Heya people!
Here is the new chapter ! It is slightly longer than the few previous ones so I'm only going to publish this one this week. Next one should be up in roughly 2 weeks, give or take a few days.
No specific warnings for this one.
I'm very excited to see this story progress. Both regarding what I'm publishing, but also in writing! I am very excited for what will come in the next few chapters! I hope you'll get as excited too!
I know I don't ask for them very often, but I do like a nice review once in a while to illuminate my day! :D
I thank everyone who has reviewed recently! ^^
And I thank White-Witch-Sakura, who's still my awesome beta. I absolutely love our discussions!
I won't keep you any longer!
Do enjoy the chapter! ;)
Chapter 11
It was with an immense pleasure that Naruto could feel Konoha ahead of them. Not only was he coming home for the second time in just a few weeks, he was able to use his chakra too! He had felt entirely too exposed and vulnerable without it. Not something he had very much enjoyed, especially with his battle instincts still going strong. Now, he could literally feel the village up ahead.
Naruto had stayed with Jiraiya and Tsunade in the little town where she had a small teaching clinic. It had taken her a little over two weeks to heal him completely, with daily sessions that would last for a few hours and leave them both exhausted.
During that time, he had been slowly getting used to both Sannins being alive again. It was becoming easier for him to relax and embrace who he was on this path. So soon after the end of the war, discovering a new life and with his chakra system completely out of commission, he had been so wired that he hadn't really snapped out of his war habits.
The slow going of life in the little country town had helped him heal on that front. He was well aware that he would never truly be the same as what he'd been in this life before, or even the same as his teenage self in his other life. Too much had happened for that. But he could slowly feel himself opening up to this life's Naruto. It helped that he also took the time to meditate whenever he could, slowly familiarizing himself with reliving his memories from this path.
Naruto had history with the people there. With Tsunade, Shizune, Jiraiya. Although at first it had been difficult for him to look at them without feeling their loss deep in his soul, he couldn't help but enjoy the fact that here and now, they were alive. And being around them, seeing them happy literally soothed his soul. He would never be able to put words onto those feelings.
His sharp hearing had caught the not-quite fight Tsunade and Jiraiya had had after the first healing session. He could feel the tension in them at first. But they had quickly fallen back on their boisterous selves and had made sure he did the same. The first evening at Tsunade's little house had been surreal. They'd played poker until first lights in the morning, slowly getting him to relax around them. He'd barely been able to breathe at first. He'd felt trapped in the room with them. All three older ninjas had notices, and casually moved to the garden under the pretense of enjoying the warm evening.
Naruto had sat himself under the shadow of a big tree, letting the coolness of the shade caress his skin. He'd focused on the soft noises of the wind in the higher branches, and put himself in a semi meditative state he'd often use during the war when he couldn't afford sleeping. He'd found out that this state on this path allowed him to relax much quicker. Slowly, he'd been able to focus on the game of cards. To the Sannin's grumbling surprise he had absolutely wiped the floor with them.
To his surprise, getting along with them had quickly become as easy as breathing. He had loved them deeply in both lives.
Their relationship was slightly different, of course. In his other life, Naruto had been close to both, only to lose them both. He had lost Jiraiya early on, barely a few years after meeting him. Tsunade, he'd had more time with. But he had lost her to the war just the same.
At first, only through distance. They very seldom fought on the same front. And Tsunade had too much to take care of to have much time for him. Then, he had slowly taken over more and more responsibilities, helping her out as much as he could so she could give more of her time to healing the many who needed it. They barely had any time to talk about anything but war-related topics: numbers, strategies, reports… And then she had fallen, like so many before her and so many after.
Naruto had given himself two hours to mourn her loss. Two hours that he had only managed to find for himself three weeks after her death. There had been no time for anything else. He'd had no choice but to move on.
Here, in this life, both Sannins had always been there for him. Jiraiya had been there for his birth. He had been in Minato's life for years and Naruto's arrival didn't change that. The tall man was completely useless with children, though, and he had been awkwardly uncomfortable every time Kushina had put Naruto in his hands, much to her own amusement. When Naruto grew up and became a mischievous prankster, Jiraiya had found himself drawn to him and his bright personality. Although they had never been really close, not like in his other life, Naruto held very fond memories of his time with him. Jiraiya was definitely that weird uncle he really started getting along with when he reached adulthood and drinking age.
Tsunade had entered his life a few days after Naruto's birth, ordered back into the village by a Toad summon carrying the iron law of the Hokage. Minato had had no time or patience for negotiation after the attack on the Academy that had shaken Konoha to its core. Minato had needed both loyal Sannins back in the village as much for their political standing as for their skills. She was a Senju and their best medic nin. She was to come and aid her village or be brandished a missing nin.
