Chapter 41. Under the Veil of Night
"The brightest light cannot shine forever. Once it dims, darkness enters."
|3rd Person|
Guy stood beside Shikamaru's hospital bed and stared down at the man, heavily in thought. A light knock at the door brought him out of his meditative state, and he turned his head to call for the person to come in before looking back at Shikamaru.
"Gomennasai," Iruka apologized as he stepped into the room, sliding the door shut behind him, "I hope I'm not interrupting."
"No, you're not." Guy shook his head, "I was just thinking—wondering how it got like this."
Iruka nodded as he held a gentle hand to Shikamaru's forehead, brushing his hair back idly.
"…He was always a good kid." Iruka shared after a pause, "Lazy, yeah; and he didn't want to put it any more effort than necessary, but when it came down to it, if something had to be done, he'd sit up and focus."
Guy placed a hand on Iruka's back, "He'll live, Iruka. The doctors said the surgery was a success. All we can do now is wait."
"If only they would've said the same for Kakashi, he'd still be—" Iruka cut himself off as his emotions overwhelmed him, "Gomen, I…gomen."
"Daijōbu." Guy waved aside his apology, understanding his sentiments, "Kakashi's situation was…wishful thinking. They did the best they could."
"They didn't and you know it." Iruka disagreed bitterly, "You told me they said they couldn't use so much of their Type O blood bags on one person. A hospital refused to care for a patient because…because what?"
"Iruka, calm down." Guy quietly advised him, "You know Type O blood is mainly used for emergencies or freak accidents."
"And Kakashi dying wasn't an emergency?!" Iruka hissed, his eyes gleaming as tears threatened to pour over, "Why are you defending them, Guy-san? You know they're in the wrong!"
Guy clapped a firm hand on Iruka's shoulder, "There's only one person responsible for this and we both know it."
Iruka bit his lower lip as his tears fell, and Guy sighed before releasing him and turning for the door.
"I won't blame the hospital for the decision they made." Guy maintained, "Kakashi had already lost so much blood when I found him, by the time we got here, there was nothing they could do. They're doctors, Iruka, not gods."
Iruka didn't answer him, and the light pang of the heart rate monitor remained the only sound in the room. Guy stood in place for a few more seconds before sighing once more and straightening up.
"I won't be back for a while. Take care of yourself."
"…O-Okay." Iruka choked back a sob, and Guy shut the door after he'd exited the room, not wanting to eavesdrop on his friend's grief.
He continued down the hallway and once he'd reached the elevator, he pressed the yellow button off to the side to call for it. Crossing his arms, Guy shut his eyes in hopes of getting his unorganized thoughts together, but a familiar voice prevented him from doing so.
"I thought that was you, Guy-san." Guy turned to the cropped brown-haired man approaching him, "You were walking so fast, I almost didn't catch you."
"Yamato…" Guy identified the man just as the elevator arrived, "Aa, I want to put an end to all this as soon as possible."
Yamato stepped in beside him and pressed the button for the parking garage, "Chief Sai wants to do the same, that's why he sent me to escort you to the Nagi Street precinct."
Guy nodded thoughtfully as the elevator door shut.
"So, what's the plan?" Yamato questioned once the elevator began its descent.
"You tell me." Guy rubbed his jaw, "Aren't you here to fill me in?"
Yamato cracked a smile, "Of course, I'll inform you once we're in the car. Gomen, I just wanted to lighten the mood."
"Mm." Guy hummed as the elevator came to a stop, "Excuse me for not laughing."
And how could he after all that he'd learned today? A massacre in the park? His longtime friend and rival murdered by someone he could've trusted with his life?
Guy thought back to the state he'd found Kakashi in: disoriented, lukewarm, and lying in a pool of his own blood. After calling for an ambulance, he'd tried his best to stop the bleeding, but it was clear that his best was no help.
When the paramedics arrived, they informed Guy that Kakashi had lost too much blood, but Guy insisted that they keep up their efforts.
"Kakashi, fight!" Guy yelled at his friend as they lifted him onto the stretcher and into the back of the ambulance, "Don't give up!"
Alas, Guy's attempts at keeping Kakashi afloat were well-intentioned at most. Kakashi's heart gave out just as the ambulance arrived at the emergency room. Guy yelled at the nurses and attendings for support, but it was clear to even the untrained eye that nothing could save him.
With a heavy heart, Guy allowed the doctors to clean Kakashi up before calling Iruka to inform him of the news. The beloved principal of Konoha High School came as soon as he could, and promptly fell to his knees upon seeing Kakashi's corpse. As Iruka's grief ran its course, Guy stood off to the side and tightened his fists.
He was angry. Angry beyond words, angry beyond looks, angry beyond feelings. Obito would pay, that much was guaranteed, but how?
If Guy was being honest, he had experienced and heard of death far too much. The bloodshed, the killings, the overwhelming sense of loss…Guy hadn't felt this mentally taxed since he was a teenager, and even so, it somehow felt worse now.
Maybe it was because he was a member of the police and supposed to be preventing all this tragedy that made it feel worse. Seeing how his failure to do his job had turned the city upside down hurt him more than he would ever say, which was why when he learned of Shikamaru's condition, he immediately assigned a unit to protect the unconscious ANBU agent.
He returned to the collapsing cavern that was his headspace as he sat in the younger man's hospital room, but after an unknown amount of time, a commotion outside drew him out of his melancholy mood. While he'd wanted to ignore it, the louder things got, the more annoyed he became. Imagine Guy's shock then when he came face-to-face with the previously deceased Naruto.
Of course, when Naruto learned of Kakashi's death, he flared up as Guy had expected him to; but he also deflated just as quickly when Kakashi's killer was named. Noting the same pained look in Naruto's eyes as he struggled to take everything in, Guy invited the conflicted fire chief into Shikamaru's room and told him all he knew.
Naruto's breath hitched at the sight of his friend, and he knelt beside Shikamaru's bed and took his right hand in his own as Guy spoke. When Guy had finished his tale, Naruto stood up from the floor and turned to him, his blue eyes wet and dispirited. Guy immediately wrapped the man in a hug and allowed him to shed his tears on his shoulder before eventually calming him down and asking him to explain his own circumstances.
