PinkiePieParty122894: I'm glad that you liked the last chapter :)
Animaman: I totally understand where you are coming from about Jiraiya's realization that he was a hypocrite. I kinda rushed through it and tried to put in a few moments that helped him come to the conclusion of how he had acted right before the fight between him and the twins. I'll have to see how things play out in terms of getting a conversation of Jiraiya in because things are about to get pretty hectic. As for things between Shion and Yakumo, well I can't spoil what's about to come.
AnimeKing211: I'm sorry to say that I don't really know much about Dragon Ball Super so I'm sorry that I don't get the reference. The best I can do is say that the twins used Jiraiya to further their abilities and now, they feel that their abilities far surpass most if not everyone else's. They thought of Jiraiya as weak and below them and would've thought of it as funny if they killed him.
Guest: Menma and Narumi are very strong especially because of their biju weapons but there is a key thing that will be revealed later on that might change your mind about Naruto needing to go back to training. Of course more training never hurt anyone though.
1995hzq: Yeah, trying to influence a prophecy almost never works because it was probably part of the prophecy, or it can cause devastating and horrible results. Menma and Narumi deserve to get their asses kicked but I can't say anymore in regards to them for fear of spoiling. Also while Jiraiya's ninja career may be over, I could see him as an amusingly irresponsible academy teacher maybe.
DxGRAYxMAN: Jiraiya did have it coming in more ways than one but as for Naruto slapping the twins around, I will say that Menma and Narumi have gotten a lot stronger. Not that Naruto hasn't as well, I just have to say that Menma and Narumi have grown quite a lot in power.
New Elements92: Yeah almost too painful of an I told you so but I'm sure that some characters like Naruto or Yakumo would answer not enough.
UnsanMusho: I decided kinda last minute to keep him alive rather than killing him because I like Jiraiya and I just couldn't kill him off.
Shanks 1: Kushina wants her kids to do great things and when she found out that Menma and Narumi were the children of the prophecy (or are they?), she jumped on making them the best prophecy children they could be becoming a prisoner to the moment and accidentally leading herself to years of neglecting her first born child
Guest: Your review was in French according to Google translate but I was able to read it. I cannot confirm or deny any deaths that may or may not occur in the future and I plan on continuing the story. Thank you for reading and I hope that you continue to enjoy.
omegaderose: Firstly, I would think that anything is possible in fanfiction which is part of what makes it so great. As for Tsuranabi being the ten tailed beast jinchuriki and wielder of the ten tailed beast biju weapon, I thought that it would be a fun twist to the story and it's one that I am comfortable with. I'm sorry if that ruins it for you but I hope that you enjoy it regardless.
ncpfan: In terms of Naruto being unfair to his parents, possibly. He is going through some things in which he is trying to decide for himself where things stand between them since what his dark self told him had some merit. The first time he forgave his parents was after he had just gotten back from killing a mass of bandits so he was in an understandable amount of shock and needed something to latch onto. His parents were there for exactly that. But later down the line, he starts wondering whether his current relationship with his parents is genuine or if it's based off of a heat of the moment decision. Next, Naruto's parents' mood swing is simply an extreme example of you don't know what you got til it's gone. When their eyes are opened and they finally realize what they lost, they then see all of the mistakes that they have made like how they have raised Menma and Narumi. I can't answer the questions about any future conversations or clan reinductions yet because they could be considered spoilers for what's coming up.
Guest: I'm glad that you found this story as well and I hope that you enjoy this chapter.
Yakumo, Sakura, and Hinata walked out of the movie theater. For the past two and a half hours, they had been watching the most popular actress in Fire country, Yukie Fugikaze. Her most recent Princess Gale film had been pretty entertaining to the three kunoitchi, but Yakumo was getting tired of hearing Sakura go on and on about the male lead of the movie. Lucky for the genjutsu user, she noticed what looked to be someone riding a horse heading right at the trio.
"Back" Yakumo shouted knocking Sakura and Hinata out of their musings as they each jumped back and out of the way of the incoming horse. As the horse sped past the three, a familiar figure was able to be seen on the animal. There was Yukie Fugikaze, their assigned protectorate, speeding past them. Yakumo, Sakura, and Hinata watched as she kept riding and increasing the distance, none of the kunoitchi having a response for the sight. Before any of the girls could say a word or form a reaction, ten masked figures went by the three on their own horses in the direction of Yukie.
"Um, I think that maybe we should do something about that" Yakumo said before taking off quickly. Sakura looked at Hinata for a short moment before gaining a determined look on her face and running to catch up with Hinata immediately following suit.
Yakumo, Sakura, and Hinata quickly caught up with Yukie as they each roof hopped while assessing the situation. The brunette genjutsu user looked back at Sakura and Hinata and nodded at the two. Sakura nodded back and sped up before jumping off of the roof and landing on the ground behind their client. Seeing the masked figures approaching, the pink haired kunoitchi raised her fist and brought it down causing the surrounding area to start shaking. The shaking caused the figures' horses to lose their footing and fall to the ground, throwing their riders off violently.
As the figures slowly started to stand up, Hinata landed in front of them in her Gentle Fist stance with her Byakugan activated. Just as the purple haired Hyuga was about to attack, a flurry of paper surrounded the girl quickly restraining her movement. A second later, a blue haired woman appeared in a paper shunshin in front of Hinata holding Sakura by her collar. Konan had arrived and looked quite annoyed.
"It would be best that we refrain from assaulting associates of our client. Bad for business" Konan said with a sigh. "Now where is my brash apprentice?" the blue haired jounin asked.
(Yakumo)
Yakumo stood with her arms crossed and a frown on her face. Not far away from her was Yukie who had been swarmed by a multitude of child fans. It was an amusing sight at first, but Yakumo's mood quickly changed as she watched the actress dismiss the children quite rudely. With a sigh, Yakumo approached Yukie who was about to get back on her horse.
"Ms. Fugikaze, I am part of your security escort and I would appreciate it if you would come with me" Yakumo said as she stood in front of the actress. Honestly, she had been really excited about their mission when the Hokage assigned it. How quickly her opinion had changed. The genjutsu user shook her head, she was supposed to stay objective during a mission.
Yukie looked down at Yakumo and snorted. "Get lost kid, I'm not going anywhere" the actress said as she went to get on her horse only to be pulled down by her shirt. A second later, she was being dragged along the ground by the brown haired girl. "Hey kid, let me go! I told you to get lost so leave me alone!" Yukie shouted only for Yakumo to ignore her and continue dragging her. Seeing that resistance was futile, Yukie crossed her arms and clenched her fists in anger.
As the brunette kunoitchi continued to drag the distressed actress, Konan appeared in a paper shunshin in front of Yakumo. The blue haired jounin assessed the situation before sighing and face palming. "Yakumo, what have I told you about making rash decisions?" Konan asked and went to Yukie without waiting for an answer. Kneeling down, Konan tried to help the actress up. "My apologies Ms. Fugikaze, my student tends to act impulsively at times" she said reaching out to help the woman up.
Yukie scoffed at Konan's apology and refused the bluenette's assistance. "I'll say. Keep your brat on a leash because if something like that happens again, I'll see to it personally that you and your team are fired" the actress said before walking off.
Konan frowned at Yukie's comment and shook her head before looking at Yakumo. "Listen Yakumo, sometimes you will get missions where you can't stand the client. Our duty as ninja is to put those feelings behind us and act professionally so try to curve your temper" Konan asked. She smiled when Yakumo nodded at her request. "Good. For now I'll have a shadow clone trail her and let her cool off. Meanwhile, we have to meet with the director of her movie" Konan said before putting her hands together and silently creating a shadow clone.