Tsunade had stomped back angered beyond words, ready to finish the work of the mysterious attacker, when she'd been informed by a solemn Jiraiya that Kushina was on death's door. Minato's icy blue eyes had pinned her where she stood, burning with the silent order to do her job or get out of his face, with all the consequences that would entail. The little bundle wailing in his arms had done nothing to soften his image.
Hours later, her hands burning from the green glow of healing chakra, she had fought for a life that shouldn't have been extinguished. Tears streaming down her face and sobs wracking her body, Tsunade had brought Kushina back from a brink she had been falling off.
The older woman had been as much a mother to Naruto as Kushina had been, the first couple years of his life. Kushina had been in intensive care for months, and in the hospital for one year after that. Minato had been swamped with the political and economical backlash of the attack, giving as much time to his newborn son as he could but unable to give him enough. Naruto, until his third birthday, had been raised by Tsunade, and whichever ANBU guard was assigned to guard them, while Kushina learnt to live without access to her chakra.
After these first few years, Tsunade had distanced herself from the village once more. There were too many memories for her to handle there. Minato and she had come to an agreement: she could live outside of the village as long as she would visit it a minimum of four months a year and stay in regular touch with him. She remained a ninja of the Leaf and as such, must be reachable. She had accepted on the condition that she be allowed to open several small teaching clinics through the country, spreading her knowledge of basic medicine and insuring a growing number of properly trained civilians. It had been an easy decision to make.
Tsunade had kept visiting the Namikaze-Uzumaki family regularly, unwilling to lose touch with Kushina, who she saw as a little sister, and Naruto, her nephew. When the family had gotten bigger with the arrival of Sayora, Tsunade had been happy for them, if a little bit sad that she had never been able to have that for herself. Sayora had quickly developed into an adorable little girl who grew up to show a preference and talent for medical ninjutsu. Her knowledge of sealing had been a great advantage too. Tsunade had quickly encouraged her to follow into her footsteps. Now that Sayora was getting to the end of the cursus the hospital provided, Tsunade would take her on as an apprentice, the second one she had ever taken.
Naruto knew Sayora was counting the days until her final exam at the hospital. He smiled as Jiraiya and Tsunade stopped walking by his side.
"-Sayora is going to be happy to see you early, Baa-chan!"
Tsunade just smiled and shoved him ahead gently. He laughed as he started walking again, simply happy to get back into the village. It felt like a fresh start. He was fully aware of his surroundings, and taking an immense pleasure in feeling the life there. The last time he had walked through those gates, almost three weeks prior, he had been running on fumes, struggling with bone wrenching agony, and so deep in survival mode that he hadn't even stopped to consider his actions.
Now, he let it all flow through him: Konoha was alive! If only his friends could see this! How beautiful it was. Of course, it wasn't perfect. But it was there, and to Naruto, that was all that mattered. Konoha was there, and he would never take it for granted ever again.
When the gates finally came into view, Naruto stopped again. There were a few people walking in and out of the village through the open doors, always checking in or out with the guards. Naruto could see a few shadows darting on the roofs here and there. He could hear children laughing.
He breathed it all in. Unaware of the Sannins' gazes on him, he spoke aloud the words his heart was singing.
"-This is precious. This is what it's all about."
He then turned towards the two other ninjas.
"-Can you feel it?
-What, gaki?
-Life." His smile took their breath away. "It's everywhere. It's why we're here for. It's why we fight for. It needs to be protected. It's more fragile than we think."
He took one last deep breath before walking towards the gate again. Tsunade and Jiraiya stayed behind for a few moments, dazed by his words. They smiled at each other and followed the blonde man into the village.
At the gate, they were told the Hokage wanted to see both Sannins straight away. Naruto was more than welcome to join but his presence was not strictly required. Naruto shrugged happily and waved them goodbye before heading out to one of the jounin training fields. As much as he enjoyed spending time with them, he was not fully comfortable around them yet. Now that he could safely use his chakra again, he couldn't wait to stretch his legs.
On his way there, he noticed someone following him. He slowed down and let Shikamaru catch up with him.
"-Hey man!
-Naruto, long time, no see."
Both men casually kept walking towards the training fields. Naruto closed his eyes and simply let the feeling of Shikamaru's presence by his side wash over him. Naruto felt a wave of sadness rising in his chest but pushed it away. It was becoming easier to focus on the positive memories from this life rather than the heartbreaking ones from the other.
