Chapter 19: Of Light
"There are darknesses in life and there are lights, and you are one of the lights, the light of all lights." –Bram Stoker, Dracula
Naruto & Hinata
A static buzz rings in her ears, slowly morphing into crackles and pops drowning out all the noise and turmoil surrounding her; like fireworks.
'Dead. Dead. Father is dead.'
The thought keeps repeating in a seemingly endless loop.
And yet still as his body grows colder in her arms, a tiny part of her hopes that his chest will start to steadily rise and fall once more. That warmth will color his graying cheeks if she blinks enough times...
Her tears slide down his motionless face creating rivulets, blood drying to a dark copper along her hands and arms.
"This is what happens to those that defy us Hinata! Your Father's sacrifice was for nothing, his along with the rest of these fallen shinobi was in vain! Now do you see why our Eye of The Moon plan is necessary?!" Obito calls out to her.
'No, no! Father didn't die for nothing!' Her thoughts boil with renewed fervor, electricity sparking to life in her hands just as a rough pinch to her cheeks startles her before she can snap and launch an attack back at Obito.
"Naruto?" Hinata breathes.
"Don't listen to his taunts. Heh, remember how you used to slap or pinch my cheeks when I was letting my anger, fears, or sadness get to me? So I figured it would work out the same for you, you know!" Naruto smiles gently.
His grin straightens into one of seriousness, fingertips gliding against the sting of his mark to the remaining tears marring her cheeks. "Hiashi wouldn't want you to act rash Hinata. We will get our revenge properly, however it won't be by rushing into the situation."
Hinata doesn't respond at first, lilac orbs cloudy stuck in a haze of upset and rage. He considers for a moment pinching her skin again a bit harder when slowly he feels her fingers close around his own.
Clarity slowly breaks through the fog, nodding.
"Thank you." Hinata manages out softly.
She rests Hiashi's body gently down to the ground, shutting glassy eyes before her focus returns back to him.
'I should be the one thanking you.' Naruto muses, holding out his hand to her. Fury swirls in the pit of his stomach, crawling back up like a thorny vine. Inevitably, it begins to slide and crack through all his carefully built walls made to resist this longing of giving in to rage...
Because there is no remorse in Madara or Obito's expressions, just the glee in knowing they will continue to spill blood until this plan of theirs' is complete.
Hinata presses her thumb against his wrist where their joined hands meet, nodding. "I'm ready Naruto."
"I'm lending your chakra to the Allied Forces Kurama, everyone needs the boost." He voices to him internally.
"If it gets rid of them faster than so be it." Kurama replies.
Naruto straightens them into a standing position then, activating his tailed beast mode.
Despite everything, a small grin etches both their lips meeting each other's gaze as the warmth of Kurama's chakra envelops them and the rest of the allies across the field.
The Ten-Tails roar cascades across the surroundings, Naruto raising his voice to ensure everyone can hear him.
"Let's end this!"
Ino immediately uses her Mind Body switch with Obito, veering further wooden spikes heading their way off course while Shikamaru leads his own clan in binding the Ten-Tails further.
"I'm sorry we couldn't have been of help sooner at preventing your Father and Uncle's death." Lee mourns, looking between both Neji and Hinata as he leaps down beside them along with the rest of Team Guy.
Hinata shakes her head, pushing on a small grin. "He committed to his duties as a shinobi and Father to the very end."
Gai nods his agreement, squeezing both hers and Neji's shoulders. "Keep those final words he had for you both close to your heart."
"Even if said words become a curse on your heart; drives you mad with anguish on what could've been?" Obito taunts them.
"It isn't a curse to remember your loved ones even after they've passed. You're the one treating your own loss as a curse, letting Rin's death infect you like a poison over all these years. It's part of the reason you even agreed to go along with Madara's plan after all, isn't it?!" Naruto sharply mocks him back.
He sees the beginnings of his face contort again in rage and quickly shares Kurama's chakra with Neji and Lee.
"Like I said, we're ending this war and plan you have!" Naruto yells, launching himself straight for the pair.
And before either can fully move out of the Nara's clans bindings, the three of them sever their connection to the Ten-Tails.
