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The team moved swiftly into the valley itself, and Naruto let out a soft awed breath as she took in the sight of the two giant stone figures.
Sasuke was the one who spoke.
"The Shodaime and Madara." his voice was quiet, "My ancestor and your kin through marriage."
"Weird to see it huh?" Naruto's voice was soft, and she couldn't help but notice that Kakashi and Sakura lingered back slightly as the two most connected to the valley itself made their way onto Hashirama's head, Naruto offering Sasuke her hand which he accepted, pulling each other up onto the smooth cold stone. Until they were both stood on top of the stone Hashirama's head.
"If things had been different I'd have left the village." Sasuke's voice was soft, and Naruto gave him a sidelong look, watching as he stared at the stone face of Madara, "If I hadn't... if you hadn't snapped some sense into me I could have turned out like him." he paused, "Would you have come after me like Hashirama did Madara?"
"I'd have come to drag your dumb ass back home."
"Of course." Sasuke snorted, "Kicking my ass on the way I have no doubt." he squeezed her hand tightly.
"Well duh." Naruto's voice was soft, "You're my brother dumbass, of course I'd have kicked your ass."
"I know you're not technically a Senju but it does feel kinda fitting, being here with you." Sasuke admitted quietly.
"It does doesn't it." Naruto closed her eyes, letting herself feel the breeze, the roar of the waterfall somehow loud yet not overpowering.
Then she let out a breath, "The fading chakra is down there." she nodded to the bottom of the waterfall, the platform way below down by Madara's feet if she was judging it right.
"What's the plan?"
"You and I go down?"
"Good plan." Sasuke turned back towards Kakashi and Sakura, cupping his hands around his mouth and calling out, "You two wait up here! Naruto and I are checking it out." and then, exchanging small grins with Naruto they grabbed each others hands, took a few steps back and then they were sprinting together, leaping at the same moment as they reached the edge of Hashirama's head, pulling their knees to their chests and they plummeted, the air buffeting them as they fell.
Naruto's eyes watered as she turned her head, catching Sasuke's gaze as he did the same, both of them laughing wildly as they fell.
It was the thrill of it.
She could distantly hear Sakura yelling and swearing above them, hear Kakashi calling their names, more exasperated than worried.
When they were closer Naruto's hand flashed through signs and she held it close to her mouth, exhaling a huge gust of wind to slow their fall, though she snorted with laughter when she slowed and Sasuke didn't, the annoyed yelp when he was yanked back by Naruto's grip on his hand was something she'd remember fondly, and when they did land they both stumbled slightly, releasing each others hands.
Any impulse to laugh at the adrenaline rush from the fall was gone almost as soon as they actually looked.
They hadn't been able to see anything from Hashirama's head, but now that they'd landed on the stone next to Madara's feet they could see.
Obito hadn't been here with Fu. And he hadn't laid a trap either.
No. Not a trap exactly.
But he had left something for them.
Naruto's hand flew to her mouth to stifle her horrified gasp and Sasuke grabbed her arm to steady her as both of them stared at the two bodies on the ground in front of them.
One was a tall bulky man clad in thick black armor and a black gi that had had the arms torn off.
The armor covered the lower half of his face in a way that reminded Naruto of Kakashi's mask, and there was a white clothe covering his hair, with an Iwa headband tied firmly over it, his skin was too pale, his chest too still.
Her gaze snapped to the second figure, another man, this one with red hair and a moustache and a grey marking across his cheeks and over his nose with a tri pointed headpiece and he was wearing a purple kimono top with matching purple pants.
He wasn't wearing a headband but Obito had left one draped over his belly, Iwa again.
He too was pale.
They were both gone, lifeless and dead.
And Naruto knew there was only one reason Obito would have left these bodies here for her to find and it was sickening, infuriating-she felt Sasuke's grip on her arm tightening slightly as he spoke.
"They were Jinchuriki." it wasn't a question but a statement.
"How dare he." Kurama's voice was a low growl in Naruto's mind. "How dare they? They attack my siblings, they capture and enslave us and now this. How dare they."
"We'll stop him."
Naruto felt cold somehow. "And we'll free your siblings, wherever he's locked them away we'll free them Kurama I swear."
It shouldn't be such a shock.
She'd known that this was what the Akatsuki's plans would result in-she'd known that from day one when she'd first found out that their plans involved the extractions of the Bijuu from their Jinchuriki, but knowing and seeing it were two very different things.
Naruto closed her eyes, leaning into Sasuke's side as his hand shifted from her arm to wrap around her shoulder.
"They won't take Kurama from you." his voice was quiet, "I won't let them take my sister from me."
"I know." Naruto shook her head, "I just... I knew what they were doing. I knew it but this." she opened her eyes again, forcing herself to look at the two bodies, forcing herself to memorize their faces, their features.
They'd been Jinchuriki. They probably hadn't asked for the burden; very few would after all. They'd had no choice, and the price they'd been forced to pay was death. It made Naruto feel sick, made her want to go on a rampage all over again-but no, no she had more restraint than that, even if it was only just, even if she wanted to snarl and howl at the unfairness of the world.
She would mourn them both, for all that she didn't know their names, and she would ensure that their bodies were put to rest as respectfully as was possible.
"What do we do?" Sasuke's voice was quiet, "What's our next step Naruto-chan?"
