39. A Life in the Balance

"Are you sure we're going in the right direction?" I mumbled tiredly as a yawn escaped my lips.

"As sure as I was the last five times you asked," Keitaro answered with a hint of annoyance.

I huffed in my own annoyance. I was tired of traveling; I felt like that was all I'd been doing the past two weeks. Not to mention the Land of Wind was basically a desert centered around a series of oases. The air was dry and hot and I felt overly warm in my attire. And of course, our clan's tiny settlement sat just outside the Village Hidden in the Sand in the furthest location possible.

Fortunately, or perhaps unfortunately, the travel time did give me ample time to think. I'd thought over my clan's demise and Keitaro's role in it. It still made me uneasy, I had to admit. In his place, I wasn't sure that I could ever make that kind of decision. But, was this situation much different from the Uchiha Clan's?

Itachi had sacrificed his loved ones and his life to keep Konoha safe from the Uchiha Clan. He had killed people he'd known his entire life in order to keep peace; to keep others safe. Keitaro had done the same. He'd ordered the extinction of our clan to prevent the devastation they could, and would, create under Orochimaru's direction.

I didn't like it. Nor did I think Keitaro liked it. But it seemed the sad reality. How could I judge him for trying to keep countless others safe? How could I completely condemn such a difficult decision?

I decided to direct my distaste at Orochimaru. It was him, after all, that had used my clan for his purposes. It was him who had been experimenting with lives. It was him who would create an army of killers with formidable powers like Cherushii's.

I was wrenched from my thoughts by Keitaro. He suddenly stopped short, throwing out both arms to still Cherushii and myself. I blinked, taking a glance at his face. Flexing my fingers I began to glance around the area and opened my awareness to detect chakra.

There weren't many places to hide where we currently were. Large boulders rose from the ground around us as well as several trees that looked malnourished and in need of some rain. I concentrated. One…two…three chakras. One behind a boulder, two in a tree.

Keitaro nodded at me and I whipped up a twister, directing it to circle around the tree where I sensed the chakras. There were a set of cries and I brought the twister towards me, dispersing it and two figures fell at me feet. At this time, a figure darted from the boulder, but Cherushii produced a whip from the sash around her waist and with a flick of the wrist, the thong flew out, wrapping around the third figure and Cherushii began to haul them forwards like a fish on a line.

The two figures before me scrambled to their knees. One was a boy, no older than thirteen. He glared up at me with a stubborn face. The middle-aged man beside him gave me an identical look and I quickly surmised they were probably father and son. I saw the younger boy clench his fists and the man shot him a sharp whisper.

"Stand down, Hachiro."

Cherushii pulled her captive over and released them, holding her whip loosely at her side. He was a young man with a mop of curly black hair and his eyes darted over the three of us, assessing us. Probably looking for a weak point so he could attack with that short sword attached to his hip.

"Identify yourselves," Keitaro said, his own brown eyes assessing the trio.

At first, none of the males spoke. They trained fierce glares on my brother, their eyes full of contempt. It was the young man who finally spoke.

"I know your face," he said before spitting on the ground.

I felt the blood in my veins cool and I noticed Cherushii stiffen from the corner of my eye. Keitaro's eyes narrowed.

"Uragirimono," the oldest man ground out.

Traitor…

They knew. They knew who Keitaro was. They knew what he'd done. I could see Keitaro's eyes calculating for a long moment before he spoke.

"Me and my companions are here to see Izanagi. It would benefit you to join us peacefully."

The boy looked like he wanted to fight but the middle-aged man caught his upper arm in a tight grip. It was obvious it was in their best interest to cooperate. As brave and infuriated as the males seemed, it would not be wise to pick a fight with three very gifted Makase members; especially Cherushii whose power was enhanced.

Cherushii and I bound the males' hands for good measure before we pulled them to their feet. Cherushii and I flanked the group while Keitaro led the rest of the way to our village. It wasn't terribly far from where we were intercepted, and I wondered if they'd ambushed us by happenstance or if they'd been waiting for us. I hoped it wasn't the latter.

Several miles later found us walking through the archway to the Makase settlement. I looked around myself, taking in the sights and smells of the area. The settlement appeared much like how I remembered the Uchiha quarter looking, although the houses and businesses were built in a different style, likely to survive sandstorms.

As we moved down the dirt roads, citizens stopped milling around and watched us pass with sharp eyes and whispers. Apprehension began to swirl in my gut and I tried to keep my gaze set ahead of me, or on the three males to my left.

Keitaro finally came to a halt in what appeared to be the central marketplace. It seemed every single person had stopped their previous actions to gaze upon myself, my companions and the three males that we guarded. I could hear the buzz of unease, confusion and something else. Something not entirely friendly.

