Chapter 31: An Invisible Scar

"Be still, sad heart! and cease repining;

Behind the clouds is the sun still shining;

Thy fate is the common fate of all,

Into each life some rain must fall."

― Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Ballads and Other Poems


Naruto & Hinata

Everything comes back up.

He turns into a mess of snot, tears, and vomit, gasping to catch his breath as his heart knocks out of range and beat, burns him from the inside out.

Jiraiya, no Pervy-Sage. His body is supposed to be resting at Konoha's cemetery, not used like a puppet twisted to do tasks he never would've dreamed of doing while alive. He wrenches his eyes shut, concentrates on the smell of pine and bark, the crackle of wind through the vines and leaves.

"Don't worry about me Kid! Just focus on your training and then once I'm back, we'll get Ichiraku's on me!"

That promise never happened.

And he'll have to face him now; won't he? He knows Pervy-Sage would absolutely hate to be the one killing his former comrades and even students in a zombified form, body controlled outside his whim.

"Naruto?" Hinata's voice floats from somewhere behind him.

His voice chokes, half-turning.

"Over here." He warbles out, hears the shuffling of the bushes as she approaches.

Fingers come to rest at his back, rubbing in slow circles.

"Take slow deep breaths." Hinata advises.

Naruto nods, still hunched over, dry heaving until he has nothing left to bring up.

He settles downwards turning away from the mush, Hinata tumbling down after him.

Her fingertips brush at goosebumps and Naruto flinches, curling in like a ball.

And Mamiko's words flash in her mind.

"You know nothing about that boy, a red thread means nothing but a rush of hormones for you humans."

Hinata purses her lips.

"Should...Should I leave you alone for a bit?" She asks gently.

Naruto doesn't answer, only grabbing onto her arm when she begins to shift to stand.

"No, I don't...I don't want to be alone right now." He rasps out.

The blue of his eyes has misted over like a fog, nails digging into earth and Hinata slowly feels his skin start to warm.

Start to heat. Burn.

Her brows furrow, lacing their hands when she sees his teeth begin to elongate.

"Aren't you mad Naruto? Surely you're not fine with your own Godfather being used as instrument for war? Let me out already and I'll help you get your revenge."

'In and out. Don't listen.' He recalls B's advise.

Though he can still hear the fox's voice, promises to desecrate the Earth that keeps hurting him over and over...

"Are you actually listening to me for once brat? If you let me out, I'll kill him and everyone else who's taken a loved one from you. You don't want to risk losing your red thread again; do you?"

He's right. He can't lose Hinata...

Crimson coats his skin and he barely registers Hinata's gasp of alarm.

"You can't give in to outrage Naruto! Kabuto and whoever else he's working with is using psychological warfare against the Allied forces, however I'm sure there's a way to seal and return these souls back to the Pure Land." Hinata jabs at his chest.

A wheeze erupts out of him, scarlet hue receding.

And with it, all that's left is this grief, this ache he isn't sure he can face all over again.

"Hinata, I don't think I can face Pervy-Sage." Naruto admits hoarsely.

Even if it's what Jiraiya would want, looking him in the eye would just bring back memories of his last moments, the smell of blood and medicine, his body growing cold...

She leans into his chest, listens to the wild thumping of his heart; an ceaseless drumbeat.

Hinata guides his hands to encircle her. Mamiko's right, she doesn't fully understand what Naruto's life was like before they became red threads.

Just snapshots of encounters she's witnessed at the markets or the Academy.

But she's going to learn, one step at a time.

"You won't be doing it alone."


Shikamaru & Temari- Nara Household

'Now where did that lazy man go?'

Temari peers into Shikamaru's bedroom, blankets and sheets crumpled together forming a ball right by his futon. Her eyes study the room blearily for a minute longer to ensure he truly isn't there before letting her red thread guide her instead.

It's not even 6:00 am yet, moon clashing with the coming pinks and violets of sunrise.

He's never up this early unless something's bothering him, sensing it in the way her heartbeat rises and thrums like a hummingbird's wings.

'What is you've been hiding from me?'

Here and now she decides she'll corner him, force answers out of him no matter how much it might sting her to learn.

