"That was pretty dumb." Sakura commented.
"I know." Sarada muttered. She knew what she was about to say, too. Boruto seemed to be twitchy around her, and it was not very hard to figure out that he thought something was wrong with her. "I shouldn't have killed them." She said dutifully.
Sakura frowned. "Huh…?" Then she laughed. "Oh, no, I don't care about this. I meant the blind diving in."
Sarada glanced up at her, dumbfounded. "But they—"
Sakura continued. "When I said you needed to be good at improvising—"
"…You didn't mean going in half-cocked." Sarada said, looking away.
"Exactly. Things are dangerous enough as they are."
"I know." She whispered. "I… I just felt very frustrated." Her hands tightened around the window's railing. "I just…"
There were angry tears in her eyes.
Sakura's own softened. It had been some pretty difficult day — for a genin, not for herself, because she had found things pretty fun.
Sakura sighed. "Just don't do it anymore." She said, ruffling the teenager's hair.
"I won't." Sarada muttered.
"Good job on the rest and I'll see you soon."
"Thank you — Aren't we going?"
"No. Besides, I think your dad wants to talk to you."
Sarada sagged.
…
"Sarada."
Sarada glanced at her father.
He stared back, with dark eyes that were so similar to her own. She found herself tensing a bit… and then she relaxed.
Perhaps she had been unfair to him, too. There had to be a reason he had been away for so long. And not everyone could solve problems with the same efficiency that Sakura always threw around offhandedly. And he was still her father.
And he had likely come to congratulate her. Did she really deserve it…? No, perhaps she didn't. She was probably not good enough to become a Chūnin yet. The way she had acted down there…
The people she had killed.
But her father just nodded.
Did he understand…? Was he going to chastise her, to tell her it had been unneeded, but he was glad that she was alive…? That he was sad for the loss of her innocence, but shinobi led hard lives…? Was he maybe going to scold her harshly, telling her that her actions in there had been terrible, foolish…? Was he going to give her an explanation that could make sense of the state of the world, something that would help her stop with her endless ruminating…? Was he going to hug her and if so, was she going to melt down into tears until she felt embarrassed of herself…?
Sarada hesitantly smiled back. She opened her mouth—
He poked her forehead.
Then said nothing else. Uncomfortable silence hung in the air.
Her father flashed a brief smile and gave her another nod, as though the gesture held unspoken meaning, the sort of thing that would mean he didn't have to say anything else.
Sarada stared.
He turned and walked away. Sarada stared.
Then she growled. "…Are you fucking kidding me?"
"Well done, Mitsuki." Orochimaru smiled slightly, slipping out of the shadows. The fewer people who knew he had come here, the better.
"Thank you, Father." Mitsuki nodded and tried to inject a humble inflection to the gesture.
Orochimaru stared. "A bit too stiff, still. Humility is more of a subtle thing, it is not about being weak or submissive, but closer to what the strong feel toward the weak. A casual disinterest of sorts."
"I see." He nodded again.
"Much better."
"I wasn't trying."
"That is the point I'm trying to make." Orochimaru smiled.
Mitsuki nodded. There was no need for words, so he didn't bother with saying anything.
He held his hand out.
Orochimaru sighed a bit. "Do you require physical affection?"
"No." Mitsuki shook his head. It hadn't been very long since the last hug. "I have a letter for you."
"Hmm." Orochimaru nodded noncommittally. "From Naruto, I presume. You would think he would stop harassing me, after a while."
"No, it is not from him."
Orochimaru took it. He knew it wasn't Tsunade right away, because the letter didn't start with insults.
…
Dear Orochimaru #07,
It is with great honor that we extend an invitation for you to join the Multiversal Council. We are an exclusive organization of individuals from various dimensions, realms and universes who share a common passion for science and power.
We believe that your expertise in the fields of biology, genetics and body-swapping, as well as your brilliant mind would make you a valuable asset to our organization, and we are eager to welcome you as a member.
