**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or the quote below. I just own Sintary, and her children ^^ Also I do not own the other OC Kokuro or his children. They're my friend's.
Part one of the epilogue is finally here! To think we started writing this part about 3 and a half years ago blows my mind. Upon reaching 50,000 views, I wanted to release the beginning of the end (for real this time) and start our journey to the closing of Dear Itachi. We have roughly 68 pages written for it right now, but there are several battle chunks that are missing, so there is still plenty more to work on. Kokuro is on an extended hiatus, so it is just me writing and those scenes are necessarily my strong suit so it will take me longer to fill those out. Nonetheless, I work on it piece by piece; like chipping away at an ice block to form a sculpture.
Enough of the rambles! Enjoy!
It is up to us to live up to the legacy that was left for us and to leave a legacy that is worthy of our children and of future generations.
Christine Gregoire
A legacy.
Three figures came to mind.
Firstly, a man who served his village in any way possible, who put everyone else's needs above his own. A man who stopped a civil war and took all that was wrong within that village, on his shoulder. A man who became the villain they needed to hate to thrive.
Secondly, a woman who proved love conquered all. She stayed faithful to her love and believed in it throughout all the horrors she faced. A woman whose dedication righted wrongs, and whose sacrifices led to happy endings.
And finally, a man who was made to think he was nothing. A man with no family, no friends, and no love. A man who had his mind fissured and tortured. A man who became part of a bigger family when he became part of the first Dual Hokageship. A man capable of things beyond the wildest of imagination.
These people drove out the majority of the corruption within the village and redefined what it meant to be a shinobi as someone who served the same people they protected. They witnessed two Shinobi Wars and were part of the solution for the last one.
They were legendary.
And that's what he had to live up to: his father, his mother, and his uncle, their combined legacy.
The young shinobi hung his black-head, feeling the weight build on his shoulders. He was twenty-one years old today. He graduated from the Academy at ten, Chuunin by twelve, Jounin by thirteen, and ANBU by sixteen. They all said it was still an accomplishment, but how could he compare to them, how could he compare to those who achieved his heights at the mere age of thirteen? How could he live up to their legacy when he couldn't even keep up with them.
"Kazuki? Are you in there, baby?"
The blue-eyed boy looked over his shoulder. Laying in his bed was the most beautiful woman he had ever met. She had these hypnotic brown-green hazel eyes he just got lost in; short, thick curly dark brown hair, and caramel skin as sweet as dessert.
"Yes, Persephone," he said, laying back down on his side to face her again.
"You seemed lost again," she commented.
Kazuki sighed, she was too observant, he decided. "I'm just nervous. The Hokage is taking me out of ANBU to assign me to a team of Genin; apparently at the request of one of my uncles. Oh, how they do enjoy to meddle." Kazuki sighed, annoyedly.
"So, you're going to be like a teacher, right?" Persephone asked him.
"Yeah… yeah, I guess you can say that." The shinobi agreed, trying to line up his terms with hers.
"Ooh, my man's gonna lead the next generation. You're gonna be great, baby." She cooed him lovingly.
A sigh slowly escaped the young man's lips. "That's… that's what I'm worried about…"
A dark hand reached out and cupped his face. "Baby, you have nothing to fret about. You are strong, kind, talented, and you're an amazing leader. You will do right by your students. I believe in you, and you should, too."
Kazuki knew it was coming: the kiss. He saw Persephone lean in to kiss him just before he closed his eyes. Only, he didn't feel lips against his a moment later. Dark eyes opened to find the space in front of him empty. Further observation led him to see the candle on his nightstand was burnt out.
Rolling onto his back, he sighed, his heart heavy. "Damn, fuckin' witch magic." He muttered before starting a round of sit-ups.
Once his warm-ups were finished, Kazuki showered and dressed. He adorned a black, high-neck, sleeveless shirt with standard ninja pants. The Uchiha crest rested high between his shoulder blades while the Sacuna's crest laid on the red sash that he tied around his waist. Kazuki had another mark revealed: his ANBU tattoo. His fingers brushed over the mark before he glanced at where his mask hung. How he wished he could put it on instead.
With a heavy sigh, Kazuki headed out of his room. He passed his sister's room. He could hear her yammering away on her laptop to her girlfriend, Bridin. The girl was a strawberry blonde princess who had inherited the ability to manipulate ice. Luckily for her, Uncle Ko owed her aunt a favor for some damage he did during the war. Bridin came and trained with shinobi to hone her… whatever she had. Then she met Meisa in some weird fashion that was unique to everything involving his sister, and the rest was history.
His footsteps fell quietly as descended, but that didn't stop his mother from knowing he came down.
"Happy Birthday, Kazuki." Sintary smiled at her son.
"Thank you, mom."
She set a plate of a tomato and spinach omelet in front of him along with some jelly toast. "You have a big day today."
The young man nodded softly. "I don't know if I'm ready to be a sensei…"
"Oh, sweetie, don't fret over it. You wouldn't have been asked if you weren't ready."
"I was chosen, mom, I wasn't asked." Kazuki professed with a sigh.
Sintary watched her son softly as she sat on the bench next to him. "Kazuki, you are a natural-born leader, just like your father is. If you weren't assigned Genin, you were going to be assigned a squad in ANBU."
"But ANBU are easier to manage; they're more experienced, they know what to expect, and they know what to do." Kazuki argued.
"And that's exactly why you were given Genin. They need someone who knows what is going on to show them and lead them." Sintary tried to explain. "Kazuki, when your father came home and told me your file was pulled for one of the positions, he wasn't sure if you would be up for the challenge since you've always been on your own basically. You never had your own team to work with since your teammates either didn't passed or quit or were reassigned because Sasuke was extremely tough. But, he didn't want you to miss out on that." The mother covered her hand over her son's. "The thing is, you are twenty-one now, Kazuki. You have been a shinobi for eleven years now. It is time you finally grow some roots in this village and make bonds."
"I have bonds though, mom. I have you, dad, Meisa, Uncle Sasuke, and Aunt Sakura, Uncle Ko and Kiba - and the twins!" Kazuki protested. He also has Persephone, but his parents didn't know about her just yet.
"Not like the bonds within a squad, baby," Sintary said. "It will be a great opportunity for you. Besides, you want to become Hokage someday, right? You need to learn to lead and tend to the needs of others, to understand people."
Kazuki sighed. His mother had a point, like always. "Okay, I'll give it my best."
She smiled at him fondly and kissed his forehead. "I know you will. Now, eat up. You're going to need your strength. Oh, and we're going out to dinner tonight for your birthday."
