Soooo, I guess it's been awhile, yeah?
Oops?
It was very close to two months when I finally finished the chapter but at that point I thought you guys deserved a little more than a 5k word chapter. Tried buckling down to increase it but it was slow going. Eventually I was about to just cut my losses and post it at seven thousand so you at least wouldn't still be waiting when inspiration struck.
I was two pages into Sasuke's scene when everything just started to flow so I went with it and managed to get the chapter up to about 11k. The scene following Sasuke's was the last but I've moved them back further into the chapter because as much as I'd like to finish with those scenes it doesn't fit as well as I'd like.
I'm also surprised by how much writing his scene actually reduced my loathing for Sasuke. Now I can probably just call it hate but that's improvement, yeah? I'm not sure what it is, but trying to write from a characters perspective- even when taking liberties- really changes the way you see them.
He's only had a few scenes to himself, but after this one I almost regret what I'm going to do to him.
Almost.
Kukukukuku.
Well, I've taken up enough of your time, so let's wrap this AN up.
My older stories have been taken down finally, leaving me with three or four posted- including this one. If you're interested in some of my older stories- to either read or adopt- let me know and I can send them to you in HTML format. I might have some of them saved on my computer or in a cloud somewhere, but I think I'm missing more than a few of them so if you're looking to just adopt be forewarned you may have to type it all up yourselves from the files I do have.
Thanks, as always, goes to ncpfan for all his help looking over my work.
Let's finish up this invasion, yeah?
She was not a quick and gentle breeze, she was not the dancer that performed unseen in the moonlight.
No, she was like a hurricane- a storm of rage and wrath and vengeance.
Uzuki Yugao tore through Sand Shinobi as a Biju might tear ricepaper.
It was as glorious as it was terrifying.
More so if someone were to realize she wasn't even fully paying attention to her surroundings. Rather than coordinating with her team to most effectively stop the invaders, they were forced to follow in her wake as she went from foe to foe leaving trails of corpses behind her.
While instinct and bloodlust alone seemed to direct her body to her next target, her mind was a chaotic mess of rage, pain, and sorrow for the lover she had lost to their supposed 'allies'. They would receive no mercy from her. But her thoughts did not solely focus on the invaders, either.
No, the majority of her rage was actually directed at targets more native to Hi no Kuni, but only slightly.
For the Wolves, active as they had been in Konoha, had obviously known of the coming invasion.
And yet Hayate was dead all the same.
Had she not been so distracted by her grief and rage, she may have recognized the fact that the Wolves were in no way responsible for the safety of Konoha and that anyone capable of cutting down Hayate- as the wound had indicated- was no run of the mill Shinobi. Anyone capable of ending the life of one of Konoha's premier Kenjutsu users with a single attack head-on would probably not have had much trouble against whatever few Wolves could be spared for that area
Even then, with the battle appearing to have come down to a single attack there was no guarantee a Wolf would even become aware of the problem before it was over.
Yugao, however, could not consider those fact even had she wanted to and as such continued to seethe at the idea of Wolves, another group that had claimed to be their allies, had allowed her lover to die while within the safety of Konoha's walls.
And so, she focused that anger, that all-consuming hatred that was soon to become utter loathing , upon the only targets she had available.
Only a few fortunate Sand Shinobi would survive, those far enough away that they couldn't instantly be cut down, and they would speak of her bloody dance until their dying days.
And thus was born the legend of Konoha's Crimson Moon-Flower.
Normally the desert sun would seep through the cracks of the wooden shutters to bathe the deeply stained woods that made up the council room in a pale yellow light.
Today, however, the entire room glowed a deep flickering orange as if all the woods- a precious luxury here in the middle of Kaze no Kuni's Sea of Sand- had been set alight with little regard for their material worth.
Such worth happened to be the last thing on anyone's mind.
"No, please, Kazekage-Sama-!" A horrible, grinding crunch silenced the pleas in a flash of gold and crimson that caught the scarce light of the outside world and fanned the imaginary flames for a moment more.
Gold dust littered the room, reflecting light over pools of growing blood as even more of it writhed through the air, a serpent of the air seeking its prey.
Sabaku no Rasa was not pleased.
Fools, the lot of them, and they didn't even have the decency to make mistakes that would only affect themselves. No, they had to threaten the entirety of Sunagakure no Sato, perhaps even Kaze no Kuni itself. Unacceptable.
Cold eyes flickered over the room, taking in the late Shinobi council scattered about it with a deep satisfaction that would normally have one either on medical leave to see a shrink or thrust into ANBU.
He may not have been able to reign the idiots back in before the damage was done, but they wouldn't be making any more mistakes now.
With a final sneer he turned from the room, gold dust trailing behind him like an obedient puppy. He had no doubt that the invasion had probably started which meant he had to ensure his people would be safe from whatever retaliation would be brought down upon them.
Idly, he noted that he had more faith in Konoha emerging victorious than he did in his own Shinobi and briefly wondered what kind of leader that made him before dismissing the thought entirely. He'd have plenty of time to ponder his leadership abilities on their journey to the capital and, should Konoha turn against Kaze no Kuni itself, upon a boat Orochimaru had prepared to them.
He tried desperately not to consider the fact that he had more faith in Orochimaru's promise of aid and sanctuary than he did in his own Shinobi. He didn't have the time or alcohol to drown that kind of depression at the moment.
There were exactly two people in the entirety of Konohagakure no Sato to possess red hair. Why, then, was she having so much difficulty locating the only other head of red hair in the stadium? With growing worry Kushina continued her search, barely registering the enemy Shinobi around her even as she cut them down with chains and kunai.
Her body moved by instinct alone, the lesser task pushed to the back of her mind as she focused on ensuring the safety of her family.
Naruko had already run off, chasing down fleeing Suna Shinobi, but she wasn't too worried about that. After all, fighting seemed to be the last thing on the minds of the three Suna Gennin. If they wanted to abandon the battlefield then so be it, the less enemy combatants the better as far as she was concerned.
Her son, on the other hand, was a major concern. She hadn't just lost him as the invasion started but had been unable to locate him in the crowd beforehand. That meant she didn't even have a general area to expect his presence in, so how was she to ensure he was safe until the threat had been neutralized?
For all she knew he was out somewhere in Konoha fighting off Sunagakure Shinobi at this very moment, far away from the stadium where the highest concentration of Konoha Shinobi were.
