TimeShifter: Sorry, second special update never came. I have my reasons (family's trumps writing story, sorry). I couldn't think of a good way to write it, but Madara extracted Kyuubi at the very end. In fact, he didn't do anything to extract Kyuubi until after the genjutsu ended. I'll leave the blind rage thing up in the air for the moment. As for Fugaku, I think he may, tragically, be among the most misunderstood characters in Naruto. As a note, Itachi didn't kill either his mother or father; Madara did. Canonically, I don't think the author has stated why. My theory is that, possibly, he was working to keep peace between Konoha and the Uchiha. I have no evidence, but I don't believe he hated the Fourth or Third. Oh, I am going to enjoy my next arc. A note for Nagato and Konan, combined they have the chakra of a genin right about now. I also don't have much inspiration for fight scenes right now. Weak chapter ahead!
Chapter 29:
Pein Rikudou
Madara tightened and loosened his fists. "Nagato can be a thorn in my side when he wants to be. How…? How could he fail to capture Kyuubi no Kitsune when I practically hand it to him on a silver platter?" Team Hawk could easily tell he was incensed. He seethed as he stared into the distance. Though none of them could see it, the two Uchiha and Karin could sense it.
Naruto was standing in the same general vicinity as Nagato and Konan. The jinchuuriki also felt fresh compared to Akatsuki's puppet leader and partner. They had never failed him before, and he still didn't have any real information on the Hachibi no Ushi. "Was it too early to act? I've already lost too many pawns and made Akatsuki known to the world. It's also too late to turn back now."
Sasuke looked on thoughtfully. His elder's irritation didn't concern him nearly as much as his primary goals. Nagato did a splendid job razing Konoha, but he seriously doubted the elders he wanted vengeance on were dead. In all likelihood, they were in shelters or, worst case scenario, out of the village all together. He needed information on those not directly associated with the Hokage.
No, Danzou and the advisers were relatively easy to find. Though he had never seen them with his own eyes, he had Suigetsu and Karin to rely on. With Suigetsu out on a separate mission, he'd have to wait on at least part of his plan for revenge. Instead, he would have to concentrate on the council. He knew most of them, and he was confident he could locate and execute them.
His gaze returned to his elder when the masked Uchiha turned to face Team Hawk. His demeanor was different, calmer. Obviously, the impossibly old clan ancestor had come to terms with something. Instead of seething, he seemed patient. It almost seemed too drastic a shift in mood. When he spoke, his tone was surprisingly light. "Sasuke-kun, I want you and your team to continue looking for information on the Hachibi no Ushi."
He held up his hand and wagged a finger when it seemed his descendent was about to protest. "Tsk, tsk Sasuke-kun, you didn't let me finish." He paused to evaluate the three remaining members of Team Hawk. When he figured they were calm enough, he continued. "You can continue to carry out whatever your other agendas are as long as you continue to report what you know to me."
Sasuke nodded his head in acquiescence. It wasn't exactly what he wanted, but it seemed his elder wasn't going to go back on his word. He still realized that, if in the off chance Naruto failed to defeat Nagato and Konan, reviving his clan was going to take much longer than he hoped it would. Whatever the case, he was freed from interference from Madara and, therefore, Akatsuki. He could burn Konoha's elders for their transgressions and use his former best friend to revive a new Uchiha before he was sacrificed.
Madara, on the other hand, was pleased. He had Team Hawk's full cooperation. With them in the field, he could concentrate Akatsuki on gathering a greater power base. He still had plans for the remaining bijuu, but slowing that project didn't delay his plans too much. He was immortal and had a great deal of patience. It was only slightly disappointing that he couldn't send Team Hawk to assassinate the five Kage at the Gathering of Shadows.
Under his mask, he smirked. "Oh well, plans change. Even I cannot foresee everything with my Hateshiganai Mangekyou Sharingan. I still have my war hawks, and just knowing about Akatsuki doesn't do those foolish Kage any good. Most of the elite groups have been removed, so I just need to concentrate on growing Akatsuki." He chuckled internally. Perhaps his plans were actually ahead of schedule.
Hinata moaned and cracked one eye open. Her body was sore all over, but her aches and pains didn't stop Ino from latching on in a tight embrace as soon as she regained consciousness. She grunted in pain, and the blond medic immediately backed away mumbling apologies. She waved her friend's words off as unnecessary and tried to look around.
"Naruto's not here, but he's definitely alive." Sakura's words reassured her. Then, she sighed and stood. As she patted the dirt from her pants and knees, she looked around. Shion was talking with Kanaeru, but she couldn't tell exactly what they were discussing. The Demons' daimyo priestess held Momiji protectively. The confused girl clung to her caretaker.
The entire situation was confusing. There were countless dead after Pein Rikudou rampaged through the village. Even Tsunade was a step away from the shinigami. Katsuyu and Rikka helped disseminate information, and most seemed to be relying on Shikamaru's strategic thinking. Worse, reports were coming in about a possible traitor because new casualties were being reported.
