"When the hope of new beginnings burned our feet,

Now we need it:

A heartbeat for a tin man,

Oasis in a singed land,

Remind us what we're here for,

Creating new life,"

-Rivers in the Desert, Persona 5

I sat on a roof, my legs crossed. It was peppered with small holes, and I saw the dark insides of a shop through one, sawdust and abandoned boards on the floor.

Below me, Ren stood with Haruto. A small crowd had gathered in front of him. Haruto, in the middle of making a speech, gestured at Ren.

Ren's kimono was cleaner, his hair tied back with a paper flower.

The people bunched together on his left were those that supported Abhuraya, the other half those who starved under him. The right side was full of too-thin people with tired, wary eyes, the left of people who filled their clothes better, uncomfortable or nervous. They stood together, but distinctly apart.

Others watched from a distance, distrustful of Haruto or angry with Ren.

"How was Shikkotsu?" I asked.

Namekuji, using Naga's stomach as a cushion, looked over. "How hard were you hit in the head while I was gone? You've been there."

"Not the lower part."

"It's practically the same."

"It isn't," Naga protested. "I've never seen trees that tall before, and the leaves were bigger than I was."

"Someone so small would think that."

The bread woman stood near the back of Abhuraya's supporters, hands clenched in the front of her dress. There were dark circles under her eyes.

"Do all slugs eat chakra?" I asked.

"No," Namekuji answered.

I hummed.

"Do all humans eat apples?" Namekuji asked back.

"It's not the same," I said.

"Apples are food to you. Chakra is food to me. How is it different?"

"I don't need apples to live."

"Could've fooled me."

Naga choked on a laugh, holding his cough in when I narrowed my eyes at him.

I heard a soft flutter behind me, the unmistakable sound of Konan's paper wings. She barely made any sound when she landed.

The people below turned, pointing as her wings dispersed into floating slips, waving with both hands.

Konan, smiling wide, waved back.

Naga pushed himself up on his elbows. "How's Bashira?"

"She's fine," Konan said, shaking her head. "The same as this morning, last night, yesterday afternoon..."

"I'm being cautious," he defended.

"Nothing has or will go wrong," Konan said. "Stop worrying so much."

"Her life depends on whether I did a good job or not. I have to worry."

Konan quietly scoffed. "It's time to head home," she said. "We don't really have a reason to stay here anymore now that you're better. Ren and Haruto can handle what comes next."

Naga sat up, relocating Namekuji to his shoulder. "I need a few hours. I never got around to writing directions on how to clean her wounds properly. She could get an infection if it's done wrong."

"There's always the chance that at any second a squad from Konohagakure will pass through and ruin all our hard work."

"Two hours."

"Better."

I watched the crooked nose man approach the crowd from behind. Dirty looks and frowned followed him as he made his way to the front.

"I thought he was detained," I said.

Konan looked. "Yeah, the people who didn't fight or gave up right away were let go. It was around three people, I think."

The crowd went silent as he got down on one knee in front of Ren and bowed his head.

"What's he doing?" I asked.

"Sounds like he's swearing his loyalty to Ren," she said.

I couldn't hear them.

Shocked eyes and disapproving looked spread through the crowd. The people standing at a distance looked furious.

I hummed. "You think they'll try and kill him?"

Konan followed my gaze and frowned. "Not while we're here."

"And when we leave?"

"They won't," Naga answered. "At least until they know we won't come back. No one here knows where we're really from," he tapped his bare forehead. "For all they know, we could be from Konohagakure."

"Or missing-nin," Konan added.

Naga dropped his hand. "It'll work for a while. It's up to Ren to prove himself to them."

People on the left began to follow the man's lead. They knelt slowly, looking at each other questioningly. The bread woman looked up and caught my eye. She inclined her head, then joined the others on their knees.

Only one person on the other side knelt.

"Namekuji should stay with Ren," Konan suggested, watching the right half of the group shuffle and grumble to themselves.

