Author's Note: Even if no one has asked about it yet, I'm going to address this topic now: I'm not going to include the whole "Zetsu can turn into another person, down to their chakra signature", mostly because I feel it would make this arc more complicated than it needs to be.
Anyway, enjoy the conclusion of the first day of battles:
Chapter 103:
Aftermath of the First Battle
or
Sibling Strife
Moon
When they exited the cave where the other end of the chakra portal was located, they were greeted with a sight not unlike earth: mountains, rivers, forests, the kind of environment you would see on Earth. Couple that with a blue sky with a sun bathing the lands above in its light, and one would think they didn't left Earth.
Of course, they didn't take long to realize that they weren't on the Moon's surface, but under it. And the sun that provided light wasn't the same sun that illuminated the Earth, but an artificial construct, probably created and/or powered with the Otsutsuki superweapon. When Hinata looked at it with the Tenseigan, she could see a chakra barrier surrounding it.
"The Otsutsuki superweapon must be there, but I have the feeling that charging headfirst will result in a messy death. We should better look around and try to gather information that may help us in our endeavor," she thought.
With the vast area of vision the Tenseigan provided her, Hinata found several villages around the place, and thus they decided to inspect one of them to see what they could find. Thanks to Sai's giant ink birds, they managed to arrive there in a minimal amount of time. For safety reasons, at Shisui's insistence, they decided to land in the outskirts of the village.
"You know, I told you that the village is completely empty," Hinata insisted. "There are no enemies waiting to ambush us."
"I know, but better safe than sorry," Shisui replied. "I know that your Tenseigan can see very far and nothing we know can hide from it, but there's no harm in being cautious."
"I agree with Shisui-san," Nori added. "This is the enemy's domain. Not just that, but we're very far away from the Earth and thus, there's no way of communication or getting any reinforcements. Let's watch our step."
"Understood. I know what's at stake," Hinata asured them. "Alright, I think we should split to cover more ground. The village isn't too big, so we won't be that far away from each other. Make sure there's always a ninja with you in case enemies appear. Everybody with a Byakugan, keep it active at all times in case Toneri's minions decide to pay us a visit."
They all nodded at Hinata's instructions, form small groups, and scattered around the abandoned village in search for clues.
Forests of the Land of Fire, Second Division Camp, nightime
As night fell over the Land of Fire, Kurotsuchi's Second Division had just finished setting up their camp for the night. The mood was, overall, cheerful. Despite the number of casualties has been higher than most would have expected, those who weren't mourning the loss of their comrades and friends were celebrating that the war started with a victory for the Ninja Alliance, calling it a sign of a good omen.
The wounded were being treated at the tents that formed the makeshift infirmary, and those assigned guard duty kept watch over the outskirts of the camp until their replacements would take their place in a couple hours. Those who were neither injured nor on watch duty were free to relax, eat something, and spend time with their friends if they were lucky enough to be in the same division as them.
The commander of the division, Kurotsuchi, had no such time to relax, unfortunately. As soon as the camp as set up, she had a ninja from the Yamanaka clan, wearing a helmet that concealed half his face which was connected to a machine, which would greatly expand the range of his abilities, link her up with HQ so she could deliver her report on the battle.
"Congratulations on your first victory as a commander, Kurotsuchi," Onoki's voice said in her head. "I knew you wouldn't disappoint us."
"Thanks, gramps. Though I just wish I could feel the same," Kurtosuchi replied. "I had the feeling that without Tsunade's intervention, the course of the battle would have been much different."
"What matters the most is the result of the battle," Jiraiya's voice intervened. "And that's that we won. Though that only means that the enemy is going to push back even harder now. Kurotsuchi, what information have you gathered on the enemy?"
"I think I'll need to write it down in order to include all the details, but I'll try to give you a summarized version. First of all, the White Zetsu clones. You said that the clones used in the attack on Konoha were all human looking, right?"
"Indeed. Though some of them could merge into a single creature to form a much stronger being," Jiraiya replied. "Did you encounter such variant?"
"None of my ninja reported such thing happening, though one of the Zetsu variants we fought was much larger than normal, with large muscles and additional limbs," Kurotsuchi began.
"Maybe they merged before the battle began?" a new voice, one belonging to an older woman, offered.
"I find that unlikely, Chiyo-san," Onoki replied. "Since my granddaughter alluded to more than one Zetsu variant."
"Right. Other than the larger ones, which we called Brutes, there were Zetsu clones whose right arms, and only the right arms, looked like some sort of mass of tangle vines with sacs, ending in a cannon shaped like a flower. They could fire projectiles made of compressed corrosive spores from great distance. We called those Snipers."
"We can only assume that the Zetsu are undergoing mutations in order to make them more specialized fighters," Jiraiya said. "Anything more?"
