The Littlest Sannin II: Sound in Autumn
Disclaimer: Don't own.
Sequel to The Littlest Sannin
Chapter 8
(Base of Mt. Omashu)
Tsunade looked at the stairs that had been carved into the mountain. "Those weren't there last time we came through here."
"No, they weren't, yet they look like they've been there for a while anyways." Orochimaru agreed.
Around Naruto's litter Haku, Kin, Tayuya and Temari stood. Each looked at Naruto. "He's grinning." Tayuya said.
"He's not. He's in a coma." Temari said.
"Your paranoid." Kin said.
"I'm not fucking paranoid. He's got a…a glow about him." Tayuya said and looked at Haku. "Tell them!"
Haku was studying Naruto's features, her eyes softened and she looked at Tayuya. "There is…something." She admitted.
"SEE!" Tayuya hissed and held her head down when Tsunade looked back at them.
"I still say your paranoid." Kin said looking at Naruto.
Temari looked at Haku and then moved closer and was staring at Naruto's face. "I think they're right."
"Fuck yeah." Tayuya said.
"What's going on over here?" Tsunade demanded.
All four jumped at her voice and looked at her. Haku spoke, her voice quiet. "We were discussing Naruto-kun." She said. "He seems to have a glow about him." She said.
Tsunade was swearing in her head. She knew exactly what was going on and she was cursing a perverted kitsune and her innocent baby being led down the path of the dark side.
I swear, I will castra…no, I'll make sure he's wearing a chastity belt and I'll swallow the key. I will protect his virtue. The fox might be mentally having her way with him, but…
Tsunade's face had the four girls back up wondering what she was thinking of that caused the grin along with the low level killing intent.
Tsunade shook her head and looked at the others. "Gather around." She ordered and everyone pulled closer. "Jiraiya and Anko have gone to scout ahead."
"We'll have to alter the litter, it won't make it up the stairs as it is." Hiruzen said looking on.
He looked at the others. "Volunteers?"
Jirobo and Ryu stepped up. "We'll carry him." They each said.
"Now we need to wait. Everyone check your gear. We march when Jiraiya and Anko get back."
Orochimaru smirked. "Very forceful old man."
"Hush. You worry about your boy." The Hokage said.
"Keep it up and I'll give you my job." Orochimaru said.
"Oh hell no." Hiruzen said. "I'm retired. Konoha's destroyed and I'm just a meddling old man."
"You've got that right."
They both turned and went into their fighting stances seeing Natas standing on a branch.
"You took your sweet time." Natas said from behind the skull mask. "And I wouldn't do that if I were you. The area is littered with tags just waiting for a flashpoint."
Orochimaru narrowed his eyes. "We're here."
"Not here. Up there." Natas said pointing to the top. "I'm surprised how few you brought with you."
"We brought enough." Orochimaru said.
Natas chuckled. "Oh, I know that." The masked head turned towards Hiruzen. "I am sorry to hear about the loss of Konoha, but how do you say it…ah, the will of fire shall live on as long as there is a citizen left."
"Close, but then we're not here to talk about philosophy." Hiruzen said.
"Alas, we're not. Get to the top." Natas shimmered away as if he'd never been there, and perhaps he hadn't been.
XX
(On the mountain)
"Move your fat ass ero-pop!" Anko said skipping up the stairs. Jiraiya huffed at the climb. "They…built…stairs…why…not…a…lift?" he wheezed as he tried to get his breath.
"Lazy ass. Too much drinking and watching women." Anko said motivating the white haired older man behind her.
"Shut it you." Jiraiya said as he continued to climb. "Do these spiral around the mountain, or is it me?"
Anko nodded. "They do, which is a good thing, it doesn't make them as steep."
Jiraiya nodded. "And the width, five people could walk comfortably side by side."
The pair continued. "You okay?" Jiraiya asked.
"Fine."
"Liar."
Anko sighed. "Okay, I'm not fine, thanks for asking pop. But with my boyfriend nearly ripped to shreds, my brother in a coma and a freak with more tricks than a snake oil salesman we saw at that trade bizarre when we were little."
Jiraiya put a hand on her shoulder. "Your boyfriend will be fine. He's going to make a full recovery. As for Naruto…we'll get the hyperactive little monkey up and I'll take you both to that place by the ocean."
Anko smiled. "We haven't gone there since Oto was founded." Anko said.
"The six of us have been busy, hell you can bring your boy along as well."
Anko snorted. "You know if that happens, Naruto's little harem will have to come along as well."
She paused seeing the look on his face and shook her head. "Perverted old man."
Jiraiya shrugged. "I'm honest."
Anko nodded at this. Looking over the edge of the stairs she whistled. "Long way down."
Jiraiya looked up. "Still long way to the top." He formed the seals and summoned a toad.
"Tell Tsunade that we're halfway up and its clear thus far."
"Candy?" the toad asked.
Anko pulled out a box of pocky. "This is yours, once the message is delivered."
"Deal!"
The toad hopped away rather quickly leaving a smoke trail. Jiraiya smirked. "You and Naruto spoil them." He accused.
"Yeah, but we get better results than you do with a bribe here and there. A pat, a kind word."
Jiraiya sighed.
"Grab a stair. We'll wait for the others here." He said and pulled out his pad and pen, his eyes unfocused as he began to write.
Anko was always amazed watching the man who had been in her life since she was rescued sixteen years ago. How he would detach his mind and his hands would free write. At moments like this, she always thought he came up with his best work.
"And now the wait." She said.
XX
Kimimaro paced, in his hands was a pair of bone scimitars. He'd made them a year ago and Naruto had with help of Jiraiya etched seals into hilt and grip for him, enhancing the already deadly weapons.
"Sit."
He looked at Shizune, his eyes held a deadness. "He was here, too close." The bone user said.
"And he'll be closer later, but we need to conserve our strength."
Kimimaro sighed. "I keep failing."
Shizune stepped in his path and put a hand on his forearm, forcing him to lower the bone blades. She looked up at him. "Don't do this to yourself." She said.
Kimimaro sheathed the blades across his back and looked at the brunette before him.
"It is fact."
"Fiction." Shizune said. "Neither Lord Orochimaru or Lady Tsunade have laid any blame upon you, and you can bet that Naruto-kun will say that it wasn't your fault either once he wakes up."
Kimimaro sighed. "If I was doing my job properly, Naruto-sama wouldn't be in this condition."
"It was a battlefield. Everyone was separated." Shizune said. She was going to say more when Tsunade yelled.
"Saddle up!"
Shizune cursed her mentors timing, but she put a hand on Kimimaro's arm and her look told him they weren't finished.
XX
Natas watched from the shadows as the group began the trek up the stairs, his masked eyes landing on the litter carrying the body of the comatose Naruto Uzumaki.
"Not much longer." Natas said. He turned towards the green tunic wearing ninja.
"Reptile, keep an eye on them, make sure nothing happens."
Natas turned towards the mountain. "Your journey has begun with but a simple step."
He turned towards the path and saw another figure emerge. "Report."
"Oto has been taken." The shadowed form off Noob Saibot said in a hollow voice. "The survivors are being driven to the location as you ordered."
Natas nodded. "With the Sannin out of the way, Oto wouldn't last." Then looked at the shadow ninja. "What of Kabuto?"
Saibot handed him the scroll. "It has been taken care of as ordered."
"Good." Natas shimmered away, Saibot vanished as well, a lone leaf fell from the tree no one saw it hit the ground.
AN: What has Natas done? What will happen next? (Hell I'm not sure as my mind spins several scenarios and I don't know until I write it.)