Rise, Son Of Rome
Ch. 15- Rebus Cordis
(Matters of the Heart)
oo0oo
Hidden villages, such as the Leaf, are home to many different types of ninja. Among the ranks are even special breeds with ability known as kekkei genkai, or bloodline limits, that allow them to perform jutsu specific to them like the First Hokage's Mokuton, or use a special ability only compatible with their body types; like the Kaguya's Bone pulse.
Each of these powers are deadly in their own right, each giving the user an ace in the hole if pushed in battle, and yet they pale in comparison to an even more powerful bloodline ability...dojutsu. There are only three known dojutsu in the ninja world; the Byakugan, Sharingan, and the Rinnegan. Each dojutsu grants it's wielder incredible power...though sadly only the Byakugan has managed to remain in high population.
However, what many in the world have forgotten, is that each bloodline is derived from the gods. Each having been gifted from the coupling between a higher power and a mortal of the earth. For centuries men and women have honored their ancestral gods, paying homage to the powerful entities that watch over and protect the world, and this prays was even higher among those who were gifted with kekkei genkai. The clans that received these gifts built temples and shrines in their patron god's honor, and the deity was worshiped with the utmost respect.
Until the time of the Rikudo Sennin.
The Sage had used his powerful eyes to defeat a monster known as the Jubi and seal it away into the moon. Afterwards the Sage was hailed as not only a hero, but people began to think of the man as a god for his immense power, and even more so when he showed the ordinary world how to control what he called "chakra". Soon it wasn't just a select few who were playing with fire or raising mountains from the ground; it was everybody.
Unfortunately, this caused the people to turn away from those whom they received their gifts from, claiming that the power had been inside themselves the whole time, and didn't need the gods to unlock the power. Many of the clans also turned from their devotion, after clan wars left their families in shatters, believing that if the gods truly existed they would have answered the prayers of their followers.
In time the temples and shrines were raided and some even torn down, the others left to be rotted away by time. And yet, through it all, there were still clans that held on to their faith; one such clan being the Uchiha's.
In the Hidden Leaf, located underneath vast levels of earth and tunnels, lay the crypt of all past Uchiha members as far back as Madara Uchiha's time; he being the one to suggest the idea. The man himself however was never buried there. The burial chamber was created in secret, to keep the clan's Sharingan from falling into the wrong hands, and so even now the only ones to know of its existence are those of the Uchiha family.
This is where Sasuke finds himself now.
The raven-haired teen stands at the entrance way to the burial chamber of his ancestors, having been driven there by the need for answers, and now fights with himself to open the door. Sasuke's onyx-black eyes stare hard at the old, dusty entrance carved from stone. Chiseled into the doorway is the Uchiha fan, and surrounding it, a series of words written in a language the young heir didn't understand.
'Magna vis est, nisi per sacrificium magnum,' Sasuke thought to himself, 'what in the world is that?'
'It's the language of your ancestors boy, one that has long since been forgotten, but is needed if one is to have any hope of opening this door,'replied the voice from earlier. The one that had convinced Sasuke to come down here in the first place.
'If it's so important to know then why wasn't I taught it as child,' the Uchiha snarled.
'Your father hadn't yet deemed you worthy of the knowledge; he felt you weren't ready to learn the true extent of your clan's curse. However, if you are to aid the young Caesar in the coming conflict, then you will need to open these doors and retrieve what's inside.'
'And just how am I going to learn it? If you know so much, then you must also know that my brother and I are the only two Uchiha's left.'
The voice chuckled. It was deep, and it rumbled in Sasuke's mind as the voice answered him, 'That's what I'm here for young one. We aren't normally supposed to interfere with you weaklings affairs, but with what's been happening, and with what is going to happen, some of us are starting to see that you humans will need all the help you can get.'
This just left the young man with more questions, but before he could ask them the voice called to him again, 'In order for me to help you, I will need for you to relax, and allow me to share your body with you.'
The response shocked Sasuke; and then it made him wary. The voice had said before that it wasn't going to do him any harm, but after the ordeal with Orochimaru's curse mark, the young avenger couldn't help but immediately be on guard.
'And why would I do that? What if I don't feel like sharing bodies with a voice in my head. What then?'
'Then you will never open this door, and your world will fall into chaos, before it eventually destroys itself.'
This confused Sasuke, 'What are you talking about, and if Naruto's so special why haven't you told him yet either?'
'Because fool, I am not his patron, that boy's family hails from the bloodline of Venus. The young Caesar, whom you call Naruto, will be visited once he returns to his homeland; where his patron's presence is strongest. Now, I would rather not force the union, so I'll ask again that you relax.'
Sasuke was still unsure. Could he really trust this voice, and more importantly, it wasn't normal to hear voices in your head. Just what was going on? Unfortunately for the teenage avenger, the voice in his head was becoming impatient, and soon Sasuke felt as if his head was going to explode.
A moment later the pain faded and Sasuke could focus again, but then he noticed something, he couldn't move! 'W-What's going on here!?'
Looking left and right Sasuke also noticed that his sight was hazy; like he was trying to see through a thick fog...and then he heard his own voice, but he didn't recall ever opening his mouth.
"Great power comes only through great sacrifice," the Uchiha's voice echoed. For a moment nothing happened, and Sasuke thought that the voice had said the inscription wrong, but then a rumbling sound was heard and the door began to rise off the ground. Once the doorway was clear Sasuke felt a strange pulse shoot through his body before his vision returned to normal and he could move again.
Looking around the raven-haired teen shouted, "What was that just now, I didn't say you could just come in and use my body without permission!"
When the young man's anger was met with silence, he growled before shouting again, "Answer me, I wanna know who you think you are, hitching a ride in my body without my-"
"Silence boy! You seem to have forgotten just who it is you're speaking too. It was part of my genes that gave you and your kin those eyes you were all so proud of, so don't think I can't just take them back if I feel you don't deserve them!
Sasuke immediately closed his mouth, not wishing to incur anymore of the voice's wrath, and not daring to challenge whether or not it really could take away his Sharingan. Once the silence stretched for another moment the voice called to him again.
"Good, we understand each other again. Now I want you to go into that crypt, and when you reach the Sage's Tablet, you and I shall speak again."
Sasuke didn't say anything, he merely nodded in understanding, before beginning his trek through the buried remains of his kin.
