DISCLAIMER: This story is solely written for fanservicing. All known characters and plot lines belong to Masashi Kishimoto and the publishers of the Naruto series. I am merely a fan who wishes to write her alternate story to the Naruto manga. The title "In The Name of Life" is taken from Joe Hisaishi's soundtrack of the film 'Spirited Away', by Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli. This fanfic is not intended for lucrative purposes.
In The Name of Life
Chapter XVIII
"It is forbidden to kill; therefore all murderers are punished unless they kill in large numbers and to the sound of trumpets."
~Voltaire
The weight of Naruto's body equaled that of his heart. He felt like a thousand and one rocks had been placed on his shoulders and they were dragging him to the ground. Kakashi-sensei's assistance in walking back to the Alliance's headquarters wasn't enough. A part of Naruto wanted to leave the place where he'd fought Sasuke, but another part wanted to stay and replay his reunion with Sakura until she returned. It hurt... it hurt more than he could describe it. His life had been spared by his former teammate, he had finally seen Sakura's face again after months of her disappearance, and now both she and Sasuke were gone.
And Naruto wasn't sure that he wasn't going to see them again. Sasuke had disappeared from his radar, as if he was hiding from every living being. Sakura, on the other hand, showed him and Kakashi-sensei that she had something to do before coming back to the Alliance. She had already been gone for months, weakening her stance, changing her mentality, and keeping herself away from help would only worsen her situation. Naruto hadn't caught on to her changes immediately like his teacher because of the sudden bliss he felt at seeing her safe and in one piece. Nonetheless, he did realize that something about Sakura had changed when she announced that there was something she needed to take care of.
He wanted to help her more than anything. Sakura had been with him through thick and thin; she was his best friend, almost like a sister. Naruto knew that her devotion to him reached the same limits. He had promised Sasuke to shoulder his hatred, and he did so by letting him release all of his anger. He had almost died at the hand of the Uchiha boy, but the last words they shared seemed to change something within him. It changed something within Naruto too.
Once again, he wondered if he was making the right choices, and if justice was what it seemed to be. Sasuke was committed to destroy what destroyed him, and so was Naruto. He wouldn't rest until the war was over and he brought peace to the world. But the same debate rose in his mind. He didn't know what peace was anymore. His feelings were torn in several directions; Sasuke, the shinobi world, the people he loved... It confused him to no end.
"Naruto, you need to talk," Kakashi's voice surfaced amid his thoughts.
The alluded boy paid attention to his sensei, who was holding on to one of his arms to help him walk. They were still in the middle of a forest far, far away from the Shinobi Alliance's headquarters. In fact, Naruto knew that they were still in the Land of Sound because of the geography. It seemed that Kakashi-sensei had opted for a land route rather than the shortcut Naruto had taken when he crossed the waters before he fought Sasuke. The long journey was dragging, and Naruto's mind had never thought so much in such little time.
Not even when Jiraiya-sensei died, when he had confronted Nagato, or when he had met his mom and dad.
It only proved him that Sasuke and Sakura held a special place in his heart. It was a different place than Hinata too, but one that shared the same level of dedication from his part.
"Heh, sensei, there's nothing to say," he dismissed Kakashi's worried look with a wave of his hand, "It's all good, all right. No need to worry."
"You just fought Sasuke and almost got yourself killed," Kakashi said, slowing down his pace, "And Sakura appeared just in time to heal you, but then she left—"
"And she will come back. They both will, right?" Naruto interrupted his sensei, releasing his arm of Kakashi's hold.
He started to take a few steady steps by himself, ensuring his legs that they could withstand the weight of a thousand worlds.
"You said it yourself, sensei, so no need to lose hope!" Naruto stumbled on a rock and almost fell face front, but Kakashi was fast enough to catch him and once again settle the boy's arm around his neck for support.
"Don't be too hard on yourself, Naruto."
But both of them knew that Naruto had to demand the extreme from his abilities. He was the Child of the Prophecy, he was meant to find peace and bring it to the ninja world, no matter how difficult the task may be. Naruto hadn't put it in words, but he felt significantly overwhelmed with the pressure put on his shoulders. Failure frightened him; there was much more at stake with the war happening.
"I will never give up. Y'know that's my nindo, Kakashi-sensei," he reassured with a sided grin.
'Stupid boy. For once, listen to your superiors,' the Kyūbi scolded him.
Naruto realized that he was due for a conversation with the beast inside him. He needed to wait for the right time and place in order to speak with the Kyuubi. It wasn't something he could do in front of his sensei seeing as they were alone in the middle of an unprotected country.
"Are we there yet?" he asked, trying to distract his mind with mundane things.