The young man nodded and finished eating. Once every piece was gone, he headed over to the Academy to receive his papers on his new squad. After, he strolled to the meeting spot. It was in the back of the training fields, by a little pond. That was a plus for him; his Uncle Kisame had taught him to appreciate the water, and he loved it. He also loved trees. Hopping up in one, he took out a pocket notebook he carried; a habit he got from his mother. Only, with a little enchantment, thanks to Persephone, his letters would reach their receiver.
'Dear Persephone,
I have received my files on my new team. The first is Sarada Uchiha, my cousin. You've seen a picture of her and I on my wall. She's a spirited young girl much like her mother, Sakura. As you know, she had activated her Sharingan months before graduation when Aunt Sakura had been abducted. She's advanced for her age, but I suppose that's what happens when you've had the ability to use your chakra from day one. I can say that genetics certainly does play a role in it though. She's super intelligent like Aunt Sakura also inheriting her chakra control. From Uncle Sasuke, she's… well, everything an Uchiha is. Plus she's similar to me, with advanced lightening control. She's grown remarkably since I last spoke of her; matured a bit. It helps since we stopped dimension traveling at the moment.
Next is Boruto Uzumaki, who you've also seen pictures of. Nonetheless, the Hokage's son, and what I've heard from my mother, is every bit of a knucklehead as his father. He and Sarada are friends and rivals much like their fathers before them, except, less… strained. They're very supportive of each other now, though constantly arguing. Boruto is the prodigy of the group, though he was second in his class. His brains clearly come from his mother, Hinata Hyuga, though he's mischievous like his father. He has exceeded his rank in jutsu already, but he needs a bit of…. Refinement. Hopefully, I can instill that into him.
Lastly is Mitsuki. He is, for lack of a better word, the spawn of Orochimaru. I don't know the details to this, and even if I did, I think you would raise Hell from New Orleans if I told you. This kid is something else though. Three natures of chakra mastered already, and can summon snakes. He reminds me a bit of Uncle Ko. Extremely loyal to his friends, driven, witty.
It'll be interesting to lead such an already advanced group of Genin. I just hope they're mature enough to face the shinobi world head-on—"
"I've never heard you mention Persephone before. Who is she?" A young voice suddenly popped up.
Kazuki's ocean blue eyes slanted to meet his cousin's dark, onyx eyes. They reminded him of his uncle and his father, and in that moment, Kazuki was very glad to have his mother's genes in that regard. "Didn't know you could climb trees so stealthily."
"Uncle Itachi taught Meisa and I together while you were gone with my dad and Uncle Ko." Sarada stated calmly. "Then Meisa left with you guys and it with just us and Aunt Sintary."
The dark haired boy nodded thoughtfully. "Dad is a good teacher… so was Uncle Sasuke."
Sarada let out a puff of air. "I wouldn't know. Ever since Uncle Naruto took over, he's been sending my dad all over the place!"
"At least he was around when you were younger. Uncle Sasuke always wanted things done quickly to go back to you so he wouldn't miss anything." Kazuki sighed. "My dad missed almost everything with me."
"Can we not play who dad's a bigger loser?" A young white-haired boy called from down below. "It gets to be really depressing."
"Yeah, we all have messed up families. Just suck it up." The blond next to him rolled his eyes.
"More messed up than you understand, Boruto." Kazuki commented jumping down.
"Don't even start on the whole 'you guys don't understand because you weren't there' crap," Sarada warned.
"You don't though, and you probably never will." The older shinobi said truthfully. "But hopefully, you'll gain an appreciation for those words once missions start."
"When will we get a mission?" Sarada asked her cousin.
"A real mission? Probably not for a while. We'll have small tasks around the village to complete to build teamwork."
"Ugh, not this again." Boruto sighed. "We already know about teamwork. We just needed to use it to defeat Lord Sixth to graduate."
"Then this shouldn't be a problem. We should be functioning by a team by dinner, and I can put a report into the Hokage that everything's going great, and he could put us on the mission roster for D-ranking missions."
"What do you mean by 'this'?" Sarada asked, getting suspicious.
Behind him, a black portal opened up. Kazuki's sister walked out, one hand on her hips as she walked with her shoulders back and her head held high. She adorned her usual white and red haori, which was held loosely by a red sash like her brother wore. The red fabric was weaved through a metal circle at her left hip that had an upside-down triangle inside of it. Her outfit complete, with classic black stilettos. They looked more like cousins than they did brother and sister. Meisa had these cat-like, blue-green hazel eyes that were narrow like her father's, whereas, Kazuki's were softer like his mother's and dark blue. While they shared the same facial features, Meisa's were much sharper compared to her brother's. The young girl was only sixteen, but she had reached her brother's shoulders with room to grow. Kazuki was more laid back and calm, more a silent intimidator. Meisa came across as feral and aggressive.
Even more opposite than the Uchiha siblings were the Otsutsuki twins, holding hands as they walked out behind Meisa. In their Yin-Yang appearance, Maikeru was dressed in a black haori with one long kimono sleeve while his left arm was exposed at the shoulder. His hair was a soot color, wild and spikey like an Inuzuka's. Whereas Arrekasu wore a white version of the haori. His right arm was exposed while the other was covered. His hair was a silver-white like Kokuro, long and tied back. The two were comical, laughing at the slightest look, acting in sync, finishing each other's sentences; it was like they were telepathic. They were prone to mischief and destruction, but each had a good heart… or so everyone liked to believe.
"You three are dramatic as ever," Kazuki commented looking back at his sister's team. "Where's Shikamaru?"
"That's part of the fun," Meisa replied with a sly smirk settling over her red lips.
"Fun?" The new Genin asked in front of him.
The older shinobi turned his attention back to his team. "You have to pass the bell exam."
That got another groan from Boruto. "Again, we already did that to become Genin."
"And that doesn't explain why Meisa's here," Sarada continued.
Kazuki looked at them with the same blank face his father and uncle were notorious for. "Are you done complaining?" He asked before continuing on. "There is only one bell. You must get the bell to pass, don't, and you fail."
"I'm assuming we must get past the group you've summoned." Mitsuki questioned, much calmer than the other two.
The dark-haired shinobi nodded and smirked, "And me, too."
"So you're pitting us against four Jounin and an ANBU?" Sarada asked frowning.
"You have until sunset," their sensei said before the four shinobi disappeared.
Kazuki headed over to where the older shinobi was relaxing. It was unsurprising to find him lying in the middle of a clearing, staring up at the sky. The younger shinobi said nothing as he quietly sat down next to him and pulled out a long, black cigarette holder.
