Hidden Stone Village
One month after the operation in the Land of Earth
Describing the Hidden Stone's reaction to the deaths of five ANBU ninja in a dungeon nobody was supposed to know about as panicked would be an understatement. After the operation, there was an information blackout from the village and the Land of Earth. Nobody could get word in or out. The only message that entered was an urgent missive from the fourth Hokage, Jiraiya the Toad Sage.
In it, the missive detailed an operation to recover the final report of a spy planted among the citizenry of the Hidden Stone Village. The Tsuchikage was, understandably, furious at the deaths of five of his ninjas. It also miraculously coincided with the disappearance of Tsunade Senju, who happened to be under ANBU surveillance. But the revelation that tailed beasts were being targeted by an unknown assailant quickly burnt that anger away, replacing it with a somber anxiety. The Tsuchikage immediately recalled its jinchūriki, thanking the Hokage for the information rather than inciting a diplomatic incident for the hostile mission. What the Leaf didn't know however, was that the Hidden Stone had had two jinchūriki, not one.
A man known as Han, the jinchūriki of the five-tails, had been unknowingly killed by the Leaf ninja during their operation. He towered over normal men and scared most so badly that he needed special placement in the ANBU as a constant reminder that his life could be ended at any moment. But he thrived in the black ops section, so the Tsuchikage had no choice but to allow him to climb the ranks. The damnable thing was that he carried his companions to victory each time he led a mission, eventually becoming an officer. His success championed a new era of ANBU supremacy in the Stone's political hierarchy. He had grown from the organization, and they from him. It was a terrible loss to bear. At least, for his comrades.
The Tsuchikage would never admit this publicly, but the Leaf did him a favor. In their haste to recover their spy's stolen knowledge, they had unwittingly removed a threat to his position. It pained him to say, but Han was a very cunning man. He knew people. He knew what they were thinking, feeling, and seeing. It was an uncanny ability to almost reach inside of them and assess their deepest desires, even if he'd only known them a short time. The way he seemed to care about the slightest thing made him many well-connected friends. Many friends that shared his view of the world. Many connections that supported his desire for a return to the old way. The way of blood.
His powerful connections allowed him to challenge the village elder's authority with little repercussions. It was all the Tsuchikage could do to keep the peace between the two groups. Two ideologies that were inherently different; the desire to negotiate alliances and live peacefully with others or dominate their neighbors into submission. Weakness, as Han saw it, and needless brutality, as the elders named it. A constant battle of words, curses, and a time or two an actual brawl. The entire village was on edge as the opposing views pushed further and harder with each passing day.
And with the death of Han, the crowd pushing for a return to the days of rampant bloodshed faded into obscurity. The Tsuchikage had no doubts that he would have been killed in pursuit of this goal. He also did not doubt that Han would claim his seat after his death. It made him shudder, thinking of that sadistic, blood-thirsty man ruling an entire army of deadly shinobi. Thankfully, though, Han had caught the spy that was sending reports back to the Leaf. It was this act that ultimately brought upon his downfall. The spy's death was regrettable, though. She was just a pawn in the game between hidden villages. While he had sympathy for the woman whose name he did not know, she was an enemy agent. Her presence was an insult, the mission to retrieve her intel an act of war. He could not simply let it go.
But how could he extract revenge? This was the Hidden Leaf. Discarding their powerful line of Hokage, there was no lack of clout. Even here, names like Minato Namikaze, Fugaku Uchiha, and Shikaku Nara were whispered in reverence. His own ninja were well-known in the Land of Earth, but nobody spoke of them past his borders. Local heroes, at the most. Not a match for these legendary men.
But still, he needed to respond in kind. One of his village's most vital weapons was killed. His land invaded under false pretenses. His honored guest stolen right out from under him. If he didn't answer these actions, his people would find somebody that would. Usually, he would try to find a diplomatic solution, consulting the village elders on a course of action. This time, they called for blood loudest of all. The oldest of the Council of Elders, a man named Sato, lost his eldest daughter in the attack. In exchange for her life, he wanted revenge.
"Madness," he grumbled. "Complete and total madness." He knew that the Leaf village always came out on top. Sure, he could score a victory or two in the early days of a war. But then the shinobi sent against him would be higher skilled and more varied in ability. His people would be overwhelmed, routed, and defeated before the year's end. Still, he had to do something. He was contemplating a half-dozen responses when a knock on his office door roused him.
"Come in," he said. He was expecting his assistant, an intelligent, young man that had a promising future, but was instead greeted by a young, attractive female aide. She had long, flowing dark hair, a standard office worker's outfit, and a strange black cloth covering her eyes. Despite this, she seemed to have no problem navigating inside the office and seemingly making eye contact. Shutting the door, she produced a folded letter sealed in gray wax.
