Author's Notes: This chapter has been kicking my butt for a long time but I swore to myself that as my New Year's Resolution (late, right?) to finish all my published stories before putting up anything new. Not as easy as I had hoped! The good thing is three more chapters to go and this part of "Family Ties" will be over. The second part will focus on the Shippūden, or Hurricane Chronicles but it will differ from the manga in a lot of ways. Don't ask me when it'll happen as I don't know just yet. Now go ahead and read, let me know what you think. Oh, and yes I was harsh with Sakura but right now she is the worse excuse for a ninja I have seen. Talk about needing a wake-up call!
Dark Ravie, I hope you like this chapter as well and hope you continue to stay with this fic until the end ^^
dhh, heh hope I didn't keep you waiting for too long.
dalia76, so glad you're enjoying the story so here's the next chapter. Please enjoy!
Disclaimer/Warnings: From now on I will only post these on the first chapter. I don't want to fill up the chapters with these things and annoy you, the readers. Sound fair?
"Family Ties"
By: Beloved Shadow of Light
+ Rainfall of Blood and Tears +
Nara Shikamaru thought it was going to be another "troublesome" day, one that he hoped would enable him in getting some cloud-seeing time. Even when his mother told him that the hokage wanted to see him he didn't think much of it until he was told the reason why he was summoned.
Uchiha Sasuke willing left the village last night but in the process Shiruba had been kidnapped.
"Kidnapped? How do you know she didn't leave on her own?"
Naruto glared at him, growling deeply in his chest but Haku touched his shoulder to try and get him to calm down. "She never came home and she would never leave without telling us," he growled out.
"Oh. But where would Sasuke go?" he dared to ask.
"Otogakure No Sato; he's being lured by Orochimaru."
Eyes grew wide. Everyone knew about the Hebi Sennin, and his various acts of treason against Konoha. So what did a man like him want with a genin like Sasuke? Or Shiruba for that matter? Shikamaru didn't have a chance to ask as Naruto slammed his hands onto the desk, making him jump.
"The more you open your big mouth the farther away they're getting. I want my big sister back!" he snapped angrily.
"Watch your tone, gaki," the blonde hissed.
"Bite me, baa-chan!!" he yelled.
Haku grabbed his brother's arm, speaking to him in low tones. "I'm worried as well but we can't go charging after them like this. She called Shikamaru for a reason so let's at least hear her out." He didn't have to like it but, grudgingly, nodded his head. Sighing deeply she laid out the details out.
"This is your first mission as a chūnin, Shikamaru. It's to be done as quickly as possible but it will also be a dangerous one as well. There is a high possibility that Orochimaru's subordinates are guiding Sasuke and Shiruba right now."
"Mendokusē. I'll need a squad of at least four jōnins or even chūnins."
"I'm afraid I can't give you that."
"Why?!"
"You should know the answer to that already," Naruto gritted out, digging his fingers into the desk, creating deep furrows in hopes of trying to suppress his rage.
"Naruto's right; even Hidama--who isn't a shinobi--had to take a mission yet she and Zabuza won't be back until tomorrow morning," Haku pointed out. "Everyone that can fight is either out on missions or must stay here and protect the village."
"I get what you're saying. Konoha is vulnerable and any alias we have with other villages or countries for that matter can turn around and declare war on us," he sighed, scratching the back of his head. "This is a hell of a situation."
Tsunade merely laced her fingers together, looking at him with a calm expression. "You have thirty minutes to gather as many exceptional genins you think this mission will require."
Shikamaru nodded and quietly left. He wasn't surprised to find Naruto following him but he knew even if he said no the blonde would go. Nothing, not even an army, would stop him. As the door to the office closed Haku looked at the hokage. Neither said anything even as she leaned back and turned her chair around to gaze out the window. "You have an unsettling feeling about this as well," he said softly.
"... We both know why he's after the Uchiha, but why the girl?" she asked softly.
"Shiruba is a remarkable young lady, but even I don't know everything about her. What I do know is she'll find a way back home. She always does." But even so he had a tight feeling in his chest, telling him that this time... she wouldn't be coming back.
--
Thirty minutes later Shikamaru found himself at the main gate with his team: Akimichi Chouji, Inuzuka Kiba and Akamaru, Hyūga Neji, and Uzumaki Naruto. Rock Lee desperately wanted to join but he was still unable to fight due to his injuries from the Chūnin Exams.
