I'm going to start right off the bat here: I am very, very sorry for taking so long getting an update for Shinobi's Creed done. But the past months have been…crazy. The biggest thing: my sister tested positive for COVID. We had a scare there and things were crazy for a bit while she was in quarantine, but she's okay. The rest of us are fine too. But still, it freaked us out a bit.
Besides that, both the chapters of my Maelstrom Siblings and A Simple Mission fanfics that I wrote and updated were…massive ones for me. I had been building up these chapters in my mind ever since I started writing those two fanfics, so I was constantly second guessing and re-writing stuff over and over again. And that slowed me down. A lot. Add on to that the Christmas season, some stuff going on around the house, and me occasionally having bouts of laziness, and you get the disaster that led to me taking this long to finally get this chapter written. I hope you all can forgive me for taking so long.
Sadly no Ranger Lair here, as between addressing that and responding to some anonymous review replies, I need to cut it this time around. So let's get started with the positive review replies.
First, to Jirou Hanzaki, who reviewed my one shot "How Dead Space 3 Should Have Ended". I doubt you're reading this but thanks for the review! Glad you enjoyed it!
To anonymous Guest, thank you for your kind words. Sadly things got crazy here, but we're doing fine at the moment.
To anonymous Guest, thanks for the review! I'm glad you find my story unique and that you love it.
To anonymous Guest, I do not know if I'll do that. I don't really know that bloodline well enough to try using it. And I don't want to just give it to Hinata without having an actual reason for doing so. We'll see down the line.
And to the anonymous guest who reviewed Demon Dragon Rider, thank you for your review, glad you enjoyed it.
Sadly, now we come to the negative reviews to address here. We'll start with the one I'd consider constructive.
To Astramilitarum01, who reviewed Demon Dragon Rider: if I'm going to be honest, you are mostly right. I probably would write a lot of the fanfic out differently if I was writing it now. Though I'd point out that just because Kushina is infamous doesn't mean she couldn't be captured, restrained, and kept as a slave. Also…please consider the fact that the fanfic was written well before we honestly knew anything about Kushina. Telling me I'm wrong for writing Kushina a certain way when we really didn't know anything about her at the time is…well I wouldn't consider it fair really.
To Cyan-Snake, who actually did sign in but has disabled Pm messaging (because of course), congrats…you got one point I can't refute. Well…except for the fact that on several occasions across several games, we saw the MC Assassins reveal themselves to their targets and not just killing them stealthily. I'll admit, Raphael was a bit of an idiot for announcing himself to his target, but canon itself supports that this is something that several of the assassins did at one point or another. As for using his hidden blades to block an attack instead of just stepping sideways, how is that an 'oh my gosh, what trash' thing? Literally, have you even played the AC games? If you were in a fight, parrying was one of the go to things you did because it set up your opponent for counters. I'm not saying sidestepping wouldn't work, but claiming me having him block instead of sidestepping as being stupid is…well stupid of you. And then 'getting angry'? As far as I can tell, Raphael got angry because his mind was invaded by something he'd consider either witchcraft or an ability of a Piece of Eden. I'd probably be pretty angry too. Or, you know, I'd be angry at realizing I'm stuck in some strange place that might not be any part of my normal reality. I find it funny that you call my OC trash just because he acts like a flawed human being reacting normally to what's going on and because he does stuff you think is stupid when, as far as I can tell, most of it was actual legitimate things he could or would have done. Next time you wanna bitch, have something that actually makes sense to bitch about.
To Wolf, who anonymously reviewed Demon Dragon Rider…fail? Uh-huh…let's see here. With regards to the chakra metal, I'd give you points if you could show me an actual canon reference that supports what you said. If armor is pointless in Naruto, why then do we see the Land of Iron samurai wear armor and canonically be reported as a nation that has continually withstood and repelled shinobi attempts to invade it? Why would the Uchiha and Senju and other shinobi of Madara and Hashirama's time wear samurai-esque armor? Because, guess what, only a select FEW shinobi are capable of doing what you describe. Armor remains relevant because the vast majority of shinobi still rely heavily on normal taijutsu and weapons but do not have the strength to utterly annihilate armor. Ninjutsu comes into play but because it runs on a finite power source, shinobi cannot simply spam it unless they're chakra powerhouses like Naruto. The weights were not there to increase Naruto's strength or speed, like they were with Lee. They're there to condition Naruto's body to wearing his armor. Naruto's strength and speed are enhanced naturally by his bond with Onyxia, which he can further with magic and/or chakra. There's a difference between training to increase your strength and training to condition your body to carry extra weight for periods of time. You will note that Naruto doesn't usually use his sword and shield from dragon's back, he uses them on foot. He uses magic from dragon's back. And funny, while Hawkeye and Green Arrow are unrealistic in their capabilities, there is such a thing as trick-shooting which could be adapted for use in a more free-flowing fast paced battle like with shinobi. It'd take a lot of practice to use it effectively, but it can be done. Archers in large scale battles fought the way they did not because bows were inaccurate, but because of numbers. If you have three or four guys all aiming accurately at four thousand guys, they're screwed because they can't take that many down on their own. Have one thousand archers all just aim at a general area where four thousand guys are, you're in business. But that doesn't mean you don't have people who are capable of using bows in a ninja fight, if they're trained the right way to do it. So yeah, sorry, but you're the one who failed.
Lastly, to the Guest who reviewed my one shot A Wedding. You know what's more pathetic? Being so utterly butt-hurt that someone writes a pairing that you don't like that you call them a 'Narufag' and claim the only reason they do it is because they 'hate Sasuke for being better then Narutard in everything'. Which is honestly hilarious and laughable when you consider the fact that Sasuke had a shit ton of people actually TEACHING him, giving him detailed instruction, where as Naruto literally had half-assed instruction most of the time and he STILL EQUALLED SASUKE in the end. Imagine what Naruto could have done if someone…you know…gave him the same level of training Sasuke got? But I'm sure you're too enthralled with your precious 'Sasuke-kun' that you don't want to hear about how he honestly was just a second rate emo pretty boy who should have been locked away or executed in the end.
…right. Sorry about that, just….had to get that out there. So let's get on with the chapter, shall we? Just as a warning, fair amount of swearing near the end of the chapter.
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or Assassins Creed. They are the respective properties of Masashi Kishimoto and Ubisoft. This is a non-profit work of fan made fiction. Please support the official releases.
Chapter 50
A New Day
Sarutobi sat in the Hokage's office, puffing on his pipe while waiting patiently for the shinobi he had summoned to arrive. On his desk was laid out a letter from the head of Takigakure no Sato, and it was the reason Sarutobi was currently wondering if fate itself was telling him that he needed to retire as soon as possible. It seemed his second term in office was constantly filled with events that could start another shinobi war if they were not handled carefully.
His attention was drawn from his musings as Jiraiya appeared, not through the window as he usually would but instead through a simple shunshin. "Thank you for arriving Jiraiya. Unfortunately the others aren't here yet," Sarutobi greeted him as he indicated a seat.
"So I suppose I'll have to wait to know what's going on," Jiraiya said as he sat down, slowly rubbing his tired eyes. The guilt and self-loathing that came from having to confront his failures with Naruto made it rather hard for him to sleep at night, and surprisingly had even killed his desire to pursue his usual perverted antics. So instead he had thrown himself into training and drinking to try and distract himself.
Sarutobi merely gave his student a nod while waiting quietly for the others he had summoned to arrive. Thankfully it did not take them long.