With a deep breath, Naruto did his best to describe where he'd been hours ago and took great care to describe the man that had performed the miracle which had brought him back to life.
"His name is Orochimaru." Naruto nodded his head as he thought of the man, "If you saw him on the street, you'd pay attention to him, ya know. And he can do anything, I mean anything. I was lumps of flesh and he still brought me back, Guy-sensei. If there's something left, that guy can work with it."
"Guy-san?" Yamato's voice brought Guy out of his thoughts, and it was then that he realized they were by his car.
"Gomen." Guy apologized with a shake of his head before unlocking the vehicle, "I've got a lot on my mind."
"I can imagine," Yamato sympathized as he settled into the passenger seat, "But do your best to focus on the present. The chief created a Joint Task Force comprised of KPD's elite and the ANBU's best agents. We named the operation *Tasogare and according to him, you'll be taking point."
Guy's eyebrows raised at this, and he turned the car on before replying, "Why would he pass on the chance to lead when he knows we've been compromised?"
"He didn't give an explanation, but as you know the chief's number two was injured during this afternoon's debacle, so I'm sure he knows what you're going through." Yamato offered his own analysis as he buckled up, "We all want the same thing, Guy-san: justice."
Guy's jaw tightened as he put the car in reverse and backed out of his parking spot, "Aa."
The car became silent as Guy drove them down the ramp and approached the parking gate, and after scanning the QR code on his phone, Guy relaxed into his seat and waited for the barrier to raise.
"So, is it true?" Yamato questioned as he cleared his throat, turning to look at Guy, "About Senpai, I mean."
"Aa, he's…he's gone." Guy's mind returned to his deceased friend, "He'd lost so much blood. I tried to help him but…"
There was a pause before Yamato spoke again, "May he rest in peace."
"Amen."
••••
The drive to the Nagi Street precinct didn't take long, but when they arrived Guy had to look twice at the building, which was now unrecognizable. What was once a friendly neighborhood police station now looked like a military outpost straight out of 1940s Germany. Armed guards patrolled the building's perimeter while K-9 units sniffed every person who stood in line to enter the fort.
"Inuzuka," Guy called to a man with slicked-back brown hair and red markings on his cheeks, "What's going on?"
"As soon as Chief Sai arrived, his forces took command of the precinct and set up some defenses." Kiba informed him as a shaggy white-haired dog bounded up to them and climbed up on the window, "Down, Akamaru. Sorry about that, sir."
Guy waved a hand, "No apology needed. Am I correct in assuming I won't have to stand in line with everyone else?"
"Of course!" Kiba nodded his head, "The ANBU might've taken over, but everyone knows who still runs this show. Just park the car and come to the front; I'll get you in if there's any trouble."
"Arigato, Inuzuka." Guy rolled his window back up before driving into the precinct's parking lot, and once he was sure about his spot, he shut the car off and turned to Yamato with an expectant look.
Yamato smiled as he unbuckled his seatbelt, "After you, Guy-san."
True to his word, Kiba stood by the front waiting for the two men, and once he spotted them, he waved for them to come forward. Just as Kiba had said, the armed guards stepped aside, and Guy gave them a courteous nod before proceeding up the stairs and into the building.
Inside the precinct was even more militarized than the outside, with heavy weaponry, gadgets, vests, masks, and more laid out as far as the eye could see. After approaching one such table, Guy lifted one of the sage green vests and wasn't shocked to find it weighed more than five pounds.
"That one suits you." Guy turned in the direction of the compliment and met a battle-ready Sai walking towards him, "The last time we spoke, you told me you were a fan of the color green."
"Aa, my father had a knack for it." Guy nodded as he held out his hand, "Thanks for bringing me onboard."
"Of course." Sai shook his hand strongly, "Although I wish we were meeting under different circumstances. You'll want to wear that vest now; it'll take some getting used to."
Guy pulled the vest that he'd been holding over his head and tightened the straps on the side before looking to Yamato for criticism. Yamato nodded and gave him a light before Guy turned back to Sai.
"Yamato tells me you've gathered the best of the best." Guy paraphrased as he eyed the dark-haired woman behind him, "I assume you have a plan to utilize everyone?"
Sai raised a hand, motioning down the hall, "Of course. Come this way, we have much to discuss."
Guy followed Sai to the Roku room, and unsurprisingly, the remaining members of the Six were seated around the central oval black table. Their solemn expressions reflected the serious nature of the current state of things, but Guy couldn't help but recall the light-hearted faces that usually graced this table. Was gloom and grief all that remained for them?
"Gentlemen." Guy greeted the Six, moving past his own wistful thinking, "I assume everyone is aware of Obito's betrayal."
Itachi, Shisui, and Sakasaki nodded in confirmation, and Guy turned back to Sai to give him the floor. Sai gave Guy's shoulder a grateful touch before stepping forward and grabbing a remote off the table. With the press of a button, a projector came to life, and all those in the room looked at the image of Obito being projected on the wall.
"For whatever reason, Uchiha Obito has joined Akatsuki. It's believed that he's been cooperating with them for months if not years, and if that's the case, we can assume that your previous plans to apprehend them have been revealed." Sai clicked a button and a picture of an orange-haired man with black piercings appeared next, "This is Pain, the leader of Akatsuki. He recently met with Otsutsuki Jigen at an undisclosed area Northwest of Konoha, and thanks to the ANBU's Intelligence Unit, Obito has been tracked to the same place through his phone. As we speak, they are triangulating his location to give us his exact coordinates. Once we have that information, we can move out."
Sai paused to give any of them an opportunity to speak, and that's when Sakasaki raised his hand.
After Sai nodded, Sakasaki directed all their eyes to him as he spoke, "It's best if we agree that peacefully apprehending members of Akatsuki is no longer an option, which is why I suggest a shoot-on-sight policy for this operation."
"I agree." Hinoto concurred with a nod, "They have connections that go beyond our jurisdiction. If we allow them a chance at court, the justice system will not deliver."
Shisui crossed his arms, "I'm as angry as anyone about the havoc they've wreaked on the city, but to say that every person we'll find at this location deserves death is not just wrong, but dangerous. We are law enforcement, not soldiers – if we go in guns blazing, what separates us from them?"
