'It's said that people are always in doubt. Always questioning what their next move should be. Subconsciously, certain groups of people desire to be controlled, to have another rule over them. That is simply the truth of how humanity is, and how the human mind works. This is how the system of government is established. Because others are too afraid to make the bold choices needed to lead a nation. To have the lives of others in their hands. In short, those people, the average villagers, live their lives as pawns to the strong due to mental weakness. That's where the problem is. Everything begins there. The mentality of this nation is the key to what I need.'
Kimiko opened her eyes, pitch black orbs staring at the masses that filled the often desolste streets of Kiri. Everyone had gathered to see what she had to deliver to them. Shinobi stood at the sides of the streets, armed and ready to handle any protesters swiftly. The woman smiled with a wave of her hand, taking the hat off her head.
There were cheers, cries of pure joy and happiness at the woman that had ended the tyrannical rein of Yagura. Few questioned how such a thing had come to pass, and those that did learned never to ask again. Certain things always remained in the shadows. That was how the world of shinobi operated.
There was a groan behind her, and she suddenly remembered their reason for gathering here. For bringing everyone from their homes. Kimiko turned, signalling for the guards to bring Yagura closer. The man tumbled to the ground, his body exhausted and his reserves empty. He had long list his will to fight. He dragged his eyes up to her, their look blank and cold. Had she been a lesser woman, she would have flinched or cowered away. Instead, she smiled at him.
She blinked, and the colour left her eyes, her smile becoming more of an unpleasant smirk. He was the only one that ever got to see this side of her. This truly rotten side.
She held his chin up, facing him for a few seconds before she turned to her people once more, looking over the balcony. She gave a slight cough before she began, her left hand coming up to her chest as she spoke.
"My people!"
"For too long has this nation suffered at the hands of conflict. For too long have we entertained the treacherous ideals brought upon us by those that held power over us. By those we gave authority and responsibility to. By those we trusted with our nation. By those who...in the end, led us down a grief stricken path, filled with ordeals we could not have imagined in our life time. It's with a pained heart that I accept that this is a truly blackened time in our Nation's proud history!"
She had everyone's attention now, onlookers stopping all their chatter as they turned to face her. Heads tilted up, her powerful voice projecting all the way into their ears. She was moving them, appealing to their greater sense of patriotic pride. Making them believe what she believed. Whether that was true or not.
In the end, the human eye could not discern truth from fiction if it could not see it. And lies could not be seen. Tell a lie loud enough and long enough, and eventually, it was the truth everyone would soon know.
"For months we have toiled and struggled to drag our country back from the hands of those that threatened to once more tear down the efforts of our forefathers. From those that tried to rip our history apart. From our own leaders of the nation. I stand before you, not to denounce their crimes, but to correct what has already been done. I want to change this nation. No, I need to change this proud nation!"
Her hands held onto the balcony with great force, threatening to break the brick layering. Her hair was dancing in the air, the wind pulling it back as she kept her held her hand down. The people gave cries of support, of reassurance and conviction.
"For months we suffered at the hands of a war that so easily could have been avoided. A war that should never have been in the first place. A war that threatened to bring down the extinction of our brothers and sisters. Of the very people that served to protect us all these years. There is no doubt in my mind when I say that the majority of you stayed silent when this all began. That you all kept your heads down to protect your own families."
The crowds grew silent.
"But I understand!" She declared, her voice like a cry. Her eyes were packed with emotions, a myriad of them flashing in each passing moment.
"I too was afraid. I too wanted to have no part in all the bloodshed. But no more could I continue to stand on the sidelines while my home suffered. In truth, I am ashamed to call myself his family, but that cannot be changed. Much like we cannot changed the past, simply the way we choose to view it."
"Please!" She bowed her head. "Give me your strength for what I am about to commit...as your new Mizukage." Her voice devolved into a silent whisper, but everyone heard her plea, each bringing a hand to their chest as they pledged their allegiance.
