Disclaimer: Naruto and its characters are the property of Masashi Kishimoto. However, the original characters and plot of this fic belong to me.
Author Notes: The length of chapters in this fic will be around 3000-4000 words with the occasional long chapter thrown in when needed, much like HoD. Good to know that people's confusion is clearing up since it should be now as most of the background will slowly be revealed.
Chapter 5: Festivity And Grief
Naruto continued smoking as he entered the village of Konoha, giving him a strong sense of nostalgia. The sun had set leaving the stars to shine down along with a bright full moon which seemed to engulf the horizon. There were a lot of people on the streets while numerous houses stood out due to being decorated.
The bright lights captivated his eyes as he stopped for a few moments in order to look around himself. The first thought to enter his mind was to see how the Sandaime was fairing however he knew that it wasn't a good idea to make himself known. Taking the cigarette out of his mouth, he observed the monument in the distance which had an extra face carved into it, "A new Hokage…"
Acknowledging the information, he travelled through the bustling streets of Konoha. Trying to shadow his face, he moved his hat down as he looked for a place to eat. The cheering and celebration struck him as being highly irregular since he didn't know for what occasion it was. The sound of thunder roared through the sky causing the blonde to gaze upwards where clouds were beginning to gather. Putting his cigarette back in his mouth, he observed the street he was in as the lights of a familiar ramen stand caught his attention.
He made his way over to the ramen stand, having to dodge running children and over excited citizens in the process, "Damn, what's with these people?" His voice rang through the silent ramen stand as he entered.
Sitting down, he noticed the only other two occupants in the food stand giving him a blank stare. He recognised their faces; one was the old man who owned the stand and went by the name of Teuchi, the other was his daughter Ayame who was now over 20 years old and visibly quite beautiful.
"You're not celebrating with everyone?" The feminine voice evoked a response from Naruto.
"No, I don't see why everyone's excited." The Uzumaki had his hand on his hat.
Teuchi put his elbow on the counter which separated the customers from the cooks, "Everyone was just informed by the Hokage that the Tsuchikage and her have come to an agreement."
Naruto raised an eyebrow as he heard the details. His thoughts diverted instantly to something else as he posed a question, "When was a new Hokage chosen?"
The atmosphere of the stand completely changed as Ayame had a sombre look, "Ever since the attack."
Naruto's mind was solely focused on the woman's words, "Attack?"
Teuchi sighed solemnly as he remembered the events, "The village of Konoha was attacked during the chuunin exams 6 years ago."
Naruto had a serious demeanour as he absorbed the information, "By who?"
Keeping himself occupied, Teuchi picked up a cloth and began to wipe the slightly dirty counter, "One of the legendary sannin, Orochimaru."
Ayame gathered some dishes and placed them in the sink to clean, "Konoha was able to successfully defend but…" Naruto dreaded what he might hear next, "…the Sandaime lost his life."
The news of the old man's death struck the blonde hard as he felt his appetite diminishing and his throat clogging up. He moved his head downwards so his hat shadowed his face completely. Taking out his cigarette, he blew out some smoke, "Your new Hokage was chosen after that, I guess." His voice was quiet.
Ayame nodded as she folded her sleeves to start cleaning, "The student of the Sandaime, Tsunade-sama was chosen."
Naruto rose to his feet, gaining the attention of Teuchi, "Don't you want something to eat?"
Naruto looked up at the man, showing his face clearly for the first time, "I think I'll pass for now."
Turning around, he was stopped from leaving as he heard the voice of the old man, "You look familiar."
Naruto looked at his cigarette, "I give that impression at times…you should ignore it." He left the stand with his mind dwelling on the passing of the Sandaime, which reached his ears 6 years too late.
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Tsunade's feet were on top of her desk as she slouched in her chair, her hands clasping a bottle of sake and a small cup. Filling the cup to the brim, she placed the bottle on the desk and gulped down the sake.
"You'd think you would be happy like everyone else in Konoha." The voice made the Godaime shift her head towards the window.