We understand that your time is precious, but we assure you that the benefits of membership in our council are many. Membership in the Multiversal Council offers an unparalleled opportunity to engage with some of the most brilliant and innovative thinkers in the multiverse, as well as access to state-of-the-art research facilities and resources.
Moreover, as a member of the Council of Multiversal Orochimaru, you will have a voice in shaping the future of our organization and influencing the direction of scientific research across the multiverse.
We hope that you will accept our invitation and join us in our shared mission to uncover the secrets of the universe and push the boundaries of scientific understanding.
Thank you for your attention to this matter, and we look forward to hearing from you soon.
Sincerely,
Orochimaru
…
"That is quite a strange joke." Orochimaru mused. "I didn't think Sasuke-kun would ever grow to develop a sense of humor."
Mitsuki shook his head. "It does not come from Sarada's father."
"Who, then?"
"From her mother's doppelganger."
"Truly…?" Orochimaru frowned. He had heard the latest rumors. "Are you falling for Naruto's latest practical joke?"
"It is not one."
Orochimaru's eyes tightened in exasperation. He searched for something in Mitsuki's eyes.
"…Huh." He blinked. "And you confirmed it?"
"I did." Mitsuki nodded. "They are who they claim to be."
Orochimaru said nothing for a while.
"How… peculiar."
"Sarada said that the only thing you have to do is sign the letter to gain access—"
Orochimaru chortled.
"If they truly possess the powers you attribute to them, I am not signing anything they gave me. Simply touching it was foolish enough. I shall conduct my own research, instead."
"Your research…?"
"Well of course. I wouldn't put it past another me to want to eliminate his competition." Orochimaru stated.
Boruto walked through the crowd, ignoring the cheering people, who parted around him reluctantly. Apparently they had set some sort of record, but he couldn't find it in himself to care.
'Shinobi prodigies,' they called them.
Yeah, sure. Grandpa had been called one, and he had died before he even turned twenty-five. Uncle Neji had been called one, and he died at seventeen. Dad had — according to Old Man Sasuke — been called a slacker, and he was alive and well, with a family.
Boruto grew apprehensive as he approached his parents. He stopped on the steps, and felt some reluctance. Some shame, too — could he have prevented his teammates from doing… all this…? He felt terror, too. Would his parents be disappointed?
He took the last steps slowly. In any case, Kage and Hinata grabbed Boruto in a tight embrace.
Holding on to his father, Boruto was pretty sure he cried a bit.
"It's all right, Boruto." Someone said.
He knew things would be alright, somehow. And he didn't mind that both his Uncles seemed to act a bit more stupid than usual. It seemed as though they did it for him.
Or maybe not, it was hard to say.
World #323
Hebi scowled.
"…A letter from that man…? And you're just going to take it at face value?" She asked. When she said that man, she didn't mean Uchiha Itachi, nor her counterpart named Gama.
Gama… Whose incoming letter, received through that strange artifact that man had given her, she had burned already. Without reading it.
Her father, Orochimaru, just shrugged. "What would you have me do…? It is—"
"Your nature." She finished. Then she let out a long sigh. "Whatever. Do as you please. That is all you do anyway."
Orochimaru pursed his lips. "…What has gotten into you, exactly…? You've been acting moodily these last few days."
"Nothing has gotten into me." She grunted.
World #7570 — Tokyo
There was a moment of silence.
This particular Orochimaru looked to be his age — between fifty and sixty. His eyes were narrowed and Naruto's clone supposed that he might have been somewhat impressive, to most people. Or other civilians, at least.
"…It is a pretty strange joke." Orochimaru said, looking wary. He certainly had not let that man enter. And his security wouldn't have, either. And that meant danger.
"It's not a joke." Naruto said, smiling.
"I'm afraid I don't believe you."
Naruto didn't react. Orochimaru continued to glare at him. "Why don't you tell me the truth of the reason behind your impromptu visit…? Did Namikaze send you—"
"Gods." Naruto breathed out. "You guys are obsessed with each other!"
"…What?"
"Look, I get that I look like the man — somewhat, but—"
"More like his bodyguard." Orochimaru said dryly. He had a weapon in this very room, but if it was blackmail Namikaze wanted…
"You guys really should exercise more."
