Chapter 64
Necessary Caution: An Ally or a Bird of Prey?
"Pick up the pace already you old Pervert! You too, Granny! We're still not even halfway home yet!" Naruto shouted from up the road.
"Calm down, kid. Your little girlfriend isn't going anywhere," Jiraiya reprimanded wearily for what felt like the hundredth time in three days.
Impatience had consumed Naruto ever since they began their trek home. He would walk at their pace for a little while, tame as a lazy Nara on a day off. Then he'd start getting antsy, lips pulling down in a tight frown as he hummed irritably to himself, inevitably leading him to bolt meters ahead of them while yelling about how slow they walked.
Today was no different. Naruto, while not out of eyesight, already waited in the distance on this sunny, cloudless day. Truth was they passed the halfway marker back to Konoha a while ago. For an "old pervert" and a "Granny" they were making good time.
The kid was just impatient. Wonder what side of the family tree he got that from, he thought sarcastically. Could it be the easy-going, intellectual father? Or the red-hot habanero mother?
"Are you insinuating I'm not an intellectual, Master Jiraiya?"
A shudder of self-created fear shot down his spine. The thought was his own; he was just theorizing what Naruto's mother might've said. Yet the voice of the thought…the sweet voice and sweet smile that betrayed the lashing red hair, it belonged to her.
Red…Reeeddd! Wails of terror echoed in his mind.
The Toad Sage quickly banished the thought. At least he didn't inherit her legendary temper. I'm not sure how I would have handled that.
Naruto tapped his foot impatiently with crossed arms, but Jiraiya's weary response practically caused steam to shoot out his ears. "That's my point! Amari and Kakashi-sensei have been in the hospital for like a month!" He scrunched his face. "And stop calling her my girlfriend, Pervy Sage! It's nothing like that!"
Heh,the Sannin smirked. Touchy today, isn't he?
"So you say, but the way you go on and on about her tells me otherwise," he prodded.
"Grrr! Of course I'm worried about her! She's my best friend! Not everyone thinks of girls the way you do, Pervy Sage! And you should talk with all the peeping you did on her!"
Tsunade's heel screeched violently to a halt on the dirt road. Jiraiya's eyes enlarged to match dinner plates, his jaw nearly dropping off; gasping wordlessly in fear, his gaze darted over to his fellow Sannin. Did that brat realize what he just said?! Could he not see the furious aura building around Tsunade?
Oh no! No no no no! This couldn't be worse!
"Jiraiya, you have ten seconds to explain yourself," Tsunade seethed.
He laughed nervously, desperate to defuse the volatile temper. "Tsunade, just ignore the kid. It was nothing like that, honest," he tried to reassure.
"One." Tsunade closed her hand into a fist.
Absolute terror flooded his veins. He could already feel horrified sweat already building on his brow from the memories of those terrible and frighteningly powerful fists.
There were few shinobi he outright feared. Fewer still who could, with a single gesture, make him tremble in his sandals. Tsunade happened to be at the top of that specific list.
He had to explain! Yeah, he could explain this whole misunderstanding! Prove he hadn't committed such a vile and appalling misdeed. If he didn't…If he didn't…
A side glance to the tight fist containing all of Tsunade's fury made him gulp.
Oh Kami!
Jiraiya lifted his hands in front of himself as if it would calm her down or protect him. It wouldn't. "I- I- I wasn't peeping, really! I was just trying to research who she was!"
Tsunade, who stood closest to the edge of the road, punched a nearby tree. Bark disintegrated on contact; the tree toppled over and quaked the earth as it landed.
"Aiiiiiiieeee!" Shizune wailed, hugging Tonton to her chest.
"Oinkkkk!"
"Research huh? I remember you trying to do the same to me." She turned her head just enough to paralyze him beneath a murderous brown eye. Jiraiya stumbled a step backwards; warm beads of nervous sweat began to pour down his face like a waterfall. "Do you remember the consequences?"
He gulped again then nodded rapidly. How could he forget? She nearly killed him!
"If you don't explain what you were doing, you won't live to regret it!"
Beyond Tsunade, standing with his arms crossed over his chest, Naruto watched the scene with a triumphant grin.
Why you little! You have no idea what you've just done, Naruto!
This was really bad. No, it was worse than bad! If he didn't prove his innocence right now he was a dead man. Dead! The gallant Jiraiya and all his awesomeness broken down into a pile of ruptured organs and bones ground into dust. Betrayed by his own student, no less! What a cruel fate!
"She's an Uchiha!" he blurted out.
Tsunade paused for a brief moment along with Shizune, the latter staring at him in wonder.
Did I- did I calm her down?
A vein suddenly bulged on his fellow Sannin's forehead. "So you peep on her!"
Jiraiya wailed in terror, feet reflexively carrying him back a step. "No! No! That's not what I meant! She's a Nara too!"
Tsunade turned red with rage. She took an aggressive step forward. "And what does that have to do with it, you lecherous fool!"
"Think for a moment, please! I beg you!" Jiraiya cried. "In the aftermath of the Uchiha Massacre, it was reported only Itachi Uchiha and his little brother survived. Remember? Yet this girl is without a doubt a child of Uchiha and Nara blood. How many Uchiha do you remember having children with the Nara Clan?"
A tense moment where Jiraiya forgot to breathe elapsed. Then, to his relief, his words appeared to begin to sink in. The bulging vein disappeared, replaced by a thoughtful expression as Tsunade digested the gravity of his statement.
"A child of Uchiha and Nara blood," she repeated in thought. As Jiraiya took in a breath she figured it out. "This girl, she's their child?"
He nodded and lowered his voice from a wail of terror to sober seriousness. "Yes. Shikaku confirmed it. Her name is currently Amaririsu Yūhi; Kurenai Yūhi adopted her, but she is biologically the daughter of—"
"Come on you three! Talk about it on the road! We're wasting time!" Naruto called to them.
Jiraiya's frustration exploded. That cheeky kid nearly caused him to face the legendary strength of Tsunade; now he wanted to act like it was their fault they weren't still on the move?
"You're the one who fed her misinformation, you insolent brat!" he shouted back, shaking his fist at the boy.
"Oh, I'm sorry! How am I supposed to know the difference between 'research' and 'research' you old coot!"
"I don't peep on little girls!"
"Enough!" Tsunade raised her voice above them both. "Argh, you're both giving me a headache." She rubbed her temple for a few moments then let out a sigh. "Naruto's right. We'll be wasting time if we just stand here and talk. Let's go."
The Fifth Hokage had spoken and Jiraiya held no intention of arguing. He instead released a sigh of relief. At least Tsunade wasn't going to beat him like a tribal drum for a second time in his life. Talk about a colossal success.
The three adults caught up to Naruto, who decided to walk at their pace again. Seeing his old friend and the kid on friendlier, while still a bit combative, terms was still a little strange. Then again, he was also surprised it took so long.
Naruto shared the same dream as Nawaki—Tsunade's little brother—and her late lover Dan. Naruto was even about the same age as Nawaki was when he died, and he had the same stubbornly courageous attitude. Maybe that's what made it so difficult for Tsunade.
There were still differences between the two boys, and mountainous differences between Naruto and Dan, but Jiraiya was happy Tsunade finally came around. The dreams of her loved ones and the previous Hokage, they all still lived on in them. It was in their hands to preserve it.
She'll be a fine Hokage. He looked down at the blond boy in front of him. And one day he'll make an even better one.
Tsunade believed it too, he knew. Naruto won their bet and earned both the necklace and her fondness, as well as that kiss on the forehead she gave the little squirt. Lucky snot.
"Master Jiraiya, who is this Amaririsu Yūhi exactly?" Shizune asked at length, breaking him out of his thoughts on the future.