"Anyone who chose to associate with Akatsuki knew the risks." Sakasaki spat hotly, "They have no one to blame but themselves."
Shisui looked Sakasaki square in the face then, "I'm angry about the commissioner's death as well, but I won't let vengeance be the reason why we make a terrible mistake."
Guy clapped his hands as a dark look spread on Sakasaki's face, and all those in the room turned to him, "We will give every member a chance to surrender, as is required by law. Anyone who refuses will be dealt with accordingly, but I will not execute those willing to cooperate, is that understood?"
Guy looked to Sakasaki as he finished speaking and Sakasaki begrudgingly nodded his head. Satisfied, Guy turned to Sai to continue.
"Gomen but," Itachi stood up just before Sai could speak, "Aside from these rules of engagement, there's the issue of my brother and Karin. Is there any chance we can extract them before things begin?"
"Of course not." Hinoto scoffed, "Do you seriously think they're still alive now that Obito's openly defected?"
"Don't underestimate them." Itachi replied calmly, though his eyes held a dangerous glint to them due to Hinoto's insinuation, "Obito has been in contact with Akatsuki for some time; if they wanted to kill them, they would've done so a long time. I'm willing to bet they're still alive and still operating under the assumption that their mission hasn't been compromised."
Yamato shook his head, "Regardless, there is no way we can get them out without alerting Akatsuki of our plan. When we arrive and things begin, we have to trust that they'll be able to escape of their own accord."
Shisui nudged Itachi's leg and murmured, "Don't worry. Sasuke's a sly one, and Karin's not too far off the mark. They'll be okay."
Itachi conceded before looking to Guy, "Apologies for the interruption."
Guy waved a hand, "You're concerned about your brother, it's understandable. Now, my own question has to do with the specifics of the operation. Sai, is there a headcount for how many will be joining us?"
"According to satellite imagery from the guesstimate coordinates, Akatsuki's created a makeshift town for themselves, meaning their numbers range anywhere from 500 to 4,000. I'd like for us to completely outnumber them in terms of manpower, so I requested at least 6,000 operatives. 2,000 will be used to set a perimeter for escapees, but the rest will be used for the main assault."
Guy hummed thoughtfully as he lifted a hand to his chin, "Sounds good. I want this wrapped up as swiftly as possible; how soon can we get those coordinates?"
"It's a matter of minutes." Sai assured him as he folded his hands behind his back.
"I see. Well, before you continue, I want to make one thing clear." Guy tapped the top of the table, silencing any whispers or murmurs, "There is a man by the name of Orochimaru that must be brought in alive. Any operator who fires on him will have to answer to me."
"Sir, yes, sir!" The crowd in the room acknowledged his command.
With a wave of his hand, Guy sat down and properly gave Sai the floor. Thankfully, no further interruptions occurred, and Sai was able to go over the plan for Operation Tasogare.
The goal was to infiltrate and apprehend the inner members of Akatsuki without any bloodshed. The overwhelming number of operators on standby was a precaution in case things fell apart. Sai, Yamato, and the Six would covertly enter the premises and attempt to locate Pain. If they could convince him to give himself up, they were sure the rest would follow, but if he refused…
"We'll get 'em back for what happened at the park!" A man yelled.
The crowd hollered in agreement and Sai nodded, "Let's show them what happens when you mess with Konoha."
With a wave of his hand, Sai dismissed all those present, and members of the Six stood up. None of them left the room without giving Guy a nod of respect, and Guy returned their nods with his own.
"Guy-sensei," Sai quietly called Guy by a title he hadn't heard in years, and Guy quickly turned to him, "What information do you have on Orochimaru?"
"You know of him as well?" Guy crossed his arms as his eyes reflected his interest, "How much have you heard?"
Sai thought back to the call he'd received from Ino about where Sakura had truly been all this time, "You wouldn't believe me if I told you."
"Try me." Guy urged Sai, placing a hand on his back, "If I've learned anything recently, it's that nothing is impossible."
*Tasogare means Twilight
|Naruto|
As the last bits of blood filled up the vial, the nurse removed the tube and locked the cap on it before taking the needle out of my arm. She handed me a square piece of gauze to hold to the injection site as she opened a bandage, and once the adhesive was pressed onto my skin, I flexed my arm and nodded.
She smiled before motioning towards the door, "I'm gonna take this to the lab and have it analyzed but once the results come in, the doctor will be with you shortly."
"Arigato."
Once the door clicked shut behind her, I sat back in my chair and stared at the ceiling. Kakashi Sensei was dead, a massacre at Senju park had left Shikamaru clinging to life, and all this was because of Obito.
I wanted so badly to curse him, to swear that I would stop at nothing until he'd paid for his crimes, but I just couldn't, not when I knew his end goal.
"Obito, you…" I shut my eyes tightly, "Is it really worth the cost?"
With my vision obscured, my mind drifted back to my conversation with Guy Sensei after he'd revealed Obito's betrayal.
"Obito-nii?" I repeated out of confusion, "What? No, that's…that's impossible, ya know. Obito-nii and Kakashi-sensei are like brothers. He would never—"
"He did." Guy Sensei cut me off with a definitive voice but placed a hand over my own to console me, "I know it sounds hard to believe, but he did."
Even though I knew Guy Sensei wouldn't lie about such a thing, I still couldn't come to terms with what I was hearing.
"…Why?" I finally asked, unable to think of any valid reason for Obito's actions.
Guy Sensei glanced at the others before he sighed and pulled me close, "Come. I'll tell you everything."
He motioned for me to follow him into the hospital room he'd come out of, and once I was inside, my breath was ripped right out of me. Laying in bed like a corpse was none other than Shikamaru, and once I got over my initial shock, I took a knee by him and tightly held his hand to my forehead.
"He's an ANBU agent." Guy Sensei informed me, "He was present for the Senju Park massacre this afternoon. That was the first result of Obito's treachery."
I listened to Guy Sensei recount all that had gone on in my absence, and even before then, when Akatsuki had first been made known to the police. When he finished talking, I stood up and turned to him, my eyes pained from trying not to cry. Guy Sensei hugged me thinking I was heartbroken, and I was but not for the reasons he was thinking.