(Movie Studio)
It took Konan and Yakumo ten minutes to reach the movie studio where Hinata and Sakura were waiting for them in front of the director, an orange haired man in a backwards hat, and an elderly man with glasses. "I'm sorry that we're late" Konan said as she and her apprentice came to stand in front of the director. "I also apologize for the team's behavior. It won't happen again" Konan assured.
The director took a puff of his pipe and began to chuckle. "Don't worry about it. I heard that they were about to beat my men to a pulp so I'm sure that we won't have any problems" he said before taking another puff of his pipe. "Now usually we would finish filming the "Princess Gale" movie here at the studio, but Mr. Asama, Yukie's manager here insisted that we finish in Snow Country at the Rainbow Glacier" he said getting a nod from the manager and a suspicious look from Konan. "The distance and opportunity for us to be robbed or worse made our decision to hire ninja a very easy decision to make" he finished.
After the director was finished speaking, Sandayu Asama stepped forward and adjusted his glasses. "Speaking of which, where is Lady Yukie?"
Konan held up her hand and closed her eyes. After a few seconds she opened them. "Yukie is in a nearby bar and seems to be about three shots in already" she said.
Sandayu looked at the ground for a moment before looking back up. "Then that is where we must go. Preferably right now" the man said looking at Konan. The bluenette gave off a sigh before turning around and walking to the bar that Yukie was at. Her team and Sandayu followed closely.
"So we're just babysitting a pompous actress? I was hoping that we would get to see more action guarding the legendary Princess Gale" Yakumo said speeding up to walk beside her teacher. "And to think, I barely got to spend any time with Naruto before we were assigned this mission. It's so frustrating because any time things slow down, he always goes off training. Ugh it's official, Yukie has ruined my day" Yakumo said causing Sakura and Hinata to giggle behind her.
Yakumo's remarks about Yukie prompted Sandayu to speak immediately after the girl was finished. "Excuse me but you know nothing about Lady Yukie or what she has had to go through so I would appreciate it if you withhold from judging her so hastily" the old man politely but sternly requested.
Konan chuckled at the man's request. "He's right you know. Judging a book by it's cover is one of the greatest sins that we as ninja can commit. I thought that you had come to that realization already girls. As kunoitchi, you should be the last ones to make the mistake of jumping to conclusions" she said causing the chunin and two genin to look at the ground. "Chin up girls, I'll have plenty of time during the mission to emphasize that point on you three" Konan said with a smile as a cold feeling overcame Yakumo, Sakura, and Hinata. "Now, here we are" Konan said stopping in front of a bar.
Sandayu was the first one in and the kunoitchi followed shortly after only to come across the sight of a wasted Yukie Fugikaze.
"Lady Yukie we must hurry for the boat will be leaving soon" Sandayu said trying to get his message across to the intoxicated actress. It didn't work.
Yukie glared for a second at Sandayu before snorting. "Forget it. I don't care how much they pay me, I'm never going back to the Land of Snow. Go ahead and tell the director that I quit" Yukie said before taking a large sip of her drink.
Sandayu's jaw dropped at the actress' statement. "But my lady, you can't just quit in the middle of production. You would never be able to get another job in the industry again" the man said trying desperately to get his point across.
"Bah, actors and directors change all the time. As for not working as an actress, I don't care anymore. I'm not going back there, period" Yukie stated before finishing off her drink.
Konan sighed from her spot behind Sandayu. "Obviously we don't have time for this" the blue haired jounin said before walking behind Yukie and knocking her out with a swift chop to the neck. Catching her before she could hit the ground, Konan lifted the woman over her shoulder. "She's heavier than I thought" Konan said with a smirk before looking at Sandayu. "We have somewhere to be, don't we?" she asked. Sandayu responded with a rapid nod.
None of the figures inside the bar noticed a man in a hat and shades standing right at the door able to hear everything. After Yukie was knocked out, the man quickly but quietly left.
(Yukie's Room on the Ship)
Yukie tossed and turned in her bed. Every now and then she would mutter unrecognizable words before going still. The cycle would repeat every ten minutes. The source of her troubled slumber came from the experiences within her mind that she was seeing.
(Yukie's Dream)
Yukie in the form of a young child wearing a kimono and her hair in twin tails, walked through lightly falling snow to her father who was in a room she had never been in before. As she approached, her father looked up and smiled at the girl. "Ah Koyuki, come here to me" the man said beckoning towards his daughter. The girl obeyed her father and continued towards the man, passing a number of mirrors before coming to stand before her father. "Stand there and tell me what you see" the man said pointing towards one of the mirrors.
The little girl stood in front of the mirror and tilted her head before answering. "I see you and me" she answered gaining a chuckle from her father as she continued to look in the mirror. She kept staring before visions flashed before her eyes of her sealed within ice and then a vision of her falling into water.
(Back in Yukie's Room)
Yukie's eyes flew open at the dream. Taking a small breath, she put an arm in front of her eyes to shield her from the sunlight that was shining through her window. Slowly sitting up, she yawned as she rubbed the sleep out of her eyes. She had a small headache. no doubt from her little visit to the local bar yesterday. Yukie held her head as the room started to rock back and forth. It was the strangest thing but it felt as if she was on a boat.
It took a few seconds for the actress to put two and two together before her eyes widened. Quickly getting up, Yukie ran out of her room and opened the door only to be met with a sight she had feared. She was on a ship and she knew exactly where it was heading.
(30 Minutes Later)
Yakumo, Sakura, and Hinata excitedly watched the staff of the movie set up the set on the ship. Yakumo may have an unfavorable opinion of Yukie at the moment, but the thought of being on an actual big budget movie set was exciting nonetheless. Meanwhile Sakura and surprisingly Hinata were "discreetly" watching the male actors of the movie. Ever since Yakumo had given the two kunoitchi two copies of "Mei Terumi's Special Guide to Getting Your Man", the newest Mizukage's most recent book, both had become far more fascinated in the "male species".
Konan meanwhile leaned over the ship examining the sea. She let herself be lost in it's beauty until she noticed something in the distance. Squinting, she was able to see what looked to be a dark haired boy with a straw hat standing at the front of a pirate ship. Rubbing her eyes, Konan looked back to the spot only to see nothing. Shrugging, the jounin went back to watching the ocean.
Yukie sat in a chair surrounded by makeup staff and her manager. She looked dead, emotionless, and cold. When the makeup crew were done, the director shouted "Actors on set" prompting the woman to get up and go to her spot. She knelt down beside a male actor who was lying on his back.
"All right, let's start this thing. ACTION!" shouted the director.
The moment the word action was said, everyone's eyes including the ninjas from Konoha widened. Yukie threw her cold demeanor away and in it's place was the woman known as Princess Gale. They examined her acting, a performance that couldn't be replicated. She truly is an actress like no other thought those watching Yukie until the woman put her hand up.
"Stop. Sandayu, I need the drops for the tears" she said getting sweatdrops and then groans from everyone on board with the exception of Sandayu who ran to the actress with the drops. So much for an actress like no other.
The rest of the day contained multiple takes for the movie, many of them being re-done at Yukie's "insistence". By the end of the day, everyone was just ready to go to bed, exhausted from their day of work. Yukie returned to her room without a word.
(Next Morning)
The entire crew of the movie along with Konoha nin sat around a small furnace in the snow. Earlier, the director had made the decision that filming in front of a giant glacier blocking the ship's path would be a perfect place to film. Wanting to get the shoot done and return to the ship as quick as possible, everyone got in their places after a few minutes of warming up from the furnace.
