I know. It's been a while since I posted. I felt so bad about it that I extended the chapter, even though that delayed the update by a couple more days. I hope you've all been doing well.
Let's get this trainwreck moving.
The fanfare of the Mizukage's arrival in Sunagakure wasn't difficult for Yuurei to comprehend, but he couldn't seem to find a reason for the confusion in the back of his mind. For all the spotlight that had been placed on Mei as their contingent passed through the desert city's gate, it seemed like the gazes of those watching all rested on Yuurei. The blond demon walked side-by-side with the tall redhead, with Yugito, Tayuya, Chojuro, and Fu following their respective leaders. Ahead of the master-and-servant pair—never mind the servant's identity as a ninja village's leader—were the six teams of Kirigakure's Genin that would take part in the Chunin Exams.
[You know, dear...arriving here with me could easily be interpreted as my village engaging in a show of force.] Mei's thoughts came straight to Yuurei's mind, and it took a fair amount of self control to keep the blond from laughing in disdain.
[Not by Temari. If anything, coming together could make things go much more smoothly between the two of you. And Konoha? What do their opinions count for?] Yuurei replied. Mei's expression became alarmed for a brief moment, unseen to all but the demon beside her, and a short laugh made its way past her lips. At the sight of the Mizukage's radiant smile, those nearest to her felt a heart-breaking wave of adoration overcome them.
[You don't place them in your eyes at all? Even for you, I'm not sure that's the wisest course of action...] The redhead's smile grew a little wider, showing the leading edges of her pale teeth. It wasn't that she doubted Yuurei, and she believed he had every right to be proud of his power, but those under the eaves had to bow. Even if he was a demon, he was hardly invincible, and Uchiha Itachi was the kind of prodigious monster whose talent was seen only once in every three or four generations. Surely, he didn't look down on the young Hokage?
[I respect the power of individuals. Nations, villages, divisions, teams—all of them are nothing without people whose individual strength acts as a simultaneous boon and deterrent,] Yuurei explained. [Might makes right. All evidence to the contrary is a delusion humanity has engraved into its societies. One day, I will get that through their heads.]
Mei didn't have to ask who Yuurei was referring to; months ago, on the day she met them, Tayuya and Yugito had been arguing with Yuurei over the concept that rules were made by the strong. The idea that Yuurei was powerful enough to ignore common sense had been particularly offensive to the pair of women. Personally, Mei was neutral to the idea—while Yagura's tyrannical reign had been soaked in the blood of his countrymen, it was through Yuurei's influence that she'd been able to turn the tide of her civil war. The choice that had been forced upon her in that moment hadn't really been a choice at all, but Mei had never regretted her decision to fall under Yuurei's dominion. The strength she gained was geometrically proportional to his own, but exponential growth from her original limits. In the face of overwhelming power, all resistance was meaningless.
From behind, Yugito's eyes narrowed as she looked between Yuurei and Mei. Though there was no way she could know that the two of them were communicating, she still seemed aware that the pair were having a silent conversation. Looking at Tayuya, she watched the diminutive redhead nod, and returned the gesture; if they needed to, they'd get Temari to add more numbers to their side. The multi-storied home of the Kazekage, made from bricks formed of white clay, was in plain view from their vantage point. A wave of memories assailed the former Jinchuriki as she walked, nearly freezing her in place as she felt their impact. This had been the last place she'd seen her cousins—the last time she'd felt the weight of their blows to her head and face. This was the city where she'd broken out of her unwilling shell, becoming a companion instead of a slave. The weeks of idle relaxation, consisting of little more than connecting with Tayuya, Yuurei, and the Sabaku siblings, were some of the happiest days of her life.
Tayuya's circumstances weren't much different from Yugito. In the Kazekage's mansion, Yuurei had freed her from Orochimaru's control. On the outside, it looked as if she'd traded one nefarious master for another, but as a direct servant of both, she was intimate with their differences. Though Yuurei was possessed of a spontaneous nature that often came off as insanity, and a ruthless killer who'd learned to revel in hand-to-hand combat, he didn't have Orochimaru's insidious tendencies. The only time he'd given her an order, which she'd promptly ignored, had been to leave him behind so that he could fight unhindered. While Orochimaru had reached a stable master-and-servants relationship with the Sound Four, Tayuya had never forgotten that he was responsible for the trauma she experienced as a young child. Even if those events had never happened, though, the seals on her left collarbone were proof enough of their intentions towards her. The scar from Yuurei's bite radiated warmth, with a power that flowed freely for as long as it was able to flow; Orochimaru's seal had fed on her negativity, making her spiral into its clutches and slowly consuming her from within.
All things made equal, neither woman would change or second-guess the events that had led them here.
"So, wait...where are you staying?" Fu asked. "You're too on-the-fly to have booked anything ahead of time."
