Sasuke felt great. Sure, the time he had spent sealed in that weird coffin had been… uncomfortable, but now he felt amazing. Better than ever, actually. He felt like he could keep running forever, which at this rate seemed like a possibility. Sakon, and Ukon by extension, had been the only ones to greet him when maturation of the curse seal was completed. It had been a brief exchange. Turned out his escape wasn't as seamless as he had hoped. The twins had pointed him in the right direction before running off to distract their pursuers. Say what you would about Orochimaru, the man had loyal followers.
And so, Sasuke had run, as far and as fast as his feet would take him. He didn't stop for anything; not to rethink his decision, or to look back towards what had been his home. There was no point in any of that now. He had run away, leaving nothing but burning remains as his goodbye. Konoha was so desperate to cling to the remnants of his clan, and now they would have none of it, not even the ghosts. Regret was not a luxury Sasuke could afford, not anymore.
Besides, his plan was already proving successful. The border wasn't far now, and he still had plenty of energy. Sasuke could feel the power emanating from the curse seal, the way it called to him and pulsed with the promise of everything he needed. Still, it wasn't enough. Not for Itachi. To face his brother, he would need more. The curse seal was a good start, and Orochimaru had given it to him so easily. There wasn't a doubt in Sasuke's mind that the snake had plenty more to offer. With his help he would get what he needed, even if he had to act like a loyal little dog in the meantime.
He broke through the tree line, and despite his better judgement, came to a stop atop one of the statues that stood either side of the waterfall that marked the border. The statue of Madara Uchiha. How amusing it was to realise that one of the greatest members in his clan's history, shunned for his actions and betrayal of the village, may not have had it all that wrong. Konoha wasn't the place for Madara, and it was the same for Sasuke. They would sooner keep the Uchiha as pets than the weapons they were supposed to be.
Sasuke turned to continue on his way, only to pause and frown. Of all the people who could have chased him all the way out here, why was it him?
"Is that it?" Naruto asked.
His clothes made it look like he had gone through hell. Holes and tears, one entire sleeve of his jacket missing. There was no shortage of dried blood to be found staining either the orange of his attire or the blonde of his hair. And yet, there wasn't a wound to be seen, and Naruto didn't look so much as tired. What was he doing out here? Surely there was no way Naruto could have taken down the sound ninja all by himself. Sasuke scowled. Then again, with all that undeserved power, who knew what Naruto was truly capable of. What a joke. All that time spent thinking the Uzumaki was just some no name orphan unlucky enough to be slumped with a bijuu, only for the truth to come to light. The son of the fourth Hokage, loyal jinchuuriki of Konoha, and personally seen to by the third Hokage all these years.
It was no wonder they had ended up on a team together. Another chain with which to keep him shackled to the village. And now here Naruto was, chasing him down to drag him back to the village. A loyal dog indeed. Sasuke had to wonder how far the deception went. Was Naruto even a genin at all? Had the Hokage ordered him to keep an eye on him? Was that all this was?
"You think you can just run away?"
Sasuke bared his teeth. "What do you care?"
Naruto tilted his head. "I don't. But I'm curious. Why?"
Why? Why? He had the audacity to ask that. "Like you could ever understand," Sasuke said.
"Try me."
"They are holding me back." He said it as if that explained everything, and to him it did. "Konoha will never allow me to reach the heights I need. They will never let me do what needs to be done. The village wasn't willing to give me what I need, so I'll go wherever I can get it."
It was so simple when he said it out loud. Strength and power. That was all that mattered right now. Itachi needed to pay. His clan needed to be avenged. Why could no one else understand? He had assumed, wrongly so, that if anyone could understand his desire, it would be Naruto. Of course, that had been before. Now he understood that Naruto was just another blinded by loyalty to the village. Another puppet of the Hokage. There was no other reason for him to be out here coming after him.
"You're right."
What?
Naruto continued. "Of course, Konoha is holding you back. How else can you explain how weak you still are, after all this time, after all your training. Even now, you're throwing away your life for more power, and it's still not enough, is it?" Naruto smirked. "Or maybe, it's just you. Maybe your weakness is no one's fault but your own. What if, no matter where you go, no matter what you do, you'll still never be enough. What would you do then?"
Never be enough? The curse seal was burning now, screaming out to him. What did Naruto know? What could he possibly understand? Nothing. Sasuke clenched his teeth so hard it hurt. His eyes morphed into the Sharingan. "You won't change my mind, and you can't stop me."
"You sure about that?"
It took every ounce of practiced instincts Sasuke had to avoid what came next. Barely any time passed between Naruto's eyes turning red as his chakra spiked and the jinchuuriki closing the distance between them. Sasuke jumped back to avoid the fist that cracked the statue beneath it. Sadly, he wasn't fast enough to avoid the kick to his stomach that sent him skimming across the water. His skin burned with each bounce across the surface, and his lungs ached as he fought to fill them once more. Sasuke regained his footing atop the water and wheezed.
One kick. A strike he could see coming but was powerless to stop. He glared back up at the blonde. Naruto hadn't taken advantage of the opening his own attack had produced. Why? He was standing there, grinning. The curse seal throbbed, and this time Sasuke answered. No longer would he be held back. This power was his to use, and he would use it. He deserved it. He had earned it. Naruto hadn't earned any of his power. Riding along on the power of a bijuu as if it were his right. Sasuke would show him the error of his ways.
The black markings spread across his face, and just like that time in the forest of death, it felt remarkable. The surge of power was intoxicating, and yet, as his Sharingan remained locked on Naruto, it still wasn't enough. The power radiating off of Naruto was impossible, red chakra oozing from his skin. It was infuriating. "Why are you trying to stop me? Are you that loyal to Konoha?" Sasuke seethed.
Naruto scoffed. "I couldn't care less about what the village wants with you," he said. "Stay, go. I don't care what you do."
"Then why?!"
The way Naruto's face twisted into a smug grin made Sasuke's blood boil. "Wouldn't you like to know."
Sasuke charged, faster than he ever had before. His body was faster, stronger, more able to keep up with his now much sharper Dojutsu. His fist rocketed towards Naruto's face with enough force to knock out almost any normal person in one blow. Naruto caught it. Sasuke's momentum halted and the bones in his arm jolted at the sudden stop. Clawed fingers dug into the skin of his hand, and Naruto grinned at him. Sasuke was beginning to truly hate seeing that expression on the blonde's face.
He pulled his hand free as he spun around to deliver a flat-footed kick to Naruto's stomach, an attack Naruto didn't even attempt to block as it sent him stumbling back. Sasuke followed it up; a punch to the sternum, ducking under a left hook and delivering one to the ribs. If strength wasn't his advantage, then his speed and fighting form would be. He caught Naruto's back armed swing, slamming his foot down on the back of Naruto's knee before bringing his elbow down on the outstretched limb. The sound of the bones snapping was satisfying, even if there wasn't a scream to accompany it.
Naruto ripped his broken arm free and lashed out with his claws. Sasuke dodged, striking Naruto in the throat, two hits to his middle, block, an elbow to the face, a knee to the stomach. Each hit was perfect, connecting with as much force as possible, and yet Naruto was still smiling. It was pissing Sasuke off. He yelled and punched Naruto in the face hard enough to send him crashing into the water.
"Is that it? This is the power you'd betray your village for?" Naruto laughed as he climbed onto the water's surface. His arm snapped back into place and his skin sizzled until even the smallest of scrapes had healed. "What a letdown."
