A/N: Before I forget, Sashu deserves a shout out for understanding my logic in why I do what I do to the characters of my story. I promised one last chapter but alas, I forgot. Apologies. Now a lot of you enjoyed pretty much everything from last chapter so that makes my pretty damn giddy.

I'm sure I'll catch flak for it by someone, so I'll say it right now. It's my story—I'll create it how I want it. Accept the facts that I give you, not the ones Kishimoto gave. They might coincide most of the time, but if I say the sky is green and the flames of youth is the most potent form of power, then accept it is.

Chapter 45: A Legend's Secret

Nothing had happened for five minutes. Hanabi had given her sister a head start, hoping to allow a little time for Hinata to collect her thoughts before she spoke with her. While Hinata appeared collected now from where Hanabi peaked through the bedroom door, but Hanabi also suspected the calm exterior was due to the maelstrom of emotions inside. The point was only proven further by her sister's white knuckled grip on her pants as she knelt on her bed and stared at a piece of jewelry. Deciding she'd waited long enough Hanabi gave a soft knock and entered, getting no acknowledgment of her presence until Hinata jumped when Hanabi spoke.

"That's a beautiful necklace. Where'd you get?"

Hinata's eyes darted from Hanabi to the necklace and she licked her lips. "I…I-It was a gift."

"May I see it?"

Hinata looked torn between yes and no, so before she could say anything Hanabi snatched it.

"Hanabi, I didn't give you permission!"

"Shush," Hanabi said dancing out of reach and waving her off. She looked at the stone closer and blinked. "Is this diamond?"

Hinata's face burned through shades of red but she managed a weak nod.

"It must have cost a fortune," Hanabi said. Her eyes narrowed and she smirked swaying the necklace. "Where'd he find it?"

"Hanabi…"

"It's a simple question, nee-chan."

"Imoto."

"What? Just answer it."

"He made it!"

The necklace stopped swaying as Hanabi's mouth loosened. "He…" she looked at the necklace before her and her eyes shimmered. "That's so…"

"I know, okay?! I know," Hinata said burying her face into her hands. A moment passed between the two in silence until she finally peeked through her hands. "Why are you here?"

Hanabi looked to Hinata's window, "I think you're being too hard on Naruto-kun. We've been through a lot, but I think Karin-san is right."

Hinata's head snapped up and her mouth disappear, "You think I'm wrong?"

"To put it bluntly sister, yes."

"He put our family in danger."

"I'm aware of that," Hanabi said meeting her sister's glare. "I'm also aware that he saved the village and risked a great deal in the process."

"You're actually taking his side?"

"I'm more surprised, and disappointed, you're not. Don't think I don't know about how long you've been concealing your affections towards him. You were not as discrete as you thought you were. However I came to accept him because of the effect he had on you, and I respect him for pushing my sister to become the woman she is today.

"However, I find it disturbing you haven't changed your point of view in all this—something you manage to do in any other situation. When others are casting accusations you are the one to ask why. But not now. And what's even more disturbing is you won't do it for the man you claim to love."

"It would have been different if it was just me," Hinata said. "He knowingly allowed our family to walk into danger. I just…can't do it."

Hanabi sighed and sat on the edge of the bed, "Then allow me to change it for you." Her eyes stared at the necklace in her hands and thumbed it slowly. "I'll be graduating from the academy next month—I'm not a child anymore. Neji is a jonin and Father has single handedly taken control of the clan. We aren't helpless nee-san."

"I never—"

Hanabi held up a finger, "I'm not putting words in your mouth but in truth it is how you see us, is it not?"

"You're all I have left." Hinata's head drifted down.

"No, we're not. You have your friends, and your sensei, and the rest of our clan. But most importantly have someone special that loves you. Don't throw it away nee-san, not after working so long to gain it."

Hinata glanced at Hanabi and bit her trembling lip. "I don't want to," she whispered. "But he broke his promise and my trust."

"Would you had rather I died?"

Hinata's head jerked hard. "What are you—"

"Had Naruto-kun tried to keep your promise, there's no doubt in my mind I'd be dead right now. Then there are the villagers. How many would have undoubtedly died because he took the extra time to use nonlethal means? You're being too harsh on him. It wasn't physically possible for him to accomplish. Hell, it was barely possibly for him when he did kill." Looking at her sister Hanabi gave a bitter smile, her eyes squinting from the emotions she felt. "You want to know what I think, nee-san? I don't think you understand, let alone appreciate, how much Naruto-kun loves you."

