Ok, finally chapter 3
Anyone who hasn't read chapter one in the last week or so should go back, made some changes there. and if anyone read the revisions almost six weeks ago, the Sakura & Sasuke pieces have been moved to this and a later chapter.
Again this is designed around the idea of reoccurring themes. Anywhere from repeated lines to similar experiences and situations. This is loosely a concept piece so bear with me and enjoy.
Disclaimer- I do not own Naruto
Note: This takes place directly after Pein's Attack on the village.
_
_
_
Summary: 'Cuz in the end I thought they'd all be standing.
Chapter3- Plans and Contemplations
-*-*-*-*-
"It would be nice if
We could put away and throw out everything except what really mattered,
but reality is just cruel."
-*-*-*-*-
_
_
_
Shizune sank to the ground gripping her head, blood pounded in her ears and for several moments her body racked with fierce shudders. She was so out of it, she didn't think much that she had huddled down next to a corpse for comfort. She had to get this under control. She would be no good to the village- what was left of it- as she was.
It was a few moments before she could take a breathe that didn't hurt. She had taken a tour through several of the tents that had been set up to lay the deceased until time for proper burials. She dropped her head against the body of the Kohona ninja she had tried to save. It was fruitless but at the sight of him she burst into a frenzy. Pushing herself too fast, too soon, attempting to squeeze healing chakra into his still body, hers had seized in furious convulsions.
She had died. And come back wrong.
She shook her head, no maybe not wrong, but perhaps damaged.
She couldn't catch steady since she woke hazy and off balance laid out next to several others of the 'dead.' That alone was more than enough to move the usually stable kunoichi into an emotional state. Naruto, exhausted yet still standing, had explained to everyone mere hours ago, that Pein attempted to release all of the lives he had taken. His broken body was only successful in about half. She supposed that she was lucky.
Maybe.
The minute the Pein incarnation had grabbed her, she'd felt a paralyzing charge take hold of her deep in a part of herself he should not have been able to touch. But Shizune was not just a normal ninja. She was a medical nin, with special jonin rank. She supposed that she could even pass as Anbu. Shizune was a collection of skills and enterprises that made her invaluable in any capacity, ether when she was facilitating directions or active on a team.
The second she felt the numbing sensation, she gathered as much chakra as she possibly could and attempted to break the hold. A mistake. The large knot of energy had slammed against his internal grip on her and rebounded. She hadn't enough time nor the ability petrified as she was to redirect or disperse the energy and it had shot back into her system a second before Pein had pulled her form her own body.
In short, her nervous system was a mess and her mind was so not calm.
Lifting a shaky hand she trailed it through the silver locks. Not even bothering to wipe the tears from her cheeks, instead letting the dusty Jonin jacket adsorb the moisture, as she laid her head against his breathless chest.
"You were so brave," she whispered.
Hakate Kakashi had been a splendid ninja.
Shizune had saw in him many things that had fascinated the diligent first apprentice of the 5th Hokage. He had been unlike any other man she'd ever met.
He wasn't her secret obsession; she didn't spend countless waking hours devoted to contemplations involving him, merely a few. Nor was he oblivious, he was far to perceptive to not notice the slight changes in her when in his presence.
A curious thrilling sensation had blossomed within her whenever they greeted each other. He was calming yet intense, simple yet forever an enigma and she was both amused if not slightly miffed by her reaction to him.
He had become her muse. A sense of hope, in a fashion. No matter what Tsunade assigned him, whether Shizune handed him scrolls of information or nothing more than a location, he make it back. And in the days of the Akatsuki she had some where started to such faith in that. From there it became a game almost, when he'd leave Tsunade waiting just a bit too long and it become her task to debrief him. There she started to see a slightly different version of the man. A few minutes of off beat charm when he was relaxed from a mission done well. Hard wariness was the result of a high kill rate. Or simmering anger if quietly thought there was even one unnecessary casualty. In these instances Shizune had come to know him, but worry more.
He hurt. And she recognized that he was one of those souls burdened by grief. His father, his team, his students. These things caused him pain but still his hand would lift for his trade mark 'Yo' and hidden smile.
And He had died protecting the village to the very end.
She huddled closer to his lifeless frame.