"Yes. Some Zetsu grew wings that allowed them to fly. Some of them call them Flyers. I call them Miserable Sons of Bitches," Kurtosuchi growled. "I was planning to oversee and direct the battle from above, but those fuckers completely wrecked my plans."
"An air force. As much as it's painful to admit, that's an smart choice on the enemy's part," Chiyo said.
"Though now that we know that, we can take the proper steps to counter it," Jiraiya said. "If that's all about the Zetsu, what about the reanimations? I believe there were many."
"Indeed. Ninjas from many villages, all of them with powerful Bloodline Limits," Kurtosuchi began. "We managed to capture and incapacitate about half of them before Tsunade's arrival, who took care of the other half. Then, using the Rinnegan's abilities, Tsunade was able to permanently destroy the ones my ninja were able to capture before."
"If I know Orochimaru, I'd dare to say that he didn't even send his strongest minions yet," Jiraiya contemplated. "And is merely testing the waters. I know from his attack on Konoha that he can resurrect former Kages. This time he might not be as inclined as to send them from the get go, and may save them for later."
Kurotsuchi rolled her eyes. If these ninja with Bloodline Limits that made a number on her forces was just Orochimaru testing his forces, she didn't want to imagine what she had to face when the Snake Sannin decided to go all out. She hoped that Tsunade would be close to lend her help. Still, she decided to bit her tongue.
"What are your orders, Supreme Commander?" Kurtosuchi asked.
"For the time being, remain there and hold your position," Jiraiya told her. "Send a warning if you're under attack again. I'll send you a toad if I need you to move your division or just a fraction of it. Now, you and your ninja should take a rest as long as peace lasts."
"Though, make sure you don't fall prey to night attacks!" Onoki reminded her in a mildly worried tone. "Those undead ninja can fight constantly without needing to rest, so Orochimaru may think in a night raid."
"Don't worry gramps, I already assigned many ninja to night guard shifts. I'm not new to this," Kurtosuchi said, rolling her eyes for a second time in a short span –and feeling thankful that her grandpa couldn't see her doing it–. "Kurotsuchi out."
As she felt the mental link vanish, Kurotsuchi exited the tent, and headed to get a much needed snack.
…
Kurotsuchi wasn't the only one who wanted to fill her stomach after spending so much energy and chakra just a few hours ago. Many ninjas were also enjoying an admittedly not all that tasty, but very nutritious dinner composed of ration bars, surrounding the many bonfires scattered around the campsite, illuminating the place with an orange light.
"First day of the Fourth Ninja War, and we're still alive," Matsuri mentioned, before taking a bite of her ration bar. "I guess if we can keep this up until the very end, we will be good."
Mikoshi and Yukata nodded, before the only boy of the team decided to share her thoughts.
"Easier said than done, given all the trouble Pakura gave Maki-sensei," Mikoshi spoke. "Not to mention the other reanimations. And we'll need to win battles without Tsunade's help. She can't be in every battlefield at once."
"Hey, we were doing pretty good, aren't we?" Yukata replied. "Why are you being such a downer?"
"I'm not being a downer, I'm being realist," Mikoshi insisted. "We barely-"
"Yukata is right, you now," a new voice said. The trio of Suna ninjas turned their heads at the source, and saw their sensei taking a seat close to them. "Keeping a high spirit is paramount to win a war. Your teammates need you at your best, Mikoshi-kun. Think how to best keep them alive, not how we're doomed."
"I... I will. Sorry, Maki-sensei," Mikoshi said, bowing his head.
"It's okay, no need to apologize. I know how you feel," Maki said. "You guys are young, and have been thursted into a war. It's normal to be afraid. What it's not acceptable is to wallow in fear. That's what your friends and teammates are for. You can rely on them whenever you need them."
"See? Everything's going to be okay as long as you have us to take care of you!" Matsuri said, as she ruffled the bespectacled boy's hair, in an attempt to lighten the mood, much to his annoyance.
"By the way, Matsuri, this is for you," Maki said, as she handed the brown haired girl a medium sized item wrapped in cloth.
After undoing the cloth wrapping, Matsuri's eyes gleamed with joy upon seeing what her sensei gave her.
"New vambraces!" Matsuri squealed, as she wasted no time and put them on, despite the fact that they weren't in battle.
"The supply caravan arrived not long ago. They brought us lots of new kunai, shuriken, body armors, and medical supplies. I asked if they also had vambraces, and fortunately, they also brought some," Maki explained.
"Thanks a lot, Maki-sensei!" Matsuri replied. "Don't worry, I'll make sure this ones last longer before they break."
Maki let out a weary sigh. "Please don't do that. Your life is worth much more than some mere forearm guards. If you need to break them to live, do so," the Suna Jonin said, before clearing her throat. "So, this was your first battle in a real war. How are you feeling right now?"
"I'm still a bit shaken from before, but I feel better now," Yukata replied.