"The daughter of two of the Leaf's greatest guardians in recent decades," Tsunade answered before he could.
That got Naruto's attention. "Whoa, if you're saying that then Amari's parents were super awesome, huh?"
Jiraiya nodded in agreement. "Tsunade's not exaggerating. Amaririsu's parents were phenomenal shinobi who carried a passionate love for the Leaf. Her mother was a Hokage Guard for both the Fourth Hokage and the Third Hokage after the Fourth's sacrifice.
"And her father," Jiraiya sighed. "He's the man who should be Hokage right now. No offense, Tsunade."
Tsunade waved him off. "You're absolutely right. He should be."
"Wait!" Naruto whirled around and began to walk backwards, cerulean eyes wide with wonder. "You mean…if Itachi and Aimi never murdered their own Clan, Amari's dad would be the Fifth Hokage? He was that powerful?"
Jiraiya nodded. "Yes. His battlefield prowess was unmatched; by the end of the last Great War the Stone and Cloud referred to him as the Reincarnation of Madara Uchiha—one of the Leaf's Founders and hailed as the strongest Uchiha to ever exist—among other titles."
Kiyoshi preferred the title of The Burning Light of the Leaf over the comparison to Madara Uchiha.
Jiraiya couldn't blame him; he wouldn't want to be compared to a man who attempted to destroy the Leaf either, but the similarities between the two men were uncanny.
He continued. "In the closing months of the Great War, Cloud shinobi penetrated one of our weakest areas of defense with a battalion, capturing any injured Leaf shinobi they didn't outright kill. Some of them were children younger than you."
Should another Great War occur—Kami, I hope one doesn't—Jiraiya prayed the Leaf never had to resort to sending inexperienced children to war ever again; too many lost their young lives in the last, far too many.
"We sent people to save them though, right?" Naruto asked. Begged, really, to believe they hadn't abandoned the hostages to death.
Jiraiya inhaled a deep, long breath. "It was argued to sacrifice their lives instead of giving into the demands made by the Cloud. Ruthless calculus of war, they said."
One particular man was adamant on it.
"Amaririsu's father wouldn't hear any of it," Jiraiya said with a shake of his head. "He demanded the Hokage to send him to rescue the hostages, even if he had to go alone.
"With his eyes, he argued, he could spot any Cloud shinobi hidden among the hostages, preventing any further breach in the Leaf itself. He was told it was a suicide mission; the Council argued there was too much risk of his eyes falling into the hands of the enemies, claimed he was 'too valuable' to lose.
"'If you believe my power alone is somehow of greater value than the lives of Konoha's children then Konoha has no future,' is what he told them, according to the Old Man. The Hokage granted his wish, although he didn't send him alone. Amaririsu's mother volunteered to accompany her husband on this mission, as well as a small squad meant only to carry or guide the injured to safety if Amaririsu's parents were able to rescue them."
The Burning Light of Konoha and Konoha's Mistress of Shadows; they certainly made a terrifying pair in combat, and their daughter seemed to be on the path to carry on their namesakes. Jiraiya wasn't sure if that made him hopeful for the future, or horrified of Miyako's unique sense of humor being passed on.
Both, he decided.
Kami save her peers; they had no idea what a Nara intellect and a sadistic sense of humor could conjure up.
"So, what happened?" Naruto asked curiously, feet still carrying him backwards.
"According to the reports, they launched the operation under the cover of darkness and, using his Sharingan and her keen Sensory Abilities, infiltrated the Cloud's base in search of the hostages. Two at a time they pulled the hostages out without raising a single alarm. However, for Amaririsu's parents rescuing the hostages wasn't the end of their personal mission.
"With the Crows of the Leaf transporting the small squad and injured back to the Leaf, their official mission was over, but to their eyes the threat still remained—a correct assessment, I might add. The Cloud gained a tactical position that interrupted a trading route and offered a strategic staging ground for assaults on the Land of Fire. With it, the war could have raged on for another year, with more of our comrades losing their lives in the constant battles."
That was something Kiyoshi and Miyako concluded as they considered their options. Their enemies were unprepared and unaware of their position, but the Leaf couple weren't arrogant about their power or fool enough to believe an entire battalion couldn't overwhelm them.
No one would blame them for retreating. Their mission was complete; the hostages were safe and they were uninjured on a mission they were told was suicide. Honor and gratitude were theirs to claim. But honor and gratitude wouldn't save the lives of their comrades in an ongoing war. Honor and gratitude wouldn't protect the children being sent into the war.
"Together they prepared to eliminate the battalion, waiting until the battlefield was ripe with early morning Shadows for Amaririsu's mother to exploit. I'm not sure how large the battalion was; those who weren't there claim it was closer to five hundred shinobi while those present placed the number closer to a thousand. Her parents never said. They didn't think it was important."
Naruto's eyes shone with astonishment. "They took down the entire battalion?"
"Yeah," he nodded. "It was a hard-fought battle, they said, but in the end they defeated the battalion of Cloud shinobi and reclaimed the base. Still, Amaririsu's father wasn't considered as a candidate for Hokage for the sole reason of his power, or for his contributions in the Great War, Naruto. You learned what trait all previous Hokage have possessed; Amaririsu's father, too, possessed the trait of self-sacrifice."
He wondered if the man sacrificed his life for his daughter in that moment, but let it go. For now.
"But Amaririsu's father wielded more than power; he possessed wisdom far beyond his years. And had an election for Hokage happened, he would have won by a landslide. He earned the trust and adoration of the Leaf through his actions, in the war and out of it."
However, those of his own Clan preferred to follow a different man. How different the world would be had the Third Hokage been able to pass the torch to Kiyoshi Uchiha. Or if the Fourth never perished.
Given more time Jiraiya truly believed the Fourth and Kiyoshi could have solved the rift between the Uchiha and the Leaf.
"Naruto mentioned someone named Aimi before? Who is that? Another Uchiha?" Tsunade questioned.
Ah, he almost forgot she didn't yet know of their recent encounter with the Akatsuki. Jiraiya went on to explain all the information he currently possessed about the two other Uchiha survivors, glossing over everything from where Amaririsu was found to the skirmish with the Akatsuki.
During his explanation Naruto took off and started yelling again.
Too bad learning the Rasengan didn't teach him patience too. He sighed. Not too bad, though. Some of what we have to talk about is information he doesn't need to know.
"Amaririsu must be really important to Naruto," Shizune observed.
"Yes, though not of the romantic kind of importance as far as I can tell," he explained. "Amaririsu is more of a sister to him. She was the first to accept Naruto with open arms."
"Mm," the younger woman nodded. She then cast a curious look his way. "Who were Amaririsu's real parents, Master Jiraiya? I noticed you talked around their names when Naruto was in earshot."
"Their names were Miyako Nara and Kiyoshi Uchiha," he answered.
"Oh!" Realization struck the younger kunoichi.
"Tsunade, there's something I need to tell you about this girl."
"What is it?" she asked cautiously.
"Amaririsu suffers from an abnormal form of amnesia."
She cocked an eyebrow up. "Abnormal?"
"Itachi Uchiha placed a powerful genjutsu on her that has locked away every memory of her pre-massacre life. At the slightest mention of her family, it reacts, causing her immense pain. There's a concern it could wipe her mind clean if pushed too far."
A breeze brushed up against their bodies as the two women stared at him in awe.
"That's some genjutsu," Tsunade murmured at length. "Has Kurenai or a Yamanaka tried to break it?"
He shook his head. "No, and for good reason."
"That being?"
