TimeShifter: Why yes, yes I did promise expedited updates. I promised two, in fact, along with a lot of questions. While I was expecting many of your questions, there are a few I wasn't. Some of both should be answered with this update. I also hope to end this arc with my next chapter. Anyway, to answer some questions that I really need to. Just to clear this up, tane means seed or offspring. I haven't revealed the full implications yet, but I plan to next arc. Kyuubi is also not literally familial, and I'll leave that at that. As for killing Kushina and Rin, I present anime logic. It doesn't always make sense, but it makes things epic. As a note, this chapter was planned in advance and was mostly stolen from a possible, completely alternate universe (rather than divergent universe) Naruto fan fiction I may or may not be planning on publishing. As for stating Minato trusted Orochimaru and Madara, I laugh evilly at plot planning. ... What? Hmm, what else to answer? Oh yes, I never did say that Momiji wasn't related to Naruto. I'm glad you entertained other possibilities, however. Mwahahahaha! ... What?
Chapter 28:
Living Memory
The masked man continued clapping, and the red-haired woman grew more and more uncomfortable. He just stared at her creepily and clapped. He tilted his head to one side as if appraising her, and he continued to stare and clap. With a final, loud clap, he stopped. He held his hands together as the sound reverberated throughout the clearing and trees.
She opened her mouth to speak when it looked like he wasn't going to do or say anything, but he interrupted her. "To think, I found a contracted Uzumaki." He clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth. "Tsk, this just won't do." He took a single, slow step forward; she hastily took a step back.
He took another step; she took another step back. He repeated the process until her back was to a tree. He could see in her eyes that she wasn't afraid. To her, he was more like a creepy stalker than anything else. He chuckled. "You're the Hokage's wife and pregnant. It was very difficult to get this close to you, but Minato-kun cooperated so well."
She couldn't see it, but she just felt the smirk under his mask. She also didn't like his tone of voice. "You're an Uchiha." She was confident in her senses, even in her weakened state. Among the proud clan, there were no traitors…not since almost a century ago. "Minato could have scheduled an appointment if you needed to see me that badly."
He laughed. He haughtily laughed as if what she said were full of naïveté. "Oh no my dear, I'm afraid you misunderstand." He paused for a moment before tapping his mask with his index finger. "Oh, how should I put this?" As if struck with inspiration, he snapped his fingers before holding his index finger aloft. "I'm with 'the snake', and I'm here for you, my dear."
Her eyes widened in surprise. She wasn't aware of any traitors among the Uchiha. He wore a mask, and his chakra was unfamiliar. She also wasn't in any position to defend herself if he really had teamed up with such a madman as Orochimaru. She held the tri-pronged kunai to her chest and concentrated chakra into it. She looked to the masked Uchiha in surprise when he laughed.
"My dear, I'm afraid Minato-kun is a bit…" He paused as if considering his words. "…preoccupied. He has some things to discus with Orochimaru." He shook his head disappointedly. "You really shouldn't be too surprised. You are very important in returning the Uchiha to their rightful glory." He paused for a moment, and she could feel his gleeful smirk. "No, I suppose you child is an important key."
Anger flashed through her eyes, and she kicked off the ground to try slapping the smug smirk off his hidden face. Her eyes widened when her palm simply passed right through him. Before she could recollect her composure, she grabbed her harshly by the wrist and spun her around uncomfortably in an arm hold. He held her arm just enough to be uncomfortable but not invoke the automatic reaction to bend her spine.
"I won't let you have my child!" She growled. She managed to get enough leverage to slam her free hand into his side. She just hoped the tri-pronged kunai could pierce his flesh. When it met something solid, she sighed in relief. When something warm flowed freely across her hand, she twisted violently and jerked the tri-prong kunai free.
She didn't get the satisfaction of hearing the masked Uchiha yowl in pain, but he released and pushed her away. Freed from the madman's grasp, she slowly turned around to note what damage she caused. He held his side and seethed, but she saw no blood. Out of curiosity, she looked at her hand and the tri-pronged kunai. She blinked in confusion when she saw nothing.
"That was annoying." He stood straight and removed his hand from his side. Where the tri-pronged kunai struck, there was a hole in his robe. Revealed dead center of a red cloud, the skin underneath was horribly scarred and twisted. "To think, something could pierce me while I wasn't whole." He laughed callously. "You'll just have to pay for that, my dear."
She reeled back in shock and confusion as the world around her melted away and became something else entirely. The world was in grayscale and managed to create a sharp contrast on the objects. She was in some kind of building with ornate furniture that seemed to stretch endlessly in all directions. She knew exactly what she was in. "Genjutsu…"
"Not quite, my dear." The masked Uchiha's voice rang out from all directions as if disembodied. "You see, hardly a second will pass in reality. Unlike a genjutsu, I am in absolute control here. For the next seventy-two hours, I'll burn images into your mind as reality. Now my dear, bear witness to eternity!"
She understood the endless expanse the next instant. She was surrounded by duplicates of herself at exact intervals. She also discovered why the sharply contrasted grayscale looked familiar. She was standing in the center of her living room. Her duplicates also stood in the center of their respective living rooms, and she could at once see from all of their perspectives.
