Chapter 4
Menma woke up to the bright sun that was shining over him. He looked around to see that he was on some sort of beach where their ship was in pieces with the remaining Root nin dead and an unconscious Hinata, Sakura, and Sasuke near him. He wondered if they truly did fall over World's End and landed on some barren island of some sort.
The Namikaze heir searched for his Toad Sage sensei among the wreckage after he woke the Uchiha up since Hinata and Sakura were starting to come around. Finding no sign of Jiraiya sensei from the wreckage, Menma looks to the distant sand dunes and spots the Gallant Jiraiya. When he finally reached him, Menma was awestruck at what he and his sensei were seeing beyond the beach.
The place they assumed was Davy Jones' Locker was unlike any land they've ever seen. Not unlike the bountiful greenery of Mt. Myoboku nor the treacherous shifting desert lands of Wind Country. It was a flat plain of white salt that stretched far and wide as the eye could see. No plant life, no land formations, or plateaus of any kind, just a huge plain of white that seemed to go on forever with some small mountain ranges in the distance that may be mirages. How would they be able to find Menma's father, Jiraiya's sensei, or anyone without dying of hunger, thirst, fatigue, heatstroke, or all of the above?
Sasuke and the rest of the surviving Konoha shinobi caught up to Menma and their mission leader as they too gazed in bewilderment at how empty land looked. No soul in sight.
"This certainly is a Kami-forsaken place." Commented Sasuke.
"How are we supposed to find the Hokage without being tricked by mirages?" asked Sakura.
"Jiraiya-san, can we even leave this place once we find them?" asked Hinata who was shaking in fear of dying in a place like this.
"Of course we can. I just got to simply summon the Toads and they'll reverse summon us back to the living world." Jiraiya tried to prove this by performing a summoning jutsu.
Unfortunately, nothing happened. The group all then tried to perform any of their jutsu, but no chakra attacks could be performed. Sasuke was so angry that he showed his Sharingan that surprisingly still worked. When the rest of the group saw this, Hinata also came to the same result as her Byakugan was showing.
"Hm, it seems only certain bloodlines or Kekkei Genkai can work in the land of the dead. Hinata, can you see what might be blocking our chakra?" Sakura asked.
When Hinata used her x-ray vision to see their chakra pathways, she was surprised to see that their chakra cores were filled with chakra, but it was not increasing or flowing in the other pathways except Sasuke's. However, As Sasuke continued to have his Sharingan on, his core was being depleted until it drained to nothing with no way to refill them.
Hinata quickly turns off her Byakugan before shouting for Sasuke to do the same. "Turn off your Sharingan, Sasuke! Somehow this realm will not allow us to use our chakra and for those of us with special bloodlines, we would be draining our cores to nothingness. So we should not force ourselves to use our chakra or we may sooner become a permanent resident of this place."
Hinata's explanation made the others pale in fear at being stuck in this barren wasteland. Jiraiya looked at the wreckage of their boat and concluded that if they were to ever get out of here, they would have to cross the waters and hope and pray that they find some sort of exit that their map failed to mention. Only giving vague phrases about 'over the edge', 'flash of green', and 'up is down'.
With that, Jiraiya had Sakura and Hinata stay on the beach to find some supplies and try to build a makeshift raft while Menma and Sasuke would join him in searching for the previous Hokage. The kunoichi nodded in agreement as they ran back to the beach to begin working while the men searched the barren white plains. Hopefully it wouldn't take them long.
Scene Change
Jiraiya, Sasuke, and Menma felt like they were wandering for hours. The sun was still up high as if 'time' never changed to torment the souls that wandered here or either let themselves be taken by whatever controlled this place. They were bare chested as they used their shirts to cover their heads while they sweated, and the heat of the Locker's sun burned their backs.
"We've been walking forever, sensei. Maybe we should head back." Said Menma.
"Huh, this Uchiha will not retreat!" Sasuke proclaimed.
