4
-Traitors-
Land of Tundra
Yume was ready to slip underground at any moment, keeping a sense of the smoke in case Reina decided to make easy work of her opponent. She located the defector at the epicenter of the pitch black dome as the top spread open, flooding the gas bowl with silver light.
"Alone at last!" Reina remarked boastfully. Though she played it off, she was unable to hide the limp nature of the arm Neji incapacitated. "Tell me young Uchiha, do you enjoy living in Konoha? You can be honest, your friends can't hear us."
Yume met her gaze, "I love my village. What do you want?"
"Shame. I hoped you wouldn't blindly follow the 'Will of Flame' or whatever those geezers call it. Don't you yearn for freedom?"
The Uchiha removed the red whip from around her waist, "I don't know what you're talking about. I have freedom."
"Do you really, though?" Yume didn't understand. "I'm talking about true freedom, sweetie. The freedom to obtain any power, all the power you wish. The power of immortality, even. You're an Uchiha; one of the most renowned clans in history. Your kind produced the god-ninja Madara. Hah, now he was free."
"Save the speech. You're a traitor, and we're going to take you back or kill you trying."
"Hmh. Have it your way, child." Reina pressed her back into the smoke, engulfed in its wispy grasp before reappearing from the opposite wall.
Yume spun around, eyes ablaze with spinning sharingan. The ocular power delivered ultra-fine detail, slowing Reina's movements as she tried to swipe her legs with a low kick.
Jumping, Yume palmed off the woman's platinum head with blade in hand. Something caught her ankle however, cutting the deadly swing short as it tossed her into the middle of the arena with a snowy thud. Recovering in a single fluid roll, Yume found a smoky tentacle sinking back into the wall.
"You didn't really think I'd play fair, did you?" Reina lunged, and their kunai interlocked in a flash of sparks. "I do want to talk with you though. My master just loves Uchiha. Especially the young and powerful ones. Think about it. You seem strong now, but we could make you a goddess."
"Eat shit." Yume pulled on hidden wires connected to her red banded forearms, yanking a volley of shuriken from where she crashed. Reina hastily threw intercepting senbon as a paper bomb was slapped onto her spine.
"You bitch!" The traitor jumped through her fog wall, coming out the other side as the paper erupted in muffled flames. Right arm dangling, Reina seared into the Leaf jonin's crimson gaze with growing hatred.
"Had enough yet? It'll be hard to get answers out of you if you're dead."
Reina lunged straight at Yume with a snarl, nimbly slipping under her whip to engage in hand to hand. The Uchiha was quick, bruising Reina's eye with a kick before slashing the back of her leg. But the rogue was well versed and well-seasoned. She eventually worked past the tight guard, beating Yume in the head with her knee.
A few more bouts and she stood over the girl slumped to the ground. Not yet defeated, Yume made a valiant effort with that iridescent kunai of hers, slicing open her bad arm. Reina slapped it away with unflinching superiority. "Foolish child. We could have given you power you haven't even dreamt of. But you'd rather give your life to those fat, hypocritical imbeciles. At least I'll get your eyes…"
Using her good arm, Reina lifted Yume's blade from the bloodied powder, turning it against her. "You don't need them anymore."
The traitor pointed it toward the corner of her onyx eye, stopped mere inches away. Confused, she pushed and pushed but the curved edge never reached Yume's socket. She tossed the kunai away and reached with her fingers but again she was incapable of touching the girl.
A petrifying grip overcame her. She strained to escape and attempted to shout. No sound escaped her lips, "You see, the thing about arrogance is that it tends to make you underestimate people. Put yourself on a high enough pedestal and it becomes impossible to see the people you think are below for what they truly are. And I am no child."
Trapped in a crippling genjutsu of the sharingan, fear spread Reina's features. Maybe she subconsciously heard Yume's tender steps as they approached her body in the real world, felt the reflection of the moon on that pearlescent curved blade drawing near. Whatever the case, Yume was close and unaware that the woman's ability still had a mind of its own.
The toxic smog collapsed around the kunoichi like an avalanche, forcing her to abandon the traitor with the use of earth style tunneling. Erupting from beneath the snow much like her opponent had, Yume joined the safety of her comrades.
She sighed as they watched the smog disburse. When it was gone so too was their adversary. Yume stabbed the ground, "Damn it, I had her!"
Despite the stab wound, Kiken was the first to fall at her side. "Are you okay?!"
"I'm fine, what about you? You need medical attention."
Kiken grinned, baring her fangs, "I'm fine."
Yume sheathed her specialized weapon, bowing her head to their captain, "I'm sorry, Neji… I failed."