"I will think of it."
Naruto shrugged. "Well, let me introduce myself. As stated in the letter, I came to deliver this on Orochimaru's behalf. My name is Uzumaki Naruto and he and I work together. He offers you a place in a project that probably sounds a bit beyond you, right now."
"This is getting pretty ridiculous." Orochimaru rolled his eyes. "I'm sure you will provide some sort of proof to your claim, of course—"
Naruto lifted his hand. A great flame burst to life in his palm. Then it became thunder, and then faded into wisps of air that sent the files on Orochimaru's desk flying.
Orochimaru stared at his hand, eyes wide. Naruto could hear his heart pounding in his chest.
"Right." Naruto said. "Need more?"
"…No." Orochimaru said at last, and his voice sounded weak.
"As you say." Naruto said, sitting down on the man's desk.
World #07
"Hey, can I ask you something?" Sakura called, touching his arm.
Naruto grinned. "Sure."
She smiled back. "I think my apprentice might have some… trouble coping."
"I see." Naruto said slowly. "Any ideas?"
"Wow." Sakura almost laughed. "I can almost hear you think 'therapy.'"
"I didn't say it though."
Sakura mulled it over. "…It might be a good idea, actually. For her, I mean."
"No shit." Naruto stated. "Why did you even accept her request…?"
"…I think I'm bad with kids." She admitted.
Naruto chuckled. "Now… Why would you think that…?"
Sakura pretended to frown, and she punched his arm lightly.
"Oh, shut up." She mumbled.
"So, we're taking her back to Umi?" Naruto asked. "What about her mother?"
"I'll tell her to tell her it's a training trip or something. It's socially acceptable before the finals."
"I'm starting to think you like her."
"Eh. She grows on you. Like weeds."
Naruto thought about it.
"Sure. I've got an idea, actually."
He explained it to her, and she scowled.
"Ah, also." Naruto chuckled. "I assume you have a reputation to maintain, right?"
"Absolutely. Don't tell Toru about this or that I may care about her a little bit, please."
"Of course not, dear."
She grinned and stood on her toes to kiss him, but stopped once she realized Toru was watching them, looking entirely too amused.
…
"…For real?" Kage frowned. "I don't think he will agree to come."
"Make him, then." Naruto shrugged. "It will do them both some good."
"…That's not entirely wrong."
"Good. You have your own Shadow ruling the world—… I'm sorry, the village. Right?"
"I guess so." Kage admitted.
World #01 — Umigakure
It started as an ember, something hardly worthy of notice.
It bloomed, like a great flower unfolding. Then there was a burst of golden flame. The sudden light of it was almost blinding. People emerged from its light, a big group.
All of them stepped onto Umi's easternmost island's stone circle.
They stared at the looming, great white tower that stood on the opposite side of the lake to Orochimaru's spire.
"…Was this here last time?" Kage asked. Hinata shook her head no.
Several pairs of eyes fell upon Naruto. And he himself was holding back on his desire to wince. Better to keep it together in order to smoothen the… transition.
"Naruto." Ino said tightly. "…Is this…?"
"Yeah." He nodded. "It's Yoisen. I invited her to live here."
A single word could convey many things. "Why."
He shrugged. "She's a friend."
She seemed to have plenty more things to say about the matter, but didn't.
"Can we go and see?" Boruto asked.
Behind him, Sarada said nothing. Mitsuki just watched the whole thing with enough interest for two. Sasuke scowled, of course.
"Sure." Naruto shrugged. "…Why not."
He had a few questions, too.
…
At the base of the tower was an arched entrance, guarded by two imposing ivory statues.
Perhaps they moved, perhaps they didn't.
Stepping through the archway, one might possibly be struck by the sheer beauty of the interior. The walls were lined with intricate carvings, and the floor was made of gleaming white marble, polished to perfection.
Looking up from the roofless inner courtyard, one could see the tower stretching up into the sky, disappearing into the clouds. The spiral staircase winded its way up to the top, and one could almost feel the weight of history and majesty contained within its walls.