However, Kakashi's steps froze in the middle of the forest. Naruto took immediate attention at his teacher's sudden halt, and noticed how he was looking ahead with a shocked eye. The Uzumaki boy followed his gaze, and it landed on the last people he thought he would see in such a situation.
Uchiha Itachi was carrying Nagato with an arm wrapped around his shoulders, both members walking towards them.
"I-Itachi? Nagato...?"
Naruto's eyes were betraying him. But there they were, the two Akatsuki members, moving like living beings. His genjutsu skills had never succeeded Sasuke's or Sakura's, but he was aware that there was no trap in the scene that played out in front of him. Those were in fact Nagato and Itachi. They weren't dead, yet... yet their skin had a grey tint, it was flaking, and their eyes were different.
"I should have known," Kakashi muttered.
The boy's head shot up to look at his sensei with confusion. What the heck was he talking about? Realization dawn upon Naruto as he figured that there was something that the Alliance had been hiding from him. He looked back and forth between the Akatsuki members and Kakashi-sensei. He didn't fully understand the reason for the return of Itachi and Nagato, but the situation was serious enough for Kakashi to push him ten feet away from the two approaching figures and show his Sharingan.
Naruto landed among the tree trunks, still not comprehending the enemy's intentions. Nonetheless, he didn't hesitate in activating his Kyuubi Mode, granting him access to sense Itachi's and Nagato's chakras. They weren't infested with Zetsu's, so they weren't clones. In fact, they felt much like they did when the two Akatsuki members had been alive, further confusing Naruto. He flickered his way back to Kakashi's side, taking and attacking stance beside his sensei.
"You're not in full condition to fight," Kakashi said, looking worriedly over Naruto's determined demeanour.
"Bullshit, sensei. I have the Kyūbi's chakra; I could fight for hours!"
At his words, Itachi and Nagato finally took full attention to the shinobi in front of them. The latter looked weaker than the further, but Naruto wasn't going to take those two for granted.
"What did you mean that you should've known, huh?" Naruto's eyes remained glued to the two approaching figures.
"We've been informed that the enemy has used a resurrection jutsu in order to bring people back from the dead," Kakashi announced, much to the Uzumaki boy's shock.
He hadn't completely figured out how and why Itachi and Nagato were still alive, but it made sense now. They'd been resurrected. The two figures walking towards him and Kakashi were the real Nagato and Itachi. They stood in front of him, flesh and bones.
And ready to attack.
"Katon...!"
A ball of flames came out of Itachi's mouth, aimed directly at Kakashi and Naruto. The Uzumaki boy was fast enough to extend his chakra arms and dodge the attack, sending the ball of fire right at the trees on the sidelines. Kakashi ran towards the other side, covering the ground in order to have advantage in the impromptu fight. Naruto noticed that Itachi had left Nagato behind, and had moved behind his sensei, ready to attack. The boy flickered his way to Kakashi, and was able to land a roundhouse kick on Itachi's head before it became a flock of crows.
He couldn't afford the confusion, as Itacih reappeared beside Nagato and closed his eyes. One of them started to bleed, and both Kakashi and Naruto knew what was coming. Nagato was struggling to stand on his own, but when he did so, he brought his hands together. Two large beasts appeared behind the Akatsuki members; a large bird and a hound with multiple heads. Naruto was familiar with fighting them, but it didn't stop the chilling sensation that ran through his spine. He and Kakashi were fighting against two of the strongest shinobi the world had ever known.
"Naruto, run away from here!" Kakashi shouted, creating hand seals with his hand.
The alluded didn't listen to his sensei. Instead, he started to create a whirling sphere with the help of his chakra arms. He may be tired from fighting Sasuke, but that wouldn't stop him from defending the Akatsuki member's attacks.
"I repeat, Naruto, leave!" Kakashi insisted, his own Sharingan spinning, "It's my duty to protect you."
"Sensei, I'm not gonna let you fight 'em all alone. They're too strong!"
The large bird let out a deafening sound before taking flight with Nagato atop its head. Naruto ran towards the largest tree he could fight, climbed it with the Rasengan still whirling in his hand, and jumped when he reached the top. He was able to land a hit on the side of the large bird before he climbed it up from the side, creating another Rasengan along the way. He was able to reach the animal's head, where Nagato stood, and sent his attack towards his opponent. However, Nagato put his hand together again and absorbed Naruto's attack.
Before the boy could conjure his next attack, another figure appeared in front of Nagato. In a blur, Itachi's figure extended his arms to protect Nagato. His eyes opened again, but the black fire that Naruto was expecting never came. Instead, Naruto felt an unpleasant nausea coming from his stomach. Tears filled his eyes as the gagging feeling traveled up to his throat and then out of his mouth. To his shock, a large, black crow exited his mouth. Naruto coughed violently, still feeling some of the bird's feathers in his throat.