"Ugh, maybe I should have kept Hinata to try and find the Hokage instead of us wandering about. Unless you are willing to use your Sharingan to find something, Sasuke." Jiraiya suggested to the stubborn Uchiha.
Sasuke was confident that he could find something with his Sharingan before his reserves ran out. But to be certain Sasuke only had one Sharingan activated as it scanned the area. After searching for anything alive or partially with chakra, Sasuke found nothing.
But then something caught his eye when turning to the left. His Sharingan picked up a small blip of four signatures that was slowly heading right towards them. He turned off his Sharingan before he risked himself of becoming trapped in this disgusting place before he gets the chance to kill his brother and later his former mother.
"I spot something over there. It's coming our way." Sasuke pointed to the blurry region that slowly was starting to form a black shape.
Jiraiya and Menma squinted their eyes to try and get a better look at it. As it came closer past the heat drafts of air, the black shape forms to be great black ship with black sails. Somehow it was moving across the white lands when there was no water in sight except the far-off beach. It was then the trio were stunned to see that the ship had wooden planks on the sides that acted like centipede legs as it crawled its way towards them.
Menma, acting overly excited ran towards the nearing ship to see if there was someone on board. Sasuke and Jiraiya following after him at having that same thought. Hoping that the Hokage were on board, or perhaps knew how to find the other souls trapped in Davy Jones' Locker.
"Ahoy! Ahoy there!" Menma cried out as the ship was now a couple yards near them.
The ship continued forward did not look like it was stopping as Toad Sage and the two heirs moved to the side and watched as the ship was passing them by. Sasuke was irked that his elite status was being ignored.
"As the last loyal Uchiha of the Leaf, I command you to halt!" Sasuke ordered to the animate ship.
That got the ship to stop moving. The planking legs halted in their movement as the whole ship groaned ominously. Then a single human figure peeked over the railing of the boat.
The man had dark tanned skin, from being out in the sun/sea for so long in his life. He wore various pirate clothing with leather boots, coat, and a black tricorne hat over a red headband with a braided bone trinket attached to the red bandanna. This was the captain of the Black Pearl, that fell back into the Locker after the poor captain not wanting to die and Jones got the double-crosser back for getting the Seal Lord killed once. The great and infamous Captain Jack Sparrow.
"Chiefa? What manner of chief commands me and my ship?" Jack asked at not understanding what Sasuke was saying.
Before Sasuke could get angry at the filthy pirate, another voice came up on the ship's deck that sounded very familiar to Sasuke and Jiraiya. "Pardon me, captain. I believe the young man was referring to the ninja clan he's from, the Uchiha."
"…I knew that. And don't think I didn't, Mr. Sour-Tobi." Jack told his crewmate that still wasn't seen.
"Sarutobi? Sensei?" Jiraiya spoke up to get their attention. It was then the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, wearing his black Kage attire like he did when he fought Orochimaru during the failed Suna/Sound Invasion, revealed himself to them.
"Jiraiya? Jiraiya! You and young Sasuke are a sight for sore eyes! And who is that young man there with you?" the Third Hokage asked but had a pretty good idea who the child belonged to.
"Sensei allow me to introduce to you the prodigy of Minato and my great new apprentice, Menma Namikaze. We came to get you and the Kage out of your deal with the Shinigami by sailing to Davy Jones Locker. But who is this pirate captain?" Jiraiya questioned.
"This is Jack Sparrow." Sarutobi introduced to them.
"Captain, Captain Jack Sparrow Mr. Sour-Tobi. I will have to take away your drinking breaks to get you hurtling up on concluding the Pearl's filing." Said Jack as the Third paled at having to be tortured in sorting through paperwork even in the sealed portion of the afterlife.
"Captain Sparrow?" Menma shouted.
"Aye?"
"Are there anyone else aboard your vessel? If all the Hokage are there with you, we want to join your crew to get you back out to the open sea and escape the Locker. Once out, our village will reward you for making it back to the world of the living." Menma proposed.