Yagura was raised onto his knees, held in place by the two guards, one on either side. His hands were tired behind his back, chains binding him.
Kimiko was presented with a blade, long and sharp. It glinted in the dull weather is the fog. Yagura watched Kimiko's expression as she turned to face him. Her features shifted again, from gentle and persuasive, to ruthless and sadistic. Like two sides of the same coin.
"From this point on, shall no more blood be spilled on the account of selfish desires. No longer shall we be bound by the rules that restrict our freedom. Everything from this point on shall be committed in the name of the state, for nothing done in the name of the state can ever be wrong!" She told them, hoisting the weapon up with one hand. It descended faster than he thought it would, and the world turned black before he realised it. He was gone before he had even felt it.
There was silence as Kimiko watched the head roll along her feet smoothly. Blood smeared across her cheek, but she did not mind. With her back turned to the people, she was unsure of their reaction. Then the applause came, loud and relieving. Her shoulders slumped as she looked up, and for the first time in months, it rained.
Her eyes gleamed in satisfaction knowing that one thing had been accomplished now. With Yagura's execution, unity had been brought to the people. Gone was the evil that had tormented their dreams so often, and gown was the last of her family.
'Now, the village is my family. No, that's not quite right...these people...they exist simply for one thing. To bring glory to Kiri. Nothing else.'
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A week had passed since the incident surrounding the Uchiha massacre. School had been put on hold for that period of time, the duration of the break having been indefinite for a while u til the teachers announced that everything would be advancing as usual the coming Monday.
Naruto found himself walking to the Academy with Himika, the girl turning her head as she seemingly took in the sights. Things she had seen multiple times, yet he felt as though she was seeing the world for the first time. As if there was simply something she could see that he could not.
He was behind her, watching her as her head turned at random times, struggling to focus on one particular thing. That was rare for her. Himika rarely lost her focus, always concentrating until she was completely satisfied. Now, she was doing the opposite. The blonde yawned, but he straightened up as he felt the silence that had crept upon them. Everyone was watching him, stopping whatever they were doing as the jinchūriki moved past their stalls.
He ignored the silent stares and harsh sneers some of them gave him. With his hands stuffed in his pockets, the blonde huffed and shook his head. It would not do him any good to get caught up in it.
'They know what you did.'
He paused for a moment, his steps faltering a bit before he picked up the pace once more.
'You can't run from your crimes. They hate you...and you hate them.'
Naruto bit his tongue stubbornly, refusing to play this game with the fox. A game he knew he stood no chance of winning. His fists curled in his pockets. So focused on himself, he did not notice when they had passed the main centre of the village, or when Himika had slowed her own pace to walk beside him.
"You alright?"
She asked, her vision focused on what was in front of her. They did not look at each other, but he could tell she had noticed something. How, he was unsure. The blonde offered a small smile, genuine so as not to worry. While he appreciated it, he had no interest in sharing his current problem with her.
"Yeah, fine, just thinking about something." he told her, turning forward again as the Academy came into sight. The place looked silent and empty from where they were.
Himika said nothing in response, nodding and keeping her eyes trained forward. Even after a week, she had no idea how her senses worked or how she could utilize them. She had no clear idea on how to control it or turn it off. It was like having an extra pair of eyes that never seemed to close. It was at times, annoying. Still, she was quite pleased with it. The textbooks had been pretty helpful, stating it was a natural thing that came to most sensors. In the end, she would be good enough to control it on her own.
In her quest to understand it, she had been taking in everything she could feel around her. In the beginning, it had been a sensory overload that she struggled to deal with, but she was adapting to it. On most occasions, it was Naruto that did that too her. Her close proximity to him, as well as his large chakra reserves were hard to adjust to. Especially when he suddenly seemed to erupt. It was the exact same thing that had threatened to happen again.