"Perfect," Itachi said, "Forgive me, Nagato."
Itachi turned around and pushed Nagato off of the large bird. He disappeared amid the tree tops, whereas Kakashi had climbed to the top of the animal and taken a stance beside Naruto. The boy's Kyūbi chakra started to wear off, showing how exhausted he was from fighting Sasuke. He began panting, and Kakashi had to provide him with support before he collapsed.
"W-what's going on... Sensei... Itachi...?"
"Let him lie down, Kakashi. I will not attack you," Itachi took steps towards the two other shinobi. Slowly, Kakashi settled Naruto down, taking away at the weight off his legs.
"You still have a trick up your sleeve, even when you're dead," Kakashi commented in a... was that a diverted tone? Naruto's head started to spin, finally catching on to all the sudden events that happened in the last hour.
"We do not have much time. I've constrained Nagato's movements, but it is only temporary. Kabuto will notice and control his actions again."
Itachi knelt beside Naruto, with the same crow that vomited out of the latter's mouth atop his shoulder. The confusion Naruto felt was clear in his expression, as Itachi took notice and exchanged a look with Kakashi.
"He doesn't know?" he asked.
"He wasn't meant to know. We've had him under protection but then—"
"I fought Sasuke! Itachi, he wants to destroy the village. You have to stop him!" Naruto interrupted, "But w-wait... why are you here?"
Itachi glanced back at the place where Nagato had been standing before looking at Naruto in the eyes. The Sharingan was in its basic form, and Naruto had to catch his breath at seeing the resemblance between Itachi and his youngest brother. However, the only difference aside from the obvious one –that Itachi was dead, and Sasuke was alive—was the lack of hatred. Itachi didn't harbour any of the hatred that was clearly inside Sasuke, eating away his soul into darkness. Instead, Itachi held a demeanour that described that he'd already seen and suffered everything. There was pain and regret.
"Like I told you before, Naruto, a large group of strong shinobi have been resurrected," explained Kakashi, "The one behind the Edo Tensei jutsu is Kabuto."
Both Kakashi and Itachi continued telling him about the reincarnation jutsu. Naruto's eyes could not avert from the crow that stood on Itachi's shoulders as the two shinobi spoke. Although he comprehended everything they'd told him, Naruto couldn't stop looking at the Sharingan that the bird carried in his eyes. It confused him further. His mind suddenly flickered to the last time he saw Itachi, when he had given him some of his power.
"Itachi, you entrusted me with Sasuke. Was that bird supposed to help?"
Said bird became a ball of black flames in the flicker of a second. Naruto watched in amazement as Itachi calmly let the crow burn into oblivion on his shoulder, completely unaffected by the Amaterasu flames. It didn't emit a sound, serenely turning into an eternal flame. Itachi finally directed his eyes at the burning crow, and its flames disappeared in the air. There was no trace left of it, but Naruto's gaze did not deviate from Itachi's shoulder.
"It was supposed to lend you some of my power if Sasuke turned against what I wished for his future. You did not need it, though. Your power was equal to his, if not more," Itachi explained with a blank expression.
Nonetheless, Naruto felt the sense of failure that Itachi carried. Even in death, his memories still remained in his mind. Everything from his time with Sasuke to his family's massacre at his hand stayed in Itachi's mind, and even though he did not show it, Naruto knew that he still felt the pain of all his actions.
Kakashi tensed beside him, and Naruto's eyes shot up to the sky, seeing a familiar black sphere orbiting amid the cloudy sky. Up until that moment, he hadn't realized that the three of them were still standing on the large bird, which started to flag its wings uncontrollably, creating waves of winds that only accelerated the pull of the Shibaku Tensei. The bird started to fly, sending Kakashi, Naruto and Itachi towards the absorbing black sphere. The Uzumaki boy, knowing the consequences of Nagato's jutsu, extended his Kyūbi chakra as a way of trying to halt their attraction towards the orb.
However, Itachi had jumped ahead and summoned his Susano'o. Naruto met a large skeleton figure that resembled Sasuke's, but was unique in its own way. It held him and Kakashi with its two skeletal arms, while Itachi was completely covered with his rib cage. Since the large skeleton was under Itachi's control, the Uchiha was able to send the two Konoha shinobi back to the ground. Once Kakashi and Naruto stepped on the trembling soil, the teacher grabbed his student, dismissing the burning flames of the Kyūbi's chakra, and attempted to move him to a safer place.