It was…unnerving. The masked Uchiha held so much power, but she at least understood what it was. "Tsukuyomi?! You have the Mangekyou Sharingan?!" Instead of an answer, two new figures occupied the usually inviting living room. Also in grayscale, she recognized the man holding a baby immediately. "Minato!"
He didn't respond as he gently bounced the baby who gurgled happily. She recoiled in fear when Orochimaru joined the picture. Her darling turned to the deadly snake, and startled her by handing the baby, their baby she realized, to him. She was even more surprised by his words. "If you hadn't revealed Whirlpool's plot, Konoha would be in great danger. I can't believe we doubted you and chased you out."
She couldn't help it. She knew it was a lie, but tears still stung her eyes. The illusion was not her husband, but it was so unfair to use his image to trick her! Her gaze jerked to the snake as he spoke, and she almost hissed in anger. "Oh, I'm sure it was just a misunderstanding, Hokage-sama." He laughed annoying, sickeningly. "It is such an honor to raise your child to be…" He paused to consider. "…the strongest he can be."
She stared straight up, but the illusion played out above her as well. All around, the scene was like a mirror of her worst nightmare. She finally settled her gaze on the treacherous snake. "You dare show me this mockery! You think this is going to work on me?!" She forced her boiling rage down. She wanted to avoid stressing her child.
The scene morphed and shifted. It was replaced by an open field. The same pattern repeated itself. She stood in the center of one section, and she saw herself repeated at the center of each of the sections as they expanded endlessly. Orochimaru and the masked Uchiha stood with a preteen boy. The snake and masked man were training him. She also realized he was a representation of her child, grown by years.
He had a look in his eyes she did not like. He was cruel. With just a glance, she could see the malice in his soul. Two tufts of hair were held aloft like fox ears by a strong current of chakra. A dead chunin, likely in his mid-teens, lay unmoving at the feet of her poorly raised son. She narrowed her eyes. She could easily believe Orochimaru taught with such violent methods.
The preteen was congratulated on his bloody display. The sharp grayscale only let her see the bloodstains on his face and muddying his hair. Did the masked Uchiha truly expect her to believe that Minato would allow their son to be raised to be little more than a bloodthirsty monster? He wasn't presenting a very believable illusion.
The scene morphed and shifted once more. The boy from before was in his late teens, and he was in immense pain. Her eyes went wide when she saw the stature. Most of its eyes were open. The remaining eye was half-lidded. From the stature, an enormous blue chakra completely coated the teenager and surrounded him in a large sphere.
She looked around the scene. Several men stood on pedestals. They were dressed in robes similar to the masked Uchiha. Among the men, she recognized Minato and Orochimaru. The latter was an easy sell. The former, she knew, would cut his own heart out before subjecting anybody to the kind of pain their son was being shown in.
She narrowed her eyes. Though the scenes brought her to the brink of tears, she still knew she was only being shown illusions. How was the masked Uchiha expecting to break her? She wasn't great with illusions, but she was being shown something even a genin could easily pick apart. She just couldn't escape.
In an instant, the scene reset itself. She was back to the first scene in her living room. Minato was frozen in place as he held a happy baby aloft. The extent of the masked Uchiha's torture would make Ibiki laugh! Then she hears something that should have been impossible. "…seventy-one hours, fifty-nine seconds remaining…"
Realization sunk in. The masked Uchiha was going for quantity over quality. If the torture only ticked away a single second, even the strongest minds would eventually break. She closed her eyes and dug deep into her mind. "Kyuubi!" She had to find her help fast. She had to do whatever it took to protect her child. Her only idea was to resist physical and mental trauma with an extra boost in chakra.
She released a startled gasp as Tsukuyomi washed away, and color returned to her vision. She looked around desperately, but she could tell not a second had passed. Her husband was the same distance away, and she sensed the same Kage Bushin from earlier. One was heading towards her, and the other was heading for Konoha.
She shook her head as she tried to separate reality from fiction. She managed to save her mind and body from too much trauma and stress, but it was still difficult to move from an eternal seventy-two hours to real time ticking away. Before she could fully recover however, the masked Uchiha was in her face, and his mask was removed.
She didn't have time to scan his features. His eyes were hypnotic as he stared into her emerald orbs. She felt oddly weak, and her mind wandered aimlessly. She became listless under his gaze and idly wondered why she heard screaming. She noted chakra light up around her body, but her thought processes were already shut down. She couldn't grasp what was going on.
Her breathing slowed, and her eyelids felt heavy. She wanted to sleep, but she couldn't look away from his eyes. She thought she heard something cutting through the air, but she couldn't be sure. Suddenly, he released her and jumped away. She didn't have a chance to fall backwards as she was caught from behind.
"Kakashi, Kushina-sama doesn't look so well!" The gentle female voice was soothing to her as she placed her back against the ground.
"Do what you can for her, Rin." Kakashi disappeared to chase after the masked Uchiha. He didn't know what had happened, but he was going to make sure the attacker didn't get away.