Jack and the crew have been wandering the plains ever since Sarutobi showed up with the water and wood men. They were familiar with Jack's blonde first mate who helped keep Jack company when everyone else had wandered off and let the heat and madness take them. The wood man was especially helpful in getting the Black Pearl moving so he was given the wheel as helmsman while his brother became the quartermaster, or the navigator.
"I may be persuaded for such a glamorous frivolity. But first, where do your allegiances lie?" Jack tested to see if they were trustworthy.
Menma and Sasuke were about to say to the Leaf, but Jiraiya spoke first to keep them in the captain's good graces. "With the highest bitter."
"I've a ship." Jack pointed to them.
"That makes you the highest bitter." Sasuke played along with Jiraiya's fib.
The fib fooled Jack. "Good man. Weigh anchor, all hands prepare to make sail!"
The Third lowered a rope ladder down to them as the three climbed aboard the Black Pearl. Once the three were on board they were glad that luck was still on their side at finding the rest of the Hokage there. Hashirama, now using his leaf headband as a pirate eyepatch to make him look more like a pirate, sweating at the helm as he did as the captain ordered and got the Ship moving again. Tobirama was at the crow's nest as he let his brother and Captain Sparrow know of the new wanderers and now had a clearer view to the sand dunes where the trio had walked from. Yet they still didn't see Minato since he was below deck.
"Captain, the way out is hard to starboard and full speed ahead." The Second Hokage informed the former Pirate Lord.
"Well done, Mr. Tobi. Mr. Hashi, if you'd be so kind."
"Aye captain. Hard to starboard and full canvas!" The First Hokage announced enthusiastically as the ship leered to the right and then moved forward at a faster pace at now having a clear direction and hope at getting out of this barren wasteland.
Menma went below deck while to find his father while Jiraiya discussed things with the First and Third Hokage on the situation Konoha is facing in the upcoming Forth Shinobi War. Sasuke simply sat on the bow of the ship which was where the carved figure of a veiled winged woman holding a black dove.
Menma couldn't find him so he decided o check the captain's quarters. There he saw his father, Minato Namikaze, the Yellow Flash, doing some paperwork to help Captain Sparrow and Sarutobi's burden. He put down his pen when he looked up to see Menma after so many years. He recognized his sons anywhere, especially with Menma's non facial markings like Naruto's.
You certainly have grown taller, Menma." Commented the Fourth.
Menma ran into him and gave his father a big hug. Having dreamed of meeting his hero and idle after listening to Jiraiya's stories and short mentions from his mother Kushina. The heartache after losing Minato made the topic difficult for Kushina to bring up due to the seals she had on as she simply did what she could in raising Menma. Menma was sad that he was forced to send his mom to the Pure Lands, but knew now he could finally gain the rest of the Uzumaki Clan's secrets that will help him save Konoha and make him a great hero for his father to be proud of.
He just had to make sure that Sasuke, Sakura, and Hinata kept quiet on what happened to Kushina. Perhaps even letting Hinata be marooned here, since their relationship has gone sour. Her secret that she'll take to her grave, Menma thought wickedly.
Scene Change
Naruto, the Tsuchi Twins, Mikoto, and Kushina were currently sailing on Queen Anne with Captain Tia and her crew inside the Locker. After having allied in defeating the Iwa and Kumo forces, Naruto gave first-mate Sinbad command of the Chimera. But not before giving his final captain's orders in having the Chimera gather the remaining Sea Lord's to meet in Sea Country. Where the Kage planned to have their Kage Summit meeting before kickstarting the Fourth Shinobi War.