And, sure, there had been an increase to the guards around Konoha's wall, but that meant everywhere that fell between the wall and the stadium had less Konoha Shinobi and therefore less allies to support him should he get into any trouble.
It was not a thought she found pleasant. Not at all.
Unfortunately, there wasn't too much she could do about it. She had no skills in tracking and she doubted quite highly her ability to commandeer a Ninken- or better yet, an Inuzuka tracking team- to search for him. Not tghat she had anything with his scent on it, either. So that really wouldn't help. No, her only real option was to continue on and hope that she was fortunate enough to cross his path.
To be perfectly honest, she wasn't sure she wanted to. It would soothe her nerves, certainly, but she was more than willing to suffer some frayed nerves if it meant Naruto was sitting tight in some well-hidden and well-protected location. Actually, that thought alone almost made her completely rethink her distaste for the Wolves.
Even if they were a terrible crowd for him to fall in with, she couldn't deny that they had their possible uses. 'Meatshield' simply happened to be near the top of that particular list.
Still, she couldn't help but worry after him, which wasn't likely to change until after the invasion had been crushed and she was able to see him with her own two eyes.
As one of her chains impaled some unlucky sand bastard she was reminded that she, too, was part of this conflict and she bit her lip in thought. On one hand. She was unlikely to find Naruto during the conflict and it would be a reasonable course of action for her to aid the other Konoha Shinobi to end the invasion as son as possible to limit damage to the village and the threat to her family's well-being.
On the other, Konoha could burn as far as she cared.
That wasn't to say she didn't see it as home or that she actually wanted any misfortune to befall the village hidden in the leaves, it was simply that when compared to her family the village meant very little to her. She could find a new home, she had already done that when she originally came to Konoha. Her family, however, was irreplaceable.
She would destroy the village with her own two hands if that's what it took to ensure their happiness and safety.
And right now, she felt Naruto was the one who could use both the most. Perhaps it was because she hadn't personally trained him over the years- though she had seen his own strength when he sparred against Naruko- maybe it was because there was a distance between them now that had never existed before which kept her from being able to personally ensure his well-being, and perhaps it was simply guilt from what she knew he must have gone through in her absence.
Whatever it was, she believed he needed her more than Naruko did
And to be honest, that made her feel a bit guilty.
Sure, she had spent the past few years with Naruko but relationships weren't such a thing that cared for set values. Time spent with did not cancel out time spent away and equilibrium was not the end-goal.
Likewise, she would not be able to simply erase the fact that she left Naruto by being with him now. Though she wouldn't exactly be able to repair the damage without being there for him. But that, actually, wasn't one of her biggest concerns at the moment which was somewhat surprising because for some time now that had pretty much been her only concern.
No, her two biggest concerns were ensuring the invasion was no longer a threat and making sure she didn't end up loosing Naruko too.
She hadn't realized how little time she spent with her daughter until she found out Naruko was to enter the Chūnin exams the same day they began. Moving from Genin to Chūnin was considered true Shinobi status by many throughout the hidden villages and as such the chance to participate in the exams was something to celebrate and, more importantly, something to help prepare for.
Getting Naruto back just to drive Naruko away in the process wasn't conductive to fixing the damage that had been dealt to the Uzumaki family.
She also doubted Naruto would be any more receptive of her attempts to bring him back into the family if Naruko was gone. To that end she had decided to focus more on her daughter than on convincing Naruto to accept them back into his life.
Because as much as it felt like he needed her more, being separated from her as he was, she had come to realize over the month of the Chūnin exams that he was able to take care of himself reasonably well as she worked to bring him back. Naruko was already here and still needed her, too.
Right now, however, she knew Naruko was okay. Naruto, on the other hand, she had not seen for some time now and that had her worried.
The crunch of bones to her right caught her attention, as did the white-haired man who had appeared there. The large, brightly colored toad he stood upon had likewise chosen to stand upon some poor Suna bastard.
Not a fun death, certainly.
"And so enters the Gallant Jiraiya!"
Nor was it a very dignified death, despite having lost to the Gamma-Sennin.
She didn't have time to dwell on those thoughts, having much more pressing matters to focus on.
"Jiraiya!" She called out. "Where's my son?"
"Hmm? He wasn't here?" Her heart plummeted to her stomach and, if Jiraiya's grimace was anything to go by, it must have shown on her face.
"Er, I mean, I was just checking to see if he had joined in over here. I'm on my way to his place right now." She was so relieved to hear her son was about to have powerful support- even if it was the pervert- that she sent the man a grateful smile which was more than enough motivation for the sage of Mt. Myōboku.
"To set to rest the worried heart of this beautiful woman, the gallant Jiraiya away!" The toad gave a croak between embarrassed and resigned before hopping off and had Kushina not been in the middle of a battlefield she may have actually laughed. Instead she settled for a smile as she continued making the Suna Shinobi regret their poorly thought out decision to invade.
The sooner these Dune-Humpers were laid to rest in proper Konoha soil the sooner her children were safe.
Mommy had work to do.
Bones crunched and snapped under her fists, the earth shattering with every heel-kick, and still they came. Fools, she had become a legend before they had graduated from whatever sad excuse Suna had for an academy. Again and again she beat them down until there were non left capable of standing. A few had survived. Maybe.
They would sure as hell wish they had not.
As labored breathing calmed within her heaving chest she took stock of the piles of broken bodies around her. Strangely enough, she had a feeling neither her grandfather nor granduncle would be upset with the carnage that now decorated the Senju compound.
She supposed it was time for a few new lawn ornaments anyway.
It actually took her a moment to register the red splattered around many of the mangled bodies and it was with an odd sense of detachment she stared at her hands, both coated crimson. She should be terrified, she should be freezing up and going into shock at the first sight of it, but she wasn't- hadn't.
She would have never made it through so many if she had frozen at the sight of blood. After all, she had shattered the scull of her first assailant and there had been plenty of it then.
Thinking back on it, what had a fear of blood been compared to knowing you had forever lost your last chance at family? She supposed it was almost pathetic. She had already lost everything important, and there had been no blood this time.
A bitter chuckle left her lips and she felt her old desire for sake rear its head for just a single cup of the rice wine. Of course her other problems would solve themselves as soon as they became inconsequential.