Kushina looked to Rin with a smile. She gently cupped one cheek in her hand, and she responded by leaning into the simple display of affection. They were like a mother and daughter. Kushina's face tightened in pain. "Rin, save my baby…" She smiled at the confusion in the young medic's eyes. "My water just broke… My baby… My baby's in danger. Please Rin, save my baby…"
Rin blinked, startled. "You-You're not due for two weeks!" She desperately searched her supplies for the necessary medical equipment. "Oh…" She moaned. "…what a time for Tsunade-sama to be out of the village!" She quickly cleared off the picnic placemat as Kushina watched her with a smile. It was clean enough; though, she would have preferred a more sterile environment.
She helped the red-head onto the picnic cloth and checked her vitals. She had a slight fever. Scratch that, she was burning up. She was on the verge of panicking when Kushina placed a calming hand on hers. "Rin, just breathe. You'll do fine…" Her face twisted in pain as she trailed off. When the pain passed, she released a tight breath. "She might not be here physically, but she trained you."
Rin felt reassurance from the red-head's gentle smile. With some measure of confidence, she set out her medical supplies. She sorted through them, separating what she needed from what she didn't. She stiffened whenever she heard Kushina go through another contraction, but she focused on the task at hand. Her mentor and his wife were depending on her!
Her body froze and blood ran cold when she heard an ominous growl. It started low, but it grew louder quickly. A bestial voice she'd never heard before bellowed out. "Where are you, murderer! You dare take my kin from me!" Strangely, the words grew slurred towards the end. She got the distinct impression that some level of humanity was slowly being lost…
"I-I'm sorry, Rin." Kushina's breath was ragged as she fought through a contraction to speak. When it passed and the tension relaxed, she fell back and nearly hit her head. "I-I wasn't strong enough… Please Rin, save my baby… Save my baby!" The desperate plea in her voice sounded out of place and worried the young medic.
Explosions rumbled through the forest as Rin set Kushina up for an emergency birthing. She was nervous enough as it was, having never been through the procedure for real. She was trained and drilled by Tsunade, but nothing adequately prepared anybody for battlefield operations. She swallowed hard as she observed Kushina's vitals and labor.
Rin knew something was wrong, but she couldn't quite place it. The vital feedback she was receiving seemed too weak. Kushina's heartbeat was erratic. Her breathing was ragged. Her chakra was at the baseline for survival. Nothing made sense. Rin knew Kushina to be the pinnacle of health. She never got sick, and she usually recovered overnight. Worse, her chakra was always off the charts.
Explosions rocked the forest, and the bestial growling grew closer. Rin could hear the cries of shinobi fighting and dying. She also felt an oppressive chakra. It felt like it was pushing her down with excessive pressure. She felt dizzying rage and hatred. Her breathing grew labored as near-panic set int.
Kushina cupped her face in her hands and drew her close. She kissed the young medic on the forehead and whispered words of encouragement. "You can do this, Rin. Don't forget. You're a strong, beautiful kunoichi." She smiled as amusement took her tone. "You stole Mister Grumpypants's heart, so I know you can do anything." She paused as her tone grew serious again. "Just concentrate on saving my baby, Rin. There's nothing else going on around you."
Rin's heart settled as she remembered who the woman was to her. She was like a mother, and she was a strong role model. She wanted to be just like her. She was a step closer since capturing the heart of the man she loved. Taking a deep, calming breath, she returned confidence with confidence. "All right Kushina-sama, are you ready?"
Though her forehead creased in pain, she nodded. Her emerald green eyes were bright with hope from new life. She was about to bring the next generation into the world. She was about to leave the hope of ancestral generations on the backs of those to come. The heavy burden wasn't one to fear. Her face contorted in pain from another contraction.
It really was too bad she wasn't going to witness the bright future.
With her force of will, she separated the hate filled chakra from the once peaceful, picnic clearing. She wanted Rin to have every advantage possible in the battle to safely deliver new life into the world. The oppressive feeling faded, but the sounds of battle didn't. The cries of agony and smell of blood grew no closer, but it didn't fade into the distance either.
Rin lost track of time. It could have been minutes or hours. The high position of the moon was the only time piece she had to go by, and she couldn't pay it any attention. While in labor, Kushina's condition had steadily destabilized. Her vitals were growing worse, but she wasn't ready to deliver. Worse, her extremities were taking on a sickly, blue hue. Her normally sharp, emerald green eyes were dull and glassy.
Rin swallowed hard in realization. Kushina was dying, and she was giving her last vestiges of strength and chakra to her unborn child. She was desperate to bring the new life into the world, and she was spitting on the consequences. With trembling hand, the young medic reached for the one instrument she really needed. If it came down to it, she had one option left.
A cold hand grabbed her trembling arm. Rin looked over to see Kushina smiling fondly at her. Her smile was weak, causing the medic to break into tears. The red-head looked past the young kunoichi as if she couldn't see her. She felt her life force slipping away, slowly but surely. "Save my baby, Rin." She paused with a sharp breath. "Save…my…baby…"
She slipped with a final breath. She laid motionless, eyes to the starless night. Clouds were rolling in, and the moon would soon be obscured by the thick thunderheads. For an instant, the raging battle that seemed so far away went completely silent. For an instant, Rin felt her world shatter. Her roll model, a motherly figure, was dead from a pregnancy that should have had no complications. The strongest woman she had ever known was growing cold. Her last energy was spent giving her child the best chance he could have.