The burial chamber was cold and dusty. As he moved between coffin racks Sasuke could smell the scent of aged wood; wood that had been left sitting, and housing the dead, for centuries. It was not a pleasant smell.
But the young man chose to ignore the assault to his senses and continue on, determined to get to the bottom of whatever was going on in the world, and how he and Naruto were a part of it. Sasuke noticed, as he continued his walk, that the bodies were set up so that the eldest members of the clan were housed further inwards, while the newer generation could be found in the front...this was easier to know when he realized the smell was getting worse.
As he moved through the torched pathways Sasuke couldn't keep his mind from wandering. He thought manly about the voice he'd been getting instructions from, but also about his blonde team-mate.
In regards to the voice, the young Uchiha male had an inkling of who it was, made more sure by the threat it had made earlier, but Sasuke wanted to be absolutely sure before doing anything else. While his father may not have schooled him heavily in the clan's history, as in before Madara Uchiha, his mother saw fit to share what little knowledge she knew about it. That was when a young Sasuke learned of the ancient god known as Pluto; or Hades as he was known in some circles.
Using her limited knowledge Mikoto weaved the tail of the Uchiha clan's true founding and just where it is they received their Sharingan from. The woman told Sasuke that Pluto was the god of the underworld, after having been assigned the position by his brother Jupiter, but he was forced to live for a great many years in isolation and loneliness which eventually turned him cruel and cold-hearted. It was because of that he abducted the goddess that would become queen of the underworld; Proserpina.
However, early in their time together, Pluto secretly took on a mistress. Her name was Mania; and it was through her that the Uchiha were birthed. Unfortunately for Sasuke, that's where his mothers knowledge on the subject ran dry. She told him that his father knew, as was the duty of every clan head to know the ancestry of their clan, but it would not be wise to ask of it.
Shaking his head to clear his mind of thoughts about his dead mother Sasuke turned his attention to thoughts about his blonde former team-mate. After not seeing him for three whole years Sasuke couldn't help wondering just how much more powerful Naruto had gotten. The Uchiha had no doubts that Naruto had survived, especially now that he knew of the blonde's gift, leaving only one outcome; Naruto must have spent his time training and getting stronger.
Sasuke wondered when he would get the chance to see the Uzumaki again. With the poisonous influence of the curse mark subdued Sasuke was able to think clearly again and hoped to make amends with Naruto; unfortunately this made the memories all the more clear as well. He attempted to mend the damage he'd done to Hinata, but the young heiress would only respond that, 'The mark fed off of your own negative thoughts and feelings Sasuke, had you just stopped and used your head, instead of letting your blind hatred, guide you there would have been nothing for the mark to feed off of and you wouldn't have lost control', before walking away from him.
Before he could think on those thoughts any longer Sasuke was brought out of his musings by a sharp pain in his foot. Letting out a grunt of pain that echoed through the chamber, Sasuke looked around and noticed that he'd made it to the Sage's Tablet. The tablet was mounted on the wall, and bordered by a gleaming, silver frame. Sasuke noticed that he'd run into a small series of steps that lead to the tablet. As his eyes gazed upon the stone the Uchiha immediately noticed something...he couldn't read any of the words.
"But if I can't even read it then what was the point of me coming down here," he grumbled to himself.
"So that I could speak to you in person now," came a voice from behind Sasuke.
The raven-haired youth whipped around to face the voice, and finally put a face to the voice, only to be left it shock at what he saw.
The man that stood before him was tall, standing at a height of 6'4 that easily dwarfed Sasuke's 5'10 frame. Along with height, the man was also built like a powerhouse, muscles bulged from his form and strained the cloth of his robes. Sasuke looked up towards the man's face, and saw that it was mostly hidden beneath a bushy, black beard and a head of wavy, black hair that reached his broad shoulders. His eyes, like Sasuke's, were an onyx-black color. And finally Sasuke took notice of the staff in the man's large, left hand.
...And yet.
"If you really are the patron of the Uchiha clan, then show me the Sharingan."
A deep laugh echoed throughout the tomb, "While it is true that I helped sire you and your ancestors, I did not do it alone, you get your eyes from Mania."
Sasuke folded his arms as he replied, "Then what my mother told me was true; you took a second woman. The question is, why?"
Pluto waved his right hand and a throne made from iron and crimson cushions formed from the dust in the Uchiha crypt. Once he was seated the god motioned for Sasuke to do the same, when the young man made it a point that he would stand Pluto began his story.
"I took Mania because of a deal my brother made with Proserpina's mother Ceres. Your mother told you of how I gained my wife through trickery, and that is true, but even the ruler of the underworld doesn't enjoy separating a mother from her child; so I struck a deal. Proserpina would spend nine months away from me, and in the company of the world, but would spend the other three in the underworld."
"And it's during those nine months that you bring Mania to the underworld isn't it, so that you don't have to sit down there by yourself," Sasuke finished for him.
"Yes, that is correct."
"Sounds pretty human to me," replied Sasuke, "I thought gods were above such petty emotions such as loneliness and vengeance."
Pluto just sighed as a response before Sasuke noticed a flash in the deities eyes. The older brother of Jupiter stood from his throne and said, "You've reminded me of why I brought you here. Sasuke, your world is in terrible danger, and you must be ready to face it when the time comes."
"And what exactly is this danger?"
"Luna."
Sasuke just looked to the god who played a part in his family's creation, the name holding no meaning to him, and asked, "Who is Luna, and why should I be preparing for her? What does she want with the world?"
"Luna is the spirit of the moon, and she plans to punish the world for your Rikudo Sennin's actions. When that man sealed away the Jubi inside the moon, he did it without Luna's permission, and with no prayer of forgiveness. He simply did as he saw fit."
"But the world would have been destroyed had he not done it, the Ten-Tails was too powerful to be stopped, what else was he supposed to do," Sasuke replied.
Pluto sent a smoldering glare in the young man's direction as his deep voice bellowed, "Fool! Just like that idiot Hagoromo you forget your place; we are the gods, and you the mortals, no matter what small measure of power we may give to you!"
"So we're going to be fighting an angry spirit because the Sage disrespected her authority?"
"He is not the only one," came a soft, slithery female voice.
