Chapter 18: Relationship
"It's okay," he said. "We're together." He didn't say you're okay, or we're alive. After all they'd been through over the last year, he knew that the most important thing was that they were together. She loved him for saying that."
― Rick Riordan, The Mark of Athena
Naruto & Hinata
The frost melts.
It's the first real sign they've slowly departed out of the thick of ice that froze everything around them, blizzards that nearly toppled them over and numbed them from head to toe.
The never ending blinding white that permeates the Land of Snow starts to become filled with color, morning sky once an endless gray now slowly littered with brittle yellow-orange lights breaking through the clouds.
"Look sharp you two, we're entering the final legs of this journey!" Jiraiya proclaims eagerly, just as happy to be out of the last dredges of the late morning snowstorm they just crossed through.
"Are some of your owl summons guiding us?" Naruto jokes, nudging Hinata to look skyward.
Indeed an eagle owl and tawny owl make low swoops in the air, hoots echoing throughout the forest.
"Hmm, I didn't know you made a contract with them! What are they saying?" Jiraiya adds in curiously, Hinata giving them flat looks that she doesn't speak bird nor did she form a contract with Asami that Jiraiya couldn't have easily found out about!
The eagle owl's orange orbs meet hers, nodding in seeming confirmation that it knows her identity, chosen to ensure they're using the easiest route out of the woods to get closer to Kumo.
'One of Asami's friends or family?' Hinata guesses to herself.
She smiles to the duo, nodding her thanks and the pair seem to grin back in return before disappearing back into the falling snow.
"Be careful heading into Kumo; they aren't friendly with Konoha shinobi." Asami's voice whispers to her through the wind.
Hinata straightens, frowning.
"Why is that? It goes beyond just past grudges, right?"
Asami nods and without having to look for her she can tell her gaze seems pinpointed on a set group miles away.
"They're people in the other nations like Kumo that blame Konoha for the Akatsuki's sudden appearance, for Naruto and yourself baiting them out of hiding in a sense causing the disappearance of their own jinchuriki: Killer B." She reviews.
Hinata half turns to her to ask how they could possibly blame them for that when they would've visited every nation with a jinchuriki eventually, however she only sees the flutter of her brown-black wings, the quiet promise she'll be watching should she need anything.
'I can't call for you so easily.' Hinata wants to retort, though Asami must know that already.
Neither have brought up the subject of forming a contract, though perhaps it's time she does the next time they formally interact.
Greenery quickly edges out the white, rivers deeps shades of sapphire blue to warm yellows zigzag in S-shapes across the grasslands, purple to pink berries and wildflowers growing along their banks.
In the distance though the mountains are a sandy brown towering into the sky, blanketed by ominous clouds and fog that are mixes of blacks and grays.
Hinata sniffs the air, a new dampness surrounding them that promises rain later.
'The Land of Lightning.'
Her stomach slushes, Konoha and Kumo don't have the best relations and she hasn't heard if they communicate much with the other nations to the West. Too much blood has spilled from both their sides taking out each other's family and shinobi over the years. Empty promises were made for peace after wars and skirmishes that never came...
"Hinata shouldn't go Hiashi! You know she'll be wanted for the byakugan by all those leering men and mercenaries. Her eyes are her most prized possession that need to stay guarded." Hiroto hisses.
She grits her teeth, the elders know so little about her, even less so it seems even after traveling to the future and learning from so many people.
"We should break for lunch!" Jiraiya suggests, grinning at Naruto's low whoop of agreement.
He glances to Hinata, nodding in silent understanding at her rising anxiety.
She manages a smile back, she isn't alone in this.
Naruto readily plops down along the edge of the river, kicking up his feet excitedly. The wind picks up, warm and humid nearly reminding him of late spring and early summers back in Konoha.
"Pervy-Sage, how'd you like that onigiri and soup I made?! I packed the onigiri with salmon and kelp!" Naruto boasts.
Jiraiya looks down to his meal, partially perplexed. He's never seen Naruto make his way around a kitchen (he forgets when his own milk and eggs expire half the time) let alone know the correct spices and seasons to use to make a good egg soup like this one. "Kid, since when do you know how to cook?"
The grin instantly slips from Naruto's face, pointing a finger at him accusingly. "Well not from you, you know! Hiashi taught me!"
Jiraiya smirks then, looking between the pair thoughtfully.
