And so I return, like a cleverly created metaphor worthy of the Master of Dimensions, to which I am sadly not. Jokes aside, this chapter was planned on being released earlier but after my car needed to be towed and the starter having to be replaced I had other things to worry about than finishing the chapter. So sorry if it seems a bit unpolished.
That being said, I DO NOT own anything in this story, I never will and they all belong to their respective owners. And with that, I hope you enjoy.
The greenwoods near the small village of Nami no Kuni was something rather welcoming for the magician upon his arrival, his eyes glowing a faint yellow as his magic fueled his entie being and scanning the area in hopes that he wouldn't be spotted upon his devu in the Elemental Nations.
As he did, he smiled as he saw no one around, aside from the animals that he had startled upon his use of dimensional traversal. Garbed in a faded purple coat with a yellow heart-shaped design on the back, black pants, shirt and boots finished up the attire of his as a grey cloth-like mask, similar to his former teacher, covered his face to hide his face. It wouldn't have done well for him if he was noticed by the whisker-like markings that ran across his cheeks, out of all the features that had to return, it had to have been the whisker marks.
Still, he supposed it was better than that verbal tick of his, the use of Dattebayo was far from pleasant, and he personally enjoyed the peppering in his speech and metaphors to annoy and belittle his adversaries much better. It made him seem a tad more sophisticated, but he would digress on the end results. Instead he felt the ground below him, having floated to the ground from his previous spot, the magic dying down as his eyes returned to that of his normal charcoal orbs.
'So, this is it?' he thought to himself, taking in the area with a small grin under his masked face, if he recalled correctly, he would be near the area he had trained with his former team before the battle upon the bridge. Hands in his pockets, Dimentio, or rather Menma as it would remain for now, glanced at the forestry around him, his eyes spotting something on one of them.
Senses of nostalgia filled him as he moved his way to the tree in question, a hand released from the pocket and his gloved thumb tracing itself across a marking etched in the bark, forever scarring it as a reminder of the training they had done so long ago. Looking up, Menma noticed similar marks to the one earlier, recalling the time it had taken him and Sasuke to master the basics of such a simple technique for the shinobi in this world.
A bit of amusement escaped the magician's lips, it seemed like things were much simpler than, like his desires for acknowledgement by the village that ostracized him for holding the Kyuubi within himself, or how he fawned over his pink-haired teammate, who for whatever reason he believed was as enchanting as the falling sakura blossom leaves falling gently in the wind of a new spring day.
Shaking his head, he was amused at the stupidity of his youth, recalling the events that would later transpire in their wake. She was most-likely still in the village, Sasuke if he recalled, managed to make his way to the snake that sought to give him power, and from what he was told by the Shinigami, wanted to possess the deluded and vengeance-seeking boy in hopes of acquiring a pair of red eyes of special abilities.
He could only shake his head and scoff, the desires of those who sought power were often quick to go off the rails, casted into the abyss below. He had seen it before, he had lived it before, to what the snake truly desired from doing such a thing in the first place was more interesting than the eventual outcome of it all. But he would have to deal with that at a later date...
Or perhaps it was best to deal with it now. Come to think of it, the snake was formerly a member of the Akatsuki, he was bound to have some information on them that he could try and coax out of the man. He was someone who would go out of his way to acquire some eyes to empower himself, then perhaps the magician himself could offer such a thing. After all, he had traveled across worlds, lived long enough to read others, he was sure he had something he could offer a man like Orochimaru.
So long as he didn't get burned playing with such fire.
Then again, he didn't have to interact with the snake at all. Perhaps he left some notes or something regarding them, some kind of trail. Not only that, but in reason, the Akatsuki probably viewed Orochimaru as a traitor. A smirk appeared upon the magician's face as he devised a plan to use that possibility to his advantage. Oh yes, that could work. Should the Akatsuki have any misgivings regarding the snake, then all he had to do was potentially give them an opening to do so. And he could even use the guise of his actions being a grudge against the Sannin over anything he held against the Akatsuki.
A perfect cover, a great motivation, and the potential of eliminating two birds with one stone. His hands in his pockets, Menma walked towards the village, humming a small tune to himself as he did, his mind thinking of the others whilst enjoying the natural smell of the forest around him.
