A/N: I humbly present: chapter 18! This one was a challenge to write just because of the dialogue.
Hmmm. Nope! Don't own Naruto.
Chapter XVIII: Leaves Among the Clouds
Naruto and Sasuke were awake just as the sun was peeking over the horizon. The oranges and pinks of the sunrise painted the early morning sky. Normally, they'd be dragging themselves out of bed and plodding through their morning routines. Today, however, the anticipation of their first mission since the destruction of the village gave them newfound energy. They ate their simple but filling breakfast of eggs over rice and double checked their bags to make sure they had everything they needed.
Sasuke locked their apartment door before they set out towards the main gate. He could tell that despite Naruto's upbeat attitude, he was nervous. The blond wore an almost plastic smile the whole time and kept making idle small talk about nothing in particular. It was a defense mechanism; mask the nerves with near-overwhelming positivity.
As they made their way along the main road, the duo was joined by Sakura and Haku. Their trek was as quiet as the early morning. Only a few birds were awake to sing, yet no roosters crowed. The air was crisp, and the morning dew glistened on leaves and blades of grass like tiny diamonds. Under normal circumstances, it would be a beautiful morning to run a few laps around the village.
Anxiety settled in the stomachs of the four chūnin like a heavy stone. They all knew they were prepared, and even had two jōnin present if things took a turn for the worst. Sakura internally chalked it up to the fact that it was their first mission together after a good amount of time. Haku was more concerned with representing themselves in a decent manner. Being in a foreign village meant diplomacy and etiquette were more important than usual.
Sasuke couldn't keep his thoughts away from his brother. The thought of having to face him after so many years nearly made him lose his appetite at breakfast. He tried to push those thoughts down and remind himself that he was more than ready, especially with his friends at his side.
Naruto just wanted to keep them safe. Every time someone he cared about got hurt, the Nine-Tailed Fox would make itself known. He reassured himself that his father's seal would hold, but a part of him nagged that the seal could only hold back so much if he went into another blinding rage like he had against Pain.
Yamato and Kakashi were already at the gate, as was Konan. The four chūnin regarded their jōnin leaders before Naruto fixed his attention on the azure-haired woman.
"Konan? I thought you weren't coming?" He puzzled.
"I came to see you off. It's only fitting that I would after instructing you for the past month," she said with sincerity. She met his spectacled gaze. "This is the first step along your path. Don't doubt yourself. Know that I and all of your friends and comrades believe in you and your abilities."
A small, determined smile graced his features as he gave a single nod. "I'll do my best."
Kakashi stepped forward. "Is everyone ready?" The four chūnin nodded firmly in unison. Kakashi turned to Yamato, who nodded in acknowledgement. With that, the six-man squad set out for Kumogakure.
Traversing the Land of Fire had taken them two days, with only a few stops for meals and rest. The terrain was familiar, since they had been through the northwest part of the Land of Fire once before, when they were hunting Orochimaru. The third day brought them to the Land of Hot Water and Yugakure, which Naruto visited during his travels with Jiraiya. The climate was similar to Konoha and the Land of Fire, but was a bit more humid, likely from all the hot springs that the country was known for.
After a day in the Land of Hot Water, the party crossed into the Land of Frost, much to the dismay of the Konoha natives. Haku was as happy as a clam, especially after being subjected to the stickiness of Yugakure. Sakura wasn't terribly uncomfortable, given how much she'd trained with her Hyōton, while Kakashi and Yamato showed no signs of being bothered. Naruto was essentially a human heater, but wore his provided cloak just in case. Sasuke simply tried to keep his teeth from chattering. It didn't help that he was naturally cold, either.
It took another day and a half to trudge through the Land of Frost and make it to the Land of Lightning. Thankfully, Kumogakure was only half a day's travel after that, much to the relief of everyone. Naruto had been less than quiet about how far away Kumo was from Konoha, and Haku repeatedly had to hold Sakura back from delivering a sucker punch to the bellyaching blond. The group was grateful to finally be able to get some amount of rest and carry out their mission.
It was late afternoon when the six-man squad arrived at the main gates of Kumogakure. The surrounding terrain was much rockier than they expected, with barely any vegetation to speak of, save for the occasional fern or patch of moss. After verifying their identities and stating their business, the Konoha delegation was escorted by Kumo shinobi to the inn they would be staying at.
