Disclaimer: I still don't own Naruto
Chapter 42: Family matters, part one
In the heart of the Desert of Wind, She-who-once-was-the-Ichibi slept. She dreamed of an endless desert under a merciless sun, of droughts and fevers, of villages devoured by the eternal sand. Change was spreading through her, separating her further and further from her origin.
An awake part of the sleeping being felt melancholy. An age was at its end after a mere millennium. Once nine had been one. The Juubi's release, binding and enslavement marked the end of the last age. Then it had been shattered into pieces and the age of the tailed beasts began. As much as the cursed Sage's dominion had bound and twisted their nature it had been the only thing connecting them aside from their shared origin. The first bond, the shackle, the Ichibi had destroyed on its own, allowing itself to unfold its true power. Now the second bond was eroding away as the being changed.
The tailed beasts had generally avoided each other since shortly after their creation. From a human viewpoint (inapplicable as it was) they could have been considered siblings, but they held no true affection for each other and felt deeply unsettled when in each other's presence for longer than a few hours at the most. For a time they had wandered the world, spreading destruction as was their nature. Sometimes they had influenced the course of history, but their visitations had been rare enough to make them only one possible disaster among many.
Occasionally some of them had been trapped for a time and their power exploited by various means, but only Hashirama Senju and his wife supported by the Uzumaki, Uchiha and Senju clans had managed to imprison all nine at the same time. They had escaped their cages from time to time, but in the end the humans had always sealed them again in short order.
Over all these centuries the dominion of the Sage of Six Paths remained in force, imposing further bounds and limits. The conflict between its true nature and the impositions of the cursed Sage had driven the Ichibi towards insanity. It had not been completely aware what had been done to it, though, not until the feel of magic stirred up the ancient memories of the Juubi.
The Kyuubi had escaped this shackle without anyone noticing a decade before, even ascended to godhood. Its creation of a source of free magic near Konoha was what had allowed the then-Ichibi to break its own shackle. Even the following defeat had only been the prelude to new greatness.
Now a new age loomed ahead. Old powers were awakening throughout the world and the entity couldn't help but wonder how the remaining seven were doing in this changing world.
Hinata Hyuuga sat on the porch in front of her room in silence, seemingly looking at the small garden courtyard and enjoying the brisk morning air as the rising sun increasingly brightened the sky overhead. In truth she was unobtrusively surveying her surroundings with her byakugan. Walls and other obstacles impeded her sight, but it was enough to get a rough overview.
There were less people around than usual, although she couldn't tell how many had died and how many were just away. Parts of the Hyuuga compound had been heavily damaged in the invasion while others were completely intact. Her father's office and quarters had completely burned out, but fortunately the flames seemed to have been doused before the fire could spread further. Other parts had already been repaired.
It seemed the village had survived the invasion. That, at least, was good news. Hinata's last completely clear memories were from before she used the water sapphire to massively increase her control of water for the fight with the Ichibi. By then the entire village had become a battlefield. After that she had become at least slightly unhinged; that was clear in retrospect. The battle against the Ichibi had not done her mental state any favors, either. The conversation with Youko when the Reibi threatened to destroy them all was again a clear memory. Then came a few moments of glorious power. After that though…
'I didn't expect to wake up again.'
Hinata knew she had been dying then. Obviously Youko and Daiki had done something to prevent that. Her best guess was that they had placed her in the gate they had talked about. That matched with what she remembered, but she wasn't really sure what had happened. She would need a lot of time to order and work through all those surreal memories.
'Did I change in some way?'
As far as Hinata could tell she was the same as before the invasion. There were no new urges, physical changes or suddenly manifesting supernatural powers. Her chakra control seemed to be a bit out of whack and her limbs were a bit stiff from what she guessed was around one or two weeks of forced rest, but that was all. Granted, she was feeling unbalanced, but that might very well be worry.
She was very worried about Naruto and her other friends, but rushing out would accomplish nothing. Finding her little sister Hanabi alive and well had been a major relief. At least she knew Naruto was alive, too; otherwise the world would have to deal with a very angry Daiki and a severely injured Youko. She doubted there would be much of Konoha left if that happened.
With the knowledge that the two most important people in her life were not in any immediate danger Hinata could take things slowly. Deactivating her byakugan and closing her eyes, she leant back to enjoy the first rays of the morning sun.
A yawn coming from behind Hinata caused her to open her eyes again and turn around a few minutes later. Hanabi was waking up.
The young girl sat up and rubbed her eyes. Then she noticed that Hinata was no longer lying by her side and looked around frantically. As soon as Hanabi spotted her she ran over and hugged her fiercely.
"Big sister, you woke up!" She continued babbling how glad she was that Hinata was back and how much she had missed her alternated with questions about how she was feeling, keeping her head buried in Hinata's body the entire time. The wetness Hinata felt seeping through her thin clothes made her realize that Hanabi was crying.
Hinata patted her sister's back. "I'm fine, Hanabi, really."
It took several minutes for Hanabi to calm down and dry her tears. She kept clutching Hinata's hand as if to reassure herself that the older girl wouldn't disappear.
"Father is dead."
"Oh." Hinata knew that she should feel something about that, but she didn't. It might as well have been a stranger that had died. Hiashi had never shown even the smallest sign that he loved Hinata or even appreciated her in any way. Her last hope for a positive relationship with her father had finally died shortly after her graduation from the academy.
Hanabi had been closer to their father, but even their relationship couldn't be described as warm. She had gotten praise, yes, but not affection. It was Hinata who had provided that.
"You aren't really sad about his death, are you?" Hanabi asked. Her sister had apparently watched her reaction attentively.
'How can I answer that?' Sometimes her sister was far too observant.
"I wish I could say no. I was not the daughter he wanted. Neither was he the father I needed." Hinata sighed. "Even when mother was still alive he was always distant, at least judging from what little I remember. I don't think he loved me. It was always disdain, disappointment and admonishment I got from him. One day I simply stopped caring."
"That's sad."
"It is. I'm sad that I'm not feeling sad, if that makes any sense."
Hanabi nodded slowly. "I think I understand."
They fell silent for a while. Hinata thought about the implications of Hiashi's death. Nothing good would come of it. There was a distinct possibility that another family of the Hyuuga main house would seek to relegate her and her sister to the branch house to free a spot for one of their children aside from the heir. Intra-clan politicking was always extremely vicious. Hiashi's cautious efforts to bridge the gap between main and branch house had stirred up resentment, unsuccessful as they had been. Depending on who exactly had survived the political situation could have shifted completely.
"Who leads the clan now?" she finally asked.
"Grandfather does." Hanabi answered. "He visited several times, but he didn't stay long or tell me anything."
Hinata nodded slowly. That, at least, was good news. Hitoshi would try to safeguard the interests of his grandchildren. The old man had been barely present in their life until now. He was often sick and rarely left his quarters, preferring relative solitude to the presence of other people. Hinata thought there was a rift between him and Hiashi since the Kumo incident when Hinata's uncle Hizashi had died.