It was not true, of course, because the entire thing was still undergoing construction.
…
Yoisen waved at them from one of the rooftops.
Privately, Ino thought she was likely waving at one of them in particular, but she wouldn't voice this one out. Hanabi had declared she was tired and left. Perhaps she would have agreed.
…Perhaps not.
Yoisen came down from there.
"Welcome back." Yoisen greeted them with a smile Ino thought to be a bit too fond.
Then she bowed, as low as was considered polite.
"Pleased to meet you all." She said.
They greeted her back, with various degrees of confusion.
Hinata looked at the beautiful, well-dressed woman that only one person seemed to be familiar with… and immediately assumed her to be the tyrant's latest willing (hopefully) lover. Yet another one. She pursed her lips in consternation and her grip upon her husband's wrist tightened. Kage winced.
Ino looked at the building, looked at the woman. She took a deep breath, expression dark.
Karin waved at Yoisen, and the woman smiled back.
Naruto walked closer to her and whispered something to her. Yoisen nodded and walked toward the lakefront. Naruto told the rest of them that he'd be back in five minutes, and left with her.
He didn't stop to watch their reactions, because he knew all of them well enough.
…
"As you can see, I have made preparations for a building more befitting of your station." Yoisen said.
They were standing over the sand. Naruto stared at the building silently.
"…This?"
"Yes. And I see that you have brought guests." Yoisen nodded. "Although it is not finished yet, they can stay in there, of course."
"Yoisen—" He tried.
"It really is not done yet, though." She shook her head. "Arched entrances are still missing, there are plenty of carvings to be completed, still. Besides, I still need to figure out how to make the clouds float around the highest tower without touching it. It would be much simpler, otherwise."
"Yoisen."
"What is it?"
"…Isn't this… too much?" Naruto asked. "What kind of message is it going to send to people?"
Yoisen thought about it.
"That… the tower is a true marvel of design and craftsmanship, a testament to the ingenuity and creativity of its builders?" She asked. Then clearing her throat: "Oh, made by a single builder, you say…? How astonishing. The sheer beauty of it and its grandeur are overwhelming, and you find yourself unable to tear your gaze away from its exquisite form."
Naruto chuckled nervously.
"Or something like it, I presume." Yoisen concluded. "In any case, having such an experienced architect on retainer is going to reflect well on you."
Naruto rubbed at his temples. An architect was one thing. But he could already imagine the sort of rumors floating around. And how pushy Ino's mother might be in the coming weeks.
"This is but a start." Yoisen continued. "I need more time to make final preparations for the city that will become the new jewel of the seas."
Naruto moaned.
"Or the skies, perhaps." She finished.
"…Are you even living in there…?" Naruto asked.
Yoisen laughed. "Me? Oh, of course not. That's what I made this house over there for."
She pointed at a small, cozy looking house not too far away from his own.
Naruto let out an unwilling chuckle.
…
Sarada was suffering from the heat, apparently.
Umi was just as humid as the Land of Water was, but in comparison… the sun, up in the cloudless blue sky was burning. Her skin felt sticky. She chanced a glance at Boruto, who seemed to be doing fairly well. Her father, on the other hand, seemed as though he was pretending to.
She wouldn't be too surprised if Mitsuki suddenly began digging a hole for himself to burrow in.
Sakura commented on her distress.
"Yeah, it gets pretty hot in August… September, still." She said, unsure which month it was at all. "Not as bad as last year's summer, but still."
Sarada licked her dry lips. "It's a bit too much…"
"I guess we can get you started with a chakra-cooling exercise, then. Unless you want to learn about Umi's admittedly short history…"
"I'll take the chakra-cooling, for now." Sarada decided.
"Suit yourself. Orochimaru's son seems interested, anyway."
Mitsuki nodded. Toru interrupted Sakura's tirade.
"It all started when Naruto and Orochimaru decided that the real world had too many rules, regulations and ethics." He said. Then, lowering his voice. "The mainlanders shall hate us for our freedom."
"…Is it really what Uncle said?" Boruto squinted.