He laid a hand on the Uchiha's shoulder, "You did not fail, Yume. You're alive, that's what matters. You nearly beat her on your own, a veteran jonin. Put it out of your mind, we will have more chances to find these rogue-nin."
"You scared the hell out of us," the horned shinobi rebuked. "You didn't breathe any of that in, right? What happened?"
"No, no, I'm fine you little elf. I caught her in my sharingan after riling her up a bit. But that smoke… It's like it knew she was in trouble. The jutsu came down as soon as she noticed I had her. She must be practiced against the sharingan, though still too full of herself to resist it. Where did she go? Do you see her Neji?"
His dojutsu flared and, after a moment of searching, subsided. "She's heading east. I'm sure she'll diverge back to whatever path leads toward her superiors. For now, we have enough information for the Leaf. Reina's very existence here proves the suspicions in the Glass file, plus you can divulge what transpired during your duel. If we chase her now we risk being outmanned. At any rate, Minato needs to know as soon as possible. There may be war on the horizon."
·:·:·:·:·.·:·:·:·:·
Leaving the Land of Fire's capital, Team 7 decided to walk home to Konoha. There was no great need to rush, actually they preferred the time as it allowed them to bond and decompress, to absorb what has occurred while leaving room for critical thought still fresh from the assignment.
Aside from minor conversation about what was learned from their secret espionage on the Fire and Lightning Daimyo, the way was oddly quiet. Though Naruto already confided in Sasuke about what happened as a result of Konohamaru's meddling, the Uzumaki was adamant about talking with his romantic interest directly.
They soon arrived at their village Thursday afternoon, heading straight for the Hokage's office. The heavy ornamented doors swung inward to reveal Minato outfitted in long blue. His white and fire coat hung on the back of the chair he rose from, "Ah! Welcome back Naruto! Sasuke, Hinata, always nice to see you. You had no trouble protecting our Daimyo, I see."
As he stood beside the old seat, the team approached his U-shaped desk. Naruto started, "Well, we were ambushed by four mercenaries looking to ransom him. The Forest Siblings apparently. Otherwise, we had no trouble."
"I see." Even in the safety of his own office the Kage lowered his voice, "And what of your secondary directive?"
Sasuke glanced at his comrades, "It seems there's some sort of rising power in the east. The far east, across the sea. Somewhere close to the Land of Iron, from what we could tell."
"I was able to read their lips during the meeting," Hinata continued. "The Daimyo discussed a deeper alliance between our nations and some semblance of a mutual protection pact. Toward the end Ikkyu informed Lord Tekkan about this hidden force. The lands of Tundra, Iron and Wolves have all reported disturbances of ninja activity. They are very unhappy about the invasion and seem to be pointing the finger toward us. Not just Konoha, but the ninja population as a whole. Mainly the five great nations."
Minato nodded, mulling over the kunoichi's summary. "This confirms it. Thank you Hinata, Sasuke. You've helped solidify just how bold this rising power has become. If the Daimyo are concerned, well, we best prepare ourselves."
Naruto was confused, "You already knew?"
His father stopped, approaching one of the drawers behind his wooden desk, "As I'm sure you are already aware, this is highly classified information very few know of." Minato reached into the drawer and, after a soft click, lifted a scroll from the lowest compartment. "This is an updated list of our own who have… left us, under suspicious circumstances. Chronologically."
-Under the Glass-
Uchiha Aoto (jonin male; MIA) – (Cpt.) Cell B9
Uchiha Yushin (jonin male; MIA) – Cell B9
Iwate Reina (jonin female; MIA) – Solo
Uchiha Nanami (chunin female; KIA) – Squad H4
Naito Daiki (chunin male; KIA) – Squad H4
Nara Yurina (jonin female; MIA) – (ANBU) Solo
Uchiha Hideo (jonin male; KIA) – (Cpt.) Squad F7
Uchiha Shiori (chunin female; KIA) – Squad F7
Uchiha Kosai (chunin male; KIA) – Squad F7
Kudo Haruma (chunin male; KIA) – Squad F7
Cell B9 (2 units; both suspect): Stealth cell deployed to investigate Hidden Sand operations. Last seen nine years prior to this recording.
Iwate Reina – Solo: Recon unit sent to inspect Hidden Mist operations. Last seen seven years prior to this recording.
Squad H4 (4 units; 2 suspect): Relief squad to assist Hidden Cloud allies in Land of Lightning. Last seen five years prior to this recording.
Nara Yurina – Solo: En route to intelligence assignment in the Land of Water; "captured." Last seen five years prior to this recording.