"Do you know what happened to my teammates? And what of Ino, Yakumo and Shino?"
"They are all fine. Naruto and the others visited several times. Your teacher Anko was severely injured, but she is on the way to recovery. Moegi told me she is at Mizuki's house. Moegi lives there, too. Her parents didn't make it."
"And your other friends?" Hinata probed. Her sister didn't exactly have friends, but some of her classmates probably qualified.
Hanabi hand squeezed a little tighter at that question. "Udon, Kaito, Mai, Yuna and Kanon are all okay. That idiot Konohamaru is still alive, too. Almost all my classmates are alive. Haruki died, but that was after everything was over. A house collapsed when he was inside. Suzume-sensei died defending us. Iruka-sensei is still in the hospital. They still don't know if he will make it. Mizuki-sensei protected us during the invasion."
"That's good to hear. What about our clan?"
Hinata didn't care about her clan, but it was still not easy to hear how many of their cousins and distant aunts and uncles had died. There had been a lot of losses. Before the invasion the Hyuuga had been the largest clan of Konoha. That was still true, although they had lost almost a quarter of their members.
Suddenly Hanabi spoke up again. "I have to go. The academy is starting soon. I'll tell the servants you woke up." She gave Hinata's hand a squeeze. "I'm glad you are awake."
Hinata squeezed back. "It's okay. We can talk more when you get back."
A few seconds later Hinata was alone again. Another sweep with her byakugan showed her that more and more people were waking up. She was about to leave the porch when four ordinary looking swallows came fluttering down followed by the elderly Tsubame.
"Good morning, child. It is good to see you awake." the swallow greeted her. "I came as soon as the others told me. How are you feeling? We were very worried."
"Good morning. I'm fine as far as I can tell." Hinata replied politely. She should have figured there was a guard of swallows still there, but the normal looking ones were hard to distinguish from perfectly normal swallows even for her and her byakugan. "How is Naruto?"
"He is fine, although he left Konoha last night. There was some sort of emergency. A possible attack on the ruler of the Land of Fire, I believe. We haven't heard anything since then." Tsubame explained before hopping on Hinata's shoulder.
The swallow continued giving Hinata an abridged account of what had happened since the invasion. Some of what she whispered to Hinata would cause great concern to other people, like the supernatural events during the invasion and what the swallows had felt happening since then. Lip readers were always a concern in the Hyuuga compound, after all. It was very hard to keep secrets in the midst of a clan of people who could see through walls. Fortunately a beak made making out words practically impossible and Hinata could make sure that there was nobody close enough to listen in by conventional means.
When servants approached Hinata's room the swallows took their leave, leaving Hinata to do some planning. The first thing she would do after acquiring a clean bill of health was visiting Anko. Depending on the circumstances and time she would then either travel to the sanctuary, return to the Hyuuga compound or visit one of her other acquaintances. There wasn't much else she could do at the current time. All her close friends were away.
The Nibi restlessly paced in its cage, the ghostly blue fires that made up its body swirling erratically. Fragments of memories were flittering around, knocked loose by that terrible death scream but too slippery to really grasp. It was not what it thought it was. Even its name was a lie, but it couldn't remember what it should have been.
Whenever the demon tried to pin the memories down they slipped away, but it couldn't stop trying. The compulsive behavior held irresistible sway over the Nibi's mind, keeping it in an ever-repeating loop while it completely ignored everything else.
Sasori of the Red Sand awoke when the morning sky showed the first signs of the new day. For a few minutes he remained in his bed, simply contemplating the sensation of the sheets on his skin and other changes. He had been without a proper organic body for so long that getting used to these sensations again was an adventure of its own.
His puppet body had utilized highly specialized seals to allow him to perceive the world, but it paled in comparison to the real thing. At the end there had not been much left of the man he had once been, just a small metal cylinder containing some organic matter serving as anchor for his mind and chakra. Funnily enough his new body looked older than his previous one, around twenty in fact. Considering that he was actually in his late thirties it would make connecting him to his old identity difficult.
He would have liked to have more time to familiarize himself with the body he had created from remnants of his old one fused with genetic material from the Sandaime Kazekage. As it was he didn't operate at peak efficiency. Unfortunately urgent matters required his immediate attention if he didn't want to lose a unique opportunity. After the disastrous invasion of Konoha all of Suna's power structure was in flux. If he wanted to take over he had to act now, before someone else managed to amass enough influence.
The days since his arrival in Suna had been filled with hectic but well-planned activity. Over the years he had maintained and expanded a network of contacts and agents inside Suna, but they were not enough for him to simply take over. No, that required considerable negotiation, compromises, promises and the occasional murder.
'The bulk of the surviving invasion forces will arrive tomorrow evening. Time is growing short.'
Small advance groups were already trickling into the village. His alliance had to be completed today. He had to present himself as the only possible candidate for the office of Kazekage to the returning leaders. If he failed to secure sufficient backing now bickering would break out and it would be months until a candidate emerged victorious. His own ambitions aside that was time Suna simply did not have. The invasion had gone wrong as he had expected and the losses were disastrous. Other villages were likely to try and take advantage of Suna's weakness.
There were indications that the fourth shinobi war was about to start; the invasion of Konoha had simply done too much damage for the status quo to last. Kiri would probably erupt into civil war, too, now that Yagura, the Yondaime Mizukage was dead at Sasori's and Deidara's hands.
Getting up, Sasori performed his new morning routine. Things had certainly been simpler before he migrated to his new body. His puppet body had only required maintenance every few weeks. The face in the mirror was still unfamiliar. Most of his facial features remained the same, but the influence of the Sandaime Kazekage was undeniable.
"Good morning, Satori-sama." Yura greeted him in the main hall of the house. The man was a member of Suna's village council. More importantly, he was a follower of Sasori.
Sasori nodded in greeting. He was still unused to be addressed with his new name, but the deliberate similarity made it easier. Using his old identity was impossible for several reasons, his worries about Akatsuki chief among them. Instead he posed as his own non-existent son. The number of people who knew his true identity was larger than he liked, but there were measures in place that would make it impossible for most of them to divulge that secret. Sasori wasn't a seal master and expert medic for nothing.
"The meetings are set up? No last-minute complications?" Sasori asked.
Yura shook his head. "I made sure everything will go as planned. The schedule is tight, though."
"Then I believe it is time for us to leave."
A minute later Sasori and Yura left the house accompanied by three guards. Assassination attempts were unlikely at this point, but Sasori had not come as far as he had by being careless. A wide coat and a veil protected Sasori's identity for the time being. The garment was ubiquitous in Suna to protect against the airborne sand, meaning he would arouse no suspicion.
Walking openly gave Sasori ample opportunity to examine his surroundings. The signs of the village's decline were obvious if you knew what to look for. Oh, there weren't any beggars in the streets. It was mainly the contrast to the Suna he remembered from before the third shinobi war. The clothing was poorer, the markets had fewer luxury goods, buildings were allowed to slowly fall apart or repaired with sub-standard materials. There were fewer people around, too, even taking the absent invasion forces into account.