The door to the office opened, revealing Asuma Sarutobi, jounin sensei of Team Ten, and Yugito Nii. As Yugito was closing the door two figures appeared suddenly in the room, both crouched on one knee as they bowed their heads in the direction of Sarutobi. Both figures wore the standard apparel for ANBU, their missing cloaks showing the ANBU tattoo on their left shoulders. One, a man, had short spiky brown hair and wore a mask of a crow. The other, a woman, had long purple hair. A katana was sheathed over her shoulder, and she wore a cat mask.
"Karasu, Neko," Sarutobi acknowledged before turning to the other two as the ANBU stood. "Asuma-san, Yugito-san. Thank you for coming quickly. I have a mission of the utmost importance."
He indicated the letter in front of him. "Information has reached me that the village of Takigakure no Sato is going to turn their jinchuuriki over to an S-ranked criminal organization known as Akatsuki, after being threatened by two members of said organization."
Yugito stiffened as she heard this while Jiraiya cursed quietly. Neither of the ANBU reacted while Asuma looked somewhat confused. "Why does this Akatsuki want their jinchuuriki?" He asked, pulling out a cigarette and preparing to light it up.
"Jiraiya, if you will?" Sarutobi asked, causing Jiraiya to stand up.
"Akatsuki is an organization filled with S-ranked missing nin, including the likes of Kisame Hoshigaki and Itachi Uchiha and formerly including Orochimaru," Jiraiya started briefing them on what they were likely dealing with. "Their goals are not entirely known at this point but they have shown an interest in acquiring the jinchuuriki of the biju. Quite recently they attempted to kidnap Naruto Uzumaki, though they failed. It is likely they will continue to do so, as well as attempt to capture you as well," Jiraiya told Yugito, who nodded grimly.
Jiraiya quickly turned back to Sarutobi. "Do we know which two were sent to retrieve Taki's jinchuuriki?"
"Kakuzu, formerly of Takigakure no Sato," Sarutobi responded. "It was he who made the demand of Taki to surrender Fuu, their jinchuuriki. They did not identify his partner, however."
Jiraiya quickly pulled out a notebook, flipping through it as he muttered. "Kakuzu…here we go. His partner is a former Yugakure shinobi named Hidan. According to my information these two are nicknamed the 'Zombie Brothers', due to Kakuzu wielding a kinjutsu that makes him 'practically immortal'. Hidan apparently has a kinjutsu as well, though my informants have had a hard time finding out more about it. We do have plenty of info on Kakuzu's capabilities though, thanks to Taki."
Sarutobi nodded at that. "Thank you. Now as to the reason why I brought you all here. Taki's head shinobi has unofficially requested that we rescue Taki's jinchuuriki. He will give her instructions to make for the Hi no Kuni border with all speed and to attempt to rendezvous with Konoha shinobi in order to request asylum. Asuma-san, you will lead the squad on what seems like a routine patrol of the border near Taki, where you will be waiting for Fuu to arrive. Jiraiya will be present but will only intervene should Akatsuki cross the border or if they manage to intercept Fuu on the Taki side of it. Under no circumstances are the rest of you to cross the border. We need to make this look like it is a coincidence and nothing more."
Asuma pulled the cigarette from his mouth and dashed it out in his father's ash tray on his desk. "Understood, Hokage-sama. Jiraiya-sama, I hope you can brief us on what to expect in case we do end up having to fight these two," he said.
"Of course. Suffice to say though, I should be the one primarily engaging them if things come to that. It'd be better for the rest of you to provide support. Especially you," Jiraiya said, honing in on Yugito. "Placing another jinchuuriki within their sights might be too tempting of a target for them."
Yugito cracked her knuckles in response. "Then I'll make sure they regret their hasty action."
"You all leave within two hours. Make best speed to the border and wait there. Remember though: remain on our side of the border. Taking another jinchuuriki into our walls will likely cause uproar with the other villages, and Taki will most likely demand she be returned to them. We must do our best to give as little ammunition to anyone who would speak out against this," Sarutobi cautioned, as all five shinobi nodded in understanding. "Dismissed."
Jiraiya remained behind as the others left, frowning a bit as he looked at Sarutobi. "I don't like this…they're moving quickly to secure the jinchuuriki. I thought we'd have more time," he mused worriedly.
"Perhaps recent events have spooked them," Sarutobi pondered back, pulling out files. "Recent reports indicate that the rebellion in Kirigakure has swung in the favor of the bloodline rebels. They have secured over half the country and are pushing on the village itself. If the Mizukage is killed before Akatsuki can secure his biju, it'll set them back for a considerable amount of time."
"Perhaps, but why haven't they gone after him yet then?" Jiraiya murmured, thinking it over. "It would be so simple of them to use the confusion of the war to slip into Kiri and retrieve him, especially if they wait for the rebels to attack. Instead, they went after Naruto and now Taki's jinchuuriki. And my spies in Tsuchi no Kuni have reported them starting to snoop around there as well."
"We will understand in time, Jiraiya. For now, focus on the task at hand. Make sure the others are briefed on what we know about Kakuzu and this Hidan, and be ready to intervene at a moment's notice. I will need to get to work setting things up for Fuu's arrival and preventing the likes of Danzo from getting her," Sarutobi said, immediately seeking new files from another drawer in his desk.
"Understood Sarutobi-sensei. I'll leave you to it," Jiraiya said before shunshing away, leaving the aged leader to sigh as he began writing up the new paperwork.
Elsewhere in the village, a figure was quietly leaning against a tree, arms crossed as they watched their quarry train in the middle of an open field. The figure remained that way for several moments before stepping out into the open and starting to approach. "Hinata-san."
Hinata, who had been in the middle of practicing with her short sword in its naginata form, finished the combo she had been practicing before flourishing the weapon, transforming it back into a short sword. "….Neji-san. Do you require something of me?" She asked, her voice a bit cold as she sheathed her weapon and turned to face Neji.
His eyes flicked for a moment up, seeing the seal on her forehead. "…so it is true. You no longer hide it," he said quietly, his voice betraying nothing of his thoughts.
"I feel less inclined to do so," Hinata responded stiffly, tilting her head back slightly. "The Hyuuga view it as a mark of shame and humiliation, the ultimate sign of disgrace. But I no longer see it that way. This seal is a mark of my freedom from their oppression, their control, their desire to shape and mold me into what they want and not what I can become. So now…I display it as such."
Neji nodded quietly in response at that. "…you turned down a chance to return to the clan. I assume due to the same reason you now openly show that seal?"
Hinata's eyes narrowed before she turned away. "Is there a point to this conversation, Neji-san? I wish to return to my training," she said, drawing her weapon again even as she activated her Byakugan, both to prepare for training and to keep an eye on him.
Neji stood there silently for several moments before finally speaking. "I have thought about what you said after our match. At first…I intended to dismiss it. But then…something came into my possession that made me realize the truth. You were right, Hinata-san, about fate. I was using it as nothing but a crutch, a cowardly way to not have to accept responsibility for my actions and failures, and to decry the accomplishments of others. That is why I am here today. I wish to both thank you…and apologize to you," he said.
Hinata would have ignored him if not for the fact that she saw him reach up and remove his forehead protector and the bandages underneath, causing his own seal to be revealed. She turned as her eyes went wide in shock and amazement as he then knelt down and bowed, touching his forehead to the ground. "I do not ask for forgiveness, as I have not earned it. I wronged you greatly while you were part of the Hyuuga clan, unfairly blaming you for my otou-san's death, blaming you for what was done to me. You were only ever kind to me, and I treated you horribly in return. All I can offer you are my sincerest apologies for failing to be a good family member to you, and thank you for helping open my eyes. Thank you…Hinata-sama," he said quietly, his head bowed.