"Same as Yukata-chan. I was kind of afraid. And I still am, since we'll be called into battle again," Matsuri replied. "Though I'm not as uneasy now as I was before the war began. I know what to expect now."
"I..." Mikoshi began, his lips quivering, sounding a bit hesitant. "...all the people dying around us... even if most of them were ninjas we didn't even know... it was horrifying."
"It is," Maki sadly agreed with a nod. "And before you ask, no, it doesn't get better the more you see it. If it does get any better, then you should start worrying."
"I see," the bespectacled boy said. "I was so glad I could keep that Kiri kunoichi alive until the real medics arrived the scene."
"You mean Ruka? Yes, I'm sure she's really grateful to you," Maki earnestly told him.
"Sensei, you fought in the Third War, did you?" Yukata asked. "You had to be around our age when that happened."
"You're right about your latter assesment, but no, I didn't fight during the Third War," Maki confessed, surprising her students. "I was a mere Genin, and Genin aren't allowed in the frontlines. At least, in Suna's case."
"And what did you do while it happened?" Mikoshi asked.
"Patrol the village alongside other Genin, and sometimes I was made part of the groups that provided escort to the supply caravans to the front lines," Maki explained. "It was a job I hated, and thought that I could do more in the front lines. Boy, was I naïve back then."
"It's normal to think that. After all the training we undergo in the Academy, and then under a Jonin-sensei... when we do small jobs even a civilian could do, it feels like our talents are being wasted," Mikoshi said. "Though a war might be going too much in the opposite direction."
"Exactly," Maki agreed, nodding.
"What do you think about us, sensei? Do you think we're ready?" Yukata asked.
Maki chuckled in response. "It's a bit late to be asking that, isn't it?" Maki asked, making Yukata look a bit uneasy. She did catch the hidden meaning behind that question, though. "As my students, keeping you alive is my responsibility, and sometimes I feel afraid that you might die out there, maybe because I didn't train you as well as I could, or because I'm not there to protect you. Today you three showed me it's not the case. In fact, I might have been the one biting the dust if it wasn't for your timely arrival."
"Yay! We're useful!" Yukata cheered. Maki smiling happily upon seeing that her words managed to soothe the raven haired girl.
"Of course we are. All of us did a good job during our first day of hell," Matsuri interceded. "Let's keep doing our best so we can help end this war as soon as possible!"
…
Meanwhile, not far away from there, another team was also enjoying some food in peace across another bonfire. One of those team members was also being in the company of his girlfriend, whom he hasn't been with in some time.
"So, how do you feel, Neji-kun?" the redhead asked.
"I'm fine. Just like I was the other five times you asked," Neji told Karin, trying to resist the urge to roll his eyes. "You treated me yourself. Do you doubt your medical capabilities so much?"
"I know. But you used the Celestial Gates. And your body is quite the wreck when you do that," Karin replied. "I want to make sure you're at your best."
"You can breathe in relief knowing that that's the case," Neji insisted. "Gai-sensei, though, might be a completely different story. He had to open up to five Gates. Not only did he need more medical attention, but he'll have to remain bedridden for the next day, at the very least."
Karin's expression turned into a scowl upon hearing that. "I don't like the Eight Gates at all. They may give you a power boost, but given the backlash, I'd say they aren't worth it."
"They can signify the difference between life and death," Neji rebuked. "I only try to use them as a last resort against opponents my current power and skill are not enough to beat."
"If you're looking for a power boost, why don't you ask Naruto to teach you Sage Mode? It's pretty neat, and carries almost no risk," Karin explained.
Naji quirked an eyebrow. "No risk? Didn't you say that you could turn into a statue if you don't control it properly?"
"Eh, that's mostly at the beginning," Karin said with a dismissive hand wave. "Once you learn to control the nature energy and properly mix it with your chakra, it's pretty easy."
"I'm afraid that, for the time being, that won't be an option, given that we're in the middle of a war," Neji replied. "But I may take on your offer once the war is won and we return home."
Karin seemed to be satisfied with her boyfriend's answer, and didn't press the issue any further, letting the two Konoha ninjas fall into a comfortable silence. Ghey spend a couple minutes watching the fire and enjoying their food. Once Karin finished, she took out a paper and a pencil from her backpack, and started to write something.
"What are you writing?" Neji asked, noticing what his girlfriend was doing.
"Writting a letter to my mom, just so she can know that I'm fine," Karin told him. "Though I won't be able to tell her about the details of this battle. Mail is screened to avoid intelligence leaks."
"Wait, why are you writing her? Isn't she part of the Medical Division?" the Hyuga asked. "I remember she told me she works at the hospital as a medic-nin."
Karin shook her head. "Mom knows some healing jutsu, and her chakra has the same regenerative properties as mine, but unlike me she isn't a medic ninja, but a normal medic. Normal medics aren't made part of the army, so she was left in Konoha, working at the hospital. And truth be told, I'm glad for that. That way I won't have to worry about her when I'm in the battlefield."