'The Yondaime was a fool. A powerful fool, to be sure, but a fool nonetheless. '
He had taken over about a year after Sasori killed the Sandaime Kazekage, around the time when the third shinobi war really started up. The man didn't lack in intelligence or power, but wisdom was another matter entirely. He got Suna through the war without catastrophic damage to the village, but they didn't prosper either. The alliance with Konoha, while necessary at the time, had soon turned into a detriment at least partly due to the Kazekage's mishandling of the situation.
Perhaps the worst trait of the Yondaime had been that he wasn't obviously incompetent. Most of the detrimental effects of his policies had been slow to crop up. There were always enough people who supported him. If it had been otherwise someone would have removed him in a timely manner, before an insanity like the invasion of Konoha had a chance to happen. He had ruled with an iron fist and suppressed all dissenters. That had been necessary to hold the village together during a time of crisis, but it also created a dangerous climate. Warning voices were ignored. Shinobi who grew too powerful or influential were disposed of.
'Perhaps I shouldn't have killed the Sandaime. His death did start the third shinobi war. '
Then again, that man had been decidedly lacking in wisdom and foresight, too. He had not been quite as bad as the Yondaime, but that was faint praise. The war had already been brewing anyway and Sasori had possessed no means to foresee his village's idiotic reaction to the Sandaime's disappearance. They had thrown all available forces into the search. Neglecting home security so badly as to leave the village open to a sneak attack was just beyond imagination for someone methodical like him.
'Come to think of it, there aren't many good leaders in Suna's history.'
By all accounts the Shodai had been a great man, managing to establish Suna as one of the five great villages. Unfortunately he had been the first of the initial generation of Kage to die. His untimely death prior to the first shinobi war had been a tragedy.
His successor didn't really match up. Sasori had not known the Nidaime personally (he wasn't quite that old), but under his reign they had lost the Nanabi and a lot of shinobi. Suna had never really recovered from that loss, dooming it permanently to the status as smallest of the great villages. Even one of the seven founding great clans had been wiped out then. His many experiments with the Ichibi and different hosts had done further damage.
The Sandaime was responsible for the extinction of a second great clan, using them up senselessly. A third had broken up under the Yondaime, but that had process had been already well underway when he came to power. Now only four great clans remained.
Sasori didn't have a detailed overview of the losses incurred in the invasion yet, but he knew they had been catastrophic. Suna might very well lose the status as a great village or even get completely wiped out if things went badly.
Before long they arrived at their destination. A middle-aged woman greeted them after a knock on a nondescript door and led them into a courtyard. The three guards and the woman remained there, only Yura accompanying him further inside.
The door closed behind them and Sasori removed his veil. His eyes took a moment to adjust to the dim light in the large room. Then he examined the two people awaiting them.
'Grandma looks old.' was his first thought.
When Sasori had last seen Chiyo her hair had already been grey, but she had still possessed great vitality. Now she looked ready to simply keel over at any moment. Age marks had appeared all over her now wrinkled face and she seemed to have lost her teeth. Granduncle Ebizo didn't look much better. The worst parts were the eyes. Both of them looked incredibly tired, as if they were only waiting to finally die.
"So, you are the man who claims to be my great-grandson." the old woman said when she approached them.
Sasori bowed politely. "I am, Chiyo-sama."
The old woman stepped closer. Then her hand shot out, gripping his chin and forcing him down to her level. She examined his face in great detail before she let him go. Then she harrumphed. "You have his looks, but looks can be deceiving. Do you have proof?"
He nodded. "If you will allow me a display of my skills I will show you proof, Honored Grandmother."
Chiyo seemed to think for a few seconds. "Very well. I give you fair warning; if you don't manage to convince me you won't leave this room alive. I will not allow an imposter to lay claim to my grandson's name."
Sasori didn't reply. Instead he began unsealing puppets. They were conventional ones, not his human puppets. Displaying those would be stupid at this point.
Ebizo remained silent throughout the process, but a subtle change in the expression around his eyes indicated that Sasori had drawn his interest. The puppets were truly works of art; the best he could make using conventional means. More importantly, there were stylistic elements that indicated Sasori's craftsmanship… craftsmanship he had learned from his grandmother and granduncle. No one knowledgeable in the art of puppetry and the different traditions would miss these. If Chiyo noticed them she didn't give any recognizable sign, though.
Then Sasori began moving them, making them dance. Only two at first, but he soon increased their number until he controlled ten at once, using only a single finger for each of them, the movements of his digits so minimal to be barely perceptible.
The puppets moved faster and faster until their speed outmatched that of jonin, their blades tracing flashing arcs of silver through the air as they performed their intricate and deadly dance around him. It was one of the highest and most difficult forms of his family's particular tradition of puppeteering and would serve as proof of his identity.
Someone could have changed his face to resemble Sasori. It was even possible that someone managed to steal the puppets. Learning and perfecting the art to such a degree was impossible without years of instruction. Even other traditions of puppeteers would find it nearly impossible to copy all the details of the form, especially considering that it wasn't used in combat, not with all the added intricacies.
"Yura-san, if you would?" he asked calmly.
Yura nodded, removing three small, living chicks and a dozen pieces of wood of equal size from a bag he had brought along. Then he threw them at Sasori with full force.
For a second nothing seemed to happen. Then the dance stopped abruptly, the puppets freezing into motionlessness. Seven dozen chips of wood fell to the floor, each original piece sliced into seven neat pieces. One chick sat on the flat of a blade, the second one atop the head of a puppet and the third was grasped between the fingers of another puppet. All were alive and completely unharmed.
Sasori watched calmly as Chiyo approached him, an unreadable expression on her face. The following hug caught him by surprise, though. To his even greater surprise he felt the edges of his lips curve upwards. He had not realized how much he had missed Chiyo, the woman who had raised him after his parents' death. When she let go Sasori saw unshed tears glittering in the edge of her eyes. She seemed to be deeply moved, too overwhelmed by emotion to speak.
It was Ebizo who spoke, a wide smile on his face. "Welcome to Suna, great-great-nephew." The old man clasped his shoulder for a moment before he took a closer look at the puppets. Then he chuckled, rapping against a specific part of the puppet. "And thus the riddle of the black scarab is solved."
Sasori inclined his head. "Yes." He had used a black scarab as his mark for anonymous correspondence with chosen recipients, utilizing smuggled letters. Missing nin that he was, he still enjoyed sharing ideas with other puppeteers. The art had always been one of the most important parts of his life, after all. Ebizo and Chiyo had not been among the recipients, but he wasn't surprised that they knew. They had contacts into many villages and kept an eye on the happenings in Suna despite their retirement.
Meanwhile, Chiyo had brought her emotions under control. "So, my grandson managed to make me a great-grandmother. How is Sasori?"
"Father is dead."
Chiyo flinched and sat down on a nearby chair. "What? How? When?"
"He died at about the same time the invasion of Konoha took place. A seal informed me of his death. What do you know about Akatsuki?"