'From what I was told, the Shinigami said I was the sole casualty in that mission, which means Shikamaru and the others are still alive. Even Gaara and his siblings provided help for them, and to think he was nothing more than a monster who killed others for his own purpose in the worlds. Well at least he seemed to have broken out of that mindset' he thought, ignoring the slight irony of that train of thought. With a smile, he happily moved onto the others in the equation.
'Not only that, I guess the others took my ended game quite hard as well, just another reason why Naruto and Menma should remain separate entities entirely' he lamented, recalling the Shinigami's words. It wasn't that he cared about them, or at the very least was willing to tell them anything about his plans, rather he found himself, longing he supposed.
He had to remind himself that only about a month had passed for them since the Akatsuki failed to extract the Kyuubi from him, it wasn't that much time, especially for someone who was once cursed with immortality. He had lived for millennia, as either the Pixl: Dimensions, the Magician: Dimentio, and now as the Wandering Shinobi: Menma.
He hadn't even remembered any of them during that time, and now with his memories returned, he felt more conflicted than anything. The pain of grieving was still greater for them than it would ever be for him. Even if he told them, even if they accepted him, he would just lose his life in five years or so regardless. There wasn't any point in him telling them anything, especially when his life was fading like the continued-falling grains of an hourglass.
Soon enough, he managed to make his way to the village, it looked far better than the last time he recalled it. Looking around, it was certainly much more populated than before, more alive with the commerce of tourism that the people had so desperately desired in their darkest moments under the reign of that Groto guy. He could barely even recall the man's name, a fitting enough ending to the story of a corrupt and foolish man.
Making his way into town, his mind shifted towards the reasons why he began here. Despite the fact he was asked to come here to recruit some acquantances from long ago, he was interested to see how well this place was doing, faces of a young child with tears streaming down his cheek, a drunken old man who reeked of alcohol and sweat from a hard working carrer, even a faint smile of an attractive woman who some would probably give limb and life over came to mind.
Making his way into the busy streets from a nearby ally way, Menma smiled as he decided to get some information on more current events, and the interest to see the bridge came to mind. Considering he and his team risked their lives to ensure it's completion, he could at least be granted that much, right?
"Don't tell me you're going on a tour" the Shinigami said with a deadpanned tone as Menma held in a small laugh.
'Far from it, I was just seeking some closure from a past life of mine, and I guess I wanted to know a few things myself. I have no desire to play the role of a tourist... even though that is a part of my cover' he thought, communicating with the Shinigami who said nothing to that. 'Anyways, back on track... Are you sure they're agreeing to this, you know how I feel about this' Menma said seriously, his theatrics diminished away as the Shinigami nodded.
"They have both agreed, and unless you can use another means of resurrections-"
"Can't you just do it yourself?" Menma muttered under his breath, the Shinigami ignoring him.
"-Then this is the best bet. And I have intervened enough as is, the only reason I'm allowed to keep you alive and bring you back is because of our link and because you have been a great little worker on your community service. I'm so proud of you, my little magician" the Shinigami said sarcastically in a tone that Menma, would he not be irritated, would have trouble picturing at all. Instead he just let out a tired sigh.
'Very well, but I won't like it... and it's only going to be these two' he spoke mentally to the Shinigami, who nodded. It was already a risk for them to do this at all, the last thing the Shinigami wanted was to further unbalance life and death. It was meant to uphold it, and things such as this were far from acceptable unless in dire situations.
Menma begrudgingly nodded, recalling the next part of the plan, he wasn't looking forward to such a reunion but it was necessary to claim it before the weed had the opportunity to. While he and the Shinigami were convinced that the weed would just wait the time for the Kyuubi to respawn, there was no guarantee that it wouldn't seek... other means to acquire the Kyuubi.
Which left the magician to take it first, as part of another deal he made with the embodiment of death he supposed. And as he continued to walk through the streets, he frowned with a sigh soon escaping him. What he would do next would make him loath himself more than he had before. Even if they agreed to it, he was left to ponder, what his beloved queen would think of him.
Silently, he made his way around the village, a somber stride in his steps as he sought to look around at least once before he was forced to leave.
Sakura Haruno was a clever girl, graduated as the top student among the other kunoichi-would-be in the academy. It was something she was proud of at the time, thinking that the life of the ninja was simple. She often used to envision herself with Sasuke by her side, popular and happy, living a perfect dream with Ino and Naruto nowhere in sight.