Kiba carefully stood, holding his canine partner securely as he zipped up the front of his coat. "Can't believe we're following Shikamaru on a mission," he smirked. "He's the laziest person in the village."
"He's a chūnin now and we gotta listen to what he says," Chouji said in his best friend's defense. "This also means the village's high council acknowledged that he's qualified as a leader."
"They're not qualified to lead a flock of geese much less a shinobi village," Naruto said mostly to himself as he clenched and unclenched his fists repeatedly.
"Tell us the basic strategies and plans then," Neji spoke up. "According to what we've heard, there will be enemies and possible ambushes."
"Since this is considered a rescue mission, we're the pursuers which will make it easy for our enemies to get their first strike on us. We'll decide on the squad formation that is most suitable to reacting to sudden strike." He turned to Kiba and Naruto, giving them his most serious stare even though it was meant for everyone. "If anyone moves on their own and ignores my orders, it might end up killing us all!"
"......!" Kiba swallowed as he realized the seriousness of the situation and Akamaru whined. Naruto said nothing but he knew he was right.
"We'll proceed in a single line formation. First things first: Kiba will be in the most crucial position of forward scout, always focusing on the forward position. You're always traveling all year throughout Hi no Kuni so you know the layout of the terrain very well. You've also got a keen sense of smell which will make it easier to track Sasuke and Shiruba... it also means you'll be able to detect booby traps from the enemies' scent.
"Second is me, the squad leader. I can give orders according to the situation behind Kiba, and anyone behind me can see my hand signals. Since I'm behind Kiba I'll be spreading my sight at a wider angle.
"Third is Naruto. You've got the best reactions from what I've seen, so it's best to keep you in a position where you can assist both front and back. You'll be cover and assistance, especially since you've got your Kage Bushins. Even though you'll be in the middle of the line you'll be covering the left flank.
"Fourth is Chouji. You don't have the speed but you've got the most hit power in our squad. Me, Kiba, and Naruto will create openings, and you'll charge in to finish the game. Basically, you're the striker but you're also covering the right flank.
"Lastly, Neji will be on the squad's tail. I'll let you handle the most difficult task of rear scout. With your Byakugan you can always check for the squad's blind spots and you can make sure we're not being ambushed from behind."
Lee watched with rapid interest as Shikamaru checked all the weapons they had available. 'To have gathered a team together and come up with a strategy in a few minutes, it's no wonder he was chosen to lead this mission,' he thought to himself. While others saw the Nara boy as a lazy-bum few knew of his keen intellect. He watched as they were ready to take off but they were halted by a female voice.
Sakura stood there, eyes still shining. "..." Shikamaru sighed but looked surprised when Naruto began to speak up.
"You saw that teme last night yet he didn't bother to listen to you." Everyone looked shocked and stared at the kuniochi who looked ashamed and guilty. "I can smell his scent on you."
"... I begged him not to go," she told him softly.
"He never listened to you before so why are you so surprised he left?" Slowly he looked at her over his shoulder, eyes hard and cold. His eyes showed no love for her, not even respect as his teammate. "You're nothing but a worthless burden."
She flinched as though she had been slapped and even when the tears began falling he wasn't moved in the least bit. "Naruto... onegai, bring Sasuke-kun back," she sobbed brokenly. "I couldn't... but you, you can save him... Onegai..."
"... Why should I do you a favor when you've done nothing except ignore me since I arrived, Haruno? You've been pinning after that bastard most of your life and even now that he's abandoned the village you've begging me to bring him home?" Silently he looked up at the sky, feeling a breeze drift by, carrying the sounds of her sobs to his ears. "I promise to bring my sister back to her family, but I also promise to bring Sasuke back as well."
She rapidly blinked the tears away, smiling. "Naruto, ari-"
"Save it; I'm not doing this for you," he snapped, making everyone flinch. "I'm doing it... because no one hurts my family and gets away with it. Let's go, we're losing daylight." Without waiting he took off. A moment later the rest of the group followed. True they thought Naruto was harsh towards the young girl but they were each thinking the same thing as well. For all her book smarts and excellent chakra control, Sakura was one of the worse shinobi in the village even by genin standards. She didn't even come from a family of ninjas to begin with yet she still joined the academy. It was time she got hit with the reality of her own failure.