She finds him on the patio steps, heavy scent of tobacco in the air. A grey wisp of smoke drifts around him like a fog, listening to the the low hoots of the nightbirds and fireflies of the nearby forests.

Her gaze lands on the stubs of cigarettes beside him, mentally counts at least 3 before sighing.

"I woke you up; didn't I?" Shikamaru asks without looking back at her.

Temari yawns as way of answer, strides over and settles beside him with a huff.

"Are you going to tell me what's been bothering you since dinner yesterday or will I need to go to Ino and Choji for answers?" She asks dryly while leaning against his shoulder.

He smells of smoke and dew, the garden where she often sees him cloud-watching or deep in thought.

Shikamaru clears his throat, passes a report to her she reads by guide of moonlight. "The war. It's been reported that...Asuma-sensei's body is among the resurrected shinobi to be used against the Allied Shinobi Forces."

Sleep is knocked out of her, nails burrowing into her palms. Her eyes scour down the list until her gaze rests on one name alone: The Fourth Kazekage.

Rasa. Her Father.

She wonders then what he'll think when he sees Gaara has become the next Kazekage succeeding him, that he skirted with death too, but was able to come back even after Shukaku's extraction while he...

While his body is being used now for war.

Temari sets the paper aside, gathers her voice.

"When did you learn about this?"

Shikamaru snuffs out in his cigarette. "A little before yesterday afternoon; I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner. I was, really am still processing this news and what it will mean for the war."

You can't kill someone who's already died after all.

It means they'll need to create a team focused on countering each of these dead shinobi's best moves, a sealing team to come in afterwards to trap them in place.

Temari takes in his scrunched bows, sighing before squeezing at his arm, lips brushing at his cheek making all his plans vanish or tangle into an incoherent mess.

"Hey, so what are your plans after this war is all said and done? And don't say cloud watching or babysitting Mirai; those are a given."

Shikamaru blinks, Temari always seems to ask him questions that truly stump him.

"I don't know...I always pictured I suppose us eventually getting married, having a kid or two, retiring from being a shinobi then dying of old age."

Temari snorts, crossing her arms. "That's not romantic."

Shikamaru smiles then and her heart jumps. "You don't like me for my flirting I hope. My tactics make up for that!"

She can feel the beginnings of a heat arise to her cheeks at his remark, twisting to look away from his gaze by burrowing into his shoulder. His arms wraps around her holding her close and she hopes he at least can't hear how loud her heart is thumping in her ears.

"You're blushing; aren't you? I must've said something right then." He mentions aloud proudly.

She can practically feel Shikamaru's grin turn into a smirk.

"Shut it."


Naruto

'I have to go back.'

He takes in the splash of pink on the horizon, the curtain of violet at dusk's approach.

His lips are cracked; dry from his stomach's earlier lurch. There's at least nothing else for him to bring back up now, no matter what grisly images his shadow self throws at him, he won't be so nauseated as to not handle it.

Even if it takes all night, he'll master this darkness.

"Ready?" Hinata asks gently, fingers brushing at his cheeks.

Naruto swallows, nodding as he calms his thoughts.

He wraps his arms around her waist to hold her close for a second, commits her scent and warmth to memory before gesturing back into the deep woods. Gold eyes peer at them in the ink black, await Hinata's return.

The war isn't going to stop, they still need to train.

"Mamiko hasn't stopped watching us since you threw up." Hinata notes gently, nearly dares to glare back at her to give them some true privacy.

He sighs, this is their home first and foremost, they just visitors interrupting the normal flow of the island.

'Get rid of that rage you've kept in a cage.'

If Killer B managed to soothe his upset over being made Kumo's jinchuriki, he can do the same as Konoha's.

"I'm going to ask Mamiko what herbs I can use to help settle your stomach, we can brew it into a soup or tea tonight." Hinata decides.

He watches as she moves to stand, treks back into mists and dark of the forests to train and get more information from that Tiger, hopefully will have less scratches and bruises marring her skin once she returns to camp right as the moon reaches midway in the sky.

Ignoring the sour singeing his tongue, he heads for the Waterfalls of Truth.

Viciousness curls at his neck like a vice, painful memories clashing with old.

His dark side looks him up and down upon his return, same chilling grin.

Same menacing blood red eyes.

