Not quite on the two week mark, but an improvement compared to the last chapter.
As I said the previous chapter, this is the largest chapter in the story. It sits at 11k, excluding the author note. It used to be 15k, but I decided to cut it up in two chapters, for a better flow.
That also means, as it stands now, there's only four more chapters left to go! We're getting so incredibly close!
Onto my favorite part. A big thank you to all who added the story to their favorites, or to their profile page. I greatly appreciate it!
Reviewers:
KingYamYam: I didn't quite understand what you meant with your review, but regardless, I can't spoil ;)
Roswell: oh it's so very close! Enjoy!
Nithi Velu: Thank you! Hopefully this one is to your liking as well!
Reedz22: Yeah, bid your farewells to em!
Tobi-kun-is-a-good-boy: I'm glad I'm making sure you don't wander too far from FFN! It's readers like you that help me with the story. It keeps me motivated!
There's some more Naru/Micheru fluff coming up, enjoy ;)
Alexiania: I'm sorry, haha! Hopefully this one lasts longer!
Stalker1: And thank you for your kind words!
Guest: There you go!
Enjoy the chapter everyone!
Chapter 58: Reminiscing.
The next day
Shinobi and samurai alike were marching to the main gate of Konoha. The sounds of marching could be heard all over Konohagakure. The face of the remaining defenders were grim and dejected. They knew that the odds were stacked against them and that the situation seemed hopeless. Despite that, they continued on.
Watching from the nearby rooftop, Naruto knew he still had an hour before their official departure, but to get everyone on their feet and ready needed some preparation. He looked down and saw Hawke and Micheru talking amongst themselves. Further down he saw Anko and Kurenai together with Kiba, Hinata and, surprisingly Shino. He was a hunter-nin but had apparently requested to be reassigned to his old team. They were all wearing traditional Konoha combat gear, covered by a travel cloak.
"Yo, Orodochi! Get your ass down here." Hawke's voice ringed.
He took a step forward and off the roof, plummeting to the ground. Gracefully he landed next to the two. "Yes?"
"Laziness getting the better of you again?" Hawke jabbed, earning a chuckle from Micheru.
"I was just cleaning up my room. I can be productive you know, unlike you." Naruto jabbed right back.
Hawke let out a cough, steering the conversation in a different direction. "Anyway! as you well know, I have taken control of our splendid group. Rightfully so, seeing as I am the only truly capable one."
"Obviously." Naruto prompted.
"Obviously." Micheru repeated, a grin on her face.
"I'm saying our group, but you two have made your decision well known that you're no longer interested in being part of it…right?"
Naruto and Micheru shared a glance. "That's right."
"Well, seeing as we've cleaned house and got rid of…excess personnel, I was hoping that you two would be interested in rejoining." Hawke continued with a pompous voice.
"I don't know Hawke…We didn't really benefit from their departure…we'd still have an idiot in ch-." Naruto started before getting a wallop across the back of his head.
"Careful, brat. Remember who taught you everything."
Naruto held up a finger to argue the statement but got shushed by an amused Micheru.
"Anyways," Hawke's voice returning to normal, emphasizing by clearing his throat. "Are you interested in rejoining the fellowship?"
Naruto hesitated, whereas Micheru smiled and nodded. "Of course!" She chirped.
Hawk looked at Naruto, who slowly answered. "I left because the group had steered away from the goal it was originally created for," the blonde began, letting out a sigh. "But we have to promise to each other that we will all do whatever it takes. There's no good or bad. Just winning or losing."
Hawke gave him a thumbs up. "Of course, Naruto!"
Naruto still didn't look convinced, and the brown haired 'foreigner' grew serious. "I see you're not entirely convinced. I figured as much. That's why I decided to do the following." Hawke gestured for them to follow him.
They reached the armory and led them inside. The building had only sustained minor damage and any rubble inside had long since been cleaned up. Leading them towards the corner where they had been given their new outfits, prior to the battle of Konoha.
Standing next to the table were the remaining members of the Akatsuki.
Naruto gave them a nod, Eyeing Itachi, Sasori and Madara. "So, whats your plan?"
Hawke, who was talkin to a chunin, turned to face the group. "I've been talking with Madara. We both agreed that the best course of action, is to merge the two groups."
"Do Kia and Kitase know about this?" Micheru asked.
"I've already extended an invitation to them, I just have to bring them up to speed, ah and there they are."
Kia and Kitase both walked over. They both held the same questioning expression.
"What's this about?" Kia asked.
Hawke stepped aside to let the chunin pass. "As I mentioned a few moments before you two arrived. Madara and I have been talking, and we decided to merge the two groups together."
The heavy voice of Madara reverberated through the room. "Our organizations have both taken losses. We've grown weak. The only logical choice is to become one group. Most of you have already fought or trained together."
There was soft chatter amongst the group, and Orodochi stared at Itachi, who gave a reassuring nod. "Okay…I'm in."
Micheru smiled at Hawke. "Me too."
Kia gave a curt nod, while Kitase gave a thumbs up. "Sounds like a good plan." Added the latter.
"But…are we Akatsuki, or are we Hunters?" Micheru suddenly asked.
Hawke scratched his cheek. "Well, you're still Hunters, but for the sake of clarity and cohesion, we're officially part of the Akatsuki now."
"So, the fellowship is no more?" Kia asked.
"The Akatsuki stands for Dawn, or daybreak. I think there isn't a more fitting name for our cause," Madara answered. "But the fellowship is as much part as the Akatsuki is."
Hawke turned to Naruto. "Does this convince you?"
Naruto smirked. "It does, at least now we have capable leadership, assuming Madara is still the leader."
"Pein was the public leader of the Akatsuki, but I led it from the shadow. We will continue this with Hawke."
"Good luck with that." Naruto muttered, narrowly dodging as swipe from Hawke.
The chunin came back, along with two of his 'colleagues'. The three of them were rolling a rack of clothes towards them. He grabbed one of the outfits and laid it out on the table. Naruto couldn't resist a smile as he realized what kind of clothing it exactly was.
"Oh wow!" Micheru exclaimed, she too held a grin.
"My thoughts exactly!" Kitase said as he stepped forward, letting his hand slide over the fabric.
The outfit was a combination of the Akatsuki robes and their hunter's outfit. The sleeve stopped at the elbow, slightly longer than the previous ones.
The color pattern was the same as the Akatsuki always had. Dark emblazoned with red clouds. It wasn't too loose, but it wasn't too formfitting either.
What made the outfit perfect, in Naruto's opinion, was the red sash tied at waist.
"We thought it fitting to create an outfit that reflects both groups." Madara said as he watched from the side.
"The design is similar to the original Akatsuki design, isn't it?" Itachi asked as he reached for the outfit stashed on the rack.
"Somewhat, yes." Madara responded.
"It looks good." Sasori muttered; he too was watching with interest.
"Alright, we don't have a lot of time, let's get changed." Hawke said as he clapped his hands.
The group shuffled towards the clothing racks, softly discussing amongst themselves.
He stepped outside and into the bright morning sun. The outfit clung to him perfectly and despite it, he still tightened the sash around his waist.
"Well, that's interesting."
