KG: League mmo when please!
Music of the Week: Save Me by Dos Brains
Quote: "Life is not easy for any of us. But what of that? We must have perseverance and above all confidence in ourselves. We must believe that we are gifted for something and that this thing must be attained," by Marie Curie.
Yura groaned when she felt a rub on her shoulder. Slowly opening her eyes, she noticed it was Yugao who had disturbed her sleep. "Yugao-san?" she questioned.
"Wake up, Yura-san. The operation is over," Yugao gently said while Yura yawned. Becoming more awake, the young Uzumaki quickly realized her current state with her head leaning on Yugao's shoulder. She picked herself up in surprise, embarrassed that she'd fallen asleep. Damn, she should have brought a book of some kind. The operation had been going on for more than a day.
"Oh, sorry! I… I didn't mean-"
Yugao chuckled. "It's alright. I've been used to having to stay up for a long time. I've also grown used to being a pillow. I believe my destiny has led me to this moment," she said pointing to the other side of her shoulder.
Yura looked over and found a smile coming across her face when she saw Yuri sitting there, equally as passed out as she had been. On the other side of the benches, Konan sat silently. The two acknowledged each other with pleasant nods before Yura turned back to the operating room. Joy filled her body when she saw the red light had turned green.
"They're done?" She asked.
Yugao frowned. "The light's been green for the last few minutes, but no one's come out. I only woke you up because I saw one of the surgeons open the door before they were called back inside. I don't know what they're doing in there," the former Anbu agent said while she slowly started to wake Yuri up. The Sanbi jinchuuriki groaned until she woke up as well.
The four continued to wait before they saw Tsunade walk through the door. Joy quickly turned to worry when they watched even her stumble for a moment. Her forehead and chest were covered with sweat. Her eyes were bloodshot and her nose was marked by dried blood. The Hokage quickly noticed those waiting for her and exhaled slowly.
"How long have you four been out here?" she asked.
"Almost since you started," Yura answered.
Tsunade glanced at her before she looked at Yugao, Yuri, and Konan. Naturally, she eyed the former Akatsuki member warily but at this point, she was much too tired to care. Hell, she was too tired to even stand at the moment. The only thing that kept her going was the adrenaline and the soldier pills. Those hadn't lasted for too long.
"How… How is he?" Yuri asked, concern dripping off her lips like water.
Yugao was more restrained in her emotions but it was clear that she too was eager for the news. After all the losses the Shinobi Force had endured a day ago, the last thing anyone needed was to lose their best shot of returning to their world, if there was anything left of it.
Tsunade opened and closed her mouth. The Godaime pinched the bridge of her nose and the others feared the worst, but she eased their concerns with her next words. "I've never been much for religion, or the gods, but I think we can thank Kami… or the Shinigami that he's alive," she said.
Yura placed her hands over her mouth in shock before she wept for her lover. She fell to her knees in gratitude to the Shinigami for his great mercies toward the Uzumaki family. She offered a brief, yet sincere prayer to him before she stood back up.
Yuri breathed a sigh of relief, touching her chest from the stress that was threatening to overwhelm her. Truth be told, she still didn't feel like she earned the right to be here but Konan had guilt-tripped her a little. The paper wielder commented how sad Naruto might be if his lover wouldn't even visit him thus making his recovery that much harder. So, Yuri went if only to help her lover feel better. She didn't know if she was the right person for it, but Naruto always had a way of making her feel better. Maybe the same would be true for her.
Konan and Yugao smiled but the joy of the group was slowly brought down when Tsunade spoke again. "However, he's very weak at the moment. We almost lost four or five times. Despite that, his body is currently repairing itself at an almost astonishing rate. In fact, it's repairing faster than what should be capable of most jinchuuriki. I've had to heal the brat of some very severe injuries during his career, but this baffles even me. If he was an average person, I'd be calling for him to retire. If he were talented, it'd take him at least five months. I can only call it a godly miracle that he'll be up and running in about a week," she spoke.
"A week?!" Yura questioned. After all of that fighting that he and Kushina had endured, would he be capable of doing it again a week from now?
"That should be impossible," Yugao commented.
Tsunade leaned against the wall. "Trust me, it freaked out me and the other doctors as well. Whatever happened to him, it's otherworldly I'll say that much. However, I think this will be a blessing for us. I hate to put Naruto in a position like that again, but we're gonna need him if we have any chance of beating that guy," The Godaime said, keeping a rather important matter to herself. In fact, they needed Naruto up more than anyone else knew. At this point, this had to be the gods' work because realistically, it was impossible otherwise.
"Can… Can we see him?" Yura asked.
Though sympathetic, Tsunade shook her head. "At this moment, I'm afraid not. We will see where he is tomorrow and I will have someone inform all of you. In any other circumstance, I would agree, but things are very delicate right now. Please just wait a little longer," she replied, bowing her head to the group present.
Yura and Yuri balled their fists but the former just nodded hopelessly. Well, he was alive. At this moment, that was all they wanted. "Thank you. No, thank you for all your hard work, Tsunade-san! We'll await your word. We'll also leave you and the rest of the doctors to take a well-deserved rest," she said, consoling her sister. The Uzumaki sisters led themselves away. Now that Naruto was confirmed, they'd check in on Kushina. Given that Naruto had taken a while, they checked on Kushina once before but she was also in an operating room headed by Shizune.
Tsunade watched them go while Yugao bowed. "I will go inform the rest of the team, Hokage-sama. Will you have any more need of me?" Yugao asked.
The Godaime exhaled slowly. "Yes, inform Mikoto that I'll want the both of you at the Hokage Mansion in about a day or two. That'll be all," she said.
Yugao nodded and walked off which left Konan with the Hokage. "And are you going to be a concern for us?" the Godaime asked with narrowed eyes when she laid them on Konan. The paper wielder frowned before she closed her eyes.
"I cannot say for the rest as I am no longer affiliated with them, but I'm sure I'll be able to meet with them without being attacked. I believe this will work out for all of us since I've acquired some recent information. I hope it will put an end to this meaningless death that we've caused upon our world. Now, I wonder what would have happened if we had the rest of the bijuu and their jinchuuriki with us. Have a good day," Konan responded, offering a bow before she left as well.
Tsunade watched her go while the surgeons started walking out of the operating room, each more exhausted than the last. She watched them go, thanking each of them. That said, they still weren't done. Now that Naruto was taken care of, they had to work on the other patients. After that, they would be allowed some sort of rest. The Godaime certainly needed it.
In the meantime, Yugao watched Yuri and Yura disappear down another hallway. She exited the hospital, her breath already showing in the chilling air. The snow continued to fall almost despairingly, a constant and brutal reminder to all those who sat under its cold touch of what they lost. Yugao waved to one of her friends before she headed out.