"She will worry about you as long as the war lasts, though," Neji pointed out.
"I know. That's why I'm writing her," Karin said, this time she being the one repressing an urge to roll her eyes. "Though, now that you bring the topic, what about your dad? I think he's here, right? As in, here in the war, not here in the same division as us."
"He's part of the First Division, alongside Hikari-sama," Neji replied. "While I do worry about him like any son would, I'm confident in his ability and skill to get out of every battle alive. Not that he's alone, though. He had many comrades to rely on."
Karin nodded, as she continued writing her letter to her mother, with Neji sometimes stopping her to ask what she was writing in particular, and even offering some input about what she could tell M ariko. After that, Neji and Karin continued talking with each other until they were too tired to remain awake, and returned to their respective beds.
…
"Today, you used the Rinnegan for the first time in real combat, Tsunade-sama," Shizune observed, as she adjusted the microscope "How was it?"
Tsunade and Shizune were alone in one of the many medical tents that had been used before to attend injured ninjas. Now that the tent was free, Tsunade had her first apprentice do a check on her body, to see if there was any negative side effect. Konan's words about how only a selected few could use the Rinnegan never ceased echoing in her head. Technically, she was among those selected few, but better safe than sorry.
"So far, I didn't feel any different than before," Tsunade said. "Rinnegan jutsu puts a heavy toll on my chakra pools, but as long as I use the Preta Path to keep them full, I believe there's no risk."
"That's something that intrigues me," Shizune continued, as she began her analysis. "How can you do that? You aren't an universal chakra receptor. You shouldn't be able to absorb chakra like that."
"Maybe the Rinnegan converts the foreign chakra to match mine before it's absorbed into my body?" the Slug Princess guessed, though not even she was too convinced about her hypothesis. "I mean, it works, and that's what matters."
"So you didn't suffer any form of exhaustion," Shizune told her.
"I already told you I didn't," Tsunade replied. "Hell, those punks weren't able to land a single hit on me. This little eye is sure something."
"Careful, Tsunade-sama. You don't want to go mad with power, do you?" Shizune advised, though there was a hint of mockery in her tone.
The blond Sannin rolled her eyes. "You know that I take little joy in fighting. I only volunteered to get that eye because I'm the the best one to take on that burden," Tsunade insisted. "Once the war is over, this eye will go into the fire, and I'll get my original eye back. And enough chitchat, focus on your job, Shizune."
"I'm doing that right now," Shizune replied, adjusting the microscope. "Red blood cells seem to be okay, as long as leucocytes... triclicerides are at a normal level and... wait, what's that?"
Worry crept through Tsunade's back as she heard Shizune say that. "What?"
"There's... some sort of unknown enzyme here!" Shizune said, as she increased the focus of the microscope.
"An unknown enzyme? What is it doing? It is a benign or malign one?" Tsunade asked, sounding more worried.
"No, wait, it's not unknown. It's similar to another enzyme present in both Rin and the White Zetsu clones," Shizune said, as she continued her observation. "And it's... it's doing the same thing as that other enzyme. It's taking dead cells, and using them to create new cells."
"But... that's..." Tsunade began.
"Yes. The basis of your grandfather's regeneration, which also slowed down aging," Shizune said. "As we speak, those enzymes are rejuvenating your body."
"Wow... that's... but wait, that can't be the Rinnegan's doing, right?" Tsunade asked. Then, a realization hit her. "Of course! Those Zetsu guys I kept draining of their chakra!"
"How many of them did you drain, Tsunade-sama?" Shizune asked.
"Hell if I know, I stopped counting after twenty five," Tsunade nonchalantly said, shrugging. "Still, this is a wonderful news. Can you tell if the change is permanent, or it will fade over time?"
"I can't tell right now. I'd need to make periodic checks during a long period in which you don't absorb anymore chakra from those Zetsu, something you won't do as long as the war lasts," Shizune said. "Though I'm inclined to think it might be permanent. We know those Zetsu clones were made from your grandfather's DNA, and you're his direct descendant. It is possible that your Senju chakra assimilated the chakra of the Zetsu clones and acquired some of its capabilities."
Tsunade walked to a nearby table with medical instruments on it, and grabbed a small scalpel.
"Let's make a small experiment," Tsunade said, as she made a small cut on the palm of her hand. Blood started to trickle. As both women watched, they saw that the wound didn't close, and blood continued flowing. Eventually, Tsunade healed the wound herself with the Mystical Palm Jutsu. "No regeneration. Rin would take less than a minute to heal such a small wound."
"Hey, you just absorbed them today, maybe the healing factor hasn't set already," Shizune said. "If you drain more, you may accelerate the effect."
"And it may reverse the permanent damage cause to my body by my Creation Rebirth," Tsunade said in awe, before she smiled again. "Heh, I had a feeling it was me who had to get this eye. I'm never going to ignore my gut feeling ever again."