How wrong she was, the pink-haired girl standing at a familiar stone near the training ground where she first took her survival training. etched into this stone were several names, some of which she had never heard of before while others she had at the very least known of. Only one however was etched onto it that she was familiar with. There, written on the slab was a newly added one that said simply two words.
Naruto Uzumaki
Sakura stared at the name of her former teammate, recalling the loud-mouthed idiot she tried to ignore and then later grew fond of. Green eyes were rather lifeless, as she recalled her teacher's words to her. How the stone etched the named of those who were killed in action. It was only a day ago that Tsunade-Sama had gotten his name on it, and it was a little over a month now since the blond shinobi had left them.
He promised her, to bring Sasuke back, didn't he? He always followed his way of the shinobi, to never go back on his words, didn't he. She recalled the day the team came back, initially eager to see them return, hoping to see Naruto bring back Sasuke so she could snap at the raven-haired boy for doing something so stupid.
But then came the news, the conditions of two members in particular. Chouji and Neji were in critical condition, and it was through a miracle or dumb luck that they were even alive at all. Both of them were resting in the hospital, but both of them, they changed since that mission, and they weren't the only ones either.
Looking down at her hands, she balled them into fists as she recalled her words, her pleas to bring Sasuke back, only for her to lose both of them. Sasuke was considered a traitor, and Naruto was considered MIA. She then learned that even Lee had went, and right after his surgery, it wasn't even that long ago. He and Gaara, both of them working together was such a strange concept, especially when not that long ago, the Suna Shinobi tried to kill them all.
And then Naruto and Sasuke stopped him, both of them growing so fast, leaving her behind. And even now, all she could do was wait for them to return, side-lined again and having to depend on them. And that made it all the more infuriating for her.
Eventually, she was called by the Hokage, having to give her story one last time. It was needed to clarify a few things, things learned and assumed from the mission, and the conversation held in that room wasn't one she was ready for.
"And there was no sign of them?" Tsunade asked, her voice somewhat strained as she tried to remain calm. "You don't think that Orochimaru..."
"We're not sure, Hokage-Sama" Kakashi said with a frown. "Even after we arrived, their scents had gone cold. I had a few clones help me and Pakun search the area, I even summoned a few of my dogs to search the river, just to be safe" he said, sighing as he did.
"I see..." was all the Fifth Hokage said in response. In the room were the two of them, Sakura and those who went on the rescue mission, minus the injured Neji and Chouji being brought in for questioning. While Sakura had already answered her own questions, even having her memories read to confirm her stories by Ino's father, it was clear that Tsunade wanted the full picture.
"Sakura, you said that you noticed Sasuke about to leave the village through one of the gates, and according to the Jonin team we sent prior, as well as the Sasuke Retreival Mission, that the ones who took him were the group known as the Sound Four?" she asked as Sakura nodded, recalling the events. It was there that Shikamaru frowned, speaking up to adress his own two cents.
"There were five, Hokage-Sama" he said as Tsunade and the others frowned. "When we were confronting one of them, a troublesome girl who could use sound-based genjutsu, another one appeared. He seemed to be the boss of her, Sound Five might be a better term for them" he said with a frown, Rock Lee nodding his head.
"That is correct, Hokage-Sama. I faced him alongside Gaara. He was incredibly strone... but even with such incredible strength... we were completely outmatched. Even now, we don't know how we both managed to defeat him. It was as if... he just died." A very accurate assumption that wouldn't be brought up at the moment.
"But what about Naruto, what happened to him?" Kakashi asked with a frown, Rock Lee nodded his head.
"When I managed to meet up with him, he had decided to go after Sasuke. However, I didn't see who had taken him, if anyone. He had apparently left when I arrived. Naruto soon followed after them" he said as Sakura held onto some hope, hope that Sasuke was just taken by another member of Orochimaru. It beat what she was truly afraid of, a fear that Tsunade had said not even a minute afterwards.
"Yes, but according to reports from you all, it seemed that Sasuke went willingly. We don't know the full story behind his motivation, however as it currently appears, Sasuke Uchiha has abandoned the village and joined Orochimaru" she said as Shikamaru and the others frowned. Kakashi looked away, a sense of shame beginning to form, as he thought he broke through to the boy about the importance of friends and the bonds he had.