"Welcome back. Who do you want revenge on next?"

He snaps his fingers and they're back at the Academy, a flurry of whispers surrounding him. It's a random day Iruka assigned them to partner up to test practicing hand signs along with fundamental alert and escape tactics to signals to do when out on a mission.

And as usual, he feels the weight of stares, of nobody wanting to get near him.

"That's him, right? Eww, I hope he's not my red thread! Look at how dirty his jacket is!" Sayuki whispers.

Marika nods her agreement, pinches her nose with a low scoff.

"He smells like old ramen and laundry; gross."

"Why hasn't Iruka-sensei or the others put in him another class by himself?" Kimiko shudders.

"We once pretended not to hear their cruel jokes and taunts. Want to change that?" His shadow self beams.

Naruto shakes his head, stares at him alone instead of these warped figures he's created.

"I know their words have hurt us both, but I intend to move forward past that pain." He starts.

He grips at his chest, forces his mind not to dwell on it for too long.

"The civilian and shinobi of Konoha I know have treated us badly before. Out of fear, out of anger, and simply out of annoyance for the pranks we did. Though I won't hold a grudge over this any longer." Naruto finishes.

His dark side's teeth elongate, expression turning wilder; feral with disbelief.

"That naïveté of yours will be your undoing. Foolish to believe in these very people who don't see you as a human, only as a weapon for war-"

Naruto steps forward, cutting him off as he curls his arms around him.

His arms slack at his sides, hugged when all he's done is spew the hate he's buried, refused to ever speak of aloud. The room distorts around them, floor crackling beneath them. When he looks properly once more at his mirror image he truly sees himself, animalistic features gone.

"It's okay; we're going to move forward."


Ino & Sakura

"Forehead, your coffee is going to get cold." Ino remarks dryly.

She smirks at Sakura's wince when she pushes the cup close enough to burn at her cheek, jolting her up with a huff.

"I'm trying to get some sleep in Pig before afternoon rounds!" Sakura groans, turning away from her, from this annoying sunlight spilling across her mini office area. If it weren't for Lady Tsunade's pushback against the other doctors, her office might've just been an old patient's room or a forgotten 'desk' from Lord Third's tenure.

A wasp flutters by Ino's finger making her shriek in return, Sakura cracking one eye open again.

"That's just Kenichi giving me an update on how the medical brigade is forming; no need to scream." She yawns.

Ino bristles. Just because Sakura said she imprinted her wasps with her scent, doesn't mean she trusts them! Her eyes shift to their growing nest in the room's corner, shivering at the blooming gray dome as yellowjackets and paper wasps shuffles in and out.

How Sakura works in here without getting a panic attack is beyond her...

Sakura stretches, finally moves for a sip of her coffee knowing Ino purchased her favorite with extra honey and cream.

"Relax Ino, they're not going to bother you." Sakura hums.

Ino clenches her teeth as a yellow jacket circles near her ear. "That's not how Sai put it."

"Yeah? Well, that was when he was still working with Danzo. Neither Naruto or I could fully trust him unlike you indulging in him sculpting or painting you." Sakura drawls.

Ino ignores her comments, takes in a fading bruise to her thigh too late for Sakura to fully hide.

'Ugh, she didn't even use the right makeup to match her skin tone for that.' Ino sighs.

There's still much in the way of love that she needs to teach Sakura on.

Sakura follows her gaze, face burning tenfold pushing her pencil skirt down.

"Don't say it." She hisses, Ino's frown morphing into a half-smile that it's her turn to be teased.

Neither speak for a long moment, Sakura rolling her shoulders, jade orbs hardening in a way prepared for her pushback, her comments that she truly needs to stop having anything to do with Sasuke Uchiha during times like this.

"That from Sasuke?" Ino questions with a tilt of her head.

Sakura nods, ignores the heat crawling it's way down her neck.

It's been days, nearly a week since her encounter with Sasuke. And while Lady Tsunade and Shizune never questioned the scratches upon her (she'd just done her psychiatric rotation and most patients are rowdier with talks of war even spilling into that unit), it's her first time wearing a skirt considering she's just catching up on charting her notes today.