With both Tsunade and Shizune unconscious, medical planning and deployment had fallen on Sakura's shoulders. She wasn't sure she couldn't handle the chaos nearly as well as Shikamaru, but she used Katsuyu and Rikka to make sure everything was taken care of. The strange casualties became a shared responsibility, and ANBU was more than willing to coordinate research and deployment efforts.
Meanwhile, Katsuyu relayed Nagato's tale to the remaining shinobi. Some were surprised that Naruto not once interrupted, but his friends understood why. Both Nagato and Naruto studied under Jiraiya. The last apprentice of the great toad sannin wanted closure, so he listened intently and took in every word his senior, in a sense, had to say. It was not a happy tale by any stretch of the imagination, but it left more questions than it answered.
Naruto's face was downcast. His bangs overshadowed his expression, making it impossible to read. As the supposed leader of Akatsuki concluded his tale, his mouth twitched just a little before he spoke. "Idiot…" Just as Nagato and Konan were about to respond enraged, the blond genin reared back and yelled. "Idiot!"
They paused, taken aback. Naruto stared the inspiration for his teacher's first book dead in the eyes. His chakra started to light the room brighter than the illumination coming from outside. It was a chaotic mix of red and silver. "You gave up the faith Jiraiya loved you for! After Minato himself, you were like a son to Ero-sennin!" He shook his head. "You gave up your dream of peace just because you were convinced it was impossible."
Konan pushed past Nagato's staying hand and yelled at the child who insulted the man she loved. "What do you know?! Everything, everything, we ever had was stolen from us! Our parents! Our land! Our comrades! Yahiko! You have no idea what we're trying to do!" She blinked and looked to Nagato as he finally pulled her back.
"I see you still do not understand, Uzumaki Naruto." He was concerned about the red chakra, but the strange silver color intrigued him. At the same time, he realized they were in no condition to fight the jinchuuriki. At best, he could talk his way out of the situation and disarm the boy enough to capture him. At worst, the fact that their combined chakra was less than a genin's would mean their untimely death.
"We were betrayed time and again, and each betrayal took away something precious, something irreplaceable." He paused to see if his junior had a response. He didn't, so the self proclaimed deity continued. "We were betrayed by our army, and we lost our parents. We were betrayed by Jiraiya, and we lost our innocence. We were betrayed by Hanzou, and we lost Yahiko. We were betrayed by Konoha, and we lost many comrades who strove for peace."
"You betrayed Ero-sennin's memory!" Naruto yelled and returned an equally hard gaze to his senior. His chakras were slowly combining, but red and silver still apparently fought for dominance. "He thought he could rely on you to bring peace, and you just stopped believing! You were too weak-willed to achieve the unachievable!" He clenched his eyes, jaw, and fists to force himself to calm.
"You're so selfish." The blond genin shook his head. "You selfishly cling to the belief that the world hurt only you. You don't think about what else something can mean." He sighed. "For example, your parents attacked people they knew were ninja just to make sure you lived. The ninja didn't know who was attacking them, and they reacted automatically to a surprise attack. They even apologized and tried to escort you to safety!"
Nagato practically snarled. "How could they mistake civilians for ninja?!" He forced a breath out and calmed. "Whatever the case, they were raiding a populated village for supplies. They knew people were around and would defend their homes. It only proves that Konoha doesn't seek peace, and the Hokage of the time was nothing but a hypocrite." He was confident the young man before him couldn't counter the hard logic of his argument.
Naruto shook his head with a heavy breath. "Is that it?" He wasn't surprised by their confused expressions. "Is that the only reason?" He swept his arm to one side, and odd golden glow temporarily lighting his hand. "Konoha had no reason to believe the village wasn't already evacuated. I mean; who leaves civilians to rot in the middle of a war zone?!"
Nagato narrowed his eyes. He couldn't refute the statement without knowing exactly what intelligence Konoha had at the time. Naruto continued unabashed. "You said Konoha betrayed you, but your only proof is that Danzou joined Hanzou in attacking you? He had an army of masked ninja, but can you prove they were ANBU? We all know ANBU, after all, only follow the direct orders of the Hokage." He paused. "Do you know whose command they were under?"
Again, Nagato was surprised to find he had no answer. ANBU were, indeed, the personal army of whoever the current Hokage was. The same could be said of the ANBU for any other village. He knew nothing of Danzou or the other ninja who joined Hanzou that fateful day. He had simply assumed they were under the Hokage of the time's direct orders.
His eyes widened when he realized Naruto skipped over a subject, but the blond genin continued once he was certain his point was across. "You got Jiraiya wrong, all wrong." His expression was hidden by his bangs as he forced tears back. "Ero-sennin… Jiraiya was always thinking about you. He reminded me every day that he had pupils who barely survived the carnage of war. He didn't know your fate, but he worried you were dead."
He reached into his equipment pouch, and Nagato and Konan tensed. When he pulled out a book, they looked at each other in confusion. He held it up, so they could see the title, The Legend of the Gutsy Ninja. "'But someday, I'll break the curse. If there's such a thing as peace, I'll find it. Faith…is better than any plan!' Do you remember those words? They were burned into my mind the first time I read them."
"It's just coincidence." Nagato managed to sound resolute.