From the corner of his eye, he saw Kakashi leaning against a wooden post, his former students around him.
Naruto adjusted his eye cover slightly before walking over. "I see team 7 is back together, the lesser version of it anyways."
Ridou stiffened and sent him a glare, only to have Sakura shush him.
"That's not the original Akatsuki attire." Kakashi continued, ignoring Naruto's jab.
"And you didn't even have to use the sharingan to come to that conclusion." The blonde smirked.
"You're feisty today, Ghost." Kakashi said, flipping a page in his orange book, Which Naruto was certain of, wasn't in his hands 10 seconds ago.
He shrugged, the smirk turning into a smile.
"Why the change of wardrobe?" Sasuke asked.
"The Akatsuki and the Hunters have merged together…"
"-Hence the new outfit." Kakashi answered.
Ridou and Sakura let out an 'ah' of understanding.
"Hence the new outfit." Naruto repeated, with a wave of his hand.
"Smart choice." Sasuke weighed in.
The door behind them opened and the others stepped out, With Itachi joining Naruto's side.
Sasuke stared at his brother with a conflicted look. One he had held over the last weeks. "Nii-san."
"Sasuke-kun." Itachi gave him a nod. "Are you all ready to go?"
Ridou gave a thumbs up. "We are! Ready to end this war and send them packing!"
Kakashi patted his student on the back. "That's the right attitude."
A loud bell gonged from the center of the village, causing the group to turn.
"It's time…" Sakura said softly.
Slowly the entire group moved to the main gate. The group of Konoha-nin was looking around them, taking in the village, worried that this would be the last time they ever would.
As they took the main road that would them to the gate, they crossed the market square, where a lot of the roads of Konohagakure led to. The marching group became larger and larger, until they merged with the marching army.
From the corner of his eye, he could see Ino and Shikamaru walking, accompanied by Kurenai and Asuma.
Further down he could see Iruka and to his slight disappointment, Asiko walking. The man that used to make his life at the academy a living hell. What gave him slight satisfaction, was the large ugly scar that now crossed his face.
"What I don't understand, is why are we going all the way to Yuki no Kuni? what does it matter where the fight is going to happen?" Ridou asked Kakashi.
"Because, dobe, Yuki no Kuni is the farthest from Kirigakure. The further we are from them, the better their chances are." Sakura answered before Kakashi could.
The corners of his mouth twitched upwards at the insult, locking eyes with Sasuke.
"What does it matter? If we lose what difference does a few more days make?" Ridou muttered.
Kakashi patted Ridou on the head. "The Reaver fleet formed a blockade around our nations the moment they arrived, blocking any chance of escape. We still have a small fleet that is going to engage the Reavers at the coast of Yuki no Kuni. We need to keep their gaze firmly on us."
Ridou crossed his arms, his face all scrunched up in confusion. "That still doesn't change anything about what I just said. It still a matter of days, whether they have all their forces there or not."
In all fairness, Ridou's question was a legitimate one, for someone who was unaware of the grander picture. Which was what Sakura thought too. "He has a good point, Kakashi-sensei."
"Troublesome bunch," Shikamaru said as they joined up with them. "We need to have their naval fleet converged on us, not Kirigakure. The thinner the blockade, the better the chances of them escaping are."
"But you just said that our fleet will be at Yuki no Kuni, Kakashi-sensei." Ridou asked, turning his gaze from Shikamaru to Kakash once more.
"Kirigakure's won't be."
Almost immediately, a smile formed on Ridou's face. "Sneaky…I like it."
"Kirigakure always was the strongest country, navy-wise." Shikamaru said. "We'll miss them at the fight though."
"Will it be enough though?" Ino asked.
Shikamaru shrugged. "It all depends on whether or not they will move their fleet."
The group fell silent, just as they approached the main gate. A Jonin was shouting orders, with another one scribbling down something on his pad.
"We will head directly towards the village of Yaika. It will take us at the most three days! To make sure that everyone's fit enough to fight, we'll make two scheduled stops! Make sure you brought enough supplies!"
The group listened while they shuffled past the Jonin, who repeated the order after a few moments of silence.
"But why is Kenpachi agreeing with a fight in Yuki? It's weird." They could hear Kiba say, as they too merged with their group.
"Because despite the monster he is, he respects his foe." Itachi answered, causing Kiba to look at the Uchiha.
"But doesn't he suspect another trap, like we prepared in Konoha?" the Inuzuka pressed.
"Yuki is enemy territory; they have full control. We won't be having any advantages there, he knows this."
As they walked through the main gate, Naruto gave a glance over his shoulder, looking towards the Hokage monument. He stared at it for a moment before turning back around, as did a lot of the others. To them it felt like they wouldn't see the village again.
They moved at a comfortable, but good pace. While they had scouts around their perimeter, Naruto didn't feel that there were enemies around. A deal was struck with the Reavers. One final clash. The victor of this battle would decide the fate of the elemental nations, and probably the world.
A terrifying thought, especially because the defenders were outnumbered four to one.
He glanced down at his gauntlet. Training with Madara had certainly pulled off. He had gained a handy new ability, and their teamwork was impeccable. He looked over to Micheru who was chatting with Ino. She had formed new friendships with his old comrades, something that he was still slightly conflicted about. Despite it all, the animosity he felt, while a shell of its former self, was still there.
However, the raging blaze of fire that he once held, had turned into nothing more than a small fire. Their common goal against their threat that had emerged from the dark had put things in perspective. It helped him face his demons of his past.
A wry smile appeared on his face as he continued to look at Micheru. 'That and seeing Micheru happy…'
The smile turned into a frown as he turned his attention to Itachi. When Sasuke had told him about Izumi it had surprised him, something that had been eating at him ever since. He'd try and have a chat with Itachi before the fight.
They passed one of the nearby villages, or what was left of it. Almost everything was burned to the ground. Leaving burnt ruins behind. The only upside about it, there were no bodies. Everyone had been evacuated before the Reavers had even gotten close.
"Everything's destroyed…Can you imagine the rest of the country?" A chunin said as she looked around with a somber look.
"Consider yourself lucky," A kumo-nin muttered, one of the few remaining left. "Kaminari no Kuni has been wiped out, no survivors…"
"That's because your Raikage's clouded judgment refused to listen to us." Naruto said as he joined the conversation.
The Kumo-nin eyed the blonde, taking in his Akatsuki clothing. He nodded slowly. "I know. But what could we do?"
"Stand up to your leader." Micheru said, she too put in her two cents. She was there when they had arrived at Kumogakure. It had been a brief but complete slaughter.
"Stand up to the Raikage?! Are you crazy?" the second Kumo-nin said with wide eyes.
"He stood up to his leader." Micheru jabbed her thumb to Naruto.
"And look how that turned out! A rogue-nin. Scum of the elemental nations!"
"A rogue-nin that's been fighting against the Reavers, years before we ever did." A voice rang out from behind.
Naruto tilted his head to look past the kumo-nin. To his surprise it was Konohamaru that had spoken up.
"If only we did more. Maybe we could have ended this war a lot sooner." He Sarutobi continued, locking eyes with him.
