11
Naruto and his clone pulled the Demon Brothers further into the forest. Once he found a secluded spot, he had his clone search them more thoroughly for any further hidden weapons. Five minutes later found a rather large pile of sharp and combustible objects on the ground to the side. Stowing the weapons away in his scroll to examine at a later time, Naruto then separated the two brothers, one tied to a tree on one side of the clearing and the other on opposite side. The blond then set his clone to watching for intruders while he dealt with the brothers.
This having been done, Naruto turned his attention to what seemed to be the older of the two brothers, who he knew was named Gouzu from reading their profile in Kakashi's bingo book. When Naruto waved a bag of smelling salts beneath his nose, the man jerked to awareness. After a second, Gouzu's eyelids pulled back and he glared at Naruto who grinned at him.
"Why, hello. I must say that it wasn't too much of a pleasure to meet you, Gouzu-san."
The man defiantly sneered, unsurprised at the use of his name, and kept his lips pressed close together.
Naruto sighed theatrically. "That's fine. I don't need you to talk. You only need to listen."
Naruto smoothly dropped himself to the ground and crossed his legs.
"Now. By the way you fight, connected by a chain, I would say you are fond of your brother, Meizu, are you not?" The man still let no sound escape his lips but Naruto saw a glimpse of uncertainty in his eyes and the way he looked straight ahead and over Naruto to the still unconscious body of his brother. "Yes, I thought as much. But realize that I can let the two of you go without a second thought if you give me what I want. I'll even give you my protection."
"And what makes you think we'll need your protection?" The man said with a growl, placing a sarcastic emphasis on the word 'protection'.
"Well, if you tell me what I need to know, you won't need it, because I plan to go after whoever sent you and take them down."
"Do you, now? And how, pray tell, does a child plan to do this?" The man said scathingly and, though he was the one tied to the tree, he looked down on Naruto with disdain in his eyes.
"Because," Naruto smiled grimly. "This child has more to him than it looks." He forced some of Kyuubi's chakra into his eyes, just enough that they would bleed red, and, as the man looked into them, he paled.
"What are you?" He said shakily. It seemed the man knew when he was dealing with something over his head.
"Now, now. It would be dangerous for the both of us for you to know that. However, I suggest you do as I ask. I promise you I will let the both of you free. I only want to know who sent you and where they are."
"How can I trust your word?" A good question, all in all.
"Technically, you can't. However, if I truly planned on killing you two, I would have started torturing your younger brother in front of you until you gave me the information I seek. But, I am not one who enjoys killing needlessly." Naruto stood and, for effect, he crossed the clearing to stand next to the man's brother, who was still unconscious. He ran a hand down the man's cheek. "It would be a pity if you forced my hand."
He was sure he could hear the older brother swallow in the silence that followed. Then, like music to Naruto's ears, the man started to speak.
"I…I'm not sure exactly who the man who approached us was, but he wore an orange-looking mask with a black swirl on the front of it. He had a strange-looking companion with him-almost plant-like- and they both wore black coats that had red clouds on them. I think they were from that underground organization… Akatsuki was their name. I don't know how you would find them, though, because they move around a lot."
Throughout the man's confession, Naruto had to fight to keep his expression neutral. If it was Akatsuki, then that man with the spiral mask must have been Madara, which explained why they'd been after Sasuke, but not why they'd targeted Tazuna as well. Already the man was haunting him. He'd expected at least another year or so before Madara and Akatsuki showed up.
"Who were your targets?"
"The bridge builder and the Uchiha kid." The man answered.
"Is that all you know?" Naruto asked, coming up to the older brother and putting a hand under his chin, forcing him to look into his eyes as he answered. The man hesitated a moment before nodding.
"Yes."
Naruto nodded. "Well, then. Can you promise to take your brother and leave peacefully?"
"Yes, we will."
"Good. I'll cut your ropes in a moment, but, before I do, I need to warn you of something. Do not, under any circumstances, come into contact with any of the Akatsuki, because they will kill you. Besides that, you need to stay away from the Rice country, otherwise known as the Sound country. Don't step foot in the Rain country either. Those two places would be very dangerous to you if you plan to keep up your work."