Tsunade wiped her mouth, "I'm celebrating in my own way."
Jiraiya landed on the floor and made his way over to a chair opposite the Hokage, sitting down, "Where's the Tsuchikage?"
The Godaime poured herself another cup of sake before twirling the drink around, "He was escorted to his dwelling. I don't think he wanted to participate in the celebration."
Jiraiya grinned perversely, "Well that's him; I can't wait to."
A vein could be seen throbbing in Tsunade's forehead as she spoke as calmly as possible, "Did you get what you were sent to Wave County for?"
Jiraiya had a discouraged expression, "Really, you should show me some more appreciation. I volunteered and this is how you thank me. I was hoping for something more…" He saw the look Tsunade was giving him which made him change what he was going to say, "…I mean I was looking for some words of praise."
Tsunade put down her feet, "Shut up and answer the question you pervert."
Jiraiya put up his hand as if he was going to correct her but didn't bother, instead reaching into his vest and pulling out a green crystal the size of his palm, "This is it."
The frog hermit threw the crystal to Tsunade who quickly caught it, "Be careful."
Jiraiya waved his hand, "It can't be broken…"
Tsunade gave the novel writer a dangerous glare, "And how would you know that?"
Jiraiya noticed the look as he clasped his hands, "I was safe about it." Tsunade remained with the same expression, "What, you don't trust me?"
Tsunade moved her eyes towards the crystal and began to examine it. She took off the necklace which she received as a gift from her grandfather and put it next to the crystal, "They're similar…"
Jiraiya nodded, "Yeah but there's a difference; the crystal found in Wave Country is complete compared to yours."
Tsunade placed both items on the desk, "Explain."
Jiraiya leaned back in his chair and placed his arms loosely on the side, "As you know, the Shodai was the first one with the crystal inside the necklace that you were given. The crystal helped him restrain the power of a bijuu but he needed to form his own ability to accomplish it fully. This was because the crystal was incomplete, that's not the case with the one found in Wave Country. You can tell by looking at it; the power which is inside."
Tsunade placed her hands underneath her chin, "A creation of nature, seems that bijuu can be tamed in more ways than one."
Jiraiya closed his eyes, sighing, "But at the moment, no one knows where any of them are."
Tsunade had a thoughtful look in her eyes, "This crystal would be a problem in the wrong hands. Perhaps it's for the best."
Jiraiya rose from his seat, "Before Akatsuki was wiped out, they managed to capture and extract every bijuu except for one, the Kyuubi."
Tsunade nodded, "The jinchuuriki's been missing for 9 years from the reports the old man left behind but there's still no clue as to who took him."
Jiraiya walked towards the window and put his foot on the ledge, "There was some speculation as to who the culprits were though…"
Tsunade picked up her cup of sake and took a drink, "Few people believe in the myth of the Confederation."
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Naruto travelled through the streets of Konoha, his mind blocking out all the cheers of the people around him. Observing his surroundings, he continued onwards until the sounds of celebration became distant and the only noise was that of nature. The sky roared as a few drops of rain fell towards the village below.
The Uzumaki walked over the bridge he had arrived at as he looked to his side at the water, which was disturbed as each drop of rain struck it. Shaking his head, he moved on as he passed a few trees before a graveyard became visible. Looking at all the graves, he closed his eyes for a moment in order to calm himself before scouring through them.
After a few minutes, he arrived at the foot of a large grave which stood out from everything else. Naruto finished smoking his cigarette before throwing it to the ground and looking at the name imprinted on the grave. His eyes lost some of their shine as he looked downwards, "You really are gone, huh?"
Taking off his hat, he let the rain soak his blonde hair as it steadily increased in speed. The rainwater slowly dripped down his face before falling to the hard ground below, "I know it doesn't mean much now but if my absence caused you any concern…" Closing his eyes, he placed the hat back on top of his head, "…forgive me."
Opening his eyes, he looked at the grave one last time before making a move to leave. As he neared the exit, his eyes caught the sight of another person with black hair walk past him.
