Chapter 32: A Countdown Begins
"There are memories that time does not erase... Forever does not make loss forgettable, only bearable."
― Cassandra Clare, City of Heavenly Fire
Naruto & Hinata
"Down Samehada! Stay! I'm trying to eat here and then we'll play. Ya gotta be patient; okay!"
Killer B pats at Samehada like it's a pet, the opposite of it's notoriety as one of the seven original swords used by the Bloody Mist. His previous owners would probably be disgusted at it's current behavior, greedily snapping and hissing for more food and chakra instead of just outright taking it.
He catches Hinata's stare, nodding proudly.
"Like him? Though don't get too close or he'll bite ya!"
Kakashi stares at the sword, for a flash, he sees Zabuza in the blade's hilt and his chest tightens.
Each of the seven ninja's swordsmen blades were unique, Samehada is proving to be the oddest though.
His eye narrows on the blade, studying it up and down.
'Something's off about that sword and I need to find out what before the day's end.'
It's advertently stealing B's chakra, has latched to him like glue for reasons that seem beyond just him claiming it as a new sword for his collection.
Gai and and Yamato are set to arrive this evening, extra security to ensure both his and Naruto's protection.
Whether they want it or not.
Hinata forces a polite smile, Samehada isn't an ordinary sword clearly from the way it hops about eagerly feeding on Killer B's chakra like given a favorite toy or meal. It yips in dismay when B rolls away from it, still craving more of his energy.
'It's a bit like Akamaru, if Akamaru were a hyperactive sentient sword.' She muses.
Though both Kiba and Akamaru probably wouldn't like such a comparison.
"Who'd you get that off of?" Naruto questions, eyeing the sword with the same amount of wariness as her and Kakashi.
"Yup, he's mine alright! But sit tight and one day you might just get a sword as great!" B exclaims proudly between bites of onigiri and fish.
"...That didn't answer my question."
Though at this point Naruto doesn't care, attention returning back to his meal and that sword hopefully not going after his chakra next. B didn't just come back to the island for no reason, either the Raikage caught up with him or even he realized the danger of casually walking around out in the open knowing he's a jinchuriki now that war is truly coming.
B blows out an appreciative sigh as he sets his chopsticks down, nodding to the pair.
"Whelp Kid, first part of your training is over, ready to place a bid on if you can handle the second part?" He questions as he moves to stand.
Naruto and Hinata watch as Killer B gestures with his head back in the direction of the Falls, Naruto nodding before eating faster.
"Slow down, you don't want to choke." Hinata gently warns while patting at his back, Naruto hopping up to catch up with him.
He grabs her hand before she can sit back down, pulling her to match his speed.
"We both gotta go Hinata! No way you're not being a part of this even if just a little y'now!"
Hinata blinks before smiling, Mamiko probably would have no complaints on her spending her second round of training with Naruto or at least seeing what other skills she gain from the island's other inhabitants.
They catch up with B, roar of the Falls coming into view. Hinata studies the crystalline waters, takes in her reflection.
'Have I gotten stronger being on this island? Are Naruto and I truly safe here?'
Her stomach flutters at the thought of more of dead awakened from their eternal slumber with each passing day.
If Kabuto is truly going after strong shinobi, Hizashi is probably among his legions too...
'Father would have to face him again.'
And Neji as well.
Naruto squeezes at her hand halting her spiraling thoughts.
"There's a secret wall behind these falls that lead to the temples." B explains as they walk around the back of the waterfall following a path of damp stones and branches.
The stones soon turn from gray to blue, moss and vine seeping in against crumpled rock formations and statues.
"Ah, this temple was made centuries ago." Hinata admires, fingers brushing at murals of the Eight Tails and Two Tails along the walls.
"Before even the Warring States era." Motoi adds, nice to see a foreigner interested in some of their nation's history.
B nods, grinning.
"Probably never had any red thread pairs in here though! Guess you might be dreading this, but we'll see if it's meant to be or if you'll be losing him shortly ya dig!"
Hinata blanches. Killer B smiles, totally unfazed by the implications of his casual statement.