After a long while, the former Anbu agent found herself at the Uchiha Compound. When she'd walked through the streets, she always wondered if this was the closest the nations had gotten to world peace when she saw so many different shinobi congregating around the snowy roads. Panting, she entered and saw a number of Suna shinobi situated through their homes. Yugao wondered how the deceased Uchiha members, Kami bless their souls, would feel about something like this. Still, she continued onward.
Traveling far, Yugao found Yuna handing out Suna's portion of the food. "Yuna-san, I see you're busy," Yugao said.
The black-haired Uchiha turned to Yugao and nodded. "Yes, it's been a little hard, but it's necessary. What can I do for you, Yugao-san?" she asked, not in a particularly cheerful mood. Then again, the Uchiha weren't the most expressive anyway. Additionally, there wasn't much to be cheerful about these days.
"Naruto's made it out of the operation. They say he'll live. I wanted to spread the news. I figured we all deserve something good for our lives at the moment. I also had something else to tell Mikoto-san," Yugao said.
The frown on Yuna's face swiftly flew upwards at the news. "Yeah, that's some good news. Come on, Sasuke and Mikoto-sama are inside. I'll go get Itachi, wherever he's hiding," she replied.
Yugao thanked her and entered the main Uchiha household. Luckily for her, neither Uchiha was hard to find. A doctor had left their living room with Mikoto tending to her son. Yugao entered the room.
"Sasuke, stop squirming. You're only gonna make this harder," Mikoto replied.
"I can do it myself!" he returned with a growl. That only got a chuckle out of Mikoto until both spotted Yugao.
Welcoming her inside, Yugao swiftly took a seat. "I'm glad to see the hate of doctors is the same no matter what clan you're from," she replied which got a nod from Mikoto.
"Some more than others," the mother of the Uchiha clan heir replied while she continued to inspect her son. He grumbled beneath her touch but a stern look from her was enough to make him grit his teeth and bear it for this time.
Deciding to withhold her news until Yuna and Itachi arrived, Yugao passed the time by making small talk with her teammates. Thankfully, the two Uchiha arrived soon enough with Itachi greeting her. Never did Yugao think she'd ever be on such pleasant terms with a former agent as well. She'd worked with Itachi many times in their Anbu career, but when he'd turned traitor, admittedly at the Third's order, she wondered if they might ever work together again.
"Anyway, I didn't wish to stay for too long. I merely wanted to let you all know that Naruto's operation was a success," she stated.
As Yuna already knew, she glanced at the others. Sasuke would deny it to death, but the relief he felt was unlike any that he'd ever had before. The only thing that came close to something like that was when Sasuke woke up to a successful mission back in Wave. Itachi almost smiled, clearly just as relieved as the rest of his family.
"And Kushina?" Mikoto inquired. Don't mistake her, she was just as relieved as anybody that her son's best friend was alive. Hell, three of the four Uchiha in this room obviously knew that Naruto was their Master since he'd revived them. Word of his return and defeat had sent ripples throughout the entire village. Many started to lose hope, fearing they'd never get to go home if even he couldn't take down the foe that stood before them. Many thought him dead and that they soon would follow, either by the cold or the god. In fact, some of them were wondering if praying to Jashin was better than nothing.
Mikoto was elated to her best friend's son was alive, but she was equally worried for Kushina. She'd taken a beating by Jashin as well. What kind of friend would she be if she wouldn't worry about her friend? Still, if Naruto somehow survived then that had to provide something for Kushina, right?
"Shizune-san's working on her with another group of surgeons. It helps that we were quick in getting her medical attention when she went down first. Still, she should be back on her feet as well because the Hokage claimed that Naruto's recovering faster than what should be normal for even jinchuuriki. It's assumed that he'll be fully recovered in about a week," Yugao replied which stumped all four of the Uchiha.
"A week? Isn't that too early?!" Yuna asked.
"Yes, it is. In fact, it's nothing short of a divine miracle. We're fairly short on those these days. I just wanted to bring a little hope to all of us. No one's feeling up for it these days. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have one more person to tell," Yugao explained as she finished the drink she was given and stood up.
"Oh, and Mikoto-san, you and I were requested by Lady Tsunade to appear at the Hokage Mansion tomorrow," Yugao spoke which got a stir from the mother of Sasuke and Itachi. The others glanced at her, watching her expression turn professional in an instant.
"Did she say what for?" Mikoto questioned.
Unfortunately, her teammate shook her head and sighed. "She was too tired. No doubt Naruto's operation took a lot out of her. She's going to rest for a little while. A lot of the medics are burning through the village's supply of soldier pills trying to keep as many people alive as they can. This snow and ice also aren't helping either," Yugao answered, her gaze turning to the window. The four Uchiha followed her gaze. The snow continued outside, increasing in speed in ways they thought impossible.
Then there were those two giant moon-like planets that seemed closer to the dimension they were in than even in their own world. Perhaps it was those that were causing the weather to go so far out of control, but what could they say? It wasn't like this was their planet that they were on. How could they predict the weather of a place like this?
Mikoto hummed. "I see. Very well, I'll be there. Thank you, Yugao. Can we get you anything else before you leave?" she asked.
Yugao shook her head. "No, thank you. I'll go inform Kakashi. Then, I'll be returning to Kushina's side," the purple-haired woman said. She then stood up and walked out the door, waving goodbye to her two teammates and the rest of their family.
Once Yugao left, Yuna leaned back with a sigh. She noticed her lover contemplating something heavy. "You've got that look on your face like you're thinking something reckless, Sasuke. What are you planning in that head of yours?" Yuna asked.
Mikoto and Itachi looked at the youngest of the Uchiha. They saw the frown continuing to grow across his face. "It can't stay like this. We need more power. Throughout my career, there's been a lot of times that I've felt helpless. In my quest for power to avenge our clan, I in turn met power so strong I couldn't even breathe. There was first Itachi, then there was Kakashi. After them was Zabuza, Orochimaru, Naruto, Yuri, and then… that guy, Jashin. Had I been more powerful, I probably could have kept more of us alive. The entire Hyuuga clan got wiped out. When I think that could have happened to any of you, I can't sleep," Sasuke said.
He grabbed Yuna's hand and kissed it slowly. She looked at him taken aback by his intense words. When Sasuke let down his hand, Mikoto shivered when his gaze turned to her. He looked at her with such strong conviction, reminding her of their dance months ago. "I was powerless to protect my family before. The dobe brought you all back to me, I'll be damned if I waste his efforts and lose you all a second time!" Sasuke replied, casting his eyes on Itachi next.
