Chapter Nine

No Choice: Weighing the Scales

"For the time being, nothing can be done about Sasuke."

She supposed she shouldn't be surprised about his response, because he was right, and Orochimaru was no longer a threat. That she could accept. "But we still can help him, right? He isn't manipulated by that rotten bastard anymore -"

Itachi interrupted her. "And I called you a child for believing you could save both my brother and our village. Konoha is more important than him at the present," he reminded her. "You really think you still have a chance now that you know? Even if he learned, he would not take it as well as you." Sasuke chose to leave on his own. He wanted nothing to do with any of us; I couldn't bring him back if I wanted to.

Which meant that if Sasuke wanted to come home, that was his choice. If he did threaten her, her friends again as well as the village for sure, she would have to kill him...or try to.

"Naru, your choice is to kill Sasuke, or be killed by him. He's not the boy you remember."

I refuse to believe that. I don't want to be a loser, but I don't want to kill him either. There is no option...

When she said this, Itachi said nothing - and then that smile appeared again on his face...but this time she saw that it wasn't the kind to mess around and warn that you weren't going to like what happened next. It was a genuine smirk that she had no idea how to react - but she knew she liked it.

Now she knew what he'd been doing. He was testing her to see if she would waver in her faith for his brother. And that meant he was glad she wasn't giving up - yet. "My little brother doesn't realize how lucky he is to have you as a friend."

Was it her imagination...or was he showing a more human side now? Why hadn't he done this before when it was just the two of them?

"He came out and said that we became best friends, that day at the Final Valley," Naru said, finding herself locked into his gaze. "He actually said that, maybe even the sister he never had." Her heart clenched as her lips quivered. "And he had to tell me then of all times!"

Her body acted against her brain, because she found herself throwing her arms around his neck, needing someone to hold onto - and his body stiffened as he never expected her to do that. I didn't even think, just did! I'm just as surprised!

Obviously, you know but don't realize it.

What do you mean by that, Kurama?

He gives you what that brat brother of his never did, so you figure the rest out, runt.

The fox was right; Itachi was there for her the most nowadays, and so was Gaara, and the truth about one made her decide he was more of a man than Sasuke ever would be. Her former teammate never understood the pain of those who lived during war, especially his own brother. So while she was sure she still cared about him to help him, he had to earn respect and trust back on his own.

"Naru."

Itachi was speechless, and all he could say was her name. It must have been a long time since he had been embraced by someone, which broke her heart. She hadn't hugged or been hugged either, and with reason since she'd been starved of love, which was so much more and so different than friendship alone.

Naru realized she did want something like that, but because of everything happening, she was scared again.

~o~

The Kazekage couldn't be present all the time, because of loads of paperwork that never ended, but today Gaara made the time because this was his sister as well as Naru having a sparring session. Indoors when the weather was torrid and unbearable.

Here was Naru, having changed out of the dress since she said she didn't want to ruin it in the fight - and that was when they all, Itachi included, saw her for the first time in her newly done getup...and what a vision she was: the vest was orange, the sleeves reaching her elbows, and it was unzipped a little in the front to show the fishnet underneath. It was finished with standard Shinobi trousers and sandals, but his attention was snagged by the delicate rope around her neck.

Please don't be destroyed in combat.

He and the Kazekage - Kankuro away for an assignment outside the village, involving bandits attacking nobility caravans - were enjoying the sight of the two women going at each other and giving it all they had.

"When this is over, it's time I give Naru what she needs more than I," Gaara told him quietly. "I would have learned to master it had Shukaku still been inside me."

The Uchiha had a suspicion what he was talking about, and he would find out as soon as the match was over. Through the entirety, Temari's Giant Folding Fan against Naru's versions of Rasengan nearly tore the indoor walls to the ground, resulting in collateral damage, but when it was all over and both Wind users canceled each other out, the Kazekage's sister was the one who was down and the Uzumaki exited her glowing Nine-Tails mode.

He had seen many mind-blowing things all his life, but she was ever full of surprises.

"I haven't been down in a hell of a long time," Temari said, dusting herself off as they were all leaving the grounds, and she said she could use a cold scrubbing. Women and their appearances, but Itachi knew that too well. "Naru, you really are something else! I'm jealous!" But she was laughing, and she gave the other a high five.

Gaara gave a "hmph" of approval, still working on more appraisal since this was still his friend. Personal and politics were separate from each other. Then he announced that he had something for Naru to see, because he felt now was any good time to give it to her - but for her to begin her training with it as soon as possible. Her eyes lit up, but Temari was a bit wary if agreeing.