Once they were a good distance away the boys moved into position and jumped into the trees, leaping from one branch to another as silently as possible. No one said anything and each was forced on their position and duty. But as they moved deeper Kiba was able to pick up the very faint smell of blood. Naruto confirmed it when he said it was Shiruba's. Landing on the road they checked the area and a minuscule trail of blood.
"..." A tanned hand reached out and gently touched it, lifting his fingertips to his nose to sniff at them. "This is still fresh."
"Looks like we just missed them by a few hours, give or take," Shikamaru said. "Let's continue." The moved into the single line formation once more, following the faint blood trail until they came upon a strong scent. Naruto broke from the formation and jumped down, running up to a bush and dropping to his knees. As the others came up he slowly stood and revealed what he had found: a chūnin vest.
"This is Shiruba's..." he said softly, eyes darkening as he remembered how she complained about the vest yet continued to wear it to honor those that had fallen for the sake of protecting the village. He could feel tears threatening to fall even as he gripped the material tightly. "We have to catch up!"
"We will, Naruto. But we can't break from our formation or else none of us will be able to complete the mission. Like I said, you're lives are all my responsibility."
Akamaru sniffed at the air, a strange scent in the air as he barked to his partner. Kiba sniffed as well, frowning. "Shikamaru, I can smell fresh blood and lots of it."
"That's never a good thing. Let's go." Once more they took off as they moved deeper into the forest Kiba relayed what he could smell and it wasn't the most comforting news.
"I can smell several ninjas, two of them belong to Sasuke and Shiruba. And I can smell the Konoha nin but five of them are getting farther and farther away from the smell of blood! What's our plan!?"
"Just as Tsunade-sama said... there are people taking them from the village. If you can smell blood then it can only mean there was a battle. Now we have two choices: go to the location of the blood and gather some information, or continue our pursuit of Sasuke and Shiruba."
"If we waste that much time finding out what happened, our comrades will be crossing Hi no Kuni's border," Neji pointed out.
"......" Now that was a tough dilemma and as much as Shikamaru wanted to find out about the enemy they were chasing, they could not afford to lose the trail. "We'll go after our friends!"
"If there was a fight then they'll be on alert; that snake must have warned them about possible oinins," Naruto brought up with a low growl. "Kiba, you better make damn sure we don't run into any traps or right into an ambush."
"Shut up, blondie! Shikamaru is the boss so stop telling me what to do!" he yelled at him angrily.
"He's right so from now on everyone should use both your eyes and nose to your full advantage! Find them before they can ambush us!" their leader barked out. "And if you detect suspicious movement, don't just avoid it analyze it!"
"...... Hai."
"Hey Naruto, how do you know the enemy will be expecting a team following them?" Chouji asked from behind him.
"You try living with a merc for hire and a former assassin ninja as surrogate parents and not pick up something during your journey," he said simply. Thinking about them made his heart clench as he thought back to the cruel words he had said but he pushed them aside and focused on the mission before them.
True to the warning the scent of the enemy was all over the place their squad leader forced them to stop. It was a good thing too as he pointed to a seal that had been placed on a tree just ahead of them high up in the branches.
Neji narrowed his eyes as he spoke up. "Explosive seal... there are five in total; the formation is that of a Kekkai Hōjin."
"Nani?" asked a slightly confused Chouji.
"It's a ninjutsu trap," came the explanation. "Seal-type traps are triggered when the enemy enters an area encircled by the trap seals. If we had walked right into it, they would have exploded and we would be dead. I read in my chichi's books that it's a B Rank jutsu."
"Kuso. Isn't there a way to go around it?" their forward scout complained. Fortunately they were able to go around the seals. Unfortunately the area was littered with hundreds of trap wires all over the place. Though the placing of them seemed rushed they group still had to be careful and slowly walked over them. However, even if the traps were rushed they were very well thought out.
Naruto frowned as he took a step but just as he was about to put his foot down he felt himself freeze in place. "Nani...?" Carefully looking around he saw his shadow arching away from him and glared at the Nara boy. "What the hell are you doing?"
"Look at the ground carefully, Naruto." Slowly he moved his head to the forest floor, allowing the blonde to do that same. Although the wires they had stepped over could be seen due to the sunlight there was a wire that was just beyond that and it was the same green as the grass. "It's a double trap so even though it was a rush job..."