"And how do you plan on doing that?" Itachi asked. Of course, the older sibling had an idea of where Sasuke was going with this. He'd actually been contemplating it himself, especially after his mother lost her eye while using the Izanagi to reverse the deaths of everyone. Recklessly, she'd even tried to use it to reverse the deaths of all those who died to Jashin, but… it seemed that the God of Slaughter had a much grander command over reality than what she did. How she was able to keep her eye in the end, he had no idea.
Mikoto shivered when she felt Sasuke grab her hand as well. His hand held hers with such gentle strength, but she was worried when she felt him shaking. "Itachi, switch eyes with me," Sasuke said.
Yuna and Mikoto froze, too stunned to speak.
-x-
After some time, Yugao finally made it to Kakashi's apartment complex. She shook off some of the snow from her body. She breathed a stream of cold air from her lips before she made her way toward his door. Yugao remembered coming here a plethora of times to deliver her former captain news.
Suddenly, from around the corner, Yugao quickly picked up on yelling.
"Obito-kun, wait!"
Yugao watched the door to Kakashi's apartment blast open. Out came one of the Akatsuki members, Obito Uchiha. Yugao remembered him because Naruto had spoken about him. Kakashi had also spoken regarding him as well. Back when the young woman lost her lover, Hayate, she too visited the Memorial Stone with Kakashi. He spoke of Obito a lot. Yugao had been stunned when Obito was deemed alive. For him to join an organization like Akatsuki, his circumstances couldn't have been simple.
Yugao watched Rin appear behind Obito. She grabbed his arm, but he quickly shoved her off. "Don't touch me! You… you think that just because you come back that I'll just forsake all the things I've seen?! The anger I've felt? Don't pretend you care about me. Just stay away from me! This changes nothing!" Obito replied angrily. Rin shivered when she saw the anger in her former teammate's eyes. It was an anger piled up with years of guilt, rage, and frustration, all of it coming down at once.
"Obito-kun, please…"
Yugao watched as Obito rebuffed her efforts harshly. He spotted Yugao before he warped away using his Mangekyou Sharingan. The female Hinoken member watched Rin fall to the ground, distraught and crying. She seemed so stunned that she hadn't even taken notice of Yugao yet.
"Sometimes, bringing someone back doesn't solve all the problems. Instead, it just makes more," Yugao thought to herself until she saw Kakashi appear.
"It's cold, Rin. Come back inside," he said, his face just as disheartened as hers.
"I never knew. All that time, he went through all of that for so long with no one to help him. And, all that time, I… never knew how he felt," she replied. Kakashi squeezed her shoulder unable to say anything that might make her feel better. If there was anyone with the skill for comforting someone, it definitely wasn't Kakashi. At least, he didn't think so.
Finally, Kakashi turned his head and saw Yugao standing there. "I- Sorry to interrupt. Should I come back later?" Yugao asked, not entirely sure what to do. She assumed the news about Naruto could wait until her friends collected themselves, but it looked like they could use some good news as well.
"No, you can come in. I think we were just about finished," Kakashi said as he pulled Rin to her feet. He beckoned Yugao inside with them. She entered and spotted Rin taking a seat, deathly silent.
Kakashi closed the door behind her and walked into his room. He offered her a seat, but she declined. He took a seat himself at his desk. The jonin brushed a hand through his grey hair. Rin looked entirely lost, comatose even. "Would you like anything? All I've got is water around here, but I figure it's better to ask," Kakashi jested, the mirth never quite reaching his face.
"No, thank you. Sasuke and Mikoto tried to offer me the same thing. We have to start watching our food reserves until we head home. I just wanted to tell you that Tsunade-sama finished healing Naruto. Despite a few scares, he's alive. In fact, he'll be awake in about a week," Yugao claimed.
Kakashi exhaled, rubbing his face in relief. Even Rin had a small smile on her face. Well, that was until they heard the last of Yugao's words. "A week?!" Rin questioned.
…Yeah, Yugao probably should have seen that one coming. After following through with the same explanation that she gave to Sasuke and his family, Kakashi and Rin were left stumped. "Well, that'll be good for the morale of the people, but the problem is what to do afterward. If I know Naruto, he gave everything he had. Our world was even destroyed in the process. If he couldn't even beat the enemy after that, what can be left? Even then, how do we train him? Not one us has fought a god before today. In fact, we were the hindrance. We were like a game compared to them. What more can Naruto do that he hasn't done already?" Kakashi asked.
Truthfully, Yugao had no answers to that question. "If he doesn't know, we must help him find out. That's the only way we can return to the world we knew," Yugao answered.
"And Kushina-san?" Rin asked, just the same as Mikoto.
Yugao explained the circumstances surrounding the lover of the Uzumaki clan as well. When she finally left, Kakashi and Rin felt even more tired than when she'd arrived. Unfortunately, there was nothing to grant them any more pleasant thoughts. The icy winds continued to howl while the massive snow-covered mountains loomed over the frozen village ominously.
The former teammates looked at each other. "What are we going to do, Kakashi?" Rin asked.
For once, the jonin didn't have an answer to that question.
-x-
Yura and Yuri watched as Kushina was pushed into Naruto's room. Shizune had finished treatment five hours ago. She commented that it was only that short since Kushina had been receiving aid from the medic corps almost all of last night.
The two Uzumaki sisters frowned when they saw her form. She seemed so weak and brittle right now. It almost seemed hard to believe she'd been facing down a literal god. Despite their insistence, they weren't allowed to see both of them as ordained by Shizune.
"Listen, I understand you're worried but they will need their rest. I am an authorized medic employed by the Uzumaki Clan, I understand my duties concerning Naruto-kun and Kushina-sama. You have my word that I'll inform you as soon as there's any change," Shizune said.
Yura and Yuri glanced at each other before the former sighed. She seemed to be doing that a lot today. Patting her sister's shoulder, she nodded. "Alright. Thank you, Shizune-san," Yura said. Yuri nodded as well, crestfallen by the news. The two turned around and proceeded to leave.
Shizune closed her eyes and rubbed her temples. Honestly, if there was one thing she didn't miss about this job it was giving the patients bad news. The grief-torn faces, the sobs reverberating through the hallways, the pain of having tried your best yet still failing, Shizune did not miss those moments at all. Many had bad days, but the bad days for medic nin tended to stay with them the rest of their lives. Not even Tsunade, her former master, had a perfect track record. No one ever did.
Shizune turned out the lights in Naruto and Kushina's room. She walked away, checking the medical information for them. It was a shame that none of the computers were working. Doing all of this by hand made the process of updating their information much slower than usual. Unfortunately, there was no rest for the weary. Shizune had to start working on the other patients as Tsunade asked her to.
Meanwhile, Naruto and Kushina continued to rest in their darkened hospital room. Slowly, their bodies became consumed by white fire. The damage from the battle, the injuries from that dreaded night, were slowly being healed away. The Shinigami loomed over them both. His hands were on their foreheads, filling them with spiritual power.