Interesting.
He slurps casually at his noodles, but Hinata can tell his mind has already switched to brainstorming mode, a bubbling of questions rising up at Naruto having divulged this piece of information.
"Huh, why didn't you tell me your future Father-in-law was giving you lessons? Perhaps, I'll be able to go over to you two's house in the future for an actual dinner that doesn't just consist of ramen!" He chuckles.
Naruto snorts, biting into his own prawn onigiri. "Or hamburgers. That's all Boruto ever felt like eating for breakfast, lunch, and dinner."
"We can't eat burgers everyday." Naruto-Y declares.
He looks to his future self to back him up, but he's already disappeared back into his office to finish the web meeting Boruto interrupted. Himawari tugs at the ends of his hair, seeming to giggle at his predicament when he glances to her.
Her nose is runny again, fidgeting when he attempts to wipe away the trail.
"Hima, stay still so Papa can clean you up." Naruto-Y grumbles.
Boruto meanwhile tugs at his shirt again, pouting.
Ah, so he's going to have to deal with Boruto's tantrum alone.
How does his future self juggle two toddlers on top of Hokage meetings? Even with his clones, the pair stay busy trying to escape his gaze.
"Smaller Papa, listen to me!" Boruto exclaims.
His cheeks remain a blustery red, tears edging up his eyes once more. "Why can't we get burgers?! I was good at school today!"
'Don't give into his excuses, we can't spoil him like Hiashi does. He needs to eat a healthy variety of foods.' Naruto-O's words pop to mind.
None of it will matter to a preschooler like Boruto though, it's the equivalent of telling him he can't eat ramen at his age even if he was good and didn't pull any type of prank or misbehave all week.
"Tell you what? How about you help me make a meal just like you do with Mama?" Naruto-Y suggests.
Boruto blinks, grip loosening and Naruto-Y restrains a sigh of relief as he accepts his hand to head into the kitchen. Both Hinata's finished clearing the dishes from breakfast and now they're about to probably make a mess again.
"We can make onigiri; I know where the rice is!" Boruto announces proudly, racing for the pantry ahead of Naruto-Y. His older self and Hinata keep on hand a variety of white, jasmine, sticky, and brown rice for different occasions/holidays it seems.
Naruto-Y pauses, stepping back taking in the collection.
'I know I should be used to it by now, but I've never even had a full bag of one type of rice let alone at least 3 different ones.' He notes.
So caught up in his thoughts, Boruto chooses the sticky rice, cerulean eyes concentrating attempting to tug down a bag that's at least an inch taller than him that he ends up scattering grains along the tile.
Great.
"This one smaller Papa! We'll be able to make plenty!" He beams.
Crap.
He sets Himawari down who toddles over to the spilled rice, cobalt orbs wide and curious reaching to put a handful into her mouth.
Double crap.
"Do you guys need help in here?" Hinata-O questions walking in to a scattering of rice and pans across the floor.
Hinata-Y moves in beside him, helping with the mess and picking up Himawari again, Naruto-Y sending her a grateful look.
"We can handle it; don't worry!" Hinata-Y states, motioning for her older self to check on Naruto-O.
"That sounds like you needed help even then Naruto. You've come along way it seems in your cooking skills." Jiraiya mentions, rice ball chucked at him in response.
They need to get going again before time gets away from them, Jiraiya instructing them to watch their steps as they head into the deeper sections of the valley where the fog thickens.
The storms from earlier hover like shadows, sky morphing into a steely green-gray.
Hinata sighs, shaking out her nerves only to feel a hand envelop hers.
She turns to find Naruto looking at her, blue eyes warm and confident.
His lips brush the side of her cheek, heat her skin to a soft pink.
"I'm truly glad you're here Hinata." Naruto relates, squeezing her hand.
The knots in her chest loosen, fear pricking less at her sides.
"I am too." She breathes back.
Sakura
It's a dangerous thing to want; to desire.
She treks slowly behind Sasuke, avoiding his gaze. For someone used to the silence of travel, of being alone and blending himself into the darkness, Sasuke for once is the louder of the two crackling branches and crumpling stones at their feet.
'Itachi's going to here us coming from a mile away!' She bemuses.
That or Kisame will get to them first.
Team Taka was understanding enough of their objective: Find Itachi, explain the future and that his own goals/plans won't be effective, and hopefully cure him of his illness so he can join their fight against the Akatsuki.