Now, a man dressed as the enemy of Princess Gale stood atop a hill of ice. From below, a few actors portraying soldiers stood in front of Yukie looking ready to fight. "Princess Gale, stand back. We'll take care of him" said a soldier drawing upon his sword as did the others surrounding Yukie.
The man dressed as the villain laughed at them a little too enthusiastically. "You think that you are a match for me? Please, you're too-" he never finished his line as an explosion went off near the tip of a nearby glacier.
Before anyone could comment on the explosion, Konan stepped forward. "Everyone back to the ship NOW! Yakumo, with me. Sakura, Hinata, protect Yukie" the blue haired jounin said getting nods from the team but the movie crew didn't move. Instead the continued rolling. Konan noticed the crew ignoring her orders and gritted her teeth. 'Anything for the camera' she thought as Yakumo took her spot beside her master and unsealed "Graceful Lily".
As the smoke cleared, a light blue haired figure stood with a smirk. He wore a light blue and grey uniform and a mechanical device. "Welcome to the Land of Snow" the man said.
"Hello Princess Koyuki, I take it that you brought the Hex Crystal" said a female wearing a similar outfit to the man who stood at the tip of the glacier.
The statement caused Konan's eyes to narrow before she felt another chakra signature a good distance behind them. Konan turned to see a large man stand up from under the snow. He too wore a similar outfit to the other two intruders but had purple hair. Her examination of the large man was interrupted when the first man spoke.
"Fubuki, Mizore, take care of the princess" the man said before jumping down.
Konan turned to her apprentice as she noticed the man jumping down. "Yakumo, protect Yukie" Konan ordered before jumping up to meet the man. When the two met, Konan stood with her eyes narrowed while the man smirked. "I don't know who you are, but it would be in your best interest to leave now" Konan said getting into a defensive stance. The man across from her chuckled.
"Allow me to introduce myself, I am Nadare Roga, ninja of the Land of Snow. And you should be more concerned with your own situation" he said before the two jumped at each other starting a taijutsu battle.
(Yakumo, Sakura, Hinata)
The three remaining kunoitchi immediately surrounded Yukie assuming defensive positions. Yakumo saw the big man known as Mizore and the female Snow ninja known as Fubuki approaching Yukie. Making a quick decision, Yakumo gripped her scythe. "Sakura get everyone out of here. Hinata, we have some snowflakes to take care of" Yakumo said taking off with Hinata following behind. When the two left, Sakura turned around and cracked her knuckles before performing a jutsu she had examined for so many years at the academy. The fabled "Big Headed Jutsu" created by the academy teacher Iruka Umino. "EVERYONE GET THE FUCK BACK ON THE SHIP!" the girl shouted, her head growing ten sizes and striking enough fear into the movie crew to leave but continue filming while fleeing.
Yakumo ran with Hinata behind her before the two split off. The genjutsu user ran towards Mizore who promptly removed a sort of board and stood on top. A second later, he was speeding towards Yakumo. As Mizore neared the girl, Yakumo smirked as she jumped avoiding being run over. While in mid-air, Yakumo swung "Graceful Lily" landing a strike to Mizore's shoulder but was disappointed when the blade wasn't able to pierce the unique armor the man was wearing. Just as the girl was about to land, she turned into a flurry of explosive notes that flew quickly in front of Mizore, the explosion throwing him off his board and face first into the snow.
Hinata faced her opponent with her byakugan activated. Fubuki stood with an evil grin across from the Hyuga heiress. "Look little girl, you know you can't beat me. I can see it through your body language. You're not ready to take on someone like me" she said which only caused Hinata to get into her Gentle Fist stance. Fubuki sighed before smiling. "Don't say I didn't warn you kid" Fubuki said before going through a quick sequence of hand seals and shouting "Ice Style Tsubame Blizzard" sending a number of ice shards in the form of swallows flying towards Hinata.
The Hyuga faced the attack with a determined look. "I won't lose! Rotation" the girl shouted spinning and creating a dome of chakra around her destroying the attack sent by Fubuki who frowned seeing the result of the clash of attacks. Before Fubuki could attack Hinata again, the Leaf genin rushed at her with her palms open. Just as Hinata landed her palm strike, she was violently thrown back.
Fubuki chuckled at the downed girl. "I take it you're pretty confused. I told you that you couldn't beat me. I'm wearing chakra armor, an armor that makes all ninjutsu and genjutsu useless against me. Any usage of chakra against me is basically a death warrant signed for yourself. Now I have a schedule to keep so "Ice Prison Jutsu"" the Snow ninja said launching a wave of ice at the immobile Hinata. Before it could hit Hinata however, Yakumo appeared in front of Hinata picking her up and taking the attack herself which sent her flying back near Sakura.
(Konan)
The blue haired jounin was getting tired of the man she was facing and stopped when she saw her apprentice and Hinata land near Sakura and Yukie. Leaving behind Nadare, Konan sped to her team and reached them quickly. Looking at her team, she noticed Yakumo and Hinata both shakily standing up while Sakura looked concerned for her friends. Turning her head, Konan noticed that Yukie had now fallen to her knees for some reason.
"Sensei, they've got some sort of armor that neutralizes chakra" Yakumo said lightly panting. Konan's eyes widened at the new information. The jounin had only heard rumors of the advanced technology such as the chakra armor of Snow Country.
Konan turned to Yakumo and looked at the girl. "Yakumo, I'm going to need you to get us back to the ship because this attack will most likely cause me to lose consciousness" Konan said before walking forward, not giving her apprentice a chance to respond. Her three Snow ninja opponents stood across from her a fair distance away with smiles on their faces. Outstretching her arms, Konan summoned as much chakra sh she could before shouting out "ORIGAMI DEVASTATION".
Thousands of sheets of paper, each with an explosive note attached to it flew at the three Snow ninja. Nadare's eyes widened at the mass amount of explosives coming their way and performed a series of handsigns as quickly as he could. "White Whale Jutsu" he said as he ended his handsigns. Just before the explosive notes could make it to their target, a narwhal made completely of ice rose from the middle of the glacier and took the attack head on. When the thousands of explosive notes hit the whale, they each exploded creating a blast that destroyed the whale and was even able to knock the three Snow ninja on their backs.
As the three got up slowly, they watched the ship that contained Koyuki and the group of Konoha ninja sailing beyond reach. Nadare sighed and grit his teeth at the sight before looking at his companions. "Come on, we have to report to Doto" he said and the three quickly left.
In the Snow ninjas' haste, not once did they notice a woman with white hair done in a long braid kneeling atop the glacier. On her back was a sword in a blue and white sheath. The woman smiled at what she had just seen before looking up at the sky. "Your sister certainly is powerful, I see why you bragged about her so much Sera" the woman said before jumping from her spot and leaving.
(One Day Later Port of Land of Snow)
Yakumo, Sakura, Hinata, Sandayu, the director, and his assistant sat at a large wooden table inside of the ship. Konan sat next to Yakumo looking quite exhausted but attentive nonetheless.
"Okay, I think that you boys have some explaining to do" Konan said with her arms crossed. The director smoked his pipe, Sandayu looked down, and the assistant just looked around like he had no idea what was happening.
Sandayu took a breath before breaking the silence of the men. "I'm afraid that I haven't been completely honest with you. Yukie Fugikaze, the woman that you have been guarding, is not real. It is an alias made years ago to conceal her true identity. She is Koyuki Kazahana, Princess of the Land of Snow. I served her when she was a child and before that I served her father, Lord Sosetsu Kazahana" Sandayu said with a smile. "The Land of Snow was small, but it was peaceful. Everyone was happy, or so it seemed" he said as his smile fell into a sad frown. "Ten years ago, Sosetsu's younger brother Doto hired an army of Snow ninja and began a rebellion" Sandayu said before wiping at his eye.