"If her mind will truly be wiped, she'll forget everything and everyone she knows. She could be molded into anyone at that point." Like a blank canvas, Itachi or anyone else with nefarious intentions could paint her into whoever they desired. "There's a possibility it could be a trick to keep others from finding information locked within her memories, and if that's the case then pushing her to remember could mean pushing her into Itachi's hands."
"You think the genjutsu or what is locked away within her mind could turn her against the Leaf?" she asked.
"It's a possibility I don't want to risk. What's worse is that the situation is even more complicated now."
"How so?"
"As you've undoubtedly guessed by all of Naruto's yapping, she was injured badly." She nodded. "The battle that caused her injuries was against none other than Itachi Uchiha."
Shizune gasped. Tsunade inhaled a sharp breath. Impatient shouts from Naruto kept them moving even when the shock made them want to stop.
"That kid tried to take on Itachi Uchiha? What the hell was she thinking?" Tsunade responded, clearly bewildered.
"I don't know the whole story. Not yet. As soon as we get back I intend to learn everything I can from Shikaku." He glanced over to her. "You should join me."
She nodded but waited for him to continue.
"But Amaririsu joined in during that battle I mentioned between the Akatsuki and the Leaf. I can only assume she hoped to buy time for reinforcements after Kakashi was incapacitated by that Mangekyō Sharingan genjutsu."
"So she stood her ground and tried to fight three S-rank shinobi," his fellow Sannin stated.
"Yes, and she did it while painting a target on herself by claiming she intended to spread the secrets of the Akatsuki to the rest of the world. Since they couldn't let her escape, Itachi used the genjutsu on her mind to capture her, said so himself. It backfired and…" Jiraiya trailed off.
He couldn't help but think of Itachi's words again.
"I used the genjutsu to render her unconscious; however the pain she experienced kept her awake, and in turn unlocked the Mangekyō Sharingan, prolonging our battle." He made a motion to his injured arm. "The power she gained did this to me."
"You can't be serious."
"I am. She unlocked her father's power and almost killed us both with it."
"And what, Master Jiraiya?" Shizune's worried voice reached his ears.
Power like that in a Genin's hands? He still didn't like it, not one bit. Her father's power could devastate the Village if she unleashed it on them. But that's why he was bringing this up.
With a glance to Tsunade, who watched him with an intense stare, he decided to continue.
"She unlocked the Mangekyō Sharingan because of it. One of the abilities she gained was her father's, and it nearly killed Itachi. I'd say luck and quick reaction is the only reason they're both still alive right now."
"Wh- what?" Tsunade sputtered.
"Her power nearly killed an S-rank shinobi?" Shizune followed her master's surprise.
"That's what Itachi claimed, and I'm willing to believe him. An entire sleeve of his cloak was missing, and the severe burns on his arms looked incredibly painful."
"You're worried this girl is going to wake up and kill us all with her father's power," Tsunade stated.
Jiraiya hummed in agreement. "That's half my fear."
"And the other half?"
"She was hit with the same genjutsu Kakashi was. It happened in a mere second before I could react, but as soon as that second passed tears poured from her eyes." He shook his head. "I don't know what Itachi did to her in there, but I'm worried he tweaked his other genjutsu to turn her against the Village the minute she wakes up."
"Or Naruto."
"Precisely. If her Mangekyō Sharingan is powerful enough to kill an S-rank shinobi, it may even be powerful enough to ensnare the Nine-Tailed Fox. Even if there is no threat we need to be prepared just in case Itachi plans to use that power to devastate Konoha or capture Naruto for the Akatsuki," Jiraiya explained.
"So I have a kunoichi with both Sharingan and Byakugan I'm supposed to heal, and she may just wake up and incinerate us all with a Mangekyō Sharingan technique." Tsunade aimed a teasing smile at him. "Couldn't have picked a better 'welcome home' gift for me, Jiraiya?"
"Heh," he smirked, "blame the kid. He's the one who promised his friends and her mother that he'd bring you back."
They continued their trek back towards home, sparing conversation here and there about the state of the Village and other goings he had to catch the new Hokage up on.
For the most part Jiraiya was his usual self on the walk back. Little to no concerning thoughts gnawed at his mind. With his worries on Amaririsu aired out he allowed himself to relax; they'd cross that particular rickety bridge when they got home.
As they were approaching a nearby town where they planned to rest, his thoughts dragged him back into the final concern he had neglected to mention to Tsunade just yet. He and Orochimaru had spared few words to one another during their fight, but one of their conversations stuck with him.
"Sasuke and Amaririsu will never come to you for power, not even to kill Itachi and Aimi," Jiraiya stated.
"Hehehehehe, do you really believe those two Uchiha's are so above the desire of power and revenge?" his former friend responded with a snake-like grin. "The Uchiha Clan has always fallen prey to their lust of power.
"I admit, in the Forest of Death I may have slightly misjudged the girl's influence over Sasuke. But now I see that she is far more than a simple pawn. She is both the Bishop and the Rook that is preventing me from capturing the King. Yet if I were to turn her to my side, then Sasuke would indeed follow her right into my hands."
"You'll never turn her."
"We shall see about that, old friend."
Jiraiya frowned, a troubled knot forming between his brow.
The confidence he held in his words…it was as if he knew exactly how to turn Amaririsu over to his side. That worries me. Orochimaru hit the nail right on the head when it comes to Amaririsu's influence over Sasuke. If he really does have some way to turn her then Sasuke would undoubtedly follow.
He crossed his arms. And his words about the Uchiha's history of falling prey to their lust for power… Amaririsu isn't infallible to it, Kurenai said so herself.
"Before her family died, Amari's mother created a high level space-time fūinjutsu that would activate when or if she ever unlocked the Mangekyō Sharingan. She also sealed a portion of Shisui's chakra into the seal so he could explain a great many things to her, and so they could have some time together.
"He was able to stop Amari from falling into the Curse of Hatred. It's…it's hard to explain, but for what he did for Amari and the things he said, I will believe in him."
The Sannin hummed. The Curse of Hatred lays dormant now within both Sasuke and Amaririsu. The only thing preventing Sasuke from falling into it may be Amaririsu instead of all of his team, and the only thing stopping her from succumbing to it is her bonds.
…Yet those were apparently not enough to stop it during her fight with Itachi. Was it caused by the memories of her cousin being reawakened or something else entirely?
There were still missing pieces to this puzzle and he intended to sort it out before Orochimaru or the Akatsuki made their next move.
One thing is for certain: Naruto, Sasuke and Amaririsu each need to grow stronger so they can defend themselves against the threats they will eventually have to face.
"Hey! Pervy Sage! Hellooooo!"
Jiraiya looked down at Naruto, who stared at him with confusion written all over his face. "Yeah, kid?"
"You completely spaced out on us. What's the deal?"
He smiled at Naruto. "Oh, nothing. Just thinking about soaking at the bathhouse at our next stop. It'll be great to finally relax." He grinned lecherously. "And if it's coed bathing then it'll be even better! Ha ha ha!"
Mild annoyance replaced confusion. "Of course you were," Naruto drawled. "You know, for a moment I actually thought you might have been thinking about something serious."
"Oh Naruto, when you're older you'll realize how important the ladies really are," he brushed off his comment with his carefree attitude and marched forward confidently again.
"Naruto, do yourself a favor and try to avoid becoming either of your teachers when it comes to women," Tsunade advised.
"You mean a lecherous old man and a sensei who reads pervy books in public?"
Jiraiya froze in his footsteps, confidence evaporating faster than a bucket of water thrown into a volcano. His shoulders began to slump. Why am I always the butt of every joke?
"Exactly." His shoulders slumped further as depression fell over trio passed him by as he stood paralyzed in sadness. "Be sure to treat women with respect. Also, never fall into any of the primitive urges Jiraiya has. You should find a different role model when it comes to everyday life."