There was more. Sasuke could feel the curse seal trying to give him more. Goading him to reach deeper and deeper. The deeper he reached, the angrier he was getting. He couldn't lose control. What good was this power if he couldn't control it properly? Wait… no. That wasn't right. Control had nothing to do with it. Sasuke didn't care about controlling himself, only aiming his rage at the right target. That was it. If anything, Naruto was giving him the perfect opportunity to test himself, to test this new power. He would use this moment to see where he stood, and when the day finally came, he would know exactly how to aim himself at his true target.
"I'll show you."
And with that, Sasuke reached deep into the curse mark.
{I}
Temari was dropped unceremoniously onto a hospital bed.
"Ow."
"Oh, don't be such a baby," Kurotsuchi quipped. "It can't hurt that bad."
"You ever been skewered with a sword?" Temari asked.
Kurotsuchi shrugged. "Can't say I have. Guess I'm too skilled to get caught like that."
"Or maybe you've just been coddled your whole life," Temari retorted. She had a smile on her face, despite their bickering. Say what she might about Kurotsuchi, the girl had saved her, and their playful jibes were an excellent distraction from the pain she was still in.
"Yeah, yeah. Like you're one to talk. I'm only the granddaughter of a Kage, if I recall your words correctly. I bet you got coddled way worse than I ever was." Kurotsuchi was matching Temari's smile as they went back and forth. The Iwa-nin quickly fetched something from one of the cupboards lining the walls. "Alright, enough chitchat. Strip."
Temari eyed the hospital gown in the girl's hands and quirked an eye. "I can get dressed on my own, thank you very much."
Kurotsuchi rolled her eyes. "What? Afraid I'm gonna do something? Gonna sneak in some joke about how I look like a boy so I must think like one too?"
It had crossed her mind once or twice. "I don't know what you're into."
"Definitely not blondes."
"Oh?" Temari was grinning now. "I'll be sure to tell Naruto."
"Do you want a hand or not?" Kurotsuchi asked.
Temari had had her fun. She nodded, and Kurotsuchi helped her stand and shuck off the bloody and torn robe before helping her into the gown. The level of revealing hadn't exactly changed, but Temari found herself feeling much more comfortable now. She sat back on the bed and relaxed while Kurotsuchi leaned against the wall beside the bed, eyes focused out the window towards the village.
The fire was contained. Smoke still rising over Konoha as the Uchiha clan compound burnt to the ground. Temari had no connection to the clan, outside of her brief interactions with Sasuke. The Uchiha had been a major player in the founding of Konoha, so she imagined that the loss of the clan in the massacre had been a big hit to the village. Now, losing the last loyal member of the clan, and the clan compound all in one night, Temari couldn't begin to understand what kind of impact that might have. Then again, maybe it was for the best. Why was Konoha even allowing an entire compound to go to waste like that in the first place. Such disregard of resources was a luxury Temari still couldn't believe was allowed.
"You think he'll get killed out there?" Kurotsuchi asked.
"Naruto?" Temari asked, getting a nod. "You worried about him?"
Kurotsuchi snorted. "Nah. Just want to know if I should set my sights on someone else now or later."
Of course. "He won't die," Temari said. She wasn't sure where the confidence in that statement was coming from, but it felt right. "Can't say the same about the Uchiha though. They don't seem to get along too great. If Naruto catches him, and he puts up a fight, I don't see it ending well."
"Betting on your husband. How cliché."
"Would you fight him?" Temari asked.
"Fuck no."
Well, that answered that then. There was no telling how long things would drag out, and as a result, no way of knowing when Tsunade or someone else would show up to finish fixing her up and clear her to leave. They had no choice but to get comfortable. Kurotsuchi was taking the order to stick around a little too literally. It wasn't like they actually had to stay in the same room, and yet here she was, refusing to leave her side. Temari wasn't going to complain about having the company. In fact, there was something she desperately wished to ask the Iwa girl. A question that had been burning in her mind, begging to be answered properly. She just needed to find the right words.
"We want peace," Kurotsuchi said out of the blue. She seemed to notice Temari's surprise. "You wanted to know why I saved you. That's it. We really do want peace, as surprising as that might seem."
"More like unbelievable," Temari said. "Why the sudden change?"
Kurotsuchi shrugged. "Not sure. It's grandfather's idea… but it's a good one." There was something in her voice that told Temari she was torn on the subject. "I'm sure you know how badly we got beaten back in the last war. That humiliation, that loss, all those deaths. For a long time, that was the driving force to a lot of our actions. No act was beneath us if it meant gain for the village. We did… unspeakable things in the pursuit of power and reputation, but it all seemed worth it at the time. Now days, that fire isn't quite as strong."
This much Temari knew already. Everyone had made efforts to recover from the last war. Admittedly, Iwagakure had been the ones most willing to take drastic measures to keep up appearances. As much as Temari could hate Iwa for some of its actions, she couldn't outright blame them for doing what they thought they had to. Anyone else would have likely done the same in their position. Still, it was interesting to hear that such a motivation wasn't as strong as it once was.
"Some of the older shinobi still hold a grudge, and even some of the younger generation. Everyone has lost someone to one of the other villages at some point. No real way to get over that except for time. That's what grandfather says anyway." Kurotsuchi sighed deeply. "He's an old fool, but he didn't get to be old for no reason. His wisdom should not be ignored. I for one couldn't care if we ended up in another war, but grandfather cares, and… no one deserves to keep losing people."
Temari understood. "Your mother, or your father?"
"Mother," Kurotsuchi answered. "Dad was pretty cut up about it, but even he has calmed down lately. At the end of the day, a grudge only goes so far. People get tired of fighting for the sake of fighting. So, for now, most are pretty happy to play along with the idea. A proper peace does sound kind of nice. Not having to always look over your shoulder and check borders, stuff like that."
Temari laughed softly, earning herself a questioning glare. "Sorry, sorry. It's just weird to hear you actually say it is all. Never would have thought someone from Iwa could be so… human."
"We aren't monsters."
"I guess not," Temari said. "Still, that doesn't explain why you chose to save me of all people. You said it yourself, I'm in the way of your little plan."
Kurotsuchi smirked, giving Temari a not so subtle up and down glance. "Political nonsense. Letting you die after being a little too open about our intentions would look really bad for us. My fault on that part, so I got stuck with babysitting duty." Her smirk got a little more mischievous in nature. "Besides, you aren't so bad for a sand rat. Even if you are blonde. I'm not opposed to sharing."
Temari spluttered. "You can't be serious?"
"What? It's not a big deal. Plenty of people have multiple wives. I don't care about taking second place."
Even if what she said wasn't exactly wrong, that didn't make Kurotsuchi right. Temari couldn't believe the gall of her. Yes, there were a lot of people who had taken multiple wives, but they were snobbish royals who purposefully created and twisted rules to satiate their own greed and lust. It was not a practice commonly considered by shinobi. Well, at least not in Suna. Temari was loath to admit that she hadn't looked into the history of Konoha and its clans quite in depth enough to know if such a thing was frowned upon here. What would she do if Konoha were willing to entertain the idea? Gods. Not trying to kill an Iwa-nin on sight was more than enough as it were. She couldn't imagine being stuck in a three-way marriage with one.
Why? Why her? When would she get a break from this insanity?
"You know, you're kind of cute when you're thinking too hard."
Temari blushed bright red and glared at Kurotsuchi. The girl laughed loudly. "I take it back. You aren't human. You're an ass."