Even as she strode ahead of him, she could feel the depressing atmosphere around them and the horrid looks being thrown his way. Everyone was watching him closely, some openly glaring at him for something she truly struggled to comprehend. Did they know about the fire?
Naruto appeared not to notice, but she knew he could see it. That he felt what she could feel it. That warmth he gave off was becoming dark again, threatening to ruse up like it did the night they lost all the others. It did not though. It danced around at an alarming high level before sinking back. Like bile rising up your throat before you forcibly swallowed. He looked frustrated by something.
As she noticed all this, she slowed down and came up to him, offering a question of worry as she looked forward. His chakra mellowed a bit, responsive, she took note before he turned down her worries and reaffirmed that there was nothing wrong.
Then the Academy came up and it looked gloomy and quiet. Like someone had died. That assessment was not that far off. They had heard the news of the Uchiha massacre, and though neither of them could understand how he possibly felt, they still felt some sense of condolence toward him. Orphans could only understand so much about people that had once had something precious before it was taken away.
"Do you think he came?"
"Yeah." She heard Naruto say after a bit of thought. She knew the blonde did not particularly like Sasuke, not the way Ino did in any case, but he still cared somewhat. It was something she struggled to understand. Naruto functioned in strange ways.
They walked through the front gate, making their way to their class for their first period. Their steps echoed in the hallway as they moved, Naruto looking into each and every classroom till they reached their own.
The moment they did, Himika found herself drawn to something dark and moody. Chakra, though unlike Naruto's, it was purely blue. A dark kind. She found herself looking Sasuke, who's attention was directed toward the board that stood erect at the front of the class.
He was not frowning, but she was certain she had never seen his face look so grave before. She could sense a great sense of anguish and hatred coming from him. This kind was more manageable than that coming from the blonde next to him, but it still felt beyond human proportions. To hate something to such an extent. To even care so much about something.
And so, their first period got under way.
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"Do you think we should...you know, go and talk to him?"
Ino was talking again, her tone somber and low as she asked that question. Himika took a bite out of her sandwich and shrugged her shoulders at the odd question. She honestly felt it was not any of their business.
"No...I don't think we should. I think Sasuke just wants to be alone." She said as she dragged her eyes up and watched the last Uchiha walk back into the Academy. Lunch had only just started, but it appeared he was already done.
She turned her and watched as Naruto slept against a tree in the playground. No, that was not quite right. She could not say he was asleep, just that he was closing his eyes and resting. A rare thing for the boy. He was so often hyperactive.
"Yeah...I...I guess we should. Maybe if we were close, but we aren't." Ino gave a defeated sigh as she slumped against the bench. Her attention turned to Naruto, and she belatedly recalled something.
"Oh yeah. I heard about the orphanage. Sorry about that too."
Himika shook her head, waving off Ino and her concerns once more. She finished the sandwich off and smiled reassuringly.
"It wasn't your fault, but thanks. We just got lucky." She told her, but even she was having trouble believing herself.
"That's some luck then. That the two of you survived." Her friend snorted, clearly in disbelief. It made Himika think of the man that had come and saved her. She had not bothered to look for him. Compared to everyone else, she had been fine. The flames had barely reached her room, the smoke fanning in. It had been in the nick of time, while for Naruto, she still struggled to believe he had made it out.
"Yeah." She found herself whispering, her voice softer than she wanted it to be. It was as though she was only then realizing how close they had been to dying. So close to being one of the lives that had been snuffed out. Somethings simply came down to coincidence. Yet, she felt there had been purpose in her survival.
"Ino." She suddenly continued, looking at the platinum blonde, wiping her mouth as she did so. The wind blew across harshly. "I've noticed...you seem like you don't have as many friends anymore."
The other girl laughed a little, her eyes downcast as she did so. She looked to where all the other kids were, watching them with envy as they sat and gossiped or played together. She felt something eat away at her.