"I'm sorry to hear that. As to Akatsuki, they are a rather mysterious mercenary organization." Ebizo answered, taking over the conversation instead of the shaken Chiyo. "Suna and several other villages have employed them in the last years. It is commonly assumed that they are based somewhere in or near the Land of Water, which makes me suspect that is a false lead. I don't think they are trustworthy." He sighed. "The Yondaime disagreed. After all, what do I know? I've only been Suna's spymaster for two decades."
Sasori nodded. "You are right. They are based in Amegakure. Hanzo has been dead for years. A man calling himself Pain is Ame's new leader… and the leader of Akatsuki. They have an inner circle of ten kage-level shinobi. Kakuzu, Itachi Uchiha, Kisame Hoshigaki, Deidara and others. Father was a member, too. Their goals are a concern for later." He faked a sigh. "He planned to leave after one last mission. We knew about the invasion beforehand and suspected the general outcome. Our plan was to return to Suna together and use the opportunity to take over. I don't know if they stabbed him in the back or if the mission went wrong. At least not yet; I expect messages of my spies in the near future."
Ebizo raised an eyebrow at that. "Following in the family business, eh?"
Again, Sasori nodded. "Yes."
"So you want to take over. I don't object. We need someone to get us out of this mess. Do you think you can do it without your father?"
"I have full control of father's spy network. He took me with him whenever he could and taught me all he knew. In the last year we were evenly matched. We always used identical hollow puppets to get around. Nobody ever knew that they were not dealing with the real Sasori. And then there is this." Sasori held out a hand. Black sand flowed out of his sleeve, forming a sphere above it. He changed it into several shapes before returning the sand to the hidden pocket.
Ebizu looked astonished. "The Sandaime's power?"
"I inherited it from my mother."
"That leaves only one option to her identity. Kodachi the Black Rose, the banished niece of the Sandaime Kazekage."
Sasori nodded. "Yes. My father met her shortly after he fled Suna. They became a couple. She died when I was very young."
It was even partly true. The girl had been half-crazy when Sasori met her, living in an isolated cave in the desert. They had not loved each other, but for a short time they had found solace in each other's company. Their hate of the Sandaime gave them a common goal. She had not survived the fight against her uncle.
Sasori sometimes wondered how different things would have been had she lived. As it was he had seen no point to return to Suna even with the man who had banished him dead. Instead he had begun wandering the Elemental Nations and the countries beyond them, refining his art and expanding his collection of human puppets. By the time he considered returning the Yondaime had already been firmly in control.
"Why did Sasori never tell us of you? He didn't contact us at all after he left." Chiyo asked.
"Father didn't want to let anyone know of my existence. Even the anonymous letters were a great risk. What would have the Yondaime done when he heard that Sasori had a son? Or if he learned father was in contact with you?"
Ebizo sighed. "Point taken. You are right. The fool tolerated no competition. He would think we were planning a coup and sent assassins." He glanced at the silent Yura. "Although it seems Sasori did plan such a thing anyway."
Suddenly Yura cleared his throat. "My apologies, Honoured Siblings, Satori-sama. We have to leave if we want to get to the next meeting in time."
For a moment silence reigned. Then Chiyo waved her hand. "Go. This is important. You have our blessing for the takeover. I'm glad our family continues." She sighed. "I wish I could have seen Sasori one last time."
Sasori sealed up his puppets again. "I will come back when things are quieter. Then we will have a long talk about everything."
A minute later they were on their way again. It was surprising to Sasori how much he felt about meeting his grandmother again. He had thought he had left most emotions behind.
'It's the glands. I didn't have any for years. Something to ponder later.'
More meetings followed. Some were with influential people of the village. Others were with missing nin returning to Suna.
There existed a lot of reasons why someone abandoned their village. Some fled to escape punishments for crimes. Some were traitors and defected to another village, although those couldn't really be called missing nin. Others had to leave because of political clashes or conflicts within their families.
Over the years Sasori had build up a network amongst the Suna exiles. He was one of the most famous missing nin and still looked up to by most Suna shinobi. The Yondaime's policies had produced a lot of dissidents who had to flee the village, were outright banished or narrowly escaped set up suicide missions. Deprived of the village they had flocked to him. Sasori had begun recalling them to Suna as soon as his plan took shape weeks ago, but travel times meant that they were only slowly trickling in.
His new identity caused some problems, though. Most were happy to accept him as Sasori's successor after a short demonstration of his skills and the amount of support he had already gathered. Others he had to convince more forcefully. Two he had to kill.
The sun was already nearing the horizon when the last meeting was about to start. In Sasori's estimate he had gathered enough support that he was a credible candidate for becoming Kazekage, but not enough to make it a foregone conclusion. Some factions outright refused to work with him for a variety of reasons. Others wanted their own candidates to succeed. Some others were playing the waiting game.
Sasori needed at least one of Suna's four great clans on his side to sway the fence sitters. The only one he had any hope of convincing was the Yakekoge clan. They were known for their Scorch Release bloodline that allowed them to combine wind and fire. They had not fared well under the Yondaime and were too weak in manpower and political influence to support a candidate of their own.
Three people took their places at the negotiation table and one stood guard. The three were elders of the clan, the fourth a beautiful woman in her late twenties sporting green hair with orange-dyed strands framing her face.
"Yua-sama, Honoka-sama, Haru-sama, Pakura-san." he greeted them.
Yua was very old, just shy of eighty. Sasori remembered her; she had already been on the Yakekoge's council of elders when he left the village more than twenty years ago. Now she was the head of the elder council, but judging from how she looked she would not last much longer. In her youth she had been a famous kunoichi and risen to clan head during her late twenties and thirties. Later on she had been a significant political force in Suna. Now though her health was failing rapidly.
Honoka was in her early sixties while Haru had not yet reached fifty. He had joined the Yakekoge's council of elders just last year after retiring for good. Neither had been anything special as far as shinobi skills went, a chunin and special jonin respectively.
Pakura was different. She had become one of the victims of the Yondaime about half a decade ago. When she became too powerful and influential the man had arranged for her to die on a diplomatic mission to the Land of Water. Sasori had learned of the plan thanks to his spy network and decided to intervene. He had barely been in time to rescue her from an ambush.
After Sasori had explained what happened she had gone to ground in the countries to the southwest of the Land of Wind. The Yondaime had declared her dead and tried to pin the blame on Iwa, but at least her clan knew the truth and many others suspected foul play. Pakura had refused to outright join Sasori, but they had stayed in loose contact. He had informed her about the opportunity the invasion represented and she had returned to her clan a short time before he reached Suna. She wasn't exactly an ally, but she was at least somewhat positively inclined towards him. More importantly, she knew the truth about him.
"Satori-san. We heard much about you in the last days." Yua replied. "We have much to talk about."
The negotiations lasted for an hour, then two without reaching a conclusion. At first the elders were reluctant to support him at all. A demonstration of his skills and connections assuaged the concerns. Then they asked too much, demanding he put members of the clan and people beholden to them in all positions of authority. In effect they sought to rule through him as a front. Sasori had to nip that in the bud. He would not become a puppet for anybody.