"Good Luck. I don't think Itachi is the type to really listen if it gets in the way of his plans. It runs in the family I'm sure you know." Suigetsu snickers, eyeing Sasuke with amusement.
Karin attempts to stomp on his foot, Suigetsu liquefying the lower half of his body leaving her legs dripping wet. He waves up a finger teasingly, grin widening as her face ignites red in rage.
"Now, now Karin, be nice; you're going to erupt if you get any redder! Play nice with me for once! You can't take your anger out on me just because you don't get to go with them!" He hums.
"Shut the hell up! Like I want to spend any more time around either of them!" She snaps back, though Sakura doesn't mix the softened glare she sends her. In the time she's explored their hideout and talked to her one one one she's learned a bit more about the redhead.
Mainly her life before Orochimaru found her, the time she spent being on the run with her Mother...
"I'm sorry if anything for using memories of your Mother against you." Sakura apologizes over a late breakfast/brunch of tea and omelets on the day they're set to head out again. They've stayed in this spot too long as is gathering up supplies, Orochimaru is surely going to visit this hideout eventually.
"It must get tiring being the only woman here amongst a gaggle of men whose desires range from killing, experimenting, and collecting swords." Sakura observes aloud, Karin nodding with a scoff at their dirtiness.
She feels sorry for ever complaining about her time around Naruto and Sasuke on Team 7.
Karin gives her a watery smile, waving it off.
"You did what you had to do. Uzumaki are resilient as I'm sure you know from your own teammate." She replies breezily.
Sakura nods, he's probably away from the village heading the opposite direction.
Hopefully safe from whatever the cause of those flames are...
Karin pats her hand, getting her attention once more. "Thanks for those recipes on how to mix lavender and eucalyptus. It smells good and for once my hair won't constantly smell like oil, blood, dirt, and grass. Heh, I'm sure Lord Orochimaru would find such blending oils silly, but it's been a long time since I've felt...pretty; wanted and not just for my healing ability."
Neither look to Sasuke observing them from the corner of his eye, feigning interest in Suigetsu's discussion of the latest wild hog he watched Jugo capture in the woods.
"He cares about you in his own strange way, you better not let that opportunity go to waste!" Karin hisses.
"Hmm." Sakura acknowledges, pretending she's talking about any other guy than Sasuke.
Her stomach tightens, coils snapping into place and she blows out a slow breath as her heart lurches.
Sasuke cares because of what she can do, not about her particularly...
Karin's gaze softens, knowing she's shutting down on the subject and pinches her hand forcing her to meet her gaze.
Green to Red, one cool, the other fiery with resolve.
In the silence is the promise that they both better come back safe.
That was nearly 3 days ago.
"Why are you not talking to me?" Sasuke abruptly asks.
Sakura blinks, far and away the last question she expected Sasuke to ask her at this stage in the journey. He used to say that just hearing her talking was annoying, even if it was just to point out a specific task in their mission.
'Stopping holding the past against him!' Her thoughts argue.
"...No reason. I mean, we need to focus since we're getting close." Sakura points out.
She isn't a part of Itachi's plans after all.
Sasuke doesn't respond and she assumes this is a good enough answer until he speaks again.
"Are you afraid of what Itachi will do?" He asks.
Sakura clicks her lips, weighing how to speak her jumbled thoughts aloud.
Of course she's afraid, Itachi is a variable she can't control, who's reaction she can't foresee.
He's stronger than her; faster. All her training with Lady Tsunade and Kurenai-sensei feel like pebbles compared to the mountain Itachi is. Once she's trapped in one of his genjutsu, it will be damn near impossible to break...
He won't want her here, he'll find a way to block everything she's learned.
'Remember your sense of smell and of hearing when Itachi comes for you. If all else fails, a good slap or punch should hopefully knock you back to your senses!'
Pain.
It's one way to break a genjutsu.
"I'm afraid." Sakura finally admits, Sasuke nodding holding out his hand.
Sakura stares at it blankly in return.
Sasuke sighs impatiently, gesturing once more to his hand.
"Come on, hold my hand so you're close by me if and when Itachi tries something." He pushes.
Sakura feels her face warm, taking his hand with a mix of reluctance and giddiness.
But then he disappears from sight, hands twisting into blackened tree branches. Their surroundings become replaced with endless woods and a sky as black as midnight when it was just early afternoon...
