Indra: Extra

by stroke6

Follow-up to the events of Indra, so obviously, full of spoilers and all. And won't make much sense on its own. If you have any intention of reading Indra... Probably better to start with that! (Extras so long they got their own extras...)

80. Bright Open Skies

Lord, Not Savior

"Kagayaku was a beautiful city.

It had been called the Jewel of the Five Realms, a place where ancient temples coexisted with tall buildings, where gardens of ethereal beauty sat beside bustling markets.

Where chakra was not a mere tool for battle, but a life force woven into the very fabric of the place.

Each stone, each tree, and each soul resonated with a harmony that seemed nearly otherworldly.

The council that governed Kagayaku was a beacon of wisdom; fair and just, they shared a collective vision of a future unfettered by limitations.

Craftsmen, noblemen, warriors; all of them lived in harmony. And it was a place where one could find a new beginning.

Yes. Perhaps it bears saying that Kagayaku was a beautiful city, once."

---

Nowadays, it was a gloomy sight.

Buildings stood tall, rebuilt with closely packed stone blocks. Spires jutted into the sky like spears, dotting the cityscape.

Sarutobi Konohamaru gazed at the clouded evening sky, his weathered face creasing with concern.

He was old, nearly an old man, really. Old enough to remember a time where the world didn't begin and end with a single man's word.

A time where a city as big as Konoha still seemed very impressive. Next to Kagayaku, it felt like a hamlet. As a boy, he had been amazed by how wide the world seemed.

How full of potential these days seemed.

A time before the Fourth War. Days he was starting to forget, and even the stories were growing vague, by now.

It wasn't that life had treated him poorly. By the standards of the new world order, he was fortunate. Their Lord, a man whose name he seldom uttered even in his own thoughts, had shown him a certain leniency. Whether it was his lineage or his skills that had earned him this favor, Konohamaru couldn't say.

And still, today, he felt like curling into a ball and just giving up.

Konohamaru watched the sun, and wondered if it had always felt so cold before.

He knew why he felt this way, even if he didn't want to dwell on it, powerless as he was: the world he lived in was a shadow, ruled by a man who'd harnessed the forces of life and death to bring a perverse sense of order.

The realm had been reshaped by a single, omnipotent will — and it wasn't a will that sought the betterment of all, not really. And as he stood there, yearning for a past that was fading into the realm of myths, Konohamaru knew that this was the true loss — the loss of hope.

He wasn't even sure why he had touched that damned artifact in the first place. Perhaps he was losing it.

"Summon aid…?" He shook his head. As if. Where was his skepticism…? With his luck, it was a cruel trap from their Lord. It wouldn't be the first time.

'Tut-tut… Daydreaming again, little monkey…?'

A cynical chuckle formed inside him, and never escaped his lips. Yes, that was more like it. A bad joke, another deceit among all the lies.

He had touched it, half in desperation, half because he didn't care about the outcome either way—

And then, there was a sudden irruption.

"From the Heavens—"

Konohamaru reacted on well trained instincts — non-lethal yet. "Fire Release: Ember Roar!"

Flames surged from his mouth, cascading toward the mysterious intruder who barely had time to dodge.

"Whoa!" The blond man yelped, tumbling backward into a wall.

But instead of colliding, he slipped into it, and emerged from an open toad mouth that had materialized on the ceiling, dropping into the room with a peculiar expression.

"What the shit, man, I'm the help—" The figure shouted, looking both annoyed and bewildered.

Konohamaru's eyes narrowed as he looked at the man before him, a spitting image of a long-deceased friend. The audacity was staggering.

With a burst of speed, Konohamaru lunged at him, fists ready to strike.

"Wait! The help call? Remember?" The intruder dodged skillfully, stumbling over his words as he sought to explain himself. "I don't know how it appeared — a letter? A book? Could use some clarity here!"

Despite his rage, Konohamaru couldn't help but notice how skillfully the man moved, parrying each of his blows with practiced ease.

It was the Frog style, a technique he hadn't seen in years, not since the reconstruction started and the old ways were lost. At least, not in anyone Konohamaru hadn't taught personally.

He stilled.

This… didn't feel like a trap set up by his Lord, after all. Not like an Edo Tensei, either.

For a moment, Konohamaru hesitated. His opponent was undeniably skilled, and for all he knew, might really be the help the artifact had promised. He backed away slightly, scrutinizing the man with a newfound intensity.

It was worth a try.

"…Who are you? And don't lie, because if you do, you won't leave this place alive." Konohamaru said, his voice tinged with a deadly seriousness.

The man exhaled, dropping his defensive stance. "I'm Uzumaki Na— Holy shit, drop this weapon, you nearly cut my ear off!"

"I won't miss next time." Konohamaru growled, channeling his chakra through his late uncle's blade.

"—Not the one you knew! I'm another Naruto!" The man said. "I was called here by the artifact to help. I can't change the past of this world, but—"

Konohamaru extended his senses. That man was strong, and more importantly…

His chakra didn't lie — it was the same it had always been. Uzumaki Naruto's, that is.

As he thought of him, a torrent of memories flooded Konohamaru's brain — years of his youth.

Times of laughter, moments of despair, joy, and the ever-present hope that Naruto had embodied.

Could this truly be some version of him? Konohamaru was torn between hope and doubt, yet for the first time in years, he felt the stirrings of something he thought he had buried.

Something that felt treacherous: it was hope.

"…Uh, you okay, man?" The other Naruto broke into his thoughts, a puzzled look on his face.

"…You'd better not be lying."

The man threw his hands up in the air. "What do I even stand to gain from all this in the first place, huh?"

Konohamaru began to answer, but didn't get the chance. And he sensed the change in the atmosphere before he could even turn around.

"I told you to go with the regular script."

Konohamaru whirled around and then froze as his chakra senses simply… gave out on him. Perhaps it was self-preservation, his brain preventing its own frying.

And then that thought was gone, and he wondered why he had even thought it in the first place. They were just humans.

There were three of them.

Two of them he recognized, in spite of the long hair; all three towered above him, and they were much larger than what was considered practical for a shinobi.

The first, a slimmer man in armor with red eyes, radiated danger. Beside him, a taller figure with blonde hair projected undeniable authority. The last man, shorter with dark hair, smiled effortlessly, but his relaxed demeanor didn't fool Konohamaru—

"I guess you've been through the Questionnaire already." The man said. "I am Uchiha Toru, by the way. You can call me Toru. You sent the distress signal — it was the only one that wasn't being taken care of already, so we took matters in our own hands."

"Woke me up." The first Naruto grumbled.

"You signed up for this, Gama." The second simply said.

'Gama' mumbled something, but Konohamaru didn't discern it.

"The Questionnaire?" Konohamaru eyed the dark-haired man, skeptically.

"Ah, right. You wouldn't notice." Toru smiled wryly. It was a process that didn't require the person who made contact with the artifact's awareness, of course — Ino had made it. "It's a set of questions we usually ask those who invoke our good name. Helps us gauge the situation, the level of threat, what exactly we're diving into — you get the gist. Usually, we have some more questions, but…" He shrugged.

Konohamaru stared at him and wondered why his breath smelled like alcohol. It couldn't be, right…? "And you skipped it this time, because…?"

"The urgency of the distress signal, the unattended state… and a few other variables." Toru explained.

"Such as?" Konoharu asked.

The man who could only be Sasuke pointed at the dark spires in the background. "Well." He began. "It's pretty clear who it is we are dealing with."

The tall Naruto laughed. "Undoubtedly. Sometimes it's quicker to just show up — once we make sure we're not going to land in a trap — or the void of space.

"We offer help where it's needed. And we're going to need you to give us more information so that we can assess."

"Assess what?" Konohamaru couldn't help but ask. His gaze flickered from Gama to Toru… to the other two, who were painfully familiar.

"That's pretty obvious, isn't it?" Their leader said, with a flat smile. "What needs to be done."

…

"So he waited until Kaguya was defeated and the world's strongest were exhausted to swoop in with his Edo Tensei army, wiping out the weakened remnants of the alliance, until no one alive could contest him?"

Konohamaru nodded wordlessly, looking away for a moment.

"And then he manipulated his resurrected warriors to dismantle any resistance within the Five Great Nations to establish his new regime. One where he was the undisputed lord and everyone else his subjects." Gama finished.

Toru leaned back, crossing his arms, and just gave the other blond man a pointed glance.

All three men were glancing at the taller Naruto, in fact. He seemed to take it in stride.

Whatever it was that they meant, Konohamaru wasn't sure. "…That was decades ago." He said, swallowing hard. "He made this city his throne, and things haven't changed since then. He is the law, the judge, the executioner."

Gama tilted his head, eyes thoughtful. "Sounds grim."

Konohamaru managed a wry smile. "That's an understatement."

"I know you to be a decent judge of character — here too, from what our mind-readers said." Uzumaki Naruto said.

There was something dry in Konohamaru's throat. But he didn't speak.

Naruto leaned forward. "So our intel suggests you're trustworthy, but we'll need to verify some things. Standard procedure."

"It's protocol." Sasuke added.

Toru nodded slowly, echoing, "Protocol. And for that matter…"

He extended his fist. The three others soon followed.

Konohamaru knew what they were asking for. With a trembling hand, he made a fist and felt a rush of chakra connecting him to the others in the room.

He saw flashes of memories, feelings, things beyond what he had thought possible.

And then he was back in the room, feeling unsure how much time had passed at all.

"So." Naruto said, as though he hadn't broken Konohamaru's worldview. "The big question is, shall we topple the current regime…?"

Konohamaru didn't hesitate.

…

Gama pushed himself off a building and through the air above Kagayaku.

The dark spires rose around him like twisted figures as he glided; straight and ominous, they were like obsidian lances jutting from the heart of sin.

In the distance, the Lord's palace dominated the skyline. Even from afar, it emanated a palpable aura of malevolence. Its soaring peaks seemed to challenge the heavens, and the thought of what lay inside sent a shiver down Gama's spine.

With practiced ease, Gama descended onto another rooftop, his feet skidding slightly on the slick tiles.

The rain was relentless, drenching him, but rain was nothing to a shinobi.

Konohamaru, appearing by his side, broke the silence, his voice barely above a whisper. "Our target is inside. He rarely leaves."

Naruto, with a solemn expression, stepped forward, placing a hand on Gama's shoulder. "Gama." He began, his voice grave. "You must sneak in. Alone."

Gama's eyes widened in shock. "Are you insane?!" He nearly exploded, pushing the hand away. "That's not just any boring palace — the guy inside's a fucking Jūbi bearer! He just said so!"

Naruto tilted his head. "What does it have to do with anything…? I'm not asking you to kill him."

Gama whirled around, and tried to meet Sasuke's eyes. Sasuke continued to stare at the tower, silently.

Gama turned toward, instead. "Help me out, man—"

"I'm sorry but you said you wanted the training experience." Toru said, shrugging.

"What of it?! That's not training!"

"…If it's any comfort, that's how they trained me, too."

"I don't care!"

"It was worse, from what you told me." Sasuke said to Toru.