Squad F7 (4 units; all suspect): Jinchuuriki escort assignment. Last seen four years prior to this recording.
"You'll noticed the timeframe steadily escalates then ceases. While it's understood that not everyone on this list may be guilty, there are possibly more who are not on this list. It's suspected that something is not quite right with the circumstances surrounding these individuals. Their disappearances or apparent deaths surround deeper conspiracies. Beginning with the brothers Aoto and Yushin of the Uchiha clan and ending with Hideo's squad, both involving Sunagakure."
"My father knew those men," Sasuke lamented with a scowl. "You think Suna has something to do with this too?"
"It seems possible. Likely even, after our involvement in their jinchuuriki's bloody rampage four years ago."
Naruto held the scroll so that his friends could see clearly, aghast at what he read. "I… Hideo, Shiori… They could be alive? After what happened?"
Minato made a neutral expression, "It is best not to allow ourselves to be surprised."
"So the concern is that this rising power may be led or at least supported by rogue Leaf shinobi… and the Sand, too?"
Minato nodded at the Hyuga.
"Is that why you sent Neji out there with Kiken and Yume?" Naruto asked. "To investigate a lead?"
"It is," his father admitted solemnly. "The samurai contacted me directly, as I'm sure they did with every Kage. They sent a contact to question me about the invasion of their territory. It was very covert. I informed them that Konoha has no involvement and that a full investigation is underway. The mission was also a test for the young Uchiha, since there seems to be a pattern."
The idea ignited Sasuke, "What are you suggesting?"
Their Hokage leveled an honest look at the bereft jonin. "A pattern of betrayal for one reason or another by members of the Uchiha clan. We don't suspect the clan as a whole, but our data is disturbing."
"There are others not of my clan on this list," he rebutted. "The Uchiha have no intentions of betraying the Leaf. This is our home too. We helped found it!"
"I understand, young Sasuke. But you know we must always be cautious of those we trust. It is often the ones we would never suspect who stab us in the back. There is good news, however. We know Yume is trustworthy. At least for now."
Team 7 traded a look as Minato continued, "I assigned her to Neji's team to search for these defectors with a purpose in mind. Yume is a very capable young woman, but I needed to test her will and true allegiance. I began with her because younger ninja are more susceptible to being seduced, bribed, or tempted by others. She was a valuable shinobi to test; I needed to see if this corruption was widespread.
"For the time being that doesn't seem to be the case. The three of them returned to us yesterday, and it was Yume who was forced to face one of the rogue-nin alone; the woman named Iwate Reina on that list. Her existence provides the Glass file with legitimacy. Apparently they have a thirst for the power of the sharingan and mentioned something about achieving immortality. She tried to convince Yume to join them and wanted to steal her eyes when she refused. Though much of this occurred within the young Uchiha's genjutsu. The information she provided us is invaluable and would not have been as fruitful if we had sent someone of separate descent."
Sasuke seemed impressed, though agitated. "Yume is a talented ninja. Tell me, who else do you wish to test? Me? My brother? Who else do you suspect?"
Naruto eyed him, "Sasuke."
"No, I want to know. How far does this go, Hokage-sama?"
Minato regarded him with what looked like sadness. His son noticed now that he seemed exhausted, "It is my duty to protect the Leaf. Even if that means protecting it from itself. I trust you. Your brother is in the ANBU, I find it unlikely he's a traitor either. But tell me, what would you do in my position, Sasuke? What if Itachi turned? If he turned his friend, Shisui of the Body Flicker? Does that thought not strike fear in your heart? This rising power in the east is like a disease. We must take care that no one else get sick, but we must also do our best to find those who already are and help them if at all possible. And such is the way of the ninja, there may come a time where the disease is too far along and must then be culled."
The swordsman said nothing in reply. A weight hung in the air as everyone held their breath anticipating an outburst that would never come from the cool Uchiha. Minato retrieved the scroll from Naruto after a moment, returning it to the hidden slot. "Do not take any more missions for the time being, I may need to call on you soon. Unless you have any more questions, you may be dismissed."
Team 7 hesitated except for Sasuke, who vanished in an angry flicker. The remaining jonin bowed, taking their leave through uneasy tension.
It was quiet as Naruto walked Hinata home under the sinking sun. The news in the Glass file was disturbing. He had known those on the list, people charged with his protection while he traveled to attempt jinchuuriki training in the Hidden Sand. Two he knew from the academy, siblings of the Uchiha clan. Classmates.