"What da ya mean? Hinata isn't losing me y'now!" Naruto frowns.
B ignores his declaration, pointing to the Two Tails statue.
"Whatever ya fools. Ya gotta stuck your head in that statue and make sure you've truly gotten rid of your impurities or your head's going off!
"Is it safe?" Kakashi asks.
B shrugs. "I don't know! I survived it without needing to be revived!"
Really, they haven't had to use this room in years, maybe decades. Every lecture A gave him on this place he couldn't be bothered to listen to or fully pay attention on considering it was a variation of the same tired speech on the importance of being Kumo's jinchuriki.
Naruto studies the open cat's mouth for a moment before putting his head in.
"You're right, this could actually lop my head off!"
When he pulls himself out his head is indeed 'missing'.
Motoi stares at him, brows pinched in alarm, skin taking on a grayish hue while Kakashi sighs at his theatrics.
Hinata steps forward, lightly pokes at where she knows he's ticklish.
"Ahh, not there Hinata! Your heart was supposed to skip a beat in panic!" Naruto snickers, popping his head out.
B laughs, crossing his arms.
It's been far too long since he's seen Motoi be spooked and he not the cause of it.
"Hey not bad there Naruto! Ya better be ready and steady for the hardest part coming up." He advises as they venture into the second chamber.
Naruto nods, has a hunch what he'll say next.
"The Nine Tails won't be playing games to take your chakra."
He doesn't finish to the second part, the one he worries the most about.
'Or to take control.'
Sakura
The hospital soon becomes swamped with the first waves of shinobi who have fought against the undead.
And lost.
Injuries range from burns and slash marks to the catastrophic torn limbs. Those are the gaping wounds that constantly seem to bleed, sores that keep draining and turning necrotic within hours despite her best measures.
'You won't be able to save all of them. Remember that Sakura.'
That grim advice from Tsunade runs across her mind which each patient she checks, each one she assists in triaging based upon their current symptoms and how long ago they were last in battle.
Early reports are all reaching the same conclusion that not only are these reincarnated ninja as powerful as they were in life, but some shinobi are being killed by an enemy that can perfectly copy their features and chakra signature to a T without a sensor ninja picking it up...
"W-Will you tell my wife Ayahi that I love her? She's the one whose been coming to visit me daily; right?" Kazuhiro asks bringing her back to the here and now, one of many chunin here flooding the ICU beds.
Bandages cover his right eye from the kunai taken to it, left eye taking the load searching for the petite brunette.
He moves his arms up in search of the woman, coming back with air and Sakura catches his hands before they can fall back against his sheets.
"I'm here Kazuhiro, try to relax. I'll increase the rate of your O2."
Defeat mars his left eye, azure clouding over.
Sakura pushes on a smile for him, ignores the ache pressing into her chest akin to fire to tell him the truth.
Ayahi only came the day he was first admitted back in the ER, lips set in a firm line, body trembling watching him get pushed away via gurney. She might've already gone to a Heartbreaker Woman to cut her thread knowing the inevitable was coming for him.
"I will let her know." She promises.
This lie will sting less maybe the more she says it.
He dies a little before noon even with all her efforts to stabilize his blood pressure, Ayahi may or may not have felt it somewhere miles away.
Echoes of grief sink into these walls, wails and moans that will follow her home.
As this war grows and changes with each passing day, he unfairly won't be the last...
"Sakura, I'm ordering you to take a break; I'm taking over your shift. Lady Tsunade's orders; effective now." Shizune commands before she can even give her afternoon report and she doesn't have it in her to argue back.
Sour, bitter tastes swarm her tongue, sink and gather at her stomach like moths, this inevitability now of war means they all need to be in top shape.
Meaning she can't pull 3-16 hour shifts in a row and not get some sleep that isn't just 1-2 hour breaks.
'If I'm not working though, I may start thinking about him.'
Work is the perfect distraction to not dwell on Sasuke, he stays distant from her mind and her checking her red thread when she has to focus on providing wound care, inserting trachs, and starting IV's.