"I repressed these memories." Toru said. "Or I pretend that they did it because they didn't want me to die again. Maybe."

"It kinda worked, though." Naruto pointed out. He then met Gama's gaze steadily. "I wouldn't ask if I didn't believe you were capable."

Gama's heart felt as though it was about to explode from the sheer nerves.

But… he was a shinobi. He took a deep breath—

"Besides, you have the second smallest chakra reserves out of us." Naruto pointed out. "If anyone can get in unnoticed, it's probably you."

…

The raindrops provided a rhythmic backdrop as Gama crouched on the edge of a rooftop.

Below, the palace walls stood tall, guarded by sentries and shinobi attuned to the slightest disturbances.

Drawing a deep breath, Gama focused, sending chakra coursing through his body, feeling it ground him to the very tiles beneath his feet.

From his pouch, he retrieved a waterproof scroll, carefully inscribed with seals. With precision, he infused it with his chakra, summoning forth a medium-sized toad.

This toad, cloaked in the art of stealth, exhaled a mist designed to obscure vision. But as the mist thickened rapidly, Gama signaled the toad to adjust, making the fog blend seamlessly with the rain.

"Here we go." Gama whispered to himself.

With the mist as his cover, Gama propelled himself from the rooftop. Enhanced by nature chakra, his jump was swift and silent, reaching the palace wall in an instant.

Once there, he summoned a smaller toad, adept in breaching barriers. The toad secreted an acid, potent against chakra-infused walls.

Within moments, a small hole appeared in the wards — just large enough for Gama to slip through using the Toad Wall technique.

As he slipped through, two guards came into view. But with fluid motion, he dispatched them using swift, incapacitating strikes.

Navigating the palace gardens was a dance of shadows and silence. Gama dodged guards and evaded traps, moving with the grace only a master shinobi possessed.

Reaching the palace's inner sanctum, he paused, catching his breath.

The next move was crucial. He entered the doorway—

Darkness swallowed him.

An unseen force propelled him, smashing him through walls and into the sky. As he crashed into a tower, he realized a protective chakra had shielded him from the worst of it.

Extricating himself from the debris, Gama's gaze met piercing golden eyes. Pain and dread filled him. "…Found you." He managed to say.

A chilling smile played on the Lord's — Orochimaru's lips. "Did you now?"

…

Konohamaru was there, next to Gama, in an instant.

And he was terrified — fear was evident in his eyes.

Orochimaru's laughter echoed menacingly. "You may look me in the eyes, little monkey." He spoke in a hushed tone. "I have always anticipated your betrayal. I betrayed your kin first, after all. Just as I noticed this fool hopelessly trying to—"

Without wasting a single moment of thought for the life he was throwing away so carelessly, Konohamaru leaped forward, chakra blade in hand.

(If he had to die, he would die fighting.)

His hand was caught, but not by Orochimaru.

Konohamaru managed to recover from the throw. His heart seemed to sink even lower, if it were possible. The sight of Sarutobi's pathetic grandson in such a state nearly made Orochimaru shiver in delight. Oh, but he should have done this so much earlier.

Orochimaru, on the other hand, stood tall and confident. Next to him, two figures stirred, and their presence sent a chill down Konohamaru's spine.

Uchiha Madara. Senju Hashirama. Their eyes were lucid, and still, they obeyed him. He had perfected the Edo Tensei, and now… his power stood absolute.

(Despair was engulfing Konohamaru. It was over—)

"What's the situation, Gama?" Uchiha Toru asked.

Orochimaru had been listening in on their entire conversation, of course. The entire city was under his surveillance.

Konohamaru turned sharply, surprised by the sudden appearance. Gama's reply was a muffled grunt.

Toru's brows furrowed. "Well yes, of course we could have just warped in." He said. "But you need much more training. And that would not exactly help you, would it now…?"

Orochimaru watched the two of them, eyes narrowed as if in thought.

"You don't belong to this realm." He observed.

He had learned who they were from his earlier spying, of course, but theatrics had always been one of the few things Orochimaru indulged in.

"Got it in one." Gama muttered. "…Fucking snakes."

The last of the two arrived seamlessly.

Uzumaki Naruto and Uchiha Sasuke. They stood next to Uchiha Toru, radiating confidence.

And it was no wonder, Orochimaru thought. They were powerful, from what he could sense of their chakra.

Unfortunately, they were far, far below him.

Their hands were moving, and still, Orochimaru felt no worry. He was truly immortal, in any case.

Konohamaru watched with bated breath as the three began weaving handseals—

"Scissors." They called at the same time.

"I win." Naruto declared confidently when Toru groaned.

Dear Konohamaru looked as though he barely resisted the urge to tear at his hair in frustration.

"I'll be fighting you, then." Naruto said to Orochimaru. "I hope you don't mind."

No answer came.

Orochimaru's eyes probably gleamed with interest as he stared at Uzumaki Naruto. There were many things he hadn't been able to notice before.

Things that the man had been hiding, it seemed. Secrets he hadn't been able to find from this world's Naruto's dead body.

And the ability to jump worlds, too…?

"Fascinating…" Orochimaru said slowly.

"What is?" Naruto asked back.

"Your body has become something quite extraordinary, hasn't it?" Orochimaru asked, teeth curling up in a predatory smile. "Imagine the heights of understanding I could reach by taking it for myself."

Naruto regarded him evenly. "I see." He exchanged glances with his allies. "So, you desire me?"

"That is right." Orochimaru said with delight. "I want your body."

"You're a creep here too." Naruto nodded in understanding. "You'll have to defeat me first."

"I have no qualms about that." Orochimaru said, letting the dark power of the Jūbi flow into him.

It was like opening the floodgates to the most intoxicating of nectars.

"A fair fight, then." Naruto said. "One on one."

The dark power coursing inside him was beckoning him to greater heights. "A one-on-one fight, you say?" Orochimaru echoed, amusedly. He had the Jūbi's full power, which meant that aside from a Six-Paths enhanced Chibaku Tensei, there wasn't much that could really pose a threat to him. And they had... nearly nothing. "I am afraid I am not entirely alone, you see."

Uzumaki Naruto glanced at the mind-controlled summons.

Uchiha Madara. Senju Hashirama. And both of them bore artificial Bijū within them, too.

Creatures Orochimaru himself had placed within them, of course.

"Yeah, I guess they don't really count." Naruto decided. "Them, too."

Perhaps he would have felt more cautious, on any other day. Or if the opportunity hadn't been this tempting.

Orochimaru's forked tongue darted out momentarily. "Agreed."

Naruto cracked his neck, preparing for the confrontation. "Shall we begin?"

Orochimaru smiled in dark glee. "As ready as I shall ever be."

"All right, then." Naruto said. "If you say so."

The next thing Orochimaru noticed was a familiar voice, echoing.

"It has been some time, Orochimaru."

The voice was unmistakably Hiruzen's, tinged with a sadness Orochimaru hadn't heard in years.

Because he had killed his former teacher himself, of course. Decades ago.

Orochimaru blinked, disoriented and perplexed. "…You? What is the meaning of this?"

"You're here because you've died, Orochimaru." Hiruzen spoke softly, his eyes filled with a melancholy wisdom. "So quickly you didn't even grasp it."

"No."

Orochimaru glanced around and something crashed down on him. He was in the one place he'd never thought he'd see — the Pure Lands.

The one place he had thought himself too cunning, too powerful to ever reach.

A chill seized him, one more profound than any jutsu could produce. And it had nothing to do with the very real Sarutobi Hiruzen standing in front of him.

"No." Orochimaru breathed out.

All of his plans. Gone in the blink of an eye. Was this an illusion — it wasn't.

"No." Orochimaru repeated, now more to himself than anyone else, ignoring his mounting terror. "Not this. Anything but this. Not this. Not the Pure Lands."

Hiruzen wore a smile that managed to be flat and rueful at the same time. "Ah, but you misunderstand. You're not destined for the Pure Lands. You see, I merely wanted to see you, perhaps for the last time."

Orochimaru's eyes widened, his terror reaching a peak.

"No, Orochimaru." Hiruzen continued. "Your path leads straight to Naraka."

…

"Please fix his body, Gama." Sasuke said.

Konohamaru stared at the fallen form of the man who had usurped control of the world so long ago. No thought came to him.

Gama grumbled. "Why me?"

"It's good practice with the Rinnegan."

With a grunt, Gama set himself to the task.

"We have people at home who will take care of his memories, see if there's anything interesting of value in there." Toru said.

Sasuke nodded. "Let us take care of sorting out the mess that is likely to follow, the power vacuum…"

Naruto was saying something too, something about rings in the sky and setting world regimes, but by this point, Konohamaru was pretty sure he was dreaming anyway. Someone handed him a flask, and he decided that he needed a drink, too.

---

"Alright, let's go back home, we were in the middle of something — Ah, never mind. I think we got another distress signal. I guess home can wait a bit."

---

BRIGHT OPEN SKIES

"Are you idiots drunk…?" Akemi asked the three drunk idiots, eyeing their slightly too open shirts, when they appeared in front of the home she shared with Toru.

That looked like a dangerous situation arising — for the world. Knowing the three, bad decisions could easily be reached.

Naruto stared back. "Somewhat." He admitted. "It's been a long night. But we can sober up. Again."

"Easy as that." Toru grinned. "Secret technique."

"…I know all about it, Toru." Akemi said.

"There are things we must do." Sasuke said, nodding to himself. He looked determined. And a bit wobbly, too.

Akemi raised an eyebrow. "…It's the middle of the night." And the artificial moon was high up in the sky. Why was Sasuke staring at her potted plants so intensely…?

"The best time to get started with work." Naruto nodded.

"Or to push it back for another day." Toru added helpfully.

"Ugh." Akemi grimaced. "You reek of cheap booze."

"It was of good quality, though." Toru said. "I wouldn't know about cheap, since I bartered it to a brewer for a comfy chair I made."

"Finally." Naruto smiled. "A true offer and demand economy. You're all welcome, by the way."

"Save it. And if I had known these guys from the last world would offer us drinks, I wouldn't have bothered anyway."

Sasuke's eyes lit up. "…I'm going to grow plants." He decided. "The best this world has ever seen. And I'm never going to let Naruto even look at them."

"You're drunk, Sasuke." Naruto said. "Go to bed."

"You guys hungry?" Toru asked, looking around the kitchen. "We can fix ourselves something to eat."

"…Who's we?" Akemi asked slowly. "If you think I'm cooking anything—"

"Nah, I meant us." Toru shrugged. "Well, Naruto."

"I'm a good cook." Naruto nodded.

"It's usually edible." Sasuke admitted. "But we didn't come here to eat."

There was something in his eyes that reminded Akemi of Sasuke's little brother, Sasuke. And the way his eyes lit up with one singular thought, at times. She had made the mistake of asking him what he was thinking about only once.

'Vengeance.'

But Sasuke wasn't Sasuke.

"Actually…" Akemi said. "Why did you come here? Are you two in the doghouse?"

"No." Sasuke said. "What for?"

"Nah." Naruto said. "Never been."

"They are." Toru stated.

