Pretty standard chapter again. I have a list of scenes I can write, I start writing, I manage to fit two or three into a chapter. Of course, this chapter brings back Naruto, so that should please most of you.
It also means people can get off my case about him not showing up enough.
Yes, I understand I haven't been focusing on him. Yes, I know he's the main character.
But were I to neglect everyone else I could probably have this story done by chapter forty and it would be exceedingly dry.
I'm dealing with a world here, the least it deserves is for me to make it feel like a world. If that means I have to stop for a moment and flesh out everything else so that scenes with Naruto are better and more meaningful, I'll happily do so.
On that note, I should probably mention that I've been planing on having a Kurenai arc at some point dealing with the past I promised to explain more in the earlier chapters. Not sure when that will show up, but be expecting it because I highly doubt it will take less than a couple chapters to cover. Maybe a double chapter if I'm lucky and manage to do only the bare minimum.
And with that out of the way, there's only one thing left before we start.
Earlier today I received two reviews from "oldspiceweasel" and they raised some valid points about my story- points I would be quite happy to discuss had they not turned off private messaging. Not sure if they'll end up reading this far, but if they do and see this I'd appreciate them contacting me so we can discuss their reviews.
On that note, if you're going to ask questions in your reviews or leave me with a long list of things you don't like PLEASE leave me with a way to contact you. It's quite difficult to answer questions when I can't respond and I'd like to discuss with the people that dislike parts of my story so I can find ways to improve it.
That said, I thank you all for reading and reviewing my work.
On with the show.
The tightness of her chest and the stinging of unshed tears in her eyes was nothing compared to the regret that had already settled to gnaw at her stomach. She shouldn't have been so angry, especially at her own daughter, and she knew it. Naruko wanted her brother back just as much as she wanted the return of her son. It wasn't the girl's fault that the closest thing to a friend she had was the Yamanaka heiress nor was it her fault that the Yamanaka were the best to go to in regards to information about Naruto, having interacted with Naruto more than most.
But logic holds little to no sway over one's emotions.
She couldn't stop herself from being angry when the clan she held most accountable for the loss of her son was brought up and most certainly couldn't help the feeling of betrayal when her daughter seemed to associate more with them than her own mother. Considering she was rarely around these days, working either on clan business or trying to think up a way to return her son to the clan, it should have been expected.
And, in a way, it had been. What was unexpected, however, was that her daughter ended up having good relations with the Yamanaka heiress. When she first returned to the village with her she'd have been pleased to hear the two young Kunoichi were getting along, but after learning the part they had played in her son leaving her clan- leaving the family- she couldn't help but hate them.
Things had only gotten worse when she learned that Naruto no longer held anything against the clan and was even on decent terms with them. Well, not really 'decent', they were terrified of him- as they should be- but they weren't about to upset him and he had managed to use them to his own devices.
Most importantly- he wasn't angry at them, hell, he had mentioned that he should probably thank them for what they allowed him to do and become. And while she could appreciate that he had grown up into a fine young man that she could be proud of he had also grown away from the family to the point where not only did he not want anything to do with them but he had actually gone about and replaced them!
He had a new family, the mention of which had all the Yamanaka at the table tensing all those nights ago, a family that could only be the Wolves the young heiress had mentioned before her clan became a vassal to her own.
Criminals, her baby boy had fallen in with criminals to the point where he would call them family over her, his own mother.
And he seemed happy.
As if losing them hadn't mattered in the slightest.
Nothing had hurt more than that.
To know her son thought nothing of his blood relations, nothing of her, and had simply moved on to the next group. It was horrible, she knew, to hope that he had been devastated by their disappearance, but that would have been expected- at this point welcome, even- but this simple apathy, the professionalism with which he had addressed her when she finally managed to find him again, she didn't know how to deal with it.
It was tearing her apart.
Plans were made and executed as soon as she could, all in a vain hope of regaining what was lost, but none of them worked, none of them got her any closer to her goal of a complete family.
And now she was losing her daughter. She wasn't so caught up in her tasks that she didn't notice the ever-growing distance between herself and young Kunoichi she had spent the past four years training.