"We have enough canned goods, right? Pretty soon the markets may start limiting supplies or at worse, start rationing again like during the 3rd Shinobi World War." Mebuki questions Kizashi as Sakura returns home.
Her arrival is met with strained grins, neither asking why she's back home so early.
"I'm going to take a nap if anyone needs me." She announces.
Kizashi steps forward before she can head for the stairs, smile comforting in a way that may break her.
"Everything alright sweetie? Did you eat lunch at the hospital cafeteria or should your Mom and I fire up some leftovers?"
Her gut swishes at even the thought of eating, Sakura shaking her head.
"No need! I had some curry and rice before leaving." She half-lies.
Because while she did order a plate of curry, she only took a few bites. She managed to eat just about a quarter of the meal before throwing the rest away should she get sick all over herself. Her yellowjackets and hornets advance upon her as she tumbles into her sheets, tiny wings and legs fluttering across her arms and legs.
"I'm alright, no injuries. At least not physically." Sakura sighs, patting at Kinicki's head before turning to the younger wasps.
"I assume you all already know from your scouring of the forests that a war is brewing up; all the nations versus the Akatsuki. We'll be dealing with a variety of injuries and wounds most of you have probably never seen before or on such a scale. Stick to teams of two, protect each other or even fly away if need be if the situation is too dangerous." She directs.
The Aburame clan has numerous hives and beetle colonies in reserve for times like this, though most have been too wary to share their additional nests with her.
'Can't say I blame them.' Sakura huffs. She'd have a hard trusting herself too knowing her past actions regarding Sasuke, even the encounters she's sure the clan doesn't know about regarding him.
It would be a risk to fully trust her right now.
She balls up her hands, pushing away the self-pity. Afternoon sun warms her cheeks, sinking herself into a comfortable position against her pillows to finally get some true sleep in. Wataru, one of her middle age wasps settles near her nose, sudden scent of ash and fire singeing her nostrils.
She must've came from the forests not too long ago, verdant eyes widening in alert.
Because along with scents of fire and blood comes painfully familiar sandalwood, too much like how Sasuke's scent was when she last saw him.
And all at once her chest coils, thoughts and memories of their meetings repeating one by one.
Tomorrow, she'll go before daybreak back to the hospital, slip under both Lady Tsunade and Shizune's radars hopefully if she uses the back stairways instead of the main employee entrance.
Maybe instead of going to the cafeteria for lunch, she'll check in on Karin who eats less and less with each passing day based on what the patrol officers have told her.
'Work. I have to go back.'
Her hands twinge and Sakura squeezes her eyes shut to not look at her red thread.
'It's fine; you're fine Sakura.' She breathes in and out slowly until the pain recedes. Sasuke has probably realized by now what she's done to their thread to show her loyalty to Konoha over him.
Once she's back at the hospital, in the throws of all those stab wounds and infected limbs, he will be far from her mind.
Just like she surely is for him.
Otogakure-Akatsuki & Sasuke
"You're going to need to pinpoint where they're hiding; Kisame has yet to return and it's been over 3 days now." Kabuto orders.
Deidara shrugs, death has done little to change his personality it seems.
"I'll find them. There's only so many hiding spots left available after all. Good the world will be able to revel in my art once more!"
Sasuke sticks to the shadows out of his view, knows the bomb user will be highly displeased and disappointed to see he survived his final explosion.
His suicide changed nothing.
Tobi turns to face him as soon as Deidara takes flight, they need to leave this area now soon as well, visible eye narrowing.
"You're still in no shape to go after the Eight Tails, let alone the Nine Tails."
Sasuke straightens himself, tone equally clipped.
"I'm fine."
But Tobi has already turned his back on him, waves him away.
Neither say anything until they're once more back at the mountain base.
"Be patient. Both your body and your freshly implanted eyes have not fully recovered. It would be foolish to send you out when you've already failed me once and are down your healer. On top of that, your red thread has been tampered with and it will affect you in battle moving forward. Fix at least one of those before I send you out anywhere." He voices with a note of finality.