Kurotsuchi didn't appear to care about being called as such. They settled in for the time being, listening out to the village. The commotion had died down, but the night wasn't over yet. The hospital was quiet and still. Despite everything, no one else was getting injured. A good sign. All things considered, it didn't take very long for Tsunade to come and find them, though she didn't look at all pleased. As much as Temari wanted answers, healing came first. With Tsunade's skills, it was a quick and efficient affair.
"Any word on Naruto?" she asked once Tsunade was done.
Tsunade shook her head. "Not yet. Though that's probably a good thing," she said. "I wouldn't worry. Jiraiya has been sent to keep an eye on things. No one short of Orochimaru himself could mess with the brat with that old perv on the scene. You are the one we should really worry about. Assassins are always a possibility with political alliances based on a marriage, but Kumo? It doesn't make a lot of sense. Did they say anything that might have given a hint as to why they were here or how they got in?"
Temari frowned. "Not really. There wasn't a whole lot of talking. One of them was asking where Naruto was. Do you think they were actually after him?"
"It wouldn't surprise me," Kurotsuchi said. "I mean, if you think about it, those Akatsuki bastards were already brave enough to steal one of our jinchuuriki right out of our own country. Who's to say that they haven't tried the same with one of Kumo's. I don't see Konoha and Suna's alliance being of any concern to anyone, but someone snatching up bijuu, that's a big deal. Maybe they lost one already and are trying to recover by taking someone else's. Naruto is not only young enough to be considered easily captured, but he also possesses the strongest of the nine."
Tsunade nodded. "That does make more sense. If Kumo has any knowledge on Akatsuki and the jinchuuriki stolen from Iwa, then it might push them to make a move on others, even if only to bolster their own strength. No one wants to risk a war right now, and they could easily point the finger at Akatsuki. Too bad they weren't successful. Though they were smart enough to use at least two known missing-nin. They will just claim no connection and that will be that."
"Nothing we can do about it, huh?" Temari asked with a sigh. Politics were bullshit.
"Welcome to the shitshow, kid. Village relations have been a mess since my grandfather died. No one has been scary enough since to keep all the big players in line. The fourth came close, but that was short lived," Tsunade said with a shrug. "Best thing we can hope for is that the next monster with that kind of power has a decent head on their shoulders or a big enough heart to not become an actual monster. With my luck, that's one particular thing I'm not willing to bet on."
Temari frowned. The thought of someone like the first Hokage popping up again was a scary one, especially if they weren't as devoted to peace as the legendary Senju had been. "What do we do now?" she asked. If it were up to her, Temari would take off after Naruto. There was no telling what kind of mess he could get himself involved in. With his recent history, Temari didn't like the chances that everything would somehow be fine.
"Nothing. Everything is being handled by people of suitable rank," Tsunade said. "Take the time to make sure you've recovered properly. Your house wasn't completely destroyed, so maybe go and collect what you can. For the sake of safety, some Anbu will be tailing you for the time being. They'll direct you to a temporary housing when you're ready." She turned to Kurotsuchi and crossed her arms. "As for you. Any word on your jinchuuriki yet?"
Kurotsuchi shook her head. "Nope. I'm sure grandfather has some idea."
Tsunade rolled her eyes. "Well, you lot still aren't out of the woods yet. You can either go and wait it out with your grandfather, or you can stick with Temari here. Either way, I don't care. Just know that we have eyes on you."
Kurotsuchi gave an insincere solute and Tsunade was quick to leave. Temari buried her face in her hands and groaned loudly before getting to her feet and rummaging through the cupboards for a spare set of clothes. She couldn't very well go waltzing through the village in a hospital gown, though she was sure there were a good number of those who wouldn't complain. She was able to find a pair of paints and shirt, quickly changing into them before setting off towards the remnants of the house.
It was a shame. The house had been such a lovely gift, and Temari had finally gotten comfortable calling it her own. To lose it so soon was devastating, but nothing she couldn't get over easily enough. To her surprise, Kurotsuchi accompanied her for the walk, the two enjoying the slow sunrise until they were standing before the smouldering remains of the house. Most of it was still standing, luckily.
Kurotsuchi chuckled sheepishly at the sight. "My bad."
"Come on. Least you can do is help me move my stuff," Temari said.
The night was over. Once Naruto got back, Temari could put all of this behind her and focus on the new day. Besides, it wasn't like things could get any worse… right?
"Temari?"
She spoke too soon. Temari turned to see Sakura running up the street to her. "What is it now?"
Sakura came to a stop with a serious expression on her face. "It's Naruto."
Oh, was that it? Temari smirked. "Back already? Bet that Uchiha is pretty banged up too." That was if he was still alive.
"That's the thing…" Sakura was fidgeting anxiously. "Sasuke isn't with him. Jiraiya only brought Naruto back."
Temari narrowed her eyes. "What do you mean?"
"Naruto lost. Sasuke got away." From the way she said it, Sakura was just as shocked by the idea as Temari was. No matter how good the Uchiha was, there wasn't a real debate on who would win between him and Naruto.
What the hell was going on?
{I}
Naruto blocked the punch aimed for him, straining against the force of the attack. Even still, he was smiling. He knew this would be fun. All he had to do was give Sasuke a little push, a helping hand to make him use that same power the sound shinobi had used. And boy had Sasuke delivered. His transformation was easily the most disturbing one so far. Had it not been for the look in the Uchiha's eyes, Naruto would have wondered if any of the boy's actual mind was left. Thankfully, it wasn't Sasuke's mind he cared about. With the boost in power, Naruto was finally getting a challenge.
While equally matched in strength, Sasuke held the upper hand in speed and finesse. As much as it pained Naruto to admit it, there wasn't a lot one could do against the prowess of the Sharingan and the years' worth of extra training Sasuke had as a clan-born shinobi. Still, he had his own strengths. So long as he was channelling the Kyuubi's chakra, injuries slid off him like water off a duck. Nothing Sasuke was throwing at him was slowing him down, and Naruto could see how frustrated that was making Sasuke.
He jumped over a kick and brought his feet down onto Sasuke, sending the Uchiha crashing down through the water's surface and deep into its body. Landing on all fours, one tail of chakra swishing behind him, Naruto darted across the water as several balls of fire erupted from below. He dodged them easily and formed a rasengan as he went. Coming to a sudden stop, he slammed the spinning ball of chakra down into the water. The surface exploded on impact and Naruto allowed himself to sink. The water swirled, growing by the second as a whirlpool formed around him. The wider it grew, the deeper Naruto sunk, until he was forced to drop the jutsu and let the current snatch him out of the way of Sasuke's clawed hand. The whirlpool swept him around so fast that he was behind Sasuke in a blink. His tail whipped around, propelling him forward through the water and straight at Sasuke. Knuckles crunched against the Uchiha's jaw and sent him back into the depths.
The whirlpool collapsed, and Naruto swam to the surface. He waited as the water returned to its normal flow. Seconds dragged on and Sasuke still didn't resurface. He couldn't have drowned, could he? Naruto sighed. His expectations were proving to have been too high… again. Even in his transformed state, Sasuke was barely making him struggle. Had he not had the Kyuubi, then yes, Sasuke would have probably killed him by now, but the curse mark wasn't a part of Sasuke's natural abilities, so Naruto didn't feel bad for using the bijuu's power. It was a good test anyway. Fighting Roshi all the time was going nowhere. The older jinchuuriki had too much experience. Every bit of progress Naruto made was quickly thrown back in his face by such an opponent. That was the point of training he supposed, but it still sucked.