"He destroyed everything in his path, killed all those who opposed him, and killed Lord Sosetsu. For years I lived believing that Princes Koyuki had died with her father, but one day I heard a rumor which led me to the discovery that she had been saved. The reason I chose Konoha for this mission is because upon further investigation, I was able to find out that she had been saved on the night of the rebellion by a masked ninja from Konoha" Sandayu said with a smile.
"I should have died that night" said a voice prompting everyone to turn quickly and see Koyuki standing in the doorway. "After that night, I refused to care anymore. My heart died and all tears that I held dried up" Koyuki said in a cold voice.
Sandayu rose from his chair and bowed in front of Koyuki. "Please Princess Koyuki, you are the last hope for the Land of Snow. I beg of you to join your people and rise up against Doto to claim your rightful place as the Daimyo of the Land of Snow. Please my lady, for your people" the man begged with tears falling at a quick pace. The rest of the room watched, interested in what the actress' answer to such a request would be.
Koyuki looked at Sandayu who was on his knees crying before her. "Forget it. Why should I care what happens to Snow? Doto rules Snow Country and I don't see that changing for a long time, you might as well give up" the woman said coldly causing Sandayu to look back at the ground. The room was silent for a long moment before Yakumo rising from her chair interrupted the silence.
"You know, it's taking a lot for me to keep from punching your face in. If you want to wallow in your own self pity, be my guest. Just because you don't care doesn't give you the right to belittle people's hopes and dreams. All Sandayu wants is for his country and people to be free, a nobler dream than most. You are in the position and have the opportunity to not only free a nation, but fulfill the hopes and dreams of an entire people yet you spit on it. I refuse to work for someone that selfish and cold so I'm going to take the decision out of your hands. We will kill this Doto guy, the country will be free, and you will be the best Kami damned daimyo of all time whether you like it or not" Yakumo said standing up with a fire in her eyes. The rest of the room excluding Koyuki smiled at her words. Sakura and Hinata looked at each other before nodding with a look of determination, Konan smiled at her apprentice's spirit, the director nodded while thinking of the filming opportunity, and Sandayu cried happy that people believed in his goal.
Koyuki clenched her fists at Yakumo's speech. "This isn't a game! You can't beat Doto, he's too powerful" she shouted irritated that they wouldn't hear the stupidity and futility of their words.
Yakumo smirked before unsealing "Graceful Lilly". "Well lucky for you, you have one of the three "Kage Killers" to help level the playing field" the brunette genjutsu user said.
(Two Hours Later)
The movie crew had stopped for the moment to film. They had stopped near the tunnel of an unused railroad and were getting things together when the director's assistant ran out shouting that Koyuki had gone missing. Before everyone could start panicking, the Konoha kunoitchi each left looking for the missing princess.
It was Yakumo who was the one to come across an almost unconscious Koyuki. With a sigh, the girl picked up the actress and carried the woman on her back trying to get back to the rendezvous as quickly as possible. Yakumo and Koyuki were in the railroad tunnel when Koyuki decided to awake.
"You know, this is the second time I've had to carry you and I'm not a fan of it Princess" said the brunette as she kept walking with Koyuki on her back. "I swear, you are really heavy. I thought that actresses are supposed to keep a figure and all of that stuff. If we're being honest, you could be well on your way to becoming an honorary Akamichi. Then again, if I had the type of food that you celebrities get, I'd probably put on some weight too. Either way, you're gonna have to go on a diet soon. After all, a leader like you can't be too pudgy right?" Yakumo sarcastically asked while giggling.
Koyuki groaned at her position. "Why don't you just give up" the woman asked causing Yakumo to stop. "This situation does not have anything to do with you. You have no responsibility to help Snow, I don't even have a responsibility anymore" Koyuki said looking down at the railroad tracks below them.
Yakumo was quiet for a moment before she spoke. "You're wrong. I do have a responsibility to help Snow and any others that are oppressed by evil tyrants. We all have that responsibility. I've learned that in my short time as a kunoitchi from liberating two nations from evil tyrants. I'm going for the hat trick this time. Trust me Princess, you will understand why it's your responsibility the moment that you look into a freed person's eyes. Helping someone achieve true freedom is a feeling like no other, you'll find that out soon enough" Yakumo said with a smile. "Now let's get go-" Yakumo stopped her sentence as the ground beneath her started to shake.
Slowly turning around, Yakumo saw exactly what she feared. A train was speeding along the rails behind them. A train that would soon run over them. Turning her head, Yakumo looked at Koyuki and looked at her before they both screamed. Yakumo turned around and ran sending all of her chakra into her legs. The train quickly closed in on the two and was nearly to the two. Gritting her teeth, Yakumo forced her legs to move faster than they ever had before, ignoring the burning within her leg muscles.
Just as the train was about to run over Yakumo and Koyuki, the chunin was able to get out of the tunnel and jump off the tracks barely avoiding being flattened. It took about a minute before Yakumo was able to push herself off of the snow and sit up. Looking to make sure that Koyuki was safe, she was confused to see a shaking and scared looking Koyuki muttering "Doto". Looking beside her, Yakumo saw that the train had stopped and Nadare along with a tall man were standing on the roof with a sinister smile. The tall man was Doto Kazahana.
"Why hello Koyuki. It's been about ten years hasn't it?" Doto said. His attention however quickly shifted further along the train where a large number of logs had collided with the side of the machine. Narrowing his eyes, Doto looked to the top of a nearby hill where a large number of men stood in battle gear. Among them was Sandayu decked out in full battle gear with a sword at his side.
Sandayu unsheathed his sword and looked down at the tyrant. "Doto, I and fifty loyal soldiers to the true Land of the Snow have waited a long time for this day. Today, we shall avenge Lord Sosetsu Kazahana and reclaim the Land of Snow in order to return it to its former glory" Sandayu shouted gaining a loud chorus of agreeing shouts. Nearby, a hidden film crew was recording everything.
Nadare looked at Doto. "My apologies Lord Doto, it seems that a few rebels have survived. I shall dispose of them immediately" the blue haired man said but was stopped by Doto who put his hand on his shoulder.
Doto smiled at the number of rebels atop the hill. "No, it's time that they learn true despair" he said with a chuckle as the fifty one loyal Snow warriors ran down the hill in their attempt to overthrow Doto. With a hand signal, the tyrant sent a message to his men along the train. Immediately, parts of the train opened up revealing some type of large launching machine.
As the fifty one warriors came closer, the launcher did its job. Hundreds of kunai were launched in a nonstop barrage that stormed over the entirety of the rebellion. The fifty one men never reached the train, each one killed by a swarm of multiple kunai in an instant. Doto looked at the bloody sight and began to laugh in twisted glee. Yakumo and Koyuki looked at the result of the kunai launcher with equal amounts of horror. Just as it seemed that everyone was dead, Sandayu slowly stood covered in kunai and breathing harshly. He stood and faced the launcher as it fired again. The kunai sped towards Sandayu to be the finishing blow but they never reached as wall of reinforced chakra paper shielded the man.
Konan, Hinata, and Sakura appeared next to Sandayu. Konan slowly lowered the old man to the ground while Sakura and Hinata threw kunai attached with explosive notes at the train. Doto frowned at the explosions that resulted and returned with Nadare into the train as it took off before it could sustain any more damage.
