Chapter 25: Misguided Judgement
A/N: As of 6/26/2022, I made some major changes to the overall chapter. I hadn't realized it, but this chapter was previously written in a rather mean-spirited tone which wasn't the intent. Just like before, the plot remains exactly the same, but I rewrote most of the dialogue and added some parts to fix what I wasn't quite happy with. I hope you like the new additions!
"Begin preparation for the procedure. I believe our subject is ready for experimentation."
Confined within the depths of an undiscovered location, a roaming shinobi remained strapped to an operating table surrounded by scalpels, vials and tools of various shapes and sizes.
"Let us review your information gathering skills before you set off on your mission in the Hidden Leaf, Kabuto," a mysterious voice instructed as a slimy, repulsive hand began puncturing the skin of the nameless and now screaming ninja.
"I am to infiltrate the Chunin Exams as I've done six times before, to gather intel on the village's newest shinobi forces. We will find one that is compatible with your high standards and expectations."
The evil and pale being smirked. "That's a good boy. Leave this subject to me and go prepare for your mission. I look forward to the fresh bodies the Hidden Leaf has to offer. Do not disappoint me, Kabuto."
"Yes, Lord Orochimaru."
"So when they specifically requested me to take on a group of students, I looked at them like they were crazy," Jitsuko chatted casually with Obito while sauntering alongside him to the training grounds. "I'm not good with children, so I don't think I could handle it. It's not that I don't like kids, but I don't think that I would have the patience for it – so it wouldn't be fair to the students if they were stuck with a good-for-nothing sensei who doesn't know what the heck she's doing."
"You say that as if you're so sure about it, Jitsuko. Yet Kakashi of all people accepted the position to become a sensei. If even he can do it, then you'd have no trouble being one. But still… Kakashi-sensei… who would've thought," Obito replied with a hint of fascination in his voice. He secretly admired Kakashi's new role as a certified sensei. Something about passing skills along to the next generation earnestly appealed to him.
"It's almost as weird as when he first invited me out for barbeque, like he had an instant change of heart and started to respect me," he added. "I don't get how he works. Sometimes it feels like he's just playing one big joke on me."
Jitsuko subtly exhaled in amusement over Obito's puzzlement – since she knew the reason for Kakashi's total 180 was a result of her pivotally bonding with him over her speech eight years ago.
"Well, what about you? Did you respond to the Hokage's request to become a sensei, Obito?"
He responded with a quick shrug, shaking his head. "Nah. I really should focus on becoming the next Hokage first."
"But every Hokage so far has been a sensei before moving up in ranks. It might look good for you to take on a team, you know."
"Babysitting Naruto counts for something, right? Besides, I have a hard enough time just keeping you in check," Obito jested while wrapping one arm around Jitsuko's shoulder, pulling her to his side while she laughed playfully.
The training ground was soon within range, with their strolls faltering to scout out the newest rookies from a distance.
There they are. The Rookie Nine. Hinata, Shino, Shikamaru, Choji, everyone from the original show is here. I'm surprised that my meddling didn't stop any of them from being born.
Jitsuko inwardly cringed and shook off the morbid notion.
Then the familiar, vibrant blond hair of Naruto Uzumaki drew her attention – along with Sasuke, Sakura and, of course, Kakashi-sensei.
She chuckled to herself for referring to him with that name. After knowing him since childhood, the prospect of Kakashi now being qualified as a teacher filled her with a strange profoundness, as if things were coming full-circle.
"So Obito, what do you think of the new batch so far? Can they take care of the village?"
Obito switched his attention from her to the rowdy kids in the field in front of him. He watched Kakashi's group right as a tick mark appeared on Sakura's head before she delivered an exaggerated punch to Naruto's face, sending him flying backwards and crashing headfirst into a tree, utterly demolishing it while Kakashi scratched the back of his head and closed his eyes out of uneasiness, to which Obito replied,
"We're doomed."
It felt as though years went by without incident, though Jitsuko couldn't help but still analyze her past choices constantly to discern what other tragic events she could possibly prevent from ever happening in this world – which was difficult seeing how things were so drastically different from the show already. She kept a mental checklist: Minato successfully negotiated peace with the Uchiha Clan. Check. The Nine-Tails is still locked securely within Naruto's mother. Double check. Obito is still here. That one's a definite check. Everything appeared to be in order, and yet, Jitsuko couldn't shake off the feeling that she was forgetting something…
"So, it's a super-secret solo mission, huh?" she asked in a bouncy tone as she walked, holding her hands behind her backside.