"I'll put the bodies in a storage scroll." Naruto felt empty as she said the words, her voice was hollow she knew. "We'll take them home and then I'll get Baa-chan to assign a mission to take the scroll to Iwa with a letter explaining the situation and offering my personal condolences and an offer to help them seek justice for their two Jinchirik. And then I'm going to find Fu." there was fire in Naruto's voice and a gleam in her eyes as she spoke,
"And I'm going to save her from those bastards before they do this to her."
"Good." Sasuke nodded, "And I'll help." his voice was firm, a promise, and Naruto knew Sasuke well enough to know he'd be by her side during everything that was about to happen no matter what.
She appreciated that more than words could say, and she gave him a faint grateful nod.
"We'll do what we have to do." Naruto stated quietly, "I'll seal the bodies."
She sat down, biting her thumb as she did and carefully wiping it over her wrist as Sasuke sat down next to her, watching in silence as she pulled out a blank scroll-she wouldn't disrespect them by sealing them into a pre-made one, and she took her mind as she carefully painted the seal-it had a stasis effect which would mean the bodies were preserved as they should be.
Then she moved to the two bodies, carefully sealing them both, one at a time.
Once it was done she carefully rolled the scroll up, holding it carefully when she was done as she turned her head to Sasuke, who gave her a small nod as he stood and held out his hand, pulling the blonde to her feet.
"Thank you." Naruto's voice was quiet, but she knew Sasuke would understand, she didn't have to go into more detail because he understood.
"You going to Hirashin us back to Kakashi-sensei and Sakura-chan?"
"Yeah, and then I'll Hirashin everyone back to Konoha."
"Let's get going then." Sasuke carefully grabbed her arm, and Naruto let out a breath, Hirashining back up to where Sakura and Kakashi were waiting, both of them on Hashirama's head, their looks of fond annoyance faded fairly quickly as they saw the grin expressions on the two shinobi's faces.
"What happened?" Sakura stepped forward as Sasuke let go of Naruto's arm.
"Iwa had two Jinchuriki."
"Had." Kakashi's expression tightened, his gaze flicking to the scroll which Naruto was gripping tightly, the parchment creasing from how tightly she was holding it. "They have two Bijuu then."
"Yes. Kokuo and Son Goku." she repeated the names that Kurama quietly told her. "I don't know the names of the Jinchiriki."
"I'm sorry." Kakashi reached out, laying a hand on Naruto's shoulder as Sakura moved to press into Naruto's left side as Sasuke pressed closer on her right. "We'll find out their names."
"I plan on having their bodies returned to Iwa. Where they belong."
"Of course." Kakashi nodded, "We'll arrange it all. Tsunade-sama won't refuse you that."
"They deserve to be laid to peace as they'd have wished."
"Were there any notes?" Kakashi's voice was soft. "Did Obito leave any more messages?"
"No." Naruto shook her head, "No he didn't. I wish he had. I wish I knew what he was planning next. I wish there was any way to find out where Fu
is."
"You'll figure something out." that was Sakura, "If anyone can figure it out it's you."
"Thank you." Naruto let out a breath, "It'll be hard but I'm going to figure it out for Fu's sake."
"Let's get home." Kakashi sighed, "You'll want to go straight to Tsunade-sama won't you?"
"Of course." Naruto nodded, "Though I won't just Hirashin straight to her office-"
"Don't wanna give the Anbu guards a heart attack." Sakura's voice was soft, slightly teasing in an attempt to lighten her mood somewhat.
"She's going to drive them insane when she's made the Rokudaime." Sasuke snorted, looking somewhat amused, "They'll be trying to guard her and she'll just Hirashin away for some ramen."
That managed to coax a laugh out of Naruto as Kakashi chuckled lowly himself.
"At least they won't have to search too hard to find you."
"They'll have to recruit Karin-chan." Sasuke smirked, "Every time Naruto disappears they'll just go to Karin and ask where she is."
"Thank you." Naruto smiled slightly, "Just, thank you guys."
"No need to thank us." Sakura draped an arm over Naruto's shoulder, squeezing as she grabbed Kakashi by his sleeve and dragged him into a hug,
"We're a team! You know what that means? Team Seven hugs-"
"No!" Sasuke glared as Kakashi caught his shirt before he could dart away.
"If I have to deal with this so do you brat." Kakashi chuckled as he yanked Sasuke back into the hug.
"Tch, you guys never change." Despite the fact that Sasuke was huffing there was a faint smile playing across his lips as he joined the hug.
"It's gonna be okay." Sakura spoke up, "Whatever else happens we're gonna all stick together and we'll make it through it okay. Team Seven, no matter what right guys?"
"Right." Naruto nodded slowly, "Thank you so much guys. You mean the world to me. I dunno how I'd deal with all of this without you."
"Stop being so sappy." Sasuke nudged her ankle with his foot. "And that's an order."
"Kurama would agree with you." Naruto let out a breath. "I have the best family ever you guys know that."
"Eh, of course we do." Kakashi reached over and ruffled Naruto's hair. "Now let's go home and get on with things hey kids?"
"Right." Naruto nodded as the hug split apart and she took a breath, "Sakura-chan can you go to the hospital to check in on mom and Itachi-san? And Sasuke-kun can you go and let Karin-chan and Sai-san know what's going on?"
"Of course." Sasuke nodded.
"What about me kiddo?"
"You're coming with me to talk to Baa-chan." Naruto let out a breath, "Ero Sennin should already be there."
"I know the Anbu guard who's on duty today." Kakashi added, "He's trustworthy too."
"Good. That's really good. Okay then." Naruto nodded, "Okay everyone grab on and I'll take us home."