"Do you need one?" Came a calm, bored voice from the ground.
"Yes," the younger man replied.
Shikamaru sat up and pulled out his pack and lighter. The two sensei were soon smoking in sync. It was a common scene, one Kazuki had grown accustomed too. He had picked up the habit from his Uncle Ko, to be honest. The Otsutsuki sage started piping when he became the liaison between the dimensions for Konoha. Naturally, Kazuki had become curious about the draw to such a habit. He read all the books he could on it from their travels. But no amount of knowledge could quench the fire that built-in him. The young boy had tried to be discrete, but his uncle "caught" him one afternoon. Claiming he knew, he insisted on showing Kazuki "the right techniques" and "the good stuff." It wasn't until they returned that Meisa ratted Kazuki to his parents about his cigarette use. They had sat down as a family, but ultimately, so long as he knew the consequences and had control, there was not much they could say to deter him. His mother had been the one to assist on the cigarette holder. There was some filter in it, and it was supposed to stop the nicotine staining on his lips and fingers.
A disgusted noise was made upon another arrival. "That's so gross." Kazuki blew smoke into his sister's face in response. She coughed and quickly waved it away. "You know mom hates when you smoke, and so do I! Aunt Sakura says it's so bad for you!"
"Says the woman who prefers to be covered in gore." Responded the older brother calmly as he took another long drag.
Meisa's face turned a bit red in response as her eyes narrowed. "My antics don't have any health complications!"
"Not to your health at least," her sensei replied dryly.
"Shikamaru-sensei!" She scolded before focusing back on her brother. "Aunt Sakura said dad has a recessive genetic disorder that almost killed him! Her and mom were up to their arms in blood trying to save him-"
"Keyword, Meisa: recessive. Mom's genes take over at that point. She does not have that disorder because she wasn't part of the Uchiha clan. That means, dear sister, that you and I are only carriers for the genetic condition."
Very rapidly, Sharingan met Sharingan as Meisa stared heatedly at her brother. "Don't you insult my intelligence, brother. I know very well how genetics work thanks to Aunt Sakura and Tsunade-sama's work!"
"Then do us all a favor and save your breath on the smoking situation. There is nothing you can do to change my mind on it." Kazuki told her.
Those words, Shikamaru had learned, were always taken as a challenge. He watched as both Uchiha went rigid without even blinking. He didn't even need to know what happened, he already knew. Meisa had attempted to stop her brother's heart, temporarily of course, and Kazuki had stilled her movements. It was a battle of wills at this point. Both too stubborn to give in to the other.
"Alright you two, can it. Kazuki, you're a sensei now. No need to start picking fights. Meisa, we've already talked at length about your temper. I do not want to go through another therapy session." The Nara tried defusing the situation.
Luckily, the distant rumbling of explosive chakra pulled them out. Both of them lightly panting from the strain. Chakra waves rushed over them, picking up wind and dust.
"Looks like the team found Maikeru and Arrekasu." Kazuki commented glancing over that way.
"No," Shikamaru corrected. "Maikeru and Arrekasu found them. If those twins didn't want to be found, you wouldn't find them."
"They must've gotten bored while waiting." Meisa continued. "Can't say I blame them."
Former rivalry disappeared as the three tensed. Three figures came soaring out of the sky from where the blast occurred. Kazuki's team flailing about as they tried to brace for impact.
Boruto hit the ground first, the earth caving under the pressure. Mitsuki landed next to him, extending his arms to slow Boruto as he tried to regain his balance. Sarada landed last, balancing her impact with a handful of flips. The dark-haired genin glaring at her sensei as she launched three bomb-tag kunai into the woods.
"Really Kazuki-sensei, you pit them against us, and then you run off for a smoke break?" She complained looking at him disapproving.
"I didn't pit them against you; at least, not in this instance. You three took too long." Kazuki said as he stood up. "Shikamaru, better get up."
The dark-haired shinobi sighed, smoke coming from his pale lips. "They had to throw the team towards me… couldn't have thrown them in the opposite direction…" he muttered.
There was a small jingle that emitted from the older sensei's waistline. Three naive ears picked up on the noise immediately and any complaints about certain twins were forgotten.
The bell.
That's what they were after.
Immediately they sprung into action, Kazuki rushing along the edges of their onslaught. Kunai and shuriken rang out in a shower of sparks. The edges crashing, biting into one another over the open field. Shikamaru sighed heavily as he flitted up into a tree, a cigarette still lazily dangling from his lip.
"Lightning Style: Snake lightning," roared Mitsuki, as a trio of vibrant electrical serpents ripped through the air towards Kazuki.
The dark-haired shinobi cussed under his breath as Sarada and Boruto acted in tandem. The young Uchiha, using her Sharingan and lightning release to mimic Mitsuki while Boruto focused his chakra into jets of water.
"Water style: Casting net."
Kazuki leaped into the air and making the sign of a rabbit, "Lightning style: Purple Lightning."
The blue and purple flares clashed violently, tearing up the terfs of dirt and grass. Loud crackling echoed throughout the forest as the lightning dissipated into the sky.
Smoke cleared as Meisa sashayed towards the edge of the crater, waving the smoke away with her one hand while the other rested at her hip. Glancing down at her brother her other side, then at his pupils on the other side the hole, a frown settled on her lips.
"Is that really the best you three can offer? You are going against Jounin and ANBU level shinobi. You are really lucky the twins went into hiding because if they were here, you all would be so screwed." Her hand on her hip suddenly raised, revealing a set of senbon between her fingers. "But since they're not here, it looks like I'm the one who will show judgment."
She threw the thin weapons with acute accuracy. The team tried to dodge but were hit in some way, but Sarada and Mitsuki blew up into smoke, leaving only Boruto. The bell keeper watched from above. He knew that since divided up two would be coming for him.
"Shadow clones, hmm?" Meisa asked as she bit her thumb. "Not a bad move considering all the smoke. Although, do you really consider it such a good idea to take on the two of us?"
"Sometimes, you just gotta be the diversion." Boruto stated.
"Water Release: Water Whip!"
Kazuki and Meisa were each wrapped in a swirling mass of water from a clone on each side of them.
"Kami, this kid is as sneaky as the twins," Meisa muttered looking around with her red eyes. "The kid's definitely an Uzumaki descendant, in case you need confirmation, his chakra reserves are off the wall."
Her older brother rolled his eyes. "Not that the yellow spiky hair or mischievous personality gives it anyway either."
"Water Release: Water Trumpet!"
As the Uchiha siblings got doused and pushed around by Boruto's water release, Shikamaru avoided most of the damage on top of the treetop. The bell still chimed ominously at his waist. A small gust gave little warning as phase two of the squad's plan went into action.