He's been harsher with him and anyone in his way since seeing Rin's body for that short moment, gone again before he could even truly hold her or tell her goodbye.
Sasuke grits his teeth, says nothing as he heads into the deeper chambers of the cavern.
True, he doesn't need to make himself easy prey for Kabuto, though he's going to get restless if he doesn't properly leave this base soon.
It isn't like he won't eventually run into Kabuto, he has his army of the undead scouring each village and town for him.
The wind changes direction and he pauses, gazes towards the mountains and grasslands to the south and eastern regions.
Back towards Konoha.
A thin trail of black smog runs across the sunset, splits across the pink and red sky in a jagged cut.
Jugo and Suigetsu both reported yesterday confirmation of talk that dead Akatsuki members, former bandits, and rogue shinobi walk the Earth once more. He's seen the proof now with his own's eyes at Deidara's resurrection.
Neither said what he's thinking.
'Itachi is probably within those masses.'
His stare falls to his hand, red thread still dotted with holes, unchanged since the hours ago when he first truly noticed them and tried to work on fixing them to no avail. The precise cuts and pinpricks require an expert, a chance he isn't willing to take.
Sakura's final parting gift, her decision made on where she stands on this coming war.
He ignores the twinge of ache that means he'll have to face both her and Naruto, emotions that don't belong on the battlefield. Kakashi-sensei once told him during his chidori training he buried his feelings after his teammates and own sensei's death in the last war.
His mind drifts to the rest of his old classmates, if they're going to face the same fate as Obito and Rin or if they'll come out of this war as numb as most shinobi are after seeing so much blood and death day after day.
Konoha still needs to, has to suffer for wronging his clan.
His head dully thrums, retreating towards his designated room. Orochimaru used his past experiments and prisoners to make miles long tunnels in this base, trap doors and paths that lead nowhere to confuse the enemy. He twists down the middle path he long ago learned leads to Crescent Cape, a curved path of both river and forest in the worst case scenario of a quick exit needed.
'Who knows when you may need this Sasuke? You're a wanted man now too after all.'
The warning he once thought was stupid and pointless he may now very well need in these coming days. Amid these walls and carved ground is a bit of protection from a war that's about to affect and swallow all the nations and villages no matter how big or small.
Evacuations will be done and in the chaos, Kabuto will have his undead army and White Zetsu soon swarming this place.
'No matter what choice you make in the end Sasuke, know that I'll always love you.'
'Sometimes, you're so easy to read Sasuke, and such a terrible liar too.'
Itachi. Sakura.
He shuts his eyes to their warm smiles and teasing grins, until the images of them both fully disappear.
'I won't let either of you distract from finishing my revenge.'
Naruto
"Listen up Naruto, cuz this is actually important! The Nine Tails is gonna appear to ya as soon as you start taking some of it's chakra! So you gotta make sure your mind is clear or else you're gonna end up dead and your body turned to shreds!" Killer B declares.
Naruto nods, though his stomach lurches uncomfortably.
He's going to have B's help yes in this endeavor, but removing the Nine Tail's seal was one of the first lessons Jiraiya gave him not to do, to resist it's call.
'I won't ever gain mastery if I don't try.' He reminds himself.
He peers back to Hinata who gives him an encouraging smile, grinning back feeling his trembling hands relax some.
'Alright, let's do this, y'now!'
He calms his thoughts, going back into his subconscious.
The Nine Tails grins darkly from his cage as Naruto approaches, nails poised for his throat.
"I would never work with my jailor boy. As soon as you undo the seal, I'll finally take over your body."
Naruto scoffs. "You aren't taking over me without a fight."
He leaps forward as soon as the seal is released, stare turning to the Eight Tails with a sneer.
"You're actually working with your human Gyūki? Disgusting you've lowered yourself to enjoying captivity."
And then he slashes at his tentacles before they can wrap around, scarlet eyes running back to Naruto in realization.
He wants to control of his chakra on his own terms, firing up a tailed beast ball.