She hated to admit it- but that hurt even more.
Her son was already gone and a part of her- the Kunoichi portion- acknowledged that and told her to move on but her daughter she still had. With every attempt to regain her son she spent less time with her, slowly fracturing what family she had left. It wouldn't be long now before she had lost them both and was left alone in this world-
Just as Naruto had been.
It was a mixture of guilt, love, and maternal instinct that made it impossible for her to simply abandon the idea of getting her son back but at this point losing her daughter would be much, much worse.
And that thought, like all thoughts involving her family, brought with it pain.
Despite her intentions she had abandoned her son to fend for himself for four years. There were worse places she could have left him, certainly, Konoha was rather friendly compared to the other villages, but that didn't make things any better. She, the clan head of the Uzumaki, had abandoned her family. Were there any other adults in the clan she would have been expected to surrender her headship to them and exile herself from the clan.
Just like her son had done.
He had taken it upon himself to leave the clan when he had feud with a fellow Konoha clan. It was exemplary, really, for any clan member- any clan member who wasn't Uzumaki. Other clans might approve, might even hail him a hero, especially because he managed to come out victorious in the end without dragging in the clan. The Uzumaki, however, never abandoned each other.
If one had an issue they all had an issue and they would fight to the end to see things through. Had Naruto wished to declare himself and by association the entire Uzumaki clan the enemy of the Yamanaka the clan would have proudly stood behind him.
But there was no clan, it was just him. She had already taken her daughter from the village on a four year training trip. And because it was just him, he had cut himself free from their name and taken the fight entirely upon his young shoulders.
As an Uzumaki she hated it.
As a Kunoichi she approved.
As a mother she was ashamed.
In the end, she knew, no matter how much she tried to shift the blame to others, that this was all her fault. Every last single thing that had happened was her fault and her fault alone. Even as she denied it the truth was always there in the back of her head, whispering to her as it became harder and harder to keep going. She wanted so much to simply give up, curling into a ball and ignoring the world.
But she couldn't, she made this mess and she was responsible to fix it, no matter what it took or how long she had to work at it.
And the more she worked at it, the more she threw her everything into it in a desperate hope that she might undo what was done, her daughter suffered.
She suffered.
Just as Naruto had suffered.
It all came back to him, didn't it? A few times she had been tempted to blame him for this mess but he was only the source of the pain, not the cause. It had been actions outside his control that had caused all these problems and while she could blame clans like the Yamanaka or the Senju for her trouble she couldn't bring herself to really hold her son accountable for their troubles.
He, if anyone, was the victim in this situation. Not her, not her daughter, and certainly not those that had gone against him. He had been the victim- but no longer. He had risen above that and created a life for himself away from it all. She was proud of him for that, but was it really her place to be proud? The only influence she had on the young man- the Shinobi- he had become was her absence and that was hardly something to be proud of.
Naruto was lost, as lost as could be, and with every passing day her daughter slipped further and further away. The last remnants of the Uzumaki clan, the greatest clan to ever exist, was falling apart, crumbling to nothing after all these years, and somewhere, deep down in the darkest pits of her heart, a place that she refused to acknowledge, she knew-
Knew that it was her fault.
And her children were paying the price.
Should she be given the chance, she wouldn't hesitate to go back to when they were a complete family and knowing what she did now, she would never have left her son's side. They would have all been together then, together and happy.
But it was too late for that, she couldn't undo her mistakes.
Neither could she accept them, accept the terrible knowledge that it was because of her that her children now suffered, that she actually found herself wondering if she should abandon one to keep the other. Was she really worthy of having either if she had to make such a decision?
In the end, the only thing she could do was keep trying in hopes that one day she might make things right.
That one day they might be a family once more.
But deep within her heart, in the same place occupied by the knowledge that this was all her fault resided the truth she wasn't strong enough to know lest she be completely broken-
Her family was already lost.
And there was nothing she could do.