Obito nodded earnestly. "They've been assigning me more and more solo missions lately. I think they're finally testing to see if I'm cut out for Hokage!"
"Oh, of course that's what they're doing! They might as well start prepping your face for the Hokage Rock! I'm so excited for you, Obito!"
He peered down at Jitsuko and smiled so sincerely while she walked him to the village gates. Even after being together for so long, the gentle manner in which Obito looked at her with a special gleam in his eyes never ceased in sending pleasing and fluttering waves through Jitsuko's heart. And yet, she returned his expression with her own diminishing one, which immediately summoned Obito's concern.
"Hey, you shouldn't be upset that you can't come with me. We've been through worse."
"It's not that… I just… haven't been feeling very good lately. My stomach's been bugging me and I've just been so, so tired... all the time. It's not like I've been going on particularly harsh missions recently or anything," she muttered and kneaded at her stomach in an attempt to soothe it.
"I'm thinking maybe I've been extra drained because of the change in season, like an alternative to allergies or something."
Obito tilted his head toward her, his eyes still showing signs of concern. "Makes sense… but it's never affected you this bad."
"It's whatever. It just doesn't help that I'm also… really nervous."
"Is it about me going by myself again?"
She nodded and mumbled somberly in reluctant confirmation, "You know I have complete faith in you, but… I still can't help but worry until you get back."
"I'll only be gone for maybe a month, or less if my opponents are even bigger pushovers than I'm thinking they are." Obito then winked. "I'll be home before you know it."
Jitsuko finally exchanged a soft smile with her boyfriend, the sun's shimmering rays glinting off his forehead protector reminded her of just how capable of a shinobi this Uchiha grew up to be. Soon, the two of them approached the village gates and paused right before the exit.
"Are you positive that you have everything you need?"
"I can't say that I have everything I need. You know I'm not allowed to bring you along with me," Obito stated in an adoringly snarky tone to which Jitsuko covered her mouth to stifle a modest giggle.
Afterwards, the two of them went silent, the only sound coming from the birds chirping just outside the village border. Without needing any prompting, Jitsuko's body huddled against Obito's, with her arms wrapping around his back and her head pressed tightly against his chest in a tight embrace.
"I'm really going to miss you."
In that moment, she noted how Obito's body was strangely shaking from her touch. It shouldn't have struck Jitsuko as odd. Even after being together for so long, it was still laughably easy and amusing to fluster Obito with something as simple as a hug. And yet…
"You know you're allowed to hold me back, right?"
"I... I know that," he replied while encasing her in his arms carefully to pry her body slightly off his to alleviate the pressure on his chest. "It's just... I just still can't believe that I'm the one who gets to do this."
"Well, of course you can! Being together this long means getting to do things like this!"
Obito stuttered, grinning nervously through his words, "I-I know..?!"
She finally released her flustered boyfriend from the tight hold, with him regaining his composure shortly after.
"You know I'll miss you too." He finally responded appropriately to Jitsuko's touch by enfolding both arms around her waist to rest against her back and inched her a bit closer to plant a sweet, affectionate kiss against her forehead. "And that I love you."
She peered up at Obito, offered a humble smirk, and murmured, "So much?"
His eyes went half-lidded and he returned her gentle grin, and with his palm lifting up to stroke her cheek, he replied softly, "So much."
As Jitsuko waved Obito farewell, her mind couldn't help but fixate on his reaction while holding him. She had to have hugged Obito hundreds of times by now, but it had been a while since he tensed up that badly from such a simple gesture. She hoped that it was just because of nerves from being assigned a solo A-rank mission. Speaking of which, she was allotted to a high-ranked mission as well. Once Obito's figure was out of sight, she left for home to prepare.
"Get ready, Jitsuko. She's making her way around the corner. You know what to do," a masculine voice instructed her. His confident look was crisp and clear in the sunlight.
Jitsuko and Asuma Sarutobi were on a dual mission to track down and apprehend a spy accused of selling off village secrets to other nations. The mission had taken weeks, but the suspect was finally within sight. It was time to move. Jitsuko leapt from the nearby roof with Asuma following her shortly after. The woman soon fell into the trap they had laid out, where her feet began to plummet into the sinkhole Jitsuko had conjured up. She and Asuma surrounded her by the time the sand reached to her thighs.
"Alright, give it up. We know what you've been doing," Asuma stated. "Just hand over the stolen secrets and let us escort you peacefully so this doesn't have to get ugly."