Sasuke turned his head and watched as a figure appeared from the shadows. This time a woman. She was stunningly beautiful, the young Uchiha male could find no imperfection anywhere on her body. She stood as tall as Sasuke, and held a slim figure. The woman was dressed in crimson-red robe, that left her right shoulder exposed, while the other was covered in a strap that was held together by a circular pin. The woman's robe was fitted, showing off her curves and pushing up her breasts, which drew attention to her smooth, ivory skin. Looking towards her face Sasuke felt his breath catch in his throat.
The woman was indeed beautiful. With full, ruby lips and soft but mature features Sasuke was hard-pressed not to stare. She, like Pluto, had a head of raven-black hair; but hers was silky and done up in an elegant bun, while two curly loops framed her face. While the woman before him was beyond anything the Uchiha male had seen before, the thing that finally floored him were her eyes.
Her blood-red, Sharingan, eyes. But they were different from any Sasuke had ever seen before. This woman's version had multiple rings surrounding the pupil, and not three, but nine tomoe spread out around the eye. As he gazed into the hellish gems Sasuke felt the word around him start to blur, to the point where all he saw in a field of darkness was the woman's bloody gaze.
Before he knew what was happening, Sasuke fell to the floor unconscious.
oo0oo
Night had long since fallen over the village of Konoha. The streets were empty of life, and the only light was from the street lamps posted every few yards. However, these lights did nothing to illuminate the shadows one would find in the alleys between buildings, and so this made those little spaces perfect for secret meetings.
A fact used numerous times by one Danzo Shimura.
"And you're sure it was the Nine-Tails jinchuuriki you saw ride through the village," the bandaged elder asked the kneeling figure before him.
"Yes Danzo-sama, myself and a handful of other ROOT members witnessed the jinchuuriki make his way towards the Hokage's tower alongside the Nara heir."
"Hmm, originally I had hoped to capture the boy after having him banished, but I underestimated young Uzumaki's ability to evade detection and he got away. But now, with him back in the village, I may just have another chance," Danzo said to himself.
Turning his attention back towards his ROOT operative, Danzo relayed his new orders, "Sai I want you and Konriu to apprehend the Nine-Tails jinchuuriki and bring him to me. Once we have him, there will be no need to rely on the Eagle for aid, as we will have the most powerful of the Tailed Beasts at our disposal; I trust I don't need to tel you that failure is not an option this time?"
"No Danzo-sama, we will not fail you; I will not fail you."
With that, the ROOT member vanished from sight and left the Council Elder alone.
'And if I can't have the Nine-Tails, I'll simply have to do away with him and forge a new weapon. There is no place in the world for defective tools.'
oo0oo
For most of Konoha's citizens, the day that followed was much like every other day. However, for some, it was the beginning of a long thought plan that had been forged by one man's desire to revive his home.
One of those few happened to be Shikamaru Nara. Unlike in his early years the pony-tailed heir now had no issue with being up with the sun, so it was no trouble when his Imperator asked that he 'take a walk' around the village and speak with several of its occupants. First on the list, obviously, were the Ichirakus.
Shikamaru wasn't surprised to hear that the father/daughter ramen stand team were the first people Naruto wanted him to speak with. Knowing how often the blonde frequented the establishment, and how friendly the two were to him during his visits, the Nara heir thought it only right they be the first to receive an invitation to start over in Rome.
It didn't take the young man long before he reached the little stand, and with it being early morning the stools were all empty, giving Shikamaru the perfect opportunity to speak with the small family. Once he reached the counter, Shikamaru rung the small bell that sat atop the table, and waited.
As usual, it was Ayame that answered the call. The young woman was dressed ready for work in a set of plain civilian clothes, covered by a white apron, with a white bandanna to help keep her long, chestnut-brown hair out of the way.
"Oh, hello Shikamaru-san, you're here early. What can we get for you today," she asked politely.
"Actually, Ayame-san, this time it's about what I can give to you and your father."
The pretty brunette's face scrunched in confusion as she replied, "I-I don't understand your meaning, could you be a little clearer Shikamaru-san?"
Shikamaru took a seat at the bar, and with his arms folded over the table, leaned forward and whispered, "There's somebody we both know, a mutual friend, that wants to offer the Ichiraku's a place to start over; a place where fishcakes aren't banned."
As the pineapple-haired Nara sat back and awaited her response, Ayame's face went through a small whirl of emotion. First she was confused; Why would somebody be extending any kind of offer to a pair of civilian ramen chefs? Then that confusion changed to curiosity; sure the Civilian Council banned the use of fishcakes, but that was because of their dislike...for...And then Ayame's face lit up in hopeful sort of wonder, her eyes misted with tears as she looked towards the man sitting at the bar.
Shikamaru saw that the young woman understood his proposition, and continued with instructions, "I'll take that look as an acceptance of the offer. With that, I was asked to inform you that tomorrow the caravan that is set up to transfer refugees will be within range of travel. You and your father are to pack up only what you can carry on your backs and leave tonight; you'll meet up with the escort at this location," with that he slipped a piece of paper across the table, being sure to hide it underneath a few bills, and then left the stand after bidding Ayame goodbye.
With that visit over, Shikamaru now made his way towards the ANBU headquarters. The Imperator had made it known which members of the elite force would be willing to follow him, and which were best to keep away from; bad business to inform the spies of your enemy and all that.
It took the young man some time before he arrived, and in all honesty, it saddened him to see what had become of the legendary ANBU. Shikamaru remembered stories his father used to tell him about, during the Great Ninja Wars, how dangerous and formidable the ANBU were. How just the very name struck fear into the hearts of an opposing nation; at that time, the headquarters location was known only to the Hokage and the members themselves.
Now, the headquarters was like the mission hall, if you were a ninja you knew exactly where it was. Once at the check-in center Shikamaru was asked to wait, while the guards let the ANBU captain he was looking for know they had a visitor. After that, Shikamaru was directed towards a wall of chairs, and asked to sit and wait.
Thankfully, it didn't take long for the doors to open and a female ANBU agent to walk through them and over towards Shikamaru.
"I was told you wished to see me Nara-san," asked the purple-haired woman.
"Yes Neko-san, and if it's not too much trouble would you mind if we spoke somewhere a little more private? It's just that, the information I have is very sensitive, and is meant for your ears only."
Yugao wasn't sure what to make of the young man's request. As she stared at Shikamaru through the holes in her mask, the young kunoichi debated whether or not to just dismiss him or hear what he had to say; she was busy running an ANBU cell and didn't really have time for distractions.