The ocean air had grown on him over the last two weeks, as had the port town itself. Perhaps it was the simplicity of people's lives here, or the cheerfulness of the people that stood in such start contrast to the usual overcast village, or maybe it was just because it was his and that simple thought brought with it the same sense of freedom the villagers formerly tormented by Gato's rule now felt.
He knew he wasn't the only one who was enjoying the thought of this small village belonging to them, as he was aware the Inuzuka heiress- Hana- had likewise become rather attached to it in the short time she had been there. He could certainly understand it, the sense of responsibility she was no doubt feeling was just as he had first felt upon assuming command over the rejected Root prospects that would later become his Wolves.
Only this, a town that served as the center of a country- a capital, or the closest thing to one Nami no Kuni had- felt like a far larger responsibility than a simple organization- no matter how large it was going- could never hope to compare to.
There was just something about an actual village, a permanent structure that sat out in the light opposed to the shadows he had grown so comfortable in, that felt so much more solid. There was a feeling of responsibility associated with any position of leadership but until he had seen the faces of civilians that now depended on that leadership it had never seemed so real.
His Wolves, despite his desire to look out for them, could take care of themselves and he could always trust them to act as necessary to further the goals of the pack. But civilians, untrained and unknowing of the true nature of their silent protectors, were not so self-sufficient and they looked up to those in leadership positions to help guide them through their simple lives.
Unlike the Hyuuga clan in which the sheep flocked to a shepherd, this was a group of individuals who simply needed reassurance and a feeling of safety as they went about their lives as best they can. And while he- Tsukiyomi, as they knew him- could not provide such, Hana had risen spectacularly to the challenge.
The people of Wave adored her.
They didn't necessarily dislike the Wolves, though they were cautious, but having a face to associate with the leadership of the village did wonders for the people's morale. Considering how high morale had shot after Gato's death and when Gato's wealth was used to bring Wave back to what it once was and towards what it could become, Naruto was actually a bit surprised the people hadn't pulled a Hyuuga and proclaimed the Inuzuka heiress a goddess.
Though he supposed that was a good thing. He couldn't even imagine how much trouble it would be leading a group with two cults and two different goddesses. That would be an absolute administrative nightmare.
Purple eyes roamed his surroundings from beneath the black hood of his traveling cloak. In the distance he could see the villagers going about their daily lives will little more concern than what they would have for dinner that night or their ability to impress their love interest. It was a refreshing change both from the depressed Wave he had been informed about and the exuberant celebrations that had been ongoing when he first arrived.
No, this simple cheerfulness suited the port town much better. A town of sailors and fishermen was less than ideal for large, village-wide celebrations in which the alcohol flowed freely from Gato's stores. That had been a pretty bad call on behalf of his Wolves, actually, something he wasn't keen to repeat but the village had needed it and it did them good in the end.
Turning from the distant streets of Nami no Kuni's only official settlement his gaze briefly locked onto the nearby carriage that would take him on his journey to be recognized as the ruler of Wave. It was simple- tediously so. Extreme care had been taken to ensure the carriage looked as plain as possible. Kept in good repair, the only thing that stood out about it was how average it was. And while the regular citizen might not make note of that fact the lords and families that inhabited the capital cities would note that the carriage was kept immaculate with meticulous care.
He did not need something gaudy to show his power, nothing shiny to attract attention. The dark grey carriage elevated him above the common rabble but showed he had better things to do than spend his money needlessly. He was not there to socialize with lesser lords or enter pissing competitions between the heirs of prestigious families. No, he was going to be there to speak with the Daimyou, to conduct business most of them would never be able to dream of.
His carriage, intimidating in its simple perfection and marked only with the head of a wolf in a lighter grey, showed a grim seriousness that would never be matched by the rich nobles who had lived luxurious lives on the deeds of ancestors long past. They didn't have what it took to stand across from the Daimyo as a potential ally instead of next to him as just another waste of space hoping for his favor.
He was above them in ways they couldn't comprehend.
And while they no doubt competed to outdo one another regularly his carriage would immediately tell them that he had no desire to join their pathetic frivolities. He would not be joining their games because he was already playing one far more advanced than they could ever boast.