The moment passed quickly, and Rin moved quickly to extract the child before he suffocated to death. Without life-sustaining functions from the mother, there was no way to survive. Explosions erupted again, and she made her first incision. It was a carefully planned incision placing her close to the womb. She had carefully probed and aided the incision with chakra.
Even through her sadness of loss, she felt some joy of hope. For the second time, her world shattered around her. She lurched forward as pain erupted from her chest. As blood dribbled down her chin, she looked down to see a massive claw surrounded by powerful, hot red chakra protruding. The damage was irreversible. She was missing a lung, and her heart was badly torn.
Though her body wanted to give into the cold, dead grasp of the shinigami, she fought. She pushed off from the claws to either side and stumbled forward. The ignored the powerful breath of the mighty creature behind her. She didn't need to look to know the creature, rage incarnate, was the bijuu known as Kyuubi no Kitsune.
She dove for Kushina's unmoving, dead body. She managed to concentrate her chakra to make the final incision and extract the baby. She carried him and took off at full speed. She had to find Minato. Before her life left her, she had to find her mentor. She heard Kyuubi no Kitsune growl, but he decided to ignore her last moments of life. As she ran towards Minato's powerful chakra, Kyuubi no Kitsune jumped the opposite direction to seek further destruction and revenge.
Rin fought growing weakness and focused on finding her mentor. Her vision became tunneled as she ran desperately along tree branches. She didn't even notice the ANBU forces converging around her. She smiled when she saw the blond Hokage. She didn't see her lover or the toad sannin flanking him. She didn't see their worried looks at her dire condition or miserable smile.
Minato waved his hand to call off the ANBU, but Rin mistook it as a greeting. She made a misstep and stumbled out of the tree she meant to land and stop on. She didn't even see her lover catch her. She managed to straighten up and walk despite his protests and hold the baby out as she forced her feet forward. Minato gently grabbed the baby before she feel face forward.
Her lover caught her before her face planted in the muddy ground. He rolled her over, tears in his visible eye. He lost Obito; he wasn't sure he could handle losing her too. The toad sannin placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. He lowered his head and kissed her cheek.
"Mi-Minato-sensei…" She coughed violently, blood spraying her face and Kakashi's mask. "I-I sa-saved hi-hi-him." She tried to force a breath in, dark bags forming under her eyes. "Did I..." She wheezed. "…do good?" Poor grammar from Rin? Fresh tears streamed from Kakashi's revealed eye and soaked the cloth of his hitai-ate.
Minato hardened his gaze. "Yeah, you did, Rin." He cleaned his strangely calm child a bit. He was shivering, but, otherwise, he was perfectly fine. He was breathing normally, and his eyes were mostly closed. "You did great." He managed to keep his emotions out of his voice.
Rin smiled weakly as she looked in his general direction. "Tell Ka-Kashashi… Tell him…I..." Her breathing grew weaker as her eyes closed. "…love…" Her voice was nearly a whisper. "…him..." She trailed off as her final word became her final breath. Her blood flowed freely when her chakra received no further direction. Her fatal wound finally caught up with her.
Kakashi trembled over her body. He still held her cold hand. "I love you, Rin…" He stood stiffly. His chakra radiated off his body, and the rage and killing intent he gave off seemed to thicken the air. "I love you, Rin." The finality of his statement startled his mentor and mentor's mentor. He gripped his hitai-ate, and his vision blackened. He slumped into the toad sannin's waiting arms.
"Jiraiya-sensei, take that foolish young man back to the village and take charge of the last line of defense." He held up his hand before he could protest. "Please, we don't have much time. I have to figure out how to calm down Kyuubi before he does too much more damage." He looked over his shoulder. "I have a special task for you, Sarutobi-sensei."
Jiraiya nodded to his mentor before he took off to fulfill their current leader's orders. He narrowed his eyes as he hoped the young, blond Hokage wouldn't do anything foolish. He was out of audible range before the Third spoke up. "What do you need me to do, Hokage-sama?" He respectfully answered the village's protector.
Minato tossed Sarutobi a scroll. The old man was about to open it when the blond spoke up. "Take the ANBU back to the village and prepare that specific array. I'll take Dog with me. He'll deliver…the final component." He finished carefully, like he was covering something up.
Dog nodded, but Sarutobi interrupted. "If it's really that important, I'll go with you. Dog is competent enough to handle whatever Fuuin you're planning on setting up." He knew the Fourth wasn't going to put up an argument, so they nodded in silent agreement. The scroll was tossed to Dog, and they separated from the ANBU.
Soon, Minato and Sarutobi stood before the great bijuu. The blond man was still holding the baby, greatly confusing the old man. "Kyuubi, listen to me!" The bijuu stopped his paw in midair. A fortunate shinobi was saved from being raked, and he was promptly dragged way by nearby comrades. "Please, why are you doing this?!"
Kyuubi barked at him, most of his human intelligence drained by blind rage. He was little more than a raging beast. As a chakra entity, he was simply acting on what he felt. His chakra was fiery and oppressive. If the flora and fauna around him were any indication, his chakra was also deadly poisonous. Whatever the bijuu felt, all his killer intent was focused on Minato now.