The indigo-haired girl could only stand there in shocked silence at the sight of her cousin, the prodigy who had treated her with badly concealed scorn and indifference, who she had so badly wanted to help and comfort, now kneeling before her as he apologized and thanked her. Her surprise kept her from speaking for several moments. "P-Please stand," she finally said, cursing the momentary return of her stutter caused by her surprise and disbelief.
Neji slowly did so, his gray-white eyes meeting her lavender ones as she studied him. Finally, she spoke. "…I will offer you a chance to earn my forgiveness," Hinata finally spoke. "Hanabi needs help growing stronger, and I cannot offer her as much aid on that front as I would like. You, however, can. Offer to help her grow strong in the Jyuuken. Guide her in becoming as strong and capable as you are in the Hyuuga arts. And protect her as best you can from enemies without…and within the clan."
Neji's eyes widened at that before nodding. "As you wish, Hinata-san. I will give my aid to Hanabi-sama," he said, bowing his head.
"Please understand what I am asking you, Neji-san. I am entrusting my imouto to you. Do for her what I cannot," Hinata said quietly. "I believe Hanabi will one day be able to fulfill the dream I once had, to bring the Hyuuga clan together as a true clan instead of a group of masters and servants. And I will give her all the strength and aid I can to help her become the strongest and greatest clan head the Hyuuga have known. I know my kaa-san will do the same. But she will need someone who can help her in the ways we cannot. Please show me that you are that person."
Neji nodded in understanding. "I will, Hinata-san," he said.
Hinata just gave the smallest nod before turning away. "Was that all?" She asked him.
"It was…thank you for listening to me, Hinata-san," Neji said before taking his forehead protector and bandages and leaving.
Hinata stood there quietly for some moments before letting out a shuddering breath, her shoulders slumping. She had not expected that to happen at all. She had expected that the talk she had with Neji in the arena infirmary would have been the last significant interaction the two of them ever had. Instead, his choosing to not only approach her but to apologize as well was something she never thought could happen.
She took a deep breath, attempting to push the surprise aside as she prepared to get back to training. She would wait and see if he proved true to his word before she would consider forgiving him. At the very least, if he did help Hanabi she would consider that proof enough. Attempting to regain her focus she set to training again, moving her sword into a series of attacks against the training post.
Konoha Apartment Complex
Anko Mitarashi bit her lip as she studied the letter she had just finished writing, contemplating whether or not she actually wanted to deliver it. The letter was connected to something she had been considering for some time now, a part of her that wanted to reveal something she had kept secret from most people. Something that was very personal to her, and she had a hard time letting anyone know about, given how it conflicted so heavily with her normal boisterous, aggressive, and flirtatious attitude.
The reason for her hesitancy was because a part of her was worried about how the receiver of this letter, Raphael, would perceive her once he knew about this. The rational part of her knew it was stupid, as this wasn't anything that altered who she was or would likely change how he viewed her, but the irrational part of her, born from being abandoned and betrayed by Orochimaru, was worried that he liked her for how she had acted and that revealing this other part of her might cause that attraction to fade.
She shook her head, cursing that part of her as she quickly finished the letter, attaching it to a scroll before standing up. Checking the mini skirt and t-shirt she was wearing for any signs of ink or mess, she quickly grabbed her favorite tan coat and pulled it and a pair of boots on before stepping outside.
Her initial destination wasn't far, only a couple of floors and doors away since Raphael and her lived in the same building. She stopped outside his door, hesitating for a moment before knocking. It took him only a few moments to answer. "Anko-chan?" he asked as his eyes flickered briefly to take in her appearance, before he smiled. "What can I do for you?"
She blushed a bit before holding out the scroll and letter. "I know this is really weird but…please read this letter, then the scroll. And then…on Wednesday, go to the address in the letter," she said quickly, looking slightly away in embarrassment.
Raphael blinked in slight confusion as he took them both. "Okay then…is something wrong?" He asked her, tilting his head a bit as he wondered what was going on with his girlfriend. This was rather odd for her.
She shook her head quickly. "N-No, it's fine! Just…you'll see. Trust me," she said, before giving him an awkward smile. "See you then!" she said before quickly shunshing away.
Raphael just blinked again before closing the door, taking the letter and scroll over to the dining table to begin reading them both, wondering what had gotten into his usually confident girlfriend.
Otogakure no Sato
In the hidden lair of one Orochimaru, the former snake sage of Konoha was frowning as he stood in what had been Kabuto's medical lab, looking over the experiments and records left behind. Behind him was Guren, who despite her failures recently during the attempt to recruit Tsunade had remained his current right hand ninja. She was waiting for his orders, head bowed slightly in a sign of subservience.
Orochimaru slowly moved through the lab, looking things over. "…I must admit, Guren-chan…I am somewhat put-out," he mused. "Kabuto-kun was quite good at his work. In fact, he may have even come close to matching me one day in terms of research. But now we will never know. And unfortunately…we seem to have no one to replace him. Tsunade-chan spat upon my offer and took her apprentice with her. And that Uzumaki I was looking into was scooped up by Konoha so very quickly. It's too bad, her abilities would have proven…very useful," he said before turning to one particular piece of research.
Said research was a study into the Curse Seal he had placed on Tayuya Uzumaki, the orphan girl he had found in the alleyway. He had originally recruited her because of her Uzumaki DNA and the potent, almost seemingly autonomous chakra chains she had wielded. When he had applied the Curse Seal to her, however, it had reacted somewhat badly with the potent chakra the Uzumaki were known to have and sealed the majority of it away, including the chains themselves. The trauma of the event had also left her with a case of amnesia. Upon learning of this Orochimaru had planned to leave her to be dissected in a lab, but Kabuto had asked to be allowed to study her in an attempt to perhaps undo what was done and help refine the Curse Seal. Ultimately it had proven a worthy venture as even without her Uzumaki reserves and chakra chains, Tayuya had proven to be quite a skilled genjutsu user once she had been properly trained. She now stood as one of his four bodyguards.
Still, Orochimaru hoped to perhaps still unlock the Uzumaki secrets through her. He gathered up the research Kabuto had on the subject and held it out to Guren. "Take this to whoever is head researcher now. Tell them it is their only priority to finish understanding what happened and how to undo it," he ordered.
"As you command, Orochimaru-sama," she said, bowing her head and preparing to leave. She was stopped by him speaking again.
"Afterwards, gather the Sound Four and send them to me. I have a long term mission for them," he added.
She simply bowed again and left while Orochimaru continued to look through the research of his dead right hand man, seeing what was useful, what was pointless…and what his minion might have been hiding from him.
He stopped momentarily when he found a form stretched out under a blanket on a medical table. He let out a mental sigh of disappointment as he recognized the figure as Kaguya Kimimaro, the former head of the then Sound Five and one of the prospective bodies he had intended to take over as part of his immortality jutsu. He was the last of his clan, wielding a powerful bloodline ability that would have proven quite useful in combat. Sadly an illness had struck the young man down, though it was apparent that somehow Kabuto had been keeping him alive. Still, judging by the myriad of tubes, needles, and sealing arrays connected to the form of Kimimaro, it was taking quite a lot of effort to keep the Kaguya alive.
Orochimaru turned away, never letting the figure know he was there as he continued searching for whatever might give him an edge in his future projects.
Konoha, Uchiha Complex
Sasuke currently was sitting in his room, staring blankly at the wall across from him. He had been released from the hospital and into the care of his mother, but he was under orders to rest and recuperate for at least three days before he could begin training again. Something which he found himself hating the longer he remained inactive.