Hinata gapped at her looking like she'd been slapped for the second time. Hanabi stood, tracing the pendant in her hand again with her eyes and thumb.

"Naruto-kun knew he was going to lose," Hanabi said blinking her eyes a few times quickly. "Not at first. But as time drew closer I think the realization began to sink in. He could either lose big, or he could lose small. Untold amounts of innocent lives, or the love of his life. And he chose selflessly as per usual. And truthfully, I'm disappointed in you for not considering the position he was in."

Soft lavender shimmered behind watery glass until brine trickled from her eyes. "Truthfully…" Hinata looked up at her sister, her face screwing in a mix of pain and bitterness. "And what else do you think imoto, truthfully?"

Hanabi leaned forward dangling the necklace between their faces. She held it long enough for Hinata's eyes to shift from hers to the necklace, then widened. Then she released the necklace, and Hinata's jerky reflexes caught it. Hanabi left, but paused at the door long enough to say, "Truthfully—as you are nee-san—I don't think you deserve him."

Hanabi was unsure if her words ever reached her sister. Hinata made no retort. She just stared at the back of the pendant in silence, reading the engraving she'd never noticed before over and over.

I'll travel the world to be at your side.

When Naruto returned home he entered a house devoid of walls or furniture, but home to rolls upon rolls of paper stretched across the floors, hanging from the ceiling, and tacked to the walls. Wet ink filled the air, and an upbeat music played softly as Sai, Renge, and Jihibiki worked on seals in various areas of the house in various positions. The most amusing being Sai standing on the ceiling while writing on the wall.

"Glad to see you all so busy," he said shutting the door. The lack of furniture caused his voice to sound like a shout, and the door boomed with an echo. Renge and Jihibiki jumped and turned to him—Sai let out a screech and fell in heap. "While I appreciate the dedication, don't ya think you could've left something to sit on?"

"Over there," Sai's hand appeared from a pile of spent paper and pointed to another pile.

Naruto followed the hand and pushed what he thought was a massive pile of paper away revealing the living room couch. "Of course you'd keep this out," he said shaking his head and sitting down to a crescendo of crinkles. "Where're we at?" His faced scrunched together and he added, "Better question: what's the organization here?"

"Theory," Jihibiki said pointing to the floor. "In progress and completed," he continued pointing to the wall, then ceiling. "The mounds are either mess ups or scrapped ideas."

"As to where we are," Renge said looking up from the floor, "Sai is writing the binding seals, Jihibiki-kun is working on the command seals, and I'm still trying to figure out how to piece this godforsaken theory together." As if to antagonize the situation ink from her brush dripped onto the seal in progress ruining it. A chilling giggle escaped her mouth as her hands started fly through seals, "Fire Style: Grand Phoenix Firestor—"

Her chant and seals cut off as a chakra chain from Naruto's hand wrapped around her wrists and mouth, "Please, let's try to keep this house in one piece." Renge glared at him, but he looked around quirking an eyebrow. "Where's Karin-imoto?"

"She left right after you did, but didn't say where," Sai said resuming his spot on the ceiling. "Although I have an idea."

"Did she mention when she'd be back," Naruto asked.

"Nope."

"Okay then," Naruto cracked his knuckles with a grin. "Let's get some work done."

Jihibiki tilted at the waist and cocked an eyebrow, "Aren't you supposed to go to bed?" Naruto blinked and he rolled his eyes, "We heard Karin-chan."

"Well Karin is also the best at theory next to me," Naruto said pointing to Renge. "Do you really want to leave her by herself?"

All three of them panned to see Renge grinning sadistically while muttering. She blinked, looked up to reveal ink splotched over her face, and cackled before going back to the paper.

"Valid point," Jihibiki said walking back to his wall while keeping an eye on his wife. "You can help until Karin-chan returns."

"Just so you know I'm locking my door tonight," Sai said and was answered with another cackle.

Naruto shivered, "Ditto."

When Karin arrived fifteen minutes later she nearly blew up seeing Naruto working on seals. But just as she was about to shout, Jihibiki appeared in her face waving his hands violently while shushing her.

"He's nearly got," he hissed behind a hand.

Karin's head jerked back to Naruto and watched as he sat with his eyes closed and mouth drawn in a tight line. His brush poised over the paper until his eyes snapped open and he wrote methodically. After a few more seconds, he straightened exhaling a breath and cracked his neck.

"I think that might be it," he said standing up and eliciting pops from his knees. "Or at least close." He locked eyes with Karin and waved her over with a weak smile. "I think you can figure it out from here. Renge-obaa is, well…"

They both turned to the red head he was grinning at the paper while twirling a leaf from the houseplant in her hand.