Keitaro seemed well aware that we had gained everyone's attention. He rose his head high, eyes sweeping around the area. "Where can I find Izanagi?"

No one spoke, at least not to us. There was still the distinct whispers to one another as wide eyes took us in. I noted a woman nearby gently push a small child behind her.

"I am here."

All attention was drawn in the direction of the voice. The man named Izanagi did not seemed pleased to see my brother. His face appeared carved from stone, his thin lips pressed in a stern line. He appeared to be in his fifties, sporting cropped black hair peppered with gray. His deep violet colored eyes were narrowed. He wore a white ceremonial robe that brushed against his ankles.

His presence bothered me. Had it been coincidence that he had been so close by? Unlikely. It was more likely that a scout had spotted us and brought the information back to Izanagi. A prepared man was a dangerous one.

"Izanagi," Keitaro said with a flat tone.

"Uragirimono," the man replied in a deep voice.

Keitaro said nothing, though his eyes narrowed slightly.

"I have to admire your nerve," Izanagi said. "Showing your face here after what you've done."

I could feel the tension in the air, from the villagers, to Keitaro and Izanagi, to Cherushii. My own shoulders were tensing.

"Will you not admit to it?" Izanagi tilted his head. "To the massacre of our people? I should have you killed on the spot."

The man snapped his fingers and no fewer than ten clan members appeared, weapons in hand, surrounding my brother in a circle. My eyes darted across the area, hands hovering above my blades.

Keitaro's eyes swept across the ninja, assessing, before looking back to Izanagi with a haughty look. "Well, what are you waiting for?"

Izanagi smiled stiffly, his eyes cold as ice. "Oh no, Keitaro. You will stand trial for your crimes before the entire clan; so they can all see who you are."

I saw annoyance flicker across my brother's face. "We have no time for this. There's a war coming and-"

"That is of no consequence to me," Izanagi waved a hand airily. "And you are not in charge here. Seize him."

At once, the ninja surrounding Keitaro closed in. But he did not fight back as they forced his arms behind his back, blades pointed at his neck. I found myself moving forward, hands reaching for my weapons.

"Keitaro!"

"No, Nakao!" Keitaro urgently shouted at me, halting me in my tracks. He sent me a pointed stare which I was able to interpret as 'don't interfere'. But his reasoning remained a mystery to me.

I halted, biting my lip as I surveyed the scene, but I did not draw my weapons.

"Take him away," Izanagi said with a shooing motion of his hand.

The ninja complied, twisting my brother around before forcing him to walk forward.

"Wait!" I called after them out of reflex. But no one paid me any heed and they continued to escort my brother away. For a brief moment, Keitaro twisted his head around to glance at me and then he was rounding a corner and lost to my sight.

I just stood there. I didn't know what to do. What was going to happen to Keitaro? Were they going to hold a sham trial and then execute them? I had to do something!

"You must be Nakao."

I turned to find that Izanagi had turned his attention on me. He assessed me with a critical eye, all while managing to look thoroughly bored. I tensed as he took several steps closer to me.

"I have heard much about you," he said when he was close enough that I could pick out the gray hairs in his stubble.

"Funny; I've heard nothing about you," I said coolly.

He gave me that thin-lipped smile again that made his eyes appear even colder.

"Don't think I have any disillusions about you, girl. You're just as much troubling riffraff as your brother and your parents."

I scowled, eyes flashing in anger.

Cherushii suddenly appeared at my side. "You really should learn to speak more respectably to your betters."

Izanagi shot a glare at the blonde who was regarding him as though he was something unpleasant she had stepped in. "I am in charge here."

"Face it, Izanagi," Cherushii plowed on. "Keitaro and Nakao are the last remaining members of the royal bloodline."

This seemed to infuriate the man and his face flushed red with ire. "Is that what you've done, Cherushii? Gotten to your knees and groveled to these two? I had thought you remained in Lord Orochimaru's lair leeching off his triumphs."

Cherushii gave Izanagi her own ruthless smile. "Why do that when I can travel here and unseat you?"

Izanagi snarled. "I am in charge here-"

"So you've said."

"-and I will not tolerate usurpers! I don't care if your blood's made of gold!"

"Oooh, it seems I've touched a nerve," Cherushii smirked. "You can't touch us, Izanagi. We've committed no crime. But I'm pretty sure treason is one."

"I will see you both rot!" Izanagi hissed before he turned on heels and strode away.

Now that Izanagi had left, Cherushii dropped her smug expression. She turned to me, frowning. "This is bad, Nakao."