"Hidden Shadow Snake Hands"
"Fire Release: Fuma Shuriken!"
The renowned strategist grimaced; slippery, venomous snakes on one side and an inflamed Fuma shuriken on the other. The odds of him dodging both successfully were slim, and he might lose the bell in the process.
Laughter hit his ears as he suddenly realized his best option was to stay put. Just as the jutsu were about to clash against Shikamaru, two black holes opened up, absorbing the techniques.
"What?!" Sarada exclaimed, her face turning purple. "We had you!"
"And now," Arrekasu smirked.
"We have you," Maikeru finished as the twins simultaneously grabbed Sarada and Mitsuki into their own black holes.
"Hey! Go easy on them, you two!" Shikamaru called out as the dimensions closed. He sighed, placing a hand over his face. "I can't believe I have to say that to them… what a drag."
The sun was beginning to set when the team had successfully cornered Shikamaru and gotten the bell. The team collapsed with utter exhaustion, Sarada hanging on to the bell for dear life.
"I'm surprised you guys took this long. It was just a simple bell test after all." Their sensei chided in the above tree.
That put a little spark back in Sarada's fire. "A SIMPLE BELL TEST!?" She screamed out before gasping a little bit, still winded. "You- you pitted us against Team 13, and - and yourself! That… is not… simple!"
Kazuki yawned, rubbing his knuckles against his vest lightly. "At least I didn't throw you in field 13. You guys wouldn't have survived."
Meisa snorted below him. "You barely survived that."
"What is field 13?" Mitsuki asked curiously.
"It's the legendary training field," the young sensei started out. "It was developed to simulate war… complete with weapons, traps, triggers, bombs of all sorts… and a complete mind of its own. There hasn't been the same pattern of traps since it was built. No one's ever come out unscathed; though, only a few attempt it."
"Who would be insane enough to build such a thing here?" Boruto questioned bluntly.
"My mom and dad and Uncle Ko." Meisa answered him with a fiendish grin.
Boruto's eyes widened. "I didn't mean insane as in like they're crazy, you know. I meant insane as in, that's really cool… pleasedon'tbeatmeupagain…." he muttered sweating.
The cat-like kunoichi smiled sickly sweet at him. "Had to get it from somewhere. Besides, that training field is truly insane."
"Especially when the whole family pits against you…" Kazuki chimed in remembering.
"What do you mean?" Mitsuki questioned further.
"For my Genin post-graduation examination, my sensei put us in field 13 and against my dad, my mom, and Uncle Ko. We had to not only get through the training field, but we had to survive them AND get the bell from our sensei."
"His two squadmates quit after that." Meisa piped back in.
"What did you have to do?" Sarada asked the other kunoichi.
"WE-" Maikeru answered coming from around the tree.
"Were put up against Ino-Shika-Cho." Arrekasu completed coming around the other side.
Shikamaru sighed quietly, rubbing his forehead. "Where were you two?" He dared to ask.
The twins smirked, glanced at each other and chuckled like it was an inside joke between them. "We were helping Aunt Sintary set up for Kazuki's birthday," one started while the other continued, "She's pretty upset you all are late."
"Late? She said we were going out for dinner." The man in question muttered. "It's only sundown."
"That's like, close to six right now Kazuki," his younger sister pointed out. "Mom probably had the reservation for six, and since we're not there yet, we're going to be late."
Kazuki blew out a sigh. "We won't be the last ones. Uncle Ko and Uncle Sasuke probably aren't there, if they even make it."
"Actually," Arrekasu said, "Uncle Sasuke is already there."
"Dad's home?!" Sarada beamed, suddenly having renewed energy. "What are we doing here?!"
The twins smirked as they opened up a large portal, holding hands. That was an old habit they had developed in their training. It had been a way to channel their chaotic energy when they had first started. Neither needed it anymore, but the stimulation still allowed them to attack on a much larger scale than alone.
"Uh-uh, I am not going through that thing again," Sarada backed up.
"It's the quickest way," her sensei told her hopping down from his tree.
"Have you ever been pulled through that hole unwillingly and tossed around like dolls?" Mitsuki asked; while he didn't share that distinct fear as his teammate did, he was curious to ask his sensei.
"You forgot I grew up with these two." Kazuki reminded them. "I'd be sleeping soundly and wake up in a black hole with giggling echoing off of nothing."
Boruto snorted. "Clearly, you let your guard down while you sleep. Any good shinobi would have sensed them before they pulled you away."
Kazuki rose an eyebrow as the twins came to his aid.
"Boo," Arrekasu whispered from behind the blond.
He screeched, jumping ten feet in the air. Meisa roared with laughter, holding her waist as she bent over. Maikeru appeared in the air, wrapping his arms around Boruto and yanking him into the black hole.
His remaining teammates stared at where he disappeared, their mouths agape.
"So, um, where did they take him?" Sarada asked, gulping.
"Probably the party," Kazuki answered her as he stepped to join Arrekasu at the previous portal.
"Probably?" She asked.
"He might have a detour, but that's where he'll end up." Shikamaru sighed, rubbing the back of his head as he also headed towards the portal. "You learn you can't predict what they'll do."
"Still refusing to go into the unknown?" Meisa murmured quietly behind the two teammates.
Sarada shrieked this time. "You three are awful!" She exclaimed, her heart pounding.
Her cousin smirked as a chuckle emitted from that back of her throat, not making the younger girl feel any better. "I know," she replied as she shoved them forward.
Mitsuki and Sarada weren't close enough to go right in the portal, but it certainly got them closer. Their options were slim considering who was behind them.
"Don't make me force you two," their sensei piped up glancing back at them boredly.
"Force us?" Mitsuki questioned while his cousin yelled, "Don't you dare!"
"I dare for him," Meisa stated lowly, still smirking.
Suddenly, the two felt their sense of control vanish, and their limbs started moving on their own. Mitsuki glanced down quietly, intrigued by the sensation. Sarada, on the other hand, starting to build up her wall. She had learned if she focused hard enough, her inner could repel Kazuki's force.
"Uh-uh," Meisa piped up. "It's hard to focus when you're light-headed."
The young girl suddenly felt the blood drain to her feet, which had started moving again. Her vision swam a bit, but she wasn't stumbling over herself because of his ninjutsu.
"You guys suck." She muttered, grimacing.
"If you hadn't fought it, we wouldn't be in this position." Kazuki stated in a monotone voice.