Yes, this carriage would suit his needs perfectly.
That was to say nothing of the countless explosive tags hidden within it, ready to cause mass panic and chaos should they need to make an escape. And who knows? Maybe he'd end up using it to threaten the Daimyo should things go wrong, he might even end up removing him entirely.
Briefly he toyed with the idea of replacing the man and his family with henged Wolves and removing any member of the staff that became suspicious. No. That was going a bit too far.
At the moment, at least.
He'd keep that option in mind should something go terribly wrong or save it for later when he wasn't dealing with so much. Pulling the strings of a man masquerading as a Greater Daimyo who was involved as your ally and supported your own position of Daimyo was a bit too complicated for his liking at the moment.
Managing the Hyuuga who followed Hinata was enough trouble when he had to remain unknown and Hinata wasn't a natural leader. Luckily he didn't need to do much on that end at the moment or he wouldn't have been able to so easily divested time to sort out things here in Wave and then go off to negotiate with one of the world's rulers.
For truly, the Greater Daimyo were the ones who held the greatest power in this world, greater hidden villages at their call and armies of Samurai ready to die at their command. And with the financial might they held they could even hire entire lesser countries to take up fights for them, never having to resort to the deaths of its own people.
It was almost frightening how much power those simple men held at their fingertips, ready to be unleashed upon the world. If even one of them was ambitious enough the entire world would be engulfed by the fires of war within a week. That kind of power shouldn't be in the hands of those who had never really fought, never truly struggled.
Unsurprisingly, the thoughts of their power only tempted him further to take it from them. Perhaps after he had secured backing he could target one of the other Greater Daimyo and take control of their country using a replacement. He'd probably keep that a secret from his backer, though. Such knowledge certainly wouldn't endear him to the man.
Smaller countries, on the other hand, would probably be appreciated by the lord of lords and even if he kept it a secret from the world there was simply too much favor to be gained to keep his backer out of the loop.
Alas, those were thoughts and plans for another time. He had to start at the beginning and then make plans for their growth. There was still no way to tell how the world might respond once the Wolves came into the open. Old employers might be pleased to be able to easily contact them again while others might fear their past involvement with the group coming to light and shining poorly upon them.
After he'd dealt with that he could go about scheming for what was starting to sound like a bid to take over the world. He had nothing against the idea himself despite it not being his goal- though it certainly wouldn't hurt- and if nothing else the thoughts of such could be toyed with for his amusement during the coming journey.
Using a carriage, unfortunately, meant he would be traveling at a rather civilian pace.
This was going to be a long two weeks.
From the carriage his eyes moved to the few that surrounded him. Unlike the departure of team seven his would not be marked by a large, cheerful crowd. He was a name, a faceless ruler, the people had no love for him.
Hana was their leader and he the man who stood behind her in the shadows, his support evident but unnoticed by the populace for anything more than that. The Wolves were recognized as their protectors and were reluctantly accepted after their experience with Gato and his goons. Those who supported the Wolves, grateful for aid rendered when they worked for Gato, were few and far between.
It was Hana who the Wolves seemed to work for or, at the very least, with. Should Hana have been the one leaving he had no doubt that even after only a week of staying here and getting to know the people, introduced as she was as their leader, they would gather together to wish her safe travels.
That was her purpose, after all, the figurehead they could all look up to in adoration. His organization might be stepping into the light but he would not be with it. His place was within the shadows, stalking around in the background and ensuring no one had to see what was necessary for their light to exist.
He had to admit, it saddened him slightly, but that was the cost of his actions and he would gladly pay for the good of his Wolves. The shadows were where he belonged and they were where he would dwell for the rest of his life.
These figureheads, he knew, would one day replace him completely in the eyes of those he led. Already he puzzled ways for Sai to be able to apply seals identical to the one he bore upon new recruits which meant he would only be seen by those Wolves when they were assigned a task that involved him, unlikely considering their junior status.
No, they would hear solely of him from the lips of the older Wolves, instructed that tasks were his will, the will of a man they had never met and never would. In time the talk would disappear save for the occasional whispering of his name as though a prayer to some lost god they had once followed.