Hinata stands back, byakugan alert directing the other squadrons below as their figures topple down into the chaos below.
She nods back to Naruto as they unleash a torrent of fire, putting up a cloak of protection as they share a single thought.
'We aren't letting you out of our sight.'
-X-
Sakura
'It's not much further now.'
The air remains humid even beneath the canopy of the forests, greenery shimmering in the silver of the moonlight. Gone are the familiar glows and shrills of the fireflies or low hoots from owls from the trees. Every creature in sensing the war, has retreated further into the forest or burrowed underground.
Oak and moss cling to her like a second skin better camouflaging her incase any rogue shinobi roam within the shadows, wiggling her toes when another wave of numbness rises up from staying perched in one position for so long.
Though she is far from the main skirmishes and battles, she still picks up on the scent of smoke and blood, clamping her mouth shut not to breathe in too much.
She leaps between two more trees before pausing at catching sight of feathers the color of ink scattered about the forest floor.
Crow's feathers.
'I'm close.'
The realization makes her heart leap into her throat, steadying herself properly before the branch beneath her crackles from her pressure. Dread settles into her chest like weighted rocks, growing heavier with each passing second.
And just a few meters ahead next to a series of cracked trees is the opening of a cave.
Leaping down to the ground scatters more of the feathers up, Sakura studying the ruffled ends carefully. They weren't yet fully encompassed in dew, not much time could've passed since Itachi had been here.
Crows were Itachi's signature way of casting his opponent in a genjutsu or causing a distraction; he was probably one of the first people Kabuto resurrected knowing how well-renown he was in life.
But next to said feathers are the translucent skin of what she knows come from white snakes, shiver crawling down her back.
'What modifications could Kabuto have done to his body?' Sakura clenches her teeth.
This fight was going to be much harder than she wished or fully expected, if she could even be of help if both Itachi and Sasuke were already within the cave's depths fighting him.
'Sasuke is needed to help aid in the war, like or not he's just as strong as Naruto and can play a role in turning the tides towards the Allied Forces.' One thought pipes up.
'He's also been corrupted by thoughts of revenge, he can't be trusted to not turn on the Allied Forces if the right opportunity arose!' Another thought snaps back.
"Now isn't the time to be arguing with myself!" Sakura hisses under her breath, ending the mental conversation and straightening her posture.
No more wasting time, she came here to stop Kabuto and she will.
'He may have made himself to immune to most poisons and hell, even turned himself part-snake, but I still have a few other tricks up my sleeves I can use.' Sakura nods to herself, pepping herself up.
Already the fight is indeed underway as she treks further into the cavern, warmth of the outside quickly disappearing as she takes in stalagmites running across the rooftop and every edge of the cave.
She ignores the rise of goosebumps, the thundering of her heartbeat as three figures come into view.
"You two will be the first to bear witness to this new body I've created! Itachi, you may have broken out of my control and now wish to oppose me, but you and Sasuke's power combined isn't going to ever be enough to stop me!" Kabuto declares eagerly.
Sakura crouches herself down behind a jagged stalagmite, observing as the base of his snake-like body forms the constructs of those of the Sound Four.
Quickly, she reviews over the basics of each of their signature attacks. Tayuya's with her demon flute would be the most incapacitating, the one most difficult for either Uchiha to escape from.
'He's creating a barrier to keep them in place; he hasn't noticed my presence yet.' Sakura decides, making the hand seals.
She'll separate them.
'Earth release: Fissure!'
The ground splits open and she adds to the power by slamming a clenched fist down, the beginnings of rock, dirt, and dust obscuring her vision as she watches Kabuto plummet into an opened crevice.
It will give them 2, no maybe 3 minutes of leeway before Kabuto slithers himself out of the shattered rocks and mud.
She stiffens at sensing two fingers right by her pulse point before she can even stand, Itachi hovering over her as dark flames surround her in a circle before the smoke has even cleared.
Her fingers itch to retaliate and put some distance between them, willing her body to stay still when he truly has no idea who she is; if she is an enemy or an ally. Still, her pulse thrums in her ears taking in Itachi's icy stare from the corner of her eye.
Sasuke releases his Susanoo, arching a brow.