The group headed through the void. The world around them swirling in nebulous hues of violet and sable. Then it was gone, and the group was standing on one of the main avenues of Konoha. The streets were swarming with people, and the monitors were blaring, commercials and advertisements lit up the evening sky.
"It is about damn time you showed up. You're late," chided Kiba, smirking devilishly. "Your mother is running around looking for you guys."
The group stood silently for a moment, glancing around. "Where is Boruto?" Mitsuki asked after a moment
A sudden shriek sounded, and the entire party glanced up. Then a black hole opened up and dropped the blond, sending him plummeting towards the ground.
"Sage Art Wind Release: Gale," drawled a voice as a small hazy vortex slowed Boruto's fall. The air was ripe with a sickly sweet smell, and in a flash of white, Boruto was placed on the ground. "Really Maikeru, you should know better. Be nice to your cousins, and their squadmates."
The group turned to see who spoke. Stern eyes narrowed as they showed clear: Byakugan. Starlit hair fell loose from a bun, falling against ear-like horns, framing an angular face. A white haori jacket emblazoned with the matagama crest in silver thread rested over a snowy kimono and nubakama trousers. A shimmering blue pendant hung on a black cord around the figure's neck, the crystal glowing a pale blue deep in its heart. Bare feet resting gently against the earth, one of which tilted slightly as the figure rested against Kiba.
"PAPA!" shouted the twins in unison, "you're home!"
Kokuro smiled, and hugged his sixteen-year-old charging boys, lifting them in the air with ease.
"Yes, I wanted to make it for Kazuki's birthday. Though, you two seemed to up to your mischief again." Kokuro said with a warning tone, glaring at his sons. "You know that you are not supposed to abuse your abilities like that for your amusement."
The twins hung their heads low, "We're sorry Papa."
"No matter," he dismissed. "Now run off and help Aunt Sintary with your father."
The twins gathered themselves and headed into the restaurant with the others, leaving Kokuro and Kazuki behind.
"Sorry, your mother said to keep you out for a second longer," he explained gesturing to his head. "Psychic sister bond; you know how it is with us." He laughed lightly. "She has some last-second adjustments. But it is good to see you again. It has been so long. Look at you! You've grown up so much since the last time I saw you."
Kazuki rolled his eyes, "Your age is showing uncle. You're sounding a little too sentimental and reflective. It is almost like you are a wizened responsible adult. Besides, it hasn't been that long since you saw me."
"Kazuki, it could literally only be a week from seeing my family, but I still see you as the babies you were regardless. Honestly, even now I see you, Meisa, and the twins in diapers-"
"I was out of diapers by the time I started living back in the village Uncle Ko," groaned Kazuki. "When did you get so soft and reminiscent."
Kokuro huffed loudly, "Is that any way to talk to your uncle, especially the one who indulges your bad habit." The white-haired shinobi pulled out a small neat pack of cigarettes and tossed them lightly to his godson. Kazuki looked them over briefly before sliding them into one of his pockets. "Don't let your mother see those; consider it part of your birthday gift from me. You should like these ones, a little bit of mint and cinnamon, and less nicotine and tobacco. Can't say I don't look out for your health, at least a little bit."
Kokuro then produced a small flame and lit the end of a black, dragon coiled, kiseru smoking pipe. Kazuki smiled because that was a gift from himself and the twins when they noticed his smoking habit. It was made of black lacquer, silver, and had a gilded dragon coil along the length, the smoke billowing from its maw.
After a moment, Kokuro nodded indicating his sister gave the okay for them to come in. The pair walked into the restaurant to greet the others. The air was rich with the smokey aroma of barbecue. Yakiniku-Q was a favored place that Kazuki had been going to, for quite some time; Itachi, Kiba, and Sakura had taken him here often, usually as a post-mission reward. The green multi-chaired booths and charcoal braziers held many pleasant memories. Kazuki saw that his family had taken their places around the table, the cushions on the ground a familiar comfort.
Kazuki immediately recognized the groups of people throughout the restaurant. Most of the Rookie Nine, his "aunts and uncles" courtesy of his Aunt Sakura and Uncle Kiba's connection, took up the majority of the area along the edges. In the middle was his immediate family. Uncle Kiba leaned back in his seat, sitting up slightly, as he conversed with Uncle Choji at the other table. Next to him was the twins who were entertaining themselves with timeless chopsticks shenanigans. Meisa was leaned over the table partially next to them, her elbow resting on the table, supporting her head as she talked to Sarada. Next to his cousin was his uncle who was talking to his father; both their wives were missing from the table. Kazuki looked around a bit before seeing pink hair along the back. His Aunt Sakura was talking in a hushed voice with his mother.
Kazuki couldn't help but notice differences in his mother. Small things like how she now wore a thick, red headband similar to the sash her children wore around their waists. He also knew there was a small Uchiha fan at the top of her clothes. The continued tradition came from Uncle Sasuke for clan pride and representation. They weren't mandated to wear the symbols with all their clothes, but formal wear and shinobi gear. His mother was dressed in a navy blue mini dress and black, strappy wedges; his father's silver necklace resting contently around her neck. She was very feminine, and it wasn't just her dress either. She had thin eyeliner, lip gloss, she was also more filled out and her overall frame was softened. As a retired kunoichi, it wasn't required to be in top physical condition. That certainly didn't mean his mother let herself go. It just wasn't a necessity for her anymore.
Her blue eyes pulled from Sakura's green ones to Kokuro who nodded away. Sintary then looked up and gaped. Her son had entered without a single birthday wish. Kokuro was already on it, whistling.
All heads turned to the front at the sound, seeing Kazuki there. "HAPPY BIRTHDAY KAZUKI!" The small army of friends and family yelled as they broke into cheers and claps. Kazuki cracked a small smile as he walked through, and was greeted individually by each person. He soon sat down at his family's table in between his mother and father. Kazuki's dark blue eyes roamed the room again, taking in each face there. A frown settled over his face when he realized there were still empty seats.
"Where is Uncle Kisame, Aunt Meilin, and Shizuma?"
Sintary's head snapped to Kokuro with a stern look. "Yes, where is the Hoshigaki family?"
Kokuro rolled his opaque eyes. "Kisame is coming. Meilin had to stay behind with Shizuma."
"And what about the Hokage? Will he be joining us in some form?" Kazuki asked noticing his seat was empty too.
"The dobe will be here in some form," his Uncle Sasuke replied sipping his tea.
The Hokage finally made his appearance after some time, quietly walking in and smiling his comrades' way.
"Happy Birthday Kazuki!" The blond cheered patting the boy's back.
"Thank you, Lord Hokage," he replied formally with a bow of his head.