The man stared at him for a moment before nodding. Naruto pulled out a kunai and, before the brother had even had time to flinch, his ropes were cut. Flipping the kunai around in his hand, Naruto passed the ninja the blade and motioned him to go cut his brother's bonds. After the man stared at him for another long moment, Naruto sighed.
"Go. I don't break my promises. You're free to leave as long as no harm comes to my team or client."
"I…Thank you. Not many others would have done such." The brother bowed to Naruto then quickly went to his brother and woke him. Under Naruto's watchful eye, the older of the two explained the situation and he cut the ropes that held the younger to the tree. After this, the younger brother bowed to him as well and they both took to the trees a moment later, heading in the direction opposite his team.
They were surprisingly more honorable than I thought they would be. And less trouble to deal with. You didn't even have to torture them. Kyuu chimed, although she sounded disappointed that there had been no torture session. As much of an ally as she was to Naruto, she still loved violence, in any form, regardless of if she sought it out or not.
I know. But I think I like them. We might have made an ally of them by letting them go, too.
You mean you might have made an ally of then; I would have killed them. But, anyway, what do you make of the situation now, Kit?
I'm not sure. I know we'll have to speed up our plans, perhaps even for when we return from this mission. I just hope Madara doesn't meddle in this mission.
You know what, kit?
What?
I always had a strange feeling about this attack the first time around. It never quite fit in with everything else Gato did. I never liked the fact that they attacked here, not far from Konoha, instead of in their own country. And now we find out that Madara is behind it in this time? Gato might have never been behind this attack to begin with. And perhaps Madara is not moving early, but at the same rate as he did the first time.
Naruto stared into space for a lengthy period of time before he answered her. You know, I think you're right, although I never thought about it that way. But for what purpose would Madara, or Akatsuki in general, have attacked this early and then just disappeared again? And, this time around, why would he have targeted both Sasuke and Tazuna when they could have all just gone after Sasuke?
I think it may be too soon to tell. But I believe you're right; we should speed up our plans. I think we're safe for the time being, though.
xXx
When Naruto returned to his team, Kakashi and his clone were separated from everyone else again, as Kakashi sent off a summoned hawk to alert ANBU to the presence of the ninja they had captured. He easily switched places with his clone and dispelled it without garnering any notice from anyone but Kakashi.
"You let them go?" Kakashi eyed him, noticing Naruto hadn't brought back the brothers, and that the clones disguising themselves as the brothers had disappeared as well.
Naruto nodded. "In exchange for information."
"How'd it go?" Kakashi asked, nodding at the explanation and realizing that Naruto must have had a good reason.
Naruto shook his head. "Not good. A familiar enemy has surfaced far sooner than I expected. They were targeting Sasuke along with Tazuna. This isn't the same as the timeline I remember, and although it's vaguely similar- enough that I know how to deal with it, at least- the smaller, most important details are drastically different. Like the number of ninja that attacked us here, when in my timeline there were only two. Like the fact that it rained today, when in my timeline it had not rained for days. And like the fact that Sasuke is being targeted already, when that shouldn't happen for another five years."
As the blond massaged his temples against a growing migraine, Kakashi put a hand on his shoulder.
"Look, Naruto, it will be fine. You can deal with this. But, tell me, why is Sasuke being targeted?"
Naruto heaved a sigh. "There is a man called Uchiha Madara that runs the organization called Akatsuki from the shadows."
"But Uchiha Madara is dead, is he not?" Kakashi asked, his eyes widening a margin in recognition of the famous historical figure.
"No, he's not. I'm not sure how he managed it, but he's alive and well. And he wants as many kekkei genkai as he can get. In my timeline, Uchiha Itachi passed on his eyes to Sasuke before Madara could get them. But Madara is also after the Jinchuuriki, so he came after us when both Sasuke and I were together and…" sucking in a shaking breath, Naruto shook his head hard. He quickly cast a glance at the young raven, just to reassure himself that he was still there, but still the panic attack fell upon him, even as Sasuke met his eyes from where he sat next to Tazuna.
He could feel himself gasping for breath, shaking as his nerves broke. But he didn't really feel it. The attack seemed as if it was happening to another person, because the only thing he could think of was that he simply wouldn't be able to live if Sasuke died again. Not when he was still suffering the effects of the raven's death in his original timeline. Even when Sasuke was standing there, right in his sightline, breathing, and alive.