"The Council of Elders humbly requests your presence tonight, Lord Tsuchikage." Holding his hand out, he dreaded the contents of the message. She approached, setting the missive firmly in his hand. He thanked her, parting the wax, and opening the letter. It confirmed what she told him. The Council of Elders wanted to meet after dusk to discuss his plan of action against the Hidden Leaf. Refusing to let his despair show, he nodded to the young woman.
"Tell the Council I gladly accept their invitation. It would be my pleasure," he said amicably. She bowed her head, a small, almost indistinguishable smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.
"They will be… most pleased, my Lord." She slipped out of the office without another word. A sense of dread formed in his gut, making the Tsuchikage want to call her back, but there wasn't really a point. The meeting was set. Whatever misgivings he had about the strange incident just before she left, he doubted the aide would be present. Low level paper-pushers like her didn't often attend these powerful meetings. Knowing this, he pushed down the dread and checked the clock. Half past four in the afternoon. Weighing the time he had before the gathering, he decided to return home for an early dinner with his family. The meeting was likely to last all night.
"Heading out early, sir?" His assistant asked. He paused for a moment and faced the young shinobi.
"Did you know that aide? The one that just came through?" He watched his assistant's reaction, trying to see anything that told him he was lying. In place of that, he only found recognition.
"Yes, Lord Tsuchikage. Her name is Ao Nakamura. She's been an aide for the Council for the last three months. Lived here all her life, according to her." He shrugged. "Is there a problem?" The seed of doubt had been planted. Frowning, he stroked his chin.
"No, I suppose not." Shaking his head, he continued to the door. "There's no need for you to stay. Go home and get some rest." His assistant nodded emphatically.
"Thank you, sir. Enjoy your evening." Shutting the door to the office, the Tsuchikage made his way through the streets with crowds of people looking for a place to eat or spend their money. The ones that noticed him gave a bow of respect. He returned a warm smile and felt just a little better. It was a tremendous help to know they trusted him, strengthening his resolve. He would find an answer. He owed them that much.
After dinner, he bid his family farewell, promising to be home before morning. His children protested but were outvoted by his wife. She ushered them away as he left their home. Two of his Jōnin, a firebrand young woman named Tota and a middle-aged man named Tanaka were waiting to accompany him to the meeting. Once he knew they were ready to go, he wasted no time getting them moving. It would be rude to leave the elders waiting.
The streets were still bustling as he passed through, though nobody tried to stop the trio. They made good time. People recognized him and parted without much hassle. Some people greeted him, but most just got out of the way When they turned north to head towards the Council's meeting hall, he steeled himself for the onslaught of questions that likely awaited him. As the sun set, his mood darkened with the village.
The first sign of trouble was the empty entrance of the Council hall. No guards stood outside, nobody loitered around the doors, and there was no sound coming from inside. He ordered a halt immediately upon the realization. Tanaka pulled out a kunai knife and looked around suspiciously. He glanced at the man, feeling the same anxiety.
"Open the door. We need to see what's happened here." The shinobi nodded and gently, almost fearfully, placed his hand on the wooden door and pushed inward. Inside, bodies lined the hallway. Civilians and ninja alike lay dead leading all the way to the Council chambers at the end of the hall. His nostrils flared in rage and disgust. He had never felt so angry or distraught in his entire life, but showing weakness now was unbecoming of his rank. He turned to the kunoichi on his left.
"Tota, alert the ANBU immediately. I want every squad in the village." She nodded, vanishing in the blink of an eye to carry out his orders. Gritting his teeth, he walked inside with his remaining Jōnin bodyguard. The pair respectfully and carefully made their way around the corpses, rage building with every step. When they reached the doors at the chamber's entrance, the Tsuchikage pushed them open without hesitation. Inside was a scene more grotesque than any he was expecting.
The elders were dead, all of them sitting on a padded cushion at the top of a dais. Their throats were slit in a ghastly red smile, dried blood trickling down their chests and staining their clothes. Before each one of them sat a pristine set of teacups and plates of cold refreshments. Flies swarmed around the wounds in their necks, forming terrible, writhing necklaces. Tanaka let out a mortified sound, covering his mouth as if to prevent another from escaping. He began to reprimand the cowardice of the man, only to find that his own voice would not respond. Instead, he shut his mouth. The two just stared at the massacre, neither willing to break the silence first.
Near the back of the hall, movement caught his eye. A woman with long, flowing dark hair stepped out from behind a pillar. He recognized her immediately, only now she wore the white armor of the Leaf ANBU and a cat mask with blue markings in place of office attire and a black eye cover. A growl escaped his throat.
"Ao Nakamura?" He asked, struggling to maintain his composure. She responded in a flat, cold voice.
"No. I am Ocelot. I simply became Ao for a time." She carelessly walked past her victims, kicking a lifeless hand out of her path. He didn't think he could get angrier, but he did.
"Why did you do this? What purpose could this mindless slaughter serve?!" She didn't appear at all ruffled by his ire, replying in a cool and even tone.