The black haired individual stopped briefly before looking back at the man wearing a hat, who was now out of sight. Turning around, he walked through the graveyard, eventually arriving at a set of graves. Staring at the numerous graves, he walked past them to two graves side by side.
His hair was now wet due to the increasing rain as he reached into his black robes before taking out a picture. He stared at it for a few moments before placing the picture in between the two graves. Sighing, he rose to his feet and left his hands at his side as he looked over the graves which were of the Uchiha clan.
Sasuke folded his arms as he heard a screech followed by a small bang. The firework exploded in the sky sending a wave of colour, not troubled by the rain. The Uchiha remained in his position, looking at the family picture he had put down. Having returned to Konoha, he had proceeded to spend most of the day in his home before night fell and the celebration began. Avoiding the festivities, he had made his way to his clan's grave for remembrance.
The water continued falling and soaked Sasuke's clothes as he went uninterrupted with only the sounds of fireworks reaching his ears every few minutes. Closing his eyes, he finally spoke in a calm voice, "I've always wondered…would you be proud of me?"
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The sweat travelled down Yuka's face as she took one last breath before placing her sword on the ground. A rough wind blew as she walked towards the edge of the small cliff she had been training on. Her training with Hideaki wasn't proceeding extremely well as she found it hard to master the final step. Sitting down on the edge of the cliff, she hugged her knees as the sea below smashed against the rocks.
Looking towards the sky, she saw the stars were all out and brightly shone along with the moon. As the leader of the encampment, she had a lot of responsibilities on her shoulders. The missions any shinobi undertook were decided by her along with the amount of work they'd have to do. However, in order to be a suitable leader to her fellow comrades, she had to set an example which the others were expected to follow.
There were no civilians in the encampment, only those that were shinobi under the Confederation. Her leadership at such an age brought much opposition from the advisors in the Confederation who believed that she was still inexperienced to handle such a burden. Taking the role as the leader only a few months back, she had to partake in a special training programme and her success was a vital factor if she wanted to prove her worth and strength as the leader.
Sighing, her scarlet eyes shifted to the water below as she remembered the day 2 years ago when the responsibility of being a leader would fall upon her and she would begin her training in order to climb the steps.
Flashback
Yuka walked onto the grassy field which was on top of the small cliff. She could see the blonde hair of the shinobi she had come to talk with. He was sitting at the edge of the cliff, one leg hanging while the other was near his chest. Walking closer to the 16 year old, she clasped her hands behind her back, "They're taking his body home."
Naruto rested his arm on his knee as he looked at the calm water, "I'm not surprised."
Yuka looked at the back of the Uzumaki, "We'll all miss him."
Naruto's sapphire orbs followed the outlines of the rocks, "Those eyes…" Yuka's attention was gripped as she heard him, "I'd never seen him in so much pain before…" His skin tingled as his heart ached, "…but at the same time, he was smiling at me."
Yuka tucked her hair behind her ear, "That's because he accomplished what he went there for."
Naruto sighed as his vision slightly blurred, "Yeah but he lost his life in doing so." His eyes moved to the sky, "I never got the chance to say goodbye…all this happened because of what I am."
Yuka moved forwards, "Don't blame yourself Naruto."
Naruto closed his eyes as he shook his head, "I was weak…that's why I was captured…that's why I couldn't do anything…that's why…"
"That's why you're human." Yuka could feel her heart breaking as she spoke to the blonde, "There wasn't anything you could do. I know it's hard but…"
"Yuka…" Naruto's voice was calm as he rose to his feet, "I'm stopping."
The black haired kunoichi didn't understand what he was saying, "Stopping?"
Naruto nodded as he turned around, "I learned something from all of this…I'm not fit to be a shinobi."
Yuka shook her head in disbelief, "What about your training, you only have the final step left? With Yuudai gone, we need a new person to take command. You were the only one being groomed for it. I know it's happened a lot earlier than anyone expected but…"
Naruto began to walk, "I'm not the right person."