"Yes." Toru nodded. "As far as I remember, he always had this weird side to him — oh, he could pretend to be some sort of misunderstood, introverted genius well enough, back when we were kids, but I know this man as well as I know myself."
"…High bar." Sakura said dryly.
"If I lacked self-awareness, I'd know, right?" Toru grinned. "In any case, Orochimaru sent us—"
"You were not here." Sakura cut him off.
"…Can you stop interrupting?" Toru asked politely.
"You really weren't." Karin added.
He sighed. "Okay, so perhaps I was out there, protecting the free world and Konoha. So what."
"We took a long boat trip and settled here." Karin said. "All this tyranny stuff Toru's muttering about only started later on, actually. Besides, that's a pretty selfless sort of tyranny, we care about the collective—"
"You said something about basic needs being met for every citizen, right?" Sarada asked Sakura, before she could even say it herself.
"In the world, that's right." She nodded proudly. "We are the good guys."
"That's something that no good guys have to repeat this often." Toru remarked.
"Naruto set things up this way because he figured he could have even more gold to sit on that way." Ino said evenly. "It didn't matter if everyone else had some more too, as long as he got more himself. He's always been hung up on… maximizing." She said, staring at Naruto and Yoisen.
"It's working, though." Karin stated. "People are happier—"
"I would probably say the same, were I not the tyrant's best friend." Toru shook his head. "That I'm happy, I mean. Who knows how his fragile ego would take dissent…?
"…Because there's no war, less crime, poverty is a more relative concept and people actually have free time…?" Karin finished.
"Eh." Toru shrugged. "That, too. I guess."
"I can hear you, you know." Naruto said dryly, walking toward them again. Yoisen followed dutifully.
"Of course." Toru nodded. "There wouldn't be much of a point otherwise."
Sasuke seemed to take it personally. "A point, you say…?" He snapped. "There's no point to any of this—"
"Is he your nihilistic friend?" Yoisen asked Naruto.
He shook his head. "No. Wrong Sasuke, we're not friends with this one."
"I see." She nodded.
Sasuke growled something in what Naruto was now convinced was not even typical Uchihaish. Otherwise he'd understand him, likely. Toru chuckled, so he assumed that the comment had been somewhat biting, possibly interesting, even. A shame no one understood him, really.
"As Sasuke says." Naruto nodded. "Let's go and take a dip."
"You brought us here…" Sasuke began, face straight. "To 'take a dip?'"
Naruto frowned.
"That's very unfair. I also brought you here to bask in Umi's glory."
…
Toru decided to take care of the group and he led them away.
"Well?" Naruto asked Yoisen, who had stayed behind. "Are you not coming?"
"I cannot." She shook her head. "If they are to stay in this building, there are plenty of things I still need to do."
"Like… what?"
"Like building a proper palace." She said. "Furnishing the interior—"
"Toru can do that - I'm sure he'd love to, in fact. There are other places we can put guests in, anyway."
"That's not it, of course." She said. "Seals, protections, wards will come next. And then—"
Naruto frowned. "I guess you are… busy."
"I am." Yoisen nodded. "I would love to — What are you doing?" She asked, voice pitching dangerously high.
He picked her up by her waist and threw her over his shoulder.
"Please put me down." She tried.
He laughed. "Once we get to the beach."
She wasn't protesting much, though.
And perhaps she considered it worth it, in spite of Ino's immediate glare when they reached.
…
The three Uchiha in the group stood on the beach in the sand, and water lapped at their feet.
It might look casual, but only to people who didn't know they had a slight problem with water.
Nacchan was staring at the sea.
There were many things on his mind. How did you even begin to deal with the fact that your entire existence turned out to be a small, small, small… inconsequential thing…?
How did you cope with the fact that some people could just take what you called reality, tear it apart, and make a run for it with the leftover pieces, rubbing it in your face the whole time…?
How did you deal with the fact that magic was a very real thing…?
How did you deal with the fact that the girl you loved—
Boruto picked up on it.
"Let's… make a sand castle." He said.
"…What?" Nacchan muttered.