"It means they're resting," Neji finished. "Either they were wounded, or it's a trap to catch us off guard." Without needing to be told the Hyūga moved his hands into the proper sign and focused the chakra into his eyes, activating his bloodline. "Byakugan!!"
The world seemed to rush around him, looking farther into the distance than was humanly possible before coming upon a small clearing where several people were resting and two strange looking containers.
"Found them."
"Alright. Before we go rushing in we have to think about going about this carefully so once I think of a strategy we'll go and get our comrades back."
The mission was much harder than expected as the enemy they were chasing were also know for helping Orochimaru during the invasion, keeping up a barrier that resisted all help but they also had their own unique abilities that drew the snake to them in the first place. Through it all Shikamaru used his great intellect to come up with plans at the last second even when it seemed like they weren't gonna win. But things almost never went according to plan. When they first ran into the enemy they were trapped within an earthen dome that leeched away their chakra. Trapped they could hear and see anything but they did sense a massive explosion that shook the very earth beneath their feet. It was thanks to Neji and Chouji that they were able to escape but that's when things began to break apart.
Chouji volunteered to stay behind and battle Jirōbō. It seemed that every time the rescue team pushed on and meet the enemy one of their own stayed behind to fight. Neji against Kidōmaru. Kiba and Akamaru versus the freak know as Sakon. Even Shikamaru told Naruto to go ahead when the foul-mouth Tayuya charged at them. All that left, was the leader of the nins called Kimimaro. Naruto, falling into his demanded to know where his sister was as the only barrel he saw was Sasuke's (he could tell the difference from the scents) but the pale young man merely said she was gone. Truth be told he could not get the image out of his mind of what happened when Jirōbō had the team trapped...
Kimimaro was emotionless as he quietly went to pick up the barrel containing Shiruba but he was taken back when it began to rattle uncontrollable, as though the figure within was desperately trying to break out. The Otogakure no Shinobi tried to pin it down but even with their combined strength it continued to buck. And as suddenly as it started, it stopped.
"What just happened!?" Kidōmaru asked but no one knew how to answer that. But they did start cursing when they saw the seal beginning to burn one by one. Overhead clouds were forming, rapidly turning dark.
Sakon quickly pulled out the tags and bit his thumb, ready to create new seals but cried out in pain when they burst into flames, burning his hands. "Shimatta!!" This wasn't normal even by their standards.
Tayuya cursed but she looked up when she heard a snap of thunder in the sky above them and her eyes grew to the size of dinner-plates. "Fucking move!!" She, literally, threw herself off the drum (as did the others) just in time to avoid several deadly bolts of lightning that split the sky, striking the drum in an explosion that held no rival. Even in the earthen prison the genins heard and wondered what was going on. Jirōbō was trying to stand standing but it was getting increasing difficult. Over the booming sound and the flashes of blinding light an inhumane war-cry of some beast rivaled the freak storm. The group waited a few moments before they slowly looked over, getting to their feet and couldn't believe what they saw.
Shiruba was on her knees, leaning heavily on her hands as she hissed for breathe behind clenched teeth, clothes singed though she didn't appear to have any wounds on her body but her physically appearance was something else. Like them her body had physically changed when they reached the final stage of the Juin Jutsu: her hair seemed to move slightly in an unknown breeze along her back, slightly pointed ears barely peaking through as they twitched every so slightly, sharp fangs piercing her lip like that of a beast, claw-like nails digging furrows into the hard-packed earth, and from the base of her spine were six pure white tails that held a silvery sheen. But if one looked closely, they would have seen sparks of black lightning dancing over her body.
"What the fuck happened to her?!" Tayuya demanded.
"How should I know?!" Sakon yelled. No one had ever gone through the process this fast but the fact that she was fighting it and the sudden burst of lightning in a cloud-less sky scared him to the bone.
Kimimaro was silent but when he shifted her head lifted and she pierced him with her gaze alone. Gone with the defiant blue orbs speckled with silver, only to be replaced with eyes the color of freshly split blood, the pupils slitted to resemble tiny fangs. A vibrant growl issued from her lips even as she very slowly stood to her full height. With a feral growl the lightning intensified and her features seemed to turn back to normal but now there was a strange mark on her forehead that could barely be made out through her bangs. It, seemed to resemble four hollow tomoes in a circular formation.