Perhaps she would indulge in a bit of Sake, but not now. She might have lost the trust of the Uzumaki but Konoha was still their home and she would make sure that it remained standing for them. She owed them much more than that, after all, and this is one debt Tsunade would not try to avoid.
Tightening her top just in case, she spared only a single glance over her fallen foes to make sure she hadn't missed anyone combat-worthy. Satisfied that they weren't going to be a threat she picked up two of them by their broken necks.
With a powerful shout that had Jiraiya reflexively covering his crotch and bracing for a beating from across Konohagakure no Sato she launched one of them through the air. She didn't know where they would land and she didn't much care, but with any luck she would hit some of the Sand-Rats.
The other body brought before her like a shield she charged towards the falling body.
Someone had made a mess of grandfather's garden and it fell to her to fix it.
Time to do some gardening.
She should not be here, she knew that very well, but she couldn't stop herself. Her son was somewhere here in this chaos and she could not sit idly by in a tower of rain waiting to hear that he had emerged unscathed.
It didn't matter in the slightest that he was surrounded by nearly the entirety of his forces, each and every member of which would gladly lay down their lives for him to offer even the barest of comforts.
As much as she'd like to place her faith in the Wolves to protect their master, she much preferred trusting Naruto's care to her own two hands. Uchiha Mikoto had already lost two sons, she would not lose another.
Fortunately, she was very sneaky.
Making use of abilities shown to her by Zetsu's master- one Uchiha fuckin' Madara himself- it was nothing for her to slip within the village walls even as Suna Shinobi crashed themselves into it. A frown had found its way over her lips at the sight, though. She had arrived far later than she had intended.
Most certainly not for a chance to spend some cuddle time with her favorite son before everything went to shit, thank you.
Okay.
Maybe a little.
She never got nearly enough time with her beloved Naruto-Kun.
With a little luck she may be able to stay with him for a bit after this was all over. Surely he wouldn't begrudge a worried woman the chance to ensure her son was safe and cared for, right? She'd have to find him first, though, and that was proving to be rather difficult.
While that meant enemies would have a harder time hurting him, it didn't do much to calm her. The sooner she found him the better.
Distant shouting and a great ball of fire caught her attention but would have been dismissed had a head of raven hair not caught her attention.
'That shape, there's only been one boy unfortunate enough to have hair actually shaped like a roosting raven...'
Immediately hope she would have never dared let take hold surged through her every vein and pumped furiously through an excited heart.
'It couldn't possibly be...'
He had died in the massacre, she was sure of it, and this distraction was just going to keep her from her only remaining son. She would never be able to forgive herself if he was injured because she had stopped to chase a ghost she thought she had long ago buried.
Still, there was that nagging, gnawing mix of hope and doubt that ate away at her resolve to just push forward.
If it really was who she thought it was, she could live with herself for passing up this chance? It would only take a moment to confirm their identity and be on her way and if she was right she would have regained the only son she could possibly accept back.
Both of her boys would also gain a brother to look out for them.
It was that last thought that sealed the deal. The chance to regain her son and ensure both of them were safe was far too much for her to ever resist.
Moving closer had her heart soaring as she laid eyes on her son after years of believing him to be dead.
Uchiha Sasuke was very much alive.
Even so, just as quickly as her heart had leap joyfully to the sky did it crash back into the earth. He was surrounded by enemy combatants, a mix of Chūnin and Jōnin, but that wasn't what threatened to break her heart all over again.
No, it was the fact that he was winning,.
That was actually a bad word for it. He wasn't winning. He was decimating his foes, despite their numbers and what should have been superior skill.
And the little fucker was enjoying it.
"Is that all you have?!" The expression on his face somehow managed to mix a sneer with a face-splitting grin in a way she had never considered possible. "Pathetic!." With a thrust and twist of a kunai he tore through some unfortunate Kunoichi's shoulder, one he wasted no time spinning around and pinning to the floor with his foot. Arm still held within his hands he gave a violent tug and wrenched her arm off completely. "Suna-trash!" He declared. "Save us the trouble and bury yourselves!"
The crippled Kunoichi, in horrible agony and shell-shocked loss had only managed to sit up with a terrible scream before she was struck back to the floor with her own detached arm.
"Your Kunoichi can't even be used to restore my clan, what good are any of you but as mulch for our forests?" He paused at that, looking over the one-armed Kunoichi in consideration. His comment wasn't shouted this time, a thought voiced aloud for himself alone, but she and the other Suna Shinobi still heard it plainly enough.
"I suppose you might be good for practice though. We'll find use for you yet."
That was more than enough for Mikoto to turn away, uncaring for the outcome of this conflict.
That arrogance, she knew it all too well. The belief that not only were they beyond all others in skill but that it allowed them to do as they pleased without consequence was something she had seen in her late husband Fugaku too many times.
She had hoped, perhaps foolishly, that it would not taint her sons. Itachi had taken more after her and managed to avoid it, but it would seem Sasuke had not been strong enough to resist.
It would appear that her beloved Sasuke had died that night, for she would never claim that thing as her son.
Naruto was her son, her one and only, and if she learned he was injured because she had stopped to witness that shadow of Sasuke she would go back and personally crush the last vessel of the Uchiha herself.
Everyone else was already dead, Itachi could no more claim the name Uchiha than the Raikage after his betrayal, and Mikoto hadn't thought of herself as an Uchiha since that night.
Naruto, her son, had once been an Uzumaki and his mother had once been her friend. She wouldn't have minded taking that name had Naruto not discarded it but it looked like they would need to find a new name for themselves.
Perhaps they might even make a new clan together.
Mikoto and Naruto, founders of a clan. She liked the thought of that.
While he would never, ever, admit it out loud, he was in deep shit and he damn well knew it. He figured joining up with one of the Chūnin groups that was hunting down Suna invaders would provide an opportunity to gauge his skill, gain some more experience, and impress those who would soon be his peers. Assuming he got the promotion, that is. And who knew, maybe if he did well enough out hear it would increase the chances of him making Chūnin.
So he had gone with them, taking out any Suna Shinobi they crossed, and for the first time since graduating the academy Sasuke actually felt as though he was part of a team. They didn't care that he was an Uchiha or that he was only a Gennin, all that mattered was the work he did and the results he brought. It was refreshing.