"I gathered as much," I muttered, watching as the crowd around us dispersed.

"Warranted or not, your brother is guilty. I'm not sure there's anything we can do for him."

But I was shaking my head. "No, there's got to be something. Keitaro must have something in mind. I have a hard time believing he'd walk in here without a back-up plan."

Cherushii didn't seem so sure, judging by her facial expression. Just then, I heard a gentle "psst" from behind me. I glanced over my shoulder but saw nothing; at first anyway. There was movement in an alleyway behind me.

I glanced over to Cherushii, who raised an eyebrow at me, looked to the alley and then back at me. I shrugged and moved over, keeping one hand resting on a pommel of a dagger. I entered the alley and someone beckoned me from the shadows.

It was a young man, about my age, maybe a year or so older, tall and handsome. He had shaggy auburn hair whose tips fell into amber-colored eyes. These eyes were darting around, as though checking that no one had followed us or was around to overhear us.

Cherushii and I approached him with caution, stopping two feet away from him. I kept my hand by my blade, relaying to him that I was not afraid to defend myself if necessary.

"I know where they've taken your brother."

I blinked at that. "Pardon?"

His amber eyes still shifted about. "I can take you to where they're keeping your brother."

I tilted my head slightly. "Who are you?"

The male's eyes finally stopped darting about and fully rested on me. "My name is Hiroaki."

"And why would you be helping us, Hiroaki?" Cherushii asked, suspicion laced in her tone and her gaze.

"I imagine we share similar goals."

I wasn't entirely sure about that. We were here to enlist help for the coming war and he probably didn't know that. It must have something to do with my brother, but I couldn't fathom what.

Seeing that we were clearly not convinced, Hiroaki carried on. "If it will help, I'll take you to your brother first. Then I will tell you my story, if you'll listen."

Cherushii and I shared a glance. But Cherushii shrugged, deferring to my judgement. My brother, my problem I guess. I could decline Hiroaki's offer and search on my own, though it would take longer. And I had no idea what I could expect. Even if Hiroaki was trying to trick us, there was two of us and one of him. Those were odds I was willing to bet on.

I looked back to him. "Show me."

"That's it," Hiroaki nodded in the designated direction, his voice low.

The settlement wasn't very large, but we'd taken care to travel through it unseen. Hiroaki didn't seem to want to be caught with us, which I supposed was fair. We had snuck around the side of a dingy-looking building. It looked as though it had been used for many different things since its construction and I wondered if it was even structurally sound.

"Is it guarded?" I murmured.

"Very minimally usually, but I'm sure your brother has a higher level of security."

I frowned, assessing the building. It had very few windows, offering me little intel on what the inside might have in store for me. No side doors to sneak through; although since I didn't know what kind of security awaited me, doors would have been of little use. And then my eyes swept over the roof.

"What is that?" I asked, pointing to a chimney-looking structure rising from the roof.

Hiroaki's and Cherushii's gazes followed my line of sight. Hiroaki's eyes sparked.

"Ventilation shaft," he smiled slyly at me.

Not ten minutes later found me crouching on the roof. I tried to keep my body as flush against the roof as I could manage, my eyes sweeping around myself, paranoid someone might see myself and Cherushii up here.

Hiroaki had been right; I'd seen the end of a ventilation shaft. It was narrow, just wide enough to squeeze through. It would be uncomfortable, but that was inconsequential. I kept my ear pressed to the opening until I heard Hiroaki's voice float towards me, made soft by the distance.

"Hey guys, lunch break."

There was a moment of silence before a male voice responded. "Who will watch the prisoner?"

"Me, of course. Why do you think they sent me?"

A third voice said something I couldn't quite make out, but I heard Hiroaki respond.

"Look, you've got thirty minutes; take it or don't."

There was a long minute of silence and I waited with bated breath. Had the guards believed him? But I loosened it when I heard Hiroaki's voice echo up to me.

"Coast is clear."

I nodded to Cherushii and wasted no time in shimmying down the vent. Cherushii would remain on the roof to maintain an aerial view of the area. The journey was fairly unbearable and the squeezing sensation made me claustrophobic. But I pushed through it and finally found myself dropping down from the ceiling.

The room I landed in was large and open and sparsely furnished. Several cells lined the back wall; though all was empty but one.

"You've got twenty-five minutes before you should get out of here," Hiroaki told me, his amber gaze flickering to a clock on the wall.

I nodded at him before hurrying to my brother's cell.

"Nakao," he said immediately, coming to the bars. He looked unharmed at least.

"What's going on, Keitaro?" I asked him, still examining his skin for damage. "Why did you let them take you here?"