A crow flies overhead.
"Sakura, Sakura! Snap out of it!" Sasuke shakes at her shoulder, jade eyes already turning glassy.
A fist slowly forms in her opposite hand, raising it up slamming it into her cheek. The pain rushes in like electricity, pulsing and burning all the way down to her toes. She reminds herself of the scents of the forests they were just in, the mishmash of pine needles and wet bark to the sudden influx of blood and burnt grass on her tongue.
"Damn it! Ugh, at least let us talk before you put me in an illusion!" Sakura shouts out making birds scatter. She stomps a foot down to concentrate shaking the ground, to not give into the continued switch of night and day right before her eyes trying to pull her back in.
Her face is bruising, she doubts she'll have time to heal it properly.
Sasuke glances around, sharingan activating.
"Itachi, come out and talk to us properly." He orders.
It doesn't matter, Itachi has no plans to listen to him or her right now.
"It's fine, don't worry about me." Sakura murmurs.
Her vision goes cloudy again not a second later slipping into a world that's of darkness and blood red moons, slumping downward; unconscious.
Sasuke bites down a curse as he eases Sakura to the ground, Itachi's body forming from a swath of a crows across the way.
Crimson orbs stare from Sakura to Sasuke; curious.
"You're protecting her?" He notes when he takes a step forward, Sasuke blocking his path. Interesting, for Sasuke to come here he would've thought he gave up all his bonds and connections to his old life back in Konoha.
'Things have changed.' He considers.
"I know the truth about the massacre Itachi, the coup our clan began planning against Konoha for unfair treatment." Sasuke starts.
Itachi arches a brow, features carefully blank.
For him to know that can only mean his suspicions were correct, Naruto told him of the future and now all of his old plans are no longer viable.
He stares for a minute too long again at Sakura and Sasuke senses Kisame's mischievous grin from somewhere in the woods waiting for a command to get her out of the way.
Itachi takes another step closer, flames scorching the ground black in his wake.
"Who is this girl exactly to you little brother?"
Kakashi & Gai
"You should be dead old fart!" Hidan spits out at him bitterly with a scowl.
Why has Jashin betrayed him not like this? The ritual refused to activate when he's sure he got enough of his blood off of him during their earlier spar. Though perhaps it was never his blood at all he realizes belatedly seeing as there's no visible injury to Gai minus some slight bruises, but no open cuts.
To fall for such a trick having used some dead animal's blood...it's no wonder Jashin has turned his back on him when he's done this method of attack plenty of times before.
He spits out a broken set of teeth from his earlier punch, ribs cracked where his kicks have landed. This freak moves in a way unlike any other enemy he's faced before. His scythe lies in a crumpled pile too far out of his reach, metal and blades crushed in like paper.
"Stop looking so cocky." He grunts under his breath from his strong fist fighting style.
He didn't even need to use ninjutsu or some type of genjutsu to ensnare him, a guy with no other skills besides his fists it seemed for all intents and purposes.
But throughout their clash he always slowed when he sped up, leapt when he crouched down with scythe with these animalistic moves that annoyed the ever loving hell out of him.
'Fuck, how am I supposed to get out of this?' Hidan persists at wriggling to no avail.
He's running out of options...
Gai smile's wans, shrugging.
"You're the one betraying the power of youth by having this immortal body when you could've gone down the route of aging normally and seen the wonders of-"
"Shut up, shut the fuck up! Just kill me now if you still think you even can so I don't have to listen to anymore of your damn ramblings about youth!" Hidan interrupts, cursing when his body refuses to move from these bindings.
'What the hell are these?!' He grunts.
Such thin black wires shouldn't be giving him this much trouble, he's dealt with worse crap that Yugakure tried to use against him when they thought he was too out of control.
"They're courtesy of the Nara clan. Not as good as their natural shadow binding techniques, but still does an effective job of restraining in a similar fashion to their shadow stitching. All and all, a great trap! They activated as soon as you thought you pierced my heart, and then again when you tried to pierce me through my head; you stepped just where I wanted you to!" Gai cheers out, as if Hidan could forget the black coils wrapping up around him like snakes, rushing out of the ground sinking him to his feet.
'Damn it, where the hell is Kakuzu already?!'
His vision blurs scouring the forest for his always late partner, finding no trace of the man.