And then everything had to go wrong.
A quick breather atop one of the taller buildings gave them a chance to scout out their next targets but they had been unlucky in choosing their vantage point. Blackiron Shinobi Surplus had, as soon as they landed, been so inconsiderate as to explode in a great gout of flame.
Not that it had been the poor buildings fault. Suna Shinobi had decided it was in their best interest to reduce the available stock of weapons to reduce Konoha's efficiency. Had they not all been prepared for the invasion and thus fully stocked- well, the necessary supplies had been moved so that those uninformed of the impending invasion could quickly gear up- it may have amounted to something. As it was, all they really did was put some poor sod out of business and increase future sales for the rest of the stores.
An amusing thought briefly crossed his mind, where only a single weapon store survived and managed to use the opportunity to corner the market for weapons here in Konoha, but he quickly dismissed it.
In Konoha you could buy basic Shinobi equipment at the grocer. Specialized stores simply allowed you to look at all available options, but you could always get what you needed on your way out of the village. Two shops stood out in his mind, a calligraphy shop that boasted swords from all over the elemental countries and a Curry shop whose food was so spicy it was nearly as dangerous as the explosive tags they sold in bulk.
That damn curry shop had nearly given him a fucking heart attack when his takeout had free samples of their tags nestled between his receipt and napkins.
The only reason he hadn't been too upset was that they had proven to be some damn good tags. He still visited on occasion to restock so he didn't completely rely upon Naruko's tags- which, while better, made him feel like he was relying upon someone else to ensure he was prepared for his missions and didn't sit well with him- and the only real downside was that when he said in bulk he meant IN BULK. He was fairly certain the smallest amount they sold was a pack of one hundred tags. It wasn't cheap, either.
Still, it just meant that Suna's attempts to cut off their supplies was a rather useless effort.
He had to wonder if other villages didn't sell Shinobi supplies from regular shops ut dismissed the notion immediately. Of course they did, what kind of Shinobi village wouldn't ensure their Shinobi could get what they needed no matter where they went?
Four Kage felt a sudden urge to sneeze.
Regardless of the futility of taking away Konoha's supplies, it didn't erase the fact that Sasuke and his temporary team had just landed on the building as it exploded. They landed on the ground soon after and for most of them it wasn't lightly.
Unfortunately, Sasuke's normal luck- he had to wonder if Naruto somehow managed to steal it all from him- kicked in. With his back to a pile of burning ruble- gods, he hoped there hadn't been any explosive notes within the store itself, the last thing he needed was a stock of tags igniting- he only really had one direction he could go.
It just so happened that the only path out was blocked by Suna Shinobi. Judging by the flack jackets, they weren't exactly grunts either.
Perfect.
"Heh, looks like the little leaf's been left all alone." Mocked one of them; a Chūnin, if he had to guess. He wasn't too pleased about that, but they weren't wrong either. This was going to suck and he didn't have much faith in his chances of getting out of this alive if he couldn't get some backup- even he wasn't so full of himself to believe otherwise- but there was no way in hell he was just going to lay down and die.
He was an Uchiha, damnit, a fan that fed the flames. Even if they took him down, he'd see to it that the flames would consume them. It may not be the restoration he had planned on, but a blaze of glory? It would do.
More of an Uzumaki thing, truthfully, but his clan was all about copying the better parts from those they encountered. He didn't mind stealing that too if this was going to be the end of the Uchiha.
'Che, some fine legacy we've left.' He thought cynically as he settled into a combative stance, lips pulled down into a serious grimace. 'But I suppose every fire has to die eventually.' Thoughts briefly moved to the team he may well be leaving behind any moment now. 'Then again, all it takes is a spark. Perhaps one of the others will remember enough to preserve our last embers.' Maybe the Uchiha wouldn't be completely lost today.
"Oh? Are you all so scared that you had to separate the only Gennin of the group just to bring yourselves to attack? I didn't realize we had allied ourselves with such a pathetic excuse for a village."
If any of his arrogance- he preferred to think of it as confidence in any situation- had rubbed off on his teammates, well, he would consider that enough of a legacy at this point.
"Shut your mouth, leaf-scum, Suna is going to wipe this fucking village off the map!"
"Really?" He couldn't help but taunt, raising an expectant eyebrow. "Prove it." With handseals he didn't even have to think about anymore a great ball of fire left his lips and charged his opponents.
He was not lucky enough to actually get any of them, much to his disappointment.
'Pity, I was really hoping to make their numbers a bit more manageable.'
Sharingan or no, keeping track of any more than three opponents- Shinobi opponents, at any rate- was exceedingly difficult. Their were eight here, each one of which was, at the least, his equal. And even if not all of them were, some were, and that was more than he could deal with. His Sharingan would probably prove to be more of a hindrance than a boon.
Probably should have practiced with it more.
It wasn't that he didn't like using the Sharingan, but he had wanted to make sure everything else was up to snuff before he started using it too much and risked becoming dependent on it. Evidently, that line of thinking had come back to bite him in the ass. Well rounded? He should have fucking specialized like all the Jōnin seemed to.
With enough skill in a subject, it could be used to overcome any other subject. He didn't think he would have reached such a level in the time he had if he did choose that path, but perhaps it would have been the edge he needed here. Keeping track of them all was going to be an absolute bitch.
He was proven correct a moment later but considering the situation he felt he was doing pretty good. Not that style points would do anything to keep him alive.
He managed to last for five minutes- an eternity on the battlefield- when the myriad of minor injuries began to catch up to him. He was right that some of them possessed equal skill to himself but numbers allowed them to cover each other and keep him almost exclusively on the defensive.
Even better, the little shits- never mind the fact that each and every one of them was both older and taller- had the nerve to taunt him, acting like it was some sort of a game. He took solace in the fact that, playing or not, he was making it seem as if his earlier taunt had been correct.
Eight Shinobi to take on one Gennin separated by his team and it seemed that some of the more experienced Suna Shinobi were starting to realize that.
They weren't pleased.
There goes the hope that they might play too long and his fucking team might show up to help out. He tried, almost successfully, to ignore the probability of them being dead from either the explosion or enemy combatants who got them before they could recover.
"Enough!" One of them eventually called out. "We've wasted enough time Kill him and be done with it, we have a job to do."