"That's a lie and you know it!" Naruto yelled, and, for an instant, the red and silver chakras seemed to merge into a dull gold before returning to the chaotic struggle. "He believed in you, so he used your words to inspire everybody whose lives he could touch with his book. He even dedicated his book to you." He closed his eyes and pushed his chakra down. "Then a baby was born and named after the main character, a memento of the book."
He stared, proud and resolute, into the eyes of a man who thought himself a deity. "His name was Naruto, and I'm Jiraiya's memento!" As his words echoed through the faux tree, the atmosphere seemed to calm. As if his very words had the power to alter the world, light and sound seemed to disappear. A golden glow outlined his body, and he seemed to go through a physical change.
Though they were both surprised, it was Nagato who spoke their mind. "I-Impossible!" They could only stare in mild awe as the jinchuuriki of Kyuubi no Kitsune simple stood and glared at them. His very presence weighed on him as they took in his features. Atop his head, tufts of hair stood aloft to resemble fox ears. A single golden tail swung behind him, but it didn't look like a ghastly appendage boiling with malice. It instead looked solid and furred.
As they fought to regain their composure, Naruto stood calm and collected. He made no move; though, they weren't aware enough to realize just how still he stood. They weren't aware that, internally, a dialogue was taking place between host and tenant. They were only aware that his very presence was pushing down on them, and his powerful chakra seemed more compact than usual.
"You want to do what now?" Naruto looked dumbfounded. He also stood shakily as his mindscape seemed to waver back and fourth between a familiar, hated red chakra and unfamiliar, welcoming silver chakra. He didn't understand it, but he chalked it up to some weird effect of Kyuubi.
She smiled devilishly. "I want to talk to that pompous idiot." As he quirked his lip in questioning confusion, she continued. "I need your permission to use your body to talk to him, so I'm asking you to let me talk to him." His expression didn't change, and she sighed. "Honestly, I want to wipe that pretentious look off his face. Even after you splendidly shot him down, he thinks he's better than you and those he callously stomped on."
"Uh-huh…" Naruto nodded his head in mock understanding. He didn't know what game she was playing with him, but he didn't want to foolishly hand over control of his body with no guarantee of getting it back. "How do I know you're telling the truth? This might be some trick to get free, and I'm sure I can handle him on my own anyway."
Her devilish grin morphed into a playful smirk. "Oh really?" She chuckled. "You don't even know what's going on with your chakra, and I can't risk you losing control now of all times. Besides…" She pointed to the choker around her neck. "…I can't do anything without your permission…" She paused to tilt her head back and fourth. "…well, unless your life's in danger and you can't give me permission, but that's a whole other ball game."
He tapped his chin in thought. She effectively admitted to being powerless unless he gave his permission. He couldn't imagine the male Kyuubi saying anything remotely similar, even to attain his freedom. It was beneath him. However, the words weren't enough to convince him. If she really was different, she needed to prove it. His old prankster habits kicked in, and a foxy smirk overtook his features. "If you want my permission so bad, dance around like a kabuki, and I mean exactly like a kabuki, and say 'Naruto is my master'."
She groaned and rolled her eyes. "Do I really have to?" She half groaned, half growled when he simply nodded. She closed her eyes and willed into existence the traditional kabuki garb and makeup, already in place. As the fans appeared in her hands, she sent him a hard gaze. "I better not have to do this every time!" He indicated nothing, and she fulfilled his request.
A humiliating dance and statement later, she waved her arms almost frantically as if reacting to spider's webbing. The horrid garb and makeup gone, she turned a hard glance to him. He seemed well pleased with himself as he nearly grinned ear to ear. With a roll of her eyes and sigh, she made her request again. "Can I please borrow your body to talk to Nagato?"
He grinned, and the mindscape faded.
Naruto flexed his arms, a seemingly innocent gesture. Nagato tensed, and Konan was almost thrown back by unexpected pressure. He held his hand aloft and inspected it as he gripped and released it in and out of a fist. He flexed his arm as if getting a feel for his body or power, an action greatly confusing the Akatsuki pair. His behavior seemed unusual. They didn't know if it was a good sign or not.
Suddenly, he turned his full attention to them. His expression seemed out of place. His smile almost split his face, but it seemed to promise retribution if they tried anything. His presence bore down on them more than it ever had, and they honestly feared what was to come for the first time since Yahiko died. "Now that your done telling your woes, let me tell you what an immortal knows of pain and loss."
Nagato and Konan's eyes widened in realization. "You're the Kyuubi?!" Konan said before her partner. "How? Your seal is supposed to keep you locked in his subconscious. You shouldn't be able to come to the surface, let alone speak through him!" She was surprised and had no explanation. It should have been impossible, but Kyuubi no Kitsune was talking through the blond genin.
Naruto laughed. "Oh, we have a deal. I want to talk to you, so I'm temporarily allowed to. Don't worry; I have to something equally valuable for him." He held up his hand and wagged a finger. "Now, now, don't go interrupting my story. You weren't interrupted by kit during your long spiel, so I expect the same courtesy." He paused with a grin that bore his teeth.