"It doesn't matter anymore. What's happened, happened. It's no point in living in the past," Hawke placed a hand on Naruto's shoulder. "Focus on what's ahead."
"A hundred thousand against thirty thousand…What's there to focus on?!" The chunin from before exclaimed.
Hawke grinned, sliding his arm around Naruto and Micheru's shoulders. "Because these two are going to kill Kenpachi and win the war. When Kenpachi dies, he will drag the other Reavers with him!"
"That's just rumors and hearsay!" the chunin pressed, not convinced.
"I'm not going to convince you; we know the truth." Hawke said as he patted his teammates on the back before turning back around.
Recalling Naruto's earlier joke she turned to him. "Were you really cleaning up your room, before?"
"Interesting change of subject." He said with a raised eyebrow.
"I just don't believe you, that's all." She said playfully, shrugging nonchalantly.
"Well, as a matter of fact, I did."
She gave him a deadpan look. "Really?"
"When you get back, go and check it out." Now he shrugged.
"Maybe I will!" she chuckled.
Naruto looked at the curves of her lips and couldn't help but give a soft forlorn smile. He wrapped his arms around her and puled her close, planting a kiss on her temple.
"Baka…"
"Hey, what did I say about using my insults against me."
All she did was playfully slap him, focusing her attention back on the 'road'.
At the end of the first day, they arrived at one of the premade camps, set up by one of the advanced parties. It was capable of housing their entire army. Despite the deal that had been struck, everyone was on edge, and Shikaku had set up a perimeter of over 300 shinobi. There had also been a general order to keep their gear close by, just in case the Reavers decided to attack.
Looking around the room, it remained something of a surprising sight, seeing all the kage, talking amongst each other.
She gave a nod to the anbu, who performed a jutsu to make sure that their conversation couldn't be heard on the outside before he stepped outside and closed the flaps behind him.
"What did you want to talk about, Mizukage?" Tsunade started as she slid in her seat.
Mei looked around, a grim face settling in. "We need to talk about this plan."
"We've committed already!" the Raikage barked.
"We're putting everything on the words of a brat who hasn't done anything besides getting his ass kicked." She countered, crossing her arms.
"Because his plan is the only thing we've got. You said so yourself. We can't prolong this war, it needs to end now." Said Tsunade, who was growing to dislike the other female kage more and more.
Mei looked around for support until her gaze fell on the Kazekage. "Gaara, some support?!"
Gaara shook his head. "Naruto Uzumaki has proven he's trustworthy. If it weren't for him, thousands of men women and children would've died. If he says that this is the way to victory, I believe him."
Mei turned to the new Tsuchikage but didn't even dare utter the question. She could already read it from his face. "Let me just ask you all this. What if he's wrong?"
"Then we're all dead." Tsunade said with a low voice.
"Then at the least let us take care of Kenpachi! He can't handle all five of us!"
Tsunade stood up from her set, her eyes blazing with anger. "He fought against 8 of us, all kage strength. He barely broke a sweat!"
"Then why do you think that the four of them will do any good?! This is a suicide mission!" the Mizukage yelled.
"Because we have no other shot. Regardless, there's even a chance he won't show."
The sound of the flaps being opened turned their gazes towards it. Tsunade looked at the anbu, who apologized for the intrusion, announcing the newly arrived.
Hawke walked in, a mischievous smile on his face. "Look at that. Every leader cozied up together."
"What can we help you with, Hawke?" Tsunade asked politely.
He shrugged as he made his way over the group. "With Mayu and Rome gone, I'll be taking over their job. I figured this would be a good time for a chat."
Tsunade had heard of Rome and Mayu's departure. The reason behind it was logical, but she honestly though Mayu had lost it. She had left her daughter behind; she just couldn't wrap her head around it. "We were in the middle of a meeting, maybe later."
Hawke shook his head. "I think a chat now would be good, especially seeing as the Mizukage is glaring daggers at me."
Tsunade sighed and motioned for him to sit. "The Mizukage has doubts about the plan."
He slowly sat down in the chair, his mischievous twinkle had gone, replaced by a serious look. "You sure took your sweet time to bring that up."
Mei slammed her hand on the table, putting the others on edge. "It doesn't matter! Your plan has too many holes in it!"
"You're right, it doesn't matter. Because we're not changing it."
"what if he's wrong?"
"He's not."
"But what if he is!"
"He's not."
It looked like Mei was a mere second away from bursting into a tirade. Slowly she straightened her back and spoke with a remarkably calm voice. "I'm not allowing our fate to be decided by a rogue-nin. The kages here will deal with Kenpachi."
Slowly Hawke's eyes narrowed. "I don't think so. He won't even appear without Naruto as the bait."
"HE'S SHOWED UP AT ALMOST EVERY ENGAGEMENT, HE DOESN'T CARE FOR THE BRAT!" Mei yelled, bursting in the expected fit of rage.
"And he fought Naruto at every one of those! Naruto and Itachi for that matter both are the only ones who fought against him on even footing and lived. That infuriates him. He'll come for him," Hawke said calmly before gritting his teeth, his voice cracked, and he started yelling. "IF YOU ALL SHOW UP INSTEAD, HE WILL NOT EVEN BOTHER. HE KNOWS HE DOESN'T NEED TO LIFT A FINGER TO WIN THIS FIGHT!"
"So that's that? It all depends on the actions of 4 rogue-nin." Mei said as her shoulders slumped.
Micheru wasn't a rogue-nin, not that it really mattered. Hawke gave a nod and grinned, his anger evaporated. "How the tables have turned."
"How indeed." Gaara said quietly as the conversation died down, leaving everyone to look at each other with doubt.
"Give them a chance. They'll surprise you." Hawke said as he stood back up. He gave Tsunade a nod and walked out.
"Naruto's and his companions have shown their worth. There's no need to discuss this any further. I'll see you all tomorrow." And with that Gaara followed Hawke out of the tent.
Naruto watched as Itachi was quietly preparing a bowl of food. An opened scroll lay next to him, which had contained all his travel gear. Behind them was a small four-person tent, which they shared with Hawke and Micheru. "You know…It still baffles my mind, how you and I ended up as friends." He spoke.
Itachi paused and looked to his right. A small smile on his face. "It all started at Nami no Kuni. The scouts you had killed."
His mind flashed back to his time in Nami, shortly after his departure from Konoha. How two scouts had been investigating the village. Despite all the years that had since past, he still remembered their names. "Rigio and Hidai…"
"They were your first kills, if I remember correctly."
He nodded and gave a half smile. "They stuck with me for a long time. But eventually I managed to put it past me. You gave me some tough, but good advice."
"Cutting your ties with the village. I remember." Itachi said as he fully turned to the blonde, taking a bite from his food.
"It was a difficult thing to do. But with Konoha hunting me, it was the smartest choice." Naruto absently watched the dancing flames of their campfire.
"You made the right choice, Naruto-kun. You've become an incredible shinobi because of it. You should be proud of yourself."
"But at what cost?" Naruto asked as his voice lowered.
Itachi stared at him for a moment. "You and I are in a similar situation. I've managed to convince myself that it was for the greater good."