"It has been a long time since I've seen your face, Shinigami-sama."
The Shinigami turned his head and saw the Regent appear before him. The God of Death frowned but spoke not a word. The Regent offered a large, grandiose bow. He then walked over to Naruto and held up the blade that housed Kagura. He placed the scabbard on Naruto's chest. Soon that too was enveloped in the white flames.
The Regent then backed away and chuckled. "As the curtain falls, so too shall the destinies of all those who dance upon the realm of life. A comedy and a tragedy, two faces, one mask. Where shall we find ourselves when we step into the edge of infinity?" The Regent asked before he left as quickly as he appeared.
The Shinigami watched him go. He then looked back at the blade that had been handed down by the Regent. "Behave yourself. I shall not warn you again," he ordered. He didn't have to see the spirit of the woman within the blade to know that she'd relented to his commands.
Meanwhile, in the depths of Naruto's mind, he found himself surrounded on all sides by darkness. Whether looking up, down, left, or right, there was only darkness as far as his eyes could see. "Why? Why did it come to this? I lost. I gave everything I had and it wasn't even close to being enough. Yukimaru, Guren, Komachi, Shion, my friends, they're gone and I couldn't even avenge them. What- What do I do now? I don't know if I can beat him. Not even that woman, Kagura, could help me. Not even all the souls I'd made a deal with could do it. W-What am I supposed to do?" Naruto questioned as he leaned up.
Then, he started laughing. He thought of all his battles, all his victories, and… all of his losses. Why? Why couldn't he just be allowed to be happy? Why did he always have to fight for it? Sometimes, Naruto was just tired of fighting. "Heh, maybe I should have just let myself die back when Shin first came for me. I'm tired," Naruto said to himself.
As the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki contemplated his circumstances, the darkness around him became illuminated with white light. He sensed a myriad of presences behind him, all of them familiar. However, that didn't fill him with any sense of joy. Instead, it only made him angrier.
"Brooding doesn't suit you, brat,"
Naruto turned his head. He saw the familiar forms of Pakura, Suiren, Kimimaro, Gari, and Yahiko standing there before him. Aside from them, he also saw the Kindred, Lamb and Wolf, Mōryō, and finally, the Kyuubi. He looked at them all and they looked back at him. The air around the shared space was palpable, each side waiting for the other to make their move.
Finally, Naruto offered something between a chuckle and a scoff. "Doesn't suit me, huh? I know what suits me is being alone!" the blond exclaimed, picking himself up off the ground.
"Where the hell were any of you?! I called and called and fucking called! None of you answered! Please tell me if Shin ordered you not to help me, or maybe I did something wrong that you were all upset about. Please tell me so I can know why I faced a damn god all by myself when none of the people I trusted the most outside of my own family would help me!" He roared. To his frustration, no one answered him. They just continued to hold their heads down, most specifically the humans of the group refused to look him in the eye.
Naruto laughed. "Wow, I guess I must be talking to the damn air since I'm not getting any responses. Is that it now? I'm not even worth enough to get an explanation? You know, I suppose it was too good to be true. My life was going too well for me. I was slowly starting to rebuild my family, Sasuke's family, righting all the damn wrongs the people of the Elemental Nations made, I wanted to good. I was trying to do good. And where does that put me? My family's getting torn apart again, my mother nearly died again for my sake, and I couldn't even protect my home. All this along with people who act like I don't exist no matter how hard I scream or shout!" he fired, his teeth seething as they listened.
Clenching his fists, and gritting his teeth, Naruto finally exhaled. "If you don't wanna fight by me anymore, then just say so. But don't claim to be there for me and abandon me when I need you the most. I've had enough experiences like that in my life. But- But you…" Naruto said.
Even without being addressed, Pakura knew that he was talking to her. How she wished she'd just kept her head down rather than face his gaze. Nevertheless, she probably owed him that much. When she looked at him, she saw the most heartbroken expression plastered on him. "I'm not ashamed to say it. I trusted you the most. You… you were like the older sister I never got. I trusted you because I thought out of everyone you'd know what it was like to be betrayed, abandoned, and left to fend for yourself. You knew that and I let you in, that I knew it too. I thought you all knew what that was like. If there was anyone who'd stand by me, I thought it'd be you," he said, staring at Pakura.
Despite her attempts to keep her face straight, the former Suna kunoichi's stoic visage briefly broke. Naruto didn't miss that. If anything, that made him angrier. Before he could even speak, he staggered back. He then opened his mouth, but he swiftly closed it lest he say something he actually regretted.
Instead, he angrily rubbed his hands through his hair. He then threw his hands up. "Fine. Don't talk. Ignore me just like everyone else. Actually, just leave me alone. You all seem to be good at that," he replied, growling at them all.
Still, even with his anger, none of them said a word. Instead, they bowed their heads and left his presence until there was only him and the Kyuubi left. The two stayed in silence for a long time. It seemed strange. The Fox had seen the blond's back so many times, but never had it seemed so distant than before, especially for there being no bars between them. That said, there was more going on than even Naruto realized. Perhaps that didn't excuse their actions, but the fox would not be one to apologize. It simply wasn't in his nature. That said…
"Perhaps you have forgotten one thing, Naruto. The world owes you nothing, and neither does anyone else. When the world offered you nothing, you rose above it to take it for yourself. You have not experienced what I and many others have gone through, the reality that things you love can be taken away from you and sometimes… there is nothing you can do about it. I'll say this much, but now you truly know how that Uchiha felt. For once, you're faced with something not even you'll be able to overcome. However, know that you were never alone," The Kyuubi expressed.
Naruto said nothing. The Kyuubi gave a hard grunt, but he too slowly disappeared as well. As he desired, Naruto was left alone. He clenched his fists as the usual darkness started to overcome him.
Standing by himself, Naruto clenched his hands and gritted his teeth even as tears fell down the side of his face. Yes, Naruto was aware that life wasn't fair. He and nine others were prime examples of that. Yet, why did it have to be that way? Why did he have to keep fighting like this just to go some measure of happiness for himself? He just wanted to be happy! Wasn't that what most people wanted?
So someone tell him! What was Naruto supposed to do to be happy? What was Uzumaki Naruto supposed to do to be granted the power to make sure no one took away what he loved?!
…
"There is one thing you should do. You must wake up to reality!"
The blond stilled when he heard a chilling voice reverberate all around him. His eyes widened as he looked into the vast void of nothingness. Quickly, the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki's mindscape turned into a large battlefield, one rife with corpses and bloodstained weapons. Upon a large hill, Naruto stared upon the masses, the earth soaking in the blood.