Before he could move any further, though, Nagato appeared in front of them, ready to attack. The large hound with multiple heads arrived at his side with the intention of destroying whatever crossed its path. They were trapped in the middle of the many Paths of Pain, but it was nothing like the last time Naruto had encountered it. Unfortunately, the Kyuubi chakra was receding from him as his body finally gave in to its exhaustion. Naruto tried to take more of the beast's chakra, but it had been enough for the day.
In desperation, he turned to his teacher. Kakashi-sensei's right arm was completely burned, with its skin in vivid red colour. A trail of smoke came from where normal coloured skin had been before, but the man didn't flinch at its pain. Instead, he was looking intently at the large hound in front of them.
"Naruto, I know you're tired, but I need you to watch my back for now."
The boy's exhaustion level was so low that he could barely stand on his two feet. Nonetheless, he was still willing to fight. Naruto didn't know what Kakashi had under his sleeve –after all he was the Copy Cat Ninja—so he chose to stand with his back touching his sensei's, gathering up all the chakra he could without reaching the breaking point. It was a difficult task, but the sight of Itachi travelling towards them calmed him a bit. At least they had another ally who could help against Nagato.
Perhaps Naruto wasn't meant to face it all by himself, he thought. He had already fought against his former friend, and despite neither losing nor winning, he'd learned that the second part of his Prophecy had been fulfilled. It had been one of the hardest moments he had ever faced, but the constant reminder that there were people who acknowledged him encouraged his strength to keep going. It was doing the same now, albeit the strange combination of allies. He never imagined that Itachi and Kakashi-sensei would fight alongside him, against an enemy who loved Jiraiya-sensei as much as he did.
Once Itachi reached them, the three shinobi rearranged in the Maji formation, each facing a different direction. The trembling floor was a reminder of what was to follow the absorbing black orb. A sweat drop trailed down Naruto's temple. Nonetheless, the other two men did not loosen their stances.
"I'm aware you're a fine Sharingan user, Kakashi," Nagato yelled, "This is not my body acting willingly. I apologize for any damage!"
The hound with multiple heads let out a loud growl, and then attacked towards Kakashi, who jumped back and landed on one of the rocks that were being absorbed by the Shibaku Tensei. The dog's heads barked in unison, causing a large wave of sound, briefly deafening their ears. Nonetheless, the animal kept chasing after Kakashi's quick moves, and the shinobi was successful in keeping the hound away from Itachi and Naruto.
Desperately, Naruto raced towards Kakashi with the goal of helping him. However, the Uchiha brother caught up to him and pulled his arm, making Naruto's head turn towards Itachi and creating eye contact. Naruto's mind fogged up rapidly, he was being taken away to another dimension while staring at the Sharingan.
Everything was blank. Empty. He couldn't describe what he was experiencing. All he could sense was the voice of Itachi and his own breathing.
"Naruto, there is still hope for Sasuke. He didn't kill you, which shows that your words had an effect on him. Please, show him the right path before he sinks any deeper."
"Madara will come for you and the Hachibi jinchuuriki very soon. I apologize for putting so much burden in your already heavy shoulders."
"There's no problem in that, Itachi, I know what I gotta do."
"I must go and stop Kabuto," Itachi announced.
"But Sasuke, he needs you now! You need to make him reason—!"
"Like I told you before, I entrust you with Sasuke."
And like a flash, Naruto's senses returned and he was back in reality. He looked around confused, and realized that Nagato's gigantic hound had disappeared. Kakashi was on the ground, opening his one visible eye after what seemed to be a tough battle. The last thing that Naruto noticed was that Nagato had been sealed away. The sound of crows made Naruto's head turn towards the opposite direction.
Itachi's body was slowly dissolving into a flock of crows; however, he continued speaking as Kakashi regained consciousness. He and Naruto were able to catch on to the Uchiha's last words before he departed.
"I've already spoken with Sakura-san. You and Sakura-san are the only ones that can guide Sasuke to the light. He will need your company, as we are not meant to meet again. Good luck, Uzumaki Naruto. You've become a respectable shinobi."
Naruto reached out his arm once Itachi had completely disappeared. The flock of crows flew upwards, towards the clouds, fading in the distance. The boy turned to look at Kakashi-sensei, who was still lying on the floor, and then covered his Sharingan eye. Naruto felt beaten up, like he couldn't take another step. He would have ask Kakashi-sensei to carry him back to headquarters, but right now, it was his sensei the one who needed to be carried. Letting out a long sigh, Naruto sat beside a now conscious Kakashi and contemplated the damage they'd left behind in the forest.
"Use these last moments to make happy memories before darkness settles into this world," Kakashi said.
"What do ya mean?"
"You just heard Itachi. He's entrusted you with more responsibilities. Take advantage of your spare time before everything comes in your way."