The twins, Mikoto, and Kushina, wanted to stay beside Naruto as he planned on getting to Davy Jones' Locker with Tia's help. Tia was a little against Naruto's plan, but he convinced her after giving her the Samehada and the Shark summons. After Samehada bonded to the captain, she now had a new battle form to protect her body while wielding greater power over water with her right arm blade that Samehada turned into for the smooth sailor.(A:N Think of Tia Harribel's previous form before she became an Espada)
She returned to her more human form as she commanded Mary to use the cutlass of Blackbeard to take them and the ship down to locker. Only Queen Anne's Revenge, with the power of the cutlass, could dive down to the other side like the Flying Dutchman, but it took a great effort in making sure nobody was washed away by the currents. Thankfully they all made it as Naruto used the compass, the one that Jiraiya had lost until Calypso gave it to Naruto when he became captain of the Chimera, to direct them to the Land of the locker where the traitors would be. Only the compass directed him toward something more precious than vengeance.
Naruto could see the shore and the wreckage of the Leaf's borrowed ship. He was surprised to see Hinata alone gathering up some survived cargo and used the not fully broken shards of the boat to create a makeshift raft. He wondered if the Hyuuga that seemed to have a crush on him in his early days was now no longer attached to his twin brother.
Hinata saw the ship and started waving her hands to them. Desperate to come aboard and not be trapped in this land that Menma had abandoned her.
After the Black Pearl had reached the waters and Sakura and Hinata were welcomed aboard, the Hyuuga met the Four Hokage and the Captain of the Black Pearl. When Minato wished to get to know the supposed fiancé of Menma, Hinata retracted that statement. Revealing how she lost her love for him after realizing how shallow she was in trying to honor Naruto by being with Menma, who was terrible at letting his brother die by Jiraiya's hand and drilling a Rasengan into Kushina to keep her from being a Sea Lord's slave while Menma would pilfer the Uzumaki scrolls that Kushina and Lady Tsunade kept from them.
Minato was distraught that his sensei and son had lied to him on what happened to his wife and second son. His anger boiling to the surface, Menma pushed Hinata overboard and then summoned some of the Kyuubi's chakra to bring a strong wind that pushed the Pearl out into the sea. Hinata tried to swim to them but then the souls of those that died at sea tried to drag her down when she neared where the shoreline ended and the deep blue opened, but she resisted and was forced to swim back to shore and watch as the Pearl continued on without her. She cried for what felt like hours until she was determined to not die here. She was nearly done in finishing her makeshift raft after several hours when she spotted the Queen Anne's Revenge.
"Wait, isn't that Hinami's daughter?" Mikoto asked as she saw the girl's striking resemblance to the Hyuuga Princess(A:N it's interesting that Narutopedia never specifies on what Hinata and Hanabi's mom's real name is).
"Aye, that is Hinata. But why isn't she with her dear Menma and the rest of those scallywags?" snorted Naruto. Having his faced covered with bandages again to hide his whisker marks from the enemy until he makes his big reveal.
"Naruto go easy on her. After I was freed from Jiraiya's seal, I got to know everyone who still thought fondly of you in Konoha, including Hinata. She wanted to be close to Menma so she could have closure for you since your death hurt her badly since she was too shy to profess her feelings towards you. It seems she doesn't like Menma's darker self and tried to stand up to him. Only for Menma to maroon her here. How could my son, your brother, become so deplorable?" Kushina still feeling the pain of betrayal. Wondering what she may have done wrong in raising him.
Mikoto comforted her longtime friend with by holding her shoulder. "You did nothing wrong, Kushina. You were not in control of most of your actions due to the machinations of that perverted Toad and the scheming monkey. Their influence was stronger than yours that Menma now only believes everything he does is for the Good of Konoha. To make himself a great hero like tales the village spread of Minato's victory during the Third Shinobi War. Opting out how wars do not make one great."(A/N: Yoda's Words of Wisdom in 'The Empire Strikes Back')
After hearing Mikoto's comforting words did Naruto feel awful at sorting Hinata with most of the fools in Konoha. But he wasn't ready to announce his return yet until he faces his godfather, brother, and father all together. She would have to prove to him that she would choose the right side and not betray him or his growing family/crew.