When they didn't attempt to interrupt, he continued. "I know more of pain and loss than you ever could. In fact, kit knows a lot more than you give him credit for." He shook his head with a shrug. "Instead of blaming others and pouting, he's lived to overcome it. Through adversity, he's come to his own answer. The truth is, you ran from yours long ago." He paused to chuckle. "Oh, but you're expecting my tale."
"It all started hundreds of years ago, but a long story would just bore you. I think I'll start a mere century ago, at a massacre." He gave Nagato a hard look. "Akatsuki wasn't around back then, but a man with similar means to a very different objective certainly was. He wanted the power of the bijuu in order to unite the ninja world under his sole rule, and he used them to betray his best friend, clan, and village."
"I'm not sure how he spun his heinous act, and I don't care. I do know the result. Because of that man, dozens of my family were killed. The clan I loyally served was brought to the brink of destruction, and the village he helped found was nearly razed by his own hands." He paused at the bitter taste of the man's accursed name before he answered the questions their eyes were asking. "That man was Uchiha Madara."
"We were careless. We didn't think a jutsu like that existed, but that brat's eyes were different from other Uchiha. Somehow, he ravaged the minds of the bijuu hosts and extracted the great chakra beings. The hosts died, but the bijuu couldn't seek vengeance. The same jutsu was able to put the bijuu under his command, and he attacked his very home."
"Of course, Madara was defeated. His best friend was also his long time rival, Senju Hashirama. Somehow, his clan's kekkei genkai was able to quell the bijuu. Because Madara had ensured the bijuu would be hated, Hashirama was left with a dilemma. They could not be contained or killed, at least not by normal means. Without knowing what to do, he called a Council of Shadows."
"Not wishing to upset the balance of power, he gave each Kage enough bijuu to maintain peace. He maintained..." He growled at the bitter taste of another word. "…possession of only me, Kyuubi no Kitsune. As he was trying to figure out what to do with me, survivors of my family visited Konoha to retrieve me. We left, turning our backs in disgust on Konoha and the other villages. The Uchiha were forever burned into our memories as traitors and self-righteous brats."
He lowered his gaze. A sad undertone entered his voice. "Which brings us to nearly sixteen years ago... Impossibly, Madara appeared before me again. Once more, I was torn from my host and forced to witness a family member's death. I snapped and went on a rampage, not wishing to be entrapped as I sought revenge."
He returned his gaze, cold as ice, to his captivated audience. "Naruto shares my pain there. You see; his family was my family! Madara directly killed his okaa-san by extracting me and indirectly killed his otou-san when I was sealed in him." He paused to let the revelation sink in. "I imagine Madara started Akatsuki. I highly doubt his ambitions have disappeared."
He growled and pulled his open palm back. As he concentrated chakra, a familiar whirring came to life. As the Rasengan took shape, its familiar glow further highlighted Naruto's features. He looked more human than he normally did when calling on the Kyuubi's chakra. Instead of a cloak, his chakra seemed condensed only into the tail swishing behind him.
"You attacked Konoha for some misguided belief that peace would just naturally follow. You killed countless of kit's friends, and you forced him to mourn over the loss of the first person to show a deep, deep interest in him. He may not want to kill you, but I sure do!" He took one step forward, and Konan flinched.
"I never fully trusted Madara, but I always thought our ideals were similar." He stared directly into Naruto's eyes as he turned his attention to him. "He cleverly spun and crafted his lies, but your words and how you spoke them were undoubtedly the truth." He turned to Konan. "I should have listened more carefully your words. Madara has betrayed our ideals."
Konan was speechless as she looked between Nagato and Naruto. She hated fighting, but she was willing to do anything for Nagato, especially after Yahiko's death. She never believed Madara's path would lead to their ideal of peace, but the man she loved was so filled with hatred that he had lost himself. Were they finally, forcibly ending their false road?
"Hello?" Naruto almost sang glanced between them. "I didn't get this ball out to leave it sitting. I want to play with it, so just finish whatever it is you want to say to each other." He watched their expressions for any clues to what they were thinking, but he was surprised by what he saw. There was anger, but it was directed elsewhere. There was, more interestingly, a calculating look to the self-proclaimed deity's eyes.
Nagato finally nodded his head. "We're in no condition to fight Madara, and it's doubtful we could win at our strongest." He looked to Konan. "Though Jiraiya trained us, Madara fine-tuned our unique skills. His Sharingan was able to see what Jiraiya could not, and he seemed to have intimate knowledge of my Rinnegan."
He expressly pointed to Naruto. "Your host, however, is an unpredictable element that not even I could compensate for. I had to abandon my careful planning the moment he showed up on the field of battle, in spite of my desire not to. I tried, and failed, to stick to plan." He gave his junior a pointed look. "I doubt even Madara's Sharingan can predict you."
Konan looked worriedly to him. "What are you planning Nagato?" He simply pointed to a pile of odd, even compared to the Pein Rikudou, rods. Her eyes went wide and she shook her head disagreeably. "No! It'll kill you! You can't expend any more chakra than you already have!" She shook her head, tears choking her eyes. "No! I-I can't lose you, too!"
"Uh..." Naruto trailed off in confusion. "What, exactly, are you guys planning? You know I'm not about to let you, uh, power up just so you can attack me again. I can and will stop you before you can...use one of those...rods to..." He paused to consider his words. "...supplement your chakra."