"Lord Danzo sends his regards. He says you know what you must do now." There was a flash of light from behind, illuminating what little he could see underneath her mask. For the first time, he saw her eyes. They were milky white and bore into his soul. Understanding dawned on him at once.
"You're a Hyuuga from the Leaf," he said softly. That was why she wore the eye covering, he realized. It had nothing to do with blindness like he might have thought. Instead it was to hide her ability to see everything. Ocelot hesitated for a moment, and he could see her brows knit in thought.
"No," she said, falling into a momentary stupor. She shook her head to clear the fluff, sounding more confident now. "No, I am not a Hyuuga. I am Ocelot." Sliding her katana out of its sheath, she pointed it at him. A silent challenge.
Tanaka screamed in defiance and rage, springing into action, his kunai flashing. The agent ducked under the stab, slicing across his chest in a smooth arc. He sailed past her, falling to the ground rolling into a crouch. He wove a series of hand seals and the earth around Ocelot opened up into a hungry maw. She jumped to the side just before the earth disappeared, right into a second hole that opened up immediately after her feet left the ground. Again, she barely avoided the hole, landing right on its edge and gaining more distance from her opponent. She's good, the Tsuchikage thought. Tota better get here soon.
The two shinobi came at each other again and again and again. The ANBU was highly trained, that was evident enough. She knew better now than to let her enemy weave hand seals, using every trick she had to prevent his hands from coming together. By the time Tota arrived with the Stone's ANBU, Tanaka was beaten bloody. He could barely stand when his allies jumped in, ready to rumble. Ocelot paused, reevaluating the fight and, apparently deciding it wasn't worth it, sheathed her weapon. The ANBU charged at her, but before their weapons made contact she began to sink into the shadows of the nearest corpse. When they reached her position, her head sunk into the earth and used the shadows of the corpses dotting the hallway to jump from body to body and make her exit. Tota screamed for them to follow, and she led the chase.
The shadow flew down the hallway, faster than any of his ANBU. The Tsuchikage knew what he had to do. When the fleeing target reached the door, she materialized out of the floor and started making a run for it. He closed his eyes, concentrated his chakra, and clapped his hands together. Around both of her legs, slabs of earth rose in the blink of an eye. The sound they made as they crushed her lower legs was horrific. Her screams of agony were almost worse. Almost.
Mostly undeterred by her shattered legs, Ocelot began crawling. She dragged herself a few feet before the ANBU surrounded her and forced her to a stop. As he approached, they lifted the girl up by the armpits. She whimpered and barely held back her pained sobs. Tota stormed up and punched her in the gut. The air escaping mixed with a cry of pain was almost too much to bear. When Tota raised her fist to strike again, he grabbed it firmly. She reared on him to lodge a complaint, but he cut her off with a look and shook his head.
"Not like this, Tota. It is not the way. I know how you're feeling," he said gingerly. "We're all… disturbed." He let go of her hand. Just when he thought she would see reason; she slapped the girl's face so hard that her mask went flying off. She moaned pitifully, her head rolling to the side. He grit his teeth but said nothing. Tota grabbed her chin and spat in her face, and when that didn't earn the reaction she wanted, she stomped on the girl's ruined foot. A new round of agonized screaming started over. The Tsuchikage summoned two ANBU who were standing to the side. They had to literally drag Tota away. Ocelot shook, her breathing coming in short, shallow gasps.
"What to do with you?" He mused to himself. "We surely can't allow you to live after this." Her eyes widened in fear at his words. It did not give him pleasure like he thought it would. Instead, he felt like the bad guy. It took him reminding himself of the two or three dozen dead behind him to rouse himself. Still, he felt pity for the girl. "I've decided. You will be executed for your crimes." She let out a sob. From pain or fear, he didn't know. Her lips were moving, and she was whispering.
"Please… please don't kill me, I'll do better. Please…" she trailed off, tears streaming down her face. With a jolt, Tsuchikage realized he wasn't who she was speaking to. Her eyes were focused on a point up and behind him. Before he could look, she whispered so softly that he strained to hear.
"No," she muttered. "Please." As the last word came from her mouth, an arrow fletched with orange feathers sprouted from her neck. Blood sprayed the Tsuchikage and the two ANBU holding her. They quickly dropped her mangled corpse and rushed to defend their leader. He was too shocked to move, staring at the girl he only knew as Ao Nakamura, or Ocelot, bleeding to death from an arrow to the throat. As his guards pushed him towards the safety of the hall filled with his dead citizens, he barely had time to glimpse two figures in Leaf ANBU gear on the roof. One was kneeling, holding a bow with a sheath of arrows on their back. The other stood and watched. In the dim light of the setting sun, he could barely make out the red glow from the eye slits.
Just before the outer doors shut, he looked back and saw that the two figures were now on the ground. The one with the bow was touching Ocelot's body. The other was picking up her mask. The corpse flared with green chakra more akin to flames than any other chakra he'd ever seen. Watching her corpse burn, he couldn't help but hear her ominous words. Lord Danzo sends his regards. He says you know what you must do now.