His fellow Sannin's words only furthered his depression.
"I hope you don't mean you because you're not much better," Naruto retorted as he threw his hands behind his head. Tsunade's heels screeched to a halt again while he continued forward. "I mean, you're not a giant pervert like Pervy Sage, as far as I know at least, but you're still a crusty old broad who clearly has both a gambling problem and an alcoholic one too."
Jiraiya soon found himself joined in his depression by Tsunade, whose shoulders slumped down low at each insult.
"And I still don't get why you continue to gamble. Everybody knows you're the Legendary Sucker. It seems a bit stupid that you continue to gamble even though you never win. I suppose if I had to pick a role model from you guys, I'd probably pick Shizune or Tonton if she wasn't available."
Both Sannin felt the wind knocked out of them. Naruto, oblivious, continued forward with his sledgehammer infused words.
He'd pick a pig over me? Jiraiya cried. The two Sannin lifted their depressed gazes to Shizune and Tonton.
Shizune stiffened then laughed nervously, slowly beginning to tiptoe her way to catch up to Naruto. "I'm sure he's just teasing you two, really. You two are the Legendary Sannin after all, hahaha!"
"Then there's also Kurenai-sensei, who is really kind and compassionate to us. She's also really good at cards. I thought she was using genjutsu or something once to beat us, but Sasuke, Amari and Kakashi-sensei used their Sharingans to watch her every move. Turns out she's just really good at it. Definitely a lot better than you are, Granny.
"Oh, she's also is really good at cooking! Then there's Guy-sensei. His taijutsu is crazy, and apparently he has the lead over Kakashi-sensei in their challenges. And Asuma-sensei plays shogi with Amari and Shikamaru. He never beats them, but the fact he can play longer than the rest of us against them means he's really smart. Unlike two people I know."
After a few beats of silence, Naruto turned around and noticed the two Sannin in their slumped over positions, the male of the two with tears flooding down his cheeks and the female with a vein bulged in her forehead.
Now he'd pick Guy over me? But I taught him the Rasengan!
"Hey, why you two just standing there? You two didn't just throw your backs out while walking did you?"
"Naruto! Come on, let's go check into our hotel!" Shizune said in an overly cheerful voice, dragging him down the road at a run. "I'm sure Master Jiraiya and Lady Tsunade will be just fine! We'll see you two in town!" the kunoichi called back to them.
And that's how two of the Legendary Sannin found themselves defeated by the words of a young boy.
Meanwhile in the Hidden Mist Village
Mei Terumī exhaled a deep sigh as she exited the Mizukage Office. Yet another day of constant verbal wars contesting her attempts to reform the policies of her predecessor. Another day of mending her fractured home.
When she took the mantle as the Fifth Mizukage Mei held no illusions over the difficulty of accomplishing her dream. The successful act of lifting her home out of the darkness and bloodshed had been and would continue to be an arduous struggle, even with the power granted to her as Mizukage.
The system was broken. Outdated ideals poisoned their Nation. Betrayal, manipulation and greed tore them apart from the inside.
Killing the Fourth Mizukage was never going to solve all of their problems, she had known that. The death of Yagura did not rebuild their crumbling infrastructure. His death did not eliminate the ideals he, or the person controlling him, spread throughout Kiri.
However, it ignited a spark of hope. Hope. Real hope. Mei almost forgot how it felt. Kiri had been absent of hope for too long. Far too long. The citizens of Kiri were made to bend to a lifeless existence, stricken by a life of poverty and fear as those in control gorged on their power.
Life in Kiri for the average citizen was a life without warmth or love or hope. It was a life of constant struggle. Would they be able to eat today? Would their children be caught between a sudden bloody brawl between shinobi? Did they have enough money to keep their business open? Would their wares be stolen by bandits?
Her heart ached for her people. But it also burned with the resolve to change the present for a better future.
Mei glanced down the hall to her left. Dim lights illuminated the cracked and damaged tiles—one day she'd need to make this building reflect the prestige it once held—that led away from her office, towards more administrative parts of the tower at some junctions. One particular junction, the one she imagined in her head, led straight to a private balcony.
I need some fresh air, she decided.
The auburn-haired kunoichi strolled down the quiet hall. Only the clicks of her high-heeled sandals accompanied her on this much needed physical and mental distancing from work.
Leading her resistance couldn't match the size or scope of leading a poverty stricken village. Mei was amazed she found time for a few hours of sleep each day.
She was not alone, however. Her inner circle kept her focused. Even if they did not always agree with her decisions, that was fine. In fact, she wanted them to speak their minds. Yagura was surrounded by people who simply agreed to his every request; there was no accountability, not when they were enriching themselves.
For years my home has waded through a sea of blood, waging wars we could not win and selling our own secrets to the highest bidder before running away. Our hunter-nin program in the Anbu is but one symbol that shows how far our Village had fallen.
So many disillusioned and deserters. To need an entire branch to hunt them all down, the Kiri of old must weep for how far we've fallen.
Mei stepped out onto the balcony. The cool breeze brushed up against her skin, threading its fingers into her auburn tresses and caressing exposed flesh. Mei hummed in approval; fresh air, how she yearned to no longer be glued to a desk at almost all hours of the day. So stuffy. So cramped. And the paper work!
Perhaps that is why Yagura chose tyranny, she thought in dark humor. Far less paper work.
Ah, but she could never follow his path. Or the path the mastermind behind the genjutsu chose for him. Whichever it happened to be, tyranny was not her way. Not after witnessing the suffering of her people. Not after what she lost.
Perhaps when everything settled out she could spend a little more time in the fresh air. And, if she were really lucky, perhaps she would be able to feel more than the gentle, cool caress of the wind. Perhaps she may be able to feel the warmth of another's hands holding hers or performing other acts of intimacy.
Mei smiled absentmindedly at the thought as she rested her left hand on the railing. The view from the balcony of the Mizukage tower—the tallest tower in the Village—encompassed a wide portion of her home. Mountainous peaks shielded them from the horizon beyond it; the thick lingering mist Kiri was named after hung snugly around the peaks, thinning as it climbed down the mountain, blinding prying eyes in its fog.
Such natural defenses were likely the reason their founders chose this location. Mist shinobi knew the lay of the land far better than any invading force; while invaders lost their way or stumbled through obscuring mist, the native shinobis could ambush and eliminate threats before they ever reached their citizens.
At least, that was how it should have been. These past years their natural defenses were used only to aid the escape of rogue shinobi and, admittedly, to hide her resistance forces.
Hidden among the valley of the mountains was Mist Village. Cylinder shaped buildings comprised their architecture, on top of which green gardens of vegetation were meant to grow. Few buildings still showed such signs of life—another improvement to make in time.
Down in the streets below her people went about their lives, surrounded by the muck of poverty that they had all been drowning in. No one wore shackles, yet poverty was its own prison. Mei hoped to free them all.
It's strange to be looking down on the village from here. I spent years staring up at this tower, dreaming of the day the Fourth would no longer be in power.
Pain and nostalgia knotted together on her face. As a child, before I took the Exam, I used to think the Mizukage cared for us. That he would do anything to protect our people and our Village. Propaganda, of course…and then the Exam came.
A shudder tickled down her spine. Memories of that day broke through the dam she had erected long ago. The Fifth Mizukage peered down to her right palm, noticing small twitches and trembles while seeing crimson blood that did not exist.
She could still feel the breaths of her last kill against her neck. Feel the sobs racking her body as she cried apologies into their ear for what she had to do.
Mei shut her eyes and let her hand fall down. I did not want to kill any of them, least of all my own sister…but she begged me to do it. Familiar green eyes, auburn hair and a fond smile flashed into her mind; her left hand clenched the railing in a vice grip, trying to hold her down in the present before she floated off into the past.