"I'll de-summon myself," Namekuji said immediately.

"Some might be too afraid to attack him in case we retaliate, but others won't care about that," she explained. "There are people who'll see what we did and think they can do it too. I know Ren can do this, but enough would do anything to make sure he never gets the chance. Extra protection won't hurt."

"Hire a bodyguard," Namekuji suggested. "Shinobi have those."

"It won't be forever. Just until you run out of chakra," she said. "You can de-summon yourself and Nagato will summon you back."

Namekuji stared at her. "Did I ever tell you that I like the taste of your hair?"

Konan carefully swept loose strands behind her ears. "Do this for me, as my friend."

Namekuji made a rolling gesture with his tentacles that might've been an eyeroll. "I get to eat your origami for a week without any complaining."

Konan froze.

"Because you're my friend," he added.

Konan looked at Naga and he laughed. "I can't make Namekuji do anything."

"You could've chosen a friendlier slug as a summon," she said.

"Don't push it, Blue. I'll make it two weeks," Namekuji threatened.

Konan sighed deeply. "Fine. One week."

Namekuji glanced over the crowd. "Which one is Ren, again?"

黄金

Two burned stumps sat where the west gate should've been.

Blackened pieces of an arch were half-buried in the dirt. A sign cracked apart when I brushed my fingers over it. The front of it was so damaged that it was illegible.

"We are indebted to the Akatsuki," Haruto said, bowing deeply. "I'll make sure no one forgets who came to our aid."

Yahiko grinned, hands laced behind his head. "Glad we could help out."

Hanako waved beside him. I waved back.

I missed Kota. She was easier to talk to.

"You'll always have allies here," Ren said, bowing.

"If you send a message and it's meant for us, use scroll with a brown cover," Yahiko said. "We'll get it."

Haruto shook his head. "I'll send Kuu. He already has your scent."

"I wondered how he knew who to deliver messages to."

Naga bowed. "Thank you for your hospitality."

"Maybe we'll come back for a festival sometime," Konan said, smiling.

"I'm sure Inari would be pleased," Haruto told her.

Yahiko gave them one last look, turned around, and held a hand up in goodbye.

My fingers were blackened by ash.

Hidan stood off to the side where the road bordered a dead field.

The lavender field.

He kicked a rock. "Don't bother saying any mushy shit," he grumbled, not looking up. "I don't want to fucking hear it."

"Why would we do that? We're not in Yugakure yet," Yahiko said. He twisted around, walking backwards.

Hidan looked up, eyes wide.

"What kind of leader would I be if I let one of our unofficial members walk home by himself in the middle of a war?" he asked. "The answer is a bad one."

"Nagato suggested it first," Konan pointed out.

"He voiced it first, but I was already going to do it."

"You're fucked in the head," Hidan said. He fell in step behind us, shoving his hands in his pockets.

"Look at it this way. Now Konan has time to teach you how to properly hold a kunai."

"I know how to hold a kunai, dipshit," Hidan yelled.

There were scorch marks on the road, but the fire had been mostly contained to the field.

"Why did you pick Ren?" I asked Konan.

She smiled a little. "He was unconscious when I first saw him. Or I thought so, anyway. It would've been so easy for him to escape because I didn't pay attention to him," she answered. "Abhuraya tried that. I went to stop him and Ren—he stood between me and Abhuraya. He looked awful, but he wouldn't stay down. Abhuraya tried to bribe me and Ren made himself a shield. He was willing to die if his slimy father got away. It just got to me."

Hidan stared distantly out at the field.

"You're ten, right?" Yahiko asked him.

Hidan's head whipped towards him. "What the fuck? No."

"Nine?"

"You piece of shit."

Copycat.

Yahiko knew how to rile him, how to keep Hidan distracted and angry so he wouldn't be sad.

Because I showed him first.

