=Hello all and welcome to to the next chapter of, A Tale o Two Men.
"Thinking, Bijuu speech or Jutsu."
"Dialogue"
I do not own Naruto. All right belong to Kishimoto.
Chapter 7.
The Konoha Eight.
Crack! pop! Bright fireworks celebrating the end of the long war sounded throughout the entirety of the leaf village. A raucous mixture of Joy and laughter erupted from the streets. Family, friends and lovers embracing each other in shared relief that the hardest times of their life, was over.
Even if the fighting had already ended, the people had still been tense. No one could know if the fighting would resume.
Now with the Treaty signed by all the necessary nations, the people could finally rest from their near decade long strife.
A massive crowd gathered on the streets moving slowly towards towards the Hokage tower, their leader was to give a speech to the entire village.
As the mass surrounded the Hokage tower, several figures emerged from the top of the terrace causing the crowd to erupt in wondrous awe.
At the top stood: Hiruzen Sarutobi, Sakumo Hatake, Jiraiya and Orochimaru of the Sannin, Fugaku Uchiha and lastly Minato Namikaze.
The mass somehow got even louder, showing their appreciation and love for these Heroes of the village. Warriors and geniuses who had helped protect and develop their beloved village.
Hiruzen approached the edge of the terrace. In response the crowd reached what must have been the apex of the human vocal cord, showing how they felt about their beloved leader who had watched over them for so long.
Hiruzen raised his hand and swiped down, communicating to the masses that he was going to speak.
The mass turned deathly silent in baited breath, waiting for their great leader to speak.
Looking over the village he took in the sights before him, All of his children looking up to him. Faces of joy and relief. It made him feel as though everything was worth it.
Clearing his throat quickly, he focused chakra into his vocal cords to Enhance the volume of his voice and began his address.
"CHILDREN OF THE LEAF VILLAGE." His voice boomed throughout the entire village.
"LONG HAVE YOU STRUGGLED IN THIS HORRID AND BLOODY CONFLICT.
LONG HAVE YOU ENDURED THE DAYS OF LOSS, LONG HAVE YOU ENDURED THE DAYS OF HORROR . THOSE DAYS OUR NOW OVER!
LOOK AROUND YOU, MEMORIZE THE FACES OF OF YOUR FELLOW MAN AND WOMAN. LOOK AT THE SMILES ON THEIR FACES.
IT IS ONLY BECAUSE OF OUR FALLEN BROTHERS AND SISTERS THAT THOSE SMILES EXIST.
THOSE WHO CHOSE TO LAY DOWN THEIR LIVES SO THAT YOU CAN SMILE ARE THE MOSTY EXEMPLARY AMONGST THE WHOLE NATION.
I HAVE LIVED A LONG LIFE. I HAVE DONE MANY THINGS THAT SOME CALLED ME A HERO FOR.
YET NOTHING I COULD EVER DO IN MY LIFETIME COMPARES TO THOSE FALLEN COMRADES AND THEIR SACRIFICE, FOR THEY ARE THE HIGHEST EXAMPLE OF THE WILL OF FIRE.
WHEN YOU GO TO BED TONIGHT, WHEN YOU EMBRACE YOUR LOVED ONES IN A TIGHT EMBRACE. IN THE BACK OF YOUR MIND THANK THOSE WHO HAVE PAID THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE SO THAT YOU CAN LIVE FREELY.
HAIL THE VICTORIOUS DEAD!" Hiruzen yelled, raising his fist to the sky in remembrance.
"HAIL!" Came the voice of thousands of people, each one raising their fists toward the sky in a massive wave. The sight almost brought Hiruzen to tears.
The war had been rough but the will of fire was as strong as ever before.
"GO ALL OF YOU, CELEBRATE THIS NEW PEACE WE HAVE, FOR TOMMOROW WILL BE ANOTHER MOMENTOUS DAY.
NOW REST MY CHILDREN, MAY THE WILL OF FIRE BURN BRIGHTLY INSIDE EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU."