And he did. He knew what action must be taken.
Hidden Leaf Village
Training ground 47
Yahiko's soaked hand twitched again. It had been doing that a lot lately, ever since he came to Minato and asked him for training. There was something about the man that awed him. Yes, he was the ruthless killer that didn't hesitate to slit a dead woman's throat, but he was also a gentle soul that loved his village. The love he felt for the Hidden Leaf compelled him to do terrible things in order to protect it. Yahiko understood that, deep down, Minato was not a bad person. He just did bad things for seemingly good reasons. He thought that was noble, in its own sort of way. The pursuit of prosperity couldn't possibly be a bad thing, could it? Even if it came at the cost of human lives? He didn't have an answer.
Sighing, he pushed that thought aside and raised his eyes to his master. The blonde man sat exactly five feet away from Yahiko in the shade of a large oak. Scars from years of shinobi training here marred the bark above Minato's head. Lines of dissatisfaction made the usually friendly face appear cold and distant. He shook his head, scooping up another ball and tossing it at Yahiko. Deftly catching it, Yahiko grimaced. His hand was tired after so many burst water balloons, but he knew that until he did it the right way, he would continue.
"Again," Minato ordered. Crossing his arms across his chest, he gazed down at the polka-dotted balloon. Yahiko grit his teeth and concentrated. Chakra generated in his core travelled up into the cavity of his chest and sat still for a moment. It entered his left arm, snaking up his chakra network to the palm of his hand where it shot into the balloon in a spiral. The water thrashed in a whirlpool; the balloon burst in a violent pop. Water was flung outward in a haphazard circle. Yahiko silently cursed. He'd done what he was told, but his eagerness to progress botched the execution. In theory, he was doing exactly what he needed to. In practice, it was more nuanced. He bit his lip and waited, knowing he was going to do it again. Minato shook his head disapprovingly. When his head stopped, he fixed Yahiko with a flat stare.
"What are you doing wrong?" he asked.
"I don't know," Yahiko answered.
Minato nodded insistently. "You do, you just don't want to analyze." His voice was hard, the way a Jōnin spoke to an insubordinate Genin. For a moment, neither one of them spoke. The difference between them in ranks was, technically, nonexistent. Both of them were now full Jōnin after the latest mission. But the role of master and student was a stark contrast to the comrade-like atmosphere Yahiko imagined. Blowing out an explosive breath, he looked toward the sky.
"I generate the chakra in my core," he began. "Then, I let it rest in my chest before directing it down my chakra networks. Finally, I bring it up into my palm and send it spiraling into the balloon. The balloon pops. Water flies." His fingers wiggled to simulate the water droplets splashing everywhere. Minato didn't entertain the gesture with his usual easygoing smile. Instead he pulled out a balloon of his own and cupped it in his hand. Yahiko couldn't see the chakra, but it was evident in the balloon when it came. The outer shell, as he had come to understand it, writes under the pressure. It popped after a few seconds, causing Minato to wipe his hand dry on the grass. He looked at Yahiko expectantly.
"What was different between our balloons?" He knew what the answer was, Yahiko was sure of it. He just wouldn't share. He never shared what he knew, always insisting that Yahiko speculate over every detail to figure it out for himself. Often, the two parted with frustrated goodbyes and Yahiko's head pounding because of it. The tension that Minato's teaching style induced between them irritated Yahiko to no end. He just didn't understand why his master couldn't explain why he was unhappy and how it could be fixed. Concentrating harder, he racked his brain. What had been different?
"You mean besides the color scheme?," he joked lamely. The quip fell flat, Minato obviously unmoved. Yahiko grit his teeth and felt his nails digging into his palms. Taking a calming breath, he closed his eyes and called a visual of the balloon popping in Minato's hand. He figured it didn't take long for the senior shinobi to summon and mold his chakra. After years of experience, it would be easy for him to summon it, coil it down to his palm and send it into the water, forcing it to pop. Besides that, Yahiko couldn't think of anything he had done differently. Going over every single detail, he compared the two bursts from start to finish. There wasn't much since he couldn't see Minato's chakra formation or channeling. But the bursting of the balloon… His eyes shot open and found Minato's.
"The balloons burst differently," he said. Excitement filled him from top to bottom when his master smiled and nodded. Minato grabbed another balloon.
"Yes, and no." Yahiko's chest ached with the sweet memory of his fleeting happiness. He caught the balloon when it was thrown to him.
"You're correct about the bursting bit, but that isn't all." Minato glanced at the balloon in his palm. "The point of this phase is to circulate the chakra before bursting the balloon. What you've been doing so far is technically correct, but you're failing to grasp the purpose this phase teaches." The balloon started to shiver in his hand, turning into a raging swirl that burst the thin shell. Yahiko thought he was getting it, but Minato wasn't finished.