Minato held his child. He forced the Kyuubi to face the newborn male. For the first time, the infant bawled. He didn't like how he was being held, and the oppressive chakra was uncomfortable and unnatural. "His name is Naruto! You remember that much; don't you?"
Kyuubi growled and barked angrily. He leapt at them with every intention of rending them to unidentifiable pieces. They easily dodged the blind charge. When they landed, several Kage Bushin popped into existence to distract the enraged beast. Minato looked down sadly as he set his son down and set about the final task he had in mind.
Sarutobi approached him. He was surprised to see his successor drawing an intricate seal on his own son's belly. He tried to take in the details, but it was simply nothing he was prepared to understand. There were unfamiliar seals, and he recognized some designs as ancient glyphs. As the last Kage Bushin popped out of existence, the Fourth finally stood and faced the Third.
Minato held his son out for Sarutobi to take. The elder took the infant with a puzzled expression. "Promise me Sarutobi-sense, Naruto will be a hero. He alone saved Konoha from destruction. Whatever happens, protect my son." Before his predecessor could answer, he leapt into the trees. He was already furiously moving his hands through necessary seals for a big technique.
Sarutobi left, dazed. He didn't know what Minato was up to, but there were complicated seals on his son's belly. He also assigned Dog, him initially, to set up an array in the village. He knew where without having to ask. Dog undoubtedly set the array up in the Hokage's office. He moved at his top speed. He had to hurry to ensure the success of whatever the Fourth was planning.
Meanwhile, Minato stared down Kyuubi no Kitsune once again. Fugaku landed next to him. "Hokage-sama, the Uchiha are prepared to move out on your orders. Just give the word, and we'll do whatever we can to tame this beast." He stared hard into his superior's eyes. "Then you can deliver the fell blow."
Minato shook his head as the raging bijuu cried out in rage. He directed a hateful glare towards Fugaku. The scent of the Uchiha was everywhere! First, he chased the masked man who extracted him, and the masked Uchiha's was a scent he would not soon forget. Then, he killed the woman who menacingly stood over his dead family; though, she only smelled weakly of Uchiha. Now, a powerful Uchiha stood next to her family's treacherous mate, and he had the look of a leader.
"Fall back with the Hyuuga." His commanding presence stopped the Uchiha head from protesting. "The line needs to be held, and I can't afford to get anybody caught up in this. Whatever you do, do not let Kyuubi leave the glowing area." He paused to take a deep breath. "I'm sure only Uchiha and Hyuuga will see it, but you have to make sure everybody understands and maintains that boundary."
Fugaku nodded in understanding and left to deliver the Fourth's orders. Kyuubi no Kitsune was about to give chase. Killing Uchiha took priority over killing Minato. He also realized it was easier to kill the strongest Uchiha than the current Hokage. He didn't get very far as tri-pronged kunai rained down on his position. He spent precious seconds defending himself, and his prey was able to get away.
"I was hoping you'd sense Kushina in him, but I suppose you're too lost to your rage and hatred." He released a heavy breath as he called Kage Bushin into existence. They used the tri-pronged kunai strewn across the battlefield to utilize Hiraishin no Jutsu. "It's too bad I didn't get to perfect this jutsu, but I had a good run at it." He closed his eyes as he concentrated on a completely separate technique.
His Kage Bushin used the incomplete Rasengan as they appeared and disappeared on the battlefield. They couldn't maintain the Rasengan while using the time/space effects of the Hiraishin no Jutsu, so there was a slight pause upon reappearing while they formed it to slam the powerful technique into Kyuubi no Kitsune's side. The great bijuu yowled in pain, but no obvious damage was accumulating.
Kyuubi no Kitsune froze in apparent fear when the real Minato finished his technique. "Oh, you know this one? I didn't know if you'd ever seen it, but I suppose Kanae-chan didn't feel any need to tell me anything. Please forgive me, Uzumaki. Shiki Fuujin!" An astral appendage stretched out from his abdomen. The memory faded.
Naruto stood stock still, panting. The memory was intense, but it didn't take nearly as much time as he thought to reveal it. From what he could tell, only a few seconds had actually passed. He closed his eyes tightly as he fought back tears. He remembered the Fourth's words in his mind over a month prior. He looked solemnly to a passing cloud. He had names and faces for his parents.
"My blind rage ended your parents' lives, and, for that, I apologize." Her words were sincere, and no hint of malice laced them. She seemed completely different from the male red-head he had previously known. She also looked exactly like his mother. The only real differences were real fox ears and nine tails swishing behind her.
He was silent for several long moments. "He didn't really betray her, right? He tried to save you, and he desperately tried to unite us. Even until his dying breath, he made sure we were together. That's got to count for something, right?" He didn't want to think his father betrayed his mother. Even more, he didn't want to think his father sealed Kyuubi no Kitsune in him for malicious reasons.
She didn't answer for a moment. She was contemplating how to answer, so he respected her desire to think out her answer with patience. When she finally answered, his vision started to blur with another revealed memory. "I didn't see it directly, but I know what happened."
Orochimaru came to a stop abruptly and turned to face his pursuer. The blond man was met by the snake sannin's sickening grin. "Ah Minato-kun, it's been too long." His body melted into mud as a brace of shuriken tore into his flesh. His sickening laugher echoed through the trees as he remained hidden. "Now, is that any way to greet a friend you haven't seen in so very long, Minato-kun?"