He held no illusion: these memories would come knocking at some point. But he had years of practice pushing through and focussing on something else. He had been functioning like that non-stop during the war. It was a nice change to have something positive to think about instead.
And positive it was. Shikamaru's aura was calm and soothing. Like cold water on a hot day. Naruto could feel his friend's power, deep and quiet. The shadow user's chakra was as familiar to him as his own. Part of Naruto was curious to see how different the shadow user's style would be form his counterpart, if at all.
During the war, before Naruto sent him back to the village, Shikamaru had always been by his side. He had taken over many responsibilities when Suna had fallen, but he never left Naruto's side, his loyal shadow. Even though it had been his decision to send him away, Naruto had felt his absence everyday.
In this life, both boys had grown up together. Getting in a team together when they graduated had been natural. Through the years, their relationship had changed, had become something deeper. Shikamaru grounded Naruto like no one else could.
Naruto heard Shikamaru sigh and the noise of a cigarette being lit. When he reopened his eyes, Shikamaru held his pack of cigarettes out. He took one and let Shikamaru light it up with his lighter. After working with Asuma for years, they had picked up some of his bad habits. The three of them were always very careful not to smoke around Shino, whose kikaichu tended to get drowsy in the smoke. Shikamaru particularly enjoyed combining explosive smoke attacks with his shadow techniques while fighting.
They silently made their way to the training ground, where they sat down against some trees to face the sky. Naruto felt himself relax more than he had in what felt like years, soothed by the proximity of the body he knew as well as his own. Silence stretched out comfortably.
After a while Shikamaru uncharacteristically broke it.
"-You're awfully quiet.
-Am I?"
Shikamaru didn't answer. Naruto settled into a meditative stance and just focused on breathing in and out. Shikamaru simply shrugged and laid down to watch the clouds. After a while, Naruto's voice rose, soft and low.
"-This is so peaceful."
Shikamaru opened an eye and turned his head to look at his friend. He jumped in surprise at the orange pigmentation around Naruto's closed eyes. Reigning in his surprise, he sat up and turned his whole body towards his blonde friend, who remained in his position. He slowly extended one hand and let his fingers brush the orange skin in a feather-light touch.
The skin was soft and warm from the sun.
He retracted his hand but kept his eyes on the blonde, studying his relaxed features. Naruto had inherited his father's straight nose and his mother's shape of eyes.
"-We're not exactly at peace.
-Maybe not, but we're not at war.
-Hm. I'm pretty sure we're not that far off.
-Trust me, Shika, we're not at war.
-Well, we might be heading there quickly.
-Not if I can help it."
Shikamaru just snorted.
"-As if you, or me, could prevent anything from happening.
-Is that enough of a reason not to try?"
Shikamaru simply shrugged and was about to lie back down again when Naruto opened his eyes. Startled by their golden color, Shikamaru couldn't repress a shiver at their intensity.
"-Well?"
Taken aback by his friend's insistence, Shikamaru thought about his question, which he apparently waited an answer for.
"-I suppose not.
-Would you not do anything to keep this?
-Keep what?
-The peace.
-I suppose."
Naruto's golden gaze didn't waver. Shikamaru started to feel slightly uncomfortable.
"-What do you fight for, Shika?
-What kind of question is that?
-It's a simple one.
-I fight for this.
-For what?
-For this!" Shikamaru gestured around him. "For Konoha."
"-What is Konoha?
-What, are we playing philosophers today?"
Naruto ignored Shikamaru's sarcasm.
"-We fight for Konoha. We have been taught to fight for it. For the village. But this is not what we need to fight for.
-Oh? And what are we supposed to fight for, then, Naru?"
"-Life."
Shikamaru's eyes sharpened at his friend's answer.
Naruto continued.
"-Life is all that matters. Life growing and spreading. This is what Konoha is. It's not just a place. It's everyone living together, it's children, free and pure. The future.
-You've been spending too much time with Sensei." But Shikamaru's tone was pensive rather than biting.
Naruto breathed in and out.
"-War is pointless. War doesn't accomplish anything. People dying, hurting. War does nothing but destroy.
-It is war.
-War is death."
Shikamaru didn't answer. It wasn't the first time they had spoken about war. Growing up, war had always been there, looming on the horizon, sometimes getting closer, sometimes getting far away again. Like the ebb and flow of the sea. War had been a possibility countries had been on the verge of for years, lurking in the dark and waiting for just a spark to ignite. There had been times where war seemed more and more like a reality. Recently, tensions had been picking up again.