As Hiruzen turned his back to the crowd the noise started once again as everyone went back to celebrating. The fireworks resumed, their bright explosions lighting up the night sky.
Jiraiya had an amused grin on his face. "They have quite a raucous way honoring the dead eh sensei?"
"They've been through a lot, the whole village deserves a night of joy after the long dark." Hiruzen replied, his mood quite jovial upon seeing his people like this.
"You'll have plenty of cleaning missions to give out to the Genin after tonight my kage." Sakumo said, Causing Hiruzen to chuckle.
"There will be more wine and sake than blood in their bodies after tonight." Fugaku said, looking oddly happy, given his often cold demeanor.
"Will everyone be taking part in the festivities tonight?" Hiruzen asked the group.
Sakumo shook his head in denial. "I think I'm going to try and speak to my son, what about you Hiruzen?"
"I think I'll relax with Biwako for a bit. I should spend some time with her."
Hiruzen looked over to his two students. "I have business to attend to" Orochimaru said in his slithery voice.
"C'mon Orochimaru." Jiraiya said, putting his arm around the pale man's neck. "I can make sure you finally get laid tonight." He said, poking at Orochimaru's shoulder. Said man popped veins in his forehead in frustration of his teammate, which Hiruzen chuckled at.
He looked over to the two youngest men. "What about you two. Got anything planned for tonight?"
The two of them looked at each other, and then back at him. "Yeah we've got plans." Minato replied with a grin on his face.
Once again fireworks exploded throughout the village lighting it up in shades of blue, red and green.
Clink! Clink! Clink! Came the sound of Glasses being hit together in celebration. The Namikaze house had been often empty during the war, but tonight if was filled with the faces of friends.
Minato and Kushina had decided to host for all of their friend group, since they hadn't all been together since they were genin.
Looking around the room the faces by his side filled Minato with pride. They had all come so far from their days in the academy.
Kushina was the most beautiful woman he had ever met and the love of his life. He couldn't think of anyone else to spend the rest of his life with.
Fugaku and Mikoto had married during the war, Fugaku becoming the leader of the entire Uchiha clan. Mikoto was now pregnant with their second child, and the first son was quite a prodigy Minato had heard.
Shikaku, Choza and Inoichi were all primed to take over as the respective clan leaders of major clans. Choza and Inoichi had both proposed to their fiancee's, and Shikaku already had a son on the way with Yoshino.
It was nice to finally be able to relax and enjoy some time with the people he had grown up with, at least most of them.
The whole party sat down around Minato's terrace, a free addition to the house he had gotten as result of a favor the Inuzuka owed him.
"You know fugaku," Shikaku spoke in between sips of wine. "Even if you Uchiha are quite a troublesome bunch. You make a damn fine bottle of wine."
"Somebody has to do it, and given your...Sloth-like disposition; I don't think that it would be you."
"Isn't that the truth! This dumbass was late on our own goddamn wedding because he, wanted to sleep in." Said Yoshino, causing the group to laugh at her husbands expense.
"If you think that's bad." Kushina interjected with a sly grin. "Minato feinted on our wedding night. Twice."
Minato blushed in embarrassment. "Since when is it making fun of the men night?"
"Tell me about it." Shikaku said while downing an entire bottle, much to Yoshino's annoyance.
"You better not get drunk and make me carry you back home ya damn drunkard."
"Let me enjoy my drink in peace. All I want is some quiet time and a good glass of wine or sake."
"You two bicker like an old couple." Choza said through mouthfuls of food."
"Even through a war some of us haven't changed at all" Inoichi said while sipping elegantly on a cup of sake.
Mikoto finally spoke up. "Oh get off that high and mighty act Inoichi. Do you want me to tell Noriko about what you've done with your mind transfer technique?"
Inoichi's eyes widened in shock at the dirt Mikoto was holding over him. "What does she mean by that honey?" Noriko said in an accusatory manner.
"Nothing love, just some fun times we had in our younger days."Inoichi had a feeling that there was going to be an interrogation tonight, and it wouldn't be him conducting it this time. "I'll be sure to get back at you for that one Mikoto." He thought.