The snake sweated nervously as Minato produced several tri-pronged kunai and looked directly at him as he emerged from the trunk of a tree. "Why appear before my wife and me? You know you're not welcome here." Orochimaru circled one way; Minato circled the other. They were sizing each other up before the battle began. "You can't beat me, so why bother?" He really was curious.
Orochimaru grinned madly. "Quite boastful, aren't you Minato-kun? Just because you became Hokage doesn't mean I stopped studying and growing stronger. You'd be surprised at what you learn under the tutelage of a real ninja." He laughed haughtily. Outwardly, he showed confidence. Inwardly, he was trembling at the thought of facing the only shinobi to ever earn a 'run on sight' order.
Minato threw a tri-pronged kunai. Knowing the technique, Orochimaru jumped back rather than simply dodge or parry. He had to get away as fast as possible. One Hiraishin no Jutsu later, and the snake was forced to duck under a well aimed Rasengan. His plight wasn't over as he barely avoided being skewered by several tendrils of blade-like winds. An open-palm uppercut to his jaw sent him flying into a branch high above them.
Even before his body melted into blood, Minato whipped around to send a bone-jarring kick to his sternum. As Orochimaru lay sprawled on a distant branch, Minato shook his head and chided him. "You honestly think those tricks'll work on me? I'm praised for my mastery of time/space jutsu, and you just use a Kawarimi to swap yourself with mud?"
He froze as he felt it. Kushina was calling him. He quickly formed the necessary seals, and Kage Bushin flanked him. With silent orders, one turned to run to Konoha. The other focused using Hiraishin no Jutsu to get to the clearing Kushina was in. When it didn't disappear in a flash of yellow, Minato narrowed his eyes at the snake. Whoever his partner was, he was powerful in time/space techniques. The Kage Bushin was forced to move out the hard way.
Minato disappeared in a yellow flash, and Orochimaru barely dodged a quickly formed Rasengan from tearing a hole through his chest. He rolled forward and quickly turned to launch snakes from his arms. The poisonous creatures bit into the Fourth's neck, and he flinched in pain. The snake sannin wasn't fooled for a second.
He pushed chakra to his feet and launched high into the air. He grabbed the nearest branch and spun around to use it as cover just as the Kazekage Bushin exploded. The blades of air spun and cut into everything in a tight radius. The snakes and tree were utterly destroyed.
Orochimaru wasn't so lucky avoiding Minato's next strike. He felt a kunai bite into his shoulder. As he groaned in pain, he felt it twist and attempt to split bone and sinew. Eyes wide in true fear, he jumped away. He reached over his shoulder to pry the annoyance from his shoulder, but he heard air rapidly displace and heard something like thunder.
Eyes wide, Orochimaru received an injury that might be fatal to anybody else. A Rasengan tore into his spine and started to dig into his organs. He needed to escape, and he needed to do it quickly. He split his body in half. His torso went one way, and his legs fell to the ground. His spun his torso around and opened his mouth. A huge snake erupted from his tongue and tied Minato up.
He was not surprised when the snake was cut to shreds by what appeared to be an armor of wind. Not taking any chances, Minato threw a tri-pronged kunai towards the legs. Orochimaru's eyes went wide, and he desperately summoned more snakes to at least delay the Fourth. As soon as the kunai struck his lower appendages, he could only watch as Minato disappeared in a yellow flash.
As he figured, the snake hid his real body in his lower half. The upper half attacked as distraction. As soon as he reached the legs, he cut them in half and proceeded to call Fuuton to dissect it as much as possible. Before he could however, Orochimaru emerged and split from his discarded limbs. The upper and lower halves disintegrated into mud. Real fear contorted the snake sannin's face as he looked into the blond man's confident eyes.
To further prove his lack of composure, he nearly spun around when he heard voices coming from the direction of Konoha. The fatal error might have cost him his life if he were anybody else. He was still called a sannin for a reason. He melted into the ground and slithered away. As much as he hated to admit it, he needed to lick his wounds and find a new body or a great medic. Either way, he was in a lot of pain.
Minato turned to greet his backup. Jiraiya and Sarutobi led the charge. Directly behind them, ANBU bowed to their commander. Beside one in a dog mask, he recognized his protégé, Kakashi. He was wearing his newly earned ANBU mask. Not far behind, he could see the strongest shinobi quickly catching up. He needed to disseminate information and orders quickly.
"Kakashi, you aren't acting as ANBU for this mission. Take Rin and go to Kushina." Kakashi nodded and removed his ANBU mask. He handed his mask to his commander, Dog, and made a beeline for where Rin likely was. He pointed to ANBU in a cat and an elephant mask. "I need you two to try tracking Orochimaru down. He can't have gotten too far with his injuries." Cat and Elephant disappeared along with their squads.
He pointed to ANBU in a dog and a frog mask. "You two are with me. Kushina's in trouble. Kakashi and Rin can handle themselves until we get there, but I'm sure they're not enough for whoever is there." He pointed to ANBU in a hawk and a bull mask. "You two relay orders to squads as they arrive. Spread out and…" He was about to continue, but a massive killer intent settled in the area.