"The second thing, the part you didn't realize, is that your timing is off." Confused, his face scrunched up.
"What does that mean?," he questioned. Minato nodded his head, realizing his mistake.
"Let's take a step back. Imagine molding your chakra. Usually, you mold chakra in an effort to transform it into a brand-new elemental nature." Yahiko perked up at the mention of elemental jutsu. He listened intently as Minato continued. "Instead of trying to transform the raw energy into an elemental technique, this jutsu aims to utilize the raw energy itself."
"Could you apply elemental change in chakra nature to that energy?" Yahiko asked excitedly. Minato chuckled and shrugged.
"I suppose so," he mused. "But that would take someone extremely gifted. Not to mention the large chakra reserves needed. Change in chakra natures is a hard technique even for a Jōnin. That's why I'm sticking to raw chakra with this jutsu." A thoughtful look crossed his face, and Minato shook his head. "Let's not get sidetracked, okay?"
Yahiko deflated a bit, but nodded, nonetheless. "Right, so, my timing is off?" He was starting to absorb some of the teachings, especially since he was actually getting feedback. Minato clapped his hands together.
"Precisely," he agreed. "Imagine a taijutsu user that enhances their physical attacks with chakra. This shinobi has decided to kick a pole, but their chakra is a fraction of a second too late. Upon impact, their shin is shattered." The brutal imagery made Yahiko wince. An idea formed in his head, sprouting from his lips before he could stop it.
"The chakra stopping in my chest," he breathed. "That's what you mean." The smile that broke out on Minato's face confirmed his theory.
"Bingo. Now, back to the taijutsu user." He was clearly pleased with the analogy, so Yahiko just nodded along.
"The point is, regardless of the muscles in his leg being enhanced by chakra or not, the timing of the enhancement is what matters. Too slow, and your broken leg is enhanced by chakra." Tapping his leg, he moved on. "It's useless after being broken. But if it's enchanted before hitting the pole, devastating damage is inflicted.
"In your case, the chakra hesitates in your chest. This hesitation forces your mind to subconsciously realize it needs to play catch-up and sends it out of your hand in a frenzy. Instead of swirling the chakra to burst the balloon, it blasted it out." Blowing out a breath, Minato settled back into silence. He made eye contact with his pupil, who stared at him in amazement.
"Why can't you be like this all the time, sensei?" Minato leaned back against his tree and gave Yahiko an amused smile.
"Think about it." He raised his hand and held up a finger. "One, I won't always be there to explain a situation." Holding up a second finger, his smile vanished. "Two, you're a smart kid with a ton of potential. I believe in your ability to reason in any situation. Only you are standing in the way of that." Lowering his hand, Minato watched his student. Yahiko's breath caught in his throat and he nodded gratefully, not trusting himself to speak.
The balloon held a new layer of nuance to him. It wasn't just a water balloon; it was a tool to be manipulated. Ignoring the ache from his worn-out chakra networks, he shut his eyes to concentrate again. First, he built up a wave of chakra in his core. Next, he willed it to rise into his chest. As soon as he felt it reach his shoulders, he commanded it to flow down his left arm. It obeyed, washing down his strained chakra network like hot water. The discomfort was almost enough to throw his concentration, but he willed himself to stay strong. Soon enough, the chakra was pooling at his palm. With concentrated effort, he sent the chakra into the water balloon and began spinning the raw energy.
For the first time since he began practicing this technique, the balloon did not immediately explode. When he opened his eyes, he saw a contorting balloon much like Minato had produced. He knew he had succeeded, but before he could relish the accomplishment, it burst. Satisfaction washed over him. Laying his drenched hand on his thigh, he inhaled deeply.
"Like that?," he said, smiling. The feeling he got when Minato nodded was almost like euphoria.
"Yes. Just like that." Thinking that was the end of it, Yahiko started to stand up. It was only when he saw another balloon coming at him that he realized they weren't done. He caught it and stared disbelievingly at Minato. For his part, Minato ignored the incredulous look.
"Only two more," he promised. Yahiko sat down, repeating the process once more, then again. Two burst balloons later, Minato was satisfied.
"Good work, seriously." Grabbing the now empty bucket, he stood up. "You can rest for the next few days if you want. Or you could buy some balloons and practice on your own." Yahiko joined him in standing.
"And what will you be doing?," he said with raised eyebrows. It wasn't normal for Minato to pawn him off like this. He had learned, even in their short time as master and pupil, that loyalty and teamwork were important to him. Minato gave him a frown, his brows furrowing.
"I'd rather not say." And that was the end of it. Yahiko nodded, dejected. He was foolishly hoping they were close enough that Minato would open up a bit. He knew so much about Yahiko, but the younger man knew next to nothing about his teacher. The man valued his privacy almost as much as his other virtues. Knowing he would get nothing more, Yahiko bowed slightly.