"Yeah, yeah." One of the younger ones waved him off. "Don't worry about it, we were getting' bored anyway. Hope you're ready to rot, Konoha-Scum."
A surge of indignant anger at being so casually dismissed and utter loathing of himself for being so pathetically helpless in the situation flooded through him.
And something responded.
The only warning he received was a stab of pain in his shoulder before the world around him seemed to drown.
Hate and anger and rage and wrath and jealously and fear and confusion and pain.
And then there was the power. Pure, raw power that screamed through him and crashed down like an ocean. The weight was too much, he couldn't breathe.
….But he was breathing, wasn't he?
And that voice, wasn't it his? Why was it so far away, why was it so hard to move, so hard to think?
As much as he was confused by the situation, there was something familiar about it, too familiar. A familiar that had his gut wrenching and writhing in an effort to warn him to no avail.
He couldn't place this strange sensation that had overcome him.
But it didn't matter, because he was an Uchiha. Their name was power and he was its bearer. He would fan the flames, he would be the flames. Already it flowed through his veins, molten might that pumped power through his body with every pump of his ever-beating heart.
He was more than a Shinobi, he was more than a man.
He was power.
He was immortal.
He was god.
And with a suddenness of being tossed into a frozen sea he recognized this power.
Almost as if to confirm his horrified realization his shoulder throbbed painfully, the skin sizzling away from the power released by that tainted mark.
Orochimaru's Ten no Juin.
He was saying something, he knew he was, and he was vaguely aware of his body moving, but his control was so minimal as to be laughable.
This wasn't the first time he had drawn from his power, but never had it affected him so strongly. Looking back, however, he could see with sudden clarity how it had grown stronger with every activation.
And this, was this the fate that awaited him if he accepted Orochimaru's offer of power? To be trapped eternally as a puppet dancing to the fingers of the master?
This was not an acceptable end for the Uchiha.
In fact, he would rather be cut down, right here right now, by these fools than lose himself so completely to the Snake Sannin.
With his desire to survive dampened and his rage snuffed out the cursed seal seemed to sputter, desperately trying to remain active, but in the end could not support itself without the host's own desires feeding it the necessary Chakra. Connection severed, the foul purple miasma that came from the seal faded away. He almost wished it hadn't.
Surrounding him were bodies but it was not the way they should be. There were no cuts, only tears. Burns instead of bruises. Charred flesh instead of broken bones. This had not been a fight, it had been a slaughter.
But they weren't dead, no, not all of them.
That only seemed to make it worse.
What had he done?
No.
What had he allowed to be done?
It was his weakness that provided the Ten no Juin the opportunity it needed to wrest control from him. He should have realized it sooner, should have resisted it better. In the end, the blame for this rested squarely upon his shoulders.
As did the burden of setting it right.
Of the three survivors two were male- one Jōnin and one Chūnin- and there was a female Chūnin missing one of her arms and, it appeared, had been beaten half to death with it. Clothes were mostly torn off to show the blackened flesh beneath.
He could make out hand-prints within the charred skin.
His hands.
His breakfast quickly left him and so too did his breath. Minutes passed by as he tried to calm himself down well enough to function and, eventually, he succeeded. Turning from the horrific sight he went instead to the two men, both of them soundly beaten but it seemed to be much cleaner than what he had seen on their companion.
They had been defeated, she had been amusement.
And he had done it while they laid helpless just feet away. He didn't realize he could hate himself so much as he did in this moment.
With shaky hands he turned over the Chūnin. One arm supporting him, he waited for the man to finish coughing, blood dripping from his lips to hint at the internal damage he had suffered. The Suna native more comfortable, he did what he had to do.
He met the mans eyes, locking onto them with everything he had. There was confusion there, pain and fear- all understandable. He filled his heart with mercy, hardening it with all the resolve he could muster.
The kunai had no trouble sliding through flesh, cutting cleanly through the man's throat. He died in the Last Uchiha's arms moments later.
Their gaze never broke until there was only one breathing. Even then, he held the gaze a few moment more before setting the fresh corpse back onto the earth as gently as he could.
This weight was much worse than the feeling of crushing power that had overswept him earlier. No, this was a world upon his back and his heart seemed to slow with the added pressure.
His task wasn't done yet.
The Jōnin had managed to push himself onto his side, where he lay supported by rubble, and his eyes followed the Gennin as he moved closer.
"And now he feels guilt." The man coughed up his own blood, a grim smile spreading over crimson lips. " Is this your first brush with death, son?" Before Sasuke could form a response he continued. "Look about you, remember it well. I'm not sure what happened, but it will happen again."
"No." Sasuke shook his head. "Never again, I cannot loose control again."
"Heh, then we weren't even fighting you, then, were we?" He gave a dark chuckle that was equal parts mirth and the gurgle of blood. "Never expected to see a Konoha Shinobi loose themselves in any sort of Bloodrage, or whatever you call it around these parts. Always thought it was more common with Iwa and Kumo, some of Kiri's Demons, too."
The next laugh was more full but ended in a fit of hacking coughs as more blood attempted to snuff out the man's life.
"But not only do I watch one of your Kunoichi loose her mind and rush of into battle in a dance more red and graceful than the desert sunset, but I fight against the last Uchiha who suffers a bout of insanity just long enough to tear us all apart."
Sasuke remained silent. It was obvious the man didn't actually desire a response from him and if the Jōnin wanted to use the last of his strength to speak then Sasuke would honor this final request to listen.
"But Gods and Sands, what a way to go!" He began laughing again only to stop abruptly. "But that's only if you finish this. Dying to the last Uchiha after he slaughters your team is one thing, drowning to death on your own blood is quite another. I saw what you did for Taro over their, and you have my thanks for that. He was a good kid, best he not have to suffer longer than he has to."
His gaze flickered over to the Kunoichi Sasuke knew still drew breath, if barely.
"And I guess that means I should stop holding up the line. Come on then, finish me. It was a good day to die."
With a solemn nod Sasuke granted his request, his kunai cutting a second smile into the man's neck.
Like the Chūnin, he kept his eyes locked onto those of the Suna Shinobi.
He had not expected the acceptance, the understanding, and certainly not the approval. It was from a man ready to die, who had accepted his fate before he placed on his headband that morning.
And if he was completely honest with himself, the man seemed almost proud. Not of his own accomplishments, but in what he witnessed from his opponent after the fight had ended.