Shikamaru could see the woman's reluctance to speak with him, and remembering Naruto's advice, quickly whispered, "It involves the man that took Hayate's life, Neko-san, we know who did it."
The clan heir could tell by the stiffening of her shoulders that the female ANBU member was interested
now. After the sickly Jounin's death no one was ever able to discover just who it was that had done him in. Many believed it was a member of the Suna ninja force, but with no leads, the investigation was quickly shut down.
Leaving a very hollow Yugao Uzuki to forever feel cheated out of receiving justice.
However, it seems that during his travels Naruto had set up spy networks in just about all of the different ninja villages; all except the ever closed-off Hidden Rain. This included Otogakure. And it was through this chain of informants that the blonde learned that it had been Orochimaru's right-hand man, Kabuto, that had done in Gekkou Hayate years ago during the Chunnin Exams. While this had no personal value to Naruto himself, the young Roman had a gut instinct that the information would come in handy one day; and after discussing his plans with Shikamaru, the blonde was more than happy that he'd listened to his instincts when he learned about Yugao.
Shikamaru was shaken from his thoughts when Yugao spoke up, "Follow me."
And so he did, and after ten minutes of silent walking, the two ninja were seated in a corner booth at a tea shop that sat just a small was from the ANBU headquarters. After shooing away their waiter Yugao removed her mask, and with unblinking eye contact, asked, "What do you know about Hayate-kun's killer?"
Shikamaru could clearly see the pain in the kunoichi's chocolate-brown eyes, and felt a twinge in his gut at how painful it must have been to hold on to her grief all these years. So, squaring his shoulders, the Nara replied, "While I'd like nothing more than to tell you, and finally alleviate your suffering, there is a price for the information Neko-san."
Yugao's pained eyes quickly hardened into a glare at those words, "And just what kind of price are we talking about Nara-san?"
"Nothing like that," he answered with a shake of his head, "my Imperator merely wishes for you, and all ANBU loyal to the Hokage, to let go of their allegiance to the Hidden Leaf and agree to fight under his banner."
The purple-haired woman nearly leaped from her seat at the fact that she was being asked to commit treason, but her years with the ANBU allowed her to get away with just folding her arms across the table and asking, "As much as I want to find the one who murdered Hayate-kun, what makes this Imperator of yours think my fellow ANBU and I would be willing to betray our village?"
"Because the village you and your comrades serve now is no longer the one you all pledged allegiance to in the past. Konoha has long since rotted from the inside, the government has become a sham, and the people don't respect nor appreciate the fact that you all put your lives on the line every day to keep them safe and happy," Shikamaru quickly answered her.
But Yugao wasn't fully on board yet, "And what of Lady Tsunade? Are we just supposed to up and leave her to the wolves that will remain behind? Without the ANBU that are loyal to her, Hokage-sama will quickly find herself on the business end of a katana; courtesy of one of Dnazo Shimura's little ROOT pets. How can you expect us to just leave her?"
At that Shikamaru smirked, and replied, "Of course not, and that loyalty is exactly what my Imperator is looking for, which is why in just a couple of days he'll be speaking with Tsunade about a...proposition he has in mind for her. And if all goes well, you and your fellow ANBU will be long gone from here before any of the mess starts."
This got Yugao to quickly lean forward, to better hear the next answer to her question, as she asked, "Mess..what mess?"
oo0oo
While Shikamaru worked on securing more soldiers for Naruto's army, Konohamaru was busy as well...though his was a much more personal matter.
The young Sarutobi stood outside the Hyuga compound waiting for Hanabi to walk through the gate. He held mixed feelings; half hoping she took her time, half wanting to get this over with. After speaking with his idol about what was to happen in just a few days Konohamaru felt it necessary to inform the youngest Hyuga heiress about what he was about to do...and hopefully talk the girl into joining him.
After spending three years with only Hanabi to talk to Konohamaru had developed an attachment to her, the two young teens had forged an unusual sort of friendship out of the fires of rivalry, and the young Sarutobi heir didn't want to see that all fall apart.
Konohamaru was pulled from his thoughts by the sound of the gate opening and the person who plagued his mind stepping out to greet him.
When Hanabi had been informed that she had a visitor, the young girl automatically assumed it to be Konohamaru; her fellow brunette was the only person her age that spoke to her. And he had asked that they spend time together today, but she didn't think too much about that. As she changed from her house robes into something more civilian Hanabi thought about her relationship with her fellow clan heir.
What started out as a strong dislike for the her fellow academy student had then developed into a strange curiosity after her first defeat. This curiosity quickly evolved into a grudging respect after they started to train together, and then into an odd sort of friendship.
Being the heiress to the Hyuga clan meant that Hanabi was raised differently from other kids in the village, and unfortunately, this upbringing didn't make much room going to the park and making friends. So when Hanabi finally entered into the academy her social ineptitude, along with her seemingly know-it-all attitude, caused many in the class to regard her as stuck up and spoiled.
And while on the outside Hanabi didn't let it show that this bothered her, on the inside, the young girl felt hurt that the children of the village could truly be so shallow. It was then that Hanabi decided to give her classmates what they wanted, and she became the very things they'd assumed she was.
But after spending time with Konohamaru, Hanabi soon found that she looked forward to going to class, instead of finding it to be a bother, and that she now had to hide small smiles after the young boy would compliment her after training. Hanabi had a friend, and it felt...nice.
So when she made her way down to the courtyard, and exited through the front gate, she was curious about her friends new state of dress.
Konohamaru stood before dressed in a way she'd never seen before. He still wore his tunic, but now his torso was also covered in armor, while his lower-body was now partially hidden by a skirt of leather strips. The young teen also had those same leather strips covering his shoulders, while his shins were now guarded by grieves. Completing the new look was a haircut; Konohamaru no longer had a ponytail, and his upright, spiky hair had been trimmed down.
Shaking off her shock Hanabi stepped closer to the young teen and greeted him, "H-Hello Konohamaru-san, you wished to speak with me?"
"Yeah, it's really important, would you mind if we walked and talked?"
The youngest Hyuga heiress just nodded and followed her friend as he began to move away from the compound.
After about fifteen minutes of walking around Konohamaru finally spoke up, "Hanabi, there's something I need to tell you, but you have to promise me that after we talk that you won't tell anybody else about what I'm about to say to you...okay?"
