Summary/Disclaimer: Time for another chapter of the Merc and the Medic. Enjoy the 2000-word chapter. I don't own Naruto, Masashi Kishimoto and a few others do.
(2 miles outside of Konoha.)
It was early when Sakura and Marmora left. Sakura sent a single message to Kakashi explaining their actions and why they had left the city aboard the Thunder Rail.
"I think another history lesson is appropriate now. I told you Kara will die in Konoha. They are puppets of the Otsutsuki Clan." Kuraokami stated, he emerged from Marmora's back and grabbed onto his shoulders.
"Why does that group want Marmora?" Sakura asked before Kuraokami.
"You want me be honest? They don't. they are hunting threats to their goals. My power makes them a threat. They want Kurama's power, just like the Akatsuki. Shin will pursue us, Boro and the others will focus on the Hokage and other threats to their plans." He said. Sakura and Marmora's train entered the tunnel.
"You mentioned my mother and father before. Kuraokami, what about my family and clan do you know?" Kuraokami wracked his brain before he hummed.
"Your mother reminds me of Sakura and the Hokage's mother. She never retired though. Your mother was a skilled Taijitsu user, one of the best. She also acted as the head priest for the clan. I wondered why she always prayed to me, I learned that the clan prayed to me as thanks for my aid." He stated before licking his lips.
"Your mother started out sweet, she was uppity, she was arrogant, she had no appreciation for anything outside of the wealth and her own skill. She did care about one thing later, kid. She cared about you, you go near her child, she'd break your spine and strangle you with it. She's where you got your hunting instinct from and your tactical mind." Kuraokami stated. Marmora chuckled while Sakura rolled her eyes.
"Your mother grew to be a great Shinobi; she was skilled at ambushing and hunting the enemy. Your clan is good at two things, they are expert trackers and assassins, meaning their Taijitsu is second to none… And they are skilled at water and Snow based Jutsu, they made beautiful Jutsu, like art. I don't know if they had any abilities like the Uzumaki and Uchiha. I know they wouldn't need them; we will see." He said before Marmora spoke up.
"I don't think special eyes or massive tanks of stamina matter much. I'm sure we were skilled at more." Kuraokami chuckled at this.
"Maybe, kid. Maybe. Your clan was special. I don't know if the Aito were as good as the Uchiha or Uzumaki clan. Your father… He was the opposite, he was fearless, he was reckless. He's where you got your bullheadedness from, along with your ancestor in the land of snow. He was a Samurai, a general and the one who tried to make a stand against the Otsutsuki clan, he was the patriarch of the clan that stood against death." He said, cracking his knuckles.
"So, both of Marmora's parents were warriors?" Sakura asked, Kuraokami looked at the trees out the window. They were slowly drawing closer and closer to the next train station.
"Yes, that's how they met. Your mother was sent to defend a lieutenant of the clan. She met your father instead who demanded she leave. Your father didn't have much respect for the Shinobi, he was sure that the fearless and straightforward combat skill of a Samurai made them superior to the more tactical and asymmetrical style of the shinobi. Your parents couldn't be more different in combat." He said, he gave a toothy grin before sighing.
"Kid, give me a minute to rest mentally. I need to think some more. You two focus on taking the train to the Land of Snow and meeting Tsunade. You've got your mother's talent at hunting, I'm sure you're be good at hunting down a Sannin." Marmora heard from the deity before he vanished again, as fast as a snake.
"He sure likes to talk, doesn't he?" Marmora asked, Sakura nodded before the god spoke up again.
"Very funny, you damn brat." He said, Sakura cleared her throat.
"So, they met when his mother was on a mission, what about their encounter with the Otsutsuki Clan?" Sakura asked. Marmora hummed and cracked his back with a crunch.
"I think we should focus on their abilities more. I'm sure you could explain my parents more when I talk to Lady Tsunade, tell her more about my parents." He looked out the window, watching the trees slowly begin to cover with snow dusting them like frosting on a cake.
They had just exited a tunnel. Marmora heard a low hum come from the ethereal dragon deity.
"I can see the logic in that. I don't know if she knows about the clan, kid. Anyway…" He stated before the god dragon tapped his frostbitten tail on a chair.
"They fought the Otsutsuki on a field in the Land of Snow, kid. You were SO young. They came, with soldiers of their clan. Your father was outnumbered, he was outmatched. He was too stubborn to quit. He and his army clashed with them, I aided him. Momoshiki wanted more power, a fruit that would give him unstoppable power, your father had founded a scroll leading to one of the trees, left there by a distant member of the Otsutsuki clan." Marmora hummed at this and looked at Sakura.
"Your father engaged Momoshiki, the smug jackass hadn't expected a fight. He called on his servant before trying to disengage from the fight. your mother…" Kuraokami said, he grinned with a giant smirk of razor-sharp incisors.