They had split up to take on this pair for an easy kill and quick cash respectively, there's no way Kakuzu could've lost when he has at least 4 extra hearts, has lived to be nearly 100...
This can't be it for him, he hasn't slaughtered nearly enough people for Jashin, indulged in the blood of his opponents and they kick and scream in vain.
'He knew all along how my ritual worked, has just been messing with me dragging this out. How can so many people know about each Akatsuki member's abilities? Aren't we supposed to be super secretive and shit?!'
Well, so much for that.
"Looking for your partner? Kakashi already seems to have disposed of him! Looks like he unfortunately wins this round for taking care of his opponent first. Unlike you, he can be killed once all his hearts are taken care of. And you...you'll just have to die a slow death by malnutrition." Gai explains.
'And Asuma can watch his son/daughter grow up.' The silent promise he and Kakashi had made before leaving Konoha.
"I can't die stupid or is it your old age making you forget?" Hidan snorts.
Gai's stare darkens and Hidan clenches his teeth, squirming again.
He has no qualms about letting him die slowly in this forming pit miles from where anybody can find him or would even care to. Curtain Village and it's outskirts are where people disappear on purpose after all.
And those eyes of his have already watched both enemy and ally die right before his eyes throughout the years...
It's a sunny day out Hidan observes, sunlight hitting against the trees and fallen leaves to branches creating scatterings of yellow-red light. He used to hate the sun, preferring the dreary rainy or cloudy days to wash in his opponent's blood or let the rain hide his ritual circle should reinforcements suddenly appear.
"I'll crawl my way out of here piece by piece if I have to and rip out that fucking tongue of yours!" Hidan promises.
"Not so fun to be in pain when nothing is happening to your opponent, huh?!" Gai teases sardonically, waving him off with a snap of his fingers.
The threads sink him deeper into the darkness then, blood bubbling up to his throat as a wire tightens around his neck. Rocks and branches get tugged into the earth with him, screams swallowed by a boulder and splintered tree piercing straight through his chest.
"Bastard, I'm never going to die! You hear me; never!" He tries to shout, but to his rage he can barely hear his own warbled voice.
"You'll always be watched by the Nara Clan, by Konoha's spies and the creatures who call these woods home ensuring you can never leave." Gai supplies as the ground wraps around him, pulls him farther into his man-made gorge.
A violent rush of bush and stone tumbles over him like a rock waterfall, final curses for him, for Yugakure, and for the Akatsuki spilling out.
And then, silence.
Gai wastes not a moment longer twisting to find Kakashi back on the opposite of the woods, Fu slumped in his arms.
"She put up a fight." Kakashi answers at his silent question.
Mint hair is coated with blood, tan skin littered with deep scarlet scratches that trail down her arms like a river. Ugly purple bruises the size of his hands are splashed along her cheeks and legs.
"Crap, is she...is she still breathing?" Gai questions.
Kakashi nods grimly, turning her over to force feed her another sip of water revealing cheeks flushed with fever. She thrashes as soon as his fingers get close, orange orbs opening abruptly regarding the duo in fright and anger.
"Stop, I won't let you take Chomei." She murmurs.
"We need Lady Tsunade's help or really any medical attention we can get to her. In her current state she won't be able to make it back to Konoha alive." Kakashi knows, already the makeshift gauzes he wrapped around her are becoming too soaked again with her blood.
Gai nods, taking to the trees to gain momentum before leaping forward summoning Ningame who questions their location.
"Of all the times to summon me after all these years, why in mid-air?!" Ningame asks.
Gai points in the direction of Konoha, to the spiral of flames and smoke that gives another sinking feeling to his chest.
"I'm using you as a way to get back to Konoha faster; time is of the essence!"
Tsunade-Hokage Tower Ground Floor
'I only have one chance to get this punch right.' Tsunade huffs.
Shizune or Makoto, one of them is a spy.
She wants to believe it isn't Shizune, not after she promised Dan she would watch over her. Being honest with herself, she's done a terrible job of doing so, too caught up in grief or booze to keep up with or be bothered with what she's doing most of the time.
"What are we waiting for My Lady? The flames are getting closer the longer we wait here!" Shizune warns, attempting to tug at her hand only for Tsunade to slip out of her hold.
No, don't let it be her; not her...
Tightening her fists, she glances back to Makoto. She searches his posture and the plains of his face for anything malicious. A fractured smile, the sudden glint of a kunai.