"... Tell that Hebi Sennin, if I ever meet him... I will personally skin him alive, layer by layer until he is nothing more than a bloody memory," she growled. "Keitaku no Raiden." Once more lightning struck, encasing the girl in the electrical charge but she didn't seem to be in pain but it seemed to grow brighter, forcing them to look away. When it was over the clouds were gone as was the girl, leaving nothing but scorched earth.
Naruto couldn't believe what he was hearing and felt his heart pound in his chest and had he remembered, he would have noticed that this was similar to the time at the bridge where he thought Sasuke had been killed. The whisker-like marks on his cheeks grew thicker, his teeth grew sharper to resemble fangs, his nails grew to claws, the blue in his eyes melting to a fire red as the pupils shifted. Even his hair became more wild and unruly. In his rage he summoned wave after wave of Kage Bushins, sending them to attack the one who stole his sister but they were struck down in an elegant dance. As he charged himself to take on the Bone Dancer himself Sasuke's barrel exploded and through the dark mist he could see his teammate but instead of joy he felt bitter hatred.
"UCHIHA SASUKE!!!!" he roared angrily, and charged at his former teammate's back in blind rage. Kimimaro tried to stop him but was stunned when the blonde literally tore his arm off. To anyone watching from a distance, the blonde was chasing what looked like a potential prey yet the dark-haired boy seemed to playing a game, always darting out of reach. The fight grew farther and farther away, a blood bath waiting to happen but Kimimaro would not be joining this fight. A figure in green intercepted him and claimed he would be his opponent.
Rock Lee, having survived the risky surgery, would be battling against the last surviving member of the deceased Kaguya Clan.
--
In a cave quite a distance away, Shiruba was screaming as she clutched at her head, trying to keep the curse from overwhelming her. She felt like she was being torn into three different directions, watching in the water's reflection as she transformed from her cursed form to her true form to her human form; if she didn't know any better she would swear there were two strangers there with her. It was getting so much she was driven to tears and kept throwing herself from wall to wall, ignoring the wetness as the craggy rocks bruised then pierced her skin, coming much close to breaking her own bones.
'You can't beat me, girl,' a voice echoed in her mind, sounding a lot like the vile snake who cursed her. 'Submit and the pain will stop.'
"Iie! I don't want the world and I don't want this parasite!" she screamed, throwing herself so hard she fractured her upper left arm.
'Imagine what you can do with my help. You can rule over all the countries, be declared a queen, even be worshipped as a goddess!'
"Kutabare!!"
'Give into my power and anything you wish for... will come true.'
"Yamate...!" she sobbed, throwing herself to the far wall, the sharp rocks digging up her back even as she slid to the ground. She could feel her resolve weakening, wanting to give in if it would make the voice stop. She didn't even registered that parts of the cave was soaked in her blood or that she had broken not only her arm but two ribs, cracked the tibia of her right leg, and nearly stripped all the skin from her back as well as developed a ragged gash along her temples; that wasn't including the numerous bruises decorating her body in a horrifying pattern.
The voice chuckled and she swore she felt his serpentine body at her back, his arms wrapping around his bleeding form, and shudder at the feeling of his disgusting tongue against her ear. 'Imagine... you can have revenge against all who hurt your family...' he whispered.
Depressing images came to mind of her friends and family, of the injustice she had seen, wars she had fought in, the amount of blood that rained upon her, it was getting to be so much she opened her mouth to say "Hai" when she was startled by a warm, pulsing feeling deep in her pocket. Moving slowly she reached in and pulled out a broad silver ring with a smooth red stone, embossed with the kanji "shiro". The longer she stared at it the clearer her mind became as well as a promise she had made long long ago. Ignoring the screaming of the snake telling her to not put it on she slipped it onto her finger and gasped as she felt something just click, as though a chuck of who she was that had been rattling around finally found where it belonged.
"... Arigato..." she whispered and slowly, pushed herself to her feet. She was still bleeding and badly injured, her body in shock but the curse was rapidly falling dormant. Looking at her reflection she could see Orochimaru sneering at he, looking a lot like a spoiled brat who finally realized he wasn't getting what he wanted, and smirked. "Jigoku iki yo." With a scream he vanished, leaving her own reflection. But she didn't have time to rejoice as she felt the unholy surge of chakra, building for a climactic battle. Eyes wide she race out of the cave, running as fast as she could towards the location, her heart beating heavily in her chest as she ignored the severity of her injuries.
'Don't let me be too late!'