This conversation was different from the ones they had had before. The few times they had talked about the war had been more about wondering whether it would finally happen. Naruto had always been optimistic, saying that things wouldn't escalate that far.
Naruto's voice now held a depth that Shikamaru had almost never heard from him. The only other time he had spoken with this much intensity had been when he had told them about the Kyuubi. They were thirteen at the time, and Naruto had seemed much older as he told them about monsters and seals and jinchuuriki under the watchful eyes of their teacher.
It wasn't the first time Shikamaru had heard someone speak about war in that way. His father sometimes did. When tensions would run high and everyone going out of the village would be extra jumpy, when clans subtly started piling up on some supplies. At night, his father would come home and simply sit in the dimming light of the day, eyes gazing into the darkening forest. His gravely voice would pierce the night. War is death.
Shikamaru had never really stopped to think about it. War was death. Of course it was. People died during wars. The clan head heir now wondered if there had been more to it than just that. The underlying tone in Naruto's voice hinted at something much deeper than people simply dying.
Shikamaru frowned very slightly.
"-Troublesome blonde."
Naruto laughed a soft laugh. Shikamaru gritted his teeth. That was a fake laugh if he'd ever heard one.
He kept silent. Naruto was in a weird mood and he didn't like it. Something bothered him about their conversation. Shikamaru couldn't quite say why but he felt unsettled by his friend's words. He had sounded a little too much like his father for Shikamaru's liking. His veteran father.
Naruto shrugged and stretched, his eyes fading back into their natural color. He turned around and laid back down, putting his head on Shikamaru's thigh.
The dark hair man kept his eyes on his friend for a while before relaxing back against the tree behind him. His hand automatically came to brush in the soft blonde hair. Shikamaru had always liked touching the blonde locks. Its softness had always calmed him.
He lit up another cigarette with his other hand.
"-What brought this on?
-Hm?
-Why are you suddenly talking about that? Something happened?"
Once again, his question remained unanswered.
"-You know, Shika, I never realized how wise Sensei actually is before now.
-I guess he's not too troublesome.
-Hey Shika?"
Naruto reached for his hand, holding it in his own.
"-Hm?
-You know I'm happy you're in my life, right?
-You troublesome man..."
His tone of voice was soft though, a smile pulling at his lips. After a few more minutes, Naruto stretched again. He stood up and pulled Shikamaru up as well.
"-Come on. Let's go find Shino and the little buggers."
Shikamaru sighed for the form and allowed Naruto to push him onwards. They were headed towards another training field, where he had sensed Shino and his students for the day, three young genins from his clan he had promised to help train whenever possible.
"-Are you gonna make me ask what that was?
-What what was?
-What a drag. What was that, in the clearing?
-You mean Sage mode?"
Shikamaru almost missed a step, catching himself rapidly. He studied Naruto for a moment before rising his eyes to the sky. The blonde was exuding way too much innocence for him to ever trust he hadn't been so casual on purpose.
"-And he says that like it's nothing." The dark head lamented to the sky.
Naruto just laughed. A real laugh this time, full of mischief. He winked at Shikamaru.
"-Ah, we'll keep that a secret for now, yeah?
-You're planning to prank someone with that, aren't you?
-Maybe.
-As long as it's not me."
Naruto laughed again.
"-Nah, I'll get ya with something else!"
Shikamaru groaned. He had no doubt Naruto would do exactly just that. And knowing him, it would be when he would least expect it.
A few minutes later they heard the voices of the Aburame teenagers asking questions to their teammate. Shino's calm voice answered them.
"-Hey, brats!
-Naruto-sama!" came the excited answer from the young ninjas, or as excited as an Aburame could sound.
"-Naruto, Shikamaru." Shino softly greeted his life-long friends.
"-Don't 'sama' me, you bugs." Naruto automatically replied to the teenagers with a warm smile on his face. "Hey Shino, whaddup, man?"
Shikamaru grunted a vague greeting to all Aburame clan members.
"-It is good to see you back. I trust your mission went well?
-You know me!
-This is why I ask."
Shikamaru snorted at Shino's flat answer. The three teenagers made a valiant effort at camouflaging their reaction with a cough. Naruto frowned but took in Shino's posture. His friend looked relaxed enough but Naruto could detect genuine worry in his tense shoulders. He felt warmth spread in his chest.
"-It went well enough. Tsunade-baasan says I'm all good to go."