"He wouldn't stop using our red thread connection to practically taunt me, nearly made me mess up on doing stitches and surgical cases. I finally went to go see him, healed his worst injuries from a battle he lost against the Eight Tails." Sakura blurts out and her chest lightens knowing it's no longer a secret.

Ino's stare turns bitter. Frosty.

"Sakura, stop helping Sasuke. Red Thread or not. I mean it, I'll report you if I find out you went to see him again."

Her stomach drops at the severity of her tone, straightening in incredulity. "I'm not! Besides, I know what's at stake if Sasuke continues to associate with the Akatsuki. I planted a pair of dormant wasps in his hideout that even he shouldn't notice."

Ino crosses her arms. "He burned up your wasps the last time you tried that."

Sakura bites her lip. "That's because I put them on him. These wasps have been specifically bred and trained to keep a far distance from him and his teammates to avoid detection, behave like regular insects until instructed to."

Ino taps her fingers against her desk, leans close to her blue to green boring into each other.

"You've heard the rumors right that dead shinobi have come back to life? Well, they're true. Asuma-sensei is among many prominent shinobi being used now like a puppet."

Sakura breathes out slowly. Of course she's heard about it; it's practically all the hospice care and palliative care doctors and nurses talk about during lunch break or during morning rounds.

Those on the brink of death worry their bodies will be used for nefarious purposes against the village when really it seems Kabuto is only going after the best of the best shinobi killed in the line of duty. Still, it's trickled into a strange mix of worry and joy for the patients, some afraid they'll see enemy shinobi they killed during missions long ago while others hope to have one last talk again with a cherished comrade or red thread-loved one.

She points to a scar on her shoulder courtesy from the Aburame clan's lingering distrust of her.

Ino glances at the old wound and frowns, all of the makeup in the world won't ever be able to fully cover a jagged mark like that.

"Ino, this is my reminder. That I will be loyal the to Konoha and it's civilians, my fellow shinobi first and foremost." Sakura promises.

Ino arches a brow and she knows why her best friend can't fully trust her when words are empty.

Actions are what matter now.

Her hands thrum with the reminder of what she's done, what Sasuke never noticed amid her stitching and careful packing of his wounds. Crushed turmeric and white willow dulled his pain, his senses enough.

She's sure any Heartbreaker Woman and even Tsunade would agree this had to be done.

Sakura holds up her hand and Ino inspects it closely, takes in the cracks and deep groves in her nails, spots of dried blood turned a copper brown...

"I tampered with my red thread again, it will slow Sasuke down some in battle, but not completely." She explains.

It's risky, especially since by now Sasuke has surely noticed what she's done.

Not the best thing to do when Kabuto is tracking him and this Tobi maybe Obito person may want him for more than what he's said...

"Meaning?" Ino questions to keep her thoughts on track.

"It's temporary little tears that I know he can't and won't ever be able to fix alone."


Hinata

'Do you give up now, little Hyuga girl?'

Mamiko refuses to slow even a fraction, doesn't let up her flurry of attacks as a barrage of nails and teeth come at her from all sides.

"No. No matter what you might say or do to try and break my concentration, I'm not going to let up." Hinata volleys back, times her flame infused gentle fist to go for her front legs.

Her roar echoes out into the canopies as she pierces her left leg, Mamiko swiping at her right arm drawing a burst of blood.

They leap back from each other, Hinata calming her breathing as pain ripples over her.

"I landed a hit on you, at least tell me why you're attacking me both physically and verbally so harshly. If it's because Naruto and I came to this island without fully knowing what we were getting into-"

Mamiko licks at her wounds, ignores her for a moment. "You're endangering all of us by being on this island. For talks of war to reach the Island Turtle so soon in it's beginning stages means that this Akatsuki and whoever else associating with them will eventually find this location, it's only a matter of when now."

Hinata bristles, though uses the opportunity to heal at her own slashes. "Genbu is seen as a fortress of protection though, similar in nature to Konoha's Forest of Death. It's defense system is stronger than what the majority of the other nations have at their disposal."

Mamiko finally looks up at her, yellow eyes reflecting the sunlight before calming seeing Hinata's sincerity.

"While what you've said is true, you've lived a very sheltered life. I don't think we're as safe as Motoi or even Killer B believe."