Only the upper echelons of his forces would know better, but how long would that last? How long until only Sai knew of his presence in the background, watching over the Wolves and directing them towards an uncertain future?
When would it be Mai whom all believed to run this vast group? When the Flock and their goddess sought direction from her, when the Wolves followed at her heels, and when the Inuzuka, allied with them, could only vaguely recall the man who had started this all? Tsume would recognize the name but would perhaps dismiss it, having never met him and believing instead that the young woman she had met was and always had been the true leader hiding herself amongst the ranks. Hana, on the other hand, had met him, however briefly as he expressed his confidence in her abilities and the future of Wave, and would perhaps remember the hooded individual who had given her the position.
Hinata would know of him, of course, he doubted that she could ever forget, but what would that matter when she was the goddess of the Hyuuga? Her people wouldn't know of him and as she became more and more confident in her position she would stop relying on him to the point where she'd only need to report to Mai.
Already he had a basic idea for how to go about giving Sai the ability to add the seal, how much longer would it be until he faded into obscurity, forgotten by those he had brought together? While they all moved into the light and went about with their lives in the open, unrestricted by secrecy or the threat of being unready for potential enemies he would be forever trapped in the shadows and remain there until his dying day.
He had to wonder if this was anything like Danzou's own life, starting strong, fading away, and at the very end reduced to little more than an advisor. The old Warhawk would offer advice to the Kage, would he be nothing more than another opinion for Mai to consider as she ran the empire he built?
He would need to start giving Mai more power, in that case, get her ready to lead completely as he disappeared however slowly into the background never to be seen again. It was his fate, it seemed, to lose all which he had. In this case, however, that which he lost would not necessarily be gone. He would still be able to gaze upon it fondly as it grew beyond what he could have ever envisioned, expanding and changing to fit the world he had brought it into.
It was better, he supposed, than to lose it completely. His pride, at the very least, would go on unharmed, forever assured by the continued success of what he had created. It occurred to him that his pride, one of the biggest weaknesses he had, was really the only thing he could trust to stick with him until the bitter end.
His Wolves would continue to expand and conquer, supported by the flock and the dogs of Konoha and with the backing of a Daimyo. It would continue on forever-
Without him.
But the pride of its creation would remain with him through his end, every victory it achieved another for himself. It would turn him bitter, of that he had no doubt, but at least his Wolves would be well cared for.
And in the end, isn't that all that mattered?
He temporarily shook the idea from his mind. He would have two weeks to ponder this, there was little point doing so now as he stood near the carriage that would take him to one of the five greater capitals.
Ten Wolves would be accompanying him on this journey - two driving the carriage, two on the back of the carriage, and three flanking it on either side. They stood apart from the others, their belongings stored within scrolls on their person and ready to serve their lord with all they had.
The other group was even smaller. Hana and Sai stood next to each other, flanked by two Wolves each.
And that was it.
The unofficial lord of Nami no Kuni would not leave to a crowd in any sense of the word and nor would he ever return to one. As far as the people- his people- were concerned they were led by Inuzuka Hana and all that went right would be forever attributed to her and the Wolves she worked with. He was nothing to these people- to this land- but it was his and he would ensure it was taken care of.
There was no cheering as he climbed into the carriage, no waving of crowds or the well-wishing of villagers. No, not a word was spoken as he disappeared into the wooden carriage and shut the door behind him, his entourage of Wolves taking up positions on and around it.
Looking out the window the world began to slowly crawl by as his journey and the first step to his disappearance was taken.
The Wolves would become legendary under his guidance, a part of history so great it would never be forgotten, but he wasn't a Wolf, and he would be forgotten soon enough.
But that was okay.
The Wolves would continue on long after he was gone and through it, through his child, he would live forever.
Because even if he was completely forgotten, he would always be the one who started it all.
He would always be the father of the Wolves.
The mood seemed inappropriately somber in her opinion, as if he was going forth to the executioner's block rather than on his way to be recognized as a lord by one of the five Greater Daimyo. There wouldn't be any cheers, the Wolves were too professional for that, but the silence didn't seem right either.