Hanabi turned her head and looked into the young Sarutobi's eyes. She could see just how serious her sparring partner was, and also, the young girl could also see a gleam of something else; fear. Whatever Konohamaru had to tell her scared the young brunette...and that scared Hanabi.
Swallowing the lump that had formed in her throat Hanabi muttered a small, "Alright, I promise," before waiting for the boy walking beside her to continue.
Konohamaru didn't make her wait long, "...As you can obviously see, the time I told you about has come, I'm getting ready to join up with Naruto-niisan. The armor I have on was something I ordered a long time ago in preparation for this day, but I didn't ever wear it because I didn't feel I was ready, which is why you've never sen me in it."
Hanabi just nodded silently, but before she motioned him to continue she asked, "But...Uzumaki-san was banished, he's no longer a ninja of this village, if you leave to join him won't that make you a missing ninja?"
"Yes," the armored youth replied, "but I feel that I can't serve under a village that would so carelessly throw one of its members away simply because they didn't like the way that person handled a mission. What does that say about the type of government we work for? Does that mean I'll have to watch my step if I were ever teamed with Uchiha-san?"
"...When we first started the academy, you use to always say how you were going to become the Hokage. If you do, then you'll have the power to change things, make them right again, and even revoke the punishment placed upon Uzumaki-san."
Konohamaru looked over at his companion. He could see in her eyes that there was more she wanted to say, but her years under the Hyuga roof prevented her from fully opening up to him. It pained the young brunette that the girl would force down her own feelings out of fer of being seen as weak, and it also made him angry that a clan could really consider such a thing as healthy.
Pushing those thoughts aside for now, Konohamaru just shook his head and replied, "No, the Hidden Leaf has rotted away from the inside, there is no saving it and I'm choosing not to be around when everything collapses...and I want you to come with me."
oo0oo
Sasuke let out a groan as his eyes fluttered open. As he pushed himself up off the ground the Uchiha male's onyx-black orbs widened when he remembered why he was waking up on the cold ground and not in his bed. Whipping his head around, Sasuke's eyes quickly landed on the sight of two ghostly forms seated to his right.
"Apologies young Sasuke, I'd forgotten just how...dangerous my eyes can be against the weak minded." The woman, who Sasuke remembered was named Mania, said mockingly.
Narrowing his eyes at her insult, Sasuke asked, "What do you mean dangerous?"
Mania smirked and replied, "Where do you think the Uchiha clans prowess with genjutsu comes from? My eyes have the the power to hypnotize, as well as...let's say, play, with someones mind. A perfect example would be your brother's Tsukuyomi."
"So I passed out because of the power of your eyes, and not from shock?"
"Precisely. Unfortunately, Pluto didn't bring you down here to be captivated by my magnificent eyes, we're gathered here to discuss a very real danger that you and the young descendant of Caesar will soon need to face."
Sasuke looked between the two supernatural beings and asked, "This is about what Pluto mentioned before right? About the moon?"
Pluto rose from his seat and walked over to the Sage's Tablet. As he stood there, with his back to Sasuke, he said, "Yes. Luna has all her pieces in place, and it's only a matter of time before she sets her plan of revenge into action, unfortunately the one you call Naruto has his mind focused elsewhere and is unaware of what's coming."
Before the seated Uchiha could say anything, Mania cut him off, "However, as Pluto mentioned before, once he returns home his patron will be able to contact him and explain everything...in fact they've already interacted once before."
"When?" Sasuke asked, his face a mask of curiosity.
"During his mission to the place you call Wave Country, where he discovered his heritage, the voice of Anchises spoke to him and showed him a vision of what is soon to come."
Sasuke lowered his head in thought. Years ago, when he first entered the academy, the young Uchiha would have never guessed that he'd have a day like today. Gods and goddesses, angry moon spirits planning to exterminate the world, the blonde dead-last being someone of importance...it all just seemed so unreal.
"I assure you young Sasuke, this is all very real," Pluto chimed in after hearing his offspring's thoughts, "but rest assured that, once Luna's chosen one has been defeated, your world will know peace."
This caught the raven-haired chunin's attention. He thought he was going to have to face off against the moon spirit itself, "Chosen one?"
"Yes, boy, did you really think you'd be facing a being of supernatural power with your puny human limits? Ha, Luna would squash you like a bug, but fortunately for you we have rules that we must follow as well. So instead, she has chosen a man to act upon her behalf, like she did with the one you call the Sage Of Six Paths; only this time his goal is not to bring peace but to destroy."
"And who would that be?" Sasuke asked.
Pluto finally turned away from the tablet on the wall, and answered the young man's question, "A young man that goes by the name of Pain."
oo0oo
Anko walked silently through the halls of the embassy as she made her way towards the room she'd been told housed the blonde Uzumaki. While not entirely sure what he wanted with her, the Special-Jounin had a feeling it had something to do with the meeting he was supposed to have tomorrow with the Konoha Council.
As she turned another corner Anko's pupil-less, light-brown eyes caught site of the stern red-head standing guard at one of the doors down the hall.
'Guess that's his room then,'she thought sarcastically to herself. Walking forward Anko lifted a hand in greeting as she called out, "Hey, Blondie wanted to see me for something?"
The red-head, Tayuya if memory served, turned to look at her; what she saw surprised her a little. Tayuya's eyes held a strong light of annoyance in their hazel depths.
"You will address the Imperator with only the utmost respect Anko-san."
Anko scratched behind her head as she replied, "Um, sorry, but can I go in? The message I got said something about a mutual interest and I'd like to know what me and your...Imperator have in common."
Tayuya reached behind her and knocked on the door, alerting the man inside as she called out, "That woman you sent for, Anko, has arrived."
"Good, send her in."
With the door opened for her, Anko stepped through the entrance and entered into Naruto's room. As she looked around the Special-Jounin immediately took notice of how the blonde was standing at his window, staring out into the village below.
"So, what does the mighty Caesar want with a lowly kunoichi of the Leaf?" Anko asked skeptically.
But Naruto didn't answer right away. In fact, the entire room was silent for almost a full five minutes before he said anything, "...why do you fight for this village?"
The question through Anko off, she hadn't been expecting something like that, the purple-haired woman figured the man would ask her about the Council and any weaknesses he could exploit.
"I...I don't understand the question."
Now Naruto turned around, fixing his guest with his piercing cobalt gaze, "Why not, it's a rather simple question. Why do you fight for the Hidden Leaf village?"