At that, the woman's once innocent expression morphed into angry contempt as she formed hand signs to transform herself into a shadow. She escaped the sand trap and reshaped a few meters from Jitsuko only to dash away.
What? Is she from the Nara Clan? But I've never seen them use their shadow jutsu like that!
She had no time to ponder the Nara Clan's secrets as Jitsuko darted to chase after her. She rushed as quickly as she could and found herself inching closer to the woman's increasingly exhausted form. Jitsuko was within her grasp, outstretching an arm to clutch a fist-full of her flowing black hair – only for an unanticipated feeling to overtake Jitsuko's body. A sudden wave of nausea struck her, causing her to lose focus and lag behind. Ignoring the sickening feeling, Jitsuko increased her pace and lunged for her – only to miss and collide harshly with the ground in the grimy alleyway.
The woman turned her head while running and smiled triumphantly at her before turning back to the road in front of her – only to be met with Asuma ahead. He flashed a cocky smirk at her, completely wiping the one she sported only a second earlier, before his lips shifted to form an 'o' shape. Immediately dust poured from his mouth, surrounding the girl in a deep, impenetrable cloud of smoke and ash, making it impossible for her to escape using her shadow technique.
"Now, Jitsuko!"
Coughing, the shadow-user had crossed her arms around her face to protect her face from the invading nature of the ash. She had no time to react to the earth shell that had formed all around her and cloistered her into a tight shell. As the dust cleared, Jitsuko trudged slowly to join back with Asuma and he patted the mossy area around her earth barrier triumphantly. Frantic noises of the girl penetrated the barrier while she formed repeatedly to a shadow to scamper inside its walls, desperate for a way out.
"Let me out! You, uh, you have the wrong person! I can show you where she went, just open this thing!"
"Save it for the Hokage, lady," Asuma blurted out half-heartedly as he bent down leisurely to pull up one of his sandals. When he stood back up, he turned his attention to Jitsuko. "That was fine teamwork back there. Good job."
"Oh, you know me, teamwork's my specialty and all." Jitsuko closed her eyes and modestly waved off his compliment. Though on the inside she was screaming, completely overjoyed by their successful efforts.
He then scouted the path home, calculating the distance in his head. "Now we just have to be careful to transfer this shell back to the village."
"I say we roll her," she chimed in happily.
Asuma huffed in amusement. "Good idea. It's pretty big so go on that side and I'll roll from this side."
"Got it."
After hours of travelling, suddenly Jitsuko's legs stiffened and glued in place as the debilitating sickness had unexpectedly flooded her body again. She struggled to remain standing up and planted a hand firmly against an adjacent tree and panted heavily – trying desperately to restrain the bile that wanted to expel from her body. The feeling was so powerful that she had released her hold on the barrier, forcing Asuma to carry the weight.
"Whoa, you alright?"
"S-sorry. I can still… help… just give me… a minute."
"Hey, don't sweat it. We can take a break."
At that, he steadied the shell upright before cautiously releasing his grip on it. After testing to make sure it was firmly in place and at no risk to fall and break, he trekked to a nearby tree and used his chakra-infused trench-knife worn on his knuckles to cut it in half with absolute ease. He then brought it closer to Jitsuko, where she had been standing with a hand over her stomach, before dusting a layer of soot over it and igniting it with a quick click of his teeth. The fire aided in soothing her aching muscles from the weeks-long mission, and she let out a long sigh upon laying down in front of the flames.
Despite the unique sound of shadows forming and dissipating inside the barrier and the occasional crackling of the fire, Jitsuko and Asuma remained rather quiet. Until her stomach unleashed an impossibly loud growl, one that he finally felt compelled in taking notice of.
What will Obito think when he gets back and finds out I'm still having these pains…?
"It's not so bad, Jitsuko," Asuma finally offered condolences. "It sounds like you're putting up with something right now, but at this rate, we'll make it back to the village just in time to watch my students pass this year's Chunin Exams."
"Your students? You mean the Ino-Shika-Cho group?"
"That's them! They've get real potential, I tell you," he replied while casually lighting a cigarette.
"Wow. The rookies are almost done with the Chunin Exams already? That's crazy. Time is seriously flying by…"
Not a moment after the words left her throat, a salient, shadowy figure in the distant woods caught Jitsuko's eye. The setting sun's gleam caught and reflected off their glasses, with ashy-grey hair surrounding it as one hand rested on the nearby tree. Squinting her eyes, she could make out who it was, the familiarity of that form buzzing in her head. The figure then raised their head, the light reflecting off his glasses then uncovered his eyes to reveal that he was staring directly at her.
