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I apologize for the long wait. Life and work recently got busy and I haven't had much time to write. Now that the busy season is (hopefully) over and we are back up to full staff, I imagine I'll have more time to write.
AU Changes: There is only one major change, and while I won't spoil it, everyone should be able to spot it. I'll explain it more at the bottom of the chapter.
Without any more delay, here is the next chapter. Chapter 53: And Thus It Begins.
Tsunade sighed, the sound equal parts relief and exhaustion, as she walked into the wash room next to the operating room door. She had just finished a grueling surgery on Kizashi Haruno. The man had been stabbed six times, had a punctured lung from a broken rib, and internal bleeding. It was, she mused, a good thing that the assassin had taken his time with Kizashi. Had the assassin gone for the kill at the start...things would have been very different.
Mebuki Haruno also had a close brush with death, but luckily Fu had arrived in time to get the woman to the hospital before she bled out. Both Harunos were sleeping peacefully, the painkillers having done their magic. Moving over to the sink, the medic nin pulled a towel off of the roll and turned on the faucet. Allowing her mind to wander as she washed her hands, Tsunade couldn't help but chuckle tiredly at the thought of the look on the assassins' when Fu had shown up. "I bet you bastards weren't expecting her."
Her mirth slowly faded as she remembered what this could mean for the village. "This could start the civil war if we aren't careful." Turning the water off and reaching for a towel, she couldn't help the frown that creased her brow. "But we have to make sure that we protect those we care about. Someone ordered those assassins to take out the Harunos, and they may do so again." She tossed the now damp towel into the laundry chute. "I'll have some ANBU guard them, and issue a warning to all of the Guardians. If we can make the assassin who survived Fu talk, we can take out whoever sent them."
Opening the door, she was immediately saluted by Tiger and Dove. Stepping out into the corridor, the Hokage spotted two ninja standing guard outside of the Harunos' room. Judging by their appearance, one was a Inuzuka and the other a Hyuga. At the far end of the hall, two Nara clan members were seemingly relaxed but the tenseness of their shoulders gave them away.
"Hokage-sama." Tiger bowed slightly, "I can inform you, if you would like, on what has happened since the Harunos were brought to the hospital." The Hokage nodded. "First, the biggest issue. The third assassin, the one Fu-san knocked unconscious, was killed during transport to the high security holding cells." Tiger made a face behind his mask. "The ninja who were transporting him claim that he regained consciousness, overpowered one of the guards, grabbed a kunai, and tried to attack them. They had to defend themselves. We are investigating."
"I trust that you have them under guard?" The Hokage didn't show the crushing disappointment at the loss of the only viable target who could shed light on who had sent them. Tiger nodded. "Good. Keep a close eye on them. If one of them cracks, even for an instant, take them to Ibiki." Motioning for the ANBU to follow her as she began walking down the hallway towards the hospital entrance, Tsunade eyed a group of three Yamanaka as she passed. The two women and one man were leaning against the wall, and the blonde Hokage couldn't help but note that they had a clear line of sight on both the hallway that the Harunos' room were in, but also the only hallway that had access to the patient hallway. "Continue your report."
"The news broke of the attack broke just over five hours ago to the general public. It was only a matter of time, given how Fu-san brought the Harunos to the hospital. The Guardian faction immediately began stationing its combat ready members near homes, clan holdings, and shops that are part of their faction. As a response, the Humanitarian faction began to do the same. The Loyalists have been patrolling the streets and areas between the two factions, but…" Tiger's shoulder lifted slightly as he held the door open for Tsunade and Dove, "We don't have enough members to watch everywhere." His head bowed slightly. "That is all I have to report."
"Personal assessment?"
"The death of the third assassin was a coverup." Tiger's calm voice didn't change in pitch, but there was a sharpness to his tone that was normally not present. "I am willing to bet that he and the other two assassins were missing nins. We will know for certain shortly. But that shouldn't surprise anyone." He glanced to the side at Dove, drawing strength from her quiet, steady demeanor. "The reactions of the Humanitarians were too quick. They have been expecting or planning something like this for some time.
"That was my thought as well." Tsunade stepped over the shattered front lobby door that Fu had destroyed in her haste to get treatment for the Harunos, "Do you have anyone to spare to investigate your suspicions about the Humanitarians?"
Dove shook her head. "Most of the ANBU are either on missions or already patrolling the demilitarized zone between the Guardians and Humanitarians."
"In that case, I need you and Dove to investigate." The ANBU made a sound of protest. The Hokage raised her hand. "Don't worry about me. I am capable of defending myself. Now go." The two ANBU saluted and moved off, intent on finishing their task as soon as possible.
Only after they left, and Tsunade was safely alone for the moment, did she let her shoulders slump. The world was coming apart, and there was nothing she could do about it. A moment passed. Breathing in deeply, the Godaime Hokage straightened back up. She would not let everything her friends had fought and died for fall apart, not while she still could do something. Moving quickly, not quite a run, but faster than a walk, the blonde headed back to the Hokage Tower, intent on find out who was the current leaders of the two factions. Perhaps there was still a chance for peace.
Still, she couldn't help but silently ask, "Why did you have to go, Jiraiya?" The spy master had left Konoha two weeks prior to investigate a lead on the missing nin who had attempted to assassinate Ino Yamanaka. "It would be...nice to have you here."
Tsunade's eyes widened as she remembered a more pressing concern. "How am I going to tell Sakura or Naruto? What do I say?"