"My father acquired it - or rather, he stole it, but that is all anyone knows," Gaara explained as they finally reached the lowermost levels of the Kazekage Tower, where the greatest weapon was hidden safely under lock and key, where only the Kazekage had access. There were others that were older than the ones upstairs, but this at the altar was most special. It lay in a dusted black box secured by seals that were broken, and it was opened so that Naru and Itachi could see the contents.

A wakizashi at first sight, to accommodate feminine size, but whether or not man or woman wielded it, its power was immense when it was unleashed. The hilt was sculpted mahogany wood without an orient, which meant anyone could use it. The blade had the inscription クトネ carved in from the base of the hilt.

"The Kutone Blade," Itachi breathed, taking in the simple, delicate intricacy of the weapon that was mythicized to have been manufactured in the time of the Sage of Six Paths. Wielded by himself, but then it was said to have been lost after his death. Until the First Shinobi War came to be, it was discovered again and was hidden away on orders of the Second Hokage...

"Oh, wow, that is...way beyond cool!" Naru exclaimed, her eyes white balls and her jawline squared. "If there's one good thing about your dad, then it's having something that can kick ass if you're like us!"

That brought another serene smile on the Kazekage's face - but it was also troubled. The man had his own son made a host for a monster before he was born, kept him isolated from his own siblings as well as attempted assassination many times, used his own brother-in-law. The boy shunned love and friendship as a result...but look at him now.

"Have you ever used it in training?" she asked, picking it up after being granted permission, and in awe at how its weight balanced in both hands and one alone. Her eyes flashed as did its blade in the light.

Sadly, Gaara shook his head. "No. I was unpredictable by the time I met you, as you remember. I would have had I reached an older age, like before now. The Kutone Blade is said to be compatible with the chakra of every Jinchuuriki, but it was once fought for as a prize before vanishing, and then rediscovered by the Nidaime of Konoha - until he ordered it hidden. During the Second Shinobi War, it was uncovered once more by the Sandaime Tsuchikage of the Hidden Rock Village and fought once again between the three, leading again to its hiding away...finally ending with my father finding it and keeping it under lock and key because our home was struggling moreso than the other villages, and there was no way we could dirty our hands with Water, Earth and Lightning Lands after everything." He shook his head. "So your village's lesser expenses were used to help us, though Father saw us on the verge of extinction, and you know what happened.

"Ultimately, it was decided that when I started having more control of Shukaku, he deemed me able to use the sword in training, but only AFTER the Chuunin Exams - which was when he thought that bringing the Leaf down would make us reach the top again."

He sent loyals to their deaths to better his village, even used his own son in a manner Minato never would have wanted you to be.

Yeah, you're right, Kurama. He was under pressure from the Council and his subordinates, too, wasn't he? But that still doesn't mean I should forgive him for what he did to his own son...

Torn between love and duty was the man, but as far as Naru was concerned, both should be balanced evenly, and she was going to show it.

"So, you get to have it, Naru."

Grinning, she accepted, and thanked him. "I'll make good use of it! It's gonna have its day when we save the Hidden Leaf Village!"

If she had anything to say about it, she'd say this was the Samehada she envied and had been looking for. Her prayers had been answered...and it could be a worthy match to Sasuke's Kusanagi when they met again.

~o~

He finally heard back regarding Sasuke, and the news was worse than imagined. He didn't want to acknowledge that his beloved otouto would have stooped this low, but the means was far more disturbing if also half-expected.

Danzo had contacted Sasuke, because of his intentions to have both Itachi and Naru eliminated once and for all, and easily enough, the second to last Uchiha agreed - though it was obvious that he was suspicious of the Hokage's motives. He agreed just because Itachi was involved, the one he wanted to kill.

There was no telling if he was going to kill Naru if they met again. But if he did, then she had to use the Kutone against Sasuke's Kusanagi. Itachi could picture it all and how there could not be canceling out this time...or he was wrong. Wind and fire always grew stronger together.

On second thought, she could appeal to him now that she understood better than ever.

He issued a coded message that the rest of the Akatsuki would understand, and that meant he and Naru had to get away from here as soon as possible, but before that, he had training to give the woman who was all the more making him swell with a feeling that he hadn't felt with Izumi as she did for him. That embrace she gave him caught him off-guard as he never thought he would get that since he alienated himself from his own little brother.

He looked forward to seeing her use the sword of legend that only the host of a tailed beast could master.

In Okami, the kutone is wielded by a swordsman named Oki and used to slay demonic twins Nechku and Lechku. Other than that, I don't know the entire story. A friend suggested the weapon in naming the Demon's Blade.

So, await when Naru finally uses it. :D EEEEEE! And reviews much appreciated.