"Because I am a member of its shinobi force, it is the duty of all ninja of Konoha to fight for and defend the village."
"And what made you decide to become a ninja? Why did you decide to put your life on the line for this particular village?"
Anko was starting to get angry. This guy wasn't giving her a straight answer, he answered her question with a question, and now he just kept asking them. What was his point? "Look, what does it matter why, maybe I didn't wanna be somebody's housewife or a lowly shop keeper, okay, how about that?"
"Yes, I suppose that could be it, but what about after the incident? The one with Orochimaru. After you were brought back to Konoha the people looked at you with suspicion, they still do, even your fellow ninja don't fully trust you. So why continue to fight for them?"
"Because, it doesn't matter what they think, I know I'm not a traitor." was Anko's curt response.
But Naruto had seen it. He had seen the little flash of pain in her eyes, the pain that expressed the real reason, so he shook his head and asked again, "No, that's the 'reason' you practiced saying to yourself in the mirror; tell me, why do you fight for them?"
"I just told you why idiot, there is no hidden reason!"
"Anko, why do you fight for them?"
With a growl the older woman turned around and began to make her way towards the door, "This is stupid, leave me alone if you don't wanna talk sensibly."
"If you just keep running away then the pain you fell will never go fade Anko, I'm trying to help you."
This made the woman stop. She stood stock still, with her hand just out of reach of the doorknob, and her head bowed.
Seeing this, the young Roman pressed forward, "You don't have to lie to me, Anko, I understand better than anyone what you went through...what you still go through. You don't fight because it's the right thing, you fight because you think it'll make these people change their opinion about you; make them see that you are someone they can place trust in. But they won't ever see it, and not because they can'tor need more time, no, they won't see it because they refuse to see it."
The silence that followed seemed to last for hours. Neither occupant said a word. Naruto stayed silent so as to let his words sink in, and Anko because she was fighting with herself on what to do next. After fifteen minutes, she chose.
Lowering her hand she said, "After I was placed on another genin team, we hardly received any D-ranked mission, because people didn't want Orochimaru's pet slithering around their house. When we finally made it to the chunin exams, and I had to face my own team-mate in the third exam, he wholeheartedly tried to kill me...I later learned that he'd done so on orders of our Jounin instructor; he'd conditioned him into thinking I was a spy for my former mentor."
"...That must have been awful, I'm so sorry you had to go through that."
But Anko wasn't done, she turned to Naruto with tears threatening to fall and continued, "That's not even the worst part. My team-mate and I, w-we used to be friends...he even gave me this necklace, telling me how he thought that 'not all snakes are dangerous'. H-He made me feel normal..."
"...and then the village turned him against you. So why fight for them when they've taken everything from you?"
Anko had lowered her head again during her story, and so when she noticed brown boots in her vision she looked up, and was met with Naruto's armored chest. Then she felt warmth, as a hand was placed against her cheek and lifted her face, so that brown eyes met blue.
"Why fight for those who do not respect you, do not treasure your worth, why continue to be unhappy when there are other options?"
"...like serving you?" Anko's teary eyes hardened a little, "I'm not gonna be one of your little toys, so if that's what you're looking for-"
"No," he cut her off, "nothing like that. My offer is true, I value skill, and you have that in overwhelming amounts. Your abilities are wasted here, you don't make a difference and you are unhappy...I'm offering you a chance at both."
"...what would I have to do then?"
oo0oo
Anko stood in the grassy field of one of Konoha's training grounds. Across from her was one of Naruto's Centurion guards, while the man himself stood off to the side with Tayuya.
"So all I have to do is beat this guy?"
"If you beat him, you can take Tayuya's place, I'm just asking you to survive against Durio."
The Special-Jounin sent the blonde a weary glare, but her attention was soon returned to the man across from her when he cleared his throat. "Whenever you are ready, we may begin."
Anko pulled two kunai from her coat sleeves and entered into her Serpent stance. Smirking she replied, "Give me your best shot."
Before she could blink, Anko was blocking an overhead strike. However she hadn't been expecting the blow to be as strong as it was, and she dropped her knife. Next she was twisting out of the way as her opponent went to run her through with his sword, but here she found an opening, and retaliated with a right-hook.
The Centurion ducked under the attack and drove the pommel of his gladius into Anko's side...only for the woman to dissolve into mud. Immediately after Durio jumped into the air to avoid being constricted by a pair of snakes that burst through the ground, and then barely twisted away from Anko as she too shot from the ground a few feet past the snakes.
Once on the ground again Anko sent a hail of kunai at the Centurion, but the man managed to block them all wit his sword. So, weaving through hand-signs, she called out her next attack, "Great Fireball jutsu."
She watched as it sailed through the air towards her opponent, her mind already thinking ahead to what to do after he dodged it.
oo0oo
Naruto and Tayuya walked through the streets of Konoha, the night sky helping to cool Naruto and his fellow Roman. The blonde was dressed in a padded, leather version of his breastplate while his lower-body was adorned in just his pteruges and boots. It had been too hot to wear full armor during training.
Anko had done as well as he'd expected, and in some regards even better than he'd hoped. The blonde had informed her of the transport that would be waiting beyond the gates, and if she so decided, Anko would be more than welcome to take a seat in it.
The former apprentice of Orochimaru told him she had to think about it.
But Naruto didn't worry, even without Anko, Shikamaru was sure to have gotten him the ANBU he'd asked for. Then there was Ino. He had not seen the platinum blonde since catching sight of her during his first day in the Leaf, he had no time, but Naruto would make it a point to send a clone to her later that night.
"You seem in good spirits Imperator." Tayuya spoke from his right.
Turning to her, his eyes dancing with mischief, he replied, "When the entire world is rolling into your hands how can one not be happy?"
The rest of the walk was done in silence, but the descendant of Caesar didn't mind. It let him think about the meeting he was about to have with Tsunade.
Naruto hoped that Tsunade would be willing to side with him. The woman was like the mother he never had, and it would feel...unpleasant, if he were forced to cut her down because she chose to stand in his way. These thoughts ran through his mind even after they entered the Hokage's home.
They were greeted by a pair of ANBU and taken upstairs to the room in which they'd be meeting in. Once Naruto and Tayuya reached the door, the blonde turned to their escorts and said, "I'll feel a lot more comfortable with my guard inside with me. I know this probably means you two will have to come along as well, but if you're loyal to the Hokage I don't see that as being too much of a problem."