At least with Sasuke, he was able to enjoy himself. Strong enough to push him to use the Kyuubi's chakra, but not so overpowered as to make a joke of him like so many already had. It was just a shame that this was where Sasuke's progress had to end. Naruto wasn't lying when he said he didn't care if Sasuke stayed or left. In truth, he didn't even care if Sasuke died. No matter how good a shinobi he might have been, how good of a teammate, Naruto simply couldn't care about Sasuke in any way that mattered. Sasuke could do whatever he pleased, and it wouldn't bother Naruto one bit. That was, except for the only thing the Uchiha seemed hell bent on accomplishing. Leaving with the Sharingan.
Sasuke could have strived to become a competent shinobi, a jonin of Konoha. He could have stayed in the village and worked to rebuild his clan, but no, the idiot was dead set on revenge. That would have been fine as well, if he only wanted to kill someone normal. Itachi was anything but normal. He was a shinobi praised by even the most elite, a man who possessed power few could rival. As possibly the strongest wielder of the Sharingan left, Itachi was greatest threat to the Kyuubi, and by extension, Naruto. Sasuke desired the strength to kill his brother, and there was simply too high of a chance that he could accomplish it. Naruto wasn't foolish enough to overlook the threat his teammate posed.
He wouldn't allow it. One impossibly powerful Uchiha was more than enough. The Sharingan was too dangerous to be allowed to run free. Naruto couldn't do anything about Itachi, yet, but Sasuke had given him the perfect opportunity. Again, Sasuke's life was of no consequence. He could live or die, stay or go. It didn't matter. All that mattered was that the one of the few remaining pair of Sharingan couldn't be used against him, against the Kyuubi, ever again. A foolish plan at best, but one that Naruto couldn't help but get behind. In fact, it had been one of the reasons he hadn't been so worried about leaving Konoha yet. Keeping his head down and growing his own strength without drawing attention was just as valuable as keeping an eye on the development of at least one Uchiha. The Kyuubi had insisted on it.
Naruto grinned and backflipped out of the way of Sasuke rocketing up out of the water. Sasuke took to the sky, using the weird wing like protrusions from his back to hover in the air. That was some bullshit. Naruto had to wonder if he could mould his chakra shroud into wings as well as tails. That would be useful.
"You will do no such thing. My chakra will not be used for such ridiculous constructs."
Well, that settled that then. Naruto dodged another fireball and jumped at Sasuke. Sasuke moved out of the way, but Naruto's tail shot out and wrapped around him. Spinning in the air, he whipped the Uchiha around and sent him flying into the head of the statue of Madara. The head of the statue exploded, large chunks of stone, along with Sasuke, falling down to the bottom of the waterfall. Naruto followed, landing on the water below. His tail lashed out and split a large chunk of stone in two before it could hit him. The two halves hit the water, filling the air with dust and mist. Naruto caught Sasuke's fist and laughed as the Uchiha growled in frustration.
"You're pretty tough in this form. Guess I can see why you want to run away so bad," Naruto said. "Still, it's not enough, is it? What's the price for that power? Bet it hurts, doesn't it? You're finally one step ahead, and it's all because of borrowed strength. I can sense that snake inside of you, feeding you chakra, making you angry. What's the point in getting stronger if you aren't even you anymore?"
"Shut up!" Sasuke roared, lashing out with a flurry of punches and kicks. "You think you know anything? You're no better than I am. All that power you have is just the Kyuubi. Without it you would be nothing."
The onslaught was sloppy and full of rage. Naruto defended himself easily, waiting for the right moment. Then he saw an opening, and he didn't hesitate. Stopping a punch with an open palm, Naruto shot out with a clawed hand, reaching for something that made Sasuke's eyes widen in panic. The Uchiha was just fast enough to move, avoiding the intended injury even as claws hooked at his cheek and scraped across his forehead protector. As they parted, Sasuke could only look at his opponent in disbelief, blood flowing down the side of his face. Any slower, and he would have lost an eye.
Naruto looked at the blood on his claws disappointedly. "You're right. Without the Kyuubi, I would be nothing. Just a nobody. The son of a Kage trying hopelessly to live in his shadow. I might even have been happy with that kind of life. Who knows. But you… without your precious Sharingan, you will be nothing." He grinned as more chakra flooded into him, a second tail slowly bubbling into life behind him. "I couldn't do anything before. The village would have lost their minds if I touched you. But now, even if they get upset, no one will be able to blame me for what I do to you. No Uchiha is better than a rogue one."
The fight had been amusing so far. Sasuke was good, and the curse mark made him better, yet Naruto had still held his own with only one tails worth of the fox's chakra so far. Unless Sasuke had more tricks up his sleeve, there was no point in dragging it out any longer. Despite appearances, Naruto was getting tired. He had been drawing on the Kyuubi for most of the day, regenerating from far too many injuries, and having to waste time dealing with the four before this. Once he put Sasuke down, he would get to take a break and rest for a bit. As it were, two tails was the most he could handle in this state. Anything more and he risked burning himself out too quickly.
A rasengan came to life in his hand. "Let me show you just how weak your clan is without those eyes," Naruto said.
He moved so fast that his first step made the water beneath him explode under the force. Sharingan or not, Sasuke had no hope of reacting in time as he watched in slow motion as the jutsu was driven straight into his chest. Naruto pushed forward with his rasengan, sweeping Sasuke off his feet and running him into the cliff of the waterfall. Rock crumbled under the impact and the enhancement of the curse mark was the only thing stopping the rasengan from drilling a hole right through the Uchiha.
Pinned between the cliff and Naruto, Sasuke raced through hand seals and engulfed his arm in lightning chakra. He plunged the Chidori into Naruto's chest, but the jinchuuriki only roared in response and pushed his own jutsu harder. Naruto's control faltered and his rasengan exploded. He slid across the ground and came to a stop with a pained groan, coughing up blood as the hole in his chest began slowly mending. Stumbling to his feet, he was a little surprised to find Sasuke still standing, albeit with only half of his body now transformed by the curse mark.
"One way or another, Sasuke, I'm destroying those eyes," Naruto said, taking a step towards Sasuke. "Even if not's now, so long as I'm alive, I'll never stop until every last Sharingan is gone."
Sasuke took a step back. "Why?" he asked. "What did my clan ever do to you?"
Naruto paused with a surprised look. "You really don't know?" he said. "Didn't you ever get curious as to why the Uchiha were treated with such suspicion? Why after the Kyuubi attack your clan kept to themselves? I'll give you a hint." He looked up at the remnants of the Madara statue and smiled when Sasuke's eyes widened. "It was a Sharingan that could control the Kyuubi. First to battle against the first Hokage, and then a second time, on the night of my birth. It was a Sharingan that caused the fox to rampage that night. The night that killed my parents and left me stuck like this."
"That has nothing to do with me."
"I don't care!" Naruto yelled. "It had nothing to do with me either, but that didn't stop one of yours from trying to kill me! And for what? Just to prove they weren't connected to the stupid fox?" He shook his head and growled. The Kyuubi's chakra was starting to get to him too much.
"So, it's just about revenge then?" Sasuke asked, already going through hand signs. "Only one of us is going to get their revenge, and it's not going to be you." His arm lit up a brilliant blue as the sound of birds chirping filled the valley.