He turned, fearing the worst. He saw something he feared more than anything. A massive creature made of pure chakra bellowed in rage. He was right; the enemy was too much for Kakashi and Rin. His knees nearly gave out, but he forced his fears down with the lump in his throat. The enemy just made him or herself a personal target of the Fourth.
"All squads are to spread out and contain the Kyuubi no Kitsune." He could already sense fear settling in among his ANBU. He knew he had to look strong for them. If they gained confidence from him, the other shinobi would gain confidence from them in turn. "I'll work with Jiraiya to come up with some plan. Sarutobi, I need information. I'll leave that important task to you."
He took a steadying breath as he prepared himself. If Kyuubi no Kitsune was free, his wife's face was sealed. Besides Jiraiya and Sarutobi, he doubted anybody else knew. The Uzumaki did, but they didn't count because none of them were in the village. He also knew whoever freed Kyuubi no Kitsune had just declared outright war on Whirlpool. Whatever happened, the night would not end well.
Orders received, they split into their assigned groups. They had their own tasks to accomplish, and failing any one of those tasks could ensure the destruction of Konoha. They knew it was vital to keep a cool head, and they would, to the best of their abilities, follow their leader's fearless example. Only Jiraiya and Sarutobi knew how much courage his words and actions had taken. His soulmate was very likely dead.
Naruto clenched his fist in anger. "That Orochimaru! He's absolutely unforgivable! He's ruined so many lives, and he doesn't even stop to consider what he's done!" He felt his rage boil over, but he was surprised to feel Kyuubi stop the poisonous red chakra from spilling out. After a moment, he calmed enough to consider the memories. "So he didn't betray her; did he?"
He sort of got the impression Kyuubi shook her head. "No, Minato didn't betray Kushina. I thought he did, and I desperately wanted somebody to blame." She heaved a heavy breath. "The real culprit is that masked Uchiha. I wasn't aware enough to think about it at the time, but he called himself Madara. He was in charge of Akatsuki before Konoha even knew it existed."
Naruto nodded. The story made a little bit of sense. He was mainly glad his father didn't betray his mother. He was glad to have faces and names to his parents. More than anything, he was glad to know they had loved him before his death. He blinked as something sunk in. "Hey, was kaa-san your jinchuuriki before me?"
There was a long pause before Kyuubi answered. "It's a long story. I'll explain it later. For now, you need to find Nagato. I want to know if he's really the leader of Akatsuki or just some puppet." She paused as another thought surfaced. "I need to see for myself if Madara is still around or not."
Naruto nodded. At least there was something they could agree on. Then again, the new Kyuubi seemed much more agreeable. There was something very different about her. She was easily discernable from the male he had seen and talked to before. He didn't know what was going on, but he wasn't about to look a gift horse in the mouth.
Without further discussion, he leapt into the trees and made a beeline for Nagato. He could sense other shinobi along his path, but he wasn't sure if he was going to stop for them or not. As he traveled, he didn't say anything to Kyuubi, and she didn't say anything in turn. They traveled in silence, contemplating their own thoughts. Naruto felt powerful emotions from the memories he was shown, and he was sure she wanted time to herself to remorse…if she truly had changed.
When his fellow shinobi finally came into view, he made the decision to stop. He stopped just past them and continued to stare in the direction he knew Nagato was in. He didn't even turn to look over his shoulder. "You guys head back. I'll finish this alone." He felt Neji's heated gaze on his shoulder. For whatever reason, news of Hinata's survival hadn't reached them yet.
"I'm getting revenge for Hinata-sama!" He tried to jump forward, but Shikaku stopped him. The man shook his head sadly, and he understood his meaning. They'd only get in Naruto's way. "I don't care! He killed her, and he…"
"He deserves to die for everything he did to the village, but seeking revenge is just the path of destruction." The Hyuuga prodigy was stunned silent as Naruto chided him. The blond genin took a deep breath. "Go see Hinata-chan. She's waiting for you." He pumped chakra into his feet and prepared to take off.
"Hey, you've got a plan." Shikaku smirked when the blond jerked slightly as he stopped his momentum from continuing forward. Though it sounded almost like a question, it was definitely a statement. When Naruto looked over his shoulder and nodded, the Nara elder scratched the back of his head. "Well, let's leave this in his hands. We'll hear all about it later." His tone promise retribution if his words proved false.
Nagato held his arm out to stop Konan as Naruto pushed paper to either side as if parting a curtain door. She worriedly looked to him. He was in no condition to continue fighting. He expended a lot of chakra to maintain the Pein Rikudou for as long as he had. He had used his most powerful technique twice, and he had created a moon. Though it was miniscule compared to what he could do, it was still a moon and a large expenditure of chakra.
Nonetheless, he calmly hung from the contraption he'd summoned so long ago and stared down probably his most worthy adversary. For his part, the blond genin didn't flinch. He stood at the entrance, permanently parted to let light in. As much as she hated to admit it, he looked angelic, even as he pointed an accusing finger at him.
"You're the one behind Pein; aren't you?" He stood resolute. He really didn't need an answer, but he still waited for one.