--
Naruto seethed at the base of the statue of the Senju Toshiro, the Shodaime Hokage, breathe hissing behind tightly clenched teeth/fangs. His broken arm hung limply at his side, even as his tail lashed the air and the long ears folded back in anger. The kitsune's chakra enveloped every inch of his body, making him look more "demon" than human but in the back of his mind he wondered what the chimpoko no atamas of Konoha would think if they see their fucking oh-so-precious-Uchiha right now.
Alabaster skin was now the grayish color of decayed flesh, the white of his eyes having been dyed an emotionless black where the sharingan red was spinning madly. Wild and unruly hair that was almost a dead match for the statue of Uchiha Madara, though instead of being its normal onyx color it had lightened to a deep blue-gray yet it wasn't able to hide the black, four-pointed star in the middle of his face, even as dark blue-almost black-lips were pulled into a "superior" smirk. But what would have given anyone a heart-attack were the wings that had sprouted from his back, resembling clawed hands. But this gift, had a price.
"If you stay in the first stage for too long, the seal will eventually consume your body," Sakon explained even as the Uchiha's seal began to burn out. "The decaying is slow but once it completely consumes you, you'll lose yourself. Forever."
'I don't have a lot of time to fool around,' the traitor growled to himself, smirking as he noticed how the enraged blonde was favoring his left arm. "This place... do know why it's called Shūmatsu no Tani?"" he asked.
"It's where... two best friends fought to the death..." he hissed. He remembered that story and how Hidama's face grew angry and sad at the same time. "I guess... it's a fitting place for us..."
"Like I told you, to order to unlock the Mangekyō Sharingan I have to kill my best friend."
"You call me your best friend, yet you would kill me to achieve your own selfish desires... Pitiful."
"...!"
"Fucking teme," Naruto growled. "Konoha gave you everything and more, holding you above everyone and everything else and this is how you repay them? Leaving it all behind for power!?"
"I never asked for any of that," Sasuke answered bitterly.
"Ungrateful gaki! That was the village your parents loved and would have died for! Since you live for the dead anyway, the least you could do is to respect that!"
"You know nothing, Naruto; stop acting as though you do."
"I know more than enough of the real world outside these walls, ama! I'll take you back to Konoha," the blonde snarled; "Even if I need to break your both arms and legs to do it!"
Dropping into immediate attack stances they built up their chakra, moving through hand signs, concentrating on their element affiliation, with a leap they lunged at each other, roaring the other's name as they thrust their attacks at the other.
"RASENGAN!!"
"CHIDORI!!"
The sheer power from the clashing jutsus was so great, the various elements combining that from a distance, it seemed to resemble a void, or a black hole that repelled instead of engulf everything around it. The stone from the cliff shattered as it grew, pushing the water from the fall back over itself. And suddenly, the void began to brighten until it resembled a miniature sun. In the heart of the blast, the two youths looked at one another and a memory from long past surfaced to their minds.
Before Hidama and Naruto left Konoha and exploded the other shinobi nations and countries, the young blonde had meet a fair-skinned boy who seemed so alone despite having such a large family. The moment they meet, they had formed a kinship that was stronger than any bond they held to anyone else. But sadly, that bond had now been shattered.
The water settled and slowly clouds began to cover the sky, as though the sun herself was ashamed at what she had witness and allowed her brother of the storms to hide away. Naruto, with barely healing holes in both his stomach and chest, lay motionless on the ground, his chest still. Above him stood Sasuke, watching him emotionless eyes. He said and did nothing even as his slashed hitachi fell to the ground, landing next to the still form. He remembered how his enraged teammate had tried using his broken arm to attack him but only able to slash at his headband with razor sharp claws. He, himself, had hesitated before plunging his fist into his chest, the black lightning from Chidori singing the flesh.
"Naruto..." he whispered, voice hoarse as though he had been screaming none stop. "I..." A drop of a rain dropped and he looked up, surprised. He hadn't realized it had gotten so dark. All around them the rain fell, chilling him straight to the bone. It was through the rain did his true emotions show, the tears falling and mixed with the pure water from above.
"Even the heavens weep for the loss of their golden child." Sasuke whirled and watched as Shiruba, gently being pelted with rain, walked up to them. Her gaze was unflinching, radiating an array of conflicting emotions from rage to sorrow to depression to even joy. Stopping just a few feet away her eyes dropped to the blood then up to him. "Is it worth it?"