Onyx meets viridian, both silently regarding each other for their next move.
Itachi notes Sasuke's change of expression, retracting his fingers back as his own features switch to amused puzzlement. "Do you know this woman Sasuke?"
Sasuke's gaze lingers on her for another painful second, finally looking away from her back to his brother.
"Yes, she's...an old teammate."
-X-
Kakashi
'I have to be careful with this.'
He can hear Sakura's clear instructions from within his mind, the reminder of the danger that this small creature tucked away in his vest holds.
Even letting it linger this close to his own skin is risky.
"You've been on the defensive Kakashi, not like you at all. Whatever type of tactic you're stalling for isn't going to work out." Obito considers, eyes narrowed rightly so in suspicion over his current behavior.
'I need to make the most of this, while we have them severed from the Ten-Tails!' Kakashi decides, taking in Obito's torn sleeve.
The Ten-Tails is already giving into it's own destructive urges, tornadoes of wind and electricity spiraling across the battlefield. It's gaze moves upon Naruto, crimson eye sharpening to focus on him alone.
Warp, he has to somehow warp this creature away from them all.
He sets up Kamui in preparation only for Obito to move in towards him for another jab, taking them both into the other dimension.
'Damn it, I haven't fully set up my trap yet! I'll have to use it now.' Kakashi scowls.
His left arm is the only one visible to him and at least without the body modifications applied to it, it will have to do and hopefully be enough.
Electricity crackles through his hands, setting up a lightning cutter stopping just short of striking through his chest.
Obito snorts at his hesitancy, of his supposed guilt and these painful feelings that still weigh him down.
"You really are being ridiculous, you can't even kill me even when it's just us two here."
He phases through his technique, shoving his chidori through his chest and his mind flashes between Obito and Rin's image at history repeating.
"I'm breaking my promise to Obito in keeping you safe. This isn't what was supposed to happen." Kakashi grits his teeth.
Rin smiles weakly, looking between the closing in Kiri shinobi before back to him. "I won't let myself be used as a weapon for the village."
"No more stalling!" A Kiri shinobi comes in for a frontal attack, kunai knocked away as he prepares to pierce into him in retaliation.
But it is Rin who takes his Lightning cutter instead.
"It's fine Kakashi, I wanted this to happen...' Rin's voice echoes near his ear, voice garbled by blood.
"No...you're wrong about that." Kakashi whispers, shattering the memory.
The hairs of the caterpillars cling to his arm before Obito can move back, venomous spines digging into the open flesh.
"What are these?" Obito questions, Kakashi saying nothing as the effects slowly begin.
A rash instantly starts to form along his arm where the stingers rest, bright scarlet to violet and he winces before dropping to his knees.
"I'm sure you never considered it or noticed I was carrying those insects on me. I had to wait for the right opportunity to get close enough to you to plant at least one on you. Heh, I suppose it's lucky you decided to phase through my chidori even when I wasn't planning to use it." Kakashi starts softly.
He settles down beside him, taking in the new swelling of his arm to the paleness of his face.
"How...How did you even come across this type of creature? A summon? Some type of new jutsu created while I was away from the village?" Obito continues his questioning, stopping himself short as another wave of pain ripples across his body.
As Shino and his Father had explained it, the pain of these poisonous stings are comparable to a broken bone.
A sour laugh bubbles up, it isn't really a surprise Obito would think he used some type of crazy ability that could've only been learned by him or within Konoha.
"No, no; nothing like that. All I did was go to the Aburame clan and get help from some of the medic nin on the best way to use an insect's poison. They have the biggest collections of such creatures after all for both medical and offensive purposes. I decided on the Puss caterpillar, as you can tell by it's name it causes hazardous side effects to both the heart and lungs when it's stingers are in direct contact with skin." He explains.
Obito arches a brow at his explanation in clear disbelief, breathing growing shallow when he attempts to spit a blast of fire in his direction.
"Of all the things to be taken out by, a fucking measly caterpillar." He hisses between coughs, Kakashi startling him by grabbing his hand.