"Oh, you noticed. Then again, you tend to notice everything." Ino blew the hair out of her eye. "Since we got back, a lot of the other kids have been leaving me out cause they see me talking to you and Naruto. I guess you wouldn't know since you're well...not to be rude, but you're an orphan. Our parents tend to tell us to stay away from Naruto."
Himika raised her eyebrows, turning to see the boy still in his position. Now she was certain the blonde had drifted off to sleep, his chest heaving uniformly. She took in what Ino had said, recalling how the adults had looked at him. Children would never question their parents. She blinked as she looked at him. He seemed harmless, but her senses disagreed with her. They told her he was anything bit safe. There was something concerning about Naruto.
"Don't you think you should have stuck with them instead of us. I know they were important to." She was sure it would be simple to go back to the others if she simply turned her back on them. They would forgive her easily enough. She doubted any grudges would be held.
"Yeah, I actually thought about it, but my daddy told me that I should do the right thing." She kicked at the sand, grabbing a leaf that had been sitting next to her on the floor. Her eyes followed it as she tinkered with the little thing.
"And this was what you chose."
Himika stood, walking over to Naruto and crouching near his head. With a sigh, she poked him in the cheek, and he responded with a turn of his head and a loud groan. Ino was not as subtle though. She pulled him by the hair, and the response was instant.
Naruto shot up, sitting up and looking around for the danger, and aIno snickered. She made a run for it, and with a sigh, Himika moved out of the way as Naruto leapt after his fellow blonde. His prude would never allow him to let Ino get away with that. Not until he had done something similar to her.
He chased her down, tackling the other girl down while ignoring the looks of all the other kids. Once Naruto had her, he straddled her and grabbed a handle of sand, tossing it into her hair. The playground fell silent. Until Ino's loud scre pierced their ears. Naruto looked dumbfounded until Ino suddenly tugged on his shirt and returned the favor.
Himika ignored their antics and looked up at the sky. It was darkening quickly, an indication of the shift in the weather. It would rain soon.
The girl stood again and walked off to the bathroom, deciding her two friends would be able to sort out their temperamental differences. Naruto would eventually learn that Ino was not someone that was afraid to bully him around and get physical. She truly disliked that kind of stuff, rolling around in sand and screaming.
She rounded the corner, pausing as she met the dull eyes of Sasuke Uchiha. He looked at her, surprised to have seen her. They did not say anything, and Himika gave a slight cough. Much like her, the boy was socially awkward and they struggle to find anything to say. Even common greeting. Eventually, the boy walked past her, not sparing her another glance. She watched him live, wondering to herself.
Much like her, Sasuke had no friends. No, that was the old her. Now, she had found herself having Naruto and Ino, things she had not considered before. Her stance on friendship had been a clear one.
People never really understood each other, and it was not for a lack of trying. People always tried to reach out to each other, but there would always be a gap that stood. A barrier that kept them from one another. Selfish desires, motivations and belief in gain. People would always have those kinds of thoughts, preventing pure understanding. So she had preferred not to have anyone come to understand her, or even try. She did not want the pain that came with that sense of betrayal. In their line of work, someone would die eventually and that would hurt.
Naruto had come to her with a firm belief that her view was wrong. He had challenged her without knowing it, and so she came to him, accepting his offer hesitantly. She was filly intent on watching the path he would follow. To see if his way was truly the right one. A way he envisioned where people would come to share their pain. To share their beliefs without prejudice. In the end, though he did not know it, that was the path he was walking. In his mind, he was simply going to have all those around him acknowledge him. He would have them understand him. In her mind, she felt that as Hokage, such a change was possible, and so she would watch him and see him attempt to accomplish his goals.
Yet such a feat was not possible, not alone, and so her friendship with Ino had been born put of pure coincidence and chance. A meeting she had no control of, yet she saw the opportunity, and she knew Naruto did too. Just not how she did. In his own way, and that was fine. Naruto was not the type to fight alone, he would need others. Not just her, a passive part of his existence. So she would find someone to take that more active role, at least for now.