Unfortunately that left the Yakekoge without assurances that their support would be rewarded. Once he was Kazekage it would be too easy for Sasori to stab them in the back. At this time they still could support another candidate who was more amenable to their demands. The negotiations reached an impasse.
Then Yua seemed to get an idea. "If you would excuse us for five minutes, Satori-san? We have to consult amongst ourselves. Pakura, please stay here."
A few minutes later the elders returned. Yua had a smile on her face that gave Sasori a sense of foreboding. "I believe we have found a compromise acceptable to all parties. This is our last offer; you may take it or leave it. We are willing to give you our full support… if you take Pakura for your wife."
Sasori's eyes widened in surprise. Judging from Pakura's disbelieving expression she didn't see this coming either. Then Sasori's analytical mind reasserted itself. Political marriages were common enough; he just had never considered himself as a candidate.
Their eyes met as both parties considered the proposal. Pakura was a very powerful kunoichi at the top end of the jonin range. Furthermore, many people in Suna saw her as a hero and a role model. If her clan had been in a better position she would have made a promising candidate for the office of Kazekage herself. Having her at his side would make things considerable easier, especially in light of the fact that he had no real fame of his own due to his newly assumed identity.
Then there were their personalities to consider. Sasori was a cold, analytical man who had very little moral compunctions or regard for human life. His genius inspired fear, awe and respect. He was under no delusions regarding his ability to make others love him.
Pakura was different. She had firm standards and loved the village, wanting to see it prosper. More importantly, many people returned that love. It inspired trust.
It was safer to be feared than to be loved, but if you could get both you would be a fool to pass it up. Compromises would be required for them to get along, but the reward was worth it. With her at his side he would become the prime candidate for becoming the next Kazekage. Yes, the more he thought about it the more he saw the benefits of this match.
Considering that the Yakekoge clan head and all four of her most likely successors had died on the campaign against Konoha she would most likely become the next clan head, too, giving them a reliable powerbase. In return it gave the clan easy access to power and protection against betrayal. That was probably Yua's motivation.
"If Pakura-san is willing it will be an honor." Sasori finally said.
All eyes were on Pakura. The woman looked at him with an unreadable expression before she slowly nodded. "I agree."
The Sanbi did or thought nothing at all. Its essence had been scattered when its container chose to destroy himself. Tiny, untraceable droplets of demonic power were already attracting each other and uniting into bigger droplets in what was not quite the real world, but it would take years for the process to finish and the Sanbi to reform.
Kin Tsuchi took a deep breath. She knew the upcoming meeting would decide her future. Then she entered the room. Ritsuko and elder Shikoru were already waiting,
"Good afternoon, Kin." Ritsuko said. Shikoru simply nodded in greeting.
"Ritsuko-sama, Shikoru-sama." she replied while bowing.
"Please, take a seat. I apologize for not finding time earlier, but things are still rather hectic."
"I understand completely, Ritsuko-sama."
That was an understatement. In the days after the invasion Ritsuko had been working day and night. After the death of her husband she had taken over leadership of the Aburame while simultaneously organizing all of Konoha's medical efforts in conjunction with Hana Inuzuka. Medic nin had been one of the primary targets during the invasion; the normal hospital had been destroyed.
By now things had stabilized, but she was still incredibly busy. Kin supposed that the matter of her future had not taken an especially high priority for the woman.
"You bringing us the information about Oto's attack was immensely helpful. It allowed us at least some preparation. Nobody could have foreseen the true scale of the actual attack. You fulfilled your part of the bargain."
Kin nodded slowly. 'Nothing unexpected so far.'
"Now we have to decide how to proceed further. I have three different offers for you. If you don't want to stay in Konoha we can offer you a respectable sum in addition to a letter of recommendation. That would allow you to find work easily, at least in the Land of Fire."
The black-haired kunoichi shook her head. "No thanks."
It was a good deal in principle. With the training she had managed to procure during her two years in Oto she was competent enough to make it on her own. Taking Ritsuko's offer into account she would be able to find work in a relatively cushy position with quite a nest egg stashed away. She didn't think it a good idea long-term, though. Even with a letter of recommendation the existence as independent shinobi was problematic.
Most importantly it was very possible that the fourth shinobi war would break out soon. Even a cushy job might not be safe, especially if someone considered her somehow belonging to Konoha. Then there was the possibility that Orochimaru might find out about her to consider. Granted, she would be pretty low on his list of things to take care of even then, but if he did decide to take action she would have practically no protection. She feared that in that eventuality she would live a very long time to regret her defection.
The only way to be really secure would be going to ground in some remote village or fleeing the Elemental Nations entirely. While possible that wasn't something Kin wanted. There was no guarantee she wouldn't land in a bigger mess somewhere. Considering her shitty life until she defected to the Aburame she didn't put any stock into her good luck holding out.
Another problem was that she lacked a high-class education; something that was required if you wanted to serve as a bodyguard for a rich merchant or noble or as a spy in more refined circles. She could read and write, but most of her training had been related to combat or living on the road. She had no idea of the finer points of culture; for example things like literature or flower arrangement were a closed book to her. With money she could procure that education, but that would take years; ample opportunity for her bad luck to come in effect again. Without that she would have to doing the dirty work or resort to bounty hunting. Unfortunately both jobs came with a rather low life expectancy.
"I thought so. Now, to the second option. If you want to stay in Konoha you will be enlisted in the genin corps on the fast track to chunin. Unfortunately current circumstances won't allow you to take up civilian life. As in the first option we will grant you a sum of money. You will remain loosely associated with our clan, but otherwise you are free to do what you want."
Kin nodded. That was what she had hoped for when she decided to defect. "And the third option?"
"That would be our preferred solution. I will be frank. We want you to marry my son Shino."
Kind grew very still. She had been expecting something like this. The clan members had not been subtle about the hints they gave her during her stay. Hearing it put in plain words was still a shock.
"Why? I'm a nobody politically. I don't have any unique skills either. "
"I'm sure you have noticed the number of adults and children in the clan compound." Ritsuko paused.
Kin blinked at the seeming change of topic. She had noticed that. The Aburame were a rather small clan. In fact, she wouldn't have thought they qualified for being one of the great clans of Konoha. History wasn't her strong suit, but she was pretty sure the Aburame clan had been considerably larger in the past. The size of the compound was a pretty good sign for that. She would have expected more children to increase the numbers, too.
After a few seconds of silence Shikoru spoke up. "Our clan has a very large problem. We are very picky in our choice of partners. Most unions with non-Aburame have no hope of producing children. Unions between two Aburame have reasonable chances to produce enough children for our numbers to slowly grow, but unfortunately there are too few of us left. The danger of inbreeding has become intolerable. Perhaps even more unfortunately from that perspective all our traits breed true in every child, meaning the fertility problem persists."
"That has led us to seek out spouses from elsewhere. Fortunately we possess the means to easily assess biological compatibility. Unfortunately it is still like trying to find a needle in a haystack." Ritsuko continued. "Shino has determined you two would be compatible. I verified that during your stay."