"How many of these people did you think fought and died because they too wanted to be happy? To be accepted? To have their own fulfilled dreams? There have been many before you, and there shall be many after you. As a shinobi, one learns that nothing ever goes as planned in this accursed world. The longer you live, the more you realize that the only things that truly exist in this reality are merely pain, suffering, and futility. For that is what you signed up for when you donned that headbang, that cross for yourself to bear. In the end, you will come to find that peace is an illusion, one that mortals, for all their flaws, are incapable of attaining on their own… without special circumstances."
Naruto's frown deepened when he heard the sounds of footsteps behind him. They came closer and closer until a man stood next to him. The instant Naruto saw him, the blond knew that this man was powerful. There was pressure in his stance and wisdom in his gaze, one that not even the Kage could match. Naruto didn't say it, but he already knew that this wasn't one of the "good" spirits. However, it wasn't the worst evil one either. In fact, this spirit was but a drop in what had taken him over in his fight against Jashin, but standing next to him on the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki's own made him tremble.
Another thing Naruto also noticed was that this man… looked a lot like Sasuke in some areas. His black hair covered his backside and his eyes blazed with the red fury of the Sharingan. In fact, now that Naruto looked closer he looked like the image of that statue in the valley where he'd fought Sasuke in. "Who are you?" the blond asked.
"...I see that your history has deteriorated. Back when I was alive, there weren't many who did not fear my name. You may address me as Uchiha Madara, Shikyō-sama," the man responded, even though the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki took notice that the man absolutely hated giving him any modicum of respect. He probably only did it because of Naruto's title as the Shinigami, especially since she hadn't even bothered to face the whiskered Uzumaki yet.
That said, when his name was uttered, Naruto found himself chilled. There hadn't been a lot of stories regarding Uchiha Madara, but even Naruto knew him as one of the strongest Uchiha to ever exist upon the Elemental Nations. He'd been one of the central figures in creating Konoha alongside Senju Hashirama, the First Hokage. That had been one of the stories Naruto paid attention to. Anything regarding the Hokage had interested him greatly. It was claimed that the Shodaime Hokage personally killed him which made him an enemy of the village. Though, Naruto was beginning to wonder what the word 'enemy' even meant anymore.
For once, Naruto decided to stay silent, observing this Uchiha who came next to him. "I can see it in your eyes. You think my words overly harsh. However, still you don't refute me. That's because you know somewhere within that I'm right. Why else would you throw the others away? They failed you, and you failed them," he said.
Naruto cast a powerful glare at Madara. The Uchiha matched his gaze, though with some measure of respect. It wouldn't do well for him to be too rude to the Shinigami's summoner. "And how have I failed them?" he asked.
"With all due respect, you are stupidly idealistic. How someone like you piqued the interest of the God of Death baffles me. Why did you pick such weaklings if you wished for true power? You could have chosen anyone you wished, but you settled for fourth-rate shinobi and kunoichi. Idealists pursuing peace, or trash discarded to the wayside just as you were. Even the one you trusted the most, her death was used to keep the peace. Yet, it is that peace… that selfish intent to preserve it… will always bring out those who wish to destroy it. For there are many whose peace it is for nothing to remain except the quiet of a soulless world," Madara replied.
He looked down at the battlefield. "You have great power, more power than I, more power than the bijuu, and more power than any who have or will exist upon our planet. Yet, you use that power wastefully, selfishly pursuing your ideas of peace the way the world has thought you should. You do not make use of those summons fully, held back by your desire for peace that will only last a short while. The wrongs you've righted mean nothing in the grand scheme of things," Madara said.
Naruto growled. "They are not weaklings," he retorted. Despite how he felt for them currently, of the many things he'd spoken about them, being weak wasn't one of them.
Madara closed his eyes. "If they were strong, they wouldn't have let their master's castle become invaded so easily. Do not protect them. For they did not protect you. Instead, focus upon what you are. You have the sole power of a god at your disposal. You are the closest to the pinnacle that others could only dream of. Instead of this weak peace which will not last, you have the power to create real peace, true peace, everlasting peace. A world… where everyone wins. A world… where you will always win," he answered.
Naruto scoffed. "Yeah, right. I know you can't lie to me. So tell me what you think you're doing. What are you trying to sign me up for?" the blond asked.
Madara chuckled. "I am signing you up for the answer that you are craving so much. I will train you, and guide you. You've been taught by many, but you have not delved into the world as I have. I shall pull you in and grant you what you seek. I shall train you through and help you beat the God of Slaughter. While I fought I saw things, many things, and I will teach you what they are. Trust me, or not, but with my help, you will regain what you've lost," the Uchiha replied, finally finishing his speech.
Naruto didn't respond. Instead, he continued to look at the Uchiha with great uncertainty. While Madara, this man who was claimed to rival the Shodaime Hokage was strong, it wasn't like he was the strongest of the vile spirits that possessed him. Plus, Naruto knew there was a lot the spirit wasn't telling him. That said, he had no reason to doubt the honesty shown to him if only because he knew that Madara couldn't lie to him. Still, Naruto had a history of truths becoming lies.
"Is that the same thing you told to Uchiha Obito regarding Rin? Letting him hear what he wanted to hear? I might be pissed off, but I'm not stupid. What were you planning?" he asked.
This time, it was Madara's turn to frown. "Does it matter anymore? You've changed the whole game plan. In another world, I'm sure we wouldn't be standing side by side like this. Maybe you'd even be one of the ones standing in my way. However, now that the Kyuubi's no longer composed of chakra, Project Tsuki no Me is a failure. You can be proud that all the deaths which would have led the world to peace are now worthless. However, if you work with me, we can still make something better, even grander than what I'd imagined. Despite his current willingness, Obito wouldn't have seen the full plan through. You are greater than he was."
Naruto hummed. "You didn't answer my question," he accused.
Madara sighed. "At the cost of free will, I would have made a world of victors. Everyone achieves their own dreams and their own reality. Worlds where everyone wins and no one loses. Uzumaki Naruto gets to build his family, the greatest family known throughout the Elemental Nations. Obito Uchiha has no need to compete with Kakashi Hatake for the affection of the one he loves. Everyone wins in their own reality," he said.
Despite his desire to outright dismiss the idea, Naruto could say he found some sort of warped appeal in it. Hell, right now he would like nothing more than for all of this to be a bad dream that he'd eventually wake up from. However, that would be the biggest slap in the face to Yukimaru, Guren, and Komachi. That'd be the greatest slap in the face to all those suffering under Jashin's control.
That said, it'd be a waste of Naruto to neglect Madara's strength. It was also as he said, that plan couldn't come to pass anymore. "If that's your idea of peace, then I guess I should just send your soul to Shin now," Naruto threatened, but Madara wasn't perturbed.