'When did I begin to concern myself so much with his ambitions. He's the one that wants to be Hokage. I'm just going to support him.'
She had no clear plan as to what life she would try to live, what she would try to accomplish. For now, she was content just as she was. Her friends would guide her.
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Red and purple neon lights flashed around the town of Otafuki Gai. A festival was taking place, the townsfolk celebrating throughout the night. Fireworks went off occasionally, the people dancing and singing to themselves.
Jiraiya shuffled through the crowd, making his way to one of the local bars. He sat by the counter, picking up a menu he found placed there. There were an assortment of drinks to pick from, but that had not been the purpose of his venture. He picked one of the more extravagant options, placing two orders as he played the part of the over zealous tourist. The bartender smiled at him, offering a salacious smile as she took the order.
Any other night, and he would have jumped at the offer, but this time, he actually had business to attend to. The chair next to him shifted, someone occupying the seat. A woman had taken the spot, her purple hair tied up into its signature spiky ponytail.
No words were exchanged as the drinks arrived, Jiraiya taking that as his cue to speak. He turned to face the woman, no sign of any headband or symbol of affiliation.
"You know, I didn't think that you would be the one they sent for this."
"Now is that any way to greet a lady?"
Anko Mitarashi's eyes gleamed as she grabbed a hold of her glass, hoisting it just below her lips. She winked as she took a sip, her elbow resting by the table.
"Just a bit of surprise." He followed her lead, taking a sip. It tasted different from his usual, bit it was not half bad.
"Yeah, I was in the area. Got a message telling me that there was something you wanted delivered to the Hokage, so I swung by."
"Can't exactly complain about the company, but it would be better if that foul mouth of yours couldn't speak." He laughed like he had told a good joke. It soured the taste of her drink.
"I'd like to think it's my best quality, that mouth of mine." She licked her lips, her tongue darting out in an exaggerated manner. It snaked out in an erotic and hypnotic fashion, something he found attractive. Ultimately though, it reminded him of Orochimaru.
"Right. Well that's something for another night."
He took a scroll out of his pocket, watching her eyes light up in curiosity. She did not bother hide it as she took another sip of of her liquor. Jiraiya slid it over to her smoothly, the woman picking it up and tucking it into her coat.
Otafuki Gai was territory under Konoha's influence. There was no particular need to worry. Information interchange like this was a common thing around the area when it came to him and other Konoha Shinobi.
"This information may not have reached the village, but the civil War in Kiri recently came to an end just a little over a week ago. I had intended to stick close to the Land of Tea, but one of my spies reported that Orochimaru was headed that way. It's not something that I can easily ignore at this point, so I've decided to follow him to the Eastern parts of the Elemental nations."
She perked up at the name, swallowing thickly as her grip on the container increased. She held her composure, downing the rest if the liquid before she spoke.
"That's not too surprising considering the village and its new policies. They're taking an isolated approach, so news like this is new to us. Still, I never imagined the bastard would be on his way to a place like that. What could he want?" They were whispering even as everyone else partied around them.
"I'm not sure right now. My journey will probably be a long one, and I have a few concerns about what kind of leadership the Mist is under right now. I'm not sure who won the war, but either way, they could be vulnerable to attack from Orochimaru. I'd like to monitor him and stop him from doing anything odd. I'll keep you posted as much as I can."
Anko stood, turning her back to him as she began to walk away. She paused, her head tilted as she started talking again.
"Oh... I'm sure you've heard about the Uchiha incident." His features turned grave as he nodded, and she resumed her journey out. He watched her leave, appreciating the sway of her hips before he turned his attention to other things.
He stood as well, deciding to begin the journey to the East almost immediately. He could not afford to lose ground in the man who had been evading him for the better part of about a decade.
'Orochimaru... What could you want?"