But apparently he was wrong, and such a thing had costed the village potentially two promising gennin and his sensei's son. "Tsunade-Sama" he began as he thought of something. "You said that Naruto made a contract with the toads. Is it possible for Jiraiya-Sama to reverse-summon him?" he asked, recalling his own scroll and summons.
Tsunade's eyes widened at that. It was possible, and it would also be easy to do. Jiraiya said he was heading to the village, and he would be here today. All she had to do was find that man and tell him the news. "Very well. Kakashi, I want you to find Jiraiya and bring him here. The rest of you are released for now... you three make your way back to the hospital. Even if your injuries aren't all too serious you will still need to be examined by a doctor before you return to duty" she said as they all nodded, leaving the office.
As they did, Shikamaru sighed, Kiba grumbled, Lee frowned and Sakura was silent. "Man, this couldn't get any worse" the dog-using shinobi muttered, angered at the outcome as he closed his eyes. Shikamaru was quiet but nodded.
"I am sure we will find them, Naruto and Sasuke... they are both strong and resilient. I am sure they will both be found soon enough. Tsunade-Sama has sent several teams to search the area" Lee said, trying to be hopeful, before he looked away. "But, Neji..." he said as Kiba frowned.
"Yeah, honestly it really pisses me off" the coat-wearing boy said, slamming a fist against the wall. "And as much as I hate to say it, if it wasn't for those guys from Suna, we would've been goners ourselves" he said, a small white dog that was tucked away in his coat whining. Shikamaru frowned and agreed.
"It was a mistake to split up... I should've known better" he said as Lee frowned.
"But it was the best option you could think of, correct? From what you told us, we all made that choice, trying to give Naruto a chance to bring Sasuke back..." he said as Sakura frowned.
"I should've done something" she said, earning the attention of the boys who looked at her confused. "Sasuke... I should've tried to stop him, done more than try and talk him out of it" she said as they frowned at that, recalling that Sasuke had knocked her unconscious before he left. "Maybe if I went on the mission, I might have made a difference" she said as Shikamaru sighed.
"You probably wouldn't have made much of one" the lazy Chunin said, earning a look from the pink-haired girl. "Those guys were monsters, even if you went with us, it was possible that you would've ended up like us. If Sasuke really did leave with them on his own, then as much as I hate to say it then we don't have anymore choice. We already tried to stop him, and he got away. And Naruto is who knows where" he said with a frown.
"Tch, I swear if that bastard actually left..." Kiba snarled as he didn't have as much restraint as the others, nearly dying on the mission and Akamaru in a similar state as he was. Sakura frowned as she began to leave the building.
"I'm... going to go see Ino, I'll see you around-" she said as she began to make her way to the flower shop. Shikamaru sighed and stopped her.
"Ino said she was going to the hospital, she wanted to know how Chouji was doing... not going to lie, so do I. We can go together" he offered as Lee nodded.
"I to will come with. Tenten and Gai-Sensei both wanted to check in on Neji, though we doubt we will be able to see him anytime soon" he said before lamenting his teammate's condition. Sakura said nothing as Kiba sighed.
"Knowing Shino and Hinata, they'll both be waiting for me to check in to, I already promised to tell them. I guess all we can do now is wait" Kiba said as Akamaru whined slightly, earning a soft head pat from his partner. As they all continued to the hospital to meet with their teams, Sakura was quiet. They just had to wait, huh? They made is sound so easy, so why did it hurt so much.
Eventually it was clear what had happened, Ino in near tears as she grasped onto Shikamaru, it was such a strange feeling, to see her so worried. This was the same girl who would normally snap at them, but to see her so worried, it did nothing to set her at ease. Hinata and Shino both came in as well, as did Tenten and Gai to see how Lee and Neji were doing. Both were still in intensive care, no one knowing when they would be stable. And not long afterwards, Sakura was approached by Kakashi.
His next words would chill her to the bone.
Naruto's name wasn't on the summoning scroll, it was imposible to reverse summon him. Sakura knew enough about summoning to know what that meant. It was a topic only taught once but one she remembered well enough. She also recalled hearing how Naruto summoned a giant toad to fight Gaara, but she knew what it meant as well.
There were only two known ways to remove your name off of a summoning scroll. One being if you or your summons terminated the contract. The other way being a simple one...
If the contract user had died.
And in no time at all, it was decided, Naruto Uzumaki: Gennin of Konoha, Jinchuriki of the Kyuubi and later revealed the son of the Fourth Hokage, was considered KIA.