"Eight. Final answer," Yahiko guessed.

"I'm twelve you dick."

"Never would've guessed."

"What the fuck does that mean?"

"Nothing at all," Yahiko said breezily.

"You're such a fucking asshole," Hidan shouted.

I looked to Naga.

"There's no one around," he assured me.

"You should teach him to sign."

Naga looked amused. "I would've already if I thought he would use it," he responded.

I watched Hidan yell at Yahiko and sighed.

時間

A cluster of small rocks jutted up out of the ground in the middle of the road, puffing lazy clouds of steam in the air.

Heat clung to my skin. Sweat matted my hair and dribbled down my forehead. The collar of my shirt was soaked. My cloak was tied around my waist, but it didn't help. I squeezed the end of my braid and sweat dripped from it.

I watched steam float up and disappear.

Naga waited ahead, his cloak wrapped around his head like a hat.

"What is it?" I asked. I wanted to step closer to it, but the thing was giving off waves of heat.

"A geyser," Hidan answered, wrinkling his nose. "A shitty one."

Konan had taken off her cloak and ripped the sleeves off her shirt.

"What does it do?" I asked him.

Hidan stared at me. "I don't fucking know it shoots water and steam up there—" he gestured wildly at the sky. "—and then it comes down like the shittiest rain ever."

I watched a tiny spurt of water bubble out the top and drain down the side.

"I told you that one's shit," he grumbled. He took my hand and pulled me after him. "There are better ones around this shithole."

Yahiko was standing ahead, cloak tied around his waist. His gray shirt was drenched in sweat. "Y'know, I knew it was called Hot Water Country, but I somehow didn't expect this."

"This helps," Naga said, pulling at a corner of his cloak-hat.

"It does not," Konan denied, using her cloak to mop her face.

"How much farther until Yugakure?" Yahiko asked as Hidan dragged me past.

"We're not close, nutfuck."

"Oh. Good," Yahiko said lightly.

.

.

.

Hidan stopped in front of a small hill of jutting rocks and let go. "Fucking sweaty," he muttered, wiping his hands off on his pants.

The heat was worse, and I thought I saw the air shimmering. The hill spouted a thin trail of water.

"I thought I saw one just like this back there," Yahiko noted.

"Yeah, but it wasn't close to erupting, fuck face. If you want to wait another two hours for it then be my shitty guest."

Yahiko nodded. He sat heavily and dropped his head between his legs.

Konan crouched beside him, patting his back. "You okay?"

"Never been better," he murmured.

Naga pressed a hand to his forehead. "We should find a cool place for him soon."

"No, I'm fine. I love Hot Water Country."

Naga tried hard not to smile.

Hidan half-turned back to look at them, eyes narrowed, but didn't say anything.

"I don't think you'd like Amegakure," I told him, pushing wet strands out of my face.

"It's cold?" he asked.

"Really cold."

"Can't be as cold as the Land of fucking Snow."

"Maybe," I shrugged. "I've never been."

"Yeah, but you know what shitty snow is."

I tilted my head.

"Oh, you're fucking kidding me."

I kept looking at him and he rolled his eyes.

"It's supposed to be this hard, icy stuff that's all over the ground there," he tried to explain. "The assholes that live there have to wear coats all the time because it's so cold."

"You've been?"

"No, but I don't have to go to know what the fuck snow is."

"What does it look like?"

"Fuck me."

"You brought it up," I pointed out.

Hidan glared at the geyser. "It's this white stuff. Like the shitty clouds, but solid. You can pick it up like dirt but it sticks together."

I hummed. "You're bad at explaining stuff."

Hidan's glare intensified. "Shut the fuck up."

"Want to go with me?"

He blinked.

"To the Land of Snow," I added.

He paused. "We're never going to see each other again, asshole."

"Why not?" I asked. "If we can come to Yugakure, you can come to Amegakure."

He stared at me.