"......?"
"Selling your soul to the devil, turning your back on the family you swore to avenge, betraying all who looked up to you, leaving the only real home you ever knew. Was it worth it?"
"I need the power. I need to... kill... Itachi..." He looked away for a moment but it was enough as she suddenly appeared right in front of him, fingers curled around his throat, lifting him into the air so his feet dangled. Before he could move his hand into a single seal he wrist was caught in a vice-like grip.
"You're a god of bastards, Uchiha Sasuke. For once, shut the fuck up about revenge, your brother, and shit like that because you'll get nothing out of living for the dead!"
"You don't know anything!" he argued
"The hell I don't! Think you're such a tragic case? What about everyone else?? Neji, who's cursed with a seal from his own family? Lee, who has had a harsh life due to his nonexistent chakra-coils? Gaara, whose own uncle and precious person tried to kill him? Haku, who was hated by his family, hunted by his village only to end up giving up his life for a criminal? Hinata, whose own family puts her down every fucking time? Sakura and Ino, who both destroyed their own friendship years in the making just to try and impress you? Or Konohamaru, who lost his grandfather in a battle that could have been avoided? Even Zabuza-san who was forced to witness his own sensei commit suicide right before his eyes if to protect him for doing what he was told? Hatake, who hated his father for going against the mission and was forced to live with it after his death? What about me and my own mother?!" Bitter tears filled her eyes as she tightened her grip, feeling the muscles and bones beneath her fingers begin to bruise and crack.
It was getting so hard to breathe, feeling as the world was darkening around him. He still continued to struggle, feeling the Juin try to take over but he had almost no chakra and he was rudely shaken from his attempt as he felt a painful pressure right between his eyes.
"All of us have been either hated or ridiculed or ignored--except for you. And still it's you who gives into the darkness first. It just proves that you're the weakest of us all."
"Dama-"
"Don't tell me to shut up you fucking hypocrite!! Uchiha, my white ass! Itachi told you what to look for, to give you a clue as to why he did what he did and what do you do? You fucking screw up!! He should have killed you along with the rest of your filthy blood clan!!"
"How dare-"
"Shut your trap, I'm not finished yet!! Do you understand how much we have sacrificed for you!?" She continued to seethe but as quickly as she struck, she dropped him with a pissed-off sneer on her curled lips. "You know what? Go, go to Orochimaru and just wait and see what happens. Just remember the village you abandoned for power when he rapes you day in, day out." Spitting at him she turned to knelt next to the still blonde before pausing and glaring at him over her shoulder. "Your kind should have been destroyed the second they were born."
Sasuke was so confused and so terrified, he slowly got to his feet and coughing up some blood, turned and quietly walked away. But for each step he took that led him deeper into Ta no Kuni, his heart gave a painful lurch. Despite trying to ignore it, it felt like he was dying a little bit inside. Soon, there would be nothing left save for an empty and worthless shell.
Shiruba gently placed her hands on her brother's chest and closing her eyes, poured her chakra into his body. She smiled as she felt the fox shift, eagerly taking it in. "Kyūbi... I don't have the right to ask... but don't hate Naruto for the village's stupidity," she whispered, hoping he could hear her. "One day, you two will have to work together instead of against each other." Opening her eyes she pulled her hands back, watching as the shredded heart began to heal as well as the torn muscles in his abdomen but he was still badly injured and he had lost so much blood, coupled with the chill that was settling into his prone form. Reaching up, she slipped the cracked glass shuriken off her neck and pressed it into his hand, closing his fingers around it. "Naruto... if you can hear me, I need you to do me a favor... give this, to Gaara and tell him no matter what, we will always be a family and I swear that one day I will come back..." His hand tightened momentarily and she gave a pitiful sob, resting her head on his barely rising and falling chest as she cried out her grief.
The soft, almost inaudible sound of someone landing several feet away was covered by the rain. Kakashi could only stare wide-eyed at the scene he and Pakkun had finally arrived at. His heart almost stopped at the sight of the two siblings laying there in the middle of the rain but as he took a step forward the girl whirled on him, protecting the blonde like a mother beast defending her injured cub. He barely remembered hearing that Shiruba had been taken but, what happened to her?
"So the prodigal fuck-up arrives at last," she growled. "If you're looking for that worthless shit you've been pampering he's gone."
"Why didn't you stop him?" he asked.