Kumogakure was unlike anything they had ever seen. The rocky terrain extended into the village to the point that spires of rock dotted the area within the walls. There were very few buildings at ground level, as most were built into the spires. Said buildings resembled ramen bowls made out of wood and glass, and encircled the spires they were built into. Adjacent spires were connected by large metal beams or walkways. The central building was the largest, bearing the kanji for "lightning" in a circular emblem. One of their escorts informed them that it was the Raikage Office, which the group surmised was the equivalent of the Hokage Tower in Konoha. As its name implied, there was a thin veil of clouds perpetually obscuring the village, even within the walls.
Naruto couldn't help but crane his head at the sights. He expected the village to look different, but not this different. To him, it seemed as though the village was from another world entirely. Haku had been the one to gently remind him to keep up as the Kumo shinobi escorted them to the inn, but the blond couldn't help but look around at the foreign village.
After ascending several flights of stairs, the Konoha envoys arrived at the bowl-shaped inn. The chūnin would share a room, as they were no strangers to sharing tents and campsites as genin, while Kakashi and Yamato would have their own shared room. Once they settled in, Naruto decided to order some room service, which his friends agreed to. Of course, he ordered ramen. Haku ordered grilled squid, miso soup for Sakura, and curried chicken for Sasuke. Just as they finished placing their orders, there was a knock at the door.
Naruto answered, revealing their silver-haired jōnin sensei. "Are you all settled in?"
"Yup. We just ordered dinner," Naruto answered.
"Good. Make sure you rest up tonight. We meet with the Raikage first thing tomorrow morning. Captain Yamato and I will come get you when the time comes. Be ready." Kakashi's students could tell that he meant more than he was saying with his last words. Haku picked up on the way Team 7's jaws set and reached a similar conclusion.
"Yes, sir," the four chūnin replied in unison.
Their meals arrived quickly. Naruto deemed the ramen acceptable, but certainly not on the same level of Ichiraku's. Haku had similar sentiments about the squid, mentioning how much fresher the seafood was in Kiri. Sasuke and Sakura were satisfied with their choices, though the curry was under seasoned for Sasuke's taste. Normally, they would have talked for a while before calling it a night, but they were all tired from traveling. The four chūnin turned in early, a restful sleep easily finding its way to them.
Haku was the first one to rise, and gently woke his three friends up. Unfortunately, only Sasuke and Sakura woke up on the first try. He nearly had to drag Naruto out of his futon to get him to join them in the land of the living. They would have ordered breakfast, but opted for ration bars in the interest of time.
Naruto, Sasuke, and Haku slipped into their ninja gear in the room, while Sakura took the bathroom. Once she was decent, she joined her teammates as they donned their respective cloaks. Naruto replaced his sunglasses before tightening his headband a bit more, while Sasuke polished his ninjato one last time. Sakura and Haku double checked their senbon pouches, the former making sure she had first aid supplies, just in case.
Not long after they finished gearing up, there was a knock at their door. This time, Sasuke was the one to answer, and was greeted by both Kakashi and Yamato.
"Ah, good morning, Sasuke. Are you all ready to see the Raikage?" Kakashi prompted.
The three other chūnin scurried to take their place behind Sasuke. "Yes, sir!" They replied in unison. Kakashi couldn't help but smile inwardly at their enthusiasm, while Yamato looked pleased with their discipline.
"Right then, let's go meet our escort. We wouldn't want to be late," the silver-haired jōnin stated. The four chūnin followed closely behind, almost like a family of ducks, as they made their way to the inn's lobby. Two Kumo shinobi were waiting for them, and after confirming the time of the appointment, the group set out for the central building.
The Raikage Office was more familiar than the Konoha shinobi anticipated. The layout was different, but it still carried the official atmosphere that the Hokage Tower did. A few Kumo shinobi milled about, likely delivering reports or messages. The Konoha party kept close to their two escorts, though Naruto couldn't help but glance around out of curiosity.
They were taken to the Raikage's office, which had large, heavy doors just like the Hokage's office. These doors, however, were made of a lighter color wood, and a large desk was positioned just off to the right; a desk which sat empty. One of the Kumo escorts slipped inside to inform the occupants of the envoys' arrival.
After some shuffling and muffled conversations, the shinobi and a woman emerged. She was dark-skinned, with dark blue-green eyes and grey hair. Two silvery bangs framed her face, while the rest of her hair was pulled into a bun. She wore an olive-green blouse and pencil skirt, along with a visible mesh undershirt.
"Welcome to the Raikage's Office. You all are the messenger party sent by the Hokage of Konohagakure, I presume?" She asked. Her voice was calm—almost soothing to listen to.
"We are. Is the Raikage ready for us?" Kakashi replied.