The shock was hard, she couldn't even believe it. The next few weeks were spent in her room, unsure what to even think. And then came the rumors, rumors that were slowly becoming more and more realistic. Rumors, she dreaded to even encourage as being fact.
Rumors of Sasuke killing Naruto.
The area was damaged, no bodies were never found, questions were still in the air as to what had happened. Questions that Jiraiya would answer. According to one of his spies, Sasuke hadn't killed Naruto, at first a wave of anxiety left her, happy that Sasuke wouldn't have killed their teammate, a sense of hope forming that in some sense, he might still be savible, how maybe there was more to the story in someway.
But as soon as she learned the truth, it was a hard pill to swallow. According to the spy in Jiraiya's contacts, a battle did take place, a battle that ended in Sasuke winning, going to Orochimaru, and leaving Naruto to die. What happened next, would soon fill her with rage.
The Akatsuki
According to Jiraiya, the ones responsible were the Akatsuki, a group of missing shinobi that were ranked even higher than Zabuza was, and among them was Itachi Uchiha. She recalled what she heard about the man, how he had killed his own clan, how he left Sasuke alive for whatever reasons there were and how he returned just to attack Kakashi and Sasuke again.
And that man played a role in her friend's death, the same man that lead Sasuke to his path of revenge in the first place. She felt rage twist inside of her into something more, anger and anguish, hatred and pain-fueled disgust at the older brother of the boy she once had a crush on. Now because of the Akatsuki, because of Itachi Uchiha, she had lost both her teammates. One to his hatred, and another his life.
And she wanted nothing more than to return the favor, perhaps follow in Sasuke's footsteps to end the missing shinobi's life by her own hands. It was only Kakashi that snapped her out of it, seeing the same expression in her eyes as he had seen in Sasuke's the day before he left.
She had to be reminded that she was better than that, how Sasuke had lost himself to that hatred, how Naruto wouldn't have wanted her to go down that road. And even if she did, what could she have done to act on it. That sole question began to open a floodgate of similar questions. What could she have done at all?
What if she had actually went with them, what if she was strong enough to stop Sasuke in the first place, not through talking but through fighting? Questions like those came to her, haunted her as she once again began to question herself. Why was she so weak, why did she have to rely on others all the time. Why was she left behind again.
And now, now she knew why. She never considered the life of a kunoichi, she was fooled by her false ambitions, of wanting to be a ninja only to be with Sasuke and to follow in her parents' footsteps. And recalling the night the Kyuubi was born, the night that, according to her parents, her father nearly died against the Kyuubi, she realized that the path of the kunoichi was not an easy one. It never was to begin with, and the fact she never truly committed to it, it showed.
She never took it seriously, she was considered the smartest of her year, but never the strongest. Soon memories of her time with Team 7 flooded her. Her being bested by a genjutsu, something she was supposed to have excelled in during their survival training with Kakashi, her time protecting Tazuna, only to think Sasuke was dead after he and Naruto fought that masked boy on the bridge.
The time in the Forest of Death, where she was saved by both Lee and ino's team from the mysterious team from Otogakure. That time where she was taken out by Gaara, who Naruto had fought and defeated to protect her. All she could do was stand there, all she could do was be a hindrance, to be saved by others.
And the more she thought about that, the more she realized how weak she truly was.
Looking at the name of her fallen friend, she narrowed her eyes, the green orbs beginning to shine with determination, a fire beginning to burn in them as she stood her ground. "Never again" she said to herself as she looked at the memorial with determination. "I won't be a hindrance, anymore. Naruto, Sasuke... watch me. I'll become a kunoichi, someone who won't need saving anymore, a kunoichi who can save others, someone who won't be a hindrance. You never gave up... not until the end. And if that's the case, then neither will I" she declared, vowing to grow, vowing to become a worthy kunoichi.
And then, when her friends needed her, she would be there to save them. When she fought Sasuke, she would bring him back and beat the sense back into that idiot. And then, she could finally face that idiot again. Turning around, she headed back home, she pondered seeing Ino again, seeing if she got accepted as Tsunade's apprentice as well. She doubt that either of them would be accepted at all, but it was worth a try. She knew Kakashi would be going back into the Anbu division, and if there was anyone who could teach her how to fight, then Tsunade-Sama was a great first choice.