"Oh, we're at your party, Kazuki. No need for such formalities," Naruto grinned before looking down at the food. "Ooh, that looks good." He reached for some, but was swatted by his pink-haired teammate.
"You can have them once you sit with your family, Naruto," Sakura stated pointedly and nodded her head their way.
"Ah, yes Sakura," the blond agreed as he rubbed his hand and headed over to them.
"You have some nerve swatting the Hokage," Kokuro commented as he popped some food into his mouth.
"I'd do more than swat you if you were Hokage." Sintary stated absently before making eye contact with him.
"Plleeasse," the white-haired sage rolled out and snapped his chopsticks at her. "You wouldn't dare deny me food."
Sintary rose one slender eyebrow at his challenge but remained silent. The next time Kokuro went for food, his chopsticks missed the plate.
He looked up at his blue-eyed pseudo-sister. "Really? Now that's petty."
A small smirk played on the Uchiha's lips as she continued to stare at him. "You said dare," she replied coyly as his chopsticks repeatedly missed.
"I better not be denied food. I didn't travel all this way to not get at least one good meal away from home," a gruff voice reached their ears.
The table looked up to see their tallest and final member arrive.
"Uncle Kisame!" Meisa squealed like a little girl as she jumped from her seat.
The blue man easily grabbed hold of her as he balanced his gifts. "Hey kiddo," he murmured and set her down. "This one's for you. Meilin managed to find that poison you wanted. She's infused some senbons with it already, but don't use them until you get used to the poison. There's an antidote in there as well, and then this is for you pinkie." Kisame handed a small box to the famous medic. "Taxus Cuspidata, Northern Devil's Maple, some samples, and the antidote. Meilin couldn't get too much given she doesn't have a lab like you guys do, but I think she did a decent job."
"I really wish you wouldn't bring such things to a party; or to my daughter," Itachi piped up quietly.
His old partner rolled his eyes, knowing it wasn't a true reprimand. "My niece has proved to be immune to poison - even the ones Sasori used in his damn puppets; one of her aunts has the same ability and is known for her extensive poison expertise, and her summon is snakes. She was destined for this."
"Dad, I'm fine, don't be such a worry-wart," Meisa added as she unwrapped the box, her teammates intently watching her.
"Anyway," Kisame turned to the real reason he was here. "Happy birthday, little man," he hugged his nephew.
Kazuki smirked softly as he returned the hug. "It's good to see you Uncle Kisame."
"Sorry, Meilin and Shizuma couldn't be here. Kid tried using Samehada and became pretty delirious. He's under house arrest until he's returned to his normal state of mind."
The young man shook his head. "No need to apologize. I appreciate you leaving them to be here. Come, join us for some warm food."
The dinner rambled on, but during the meal, Naruto gave a subtle glance to Kokuro. The pair were up, leaving clones unnoticed in their place in a flash. The blond leading the way around the corner of the alley.
"Alright, what it is this time," sighed Kokuro, producing a small flame to light his pipe, "you only have the look on your face when there is something happening…Dimensionally happening."
The blond looked at him worried, "Sorry Ko, I am going to have to ask you to look into something. This is intel straight from the Inoichi clan. I have them sending me intel on dimensional problems as they happen."
"Naruto you can't be serious?" sighed Kokuro taking a drag from his pipe.
The blond shook his head, "Sorry Kokuro, I need you to look in on this."
"Do you not realize what today is?"
"Of course I do," hissed the Hokage. "But if there is a meeting or anything that involves other dimensions, it's your jurisdiction. I can't help it if Sasuke or you are the only ones who are able to travel through the rifts."
The silverite exhaled the smoke, swirling it into the forms of coiling dragons. Naruto fanned them away, annoyed.
"You know I wouldn't ask you if I didn't think it would be worth your time. You are family to me."
"Don't, Naruto, just don't."
The blond shifted back with a pained expression, "I didn't mean-"
"But, you did. You have Sasuke as your shadow, working in the dark to preserve the light. You have me working in the heavens, monitoring the dimensional rifts. Neither of us can remain home for long."
"YOU THINK I DON'T KNOW THAT!" Naruto snapped acridly, and then paused, "I am sorry, I...I didn't mean-"
Kokuro leaned in, resting his hand on the blond's shoulder. "I know, I am sorry too. I don't blame you, and I most certainly don't envy you. You have to make these calls. You can hide it from the others, but Kiba noticed, hell, I can see it. You have been overworking yourself. You need to take some time for you, take some time to be with your children and work with them. They miss you like my kids miss me."
Naruto sighed, resting against the wooden building.
"I know that the Hokage position has changed, and it requires so much of our time now." Kokuro started and sighed out a puff of smoke. "But we need to keep this village safe while also keeping our own sanity." The white-haired shinobi looked up at his Hokage. "I think you need to call a council meeting and have the other kage work with you on these dimensional matters. We've proven our loyalty and dedication to the nation's survival. Hell, we have a tie to Suna; Temari and Shikamaru are married and practically raise my kids along with their own son. Meilin and Kisame are married, so they have a tie to Kiri, and Kisame is an uncle to Kazuki and Meisa. He dotes on Meisa like she is his own precious little girl."
"Truly though," Naruto chuckled. "You are right; he loves her, and your sons. His little 'yokai'. He really cares for them…" The blond sighed staring at the other building in front of him. "I just can't believe that you and Itachi managed this with just the two of you. This position is a nightmare. If the paperwork doesn't kill you, then the underworld threats just might."
"Times were different back then. We just had one crazy-ass Uchiha and an extraterrestrial mother to defeat."
"You sound as if you were an old man, Kokuro."
The Otsutsuki smiled and rested against the building next to the kage, staring up into the moonless night. "I am an old man Naruto. Though, if you are worried, then I will check it out. I believe that it is just a rift in flux, and I will hold a meeting to discuss the issue."
"Thank you, I really do appreciate it. I am sorry that we had to be pulled from the party, but with the interconnecting dimensions, things have gotten hectic."
Kokuro looked at the blond, concern edging his face.
"There have been rumors of rifts opening up, dumping out actual Yokai. Also, the peace between the villages and the bordering nations is strong, but other worlds are not as keen as they should be. Many people have been going missing, and it is at the rift points. The majority of the disappearances are reported from moonflower village. It is a small fishing hamlet to the northeast. There are uncanny amounts of missing persons, and there have been sightings of disturbing creatures and Yokai."
"Have you-"
"Already ahead of you. I have asked Orochimaru, and have had him under observation by Yamato sensei for over three months."
Kokuro looked at him smiling, "Well it is good to know that you trust him about as much as I do."