Deciding to divert the conversation, Inoichi looked over to Minato and asked. "So how does it feel knowing tomorrow you'll be named lord fourth?"
Everyone looked over to Minato, causing him to feel a bit self-conscious. He took a second to ponder before answering, "It feels like I want another drink."
Everyone laughed as Minato slammed back a bottle of wine, much to Kushina's surprise. Said woman had quite the shocked expression on her face.
"I'll drink to that." Shikaku said, downing a second bottle.
Ding! Came the sound of the doorbell. Kushina was going to open the door but Yoshino said she would get it since she had already been wanting to use the restroom.
Mikoto decided to continue the previous question. "How does it feel Minato? I know you've had the kage hat on your sights for a while but that's a big responsibility." Minato was a good friend to her and the husband of her best friend; she wouldn't want him to do anything that hurt them or their relationship.
The whole group looked over to Minato once more, actively interested in hearing their soon to be kage's thoughts.
"Well. It's certainly satisfying to achieve something I've dreamed about for so long. I'll be given the power to protect those I care for but now I'll have to protect the whole village. Every choice I make will be amplified to affect the whole village. So...I feel excited and anxious I suppose, similar to how I felt at my first chunin exams."
The sound of the stairs creaking echoed up the terrace, but the group was too busy talking to notice that there was two sets of feet.
"Just you wait Minato. You won't be so excited when that mountain of paperwork faces you. Many a night lord third had to spend battling the paper beast."
Minato hung his head sullenly, "Yeah I'm not looking forward to that."
Yoshino made her way back to the top of the stairs, a figured standing right behind her. "Hey Minato this guy said he knew you all from way back, so I figured it was fine to let him in."
Kushina responded, slowly turning her head over to Yoshino, "Oh it's fine Yoshino we're more than cap-able...Holy shit." Kushina's jaw dropped to the floor, as did her wine glass-shattering across the floor.
The whole group except Minato looked over to see what Kushina was shocked at, and similar to her shocked expressions hit all of their faces. Even Choza stopped eating and let his food fall on the ground.
Long silky red hair adorned a pale face, a black eyepatch running over his left eye. Dressed in anbu attire and wielding a wakizashi, before them stood one Oda Yamanaka.
"You're alive?" Kushina asked, her voice sounding hoarse almost as if the wind had been knocked out of her.
"Looks that way doesn't it." He said with a coy grin, surely enjoying the flabbergasted looks on his friends faces.
Fugaku stood up rather quickly and announced. "Excuse me but I need to leave, I just remembered some business I had with the clan. Thank you for hosting Minato, Kushina." He looked over to Mikoto who was quite confused at her husband. "I will see you at the compound later dear."
Mikoto unable to conjure up a coherent sentence just replied, "uh yes-dear."
Fugaku brushed past Yoshino and Oda, hurriedly walking down the stairs and out of the house. Yoshino couldn't say for sure but it had almost looked like his sharingan was active. "Probably just the wine messing with my eyes." She thought to herself.
"Well that was weird." Said Oda, essential saying what everyone was thinking.
"So I'm sure you all have a lot of questions seeing as it's been quite a while since I've seen the lot of you. And one at a time please." He said as he could see some of them were clamoring to ask him.
Choza decided he would go first, "What happened to your eye?" Oda let out a sigh. He was going to have to explain this a lot he felt.
"Kunai to the face." The simpler version would have to suffice, and Choza seemed satisfied enough with the answer.
"Why in the hell didn't we hear ever from you over these past years. Some of us thought you were dead Dattebane!" And there was Kushina's patented verbal tic. Safe to say Oda had almost forgotten how annoying that was. Though it did tug as his heartstrings a bit to see his practically little sister mad at him.
"I was ordered radio silence. I couldn't have any contact with anyone I knew besides my handler. And I only talked to him once every month."
Kushina looked as if she had accepted the answer, but her face still showed she was angry at him. A fact he was willing to accept.
"Will you be engaging in clan politics?" Inoichi asked.