Naruto rolled his eyes. "You think I'm that stupid? Revenge is pointless," he said. "No. It's much simpler than that. I made a promise Sasuke. A promise to the Kyuubi and myself. I will do everything in my power to make sure neither of us are controlled or manipulated ever again. We will be free, no matter what it takes, no matter who I have to kill. Even you."
Another rasengan formed in Naruto's hand, and he fed as much of both his and the Kyuubi's chakra into it as he could. One way or another, he was getting what he came here for, even if it meant wiping Sasuke from existence. They lunged at each other, both putting their all into the next attack. The world around them blurred as the distance between them closed rapidly. And then, at the last second, Naruto cancelled his jutsu. Sasuke's shocked expression was almost worth the risk. He twisted mid-air, letting himself slip underneath Sasuke's Chidori. His tails coiled up beneath him, pushing against the ground and allowing Naruto to deliver a powerful uppercut into Sasuke's stomach.
The Uchiha coughed blood, his body crumpling around Naruto's fist. The impact carried him up into the air, but Naruto wasn't finished. His shroud extended from his arm, a blazing red hand reaching out and grasping Sasuke by the leg. He brought Sasuke crashing back down into the water, dragging him through the river before lifting up once more and slamming him onto the shore. The dust settled, and Sasuke didn't move from the crater he found himself in. Naruto grinned, even as his shroud faded away. He got close enough to enjoy his handiwork. Sasuke was laying there, motionless, bloodied and beaten. The curse mark had receded, and one of his legs was twisted and facing the wrong way. And yet, his eyes were still open, staring at Naruto with such hatred, such defiance… such fear.
Naruto drew a kunai and walked forward. This had dragged out long enough. He stood over Sasuke, revelling in the satisfaction of it all. This was the part where he was supposed to ask for any last words. What a shame. He flipped the kunai into a reverse grip, lifted it, and brought it down. The blade didn't reach Sasuke. Instead, Naruto's hand stopped mid swing, caught in a vice grip before his arm was twisted up and he was thrown up into the air. He landed some distance away, eyes immediately locking onto where Sasuke had been. Had been. He wasn't there anymore. He wasn't anywhere to be seen. Instead, in his place, stood Jiraiya.
"That's enough, Naruto." Jiraiya's tone left no room to argue.
"No. No, no, no, no," Naruto muttered, spinning around and looking in every direction. Sasuke was gone. He couldn't even sense the negativity of the curse mark anymore. He turned to glare at Jiraiya. "He's a traitor." He couldn't lose this chance. He had promised dammit.
Jiraiya remained stone-faced. "And he will be dealt with."
"He was mine!"
"Enough," Jiraiya said. "Whether you like it or not, this situation has to play out a certain way. Your involvement was an unforeseen complication, but one that we are happy to work around. Now, you can either cooperate with me, or I can drag you back to the village, kicking and screaming if I have to. Choice is yours."
Naruto cracked his neck and growled in response and Jiraiya sighed.
"Suit yourself."
{I}
There was a solemn silence hanging over the village. The new day was marred by the slowly fading pillar of smoke rising into the clouds. News had spread as fast as the fires that had consumed the Uchiha compound. Not that there would have been any hope in covering up such a large-scale incident. Still, Hiruzen found that of the list of incidents over the course of the night, the fire was the least of his concerns. For what it was worth, Sasuke's little stunt had provided a convenient focus point for the majority of prying eyes. The civilians were easily placated in their curiosity, but others were not so quick to drop a scent when they smelled opportunity.
"What a mess," Tsunade muttered, taking a large gulp of a bottle from the Hokage's personal stash.
Hiruzen had to agree. What was meant to have been a simple situation had turned into anything but. The Uchiha was only the tip of the kunai. Kumo had shown their hand, at least in part. Though their true intentions were still unknown, it was easy to surmise several possibilities, none of which were comforting. Iwa's interference in that particular situation was just as troubling. Konoha had been breached by assassins from another village, who had very nearly claimed the life of Suna's half of the alliance. It was a display of weakness that they could not afford, right in front of those who wouldn't hesitate to capitalize on it.
"What have we learnt on the Kumo front?" he asked.
Danzo tapped his cane. "The leader of the extraction team from Oto is still being interrogated by my men, but so far we have some answers," he said. "The Kumo assassins were approached by the sound-nin and guided past our defences, presumably using the same methods used to extract the Uchiha. An unfortunate piece of information, courtesy of Orochimaru. They were expected to be a distraction while they escaped with their target."
Of course. When did something terrible not somehow lead to his wayward student in some way. Hiruzen could only nod in acknowledgement. Security would have to be tightened and their protocols carefully combed through to find any other chinks in their armour. "Keep me updated on all you learn," he said, getting a nod. He turned to Tsunade. "And the Tsuchikage?"
Tsunade waved her hand dismissively. "Won't stop complaining. Wants to talk to you as soon as possible. Other than that though, they are fine. The girl is sticking to Temari like glue. Roshi got back some time ago, even dragged one of the sound ninja back with him."
"Is there a reason why I was not informed of this?" Danzo asked. "I believe I was entrusted to handle all the interrogations."
"And you can have him," Tsunade said with a smirk. "As soon as he's healed enough to be woken up from his coma. In his current state, he wouldn't be able to do anything other than scream. There is almost no skin left on his body, and most of his bones are broken. Roshi extends his apologies for having too much fun."
Danzo grumbled to himself but remained silent otherwise. Hiruzen couldn't help but chuckle at his old friend's frustration. Regardless of what information that one shinobi might have, it was much better to simply have confirmation on the Iwa team. Roshi had aided against the Oto shinobi, and Kurotsuchi had thwarted Kumo, both assumably under the order of their Kage. If peace was truly what Onoki wanted, then he was making all the right moves towards that goal. It almost made Hiruzen's chest swell with hope. The future might not be quite as dark as he had feared.
Sadly, it wasn't all good news.
"What of Sasuke?"
Jiraiya frowned. "That curse mark is nasty work. I've got it sealed up tight right now, as best I can," he said. "The brat isn't happy, and he isn't in a good way right now. Mentally or physically."
Hiruzen hummed. That was to be expected given the circumstances. Though admittedly Sasuke's physical condition was an unfortunate result of surprising complications. "And Naruto?"
That Naruto had shown any interest in chasing down the Uchiha was intriguing to begin with. The report given by both Jiraiya and Danzo's men painted quite the picture of what the young Uzumaki was capable of, as well as a possible glimpse into the boy's mind. Tearing through a team of capable high-chunin rank shinobi, all while hunting down a runaway; it was impressive. Having the forethought and skill to pick out the team leader, isolating them and handing them off to Root. Oh yes, Hiruzen could weave quite the little tale in Naruto's favour after this event. That was, assuming the boy could play along.
"He is pissed," Jiraiya admitted. "Not enough to go on a tantrum, but it's bad. I haven't had to lock his seal up yet. Let's just say I won't be winning any popularity contests with the kid after this. Still, I don't think we can expect him to just let it go. He is dead set on destroying the Sharingan."
Hiruzen shared a look with Danzo. "We will have to figure something out then," he said. "No matter his reasons, Naruto cannot be allowed to destroy the only Sharingan in our possession. That being said, I believe it would be unwise to disregard his fears of the Dojutsu. Assuming the rumours are true, and what Naruto claimed can be believed, then Sasuke now poses a great threat. His disloyalty and dedication to his single-minded desire for revenge is simply inexcusable."