A subtle shift of shadow near the front of the alley caught his attention. Kokuro's eyes tensed and Byakugan flourished, the blood vessels pulsing.
"No use in hiding, come on out." The white-haired shinobi rolled his eyes, "honestly you two, I have known you've been there since the beginning."
Meisa and Kazuki rounded the corner silently. Kazuki moved to speak but was silenced as Kokuro raised his hand.
"I mean all of you. I have my Byakugan out." He told them. "Boruto, Mitsuki, Sarada: Either you show yourselves, or I will get you."
Three more shinobi came round, each with a look of worry. Kokuro gave them all a stern look.
"I really shouldn't need to lecture you on your snooping on a meeting between village officials, but, I also commend Team 7 - I needed to use my kekkei genkai to see you. Meisa and Kazuki, you two were just sloppy."
The oldest Uchiha stared indifferently at his uncle, knowing it was embarrassing to be scolded by him in front of Genin, but he hadn't been sneaky anyway.
"You're the ones who decided to leave my party," Kazuki stated lowly.
"When we noticed you leave," whispered Meisa angrily as she gritted her teeth. "We were coming to yell at you. If you were gonna leave the twins again, I was going to make you say goodbye; they've missed you terribly and at least deserve that."
With a long drag of his pipe, Kokuro sighed, "I know, which is why we are all going to go back to the restaurant like nothing happened. Then, Team 7 and I will be leaving for a B-ranked mission. Nothing more. It will be an escort for my liaison, not an investigation." The silverite stared down the younger shinobi, his eyes cold and his face hard. "I expect none of you to breathe a word about these disappearances to the party or anyone else."
The blond stared wide-eyed at the silverete, "Kokuro, they just started-"
"Kazuki, how'd the first day go?" Kokuro prompted his godson.
"Exceptional. The team handled well against Team 13 and myself, managing to capture the bell from Shikamaru. They show strong relations within the group and have well-defined teamwork skills despite not being on an official team before."
Kokuro turned and raised a white eyebrow at Naruto. "I understand they are just Genin, but I was already planning on holding another inter-dimensional meeting. Meisa was going on vacation leave to come with me as a guest. While I certainly don't need the protection, an escort mission is an excellent first for a Genin team, and it makes me look important."
"Wasn't Team Kakashi's first real mission an escort mission?" Kazuki added watching the conversation between the two leaders carefully.
"Yes, yes it was," Naruto admitted, his expression turning dark as he thought back to that first mission, "I do hope that this mission stays an escort mission, nothing more. If for any reason it changes you are to return immediately to the village with Kokuro."
Kazuki nodded, glancing back at his squad, each of them nodding resolutely, "Yes Lord Hokage."
"You are dismissed then," relented the blond Hokage, "We will see you at the village gate tomorrow at four in the morning, sharp."
As the group headed back to Yakiniku-Q, Kokuro stepped up next to Meisa. Barely a wisp of air, but the message carried.
"Don't worry, Brid has confirmed she'll be there."
The journey to the Moonflower village was uneventful… from a mission aspect. Sarada and Boruto bickered and competed wherever they could. Meisa and Mitsuki compared their favorite snake summons. Kazuki and Kokuro remained relatively quiet throughout the journey, though they did occasionally share a smoke away from the group during pit stops. They kept the pace steady considering they did have Genin present with them, Kokuro already sending word he may arrive later than the original date set. While inns were few and far between on their path, they slept there if they could, otherwise, they camped out. It was something different for the Genin. The three had insisted on taking watches, which Kazuki ultimately complied to. Boruto and Sarada took the first, then Meisa and Mitsuki, and finally Kazuki and Kokuro; although, Kokuro watched over them all.
Eventually, the thick foliage around them thinned as they came to the edge of the small fishing hamlet. The sage's silver-purple eyes scanned over the deserted town. He noticed the seal tags all around the areas, ceremonial thick ropes hung from the tops of the buildings. A fog filled the street instead of people, making the air feel like acrid miasma. Red blooms filled the once clear blue shores, overturning the barren rice fields.
Kokuro vaguely heard Kazuki tell his team the move; mostly into a formation where they would be protected by the Uchiha siblings. He took a step forward into the fog and the team cautiously followed behind. Most of the buildings stood undamaged, but were crusted and covered in shells. While Kokuro could remember it was normally like that, this seemed unkempt, as if the natural element had taken over. That further pegged the question: where were the villagers?
A creaking door caused the Genin to jump slightly while the other two pulled out their weapons. Kokuro remained unfazed, searching for signs of life. He only tensed when he finally found a sign; a wiry energy that was distinctly out of their dimension. They heard the noisy shoes from a quarter of a mile away, but no sound following. The heavy breathing came next, sounding feminine in nature.
Meisa's position wavered, no longer believing the incoming person was foe. She stepped forward beside Kokuro and took another step in front. Her blue-green eyes creased with worry and concern settled in her chest like hard ice.
They could finally see the shadow of the person coming through the fog. Petite shape with long hair traveling behind her.
"RUN!" The figure cried out, causing Meisa's heart to break.
Kazuki immediately got his team back a few feet, carefully watching the area. Kokuro stayed where he was as his goddaughter racing towards the young female.
The two collided, hugging, as Meisa tried to console the tired woman. She ran her hand through her long strawberry hair that had come out of its usual braid. She heaved, her blue eyes full of terror as she tried to get a grip on reality again.
She gripped Meisa's shoulders and stared up at her. "We have to go. They're coming. Oh my god, they're horrible, Meisa. Meisa, we have to go, now!"
"Brid," the Uchiha whispered, cupping her face. "Brid, my sweet, what is wrong? Who's coming?"
"I don't know if there's even a name for them, they're just monstrous." Brid tried explaining as a large roar rang above them.
A fairly large, yellow-green clawed hand slithered out of the fog, attempting to knock over Bridin and Meisa. The pair dissolved into snakes at impact and reappeared behind Kokuro still clutching each other.
"What the hell was that!?" Kazuki called from back in his position.
"I don't know! I can't see anything. Uncle Ko?" Meisa called looking around, her eyes red matching her brother's.
The sage didn't reply as he kept searching. He couldn't seem to pull any information on that mysterious hand. He couldn't sense any chakra from it, just a dark aura, but that didn't pinpoint anything for him.
"Uh, guys," Boruto spoke up, staring at one of the houses. "I think I found where the townspeople went…."
The group turned their attention to the homes in front of them. Doors creeped open, windows slammed up and out crawled the people of Moonflower. Like their village, they were alive, but they had demon souls clutching them and altering their forms. The spirits clung to their hosts like leeches from their heads, backs, stomachs, arms, and legs. Some had altered limbs resembling their demon host, others had blended facial features, while those that were close to complete takeover actually looked demonic.