"No Inoichi, I have no intention of contesting you for clan head if that's what you were thinking. That position is yours for the taking cousin."
Inoichi let out a silent relieved sigh. He had worked his ass off to gain the credentials to become the next clan leader. If Oda was to come back, then certainly many would flock to his side simply because of his power. "Surely the clan elders would want the "Maestro" to lead them." He thought.
"Well can you take over my clan? Dealing with politics is such a pain." Said Shikaku getting a punch on the shoulder from his wife, a laugh from a few of them, and a sweat-drop from Oda.
"Oh I'm sure you would love that. Unfortunately, I'm afraid that there would be many who oppose that." Replied Oda.
"Worth a shot." Shikaku muttered before diving to the bottom of the wine glass.
The group continued to engage in small talk for a good minute, meanwhile Mikoto had stayed silent in a blank expression. Quite opposite to her normal socially active self.
Even Oda started partaking in the alcohol with the others, he then began regaling them of his adventures while he was away; And in turn the others would each tell a story of a good time they had in the past few years.
Suddenly during one of Oda's stories, that had many of the group clutching their sides in laughter. Mikoto finally decided to speak up.
Her voice cut through the laughter like a knife. Her cold voice contrasted vastly to the heartfelt possibly alcohol influenced laughter.
"Do you think that you can just walk back into our lives now?" She said, her voice filled with scorn for the man that had once meant so much to her.
"I had no-" Oda tried to speak but was cut off mid sentence.
"You think that after you left us to fend for ourselves in a time where we needed you most, we will just accept you back with open arms?"
"Miko please." Kushina pleaded to her best friend. "Hear him out." But Mikoto had made up her mind already.
"All of you can choose to forgive the very person who abandoned us, then fine. But I won't, I never will." And with her peace spoken, she stood up and stormed out of the house-slamming the door on the way out.
An awkward silence befell the group as no one really knew what to say. Their night had taken a turn from a celebration of an end of a war and Minato becoming the next Hokage, to a reunion with a long lost friend and subsequent drama that came with that long lost friend.
"Well I'm sorry to dine and dash but It appears that my presence is going to be somewhat contentious. Sorry for ruining your party, and you got a beautiful home."
Oda fell backwards off the terrace and into the darkness. Much to some of the groups surprise, exits like that weren't exactly common.
"And here I thought that tonight was going to pass smoothly." Shikaku said standing up and signaling to the others they should leave. "Minato. Make sure that you get some rest."
The group dissipated and left the Namikaze house, each of them deciding they had all had enough for the night.
Yoshino and Shikaku opened the door to their bedroom, Yoshino Holding up her stumbling Husband, helping him into the soft embrace of the bed.
"Uggghh." Shikaku groaned as she let go of him.
"God! why do you have to be such an alcoholic!" She yelled at her husband. Even if she had known that about him when she had decided to marry him, that didn't mean she accepted his constant indulgence in his vices.
He was the smartest man in the whole village, possibly even the continent. Yet he allowed himself to be hindered by his unhealthy consumption of drink.
"I'm going to make sure that he reaches the heights that he's capable of. That's my job as his wife." She thought, as she was readying herself for bed.
She gazed over from the bathroom at her husband. A goofy grin plastered on his face. "You're-hic kind of cute when you get mad-Hic."
"Thanks you fool." She said as she got into bed, resting her head on the love of her life's chest. His heartbeat thumped over and over again, helping her to slowly relax.
"It was weird wasn't it?" Shikaku said, completely sober.
"What was weird?" Yoshino replied, confused at both her husband's soberness and his question.
"It's understandable, Mikoto's reaction that is. Both of them used to be quite the item, in fact I thought they were going to get married eventually. We all did."
"So why did Oda leave? Did something happen between them?" Yoshino didn't have a great relationship with Mikoto, but she did feel bad for her.
"Well we were all in the same genin class growing up: we studied together, trained together, and grew together. We even gained a name for ourselves."
Yoshino remembered years age there was a group of genin that had gained some fame among the village. "Oh yeah weren't you guys called the Konoha eight?"