Nothing.
So slowly she turns back to Shizune, takes in her worried gaze.
"What's wrong Tsunade? We can't delay sending out the orders any longer." Shizune pushes,l dropping her title, reaching for her hand again and stopping at Tsunade's cold gaze.
"...Who are you really?" She questions, cracking a fist.
Shizune studies her in puzzlement, nails biting into her thighs.
"What do you mean? I'm Shizune! You've known for me years; Dan's niece! I take care of your pet pig Tonton more than you!" She sputters. Of all the times for Tsunade to be so guarded and suspicious...
Her fist slams an inch from her cheek enough for her nails to scratch and draw blood, amber orbs narrowing darkly.
"Enough. I'm only going to ask you this one more time; where's Shizune? If you were truly her you wouldn't have allowed us to standby like this for so long, would've long pointed out the flames you saw coming for the office over an hour ago!" She snaps.
For a second neither speak, smog inching closer with each passing second.
And then finally, a cold grin erupts across 'Shizune's' face, cruel and calculating.
"Poison Fog!"
Tsunade jumps back from the cloud, covering her mouth before she inhales the concoction.
"This is too bad, I figured with all the booze you're normally drinking your reaction time would be a bit slower." A man's voice distorts Shizune's.
As soon as the mist dissipates Tsunade sweeps in low, knocking this imposter to the ground, heel digging into the ankle. Sucking in a breath, she drives lightning to her feet, current paralyzing the man in place.
"Where is she?!" Tsunade snaps, anger and fear waging war with her punching into this creature's face cracking the skin revealing the white below.
A golden eye bleeds away the black of what was Shizune's, smile widening.
"Foolish old hag, she's dead. All we needed from her is where Naruto's currently located. Pain will take care of the rest."
Naruto & Hinata
"So this is Kumo." Hinata breathes out to herself in awe.
Lightning crackles in the air and dances in the fingers of Kumo's citizens as if they were born from these very clouds. A sky that always seems perpetually caught in thunderstorms or rainstorms.
Jiraiya nods, waving her and Naruto forward as more of Kumogakure's buildings and streets comes into view from a break in the fog.
"Let's head straight for the Raikage office; no sidetracking!" He orders, pointing a finger at Naruto to not argue on this when he opens his mouth.
Naruto crosses his arms, scowling.
"What about finding the Eight Tails Jinchuriki, you know?!" He huffs.
Jiraiya grins crookedly, gesturing with his head towards a blue building that towers into the sky. "That's the best place to get an idea of where he's currently at! The Fourth Raikage took him in as an adoptive brother."
Naruto takes Hinata's hand before she can take up the rear of their walking, activating her byakugan as they get deeper into the village.
'People are looking.' She frowns.
Their headbands give them away, even with the use of a transformation jutsu their accents would be a telltale sign that their far from their home nation. Citizens give them a wide birth, but shinobi arch a brow, crackle fists infused with lightning the colors of blacks, whites, and blues.
"What are Konoha shinobi doing here? Here to start a fire in our area now?" One woman whispers, clutching her daughter's hand tighter.
"They won't dare try anything with the Raikage so close by, right?" A boy who looks to be around Konohamaru's age asks his Dad who shakes his head, hazel eyes regarding them coldly.
"They'd be stupid to take the risk." He sneers.
"Don't let any of their remarks get to you two! We'll be honored guests here! Trust me, no one can resist entertaining me once they know I'm the author behind the Make Out Paradise series!" Jiraiya asserts proudly, ignoring Naruto and Hinata's wary looks.
Fine, they don't have to believe in how far and wide his name goes anyways!
A pair of honey yellow eyes catches Hinata's gaze from the side, figure pushing quickly through the crowds, dodging the fist she launches towards her and Naruto breaking them apart.
"What the hell are two Konoha shinobi doing here?!" The woman growls, electricity spiraling out into the ground where her fist lands.
Hinata ignites her own hand in blue flames, keeping the woman at bay jabbing into her right arm when she moves to strike again. Naruto forms a rasengan beside her, eyes narrowed awaiting her next move.
So much for not causing a scene, Jiraiya slapping a hand to his forehead with a sigh.
"Karui, what has Samui told you about just attacking like that?!" A man behind her questions stalking up, sighing at her erratic behavior.