"I am. You know this already, but my name's Nagato." He indicated the woman beside him. "Her name is Konan; though, I'm sure you knew that already as well." He paused as he evaluated the boy. It was different seeing him with his own eyes rather than through his Rinnegan link with the Pein Rikudou. "You seem to have come to a deeper understanding of Pein. Tell me, is that why you think you can 'achieve the unachievable'?"
Naruto drew in a sharp breath and closed his eyes. "Who do you think I am?!" The answer surprised Nagato and Konan. They may have been taken aback, but the blond continued unabashed. "I am Uzumaki Naruto, son of Namikaze Minato and Uzumaki Kushina! I'm the future Hokage, and don't you forget it!" He stood confidently, eyes closed and arms crossed.
Oddly, neither Nagato nor Konan could find cause to doubt him. He was as confident as he was powerful. He also didn't have the ego they expected him to have. Both found it oddly refreshing. Nevertheless, he was a necessary sacrifice to bring world peace. Still, he had caught Nagato's attention. "Tell me, how did you arrive at your decision? How do you plan to bring about peace?"
Naruto narrowed his eyes. "You know what? I don't wanna tell you!" Their heads jerked back in surprise. "First of all, I don't know anything about you! You came in and attack Konoha, but I don't know why. What? You didn't think you could talk with us? We have only attacked Akastuki in defense or to take back what was stolen. Why is Akatsuki so fixated on attacking?"
It was Nagato and Konan's turn to narrow their eyes. Konan spoke first. "What gives you the right to question us? What do you know of war, brat? What do you really know of pain so deep it tears your heart asunder?" She opened her mouth to continue, but the one she loved stopped her.
"I'll entertain your question. It all started in war and supposed peace. I will end it in true peace, but you want to know the origins of my hatred." He paused and took a deep breath. "Your generation knows nothing of war. Though the peace is fragile, the villages avoid open conflict. Even when Suna invaded Konoha, no true retribution was sought. One man perpetrated the whole conflict in hopes of escalating it to war, but, in the end, neither side rose to his bait."
Naruto was reminded once more of Orochimaru's evil. His campaign against Konoha left many dead, and it nearly left and irreparable rift between Konoha and Suna. If certain factions within Konoha had their way, Suna would not have been allowed to recover economically or as a ninja village. It was true the conflict only lasted one day, but, in his mind, it seemed like war. Was that not enough to qualify?
"I see you're confused." Nagato chided superiorly. "That is the reason I said you don't understand war. You know conflict. You even know battle. However, you don't know war. What you saw that day ended when Orochimaru ran and Suna realized it was misled and betrayed. Instead of seeking retribution and stomping out the threat, Konoha sought to end things quickly and peacefully."
Nagato's gaze hardened. "Konoha isn't always so generous. They realized that a prolonged conflict would leave them weak to the other powers. When they are in a position to lord their power, they do so willingly. I've seen it before. Your precious Hokage throws out his so-called desires for peace. He, instead, stomps down on any factions seeking to unify and advance peace."
"I know Sarutobi-jiji!" Naruto protested. "He wanted peace more than anything! He taught me the will of fire! He taught everybody the will of fire! He was saddened whenever conflict took lives, and he did everything he could to prepare us to defend ourselves." Tears stung his eyes. "Sarutobi-jiji was the first precious person I lost!"
Nagato tilted his head to one side. "I suppose, then, you want revenge on me for taking Jiraiya-sensei from you?" The fire in the young man's eyes answered his question for him. "Revenge is an ugly thing, and I've never sought it. I aimed to destroy Konoha not out of revenge but seeking peace. You can't understand it until you experience Pein, and even then it is difficult to grasp."
He shook his head and continued. "No, you need to stomp out your desire for revenge and rise to the level of a deity. You want to know why I attacked Konoha and seek the jinchuuriki? Listen to my tale, Uzumaki Naruto, and decide for yourself on whose side justice rests!"
Please don't forget that I have a new poll up, and my forum is open. I won't be mad whatever the poll results. I'm more upset that I don't have more results. As I said, the poll will be up until either the end of the year or it shows overwhelming results one way or the other.
The original scene I ripped this from (my own, mind you) is much darker and bloodier. Please, please, please tell me if it's still a bit much. I know I almost cried broke down during parts of it, so I may have missed keeping some parts PG-13. Oh, yes I most certainly had all of these details in mind from Chapter 1: Future March. I wasn't sure when I wanted to reveal it exactly, but the Pien Rikudou attack was too good an opportunity to pass up.
Beg and plead all you want, I am not posting Nagato's back story. It's exactly the same as the manga, so my next chapter's opening should be a fair bit predictable. Not a great cliffhanger by any stretch of the imagination, but it gets my point across. Do enjoy!
As always, reviews are appreciated, and flames outright ignored.
Story Word Count: 8,056
Story Page Count: 16
Terms and Jutsu:
Hiraishin no Jutsu - Flying Thunder God Technique: The technique that made Namikaze Minato famous. He used it to wipe out entire battalions on the battlefield, and many consider him among the strongest shinobi of all time for inventing it.
Shiki Fuujin - Corpse Spirit Sealing Method: The technique used to seal Kyuubi no Kitsune within Naruto and seal Orochimaru's techniques. The latter ended up failing, however. The former seems to be broken for whatever reason.