Naruto helped his teacher stand up, a rather difficult task seeing that both shinobi were extremely exhausted. Not to mention that Kakashi-sensei was still taller than Naruto, but not for too long. Naruto knew he was going to get taller than his sensei. He was going to tower over lots of people, or at least that's what he wanted. He let out a goofy chuckle at his thoughts, realizing that Kakashi-sensei was right. He needed to do the things he wanted to do before Madara or Sauske tried to kill him again.
A wave of wind passed and a large ink bird appeared in front of them. Naruto was about to complain in regards to the bad omens that large birds had brought to him –both Sasuke's hawk and Nagato's giant bird—, but recognized that this last animal came in good nature. After all, three is the charm, he thought. Knowing who the owner of the inked animal was, Naruto took confident steps towards it. There was no reason to feel in danger now, since a third ally had arrived for their rescue.
Sai's head ascended from the bird's back, his pale skin looking even whiter than Naruto remembered. Perhaps that was how all the shinobi in the frontlines looked like, pale with a hint of hopeless. The rest of the boy's body followed until he got off the bird. Sai's uniform had several rips and bloodstains, proving that he had also come from another battle.
But what got Naruto's attention was the look in his eyes. It was like he wasn't a wall anymore –in fact, there were emotions in them. Sadness, desperation, nostalgia, loss, exhaustion... Sai was no longer a blank canvas.
"Long time no see, Sai!" Naruto tried to show his enthusiasm at his friend's arrival, but Kakashi's words overshadowed his.
"What happened?" asked the sensei with a serious tone.
Sai made his way over to the other two shinobi and helped Kakashi prompt up to his feet with Naruto. The older jounin made a grunting noise, proving that he was too injured to stand on his own, so the two boys guided him towards Sai's large inked bird. He remained silent throughout the task, much to Naruto's dismay. Ever since Itachi stated the reason for his revival, Naruto's mind had been going in whirlwinds, thinking that his friends now had to fight against an invincible army.
They took flight once Kakashi had settled and Naruto had taken a seat beside his friend. The large bird flew over the place where his fight with Sasuke had taken place, and he could finally witness all the geographical damage the two had caused in the area. There were several craters, burned trees, places missing vegetation and giant rocks that had been destroyed with their powers. It amused him, even though he knew that his battle with Sasuke would have caused such disruption in nature.
Nonetheless, his mind did not avert from the idea of where Sakura might be at that moment. He was worried about her and her own safety. Their brief meeting has felt like a dream, as if he had been half conscious when she had arrived. But the lingering feeling of her healing chakra still remained in him, proving that it wasn't a dream. He had been able to see Sakura in one piece, safe and sound. Sane perhaps not, but she wasn't on the verge of losing her humanity.
They would meet again, he repeated in his mind. All of his teammates –or rather, family— would reunite and never separate again.
He turned his head towards Sai's changed expression and then to Kakashi-sensei's sleeping body. It would take him days to recover, which kind of worried Naruto. His sensei was overworking himself and it was scary, because Madara's main attack could come at any time and he wouldn't be able to defend himself.
The journey on Sai's bird shortened their arrival time at the headquarters. Naruto made out the infrastructure amidst the clouds, spotting several troops that were making their way to the battlefield. He suddenly felt guilty; people were dying to protect him, and he had taken off without announcing twice already. He recalled the first time he entered the war, his talk with Tsunade and A, and his reasoning for not letting anyone else suffer for his survival.
Whatever happened to those feelings...?
Well, he thought, they were right when they said that war changed everything. It was no place to act valiant and be fully recognized. Naruto noticed that Sai had yet to answer to Kakashi's question, concluding that he had fought against one of those zombie shinobi. It gave him the shivers; fighting against two strong reincarnated shinobi had been a difficult task already. Fighting against hundreds, that was another story.
Naruto made out the Alliance's headquarters among the several rocky mountains that surrounded it. It was a round infrastructure, built in one of the many mountains. It looked like it was part of the natural environment, but once one took notice of it, it was clear that the Alliance's headquarters was a man-made building.
When they landed atop the Alliance's headquarters, the three shinobi were met by the Hokage and a few of her escorts. A team of nedic nins rushed to aid Kakashi in getting down of the bird, while Naruto and Sai made their way towards Tsunade, the former feeling like a small child about to be scolded by a parent.
"Are you out of your mind?!" Tsunade yelled.
Naruto's thoughts were right. He was being scolded by an adult, something that he was very well used to. However, he wasn't used to being slapped in the face by the Hokage herself. The loud smack! of Tsunade's hand when it encountered Naruto's cheek silenced every other noise that was present. The only other person who had the habit of beating him was Sakura-chan, something that he had gotten rather accustomed to because he could heal fast and then forget about her angry outbursts.