Konan turned a pained expression to him. Nagato recognized her distress, but he chose instead to answer Kyuubi no Kitsune's query. "I have all the jutsu of the Pein Rikudou. When I kill somebody, I hold onto their soul. As such, I am capable of reviving anybody I have killed. However, it is no simple feat. It requires a vast amount of chakra, something I am sure you've noticed I am short of."
Naruto nodded. He easily understood the man's words, but he didn't understand his reasoning. "You attacked Konoha and trampled on her shinobi. Why should I believe that you are willing to risk you life to restock our fighting force? You could simply gather allies to fight Madara, or you could recruit the defeated remnants of Konoha. Tsk, you could even revive everybody you killed as puppets."
Nagato nodded. "I cannot dispute your logic. It is something, I'm sure, you could never understand." He looked into Konan's eyes as he continued. His next words were as much for her as Naruto and Kyuubi no Kitsune. "I have existed only for pain since Yahiko was stolen from us. I ignored how a pure existence might create peace. I thought…and still do think that the lack of experience will lead to short-lived peace and ultimate destruction."
He turned his gaze, Rinnegan burning, to meet his junior's eyes. "I still hate Konoha. I hate the world of ninja, and I want to see it burn." He paused and took a deep breath. "However, I find myself conflicted. I said those words many years ago, and part of me wants to believe them. Before I have the chance to change my mind, let me honor the pure heart buried under years of pain and hatred."
Naruto closed his eyes, and his features altered slightly. His chakra tail became mostly transparent and silvery, and the formally dense chakra seemed to spread over his body like a cloak. When he opened his eyes, they could tell the host was back in control of his body. "I don't want to kill for revenge, but I won't let you harm anybody else! If you're lying, don't expect any mercy."
Nagato nodded. He didn't doubt the teen's promise of retribution. Though he wasn't sure of his decision, he knew he couldn't continue fighting in his condition. It was better to leave the future in the hands of the hopeful than the malicious. He gave his junior a hard look as Konan finished loading one of the strange rods.
He was never one to betray a promise, but, for a moment, he considered using the rod's chakra boost to attack the jinchuuriki. His chances for victory were low, and such a waste of energy would only ensure Madara's eventual victory. He hated to admit it, but he was relying on somebody with no real world experience.
As he molded his chakra, he reflected on the past. He didn't ever doubt or regret his actions. Attacking Konoha was the right thing to do to obtain the power he needed. Despite ultimately failing to kill the female Hyuuga, he did teach the boy more about pain. Really, only hearing about Jiraiya's death and sensing a lack of chakra after the fact were pointless. He had to witness the death of somebody precious to understand what it was like to lose Yahiko.
No, Nagato decided he didn't regret anything. His decisions were right. The world needed pain to live on peacefully. He didn't know, ultimately, if the path of hope or of pain would lead to true peace, but he knew both coexisted within Naruto. His endeavors, passed on as famous lines in a book and infamous actions, would shape the world's peace.
Acknowledging that he wouldn't be around to see the fate of the ninja world, he closed his eyes and directed his technique. He wasn't lying when he said he held onto the souls felled by his hand, or his Pein Rikudou as the case may be. He could toy with the strings of fate, but he couldn't stop them from catching up to him. With a final push, the souls in his grasp left to rejoin their fallen bodies.
He sharply inhaled and released a staggered breath. "Uzumaki Naruto, I hate the malice Madara could inflict far more than I hate Konoha. Do not mistakenly believe I do this for ideals long past. You'll realize some day…you aren't so different than I." His eyes closed, and he slumped forward. The exhausted rod was the first to eject and fall to the ground, steaming. The rest of his strange contraption followed shortly.
Naruto lowered his gaze. It was a strange way to end a battle. To the end, he couldn't really change his senior's point of view. He could only remind him of how he used to feel and hope for the best. He also realize what was worst of all. His ideals were compared to somebody led astray by grief and a madman. He looked up when he noticed movement.
Konan was already gathering the bodies of her fallen love and his Pein Rikudou. "Nagato always suspected Madara had other plans for the bijuu, but he believed he could gather the power and forces to end those ambitions and carry out his own." She faced him, teary eyed, as she continued. "He lost his humanity when Hanzou and Danzou attacked our comrades and took Yahiko's life. Don't you dare waste his sacrifice!"
She stared coldly even as tears continued to stream down her face. Naruto nodded, turned, and left. She was left alone to weep for the man she loved. She didn't know if or when their paths would cross again, but she only hoped true peace was achieved long before then. She used what chakra she had to leave immediately. Madara could easily find her if she lingered.
Hinata smiled. She wasn't sure why, but she suddenly felt warm. Though her body should be aching, she felt comfortable. She felt as if somebody was smiling protectively down on her. It wasn't the same feeling as her mother, but it was still familiar. The feeling was also alive and had a flow all its own. Unwittingly, she mouthed Naruto's name.