Shikaku nodded, impressed at his wife's good memory. "Yeah, it started in our academy days. village needed some new young shinobi to prop up, someone for the people to put their hope in. Turned out, there was a group of promising individuals preparing to take over the next generation. As we all grew up we stayed somewhat close together but had our own paths. Then as the war begins Oda just up and disappears."
Yoshino was starting to understand why Mikoto had been so mad. The love of her life had up and disappeared in a time of crisis, even if it was for a mission- he should have told her himself.
Yoshino understood, but didn't know where he was going with this. "So, what's weird?
"Well, wasn't it odd that Fugaku left as soon as he Oda arrived at the house?"
Now that she thought about. It was odd that he had left so soon, he had said that he had clan business to do; but she wasn't sure if that was true.
"Well now that you bring it up, Yes it was odd. But why would he leave so quickly?"
"That's what I want to know. I've known Fugaku a long time, and that was easily the oddest he's acted. Something I might have to look into..." "
"Well I have faith in you to figure it out, you always do."
As yoshino drifted to sleep a thought hit her.
"Wait a minute."
"YOU PRETENDED TO BE DRUNK SO I CARRIED YOU HOME YOU LAZY ASS!"
"Troublesome."
The couple didn't sleep for quite a while that night.
A male anbu stood at the entrance to his apartment. He drunkenly fumbled around putting his keys into the lock, cursing at himself for his low alcohol tolerance.
After a long war he deserved this night of partying, and kami be damned he had a good one. He would have liked to have brought a women back to his apartment but it seemed that lady luck wasn't on his side.
After a solid minute of trying to put his keys in, a familiar click hit his ears; signaling that the door was now open.
"Home sweet home." He said, turning on the lights; revealing a man in his mid thirties with dirty brown hair and eyes. Patches of facial hair and deep bags under his eyes emphasized his rugged and unkempt appearance.
Opening his fridge he took out a few items to prepare a midnight snack for himself. Putting the ingredients on the counter and proceeding to the bathroom to clean himself up.
Gazing at himself in the mirror, he saw the physical impacts of the war on him. No longer did he have that spark in his eyes, anbu life had killed that side of him long ago.
He committed the next couple minutes to cleaning himself up, and he took a few pills to combat his headache. As he left his bathroom he didn't notice a small tint of red in his window-when he turned the lights off.
Taking out a frying pan he cooked a couple eggs just to put something in his stomach.
As he sat down at his table to consume his delicious meal, his lights unexpectedly turned off.
His shinobi senses screaming at him, he quickly moved to the kitchen and grabbed a steak knife.
"Who's there?" He asked to the surrounding darkness. "Messing with an anbu isn't a great idea if you want to remain healthy." No response came from the dark around him.
He sent out a chakra pulse. Nothing. After a half a minute the lights came back on, bringing relief to the man. He stood alert for a long passage of time, waiting for the feeling to disperse.
Finally the feeling passed and he relaxed, He put back the knife and finished his meal. Feeling much better now he headed to bed, ready for the soft bed.
Opening his bedroom door revealed only a pair of red eyes gazing into him from the darkness.
He tried to react but before he could do anything, the figure was upon him. The last thing he saw that night was a three tomoe sharingan, and he blacked out.
Shortly after a figure walked out of the man's apartment. The figure took out a pen and a list and scrolled through it until finding what they were looking for.
Finding the right name on the list the figured slashed the name marking it off.
"Looks like it wasn't you either. The list keeps getting thinner and thinner."
Nothing was significant about the list, a few slashed names here and there-but one name stood out above the rest.
YAMANAKA ODA.
I back with a quickie of a chapter. Introducing some of the main players in the story and their relationships with each other.
I bet some of you have some questions huh?
Who is the benefactor?
Who is the Commander?
What is the list about?
Why did Inoichi refer to Oda as the "Maestro"?
I don't know about any others but I'm sure they will arise. I hope that you enjoyed the chapter and the story so far, as always I should be updating monthly. Thank you for reading and have a wonderful day-Whitewolf327