Nevertheless, I took the chance to cry and get my tears out of the way, and once they had come to a stop, I pulled back.
"I know what Obito-nii's after." I wiped under my eyes as I cleared my throat, "I know why he switched sides."
"What? Why?" Guy Sensei's disposition changed.
"He wants to bring Rin back to life. And the only person who can do it is part of Akatsuki."
Guy Sensei asked me to elaborate and I did my best to explain where I'd been. Although I didn't know what exactly had been done to me, I detailed to him what I had seen, how I had felt, and who I had spoken to.
"His name is Orochimaru, and you'd pay attention to him if you saw him on the street." I nodded as I recalled his yellow snake eyes, "He can do anything, I mean anything, ya know. I was lumps of flesh and he still brought me back, Guy-sensei. If there's something left, that guy can work with it."
"Arigato, Naruto." Guy Sensei thanked me with an appreciative nod, "What you've told me will help in deciding our next move."
At the mention of future steps, Obito came to mind, and I couldn't help but ask, "Guy-sensei, when you find Obito-nii, what will you do?"
A dark look flashed on his face but he quickly replaced it with a more neutral expression before replying, "I'll let justice run its course if he cooperates."
His emphasis on 'if' didn't escape me, and I gave him a little nod to show that I understood the unspoken meaning behind it. It would be too much to ask for leniency on Obito's part, especially when I considered everything he was responsible for, directly or indirectly. Still, to say that thought of him being harmed didn't make me feel some type of way would've been a lie.
He'd killed Kakashi Sensei and caused the deaths of countless others, but I couldn't get the sunny image of him I had out of my head. He would always be Big Bro Obito to me.
A knock at the door snapped me out of my thoughts and I sat up just as it opened, expecting the doctor to step inside and tell me what they had learned from my blood test. Instead, I found a somber Boruto standing in the doorway.
"Yo, Boruto," I greeted him before my eyes dropped to his ankle brace, "Should you be walking around? Last time I checked, you're not supposed to put pressure on your injury, ya know."
"I'll be fine," Boruto brushed off my concern as he stepped inside, "I barely feel anything when I walk on it."
"That doesn't sound like a good thing."
"Enough small talk, Tou-chan." His sudden change of demeanor took me aback, and I gave him a confused look, "You think I came here so you could lecture me about my sprained ankle?"
"What? No, but since you're hurt, you shouldn't be—"
"I'm hurt?!" He yelled incredulously, "Tou-chan, you fucking died!"
He was trying to impress something upon me with that observation, but I couldn't think of any reasonable meaning behind it so I simply nodded.
"Yes, but I'm here now. I don't understand what's the problem, ya know."
"You don't understand the…?" Boruto let his words trail off with a shake of his head, and I watched in shock as tears pooled together in his eyes.
"Boruto?" I reached out to him with a steady hand as I called his name, and he stepped forward, allowing me to pull him close but ultimately stopped me from bringing us together for a hug.
Puzzled, I obeyed his silent request for space and watched as he collected himself before he spoke again.
"I was the first one to see what was left of you." He croaked, "I rode in the ambulance with your body and the EMTs didn't even try to help, ya know. You were…in pieces and I, I couldn't…!"
His voice fell apart at the end, but he didn't need to say any more for me to understand what he was getting at.
"It wasn't your fault." I assured him with a hard swallow, the emotional tension of the situation getting to me, "Yours or Kawaki's."
At the mention of Kawaki, Boruto's misty eyes narrowed in anger, and he shook his head, "It was definitely Kawaki's fault, ya know. He knew Jigen better than anyone; he never should've put you in danger."
"Boruto, listen to me," I grabbed his shoulders and forced his eyes to my own, "No one is to blame but me, okay? I promised Kawaki I would protect him and I failed, ya know. Everything that happened afterwards is on me. "
He bit his lip and looked away, but I tightened my grip on his shoulders to let him know that he wasn't going to disengage so quickly.
"What is it?" I inquired, sensing he was holding his tongue, "If you have something to say, then say it, ya know. I don't remember you being the type to keep your thoughts to yourself."
His jaw tightened as he returned his gaze to mine, "When it came to choosing between a stranger and your family, you didn't even think twice, did you?"
"Boruto, it wasn't like that. When I was a kid—"
"I know what you're gonna say," He snapped, cutting me off, "You were an outcast even within your adopted family and it wasn't until you made a name for yourself in high school that people started treating you right, ya know. You've told me and Hima your life story a million times."
I sighed before lifting a hand to my forehead, "Then you should understand why I had to protect him. Can you imagine growing up knowing that the people you call family don't love you? At least I had Sasuke, Shisui-nii, and Itachi-nii, but Kawaki has no one, ya know. He hasn't had anyone for almost twenty years! I couldn't just abandon him!"
"Kawaki isn't your family!" Boruto roared as he bawled his fists up in anger, "You did all that for him, and guess what? At the end of the day, he still went back to his dad and his million-dollar penthouse while Hima and I had to deal with the fact that our dad was gone, ya know!"
"He didn't have a choice, ya know." I argued in Kawaki's defense, "I'd just died; he couldn't risk putting anyone else in harm's way."
Boruto yanked himself free from my grip and gave me a scalding look, "This is why I didn't want to say anything."
"Boruto, wait." I called as he turned and made his way to the door, "Come on, we can talk about this!"
The door swung open just as he reached it and the doctor looked at both of us before stepping aside and allowing Boruto to pass.
"I take it you two didn't have the happiest conversation just now." The doctor noted before shutting the door.
"You can say that again." I muttered as he plopped down at his desk, "So, what's up, Doc? Did you find something or am I good to go?"
"Mm, not quite." He told me, turning his computer on, "From a physical standpoint, you're perfect – literally. Aside from its burned appearance, your right arm shows no traces of the harm previously recorded, but that isn't so surprising considering you came back from the dead. No, what really concerns me is your blood."
"My blood?" I repeated, "Why? What's wrong with it?"
"It's your cells. While observing the sample that the nurse took from you, I saw that they were rapidly multiplying and deteriorating; it was as if they were in a constant state of accelerated regeneration."
I shook my head, "I have no idea what that means."