He'd developed his own code, method and style. Envied and awed alike til he became part of the fabric of ninja history. Nothing short of epic even in his final moments.
It would only heighten his mystique when they say how he fell during Pein's invasion. Sending one of the 12 to ferrying off discovered secrets before the final blow. How he stood in Leaf Village splendor against a monster, in the end a staying hand that had allowed victory.
She closed her eyes and thought about how children would spend many a summer nights atop Hokage mountain, dreaming of what deeds would earn them the right to have their faces etched into immortality. It would be there she suposed that The Copycat Ninja would drift into glory; boastful bar conversation, inhuman after dozens of sake vases. A wonderfully dramatic tale for academy students, designed to push them toward greatness. And a dancing specter to enemies of the Leaf, caution to those who thought themselves ambitious.
He would laugh at all of it. Probably embarrassed by the whole affair, he'd shake his head about how none would remember the late Jonin former Anbu who stood vigil over the dead, much more likely to slink away after a mission,, eager to find some window sill or tree branch comfy enough to tolerate hours of icha icha novels.
This village had lost the best it had to offer.
Shizune decided that hours spent memorizing the dead hasn't so odd now. Heartbreaking still, but much more honorable now that she's likely take up the task herself. Someone owned him that much. Suddenly Shizune felt old. Strange how the affairs of but a single day could move the soul to such burdens.
"Sleep Hakate," she whispered, and with a tenderness she only wished someone would have shown him in life, she drew down his mask. She didn't peak. This man deserved whatever secrets death had allowed him to keep.
With a hollow sadness she pressed her mouth to his before rolling his mask back up.
"Shizune! Shizune!"
She looked up to see Ino, disheveled and tired running over. She slid to a stop and her eyes widened when she saw her.
"Oh- I'm sorry."
"Its alright Ino. What is it," She asked standing hastily.
"Sempai we need you in the infirmary," She said but her eyes had softened with a knowingness. She'd lost Asuma after all.
She nodded grateful when the girl departed giving her a moment. She gripped her hand when it started to shake, taking slow breathes to ease the twitching nerves. She looked at Kakashi for a moment more deciding, then bent back over him, sliding her hand into the pocket of the Jonin vest, before standing again. She said a small prayer and tucked the slim worn novel into her side pouch.
Yes, Hakate Kakashi had been a splendid ninja.
_
_
_
_
Kabuto laid naked against the damp earth along the entrance to the cave. He hadn't made it inside before the violent convulsions began. He sweated and screamed and vomited his way through the nearly impossibly painful process.
He spit out a bit of root or stick, whatever, that had managed to crawl into his mouth when he had thrashed around in the throes of the conversion. He could not draw a proper breath. Despite the fact that naught stood with in hundreds of yard, the air was stale and lifeless. Truly this land was dismal, but Kabuto was nothing if not loyal. In him Orrochimaru had gained the most loyal and devoted of soldiers .
That bastard Sasuke.
He had destroyed not only Orrochimaru but years of research and development and released hundreds of subjects. Perhaps the most former was not true, not anymore Kabuto thought gleefully. His palled drained features twisted into a dark smirk.
Despite, feeling faint, he lifted and eyed his left arm. The swarthy pale color a welcome sight. It was taking longer than he thought but soon...
His arm flopped back down, the last bit of movement nearly rendering him unconscious. He had barley made it out of Sand alive. It was sheer luck that the Sound contact was still active. Orrochimaru's spy had come through. Not only had he managed to save Kabuto the scroll was now safely in Kabuto's possession.
Four years past during Orrochimaru's attack on Kohona, neither had expected for him to be defeated, let alone for the Snake Sannin to be left incapacitated. Combined with the discovery of the Kazekage's body they had no choice but to practically crawl in to hiding.
Weakly he clenched his fist.
That had been oversight and their part, allowing the corpse of the sand village leader to be discovered. They could have retreated back into the west and recouped instead they were forced to give up that ruse completely. Shame too seeing how the Kage seat had went vacant for nearly 2 year prior to the crazed Garra being elected. It had taken far too long to regain access to Sand's archives. If they had known the troubles ahead, never would they have left something so valuable as a Power Scroll behind.
But such didn't matter now did it he thought taking a last peak at his left arm before letting the darkness take him.