"Ooookay," Karin said rubbing her neck. She fixed her glasses and turned to Naruto.

"Yeah, yeah, bed," he said turning and waved. "I'll be back down in two—"

"Nine."

"Three."

"Seven."

"Four."

"Happy trees…happy days…" Renge said falling onto her back.

Naruto and Karin looked at each other saying, "Five hours."

"I have a meeting with Baa-chan tomorrow morning at seven so don't let me over sleep," Naruto said over his shoulder, then added to himself, "Not like it'll happen though."

The downstairs noise faded away with the shut of Naruto's door, and he as he trudged to bed he tried to brace himself for the nightmares he knew would come.

"Meditate first," Kurama said and Naruto didn't question.

It was like clockwork now; he could nearly entire his mindscape on command now. But when he tried he never entered, instead going straight into a dreamless sleep. In his mind Kurama sat in the lotus with his hand together and concentrated. It wasn't the first time he'd manipulated the blonde's sleep—just this time he'd keep the horrors at bay instead creating new ones for him to see.

He clicked his tongue shaking his head, but couldn't stop the smirk. "Damn brat, keep this up and I just might lend you my power."

He glanced down at the pond, and in the reflection he watched as Hyuugas were sliced apart before Hinata appeared with a cold glare that struck even him.

"In fact I may not have a choice."

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

"Nii-san? Nii-san wake up," Karin's voice called after the knocks rousing Naruto from his unconsciousness. "Your meeting's in half an hour! I'm coming in."

"Sunovabish," Naruto sat up blinking and failed to see much more than blurred shapes until Karin stood at the side of his bed. She waved a cup of tea under his nose and he instinctively grabbed it.

"Breakfast's ready," Karin said waving him towards the door.

Naruto drained his tea and groaned shuffling after his sister failing to note the excitement in her voice. How had he managed to sleep through the entire night?

Better question, why had they let him?

The smell hit him in the hallway causing his stomach to growl, and the music again at the top of the stairs. His curiosity piqued as he rounded the stairs, and he idly noted the walls had been rearranged to hide the front half of the house while a seal for warding off evil spirits placed over the door.

"Sleep well," Jihibiki asked as he entered the kitchen.

"Could use about another eight hours of it," Naruto grunted slipping into a chair at the table. He looked around for a moment before asking, "What's this music?"

"Oh, like it," Renge asked placing a plate in front of him with a smile. "It's party music from Uzu."

"Really," Naruto said breaking his chopsticks and taking a breath over the food. "For what occasion?"

All noise stopped and Naruto glanced up to see every other member of the house staring at him.

"What…occasion," Karin echoed looking to Jihibiki.

"Like…there has to be a reason," Sai asked Renge.

Jihibiki turned to Renge and she shook her head, "It's worse than we thought." She grabbed Naruto's hand and held it close to her, "Naruto…"

"Yeah?"

A short swat caused him to blink and Renge said, "Quit bein' so up tight, it ain't right and doesn't fit ya."

Naruto clicked his tongue scowling, but after a moment of glaring back and for he couldn't fight the smirk that surfaced. So he growled and looked away shaking his head trying to hide it. "So is there any chance there's a reason you are playing it?"

White and black fluttered to a stop in front of Naruto and it took a few seconds before he realized he was looking at.

"I finished it Nii-san," Karin said unable to suppress her blush or grin. "I figured out the core of the seal."

Naruto let out a mix between a breath and a laugh and ran a hand through his hair, holding it for a second before letting it go. His head cleared for a second and shoulders lightened just a bit.

"Karin this is…" He looked up to her and smiled. "You really are a genius."

"N-Nii-san," Karin said looking away and turning redder.

"He's right dear," Renge said finishing up with the rest of the table. "You two are making fuinjutsu your own—truly Uzumaki through and through."

A short cough drew everyone's attention to Sai who was staring at his plate with a small frown.

"You're a special snowflake too," Renge said looking from one end of the table to the other repeatedly while starting to sweat. "Yer awesome, totally super, ya see? Right Jihibiki?"

Jihibiki raised his chin and gave a heavy lidded look from the corner of his eyes with crossed arms, "He's…adequate." He fell to the floor with a scream from Renge's staff and he appeared again with thumbs up and a huge grin, "Totally cool! When I grow up I wanna be just like ya, Sai-chan!"

Jihibiki opened his eyes to find the rest of the Uzumaki family standing across the room in the corner.