He opened and closed his mouth, thinking of a response. After few moments he slowly answered. "Haven't you ever wondered if there was another option?"
"Every day…and I don't know if I want to know the answer to that." Itachi said with honesty.
Naruto's lone eye locked with Itachi. "Sasuke, he…he told me about…Izumi."
The Uchiha let out an imperceptible sigh. "I wish he hadn't."
"It wasn't done on purpose. But I wish you would've told me, Itachi."
Itachi stood up, turning away from his friend. "I'm sorry, Naruto. It's something I don't like to talk about."
Naruto stood up as well and reached for his friend's shoulder, gripping it tight. "I'm sorry for bringing it up. If you ever want to talk about it, I'll be here."
Itachi turned around and gave him a comforting smile. "Arigato…Naruto-kun."
Naruto stared at the Uchiha and did something that he rarely, if ever did. He pulled Itachi into a brotherly embrace.
There was a small moment of hesitation. It was clear Itachi wasn't used to it. A smile appeared on the blonde's face when he felt Itachi return the hug.
As Micheru approached their tent, she quietly watched the scene in front of her, a smile etched on her face.
The night passed without event, and it seemed that Kenpachi was holding up his end of the deal. They had granted them free passage to Yuki no Kuni.
Everyone was quickly grabbing their packs and moving on leaving everything else behind, onto the next encampment.
Sakura was running behind her old teammate and friend, Naruto Uzumaki. To say that the last few years had been a whirlpool of emotions was an understatement. Naruto fleeing from the village, rogue-nin popping up and attacking settlements every few years without any reason.
To the arrival of strange individuals that started a clash in the middle of the arena, destroying a large portion of it, with two of them ending up dead, while the other two turned out to be rogue shinobi from an organization only known as the fellowship, well known for their acts of terror.
They had vanished as fast as they had appeared, leaving them with more questions than answers. And then, a week or two later, one of them had appeared again, going by the name of Ghost.
The same Ghost that had attack the village of Irosa, killing everyone in it. An act of atrocity.
To make it even worse, he was accompanied by another mass murdered. Itachi Uchiha. The Akatsuki and the fellowship were working together. But instead of an assault, they came bearing a message.
War was on the horizon.
She shuddered as she remembered what Tsunade had asked.
"you're saying that there's an enemy that's more powerful than all the shinobi countries combined?"
"That's exactly what we're saying."
It was a shame that they hadn't believed them. But considering everything, how could they have afforded to turn a blind eye to the acts of terror they had committed?
After a short skirmish, the two had left again. And true to their words, a few weeks later, reports had been coming in of mass troop movement to Iwa, with another update shortly after.
An unknown force had landed at the northeast coast of Tsuchi no Kuni and had immediately engaged with the forces stationed there.
The fight had been long but the unknown forces, known as the Reavers had been victorious.
They had completely annihilated the entire country over the course of a few weeks.
From there it went from bad to worse. Nation after nation had fallen, until they had reached Kumo. There had been a massive fight and the Raikage had been well prepared. It just wasn't enough.
She quietly watched as Naruto was making small talk with Hawke. He seemed to be enjoying himself. 'Naruto…'
When Naruto had returned it caused a flood of excitement, uncertainty and anger. They had abandoned him in his moment of need.
She still felt guilty for what happened and how she had behaved, and she quickly tried thinking of something else, but her mind wandered back just as fast.
Her guilt turned into happiness as she recalled their conversations that followed and how eventually the blonde had warmed up to them, to a certain extent.
Until horror struck again, a deep frown appeared on her face.
Sasuke looked solemnly into her eyes. She immediately knew that someone they knew had been killed. Her partner wouldn't have disengaged from his fight, along with Kakashi and Ridou if it weren't serious.
"Who?" she asked with a hoarse voice.
Sasuke took a deep breath, his shoulder slumped. "Naruto…"
Her hand flew to her mouth as she gasped. Almost instantly, all her energy had left her body, and her knees buckled. She fell in a heap on the ground, slowly shaking her head as tears formed in her eyes.
And then, by a miracle, her teammate had come back to life. She had heard the explanation behind it, and she still could barely grasp the idea behind it. A small smile crept on her face as she remembered how Naruto had opened his arms for her.
"One time offer…Sakura-chan."
She hadn't hesitated and had quickly wrapped her arms around her old friend.
"Sakura, are you even listening to me?" the voice of Ridou yelled in her ear.
A tick appeared on her forehead as anger quickly bubbled to the surface. A wallop on the top of Ridou's head seemed to cool her off just as fast. "Stop yelling! Baka!"
"You've been assigned to the scouting party! You need to head over there, their medic got sick or something." Ridou muttered, his eye twitching at her insult.
She let out a groan of annoyance. "ugh…fine." Pouring more chakra into her next push, she dashed forward, towards the front of the advancing army, who was rapidly approaching their next encampment.
Yaika would be their final stop. Two squads of anbu had been dispatched prior to their departure, to make sure it was all clear.
And that too had been given the okay. It seemed strange. The Reavers had never acted honorable. Why would they start now. 'Not that we're one to speak.'
She tried putting it all out of her mind. It didn't matter. All that mattered was the battle ahead.
The marching army arrived at the desolate village of Yaika, exactly in line with the timeframe they had in mind. Orders were being shouted and they quickly started setting up. Perimeter was set up and everyone started spreading out along the village.
While the army was large, the emptied village held little problems in housing them. It originally held a population of seven thousand. The houses would be slightly cramped, but it was only to be for a single night.
"No more than 10 per house!" barked one of the Jonin as he stood atop a roof. "make do with the space we have!"
"It's strange that they haven't burned this place to the ground." Kitase murmured as he looked around.
"They most likely used this village themselves. Yuki no Kuni is a harsh place. There aren't a lot of villages in the area." Sasori answered as he too was looking around.
Nudging open the door to the house he was assigned to, Naruto looked inside. The hallway looked eerily clean, yet dark. Slowly he moved down the hallway and into the living room. He was surprised to see that everything looked in order. As if the Reavers hadn't occupied the village in the past months.
"Weird…" Kitase muttered as looked around the room.
"Yeah." Was Naruto's only reply. He slid his bag off his back and settled it on the table.
"Who else is staying here?"
"Only the Akatsuki. So we've got some space."
"Still, not everyone will have a room."
"We'll have to share." Itachi said as he stepped inside.
"Figured as much." Kitase responded with a shrug.
Micheru stepped inside, curiosity on her face. "Figured what?"
"That we'll be sharing a room. But you should get a room for yourself." The Ame-nin answered.
She waved him off with a smile. "Oh don't worry. I'll share one with Naruto.""
Hawke slid his arm around Micheru's shoulder. "Of course you do. Can't spend a minute apart from one another, even willing to fight the big guy." He said cheekily.
"Careful, Hawke. I know Ayame pretty well. You wouldn't want me to warn her about you." Naruto said as he turned around, a twinkle in his eye.
Hawke mockingly gasped. "You wouldn't dare!"
"Baka." The blonde said with a shake of his head.
Micheru shook Hawke's arm away and stepped over to Naruto, looping her arm around his. "Let's check out the rooms.
