Chapter 13
(A/N: hey guys so heres the new chapter! Also I just posted my first chapter of my naruto x touhou crossover! Please give it a read! )
The days after the slaughter had been a haze for Satsuki Uchiha she had followed her usual schedule in almost auto pilot. Wake up. eat. train. Meet team. train. Do a d rank or two. Train with team 7. Spar with sasuke. Eat with family. Go to bed. It was all she could do to cope. Overnight everything had changed, 1/5th of her clan wanted to betray her family and take over the rest of the clan to try to take over the leaf. And now her big brother had been taken away from her, branded a traitor while the real traitors were treated as Martyrs to protect an unsteady peace. Satsuki wondered how many other traitors were left as 'heros' for a bullshit reason such as this.
Satsuki was angry. She hated her brother's plan from day one. If he exposed the truth of what happened with the clan then he wouldn't have had to do this. It didn't matter if Tekka tried to play the victim if they had been proven as traitors then everyone except the old farts on the Uchiha council would accept it! She hated lying about what had happened, telling everyone that her brother was a traitor he was saving the village not taking his revenge too far! And she loathed what it did too her brother, Sasuke. He wouldn't speak to anyone anymore. He went through the same schedule as her but he would not speak to anyone. It worried her.
She woke up again. After getting ready for the day, she went made breakfast for herself and her brother. They ate in silence once again. Soon they left the Uchiha compound to train. There where team 11 met up before they got their missions was Naruto talking to Akira and some woman named Rumiko. As soon as they got closer everyone but Naruto left. For some reason that made him scowl, until he saw who it was.
"what's that about?"
"Training mostly. Also dad has a joint mission planned for our teams and another today." The blonde said walking away. Satsuki just stared at the boy. Aside from him hiding things, this was something she didn't expect to happen.
When the rest of her team got there she asked her cyclops of a sensei if he knew anything about what Naruto said. The man just eye smiled and told his team not to worry about it. Naruto's words were truthful they did have a 3 team mission the mail services had a major accident happened injuring many postmen and they needed a few ninja teams to run the mail as many of the mail service members were out. The good part was it gave the teams an easy c-rank because it took all week and multiple teams had to do it.
As the teams walked to the post office Naruto and Hinata spared a glance at each other that lasted longer than it really should have. Satsuki frowned at that. But they didn't really interact other than that. In fact, Hinata talked to her for quite a while, thankfully not about the 'Uchiha slaughter' as the villagers were calling it but more about training and their dojutsu. Naruto seemed to try to have conversation with Sasuke about jutsu and other normal conversation pieces before giving up and asking Akamaru if Kiba was house broken yet much to the boy's aggravation. He asked Sakura about her friendship with Ino chatted for a few minutes. He then went towards Shino and asked him about how the 'ninja bugs' as he called them worked. After being given a short but logical and informative answer, he went back and talked to his sibling about swords and music. Satsuki wondered how energetic that boy could be as he circled around to her. He asked her about training and if she learnt any new jutsu recently. She gave a non committal answer. Naruto then buzzed over to Hinata and asked her if she was keeping up on Akira's teachings.
"Ok thats enough Naruto," Kurenai Interrupted "we're not even at the post office yet and you've had a conversation with all your teammates give them some time to breath." The blonde pouted but shut up.
"Ah!" Kushina said but then went quiet with a wistful smile on her face. The group all walked in silence until they got to the post office.
"Good! you guys are here. We are running late with our deliveries the the bags deliver the letters to the right house and go!" That was all the man at the post office said. Each team grabbed a bag and went on their route. Naruto and Sasuke grabbed the same bag and locked eyes for a moment. It almost didn't seem right though Naruto only reached for the bag after sasuke went for it and released it too easily. Only Satsuki and the adults seemed to notice though. Naruto was planning something and it involved Sasuke and maybe herself.
The mail route was easy enough as a job sakura memorized the route list before they went and they delivered the mail pretty quickly. Kakashi lagged behind them as they delivered the mail. Sasuke and Satsuki both practiced using their sharingan as they delivered the mail, having awakened it during Itachi's declaration before the slaughter.
When all the teams finished delivering the mail they met up back at the post office. Since the mission lasted all week they didn't have to report till it ended. Satsuki again noticed Naruto and Hinata sharing a glance.
"Sasuke fight me."/ "Umm Satsuki if you don't mind, I request a fight." The duo said.