K…Kabuto…! Orochimaru's chief aid!
Even after all these years, Jitsuko could never forget the atrocities Kabuto helped to create alongside Orochimaru in the original show. Even so, she couldn't help but sense a twinge of guilt over being unable to help Kabuto find his own path before that wretched snake could get to him. Still, knowing that the Chunin exams were quickly approaching, it was likely that Kabuto was plotting something drastic.
But what in the world is he doing here of all places? Shouldn't he be analyzing young, impressionable shinobi like Sasuke?
Clouded with her thoughts, Jitsuko watched Kabuto turn around ominously and walk deeper into the woods, almost disappearing from sight.
No. Not if I have anything to say about it.
"Jitsuko," Asuma said. "Where are you go-"
"Stay here and don't let her escape," she interjected while sprinting toward the distant figure, her back facing Asuma. "I won't be long. Worst case, go back to the village and report that there might be trouble with the Exams soon."
Before Asuma could fully process the order, Jitsuko was already gone.
Fallen leaves crunched and crumbled under the unhurried steps from Kabuto. His calculated pace slowed to a halt upon sensing something following him. Slowly, cautiously, his eyes swept his surroundings before returning to his task, only for a shadow to emerge and attack him from behind.
A feminine hand grasped roughly at his shoulder, forcing Kabuto to turn around before being pushed back harshly against a tree. Jitsuko held him by the slim fabric at his chest while pinning him onto the tree, meanwhile Kabuto reacted by drawing a kunai and pressed it dangerously against her neck. Their faces were so close that the threatening glares they demanded from each other were the only thing allowed in their vision.
"Listen, I'm not in the best mood right now, so let's cut to the chase," Jitsuko began intimidatingly. "Talk. Where is he?"
"I'm afraid I don't know what you're referring to," Kabuto replied in a cocky yet innocent tone, one that succeeded in ticking her off.
"You know damn well who I'm referring to."
Unsatisfied with his silence, she then held his chest with both hands and slammed him against the tree repeatedly with intimidating force. "I know what you're planning to do. They just finished the preliminary section of the Exams. Whatever info you collected on those kids, dispose of it now, or I'll dispose it for you."
Sweat began to bead on Kabuto's temple. Indeed, he had been tasked to scout the newest, freshest recruits, but he truthfully had no specific target in this year's bunch. Except for one person…
"There's no need for the hostilities," Kabuto said, lowering his knife. "I was just returning to watch the ending of this year's Chunin Exams. I had passed you by in the village recently and I was compelled to learn more about you – truthfully, compared to the Exams, you seem much more interesting," he noted as he eyed Jitsuko from her stomach back up to her face.
She glared at the spy, teeth gritting in frustration. "Don't try to weasel your way out with flattery. Where. Is. Orochimaru."
Kabuto's deceptively blameless expression gave way to surprise upon the mention of his name. How could she possibly have been aware of his ties with Orochimaru himself? At the thought, the grip he had on the lowered kunai tensed harder. "I see. What else are you aware of?"
"Look, you know I have a partner who is related to Lord Third himself, and I can call for him at any minute. Give me the info I'm asking for, or you can answer to the Hidden Leaf Interrogation Squad in my place."
To her surprise, Kabuto chuckled, then submitted. "Very well. The man you're seeking is currently hidden among the highest ranks in the village. I suspect that an attack is in order during the final exams today. If you wish to put a stop to it, you will have to make it and determine which is the imposter in time."
Jitsuko's already taunt grip strained harder, growling in aggravation. "I don't have time for hints! Who has Orochimaru killed?!"
….Wait a minute.
Thinking back to the show, she recalled how Orochimaru had murdered and taken form of the current Kazekage, the leader of the Sand Village. She also remembered that this was where the village gets attacked and the Hokage is killed… by Orochmaru!
No… Minato…!
"Oh my god," she exclaimed in pure horror. "He's planning on using the Kazekage to murder The Fourth Hokage this time, isn't he?"
Kabuto's silent smirk told her the answer.
"Wait a minute," she whispered, tightening her hold on Kabuto. "Why the hell should I even believe you?"
Kabuto merely chuckled again as his unaligned glasses fell to reveal the evil intent in his eyes. "Can you afford not to?"
Kabuto then released his kunai to slide a smoke ball from under his sleeve, and in an instant the area was clouded in a thick layer of dust, with him no longer in her grasp.
There wasn't time for this.