"Good idea. Hawke, why don't you do something for a change?" Naruto called back over his shoulder.
"I liked you more when I could still beat your ass into the ground." Hawke yelled back as the pair disappeared back into the hallway and up the stairs.
"I think we all did." The voice of Itachi suddenly said.
Kitase, Hawke, Kia and Sasori all turned to face the Uchiha, their eyes full of surprise, save for Sasori. Who remained stoic.
"What is it?" asked Itachi.
"Did I just hear you make a joke?"
Itachi gave a small smile. "I guess you heard right."
The group settled into the house, unpacking their gear, making themselves comfortable, while few of the others went outside to take a look around. The sun was slowly setting behind the mountains far-far ahead. The temperature also rapidly dropped, and snowflakes quietly descending from the darkening skies.
Naruto held out his hand, quietly watching as the snow landed on his palm, melting instantly. "I don't know why, but Yuki no Kuni always puts me at ease. Must be the snow."
Micheru tilted her head in interest. "It does feel peaceful." She briefly looked at the rooftops that were covered in snow.
Slowly he dropped his arm back to his side. "It's strange."
She slid her arm around Naruto once more. "Come on, let's find the others."
They walked down the street, watching as the people around them were roaming around, trying to find houses to stay in. Whoever got stuck without one, would have stay at the camp that was set up in the centre of the town.
Despite the massive army that occupied the village, there was an eerie quiet. Making them doubt their earlier words about peacefulness.
There was no laughter, no cheers or optimistic chatter. No…the defenders of the elemental nations were all in a dark place. Everyone thinking similar thoughts.
Ahead, a large canopy had been put up, with supplies and tents underneath it. Approaching it, they could hear soft chatter, almost whispers, as if people were afraid to make too much noise.
"Look, there they are!" Micheru pointed to the group of familiar faces who were sitting in a circle around a campfire.
The two made their way over to the seated group, pushing past a group of chunin who were quietly talking amongst themselves.
"Yosh! Look who it is!" Lee's voice rang out as he stood up and waved them over. It seemed not everyone was willing to act dispirited.
"Hi guys!" Micheru chirped, returning the wave.
From the 'Konoha 11 group' came a mixture of greetings. Some were cheerful, while others remained dejected.
"Take a seat, you two!" Ino said as she waved with her hands to shikamaru, forcing him to make space.
"Relax, woman." Shikamaru's annoyed voice replied as he moved more to the right.
"Micheru, come take a seat!" Sakura said as she patted on the seat next to her, which turned out to be nothing more than a log of wood.
Micheru gently untangled her arm from Naruto and crossed over, sitting next to Sakura and Tenten.
Naruto strolled over and took the seat next to Ino and Ridou. "How are you guys doing?"
"Fine, just talking about the good old days."
"Good old days?" Micheru asked, accepting a drink that was offered by Sakrua.
"Yeah, our genin days. Back when we were all still so naïve...or broody." Tenten said with a fond smile, glancing briefly at Neji to see if he would offer a remark.
"I'd like to think I've grown up." Neji said simply.
"Well, you weren't the only one." Naruto said as he stared straight at Sasuke, being as subtle as katon jutsu.
"Well I prefer broodiness over sheer idiocy." Sasuke bit back with a smirk.
He held up his hand in defeat. "good point."
"Kami!, do you remember when we were assigned as a team! Kakashi showing up late, and then asking about our likes and dislikes, and what not-"
"You acting like a complete fangirl? Yeah we remember." Sasuke interjected, his smirk only widening.
Sakura pouted before interlocking her fingers, resting her chin on it. Her voice becoming low and gravelly. "I hate a lot of things, and I don't particularly like anything…what I have isn't a dream because I will make it happen!"
Naruto broke out in laughter before quickly following up. "I'm going to restore my clan and destroy a certain somebody."
Sasuke turned bright red at that, which was something that just didn't happen normally. "Well at least I didn't use our introduction as a declaration of love to either me or a bowl of ramen!"
"Naruto snickered at the memory. "We were such idiots back then."
"Were?" Ino jabbed.
The three were about the offer a rebuttal but it was Tenten who took the lead. "Do you remember the chunin exams? That was such a crazy time."
"I remember a written exam where I wrote absolutely nothing, and still managed to pass it." Naruto said as he thought back.
"Yeah didn't it had something to do with the last question."
"It was all a trick, I remember now! They were trying to scare us into quitting!" Lee yelped.
"Well…when I think about the Chunin exam, I think about Orochimaru and how he beat you two up like it was absolutely nothing."
"Well, if he came around now, he wouldn't stand a chance." Sasuke tightened his hand into a fist.
"It feels like everything went downhill after he showed up. Sasuke leaving…coming back, only to have Naruto leave…then the Reavers." Hinata spoke up. She was seated next to her cousin.
"Where even is he? After his attack on Konoha, he disappeared." Kiba wondered, crossing his arms.
"Probably being best friends with Kenpachi." Ridou muttered.
"I have a feeling he's going to show himself tomorrow." Sasuke said, a sneer on his face.
"Seeing as we're all on better terms. I know your organization dates back to the nation of Mirarca and how they came to be. But where did all your members come from?" Shino asked.
"Well…I lived in Mirarca with my parents and sister. Rome and Hawke as well," she scratched her cheek as she thought back. "Kia was recruited here, Kitase too. I don't think I have to explain Naruto's story." She said with a twinkle in her eye.
"What happened to your family?" Sakura asked gently.
Micheru was quiet for a few seconds and Sakura was about to apologise, until Micheru finally spoke up. "We used to live in one of the outlying villages, not far from the sea. We never got a warning. My dad was a centurion in our village, tried to hold them back while he told us to run…He got killed trying to save my sister, Susie."
Sakura slid her hand over Micheru's back. "I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have asked.
Micheru gave a sad smile. "It's okay. It happened a long time ago, I've managed to move on."
"How many members of your group were there, when you came here?" Ridou asked, his curiosity peaked.
"There were fifteen of us, Naruto, Kia and Hitoshi included." She answered.
"Hitoshi…wasn't he the one who fought Kenpachi at Kumogakure?" Sasuke asked, remembering the beatdown.
"Kia and Hitoshi were brothers, but yeah, Hitoshi died fighting against Kenpachi." Naruto nodded.
"How many of you are left?" Ino asked carefully.
Micheru fell silent. It was still a difficult subject to talk about. She had been fond of the others, Raipa in particular. The eccentric foreigner had been a friend of many, and his death had hit her hard.
Naruto saw Micheru's struggle and answered for her. "Uesari…Raipa…Robatsu…Hitoshi all died. Rome and Mayu left. That leaves just four left."
"Akatsuki also got hit hard," Shikamaru added, taking a sip from his drink. "Only Itachi and Sasori are left…And Madara."
"Damn…" was Kiba's response. "There's barely anyone left."
"Why did Rome and Mayu leave?" Sakura asked.
Naruto rubbed his face in frustration. It wouldn't do them wel to hear that they left because they felt there was no hope left. "They had another assignment."
"What's more important than this?" Hinata asked, voicing what many thought.
Naruto shrugged. "I don't know. We weren't kept in the loop."