(Ten Minutes Later)
Yakumo, Sakura, and Hinata stood looking at the battlefield. The litter of dead bodies and bloody kunai were the result of Doto's cruelty. They watched as Konan and a few of the film crew brought forth the manager for Yukie Fugikaze on a stretcher and laid him at the feet of the actress.
Sandayu looked up at Koyuki, thankful that his last sight would be of the person that meant so much to his people. "Princess Koyuki, please forgive me. I never should have gotten you into this, I just wanted you to be the leader that I and so many other believe that you could be. Your life gave us and continues to give me hope. I just pray that you will believe in yourself like I do" the man said with a strained voice. Finished speaking, Sandayu surrendered his soul to the Shinigami and died.
Koyuki looked at the dead body of her manager with the same look that she always held. Cold indifference. "You were a fool Sandayu" Koyuki said before looking up at the crew and Leaf ninja. "I told you that it was pointless to try and stop Doto. I hope that you have gotten all the film that you need because I want to go home now" Koyuki said turning around and starting to leave the site.
Before she could get far, a large blimp rose into the air in front of the actress. Standing in an open door of the blimp, Mizore shot his chakra armor hand which flew and latched on to Koyuki before pulling her off of the mountain and to the blimp. Fubuki flew overhead dropping a number of kunai with beads attached. Once the kunai hit the ground, spikes of ice rose high preventing anyone from making any moves to go after the princess.
As the blimp floated away, Konan, Sakura, Hinata, and everyone else got situated. Konan and Sakura stayed on high alert before making sure that everyone was okay. Hinata looked around examining their surroundings before noticing something. "Um Konan sensei, where is Yakumo?" Hinata asked. The question made Konan tilt her head in confusion and looked around before her eyes widened and she looked off towards the blimp that was beyond them. "Damn her" Konan said in frustration.
"I'm afraid that a missing student is the least of your problems Konan" said a voice nearby causing everyone to turn around. Standing in the snow with a smirk was Sashira, the number two swordsman of the Shinigami's Blade.
(Yakumo)
Yakumo held on tightly to the rope that was connected the the kunai she had lodged into the blimp. She didn't know when or why she had immediately gone after the blimp, it was just a automatic reaction. Not focusing on the fact that if she fell she would die, Yakumo began to climb the rope. Slowly, the brunette climbed in her effort to save Koyuki.
(Koyuki)
Koyuki sat inside of the blimp looking at the ground while Doto stood in front of her with a smile.
"You've become quite beautiful Koyuki. It's so good to see you again" the man said walking forward. Stopping just in front of her, he rubbed his hand along her face until jerked her head away. Doto chuckled at that. "I will get to the point Koyuki, I want the Hex Crystal. You see, when I took over as the leader of the Snow, I found that the Kazahana clan no longer had any resources. I was furious when I found out, but over the years I learned that I shouldn't be angry because it was not that our resources were depleted, they were hidden. You see, your father hid away all of the treasure accumulated by the Kazahana clan in one location. The Rainbow Glacier" Doto said.
Koyuki continued to look at the ground disinterestedly. "I don't see why that concerns me" the princess said in a dead tone.
Doto smiled at her answer. "It concerns you because of the gift that your father gave you so many years ago. In the Rainbow Glacier, there is a keyhole, one shaped exactly like the Hex Crystal. I will need the Hex Crystal in order to retrieve the treasures that are rightfully mine" he said.
Koyuki sighed at his words and grabbed the Hex Crystal that hung from her neck. Ripping it off, she tossed it to her twisted uncle who caught it with one hand. The man examined it before smiling and giving a nod of thanks. "There, you have the Hex Crystal. May I go back now?" Koyuki asked wanting to go home as quick as possible but felt a pang of fear as Doto's smile turned dark.
"I thank you Koyuki for your cooperation. As for you leaving, I'm afraid that will not be possible" Doto said leaning closer to Koyuki. Before the woman could ask why, Doto once again ran his hand down her face. "You have become so very beautiful Koyuki" he said, his evil grin growing as Koyuki's eyes widened in fear.
"Take your hands off of her creep" said a voice that caused both to turn around. Yakumo stood panting and preparing for a fight. She was exhausted, her chakra was running low, and it was becoming increasingly difficult to stay standing but she stood all the same. "Koyuki come on, we're leaving" the brunette said but wasn't able to say anything else as a series of chakra strings wrapped around her. Mizore who had been standing above her jumped down behind her and forced her to the ground. Too tired to resist, Yakumo just growled at her oppressor.
Doto smirked at the sight of the Leaf chunin on the ground. "It seems that we have a stowaway. Nadare, I do believe that we have found the perfect test subject for our new device" he said getting a grin out of Nadare. The blue haired Snow ninja opened a panel on the wall and took out a gear shaped device. Walking towards the girl, he separated the device in half and placed it forcefully on Yakumo's stomach. The device latched onto the girl and then sent a surge of electricity causing Yakumo to scream out in pain before passing out.
Koyuki looked at the unconscious girl before looking at Doto. "That is our new chakra restraining device. It absorbs a person's chakra and the places a barrier around it. I'm sorry to say that your rescue will not be happening any time soon. Don't worry about the girl, I won't kill her. After all, she will provide a very pleasant form of entertainment for me" Doto said before turning to a Snow ninja piloting the blimp. "Bring us to the fort. We'll touch down there, regather ourselves, and then move on to the Rainbow Glacier" Doto said before turning to Yakumo with his dark smile returning.
(Konan)
Konan examined the woman who stood away from her. She had white braided hair, wore a small blue coat and ANBU pants, and had a sword at her side. Konan could feel that this woman radiated a large amount of power. "Everyone leave" Konan said, her eyes never leaving the woman with the sword. The film crew obeyed the order, but Sakura and Hinata stayed. "I'm sorry Konan sensei, but Leaf ninja do not abandon their comrades" Sakura said as she took a fighting stance while Hinata nodded and got into her Gentle Fist pose.
The blue haired jounin shook her head. "That is an order. This is way above your level now get back NOW" Konan growled out. The girls hesitated but slowly nodded and jumped back a short distance just in case their commanding jounin needed help.
Sashira smiled at Konan. "Now now Konan, we don't need to fight" Sashira said causing Konan to narrow her eyes.
"How do you know my name?" Konan shouted which caused Sashira's smile to widen.
"Sera and I were very close when she was a part of our group. She was my best friend. We shared many stories about our lives. Many of hers included adventures that she had with her sister" Sashira explained, and sighed seeing Konan become obviously angry. "For the record, we didn't kill Sera. We didn't even attack her, she attacked us. When she left, she tried to kill our leader and came somewhat close but failed nonetheless. The death of her is on her living legacy, Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze. Anyway, we don't have to fight, just give me what I want and I will be out of your hair" Sashira said.
Konan was shaking in anger. Here was a member of the Shinigami's Blade, someone who was responsible for so many of her friends' deaths, the destruction of her former group, and a member of the group that would have been the death of Sera had Naruto not done what he did. Here that woman stood, daring to call herself a friend to her beloved sister. "What is it that you want?" Konan growled out.
Sashira smiled at the question. "I want the Gobi and the Yonbi. Before the destruction of the Akatsuki, you were able to capture the four and five tailed beasts. At the time of your group's elimination, you compressed and sealed their essences, a nifty trick that very few know how to do. Something that I know it took Sera a long time to master. You thought that we wouldn't notice, but we were just waiting for the right moment. Now, I will be taking the tailed beasts now" she stated.
The blue haired ninja gritted her teeth. "Over my dead body" the ninja said before closing her eyes and concentrating. Finding her chakra, she moved it along and out of her hands. The chakra stretched out of her hands before forming two chakra blades similar to the chakra scalpel only bigger and more powerful. The sight of this caused Sashira to shake her head and unsheathe her blade. Out of the blue and white sheath came a blueish gray bladed katana.