"I can't. I can't lose him again. I've lost him so many times-" His voice cracked. He dropped to his knees. He knew he was having a panic attack but he couldn't stop it!
But, suddenly, as he struggled to calm down, Naruto was pulled away and into his mind, a familiar setting of a white room with pillows and blankets everywhere and with its only occupants being himself and Kyuu. Tears started to flow as he recognized his sanctuary and he sobbed on his hands and knees pitifully. Kyuu, who stood in her human form next to him, pulled him up and pressed his head into her kimono-covered bosom without saying a word and it was only when she pulled him down with her into her heap of blankets and pillows that she spoke. It was a soft, smooth, human voice that sounded nothing like the one he always heard when she spoke to him while he was awake.
"Kit, you must stop this. Regardless of the good outcomes of it, this is what got us into this mess in the first place. I understand why you would suppress such emotions, but there is no reason for it anymore. Sasuke is alive again! You're only causing yourself more pain." She sighed. "I suppose I must blame myself a bit. I should have gotten you to speak about what happened already. I was a fool to let this fester for so long."
Naruto's voice hitched as he spoke. "My fault…my fault he's dead. If I had just-" Kyuu cut him off.
"No, Kit. It's not your fault. It's not anyone's fault, what happened to Sasuke. He chose what he wanted to do and I'm sure he had no regrets about it. You couldn't have done anything."
"But if I had-"
"No." Kyuu said firmly. "Think about it. Think about it carefully, Kit. I don't want to have to force you to remember, but you are suffering with far too many nightmares, far too many panic attacks- I can't let you do this to yourself!"
Naruto looked up at Kyuu and took in her fierce red eyes, her worried expression. He watched as she pleaded with him and finally, slowly nodded. Kyuu smiled sadly and hugged him closer. Then she pressed a finger to his forehead and his eyelids fell shut.
xXx
When we arrived at the valley of the end, we hadn't expected what we found. We had planned, just Sasuke and I, to go and reminisce and perhaps have a spar, mocking whatever gods had deemed it amusing to separate us in this very spot so many years ago and to celebrate Sasuke's return to Konoha at last.
But, apparently, the gods didn't like to be mocked.
Standing there when we jumped down to the water side was a familiar figure, in a familiar cloak, with a familiar smirk on his face. Immediately, Sasuke and I were on guard and, not a moment later, Uchiha Madara launched himself at us.
For a time, we held our own, Sasuke and I landing hits on the man just as much as he did the same to us. But our luck didn't hold out. Madara had set up an ambush for us there. Backups jumped in from out of nowhere and Sasuke and I began to lose ground. Sasuke told me to take out the reinforcements, and, not wanting to argue with him in the situation we were in I created some clones and fought them back. They were weak, but they still forced me to keep my attention away from the two Uchihas.
And that was when it happened.
I had just finished off the last one and turned back to the fight and the first thing that entered my sight was that of Uchiha Madara, not ten feet away from me, his hand reared back as he ran at me.
I froze.
The next thing that entered my sight was Sasuke's face. It wasn't completely distorted in pain, but there was discomfort in his features, his black hair fell forward into his face and he seemed to fall forward with it. As if that movement broke a spell on me, I cried out in horror and pulled him to me and jumped back. I felt it when Sasuke's body caught on Madara's hand as I pulled him away from it. I laid him out on the ground and my hands shook horribly. I kept saying one thing over and over.
No, no, no, no, no…
xXx
"He saved your life, Kit. Don't throw away that sacrifice by dwelling on it." Kyuu said softly when he opened his eyes again. His tears had renewed at the fresh memory of Sasuke's death, but the fox had finally gotten her point through to his mind. He'd been so adamant that Sasuke's death had been his fault- that he could have done something to prevent it- that he had forgotten what had truly happened. He had been wrong, and he could only imagine what Sasuke would have said if he'd known what Naruto had made himself believe.
"Do you think I'm so stupid that I can't decide on my own whether or not to take a blow for you, Dobe?
Naruto laughed for a moment at the thought of Sasuke telling him off in the afterlife. Then he smiled softly up at Kyuu and wiped the tears off his face.