"Looks like you may have to face him with your own power soon Naruto! Don't cower no matter what he does next!" B mentions, using the last of Gyūki's strength to divert the ball from Naruto.
Naruto nods his thanks, activating his Sage art, swirl of wind rising up.
Nine Tails may blow away his first rasengan, but rasenshuriken is enough to topple him over to his back, blue boring into red.
"I'm taking your chakra whether you like or not! I have to get stronger and that means using your chakra to stop this war from growing!" He demands.
"You're foolish to believe I'll ever let you or anybody use my power! You should just disappear, die and save everyone the trouble of continuing to worry about you!" He roars back.
B frowns, arms crossed in rising dismay. All of the Nine Tail's hatred and darkness leaks out like a broken faucet, clicking his teeth as Naruto's own eyes flicker between cerulean to crimson.
"You aren't wanted in this world boy, when are you finally going to understand that?" He growls, prodding on seeing his disposition falter briefly.
Kakashi and Hinata watch Naruto's transformation, Kakashi muttering they need Yamato here before Hinata abruptly steps forward.
'Naruto, don't give in. Don't forget you're wanted; loved.' She ignores Kakashi's warning behind her not to touch him, fingers brushing, heat scalding at where she knows his heart is beating fast.
'Relax Naruto.' Clenching her teeth against the pain, eyes widening seeing his transformation abruptly still.
At that same moment another hand presses against his chest before he can form a retort, Naruto twisting to see streaks of red, warm violet eyes.
"Stop it. Naruto belongs here! You're the one who should disappear!" The woman commands.
Chains erupt around the Nine Tails as it twists to them both. Naruto watches on in awe, his adamantine chains nothing compared to hers.
"Kushina; you should be dead!" He snaps, nails attempting to reach for her.
Kushina doesn't even look back at the beast, battle momentarily silenced.
She bounces on her toes eagerly, looking Naruto over.
"Guess who I am!"
Naruto pauses, rubbing his chin.
"Umm, well you're not the fox in a human disguise; are you? No, no you're from the photos Pervy-Sage showed me once a long time ago. When you were pregnant...with me?" Naruto asks slowly in wonder.
Kushina blinks, grinning before cracking a fist.
"Don't compare your dear Mother to the Nine Tails! We look nothing alike y'now!"
"...Mother?" Naruto pauses, inspecting her closer.
The little he's seen of his Mom previously doesn't, can't compare to seeing her now before him. The trademark red hair of the fallen Uzumaki clan, bright grin he's seen upon his own face in moments of joy.
"Yes! Geez, you don't even know what I look like y'now! What was Jiraiya even teaching you during that training trip?" She crosses her arms.
Naruto laughs lightly. "Err, things you probably don't want to know."
Kushina huffs at that, marching forward to him.
And Naruto wrenches his eyes shut, remembering Shikamaru's stories of his Mom slapping him for his laziness or skipping class, eyes opening in surprise when arms curl around his waist, hug him close and Naruto relaxes, squeezing her back in return.
"Look at you, you're nearly an adult now y'now! Heh, the last time I saw you were so tiny, not even the length of my arm and now-" Kushina's voice catches, eyes watering over.
She pulls back to study him over, the features he's taken from both her and Minato, cobalt to violet.
"Tell me, do you...do you have a red thread?"
It's the one question she's been dreading and hopeful for all at once for when this meeting would come. It was painful enough that night having Naruto pulled away from her right after birth, sealing part of the Nine Tails in him and with it, making him become Konoha's next jinchuriki.
Parts of her dying thoughts agonized for his loneliness, if he would end up like so many other jinchuriki before him without a red thread, a life only to live as their nation's weapon should war break out and nothing else.
Naruto beams, Kushina's fears calming. "Don't worry Mom, I have one! Her name's Hinata, she's from the Hyuga clan y'now."
Kushina hums, searching her memories of her studies of Konoha's old clans.
She snaps her fingers, sure she met their patriarch's quiet wife during one of her prenatal and birthing classes. "Wait, the ones with the byakugan, right? Makes their veins grow?"
Naruto nods and Kushina claps her hands in delight.