"Jiji is so weird Baa-chan," Naruto leaned further away.

"So weird, he's awful," Karin hid her face against Renge.

"I honestly can't remember why I even married him," Renge patted Karin's back while squinting.

"I don't want to be related to him," Sai sniffed while holding himself.

Each comment pierced into Jihibiki's until he was on all fours, and a rain cloud poured on him. "What did I ever do to deserve this?"

"You were born."

"You breathe."

"You're related to me."

"You exist."

"Farewell cruel world," Jihibiki said kneeling in white robes with candles lit on either side of him. He bowed his head and unsheathed a tantō, "I leave my regrets here in this physical realm."

Jihibiki's antics ended as Renge's staff slammed on his head again, "Damn drama queen."

Naruto chuckled and glanced at the clock, "If I'm going to be on time for my meeting we need to eat."

The breakfast was small but filling thanks to Renge's family recipe. It'd become common knowledge the newest generation of Uzumaki couldn't cook—with one knowing only how to make gruel, the other catching everything on fire (including the water), and the last one actually bringing his food to life. Therefore Renge and Jihibiki took turns making the meals. By the time Naruto finished he had to rush back to room to change and Hirashin to Tsunade's office.

"Glad you could join us," Tsunade said smirking behind her locked hands.

"Baa-chan," Naruto said nodding and shifting his attention to Shikaku. "Been awhile, how's Shika doing?"

"He's doing just fine," Shikaku said nodding, "especially with the Kazekage's sister tending to him."

"Then he should be right as rain in no time," Naruto said turning back to Tsunade.

"Of course, I need him just as much as you do," Tsunade nodded and sat back in her chair while motioning to the two in front of her desk. "Shikaku I trust you've read our intel?"

"Dire doesn't even begin to describe our situation," Shikaku nodded pulling out his pipe. He struck his lighter and the flame hovered over the bowl, "If you don't mind?" Tsunade nodded and he pressed the flame inside taking a few drags. "Now, the problem isn't with how we deal with the threat, but how we deal with the knowledge."

Naruto folded his arms, "Meaning?"

"The problem isn't the problem—the problem is who knows about the problem." Shikaku took another drag and closed his eyes. "Let's look at what we know. The enemy has the ability to clone whoever they want, an indefinite number of these clones are at their disposal, and they're capable of traveling vast distance while remaining practically undetectable. While the clones fighting capabilities are unknown, if given enough time to launch ambushes and assassinations the Shinobi Alliance could be broken during the deployment and maneuvering period. It would essentially be destroyed before the war began.

"This is only one of a number of possibilities that can happen," Shikaku said looking between the two blondes. "Now if the other nations were to get hold of this information what do you suppose would happen?"

"Fear on a pandemic level," Tsunade frowned. "The other Kages won't mobilize their troops due to the certainty of accumulating massive casualties."

"On the flip side, if we don't warn them and they do mobilize to our aid—they'll be slaughtered," Naruto sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Not to mention the odds of having a large number of sleepers inserted into the ranks arriving at our gates. We're fifty different kinds of fucked."

"To sum it up, yes," Shikaku said mimicking a train engine. "Unless we have a way to discern the clones from normal ninjas, we can't move."

Shikaku and Tsunade both turned their attention to Naruto causing him to scowl and bare his teeth. "We're working ourselves into the ground as it is. Be thankful we've managed to update the village defenses and provide new security precautions."

"I understand," Tsunade said leaning forward with a hard look. "But it's not good enough. If we can't mobilize then we can't go to war. If we can't go to war then we can't defend you jinchuriki. If we can't defend you then the world ends. I know the odds are stacked against you, but you've always managed in the past. I need you to come up with something, Naruto. You and Killer Bee are trapped here, which makes Konoha the main target for the enemy's army."

Naruto glowered at Tsunade and ground his jaw. So he was the problem now. No, not now—just as he'd always been. In the way. Causing trouble. He'd busted his ass for nearly seventeen years and still he couldn't be more than burden to everyone else. His hands creaked from clenching them, but he drew a breath and closed his eyes.

"I'll do what I can," he stood ignoring Tsunade's scrutinizing look. "Are we done here?"

"There will be a council at noon for all the clans and higher ranks," Shikaku said eying Naruto as well. "We haven't decided what to do with the information we've gathered yet."

"That's something for the Hokage and Jonin Commander to decide, not some newly minted jonin from an upstart clan," Naruto said.

"The opinion of the next Hokage is desired as much as required," Shikaku said frowning.