"Until next time, then. Good luck on whatever you're doing." Minato returned the bow and they parted ways. As soon as Yahiko rejoined civilization, his stomach began to growl. He was easily persuaded into buying half a dozen sweet rice balls by an overly polite street merchant. The man swiped the cash from his hand and grinned widely, trying to sell some soy sauce that would match the flavors perfectly. Yahiko was already walking away though.
There was something peaceful in the streets that night. People were out, joyfully celebrating with their friends or families. Shops were busier than ever with lines stretching to the end of the block. Yahiko waded through the crowd, carefully raising, and lowering his tray of rice balls. The throng was thickest on the streets lining the respective clan homes. Streamers and lanterns strung across the rooftops let him know that a celebration of sorts was ongoing. He didn't get to come to this district often, so whatever was going on was unknown to him. Curious it's piqued, he made a sharp turn towards the festivities.
He passed the homes of the Nara and Inuzuka clans. The heir of the Nara clan, Shikaku, stood guard outside of his compound with another of his kin. He gave a friendly nod as Yahiko passed, which he returned.
"Rice ball?" He said, holding one up. Shikaku accepted and split it with his cousin. Yahiko stayed for a bit, chatting, and exchanging good-natured insults before parting ways. Further down the street, other clans were handing out gift bags and other trinkets. Distributing goods further down the street in front of the compound of clan Senju, a familiar shock of medium-length purple hair caught his eye.
Konan stood with two other girls he didn't know, probably members of the clan, in matching kimonos and light makeup. She was amazing. Yahiko hadn't seen her in nearly a month, hadn't spoken to her in nearly two. Seeing her now was like a punch to the gut and a super magnet in tandem. He wanted to go up and talk to her, but would she say anything more than a courteous greeting? The doubt that suddenly plagued him was another blow to his confidence.
When he finally focused again, he was in Konan's line in front of the Senju clan's gates. He didn't even realize he moved. Now he was two spaces away from her. He still had time to walk away before she noticed him. Move, he ordered himself. His legs refused to obey. Now there was only one person between them. Think of something to say, he commanded. Think! The man in front of him was talking conversationally. He said something about drinks with Tsunade later, but Yahiko didn't catch the rest. He accepted his bag and moved out of the way. When Konan saw him, she gasped slightly.
"Yahiko," she said breathlessly. His mind was completely blank. Nothing came out of his mouth, despite it hanging open. Instead of her offering him a gift bag, he held up his tray.
"Rice ball?," he asked.
Hidden Leaf Village
Danzo Shimura's safehouse
Mikoto's ears rang. Her muscles tensed. Her mouth was dry. Did Lord Danzo really tell her what she thought he did? Her lips parted, trembling slightly. She hoped her voice held its customary neutral tone.
"What did you say, Lord Danzo?" She didn't like how weak she sounded. It would not go unnoticed. Lord Danzo missed nothing.
"You heard me, Raven. I ordered you to capture Kushina Uzumaki, or failing that, to kill her." Silence followed his words. Mikoto wanted to tell him no. She wanted to rage and scream that she would never kill her best friend, and that he could rot in hell. It would be so easy to take out her weapon and end his miserable life.
But she didn't. Her training and obedience were too strong. Instead, she just stayed kneeling and gripping her fist like the good soldier she was. Lord Danzo didn't seem to notice. Turning, he waved her off.
"Follow your orders," he said, dismissing her. She stayed kneeling behind him, unsure if she could stand. Danzo, not heating her stand, faced her with an angry look.
"Now!" He snapped. "They're moving her tonight. If we lose her now, she'll be out of our hands for good. Jiraiya will not allow us to reach her once she's away." His hand flung upward. "Get going!"
In a few moments, Mikoto was outside the building. Her head swam. She was capable of doing terrible things for the village. Her career was nothing but violence for the sake of her home's success. But this? It didn't make any sense to kill the Leaf's only jinchūriki, and she didn't know why Kushina needed to be captured. Her entire life was about following order, never questioning them. It was a unique experience. It was also one that she couldn't linger to absorb.
Scanning the village, Mikoto calculated where Kushina might be at this time of day. If they were moving her, she probably wouldn't be at her home. She could be out of the village at this point, and Mikoto would be wasting her time. A frown creased her brow. No, Kushina was a bubbly person with many friends and connections. It was highly unlikely she would just up and leave without saying goodbye.
"Now, where would she start?," she mumbled. If Kushina had gone to say farewell to Mikoto, she would've found an empty apartment. She only just got back from the operation in the Land of Earth an hour ago. There was no time to focus on that, not yet. It was too painful. Ocelot's lifeblood pulsing from the arrow wound in her neck… Mikoto shook her head. Stop that, she scolded herself. Focus on the mission.