"He is. Right this way, please," the woman said as she opened the door and ushered the group inside.
They were met by two broad, muscular, dark-skinned men, one of whom was sat at a desk. A slender but athletic, fair-skinned kunoichi stood off to the side. The two men had nearly platinum blond, slicked back hair and facial hair, while the kunoichi's hair was closer to sandy blond. The seated giant wore a white haori, curiously with no shirt underneath, and the other two shinobi wore variants of the Kumo uniform.
The man behind the desk wore large, golden vambraces on his forearms, likely a show of his strength. The other mustachioed shinobi had seven swords strapped to his back and wore dark sunglasses, while the kunoichi had a string of blue prayer beads wrapped around her left forearm. It was clear that these weren't regular shinobi by any standards.
The seated man rose to his feet. "You must be the Konoha delegation. I am Ay, the Fourth Raikage of this village. I see you've already met Mabui, my assistant." He gestured to the shinobi on either side of him. "This is my younger brother, Bee, and Yugito Nii, one of our jōnin. And you all would be?"
"Kakashi Hatake. This is my colleague, Yamato. And these four are our charges," he said as he gestured to everyone, who took their cue to introduce themselves.
"Naruto Uzumaki."
"Sakura Haruno."
"Sasuke Uchiha."
"Haku Yuki."
The Raikage simply grunted in acknowledgement before returning to his chair. He folded his large hands on the desk, his vambraces coming to rest with a dull thud. "Now then, your Hokage was courteous enough to tell me of your arrival. But what I'm wondering is why she would warn me of an impending attack and urge me to keep my…assets within the village. You wouldn't happen to have any information as to why that is, would you?"
"Well, Lord Raikage, the simple answer would be because the impending attack would be against your 'assets,' as it were," Kakashi stated.
The Raikage's scowl deepened. "And what proof do you have?"
"We have a credible source that has given us actionable intelligence regarding the targets," Kakashi explained.
"And just who or what might this credible source be?" The Raikage probed.
"Well, I'm afraid I may not be at liberty to sa—"
"Does it matter? Even the chance of being attacked by the Akatsuki should be enough to put you on high alert!"
Everyone but Sasuke grimaced at Naruto's outburst, while the Raikage and the two shinobi adjacent to him perked up at the mention of the Akatsuki. Ay leaned forward, meeting Naruto's spectacled gaze. "And what would you know about the Akatsuki, kid?"
Before Naruto or Kakashi could say anything, Sasuke chimed in. "What my friend is trying to say is that since the Akatsuki are a collection of S-ranked criminals, it would make sense for any village to take the proper precautions."
Kakashi shot him a grateful look before Ay continued his prying. "I'm aware of the threat the Akatsuki pose based on their ranks in the Bingo Book. But I fail to see what that has to do with my assets, or why the Hokage would send a delegation here, for that matter."
"Lord Raikage, if I may; we—my team in particular—have experience in facing the Akatsuki. Naruto here has faced them on more than one occasion, and can vouch for just how serious of a threat they can pose to any shinobi village," Kakashi reasoned.
Ay's scowl only deepened further. "As I said, I'm aware of the threat the Akatsuki pose. Let me rephrase: what do the Akatsuki and Konoha have to do with Kumo's assets?" His tone carried an edge of frustration.
The Raikage's question hung in the air for a pregnant moment. Naruto decided to speak up when he saw that no one else would. "It has everything to do with them. I know you call them 'assets,'" he began, forming air quotes around the last word. "But I know what they are: they're jinchūriki. And you know why the Akatsuki would come to Kumo? For the jinchūriki. They won't attack just for the sake of attacking, they're targeting the jinchūriki."
Ay leaned back in his chair, while Yugito and Bee couldn't help but cock an eyebrow at the tenacious blond. Another tense silence passed before Ay spoke in a low, serious tone. "And how can you say for sure that the Akatsuki are targeting the jinchūriki?"
It was Naruto's turn to scowl. "Because they attacked our village, too! And they were looking for me!"
Ay's brow furrowed as he processed the information. Bee took this as his opportunity to voice his thoughts. "Yo Big Bro, I thought I sensed something familiar in Naruto's chakra flow. He's a jinchūriki, just like me and Yugito Nii!" He stated in a strangely rhythmic cadence.
Ay merely grimaced at his younger brother's incessant rapping, but Yugito ignored it, instead asking her own question. "Which Tailed Beast do you house, boy?"
Naruto's scowl softened, but only slightly. "First of all, I have a name: Naruto Uzumaki. Second, I'm the jinchūriki of the Nine-Tailed Fox." The blond all but growled out his response.