"Can you deal with the real world now? Your team is waiting." Kyuu asked seriously.
"I…think so…Thank you, Kyuu. Really. I miss him, and it still hurts, but I don't think you have to worry about me breaking down again."
"I hope so. I hate seeing you so broken. It reminds me of when you were a child."
"I'm sorry, Kyuu, that you have to see my worst sides."
"It's fine, besides, this time I have an idea that we won't need to finish Madara off so quickly this time. We can take our sweet time dealing with him and no one would mind. Such sweet screams we could pull out of him."
Kyuu's face, beautiful and regal, with sharp features and long fire-red hair pulled back out of her face with a jeweled pin, was suddenly split with a murderous and maniacal grin, showing sharp canines. A second later though, Naruto's face mirrored hers, and he nodded decisively.
"Kyuu, you always know how to cheer me up." Naruto said as the body he stood in began to fade, allowing his real body to wake. He still heard her laughter ringing in his ears even as he woke.
xXx
He opened his eyes slowly, sensing his surroundings and the chakras around him. He was lying on the ground beneath a tree, the sun speckling his skin. Seeing the position of the sun, he noticed that it couldn't have been more than half an hour since he'd had his panic attack. Suddenly, making him tense and reach for a weapon, Sakura's face appeared above his. A hand caught the one that was searching for a weapon and he looked to his right to see Kakashi sitting against a tree next to him and looking down at him. He let out a breath and relaxed, pulling himself up and rubbing his eyes.
Looking around, he saw Sakura to his left, Kakashi still in the same spot, and Tazuna on the other side of Sakura. But where was…? Oh, Sasuke was standing against the side of the tree. He could only just make out the raven's clothes, as they were mostly blocked from his view by the tree.
"Are you okay, Naruto-kun? You had another panic attack and passed out." Sakura informed him, but this time, she genuinely sounded worried for him.
He smiled at her. "I'm fine now."
"Good." Tazuna interjected roughly before any of his team could say anything. "Can we get a move-on now? The bridge is waiting."
"I think you are under the influence of a slight misconception, Tazuna-san." Naruto jumped and looked at his sensei in surprise as Kakashi stood up and glared menacingly, one eye and all, at the bridge builder, who in turn paled drastically. "Since this mission is no longer Hokage-sanctioned, we have the right, at any time, to abandon this mission and leave you to fend for yourself against Gato. So, for your own interests, you had better show more regard for my students' welfare. Do you understand?"
"Y-yes, Kakashi-san. I understand. I was merely impatient to get moving."
At the tameness tone in the bridge builder's voice, Naruto barked a laugh. He hadn't heard his sensei speak like that in a long while and the reactions of the recipient of Kakashi's tone never failed to amuse him. When everyone turned to look at him, though, he waved them off and gathered himself up to stand. "If everyone's ready, shall we go? We still have a couple hours of daylight left."
They all answered him in the affirmative, and, after finding their packs, the five of them once again started on their way to Kirigakure. Sasuke fell into step next to Naruto at the front of the group.
"Are you really alright?" the raven asked.
"Yeah…Why?"
"I just…before you passed out, I saw you look at me. You were crying and you looked…your eyes were sad…They looked just like mine after…after my clan was killed."
Naruto watched as the Uchiha haltingly explained why he had asked after his health, and he knew the boy was worried for him. But he was surprised that the Uchiha had mentioned his clan's massacre to him though, regardless of if they were friends or not.
"I really am fine. I feel better now; I guess I realized something while I was unconscious. I…don't think I'll have any more attacks like that."
Sasuke watched him to see if he was lying for a moment, before nodding and turning his attention back to his surroundings.
Of course, Sasuke wouldn't have been able to see if he was lying if Naruto hadn't wanted him too, but the blond really wasn't deceiving him. Naruto honestly felt better than he had in a very long time.
Suddenly, Naruto felt a sharp pain on the side of his head. After a second he realized what it was.
"Agh! Teme! What'd you do that for?" Naruto asked when Sasuke acted like he hadn't just hit Naruto upside the head.
"That was for pretending to be dead, dobe." Naruto pouted, but inwardly he smiled at the concern Sasuke apparently had for him, even though the boy was hiding it.
6