"Hinata never said anything quite like it." Sasuke denied. "She just gave me the disappointed eyes — which might be worse."

"Ino is angry at me, and I get it." Naruto said. "But… if Ino's the only one mad at me, I'm just one-fifth of the way in. The doghouse, that is."

"…You really looked more impressive from afar." Akemi said, and then glanced at Toru. "If you ever begin thinking that this guy's onto something with his weird love life, please reconsider."

"It's okay." Toru said, nodding wisely. "I never took his shit seriously anyway."

"Thank you." Naruto said, smiling. "In any case… We're here to fetch you-know-who. Then we'll go to Shade's Realm."

"…Are you going now?" Akemi asked.

"Of course." Naruto said, more seriously. "For every day we… well. Waste is not the best way to call it, but… Yeah, that. For each of these days, we'll have to make sure to double our efforts to compensate. Or more than that."

Akemi stared back at him.

"…So you decided to come back here, the three of you… to pick up the creature which, according to Toru, isn't a threat at all? The monster that chose to settle here tonight?"

There was silence.

"Exactly." Toru confirmed with a nod. "Yūgao!" He then dashed off in pursuit of the Jūbi.

"…You know, I'm starting to understand the doomsayers." Akemi said.

"They didn't need Naruto to mess up to start with their shit." Sasuke stated.

"Thank you, Sasuke." Naruto said, in amused gratitude.

Sasuke decided he didn't like the feeling. "…But of course, the fact that he keeps putting everyone in worse situations is not helping matters."

"Thank you, Sasuke." Naruto said, more dryly.

Akemi let out a long sigh. "In any case, why did the Jūbi—"

"Yūgao." Sasuke admonished.

"…Why did Yūgao come here tonight?" Akemi asked.

Sasuke looked disgruntled. Naruto simply shrugged. "My wives were likely celebrating Sakura's return."

"What of it?" Akemi asked. "Aren't they sleeping, by now?"

From upstairs, Toru just grumbled his answer. "Take a guess. Their house is a no go zone, right now."

"…Oh."

Naruto nodded sagely. "I'll join them later, of course — once we get this training out of the way."

If anything, Sasuke looked even more disgruntled. "What are we, your warmup for… later?" He had seen too many strange worlds by then.

Naruto frowned. "Please don't make it weird, Sasuke."

"I did?"

"Yes." Naruto decided. "You did. Besides, I'm sure I'm not the only one missing, right now."

"Ino." Sasuke just said, by way of explanation.

"Exactly." Naruto nodded. "I think she might be rather cross with them, too. Somehow."

"I don't remember asking." Sasuke said. "Are we going?"

And then there were loud footsteps, heading their way. Toru came down the stairs, followed by the massive pale panther. The feeling of doom intensified.

"Sorry, guys." Toru said. "I didn't find Yūgao's battle outfit."

Both Sasuke and Naruto groaned. "There's no point to it." Naruto said.

"You're absolutely right, of course, my Lord — I will make her a new cape." Toru declared.

"Whatever." Sasuke said, rolling his eyes. "Let's go."

"Last drink for the road?" Toru offered. "It might be a little while."

"Toru, for fuck's sake—" Akemi began.

"No more than a day or two." Naruto stated. "And sure, I suppose. Bring it."

"Make it three days." Sasuke decided.

Naruto frowned. "…You just love disagreeing with me, don't you?"

"Those are the last embers of rebellion, and our spirits are dying on the pyre." Toru said. "My Lord."

"Okay, stop — Let's go." Naruto said. "I want to be home before the sun rises."

---

Uzumaki Household

Sakura lit her pipe.

The room was painted in soft glows, and morning would rise in a few hours. The gentle aroma of incense mingled with the salty perfume of sweat. Strewn clothes lay haphazardly about the floor.

She lay amidst tangled sheets, her chest still heaving slightly from the exertion.

A gentle smile tugged at her lips as a puff of smoke curled up towards the ceiling. It was her favorite pipe, and its craftsmanship was exquisite.

Hanabi had made and gifted it to her a while ago, so that was no surprise, of course. Ego issues aside, she was admittedly amazing at a few things — or a great many, according to herself.

The smoke danced around her, as breathable as air, and it left only a pleasant smell behind itself.

There was a soft shuffle behind her, and Sakura felt a gentle hand touch her shoulder. She didn't have to turn to see Karin, her crimson hair cascading around her like a waterfall, eyes glowing with warmth.

"You seem deep in thought." Karin said, and her voice was as soft as the silk sheets they lay upon.

"Not really." Sakura smiled. "Just enjoying a little breather." She took another drag from the pipe, letting the aromatic smoke fill her lungs before exhaling.

Karin nestled closer, tracing patterns on Sakura's arm. "And how's it? Nice?"

Sakura chuckled lightly. "The pipe is." She replied teasingly, nudging Karin with her elbow. Then she cleared her throat, and spoke in a perfect imitation of an old man — Sarutobi Hiruzen, to be precise. "Indeed… Your wife's craftsmanship has a way of making one reflective."

Karin laughed, her eyes darting to the beautiful pipe. "Hanabi puts a lot of love into her work."

The woman in question called from the other room. "And Hanabi will be back from her bath soon."

"Of course." Karin grinned.

Sakura offered the pipe to her, and she took a careful drag. "Not bad." Karin began, exhaling slowly. "Not really my thing, though."

Sakura shrugged. "Doesn't have to be."

Karin nestled her head into the crook of Sakura's shoulder. "Mmmh."

Sakura sighed contentedly, taking the pipe back and inhaling deeply.

The soft crackle of the pipe was interrupted by a sudden rush of wind.

The room's curtains billowed dramatically as the window swung open.

A distinct silhouette sat, framed by the moonlight. Naruto's clothes clung to his sweat-laden form. His hair seemed even wilder, as though he had run through a storm.

Sakura chuckled. "You really can't help yourself, huh?"

"Do you mean the dramatics?" Naruto asked.

"What else?" Sakura asked, and he grinned. "It's like every entrance is a performance with you."

"I practice them, actually." Naruto nodded. "You'd be surprised about the amount of times it comes in handy." Toru was right about that much.

Karin smirked. "Appearing like a very bold thief in the night? What's the occasion?"

"Training. With the boys." He replied, brushing a strand of sweaty hair from his face. "Did I interrupt anything here?"

Karin chuckled. "Nah. Just a quiet evening." She teased.

"Glad to hear it." He smiled. "I wouldn't want to intrude, of course."

"You have a talent for it, though." Sakura said.

Hanabi's voice came from the bathroom. "So, we're not going for the 'uppity clan girls and the jumped-up civilian' roleplay after all?"

"I'm sorry." Sakura said, insincerely. "I know how much you've been waiting for it."

"It's okay."

And then, in a flash, Hanabi, who had decided she was done with her bath, was here once more, lying with the two other women.

She cast a glance in Naruto's direction. "Well, since you're already here, might as well make the most of it."

"Sure."

"Once you take a shower." Sakura decided.

---

Ino slept at her mother's place, and fell asleep at a decent time.

---

Yoisen, who slept equally fitfully in a bed she had made larger, just in case, wondered why she had a nightmare of Ino, that night. No, perhaps she knew.

---

Toru and Sasuke ended up sleeping on Akemi's couch. A bad habit of theirs.

---

The morning after

Yamanaka Noriko glared at Naruto.

"Look, if you'd rather not have me here, I can go." He said.

Mebuki shook her head. "Nonsense." She said. "We invited all of you for breakfast, and that means all of you."

Kizashi continued. "…Regardless of what — ah." He hesitated. "Regardless of Noriko being angry at you — I'm sure you're justified, Noriko." He added, throwing his hands up in the air.

Ino gave Naruto an almost sorry glance. Naruto shrugged.

"I'm sure she has a good reason for it." He simply said. "Karin, could you pass me the salt?"

"Of course."

"Is the food not… good enough for you?" Noriko asked.

"The food's very good — You are a great cook, Kizashi." Naruto said.

"Oh?" Noriko asked tightly, leaning forward. "Do you just always need more, perhaps?"

Ino groaned. "Mom."

"What?" She asked defensively. "Is it my fault some people are never satisfied, in spite of having everything in the world?"

"Nope." Naruto said.

"Don't start." Noriko grunted. "I wasn't talking to you."

Yūshirō gurgled a vague thing that sounded like nope as well.

Noriko laughed in delight. "Not to you either, my dear — But you're adorable, as always, unfortunate parentage aside."

"Thank you." Yugito nodded soberly.

"I meant him, my dear." Noriko corrected, gently.

"I know, that was me agreeing."

"Oh!" Noriko smiled. "How such a man could trick five wonderful women like you all are into…"

"Marriage?" Naruto supplied. Yugito kicked him under the table.

"Yes. It remains a mystery." Noriko finished.

"Not really." Naruto said. "You see, it all started when I decided to rule over the world—"

"Konoha, dear." Hanabi supplied. "You wanted to rule over Konoha."

"I didn't."

Hanabi frowned. "Do you have the most incredible eyes in the universe, or do I?"

"That's you."

"Exactly. However… deep purple is a good fit for you, I'll admit."

Naruto nodded gracefully, gratefully. "Thank you. As I was saying, I wanted to rule over Konoha."

"Even I could tell, back then." Sakura said. "Also, please stop flirting at my parents' table, it's disgusting."

"You were not complaining, yesterday." Karin pointed out.

"Karin, please." Mebuki tried, from the other room — she had gone to bring in more food.

"What?" Karin frowned. "I meant it platonically."

"What's platonically?" Kizashi asked.

"It's like when I say I love your cooking, but I wouldn't marry it." His wife answered.

"Wow, rude." Sakura shook her head. "His cooking is perfectly serviceable. I would take it over military rations any day."

"…Thank you, Sakura, glad someone appreciates it, at least." Kizashi said, sighing. Military rations, really…? "What's platonically, then? Traitors like the woman who did marry my cooking need not answer."

"Platonically is like Ino's karaoke nights." Sakura answered. "I support them, but only from a distance."

Ino hissed. "…Platonically is like Sakura's obsession with cheesy romances — I accept it exists, but I want no part in it."

"You're losing the thread." Karin supplied helpfully. "Could you pass me the shirataki noodles, Kizashi?"

"These are glass noodles." Hanabi corrected. "They are just cooked differently."

"…Oh, my bad, then." Karin chuckled awkwardly. Kizashi deflated.

"Don't feel bad, Father-in-law." Hanabi tried to cheer him up. "I only know because I am naturally very observant."

"Of course, of course… Thank you, Hanabi." The man said, looking disappointed… in himself.

"It's okay, Kizashi." Ino said, patting his back.

"Have you nothing to say today… Naruto?" Noriko asked.

"Not really." He admitted. "I don't feel that chatty in the mornings."

"Oh, that's surprising, because I was just thinking that—"

"Mom, please." Ino groaned.

"Defending him, now…?" Noriko frowned.

"…Well, I am married to him—"

"Indeed." Naruto nodded.

"—Which means I brought this upon myself." Ino concluded. "Don't bully my husband, even though he deserves it."