"Let us not also forget that whatever risk Sasuke poses is also shared by his brother," Danzo added. "We need to keep the jinchuuriki away from both Uchiha, if at all possible."
"Can't believe I agree with him, but it's for the best," Tsunade said.
It would be worth while investigating whether or not Kakashi possessed enough aptitude with his own Sharingan to potentially act as a failsafe for the Kyuubi, though not at the risk of further jeopardising the already shaky relationship Naruto had with the village. For now, it would remain nothing more than an idea. Furthermore, they would need to try and find out where Naruto was getting his information. The likely answer was obvious, but they couldn't jump to conclusions. Hiruzen wished things could be simpler.
"We should get our story straight," Jiraiya said. "As it stands, only a handful of people know what really went down, and all of them are loyal. We can make this work however we need it to. From there, spreading the word will be an easy task."
His student was right. There was no reason they couldn't make this work to their favour somehow. "As far as anyone is to know, Sasuke eluded our forces and has joined with Orochimaru," Hiruzen said. The groundwork for that particular cover up had already been laid by Jiraiya and an unwilling Naruto, so it wouldn't be questioned. "Danzo and I will deal with Sasuke. Jiraiya, you will put together a team with the sole purpose of hunting down and retrieving our lost Uchiha. I don't need to explain your true objective in this."
Jiraiya nodded solemnly. Dealing with Orochimaru had just become priority number one on Konoha's list for the moment. There was no telling what the snake might try to get his hands on Sasuke or strike back for his plans being foiled. Tying up that loose end was long overdue.
"And Kumo?" Tsunade asked.
"Increase border patrol and keep an eye out for any follow up attempts. Outside of that our hands are tied. I will send a message to the Raikage to receive a formal declaration of non-involvement from them, but that is all we can do for now." With any luck, the Raikage would know a losing battle when he saw one.
"What of Iwa?" As expected, Danzo was still suspicious of their former enemy's intentions here.
"With their actions taken into consideration, I think it is time we give them the benefit of the doubt here," Hiruzen said. "As soon as Suna is ready to partake, proper negotiations will have to begin. As for Naruto…"
A deep frown formed on the Hokage's face. Naruto was a tricky one. They had to be careful in how they handled him from here on. Jiraiya was out of the question for the moment. It wasn't quite enough of a lost cause to involve Danzo either. Hiruzen had a chance himself, assuming Naruto was calm enough to listen to him. With the new revelation of Naruto's stance on the Sharingan, pushing Kakashi might end up being a bad idea.
"I'll handle the brat," Tsunade said.
Danzo eyed her sceptically. "This I would like to see."
Tsunade ignored him. "I've got the best chance. It's not like he trusts any of you. Worst case, I just become one more person he doesn't trust. I'll still need something to offer him for his cooperation. Can't exactly blame him for not wanting to do something for free."
"Any suggestions?" Hiruzen asked.
Everyone was silently thoughtful for a few seconds until Jiraiya groaned and wiped a hand down his face. "I've got one, but we aren't going to like it."
The Hokage took a deep breath and prepared himself. He could not wait to pass this hat along to Tsunade.
{I}
The labyrinth like maze of hallways that made up his mindscape had always been a point of interest for Naruto. Even after attaining his shinobi rank and being permitted access to the shinobi library, there was very little information to be found on the subject. He imagined the Yamanaka had a wealth of knowledge on such things, but considering the nature of their abilities, as well as Ino being the only one he knew, Naruto had deemed it a lost cause. Still, the curiosity had persisted ever since he had figured out how to come here willingly.
It didn't take a genius to connect the dots. The maze wasn't actually his mind, but the space created by the seal. More accurately, the seemingly endless hallways were the structure of the seal itself, crisscrossing and intertwining to form the necessary components. All of which encircled, and ultimately led to, the cage at its core. Naruto had spent a lot of time exploring in his earlier years. Other than the fox, there was nothing of real interest to be found. Unfortunate, but not unexpected.
He trudged through the halls, barely paying attention to which way he headed. Everything led to the Kyuubi eventually, so direction was unimportant. Time also didn't work quite the same in here either. There had been a time where Naruto entertained the idea of studying the art of Fuinjutsu, to better understand his burden, and if possible, free himself from it. Again, the library had offered little, and what he could find painted a dreary picture of his hopes in the field. With the loss of Uzushio, and the scattering of the remaining Uzumaki, the art of sealing had come to a screeching halt in regard to progress. His parents had likely been the last true pioneers of Fuinjutsu, and it wasn't as if much of their material had survived, assuming it was even accessible.
The hall in which the cage resided was large and open. Networks of pipes littered the ceiling and walls, ankle deep water settled on the floor, and the air remained ever full of the crushing aura of the Kyuubi. Even here, locked away like an animal, the greatest of the bijuu was still a force to be reckoned with. Naruto had long since become accustomed to the fox's presence, no longer effected by the beast's aura like he had been as a child. That only made this moment all the more frustrating.
He was sweating.
A promise had been made, and with it a deal struck between them. Both sides working in unison to achieve their goal. They weren't impatient. They had bided their time, waiting for any opportunities that the ever-shifting nature of the world presented to them, all the while grinding away at their own flaws and imperfections. A slow and arduous process when forced to share a single body bound by the constraints of human growth. Nevertheless, they were making progress.
Sadly, progress meant nothing if one could not seize an opportunity when it presented itself so openly. Sasuke had gone rogue, slipping away with almost no one noticing. Through luck alone, Naruto had been the one to hunt him down, to catch him alone and outside of the village. It had been perfect… and he had ruined it. His mistake had likely cost them the one and only chance he would have of removing the threat of a pair of Sharingan without serious consequences. It didn't matter that Jiraiya had involved himself. The technicalities of it all were meaningless. It had been Naruto's failure, and now he would bear the results.
"He got away."
Naruto flinched at the words despite the surprising calmness of the tone. "Yes."
"The seal has not been altered."
"No." Naruto had been surprised by that as well. He was sure Jiraiya would have cut him off from the fox after the stunt he pulled. Yet here they were. "I failed."
"You did."
"I'm sorry."
There was a tense silence. As silly as it felt to do, Naruto found himself bowing his head slightly to the fox. A very human display of shame that was likely lost, if not outright despised by the beast, but it was all he could offer.
"An expected setback," the fox said, grinning as Naruto looked up at it in surprise. "The Uchiha was beyond your reach no matter what you did. Others were ready to intervene before you could achieve anything significant against him. There was nothing you could do. And yet…" The beast chuckled darkly. It inhaled deep through its nose and licked its lips. "The stench of the Uchiha's fear was worth it."
Naruto frowned. "You aren't mad?"
The Kyuubi growled. "I am furious," it said. "But not with you. Once again, we find ourselves chained by the limitations of your body and the interference of others. These cannot be helped currently, and so there is nothing to blame you for."
"What do we do?"
"The same as before. Train, grow, continue to improve. How long it takes is irrelevant, only that we succeed," the Kyuubi said. "Nothing is beneath us until our goal is met."
Naruto pursed his lips. It went without saying he would have no choice but to do anything he had to in order to get stronger. Learn under Roshi, push himself as hard as possible, even grovel and apologise to Jiraiya and the others if it meant a chance at not being held back for his actions. He would use time to his advantage. He would play along, be the loyal little jinchuuriki they wanted, look after Temari and whatever other responsibilities they saddled him with. So long as they continued to let him grow unimpeded, Naruto would do what he had to.
The Kyuubi smiled at him. "Good. You understand. This weakness is temporary. Together, we will overcome all obstacles put in our path. Together, we will be free."