We promised each other that we wouldn't do it… I promised I would protect her, but we were separated during a battle and when I found her…
Haunted eyes gazed emptily at her. Blood was splattered over her freckled face. Ninja tools stuck out of almost every inch of her body and her clothes were soaked in the blood of her enemies as she trembled viciously.
A young boy, younger than they were, laid at her feet with his throat slit while another three of varying ages were smoldering nearby. The downpour soaked her with an icy chill, but it was the sight of her sister turned into a pincushion, the crimson blood streaming out of her wounds fusing with the river of raindrops trailing down her skin that truly made her blood run cold.
Her sister was dying. Slowly. Painfully. No one would heal her and Mei did not know Medical Ninjutsu. As she knelt before her dying sibling, panicking, making promises she had no hope of keeping, her sister begged to be given a merciful death.
With shaky hands, burning tears stinging her eyes and sobbed apologies on her salty lips, she fulfilled her sister's wish. She granted her the only thing she could at that point.
"I…love you…Mei."
"I- I love you too! I'm so sorry," she sobbed.
"Stay…alive…for me…please. No matter…what. Stay…Alive."
"I will."
Mei inhaled deeply to ease the swell of emotions.
Rain storms still gave her shivers twenty years later.
When my sister drew her last breath, I knew what I had to do. Kiri had to change, and I would ensure that one day the children of our village would not have to kill the people they cherished.
So she laid in wait. Gained allies. Trained to obtain the power to melt the Mizukage where he stood. The man responsible for all the suffering in Kiri. The man who killed her sister by creating such an Exam in the first place.
And when the time finally came to fulfill her plan, she destroyed the man with all of her strength for every child who experienced the burden of agony she carried in her heart.
The auburn-haired kunoichi opened her eyes once more with a heavy sigh escaping her. I'm sorry I was unable to protect you, dear sister. I'll do my best to protect these people and ensure people like the old Councilors never reinstate anything like the Blood Mist Exam again.
For you.
Although the solutions to an assortment of their problems felt like they were kilometers away, she would lift Kiri up and carry them as far as she could.
There is much to do, but for now I will not fret over what is to come. She was here to breathe in the fresh air, after all. To decompress.
The peaceful misty mountains, the cool breeze teasing her oh so playfully, she could finally feel the spool of tension unwinding. This little break was doing the trick. Like being at the tender mercy of a lover's massage, her mind and muscles began to ease into a meditative relaxation.
Soon she would return back to her work. Continue working on the much needed reforms and rebuilding efforts across all Kiri—defenses, businesses, homes, etc. She'd need to send out shinobi on missions and read reports on recently completed missions; so far their completion ratio was high, which was encouraging.
Incrementally the activity at the mission desk was rising, but each new client and their payments left her more optimistic about the future.
The Feudal Lord also seemed pleased by her results thus far—a good sign as any.
Work could wait another few minutes, though. She would soon return to the arguments of the Councilors and banter of her inner circle, but not yet. Not yet. This fresh air was helping clear her mind. It aided in maintaining an internal peace.
Without it she may melt the Councilors where they stood, and that would be unbecoming of a Mizukage.
Many long minutes passed. Mei soaked up every second of peace she could knowing eventually, inevitably, Natsumi would seek her out. Her assistant did not relish interrupting these small moments; she could prove rather stubborn and unwilling to go seek out the Mizukage when asked, according to the Councilors.
Mei believed them. Natsumi was the definition of stubbornness. When the Mizukage first met the kunoichi she was a brash, hardheaded nine year old.
I was always amazed such a level of stubbornness and that fiery temper of hers could fit in such a small body. She smiled fondly at the memory.
Natsumi, like Haku, was orphaned during the kekkei genkai purges. Running the streets, surviving by any means necessary, that was the kind of life she lived. It didn't always end well for her, she would say, but she survived. That was better than the less fortunate orphans.
Sassy, perceptive, stubborn; Natsumi learned to gather and sell information for a "fair" price to survive. And one piece of information she happened to sell was Mei's location while the kunoichi hunted for recruits within the Land of Water.
The assassins sent to kill her met their end swiftly, but not before telling her who helped them track her down.
Oh, when she confronted Natsumi in her rickety shelter, the terrified curses to come out of her mouth left Mei smiling in sheer, unadulterated amusement. Who knew a nine year old could swear so colorfully. Quite the creative combinations, too.
Mei held no ill intentions for the child; to her mind, for this tiny, malnourished girl to track her down even when she was covering her tracks meant she possessed skills that could be refined—if she wanted training, that is.
To Mei's offer of joining her at their base of operations near Kiri, Natsumi spat fire—figuratively. Vehemently swearing to kill her or die trying than return to Kiri itself.
Later, when she restrained the child after Natsumi attempted to kill her with impressive fūinjutsu, Mei learned from the girl herself that Kiri sought to use her special Sealing Arts for themselves. It's why she used a Transformation Jutsu to hide her identity in public, transforming from a crimson-haired and turquoise eyed child into a dark-haired, dark-eyed girl who blended into the background.
"Red hair like mine sticks out too much," she explained. "People in this Land don't have crimson hair. They just don't. So I hide in plain sight and sell secrets so I can get the hell out of this place."
"I see. Well, I'm no friend of the Fourth Mizukage or his regime. You have no fear of me selling your secret to them."
Mei left her with a pouch of money. "This should buy you passage to the Land of Fire. I hope you find a better life there, Natsumi. Truly."
She left without another word. Only motivation to end the Fourth's reign for yet another child in this world suffering because of him.
Natsumi chased after her. Tracked up into the snowy mountains to her temporary camp.
The child shivered in her ratty shirt, hugging her arms around her trembling frame.
"Natsumi? What on earth are you doing here?"
"Take me with you." The demand came out quiet and meek. A plea for help and mercy.
"What?"
Boldness returned to the shivering child. "You're leading a resistance, right? Against the Fourth? I'm a Sensory Type. I tracked you all the way here, and I know how to gather information better than anyone. You saw my fūinjutsu. You know I can help. You can use me. So take me with you."
Mei couldn't respond at first. Not to her demand, at least. First she needed to get the girl wrapped up in warmer clothing before she froze to death. Then they could talk about her demands.
"I thought you wanted to leave," she asked to the bundled up child.
Natsumi scoffed. "Leave where? To a Land I don't know? Where rogue shinobi aren't being hunted constantly?" Natsumi shook her head, eyes lowering to the snow. "It was just something I said to keep myself going. A stupid dream to give me a reason to keep living. I was never gonna leave."
Her eyes locked onto Mei's. "You could've killed me. Could've sold me to the Fourth. Could've kidnapped me to steal my fūinjutsu for yourself."
"I would never do any of that," Mei replied fiercely.
"Which is why I'm asking—ah, to hell with my stupid pride! I'm begging you to take me with you! Please. You're the only person who has ever shown me kindness in this valley of hell we call home. Train me. Turn me into a soldier. Use my fūinjutsu for whatever you want. Just don't leave me here. And if you do try to leave me then I'm gonna follow you and annoy you until you either kill me or take me in."
Mei cocked an amused eyebrow up. "Sounds like you aren't giving me a choice in the matter."
The child grinned weakly. "Nope."
Natsumi had been under Mei's tutelage ever since, and with time, refinement and better resources her skills flourished. Now sixteen, Natsumi served as both her intelligence gatherer and as an assistant.
I feel like a proud mother. Maybe she was.
While still headstrong and blunt when it came to speaking her mind Natsumi's passionate temper and brashness did even out in the years since. She, like Chōjūrō and Haku, would bring a brighter light to Kiri so it could continue shining long after Mei stepped down.