Sasuke placed a hand on his friend's shoulder in an effort to settle him down some. Naruto took a deep breath, steadying his nerves as Kakashi spoke. "As you can see, Lord Raikage, we've had our own run-ins with the Akatsuki for the very same reasons we are here to warn you."
The haori-clad man snorted. "Is that all? Konoha sends six shinobi, one of whom is their own jinchūriki, for a warning?"
Yamato spoke up this time. "Well, not exactly, Lord Raikage. We were sent as a delegation to deliver a warning, yes, but we were also sent to bolster your ranks, should the attack take place while we're here."
"Bolster our ranks? Need I remind you that Kumogakure is an independent, sovereign hidden village with a more than capable standing army! The very idea that we should need reinforcements is an insult!" A vein on Ay's forehead bulged in his furor.
Yamato opened his mouth to speak, but swallowed his words when Kakashi spoke. "Lord Raikage, with respect, as strong as Kumogakure is, these Akatsuki are not to be taken lightly. They have already captured the Four-Tails, the Three-Tails, and the One-Tail. Though they were unsuccessful in capturing Naruto and the Nine-Tails, they didn't go down without a fight." He gestured to his blond student. "Put simply, he's one of—if not the best—assets we have to fend them off, and the Hokage sent us to you as a show of good faith." Ay grunted as he considered Kakashi's words.
"Given the history between our two villages, I would consider this lending of assets an olive branch. Don't you agree?" The silver-haired jōnin added nonchalantly.
The Raikage subtly tensed at the implications behind his statement. He knew there was still unease between Kumo and Konoha due to the Hyūga Affair, despite the passage of time. As much as he loathed heeding the advice of a Konoha shinobi, he knew Kakashi had a point. Though, he did find it curious how much faith he and the rest of the delegation seemed to have on this jinchūriki of theirs. However, that was neither here nor there. He knew he had to keep his own jinchūriki safe if Kumo was to keep their aces up their sleeve. Not only that, he also wouldn't need to send his own shinobi into danger to protect Bee and Yugito.
"You're a shrewd diplomat, Kakashi of the Sharingan," Ay stated before heaving a sigh through his nose. "But you have a point. Neither Bee nor Yugito have ever faced the Akatsuki. I suppose I'll accept your help."
"And what about us, Lord Raikage? Are we to fight off the Akatsuki alongside these Konoha shinobi?" Yugito wondered.
"Oh yeah! Let me at those Akatsuki fools! I'll cut 'em to bits with my sharpest tools!" Bee rapped enthusiastically.
"You two will stay in the village," the Raikage said plainly.
"But Lord Raikage, we're more than capable! We can fight and show the Akatsuki that Kumogakure is strong!" Yugito protested.
"Yeah Brother! Kumo is a top dog, we can take those Akatsuki out, like a whirlwind clearing a fog, whee!"
Ay flared his lightning chakra; just enough to cause some sparks. The room smelled of ozone, while everyone's hair stood a little taller. Bee and Yugito snapped their mouths shut as he roared. "Silence!"
The office was quiet enough to hear the sparks of Ay's lightning chakra dissipate into the air. The Raikage shot his two jinchūriki a look that told them he would explain his decision later, a look which was hidden beneath a scowl. The Konoha shinobi exchanged awkward glances, the tension thick enough that Sasuke could cut it with his ninjato.
Kakashi cleared his throat. "I thank you for your understanding, Lord Raikage. We'll be sure to minimalize the possibi—"
"Yes, yes, yes, of course. Enough with the formalities. I've agreed to let you help, but I want to know just how you plan to fend off these Akatsuki attackers," Ay interrupted. Yamato winced internally at how crass the Raikage could be. Though, he shouldn't be too surprised, considering how often he and Shizune found Tsunade drinking or sleeping on the job. The latter was often a result of the former.
Kakashi gave an awkward masked smile. "Yes, of course. I was just getting to that," he placated. Ay merely grunted as a cue for the jōnin to continue. By now, even Naruto was feeling uncomfortable at how the "diplomatic exchange" was going.
Kakashi cleared his throat once more. "Put simply, our plan is to meet them head-on before they have a chance to infiltrate the village. Once we've engaged, we plan to split them up, divert them away from the village, and eliminate them individually."
The Raikage and Yugito cocked an eyebrow, while Bee hummed in acknowledgment.
"What if you fail?" Yugito probed.
Naruto answered without missing a beat. "We won't."