"Strange." Neji added.
Naruto glanced towards Shikamaru who had his eyes plastered towards the blonde as well. He got practically hear the gears grinding in his head. The Nara was going to figure it out so he decided upon a different direction and looked at the group. "Are you all ready for tomorrow?"
And just like that, the fond memories had turned back into their worries and fears of tomorrow.
"As ready as can be, I guess." Ridou said as he turned to the blonde.
"Of course we're ready! We're going to show them the power of y-" Lee started but was interrupted by an annoyed Kiba.
"Not everyone shares your enthusiasm, Lee. Pipe down!"
"Well, I think he's got the right idea, as weird as it is for me to say…" Naruto answered, giving Lee a nod. "What Kakashi said in Konoha still rings true. Show the will of fire."
"It's hard to, when you think about what awaits us." Hinata's soft voice spoke.
Naruto leaned forward, his eye locking onto Hinata. "All you have to do, is keep them occupied. You don't have to beat them."
"Back during the meeting, you said if Kenpachi's killed, he will lose hold on the demons in our world. You never gave us any proof to that…" Shikamaru said, thinking back on the critical meeting.
"You don't trust me?" Naruto said, his voice held a sharp edge.
"Considering everything that's happened. Everything you've done…Everything we've done…I trust you. But we're literally talking about the future of our existence. Some reassurance would help a lot."
Naruto stared at the genius strategist with intensity. Shikamaru in return never wavered and kept looking right back. Until Naruto relented and gave him a smile. "You're right. But I'm keeping this close to my heart."
"Why is that?" Neji asked.
"Because as a wise man once told me, you never know who's listening."
"You think there's a spy in this group?" Kiba spat out, his anger rearing its head once more, only to be calmed by Hinata.
The blonde shook his head. "I'm pretty convinced there isn't. In fact, I doubt there's a spy within the entirety of our remaining fighting force."
"Then why keep it close? Sakura asked, who had been quietly chatting with Micheru, until her curiosity peaked.
"Because I could be wrong. I rather play it safe."
"Troublesome blonde…He's right though." Shikamaru muttered.
"Trust me. We will win this war. Kenpachi is the key." Naruto reiterated.
"Trust the words of 'Ghost'. The man who massacred an innocent village." Kiba bit back.
Naruto's gaze slowly settled on Kiba, his eye narrowed. "You already have enough enemies to face, don't make me another one."
"You know, I've never heard you openly admit to the Irosa killings." Ino asked carefully.
The entire group settled their eyes on Naruto, who briefly locked his eye with Micheru, who gave him a reassuring nod. "I was the one who killed everyone in Irosa, except for a little girl."
The group stared at him in silence. "But why…" Hinata asked, her voice barely louder than a whisper.
Naruto stared at the fire. His talk with Micheru had helped him, but it was still a difficult thing to talk about, he opened and closed his mouth a few times, trying to find the right words.
"I'm curious as well." A voice called from behind.
Naruto turned around and saw Kakashi and Tsunade walking over. "What are you doing here?"
"Just trying to keep the spirits up." Tsunade said as she sat down on one of the few remaining seat left, while Kakashi took a knee in one of the open spots, his interest solely focus on Naruto.
"Good job. Everyone's spirit is definitely lifted." Ridou snickered at his own joke.
"We're still waiting for an answer, Naruto."
Naruto reluctantly agreed. "You're right. I've been keeping it quiet for years. Only three people knew of the real reason behind it. Itachi, Kisame and Micheru."
"You knew?" Kakashi asked the blonde huntress.
"He only told me recently." Micheru quietly said.
"Why Kisame and Itachi though?" came Sasuke's voice, who had remained quiet so far.
"Because Kisame was the one who helped me with…the act…" Naruto said hesitantly. He wanted to keep Kisame out of the story, but found it impossible to do so.
"Kisame Hoshigake helped you with the massacre? That bastard, I'm glad Kenpachi killed him before I had the chance." Tsunade grit her teeth in anger.
Naruto glared at the woman. "Careful Hokage. Kisame was a good friend. He gave his life for your village. Don't you dare insult his memory."
Tsunade looked at the blonde and reluctantly nodded.
"What about Itachi?" Sasuke pressed, curious to learn about his brother's part.
"He wasn't part of it. He offered a listening ear."
"Why did you do it, Naruto-kun." Hinata asked.
He looked back at the flames. It almost seemed like they were dancing. "We did it, because…Because the Reavers had opened a rift in Irosa. Demonic chakra was pouring into the village. It had been for months, if not years. Everyone was tainted by it."
"You mean, they turned into Reavers?" Kakashi asked.
Naruto shook his head. "No, they were being used as sleeper cells. To most likely wait for the perfect opportunity, to destroy Konoha from within."
"How did you found out about this?" Tenten asked, her voice barely heard, were it not for the deafening silence from the group.
"Kisame knew that there was a rift. He asked my help."
"But you didn't know that they were tainted…or that they were sleeper cells?" Tsunade asked.
"I knew, because of my ability," he held up his hand encased by the gauntlet. "But we didn't know that they were sleeper cells."
"If you didn't know, then why kill them?" Kakashi asked, pressing the matter.
"Because a Tear doesn't rip itself open. Someone had torn it open. They wanted to 'infect' the village."
"And that's when you decided to kill them all?!" Kiba growled.
Sakura looked at the Inuzuka, her own frustration growing. "So you weren't sure?"
"We were sure, we just didn't have any evidence to back it up." Naruto said with a sigh.
"Did you really kill every man, woman and child in the village, because of a hunch?" Sasuke asked in disbelief.
It was then Micheru spoke up. "A hunch that turned out to be right! Or have you all forgotten about his memory with Kenpachi? He asked that monster about it and he admitted to it," with a burst of anger she stood up. "After everything that's happened. After everything! You still doubt him?!"
Naruto stared with a surprised look. "Micheru-chan…"
"Everyone is capable, some just have to be pushed. Just like one of your villages years ago." Shino's calm voice spoke up. "Those were his exact words to you."
Naruto gave a bitter smile and nod, mimicking his answer from back then. "You?"
"Of course, who else?" was Shino's response. Slowly he stood up and walked over to Naruto, holding out his hand. "I believe you Naruto. I concocted my own theories about what happened. After seeing your memory, it's not hard to connect everything."
Naruto reached for the man's hand and shook it. "Arigato, Shino."
"Kenpachi was planning years before he even stepped foot in our country," Tsunade rubbed her face. "Kami…"
"Sorry for doubting, Naruto. We shouldn't have." Ino apologized.
Naruto shook his head. "It doesn't matter. Innocent people still died. Regardless of the reason behind it."
"Naruto. Micheru."
Both looked up and saw Madara standing there, his arms at his side. "Madara." The Naruto responded.
Almost immediately a tense atmosphere descended on the group and around the entirety of the area underneath the canopy. Others looked over their shoulder, whispering words to each other.
"Time to talk. We need to go over the plan once more."
The group looked at the duo who both in turn looked at each other briefly. "Alright. Let's go."
"You mind if I join you?" Tsunade asked. She could have used her power as the Hokage to force her into the meeting, but didn't want to go down the same road as they had walked for years now.