With that, the group of four walked inside.
As he stepped through the entry way Naruto was greeted with the sight of Tsunade, seated on the floor, behind a small with a bottle of Sake and two cups on it. Shizune stood off to the side, next to a bigger table with food on it; including ramen, and Ton-Ton, the Hokage's ever faithful pet, was seated in the blonde woman's lap.
Tsunade looked at the assembled group with a raised eyebrow, "I didn't think you wanted ANBU at this meeting Naruto."
"Personally, I don't, but I'm also not opposed to the idea so long as they are loyal to you."
Tsunade's response was to wave the men away, knowing she was safe with the two who had entered the room. Once the guards had been dismissed she motioned for her fellow blonde to take a seat, as he sat, Shizune came over with small platters of food.
While Naruto thanked her and ate some of the rice, Tsunade opened the discussion, "So Naruto, what is it that I can do for you?"
The young Roman ignored Tayuya's grunt at Tsunade's refusal to call him Caesar and replied, "I suppose it'll be best I I just get straight to the point Tsunade; I want you to abandon Konoha and ally yourself under the Roman banner."
"And why should I do that? Not that it isn't great to see you again Naruto, but what reason do I have to forsake the village you fought so hard to bring me back to. It doesn't make sense."
Naruto waved off her offer of sake as she pored herself some, choosing instead to eat a mouthful of ramen from his bowl. He had to admit that the food she'd served was tasty, and was grateful she'd decided to cater the meeting, as he hadn't eaten much of anything all day.
After wiping his face of any mess the blonde answered, "Because if you don't, then you will fall along with the Leaf, and I'd rather not see you be destroyed protecting this rotted shadow of a village."
Tsunade's hazel eyes took on a sad gleam, "But...why? Why can't you just annex us under your banner like you've done so many other places, and then help us rebuild back to what my grandfather envisioned the Hidden Leaf to be?"
Naruto's hard stare surprised the female Hokage, and his hard toned response made her sorry she'd asked, "If I do that, what kind of message does that send out about my empire? It tells everyone that we accept those who glorify traitors, and that even if you work hard and complete your mission you could still be tossed aside simply because someone wasn't happy with who you are. Well, sorry, but that's not the kind of empire I plan to run Tsunade."
"You're right, I wasn't thinking about how it might look on you, I'm sorry. It's just...my grandfather helped build this place with his own two hands, both he and my grand-uncle gave their life for the sake of this village, and now I'll be standing back and watching as their dreams go up in flames."
If Naruto was surprised at the buxom blonde's declaration of impending treason he didn't show it. Instead, he just replied, "So then you've decided."
It was a statement, not a question, he already knew the answer; he just wanted her to say it.
"...Yes, I've decided to let go of Konoha and side with you Naruto. Now, what's your next move?"
"As I've already told Tayuya here, I plan to turn the rest of the smaller nations against the Leaf village and let it slowly rot away until I'm good and ready to stamp out what's left of it."
Tsunade was a little disturbed at the younger blonde's thoughts. Was this really the same kid who had fought tooth and nail to defend Konoha from Orochimaru so long ago? 'No, that kid died the day the village cast him out. This isn't him anymore, he's grown up, this Naruto isn't looking at the world through kid-glasses anymore.'
"And how do you plan to do that?" the former Hokage asked.
And so Naruto went on to explain the same plan he told Konohamaru and Shikamaru, to Tsunade, and let her drink it all in. Along with it though, he also began to explain his plans for the other ninja villages; including his coming attack on Oto.
By the end of it Tsunade was amazed at just how far Naruto's ambition reached. The young Roman truly intended to annex the whole of the Elemental Nations...by force if necessary!
Tsunade stared across the table, and directly into the cobalt-blue eyes that stared back at her. The pig-tailed blonde forcefully swallowed the lump in her throat as the staring contest continued...would the plan really work?
"But how do you know for sure that no innocent people will be hurt by this little game you intend to play with Danzo?"
The man across from her showed no sense of worry for the possibility that civilian lives could be lost during his and Danzo's little tussle. Instead, he opened his mouth and said, "Tsunade, you know as well as I that the word "innocent" doesn't really apply to many of these...heathens. But, rest assured, that those few that are have already been given instruction on what to do once that fools ROOT operatives make their attempt on my life."
Tsunade felt her eyebrows jump to the fringe of her hairline as she listened to her fellow blonde's words. So, there were still people he cared about in the Leaf village?
oo0oo
Naruto sighed as he walked through the entrance to his room. Tomorrow was the day his plan to bring Konoha to its knees began, and if everything went according to plan, the rest of the world would soon follow.
The blonde didn't want to have to use force to bring many of the other countries under the Roman banner, but with places such as Kumo and Iwa, Naruto felt there was no peaceful way to annex the people there. Naruto walked over to the basin of water Tayuya had left for him and used the rag in it to clean the sweat from his brow. It had been exceptionally hot today and even walking around in training armor did nothing to aid in Naruto's plight. His home wasn't nearly this scorching.
As the blonde thought of his home, and how he'd soon be returning to it and beginning to prep for battle, the young Roman's eyes hardened as he sensed another presence in his room.
"Your skills in stealth have increased tremendously if you were able to get in here without Tayuya noticing...unless you've been here the whole time."
"I came in while you were out training with your guard," a gentle female voice replied in a whisper.
Naruto didn't turn around, he had no need, his guest wasn't here to do him any harm, "What do you want Hinata?"
The figure exited from the shadows, revealing themselves to indeed be Hinata, but instead of her normally fierce visage the teenage heiress wore a look of distress. Her eyes were glossed over with unshed tears, but the bluenette beauty knew not to let them fall, for it would only diminish her in the eyes of her love.
So, after steadying her breathing, Hinata asked, "Why...why, in all the days you've been here have you not come for me? Am I truly such a disappointment to you that you wish to have nothing to do with me?"
The silence that followed seemed to stretch on forever. Neither one of them moved, and the fact that Naruto didn't respond only made Hinata all the more upset.
"...You ask why I did not come to you, and yet, only now you make an effort to see?"
Lavender eyes burned with tears as Hinata replied, "I made an attempt to see you the day you arrived in the village, but by the time I made it to where you were staying, you had already left. I searched for you when I heard you had gone to one of the training grounds but wasn't able to find you there either...I-I spent all day looking."