The Wind Rose proudly sailed out of port, leaving the waving crowd behind. Having stayed an extra two days to partake in the celebrations, the Konoha group was now heading back to towards Wave. Waving back at the crowd until they disappeared the horizon, Naruto couldn't help the thought that it was...nice to know his actions had saved everyone. That despite who he was, he had saved them. It would be a relaxing trip back, filled with training and companionship.
The wind swept across the deck, ruffling his hair. Leaning on the railing, he stared out into the endless sea. Now that it was quiet, he couldn't help but think of the happy crowd again. They were alive and grateful. More than once Naruto had spotted a child, hand in hand with their parents, all three happy. It was something the world needed more of. Happiness. Joy. Unbroken families. Celebrations. Innocent lives spared. Love.
For the first time in many years, Naruto began to dream of something other than simply protecting the few he cared about.
"Ryo for your thoughts?" Sakura leaned against the railing next to him, "You were studying the water pretty intently."
"Just...thinking." The pinkette waited, sensing that he had more to say. Eventually he began, the words slow and introspective. "When I was watching the crowd, it was hard to believe that they had been under the threat of Moryo's return for so long. But yet, once that threat lifted, they so happy." A half-smile touched his lips. "There was a kid, perhaps five or so, that I noticed."
"Was he special?" Sakura asked softly, "He must have been to catch your eye enough to stand out."
"No." The smile didn't fade, "He wasn't special. Not like a shinobi would consider special. His chakra levels were civilian grade, and he wasn't especially fit. But…" His blue eyes searched the water as he grappled for the proper word, "He was happy. He was with his parents, and his eyes were carefree."
"And I think, despite everything that has happened to me, I would go through it again just to see that smile. To know that somewhere, because of me, someone isn't lonely. Someone is happy. Someone is loved."
The Uzumaki lifted his head to stare out into the horizon, "That is a future worth fighting for. That one day there won't be any broken homes. That one day there will not be any orphans. That one day we can stand as one and protect the innocent. That power won't determine who is right. That the innocent will be protected by the strong. That when people fight, it is to protect those they care about, not invisible lines on a map."
"Naruto-kun…" Sakura breathed, "That is…" It was her turn to grapple for words, "Something worth fighting for." Quiet fell between them, one gazing outwards, and one gazing inwards, trying to find out if she too had a dream beyond protecting those she cared about.
"How about you Sakura-Chan?" It was the question she both wanted asked and the one she feared he would ask, "What is your dream?"
"I…" A slim finger traced the lines on the smooth wooden rail, "...my dream isn't big like yours." How could she compare her dream to his? Hers was a mere defiant idea, one that was nothing compared her love's. His dream would shake the world. Her dream was nothing when compared to his.
"Stop that." Naruto reached out and poked her shoulder, "Don't do that."
"Do what?"
"Think that your dream doesn't matter." Sakura snapped her head to face him, her mouth dropping open. "Don't give up on your dream." There was a fierceness to him, one that captivated and inspired. "Dreams are what makes us strive. Makes us hope. Creates strength and courage. Don't ever think your dreams aren't worth it. I will fight for your dream, no matter what it is." His eyes met hers."What is your dream?"
"My dream…" Breaking the gaze with him to gather her thoughts, she stared out across the water. "I suppose it would be to stop the senseless death. To save those who can be saved." Her hand clenched the railing, tightening as she remembered the statistic of the last great shinobi world war. "Did you know that thirty-seven percent of all of the people who died in the last world war didn't die in battle?"
"They died because no one knew how to save them once they were injured. It's estimated that over fifteen percent of those could have been saved if each squad member knew the basic medical jutsu. Fifteen percent. I'm not talking about advanced regeneration. I'm talking about basic diagnostics and minor stabilization. So many died because of the lack of knowledge."
"For far too long the medic nins have stood apart from other forms of jutsu. For far too long we have kept our secrets, content to be wanted. For far too long we have hidden behind the excuse that it was too difficult to teach, that only those who dedicated their lives would learn the secrets of how to halt death."
Passion welled up within her; a dream finally born in that moment. "I will create new techniques that anyone can learn. No more will people die because they don't know how to save the ones that they care about. No longer will they be forced to watch them wither. Death may be the final end, but we will never surrender. Never accept that it is too late to help. Never give up the fight. We will live."
"That's an amazing dream, Sakura-chan." Hinata, Haku, and Honoka joined the pair at the railing, "I will gladly help you achieve your dream." The others murmured their agreement.
"How about you Honoka-chan?" Sakura shifted to face the Uzumaki kunoichi, "What is your dream?"
"My dream is to become a teacher." Honoka smiled at the others, "I want to teach so that no one feels that they aren't smart enough, not talented enough, or not important enough to learn. I dream of a future when we use our knowledge to better ourselves and the world around us. That the drive and talent used to create new, better techniques to kill would be turned to help protect. That seals would once again be spread freely, and development of a seal would be as lauded as any other discipline."
There was another dream she had, but that...would never come to pass. Time could not be undone.
"That is a worthy dream." Haku nodded before freezing slightly as the group's attention shifted to her. Taking a deep breath, she shared her second dream. "I wish to help those who have been feared or hated because of something beyond their control. Those who have been mistreated or abandoned because of their bloodline. Those who struggle to control their power on their own. Naruto-sama showed me that my bloodline is a gift, not a curse. That even though others feared me and those like me, I am not to blame."