"You didn't leave me a choice, I needed to pick one that would be lethal and fast enough to cause symptoms to debilitate you. Though I want you to know this, even if you've discarded your old ideals, I never forgot about them! I taught them to my current students and they'll continue it on the next generation of their own children." He remarks.
Obito studies him blankly, dark eyes turning hazy and Kakashi squeezes his hand harder getting them back into focus. He gazes into the abyss around them of rectangular prisms before looking back to him.
"Not everything I did was because of Rin you know. Don't you think it's hell being a shinobi Kakashi? It's a constant cycle of betrayals, crushed dreams, and hopeless naivety. The Eye of the Moon Plan would change it, can still change it even after my death." He determines.
Kakashi mulls it over quietly, eye widening just slightly in realization.
"You see a lot of yourself in Naruto, don't you? I see it too, those annoying parts of yourself you always hated and tried to bury down. We don't need the Eye of The Moon Plan and you know it. Reality can be painful yes especially as a shinobi, but it isn't fake." He muses softly.
Naruto has grown so much since those early Academy days and beyond his own dark past, stronger then even himself now.
They both go silent then, Kakashi forcing himself to watch as Obito dies before him again.
Pain lurches through his chest and he blinks as his vision goes watery with tears.
When his vision clears he finds Obito watching him with light amusement, crying over him when he hasn't been known to ever cry in anyone's company.
"Huh, I don't think Rin will be waiting for me on the other side...if I even deserve the other side. She always loved you; not me..."
Kakashi open his mouth to refute that, pausing at feeling a sudden warmth covering both their hands.
Obito seems to notice it too, sitting up just slightly with a wince.
Rin always did cut into their arguments.
"Maybe not." Kakashi states, looking back to Obito only to see his eyes have turned glassy once more.
-X-
Sasuke & Sakura
"You shouldn't have come here." Sasuke sighs.
Sakura ignores his comment, taking in the stillness of Kabuto's figure. Caught in a never-ended genjutsu, it's far and away better than any of the tactics she used and even came up with.
'Of course, this is the Uchiha clan you're dealing with Sakura! The best illusionists and the ones that can leave people in endless nightmares or paralyzed torment with one look.' She reminds herself.
"As you can see, he can't break out of Izanami's power no matter how many attempts he makes. It's good you provided that Earth technique though, the slightest distraction helped in initiating the technique before he fully noticed what was going on." Itachi supplies.
Sakura manages a grin, the words do little to comfort her though when his younger brother continues to regard her with disdain at having tracked him down.
"Didn't you tell me not to get near you or the village? What could've changed your mind in such a short amount of time?" Sasuke questions.
Sakura bristles, verdant eyes flaring as she gestures to Kabuto. "War has broken out and part of the reason so many deaths happened was because of this guy here! I came here to see if Kabuto was the cause behind the resurrections of long gone shinobi."
Sasuke arches a brow. "And you came alone? What would've happened if Itachi and I weren't here?"
Sakura snorts, crossing her arms over her chest feeling her heart lurch. Sasuke maybe isn't completely gone to the darkness, the sliver of concern in his voice enough to annoyingly make her stomach coil in happiness that she can still remind him of the good he has that he buried away, that he can still care about others.
'Or maybe he plans to make you look like a fool again.' Her thoughts hiss and slowly her heartbeat calms and hardens again once more.
"I know my limits to not walk into my own death, the goal was to incapacitate him and potentially kill him with a stronger toxin than the ones he's currently immune to." She explains.
"...You've never been so reckless before." Sasuke contemplates aloud.
"Now, now, there is no reason to argue or be rude over this. Sasuke, I'll answer all your questions and then you should listen to your teammate here." Itachi jumps in at seeing the rising tension between them.
Sasuke spares her one last glace as if she is an enigma, a puzzle he has yet to fully solve before his attention returns back to his brother.
"How does Izanami work?" He asks.
Sakura can't help but listen in as well, it's rare to learn or hear anything about the Uchiha clan after the massacre.
"One can only escape from Izanami once they've accepted their fate. Kabuto as you can see, hasn't accepted defeat and therefore continues on in an inescapable fight no matter how many different tactics he tries." Itachi reviews.
Sakura meanwhile turns her focus to Kabuto's frozen figure to give the brothers some semblance of privacy, anger flushing across her skin.