A short wave of water gushed out of the geyser and soaked the grass. It was warm under my feet.

I rocked back on my heels. "It's okay if you don't want to. It's pretty far."

"You're so fucking dumb," he told me.

I shrugged. "You should bring a coat with you, just in case you get cold."

"I'm not bringing a shitty coat."

The geyser made a loud gurgling sound, a second before water exploded out of it. The wave shot a few feet up in the air before sinking, then rising again, higher than before.

Steam poured out of the opening in thick clouds.

Konan gasped and yelped as we were doused with water.

Naga ducked, letting his cloak-hat take the brunt of it.

Water spurted up and I had to tilt my head back to look at the crest.

Yahiko peeked up, breathing hard.

I held a hand up to shield my eyes, but I couldn't stop watching the water tumbled over itself, maintaining its height for a few seconds before it crashed down.

I snuck a glance at Hidan. He was grinning despite being soaked. It made me wonder how many times he'd watched this happen before.

The geyser shot a few smaller waves into the air before finally subsiding.

"Can we see another one?" I asked.

"As much as I'd love to, I don't think I can take it," Yahiko admitted.

"Are there any bigger ones?"

"Thanks for caring, Oka."

Hidan made a face. "Yeah, but they take fucking forever to erupt. It's annoying."

"But we can see a smaller one?" I asked.

"I feel so loved," Yahiko drawled.

"We can go without Yahiko," Konan suggested.

"So, so loved."

"Maybe we shouldn't leave Yahiko out here by himself while his body is overheating," Naga said.

Hidan looked back at Yahiko. He closed his eyes for a second, shoving his hands back in his pockets. "I'm going to fuck off," he announced.

Four pairs of eyes looked at him.

Hidan stepped back. "I know the fucking way back," he said gruffly. "I don't feel shit now, but it's warmer closer to the village. So I know you pansies are going to shit yourselves and die."

"You wouldn't be okay if it was cold," I pointed out.

"Yeah, well, fuck you."

"We seriously can leave him here to walk you back," Konan offered.

"Best squadmates I've ever had," Yahiko said, lowering his head.

Hidan shook his head. "Nah, just fuck off."

"When we meet next you can tell us what Yugakure is like," Naga said.

"It's shit."

"You say that about everything," I pointed out.

"Stop fucking talking to me," he said. He turned and walked away.

"He didn't even say goodbye," Konan mused.

Naga pulled Yahiko's arm around his shoulder. "He wouldn't be Hidan if he did."

Konan's gaze lingered on his back for a second. She shook her head. "Still. It'd be nice."

I stared at Hidan as Konan helped Yahiko up. He glanced back and raised his middle finger. I smiled and spun away.

Maybe it was easier if he didn't say goodbye.

Yahiko leaned heavily against Naga. "Remind me to bring ice next time we visit Hot Water. Enough to fill a pack."

Konan pressed the less-wet side of her cloak to his neck. "Or we leave you in Suisai next time."

Naga adjusted him. "If we hurry, we can reach the border by sunset."

"I knew you were my favorite for a reason, Nagato," Yahiko said.

I looked back, but I couldn't see Hidan.

It was a quiet walk back.

恋人

The only warning was the triple-prong kunai appearing suddenly out of the corner of my eye.

A hand had already closed around the handle when I turned my head.

I reached for a kunai, only to stop a quarter of the way when I felt the bite of cold metal against my neck.

Naga's head whipped back. The look he gave my attacker reminded me of Usagi, his malice in the instant before he summoned Namekuji.

"Identify yourselves," the shinobi said curtly. "And while you're at it, state your purpose in the Land of Fire. Cooperate and I'll—"

"Let her go," Naga cut him off, deadly calm.

I hated feeling helpless. My fists clenched.

The shinobi had a firm grip on my shoulder. The metal grazed my skin when I breathed in.

I felt the sting of the half-healed cut on my palm as my nails dug in.