Tsunade made to add some own words of encouragement but froze when Naruto leveled her with a look resembling a corpse. "Then you're definitely asking the wrong person." He turned and walked to the door saying, "But if you really want to know what I think—lie to them." He opened the door, "And tell the truth."

The door clicked shut behind him and Tsunade's eyes floated to Shikaku. The man wore a scowl and a frown, his pipe forgotten in his mouth as he replayed Naruto's words.

"He's bearing too much," he finally said. "His psyche is about to crack. I insist you have Inoichi look at him, he's going to become a liability if this keeps up."

"If I do that then it'd only make things worse," Tsunade said pushing her fingers into her eyes in a rouse to hide the tears trying show. "Not to mention it'd halt all progress on the seals."

"What about the rest of his family?"

"Renge told me Naruto is the reason they've made this much progress in such a short amount of time. He's seal prodigy—which comes as no surprise considering his creative streak."

"So what can we do to help the situation?"

"That would be the million ryo question," Tsunade said pulling out a sake bottle.

Silence circulated between them for several moments before Shikaku stopped rubbing his goatee. "What if we lent him the Research Department?"

The mid morning breeze wafted the steam of his tea away from his nose causing him to blink at the absence of warmth. Sai rolled his eyes over the street next to the café he sat outside of and absently watched the crowd pass by. He was exhausted—mentally and emotionally. The past few days had flowed together leaving the aftermath of the festival operation nothing more than a blur. It was probably for the best though, rather than trying to wrestle with emotions that were still new to him he could ignore them and bury him in work. But the distraction worked for as long as he kept at it, and when peaceful moments such as now appeared his mind couldn't help but sink into the memories.

He'd nearly died that night; the dull ache in his chest when he moved too quickly was a constant reminder. A third of his most elite Root ninja had been killed in the ambush, and as a result a gaping hole had been left in their forces. Between finding substitute commanders for squads and the seal work back home Sai was feeling the strain of the load. Then there was Samui.

His hand clamped around his cup as her face flashed in the reflection of the tea. She hadn't visited while he was in the hospital or tried to find him once he was discharged. He didn't want to think about it too much—they didn't know each other that well really. Yet the notion of her not really caring left an odd feeling in the bottom of his stomach.

"Samui…"

"Mad as hell. You scared her."

He'd replayed his brother's words over and over again from that night, each time echoing with hope that maybe she just needed time to cool down. But every time they rang with a little less optimism.

"Do you mind if an old man rests his bones here for a while?"

Sai's eyes lifted to find a weathered smile parked a few feet away from his table in a wheel chair. Behind him a pretty brown haired girl smiled apologetically just as surprised as Sai that the man had spoken to him. But of course it wasn't any old man.

"Teuchi-san…" Sai wanted to say more, but words seemed to swell his tongue so he gave a small nod managing, "Please."

"Father, do you know him," Ayame asked pushing Teuchi's chair to the table.

"Of course, he's been frequenting our place for the past month with Naruto-kun and his other friends."

Ayame blinked and turned to Sai. "I'm so sorry I didn't recognize you," she said blushing and giving a quick bow.

"Its fine," Sai leaned back while rubbing the back of his neck. "I'm not exactly dressed in my usual gear." True to his words he'd gone for comfort during his extended periods of seal work. His belly shirt had been replaced by a thin black turtleneck showing of his thickened and lean body formed while training with Naruto and the others. On the back was the Uzumaki crest which matched his deep red sweatpants.

"Ano…you're Sai-san, correct," Ayame asked.

"Uzumaki Sai at your service," the words rolled off Sai's tongue before he'd realized what he said. It'd become so easy to him, and his family back home had been very insistent on learning to identify with them. He felt slightly unprepared when his intro was rewarded with strange looks from both Teuchi and Ayame.

"Uzumaki," Ayame echoed.

"Ah, the information is still relatively new I guess," Sai said taking a thinking pose. "I was adopted into the family the same night we were given clan status and Naruto-nii was inducted as clan head."

"Clan…Head…" Ayame's mouth worked but garbled noises were the only thing to escape.

"Sweetie how about you get some tea and give your brain time to process," Teuchi said handing her money. "Two glasses of the black tea with ginseng."

Ayame's face screwed up, "You don't need two glasses of that stuff, and I'm definitely not drinking any of it."

"The other glass is for him," Teuchi said pointing to Sai. "I'm sure it's gone cold by now."

Sai glanced down at his tea and dipped his pinky in the liquid. Sure enough it had slipped past the hot threshold and entered the tepid waters of nastiness.

"You drink that too," Ayame's eyes nearly bugged out of her head.