The ice user smiled at her love, "I wish to show them that what they have is not a curse or evil, but a gift. I want to help them learn to use their gift to protect those they care about, like I have been shown."
"That's a great dream." Haku flushed at her Naruto-sama's praise. Ducking her head, she listened contently as Naruto inquired for Hinata's dream.
"I don't know what my dream is yet," Hinata confessed, "I am still trying to control the changes my bloodline has undergone. I have yet to use it since the fight in Moryo's valley." Raising her hand to forestall the worried shouts from the rest of the group, she shook her head. "I apologize. I worded that poorly. I have briefly told you about my bloodline, and the changes that have happened to it. Now that we are away from any possible enemies or opportunistic people, I'll explain in full what has happened to my Byakugan."
Closing her eyes, Hinata breathed in. Chakra flowed upwards, building behind her eyes. The sensation wasn't painful, but bordered on uncomfortable, similar to a tight muscle. Breathing out, she opened her eyes.
Blinking, Hinata surveyed her surroundings with her new vision. The familiar sight of her friends' chakra was calming, but sight of their emotions was something that she still wasn't used to. Worry colored Sakura's chakra, overshadowed emotion she was feeling. Haku and Honoka were surprised, but curious. Naruto looked...awed? Tilting her head, she wondered why they looked like that. Realization kicked in a moment later.
Something must have been different about her eyes.
But why were they worried? She could see just fine. "I am fine." Sakura relaxed, the worry fading from her chakra. "What is it?" What had she been worried about? "Is…there something wrong with my eyes?"
"Your eyes look awesome." Naruto couldn't contain himself anymore, "Is there any other cool powers they have?"
Unsealing a mirror to see what Naruto was excited about, Hinata flicked open the small travel mirror. The distinctive veins that accompanied her clan's bloodline were not present. Her eyes had gone completely white, and in the center of her eye there was a vertical red line that beveled out in the center. With each breath she took, the line pulsed, the center expanding and contracting. What had happened in that valley? And what did that mean for her? Shelving those thoughts - they could be investigated later - Hinata clicked the mirror closed and looked back up.
"In addition to the features my bloodline already possessed, my vision now sees the emotions of others. Maybe even…" She hesitated, the thought pretentious but having no way of better describing it, "The true nature of someone's soul." It was almost embarrassing to admit, not because of the power, but because of how it sounded.
"What's my soul look like?" Sakura, Hinata noted, had adopted a more clinical tone, pulling out a notebook and pencil.
Focusing past the chakra and emotions, Sakura Haruno's soul snapped into focus. Hopes laid bare - IwillhealthebrokenandIwillshowNarutolove - Hidden fears exposed - WhatifIcan'tstopmyrageandwhatiftheytrustmetohealthemandIfail - and countless other impressions made up the kaleidoscope that was Sakura's soul, the true her without any masks. It was...beautiful, but private.
"I will speak to you about it later." Hinata looked away from the sight, refocusing to the more familiar sight of chakra. "I believe that it is something private, but to answer your questions in a more generalized form, it is more of a feeling and a generalized state rather than something specific. It would be more accurate to say that I am seeing your true self."
"I see." Sakura noted down the information, fighting the illogical urge to cover herself. "Perhaps then each of us should speak to you alone?"
'That'd probably be best." Naruto agreed, "That sounds like it would be private girl talk." Clapping his hands after a moment of silence, he spread his arms wide, his grin large enough to cause is eyes to close. "Since this is getting serious and we are on vacation, who's up for a little training?"
Three hours later, Sakura leaned back after she took a drink of water. The sea air was...nice, but she couldn't help but miss her parents and friends back in Konoha, having been away for over a month. "I wonder how many batches of cookies they have made by now. And," The pinkette smirked to herself, "I wonder how many batches Fu-chan has eaten." It was baffling to watch. Fu ate massive amounts of sugary delights to the point that she shouldn't have been able to move. But it didn't seem to even touch her weight. While Sakura wasn't going to starve herself, she definitely knew she couldn't consume anything close to Fu's amount.
Tilting her head as she watched Haku and Naruto discuss something - a wind jutsu by the looks of it - brought a thought to mind. "Naruto-kun can also eat massive amounts of ramen. Perhaps it's a hidden perk of being a Jinchuriki?"
The sudden pop of a summon appearing brought her attention away from her idle thoughts. Pushing herself off of the mast she was leaning against, Sakura headed towards Naruto and the messenger slug. Noting that it was almost out of chakra, she watched it vanish in another puff of smoke a moment after handing the letter clutched in a shaky, slightly slimy appendage to Naruto.
"Sakura-chan," Naruto held out the letter, the seal on the envelop still unbroken, "It's addressed to you."
Blinking, Sakura took the letter. The paper crinkled as she opened the envelope. Unfolding it with a flick of her wrist, the pink haired girl began to read.
Sakura,
Letters like these are never easy, and never get easier. Even though it is happier than most of the letters I have to send, this still never gets easier. I'll stop hesitating.
Just under twenty-four hours ago your parents were attacked by three unidentified assailants in an effort to kill them. They failed however. Fu intervened and saved your parents. However, both of your parents sustained grievous injuries before Fu's timely arrival. Both your Mother and Father are in stable condition after surgery, and are resting peacefully.
Sakura gasped, dread welling up within her. What was she reading? Was it some kind of joke? It must be. It had to be. Why then, could she not shake this sensation of ice choking her veins?