"Kazekage's mansion," three voices replied in unison, causing the Nanabi Jinchuriki to clench her jaw in frustration.
"I shouldn't have asked. I should not have asked." Fu's irritation was plain on her face; despite having followed Yuurei for months, she'd really only connected with the women around him—and in spite of Choumei's attempts to get her to treat the blond demon with more kindness, Fu doubted she'd ever make it past their first impression.
"It wasn't a bad question," Tayuya replied. "If you know where we are, you'll be able to find us."
"I had a pretty similar reaction the first time we came to Suna, so don't feel bad," Yugito added.
"All this does is cement that Yuurei is the craziest person I know," Fu said.
"I'm pretty sure he's the craziest person that any of us know." The ninja in front of Mei and Yuurei parted, revealing Temari after she spoke those words. The young blonde's four ponytails seemed a little thicker than they'd been when Yuurei's trio had departed from Sunagakure, nearly six months ago, but discerning eyes noticed a more prominent change: the multicolored bands tattooed around her left ring finger. Mei's lips quirked into a half-smile, making no attempt to hide her own demonic mark, and Temari raised both eyebrows before looking Yuurei in his eyes. "It seems like you enjoy keeping friends in high places."
"Help someone while they are weak, and you will gain an ally for life," the demon replied. The quote was attributed to the Shodaime Hokage, referring to his methods for gathering clans beneath Konoha's banner. Though Yuurei enjoyed his wandering, and ultimately found reasons to continue that lifestyle, he also enjoyed the benefits of having powerful benefactors.
"That's not how I remember it at all. Not even a little bit," Yugito complained. "Need I list the ways?"
"I almost single-handedly defended this city from a three-village joint assault force, unlike some of us who watched from the wall, or one of us who almost got herself killed," Yuurei replied dryly, almost able to feel Yugito's murderous intent at his last words. "I also bought the Sound Four enough time to escape Nami no Kuni before it was destroyed."
"No. No you did not. The fact that you can say that with a straight face...you know you're the reason it was destroyed, don't you?" Tayuya asked.
"I'm not wrong. If I hadn't fought Zabuza, you wouldn't have had the time to get away," Yuurei countered.
"You. Sank." Tayuya spoke through gritted teeth. "The entire country."
"You know, suddenly, I feel a lot better about what he did to my village," Fu said. Yuurei's face scrunched up a moment later as the harsh smell of battery acid filled his nose.
"No you don't," Yugito said, directing a mildly disgusted look in Yuurei's direction, and the blond demon had the decency to avert his eyes. "He killed thousands of people with one seal, and looked bored when he did it. Don't lie to us."
"Especially not me. Don't you know I can smell lies?" Yuurei asked. "Mizuki's were the worst, though. You know the smell of a knife that's been dipped in peanut butter, and you're washing the knife? Awful."
"I'm amazed you understand the concept of doing dishes," Yugito replied.
"I have an approximate knowledge of many things," the tall demon said with a smirk before his gaze turned to address the Kazekage. "I was hoping you could lend us a room while we're in Suna."
Temari gave Yuurei a bland look with half-closed eyes, with her gaze roving from the demon's face to Mei's hand before she watched the expressions on Tayuya and Yugito's she was tempted to jokingly ask if she was allowed to refuse, Temari knew Yuurei's temperament well enough to see where that line of questioning would get her—Yuurei would say yes, she would ask what the consequences of her refusal might be, and he would say, "nothing," before spouting some nonsense about how he had common decency. So, instead, she returned his thin smile.
"Of course. Kankuro will be glad to see you again, and..." Temari fumbled over her thoughts for a moment, briefly looking away, and only the handful of shinobi in front of her saw the light blush that graced her cheeks. "...even if the terms of our pact aren't fulfilled, wouldn't it be my duty regardless?"
Rolling his eyes to their highest position, Yuurei focused on staring at the blue sky above his head as he felt the weighty gazes of three women. Fu and Chojuro quickly put the pieces together for themselves, glancing at one another and watching as the demon avoided making eye contact with anyone. And yet, at the same time, Yuurei seemed somewhat ambivalent.
"You're the one who made the terms of that contract," he said, finally lowering his gaze as an unnatural chill crept into the surrounding air. "I never had those intentions or designs."
Yuurei's words had the intended effect, shifting the onlookers' gazes to Temari. The golden-blonde Kazekage didn't shrink under their attention, stepping into the demon's personal space before turning to lean into Yuurei's left shoulder. Yugito's eyes narrowed slightly, somewhat affronted by the notion that Temari was on her side of Yuurei, but she relented without protest; after all, Mei and Tayuya stood together on his right. In a strange sort of way, it made sense—two redheads on his right, two blondes on his left. And yet, in spite of her friendship with Temari, that creeping sense of jealousy didn't quite leave her alone. Though the Kazekage was quick to straighten her back, shifting her weight away from Yuurei after flipping the script on him, a dark cloud still hung over Yugito's thoughts.