Katsuyu finished telling everybody she could about Naruto and Nagato's conversation. It set their wills ablaze and galvanized many to more readily accept the jinchuuriki. The effect was nearly instant, and it was consistent among those loyal to Tsunade. Very few of Konoha's shinobi didn't hear the conversation, and it was valuable information for understanding the masses.
Hinata didn't need to hear Katsuyu to know what occurred. Instinctively, she understood. Naruto refused to walk down the dark path of destruction known as revenge. He chose the high ground and sought another way. He had made proud the memories of the Fourth and Jiriaya. He had shown courage and determination far beyond the average shinobi. Once more, she felt inspiration just knowing what he had done.
Some small well of pride bubbled up in her. Along with praise and admiration towards Naruto, similar tales spread of her heroism. She was surprised to hear the word used for her actions, but she wasn't surprised to hear some of the speculation. She, however, was aghast to her disappointment that he might choose her over this girl or that. Sakura, Shion, and Sasame were tough enough competition!
No matter what thoughts tried to invade, she still smiled. She felt all warm and fuzzy but only partially understood why. She mostly ignored the conversations and hustle and bustle around her. She wanted to embrace what she currently felt. She wanted to keep the feeling close to her heart and never forget it. She might have to spend weeks in the hospital recovering from her injuries, but she could spend lifetimes remembering the warm, welcoming sensation overpowering any aches she had.
However, near panic set in when conversation seemed to die when somebody mentioned Naruto's return. As Sakura and Ino helped her up, she realized, for the first time, that she had to face the consequences of her confession. She had honestly thought she was going to die! She couldn't leave the man of her affections without knowledge that somebody, somewhere loved him from the bottom of her heart, with all her body and soul.
Her blush grew with the crowd as they neared the village gates. What was left of the proud shinobi village didn't seem welcoming, but her people put their best forth. Even civilians were mixing in with the crowds. They knew who their hero was, and a quiet chanting slowly grew into a roaring welcome as the Fourth's legacy came into view.
He was stunned speechless.
All his life, he was shunned and hated. He had to fight and scrape just for one person to acknowledge him. It took everything he had to go from the class clown to the reliable friend. More than anything, he wanted acknowledgement. He was beginning to understand it wouldn't take becoming Hokage to earn the respect and admiration he longed so much fore.
Naruto looked at Hinata. He blushed and quickly looked away. Not long ago, he didn't think anybody acknowledged him as much as she. At the very least, he thought they were dead…except for Kakashi. He had to admit, even their acknowledgement seemed to pale in comparison to the dark, shy heiress.
As he greeted his friends, he thought about how he saw her. At first, she seemed a bit weird and aloof. She wasn't a bad person, but she was hard to notice and didn't exert herself too much. He didn't see her that way anymore, by any stretch of the imagination. There were few he thought he could count on more than her.
She was brave, a lot braver than she gave herself credit. She was strong, a lot stronger than she seemed to realize. She was also a lot more similar to him than he knew when he first met her. Until he made the blood oath to beat Neji, he hadn't known how looked down upon she was. He didn't realize how much she wanted and stove to be better than she was before.
As his friends shook his hand or hugged him, he thought about how much had changed over the years. She was still shy, but she took each day as a step forward. He could tell by looking at her just how much she had already overcome. She was different, but any differences only made her more similar.
He was so lost in thought that he didn't notice when he was pulled away from his friends. He blinked in surprise as he realized his surroundings were different. He could still hear the celebrations and general jovial tunes just out of sight. He looked at Kanaeru, Gayt, and Star as he wondered why they pulled him away.
"I never would have thought you could talk your way out of this kind of situation." She heartily patted him on the back, sending him staggering forward for a moment. As he caught his balance and looked at her, she grinned and continued. "It's a wonder he could revive most everybody, let alone did."
Her words caught his attention. "Wait, he didn't revive everybody?" The inclusion of an extra word hadn't escaped his notice. She sadly shook her head, but he hoped against hope that what she was implying was wrong. "Do you think…somebody else took our shinobi while nobody was looking?"
She carefully looked to Gayt, but he shook his head. Her suspicions confirmed, she sighed but continued. "Don't know who exactly's listening, so I'm not going to repeat this. Listen well, kit." She took a calming breath and spoke as evenly as she could. "The fact some man named Danzou joined Hanzou with ANBU-like forces didn't go unnoticed, and now we've got confirmed reports of ANBU squads and some chunin and jonin dead…messy dead."
Naruto didn't need to be told the hidden meaning. "You think he'd really go out and kill his own comrades during an attack like this?" Her rueful expression was the only answer he needed. He clenched his fists. "Doesn't he realize Konoha needs all the shinobi she can get?! Who does he think he is?"
She sighed. "Well, he might be playing politics." She held up a finger to stop him before he interrupted. "If he is, he's a big player you can't handle. He's somebody you've gotta leave to the clan and jonin councils…as long as Tsunade's out that is." She covered her ears at the very expected shout.
"What?! Obaa-chan's hurt?!" He paused to look down and shift through his memories. "I-I know her chakra was low, but…" His eyes went wide in realization, and he returned his attention to her. "Do you think this Danzou character hurt obaa-chan? If he did anything, why I oughta…"
Kanaeru moved her hands up and down in placating manner. "Now, now, calm down Naruto. Tsunade's just fine. She's a bit weak from using so much chakra, but she's alive." She heaved a sigh as he calmed down and carefully continued. "She's in a coma, but ANBU have been assigned to watch her twenty-four/seven. Nobody, especially Danzou, is getting anywhere near her."