I'm not afraid of you.

But what good did that do?

"You heard him," Yahiko said. He rubbed the back of his head but never took his eyes off my attacker. "You're making it really hard to stay peaceful, Konohagakure-nin."

Naga stepped forward without waiting for an answer and Yahiko snagged his arm. His free hand shot out in front of Konan and I knew she'd been turning her part of her body into paper beneath her cloak.

The shinobi went still. "You don't know who I am?" he sounded faintly surprised.

"Why should we? You don't exactly stand out compared to the shinobi we've already met from your village," Konan answered.

The shinobi's grip on his kunai went slack and it gave me just enough room to duck.

A kunai spun into my hand with barely a thought. I turned and slashed out at his legs, only to cut through the empty space where his ankles were moments before.

Eyes narrowing, I jerked back up, holding the kunai up as I looked around.

He was crouching sideways on a tree to my left, his odd kunai stuck in the bark at his feet.

Konan found him right after I did and frowned.

Naga stepped between me and the shinobi.

"It's been a long time since I felt this awkward during combat," the shinobi mused.

Yahiko glanced at me, then up at the shinobi. "If I asked how you did that, would you tell me?"

"Would you, if you were him?" Konan muttered.

"Depends on the jutsu," Yahiko answered, stroking his chin.

Konan shook her head, "Of course."

"Answer my question first," the shinobi said. "Where are you from?"

"Don't—"

"Amegakure," Yahiko said before Konan finished.

She looked exasperated.

The shinobi hummed but didn't reply. He pressed a hand flat against the bark. "Two sensory-types," he announced.

Naga stiffened. Konan's eyes narrowed.

His gaze drifted over to Yahiko. "The leader of your organization, and—" he looked at me.

I bared my teeth.

The shinobi smiled. "I can tell you'll grow to be exceptionally strong."

I responded by throwing my kunai.

He deflected it with a quick flick of his wrist and the kunai spiraled off into a bush. "Space-Time ninjutsu," he answered, looking back at Yahiko.

Yahiko blinked. "Okay, sure."

The shinobi tossed his kunai up and caught it. "What do you know about fuinjutsu?"

"This is the first time I heard of it," he admitted.

The shinobi paused at that. "I'm surprised, since without Jiraya-sensei's teachings I never would've developed my signature technique."

Konan inhaled.

It felt bittersweet.

The last time I thought of Jiraya, well.

It was a long time.

I glanced at Yahiko. His expression didn't change.

"How did you know?" Konan asked.

"It was when you told him he didn't stand out," Yahiko answered, though he didn't look at her. "You said we met shinobi from Konohagakure, not that we fought them. If we were from a village allied with them, we would be wearing headbands. I just confirmed what he suspected when I told him our home village."

The shinobi straightened. "You're Yahiko?"

Yahiko's answer was a grin.

Konan stepped towards the shinobi. "What did Jiraya-sensei tell you about us?"

"Not much," the shinobi admitted. "What I know comes from The Tale of the Utterly Gutsy Shinobi, since it was based on his experience in Amegakure."

"He finished it?" Naga asked.

"Eight months after he came back," the shinobi confirmed. "It sold well, if you consider that it was published during a time when not many people read for leisure anymore. I liked it, anyway."

Naga's stance relaxed.

The copy of Jiraya's book we had was falling apart, all wrinkled pages and smudged words.

I kept a hand in my pocket.

Yahiko forgave him because he didn't want to fight. Naga, because the shinobi was the only connection we had to Jiraya-sensei after years of silence. But I...

I was four the last time I saw Jiraya.

The memories and feelings were still there. Gratitude, because without him I wouldn't be a shinobi at all. Happiness, frustration, and a deep sadness.

Thankful he at least said goodbye.

But that was seven years ago.

I spent more of my life without him than with him. Nagato, Konan and Yahiko remembered Jiraya in a way I didn't, I couldn't, because I was so little back then.