"Kubikiribocho."
"Nuibari."
"Kabutowari."
"Shibuki."
"Kiba."
"Hiramekarei."
"Samehada."
The names of the seven famed blades rolled off Kimiko's tongue, her tone carrying some form of wonder as she looked at the other occupant of the room. Her eyes dances with mirth, fingers fiddling with the scroll in her hands. Mangetsu Hozuki had all of her attention in that moment.
The man stood tall all the way on the other side of the room, his arms bound by chains behind his back. For all that, he was remarkably calm and collected, his breathing even as he looked back at her. The bandages wrapped around his neck hung loose, draping over his chest and back, his abdomen covered by worn thin black material.
Kimiko had been aware of the internal events surrounding the Seven Ninja Swordsmen during Yagura's rein, keeping her tabs on things she had deemed important. One of those things including Mangetsu Hozuki, a man known to have mastered all seven of the mystical swords. He was one of the few remaining Hozuki clan members and someone that should have been killed over the course of the Civil War. He had not though, and only she would reap the benefits of that choice.
She looked at him again, her eyes keen, not bothering to hide her observation of him. She did not try to make a secret of it, taking her time as she scanned him. So young and fit, likely at the peak of his powers. She knew it would be such a waste to let him wither away and die in the dungeons beneath her tower. To waste his life away.
"Of these seven swords, in our current possession are only five of these. Kubikiribocho, taken from the hands of Zabuza Momochi, a leading member of the resistance, currently held within this prison.
The twin Kiba blades, having been kept since the death of Raiga soon after the third shinobi war...and of course, Nuibari, Shibuki and Kabutowari, all in your possession. I was quite surprised that Yagura did not bother to pry them from you."
"The former Mizukage had no need for them. As long as I wasn't using them against him, he saw no need to take them."
"Yet he still put you in a cell. Regardless, I'm quite surprised you've heard of it. The execution I mean." She sounded pleased with his knowledge as she closed the scroll in her possession, tossing it to him. There was a seal established on it, one he knew very well as it rolled near his feet.
"I'll be very straightforward with what I want." She crossed her right leg over her left leg, the fabric of her robe draping over it. The hat of her outfit hung on her thigh, her elbow resting by the side of the chair. She smiled at him from her elevated position.
"Give me the swords, and I'll let you leave this cell of yours. I'll give you the opportunity to serve this nation once more. Only on the right side of history this time. Unlike the rest of your mangled generation."
He looked surprised, the shock being replaced by wariness as he looked at her. She looked deceptive, like the type of person that could not be trusted in this situation. He had seen so little of her, but he already doubted there was much he could do in this situation. It was more than likely she could have him killed where he stood, powerless as he was, and find another way to unseal those blades.
"How am I to know that you don't intend to betray me."
"Because I require your strength. In the end, there's something I want from you."
She delivered a straight answer, straightening a bit as she eyes him. The smile slid off her face for a moment, but she did not let it slip for long.
Mangetsu regarded her silently, weighting the few options he had at hand. The civil had come to a shocking end, far earlier than he had honestly thought it would, and the victors had been, as he thought, the government. Just not the government he knew. Yagura was dead, executed by a traitor in his midst. Someone he had trusted as his own. Someone who saw the best of the situation and capitalised. An unknown that had captivated their dying nation. The very person they now viewed as a saviour.
Kimiko Karatachi.
From what she had said, it was easy to defer that Samehada was gone, likely in the possession of Kisame Hoshigaki now, and Hiramekarei was likely missing. The rebels had likely had a hand in it. He sighed slowly, his chest his heaving slightly.
"What is it that you..."
The door suddenly opened, the sound loud and grating on the ears. They both turned to face the shinobi that had come to interrupt them, watching him go down to his knees.
"Lady Kimiko...someone wishes to see you."
"Tell them I have no interest on seeing anyone at this particular juncture."
"Uh...it's Orochimaru."