He wanted to be training. He wanted to be physically exerting himself, focusing on improving himself. And not just because he was now more determined than ever on facing Itachi and taking him down for his betrayal, but also because of what he had been forced to endure. Sasuke could only tremble, clenching one fist as he remembered what he had experienced inside Itachi's genjutsu.
Failure. Constant, inescapable failure. Time and time again he had utterly failed to save his father. Time and time again he had been forced to witness his death and he had been unable to do anything about it. It had not always been the same. Itachi wasn't always the one to stop him. Sometimes another figure would appear instead to intercept him. He had recognized one of them as the man who had been with Itachi, the one Naruto had fought. The others were all unfamiliar to him, though like Itachi and his partner they each wore a black cloak with red clouds. But each of them had utterly dominated him when they had appeared, defeating him in one or two moves and leaving him helpless as Itachi killed their father.
Sasuke just couldn't understand it. He couldn't understand how cruel his brother had become. His brother had always been so kind and helpful, always mentoring him and guiding him in his training. How could he have become this…this monster?
Sasuke slowly unclenched his fist, his gaze dropping down. He had to accept it. Despite all his training, all his effort, he was weak. Too weak to even think of accomplishing his goal. How could he protect his clan when he couldn't even protect himself? He felt a fury grow inside of him as he thought about how pathetic he had been in that fight against Itachi. And unknowingly to him, his thoughts began to trigger something. The Curse Mark on his shoulder very faintly glowed as Sasuke's dark thoughts began to consume his mind.
It wasn't just Itachi either. He had trained for a whole month to defeat Gaara, but in the end he had to be saved by Naruto. He had come to acknowledge that the boy was strong, probably the only one of their year group that could equal him. Yet when it came to fighting Gaara, Naruto didn't just equal but surpassed him! Naruto had defeated Gaara when he had failed. Naruto had been forced to save him! How could he have become weaker?! Why wasn't he growing stronger?
Sasuke stood up out of bed and began to pace angrily, clenching and unclenching his fists. He had training from one of the most powerful and respected jounin of Konoha. He had the training and backing of his clan. How could he be weaker than that orphan boy who was being taught by some jounin he hadn't even heard of before?
Sasuke stopped his pacing in the center of the room, fists and teeth clenched. He couldn't expect any help from his clan beyond what he had received already. Those who were busy with their duties as shinobi had already given him what aid they could in their spare time. And his mother seemed almost hesitant at times when she helped him train, as if she didn't want to help him grow faster than the pace she set, to help him master techniques he knew he was ready for. Even Kiseki seemed to be holding back, preventing him from growing stronger more quickly. And his team was no help. Kiba was good for sparring, but Sasuke never felt that the Inuzuku boy could really push him to his limits. And Sakura was a handicap if he was honest with himself. And with Kakashi not able to focus solely on him, how could he truly benefit from the man's teachings?!
A dark thought momentarily crossed his mind: they were holding him back. His team, his sensei, the clan, and even his own mother. Maybe even the village itself. They were holding him back, keeping him from the strength he needed to take down Itachi and protect his clan, to avenge the dead and retake the honor stolen by his traitorous brother.
Almost as soon as those thoughts crossed his mind, Sasuke froze as his eyes widened in surprise and a slight amount of horror. Did he really think that? That his own clan, his own mother…were holding him back? He immediately shook his head, trying to banish that thought. His mother was being careful. She didn't want to lose her only remaining son! She had lost her husband to her eldest son. Of course she'd be worried about him growing too strong too fast and possibly getting in over his head.
Sasuke released his clenched fists, taking deep breaths as he tried to banish the dark thoughts from his mind. Yet despite his best efforts, even as the Curse Mark's faint glow faded, that thought still lingered. Sasuke left his room, deciding it was best to go talk to his mother, spend time with her. That would help him regain his focus instead of letting his mind wander to such dark places.
At the Konoha Hospital, Tsunade was sitting in the back of a large room used by the head staff to inform the doctors and nurses of important information, as well as a lecture hall for teaching aspiring medic-nin. She had slipped into it quietly while Shizune had been giving a guest lecture to several students taking training courses, describing her experiences on the road when she had to put the skills and lessons taught to her by Tsunade into practice. The lecture was wrapping up now, with Shizune stepping down as the doctor in charge of these classes thanked her for speaking today before dismissing the students.
Tsunade's eyes wandered to two girls who had to be genin, given their age but also the Konoha headbands resting on their heads. The one with half straight, half spiky red hair was saying something that made the pink haired one giggle a bit as they left, leading to Tsunade turning her gaze towards Shizune as she approached.
"Tsunade-sama, I wasn't expecting you," the younger woman said, looking a bit nervous. "What brings you here?"
Tsunade smiled as she stood up. "Well I heard my apprentice was guest speaking and wanted to make sure she didn't make me sound too bad," Tsunade teased, causing Shizune to pout a bit. The older woman nodded to the side, an indicator for Shizune to walk with her as she began to leave the lecture hall. Shizune quickly fell in behind as they left, only for Tsunade to indicate she should move beside her.
All was silent for several moments as they left the hospital before Tsunade spoke up. "Sarutobi-sensei talked to me about being Hokage," she said quietly. Shizune turned her head to see a pensive look on Tsunade's face before the blonde spoke again. "His words…they were quite convincing. I was actually pondering accepting his offer for some time there."
"Are you saying you no longer are pondering?" Shizune asked her, with Tsunade pausing for a moment before sighing as she kept walking.
"…I wanted to ask your thoughts on it," Tsunade finally said. "Sarutobi-sensei already gave me his opinion. And Jiraiya…well if he was in the village he wouldn't be in any shape to give me advice, not after what happened with Naruto. You're the only one I can turn to and expect honest advice from."
The two stopped on a bridge as Tsunade placed her hands on the railing, looking up at the sky. "Do you honestly think I could be Hokage? And that I even have a right to?" She asked Shizune quietly. "I'm not a leader. I never wanted to be one. Hell, I ran away from the village here. There's a part of me that still DOES want to leave and not look back. And yet now, so many people are telling me I'm the only one who can take the position of Hokage. Or at least…that I'm the best choice in order to preserve my grandfather's legacy."
"Perhaps they all see something in you that you don't see yourself?" Shizune offered her mentor as she kept a step behind Tsunade, watching her as she stood there leaning slightly on the bridge railing.
Tsunade closed her eyes, not responding as she instead contemplated Shizune's words for some time. When she finally spoke, her voice was quiet, hesitant, filled with uncertainty.
"…do you think they'd be proud of me? For fulfilling their dream for them?"
Shizune smiled as she moved next to her mentor, turning and leaning over so Tsunade could see her face out of the corner of her eye. "I believe they'd be thrilled to know their dream is what's pushing you forward. That you're not just honoring their memory…but fulfilling their hopes and dreams for them."
Tsunade's eyes remained closed, even as the faintest hints of tears formed in them. "…I hope that wherever they are…they'll give me their strength," she said before wiping her eyes and opening them, looking to Shizune as she smiled a bit. "And I hope you'll be ready to work hard. There's no way I'll survive being Hokage without you beside me."
Shizune simply smiled and bowed. "Of course…Hokage-sama," she said.
Tsunade quickly waved her off. "Bah, don't call me that now! It's bad luck! In fact…don't call me that at all. Call me Tsunade-sama if you have to," Tsunade pouted as she turned away.