And then there was the lack of- well, everyone. Not a single villager was present despite what the man across from her had done for them all. Hell, just her presence usually meant some villagers would be around but the gathering of Wolves was evidently enough to keep them from investigating the strange occurrence.
She scowled lightly at the though. It wasn't right that the people of Nami no Kuni praised her for what he had done and would trust her more than the very group that had secured their freedom.
But not once had she heard any of the Wolves complaining, they seemed to accept it and carry on regardless. That, or perhaps they simply didn't care, concerned only with the will of their leader. And their leader he was. The Inuzuka clan was known for its loyalty but theirs palled in comparison to the Loyalty the Wolves had to Tsukiyomi.
Inuzuka would support each other through anything, the Wolves would go through anything for Tsukiyomi.
Normally she'd say that's a bad thing but despite what other might have done in his place Tsukiyomi didn't seem to have any intention of taking advantage of such. In fact, he seemed more concerned with the needs of his army than he was with his own needs.
It was certainly commendable, especially for one so young, but something still felt so off about the whole situation.
The look in his eyes for one thing seemed so out of place on the face of a man going to meet with a Daimyo about the future of his country. Instead of excitement, a cool calm, or even the panic that she would expect the average person to feel he simply seemed lost in thought, but there was a sense of resignation around him she simply couldn't figure out.
This was a good thing, no?
Why did she feel like he was about to seal his fate?
It was an uncomfortable feeling, to say the least, and she wasn't in the least bit fond of it.
In the week she had been here Tsukiyomi had proven himself a capable leader loved by his followers. No, that wasn't quite the right word to describe his Wolves, they weren't followers, they were a pack, his pack.
And his pack, his family, looked up to him as she had always looked up to her mother.
He wasn't just their alpha, he was their parent, their father. Regardless of age each of them looked up to him for guidance and acceptance. Even she, having only been here for a mere week was starting to see him as the father she had only briefly known before.
But parents made sacrifices for their children sometimes, didn't' they? Was that why he seemed so resigned to a fate she couldn't begin to guess? What plans did he have, what had he manage to keep from even his faithful followers?
She only hoped that whatever it was it didn't affect him too badly. His pack would be devastated should he be lost and she doubted it would be able to continue without him. They had no reason to protect Wave, no reason to ally with her clan beyond Tsukiyomi's will. If something happened she would lose Wave, her clan would lose the greatest ally they had ever had, Nami no Kuni would lose its liberators and protectors, and the Wolves would lose their purpose.
Everything would fall apart without him.
And he knew that, right?
There was no way he would continue with something if it threatened the pack he had so tirelessly worked to give a place in this world.
And yet she couldn't shake the sight of his eyes from her mind even as he entered into his carriage and started towards the capital.
Something was troubling him deeply, something she probably couldn't hope to fully understand, but whatever it was he had accepted it, for good or ill.
They would just have to trust him and his judgement, for this was his pack and now she was involved with it. As soon as the Inuzuka had joined with the Wolves their packs had become one in the same in the eyes of the heiress.
Her mother was the Alpha.
Tsukiyomi was the Alpha.
Mai, that odd young woman, was somewhere between the two, not quite their equal but also not quite below them to the level that she and Sai were. Together they were the head of this new pack; mother, father, heiress, commander, and the strange girl who seemed to have somehow caught the eye of both parents.
Together they were a family.
Together they were a pack.
Together they were strong.
But without Tsukiyomi, they would all fall apart.
She hoped that whatever it was that bothered him would be resolved soon and leave him at peace.
They needed him, she needed him.
The young heiress that had never before found herself wanting a father had ended up finding one after having only known the man for a week and for the first time in years her family felt complete.
She wasn't about to lose him now.
Not after having just found him.
He was the father of the Wolves, her father- perhaps even for real one day in the future- and she'd be damned if he went through whatever it was that bothered him so alone when she was here and able to support him.
And support him she would, with everything she had.
The father of the Wolves deserved no less.
See you all next week.