The ship neared the shore as she smoothly made port on the shoreline as Ryunami and his entourage took a lifeboat towards Hinata to get her and her leftover cargo while Tia and her fraccion watched from the main deck.
"Hello, Hinata." Kushina greeted in a monotone voice once she and her hidden son got out of the boat and walked towards her while Mikoto, Lian, and Park waited in the lifeboat.
"Kushina-sama, please forgive me. I thought Menma would be like Naruto-kun, and I tried to help him open his eyes that he could be a protector a hero like Naruto was to me. But he's becoming a monster. One bent on destroying Konoha's enemies and getting fame and glory like Sasuke Uchiha. I should not have been so shallow or shy to Naruto now that he's gone." Hinata bowed shamefully as she let the tears flow down her face.
Kushina couldn't bear to see the daughter of her only Hyuuga friend like this as she then embraced her in a warm motherly hug until she calmed down.
"What happened?" she asked once Hinata finished releasing her pent-up emotions.
"Menma and the others are gone. They've are sailing on a ship captained by Captain Jack Sparrow of the Black Pearl. With the First, Second, Third, and Fourth Hokage with them."
"The Black Pearl? Oh, Jiji Jones will not be happy to learn that his most hated and coveted prisoner is about to escape. Jack was from a time before the Sage of Six Paths, so he does not have chakra. Meaning Jack can't overpower them once they regain full access to their chakra. Thankfully, Davy Jones was able to remove Jack's memory of how to escape this place. And now the only ones who know how are Jiji Jones and me since we got along pretty well to share our secrets. Unless they figure out the riddles of the duplicate map I gave them." Naruto informed the others. Not mentioning to his Kaa-chan how he also had to give up his heart and lock it in the Dead Man's Chest that is now guarded by Calypso's son Rahab.
"Hinata, are you willing to join us in stopping Jiraiya and Menma's plans in saving the Leaf from major destruction?" Kushina asked as Ryunami got Hinata's cargo and placed it on the large rowboat before walking back where the two kunoichi were.
Hinata turns to Ryunami before answering Kushina-sama. "Ryunami-sama, I apologize for following my fellow shinobi that did not come to with honest intentions. If you permit me to join your crew, I am willing to pledge myself to you and bear any punishment that you see fit to give on this journey. I swear on my clan name and on my sincere feelings for the man I once loved before he died at sea."
Naruto was surprised by Hinata's strength that he has not seen since she fought Neji in the Chunin Exam preliminaries. She now had more of a backbone yet keeping her endearing humble outlook on herself and life that the Hyuuga were mostly not known for. It seemed that she could be given another chance. His nindo, that didn't fully die after pervy-sage's betrayal, desiring to add her to his true precious people.
"Very well. We shall discuss your punishment once we have caught up to the Pearl. For now, you are under Kushina's jurisdiction and you must follow her authority to the letter. You also will follow my lead, is that clear?" Naruto aimed a bit of killer intent at Hinata.
Hinata shivered a little before nodding her in agreement before saying it out loud to cement herself to them. Naruto and the others returned onboard the Queen Anne with a new ally. Tia could see that her mate was increasing his lover's circle. Which was fine to her since she, Mikoto, Lian, and Park could testify of his engulfing maelstrom of stamina he trained for to become a powerful Sea Lord.
"Where are we headed now, Ryunami?" Tia asked as they weighed anchor and prepared to set sail.
Naruto pulls out the compass again as it now points out into the open water. "We are going hunting, Tia-chan. And I'll be commandeering a new ship that will be my new flagship for to further my reputation as the Sea Lord of Wave, Steam, and Whirlpool."
Tah dah! Another chapter for the Bearer of Betrayal. I'm happy to say that I believe the vaccinations are working. I wonder what my next update for my fanfictions will be? Enjoy!
And Remember... Stay Healthy and Stay Safe!