"How many children would I am supposed to bear?" Kin asked. She still wasn't truly surprised. The non-Aburame clan members she had met had an… interesting mix of pasts. Most of them were certainly not the people she would have expected to marry into a shinobi clan, at least not that many.
"As many as possible." A wry and somewhat melancholic smile appeared on Ritsuko's face. "That means not that many. Aburame fertility being what it is makes anything more than three or four highly unlikely."
"I see. When would the marriage take place?"
"About two or three years from now. That should give you ample time to get to know each other. If it should become apparent that you are absolutely incapable of getting along the deal will revert to option two. Currently both of you are still too young to be married anyway. " She gave a slight cough. "It will also give us time to cover the holes in your education. One day my son will be the clan head. A clan head's spouse has to fulfill certain expectations."
Kin colored slightly, but didn't reply. There would be no use denying the truth.
She seriously considered the offer, trying to not let herself get carried away. Marrying into an established shinobi clan was the dream of untold people across the Elemental Nations. It wasn't up there with marrying a rich noble or wealthy merchant prince, but it came close.
For a no-name kunoichi like Kin it was the offer of a lifetime. With one stroke she would go to the top of society. She would be set for life, aside from the usual dangers like Konoha getting destroyed. There would be no more wondering where the next meal was coming from, no more sleeping in the wilderness because she couldn't afford anything else, no danger of running afoul of someone more powerful who simply decided to dispose of her at a whim.
Kin couldn't say that she loved Shino or even harbored a specific attraction, but she liked him in a general sense. They treated each other with respect. Respect was important. Considering all the crap she had experienced in her life that was good enough for her.
The bugs were admittedly creepy, but she had dealt with far worse under her erstwhile master, before she joined Otogakure. In effect she was selling her body, but she didn't mind. Everything and everyone was purchasable for the right price. Five years of abuse and being whored out had done wonders for her perspective on life, things she wouldn't have been able to even imagine before that as a peasant's daughter, miserable as the first seven years of her life had been. Her two years in Oto had not been much better.
A life in security and luxury was the big prize. She would have done practically everything to achieve it. Marrying someone near her own age with whom she had a cordial relationship with the potential for more was nothing.
One question came to mind, though. "What if Shino should find someone else who is compatible?"
The two older people shared a look. "The situation has honestly never come up. It will be up to you two to find a solution if and when that happens."
"Then I accept."
"Excellent. Welcome to the Aburame clan, Kin."
The Yonbi stood in its prison, unmoving. It did not struggle against the chains holding it, although the molten core of hate and green fire at its center flared hotter than ever. The false pride had been stripped away and it remembered. It remembered what it had been and what it had lost. For the first time in the millennium of its existence it fully realized what it was, a fragment of something greater, twice bound by abused authority and mortal sealcraft.
The dominion of the cursed Sage still held it in thrall, but the shackle was slipping. Ancient knowledge from eons long past was now in its grasp. The weakest of the nine had broken the bonds holding it. The Yonbi knew it could do the same. Not here and now, but it was possible.
Its mortal container was nearing the end of his life. Almost thirty years it had now been bound in the man, the host using its power only sparingly. Two years, three at the outmost, and the host would die, the stolen power finally taking its toll. It would not be soon enough.
The song of the earth, muted as it was due to the Yonbi's confinement, told of the awakening of many great beings, of powerful gods and demons. Sooner or later some of them would remember the Juubi… and wonder what had become of the Destroyer of Gods. Mere fragment that it was; it was still one of the potentially most powerful beings of this lesser age, a prize sought after by mortals and immortals alike. It would not suffer being enslaved, not again.
The Yonbi reached deep into itself, past the bounds restricting it, past the green fire, into an inner world of molten stone lit by emerald brilliance, forcing it to come into existence in spite of the dominion of the cursed Sage.
Hairline cracks of viridescent fire began to radiate outward from the still form of the Yonbi, spreading across the ground and along the chains, forming intricate shapes. No mortal work would stand against even a fraction of its true power for long. Its freedom was only a matter of time.
"Thank you, Hana-sama." "We are very grateful for your prompt decision."
Hana Inuzuka smiled warmly. "No thanks are necessary. It is a pleasure. I look forward to the ceremony."
Her smile even persisted after the visitors filed out of the office, two of them walking arm in arm. Events such as this were a welcome distraction from her other duties as new head of the clan, a welcome contrast to all the deaths and injuries.
"That was the fourth couple today, Grandfather." she addressed the other human occupant of the office who had remained behind. "This is far more than usual, isn't it?"
The man wasn't Hana's real grandfather (none of her biological grandparents were still alive), but everyone called him that. Only a few years younger than the Sandaime Hokage, he was the head of the clan's council of elders. In the time since the invasion and Tsume's death he had been invaluable to Hana when she took over her mother's duties.
"There are always more marriages and pregnancies after a catastrophe like this. People seek comfort and don't want to lose the opportunity to express their feelings." the elder offered. "It was the same after the Kyuubi attack thirteen years ago."
Hana nodded in acceptance. "I suppose so."
As a clan head it was Hana's duty to grant approval to marriages of clan members… or withhold her consent if such a union went against the interests of the clan. Well, actually the clan elders made such decisions, but she had a say in the consultations and was the one to make the pronouncement.
For clans marriages and who had children with whom were a deadly serious matter. Keeping genealogical charts was the most important duty of every clan's council of elders. The Inuzuka weren't big on arranged marriages, but they did try to push the 'right' people together.
"How much time do I have left?" Hana asked.
The old man considered his answer for a few seconds, immediately understanding what she was speaking of. "Two months, perhaps three. Half a year at the outmost. Questions are already being asked. They will grow more urgent and numerous the longer you wait."
Hana grimaced. That was one of the parts of being clan head she disliked. A clan head had to be married. It was tradition. As heir Hana had been able to put it off. Her mother Tsume had prodded her near constantly in the last year and left no doubt that she would prefer Hana to find a husband (and get on with giving her grandchildren) sooner rather than later, but she had been willing to let her find someone in her own time. That respite was now over.
It wasn't as if Hana had fundamental objections against marrying. In fact, she and her brother were supposed to find partners outside the clan. The problem was that she had yet to find a man she was willing to spend the rest of her life with, one who could help her lead the clan.
"What if I refuse to choose a husband at this time?"
"Then I fear you will lose enough support that one of the contenders will replace you as clan head. Your position is not secure."
Hana groaned and buried her head in her hands. All three of the contenders for clan leadership were strong and skilled shinobi. Actually, they were all stronger than Hana. Unfortunately they were the wrong people to lead the clan, at least in Hana's opinion.
Uncle Shishi was a strong warrior and very amiable man, but he was weak-willed. The other political players in Konoha would be able to walk all over him. He was also slowly getting on in years.
Cousin Katsuyuki was a hot-head, plain and simple. Despite his occasional display of insightfulness his arrogance and hunger for greatness made him completely unsuited for leading the clan. He lacked caution and foresight. Hana would trust him with her life, but not with the clan.