_
_
_
_
She had become ninja solely to protect them, and then later she stayed to stand by them.
That girl who wanted nothing more than to pick flowers with her two most precious people, perhaps she mourned. Maybe she cried.
As it was Konan was coldly furious. Hate coiled tight, resentment grew to in surmountable degree, and a vengeance to the leaf village, to the kyuubi container and that girl grew quickly and instantly. A part of her now, no time or distance could or would tame it.
When she reached the Akatsuki lair, nearly empty now, you could not look at her without thinking that something about the solemn paper kunoichi wasn't the same.
Madara was walking off the evidence of a failed extraction behind him. Another complication.
"Pein is dead."
While Zetsu and Kisame showed signs of shock Madara simply turned towards her. He didn't need his mask with her. She had long since recognized him for his true face. That of one carved for revenge. Pein could have controlled Madara but now she didn't care. She would use him for her revenge.
"How," Kisame asked.
"Numbers," Madara said simply
"A third of their Shinobi, dead, a small fraction of the civilians as well. But Kohona is been left in pieces. Nary a building stands, we cut through their ranks rather easily." She voiced barley covering her relish.
Madara didn't mourn Pein. If anything this was the opportunity he had longed for. Except for Sasuke's reaction of course. Connections, bonds they useless things, best severed once and for all.
"Sasuke," he called out.
There others may not have sensed his presence but sharingan users were oddly aware of each other. He counted and watched Sasuke come around the bend, his face was stoic and negligent. Perhaps this wouldn't be so difficult.
"The leaf village has been rendered incapacitated. However, we've lost Pein,"
Sasuke merely looked at him. "Pein"
"Yes the Kyuubi container is more in touch with the fox demon than we thought."
"But how," cried Zetsu.
Konan shook with fury. "Some girl interfered as Pein ment to transport him. When he attacked her the jinchuriki transformed. He converged to six tails in mere instant."
Madara peered at Sasuke closely. He looked as he always did. Black hair wayward and spiky, shoulders back, angular features calm, posture erect. A handsome Uchiha, more so than even Itachi.
Madara smirked, he was quite spectacular wasn't he. This last of their clan. So indifferent and cold, he was like Madara in that regard. After his initial shock to his brothers true story Sasuke had reacted much as Madara had thought he wou-
Sasuke had hitched his breath.
Ah, so there it was. Madara had been looking for outward signs but of course there would be none. He looked him over critically, his eyes were slightly tense, shoulders minutely rigid. He had a dame tic in his jaw.
"Hyuuga clan," Konan continued. "Nagato made note of her eyes. Intense emotions triggers the boy."
"That doesn't matter." Madara cut in. "The Nine tails was Pein's focus. We have a new directive now."
"And that is," Sasuke questioned. Everything about him seemed normal but Madara wasn't fooled. Dame Itachi, he was the reason that Madara would now have to-
That was for later. Madara was smarter than them all. He would prove it.
"Its time we've made our final move but first, We will resurrect the Akatsuki."
Kisame looked at sharply. "And how do we do that?"
"Leave that to me. I will leave the 3 tails to You and Suigetsu, I'm sure you'll get along rather well. Konan take the other tw-"
"Perhaps not," Sasuke cut in. "I have disbanded Taka."
Madara turned towards him slowly. "Curious. May I ask why?" Madara gestured behind him. "You do realize that was not the eight tails but rather one of its limbs ."
Sasuke merely shrugged. "As you said the tailed beast were Pein's agenda, never mine. And I no longer need Taka. I will take my revenge unaccompanied."
"Mmm. Very well. Konan, Rai is your target. Sasuke I would think you would like to accompany me." Madara inclined his head to him. "You are still interested in the final level of sharingan are you not."
Sasuke looked at him shrewdly. "That's an unnecessary question."
Madara chuckled lightly. "I ment no implication. I merely reference to the Village Elders. They were hardly present for such an assault. This is your chance to extract your revenge and effectively sever all ties with Kohona." He gestured to the Paper kunoichi who laid in his hand a deceptively slim and worn scroll.
Konan nodded. "You mean to eliminate them completely."
"Oh yes. We've lost every fallen member the Akatsuki because of Kohona."
Sasuke arched a brow.
"You and your brother were Kohona based. But you are right," Madara graciously amended. "There are no bonds left there. We are, of course, all Rogue."