"This situation is extremely delicate," he said seriously. "If I fought against this, there would be no hope in gaining trust from the clan."

"And appearing in a trial to discuss your involvement in the assassination is going to win us friends?"

"That's why I need you."

"Me? What can I do?"

"Izanagi is corrupt leader," Keitaro explained. "In more ways than one."

Which would explain his constant need to remind everyone he was in charge here.

"You're the last one with a real claim to his position. Obviously, I'm out."

"I still don't see how that helps this situation," I frowned, gesturing to the cell.

"It gives me a better chance that I have now," my brother said grimly. "And regardless, I have a feeling something's going on here. I've had that feeling the last few times I've been here. Like-"

Suddenly Hiroaki was at my side, his eyes glancing about himself urgently. "Nakao, you have to go. I can hear someone coming."

"But-" I turned desperately back to my brother.

"Nakao, you can do this. Preferably before they execute me."

"No pressure…"

Keitaro tried to give me a reassuring smile but it came out as more of a grimace. He then turned his attention to Hiroaki. "Thank you."

Hiroaki nodded but his eyes kept darting back to the closed door of the room. With one last glance at my brother, I climbed back into the ventilation shaft and made my way back to the roof.

"I am never doing that again," I frowned, taking in a deep breath of air, as if to re-expand my lungs.

Cherushii had assisted me in clambering out of the vent and we were quick to drop to the ground, retreating to a safe distance from the building.

"What did you find out?" Cherushii asked me.

I relayed what my brother had said to Cherushii and she frowned as she listened.

"I wonder what he meant," she mused. "When he said something is going on here?"

I shook my head, glancing back to the building. "I don't know. Maybe Hiroaki will."

But Cherushii crossed her arms over her chest, a flicker of uncertainty flashing across her face. "We don't even know this guy. How do we know we can even trust him?"

"He took us to see Keitaro," I pointed out.

"Maybe he's a spy? We don't know anything about him. We don't even know his last name."

I frowned myself, running a hand through my bangs in frustration. "Well what can we do? We're up against a wall with this situation."

Cherushii's concerns were justified, but my statement still stood. We were basically amongst enemies here. The clan's ire may be directed at Keitaro, but that didn't mean I wouldn't get lumped in by association. I needed an ally here or someone, something, that could point me in the right direction. Was trusting this Hiroaki a risk? Absolutely. But then again, I did always love to take risks.

As my thoughts occupied my brain, Hiroaki turned the corner of the building. His attention had been set behind him, probably watching to make sure he wasn't followed, but then he turned his gaze forward, making his way to us.

"Thank you for your help," I started, but Cherushii cut me off.

"We've seen Keitaro. You told us you would tell us your story."

I felt a bit embarrassed at her brazen attitude. After all, Hiroaki had done us a favor. But she was probably right.

Hiroaki didn't look particularly bothered. He just nodded. "I did say that, but I won't discuss it here. Anyone could spot as at any given moment. Will you accompany me to my home?"

Cherushii and I glanced to one another and her warnings flared anew in my mind. We could very well be walking into a trap by following Hiroaki. But we couldn't very well wander around town could we? And so, I nodded, gesturing for Hiroaki to lead the way.

As he turned, Cherushii's hand snapped out to grab my arm. "We could be walking straight into a trap."

I saw the suspicion in her blue eyes, the mistrust and a hint of concern. But I whispered back. "I know."

And so I did what I did best. I took a gamble.

Hiroaki lived in a modest house that we entered through a back door. Still, the house seemed big for just Hiroaki to be living here. There was an air of emptiness, though the house was well cared for. It was rather clean for a single male, assuming he was a single male.

"Do you live here by yourself?" I asked as we stepped into a kitchen, my eyes sweeping across the room.

"I do now," he replied grimly. "Would you like tea?"

"Do you have sugar?" I asked.

A ghost of a smile flashed across Hiroaki's face and he nodded. He was much more handsome when he smiled, I noticed. Overall, Hiroaki appeared to be a fairly serious young man. As he set to putting a kettle on the stove, I saw Cherushii flash me a look. She was clearly worried about the potential for poisoning. I wanted to roll my eyes at her. Did she think I was a newbie? Honestly.

Hiroaki gestured for us to sit down and we did, taking seats at an oak table. Hiroaki set out cups and a bowl of sugar cubes and I noticed him plop a cube into his own cup. We were all silence as the water heated and Hiroaki poured the finished tea in our cups. When I was handed mine, I subtly sniffed at the contents, swirling it around to check for inconsistencies. But I noted no obvious signs of poison.