"Lady Mei, I did not wish to disturb you, but a matter that needs your immediate attention has come up," the calm, silky voice of her assistant came from behind her.
There she is,the green eyed woman smiled to herself.
It was only been a matter of time, but she was okay. In fact, she felt refreshed and ready to tackle the problems head-on again. Taking in one last breath of fresh air, Mei turned to face her assistant.
Natsumi wore her usual outfit; form-fitting black pants and matching open toed high-heeled shinobi sandals and a wine red tunic with open shoulders that revealed the skin from the top of her shoulder down to the middle of her bicep. The tunic was loose on her slender but feminine frame; the hem flowed down to the middle of her thighs while the sleeves snugly hugged her forearms down to her wrists.
Standing at just above five feet, the fair skinned woman kept her long crimson hair tied up in a loose bun, a few strands of which rested over the left side of her forehead protector, brushing across the small crescent shaped scar under her left eye. The only other scar on her face cut diagonally through the middle of her right eyebrow, which was set in stubborn resolve.
The way her brow was set, paired with her tranquil yet earnest turquoise eyes made it clear to Mei that her interruption was warranted.
Hmm, I wonder what has happened in my brief absence.
"Zabuza hasn't killed the Councilors while I was gone, has he? Such an action would dampen my revitalized spirit," she responded in jest.
Her assistant shook her head but remained serious. "Not while I was in there, though if those morons continue making their demands the Demon may add a new coat of blood to the floor. That or Haku will turn them into ice statues, which would at least be a neat decoration for your office."
Mei cocked an auburn eyebrow up. "The Councilors have demands? And dearest Haku may lose his temper? What are those foolish Councilors trying to do now?"
"Kaito has returned with a peculiar guest, Lady Mei. Peculiar, but fascinating."
Kaito has returned with a guest? Excitement pulsed through her veins. That means the Leaf must have sent a response.
The Fifth Mizukage wasted no time in striding towards the door. "Let's go, Natsumi. You may fill me in on what you know on the way."
I hope the news from the Leaf is good.
Atsuko could not recall the last time she felt so winded. Internally she felt too warm. So warm she was panting with quickened breaths—her body's natural reaction to dissipate heat. Crossing from Konoha to Kiri in a week, such long distance flights used to be a fledglings game.
I must be out of shape. A problem to rectify in the coming days, months and years. Age would not slow her down. It could not. Not until her duty was complete.
Although I cannot be too ashamed. She glanced to Kaito. The hawk lay flat on his chest, wings spread to their full length as he desperately sought to catch his breath. I do not look ready to pop like Kaito does.
"I…apologize, Kaito, for pushing you…so hard," she apologized through tired breaths. The exhausted bird cast an exhausted and suspicious eye to the Crow. "But we must be…ready for more strenuous…journeys."
"You're…kidding…right?" he whined.
"I…fear not. I too…need to grow stronger. I will not accept anything less from you."
He rolled his eyes at her. "Wonderful."
"I will ignore your tone and take that…as acceptance."
Given the proper training, he would learn discipline and earn his arrogance.
At the sound of nearing footsteps, the Head of the Crows looked up to see the boy named Haku returning with a small bowl of water. Young Haya's description of him was quite accurate.
"Haku has these really pretty dark-brown eyes and long black hair that looks silky. He kept it up in a white bun holder when we saw him. He has very soft, kind features normally, but when he's angry it's noticeable."
"Hmm, it appears to me that you have a crush on the boy."
The blush that had formed on Young Haya's face and her stuttered denial had been the only answer she needed. Such a priceless expression still made the Crow chuckle even in the present moment, if not a bit breathlessly.
I remember when I learned of Lady Miyako's interrogation over the girl Shisui fancied. Lady Miyako possessed such a sublime sense of humor; she had me in stitches, as humans like to say.
Atsuko turned her attention from her inner musings back to the young boy currently standing in front of her. So, this is the boy Young Haya is so fond of. I must say he is aesthetically pleasing, for a human that is. I shall see if his heart is true or not by the time I am done here.
Thus far he had been exceptionally polite in the short time they had spoken; he immediately went to their aid when Kaito crash landed onto the large, circular meeting table they currently occupied. At her behest he retrieved the bowl of water without question.
"Will this water be enough?" he asked as he set the bowl down.
"Ah…yes. Thank you." Atsuko turned to her companion. "Drink, Kaito."
The messenger bird didn't respond verbally. He merely dragged himself chest first across the table to the bowl to drink.
"Will you two be okay?" Haku asked, sincere in his concern.
Atsuko exhaled a laugh and nodded. His sincerity earned him another approving point. After a deep breath meant to ease her labored breathing and racing heart, she spoke.
"Yes. The only thing I fear I injured is my pride. Once I flew such distances with ease." She chuckled wryly. "I fear I have gotten old and lazy as I waited for my masters summoning."
"Your master?" the gruff voice of Zabuza Momochi questioned.
She refrained from speaking Young Haya's name in this situation full of unknowns. Zabuza and Haku were trustworthy, for no other reason than their connection to Young Haya. These others who occupied this room, however; she could see among them those who suffered through Blood Mist and those who orchestrated it.
Already two of the latter called for her capture and interrogation. The third of the latter demanded they kill her. Quite rude. Also expected. The new Mizukage eliminated the Fourth, but those who enabled and enforced his will still yet lived. Old men such as them rarely changed their ways; the Leaf's personal warmongers taught her that lesson well.
The other two occupying the room was a nervous looking boy—he remained undecided on the situation—and a veteran shinobi wearing an eye-patch over his left eye and sealing tags from his ears. His penetrating gaze never left her, but he did not join the other three in their opinion.
The last occupant had been a young woman with crimson hair—crimson hair that did not belong to the Land of Water. How intriguing. She excused herself to retrieve the Mizukage.
Haku and Zabuza patiently waited at her side to learn the situation. However, they also stood as protection from the rash actions of their fellow Mist natives, who surely would have attempted to eliminate her and Kaito had the Demon and his apprentice not stood as a deterrent from violence.
Zabuza crossed his muscular arms over his large chest, eyes alert as he scrutinized the body language of the others in search for the slightest aggressive twitch towards the two birds.
Even as Kaito humorously drowned his beak in blessed water, Atsuko could feel the eyes of the room bearing down on her. Killing intent lay beneath the surface layer, like magma contained to a single chamber, building in pressure towards an inevitable explosion.
A dull knife could have cut the tension.
Atsuko sighed internally as her heart rate began to fall. I hope it does not come to a fight; it would make a poor first impression to slay these old warmongers.
She cast a gaze around the room, examining the entire space. Strange times. To think a Crow of the Leaf has infiltrated the Mist Village after all this time, and yet I am here to encourage peace.
Kurenai was very specific in her words, asking her to reverse summon herself to avoid a trap or a battle instead of engaging an enemy. There was no trap, otherwise it certainly would have sprung by now; and should a battle not happen there was much she hoped to accomplish while here for the Genjutsu Master and her own personal interests.
First and foremost was explaining in no specific detail her purpose here and identity of her summoner. A veil of secrecy was needed. At least until she was in the sole company of the two next to her and the Mizukage.
She turned her head to face the Demon of the Hidden Mist, who also appeared exactly as Young Haya had described. "Zabuza is menacing looking; he has no eyebrows and was a lot taller than all of us. He wore bandages around his face from his nose to the bottom of his neck and has spiky black hair. He also wore his forehead protector sideways for some reason. Maybe the grumpy old man thought it was stylish."
"Grumpy old man?"
"Well, not really grumpy. He calls me little girl so I call him old man. I guess it was how we bonded."