Two of the attackers were killed by Fu, while the third died in transport to the holding cells. We are actively investigating what happened. No motives are currently known as to why your parents were attacked. We have posted guards to ensure that they are protected. The Guardian faction is also guarding all members of the faction to make sure that this doesn't happen to anyone else.
Again, your parents are alive and in stable condition. You don't need to push yourself beyond your limits to get back to Konoha faster. Your parents are protected.
Please don't do anything rash.
- Tsunade Senju, Fifth Hokage of Konoha
The letter fell from her hands, drifting downwards to land on the deck. Dimly, as her trembling hands fell limply to her side, she heard her friends' anxious voices asking her what was wrong. Some small part of the pink haired kunoichi noted that she was experiencing a mild form of shock. Orders were being given by a familiar male voice. Sakura allowed herself to be led to the cabin.
"Naruto-san," Captain Sencho turned to the blonde Uzumaki as he moved to the back of the top deck of the ship, "What has happened? Is there something I can do?"
"Yes. Something has happened." Naruto's voice was low and deep, filled with outrage. "Someone attacked Sakura-chan's parents. They got hurt really bad, but they got to the hospital in time. We need to get home as soon as possible." A barely visible white haze swirled about his form. "What I need you to do is keep the wheel steady. I am going to push with the wind, and we will move. Are you ready?" Sencho nodded, his face grim and his hands white knuckling the wheel.
White smoke blanketed the deck. Out of it surged two dozen clones. Each clone scurried to a different section of the ship, unsealed a sealing brush and ink, and went to work. "We are fortifying the ship." Naruto answered Sencho's unasked question, "It's only temporary ink, so I'll have to reapply it in twelve hours." Within less than a half hour, the entire ship was covered in countless linked arrays. Eighty-Eight reported that their work had been completed, saluted Naruto, and directed the clones to spread out across the water surrounding the ship. While they didn't have enough chakra to last the journey, they would guard their creator while he focused on speeding up the ship.
The Uzumaki brought his hands up, slowly forming the hand seals required. Finishing on the last seal, he held it, letting the wind blow without unleashing it. "Let's begin."
A gust of wind, the likes of which Sencho had never seen before, swept up from behind. The sails caught, and the canvas strained. The mast creaked, but held firm, the eight arrays glowing brightly. With a jolt, the Wind Rose raced forward, her hull slicing through the water like a knife through butter. On that day, she earned her name.
The world snapped back in focus with a jolt. "This isn't a nightmare, is it?" It was more of a statement than a question.
"No." It was Haku who answered, her voice soft and understanding. "It is not a nightmare." She reached out and placed a hand on Sakura's shoulder. "But you are not alone. Your parents are alive. Focus on that."
"They are alive." The icy fingers that had wrapped around her heart since she had read those terrible words loosened, "They are safe."
From her chair that was near Sakura's, Hinata nodded. "Yes. They are safe."
The lingering dread trickled away, leaving Sakura hollow. "How could someone do that to them?" The question hung in the air, "Why would anyone target them?" Closing her eyes, the pink haired kunoichi breathed in and then out. "Tsunade's letter mentioned that they had targeted my parents specifically. That means that it wasn't a random attack. That means...that they wanted something. They wanted…" Embers glowed inside Sakura's chest. "...They targeted Mom and Dad because of me." They sparked. "They tried to hurt me through Dad and Mom." There was a fire now burning inside. "They hurt those I care about because they wanted a reaction." Green eyes flashed, hints of red mixed with jade. "Ohhhh...I'll give them a reaction."
"Sakura-chan." Honoka's voice was sharp, cutting through the red haze filling Sakura's mind, "Calm yourself. Now is not the time to give into your anger."
"Why not?" Sakura spun to face the Uzumaki Kunoichi, "They tried to kill my parents." There was something seductive in the rage that simmered within to Sakura, the fire whispering of power. Why were they trying to stop her? The anger was righteous, she was sure of it. How dare they question her?
Sakura froze at the thought, her anger leaving her in an icy deluge. The floorboard squeaked when she shifted slightly. Glancing down, she couldn't help but stare at the cracks spidering outwards. Lifting her foot, she swallowed. The cracks had started from her footstep. "I...I...I almost lost control." She had almost broken her promise to herself, to Naruto, to Hinata and Haku. She had almost done something she could never take back. She slumped to her knees, the dull pain a welcome punishment.
"Oh Kami." It was a half sob, half shuddering mummer, "I'm so, so sorry." Footsteps neared, and Sakura braced herself for the incriminating words she was sure she deserved.
"It's alright." Hinata's arms wrapped around her, warm and loving. "We all sometimes lose ourselves."
"We don't blame you." Haku wrapped her arms around Sakura. "We all struggle."
"We forgive you." Honoka wrapped her arms around the pinkette. "You are not alone."
Her eyes burned and her chest ached from the force of holding back the tears. But the tide could not be stopped.
"Wh-why did they hurt Mom and Dad?" Sakura choked out, forcing the question out past the tears and the lump in her throat, "Who could hate them that much?" Her shoulders shook, "Why?"
Eventually the tears ran out and Sakura sighed. It was odd, she noted, to be both relieved and hollow at the same time. She took a deep breath. Then another and another. Each breath cleared her head just a little bit more. Wiping the tears from her cheeks, she smiled at her friends. It was a shaky thing, but it firm. "Thank-you."