"You heard me." Boruto grinned. "Dad always told me to do something when I'm in a funk."
Nacchan sighed. "…What would you know of it…?"
Boruto frowned. "Look, I just watched my close friends murder some other teenagers in a military dominance contest."
Nacchan shut up. And he did remember. He held on to his lunch.
"…So, what's on your mind?" Boruto asked.
'My apparent alternate self fucked the girl I love.' Nacchan thought. He decided not to voice it out. He shook his head. "Sorry, but I don't think I feel like it. Also that's dangerous. People die doing it, for real — Guh!"
He barely caught the shovel Boruto threw at him.
"Quit yapping and let's get digging!" He grinned. "We're ninja — Uh, not you. We'll just ask someone else to prevent it from collapsing on us. Karin, for one."
"Where the hell did you even get that…?" Nacchan muttered. Still, he stood up and followed Boruto obediently. He thought the ninja was younger than him, but it was a bit hard to tell. Maybe he was just short…? In any case, he was ripped.
"Karin just made it for me." Boruto stated. Further away, Karin, who was lazing under the sun, gave them a thumbs up.
"Is it another of these magical items…?" Nacchan asked, frowning.
"No, it's a regular shovel — very well made, though, she said." Boruto said. "That's where we're gonna do it. Dig."
Nacchan did so.
"No, not like this." Boruto shook his head.
Nacchan stared at the shovel. "…I don't really know how to do this."
"Really…?" Boruto blinked. "What do they teach you in civilian school? How else are you supposed to bury—" Boruto cut himself off. "Never mind."
Boruto showed him. It wasn't long before Mitsuki joined them.
"What are you doing?" He asked.
"Digging a hole for a sandcastle. No ninjutsu. No chakura." A sweaty Nacchan answered, wiping his forehead. He was exhausted, but Boruto had been right. He had been digging the wrong way. "Want to help?"
Mitsuki nodded. "The heat is a bit much, it is true. A hole is a great idea."
Nacchan stared at him, and Boruto didn't give him any additional explanation. Mitsuki went to find Karin, in order to formally request an additional shovel.
The three teenagers continued to dig.
…
"What are you guys doing?" A loud voice asked.
Boruto looked up. It was his father's strangest alternate self. The one who was eight and had a voice that could power entire cities.
"We're making a hole." Boruto grinned at the little weirdo.
"Idiot." His adopted brother, the one that apparently was another Sasuke, said to his brother. "Wasn't it obvious?"
Young Naruto chuckled derisively. It sounded kinda Uchihaish, in the mocking tones of it. "Is that why you waited for them to confirm?"
"I don't—"
"You guys want to help?" Nacchan cut through Young Sasuke's incoming retort.
The Uchiha brothers looked at each other.
"Sure, where are the shovels?" Young Naruto asked.
"Bet I can find one faster than you—"
…
"Are you sure they're Uchiha…?" Sarada asked dubiously.
"They are." Mitsuki nodded.
"They're kinda… strange." She said. Not trying to murder anyone, unlike the ones in the past… and they didn't seem entirely emotionally stunted either, unlike her father.
"They are." Boruto grinned. "Shovel? I saw you were looking at us for a while."
"…I guess."
"Karin has them." Nacchan supplied.
…
Sasuke saw the three Uchiha digging a hole.
He stared at them, with something complicated in his eyes; Kage noticed and said something to Karin. Next thing Sasuke knew, the woman threw him a shovel.
Boruto accepted him with a shrug — he looked somewhat strong, even though he only had one arm. In fact, Sarada looked a bit more on the fence about him.
Sasuke would show them. He would show her.
He had lived with Orochimaru for years. Digging a burrow was something he was well acquainted with.
…
Rumor spread like wildfire.
Or perhaps a man-made fire, in fact. Because Kage and his wife were definitely missing, and anyone knew how talkative that guy got.
"Can we dig another hole?" A man asked. "Me and my friends would like to make our own."
"Yes." Karin nodded.
"Do you know where we can get shovels?"
"Yes." Karin nodded. She pointed at the hastily erected shed meters away. "Take as many as you want."