Hinata follows her gaze to the sky, the rattle of the trees. It hasn't rained much since the afternoon began, activating her byakugan to search the clouds for anything unusual.

Nothing.

Her gaze turns back to Mamiko still licking at trickle of blood before stepping forward, hands coming to rest on her burnt paw. "Can...Can I render aid? I know the paralysis is going to linger for longer, but I can help restore the damaged tissue and blood vessels."

Mamiko flashes her teeth in response, looks down and away for a long minute, enough for Hinata to nearly wonder if she's pretending not to hear her again before nodding.

"...You're nicer than other Hyuga I've come across I must admit." She remarks.

Hinata rests beside her, rubs aloe and tea tree oil into her wounds. "Don't lick this off, it won't taste very good and it needs to soak in for at least a few hours."

"I'm not a child; I know how wound healing and care works!" Mamiko blows out a breath directly to her face.

'You're acting like one, Hanabi is more mature I swear.' Hinata purses her lips.

"Well, tell me what's worrying you then." She offers.

Mamiko blinks, gathers herself. "You and Naruto have been placed here for your own protection, though I don't think it will be enough to evade detection by sensor types on the outside. B, no matter how strong he is, may unknowingly cause people to track down the location of this island."

Hinata swallows, such thoughts have haunted her as well. All the sealing barriers and smoke screens won't stop how determined the Akatsuki is to capture both Killer B and Naruto.

Mamiko moves to stand again despite Hinata's yelp of protest, nods for her to follow.

"Come. I'm taking you to the others. It's time we fully take measures not only to strengthen your skill, but protect Genbu as well."


Naruto & Hinata

By nightfall, both feel too sore to do much else besides eat, then head for bed.

Naruto curls Hinata against him, kisses fluttering against cuts to her cheeks and arms.

Moonlight falls over his own bruises, but otherwise a victorious smile blooms at his face.

He's completed the first trial.

"You better be getting a Tiger summon after all this." He grumbles into her collarbone.

Hinata giggles then shrugs. "I don't know if Mamiko is ready for that step yet, but I know she's worried about the island's safety and future."

Naruto hums. Motoi said B would be back sometime tomorrow to check in on his progress and if he's ready for the next step beyond the falls.

Whatever that means exactly.

"Yo, I hope you two didn't just spend all day in bed or you're gonna dread the strains and pains I'm gonna put your bodies through!" Killer B announces by way of greeting the following morning.

He plops down beside them without care, happily filling up a bowl of rice and fish for himself.

'He's here way earlier than Motoi said.' Naruto and Hinata give each other a side glance.

Killer B ignores their stares, points a chopstick at Hinata noting the difference in Naruto's eyes and features since he last saw him.

"You didn't use sex or some type of hex to keep him in check; did you?"

Heat flames Hinata's face while Naruto throws a rock at his face B easily catches.

"No! Geez, do you always have to say the weirdest things on your mind; y'know?!"

B shrugs, Motoi and Kakashi said upon his arrival back to age by Naruto had indeed conquered his inner darkness, but he had to see it for himself.

Good, there's no time to waste based on what Master Sabu and that shark man told him...

He slaps his hands against his thighs, Hinata noting then the sword at his side.

"Isn't that-" She begins but B nods proudly.

"I was wondering when one of you was going to ask?! That's my new sword I scored off another Fool who took me on!"

Naruto gazes at the sword flatly. It looks like one of those weird, unique swords he recalls Zabuza had, but his interest ends there.

Hinata studies the sword for longer feeling her nerves sharpening. A row of jagged teeth grins at them both though she senses it's staring more at Naruto and Killer B than her...

-x-


The War arc won't be exactly in order, I'm hoping to avoid confusing you guys as none of this story has followed canon exactly with me skipping or going out of order of various events. Most of the same events like Asuma's final talk with team 10, Madara's revival, Sasuke and Itachi fighting Kabuto, etc. will happen give or take, but I do plan to skip over certain scenes to avoid become too repetitive.

Pat-re-on's get early access plus access to my bonus drawings, NH stuff, and original works! (Many thanks to Ally M. and Markus!) The plan is to grow and have you guys choose what you want me to write or draw. Anything that comes to your mind, let me know.

I appreciate your thoughts as always!

Enjoy. Review. Favorite. Follow!