Howeve, he didn't know how to deal with Tsunade's preoccupied expression at his second escapade. So he just stood there, silent, with his hand touching the warm spot where Tsunade's slap had hit him. The Hokage looked troubled, like she was missing her sake. Perhaps she was, Naruto thought, and all she needed was a bottle of her beloved alcohol to return to normal.
"You follow that stupid Uchiha boy and almost get yourself killed!"
Or maybe not.
"Hokage-sama..." Sai tried to interject, taking a stand in front of Naruto. Tsunade used her arm to push him aside, and the boy fell five feet away from the rest of the party.
"Naruto, don't you understand that Madara is out there, wanting to capture you!? I cannot believe that you have already encountered him once and returned alive. But twice!? What in the world are you thinking, you stupid boy!"
He was about to tell her the Great Toad Sage's prophecy, how he couldn't save the world if he didn't save his best friend, how baa-chan reminded him so much of Sakura when she was angry. But Kakashi let out a pain groan in order to gain everyone's attention. He was supported by two medics, who were already working in healing his external injuries.
"Tsunade-sama, we must speak in private," he stated.
Suddenly, the Hokage's anger dissipated as her shoulders slumped, as if she was giving up. She let out a long breath, calming down her nerves. Naruto felt so out of place, not really knowing how to deal with the unpredictable side of his Hokage, which was similar to Sakura's albeit the seriousness.
"I must speak with you in private as well," she said, and then walked back inside the building.
Naruto concluded that women were a species that could never be figured out.
"You should follow her," Sai advised him at the realization that they were the only two people left at the top of the headquarters. Naruto turned to look at his friend, noticing that his large inked bird had already disappeared.
"Sai, you never answered Kakashi-sensei when he asked you what happened," he said, fully aware of Sai's unsettling attitude towards his words. The look overwhelmed with emotions had returned, and Sai's face muscles struggled trying to show everything he was feeling at the same time.
After a long silent moment, Sai finally spoke, "I fought my brother and sealed him away."
Naruto was about to reach out for his friend to show his support and presence, but Sai quickly walked towards the entrance to the headquarters without looking back. He had yet to learn how to deal with his emotions, even though Naruto still couldn't understand how one could live without feelings.
He was escorted to the Raikage's office by a group of Kumo jounin, and found his Hokage sitting in A's chair while he was standing behind her. It seemed like they had been talking, as the Hokage's frown only deepened when A whispered something in her ear. It was the first time Naruto had felt like he was about to get a lecture from parents, even though it was an unconventional situation and neither Kage had any blood relation with him. His escort group exited the office, leaving Naruto alone with Tsunade and A.
"Take a seat," ordered the Raikage, taking an extra chair that was beside his office desk.
"I'm-I'm alright," which was a total lie. Naruto only wanted to sit down and sleep for three nights, but he couldn't do that knowing that there were thousands of people dying out there.
"Take-a-seat," repeated the Raikage, and he took Naruto by the shoulder and forced him down on a chair. The boy's muscles ached to no end.
Silence settled over the three shinobi, and Naruto felt... awkward. Was this the seriousness that accompanied a Kage with every affair they had to deal with? When he became Hokage, he would make sure that the protocol wasn't so boring. After all, he would be the strongest shinobi in Konoha, so he could do whatever he pleased.
"We're still waiting for two more, but we can start," began Tsunade. She interlaced her fingers with her elbows prompted on the desk, and looked at Naruto intently.
"What do ya mean two more?" the boy asked, but his question was muffled by the sound of a door opening.
Kakashi entered on a wheelchair. He was being pushed by a Suna medic, who exited once Kakashi was parked beside Naruto's chair. He had bandages in several parts of his body, with his hitai-ate covering his Sharingan eye. Kakashi gave him a small nod, showing him that he wasn't going to scold him like the Hokage was about to, that he was on Naruto's side.
"Your behaviour," A started, "is going against the welfare of this Alliance. You wear that hitai-ate for a reason, and you cannot afford to act like a child anymore."
Tsunade interrupted the Raikage with her hand, lifting it to gesture him to stop talking. Her expression was stern, serious. Naruto could faintly see all the stress and suffering she had experienced in her life behind her rejuvenated skin.
"Raikage-sama, these are my shinobi. If you don't mind in sending someone to fetch our last visitor, please," she commanded.
Despite the towering form of the Raikage over Tsunade, he had to bite back the rest of his words and exit the office. Now, the three Konoha ninjas looked at one another, and tsunade passed a hand through her hair in frustration.
"The Raikage is right. You need to stop taking these drastic actions, Naruto."