…
"Are you just going to let them humiliate us like this?" Toru asked.
Ino was reading in the shade, far away from Yoisen. It wasn't that hard to do, since the woman was currently swimming, and had been ever since her husband had dropped her around here.
"…What are you talking about?" Naruto frowned. "Their… plans for a sandcastle…?"
Sakura, nestled against him, just yawned. "Toru has problems." She stated.
"No, Toru doesn't." Toru said. "You guys just hate fun."
"I have to say I don't really feel like digging a hole, Toru." Karin stated, from Naruto's other side.
"Come on." He whined. "Let's put more spirit into that."
"It would be unfair." Naruto declared. "Children and Sasuke…?" He chuckled derisively. "They have lost already."
Toru scoffed. "It's the masculine urge to dig a hole that drives a man to do so."
"We're not men." Karin remarked.
"Same thing, I meant it to be inclusive." Toru said. "Naruto, on the other hand—"
"Ah, yes." Naruto said dryly. "Yet another attack on my masculinity."
"I'll set fire to your house if you don't help me dig a hole." Toru stated.
"Hanabi will set fire to you."
"Again." Toru nodded. "If that's what it takes."
"It's still a no."
"I'll get Itachi on the case."
Naruto gave him a very unimpressed look. "Wow. You don't even try to go for Sasuke first anymore."
"I don't." Toru smiled flatly.
"Very dickish of you. And very Uchiha-like, too."
"That is who I am." Toru nodded. "Shall we go?"
Naruto smiled thinly. "Sure, but let's split into two teams."
"Oh…?"
"It would be unfair otherwise. Besides, I thought you wanted to beat me at something."
"You're on, monkey-boy." Toru scowled. "I'll call Akemi—"
"As you say." Naruto nodded. "I will find Hanabi, then. Are you joining in, Karin…?"
She let out a long-suffering sigh. "I guess."
"Ino?"
"Why not." She shrugged.
"Very well." Naruto grinned. "There's one more person I have to call before we can start. Ah, the teams are decided already — Emperor's orders, of course."
Toru suddenly had a bad feeling about things.
…
Toru stood there, shovel in hand.
He cringed.
Yoisen waited for Ino to stop glaring at her. And it took a little while of tense silence, admittedly.
"Shall we start?" Yoisen asked. "There is a hole to be dug, a sandcastle to be made."
"Oh…?" Ino asked, soft as a cloud. "Now that you've finally come out of your neutrality, you presume to give us orders…? After the boat…? After Uzushiogakure…?"
"I couldn't have helped, then." Yoisen said.
Then, as though she remembered something, she put on her best affected expression.
Ino was very unconvinced, and her nostrils flared. Her grip almost broke the shovel, too.
Toru winced and began digging. Akemi didn't seem much more at ease.
…
Yugito heard about the ongoing mess and came to take a quick look, along with two people, a cat and a newborn.
"That's the sort of stuff you took over the world for?" She asked Naruto.
He grinned.
"Nah. I was bored, that's all."
She huffed but didn't quite manage to make it sound exasperated. Yūshirō was staring at the holes in the sand, and she kept him firmly secured.
"Who are these guys with you?" Naruto asked.
Kaitaro almost exploded. Matatabi cut him off.
"The last reasonable part of you." She said. "The one that you cut off."
"Who?" Naruto frowned. "Indra? That guy was a dick."
Matatabi hissed her displeasure. Yugito rolled her eyes. "He's trying to provoke you."
"Succeeding, I'd say." Naruto shrugged. "Jokes aside, there's still one person I don't know."
"What does it matter? I don't think you need to know anything… nor anyone else." Kaitaro began. He was sour because Naruto had left most of the shit to him.
"…Are you sour because I left most of the shit to you?" Naruto asked. "Or just feeling mutinous?"
A vein looked fit to burst on Kaitaro's forehead. The woman saw it.
"Uh — My name is Katō Shizune. I'm the Umikage's assistant. Pleased to meet you, Naruto-sama." She said.