Back at the fire, the sound of Jitsuko's yells filled the air, startling Asuma into almost dropping his lighter.
"We need to go see the Hokage!"
"Well gee, Jitsuko. I know we've been at this for weeks now but there really isn't that much of a ru-"
"We need to go, right now!" Desperation muddled her throat, but something else filled it soon after. Out of instinct, Jitsuko groaned and bent over to void what was in her stomach after trying extensively to keep it in. The exhaustive mission coupled with the throbbing anxiety of Orochimaru's imminent invasion overwhelmed her body into finally releasing the sickness within.
All the while, Obito's mission had comparably progressed admirably well. Returning to the village required only a few more days, but he halted the journey to rest for the night. As Obito gazed up at the starry night sky, his mind wandered to the close call from when Jitsuko pressed firmly against him before he departed for the mission. He was tense that day, not because of her touching him, but rather, from her nearing extremely close to detecting the object concealed within his village jacket's front pocket.
Like every other night since he left, he withdrew a ring from his pocket and inspected it intently before attentively fidgeting with it between his fingers in deep thought. Its design was simple. The slender gold band complimented the modestly sized red-tinted diamond swathed delicately in place by thin gold tendrils.
It wasn't necessary for couples in the Hidden Leaf Village to propose or wear rings, but Obito wanted this to be special. How else could he display his deep fondness for her but with a physical embodiment of his love wrapped around her finger?
Obito sighed. He'd been carrying this ring for years now. Every instance he'd plan to propose would be interrupted in some way – a date would get cancelled to oblige an emergency mission, or the beautiful array of the outside surroundings – perfect for romantic intent – where he'd never get the chance to fulfill due to always running into someone. Whether they were Rin, Kakashi, or even Might Guy troubling them with some gratuitous challenge, which Obito for the life of him never understood why Jitsuko would eagerly accept without fail.
If he were honest with himself, Obito had also been dancing around the subject because he was scared. He knew there was no reason to be, but he found that familiar feeling of giddy nervousness rise from within each time his fingers brushed against the delicate metal in his pocket when in her proximity.
Finding the resolve to make such a life-changing decision was the easy part. Actually popping the questionis an entirely new challenge for the battleworn Uchiha.
The crowd bellowed in a blend of excitement and anticipation, their roars echoing through the brimful colosseum. Villages from all five nations assembled to the Hidden Leaf to speculate the conclusion of this year's Chunin Exams. Everyone was present – Naruto, Sasuke, Gaara, Temari, Shikamaru, everyone. The final round will determine which ninja was qualified to become a reliable leader – a Chunin.
Identical to the show, the Kazekage was attending the exam in the flesh in response to the Hokage's request, to act as a gesture of civil comradeship between the Hidden Leaf and Hidden Sand villages. He rested next to the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze – who was completely oblivious to the potential mercy he and the village was in by the wretched individual perched mere feet away from him.
The distant sound of abundant cheering soon made contact with Jitsuko's ears as she panted and huffed closer to the stadium, utterly desperate to warn the Hokage of the unstable Sannin who killed and impersonated the Kazekage, who could strike at any moment.
I can't believe I overlooked the famous ambush on the village that ended the Hokage's life! Everything is so different now and time just flew right by – I mean, Naruto is already 12 years old! I have to hurry. Orochimaru won't wait any longer! But… why? Why would Orochimaru even think of attacking someone as powerful as Minato? His motives would be different from when he attacked Lord Third. It just doesn't make sense! Fine, it's fine. I'll figure that out AFTER I tell everyone!
"This year's candidates display promising potential," the Kazekage passively noted to Minato while observing the battle between Gaara and Sasuke intently, to which he nodded firmly in agreement. Before he could properly respond, the fixture below the Kazekage shifted rapidly before encasing him in a thick, impenetrable wall of solid stone, shielding the stadium and the Hokage from his anticipatory assassination.
The scene immediately disrupted the match transpiring below as everyone's attention snapped toward the inconceivable activity occurring within dangerous proximity of innocent bystanders.
Minato was instantly confused. As he inspected the earth barrier, he began conjecturing immediately.
That pattern etched into the barrier, along with the chakra infused within the stone… this is Jitsuko's technique.
Realizing this, Minato pressed his index finger to the ground and focused on her chakra to determine her location before directing his attention down to Jitsuko's panting, disheveled form occupying the middle of the stadium.
"I made it. I can't believe... that I made it in time," she huffed between breaths. Just then, the crowd began bustling in confusion. In any other instance, such attention would be shameful and embarrassing, and while it still was, she had no choice but to act. To her relief, Minato flashed to Jitsuko's location in an instant.