"Hokage-sama, there is a reason behind every action—"
"We were worried," Tsunade interrupted Kakashi's defence, looking at Naruto painfully, "There are two Uchiha out there who want to kill you..."
"But baa-chan—"
"You're lucky you've gotten away both times alive—"
"I have to tell—"
"I can't believe I'm scolding you now, your parents would be ashamed of your attitude. Sakura wouldn't accept this!"
"I saw—!"
"And who knows where she is!?"
"I SAW SAKURA," Naruto finally yelled, kicking away his chair and standing face to face with his Hokage.
His words halted her from speaking any further. Instead, she looked at Naruto with disbelief. She could see the truth in what he'd just said. Naruto felt some of his energy return due to his fast healing. Since the Hokage had silenced, he decided to explain everything to her with the help of Kakashi-sensei. And by everything, they explained Itachi's reason behind the Uchiha Massacre, what drove Sasuke to hate the village so much, how Naruto wanted to the only one to deal with his friend. Kakashi wasn't present during their fight, but he was able to fill in the gaps of Sakura's sudden appearance and departure. Tsunade, meanwhile, slumped down on the chair, shaking her head slowly.
Naruto told her about his latest encounters with Madara and how he had threatened Hinata in taking the Byakugan. It was a good idea for the Hyuugas to leave the Alliance and seek refuge, but it would deeply affect their forces. He stated that Hinata should fight because she was a strong shinobi, regardless of what the world thought. He commented on how Neji was the most promising member of his clan, and how the love that Hiashi felt for his family was something he longed for.
"We were notified that Hiashi's twin, Hizashi, had been resurrected by Kabuto and then sealed by Hinata's family. You're correct, Naruto, they should fight," Tsunade commented, "Also, you've grown. A lot. You're no longer a child."
Her words reminded him of Sakura's weird behaviour when they had met. He told the Hokage how she had stated that there was something she had to do before returning to the Alliance and then went missing again. Naruto was still frustrated at how he couldn't help his friends regardless of how strong he'd gotten with the Kyuubi's chakra.
"She's gone again, baa-chan, and I couldn't do anything to bring her back," much like he couldn't bring Sasuke back, despite of their several near death experiences.
"Naruto..."
Tsunade went to his side and encircled her arms around the boy, a gesture that Naruto was not very familiar with. He felt tears rolling down his eyes, feeling weaker than ever. It wasn't because of his aching body or his exhausted chakra, it was because his heart sank at the thought that his friendships proved that he wouldn't make a good Hokage. A good Hokage knew how to keep friends and loved ones safe, in near distance,without arm. Naruto had lost two of his most important people, despite every effort he made in protecting them from further harm.
The door opened once again, but Naruto could not see who had entered because he was still surrounded by Tsunade's consoling arms.
"H-Hokage-sama, did you want to see me?" a shy voice asked.
Once the alluded had separated from Naruto, he saw Hinata standing at the entrance, looking at him in shock. There were bandages on her cheeks and hands, proving that she had just finished a battle. Her hair was not taken care of, but to Naruto that didn't matter. He was safe and sound, with Hinata in the same room as him. At least some things hadn't been destroyed by the war, like Hinata's pure and sincere essence.
"Yes, Hinata, if you wouldn't mind taking Kakashi to one of the first-aid rooms. He needs rest," the Hokage ordered.
Naruto's eyes didn't leave Hinata's as her cheeks adapted the same rosy colour as always. She didn't look away from him either. Naruto just wanted to jump from his chair and hug her, just to make sure that she was real. It didn't feel so; he had just fought against his best friend, reunited with Sakura, then fought against two resurrected Akatsuki members all in one day. Not to mention Tsunade's scolding. Naruto wanted to feel the peace that Hinata brought in him, just to settle down and finally sink in with reality.
"I did that on purpose," Tsunade explained, taking a seat back in the Raikage's chair.
"Huh?"
"I summoned Hinata so that you could see her and calm your ass down," she opened one of the several drawers of the Raikage's desk in search for something, "Also, because her father still doesn't allow her to see you. Madara already knows that she is close to you, and she is a Byakugan user. He could try and kidnap her like he did with Sakura."
"Is this all my fault...?" he asked, guilt dawning on him.
Tsunade took out a bottle from one of the Raikage's drawers, opened it, and took a long sip from the sake. Then, she paid attention to Naruto once again, looking calmer than before. She really did need that sake, the boy thought.
"As the main target of this war, every person that is close to you will be in danger as well. Look at Sakura, she was taken away and now her mind is probably damaged. One of the possibilities for her abduction was that the enemy knew of her closeness to you, and wanted to extract information. C was close to the Raikage, so he also knew pivotal information. This war... it has turned into a war for peace. Not just to protect you and Bee, but to put an end to the injustice in this world."