"Go," Kokuro called back to the group. "Kazuki and Meisa, get Team 7 and Brid out of here immediately. Go back to the Leaf Village."
"We're not leaving you alone, Uncle Ko!" Meisa yelled back.
Turbulent chakra exploded around them, lashing out wind currents around Kokuro. The group behind him stood in awe, never truly seeing the sage's chakra so vast.
"You guys have never faced yokai. They're not of our kind. They will wear out your chakra reservoirs before you even make a dent in their stamina." Kokuro told them as another direct burst of wind knocked over the townsfolk. Those that had fully merged, however, stood strong. "You all need to get out. Now!"
Kazuki slowly nodded. "Meisa, grab Brid."
His sister whipped back at him. "You're not seriously thinking about leaving him here?!"
"We don't have a choice!" He yelled back at her. "We have three Genin and Brid to worry about! We can't make reckless choices! Do you want any of them to get hurt?"
The young woman glanced over at the team that was only a few years younger than herself and then over to her beautiful girlfriend. She sighed looking back at her uncle and nodded. Brid climbed onto her back as the team sprinted back at full speed.
Kokuro watched as the younger shinobi fled, feeling relieved that he could now move without sweeping them up into the storm. The Yokai seemed to pour out from every crevice of the village poised by the miasma. Without hesitation, Kokuro had called upon Genbu, surrounding himself in resplendent chakra.
"It has been some time since you called on me"
"Now is not the time for the lecturing Genbu. Something is wrong, very wrong I need you to focus."
Wind cut gashes into the village, rending houses in two. The very sky began to darken as they sage fought, pushing the twisted creatures away from his feeling companions. Kokuro let his chakra rile, calling writhing streams of lightning, in the shape of dragons out of the sky, and conjuring raging streams of water, sweeping away swathes of land. He sensed the chakra of the area, reaching out with his byakugan, trying to find the source of the malediction on the Yokai. As he landed a stream of kick on a serpentine-headed creature, Kokuro placed his palms on the ground, Wood Style: Deep Forest Emergence. The trees burst forth from the ground, creating a protective barrier as Moonflower village was torn asunder; the roots and branches seeking out the creatures to pierce and crush.
Kokuro used this moment to meditate, reaching out to sense the nature of the area. That is when something was off, it seemed for every one or two creatures slain, several more would rise. His chakra seemed to be draining, and the fog thickened.
When they were finally far enough away, Kazuki stopped and set up traps since they couldn't sense the yokai coming. He used old seals that he had read about in hopes it would explode when it came in contact with a yokai and give them some warning. Meisa joined in setting up wire traps with weaponry and chakra traps.
The remainder of the group set up a fire and their rations for the evening, unsure if they'd take off again or were just making a pitstop.
"Soo, you're Brid, huh?" Sarada asked, looking up at the strawberry-blonde. She matched the photos Meisa had displayed in her room. Her unusual hair was wild from the running she endured. She looked petite compared to Meisa, but they were roughly the same size in their high heels. Her round face was filled with freckles, another trait Sarada found strange. Her warm blue eyes reminded her of her Aunt Sintary, though Bridin's eyes were more wide and open that her relative.
"Um, yeah," she said with a small, bashful smile as she placed some hair behind her ear.
"We will have more time for introductions later," stated Mizuki, glancing around into the fog, "We need to get out of here and report to the Hokage."
Kazuki nodded. "We'll head back through the Land of Frost and ask if we can base in their village."
The group pulled out their trench coats and gloves to brace for the cold weather they had to go through again. Meisa tried offering Bridin some, but the young woman merely shook her head.
"It's like parts of home. The frigid temperatures don't bother me." She reminded her girlfriend with a smile.
Meisa smiled at her softly and pulled Bridin onto her back again as they took off.
It had taken them a day and a half to get to Moonflower from the Frost village, but there was more urgency now. Kazuki pressed forward, most likely pushing his Genin to their limits. The frozen scenery had settled around them, making branches slippery and icepicks a common casualty. They had already passed up the inn halfway to the village, and Kazuki knew they couldn't stop in between for any length of time. He did halt to take assessment of everyone. His team looked tired and worn. He felt a tinge of guilt, but he knew there wasn't much of an alternative.
"Take a soldier pill," he told them softly as he pulled the roll out of his pocket. "They're from Aunt Sakura so it will give you the boost for us to get to a safe place."
The three took one each. Kazuki then offered one to his sister who refused, which he understood. He and his sister had higher stamina than his team just from experience alone. The new sensei was about to take off again when a cold, snow-dusted wind gust fell over the group, knocking some snow their way. Kazuki braced for the wet assault, but it was stopped in midair. He looked over to see Bridin's hands raised. She then twirled her fingers and the snow fell around them. Another gust overtook them, followed by a third before Kazuki heard a grumbling.
Blue eyes looked over the creature in front of them, a brilliantly ashen phoenix. Its plumage was pale white and streaked with scarlet. It carried a pipe in its beak similar to that to Kokuro's, the very air around it was so hot ice formed, frozen winds from Brid buffeting back at them.
The phoenix resonated with chakra.
It was his Uncle Ko's.
Kazuki reached for the message around its leg and opened it, quickly reading it over. His chapped lips settled in a firm, tight white line as he rolled it up and put it away. A nod to the large bird was enough for it to set itself ablaze, leaving ashes in its place.
"We need to get to Shimogakure now more than ever." The dark-haired boy stated to his group and took off again.
It was dark by the time the team arrived back at the gates; the giant ice wall that surrounded the village itself. They were close to developing frostbite even in the gear they had pulled on. It was too cold for naive shinobi to be out and about; let alone be chakra deprived and near exhaustion.
"You're back soon," one of the guards stated looking at the squad.
"We need refuge," Kazuki told him. "And to speak to the kage immediately."
The other sized them up, looking over the worn team. "You've swapped a member… what's so important you need to bother the kage?"
"We didn't swap a member," Kazuki corrected. "We were ambushed in Moonflower and Kokuro stayed behind. We received a warning from him about halfway here. I need to show it to the Shimokage and send a message to the Hokage immediately."
The guard rolled his eyes, "We'll be the judge of that."
The Konoha shinobi sighed, producing the message and handing it over. The two guards peered over it, reading over the short message. A cold sweat broke out over the guards. One looked off towards moonflower, fear evident in his eyes. The beginnings of a rising crescent moon piercing the horizon.
"Let them in at once and escort them to the kage's tower."
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