'Do it, use the senbon needles!'
They are tipped with the poisonous mix of the slugs found in Lady Katsuyu's domain of the Shikkotsu Forest and the cultivation of the caterpillars she's made within her mini lab.
Combined they can induce hemorrhaging and trouble breathing, all his major blood vessels can shut down quickly...
'After everything he's done, there is no reason to believe Kabuto would ever accept wrongdoing for his actions. His death here and now will put an end to the resurrecting and be one less problem on the Allied Forces plate. Sakura decides.
She raises her needle up, aiming for his carotid artery.
"What?! Why create a technique that your opponent can potentially break out of?" Sasuke sharply remarks, Sakura twisting back onto the pair. Itachi's eyes are on her, already seeming to know what she wants to do.
He's back beside her almost instantly, shaking his head. "I need to learn the hand seals to undo the Impure World Reincarnation."
Sakura lowers the needle down, enough that she could still jab into Kabuto's femoral artery.
"What makes you think Kabuto won't just go on to kill again after you stop the technique?" She voices.
"I can't guarantee anything, I can only hope and believe in your other teammate Naruto's words that peace can come between the nations. That corruption and living the life of shinobi doesn't have to be a necessity or a part of the lives of future children born within the village." Itachi concludes.
Sasuke approaches up, the earlier flicker of concern in his expression long extinguished.
"Konoha, everyone. They made you do horrible things and yet you still have loyalty them." He spits.
Itachi doesn't immediately respond, ordering Kabuto to create the hand seals truly ending his time here back among the living.
He smiles as he turns back around, unfazed by the harshness of his words. "You know why Sasuke. In time, I'm sure you'll learn too what it means to do the greater good beyond the now as a shinobi. To truly see those around you that care."
His gives Sakura a look then of silent understanding, the knowing of all her reasons for coming here to this cave and the war that rages on outside these rocky walls and she looks down at feeling heat start to burn her face.
A white glow encompasses his body as the layers of his skin peel away in jagged pieces, the soft whisper of goodbye as Itachi taps his forehead lightly with Sasuke's.
"We need your help in the war." Sakura states tightly when it is just them alone. It's embarrassing to even have to admit it aloud after all he's done.
The ground before them rumbles, stalagmites crumpling and crackling into dust at their feet.
They need to get out of here before Kabuto realizes what has happened, before this cave seals them in.
She can't read these new features upon Sasuke's face, an ugly blend of confusion, rage, and upset.
"I'll go with you...though I'll be doing things on my own terms." He eventually replies.
"You're thinking of doing the opposite of your brother's wishes." Sakura points out, looking back to him sharply.
Sasuke grits his teeth, darkness etching across his face.
"I'm not like my brother Sakura, I can't see Konoha the way he has." He replies.
She steadies her breathing until they are completely out of the damp air and musk of the cave, twisting herself so they are face to face again as soon as they are back in the forest.
She tightens her grip on her unused senbon needle, Sasuke looking between the metal and her.
"And will that satisfy you Sasuke? Destroying Konoha repeating the bloodshed? Killing Naruto, Kakashi-sensei? Me?" She asks in a rush.
His expression briefly changes again before he quickly looks away from her, pursing his lips and walking ahead without an answer.
Her nails tear into the palms of her skin until they sting, biting her lip not to say what burns his eyes.
'Revenge, he truly wants revenge on all of Konoha.'
-x-
So I know Sasuke did eventually redeem himself for his actions, I can't help but want to explore what canon never discussed like Konoha's everyday citizens just okay with his punishment, no fear or even lingering anger. Even the Rookie 9, I know they trust in Naruto and Sakura's word, but nobody actually seems wary or angry with him immediately after the war is over though I suppose that is because he left the village to atone right after!
I'm really excited to close out the war arc soon (may or may not have some more injury/deaths but I'm keeping those a surprise). I don't plan to cover Kaguya's arc I find it too messy and confusing lol.
Also, I'll be heading on vacation next week (California woo never been there!) I should be packing, but I chose writing lol! Next chapter may take a bit longer but let me know your thoughts as always!
Enjoy. Review. Favorite. Follow!