Naruto frowned. "What a ringing endorsement."

Ino ignored him.

Mebuki came in, carrying more food. "Who wants some nattō?"

No one answered.

Mebuki frowned. "…Really? I thought it was only your teammate." She said to Sakura, and she meant Toru.

"No one really likes nattō, mom." Sakura explained patiently.

"That's just not true." Mebuki scowled. "Take your cousins, for one—"

"They're just pretending. Like most."

"Well, I like it." Mebuki said resolutely.

"I don't see you eating it."

"…Perhaps not, but I thought someone would."

"Who's this mysterious person?" Sakura asked.

Mebuki hesitated. "Well, Sasuke ate it."

"I'm sure he did."

"Naruto would eat it — he eats anything." Mebuki said.

"Yes, he's a real trashcan." Sakura nodded gently.

Naruto sighed. "…Give me the nattō, then."

"See?" Mebuki smiled.

---

The café was bathed in warm, golden hues as the sun filtered through the windows.

The worn wooden tables, vintage chairs, and faded photographs made for a comfortable environment, and so did the hum of conversation, the aroma of freshly brewed coffee in the air.

Seated at a corner table, Yoisen wondered if she looked out of place here, with this sort of modern dress. The other patrons seemed so engrossed in their conversations or their meals that they barely noticed her, so perhaps she was just overthinking it.

She sipped her coffee, its frothy top leaving a mark on her upper lip. Her focus wasn't on her drink. It was on the world outside the window.

Kids on bicycles whizzed past, their laughter echoing through the air. Couples strolled hand in hand, lost in shared moments and whispered words. A street musician, his guitar slung around his neck, played an upbeat tune, the melody drifting into the café.

Golden hour was a fitting name, she thought.

Her eyes caught a simple scene. A little girl, her hair a cascade of curls, was chasing a butterfly.

Butterflies. Their appearance usually brought terrible thoughts with them, to Yoisen.

Not today. Today she easily dismissed them as what they were: fears.

The girl's laughter bubbled up as she tried to catch the flitting insect, twirling around in circles. The simple purity of the moment made Yoisen's heart ache with nostalgia.

She leaned back into her chair, the memories of her own childhood washing over her.

The golden light outside the window seemed to blend with memories of old, cherished moments. As she watched the little girl continue her joyous chase, Yoisen smiled to herself.

---

"You forgot to buy the sweets — They're coming soon." Toru said, shaking his head. "How could you possibly forget to buy the sweets?"

Sasuke only shrugged. "It's not exactly buying if we don't pay the people for it, more like trading."

"That's not my point!"

"What is, then?" Sasuke smiled. "Sugar is very much unneeded — especially for these two."

"Who am I talking to?" Toru snapped. "A version of Itachi who doesn't have a bad sweet tooth?"

"Obviously not." Sasuke said. "I'm just his brother — don't hate the messenger."

"I don't hate the messenger, cousin." Toru said, rubbing his temples. "I just wish he'd remember important things once in a while."

Sasuke leaned against the wall, crossing his arms. "Why didn't you get them if they were so important?"

"Because." Toru retorted, pointing a finger at him. "You were the one who insisted you'd handle it. You said you had a 'special' place in mind. And unless 'special' means going full keto—"

Sasuke smiled. "Well, I did have one. But they were out of dango."

"Dango? Really? That's what you were planning for our family?"

"Itachi loves it — he would survive on it." Sasuke replied with a nonchalant shrug. "I figured it would be good enough for all of us."

Toru's eyes narrowed. "It never was—"

"You will thank me for it soon enough." Sasuke said.

"Will you two fucking stop?" Akemi cut in. "They'll be here anytime, now."

"We know."

The doorbell rang.

"…Ah." Akemi said. "Good morning, Mikoto. Hello Shisui, Itachi…" The slightest of stumbles. "…Naruto, Sasuke."

"HELLO AUNTIE! UNCLE! BRO!"

---

Gama was thrown over Roku's shoulder.

He slammed into the floor violently, and his traitorous breath left him entirely. If there was anything more unpleasant than tasting dirt in the morning, Gama was having a lot of trouble remembering what it was, at least.

"Again." Roku ordered.

"…Give me a second, old man." Gama wheezed.

Roku snorted. "Is this a joke…? Do you think an enemy will give you a chance to breathe?"

"They tend to — I just get them to monologue a bit." Gama rasped out.

There was some trace of amusement in Roku's lone eye — it was quickly hidden away, though. In answer, he threw a blade of wind at Gama.

The younger man yelped and threw himself backward, narrowly escaping the sharp lance tearing into his ass. "That was another cheap shot!"

"Oh, I am very sorry." Roku said, insincerely. "Let me play this one by the book, then."

Roku lunged, his movement a blur, striking with a series of palm thrusts. Gama barely managed to dodge the first two. He took the third square in the chest, staggering back.

"See?" Roku asked. "You're still dead."

Rubbing his sore chest, Gama smirked. "…Fair. Let's change it up then." Without waiting, he channeled his energy and summoned a swirl of dust around him, obscuring Roku's view.

Roku grunted in slight annoyance, focusing his senses beyond just sight — he did not have Gama's sharp chakra senses, however. He felt the shift in the wind, the change in the air pressure, and listened intently. A rustle from the left, a faint footstep from the right, and then—

A strong gust of wind swept the dust away, revealing an airborne Gama, trying to land a flying punch. But Roku was ready. With a swift motion, he deflected Gama's wrist, causing the younger man to crash into his knee headfirst.

And in a puff of smoke, Gama became a toad.

Huh.

The real one emerged from the toad's suddenly wide open mouth, carrying a wind-enhanced Rasengan—

Roku's shin slammed into his face and that was it for the offensive.

Gama groaned, emerging from a wrecked tree with a sheepish grin. "Well, that didn't go as planned."

"No, but it was a decent attempt." He extended his hand, helping Gama up. The younger man looked surprised. "If you wanted to die, that is. You're so slow."

Gama took a deep breath… before nodding in agreement. "…Another round, I guess?"

Roku grinned, his lone eye gleaming with cruel anticipation. "Of course."

Nearby, Jiraiya watched over the sparring rounds with a wistful smile. In spite of his boisterous exterior, the cut of his jib… he was acutely aware of his shortcomings as a father.

He often fixated (or rather, was convinced) upon the fact that Gama deserved someone more present, more grounded. Seeing scenes like this reminded him of it. Still, as he watched, he was hopeful.

Gama was still growing, and perhaps he hadn't messed up entirely, either.

---

Hebi's room was dim, lit only by the soft glow of a solitary lamp.

The way she preferred.

Papers cluttered the long wooden table, each filled with meticulously scribbled notes and detailed diagrams. Traditional paper, not this only half-physical, half-digital construct that many seemed to prefer. She would digitalise them later on, instead.

Tall bookshelves lined the walls, each row overflowing with both ancient texts, modern treatises, and all manner of scientific journals. Amidst this organized chaos she sat, her raven-black hair pulled into a messy bun, her face as pale as always. Eyes, equally dark.

She held a pen in one hand, its tip hovering over a notebook as if waiting for logical thinking to come to her.

There were so many things to do, so many possibilities… and she didn't feel like relying on clones only.

…Or perhaps it just gave her something to do.

With no enemies left to vanquish, and surrounded by such brilliant minds that she often felt merely average, her sense of purpose waned. Her mother's inherited propensity for scattered thoughts didn't help, and with the completion of Earth's evacuation, the urgency that once drove her had largely evaporated.

A heavy sigh escaped her lips as she leaned back in her chair, rubbing her temples.

Well, she was supposed to meet Izuna later, anyway. A sparring session would give her some respite, at the very least.

---

Namikaze Minato found himself a quaint corner to call his own, aboard the Celestial Ring.

It was a small coffee shop, in which he could spend hours working on his latest ideas or projects.

This was not the locale of his sporadic coffee meetings with the Uzumaki woman (née Hyūga), who affectionately referred to herself as his daughter-in-law. The particular shop where those encounters took place was managed by Uchiha Toru's girlfriend.

It wasn't that he found the place disagreeable; quite the contrary. Nor was it because he was gradually, inexplicably beginning to regard Hanabi as a daughter-in-law. The reason lay elsewhere. A few patrons were beginning to recognize him as a regular, sparking curiosity and questions. Normally, such inquiries would not bother him, but they diverted his attention from his work.

In a place he used for contemplation and creation, distractions were the very last thing he desired: Minato unfortunately worked better with some background noise, both visual and auditory; the presence of people.

And that was a very different thing from actual conversation.

Just because his own Konoha was in good hands didn't mean he could slack off.

There was still stable world peace to bring about in his home world — preferably in a way that did not rely on the Emperor coming there and declaring it was the way it was going to be.

(He had offered, of course.)

And deciding which ones, of all these outlandish technologies that seemed to be born overnight, he wanted to bring back.

Unlike his alternate son, Namikaze Minato did not particularly want to be seen as the herald of the apocalypse, a half-man, half-god being with the power to create or end life with a wave of his hand.

…He was already getting there on his own, though.

At a table nearby, a white-haired woman he was nearly certain he had seen before in some of the Council meetings waved hello at him.

Minato waved back, casually, and she smiled, before returning to staring out of the window.

That was the way he liked it, Minato thought, as he went back to work.

---

"Exercising, really…?" Noriko asked, skepticism evident in her gaze.

"Well, how else are you supposed to digest such a heavy breakfast?" Naruto asked in answer.

"Waiting it out, perhaps?"

Naruto shook his head. "That is ridiculous. We're going out to exercise, Noriko. Put on some shinobi gear—… workout clothes."

---

In a chamber that seemed untouched by time, under the black expanse of the sky, Orochimaru and Kaguya found themselves in conversation.

"The mere concept of future is intriguing, isn't it?" He asked. "Mortals are bound by it."

Kaguya towered with an ethereal beauty, even while she was sitting, her white hair flowing like a river of moonlight.

She tilted her head, her pale eyes reflecting galaxies unknown. "It is but a stream of possibilities, diverging and converging. But even beings like us cannot fully escape its pull. That is what you meant, wasn't it?"

Orochimaru's grin was all mischief. "You always did have a poetic touch. I see the future more pragmatically — a blank page, a story I intend to mold to my whims and desires."

A soft sigh escaped Kaguya's lips. "But no matter how you shape it, the future will always remain unpredictable. Even for you."

"The unknown makes the game all the more thrilling." Orochimaru countered. But tell me, Kaguya, what do you see in this vast expanse?"

Her eyes went distant for a moment. "A world in flux. Powers rising and waning, each in its time.

Kaguya paused, her gaze distant. "I see a world changing, evolving. New powers emerging, old ones fading. It is a cycle. We all play our parts. We have roles to play in this eternal cycle. Ultimately, that's all we can do."

Orochimaru leaned in, intrigued. "Then maybe it's time we rewrote the rules."

A challenge sparked in Kaguya's eyes as they met his. "Truly?"

Before he could reply, a voice cut through, laced with exasperation — Anko decided she had enough.

"Honestly, you two…" She muttered.