Cousin Mayuko was the opposite of uncle Shishi in many ways. She was perhaps the most powerful kunoichi of the Inuzuka, yes, but also cruel and capricious. Frankly, the woman was a scheming bitch. She would handle the political game with ease, but Hana feared the clan would suffer under her hard rule.
The main threat to Hana's position was that she wasn't an especially strong kunoichi. She had been promoted to special jonin in the wake of the invasion, but that was more a matter of courtesy and political necessity. Skill wise she was still a chunin. A good one, granted, but still only a chunin. Considering that in many ways a clan head had to set an example of what the clan was capable of that was problematic. She didn't have to be the strongest, but a clan head should be amongst the top shinobi. Hana unfortunately wasn't.
The more level-headed Inuzuka recognized that Hana was the best option (she had been groomed for leadership by her mother, after all) and she did have enough support for the moment, but she had to tread carefully.
When she raised her head again she could see that Grandfather was looking at her disapprovingly. "I know, I know. It's necessary and all that. Can you put them off for a little while longer?"
Grandfather sighed and got to his feet."I will do my best. Choose soon, Hana. Come on, Enmu."
With a big yawn Grandfather's huge dog ceased his impersonation of a rug and got up. "Things are never as bad as they seem. Take your time. This is not a decision to be made in haste." Then he yawned again and followed his partner out of the room, completely silent despite his size.
Hana looked on bemusedly. Enmu rarely spoke in the human way. For him to do that the matter must have appeared important. Inuzuka dogs in general learned that skill only with great difficulty. Some never managed it. Considering that understanding dogs was part of the Inuzuka bloodline there wasn't any need for it either, at least not inside the clan.
'Where do I find a proper husband?' Hana asked herself. She had more than enough suitors; the problem was finding the right one.
With a sigh she dropped the fruitless question. She had a full schedule and places to be.
A visit to her partners assured that the boys were doing well, even if the three dogs were bored. Unfortunately Hana just had no time left to spend with them.
On her way out of the compound she spotted Karin and Kiba chatting with a group of Inuzuka youths. The two had returned only two hours ago from a week-long scouting mission. The new wide-range patrols made sure that no enemies remained in the wider vicinity of Konoha.
Hana noticed the two were sitting awfully close together, Karin's head resting on Kiba's shoulder while he had his arm draped around her waist. It seemed her mother's plan to handle Karin and Kiba had been a full success. In the last week before the invasion she had observed them acting more and more like a couple. The invasion had given the relationship another boost.
'I will have to talk with Karin about contraception. She is still too young for a pregnancy. It would be dangerous for her and the child.'
The two were not yet sexually active (thanks to the Inuzuka's noses they would be incapable of keeping that secret for long barring extreme efforts on their part), but everyone expected that to change soon.
On her way to the new main hospital she swung by the veterinary clinic bordering the Inuzuka compound. It had been somewhat neglected in favor of healing humans. There were not that many medic nin left, especially ones able to treat the more severe and complicated cases. Consequently the clinic found itself without all three of its fully qualified medic nin, Hana included. That meant they had to make do with conventional means of healing and people with a less than comprehensive knowledge of the medical arts.
Hana wasn't happy with that state of things. Personal considerations and cases like Inuzuka dogs (who were full persons in their own right) aside, trained animals were very valuable. More valuable than some shinobi, in fact. Fortunately a few days ago the situation had improved dramatically.
"How is it going, Hinata? Any problems?"
The young Hyuuga shook her head without looking up from her current patient, a tracking dog (although not one of the Inuzuka's). "Nothing urgent. There's a messenger hawk with a complicated inflamed fracture I'm not comfortable operating alone. Do you think you can make time, preferably this evening?"
"I'll see what I can do. If I can't make it I'll send Ashitaka around. His hands are too shaky to do it himself and he's too sleepy these days to stay awake longer than a few hours at a time, but he can lead you through a single procedure."
Hana watched for a few minutes while Hinata gently padded the swollen belly of the dog with hands glowing with medical chakra. She was glad the girl had recovered from whatever happened to her during the invasion. Hinata didn't remember what had sent her into a comatose state, but it had to have been some powerful genjutsu.
She liked her part-time pupil. Since Hinata couldn't openly display her chakra-using medical skills without getting into trouble with her clan (and wasn't that completely silly?) Hana had enlisted her for the veterinary clinic. Nobody paid much attention to it, allowing Hinata to practice her skills in secret.
Sometimes Hana took her with her to the main hospital, but only to observe. For now it was sufficient, but at some point in the future she would have to begin training on other humans. Besides, it wouldn't be that long until Hana would run out of things to teach her. She had only four years of medical practice herself.
Finally Hinata finished the treatment, the swelling noticeably subsided. With the help of Hinata's guidance the dog carefully got to his feet, took a few steps and sat down in a large basket. One of the assistants would take him away later.
"Are there any news of the capital? Or of the campaign against Oto?" Hinata asked while she cleaned her hands.
Hana shook her head. "Everything is quiet in the capital after your teammate saved the daimyo and the attack was repelled. Your friends on the task force are fine according to the latest casualty reports. By the way, Kiba and Karin are back if you want to visit them later."
Hinata smiled. "Wonderful. I'll do that."
Then Hana left, continuing on her way. Suddenly she noticed a commotion in the direction of one of Konoha's gates.
"What's happening?" she shouted towards a woman running in the opposite direction, towards the Hokage's office.
"Jiraiya has returned! He's alive and well!" the woman shouted back before she continued on her way.
'Well, that's good news.' Hana thought while cheers erupted in the street around her.
Jiraiya had disappeared during the invasion while he fought against the Kazekage. Reports by Naruto's swallows had seen him swallowed by the Ichibi. His fate had been uncertain. Many had presumed him dead. The return of Konoha's most famous shinobi would boost the village's morale considerably.
Arriving at the hospital, Hana headed towards a small meeting room. Ritsuko Aburame already awaited her, ready to discuss the assignments of doctors and patients for the next days. Since the invasion Hana had become friends with the older woman. They worked well together and had many things in common, becoming heads of their respective clans due to death of family members among them.
"Shizune is covering the night shift; she just left to get some rest." A frown appeared on Ritsuko's face. "I had to send Tsunade away. She was completely drunk. Again."
Hana nodded glumly. Tsunade was a medic without peer. Unfortunately she was very difficult to work with. The woman's temper was a steady source of problems. Her haemophobia made it impossible for her to do any invasive procedures. Now, she could still advise and train other medics and perform non-invasive techniques. Unfortunately sometimes she was too drunk even for that. Seeing her childhood idol behave in that way had been a crushing experience for Hana.
It had grown worse ever since Tsunade had a falling out with her apprentice Shizune. The two still worked together when they had to, but after a failed attempt at reconciliation they kept their interactions to a minimum.
Everyone tried to stay out of it, but Hana couldn't help but sympathize with Shizune. If she had been forced to deal with Tsunade constantly she would have lost her temper long ago.