Standing along with the others, she moved back to her original seat and unsealed a notepad. "Dad and Mom are safe. Tsunade-Sama's letter stated that they are being guarded and the Guardians are watching others. That's going to escalate things." She glanced at the others. "Let's figure out how to save our friends and why someone did this."
"What do we do? What do we do?"
Atsushi sneered behind his porcelain mask at the panic in the civilian council. They were like sheep unfit for anything but the slaughter, unwilling to save themselves from the fire, too weak to do anything. They were pathetic. Not because they were civilians, but because they lacked the will to act. To save themselves. They just let themselves be tormented and enslaved. They were weak.
History would not remember them.
"But it will remember me." His eyes glinted. "Atsushi, the man who took down the strongest ninja village. Not with some overpowered jutsu or mutant bloodline, but through being a man of conviction. By understanding the mind of those around him, he manipulated those who thought themselves superior. Atsushi: The 'civilian' who laid Konoha low."
Glancing back as the voices rose again, he judged they were almost desperate enough to listen to any advice without questioning it. Almost desperate enough to grasp anything that looked like a lifeline. The missing nin were ready, and all that remained was that final small push by the council. After that point, it wouldn't matter. There would be no stopping the civil war.
"When the Kyuubi comes back, it will destroy us for the attack against the Harunos!" Atsushi couldn't see who was shouting, nor did he care. "We still don't know who is to blame for that, but we are all going to pay the price. We must do something!".
"There it is." Letting his chair legs scrape the floor as he pushed it back and stood, Atsushi slipped on the mental mask he had perfected long ago. "What we need is a plan." The entire council fell silent at his words, unconsciously stepping closer to listen. "Finding out who attacked the Harunos doesn't matter anymore. The situation has deteriorated far beyond that. We need to start thinking of how we can protect our families."
"The reality is that we, the Humanitarians, are on our own. Everyone else is against us. The cruel truth is that it's us or them." He scanned the room, seeming to be burdened by the words, "We have to gather all of our allies we can, and steel ourselves. We must be prepared to do terrible things in order to protect those we care about." There were uncertain nods around the room. "I know that what we have to do could be seen as treason, but we must press on."
"Is it not we who have been betrayed?" The question hung in the air. "Was it not us who suffered so terribly at the hands of that monster, that demon, all those years ago?" The audience listened, spellbound. "But did they care? Those people in the high tower? No," Atsushi shook his head, outrage laced in his tone, "They did not. But we didn't need them, did we?" The crowd murmured in agreement. "We buried our loved ones and rebuilt our shattered lives."
"And what of the monster who took so much from us? Did it die?" Many in the council were scowling now, remembering the aftermath of that night, the fear that had turned to anger.
"No." Atsushi began to pace, manic energy almost palatable. "It didn't. In fact, it was protected from harm. As if it hadn't destroyed our homes. As if it hadn't killed our loved ones."
"Who," He stopped suddenly and turned to face them, "Who stopped us from taking our righteous vengeance on the demon who took so much from us?"
"The Hokage!" The sound tumbled forth from their lips, "The ones in charge."
"That's right." Atsushi's approval was filled with pride, "They stopped us." He spun on his heel and pointed towards the hokage tower from the window, "It was them. The Hokage. The ANBU. The Loyalists. The Guardians. They. All. Stopped. Us. They prevented us from taking what is ours by right! They prevented justice."
The mob roared in agreement. How dare they stop what was right and just?
"Even now, there are heroes held prisoner. Even now men, brave men who stood against those monsters are kept bound and chained, unable to defend themselves." He spun back to the crowd and clenched his fists. "How dare they hold them? They did nothing wrong. Unless," He spread his arms, "Fighting monsters is a crime now. That's not a place I want to live." Their shouts of denial shook the walls.
"What if we didn't take it anymore? What if we saved those heroes? What if we took a stand against the darkness? What if we said NO MORE?" Atsushi raised his fist in the air. "WHO'S WITH ME?"
Every fist shot in the air without hesitation. As shouts for vengeance and violence filled the room, Atsushi smiled behind his mask.
The ground shook as Gamabunta hurled itself across the landscape. The toad boss cleared several hundred feet with each rapid bound as Jiraiya crouched on the summon's head. "Jiraiya." Gamabunta's voice boomed, "I am about half empty of my chakra. I can still go for a few more hours before I have to go back to the summon realm. Please rest. Worrying won't help you. If you rest, you can keep moving once I leave. You should be able to reach Konoha within a day or so if you keep summoning our clan."
"I can't." The white haired sannin shook his head, "Not until I figure out how to prevent the civil war from happening." The spymaster had spent the last month tracking down leads on the missing ninja who had attempted to assassinate Ino Yamanaka. It had lead him across the Land of Fire, up through the Land of Hot Tea and the Land of Frost, and into the Land of Lightning. From there, a tip from one of his spies on supplies being shipped from the Land of Earth to Konoha led him to Iwa.
It had been difficult to infiltrate Iwa, but Jiraiya was a spymaster for a reason. After succeeding, he was able to contact the two deep cover spies he had spent several years converting to Konoha's cause. All that effort paid off on that day. One of the spies, Jibachi Kamizuru, had found evidence that missing ninjas and supplies were originating from somewhere deep in the Land of Earth, passing through the Land of Grass, and into the Land of Fire. The toad sannin searched for the base, but it refused to be found.
Turning his attention to the missing nin and the supplies, the spymaster tracked them to a small staging area inside the Land of Grass. After dispatching the band of nin guarding the base, Jiraiya made a horrifying discovery. He had suspected that there were traitors inside Konoha, perhaps from Iwa.