The last time anyone had shown any true pride in him had been his mother before Itachi slaughtered the clan. It was an odd contrast, knowing someone was proud of you even as the guilt of your actions was eating away at you.
But he couldn't let that pride be in vain, the Suna Jōnin- enemy he may have been- had entrusted one last task to him. He would not let them down.
He took in the body of the Jōnin -burning it into his memory- and proceeded to use it to fuel his resolve. This would be the hardest of the three, but it was no less than what he deserved for loosing himself to the Ten no Juin.
With halting steps he approached the only remaining Suna Shinobi, wincing at her pained whimpers, and lowered himself to his knees next to her. With the gentleness of a mother caring for her sickly child, he carefully turned her to her back, making note of the blackened flesh that covered her torso and the choked scream she released when her burned back pressed against the unforgiving ground.
Quickly his shirt was removed and maneuvered beneath her to alleviate some of her discomfort.
As her eyes blinked blearily open he was careful to keep his face from her sight.
He had done enough to her already.
"Am- Am I safe?" It wasn't so much a whisper as a pained wheeze, dry and cracked and yet coated in fresh blood. It was like listening to a healing burn weep blood as skin was peeled away in ruined chunks. Just the thought made him nauseous. How many times had he believed his fire techniques to be acceptable in spars or even against enemies?
He didn't think he'd look at fire the same way ever again.
A fan that despised the flame, his ancestors would be rolling in their graves. Well, if they were Iwa. He was sure they looked down on him though, their ashes forever blown throughout the sky of the earth, and he was certain they would be displeased.
Whether it would be his desire to leave the flame behind him or because he had lost control of himself he actually couldn't say.
"...You're safe." His voice was soft and quiet, but she heard the regret in it.
"I'm not going to make it, am I?" The fact that she seemed to almost welcome the fact nearly broke the heart he had tried for so many years to discard.
"It's- it's not likely, no." If he could, in this very moment, trade his life for hers he would without hesitation.
"Good." It was simple but filled with conviction he could hear despite her difficulty speaking. "I'm tired."
"I understand." And he did. She would not be able tp continue with her life after what he had done. Her body, at best, would always be crippled and he was sure he would be in her nightmares until the day she died, either naturally or by her own hand. It really was a mercy.
It didn't make it any easier for him to do though.
"Close you eyes," He commanded kindly. "And I will take you far away from the pain."
She smiled, a small thing that he wouldn't have noticed had he not seen the way the blood glistened in the Konoha sun, and it was a truly beautiful thing. He hated himself even more.
"Thank you."
Her eyes- a warm brown that should have never known the pain he inflicted upon her- closed and he moved closer. Readying his kunai he leaned in to kiss her brow, aware of how she tensed for only a second before relaxing with a deep sigh. At this point, there was little else he could do to comfort her.
His hand shook, cold steel eager to draw blood, but there was a part of him that sneered back at him, calling him a coward.
Not because he hesitated, but because he was planning on going through with it. To truly bear the weight of his actions he had to make things right, this was just eliminating a problem like a painter scrapping his work after a mistake.
Where was the punishment in a little guilt for the rest of his life when that life should be spent making sure she got the most out of hers?
But could he even ensure she received that? And did she even want it?
In the end, he caved, choosing the easy path she provided with her willingness to escape the pain he had caused. His kunai drew the blood it craved.
He was pathetic, a coward, and that realization brought with it not the anger he had felt before, but a deep loathing the seal would never be able to feed off of.
Compared to the utter disgust he held himself in, what he felt for his brother was practically love.
As the Uchiha's curse of hatred turned upon itself he gazed down at the corpse before him, once again burning it into his mind so he could ensure he would be haunted for the rest of his life. But even with his Sharingan active, taking in every minor detail, it was not enough, not nearly so.
Her flesh, blackened by his hand, provided another method to ensure he would never forget how far he had fallen.
It was a basic technique, really, one of the first steps to the Chidori- and he was still surprised he had been taught that Jutsu by Kakashi- but the idea could be applied to any of the elements. Fire Chakra, his old companion, jumped eagerly into his waiting hand, impatient for it's imminent meal. It wasn't perfect, nowhere close, and the fire would start eating through the thin coating of Chakra over his hand in just a few moments but that was all he needed.
He did not allow himself the luxury of screaming as he pressed his burning hand firmly into the flesh above his heart, holding it there through sheer force of will. Slowly it seemed, ever so slowly, the skin blackened and curled until he was certain his fingers toughed the muscle beneath. Only then did he remove his hand, peeling it away from melted flesh.
Briefly he stared at the clumps of burnt skin that had stuck to his hand before he corrected himself. That wasn't skin, the skin was gone.
Good.
He deserved that and more, but this would do for now.
Black flickered around his vision as he came to the sudden realization of bone-numbing weariness overtook him. Almost reverently he removed the Kunoichi's headband before wrapping it around the kunai he had used to end the three Suna Shinobi and tucking it into his pouch. Like the scar he would no doubt carry over his heart, they would serve as physical reminders of this day.
His task done, he had no further need to remain conscious. The Shinobi side of him whispered that he wasn't safe enough yet to sleep. The coward that he was almost wished a hostile Shinobi would end him in his sleep.
Either way, the last of his strength abandoned him and he was left to fall to the ground. He was only vaguely aware of two pairs of arms catching him before he made contact with it.
The last thing he heard was a shout- a friendly, perhaps- calling to their superior.
"Captain!"
He wondered if he would wake up to learn how the invasion went.
He wondered if he really wanted to.
"Captain!"
"Yeah," He responded gruffly. "I see 'em." Not only did he see them, he saw the damage he had managed to cause. Impressive, yes, but also concerning. He'd been around a while now and had grown used to reading fights based on the battlefield left in the combatants wake.
He did not like what he saw.
"He started there, looks like he either jumped down or fell. Displaced rubble could be from him moving around during combat but seems more likely that it was him picking himself up. Fell, then."
Theta team, one of the groups pre-notified about the invasion, had claimed that the Uchiha was originally with them but got separated. A team had been sent out immediately to ensure Konoha's Uchiha got out. Or, at least, enough genetic material to bring back the clan.
Looks like the Uchiha would be getting out okay.