"Unlike you, saving my brother was the top priority on my list."
"You mean... he's alive?"
"No thanks to you." She blinked when she felt her world wavering. She was on the last of her energy but there was no way in hell she would go back to that nightmare known as Konoha. "Y-You know what's really sad?"
"..."
"Naruto... loved you... he was hoping, that you would feel the same..." She took a step and stumbled but growled when he moved to help her. "He would have done anything for you to just notice him!"
The boy, cared for him? How could he have not noticed? Was he truly that blind? "But... But he loves Sakura..."
"That ama? Unless that slut starts acting like a real kuniochi she will die alone. Just like that silicone-implanted cow that's dragging the name of hokage through the mud." Taking another step back she dropped to her knees and didn't bother to get up. "I wish... they would all, find someone to love them... and never let go..." Her eyes seemed to lose their light and before the jōnin's eyes, the earth rose up and engulfed her before sinking into the ground. She was gone.
The small pug sniffed at the air but it was impossible to smell anything with the rain rapidly washing everything away. "They're both gone," he said in his rough voice.
"..." Her words were still echoing in his mind as he slowly walked towards his student (did he ever have the right to call him that?), kneeling down he slides his hands under his almost lifeless form and holds him close to his chest. How long had he dreamed of holding this young teen in his arms, to run his fingers through his hair, taste those pouting lips once more. Subconsciously he held the boy close, trying desperately to keep him as warm as he could. Somehow, saying "I'm sorry" didn't seem to be enough. Instead he looked up at the sky, and tried his hardest not to cry.
--
A short distance away an odd-looking figure in a black cloak watched as the jōnin left with the teen, the small dog following while carrying the slashed hitachi. Frowning he quietly turned and watched as the earth churned, rising up to reveal the weakened form of a battered girl. She didn't even look up at him even as he knelt before her but he waited until she looked up, their eyes meeting.
"Why does the world hate us, Zetsu?" she asked in a broken voice.
"... Beats me," he said in a gruff tone. He was quick to catch her though when she tried to stand only to stumble, falling into his arms. "You look like hell."
"Smart-ass," she replied but instead of pulling back she clung to his cloak tightly, closing her eyes against the tears that threaten to fall. "Take me home, Zetsu. I never want to see this hellhole for as long as I love."
A hand white as snow gentle petted her damp hair before moving to encircle her back, the silver ring on his pinkie even as his left arm slid under her knees, holding her close as he stood. He looked up as the rain stopped and the sun slowly revealed itself.
"Seems the storm has passed," he said in a new tone of voice, smoother than the first.
Shiruba opened her eyes to mere cracks then closed them, turning her face into the comforting material of the cloak. "So the golden child lives and the heavens rejoice... but in our world, the rain never stops..."
"Iie, it doesn't." Holding her close the two of them were absorbed into the ground.
Author's Notes: First, I would like to say something before someone starts accusing me of being a plagiarist:
"With Pain au Chocolat's permission, I used parts from one of her chapters from her wonderfully written story "Deep Red" so if you want to praise it, 99.9% of the praise should be directed at her. I did some changes so it could fit my story but the insults that are throw are originally hers. I give credits where it is due and I am immensely thankful she gave me permission. I hope I did it justice."
Now, this chapter was hard to do and in the beginning I had nearly written out the battles for each of the Sound Four then tried summarizing them but it was taking up too much room so I finally came to how I was gonna do it. When I got to the part of Naruto and Sasuke, I was crying and resisting the urge to scream at my computer. I tend to get emotional but at least the chapter is done!
Next updated, Hidama comes to terms about telling Naruto the truth of his parents, Jiraiya tells Naruto to forget about bringing Sasuke back, Gaara vows to find Shiruba regardless, and Sakura must decide once and for all if she wants to continue being a ninja or just give up. But before I go I have another vote for you all. Should Kakashi tell Naruto how he feels, or should he wait, thinking he has time? Love you all! :)
oinins: pursuer shinobi, terminator, etc
Keitaku no Raiden: Lightning God's Blessing
"Kutabare!": Fuck you
shiro: white
"Jigoku iki yo.": "Go to hell."
chimpoko no atamas: dick heads
Shūmatsu no Tani: Valley of the End
Mangekyō Sharingan: Kaleidoscope Copying Wheel Eye
Ta no Kuni: Land of Rice Fields