"Bear with me." He chuckled as he opened his drawer and brought out a scalpel, "Could I see the back of your hand?"
I held my left hand out to him, and he took it in his own.
"This'll only hurt for a moment." He assured me.
"Hurt? What do you—SHIT!" I cursed as he stabbed the scalpel into my hand.
"Gomennasai," He apologized as he yanked the blade free, "But if my hypothesis is correct…"
"Hypothesis?" I flared up at the word, clutching my left hand gingerly, "You can't just experiment on someone without their consent, ya know!"
"I know but—" The doctor sucked in a sharp breath, and I hoped to see some sort of fear in recognition of his wrongdoing, but instead I found his eyes glued to my hand, an expression of awe on his face.
Following his gaze, I looked at my left hand and found what had amazed him. The deep wound that undoubtedly would've taken some weeks to heal was closing itself up before our very eyes. I watched as the last bits of ripped skin meshed together, and with that, my hand was as good as new.
"W-What?" I stuttered, unsure of how to make sense of what I'd seen, "How did it—?"
"Nanadaime," The doctor cut me off, and I raised my head to find his eyes staring into mine intently, "You instantaneously healed, and I'm sure if we take some x-rays, there won't be any sign of the stab wound. Do you know what this means?"
I hesitated to answer, not liking the gleam in his eyes, "No…?"
"You are quite possibly invincible."
••••
"Naruto-kun, daijōbu?" Hinata's warm voice floated into my ear, and I lifted my head just in time to see her shutting the door to Boruto's room as she stepped out.
"Well…actually, yeah. Yeah, I'm good." I decided against dumping my problems on her as my gaze flicked down to the shining rock on her ring finger, "How's Boruto?"
"Sleeping. Or, trying to." She answered with a small smile before tilting her head at me, "You two got into an argument."
"We had a disagreement," I corrected her before pausing, "…It was about Kawaki, and I—I tried to make Boruto see that he wasn't at fault, but he didn't agree, ya know. He said that…that I chose a stranger over my family."
Hinata touched my shoulder endearingly but didn't say anything, and my blood ran cold, "You agree with him."
"I…" She pursed her lips, carefully considering her words before continuing, "I'm sure Kawaki is a nice young man, but you spent more time with him in four days than you have with Boruto since you became fire chief. You should understand why he's upset."
I held a hand to my face and exhaled heavily, "I wasn't trying to—I see a lot of myself in Kawaki, ya know. He and Boruto would've been good friends."
"Really?" Her skeptical tone caused me to peer over my fingers, and I found her wearing a look that matched her voice, "You really think Boruto would like fighting for his father's attention?"
"He wouldn't be—"
"You're a kind man, Naruto-kun. It's one of the things that…that I love about you but," She cleared her throat and quickly moved past the declaration, "Sometimes, it's a flaw. Boruto's been after your acknowledgment all his life, and now some random boy gets it without having to lift a finger? It's not fair, and you know it. You told me that growing up with the Uchihas made you hate being ignored. How can you not see that you were doing the same thing to your son?"
I opened my mouth to respond but when no words came to mind, I abandoned the idea.
"And only Kami knows how Himawari feels about the whole thing." Hinata shook her head, "You're the fire chief: everyone looks to you for support, and they have the right to ask for it, but that shouldn't come at the cost of your family. Your children needed you. Kami, even I…"
I perked up as she let her words trail off, but before I could make sense of what she had failed to say, she pulled her hand from my shoulder.
"Just know that no matter what Boruto says or does now, he's glad you're back." She turned to the direction of the elevator as it dinged, alerting us to someone's arrival, "But things changed while you were gone. We changed. I just hope you can do the same."
The armed officers relaxed and Toneri turned the corner with two coffee cups in hand. For a second, his eyes narrowed in displeasure when he recognized me, but he quickly steeled his expression before he reached us.
"Hinata, they didn't have any chocolate syrup, so I had them give you two shots of liquid sugar instead." He handed her the cup before turning to me with a strangely apologetic look, "Gomen, Naruto. If I'd known you were going to finish so quickly, I would've gotten something for you as well. Do you want my drink? I can always go downstairs and get another one."
Something about his words felt off, so I politely rejected the offer, "No thanks; I don't drink coffee anyways."
With an unreadable nod, Toneri turned his attention to Hinata and took her hand in his. I tightened my jaw as he pressed a kiss to her knuckles.
"I have to go." He explained as he lowered her hand, "Jigen-ojisama has called for me."
At the mention of Jigen, the two of them glanced at me, and I did my best to keep my face neutral.
"Does he know?" Hinata questioned as she spared me another look.
"I'm not sure, but there's only one way to find out." Toneri reasoned with a heavy sigh before turning to me, "Take care of her."
A part of me wanted to sarcastically reply, "Of course!" but the shine in his eyes stopped me. Despite my reservations about Toneri, I had to admit that the look he wore now was a genuine depiction of concern for the woman he loved.
All at once, my heart ached for Sakura, and I nodded to assure him that Hinata would be safe with me.
Satisfied, he turned on his feet and moved to go to the elevator, but before he could take a single step, Hinata grabbed his arm and turned him back to her.
"Be safe." She urged him with a kiss, anxiety all over her face as she pulled back.
"Aa, I will." Toneri promised her, shooting her a light smile for confirmation.
As I watched their goodbye, an unsettling sense of déjà vu permeated my stomach, forcing me to aim my eyes at the ground in order to avoid their endearing display. Only when Toneri walked past me to get to the elevator did I raise my head, and when I did, I found Hinata still staring after him expectantly.
Clearing my throat, I turned to Boruto's room.
"I'm gonna try and talk to him again." I announced to Hinata just as I reached his door, "I may be stubborn, but even I have enough decency to admit when I'm wrong, ya know. Arigato, Hinata; I wouldn't have realized it without you."
Hinata nodded her head, "You're a good dad, Naruto-kun. You just have to show that you care."
With that little bit of advice, I slid open Boruto's door and found him laying on his side, idly scrolling through his phone. He barely looked up from the portable device and although I couldn't be sure, when he saw that it was me, it was as if his body deflated.
"Hey," I waved to him as I shut the door behind me, "What are you up to?"