The young teenagers were oblivious to the minute tensing of Shikamaru's and Shino's jaws. While Naruto answered a few questions from the young students about the legendary kunoichi, Shikamaru and Shino exchanged glances. Naruto had been hurt enough for him to seek out Tsunade-sama's help. They knew he had told them she had cleared him to reassure them, but the fact remained that he had needed her help.
"-So, what does your Uncle Shino has you working on, kiddies?
-Naruto-sama! We're not kids anymore!
-We are currently working on detection."
Naruto nodded attentively. He then spent the next two hours hiding from the trio while they tried to locate him. All the while, Shino calmly gave them instructions or tips about their technique. Shikamaru settled on the branch of a tree and took a nap.
Naruto was thoroughly enjoying himself. He hadn't known these kids in his other life. Spending time with them came with no flashbacks, no sadness, no longing, no regrets. He could simply be himself around them. This Naruto. He couldn't push away his skills or his reflexes, his insane awareness of them. But it wasn't crippling. He was simply helping his friend's cousins train. And it felt great.
It had been years since he had been around children. All Kages had agreed that no children would fight in their war. They had drawn the line at sixteen years old. Naruto hadn't seen children simply train for the sake of it rather than because their life depended on it for 6 years.
He pushed the thought aside and immersed himself in the moment. He could feel the anger and despair recede at the back of his mind, only noticeable when he allowed it to be.
After two hours, both adults and the children regrouped and went over the training session. They thanked Naruto, who winked at them and went to sit down at the foot of the tree Shikamaru was in. Shino discussed a little bit longer with his students before dismissing them for the day with instructions to work on on their own. The quiet man came to join the others at the tree, relaxing as he sat down next to Naruto.
Naruto smiled. Shino only truly let himself relax in their presence. He smiled, thinking about how different this Shino was from his friend on the other timeline. This Shino here was much more outgoing, relatively speaking. He had been just as discreet when they had first become a team, when they were twelve, under Asuma. Naruto and Shikamaru had already been very good friends, having practically grown up together due to their fathers' close friendship. They had easily become friends with Shino, who they had often spent time with at the Academy.
Like anyone else in Naruto's life, Shino had had no choice but to accept the blonde ray of sunshine into his life. Naruto had slowly managed to bring out the Aburame's personality to reveal a loyal friend with a fierce protective streak and a dry sense of humor.
The teamwork of Team 5 had been flawless almost from the start. Asuma had been chosen as their sensei as much for his skills as for his knowledge and understanding of the political scene and the games it involved. Being himself the son of a Kage, he had been able to nurture Naruto and help him grow into himself.
The four of them now formed a formidable and versatile team, as well suited to frontline combat as recon and capture. Nowadays they were not often sent out as a full team anymore, with all four of them powerful jounin on their own.
Shino's voice cut through Naruto's musing about their team.
"-I believe you will be the object of many talks tonight at the compound amongst the younger generation.
-Why?
-What do you think?" came Shikamaru's retort.
"-I don't know, it's not like I did anything special.
-It doesn't matter what you do, it's the fact that you're the one doing it."
Naruto groaned at that.
"-I hate when people do that. I'm just me.
-You're the Hokage's son.
-So?
-So they're young. They haven't exactly seen your father that often and you're the next best thing."
Naruto grumbled at that. That was one thing he had discovered through the memories from this life he had spent time on during his time with the Sannin: the weird way people treated him because of who he was. Or rather whom he was related to.
"-We never were like that with Asuma.
-Sandaime-sama had already passed away. And Asuma had been away as a Guardian for a while."
The three friends let the conversation end. After a little while, Naruto asked them if they wanted to spar. He had initially come to the training grounds for that, and was itching to stretch his muscles after almost a full month since his fight with Tobi, or against the Iwa nins in this lifetime.
Shino readily accepted. Shikamaru sighed but got down from the branch just as well.
"-No Sage mode."
Naruto spluttered as Shino turned his head towards him sharply, eyebrow raised.
"-I wasn't aware you had completed your training with the Toads.
-It's a long story.
-But you know Sage mode.
-It was supposed to be kept a secret," Naruto answered instead, glaring at an unrepentant Shikamaru.
"-You just wanted to keep it a secret so you could see Shino's face when you used it.
-So?
-So I'm not sparing against Sage mode, that's all. I've heard Jiraiya-sama talking about it and it's way too troublesome to deal with.
-I wasn't gonna use it."
The three ninjas put themselves into position in a triangular fashion.
"-Rules?
-Light one, I just wanna stretch. Taijutsu and soft ninjutsu only, 5 hits-winner?"
The two dark hair men nodded. All three supported small grins, happy and eager to stretch their muscles and spar against each other.