Everything was the same about the man from what the young girl had described save for the difference of outfit. His bandages remained but now he wore the dark colored Anbu uniform and grey flak jacket Mist Village was known for.
It seems he may be in charge of the Anbu once more; a logical position and one I hope he doesn't use for any ill means.
Atsuko took one more deep breath then released it. "Yes, I believe she calls you an old man."
Zabuza snorted humorously at her words. Haku's eyes lit up with intrigue. "Your master is Amari?" the boy questioned.
She turned her head to the boy and nodded. "Yes. I have heard much about you both from Young Amari. All good, I assure you, for I knew of your legend long before she spoke of you, Zabuza Momochi."
"Even the Crows of the Leaf Village knew of me, eh?" The smirk on his lips was clear in his voice.
"Of course. We know all, see all, hear all," Atsuko responded with mirth gleaming in her eyes. Zabuza chuckled deeply in his chest. "It is our duty to know those entered into the bingo book. If we do not then we will be unable to properly protect Konoha or our companions from domestic and foreign threats."
"Wise."
"Practical. Good information is a key to shinobi life. It is the same within the Anbu."
"Mm," the Demon acknowledged her words with a nod.
"If I may ask, how is Amari?" Haku queried.
Atsuko kept her true feelings hidden in the shadows and pushed her self-loathing to the side. She would explain the state of Kakashi and Haya in due time, but not while the others were nearby.
"Times have been exceptionally challenging for all of us since we lost our Hokage in the Invasion."
"Good riddance," a councilor grumbled.
A fire within the Crow was sparked instantaneously. She set her glare upon the impudent man who dared speak ill of the fallen Hokage. Should peace be impossible, Atsuko decided she would slay him first.
Eyes diverted to her target, Atsuko did not see the scornful and dark glares Zabuza and Haku shot the men.
"I respectfully request you refrain from speaking ill of Lord Hokage in my presence."
"Or what?"
"Or I'll kill you," Zabuza spoke the words before she could.
The killing intent once restrained slowly began flooding the room, sourced by the Demon of the Hidden Mist himself. Atsuko glanced his way. Such conviction in his words. And the deadly look in his eyes… It would seem there is a rift between these men and Zabuza.
She flicked her eyes over to Haku. While far calmer, an aggressive aura built around him. Yes, you are right, Young Haya. Fury is quite noticeable on the face of such a kind boy.
"Are you suddenly an ally of the Leaf Village?" a different councilor prodded angrily.
"Doesn't matter. The Third Hokage sacrificed his life to defend his people. The honor he died with exceeds any you will ever attain," Zabuza responded.
He earned growls and aggressive stances for his truthful words.
"I never thought my disgust for you three councilors could sink any further, but to stoop so low to disrespect the dead?" Zabuza hissed an aggressive breath. "I ought to end your miserable lives here and now," he growled viciously.
"Please restrain yourself, Zabuza," a serene, feminine voice entered the room. "Bloodstains are so terribly difficult to clean up, and there is much else I must do today. Getting on my hands and knees to clean up blood or having Natsumi do it would ruin our day thoroughly."
"'Ruin' is an understatement, Lady Mei," the younger kunoichi stated flatly.
Zabuza and Haku both relaxed their stances but remained vigilant, guarded and primed to strike down these men they did not trust. The Councilors merely scowled to themselves at the new voices.
Atsuko pivoted her head to the entrance of the office, insatiably curious to meet the Fifth Mizukage who claimed to desire peace. Kaito, meanwhile, finished drinking and let himself lay flat out again in exhaustion.
The crimson-haired kunoichi, Natsumi, stood next to a taller woman with long auburn hair and emerald eyes. She carried herself with an air of strength and a presence that demanded to be heard and respected.
The Mizukage has finally arrived.
Her visible emerald eye scanned over the room, easily picking Atsuko out of the group. They both silently and secretly examined one another, neither yet forming a full opinion on appearance alone. Appearances could be deceiving in the shinobi world.
After a brief moment, the Mizukage offered a genuine and apologetic smile to her; it eased the Crow's nerves only slightly but did not lower her guard.
Mei turned her attention back to her fellow Mist natives. "It would be rude of us to act like such barbarians in front of a guest. I would hope we have raised ourselves above the low bar our previous leadership left us."
Her words seemed to do the trick. The Demon reined in his killing intent.
"Right."
"Thank you, Zabuza," she thanked then let her eye fall onto the Head of the Crows. "I understand you have come with Kaito with a response to my letter."
"Wait, you invited this Leaf Crow into our Village?" the third councilor accused.
Mei sauntered forward to the table without even flinching at the accusation. They barked loudly, but compared to the power irradiating off the Mizukage, the Councilors bite had no teeth.
"I already told you that I would find a way to begin peaceful discussions with the Leaf Village," she answered with ease. "I sent a letter in hopes to start a dialogue between our Villages. I did not, however, invite this Crow to Kiri. Yet I also do not see any issue with the arrival either."
"This Crow is dangerous, Lady Mizukage," the eye-patch wearing ninja pointed out.
Hmm? Atsuko tilted her head. Have we met before in battle? She couldn't deny that she felt a familiarity with him. But where would I have met him?
"Have you met before, Ao?"
"Years ago. She was on the shoulder of a very powerful member of the Uchiha Clan."
Ao? Ah. Ah. Atsuko hummed humorously. How could she forget the retreating backs of the Mist shinobi as their comrades screamed in terror.
"Is something funny?"
"Only the coincidence of meeting you again. You were wise to call a full retreat that day, Ao. My previous master would have ended your lives with ease."
Ao did not growl or show any resentment to her truthful statement. Pride mattered little when faced against a superior enemy.
Ao is fortunate Shisui did not believe in killing when it was unnecessary.
"Retreating? That doesn't sound like you at all, Ao," Zabuza prodded with a sadistic chuckle.
"Had you known who my enemy was, you would have made the same decision, Zabuza," Ao responded calmly. "The genjutsu he placed on my men had them screaming for hours. We would have stood no chance against him."
The older shinobi turned to the Mizukage. "The Crows of the Leaf are not to be underestimated, Lady Mizukage. This one has been their leader for years now. She could be a spy or something far worse."
Atsuko puffed her chest with pride.
The Fifth Mizukage nodded her head slightly as she approached the table. Natsumi hovered close by.
"True, your concern is warranted, Ao. So let us lay all our cards down on the table and speak honestly with one another." Her emerald eye met Atsuko's black eyes again. "My name is Mei Terumī. In years past I worked to overthrow the Fourth Mizukage to end his bloody reign of terror. I am pleased to say I succeeded in my endeavor."
She dipped her head in the direction of her assistant. "This is Natsumi, my assistant. She is in charge of my intelligence team."
The Head of the Crows nodded in greeting to the pair then followed the eye of the Mizukage to Ao and the boy. "Over there is Ao and Chōjūrō, my bodyguards and advisers. Ao has served Mist Village for years now, as you well know, and served in my resistance. Chōjūrō is one of our Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist; he wields Hiramekarei and is quite skilled."
Again she nodded as Chōjūrō ducked his head down in an attempt to shrink away. He's quite shy for a member of the Swordsmen. The opposite of Zabuza and Kisame. Confidence and sadistic arrogance irradiated off of the veteran Swordsmen, unlike this young man a cat skittering between his legs might startle.
"Zabuza Momochi is the leader of my Anbu with Haku as his second-in-command; both also serve as advisers. Finally," she motioned to the trio, "Ichirou, Kenta and Daichi, the Council of our village who served under the previous Mizukage."
"I am Atsuko, Head of the Crows of the Leaf who have served our home and the Uchiha Clan prior to its downfall. I now serve under Amaririsu Yūhi and guide her on the path of being a shinobi. My reasons for being here are not to spy or harm Kiri. In fact my intentions are of a peaceful nature regarding your letter to Young Amari's team captain."