"You are welcome to, but you will not best him without me. Aside from Hashirama, there were very few who were my equal," the older Uchiha offered back, patience growing short.
"I see your attitude still hasn't changed, Madara."
This time, another voice pierced through the conversation between the young Uzumaki patriarch and the famed former Uchiha clan head. The two turned their heads back, but only Madara scowled. Naruto, on the other hand, gained a look of clarity as a silver-haired man, his body covered with dark blue armor-plating made stood across from the mountain they were on. His voice was deep and stern, such concepts as love and compassion removing themselves as necessary.
Just from looking at him, Naruto knew who he was. He wouldn't have the right to have the dream of Hokage if he didn't even know of the ones who preceded him. Senju Tobirama, the brother of the First Hokage, Senju Hashirama. He was also supposed to be Tsunade's granduncle.
"Tobirama," Madara addressed as the man stepped to the other side of Naruto. The blond didn't say anything until the Nidaime Hokage stared at the battlefield as well.
"You deserve credit, Uzumaki Naruto. You've kept Konoha and her citizens standing from what I've seen. For that, you are worthy of the title of Hokage. Nevertheless, you still failed. Even in the belly of the Shinigami, I sensed your mighty power. Had you been in control of yourself, you wouldn't have needed such reckless actions to try and achieve your goal. Your really a big fool. Perhaps even bigger a fool than my brother," Tobirama said.
Naruto offered something between a scoff and a chuckle. As much as being compared to the Shodaime Hokage, even if it was insulting, thrilled him, this wasn't helping his mood. "If you're going to talk down to me like everyone else, then you can get lost too," Naruto retorted fed up with all of this.
Luckily, Tobirama turned his gaze to him. "I am not talking down to you. I am merely pointing out my observations. It was your pursuit of evil power that led you to this decision. Now, you would consider working with one who not only tried to overtake you but also has also proven to be a threat to your home. If you feel I'm talking down to you, then perhaps it is you who feels that you need to be!" Tobirama exclaimed harshly.
Naruto opened his mouth, but Tobirama swiftly stopped him. "You claimed that you wanted to be Hokage. Well, this is what a Kage does, this is what a Kage is. They willingly put the world and all people on their shoulders. Where others crack and break, they endure the fire and gleam like gold. You asked why you had to suffer like this, but that's not what you should be asking. You should be asking, 'What must I do to endure this suffering?'. By the Shinigami's mercy, I've viewed your life. You claim to have never given up and you won't start now! I will not give you answers for that is not my duty, nor is it Madara's," Tobirama said, casting a harsh glare toward the Uchiha.
"The only thing that matters is what you wish to do. However, whatever you decide you must endure that choice. This is the hand you were dealt. You can either complain and blame, or you can settle your accounts and do what must be done to correct it. You are the only one who can make things right, and we are the tools designed to help you do it. Think. What is it you want to do?" Tobirama asked.
Naruto looked at the Nidaime Hokage for a long while. He then glanced at Madara. He didn't speak either. Instead, the two ancient shinobi just looked at him. They always looked at him. People always looked to him for answers. That said, Tobirama did make a point. Naruto had done enough crying in his life. He'd also done enough blaming. Of course, that didn't make him feel any better about his summons who'd left him out to dry, but they did and nothing was going to fix that. It was the hand he was dealt. Plus, Naruto couldn't afford to not do something. Yukimaru, Guren, and Komachi were waiting for him to right these wrongs. Hiashi, one of his best friends, Neji, Hinata, and the rest of the Hyuuga clan, all of them were waiting as well.
Naruto stepped forward and stared down at the battlefield. Before he turned around, he, Madara, and Tobirama heard another set of footsteps. The clacking of heels. The blond turned his head and saw Kagura appear before the three of them. Her pupilless eyes glared at him. She stood with great poise and stature, power radiating off her body. It was so great that even Madara and Tobirama seemed wary of her.
"I'm gonna do something stupid," Naruto said, a great frown moving across his face.
-x-
Mikoto splashed water from a bucket on her face. She grabbed her Hinoken scarf and wrapped it around her neck. She was very tired. After Sasuke's statement, there had been a lot of back and forth between Mikoto, her sons, and Yuna. In the end, there was no agreed-upon way to go about the situation. To that end, they'd all gone to bed without resolving anything.
"Sasuke…" Mikoto thought as she looked at herself in her broken mirror. To be honest, the Uchiha Matriarch wondered if she was going crazy. She looked at her eyepatch and sighed. Times like this, Mikoto might say she was a little jealous of Kushina. It'd be nice to have someone to warm a bed again, especially after… her husband. A wistful sigh, she touched her hands, the phantom presence of her son's embrace still being felt by her.
"I must be crazy," Mikoto thought. She grabbed her sword and strapped it to her back. She then pulled up her mask, covering her mouth. Leaving her room and heading for the front of her house, her steps were very quiet. She then made it to the front door. The cruel touch of the cold was already upon her when she opened the door. Breathing out, she entered the kingdom of frost and closed the door.
The dash toward the Hokage Mansion was something of a blur to her. The streets were lined with familiar and unfamiliar shinobi. No one seemed too keen on speaking to anyone else, hundreds of years of frustration compounding upon each other.
When Mikoto arrived at the Hokage Mansion, she entered through the secret passageway beneath the building and swiftly joined up with her teammate, Yugao. "Good morning, Mikoto-san!" the younger of the two said, a smile on her face.
"Is it morning? I haven't been able to tell with the absence of the sun," the Uchiha matriarch replied, wide awake now. Apparently, rushing through the cold, freezing wind had done wonders for waking her up.
Yugao chuckled as the two continued to walk down the long corridor. After a while, they entered the meeting room that would be used for the Kage Summit. Upon entering, they quickly saw that they weren't alone. The older sister of the Kazekage was present as well along with Ao of Kirigakure, Darui, and Karui from Kumogakure, and two random Iwagakure shinobi.
Temari had been having a very bad time, especially after mourning the loss of Kankuro. Unashamedly, she'd spent a lot of time at Shikamaru's house, the loss bringing them together. She would have been there to grieve with Gaara, but her younger brother had locked himself in his room. It had been nigh-soul cracking when she heard his bitter sobs.
That led Temari to her meeting up with Shikamaru, the boy who pissed her off like no other. When she met him, he too was a mangled mess. He sat in his room with an almost numb look on his face, a cigarette pushing out the corner of his lips. His eyes were bloodshot from crying over the loss of his friends, Chouji, Ino, and their fathers. The two stayed in their grief together all the way through the night, the passion only numbing them a little bit. She hadn't been able to go to sleep. Visions of Kankuro's death left her with vivid nightmares.