"Your mother engaged Kinshiki with all she had, he was stronger. She was faster, she managed to poison him with a lucky hit from her Kunai. She could never defeat him, but wounding him enough for him to fall back? her speed triumphed. I actually think 2 small parts of the clan, or you, that you got from your mother? She was fast, not as fast as the Hokage, but FAST, and she had very good control over her Charka… Wish you learned like that better." Marmora rolled his eyes.
"Your father faired less, he managed to get in some good hits. My power was still not enough to stop Momoshiki's rampage." The god dragon said. he rested his talon like claws on the chair, he growled and slammed the chair hard enough to rock it.
"Your mother was killed because she was ganged up on by Momoshiki's men, your father was beaten to death in front of his army before they were all slaughtered. I hate them, they slaughtered them all like cattle, Momoshiki only tried because your father landed some good punches and actually showed the freak could bleed. He doesn't even deserve profanity; no curse is enough for his cruelty. I swear on my life, he will suffer before he's dragged to hell." The god dragon growled out. He would spit if he had the ability within his body at the moment.
"You have a lot more personal history with the Otsutsuki clan, don't you?" Sakura asked, the deity was silent a moment.
"I have a LOT more then history with those scum. I will kill them, they hurt me in more ways than just physically. I will not allow myself to rest till the entire clan is ash being nutrients for the creatures like Sakura's slugs. Kid, I don't know if Tsunade will teach you anything or such. I do know she's supposed to put you on the path to cutting down Momoshiki. I'm going to help as well; your clan did a lot for me that I will explain more later." Kuraokami stated. He cleared his throat.
"I'm going to think on what to do when we arrive. My powers are weakened from where I was banished too, least besides the Arctic Armor." He put in before he slowly pulled himself into Marmora.
"Kid, listen to Sakura, you guys are only going to stand a chance if your together… Also? You're going to meet someone you just met in the Land of Snow, I'll be back within a few hours." He stated before he was gone.
"He goes from not being to keep up a talk for 5 minutes to being able to give us an entire history of my clan." Marmora said before closing his eyes.
"Marmora… What he said about your parents…" Sakura said, shaking his shoulder. Marmora opened his eyes and frowned.
"I'd be lying if I said it doesn't affect me, but I can't like it slow us down. I get mad and I'll get captured again. I'll mourn when there's a good time." he said. Sakura could clearly say it was affecting him, he just didn't want to admit it.
"We all lose people, Sakura. I'm hurting, but I've lost friends up till now. I could make a book on who we lost. You haven't lost a friend or ally and waited till the fighting was over to mourn?" he asked. Sakura frowned, but said nothing else.
She remembered losing friends during the great ninja war. they didn't get to dwell on who they lost until after the war. she knew the bodies weren't even buried till the fighting was done.
Marmora did look hurt, but she could guess a few reasons he wasn't screaming and crying over it.
He was much too young to remember his parents. Their deaths had thus not fully hit him with the weight of their demises.
Marmora was trying to put the mission first. He would break down and mourn them when he had been given time to properly process it.
Marmora was putting on a façade. He was hurting inside, he just refused to show it at the moment.
She said nothing at the moment, she wanted to see Tsunade. She'd help Marmora deal with his emotional outburst when
(With Shin)
After the battle, Shin made it a personal mission to capture Marmora. Boro was fine, but the time it took for him to come back had allowed the other Shinobi to intercept him.
Shin decided to chase down leads to find Marmora. He sent his spying creature aboard the train along with 3 of his clones in case Sakura and Marmora had used the train.
(With Sakura and Marmora)
The train hit the next station. Marmora stepped into the platform and was instantly hit with a gust of snow. He shielded his eyes as the sting of the cold wind assaulted him.
"Well, welcome home, kid." Kuraokami stated before Sakura stepped out behind him.
"You have any single location Tsunade is usual at… Besides a bar or a casino? I can't track her Charka signature unless I'm close to something she's been near." Marmora joked.
"Let's ask around. I'm sure SOMEONE knows who Tsunade is." She said, Marmora pulled his hood over his head and then put his mask on.
"I'll follow you; we should move, we only have a matter of time till Shin catches up." Marmora muttered before the couple vanished into the snow.
"You know, I wonder what we're going to find out here." Marmora asked before Kuraokami's voice cut them off again.
"Your past kid, I still have a bit of story to tell before this is over. I do know we're well on the way to mastering things. We just need to find Tsunade." Kuraokami put in.
They had no idea Shin was already hunting them down.
Author Notes
Phew, another chapter done! I want to point out the romance might be a little rushed and such. I also want to point out Marmora's skills might seem a bit rushed, but I'll try to tone him down a bit. Next chapter will be on next Tuesday and will show Marmora and Sakura hunting for Tsunade and meeting a familiar face along with more history of the Aito clan. Until then, Lighting Wolf out!