The Littlest Sannin II: Sound in Autumn
Disclaimer: Don't own.
Sequel to The Littlest Sannin
Chapter 9
(Mt. Omashu)
Anko looked on as the sunset. They were three quarters of the way up the mountain and were making camp on the stairs.
The others had come up while they waited, and she watched the three people who raised her talk. She could tell her uncle was pissed about something and Mamma Tsunade didn't look any happier.
She headed over to where her little blond brother was and she remembered the day they'd left Konoha when he was a baby. She'd seen him grow into the fine young man who would give his life to protect those who were special to him.
Her eyes drifted towards the four young women who Tsunade had currently making first aid packs. She'd caught them once again hovering over the blond and Anko knew from the blushes they weren't talking about the weather.
My little brother's gonna get laid. It might kill mom with the heart attack she'll have because I see each of them getting pregnant by him.. She thought.
Haku was the best at the current task, while Temari was decent, as long as she had an example to go by.
Kin and Tayuya weren't and the amount of swearing coming from Tayuya was any indication, Anko prayed no one needed the med kits she was making.
XX
Shizune brought the cold food to Kimimaro who was standing just beyond the firelight, his bone scimitars resting point down, his eyes scanning up the steps for any danger.
"You need to rest." She said as she handed him the plate of jerky bread and dried fruit.
"I am fine." He said.
"You're not. You are still recovering from a major injury." Shizune said. "I'll stick you with a senbon if you don't rest. Let some of the others guard for a while."
He was silent as he chewed the dried apple and apricot slices. "Why is it you are content with my failures?"
Shizune stepped in front of him, her eyes looking up into his. "Its not your failures I care for. I care about you."
At this the bone user blinked and looked at her. She put a finger to his lips. She smiled that he was finally starting to understand.
XX
(Mindscape)
"It's time."
Naruto turned from the meditation exercise he was doing to see Kyuubi was transparent.
"I thought we had a couple of days left?" he said standing and stopped his hand from reaching out for her halfway up.
She gave him a smile. "While our time was short…and very pleasurable it has come to the time when I must part from you." Kyuubi smiled and her ghostly hand reached out and he imagined it was caressing his cheek.
"I will always remember you." Naruto said sadly.
"I know. And I feel privileged to be remembered by one with so pure of heart. The kitsune contract is yours and you may do as you wish. Remember all I showed you and you'll do fine."
Naruto grinned.
"And your mates will love you."
"I still think mom's going to shit a gold brick when I tell her that."
Kyuubi chuckled. "She'll be loud about it, but in the end when you swamp her with grandchildren, she'll forget all about her protests of you having more than one girl."
The ghostly hand traced his whisker marks. "Have a long full life Naruto. Name a kid after me if you can get away with it."
Naruto felt a tear slip from his eye as the ghostly form of Kyuubi faded away.
XX
(Real world)
"What's up?" Kin asked.
Haku was hovering and turned to look at the other three. "He's crying."
They all looked to see tears slipping down Naruto's unconscious face. Tayuya's hand hovered. "What the fuck does that mean?"
Haku looked at her. "I don't know."
XX
"Damn it Tsunade, we need a plan!" Jiraiya said. "Thus far Natas has been three steps ahead and I for one am sick of dancing to his tune and being led around by the nose."
"The baka is right hime." Orochimaru said. "Natas has been the one pulling the strings. I still remember how easily he trapped us when Naruto was young. How he took you down easily."
"He got lucky." Tsunade said crossing her arms over her chest.
Jiraiya sighed. "I still think it's Minato, but Natas isn't fighting like him which is confusing. But his skill with seal and jutsu's…"
"Minato is dead. His soul was taken by the shinigami. There's no coming back from that." She looked at Orochimaru, "Even with that jutsu you accidentally created."
"And no one's seen it but the two of you and the kids. I destroyed all the notes and the scroll." He looked at Jiraiya. "You were there for that."
The Toad sannin nodded. "He showed it to me as he burned it, and we didn't take our eyes off it and then scattered the ashes."
Tsunade looked to where the girls were watching over Naruto. "I don't like the fact that Natas knows so much about Naruto either."
"We've got a good group here." Jiraiya said cutting her thought off before it began. "All of them are loyal to Naruto."
Tsunade nodded. "I know. I'm just getting frustrated."
"We'll reach the top after mid-day tomorrow. Get some rest." Orochimaru told his fellow Sannin."
"We end this." Tsunade said. "I
will not let Naruto's life be one of him having to look over his
shoulder for his madman."
Jiraiya and Orochimaru watched her go.
"You ready to whatever it takes tomorrow dobe?" Orochimaru
asked in a low voice.
"You and I take out Natas, no matter what, that bastard dies…no matter the cost."
Orochimaru nodded and watched his teammate and friend walk back to the fire. He looked up the mountain. You die Natas, and whatever dark desires you have for our boy will not happen. Orochimaru's snake like eyes focused on the top of the mountain. Tomorrow.
XX
"Lord Hokage."
Hiruzen turned to see Hana and Tsume approaching.
"Yes?"
"The scent trail you had us follow keeps vanishing and reappearing every hundred feet."
Hiruzen nodded and stroked his beard. "Rest. We'll be at the top tomorrow and we'll all need to be fresh."
Hana left, but Tsume remained. "Is there more?"
"Messenger bird."
The Hokage of the destroyed Leaf village took it and read it. "Oh…no." he looked at Tsume. "Gather everyone."
Hiruzen found his former student looking up the mountain. "There's been an incident."
He showed the letter to Orochimaru whose already pale complexion paled further. "SHIT!"
"What?" Jiraiya and Tsunade came up seeing their mentor with Orochimaru. He showed them the message.
"How?" Tsunade asked.
"Apparently he had forces in wait until we left." Orochimaru said crushing the message.
"Some survivors. Kabuto is unconscious, and the Genin of Konoha made it out, but with minor injuries." Orochimaru said.
Tsunade took the message and scanned it. "You know Izumo?" she asked the Hokage.
"Yes. He and his partner are basically lifetime Chunin."
Tsunade looked at Orochimaru. "He's fucking with us still."
"He wants us to either ignore it and keep going, or he wants us to turn around and see to our people."
"Bastard!" Tsunade yelled to the top of the mountain.
"So what do we do?" Jiraiya asked. "We have people injured and heading into more danger."
"I am not leaving Naruto." Tsunade said. "I'm sorry, but this time my son comes first over everyone else." Tsunade said turning away. "I…"
Orochimaru put a hand on her shoulder. "We agree on this hime." He then looked at the Hokage. "We'll need to break the group down."
The Hokage sighed. "I am staying with you till the end. Besides, my old bones can't travel that distance in the short amount of time needed."
The Sannin exchanged looks. "Shizune will lead them." Tsunade said finally.
Orochimaru thought about it. "She can take Jirobo and Kidomaru."
"The girls aren't going, and neither will Gaara, so that leaves out Hinata." Jiraiya said in thought, knowing the girls wouldn't leave Naruto now for any reason.
"Ryu will go as well. He's got basic field medic training to compliment his taijutsu abilities." Tsunade said.
The Hokage sighed. "Yugao, Hana and Tsume will go along as well." The unspoken "So the Konoha group knows who to trust" hung in the air.
"I'll tell the group to make preparations." Orochimaru said. The sannin took a step and then looked over his shoulder at the top of the mountain.
There will be reckoning for this Natas. Our boy and now our village. You will pay.
AN: The top of Mt. Omashu and Natas.