Karui twists to look back at him, gritting her teeth. "I think she would make an exception Omoi when we've been tasked with getting information on Konoha and it's highest ranking shinobi!"
Omoi blinks, looking back to Hinata and Naruto, Naruto bristling at his focused stare on Hinata in particular.
"They'll know not to mess with you if you let me out for a bit." Kurama chuckles.
Naruto pretends not to hear him, this whole journey he's been quiet, interest only peaked now at the mention of seeing the Eight Tails once more.
"Or...and hear me out here. Are you just mad this chick has bigger breasts than you?" Omoi asks.
Naruto happily thinks he deserves the punch Karui lands straight into his nose in response.
But then she turns her anger back towards them, pointing a finger at them.
"You two, what do you know about a guy and girl that go by Naruto and Hinata?!" She orders.
Before either can speak, Jiraiya places a hand on both of their shoulders, pulling them out of this fight.
"Better question, what do you know about a man who goes by Killer B?!" Jiraiya beams.
"Who wants to know?" A new voice grunts breaking apart the crowd, just the man they were looking for! Their commotion brought him to them for better or worse.
The current Raikage: A.
Jiraiya introduces himself, nodding respectively. "I think we've heard of each other, both war veterans and all! I go by many names, but my most famous one is the Toad Sannin: Jiraiya! Famous writer of the Make Out Paradise novels!"
"I think I've heard of those! Don't you like to read them in your spare time Karui or-" She twists at Omoi's lips, threatening to tear them off if he doesn't be quiet.
'I think Pervy-Sage or the Hermit are better titles.' Naruto muses, deciding not to interrupt.
Because all A does is look at them all tiredly, fed up with this pointless banter as he balls up his fists.
"Nope, never heard of you. Now tell me, what business do you 3 have with Killer B?" He repeats.
Elsewhere-Akatsuki
"Status update on Konoha." He repeats.
"Over 100-200 civilians are currently dead, unaccounted for, or trapped/missing under all the debris. The fires have destroyed much of the business and market districts." White Zetsu updates.
"And Jiraiya? Tsunade?" Nagato further questions.
"Jiraiya has yet to return and Tsunade is dealing with the spies we planted amongst the shinobi ranks. She took out one of my clones once they told her her old lover's niece is dead. The other high-ranking jonin and chunin have been busy attending to the injured and trying to put out the flames before they reach more of the residential areas." White Zetsu replies smoothly.
Morality has been broken, that much is certain.
'Still, something is off about all of this.' He considers.
Konan knocks by the door, interrupting the pair.
Nagato nods for her to enter, dismissing White Zetsu to leave them be.
"I have some unfortunate news, another one of my paper roses has been tainted with." She regards, holding up the ashy remains of another burnt and wilted rose.
Nagato looks it over, no residue or tracing chakra signature left behind.
Again.
"Whoever it is, they're getting closer to you Nagato; to your real body." She reiterates, lips pressing into a thin line.
All of the actions they've done over these past weeks to months preparing this grand attack on Konoha hasn't come out the way either of them expected. Nothing has stopped whoever this person or group is from approaching and disarming her traps, boldly walking into Ame's danger. They can't even figure out why whoever's behind this has been laying in wait instead of outright bursting through to kill Nagato's true body.
Nagato sighs, letting the black and brown paper scatter to the ground.
"Our attack on Konoha was supposed to bring back Naruto and Jiraiya and yet neither are rising to make the return. It seems they've gotten as far as Kumo already, no doubt to get the Eight Tails on their side and be strong enough to face us." He determines.
On top of that, he's sure word has spread to Konoha's best jonin to return to the village at once.
His plans are growing stagnant again, diverting in ways he can't predict. Jiraiya used to tell him, Konan, and Yahiko to always be prepared for a change of plans no matter how well one option looked and he has been and yet everything is still crumpling apart.
Peace. The goal is slipping out of his reach...
'No, I promised Yahiko I would see this through to the end. I can't give up on the dreams we made for creating peace and balance between all the villages. All of this destruction and death won't be for nothing.' He reminds himself.
'It shouldn't be this difficult though, what's going on in their minds?' He clicks his tongue.
All of this death is on Naruto and Jiraiya's hands and they act as if they don't care.
Or...this is all just how they planned it to be.
The future; they'll always be a step ahead of him if they truly saw what will become of him, of the Akatsuki.
He pauses then as a sudden thought occurs to him.