He was wrong.
Factions within Konoha - almost certainly the Humanitarian faction by the raw amount of ryo they were fronting - were buying explosive tags, weapons, and sealing scrolls. Contracts for missing nin were also on each of the ninjas that Jiraiya had taken down, and each one had the same code word written in the instructions: Holy Justice.
That had been twelve days ago.
Writing a letter to warn Tsunade almost immediately, the toad sannin summoned the messenger toad and sent it off. But before it could deliver the message, it had disappeared. Even now, it had still not shown up in the summoning realm. With no other option, Jiraiya had summoned one of the larger toads and rushed off towards Konoha. He prayed that he was not too late.
Kami willing, this evidence would prevent the war.
Guard duty wasn't the most exciting job, but it was important, Masashi knew. He and another Chunin, Natashi, had been assigned to watch the holding cells in the southern section of the village. Normally there was more than two Chunin guarding each of the holding cells scattered about the village, but with all of the unrest, the guards had been reassigned to other areas.
Scanning the surrounding area again, he couldn't fight the feeling that something wasn't right. As if summoned by the thoughts, someone stepped from the shadows and into the small courtyard. "Halt." Masashi dropped his hand to his kunai pouch, "Who is there?" Out the corner of his eye, he noted that Natashi had tensed as well.
"It's me, Reizo." The figure raised his hands and stepped fully into the light. "Don't you recognize me?"
"Oh sorry." Signalling for his partner to stand down as he relaxed at the sight of his friend, Masashi strolled forward to meet Reizo for a handshake. "What are you doing here, Reizo?"
"Oh, you know," Reizo's eyes roamed around the courtyard after he released the hand shake, "Out for a walk while I still can. Is it just you two?"
"Yeah. While you still can?" Masashi repeated, "What's wrong?"
"It's…" Reizo hesitated, "...The curfew that will probably be coming out soon." Breathing out an aggravated sigh, at Masashi's confused look, the ninja continued. "Look at what's happening to our village. Do you think that they aren't going to institute a curfew?"
"They?"
"The people making the decisions." Reizo pointed in the direction of the Hokage Tower, "Not people like us. Not like you and me."
The unnamable dread that had settled in Masashi's stomach intensified. "Reizo, what are you saying? The Godaime Hokage is trying to keep the peace."
"Of course she is." Reizo placated as he took a few steps away, "I'm just saying that curfews are the first step."
"The first step to what?" The sickening sensation increased, "Reizo, talk to me. What's wrong?" Masashi took a step forward, "Is something going on?"
"I don't know." Reizo didn't move, "I wasn't sure of a lot of things until recently. Do you think the Uzumaki is going to be back soon?" He asked abruptly, "Think he'll be angry?"
"Naruto?" Masashi blinked, "You mean because of what happened to the Harunos?" Caution began to whisper in his head, but he shoved it away. Reizo just to be shown the truth. "If so, then yeah. Who wouldn't be mad if someone tried to kill your girlfriend's parents?" He took a step closer to Reizo and offered his hand. "Just...calm down and let me help."
The silence stretched between them.
Eventually Reizo spoke, his voice equal parts sadness and resolve. "You're right. Protecting your family is the most important thing." Caution's whispers began to scream inside Masashi. "Sometimes, in order to keep those we care about safe, we have to make sacrifices." He turned to Masashi. "I'm sorry."
He took two steps forward. Something flashed in the light. Pain bloomed in Masashi's side.
Jerking away from Reizo out of reflex, he stared at the kunai jutting out of his jacket. "Wha-What?" Numbly, he reached out and touched the dark wetness slowly staining his combat vest. "Did Reizo stab me?" Shocked eyes lifted towards his friend. "Wha…" A wet cough wracked his body, "Why?"
"I'm sorr-" A shuriken dropped Reizo from finishing his sentence. Turning towards Natashi, Masashi noted that his partner was charging towards him, shouting his name.
Natashi never made it. From out of the darkness a dozen shuriken and kunai tore through the night and into the Chunin. Disconnectedly, Masashi noted that Natashi had his hands raised as if to spike his chakra. "Oh right. I should do that." Turning to look at his arms that refused to respond, Masashi blinked at the four additional kunai that had appeared in his chest and arms. "Oh. That's why they aren't working anymore."
His legs stopped working and his eyesight grew dim. Falling forward, Masashi watched as several masked Konoha ninja raced by him. The impact of the ground jarred his teeth. "That hurt." The thought was distant and wispy, "I don't want to do that again." A hand grabbed his shoulder and pulled, rolling him onto his back.
A masked face stared at him. But even with the mask, Masashi recognized the man. "Uncle?" The face behind the mask tightened, and steel flashed in the light.
Uragiri snapped awake at the sound of a heavy thud outside of the holding cells. Something was wrong. Something was very wrong. Sitting up and shifting to the left, the ex-Yamanaka stood. Slowly, carefully, he made his way towards the prison bars. Reaching out to touch them - anchoring yourself was the first step to disband a genjutsu if you were unable to mold chakra - he felt the familiar cool, almost cold metal under his fingertips.
The door to the cell block slammed open. Jumping back, his heart in his throat, Uragiri watched as a half of a dozen masked men and women stormed into the cell block. After they verified that there wasn't any more guards, one of the masked men tore off the mask.
"Fuck! It wasn't supposed to go down like this."