The same could be said for Karui. Darui glanced at her and saw her persistence to keep her eyes up. Truth be told, he hadn't wanted to bring her here, but she all but violently volunteered. Omoi hadn't been seen anywhere and no Kumo shinobi was feeling up to stuff. It was only Karui and Darui knew the reason why from the way she trembled, clenching his clothes. It was all about Samui and Atsui.
"Konoha, late as usual," Karui grumbled before Darui placed a hand on her shoulder. She shrugged him off and folded her arms with a scowl.
Neither Yugao nor Mikoto paid her much mind. Instead, they stood on their side of the room with no one speaking to anyone else. The air in the meeting room was palpable with the guards of the five nations glancing at each other. Ao gave MIkoto a long look. She too spared him a look for longer than normal. Yugao wondered if there was some sort of history between the two shinobi but didn't bother asking about it.
The group of guards waited in the room for about thirty minutes, each one showing signs of exhaustion before the doors opened. As best they could, everyone straightened up when the Four Kage and Kurotsuchi came through the door. By the vote of the remaining Iwagakure people, Kurotsuchi had been made the temporary Tsuchikage in honor of her grandfather, something she didn't think she was ready for.
At the moment, Kurotsuchi was a fucking mess just like everyone else. She contemplated actually finding somewhere remote and letting the cold claim her. Perhaps she'd enjoy the sweet warmth of her grandfather again but she knew he'd only bash her head in if he left the people without a leader. She'd always assumed she'd take the position at some point, but not like this. It was especially because she really didn't feel like it. It took all she could to just not have a fucking mental breakdown from watching her friends and her people get torn apart by the invisible force of Jashin's power.
That fucker. Kurotsuchi was gonna get revenge on that fucker if it was the last damn thing she did!
The Five Kage sat at the table. If they had their hats, they would have placed them on the table. Instead, they took a kunai, wrapped it in their village's insignia, and placed it on the table. "We, the Kage, call the Five Kage Summit Conference into order!" Tsunade, Ay, Mei, Gaara, and Kurotsuchi said.
Temari exhaled slowly. She was used to seeing Gaara not sleeping, but he wasn't looking well. She thought the busy work might have kept him from thinking too much about the deaths, but it seemed that wasn't the case.
On their side, Yugao and Mikoto thought the same of Tsunade. Her hair was frazzled and her chakra control of her appearance had been distorted slightly, a few of her wrinkles showing through on her skin. It seemed the sleep the Hokage received hadn't done too much for her.
Mei leaned forward and rubbed her eyes. What she wouldn't give for some sleep as well. She'd effectively gotten none since they arrived in this frozen domain. The cold had frozen her tears for Chojuro and her countrymen. If only it could feel the wound in her chest.
"I believe we should go over the most important order of business first. How are Naruto and Kushina doing?" Mei questioned.
Tsunade inhaled slowly and then exhaled, the cold making her shiver. She was so tired. "Well, there is at least good news regarding that. Despite some scares, they will make a full recovery in a week or less," Tsunade said.
Kurotsuchi gawked. "A fucking week?!" she questioned, catching herself for her attitude. Clenching her fists beneath the table, she exhaled and leaned back.
"Excuse me…" she apologized, even if she sure as hell didn't feel like doing it, especially not to Konoha of all people.
Thankfully for her, everyone else was much too tired to care about the strictest etiquette. "I'm inclined to agree with the Tsuchikage. How is that even possible?" Ay questioned. The things he'd seen that night seemed beyond the realm of shinobi. He'd also seen how beaten Uzumaki Naruto was by the end of the battle. He shouldn't even be alive!
Tsunade bit her lip, but finally, she relented. "Well, you could say a god was looking out for him. I imagine the reason Naruto and Kushina are recovering so quickly is because they have the God of Death's power flowing through their veins," she admitted.
Yugao and Mikoto remained quiet, and emotionless even when Mei, Ay, and Kurotsuchi stared at the Hokage with expressions of disbelief, confusion, and utter shock. Gaara remained quiet. He had no reason to be shocked. He was one of the people revived by Naruto after all.
Kurotsuchi snorted. "Look here, Hokage. We're trying to have a serious conversation here. If you've got the time for jokes, then do it somewhere else!" Kurotsuchi said, already feeling her patience reaching its limits.
Mei opened her mouth but then slowly closed it. "I'll admit it does sound ridiculous when you say it so seriously," she spoke. Still, if that were somehow the case, then… that might explain why Kushina was alive. It had been blowing news that the Kyuubi had assaulted Konoha. While only a young girl at the time, Mei knew what that meant for her cousin. She'd mourned Kushina many days, never knowing about her son. When Mei met Kushina and Naruto, it seemed surreal but the joy kept her from bringing it up.
However, it was the Raikage who clenched his fists. "No. It's not that ridiculous. I'd heard the rumors of the Hyuuga clan finding the favor of the Shinigami. I thought I was seeing things when I saw Hizashi Hyuuga on the battlefield. I imagine if we were back in Kumo, if we opened his burial place, there'd be no body!" he said, casting an accusatory glance at the Hokage. Per her credit, she tried not to smile.
"I can attest to the Hokage's statement. I am one of the people who was revived by Uzumaki Naruto," Gaara said.
Temari widened her eyes, all faces swiftly turning toward the Kazekage. Gaara didn't allow their gazes to unsettle him. In fact, he'd long made his peace with letting this information be known. At this moment, they didn't have the luxury of secrets.
"I'd been kidnapped by the Akatsuki and Shukaku was extracted from me. I don't know when my consciousness returned, but I was laying in front of Naruto. When I opened my eyes, I saw the vast wealth of power surrounding him. I also saw the mark of the Shinigami placed upon his soul. He was granted power and authority over the realm of death as the messenger of the Shinigami. I'm told Lady Chiyo was going to sacrifice herself to save me if he hadn't intervened," Gaara replied.
The other three Kage looked at him. Wisely, Temari kept her mouth shut, but she knew she'd be getting a damn answer for all of this. "So that also explains the resurgence of a few Uchiha members. Konoha's been slowly bolstering its forces as usual," Kurotsuchi replied.
"If that were the case then I doubt they would have revived the Kazekage. The fact that there hasn't been a sudden explosion of powerful shinobi, leads me to believe that Naruto-san's power isn't completely absolute. There must be conditions in place, correct?" Mei asked.
Tsunade nodded. "Indeed. I am told that in the beginning, Naruto had to kill two people to revive one person. It was set upon him by the Shinigami to make not just him, but all of us remember to respect Death and its role in our lives. Now, he merely needs to kill one person to revive one. As far as I'm aware, he hasn't revived anyone else recently," she admitted.
Ay leaned forward. "So that means that all those we've lost have a chance at being revived?" he asked, trying not to show too much excitement. It was that excitement which seemed to spread throughout the room. Kurotsuchi breathed out, knowing that there was at least a chance she could see her grandfather and her men again. Mei would have Chojuro back. Gaara and Temari would have Kankuro.