"It's one of those things you learn to deal with but can't go without," Sai said giving a big smile.

Ayame shook her head and wandered into the café mumbling about crazy people with defective taste buds. The lunch rush had struck and the full café meant it'd be awhile before she came back, so Sai turned back to Teuchi. "I'm surprised you're out already."

"Knowing a famous and well loved person has its perks I guess," Teuchi said with a chuckle. "Between the three best doctors in Konoha it's a surprise I wasn't out sooner, but I'll blame that on my age. More importantly though," he leaned in, "how are things?"

Sai gave a small shake of his head and rubbed his thumb over the tips of his other fingers. "Buried in work. Root took a huge hit with the deaths from Zulu squad. The amount of skill lost in that one attack is hardly unnoticeable. Then there's the work on the seals at home." He sat back and ran a hand through his hair. "I've written so many seals I can taste the ink in my fingers."

"Yes, but how are you," Teuchi asked.

"Tired. Stressed. Drained." Sai shook his head again and massaged the back of his neck. "There's a list of other descriptions that could run from here to the village gates. I need a break, but when I manage to get one I can't relax."

"Sounds like you need a vacation, boy."

Sai laughed. "Yeah, how about one in the Land of Hot Springs."

"Maybe take the pretty Cloud kunoichi I've seen you with," Teuchi said aloofly.

Sai froze and his smile faded, "No, not her."

"Oh?"

"As far as I know she's avoiding me. She's mad at me, perhaps even hates me. It's hard to say, but I think it's safe to assume she doesn't want to be near me."

Sai glanced up when he heard Teuchi click his tongue. "All that training in Root and you're still making guesses without knowing everything. Maybe you do need to be reconditioned," he picked up the saucer and balanced it on his finger. "Listen up boy and listen well, the way to a woman's heart is a fickle and treacherous path filled with obstacles and uncertainties. They can be emotional, extreme, and even unstable. But don't think for a second they are creatures capable of only simple emotions. She's probably just as scared, confused, and uncertain as you are—probably even more so after your brush with the Shinagami."

The noise of the street filled the space between them, and Sai stared into his tea contemplating Teuchi's words.

"I guess…" Guess what? That he thought he mattered more to her? She had deeper feelings for him? Just because he opened up about everything didn't mean she'd feel something for him. "I don't know," He brought a hand to his face and his shoulders shuddered. "Shit…I don't know. What should I feel? What should I do," He peeked through his fingers. "Please tell me."

Teuchi watched Sai for quiet moment before sighing. "I have sudden urge for beef and vegetable ramen. Mind giving me a push?" Sai's head shifted back and inch and he glanced inside the café. "Don't worry about her; she'll enjoy having a break from fussing over me."

The trip to Ichiraku's was silent—the only words being exchanged were when Teuchi directed Sai around to the side of the restaurant to the kitchen door. Once inside Teuchi took over and wheeled to the back office. When Sai went to help he waved him off saying, "On the top shelf of the cabinet next to the doorway is some tea. Go ahead and get some ready for us."

Sai did as instructed, and smiled when he pulled a white box down from the shelf and opened it revealing black tea bags with no doubt about the extra root added in. By the time the teapot began whistling Teuchi reappeared with a thick book resting in his lap. Sai poured two glasses and joined Teuchi at one of the tables in the front of the restaurant.

"I've never shown this to anyone," Teuchi said setting the book on the table and resting his hands on it. "Mostly because the beginning consists of things that could be linked back to Root. If Ayame-chan ever found out I had this she'd probably give me a tongue lashing not even Hokage-sama could save me from."

Sai's eyes shifted to the book as Teuchi opened it saying, "During the Second Shinobi War, there existed a group that rose to prominence within Konohagakure. They were called Root—created and led by one of the Nidaime's students. They were tasked with the most difficult mission's, the chances of mission success rarely making it out of the single digits."

Sai looked to a black and white group picture. A young man with dark hair stood at the front, a katana in front of him with both hands resting on top of the hilt. His left eye was bandaged, and a crisscross scar marred his chin.

"Danzo-sama," Sai thought starring at his former leader. Flanking his sides were a dozen men—the Twelve Roots. Teuchi's voice drew his attention once more.

"Yet despite those odds—the casualties suffered from the group were only a handful, and mission success was high due to the harsh and relentless training by the founder." Teuchi tapped a finger to the picture and four of the men shadowed slightly. "By the time the war had reached its end, the group had become legendary—spoken about in whispers around the army campfires. Nothing more than rumors. The stories and claims only coming out in bits and pieces here and there—as substantial as the shadows the warriors were said to be birthed from."