What would be the next logical place for Kushina to go? She had no family Mikoto knew about, and too many friends to stop and see them all. Whoever was in charge of getting her out of harm's way wouldn't let her linger in danger that long. If Mikoto had to guess, Minato would be involved somehow, and he would have something to say about that, too. It was likely that he would go with her, if only for a time. So, where would the two of them go after her empty domicile? What connection did the two of them share?
Her eyes flitted to the clan compounds near the heart of the village. Crowds of people were gathered near the various homes of the ninja world's most prolific warrior families. Jiraiya, she thought. They would go to see the Hokage. And he's likely with his new lover. Nodding slightly, she was sure that her assessment would prove true. Standing, she leapt from rooftop to rooftop towards her mission objective. If anybody had the sense to look up, her approach would easily be noticed and countered. Lucky enough for Mikoto, people rarely bothered looking up.
She stopped on top of the Senju clan's main compound and listened intently. The cries of joy and celebration were there, but she was trained to hear everything. Separating that from the closer noise, she picked up on two voices beneath her. She turned to face the direction they came from. Beneath a blossom tree, a girl in a kimono and a boy wearing a flak jacket were speaking quietly.
"Did you come here for the celebrations, or so you could surprise me?" The girl asked, slightly defensive.
"I was training with Minato all day," the boy replied. "I didn't even know this shindig was going on." Mikoto was inclined to believe him. His voice indicated he was being honest, though the girl wasn't yet convinced.
"I want to make it perfectly clear, Yahiko." she said. "Lady Tsunade doesn't want any mishaps. That includes—," she was cut off by the boy tossing aside his half-eaten rice ball and grabbing her shoulders.
"Will you just listen to me?!" He shouted. Her eyes widened and he spoke like he had to get the words out or they'd consume him. "I missed you, Konan. I missed you more than I know how to say."
A wave of discomfort rippled through Mikoto. She got the feeling that it wouldn't be appreciated if they found her listening in. Slipping away as quietly as she could, she made her way to the back of the building. Down below, a courtyard of Senju clansmen and their guests milled around an extravagant social gathering. Leaders from the other clans were there too, in solidarity no doubt. Presenting a unified front. But for what, Mikoto didn't know.
She scanned the courtyard with her Sharingan now activated. The dull red glow was dimmed by the setting sun, so she was probably safe from being spotted. Still, she hugged the roof tightly. It took several minutes of studying faces until she found her target. Kushina Uzumaki stood with her husband, Minato Namikaze, speaking to Tsunade Senju. Mikoto edged forward a bit and began reading their lips.
It's a shame to see you go, Tsunade said. Pulling the younger woman into a hug, she planted a kiss on Kushina's cheek. We're all poorer without you. Kushina just laughed and wriggled free.
I'm not dying, ya know! Just hiding out for a bit. That made Minato squirm uncomfortably. His face was hidden, so Mikoto didn't know what he said. Thankfully Tsunade was kind enough to call out a name loud enough for Mikoto to hear.
"Jiraiya!" She called across the yard. "Come see your brats off. They're chomping at the bit to be off." Grabbing Kushina's arm gently, the older woman guided her guest underneath the terrace. Mikoto cursed quietly. She would have to reposition herself to get a better view.
When she finally decided it would be a good idea to regain a visual sightline on Kushina, an almost indiscernible whistle caught her ear. Two short notes, then a pattern she was unfamiliar with. Minato, however, seemed to know it well. His eyes shot to the roof. Mikoto knew she had to move quickly, but it was too late. He'd spotted her. In an instant, he was gone. She jumped out of the way just as his kunai shot for her heart.
She spun away from him and he gave chase. They danced, silent and lethal, trading blows and generally testing the limits of their opponent. It was common knowledge that Minato could manipulate teleportation jutsu as long as he placed seals every now and then. Mikoto knew well enough not to get touched. It would definitely spell her defeat. What wasn't widely known was that teleportation jutsu had a vulnerability. It could only be used after a one-second cool down. Meaning that right after Minato teleported, he needed to wait to use it again. He could be struck in the timeframe. She just had to be perfectly like clockwork. So she waited. Blocked. Waited. Parried, dodged back. Waited. Until the perfect moment.
Minato's fatigue started to show. The one-second delay became a one-and-a-half second delay. Then two-second. After the third two-second delay, Mikoto wheeled around and sliced upward. The kunai flew from Minato's hand. He blinked in surprise and just stared at Mikoto. She rushed him, raising her blade to strike him across the face. He vanished at the last moment and she jumped down onto the terrace. Surprised gasps came from everyone in the vicinity of her landing, but she ignored them. Her eyes shot to where Kushina and Tsunade should've been. She was correct, but Jiraiya and Minato were there too. This is an impossible task, she thought.
They stood there, Minato and Mikoto, eyeing each other. Thankfully, he hadn't been able to plant a seal on her. She was safe from that avenue of attack, at least. The weight of her katana was becoming too much to bear, and her hands began shaking. Breathing became difficult, and she started to hyperventilate. Slowly, at first, then progressively faster. Over and over again, the same phrase repeated in her mind.