"So…" Cherushii hedged after we'd all taken a few sips.

Hiroaki sighed and he placed his cup on the table. I watched as his hands cradled the mug and he stared down into its depths, avoiding our gazes.

"Look, I'm not your brother's number one fan. Whatever his intentions, I lost people in the massacre," Hiroaki started.

I glanced down, a blossom of shame welling in my chest. "I'm sorry."

But Hiroaki shook his head, as though trying to ward off a pesky fly. "Regardless, Izanagi is a threat to the well-being of the remainder of the clan."

I frowned. "Keitaro mentioned something was amiss here."

The boy across from me was silent for a moment. "It's funny how strangers can pick up on things but the victims are clueless."

I glanced at Cherushii. Her eyes were set on Hiroaki, unwavering, searching. He did not wither under her gaze, nor was I certain he was even aware.

"This is my family home," Hiroaki finally said after a long pause. "My parents, my older brother, my younger brother, myself, we all lived here together. Five years ago, my parents were killed on a mission. Two years ago, my brother was killed as well."

I felt my hands tightening around my mug. I could hear the grief in his words, though his face remained stony.

"Not long after that, someone very close to me had been killed. Aika was her name."

I felt his voice tremble a little at that.

"It didn't make sense to me. Why was everyone around me dying?"

He broke off again. It was clearly painful for him to talk about this, and I was more than understanding. His words were hitting my own heart, calling attention to my own similar wounds.

Hiroaki shook his head, though his attention remained glued to the mug in his hands. "It just didn't make sense. My parents, Daiki, Aika…they were trained ninja. Not protégées or anything like that…but for them all to fall in battle? It just didn't make sense. And I began to realize that it wasn't just me who was experiencing this. I kept hearing things, talking to people, and it seemed so many of us had lost loved ones these past several years. So, I started investigating."

His tone became harder, his eyes narrowing in anger. "I began to talk to families, friends, piecing together the last few days of the lives of all those who had died recently. And I began to see a pattern. That no one had detailed to their loved ones what their missions were before they died. I even traveled to Sunagakure -they contract us for missions-, only to find out that there were no records of many of these individuals, at least at the times of their deaths. Then I made a mistake…"

I glanced at Cherushii, who was still studying Hiroaki closely. But her muscles were tense, her lips pressed into a thin line.

"I met with Izanagi and expressed my concerns; but he blew them off. He told me I was being paranoid. But something wasn't right," Hiroaki's hands released his cup of tea, only so they could curl into fists.

"What is Izanagi doing?" I asked quietly.

Hiroaki finally glanced up and his eyes met mine. There was a depth of emotion in those amber pools. Pain and fear and anger. I could feel his loss. I knew how the grief forever marred a heart. I knew of that empty hole that could never quite fill.

"I don't know," he said. "The very next day, my younger brother, Taku, went missing. I was left a note, a warning to stop asking questions. They have my little brother. If I went any further, they would kill him."

A haunted look seemed to take over his features. I felt my own spark of fury igniting in my chest. Izanagi was sworn to protect our people, to serve them, but he was obviously involved in something sinister. Sinister enough he threatened a boy to maintain his façade. I needed to find out what he was doing. And then I needed to expose him.

"And that is why," Hiroaki said quietly, pulling me from my thoughts. "I helped you see your brother. Why I'm willing to help you in any way that I can. He's all I have left…I can't lose him too."

I sighed in contentment. There'd been little time to bathe as of late; we'd only stopped at an inn once on our journey to the Land of Wind. But Hiroaki had been nice enough to let us lodge with him and I now stood in the bedroom I was sharing with Cherushii, towel drying my hair. A borrowed shirt hung loose on my frame so I could wash my clothes.

Cherushii glanced up from the book she was reading. There was only one bed in the room, so Hiroaki had set up a cot. Cherushii had graciously allowed me the bed.

"Have you put any thought into how we're going to keep your brother's head on his shoulders?" she asked me, marking her place in the book before shutting it.

"We need to figure out what Izanagi is doing and we need proof. Whatever it is he's doing, it sounds like it might be enough to turn the clan against him," I glanced thoughtfully at the wall opposite me. "We need to watch him-tail him if we need to."

"What if he doesn't do anything suspicious?"

"Then we search his home, his office, anything tied to him in any way."

I had lost my brother once; I was not going to lose him again.

Sleep eluded me that night. I kept waking from nightmares, all sharing the same theme. I was in a village square, surrounded by people, though there were no details, their faces were only blurs. Regardless, my attention was focused on the center of the square where my brother knelt, his hands tied behind his back. Beside him stood Izanagi and a man holding a sword.