"Calm down. We knew what might happen." One of the others raised their mask as well and placed a comforting hand on the man's shoulder, "We did what we had to."
"I know. It's just…..fuck."
"Uragiri Yamanaka." Uragiri turned to face the speaker, "We are here to rescue you."
"What?" Uragiri blinked, "Rescue me from what?"
The masked man blinked as well. "From your cell?" It was both a question and a statement.
It was then that it all clicked with horrifying clarity. The sense of wrongness. The lack of a jailor. That thud from earlier. The cursing man. They had killed the jailer, and the guards outside. And no one might be aware. Outrage stormed through him. They had pushed the village over the edge. Because of them, everyone he cared about was in danger. Opening his mouth to lambast the man, the words caught in his throat as he realized that perhaps no one knew. That no one knew that peace was over.
But...if these men and women could be caught in the act, if they could be brought to justice, peace could be restored. The Yamanaka clan would be safe. His clan would be safe.
"Thank-you." The words tasted like acid on his tongue. "Thank-you for rescuing me. Can you get me out?" The man nodded, relieved, and fished out a key from his pocket. Uragiri did his best to ignore the damp crimson staining the key. With a metallic clunk, the door unlocked. Resisting the urge to slam it into the man's face, Uragiri waited until he stepped out of the way before opening the cell.
Glancing at the others, he noticed that the other ex-Yamanaka members who had also been captured by Jiraiya didn't share his unease. He was alone. "Let's go." Noticing his 'rescuers' attention diverted to the others, Uragiri edged to the side. When they didn't pay attention, he bolted for the cell block door.
Shouts behind him echoed in the building, and Uragiri ran even faster. "If I can get to the guards' desk, I can trigger the alarm." He was nearly halfway when the others figured out what he was doing.
Pain sliced through his shoulder as a kunai skimmed it. Twenty feet. A lamp shattered beside him, glass shards flying in all directions. Ten feet. A shuriken clipped his side. Five feet. Piercing agony spiked in his back. Stumbling forwards, his hands slapped the desk. Reaching forward, he slammed his hand on the alarm button.
The alarm began to wail.
The six Humanitarians burst out the front door and skidded to a halt. Ten Humanitarian ninja guarded outside, arms raised and ready for battle. Opposite them, fifteen ninja were also readied themselves. "Stand down in the name of the Hokage."
"Fuck you! We aren't going to be stopped by monster-lovers anymore. We are taking Konoha back!" Weapons were drawn.
"This is your last warning. Surrender or we will be forced to make you!"
"If you try, I'll kill you. Back off!"
"Lethal force will be met with lethal force."
Chakra spiked, and each person watched their enemies' hands. There would be no compromise, not now.
With a blur, the Godaime Hokage landed at the center, the stone cracking from the force of her landing. "Calm down." There was a terrible deadliness to tone that allowed no rebuttal. "You won't be starting a war. Not tonight." The Slug Sannin glared at both groups. "Anyone who wants to try has to go through me."
Both groups froze. Fighting enemies to protect the ones you cared about was one thing, but fighting a Sannin was something else entirely. Weapons were drawn back, still unsheathed but now held defensively. Who could stand against someone like her?
"Hokage-Sama," One of the Loyalists took a step forward, "Why are you stopping us from taking these traitors into custody?" The words of Leaf-San echoed in his mind.
"...Anyone who stands against you, no matter their station, stands against peace. In order to keep the peace; in order for Konoha to survive; in order to keep the world safe and secure, you must harden your heart and do what must be done. Do not hesitate. Do not waver. You are the only hope left, the Loyal few."
"Please stand aside." Several more of the Loyalists strode into the courtyard and stood beside him as he spoke, "We must have peace."
"You won't get peace," Tsunade shook her head, memories of the horrors of the Third Great Ninja War flashing across her mind, "Not like this. You don't know war." The bloody fields and the dead children. "There is no glory. No victor. Only...survivors."
"Sometimes we have to take the hard road to bring peace." Another Loyalist stepped up, moving off to her left. Just a few more feet and he would have a straight shot at the Humanitarians. "Stand down Hokage-Sama. I know you think what you are doing is right, but have to pick our side or theirs."
"You want peace?" Those present flinched at the hard edge in her voice, "This is not how you get peace. We will take the Humanitarians in and they will be tried in a fair trial. Trust me, they will be brought to justice."
Several ANBU dropped beside her, some facing the Loyalists and some facing the Humanitarians.
The Loyalist leader glanced down at the bloodstained stone where Masashi fell. "No." He shook his head, "We will have justice tonight. We will end the threat to Konoha now. Stand aside."
"You misunderstand." The Slug Sannin raised her foot off the ground, "I was asking before...politely." Her foot came down.
The ground shattered beneath her foot shattered. The stone split and cracked, pulverized and broken. The crack of the ground was almost a weapon. The nearest Loyalists and Humanitarians were blown back, smashing into their fellow members. All eyes stared in shock at the Sannin who had attacked them. "Surrender." There was no compromise, no forgiveness in her voice."Or I will make you."
The ANBU tensed as Tsunade dropped into a combat stance. The Loyalists and Humanitarians took a few steps back, unconsciously forming a unit. The leaders of the two groups shook their heads. What were they thinking? They couldn't take on the Hokage. She was too powerful.
It was then, that the peace was obliterated.
BOOOOOOMMMM
At the far end of the village, five crates of explosive tags detonated. Flames mushroomed upwards, lighting the night with hungry light.