For a second, neither woman moved. Then at the same time, both dashed forward and their blades met. Konan looked into Sashira's eyes with pure hatred and fury while Sashira just kept her confident smirk on her face. "You're out of your league Konan, you know that" the white haired swordsman said pushing her blade forward and knocking Konan back. "All I want are the four and five tails. Are they truly worth your life? Just give them to me and I will leave" Sashira said holding out her hand.
Konan grit her teeth in anger. "You and your group massacred my friends, threatened my new home, and are responsible for my sister's death. I would rather die than help you" Konan said standing straight. She noticed Sashira's smirk disappear and clench her blade tightly.
"I didn't kill Sera. As a matter of fact, if it were my decision I would have killed that boy already to avenge Sera. He is an insult to her memory, a memory that you apparently don't care about" Sashira said. Her words were the last straw as Konan screamed in rage and rushed at her with her chakra blades poised to kill.
Sashira brought her sword up and waited until Konan was close, too close. At the last second, Sashira dashed forward and ended up behind Konan without being hit by her. Konan stopped when she saw Sashira vanish and turned to see the woman before she felt a pain in both of her arms. Looking down, she saw two gashes, one on the left arm and one on the right. Sashira stared at Konan with a dark look, no longer one of a confident smirk. "When I said that you are out of your league, I meant it. I am the number two swordsman of the Shinigami's Blade for a reason. With every strike I land with my sword, another strike lands on the exact opposite side of the initial attack. With two strikes, I could dismember both of your arms and legs. One strike to the right side of your chest and the second goes through your heart killing you. Only one person has ever beat me in a duel, my and soon to be everyone's leader. Now, this is the last time I will ask for the tailed beasts" Sashira said in a stern tone.
Konan looked at Sashira as her mind was going into overdrive. The swordsman in front of her had known just where to strike in order to end any future sword battle as she would not be able to move her arms free enough to use her chakra blades in battle. Slowly she recalled the chakra blades back into her chakra pathways and started a quick series of handsigns before shouting "Dance of the Shikigami". A vortex of paper surrounded Sashira. The white haired swordsman looked around with a bored expression before noticing that there were a few papers with what seemed to be explosive notes attached to them. Before Sashira could react, the first explosion went of which triggered a series of more explosive notes.
The blue haired jounin examined from a distance as the smoke started to clear hoping that the attack did its job and killed the Shinigami's Blade member. Before the smoke could clear however, Sashira appeared directly in front of Konan and grabbed the woman by her throat. Sashira didn't have a scratch on her but her eyes held a murderous glare. "Enough games" the white haired woman growled out as she stabbed her sword into the left side of Konan which incurred a right stab wound as well. The stab didn't hit anything crucial and was not meant to kill. Lifting Konan higher and holding her throat a little tighter, Sashira sliced Konan's right arm, then her left shoulder, then her right leg before dropping her onto the snow and letting her wounds stain the ice she lay on. Five total attacks by Sashira left Konan with ten sword wounds and a bleeding mess.
Kneeling down to Konan, Sashira turned over the woman and opened her coat. Hanging on a necklace that was around Konan's neck were two orbs, one cloudy white and the other one completely red. Ripping the necklace from the woman, Sashira stood up and started to leave when she felt a hand weakly holding on to her ankle. Sashira freed her foot and stomped on to Konan's hand hard breaking the hand. Without turning around, Sashira addressed Konan. "The only reason I spare you today is because of your sister. I loved her and I will not kill you today solely because of the fact that you were sisters. If you cross me in the future, there will be no more mercy for you so consider today a blessing" the white haired swordsman said before walking away.
"Naruto will stop you. He will not let your pathetic group win" Konan said weakly causing Sashira to turn and for the first time give a truly evil smile.
Sashira started to laugh at the wounded woman in front of her's words before getting the finishing word. "The dead cannot stop what we have planned" Sashira said with a chuckle before vanishing in a shunshin leaving Konan with wide eyes and a gaping mouth. The blue haired ninja hardly noticed when Sakura and Hinata appeared beside her as the two got to work healing her wounds, instead focusing on Sashira's last words. It wasn't possible, but the woman sounded so sure of it.
(Snow Fortress Prison Cell)
Yakumo was chained from the ceiling. Both hands and legs were chained. She had tried getting out of the chains using chakra but every time she did, electricity surged through her body bringing about extreme pain. She was trying to think of a way out of her prison when she saw a small group of guards escorting Koyuki into the prison cell across from her. She watched as Koyuki walked into her cell and sat on the cold floor. The woman looked at the floor with dead eyes before turning her attention to the girl in chains. "I told you that there was no point in trying to defy Doto. It serves you right" the woman said getting a growl out of Yakumo.
"I am so sick and tired of your bitchy pathetic attitude. I don't know why you are like this but maybe you should just shut the fuck up about giving up because it's not happening" Yakumo said, her voice getting louder with each word. When she was finished, there was a long moment of silence before Koyuki spoke.
"You can see it in the spring. My father told me those words many years ago. He told me that the spring was like running through an endless field of flowers and that as long as I never gave up then the spring would come. But it never did and Snow is still as much of a frozen wasteland as it always was. I no longer believe that the spring will come to this land. So I tell you once again that there is no point in believing that things will change. Just give up" Koyuki said in a cold tone.
Yakumo narrowed her eyes at Koyuki before going limp and looking down. "It would be easy to give up wouldn't it? For so long, I was hurting at home. I was considered a freak, people stayed away from me for reasons out of my control. That pain hurt my heart worse and worse everyday. Eventually, I stopped trying to be social with others to avoid the hurt. I was giving up" Yakumo said as she started to rise. Pulling herself up, a surge of electricity went through her body making her scream but she kept pulling. "Just as I thought that it was all pointless, I met people who started to care about me" she said with flashes of Naruto, Sasuke, Itachi, and Konan going through her mind. Another surge of electricity went through as she started to try and break her handcuffs apart. "They saved me from myself and from then on, I swore to never give up as long as I lived" Yakumo said with tears falling as another surge went through her. "Your father and Sandayu were not wrong. Never give up and your dreams will eventually become a reality. I will prove that to you" she yelled out as electricity coursed through her body even more as she pulled with all her might.
Koyuki's eyes widened at what she was seeing. This girl was suffering substantial amounts of pain yet she kept trying to get out no matter how bad it hurt. She watched as Yakumo gave one last shout before breaking her handcuffs apart and falling to the ground. The brunette chunin slowly rose and bit her thumb before rubbing the blood on her arm. A poof of smoke later and Yakumo was holding "Graceful Lily". In an instant, Yakumo cut the chains around her ankles off with her scythe before standing up straight and looking at the bars in front of her. Raising her scythe, she swung her blade with a heavy swing. Five seconds later, the bars blew forwards letting Yakumo free. The girl smirked at the result before slowly walking to the front of Koyuki's cell. "Stand back" said the genjutsu master. When she determined that Koyuki was safe, Yakumo swung her scythe less forcefully but forceful enough to cut through the bars creating an exit.