Every dream ended the same. I tried to scream, but no sound came out. I tried to get to him, but it was like wading through quicksand. I couldn't get to him fast enough. The man held up the sword, bringing it down on Keitaro's neck.

I woke up for the third time with a start, drenched in sweat. I sat up, heart pounding, breaths shallow. I ran a shaky hand through my hair. Would my mind not let me rest until I had secured Keitaro's freedom?

Getting to my feet, I snuck past a sleeping Cherushii and ducked out of the room. The house was dark and I carefully picked my way downstairs. I wanted to get outside, to feel the air on my face. Perhaps it would help the nausea taking over.

I moved quietly through the house until I reached the back door, stepping out into the cool night. I glanced about the backyard, rubbing my upper arms in an attempt to ward off the cold. And that's when I noticed Hiroaki.

He sat a little way before me on the steps of his deck. His eyes were set upwards at the moon. A memory flashed through my mind, conjuring a picture of a raven-haired man staring up at the moon. I quickly banished it, shaking my head as though it would dislodge the thought.

Hiroaki hadn't turned to look at me, but I was positive he was aware of my presence and I started to feel a bit awkward. He would probably start wondering what I was doing standing there. Quietly, I stepped forward, gently settling myself down on the step beside him.

"Can't sleep?" I finally asked after a long moment of silence.

He didn't answer at first, his eyes still glued to the moon. "I have a hard time sleeping these days. I have…nightmares…That Taku…he's alone and scared and-"

Hiroaki's voice broke a little and his lips snapped shut, pressed in a thin line. I gazed at his profile, sympathy rolling through me. I was no stranger to nightmares. I had them often when I thought Keitaro had died. I would dream he was alive, but he'd then be taken from me. I had them when Sasuke left too. If I wasn't reliving the moment he'd pierced my abdomen with that kunai, I was dreaming of some other way he'd hurt me. I'd always find myself lost and alone, unable to escape the void I was lost in. The nightmares I'd been having tonight were probably most similar to what he was going through. And he'd been dealing with this for some time.

"How old is Taku?" I asked.

"He's only eleven…"

Almost old enough to qualify to become a genin. Still, I could imagine the boy was terrified. I'd graduated as genin and had been terrified when faced with a life or death situation; like during our mission to the Land of Waves.

Tentatively, I placed a hand on his arm. He finally turned to look at me and I saw the fear and anguish in his face. I could see a haunted look in his eye. I forced myself to smile. "We're going to find him. And then we're going to put an end to whatever Izanagi is doing."

Those amber eyes searched my face. His lips were still turned in a frown. But I meant it. For Keitaro, for Taku, for everyone who had suffered under Izanagi; I was going to bring him down.

I felt it then, a tremendous feeling of responsibility. It settled on my shoulders heavily, and yet naturally. I was going to fix this. I would heal the pain Izanagi had wrought. I would mend what had been broken by my brother's decisions.

"You remind me of him a bit," Hiroaki finally said, the smallest of smiles quirking his lips. "Your fire."

I smiled back, squeezing his arm for reassurance. "I can't wait to meet him."

Hiroaki and I had sat in silence for a while, two lonely people seeking some kind of solace. I headed inside when the black sky turned a dark shade of blue and was able to catch a cat nap before being woken by Cherushii moving around. We'd dressed in silence and headed downstairs to find Hiroaki making coffee.

A mug in hand, we gathered around the table as Hiroaki laid a map against its surface. Said map detailed the settlement and he pointed out where Izanagi held office, his home, as well as a number of routes to use to remain undetected. I committed it all to memory as Hiroaki would not be accompanying us. He was training to be a medical-nin and his presence was required elsewhere.

Twenty minutes later found us outside of the central building; the equivalent to the government building that housed the Hokage's office back home. We chose to disguise ourselves in order to enter the building. We transformed ourselves into males and I even changed my eye color to avoid suspicion.

We wandered the halls of the building, trying to appear as though we belonged here. When we finally located Izanagi's office, we were rounding a corner. I halted and tugged Cherushii back, ducking behind the corner again as two figures strode past us to the doors of Izanagi's office.

Two men approached the doors, one raising a fist to knock. They were wearing suits, but something seemed off about them. They were broad, their wide shoulders and obvious bicep muscles straining against the fabric of their suit jackets. But it was their faces that truly caught my attention. They were serious, hard, intimidating even. One man sported a scar that ran across his cheek.

I heard a voice beckon the men in and they disappeared behind the wooden doors. I was already glancing about myself and my gaze landed on the ceiling. I elbowed Cherushii and pointed up. She followed my gaze and nodded. And that's how I found myself crawling along the ceiling tiles of Izanagi's office.