"…Nothing." He begrudgingly answered after a moment of silence, "I've been tryna reach Sarada to find out where she is but none of my calls or texts are going through."
"Is she okay?" I wondered, taking a seat by the edge of his bed and looking back at him.
"I don't know." Boruto admitted, clicking his phone off, "The last time I spoke to her I heard Kawaki in the background and she knows…anyway, she told me she'd explain in person and then hung up. Then she must've turned her phone off because I tried to call back right after and it went straight to voicemail."
I rubbed my chin as I tried to think of varying explanations for Sarada's lack of contact, "Maybe her phone died?"
"No, Tou-chan." He huffed, turning onto his back and staring up at the ceiling, "Sarada said she was on the way and that was hours ago; she should be here now. The fact that she isn't means something must've happened, ya know."
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, let's not jump to conclusions, okay?" I cautioned him as I patted his leg, "Have you tried calling Kawaki? Since he was the last person she was with, maybe he could tell you where she is."
"…I don't have his number." Boruto mumbled, and I sighed.
"Okay, y'know what? Call Sakura-chan and ask. Maybe something distracted her and she ended up going home instead of coming to the hospital."
"Tou-chan, stop." Boruto begged, sitting up, "She was with Kawaki before I lost contact, and every time he gets involved something goes wrong. I know you don't want to hear it but it's the truth, ya know. Kawaki is bad luck, plain and simple."
Clenching my jaw, I let a cool stream of air out from my nose before responding, "I can't change how you feel about him, but I didn't come here to restart that argument. You're worried about Sarada, right? What can I do to help?"
He pursed his lips and crossed his arms as he thought about what I could do. Finally, after moments of holding this serious position, he sighed and shook his head.
"There's nothing you can do. If Sarada said she would be here, then she'll be here. I guess, just keep a lookout in the lobby and escort her up when you see her?"
I nodded as I ruffled his hair, "Just leave it to me."
"…Tou-chan, arigato." He thanked me as I stood up from his bed, "Hontōni, arigato."
I waved my hand to show that it was nothing, "Your old man can do this much, can't he?"
"Yeah," Boruto nodded, "I guess you can."
With a grin, I left his room and stepped out into the hallway, and found Hinata leaning against the wall. She was trying to give off an easygoing vibe by casually crossing her arms, but I could tell she was worried by how tightly she held her coffee cup.
"Everything okay?" She questioned as I approached.
"Everything's great." I assured her, "I'm gonna hang out downstairs for a little bit, do the kid a favor, ya know."
A perplexed look made its way onto her face, but if Hinata wanted to know anymore, she didn't say so.
"Be careful." She warned me as I went on to call the elevator.
"Aa, I will." I nodded to the armed guards as I stepped into the metal box.
The ride downstairs was short, and when I got out, the lobby was scarcely populated just as I expected. After grabbing a magazine from one of the little tables off to the side, I took a seat in one of the chairs and flipped open the first page. With any luck, in the next few minutes, Sarada would walk through the front doors and I would seek her aid in getting Boruto to ease up on Kawaki.
|3rd Person|
"Be right back, gonna take a piss." Buna announced as he crossed his hands behind his head.
Datsuji clicked his tongue as Buna walked into the forest and out of sight.
"Damn slacker." Datsuji muttered as he raised his head to the darkening sky, "Of course I get stuck on guard duty with him."
Sighing, Datsuji pulled out his phone to check the time: 6:57 p.m. It hadn't even been half an hour since they'd started, and with the way the night was progressing, Datsuji had a feeling this shift would be more tiresome than the rest. This inkling prompted him to stalk off in Buna's direction when a considerable amount of time had passed and the blond had yet to return.
"Oi, Buna!" Datsuji called, his irritation clear in his voice, "How long does it take to pee, you good-for-nothing—?"
Datsuji cut himself off at the troublesome sight before him. Buna was lying on the ground with his hands behind his back, while six heavily armed and able-bodied men surrounded him. Two of them were securing handcuffs around his hands and legs, and the remaining four were aiming their weapons at him, but everyone froze as they became aware of Datsuji's presence.
Buna turned his head so that he was facing Datsuji, and he gave him a shaky smile before nodding, "Datsuji…run."
One of the men turned their rifle on him but just as he pulled the trigger, one of his comrades shoved the gun downing, forcing the ensuing bullet into the ground. The gunshot roused Datsuji from his petrified state, and he quickly turned on his heel and ran up the trail and back toward his station.
Annoyed, the man looked to his colleague, "Sir, I could've taken him down. Why did you block the shot?"
"Do you understand what giving people the chance to surrender means?" Guy shook his head, "If you can't hold your trigger finger, you're more than welcome to sit this one out, Sakasaki."
"Apologies, sir." Sakasaki grumbled as he threw his rifle over his shoulder, "It won't happen again."
Guy looked at him for a pensive moment before nodding his head, "Alright."
"Wait, this is kind of bad though, no?" Shisui spoke up as he finished checking Buna's restraints, "We thought we'd be going in with the element of surprise on our side, but that's gone now."
"Aa, it is." Guy sighed before turning to Sai, "Looks like we'll be putting those operators to use."
Sai nodded as he grabbed his walkie-talkie from his hip, and after pressing the red button on the side, he spoke, "Hinoto?"
"Yes, Chief?" Hinoto happily answered his call.
"All units should look alive and be ready to engage. There's been a change in plans."
While Konoha's finest prepared to shift the gears of the operation, Datsuji ran into the main square. Members of Akatsuki who were casually hanging out or appreciating the summer night air stopped and stared at him like he was mad, but he paid them no mind. They didn't know that they were under attack, nobody knew, and it was up to him to change that – as soon as he reported it to someone more qualified.
Datsuji had just entered the main building when he recalled that the boss and the Gedō had left the mess hall early in the afternoon after Pain had toasted everyone to their monetary milestone, and this caused Datsuji to stop right in his tracks. Had they known? Is that why they had left? Had the boss and his inner circle left the rest of them to take the blame while they ran off with the money?
The possibility was painful, yet all too real, and Datsuji found himself short of breath. He fell to his knees as an overwhelming sense of dread engulfed him, and someone quickly rushed to his aid, asking him what was wrong.