Orochimaru turned, an eyebrow arched playfully. "Something bothering you?"

"I'm tired of your shit. The cosmic debates." Anko said. "Keep an eye on her. I could use a break from the metaphysical banter."

With a shake of her head, she pushed little Yui in Kaguya's arms. She then left to find herself something to drink - non-alcoholic.

Something shifted in Kaguya's gaze as she cradled the child—something not soft, perhaps, but decidedly less hard.

As Anko retreated, Kaguya looked from the baby to Orochimaru, who shrugged. "…Why?"

"You have been a parent. I haven't." He said. "…And I do not care for babies much, admittedly. The feeling is likely mutual."

"Yet this one doesn't seem bothered by you."

"Both Anko and Naruto have always been strange — it stands to reason that their children would be, as well. Throwing in questionable parentage likely did nothing to help."

---

"That is quite a strange plank stance, Noriko." Naruto said, in level tones. "Where did you learn it?"

They were all doing planks, with no exceptions. Except for Yūshirō, who was mostly rolling around, harmlessly — except when he tried to bite Sakura's only supporting wrist. Then again, his little teeth (fangs) usually slammed around nothing. Which he seemed to take as a challenge.

Noriko glared at Naruto, defiantly. "Inoichi taught me."

Any hint of sympathy Naruto might've shown, were it not an obvious attempt at guilt-tripping him, was absent. "Then Inoichi was lenient. Engage your core more."

"I'd like to see you do the same, without your fancy chakra tricks." She hissed.

Karin shrugged, and it was somewhat hard to do while planking. "We're not using chakra at all."

"I don't care — your bodies are stronger by default."

"That's why we're weighed down, to compensate for it." Sakura pointed out.

"…Whatever." Noriko grumbled. "It's harder for us non-shinobi. Right, Kizashi?"

Haruno Kizashi, who definitely had been a shinobi, stayed silent. He did tighten his core a little bit, however — his daughter laughed.

"This is just torture!" Noriko complained.

"No, this is core training." Naruto said evenly — but he could not fully hide the glee in his tone. "And for the record, this is just a warmup."

Noriko groaned audibly, causing Ino, not too far off, to shake her head in exasperation. Pairing them up — or letting Naruto lead, perhaps — had obviously been a mistake.

"Great, we're done…" Naruto announced.

Noriko smiled.

"With that one." He finished. "Time for some hill sprints — they're great fun."

…

That was the sort of scene that Toru stumbled upon, once he escaped—… went for some fresh air.

"…Training some more?" Toru asked. "What the fuck is wrong with you guys? Shouldn't you get real hobbies at some point?"

Still, he drew closer.

"Aren't you supposed to be hosting the demons today?" Hanabi asked.

"…I'll get back to it soon enough." Toru said. "Now, what's all this?"

"We're just making sure everyone stays fit." Naruto said.

Noriko, who was lying in a puddle of sweat nearby, just glared at him. "You're paying me back." She bit out.

Naruto pretended to frown. "Now, now… what would I even have to pay you back for?"

No answer came.

"Well, in any case, let's continue." Naruto said cheerfully.

"If you don't mind, I'll start too." Toru stated. "I've had the longest morning."

"Sure." Naruto shrugged.

Then he paused.

"…Actually, don't." Naruto said.

Toru lifted an eyebrow, ignoring him as he warmed up. "…Because I'm already too good at everything?"

"No, because you're going to figure out what your bonded ability actually does before we do anything else."

Toru groaned. "For real…? This shit, again?"

"Yes."

"I'm not doing it right now."

…

Toru was doing it right now.

And nothing was working.

"What the fuck." Toru groaned as he let himself fall back. "How did we even manage to find out about the others…?"

"I believe 'we' actually tried." Sakura said, dryly.

Toru ignored her biting comment, the way he ignored anything that held no interest to him. "How did you actually do it?"

Sakura shrugged, and continued with her light set of weighted one-handed pull-ups. Next to her, Noriko continued to moan in pain, spurred on by Ino — she was doing regular, assisted pull-ups.

"Not much of a story there. I was thirteen — or fourteen, maybe…? Anyway, I was tied to a creaky old chair in the middle of a basement — I was still a beginner at contract work, got myself caught up in something bigger than me, you see…"

"…Huh."

"Anyway the woman who captured me was all smug and proud, ready to end my life and all that. Very dramatic. There was a speech about regret through which I zoned out because I wanted to escape, and I was likely pissing myself, too.

"In the middle of her villainous monologue, I felt something. A tingling at the back of my neck, which I assumed to be because the ropes were too tight. And a desire to be anywhere but there."

Toru nodded. "It must have been terrible."

"Not all that great, but better than my Aunt's parties, likely."

"…Did you escape thanks to it, then?"

"Huh…?" Sakura stared. "No, I don't think so — my ability requires a second portal to be placed, and I definitely didn't do it beforehand."

"How, then?"

Sakura smiled, the memory replaying vividly. "No, my escape was a bit messier than just teleporting away. The tingling, I later realized, wasn't from the ropes." She got down from the tree, and made a fist. "It was adrenaline, the primal urge to fight. Or maybe it was just a sign from the universe."

Toru squinted.

"Luckily, my dear captor was fond of her knives. Probably too fond. During her long-winded speech, she waved one of those blades around, gesturing for emphasis or whatever." Sakura paused for dramatic effect, the corners of her lips curling up. "And at one point, she got a bit too close."

"Uh huh."

"So, I lunged forward, headbutting her — there was no dramatic conversion like Kage would have managed, but it was probably the best headbutt I ever managed back then."

"Nice… I guess."

"She didn't expect it from a pink-haired brat who looked very much like a civilian, I suppose. I startled her enough that she dropped the knife. Then I tipped my chair over, fell over her and slammed."

"…"

"With all my weight. And then again. I got the knife with my bound hand…"

"And then…?"

"The scene wasn't pretty. Let's just say, between my fear and newfound rage, she didn't stand a chance. I got myself free, and by the time I was done, the floor was a mess." She paused. "I definitely wasn't going to wait around for housekeeping."

Toru nodded, slowly inching away from her. "Thank you for the story."

Sakura shrugged, nonchalant. "Like I said, I was young. These days, I'm more into quick murders, clean exits. When that's needed, of course. Hence, the portals, Kamui…" She stared at the skies, thinking fondly about how naive she had been. "But it's always good to remember your roots."

Toru decided to ask someone else for help.

…

In retrospect, perhaps Hanabi hadn't been the best person to ask, either.

But neither Yugito, Karin nor Ino's answers had been all that helpful.

"Oh." Hanabi said amusedly. "I do recall how I found out, yes."

Toru paused. "…How did you find out?"

A mischievous sparkle gleamed in Hanabi's eyes, one that had Toru instantly questioning the wisdom of his inquiry.

But there was no turning back now; curiosity, as it all too often did, had him firmly tangled in its web.

"Why, it's quite simple, really." Hanabi began, her voice a melody of feigned innocence. "I merely observed, deduced, and put two and two together."

"…What are you even saying…?"

"It all started when I wanted to see myself ride—"

Toru raised a hand. "Okay, you can stop here."

…

Karin folded her arms in thought.

"Well, we mostly experimented a lot." She said. Ino, next to her, nodded.

"I know as much." Toru stated. "I helped, once."

"Was this the last time you did?" Sakura asked, amusedly.

She got a few wry looks in answer and just grunted back.

"Well, for starters, we observed carefully and paid attention to the signs." Ino said.

"What signs?" Toru asked.

"Uh…" Ino trailed off. "It's hard to remember, frankly — I don't know how to explain it."

Naruto, leaning against the tree, chimed in with a thoughtful expression. "It's not just about looking, Toru—" He glanced at his mother-in-law (the problematic one). "…You're slacking off, Noriko. Get back to it."

She said something pretty rude in answer, which he barely registered — at least she was being honest about her feelings.

Hanabi smiled at Toru. "And perhaps a little imagination wouldn't hurt. Think outside the box. Or in your case, try to think at all."

Toru shot her a glare. "Me…? Who's the one who draws comics using my framework—"

"It's called a tribute."

"I just call it plagiarizing."

Ino, sensing the incoming spat, intervened. "Enough. Focus on the task at hand."

Yūshirō rolled on the grass sideways, passing in between them. Yugito trailed him dutifully. Toru stared at them.

Ino continued. "…Well, if focusing on Naruto isn't working… Let's try it differently — Think back to a moment when you felt your power at its peak. What were you feeling? What was happening around you?"

Toru closed his eyes, trying to summon the memory. After a moment, he said. "Anger, mostly. A sense of desperation."

Ino shrugged. "We can explore that."

They spent the next hour delving into Toru's past experiences, his emotions, even his dreams.

"…Do I, like… Need to look within and embrace my true self? …And only then will my power reveal itself?"

"Not really." Karin said.

Toru sighed in relief. "Good. Therapy is tiring enough as is."

…

"I think I got something." Toru said at last. "I think I need a channel, though. Who wants to be my guinea pig?"

No one did.

"Come on, really? What happened to Umi spirit?"

…

"Swallow." Hanabi offered.

Toru's expression shifted from confusion to stiff surprise. "I beg your pardon?"

"No need to beg — Why don't you try your swallows, or your sparrows… is what I meant?" Hanabi suggested with an air of feigned innocence, as though she hadn't done it on purpose. "Your personal summons are naturally attuned to your chakra, it should be less risky."

Still…

Toru blinked. After all, it had been an eternity since he had even thought about using swallows (or sparrows, as they were one big unified clan). Why bother when his clones could handle tasks with the grace of a thousand doves?

"…Right, I can do that."

…

Long before Toru became entangled in more… cosmic twists of existence, in the whimsical realm of summoning jutsu, there lived a proud, and somewhat irritable, swallow summon named Tsubakagane.

Tsubakagane's ancestors, of course, were renowned throughout the avian world for their impeccable sense of direction.

They were the ones other birds would consult for navigating tricky crosswinds, avoiding the dreaded flocks of territorial geese, and locating the best worm buffet around.

But within Tsubakagane's lineage, there was a legend that soared even higher — their bloodline had birthed the most refined and distinguished "Navigational Connoisseurs," as they liked to call themselves.

It made them incredible trackers.

It also made them prideful creatures.

And so, Toru's reliance upon his own clones, upon other means, including having Naruto send the Kage to do his important biddings (never anything like finding the best pastries in town, Sasuke usually did just fine in a pinch) wounded the Navigational Connoisseurs' pride.

Tsubakagane, their grand leader, wore his displeasure like a cloak of thorns.

Toru knew him well enough, and that meant he summoned the birds even less, of course.

Standing atop a windswept rock (taller than Toru, which was important), feathers ruffled, Tsubakagane scowled at his second-to-last summoner.

(The latter, of course, being Uchiha Sasuke the Second — the young one, who a person or two had taken to call Madara.)

Tsubakagane's voice carried the weight of centuries, imbued with a natural command and veiled arrogance.

It wasn't that impressive, considering Toru frequently scratched a being older than him (or two) behind the ears. Although Matatabi never would admit it publicly, of course.