"M-Minato-sensei. Thank goodness I got here in time. The Kazekage, he's-"
"Release him, quickly."
"Wh-what...? No, absolutely not! The entire village is at -"
"Jitsuko. Not here," he whispered. "Whatever the issue may be, we'll solve it. Let him go, and have faith in me."
Jitsuko's entire expression dropped at Minato's request. Releasing him could be catastrophic, but she nodded, putting her faith in his judgment.
"I trust you, sensei."
Reluctantly, she formed the signs to release the barrier, with an irate Kazekage emerging from within. "What is the meaning of this?! Is this shinobi from your village, Hokage?!"
Jitsuko winced. "Uh oh. Minato-sensei, I think I'm in trouble."
Minato hummed, his icy-blue eyes never leaving the Kazekage. Not if he had anything to say about it.
"B-but wait, let me explain! That's not the Kazekage! That's Orochimaru! He assassinated the real Kazekage and invaded his body so he could sneak in and destroy the village! He's working together with Kabuto to steal people for his experiments. Everyone, you have to believe me. Especially you, Minato-sensei!"
At her words, Minato's usually sharp eyes widened as the crowd began mumbling and whispering about the possibility of Orochimaru's return.
"Could it be true?"
"What if he truly is back?"
"Don't be ridiculous, there's no way he'd come back after what he did."
"…But what if he does…?"
"WHAT?!" The Kazekage's voice boomed through the crowd. "How dare you assert such a claim? Is this the class of shinobi the Hidden Leaf Village is entrusted with?!"
"Please understand, Lord Kazekage," Minato stated. "With such a serious affirmation, the village has no choice but to investigate this issue further. We need to thoroughly examine you and assemble all available shinobi to form a squad and put the village under lockdown until we can confirm if the village is under threat…"
Minato's eyes narrowed in deep thought.
"…which means the Chunin Exams are temporarily postponed."
His statement generated an unmanageable uproar within the crowd.
"What'd he say?"
"Postpone the exams?"
"It's all because of that Leaf Ninja. They should lock her up for threatening our Kazekage!"
"No, what if she's telling the truth? What if we actually do need to shut down for the day?"
"Yeah, right!"
"I-I'm sorry… I… I had to do it…" Jitsuko murmured to the crowd. Just then, another figure emerged beside her, patting her shoulder with a strong grip. Looking up revealed Kakashi, both of his eyes reading that he trusted every word she said as he scanned the crowd.
"Hold on," said Kakashi. "Before any of you go booing, listen to what she has to say. Jitsuko's been a partner of mine for years, and she's never meant any harm or bad intent. If she is proactive enough to do something so bold, then we need to respect that something might be up."
"Kakashi…" Jitsuko choked back tears as Minato gave a subtle nod to him in agreement.
After a moment, her partner Asuma caught up with them, rushing to her side to everyone's surprise. "I second that. She's never steered us wrong. Even if this turns out to be a false alarm, take comfort in knowing that there's someone always looking out for each of you, even if you aren't from our village."
With tears still flooding her vision, Jitsuko was about to speak until an entirely unexpected voice took over.
"That's right!" Young Naruto ran up in front of her, forming a human barrier between her and the Kazekage. His voice was lower than it originally was. More mature. "I trust Jitsuko. And if any of you can't see that, then I'll fight you myself."
"Guys… thank you," Jitsuko said, wiping her tears with her sleeve.
One ANBU member then appeared beside Jitsuko, gesturing her to follow him. "Let's go. It's protocol to keep suspects incarcerated when there are serious claims like this."
"Suspect?" Jitsuko blinked. "I'm a suspect?"
"Just come with me. It has to be done."
"But if I go out like this, people will think I'm guilty of something. They won't believe me!"
"Jitsuko," Minato said calmly, his voice not unlike a caring father. "Listen to what your friends said about you. Everything will be fine."
She nodded despondently before passing Kakashi, Asuma, and Naruto a smile of gratitude. "Make sure he doesn't hurt anyone."
As she vacated the stadium, Jitsuko was confident that what she did had to be done, yet Minato still spotted hints of shame with her step. A twinge of conflict and regret struck him as he watched her leave, as if he knew she had reason for acting so uncharacteristically. He was going to get to the bottom of this.
