with one of her oldest and closest friends but enough is enough.
She looks over to a sullen and distraught Asuri, her and Yagura's only daughter and child Yui held tightly in her arms. The wife of the Mizukage does not move even as the crowd began to disperse.
The auburn haired kekkei genkai kunoichi of Kirigakure slowly turns around. Her steps are hard and every movement is filled to the brim with purpose, a noble purpose but one she doesn't want to have to do.
"I'm so sorry, my friends." Mei whispers quietly, so quietly that only she could have heard it.
The kunoichi knows what she needs to do, this cannot continue, and Yagura must go. Maybe after this she won't have her close friends anymore, maybe just maybe Asuri but Yagura will be gone, by her hand if necessary. Mei continues to walk, the will of her former sensei filling her being and mind.
"Loyal to Kirigakure I am. Not to you Yagura, the Mizukage." Mei thinks, putting her sensei's words into her own phrase. "And Kirigakure, I will not let suffer under you." She thinks as the mist thickens around the village.
*In another world*
That moment, that situation, never comes to pass.
"Yagura, is this about when…" Mei starts but does not finish, she doesn't need to. They both know she's talking about the genjutsu he was once in.
"I was weak, I could've have single handily destroyed the village and all we had done for it. But luckily I was freed, but what if I wasn't?" Yagura droned on with a distant voice.
"And I know I'm stronger now. But I want no one in this village to follow blind loyalty, as blind loyalty is just that, blind. Blind loyalty will never let you see when the one you follow changes so much they no longer resemble what you thought you followed in the first place." The Fourth Mizukage concluded with a hard look between him and his friend.
"I know that Yagura, I know. But that doesn't mean I can't wish for something like that to never come, for the decision to never come." Mei says in return to a grateful nod from the Sanbi jinchuuriki.
"Sorry for suddenly going all serious on you Mei. This is just something that's really important." The older Kage goes.
The silence was deafening for a few minutes, before the jinchuuriki sighed and decided to lighten the atmosphere he darkened. "Anyways, you're probably happy to go back to trying to snag a husband." Yagura joked to a furious response from his friend.
He had to run to avoid the attack's parried his way, both verbal and physical.
—
Before checking on the jinchuuriki again, Yagura quickly races towards his home, to his children and beautiful wife.
Almost throwing the door from it's hinges Yagura frantically looks around the house for his family. However, he does not find them inside. At first the short man panics before calming himself, reminding himself that Asuri is a capable kunoichi that would defend the entire family.
His worries are immediately squashed when he hears distinct familiar laughs from the backyard garden. The sound is heavenly to the Kage, who had spent months on end without hearing it.
Rushing to the garden he sees them, his family.
Yui is chasing Akimori, they are laughing with smiles on their faces, they look older but do not look different from when Yagura had last seen them. And then there was Asuri, with her black and white hair and mesmerizing azure eyes. She only captures his attention from where Yagura stands.
And then the three see him, standing by the house in semi dirty clothing, and a goofy smile on his face. For a moment he loses his voice before finding it, voice breaking at every word.
"I'm home!" Yagura yelled out filled with emotion, flooding into his voice and being and threatening to break out into a full blown flood.
The kids ran into him and knocked the Kage backwards into the ground but they are together again, and laughing again. They keep yelling papa over and over again and clinging to him as if he would disappear if they let go.
Everyone is crying, him, the kids and Asuri of course.
Eventually the kids release him though reluctantly. And he slowly turns to Asuri, with that same smile. Staring at her glowing face they strongly embrace each other too, he gives her a long passionate kiss before parting too. The kids are grossed out by their parents, which is normal though.
Yagura spends the rest of the afternoon and evening with his family, recounting his tales of the journey and promising to introduce them to the jinchuuriki. That promise amused both Yagura and Isobu, who wonder what it will be like.
Soon, the kids are tired and are reluctantly tucked into bed, both parents beside them as they dozed off happily.
Yagura knows he should be getting back to the jinchuuriki to sort things out, but another hour wouldn't hurt. He was with the other jinchuuriki for months, they can wait a hour while he gives it to his family.
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Authors Note: Okay so this is officially the last Yagura based chapter for a while, he'll appear in the future chapters obviously but POVs will be in the other jinchuuriki's views. Next up is finally the Naruto and Kurama meeting.