Naruto nodded. At least it was a bit of consolation. He didn't like the idea of leaving Tsunade to only ANBU forces. If whoever Danzou was could recruit the masked personal army of the Hokage, he wasn't sure they could be trusted. Though both Kakashi and Yamato were ANBU, he had his doubts. He only hoped they proved to be wrong.
In the meantime, he had other concerns. He squared his shoulders and prepared for the worst. In the most serious tone he had, he asked a new question plaguing him. "Hey Kanaeru, how are you related to me exactly?" In all the confusion, he hadn't really thought of it much. His mind was in a haze when she said it, and thinking Hinata was dead hadn't helped.
She sighed. "I was expecting this, but I'm still not ready." He looked at her expectantly. He wasn't letting the issue drop, and she knew it. Scratching the back of her neck, she decided to get on with it. First, she had her own question to ask. "How much has Kyuu-chan told you?"
He was a bit surprised at the nickname, but he continued anyway. "She told me about how my kaa-san and tou-san died." He looked down and tried and failed to contain his anger. His fists shook at his side as he tried to unclench his teeth. "She told me about what Madara and Orochimaru did."
She gently patted his shoulder as she pouted. "Yeah, bijuu don't tend to let go of a grudge so easily, and they hate it when somebody they consider family is killed the most. Kyuu-chan held onto resentment and vengeance too strongly for Minato to properly handle, so he didn't realize he messed up the seal." She heard a sigh and looked at her nephew in confusion.
He stared at her and tilted his head to one side, expectantly. She nervously chuckled. "Oh, right, right, you want to know how we're related." She cleared her throat and prepared for the worst. She had to react quickly to cover her ears. "Well, funny story. You see; your kaa is my nee." She moved her hands quickly enough, but stopped just shy of her ears. Her nephew didn't react as expected.
The latest revelation was quite literally the straw that broke the camel's back. On top of everything else he learned, his mind just shut down. He literally stood unconscious as mental and physical fatigue caught up and overtook him. His eyes rolled back and eyelids fell as his body wavered.
Uzumaki Naruto was known as the number one, unpredictable, knuckleheaded ninja. His limit was just found. Uzumaki Naruto had just fainted.
Days later, the village was finding some semblance of normalcy. With Tsunade in a coma, the clan and jonin councils were leading civilian and shinobi alike in reconstruction. The best craftsmen from Fire and allied nations were called in to speed recovery. Konoha could not rest on her laurels because it could potentially mean lowered guard to an opportunistic enemy attack.
They still had a Shadow Council to think about. In such a time of crisis, many felt it important to seat a new Hokage. The reasons behind the decision were mixed. Some felt she would never fully recover and return from her coma too weak to lead let alone defend Konoha. Others felt they simply needed to be prepared if worse came to worst. Still others thought she was incompetent as a leader, often unfairly comparing her to the Third and Fourth.
No matter what feelings were behind the decision, the overwhelming majority felt a new Hokage needed to be appointed, even if temporary. They had to decide who would fill the position, and so the clan council called a meeting with the daimyo of Fire. The jonin council decided it was more prudent to continue missions and decided to make their final decision later.
Upon arrival, the powerful daimyo requested an audience with Konoha's hero. He was told Naruto was still in the hospital and required additional treatment. Not knowing the special conditions of the jinchuuriki, he accepted the explanation without question and, instead, called for an immediate session with the clan council.
On his way, he noticed some familiar faces and stopped on particularly young one. "Ah, why if it isn't Hyuuga-dono's heir apparent?" Hinata turned and bowed to the esteemed leader. She had met him a few times but was surprised he recognized her so quickly. "Where is Hyuuga-dono? I was hoping to hear his valuable opinion on the matter at hand."
She answered promptly and properly. "I regret to inform Fire-sama that otou-san is still visiting another country on a diplomatic mission. He was caught on important business elsewhere when our present situation arose. In his place, I will be attending and representing the prestigious Hyuuga clan." She only hoped she sounded proper and upheld the pride of her clan.
The Fire daimyo nodded in understanding. "I'm sure your opinion will be much appreciated. It is regrettable, but unavoidable, that Hyuuga-dono is unreachable during such a tragedy." He looked around then leaned in conspiratorially. "You look about the hero's age. Please tell me more about him later. I want to thank him properly for saving an important asset for Fire, after all."
He smiled as he ordered his royal guard to finish escorting him to the meeting chambers. He wanted the proceedings to be over with quickly, so everything could have the chance to return to normal. It was hard enough having Konoha at reduced strength after the Oto/Suna invasion orchestrated by Orochimaru. He really didn't want to deal with such a breach so soon.
As he sat at his exalted position, he looked around the chambers. He recognized everybody present. The eldest had advised the Third during his first and second terms seated as Hokage. The youngest was the Hyuuga teenager. He mentally noted where the Nara and Aburame clan heads sat. They tended to be the most knowledgeable and logical on the clan council. He valued their opinions as much, if not more, than the most powerful clan's.