"Uchiha Toru." The summon greeted.

"…Lord Tsubakagane." Toru greeted back, his eyes flicking upwards to meet those of the majestic bird, acknowledging the formality of the introduction.

Tsubakagane spread his wings, their span grand, reflecting the lineage of his kind.

"A young Uchiha with so much potential, yet so little appreciation for the artistry of our noble vocation. My ancestors guided warriors through storms and mazes, through dangers unseen. Now? You summon us for trivialities — when you summon us at all — and treat our sacred abilities like mere tools. The skies weep, and the winds rage, for the honor that was once ours seems forgotten. And you, summoner, stand there, amidst this indignity, reducing our legend to a mere convenience. Years… Years! How the stars of our destiny have dimmed!" His eyes narrowed, feathers still ruffled. "Tell me, what is it that you truly seek, if not the wisdom and guidance of the Navigational Connoisseurs? Or have you simply summoned me to add to your collection of wounds upon our pride?"

Tsubakagane, on top of his pride… had an unfortunate tendency to be very long-winded.

Toru sighed, and prepared to explain himself. "…More or less. I have something I need to try out and wished to speak to you first, of course."

Tsubakagane bristled, and his eyes turned to narrow slits. "Is that all you have to say…?"

"Uh…"

"No deeper explanation as to why we were displaced from our ancestral home into this… this…" The bird's voice faltered as he motioned to the general distance, his beak unable to capture the full scope of his discontent.

Toru sighed again. Young Sasuke had likely done his best to explain all about the Celestial Ring when he had gone to warn the summoning clans, of course, but…

Toru prepared himself for another long explanation.

…

It took much longer than Toru thought it had the first time, perhaps because there was no more urgency to convince them they had to leave Earth.

Like most negotiations, it ended up with both parties tired, and feeling vaguely unsatisfied.

Toru was able to summon a more friendly swallow, and he set out to understand how this bonded ability worked.

…

"Are you fucking kidding me?!" Toru screamed at the heavens. "Shared vision…? Shared fucking vision?! Like her?! That's it?! Shared—"

They had figured it out.

"Why are you so mad?" Naruto asked.

"Because we have three million other ways of sharing vision!" Toru growled, pulling at his hair. "…Great, I can share my vision with my summons or anything I touch — just like Hanabi can… but worse!"

Hanabi smiled easily. "Who could have seen it coming…?"

"Fuck you!" Toru grunted. "This and an integrated GPS…? That's it?! Refund me, Naruto—"

"…Are you complaining?" Yugito asked pointedly. "You're not the only one whose ability is redundant, now. Sure, it's a bit late to discover it, but…"

Toru paused, and for one singular moment, she thought she had reached him.

"…Oh, gods." Toru muttered, as he began pacing. "So these frequent nightmares weren't nightmares, then…?"

Hanabi frowned. "What do you mean, exactly?"

Toru shivered. "Oh gods — Don't even look at me, you deviant — I've seen what kinds of terrible things you people are up to — Oh, gods!"

He looked a bit green in the face. Naruto tilted his head.

"Don't look at me either!" Toru muttered. "I've seen — Ugh."

Hanabi chuckled.

"I need a shower." Toru declared. "…and you guys as well."

…

Toru actually meant it, then.

He plunged into the lake, something he hated — and quite dramatically, too. Miraculously declaring himself cleansed and swearing to master his ability so that it would never happen again — the visions, that was.

"By the way…" He began, summoning clothing to himself again.

"It's all true." Naruto confirmed, nodding compassionately. "I'm very sorry for you…"

"Not that." Toru growled.

"…That you're missing out on a healthy life." Naruto concluded.

"…Someday I'm going to usurp your throne, we'll see who's laughing, then."

"Have you seen the amount of work it takes to rule…?" Naruto asked. "You can have it today, if you want it."

"…"

"You had a question, didn't you?"

"Why did I have to go through all this shit while Yoisen didn't find her own yet?" He asked.

Naruto blinked. "…Huh? But we've known about her ability for a few months or so."

"…Really?" Toru asked dryly.

"Well, yes." Naruto shrugged. "It's more of a supporting ability, however."

"You didn't even tell me — while we were out there, facing gods?!"

"But I did." Naruto frowned. "What did you think the amplification field was, exactly…?"

Toru paused. "…I don't know man — I just thought this was some ancient ritual — How am I supposed to guess…?"

"No one was asking you to guess — just to keep your mind on the briefings."

"There are like three thousand of these."

"More if you want the throne — Hey, why're you running away, I thought you wanted it…?"

---

"A concert, really…?"

That's what Noriko asked, laying down in one of Ino's plush chairs — technically Naruto's, it wasn't the proper sort of purple that her daughter favored, but the more unsavory version that befit a tyrant.

The torturous training session that the hoodlum had called a light digestion workout was over, and she felt ready to die.

"A concert." The hoodlum in question nodded.

"Are you trying to apologize for what you did today… yesterday?" Noriko asked tiredly.

Uzumaki Naruto frowned. "…Not really, no." He said. "A few friends are coming. I figured you might want to come, too."

"Would you like me to come?" Noriko asked pointedly.

Naruto shrugged. "I don't mind."

To Noriko, that meant no.

(Whether that was true or not was uncertain.)

"Then I'm coming." She decided.

---

The very same evening

Ongaku Pavilion, the live room where the concert would take place, lay at the heart of Iwa, and its front doors faced the city's hanging gardens.

The group had split in two, and half of them were already there.

The other half passed the marble fountain, the flowering trees, and the intricate stone benches. There were well-dressed people walking around, milling about, and some carried instruments.

"There are many musicians here." Toru observed. "…I think it's going to be live music, then."

They were a pretty big group, admittedly, and dressed in something that wasn't mission gear, for once, too. The evening was warm and there was no reason for them to hurry.

It was Kage who spoke, an arm wrapped around his lovely wife. "The Land of Earth has a long tradition of live music. Iwa is no exception."

"…I see." Toru mumbled. "I never took the time to really dive into Iwa's lore, I'll admit."

"Ah." Uzumaki Hinata grimaced slightly. "There was a war between your countries, wasn't there?"

"There was." Hanabi answered.

"Did you fight…?" Hinata asked.

Hanabi gave her a thin smile. "Hardly. I was only on the frontlines for a few weeks, right before I was sentenced for treason."

"Same here." Toru piped up. "Fought for longer, though."

Uzumaki Hinata gave up this line of questioning. Uchiha Hinata laughed.

They passed a stone arch over a man-made river that, if you followed for long enough, now led to Fūkai Umi, the ocean at the world's navel.

"Throw a coin in it for good luck." Uchiha Naruto said to the youngest of his brothers.

The older Sasuke intervened. "Don't throw a coin in it, Sasuke — The same customs don't really hold in Iwa."

The young Uchiha Sasuke just scowled. "I don't have coins anymore. That m—… Itachi confiscated them."

"Typical." Toru shook his head. "Just because Naruto decided we didn't need them—"

"Now's not the time for your crusade." Hanabi said.

"Itachi took them because I tried to prove to Sasuke I could swallow one." Uchiha Naruto supplied helpfully.

Toru paused. "…And? Did you manage?"

Uchiha Naruto nodded. "Of course I did." Then he winced. "It's harder to get it out, though."

Toru nodded wisely. "A painful lesson, I'm sure."

And speaking of swallowing…

"…Are you munching on Lord Naruto's Monarch Morsels?" Toru asked Sasuke's younger alternate-self, slowly.

"Sovereign Squares." Hanabi corrected.

"…I think someone called them Tyrant Cubes, too." Yugito offered. Matatabi, perched upon her shoulder, seemed to agree with the sentiment.

Uchiha Sasuke, second of the name, nodded, as he continued to gorge himself on a fistful of little ones.

Uchiha Naruto answered for him. "The Emperor said it was important for us to reach our full potential." He said. "And Itachi — the mean one — likely has his own cubes, so we can't just not do it."

Toru sighed. "They don't do much."

Uchiha Naruto gave him a dubious glance. "But you're still eating them and you seem to have gotten much—"

"I eat them, yes." Toru said. "And I didn't notice any changes."

Both Uchiha brothers stared at him, then at his shoulders. They communicated silently, before letting the matter go.

They approached Ongaku Pavilion's large doors, where they met the others.

As they greeted Sakura, Ino, Karin and their family, Toru took a casual look at the live room.

Hewn from local rock, the walls absorbed sound with a unique warmth, amplifying each note to fill the cavernous space with resonant acoustics.

The drummer playing now was a true native, using boulder-shaped drums, whose beats seemed to echo the heartbeats of the very mountains that enclosed the village — the ones that had been taken with it, at least.

A man employed an instrument with strings carved from petrified wood, grounding each chord with progressions Toru was not particularly familiar with. In another corner, a woman who could only be a kunoichi, holding a tsugaru shamisen, released notes that hung in there, crystalline yet solid.

The vocalist used a microphone crafted from mineral-rich stone, and it was about the only thing here that could be considered relatively modern.

There was a second level, and a balcony jutted from it. Apparently, that was where the musicians about to go on stage could rehearse, in a soundproofed room.

There were stools and chairs around each and every table that filled the cavernous room, and most of the light came from candles. Toru was not the biggest fan of Iwa — it was pretty unfair of him, he could admit, but its shinobi were pretty high on his list of blacklisted people, somewhere far below Danzō —, but he could admit, grudgingly, that it was pretty nice.

"Why was Lord Tsubakagane so angry today?" Young Sasuke asked Toru. The other Sasuke snorted.

"What?" Toru asked neutrally. "Why should I know — or have anything to do with it at all, in fact?"

The young Sasuke glanced at him, decidedly unimpressed. "Who else would manage to make it so pissed at summoners? There are only five of us."

"Don't use this sort of language." Sasuke said.

"Itachi is not there." Uchiha Naruto supplied helpfully. "It's okay, we won't get in trouble."

"…That's not the problem." Sasuke retorted. "But yes, it's because of Toru. He rarely summons them, and they can be rather prickly."

His wife looked at him. "Unlike the eagles, of course." She said.

Sasuke paused, and thought of the birds he hadn't summoned much more than Toru himself, in recent times. "…Of course."

She smiled, demurely.

Her point was made. Sasuke looked away and Hanabi cackled — or was it Toru…?

"Who owns this place?" Kage asked. "Is it also this Suzuki guy, like back home?"

"It's Kazuki, dear." Uzumaki Hinata corrected.

"Right. Is that him, too?"

The others glanced at each other.

"Uh…" Karin scratched her cheek. "Things have gotten a bit more complicated when it comes to ownership of public spaces, aside from homes, here."

"What do you mean?" Uzumaki Hinata asked. She glanced at her husband, who shrugged sheepishly — he likely hadn't been present to hear much about it.

"Alright, I'll try to explain, then." Karin said.

"Please do." Toru said, sighing. "This tires me."

"Keep in mind we're really still transitioning." Karin said. In the sort of society we're striving for, personal ownership takes a backseat to community well-being in some cases."

Hinata nodded — both of them.