Now that Koyuki was free, Yakumo turned around and breathed heavily while Koyuki came to stand next to the girl. Yakumo looked up before lowering herself so that Koyuki could get on her back. The brown haired girl grunted as she stood and looked up. "I'm serious about that diet thing Princess because I'm getting tired of carrying you" Yakumo said before jumping with all of her might high enough to land on a walkway. Once the two landed, Koyuki got off of the girl's back and wondered what their next move was. Yakumo sensing Koyuki's confusion sighed. "Listen, I know that you're scared but we need to find Doto and get that Hex Crystal back. Got it?" she asked in a stern tone which got a hesitant nod from the actress. Reaching into her pockets, Yakumo got an idea as she pulled out four explosive notes. "Time to let the team know where we are" Yakumo said with a scary smile as she threw one explosive note up, one down, one to the left, and one to the right. Turning to Koyuki, Yakumo grabbed the woman's hand before shouting "Run".
The pair made their way through the fortress quickly based solely on luck. They were lucky that the patrols had not come across them yet and they were lucky that there were signs that led to where they assumed Doto was. As they started to get close, four loud explosions went off a good distance away from them. Each explosion caused Yakumo to giggle.
(Ten Minutes Later)
Yakumo and Koyuki walked into what could be described as Doto's throne room. The man sat in the dimly lit room with a frown marring his face. "I take it that you believe that you can kill me now. If so, you are sorely mistaken" Doto said as he stood with a dark look directed at the two girls. Yakumo chuckled at his words.
"You know, the Yondaime Mizukage said something similar before me and my teammates killed him and liberated Kiri. I don't think that you compare to Yagura so if I were you I would be thinking of reasons that I would possibly spare you" Yakumo said raising "Graceful Lily".
Doto laughed at her words. "You may be strong, but the Chakra Restraint is still on you so all that bravado and confidence is for naught. But do not worry, I won't kill you. No, instead you will be used as entertainment and fun for my soldiers until there is nothing left of you. Now Nadare if you would?" Doto said confusing Yakumo until the blue haired Snow ninja appeared behind Koyuki, grabbed her, and appeared beside Doto giving the woman to him. Doto smirked before removing his robe revealing a suit of chakra armor underneath. Grabbing his niece tightly, he activated the wings on his armor and took off into the air.
Yakumo quickly threw a kunai wrapped in ninja wire to Koyuki who caught it and held on tightly as Yakumo rose with her and Doto. As the three flew over a forest of trees, Doto looked down and saw Yakumo holding on to a wire held by Koyuki. Scowling, he took one of his own kunai and cut the wire sending the girl falling to the distant ground below. When the wire was cut, the last thing Yakumo heard was Koyuki screaming her name as she went down.
(Near the Fortress)
Sakura, Hinata, and the film crew drove along the road in the direction of where the blimp that contained Yakumo and Koyuki went. Konan sat with the director's assistant trying to rest as best she could. Sakura had done a good patch job for a newly minted medic. Luckily for Konan, Sashira's strikes were used really just to temporarily disable her not seriously injure her. Still, the attacks hurt like hell and the ease at which Sashira beat her was humiliating and infuriating but Konan kept it in. Looking at the night sky, she sighed. They had been driving for hours trying to find Yakumo and Koyuki but her student was not the focus of Konan's thoughts at the moment. Her thoughts instead lingered on Sashira's words about Naruto. She had to have just been trying to mess with her mind. But what if it wasn't just hollow manipulative words. Before Konan could think anymore on it, an explosion sounded nearby causing everyone to stop.
Konan slowly got off of the truck she was riding on and tried to sense her apprentice's chakra signature but for some reason couldn't find it. Shaking her head, the blue haired woman knew that her student was the one responsible for the explosion. Focusing more, Konan was able to sense out the Snow ninja from before. Turning to Sakura and Hinata, she said "Girls' let's go" before taking off as quickly as she could. Hinata and Sakura nodded before taking off behind their commanding jounin leaving the film crew alone and wondering what they should do.
If the three kunoitchi had waited a few moments longer then they would have seen what the film crew luckily saw. The forms of Doto and Koyuki flying as Yakumo fell into the trees nearby. Seeing what had just happened, the film crew looked for where the Konoha kunoitchi were so that they could tell them that they found Yakumo but the three were out of sight already. Making a decision, the director pointed in the direction of the fallen girl and the movie truck moved onward.
(Konan, Hinata, and Sakura)
The three kunoitchi were able to make it to the area surrounding the fortress quickly. Stopping to examine the fortress on fire, no doubt Yakumo's doing, Konan kept her focus to try and keep track of the three Snow ninja. Just as she started to feel something, a small number of kunai with beads attached flew at the three Konoha nin. All three dodged quickly and having experienced the beaded kunai before, they were able to easily avoid the spikes of ice the rose when the kunai hit the snow.
Konan stood her ground while Hinata entered her Gentle Fist stance and Sakura entered her battle stance. They waited in silence among the trees for a short time before Fubuki came into view using her chakra armor to fly towards the three. As the three prepared for Fubuki, they were taken off guard when a metal fist slammed into Sakura's face. Mizore exited a group of trees with an odd smile that just seemed out of place. "Now Miss, I do believe that we have some unfinished business" said a voice behind Konan and Hinata causing them to both turn around.
Nadare Roga stood with his arms crossed and a smirk on his face as he stood looking at Konan. Mizore stood at a good distance from the Konoha nin as did Fubuki. "Fubuki, Mizore, finish off the kids. I'll be taking our blue haired beauty" he said before pulling out a kunai and licking his lips.
Konan turned to Hinata and a rising Sakura. "Girls, take those two out of here, I'll try to return to assist you as soon as possible" Konan said before looking them both in the eyes. "I believe in you" the blue haired woman said before entering her stance. She didn't even turn her head to make sure that Hinata and Sakura left. They were smart girls and good kunoitchi, that's why she was confident that the two would succeed in beating Mizore and Fubuki. Narrowing her eyes at her opponent, she noticed that his smirk had not fallen. "I've had a very very bad day which is unfortunate for you. I need to blow off some steam and beating you to a bloody pulp sounds about as relaxing as a day at the spa. Afterwards, you are going to tell me what has become of my apprentice" Konan said rolling her neck.
Konan's words only made Nadare's smirk grow wider. "You are quite optimistic for someone who was forced to flee from our last meeting" Nadare said as he cracked his knuckles. "Let's begin, because by the end of this you will be begging me for mer-" he said but was interrupted as a sharp pain was felt in his side. Looking down, he saw a bloody spear of paper. When he looked back up, he saw the blue haired ninja he had been talking to disperse into hundreds of sheets of paper.
From behind, Konan pushed the spear deeper. "Like I said, it's been a rough day for me so I'm not in an entertaining mood. This fight is over. Now while my genin kick your fellow Snow ninja's asses, you and I are going to have a very short chat. Cooperate and you live. Resist and I will slowly gut you open" she said before grabbing Nadare's neck and flipping him making him land roughly on his back. She followed up the flip with a smash of her heel on his chest which easily broke a few of Nadare's ribs causing the man to gasp in pain. Konan squatted just above the man and removed a kunai. "Let's begin".
(Hinata and Sakura)
Hinata stood in the trees as she waited for Fubuki while Sakura stood in the snow on the ground waiting for Mizore. The two had managed to lose the Snow ninja for a moment and find a good spot to defend. Hinata had her Byakugan activated and ready for the blue haired Snow nin while Sakura had her fists clenched, excited to pay back Mizore for his cheap shot.
Fubuki was the first to enter the area as she flew through the trees taking Hinata with her into the air. The two went high above the treetop and out of view of Sakura. When she lost sight of her teammate, Sakura simply reentered her stance and waited for the large man to come into sight. A second after the kunoitchi readied herself, Mizore entered the area on a speeding snow board with the intent of colliding with Sakura. Gritting her teeth, Sakura raised her fist in the sky and then brought it down onto the ground hard. The result was that a large crack formed on the impact area and immediately continued towards Mizore. Unable to avoid the incoming crack, he was thrown from his board as the ground shifted beneath him.