When everybody was present, he called the meeting to order. There was only one objective to discuss, so he got right to it. "Konoha is in a crisis. The leader of Akatsuki attacked and single handedly brought the village to its knees. The current leader, Tsunade-dono, is in a coma. Nobody has speculated on when she might wake up, so a consensus has been reached that a new Hokage needs to be appointed."
He raised his hand to forestall any arguments. "It doesn't matter to me if we seat the Seventh or a interim. The jonin council will make the final decision anyway. We're only here to determine who has the qualifications to hold the most powerful position in Konoha." He looked around the room. "The floor is open to suggestions."
A few names immediately flew out. Nara proposed Hatake Kakashi, and Aburame seconded. Danzou suggested himself, and Hokage's advisory council seconded. Someone mentioned Uzumaki Naruto, and a round of cheers seconded the nomination. A few more suggestions were made, but all were immediately shot down.
With a list of three, Fire daimyo listed what he knew starting with Danzou. "Danzou has a distinguish record. He injured himself defending an important fortress during an Iwa invasion. He has advised at least two Hokage, so he at least knows the duties of office even if he's never actually served. He has proposed increased military strength in anticipation to future offensives by enemy lands."
There were nods of acknowledgement around the room, but nobody dared interrupt as Fire daimyo continued. "Kakashi is a valued jonin and former ANBU captain. He was trained by the Fourth, and her rose through ranks quickly. He also trained our hero. He was the only one to accomplish, by all reports, the only successful kill of any of the Pein Rikudou."
There was some light applause, but silence reigned in anticipation to the last name. "Naruto recently saved the village, but his record is fairly empty. He was trained by Kakashi and Jiraiya, so he has a strong connection to the Fourth. He was, after all, trained by both master and pupil to Konoha's greatest Hokage. However, his success/failure rate is not something we should promote for a Hokage. As of now, he simply lacks experience."
As much as some thought of arguing around experience, they were forced to acquiesce. It could be misconstrued as a sign of weakness to appoint him Hokage, either Seventh or interim. They were really narrowed down to a mere two choices, as Fire daimyo elaborated. "Now we only need decide between Danzou and Kakashi. Both have a distinguished record and should be able to serve the village well."
Danzou stood and directly addressed the powerful leader of their land. "I disagree. Kakashi was taught by the same school of thought that brought us disaster." His statement brought great confusion as everybody looked around to try to figure out what he meant or if anybody understood. "Kakashi was trained by the Fourth who in turn was trained by Jiraiya and, in turn, the Third. The Third also trained the Fifth."
He sent his powerful gaze around the council table. "They foolishly preached the 'will of fire' that has brought us nothing but trouble. Jiraiya even taught this 'Pein Rikudou', better known as Nagato. If it weren't for their foolish ideals, we would never have been invaded by Akatsuki. We could have prepared properly, and our hero would have been more appropriately trained to deal with the threat."
The Fire daimyo noticed Nara about to object, but he felt compelled to interject. "That is a compelling argument. Jiraiya could be held accountable for what happened here, but we shouldn't mock the dead. Even so, I'm not sure I feel secure leaving Kakashi in charge."
"Tha-That's not true!" Everybody looked at Hinata as she cried out. She wanted to shrink away and hide in her jacket, but she had to defend Naruto's sensei. She couldn't face him if she allowed his image to be tarnished. She had to defend his ability to become Hokage, in the future of course. She swallowed and prepared to plow forward into a battle she wasn't sure she could handle.
Please don't forget that I have a new poll up, and my forum is open. I made a post in my forum quickly explaining why I wasn't able to make the second 'special' update.
This ends the Pein Rikudou Arc! The conclusion of the third(fourth) arc of my Naruto fan fiction still has many questions up in the air, and it also heads directly into a completely original arc. Just to clarify, I never thought Naruto would take revenge on Nagato. Also, remember that I said Nagato retained all his cannon techniques. Yeah, everything I say has significance.
I realize my second "special" update never made it up (this chapter mind you), but my laptop finally bit the bullet. The new one I ordered arrived same day as usual updates, but you know what that means. I had to go through the initial setup and install all my usual programs. I'll try to have a short surprise up, but I make no promises. I want to get to my fourth(fifth) arc as much as most of you. I know this ending was kind of weak, but think about it logically. Naruto isn't likely to kill in cold blood, and his opponents were literally helpless. My explanations don't make too much sense, but I really needed to end it. Plus, I built enough hate for Madara and Danzou this arc.
As a side note, I noticed something absolutely pointless. Sakura, Shion, and Sasame all have 's' at the beginning of their names. You don't think about these things until two or three harem C3s put your story on their list. It's still pointless, though. Enjoy!
As always, reviews are appreciated, and flames outright ignored.
Story Word Count: 8,010
Story Page Count: 16
Terms and Jutsu:
Hateshiganai Mangekyou Sharingan - Eternal Kaleidoscope Copying Wheel Eye: As if the Uchiha didn't already have a ridiculous advantage, Madara seems to take even the Mangekyou Sharingan up a level.