'Hmm, the way they moved around him, it doesn't look like they were taking him serious.' Good, that's probably what kept him alive long enough for them to arrive. Not that they had saved him, he had managed on his own. 'It doesn't look like a Jutsu, but something pushed out the dirt in this area. Perfect circle, originates where Sasuke would have been. Pure Chakra, maybe? He might have learned how to force open one of the first gates.'
'He turns the tables here, they're panicking. Something they didn't expect. The surprise cost them.'
The rest of the fight- that he could read, at least- implied that the last Uchiha had absolutely dominated his opponents before collapsing to the ground himself.
'Visited three bodies, each one killed cleanly. Recently, too. More recent than their other injuries. They didn't struggle. Too injured to fight back, perhaps?' The Jōnin was smiling though, smiling and looking at where the Gennin would have been. 'An interrogation attempt? No, last words.'
Whatever he had said must have hit the boy pretty hard, he seemed more emotionally exhausted than physically.
No.
Wait.
He had seen that look before.
Skilled eyes darted around the area, reviewing everything he had seen.
'Ah, I see.' He hung his head. Konoha wasn't known for it's Shinobi loosing themselves, but it happened on occasion if they had yet to develop their own eccentric coping mechanism. Rookie Chūnin, mostly, sometimes inexperienced Jōnin- and didn't that defeat the entire purpose of the Jounijn rank? Fucking politics- were the ones to typically suffer through bouts of bloodlust or insanity in stressful situations. Usually there were other factors like bad Chakra pills or some sort of technique to grant them a temporary power boost.
Whatever the Uchiha used it had most definitely worked.
'But at what cost?'
It explained the three clean kills and the way he took that Kunoichi's headband- not a trophy, something to remind himself of this day- and it also explained why it looked like he had burnt away a good chunk of his chest.
The guilt would eat at him for month, no doubt, very easily years.
It was never a pretty sight when one of their comrades snapped and it was even worse when they managed to pull themselves together. He'd see to it the doctors knew he'd need some serious counseling- and that the burn must be allowed to scar.
Sasuke might not be able to tell them not to heal it until he was recovered, which could be too late to stop it, but he understood what the Gennin would want in this situation.
He reached up to his radio to update control. "Package secure, returning to rally point 'Mercy' with the precious cargo."
After all, he still remembered the one time he lost control.
Idly running his tongue over his senbon, Genma signaled his team.
They were done here.
Konoha had been painted red. If not from the blood of her aggressors than from the burning light of the setting sun. Already great clouds of smoke rose over the village despite the structural damage being minimal and the corpses of her defeated enemies were being piled along the outer wall.
Those Konoha Shinobi who had died in service to their village would find places of honor atop the raging burial fires while those who had been foolish enough to think their might matched the strength of the great tree would have a shameful burial naked beneath the soil to feed the surrounding forests.
For the will of fire was a comforting warmth unto its comrades, but it did not hesitate to burn its enemies.
It would not be surprising to know that Iwagakure no Sato, long having been against Konohagakure no Sato, held opposite beliefs. It was a strange relationship they had, after conflict, for them to both treat their dead as their opponent would. All Konoha Shinobi were burned and all Iwa Shinobi buried.
Enemies was, then, perhaps not the proper word for the relationship they held. To respect with the intention to disrespect, it was probably best to call them bitter rivals than mortal enemies.
But Iwa had not been their opponent.
Suna Shinobi always removed the organs of their comrades before draining the blood and laying the bodies to rest in large underground caverns. Their foes were left to the buzzards. In this, Konoha's burial was somewhere between them both. The bodies were left beneath the ground, but no attempt to preserve them was made. They would not rot as quickly as the buzzards and sands would consume them, but that was only greater insult.
Not that there were many to feel that way.
The majority of Suna's forces had been committed to the invasion and so it was that most of Suna's Shinobi were lost.
The forest would feast well.
The handful of Suna Shinobi to survive all di so in Konoha custody, having either been captured or had their surrender accepted. Many who attempted to surrender had not been so fortunate.
Of those captured, those deemed too dangerous or who proved to be more trouble keeping than they were worth were quickly disposed of. They made no effort to hide this fact from the other captured Suna Shinobi.
What was left from Sunagakure were those who had come to realize how outclassed they were and had accepted the fact that their fates depended solely upon the whims of their betrayed former ally.
Well, them and Baki.
Baki was one of those Suna Shinobi who, by all rights, should have been deemed too dangerous to keep alive. He was also not the cooperative type. What he did have going for him, however, was the fact that, officially, he was the Sensei of team Sabaku.
Which is why he found himself sitting in an interrogation room-
With tea.
Oddly, it wasn't a Konoha interrogation room as one might have expected. Rather, he had been escorted here by a pair of wolf-masked Shinobi, one of which had later returned with refreshments.
He had yet to touch anything, of course, but he was getting to the point where he wasn't sure what was more dangerous; taking the risk or insulting his hosts.
The creaking of the door alerted him to a new presence and he soon found himself facing a young woman who slid into the seat across from him with movements that had to belong to a Kunoichi.
She was wearing a mask similar to the others, the only difference being the crescent moon on her brow.
Despite that, however, he could practically feel her smile.
He knew she couldn't have been a Kunoichi for even a decade yet, she was practically a child compared to him, but there was something in that unseen smile that made him nervous.
"Good evening, Baki-San. My name is Mai, and we have some questions for you about your betrayal of Sunagakure and your attack on Konohagakure."
Her voice was pleasant, almost cheery, and Baki felt a tingle of danger shoot down his spine. There was something wrong with this girl.
Perhaps the Kazekage had been right to want to avoid fighting Konoha. Everywhere he turned there seemed to be some freak of a Shinobi who put some of their own forces to shame. Eccentricity truly was one of Konoha's greatest assets, but he had never imagined that eccentricity to create the young woman before him.
She was exactly as polite as she needed to be, her voice held the perfect amount of warmth for a positive, professional discussion. Her movements had been precise and graceful. Her age too, something about it was simply off.
She seemed experienced, but she should be too young for this kind of work. Gaara crushing people was one thing, but interrogation took finesse. Either she was a lot older than she seemed or, well, Konoha really was the birthplace of monsters.
You heard about people like Uchiha Itachi or Hatake Kakashi and how they were skilled enough to be given high rank at very early ages, but seeing it was something else.