Naruto shrugged. "We were planning on telling all the Kage our plan tomorrow, I don't see why not."
"Come along." Madara said as he turned around.
Micheru and Naruto stood up. "See you all tomorrow." Naruto spoke.
"Good night guys."
"See ya tomorrow!"
"Yosh good night!"
"hmpf."
"Teme."
The three followed Madara, who led them to one of the old stores. "Itachi's already there." Answering the unasked question.
The door opened with creak and the three Akatsuki agents and Tsunade stepped inside, seeing Itachi sitting on the counter.
Madara shut the door and locked it with a click. Without raising his hands, he applied a genjutsu, making it seem as if there wasn't any activity or noise inside. "Let's go over the plan once more."
Naruto nodded, giving Micheru a side-glance. He could practically hear the rapid beating of her heart.
"It was you who came up with it, so I'll give you the floor, Naruto."
Naruto stepped forward and looked at the others. He took a deep breath and started, his eye mainly on Tsunade.
"Kenpachi is almost impossible to beat. We know this and going straight at him, trading blow for blow isn't going to work. He's going to wear us out and defeat us regardless."
"You said you were going to defeat him." Tsunade frowned.
"We are, just listen to the entire plan."
Tsunade closed her mouth acquiescing to his request. "Sorry, continue."
"We're going to drag him with us to the Taoreta mori."
Her eyes widened. "The forest of the fallen? So that's why you suggested Yuki no Kuni." Recalling his idea.
He nodded. "In the forest, there are entities…spirits of fallen shinobi."
"You can't be serious." she said incredulously.
"He is." Madara said from his corner.
"Are there really spirits there? I mean-" Tsunade said as she tried finding the right words.
"I've witnessed it myself, Tsunade. That's why I'll need Sasuke, Sakura and Hinata at the meeting tomorrow. They can tell whether or not I'm speaking the truth."
Sliding her hand over her face, she gestured for him to continue. "What then?"
"They don't like anyone trespassing the Taoreta mori. They will try and drag us to the other side." Naruto said, his voice now hoarse as the memories of his time within the forest emerged.
"You mean…?"
"Other side of the veil."
"Kami…" Tsunade whispered as she moved to one the chairs, to sit down. "I can't believe the forest is really haunted."
"For a lack of a more appropriate phrase, yes it is." Madara replied.
"So, the spirits will attack him. I doubt he's going to let that happen."
"He has no choice. The moment their hand touches you, you freeze up completely. If you don't act fast enough, they'll take your soul."
"What if he is fast enough?" Micheru suddenly asked.
"Then he will still be distracted, frozen. Then we'll strike and kill him ourselves."
"And what's stopping them from attacking you?"
"Nothing. It's a risk we'll have to take." Was the sole response that came from Naruto Uzumaki.
"So this is it. This is why you're convinced you'll win? A lot of what-ifs here, Naruto. What if he catches on to the plan? You can't just simply push him there."
Naruto had to agree with her. There was a lot of room for failure. "We will start the fight at the field of Akira, with the everyone there. We'll make it seem as if the flow of the battle pushed us there. It's the best shot we've had so far."
Slowly Tsunade nodded. "Okay…Okay. The Mizukage will never go for it. The Raikage will be doubtful but his lust for vengeance will force his hand and agree. Gaara will also be on your side, and me of course."
"We're not here to convince the kage, Tsunade-sama, only to inform." Itachi, who had remained quiet, joined the conversation.
A smile appeared on her face. "That's what I figured," She stood up from her chair. "I heard enough. I'll see you tomorrow."
Naruto watched as she opened the door and stepped outside. The sun had long since settled and the cold night air caused him to shudder. For a few moments he stared at the door opening before speaking up. "I got to do something real quick. I'll see you in a bit, okay?" he kissed Micheru on the cheek and ran out the door.
He saw Tsunade walking ahead and quickly caught up. "Tsunade."
She turned around, a look of curiosity on her face. "What is it, brat?"
"I'm sorry for what I said…about you and Jiraiya. It was uncalled for." He said, struggling as tried to find the right words.
Tsunade stared at the young blonde, the corners of her mouth curved upwards. "It's okay, Naruto. For what it's worth. I'm sorry for abandoning you. I should've put a stop to the whole farce…One of the biggest mistakes I regret making."
Naruto and Tsunade quietly stared at each other. A weary rogue shinobi, with the whole world expecting a victory out of him tomorrow. The other the Hokage herself. Who had to command thousands of shinobi towards their death.
Both of them had changed. Different people than they were before the war.
It had given Naruto time to think, to reflect, on everything. He gave a grin, a big old Naruto grin. "It's okay…Tsunade-baachan. Have a good night." Turning around he walked back, giving a wave, without looking over his shoulder.
Leaving behind a perplexed but happy Tsunade behind. "Still manages to surprise me every day…damn brat."
Naruto rounded a corner and crashed into none other than Ridou. Both stumbled to the ground, clutching their faces.
"Watch where you're going!" Ridou groaned as he gingerly felt his nose.
"You watch where you're going, baka." Naruto muttered as he climbed back to his feet, rubbing his face, hoping to alleviate the pain.
Ridou looked up at him, only now recognizing it was Naruto. "Oh it's you."
Naruto stared at him, before holding his hand, offering to help him up.
The brown haired Konoha-nin stared at the offer, contemplating on whether to accept it or not.
"It's not a trick." Naruto said, annoyed.
Ridou muttered something under his breath but grasped the offered hand. "Arigato." He said as Naruto pulled him up.
Both stared at each other intensely.
It was Ridou who broke the silence while breaking the stare down. "You know, I never understood their obsession with you."
Naruto didn't answer and instead slid past the replacement, continuing his trek towards his living quarters.
"You know, they really never gave up on you."
Naruto hesitated, faltering in his step. "So?"
Ridou turned around. "All they could do, was talk about you. Always compared me to you. Told me. 'that's not how Naruto would have done it.' " his voice turning bitter.
The hunter slowly came to a halt and turned to face him again. "They hated my guts."
The man scoffed. "Then they had a funny way of showing it. I came in 2 months after your departure. To take your spot," he moved to the wall of the corner where they had bumped into each other and leaned against, crossing his arms. "After a month Sakura was still broken up. Kept crying in the middle of training. Every free minute Sasuke had, he spent with his head stuck in the scrolls, trying to find something that would help him find you."
Naruto approached Ridou. "Why are you telling me this?"
"To ask you, to forgive them."
"We've already talked, buried the past."
He shook his head. "They can't forgive themselves for what happened, because you can't forgive them for what happened."
Crossing Naruto's face was a quick mixture of conflicting emotions, his eye slightly narrowed.
Ridou sighed and slid a hand through his hair. "Sasuke, Sakura or Kakashi for that matter, will never treat me the same way they treated you-"
"As trash-" Naruto interrupted, but was cut off just as quickly as well
"As a close friend. And I'm okay with it. But I don't like seeing them hanging on to whatever bit you can toss their way," Ridou pushed himself off the wall and closed the gap, gripping Naruto by the shoulder. "Give them forgiveness. Give them closure."