As she left, she failed to notice another girl coming into the clearing, watching her go back to the village. The newcomer had short purple hair, lavender colored eyes that were unique among her clan's normal white eyes. Walking towards the memorial, the young girl looked at it silently, her pupil less eyes staring blankly at it and in deep thought.
Much like her pink-haired friend, she came to visit the bond's memory as well, but unlike her she had a different reason. "It shouldn't have been you" she said softly as she narrowed her eyes at the name of the boy she held such admiration for. The same boy she grew feeling for, so long ago.
He had accepted her, not calling her weird for her Byakugan, even once trying to help her, despite him getting beat up in the process. Her mind raced to the times she watched him, seeing him ignored, ostracized and abandoned by the village, not even her father telling her way. And yet he never gave up, always wanting to be accepted.
It was his way of the ninja, his nindo as he called it, his shinobi way...
And in the end, he was taken and killed from them all. Veins formed around her temples as her Byakugan activated, her eyes having chakra feed to them as she thought about the mission that costed them all so much. Chouji and Neji, both of them nearly dead. Kiba, Shikamaru and Lee having been saved by the Sand Siblings as they came to their aid. And yet, at the end of it all, it was clear that something changed in them, in all of them.
Shikamaru was silent, for the longest time isolated and even once tried to turn in his vest. Something that Kiba had told her when she and Shino checked on Chouji alongside him and the others. Kiba himself grew more serious, as did Lee, as did them all. Looking back at the village, she looked at the faces of the former Hokage, the monument showing the leaders who were accepted by the village, the same faces Naruto had dreamed to join.
She closed her eyes, calming down as she looked down with her Byakugan no longer active, emotions flowing inside of her like a storm she never experienced before. Before she knew it, she began to make her way back home, her father agreeing to once again train her. She looked back at the monument, the memorial stone with a frown. That frown turned into a determined glare, reviving her fighting spirit. Her friend nearly died on his mission, her cousin was near death, and her crush a casualty in the aftermath.
Determined, she walked to her home, ready to return to sparing, vowing to grow strong herself. Much like Sakura, she knew she was weak, or at least in comparison to her friends she was. Naruto would've fought tooth and nail for his dreams, he would never give up, no matter what.
And she envied that, she would follow that way herself. She recalled Neji's words, back when he was recovering in the hospital, words that made her freeze. "I see, then Naruto is dead after all..." his hurt and shaken words echoed in her mind. "Then I guess there is no way to free ourselves from fate then" he continued as she saw the look of anguish in his eyes.
The words he spoke about fate, the dejected tone, the acceptance that nothing would change. She had heard that some of the elders were not as forgiving as her father or grand-father were. Some of them angered that a member of the branch family was more skilled than the main one. Was it anger at being outshined, was it a feeling of senseless fragility that the branch family was just as gifted if not more so.
Her clan had several traditions, and several rules to follow. The main branch was considered the higher nobles while the branch were more servants to the former. Her father had pushed to change it, but her grandfather was blinded by traditions at the time, as were the elders who enforced it. And now here she was, seeing the same principles forced onto her sister, who would take over the clan in her place.
Because she wasn't as talented, or as strong. And much like Sakura, she vowed to change that. She had wanted to unite the families together, and learning the truth behind Neji's hardships, knowing how they were enslaved by the curse seal that bound them to the main family, she vowed she would change that. She would have to grow strong first, she would have to prove herself in their eyes.
'Naruto-Kun... you never gave up on your dreams... and neither will I. I'll follow my way and never go back on my word. So please, lend me some of your courage, your will to go on. I'll protect my friends and change my clan... for my family's sake. I promise it' she thought as she prepared herself for her next training session.
"So, that's the situation we're in?" a man's voice asked annoyed, as several figures flickered about in the dark, their forms mere illusions by their leader's jutsu. "Tch, well that's just great, now we have to wait even longer" a man complained as he wore a straw-hat and hunched over, a mask covering his lower face as he despised the thought of having to wait.
"I'm with you, Sasori-my-man. Still, I'm shocked you even survived, Between those chains and that strange seal, you should've been killed, or at the very least sealed in the brat, Zetsu" another voice said, as he had long hair covering half of his face, a single eye showing as he looked at another member, a member which seemed inhuman and growled at him.