Everyone paused. You could cut the tension in the air with a knife. Satsuki spoke first "we're not in the mood for a spa-"
"we didn't say spar we said a fight." Naruto interrupted "No killing, no maiming, no broken bones, but other than that, no holds barred."
For the first time since the slaughter Sasuke made a noise. He chuckled. No he laughed. Hard. "fine we accept." Satsuki sighed but she had to admit she both wanted and needed this as well.
Finally coming out of her stunned silence Sakura shouted "NARUTO, HINATA WHAT ARE YOU DOING?! They are grieving! Stop antagonizing them. "
"It's fine Sakura," Satsuki responded. "I want to do this too." Sakura just shook her head.
"Akira and Rumiko will mediate to make sure we don't go too far. This will be two separate one on ones." Naruto spoke. The twins nodded. He looked back at the rest of the group "This is a private matter, I hope you understand."
With that the five of them left. "Grrrr that Naruto, what is he thinking? Those two have been upset all last week, why would he do this?"
"Thats exactly why he did it," her masked sensei said. "They're holding everything in Satsuki has been in a stupor and Sasuke hasn't talked since the slaughter. This is a way for those two to let their emotions out. He planned this, if the post office mission wasn't up then Naruto would have had a group training take place."
"Yea but-"
"Do you think those two would just talk everything out? Just open up and tell everyone whats wrong and have a big group hug and a cry?" Menma curtly asked. Sakura blushed and looked down she was actually planning a group get together just for that. The red head rolled his eyes. "That wouldn't work. For too many reasons too list. Naruto was pretty smart about this too, if they can't and won't process their grief through words he going to let them do it through their fists. Using a Jonin like Kakashi or Mom won't work because of the difference in power and rank they wont go all out and really unleash their emotions and they know me and Mito are at a Jonin level so we couldn't do it. Smart kid"
Sakura paused for a minute and sighed "I guess."
Mito patted her back "Come on, while thats going on why don't you and me work on water walking."
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Naruto led the group to the abandoned training grounds there Rumiko was waiting with a hungry look in her eyes. "So four little kits have come to play~ and its my job to make sure you don't get hurt, do I get paid for this?"
Satsuki shot her a look, she really wasn't in the mood for jokes "Anythings on the table?" Everyone nodded. "Alright I'm guessing will do this the traditional way, all four of us will make the sign of conflict then the proctors will start the matches." Everyone nodded again. And just like Satsuki said after the four made the sign of conflict the fight was officiated "BEGIN!" The two yokai yelled in unison. With that the four contestants ran at each other and began fighting.
Even without her Byakugan active Hinata was pushing Satsuki in combat. Both girls had yet to land a clean hit on the other. Satsuki threw a roundhouse to Hinata's head. The white eyed girl ducked underneath her opponents leg then sprang up aiming a palm strike at her stomach. finishing the kick Satsuki quickly jumped to the side. 'close combat isn't going to work, Hinata is a hyuga after all.' She thought The Uchiha flipped back throwing shuriken at the hyuga. Said girl used her own shuriken to nock the projectiles out of the air. She then dashed forward to where Satsuki landed. Quickly going threw hand signs the Uchiha girl shot a flame bullet at the hyuga causing her to leap out of the way. Keeping up on the offensive she shot out two more the last one dispersed when hinata cut the bullet with a mana knife on her hand. "… I forgot you trained with Naruto and Akira. You are no ordinary hyuga …" Satsuki said activating her Sharingan.
"It would be unwise to assume that."Hinata said Activating her Byakugan. Satsuki stared at the young girls eyes There always was a shade of violet underneath Hinata's Signature white hyuga eyes, but never when she activated her dojutsu, they always turned full white. But right now her eyes had a very faded but still noticeable shade of purple to them. "I see you noticed. I have with Akira-sensei and Rumiko-sensei been training to evolve my dojutsu. Right now they have not improved much. The only addition I have in regards to a regular Byakugan is I am able too see others chakra natures and affinity. Your's and your brother's are both fire and lightning, if you were wondering."