The chamber that contained Jitsuko was dark and dreary. She sat up in the flimsy cot and wrapped her arms around her bent knees as a pathetic form of offering herself consolation. She spent hours in mental agony over what had transpired that day, what Kabuto said would happen, what she had done – the anticipation for the outcome was unbearable. Fear gripped Jitsuko over leaving Minato to investigate it himself. She could only hope that he was alright.
Well, even though I'm technically a criminal after what I did to the Kazekage… I had to! The village may be under lockdown, but Minato is still alive because I stopped Orochimaru from trying to kill him. That's right! He's alive because of me. Naruto… he still has a family.
She smiled in what felt like concentrated bliss for the first time in weeks, until a boiling wave of discomfort promptly seized her stomach again. Nausea.
No, not again, was her last thought before Jitsuko's stomach forcefully ejected it contents, which was admittedly not much due to skipping meals in her haste to rescue the village.
Why does this keep happening to me…?
Immediately after, she heard the sound of numerous mechanisms unlocking the cell and she scrambled to wipe the bile remnants from her mug. The door eased open with a screeching noise to reveal the Fourth Hokage. ANBU bodyguards saturated him – both his left and right. The two of them studied each other for a few moments, his stoic look melting from seeing the relieved expression on Jitsuko's face before wordlessly signaling his guards to disperse.
"I'm so glad you're still okay, Minato-sensei."
Minato offered a small smirk, though his silence was worrying. It wasn't hard to guess why.
"…The Kazekage… Orochimaru isn't here, is he."
Minato shook his head. "I found no traces of Orochimaru in the village, but I understand that something must have happened for you to act so boldly. I'm here to assess your side of the story."
Jitsuko sighed, knowing that Kabuto was likely long gone from the village borders. "I received some… bad intel from a ninja named Kabuto. I had to threaten it out of him, and I based it on what happened in my future vision where Hiruzen was attacked and killed today." Tears began pricking her eyes after each word. "I did what I thought I had to do, to save you, Minato-sensei."
Her candid display of vulnerability softened Minato's expression as she murmured, "I'm sorry, I am so sorry. I didn't mean to cause so much trouble. I should have trusted my instincts. I shouldn't have listened to him. I did, and I'm sorry."
Minato smiled; his upturned brows read that he was so proud. "Please don't be too hard on yourself. Not all risks work out in the end. Take what happened today and use it as a valuable learning experience. Ever since tension has risen between the Hidden Leaf and Hidden Sand, I invited the Kazekage to attend this rotation of the Chunin Exams to strengthen our bond. We need to be careful, as one misstep may very well be the basis for a fourth great shinobi war."
Jitsuko gasped. "You don't think?" An overwhelming ache in her chest overtook her body and shorted out her mind over pondering the possibility of being the root cause of a shinobi war.
Minato stepped deeper into the chamber to offer his condolences, showing the signs of remorse that he'd been keeping hidden from her. He knew Jitsuko's intentions were for the sake of the village. She wasn't a criminal.
"Forgive me for allowing my guards to take you, Jitsuko, but Lord Kazekage is not a forgiving leader. Please understand that I had no choice. If I challenged the decision to seize you, then he would likely see to it that his guards would arrest you and demand to be tried in the Sand Village. Seeing how I handled it helped to ease the Kazekage's anger and opened him up for peace negotiations."
Minato's words perked her back up slightly. "Really?"
He nodded solemnly. "I did what I had to do to potentially save your life."
Jitsuko's eyes widened at Minato's reasoning. Even after keeping her here, his intention was to protect her. At that realization, her head lowered in a strangely content defeat and wearily nodded. She felt guilty for ever doubting Minato.
"I've cleared you of all charges. You don't belong in a place like this," Minato stated calmly while standing back up. "Please try to understand what was required of me as a Hokage today. Obito will need to learn this if he is to become Hokage as well."
Jitsuko's head perked back up at her boyfriend's name. Minato knew this would catch her attention, and with that, he stepped aside to let her leave, but not before looming over her when he saw that she still couldn't look in his direction. Jitsuko was scared.
"…You're not a criminal, Jitsuko."
"Then why do I feel like it," she muttered, biting her lip.
Minato exhaled lightly and blinked. "Obito will be so proud of the lengths you would go to protect our village."
At that, she finally met Minato's sharp but warm eyes, "You really think so, Minato-sensei?"
He offered Jitsuko a pleasant smile. "Certainly, and so am I." His expression then shifted to a nervous but friendly one. "Just, try not to make such a scene next time, alright?"
Satisfied with his reconciliation with her, Minato allowed Jitsuko to leave the impound facility to make her way back home, where she still eagerly awaited for Obito's return from his month-long mission. It could happen any day now.