Hinata and Fubuki tussled in mid air before Hinata was able to get leverage by grabbing Fubuki's hair and pulling it. With her grip still on the woman's hair, Hinata threw Fubuki downwards and reinforced the fall by slamming her leg into the Snow ninja's chest speeding up both of their falls. As the two sped down, Hinata was able to use Fubuki's chest as a jumping point to perform a back flip and land on her feet on the ground. Fubuki however continued to fall at an even faster rate before making impact with a dazed Mizore who was getting up from his snowboarding accident. When Fubuki landed on Mizore, a light show of electricity flashed which led to them both being knocked from consciousness.
Sakura stared at the two unconscious Snow ninja for a few seconds before looking at Hinata and nodding with a smile which gained a smile and nod in return. Before the two could do anything more, Konan entered the area with a substantial amount of blood on her jounin vest and arms. The blue haired jounin took a few seconds to examine the work of Sakura and Hinata before speaking. "We need to get to the Rainbow Glacier. Yakumo and Koyuki will be there" the bluenette said before dashing quickly in the direction of the Rainbow Glacier with the girls following quickly behind.
(Yakumo)
Yakumo sat in the director's truck as the went to the Rainbow Glacier. She was lucky that the film crew had seen her fall and she was also lucky that the Rainbow Glacier was close by. Yakumo hoped that Sakura and Hinata were alright but knowing that they were being protected by her master was a great deal of comfort for her mind.
Coming into the glacier, Yakumo saw Doto standing over a downed Koyuki and also noticed that the air around them was almost warm instead of freezing like a glacier should be. She jumped off of the truck while it was still moving and took off on her feet. Speeding to Doto as fast as she could, she tried to pump chakra into her legs only to suffer an excruciating shock sending her to the ground. Groaning from her spot on the ice, she tried to muster up the energy to get up but her body just wouldn't move. Laying back on the ground, she stopped struggling and thought of how easy it would be to just stay where she was and let someone else take care of the issue.
"Pathetic" said a dark voice from within Yakumo's head causing her to grimace. "I have stayed out of your consciousness because you have not done anything that would require me to enter into it until now. You speak of never giving up yet her you lie because of a little shock. Do you think that this would keep Konan down? Do you think it would keep your teammates down?" the voice said making Yakumo think about the people who were most important to her and what they would do. She shook her head as best as she could from her spot. "Good, now get up, kill that man, and free this country!" the voice said.
Yakumo stood up shakily. When she looked forward, she was met with the sight of a large dark ice dragon heading straight for her. The impact was harsh and sent her flying while Doto laughed at the sight in the distance. Koyuki looked at Yakumo who was now flat on her back and thought of the pointlessness of it all before shaking her head. "Yakumo, don't give up! I believe in you!" the princess shouted before being backhanded by her uncle.
Doto looked at the girl below him with a glare. "Do not speak unless I permit it" he said before kneeling down to her level and smiling a sinister grin. "I would hate to damage that pretty face anymore" he said as he caressed the spot he had just hit. Koyuki's response was to spit in his face which only served to anger him further. He raised his hand to hit her again but stopped when he felt a burst of chakra nearby. Looking in the direction of the chakra, he was surprised to see Yakumo standing with her scythe out. The edges of the blade were glowing blue and the device on her chest was cracked and obviously broken.
Yakumo gritted her teeth as she tasted her own blood. Taking a short moment to regulate her breathing, she immediately dashed towards Doto. The large man did a series of quick handsigns and shouted "Twin Dragon Blizzard" as two dark ice dragons flew towards the brunette. Yakumo simply sped up before jumping high into the air. As the dragons neared her in the air, she swung her scythe down with a loud shout completely disrupting the jutsu. When she landed, Doto ran towards her and swung his armored fist. Yakumo bent backwards and launched a heavy kick up impacting his chin and sending him backwards onto his back. When the man rose, he had a small line of blood running down the side of his mouth and was growling angrily.
Doto ran forwards again and launched a punch at Yakumo which again missed. He continued to swing and swing only to continuously miss. As he kept swinging, his attacks became slower and slower. Before long, Yakumo was dodging the attacks with an amused grin. The man had exhausted himself pretty quickly. Deciding that she had toyed with the man enough, Yakumo dodged a punch and swung her fist hard into Doto's eye knocking him onto the ground. "That was for Sosetsu" she said walking up to the downed man. Standing above Doto, she kicked an unguarded area of his side as hard as she could causing the man to grunt in pain. "That was for Sandayu" Yakumo said. Once again walking up to his tired body, she picked the man up and put him in a kneeling position. Raising her scythe, she stared the man in the eyes and found the sight that she had been waiting for. A look of fear showed on Doto's face and it made Yakumo smile widely. "And this is for the Land of Snow. Give the Shinigami my regards" were the last words that Doto ever heard as the Konoha chunin brought her scythe down and decapitated the evil ruler.
Yakumo stared at the body and the blood that now stained the ice before looking at Koyuki. "Are you okay Koyuki?" the chunin asked to which Koyuki nodded before standing up and coming to stand beside the girl.
"You have saved my country" Koyuki said still looking at the dead body of Doto. Yakumo shook her head at Koyuki's words. "All I did was kill its leader. It will be your duty to save it. The Land of Snow needs you and whether you want to admit it or not, you need the Land of Snow" Yakumo said as both looked up at the sun that was now rising. After a long gaze into the sunrise, they were brought out of it by the sounds of gasps from the movie crew nearby. Looking back down, they saw fields of beautiful green grass instead of the ice cold glaciers that had surrounded them only moments ago. The icy columns that surrounded the glacier were no longer covered in ice but were now revealed to be giant mirrors. Koyuki examined the beautiful area around her with an amazed look before she saw the most wonderful rainbow that shined in the blue sky. And for the first time since the death of her father, she cried.
(Two Days Later Land of Snow City Center)
Koyuki stood in her daimyo's robes beside the Konoha group. In the short time since the death of Doto, she had become the official daimyo of the Snow and the experimental heat generator that resided on the Rainbow Glacier had started to drastically improve the environment of the country. Looking at the group of Konoha ninja, Koyuki smiled. "There really are no words to express how grateful not only I but my country as a whole are. With what we know about our heat generator already, we should be able to create an even better and more advanced one. Soon, instead of the Land of Snow we will be known as the Land of Spring and it's all thanks to you" she said with a genuine smile.
The kunoitchi smiled. Konan stepped forward to address the daimyo. "Lady Koyuki, I hope that there will perhaps be talks of a treaty between our two nations in the future" Konan said to which Koyuki nodded still smiling. "Oh yes, I will have sent the request to your Hokage within the week and I look forward to our potential alliance" she said before looking at Yakumo. "I also look forward to meeting this beloved boyfriend of yours that you have told me about for two days straight" the Spring daimyo said causing Yakumo to blush, Sakura and Hinata to giggle, but Konan to look away with a slightly concerned look.
After the group finished talking, the Konoha ninja started to leave but Yakumo looked back and saw Koyuki surrounded by a group of child fans who wanted her autograph. The genjutsu master smiled when instead of the Koyuki they initially met who shoved away fans, she had transformed into a compassionate and kind figure. With a smile, Yakumo turned and with her team left for Konoha.
Author's Note: Firstly, I want to thank all of you for your patience. I've gotten so much support for this story and I hate that I haven't updated in so long but all of you have been the best about it. I hope that you enjoyed this chapter and I hope that you will leave a review because I learn a lot from them. Well, I will see you all next chapter :)