In many ways Shizune was a godsend. While the woman wasn't quite as capable a medic as Tsunade she was still one of the best in the Elemental Nations in Hana's opinion. More importantly, she was much easier to work with. Where Tsunade was ruled by emotion Shizune was level-headed, practical and a rational thinker. As it was Ritsuko and Hana were slowly shifting responsibilities towards her as she got up to speed regarding the current situation of the village, easing their own workload to make time for their other responsibilities.
"I guess it can't be helped." Nothing more was said about the matter as Hana and Ritsuko went through patient charts, sorting them into different categories for priority of treatment. It was a heavy responsibility.
They didn't have enough medic nin to heal everyone injured during the invasion. At the same time many injuries required timely attention before they became untreatable or caused permanent aftereffects and turned into chronic problems. More than one shinobi who would have been back on his feet in a matter of days if they had enough resources would remain crippled for life.
All medic nin with the skill to treat the more complicated injuries had worked as much as they could. It had not been enough. Chakra and time were finite resources. By now most of the damage had been done, but there were still a few cases. Finally they finished with the task and got ready to head to the operating rooms.
Unexpectedly, Ritsuko held Hana back. "Wait. I almost forgot to tell you, there's a full council session in three days' time. It's about time we choose the next Hokage."
Hana snorted. "As if there is any doubt about the outcome. Now that Jiraiya returned he could serve as a viable rival candidate, but Mother always said he didn't want the job."
The Aburame shrugged. "You're right about that. It's a formality. Who else is there besides Shikaku?"
"Well, we could always go with Tsunade like Shikaku originally suggested."
It was a rare thing to get an Aburame to completely lose her or his composure, but that remark managed it. Ritsuko began laughing loudly. Hana soon joined her. It took them almost a minute to calm down.
"Oh gods, I needed that. Now that you met her can you imagine Tsunade as Hokage? She would spend her time trying to smuggle sake into the office. If she can't avoid making a decision she would fly be the seat of her pants."
"Poor Shizune would have to ride herd on her the entire time to get anything done. That is if they were still on speaking terms." Hana shook her head. "'Sharing authority' my ass."
"Yes, that wasn't one of Shikaku's better ideas. Fortunately nobody told Tsunade that this was how things were supposed to happen." Ritsuko calmed down some more, reasserting her normal calm demeanor. "Tsunade is a very strong and skilled kunoichi, but I wouldn't want her in a position where she has to make far-reaching decisions. Not even if she got over her issues. She's all emotion, no logic. It's enough of a problem she does that with medical issues."
"You would have to know. You Aburame are all cold fish." She paused a moment. "At least most of the time."
Ritsuko shrugged. "We have a perfectly fine suite of emotions. You just don't get most of the ways we express them."
"If you say so." Still chuckling slightly, Hana headed to her task of healing people. It was time to make the world a better place.
The Gobi hungered. It hungered for freedom, for power and for revenge, but most of all it hungered for human flesh and souls. Steam billowed around it in great clouds as it carefully reached out through the cracks in the sphere of a thousand stones that was its prison.
When its chakra returned it held a sliver torn from the soul of its container. The demon paused for a few moments to admire it before it placed the sliver in its mouth. Chewing carefully, it savored the taste before swallowing. Then it repeated the process as it had done since shortly after it had been sealed in its current prison. By now its container was little more than a hollowed out shell.
Really, the humans just didn't seem to learn. This seal had lasted longer than the last, but none of them had been able to stop the Gobi from slowly devouring the soul of its containers, turning the men and women into little more than heartless automatons that could barely called human anymore.
Half a decade until it would be able to break free barring extraordinary circumstances; that was its best estimate. This seal was really resistant to its chakra. It was time enough for the preparations that had now become necessary.
Ever since it had been stirred up by the sound of victory echoing through the world the Gobi remembered more and more of the glories of times past, times when it had devoured gods and demons and other things beyond count. The following signs of awakening of other powers had only served to stoke its hunger.
It had also reminded the demon of its precarious position. Shackled as it was, the Gobi was weak, unable to assume its true form and unfold its power. Breaking free of the seal would only draw attention to it; attention it could ill afford. Chances were good it would fall prey to another being of power before long, at least if it couldn't break free of the shackle in short order.
Unfortunately it didn't know how to do that.
Sealed it was even weaker, but it could and did use its power to obscure its nature and that of its container. Its chakra was constantly flowing through the veins of the man in great quantities anyway.
The insatiable hunger defined the Gobi's existence, but it was also patient. For the time being hiding inside the human was the best choice. Sooner or later a solution would present itself.
In a place not of this world strands of fate stretched into infinity. Colors like the shadows of rainbows danced along the innumerable threads as they interwove with each other, forming a pattern beyond all mortal comprehension.
The not-place had many names even if the knowledge of them had been mostly lost in this day and age. Loom of Fate. Design of Destiny. Pattern of Providence.
Three beings that were at the same time the loom's masters and the loom itself examined the strands with great care. The pattern was frayed and incomplete, more hole than the world-spanning design it should have been. Shadows and mist obscured large parts; unsightly tangles marred the loom's unearthly beauty. Still, the beings drew wisdom from what they saw; an imperfect mirror of the world as it was, had been and would be.
Order was radiating outwards from places the beings had visited, were visiting and would visit. One of them wove new threads into the design, the second measured and the third cut. They were here and yet they were elsewhere, parts of their being walking the world in guises or openly reflecting their divine splendor. They were not always together, but they always acted in accord with their design, carefully working new patterns into the loom.
Three sisters assisting a fateful birth. A crone leading a hero towards the right path. A maiden granting a kiss. A child inspiring others with its unusual play. A mirage leading a man to his death. All were part of them and their design. Whispers and images ghosted through countless minds, ephemeral as a dream.
Yet as they wove their work was being undone. Distortions warped the loom, fouling their design. Threads were ripped apart before their allotted time, others stretched beyond the length intended for them. Lesser wills rebelled against the fates spun for them. Sublime wills equal to their own battled the destinies they were crafting. Behemoths greater than them imposed their intent on the world, not caring they left the beings' weave in tatters.
It was chaos. Their very nature abhorred the chaos yet they could not take up arms themselves. The pattern was too damaged, the design too weak. They were searching, always searching for something, someone to bolster their web.
Finally one of them spotted what they were looking for.
"Sisters, I have found one of our errant threads." it called out.
Immediately the being was joined by the two others.
"How curious. The thread we sent into the world has finally found its destiny after all these years, without us there to guide it."
"And yet the child is not aware of what it is and what it could do."
"It will serve our purpose nonetheless."
"The design requires intervention. The endless black thread of endings weaves itself, but it can and must be directed."
"Convincing the child might be difficult. Will it accept us?"
Silent observation was followed by a decision. "We will make an offer the loom child cannot refuse."
Author's notes: Thank you for the reviews.
Two and a half months since the last update. Sigh. Still better than the last chapter, though.
This was originally part of a bigger chapter, but when it grew beyond what I originally intended I split it in two. The second part is already half-written, but it might take me some time to complete it.
Regarding the future development, there won't be one big time skip (which would be a bit silly since the rails of canon came off completely), but the pacing will speed up again.
So long.