I can't do it.
Her entire life, she'd been a slave to the Foundation. She'd lost her family, her betrothal, her friendships, her hobbies, her identity. Everything that made Mikoto herself was abandoned the day she was chosen as a candidate for Danzo Shimura's twisted pet project. It demanded everything of her, consuming and destroying until only Raven was left behind. And she couldn't do it anymore.
"I surrender," she muttered. "Gods, I surrender." Letting out a defeated whimper, Mikoto dropped her weapon. Literally falling to her knees, her body was racked with sobs. The sudden outburst shocked Minato, but he recovered quickly and eyed the agent suffering a mental breakdown with suspicion. Behind him, Kushina frowned and squinted.
"Wait a minute. I recognize that voice." She said, realization dawning on her. "Mikoto?" She asked gently. She shoved past her husband, walking slowly at first. After Mikoto failed to answer or make any sort of attempt to respond, she came to a stop and knelt in front of her friend. She removed the mask covering Mikoto's face. She quickly recoiled when it came off. Alarm and confusion coated her features, but she didn't move back any further.
"Mikoto," she said gently. "What happened to your eyes?" The change was such a recent one that Mikoto herself hadn't realized. Now that attention had been called to them, they burned. Her hand reached up and wiped away her unusually thick stream of tears, coming away bloody. She fell silent, though her body still shook. Looking up at Kushina, more bloody tears leaked from her eyes.
"I don't know," she whispered. "Help me." Kushina, to her credit, didn't flinch. She embraced Mikoto with no regard for her own safety. Minato quickly crossed the distance and grabbed the discarded katana. He eyed Mikoto suspiciously, watching every movement she made. Mikoto tried to speak, but the words just wouldn't come. She wanted to spew everything she knew about the Foundation. She wanted to warn Kushina. She wanted to scream. But she could only whimper, crying tears of blood and suffering her burning eyes.
Jiraiya was quick to act. He quietly but forcefully informed the gazing crowd that the reception was over. They were instructed to leave the compound, escorted out by the hidden shinobi all around the event. They made themselves known once their orders were confirmed and within a few minutes, the group of five was alone on the terrace. Minato gave her weapon away to a nearby Chūnin and returned to his silent vigil. He wouldn't let Kushina come to harm, and his glare promised violence if she tried. She wouldn't. Kushina rose to her feet and coaxed Mikoto to stand as well. Gripping her arms, Kushina spoke.
"Were you really here to hurt me?" She sounded more curious than offended. Mikoto nodded and opened her mouth to speak. The seal that was placed on her tongue as a child paralyzed her ability of speech. When she didn't answer, Kushina frowned.
"Are you alright? Are you…. safe?" Mikoto blinked in surprise and locked eyes with her friend. After showing up to kill or capture her, the selflessness, and in fact concern of the question, astounded Mikoto. Trembling she opened her mouth, willing herself to speak. But again, her voice failed her. After her second failed attempt to put Danzo, she simply shook her head no. She wasn't safe. Neither of them were.
"Why isn't she saying anything?" Minato asked impatiently. "We need answers, Mikoto!" Kushina shot him a glare, but he was too agitated to acknowledge it. The danger to Kushina's life was getting to him. She backed away from Kushina's grasp and opened her mouth hesitantly. If she did this, there would be no going back. The Foundation would disown her for sure, possibly even mark her for death. Swallowing nervously, she opened her mouth as wide as possible and stuck her tongue out as much as she could manage. The seal on her tongue drew a surprised gasp from Kushina, an angry growl from Jiraiya, and stoic sympathy from Tsunade and Minato. The blonde man looked a lot less aggressive now.
"Even if I wanted to, I couldn't." Mikoto said in a quiet voice. "The Foundation knows all. They wouldn't let me say anything." She shook miserably, unable to communicate the exact nature of the danger. "You need to leave, Kushina. Quickly." Kushina deflated. For once, her outgoing attitude gave in to the fear and stress hiding just beneath the surface. It surprised Mikoto, but now was not the time for weakness. At least, not for Kushina. The redhead turned and faced the two Sannin.
"Lord Hokage," she began. "Please help her. She's my best friend, and I know she deserves the chance to heal." For the second time that evening, Kushina's words moved her. Was there no end to her empathy and compassion? Mikoto hoped not. Selfishly, she wanted all that her friend could spare. She glanced at Jiraiya hopefully. He studied her intently for a few moments, then gave a curt nod.
"Alright," he growled. "You're under arrest, Mikoto Uchiha. Don't try to resist and this whole process will go a lot easier." Three shinobi surrounded her. She did nothing to hinder her arrest before being lead quickly away in chains.
"Thank you," Kushina said breathlessly, trembling. "I know she can heal." Jiraiya stared after the ROOT agent, hoping Kushina was right.
"I hope so," he said. "I really do."