…
Karin wasn't the only member of Shizune's Medical Squad taking advantage of their deployment to spend time with her boyfriend, as Sasuke and Sakura were also making each other company while resting in front of a large bonfire.
Before that, the pinkette spent quite some time healing the youngest Uchiha's wounds from his battle, which prompted her to ask what did he do to end up so bruised and beaten up. Sasuke told Sakura about his fight alongside Itachi against the resurrected Akashi Sutoku, and his deadly and destructive Plasma Release Bloodlimit.
"So, you had to fight a guy that carried the Bloodline Limit you tried to emulate," Sakura recounted. "There's no way that can be a coincidence."
"Yes. Some might say that fate has a strange sense of humor," Sasuke replied humorlessly.
Sakura merely shook her head and smiled. "Come on, don't be that mad. You already beat that guy, isn't that what matters?"
"Itachi did most of the job," Sasuke complained. "I was mostly in the way. If I could only control the Mangekyo Sharingan better..."
"That's not what you just told me," Sakura countered. "Weren't you the one who risked his life to put that guy under a genjutsu, which allowed your brother to deal the killing blow?"
"I wouldn't have needed to do that if I had a better hang of my powers," Sasuke repeated again. "We might –no , we will fight against even stronger opponents in the future. And a clumsy improvised tactic won't be enough then. I need to fight alongside Itachi as his equal, not be a burden for him to protect."
Sakura frowned, and crossed her arms. "Sasuke, that's not true," she said in a somehwat chastising tone. "And I'm sure Itachi doesn't see you that way."
"Itachi doesn't see me through an unbiased perspective. He's my older brother. Plus, whatever he thinks doesn't matter if it stands opposed to the truth," Sasuke replied.
Sakura sighed, and decided that her boyfriend was way too stubborn to make him change his opinion on himself. If she wanted to help him, she'll have to take a different approach to the Uchiha's problem.
"Does the Mangekyo Sharingan still makes you relieve..." she swallowed a little, as she herself shivered at the memory, despite the fact that she wasn't even there. "...that moment three years ago?"
"Yes. Shisui told me that the flashbacks would cease once I learned to forgive myself. But no matter what I do, they persist," Sasuke said, drifting his gaze down.
"You still feel guilty for that, huh?" Sakura said, placing a finger under her chin. "Did you talk with Naruto about the incident?"
"Many times. He told me that he understands why I did what I did, that I didn't have any other options, and that he would have done the same have our roles been reversed," Sasuke replied.
"Did Itachi and Shisui told you what they did to forgive themselves in order to soothe their consciences?" Sakura continued.
"Shisui swore to use the power he had awakened to help others, and to be the best person he could be. Itachi said that, while he will mourn father and all the Uchihas he killed, he didn't regret his actions since they were for the good of the village, and continues to serve the village as best as he can as a proud Konoha ninja," Sasuke said almost mechanically. Sakura guessed he was repeating what his cousing and older brother had told him without understanding it much.
"And knowing that, what have you done then?" Sakura asked.
Sasuke turned at Sakura, and looked as if somebody had dropped on his head a bucket of ice cold water.
"What do you mean what I have done?" Sasuke repeated.
"You told me what Itachi and Shisui did. Did you do anything in particular? Any kind of resolution or vow?" Sakura asked.
Sasuke took a few moments to gather his thoughts before he could answer, despite his answer couldn't be any shorter. "No," was all he said.
"Maybe that's the problem? That you lack a clear goal to set your mind to. Something that will set you on a path to redemption," Sakura explained.
"But, what I'm supposed to do? I already told you that neither Naruto nor his family are mad at me and understand what I did! According to them, I have nothing to atone for!" Sasuke replied, his frustration building up. "Unlike Itachi and Shisui, I awakened the Mangekyo Sharingan without killing anybody, either directly or indirectly, yet I'm the one having the most trouble getting over it! It would be almost comical if it wasn't so frustrating!"
"Yes, it looks like it. And I can tell that you aren't somebody who doesn't deal with good with frustration," Sakura pointed out. "Though, if you want my opinion on the issue, I think you're tackling this backwards."
"What do you mean, backwards?" Sasuke asked.
"Don't you see? You're so focused on getting over the side effects of the Mangekyo Sharingan, that you can't see the path in front of you. Take a look at what your brother and Shisui did. They overcame their trauma of the Mangekyo Sharingan not because they aimed to do that, but as a side effect of setting a different goal. Try to emulate them. Set a goal. And you'll see how in the end, you can leave that moment behind."
"Then what could be my goal? Be a better person?" Sasuke asked. "Am I not good enough?"
"You're a wonderful person, Sasuke-kun. But once again, you're tackling this from the wrong angle," Sakura insisted. "Forget about the Mangekyo Sharingan. Do a little introspection. Look inside yourself, and the solution will appear before you."