"Oh, nice to meet you too, Shizune." Naruto greeted her. Then he scratched his chin. "…Since when is Umikage an actual thing…?"
Shizune more or less had to drag Kaitaro away. Naruto chuckled and Yugito gave him a disbelieving look.
She resumed her beach walk.
…
"Don't think I didn't see the way you were looking at him." Ino grunted, in Yoisen's general direction.
"At whom?" She tilted her head.
"My husband."
"Ah. I see."
There was silence. Toru and Akemi dug harder.
"…Not even going to bother denying it?" Ino growled. This white-haired…
"I thought it would anger you." Yoisen said. She thought about it. "I was merely observing the latest swimwear fashion trends."
"Why don't you stare at Toru, instead?"
"Hey." Akemi frowned.
'She must be feeling jealous.' Toru smiled—
"Perhaps she doesn't want to stare at pasty pirates." Akemi finished.
Toru growled. He healed fast now, too fast to stay tanned. "Uchiha just happen to stay mostly pale-skinned, normally."
"Until now." Akemi nodded, looking him in the eye. "Right?"
Toru blinked. Then he blinked again, and licked his lips. "I—"
"Kidding." She laughed.
"…Go back to digging." Toru scowled.
…
"Hanabi." Karin almost pleaded.
"Hmm…?"
"Why did you stop digging…?" Karin asked.
She herself hadn't really felt like getting dragged into Toru and Naruto's latest cock-swinging contest. So she had decided that she might as well drag Hanabi into it.
"Something caught my eye." Hanabi shrugged and resumed.
Her shovel slammed into the sand powerfully—
A loud voice boomed. It sounded like Toru's.
"NO CHAKRA!"
"No chakra." Sakura repeated, grunting.
Hanabi blinked. "Oh, right." She rolled her eyes. "I forgot I got roped into this 'training exercise.' Are we really fighting Toru's team… or children?"
Naruto wiped some sweat off his brow. He grinned this stupid grin Hanabi had always found very endearing — even during their first meeting, during the Chūnin exams, where she had stuck her tongue out to him and he had proceeded to call her a little shit, a memory she could recall with startling clarity — and she could almost forgive him. "It's the same damn thing."
"Whatever." She laughed. "You're lucky I like you."
"We all are."
They continued to dig.
"…Well, aren't you going to tell us?" Sakura asked.
"…Tell you what?" Hanabi blinked.
"What caught your eye." Sakura almost snapped. She knew that Hanabi did it on purpose, likely.
Hanabi shrugged. "The other Hinata and Kage were feeling frisky, let's say."
Naruto grumbled. "On our islands…? That slick bastard Naruto."
"It's because they have kids that they act like this." Sakura said grimly. "That's what children do to people."
Hanabi scrunched her brow in thought. "Say, do you think the other you and that Sasuke—"
"I'm going to stop you right here." Sakura growled.
…
"These kids are pretty fast." Akemi muttered.
She was giving it her best effort, but whether or not they were using chakra, it was much harder on her than it was for the people who had a shinobi background.
"It's not a race." Toru said, confidently. "…Although you'd never be able to tell, with the way this other Sasuke is going at it. Damn, and to think this guy's only got one arm."
"It must be the reason." Akemi decided. "Make me a tourniquet and slash mine off."
"As you say." Toru nodded. "I will regrow it once we're done."
Try as they might, their jokes didn't reach Ino… nor Yoisen.
"—I'm so glad her highness decided to mingle with commoners." Ino muttered.
"I wasn't exactly royalty." Yoisen shook her head.
"It was sarcasm, I believe it wasn't invented yet, back then."
Yoisen chuckled. "I only understand it when it is amusing."
Ino stopped digging to glare at her.
Toru pursed his lips. Hanabi and Sakura's natural competitiveness could at least lead to something productive. These two, on the other hand…
There was only one man who could help him here.
'Sasuke.' He begged through the link. 'Please. Come to Umi, we have a bit of a situation. Bring Him with you — key him in temporarily with the emergency access key if he's not in the registry anymore.'
Sasuke answered swiftly.
'…What the fuck are you talking about?'