Yuka grabbed the blonde's hand, stopping him from passing her, "Don't let this eat you up…I know you're stronger than this."
Naruto closed his eyes, "I wish I was…"
End Flashback
Yuka had a grim expression after the life changing events flowed through her mind. Being one of the strongest after Naruto, it was decided by Hideaki for her to fill the role as the leader of the encampment. However, her mind would constantly linger on whether she was chosen only because the original choice refused. This training was for her to prove herself and it was hard enough without having to worry about what Naruto was doing.
Her relationship with the blonde began in an awkward way but they had grown close a little while after she came to the encampment. But soon after the tragic events which shook even the core of the Confederation, Naruto had become distant causing the scarlet eyed woman concern for a long time. Resting her head on her hands, she spoke in a quiet voice, "When are you going to recover…Naruto?"
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The sound of a match being lit could be heard as the small fire was used to burn the cigarette. Blowing out the match and throwing it to the ground, Naruto looked at the village of Konoha from on top of the monument to the Hokages. Biting his thumb and drawing a trickle of blood, he slammed his hand into the ground in order to summon Genkei.
The dragon got into a defensive stance as a large sound echoed through the air, "Bring it on!" He looked around, only to find Naruto.
Naruto sat down as he pointed to the sky where numerous waves of colour could be seen, "It's just fireworks."
Genkei put his clawed hands down, "Doesn't hurt to be careful." The wingless dragon looked at his surroundings, "Konoha…I haven't been here in a long time."
Naruto resumed smoking, "It must have been before I signed the contract."
Genkei walked next to Naruto as the rain fell onto the duo, "It was even before Yuudai signed it." The wingless dragon changed the subject as he saw a disturbance in the blonde, "You're still smoking, even in the rain?"
Naruto took out the cigarette from his mouth and covered it with his hand so the water didn't get close to it, "I needed it."
Genkei sighed, "So, did you get the crystal?"
Naruto shook his head as he placed the cigarette back in his mouth, his hat preventing any rain to pass, "No, but I have an idea of where it is."
Genkei's tail waved around, "Care to let me know? That is why you called me here, right?"
Naruto let his cigarette dangle at the end of his mouth, "You see that building down there?" Genkei nodded in response, "That's the Hokage's residence as well as her office. The crystal will be in there as will the scroll I wanted to come here for in the first place."
The rain wetted Genkei's scales as he observed the surroundings of the building, "You want to take them tonight?"
Naruto remained still, "I need to check the place out and then make my move. With the Tsuchikage here, security will have increased."
Genkei walked to the edge of the monument before staring at the carved face of the Godaime, "Just sleep with her, she looks to be young. The job will be easier and you'll get some extra material for your book."
Naruto finished smoking his cigarette, "She's over 50 so don't count on it."
Genkei turned back to the blonde with a shocked expression, "Then what the hell is this carved thing? It's not accurate at all…"
Naruto rose to his feet, leaving his cigarette on the ground, "Who cares? They probably got it off a picture. For now, I need you to stay with me."
Genkei looked at the sky, the rain annoying him as it continued to fall, "Why's that?"
The blonde closed his eyes, "An extra pair of eyes and ears."
Genkei nodded as they remained silent for a few moments, having discussed most of what they needed to. The dragon looked over the village which was clearly in celebration, the sound of people reaching where they were, "Something must have happened if you're passing on that…"
Naruto opened his eyes, "Genkei…do you really think there's a chance, even with the scroll?"
The dragon stared at the Uzumaki, "Don't give up."
Naruto held his hands behind his head, "I already gave up once in the past…"
Genkei diverted his attention to the falling rain which splashed off everything it hit, "This time it's different, your life depends on it."
Author Notes: You should kind of have an idea about Yuka now but as for Yuudai, his story will be revealed along with Naruto's past when the time is right. The relationship between Yuka and Naruto will also be revealed at a similar time or a bit before. As for the pairing in this fic, it'll still be Naruto and Sakura. You know what Naruto is after now but there's obviously some obstacles in the way. Until next time.