The page turned and the next pictured showed a close up of Danzo smiling and standing next to teenager, and although he lacked the wrinkles his constant smile and narrow eyes told Sai he was looking at Teuchi's younger self.

"Wait," Sai blinked. "Danzo-sama is smiling?!"

"By the Third Shinobi War, the group had doubled its numbers, and each member received a designated number one through twenty-five. The founder of Root was renowned for his wind-based attacks amongst the group. Capable of assassinating multiple targets at once with nothing more than a whisper carried through the air. His student, and later designated mission partner, had made a name for himself during the war as well." Teuchi tapped the photo again and the kanji for nine and thirteen appeared. "His designated number was Nine, but among his peers he was known by another name. The tireless landscaper of the war, Atlas—breaker of roads, swallower of cities, maker of valleys and mountains."

Teuchi turned the page and a yellowed map spread over the next two pages, framed by clippings of missions that had been inked out for a select few words like Orchard Plains, Northern Road, and Western Pass. All of which Sai had never heard of before, but when he looked at the map he realized names didn't match with countries and areas at present. And in some areas faded red ink circled places on the map.

"I admit, when I was younger I was something of a braggart," Teuchi said smiling fondly at the map. "Our missions were beyond classified. They never happened. Yet I couldn't help but need some way of proving and tracking my accomplishments, even if it was only ever to myself." His smile slipped and he caressed the southern edge of what would have been the northern edge of Oto. Despite its age Sai could tell from the color it had once been lush and alive, which didn't make sense. The map said Orchard Plain, but that area was known as the Petrified Forest. "I've done so many horrible things," Teuchi murmured. "Killed countless people, destroyed so many livelihoods. By the end the war I couldn't live with myself anymore. I needed an out, and Danzo gave it to me."

He turned the page and a number of pictures from varying distances stuck everywhere, all of the same woman.

"She's beautiful," Sai thought. Her dark hair in the picture set off her eyes and the small mouth plump with full lips. In some pictures she wore normal clothes while at the market or out to eat, in others she wore an apron with her hair pulled up under a bandana.

"Her name was Ichiraku Raisami," Teuchi said staring at the pictures and Sai caught the glimmer in his eyes. "She founded this restaurant towards the end of the Third War. She didn't get many customers because she came from border and the war left money and supplies in short supply, but her food was truly something to experience.

"When I told Danzo I needed out, he suggested I keep tabs on her as a way to ease back into society. Although she was a native, her proximity to the border brought her under his suspicion since her village was destroyed and everyone massacred but her. We didn't think much of it, but I agreed just to be safe and to do my part." Teuchi turned pointed to the photos of her taken from a distance. "At first I kept out of sight, I didn't trust myself to handle espionage. I was a point and fire guy, not an Intel gatherer and I didn't want to make a mistake and have more innocent blood on my hands."

Another page and Sai noted the photos were closer than before. "For the first several weeks I only watched and didn't make contact—I didn't want to. But there was something about Raisami. She had a way of drawing people in with her smile and brightness. Even the most unruly customers quieted around her. And her laugh…" Teuchi closed his eyes and took a shuddering breath. "She had an elegance not even possessed by the women of the Daimyo's court, yet here she worked as a ramen chef at some insignificant stall. I didn't want to meet her—I had no intention of doing so. But one day while tailing her through the market I lost her in the crowd and ended up bumping into her."

More pictures, this time with Teuchi sitting at the stall smiling along with Raisami. "I must have seemed off to her. She seemed to sense my injuries underneath everything. Maybe it was my haggard appearance from lack of sleep at nights, or my guarded person, but Raisa-chan made it a mission to see me more and make me open up. And she did. The woman was stubborn and caring and beautiful. Perfection. When I told Danzo I'd made contact, I was surprised when he told me to stay as distant as possible. I had no idea why. I was out of the group and was only doing it as a favor, until one day I stopped by the stall and found them talking. I could tell just from the body language there was something between them, and for some reason it hurt. It hurt to learn my friend, mentor, and leader had failed to tell me about their relationship. Or that he'd been watching her closely, too. Or that he was just as mesmerized by her as I was.

"I left as soon as I saw them together, but Raisami saw and went after me. I thought she just wanted to explain herself and why she never told me about Danzo. I'd never expected her to confess. Despite a decade in age difference she admitted to having fallen in love with me…"

The next page showed the two of them on their wedding day, Raisami's belly already swelling. Beside him Danzo stood as his best man, smiling but not entirely meaning it. "He loved her just as much as I did. It took weeks of not talking and growing resentment that boiled over into a boxing match, but he finally admitted it. And because he loved her he let her go…to his closest friend and student. Because of that we named him Ayame's godfather, and everything seemed perfect."