"We're finished…" Datsuji wheezed, "The boss, Joō-sama, Sasori-san, Hidan-senpai, they abandoned us. Now we're going to—"
"Hah?" A familiar voice exclaimed from behind him, "Datsuji *teme, who abandoned who?"
Datsuji choked on his next sob as he turned around, and tears welled up in his eyes as he regarded the foul-mouthed silver-haired man.
"Hidan-senpai!" Datsuji burst into tears as he wrapped his arms around his superior, "Please don't leave us!"
"Get off me, you idiot!" Hidan roared as he shoved the young man back, "And what's this about me leaving? Where would I go?"
Datsuji shook his head and scrubbed his eyes free of any tears, "No, well, Buna and I ran into some guys and I came to tell you but nobody was nearby so I thought that—"
"Datsuji, you're pissing me off." Hidan warned him.
Datsuji clapped his hands together and quickly nodded, "What I'm trying to say is, we're under attack!"
Those that were in the lobby looked at him, some with curious expressions, others fearful, most serious. Hidan's face reflected none of these emotions however, and as he crossed his arms, a devilish smirk spread on his face.
"Under attack, you said?" Hidan chuckled dangerously before turning to an approaching Kakuzu, "Looks like you were right."
"Of course I am." Kakuzu nodded, "That Orochimaru, I can read him from a mile away. So, ready to go?"
Datsuji's face paled at this. Perhaps his unfounded fears were going to come true after all.
Hidan looked from Datsuji to Kakuzu before placing a firm hand on Datsuji's shoulder and squeezing, "Not yet. I think the least we can do is say hello to our guests before we leave."
"Hmph." Kakuzu shook his head before turning to walk away, "You have twenty minutes, after that, I'm out of here – with or without you."
"Twenty is just fine." Hidan smiled before turning back to Datsuji and the others that had gathered, "Now, which lovely junior is ready to serve to Jashin-sama?"
*Teme is a rude way of saying 'you' in Japanese, and is often translated as bastard
|At Otsutsuki Heights|
"Jigen-ojisama," Toneri tentatively called his name as he knocked on his grand oak door, "I've arrived."
"Come in." Jigen beckoned, his voice warm with delight.
Toneri turned the doorknob and pushed the door open with a bit more confidence. Jigen was hardly one to fake his attitude; if he was in a good mood, then maybe Toneri had worried for nothing.
Shutting the door behind him after he'd stepped inside, Toneri turned around and found Jigen seated behind his antique desk, a pleasant smile on his face. Sitting in one of the chairs across from him was a straight-faced Kawaki, and the teen gave his uncle an unclear look before turning his attention back to his father.
Slightly disturbed by the glare, Toneri came forward, "You called for me, Uncle?"
"Yes, I did." Jigen nodded before pointing to the empty chair beside Kawaki, "Come, come, have a seat. I have splendid news to share with the two of you. Oh, Kawaki, could you grab that bottle of wine behind you?"
Again, Kawaki gave Toneri another look as he moved past him, and Toneri began to get the feeling that despite Jigen's laid-back attitude something was very, very wrong.
After Kawaki had placed the bottle on the desk, he took it upon himself to go into Jigen's small cupboard in the back and fetch three standard wine glasses. Once he'd placed each one down in front of its owner, he then jabbed the opener into the bottle, uncorked it, and poured a modest amount of wine for all those present.
"Arigato, Kawaki." Jigen thanked him, lifting his glass in appreciation, "What more could a father ask for?"
Kawaki nodded but said nothing and returned to his seat before folding his hands in his lap and waiting for Jigen to carry on.
"I've called the two of you here because I've just received word that as we speak, Konoha and its forces are bearing down on Akatsuki. In a few hours, we'll be hearing of the carnage that took place in their estate, and once we do, it will mark the start of the Otsutsuki's golden age!" Jigen clinked his glass against Toneri's and Kawaki's, "Let us toast to the foreseeable future."
Toneri tapped his glass against Kawaki's but before he could raise it to his mouth to drink, Kawaki's hand on his knee stopped him. The hard squeeze Kawaki gave him then was the clearest message he'd conveyed to his uncle so far: don't drink.
Not one to test his luck, Toneri set his glass back down on the table just as Jigen emptied his own. Of course, Jigen immediately noticed this and questioned Toneri about his untouched cup.
"Why haven't you drunk?" Jigen explicitly stated, and it was then that Kawaki stood up.
Wiping away the small trickle of blood that now fell from his nose, Kawaki regarded his father with open hostility, "Because I told him not to."
Jigen's eyebrows came together in visible confusion, "You told him…why? What's the meaning of this Kawa…Kawaki?"
Jigen's eyes widened as he touched a hand to his mouth, and Toneri blinked as he realized what Kawaki had spared him from. Jigen placed his hands on his desk and tried to push himself up, but found he could not.
"The meaning?" Kawaki chuckled for a bit before wincing and holding a hand to his chest, "That's funny, coming from you."
He reached into his pocket for a folded-up piece of tissue paper, and after opening it up, brought out a thinly sliced wafer before tossing it into his mouth.
"Amado said there's a ten-minute window to take the antidote. How long has it been now? Three?"
"Kawaki…!" Jigen reached a shaky hand out to him, blood pouring from his nose, "G-Give it to me!"
Kawaki shook his head and clicked his tongue as he rounded the table towards his estranged father.
"Y'know, I've been planning to kill you since you made that deal with me about Nanadaime." Kawaki confessed, clapping two firm hands on his father's shoulders, "I thought long and hard about what the best death for you would be. Shooting you seemed too merciful, and stabbing you would've been too messy, but poison? Watching fear take over as the light slowly leaves your eyes? Now that, I couldn't pass on."
Toneri tried to keep the horror off his face as his nephew boldly stated his sadistic yearnings.
Jigen's head dropped to the table, his strength surely having been diminished from the poison. Unable to fully open his mouth, whatever Jigen wanted to say came out as a muffle, pathetic moan, and although Toneri knew that Jigen had committed too many atrocities to count, he couldn't help but pity him in this exact moment.
The tightness of his eyes, the blood running over his lips and down his chin…if it was painful to look at, Toneri could only imagine how it felt.