"You make it sound so easy," Sasuke said.
"I know it's not. I'm not even an Uchiha, so I can't even begin to imagine what you must be going through," Sakura replied. "I'm only making educated guesses based on what I know about you and your clan."
That comment made Sasuke smirk a little. "You were always quite the smartass."
"And proud of it!" Sakura said in a faux-haughty tone. "Though, if this troubles you so much, maybe you should talk about it with your brother. Where is he, by the way?" Sakura asked, looking around, expecting Sasuke's older brother to be sat near him.
"Itachi doesn't have that much time to spare with me lately," Sasuke said, as he narrowed his eyes at a certain point.
Sakura followed his gaze, and finally located Itachi on another bonfire. He was talking with a young Hyuga woman, probably the same age as him. They were sitting very close to each other, not unlike Sasuke and Sakura, and talking and laughing together. The two of them appeared to be having a nice time. It wasn't hard for the pinkette to notice that something more than mere friendship was building between them.
"She's cute. I think they make a nice couple," Sakura said, smiling at the sight. "Do you know her?"
"Natsu Hyuga. Former Branch House member. Chunin of average ability. She mostly worked as escort and caretaker of the younger Main House Hyugas, such as Hinata and Hanabi," Sasuke said, as his eyes glared daggers at the woman sharing a good time with his brother.
Such hostility didn't go unnoticed to the pinkette. "Whoa there! I only said if you know her, not her professional record! Plus, why do you act as if she's your natural enemy? Has she behaved in an unpleasant way to you or something?"
"No, not really. She's been nothing but polite and gentle towards me," Sasuke replied, his voice almost growling.
"That doesn't make sense. Come on Sasuke, do you think that-" Sakura was about to say, before she stopped herself as a realization dwaned upon her. Her mouth curved into a wide, cheeky grin. "Ohhhhhh, I see what's going on here. You dislike that woman because he stole your brother from you, don't you?"
Sasuke frowned upon hearing the pinkette's suggestion. "Don't be ridiculous. Do you think I'd indulge in such childish behavior?"
Sakura's eyebrow arched even more. "Do you really want me to answer that question, Sasuke-kun?" his gilrfriend asked in a half mocking, half taunting tone. "Come on Sasuke-kun, that 'I'm so stoic and don't give a damn about anything' façade you put on might fool others, but you can't fool somebody who has been with you for so long. Especially as close as we are now. Deep down, you're somebody who wears his emotions on his sleeve."
"I think you're mistaking me for somebody else," Sasuke replied, crossing his arms, as he averted his gaze in annoyance. "Blond, whisker marks, loud and obnoxious. Some girlfriend you are if you mistake me with him."
"Har har," Sakura pretended to laugh. "Yes, Naruto is also somebody very earnest, the only difference is that he doesn't bother to hide it. Deep down, he and you aren't that different. And right now, you're mad that somebody else is hogging your precious brother's time from you."
"What do you know? You're an only child," Sasuke spat back.
"Perhaps. But like I said before, I'm quite smart, and I have eyes," Sakura insisted. "You always told me how Itachi was always there for you, as long as he wasn't busy with a mission. I believe that the fact that Itachi only spent time with you made you take him for granted."
Sasuke didn't say anything, but Sakura found his silence pretty telling. At least, until Sasuke decided to say something.
"Maybe I do," Sasuke finally admitted. "When I was little, Itachi was the person I admired the most. And I still do. However, he was always busy with high profile missions and training, and I could barely spend time with him. Then the Uchiha Insurrection... happened," Sasuke said, flinching a little upon recalling that memory. "And Itachi went from being my older brother and my role model to being everything I had, alongside Shisui. I noticed that, even if Itachi's workload wasn't any smaller, especially after becoming the Hokage's spymaster, he made more effort to spend time with me."
Sakura placed a comforting hand on her boyfriend's shoulder. "Come on Sasuke-kun, that woman isn't going to steal your brother from you. Shisui-san married Shizune-sensei, and you have me. Don't you think your brother deserves to have somebody special too?"
"I suppose he does," Sasuke admitted.
"Plus, how would you feel if Itachi was mad at me for dating you?" Sakura continued. Sasuke didn't say anything, he merely let out an unintelligible grunt of annoyance. "Yeah, thought so."
"I hope you don't suggest me to befriend her next," Sasuke said, dreading the answer.
"Why not? She and Itachi might end up dating after the war is over. Wouldn't be the most logical action to try to at the very least, try to be on good terms with her? Otherwise, your relationship with your brother is going to suffer as a result," Sakura told him, making the Uchiha to sigh. And his reaction make Sakura frown. "Come on Sasuke-kun, don't be such a sourpuss! You said she's pretty nice, right?"
"She is," he confirmed.