'The Six Paths, they haven't been reporting back in as frequently.'
"Nagato?" Konan questions as he abruptly twists his gaze towards outside. It hardly ever stops raining in Ame, an ominous bolt of lightning ripples through the downpour, cracks spreading far and wide across the region.
His black receivers have been compromised; manipulated.
Sasuke & Itachi- Uchiha Hideout
"I'm not letting you or Kisame kill Sakura. If you continue to try and harm her, expect me to reveal to the Akatsuki that you've been betraying them all along since first joining them." Sasuke warns.
Itachi stops then, ink black flames receding.
It's not as if he cares too strongly if his fellow Akatsuki members hate him (most of them already hate each other already like Hidan and Kazuku and Deidara always looks at him with murderous intent), though he could do without the added distrust and heavier monitoring that would result if Sasuke indeed exposed him as a spy for Konoha.
His care for this woman reminds him painfully of Izumi, of hopeless dreams for peace for himself and their clan that was all for naught.
"...How can you already know so much?" He asks instead.
"Naruto. He and Hinata have seen what changes in the shinobi world within 10 years time." Sasuke repeats.
Itachi studies him thoughtfully then, waiting for him to go on.
"I've been training and waiting for this moment for years, I'm sure you knew this day would come. I even defected from Konoha to go to Orochimaru just to get strong enough to face you." Sasuke switches gears.
"And? Do you still intend to fight me Little Brother?" Itachi pursues, raising up a hand once more. His eyes bleed back into a deep crimson, fire spinning up again into a vortex of blacks and reds.
Sasuke snorts, expression remaining guarded.
"Not when you're already actively dying without my help."
Itachi truly pauses letting those words sit in the air, eyes widening.
'He really does know everything.'
"My illness is none of your concern Sasuke. It's a penance I must carry for the crimes I committed against Konoha; to our clan." Itachi explains.
Sasuke grits his teeth, for all these years his brother has carried this weight on him not caring or even maybe fully realizing the repercussions it has had...
Could still have.
He points back to Sakura, flames edging too close to not soon burn her skin.
"Have Sakura look at you, she can heal you and figure out whatever disease this is that you have." Sasuke pushes.
Itachi shakes his head, stepping back now that it seems Sasuke truly has no true intentions of fighting him. His chest throbs and despite his best efforts to hide it, Sasuke notes the blood trickling at the side of his lip.
"Why are you being so stubborn Brother?! You want Konoha to be safe, right? The same Konoha that's now literally up in flames? You died in the future...you died and I planned to destroy Konoha for all that they forced you to do!" Sasuke lashes out, hating just like how when they were younger that none of what he's saying seems to be sinking in.
"And now? Have those goals changed Sasuke?" Itachi pressures.
Sasuke weighs with it, recalls Sakura's words that should he ever betray Konoha both she and Naruto will go after him, that she'll refuse to help Itachi. He doesn't know how his future self grappled with his brother's death learning the truth much later in a timeline that has yet to be, though he imagines he let rage and revenge consume him the same way it did when he finally decided to go to Orochimaru.
'I don't have to go down that path.' He reminds himself.
This is the alternative, he needs to see it through.
"...Yes, I want you to live Brother." Sasuke realizes, speaking it aloud for the first time.
Itachi smiles and Sasuke feels his scowl deepen.
Maybe Itachi doesn't believe him, doesn't actually think his living will make a huge enough difference.
Before either can speak further though a sharp crunch comes from the entrance of the hideout, trees splitting in two, ground rumbling at their feet.
Itachi's grin dissolves, sighing.
"I told Kisame to patrol the perimeter, but it looks like Orochimaru is heading straight for us anyways."
-x-
Well, another long week for me! Does anyone know any cures or remedies for stuffy nose/congestion? I've tried all the tricks in the book with lime and honey, garlic, flooding my body with orange juice, and sleeping. Lol, half of this chapter I spent it coughing, sneezing, and my nose being runny/congested, but here it is!
Life has thrown me some curveballs unfortunately with the loss of my grandfather this past week so I'm not sure how my next updates will be as I make plans to travel out of country to attend his funeral. Sakura will be interacting more with Itachi next chapter and I've already typed up/brainstormed some fun Killer B teasing Naruto and Hinata so look forward to that!
Let me know your thoughts as always!
Enjoy. Review. Favorite. Follow!