Seeing the terse expression on her companion's face, Tayuya leaned over and nudged the taller blonde's arm. When Yugito looked in her direction, the redhead mouthed, "we'll talk later," and she watched with relief as the ex-Jinchuriki nodded. All trace of negative emotion quickly drained from Yugito's frame, at least for the moment, and Tayuya resolved to get to the bottom of the blonde's sudden irritation—even though she was fairly certain that she already knew the cause. The rest of their journey proceeded without interruption, culminating in Mei leading her forces to their provided lodging while Yuurei's group continued to the Kazekage's mansion.
"So when did you get your tails?" Temari asked, sitting at the head of her kitchen table as Yuurei sat down on her right. "Permanently, I mean," she added as a near-afterthought, reaching for a group of multicolored berries and placing them in her mouth. Biting down, she couldn't stop her instinctive wince as their sweet and tart flavor briefly overwhelmed her taste buds.
"Not long ago. It's been just over a week, actually, although I was unconscious for most of it." Yuurei mimicked the Kazekage's actions, in spite of the fact that he didn't need to eat. Quietly, he was awed by the tenacious ingenuity it took to engineer the kind of techniques and technology to grow fresh produce in a place like Sunagakure...and cool fruit tasted especially good on a hot day. After undergoing the same taste overload that Temari had put herself through, he continued. "Those two dragged me most of the way through the desert instead of stopping and waiting for me to come to."
"Well, it's not like you to remain in one place for long, is it? You might get yourself into situations where you feel obligated to stay for a while, but you tend to bolt when an opportunity presents itself," Temari said.
Yuurei chose not to take that comment as a condemnation of his actions. Instead, after Temari took another handful of berries from the bowl in front of her, the red-eyed demon began to tell her everything that had happened since he'd left Sunagakure. His obliteration of Taki, the group's arrival in Mizu no Kuni, and the day he decided to ally himself with Kirigakure's rebellion, only took a short time to explain. For her part, Temari listened with rapt attention, asking questions where she thought they were appropriate. In particular, she thought his choice of words for Mei's oath were telling; beyond all doubt, Yuurei lived by the law of the jungle. Gathering strong allies in distant places allowed his reach to extend across the continent.
The brutality of the civil war's end, as Yuurei told it, rooted Temari to her seat. The horror in her eyes when Yuurei spoke about Yugito's untimely death was only trumped when he told her of the portal to Makai—the devastation it caused, the cost in human life, and Yuurei's willingness to sacrifice his own strength to try to save Yugito. Temari marveled at his depictions of Makai and the Blessed Lands, both amused and concerned with the idea of Yuurei's alternate self living in hell. And, with the same disgust that Tayuya displayed every time she remembered its existence, Temari recoiled at the sight of the Shinigami's severed head. As she stared at it, with its expression permanently frozen in fear and agony, it almost seemed to reflect a living will. She imagined the Speargod as Yuurei described him, and the cunning it took to outwit a monster older than anything they could fathom.
Yuurei spoke very briefly of his subsequent return to Konoha, only the second time he'd been to his home village since his transformative mission to Nami no Kuni. Temari knew there was something there, but she also knew that it was something best left unquestioned. And, after he finished the story of how he'd executed a mostly-defenseless Kyuubi no Kitsune, she only had one thing to ask him.
"Why did you tell them to evacuate the village?" Her question was genuine. Yuurei had never been the type to care about those who weren't associated with him.
"Because...Kurama was right. They were innocent, and I stood to gain nothing from killing them," Yuurei replied.
Only Temari's political training, and relative deference to the demon across from her, kept her from rolling her eyes. He wouldn't have been Yuurei if he didn't add that last bit.
While Temari and Yuurei were having their conversation in the kitchen, Tayuya and Yugito had secluded themselves away for a talk of their own. The two kunoichi were across the room from one another; Yugito sat in a desk chair, staring at Tayuya from the room's corner as the diminutive redhead stood in front of the closed door. Though her expression was neutral, Tayuya's crossed arms betrayed her thoughts as she met Yugito's gaze.
"You're jealous," Tayuya declared. Her tone was matter-of-fact rather than inflammatory, but that didn't help Yugito's mood.
"Yes. I am." The blonde couldn't help biting her words, unsure why her longtime companion would start off like this.
"Why?" Tayuya asked.
There was no malice in that question. Tayuya wasn't attacking her. And yet, Yugito couldn't help the gloomy look that came over her. Only her pride, or at least the amount of it that still remained, kept her from throwing herself onto the bed and crying in frustration.