"As you wish Tsunade-sama," Shizune said as she followed Tsunade off the bridge. As she did, she couldn't help but smile as she took in the sight of her mentor. For the first time in a long while, she saw Tsunade standing tall and proud, as if a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. Her head was held high, not in vain pride or arrogance but in confidence. And for a brief moment, Shizune swore she saw two ghostly figures walking beside Tsunade, both with smiles on their faces, before they dissipated. Shaking her head she followed Tsunade.
That smile faded as she heard Tsunade's next statement. "C'mon, let's go get a drink to celebrate my decision!" Tsunade said, immediately eagerly heading towards the nearest bar.
"T-Tsunade-sama, you can't! We have s-so much to go take care of!" Shizune called out, now chasing after the blonde sannin.
Taki no kuni, following day (1)
In a small clearing in a forest, a shadow slowly began to emerge from a hollow mostly hidden beneath the roots of a tree. The shadow was barely peeking out of their hiding hole, seemingly searching for any signs of intruders. But the clearing was silent save for the sounds of animals. Slowly the figure began to emerge, revealing it to be a somewhat androgynous looking girl perhaps thirteen or fourteen years old.
The girl had tan skin and a petite frame, with short layered mint green colored hair and a pair of orange eyes. She was dressed in a midriff baring white tank top with long white armlets and an armored mesh top underneath, as well as armored mesh shorts under a white apron-like skirt. Besides this she also had white colored standard issue shinobi sandals, a black clothed Taki forehead protector tied around her right arm and an orange hair clip in her hair.
Seeing no one present she quickly turned, pulling a large red cylinder out of the hiding hole she had been in and slipping it onto her back, held in place by crisscrossing straps over her chest. Making sure it was secured she immediately turned south and ran, heading as quickly as she could towards the Konoha border.
Fuu, jinchuuriki of the Nanabi biju, was running for her life. She knew that somewhere out there were two shinobi far beyond her power who were coming after her. She had to escape; she had to fulfill Shibuki-sama's last orders to her.
She had been told that she was being assigned to a patrol mission with a couple other shinobi. Not entirely an unusual task for her despite her being a genin, as she spent quite a bit of time exploring the woods around the village. Shibuki had handed her the mission scroll, telling her to make sure to study it thoroughly. Upon returning to her home to prepare for the patrol, she had opened the scroll to study her orders. It was there she discovered the seal hidden by Shibuki, one he had shown her while mentoring her in her younger years in case he ever had any secret messages or instructions for her. She had activated it and read the message left by him.
What she read broke her heart. He told her about how the village advisors were going to sell her out to two incredibly powerful shinobi who had made it clear that they would destroy the village if Taki didn't hand Fuu over to them. Shibuki had been against it and tried to fight the decision, but ultimately had been cowed into agreeing, officially that is. Unofficially, he had decided to do his best to save her. His message told her about arrangements he had made to try and help keep her safe. She would need to escape from her shinobi escorts, who were going to hand her over to the two Akatsuki members, and make her way towards the border with Hi no Kuni as quickly as possible. She was to cross the border, find the nearest Konoha shinobi, and request asylum. There, she should be relatively safe from at least these two members of Akatsuki.
Fuu had been heartbroken at the news that her village was betraying her. She had thought that finally, after all her hard work and dedication, she was finally starting to get through to some of the shinobi at least. She knew that most of the population of Taki didn't like her because of Chomei, the seven tailed beetle biju. And her being a rather rambunctious youth hadn't help, pulling several pranks on people. But she had thrown herself into her training to be a kunoichi of Takigakure no Sato, aided by Shibuki's guidance. And she thought that perhaps she was finally getting some of the other shinobi to warm up to her as well.
But it ultimately didn't matter. In the end, they had turned on her. And now here she was, making her mad dash for the border. The previous day she had set out with the 'patrol members', but after a couple hours she had surprised them with her Hiden: Rinpungakure no Jutsu (Hiden: Hiding in Scale Powder Technique) to blind them and then escape.
She had managed to make good progress in a straight run, putting as much distance between them and herself as she could before she began to slow down and work to cover her tracks. She spent a few hours doing her best to lay down several false trails, some of them obvious, others less so, a technique she had picked up during her prankster days. Afterwards she continued onward, taking a route initially to the east in order to further throw her pursuers off her trail, before rounding back to the south and the Hi no Kuni border.
As night began to fall she had been forced to find a hiding place. It was a moonless night, and within the darkened forest it would be far too easy for a highly skilled shinobi to ambush her. Instead she hunkered down for the night, waiting till day broke.
And now here she was, making a mad sprint for the border, supplementing her speed with chakra to her legs as she leapt from branch to branch. She knew she wasn't being entirely subtle, but hopefully her false trails had led her pursuers far enough away that they'd never sense her or be able to reach her in time.
Despite the early morning sun starting to warm things up, she still felt a cold chill clinging to her skin. The chill of sadness and fear. Sadness at being forced to leave her home, and leave the one person there she knew was her friend. And fear of these unknown opponents who wanted her for some unknown, sinister purpose.
As she kept leaping along, she started to become aware of a presence off in the distance, one that was behind and to her right, but was steadily getting closer. Her eyes widened at that. 'Chomei, could it be-?'
A buzzing voice echoed in her mind. "I don't know, but you better pour on the speed. Call upon my chakra if you have to, but get across that border," the beetle biju said. Fuu simply nodded and tried to increase her speed, saving the chakra of the Nanabi for now.
Yet her extra speed didn't seem to help. The presence was getting closer. Whoever it was wasn't bothering to try and hide at all. Either they were burning chakra fast to catch up to her, like she was in her efforts to get away. Or they simply didn't care if they were detected. Almost as if they wanted her to-
The attack came from her left, and she was only just able to flip over the black tendril that had attempted to smack her out of the air as she leapt from branch to branch. Instead of landing on a tree she instead channeled her biju's power, as several tendrils of chakra appeared at the small of her back before forming into six wings which began to flutter madly, keeping her airborne. She hovered in the air, facing back the way she came in time to see a figure step out onto a tree branch. She felt herself freeze as she took them in.
The person in question stood at six feet in height. He wore a long black coat with red cloud designs and trim that covered almost the entirety of his form. Only his feet and head were visible, though even the majority of his head and face was covered as well by a grey hood and black mask that was over his lower face, revealing only his eyes. What skin was visible was dark, weathered and tanned, while his eyes were unique looking: green irises with no pupils, and red sclera. Around his forehead was a Taki forehead protector, though the symbol had a scratch through it to show missing nin-status. From one of the man's sleeves emerged the black tendril that had tried to slam into her, though it now was retracting up into the depths of the sleeve.
Before Fuu could say anything another man appeared next to the first. This man was a few inches shorter and wore the same coat as the first, but his was open somewhat, revealing some of his naked chest as well as some strange amulet and a slashed forehead protector for Yugakure no Sato around his neck. His skin was paler, less tan, and he had slicked back gray hair and purple eyes, as well as a smug grin on his face. Protruding over his left shoulder was the handle of a weapon Fuu couldn't identify from her current position.
The second man looked at her, then back at the first man. "So this is the little bitch we were sent to get? She sure led us on a nice fucking chase, didn't she?" He asked, reaching up with his left hand to grip the handle of his weapon, only for the first man to raise a hand in front of him, stopping him.
"This one is mine, Hidan. You're in charge of handling the Nibi. You know that," the first man growled out softly, slowly stepping forward.
"Fuck you Kakuzu! Those dipshit Taki shinobi weren't a good enough sacrifice for Jashin-sama!" The named 'Hidan' yelled angrily even as Kakuzu stepped forward, studying the girl.