"I understand. Was there an issue regarding my letter?" Mei queried.
Atsuko shook her head. "Not on your behalf, Lady Mizukage. There is an immense complication that I have been ordered to only speak to you, Zabuza, and Haku about. I will understand if you desire to have others you deem trustworthy here, but I will ask you to dismiss your Councilors, for they have already threatened my well-being and disrespected our fallen Hokage."
Dissatisfaction crossed the Mizukage's face. Her emerald eye slowly trailed to the three Councilors, pinning them under a chilling gaze. "I see. Your request is understandable, and I do not wish to waste time arguing with the Councilors over dismissing all of my advisers. Ao, Chōjūrō, Natsumi, you will all stay with us. Ichirou, Kenta, Daichi, please see yourselves out."
Kenta opened his mouth to argue, but Mei was faster. "That was not a request. That was an order from your Mizukage. Please see yourselves out. Now."
Frustration bubbled to the surface in the Councilors. Arguments formed on the tips of their tongues. But in the end they bowed and dismissed themselves accordingly.
All who remained in the room kept silent for a few moments until they were sure the three Councilors were gone. Natsumi was the first to speak up.
"Remember to breathe, Lady Mei. They aren't worth melting."
Mei appeared calmer than an untouched lake on the outside. Inside, though, fury of a raging storm brewed in her eye.
She followed her assistant's request, breathing in then exhaling out. "Right." Her features became apologetic as she returned her attention back to Atsuko. "I apologize for the less than welcome reception you have received, Atsuko."
"There is nothing to apologize for. I received generous hospitality from Haku and Zabuza," Atsuko assured then bowed her head. "I apologize for causing the tension with my presence."
As she came up from her bow she found a smile on the Fifth Mizukage's face. "As you said, there is nothing to apologize for. I am afraid to say that the tension you witnessed is a daily occurrence as of late."
She waved her hand dismissively through the air. "But enough of that. You have traveled a long way with a message of importance. Tell me, what was the immense complication?"
Atsuko took a breath then spoke. "Days after the Invasion, three S-rank ninjas infiltrated Konoha and met in battle with Kakashi Hatake and Young Amari… It did not end well for them."
Her words were met with stunned silence from the two ninjas closest to her and shock from the Mizukage. The others remained between wonder of what happened and indifference.
"The night your letter arrived, I was with Young Amari's mother as we sat in her hospital room. Due to the circumstances, and because Lady Kurenai is one of the Leaf's elite, Kaito entrusted the reading of your letter to her. She believes your desire for peace is an honest endeavor."
"What happened?" Haku whispered in shock.
The Head of the Crows looked to the worried boy with saddened features. She hated being the bearer of bad news. Too many times had she witnessed similar shock and pain Haku was experiencing.
"She and Kakashi were struck with a powerful genjutsu that has left them incapacitated completely."
"…What about Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura? Are they okay?"
She nodded solemnly. "Yes… Young Amari used the last of her strength to protect them and buy enough time for others to finish the battle."
A ghost of a smile formed on the boy's face. It was a reminiscent smile full of care and pain. "Sounds like her." The smile fell. "Will they come out of it?"
"Yes, I believe they will. When I left there was a plan to heal their trauma, but I cannot say when they will awaken. It is another reason I am here." Atsuko returned her attention to the Mizukage. "I am to ask for your permission to stay in Kiri for the time being."
"I have no issue with such an arrangement, although I am curious why you wish to stay. Wouldn't you much rather return home to watch after Amaririsu?" Mei asked.
Her heart did desire such, but for now she would relent against it and go through with Lady Kurenai's wishes. She left a legion of crows watching after Young Haya anyways—she would be safe.
"I would, but I am here to begin a dialogue with you until Kakashi and Young Amari awaken. I sense your honesty, Lady Mizukage. There is an opportunity here for our Villages to leave behind the sins of our past for a prosperous future."
The Fifth Mizukage smiled and nodded. "Agreed."
"I get it," Natsumi said. "This Amaririsu will summon Atsuko back to the Leaf when she wakes up, which will signal us to resend our letters. You can give Kakashi more current information and Haku gets to ask his girlfriend more up-to-date questions."
"Natsumi," Haku warned, blushing lightly.
The kunoichi shot him a toothy grin then continued more seriously. "In the meantime Lady Mei and Atsuko can begin a dialogue of peace; she gets to see firsthand your reforms and the state of our Village while also speaking honestly about the state of the Leaf. And since the Crows are held in high regard back in the Leaf, her opinion will hold serious weight."
Natsumi nodded. "No one loses, and it pisses off those cantankerous councilors."
"We should still keep an eye on her, Lady Mizukage, for her sake and Kiri's," Ao stated firmly.
Mei hummed in understanding then turned her attention to the young Swordsman. "What do you think, Chōjūrō?"
"I- I agree with Lord Ao and Natsumi. Sh- she seems trustworthy an- and there's no harm in being extra careful."
"If it pleases all, I would stay under the guard of Haku and Zabuza during my time here," Atsuko offered.
"Is such an arrangement okay with the two of you?" Mei asked the pair.
"It's fine with me," Zabuza said.
"Absolutely, Lady Mizukage," Haku answered.
The auburn-haired kunoichi smiled and clapped her hands together. "Splendid! It's settled then." She turned back to Atsuko. "I look forward to speaking more with you, Atsuko."
"As do I, Lady Mizukage. For now I would like to rest from my journey. I am sure you have other matters to attend to."
"I can bring you and Kaito to my room if you would like," Haku offered.
She nodded. "I would be grateful."
Haku placed his arm out so she hopped up it and onto his shoulder. He then picked up the passed out Kaito and dismissed himself with a bow before leaving for his room.
There was still much she had to do, but for now she needed to rest. The journey was catching up with the Crow. A nap would help to revitalize her energy for the remainder of her stay here in Kiri.
I can only hope it is not a long stay.
Review Response to ChillinInKonoha: Although Genma and the Hokage did believe Mimi and Amari, as well as Shikamaru in canon, were ready to be Chunin, there has been no official promotion given to either. When the Invasion began, Genma's remark that they were Chunin was more of an acknowledgement of their skill level. They're still Genin in rank but, had the Exams formally ended without the Third Hokage dying they would have been officially promoted. Since the Exams never technically finished, and since there was no Hokage, no one has been promoted.
Kabuto does respect Amari; he sees her potential as a shinobi and recognizes her intelligence and prowess on a battlefield. She was the one he worried would see through his facade when they first met, and blames her inability to do so because of her lack of experience with the darker side of the shinobi world. He also draws a connections between them because of Orochimaru's interest in their talents as well as the pain they both have suffered in life. In his words from when he tried to kill her in the hospital, they're like siblings.
And to him, she's far more mature than Sasuke, who he sees as a petulant child obsessed with revenge. More development on their relationship will happen in the future.
Minato did teach the Hokage Guards a variation of it called the Flying Thunder Formation, but I think it required all three of them to do it. Amari is learning fuinjutsu, and her mother did create the space-time seal that ensnared everyone, so who knows what Amari will be capable of.
I have a few time-travel, alternate world ideas. So that will be fun to explore.
We'll learn more about Kasai in the future. Safe to say anything regarding him will be big.
She'd be able to read whatever parts of the tablet the Mangekyo grants her, but I think Rinnegan is necessary to read the whole thing. I may be wrong.
Amari's Mangekyo pattern is described as four straight and sharp triangles jutting out like the four cardinal directions of a compass, or a four-pointed star with a red pupil in the center of her right eye and fuchsia pupil in her left.
Thanks for the review!