Tsunade, however, remained stoic. "I am not sure. All of what Naruto's done has been mortal matters, things done by our own hands. This clearly isn't the same issue. With the Cult of Jashin bringing about their 'god' I'm not sure what this means for us. Plus, we have to assume that those souls can't be revived until that god is taken down," she answered truthfully. She didn't wish to bring the mood down, but everything had to remain within expectations.
"So not likely? Much as I hate to give you Konoha guys any praise, I don't think any of us could hope to do what that guy did. Still, if even he can't beat Jashin, then what other hope do we have?" Kurotsuchi asked.
Unfortunately, none of the other Kage had an answer. "Well, I believe we best find an answer soon. I am sorry to say that unless Naruto defeats Jashin in a month or two, none of us will survive," Tsunade said.
The room was utterly silent. The Hokage's words hung like a noose over the throats of all those present. Yugao and Mikoto glanced at each other in worry. "What do you mean?" Ay questioned, his voice oddly low.
"The snow here has shown to have chakra-draining properties. Many have been feeling lethargic as the days go on. Konoha doesn't have enough supplies to host so many people like this. When Naruto took us, a lot of our food, water, and other supplies were either left or destroyed. We've been running through the food stores available and we won't be able to meet the demand for so many. I say a month because… that's when we won't be able to supply everyone, we'd have to start choosing who to feed…"
"...and who to let starve," Gaara finished.
Mei scowled and clenched her fists. "Is there truly nothing else we can do? Perhaps we should assemble a scouting team. There could be something out there that we can feast on," she reasoned.
"On that, we agree. We could also try and get the boy to send us somewhere else. I assume he was planning on sending us back eventually. This was probably a place to simply help us regroup," The Raikage assumed with the others agreeing.
"We also run the risk of being sent to a worse place. That said, the snow has one benefit. Every time it drains chakra to its lowest point, it somehow strengthens the coils, making them much stronger and doubling their size. This would be a good training ground if we could somehow sustain ourselves here," the Hokage commented.
"A double-edged sword," Kurotsuchi hummed.
Tsunade nodded, rubbing her nose between her hands. "Now, the problem with Naruto is, I'm not exactly sure how to help him. The things he's done are beyond even the realm of ninjutsu. Even our best couldn't hurt that guy. I don't know what Naruto needs to overcome someone like him," Tsunade replied.
The others remained silent for a little while before Mei held up her hand. "A moment, Kage. If I recall the Akatsuki are living in these very walls as well. Though they are international criminals, we are aware that they have the other bijuu. If the Kyuubi, Sanbi, and Hachibi are in their respective jinchuuriki, then they must have the others. Having the rest of the bijuu could increase our combat effectiveness," she commented which made the Kage look at her.
"I'm inclined to agree, but it would be very… tense. The Akatsuki are all known to be S-rank criminals. The last thing we can do is waste our resources and men picking fights with them. We'd also need to select individuals to house them. We also don't know if the bijuu will even be compliant in helping us," Gaara said.
"And why wouldn't they?" Ay questioned.
"We've not exactly given them a reason to help us," the Kazekage returned.
"They are too dangerous to be left in the world as they please!" Kurotsuchi argued.
Gaara closed his eyes and hummed. "So will we turn on Naruto too because he's grown so powerful?" he asked. Kurotsuchi responded with a growl before the Hokage tapped the table.
"We're getting off-topic here. I agree with the Kazekage's assessment. I propose the five of us go to the Akatsuki and have them release the bijuu to us. Surely even they will understand the gravity of this situation. Whatever their goals are, they won't accomplish them here. Though for the safety of all our men and returning to our home, we best not aggravate them," Tsunade proposed.
Kurotsuchi leaned back in her seat, really wishing she had something to drink to make her forget today. "How about we put a cork in that before we find out if your golden boy can send us somewhere else? I'd rather not go groveling before those guys unless it's a last resort. However, if we'll have to, could we also get him to revive the previous jinchuuriki hosts who died? They should already have enough training of the beasts to not lose control right?" the granddaughter of the deceased Tsuchikage questioned.
Ay seemed to perk up at this the most. "Yeah, he could do that couldn't he?" the Raikage asked.
"If you'd be willing to sacrifice however many of them have died to bring them back, then I can bring the matter up, but I know Naruto would rather die himself than do that," Tsunade stated, a hard glare in her eyes.
"Is this really the fucking time for morals?!" Ay angrily asked, slamming his hand on the desk. Yugao and Mikoto grabbed their swords. Temari grabbed her fan. Ao prepared his Byakugan. Darui and Karui grabbed their own blades. The Iwa shinobi grabbed their kunai.
"Then you're welcome to sacrifice yourself first Raikage-dono. If not, then I think our people have had enough of killing each other for one day. I for one will not allow more of my people to die unnecessarily," Mei asserted.
The Raikage was clearly less than pleased, as was Kurotsuchi, but with the table being three to two they were forced to concede. "While we might not know what to do with Naruto, we still have two other jinchuuriki that we can train. The training of the Sanbi and Hachibi can be done with great effectiveness, especially in an environment such as this. I suggest we start training them as soon as possible," Mei proposed.
"Of that, I agree as well," The Raikage announced.
Yugao and Mikoto eyed each other once more as the Kage continued to speak on various topics. After about two or three hours, things finally began to settle down. It became quite clear that even the village leaders had grown utterly exhausted with the conversation.
"With this, we, The Five Kage, call this first round of the Five Kage Summit to close!" Tsunade said, grabbing her kunai.
"We agree!" The other four said, grabbing their kunai as well. The Kage then clashed their blades together as a sign of unity. They were then allowed to leave. Gaara left first with Temari not far behind him. Mei and Ao left second. Kurotsuchi and her shinobi left third. Then, Ay, Karui, and Darui. This left, Tsunade, Mikoto, and Yugao alone.
Finally, the Hokage dropped into her chair and laid her head back. "It's actually a little funny. It got the fucking end of the world to get the nations to work together. I always knew the brat would be destined for something insane, but never something like this. You're both dismissed," she said, staring off to the side.
Not speaking a word, the two left swiftly which left Tsunade alone for the first time in a long while. After a long while, the quiet sobs of the Godaime Hokage filled the meeting room as she laid her head on the desk.
KG: To be honest, I really don't know if Uchiha, with strong blood ties, can just trade Mangekyou Sharingan to get the Eternal Mangekyo. It certainly seems like they'd be able to, but it's never properly addressed. I only assume they never tried or sought to test it out. Either way, I'll just be working under the assumption that they can. If at some point it appears they can't then... oops!
KG: CREAM SODA!