Fuu felt herself trembling as she looked at the two men. There was no fear or concern in their eyes. She was channeling Chomei's power, something that made even some of Taki's jounin sweat a bit when they saw it happen. Yet these two seemed utterly unconcerned. Her eyes went to the slashed Taki emblem on Kukuzu's forehead protector before she slowly spoke up. "W-What do you want with me?" She asked, trying to calm her voice.
Kakuzu pointed at her. "Your biju. Surrender, jinchuuriki. You're not going to be able to get away, and I have no interest in prolonging this anymore then need be. So make this easy so we can be done and move on to something more profitable," he said, his voice almost sounding tired and lazy.
"Fuck your greed Kakuzu! If you're going to be this much of a lazy shit, just let me fight her then!" Hidan said, now drawing out a long handled tri-bladed scythe from his back sheathe. He prepared to take a step forward only to raise his scythe to block a backhand from Kakuzu.
"I told you, this one is mine," Kakuzu said crossly. "Just because I have no interest in wasting time fighting her doesn't mean I'm going to let you take her instead. It's my way of getting back at that pathetic little village."
Fuu, seeing them distracted, quickly did the only thing she could think of. A quick use of the tiger handsign and she soon was expelling more glistening powder from her mouth in a massive cloud between her and the two shinobi. The sunlight that managed to get through the tree tops hit the cloud of sparkling dust, soon creating a blinding light.
Hidan and Kakuzu, however, both quickly closed their eyes when they saw her actions, as they had 'questioned' the Taki shinobi who were supposed to escort Fuu to them and found out exactly what had happened. Hidan, smirking even with his eyes closed, leapt forward while swinging his scythe, only to let out a yell when he came into contact with something sticky. "What the hell is this-MY EYES! FUCKING DAMNIT I'LL GUT THAT FUCKING BITCH, SO HELP ME JASHIN-SAMA!"
Kakuzu, waiting for the powder to disperse and the intense light to fade, finally opened his eyes to see what had happened. Predictably, Fuu was gone. What Kakuzu did see was Hidan partially caught up in thick strands of some type of insect webbing, furiously rubbing his eyes. Kakuzu sighed as he landed, easily cutting through the webbing with a kunai. "You opened your eyes, didn't you?" You asked as he gave Hidan a deadpan stare.
The scythe wielding ninja glared at Kakuzu through bleary tear filled eyes. "Fuck you already. Just go get the bitch before I gut you in the name of Jashin-sama," he snarled out.
Up ahead, Fuu was flying as quickly as she could, focusing on rising above the trees and staying up in the air. She reasoned she'd be safe up here, being able to see or sense any ranged attacks that would come and keep herself out of melee range. The six chakra wing constructs buzzed frantically as she zipped through the air, occasionally glancing back in search of any pursuit.
Said pursuit soon came in the form of a wind bullet blasting through the tree tops up at her, forcing her to dodge to the side. This was soon followed by projectiles of water and fire as well, a fire ball exploding not too far in front of Fuu and causing her to yell as she barely got out of the way. She kept twisting and dodging as the projectiles came at her with such speed and regularity that she began to wonder if there was a platoon of shinobi hurling ninjutsu at her, rather than just her two pursuers.
She bit her lip, looking ahead and hoping that she got to the border soon. It would be difficult to tell as there was no real natural indicator of the border between the two countries, but Konoha had set up several outposts that its shinobi used as bases for their patrols. If she could find one of them while in the air, she'd know she was safe.
She rose up higher as a wind bullet passed uncomfortably close underneath her, but that's when a new danger arose. This time a bolt of lightning shot up, faster than any of the other projectiles. Fuu let out a scream as it struck her, her body seizing up and the chakra wings disappearing. She began a rapid fall to the ground, her body refusing to listen to her as she saw the trees rapidly approaching.
And that's when a long pink tongue shot out of the trees ahead of her, wrapping around her and yanking her in a different direction. She could do nothing as the pink slimy muscle held her fast, quickly retracting to a very large toad the size of a horse. It turned and immediately began hopping with massive bounds, heading in the same direction Fuu had been. Hanging partially out of the toad's mouth, Fuu caught a glimpse of a figure following, one with a long spiky mane of grayish white hair. "Hang in there kid, we're almost to the border," the figure said, keeping up with the toad.
At that moment some shadowy mass ripped through the trees and shot towards them, looking like a wriggling mess of tendrils surrounding a mask with blue paint on it. The man turned, an orb of chakra appearing in his hand as a roaring sound could be heard before he drove it at the shadowy mass. The abomination slowed and tried to dodge, but it was still clipped by the orb of chakra, sending it spiraling through several trees before stopping.
Jiraiya grunted as he quickly created a shadow clone. "Keep em busy!" He ordered as he turned and kept running after the toad with Fuu. The shadow clone disappeared into the trees, watching and waiting.
Fuu grimaced as she started to regain feeling in her limbs, though she still mostly only felt a tingle across her skin. She was, however, also starting to sense the slime on her from the tongue. She tried not to think of the irony of the situation or how nasty it felt, focusing instead on watching behind the toad as they continued their mad dash.
And suddenly they were stopping in a clearing where the toad lowered her to the ground. In an instant a masked man was kneeling next to her, checking her over. Another masked figure, a woman, stood over them with a sword drawn, as Fuu could hear two other people nearby. "Karasu, what's her status?" A deep baritone male voice could be heard.
"She is temporarily paralyzed, most likely from a mild raiton jutsu. She should recover soon but I doubt she'll be in fighting shape," the masked man above her responded, not looking up.
There was the sound of feet landing and another male voice, the one from the man who had rescued her, spoke up. "Then you and Neko get her out of her. Head as deep into Hi no Kuni as you can. We'll catch up with you later. Asuma, Yugito, with me. We'll hold them here in case they try to cross," he said.
Fuu did her best to turn her head, seeing the figure that had saved her. Standing next to him was a broad man with spiky black hair wearing a standard Konoha uniform, while on the other side was a younger woman wearing some type of robe with a hood up. She tried to speak but there was only a soft gurgle from her.
"Please do not speak, Fuu-san. We're here to get you to safety," the identified 'Karasu' said as he lifted Fuu up and turned to run, the woman in the cat mask right alongside. Fuu watched the three figures growing smaller as she was carried away.
Jiraiya grimaced as he readied himself. "Kakuzu lives up to his reputation. He's summoned some types of familiars to help him. Counted at least four of them, each using a different element. His partner wasn't with him though," he reported from the memories of his recently destroyed shadow clone.
Yugito slowly settled into a combat stance, her katar drawn. "How long do we fight them?" She asked quietly.
"Until they're either dead or I say otherwise. We need to give Karasu and Neko as much time as possible to escape," Jiraiya ordered, as beside him Asuma had drawn his twin knives and held them in a ready stance.
Soon enough they saw Kakuzu appear a distance away, stopping just short of where they knew the border was between Taki and Hi no Kuni. There was no sign of the things Jiraiya described, but Hidan did arrive not that long after, his eyes showing no signs of any damage.
Kakuzu slowly looked the trio over, his eyes stopping and narrowing when he took in the robed figure. A combination of her hood and the shadows cast by the tree tops made it hard to see her facial features. But the sight of the twin katars stirred something in his mind that he remembered from a bingo book. "…Jiraiya of the Sannin. Asuma Sarutobi...and would that perhaps be the Nibi jinchuuriki with you?" He asked.
There was no reaction from the Konoha shinobi, though Yugito mentally frowned at being identified. She had hoped to prevent them from realizing who she was unless it couldn't be helped.