It was sickening to think about the need to fight or kill one of his own. Though, maybe they weren't his own anymore. The world felt darker than it should, a weight in his chest that burned and cast clouds of dark smoke through his mind. The Kyuubi stirred, "Humans will always betray you, boy. Those who haven't yet are biding their time."
Naruto bit down, suppressing the beast's negativity with sheer force of will. Hinata noticed his strain in the thick silence, laying a palm on his arm, "Naruto? Hey, are you okay?"
"Huh? Oh, yes," he lied distractedly. Once her big eyes pressed for honesty he relented with a sigh, "No. Kosai, Shiori, Hideo, Haruma… They were my comrades, our classmates. I trusted them, I was at their funerals – but they may not even be dead!"
Hinata thought for a few seconds, considering the situation in a broad sense. "I know it's hard not knowing who to trust, but we don't know more than what Neji's team discovered so far. Let's focus on what we have in front of us until there's more to go on, okay?"
He nodded, then grabbed at his yellow hair, "But there's more than that! Not only was our relationship with Suna tarnished by the Ichibi's rampage, but there's the possibility that it was used as a distraction for my 'security team' to defect? Of course we would think they're dead, more than a dozen of the Sand's own jonin were wiped out during that fight."
"What makes you so sure they had a plan to use that as a way to desert the Leaf?"
Naruto gave her a straight look, "I remember that Hideo requested the mission directly. Claimed it would be good for his subordinates. What does that tell you? What if there are more of them? Here, right now, walking around like they're one of us?"
Hinata stopped them, just around the corner from her clan's large property. "Don't let paranoia get to you, Naruto. It's good to be smart, to consider all the possibilities. But we can't allow them to get in our heads like that. There are more of us than there are of them, we must have faith in our friends, in the Leaf. Faith in those close to us is what we have right now, we cannot let them beat us by being suspicious of each other."
Naruto shook his head solemnly, crossing his arms to glower at the doubts racing through his mind. She took a step, moving closer, "And… we have each other, too. Don't forget that either."
They met eyes, momentarily mute in the fading light. Naruto looked away, "I'm sorry. You know… I was stupid that night. At the party. I don't know if I was nervous or, scared, but I should have found you regardless, Hinata. I'm sorry I didn't."
"I understand. I'm not mad at you, Naruto. You've already made it clear that you regret what happened, and to be honest you could have blamed Konohamaru and you didn't. And it's okay if you do, I do, I hope the twelve months of community service the Police assigned him straighten him out. In the meantime he should continue to look up to you, especially now that you're a symbol of inspiration.
"Though you were kind of a handful when we were younger," Hinata nudged, prompting a smirk, "but you've become quite the man and… a truly amazing shinobi. No annoying grandson of any Kage will change that."
She was almost whispering by now, "Just know that… if you have any doubts about us, or your feelings about me, I- well I understand. I'm just happy to be in your life."
They were so close at this point Naruto could feel her soft breaths. He suddenly found himself holding his own and chuckled nervously, "Hinata…"
For a moment he was at a loss for what to say. The gentle breeze tussled her long dark hair and he realized in the twilight how lucky he was to have such a beautiful warrior at his side. She had saved his life on multiple occasions and he repaid the favor at every turn. Through all hardships she had been available, always making sure she was present for the most important things.
Naruto knew at a young age what he felt, but the subconscious is a tricky figure. Always in motion and constantly in shadow, his deeper feelings began to show themselves in ways he was afraid to intercept. It was not rejection which scared him, but his failure to live up to the woman who never let him down.
She lowered her gaze during this ponderous intermission, returning to his blue eyes questioningly. "I want you. I know it's taken a while, I should have told you a lot sooner. And I'm sorry but – there's no one else. It's you, Hinata."
A fierce flush warmed her cheeks, but this time she did not turn or stammer or stop.
"Don't be sorry," Hinata murmured, hands on his chest. Naruto's heart skipped as she came up on her toes, hesitating. "Naruto, I…"
The patient culmination of years, a decade of training, missions, growth and experience together blossomed as Hinata clutched that black leather coat, kissing Naruto back as she ran her hands up his neck and into his spiky locks. The battle hardened kunoichi somehow felt small, almost fragile as he held her.
Though maybe it was Naruto who was fragile as his knees weakened and a tingle roared in his belly. They separated slowly and with unfounded satisfaction. He whispered "Finally," and she kissed him smiling.
Before Hinata could make a blushed departure around the corner, Naruto's whiskered cheeks cracked a sly grin. She searched for an explanation, "Sasuke's gonna be very relieved."
They laughed and he let her hand go, watching in a daze as she sauntered away.