"Why?" Kawaki said, attempting to translate Jigen's noise, "It's simple, Father. No one needs you."
Jigen let out one last unintelligible sound before going still, and when Kawaki was sure he had passed, he released his father's shoulders and leaned back.
Toneri waited sometime before speaking, "So, what now?"
With a sigh, Kawaki pushed his father's body aside, not showing the slightest bit of concern as it fell to the floor. Once he was out of the way, Kawaki tugged the main drawer out and grabbed a familiar pistol from it. Toneri instantly froze, unsure of Kawaki's intentions with the weapon, but when the teen looked up and noted his uncle's obvious discomfort, he quickly moved to dispel any fearful notions.
"Oh, Uncle, don't worry." Kawaki shook his head, "Out of everyone in this family, you're the last person I'd shoot."
Toneri nodded but a little voice in the back of his mind pointed out Kawaki's word choice, the last person he'd shoot, not that he wouldn't shoot him. Before his mind could take him down that suspicious road however, Kawaki checked the magazine.
"Uncle, I want you to get out of here." Kawaki told him as he switched off the safety, "When you leave the building, you're gonna call the police and tell them that your nephew snapped, that you barely escaped with your life."
"Kawaki, that's—"
Kawaki cut him off with a sharp punch to the face, and Toneri stumbled back. Clutching his cheek, Toneri struggled to get his vision together as spotted lights cluttered his view, but as he recuperated, Kawaki spoke.
"There's no other way. Now go."
Toneri pursed his lips and tried to think of something to say that would dissuade Kawaki from this course of action, but then he remembered Hinata and the anxious kiss she'd placed on his lips. Naruto's words from their one-on-one talk also rang out in his ears, and a voice that sounded suspiciously like his yelled in his mind that he was a coward.
After a long blink, Toneri turned to the door and grabbed the doorknob, looking back at the teen one last time, "Kawaki, I will help you, okay? I'll get the best lawyer money can buy. Just, don't do anything stupid."
"Arigato, Uncle. For everything." Kawaki thanked him, and Toneri left the office, still holding his face.
Once the door clicked shut, Kawaki sat down on the rich mahogany desk and laughed at the irony of Toneri's last words to him. It was as if the older man had seen right through him. With a shake of his head, Kawaki dismissed that as impossible before turning the gun over in his hand.
He didn't know what Amado was scheming in that brain of his, but Kawaki was sure the man never guessed that Kawaki would kill himself. Just one firm press of the trigger and nineteen years of pain and loneliness would be over. It was so simple, and yet Kawaki couldn't bring himself to lift the gun to his temple.
With a frustrated groan, Kawaki slapped a hard hand to his head and cursed himself. It had been so easy back when he'd learned of Nanadaime's death, he'd pulled the trigger without any hesitation. But now? It was as if he lacked…conviction, determination to do what was right. As if he wasn't finished yet.
"…I'm not." Kawaki said to himself as he came to a realization, "It's not over."
Of course it wasn't, not with Delta, Deepa, and Code still alive. Amado was a shifty figure but wasn't exactly evil or cruel like his family. No, to die now while those three monsters remained would be condemning Konoha to a fate far worse than Jigen. And even though Delta had somewhat mellowed out with the passing of her paramour, Kawaki knew it was only a matter of time before she returned to her old self.
Perhaps the antidote he'd taken had only stopped the poison from progressing and hadn't properly rinsed Kawaki of its effects. Maybe that was the reason why this otherwise insane line of reasoning seemed so straightforward and secure to him. Whatever it was, it propelled his stream of consciousness down a lane of resentment and vindictiveness.
Their whole family was cursed. Why should he be the only one to go? Especially when the other three were much viler than he was? It was then that Kawaki made up his mind: he would do it. He would kill those three and then turn the gun on himself, ending any immediate future generations of Otsutsuki terror for good.
And then a knock came at the door, and Kawaki sucked in a sharp breath before aiming the gun at it.
••••
Sarada had waited a considerable amount of time after Toneri passed by before she stepped out of the little closet at the side of the hall and proceeded to the fanciful oak door at the end. Toneri had walked out briskly, clutching his face like he had been struck, leaving Sarada to wonder just what had gone on behind the esteemed door.
When she reached it, she sat in front of it for a moment and strained her ear for any conversations that may be taking place. The room turned out to be completely silent, and for a second Sarada wondered if Kawaki had left without her noticing.
With a shake of her head, Sarada figured this was impossible and instead knocked on the door. She debated calling out to ask for permission to come in, but ultimately decided against it. If the room was this quiet, then maybe Kawaki had already…
Pushing her negative assumptions aside, she turned the doorknob and pushed the door inward. The subsequent pop registered in her ears, but her mind took a bit longer to catch up. It was only as the door fully swung open and revealed a crazed Kawaki standing in front of her that she became aware of what had happened.
Her eyes fell to the gun in his left hand, which was quickly being lowered, and Sarada stated the obvious just confirm.
"You shot me." She lifted a hand to her chest and pulled it back down to find her palm covered in blood.
"Kawaki?" She called his name with all sorts of emotion behind it, "Why?"
"I didn't mean—what are you doing here?" He questioned, tossing the gun to the floor and rushing up to her as she fell forward, "Oi, Sarada!"
She shut her eyes as a warm feeling spread in her chest. It wasn't so much painful as it was uncomfortable, and while she wasn't exactly happy about her new condition, she couldn't muster enough energy to panic about it either.
"No, no, no…!" Kawaki whispered, scooping Sarada up into his arms, "Please, Kami, why do I always—!"
As Sarada's body went numb, she couldn't help but notice a bit of familiarity in Kawaki's words.
"Daijōbu…" She murmured as she touched a weak hand to his face, "I know you didn't mean it…
Her eyes fell shut, a certain heaviness coming over her that she couldn't fight off.
"Sarada. Sarada, open your eyes!" Kawaki pled as carried Sarada through the door, "Sarada, please!"
The sound of his footsteps grew warbled and faint, but the last thing Sarada heard as Kawaki stalked through the halls with her in his arms was a familiar singsong voice.
"Kawaki~?" Deepa called from a few feet away, "What was that—? Oh."