"Then try to put those childish thoughts and try to get along with her," Sakura said, as her face iluminated when an idea dawned upon her. "Oh, I know! When we have time, the four of us should go on a double date! That way, not only you'll get to know Natsu better, but you can also spend time with your brother while we're at it! What do you think?"
"That... doesn't sound half bad."
Sasuke's underwhelming response made Sakura stand up and scowl, as she placed both fists on her hips.
"Not that bad? That's all what you have to say?" she complained.
Sasuke, however, managed to smile a little. "Good. It's, indeed, a good idea. Befitting a smartass of your caliber."
Sakura's scowl disappeared, replaced by a happy smile. She sat alongside Sasuke once again, and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "That's what I wanted to hear."
…
Not far from there, the aforementioned older Uchiha brother was also enjoying some relaxing time with a girl he had hopes she would become his significant other. Still, Itachi didn't hold his breath. Despite he and Natsu clicked from the very beginning, he was aware that it was the conflict around them that brought them together, and wasn't sure if the relationship would continue during times of peace.
That didn't mean that neither Itachi nor Natsu were going to enjoy each other's company for the time being, though.
"How are you doing, Itachi?" Natsu asked. "I heard from the medic-nins that they spent quite some time with you."
Itachi smiled reassuringly at her. "Nothing too serious. Just a case of chakra exhaustion. The fight against the Sutoku reanimation pushed me to my limits."
"I can't imagine what it has to be fighting against somebody of that power, who on top of that regenerates endlessly and has an infinite supply of chakra," Natsu commented, shaking her head. "That jutsu with the fireballs raining from the sky was his, right?"
Itachi nodded. "Indeed. He was a nightmare to deal with. I shiver to think of the ninjas who fought that clan way back in the Warring States Period. Not just one, but a whole clan of them."
"But in the end, you won!" Natsu added, hoping to cheer Itachi up.
The Uchiha smiled, and nodded. "I won indeed. Though admittedly, I don't think if I could have won if it wasn't for my foolish little brother's stunt."
"Foolish? What did he do?" Natsu asked.
"He managed to figure out how that last jutsu worked and how he could exploit it to our advantage. But doing so involved running through a zone where those meteors fell non-stop," Itachi explained. Natsu gasped, and covered her mouth with her hands. "Don't worry, he's okay. I made sure nothing bad happened to him."
Natsu exhaled in relief. "That boy is sure reckless."
"That, he is. I think he was counting on me to realize what was going on, and fortunately for both, I did, and between the two of us we managed to defeat him," Itachi replied, before letting out a sigh. "I think I need to have a talk with Sasuke about doing something like that again in case we're forced to face such a formidable enemy."
"It was risky indeed. But if in the end you got the desired result... isn't that what matters?" Natsu asked. Itachi's eyes looked at her with genuine surprise. "Sometimes, the safe path isn't the best route. Sometimes... you need to take a risk if you want to gain something."
Itachi chuckled in response, making the Hyuga frown a little.
"Did you find anything I said funny?" Natsu asked. "Or do I look like the kind of person who doesn't like risks?"
"The latter," Itachi admitted. "I'm sorry if my assumption offended you."
"No, it's okay. I don't look the part, do I?" Natsu replied, chuckling as she relaxed a little. "I confess that I'm not somebody who took many risks in my life. Not that I had the chance to take them, given the circumastances of my birth. But I did see others taking risks, some of them for my sake and others in the same situation. If it wasn't for them, I would still be a slave in all but name to the Main House."
"You talk about the recent reforms of the Hyuga Clan under Hinata," Itachi pointed out.
Natsu nodded. "Hiashi-sama was a good clan head. Strong and competent, who wanted to keep our clan as powerful as it was. But even if he knew that the clan division was wrong, he was too afraid to upset the status quo. The Hyuga was a clan attached to traditions, and believed that making reforms of such scale would cause infighting."
"And weaken the clan from the inside," Itachi continued, earning a nod from the Hyuga.
"Exactly. However, Hikari-sama and Hinata-sama knew that the clan couldn't be strong if it continued divided as it was. They worked to undo that division, first by abolishing the Branch and Main houses altogether, earning the ire from our more traditionalist clanmates," Natsu explained. "And then we took an even greater risk when we allowed Hinata-sama to use her new power on us so she could remove the Caged Bird Cursed Seal. But in the end, both risks paid off."
"I'm glad that they did. I did hear that life as a Branch House member was awful," Itachi observed.
"It was," Natsu confirmed.
"But sometimes, risks are too great, and not worth the potential reward," Itachi began. "My clan took the risk of launching a coup d'etat against Konoha, hoping that it would allow them to claim the respect and power they were owed. Not only did it fail, resulting in most of the clan wiped out, but it greatly weakened Konoha as well. Hell, Konoha would have been weakened anyway had the coup been successful."
Natsu shook her head. "Those situations couldn't be more different. The Branch House was genuinely oppressed under the Main House. The Uchihas just wanted more power. And accept my apologies for badmouthing your dead clansmen."