Everyone in the courtyard froze, staring in horror at the unthinkable. Then...there was another.
BOOOOOOMMMM
It was at the east section of the village this time.
BOOOOOOMMMM
The south.
BOOOOOOMMMM
North.
BOOOOOOMMMM
BOOOOOOMMMM
BOOOOOOMMMM
In the moments that followed, no one moved. No one dared to even breathe. What kind of monsters would do such a thing?
"They did it!" The voice came from somewhere, yet everywhere, "Kill them!" A kunai shot out of the dark and shattered a window. "Kill them all!"
Peace was forgotten. Weapons were drawn. Rage screamed in their minds.
"Die!" The cry was taken up, over and over. The courtyard shook with the fury of their words. Hands blitzed through handseals. "Die you monsters!"
The courtyard exploded into chaos.
Ninja clashed with ninja. Friend with friend. Screams of rage and cries of pain echoed and ebbed amidst the carnage. Tsunade slammed her fist against the ground, sending a section of stone upwards to block a fireball. Instincts honed by war enabled her to dodge the bracer of kunai thrown her way. Four ninja converged on her, and the world disappeared into a blur of blood, chakra, and instincts.
Backhanding an attacker before he could finish the jutsu, the Sannin charged another group who had finished butchering two others. A stomp knocked them off balance, opening up their defensive line. Grabbing one, she threw him into another, hurling them back and into the wall. Her left fist slammed into another's jaw, snapping it like a twig, while her right caught a sword that would have opened her from hip to shoulder. Shunting aside the pain, she tore the sword out of their hands and snapped a kick outward. The force lifted them thirty feet into the air and over the courtyard wall.
The world snapped back into focus.
A whimper of agony drew her attention. Turning, she beheld the carnage. Shattered and blackened stone mixed with mangled bodies. The courtyard was silent. Turning to her ANBU, she allowed herself a moment despair. She had failed. Tears burned her eyes. She had failed Minato. Kushina. Nawaki. Jiraiya. And most of all, she had failed Naruto.
Taking a deep breath, she forced the emotions away, locking them deep down inside. "Gather everyone. We are stopping this fight." She met each of their eyes. "We planned for this moment, but prayed it never would come. But it has. Incapacitate who you can, but do not endanger yourselves. We must protect the innocent. Sweep the shelters and bunkers. Enlist the Guardians if they are not already defending themselves, and have them start taking the non-combatants to the shelters you have verified are secure."
"Your will be done Hokage!" With a flicker of sound, the elite soldiers of the Hokage vanished to gather the others. Turning to face the sounds of the heaviest fighting, deep within the village, Tsunade took a deep breath and hardened her heart. It was time to stop being the Hokage for now. It was time to be a Guardian.
So what did you think? Drop a review and let me know.
On Atsushi: In case I have failed to make things clear, Atsushi normally wears two masks (actual porcelain masks). The first is "Human-san" and it is his persona that he uses when he is talking/manipulating the Humanitarians. The second is "Leaf-san" and he uses that mask when he is interacting with the Loyalists. However, Atsushi has been around since before the Chunin exams. He's been planning for the civil war since then.
On Masashi: Remember the Chunin who was inspired by Naruto when Sound invaded in the Chunin exams? That was him.
To my reviewers direct questions:
FOWLKON: You would be correct. As for who decided to target the Harunos, it might not have been the Humanitarians, not precisely.
wolfboy27778: It's less of understanding love at this point, and more of Naruto not being able to understand why they love him. With all that has happened to him as a child (at least the first 9 years of his life), he's having a hard time understanding why they would choose him. He's getting better, but he needs it to "click" for the final step. If that explanation doesn't make sense, let me know and I'll shoot you a PM with a more detailed explanation.
Nin-Guest: I actually picked up AC: Origins recently and I gotta say, it's friggin awesome. Granted, I've been kinda ignoring the modern plot, but the game itself is back to old and awesome AC. But back to HotE, the attempted assassination was just the spark to kick things off. The real darkness starts this chapter. And yeah, Naruto is just a tad bit pissed at the people who sent the assassins after Sakura's parents, which might been their plan. Either way, the Leaf isn't going to be the same by the time he and this rest of his group gets back to Konoha.
The Critic: Looking back at the chapter, I didn't explain stuff as well as I should have. I meant to subtly say that Naruto's address was the only one in the book, and the rest was just a genealogy codex, since Bloodlines and clan inheritance is very important to them. I'm hoping to go back and fix that.
The Critic: While I definitely agree that Sasuke appears to be poorly written, you have to remember that HotE is an unreliable narrator. As far as the hug goes, Naruto doesn't freeze in response simply because he trusts Sakura. He didn't think someone who Sakura trusts (her mother) would hurt him, he just didn't understand what she was doing. Given that most "new" things in his life ended up hurting, he judged that "it didn't hurt" due to that, not because he feared getting hurt. However, I respectfully disagree on your final two points. The main characters (as of chapter 4) are twelve, yes, but they are far from children. They are child soldiers, raised to make adult level decisions at that point, not to mention the societal differences between their society and ours. As far as Sarutobi goes, they lost a significant amount of manpower from the Kyubi attack, and even if they hadn't, they don't have security everywhere 24/7, given that would required more manpower then than they have. Then not all of the guards are reporting everything, especially when it comes to Naruto. Lastly, Sarutobi is willingly (as of chapter 4) blinding himself to the truth. It's a perfectly human response given the tragedies that have befallen him. He's not perfect.