They still had that bond, while I felt like I'd grown out of it.

I released a quiet breath.

"This is nice and all, but we still don't know your name, Konohagakure-nin," Konan said.

"Minato," he told her. "Minato Namikaze." He waited, but no one recognized the name.

Yahiko wandered over to Naga. "What do you think is in the book?"

Minato gave a huff of a laugh.

"We read it," Naga reminded him.

"We read the first draft," he said back. "The final version has to be different."

"That old sage didn't even tell them my name," Minato murmured.

"Are we still in the book?" Konan asked.

"In a sense. The names and appearances are different but, having met you, it's easy to tell which characters were inspired by who."

"Am I in the book?" I asked.

"You are," Minato answered, hesitant.

I tilted my head. "What does that mean?"

"Don't tell me Jiraya-sensei wrote something negative about my little sister?" Yahiko asked, shaking his head in mock disapproval.

"There's a character of similar age," Minato began. "Late in the story, the main character encounters a spirit corrupted by the malicious intent of shinobi. It's described as a young girl with exaggerated, animalistic features."

"The main character must purify her by carrying her up a mountain to a group of monks that know how to perform a cleansing ritual, all the while fighting off her aggression and keeping her safe from those that want to use her for evil. It's one of the weaker subplots," he admitted.

"Sounds about right," Yahiko noted, looking at me.

Konan snorted.

I looked at Naga. "She's not corrupted," he said immediately.

I felt around in my pocket, counting how many kunai I had left, how many I could throw before someone stopped me.

Minato abruptly looked to the right. "I'll let Jiraya-sensei know I ran into you," he said distractedly. He gave a quick two-fingered salute. "Watch your step." He disappeared in a yellow flash.

Konan frowned. "I can't sense him at all."

Naga stared to the right. "I can."

"How far?"

"Twenty meters."

"That fast?"

Yahiko looked thoughtful. "'Space-Time ninjutsu,'" he repeated.

"Think he would've explained it if we asked?" Konan asked.

"Probably not," Yahiko answered. "Did we stand any chance in a fight against him?"

Konan smiled. "Not even a little. Not like that would've stopped us from trying."

"Still. Mental preparation for this kind of thing is important," he said, tapping his chin. "Punches hurt less if you're ready for them."

"We would've won," I said firmly.

Konan and Yahiko looked at me.

"If we kept getting back up he would get tired eventually."

"That's what the outmatched hope for," Yahiko agreed.

Konan leapt up onto a branch. "We should make a pit stop to find Jiraya's book."

"Not only do we not know where the nearest town is, we don't know if books are still being sold," Yahiko said. "Name the last time you've seen a book in a shop."

Naga knelt in front of me. "Step back, Oka."

I did, watching him dig up the dirt where my foot was and toss it aside.

"What're you doing?" I asked.

Naga didn't answer. He scooped out handful after handful until his hands up to his wrists were brown. He reached in to dig up more when his fingers hit something solid. He paused, brushing away dirt, and I saw the characters scrawled in black, drawn vertically on the ground.

Yahiko, standing beside him, whistled. "I don't know what that is but—"

"It's how he found us," Naga finished for him, tracing the characters with his thumb.

"He can probably tell we're doing this," Konan pointed out.

"If he didn't want us to find it, he wouldn't have warned us before he left," Yahiko said.

Konan looked at the branch she stood on. "They're probably hidden here, too."

Naga reached towards me, reconsidered his dirt-covered hands, then made a swiping motion in front of his neck.

I wiped my throat with the back of my hand and bits of dried blood came off. I stared at the red flakes on my knuckles. I couldn't even feel the cut.

It was so small that it already stopped bleeding, but accidentally or on purpose, he cut me.

And I couldn't even get him back for it.

A/N: 黄金 - Golden, 時間 - Time, 恋人 - Lover

Minato used Intimidate.

It failed!

Happy holidays!