Waking up was easy this time. Jiraiya was a prick, but he wasn't excessive. The headache was already fading. There was a list of things Naruto was expecting to wake up to, namely a squad of Anbu ready to restrain him, or an angry Jiraiya threatening to lock his seal up tighter than ever. What he couldn't predict was waking up to the smell of alcohol and the weight of something sitting on his chest.
"Oink!"
A pig?
"Consider yourself privileged," Tsunade said. "Tonton is rather picky when it comes to people. She seems to like you. Now get up. You and I need to have a little chat."
Naruto sat up with a groan. The pig, Tonton, let itself fall into his lap, but it refused to move off of him. He looked to Tsunade boredly and waited for her to continue. Might as well get the yelling over with quickly and deal with whatever his punishment was.
Tsunade flicked open a file and began skimming over the contents. "You've been busy. Two enemy shinobi dead, two captured, and you came back in one piece. Impressive for a genin, even a jinchuuriki." She closed the file and smirked. "It's a shame that when we found you, Sasuke was already gone."
His jaw clenched and his fingers gripped the bedding hard enough to rip it. "What?" he hissed. They let Sasuke leave? They allowed a rogue Uchiha to run away to seek power from a psychopath?
"Well, that's the official story," Tsunade said. "The lie. The cover up. The bullshit. Call it whatever you want, but it is the story we are going with for now. More importantly, it's the story you are going to have to get behind."
"You want me to lie?" It wasn't a big ask, honestly. Even if the story made him out to have lost at the hands of the Uchiha, it wasn't all that bad in the grand scheme.
Tsunade nodded. "Yes. It's in our interest to make the world think the little brat got away. As much as I'm sure that pisses you off, it works in your interest as well."
He couldn't wait to hear this.
"Konoha can't go on having a weak jinchuuriki. Once news spreads that you were beaten by a runaway Uchiha, a genin at that, people will start to get ideas," she explained. "As it turns out, we are starting to develop friendly relations with another village who possess a powerful jinchuuriki who has already shown interest in teaching you. A convenient necessity. The Hokage has already cleared it, so once you're ready, your mission will be to train until you can harness the Kyuubi to its fullest potential. Everything will be at your disposal until that goal is met, including the progressive loosening of your seal. Assuming, of course, that you cooperate with us."
Naruto narrowed his eyes. It was too good to be true. There had to be something else.
"Of course, there is something else."
He knew it.
Tsunade pulled a slip of paper from her jacket and placed in on the wall. In an instant, glowing symbols spread out over all the walls, the floor, and the ceiling. They pulsed brightly and then vanished. The effect was immediate, and it made Naruto feel sick. The outside world all but disappeared. Sounds, scents, light, vibrations, everything, no matter how insignificant in nature, the room was now cut off from it all. It was just them, alone, separated from everything outside, and Tsunade looked serious.
"Let's stop tiptoeing around the real issue here," she said. "Neither of us want to be here. That much is obvious. But fate is a bitch, and here we are. So, I think it's about time you and I got on the same page and came to an understanding."
Naruto tilted his head curiously. "Go on."
Tsunade smirked. "Sensei is insisting that I take the hat. Not sure I can get out of it. Wouldn't be such a problem if this village hadn't gone so far downhill. If I'm going to accomplish anything, I need help. That's where you come in," she said. "You want out. Everyone knows it, so there's no point in sugarcoating it. I can only assume the reasons as to why you haven't tried to run already, but the main one is obvious. You wouldn't get far before someone dragged you back, or you were captured by another village. So, you help me, and I'll help you."
Naruto scowled. The words were nice, but there was no way of believing them. Tsunade was probably the most trustworthy person in the village outside of Temari, not that that meant a whole lot. She was to become the Hokage, which unfortunately made her enemy number one. There wasn't anything she wouldn't say to get what she needed to rule the village how she saw fit. Lying to him would be all too easy. That being said, it wasn't as if Naruto had a lot of options, and if Tsunade was willing to give him what he wanted in the meantime, then who was he to argue.
"How do you think you'll be able to help me?" he asked.
"I'll be Hokage, brat," she said. "There won't be a lot I can't do without the right justification. If sensei can let me and Jiraiya run around for all these years, then I don't see why I can't offer the same."
There was only one problem with that idea. "I'd still be bound to the village."
Tsunade rolled her eyes. "A technicality as most. You think I gave a damn about what the village wanted while I was out there? The only reason I came back is because sensei commanded it. Well, that, and Shizune deserved to come home. You would be bound to the Hokage only, and so long as I hold the position, no one will bother you. Of course, that does require a lot of work on your end."
There it was. "What do I have to do?"
"Behave for one. Your attitude has caused you enough problems as it is. No one will believe you aren't an escape risk in your current state. Hokage or not, I won't be able to convince anyone to give you leeway if they aren't first convinced that your loyalty in unquestionable. Jiraiya seems to think we have a few years before Akatsuki try anything significant again. That gives you some time to get stronger and make this village believe you're a loyal and trustworthy shinobi. Then, and only then, will I be able to help you out."
A tempting offer. Easily the best Naruto had been offered by someone in a position of power. There was only one thing he really needed to know before he agreed to play along. "Why would you do this?" he asked.
Tsunade pulled out another slip of paper and handed to Naruto. Her expression fell, eyes heavy with a strange mix of emotions even as she smiled at him. "You remind me of someone. He was stubborn too. Nothing anyone could say would sway him from his goal. But… his dream was to be the Hokage, and, like so many others before him, and many since, his dream led him down a path that took him from me. I couldn't protect him or save him. In the end, I know it was his choice, and he wouldn't have had it any other way, but you… you didn't get a choice. You want a different path, and if it's one that helps you avoid the same fate, then I will help you as much as I can."
Naruto unfolded the piece of paper and looked at it questioningly. 'Seventh street, unit 13b'. "What is this?"
"Temporary housing. It shouldn't take long to rebuild your house, so that'll have to do for now," Tsunade answered.
"What happened to my house?" Naruto asked.
"Oh? No one told you yet?" Tsunade asked. "There were assassins from Kumo. We aren't sure yet who they were after, you or Temari. Either way, they made a right mess of the house."
Naruto froze. Something was wrong. "Temari?"
Tsunade was being a little too blasé all of a sudden. "She's here too actually. Even I'll give her credit, she's a tough one. She should make a full recovery. Too bad you weren't there to keep an eye on her like you promised."
Tsunade managed to catch Tonton as she was thrown in the air amidst the ensuing chaos. Naruto was on his feet and at the door in a flash, ripping the door open and flying into the hallway. As soon as he left the room, the world returned to his sense's, and he inhaled deep. If Temari was here, he would be able to sniff her out easily. He needed to make sure she was okay. Not because he cared about her. No, certainly not. It was more because he had agreed to keep her safe, and if he had failed that, then who knew what kind of consequences there could be. Breaking two promises in one day was unacceptable.
There was nothing. Only traces of her scent lingering in the hospital. She wasn't here.
Behind him, Tsunade laughed and patted him on the shoulder. "And here I thought Temari was the one I needed to worry about. Guess you do have a soft spot after all." She leaned down until her face was right next to Naruto's, her voice dropping to a whisper. "Think about what I said. And if I were you, I'd get a lot more comfortable with your little girlfriend. Public appearances go a long way."