"hn." Satsuki responded before firing a phoenix flower jutsu at Hinata. The girl cut through the fire before launching the mana knife off her hand. Satsuki dodged the knife before landing a punch to the other girls head. She threw another one that was blocked and had the wind knocked out of her by a palm to the stomach. Satsuki grabbed her arms and head butted her. As Hinata stepped back, Satsuki let go of her arms letting her tumble on to her back. Hinata flipped back up and blocked a flurry of blows from her friend ending in a kick sending her skidding away and a fire ball for good measure. Hinata cut through the fire ball only to be met with Satsuki's fist shortly after. Using her other arm she caught the attack bringing the fist to the side of the two girls. Only to be hit with an uppercut. Hinata staggered back and released her mana knife she had and let go of Satsuki's hand. In response she slammed her palm into Satsuki's stomach firing a weak mana pulse into it. The young Uchiha flew about a foots length and fell on her side. She got up and engaged Hinata again running at her with a punch hinata did the same with a palm strike the two ninja hit each other in the face knocking each other down. Panting and bruised both girls stood up. Satsuki sighed, "I think that's enough. Im done for now." Hinata nodded. The two girls looked over to see the boys had finished their fight as well. Satsuki chuckled.
"You two feel better now?" Naruto asked. The Uchiha twins nodded. "good." The blonde boy fell into a sitting position on the ground and smirked. If you ever need us to kick your asses again just call."
"Shut up." Sasuke shot back rotating his arm. "Man I really needed that. Especially after…" he trailed off.
"I figured." Naruto nodded "I don't know exactly what went on that night but between how my family and the Sanin are acting it wasn't a simple case of Itachi snapping and getting a little too revenge happy." The twins bristled at that. "You don't have too tell me. I have secrets of my own." They relaxed. "I just wanted to help my teammates Dattebayo!" Naruto sighed and looked at Akira and Rumiko "I think we can trust these two with some of our own secret though huh?" The two yokai nodded. What was the blonde boy talking about? "Listen you guys …" from there Naruto explained About the Yokai, how they trained him, about mana. While he did that Akira and Rumiko reverted to their true forms to prove his tale.
The Uchiha twins agreed to release a yokai each, Sasuke released the vampire knight Issac, while Satsuki released the Tengu Tanjiro. Both wanted to learn from the prospective yokai teachers. Issac looked not dissimilar to a relative of Kurenai Yuhi he was tall, pale skin, red eyes, long flowing black hair that reached halfway down his back, his most dangerous feature though were his shiny white fangs he hid in his mouth. he had a somewhat feminine face and a slender build but exuded a noble aura and strength. He wore a sleek black set of plate armor decorated with the Biniru clan symbol. On his side was a long sword that was well taken care of.
Tanjiro looked the same age as Akira, but more stern. His skin was red and rough tempered though many battles. He had the eyes of an ancient warrior (which he was) with deep yellow sclera and black pupils. Above his eyes were thick white eyebrows that matched his hair which was pulled back into a pony tail. The one feature everyone noticed first though was his elongated nose common of the tengu. He wore the getup of a shinshoku, a shinto priest. on his waist were fashioned two katanas.
Both yokai agreed to teach the children, following the group back to the village. Both twins agreed to tell Naruto and the rest of the graduate elite (since their not in the academy anymore) the truth about the slaughter. Sasuke and Satsuki looked at the sunset both thinking "Just wait itachi we'll be coming for you!"
"Are you sure about this, Naruto? Letting those two in on this?" Hinata asked
The boy nodded "They've proven they can keep secrets. This is a sign of trust between us, besides from what I have been able to snoop on, Itachi joined a group full of shin-obi like Orochimaru. whether they want to kill him or bring him home they'll need the help getting strong enough." With that Naruto pulled out a storage scroll and unsealed a small vial with a red liquid, drinking the whole thing he looked back at the temple. "Also we need to free all these guys." He stayed behind with Rumiko as the others went back to the village.
(A/N: welp two more yokai released. All together that makes 5 so far Akira, Umi, Rumiko, Tanjiro, and Issac. And with more to come soon Who will release who? What did naruto drink? Hehehe.
Again in this chapter sakura means well but has a more civilian mindset, she doesn't understand the trauma the uchiha twins are going through and its not her fault. She is fresh out of the academy and see things though a civilian mindset. and in a way shes right, they do consider talking after being allowed to process their emotions through a fight!
Also do you guys like the direction I am taking with Satsuki? Im sure it was obvious but originally she was a parody of the poorly written "give me that jutsu dobe." fanfic sasuke. But I wanted to write her more "real" if you know what I mean, she's going to be a more serious interpretation similar to canon sasuke while sasuke himself is going to be what I feel like Sasuke would have been like if he got more help after the massacre.
thanks for reading guys!)