"And yet you gave up during the following days."
"I-I assumed, you would send for me, so as to see how I've progressed during your absence-"
"It was a test," the blonde cut her off, "to see if you truly had changed. To show me that you would continue on even if things didn't go your way; to prove your devotion. And you failed."
Hinata shuffled closer to the blonde, her feet shuffling along the carpet, and with a choked voice she asked, "F-Failed? B-But...I'm here. These past few days all that's been on my mind was finding you, and fixing what I'd broken."
By this time the young woman had gotten close enough to where she was able to place her hand atop Naruto's shoulder, but when the young Roman felt her cool touch, he jerked away; turning sharply so that they were now face to face. The look in his eyes was like nothing Hinata had ever seen.
The cold, cobalt-blue that she remembered was gone. In its place were the ocean-blue gems the Hyuga heiress had seen during their childhood at the academy. They were filled to the brim with emotion, paramount among them being pain and hurt, but there were traces of sorrow and mistrust shining through as well. Then she noticed his face.
Naruto's stone-wall visage had crumbled, the hard planes giving way to a clenched jaw and a heavily furrowed brow. The violet-haired kunoichi was so caught up in the sight that she almost missed the fledgling emperor's next words.
"Now? You wish to mend all that you have broken now? What of the three years I traveled this continent, did you not think to fix things between us then?"
Hinata's own brow furrowed in confusion, "But how would I-" she was again cut off, though this time by being shoved aside.
"Fool, even Tsunade sent letters using her summoning, did you not think to ask and do the same?"
"Could you not have done the same!? You say I was the one who made no attempt, yet you did not write to me either." Hinata remarked. She would not be held full responsible for this.
But the descendant of Caesar would not let up in his anger, eyeing the woman harshly he growled, "I wasn't the one that destroyed what we had; it was you who failed, you who could not be trusted. And yet you made no attempt to fix the gap between us, instead letting the wound you caused fester and become rancid."
"Nothing? Do you truly believe I spent the last three years doing nothing? Over the course of your banishment I have spent all of my time training my mind as well as my body, so that when we met again I would be the weapon you needed; the one that would never break...not again."
Another stretch of silence followed, though this time, the tension had thickened enough that it had almost become palpable. The pressure seeming to suffocate the occupants in the room.
It was Naruto who again broke that silence, "...I didn't want a weapon Hinata."
For the second time Hinata's face contorted in confusion, "I-I don't understand. Y-You told me-"
"I know what I said, but it wasn't until Konoha forced me out that I understood what I wanted. In spite of what it may seemed like back then, it wasn't that I wanted a weapon, I wanted someone I could trust."
(The entire story being told here will be explained in a side-story I intend to do about Naruto's journey. I was going to make it part of this story, but decided not to; can't really remember why.)
Seeing her about to respond, Naruto held up his hand to silence her, he wasn't done. "I've never told anyone this, not even Tayuya, but...I had no idea what I was really doing in the beginning. I may have seemed like I was in control, but really, I was taking shots in the dark and hoping they stuck. It got worse after I was banished, because I had to start from scratch...and that's when I realized just how much I'd taken on."
"During those days I had to forge myself into what the world knows now as Caesar, I had to become cold and calculating, or else risk failing in my dream to reconstruct that which my ancestors fought and died to create...I couldn't let that happen. And yet, to do that, I also had to turn off my heart and detach myself from the feelings that clouded my mind...I had to let go of you. My mind ran wild with thoughts of hurt and betrayal after I learned you had fallen to such foolishness; if the one person I was supposed to trust above all others fell so easily, who's to say all those that came after wouldn't do the same?"
By this time the two were inches from each other. During Naruto's story Hinata had slowly made her way over to the man who, even after years of alienation, still held her heart. The Hyuga heiress stared into the eyes she'd had drams of for years, and seeing how much hurt, and anguish plagued their sapphire depths Hinata wanted nothing more than to take all that pain away.
"Over the years," he continued, "I've encountered many different women. Some, such as Tayuya and Fu, I've taken to bed with me; even Tamari, who I've married so as to annex Suna. And yet, no matter how pleasurable the experience, there always seemed to be something missing. An emptiness none of them could fill; and then I realized why...and yet it only caused me greater pain. They weren't you."
For the first time in years Hinata felt heat spread across her face. In the beginning, she was hurt to hear that the man she loved had already given himself to other women; while she herself had stayed pure for him. But then, as she listened to the rest of his recount, Hinata's heart swelled with hope until finally her entire body felt like it might burst. And then he said it.
"They weren't the one I loved."
With those three words Hinata could no longer hold back her tears. And so, three years of sorrow, shame, longing and love streamed down her porcelain cheeks in waves. Then, slowly as if any sudden moves would cause him to disappear, Hinata encircled her arms around Naruto's upper-body and held him; her tears being absorbed by the leather armor.
Naruto was just about to match her embrace, when suddenly his eyes hardened and he threw her towards the bed. While Hinata let out a yelp of surprise the blonde leaped to the side to avoid being run through by a ninjato.
Unsheathing his gladius the young Roman eyed his attacker. The enemy was dressed much like an ANBU member, but his mask was different; it did not resemble an animal, it was simply a blank face with the kanji for ROOT stamped on the forehead.
"So then, it seems Danzo wanted to get things started early. Though I am insulted that he felt only one of you was sufficient enough to end my life."
The ROOT member did not speak, he simply lunged at his target with the intent to kill. However, before he could even reach Naruto, the door crashed open and he was forced to leap back so as to avoid being decapitated by Tayuya. The red-head then positioned herself in front of her leader, her hazel eyes alight with fury.
oo0oo
A/N: And there it is, the next chapter to Rise. It took me less time than I thought to type this up, though I started and stopped a lot over the weeks because I would feel stuck. Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed it.
Something I really wanna mention is this: I didn't look up the historical connections the Naruto series had to real life...because that just seemed to take away from the fictional aspect of the manga. Also, I feel as if the time frame could technically be set in an early period or a later period; there are stories where all of modern civilization has long since decayed and the Naruto world is what came next. So please, don't tell me about those things, because it just doesn't matter in this case.
Oh, and I have another story, called Demon of the Hidden Leaf. I'd be grateful if you guys could check that out and tell me what you think of what I have so far. That story will be broken up into two parts, but I only have the first two chapters up right now.