Kakuzu merely continued. "I must say, I'm very surprised. I didn't expect to see two very valuable bounties in front of me. And if you are the Nibi jinchuuriki," he said as he turned his gaze to Yugito, "then my friend here has been very eager to meet you."
Hidan grinned as he raised his scythe up, slowly licking the edge of the blade. Everyone grimaced as they did see a cut appear on his tongue, yet he didn't flinch from injuring himself. "Heh, just my fucking luck. You lost your prize Kakuzu, but looks like I can get mine," he said, slowly taking a step forward.
"If you want to have a go, then c'mon then," Jiraiya said, trying to goad them into combat. While he wasn't familiar with what Hidan could do, he was fairly confident that he could handle Kakuzu, especially as the former Taki-nin had expended a fair amount of chakra already in pursuit of Fuu. He himself had spent a little of his chakra, but not nearly as much as Kakuzu had.
Hidan readied himself as if he was about to charge forward, only to be stopped by Kakuzu. "Unfortunately Hidan, while I'd love nothing more than to see you ripped into pieces yet again, this is not a fight we'll likely win."
"Fuck you Kakuzu, I can take them all!" Hidan growled, trying to yank away from Kakuzu.
"No, you cannot. Jiraiya there would probably destroy you. The other two you might have a better chance against, even together, but you'd never survive all three of them. And in my current state…well…let's just say I'd gladly enjoy sitting back and watching you finally die. You might even finally go meet that beloved deity of your," Kakuzu taunted.
"Fuck you, you fucking greedy blasphemer! I swear I'll enjoy the day I finally get to rip your guts out and choke the bitch out of you!" Hidan shouted back angrily, leaving the three Konoha shinobi to sweatdrop a bit at the pair.
"I eagerly wait for the day, Hidan," Kakuzu said sarcastically before turning to Jiraiya. "It seems the day is yours. But do not feel safe in your victories so far, Jiraiya. Akatsuki will get what it wants. You have not truly faced what our organization is capable of. And as for you…Yugito Nii," he added, turning to the hooded woman. "If you wish to prolong your life, I suggest you remain hidden behind Konoha's walls. We will be watching…and waiting."
With that Kakuzu turned and began to leave, with Hidan growling angrily before leveling his scythe at Yugito. "Know this, cat bitch. I'll enjoy watching every moment of your life draining from your fucking pathetic body," he said before sheathing his scythe on his back and turning to walk away after Kakuzu, cursing his partner out the entire time.
The trio of Konoha shinobi waited for some time, watching for any sign of a surprise attack or their return, before finally relaxing. "Let's get going," Jiraiya said, allowing the two of them to go first before quickly following behind, providing a rear guard.
As they traveled initially in silence, Yugito felt herself worrying over the parting words of the Akatsuki members. Finally she spoke up. "Jiraiya-sama…just how powerful is this group?" She asked worriedly.
Jiraiya let out a tired sigh as they continued to tree hop off in the same direction the two ANBU had gone with Fuu. "I don't know exactly," he said. "I've got information on several of their members, but not all of them. I know about Hidan's name and where he's from, but none of my informants know exactly what he's capable of. Just that it's related to some cult that grants him powers. Of the remainder of Akatsuki, it's been easy enough to gather information on all their members except three. My best informant has told me that he can't deliver any information on them yet, beyond that the leader of the group is incredibly powerful. Far more so then any of the other Akatsuki members."
That was an understatement. Itachi, his informant, had told him about how the leader of Akatsuki, going simply by the name of Pein, had absolutely trashed him when he initially joined the group. Nothing Itachi did was able to help him all, and it was only the Uchiha's potential usefulness to the Akatsuki that had kept him from being killed. While Jiraiya knew that he himself could potentially get a similar result when facing Itachi, it still worried him how powerful this so called 'Pein' might be. Especially as he had been responsible for not just ousting but executing Hanzo the Salamander, the former leader of Ame and the one who had granted the Sannin their title when they managed to survive fighting him in their younger years.
He shook his head, clearing it of such thoughts. "For now, suffice to say that Akatsuki is a danger that you and Naruto will need to be extremely wary of. With them seemingly starting to become more active now, I think I'll need to make sure the two of you have a proper understanding of the members we do know about, so you're not caught off guard in combat with them."
Yugito nodded at that, focusing on the 'path' ahead, until Asuma spoke up. "Well, this mission could have gone a bit better. Taki might try to raise a fuss over this now, especially if Akatsuki tries threatening them to get Fuu back. And Iwa or Kumo could try to spin this in some way to justify attacking us."
"Taki can try all they want, but all we would need to do is present Fuu and allow her to share her side of the story. Taki wouldn't have a leg to stand on if everyone knew they sold out their own jinchuuriki. And from what Hokage-sama told me, we've still got enough dirt on Kumo to keep them quiet. Iwa though…they might try something. Or they might not. They took a hell of a beating in the last war and I doubt they're too eager to start another one, even without the Yondaime around. But we'll have to see where the chips fall. That's how the world works," Jiraiya said.
"Still...we've got one-third of the jinchuuriki now. I doubt anyone is truly going to be okay with that," Asuma reasoned. "That's clearly going to affect the balance of power, especially since two of them are among the three highest numbered and potentially most powerful of the biju. I doubt we're going to hear the end of this."
"Trust me, Asuma-san…we might catch some flak, but this is almost certainly better then whatever Akatsuki has planned. Now let's get a move on. I want to make sure that Fuu girl is alright and then get her back to Konoha as quickly as possible," Jiraiya said, ending the conversation as the trio sped up to reach their companions.
Inoichi's office
Inoichi sighed quietly as he sat down in a chair, looking to the opposite one where his current patient sat. He hated days like today. Days where it wasn't an adult who needed his psychiatric help, but a child hurled headlong into the world of fighting and death at an age where they should only now be worrying about puberty and growing up. But such was the life of those who chose to become shinobi. "Naruto-san, how are you feeling today?" He asked.
Naruto took a deep breath. "Better. I still am having some...moments of anger or despair but…I'm better," he admitted quietly.
"Understandable. While the immediate, raw emotions are fading, they're still present at the moment. And the main problem is not something that will quickly fade away or be dealt with," Inoichi said with a dry smile. "I wouldn't be needed if mental and emotional problems could be dealt with so easily."
The blonde genin gave a slight nod at that. "Yeah, though it might be easier on people," he murmured, closing his eyes.
Inoichi hummed in thought. "Perhaps. Or perhaps not. Painful memories and experiences are never fun, but they can be beneficial. Provided of course that you can face and overcome them. They can help you grow more resilient, much like how physical training can help your body become tougher and more durable."
"I suppose so," Naruto said. "But it…feels a lot worse though. When I'm out training, I can endure the physical strain and pain. This though…I don't know."
"It is a greater challenge. But it can have a far greater impact as well," Inoichi said, taking notes. "Tell me though…what is hardest about it? Why do you feel it's so much harder?"
Naruto hesitated, partially because he felt embarrassed talking about things usually hidden deeply in his mind or heart, but also because he was trying to word things correctly in his mind. "I guess…I guess it's…I keep coming back to something Hokage-sama said to me. About how I should try to forgive…him," Naruto said, his voice catching when he almost said Jiraiya's name, as his emotions flared up. "I mean…he didn't say I had to forgive him, he said I should try to listen to…his side of the story and try to understand things from his point of view. That I shouldn't hold onto these feelings inside me."