"Apologies accepted, but they weren't needed to begin with, since you only spoke the truth," Itachi replied. "What I'm saying is... is a risk worth taking, if the price are the lives of many people?"
"It would depend on the risk. And the lives. Are they willing to take the risk, or is that choice taken from them?" Natsu replied with a question of her own. "I think one is free to risk their own life as they see fit, but shouldn't endanger the life of others."
"That's a good answer, I admit," Itachi replied. "But would you agree with a loved one putting their life at risk, regardless of how good the outcome may be?"
"You were afraid of losing your little brother, aren't you?" Natsu guessed. "It's normal that you feel that way. I don't have siblings, but I can't imagine-"
"It's not just that," Itachi cut her, shaking his head. "After losing Mother and Father... Sasuke is all what I have. The only thing that could be saved from the old Uchiha Clan. After I failed to stop the insurrection from happening, I had no option but quell it by cutting half my clansmen down, including my own father. I just can't let more Uchihas, much less my own brother, to meet their end before their time comes. I... I can't do it. I try not to let my worry show up in front of him but-"
"Shhhh..." Natsu whispered, interrupting the Uchiha as she moved close to him and placed her arms around his shoulders. "It's okay, Itachi. Like I said, it's perfectly normal to feel afraid for your brother. He's young and confident, and his strength and skill might make him overestimate his abilities. But I saw him in action, and he's as powerful as you are."
"Not as powerful as you think. He still has trouble mastering the Mangekyo Sharingan, and his inability to overcome the trauma that awakened it it's driving him mad," Itachi explained, before he let out a weary sigh. "This is why I didn't want him to awaken the Mangekyo Sharingan, since I feared it would cause Sasuke more troubles than it's worth. I'm afraid that he isn't in the best state of mind to be in the middle of a war."
"You mastered yours. Didn't you offer him some advice?" Natsu asked.
"Both Shisui and I did. Though, in this matter, it's something he has to figure out himself. Our advice can only help him so much," Itachi explained.
"You are pretty close, aren't you?" Natsu asked. "Especially after such... tragedy."
"Maybe not as close as he'd want. Our relationship has a been a little complicated since then," Itachi explained. "Though I want to believe things have been getting progressively better."
"I do believe they got better to," Natsu replied with a nod. "That would explain why your brother hates how I'm spending so much time with you."
"Yeah, that would- wait, what?" Itachi interrupted himself. "Sasuke hates you? When did you get that idea?"
"His disposition towards me has been pretty cold. He wants to be civil, but can't suppress his hostility completely," Natsu explained, much to Itachi's consternation.
"Was he rude to you? Did he tell you to get away from me or something like that?" Itachi asked, fearing the answer.
Natsu, however, merely laughed. "No, not at all. I think that deep down, he knows he's being silly. But he's doing a poor job hiding it. In fact, he's been glaring at me for quite some time. Much to the annoyance of his girlfriend."
"What?" Itachi asked again, as he looked at where Sasuke was. It appeared that Sasuke noticed, and quickly pretended he was looking elsewhere. And just like Natsu said, Sakura was trying to keep his attention on her. He let out a sigh, and shook his head. "That boy... I think I'll have to talk with him about us."
"Don't be too rough on him. I'm sure that he'll warm up to me in time," Natsu insisted. "But I do believe he does want your attention. Maybe he feels safer if he thinks his big brother is close? Though, now that I think about the stunt he pulled earlier, maybe he wants to impress you and earn your admiration?"
"Sasuke already has that, and he knows it. Or he should know," Itachi replied. "One way or another, I better talk to him soon. At least, before we're deployed for another battle."
Author's Note: And thus concludes the first day of the Fourth Ninja War. A couple chapters of battles followed by a chapter of the good guys resting up and reflecting on what's going on. That way, I can also let the readers some time to rest between so much action. Still, I might deviate from this format from time to time.
It's always nice to have the chance to write more Itachi/Natsu. I introduced this couple so late, I was afraid I wouldn't have any time to give it proper focus and development. And given that this is one of the few couples this fanfic has pioneered, well, I think it dereves it, don't you think? Plus I do think they have a pretty nice chemistry.
It's also been a while since the last time I did any Sasuke/Sakura. It's a couple I'm not crazy about (mostly because I don't enjoy writing Sakura that much) and that I'm not sure if I'm writing them right. I still hope I'm doing a good job with them. I'd say "or at least, better than what Kishimoto did with them", but that's not a very high bar to clear, don't you think?
Thanks to Ookami88 for betareading this chapter.
Next chapter, we'll see Mei Terumi's Third Division. There will be plenty of cool fights, but there's one in particular I've been dying to finally upload. In the meantime, don't forget to leave a reviews with your thoughts on this chapter! Reviews make me really, really, really happy!