She walked away, leaving Naruto to his own thoughts. He looked at the crumpled paper in his hand. There was so much to do, so much to think about. Making a plan of who to play along with and who to use to the fullest extent for the sake of his dream was going to be painful. He had to be careful. Getting in too deep or too close with anyone from Konoha was a risk. Thankfully, all of that could wait.
Finding Temari came first.
{I}
Everything hurt. Both his body and his pride had been beaten down into a painful lump. Wherever he was now, it was cold and damp. His arms were bound behind him, and his leg, while bandaged and set, was still broken. Some strange blindfold was wrapped tightly around his head, keeping his Sharingan from activating. How anyone had something that could disable his Dojutsu was a mystery to him. Even his clan had no knowledge on such a thing… as far as he knew.
He heard the door open, and two pairs of footsteps entered what he assumed was a cell of some kind, the tapping of a cane accompanying one of them. He must have been dragged back to the village. The last thing he remembered was Naruto standing over him with a kunai. That idiot was actually going to kill him, or worse, destroy his eyes. How? How could he be that far behind, that far beneath Naruto? It should have been impossible. And yet, he had been powerless against his teammate. Naruto had taken down the team from Oto and still managed to fight with him on even-footing. No, not even-footing. Naruto had toyed with him, humiliated him, broken him.
"I hope you are well, young Sasuke."
Sasuke froze. He knew that voice. The Hokage?
"Are you sure you wouldn't prefer I handle this alone?"
That was a voice Sasuke was less familiar with. He had definitely heard it before, but he couldn't put a face to it.
"It's fine," the Hokage said. "Now, Sasuke, I'm sure you understand the tricky situation you have put us in with your actions."
He snorted. Like he cared. It was his life; he could do as he pleased. Whatever had resulted from their attempts to stop him were not his problem.
"Normally, we have standardised ways of dealing with such crimes. Sadly, things are not quite normal, are they?" The old man sounded like he was enjoying listening to himself speak. "I understand why you felt the need to leave, and why Orochimaru's offer was all too tempting for you. My former student has a strange skill in bending even the strongest to his will, so I do not hold it against you. You are still young after all. But we cannot excuse your actions completely."
The one with a cane shuffled towards him and suddenly his vision was filled with blinding light. His Sharingan was active almost immediately, glaring at the two old men; the Hokage, and a heavily bandaged elder who Sasuke had seen once or twice before.
"That won't help you here, boy," the bandaged man said.
Sasuke scowled. "What happens now?" Were they going to concoct some sort of extravagant punishment for him, make an example of him for the village. It wouldn't be much. They still needed him, so they would have to go easy on him.
"You still don't seem to grasp the gravity of what has occurred. There is much more going on than your attempted defection. As such, it has fallen onto me to decide how you will fit into what is to come," the Hokage said. Sasuke had only ever seen the old man with a kind smile, so to see him now, looking so blank and cold, was unsettling. "Your desire to avenge your clan is no secret. No matter how foolish such a desire it may be, I cannot disregard its effectiveness as a motivation for growth. So, I am willing to make you a deal."
"A deal?" Sasuke asked sceptically. He knew what that meant. The old carrot and the stick approach, only there was never going to be a carrot. The Hokage would offer him something he wanted in exchange for his cooperation, but no matter how hard he tried, he would never get his side of the deal. It was how the world worked. The Hokage just wanted to ensure some form of loyalty. If such loyalty couldn't be obtained, well, Sasuke could only imagine that wouldn't work in his favour right now.
"Yes, a deal," the Hokage started. "To make things easier on you, why don't I give you something to help you decide."
At his side, the bandaged elder pulled his supposed injured arm out of his coat. It was wrapped in bandages, with three strange gold bracers locked around it. The bracers were unlocked and dropped to the floor one by one before the man began the painstaking process of carefully unwrapping his bandages.
"You see, Sasuke, I'm afraid there is much you do not truly know. Your quest for revenge is a result of this ignorance; one that we were more than content to overlook so long as it didn't cause further problems. Sadly, that is no longer the case. You believe we are holding you back in order to keep a hold of the Sharingan. I wish it were so simple."
Sasuke was listening, but his eyes were locked onto the elder. The bandages on his arm had fallen away, revealing a strangely pale arm with a disturbing face-like deformity growing out of the shoulder, but that was the least of Sasuke's concern. Imbedded in the old man's arm were no less than ten Sharingan, all open and active, mindlessly looking around the room. Then, as if to deepen the wound, the man lifted the bandages over his eye, revealing another Sharingan that stared coldly into Sasuke's own.
Any rage he might have felt in this moment was consumed by an overpowering sensation of… something. Sasuke couldn't put his finger on it. His clan, his family, the entire bloodline had been massacred, and yet here was someone blatantly insulting that loss. Those eyes belonged to no one but those they had no doubt been stolen from. To think, of all people, an elder of Konoha was the one to partake in such a sick and twisted act. The self-proclaimed seekers of peace, the supposed kind and caring Konoha. What a joke. How could they do this? How was such a slight against the memory of his clan allowed to occur?
"How… how do you have those?"
"I think you can figure that out on your own," Danzo said.
The Hokage cleared his throat and levelled a disapproving look at his friend. "The real question is why we have them," he said, once more earning Sasuke's full attention. "I think it's time you learnt what really happened the night of your clans… misfortune. Unless, that is, if you don't wish to know why it was Itachi did as he did."
Sasuke gritted his teeth. Were they going to feed him more lies? No. If that was their approach, they wouldn't have bothered showing him all their stolen Sharingan. Something else was going on. He knew he was missing pieces of the puzzle, but he had assumed Itachi was the only one who could have given him the answers he needed. Then again, for something so significant to have happened within the village, it made sense that the Hokage knew something about it. The question now was how much did the Hokage know, and how much of what he was willing to tell could be trusted.
It wasn't as if he had much of a choice. At the least, he could hear them out.
"I'm listening."
A/N:
The writing gods have blessed me with motivation for this story and cursed me with writer's block for almost everything else. They work in mysterious ways, but hey, at least you guys get to reap the rewards. Hope this was as enjoyable for you all as it was for me to write. Sorry that the Naruto v. Sasuke fight wasn't all that, but as you can see, more important stuff is happening.
I love writing Temari and Kurotsuchi interacting. They are two of my favourite characters. That being said, I feel the need to make something very clear here and tell you all that this will not be a harem/three-way relationship story. Sorry, but that's not my jam. I love Kurotsuchi, and I will find ways to keep her involved in the story moving forward, but she is not joining the political marriage with Naruto. I'm sure that will upset some people, but it's a decision I am standing by. That being said, it's going to be fun torturing Temari with the idea a little more.
Other than that, I'm messing around with a fair bit in this story. As I'm sure you all know, I plan nothing, so this'll be fun to see where it takes me. Hiruzen and Danzo have plans for little Sasuke, Jiraiya gets to hopefully deal with Orochimaru, and Tsunade is much more ambitious and calculating than most give her credit. Naruto is sadly caught in the middle. Speaking of, I delved a little bit into him more in this chapter. Hope that wasn't too cringe. A vague mention of the attack that changed everything, and also a better understanding of his and the Kyuubi's relationship and mutual plan. Please let me know if it was half alright because I feel like I did a terrible job with it.
As always, reviews have been great. Can't wait to hear more from you all.
Anywho, not sure when the next chapter will be. I really need to try and update one of my other fics at some point. I feel bad leaving them hanging, but this story is just calling to me right now. The struggles are real my friends.
Till next time.
Soul out.