At first, I was afraid I was too heavy and would break through the tiles, but they held. We crawled along until we could hear a conversation between the three men.

"This is all you have from three months of research?" asked a voice I did not recognize; one of the men in the suits.

"I had a…minor setback. Someone became a little too interested in my work," Izanagi sounded annoyed.

"I do hope you've taken care of the problem."

"Of course," Izanagi replied quickly. "He's been effectively silenced. I will have plenty of work to share next time."

"For your sake, I hope so."

I glanced to Cherushii, whose brows were drawn together in concentration. When she glanced at me, her expression was grim. I wasn't sure what we had just stumbled upon, but our lives had just gotten more dangerous.

"What research were they referring to?" I asked yet again, fingers drumming against my lips.

Cherushii and I had remained in our hiding spot for some time, listening for any other incriminating activities; but nothing of note happened after Izanagi's meeting with the men in suits. We returned to Hiroaki's house shortly before he arrived. Now we all stood in the kitchen.

Cherushii leaned back in her chair, a thoughtful expression on her face. Hiroaki was pacing the kitchen, shaking his head. As I leaned against a kitchen counter, a thought suddenly occurred to me, and it chilled my blood. I found myself glancing at my cousin, who also now looked disturbed.

Hiroaki had clearly caught our shared look. "What? What is it?"

I bit my lip. "Hiroaki…you know about our clan's ties to Orochimaru, don't you?"

He settled a curious gaze on me. "Yes…?"

"That he was performing experiments on us, researching us…"

"Yes, but…" he trailed off, his eyes widening. "You don't think…"

"Izanagi might be continuing Orochimaru's experiments," Cherushii frowned, arms crossed over her chest.

"Unsuccessfully," I added. "If it's costing people their lives."

"Unless he murders them afterwards to keep them quiet," Cherushii said grimly.

"Possible," I mused. "But our clan was more than willing to participate for Orochimaru. I'm guessing Izanagi is botching everything. He doesn't seem like a genius in any capacity."

"And he's selling our secrets to…someone," Hiroaki said quietly, his face drawn and pale.

"These are all just theories unless we can prove them," Cherushii pointed out.

I drummed my fingers against the countertop, my eyes fixated on the far wall but not really seeing it. "We need evidence. But where do we look?"

"He would need some sort of lab, wouldn't he?" Cherushii's brows drew together in thought.

A thought popped into my brain and I pushed away from the counter excitedly. "Orochimaru! If he was doing experiments, he would probably have set up something nearby. What if Izanagi is using an old lab of Orochimaru's?"

Cherushii quirked an eyebrow. "All well and good but we don't know where that lab is."

"I do."

I glanced over at Hiroaki. His eyes were steely with resolve, his lips pressed in a firm line.

I nodded. "Well alright then."

"Keitarooo, I'm tireeeed," I whined, letting myself dramatically drop to the ground. The grass tickled at my bare arms. It was unbearably hot outside and I wanted some juice.

Keitaro stopped what he was doing and peered down at my nine-year-old form. He sighed. "Come on, Nakao; I need you to get this technique down."

"Why?" I groaned, throwing a forearm over my eyes.

He planted his hands on his hips. "Because it's a fundamental aspect of the jutsu. If you can't conquer this part, you can't move on to the next part."

"It's hot," I grumbled, tired from the hours of training, the hot sun and the lack of juice.

I heard Keitaro sigh and he lowered himself onto the grass next to me, sitting cross-legged. "Nakao…I'm trying to teach you everything you need. I won't be around forever, you know."

His tone and the vulnerability the simmered beneath it caused me to peek out from beneath my arm. Keitaro was staring up at the sky, watching a cloud float by lazily.

"What does that mean?" I asked after a moment of silence.

"Just what I said," he turned his brown eyes on me. "I won't always be there to protect you. One day you'll graduate to genin and I won't be there to guide you. One day you'll face a dangerous enemy and I won't be there to shield you. One day you'll be trapped and I won't be there to pull you from the flames."

The night of the fire that destroyed my family home swam to the forefront of my mind. Not very much time had passed since that night. Frowning, I struggled into a sitting position.

"I'll be fine, Keitaro," I said quietly. "I'll be strong."

His eyes softened a bit and he smiled at me. "I know you'll be strong."

"Maybe so strong I'll have to rescue you," I teased, spitting my tongue out at him.

He let out a bark of laughter and my face screwed up at the offense. I shot forward, tackling my brother. And this time, I thought, he let me win.