There was another knock on the door, and Morino Ibiki entered, followed by a girl. Naruto was familiar with her; she had been accompanying Sasuke when they met in the Land of Iron. He wasn't aware of her name, but the hurt look in her face showed that she was still affected by Sasuke's betrayal. He had almost killed her mercilessly, for no reason. However, all the information about this girl was overshadowed by Naruto's questioning expression, not really knowing why they would bring her in.
She was surrounded in chains, and Ibiki led her to a chair beside Naruto's, where Kakashi had been before. Her eyes were glued to the ground. Naruto could feel her saddened demeanour, making him forget of the calmness that Hinata had brought when she briefly appeared to fetch Kakashi. Nonetheless, her shade of red hair captured his attention. It looked familiar. Very familiar.
"This is Karin," Tsunade introduced the girl as Ibiki took a step towards the corner of the room, "Your team found her in the Land of Iron, if you may remember."
"Yeah, I remember her. She was beaten up pretty badly, huh?" Naruto said, twisting his body so it was facing Karin's, "I'm glad to see that you're okay now, Karin!"
The alluded girl directed her rimmed eyes at his, and her expression softened. Although she was still in chains, Karin looked more peaceful than any other prisoner.
"Yamanaka Ino was instructed to look into her mind," Ibiki explained, "We extracted information from her."
Naruto looked at the girl in question pitifully. She had most likely gone through a lot while traveling with Sasuke. He was ready to kill her, which told Naruto that Sasuke had reached an all time low, willing to sacrifice his own comrades for his own selfish reasons. It angered and disappointed him, to know that he couldn't save his best friend. Although Sasuke didn't kill Naruto, Karin was the living evidence that he wasn't the protective comrade he had been many years ago.
Perhaps that Sasuke was dead, or buried beneath all the hatred that the Uchiha boy harboured.
"Naruto, there is something you must know."
Naruto looked at his Hokage and then back at Karin. The girl seemed to finally settle in the room, relaxing her muscles and demeanour. She was not keeping her guard up, as if she didn't have anything to fear of the three Konoha ninjas. Naruto felt like he needed to unchain her, knowing that she was no threat to him. In fact, he felt like she was a friend. That was when he realized that Karin's hair was the same shade as someone he loved deeply.
"Karin is part of the Uzumaki clan," Tsunade announced, looking intently at Naruto, waiting for his reaction.
The boy froze on his seat. A whirlwind of emotions passed through Naruto's chest, all of them wanting to come out at once. Nonetheless, Naruto kept his stance unmoving, not knowing how to react. When he had met his father for the first time, he had punched him. When he met his mother, he had hugged her dearly. But Minato and Kushina were already dead, so the memory of their reunion would only stay in his mind. Now, Naruto was looking at Karin with a different set of eyes, aware that there were other parties in the Raikage's office as well.
His shoulders started to shake as he glued his eyes to the ground. There, beside him, sat a person who shared his blood –a living person. He wasn't the only Uzumaki left in the world, he thought to himself.
"She's related to your mother Kushina and my grandmother, Uzumaki Mito."
Naruto let out a sob, not being able to contain his overwhelming emotions. This day had probably turned into the most drastic he had experienced in a while. He felt beat, and the sun was still up. Naruto had started this day without a family, and he had ended it with two blood relatives.
"I'm... I'm not alone anymore," he confessed.
He turned and grinned at Karin, who was trying to avoid any type of conversation with him. Naruto held out his hand for her to shake, but then realized that the girl was still chained from top to bottom. He resorted to scratching the back of his head with the hand he had reached out and to continue grinning at her. He remembered Kushina's dangerous attitude when they had first met, and let out a childish chuckle at the memory of her mother showing the same type of attitude he had.
Naruto wondered if Karin's personality was similar to his. After all, they were part of the same family. Characteristic traits travelled amongst all members of one clan, right? Or were those physical traits only?
"My name is Uzumaki Naruto, but I guess that you can call me cousin! Or uncle, or nephew, or... whatever the heck you want!"
WHY HELLO THERE ALL YOU BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE! It's been a while, hasn't it? Well, you're in luck because I am done with school for a few days so I will be planning on writing more :)
I know this chapter may seem like a bummer for a lot of you, but the next one will not be as bad! We did a lot of progress, you see. Naruto and Karin finally met! Hinata and Sai are back! Information was shared, lots of important things happened, ne?
I should apologize for the enormous delay, but when life gets in the way, fanfic writing drops to the bottom of my priority list. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter and will hopefully see you very soon :)
Sincerely,
MSM