Maybe he's back already? What if he's there right now and I'm not home when it's this late?! I was in such a rush this morning that I didn't bother stopping by the house to write him a note to tell him where I am. He knows I always leave him a note when I suddenly have to go somewhere. Oh man. If he's back, he'd be freaking out!
At that, Jitsuko dashed for home; the prospect of a sweet reunion with her soulmate ensured a swift and unrelenting pace.
The energized pattering of Jitsuko's feet against the ground filled her ears as she continued the trek back home. The route took her to the main area of the village and while it was rather late, the square still harbored numerous villagers doing some last minute errands. Jitsuko had a wide grin on her face from thinking about reuniting with Obito and hearing everything about his journey. But as she got close to the other villagers, a deep apprehension overwhelmed her chest. She wasn't ready to face them yet.
At that, Jitsuko's hurried steps lessened to a frugal jog. A solemn weight soon outstripped the once buoyant atmosphere around her. Still, with her head low, she kept walking. Even though Jitsuko knew what she did was right, it was still so hard to believe that Orochimaru hadn't assassinated and impersonated the Kazekage like what was intended by Kabuto. Even though there was still no reason for the attack to happen to begin with.
It just doesn't… make… sense…
Her feet took an unexpected turn, the opposite direction of her home. Of Obito's home. Thinking about Obito after what happened and how the case remained unsolved doused Jitsuko's urgency to reunite with him.
What does he see in someone like me, anyway? What would he think when he finds out about what I've done? Minato says he would be proud, but… what if…
Some people were aware of her close relationship with Obito. Jitsuko was terrified that instead of greeting him warmly on a job well done, they would harass Obito on her behalf. Perhaps the pressure would be great enough for him to abandon her.
The notion stung far worse than any venomous insect could. Everything would pass, sure, but Jitsuko still didn't want to see anyone right now. The shame was too suffocating.
But why… why didn't Orochimaru invade the village? I know I've changed so much here, but Kabuto said he'd be here. He wouldn't have called my bluff by lying, would he? Does he see Minato more as a threat than Lord Third? Maybe he was too intimidated to attack. That's so unlike Orochimaru, though...
Jitsuko juggled around with these thoughts while she trekked back at an agonizingly slow pace, still entirely apprehensive about going home. She also opted to sneak along a deserted, infrequently used trail along the outskirts of the marketplace to avoid stray and irate passerby. There was no confusion or need for speculation as to why this pathway was abandoned; she was forced to hoist her legs over the innumerable piles of garbage littered throughout the alley, each step she took was accompanied by a repulsive squish of her shoes making direct contact with old refuse.
So if Orochimaru isn't planning on attacking the village right now… then it's true… Kabuto… he must have been lying. But what else could they be planning instead?
Jitsuko recalled how years ago the Third Hokage caught Orochimaru experimenting on at least 60 children – 59 of whom woefully perished from his cruel tests. Regret wedged its way into her ever-expanding feelings of sorrow over coming to terms with recognizing that she knew all about Orochimaru's invasive "research," but have done nothing to stop it.
Who knows how many innocent people he has captured at this very moment…
Jitsuko reached the end of the alleyway and carefully scouted the area and, to her relief, found it entirely devoid of people. Her gaze peeked to the distance only for her to freeze in surprise when she saw a shadow approaching – when an individual with grey hair turned around the corner. Her first instinct was to nervously greet who she thought was Kakashi, until Jitsuko noticed that this person was vastly different. Their grey hair angled downward and was tied back in a loose ponytail. He stood tall and pushed his circular-rimmed glasses into place as he quietly passed by her stiff form.
Kabuto!
Kabuto had an extensive history of enrolling in the Chunin Exams for the sole purpose of studying naive Genin to determine who was fit for Orochimaru's experiments. Tracking Kabuto was an excellent opportunity to locate Orochimaru's hideout and relay it back to the Hokage. Plus, Jitsuko could force out an explanation as to why he decided to steer her in the wrong direction.
It wasn't so much that the reason wasn't obvious, but it still felt like a good idea to knock him around for what he had her do.
She didn't have time to inform anyone of her intentions, running into Kabuto now seemed like an astronomical chance that would not happen again. She could save so many lives if she followed Kabuto now! Maybe then, anyone who's still skeptical will understand!
With her mind made up, Jitsuko allowed a broad distance develop between the two before her ninja skills kicked in and pursued Kabuto incognito in seek of Orochimaru's base...