I sat at Hiroaki's dining room table, my hands wrapped around a mug of tea that had long since gone cold, my mind lost in thought. Since Izanagi spent his days working, or whatever it was that he did, we thought it best to explore Orochimaru's old lab during the daytime. For all we knew, the place would be occupied at night.

Despite this, I was still awake. Sleep was eluding me once again. My stomach was a tangle of knots as I thought about my brother. I hadn't seen him in over twenty-four hours and I couldn't help but wonder if that had been the last conversation I'd ever have with him. What if I didn't find what I needed? What if I didn't find it in time?

It had been…difficult to come to terms with my brother's feigned death and return from the dead. I had been hurt and angry that he'd put me through that grief. Despite his reasoning, I still wished he would have explained things to me. I wondered if I could find it within myself to forgive him.

At the same time, part of me was overjoyed to have my brother back, even if my view of him had changed. He was the man that had raised me when we were left orphans. He'd taught me much of what I know. Regardless of the harm he'd done me, I still loved him.

But everything seemed much clearer to me now that my brother's life was on the line. That I might lose him again. It made the hurt and anger fade to background noise. I would do anything in my power to keep him safe. That was what was important now. And I wished it didn't take this situation to remind me of that.

Suddenly, I heard footsteps and I looked up in time to see Hiroaki enter the room. He wore baggy sweatpants and a t-shirt, but he didn't look as though he'd slept. He seemed surprised to see me. After a moment, his face softened with a smile.

"Awake again?"

I offered him a tight smile of my own as he made his way to the stove. "Unfortunately. And you? Do you make a habit of being up late?"

"Unfortunately," he echoed my response as he filled a kettle with water and placed it on a burner. "I've not slept well since…Taku…"

"I'm sorry," I said quietly.

Hiroaki only waved off my apology. "Lucky for me, I know all about remedies."

I watched his thin form move over to a cabinet and pull out a small glass jar that one might keep spices in.

Noticing my stare, he shook the bottle gently. "A little bit of this in some tea always helps me sleep. Would you like some?"

"Please," I sighed.

We went silent as the tea brewed and Hiroaki poured some into two cups, adding a sprinkle of his magic substance into each. He brought me mine, setting it on the tabletop in front of me before taking a seat opposite me.

"Is it your brother that troubles you?" Hiroaki asked me after we'd both taken sips of our tea.

I sighed, peering into my cup. "I'm…afraid. I can't lose anyone else."

Hiroaki stared at me solemnly. He knew how I was feeling. He'd been orphaned. He'd lost Aika, a girl I assumed he had feelings for. And now his brother's life hung in the balance. It was eerie how similar our losses were. It's why he understood my pain, and I understood his.

It was almost comforting, in a way, to find someone who had shared my experience. In the general sense, of course. It made my lonely world seem a little less lonely; not in a profound way, but in some sense.

Keitaro was back in my life, and Cherushii was slowly growing into someone I might be able to trust, but that didn't make me less lonely. I felt like I was in my own little world, constantly surrounded by past regrets, past decisions, past hurts, past insecurities. I felt like I was trying to grapple with an entirely new reality that had been sprung upon me, almost quite literally, overnight. I was trying to adapt to the new image of my brother and Itachi. My heart still ached from my encounter with Sasuke, though I was able to push him to the back of my mind for now.

Sometimes I just felt…lost. Like I was floating through my life. Like I was just following along blindly because I didn't know what else to do. I felt like I never had a chance to get my feet back under me before I was racing off to face a war. Taking time to even immerse myself in all that had happened these past weeks felt selfish.

But sitting here across from someone who was virtually a stranger to me, I felt like someone was truly seeing me. I could see it in his eyes; the emotions and struggles that were present in mine whenever I looked in the mirror. And I thought to myself, maybe he didn't have to be a stranger who understood me.

I looked into those amber eyes, a brilliant color that reminded me of fall. "What's your favorite color?"

Hiroaki blinked, but it didn't seem to take him long to understand my meaning. As though our emotions weren't the only things on the same wavelength. I, too, was just a stranger who understood…but just for a little bit longer.

He smiled. It was a small smile, but one that reached his eyes and I was captivated for a moment. The way they shined when he smiled took my breath away. Embarrassed, I shifted in my seat. But if he had noticed anything, he didn't mention it. Instead, he answered.

"Purple. Yours?"

And I smiled.

Author's Note:

Phew! I had to rewrite this chapter almost entirely from scratch. I ended up splitting the chapter as well. This could have been one of my longest chapters but I wanted to put an update out instead.

Thank you all so much for the love and support! Your reviews make my day. Stay safe, readers!