Karin continued. "For a communal space like this live room, it's not so much a business owned by one person. We see it more as a gathering place shared by all. Those facilitating it are more like caretakers than owners."

"So no one owns the live room?" Uzumaki Hinata asked.

"Correct. Their role is to ensure everything runs smoothly for everyone's benefit."

Hinata then asked Karin, "But if not through monetary exchange, how do people support themselves? How do you…?"

"Still have people working?" Ino asked, smiling. "Depends. Different motivations drive people's work — passion for their craft, quest for mastery, sense of service to the community. Fulfillment comes from self-actualization and the tasks one is willing and able to take on, not from accumulated wealth or status. Work becomes less drudgery this way."

"And this system functions?" Hinata asked.

Ino shrugged. "It's too soon to say definitively. But allies tell me it has worked for them."

Kage frowned. "What about the more… unpleasant jobs?"

"Machines and the Zetsu handle most." Ino explained. "We're also considering a rotation system, sharing duties among citizens in turns."

"Also, there's the looming threat of the Lord Ruler banishing them if they don't contribute." Toru added.

Karin disagreed. "I don't think that's accurate."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "You can understand why some see it that way, though."

Hanabi nodded in agreement.

Uzumaki Hinata paused. She thought of that man. "…What are these people hoping to gain, then?"

Hanabi shrugged. "Pretty much anything you can think of, really. Some are aiming for access to higher levels of power. Like the Council — then again, some of the members are still looking for more. But people need something valuable to offer in exchange. Otherwise, they can simply choose a comfortable life, with needs being provided for."

Sakura laughed. "The Council dangles these incentives like carrots."

"Maybe." Karin said. "It's not obligatory. To me, it doesn't sound too bad a system."

Kage thought about it for a second. "…No, it really doesn't sound that bad." He admitted.

"The incentives apply to any domain, of course." Hanabi said. "We can't just have shinobi and scientists be rewarded."

Ino chimed in. "The goal is to encourage self-improvement, societal improvement. It's not nearly as cynical as these two make it sound." She said. "…But yes, essentially we operate on a system of exchanging benefits for contributions—"

"Good boy points." Toru muttered.

Karin sighed. "Social capital is valuable. People gain respect, acknowledgment, and influence. Knowing you've contributed to the greater good as a citizen, friend, parent - that's priceless."

Toru smiled. "Sounds like you've been drinking the Kool-Aid."

Karin frowned. "I don't even know what that means."

"Me neither, not fully." Toru admitted. "Gama tried to explain it to me, some internet thing—"

Sakura cackled. "And you thought listening to him was a good idea? Are those new eyes eating your brain?"

Hanabi was laughing, too.

Toru sighed. "…Is there any way I can put you back inside Susanoo?"

Sakura shrugged. "Try and catch me first. If you can, that is."

Ino sighed. "Don't start. I'm just looking forward to a decent night."

They sat at their reserved table, obtained through a random assignment system. Their offered alternative would have been a live room in Tanzaku Gai for the evening.

With fewer waiters, service seemed less rushed and more relaxed. A side effect of not catering to every entitled whim, it seemed.

"…Where is Naruto, by the way?" Kizashi asked, glancing around. "I can't see him."

Ino shrugged. "You can guess, it's live music."

"…And he's been desperate to play for a while now." Sasuke added.

"Why do you sound so grumpy about it?" Hanabi asked. "He got through the selection process on his own. Anonymously."

Sasuke did not answer. His wife, Hinata, rubbed the back of his hand softly, in quiet comfort.

Toru scowled and thought of the very same memories: Madara, Hashirama. Fucking Naruto. "I guess you had to be there."

---

"You look…" She began.

It was the first time Naruto saw Tayuya in years — probably more time for him than for her, truly.

He tilted his head. "Well?" He asked.

"No." She shook her head. "Well, also. But I meant calm. For someone who says he hasn't played in a long, long while."

Hotaru, next to her, shrugged. "Well, we come from the same place — we're not the nervous type."

Tayuya snorted. "Do you think I didn't see you put on your poker face for that gig in Yuki-Kawaga?"

Hotaru gave her a wry smile. "I was afraid of you fucking it up — the worry was for you."

"Huh." She said dryly. "I'll pretend to believe it, fucktard."

Naruto just smiled watching them, and he could almost remember the smell of Orochimaru's first hideout; grass, wood; being a teenager thrown into a suddenly much too large world, and worrying about his immediate future, feeling entirely out of control.

"I am nervous." Naruto said, smiling. "It's not a bad thing, though. Kinda like excitement."

"See, fucktard?" Tayuya asked, laughing brashly. "Naruto can admit it."

It felt somewhat strange, being called by his actual name, when it came from her. As though there was a distance that hadn't been there, back then. It was for the best, though.

Naruto rehearsed fingerings that once felt as instinctive as breathing, and now resembled long-lost friends with whom he struggled to reconnect.

"You only play the koto, right?" Hotaru asked.

Naruto nodded. "Yes." Aside from memories from lives both of them knew they could not rely on, that was the truest answer he could give. "What about you? Are we going to play with two of them?"

Hotaru shook his head. "No need — I picked up a few other instruments on the way."

"Really?"

Hotaru laughed. "Well, it turns out I'm a fast learner, when I can focus on this music thing exclusively."

Naruto nodded.

"Can you, like, stop jerking yourself off, for even one minute?" Tayuya asked.

Hotaru shrugged. "Well, both of my hands are currently busy, so… Help me out?"

Tayuya snorted. "Dumbfuck."

"Bitch." He said fondly.

Naruto thought about it some more. Yup. He definitely was third-wheeling.

There was a gap of ten minutes before the next band stepped upon the stage. After a quick introduction, a distinct melody began to waft through the air.

The sounds of biwa and shamisen, as he expected from a place that was always full of Iwagakure musicians. A bamboo flute, perhaps a yokobue, was dancing through the harmonies, too.

They were good.

Hopefully, Hotaru and Tayuya were, too. Naruto definitely felt rusty, but well, but he was only handling the harmonies on a more laid-back evening. Pretty low stakes, when compared to trying to save the world.

"Who's our fourth, anyway?" Naruto asked. "You never told me."

"You never asked." Hotaru shrugged.

"We thought you knew, too." Tayuya finished.

"That I knew what?" Naruto asked, frowning.

"Well…" Tayuya began, with some wariness. "She's your… friend."

Naruto stopped plucking his instruments' strings.

"…My friend?" He asked. "Who?"

Tayuya shrugged and said something.

That was the moment he caught sight of her, as she climbed the last steps of the rehearsal room, of course.

'Ah.'

Yoisen looked up and saw him. Her expression brightened, and she closed the distance between them in four swift steps.

Naruto found himself momentarily disarmed. He saw the joy in her eyes and could not pretend not to understand why it was there, not anymore. And he wondered how he was supposed to even find the will to tell her what he thought he was supposed to.

Yoisen looked as though she wanted to embrace him, but either the present company or the hint of hesitation Naruto thought might show in his eyes made her stay at arm's length.

She smiled at him. The sweetness she radiated was almost tangible.

"You never said you were our fourth player, Naruto." Yoisen said.

"Neither did you." He answered, smiling back.

"I would have, had I known."

"Same for me. A double bind, then." Naruto said with a grin. "Which one are you going to play, then? Taiko, shamisen perhaps?"

"The Ōtsuzumi drum, of course." She said assuredly. "Did I not write that we would play together someday?"

"You have."

He smiled and she smiled in return, a wordless connection flowing between them.

Hotaru gave Tayuya a quick glance and she glanced back, giving her a shrug that meant something not entirely unlike 'don't ask me, what the fuck am I supposed to know about their shit?'

"What are we playing, then?" She asked. "We get two songs — Let's pick them, out of the five all of us know."

"'The Spirit of the Ancient Forest?'" Hotaru offered.

Tayuya raised an eyebrow, glanced at the two others, and then she nodded. "Doable." She declared. "Since I would have chosen that one, I'll let you two pick the other song."

Yoisen and Naruto looked at each other, discussing through thought.

"The Dance of Cranes and Clouds." She said at last.

Hotaru raised an eyebrow. "That old thing?"

"…That old thing." Yoisen nodded in assent.

Tayuya cleared her throat. "…There are easier songs."

"There are less beautiful songs, too." Yoisen countered.

"Well, yeah." Hotaru nodded. "But that guy is out of practice." He said, pointing at Naruto.

"I'll manage." He said dryly.

It was a tricky song, admittedly, but nothing he felt he couldn't manage to play.

"…Well. Suit yourself." Tayuya said. "If you're certain you're not going to fumble. Who's going to sing, though?"

Both Naruto and Hotaru chuckled. "Well, certainly not me or that guy." Naruto said. "Terrible singing voices."

Tayuya motioned to her flute with a dry look.

"I suppose I shall do it, then." Yoisen said.

Naruto smiled, as though he had known it.

Another ten minutes passed, and the four of them went to the balcony to observe the show, this time.

The next ensemble took their positions on stage.

The biwa player, holding the lute-like instrument with a poised grip, initiated the melody. The first strum echoed with melancholy.

A shō player followed, its reed pipes producing an ethereal sound. The notes floated upward, intertwining with the biwa's earthy narrative. Together, they created a landscape where heaven and earth met.

Next to enter was the kokyu, its bow gracing the strings with a refined touch. Bringing a lyrical poignancy to the mix, like the voice of an ancient storyteller recounting legends under old trees.

Then, the hichiriki made its entrance. A double-reed instrument of antiquity, its penetrating tone created counterpoint, a contrast as vibrant as shadows against the moonlight. It was a shrill but graceful sound, a reminder of the imperfections that usually accompanied beauty.

As the composition neared its end, a shared resonance bound the quartet in a weave of sound. The last note — a drawn-out, heartfelt sigh from the kokyu — lingered like the scent of cherry blossoms in the air.

Then, silence. A hushed reverence hung over the auditorium.

The musicians bowed deeply, and the room erupted into applause.

They had played "Harmony in the Shadow of Cherry Blossoms" and had played it well.

There were a few people in the audience sniffling a little.

Tayuya gave Naruto and Yoisen an unimpressed look. "You better not fuck our reputation up," she seemed to say.

In any case, it was time.

Naruto dismissed his koto, just as the others sealed their own instruments, and down they went. Then, behind the curtain.

The host introduced them, and soon the curtain parted.

As soon as it did, Naruto caught sight of his friends, his family. If there had been a murmur before, it was silenced entirely.

It seemed no one had expected the Emperor himself to step onto the stage, apparently. Still, it was curiosity, rather than fear, that he could see in her eyes. Mostly.

Naruto pulled out a copy of his koto, before the others did.

He plucked a few easy notes, and as always, there were no adjustments to be made, it was tuned perfectly already.

The stage lights were, although not bright, less dim than the ones in the rest of the room. There were a few more people out there than before.

The four of them smiled at the audience.

Yoisen silently took her place beside the Ōtsuzumi drum. It sat there, squat and imposing, a vessel waiting to be filled with the echoes of time and tradition.

Her hands, palms exposed and fingers slightly curved, hovered momentarily above the drum's taut skin.