The Uchiha smirked beneath his mask. "We're moving out."
_
_
Sasuke
-
-
Uchiha, it seemed had been destined to end in tragedy.
Born from the fires of war, they lived in perpetual conflict. If not from an outside foe, then internally like the scorpion perhaps, they began to corrupt themselves.
The clan began quite nobly; warriors who with a righteous anger decided, enough. No more senseless slaughter, children left to be orphans, no more mass memorials with naught but time to remember the ones who were laid to rest.
They were initially and at heart, protectors. And avengers, taking up the torch for those who could not fight, standing for those who had not the means to stand for their selves.
Their adversary, The Senju, had frighteningly similar beginnings. Perhaps in this lay in the origin of their violent rivalry and brotherhood. Every blow, every jutsu, every fallen ninja an acknowledgment of a bond that could only be found and strengthened through battle.
Sasuke followed in this violent tradition. Was not his will nor his desire, but fate had decided at birth to thrust him dead center of the politics and hate that leave him soul survivor and heir to the once proud and renown ninja clan. Felled by deception, greed, and thirsty payback.
A position that would test his strength in frightening cruel and often lonely ways.
On dark silent nights with blood splattered walls and lifeless bodies. Never ending dreams of familiar faces frozen in perpetual horror, falling, falling against a crimson red back drop that that wouldn't end.
Hollow houses and vacant halls, empty rooms and memories of distant warmth far too elusive to really remember. They simply wisped away when he would tried to hold on to them.
His days were riddled with heavy thoughts and bitter loathing.
His own brother had destroyed everything he cared about. And Sasuke could not forget.
But he tried to.
For a moment there he thought that splashes of pastel pinks and orange and silver might drown out the red. He thought missions and teammates were comforting. He found purpose and contentment in that presence.
A new family, maybe a future.
For a moment.
But in one fell swoop darkness rushed in with frightening ease:
It cursed him, attacked his village, and killed his Hokage. Made him for one terrible second truly fear someone other than his brother.
And laid to work the beginning trappings of a poisonous network of dark thoughts.
It took down Kakashi, nearly killed Sakura, almost kidnapped Naruto, and reawakened the nightmares that had only just begun to leave him alone. It told him he wasn't strong enough and he didn't hate enough.
And so he gave in.
To the nightmares and to the ceaseless red pressure building around him. He broke his bonds and severed ties, he closed the door on yet another portion of his past. He took up arms against a brother, he left behind a precious person and turned his back on the teachings of a great man.
He was far too damaged and conflicted to ever let go. He could not, would not know happiness. Such was not for him.
In him, Orochimaru had gained thy ultimate prize. One, whose potential was limitless. One he could torture and touch and exploit with nary a protest.
For Sasuke lived to die. He would sacrifice all to avenge what was.
-
These thoughts continued on in a perpetual fashion in his mind, so much so that he had traveled far into leaf territory before he was even aware that he done so.
He was aware of Madara to his right and Zetsu some where behind him but that didn't hold Sasuke's attention.
He stepped forward until he was directly in the center of the path that lead up to the gates, stepping into full view thy only living person he could call brother.
Naruto Uzumaki.
And just like that the world started to burn.
-
-
-Uchiha, it seemed had been destined to end in tragedy.
A/N
The quote at the top is actually the opening lyrics of 'Dearest' by Ayumi Hamasaki, most you folks recognize this as the third ending 6th of Inuyasha. Its a beatiful ballad and i love the translation.
The final piece of this chapter, Sasuke's synopsis, if you take out the small section when he reaches the village gates, has to be one of my most favorite pieces. I really enjoyed writing it. Just like hinata's piece at the end of chapter1. Maybe because I knew exactly what i wanted to say for them. It may not read all extra marvelous like but I felt very comfortable with them and Sasuke's makes me proud of myself.
MANGA SPOILER-
Kishi's recently made a revelation that Naruto is part senju - he hasn't yet made it completely clear if this is by blood or rather because of naruto's character development and connections- but I was right on the money with that one as its hinted in my Sasuke bio near the end of this chapter. And something I've thought since the manga chapters that revealed the origins of Uchiha and the Leaf village. -Bubblemark should be very proud of me^^