"I barely managed to escape" Zetsu said, glaring at the thought of the brat that forced him to use his Karma on another Zetsu. He had to mark another one quickly, if he didn't then everything could be in jeopardy, his careful planning, his mission to revive his mother. "I suppose we just got very lucky" Zetsu said again, his voice seemingly more light hearted than anything. Black Zetsu frowned, having not only over-taken a White Zetsu with his Kama Seal but merging with a second one after the original was sealed away.
That boy nearly costed him, and the chakra from the corpse barely had anything left to it. Even as an Uzumaki, a clan known for their longevity and chakra reserves, his was nearly out and the Kyuubi had managed to escape.
"Lucky in deed" a man said as his sharingan was activated, a man with shark-like features and bloodshot eyes looking at his partner confused.
"Regardless, this sets the Akatsuki back. It will be a few years until the Kyuubi naturally returns to the world, and in that time, we need to prepare. Konan and I are currently reworking our strategy as we speak. The loss of the Kyuubi Jinchuriki was a heavy one, but not an irreversible" a man with pale-gray eyes said, rippled and staring at them all. "For now we will continue our respective missions, and we will proceed with the captures of the Jinchuriki and Bijju. currently, only the Sanbi and Kyuubi are still unaccounted for" Pein said as his eyes narrowed. "At least for now."
Soon, the figures vanished one by one, their meeting concluded as Zetsu woke up back in the world around him. As he left a nearby cave, he sensed someone approaching behind him. "I take it our schedule is still do-able?" a deep voice called out as Zetsu turned to face a man in an orange mask.
"We're going to be delayed a bit longer, the Gedo Mazo was damaged in the aftermath, it will take time to repair it" Zetsu said in a deep voice, the masked man frowning.
"I see..." he said as he noticed the creature glare at him. "Regardless, our plans for Project: Tsukuyomi, will continue, and in time we will end this world" he declared as he vanished to pay a visit to a certain Uzumaki in Amegakure. As he left, Zetsu glared at the man, the fool, he should've warned them about that sealing, they had a chance to seal away the Kyuubi before anyone could question them, and then that deal with Itachi would've been mute.
Digging into the ground, Zetsu burred itself into the ground, contemplating how to rework this into his favor. They wouldn't let a minor setback interfere with their goals. 'Soon, you will be revived, mother.'
The darkness of the night provided a decent enough cover for him to work with, despite his initial desire not to go through with it clearly showing itself in the way the normally theatrical and energetic magician normally presented himself, his eyes closed as he made his way to the two grave markers that laid atop a nearby hill away from the village.
"And you're sure they are alright with this?" Menma asked seriously, having none of the joy in his now-serious tones, his voice sounding defeated as the Shinigami spoke within his mind.
"They agreed, I explained the situation to them both, and unless you have another means of resurrection, it is the the only means we currently have. I have already explained why I cannot do it myself, it has to be you, or an outside source" the Shinigami informed, despite his voice carrying the same sort of hesitation and natural disapproval. But Menma would need some help, and it had already bended the rules just to bring back his champion against the weed.
Menma said nothing, silently looking solemnly at the two graves. His eyes seemingly vacant as he stared at the markers for a few seconds, lost in his thoughts before finally letting out a tired sigh. "Very well, if I really don't have a choice in the matter" he spat, his words coated with venom as the Shinigami nodded, accepting the pure hatred that the magician spoke with.
As it did, he thought back at the process as a whole, the Shinigami saw it, resurrection as a whole, as a means of defiling life. But there were times the worlds allowed it, times where it was fated or allowed for one reason or another. Despite that, people who often played the role of god often fell rather fast, a perfected retribution to those arrogant enough. Still, as it watched it's magician begin.
'This isn't right, not even I would do something like this' he said, the only time he took part with pride in such a thing being when he allowed the heroes to restore the Pure Heart and reunite the brothers with one another to complete their roles in his overall schemes. Still, he didn't have a choice, the Shinigami had already pardoned him for the sin. 'My queen... will you ever forgive me for this?' he asked, knowing what he was about to do would, in the end, make him irredeemable in the eyes of the sister he cherished deeply.
Regardless he began, pulling out a scroll from Dimension V. and creating three clones to keep watch. As everything was in place, Menma channeled his magical properties, his chakra that was stained a blackened shade from the lingering effects of the Chaos Heart he so foolishly grasped at as the Master of Dimensions, and with it begun his spell.