The Uzumaki strolled home with modest delight, contemplating his future and the fate of his village. He knew that the road ahead would be thick with trials. Trials of faith, of patience, of strength. Most of all, Naruto knew he would prevail with the help of those he loved and cared for. With his friends at his side, he felt that nothing could oppose them. Whatever lie ahead will be met with impenetrable resilience and unshakable will.
·:·:·:·:·.·:·:·:·:·
A warm breeze washed through the streets as everyone went about their innocent evening tasks. Some were coming home from long shifts, taking a thoughtful stroll in the pleasant air, or closing their shops for the day. From what he could tell it was business as usual in the Uchiha clan.
Later Sasuke found himself on the edge of a familiar dock, watching as the horizon swallowed the remaining daylight. He found peace in solitude, left to collect his thoughts and realign his focus. It hurt him, disturbed him to imagine the betrayal of those oblivious, casually happy civilians and shinobi.
He was never very close with the siblings, but Kosai and Shiori were about his age. Thinking of those students deserting when everyone thought they had died gnawed at his gut. Who could he trust now? It was infuriating.
Sasuke knew his behavior in the Hokage's office was out of line and that a personal apology was in order. He understood that Minato was doing his best and was right to test his shinobi's mettle against whatever temptations the traitors offered.
Reina alone proves the Glass file to have at least some credence, not to mention what she wanted to do to poor Yume. Maybe I should visit her.
Distracted, he didn't notice company had arrived. Not that it would have mattered much as the man took a considered step to reveal himself. Sasuke regarded the ninja's similar complexion, "Oh, hello brother."
"You're sulking. So you must know."
He glanced upward, returning his dark stare to the deepening sky, "Guess I'm not surprised you already did."
The man crouched, "Do you trust me?"
"What?" He wanted to laugh at such a stupid question, "Of course I trust you, Itachi. Just know if you desert the Leaf I'll have to kill you."
His eldest chuckled, crouching beside him on the fractured wood. "Then trust that we are going to be okay, Sasuke. I'm making sure of it. Would you like a piece of advice?"
Sasuke's expression had softened into a semblance of ease. He turned to Itachi, waiting to be enlightened.
"You say you trust me? Don't." The ease faded, replaced with seedlings of curiosity and doubt. "Second guess everything, never let me surprise you. Act like you've already seen my betrayal for yourself and are waiting to strike. This goes for everyone else, too. Never let your guard down, brother. Not now. Even with your friends. Even me."
During Itachi's brief explanation Sasuke's trust never wavered. Though he understood; his brother was a genius after all. Sasuke couldn't imagine his brother as anything but a protector of the Leaf.
Despite these feelings, he made a mental note: No one would get the better of him again. Thankfully, much of his brother's genius had rubbed off on him over the years. After all, they had trained together since they were children.
This is what he must do now. Show business as usual and pay special attention to everyone around him. Sure, this person or that may seem like a patriot now and previously, but so did Yushin and Aoto to his father and members of the Military Police. Shiori and Kosai to him and his classmates.
Everything was changed now, under a different shade of danger. Life would continue, but only under the heavy blanket of incessant suspicion. Until the traitorous power overseas was vanquished entirely, and maybe even after that.
Sasuke's eyes didn't give him away as the increasingly overcast sky continued to darken into night. No reflections, a padded compartment, nothing to give the kunai in Itachi's fist away as it rose to the back of his neck.
There wouldn't be time to draw his sword or use ninjutsu. He could attempt to use his sharingan but, well, Itachi's genjutsu was the best in the clan. Sasuke figured he must use taijutsu at this range and avoid those eyes for now. He was confident this was the best move since his own combat prowess had been pitted against a Hyuga of the Gentle Fist and Konoha's own Nine-Tails jinchuuriki for the last ten or so years.
In a single rightward motion Sasuke grabbed his brother's shoulder, arm-against-arm, pulling him in with it as he kicked that leg over Itachi's chest to pin him in an armbar.
Just before Sasuke snapped it in half at the elbow, the man of ANBU burst into a murder of crows, reforming on the lake's placid surface.
Sasuke was up, glowing with scarlet eyes before Itachi was whole again. The crows became him, and he nodded respectfully before approaching, "I trust no one will be getting the better of you any time soon."
"Did you come just to put me to the test, or is something else on your mind?"
Stepping up from the water, Itachi put a loving hand in Sasuke's pitch hair, "I needed to see that you are ready for what may come. We're entering a foreboding era in the Leaf, a time of secret uncertainty about our own people. But in the end I know that Konoha will be safe as long as it stays in the hands of shinobi like you."
Thanks for reading!
-Kyzer-