Inoichi watched as Naruto gently touched his chest at those words. He could imagine what Naruto was thinking in that moment. About the pain welling up in his chest, the burning flame of anger, possibly even hatred depending on how strongly Naruto felt about this. Inoichi made a small gesture with his hand, non-verbally telling Naruto to continue.
"I just can't see how I could possibly do that though," Naruto continued, his voice growing a bit in pitch and volume. "No matter what that bastard's side of the story is, can it really be enough to try and excuse him not being there for me all these years? I feel like...I feel like no one is considering my side of the story, what I went through!"
Naruto, his voice growing heated, stood up and began to angrily pace. "And yeah, things got better for me, but they were still really horrible for the first few years there! Literally my earliest memories are of loneliness, sadness, and fear! What kind of memories are those supposed to be?! And I'm just supposed to forgive Jiraiya? I'm just supposed to listen to him and pretend everything is fine?!"
"You were able to give the Suna jinchuuriki a chance, when he had done nothing to earn your forgiveness," Inoichi pointed out, causing Naruto to pause.
The young blonde jinchuuriki grimaced for a moment. "I mean...yeah but...he didn't actually do anything except try to fight and kill me. And that's part of the shinobi lifestyle. Sure, he threatened people I care about, but he never actually...did anything to me except fight me. What Jiraiya did is worse. Far worse," Naruto reasoned.
"That is true as well. But at the same time, consider this: Gaara likely would have killed you without remorse, as well as your friends, comrades, and this entire village. From what I understand he would have done so happily. Jiraiya hurt you, but it was never done intentionally or maliciously. The pain he caused was far worse then what Gaara could do to you, but it was never his intent," Inoichi responded. "Now please do not mistake my words to say he did nothing wrong. But if you can forgive one person who would have not been remorseful at all in what he did to you, can you not do the same for someone else who is?"
Naruto grimaced as he slowly sat down. "So what then? I should just listen to what he has to say and forgive him?" He asked in a tired, strained voice.
"Hardly," Inoichi said, leaning forward. "Naruto-san…let me tell you what I think forgiveness is. Forgiveness…is how we heal our emotional and mental wounds. But it is not something that can be forced. Consider this."
He leaned back in his chair as he explained. "When you are injured, three things generally might happen with your wound. With proper treatment and time, the injury can fade away, leaving little traces of it behind. You might have a faint scar or phantom pain, but nothing that really will affect you. Or the wound might be too deep, and even with treatment and healing a scar is left behind, visible and glaring to everyone. A constant reminder of what happened, something you can't quite ever let go of. Or the wound could become infected if you don't treat it at all, becoming a poisonous sore that continually wracks your body with pain and disease until either extreme treatments are necessary...or you die."
"Emotional wounds…are the exact same," Inoichi stated. "When you are able to let go of what happened, allow yourself to properly heal, then at worst the incident leaves behind a faint scar and occasional bits of pain that you might be able to ignore one day. If you learn to cope but cannot truly let go of what happened, it instead leaves behind an emotional scar, one that changes you and that everyone around you can see. And when you can never let go, but continue to allow the pain and anger to fester in your heart and mind…well…I think the likes of Orochimaru are a good example of where that can lead."
Naruto grimaced at that, looking away. "I guess I can understand that."
"Forgiveness, TRUE forgiveness…is our way of finally healing on an emotional level. It's not enough to simply say the words and pretend nothing happened. That's not forgiveness and not true healing. Real forgiveness…is when you can let go of what was done to you. It doesn't mean you need to forget what was done. But it is you being able to find it within yourself to not hold onto the pain and anger you feel regarding that person and what happened. Which is also why it is not easy and why no one is expecting you to just forgive Jiraiya-sama for what happened. You have to be able to find it within yourself to be willing to move on. And that takes time. If you don't let go of it, your emotions can fester and poison yourself. If you try to rush it, or if you refuse to let go of all of it, it can scar horribly, leaving you altered. But if you can give yourself the proper time to deal with things, handle your emotions, and find the strength and will to let go and move forward…that is when you can forgive. And that is when you're healed. At least…that is my perspective on it," Inoichi finished with a smile.
Naruto slowly nodded at his words. "You would know best," he said with a sigh, closing his eyes. "I'm just not…sure how to do that. How do I get to that point?"
"I can't tell you how to specifically get there. It's different from person to person and situation to situation. What I can do is offer you advice on what might help. For starters, I obviously can offer you clinical advice and aid. That is my job. But those who can help you more are the people around you that you care about. The ones who know you best. Who you feel like you can share anything with. So my advice is to speak to them as well. Talk to them; hear what they have to say. And in time…if YOU feel up to it, then listen to what Jiraiya-sama has to say as well. Maybe you won't be able to truly forgive him. Maybe you will. But I think at least understanding his side of things, at some point, can help you move forward," Inoichi told him. "Do you think that will help?"
"...I think it will," Naruto said, slowly standing up. "Thank you, Inoichi-san."
"You're welcome Naruto. It's the least I can do after what you've done for the village, and my daughter," he said, causing Naruto to blink. "You've been a good teammate for her. I've seen how much she's grown since joining your team. And I know you and Hinata-san support her constantly. So I'm happy to help you like you've helped her."
"Heh, I'd say Anko-sensei did more than I did," Naruto said with a half smile.
"I would like one last official appointment in a month's time, just to see how things are progressing," Inoichi said as he wrote up a slip. "Otherwise, my office doors are open if you feel the need to speak with me immediately. Or come by the flower shop as well, if I'm not here."
"Thank you, Inoichi-san," Naruto said again, bowing to him. Inoichi returned the bow before Naruto turned and left.
Moving outside into the open, Naruto paused for a moment as he contemplated Inoichi's words to him. It made sense to him, but he also knew it wasn't going to be easy trying to do what Inoichi suggested. The emotions inside of him, while dampened somewhat by time spent speaking to Inoich and his friends, still were strong. His outburst several minutes ago was proof of that. But a part of him, the rational part, knew he couldn't let them remain. Not just because of how they might affect and change him, but also because of Kyuubi. He knew his anger made it easier to rile up the biju's chakra, having experienced it during his training with said energy. And he had no desire to be consumed by it, or to go back on his deal with Kyuubi.
Taking a deep breath, Naruto looked up at the sky. It was a brilliant blue, with some clouds here and there. The sun light was bright and warm, causing the entire scene to be picturesque. And in that moment, he couldn't help but smile briefly, feeling a measure of warmth and comfort. Naruto nodded as he stepped forward, resolving that he would at least try to begin moving on from what had happened to him. After all…today was a new day.
And that's a wrap. I really hope this was good enough. I've been trying so hard to get this done and for it to be good, but I really don't know if it is good enough. I always imagine I could do better in some way.
Again, I am really sorry for how long it took for me to get this chapter done. As I said at the start, I had a whole bunch of craziness going on, what with my sister getting COVID and that shaking things up here, not to mention getting distracted with other things, us losing power for twenty-six hours at one point and me getting pretty damn sick for like three or four days afterwards, and both my Mass Effect and Beast Wars chapters consuming so much of my focus and time. Add on to that the fact that recently my sister moved out to live with her boyfriend, which left me with mixed feelings, and the fact that I also got my hands on Mass Effect: Legendary Edition, and I sadly found myself distracted in both good and bad ways, and finding myself having a hard time writing.
I really hope you all can forgive me, and I will do my best to try and make sure I don't take this long to get around to writing and updating a chapter again. Unless things are completely out of my hands.
Thanks again goes to Bill Alain for his help in betaing my fanfic.
Till next chapter. And again, sorry.
1. We're never given a name for the country Takigakure resides in, so I figured 'Land of Waterfalls' would work.