The scroll opened, two embers of light unsealed from the parchment as the graves started to glow. There were three ways to utilize this technique, one by the wizard, one by the fortune-teller, and one that he modified himself, hoping to give the poor souls a better fate than he had.
He had known how to do the spell by watching it used endlessly as both a product and as the "Son" that recovered from his illness as he was often called. He memorized the feelings he felt and more. Still, this was his first time, the Shinigami helping him utilize it but at the end, who knew what was going to happen if he slipped up even once.
A thought that he quickly repressed and focused on the task at hand, a pit growing in his stomach that slowly would rival even the deepest of caverns. The souls released from the scroll began to grow, the graves illuminating them further as in only a minute's worth of time, the technique was done, Menma feeling ashamed and falling to his knees, both out of exhaustion from using the technique and the fact he went through with it.
Looking at the two souls, now contained within their newest vessels, Menma frowned, shaking his head as he let out one last silent apology. Eventually he heard them speak. "W-where are we now?" one of them said, it's voice sounding somewhat tough but having a slightly higher pitch than it normally did as it addressed it's partner who looked around.
"I... think we're back" the second said, it sounded similar, albeit slightly higher in tone, the gentleness of the second's voice bringing back a familiar memory for the magician as he smiled, despite the pain of betrayal he felt for himself. But deep down, he knew he wasn't worth the pity party he threw for himself, just another line crossed, another unforgivable act that, over his many years at life, he accumulated well-over a mountain's worth. Instead, he looked at the two newly-created Pixl with a forced smile.
The first of them was a triangle design, flipped on it's head with a line going across it horizontally. Like a familiar masked face that blankly looked back at the world around it. Beside it was a design that seemed akin to a snowflake, two similar eyes looking around, until they noticed him standing up, hands folded behind his back as he addressed the two souls that had agreed to help him in the task at hand.
"It has been a while... hasn't it?" Menma asked calmly as the two Pixl looked at him with a bit of shock, having seen the magician in some memories the Shinigami had sent them before they agreed. It was the first one that spoke up first, recomposing itself as it seemed... amused to see him?
"Heh, well it seems the kid has grown a little, though I don't think this is what I expected from Kakashi's loud-mouth brat" Zabuza Momochi, Demon of the Hidden Mist, said in such a strange tone. "I have to say... that... what the?" he began only to realize something was wrong. After a few seconds of experimenting his new voice, he suddenly glared at the magician in rage. "What the hell is wrong with my voice?!" he suddenly shouted, the scene bringing a slight smile to the magician as he found the entire thing amusing. "Did you mess up, What the hell is wrong with you!"
"Zabuza-Sama, please calm down-" Haku called, trying to calm down the man he served as Zabuza glared at the magician. "Naru- no, Menma... did something go wrong with the revival process?" he asked as Zabuza expected a yes as an answer, an apology at the very least.
Menma however, chuckled before outright laughing, the man that was known as a literal demon, getting so worked up about a slightly awkward voice of his was like a child embarrassed for wearing a mismatched attire of clothing upon the viewing eyes of an amused public population. Calming down as Zabuza had some more choice words for him, he recomposed himself, grinning in the process.
"Apologies" he said as the swordsman glared daggers at him, Haku looking at the magician nervously, not sure how to react and having found the uncharacteristic tirade of his master being amusing. "Don't worry, everything is alright. For now just tolerate it until I get you your new vessels" he said with a smile, snapping his fingers soon-afterwards. "Until then, I think it's time we compared notes, don't you think?" he asked as the world around them shifted away in segments, the three of them now in a familiar and refurbished realm of the magician's personal dimension of Dimension D. Zabuza glared, Haku looked slightly worried, Menma grinned, and from it's realm, the Shinigami smiled, that was just one of the last gifts it could impart onto the magician.
And after the last gift, they would be on their own from there on. Closing it's eyes, he looked around the void, contemplating the overall situation of it all, all of which could've been avoided should they have not gotten involved as well.
And with that, Chapter 3 is done, with some insight to Menma's current plans, his support, and some character development from two of the more "controversial" characters in the series. Honestly, it felt that Sakura and Hinata were both kind of thrown to the way-side in the manga, becoming at times like pointless characters from time-to-time. I feel like they had a lot of wasted potential, so I'd figure I'd try to give them some. Naruto's death being a great motivation for it as well to let them grow, as well as other characters down the line.
And with that, I hope you all enjoyed the chapter and have a great night.