He slowly let go and turned around. But Naruto gave him a sincere pat on the back before walking away.
"Protect them tomorrow, you got that?"
Ridou gave him a grin. "Of course. You make sure you kill that bastard."
"Of course, teme."
"Hmpf, teme."
Both walked opposite ways, both sporting the same smile.
The blonde approached their living quarter for the night and was about open the door, when he saw Itachi sitting on old log, looking up into the sky. "Itachi? Why are you still awake?"
His friend didn't look down, but kept staring at the clear night sky, the clouds had finally drifted away. "Just enjoying a peaceful night, Naruto-kun."
Moving over to his close friend, Naruto sat down next to him, following Itachi's gaze. "Calm before the storm."
"That's very fitting."
"What will you do, when the war is finally over?" Naruto asked.
"I'm more interested in your plans." Itachi finally broke his gaze and turned to the blonde.
"Well…I don't know. Micheru did say she would love to find a place in Konoha…But…"
"It's Konoha."
Naruto gave a chuckle. "Actually, I don't really mind it."
"You've certainly changed."
"If it makes Micheru happy, I'll gladly tell her what she wants to hear."
"Even if it's not what you want?" Itachi asked him, a smile on his face.
Naruto looked down to his feet, a frown on his face. "What I want is peace, in every sense of the way."
Itachi reached for his shoulder and gave him a gentle squeeze. "I hope you'll find it."
"Now, tell me what your plan is."
"A-"
"Naruto?" Micheru's soft voice rang out from behind.
The two looked over their shoulder and saw Micheru wrapped in a blanket. "Micheru-chan?"
"Why don't you come inside, its cold out here. She said with a shiver.
Naruto gave Itachi an apologetic look, who in turn gave a soft chuckle "Go, Naruto-kun, we'll talk later."
Climbing to his feet, he gave Itachi a pat on his back. "You should get some sleep. Big day tomorrow."
"I will. See you tomorrow."
Naruto hopped over to Micheru who gave him a big smile. "I was waiting for you."
"I'm sorry, wanted to talk with Tsunade for a bit."
Micheru took him by his hand and led him up the stairs. "About what?"
"Just talking about some stuff. Not really important. Did Madara add anything else, when I left?"
She shook her head, her blonde hair flowing at the motion. "He left immediately after you did."
Reaching their bed room, the door was still open, from when Micheru stepped out. Naruto tapped the door shut with his heel as they both stepped in. "Nervous about tomorrow?" he asked as he started removing his Akatsuki robe, folding it over the chair that stood in the corner.
He once more felt her soft hand grasp his, guiding him to the bed. Looking at her, he could see that the smile was still on her face. "That's not important right now."
Naruto's eye flicked to the bed, a smile of his own slowly appeared. "What was I thinking."
Slowly she laid down onto bed, opening the blanket she had been wearing as cover, revealing her undergarment, which left little to the imagination. "Just get over here, goofball."
Naruto didn't need to be told twice, he kicked of his sandals and pulled of his shirt before climbing onto the bed, planting his hands on her sides, looking down at her gorgeous face. "Goofball? I'm a goofball?"
Both her hands reached for his face, looking at it lovingly. "Enough talking." She pulled him down to her, planting her lips on his. Naruto couldn't resists the grin that once more broke out on his face, if only for a moment. Slowly he lowered himself, careful not to put too much weight on her.
He could feel the warmth emanating from her, as their bodies touched, though he paid it little mind as their kiss deepened. Without pause, she forced the both of them to turn, putting Naruto with his back on the bed, while she straddled him.
Slowing down for a moment she broke their kiss and straightened her back, a smirk on her face. Reaching back she pulled her bandeau over her head, revealing her natural curves.
She let out a giggle as she heard Naruto's sharp intake of breath, but let out a small gasp of surprise as he pushed himself up and closed the distance, wrapping his arms around her. She couldn't resist a squeal as he pulled her down with him.
Their lips found each other once more, while Naruto's hands started exploring every inch of her body.
With difficulty and slight clumsiness she managed to pull off his pants, never once breaking off their kiss, which resulted in a chuckle from Naruto.
"Need any help?" he asked in between kisses.
"Not another word, Uzumaki." She said with a dangerous, but teasing twinkle in her eye.
The pants laid discarded on the floor, kicked off by Naruto, in a wild, but successful attempt to get it off his feet.
Their moment of intimacy reached its natural next step as the night progressed. Along with it, came more tossed clothing, what little remained of it.
Some hours later.
Micheru drowsily rolled over in their bed, her body looking for the warmth it was lacking, hoping to snuggle up against Naruto.
Her sleepy eyes slowly opened, while her hand searched Naruto's spot for its inhabitant. "Naruto?"
The other side of the bed was empty. "Naruto, where are you?" she murmured, her eyes having difficulty to see in the dark room. Yet there was no answer and with a frown she sat up in the bed.
Glancing at the clock on the wall, she realized it was three in the morning. 'Where is he?'
Climbing out of bed, she reached for the blanket she had been using earlier and wrapped it around her body. Quietly she opened the door and tiptoed down the hall. Briefly looking in the bathroom to see if the blonde was there, but found no-one, to her slight disappointment.
She silently made her way down the stairs and looked around the living room, but the inhabitants were the same it had been. No Naruto in sight.
With a sigh she made her way over to the kitchen and filled a cup with water. As she brought it to her lips, she looked out the window, a smile appearing on her face.
Sitting outside, next to Itachi was the person of her affection. She twirled around and made her way over to the front door and opened it without a sound.
She was about to join them, but hesitated when she saw Naruto wrap his arms around Itachi's shoulder. What made her falter even more was when she heard Naruto's words.
"-But you're not going to die. You're going to reconnect with him, and you're going to forgive yourself for what happened with Izumi and your family. You deserve it, Itachi."
Micheru listened as her heart filled with dread. 'They're making promises…in case…'
"I'll never be able to. Naruto, I've accepted it."
She saw Naruto shake his head in defeat, gripping Itachi's shoulder as he stood up.
Micheru didn't want them to think she was eavesdropping and quietly closed the door. What made her heart ache even more were the last words she heard Itachi say, but barely.
"-take care of Micheru. It's the least I can do."
Quickly walking back up the stairs, she dropped the blanket where it was laying before and slid into the bed, laying on her side. She knew that she wasn't supposed to listen to their conversation, but it happened on accident.
She closed her eyes and listened as Naruto made his way up the stairs and into their room. She could hear the rustling of his clothing as he undressed again.
She could feel the shift in the bed as he crawled underneath the cover. A moment later she could feel his arms wrap around her and he cuddled up to her.
A smile appeared as she felt him softly giving her a kiss on her cheek. The smile didn't linger and soon was replaced with a frown and the dread she felt earlier emerge from the pit once more.
'Not everyone is coming home tomorrow…'
Shabam! A little bit of everything (except combat). I had to rewrite this chapter a few times. Initially I wanted it to end after Naruto and Micheru's intimacy, but I couldn't find the right place to add that in the next chapter, so I ended up adding it here. I hope it didn't screw up the flow of the chapter too much.
Until next time!