"Ah, well tell me about her! You've been treating her well, right?! Ugh, I know Jiraiya isn't the best teacher for such things, but you've been eating correctly, going to bed on time? Cleaning up after yourself?"
Naruto chuckles at her flood of questions, scratching a hand at his cheek nervously as she sits them down.
"Err, to be honest when I used to think Hinata was a bit weird before I knew her better. Were total opposite in personalities a bit y'now! She's more quiet and soft-spoken, but she can get loud in certain situations...ah, but she helps keep me calm and she's gave me a lot of cooking lessons and skills!"
Kushina laughs, shaking her head.
"We're so alike! Don't worry, I thought your Father was a bit of a wimp and weird too. Especially when I first met him and learned he was my red thread. Oh, I would ask and complain to Granny Mito after school nearly daily why I got matched with such a strange guy. I was a difficult child I guess you could say when I first moved to Konoha from Uzushiogakure. I had lofty dreams of being Konoha's first female Hokage, to prove I was more than just this girl from a destroyed village with bizarre red hair."
"Your red hair is nice though!" Naruto mentions proudly.
Kushina smiles, twirling a finger through her locks. "I didn't see it that way at first though until Minato saved me from a group of kidnappers one night a few months later, told me he was glad I was his red thread knowing there was some much he could learn from me."
"I didn't even need to use our thread to follow you, I just used the trail you made with your hair. It's pretty though so don't pull it out anymore unless absolutely necessary, it makes you shine!" She repeats Minato's compliment.
Kushina pats at his hands, feels her time running out.
"I'm so-I'm so sorry Minato and I couldn't be there for you Naruto growing up." She chokes out, pushes herself to continue on quickly.
"I'm so glad you have a red thread; I can't wait to share the news with Minato! Know that we both love you Naruto. Hinata and the rest of the Hyuga clan better make sure you keep eating, sleeping, bathing, and most importantly, behaving yourself properly in front of adults and respected dignitaries."
"I am! Hinata and I are both respectful y'now!" Naruto assures her, hugging her close.
'Love.' He grins, he has his parent's love and Hinata's love.
Familial and romantic connections no one can take away.
And as Kushina fades he turns back to the Nine Tails; ready.
Naruto & Hinata
He returns to dusk on Turtle Island, Hinata the first to approach him. He takes in her bandaged hand and kisses it, Hinata reddening but sighing at the touch.
"I'm fine." She waves away the concern in his eyes.
"Everything fine out here?" He volleys back, Hinata nodding while taking in his new form. His body is coated in a warm honey-yellow, chakra and power radiating off him akin to flames.
"Gai and Yamato just arrived about an hour ago." She relates, Naruto looking to the others with a grin before pausing as his gaze falls to Samehada.
'I thought something was off about that sword, but now I can detect it for sure.'
He pulls Hinata beside him quickly, scowling.
"Hey B, your sword is hiding a person!" Naruto declares loudly getting everyone's attention.
Instantly, all eyes turn towards the sword, stances turning offensive.
And B stares in surprise as Samehada shakes before standing upright, Kisame revealing himself with a toothy grin.
"Huh?! How are you alive? I thought I made sure you couldn't survive!"
Kisame's grin widens despite the circumstances, focus pinned between him and Naruto. There's a chance he truly may die this time being outnumbered like this, though it won't be in vain.
'You two have been found and I'll make sure the Akatsuki finds out.'
-x-
Apologies on the delay, I feel like this took a long time to get out! Anyways, I feel excited for the changes to the War arc that's coming even if I know it will be a bit difficult to twist certain scenes.
Pat-re-ons get early access always (Many thanks to Ally M., Markus, Jason F., and Cody). I post extra bonus NaruHina stuff, my original works, and drawings there. I go by TheLovelyMidnightWriter so head on over if you want more NSFW writings!
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I want to do something to celebrate Yesterday Morning recently reaching 2,000+ favorites here, but my well of ideas for that story is dry lol. So, if there's anything you want to see for this story, any of my stories, or something completely brand new to commemorate the moment, please let me know!
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