As her fingers hovered, the world, too, seemed to pause— held in a suspended moment of anticipation.

Or perhaps it was just Naruto's.

With a swift, controlled movement, Yoisen struck the drum. The first note broke the silence, its resonance akin to ancient thunder reverberating through the forest.

Almost spontaneously, Tayuya's flute joined in. Her melody danced through the air, a wisp of sound echoing forgotten groves and sacred waters.

Her notes spoke of forgotten groves and sacred waters, weaving around Yoisen's drumming like vines around an ancient oak. It was a dialogue between wind and earth, a communion invoking the very spirit of the ancient forest.

Naruto's fingers found their voice on the koto, gingerly at first, then with more confidence. Each string's vibration, a whisper in the wind, a rustle in the underbrush. It felt right.

The melody he created danced elegantly with Tayuya's flute, sometimes leading, sometimes following, always harmonizing.

Hotaru introduced the Shakuhachi to the ensemble. The bamboo flute added a haunting quality, its deep tones echoing like distant, mystical birdsong.

The music came easily out of them, like voices mingling together.

The four musicians felt as if they were part of something greater, their instruments becoming extensions of their own souls. They moved through the musical parts seamlessly, as though time had lost its grip on them.

As they approached the climax, the tension built in the air, palpable and thick. Yoisen's drum led the crescendo, its beat resonating in the hearts of each performer.

With a final, emphatic strike, the drum signaled Tayuya to complete the melody.

The tension broke like a sudden, exultant dawn through the canopy, and as the final note faded, it left behind a silence that was not empty but full — of wonder, of echoes, of ancient spirits.

Something that lingered. 'The Spirit of the Ancient Forest' was complete.

A wave of applause rose from the audience.

The quartet eased back into their stances after a reverent bow, waiting for it to wane.

A collective breath united them before they delved into the next, more demanding number — "The Dance of Cranes and Clouds."

The ambiance shifted, the room cloaking itself in darkness as if yielding the spotlight to Yoisen, who stood gracefully beside her Ōtsuzumi drum.

She seemed a master of these theatrics, her visage imbued with a gravitas that hinted at secrets locked away, enigmas known only to the moon and stars.

Among those present, only Naruto — and perhaps Hotaru — understood the significance this melody held for her.

It was a legacy, a haunting tune taught to her by her father. The fact that this song had survived, when so many others had succumbed to the inexorable march of time, imbued it with a value that was irreplaceable, almost sacred.

Her hand struck softly at first, nearly a whisper.

And so was her voice, as she sang.

"Cranes aloft in twilight's hue,

Chasing clouds that skies once knew.

The dance begins as day takes flight,

Lost between the dark and light."

There were whispers in the crowd. It was not the most well known of songs, certainly. But some feelings were universal.

The rhythms she played were an emotional tempest, gentle one moment, turbulent the next. How she could manage both, Naruto could not understand.

It stirred something within him, the way the drum resounded as though alive, intertwining with her voice in an intense, passionate dialogue.

Naruto raised his hands, fingers darting over the koto's strings, caught in an intricate dance of precision and soul. He grappled with the intricate demands of the song.

"Cranes and clouds, a fleeting dance,

Moments lost to silent chance.

Underneath the waning moon,

All that lingers are fading tunes."

At moments when his gaze met Yoisen's, the notes rang differently — imbued with a warmth that transcended mere sound.

Tayuya, cradling her flute, added an ethereal layer to the unfolding tapestry. She was creating a third voice, in doing so, twinning and mixing with the others.

Her notes spiraled ever higher, as though each was a crane taking flight towards some ethereal horizon no one could truly see. Her eyes caught Hotaru's, and for a fleeting second, an invisible current of understanding flowed between them.

Hotaru, wielding a biwa this time, wove buzzing drones into the fabric of the song. His fingers caressed each string with a lover's tenderness, with a grace Naruto would likely never reach. Not unless he abandoned everything else.

Then, Hotaru struck. And the room seemed to tremble in response. Each note held a gravitational pull, as if momentarily capturing all hearts within its orbit.

"Winds of change on whispered sighs,

Brushing wings, caressing skies.

In this world of shifting sands,

Life slips through like grains so grand."

And Yoisen sang, her voice like a silver bell; a question that their instruments answered.

Naruto was aware there was an audience, was aware of the thrum of his heart, of the sweat pearling down his forehead.

His eyes were on her, and when she glanced back, something in him was struck, too.

And so, the song burned out of them.

Naruto forgot about it all — about responsibility, about duty, about the weight of the world on his shoulders.

He set his fingers to the strings and fell away.

For a moment, he was a crane soaring high in the open sky, unburdened and free.

Yoisen sang, and in this moment, she was more than a person, more than a singer, more than the song itself.

"Silent sky and whispered breeze,

Cranes descend through gaps in trees.

Evermore, the dance goes on,

In every dusk, another dawn."

Yoisen's voice became silent. Her drum echoed one last time, as well.

The final notes hung in the air, a haunting echo fading into silence. And then it was done.

The quartet shared a fleeting moment of unity, their eyes meeting across the distance that separated them on the stage. The audience sat still.

Of course, doubt nudged its way into the quiet. Had their performance done justice to the storm of emotions the song intended to convey? Or was it merely a hollow echo of their own doubts and feelings of self-importance?

Yoisen slowly came back to herself, as if from a trance, a sheen of sweat on her brow. How long had they played? She looked at her hands — calloused, blistered, a small smudge of blood tainting the drum's surface.

Naruto could see a lump forming in her throat, and almost felt it himself. She looked as though she wanted to bury her face in her hands and cry. And weep, she did, silently.

Not out of worry about the performance. Not for the little blood she had shed. Not for experiencing both death and resurrection. Not for Uzushio, the village she had helped make and had seen disappear, along with nearly all of her sister's living descendants. Not even for the young woman who had fought to remember this song in the aftermath of that dreadful fire, so many years ago.

No, Yoisen cried from a profound catharsis, a release of emotions too deep and complex to name. It was as if a weight had been lifted, both an ending and a beginning in the same breath.

They all felt the same, too — the musicians, the audience. It hung there, this heavy emotion, in the audience's potent silence. It enveloped them, a thick blanket of unspoken emotion.

It was then that the dam broke.

Sobs, sighs, and whispers spread through the audience like ripples on a pond, a collective exhalation of emotional tension. Bodies shifted, as if collectively awakening from a poignant dream.

And then came the applause, not merely a sound but a resonant force.

An affirmation that spread like wildfire through a dry forest, consuming doubt and hesitation in its blazing path.

---

As Naruto stepped down the stage stairs, Hotaru and Tayuya at his sides, the curtain descended with a sense of finality.

Yoisen followed, her footsteps a quiet counterpoint to their own. Together, they exited into the wings.

While applause had filled the air, Naruto found himself indifferent to it. After all, what value did such approval hold when some in the audience clapped more out of fear than genuine appreciation—

Then, another swell of applause rose, louder, more insistent than before. The crowd roared again.

He couldn't prevent a slight smile from forming on his face.

…

"Well, that one wasn't too bad." Toru said, slightly red-eyed. "Didn't know you could actually play."

Naruto smiled. "Didn't I play for you guys a thousand times?"

"That was different." Sasuke said. He seemed to struggle for words for a second, and settled for a few simple ones. "…It — I enjoyed it."

Sakura slipped an arm around his shoulders, mockingly. "He's such a softie, our Sasuke, isn't he…?"

"He is." Uchiha Hinata said honestly.

Hanabi gave both Naruto and Yoisen an appreciative, considering look. As if searching for something.

Then she gave a single, approving nod.

Huddled next to her, Karin grinned. "Do tell us that you're about to make everyone super sad, next time." She said. "I came here to dance, not to weep."

"I will do my best." Naruto said, chuckling. "Hey, where's…"

"Your son?"

"Yes. And Yugito."

Karin shrugged. "He fell asleep in the middle of the first song. She took him away as soon as the second one ended."

Naruto laughed. "Figures." He motioned toward the others. "This is Tayuya, and this is Hotaru."

The large group greeted them in return — although Karin did know her already.

"Drinks, then?" Toru offered. "Not you, kids. First round's on me."

"…The drinks that are free…? How generous of you." Tayuya said, dryly.

"I know, right?" Toru said with a grin. "I'll just get this place some furniture as thanks."

"…Drinks sound nice." Hotaru said, and there was something a bit wistful in his smile. Most of them were people that had been 'his' closest friends in the world, before he was created. Although it brought up complicated feelings, he didn't mind getting to spend time with them again.

And less than five minutes later, the entire group seemed to be engaging in the usual sort of loud antics — perhaps Toru and Hanabi were fighting, perhaps Sakura and Karin were discussing why the other's taste in music was plain wrong. Or perhaps it was Sasuke's relatives, stirring trouble and forcing him and his wife to prepare for damage control. Perhaps it was all of them.

Yoisen smiled at the homely scene, and she slipped away unnoticed.

Well, almost.

As usual, her escapes were quiet, and difficult to notice — something that seemed equally likely to indicate that she was simply going out for some fresh air. Both Naruto and Ino caught her subtle exit.

Ino, who had been nearly silent, and whose eyes were still a bit puffy from the performance… stared at Naruto, contradictory emotions swirling behind her gaze. She looked as though she was wrestling with a decision.

A heavy sigh escaped her lips; the answer she sought remained elusive.

As ambivalent as she felt, in this moment, her compassion triumphed. She lightly gestured in the direction Yoisen had vanished.

---

The room had grown oppressively warm by then, an atmospheric vice that seemed endemic to Iwa's resistance to modern comforts.

Naruto found Yoisen in the dimly lit corridor that led to the building's exit.

"Care for some fresh air?" He asked easily.

A smile tugged at the corners of her mouth, surprised and pleased. "I would love to."

The night air greeted them like a balm.

They sought refuge in a grassy meadow, near a short hill, their gazes aimed at the heavens — a scintillating array of stars embroidering the night sky.

There, they spoke of nothing for hours.

There, on the edge of this grassy hill, Yoisen's eyes seemed brighter than the moon, and her laughter ran deeper than the night.

Naruto wanted to tell her — and what he wanted to say exactly was unclear to him.

Part of him still wanted to suggest that they maintain some distance, that they put up boundaries as if they were walls. Yet, even as the thought crossed his mind, he realized he couldn't bring himself to say it. Another part of him, a much stronger part, ached to reach out to her. He yearned to take her hand, to trace the soft curve of her neck with his fingers, to express how deeply she had burrowed into his heart.

Though he tasted both words, he swallowed them back. He stared at the stars and waited for the herald of dawn. Beside him, Yoisen did the same. Her nearness was a palpable heat, and her scent, an earthy blend of wood tinged with the smoky kiss of a fading bonfire, wrapped around him like a cloak.

They stayed, eyes tracing the stars. Come morning, those would yield to vibrant colors.

When that hopeful moment came, they laid in the grass and watched the bright, open skies.

---

lensdump:

i/B6qaED : Past and Present

FFnet is still bugged with alerts, I might take a while to notice a PM - but I'll get to it, promise!