"None of you are in my situation," the blonde began after several tense moments of private anguish. "You all have your contracts, oaths, pacts, deals...whatever you want to call them. That means he has some level of obligation to you, or at least he did, that means he has to keep you as close as someone like him can. He didn't do that with me. He put a slave seal on me, forced me to follow his orders, and things actually got worse after he tried to start removing it!"
Tayuya didn't say anything. She didn't need to—both women knew that Yugito was right. Whatever sympathy or empathy that the other women in their small circle held for one another, none of the other three could ever really understand Yugito's experiences as she'd lived them. Seeing the older woman so emotionally torn gave Tayuya her own anxious pain, but there was nothing she could do besides let Yugito keep talking.
"He's in my head. All of the time. Not like with Mei, even if I still think it's bullshit that they can talk without talking. He's literally always on my mind, and the seal makes it that way. It wasn't originally this big—before the first time you met us here, he tried to modify it so that it wouldn't restrict me. The Nibi and I interfered, and I think that's why things didn't go the way he wanted them to. It's my fault that it happened, but it wasn't this bad before I..." Yugito paused for a moment. She'd been talking so fast that she'd forgotten to breathe. "...before I died and came back. Why?"
On the day of the Kirigakure civil war's final battle, when Yuurei had opened a void tunnel to Makai, Yugito's corpse had absorbed the Primordial Yin and Formative Yang of several hundreds of people. Her adaptation to Matatabi's youki after more than a quarter-century had allowed her body to transition from human to pseudo-demon through the process, catalyzed by the influx of an enormous amount of Yuurei's own strength. When Naruto had shifted all of that power back into Yuurei's body, as they'd fought in Makai, the bond between her thoughts and his existence had only tightened. And lastly, without Matatabi's interfering presence, there was no longer anything keeping the seal's full effects from encroaching upon Yugito's mind.
"Ask him to remove more of it, as soon as he can." Tayuya said. She wasted no more time before moving across the room, her arms falling down before gently taking hold of Yugito's hands. "Make him swear an oath that he'll remove what he can. You deserve it."
"Do I?" Yugito's question was bitter, with real tears threatening to leave her mismatched red eyes.
Taken off guard, Tayuya wanted to assure the taller kunoichi that she did; what she saw in front of her, though, was enough to give her pause. Yugito wasn't asking for confirmation, and Tayuya knew better than to think the blonde was trying to garner pity. Even if she didn't know all about Yugito's struggles as a woman living under Yuurei's dominion, she recognized the distress and the self-deprecation in the other woman's voice. Those words weren't aimed at her, and they weren't aimed at Yuurei—the question was for her past. Tayuya understood that well enough, since it had taken her some time to come to grips with her situation after trading hands from Orochimaru to Yuurei.
"I'm pretty sure that you and I feel the same way about our lives now, compared to before we met Yuurei," Tayuya said. "Even if there are problems and challenges, and they're different than we're used to, it's still a lot better than the alternative. He's bloody, and vindictive, and he's fucking capricious, but...you still get the sense that he cares, don't you? You, especially."
"What do you mean, me especially?" Yugito asked.
"You were unconscious when he did it, but I'm pretty sure Temari and I both figured out that avenging Gaara is only part of the reason he promised to slaughter Kumogakure. The other reason is because he saw how you were treated by your own family before he killed them. And after you died...all the way until we met the Speargod and got you back...he was a completely different person. He didn't eat or sleep, he basically didn't talk, and I'm honestly not even sure that he breathed until we came across whatever the fuck that ten-tailed freak was. He might care about me, Mei, Temari, and even that Ayame chick, but you're the one who's first in his heart."
If Tayuya was honest with herself, she would admit that it hurt her to admit those thoughts out loud. Ever since the Naruto in Makai had told her, "you know he doesn't love you, right," it had sat in the back of her mind. That demon could have been wrong, of course, but every emperor had his favorite concubine—and all signs pointed to Yugito. Not to mention, the redhead's own jealous streak was somewhat halfhearted. People in their line of work didn't tend to live long, so why should she fight against women who'd found themselves in situations similar to hers? Tayuya cared too much about Yugito, Mei, and Temari to do something like that...but thanks to her seal, Yugito didn't share the same view. So if this was what it took to restore a sense of harmony to their group, she'd say it as much as she needed to.
Yugito was more than a little absorbed in the profundity of Tayuya's impromptu speech, leading the redhead to wonder if she might have been too successful. Before either woman could get too lost in thought, they both felt an imposing presence arriving outside of the Kazekage's mansion. All further discussion was put on hold as they left the room, convening across from Yuurei and Temari as Kankuro stood in front of the opened front door.
"Greetings, lord Hokage," the puppeteer said in a rare display of political eloquence. Without any further fanfare, Uchiha Itachi stepped into the home of his desert-dwelling counterpart, and surveyed his welcome party with an expressionless gaze. When his eyes met Yuurei's, however, he allowed a fiendish grin to stretch his face.