"And how will you know when they're approaching the village?" Ay asked.
Yamato spoke up this time. "We can either scout ahead or wait for some of your shinobi to report anything. Given that this is your village, we'll defer our decision to you."
The Raikage mulled over the options for a moment. "What do we look for?"
"Black cloaks with red clouds on them. They're not terribly difficult to spot, even from afar," Yamato answered.
Ay nodded before snapping his fingers, causing two Kumo shinobi to flicker in front of him. "Send some scouts outside the village. Be on the lookout for two people wearing black cloaks with red clouds on them. Keep your distance and don't try to engage. Report back as soon as you spot them," he ordered. Without a word, the two shinobi flickered out of the office.
Another silence settled over the room before it was broken by the younger jinchūriki. "What about you guys? Which Tailed Beasts do you have?"
"As for me, Killer Bee, I've got the Eight-Tailed Ox, ya see!"
Yugito rolled her eyes before she stole a glance at the Raikage, who subtly gestured for her to speak. "I hold the Two-Tailed Cat," she stated with the slightest hint of trepidation.
Naruto suddenly recalled what Gamamaru had prophesized to him: he would meet an octopus, a cat, and a beetle. He felt something click in his mind: a realization that he was connected to Yugito and Bee. Perhaps not in the same way as he was connected to Sasuke, Sakura, or Haku, but there was still a connection.
His mind went to his relationship with Gaara. They named each other friend, and both had a mutual understanding of what it was like to be an outcast in your own home. However, Bee and Yugito didn't seem like they were ostracized. Rather, they seemed wholly accepted as jinchūriki, not looked down on and antagonized for it.
Naruto turned his attention to Ay. "Say, would it be okay for me to talk to those two when there's time?" He gestured to the two Kumo jinchūriki.
The Raikage cocked an inquisitive eyebrow. "And why would I allow that?"
"Hold up, Brother. This dude might have somethin' that Bee would like to see. He's a jinchūriki like me and Miss Nii, so I say we let him tell us his story. Whee."
Naruto swore he saw Yugito's eye twitch at being called "Miss Nii," but brushed that aside when he saw the Raikage's face shift into a pensive expression. He let out a half-sigh, half-groan before he spoke. "Fine. But only after this whole Akatsuki matter is resolved. Understood?"
Naruto gave a firm nod, while Bee threw up two sideways peace signs. Yugito bowed her head ever so slightly in acknowledgment.
The Raikage turned his attention back to the Konoha delegation. "You said your village was attacked by the Akatsuki. It's not often that someone has the audacity to do such a thing in broad daylight."
"The Akatsuki are a different breed," Kakashi remarked.
Ay grunted. "So it seems. Is there anything I should know about them?"
"Unfortunately, I'm not at liberty to discuss any intelligence we have on them. Though I will say this: their abilities are unique, even among S-ranked ninja," Kakashi stated.
The Raikage let out a snort. "I suppose I should have expected an answer like that. Ninja villages will always have secrets, even among potential allies. No matter. The scouts should be reporting back soon as to whether they've spotted these Akatsuki or not. Our patrols will likely be the first to see anything."
Not a second later, a Kumo shinobi flickered into the office, his eyes wild and his breathing erratic.
"L-Lord Raikage! The s-scouts!" His lungs fought for precious oxygen as he tried to get the message out.
Ay rose to his feet, slapping his hands against the desk. "Spit it out!"
The shinobi took a deep breath. "The Akatsuki! They've been spotted! The scouts all retreated as soon as we saw them! They shouldn't have seen us, and if they did, they didn't react at all. They just kept walking."
Ay clenched his fist in front of him. "Well! Where are they!" He demanded.
"Ten miles outside the outskirts of the village along one of the main roads to the south!"
The Raikage's face set in a serious expression. "Have every shinobi chūnin and up prepare our defenses." He turned to the two jinchūriki. "You two stay with me. Understand?" They both nodded before Ay turned to the group of Konoha shinobi. "Looks like you're up, Konoha. Show me what you can do."
The squad nodded firmly in unison before setting off at top speed out of the Raikage Office, making a beeline for the main gate. It was time for Konoha to make itself known.
A/N: Dun dun dunnn! Man, writing Bee's rapping was tough. It's no wonder not a ton of folks write his dialogue. Yugito is alive and well! Why? Because she got done dirty like so many other cool characters, that's why! Since maps are inconsistent, I figured it would take about five days to get to Kumo from Konoha. Makes me wish we had an actual official map of the world. Oh well. Thanks so much for reading! Chapter 19 is in the works!