And none of that really explained the mask, either, because for some reason he highly doubted they were trying to intimidate him.
This could be some specific branch of ANBU, an unofficial collection of Konoha Shinobi, some sort of cult, or, most worryingly, Nami no Kuni's Wolves. Judging by the masks, he had a feeling it was the latter.
He just hoped they didn't have any connection to that Konoha Jōnin he cut down before the third exam.
That would probably not be good for him.
"No, I don't know where he is at the moment."
Jiraiya looked down at the girl- he was pretty sure she had been a competitor in the Chūnin exams- and wondered not for the first time what it was about his godson that lead him to being surrounded by young woman.
There was that other dark-haired girl- Mai, he recalled- and the one who reminded him of Orochimaru he saw leaving once, and now there was this one. The pattern, it seemed, was pale with dark hair. Whether that was intentional or happenstance he really couldn't say, but the fact that they all seemed older than him made Jiraiya relatively certain his godson was into older women.
He was so proud.
Better yet, if they didn't actually live with him they might as well. Apparently there were always young women entering and leaving at all hours. Well, there were young men too, most in Wolf masks, but they really didn't matter as far as Jiraiya was concerned.
They were even around when he was out apparently; that had to mean something, right?
The young Kunoichi before him crossed her arms and cocked her hips as she stared up at him. Unavoidable really, he towered over most full-grown adults.
Ah, he was getting lost in thought again, wasn't he? That would probably explain why she was looking at him like that.
"Not even a clue for this gallant Sage?"
"He didn't say where he was going." Well, he didn't, but it was pretty obvious to her where he would be right now. He was the leader of the Wolves, after all, Orochimaru's favored. He would be with the other important people and right now that meant the viewing box of hi no Kuni's Daimyo back at the arena.
But she couldn't tell anyone else that, Gallant Jiraiya or otherwise.
Orochimaru had warned them all about the strange man. Eccentricity was, after all, Konoha's greatest asset.
"Ah, unfortunate. I wanted to make sure he was okay with all the commotion." She frowned slightly at that, her brows furrowing together in worry, before she gave him a small nod.
"I understand, I would like to know that he's okay as well." He was, after all, they key to her future. "But knowing him, he should be just fine. I just have to trust in him." Both that he was alright and that the future he would end up providing her was brighter than her options in Otogakure. It really wouldn't be hard to provide if "Better than Oto" was the only real requirement.
As long as she didn't screw up too badly her future was already looking golden. A temp teammate to get rid of Zaku, a better chance of passing the next Chūnin exams, and a cushy job waiting for her once she received her vest.
VIP Protection? The girl was surrounded by Wolves, she was just a glorified babysitter. Not that it had been bad, she had gotten along well enough with her and the two had spent the day getting to know each other. And she would be expected to do this full-time in the future while being paid for it? It was practically free money.
She knew better than to get too ahead of herself though. Who knows what might happen over the next few months? The way her luck tended to go her VIP would actually end up with someone determined to kill her. As boring as it might get not having any action, she would much rather go through that than deal with a long-term protection of a client that attracted trouble.
For now, however, it was a great opportunity and, hey, if things did go to shit she only had to stay long enough to repay Naruto. Once their deal was complete she had no obligation to take whatever permanent position he might offer her.
She'd probably take it, though, even if her new friend- and wasn't that a strange thought, that she might make a friend that she very well could be spending the next few years in very close proximity to- started attracting trouble. It was no more trouble than Oto, in the end.
"Oh-ho!" Jiraiya gave a grin as he pulled out his notebook. "The young woman waits faithfully for the hero's return- classic! No, no, not the hero's- her master's! Jiraiya, you genius you, another bestseller ready to be written."
Caught between disbelief at the man's actions and mortifying embarrassment at his words Kin could do little more than blush.
That, however, just seemed to encourage the man.
"Hmm? Somebody likes that idea, huh?" His lecherous grin softened somewhat, a hint of wistfulness and regret dampening it just enough for Kin to see a peek at the tired man behind the mask. Just as quickly, however, the man was back to his usual self. "Well then, if he doesn't already know I'd suggest tellin' 'em as soon as possible. Missed opportunities don't seem like much of a burden at first but the weight never stops growing."
Those words possessed their own weight and she could hear hard- earned truth within them.
"Besides, who knows how he'll reward you for acknowledging him as your beloved master?" The man's eyes danced with mirth. "Or better, maybe he'll punish you for making him wait. You look like you might like that."
Kin was reasonably certain she had never been so red in her entire life.
She also didn't realize how well the Gamma-Sennin could read people.
When one of the Wolves had sent her back to Naruto's apartment to gather her things and check in with Naruto she had not expected to run into the legendary super pervert and had certainly not expected a conversation like this at all.
Still-
'Master, huh?' A shiver went down her spine and not an unpleasant one, either. 'I'm sure Orochimaru-Sama won't mind.' In fact, the Otokage would probably be quite pleased- so long as she didn't get too close to her 'master' so soon. Orochimaru was the jealous type, or would be if she hadn't had her fill of her Crimson Prince before someone made a move on him.
No reason not to get started though, right?
Actually, she could quite clearly recall some of the thoughts she had when sitting on Naruto's lap the other day. 'Kunoichi surrendering herself to the protection of a Daimyo, hmm?' Didn't sound bad at all, really. The current plan between them would have her serving under his command for the foreseeable future, anyway, was there any harm in taking it a bit further?
She had found some amusement in the idea that she was currently living out an Icha-Icha plot, but the author of that series was currently standing in front of her, wasn't he? A warmth blossomed in her belly. This was too good an opportunity to pass up.
"Perhaps, Jiraiya-San, you would like to come inside to hear some of the thoughts I've had about Master?"
The man blinked in disbelief before the widest grin she had ever seen stretched itself accros his face.
"Really?"
"On one condition." She cocked her hip to the side and rested an arm upon it sternly as she stared him down with absolute seriousness. "When you write this book, you don't change our names."
She thought she had enough ideas for him to write an entire book about the two of them? This might be one of the greatest days of his life.
He was supposed to be looking for Naruto but she had said it herself, he was probably fine. Unlike when Kushina had left, he was definitely able to look after himself these days and even if he wasn't he had others looking out for him too.
"Deal. I think you and I are going to get along just fine."
And in the following hours Icha-Icha Surrender was born.