Sai stared at the pictures swirling with confusion and bewilderment. Picture after picture of Danzo, Teuchi, and Raisami at Ichiraku's, restaurants, and Ayame's birthday parties filled his vision. All of them smiling. Loving. Happiness radiating between them. A time he couldn't even fathom revealing itself to him. And then the page turned and a small note scrawled tightly appeared by itself, the handwriting all too familiar to Sai.

Meet at the gate at 23:30.

—13

"I didn't know what it was about," Teuchi whispered, "and Danzo refused to tell me. Instead he made me follow outside the gate and into the woods. When we made it to a clearing we hid ourselves and waited." Tears slipped down Teuchi's cheeks and his bottom lip trembled. "A few minutes later a figure appeared from the direction we came, and seconds later someone else joined.

The conversation was brief, but from our spot we heard it all. How the person had been planted by Cloud during the war and told to blend in and integrate with our village. A spy sent on a long term mission for an indefinite time period—not that uncommon back then. They exchange scrolls and that's when we struck. Despite our ambush we only managed to take down the mole, and the contact escaped with unknown information."

Teuchi paused and drew another shuddering breath, balling and relaxing his fists a few times. "I don't know which of us landed the killing blow since we both held nothing back, but when we removed the hood we weren't ready…"

"Raisami…" Sai whispered.

Teuchi nodded and closed his eyes against the rivulets of water, "I don't know how long we stayed there holding her body—too shocked to do anything other than cry. The contact had been injured and maybe we could have captured him had we not investigated first. But our emotions got the best of us, and after years of war and misery and death the reveal proved to be too much. The blow only worsened so much more when a few weeks later we realized what the information had been about."

The last page flickered over to reveal an aged newspaper heading.

Hyuuga Affair Threatens to Reignite War

"My wife and mother of our child died a traitor by either my hands or the hands of my best friend who loved her just as much," Teuchi said and had to clear his voice to continue. "We both dealt with our pain differently. I turned to Ayame and focused all my time on her and Ichiraku. I told myself that despite what she did, deep down she must have loved the family she'd created and the place she came to call home. Danzo on the other hand took a different route.

He convinced himself that it was our emotions that got in the way of everything. If we'd remained professional then we would've caught her earlier, prevented the loss of the Hizashi-san's life, and all the pain and grief she left in her wake. He changed the Root system, turning it into a twisted thing that focused on killing emotion and turning people into mindless drones."

A long pause fell between them before Sai finally met Teuchi's red eyes. "I had no idea about any of this. None of us did. We'd only known Danzo-sama as the cold calculated leader who was willing to sacrifice everything for the good of the village."

"Because that was all he had left," Teuchi whispered. "I told him to stop the reconditioning, but he wouldn't listen and our discussions shifted from talking to arguing and nearly bloodshed. So I wiped my hands of it and left for good." He shook his head. "I don't regret what I did. I refused to have Ayame grow up an orphan if Danzo ended up killing me in his grief. I'm sorry you had to endure it, but…given the opportunity…I'd…I'd…"

Teuchi bowed his head into his hands and sobbed. He didn't have to say it, Sai understood. For that one sliver of happiness he was willing to endure the pain all over again and at the cost of others pain as well.

"Why are you telling me this," Sai asked drawing his hands to his elbows and sitting back. "What was the point?"

"Because every person has to make their own decisions when it comes to their feelings," Teuchi said wiping his eyes again. "You can run from them, bury them, or accept them, but you can't ask others to make the decision for you and expect to be happy with the results. I made a selfish decision and it cost me and others." He jammed a thumb into his chest and stuck his quivering chin out defiantly, "But I'd do it again…Because the memories before the pain. When it was nothing but love and happiness. That made it all worth it."

They stared at each other and Sai suddenly felt small under the eyes of the living legend before him. "So now you have to make a choice, boy," Teuchi said leaning forward and pointing at him. "What will you do? I'm not saying any choice you make is wrong or right because I don't know, and I have no right to say what is or isn't. But what I will say is you need to decide, because nothing ever comes from indecision except misery."

A/N: Just so we're clear, there's roughly a 24 yr age gap between Danzo and Teuchi. So looking up and down a decade isn't entirely out of the realm of possibilities. Love an' all that stuff...